cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Independent risk factors of 30-day outcomes in 1264 patients with peptic ulcer bleeding in the USA: large ulcers do worse

Summary Background Predictors of worse outcomes (rebleeding, surgery and death) of peptic ulcer bleeds (PUBs) are essential indicators because of significant morbidity and mortality rates of PUBs. However those have been infrequently reported since changes in medical therapy (PPI, proton pump inhibitors) and application of newer endoscopic haemostatic technique. Aims To determine: (i) independent risk factors for 30-day rebleeding, surgery, and death and (ii) whether ulcer size is an independent predictor of major outcomes in patients with severe PUB after successful endoscopic haemostasis and treatment with optimal medical (high dose IV PPI) vs. prior treatment (high dose IV histamine 2 antagonists – H2RAs). Methods A large prospectively followed population of patients hospitalised with severe PUBs between 1993 and 2011 at two US tertiary care academic medical centres, stratified by stigmata of recent haemorrhage (SRH) was studied. Using multivariable logistic regression analyses, independent risk factors for each outcome (rebleeding, surgery and death) up to 30 days were analysed. Effects for medical treatment (H2RA patients 1993–2005 vs. PPIs 2006–2011) were also analysed. Results A total of 1264 patients were included. For ulcers ≥10 mm, the odds of 30-day rebleeding increased 6% per each 10% increase in ulcer size (OR 1.06, 95% CI 1.02–1.10, P = 0.0053). Other risk factors for 30-day rebleeding were major SRH, in-patient start of bleeding, and prior GI bleeding. Major SRH and ulcer size≥10 mm were predictors of 30-day surgery. Risk factors for 30-day death were major SRH, in-patient bleeding, and any initial platelet transfusion or fresh frozen plasma transfusion ≥2 units. Among patients with major SRH and out-patient start of bleeding, larger ulcer size was also a risk factor for death (OR 1.08 per 10% increase in ulcer size, 95% CI 1.02–1.14, P = 0.0095). Ulcer size was a significant independent variable for both time periods. Conclusions Ulcer size is a risk factor for worse outcomes after PUB and should be carefully recorded at initial endoscopy to improve patient triage and management.
Improving Microseismic Event Location Accuracy with Head Wave Arrival Time: Case Study Using Marcellus Shale

Author(s): Zhang, Z; Rector, JW; Nava, MJ | Abstract: In this paper, we show that the location of microseismic events can be significantly improved by incorporating information on head wave arrival time. The traditional method of using direct arrival times and P-wave polarizations leads to increased error due to the large uncertainty in polarization. We integrated head wave arrival time to P- and S-wave arrival time to achieve better resolution in microseismic event location. To this end, we developed a Bayesian inference framework for joint event location and velocity model calibration. The developed method was applied for both microseismic event as well as perforation shot location in a project in Marcellus shale. Comparison with location results provided by contractor shows that the developed method can effectively improve the accuracy of microseismic event location. Based on the improvement, we propose a new acquisition geometry and strategy to reduce microseismic monitoring cost and improve event location accuracy.
Chemoselective intermolecular hydrogen bonding in peptides: An electronic and topological study on the H-bonding selectivities in peptidomimetic HCV protease inhibitor telaprevir

Abstract Chemoselectivity in intermolecular hydrogen bonding in polypeptides is demonstrated via a comprehensive study on the H-bonding characteristics of the peptidomimetic hepatitis C protease inhibitor telaprevir ( 1 ) using well-established computational tools. Starting with a QTAIM and NBO analysis of the H-bonding selectivities observed in the crystal structure of 1 and its 4-HBA cocrystal, the analysis was extended to model systems of the amino acid residues of 1 ( P1res , P3res , and P4res ) complexed with formic acid. The carboxylic acid/amide H-bonding of these models showed consistently stronger H-bonding at the P3 residue. The degree of chemoselectivity was quantified by comparing the QTAIM and NBO parameters between the P1res-FA , P3res-FA , and P4res-FA models. The chemoselectivity in 1 is consistent with the calculations of the FA residue models. These results demonstrate the impact of chemoselectivity in non-covalent interactions and can be extended to understanding H-bonding selectivities in polypeptides, proteins, and other macromolecular systems.
Multiple eccrine axillary hidrocystomas

Hidrocystomas are small, thin-walled, benign cystic growths of the sweat glands, typically found on the face, and most often occurring on the periorbital and malar skin. These lesions may proliferate and increase in size in summer months and warm conditions. We report a case of multiple hidrocystomas of an eccrine morphology located on the axillae.
Chestnut Management Practice as Tool for Natural and Cultural Landscaping

Chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) is one of the most economically multipurpose species of the Mediterranean region, important not only for the production of fruit and timber, but also for its contribution to landscape and environment and its socio-economic and cultural value as eco-cultural niche. For these reasons, chestnut management is today discussed since certain practices could affect soil properties and also be associated with losses of biological and cultural diversity, included provision of socio-cultural and environmental services. The objective of this work is to evaluate management options in chestnut coppices and of how much they could represent a choice from both plant ecophysiology and cultural point of views. Soil and plant ecophysiology measurements were performed in Tuscan Apennine areas before and after two cutting methods. Data showed that pollarded tree physiology was similar to pruning tree one’s when it was wet but it was statistically different in the summer seasons affecting also soil water retention characteristics. These results demonstrated the importance of these measures in describing and indicating tree functional status. Moreover, the silvicultural practices modified not only the ecosystem attributes and the canopy cover characteristics but they also transformed the forest perception, an important factor to consider if expecting to engage local people in making a contribution for active landscaping.
IMS. Information Management System

Das Information Management System IMS/VS ist ein Vertreter der universell verwendbaren Data Base/Data Communication (DB/DC) Systeme. IMS/VS entstand Mitte der sechziger Jahre als reines batch-orientiertes Datenbanksystem unter dem Namen Data Language 1 (DL/1). Damit war die Moglichkeit gegeben, hierarchische Datenstrukturen von COBOL-Programmen anzusprechen.
Meditation buffers medical student compassion from the deleterious effects of depression

AbstractIncreasing data suggest that for medical school students the stress of academic and psychological demands can impair social emotions that are a core aspect of compassion and ultimately physician competence. Few interventions have proven successful for enhancing physician compassion in ways that persist in the face of suffering and that enable sustained caretaker well-being. To address this issue, the current study was designed to (1) investigate the feasibility of cognitively-based compassion training (CBCT) for second-year medical students, and (2) test whether CBCT decreases depression, enhances compassion, and improves daily functioning in medical students. Compared to the wait-list group, students randomized to CBCT reported increased compassion, and decreased loneliness and depression. Changes in compassion were most robust in individuals reporting high levels of depression at baseline, suggesting that CBCT may benefit those most in need by breaking the link between personal suffering and a c...
Assessment of treatment with panitumumab, cetuximab, and bevacizumab among mCRC patients with wild-type RAS or BRAF treated at community cancer centers in the United States.

663 Background: There is limited observational data on the use of RAS test results and treatment patterns with chemotherapy and biologics among metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients. Our objective was to use real world data to evaluate the treatment sequences of mCRC patients who have wild-type RAS (KRAS, NRAS), or BRAF and who are treated at community cancer clinics within the United States (U.S.). Methods: The sample included 536 patients in the Oncology Services Comprehensive Electronic Records (OSCER) database who were diagnosed with mCRC between 1/1/2011 and 8/31/2015. All patients had available treatment data and were confirmed to have wild-type RAS or BRAF. Patients were stratified into mutually-exclusive categories based on 1st line treatment with chemotherapy in combination with either bevacizumab (Bmab), cetuximab (Cmab), panitumumab (Pmab), a combination of Pmab, Cmab or Bmab, or no biologics. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data. Results: The demographics of the sample...
Reciprocity Relations for On-Wafer Power Measurement

The implications of expressions relating the forward and reverse transmission coefficients of a waveguide junction derived from the Lorentz reciprocity condition are explored. The two terms in the relation, the phase of the reference impedance in the guide and a new reciprocity factor, lead to an asymmetric scattering parameter matrix when one of the transmission lines connected to the junction is lossy.
Competing Forces in Chiral Surface Chemistry: Enantiospecificity versus Enantiomer Aggregation

The enantiospecific adsorption of enantiomer mixtures on surfaces is dictated by two competing forces: the enantiospecificity of adsorption energetics and the propensity of enantiomers to aggregate into homochiral (conglomerate) or heterochiral (racemate) clusters. These phenomena have been studied by measuring the surface enantiomeric excess, ees, of chiral amino acid mixtures adsorbed on Cu single-crystal surfaces and in equilibrium with gas-phase mixtures of varying enantiomeric excess, eeg. Alanine adsorption on Cu{3,1,17}RS ees ≠ eeg, even during exposure to a racemic mixture in the gas phase, eeg = 0. Exposure of the achiral Cu{111} surface to nonracemic aspartic acid, eeg ≠ 0, results in local amplification of enantiomeric excess on the surface, |ees| > |eeg|, as a result of h...
Simple, fast and effective correction for irradiance spatial nonuniformity in measurement of IVs of large area cells at NREL

The NREL cell measurement lab measures the IV parameters of cells of multiple sizes and configurations. A large contributing factor to errors and uncertainty in Jsc, Imax, Pmax and efficiency can be the irradiance spatial nonuniformity. Correcting for this nonuniformity through its precise and frequent measurement can be very time consuming. This paper explains a simple, fast and effective method based on bicubic interpolation for determining and correcting for spatial nonuniformity and verification of the method's efficacy.
Phenomenology and Qualitative Data Analysis Software (QDAS): A Careful Reconciliation

Ein haufig zitierter Phanomenologe, Max VAN MANEN (2014), erachtet qualitative Datenanalyse-Software (QDAS) als ungeeignet fur phanomenologische Forschung, und Phanomenolog/innen diskutieren nur selten, wie geforscht werden sollte: mit Stift, Papier, Computer? DAVIDSON und DI GREGORIO (2011) laden QDAS-Kritiker/innen wie VAN MANEN ein, ihre methodologische Loyalitat zu uberdenken und an der digitalen Welt teilzuhaben, zumal alle qualitativen Forscher/innen unabhangig von ihrer methodologischen Praferenz bei der Erschliesung und Rekontextualisierung von Texten QDAS-gestutzte Mittel nutzten. Auch einige Phanomenlog/innen haben die Beobachtung von DAVIDSON und DI GREGORIO gestutzt und verdeutlicht, dass Argumente gegen QDAS haufig auf Probleme der Forschenden und nicht der Software verweisen. Dennoch konnen Einwande z.B. von McLUHAN (2003 [1964]), HEIDEGGER (2008 [1977]) oder FLUSSER (2013) gegen die Nutzung von Technologie nicht ignoriert werden. In diesem Beitrag begegne ich den Fragen von Phanomenlog/innen einerseits und von QDAS-konformen Methodolog/innen andererseits, indem ich zeige, wie ich QDAS im Rahmen einer phanomenologischen Studie eingesetzt habe, auch um anderen Hinweise zu geben, die sich fur die Verwendung von Software fur die Umsetzung ihrer Forschungsarbeiten entscheiden. URN: http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs1701142
Application of combinatorial tests in video game testing

Video games comprise a multi-billion-dollar industry. Companies invest huge amounts of money for the release of their games. A part of this money is invested in testing the games. Current game test...
Measuring and Analyzing Trends in Recent Distributed Denial of Service Attacks

Internet DDoS attacks are prevalent but hard to defend against, partially due to the volatility of the attacking methods and patterns used by attackers. Understanding the latest of DDoS attacks can provide new insights for effective defense. But most of existing understandings are based on indirect traffic measures (e.g., backscatters) or traffic seen locally (e.g., in an ISP or from a botnet). In this study, we present an in-depth study based on 50,704 different Internet DDoS attacks directly observed in a seven-month period. These attacks were launched by 674 botnets from 23 different botnet families with a total of 9026 victim IPs belonging to 1074 organizations in 186 countries. In this study, we conduct some initial analysis mainly from the perspectives of these attacks’ targets and sources. Our analysis reveals several interesting findings about today’s Internet DDoS attacks. Some highlights include: (1) while 40% of the targets were attacked only once, 20% of the targets were attacked more than 100 times (2) most of the attacks are not massive in terms of number of participating nodes but they often last long, (3) most of these attacks are not widely distributed, but rather being highly regionalized. These findings add to the existing literature on the understanding of today’s Internet DDoS attacks, and offer new insights for designing effective defense schemes at different levels.
`Models of' versus `Models for'. Toward an Agent-Based Conception of Modeling in the Science Classroom

The inclusion of the practice of “developing and using models” in the Framework for K-12 Science Education and in the Next Generation Science Standards provides an opportunity for educators to examine the role this practice plays in science and how it can be leveraged in a science classroom. Drawing on conceptions of models in the philosophy of science, we bring forward an agent-based account of models and discuss the implications of this view for enacting modeling in science classrooms. Models, according to this account, can only be understood with respect to the aims and intentions of a cognitive agent (models for), not solely in terms of how they represent phenomena in the world (models of). We present this contrast as a heuristic—models of versus models for—that can be used to help educators notice and interpret how models are positioned in standards, curriculum, and classrooms.
Neutron spectra at 0° from proton-proton collisions between 647 and 805 MeV

Momentum spectra of neutrons at 0\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} from the process $\mathrm{pp}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\mathrm{np}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}$ have been measured at 647, 771, and 805 MeV. Absolute cross sections $\frac{{d}^{2}\ensuremath{\sigma}}{d\ensuremath{\Omega}\mathrm{dp}}$ and $\frac{d\ensuremath{\sigma}}{d{\ensuremath{\Omega}}^{*}}$ are given for all three energies. A phenomenological calculation using only $S$- and $P$-wave $\ensuremath{\pi}N$ phase shifts and an $NN$ final-state interaction appears to account for the shapes and magnitudes of the spectra quite well. Comparison with the process $\mathrm{np}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}pX$ indicates a non-negligible contribution from nonresonant amplitudes.
Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine use for the prevention of pneumococcal disease in adults <50 years of age

Introduction; Adults, particularly those with underlying chronic conditions, eg, cardiovascular, liver, and pulmonary diseases and diabetes mellitus, have a persistent pneumococcal disease burden. ...
Energy monitoring and control using Internet of Things (IoT) system

The use of technology has become an essential part of improving lifestyle, work efficiency, and a catalyst for economic growth. The benefit of the Internet of Things (IoT) and connected nodes has been on a steep incline in recent years. This paper aims to research, build, test and implement a low-cost energy monitoring and control system using IoT devices. Electrical appliances (e.g., air conditioning units and overhead lighting) can be controlled and monitored using IoT technology from any place in the world. In order to accomplish this goal, a complete front-end to back-end system that includes a smart device application (iOS platform), a cloud-based database, an Application Programming Interface (API), and a hardware development is proposed. A small programmable specialized computing device (e.g., Raspberry Pi) for preliminary testing. This smart node was chosen due to familiarity, and its capabilities, such as general purpose pins and built-in Wi-Fi chip. The end goal is to observe energy efficiency by monitoring and controlling air conditioning appliances and standard overhead lighting units. These smart IoT devices allow for the usage energy data from each unit to be collected and stored in a Cloud-based database that can be analyzed and reported for energy conservation and analysis.
Treatment of Madelung Deformity With Vicker Ligament Release and Radial Physiolyses: A Case Series.

Purpose To evaluate the surgical outcomes in a series of Madelung wrists treated with a Vicker ligament release at a young age. We hypothesize that early treatment of Madelung deformity with Vicker ligament release is safe and may minimize progression of deformity. Methods A retrospective review was performed at a single large pediatric institution from 2013 to 2016 of patients with a diagnosis of Madelung deformity treated with Vicker ligament release and radial physiolysis. Exclusion criteria included patients who were skeletally mature, who underwent osteotomy procedures, or who had incomplete follow-up. Patient demographics were collected, concomitant surgeries were recorded, and outcomes including range of motion and pain were documented. Measurements of standard anteroposterior and lateral radiographs were calculated before and after surgery to monitor radiographic deformity and progression. Results Six girls with bilateral Madelung deformity who underwent bilateral Vicker ligament resection and radial physiolysis (12 total wrists) were included. The average age at presentation was 7.5 years (range, 7–9 years), with an average follow-up of 30 months. Reasons for presentation included sports injuries (2), ulnar-sided wrist pain (2), and mild deformity (2). Additional radial and ulnar epiphysiodeses were performed in 2 wrists each. There were no intraoperative complications . Although pain resolved within the first month after surgery for all patients, 2 patients had intermittent unilateral ulnar-sided wrist pain at final follow-up. All patients returned to their presurgery activities. There was no loss of range of motion, and 4 wrists with preoperative supination deficits improved by an average of 17°. Radiographic measurements demonstrated improvement in the radial physeal angle in 10 out of 12 wrists (83%). No patients displayed worsening deformity after surgery. Two patients underwent subsequent procedures. Conclusions In patients with early Madelung deformity, Vicker ligament release with radial physiolysis is a safe treatment option that theoretically has the potential to minimize the progression of radiographic deformity. Type of study/level of evidence Therapeutic V.
Impacts of Zebra Mussels on Aquatic Communities and their Role as Ecosystem Engineers

Zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) are not only an extremely aggressive invasive species, often dominating water bodies they invade, they are also very effective ecosystem engineers, altering the environments they invade. They are effective engineers, altering both ecosystem structure and function. They change existing and provide new habitat for other organisms, affect trophic interactions and the availability of foods for both pelagic species and other benthic species, and they affect the rates of other ecosystem processes including mineralization of nutrients, oxygen availability and sedimentation rates. These physical impacts on the environment feedback directly to other species that interact with or are impacted by zebra mussels, or indirectly through food chains, disturbance, succession, or other longer-term community and ecosystem processes.
Trade Secrecy as an Instrument of National Security? Rethinking the Foundations of Economic Espionage

Since its inception, the Economic Espionage Act has been touted as a way to advance U.S. national security interests. Specifically, proponents in Congress and law enforcement and intelligence officials since then have argued that economic espionage harms national security by undermining U.S. competitiveness and technological advantage. The domains of national security and trade secrecy, however, have conflicting and irreconcilable structures for protecting information. The notion that United States law enforcement and intelligence agencies can effectively address economic espionage without altering the basic contours of trade secret protection is misguided. These agencies rarely have access to firm-level information about threats to economically valuable information, but the firms that own trade secrets lack the perspective that might allow them to identify and defend against state-sponsored threats. Using diplomatic means to gain a better understanding of how other nations fund scientific and technical research development offers a more promising means of reducing the incentives and cover for economic espionage than does the current strategy of attempting to make incompatible legal paradigms work together.
A contemporary review of chylothorax.

Objectives This review will focus on anatomical and aetiologic factors as well as the conservative and operative therapy of chylothorax. Data source A Pubmed search for studies pertaining to the aetiology and/or treatment published in the English language from 1960 to 2007. Study selection Studies presenting case reports, series, observational and/or retrospective studies, and those with unique issues pertaining to chylothorax were reviewed independantly by both authors. Studies that were selected by both authors contain most clinically relevant data. Results Chylothorax is caused by injury or obstruction of the thoracic duct or its main tributaries leading to chyle accumulation in the pleural space. It most commonly occurs from trauma or malignancy, but other causes have been described. Although chylous effusions are rare, they have serious clinical consequences including cachexia and immunodeficiency. There are no evidence-based guidelines to assist in the management of this disease. Conclusions A prompt diagnosis is needed to start treatment of the underlying cause. Treatment can be divided into conservative and surgical interventions. There are no evidence-based guidelines to assist in the management of this disease. Initial conservative therapy includes intercostal decompression of the pleural effusion along with nutritional support in the form of total parenteral nutrition, and reduction of chylous formation with somatostatin. Surgical interventions include thoracic duct ligation, pleuroperitoneal shunt and percutaneous embolisation.
Recent Developments in the Chemotherapy of Schistosomiasis

Schistosomiasis is a disease as old as antiquity, and together with other systemic and intestinal infections plagued military and civilian populations long before cause and effect relationships were hypothesized and definitively proven. The Ebers papyrus describes urinary symptomatology consistent with schistosomiasis; characteristic schistosome ova were identified from the kidneys of Egyptians mummified more than 3,000 years ago [148]. During the French occupation of Egypt (1799–1801), large numbers of troops exhibited symptoms of the disease. It is believed that Napoleon suffered urinary attacks and dysentery as a result of exposure to the infection [6].
Predictions of macro-scale fracture geometries from acoustic emission point cloud data in a hydraulic fracturing experiment

Observations of laboratory fracture testing by means of acoustic emission (AE) can provide a wealth of information regarding the fracturing process and the subsequent damage of the material or structure under load. A method for determining the structure of macro-scale fractures from a point cloud of AE events was developed and tested at the laboratory scale. An unconfined hydraulic fracturing experiment was performed on granite while monitoring acoustic emissions from six piezoelectric transducers on the surfaces of the specimen. The granite specimen dimensions were 30 × 30 × 25 cm3. The motivation of the AE analysis was to provide location information for a secondary wellbore placement which intersects the hydraulic fracture to complete a hydraulically connected binary well-hydraulic fracture system. Information gained from the 3D event source locations was used to optimize the location and orientation of secondary production well placement to intersect the induced hydraulic fracture. A direct method was developed to predict the location, orientation and shape of the hydraulic fracture from a dense cloud of AE events. The predicted fracture plane, which was assumed to be planar, was rotated in both the pitch and roll directions, while an average error of AE event distance between the assumed plane and the individual event locations was determined for each rotation iteration, resulting with a predicted fracture plane in the minimum error orientation. Post-test fracture observations were made and digitized in 3D space from coring and slabbing the granite specimen. The actual fracture observations were compared with the predicted fracture structure from AE and showed marked correlation. The simple method of determining macro-scale fracture location, orientation, and extents provided a useful tool for materials that exhibit large and disperse clouds of AE activity where coalesced fracture structure is not apparent.
Multiplex Quantitative Analysis of Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes and Immunotherapy Outcome in Metastatic Melanoma

Purpose: Because durable response to programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) inhibition is limited to a subset of melanoma patients, new predictive biomarkers could have clinical utility. We hypothesize that pretreatment tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) profiles could be associated with response. Experimental Design: Pretreatment whole tissue sections from 94 melanoma patients treated with anti–PD-1 therapy were profiled by multiplex immunofluorescence to perform TIL quantification (CD4, CD8, CD20) and assess TIL activation (CD3, GZMB, Ki67). Two independent image analysis technologies were used: inForm (PerkinElmer) to determine cell counts, and AQUA to measure protein by quantitative immunofluorescence (QIF). TIL parameters by both methodologies were correlated with objective response or disease control rate (ORR/DCR) by RECIST 1.1 and survival outcome. Results: Pretreatment lymphocytic infiltration, by cell counts or QIF, was significantly higher in complete or partial response than in stable or progressive disease, particularly for CD8 (P 3) were independently significant in multivariable analyses and accounted for similar CD3 associations in anti–PD-1-treated patients. CD8 was not associated with melanoma prognosis in the absence of immunotherapy. Predictive performance of CD8 cell count (and QIF) had an area under the ROC curve above 0.75 (ORR/DCR), which reached 0.83 for ipilimumab plus nivolumab. Conclusions: Pretreatment lymphocytic infiltration is associated with anti–PD-1 response in metastatic melanoma. Quantitative TIL analysis has potential for application in digital precision immuno-oncology as an “indicative” companion diagnostic.
The case for relative plausibility theory: Promising, but insufficient:

Allen and Pardo's Relative Plausibility Model provides a mostly valid descriptive model for the reasoning of fact-finders like American jurors. My major reservations on the project concern the inco...
Extending Three Existing Models to Analysis of Trust in Automation: Signal Detection, Statistical Parameter Estimation, and Model-Based Control.

Objective:The objective is to propose three quantitative models of trust in automation.Background:Current trust-in-automation literature includes various definitions and frameworks, which are revie...
Transforming query sequences for high-throughput B+ tree processing on many-core processors

The throughput of B+ tree query processing is critical to many databases, file systems, and cloud applications. Based on bulk synchronous parallel (BSP), latch-free B+ tree query processing has shown promise by processing queries in small batches and avoiding the use of locks. As the number of cores on CPUs increases, it becomes possible to process larger batches in parallel without adding any extra delays. In this work, we argue that as the batch size increases, there will be more optimization opportunities exposed beyond parallelism, especially when the query distributions are highly skewed. These include the opportunities of avoiding the evaluations of a large ratio of redundant or unnecessary queries. To rigorously exploit the new opportunities, this work introduces a query sequence analysis and transformation framework – QTrans. QTrans can systematically reason about the redundancies at a deep level and automatically remove them from the query sequence. QTrans has interesting resemblances with the classic data-flow analysis and transformation that have been widely used in compilers. To confirm its benefits, this work integrates QTrans into an existing BSP-based B+ tree query processing system, PALM tree, to automatically eliminate redundant and unnecessary queries1. Evaluation shows that, by transforming the query sequence, QTrans can substantially improve the throughput of query processing on both real-world and synthesized datasets, up to 16X.1Artifact available at: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1486393
Comparison of specimen adequacy and diagnostic accuracy of a 25-gauge and 22-gauge needle in endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration

Background: Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is the preferred diagnostic modality for sampling mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes (LNs). The conventional needle used for sampling is either a 21-gauge (21G) or 22-gauge (22G). A 25-gauge (25G) needle has recently been introduced with little known regarding its efficacy. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on patients referred for EBUS-TBNA who had LNs sampled using a 25G or 22G needle. A propensity score matching analysis was performed. After matching the groups, each LN was assessed for adequacy and final diagnosis. Non-diagnostic and benign lymphoid specimens were compared with repeat biopsy findings or long-term clinical and radiological follow-up. Results: A total of 158 LNs were included. An adequate sample was obtained in 92.4% (73/79) in the 25G group and 92.4% (73/79) in the 22G group (P=1). The 25G group diagnosed benign lymphoid tissue in 82.3% (65/79), granuloma in 7.6% (6/79) and malignancy in 2.5% (2/79). Six lymph nodes in the 25G group were non-diagnostic (7.6%). The 22G group diagnosed benign lymphoid tissue in 83.5% (66/79), granuloma in 3.8% (3/79) and malignancy in 5.1% (4/79). Six lymph nodes in the 22G group were non-diagnostic (7.6%). The sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value (NPV) and diagnostic accuracy in the 25G group was 88.9% (95% CI, 51.8–99.7%), 100% (95% CI, 92.1–100%), 97.8% (95% CI, 87.6–99.7%) and 98.2% (95% CI, 90.1–100%), respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, NPV and diagnostic accuracy in the 22G group was 77.8% (95% CI, 40–97.2%), 100% (95% CI, 86.8–100%), 92.9% (95% CI, 79.3–97.8%) and 94.3% (95% CI, 80.8–99.3%), respectively. The 25G and 22G group were comparable in diagnostic accuracy (P=0.7). Conclusions: The 25G and 22G needle achieve comparable specimen adequacy and diagnostic accuracy in EBUS-TBNA.
Women as Leaders in Surgery

Women have made serious advances in the fields of medicine and surgery in the recent past, but 160 years after Elizabeth Blackwell’s graduation from medical school, society is still far from gender parity. Although women now constitute roughly 50 % of American medical students and enter academic medicine as faculty in numbers equal to their male colleagues, women are grossly underrepresented in positions of power and leadership, especially in surgery. In this chapter, the authors provide the data regarding leadership by women in surgery, discuss gender roles, sexism, and mentorship and how they impact the ability of women to lead, and provide their own personal leadership journeys.
The Environment: State Sovereignty, Human Rights, and Armed Conflict

International law relating to the environment has developed considerably during recent times, and considerations of state sovereignty can no longer stand in the way of internationally restrictions applying to conduct harmful to the natural environment, even in cases where the harmful conduct and its immediate impact are occur within the national borders of a single State. There is growing support for classifying protection of the environment as a matter of human rights law; if for no other reason, then simply because enforcement mechanisms of international human rights law is already highly developed. Emphasis in international environmental law is on civil liability. Criminal responsibility for conduct harmful to the environment is to a large extent confined to the domain of international humanitarian law, and more in particular to the rules of the law and customs that apply to international armed conflicts. Here, the emphasis is on individual criminal liability. Current concerns with regard to climate change and global warming might in the near future culminate in more emphatic and effective punitive procedures for the protection of the natural environment.In developing the above themes, special mention is made of jurisprudence of the International Court of Justice of the 1990’s relating to the testing of nuclear weapons and its impact on the natural environment.
Civic Action, Historical Agency, and Grassroots Advocacy: Historical Inquiry into Freedom Summer.

In this article, the authors discuss how to explore the agency of ordinary citizens using local institutions to combat Jim Crow segregation laws during Freedom Summer. Primary sources from Miami (O...
Sternotomy for Hemorrhage Control in Trauma.

Abstract Background Little is known about the injuries, mechanisms, and outcomes in trauma patients undergoing sternotomy for hemorrhage control (SHC). The purpose of this study was to identify predictors of mortality for SHC and provide a descriptive analysis of the use of SHC in trauma. We hypothesize blunt trauma is associated with higher mortality compared with penetrating trauma among trauma patients requiring SHC. Methods The Trauma Quality Improvement Program (2013-2016) database was queried for adult patients undergoing SHC within 24 h of admission. Patients with blunt and penetrating trauma were compared using chi-square and Mann–Whitney U-test. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to determine the risk of mortality. Results Of 584 patients undergoing SHC, 322 (55.1%) were involved in penetrating trauma, and 69 (11.8%) were involved in blunt. The blunt trauma group had a higher median injury severity score (31.5 versus 25.0; P Conclusions Trauma patients requiring SHC after blunt trauma had a higher mortality rate than those in penetrating trauma. After adjusting for predictors of mortality, there was no difference in risk of mortality despite nearly double the time to hemorrhage control in patients presenting after blunt trauma.
Making the Modern American Fiscal State: Law, Politics, and the Rise of Progressive Taxation, 1877–1929. By Ajay K. Mehrotra (New York, Cambridge University Press, 2013) 429 pp. $90.00 cloth $34.99 paper

0DNLQJWKH0RGHUQ$PHULFDQ)LVFDO6WDWH/DZ3ROLWLFV DQGWKH5LVHRI3URJUHVVLYH7D[DWLRQ૱E\ $MD\.0HKURWUDUHYLHZ 'HQQLV-9HQWU\-U Journal of Interdisciplinary History, Volume 46, Number 1, Summer 2015, pp. 133-136 (Review) 3XEOLVKHGE\7KH0,73UHVV For additional information about this article http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/jih/summary/v046/46.1.ventry.html Access provided by username 'efreedman' (12 May 2015 14:54 GMT)
Classics in Chemical Neuroscience: Buprenorphine.

Buprenorphine has not only had an interdisciplinary impact on our understanding of key neuroscience topics like opioid pharmacology, pain signaling, and reward processing, but has also been a key i...
Diabetes Mellitus/Poststroke Hyperglycemia: a Detrimental Factor for tPA Thrombolytic Stroke Therapy

Intravenous administration of tissue-type plasminogen activator (IV tPA) therapy has long been considered a mainstay in ischemic stroke management. However, patients respond to IV tPA therapy unequally with some subsets of patients having worsened outcomes after treatment. In particular, diabetes mellitus (DM) is recognized as a clinically important vascular comorbidity that leads to lower recanalization rates and increased risks of hemorrhagic transformation (HT). In this short-review, we summarize the recent advances in understanding of the underlying mechanisms involved in post-IV tPA worsening of outcome in diabetic stroke. Potential pathologic factors that are related to the suboptimal tPA recanalization in diabetic stroke include higher plasma plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI)-1 level, diabetic atherogenic vascular damage, glycation of the tPA receptor annexin A2, and alterations in fibrin clot density. While factors contributing to the exacerbation of HT in diabetic stroke include hyperglycemia, vascular oxidative stress, and inflammation, tPA neurovascular toxicity and imbalance in extracellular proteolysis are discussed. Besides, impaired collaterals in DM also compromise the efficacy of IV tPA therapy. Additionally, several tPA combination approaches developed from experimental studies that may help to optimize IV tPA therapy are also briefly summarized. In summary, more research efforts are needed to improve the safety and efficacy of IV tPA therapy in ischemic stroke patients with DM/poststroke hyperglycemia.
Comparison of Load Models for Estimating Electrical Efficiency in DC Microgrids

This paper compares several electrical load models for estimating the efficiency of DC vs. AC distribution in micro-grids. Candidate models include energy balance, harmonic power flow, and time-domain modeling. Model results are compared with numerical studies and validated with experimental measurements. Based on quantitative and qualitative considerations, the most appropriate load modeling approach for larger-scale DC distribution efficiency studies is proposed.
Pediatric Endocrinology in the Time of COVID-19: Considerations for the Rapid Implementation of Telemedicine and Management of Pediatric Endocrine Conditions.

Background Pediatric endocrine practices had to rapidly transition to telemedicine care at the onset of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. For many, it was an abrupt introduction to providing virtual healthcare, with concerns related to quality of patient care, patient privacy, productivity, and compensation, as workflows had to change. Summary The review summarizes the common adaptations for telemedicine during the pandemic with respect to the practice of pediatric endocrinology and discusses the benefits and potential barriers to telemedicine. Key Messages: With adjustments to practice, telemedicine has allowed providers to deliver care to their patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. The broader implementation of telemedicine in pediatric endocrinology practice has the potential for expanding patient access. Research assessing the impact of telemedicine on patient care outcomes in those with pediatric endocrinology conditions will be necessary to justify its continued use beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.
Enrichment of Vascular Fragments from Mouse Embryonic Brains for Endothelial Cell Analysis

Endothelial cells in the brain interact with other cell types, forming the blood-brain barrier. This barrier controls the movement of solutes into and out of the brain, regulating pathophysiological processes and drug delivery to the brain. Common isolation methods used to study these cells during embryonic development involve enzymatic treatment and cell sorting using specific markers. This process modifies the cell state and produces minute amounts of sample. Here, we describe a protocol for the enrichment of vascular cells from embryonic brains based on dextran separation. In this method, the brain is lightly disrupted with a pestle and then resuspended in a dextran solution. Low-speed centrifugation permits the separation of the parenchymal and vascular fractions. Further centrifugation steps improve fractionation. This method is simple and fast and produces enough sample for biochemical assays. Graphic abstract: Purification of vascular fragments from an embryonic brain.
Aquatic ecotoxicology

Information about the toxicity of heavy metals and organics to aquatic organisms can be obtained from bioassays. These are classified according to the type of response obtained: quantal or continuous, and according to whether individual organisms originate from a single clone or have a tolerance distribution. Basic features of the probit, logit, and Weibull dose-response models for one toxic substance are considered. It is shown that a version of the logit model is complementary to the Monod equation for the growth rate of microorganisms under substrate limitation. Multiple toxicity models can be of the non-interactive or competitive type. The standard water quality criterion for concentration addition is based on the assumption that the toxicants act on similar biological systems, and that the action tolerances for individuals are fully correlated. Pertinent examples of the application of the models for one or several toxic substances are discussed.
Relative Strengths and Distributions of Different Sources of Synaptic Input to the Motoneurone Pool

Understanding how synaptic inputs from segmental and descending systems shape motor output from the spinal cord requires information on the relative magnitudes of the synaptic currents produced by the different systems and their patterns of distribution within a motoneurone pool. Equally important are quantitative descriptions of how different synaptic inputs are integrated when they are concurrently active and of how voltage-and ligand-gated conductances on the dendrites of motoneurones affect the transfer of synaptic currents to the soma. We have carried out a number of experimental studies of these inter-related problems on motoneurones in the cat spinal cord and have explored the implications of our findings with computer simulations utilizing a synthetic model of the cat medial gastrocnemius motoneurone pool. This paper provides a brief review of the principal results of our studies.
Enzymatic digestion of PVDF-bound proteins in the presence of glucopyranoside detergents: Applicability to mass spectrometry

Publisher Summary Amino terminal protein sequence analysis is a vital tool in understanding the functions of proteins, and enzymatic digestion of PVDF-bound proteins in the presence of hydrogenated Triton X-100 (RTX-100) followed by microbore HPLC purification of the peptide fragments is an efficient and sensitive procedure to obtain internal protein sequence data. This chapter discusses a study in which RTX-100 is substituted by heptyl, octyl, nonyl, and decyl glucopyranosides, and presents a discussion on peptide recoveries, amino terminal sequence analysis, and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry of the recovered peptides and the detergent containing peptide mixtures. The results show that octylglucopyranoside can be substituted for RTX-100 with only a slight decrease in peptide recoveries, and decylglucopyranoside may be used in place of RTX-100, when acetonitrile is added to the digestion buffer, however, it is not useful for endoproteinase Glu-C. Heptyl and nonyl glucopyranosides are not suitable alternatives as there is no peptides recovered with the former and micelle formation occurred with the latter. Thus, following HPLC purification of transferrin digestions, no difference in sequencing initial yields of the recovered peptides between octylglucopyranoside, decylglucopyranoside, and RTX-100 is observed.
Chapter 15: Jean-Martin Charcot and the anatomo-clinical method of neurology.

Abstract Jean-Martin Charcot (1825–1893) was the premier clinical neurologist of the 19th century. Charcot's research was anchored in the anatomo-clinical method, a two-part methodology that linked clinical signs with anatomical lesions. The first step of this method involved the careful documentation of clinical signs with longitudinal observation. At the time of death, the second step involved autopsy examination of the brain and spinal cord. With combined clinical and anatomical data, Charcot was able to suggest concrete clinical–anatomical correlations. This method helped to define the tracts and nuclei responsible for normal and abnormal neurological signs and was pivotal to a new classification of neurological diseases based on anatomy. The best-developed example of this method was Charcot's work with motor system degenerative disorders, specifically amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. These studies led to the international designation of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis as Charcot's disease. Other examples of the fruits of the anatomo-clinical method included several stroke syndromes and the linkage of specific signs to specific lesions in multiple sclerosis. The discipline fostered cortical localization theory, which moved neurologists away from the concept of the brain as a homogenous organ in preference to the concept that brain regions controlled specific motor, sensory and language functions. Charcot's attempts to apply his anatomo-clinical method to the knotty neurological diagnosis of hysteria led him to experiments and conclusions that drew criticism and even scorn from colleagues. These events tarnished Charcot's reputation at the close of his career. In the context of Charcot's extensive discoveries and lasting contributions, the anatomo-clinical method remains the anchor of modern neurological diagnosis and is Charcot's most important contribution to clinical neurology.
Chapter 5 Theory and empirical testing of asset pricing models

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the main asset-pricing theories in finance and discusses combining the models by using a simple, unifying framework. The models are viewed as special cases of a canonical pricing equation. The canonical expression provides simple testable restrictions on the models. It can also be estimated and tested directly once the form of the pricing variable, implied by a particular model, is specified. The generalized method of moments provides a unifying econometric framework for discussing recent advances in formulating and testing asset-pricing models. This chapter focuses on models in which expected returns and measures of risk are conditioned on, and may vary with economic information. Understanding the role of conditioning information in asset-pricing models represents one of the greatest challenges and opportunities for asset-pricing research, both theoretical and empirical.