cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The 'Reasonable Apprehension of Suit' Prong of the Federal Circuit's Two-Part Test for Declaratory Judgment Jurisdiction

Almost from its inception, the Federal Circuit adopted a two-part test for justiciability of claims for declaratory judgments in patent cases. A declaratory plaintiff who would be the defendant in a patent infringement suit must: (1) have a reasonable apprehension of suit by the patentee, and (2) be engaging in or preparing for infringing activity. This piece examines the evident tension between the first prong of this test and the purpose of the Declaratory Judgment Act: allowing injured parties to force adjudication of uncertain rights when the holder of the alleged rights refuses to sue to enforce them. The piece begins by examining the recent case of Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc. v. Pfizer Inc. There a three-judge panel of the Federal Circuit ruled, over a dissent by Chief Judge Meyer, that the Constitution requires this two-part test. After examining the case in detail, this piece concludes that the result in it - no jurisdiction - was unwarranted on the facts, inconsistent with the seminal Lear decision, and economically harmful. This piece then examines the asserted basis for the decision: that the Constitution's case or controversy requirement precludes jurisdiction over claims for declaratory judgments against quiescent patentees. It examines the origins of the Federal Circuit's reasonable apprehension of suit prong and concludes that the test is an ipse dixit that nothing in the Constitution or precedent requires. The piece also reasons that the Federal Circuit's apparent motivation for the test - preserving the patentee's litigation prerogatives and a sense of fairness in litigation - has little or nothing to do with the Constitution's case or controversy requirement. The piece concludes that the reasonable apprehension of suit test is not required by the Constitution and is inconsistent with the letter and spirit of the Declaratory Judgment Act.
The role of beta adrenergic blocking agents in the management of the patient with acute myocardial infarction.

Patients with acute myocardial infarction who present with sympathetic overactivity, continuing chest pain, tachyarrhythmias, or hypertension may benefit from beta adrenergic blocking agent therapy. Studies have also suggested that these agents protect and salvage ischemic heart tissue and that long-term therapy may prevent reinfarction and sudden death.
Research and Development: Characteristics, Organization, and Outcome

As pointed out in the previous chapter, recent years have witnessed a very great interest among economists in industrial research and development, a considerable number of studies of this facet of business activity having been carried out.1 Although these studies have promoted a much clearer understanding of this area, we still have very little information concerning many important aspects of industrial research and development, one of the most obvious gaps being the lack of studies indicating the characteristics of research and development in various industries, the effect of various characteristics of a firm on the nature of the R and D it undertakes, and the effects of various characteristics of a firm on the effectiveness of a firm’s R and D efforts.
Green Data Storage

Storage Systems are a very critical component of computing systems. Performance and availability/reliability typically dictate the choice of storage. Often overlooked aspect is the Power Consumption, which varies widely across different classes of storage. In this chapter we start with an overview of Power Characteristics of different types of Storage Media such as Hard Disks, Tapes and Solid Sate Devices. Next, we discuss widely used Media specific Energy Management Techniques such as State Transitioning, Power Aware Caching, Dynamic RPM followed by a look into System level Energy Management Techniques such as Power Aware RAID, Data Layouts, Hierarchical Storage Management, Virtualization and Cloud Storage. We conclude with Research Challenges in the domain of Green Storage.
Effect of E-OJ-01 on Cardiac Conditioning in Young Exercising Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND AND AIM Cardiac health is a determinant of athletic performance. A body of data suggests that in healthy young adults, an increase in maximal cardiac output leads to an increase in endurance. Terminalia arjuna (TA) has been studied for multiple benefits in cardiovascular health although its effects as a cardioprotective ergogenic aid require further exploration. The current trial was planned to study the effect of the proprietary TA extract (E-OJ-01) on the markers of cardiac conditioning in healthy young adults. STUDY QUESTION No study has assessed the effect of TA extract on cardiac conditioning by improvement of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) in young exercising individuals. STUDY DESIGN, MEASURES AND OUTCOMES A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group study was conducted to determine the efficacy and safety of E-OJ-01 for use as an ergogenic supplements in young exercising adults. This trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02207101) and reported according to Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) requirements. Thirty-two healthy males, aged 18-40 years performing regular endurance exercise, were randomly assigned to 400 mg of E-OJ-01 or placebo for 56 days. LVEF, right and left ventricular Myocardial Performance Index, and Borg Rated Perceived Exertion (RPE) were assessed at baseline, day 28, and day 56; creatine kinase-MB and troponin-T were assessed at baseline and at day 56. RESULTS As compared with placebo, 56 days of E-OJ-01 supplementation significantly improved the LVEF (P = 0.0001) and decreased the right ventricular Myocardial Performance Index (P = 0.001). The fatigue level captured by Borg Scale after completion of exercise showed a greater decrease in the E-OJ-01 group as compared with placebo. Creatine kinase-MB and troponin-T did not change significantly. CONCLUSIONS TA (E-OJ-01) significantly increased cardiovascular efficiency and improved the cardiac conditioning in young healthy adults.
Contemporary Trends in Oral Antiplatelet Agent Use in Patients Treated with Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for Acute Coronary Syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Recent trials demonstrated the efficacy of prasugrel and ticagrelor compared with clopidogrel in the reduction of cardiovascular complications in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). However, it is unclear how use of the 3 antiplatelet medications has changed in commercially insured patients since the advent of the new agents. OBJECTIVES: To (a) describe the adoption of prasugrel and ticagrelor in patients who received percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for the onset of ACS and (b) explore patient factors associated with the selection of the drug to provide insight into utilization patterns of these antiplatelet agents. METHODS: Patients who received a new dispensing of an antiplatelet agent following a hospitalization for a PCI administered for ACS were identified from insurance claims between 2009 and 2013. Demographics and comorbid conditions were determined based on a 6-month period before the ACS event. Longitudinal trends in antiplatelet agent selection were illustrated usi...
Secure coded caching in wireless ad hoc networks

A decentralized coded caching technique is introduced for wireless ad hoc networks in which all the existing contents are randomly combined and cached. The scaling behavior of the network is studied in terms of both capacity and security. Proactive and reactive routing techniques for coded caching are presented and the scaling capacity of the network for each case is derived. It has been shown that by using reactive routing, any content can be retrieved by selecting a random path while providing asymptotic optimum solution. The proposed coded caching significantly simplifies the routing protocol in cached networks. We further prove that asymptotic perfect secrecy can be achieved using proposed coded caching scheme.
A facile route towards large area self-assembled nanoscale silver film morphologies and their applications towards metal enhanced fluorescence

Abstract We present a facile method for fabricating nanostructured silver films containing a high density of nanoscopic gap features through a surface directed phenomenon utilizing nanoporous scaffolds rather than through traditional lithographic patterning processes. This method enables tunability of the silver film growth by simply adjusting the formulation and processing conditions of the nanoporous film prior to metallization. We further demonstrate that this process can produce nanoscopic gaps in thick (100 nm) silver films supporting localized surface plasmon resonance with large field amplification within the gaps while enabling launching of propagating surface plasmons within the silver grains. These enhanced fields provide metal enhanced fluorescence with enhancement factors as high as 21 times compared to glass, as well as enable visualization of single fluorophore emission. This work provides a low-cost rapid approach for producing novel nanostructures capable of broadband fluorescence amplification, with potential applications including plasmonic and fluorescence based optical sensing and imaging applications.
Variables affecting functional improvement in chordoma patients admitted to an inpatient rehabilitation facility: A retrospective review.

Study Design: Retrospective chart review of patients after surgical resection of chordoma admitted to an inpatient rehabilitation facility.Objective: To evaluate the characteristics associated with improving two or more functional levels and therefore classifying as a substantial responder after an inpatient rehabilitation facility stay in post-resection chordoma patients.Setting: Acute inpatient rehabilitation facility in the United States.Methods: A total of 40 patients were admitted to an inpatient rehabilitation facility from 2010–2015 after chordoma resection. Demographics, tumor management information, lengths of stay and functional independence measures on admission and discharge were collected. Substantial responders were identified as individuals who improved two or more functional levels based on total FIM score change. Logistic regression was used to analyze the available data for association of quantitative and categorical variables with being a substantial responder.Results: The categorical v...
Implementing a Continuous Quality Improvement Program in a High-Volume Clinical Echocardiography Laboratory: Improving Care for Patients With Aortic Stenosis.

Background— The management of aortic stenosis rests on accurate echocardiographic diagnosis. Hence, it was chosen as a test case to examine the utility of continuous quality improvement (CQI) approaches to increase echocardiographic data accuracy and reliability. A novel, multistep CQI program was designed and prospectively used to investigate whether it could minimize the difference in aortic valve mean gradients reported by echocardiography when compared with cardiac catheterization. Methods and Results— The Duke Echo Laboratory compiled a multidisciplinary CQI team including 4 senior sonographers and MD faculty to develop a mapped CQI process that incorporated Intersocietal Accreditation Commission standards. Quarterly, the CQI team reviewed all moderate- or greater-severity aortic stenosis echocardiography studies with concomitant catheterization data, and deidentified individual and group results were shared at meetings attended by cardiologists and sonographers. After review of 2011 data, the CQI team proposed specific amendments implemented over 2012: the use of nontraditional imaging and Doppler windows as well as evaluation of aortic gradients by a second sonographer. The primary outcome measure was agreement between catheterization- and echocardiography-derived mean gradients calculated by using the coverage probability index with a prespecified acceptable echocardiography–catheterization difference of <10 mm Hg in mean gradient. Between January 2011 and January 2014, 2093 echocardiograms reported moderate or greater aortic stenosis. Among cases with available catheterization data pre- and post-CQI, the coverage probability index increased from 54% to 70% ( P =0.03; 98 cases, year 2011; 70 cases, year 2013). The proportion of patients referred for invasive valve hemodynamics decreased from 47% pre-CQI to 19% post-CQI ( P <0.001). Conclusions— A laboratory practice pattern that was amenable to reform was identified, and a multistep modification was designed and implemented that produced clinically valuable performance improvements. The new protocol improved aortic stenosis mean gradient agreement between echocardiography and catheterization and was associated with a measurable decrease in referrals of patients for invasive studies.
Current outcomes of blunt open pelvic fractures: how modern advances in trauma care may decrease mortality.

Background Open pelvic fracture, caused by a blunt mechanism, is an uncommon injury with a high mortality rate. In 2008, evidence-based algorithm for managing pelvic fractures in unstable patients was published by the Western Trauma Association (WTA). The use of massive transfusion protocols has become widespread as has the availability and use of pelvic angiography. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcome of open pelvic fractures in association with related advances in trauma care. Methods A retrospective review was performed, at an American College of Surgeon verified level I trauma center, of patients with blunt open pelvic fractures from January 2010 to April 2016. The WTA algorithm, including massive transfusion protocol, and pelvic angiography were uniformly used. Data collected included injury severity score, demographic data, transfusion requirements, use of pelvic angiography, length of stay, and disposition. Data were compared with a similar study from 2005. Results During the study period, 1505 patients with pelvic fractures were analyzed; 87 (6%) patients had open pelvic fractures. Of these, 25 were from blunt mechanisms and made up the study population. Patients in both studies had similar injury severity scores, ages, Glasgow Coma Scale, and gender distributions. Use of angiography was higher (44% vs. 16%; P=0.011) and mortality was lower (16% vs. 45%; P=0.014) than in the 2005 study. Conclusions Changes in trauma care for patients with open blunt pelvic fracture include the use of an evidence-based algorithm, massive transfusion protocols and increased use of angioembolization. Mortality for open pelvic fractures has decreased with these advances. Level of evidence Level IV.
Food factory design to prevent deliberate product contamination

Abstract: Food defense refers to the deliberate contamination of food to cause harm. Intentional contamination of food has a long history, and combined with the modern world’s food distribution systems, an intentional contamination event can have severe consequences. This article discusses the tools and risk mitigation strategies that can be used to address intentional contamination of the food supply.
Fracture risk of tapered modular revision stems: a failure analysis.

Abstract Fractures of well-ingrown femoral components are a rare and often challenging complication after revision total hip arthroplasty. Prior series have documented catastrophic failure at the modular junction of revision femoral components. However, to the authors' knowledge, there has been only 1 report of a mid-stem fracture of a modular tapered revision stem. The present article reports 2 cases of fatigue fractures (14 months and 10 years after implantation) of a tapered modular revision stem. It presents the results of the fracture surface analysis, discusses the etiology of failure, and presents the authors' recommendations on how to best avoid this complication.
Error Probability Models to Facilitate Approximate Computing in TFET based Circuits

A probabilistic approach is developed to evaluate the impact of power supply voltage fluctuations on the output error probability of tunnel field-effect transistor (TFET) based integrated circuits (ICs) operating at low supply voltages. The proposed model is used to better understand the error probability of synchronous digital circuits designed with 22 nm III-V heterojunction TFET technology. A comparative analysis with high performance 20 nm FinFET and 22 nm CMOS based circuits is also provided to illustrate the related tradeoffs among supply voltage, frequency, and error probability for these three technologies. This investigation is important for energy-efficient TFET based circuits where noise sensitivity is higher due to ultra low operating voltages.
Advanced Control Of Plasma Medical Devices

Atmospheric pressure plasma jets (APPJs) have widespread use in plasma medicine. This presentation aims to demonstrate the importance of using advanced control strategies for safe, reproducible, and therapeutically effective application of APPJs for dose delivery to a target substrate. Key challenges in advanced control of APPJs arise from: (i) the multivariable, nonlinear nature of system dynamics, (ii) the need to constrain the system operation within an operating region that ensures safe plasma treatment, and (iii) the cumulative, non-decreasing nature of dose metrics. To systematically address these challenges, we propose a model predictive control (MPC) strategy for real-time control of a radiofrequency APPJ in argon. To this end, a lumped-parameter, physics-based model is developed for describing the jet dynamics, and cumulative dose metrics are defined for quantifying the thermal and non-thermal energy effects of the plasma on substrate. [1] The closed-loop performance of the MPC strategy is compared to that of basic proportional-integral control. Simulation results indicate that MPC provides a versatile framework for dose delivery in the presence of system disturbances, while fulfilling the safety and practical constraints of APPJ operation. In addition, we demonstrate the use of advanced control in experimental APPJ systems. Advanced control can lead to unprecedented opportunities for effective dose delivery in plasma medicine.
Reliability performance of 30μm-pitch solder micro bump fluxless bonding interconnections

Three dimensional integrated circuit technology has been recently received much interests because it could meet the requirements such as small form factor, high performance, low cost and heterogeneous integration in system-in-package technologies for next generation electronics. For high performance 3D chip stacking, high density interconnections are essential. In the current types of interconnects, solder micro bumps have received much attention due to its low cost in material and process. In this study, two methods of fluxless chip-on-chip bonding process with 30μm pitch lead free solder micro bumps interconnection were demonstrated and the reliability of micro joints was also evaluated. The plasma treatment and the formic acid treatment were used to remove the tin oxidation layer upon the surface of solder micro bumps. The assembly of the chip-on-chip test vehicle with a micro bumps diameter of 18μm and a pitch of 30μm was conducted. There were more than 3000 micro bumps with Sn2.5Ag solder material on both the silicon chip and the silicon carrier. A solder micro bump structure of Cu/SnAg having a thickness of 7μm/15μm was fabricated in silicon chip and the silicon carrier consisted of Cu under bump metallization (UBM) with a thickness of 5μm. During bonding process, the micro joints were formed at pre-bonding and reflowed in reflow oven with a peak temperature of 250 °C. Then, the die shear test was used to check the solder micro joints bonding strength between the silicon chip and carrier by two methods of fluxless process. After bonding process, the microgaps were then filled by a capillary underfill and cured at 165 °C for 2 hours. Reliability tests of temperature cycling test (TCT) and high temperature storage (HTS) were selected to assess the effect of the fluxless bonding process on the reliability of solder micro joints interconnections.
EFFECTS OF EXTERNAL APPLICATIONS OF NO. 2 FUEL OIL ON COMMON EIDER EGGS

Abstract Because eggs of marine birds may be exposed to oil adhering to the feathers of adult birds, a study was undertaken to determine the effects of oil contamination. Two hundred common eider eggs (Somateria mollissima) were divided into four experimental sets of 50 each. Two sets were treated with No. 2 fuel oil in amounts of 5 μ1 and 20 μ1; a third with 20 μ1 of propylene glycol, a neutral blocking agent. The fourth set served as a control. Hatching success was 96 percent for the eggs treated with 20 μ1 propylene glycol, 96 percent for the controls, and 92 percent for the eggs treated with 5 μ1 oil hatched. Only 69 percent of the eggs treated with 20 μ1 of oil survived: a significant reduction in hatchability (P⋜0.05). Mean hatching weights for all sets were statistically equal. Thus, oil pollution may significantly increase embryonic mortality in marine birds.
The Molecular Genetics of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

The discipline of mycobacterial molecular genetics was effectively born in the late 1980s with the description of methods for the efficient introduction of DNA into mycobacteria and the subsequent development of simple vector systems. Although the slow growth and pathogenicity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis present major challenges for the molecular geneticist, many important questions can be addressed by using fast-growing mycobacterial relatives (such as Mycobacterium smegmatis) and bacteriophages as relevant model systems. The importance of this strategy is illustrated by comparing the time required for obtaining recombinant mycobacteria from transformation experiments, which is typically 3–4 days for M. smegmatis and 3–4 weeks for M. tuberculosis; bacteriophage plaques on lawns of M. smegmatis or M. tuberculosis can be visualized in 24 h and 4 days, respectively. While the attenuated anti-tuberculosis vaccine strain bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) grows as slowly as M. tuberculosis, its use avoids some of the biosafety concerns associated with the cultivation of highly pathogenic strains. The relatively young field of mycobacterial genetics thus includes the use of a number of different mycobacterial systems each of which is, however, relevant to our understanding of M. tuberculosis. Our current understanding of these molecular genetic systems and the genetic basis of mycobacterial growth will be briefly reviewed in this chapter.
Examination of the Influence of Lithium on the Repassivation Rate of Aluminum Alloys

The influence of lithium on the rate of repassivation of aluminum alloys was studied by conducting scratch-repassivation experiments on samples with differing lithium and copper contents and with differing heat treatments in a buffer solution containing either 0.5 M sodium sulfate or 0.5 M sodium chloride. The experiments were conducted under either open circuit conditions, with the resulting potential transient recorded, or under potentiostatic conditions, with the resulting current transient recorded. Due to the rapid repassivation rate of aluminum alloys, unique experimental and analytical procedures had to be developed. In particular, the experiments were designed to minimize the time between initiation and completion of the scratch and to generate the bare surface at a constant rate. A constant bare surface generation rate allowed for determination of the bare surface current density from the slope of the rise transient rather than from the maximum current observed as done by previous investigators. The bare surface current density determined in this manner was always greater then that calculated from the maximum current. Lithium in solid solution was found to slightly increase the bare surface current density but it did not significantly alter the rate of repassivation over the range of lithium concentrations studied. The precipitation of lithium phases altered the repassivation behavior but, the nature of the observed changes depended on the type of precipitate.
New Insights on the Role of Chloride During the Onset of Local Corrosion: TEM, APT, Surface Energy, and Morphological Instability

The role of chloride in aqueous corrosion during local oxide destabilization as a precursor to breakdown is investigated by combining transmission electron microscopy, atom probe tomography, and de...
Unconscious Woman in Shock and Covered with Ants Pulled from an Abandoned Automobile

Abstract Background A middle-aged woman was taken from an abandoned automobile unconscious and covered with ants in Tucson, Arizona. When hospitalized in July 2018, she had an extensive papular-pustular skin eruption on her abdomen and thigh and disseminated intravascular coagulation. She was stung innumerable times by native golden fire ants (Solenopsis aurea) while sleeping in the vehicle. The large amount of venom injected by stings into this individual may have triggered dissemnated intravascualar coagulation because the venom contains powerful hemolytic factors. Methods The patient history is presented and ants were captured and identified. Results Clinical findings of fire ant stings are presented and the importance of recognizing the distinctive skin lesions that occur is emphasized. Stings of the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, and the black imported fire ant, Solenopsis richteri, cause skin lesions recognized by physicians and victims alike in the southern and southeastern United States. Native fire ant stings are documented much less often. However, there is significant cross-reactivity among the venoms of Solenopsis species. Conclusion It is important for clinicians to recognize the characteristic skin lesions of fire ant envenomation as fire ant populations are expanding and they sting millions of people each year.
PROBIOTIC SUPPLEMENTS ARE SURPRISINGLY DEVOID OF ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE [University of Findlay]

The normal intestinal microflora plays pivotal roles in aiding with digestion, stimulating the immune system, and providing protection from enteric pathogens. Despite the importance of these organisms, they are often an innocent bystander, caught in the crossfire during antibiotic treatments intended to target and eliminate invading infectious agents. The collateral damage of antibiotic therapy is a reduction in the population of beneficial bacteria as well as an increased risk for more severe infections, including Clostridium difficile. Additionally, the unpleasant condition termed antibiotic-associated diarrhea is an unfortunate consequence of such treatments. In an attempt to alleviate the intestinal distress, individuals are turning to probiotic supplements, which consist of non-pathogenic bacteria purported to provide various health benefits, such as digestive regularity, prevention of disease, and replenishment of the natural microbiota of the human intestinal tract. However, if the bacterial strains present in the physician-recommended probiotic supplements are overly sensitive to antibiotics, then they would fail to reestablish the intestinal microflora during the course of treatment. The purpose of this project was to test the hypothesis that bacterial strains contained within probiotics are resistant to a variety of common antibiotics. Antibiotic susceptibility was assessed for several over-the-counter probiotic supplements via the Kirby-Bauer Disk Diffusion method on medium specific for lactobacilli propagation. After measuring the zones of inhibition, the probiotics were surprisingly sensitive to two-thirds of the antibiotics tested, with the observed growth inhibition greatly exceeding predetermined standards for susceptibility. These results suggest that concomitantly taking probiotic supplements during a course of antibiotics is likely futile for replenishing the intestinal microbiota. We intend to expand the study to include additional antibiotics and supplements of varying formulations in an attempt to gain insight into which strains may exhibit the least sensitivity and be the most effective for recolonization of the gastrointestinal tract.
Exploration of the Impact of Physical Integration Schemes on Soft Errors in 3D ICs Using Monte Carlo Simulation

The complex vertical structures of 2.5D/3D integrated circuits present new challenges for the simulation, experimentation, and analysis of soft errors. Each added layer of circuitry in vertically integrated technologies increases the requirement for interconnect metallization. The proximity of these metal layers to sensitive regions may result in materials-dependent responses to radiation. Monte-Carlo simulations offer flexibility and utility in exploring the impact of geometry and material selection on the resulting radiation response characteristics in 3D IC structures. As the fabrication and experimentation of such technologies at this point follows no universal standard or guidelines, various configuration possibilities are advantageously thus considered in order to minimize cost and waste. Simulations indicate important differences in relative responses to radiation effects; in the discussed parametrizations, copper and cobalt interconnects behave similarly, while tungsten interconnects exhibit better properties than ruthenium.
Management of air leaks post-surgical lung resection

Airleaks are one of the most common complications associated with elective lung resection. There have been many techniques and modern advancements in thoracic surgery, however airleaks persist. This review article will discuss several interventions ranging from conservative noninvasive to surgical management of the persistent airleak. These techniques include stopping of suction on the plueravac, fibrin patches, pleurodesis, use of endobronchial valves (EBVs), return to OR for operative intervention, and lastly to send patients home with mini pleuravacs.
Synthesis of chiral 2-oxazolidinones, 2-oxazolines, and their analogs

Abstract Chiral five-membered ring 2-oxazolidinones and six-membered ring 1,3-oxazinan-2-ones are synthesized from the corresponding amino alcohols with complete inversion or retention of stereochemistry. Chiral 5-substituted 2-oxazolines and 6-substituted 2-oxazines are also synthesized from the same starting materials with inversion of stereochemistry through an intramolecular S N 2 reaction. These compounds are useful intermediates in organic synthesis and crucial building blocks for many pharmaceutical compounds.
Fourier Analysis of Local Discontinuous Galerkin Methods for Linear Parabolic Equations on Overlapping Meshes

A new local discontinuous Galerkin method for convection–diffusion equations on overlapping mesh was introduced in Du et al. (BIT Numer Math 1–24, 2019). In the new method, the primary variable u and auxiliary variable $$p=u_x$$ are solved on different meshes. The stability and suboptimal error estimates for problems with periodic boundary conditions were derived. Numerical experiments demonstrated that the convergence rates cannot be improved if the dual mesh is constructed by using the midpoint of the primitive mesh. Several alternatives to gain optimal convergence rates were demonstrated in Du et al. (2019). However, the reason for accuracy degeneration is still unclear. In this paper, we will use Fourier analysis to analyze the scheme for linear parabolic equations with periodic boundary conditions in one space dimension. We explicitly write out the error between the numerical and exact solutions, and investigate the reason for the accuracy degeneration. Moreover, we also find out some superconvergence points that may depend on the perturbation constant in the construction of the dual mesh. Since the current work is based on Fourier analysis, we only consider uniform meshes. Numerical experiments will be given to verify the theoretical analysis.
The relation of sense of community in sport on resilience and cultural adjustment for youth refugees

This study examined associations between a sense of community (SOC) and both resilience and cultural adjustment for resettled youth refugees who participate in a refugee soccer club. Though related...
Cardiovascular Risk and Cognitive Function in Middle-Aged and Older Hispanics/Latinos: Results from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL).

BACKGROUND Cardiovascular disease is linked to cognitive decline and disorders (e.g., dementia). The evidence is based largely on older non-Latino White cohorts. OBJECTIVE Examine the association between global vascular risk and cognitive function among Hispanics/Latinos in the United States. METHODS We used data from a large sample of stroke- and cardiovascular disease-free, middle-aged and older Hispanics/Latinos with diverse backgrounds (n=7,650) from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL). We compared associations between two measures of cardiovascular risk (CVR), the Framingham Cardiovascular Risk Score (FCRS) and the multiethnic Global Vascular Risk Score (GVRS), and cognitive performance using measures of global and domain specific cognitive function, and tested for modification by sex and age. RESULTS Higher FCRS and GVRS were associated with lower global cognition and higher probability of low mental status, after covariates adjustment. Both CVR indices were associated with lower performances in learning and memory, verbal fluency, and psychomotor speed. Higher GVRS presented stronger associations with lower cognitive function compared to the FCRS. Women and younger age (45-64 years) exhibited more pronounced associations between higher CVR and worse cognition, particularly so with the GVRS. DISCUSSION CVR is also a risk for compromised cognitive function and evident in middle-age among Hispanics/Latinos. The multiethnic GVRS, tailored to specific risks based on racial/ethnic background, is feasible to use in primary care settings and can provide important insight on cognitive risk. Even modest shifts in population toward cardiovascular health in the high-risk Hispanic/Latino population can have important positive impacts on healthy cognitive aging.
Preoperative Opioid Use and Clinical Outcomes in Spine Surgery: A Systematic Review

Background Prescription opioid use and opioid-related deaths have become an epidemic in the United States, leading to devastating economic and health ramifications. Opioids are the most commonly prescribed drug class to treat low back pain, despite the limited body of evidence supporting their efficacy. Furthermore, preoperative opioid use prior to spine surgery has been reported to range from 20% to over 70%, with nearly 20% of this population being opioid dependent. Objective To review the medical literature on the effect of preoperative opioid use in outcomes in spine surgery. Methods We reviewed manuscripts published prior to February 1, 2019, exploring the effect of preoperative opioid use on outcomes in spine surgery. We identified 45 articles that analyzed independently the effect of preoperative opioid use on outcomes (n = 32 lumbar surgery, n = 19 cervical surgery, n = 7 spinal deformity, n = 5 "other"). Results Preoperative opioid use is overwhelmingly associated with negative surgical and functional outcomes, including postoperative opioid use, hospitalization duration, healthcare costs, risk of surgical revision, and several other negative outcomes. Conclusion There is an urgent and unmet need to find and apply extensive perioperative solutions to combat opioid use, particularly in patients undergoing spine surgery. Further investigations are necessary to determine the optimal method to treat such patients and to develop opioid-combative strategies in patients undergoing spine surgery.
Do Postoperative Antibiotics Affect Outcomes in Mohs Reconstructive Surgery

Objectives/hypothesis The prescribing of postoperative antibiotics for patients undergoing Mohs reconstructive surgery has increased in the last decade, while antibiotic resistance has been increasing. We hypothesized that routine prescribing of postoperative antibiotics after Mohs reconstruction does not decrease the risk of surgical site infection. Study design Retrospective, single-institution cohort study. Methods This study assessed patients who underwent Mohs reconstructive surgery from January 1, 2012, to January 29, 2019. The main outcomes assessed included postoperative surgical site infections, partial or full flap/graft necrosis, hematoma, and dehiscence. Results A total of 900 defects in 800 patients (mean age [range] = 65.3 [21-96], 54.60% female) were identified over the 7-year period. Patient-specific variables reviewed included comorbidities, age, and smoking status. Surgery-specific variables analyzed included defect characteristics, time interval between Mohs micrographic surgery and reconstruction, reconstructive modalities, and use of postoperative antibiotics. All patients received peri-incisional antibiotics. On regression analysis, use of cartilage grafts (odds ratio [OR]: 6.53; 95% CI: 2.1-20.6; P = .001), current smoking status (OR: 6.67; 95% CI: 2.09-21.30; P = .001), full-thickness defects (OR: 1.2; 95% CI: 1.0-3.4; P = .045), and interpolated flap reconstruction (OR: 3.4; 95% CI: 1.0-11.5; P = .049) were associated with an increased risk of postoperative infections. Smoking and cartilage grafting remained significant on bivariable regression modeling. Use of perioperative antibiotics was not associated with a decreased risk of infection (OR: 1.82; 95% CI: 0.23-14.21; P = .568). Conclusions We found no association between postoperative infections after Mohs reconstructive surgery and the use of postoperative antibiotics. These data support a more targeted approach to antibiotic prescribing in Mohs reconstructive surgery. Level of evidence 4 Laryngoscope, 131:E434-E439, 2021.
Comparing Spanish certification exams for bilingual teachers: test design and other pedagogical considerations

This article compares Spanish proficiency assessments across three states (Texas, Arizona, and California) in relation to four overarching themes: (a) verification methods of proficiency; (b) test-...
Insomnia With Short Sleep Duration: Nosologic, Diagnostic, and Treatment Implications

The diagnosis of insomnia is based solely on subjective complaints. This has contributed to the low reliability and validity of the current nosology of insomnia as well as to its lack of firm association with clinically relevant outcomes such as cardiometabolic and neurocognitive morbidity. We review evidence that insomnia with objective short sleep duration is associated with physiological hyperarousal, higher risk for hypertension, diabetes, neurocognitive impairment, and mortality as well as with a persistent course. It also appears that objective short sleep duration in poor sleepers is a biological marker of genetic predisposition to chronic insomnia. In contrast, insomnia with objective normal sleep duration is associated with cognitive-emotional and cortical arousal and sleep misperception but not with signs of physiological hyperarousal or medical complications. Thus, short sleep duration in insomnia may be a reliable marker of the biological severity and medical impact of the disorder. We propose that (a) objective measures of sleep be included in the diagnosis of insomnia and its subtypes, (b) objective measures of sleep obtained in the home environment of the patient would become part of the routine assessment and diagnosis of insomnia in a clinician's office setting, and (c) insomnia with short sleep duration may respond better to biological treatments, whereas insomnia with normal sleep duration may respond primarily to psychological therapies.
Vectors of educational change: An introduction to the twentieth anniversary issue of the Journal of Educational Change

This article introduces a special, 20th anniversary issue of the Journal of Educational Change. The special issue edictoras have organized significant international contributions to theory-building into three areas. These concern diverse modalities of educators’ professionalism, debates around “getting to scale” with successful innovations, and conflicting views of social justice in schools and societies. Each of these areas comprises an independent vector of disagreement and debate, with differing meaning and interpretations based upon the cultures and histories of the given systems under review. The article asks what kinds of new research, and what kinds of affiliated theories in these topic areas, can best help to move the field of educational change forward in the coming years.
The digital scribe: a writer's guide to electronic media

Why writing skills are important on the Information Superhighway pre-writing - writing for multimedia - a special awareness choosing the right audience for you work selling you work on-line marketing your floppy to specialty retail markets or by direct mail using "links" to expand your writing dollars legal hassles on the Superhighway how you get paid by your readers.
Serum Protein Adsorption Modulates the Toxicity of Highly Positively Charged Hydrogel Surfaces

Hydrogels formed from peptide self-assembly are a class of materials that are being explored for their utility in tissue engineering, drug and cell delivery, two- and three-dimensional cell culture, and as adjuvants in surgical procedures. Most self-assembled peptide gels can be syringe-injected in vivo to facilitate the local delivery of payloads, including cells, directly to the targeted tissue. Herein, we report that highly positively charged peptide gels are inherently toxic to cells, which would seem to limit their utility. However, adding media containing fetal bovine serum, a common culture supplement, directly transforms these toxic gels into cytocompatible materials capable of sustaining cell viability even in the absence of added nutrients. Multistage mass spectrometry showed that at least 40 serum proteins can absorb to a gel's surface through electrostatic attraction ameliorating its toxicity. Further, cell-based studies employing model gels having only bovine serum albumin, fetuin-A, or vitronectin absorbed to the gel surface showed that single protein additives can also be effective depending on the identity of the cell line. Separate studies employing these model gels showed that the mechanism(s) responsible for mitigating apoptosis involve both the pacification of gel surface charge and adsorbed protein-mediated cell signaling events that activate both the PI3/Akt and MAPK/ERK pathways which are known to facilitate resistance to stress-induced apoptosis and overall cell survival.
Multiple Queen-Rearing in Queenless Colonies of the Asian Honey Bee Apis cerana

Queen-rearing is one of major objectives of commercial beekeepers to maintain colonies (Morse, 1994). Worker bees are capable of raising a new queen mainly for colony reproduction or emergency quee...
EPHA2, a promising therapeutic target for hepatocellular carcinoma

Identifying critical drivers of oncogenesis and tumor progression is essential for developing effective hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) therapeutics. Our recent findings has demonstrated that targeting Ephrin Receptor A2 (EPHA2) suppresses HCC initiation and progression by dual inhibition of the Protein Kinase B (AKT) and Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling.
Non-invasive BSL Estimation by Spatial Sparsity

This paper presents a novel spatial sparsity technique for non-invasively estimating human Blood Sugar Level (BSL). This technique begins with using published BSL Cole-Cole data to establish a linear model between BSL concentration and BSL’s relative complex dielectric constant. This linear BSL model framework is used for setting up an 8 channel BSL RF sensing system based on an equivalent 2-D human arm inverse scattering formulation. The inverse scattering model is then solved by the conventional L1-norm Basis Pursuit DeNoising (BPDN) spatial sparsity technique. This provides high spatial resolution for estimating the BSL dielectric constant directly at blood veins and arteries where BSL is mostly concentrated. This avoids BSL estimation error dilutions from other less BSL concentrated human body objects. However, the BSL dielectric properties are only slightly sensitive to the BSL concentration. As such, even the conventional BPDN method has moderate reconstruction fidelity, resulting in a limited BSL estimation accuracy. To overcome this issue, a new "Range Compression" method is developed to complement the BSL BPDN inverse scattering reconstruction approach. Computer simulations have been performed over SNR with very encouraging results. It is concluded that this novel technique provides a significantly better BSL estimation with a much faster SNR convergence rate than other conventional methods.
Sets of Real Numbers

Most of us believe we have a reasonable understanding of what a real number is. However, sets of real numbers have some deep and surprising properties. We will explore some of these properties in this chapter and in Chap. 4 on cardinality. Of notable interest for future applications are the order completeness of \(\mathbb {R},\) the characterization of intervals in terms of the intermediate value property, and the nested interval theorem. Among other results we establish the existence of roots of positive real numbers and we introduce the amazing Cantor set as well as related functions.
An Optimization Approach Applied to Fair Division Transportation Funding Allocation Models

The problem of multiple necessities and limited funds is common in the transportation field. Funding allocation for a transportation agency often involves prioritizing the allocation of funds across a number of participants who have their own needs and preferences. If a participant believes that the final allocation is unfair, then this perception could result in the generation of envy. In this paper, a genetic optimization technique is applied to a Fair Division Transportation Funding Allocation Model (FDTFAM) to minimize the total envy based on the participant’s own priorities and the budget constraints.
Topographic Infomax in a Neural Multigrid

We introduce an information maximizing neural network that employs only local learning rules, simple activation functions, and feedback in its functioning. The network consists of an input layer, an output layer that can be overcomplete, and a set of auxiliary layers comprising feed-forward, lateral, and feedback connecwtions. The auxiliary layers implement a novel "neural multigrid," and each computes a Fourier mode of a key infomax learning vector. Initially, a partial multigrid computes only low frequency modes of this learning vector, resulting in a spatially correlated topographic map. As higher frequency modes of the learning vector are gradually added, an infomax solution emerges, maximizing the entropy of the output without disrupting the map's topographic order. When feed-forward and feedback connections to the neural multigrid are passed through a nonlinear activation function, infomax emerges in a phase-independent topographic map. Information rates estimated by Principal Components Analysis (PCA) are comparable to those of standard infomax, indicating the neural multigrid successfully imposes a topographic order on the optimal infomax-derived bases.