cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ten-year review of groin laparoscopy in 1001 pediatric patients with clinical unilateral inguinal hernia: an improved technique with transhernia multiple-channel scope.

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this 10-year review of data is to verify the effectiveness, safety, and appropriate age group for using a multichannel scope during inguinal herniorrhaphy in pediatric patients with clinical unilateral inguinal hernia to evaluate for contralateral patent processus vaginalis (CPPV). Methods The data evaluated are age, sex, negative findings, positive findings, false positives, false negatives, recurrences, date of recurrence, and complications. Patients who clinically had bilateral hernias or were born prematurely were excluded. A 5-mm, 30° multichannel scope was used through the ipsilateral open hernia sac to explore the contralateral internal ring. A Fogarty catheter was used through one of the channels of the scope to probe the contralateral side in instances of questionable patent processus vaginalis. Results One thousand one patients were studied, and a total of 237 CPPVs (23%) were identified. The highest incidence of CPPV was found in those patients younger than 1 year (44%). Contralateral patent processus vaginalis was identified and ligated in 34% of patients younger than 2 years, 20% in patients 2 to 8 years old, and 17% of patients 9 to 18 years old. There were no false positives and 6 false negatives (0.6%) of the contralateral side. There were 3 (0.3%) recurrent inguinal hernias of the ipsilateral side and no complications. Conclusions The use of a multichannel scope through the ipsilateral open hernia sac during inguinal herniorrhaphy in pediatric patients with clinical unilateral inguinal hernia to evaluate for CPPV proved to be effective, cost-effective, and safe. Our procedure eliminated any additional scars and the cost of trocars and permitted us to probe the contralateral internal ring. Unnecessary open exploration was spared in 56% of children younger than 1 year and proved to be useful in all pediatric patients up to the age of 18 years.
Human experience with amiodarone in the embryonic period

Reported use of amiodarone in pregnancy is rare, despite increased use of the drug in women of child-bearing age. Use of amiodarone in late pregnancy has been reported and a lithium-like fetopathy discovered1–5 consisting of hypothyroidism and goiter (due to its lithium-like antithyroid actions). There are only 2 reports of amiodarone use during the embryonic period and organogenesis.6,7 Both gravidae had relatively low drug exposure. No congenital malformation was observed. Studies in rodents suggest the possibility of additional embryonic and fetal toxicities.8,9 We report 3 cases of human amiodarone use during the first trimester at a substantially higher dose than in the previous cases. We detail one major malformation due to abnormal organogenesis, and we report fetal amiodarone and N-desethyl-amiodarone levels for the first time.
Quinine‐Catalyzed Enantioselective Michael Addition of Diphenyl Phosphite to Nitroolefins: Synthesis of Chiral Precursors of α‐Substituted β‐Aminophosphonates

A quinine-promoted, enantioselective Michael addition reaction of diphenyl phosphite with nitroalkenes has been developed. This methodology affords a facile access to enantiomerically enriched p-nitrophosphates, precursors for the preparation of synthetically and biologically useful β-amino-phosphonates.
Residual stresses and strains in orthogonal metal cutting

The finite element method is used to simulate and analyze the orthogonal metal cutting process under plane strain conditions, with focus on the residual stress and strain fields in the finished workpiece. Various modeling options have been employed. The frictional interaction along the tool-chip interface is modeled with a modified Coulomb friction law. Chip separation is modeled by the nodal release technique based on a critical stress criterion. Temperature-dependent material properties and a range of tool rake angle and friction coefficient values are considered. It is found that while thermal cooling increases the residual stress level, the effects of the rake angle and the friction coefficient are nonlinear and depend on the range of these parameters. The predicted residual stress results compare well with experimental observations available in the literature.
Metabolism of acetate, propionate, and n-butyrate in young milk-fed calves.

Abstract The metabolism of acetate-l-C 14 , propionate-1-C 14 , and n-butyrate-1-C 14 was studied in milkfed calves up to 80 days of age. Quantities of each acid calculated to supply one-half of maintenance energy were infused intravenously for 8 hrs. During the infusion, expired air was mointored for C 14 O 2 , and venous blood was sampled for the isolation of metabolic intermediates. The expired CO 2 derived from the oxidized portion of the infused acids was between 20 and 30% of total expired CO 2 , indicating that the acids could be metabolized in relatively large quantities by young calves. There were no significant differences in rates of metabolism attributable to individual acids or to age. Acetate, propionate, and butyrate appeared to be metabolized largely by established pathways. Acetate and butyrate resulted in increased ketone production, whereas propionate caused a decreased production. Propionate and butyrate contributed about equally, but greater than acetate, to blood glucose labeling. Infusion of all acids resulted in decreased blood glucose levels and increased blood lactate levels. During infusions of acetate and butyrate both the concentration and the specific activity of blood malic acid increased, suggesting the presence of at least a portion of the glyoxylate pathway.
The development of lossless data compression technology for remote sensing applications

Lossless data compression has been studied for many NASA missions to achieve the benefit of increased science return; reduced onboard memory requirement, station contact time and communication bandwidth. This paper first addresses the requirement for onboard applications and provides rational for the selection of the Rice algorithm among other available techniques. A top-level description of the Rice algorithm is given, along with some new capabilities already implemented in both software and hardware VLSI forms. The paper then addresses systems issues important for onboard implementation including sensor calibration, error propagation and data packetization. The latter part of the paper provides several case study examples drawn from a broad spectrum of science instruments including the thematic mapper, X-ray telescope, gamma-ray spectrometer, acousto-optical spectrometer. >
Methanogenesis in Eocene Arctic soils inferred from δ13C of tree fossil carbonates

We report on the carbon and oxygen stable isotope composition of fossil tree material collected at the White Mountain locality of the Buchanan Lake Formation on Axel Heiberg Island in the High Arctic of Canada. The fossils are Middle Eocene in age and have been permineralized with carbonate. Microscopic examination of fossils revealed them to be the remains of Metasequoia stems, composed of secondary carbonate (calcite) and original wood intermingled at the cellular level. Because the specimens show little compression, crushing, or tissue degradation, we believe that carbonate permineralization occurred soon after burial, and therefore provides insight into Eocene carbon cycling at the locality. The carbon isotope signature of the carbonate suggests that methanogenesis resulted in a 13 C-enriched CO2 pool that equilibrated with soil water and gave rise to unusually 13 C-enriched CaCO3. Tree fossil carbonate exhibited strikingly high d 13 C values (+4.0 to +7.4x) compared to published Phanerozoic pedogenic carbonate d 13 C values. These d 13 C values, in conjunction with fractionation factors (a) previously determined for carbonate precipitation and methanogenic pathways, indicate an Eocene soil CO2 pool containing 80–95% CO2 produced as a by-product of acetate-fermentation methanogenesis. Because methane in the atmosphere is a powerful greenhouse gas, we suggest that methane emissions from Axel Heiberg soils contributed to the relatively warm Arctic climate during the Middle Eocene. D 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Spectral Clustering with Perturbed Data

Spectral clustering is useful for a wide-ranging set of applications in areas such as biological data analysis, image processing and data mining. However, the computational and/or communication resources required by the method in processing large-scale data are often prohibitively high, and practitioners are often required to perturb the original data in various ways (quantization, downsampling, etc) before invoking a spectral algorithm. In this paper, we use stochastic perturbation theory to study the effects of data perturbation on the performance of spectral clustering. We show that the error under perturbation of spectral clustering is closely related to the perturbation of the eigenvectors of the Laplacian matrix. From this result we derive approximate upper bounds on the clustering error. We show that this bound is tight empirically across a wide range of problems, suggesting that it can be used in practical settings to determine the amount of data reduction allowed in order to meet a specification of permitted loss in clustering performance.
Linked transcripts of the genes for leader and N message are synthesized in vitro by vesicular stomatitis virus.

Abstract Synthesis of vesicular stomatitis virus RNA in the presence of the β, γ imido analog of ATP lead to the inhibition of normal message synthesis and resulted in the appearance of two electrophoretically distinct RNA species. Comparison of T1-oligonucleotide fingerprint patterns indicated that the major product contained oligonucleotides characteristic of both leader RNA and N message suggesting that it arose by read through of the leader-N gene junction with subsequent termination at the 3′ end of the N gene.
Modeling forest carbon cycle response to tree mortality: Effects of plant functional type and disturbance intensity

Natural and anthropogenic disturbances influence ecological succession and impact the carbon cycle. Understanding disturbance effects and ecosystem recovery is essential to carbon modeling. We hypothesized that (1) species-specific disturbances impact the carbon cycle differently from nonspecific disturbances. In particular, disturbances that target early-successional species will lead to higher carbon uptake by the postrecovery, middle- and late-successional community and (2) disturbances that affect the midsuccessional deciduous species have more intense and long-lasting impacts on carbon uptake than disturbances of similar intensity that only affect the early-successional species. To test these hypotheses, we employed a series of simulations conducted with the Ecosystem Demography model version 2 to evaluate the sensitivity of a temperate mixed-deciduous forest to disturbance intensity and type. Our simulation scenarios included a control (undisturbed) case, a uniform disturbance case where we removed 30% of all trees regardless of their successional status, five cases where only early-successional deciduous trees were removed with increasing disturbance intensity (30%, 70%, 85%, and 100%), and four cases of midsuccessional disturbances with increasing intensity (70%, 85%, and 100%). Our results indicate that disturbances affecting the midsuccessional deciduous trees led to larger decreases in carbon uptake as well as longer recovery times when compared to disturbances that exclusively targeted the early-successional deciduous trees at comparable intensities. Moreover, disturbances affecting 30% to 100% of early-successional deciduous trees resulted in an increased carbon uptake, beginning 6 years after the disturbance and sustained through the end of the 100 year simulation.
Clinical toxicities and dosimetric parameters after whole-pelvis versus prostate-only intensity-modulated radiation therapy for prostate cancer.

Purpose To assess whether whole-pelvis (WP) intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) is associated with increased toxicity compared with prostate-only (PO) IMRT. Methods and Materials We retrospectively analyzed all patients with prostate cancer undergoing definitive IMRT to 79.2 Gy with concurrent androgen deprivation at our institution from November 2005 to May 2007 with a minimum follow-up of 12 months. Thirty patients received initial WP IMRT to 45 Gy in 1.8-Gy fractions, and thirty patients received PO IMRT. Study patients underwent computed tomography simulation and treatment planning by use of predefined dose constraints. Bladder and rectal dose–volume histograms, maximum genitourinary (GU) and gastrointestinal (GI) Radiation Therapy Oncology Group toxicity grade, and late Grade 2 or greater toxicity-free survival curves were compared between the two groups by use of the Student t test, Fisher exact test, and Kaplan-Meier curve, respectively. Results Bladder minimum dose, mean dose, median dose, volume receiving 5 Gy, volume receiving 20 Gy, volume receiving 40 Gy, and volume receiving 45 Gy and rectal minimum dose, median dose, and volume receiving 20 Gy were significantly increased in the WP group (all p values p = 0.006). With a median follow-up of 24 months (range, 12–35 months), there was no difference in late GI toxicity ( p = 0.884) or in acute or late GU toxicity. Conclusions Despite dosimetric differences in the volume of bowel, bladder, and rectum irradiated in the low-dose and median-dose regions, WP IMRT results only in a clinically significant increase in acute GI toxicity, in comparison to PO IMRT, with no difference in GU or late GI toxicity.
Dietary Linoleate and Methionine in Chicks

Abstract RECENT studies in chicks showed a profound influence of dietary methionine on serum cholesterol levels (Hill, 1966a) and suggested that dietary methionine might well influence other aspects of lipid metabolism. Inasmuch as studies of the requirement of the chick for dietary linoleate were underway in our laboratory (Hill, 1966b), an experiment was designed to study the effect of dietary methionine upon the EFA requirement, and to determine whether there is any interaction between dietary methionine and dietary linoleate. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE Male New Hampshire Columbian Rock crossbred chicks 3 were started in an electrically-heated battery brooder and fed water and the basal diet (with 5% hydrogenated coconut oil) for seven days. This seven day depletion period was used to lower the linoleate content of tissue lipids, because it has been shown that yolk lipids of incubated eggs contain appreciable amounts of linoleate and arachidonate at hatching time (Hill et al., 1965). At …
Back in the Saddle Again

After many years of teaching, the author, of necessity, enrolled in an equitation course—to learn how to care for his family's newly acquired horse—and was thereby reminded of some of the many psychological and academic challenges students face: establishing a personal level of comfort, facing performance anxiety, and formulating test-preparation strategies. As a result of the experience, the author suggests that educators may work more effectively with their students when this sort of experience is fresh, and he encourages other teachers to put themselves into student roles to see what lessons and reminders they might gather.
The SKN-1 hunger games: May the odds be ever in your favor

Animals must continually assess nutrient availability to develop appropriate strategies for survival and reproductive success. It is no secret that nutritional state plays a large role in both aging and health.(1-7) Appropriate cellular energy usage is not only crucial for animal starvation survival, but is also important for diseases such as obesity and cancer, which characteristically have metabolic dysfunction.(8-10) C. elegans are exceptionally well poised to handle bouts of starvation as resource availability in the wild varies greatly.(11,12) We recently discovered an evolutionarily conserved pathway, regulated by the cytoprotective transcription factor SKN-1/Nrf2, which integrates diet composition and availability with utilization for survival.(13,14) These responses have potent impact on organismal physiology and remarkably are influenced by current and parental life history events, including choice of diet. In this commentary we will focus on recent insights concerning dietary intake and the impact that this can have throughout the life history of the nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans. In light of the strong impact that diet plays throughout life we urge caution when interpreting previous studies that make use of only one diet and suggest a reinvestigation utilizing a different diet is warranted.
In-Line Hydrocarbon Adsorber System for ULEV

An in-line hydrocarbon (HC) adsorber system was developed to reduce cold start HC emissions. The system comprises a first catalyst, adsorber unit, and a second catalyst for oxidation of desorbed HC. During cold start, exhaust gas is directed to the hydrocarbon adsorber using a fluidic flow diverter unit without any mechanical moving parts in the exhaust system. After the first catalyst lights off, the diverter is shut off and the major portion of the exhaust gas then flows directly to the second catalyst without heating the adsorber unit. After the second catalyst reaches light-off temperature additional air was added to oxidize the desorbed HC. The system attributes are: NMHC emissions in ULEV range; straight line axial flow; reliable design; and limited back pressure penalty. The system was tested on a 3.8L US vehicle.
Calcium influx enhances neuropeptide activation of ecdysteroid hormone production by mosquito ovaries

A critical step in mosquito reproduction is the ingestion of a blood meal from a vertebrate host. In mosquitoes like Aedes aegypti, blood feeding stimulates the release of ovary ecdysteroidogenic hormone (OEH) and insulin-like peptide 3 (ILP3). This induces the ovaries to produce ecdysteroid hormone (ECD), which then drives egg maturation. In many immature insects, prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH) stimulates the prothoracic glands to produce ECD that directs molting and metamorphosis. The receptors for OEH, ILP3 and PTTH are different receptor tyrosine kinases with OEH and ILP3 signaling converging downstream in the insulin pathway and PTTH activating the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway. Calcium (Ca(2+)) flux and cAMP have also been implicated in PTTH signaling, but the role of Ca(2+) in OEH, ILP3, and cAMP signaling in ovaries is unknown. Here, we assessed whether Ca(2+) flux affects OEH, ILP3, and cAMP activity in A. aegypti ovaries and also asked whether PTTH stimulated ovaries to produce ECD. Results indicated that Ca(2+) flux enhanced but was not essential for OEH or ILP3 activity, whereas cAMP signaling was dependent on Ca(2+) flux. Recombinant PTTH from Bombyx mori fully activated ECD production by B. mori PTGs, but exhibited no activity toward A. aegypti ovaries. Recombinant PTTH from A. aegypti also failed to stimulate either B. mori PTGs or A. aegypti ovaries to produce ECD. We discuss the implications of these results in the context of mosquito reproduction and ECD biosynthesis by insects generally.
SINUS RHYTHM HEART RATE POST ATRIAL FIBRILLATION ABLATION MAY PREDICT OUTCOMES POST ABLATION

Neural modulation with pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) may be more successful than PVI alone for atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation and may be signaled by changes in sinus rhythm (SR) heart rate post ablation. We sought to determine if a change in SR heart rate predicted outcomes post PVI. Patients
J th Moment Extended Kalman Filtering for Estimation of Nonlinear Dynamic Systems

Two flavors of an analytical approach (called the Jth Moment Extended Kalman Filtering, JMEKF) to estimate the state of a nonlinear dynamical system from vector measurements, developed by the authors recently are compared. The main distinction in the two flavors lies in the method of computing the time evolution of arbitrarily high order statistical moments between the classical Kalman update stages of the filter. The first flavor involves the state transition tensor approach (originally due to Park and Scheeres[1]) and the second flavor explicitly derives the statistical moment evolution equations using perturbation theory. Updating all, not only the first two, of the propagated statistical moments constitutes the JMEKF framework for estimation of nonlinear systems. This brief review is followed by a discussion outlining the assumptions in the assumed structure and associated convergence issues. The connection between probability theory and the associated statistical propagation developed in this paper is explored by an elementary exposition to entities called cumulants and characteristic functions. The tensor transformation between moments and cumulants is presented in a vector matrix form for ease in computations. To overcome the local nature of the Taylor expansions involved in the propagation and update of the JMEKF framework, a smooth particle approach is suggested. Several building blocks required for such a scheme are developed. The generation of the local density function process from evolved moments is detailed where multiple nominal expansion nominal solutions in the phase space are considered to reconstruct the evolved density function.
The Society of Interventional Radiology-Forging Partnerships to Support Interventional Radiology Practice.

There has been particularly significant work being done by the Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR) in collaboration with other societies, boards, and colleges during the last several months. Many of these initiatives are known to SIR members, and include initiatives with the American College of Radiology (including collaboration toward the building of an NRDR IR Registry, involvement in their recent CME meeting focusing on the value proposition, as well as resources provided by the College to support the clinical focus of IR); the American Board of Radiology (particularly with regard to the maintenance of certification [MOC] process, as well as the new interventional radiology [IR] and diagnostic radiology [DR] dual certificate); as well as innumerable other subspecialty societies within and outside of the house of radiology. The three authors of this editorial would here like to provide some feedback regarding how the work of our societies is done—thanks in part to a unique opportunity to attend a somewhat different type of society conference: one held by the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE).
OpenMP Parallelization and Optimization of Graph-Based Machine Learning Algorithms

We investigate the OpenMP parallelization and optimization of two novel data classification algorithms. The new algorithms are based on graph and PDE solution techniques and provide significant accuracy and performance advantages over traditional data classification algorithms in serial mode. The methods leverage the Nystrom extension to calculate eigenvalue/eigenvectors of the graph Laplacian and this is a self-contained module that can be used in conjunction with other graph-Laplacian based methods such as spectral clustering. We use performance tools to collect the hotspots and memory access of the serial codes and use OpenMP as the parallelization language to parallelize the most time-consuming parts. Where possible, we also use library routines. We then optimize the OpenMP implementations and detail the performance on traditional supercomputer nodes (in our case a Cray XC30), and test the optimization steps on emerging testbed systems based on Intel’s Knights Corner and Landing processors. We show both performance improvement and strong scaling behavior. A large number of optimization techniques and analyses are necessary before the algorithm reaches almost ideal scaling.
Natural Competence of Xylella fastidiosa Occurs at a High Frequency Inside Microfluidic Chambers Mimicking the Bacterium's Natural Habitats.

ABSTRACT Xylella fastidiosa is a xylem-limited bacterium that is the causal agent of emerging diseases in a number of economically important crops. Genetic diversity studies have demonstrated homologous recombination occurring among X. fastidiosa strains, which has been proposed to contribute to host plant shifts. Moreover, experimental evidence confirmed that X. fastidiosa is naturally competent for recombination in vitro. Here, as an approximation of natural habitats (plant xylem vessels and insect mouthparts), recombination was studied in microfluidic chambers (MCs) filled with media amended with grapevine xylem sap. First, different media were screened for recombination in solid agar plates using a pair of X. fastidiosa strains that were previously reported to recombine in coculture. The highest frequency of recombination was obtained with PD3 medium, compared to those with the other two media (X. fastidiosa medium [XFM] and periwinkle wilt [PW] medium) used in previous studies. Dissection of the media components led to the identification of bovine serum albumin as an inhibitor of recombination that was correlated to its previously known effect on inhibition of twitching motility. When recombination was performed in liquid culture, the frequencies were significantly higher under flow conditions (MCs) than under batch conditions (test tubes). The recombination frequencies in MCs and agar plates were not significantly different from each other. Grapevine xylem sap from both susceptible and tolerant varieties allowed high recombination frequency in MCs when mixed with PD3. These results suggest that X. fastidiosa has the ability to be naturally competent in the natural growth environment of liquid flow, and this phenomenon could have implications in X. fastidiosa environmental adaptation. IMPORTANCEXylella fastidiosa is a plant pathogen that lives inside xylem vessels (where water and nutrients are transported inside the plant) and the mouthparts of insect vectors. This bacterium causes emerging diseases in various crops worldwide, including recent outbreaks in Europe. The mechanisms by which this bacterium adapts to new hosts is not understood, but it was previously shown that it is naturally competent, meaning that it can take up DNA from the environment and incorporate it into its genome (recombination). In this study, we show that the frequency of recombination is highest when the bacterium is grown under flow conditions in microfluidic chambers modeled after its natural habitats, and recombination was still high when the medium was amended with grapevine sap. Our results suggest that this bacterium is able to recombine when growing inside plants or insects, and this can be a mechanism of adaptation of this pathogen that causes incurable diseases.
Integral Transform Approach to Time-Dependent Partial Differential Equations

In this review, we present an integral transform that maps solutions of some class of the partial differential equations with time independent coefficients to solutions of more complicated equations, which have time-dependent coefficients. We illustrate this transform by applications to several model equations. In particular, we give applications to the generalized Tricomi equation, the Klein–Gordon and wave equations in the curved spacetimes such as Einstein-de Sitter, de Sitter, anti-de Sitter, and the spacetimes of the black hole embedded into de Sitter universe.
Using mobile health technology to improve behavioral skill implementation through homework in evidence-based parenting intervention for disruptive behavior disorders in youth: study protocol for intervention development and evaluation.

Disruptive behavior disorders (DBDs) (oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and conduct disorder (CD)) are prevalent, costly, and oftentimes chronic psychiatric disorders of childhood. Evidence-based interventions that focus on assisting parents to utilize effective skills to modify children’s problematic behaviors are first-line interventions for the treatment of DBDs. Although efficacious, the effects of these interventions are often attenuated by poor implementation of the skills learned during treatment by parents, often referred to as between-session homework. The multiple family group (MFG) model is an evidence-based, skills-based intervention model for the treatment of DBDs in school-age youth residing in urban, socio-economically disadvantaged communities. While data suggest benefits of MFG on DBD behaviors, similar to other skill-based interventions, the effects of MFG are mitigated by the poor homework implementation, despite considerable efforts to support parents in homework implementation. This paper focuses on the study protocol for the development and preliminary evaluation of a theory-based, smartphone mobile health (mHealth) application (My MFG) to support homework implementation by parents participating in MFG. This paper describes a study design proposal that begins with a theoretical model, uses iterative design processes to develop My MFG to support homework implementation in MFG through a series of pilot studies, and a small-scale pilot randomised controlled trial to determine if the intervention can demonstrate change (preliminary efficacy) of My MFG in outpatient mental health settings in socioeconomically disadvantaged communities. This preliminary study aims to understand the implementation of mHealth methods to improve the effectiveness of evidence-based interventions in routine outpatient mental health care settings for youth with disruptive behavior and their families. Developing methods to augment the benefits of evidence-based interventions, such as MFG, where homework implementation is an essential mediator of treatment benefits is critical to full adoption/implementation of these intervention in routine practice settings and maximizing benefits for youth with DBDs and their families. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01917838
MR thermometry for focused ultrasound monitoring utilizing model predictive filtering and ultrasound beam modeling

A major challenge in using magnetic resonance temperature imaging (MRTI) to monitor focused ultrasound (FUS) applications is achieving high spatio-temporal resolution over a large field of view (FOV). This is important to accurately monitor all ultrasound (US) power depositions. Magnetic resonance (MR) subsampling in conjunction with thermal model-based reconstruction of the MRTI utilizing Pennes bioheat transfer equation (PBTE) is one promising approach. The thermal properties used in the thermal model are often estimated from a pre-treatment, low-power sonication. In this proof-of-concept study we investigate the use of US simulations computed using the hybrid angular spectrum (HAS) method to estimate the US power deposition density Q, thereby avoiding the pre-treatment sonication and any potential tissue damage. MRTI reconstructions are performed using a thermal model-based reconstruction method called model predictive filtering (MPF). Experiments are performed in a homogeneous gelatin phantom and in a gelatin phantom with embedded plastic skull. MPF reconstructions are compared to separate sonications imaged with fully sampled data over a smaller FOV. Temperature root-mean-square errors (RMSE) and focal spot positions and shapes are evaluated. HAS simulations accurately predict the location of the focal spot (to within 1 mm) in both phantoms. Accurate temperature maps (RMSE below 1 °C), where the location of the focal spot agrees well with fully sampled “truth” (to within 1 mm), are also achieved in both phantoms. HAS simulations can be used to accurately predict the focal spot location in homogeneous media and when focusing through an aberrating plastic skull. The HAS simulated power deposition (Q) patterns can be used in the MPF thermal model-based reconstruction to obtain accurate temperature maps with high spatio-temporal resolution over large FOVs.
US long-haul truck driver work organization and the association with cardiometabolic disease risk

Work organization, including long working hours, irregular work schedules, and job stress, has been associated with increased cardiometabolic disease (CMD) risk for numerous working populations. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between work hours, work schedules, job stress, and CMD risk for a sample of US long-haul truck drivers (LHTDs). A nonexperimental, descriptive, cross-sectional design was employed to collect survey and anthropometric data from 260 US LHTDs at a major truck stop. The mean BMI was 33.40 kg/m2 and mean waist circumference was 114.77 cm. Using logistic regression, researchers found longer work hours, especially greater than 11 hours daily, were associated with increased odds for an extremely high risk of CMD. Results support comprehensive and integrated approaches that address work organization, and in particular long working hours, to reduce drivers' CMD risk.
Toward a distributed collaborative human-centric decision-making system: An information grid approach

Advances in computer science and communication technologies have helped people, businesses, and organizations interact faster and easier than ever before. In the future, computers will be required to play a lot more active role in performing a wide range of activities, such as collaboration, decision-making, task automation, data and information management, and so on, to create and share knowledge while assisting users in performing tasks. Computers will have to be a seamless and transparent part of our environment, and their design will have to concentrate as much on human centeredness as on other aspects of the system. Tomorrow's computer based environments will require an optimal integration of decision-making, knowledge management, and human computer interaction aspects. They will also need to be truly pervasive and ubiquitous in nature. The main goal of this paper is to propose an Information Grid-based approach towards realizing such human-centric computing systems in a distributed environment, in order to facilitate collaboration, knowledge sharing, and distributed decision-making, at both local and global levels. The proposed framework is a layered approach that incorporates decision making, human centeredness and knowledge management at various points in the architecture. A first step towards the implementation of such a system is also proposed by incorporating the HUDS architecture [16] in a grid-based scenario. This implementation incorporates four important properties, namely, pervasiveness, awareness, autonomicity, and human factors in order to make the system human centric in nature.
Production of Rubratoxin by Penicillium rubrum in a Soy Whey-Malt Extract Medium

Sterile soy whey (1.75% dissolved solids) was fortified with malt extract and inoculated with spore suspensions of Penicillium rubrum strains P-13, 1062, 2120, 2123, and 3290. Samples were incubated quiescently at 28 C from 1 to 28 days and as shake cultures for 3, 5, and 7 days. Rubratoxin was recovered from culture filtrates by alcohol-acetone extraction and resolved by thin-layer chromatography. Toxin was not produced in shake cultures. Rubratoxins A and B were produced in quiescent soy whey cultures of all P. rubrum strains except P. rubrum P-13 which produced only rubratoxin B. Toxin production increased as the concentration of malt extract increased from 0.5 to 10% (w/v). Rubratoxin formation also increased with an increase in incubation time from 3 to 17 days but the amount of toxin in cultures declined rapidly thereafter. Yields of rubratoxin A ranged from 0.83 to 31.53 mg/100 ml in cultures of P. rubrum 1062 and from 1.89 to 22.70, 0.53 to 25.13, and 2.07 to 31.20 mg/100 ml in P. rubrum 2120 2123...
Reasons for job loss among homeless veterans in supported employment

ABSTRACTIndividual Placement and Support (IPS) improves competitive employment rates for those with serious mental illness (SMI) and is available through the Veterans Healthcare Administration (VHA). IPS clients often have difficulty maintaining jobs, and various reasons for job loss have been identified for those with SMI. No study has yet investigated IPS job loss in a homeless and largely substance-using population. An analysis of data from a quasi-experimental demonstration examined the association of various reasons for job loss with the duration of the first IPS job and with veteran characteristics. This study also examined the relationship of job duration and reasons for job loss with subsequent employment. Veterans’ most commonly identified reason for termination was drug/alcohol use; mental and/or physical health problems were uncommonly cited as reason for job loss. Those whose jobs ended due to drugs/alcohol were less likely to find subsequent employment. They also had greater scores on alcohol...
Late-Fall, Winter, and Spring Broadcast Applications of Urea to No-Till Winter Wheat II. Fertilizer N recovery, Yield, and Protein as Affected by NBPT

Surface application of urea to winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) during the late-fall, winter, or spring is a common practice in the northern Great Plains (NGP). However, surface applications are susceptible to volatilization, and management strategies are needed to enhance fertilizer-N recovery (FNR). This study was conducted to determine the effect of urea application timing (late-fall, winter, spring) and N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT) on FNR in grain (FNRG) and grain plus straw (FNRT), and grain yield and protein. Replicated small-plot experiments were conducted in no-till winter wheat fields over 3 yr in Montana, and FNR was quantified using ¹⁵N-enriched labeled urea (5% atom). Fertilizer-N recovery was greater (P < 0.05) for spring (FNRG 36.5%, FNRT 46.1%) than late-fall (FNRG 24.9%, FNRT 31.7%) and winter (FNRG 26.8, FNRT 34.1%) applications. Addition of NBPT to urea improved FNR of all urea timings, but the response was greater for late-fall and winter compared with spring applications. Fertilizer-N recovery among the management strategies tested was directly related to cumulative NH₃ emissions (r² = 0.77, P < 0.0001) measured in a companion study, indicating that volatilization represented an important pathway for N loss. Grain yield was not sensitive to application timing or NBPT. However, grain protein increased 6 to 8 g kg–¹ from spring applications or NBPT additions. This study found that management strategies to enhance urea FNR in the NGP should consider delaying applications until the spring or addition of NBPT for late-fall and winter applications that are more susceptible to NH₃ volatilization.
The Beneficent Nudge Program and Epistemic Injustice

Is implementing the beneficent nudge program morally permissible in worlds like ours? I argue that there is reason for serious doubt. I acknowledge that beneficent nudging is highly various, that nudges are in some circumstances morally permissible and even called for, and that nudges may exhibit respect for genuine autonomy. Nonetheless, given the risk of epistemic injustice that nudges typically pose, neither the moral permissibility of beneficent nudging in the abstract, nor its case-by-case vindication, appears sufficient to justify implementing a nudge program in worlds like ours. Drawing on Miranda Fricker’s account of epistemic injustice, I argue that the cogent defense of any nudge program, relative to worlds like ours, stands in need of serious attention to its potential for fostering or sustaining epistemic injustice. A more specific point hinges on recognizing a form of epistemic injustice not enough attended to in the literature to date, which I call reflective incapacitational injustice. This includes relative disadvantages in the attaining of (or opportunity to exercise) the capacity to engage in critical reason, such as the capacity to go in for potentially critical reasoned deliberation and discursive exchange concerning ends. Since Cass Sunstein’s First Law of behaviorally informed regulation would be taken, in worlds like ours, to justify indeterminately many nudges leading to such epistemic injustice we have general grounds for doubting the moral permissibility of this nudge program. We should hence oppose the implementation of any such program until it is shown not to violate the demands of epistemic justice.
Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio and Perihematomal Edema Growth in Intracerebral Hemorrhage.

Background and Purpose— Although preclinical studies have shown inflammation to mediate perihematomal edema (PHE) after intracerebral hemorrhage, clinical data are lacking. Leukocyte count, often used to gauge serum inflammation, has been correlated with poor outcome but its relationship with PHE remains unknown. Our aim was to test the hypothesis that leukocyte count is associated with PHE growth. Methods— We included patients with intracerebral hemorrhage admitted to a tertiary-care stroke center between 2011 and 2015. The primary outcome was absolute PHE growth during 24 hours, calculated using semiautomated planimetry. Linear regression models were constructed to study the relationship between absolute and differential leukocyte counts (monocyte count and neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio) and 24-hour PHE growth. Results— A total of 153 patients were included. Median hematoma and PHE volumes at baseline were 14.4 (interquartile range, 6.3–36.3) and 14.0 (interquartile range, 5.9–27.8), respectively. In linear regression analysis adjusted for demographics and intracerebral hemorrhage characteristics, absolute leukocyte count was not associated with PHE growth (β, 0.07; standard error, 0.15; P =0.09). In secondary analyses, neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio was correlated with PHE growth (β, 0.22; standard error, 0.08; P =0.005). Conclusions— Higher neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio is independently associated with PHE growth. This suggests that PHE growth can be predicted using differential leukocyte counts on admission.
Antibiotic stewardship in perinatal and neonatal care

The spread of antibiotic resistance due to the use and misuse of antibiotics around the world is now a major health crisis. Neonates are exposed to antibiotics both before and after birth, often empirically because of risk factors for infection, or for non-specific signs which may or may not indicate sepsis. There is increasing evidence that, apart from antibiotic resistance, the use of antibiotics in pregnancy and in the neonatal period alters the microbiome in the fetus and neonate with an increased risk of immediate and long-term adverse effects. Antibiotic stewardship is a co-ordinated program that promotes the appropriate use of antibiotics, improves patient outcomes, reduces microbial resistance, and decreases the spread of infections caused by multidrug-resistant organisms. This review addresses some of the controversies in antibiotic use in the perinatal period, examines opportunities for reduction of unnecessary antibiotic exposure in neonates, and provides a framework for antibiotic stewardship in neonatal care.
Improving monitoring tools for spotted wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii

Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) (Diptera: Drosophilidae) were trapped in the field using colored plastic sphere traps coated with insect Tangle-trap. Red and black spheres captured significantly more D. suzukii than white spheres. Translucent deli-cup traps deployed in cherry orchards and baited with yeast, the Alpha Scents lure, or the Scentry lure captured significantly more flies than the Trece lure and Suzukii bait; all attractants had poor selectivity for D. suzukii. No-choice evaluations of attractants conducted in field cages corroborated the cherry orchard field study, though translucent deli-cup traps provisioned with the yeast bait captured significantly more flies than those baited with the Alpha Scents lure. Red sphere traps baited with the Scentry lure captured 3–6× more flies than the deli-cup trap baited with the same lure, and 3–4× more flies than the deli-cup trap baited with yeast bait, demonstrating that a trap integrating both visual and olfactory cues is a superior tool for monitoring D. suzukii. Moreover, this simple sticky, dry trap design requires far less labor and maintenance than does a liquid-based deli-cup trap.
Comedy and Tragedy in the Andean Commons

In the Andes of Peru a familiar story has unfolded in many communities around the sharing and use of water, a tragedy often attributed to an irresolvable conflict between the inherently selfish interests of the individual and the cooperative needs of the group. This article traces the history of irrigation in one highland valley based on comparative ethnographic research, examining the reasons for both success and failure in governing the commons and trying to explain why the former has given way to the latter in many, but by no means all, places. It reveals that success can be relatively unproblematic and was once widespread at the local level, and that failure has occurred where institutional arrangements have been imposed that, according to the conventional theory, should have prevented the tragedy instead of bringing it about: privatization of the resource, on the one hand, and State control of it on the other. Where selfishness and discord have prevailed they are driven by an apparent water scarcity that is socially constructed, the product of a new political ecology imposed initially by the local elite and then dominated by them with the State’s help, at the expense of the peasantry. The author argues that, far from being inevitable, the tragedy of the commons in water management can be avoided, arrested, and perhaps even reversed, in the Andes and other arid and mountainous parts of the world. Key words: Andes, tragedy of the commons, political ecology, water scarcity, water management, arid, mountain.
A Novel Combination of the mTORC1 Inhibitor Everolimus and the Immunomodulatory Drug Lenalidomide Produces Durable Responses in Patients With Heavily Pretreated Relapsed Lymphoma.

Abstract Background Treatment outcomes have improved in lymphoid malignancies but relapse remains inevitable for most patients. Everolimus and lenalidomide have shown clinical activity as single agents in patients with relapsed and refractory Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphomas. Patients and Methods The present phase I/II trial for patients with relapsed and refractory lymphoid malignancy opened at Mayo Clinic from January 2011 to May 2013. The trial used a standard cohort 3 + 3 design to determine the maximum tolerated dose for the combination. Stem cell transplantation had failed in 27 of the patients (49%), 63% had stage IV disease, and ≥ 3 previous therapies had failed in 78%. Results Of the 58 patients, enrolled, 55 were evaluable for analysis. The maximum tolerated dose was 5 mg/d for everolimus plus 10 mg/d for 21 days for lenalidomide. The most common grade ≥ 3 toxicities were hematologic and included neutropenia (56%), leukopenia (38%), and thrombocytopenia (33%). Seven patients discontinued the study because of adverse events. One patient died of disease progression. The overall response rate was 27% (15 of 55), with 38% (21 of 55) having stable disease. Conclusion The present phase I/II trial of everolimus and lenalidomide for R/R lymphoma has shown the combination to be tolerable, with neutropenia as the main dose-limiting toxicity. Encouraging responses were seen in this heavily pretreated group, and the patients with a response had meaningful duration of response.
Surgical Treatment of Cushing’s Disease

Modern transsphenoidal surgery for Cushing’s disease is usually curative, achieving durable remission in 70–90% of cases. Comparison of remission and recurrence rates between series in the literature is difficult as many employ different remission criteria. Complication rates are low, but include hypopituitarism, diabetes insipidus, and CSF rhinorhhea. Improved remission rates can be obtained with early re-exploration after initial unsuccessful procedures, and reoperation remains an option after recurrence. This chapter reviews current surgical techniques, including microscopic and endoscopic approaches.
Differences in Developmental Concerns of Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Across Racial/Ethnic Groups

ABSTRACTPurpose: Parents/caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have varying types of initial concerns regarding their child’s development, which may be culturally bound to pare...