cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quality of life and objective measures of diabetic neuropathy in a prospective placebo-controlled trial of ruboxistaurin and topiramate.

Background:The Norfolk Quality of Life Questionnaire-Diabetic Neuropathy (Norfolk QOL-DN) is a validated comprehensive questionnaire designed to capture the entire spectrum of DN related to large fiber, small fiber, and autonomic neuropathy not captured in existing instruments. We aimed to determine if the Norfolk QOL-DN could be used to capture changes in QOL that correlate with nerve fiber-specific objective measures in a placebo-controlled trial of two agents that affect different nerve fibers.Methods:Sixty patients with DN were allocated to treatment on ruboxistaurin (RBX) (n = 18), topiramate (TPX) (n = 18), or placebo (n = 18). QOL-DN was administered and objective measures of nerve function were performed at entry and end of the study period.Results:Total QOL scores improved significantly in the active treatment groups (RBX −9.56 ± 4.13; TPX −12.22 ± 2.76) but not in placebo (−5.56 ± 3.49). There were differences in nerve function improvement between treatments. Neurological symptom scores (NSS) im...
Aeroacoustic Simulation of a Nose Landing Gear in an Open Jet Facility using FUN3D

Numerical simulations have been performed for a partially-dressed, cavity-closed nose landing gear configuration that was tested in NASA Langley s closed-wall Basic Aerodynamic Research Tunnel (BART) and in the University of Florida s open-jet acoustic facility known as UFAFF. The unstructured-grid flow solver, FUN3D, developed at NASA Langley Research center is used to compute the unsteady flow field for this configuration. A hybrid Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes/large eddy simulation (RANS/LES) turbulence model is used for these computations. Time-averaged and instantaneous solutions compare favorably with the measured data. Unsteady flowfield data obtained from the FUN3D code are used as input to a Ffowcs Williams-Hawkings noise propagation code to compute the sound pressure levels at microphones placed in the farfield. Significant improvement in predicted noise levels is obtained when the flowfield data from the open jet UFAFF simulations is used as compared to the case using flowfield data from the closed-wall BART configuration.
Fiberoptic vs Conventional Home Phototherapy for Neonatal Hyperbilirubinemia

Two methods of administering home phototherapy were compared. Twenty-two infants received home phototherapy with a fiberoptic cummerbund, and 26 infants received home phototherapy with a conventional four-bul "bililight." The two treatment modalities proved equally effective in lowering bilirubin levels. The duration of treatment was a mean of 3.09 days in the fiberoptic group and 2.77 days in the bililight group, and the daily decline in bilirubin levels was a mean of 1.84 mg/dL/day in the fiberoptic group and 2.18 mg/dL/day in the bililight group. Differences were not statistically significant (Student's t-test, two-tailed). Upon completion of therapy, mothers responded to 15 statements intended to measure attitudes and perceptions regarding home phototherapy. In four of the 15 statements there was a statistically significant preference for fiberoptic therapy, as measured with the chi-square statistic (p less than .05), while in the remaining statements there were no preferences expressed toward either treatment modality. Fiberoptic home phototherapy appears to be as effective as home phototherapy administered with conventional bililights and may be better accepted by parents.
50(0) Years Out and Counting: Native American Language Education and the Four Rs

Fifty years after the U.S. Congress passed the 1964 Civil Rights Act (CRA), Native Americans continue to fight for the right “to remain an Indian” (Lomawaima & McCarty, 2006) against a backdrop of test-driven language policies that threaten to destabilize proven bilingual programs and violate hard-fought language rights protections such as the Native American Languages Act of 1990/1992. In this article we focus on the “four Rs” of Indigenous language education—rights, resources, responsibilities, and reclamation—forefronting the inherent sovereignty of Indigenous peoples in language education decision making. Drawing on our work together and our individual long-term ethnographic work with Native American communities, we present three case studies that illuminate larger issues of language rights, resources, responsibilities, and reclamation as they are realized in these communities. We conclude by “reflecting forward” (Winn, 2014) on language education possibilities and tensions, 50 years out from passage ...
MODEL OF THE CEREBELLUM AS AN ARRAY OF ADJUSTABLE PATTERN GENERATORS.

Data are reviewed suggesting that velocity signals recorded in the magnocellular red nucleus (RNm) are produced by central motor pattern generators rather than being shaped by continuous feedback from the periphery. Other data suggest that these patterned outputs do not depend on the relatively sparse projection from the motor cortex to the RNm, but are more likely to depend on the prominent, somatotopically organized pathway from the nucleus interpositus (NI) of the cerebellum. These findings lead to a model of the cerebellum as an array of adjustable pattern generators.
Distinct crustal isostasy trends east and west of the Rocky Mountain Front

Seismic structure beneath the contiguous U.S. was imaged with multimode receiver function stacking and inversion of Rayleigh wave dispersion and ellipticity measurements. Crust thickness and elevation are weakly correlated across the contiguous U.S., but the correlation is ~3–4 times greater for separate areas east and west of the Rocky Mountain Front (RMF). Greater lower crustal shear velocities east of the RMF, particularly in low-elevation areas with thick crust, are consistent with deep crustal density as the primary cause of the contrasting crust thickness versus elevation trends. Separate eastern and western trends are best fit by Airy isostasy models that assume lower crust to uppermost mantle density increases of 0.18 g/cm3 and 0.40 g/cm3, respectively. The former value is near the minimum that is plausible for felsic lower crust. Location of the transition at the RMF suggests that Laramide to post-Laramide processes reduced western U.S. lower crustal density.
Uncertainty in inverted elastic properties resulting from uncertainty in the low-frequency model

A Bayesian linearized inversion (BLI) framework is used to analyze how uncertainty in the low-frequency model (LFM) affects the solution in prestack seismic inversion. Two related effects are considered: sensitivity addresses how a change in the LFM changes the inversion solution, whereas uncertainty addresses how uncertainty in the LFM is propagated into the inversion results. The posterior covariance matrix in the BLI equations does not depend on the LFM, and it can be concluded mistakenly that uncertainty in the inversion result is independent of uncertainty in the LFM. Instead, a broader characterization of uncertainty can be made by using a hierarchical BLI framework that includes uncertainties in the LFM. The standard BLI equations are adequate to describe uncertainty in relative rock-property inversion which can be obtained by subtracting the logarithm of the LFM from the logarithm of the inversion solution. Uncertainty in relative rock-property inversion is independent of both the particular LFM used in the solution and the uncertainty associated with the LFM. On the other hand, uncertainty in absolute rock-property inversion is independent of the particular LFM used but does depend on the uncertainty of that LFM. The uncertainty of absolute rock-property inversion is always greater than the uncertainty of the associated relative rock-property inversion.
FOOD DELIVERIES AT SWALLOW-TAILED KITE NESTS IN SOUTHERN FLORIDA

Abstract We studied the diets of nesting Swallow-tailed Kites (Elanoides forficatus) at eight nests in 1988–1989 in southern Florida, where the species reaches its greatest abundance in the United States. Males fed females during the incubation stage an average of 2.1 ± 0.8 times per day. The adults averaged 10.9 ± 4.5 deliveries daily during the nestling stage, and 10.3 ± 12.5 deliveries to young daily following nest departure. Vertebrates comprised 97% of the biomass for the 1092 identifiable prey items delivered to nests. Frogs accounted for 56%, birds 30%, and reptiles 11% of all prey. Numerically, frogs made up 83% of the reptile and amphibian prey. The relative proportions of prey types varied substantially among nests within years, and significantly more snakes and insects were delivered in 1989. Total biomass delivered in 1988 did not differ from that in 1989. Bird biomass, however, was greater in 1988 and insect biomass was greater in 1989. Anoles and snakes were brought to nests in larger number...
Manual Assembly of 400um Bumped-Die GaN Power Semiconductor Devices

Until recently, power semiconductors were usually produced as TO, power-PAK, and D-PAK style packaging, due to die size, thermal dissipation requirements, and the vertical flow of current through the devices. The introduction of GaN to power semiconductors has allowed manufactures to produce devices with approximately 9% the footprint of similar rated D-PAK Si MOSFETs. In addition, GaN semiconductors have much better theoretical limits of specific on-resistance to breakdown voltage, when compared to Si and SiC. As of now, GaN devices offer very good performance at much less the cost of SiC, very small footprints, no reverse recovery losses of a body diode, very low RDS(ON), and very fast turn-on and turn-off times due to QGS in single-digit nC range. GaN semiconductors are expected to make vast improvements over the next decade. Unfortunately, this decrease in package size has made design prototyping significantly more challenging. Traditional manual solder iron assembly is not sufficient for these device...
Resource Planning for Applied Research

Most books on research methods do not discuss the resources needed to conduct the research, nor is this topic usually covered in courses on research. However, applied research requires consideration of the realistic constraints on the research process. This chapter is intended to assist the researcher in dealing with the constraints imposed by limited resources common in almost all research. Before making final decisions about the specific design to use and the type of data collection procedures to employ, the investigator must take into account the resources available and the constraints on these resources. Planning and care in implementing the research can be as important as the research questions asked. This chapter will describe how to consider resource questions before making final design and data collection decisions. In particular, this chapter will consider the following resources: Data. What are the sources of information needed and how will they be obtained? Time. How much time is required to conduct the entire research project and its elements? Personnel. How many researchers are needed and what are their skills? Money. How much money is needed to plan and implement the research and in what categories It should be noted that this chapter, because of space limitations, cannot deal with the critical issue of where and how to obtain resources to conduct applied research. The reader is directed to other sources, such as Baron’s chapter in The Compleat Academic (1987), or the APA Guide to Research Support (Herring, 1987).
Anchorless Design of Electromagnetic Vibration Energy Harvester for Railroad

An electromagnetic energy harvester features anchorless mounting is designed and analyzed. It can harness electrical energy from railroad track deflections induced by passing trains. Anchorless mounting is designed to be easily installed on railroad sleepers without any change to the original foundation, it utilize a spring reset mechanism to capture track motion. This structure eliminates the need of anchoring on the railroad and further reduces any potential risk to change the railroad construction. An energy harvesting mechanism named mechanical motion rectifier (MMR) is created to overcome challenge in harnessing energy from the high pulse-like impact and to transform bidirectional linear vibration into unidirectional rotational motion at high efficiency. Dynamic modeling of MMR and harvester are developed to reveal the working principle and verify overall design. The harvester is targeting at powering major track-side accessories or to be used as back-up power source to enhance track operational safety.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Necessities to Be Informationalized for Liaoning Old Industrial Enterprises

The American W Steel Corporation takes advantage of information technology to attain competitive advantages. Liaoning has a lot of old industrial enterprises similar to the American W Group, so informationalization should be taken as one of the major strategies to revitalize Liaoning old industrial enterprises. Through analyses of the obstacles hindering the development of the informationalization of Liaoning old industrial enterprises, this article puts forward some countermeasures and suggestions to solve these problems, among which the leadership of the government, the strengthening of training, the exertion of the enterprises themselves, and the active and steady development of electronic commerce are all the guarantee for the realization of informationalization and promotion of the competitive abilities of Liaoning old industrial enterprises.
NMR-sensitive fluorinated and fluorescent intracellular calcium ion indicators with high dissociation constants.

A new series of high-dissociation constant (KD) Ca2+ indicators has been developed to reduce perturbations due to buffering of transients, to carry out measurements in cells and organelles with hig...
Percutaneous Repair of Left Ventricular Wire Perforation Complicating Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement for Aortic Regurgitation

A 74-year-old woman with severe aortic regurgitation, moderate mitral regurgitation, coronary artery disease status post bypass with left internal mammary artery to the left anterior descending coronary artery, and severe emphysema was deemed inoperable for open aortic valve replacement and
The Price of a Vote in the Middle East: Clientelism and Communal Politics in Lebanon and Yemen

Clientelism and ethnic favoritism appear to go hand in hand in many diverse societies in the developing world. However, while some ethnic communities receive generous material rewards for their political support, others receive very modest payoffs. The Price of a Vote in the Middle East examines this key - and often overlooked - component of clientelism. The author draws on elite interviews and original survey data collected during his years of field research in Lebanon and Yemen; two Arab countries in which political constituencies follow sectarian, regional, and tribal divisions. He demonstrates that voters in internally-competitive communal groups receive more, and better, payoffs for their political support than voters trapped in uncompetitive groups dominated by a single, hegemonic leader. Ultimately, politicians provide services when compelled by competitive pressures to do so, whereas leaders sheltered from competition can, and do, take their supporters for granted.
Recording Evoked Potentials

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the recording of revoked potentials. Evoked potentials can be and have been recorded in many places in the brain. It is conceivable, for example, to have electrodes in the cochlear nucleus, medial geniculate, primary auditory cortex, and secondary auditory cortex and then record the successive potentials in these loci along the auditory path in response to a natural auditory stimulus, such as a brief click or tonal pip, or in response to electrical stimulation of the eighth cranial nerve. Evoked potentials have been and are still employed in this way to map connections in the nervous system. Often, it has been the case that although a pathway between two structures is not readily demonstrable with anatomical or histological methods, the stimulation of one structure nonetheless evokes potentials in the other, a datum that would strongly suggest a connection between the two. Similarly, evoked potentials have been employed traditionally to localize a structure to be stimulated or ablated later. The introduction of a larger electrode into or upon the surface of the brain may result in a recording, which integrates the activities of many cells. It is at present possible to record either the higher frequency spike activity from many cells at once (a population measure called hash) or the lower frequency macropotentials, which are presumably sums of all post-synaptic potentials from all cells in the region of the recording electrode. The latter events, when spontaneous, are generally referred to as the electroencephalogram (EEG). It is possible to intentionally activate a given neural pathway via natural or electrical stimulation. The macropotential integral of post-synaptic potentials resulting from stimulus bound activity is called an evoked potential.
604 An examination of safety climate and seat belt use in the fire service

Background Historically, motor vehicle incidents account for between one-fifth to one-third of all firefighter fatalities in the United States. Non-use of seat belts has resulted in many of these fatalities. Bolstering the use of seat belts is a major goal of the emergency services field. Methods Data were collected from 208 career firefighters working for a city fire department in the southeastern United States. Preliminary analyses assessed seat belt use. Structural equation modelling was then used to assess the relationships between safety climate and seat belt use. Results In our sample, 78.7% indicated they almost always wear their seat belt when riding in fire apparatus or other emergency vehicles. 17.4% indicated they often wear their seat belt and 3.4% reported that they sometimes use their seat belt. Use did not significantly differ between varying age groups, race, marital status, education level, years of fire service work or rank. A posited model was examined. Positive perceptions of workgroup safety climate were positively associated with seat belt use. Organisational level safety climate did not have a significant relationship with seat belt use, but did positively influence workgroup safety climate perceptions. Conclusions Safety climate has been associated with safety compliance and participation behaviours, but no work has specifically examined the impact of safety climate on seat belt use in firefighters. This study shows that work group level safety climate is a significant predictor of seat belt use (p
Review of Recent Large-Scale Burn Disasters Worldwide in Comparison to Preparedness Guidelines

The US National Bioterrorism Hospital Preparedness Program indicates that each care facility must have "a plan to care for at least 50 cases per million people for patients suffering burns or trauma" to receive national funding disaster preparedness. The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether this directive is commensurate with the severity recent burn disasters, both nationally and internationally. We conducted a review of medical journal articles, investigative fire reports, and media news sources for major burn disasters dating from 1990 to present day. We defined a major burn disaster as any incident with ≥50 burn injuries and/or ≥ 30 burn-related deaths. We compared existing preparedness guidelines with the magnitude of recent burn disasters using as reference the 2005 U.S. Health and Human Services directive that each locale must "have a plan to care for at least 50 cases per million people for patients suffering burns or trauma." We reported the number of actual casualties for each incident, and estimated the number of burn beds theoretically available if the "50 [burn-injury] cases per million people" directive were to be applied to metropolitan areas outside the United States. Seven hundred fifty-two burn disaster incidents met our inclusion criteria. The majority of burn disasters occurred in Asia/Middle East. The incidence of major burn disasters from structural fires and industrial blasts remains constant in high-income and resource-restricted countries during this study period. The incidence of terrorist attacks increased 20-fold from 2001 to 2015 compared with 1990 to 2000. Recent incidents demonstrate that if current preparedness guidelines were to be adopted internationally, local resources including burn-bed availability would be insufficient to care for the total number of burn casualties. These findings underscore an urgent need to organize better regional, national, and international collaboration in burn disaster response.
A coupled 3DFE/electrochemical model for the analysis of voltage behavior in batteries under loading and charging conditions

In this paper, a lithium ion battery cell is numerically modeled using a coupled 3D finite element analysis (3DFEA) and electrochemistry. The purpose is to study the voltage performance under a wide range of operating scenarios. The coupled model is used to forecast the cell voltage overpotential and drop as a result of charging and discharging under high current densities. To study this phenomenon, light (C/10), medium (C/2), and high (1C) charging and discharging current densities were imposed at the battery terminals. As each current density is tested, the electric field gradient is depicted as well as the current density vectors inside the electrolyte and each electrode. Comprehensive models exhibit electric potentials close to observed experimental tests and further help demonstrate the voltage losses at the electrolyte-electrode interface. This work distinguishes how the numerical battery models can be useful in studying how batteries behave given a loading or charging profile before placing them in service.
INNOVATE, ENGAGE, AND IMPACT

In 2013, AACSB International published its revised Standards recognizing the dynamic environments of both business schools and the business world. The catalyst of change includes fantastical advances in technology combined with Generations Y,Z, and (yes) Alpha who have adapted as wireless, multi-tasking, multi-device savants. These students have developed amid a plethora of stimuli and expect the same from their business education environment. This paper describes the use of experiential learning via the innovative, in-the-cloud ProBanker Simulation that engages students thirst for new technological experiences and their competitive natures. During the process students recognize that the skills and analytics involved can be applied to any business entity not just a financial intermediary.
Intensity control of individual DBD plasma filament. II. Fundamental physical mechanism

Filamentary volume dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) produces patterned plasma structures that are currently being explored for reconfigurable metamaterial applications. Previous work has demonstrated control of the presence and intensity of a single DBD plasma filament (within an array of filaments) by biasing a low voltage needle electrode. The results were attributed to redistributed charge inside the DBD due to the modified electric field created by the needle electrode. In the present work, results from a 3D electrodynamic field simulation bolster this argument. Results show that increasing needle bias voltage causes changes in the transverse electric field structure, resulting in redistribution and build-up of surface charge at the needle location. This reduces the needle plasma filament intensity and eventually extinguishes the filament. Specifically, extinguishment of the filament corresponds with the following transitions in the field profile: (1) the applied longitudinal electric field profile ...
Comments on a CIP rule conundrum: Why I think I’m right

Abstract A question is raised as to how the CIP rules as related to a certain class of 2,1-benzothiazines should be applied. There are two subtle rules among the better known ones that seem to work in opposition, thus creating problems for assignments. It appears that one rule has been give precedence over the other at CAS and in programs like Chemdraw. Whether that is appropriate and true to the original rules is called into question.
Abstract 21153: The Atrial Fibrillation Ethnic Paradox: Insights From National Inpatient Sample Database

Introduction: It has been reported that African-American (AA) patients have lower incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF) as compared to their Caucasian (C) counterparts. However, precise differences...
Quasirandom Multitype Graphs

The notion of quasirandom graphs has received much attention in the last decades. The idea is that a graph need only satisfy certain properties. With these properties a graph will share many other properties with suitably defined random graphs. This very general idea applies to many other structures, but here we restrict ourselves to graphs, without direction, loops, or multiple edges.
Lies, Damn Lies, Alternative Facts, Fake News, Propaganda, Pinocchios, Pants on Fire, Disinformation, Misinformation, Post-Truth, Data, and Statistics

The first chapter of this book sets the stage for the legal analysis that makes up the bulk of the project. It will pay special attention to the political discourse about dishonesty surrounding the 2016 presidential campaign. The chapter will begin with a discussion of the way discourses about political deception and dishonesty permeated the 2016 campaign and the early stages of the Trump presidency. This will be a brief discussion looking at a few categories of discursive objects that were the highest-profile parts of the election. It will look at the concept of “fake news” and how that term evolved in its use through Trump, his opponents, and his surrogates. This will lead into a discussion about the debate within the news media about how to handle (i.e. describe) false statements President Trump made during the campaign, through the transition, and into the beginning of his presidency. The chapter concludes with an explanation of the notion of “post-truth” politics as it was defined through the lens of the Trump era.
College Students' Underestimation of Blood Alcohol Concentration from Hypothetical Consumption of Supersized Alcopops: Results from a Cluster-Randomized Classroom Study.

BACKGROUND Supersized alcopops are a class of single-serving beverages popular among underage drinkers. These products contain large quantities of alcohol. This study examines the extent to which young adults recognize how intoxicated they would become from consuming these products. METHODS The study sample included 309 undergraduates who had consumed alcohol within the past year. Thirty-two sections of a college English course were randomized to 1 of 2 survey conditions, based on hypothetical consumption of supersized alcopops or beer of comparable liquid volume. Students were provided an empty can of 1 of the 2 beverages to help them answer the survey questions. Equation-calculated blood alcohol concentrations (BACs)-based on body weight and sex-were compared to the students' self-estimated BACs for consuming 1, 2, and 3 cans of the beverage provided to them. RESULTS In adjusted regression models, students randomized to the supersized alcopop group greatly underestimated their BAC, whereas students randomized to the beer group overestimated it. The supersized alcopop group underestimated their BAC by 0.04 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.034, 0.053), 0.09 (95% CI: 0.067, 0.107), and 0.13 g/dl (95% CI: 0.097, 0.163) compared to the beer group. When asked how much alcohol they could consume before it would be unsafe to drive, students in the supersized alcopop group had 7 times the odds of estimating consumption that would generate a calculated BAC of at least 0.08 g/dl, compared to those making estimates based on beer consumption (95% CI: 3.734, 13.025). CONCLUSIONS Students underestimated the intoxication they would experience from consuming supersized alcopops. Revised product warning labels are urgently needed to clearly identify the number of standard drinks contained in a supersized alcopop can. Moreover, regulations are needed to limit alcohol content of single-serving products.
Berechnung des Arbeitsbedarfes ohne Dampfentropietafel

Die bisher benutzte Methode der Arbeitsbestimmung vollzieht sich ohne Kenntnis der Pressungen; sie vermeidet die Berechnung von Potenzen mit gebrochenen Exponenten und ist daher nicht nur sehr einfach, sondern zufolge des Zusammenhanges mit dem Kreislauf von groser Ubersichtlichkeit.
Effects of Methylphenidate on the Academic Performance of Children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Learning Disabilities.

This article reviews studies that have examined the effects of psychostimulant medications on learning and achievement in children with ADHD. Studies of stimulant effects on laboratory measures of ...
Study of the Fracture Process in Mortar with Laser Holographic Measurements

Center notched plate mortar specimens were loaded in tension. A multiple sensitivity vector holographic setup was developed to record several deformation stages during the stable crack propagation range. The three sensitivity vector setup enabled the calculation of both crack opening displacements and strain fields around the crack trajectories. An image analysis system was used to isolate the interferometric effect from the sandwich holograms resulting in fringe patterns with perfect contrast. Image analysis was also used as a faster, more accurate and more consistent method for fringe count.
Effects of Age and Race on the Odds of Adoption versus Remaining in Long-Term Out-of-Home Care.

Permanency planning philosophy and law express a preference for adoption over long-term out-of-home care when children cannot be reunified with their families. Yet, little research has considered the likelihood of a child being adopted as compared to remaining in long-term care. This study followed 3,873 children who were under six years of age when they entered out-of-home care to determine whether over the next six years they were reunified with their biological families, adopted, remained in out-of-home care, or experienced another outcome. Age at the time of placement and race/ ethnicity were found to have substantial direct effects on outcomes, but there were no significant age by race interactions or gender-based significant direct or interactive effects. Suggestions for improving the likelihood of adoption are presented.
Comparison of Laparoscopic Hysterectomy in Patients with Endometriosis with and without an Obliterated Cul-de-sac.

ABSTRACT Study Objective To determine if intraoperative outcomes for patients undergoing laparoscopic hysterectomy with endometriosis and an obliterated cul-de-sac are different than patients with endometriosis and no obliteration of the cul-de-sac. Design A retrospective cohort study. Setting An academic tertiary care hospital. Patients Patients undergoing total laparoscopic hysterectomy with endometriosis between 2012 and 2016. Interventions Total laparoscopic hysterectomy, laparoscopic modified radical hysterectomy, and other procedures as indicated. Measurements and Main Results A total of 333 patients undergoing hysterectomy were found to have endometriosis at the time of surgery. Ninety-six (29%) patients were found to have stage IV endometriosis as defined by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine staging criteria. Of those, 55 (57%) had an obliterated cul-de-sac, and 41 (43%) did not. The remaining 237 (71%) patients had stage I, II, or III endometriosis. Fifty-one (93%) patients with an obliterated cul-de-sac required laparoscopic modified radical hysterectomy compared with 12 (29%) patients with stage IV endometriosis without obliteration and 60 (25%) patients with stages I through III endometriosis (p Conclusion Patients with stage IV endometriosis and an obliterated cul-de-sac required laparoscopic modified radical hysterectomy and various other intraoperative procedures more than patients with stage IV endometriosis without obliteration and stages I through III. Patients with obliterated cul-de-sacs who are identified intraoperatively should be referred to minimally invasive gynecologic specialists because of the difficult nature of these procedures and extra training required to perform them safely with limited morbidity.
Borges and Nietzschean Ethics: Another Branch of Fantastic Literature?

This study maintains that Borges’s treatment of philosophy is not ironical or literarily reductionist with respect to one of its sub-disciplines: Ethics. In order to substantiate this thesis, Borges’s relation to Nietzsche from the 1930s to the 1950s is explored. The most important aspect of this relation, as will be seen in this study, is Borges’s serious reading of Nietzsche’s ethics, which can be contrasted to his playful, ironic and at times derisive attitude toward Nietzsche’s metaphysics and writing style. The significance of such a reading for this study is that it runs parallel to and overlaps with Borges’s repeated skirmishes with anti-Semites, fascists and other nationalists in both his fictions and non-fictions. It is in this context that his engagement with ethics can be appreciated.
Guidance Laws for Partially-Observable Interception Based on Linear Covariance Analysis

We consider pursuit-evasion games in which the pursuer is tasked with intercepting the evader using only partial measurements. Motivated by the utilization of visual sensing on board the pursuer, we focus on the case when only bearing measurements are available to the pursuer. The resulting partially-observable interception problem is computationally challenging, and the separation principle does not hold in general. In this paper, we identify a set of maneuvers that improve observability, and we propose an algorithm that utilizes these maneuvers to move the pursuer so that the expected payoff of the differential game is maximized. The algorithm uses in-the-loop uncertainty propagation based on linear covariance analysis to assess the effect of the maneuvers. We evaluate the resulting guidance law in experiments involving a quadcopter in flight representing the pursuer, and a simulated evader.
Use of Logical Puzzles to Promote Techeracy for Non-Science/Engineering Students

Literacy and numeracy, introduced long ago to define the skill sets of a competent workforce, are no longer adequate for the 21st century. We need what is described by “techeracy,” which is loosely equivalent to “grasp of technology.” Just as numeracy is fundamentally different from literacy, there are key differences between the scopes and requirements of techeracy and numeracy. Achieving techeracy requires a further shift away from story-telling and word problems, used to instill literacy and numeracy, toward logical reasoning, as reflected in the activity of solving puzzles. I draw upon my experience with teaching a freshman seminar to non-science/engineering majors to convey how a diverse group of learners can be brought to understand the underpinnings of complex technical concepts. Once the basics are imparted in this manner, learners become empowered to pursue additional science and technology topics through suitably designed self-contained study modules.
Discovering Oculometric Patterns to Detect Cognitive Performance Changes in Healthy Youth Football Athletes

In this paper, we focus on the application of oculometric patterns extracted from raw eye movements during a mental workload task to assess changes in cognitive performance in healthy youth athletes over the course of a typical sport season. Oculometric features pertaining to fixations and saccades were measured on 116 athletes in pre- and post-season testing. Participants were between 7 and 14 years of age at pre-season testing. Due to varied developmental rates, there were large interindividual performance differences during a mental workload task consisting of reading numbers. Based on different reading speeds, we classified three profiles (slow, moderate, and fast) and established their corresponding baselines for oculometric data. Within each profile, we describe changes in oculomotor function based on changes in cognitive performance during the season. To visualize these changes in multidimensional oculometric data, we also present a multidimensional visualization tool named DiViTo (diagnostic visualization tool). These experimental, computational informatics and visualization methodologies may serve to utilize oculometric information to detect changes in cognitive performance due to mild or severe cognitive impairment such as concussion/mild traumatic brain injury, as well as possibly other disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorders, learning/reading disabilities, impairment of alertness, and neurocognitive function.
Subchronic and chronic developmental effects of copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles on Xenopus laevis.

Abstract Metal oxide nanoparticles, such as copper oxide (CuO), are mass produced for use in a variety of products like coatings and ceramics. Acute exposure to CuO nanoparticles has caused toxicity to many aquatic organisms, yet there is no information on the effect of prolonged CuO nanomaterial exposures. This study examined effects of chronic exposure to CuO nanoparticles on Xenopus laevis growth and development. Experiments included a 14 d subchronic exposure and a 47 d chronic exposure throughout metamorphosis. The subchronic exposure caused mortality in all tested CuO concentrations, and significant growth effects occurred after exposure to 2.5 mg L−1 CuO. Chronic exposure to 0.3 mg L−1 CuO elicited significant mortality and affected the rate of metamorphosis. Exposure to lower concentrations of CuO stimulated metamorphosis and growth, indicating that low dose exposure can have hormetic effects.
Abstract 2617: FOXC2-associated regulation of melanoma cell adhesion to the extracellular matrix and lymphatic endothelial cells

The FOXC2 transcription factor has emerged as a tumor-promoting oncogene in many cancer types. We have recently investigated the impact of Foxc2 gene disruption and FOXC2 overexpression in melanoma on tumor cell adhesion to extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins and lymphatic endothelial cells. We show that melanoma-associated FOXC2 is a critical regulator of tumor cell adhesion to the ECM proteins fibrinogen and fibronectin as well as to lymphatic endothelial cells. These effects on tumor cell adhesion correlate with FOXC2-mediated regulation of the integrins ITGA5 and ITGA9. As changes in cellular adhesion frequently accompany tumor cell transformation and progression, our data suggest that FOXC2 and genes regulated by this transcription factor may play key roles in promoting melanoma invasion and metastasis. Citation Format: Coleman E. Johnson, Corey J. Williams, Kristian M. Hargadon. FOXC2-associated regulation of melanoma cell adhesion to the extracellular matrix and lymphatic endothelial cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2617.
A pilot investigation of anterior tilt use among power wheelchair users.

Purpose: To examine the influence of use of the anterior tilt-in-space power seat function on performance of functional activities, physical health, and user satisfaction on among power wheelchair users. Materials and methods: Ten full-time power wheelchair users with a seat elevator on their current chair participated in a mixed-methods, repeated measures study. At Visit 1 participants completed the Wheelchair Outcome Measure, Functional Mobility Assessment, Wheelchair Users Shoulder Pain Index, Fatigue Severity Scale, and the Spinal Cord Injury Secondary Conditions Scale. Physical assessments were performed to examine transfer quality (transfer assessment instrument), functional reach, activities of daily living (performance assessment of self-care skills), seated balance (function in sitting test), spasticity, respiratory function, and speech production. Approximately 3 days later (Visit 2), participants were trained on use and provided a power wheelchair with anterior tilt to trial for two weeks. After two weeks (Visit 3), the Visit 1 protocol was repeated and a semistructured interview conducted. Results: Participants lived with disabilities of cerebral palsy, spinal muscular atrophy and multiple sclerosis. With use of anterior tilt, significant improvements were seen among safety of meal preparation, p = 0.033, dz = 0.91 and functional reach in the vertical direction, p = 0.000, dz = 2.62. Subjectively, participants found anterior tilt helpful in performance of reaching tasks in but found the safety equipment restrictive. Conclusion: Preliminary results indicate that use of the anterior tilt may help to improve performance of functional activities. Additional research is needed to examine the long-term influence of the technology. Implications for rehabilitation The anterior tilt seat function changes the seat angle orientation in relation to the ground in the sagittal plane and angles the seat forward. As a result, the individual using the assistive technology is positioned in a semistanding position. Preliminary results of this study indicate that with use of anterior tilt, safety of meal preparation and functional reach in the vertical direction significantly improved. Subjectively, participants found anterior tilt helpful in performance of reaching tasks but found the safety equipment restrictive. Additional research is needed to examine the long-term influence of anterior tilt on functional activities, physical health and user satisfaction on among a large and diverse group of power wheelchair users.
A Pattern Recognition Approach for Enhancing Lifecycle Maintainability of Battery Systems

This paper introduces an approach for pre-screening manufactured batteries before system deployment, with the goal of reducing higher lifecycle maintenance costs attributed to failure-prone batteries. The method employs a pattern recognition algorithm for classifying parts for acceptance or rejection. The paper describes the classification algorithm and demonstrates its performance on example pre-acceptance test data. Using an example system maintenance concept, the economic and operational impacts of the classification are also demonstrated.
General Anesthesia Alters Intracranial Venous Pressures During Transverse Sinus Stenting

Introduction Pressure gradients across venous stenosis are used as a marker for physiologically significant narrowing in idiopathic intracranial hypertension. Performing such measurements under conscious sedation (CS) more likely reflects physiologic conditions, but can be uncomfortable, leading some operators to perform measurement under general anesthesia (GA), though this may not be equivalent. Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of patients who received endovascular transverse sinus stenting due to idiopathic intracranial hypertension between August 2013 and May 2017. Patients' demographics and anesthetic parameters were collected along with venous pressure measurements. Results We identified 15 patients (14 women). The mean (SD) age was 30.5 (9.0) years and the mean body mass index (SD) was 39.5 (9.6) kg/m2. After measurements during CS, GA was induced with propofol and maintained with a volatile anesthetic. The median [IQR; range] transverse sinus pressure gradient under CS was 18 [12, 25; 6–38] mmHg compared with 14 [8, 21; 3–26] mm Hg under GA. The median [IQR; range] pressure gradient change after initiation of GA was –3 [–12, 0; –22 to 9] mm Hg (P = 0.014). After correction for increases in internal jugular vein pressures associated with assumption of GA, the median [IQR; range] gradient change was –11 [–12.5, -5; –22 to 0] mm Hg (P Conclusions The transition from CS to GA results in clinically meaningful reductions in transverse sinus gradients in idiopathic intracranial hypertension. Correction for increases in the internal jugular vein pressures reveals even more dramatic reductions in transverse sinus gradients.
A note on the full-neighborhood search of Kaandorp and Koole (2007)

We give an efficient method for enumerating Kaandorp and Koole’s (2007; Health Care Mgmt Sci 10:217–229) “full neighborhood” of candidate improvement schedules employed by their algorithm’s local search for the optimal outpatient appointment schedule. A proposition is given that the first appointment interval is always used in the optimal schedule; this allows convenient indexing within our method.
Structural studies of geranylgeranylglyceryl phosphate synthase, a prenyltransferase found in thermophilic Euryarchaeota.

Archaea are uniquely adapted to thrive in harsh environments, and one of these adaptations involves the archaeal membrane lipids, which are characterized by their isoprenoid alkyl chains connected via ether linkages to glycerol 1-phosphate. The membrane lipids of the thermophilic and acidophilic euryarchaeota Thermoplasma volcanium are exclusively glycerol dibiphytanyl glycerol tetraethers. The first committed step in the biosynthetic pathway of these archaeal lipids is the formation of the ether linkage between glycerol 1-phosphate and geranylgeranyl diphosphate, and is catalyzed by the enzyme geranylgeranylglyceryl phosphate synthase (GGGPS). The 1.72 A resolution crystal structure of GGGPS from T. volcanium (TvGGGPS) in complex with glycerol and sulfate is reported here. The crystal structure reveals TvGGGPS to be a dimer, which is consistent with the absence of the aromatic anchor residue in helix α5a that is required for hexamerization in other GGGPS homologs; the hexameric quaternary structure in GGGPS is thought to provide thermostability. A phylogenetic analysis of the Euryarchaeota and a parallel ancestral state reconstruction investigated the relationship between optimal growth temperature and the ancestral sequences. The presence of an aromatic anchor residue is not explained by temperature as an ecological parameter. An examination of the active site of the TvGGGPS dimer revealed that it may be able to accommodate longer isoprenoid substrates, supporting an alternative pathway of isoprenoid membrane-lipid synthesis.