cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Asymmetric sizing in a 45nm 5T SRAM to improve read stability over 6T

This paper describes a 5-transistor (5T) SRAM bitcell that uses a novel asymmetric sizing approach to achieve increased read stability. Measurements of a 32 kb 5T SRAM in a 45nm bulk CMOS technology validate the design, showing read functionality below 0.5V. The 5T bitcell has lower write margin than the 6T, but measurements of the 45nm 5T array confirm that a write assist method restores comparable writability with a 6T down to 0.7 V.
Engendering discourses of displacement Contesting mobility and marginality in rural Thailand

In Northeast Thailand gendered patterns of labor migration insert rural residents into privileged sites of national and international progress; yet, migrants and their families remain marginalized within dominant constructions of contemporary Thai modernity and development. This article explores these lived contradictions of labor mobility through the ethnographic analysis of one sending community, focusing on local discourses of, and about, the gendered disruptions of migration. Struggles over shifting gender roles and meanings refigure the social displacements and economic disparities surrounding labor mobility in ways that tend to highlight individual problems rather than collective concerns or structural inequalities. Consequently, while labor mobility offers some valued avenues for contesting rural residents' exclusion from the benefits modelled by Thai ideologies of modernity, its accompanying gendered discourses reinforce as much as challenge existing patterns of marginalization.
Elimination of ventilator dead space during synchronized ventilation in premature infants.

Abstract Background Mainstream airflow sensors used in neonatal ventilators to synchronize mechanical breaths with spontaneous inspiration and measure ventilation increase dead space and may impair carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) elimination. Objective To evaluate a technique consisting of a continuous gas leakage at the endotracheal tube (ETT) adapter to wash out the airflow sensor for synchronization and ventilation monitoring without CO 2 rebreathing in preterm infants. Design Minute ventilation (V′ E ) by respiratory inductance plethysmography, end-inspiratory and end-expiratory CO 2 by side-stream microcapnography, and transcutaneous CO 2 tension (Tcpco 2 ) were measured in 10 infants (body weight, 835±244 g; gestational age, 26±2 weeks; age, 19±9 days; weight, 856±206 g; ventilator rate, 21±6 beats/min; PIP, 16±1 centimeters of water (cmH 2 O); PEEP, 4.2±0.4 cmH 2 O; fraction of inspired oxygen (FIo 2 ), 0.26±0.6). The measurements were made during four 30-minute periods in random order: IMV (without airflow sensor), IMV+Sensor, SIMV (with airflow sensor), and SIMV+Leak (ETT adapter continuous leakage). Results Airflow sensor presence during SIMV and IMV+Sensor periods resulted in higher end-inspiratory and end-expiratory CO 2 , Tcpco 2 , and spontaneous V′ E compared with IMV. These effects were not observed during SIMV+Leak. Conclusions The significant physiologic effects of airflow sensor dead space during synchronized ventilation in preterm infants can be effectively prevented by the ETT adapter continuous leakage technique.
Targeting and sequencing algorithms for the Hectospec's optical fiber robotic positioner

The Hectospec is a moderate dispersion spectrograph fed by 300 optical fibers. Hectospec's pair of five-axis robots will position fibers at the 1 degree diameter f/5 focus of the converted MMT, allowing efficient multi-object spectroscopy. We discuss algorithms that we have developed to match the optical fibers to celestial objects and then to compute the appropriate sequence of robotic positioner moves to reconfigure the fibers between successive observations. Both algorithms require essentially no user interaction, consume only modest computer resources and allow effective deployment of the Hectospec's 300 fibers. The target-to-fiber matching algorithm is a recursive procedure which allows simultaneous optimization of the multiple observations that are required to complete a large survey. The robotic motion sequence algorithm allows the two Hectospec robots to work together efficiently to move fibers directly between observing configurations.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Compensating for Language Deficits in Amnesia II: H.M.’s Spared versus Impaired Encoding Categories

Although amnesic H.M. typically could not recall where or when he met someone, he could recall their topics of conversation after long interference-filled delays, suggesting impaired encoding for some categories of novel events but not others. Similarly, H.M. successfully encoded into internal representations (sentence plans) some novel linguistic structures but not others in the present language production studies. For example, on the Test of Language Competence (TLC), H.M. produced uncorrected errors when encoding a wide range of novel linguistic structures, e.g., violating reliably more gender constraints than memory-normal controls when encoding referent-noun, pronoun-antecedent, and referent-pronoun anaphora, as when he erroneously and without correction used the gender-inappropriate pronoun "her" to refer to a man. In contrast, H.M. never violated corresponding referent-gender constraints for proper names, suggesting that his mechanisms for encoding proper name gender-agreement were intact. However, H.M. produced no more dysfluencies, off-topic comments, false starts, neologisms, or word and phonological sequencing errors than controls on the TLC. Present results suggest that: (a) frontal mechanisms for retrieving and sequencing word, phrase, and phonological categories are intact in H.M., unlike in category-specific aphasia; (b) encoding mechanisms in the hippocampal region are category-specific rather than item-specific, applying to, e.g., proper names rather than words; (c) H.M.'s category-specific mechanisms for encoding referents into words, phrases, and propositions are impaired, with the exception of referent gender, person, and number for encoding proper names; and (d) H.M. overuses his intact proper name encoding mechanisms to compensate for his impaired mechanisms for encoding other functionally equivalent linguistic information.
Independence Results Using the Models V(B)

Let B be a complete Boolean algebra which does not satisfy the (ω, 2)-DL. Then [V ≠ L] = 1 in V (B) .
An Extended Classification and Comparison of NoSQL Big Data Models

In last few years, the volume of the data has grown manyfold. The data storages have been inundated by various disparate potential data outlets, leading by social media such as Facebook, Twitter, etc. The existing data models are largely unable to illuminate the full potential of Big Data; the information that may serve as the key solution to several complex problems is left unexplored. The existing computation capacity falls short for the increasingly expanded storage capacity. The fast-paced volume expansion of the unorganized data entails a complete paradigm shift in new age data computation and witnesses the evolution of new capable data engineering techniques such as capture, curation, visualization, analyses, etc. In this paper, we provide the first level classification for modern Big Data models. Some of the leading representatives of each classification that claim to best process the Big Data in reliable and efficient way are also discussed. Also, the classification is further strengthened by the intra-class and inter-class comparisons and discussions of the undertaken Big Data models.
Hough Forests for Real-Time, Automatic Device Localization in Fluoroscopic Images: Application to TAVR

A method for real-time localization of devices in fluoroscopic images is presented. Device pose is estimated using a Hough forest based detection framework. The method was applied to two types of devices used for transcatheter aortic valve replacement: a transesophageal echo TEE probe and prosthetic valve PV. Validation was performed on clinical datasets, where both the TEE probe and PV were successfully detected in 95.8% and 90.1% of images, respectively. TEE probe position and orientation errors were 1.42 ± 0.79 mm and 2.59i¾? ± 1.87i¾?, while PV position and orientation errors were 1.04 ± 0.77 mm and 2.90i¾? ± 2.37i¾?. The Hough forest was implemented in CUDA C, and was able to generate device location hypotheses in less than 50 ms for all experiments.
A Systematic Review of Eligibility and Outcomes in Tinnitus Trials: Reassessment of Tinnitus Guideline.

ObjectiveTo analyze existing tinnitus treatment trials with regard to eligibility criteria, outcome measures, study quality, and external validity and to recognize the effect of patient demographic...
The Relationship between Environmental Dynamism and Small Firm Structure, Strategy, and Performance

This study describes the organization structures, strategic postures, business practices, and performance levels of small firms in stable and dynamic environments. Results suggest that environmental dynamism impacts the strategies chosen by small firms and moderates the relationships between organization structure, strategic posture, and firm performance.
Agencies Utilized in Disseminating Information on Insect Control: Visual Aids and Their Value in Entomological Extension Work

More than 40 years ago the late Dr. Stephen A. Forbes wrote in part as follows: “It is not the facts of entomology we discover, but those which we persuade the farmer, the gardener or the fruit grower to use diligently for the protection or the preservation of his crops, which make our entomology economic. To bring a result to bear on the practice of one man when a thousand are suffering from the want of it is to fail 99.9 per cent of our proper undertaking. We must first do exhaustive, conclusive, practical economic work, and then we must find means to get that work utilized or it is an economic dead loss.”
Use of a machine learning algorithm to classify expertise: analysis of hand motion patterns during a simulated surgical task.

Purpose To test the hypothesis that machine learning algorithms increase the predictive power to classify surgical expertise using surgeons' hand motion patterns. Method In 2012 at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 14 surgical attendings and 10 first- and second-year surgical residents each performed two bench model venous anastomoses. During the simulated tasks, the participants wore an inertial measurement unit on the dorsum of their dominant (right) hand to capture their hand motion patterns. The pattern from each bench model task performed was preprocessed into a symbolic time series and labeled as expert (attending) or novice (resident). The labeled hand motion patterns were processed and used to train a Support Vector Machine (SVM) classification algorithm. The trained algorithm was then tested for discriminative/predictive power against unlabeled (blinded) hand motion patterns from tasks not used in the training. The Lempel-Ziv (LZ) complexity metric was also measured from each hand motion pattern, with an optimal threshold calculated to separately classify the patterns. Results The LZ metric classified unlabeled (blinded) hand motion patterns into expert and novice groups with an accuracy of 70% (sensitivity 64%, specificity 80%). The SVM algorithm had an accuracy of 83% (sensitivity 86%, specificity 80%). Conclusions The results confirmed the hypothesis. The SVM algorithm increased the predictive power to classify blinded surgical hand motion patterns into expert versus novice groups. With further development, the system used in this study could become a viable tool for low-cost, objective assessment of procedural proficiency in a competency-based curriculum.
Appearance of Accessory "Organizers" in Overripe Eggs of the Frog.

The author has described1 the condition of overripeness that develops in frog eggs if fertilization is delayed 3 to 5 days after ovulation. Among the abnormalities of embryonic development that follow, one of the most striking is the frequent appearance of reduplications. In the early gastrulation stage instead of the normal upper blastopore lip of limited extent and regular curvature there often appear long and irregular clefts and folds in the equatorial region. Attempts at gastrulation become visible not only on one side but all around the whole circumference of the embryo. As time progresses multiple blastopores and multiple gastrulation lead to the development of twin embryos. As we have pointed out previously,1 this effect indicates that overripeness has brought about 2 concomitant changes in the embryos. First, the physiological correlations by which an embryo develops as a balanced organism are impaired. These correlations largely rest on inhibitory functions by which established “organizers” (ind...
Assessment of saphenous vein graft patency by contrast-enhanced computed tomography

Early saphenous vein coronary bypass graft patency has been found to range from 82% to 94%. Recent advances in computed tomography have led to the development of a safe, effective, and “relatively noninvasive” means of assessing early graft patency. We designed a prospective study using contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT), postulating that selected grafts might be redone prior to the development of pericardial adhesions if early closure was demonstrated. Forty-three random patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass comprise the study group. All patients underwent CECT study of graft patency an average of 6 days postoperatively (range 1 to 17 days). Ninety of 96 grafts were open, for an early patency rate of 94%. Three of the grafts were closed because of poor run-off or extensive distal coronary atherosclerosis. Two additional grafts were closed, one in a patient with severe atherosclerosis of the ascending aorta and one in a patient having triple vessel bypass using cephalic vein because of limited conduit material. Only one graft was closed without apparent cause and judged potentially suitable for reoperation. CECT was found to be a safe and potentially useful means of assessing early graft patency, particularly in patients sustaining untoward clinical events.
A Quantitative Method for the Measurement of Dried Blood Spot Amino Acids Using Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography

Background: Measurement of amino acids in dried blood spots has been extensively used for the detection of newborns with various inborn errors of amino acid metabolism including phenylketonuria (PKU) and maple syrup urine disease (MSUD). Whereas blood spot amino acid measurement has been invaluable for initial diagnosis, the relative insensitivity of blood spot measurement has found limited use in lifelong monitoring of patients with these disorders. The work described here outlines the evaluation of blood spot amino acid analysis using ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC©) for use in follow-up testing. Methods: Dried blood spot amino acids were derivatized with a proprietary AccQTag® reagent and separated using UPLC. Plasma amino acids from dried bloods spots were obtained from 318 patient samples and compared to corresponding plasma samples measured using the same UPLC method. Results: Dried blood spot amino acid concentrations were highly correlated but negatively biased vs plasma concentrations. Interassay imprecision studies using UPLC demonstrated a %CV for phenylalanine of 4.81%–16.07%, tyrosine 5.62%–20.16%, valine 4.23%–15.46%, leucine 8.3%–15.3%, and isoleucine 4.25%–16.80%. Intraassay imprecision studies using UPLC demonstrated a %CV for phenylalanine of 0.42%–3.4%, tyrosine 1.6%–7.85%, valine 0.14%–1.84%, leucine 0.28%–2.01%, and isoleucine 0.6%–2.65%. Blood spot amino acid concentrations were stable for at least 3 days at temperatures up to 65 °C. Conclusions: This UPLC-based method can reliably measure clinically significant amino acids in dried blood spots.
Incremental Elastoplastic Behavior of Metal Matrix Composites Based on Averaging Schemes

The applicability of averaging schemes, with emphasis on the Mori—Tanaka method, for the prediction of the response of binary composites in the plastic range is discussed. The applied loading is subdivided into small increments and the Eshelby solution for the inhomogeneity problem is used in conjunction with an averaging scheme to obtain the load increments in the various phases. Since the Eshelby solution depends on the instantaneous matrix material properties and these are updated at the end of each load increment, using the backward difference scheme, an iterative procedure is necessary for the calculation of the correct load increments in the phases (concentration factors). The performance of Mori—Tanaka and self—consistent schemes is compared with results obtained using the modified periodic hexagonal array (PHA) finite element model for a SiCw-Al particulate composite.
Are hospital admissions reduced by Acute Medicine consultant telephone triage of medical referrals

The NHS in England is facing well-documented pressures related to increasing acute hospital admissions at a time when the acute medical bed-base is shrinking, doctors working patterns are increasingly fragmented and many acute hospital trusts are operating a financial deficit. Novel strategies are required to reduce pressure on the acute medical take. We conducted a prospective cohort study to assess the impact of acute medicine consultant triage of referrals to the acute medical take on the number of acute hospital admissions as compared to a historical control cohort. The introduction of an acute medicine consultant telephone triage service was associated with a 21% reduction in acute medical admissions during whole the study period. True admission avoidance was achieved for 28.5% of referrals triaged by an acute medicine consultant. The greatest benefit was seen for consultant-triage of GP referrals; 43% of all GP referrals resulted in a decision not to admit and in 25% the referral was avoided by giving advice alone. Consultant telephone triage of referrals to the acute medical take substantially reduces the number of acute medical admissions as compared to triage by a trained band 6 or higher nurse coordinator. Our service is cost effective and can be job-planned using 6 full-time equivalent acute medicine consultants. The telephone triage service also provides additional benefits to admission numbers beyond its hours of operation and the general management of the acute medical take.
Optical properties and degradation monitoring of CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3

CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 perovskite films for photovoltaics (PV) have been deposited by vapor deposition and solution processing. Spectroscopic ellipsometry from the near infrared to ultraviolet (0.75 to 5.89 eV) is used to study the optical response of CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 . In-situ spectroscopic ellipsometry is applied to monitor CH3NH3PM3 undergoing degradation in laboratory ambient conditions to study the degradation / decomposition of CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 and evolution of unreacted and phase segregated materials (PbI 2 , CH 3 NH 3 I) found at surface / ambient and substrate / film interfaces.
Problems and Solutions in Polymer Melt Temperature Measurement

Abstract Melt temperature is probably the single most important measurement made in polymer synthesis and processing operations. But accuracy in melt temperature measurement is very difficult to achieve because of conduction errors -- heat losses from sensing probes immersed in melts by conduction of heat along the relatively short, large diameter metal probes normally used to their mounting fixtures. Conduction errors as great as 20°C or more are frequently observed in polymer plants. A second type of error that is sometimes significant is heating of probes by generation of heat by friction in films of polymer flowing past them. The problem is explained mathematically and a rule of thumb ( Length / Diameter ≧ 11cm 0.5 ) presented which can be used to test whether error is likely to occur in real situations. A number of temperature probe designs which have proved useful in measuring melt temperature accurately in polymer synthesis and processing plants are described.
Summary: The Future of Forensic Identification Methods From the Human Skeleton

Abstract This chapter serves as the summary for the book New Perspectives in Forensic Human Skeletal Identification. It emphasizes the current volume's focus on new developments within the field, which demonstrate the expanding role of forensic anthropology in personal identification. It summarizes each chapter and discusses how each contribution suits the larger vision of the book. From gross macroscopic to microscopic approaches to identification of the human body, it provides readers with an assortment of tools appropriate for use in multiple domestic and international contexts.
Pullout strength of standard vs. cement-augmented rotator cuff repair anchors in cadaveric bone

Abstract Background We evaluate a novel method of rotator cuff repair that uses arthroscopic equipment to inject bone cement into placed suture anchors. A cadaver model was used to assess the pullout strength of this technique versus anchors without augmentation. Methods Six fresh-frozen matched pairs of upper extremities were screened to exclude those with prior operative procedures, fractures, or neoplasms. One side from each pair was randomized to undergo standard anchor fixation with the contralateral side to undergo anchor fixation augmented with bone cement. After anchor fixation, specimens were mounted on a servohydraulic testing system and suture anchors were pulled at 90° to the insertion to simulate the anatomic pull of the rotator cuff. Sutures were pulled at 1 mm/s until failure. Findings The mean pullout strength was 540 N (95% confidence interval, 389 to 690 N) for augmented anchors and 202 N (95% confidence interval, 100 to 305 N) for standard anchors. The difference in pullout strength was statistically significant (P Interpretation This study shows superior pullout strength of a novel augmented rotator cuff anchor technique. The described technique, which is achieved by extruding polymethylmethacrylate cement through a cannulated in situ suture anchor with fenestrations, significantly increased the ultimate failure load in cadaveric human humeri. This novel augmented fixation technique was simple and can be implemented with existing instrumentation. In osteoporotic bone, it may substantially reduce the rate of anchor failure.
Breaking Down Barriers to the Utilization of Standardized Tests and Outcome Measures in Acute Care Physical Therapist Practice: An Observational Longitudinal Study

Background Standardized tests and outcome measures (STOM) have not been consistently implemented as part of most physical therapists' practice. Incidence of STOM use among physical therapists at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center was similar to low levels cited nationally among acute care physical therapists. Targeted knowledge translation (KT) strategies have been suggested to promote the application of research evidence into clinical decision making. Purpose The purpose of this quality improvement (QI) effort was to implement a series of interventions aimed at increasing both use and interpretation of STOM by physical therapists practicing in acute care. Design This study used an observational longitudinal design. Methods A literature review identified current barriers and facilitators to the use of STOM by physical therapists. KT strategies were tailored to the practice setting in order to target barriers and promote facilitators to the use of STOM. Data were collected through retrospective chart review at baseline and then subsequently at 4 periods following the implementation of the QI project. Results A statistically significant increase in both the use (primary outcome) and interpretation (secondary outcome) of STOM was observed following the implementation of KT strategies. The increase was sustained at all subsequent measurement periods. Limitations Limitations include the lack of a control group and the small number of setting- and diagnosis-specific STOM available for use by physical therapists practicing in acute care. Conclusions Implementation of KT strategies was associated with an increase in the frequency of use and interpretation of STOM. Similar QI efforts are feasible in any acute care physical therapy department and potentially other settings.
Errata for “Design and Analysis of a Programmable Receiver Front End Based on Baseband Analog-FIR Filtering Using an LPTV Resistor”

This paper presents a programmable receiver front-end that uses periodically time-varying components. A sharp programmable filtering response was achieved at RF using a linear periodically time-varying (LPTV) resistor in conjunction with a passive mixer and an integrate-and-dump circuit. The LPTV resistor along with the integrate-and-dump circuit is shown to achieve a programmable finite-impulse response (FIR) baseband filter. The baseband filter is then upconverted with the passive mixer to achieve sharp bandpass filtering at the desired RF center frequency. Further, it is shown that an additional $S_{11}$ constraint can be imposed on the FIR filter design to allow for impedance matching to the antenna impedance. The implemented receiver achieved high close-in linearity with >17 dBm of IIP3 at only 1.2 $\times $ bandwidth frequency offset, while achieving a wideband impedance match with $S_{11}$ better than −10 dB throughout the local oscillator range of 0.1–1 GHz.
Review of Radiopharmaceutical IND’s and NDA’s

This is a discussion of the new drug approval process with emphasis on the chemistry, manufacturing and controls portions of investigational new drug (IND) applications and new drug applications (NDA). Most of that is applicable to radiopharmaceutical drugs as well as to non-radioactive drugs. There are some points that are unique to radioactive products, for example, radionuclidic and radiochemical identity and purity and specific activity. This will be little more than a cursory overview of that process.
Use of Field-Flaw Interaction Theories to Quantify and Improve Inspection Reliability

On-line NDE practices typically emerge through a sequence of steps starting with the selection of a particular technique, proceeding with definition of configurations and procedures, and culminating in qualification through an experimental demonstration of performance. Because of the absence of a well-developed analytical foundation, this process has been, by necessity, highly empirical in nature. The theoretical advances in the understanding of field-flaw interactions which have occurred over the last decade provide the tools necessary to adopt a more analytical approach to the engineering of a new NDE system. This paper explores the present status of these tools and discusses different ways in which they have been, or might be, used to quantify and improve inspection reliability.
Scheduling on the Gaussian Broadcast Channel with Hard Deadlines

This paper, motivated by mission-critical and latency- constrained traffic, focuses on delivering different messages to various end-users within hard deadlines on the downlink of a wireless system. A novel deadline outage performance criterion is introduced, which accounts for both the violation of the hard deadline by any of the messages as well as for channel decoding errors due to finite block-length. This formulation allows for the study of scheduling policies under a more refined model of the physical layer channel than is usually assumed in the networking literature. Different scheduling polices under hard deadline constraints are proposed, and the corresponding deadline outage probabilities evaluated. The main result is that, to reduce the deadline outage probability, a scheduling policy should cleverly combine time-sharing and concatenate-and- code.
Application of the coupled-cluster CC(P;Q) approaches to the magnesium dimer

Several coupled-cluster approaches with an approximate treatment of connected triply or quadruply excited clusters, including the CCSD(T), CCSD(2)T, and CR-CC(2,3) corrections to CCSD, the active-s...
Transformations: art and the city

The newest contribution to the Mediated Cities series from Intellect Books, Transformations: Art and the City (Elizabeth M Grierson, ed.) is an anthology of wide-ranging essays that arose out of a ...
Model Improvement via Systematic Investigation of Physics Tendencies

AbstractDeficiencies in forecast models commonly stem from inadequate representation of physical processes; yet, improvement to any single physics component within a model may lead to degradations ...
Complicated Appendicitis: Are Extended Antibiotics Necessary? A Post Hoc Analysis of the EAST Appendicitis “MUSTANG” Study

Abstract Background The need for extended postoperative antibiotics (Abx) for complicated (gangrenous or perforated) appendicitis (CA) remains unclear. We hypothesize that giving ≤24 h of Abx for CA is not inferior to a longer duration in preventing infectious complications after appendectomy. Methods In this post hoc analysis of a prospective multicenter study, only patients with intraoperative diagnosis of CA were included. ANOVA and Chi-squared tests were used to compare length of stay, 30-day readmission rates, surgical site infection (SSI), and intra-abdominal abscess (IAA) between patients receiving ≥96 h and ≤24 h of Abx. Results Of 751 patients with CA, 704 met inclusion criteria. Mean age was 48 (±17) y; 391 (56%) were male. A total of 185 (26%) received Abx for ≤24 h and 100 (14% of overall) received no Abx. 85 (12%) patients were lost to follow-up at 30 d postop. Twenty-seven (4%) patients developed an SSI (≤24 h = 5 (3%), ≥96 h = 22 (5%), P = 0.502) and 82 (13%) developed IAA (≤24 h = 11 (7%), ≥96 h = 71 (15%), P = 0.008) within 30d postop. Sixty-six (11%) patients underwent a secondary intervention for infection within 30 d postop. 41% of SSIs (11/27) and 60% (49/82) of IAA occurred during the index hospitalization. On the multivariate analysis, there was not any evidence of an association between the duration of Abx and an increased rate of SSI (P = 0.539), IAA (P = 0.274), emergency department visits (P = 0.509), readmission (P = 0.911), or secondary interventions (P = 0.523). Conclusions No evidence of an association between the duration of Abx (≤24 h versus ≥ 96 h) for complicated appendicitis and an increased rate of SSI was observed and ≤24 h duration was associated with shorter length of stay. Because of possible selection bias, adequately powered randomized trials are required to definitely prove noninferiority of shorter course Abx duration.
Isolation Methods for Human CD34 Subsets Using Fluorescent and Magnetic Activated Cell Sorting: an In Vivo Comparative Study

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and resulting cardiac damage and heart failure are leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Multiple studies have examined the utility of CD34+ cells for the treatment of acute and ischemic heart disease. However, the optimal strategy to enrich CD34 cells from clinical sources is not known. We examined the efficacy of fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) and magnetic beads cell sorting (MACS) methods for CD34 cell isolation from mobilized human mononuclear peripheral blood cells (mhPBMNCs). mhPBCs were processed following acquisition using FACS or MACS according to clinically established protocols. Cell viability, CD34 cell purity and characterization of surface marker expression were assessed using a flow cytometer. For in vivo characterization of cardiac repair, we conducted LAD ligation surgery on 8–10 weeks female NOD/SCID mice followed by intramyocardial transplantation of unselected mhPBMNCs, FACS or MACS enriched CD34+ cells. Both MACS and FACS isolation methods achieved high purity rates, viability, and enrichment of CD34+ cells. In vivo studies following myocardial infarction demonstrated retention of CD34+ in the peri-infarct region for up to 30 days after transplantation. Retained CD34+ cells were associated with enhanced angiogenesis and reduced inflammation compared to unselected mhPBMNCs or PBS treatment arms. Cardiac scar and fibrosis as assessed by immunohistochemistry were reduced in FACS and MACS CD34+ treatment groups. Finally, reduced scar and augmented angiogenesis resulted in improved cardiac functional recovery, both on the global and regional function and remodeling assessments by echocardiography. Cell based therapy using enriched CD34+ cells sorted by FACS or MACS result in better cardiac recovery after ischemic injury compared to unselected mhPBMNCs. Both enrichment techniques offer excellent recovery and purity and can be equally used for clinical applications.
What is Paradoxical About ‘Fermi’s Paradox’?: Review of Milan Ćirković: The Great Silence, Oxford University Press, 2018

In this review of Milan Cirkovic’s The Great Silence: Science and Philosophy of Fermi’s Paradox, we attempt to reconstruct the logic of Fermi’s paradox as understood by the author, and we critically examine the reasoning that leads to the paradox. We show that there is no plausible solution to Fermi’s paradox that can satisfy all of Cirkovic’s proposed desiderata, which in turn suggests that the author’s standards for hypothesis adjudication need to be revised.
Relative risk of pneumonitis associated with first-line use of immune checkpoint inhibitors in advanced renal cell carcinoma.

676Background: After approval in 2006, sunitinib remained the standard for the first line treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma (aRCC) for a decade. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have cha...
Continuous Reactors for Pharmaceutical Manufacturing

A variety of high-pressure and low-pressure plug flow reactors (PFRs) are described in this chapter with manufacturing examples for each. Coiled tube PFRs and vertical pipes-in-series PFRs were used for two-phase gas–liquid reactions. A pulsating flow coiled tube PFR was used for gas–liquid reaction with solids precipitate. Superheated PFRs were used for reactions involving homogeneous solutions, heated above the boiling point of the solvent. Disposable coiled tube PFRs were used with highly potent compounds. Continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTRs) were needed for heterogeneous continuous processes. CSTRs, CSTRs-in-series, and intermittent flow CSTRs were used for reactions with long reaction times, positive order kinetics, and multiple reaction phases, either solid/liquid or liquid/liquid. This chapter also explains how to calculate the actual internal temperature profile along the length of a PFR, which is often not practical to measure.
The Future of Global Currency: The Euro Versus the Dollar

Introduction Part 1: The Global Currency System 1. Life at the Top: International Currencies in the Twenty-First Century 2. The Euro and Transatlantic Relations Part 2: The Euro Challenge 3. EMU and the Dollar: Who Threatens Whom? 4. Global Currency Rivalry: Can The Euro Ever Challenge the Dollar? 5. Enlargement and the International Role of the Euro 6. The Euro in a Global Context: Challenges and CapacitiesDollar Dominance, Euro Aspirations: Recipe for Discord? 7. Dollar Dominance, Euro Aspirations: Recipe for Discord? Part 3: Glimpses of the Future 8. A One-and-a-Half Currency System 9. Toward a Leaderless Currency System 10. The International Monetary System: Diffusion and Ambiguity
A 3-D implicit finite-volume model of shallow water flows

Abstract A three-dimensional (3-D) model has been developed to simulate shallow water flows in large water bodies, such as coastal and estuarine waters. The eddy viscosity is determined using a newly modified mixing length model that uses different mixing length functions for the horizontal and vertical shear strain rates. The 3-D shallow water flow equations with the hydrostatic pressure assumption are solved using an implicit finite-volume method based on a quadtree (telescoping) rectangular mesh on the horizontal plane and the sigma coordinate in the vertical direction. The quadtree technique can locally refine the mesh around structures or in high-gradient regions by splitting a coarse cell into four child cells. The grid nodes are numbered with a one-dimensional index system that has unstructured grid feature for better grid flexibility. All the primary variables are arranged in a non-staggered grid system. Fluxes at cell faces are determined using a Rhie and Chow-type momentum interpolation, to avoid the possible spurious checkerboard oscillations caused by linear interpolation. Each of the discretized governing equations is solved iteratively using the flexible GMRES method with ILUT preconditioning, and coupling of water level and velocity among these equations is achieved by using the SIMPLEC algorithm with under-relaxation. The model has been tested in four cases, including steady flow near a spur-dyke, tidal flows in San Francisco Bay and Gironde Estuary, and wind-induced current in a flume. The calculated water levels and velocities are in good agreement with the measured values.
Activation of a Latent Measles Virus Infection in Hamster Cells

The characteristics of infectious measles virus released from latently infected hamster embryo fibroblast cells are described. Low levels of virus were released spontaneously when the cultures were incubated at 37 C; this phenomenon was observed 19 passages after the cells had been exposed to the virus and has continued through cell passage 45. The virus yield could be significantly increased by cocultivation of the hamster cells with BSC-1 cells or incubation of the latently infected cells at 33.5 C rather than at 37 C. Measles virus released after cocultivation demonstrated increased cytopathology in cell culture and reduced temperature sensitivity when compared to the virus released at 33.5 C. After cell passage 45, there was an increase in spontaneous release of virus. However, the viruses recovered by cocultivation or temperature release after cell passage 45 were nearly identical. These observations suggest a possible mechanism for measles virus activation in cells latently infected with this virus.
A Web StoryBase

We describe the Web StoryBase, a system using HTML forms technology to collect and share stories and story annotations from users of the World Wide Web. We analyse usage data collected over a period of 26 weeks, from the perspective of how the system was advertised, contributed to, and browsed. We also discuss several themes extracted from the reported Web experiences: usability, learnability, diversity, communication, just-in-time information, capture and fun.
A comparison of association methods correcting for population stratification in case-control studies.

Population stratification is an important issue in case–control studies of disease-marker association. Failure to properly account for population structure can lead to spurious association or reduced power. In this article, we compare the performance of six methods correcting for population stratification in case–control association studies. These methods include genomic control (GC), EIGENSTRAT, principal component-based logistic regression (PCA-L), LAPSTRUCT, ROADTRIPS, and EMMAX. We also include the uncorrected Armitage test for comparison. In the simulation studies, we consider a wide range of population structure models for unrelated samples, including admixture. Our simulation results suggest that PCA-L and LAPSTRUCT perform well over all the scenarios studied, whereas GC, ROADTRIPS, and EMMAX fail to correct for population structure at single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that show strong differentiation across ancestral populations. The Armitage test does not adjust for confounding due to stratification thus has inflated type I error. Among all correction methods, EMMAX has the greatest power, based on the population structure settings considered for samples with unrelated individuals. The three methods, EIGENSTRAT, PCA-L, and LAPSTRUCT, are comparable, and outperform both GC and ROADTRIPS in almost all situations.
Developmental rearrangement of cyanobacterial nif genes: nucleotide sequence, open reading frames, and cytochrome P-450 homology of the Anabaena sp. strain PCC 7120 nifD element.

Abstract An 11-kbp DNA element of unknown function interrupts the nifD gene in vegetative cells of Anabaena sp. strain PCC 7120. In developing heterocysts the nifD element excises from the chromosome via site-specific recombination between short repeat sequences that flank the element. The nucleotide sequence of the nifH-proximal half of the element was determined to elucidate the genetic potential of the element. Four open reading frames with the same relative orientation as the nifD element-encoded xisA gene were identified in the sequenced region. Each of the open reading frames was preceded by a reasonable ribosome-binding site and had biased codon utilization preferences consistent with low levels of expression. Open reading frame 3 was highly homologous with three cytochrome P-450 omega-hydroxylase proteins and showed regional homology to functionally significant domains common to the cytochrome P-450 superfamily. The sequence encoding open reading frame 2 was the most highly conserved portion of the sequenced region based on heterologous hybridization experiments with three genera of heterocystous cyanobacteria.
A functional assay-based strategy for nanomaterial risk forecasting

The study of nanomaterial impacts on environment, health and safety (nanoEHS) has been largely predicated on the assumption that exposure and hazard can be predicted from physical–chemical properties of nanomaterials. This approach is rooted in the view that nanoobjects essentially resemble chemicals with additional particle-based attributes that must be included among their intrinsic physical–chemical descriptors. With the exception of the trivial case of nanomaterials made from toxic or highly reactive materials, this approach has yielded few actionable guidelines for predicting nanomaterial risk. This article addresses inherent problems in structuring a nanoEHS research strategy based on the goal of predicting outcomes directly from nanomaterial properties, and proposes a framework for organizing data and designing integrated experiments based on functional assays (FAs). FAs are intermediary, semi-empirical measures of processes or functions within a specified system that bridge the gap between nanomaterial properties and potential outcomes in complex systems. The three components of a functional assay are standardized protocols for parameter determination and reporting, a theoretical context for parameter application and reference systems. We propose the identification and adoption of reference systems where FAs may be applied to provide parameter estimates for environmental fate and effects models, as well as benchmarks for comparing the results of FAs and experiments conducted in more complex and varied systems. Surface affinity and dissolution rate are identified as two critical FAs for characterizing nanomaterial behavior in a variety of important systems. The use of these FAs to predict bioaccumulation and toxicity for initial and aged nanomaterials is illustrated for the case of silver nanoparticles and Caenorhabditis elegans.
Breast cancer screening beliefs by practice location

This study examines variations in breast cancer screening among primary care clinicians by geographic location of clinical practice. A cross-sectional survey design was used to examine approaches to breast cancer screening among physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants involved in primary care practice. A summary index of beliefs about breast cancer screening was created by summing the total number of responses in agreement with each of four survey items; values for this summary variable ranged between zero and four. Respondents were classified into urban, rural and suburban categories based upon practise location. Among the 428 respondents, agreement with "correct" responses ranged from 50% to 71% for the individual survey items; overall, half agreed with three or more of the four breast cancer screening items. While no significant differences were noted by practice location, variation in responses were evident. Reported use of written breast cancer guidelines was less in both suburban (OR = 0.51) and urban areas (OR = 0.56) when compared to clinicians in rural areas. Development of an evidence-based consensus statement regarding breast cancer screening would support a single set of unambiguous guidelines for implementation in all primary care settings, thus decreasing variations in how breast cancer screening is approached across varied clinical settings.
An analysis of the meteorological parameters affecting ambient concentrations of acid aerosols in Uniontown, Pennsylvania☆

Abstract Ambient concentrations of aerosol strong acidity (H + ) that were collected in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, during the summer of 1990 were evaluated to determine the relationships between meteorology and the magnitude of the H + concentrations. An extensive database containing 17 meteorological parameters was compiled for the Uniontown - Pittsburgh region. The database included both surface and upper air meteorological parameters. Concentrations of ambient acid sulfate aerosols collected in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, in the summer of 1990 were greatly affected by both local and regional meteorological conditions. Seven distinct meteorological synoptic types or regimes were identified for the summer months. A clear association was shown between episodic events of elevated ambient H + concentrations and one of the regimes, referred to here as synoptic type 5, which occurred when an anticyclone set up to the east of the mid-Atlantic states. Much of the variability (approximately 45%) in H + concentrations for the overall model was explained by the surface air temperature. Approximately 10% of the H' variability was explained by westerly winds as expressed by the U components of the morning 850 mb wind and the mean daily surface wind at Uniontown. Results showed that for days under the influence of synoptic type 5, which was associated with the highest levels of ambient H', the surface temperature explained approximately one-third of the variability in H' concentrations. The height of the mixing layer also affected the variability in H + concentrations, accounting for nearly a quarter of the variance. These results show that an analysis of the surface wind speed and direction alone will not adequately explain the variability in the concentrations of ambient acid aerosols. Analyses of the meteorological parameters affecting ambient concentrations of acid aerosols should include the mixing height, as well as the temperature, wind speed, and wind direction; both at the surface and for an upper level of the atmosphere that facilitates regional transport of pollutants.