cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Progress in MMIC Technology for Satellite Communications

NASA's Lewis Research Center is actively involved in the development of monolithic microwave and millimeter wave integrated circuits. The approach of the program is to support basic research under grant or in-house, while MMIC development is done under contract, thereby facilitating the transfer of technology to users. Primary thrusts of the program have been the extension of technology to higher frequencies (60 GHz), degrees of complexity, and performance (power, efficiency, noise figure) by utilizing new circuit designs, processes, and materials.
A role for amyloid precursor-like protein 2 in corneal epithelial wound healing

PURPOSE. The authors previously showed that the mRNA encoding the amyloid precursor-like protein 2 (APLP2) was one of several genes with upregulated expression in healing corneal epithelium. To elucidate the physiological role of APLP2 in corneal epithelial cells, the expression, distribution, and posttranslational modification of APLP2 were investigated. METHODS. Alternative splicing was assessed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction; translational expression and posttranslational modification were assessed by chondroitinase digestion and Western blotting. The differential distribution of APLP2 in corneal epithelium was examined by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemical analyses. RESULTS. In rat corneal epithelium, the majority of APLP2 mRNA generated from two alternative splicing sites was found to contain the exon encoding a Kunitz protease inhibitor domain in the first site but to lack the exon encoding a 12-amino acid insert in the second site. The absence of the 12-amino acid insert indicated that APLP2 could be modified by the addition of a chondroitin sulfate (CS) glycosaminoglycan chain. The CS proteoglycan nature of APLP2 was verified by chondroitinase digestion. After wounding, APLP2 mRNA and polypeptides were increased markedly in the basal epithelial cells that were actively migrating. Furthermore, APLP2 was observed in the denuded wound bed immediately adjacent to the leading edge of migratory cells and under the epithelial sheet after wound closure. CONCLUSIONS. The wound-induced, basal-cell-specific APLP2 expression correlates with epithelial cell migration. The spatial and temporal expression of Kunitz protease inhibitor-containing, CS-modified APLP2 in healing corneal epithelium is consistent with its hypothesized role(s) in mediating reorganization of the extracellular matrix and dynamic cell-matrix adhesion during reepithelialization.
A Case Study Exploring the Reading Engagement of Middle Grades English Learners

This study investigates the reading engagement of four middle school English learners in their English or English as a Second Language classroom. Students with high levels of reading engagement are...
Schritt 1: Video- und Online-Beratung – Holen Sie den Kunden dort ab, wo er ist: im Internet

Hier lernen Sie mit Facebook, Amazon, Google und Apple die „fantastischen Vier“ und deren Bedeutung fur Ihr Business kennen. Sie erfahren, warum sich viele Menschen in das Internet wie in einen Kokon zuruckziehen, aber trotzdem eine personliche Beziehung zu Ihnen aufbauen mochten. Wenn es Ihnen gelingt, diese personliche Beziehung bei der Video- und Online-Beratung im Internet herbeizufuhren, werden Sie zahlreiche weitere Kunden gewinnen und von Ihren Produkten und Angeboten uberzeugen. Bedenken Sie: Der Kunde mochte und braucht qualifizierte Beratung, will jedoch erst einmal Unverbindlichkeit und keinen direkten Kontakt. Mit der Video- und Online-Beratung sind Sie als Berater personlich beim Kunden, ohne personlich anwesend zu sein. Gerade dieser Umstand veranlasst den Kunden, sich in das Beratungsgesprach intensiv einzulassen. Wenn Sie jetzt richtig agieren, wird sich der Kunde Ihr Angebot sehr genau anhoren.
The Effect of Propofol vs. Isoflurane Anesthesia on Postoperative Changes in Cerebrospinal Fluid Cytokine Levels: Results from a Randomized Trial.

Introduction: Aside from direct effects on neurotransmission, inhaled and intravenous anesthetics have immunomodulatory properties. In vitro and mouse model studies suggest that propofol inhibits, while isoflurane increases, neuroinflammation. If these findings translate to humans, they could be clinically important since neuroinflammation has detrimental effects on neurocognitive function in numerous disease states. Materials and Methods: To examine whether propofol and isoflurane differentially modulate neuroinflammation in humans, cytokines were measured in a secondary analysis of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from patients prospectively randomized to receive anesthetic maintenance with propofol vs. isoflurane (registered with http://www.clinicaltrials.gov, identifier NCT01640275). We measured CSF levels of EGF, eotaxin, G-CSF, GM-CSF, IFN-α2, IL-1RA, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-10, IP-10, MCP-1, MIP-1α, MIP-1s, and TNF-α before and 24 h after intracranial surgery in these study patients. Results: After Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons, we found significant increases from before to 24 h after surgery in G-CSF, IL-10, IL-1RA, IL-6, IL-8, IP-10, MCP-1, MIP-1α, MIP-1s, and TNF-α. However, we found no difference in cytokine levels at baseline or 24 h after surgery between propofol- (n = 19) and isoflurane-treated (n = 21) patients (p>0.05 for all comparisons). Increases in CSF IL-6, IL-8, IP-10, and MCP-1 levels directly correlated with each other and with postoperative CSF elevations in tau, a neural injury biomarker. We observed CSF cytokine increases up to 10-fold higher after intracranial surgery than previously reported after other types of surgery. Discussion: These data clarify the magnitude of neuroinflammation after intracranial surgery, and raise the possibility that a coordinated neuroinflammatory response may play a role in neural injury after surgery.
Landscape Genetics: A Toolbox for Studying Vector-Borne Diseases

Landscape genetics aims to quantify the effect of landscape on gene flow. Broadly, the approach involves measuring genetic variation, quantifying landscape heterogeneity, and statistically testing the link between both genetic variation and landscape heterogeneity. This approach has been widely used by conservation biologists, for example to identify barriers restricting movement in threatened populations. More recently, landscape genetics has been used to study the epidemiology of infectious diseases, such as chronic wasting disease, raccoon rabies, and malaria. This method can be useful to identifying potential hotspot areas of disease movement for targeted public health interventions and containment of disease and drug resistance. However, vector-borne disease epidemiology is particularly complex, as it is affected by the movement of both the vector and human or vertebrate host. This feature could potentially inhibit the ability to detect the effect of landscape on gene flow, since the ecology of vectors and hosts are likely different and potentially conflicting. Here, we provide a summary of the latest innovations in the field of landscape genetics with a focus on those that could help increase the power to detect landscape effects in vector-borne human disease studies. We also provide a recommended framework for studying vector-borne diseases using a landscape genetics approach. Landscape genetics has the potential to be a powerful tool for the field of vector-borne disease epidemiology, but has so far been underutilized. The provided synthesis of tools and considerations for conducting a landscape genetics study of a vector-borne disease aim to bridge the gap between the two disciplines.
Bacterial RecA Protein Promotes Adenoviral Recombination during In Vitro Infection.

ABSTRACT Adenovirus infections in humans are common and sometimes lethal. Adenovirus-derived vectors are also commonly chosen for gene therapy in human clinical trials. We have shown in previous work that homologous recombination between adenoviral genomes of human adenovirus species D (HAdV-D), the largest and fastest growing HAdV species, is responsible for the rapid evolution of this species. Because adenovirus infection initiates in mucosal epithelia, particularly at the gastrointestinal, respiratory, genitourinary, and ocular surfaces, we sought to determine a possible role for mucosal microbiota in adenovirus genome diversity. By analysis of known recombination hot spots across 38 human adenovirus genomes in species D (HAdV-D), we identified nucleotide sequence motifs similar to bacterial Chi sequences, which facilitate homologous recombination in the presence of bacterial Rec enzymes. These motifs, referred to here as ChiAD, were identified immediately 5′ to the sequence encoding penton base hypervariable loop 2, which expresses the arginine-glycine-aspartate moiety critical to adenoviral cellular entry. Coinfection with two HAdV-Ds in the presence of an Escherichia coli lysate increased recombination; this was blocked in a RecA mutant strain, E. coli DH5α, or upon RecA depletion. Recombination increased in the presence of E. coli lysate despite a general reduction in viral replication. RecA colocalized with viral DNA in HAdV-D-infected cell nuclei and was shown to bind specifically to ChiAD sequences. These results indicate that adenoviruses may repurpose bacterial recombination machinery, a sharing of evolutionary mechanisms across a diverse microbiota, and unique example of viral commensalism. IMPORTANCE Adenoviruses are common human mucosal pathogens of the gastrointestinal, respiratory, and genitourinary tracts and ocular surface. Here, we report finding Chi-like sequences in adenovirus recombination hot spots. Adenovirus coinfection in the presence of bacterial RecA protein facilitated homologous recombination between viruses. Genetic recombination led to evolution of an important external feature on the adenoviral capsid, namely, the penton base protein hypervariable loop 2, which contains the arginine-glycine-aspartic acid motif critical to viral internalization. We speculate that free Rec proteins present in gastrointestinal secretions upon bacterial cell death facilitate the evolution of human adenoviruses through homologous recombination, an example of viral commensalism and the complexity of virus-host interactions, including regional microbiota.
Molecular Insights into the Disease Mechanisms of Type II Mixed Cryoglobulinemia

Several epidemiological and clinico-pathological observations suggest that the pathogenesis of type II MC (MC-II) is multifactorial and multistep. Strongly associated with MC-II is the presence of cryoprecipitates, thought to be involved in the maintenance and perpetuation of the disease. The biological characteristics of MC-II cryoglobulins are extremely relevant to the etiopathogenetic mechanisms linking hepatitis C virus antigen stimulation to autoimmunity and to lymphoproliferation. Currently, there are no data clearly demonstrating the component responsible for cryoprecipitation. However, several findings from studies of cryoimmunoglobulin glycosylation together with the characterization of monoclonal IgM rheumatoid factor activity/recognition may provide a better understanding of the pathologic process linking cryoprecipitation with hepatitis C virus infection.
What about the Students? English Language Learners in Postsecondary Settings

This chapter examines research on English language learner identity in postsecondary contexts. It focuses first on how demographic research classifies students according to commonalities, overlooking significant differences. It then examines how ethnography and critical ethnography reveal more complex notions of identity, thereby offering insight into where institutional and pedagogical reform might be needed. The examples of critical ethnography, in particular, show students as active participants in their learning who should be consulted about institutional labels, testing, placement procedures, and teaching.
Polynucleotides. XV. A common error in the plotting of continuous variation (mixing curve) experiments.

Abstract The often employed practice of reporting continuous variation experiments with polynucleotides in terms of relative ultraviolet absorbance, to better portray the hypochromicity of the complex whose stoichiometry is under investigation, is shown to be incorrect. Ways in which this type of plot can lead to erroneous conclusions are discussed. It is concluded that plotting the observed absorbance measurements is the appropriate method for data analysis and presentation.
Cervical Spine Osteomyelitis: A Systematic Review of Instrumented Fusion in the Modern Era.

Objective For cases of cervical osteomyelitis that require surgery, concern has continued regarding instrumentation owing to the potential for bacterial seeding of the hardware. We performed a systematic review of the current data. Methods A search was performed using Medline, Embase, and Ovid for articles using the keywords “cervical osteomyelitis/spondylodiscitis” and “fusion” or “instrumentation” reported from 1980 to 2017. Prospective or retrospective studies describing ≥2 patients with cervical osteomyelitis were included in the analysis; non-English reports were excluded. Individual patients were excluded from the final analysis if they had previously undergone spinal instrumentation. Results A total of 239 patients from 24 studies met our criteria. Surgical approaches were classified as anterior-only, combined anteroposterior, and posterior-only for 64.8%, 31.9%, and 3.3% of the patients respectively. Of the patients treated using an anterior-only approach, 76.5% had received anterior plating and 85.3%, a cage or spacer implants. Of the patients who had undergone combined approaches, 85.1% underwent circumferential fixation and 14.9%, anterior debridement with posterior instrumentation. The follow-up period ranged from 6 weeks to 11 years (mean, 31.0 months). All the studies reporting the fusion rates, except for 1, reported a 100% fusion rate. The reported rates of pain improvement and neurologic recovery were favorable. The incidence of hardware failure and wound complications was 4.6% and 4.0%, respectively. Conclusions Despite placing instrumentation during active infection, the rates of hardware failure and wound complications were comparable to those of elective cervical spine procedures. These results suggest that surgical intervention with instrumentation is a safe treatment option for patients with cervical spine osteomyelitis.
No Friends but the Mountains: Dispatches from the World's Violent Highlands

Judith Matloff. New York, NY: Basic Books, 2017. 253 pp., maps, notes, bibliography, index. $27.00 cloth (ISBN 9780465097883), $18.99 e-book (ISBN 9780465099890).Mountain geography today is in a st...
Towards detection of modified firmware on solid state drives via side channel analysis

Modern embedded devices are getting cheaper, easier to produce, and smarter. These smarter devices are able to store and process data locally at a scale that would have been infeasible until recent years. Functions that used to be performed on more powerful, dedicated systems and servers with security features are now being pushed to these unsecured commercial embedded devices. In the Internet of Things (IoT) space, this problem is manifesting itself with almost daily reports of compromise of network-connected embedded systems. While IoT device insecurity makes for attention-grabbing headlines, there are entire classes of embedded devices which do not have direct Internet connectivity for which security is still vitally important. One such class of systems are Solid State Drives (SSDs). Whereas once the bulk of computer data was stored on simpler, mechanical Hard Disk Drives (HDDs), SSDs now offer the best speed and latency performance on the market. These performance improvements are partly due to architectural and design advancements, but also to smart on-board controllers that optimize drive operations. SSD manufacturers are now responsible not only for performance but for security as well, since the complex firmware that controls these smart drives presents vectors for attack beyond what was possible with mechanical HDD firmware. If an attacker were able to alter or replace the firmware on an SSD, the potential damage could be severe. To make matters worse, the visibility of installed firmware on SSDs is intentionally restricted by manufacturers to protect intellectual property. In this work, we make source code modifications to an open source SSD development board firmware and demonstrate an automated method for discriminating the modified version from the authentic firmware using side channel analysis of observed current draw. Using cross-validation with Quadratic Discriminant Analysis and Principal Component Analysis, we are able to confirm whether firmware contains our modification with 95% certainty. This work shows that despite the lack of readily available tools for detecting malicious behavior, there are perhaps steps that customers can take to have reasonable assurance that their SSD firmware is genuine.
Endogenous Neurosteroid (3α,5α)3-Hydroxypregnan-20-one Inhibits Toll-like-4 Receptor Activation and Pro-inflammatory Signaling in Macrophages and Brain.

The endogenous neurosteroid (3α,5α)3-hydroxypregnan-20-one (3α,5α-THP, allopregnanolone) has protective activity in animal models of alcoholism, depression, traumatic brain injury, schizophrenia, multiple sclerosis, and Alzheimer’s disease that is poorly understood. Because these conditions involve proinflammatory signaling through toll-like receptors (TLRs), we examined the effects of 3α,5α-THP, and pregnenolone on TLR4 activation in both the periphery and the central nervous system (CNS). We used monocytes/macrophages (RAW264.7) as a model of peripheral immune signaling and studied innately activated TLR4 in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) of selectively bred alcohol-preferring (P) rats. LPS activated the TLR4 pathway in RAW264.7 cells as evidenced by increased levels of p-TAK1, TRAF6, NF-κB p50, phospho-NF-κB- p65, pCREB, HMGB1, and inflammatory mediators, including MCP-1 and TNFα. Both 3α,5α-THP and pregnenolone (0.5–1.0μM) substantially (~80%) inhibited these effects, indicating pronounced inhibition of TLR4 signaling. The mechanism of inhibition appears to involve blockade of TLR4/MD-2 protein interactions in RAW246.7 cells. In VTA, 3α,5α-THP (15 mg/kg, IP) administration reduced TRAF6 (~20%), CRF (~30%), and MCP-1 (~20%) levels, as well as TLR4 binding to GABAA receptor α2 subunits (~60%) and MyD88 (~40%). The data suggest that inhibition of proinflammatory neuroimmune signaling underlies protective effects of 3α,5α-THP in immune cells and brain, apparently involving blocking of protein-protein interactions that initiate TLR4-dependent signaling. Inhibition of pro-inflammatory TLR4 activation represents a new mechanism of 3α,5α-THP action in the periphery and the brain.
Value-adding partnerships in proprietary value-enhanced specialty grain: A case study of High Oil Corn

This dissertation examines the value-adding partnership in commercializing a proprietary value-enhanced specialty grain DuPont's High Oil Com, analyzes the decision­ makings along the value chain, and explains the governance structure of the value-adding partnership from the perspective of the theory of firm. It argues that private investment efforts play an important role in determining the governance structure, and the governance structure evolves with the evolution of the importance of those efforts.
TAMUTRAP facility: Penning trap facility for weak interaction studies

In the low-energy regime, precision measurements in nuclear β −decay continue to be a sensitive tool to search for new physics beyond the standard model (SM). The primary goal of the Texas A&M University Penning trap facility (TAMUTRAP) is to improve the limits on non-SM processes in the weak interaction. In particular, scalar currents, by measuring the β − ν angular correlation parameter (aβν), for T = 2, super-allowed β −delayed proton emitters. The precise measurement of energy Doppler shift of the proton following β+ −decay is sensitive to β − ν angular correlation coefficient, which is unity (aβν= 1) for pure Fermi transition in the absence of scalar currents. The experiments will be performed in a unique large bore cylindrical Penning trap with an inner radius of 90 mm, which is larger than any existing Penning trap across the world. The TAMUTRAP facility has been commissioned off-line and has demonstrated the ability to perform high precision mass measurements. We describe here the facility overview and summarize the current status towards the first measurement of β − ν angular correlation for T = 2, beta delayed proton emitters using a large bore cylindrical Penning trap with closed end caps.
Scaling laws and stability of nano-sized defect clusters in niobium via atomistic simulations and statistical analysis

The predictions of scaling laws for the structure and properties of defect clusters are generally limited to small defect clusters in their ground-state configurations. We investigated the size and geometrical configuration dependence of nano-sized defect clusters in niobium (Nb) using molecular dynamics. We studied the structure and stability of large clusters of size up to fifty defects for vacancies and one hundred defects for interstitials, as well as the role of helium and metastable configurations on the stability of these clusters. We compared three different interatomic potentials in order to determine the relative stability of these clusters as a function of their size and geometrical configurations. Additionally, we conducted a statistical analysis to predict the formation and binding energies of interstitial clusters as a function of both their size and configuration. We find that the size dependence of vacancy and interstitial clusters can be approximated by functional forms that account for bulk and surface effects as well as some considerations of elastic interactions. We also find that helium and metastable configurations can make vacancy and interstitial clusters thermally stable depending on the configuration. Our parameterized functional forms for the formation and binding energies are valid for a very broad range of defect sizes and configurations making it possible to be used directly in a coarse-grained modeling strategy such as Monte Carlo, cluster dynamics or dislocation dynamics which look at defect accumulation and evolution in microstructures.
The relationship between female snow-sport tourists' travel behaviors and well-being

Abstract Positive psychology provides an approach to understand different aspects of tourist's well-being. This study investigated the wellbeing associated with snow-sport tourism among women. As part of a larger mixed-methods study, the utility of the PERMA framework (positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment) as a tool for measuring well-being in the context of active sport tourism was assessed. Subsequently, PERMA was applied to investigate the well-being of female snow-sport participants in relation to their sport-related travel. Principle Component Analysis revealed only one dimension for well-being instead of the previously suggested five PERMA domains. One-way ANCOVA indicated that women who travelled to participate in snow-sports had a higher sense of well-being than those who participated locally. Hierarchical Multiple Regression showed a positive relationship between shorter frequent trips and higher well-being. Recommendations for encouraging participation in snow-sport tourism, focusing on well-being are made.
Hair-sparing technique using absorbable intradermal barbed suture versus traditional closure methods in supratentorial craniotomies for tumor

Hair-sparing techniques in cranial neurosurgery have gained traction in recent years and previous studies have shown no difference in infection rates, yet limited data exists evaluating the specific closure techniques utilized during hair-sparing craniotomies. Therefore, it was the intention of this study to evaluate the rate of surgical site infections (SSIs) and perioperative complications associated with using an absorbable intradermal barbed suture for skin closure in hair-sparing supratentorial craniotomies for tumor in order to prove non-inferiority to traditional methods. A retrospective review of supratentorial craniotomies for tumor by a single surgeon from 2011 to 2017 was performed. All perioperative adverse events and wound complications, defined as a postoperative infection, wound dehiscence, or CSF leak, were compared between three different groups: (1) hair shaving craniotomies + transdermal polypropylene suture/staples for scalp closure, (2) hair-sparing craniotomies + transdermal polypropylene suture/staples for scalp closure, and (3) hair-sparing craniotomies + absorbable intradermal barbed suture for scalp closure. Two hundred sixty-three patients underwent hair shaving + transdermal polypropylene suture/staples, 83 underwent hair sparing + transdermal polypropylene suture/staples, and 100 underwent hair sparing + absorbable intradermal barbed suture. Overall, 2.9% of patients experienced a perioperative complication and 4.3% developed a wound complication. In multivariable analysis, the use of a barbed suture for scalp closure and hair-sparing techniques was not predictive of any complication or 30-day readmission. Furthermore, the absorbable intradermal barbed suture cohort had the lowest overall rate of wound complications (4%). Hair-sparing techniques using absorbable intradermal barbed suture for scalp closure are safe and do not result in higher rates of infection, readmission, or reoperation when compared with traditional methods.
Introducing the Potential Medicinal and Ecological Value of a Pioneer Tree Species as a Justification to Conserve and Sustainably Manage Tropical Secondary Forests: Vismia macrophylla as a Case Study

Increasingly, secondary forests in Costa Rica are cleared before having the decades needed to reach maturity. This paper investigates the medicinal and ecological value that a small community in Costa Rica's Northern Zone receives from regenerating secondary forests by presenting a case study of pioneer tree species Vismia macrophylla. Two expert healers within this community described V. macrophylla's antifungal properties; one further demonstrated its harvest, preparation, and application. To supplement local medicinal knowledge, we completed a gas chromatography and mass spectrometry analysis of V. macrophylla tissue. We found potential antibiotic efficacy, which we suggest is primarily linked to acetic acid, and identified hexanal, which is recognized as antifungal. We surveyed V. macrophylla demography and surrounding plant diversity in 20-50 m2 plots in the primary and secondary forests to better understand the ecological context in which it occurs. We found V. macrophylla grew taller and wider in secondary forests. Furthermore, plant diversity was similar between primary and secondary forest plots with V. macrophylla. Our findings highlight the value of secondary forests in providing medicinally important species, like V. macrophylla, to their neighboring communities as they undergo succession. Our study illustrates how interdisciplinary ethnographic, chemical, and ecological research can be used to promote the sustainable use and preservation of recovering secondary forests for the benefit of the communities they surround.
Estimating wave attenuation at the coastal land margin with a GIS toolbox

Abstract Wave attenuation is a key process that impacts activities at the coastal land margin and is an ecosystem service provided by many natural landscapes. Traditional modeling tools for wind wave attenuation require advanced expertise to apply. We present an alternative, GIS-based option for estimating wave attenuation, the Wave Attenuation Toolbox (WATTE). The outputs are a map of wave height transmission as a percentage of the original wave height and a line demarking the extent of wave exposure onshore. WATTE supports a variety of inputs, ranging from outputs of ecological and landscape evolution models to remote sensing data, and past, present, and future conditions can be analyzed. The present version of WATTE models wave attenuation as an exponential decay process, and a recommendation table for exponential decay constants is derived from previous studies. Three examples of applying WATTE to marsh environments are described.
Quantitative analyses of EGFR localization and trafficking dynamics in the follicular epithelium.

To bridge the gap between qualitative and quantitative analyses of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in tissues, we generated a sfGFP-tagged EGF receptor (EGFR-sfGFP) in Drosophila. The homozygous fly appears wild type with EGFR expression and activation patterns that are consistent with previous reports in the ovary, early embryo, and imaginal discs. Using ELISA, we quantified an average of 1100, 6200, and 2500 receptors per follicle cell (FC) at stages 8/9, 10, and ≥11 of oogenesis, respectively. Interestingly, the spatial localization of the EGFR to the apical side of the FCs at early stages depended on the TGF-alpha-like ligand Gurken. At later stages, EGFR localized to basolateral positions of the FCs. Finally, we followed the endosomal localization of EGFR in the FCs. The EGFR co-localized with the late endosome, but no significant co-localization of the receptor was found with the early endosome. The EGFR-sfGFP fly is an exciting new resource to study cellular localization and regulation of EGFR in tissues.
Using In Situ Simulations to Improve Pediatric Patient Safety in Emergency Departments.

PROBLEM Given the complex interaction among patients, individual providers, health care teams, and the clinical environment, patient safety events with serious consequences are most likely to occur in intensive care units, operating rooms, and emergency departments (EDs). With low-frequency, high-risk events such as pediatric resuscitations, health care teams working in EDs may not have the clinical opportunity to identify deficiencies, review and reinforce knowledge and skills, and problem solve in authentic clinical conditions. Without creating opportunities to safely practice, hospitals run the risk of having health care teams and environments that are not prepared to provide optimal patient care. APPROACH Researchers employed a case series design and used a train-the-trainer model for in situ simulation. They trained health care professionals (instructors) in 3 general, nonacademic EDs in the San Francisco Bay area of California to perform pediatric resuscitation in situ simulations in 2018-2019. In situ simulations occur in the clinical work environment with simulation participants (teams) who are health care professionals taking care of actual patients. OUTCOMES Teams made up of physicians, nurses, and ED technicians were evaluated for clinical performance, teamwork, and communication during in situ simulations conducted by instructors at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. Debriefing after the simulations identified multiple latent safety threats (i.e., unidentified potential safety hazards) that were previously unknown. Each ED's pediatric readiness-its ability to provide emergency care for children-was evaluated at baseline and 12 months. NEXT STEPS The authors will continue to monitor and examine the impact and sustainability of the pediatric in situ simulation program on pediatric readiness scores and its possible translation to other high-risk clinical settings, as well as explore the relationship between in situ simulations and patient outcomes.
Inverse tides in pulsating binary stars

In close binary stars, the tidal excitation of pulsations typically dissipates energy, causing the system to evolve towards a circular orbit with aligned and synchronized stellar spins. However, for stars with self-excited pulsations, we demonstrate that tidal interaction with unstable pulsation modes can transfer energy in the opposite direction, forcing the spins of the stars away from synchronicity, and potentially pumping the eccentricity and spin-orbit misalignment angle. This "inverse" tidal process only occurs when the tidally forced mode amplitude is comparable to the mode's saturation amplitude, and it is thus most likely to occur in main sequence gravity mode pulsators with orbital periods of a few days. We examine the long-term evolution of inverse tidal action, finding the stellar rotation rate can potentially be driven to a very large or very small value, while maintaining a large spin-orbit misalignment angle. Several recent asteroseismic analyses of pulsating stars in close binaries have revealed extremely slow core rotation periods, which we attribute to the action of inverse tides.
Which market dominates the price discovery in currency futures? The case of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and the Intercontinental Exchange

Abstract This paper examines the relative contributions to the price discovery process of EUR/USD futures traded in the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) and the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE). We find that the CME contributes 66.4%, 92.7%, and 97.3% to the price discovery process according to information share metrics suggested by Harris, McInish, and Wood (2002), Hasbrouck (1995), and Putnins (2013), respectively. The intraday information share metrics also show that the CME dominates the price discovery in most time periods. We attribute the CME's price discovery leadership to its higher trading activity, lower transaction costs, and higher volatility as compared to the ICE.
Employing machine learning techniques to assess requirement change volatility

Lack of planning when changing requirements to reflect stakeholders’ expectations can lead to propagated changes that can cause project failures. Existing tools cannot provide the formal reasoning required to manage requirement change and minimize unanticipated change propagation. This research explores machine learning techniques to predict requirement change volatility (RCV) using complex network metrics based on the premise that requirement networks can be utilized to study change propagation. Three research questions (RQs) are addressed: (1) Can RCV be measured through four classes namely, multiplier, absorber, transmitter, and robust, during every instance of change? (2) Can complex network metrics be explored and computed for each requirement during every instance of change? (3) Can machine learning techniques, specifically, multilabel learning (MLL) methods be employed to predict RCV using complex network metrics? RCV in this paper quantifies volatility for change propagation, that is, how requirements behave in response to the initial change. A multiplier is a requirement that is changed by an initial change and propagates change to other requirements. An absorber is a requirement that is changed by an initial change, but does not propagate change to other requirements. A transmitter is a requirement that is not changed by an initial change, but propagates change to other requirements. A robust requirement is a requirement that is not changed by an initial change and does not propagate change to other requirements. RCV is determined using industrial data and requirement network relationships obtained from previously developed Refined Automated Requirement Change Propagation Prediction (R-ARCPP) tool. Useful complex network metrics in highest performing machine learning models are discussed along with the limitations and future directions of this research.
Development of COVIDVax Model to Estimate the Risk of SARS-CoV-2-Related Death Among 7.6 Million US Veterans for Use in Vaccination Prioritization.

Importance: A strategy that prioritizes individuals for SARS-CoV-2 vaccination according to their risk of SARS-CoV-2-related mortality would help minimize deaths during vaccine rollout. Objective: To develop a model that estimates the risk of SARS-CoV-2-related mortality among all enrollees of the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system. Design, Setting, and Participants: This prognostic study used data from 7â¯635â¯064 individuals enrolled in the VA health care system as of May 21, 2020, to develop and internally validate a logistic regression model (COVIDVax) that predicted SARS-CoV-2-related death (n = 2422) during the observation period (May 21 to November 2, 2020) using baseline characteristics known to be associated with SARS-CoV-2-related mortality, extracted from the VA electronic health records (EHRs). The cohort was split into a training period (May 21 to September 30) and testing period (October 1 to November 2). Main Outcomes and Measures: SARS-CoV-2-related death, defined as death within 30 days of testing positive for SARS-CoV-2. VA EHR data streams were imported on a data integration platform to demonstrate that the model could be executed in real-time to produce dashboards with risk scores for all current VA enrollees. Results: Of 7â¯635â¯064 individuals, the mean (SD) age was 66.2 (13.8) years, and most were men (7â¯051â¯912 [92.4%]) and White individuals (4â¯887â¯338 [64.0%]), with 1â¯116â¯435 (14.6%) Black individuals and 399â¯634 (5.2%) Hispanic individuals. From a starting pool of 16 potential predictors, 10 were included in the final COVIDVax model, as follows: sex, age, race, ethnicity, body mass index, Charlson Comorbidity Index, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, congestive heart failure, and Care Assessment Need score. The model exhibited excellent discrimination with area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of 85.3% (95% CI, 84.6%-86.1%), superior to the AUROC of using age alone to stratify risk (72.6%; 95% CI, 71.6%-73.6%). Assuming vaccination is 90% effective at preventing SARS-CoV-2-related death, using this model to prioritize vaccination was estimated to prevent 63.5% of deaths that would occur by the time 50% of VA enrollees are vaccinated, significantly higher than the estimate for prioritizing vaccination based on age (45.6%) or the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention phases of vaccine allocation (41.1%). Conclusions and Relevance: In this prognostic study of all VA enrollees, prioritizing vaccination based on the COVIDVax model was estimated to prevent a large proportion of deaths expected to occur during vaccine rollout before sufficient herd immunity is achieved.
Segmented Testing

The fraction of faults detected for a digital network is frequently high for the first few input combinations applied out of a set of test vectors. For on-line testing, there appears to be an advantage to splitting the test into segments which are applied at different times. It is shown that the expected time to error detection and the probability of an undetected double error can be reduced. The amount of reduction is dependent on the shape of the fault coverage curve. This approach may be applicable in fault-tolerant systems.
Characteristics of Early Childhood and Elementary General Music Methods Coursework for Preservice Music Teachers

Although many music teacher candidates begin university studies planning to teach secondary ensembles, most will ultimately be certified to teach younger children and may be called to do so. The pu...
The Grand Unification: Active Galactic Nuclei

Cosmic jets from galaxies and quasars led to the recognition that radio galaxies and quasars are members of the same family of active galactic nuclei and what we see depends on how their radio jests are oriented with respect to our line of sight.
Construction of a Chemical Sensor/Instrumentation Package Using Fiber Optic and Miniaturization Technology

The objective of this research was to construct a chemical sensor/instrumentation package that was smaller in weight and volume than conventional instrumentation. This reduction in weight and volume is needed to assist in further reducing the cost of launching payloads into space. To accomplish this, fiber optic sensors, miniaturized spectrometers, and wireless modems were employed. The system was evaluated using iodine as a calibration analyte.
Validation Study: Introduction†

Validation studies obtain information on measurement errors in exposures and other covariates used in epidemiological studies by comparing the conventional exposure measurements with ‘gold standard’ measurements.
Sensor Fusion for Mine Detection with the RNN

In this paper we propose a neural network based approach to sensor fusion, to detect mine locations from electromagnetic induction (EMI) data. Our results use the Random Neural Network (RNN) model [2, 4, 5] which is closer to biophysical reality and mathematically more tractable than standard neural methods. The network is trained to produce an error minimizing non-linear mapping from three sensor output images to the fused image. The result is thresholded to point to likely mine locations.
Optimal training sets for Bayesian prediction of MeSH assignment.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to improve naive Bayes prediction of Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) assignment to documents using optimal training sets found by an active learning inspired method. Design: The authors selected 20 MeSH terms whose occurrences cover a range of frequencies. For each MeSH term, they found an optimal training set, a subset of the whole training set. An optimal training set consists of all documents including a given MeSH term (C1 class) and those documents not including a given MeSH term (C1 class) that are closest to the C1 class. These small sets were used to predict MeSH assignments in the MEDLINE ® database. Measurements: Average precision was used to compare MeSH assignment using the naive Bayes learner trained on the whole training set, optimal sets, and random sets. The authors compared 95% lower confidence limits of average precisions of naive Bayes with upper bounds for average precisions of a K-nearest neighbor (KNN) classifier. Results: For all 20 MeSH assignments, the optimal training sets produced nearly 200% improvement over use of the whole training sets. In 17 of those MeSH assignments, naive Bayes using optimal training sets was statistically better than a KNN. In 15 of those, optimal training sets performed better than optimized feature selection. Overall naive Bayes averaged 14% better than a KNN for all 20 MeSH assignments. Using these optimal sets with another classifier, C-modified least squares (CMLS), produced an additional 6% improvement over naive Bayes. Conclusion: Using a smaller optimal training set greatly improved learning with naive Bayes. The performance is superior to a KNN. The small training set can be used with other sophisticated learning methods, such as CMLS, where using the whole training set would not be feasible.
USAA: Organizing for Innovation and Superior Customer Service

USAA, a diversified financial services firm serving the U.S. military, had long been recognized for outstanding customer service. The company had never operated branches, instead providing services through remote channels, such as the telephone, Internet (USAA.com), mail, fax, and any bank’s ATM machines. USAA wanted customers to be able to access their services any way they liked. By 2010, however, USAA recognized that serving customers remotely meant responding to the rapid introduction of mobile consumer devices. To ensure constant innovation and integrated customer services, USAA was transforming its operating model and promoting innovation across the enterprise. The IT unit was focused on providing technology platforms and solutions to support both an integrated business model and rapid innovations. This case describes how USAA was transforming itself and, specifically, how the IT unit was addressing changing demands from customers and business partners.
Regression forests for efficient anatomy detection and localization in CT studies

This paper proposes multi-class random regression forests as an algorithm for the efficient, automatic detection and localization of anatomical structures within three-dimensional CT scans. Regression forests are similar to the more popular classification forests, but trained to predict continuous outputs. We introduce a new, continuous parametrization of the anatomy localization task which is effectively addressed by regression forests. This is shown to be a more natural approach than classification. A single pass of our probabilistic algorithm enables the direct mapping from voxels to organ location and size; with training focusing on maximizing the confidence of output predictions. As a by-product, our method produces salient anatomical landmarks; i.e. automatically selected "anchor" regions which help localize organs of interest with high confidence. Quantitative validation is performed on a database of 100 highly variable CT scans. Localization errors are shown to be lower (and more stable) than those from global affine registration approaches. The regressor's parallelism and the simplicity of its context-rich visual features yield typical runtimes of only 1s. Applications include semantic visual navigation, image tagging for retrieval, and initializing organ-specific processing.
Postprandial hypoglycemia resulting from nasogastric tube malposition.

Recurrent, severe hypoglycemia in infants and children usually reflects an immature or defective adaptation to fasting (postabsorptive hypoglycemia). Rarely, however, symptoms of hypoglycemia occur predominantly in the postprandial period (less than four hours after a meal). Recent studies have focused attention on postprandial hypoglycemia as a manifestation of the late postprandial dumping syndrome in children following gastric surgery.1,2 In this setting, hypoglycemia is attributed to reactive hyperinsulinemia following a rapid initial increase in blood glucose concentration.3 We report the finding of severe, recurrent hypoglycemia in a nonsurgical patient receiving nasogastric feedings. In this patient, inadvertent intubation of the proximal small bowel simulated the altered gastrointestinal dynamics associated with the late postprandial dumping syndrome.
Lo inconsciente en la explicación social

El verdadero alcance y contenido de lo inconsciente en las Ciencias Humanas deberia ser establecido en referencia a su relacion conceptual con la psicologia popular que moldea a la forma estandar de explicacion alli en juego. Un estudio de dicha relacion muestra que los cientificos de las Ciencias Humanas deberian apelar al inconsciente solo cuando el lenguaje de lo consciente les falla, esto es, especialmente cuando encuentran un conflicto entre la autocomprension de las personas y sus acciones. Este estudio muestra tambien que los cientificos de las Ciencias Humanas deberian adoptar un concepto mas amplio de lo inconsciente que aquel desarrollado por Freud, es decir, un concepto que este libre de la concepcion freudiana ahistorica de los instintos y su enfasis ahistorico en las experiencias sexuales de la ninez. Lo inconsciente, entendido de esta manera, tiene una relacion ambigua con las mas recientes vertientes linguisticas y narrativas del Psicoanalisis
Respondent Agreement in Follow-up Studies of Graduates of Special and Regular Education Programs

Two studies, involving postgraduates in both regular and special education, analyzed the agreement between parents' and postgraduates' responses on postschool status. High agreement percentages and strong Cohen Kappas were obtained for the variables of attending postsecondary school, employment status, type of residence, marital status, and number of children. Low agreement rates and weak Kappas were obtained for the variables of salary level, hours worked, and medical benefits received. Results indicate caution in the use of data obtained from parents in the latter areas.