cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
How U.S. Doctors Die: A Cohort Study of Healthcare Use at the End of Life

Objectives To compare healthcare use in the last months of life between physicians and nonphysicians in the United States. Design A retrospective observational cohort study. Setting United States. Participants Fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries: decedent physicians (n = 9,947) and a random sample of Medicare decedents (n = 192,006). Measurements Medicare Part A claims data from 2008 to 2010 were used to measure days in the hospital and proportion using hospice in the last 6 months of life as primary outcome measures adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics and regional variations in health care. Results Inpatient hospital use in the last 6 months of life was no different between physicians and nonphysicians, although more physicians used hospice and for longer (using the hospital: odds ratio (OR) = 0.98, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.93–1.04; hospital days: mean difference 0.26, P = .14); dying in the hospital: OR = 0.99, 95% CI = 0.95–1.04; intensive care unit (ICU) or critical care unit (CCU) days: mean difference 0.35 more days for physicians, P < .001); using hospice: OR = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.18–1.29; number of days in hospice: mean difference 2.06, P < .001). Conclusion This retrospective, observational study is subject to unmeasured confounders and variation in coding practices, but it provides preliminary evidence of actual use. U.S. physicians were more likely to use hospice and ICU- or CCU-level care. Hospitalization rates were similar.
Cloning and characterization of maxi K+ channel α-subunit in rabbit kidney

We have identified in rabbit renal cells two alternatively spliced transcripts of the α-subunit rbslo1 andrbslo2.Rbslo1 has a novel “in-frame” 174-bp insertion immediately after the predicted S8 tr...
Studying Glycosaminoglycan–Protein Interactions Using Capillary Electrophoresis

Methods for studying interactions between glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) and proteins have assumed considerable significance as their biological importance increases. Capillary electrophoresis (CE) is a powerful method to study these interactions due to its speed, high efficiency, and low sample/reagent consumption. In addition, CE works effectively under a wide range of physiologically relevant conditions. This chapter presents state-of-the-art on CE methods for studying GAG-protein interactions including affinity capillary electrophoresis (ACE), capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE), frontal analysis (FA)/frontal analysis continuous capillary electrophoresis (FACCE), and capillary electrokinetic chromatography (CEC) with detailed experimental protocols for ACE and CZE methods.
Cardiometabolic Risk Factor Changes Observed in Diabetes Prevention Programs in US Settings: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Background The Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) study showed that weight loss in high-risk adults lowered diabetes incidence and cardiovascular disease risk. No prior analyses have aggregated weight and cardiometabolic risk factor changes observed in studies implementing DPP interventions in nonresearch settings in the United States. Methods and Findings In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we pooled data from studies in the United States implementing DPP lifestyle modification programs (focused on modest [5%–7%] weight loss through ≥150 min of moderate physical activity per week and restriction of fat intake) in clinical, community, and online settings. We reported aggregated pre- and post-intervention weight and cardiometabolic risk factor changes (fasting blood glucose [FBG], glycosylated hemoglobin [HbA1c], systolic or diastolic blood pressure [SBP/DBP], total [TC] or HDL-cholesterol). We searched the MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Clinicaltrials.gov databases from January 1, 2003, to May 1, 2016. Two reviewers independently evaluated article eligibility and extracted data on study designs, populations enrolled, intervention program characteristics (duration, number of core and maintenance sessions), and outcomes. We used a random effects model to calculate summary estimates for each outcome and associated 95% confidence intervals (CI). To examine sources of heterogeneity, results were stratified according to the presence of maintenance sessions, risk level of participants (prediabetes or other), and intervention delivery personnel (lay or professional). Forty-four studies that enrolled 8,995 participants met eligibility criteria. Participants had an average age of 50.8 years and body mass index (BMI) of 34.8 kg/m2, and 25.2% were male. On average, study follow-up was 9.3 mo (median 12.0) with a range of 1.5 to 36 months; programs offered a mean of 12.6 sessions, with mean participant attendance of 11.0 core sessions. Sixty percent of programs offered some form of post-core maintenance (either email or in person). Mean absolute changes observed were: weight -3.77 kg (95% CI: -4.55; -2.99), HbA1c -0.21% (-0.29; -0.13), FBG -2.40 mg/dL (-3.59; -1.21), SBP -4.29 mmHg (-5.73, -2.84), DBP -2.56 mmHg (-3.40, 1.71), HDL +0.85 mg/dL (-0.10, 1.60), and TC -5.34 mg/dL (-9.72, -0.97). Programs with a maintenance component achieved greater reductions in weight (additional -1.66kg) and FBG (additional -3.14 mg/dl). Findings are subject to incomplete reporting and heterogeneity of studies included, and confounding because most included studies used pre-post study designs. Conclusions DPP lifestyle modification programs achieved clinically meaningful weight and cardiometabolic health improvements. Together, these data suggest that additional value is gained from these programs, reinforcing that they are likely very cost-effective.
Neck Dissection Technique Commonality and Variance: A Survey on Neck Dissection Technique Preferences among Head and Neck Oncologic Surgeons in the American Head and Neck Society.

Introduction Neck dissection (ND) technique preferences are not well reported. Objective The objective of this study is to educate practitioners and trainees about surgical technique commonality and variance used by head and neck oncologic surgeons when performing a ND. Methods Online survey of surgeon members of the American Head and Neck Society (AHNS). Survey investigated respondents' demographic information, degree of surgical experience, ND technique preferences. Results In our study, 283 out of 1,010 (28%) AHNS surgeon members with a mean age of 50.3 years (range 32–77 years) completed surveys from 41 states and 24 countries. We found that 205 (72.4%) had completed a fellowship in head and neck surgical oncology. Also, 225 (79.5%) respondents reported completing more than 25 NDs per year. ND technique commonalities (>66% respondents) included: preserving level 5 (unless with suspicious lymph nodes (LN)), only excising the portion of sternocleidomastoid muscle involved with tumor, resecting lymphatic tissue en bloc, preservation of cervical sensory rootlets, not performing submandibular gland (SMG) transfer, placing one drain for unilateral selective NDs, and performing a ND after parotidectomy and thyroidectomy and before transcervical approaches to upper aerodigestive tract primary site. Variability existed in the sequence of LN levels excised, instrument preferences, criteria for drain removal, the timing of a ND with transoral upper aerodigestive tract primary site resections, and submandibular gland preservation. Results showed that 122 (43.1%) surgeons reported that they preserve the submandibular gland during the level 1b portion of a ND. Conclusions The commonalities and variances reported for the ND technique may help put individual preferences into context.
Ventilatory Management of the Noninjured Lung

This article reviews aspects of mechanical ventilation in patients without lung injury, patients in the perioperative period, and those with neurologic injury or disease including spinal cord injury. Specific emphasis is placed on ventilator strategies, including timing and indications for tracheostomy. Lung protective ventilation, using low tidal volumes and modest levels of positive end-expiratory pressure, should be the default consideration in all patients requiring mechanical ventilatory support. The exception may be the patient with high cervical spinal cord injuries who requires mechanical ventilatory support. There is no consensus on the timing of tracheostomy in patients with neurologic diseases.
Nocturnal Frontal Lobe Epilepsy

The clinical and polysomnographic findings in 100 consecutive cases of nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy (NFLE) were analysed in a study at the Neurological Institute, University of Bologna, Italy.
On the statistical limits of convex relaxations: a case study

Many high dimensional sparse learning problems are formulated as nonconvex optimization. A popular approach to solve these nonconvex optimization problems is through convex relaxations such as linear and semidefinite programming. In this paper, we study the statistical limits of convex relaxations. Particularly, we consider two problems: Mean estimation for sparse principal submatrix and edge probability estimation for stochastic block model. We exploit the sum-of-squares relaxation hierarchy to sharply characterize the limits of a broad class of convex relaxations. Our result shows statistical optimality needs to be compromised for achieving computational tractability using convex relaxations. Compared with existing results on computational lower bounds for statistical problems, which consider general polynomialtime algorithms and rely on computational hardness hypotheses on problems like planted clique detection, our theory focuses on a broad class of convex relaxations and does not rely on unproven hypotheses.
Entitlement: The Paradoxes of Property

(2001). Entitlement: The Paradoxes of Property. Journal of Economic Issues: Vol. 35, No. 4, pp. 1050-1052.
Measuring Outcomes in Schools

In light of their training in psychometrics, evaluation, and statistical analysis, school psychologists may have the most knowledge, of any professional in the school setting, of evaluating the impact of educational and psychotherapeutic interventions. School settings provide a natural opportunity for important, real-world, and meaningful data that will enhance the delivery of interventions and decision-making as to who benefits from what intervention under what conditions. In this chapter, we provide detailed guidelines for strategies for the working school psychologist to measure system-level change, classroom-wide change, and individual change. We first present various methodologies for collecting data to evaluate change at all levels of intervention implementation. Next, we describe in detail straightforward approaches to calculate the effectiveness of an intervention. Throughout the chapter, we also review the practical barriers that may exist in the Australian educational system that challenge the collection of outcome data, and we present potential strategies to help manage these barriers.
Single Local Application of TGF-β Promotes a Proregenerative State Throughout a Chronically Injured Nerve

Background The lack of nerve regeneration and functional recovery occurs frequently when injuries involve large nerve trunks because insufficient mature axons reach their targets in the distal stump and because of the loss of neurotrophic support, primarily from Schwann cells (SCs). Objective To investigate whether a single application of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) plus forskolin or forskolin alone can promote and support axonal regeneration through the distal nerve stump. Methods Using a delayed repair rat model of nerve injury, we transected the tibial nerve. After 8 wk, end-to-end repair was done and the repair site was treated with saline, forskolin, or TGF- β plus forskolin. After 6 wk, nerve sections consisting of the proximal stump, distal to the site of repair, and the most distal part of the nerve stump were removed for nerve histology, axon counts, and immunohistochemistry for activated SCs (S100), macrophages (CD68), cell proliferation (Ki67), p75NGFR, and apoptosis (activated caspase-3). Results TGF-β plus forskolin significantly increased the numbers of axons regenerated distal to the repair site and the most distal nerve sections. Both treatments significantly increased the numbers of axons regenerated in the most distal nerve sections compared to saline treated. Both treatments exhibited extended expression of regeneration-associated marker proteins. Conclusion TGF-β plus forskolin treatment of chronically injured nerve improved axonal regeneration and increased expression of regeneration-associated proteins beyond the repair site. This suggests that a single application at the site of repair has mitogenic effects that extended distally and may potentially overcome the decrease in regenerated axon over long distance.
A System Dynamics Model for Predicting Supply and Demand of Medical Education Talents in China

The purpose of this paper is to study the relationship between the demand for medical talents in China and the supply of talents in medical colleges and universities. Predicting the future development of medical talents is of great significance to the establishment of medical education and the cultivation of medical talents. Based on data from China Statistical Yearbook and OECD 34 countries from 2010 to 2014, as well as some research results on overseas and domestic scholars, a system dynamics prediction model relating the supply and demand of medical education talents is developed in this paper. Actual data for the Jiangsu Province is used to demonstrate the correctness, validity and applicability of the model. Simulation results show that, under the current conditions and political environment and to maintain the current average levels of OECD 34 countries, the projected number of demand for doctors in Jiangsu in 2024 is a little more than 319,800. Based on current data, there is still quite a large gap between these indexes in China and the desired target levels. Consequently, the system and structure of medical education need to be adjusted, with the corresponding policies and management system simultaneously reformed and medical environment improved.
BIM Log Mining: Measuring Design Productivity

AbstractThere has been a long debate on how to measure design productivity. Compared to construction productivity, design productivity is much more difficult to measure because design is an iterati...
Occupational Stress Among Home Healthcare Workers: Integrating Worker and Agency-Level Factors.

Home healthcare work is physically and emotionally exhausting. In addition, home healthcare workers frequently work under precarious work arrangements for low wages and in poor work conditions. Lit...
Detection of Anomalous Noise Events on Low-Capacity Acoustic Nodes for Dynamic Road Traffic Noise Mapping within an Hybrid WASN.

One of the main aspects affecting the quality of life of people living in urban and suburban areas is the continuous exposure to high road traffic noise (RTN) levels. Nowadays, thanks to Wireless Acoustic Sensor Networks (WASN) noise in Smart Cities has started to be automatically mapped. To obtain a reliable picture of the RTN, those anomalous noise events (ANE) unrelated to road traffic (sirens, horns, people, etc.) should be removed from the noise map computation by means of an Anomalous Noise Event Detector (ANED). In Hybrid WASNs, with master-slave architecture, ANED should be implemented in both high-capacity (Hi-Cap) and low-capacity (Lo-Cap) sensors, following the same principle to obtain consistent results. This work presents an ANED version to run in real-time on μ Controller-based Lo-Cap sensors of a hybrid WASN, discriminating RTN from ANE through their Mel-based spectral energy differences. The experiments, considering 9 h and 8 min of real-life acoustic data from both urban and suburban environments, show the feasibility of the proposal both in terms of computational load and in classification accuracy. Specifically, the ANED Lo-Cap requires around 1 6 of the computational load of the ANED Hi-Cap, while classification accuracies are slightly lower (around 10%). However, preliminary analyses show that these results could be improved in around 4% in the future by means of considering optimal frequency selection.
Key Management Schemes in Sensor Networks

In the near future, sensor networks are going to be a part of everyday life. Traffic monitoring, military tracking, building safety, pollution monitoring, wildlife monitoring, patient security are some of the applications in sensor networks. Sensor networks vary in size and can consist of 10 to 1,000,000 sensor nodes. They can be deployed in a wide variety of areas, including hostile environments, demanding secure measures for data transfer. Sensor nodes used to form these networks are resource-constrained, which makes these types of security applications a challenging problem. A basic technique to protect data is encryption; but, due to resource constraints, achieving necessary key agreement for encryption is not easy. Many key establishment techniques have been designed to address this challenge, but which scheme is the most effective is still debatable. Our work aimed to generate a brief knowledge about different key management schemes and their effectiveness. We noticed that no key distribution technique is ideal to all the scenarios where sensor networks are used; therefore the techniques employed must depend upon the requirements and resources of each individual sensor network.
Challenges in unmanned systems swarms: a wireless, multi-agent distributed system perspective

Networked swarms may be considered as heterogeneous, distributed agent-based systems (or distributed wireless sensor networks), where the concept/definition of an 'agent' may be interpreted in the most general sense. This is true for networked swarms of unmanned systems, as well as manned-unmanned systems, where the term 'agent' may be thought of as (an individual) 'asset'. When considering swarms in (fixed or loose) 2-D/3-D formations, each swarm may be also thought of as a 'group of agents' with initially specific, but dynamically and in real-time modifiable goals pertaining to an assigned mission or missions. As such, when studying such swarms, there are major challenges related to navigation and control, communications (including secured inter- and intra- swarm communication), coordination and collaboration, robustness and fault tolerance, security, to name just a few. In this seminar, the 'connection' between the swarm formation consideration and the 'distributed (agent-based) sensor network' consideration will be established. Assets will be considered as sensor nodes, and the overall swarm as a sensor network. A well integrated methodology will be presented, in which on top of navigation/control aspects, communication and networking aspects as well as software security will be discussed. The swarm formation will be dictated / modified based on communication/data transmission requirements, in addition to control requirements. Further, it will be shown how networked swarms / distributed agent-based systems may be organized in architectures comprised of swarms, each containing a 'swarm head' as leader with all 'swarm heads' being connected via a backbone network. Case studies of aerial, ground and aerial-ground unmanned vehicle swarms will be demonstrated experimentally.
Do Stereotypical Media Representations Influence White Individuals’ Perceptions of American Indians?:

In this study, we examined exposure to stereotypical movie portrayals of American Indians, motivations to respond without prejudice, and awareness of White privilege on racist attitudes. European A...
A Cognitive Price-Based Approach for Real-time Management of En-route Electric Vehicles

As the US cities gradually proceed towards all-electric-vehicle occupied roads, they should be ready to handle this accelerating domination of those roaming mobile loads and the accompanying expand in charging stations’ infrastructure. This paper contributes to the ongoing research in smart mobility of the electrified transportation sector by presenting a novel intelligent price-based real-time strategy to reroute the electric vehicles aiming at meeting preset power load distribution on dispersed electric vehicle charging stations. The strategy involves a pre-cognitive feature that helps to optimize both the power system operation and the electric vehicles’ benefits. An case study with dispersed electric vehicles and electric vehicle charging stations in a geographical block is presented and proves the robustness of this strategy in meeting the preset power objectives by managing the electric vehicles pre-connecting to the grid.
Other Respiratory Disorders

This chapter discusses the effects of various respiratory disorders, including cigarette smoking, cystic fibrosis, ARDS, and pulmonary embolism on pregnancy and anesthetic management of labor and delivery.
Assessing climate change impacts on California hydropower generation and ancillary services provision

Climate change is expected to significantly reshape hydropower generation in California. However, the impact on the ability of hydropower to provide reserve capacity that can provide on-demand, back-up electricity generation to stabilize the grid in the case of a contingency has not been explored. This study examined the impact of climate change-driven hydrologic shifts on hydropower contributions to generation and ancillary services. We used projections from four climate models under Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 to evaluate the impact of climate change conditions, comparing the future period 2046–2055 to the baseline 2000–2009, and observed a net increase of inflow into large hydropower units in northern California. However, as extreme events yield greater spillage, increased overall inflow did not necessarily yield increased generation. Additionally, higher winter generation and summer reservoir constraints resulted in decreases in the spinning reserve potential for both RCP scenarios. We also examined a regionally downscaled “long drought” scenario under RCP8.5 to assess the impact of an extended dry period on generation and spinning reserve bidding. The long drought scenario, developed as part of the California 4th Climate Assessment, involves rainfall congruent with 20-year historical dry spells in California under increased temperatures. In addition to decreased generation, the long drought scenario yielded a 41% reduction in spinning reserve bidding tied to a decline in reservoir levels. The decreased spinning reserve bidding from hydropower may require increased reliance on other electricity resources that can provide the same dynamic support to maintain grid stability under climate change.
Performing Together: Monozygotic Twin Comedians/Twin research: Mirror-Image Cleft Lip and Palate; Dental Caries; Noninvasive Prenatal testing; Capgras Syndrome with Folie à Deux/In the News: Athletic Twins; Transgendered Twins; Crib-Sharing; Common Careers

Twin studies have shown that our sense of humor has an underlying genetic component, but less investigation of the origins of stand-up comedy has been undertaken. This article briefly reviews twin research findings on humor, then describes the working partnership and social affiliation of a pair of monozygotic male twins who perform together as stand-up comedians. The abilities, personalities and temperaments of these twins suggest future avenues for research in this interesting area. Next, findings from twin studies and case reports of twins with cleft lip and palate, dental caries, noninvasive prenatal testing and Capgras syndrome (with folie a deux) are summarized. In conclusion, recent news about athletic twins, transgendered twins, crib-sharing and career choice are presented.
Randomized phase II study of adjuvant afatinib for three months versus two years in patients with resected stage I-III EGFR mutant NSCLC.

8507Background: EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors are superior to chemotherapy in patients with advanced EGFR+ lung cancers. In the adjuvant setting, erlotinib for two years improves recurrence free ...
Locating Medical and Recreational Cannabis Outlets for Research Purposes: Online Methods and Observational Study.

Background: An increasing number of states have laws for the legal sale of recreational and medical cannabis out of brick-and-mortar storefront locations. Given the proliferation of cannabis outlets and their potential for impact on local economies, neighborhood structures, and individual patterns of cannabis use, it is essential to create practical and thorough methods to capture the location of such outlets for research purposes. However, methods used by researchers vary greatly between studies and often do not include important information about the retailer’s license status and storefront signage. Objective: The aim of this study was to find methods for locating and observing cannabis outlets in Los Angeles County after the period when recreational cannabis retailers were granted licenses and allowed to be open for business. Methods: The procedures included searches of online cannabis outlet databases, followed by methods to verify each outlet’s name, address, license information, and open status. These procedures, conducted solely online, resulted in a database of 531 outlets. To further verify each outlet’s information and collect signage data, we conducted direct observations of the 531 identified outlets. Results: We found that 80.9% (430/531) of these outlets were open for business, of which 37.6% (162/430) were licensed to sell cannabis. Unlicensed outlets were less likely to have signage indicating the store sold cannabis, such as a green cross, which was the most prevalent form of observed signage. Co-use of cannabis and tobacco/nicotine has been found to be a substantial health concern, and we observed that 40.6% (175/430) of cannabis outlets had a tobacco/nicotine outlet within sight of the cannabis outlet. Most (350/430, 81.4%) cannabis outlets were located within the City of Los Angeles, and these outlets were more likely to be licensed than outlets outside the city. Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that online searches and observational methods are both necessary to best capture accurate and detailed information about cannabis outlets. The methods described here can be applied to other metropolitan areas to more accurately capture the availability of cannabis in an area.
Ships’ Pumps: From Antiquity to the Early Modern Era

One of the few facts that can be stated unequivocally is that wooden vessels leak. Whether due to a damaged hull, loose caulking between seams, or simply a reflection of the age of a ship, water always manages to end up in the bilge. Sailors on smaller watercraft addressed this issue through bailing, but as ships became larger, the demand for an efficient device eventually produced the ships’ pump. Over most of history, contemporary scholars paid little attention to describing the device and it is only in the last few decades that archaeologists have begun to piece together the various versions of ships’ pumps found on several shipwrecks. This article addresses earlier analyses on ships’ pumps and expands upon the topic with new archaeological findings. It also discusses the relationship between the hull design and where shipbuilders positioned the pumps within the hold.
A critical review of the microstructure of U-Mo fuels

Abstract The microstructure of fuels evolves with irradiation and extensive microstructural characterization has been performed both on as-fabricated and irradiated U–Mo fuels for both dispersion and monolithic designs since initiation of the program to transition research reactors around the world from using high enriched uranium to low enriched uranium fuels. Developing mechanistic understanding of the U–Mo fuel microstructure and properties, which ultimately govern fuel performance during reactor operation, is an important part of the fuel qualification effort. With recent progress in implementation of modern characterization techniques in nuclear fuels research, a critical review of these efforts is warranted. In this review article, the authors provide a compilation and impartial assessment of the available experimental data involving microstructural evolution of U–Mo fuels, gaps in fundamental understanding of irradiation-induced phenomena, and outline path forward for fuels research. This article is intended as a resource for fuel designers and modelers that recaps recent research trends and a guide for prioritizing future experimental work on U–Mo fuels.
Effects of Low Light on Development of Ageratina altissima and Rudbeckia laciniata (Asteraceae), Species of the Tallgrass Prairie

How plants respond to low quantities of light could help in understanding plant development and ecology in habitats with changing light levels. Most previous studies have investigated shading by other plants, where spectral quality of light is changed. In this study, by contrast, several aspects of growth and reproduction were measured in Ageratina altissima and Rudbeckia laciniata (both grassland forbs in Asteraceae) grown for six weeks in a greenhouse where light was reduced to 10%, 50%, and 100% of ambient levels without changing spectral quality. Ageratina altissima was more responsive to light than was R. laciniata. In response to low light quantity, A. altissima displayed traits that were related to shade avoidance, common in grassland species, such as decreased chlorophyll content and biomass, fewer branches, leaves, and ramets, and decreased reproductive output. However, A. altissima also displayed traits that were consistent with shade tolerance, common in forest species, such as reduced elongation of stems, higher chlorophyll a/b ratio, reduced root and shoot biomass, and fewer and thinner leaves. Rudbeckia laciniata was less responsive to light treatments, only showing effects in leaf thickness and the SPAD chlorophyll index. There was no effect of light on leaf area, petiole length, or several chlorophyll fluorescence parameters in either species. Responses to low light quantity might involve a combination of shade avoidance and shade tolerance strategies in responsive species, potentially helpful as lighting conditions vary.
Cultural evolution and prehistoric demography

One prominent feature of human culture is that different populations have different tools, technologies and cultural artefacts, and these unique toolkits can also differ in size and complexity. Over the past few decades, researchers in the fields of prehistoric demography and cultural evolution have addressed a number of questions regarding variation in toolkit size and complexity across prehistoric and modern populations. Several factors have been proposed as possible explanations for this variation: in particular, the mobility of a population, the resources it uses, the volatility of its environment and the number of individuals in the population. Using a variety of methods, including empirical and ethnographic research, computational models and laboratory-based experiments, researchers have found disparate results regarding each hypothesis. These discordant findings have led to debate over the factors that most significantly influence toolkit size and composition. For instance, several computational, empirical and laboratory studies of food-producing populations have found a positive correlation between the number of individuals in a population and toolkit size, whereas similar studies of hunter-gatherer populations have found little evidence of such a link. In this paper, we conduct a comprehensive review of the literature in this field of study and propose corollaries and interdisciplinary approaches with the goal of reconciling dissimilar findings into a more comprehensive view of cultural toolkit variation. This article is part of the theme issue 'Cross-disciplinary approaches to prehistoric demography'.
A Processed EEG based Brain Anesthetic Resistance Index Predicts Postoperative Delirium in Older Adults: A Dual Center Study

BackgroundSome older adults show exaggerated responses to drugs that act on the brain, such as increased delirium risk in response to anticholinergic drugs. The brains response to anesthetic drugs is often measured clinically by processed electroencephalogram (EEG) indices. Thus, we developed a processed EEG based-measure of the brains neurophysiologic resistance to anesthetic dose-related changes, and hypothesized that it would predict postoperative delirium. MethodsWe defined the Duke Anesthesia Resistance Scale (DARS) as the average BIS index divided by the quantity 2.5 minus the average age-adjusted end-tidal MAC (aaMAC) inhaled anesthetic fraction. The relationship between DARS and postoperative delirium was analyzed in derivation (Duke; N=69), validation (Mt Sinai; N=70), and combined estimation cohorts (N=139) of older surgical patients (age [≥]65). In the derivation cohort, we identified a threshold relationship between DARS and for delirium and identified an optimal cut point for prediction. ResultsIn the derivation cohort, the optimal DARS threshold for predicting delirium was 27.0. The delirium rate was 11/49 (22.5%) vs 11/20 (55.0%) and 7/57 (12.3%) vs 6/13 (46.2%) for those with DARS [≥] 27 vs those with DARS < 27 in the derivation and validation cohorts respectively. In the combined estimation cohort, multivariable analysis found a significant association of DARS <27.0 with postoperative delirium (OR=4.7; 95% CI: 1.87, 12.0; p=0.001). In the derivation cohort, the DARS had an AUC of 0.63 with sensitivity of 50%, specificity of 81%, positive predictive value of 0.55, and negative predictive value of 0.78. The DARS remained a significant predictor of delirium after accounting for opioid, midazolam, propofol, non-depolarizing neuromuscular blocker, phenylephrine and ketamine dosage, and for nitrous oxide and epidural usage. ConclusionsThese results suggest than an intraoperative processed EEG-based measure of lower brain anesthetic resistance (i.e. DARS <27) could be used in older surgical patients as an independent predictor of postoperative delirium risk.
Plastic Roads: Not All They’re Paved Up to Be

The growing, global plastic waste crisis is sparking a myriad of solutions from disparate fields. One such end-of-use solution is the application of plastic waste for paving roads. This solution is...
Are constitutional characteristics a proxy for institutional quality? Evidence from 109 countries

The paper investigates the question whether constitutions are a proxy for institutional quality. It provides a discussion of institutions and states that constitutions are an example of a formal in...
Facilitating Green Tech and Green Finance between Public and Private Sectors: Innovation and Sustainable Growth

Whilst concerns for privacy, governance and security remain paramount in relation to Fintech and distributed ledger technologies, such concerns need to be balanced against ways whereby “Green Fintech” and Green Finance can interact. Such interaction also prompts considerations relating to the engagement of the public and private sectors in ensuring that innovation is facilitated whilst the tendency for competitive imbalances are taken into account. This paper contributes to the extant literature on the topic by identifying how risks have evolved with the digital age and how such risks have been, and can be addressed. Further, it draws attention to technologies that have been proposed in the transition to greener, net zero carbon emission economies through a consideration of concepts such as sensor technologies and “Smart Green Growth”. Is it really possible to facilitate a transition to a net zero carbon emissions economy whilst the ongoing pandemic appears to be leaving a legacy in the rise of digital platforms which are widely acknowledged to be huge contributors to carbon emissions? To what extent can “Green Fintech” and Green Finance interact efficiently in the same capacity and importance of ensuring that regulators do not regulate or over regulate technology but rather, it uses?
BioParts-A Biological Parts Search Portal and Updates to the ICE Parts Registry Software Platform

Capturing, storing, and sharing biological DNA parts data are integral parts of synthetic biology research. Here, we detail updates to the ICE biological parts registry software platform that enable these processes, describe our implementation of the Web of Registries concept using ICE, and establish Bioparts, a search portal for biological parts available in the public domain. The Web of Registries enables standalone ICE installations to securely connect and form a distributed parts database. This distributed database allows users from one registry to query and access plasmid, strain, (DNA) part, plant seed, and protein entry types in other connected registries. Users can also transfer entries from one ICE registry to another or make them publicly accessible. Bioparts, the new search portal, combines the ease and convenience of modern web search engines with the capabilities of bioinformatics search tools such as BLAST. This portal, available at bioparts.org, allows anyone to search for publicly accessible biological part information (e.g., NCBI, iGEM, SynBioHub, Addgene), including parts publicly accessible through ICE Registries. Additionally, the portal offers a REST API that enables third-party applications and tools to access the portal's functionality programmatically.
Hip Arthroplasty Outcomes for Femoral Neck Fractures in Transplant Patients.

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to compare the short-term complications between transplant and non-transplant patients who undergo hip arthroplasty for femoral neck fractures (FNF). Additionally, we sought to further compare the outcomes of total hip arthroplasty (THA) versus hemiarthroplasty (HA) within the transplant group. METHODS This was a retrospective review utilizing the Nationwide Readmissions Database. Transplant patients were identified and stratified based on transplant type: kidney, liver, or other (heart, lung, bone marrow, and pancreas). Outcomes of interest included index hospitalization mortality, perioperative complications, length of stay, costs, hospital readmission and surgical complications within 90 days of discharge. RESULTS From 2010-2018, a total of 881,061 patients underwent THA or HA for FNF of which 2,163 (0.2%) were transplant patients. When compared to non-transplant patients, all transplant patients had an increased risk of requiring blood transfusion (odds ratio [OR]=1.51, p=0.001), acute kidney injury (OR=2.02, p<0.001), and discharge to facility (OR=1.67, p=0.001) while having increased index hospitalization length of stay and costs. Liver and other transplant patients had an increased risk of readmission within 90 days (OR=1.82, p<0.001 and OR=1.60, p=0.014 respectively). Subgroup analysis for transplant patients comparing HA to THA demonstrated no differences in perioperative complication rates and decreased hospitalization length of stay and cost associated with THA. CONCLUSION In this retrospective cohort study, transplant patients had an increased risk of requiring blood transfusions and acute kidney injury after hip arthroplasty for FNF. There were no differences in short-term complications between transplant patients treated with HA versus THA. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 3 (Retrospective cohort study).
Sulfur Poisoning of Metals

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of the sulfur poisoning of metals. Sulfur apparently bonds so strongly to metal surfaces that marked activity reduction occurs at extremely low gas-phase concentrations of sulfur-containing compounds. In commercial practice, the life of supported metal catalysts may be reduced to only a few months or weeks in the presence of only ppm quantities of sulfur contaminants in the feed. Because of the essentially irreversible adsorption of sulfur compounds on metals, regeneration is usually impossible or impractical. This chapter integrates available information on the interaction of sulfur with metal surfaces with that of poisoning studies to provide a more complete picture of sulfur poisoning and of the mechanism. The chapter stresses the importance of experimental techniques that provide definitive, fundamental information regarding sulfur adsorption and poisoning.
Measurement of Electron Diffusion Length by Photoluminescence in p-Doped GaAs Substrates and p-Doped Epitaxially Grown GaAs Photocathodes

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses measurement of electron diffusion length by photoluminescence in p-doped GaAs substrates and p-doped epitaxially grown GaAs photocathodes. The knowledge of the diffusion length of electrons in p-doped GaAs photocathodes is of paramount importance in determining the yield of such cathodes. In this study, three aspects of the problem were investigated. Photocathodes were grown epitaxially on various single-crystal GaAs substrates with heavy Zn doping. Several substrates were studied with different surface preparations and their photoluminescence characteristics were compared. Several epitaxially grown films, with different characteristics, were measured while these films were still on the substrate. The effects of the photocathode activation process on these films were studied by measuring photoluminescence before activation and after several activation cycles during which the samples were exposed to high-temperature heat treatment. Luminescent intensities varied over a wide range and other features of the spectra such as half width, band shape, and peak position displayed considerable variations as well. The qualitative conclusion that is drawn from this study is that both intensity and half width increase with increasing doping. This is supported by theory as well, although the relations are a little more involved regarding the half width.
Polymerization of sulfur dioxide, conjugated dienes, and vinyl monomers

The composition of terpolymers of sulfur dioxide, conjugated dienes and a methacrylate monomer which does not form a complex with sulfur dioxide should decrease in sulfur dioxide content as the concentration of the third monomer in the reaction mixture increases. The sulfur dioxide content of these terpolymers was actually nearly 50 mole-% over a wide range of reaction mixture compositions. A reaction route is presented by which the deviation of this system from conventional copolymerization behaviour is explained. A random structure of the terpolymers is deduced from the results of thermal gravimetric analysis of these polymers. A slight enhancement of thermal stability was obtained by terpolymerization. Die Zusammensetzung von Terpolymeren aus Schwefeldioxid, konjugierten Dienen und Methacrylsaureestern, die mit SO2 keinen Komplex bilden konnen, wurde bestimmt. Wenn die Konzentration des dritten Monomeren im Reaktionsgemisch steigt, sollte der Gehalt an SO2 im Terpolymeren abnehmen. In einem weiten Gebiet der Zusammensetzungsverhaltnisse wurde jedoch gefunden, das der SO2-Gehalt ungefahr 50 Mol-% betragt. Um dieses Ergebnis zu erklaren, wurde ein Reaktionsmechanismus aufgestellt, durch den die Abweichung dieses Systems von den konventionellen Copolymerisationen erlautert wird. Die statistische Struktur dieser Terpolymeren wurde durch die Ergebnisse der thermogravimetrischen Analyse bewiesen. Die Terpolymerisation bewirkt eine kleine Erhohung der thermischen Stabilitat.
A comparison analysis of CLL and LLC resonant converter for multi-phase applications

In this paper, CLL and LLC resonant converter topologies are investigated for multi-phase applications that can be used for electric vehicle (EV) chargers. The comparison is realized designing two different resonant converter topologies, multi-phase CLL and multi-phase LLC resonant converters. The designed converters are compared with their performances and topology features. One advantage of CLL resonant converter is revealed that a power flow of CLL resonant converter between phases is more convenient with the phase shift function. However, LLC resonant converter shows a benefit that a current sharing of LLC resonant converter between ports are preserved even under the unbalanced input voltage and output load conditions.
350-nm band edge-emitting laser diodes enabled by low-dislocation-density AlGaN templates

Realization of efficient laser diodes with ultra-violet (UV) emission from ∼260–360 nm would enable many applications including fluorescence-based biological agent detection, sterilization, and portable water purification. While InGaN-based laser diodes are well developed down to ∼370 nm, achieving shorter UV wavelengths requires higher Al-content AlGaN alloys with increasing challenges in achieving p-type doping, strain-management, and low threading-dislocation-density (TDD) AlGaN templates. Given these challenges, few groups have reported AlGaN-based edge-emitting laser diodes (LDs) with emission < 355 nm.[1, 2] Most recently, random lasing via Anderson localization in AlGaN nanowire structures has demonstrated a novel approach to realizing deep-UV laser diodes.[3]
Effects of Attention on Orientation-Tuning Functions of Single Neurons in Macaque Cortical Area V4

We examined how attention affected the orientation tuning of 262 isolated neurons in extrastriate area V4 and 135 neurons in area V1 of two rhesus monkeys. The animals were trained to perform a delayed match-to-sample task in which oriented stimuli were presented in the receptive field of the neuron being recorded. On some trials the animals were instructed to pay attention to those stimuli, and on other trials they were instructed to pay attention to other stimuli outside the receptive field. In this way, orientation-tuning curves could be constructed from neuronal responses collected in two behavioral states: one in which those stimuli were attended by the animal and one in which those stimuli were ignored by the animal. We fit Gaussians to the neuronal responses to twelve different orientations for each behavioral state. Although attention enhanced the responses of V4 neurons (median 26% increase) and V1 neurons (median 8% increase), selectivity, as measured by the width of its orientation-tuning curve, was not systematically altered by attention. The effects of attention were consistent with a multiplicative scaling of the driven response to all orientations. We also found that attention did not cause systematic changes in the undriven activity of the neurons.
Combined enzymatic and chemical approaches to the synthesis of unique polyribonucleotides.

Abstract The enzymatic polymerization by polynucleotide phosphorylase of 6-chloro-9-(β- d -ribofuranosyl)purine 5′-diphosphate to poly(6-chloropurinylic acid) and its conversion to poly(6-thioinosinic acid) is described. The sulfur isostere of poly(I) was found not to form a complex with poly(C), but to form a self-association complex with a Tm around 295°K. The sedimentation velocities, pKa and Tm values of the polymer have been examined under various conditions. A two (or more) stranded helical array is suggested as the most probable structure. Thermal loss of the thione chromophore was noted for poly(s6I), s6IMP and s6I; the degradation product from s6I was shown to be inosine.