cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
NCBI GEO: archive for functional genomics data sets—10 years on

A decade ago, the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database was established at the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). The original objective of GEO was to serve as a public repository for high-throughput gene expression data generated mostly by microarray technology. However, the research community quickly applied microarrays to non-gene-expression studies, including examination of genome copy number variation and genome-wide profiling of DNA-binding proteins. Because the GEO database was designed with a flexible structure, it was possible to quickly adapt the repository to store these data types. More recently, as the microarray community switches to next-generation sequencing technologies, GEO has again adapted to host these data sets. Today, GEO stores over 20 000 microarray- and sequence-based functional genomics studies, and continues to handle the majority of direct high-throughput data submissions from the research community. Multiple mechanisms are provided to help users effectively search, browse, download and visualize the data at the level of individual genes or entire studies. This paper describes recent database enhancements, including new search and data representation tools, as well as a brief review of how the community uses GEO data. GEO is freely accessible at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/.
Time-Domain Methods

A very important approach to finding the steady-state response of a system of differential equations is to formulate a boundary-value problem whose solution is the desired steady-state response. Methods for formulating boundary-value problems for periodic solutions was discussed in Chapter 3 and methods for quasiperiodic solutions will be covered in Chapter 7. This chapter presents two important ways of solving these boundary-value problems.
Technetium Tc 99m Sestamibi Myocardial Perfusion Imaging: Current Role for Evaluation of Prognosis

Like 201 Tl imaging, technetium Tc 99m sestamibi (MIBI) myocardial imaging can be used with exercise and pharmacologic testing to assess the presence of coronary artery disease. An increasing body of literature indicates that MIBI can also be used to assess risk of future cardiac events such as myocardial infarction or death. This article summarizes the current status of MIBI imaging for evaluating prognosis in patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease.
Three-dimensional deformation caused by the Bam, Iran, earthquake and the origin of shallow slip deficit

Our understanding of the earthquake process requires detailed insights into how the tectonic stresses are accumulated and released on seismogenic faults. We derive the full vector displacement field due to the Bam, Iran, earthquake of moment magnitude 6.5 using radar data from the Envisat satellite of the European Space Agency. Analysis of surface deformation indicates that most of the seismic moment release along the 20-km-long strike-slip rupture occurred at a shallow depth of 4‐5km, yet the rupture did not break the surface. The Bam event may therefore represent an endmember case of the ‘shallow slip deficit’ model, which postulates that coseismic slip in the uppermost crust is systematically less than that at seismogenic depths (4‐10km). The InSAR-derived surface displacement data from the Bam and other large shallow earthquakes suggest that the uppermost section of the seismogenic crust around young and developing faults may undergo a distributed failure in the interseismic period, thereby accumulating little elastic strain.
Quality Assurance and Laboratory Inspection

The College of American Pathology (CAP) checklist defines a molecular laboratory as one that performs testing that involves DNA or RNA probe hybridization or amplification. It covers the following types of testing: Oncology Hematology Infectious disease Inherited disease Human leukocyte antigen phenotype or genotype determination (HLA typing) Forensics Parentage
Young and Old Galaxies at High Redshift

We review the results from recent deep HST imaging on faint galaxies. Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) were used to classify faint galaxies based on surface brightness and light profiles. We use available UV + ground-based U-band images of nearby galaxies to address the effects from the uncertain redshifted UV-morphology on the classifications, resulting in ‘restframe ANN’ classifiers. These distinguish quite consistently between E/SO’s, Sabc’s, and Sd/Irr for B ≲ 27 mag. A Fourier-based method is used to quantify higher order morphological features and asymmetries in faint galaxies. We review the faint blue galaxy population as classified with these restframe ANN’s. The median scale-length at B ≲ 27 mag is r hl ≃ 0″.25–0″.3(∼ 1–2kpc at z≃1–2). Although E/SO’s are the reddest and Sd/lrr’s are the bluest galaxies, early and late types are not wel separated in color-magnitude diagrams to B ≲ 28 mag. We discuss the B-band galaxy counts as a function of type for 18.5 ≲ B ≲ 28 mag. We briefly review deep medium-band imaging with HST/WFPC2 in the filter F410M (Lyα at z ≲ 2.4) which yielded 18 faint, compact objects surrounding the radio galaxy 53W002 at z ≲2.39, as well as another 30 in random HST parallel fields, plus ground-based images over a larger area. Deep HST/PC images of 53W002 at ∼ 0″.06 FWHM resolution in BVI + redshifted Lyα suggest that both reflected AGN continuum-light shining through a cone and jet-induced star-formation play a role in its ‘alignment effect’. We discuss the formation and evolution of 53W002 in the context of its many surrounding sub-galactic sized objects. We discuss the nature of a μJy radio source that remained essentially unidentified in HDF flanking fields. The object was identified in deep HST/NICMOS J- and H-band images, and a single emission line at 6595 A was detected, most likely Lyα at z = 4.42. This faint (H = 23.9 mag), compact (re ≃ 0″.2), red (I - K = 2.0 mag) object is most likely a dusty, star-forming young galaxy with an embedded active nucleus. Finally, HST/NICMOS images are presented of some of the oldest known red galaxies at z ≃ 1.5. Both galaxies are dominated by a r 1/4-profile with 5 kpc scale-length, and are amongst the oldest known relaxed systems at that epoch.
Notes on an army ant (Eciton burchelli) raid on a social wasp colony (Agelaia yepocapa) in Costa Rica

In this note we describe a raid by army ants (Eciton burchelli Westwood) on a colony of tropical swarm-founding wasps (Agelaia yepocapa Richards). The general features of such raids have been discussed elsewhere (Jeanne 1970, Naumann 1975, Young 1979). Army ants are a major predation force on social wasp colonies in many Neotropical areas (Chadab 19 79a, Jeanne 1975), and features of swarm-founding wasp behaviour indicate strong selection for dealing with army ant predation (Chadab 19 79b, Jeanne 1975). The raid described here involved a number of behavioural responses of the wasps to the ant attack which have not been reported before, and occurred at an unusually high elevation. The raid took place next to the dirt road leading to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve in Puntarenas Province, Costa Rica. The wasp nest was located 4 m above the ground in a trunk cavity of a large (about 0.7 m DBH) broadleaf tree, several kilometres downhill from the Preserve headquarters. The surrounding habitat is a mixture of disturbed forest and pasture, at an elevation of about 1100 m. This is near the upper elevational limit for E. burchelli in the area (William Haber, pers. comm.) We first noticed the attack on 27 July 1988 late in the morning, but local residents claimed it had begun the previous afternoon. Army ants were entering the wasp nest cavity and extracting wasp brood (larvae and pupae) when we arrived, and continued to do so during our last observation at 1500 h that afternoon. The raid spanned a period of at least 24 h though it is uncertain whether it had continued through the night, when army ants usually bivouac (Franks 1989). The wasps were identified as Agelaia yepocapa (formerly Stelopolybia yepocapa). This is the first record of an A. yepocapa nesting site; like most
Frictional coefficients of multisubunit structures. I. Theory

The theory of Kirkwood for the translational frictional coefficients of structures composed of subunits has been generalized in two ways in order to consider aggregates of nonidentical subunits. One of these generalizations fails when the sizes of subunits are too disparate; the other, derived from a surface shell distribution of frictional elements, is effective over the whole range of relative sizes. It is shown that, in the limit of a continuous surface distribution, a shell model reproduces Stoke's law for a sphere. Comparison is made between the frictional coefficients of spheres, ellipsoids, and rods modeled by finite numbers of subunits and by continuous shells of frictional elements, and those calculated from other theories. Agreement is generally good, though the shell model for prolate ellipsoids of revolution deviates by a few per cent from the Perrin value.
Update 2013 on the iCollaborate MSE project

The primary goals of the iCollaborate Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) project are to improve student learning outcomes, engagement, and completion rates in introductory materials engineering courses. This extensive research project is multidimensional and includes several interrelated components, all of which are founded upon best practices from STEM education research. There are several individual elements within the project that operate simultaneously or sequentially and unite to form a novel teaching and learning system. The first element of the project was the transformation of the structure in our basic MSE course from primarily deductive practice to an Information Communication Technology (ICT) enabled, student centered, inductive teaching and learning environment. Collaborative learning, active/inquiry learning, concept learning, peer learning, problem/case-based learning, low stakes quizzing, mini-lectures with just-in-time reading, collaborative research writing, and constructive alignment are all important components of our multidimensional approach. Also completed as part of this research program were: detailed explorations to understand the students' pre-course knowledge and misperceptions, an investigation of student preparation and how that preparation influenced pre-course concept knowledge and overall course outcomes, and an analysis of Felder's Index of Learning Styles (ILS) assessment by student and course section. The detailed analysis of pre-course knowledge and misperceptions showed a surprising lack of pre-conceptual knowledge and revealed several important student misperceptions. This paper focuses on components of the iCollaborate project that were researched, analyzed, or developed during the Fall 2011 through Winter 2013 timeframe. First, a summary of the pre-course assessment findings is given in this paper. Second, an overview of the suite of MSE iPod applications and newly developed web applications for iCollaborate is presented. Finally, an overview of the supporting web site for the project, which is currently under development, is described. The paper concludes with a description of the remaining objectives for the iCollaborate project and future research directions.
Predicting Tritium and Decay Helium Effects on Burst Properties of Pressure Vessels

Burst testing is used to assess the performance of stainless steel pressure vessels designed to contain tritium, a radioactive isotope of hydrogen. Burst ductility of tritium-exposed vessels is reduced in time as a result of the combined embrittlement effects from tritium that has diffused into the microstructure and its radioactive decay product, helium-3. A materials system model and finite element procedure were developed to predict burst pressure and the vessel volume change (ductility) during burst testing. The model is used to predict changes in burst pressure and ductility from the tritium service history, known values of tritium diffusivity, and published data on the effects of tritium and helium on the tensile properties of stainless steel. Good agreement has been achieved with actual burst test data for unexposed vessels. It is shown that the service history could be used to derive values of tritium concentration in the metal and the depth of penetration in the vessel sidewall. These values could be used in the finite element model to predict values of burst pressure and burst ductility for tritium-exposed vessels.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Ocular Blood Flow Velocity in Age-related Macular Degeneration

Background: Changes in the structure of the ocular blood vessels associated with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) have been described in some detail, but comparatively little is known of the concomitant circulatory changes. The goal of this study is to evaluate changes in the ocular circulation that may be associated with AMD. Methods: Ocular blood flow velocities and vessel pulsatilities were measured in volunteers with and without AMD using a color Doppler imaging unit. Spectral analyses were recorded from the ophthalmic artery, central retinal artery and vein, the temporal and nasal short posterior ciliary arteries, and the four vortex veins. Results: Adjusting for age, pulsatility indices of all arteries were higher in subjects with AMD (central retinal artery [ P = 0.02]; temporal and nasal short posterior ciliary arteries [ P = 0.06 and 0.002, respectively]; and ophthalmic artery [ P = 0.24]). Enddiastolic blood flow velocity of the short posterior ciliary arteries tended to decrease in the presence of AMD. Conclusions: The combination of increased pulsatility and decreased velocity of the short posterior ciliary arteries, observed in the presence of AMD, are interpreted as evidence of increased vascular resistance. The clinical signs of AMD may be related to degradation of the metabolic transport function of the retinal pigment epithelium, resulting from impaired choroidal perfusion.
Conclusions and recommendations: United States dermatologic health care need assessment.

Abstract This United States skin disease health care needs assessment (HCNA) focuses on the most common and severe skin conditions. The purpose of this article is to highlight these skin conditions in a concise manner for efficient use by policy makers. Brief summaries of each article in this issue of Dermatologic Clinics are provided along with recommendations for better addressing dermatologic care needs.
Protection against Pseudomonas aeruginosa chronic lung infection in mice by genetic immunization against outer membrane protein F (OprF) of P. aeruginosa

The Pseudomonas aeruginosa major constitutive outer membrane porin protein OprF, which has previously been shown to be a protective antigen, was targeted as a DNA vaccine candidate. The oprF gene was cloned into plasmid vector pVR1020, and the plasmid vaccines were delivered to mice by biolistic (gene gun) intradermal inoculation. Antibody titers in antisera from immunized mice were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the elicited antibodies were shown to be specifically reactive to OprF by immunoblotting. The immunoglobulin G (IgG) immune response was predominantly of the IgG1 isotype. Sera from DNA vaccine-immunized mice had significantly greater opsonic activity in opsonophagocytic assays than did sera from control mice. Following the initial immunization and two consecutive boosts, each at 2-week intervals, protection was demonstrated in a mouse model of chronic pulmonary infection by P. aeruginosa. Eight days postchallenge, both lungs were removed and examined. A significant reduction in the presence of severe macroscopic lesions, as well as in the number of bacteria present in the lungs, was seen. Based on these findings, genetic immunization with oprF has potential for development as a vaccine to protect humans against infection by P. aeruginosa.
An approach to animating Z specifications

This paper presents the ZANS approach to animating a large subset of Z specifications. Unlike most other animation approaches that are based on functional or logical programming paradigms, the approach presented transforms the specifications into an imperative intermediate language, which can also serve as the basis of code synthesis from Z specifications. ZANS is showing promise of being an effective tool for requirements validation and assisting students learning Z specification languages.
Changes in the concentration, biodegradability, and fluorescent properties of dissolved organic matter during stormflows in coastal temperate watersheds

percent BDOC decreased during both storms in the upland watershed, while percent BDOC increased in the three wetland streams. Parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) modeling of fluorescence excitation-emission matrices further showed that as stream water DOM concentrations increased during stormflows in the upland watershed, the contribution of protein-like fluorescence decreased and humic-like fluorescence increased. However, the contribution of protein-like fluorescence increased and humic-like fluorescence decreased slightly in the three wetland streams. These results indicate that shifts in the biodegradability and chemical quality of DOM are different for upland and wetland watersheds. Taken together, our findings suggest stormflows are responsible for substantial export of BDOC from coastal temperate watersheds. Moreover, we found that PARAFAC modeling of fluorescent DOM is an effective tool for elucidating shifts in the quality of stream water DOM during storms.
Use of fractional flow reserve versus stress perfusion scintigraphy after unstable angina: Effect on duration of hospitalization, cost, procedural characteristics, and clinical outcome

Abstract Objectives The present study sought to determine the value of fractional flow reserve (FFR) compared with stress perfusion scintigraphy (SPS) in patients with recent unstable angina/non–ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (UA/NSTEMI). Background Fractional flow reserve, an invasive index of stenosis severity, is a reliable surrogate for SPS in patients with normal left ventricular function. An FFR ≥0.75 can distinguish patients after myocardial infarction (MI) with a positive SPS from those with a negative SPS. However, the use of FFR has not been investigated after UA/NSTEMI. Methods Seventy patients who had recent UA/NSTEMI and an intermediate single-vessel stenosis were randomized to either SPS (n = 35) or FFR (n = 35). Patients in the SPS group were discharged if the SPS revealed no ischemia, whereas those in the FFR group were discharged if the FFR was ≥0.75. Patients with a positive SPS and those with an FFR Results The use of FFR markedly reduced the duration and cost of hospitalization compared with SPS (11 ± 2 h vs. 49 ± 5 h [−77%], p Conclusions These data indicate that: 1) the use of FFR in patients with recent UA/NSTEMI markedly reduces the duration and cost of hospitalization compared with SPS; and 2) these benefits are not associated with an increase in procedure time, radiation exposure time, or clinical event rates.
Skeletal Muscle GLUT4 Protein Concentration and Aging in Humans

The insulin resistance of aging has been attributed to a postreceptor defect in skeletal muscle. The present study examined whether a reduction in the concentration of the insulin-stimulated glucose transporter (GLUT4) in skeletal muscle was associated with advancing age in men ( n = 55) and women ( n = 29). Insulin sensitivity (minimal model) was negatively associated ( P > 0.001) with age (range, 18–80 years) in men ( r = −0.44) and women ( r = −0.58). GLUT4 protein concentration in the vastus lateralis was also negatively associated ( P r = −0.28; women, r = −0.51). There was no relation ( P > 0.15) between GLUT4 content in the gastrocnemius and age. GLUT4 concentration in the vastus lateralis was positively associated ( P r = 0.42); this relationship persisted in the men after adjusting for overall adiposity, regional adiposity, and cardiorespiratory fitness. These findings suggest that a decrement in GLUT4 protein concentration in skeletal muscle may at least partially contribute to the insulin resistance of aging in humans.
Dynamic voltage stability analysis of a single machine constant power load system

A dynamic voltage stability analysis of a single-machine constant-power-load system is presented. The system model includes only the machine voltage variables. A key factor in the analysis is the variation of the conditioning of the network Jacobian matrix with respect to the constant power load demand and the machine voltage source. It is shown that a dynamic instability phenomenon arises when the Jacobian matrix is ill-conditioned. The results presented include eigenvalue analysis, control parameter sensitivity analysis, and nonlinear voltage collapse simulations. >
Design and implementation of a global router based on a new layout-driven timing model with three poles

In this paper we present a new layout-driven timing model based on Asymptotic Waveform Evaluation (AWE) for improved timing analysis during routing. Our model enables the bottom-up computation of interconnect tree moments, and can be easily integrated with such a global router. Such an integration achieves incremental layout optimization, i.e., timing analysis and routing are tightly coupled, with feedback between them. This achieved incremental layout optimization, through our innovative timing model, is the main contribution of this work.
Current Equipment Policies of Utility Contractors

This paper summarizes the results of an extensive survey of contractors concerning equipment policies. This study shows how contractors, particularly utility contractors, establish and implement varying equipment policies. Topics such as equipment financing, disposal, depreciation, obsolescence and acquisition are addressed. The survey results indicate important discrepancies between current contractor practices in management of equipment and the policies often recommended in research and professional literature. Also, comparative analysis of survey responses for small, medium, and large firms reveals significant differences in typical equipment decisions and use.
Why Researchers Now Rely on Surveys for Race Data on OASDI and SSI Programs: A Comparison of Four Major Surveys

Policy interest in the sociodemographic characteristics of beneficiaries of the Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) and Supplemental Security Insurance (SSI) programs is increasing as the minority share of the senior and disabled population grows. This note discusses using four major surveys — the Current Population Survey, the Survey of Income and Program Participation, the American Community Survey, and the Health and Retirement Study — to examine OASDI and SSI program use by race and ethnicity. Survey profiles highlight each survey's history, design, and methodology; the categories with which each collects race and ethnicity data; and their strengths and limitations for analyzing SSA's program data.
Abstract W P73: Feasibility and Preliminary Results of Whole Blood RNA-Sequencing Analysis in Patients With Intracranial Aneurysms

Introduction: Intracranial aneurysms (IA) growth and rupture have been associated with chronic remodeling of the arterial wall. However, the pathobiology of this process remains poorly understood. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the feasibility of analyzing gene expression patterns in peripheral blood of patients with ruptured and unruptured saccular IAs. Materials and Methods: We analyzed human whole blood transcriptomes by performing paired-end, 100 bp RNA-sequencing (RNAseq) using the Illumina platform. We used STAR to align reads to the genome, HTSeq to count reads, and DESeq to normalize counts across samples. Self-reported patient information was used to correct expression values for ancestry, age, and sex. We utilized weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to identify gene expression network modules associated with IA size and rupture. The DAVID tool was employed to search for Gene Ontology enrichment in relevant modules. Results: Samples from 12 patients (9 females...
Benefits of a multidisciplinary environment for neurointerventional training: Fellows' perspectives.

Endovascular neurointervention is an exciting and rapidly growing field that is revolutionizing the treatments and approaches for both hemorrhagic and ischemic cerebrovascular disease. Originally the domain of neuroradiologists who pioneered and perfected methods of diagnostic cerebral angiography, the burgeoning discipline of neurointervention grew to encompass ever more therapeutic procedures. Subsequently, neurosurgeons have sought out training in neurointerventional techniques, enriching their therapeutic armamentarium, supplementing their surgical expertise in the management of aneurysms, dural arteriovenous fistulae and arteriovenous malformations. More recently, just as neurosurgeons were lured into hybrid training in both open and endovascular technique to treat hemorrhagic disease, stroke neurologists are filling fellowship positions with a particular interest in the interventional management of ischemic diseases of the cerebrovasculature, ranging from acute ischemic stroke to intracranial and extracranial stenoses and occlusions. In Europe, for political and historical reasons, a traditional model is followed in which the lion's share of the neurointerventional work has remained in the realm of neuroradiologists. However, in the USA, the convergence of the three subspecialties (neurosurgery, stroke neurology and neuroradiology) in this field creates the unique opportunity for a truly multidisciplinary effort with obvious implications for improved patient care, exemplified in the revised name of the Society of Neurointerventional Surgery (SNIS), reflecting the present reality of endovascular neurointerventional surgery as practiced by clinicians hailing from three neuroscience backgrounds. A multidisciplinary environment that is collegial can greatly benefit fellowship training and both junior and senior practicing attendings. At the Cleveland Clinic, an accredited council for graduate medical education (ACGME)- approved fellowship in endovascular neurosurgery has been in place since 1 July 2003, with two positions offered yearly. Mirroring the rubric of the multidisciplinary Cerebrovascular Center, in which physicians from diverse specialties share administrative and financial interests (disease centric model, …
Embryonic Uptake of 45Ca and 89Sr

Abstract The toxicity of 45 Ca and 90 Sr to avian embryos after injection into eggs has been reported by Mraz et al. (1964). Mraz (1966) found uptake of 89 Sr in the tibia of embryos injected at 8 and 14 days incubation to be very dynamic particularly between 16 and 20 days incubation. Since the greatest damage to the skeletal structure occurred after 4th or 8th day injection of these radionuclides, it seemed appropriate to investigate embryonic uptake starting at 8 days incubation. Eggs containing 4- or 8-day embryos were injected with 2 μCi 89 Sr or 4 μCi. 45 Ca in 0.2 ml. sterile distilled water. Five embryos from each group were sacrificed daily starting with 8 and 9 days of incubation for those dosed at 4 and 8 days, respectively. The stable calcium and 45 Ca and 85 Sr contents of the entire embryo and its tibia were determined. From the 8th day on there…
Brain metastasis from oesophageal adenocarcinoma

A 74-year-old man with a medical history of hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia was diagnosed with distal oesophageal adenocarcinoma in June 2009. Prior to that the patient unintentionally lost 15 kg in 5 months and had difficulty swallowing both solids and liquids. An Oesophagectomy was performed, and he was subsequently treated with adjuvant chemotherapy including carboplatin, paclitaxel as well as radiation therapy. In May 2012, positron emission tomography was performed which showed increased uptake in the left supraclavicular node and paraoesophageal nodes (T3N1M0). Biopsy was performed, which showed tumour recurrence, which was positive for human epidermal growth factor receptor …
Concentration dependence of urea and thiourea transport in rat inner medullary collecting duct.

The vasopressin-dependent urea permeability of the rat terminal inner medullary collecting duct (IMCD) is much greater than can be explained by lipid-phase permeation or paracellular diffusion, sug...
Synthesis and secretion of proteins by postpartum human oviductal tissue in culture

An explant culture system that used labelled leucine and two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2D-PAGE) with fluorography was used to identify specific de novo synthesized and released polypeptides by the human postpartum oviduct. Both ampulla and isthmus tissue in culture exhibited de novo synthesis and release of a large number of polypeptide subunits. Immunoglobulins A and G appear to be the major proteins produced in the ampulla. In addition, two complexes of acidic (pI r 51,000 and 60,000) are released by the isthmus but appear to be minor in the ampulla cultures.
The effects of adult acquired flatfoot deformity on tibiotalar joint contact characteristics.

Changes in the tibiotalar contact characteristics were investigated using eight fresh frozen cadaver ankle specimens to further develop an established model of the acquired flatfoot deformity. The ...
Defining the Rate of Primary Ureteroscopic Failure in Unstented Patients: A Multi-Institutional Study

Abstract Purpose: Primary ureteroscopic intervention for kidney or ureteral stones occasionally encounters difficulty with passage of the ureteroscope in the initial procedure. These patients require a second procedure after stenting. We aim to define the contemporary failure rate of primary ureteroscopy (URS) and identify predictive factors that necessitate prestenting. This will assist in preoperative patient counseling, informed consent, and clinical decision-making. Materials and Methods: We conducted a multi-institutional retrospective review of 535 unstented patients undergoing primary URS from August 2011 to August 2013. The primary outcome was gaining access to the unstented ureter. Results: The failure rate for accessing the unstented ureter was 7.7% (41/535). The median age of females with primary ureteroscopic failure was significantly lower than in females who had successful ureteroscopic access (34 vs 52 years; p = 0.0041). There was no difference in the median age of males with access vs fai...
The Quantum Theory of Fields: THE FEYNMAN RULES

In previous chapters the use of covariant free fields in the construction of the Hamiltonian density has been motivated by the requirement that the S -matrix satisfy Lorentz invariance and cluster decomposition conditions. With the Hamiltonian density constructed in this way, it makes no difference which form of perturbation theory we use to calculate the S-matrix; the results will automatically satisfy these invariance and clustering conditions in each order in the interaction density. Nevertheless, there are obvious practical advantages in using a version of perturbation theory in which the Lorentz invariance and cluster decomposition properties of the S -matrix are kept manifest at every stage in the calculation. This was not true for the perturbation theory used in the 1930s, now known as ‘old-fashioned perturbation theory’, described at the beginning of Section 3.5. The great achievement of Feynman, Schwinger, and Tomonaga in the late 1940s was to develop perturbative techniques for calculating the S -matrix, in which Lorentz invariance and cluster decomposition properties are transparent throughout. This chapter will outline the diagrammatic calculational technique first described by Feynman at the Poconos Conference in 1948. Feynman was led to these diagrammatic rules in part through his development of a path-integral approach, which will be the subject of Chapter 9. In this chapter, we shall use the approach described by Dyson in 1949, which until the 1970s was the basis of almost all analyses of perturbation theory in quantum field theory, and still provides a particularly transparent introduction to the Feynman rules.
Effects of different orthodontic retention protocols on the periodontal health of mandibular incisors.

Structured AbstractObjectives To test the following two hypotheses: 1) different types of retainers result in distinct levels of biomarkers in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and 2) the retainer bonded to all mandibular anterior teeth induces more detrimental outcomes to the periodontium. Setting and Sample Population The Department of Orthodontics at the University of Florida. The population consisted of individuals in the retention phase of orthodontic treatment. Material and Methods This was a cross-sectional study that enrolled 36 individuals. Subjects in group 1 had retainers bonded to the mandibular canines only. Group 2 consisted of individuals having retainers bonded to all mandibular anterior teeth. Group 3 included patients using mandibular removable retainers. After clinical examination, GCF was collected from the mandibular incisor and biomarker levels were compared between the groups. Results Plaque accumulation and gingivitis differed significantly among groups, with the highest median values in group 2 subjects. Pairwise comparison of the groups with respect to gingivitis showed significant differences between groups 1 and 2. Significant differences among groups were detected for RANKL, OPG, OPN, M-CSF, MMP-3, and MMP-9. The ratio RANKL/OPG was significantly higher in group 2 subjects, with pairwise comparisons indicating that groups 1 and 2 differed from group 3. Conclusion An association was found between orthodontic retention groups and GCF biomarker levels, which should be further explored in longitudinal studies. The presence of retainers bonded to all anterior teeth seems to increase plaque accumulation and gingivitis.
Improved measurement of the spectral index of the diffuse radio background between 90 and 190 MHz

We report absolutely calibrated measurements of diffuse radio emission between 90 and 190 MHz from the Experiment to Detect the Global EoR Signature (EDGES). EDGES employs a wide beam zenith-pointing dipole antenna centred on a declination of -26.7$^\circ$. We measure the sky brightness temperature as a function of frequency averaged over the EDGES beam from 211 nights of data acquired from July 2015 to March 2016. We derive the spectral index, $\beta$, as a function of local sidereal time (LST) and find -2.60 > $\beta$ > -2.62 $\pm$0.02 between 0 and 12 h LST. When the Galactic Centre is in the sky, the spectral index flattens, reaching $\beta$ = -2.50 $\pm$0.02 at 17.7 h. The EDGES instrument is shown to be very stable throughout the observations with night-to-night reproducibility of $\sigma_{\beta}$ < 0.003. Including systematic uncertainty, the overall uncertainty of $\beta$ is 0.02 across all LST bins. These results improve on the earlier findings of Rogers & Bowman (2008) by reducing the spectral index uncertainty from 0.10 to 0.02 while considering more extensive sources of errors. We compare our measurements with spectral index simulations derived from the Global Sky Model (GSM) of de Oliveira-Costa et al. (2008) and with fits between the Guzman et al. (2011) 45 MHz and Haslam et al. (1982) 408 MHz maps. We find good agreement at the transit of the Galactic Centre. Away from transit, the GSM tends to over-predict (GSM less negative) by 0.05 < $\Delta_{\beta} = \beta_{\text{GSM}}-\beta_{\text{EDGES}}$ < 0.12, while the 45-408 MHz fits tend to over-predict by $\Delta_{\beta}$ < 0.05.
Algorithms for Sequential and Random Observations

Formulas are derived for updating a continuing real-time synoptic analysis on the basis of one or more new observations. These formulas involve: 1) the dynamical equations of the medium, preferably in the form of a “Green’s Function” or a wavenumber transfer function; 2) second-moment “forecast verification” statistics (error covariance function) for the time of the new observation; 3) the measurement operation location and spatial aperture function; and 4) statistics (cross correlations) of measurement errors. As an example, for a two-dimensional thermal diffusion field, explicit weighting and error functions are obtained for periodic synoptic observations on a regular spatial lattice, updating with a single line of new observations, and point-by-point raster scan.
A Community Cultural Wealth Examination of Sources of Support and Challenges Among Latino First- and Second-Generation College Students at a Hispanic Serving Institution:

Growth of Latino students in postsecondary education merits an examination of their resources/challenges. A community cultural wealth model provided a framework to examine unacknowledged student re...
The hybrid IT project manager: One foot each in the IT and business domains

As firms rely on advancing technologies to meet the demands of complex business processes, there is an increasing need for IT project managers (PMs) to resolve paradoxical tensions that accompany uncertainties. Paradoxical tensions exist because IT project knowledge has assumed a clear separation and borderline between business and IT. There is an increased pressure on PMs to resolve paradoxical tensions arising from short-term efficiency/goals versus longer-term flexibility/success. A field survey of 108 IT projects suggests that a shift in the required knowledge set of PMs is needed as their role expands to include greater responsibility and knowledge base – a hybrid PM with one foot in the IT domain and the other foot in the business domain – to deal with a diversity of paradoxes and contradictory demands associated with business and technical uncertainties. Shifting the focus of business knowledge towards PMs is likely to increase the chance of project success.
From Terror to Transcendence: Death Reflection Promotes Preferences for Human Drama

ABSTRACTPrevious studies that examined the impact of death awareness on entertainment gratifications have used mortality salience. The present study introduces a more personal form of mortality priming called death reflection, which simulates near-death experiences. Compared to mortality salience, death reflection is a competing manipulation that has been found to promote positive outcomes, including improved self-perceptions, rather than worldview defense and self-esteem motives. A between-subjects online experiment (N = 108) was designed to test the main effects of two different death primes on emotional valence and arousal, meaningful affect, and genre preferences for sad drama and comedy. Results show that death reflection was distinct from mortality salience in its capacity to produce greater arousal and interest in watching sad drama. Furthermore, mediation analyses using structural equation modeling show indirect effects of death reflection on interest in sad drama through emotional intensity and s...
The role of esophagoscopy and imaging in the detection of second esophageal primary carcinomas in mucosal head and neck malignancy

Abstract Objective Esophagoscopy and/or barium swallow are routinely performed in the evaluation of patients with mucosal head and neck malignancies. Whether this intervention is efficient or cost-effective is questioned in our multidisciplinary head and neck tumor clinic. Our study objective is to find the yield provided by esophagoscopy and barium swallow, and the incidence of second primary cancers. Study Design Retrospective case series. Methods A retrospective chart review was done on patients treated at our institution for squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck over a period of 8 years. The records of five hundred and ninety-four patients were analyzed to determine the method by which the cancer was diagnosed, the association with a particular region of the primary cancer, and the incidence of risk-increasing behavior. Results Five patients (0.84%) were found to have a second neoplasm of the esophagus. Of these, three patients (0.5%) had metachronous and two (0.34%) had a synchronous lesion. Three were diagnosed with barium swallow and two during routine endoscopy. The primary tumors were of the oral cavity in three patients and of the glottis and/or hypopharynx in two patients. All patients had a history of tobacco or alcohol abuse. Conclusion The incidence of a second cancer of the esophagus in head and neck cancer patients was low. Esophagoscopy and barium swallow are safe and reliable methods to detect an esophageal lesion.
Using Focused Laboratory Management and Quality Improvement Projects to Enhance Resident Training and Foster Scholarship

Training in patient safety, quality, and management is widely recognized as an important element of graduate medical education. These concepts have been intertwined in pathology graduate medical ed...
Film in the Composite Image: Cinema at the Digital Turn

This chapter investigates how, in many films of the late 1990s and early 2000s, techniques of the interval are associated with a renewed encounter with cinema following developments in digital technologies. Lee analyzes how slow motion, stop motion, time-lapse photography, and associated techniques are found at sites of conspicuous medial layering, such that the manipulation of the interval between film frames overlays an insisted-upon interval between discrete media forms. The chapter explores how this arrangement stages the cinematic apparatus at a remove, so as to reawaken a sensuous attachment to cinema at the very instant it was ceasing to be a film-based medium.
Classification of Distal Radioulnar Joint Disorders

The wrist is one of the most complex articulations in the human body. The distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ) is particularly controversial, enduring as the area least understood with regard to anatomy and pathomechanics. The popular systems of classifying DRUJ disorders are based on etiology and treatment, but this approach has inspired schemes that are cumbersome, redundant, and incomplete. The need for an improved system prompted us to devise a simplified system that is based on the pathomechanics of dysfunction and the mechanical requirements for optimal joint function.
Gastric Electrical Stimulation: Twentieth Century Development to Twenty-First Century Implementation and Personalization of Programming

Gastroparesis is an incompletely understood disorder characterized by vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain, and related symptoms amongst evidence of delayed gastric emptying often refractory to medical therapy. Gastric electrical stimulation (GES), using higher than physiologic frequency and low energy, has been shown to be effective in many patients with refractory symptoms and received Humanitarian Use Device approval in 2000. A meta-analysis suggests GES is effective for symptom control and favorable in gastric emptying, nutritional status, and quality of life analysis. Recent work with endoscopically placed, temporary GES indicates trial stimulation is important in the evaluation of stimulation devices. In addition, approximately 50 % of patients responded to standard settings [4, Neurogastroenterol Motil 18(4):334–338, 2006] while other patients require higher energy settings for optimal response. These recent studies offer the potential for personalization of stimulation parameters in a given patient. For GES to be accepted and adopted on more widespread basis, further evaluation of individual responses to simulation must be determined and then correlated with individual histologic, electrophysiological and biochemical findings to optimally help patients. This chapter will discuss the historical development of current GES therapy.
Thromboembolic Complications of Prosthetic Valves

Thromboembolic complications remain significant for all mechanical valves. These complications can be reduced but not eliminated by adequate anticoagulation. Unfortunately, increased anticoagulation is also associated with an increased incidence of bleeding. Whether or not low-profile, central flow valves provide increased protection is currently under investigation.
A Device-Independent Screening Technique for Rapidly Identifying Next Generation OPV Materials

In this paper, we introduce a methodology that enables rapid down selection of promising new OPV polymers, based on a device-independent screening metric that takes into account intrinsic charge generation and transport, as well as charge carrier lifetimes. As a demonstration of our method, we present a case study using a set of well-known high performance polymers based on the benzodithiophene (BDT) moiety: PTB7, PTB7-Th, PBDTTT-CT, and PBDTTPD. Compared to current device-optimization based methods, we are able to identify the champion material in less time, taking only hours rather than months and may even be able to identify promising candidate materials that have been abandoned for device optimization.
EUS-guided gastroenterostomy versus enteral stent placement for palliation of malignant gastric outlet obstruction.

EUS-guided gastroenterostomy (EUS-GE) is a novel procedure for palliation of malignant gastric outlet obstruction (GOO); however, data comparing EUS-GE to enteral stent placement are limited. We aimed to compare clinical outcomes between EUS-GE and enteral stent placement in the palliation of malignant GOO. Retrospective analysis of a prospectively collected database on patients who underwent EUS-GE or enteral stent placement for palliation of malignant GOO from 2014 to 2017 was conducted. Primary outcome was the rate of stent failure requiring repeat intervention. Secondary outcomes included technical and clinical success, time to repeat intervention, length of hospital stay, and adverse events. A total of 100 consecutive patients (mean age 65.9 ± 11.9 years, 44.0% female) were identified, of which 78 underwent enteral stent placement, and 22 underwent EUS-GE. Rate of stent failure requiring repeat intervention was higher in the enteral stent group than the EUS-GE group (32.0% vs. 8.3%, p = 0.021). Technical success was achieved in 100% in both groups. Higher initial clinical success was attained in the EUS-GE group than the enteral stent group (95.8% vs. 76.3%, p = 0.042). Mean length of hospital stay following stent placement was similar between groups (p = 0.821). The enteral stent group trended towards increased adverse events (40.2% vs. 20.8%, p = 0.098). Kaplan–Meier analysis showed decreased stent function in the enteral stent group (p = 0.013). Compared to enteral stent placement, EUS-GE has a higher rate of initial clinical success and lower rate of stent failure requiring repeat intervention. EUS-GE may be offered for selected patients with malignant GOO in centers with extensive experience.
A stabilized RBF finite difference method for convection dominated flows over meshfree nodes

Abstract In this paper, a stabilized solution scheme is presented for solving highly convective flow equations on meshfree nodal distribution. The stabilized terms are obtained by considering higher order approximation of governing differential equations over finite control volume while applying force and momentum balance. Spatial derivatives, of resulting flow equations, are treated with Radial Basis Functions in Finite Difference Method (RBF-FD) over meshfree nodal cloud. The characteristic length, for applying equilibrium of forces and momentum, is proposed to be a function of Reynolds number and flow velocity. Performance and accuracy of the proposed scheme is tested for 1-D Convection-Diffusion equations. Numerical tests are conducted for initial conditions having step as well as uniformly varying field variables. The scheme is found to be effective in suppressing the non-physical numerical fluctuations associated with convection dominated flows. Accuracy of the solution with stabilized term is found to be higher than the one without stabilization. The solution scheme is also used for flow around static NACA0012 airfoil at R e = 10 , 000 . The stabilization term is found to effectively suppress the numerical oscillation when compared to non-stabilized scheme.