cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Project Management and Implementation in EcoCAR 3

The EcoCAR 3 competition is the latest iteration of the Advanced Vehicle Technology Competitions sponsored by General Motors (GM) and the Department of Energy (DOE). The competition involves 16 universities from the US and Canada and requires the teams to design, develop, and implement a hybrid Chevrolet Camaro from the platform of GM’s choosing. The Colorado State University (CSU) team is a unique participant in this competition because it implements the program as a subset of the Mechanical Engineering and Electrical Engineering senior capstone courses. The advantages of this arrangement are that EcoCAR 3 can leverage course deliverables to achieve EcoCAR 3 objectives, and that students can receive credit for their efforts in support of the EcoCAR 3 program. The challenges with this approach center around having two sets of deliverables (competition and academic) on overlapping timelines with shared resources. These challenges must be resolved through project management activities to successfully meet all of the deadlines and requirements of each program.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Case 32-2010: A pregnant woman with abdominal pain and fluid in the peritoneal cavity

A woman at 34 weeks of gestation presented with sudden abdominal pain, most severe in the right lower quadrant. Imaging revealed peritoneal fluid. After delivery, pain decreased but recurred suddenly the next day, with hypotension. A procedure was performed.
A role for manganese superoxide dismutase in radioprotection of hematopoietic stem cells by interleukin-1

Pretreatment with interleukin-1 (IL-1) has been shown to protect mice from the myelotoxicity associated with irradiation via a mechanism potentially mediated through the induction of the antioxidant enzyme manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD). In this study, we have compared the ability of IL-1 to induce MnSOD mRNA in murine bone marrow cells and human cell lines with its ability to protect these cells against the damaging effects of ionizing radiation. Bone marrow cells obtained from mice 6 hours after a single injection of IL-1 demonstrate a dose-dependent increase in the expression of MnSOD RNA. In this same study, IL-1 was also shown to be radioprotective when given to mice 20 hours before lethal irradiation. Similarly, in vitro treatment with IL-1 of bone marrow cells isolated from 5-fluorouracil-treated mice results in elevated levels of MnSOD RNA. Pretreatment with IL-1 also protected bone marrow long-term culture-initiating cells capable of reconstituting irradiated stromal cultures from an irradiation insult. Furthermore, IL-1-treated human bone marrow cells display both elevated MnSOD RNA and protein levels when compared with media controls. The human A375 melanoma, A549 adenocarcinoma, and factor-dependent TF-1 leukemic cell lines demonstrate low basal MnSOD RNA levels that increase following treatment with IL-1. For the A375 cells, this correlates with increased MnSOD protein expression and radioprotection by IL-1 using a colony assay. In contrast, the chronic myelogenous leukemic cell line, K562, displays a high basal MnSOD RNA level, and this RNA expression is not further increased by IL-1 treatment. In addition, these cells are comparatively radioresistant and are not further protected by IL-1 treatment. Finally, the Mo-7 cell line displays a low basal level of MnSOD RNA that correlates with a high sensitivity to irradiation and IL-1 pretreatment has no effect on MnSOD RNA levels. Our results indicate that increased radioprotection by IL-1 correlates with the induction of the antioxidant enzyme MnSOD and this induction may be an important factor in IL-1 radioprotection.
283 EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH A HOSPITAL INVESTIGATION OF FALSE-POSITIVE TUBERCULIN SKIN TESTS (PPD).

Background Over the last 20 years much has been written regarding discrepancies between the two commercially available PPD preparations in the United States. Many reports have illustrated concerns of higher rates of false-positive PPDs using the Aplisol derivative, yet hospital formulary committees continue to use this formulation. Objective To analyze the additional costs incurred as a result of an increase in positive PPDs in the employee testing program of a hospital after the pharmacy formulary changed to Aplisol in effort to reduce costs. Design/Setting/Participants After a significant increase over baseline in the incidence of positive PPDs in the fourth quarter of 2003 and first quarter of 2004 in the employee testing program, an investigation of the hospital infection control and facilities was initiated. Results A total of 10 employees were investigated. Six of nine had negative PPDs on retesting using Tubersol. All underwent chest radiography that showed no evidence of tuberculosis. One testing positive on repeat PPD elected to undergo isoniazid prophylaxis. Additionally, hospital facilities management tested all negative flow and isolation rooms for compliance and changed filters in all rooms involved. Ultimately, no employees were found to have culture-proven tuberculosis, and no rooms were found to be out of compliance. Total costs associated with this investigation approached $14,000. Conclusions As hospitals continue to struggle to provide health care at reduced costs, thorough attention to product substitutions must be given. In this example, cost savings of less than $2 per dose resulted in significant expenses to the health care system exceeding $1,300 per false-positive test. In efforts to reduce costs, hospitals should be cautious when choosing tests with a higher false-positive rate.
Negative and positive data, statistical power, and confidence intervals.

What is negative about negative data? Scientists understand negative data from our training in data analysis and statistics, where we use a positive concept of negative data. Negative data are data that do not enable us to reject our null hypothesis. Such data are often difficult to publish because it is not possible to prove the null hypothesis. Every active research scientist has a large drawer where these data languish. In the area of environmental biosafety, however, some scientists have begun to use “negative data” in a second, normative way. This normative concept of negative data has socio-political connotations, where “negative” data has come to connote results that GMO proponents could use to support, and GMO opponents could use to oppose the development of GMOs. This politicization of GMO biosafety research is worthy of study in its own right, but EBR is prepared to accept any kind of “negative” or “positive” data.
Essential role of GTP in epinephrine stimulation of human fat cell adenylate cyclase

The activity of epinephrine-sensitive adenylate cyclase of human fat cell ghosts is markedly enhanced by the GTP analog 5'-guanylyl-imidodiphosphate (GMP-P(NH)P), but a similar effect of GTP itself has not been heretofore demonstrable. In the present work, comparison of adenylate cyclase activity in the presence of epinephrine alone versus epinephrine plus GTP showed that at 37 degrees C GTP doubled activity (10-min incubation); at 30 degrees C less than half this effect was apparent. However, time course studies at both 30 and 37 degrees C showed that comparisons at a single point in time based on ratios of hormone-stimulated activity to basal or basal plus GTP were misleading, since basal activities were not linear with time and were inhibited by GTP. The inhibitory effect of GTP on basal activity was seen at both temperatures but at 37 degrees C decreased with time so that by 10 min the inhibition was no longer apparent. The time course data showed clearly that epinephrine alone did not stimulate adenylate cyclase activity; rather, the hormone merely prevented fall-off of initial rate of unstimulated (basal) enzyme activity. Only when GTP was added together with epinephrine was an unequivocal stimulation of enzyme activity observed. GTP effect was dose-dependent with half-maximal enhancement of epinephrine stimulation at 1.0 microM GTP. The GTP effect was not hormone-receptor mediated, since no shift was seen of the epinephrine dose-response curve toward higher sensitivity. GTP enhancement of epinephrine stimulation occurred over a wide range of ATP concentrations (0.01-3.0 mM) and affected the substrate Km only minimally. GTP-enhanced activity thus occurred through increased V max of the hormone-sensitive adenylate cyclase.
Segment-scale variations in seafloor volcanic and tectonic processes from multibeam sonar imaging, Mid-Atlantic Ridge Rainbow region (35°45′–36°35′N)

Along-axis variations in melt supply and thermal structure can lead to significant variations in the mode of crustal accretion at mid-ocean ridges. We examine variations in seafloor volcanic and tectonic processes on the scale of individual ridge segments in a region of the slow-spreading Mid-Atlantic Ridge (35o45'-36o35'N) centered on the Rainbow non-transform discontinuity (NTD). We use multibeam sonar backscatter amplitude data, taking advantage of multifold and multi-directional coverage from the MARINER geophysical study to create a gridded compilation of seafloor reflectivity, and interpret the sonar image within the context of other data to examine seafloor properties and identify volcanic flow fields and tectonic features. Along the spreading segments, differences in volcanic productivity, faulting, eruption style and frequency correlate with inferred magma supply. Regions of low magma supply are associated with more widely spaced faults, and larger volcanic flow fields that are more easily identified in the backscatter image. Identified flow fields with the highest backscatter occur near the ends of ridge segments. Their relatively smooth topography contrasts with the more hummocky, cone-dominated terrain that dominates most of the neovolcanic zone. Patches of seafloor with high, moderately high, and low backscatter intensity across the Rainbow massif are spatially correlated with observations of basalt, gabbro and serpentinized peridotite, and sediment respectively. Large detachment faults have repeatedly formed along the inside corners of the Rainbow NTD, producing a series of oceanic core complexes along the wake of the NTD. A new detachment fault is currently forming in the ridge segment just north of the now inactive Rainbow massif. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Predictors of Place of Death of Individuals in a Home-Based Primary and Palliative Care Program

Objectives To investigate factors associated with place of death of individuals in the Mount Sinai Visiting Doctors Program (MSVD). Design A retrospective chart review was performed of all MSVD participants who died in 2012 to assess predictors of place of death in the last month of life. Setting MSVD, a home-based primary and palliative care program in New York. Participants MSVD participants who were discharged from the program because of death between January 2012 and December 2012 and died at home, in inpatient hospice, or in the hospital (N = 183). Measurements Electronic medical records were reviewed to collect information on demographic characteristics, physician visits, and end-of-life conversations. Results Of 183 participants, 103 (56%) died at home, approximately twice the national average; 28 (15%) died in inpatient hospice; and 52 (28%) died in the hospital. Bivariate analyses showed that participants who were white, aged 90 and older, non-Medicaid, or had a recorded preference for place of death were more likely to die outside the hospital. Diagnoses and living situation were not significantly associated with place of death. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed no statistical association between place of death and home visits in the last month of life (odds ratio = 1.21, 95% confidence interval = 0.52–2.77). Conclusion Home-based primary and palliative care results in a high likelihood of nonhospital death, although certain demographic characteristics are strong predictors of death in the hospital. For MSVD participants, home visits in the last month of life were not associated with death outside the hospital.
Chapter Seven: A Transnational Public Sphere

A major point of contention I was pushing forward in Chap. 7 was to place the body of an innocent citizen at the receiving end of a bullet—for which the conniving ruling regime refuses to accept responsibility—as the singular site of a renewed body politics. My next move is again to exit the Iran scene and to navigate a transnational public sphere upon which national realities are instantly read and interpreted far faster and far beyond their false hermeneutic taming within a dominant official reading. In other words, the world at large is today much more alert and the fictive frontiers of nation-states, I argue, far more porous for any tyrannical regime to have an exclusive claim on what it wishes to become a dominant truth. Here I return to regional and global context of the nation via a critical assessment of the transnational public sphere upon which the nation is fathomed and repeatedly performed. This works toward a detailed account of the public sphere that is transnational in its origins and contexts and embraces and conditions the national destiny. Here my contention is that the very notion of the “nation” has ipso facto a transnational origin and therefore relies on (for it is rooted in) that amorphous framing to renew itself.
Orthognathic surgery for the Invisalign patient

Orthognathic surgery has continued to evolve, with increasing utilization of digital imaging and software to facilitate both the pre-surgical orthodontics via Invisalign therapy, as well as virtual surgical planning (VSP). While offering the advantage of comprehensive and patient-specific analysis, these novel technologies have also inadvertently introduced challenges in execution of the surgical plan, causing select providers to question their utility in surgical cases. Through elimination of traditional orthodontic appliances, which have historically served to provide anchoring hardware for intraoperative splint stabilization, patients managed pre-surgically with Invisalign necessitate modification of the operative techniques. Here we provide an overview of several alternative methods to facilitate maxillomandibular repositioning and stabilization, including utilization of Erich arch bars, Ivy loops, intermaxillary fixation (IMF) screws and hybrid arch bar systems. Application of these techniques in orthognathic surgery, expanded and adapted from arena of maxillofacial trauma, allows optimization of scope of indications for the Invisalign system and may increase case acceptance for surgical patients seeking esthetic and minimally invasive orthodontic options.
Mixed strategy load management strategy for wireless communication network micro grid

This paper presents a decentralized mixed game load shading strategy for a dc micro grid powering a cluster of a few BSs. This micro grid is powered by photovoltaic (PV) systems supported by batteries. This method was designed to address the tradeoff between communication quality of service vs. energy availability in a distributed control environment without using a dedicated communication network that may become a single point of failure. The presented approach could increase resilience and availability of the micro grid system and could potentially reduce infrastructure building cost. The load control strategy applied in this algorithm is communication traffic shaping. The algorithm was analyzed mathematically and validated in a simulated case stud. The simulation results show that this strategy could reach at worst a near-optimal solution to this type of problem.
Sex differences in hippocampal function

Sex differences in the function of the hippocampus have been observed in numerous mammalian species. However, the magnitude, extent, and specificity of these differences are unclear because they can depend on factors including age, methodology, and environment. This Review will discuss seminal studies examining sex differences in hippocampal memory, neuronal morphology, synaptic plasticity, and cell signaling in humans and rodents. We also describe possible organizational and activational effects of sex steroid hormones during early development, puberty, and adulthood that may lead to sex differences observed in the hippocampus. We conclude by discussing the implications of sex differences in hippocampal function for mental health. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Lugar de dudas. Sobre la práctica del análisis histórico. Breviario de inseguridades, de R. Silva

Esta obra del historiador colombiano Renan Silva (1951) es una polemica en torno a debates perennes en el campo historiografico. Ofrece una notable reflexion sobre la construccion autonoma de problemas y objetos de investigacion, evitando la tentacion de corroborar aquello que sabemos previamente (nuestro prejuicio) en el material de campo. Las propuestas de Pierre Bourdieu, Norbert Elias y Michel de Certeau operan en el libro como precaucion frente a la tentacion empirista de que el objeto de investigacion existe dado en la realidad, de forma espontanea —sin reconocer que el objeto es un recorte, una creacion (rigurosa o no) del investigador—. Dividido en seis breves capitulos, el libro toma distancia de los dualismos convencionales que moralizan el analisis (elites vs. masas), criticando el empirismo y la pobreza conceptual de la historiografia reciente (p. 35). Revisa, a su vez, los dilemas eticos y epistemologicos a los que se enfrenta la practica historica universitaria: el anacronismo, el eurocentrismo-etnocentrismo, la subordinacion (periferia, subalternidad, colonialismo).
Formation of embedded plasmonic Ga nanoparticle arrays and their influence on GaAs photoluminescence

We introduce a novel approach to the seamless integration of plasmonic nanoparticle (NP) arrays into semiconductor layers and demonstrate their enhanced photoluminescence (PL) efficiency. Our approach utilizes focused ion beam-induced self-assembly of close-packed arrays of Ga NPs with tailorable NP diameters, followed by overgrowth of GaAs layers using molecular beam epitaxy. Using a combination of PL spectroscopy and electromagnetic computations, we identify a regime of Ga NP diameter and overgrown GaAs layer thickness where NP-array-enhanced absorption in GaAs leads to enhanced GaAs near-band-edge (NBE) PL efficiency, surpassing that of high-quality epitaxial GaAs layers. As the NP array depth and size are increased, the reduction in spontaneous emission rate overwhelms the NP-array-enhanced absorption, leading to a reduced NBE PL efficiency. This approach provides an opportunity to enhance the PL efficiency of a wide variety of semiconductor heterostructures.
Patient Compliance With Electronic Patient Reported Outcomes Following Shoulder Arthroscopy.

Purpose To determine the patient compliance in completing electronically administered patient-reported outcome (PRO) scores following shoulder arthroscopy, and to determine if dedicated research assistants improve patient compliance. Methods Patients undergoing arthroscopic shoulder surgery from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2014, were prospectively enrolled into an electronic data collection system with retrospective review of compliance data. A total of 143 patients were included in this study; 406 patients were excluded (for any or all of the following reasons, such as incomplete follow-up, inaccessibility to the order sets, and inability to complete the order sets). All patients were assigned an order set of PROs through an electronic reporting system, with order sets to be completed prior to surgery, as well as 6 and 12 months postoperatively. Compliance rates of form completion were documented. Patients who underwent arthroscopic anterior and/or posterior stabilization were excluded. Results The average age of the patients was 53.1 years, ranging from 20 to 83. Compliance of form completion was highest preoperatively (76%), and then dropped subsequently at 6 months postoperatively (57%) and 12 months postoperatively (45%). Use of research assistants improved compliance by approximately 20% at each time point. No differences were found according to patient gender and age group. Of those completing forms, a majority completed forms at home or elsewhere prior to returning to the office for the clinic visit. Conclusions Electronic administration of PRO may decrease the amount of time required in the office setting for PRO completion by patients. This may be mutually beneficial to providers and patients. It is unclear if an electronic system improves patient compliance in voluntary completion PRO. Compliance rates at final follow-up remain a concern if data are to be used for establishing quality or outcome metrics. Level of Evidence Level IV, case series.
Perch-shape preference and perching behaviors of young laying hens

Abstract Provision of perches in enriched colony or cage-free hen housing facilitates birds’ ability to express natural behaviors, thus enhancing animal welfare. Although considerable research has been conducted on poultry perches, further investigation is needed of perching behavior and preference of laying hens to perch exposure and perch types. This study aimed to assess preference of young laying hens for round vs. hexagon perches and to characterize temporal perching behaviors of the young hens brought to an enriched colony setting from a cage pullet-rearing environment. A total of 42 Lohmann white hens in six equal groups, 17 weeks of age at the onset of the experiment, were used in the study. Each group of hens was housed in a wire-mesh floor pen equipped with two 120 cm long perches (one round perch at 3.2 cm dia. and one hexagon perch at 3.1 cm circumscribed dia., placed 40 cm apart and 30 cm above the floor). Each group was monitored continuously for 9 weeks. Perching behaviors during the monitoring period, including perching time, perch visit, and perching bird number, were recorded and analyzed daily using an automated perching monitoring system. Results revealed that the laying hens showed no preference between the round and hexagon perches (P = 0.59–0.98). Young laying hens without prior perching experience showed increasing use of perches over time (P
FD-PIC simulation of broadband whistler mode wave interactions with energetic electrons in the Earth's radiation belts

The distribution of energetic particles that form the Earth's radiation belts is extremely variable, with the trapped flux changing by several orders of magnitude on timescales of a few hours to days. These energetic particles pose a significant hazard to satellites and astronauts in the near-Earth space environment. Additionally, the Earth's magnetosphere hosts a large number of wave modes, which interact with the high energy particles. Here we focus on the whistler mode which exists for frequencies lower than the electron cyclotron frequency. The particles in the near-Earth space environment can be classified into two major “cold” and “hot” plasma populations. The cold plasma is more dense and therefore defines the background medium determining wave propagation and dispersion. Hot plasma particles, on the other hand, drive nonlinear interactions and resonances with the waves. These interactions can lead to wave growth or damping and also to pitch-angle scattering of these energetic particles where a portion of the particles would fall into the loss cone lowering the altitude of their mirror point to a level where they are absorbed by the atmosphere. Accurately modeling of waves in the Earth's radiation belts requires numerical approaches that can capture both the cold and hot plasma effects.
Comparison of Three Immunoassays for Screening Anti-Hepatitis B Hybridomas

Three micro solid phase immunoassays were developed for screening secreting anti-hepatitis B hybridoma clones: a micro-solid phase radioimmunoassay (micro-SPRIA)1 and two enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). In all three procedures, aliquots of hybridoma culture fluid were first added to antigen-coated wells. Goat anti-mouse IgG (GtaM) was used as second antibody. For micro-SPRIA, Gt α m was iodinated by the chloramine T method. For the ELISAs, we compared two methods of coupling the antibody to alkaline phosphatase (AP): with glutaraldehyde (ELISA-glutaraldehyde) and with N-succinimidyl 3-(2-pyridyldi-thio) propinate (SPDP) (ELISA-SPDP). All three tests were more sensitive than the commercially available AUSAB (Abbott), which could not detect low enough levels of antibody to be used for hybridoma screening. ELISA-glutaraldehyde was the least sensitive of the three and produced a number of false positive results. Micro-SPRIA was 5 times more sensitive than ELISA-glutaraldehyde, and ELISA-SPDP was 2.5 times more sensitive than micro-SPRIA. This higher sensitivity of ELISA-SPDP allowed us to detect a greater number of secreting clones at an earlier time after fusion.
Issues and expectations for EMG decomposition.

Publisher Summary This chapter considers two areas, in which progress might be expected to advance the acceptance and use of EMG decomposition: (1) increased sharing of signals and algorithms between laboratories, and (2) objective methods for assessing decomposition accuracy. It discusses that the process of separating out the individual trains of motor unit action potentials (MUAPs) that make up an EMG signal is referred to as EMG decomposition. It is used in clinical neurophysiology to quantify MUAP waveforms for diagnosing neuromuscular disorders, and in basic physiology to study motor unit behavior and muscle architecture. The chapter reviews that decomposition provides a way to quantify clinical observations that are now largely subjective and to study the behavior of multiple motor units (MUs), simultaneously. A number of effective computer-aided and fully automatic decomposition programs have been developed over the last 25 years. However, despite their utility, none of these programs has yet gained widespread use outside the laboratory, in which it was developed and EMG decomposition remains little used in routine clinical practice.
Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields in High Contrast Media

Using variational principles we construct discrete network approximations for the Dirichlet to Neumann or Neumann to Dirichlet maps of high contrast, low frequency electromagnetic media.
Improving the Accuracy of Scores to Predict Gastrostomy after Intracerebral Hemorrhage with Machine Learning.

Abstract Background Gastrostomy placement after intracerebral hemorrhage indicates the need for continued medical care and predicts patient dependence. Our objective was to determine the optimal machine learning technique to predict gastrostomy. Methods We included 531 patients in a derivation cohort and 189 patients from another institution for testing. We derived and tested predictions of the likelihood of gastrostomy placement with logistic regression using the GRAVo score (composed of Glasgow Coma Scale ≤12, age >50 years, black race, and hematoma volume >30 mL), compared to other machine learning techniques (kth nearest neighbor, support vector machines, random forests, extreme gradient boosting, gradient boosting machine, stacking). Receiver Operating Curves (Area Under the Curve, [AUC]) between logistic regression (the technique used in GRAVo score development) and other machine learning techniques were compared. Another institution provided an external test data set. Results In the external test data set, logistic regression using the GRAVo score components predicted gastrostomy (P Conclusions Machine learning techniques other than logistic regression (eg, random forests, extreme gradient boost, and kth nearest neighbors) were significantly more accurate for predicting gastrostomy using the same independent variables. Machine learning techniques may assist clinicians in identifying patients likely to need interventions.
Big foot MRI: A practical guide for radiologists to soft tissue tumors and tumor-like lesions of the foot

ABSTRACT The foot is a relatively rare site of soft tissue neoplasm, and tumors at this site offer unique diagnostic challenges. MRI is the modality of choice for the evaluation of soft tissue tumors of the foot, related to its intrinsic high soft-tissue contrast and multiplanar capability. This article reviews the MRI appearance of the common soft tissue masses in the foot together with their clinical, radiographic, and pathological features. Even though there is a large overlap between benign and malignant lesions in the foot, MRI characteristics can be useful to provide a practical guide for radiologists to establish a focused differential diagnosis.
Commentary On Wayne and McCosh (2018): “Diversity as a Problematic Predictor of Organizational Performance: Issues of Context and Expectations”

In their article, Wayne and McCosh (2018) problematize uncritical ways in which diversity research has studied the link between extant diversity variables and organizational performance. They point out that researchers may be overpromising the benefits of diversity while not addressing the critical tensions that arise in organizational settings due to diversity. Further, they suggest that there is little standardization in the field around not only the definition of diversity or its conceptualization but also around which variables and concepts are used in studies. As a consequence, studies that study ‘diversity’ and its potential impact on various dimensions of organizational performance suffer from a lack of precision, replicability, and generalizability. As Wayne and McCosh (2018) contend, the central issue is around how diversity is defined, multiple different variables that are used to represent facets of diversity and scholarly interest in making the business case for diversity. To address these shortcomings, the authors instead call for a more nuanced and context-specific approach to the study of diversity and its potential to impact organizational performance. Their approach is to borrow from Hofstede’s (1988) work on cultural frameworks to query complex organizational phenomenon related to diversity.
Operative Time Directly Correlates with Blood Loss and Need for Blood Transfusion in Total Joint Arthroplasty

Background: Allogeneic blood transfusion in patients undergoing total joint arthroplasty (TJA) has been shown tonegatively affect patient outcomes. This study aimed to examine if there is a correlation between operative time and theneed for allogeneic blood transfusions during TJA.Methods: We performed a retrospective review of 866 patients who underwent primary TJA during a one-year periodat our institution. Logistic regression was performed to identify the association between operative time and need forallogeneic blood transfusion, controlling for other patient and surgical factors. Multiple linear regression analysis wasalso performed to see how the same factors affected CBL.Results: Of the 866 cases, 13%(115) were simultaneous bilateral. 52%(449) of patients received preoperativeautologous blood donation. The average operative time for unilateral and bilateral patients was 74.1±(33.9) and132.6±(36.0) minutes, respectively. Average CBL for unilateral patients was 2120mL±(1208) and 4051mL±(1311) forbilateral cases. The average number of allogeneic transfusions was also higher within the bilateral group (0.49 vs 1.15units). Multivariate analysis indicated that duration of surgery (odds ratio [OR]:1.35 per 15 minutes) and bilateral TJA(OR: 2.97) increase the risk of allogeneic blood transfusion, while patients having total knee arthroplasty are less likelyto receive allogeneic blood transfusion (OR: 0.50). CBL also increased significantly with surgical duration (211.5 mLper 15 minutes).Conclusion: A subgroup analysis confirmed that there was a correlation between operative time and need forallogeneic transfusion following unilateral TJA. Expeditious surgery can minimize blood loss and subsequent need forblood transfusion and its associated adverse consequences.
Accuracy of five self-report screening instruments for substance use in pregnancy.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS The accuracy of current screening instruments for identification of substance use in pregnancy is unclear, particularly given methodological shortcomings in existing research. This diagnostic accuracy study compared five existing instruments for ability to identify illicit drug, opioid and alcohol use, under privacy expectations consistent with applied practice and using a gold standard incorporating toxicological analysis. DESIGN Prospective cross-sectional screening accuracy study. SETTING Three sites encompassing four prenatal care clinics in the United States. PARTICIPANTS Convenience sample of 1220 racially, ethnically and socio-economically diverse pregnant women aged 18 years and over. MEASUREMENTS In Phase I, participants completed the five screening instruments in counterbalanced order. Instruments included the Substance Use Risk Profile-Pregnancy (SURP-P), CRAFFT (acronym for five-item screener with items related to car, relax, alone, forget, friends and trouble), 5Ps (parents, peers, partner, pregnancy, past), Wayne Indirect Drug Use Screener (WIDUS) and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Quick Screen. In Phase II, participants provided a urine sample and completed a calendar recall-based interview regarding substance use. These screeners were tested, using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and accuracy statistics, against a reference standard consisting of substance use in three classes (illicit drugs, opioids and alcohol), considered positive if use was evident via 30-day calendar recall or urine analysis. FINDINGS Three hundred and fifteen of 1220 participants (26.3%) met reference standard criteria for positivity. The single-item screening questions from the NIDA Quick Screen showed high specificity (0.99) for all substances, but very poor sensitivity (0.10-0.27). The 5Ps showed high sensitivity (0.80-0.88) but low specificity (0.35-0.37). The CRAFFT, SURP-P and 5Ps had the highest area under the curve (AUC) for alcohol (0.67, 0.66 and 0.62, respectively), and the WIDUS had the highest AUC for illicit drugs and opioids (0.70 and 0.69, respectively). Performance of all instruments varied significantly with race, site and economic status. CONCLUSIONS Of five screening instruments for substance use in pregnancy tested (Substance Use Risk Profile-Pregnancy (SURP-P), CRAFFT, 5Ps, Wayne Indirect Drug Use Screener (WIDUS) and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (Quick Screen), none showed both high sensitivity and high specificity, and area under the curve was low for nearly all measures.
A Close Look at the Standard Rebus System and Blissymbolics

Information on two widely-used logographic-type systems, Rebus and Blissymbolics, is compiled in this paper. An analysis is made of the internal characteristics of the systems, and research on the ...
I – Matrix theory

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses matrix theory. It presents the theory of linear transformations in n-dimensional Euclidean vector spaces and motivates the elementary operations with matrices by interpreting a matrix as a representation of a linear transformation on such a space. A special linear transformation is examined, the projection transformation, which is used many times over in the description of econometric methods. The chapter discusses the properties of a special type of matrix, the symmetric matrix. The generalized inverse is introduced, a concept which is useful in expediting a presentation of some aspects of both parameter estimation and hypothesis testing in econometric models. The chapter also discusses the Dwyer–MacPhail notation which is helpful in computing derivatives of functions of matrices. The matrix product is defined only for matrices such that the first member of the product has as many columns as the second member has rows.
Buildagram: a constructionist environment for spatial reasoning

A foundational skill in mathematics education, spatial reasoning describes the cognitive processes that enable learners to navigate between two- and three-dimensional perspectives. However, traditional approaches to developing spatial reasoning skills contribute to a view of math and creativity as mutually exclusive. Inspired by the tangram puzzle, Buildagram is a 3-D construction set that combines the creativity of free play with the structure of geometry, enabling learners to take two-dimensional shapes and transform them into boundless three-dimensional creations. The set consists of tangram construction pieces, projection cards, and digital tools, which create a learning environment devoted to spatial reasoning. By playing with multiple representations of angles and polygons in Buildagram, kids develop spatial abilities which strongly predict success in STEM fields. From user testing, we see that they also tend to develop positive feelings about math and geometry without sacrificing fun or creativity.
Simultaneous cortex-wide fluorescence Ca2+ imaging and whole-brain fMRI.

Achieving a comprehensive understanding of brain function requires multiple imaging modalities with complementary strengths. We present an approach for concurrent widefield optical and functional magnetic resonance imaging. By merging these modalities, we can simultaneously acquire whole-brain blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) and whole-cortex calcium-sensitive fluorescent measures of brain activity. In a transgenic murine model, we show that calcium predicts the BOLD signal, using a model that optimizes a gamma-variant transfer function. We find consistent predictions across the cortex, which are best at low frequency (0.009–0.08 Hz). Furthermore, we show that the relationship between modality connectivity strengths varies by region. Our approach links cell-type-specific optical measurements of activity to the most widely used method for assessing human brain function. Simultaneous widefield calcium imaging and fMRI provide insight into neural activity at multiple scales and can be used to decipher the cellular origin of BOLD activity.
Modelling compactibility of RCC specimens using the asphalt gyratory compactor

Abstract The density of fresh Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC) pavement dictates its durability and mechanical characteristics. Achieving the required density depends on many factors but mainly on the thickness of the lift and the RCC mix constituents. To evaluate the compactibility of fresh RCC mixes prior to placement, current practices recommend using no-slump consistency tests such as the Vebe test. However, these tests lack sensitivity to the dryness of RCC mixes as well as to the placement thickness. This paper proposes an approach to evaluate the compacatibility of RCC specimens by estimating the energy required to achieve the specified density over the thickness of different mixes. In order to study the energy, the Superpave Gyratory Compactor (SGC) was incorporated as a consistent and accurate compaction tool. The SGC provides displacement records with gyration numbers that facilitate i) density calculations through volume change and, ii) model, the compactibility of RCC, mixes using vibrational mechanics. A damping coefficient and a time-dependent restoring force were estimated and used to calculate the mechanical energy at each gyration and the cumulative energy after 25 gyrations. The damping coefficient, which is a material property, was further used to determine the cumulative energy of different RCC thicknesses. This approach investigated the effect of the specified lower and upper aggregate gradation and the use of additives on compactibility and density of RCC mixes.
Analysis of Hormone Secretion from Individual Pituitary Cells

Analysis of the function of individual neurons and immune cells (B lymphocytes) has been enormously profitable for the understanding of the nervous and immune systems. Indeed, specialization of individual cells is central to theories underlying the function of those systems. In contrast, homogeneity among cells subserving various functions in endocrine and exocrine secretory systems is the common assumption. These differences in viewpoint may arise simply from the availability of methods for the study of individual neurons (single unit electrical recordings) and immune cells (hemolytic plaque assay for detection of antibody secretion) on the one hand, and their absence for individual endocrine and exocrine cells, on the other. Thus, the extent to which heterogeneity in cell function contributes to the function of endocrine and exocrine systems is unknown.
Landscape and Power in Early China: The Crisis and Fall of the Western Zhou 1045-771 BC

Introduction 1. Foundation of the Western Zhou state: constructing the political space 2. Disorder and decline: the political crisis of the Western Zhou state 3. Enemies at the gate: the war against the Xianyun and the north-western frontier 4. The fall of the Western Zhou: partisan struggle and spatial collapse 5. The eastward migration: reconfiguring the Western Zhou state 6. The legacy of the Western Zhou Conclusion Appendices 1-3 Bibliography Indexes.
α-Keto Acid Dehydrogenase Complexes VI. DISSOCIATION AND RECONSTITUTION OF THE DIHYDROLIPOYL TRANSACETYLASE OF ESCHERICHIA COLI

Abstract Dihydrolipoyl transacetylase, one of three enzymes comprising the Escherichia coli pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, dissociates into subunits in acidic solutions and in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate at neutral pH. Dissociation of the transacetylase in dilute acetic acid solution (0.83 m, pH 2.6) produces enzymatically inactive subunits with a weight average molecular weight of approximately 70,000. This subunit is apparently a dimer of two identical polypeptide chains. Removal of the dissociating agent by rapid dilution into phosphate or tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane buffers (final pH, about 7) results in restoration of enzymatic activity with yields as high as 80 to 90%. The sedimentation characteristics of the reconstituted material and its appearance in the electron microscope are very similar to those of the native transacetylase. The reconstituted transacetylase combines spontaneously with pyruvate decarboxylase and dihydrolipoyl dehydrogenase to produce a large unit that closely resembles the native pyruvate dehydrogenase complex. A model of the transacetylase is proposed, based on biochemical and electron microscopic data, in which multichain morphological subunits are situated at the eight vertices of a cube.
Virus-Induced Immunopathology

Publisher Summary Several viruses cause damage to the tissue by immunopathological mechanisms. This chapter presents the principal examples of immunopathogenesis caused by the viruses, accompanied by speculations about its management. The most common mechanism of lesion development in virus induced immunopathology involves T cells. Usually, it seems that when CD8 + T cells act as the controlling cell type, lesions are acute and the outcome is decided quickly. The classic example is provided by LCM in mice. The newest candidate may turn out to be SNV infection in humans. Lesions orchestrated primarily by CD4 + T cells can be either acute or long-lasting. Curiously, in the LCMV example, if CD8 + T cells are removed from the scene, immunopathological responses may still occur and these involve CD4 + T cells. Such responses are far more chronic and of lower grade than those mediated by CD8 + T lymphocytes. One possible sequel to chronic inflammatory responses to viruses is that autoreactive inflammatory reactions are initiated and an autoimmune disease occurs. The adage that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure is certainly true in the field of viral pathogenesis. Preventing viral infection or manipulating immune processes during the initial phases of infection is far more successful than attempting to counteract pathological events once underway.
Computational study of tetragonal B50N2.

We find that tetragonal B${}_{5}$${}_{0}$N${}_{2}$ is stable against decomposition into BN and B${}_{1}$${}_{2}$, that the calculated lattice constants are in excellent agreement with the x-ray data, and that the atomic positions within the unit cell agree in general with the x-ray data but differ in detail due to disorder in the crystal.
Compensation for stress and mental injury under Worker's Compensation.

Worker’s compensation laws were created to fill a gap created by increased industrial accidents and decreasing judicial remedies in the late nineteenth century [1]. Without the benefits of compensation, employees were injured, through no fault of the employee or employer, and “were left in desperate straits” [2]. To resolve this issue, many states began creating Worker’s Compensation statutes throughout the early nineteen hundreds. Many early forms of the legislation were found to be unconstitutional because liability was being imposed where none existed, but in 1913 the New York legislature enacted State Constitutional amendments allowing compulsory laws. The result of this and other state amendments allowed the Worker’s Compensation Acts to be found constitutional when challenged in the court system. With the constitutional hurdle eliminated, individual states created statutes and by 1949 the last state, Mississippi, enacted legislature [1]. The form of the Worker’s Compensation Acts does vary from state to state, but two general principles can be found. The first is that a claim under worker’s compensation eliminates a civil claim even if the employer was negligent [2]. For this reason, some employees try to avoid the worker’s compensation system if the employer can be found liable. Worker’s compensation hearings are heard before a judge only. If the employee feels there is liability, he/she may try to get the case heard in front of a jury. This principle will be discussed
2. Mobile Communication and the New Insularity

New technologies arrive in wrappings of great promise. The new software promises greater processing speed, the latest television a sharper picture, the new car less engine noise, and so on. We are drawn to the pleasures of such promises. However, the cost/benefit analysis from which we proceed at the point of possible ownership is typically limited. How much money will it cost to acquire more processing speed, a sharper image, and so on? Seldom do we ask the broader questions regarding our lives, our relationships, and our culture. What will be the repercussions of our choices for our quality of life and those around us? Only within recent decades have scholars turned concerted attention to the societal transformations facilitated by the ever-increasing appetite for technological “progress”. The critical and cultural analysis of television opened the door to a broad domain of significant scholarship. More recent analysis has turned to the impact of the internet. Mobile communication is now on the horizon of critical scrutiny (see especially, Katz, 2008). In part the relative inattention to date may derive from the fact that mobile phones may seem but a minor technological improvement. As it might appear, they simply sustain the traditional telephonic process, but without the bother of line-locked instruments. Yet, we can scarcely afford a dismissive attitude in this matter. Mobile phones are now used by over a billion people world wide, and the growth curve is steadily increasing1. As the Katz and Aakhus (2002) compendium makes clear, the mobile phone is subtly insinuating itself into the capillaries of every-day interchange, altering our forms of life, and bringing about new possibilities in its wake. In the present offering I wish to focus on the reverberations of mobile communication, and most particularly the mobile phone2. First, I will examine the role of mobile phone usage in bringing about transformations in communal life. Here I will introduce the metaphor of the floating world, which will facilitate an understanding of a new form of communal life made possible by the mobile phone. As I will propose, the creation of floating worlds generates a new form of insularity. It is not an insularity of individuals, of organizations, or nations, but an informal, micro-social fragmentation. I will then consider some implications of this insularity for the socio-political landscape. As I will propose, cell phone technology may effectively reduce political engagement. However, where political issues are highly salient, it may serve to both harden political divisions and reduce potentials for dialogue.