cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
‘For you were strangers’: Jewish ritual, black musics, and commemorative politics in Tel Aviv’s Refugee Seder

Each Passover since 2009, hundreds of East African asylum seekers and Israeli activists have gathered for ‘Refugee Seder’, a public event to support Sudanese and Eritrean communities in Israel. Fea...
Building Productive Relationships: District Leaders' Advice to Researchers.

Expectations for the role of research in educational improvement are high. Meeting these expectations requires productive relationships between researchers and practitioners. Few studies, however, have systematically explored the ways researchers can build stronger, more productive relationships with practitioners. This study seeks to identify such strategies by examining district leaders’ views of how researchers might work with practitioners in more effective, beneficial, and collaborative ways. Through an analysis of 147 interviews with 80 district leaders in three urban school districts, we identify several key pieces of advice highlighted by district leaders for researchers. For researchers, these findings reveal potential strategies for shaping the design, conduct, and communication of their research in order to ensure its usefulness for practitioners.
Mathematical modeling plasma transport in tokamaks

In this work, the author applied a systematic calibration, validation and application procedure based on the methodology of mathematical modeling to international thermonuclear experimental reactor (ITER) ignition studies. The multi-mode plasma transport model used here includes a linear combination of drift wave branch and ballooning branch instabilities with two a priori uncertain constants to account for anomalous plasma transport in tokamaks. A Bayesian parameter estimation method is used including experimental calibration error/model offsets and error bar rescaling factors to determine the two uncertain constants in the transport model with quantitative confidence level estimates for the calibrated parameters, which gives two saturation levels of instabilities. This method is first tested using a gyroBohm multi-mode transport model with a pair of DIII-D discharge experimental data, and then applied to calibrating a nominal multi-mode transport model against a broad database using twelve discharges from seven different tokamaks. The calibrated transport model is then validated on five discharges from JT-60 with no adjustable constants. The results are in a good agreement with experimental data. Finally, the resulting class of multi-mode tokamak plasma transport models is applied to the transport analysis of the ignition probability in a next generation machine, ITER. A reference simulation of basic ITER engineering design activity (EDA) parameters shows that a self-sustained thermonuclear burn with 1.5 GW output power can be achieved provided that impurity control makes radiative losses sufficiently small at an average plasma density of 1.2 X 10{sup 20}/m{sup 3} with 50 MW auxiliary heating. The ignition probability of ITER for the EDA parameters, can be formally as high as 99.9% in the present context. The same probability for concept design activity (CDA) parameters of ITER, which has smaller size and lower current, is only 62.6%.
MEMS ultrasonic transducers for biomedical applications

Abstract: Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) ultrasonic transducers, commonly referred to as capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (CMUTs), have emerged as viable alternatives to traditional bulk piezoelectric transducers. In this chapter, we will discuss the design, fabrication, and integration of this transducer technology with accompanying front-end electronics. Then, we will review the wide variety of biomedical applications enabled by MEMS ultrasonic transducers including biological and chemical sensors, high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for medical therapeutics, blood flow rate measurement, and ultrasound imaging.
Primary Sources and Ambiguity in Legal History

In this essay, I describe my methodology of teaching a legal history seminar. I design my class to include an intensive study of primary sources with two main goals in mind. First, by interpreting statutes and cases alongside sources like public letters and speeches, students learn to situate sources of mandatory legal authority within their historical context. Second, by reading primary sources that present conflicting historical narratives, students learn the more difficult skill of drawing conclusions in the face of interpretative ambiguity.
Torso Segment Parameter Prediction in Working Adults

Body segment parameters (BSPs) such as segment mass, center of mass, and radius of gyration are used as inputs in static and dynamic ergonomic and biomechanical models used to predict joint and muscle forces, and related risks of musculoskeletal injury. Because these models are sensitive to BSP values, accurate and representative parameters are necessary for injury risk prediction. While previous studies have determined segment parameters in the general population, as well as the impact of age and obesity levels on these parameters, estimated errors in the prediction of BSPs can be as large as 40% (Durkin, 2003). Thus, more precise values are required for attempting to predict injury risk in individuals. This study aims to provide statistical models for predicting torso segment parameters in working adults using whole body dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan data along with a set of anthropometric measurements. The statistical models were developed on a training subset of the study population, and...
Multidimensional spectroscopy with attosecond extreme ultraviolet and shaped near-infrared pulses

Dynamics following excitation with attosecond extreme ultraviolet (XUV) pulses arise from enormous numbers of accessible excited states, complicating the retrieval of state-specific time evolutions. We develop attosecond XUV multidimensional spectroscopy here to separate interfering pathways on a near-infrared (NIR) energy axis, retrieving single state dynamics in argon atoms in a two-dimensional (2D) XUV-NIR spectrum. In this experiment, we measure four-wave mixing signal arising from the interaction of XUV attosecond pulses centered around 15 eV with two few-cycle NIR pulses. The 2D spectrum is created by measuring the emitted XUV signal field spectrum while applying narrowband amplitude and phase modulations to one of the NIR pulses. Application of such a technique to systems of high dimensionality will provide for the observation of state-resolved pure electronic dynamics, in direct analogy to phenomena unraveled by multidimensional spectroscopies at optical frequencies.
How Resurrection Plants Survive Being Hung Out to Dry.

Resurrection plants have the unique ability to survive extreme dehydration (desiccation), lying dormant for months or sometimes years until rehydration is possible. This formidable survival strategy has evolved independently several times across the land plant phylogeny, and several phylogenetically
Revision spine deformity in pediatrics

Abstract Pediatric spinal deformities requiring revision surgery are relatively uncommon to encounter and treat. These can, however, be challenging and require careful planning and execution. Functional impact of residual/ worsening spinal deformities should be carefully analyzed and the risks/ expected benefits should be discussed with patient/ families in detail.Spinal osteotomies may be a valuable tool and surgeons should be familiar/ comfortable with common osteotomy techniques for these cases.
Remarks on the Right of Publicity: Theory and Scope

I have written exactly one paper about the right of publicity. It was in 2004. So this was a good chance to start thinking hard again about things I have not thought about in a while. That paper was the first paper I ever wrote as an academic. I reread it last week, and it felt a lot like the first paper I ever wrote as an academic. I do not advise that, by the way. It is not a good feeling. What I was most struck by in reading that paper is that nothing has changed in the time since I wrote it in terms of what the big issues are. I say this having reread Mark and Stacey’s piece as well, which is about the same time period. What those papers were trying to do was to think about what the right of publicity is, what it should be about, whether it has a real conceptual core to it, and what would follow from that in terms of the structure of the right. This is the way academics tend to think: What is the right about, and then—on this naive assumption that you might be able to deduce from the theory what the actual practice should be—whether the scope of the right is tethered to the right’s justification. If you can work out the right at a conceptual level, then all the doctrinal limits would follow from that. Many people during that era offered ways of thinking about the right that would have justified a right of some scope—probably a more limited scope than some folks on this panel might want, but a right nonetheless. I think it is a more difficult question to figure out whether that right would be meaningfully different from what is protected under Section 43(a) type claims of false endorsement. If you approach the issue, not from the perspective of theory, but from the doctrine itself, I do not think any fair-minded person could look at the right of publicity as it actually exists and believe that the doctrine derived from a coherent theory. It has characteristics of both personal and property rights. It resembles in different ways and at different times privacy and IP rights. But the mixture is hard to explain in any satisfactory way. Jennifer Rothman referred to it as having an identity crisis. I think that was probably generous. I think the fact is that is what really animated all the papers I was talking about: This sort of weird mixture of different things that make it hard to identify any particular coherent theory.
MithraRanking: A System for Responsible Ranking Design

Items from a database are often ranked based on a combination of criteria. The weight given to each criterion in the combination can greatly affect the ranking produced. Often, a user may have a general sense of the relative importance of the different criteria, but beyond this may have the flexibility, within limits, to choose combinations that weigh these criteria differently with an acceptable region. We demonstrate MithraRanking, a system that helps users choose criterion weights that lead to "better'' rankings in terms of having desirable properties while remaining within the acceptable region. The goodness properties we focus on are stability and fairness.
Philosophy, Culture, and the Battle Against Mission Drift in Higher Education in Asia

Higher education in Asia is marked by a variety of belief systems that are intertwined by local context and culture. Historically colleges by and large have all been initiated with a clear mission and vision that are tied toward a fundamental purpose and public good, but over time, most institutions drift from their original mission, embracing a variety of different approaches and techniques to either remain competitive in a global environment or fight to stay financially viable. In addition imperialism and colonization have left an indelible mark, and the lingering impact is still evident in policies and practices. In this chapter we also introduce the concept of spiritual capital, borrowing from the framework of Pierre Bourdieu, and argue that spiritual capital can ultimately serve as symbolic capital in societal contexts that are invisibly driven by certain beliefs and philosophies.
Dynamic regulation of immunity through post-translational control of defense transcript splicing

Abstract Survival of all living organisms requires the ability to detect attack and swiftly counter with protective immune responses. Despite considerable mechanistic advances, interconnectivity of signaling circuits often remains unclear. A newly-characterized protein, IMMUNOREGULATORY RNA-BINDING PROTEIN (IRR), negatively regulates immune responses in both maize and Arabidopsis, with disrupted function resulting in enhanced disease resistance. IRR physically interacts with, and promotes canonical splicing of, transcripts encoding defense signaling proteins, including the key negative regulator of pattern recognition receptor signaling complexes, CALCIUM-DEPENDENT PROTEIN KINASE 28 (CPK28). Upon immune activation by Plant Elicitor Peptides (Peps), IRR is dephosphorylated, disrupting interaction with CPK28 transcripts and resulting in accumulation of an alternative splice variant encoding a truncated CPK28 protein with impaired kinase activity and diminished function as a negative regulator. We demonstrate a novel circuit linking Pep-induced post-translational modification of IRR with post-transcriptionally-mediated attenuation of CPK28 function to dynamically amplify Pep signaling and immune output. One Sentence Summary Plant innate immunity is promoted by post-translational modification of a novel RNA-binding protein that regulates alternative splicing of transcripts encoding defense signaling proteins to dynamically increase immune receptor signaling capacity through deactivation of a key signal-buffering circuit.
Histological Changes Associated with Fetal Maceration

The collective changes that occur in the fetal organs and tissues after fetal death in utero are referred to as maceration changes; they differ from pure postmortem autolysis because they occur in utero, in fluid, and at body temperature. The changes of maceration are therefore commonly encountered by the pathologist performing fetal autopsies and examining fetal tissues at the surgical pathology bench. This chapter reviews how the histologic fetal and placental changes of maceration can be used to predict the timing of fetal death in utero, discuss histologic artifacts introduced by maceration, and describe the challenges of assessing pathologic changes in a background of maceration.
Unravelling the Urea-Route to Boron Nitride: Synthesis and Characterization of the Crucial Reaction Intermediate Ammonium Bis(biureto)borate

Ammonium bis(biureto)borate, NH4[B(biu)2] (biu = NH–(C═O)–NH–(C═O)–NH), was synthesized as a phase pure powder from urea and triethylborate in a sophisticated solvothermal process. Its crystal stru...
Stigma and Disclosure in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Stigma in patients suffering from chronic disease is associated with worse clinical outcomes and secondary medical issues such as depression, anxiety, and decreased quality of life. We believe various forms of stigma can have different clinical significance in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). With further insight and research, we suggest that these forms of stigma could be identified and targeted by researchers or clinicians to lessen the psychological disease burden in patients and to potentially improve their physical well-being. In the current review, we discuss public perceptions, knowledge, and stigmatization of IBD, the prevalence of various forms of IBD stigma, and the impact of such stigma on patient outcomes. We also discuss IBD disclosure, its association with stigma, and the tendencies and effects of such disclosures among youth and adult patient populations. We finish the review by highlighting possible modalities and research areas for future IBD interventions.
Atmospheric Rivers Drive Flood Damages in the Western United States

Atmospheric rivers (ARs) are extratropical storms that produce extreme precipitation on the west coasts of the world’s major landmasses. In the United States, ARs cause significant flooding, yet their economic impacts have not been quantified. Here, using 40 years of data from the National Flood Insurance Program, we show that ARs are the primary drivers of flood damages in the western United States. Using a recently developed AR scale, which varies from category 1 to 5, we find that flood damages increase exponentially with AR intensity and duration: Each increase in category corresponds to a roughly 10-fold increase in damages. Category 4 and 5 ARs cause median damages in the tens and hundreds of millions of dollars, respectively. Rising population, increased development, and climate change are expected to worsen the risk of AR-driven flood damage in future decades.
Family Routines and Rituals

While family life has conspicuously changed in the past fifty years, it would be a mistake to conclude that family routines and rituals have lost their meaning. In this book Barbara H. Fiese, a clinical and developmental psychologist, examines how the practices of diverse family routines and the meanings created through rituals have evolved to meet the demands of today's busy families. She discusses and integrates various research literatures and draws on her own studies to show how family routines and rituals influence physical and mental health, translate cultural values, and may even be used therapeutically. Looking at a range of family activities from bedtime stories to special holiday meals, Fiese relates such occasions to significant issues including parenting competence, child adjustment, and relational well-being. She concludes by underscoring the importance of flexible approaches to family time to promote healthier families and communities.
Heritability of affectionate communication: A twins study

Using a twin study design, we explored the extent to which affectionate communication is a heritable behavioral trait. Participants (N = 928) were 464 adult twin pairs (229 monozygotic, 235 dizygot...
Measuring behavior patterns and evaluating time-sampling methodology to characterize brush use in weaned beef cattle

With growing interest in provision of brushes for cattle and the implications of brush use for behavioral development and welfare, there is a need to validate methodology for quantifying grooming behavior. Our objectives were to characterize patterns of brush use, including bouts, diurnal activity, and individual variability over 24-h periods, and to validate time-sampling methodologies to characterize these traits, including instantaneous recording at various time intervals and continuous recording for subsets of the day. Data sets from previous experiments involving steers (experiment 1; n = 18) and heifers (experiment 2; n = 64), consisting of start and end times of brush use continuously recorded from video, were used to analyze brush use. We extrapolated data sets representative of a range of instantaneous recording intervals and compared daily brush duration and bout characteristics with corresponding values from continuous recording using linear regression. To assess validity of sampling subsets of the day, we selected 2-h time periods representative of different functional parts of the day and compared hourly brush rates with continuous data using Spearman's rank order correlation (rs). Brush use was variable among individuals. All steers used the brush in experiment 1, but 17% (n = 11 of 64) of heifers in experiment 2 did not. Bout analysis revealed that individuals used the brush for an average of 7 to 8 brush bouts lasting 4 to 6 min, leading to an average of 24 and 36 min/d for experiments 1 and 2, respectively. Cattle used the brush mainly during daylight hours, with peaks around sunrise, sunset, and the afternoon. Instantaneous recording at intervals less than 1 to 3 min, depending on the experiment, provided good estimates of daily brush use duration (R2 > 0.95 and slope and intercept not different from 1 and 0, respectively), but intervals >3 min were less reliable. For bout characteristics, the intercept of the modeled line differed from 0 for most recording intervals for both experiments, and the slope differed from 1 for recording intervals >30 s in experiment 1, suggesting that time sampling may have underestimated true values. Of the 2-h periods compared with 24 h of observation, 1800 to 2000 h was most highly correlated (rs = 0.84) for experiment 1, and 1800 to 2000 h and 1400 to 1600 h were the most highly correlated (rs = 0.71 and 0.74, respectively) for experiment 2 with daily values. When using time-sampling methods to characterize brush use, we suggest that the recording interval used and time of day observed should be carefully considered, as time sampling at an interval of 1 to 3 min may measure daily brush use duration, but continuous recording may be required to capture bout characteristics.
Sexual Health Education: Knowledge Level of Oncology Nurses and Barriers to Discussing Concerns With Patients.

Background Cancer treatment has a significant impact on a patient's sexual health and function. However, numerous communication barriers deter healthcare professionals from initiating a sexual health conversation with patients. Objectives This study assessed the effects of a nurse-focused sexual health education workshop on change in knowledge of sexual concerns, barriers to discussing sexuality, and frequency of bringing up sexual concerns. Methods A train-the-trainer approach was used to educate oncology nurse managers, who then trained oncology nurses (N = 65) at 10 education workshops. Each workshop provided four hours of content on sexual health and incorporated role-play and lecture. Findings Mean knowledge scores were improved, and barriers to discussing sexuality at the three- and six-month follow-ups were reduced. Frequency in discussing sexual concerns increased at three months and was sustained at six months.
Review: Dielectrophoresis in cell characterization.

Many cellular functions are affected by and thus can be characterized by a cell's electrophysiology. This has also been found to correspond to other biophysical parameters such as cell morphology and mechanical properties. Dielectrophoresis (DEP) is an electrostatic technique which can be used to examine cellular biophysical parameters through the measuring of single or multiple cell response to electric field induced forces. This label-free method offers many advantages in characterizing a cell population over conventional electrophysiology methods such as patch clamping; however, it has yet to see mainstream pharmacological application. Challenges such as the transdisciplinary nature of the field bridging engineering and the biological sciences, throughput, specificity as well as standardization are being addressed in current literature. This review focuses on the developments of DEP-based cell electrophysiological characterization where determining cellular properties such as membrane conductance and capacitance, and cytoplasmic conductivity are the primary motivation. A brief theoretical review, techniques for obtaining these cell parameters, as well as the resulting cell parameters and their applications are included in this review. This review aims to further support the development of DEP-based cell characterization as an important part of the future of DEP and electrophysiology research. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Adenovirus Inversely Modulates Target Cell Class I Antigen Expression and Sensitivity to Natural Killing

Natural killer (NK) cell-mediated cytolysis occurs without apparent major histocompatibility complex (MHC) restriction (1). However, recent evidence suggests that the level of MHC class I antigens expressed by the target cell may influence its sensitivity to natural killing in vitro (2–4) as well as in vivo (4,5). Here we have examined the known adenovirus suppression of class I antigen expression as it relates to target cell sensitivity to NK. Adenovirus infection of NK sensitive, but not resistant targets results in increased susceptibility to NK. Enhanced target sensitivity is specific for NK as virus-infected and noninfected targets produce comparable results in antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and complement-mediated cytolysis (CMC) assays. NK effector cells appear to recognize common structures on both virally infected and noninfected targets and do not recognize novel viral specificities. We conclude that class I antigens may modulate the recognition of resident target structures by NK cells.
Implementation of a learning healthcare system for sickle cell disease.

Objective Using sickle cell disease (SCD) as a model, the objective of this study was to create a comprehensive learning healthcare system to support disease management and research. A multidisciplinary team developed a SCD clinical data dictionary to standardize bedside data entry and inform a scalable environment capable of converting complex electronic healthcare records (EHRs) into knowledge accessible in real time. Materials and methods Clinicians expert in SCD care developed a data dictionary to describe important SCD-associated health maintenance and adverse events. The SCD data dictionary was deployed in the EHR using EPIC SmartForms, an efficient bedside data entry tool. Additional data elements were extracted from the EHR database (Clarity) using Pentaho Data Integration and stored in a data analytics database (SQL). A custom application, the Sickle Cell Knowledgebase, was developed to improve data analysis and visualization. Utilization, accuracy, and completeness of data entry were assessed. Results The SCD Knowledgebase facilitates generation of patient-level and aggregate data visualization, driving the translation of data into knowledge that can impact care. A single patient can be selected to monitor health maintenance, comorbidities, adverse event frequency and severity, and medication dosing/adherence. Conclusions Disease-specific data dictionaries used at the bedside will ultimately increase the meaningful use of EHR datasets to drive consistent clinical data entry, improve data accuracy, and support analytics that will facilitate quality improvement and research.
Workplace Cannabis Policies: A Moving Target

Introduction: This article proposes a workplace cannabis policy paradigm that encompasses rapidly changing laws and regulations, legally defensible drug testing policies, and the needs of particular workplaces. Numerous states have now decriminalized medical or recreational use of cannabis, although U.S. federal law still defines cannabis as a Schedule I substance with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. For employers and employees, the confusion generated by this contradiction is exacerbated by the widely varying effects of the available cannabis delivery systems, the primitive and cumbersome drug testing protocols often used in workplace settings, difficulties in measuring cannabis-related workplace impairment, and a rapidly changing cultural ethos regarding cannabis. Although other articles have addressed many of the broad theoretical constructs, there exists little practical guidance on how workplace drug programs should address cannabis use by employees, both on the job and during off-hours. Materials and Methods: Research for this review was performed in the PubMed/National Library of Medicine database. Discussion: Cannabis use is associated with cognitive deficits, motivation problems, and perceptual distortions, so employers have a legitimate interest in preventing on-the-job impairment related to cannabis use. Similarly, employees have a legitimate interest in behaving as they wish outside of the workplace, as long as that behavior does not affect their job performance. Relevant statues and case law on the subject of cannabis in the workplace reflect different legal models across jurisdictions, in addition to legislators and judges' attempts to manage this tension between employer and employees. Conclusion: An effective workplace cannabis policy must fit into a larger workplace drug and alcohol policy. It should be constructed with a collaborative effort of addiction professionals, labor attorneys, and human resource professionals. Only then can the ultimate workplace cannabis policy comply with relevant laws, protect workplace safety and productivity, and support employees while remaining flexible enough to adapt to changes in the legal environment.
Shipscapes: Imagining an Ocean of Space

Dedicated to Sir Wilson Harris 1921–2018 On the occasion of the 37th Annual West Indian Literature Conference held at the University of Miami in 2018, Elizabeth DeLoughrey reflects on the work of Sir Wilson Harris, among others, while exploring Caribbean shipscapes, particularly how the visual and literary arts imagine an “ocean of space.”
Biomechanical Model of Human Index Finger During Examination

We have developed a mathematical model based on the Hunt-Crossley’s viscoelastic contact formulation for predicting the contact forces in the upper-body. The simulations were carried out in OpenSim software package and the simulations results were compared to experimentally recorded contact forces measured using a pressure algometer for assessing pressure pain sensitivity in the pelvic region 1. We observed a very good agreement between the model prediction and algometer data. Our simulation revealed that by pressing down on the tissue both normal and frictional contact forces increase up to a point- ceiling effect. Moreover, viscoelastic properties of the examinee’s tissue were associated with force; specifically, as the stiffness of the tissue declined both normal and frictional contact forces similarly declined albeit in a different way. Once the contact force reaches a peak point (irrespective of the baseline stiffness of the tissue) additional pressure application by the examiner was associated with incremental decrease in both normal and frictional (wasted) contact force.
Human Capital Depreciation and Stigma Effects in Unemployed Workers’ Re-Employment Wages

Using the data from the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) between 1996 and 2013, the effects of unemployment duration on the re-employment wages for workers 40 years of age and older are empirically estimated using a quasi-structural model. The findings indicate that the re-employment wages for workers over age 40 decrease by 0.9% for each month that a worker remains unemployed. Hence, the longer the worker remains unemployed, the lower are his/her re-employment wages. The duration of unemployment effect is decomposed into the human capital depreciation and stigma effects with the stigma effect referring to potential employers’ perception, or possible misperception, of older workers as being lower productivity workers the longer they remain unemployed. The estimated coefficient of the human capital depreciation is statistically insignificant, which indicates that the observed reduction in re-employment wages for older workers is mainly explained by the stigma effect.
Randomized controlled trial of single-use negative-pressure wound therapy dressings in morbidly obese patients undergoing cesarean delivery.

BACKGROUND The single-use negative-pressure wound therapy dressings are designed to use over a closed surgical wound. Early prospective studies suggested that these dressings may be of potential benefit in reducing cesarean wound complications. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to test the hypothesis that incisional negative-pressure wound therapy decreases postoperative wound morbidity compared with standard surgical dressing in patients with class III obesity undergoing cesarean delivery. STUDY DESIGN In a single-site, parallel, randomized controlled trial, participants with class III obesity (body mass index ≥40 kg/m2) were recruited to participate in the study. Patients were consented in the ambulatory obstetrical units, on admission to the antepartum service, and on labor and delivery before active labor. Patients who had a cesarean delivery were randomized to either the standard surgical dressing or a prophylactic negative-pressure wound therapy device. The randomization was achieved using permuted blocks of 4, 6, and 8 in a 1:1 allocation ratio. The primary outcome was a composite outcome of wound complications. The planned enrollment of 242 subjects was based on the power to detect a 50% decrease in the composite wound outcome, assuming a 30% baseline wound morbidity rate for this population. The outcomes were assessed by study staff blinded to the patient's treatment arm. RESULTS An unplanned interim analysis was performed because of the slow enrollment and publication of larger trials showing no benefit of the negative-pressure wound therapy. Of 411 eligible patients during the study period, 212 participants with class III obesity were enrolled. Of these, 110 underwent cesarean delivery and were subsequently randomized (55 to standard dressing and 55 to prophylactic negative-pressure wound therapy device). The primary outcome occurred in 29.1% in the standard surgical dressing compared with 20% in the negative-pressure wound therapy group (risk difference, 9.1%; 95% confidence interval, −8.3 to 25.8%; P=.38). The study was stopped early because of a low enrollment rate and lower likelihood of seeing a clinically significant benefit. CONCLUSION The trial was stopped after an unplanned, interim analysis showed the use of a prophylactic negative-pressure wound therapy device used for cesarean delivery did not reduce wound complications compared with a standard surgical dressing.
Why Should We Assure Quality Teaching

Higher education is essential for India’s long-term social progress, economic growth, and sustainable development. To realize this purpose, stakeholders of universities and colleges need academic freedom and institutional autonomy. They should be innovative institutions that offer a huge range of opportunities for students to grow as wholesome personalities. There are two issues: providing access to higher education to the needy and the deserving, if not for all, and maintaining its quality. The former without the latter is a useless proposition. In fact, the quality is more essential than the quantity even though it cannot be attained overtime and quantified in tangible terms. Both ought to proceed simultaneously. The onerous responsibility lays on the part of the most important stakeholder from the delivery point of view — the teachers. Paradoxically, the learners also deserve equal attention because teachers without learners mean nothing as much as teaching without learning is an exercise in futility. The role of teachers in quality initiatives ranges from curriculum planning to curriculum implementation. It encompasses being sensitive to learner needs, articulating specific outcomes of learning for each course that is contemplated, unitizing the course content, providing access to the updated sources of knowledge, involving in materials production, devising teaching methods and techniques, involving learners in the process of interactive teaching-learning, trying out innovative testing techniques, harvesting ICT to suit the learning styles of the 21st tech-savvy learners, and creating academic and intellectual spaces for research.
Basic Calculations Used in Western Blotting

Calculating dilutions or molarity of solutions is a basic task in research laboratories. Often it is necessary to prepare stock solutions of buffers or reagents for convenience and storage purposes. The right dilution of these solutions is required for carrying out experiments successfully. Besides, calculating the molarity of a reagent is a fundamental part of laboratory work. This chapter details a simple means of calculating dilutions and molarity of solutions and percent concentration of a reagent.
Nuclear Wastes and the Argument from Ignorance

Senator Howard H. Baker, a member of the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy, said in 1973 that “the containment and storage of radioactive wastes is the greatest single responsibility ever consciously undertaken by man”.1 Despite the gravity of this responsibility, however, there is no National Radioactive Waste Policy,2 even though the US has been generating the waste for approximately 40 years.
Improved approximate confidence intervals for censored data

This paper compares different procedures to compute confidence intervals for pa­ rameters and quantiles of the Weibull distribution for Type I censored data from life test experiments. The methods can be classified into three groups. The first group contains methods based on the conmionly-used normal approximation for the distribu­ tion of (possibly transformed) studentized maximum likelihood estimators. The second group contains methods based on the likelihood ratio statistic and its modifications. The methods in the third group use a parametric bootstrap approach, including the use of bootstrap-type simulation to calibrate the procedures in the first two groups. .All of these procedures are justified on the basis of large-sample asymptotic theory. We use Monte Carlo simulation to investigate the finite sample properties of these procedures. Our results show that the coverage probability of one-sided confidence bounds is much worse than those of two-sided confidence intervals calculated from methods in the first and second group. L'sual normal-approximation methods are crude unless the expected number of failures is large (> 50 or 100). The likelihood ratio methods work much better and provide an adequate procedure down to 30 or 20 failures. The second-order bootstrap procedures do not perform equally well in small samples. By using bootstrap methods with caution, the coverage probability is close to nominal for expected number of failures down to 15 or less and even down to 10 or less for lightly censored cases ([proportion failing > 50'/t). E.xceptional ca.ses. which are due to problems cau.sed by the
Evaluation Models for Continuing Education Program Efficacy: How Does Athletic Training Continuing Education Measure Up?

Objective: Although continuing education is required for athletic trainers (AT) to maintain their Board of Certification credential, little is known regarding its efficacy for advancing knowledge and improving patient care. Continuing professional education (CPE) is designed to provide professionals with important practical learning opportunities. The purpose of our literature review is to provide ATs with an understanding of the primary evaluation models for CPE programs and identify how athletic training compares to the current models. We then explicate how adult learning theories can influence both CPE program development and evaluation. Data Sources: We conducted a review of pertinent literature from 2005–2008 using the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) with the following search terms in various combinations: andragogy, adult education, continuing education, continuing professional education, lifelong learning, and evaluation. This search resulted in approximately 190 h...
Hemolytically inactive C5b67 complex: an agonist of polymorphonuclear leukocytes

The activity of hemolytically inactive C5b67, designated iC5b67, was evaluated as an agonist for functional responses of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN). C5b67 was formed from purified human complement components and decayed in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) until it had no lytic activity for sheep erythrocytes in a standard assay. iC5b67, at nanomolar concentrations, stimulated PMN chemotaxis and Ca2+ fluxes, but inhibited superoxide production and failed to upregulate CR1 and CR3. There was no significant contamination of the iC5b67 with C5a to explain these results. Neither isolated C5b6 nor C7 alone exhibited the activities of iC5b67, while insolubilized anti-C7 could remove the PMN agonist activity from the iC5b67 preparation. Binding studies to define a specific receptor for iC5b67 on PMN were hampered by the very hydrophobic nature of the ligand. 125I-iC5b67, by contrast to hemolytically active 125I-C5b67, was unable to insert in erythrocytes, suggesting that iC5b67 need not insert in the PMN membrane to induce signaling. Two lines of evidence suggest that iC5b67 and C5a and FMLP share common steps in intracellular signaling (1) pretreatment of PMN with iC5b67 deactivates PMN for C5a- and FMLP-induced chemotaxis; and (2) pretreatment of PMN with pertussis toxin inhibits iC5b67-induced chemotaxis. Thus, iC5b67 has important effects on the activity of PMN and G-proteins and Ca2+ are involved in the signaling.
A fast GPU-based Monte Carlo simulation of proton transport with detailed modeling of nonelastic interactions.

Purpose: Very fast Monte Carlo (MC) simulations of proton transport have been implemented recently on graphics processing units (GPUs). However, these MCs usually use simplified models for nonelastic proton–nucleus interactions. Our primary goal is to build a GPU-based proton transport MC with detailed modeling of elastic and nonelastic proton–nucleus collisions. Methods: Using the cuda framework, the authors implemented GPU kernels for the following tasks: (1) simulation of beam spots from our possible scanning nozzle configurations, (2) proton propagation through CT geometry, taking into account nuclear elastic scattering, multiple scattering, and energy loss straggling, (3) modeling of the intranuclear cascade stage of nonelastic interactions when they occur, (4) simulation of nuclear evaporation, and (5) statistical error estimates on the dose. To validate our MC, the authors performed (1) secondary particle yield calculations in proton collisions with therapeutically relevant nuclei, (2) dose calculations in homogeneous phantoms, (3) recalculations of complex head and neck treatment plans from a commercially available treatment planning system, and compared with geant 4.9.6p2/TOPAS. Results: Yields, energy, and angular distributions of secondaries from nonelastic collisions on various nuclei are in good agreement with the geant 4.9.6p2 Bertini and Binary cascade models. The 3D-gamma pass rate at 2%-2 mm for treatment plan simulations is typically 98%. The net computational time on a NVIDIA GTX680 card, including all CPU–GPU data transfers, is ∼20 s for 1 × 107 proton histories. Conclusions: Our GPU-based MC is the first of its kind to include a detailed nuclear model to handle nonelastic interactions of protons with any nucleus. Dosimetric calculations are in very good agreement with geant 4.9.6p2/TOPAS. Our MC is being integrated into a framework to perform fast routine clinical QA of pencil-beam based treatment plans, and is being used as the dose calculation engine in a clinically applicable MC-based IMPT treatment planning system. The detailed nuclear modeling will allow us to perform very fast linear energy transfer and neutron dose estimates on the GPU.
Real-time monitoring and manipulation of single bio-molecules in free solution

The observation and manipulation of single biomolecules allow their dynamic behaviors to be studied to provide insight into molecular genetics, biochip assembly, biosensor design, DNA biophysics. In a PDMS/glass microchannel, a nonuniform electroosmotic flow (EOF) was created. By using a scanning confocal fluorescence microscope and total internal-reflection fluorescence microscope (TIRFM), we demonstrated that negatively charged DNA molecules were focused by the nonuniform EOF into a thin layer at the glass surface. This phenomenon was applied to selectively detect target DNA molecules without requiring the separation of excessive probes and can be applied continuously to achieve high throughput. A variable-angle-TIRFM was constructed for imaging single DNA molecule dynamics at a solid/liquid interface. Implications we have are that the measured intensities cannot be used directly to determine the distances of molecules from the surface and the experimental counting results depict the distance-dependent dynamics of molecules near the surface; Molecules at low ionic strengths experience electrostatic repulsion at distances much further away from the surface than the calculated thickness of the electrical double layer. {delta}-DNA was employed as a nanoprobe for different functionalized surfaces to elucidate adsorption in chromatography. The 12-base unpaired ends of this DNA provide exposed purine and pyrimidine groups for adsorption. Patterns of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) and patterns of metal oxides are generated. By recording the real-time dynamic motion of DNA molecules at the SAMs/aqueous interface, the various parameters governing the retention of an analyte during chromatographic separation can be studied. Even subtle differences among adsorptive forces can be revealed. Dynamic conformational changes of the prosthetic group, flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD), in flavoprotein NADH peroxidase, in thioredoxin reductase, and in free solution were monitored with TIWM. FAD bound loosely in the proteins changed from the stacked conformation to the unstacked conformation upon laser excitation. FAD in free solution not only underwent conformational changes but also reacted with each other to form a dimer. Direct measurement of the single-molecule enzymatic cleavage rates of ApaI-DNA complex in the presence of various concentrations of MgCl{sub 2} solution is reported. Results suggest that there exists a distribution of ApaI conformations around the restriction site.
A rapid convergence method for a singular perturbation problem

Abstract The existence of spatially periodic solutions for a singular perturbation of elliptic type is established. A rapid convergence method is used to obtain the result.
Stimulation History Dictates Memory CD8 T Cell Phenotype: Implications for Prime-Boost Vaccination

Heterologous prime-boost vaccination results in increased frequencies of memory T cells. Although these quantitative effects of reexposure to Ag are well documented, little is known about the impact of boosting on the functional qualities of memory T cells. To address this critical issue, we have used three different types of immunization regimens and examined how boosting effects the function and anatomic location of memory CD8 T cells. We found that memory T cell phenotype differed substantially depending on the number of immunizations and that secondary and tertiary responses resulted in the generation of memory CD8 T cells that retained effector-like properties and showed preferential accumulation in nonlymphoid tissues. These results show that memory differentiation is coupled to the history of Ag experience and that prime-boost vaccination strategies have important consequences on memory CD8 T cell quality and surveillance within mucosal tissues.
Toxocariasis: A Rare Cause of Multiple Cerebral Infarction

Toxocariasis is a parasitic infection caused by the roundworms Toxocara canis or Toxocara cati, mostly due to accidental ingestion of embryonated eggs. Clinical manifestations vary and are classified as visceral larva migrans or ocular larva migrans according to the organs affected. Central nervous system involvement is an unusual complication. Here, we report a case of multiple cerebral infarction and concurrent multi-organ involvement due to T. canis infestation of a previous healthy 39-year-old male who was admitted for right leg weakness. After treatment with albendazole, the patient's clinical and laboratory results improved markedly.
Minimization of welding-induced alignment distortion in butterfly laser module packages: a study of laser pulse shape

Laser welding technology is widely used in fiber optic components assembling. A big issue in fiber optic packaging using laser welding is the welding-induced alignment distortion (WIAD), which significantly reduces the fiber optic coupling efficiency. Various studies have been conducted to investigate the factors affecting the WIAD in butterfly laser module packaging, but the influence of laser parameters on the WIAD remains unnoticed. We present a study in minimizing the WIAD by laser pulse shape. Finite element method is employed and a realistic laser-materials interaction model is developed and incorporated into the analysis to investigate the influence of six types of laser pulse shape on the WIAD in the butterfly packages. The results show that the pulse shape significantly affects WIAD. Ideally, a properly selected pulse shape can eliminate or minimize the WIAD in the butterfly laser module packages.