cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mediolateral angular momentum changes in persons with amputation during perturbed walking

Over 50% of individuals with lower limb amputation fall at least once each year. These individuals also exhibit reduced ability to effectively respond to challenges to frontal plane stability. The range of whole body angular momentum has been correlated with stability and fall risk. This study determined how lateral walking surface perturbations affected the regulation of whole body and individual leg angular momentum in able-bodied controls and individuals with unilateral transtibial amputation. Participants walked at fixed speed in a Computer Assisted Rehabilitation Environment with no perturbations and continuous, pseudo-random, mediolateral platform oscillations. Both the ranges and variability of angular momentum for both the whole body and both legs were significantly greater (p<0.001) during platform oscillations. There were no significant differences between groups in whole body angular momentum range or variability during unperturbed walking. The range of frontal plane angular momentum was significantly greater for those with amputation than for controls for all segments (p<0.05). For the whole body and intact leg, angular momentum ranges were greater for patients with amputation. However, for the prosthetic leg, angular momentum ranges were less for patients than controls. Patients with amputation were significantly more affected by the perturbations. Though patients with amputation were able to maintain similar patterns of whole body angular momentum during unperturbed walking, they were more highly destabilized by the walking surface perturbations. Individuals with transtibial amputation appear to predominantly use altered motion of the intact limb to maintain mediolateral stability.
High dimensional EM algorithm: statistical optimization and asymptotic normality

We provide a general theory of the expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm for inferring high dimensional latent variable models. In particular, we make two contributions: (i) For parameter estimation, we propose a novel high dimensional EM algorithm which naturally incorporates sparsity structure into parameter estimation. With an appropriate initialization, this algorithm converges at a geometric rate and attains an estimator with the (near-)optimal statistical rate of convergence. (ii) Based on the obtained estimator, we propose a new inferential procedure for testing hypotheses for low dimensional components of high dimensional parameters. For a broad family of statistical models, our framework establishes the first computationally feasible approach for optimal estimation and asymptotic inference in high dimensions.
Research in the Management of Technological Change

Management of technological change has been the subject of research for over 30 years. Technological change has been studied by social and political scientists largely concerned with the organization and mechanism of innovation and the problems of diffusion of technological change. Sociologists have researched the spread of ideas and information and the impact of technological change on society and individuals. Social geographers were interested in the spatial issues involved in technological diffusion. Economists, on the other hand, studied the causes and effects of technological change with particular attention to their quantification with a view towards establishing methods for the determination of the economic impact of technological change. Systems and management analysts researched the process of technological change and, together with economists, have studied the relations between technological change and productivity or productivity growth. Organizational scientists are interested in the effects of technological change on organizational structure as well as on the role of management and the individual worker involved in the changed process or consumer using a changed product.
Headway Duo microcatheter for cerebral arteriovenous malformation embolization with n-BCA

Background Cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are uncommon vascular lesions, and hemorrhage secondary to AVM rupture results in significant morbidity and mortality. AVMs may be treated by endovascular embolization, and technical advances in microcatheter design are likely to improve the success and safety of endovascular embolization of cerebral AVMs. Objective To describe our early experience with the Headway Duo microcatheter for embolization of cerebral AVMs with n-butyl-cyanoacrylate (n-BCA). Methods Consecutive patients treated by endovascular embolization of a cerebral AVM with n-BCA delivered intra-arterially through the Headway Duo microcatheter (167 cm length) were identified. Patient demographic information, procedural details, and patient outcome were determined from electronic medical records. Results Ten consecutive patients undergoing cerebral AVM embolization using n-BCA injected through the Headway Duo microcatheter were identified. Presenting symptoms included headache, hemorrhage, seizures, and weakness. Spetzler Martin grades ranged from 1 to 5, and AVMs were located in the basal ganglia (2 patients), parietal lobe (4 patients), frontal lobe (1 patient), temporal lobe (1 patient), an entire hemisphere (1 patient), and posterior fossa (1 patient). 50 arterial pedicles were embolized, and all procedures were technically successful. There was one post-procedural hemorrhage that was well tolerated by the patient, and no other complications occurred. Additional AVM treatment was performed by surgery and radiation therapy. Conclusions The Headway Duo microcatheter is safe and effective for embolization of cerebral AVMs using n-BCA. The trackability and high burst pressure of the Headway Duo make it an important and useful tool for the neurointerventionalist during cerebral AVM embolization.
Suburbanization: Reviving the Town on the Metropolitan Frontier

American society is a frontier society. It has chosen-or had thrust upon it-a path which involves continuing economic, social and political change of the first magnitude based on a constant effort at continued growth and development designed to periodically alter the very environment in which Americans live. That path imposes a dual burden on American political institutions. On one hand, they share major responsibilities for opening new frontiers and, on the other, they carry the major burdens of solving the problems generated by those frontiers. The governments of the United States have always been called upon to encourage the scientific and technological development needed to discover and open new frontiers, to create a political framework without which non-governmental and individual enterprise could move out onto those frontiers, and to provide the necessary public infrastructure for their conquest. The very process of conquering each frontier has in every case generated a host of problems, positive and negative, ranging from those immediately incidental to the development of the frontier's resources and the shift of population to the frontier zone, to long range problems requiring the opening of yet newer frontiers for their resolution. The governments of the United States, singly and collectively, have not only been called upon to solve the frontier problems facing American society at any particular time (not simply meet, but solve them) but the political system and its subsystems are blamed when the problems are not, or cannot be, solved. The major thrust of American politics, then, has been toward coming to grips with one frontier after another. The nation's political history stands as stark evidence of this fact. In the three years following the end of World War II, the United States passed into the metropolitan stage of America's continuing frontier. Since the opening of that metropolitan-technological frontier, population growth, social change, economic development, and
Development of a High Lateral Resolution Electron Beam Induced Current Technique for Electrical Characterization of InGaN-Based Quantum Well Light Emitting Diodes

Electron Beam Induced Current (EBIC) is a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)-based technique that can provide information on the electrical properties of semiconductor materials and devices. This work focuses on the design and implemenation of an EBIC system in a dedicated Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope (STEM). The STEM-EBIC technique was used in the characterization of an Indium Gallium Nitride (InGaN) quantum well Light Emitting Diode (LED). The conventional “H-bar” Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) sample preparation method using Focused Ion Beam Micromachining (FIBM) was adapted to create an electron-transparent membrane approximately 300 nm thick on the sample while preserving the electrical activity of the device. A STEM-EBIC sample holder with two insulated electrical feedthroughs making contact to the thinned LED was designed and custom made for these experiments. The simultaneous collection of Z-contrast images, EBIC images, and In and Al elemental images allowed for the determination of the p-n junction location, AlGaN and GaN barrier layers, and the thin InGaN quantum well layer within the device. The relative position of the p-n junction with respect to the thin InGaN quantum well was found to be (19 ± 3) nm from the center of the InGaN quantum well.
AP-1 is essential for p67phox promoter activity

The cytosolic NADPH oxidase cofactor p67(phox) has been shown to be one of the limiting factors in assembly and activation of this multi-protein enzyme complex and, therefore, must be highly regulated at the transcriptional level. In the present studies, we have further characterized the promoter for human p67(phox). Genomic sequence upstream of the translational start site (TLS; 2 kb) was cloned, and RACE was used to identify and compare the transcriptional start site (TSS) in two myeloid cell lines, HL-60 and PLB-985. Two major TSS were identified within the first intron for both cell lines, and one transcript isolated from PLB-985 cells started approximately 34 bp 5' of exon 1 and contained no intron 1 sequence. To identify regulatory regions of the promoter, a luciferase reporter was used to assay a series of promoter deletion constructs. The greatest transcriptional activity was observed for fragments containing at least 500 bp upstream of the TLS. Sequence analysis of the p67(phox) promoter revealed consensus binding sites for previously described transcription factors including AP-1 and PU.1. Site-directed mutagenesis of the AP-1 site demonstrated that this site was essential for basal transcription. EMSA, competition, and super-shift assays showed that this site was specifically recognized by nuclear factors of the AP-1 family. EMSA analysis and promoter-reporter assays with the PU.1 consensus sites at positions -176, -283, and -328 demonstrate that PU.1 binds the site at position -283 with high affinity. Mutagenesis of any one of the PU.1 sites reduced the basal transcriptional activity by approximately 50%, demonstrating that, although none of these sites is singularly responsible for the basal transcriptional activity, all three sites play some role in the transcriptional activity of the p67(phox) promoter. In support of this conclusion, mutagenesis of all three sites completely abrogated transcriptional activity.
Endoscopic Ultrasonography: Staging and Therapeutic Interventions

Pancreatic cancer (PC) continues to vex and frustrate clinicians largely due to their inability to impact this sinister disease, which is often metastatic upon presentation. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) has rapidly cemented its role in the armamentarium of diagnostic tools available for accurate staging of PC. Initial euphoria touting EUS’ superiority in staging accuracy for EUS was soon met by the stark reality that EUS was no better than the latest cross-sectional imaging available for assessing vascular invasion. Endosonographers recommend that EUS should be performed when no detectable mass lesion is identified on CT in the face of clinical suspicion of PC. Patients and clinicians should take solace when EUS fails to detect a pancreatic mass as the likelihood of a pancreatic cancer is near zero. Contrast enhancement, sonoelastography, and confocal laser endomicroscopy represent few extensions of EUS in the ongoing quest to differentiate benign from malignant masses. The unlimited therapeutic potential of EUS is just now being realized. EUS has been used to access the bile and/or pancreatic duct to help relieve malignant biliary obstruction when ERCP has been unsuccessful or in the setting of altered anatomy. Initial reports of EUS-directed fiducial placement and/or direct intratumoral injection offer hope as a combined partner to conventional treatment for attacking and dissolving tumors. Finally, EUS-guided celiac plexus neurolysis allows ablation of the ganglion to relieve the crippling pain encountered by our patients.
Total Abdominal Colectomy: Patient Satisfaction and Outcomes:

Total abdominal colectomy is required for many colonic diseases. The authors studied the outcomes of this operation and the quality of life based on the decision to perform an ileostomy or an anastomosis. Patients who underwent total abdominal colectomy (excluding those with inflammatory bowel disease and chronic constipation) had either ileoproctostomy or ileostomy and were compared. Patients were surveyed to assess satisfaction. Thirty-seven patients with ileoproctostomy and 23 patients with ileostomy were identified. There were no significant differences between groups with regard to urgency of operation, preoperative and total blood units received, and preoperative hospital stay. Morbidity and mortality were higher in the ileostomy group (38 vs 57% and 5 vs 17%), with odds ratios of 2.14 and 3.68 respectively; this was not, however, statistically significant (P = 0.157 and 0.132, power = 20% and 6%). All (14 of 14) surveyed ileostomy patients were at least satisfied versus 90 per cent (19 of 21) of ileoproctostomy patients. Of the latter, only 15 of 20 patients were continent, with 6.85 average daily bowel movements. Total abdominal colectomy has high morbidity and mortality rates. Performing an ileoproctostomy does not influence outcome but may lead to a high frequency of bowel movements and incontinence in some patients.
Cytoreductive Surgery for Metastatic Testis Cancer: Considerations of Timing and Extent

AbstractWe report on 26 patients who presented with widespread, massive metastatic disease from non-seminomatous germinal cell tumors of the testis. Of these 26 patients 22 (85 per cent) are well and 21 (80 per cent) are presumed to be cured after initial chemotherapy with platinum, vinblastine and bleomycin cytoreduction followed by secondary retroperitoneal lymph node dissection. The most critical prognostic determinant was the nature of the tissue resected. Patients with only fibrous or cystic elements and those with mature teratoma fared well. All 22 patients are well from 1 to 5 years postoperatively. However, of 9 patients with persistent cancer in the resected tissue 4 are dead and 2 others were salvaged only after extensive further chemotherapy. Of the several options available pre-treatment with 4 courses of platinum, vinblastine and bleomycin before any surgical treatment in those with massive bulk metastatic disease seems to provide the most effective cytoreduction and best survival.
Genomics-Informed Isolation and Characterization of a Symbiotic Nanoarchaeota System from a Terrestrial Geothermal Environment

Biological features can be inferred, based on genomic data, for many microbial lineages that remain uncultured. However, cultivation is important for characterizing an organism’s physiology and testing its genome-encoded potential. Here we use single-cell genomics to infer cultivation conditions for the isolation of an ectosymbiotic Nanoarchaeota (‘Nanopusillus acidilobi’) and its host (Acidilobus, a crenarchaeote) from a terrestrial geothermal environment. The cells of ‘Nanopusillus’ are among the smallest known cellular organisms (100–300 nm). They appear to have a complete genetic information processing machinery, but lack almost all primary biosynthetic functions as well as respiration and ATP synthesis. Genomic and proteomic comparison with its distant relative, the marine Nanoarchaeum equitans illustrate an ancient, common evolutionary history of adaptation of the Nanoarchaeota to ectosymbiosis, so far unique among the Archaea. Many microbial lineages have not yet been cultured, which hampers our understanding of their physiology. Here, Wurch et al. use single-cell genomics to infer cultivation conditions for the isolation of a tiny ectosymbiotic nanoarchaeon and its crenarchaeota host from a geothermal spring.
Tracking Outcomes of New Technologies

Whenever a new technology is introduced, we need to revisit the fundamental principle of surgery, which is to provide the best care to our patients. The Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) has been at the forefront in celebrating new surgical technologies that improve patient care. However, we should celebrate new advances with caution and use them wisely in order to avoid the scenarios that we have discussed. Our task is to develop a platform for future surgeons and equip them with resources to evaluate new technologies wisely so that they can provide the optimal care to their patients.
The realization of microwave landing system benefits

The operational benefits derived from the use of MLS (microwave landing system) attributes are classified in five general categories: use of curved/segmented approaches, use of back azimuth guidance, use of higher glide slopes/reduced siting problems, relief of frequency congestion, and other benefits (e.g., reliability and maintainability). Each of these categories is discussed, with specific examples. The requirements necessary to achieve the benefits are described. >
Spaceports Around the World

It’s October 2004 and SpaceShipOne (SS1) has just rocketed into space on its historic X-Prize winning flight (Fig. 9.1). The ink was barely dry on the $10 million Ansari X-Prize winning cheque before a potentially equally lucrative space race was announced; the competition between spaceports. Kick-starting the contest was Peter Mitchell, director of the New Mexico Office for Space Commercialization. “Today doesn’t belong to New Mexico, the day belongs to the gentlemen up here … that made this dream become a reality,” Mitchell told reporters. “Tomorrow, however, we focus on bringing the spoils of this dream to the state of New Mexico.” And so the race was on. Or so we thought: fast forward 12 years and there have been no revenue suborbital passenger flights. None. There has also been no activity—of the manned kind at least—at Spaceport America, which was built to serve Virgin Galactic and what should have been welcoming a steady stream of passengers by now.
Two-year persistence and compliance with osteoporosis therapies among postmenopausal women in a commercially insured population in the United States.

Summary This retrospective, observational study assessed 2-year persistence and compliance by treatment, route of administration, and dosing frequency in postmenopausal women initiating a new osteoporosis therapy. Two-year persistence and compliance rates were higher in women receiving injectables compared with oral agents.
Oxygen-promoted catalyst sintering influences number density, alignment, and wall number of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes

A lack of synthetic control and reproducibility during vertically aligned carbon nanotube (CNT) synthesis has stifled many promising applications of organic nanomaterials. Oxygen-containing species are particularly precarious in that they have both beneficial and deleterious effects and are notoriously difficult to control. Here, we demonstrated diatomic oxygen's ability, independent of water, to tune oxide-supported catalyst thin film dewetting and influence nanoscale (diameter and wall number) and macro-scale (alignment and density) properties for as-grown vertically aligned CNTs. In particular, single- or few-walled CNT forests were achieved at very low oxygen loading, with single-to-multi-walled CNT diameters ranging from 4.8 ± 1.3 nm to 6.4 ± 1.1 nm over 0–800 ppm O2, and an expected variation in alignment, where both were related to the annealed catalyst morphology. Morphological differences were not the result of subsurface diffusion, but instead occurred via Ostwald ripening under several hundred ppm O2, and this effect was mitigated by high H2 concentrations and not due to water vapor (as confirmed in O2-free water addition experiments), supporting the importance of O2 specifically. Further characterization of the interface between the Fe catalyst and Al2O3 support revealed that either oxygen-deficit metal oxide or oxygen-adsorption on metals could be functional mechanisms for the observed catalyst nanoparticle evolution. Taken as a whole, our results suggest that the impacts of O2 and H2 on the catalyst evolution have been underappreciated and underleveraged in CNT synthesis, and these could present a route toward facile manipulation of CNT forest morphology through control of the reactive gaseous atmosphere alone.
A practical lesson in polarization optics: Creating a 3D image using a liquid crystal cell

To demonstrate a practical application of polarization physics, a liquid crystal pi cell is used as a variable retarder to create different types of polarization. By varying the applied voltage to ...
Clinical Features and Outcomes of Isolated Myeloid Sarcoma in the United States: Analysis Using a National Dataset

Abstract Introduction Isolated myeloid sarcoma is a rare form ( 70% of all newly diagnosed cancers in the United States, we determined the patterns of anatomical presentation and clinical outcome of myeloid sarcoma. Methods We identified patients with a histologically confirmed diagnosis of isolated myeloid sarcoma from 2004-2013 using International Classification of Diseases for Oncology version 3 (ICD-O-3) code: 9930. To allow at least 1 year of follow-up, only patients diagnosed from 2004-2012 were included in the survival analysis using Kaplan-Meier estimates. Results A total of 746 patients were included in the study. The median age of patients was 59 years (range, 41 to 73) and 56% were males. The anatomical distribution and median overall survival of patients are depicted in the Table. The top 3 most common sites of presentation were connective/soft tissues (31.3%), skin/breast (12.3%), and digestive system (10.3%). Compared to other races, Blacks were more likely to have presentation in bones/joints (11.8% vs 6.3% in others), lymph nodes/spleen (22.1% vs. 9%), and less likely in skin/breast (4.4% vs. 13.8%). Asians were more likely to present with cardiopulmonary/mediastinal disease as compared to other races (13.6% vs. 4.2%). According to outcomes, we can categorize the patients into 3 groups: good (median overall survival >30 months: reproductive and digestive systems), intermediate (median overall survival 15-30 months: head/neck and kidney/bladder/retroperitoneum/adrenal), and poor (median overall survival Conclusions This is the largest registry-based study on isolated myeloid sarcoma in the United States. Isolated myeloid sarcoma has a diverse anatomic clinical presentation and the overall survival varied significantly according to sites of presentation and racial subgroups. The results of our study may aid the prognostication of patients for treatment decision making and in the understanding of the biological differences by anatomic sites of presentation. Download : Download high-res image (159KB) Download : Download full-size image Download : Download high-res image (63KB) Download : Download full-size image Disclosures Al-Kali: Onconova Therapeutics, Inc.: Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding.
Rethinking transitions of care: An interprofessional transfer triage protocol in post-acute care

ABSTRACTReadmissions to hospitals from post-acute care (PAC) units within long-term care settings have been rapidly increasing over the past decade, and are drivers of increased healthcare costs. With an average of $11,000 per admission, there is a need for strategies to reduce 30-day preventable hospital readmission rates. In 2018, incentives and penalties will be instituted for long-term care facilities failing to meet all-cause, all-condition hospital readmission rate performance measures. An interprofessional team (IPT) developed and implemented a Transfer Triage Protocol used in conjunction with the INTERACT programme to enhance clinical decision-making and assess the potential to reduce the facility’s 30-day preventable hospital readmission rates by 10% within 6 weeks of implementation. Results from quantitative analysis demonstrated an overall 35.2% reduction in the 30-day preventable hospital readmission rate. Qualitative analysis revealed the need for additional staff education, improved screenin...
The cost of observation care for commercially insured patients visiting the emergency department.

Abstract Objective To examine trends in the use of ED observation stays among a national sample of patients with commercial insurance, and assess the patient cost-burden of an observation stay relative to an short inpatient hospitalization from the ED. Methods Retrospective analysis of ED observation stays and inpatient hospitalizations from 2008 to 2015 using the Truven MarketScan® Commercial Claims and Encounters database. Index ED visits were identified from claims files and assessed for evidence of an observation or inpatient hospitalization. Total and out-of-pocket costs were calculated for the index hospitalization and a 30-day episode of care and standardized to 2015 $USD. Costs for ED patients with an observation stay were compared to a similar, propensity-matched cohort of ED patients hospitalized as inpatients. Results Over the 8 year period, observation stay admissions increased from 4.3% to 6.8% of total ED visits (60.5% relative increase) while inpatient admissions fell from 10.8% to 8.9% (16.6% relative decrease). In 2015, the mean total cost was $8162 for an observation stay and $22,865 for an inpatient hospitalization. Patient out-of-pocket costs were $962 and $1403, respectively. Among the propensity-matched cohorts, relative mean costs for the index hospitalization were 41% higher and patient out-of-pocket costs were 33% higher if the patient was admitted as an inpatient from the ED versus observation during their hospitalization. Conclusions Observation hospitalizations are an increasingly common disposition for patients entering the hospital through the ED. Both total and patient out-of-pocket costs are lower, on average, for an observation stay compared with a similar inpatient admission for ED patients requiring hospitalization.
Symmetries Imposed on Two-Particle Systems. II. Symmetry and Crossed-Channel Reactions

A partial-wave expansion of the scattering amplitude $A(s, t, u)$ is carried out holding the energy variable $s$ fixed for the reaction 1+2 \ensuremath{\rightarrow} 3+4; another partial-wave expansion for the crossed reaction $1+\overline{3}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\overline{2}+4$ is carried out for fixed $s$, which is now a momentum-transfer variable. An $SU(2, 2)$ two-particle symmetry is then imposed on the resulting reduced matrix elements, so that the reduced matrix elements are related to one another by $SU(2, 2)$ Clebsch-Gordan coefficients.
NMDA antagonists for treating the non-motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease

Among patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), depression is prevalent and disabling, impacting both health outcomes and quality of life. There is a critical need for alternative pharmacological methods to treat PD depression, as mainstream antidepressant drugs are largely ineffective in this population. Currently, there are no recommendations for the optimal treatment of PD neuropsychiatric symptoms. Given the dual antidepressant and anti-dyskinetic effects of ketamine and other N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonists for PD, this review aims to examine the current evidence of NMDA antagonists for treating neuropsychiatric symptoms, including memantine, amantadine, ketamine, dizoclopine, and d-cycloserine. A comprehensive literature search was conducted using the PubMed database. We also searched the following databases up to March 1, 2018: Ovid MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Google Scholar, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. The following keywords were used: NMDA antagonist and Parkinson's disease. Two authors independently reviewed the articles identified from the search using specific selection criteria, focusing on studies of mood, psychiatric condition, depression, cognition, and quality of life, and the consensus was reached on the 20 studies included. There is a preliminary evidence that NMDA antagonists may modulate psychiatric symptoms in PD. However, current evidence of psychiatric symptom-modifying effects is inconclusive and requires that further trials be conducted in PD. The repurposing of old NMDA antagonists, such as ketamine for depression and newer therapies, such as rapastinel, suggests that there is an emerging place for modulating the glutamatergic system for treating non-motor symptoms in PD.
Experimental demonstration of a flexible metamembrane

In this letter, we present the experimental demonstration of the modification of the far-field spectral response of a metamembrane using mechanical deformation. The demonstrated metamembrane is a two-dimensional (2-D) metamaterial, created by a free-standing monolayer of periodically coupled artificial atoms. The optical properties of this 2-D metamaterial can be controlled by intentionally applied structural deformation. This experimental demonstration is the first step for developing 2-D artificial materials for sensing and chip-scale spectral analysis applications.In this letter, we present the experimental demonstration of the modification of the far-field spectral response of a metamembrane using mechanical deformation. The demonstrated metamembrane is a two-dimensional (2-D) metamaterial, created by a free-standing monolayer of periodically coupled artificial atoms. The optical properties of this 2-D metamaterial can be controlled by intentionally applied structural deformation. This experimental demonstration is the first step for developing 2-D artificial materials for sensing and chip-scale spectral analysis applications.
The effects of mailed reminders and tailored messages on mammography screening.

A mail campaign to promote mammography screening was tested with 3,887 Medicare recipients in North Dakota who had not had a mammogram in 2 \(\frac{1}{2}\) years. Three types of mailings were compared: (1) a simple reminder message, (2) a reminder accompanied by a persuasive communication emphasizing personal risk, and (3) a reminder accompanied by a message tailored to the participants' chief barrier to having a mammogram. Overall, subsequent mammography rates for women in these conditions did not differ from the rate observed among women who did not receive any mailing. However, post-hoc analyses suggested that women who reported a barrier to having a mammogram were more likely to have a mammogram. Population-wide mail campaigns of the kinds tested here may be generally ineffective for Medicare recipients who are obtaining screenings infrequently. Tailoring messages may be one potentially effective intervention, if investigators can develop ways to increase responses to inquiries about barriers.
Nationally Representative Readmission Factors Associated with Endovascular versus Open Repair of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

Background Hospital readmissions are tied to financial penalties and thus significantly influence health-care policy. Many current studies on readmissions lack national representation by not tracking readmissions across hospitals. The recently released Nationwide Readmission Database is one of the most comprehensive national sources of readmission data available, making it an invaluable resource to understand this critically important health policy issue. Methods The Nationwide Readmission Database for 2013 and 2014 was queried for adult patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm (441.4) undergoing endovascular (39.71) or open (38.44) repair. Outcomes examined were overall/initial admission mortality and overall/30-day readmissions. Multivariate logistic regression for these outcomes was also performed on multiple readmission factors. Results Fifty-three thousand four hundred seventeen patients underwent abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (47,431 endovascular aortic repair [EVAR] versus 5,986 open surgical repair [OSR]). Significant differences were found for EVAR versus OSR on overall readmissions, initial admission cost, readmission costs, length of stay, days to readmission, and overall/initial admission mortality. Multivariate logistic regression analysis found that length of stay > 30, Charlson Comorbidity Index > 1, discharge disposition, and female sex were all significant predictors of 30-day readmission. Repair type was significantly associated with 30-day readmissions; however, it was not a significant factor for overall readmissions. Conclusion There are significant differences in costs, prognosis, and readmission rates for EVAR versus OSR. Given that these differences are being used to create “acceptable” readmission rates, disbursement quotas among hospitals, and subsequent penalties for providers outside the expected rates, it is only prudent to obtain the most accurate information to guide those policies. Level of Evidence Care management/epidemiological, level IV.
Zooglider: An autonomous vehicle for optical and acoustic sensing of zooplankton

Author(s): Ohman, MD; Davis, RE; Sherman, JT; Grindley, KR; Whitmore, BM; Nickels, CF; Ellen, JS | Abstract: We present the design and preliminary results from ocean deployments of Zooglider, a new autonomous zooplankton-sensing glider. Zooglider is a modified Spray glider that includes a low-power camera (Zoocam) with telecentric lens and a custom dual frequency Zonar (200 and 1000 kHz). The Zoocam quantifies zooplankton and marine snow as they flow through a defined volume inside a sampling tunnel. Images are acquired on average every 5 cm from a maximum operating depth of ~ 400 m to the sea surface. Biofouling is mitigated using a dual approach: an ultraviolet light-emitting diode and a mechanical wiper. The Zonar permits differentiation of large and small acoustic backscatterers in larger volumes than can be sampled optically. Other sensors include a pumped conductivity, temperature, and depth unit and chlorophyll a fluorometer. Zooglider enables fully autonomous in situ measurements of mesozooplankton distributions, together with the three-dimensional orientation of organisms and marine snow in relation to other biotic and physical properties of the ocean water column. It is well suited to resolve thin layers and microscale ocean patchiness. Battery capacity supports 50 d of operations. Zooglider includes two-way communications via Iridium, permitting near-real–time transmission of data from each dive profile, as well as interactive instrument control from remote locations for adaptive sampling.
21 Adolescent Substance Use

Prevalence of Adolescent Substance Use and Substance Use Disorders Demographic Correlates of Use, Abuse, and Dependence Age-Related Trajectories of Adolescent Substance Use: Relations To Developmental Transitions Consequences of Adolescent Substance Use Theoretical Models Conclusions and Future Directions Keywords: substance use disorders; dependence; developmental disorders; puberty; school transitions; role transitions; family history; substance abuse; prenatal exposure; deviance proneness models; stress; emotional distress; substance use effects
Clinical and Economic Implications of Restrictions on Calcitonin Utilization in a Health System.

Background: Hypercalcemia is a relatively common problem that may require hospital admission based on severity. A treatment option for hypercalcemia is calcitonin given intramuscularly or subcutane...
Construction of finite rate surface chemistry models from pulsed hyperthermal beam experimental data

A general approach for constructing finite rate surface chemistry models using time-of-flight (TOF) distribution data acquired from pulsed hyperthermal beam experiments is presented. First, a detailed study is performed with direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) to analyze the TOF distributions corresponding to several types of reaction mechanisms occurring over a wide temperature range. This information is used to identify and isolate the products formed through different reaction mechanisms from TOF and angular distributions. Next, a procedure to accurately calculate the product fluxes from the TOF and angular distributions is outlined. Finally, in order to derive the rate constant of the reactions within the system, the inherent transient characteristic of the experimental pulsed beam set up must be considered. An analysis of the steady-state approximation commonly used for deriving the rate constants reveals significant differences in terms of the total product composition. To overcome this issue, we present a general methodology to derive the reaction rate constants, which takes into account the pulsed setup of the beam. Within this methodology, a systematic search is performed through the rate constant parameter space to obtain the values that provide the best agreement with experimentally observed product compositions. This procedure also quantifies the surface coverage that corresponds to the rates of product formation. This approach is applied to a sample system: oxidation reaction on vitreous carbon surfaces to develop a finite-rate surface chemistry model. Excellent agreement is observed between the developed model and the experimental data, thus showcasing the validity of the proposed methodologies.
Harnessing the Power of Fantastic Attempts: Kindergarten Teacher Perspectives on Student Mistakes.

Now, more than ever, American students at all grade levels face intense pressure to increase academic performance—including kindergarteners. Given that prior research has well established that mist...
Quality Assurance in Online Education: A Development Process to Design High-Quality Courses

The number of courses and full degrees offered online, raises a considerable interest in concerns and problems associated with online education, particularly as it relates to the quality of online instruction. Quality Assurance (QA) has become a very important issue for both, educational institutions and institutional accrediting agencies. This is a progressive process and institutions go through different stages until they implement QA effectively in their institution. This paper will start by presenting different QA approaches using different rubrics; then it will describe the three different stages that the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) had experienced in this path to design high-quality courses: (a) training, (b) process, and (c) formalizing the process. In the last step, a very detail process for designing online courses will be presented. In the next section, the types of QA reviews that are done at CCBC will be depicted. Finally, the paper will end with some topics that the Online Learning office is working in this continuing process of designing and implementing high-quality courses.
Wafer-Scale Hierarchically Textured Silicon for Surface Cooling

Conventional surface materials for cooling systems, often based on metals, generally offer excellent mechanical and thermal conduction properties. However, metals are known to be very reflective, and their emissivity is very low, which limits effective radiative heat transfer from the surface to the environment - a factor that is particularly important when there is a high difference in temperature between the surface and ambient. Here we will demonstrate a novel material coating based on silicon that will offer transformative surface cooling and omniphobic properties by controlling the microscale surface texture on silicon wafers. Surface texturing silicon or micro-structuring silicon using maskless chemical assisted etching or reactive-ion etching has received much attention recently for its applications in photonics and solar cells 1–3. Colloquially referred to as “black silicon”, textured silicon surfaces comprised of micro-structured pillars or roughness have been known to absorb (or emit) light very effectively in the visible spectrum, which makes the surface turn black4-6. Past studies have focused on the modified optical properties in the visible to near-infrared spectrum (400nm to 1.3um), relevant mostly to photonic applications, but we show that the optical properties maintain a high emissivity across the near-mid IR spectrum of 9–13 uM. The high emissivity across the mid-IR creates a unique opportunity to produce an inexpensive, highly adaptable, and scalable layer which demonstrates enhanced passive surface cooling relative to conventional materials. We will demonstrate a novel maskless process that utilizes a NaOH wet etch which generates micro-pyramidal structures on the order of 5–20 um in height that accomplishes these objectives. Furthermore, by texturing the surface geometry, textured silicon can also be manufactured to offer either hydrophobic or hydrophilic properties, opening the possibility for a material that can have optimized conductive, radiative, and convective properties.
Change Is Happening: An Evaluation of Gender Disparities in Academic Plastic Surgery.

BACKGROUND Gender disparities in academic plastic surgery are known; however, recently, professional societies have endorsed a culture of gender diversification. This study aims to evaluate the effects of these changes at faculty and leadership positions. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted in June of 2018 to evaluate gender representation among U.S. academic plastic surgery faculty, and compare career qualifications, years of experience, and faculty positions. RESULTS A total of 938 academic plastic surgeons were identified, of which only 19.8 percent were women. Female surgeons graduated more recently than men (2009 versus 2004; p < 0.0001) and predominantly from integrated residency programs (OR, 2.72; 95 percent CI, 1.87 to 3.96), were more likely to be an assistant professor (OR, 2.19; 95 percent CI, 1.58 to 3.05), and were less likely to be a full professor (OR, 0.20; 95 percent CI, 0.11 to 0.35) or program chair (OR, 0.32; 95 percent CI, 0.16 to 0.65). After adjustment for differences in years of postresidency experience, only disparities at the full professor position remained significant (OR, 0.34; 95 percent CI, 0.16 to 0.17), indicating that experience-independent gender inequality is prominent at the full professor level and that current differences in cohort experience are a significant contributor to many of the observed positional disparities. Lastly, programs led by a female chair employed significantly more female faculty (32.5 percent versus 18.2 percent; p = 0.016). CONCLUSIONS Gender diversity in academic plastic surgery remains a significant issue, but may see improvement as the disproportionately high number of junior female academics advance in their careers. However, leadership and promotion disparities between men and women still exist and must be addressed.
Data-driven predictive model of reliability estimation using degradation models: a review

The concept of the industrial internet of things (IIoT) provides the foundation to apply data-driven methodologies. The data-driven predictive models of reliability estimation can become a major tool in increasing the life of assets, lowering capital cost, and reducing operating and maintenance costs. Classical models of reliability assessment mainly rely on lifetime data. Failure data may not be easily obtainable for highly reliable assets. Furthermore, the collected historical lifetime data may not be able to accurately describe the behavior of the asset in a unique application or environment. Therefore, it is not an optimal approach anymore to estimate the reliability based on classical models. Fortunately, most of the industrial assets have performance characteristics whose degradation or decay over the operating time can be related to their reliability estimates. The application of the degradation methods has been recently increasing due to their ability to keep track of the dynamic conditions of the system over time. This study reviews general approaches for the most important degradation-based reliability estimation models proposed by several researchers during last few decades. The most commonly applied deterministic and stochastic degradation models are reviewed in this study. Furthermore, a roadmap for adopting the degradation-based reliability estimation models based on the concept of the IIoT is explained in detail.
High temperature steam oxidation dynamics of U3Si2 with alloying additions: Al, Cr, and Y

Abstract Uranium silicides are considered for advanced technology reactor fuels due to their enhanced thermal conductivity and high uranium density (U3Si and U3Si2) compared to traditional UO2. Susceptibility to oxidation and wash out, in the event of a cladding breech, could limit the potential for deployment of silicides as accident tolerant fuels. Mitigating the water reaction for U3Si2 could enable its use as an accident tolerant, high uranium density fuel or as a composite fuel constituent. Reported here is the impact of alloying additions of Al, Cr and Y on the high temperature, steam oxidation response of U3Si2. In addition to the thermogravimetric response, as melted microstructures, phase compositions and post oxidation analysis are also presented. The investigation shows steam oxidation dynamics are altered, from non-alloyed U3Si2, under thermally ramped conditions. However, additional alloy development of these fuel forms is necessary for further consideration as candidate accident tolerant fuels in water-cooled reactor designs.
Triazine-cored polymeric vectors for antisense oligonucleotide delivery in vitro and in vivo.

The polymer-based drug/gene delivery is promising for the treatment of inherent or acquire disease, because of the polymer’s structural flexibility, larger capacity for therapeutic agent, low host immunogenicity and less cost. Antisense therapy is an approach to fighting genetic disorders or infections using antisense oligonucleotides (AOs). Unfortunately, the naked AOs showed low therapeutic efficacy in vivo and in clinical trial due to their poor cellular uptake and fast clearance in bloodstream. In this study, a series of triazine-cored amphiphilic polymers (TAPs) were investigated for their potential to enhance delivery of AOs, 2′-O-methyl phosphorothioate RNA (2′-OMePS) and phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomer (PMO) both in vitro and in vivo. TAPs significantly enhanced AO-induced exon-skipping in a GFP reporter-based myoblast and myotube culture system, and observed cytotoxicity of the TAPs were lower than Endoporter, Lipofectamine-2000 or PEI 25K. Application of optimized formulations of TAPs with AO targeted to dystrophin exon 23 demonstrated a significant increase in exon-skipping efficiency in dystrophic mdx mice. The best ones for PMO and 2′-OMePS delivery have reached to 11-, 15-fold compared with the AO only in mdx mice, respectively. The study of triazine-cored amphiphilic polymers for AO delivery in vitro and in mdx mice indicated that the carrier’s performances are related to the molecular size, compositions and hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) of the polymers, as well as the AO’s structure. Improved exon-skipping efficiency of AOs observed in vitro and in mdx mice accompanied with low cytotoxicity demonstrated TAP polymers are potentials as safe and effective delivery carrier for gene/drug delivery.