cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Health programmes and policies associated with decreased mortality in displaced people in postemergency phase camps: a retrospective study

Summary Background An estimated 35 million people have been displaced by complex humanitarian emergencies. International humanitarian organisations define policies and provide basic health and nutrition programmes to displaced people in postemergency phase camps. However, many policies and programmes are not based on supporting data. We aimed to identify associations between age-specific mortality and health indicators in displaced people in postemergency phase camps and to define the programme and policy implications of these data. Methods In 1998–2000, we obtained and analysed retrospective mortality data for the previous 3 months in 51 postemergency phase camps in seven countries. We did multivariate regression with 18 independent variables that affect crude mortality rates (CMRs) and mortality rates in children younger than 5 years ( Findings Recently established camps had higher CMRs and Interpretation Health and nutrition policies and programmes for displaced people in postemergency phase camps should be evidence-based. Programmes in complex emergencies should focus on indicators proven to be associated with mortality. Minimum indicators should be developed for programmes targeting displaced people in postemergency phase camps.
Preventing the development of complex regional pain syndrome after surgery.

COMPLEX regional pain syndrome (CRPS), previously known as reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD), is used to describe a syndrome of pain and sudomotor or vasomotor instability. This pain syndrome usually has an initiating noxious event in the periphery, is not limited to the distribution of a single nerve, and is disproportionate to the inciting event. The Consensus Conference of the International Association for the Study of Pain has subclassified CRPS into two forms: CRPS I (formerly RSD) and CRPS II (formerly causalgia). According to the International Association for the Study of Pain, the diagnosis of CRPS I requires (1) continuing pain, allodynia, or hyperalgesia disproportionate to the injury; (2) evidence at some time of edema, changes in skin blood flow, or abnormal sudomotor activity in the region of pain; and (3) no other conditions that would otherwise account for the degree of pain and dysfunction. Motor disturbances and trophic changes, such as altered nail and hair growth, may be observed in some cases. CRPS II is a pain syndrome that starts after a nerve injury and is not necessarily limited to the distribution of the injured nerve. The diagnostic criteria are the same as those of CRPS I. Patients with CRPS I or CRPS II can have sympathetically maintained pain or sympathetically independent pain. Sympathetically maintained pain, a term introduced in 1986 by Roberts, is pathologic pain that is supported by sympathetic efferent activity, circulating catecholamines, and/or increased sensitivity of -adrenergic receptors. Sympathetically maintained pain is identified by the ability to lessen the pain by sympatholytic blocks or interventions. Sympathetically independent pain has components of pain from sources other than sympathetic innervation and is believed to be most commonly observed in advanced cases of CRPS that do not respond to sympathetic blocks. Patients with CRPS may present with components of only sympathetically maintained pain or sympathetically independent pain or, more commonly, a combination of pain from each. Despite increasing research interest, little is known regarding which patients are at increased risk for development of postoperative CRPS and what the optimal perioperative treatment strategy is for those patients undergoing surgery who have a previous history of CRPS. This review outlines the surgical procedures that are believed to increase risk for development of CRPS and describes pharmacologic and regional analgesic techniques that may be of benefit for preventing the development of CRPS after surgery.
Host Biomarkers of Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis To Monitor Therapeutic Response

Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) is a life-threatening disease of immunocompromised patients that requires aggressive therapy. Detection of the disease and monitoring of the therapeutic response during IPA are complex, and current molecular diagnostics are not suitably robust. Here, we explored proteomic profiles of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) specimens from a persistently neutropenic rabbit model of IPA. Three experimental arms, uninfected control animals, infected untreated animals, and animals infected and treated with ravuconazole/amphotericin B, were studied. Total proteins were evaluated by two-dimensional (2D) gel electrophoresis, followed by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight/time of flight (MALDI-TOF/TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) and quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Host-derived proteins haptoglobin (Hp), C-reactive protein (CRP), and annexin A1 (Anx A1) were prominently found in BALF during the IPA infection and showed significant changes in response to antifungal therapy (P < 0.0001). In serum, differences in Hp (P = 0.0001) between infected and treated rabbits were observed. Preliminary in vitro studies revealed that Aspergillus fumigatus-secreted proteases may contribute to the cleavage of Anx A1 during IPA. In summary, host protein biomarkers Hp, CRP, and Anx A1 may have value in monitoring therapeutic response to antifungal agents in IPA patients with confirmed disease.
Induction and reversibility of thyroid proliferative changes in rats given an antithyroid compound.

Sixty Fischer 344 rats were fed a diet containing 90 ppm methimazole, a known antithyroid compound. Following exposure to the test compound, groups of ten animals were terminated at 1, 3, and 6 months. Similar groups of ten treated animals were given control diet for a reversibility period of 2, 3, and 6 months, respectively. Groups of ten control rats were terminated after 1, 3, 6, and 12 months. Except for the expected effect on body weight, the treated animals had no physical signs of toxicity. The weight of thyroids increased with the duration of exposure, becoming in males after 6 months about ten times the weight of thyroids from control rats. Thyroids of treated rats after 1 and 3 months had a diffuse homogeneous hypertrophy and hyperplasia of follicular cells, decreased colloid, and increased vascularity. After 6 months' exposure to the antithyroid compound, there was diffuse hyperplasia but also a heterogeneity in the size and morphology of follicles, protrusion of follicular tissue through the gland capsule and into vascular spaces, and the development of follicular nodules. Treated rats placed on control diet, allowing for reversibility, had thyroids which were decreased in size with large follicles and flattened epithelium, and a complete remodeling of most nodules with no evidence of progression. Although the nodules produced after prolonged administration of the antithyroid compound had many of the characteristics of neoplasia, the biologic behavior supports the diagnosis of nodular hyperplasia. Antithyroid compounds suppress thyroid hormone production and secretion. By a classic feedback control on the hypothalamus and pituitary, these compounds produce an increased secretion of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH).2,3,5,11,17,23.29,33,34 The size, function, and morphology of the thyroid are quantitatively con- trolled by TSH." The thyroid has an enormous po- tential for proliferation, dependent upon the degree and duration of TSH production. 11~17~19 The follicular cell height varies with the degree of TSH stimulation, becoming tall columnar when active and flattened when lxZ7 Active follicles have decreased colloid, and inactive follicles have increased colloid. Following prolonged administration of antithyroid compounds, thyroid neoplasms have been reported in ro- Quantification of the functional and structural thy- roid changes in the rat given an antithyroid compound has recently been These investigators found a drop to below detection limits for thyroid hormones within 7 days; and over a 5-month period a fivefold increase in TSH, a 12-fold increase in thyroid weight, and a ninefold increase in the number of thyroid cells. The development of vascularization during thyroid hy- perplasia starts prior to the growth of follicular Thyroid follicular hyperplasia, especially nodular hyperplasia, is difficult to distinguish from neopla-
Spring Mixing: Turbulence and Internal Waves during Restratification on the New England Shelf

Integrated observations are presented of water property evolution and turbulent microstructure during the spring restratification period of April and May 1997 on the New England continental shelf. Turbulence is shown to be related to surface mixed layer entrainment and shear from low-mode near-inertial internal waves. The largest turbulent diapycnal diffusivity and associated buoyancy fluxes were found at the bottom of an actively entraining and highly variable wind-driven surface mixed layer. Away from surface and bottom boundary layers, turbulence was systematically correlated with internal wave shear, though the nature of that relationship underwent a regime shift as the stratification strengthened. During the first week, while stratification was weak, the largest turbulent dissipation away from boundaries was coincident with shear from mode-1 near-inertial waves generated by passing storms. Wave-induced Richardson numbers well below 0.25 and density overturning scales of several meters were observed. Turbulent dissipation rates in the region of peak shear were consistent in magnitude with several dimensional scalings. The associated average diapycnal diffusivity exceeded 10 3 m 2 s 1 . As stratification tripled, Richardson numbers from low-mode internal waves were no longer critical, though turbulence was still consistently elevated in patches of wave shear. Kinematically, dissipation during this period was consistent with the turbulence parameterization proposed by MacKinnon and Gregg, based on a reinterpretation of wave–wave interaction theory. The observed growth of temperature gradients was, in turn, consistent with a simple one-dimensional model that vertically distributed surface heat fluxes commensurate with calculated turbulent diffusivities.
IMPURITIES IN A MAGNETIC-FIELD-INDUCED LUTTINGER LIQUID

We study the effect of dilute impurities on a system of interacting electrons subject to a quantizing magnetic field. For the case of point impurities, the calculation of the scattering cross section can be mapped onto a 1D problem of tunnelinng conductance through a barrier for interacting electrons. We find that the electron-electron interaction produces temperature-dependent corrections to the cross-section, and thus to the tensor of conductivities. Upon summation of the most diverging corrections in all orders of perturbation theory, a scaling behavior of the conductivities emerges. This behavior is similar to that of 1D Luttinger liquid. The scaling exponents depend on the magnetic field and are calculated explicitly in the weak-coupling limit. The limitations on the scaling behavior due to the formation of a charge-density wave are also discussed.
Two-dimensional imaging in a lightweight portable MRI scanner without gradient coils.

Purpose As the premiere modality for brain imaging, MRI could find wider applicability if lightweight, portable systems were available for siting in unconventional locations such as intensive care units, physician offices, surgical suites, ambulances, emergency rooms, sports facilities, or rural healthcare sites. Methods We construct and validate a truly portable (<100 kg) and silent proof-of-concept MRI scanner which replaces conventional gradient encoding with a rotating lightweight cryogen-free, low-field magnet. When rotated about the object, the inhomogeneous field pattern is used as a rotating spatial encoding magnetic field (rSEM) to create generalized projections which encode the iteratively reconstructed two-dimensional (2D) image. Multiple receive channels are used to disambiguate the nonbijective encoding field. Results The system is validated with experimental images of 2D test phantoms. Similar to other nonlinear field encoding schemes, the spatial resolution is position dependent with blurring in the center, but is shown to be likely sufficient for many medical applications. Conclusion The presented MRI scanner demonstrates the potential for portability by simultaneously relaxing the magnet homogeneity criteria and eliminating the gradient coil. This new architecture and encoding scheme shows convincing proof of concept images that are expected to be further improved with refinement of the calibration and methodology. Magn Reson Med 73:872–883, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
High speed design and performance evaluation of frequency-diverse orthogonal transforms for ultrasonic imaging applications

Ultrasonic flaw detection in the presence of high scattering grain noise is a significant problem in the non-destructive evaluation (NDE) of materials. In this work, signal processing methods for ultrasonic flaw detection that incorporate discrete cosine transform (DCT), and discrete Walsh-Hadamard transform (WHT) will be presented. These are orthogonal transforms that are suitable candidates for integration in a system-on-chip (SoC) architecture design where computational complexity may be critical. The flaw detection systems for DCT and WHT are implemented in a way that is similar to the conventional split spectrum processing (SSP) methods. Experimental data results demonstrate that these methods are as effective as the SSP method for flaw detection in presence of high scattering grain noise. Efficient designs to optimize the hardware architectures for DCT and WHT based flaw detection applications are also discussed.
Epitope specificity of memory CD8 T-cells dictates vaccination-induced mortality in LCMV-infected perforin-deficient mice

Perforin-deficient (PKO) mice serve as models for familial hemophagocytic lympho-histiocytosis, a uniformly fatal disease associated with viral infection of perforin-deficient humans. Naive perforin-deficient BALB/c mice survive while vaccinated PKO mice containing virus-specific memory CD8+ T cells rapidly succumb to lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) infection. Thus, vaccination converts a nonlethal persistent infection into a fatal disease mediated by virus-specific memory CD8+ T cells. Here, we determine the extent to which vaccination-induced mortality in PKO mice following LCMV challenge is due to differences in vaccine modalities, the quantity or epitope specificity of memory CD8+ T cells. We show that LCMV-induced mortality in immune PKO mice is independent of vaccine modalities and that the starting number of memory CD8+ T cells specific to the immunodominant epitope NP118-126 dictates the magnitude of secondary CD8+ T-cell expansion, the inability to regulate production of CD8+ T-cell-derived IFN-γ, and mortality in the vaccinated PKO mice. Importantly, mortality is determined by the epitope specificity of memory CD8+ T cells and the associated degree of functional exhaustion and cytokine dysregulation but not the absolute magnitude of CD8+ T-cell expansion. These data suggest that deeper understanding of the parameters that influence the outcome of vaccine-induced diseases would aid rational vaccine design to minimize adverse outcomes after infection.
The Politics of “Entrepreneurial” Economic Development Policy of States in the U.S.

“Entrepreneurial” economic development strategies at the state level in the United States, which focus on nurturing home-grown, high-growth businesses, lack immediate payoffs for politically powerful constituencies, a condition that would seem likely to limit their appeal compared to the alternative “locational” strategy of attracting large investments from elsewhere. Nonetheless, many U.S. states have added programs with entrepreneurial attributes to their economic development portfolios in recent years. This paper explores how the political obstacles to such programs have been overcome. In a few cases, an institutional innovation in the policy-making process drew in new participants who provided ideas for and support to programs with entrepreneurial attributes. More commonly, the preferences of executive branch officials, especially governors, appear to have been critical to the enactment and implementation of such programs. This finding suggests that economic development policy making may be more technocratic than is commonly believed.
AINTEGUMENTA and AINTEGUMENTA-LIKE6/PLETHORA3 Induce LEAFY Expression in Response to Auxin to Promote the Onset of Flower Formation in Arabidopsis

Proper timing of the onset to flower formation is critical for reproductive success. Monocarpic plants like Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) switch from production of branches in the axils of leaves to that of flowers once in their lifecycle, during the meristem identity transition. The plant-specific transcription factor LEAFY (LFY) is necessary and sufficient for this transition. Previously, we reported that the plant hormone auxin induces LFY expression through AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR5/MONOPTEROS (ARF5/MP). It is not known whether MP is solely responsible for auxin-directed transcriptional activation of LFY. Here, we show that two transcription factors belonging to the AINTEGUMENTA-LIKE/PLETHORA family, AINTEGUMENTA (ANT) and AINTEGUMENTA-LIKE6/PLETHORA3 (AIL6/PLT3), act in parallel with MP to upregulate LFY in response to auxin. ant ail6 mutants display a delay in the meristem identity transition and in LFY induction. ANT and AIL6/PLT3 are expressed prior to LFY and bind to the LFY promoter to control LFY mRNA accumulation. Genetic and promoter/reporter studies suggest that ANT/AIL6 act in parallel with MP to promote LFY induction in response to auxin sensing. Our study highlights the importance of two separate auxin-controlled pathways in the meristem identity transition.
Strain dependence of the critical current and critical field in multifilamentary Nb 3 Sn composites

High-J c multifilamentary Nb 3 Sn superconductors with widely varying amounts of prestrain and critical field values can be characterized fairly accurately by a single normalized critical field-strain relationship. Such a relationship permits first order prediction of critical-current degradation at arbitrary magnetic field magnitudes knowing only two parameters for any conductor, the prestrain and the maximum critical field. Some of the conductor-fabrication factors affecting the parameters are considered.
Cross-Regional Comparisons: The Arab Uprisings as Political Transitions and Social Movements

The Arab uprisings, like the fall of the Berlin Wall more than two decades ago, are watershed events that have raised fundamental questions about our understanding of the processes of political change, the emergence and diffusion of contentious collective action, and the role of the international context in facilitating or hindering political change. The uprisings have further strengthened a growing focus within Middle Eastern studies on framing questions about the social, economic, and political dynamics in the region in ways that allow for more robust linkages with comparative theorizing about the dynamics of contentious collective action and the processes of political change. In other words, the Arab uprisings have injected new energy into the comparative study of contentious politics. In addition to new research agendas the uprisings have also provided opportunities for introducing students in survey and theory courses to the region's political dynamics, enriching students' engagement with theoretical concepts and honing their critical thinking and analytical skills while making the Middle East less “exceptional” for the students. Here, I focus on how incorporating of Middle Eastern cases allows instructors to raise questions and engage students in discussions about the emergence and diffusion of contentious collective action.
Enzymes at Oil-Water Interfaces and in Organic Solvents

Enzymes act as remarkably efficient catalysts in biological systems. Some characteristics of enzymes such as their chiral specificity for some substrates make them attractive catalysts for chemical synthesis. Many desirable substrates, however, have poor solubility in the aqueous systems normally employed with most enzymatic reactions. The use of isolated enzymes in organic solvent systems can overcome this problem and offer new possibilities for enzyme use in chemical synthesis. In addition to making substrates with low aqueous solubility available to the enzyme, organic systems can enable enzymatic catalysis at low water concentrations (<0.05%) where new reactions are possible.
Corporate Finance: Do Beginning Students Get It?

Did the students get it? This question frequently confronts finance professors following the presentation of lectures to beginning corporate finance students. Performance on future examinations and in higher-level finance courses suggests that beginning students "do not get it" as clearly as professors would like to believe. One objective of this study is to examine if beginning students in a corporate finance class can identify the most important points in the lecture and determine the points they least understand. Another objective is to describe and use Angelo's Fourteen Principles for improving higher learning to help students better understand the material and to improve their performance. Finally, Angelo's principles are used to show faculty how to improve their teaching skills. The paper provides insights for finance professors to become better teachers, to create an improved learning environment, and to enhance student learning.
Temperature-dependent branching ratios of deuterated methoxy radicals (CH2DO•) reacting with O2.

The methoxy radical is an intermediate in the atmospheric oxidation of methane, and the branching ratio (k1a/k1b) (CH2DO• + O2 → CHDO + HO2 (1a) and CH2DO• + O2 → CH2O + DO2 (1b)) strongly influences the HD/H2 ratio in the atmosphere, which is widely used to investigate the global cycling of molecular hydrogen. By using the FT-IR smog chamber technique, we measured the yields of CH2O and CHDO from the reaction at 250–333 K. Kinetic modeling was used to confirm the suppression of secondary chemistry. The resulting branching ratios are well fit by an Arrhenius expression: ln(k1a/k1b) = (416 ± 152)/T + (0.52 ± 0.53), which agrees with the room-temperature results reported in the only previous study. The present results will be used to test our theoretical understanding of the role of tunneling in the methoxy + O2 reaction, which is the prototype for the entire class of alkoxy + O2 reactions.
Local regulation of the uterine blood flow by the umbilical circulation.

SummaryObservations were made of the responses of the uterine blood flow in the near-term pregnancy to occlusion of the umbilical circulation to a few cotyledons of the near-term sheep placenta and in one placenta of the multiparous rabbit pregnancy. It was found that the uterine blood flow declined to 67% of its predicted value 1 day after umbilical ligation in the sheep placenta and to 61% of its predicted value 1 day after the death of one of the fetuses of the rabbit pregnancy. The change in the uterine blood flow in response to the occlusion of the umbilical blood supply to the adjacent area is a local response and is similar in its time course and magnitude to the response of the whole placenta which has been previously observed by Raye et al. (9). This local response of the uterine blood flow is considered to be evidence that the uterine blood flow is in part determined and controlled by the structural or chemical nature of the adjacent fetal compartment.Supported by grant number HD-06736.
Variation of linear and circular polarization persistence for changing field of view and collection area in a forward scattering environment

We present experimental and simulation results for a laboratory-based forward-scattering environment, where 1 μm diameter polystyrene spheres are suspended in water to model the optical scattering properties of fog. Circular polarization maintains its degree of polarization better than linear polarization as the optical thickness of the scattering environment increases. Both simulation and experiment quantify circular polarization’s superior persistence, compared to that of linear polarization, and show that it is much less affected by variations in the field of view and collection area of the optical system. Our experimental environment’s lateral extent was physically finite, causing a significant difference between measured and simulated degree of polarization values for incident linearly polarized light, but not for circularly polarized light. Through simulation we demonstrate that circular polarization is less susceptible to the finite environmental extent as well as the collection optic’s limiting configuration.
Influence of Prepregnancy Body Mass Index on Vaginal Delivery

Objective To explore the influence of prepregnancy body mass index(BMI)on vaginal delivery.Methods We studied 975 nulliparous women who delivered between Jan 2008 and May 2008.Women were divided into four groups according to their prepregancy BMI:underweight group(n=93);normal weight group(n=604);overweight group(n=176)and obese group(n=102),we observed the relationship between the prepregnancy BMI with pregnant outcomes.Results(1) the mean durations of the first stage of labor and the second stage of labor of the women in the obese group are longer than these of the women in other groups,there is statistically significant different(P 0.05).There is no statistically significant difference for the mean duration of the third stage of labor within the four groups.(2) the cesarean section rate increases with the increasing of the prepregnancy BMI,there is statistically significant different within the four groups(P 0.05),with the highest cesarean section rate in the obese group(33%).There is no statistically significant difference for the rate of assisted vaginal delivery within the four groups.There is a increasing tendency for the labor analgesia rate within the four groups,with the highest labor analgesia rate in the obese group,there is statistically significant different(P 0.05).(3) There is statistically significant difference for the incidence rate of macrosomia within the four groups,with the highest in the obese group(17.6%),there is no statistically significant difference for the rate of admission to the neonatal intensive care unit(NICU) within the four groups,with the lowest rate in the normal weight group(27%) and the highest rate in the obese group(35%).Conclusion Prepregancy obesity results in the prolonged first stage of labor and the second stage of labor,also increases the rate of cesarean section,labor analgesia,macrosomia and admission to the NICU.
Design of S-Graded Buffer Layers for Metamorphic ZnS y Se 1−y /GaAs (001) Semiconductor Devices

We present design equations for error function (or “S-graded”) graded buffers for use in accommodating lattice mismatch of heteroepitaxial semiconductor devices. In an S-graded metamorphic buffer layer the composition and lattice mismatch profiles follow a normal cumulative distribution function. Minimum-energy calculations suggest that the S-graded profile may be beneficial for control of defect densities in lattice-mismatched devices because they have several characteristics which enhance the mobility and glide velocities of dislocations, thereby promoting long misfit segments with relatively few threading arms. First, there is a misfit-dislocation-free zone (MDFZ) adjacent to the interface, which avoids dislocation pinning defects associated with substrate defects. Second, there is another MDFZ near the surface, which reduces pinning interactions near the device layer which will be grown on top. Third, there is a large built-in strain in the top MDFZ, which enhances the glide of dislocations to sweep out threading arms. In this paper we present approximate design equations for the widths of the MDFZs, the built-in strain, and the peak misfit dislocation density for a general S-graded semiconductor with diamond or zincblende crystal structure and (001) orientation, and show that these design equations are in fair agreement with detailed numerical energy-minimization calculations for ZnSySe1−y/GaAs (001) heterostructures.
The onset of regenerative properties in ctenophores

Ctenophores are a clade of animals that branch off at the base of the animal tree. They have a unique and delicate body plan, and distinct pattern forming mechanisms at different life history stages. They have a stereotyped embryonic cell lineage and are highly 'mosaic' as embryos, but most have amazing capacity to regenerate as adults. Unfortunately, only a handful of ctenophore species have been studied in detail. This review summarizes the key features of the regenerative properties of adults, and the characteristics of the embryological onset of regenerative abilities. The genomes of several ctenophore species have already been sequenced, and these resources set the stage for more detailed cellular and molecular analysis of body plan patterning in this group.
With a Little Help from the Friends: The Quaker and Tactical Contexts of Anthony Benezet's Abolitionist Publishing

ON THE MORNING OF NOVEMBER 14, 1766, some Philadelphia Quakers hastened to prepare a parcel to put in the hands of John Griffith, a traveling minister who was about to board a ship that day and return to England. Griffith had arrived in Philadelphia in September 1765, and over the next year he visited Quaker meetings up and down the Atlantic seaboard from North Carolina to New Hampshire, taking their spiritual pulse, preaching the gospel, and calling for a revival of vital piety among Friends. By September 1766 he felt that his work was finished, and so he informed the ministers and elders of the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting on the twenty-seventh of that month of his desire to return home. Three men were duly appointed to write a certificate for Griffith “Expressive of Our Unity with his Gospel Labours among us,” one of whom was Anthony Benezet, the schoolmaster, reformer, and pamphleteer. Benezet was attending the Yearly Meeting as a representative of the Burlington (New Jersey) Quarterly Meeting along with his friends John Smith, a councilor in New Jersey’s royal government, and John Woolman, the pioneering antislavery reformer, among others. Certificate in hand, Griffith learned that the ship Phoebe would shortly be departing for London, and so he booked passage aboard her and arrived at Dartmouth, England, on Christmas Day after a six-week voyage.
Stent Grafting Acute Aortic Dissection: Comparison of DeBakey Extent IIIA Versus IIIB

Background Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) with stent grafting is effective for acute dissection in selected patients, but most remain at risk for reintervention. The effect of the extent of dissection on outcome is unclear. Objectives of this study were to compare characteristics, outcomes, and aortic remodeling after TEVAR between patients with DeBakey extent IIIA and IIIB dissection. Methods From 2005 to 2013, 520 patients presented with acute aortic syndrome. TEVAR was performed in 108 (41 IIIA, 67 IIIB) during the acute phase. Detailed three-dimensional computed tomography imaging analysis was performed in all patients. Results Patients with IIIA dissection were older (69.9 ± 10 vs 59.5 ± 13 years; p Conclusions In patients requiring TEVAR for acute dissection, patient factors and aortic morphology differ by the extent of the dissection. Aortic remodeling after TEVAR was better in patients with limited extent (IIIA) dissection than in than patients with extensive (IIIB) dissection. Despite these differences, very little difference was noted in early and late outcomes, which may be explained by differences in patient characteristics.
A Retrospective Observational Study of Anesthetic Induction Dosing Practices in Female Elderly Surgical Patients: Are We Overdosing Older Patients?

Despite guidelines suggesting a 25–50 % reduction in induction doses of intravenous anesthetic agents in the elderly (≥65 years), we hypothesized that practitioners were not sufficiently correcting drug administration for age, contributing to an increased incidence of hypotension in older patients undergoing general anesthesia. We conducted a retrospective, observational study in a tertiary-care academic hospital. The study included 768 female patients undergoing gynecologic surgeries who received propofol-based induction of general anesthesia. Weight-adjusted anesthetic induction dosing, age-associated differences in dosing by ASA-PS (American Society of Anesthesiology—Physical Status), and hemodynamic outcomes between younger (18–64 years, n = 537) and older (≥65 years, n = 231) female patients were analyzed. Older patients received lower doses of propofol and midazolam than younger patients (propofol: 2.037 ± 0.783 vs 2.322 ± 0.834 mg/kg, p < 0.001; midazolam: 0.013 ± 0.014 vs 0.023 ± 0.042 mg/kg, p < 0.001). However, practitioners still consistently exceeded the FDA recommended dose (1–1.5 mg/kg) of propofol for elderly patients. There was no significant difference in the doses of fentanyl administered between the two age groups (1.343 ± 0.744 vs 1.363 ± 0.763 μg/kg, p = 0.744), and doses of fentanyl in older patients exceeded the recommended dose (0.5–1.0 μg/kg). Corresponding to observed overdosing of induction agents, older patients experienced larger decreases in post-induction blood pressure and were more likely to receive vasopressor therapy. Anesthetic induction doses of fentanyl and propofol were not sufficiently corrected in older patients in accordance with recommendations. Significantly greater frequency of post-induction hypotension occurred amongst older patients. Quality improvement efforts may lead to improved outcomes in this vulnerable population.
Effect of Vibram FiveFingers Minimalist Shoes on the Abductor Hallucis Muscle

Background: This study investigated the effect of Vibram FiveFingers Bikila minimalist shoes on intrinsic foot musculature. We hypothesized that a gradual transition into minimalist shoes will incr...
Self-Assembly of Polyoxovanadate-Containing Fluorosurfactants.

Two novel polyoxovanadate (POV)-containing fluorosurfactants, each with two hydrophobic fluorinated “tails” and one nanosized, hydrophilic, rigid POV “head group”, are synthesized for the first time. They self-assemble into spherical, bilayer vesicles in acetonitrile/water mixed solvents, as evidenced by systemic studies using laser light scattering (LLS) and electron microscopy techniques. The vesicle sizes demonstrate dynamic change over different solvent compositions mainly as a result of the solvent swelling of the fluorocarbon chains, although the charge number on the POVs changes over the solvent polarity as well.
Self-Defense and Syndrome Testimony

In the preceding chapters we have discussed the psychological issues involved when assessing an individual for competency and criminal responsibility assisting the attorney in using a legal excuse defense such as insanity because of mental disease or defect like mental retardation or brain damage. In this chapter we will discuss another way for individuals to be found not guilty of a crime because their behavior was justified. Some legal scholars claim the behavior itself cannot even be labeled as criminal because the necessary mens rea or state of mind is not present.
Through-the-Wall Magnetoquasistatic Ranging

We present the magnetoquasistatic (MQS) coupling theory between a mobile transmitting device located within a building (indoor) and a fixed receiving device located outside the building (outdoor), with the assumption that the building can be approximated as a homogeneous conducting body for penetration within a few skin-depths into the building, due to the long-wavelength MQS field. The theory permits decoupled sensing of range and orientation of the mobile device when multiaxis devices are used. We validate the theory in an industrial building and demonstrate ranging with an average error of 0.42 m.
Do Bank-Credit Constraints Affect the Cost of Equity?

Theories of bank credit policy predict that banks coordinate to tighten credit policy when borrowers in a sector experience an adverse shock, and this induces credit constraints in all sectors. When multiple banks lend to the sector the market can learn about the systematic component of the shock, even if the market does not observe the shock. Because banks possess inside information, investors interpret contractions in credit supply as a signal about the true state of the economy and include information on credit contractions in their information set when pricing systematic risks. Using a conditional asset pricing model, I find that after augmenting investors' information set with a measure of bank-credit contractions, average total absolute risk premium for small and large firms increase by 13 and 7 percentage points, respectively, and that for the market portfolio increases by more than 10 points. Information about credit contractions is most influential in pricing market and exchange rate risks. Further evidence suggests that most of the impact of credit contractions is not attributable to tight monetary policy. These results are robust to a battery of diagnostic tests, alternative proxies for credit contractions, information sets, and size-based portfolios, and hold over different sub-periods.
Predicting Latent Structured Intents from Shopping Queries

In online shopping, users usually express their intent through search queries. However, these queries are often ambiguous. For example, it is more likely (and easier) for users to write a query like "high-end bike" than "21 speed carbon frames jamis or giant road bike". It is challenging to interpret these ambiguous queries and thus search result accuracy suffers. A user oftentimes needs to go through the frustrating process of refining search queries or self-teaching from possibly unstructured information. However, shopping is indeed a structured domain, that is composed of category hierarchy, brands, product lines, features, etc. It would be much better if a shopping site could understand users' intent through this structure, present organized information, and then find the items with the right categories, brands or features. In this paper we study the problem of inferring the latent intent from unstructured queries and mapping them to structured attributes. We present a novel framework that jointly learns this knowledge from user consumption behaviors and product metadata. We present a hybrid Long Short-term Memory (LSTM) joint model that is accurate and robust, even though user queries are noisy and product catalog is rapidly growing. Our study is conducted on a large-scale dataset from Google Shopping, that is composed of millions of items and user queries along with their click responses. Extensive qualitative and quantitative evaluation shows that the proposed model is more accurate, concise, and robust than multiple possible alternatives. In terms of information retrieval (IR) performance, our model is able to improve the quality of current Google Shopping production system, which is a very strong baseline.
Ovarian Sertoli-Leydig cell tumors: a single institution experience and review of the literature.

Purpose ofinvestigation: Sertoli-Leydig cell tumors (SLCTs) of the ovary are rare, usually presenting as virilization in women in their second to third decade of life. Less than 10% of patients are older than age 50. The authors present a series of cases of SCLT managed at their institution. Materials and methods A retrospective review was performed of all cases of ovarian SLCT diagnosed at a tertiary care institution between 1990-2014. Demographic data, clinical presentation, pathological findings, and treatment modalities were col- lected. Results Of the 16 patients diagnosed with SCLT over a 24-year period, nine patients (56%) were postmenopausal at the time of diagnosis, with a median age of 52.5 years (IQR = 39.7 years). These nine patients had a median interval of 14.7 years (IQR = 15) since the onset of menopause. Hyperandrogenism was a presenting feature in only five of 16 (31%) [median age of 49 (IQR= 26.5)] whereas postmenopausal bleeding was noted in two of 16 (12%). At diagnosis, tumor grade varied from well- to poorly-differentiated lesions, and eight patients (15%) received adjuvant chemotherapy. Disease-free survival over a median follow up of 31.5 months (IQR = 73.5 months) was 100% without recurrence. Conclusion The present patient population was noticeably older than what has been described in literature, with the majority being postmenopausal. To the authors' knowledge, this is the largest series of postmenopausal patients with SLCT. Hyperandrogenism was evident in only a small sub-group. While the definitive management of SLCT remains controversial and varied, prognosis and risk of recurrence are reassuring.
A lower bound on the differential entropy for log-concave random variables with applications to rate-distortion theory

We derive a lower bound on the differential entropy for symmetric log-concave random variable X in terms of the p-th absolute moment of X, which shows that entropy and p-th absolute moment of a symmetric log-concave random variable are comparable. We apply our bound to study the rate distortion function under distortion measure |x − x| for sources that follow a log-concave probability distribution. In particular, we establish that the difference between the rate distortion function and the Shannon lower bound is at most log(√2e) ≈ 1.9 bits, independently of r and the target distortion d. For mean-square error distortion, the difference is at most log √πe ≈ 1.55 bits, regardless of d. Our results generalize to the case of vector X. Our proof technique leverages tools from convex geometry.
The Interpretive Turn from Kant to Derrida: A Critique

The thematization of an interpretive element in experience and knowledge has been continuous in the general theory of knowledge since the late decades of the 18th century. Interpretation theory may be seen to have been initiated by Kant’s critical philosophy as the epistemological culmination of Enlightenment modernity, reconciling its internal controversy between rationalism and empiricism. After Kant, the problems of interpretation and the clarification of a theory of interpretation became central to Hegel and Marx and to various 19th century social philosophies and philosophies of history; to 20th century pragmatism and sociology of knowledge; and to later 20th century transcendental phenomenology, ontological hermeneutics, critical theory, and deconstruction.
Associations between vitamin D and pulmonary function in chronic spinal cord injury.

Context/Objective: Individuals with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI) have an increased risk of morbidity and mortality attributable to respiratory diseases. Previous studies in non-SCI populations ...
Sex Differences in Academic Rank and Publication Rate at Top-Ranked US Neurology Programs.

Importance Women are underrepresented in academic neurology, and the reasons for the underrepresentation are unclear. Objective To explore potential sex differences in top-ranked academic neurology programs by comparing the number of men and women at each academic faculty rank and how many articles each group has published. Design, Setting, and Participants Twenty-nine top-ranked neurology programs were identified by combining the top 20 programs listed on either the 2016 or 2017 Doximity Residency Navigator tool with the top 20 programs listed in theUS News and World Reportranking of Best Graduate Schools. An internet search of the departmental websites was performed between December 1, 2015, and April 30, 2016. For each faculty member on a program site, the following biographical information was obtained: first name, last name, academic institution, sex, academic faculty rank, educational leadership (clerkship, fellowship, or residency director/assistant director), and year of medical school graduation. Main Outcomes and Measures To compare the distribution of men vs women and the number of publications for men vs women at each academic faculty rank. Secondary analyses included Scopus h-index, book authorship, educational leadership (clerkship, residency, or fellowship director/assistant director), and clinical activity as inferred through Medicare claims data in men vs women after controlling for years since medical school graduation. Results Of 1712 academic neurologists in our sample, 528 (30.8%) were women and 1184 (69.2%) were men (P Conclusions and Relevance Men outnumber women at all faculty ranks in top-ranked academic neurology programs, and the discrepancy increases with advancing rank. Men have more publications than women at all ranks, but the gap narrows with advancing rank. Other measures of academic productivity do not appear to differ between men and women.
Parallel Approaches for Particle-Based Simulation of Charge Transport in Semiconductors

The aim of this contribution is to discuss possible algorithmic choices and hardware configurations for the implementation of efficient particle-based simulation programs. By using a population decomposition scheme, we modified the scalar version of the algorithm in order to improve the efficiency of our hybrid particle-based simulation engine. Using a Beowulf-class computer cluster, we measured parallel speed-up with different algorithmic configurations, and related it to the inter-process communication hardware.
Controllability and Observability of Risk and Resilience in Cyber-Physical Cloud Systems

Effective management of risk and resilience in a dynamic cyber-physical system is essential for ensuring successful completion of missions by minimizing the adverse impact of attacks and physical failures. With the accurate risk assessment and efficient resilience control of security events and operations, a cyber-physical system can keep performing satisfactorily by adapting to the dynamic changes occurring due to various cybersecurity events and operations, such as exploiting vulnerabilities, detecting intrusions, and recovering compromised nodes. To the best of our knowledge, this book chapter is the first one to present a model with system state equations of linear and non-linear, based on cybersecurity parameters such as cyber assets’ vulnerabilities, criticalities, dependencies, influences, attack types, intrusions, recovery rate, patching rate, normal and compromised nodes. Using this model, this book chapter describes how to apply the controllability and observability aspects of linear/non-linear systems to manage cybersecurity risk and resilience of cyber-physical systems. The purpose of employing controllability is to steer a system from an abnormal security state to a normal security state. That is, by implementing recovery and resilience operations on compromised nodes and assets of a system, it is steered from an abnormal state with compromised nodes towards a state with a fewer or no compromised nodes. Observability is used to determine the system security state by having appropriate cyber output measurements. The challenges for implementing controllability and observability are discussed. An example is provided to illustrate how controllability could be used to achieve resilience within a network.