cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Applications of ultrashort shaped pulses in microscopy and for controlling chemical reactions

This article presents a new perspective on laser control based on insights into the effect of spectral phase on nonlinear optical processes. Gaining this understanding requires the systematic evaluation of the molecular response as a function of a series of pre-defined accurately shaped laser pulses. The effort required is rewarded with robust, highly reproducible, results. This approach is illustrated by results on selective two-photon excitation microscopy of biological samples, where higher signal and less photobleaching damage are achieved by accurate phase measurement and elimination of high-order phase distortions from the ultrashort laser pulses. A similar systematic approach applied to laser control of gas phase chemical reactions reveals surprising general trends. Molecular fragmentation pattern is found to be dependent on phase shaping. Differently shaped pulses with similar pulse duration have been found to produce similar fragmentation patterns. This implies that any single parameter that is proportional to the pulse duration, such as second harmonic generation intensity, allows us to predict the molecular fragmentation pattern within the experimental noise. This finding, is illustrated here for a series of isomers. Bond selectivity, coherent photochemistry and their applications are discussed in light of results from these systematic studies.
Regulation of medullary thymic epithelial cell differentiation and function by the signaling protein Sin

Medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs) play an important role in T cell tolerance and prevention of autoimmunity. Mice deficient in expression of the signaling protein Sin exhibit exaggerated immune responses and multitissue inflammation. Here, we show that Sin is expressed in the thymic stroma, specifically in mTECs. Sin deficiency led to thymic stroma–dependent autoimmune manifestations shown by radiation chimeras and thymic transplants in nude mice, and associated with defective mTEC-mediated elimination of thymocytes in a T cell receptor transgenic model of negative selection. Lack of Sin expression correlated with a disorganized medullary architecture and fewer functionally mature mTECs under steady–state conditions. Additionally, Sin deficiency inhibited the expansion of mTECs in response to in vivo administration of keratinocyte growth factor (KGF). These results identify Sin as a novel regulator of mTEC development and T cell tolerance, and suggest that Sin is important for homeostatic maintenance of the medullary epithelium in the adult thymus.
The appearance of colors in twilight.

Sixty-four colors well-distributed near the Munsell 6-plane were viewed as 2° squares surrounded by a 5° black square which was in turn surrounded by a large area of Munsell N6/. The colors were viewed in random order at luminances of −3.34, −2.86, −2.37, −1.88, −1.38, and −0.88 log candles/m2, the illumination being at a color-temperature of about 6500°K. The observer was required to signal by means of a switch whether he observed red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, or grey. No time limit was imposed. Sixteen sets of observations were made by each of two observers, eight sets by a third observer. All had normal color vision. At the lowest luminance only occasional observations of purple were reported, nearly all colors appearing grey. As the luminance was raised, purple appeared first, then blue. The colors along an axis from about 7.5GY to 2.5P required the greatest illumination to appear chromatic. These results show an interesting correspondence with those of Middleton and Holmes on the appearance of colors subtending small angles.
A Study of a Self-Care Rehabilitation Program in Pediatric Asthma

The Self-Care Rehabilitation in Pediatric Asthma (SCRPA) project was designed to ascertain (1) the level to which children with asthma are able to acquire the asthma knowledge and skills presented in a self-management training program conducted by the American Lung Association of Utah and (2) the effect of such training on the asthma experience.The preschool SCRPA Curriculum (ages 2-5) consisted of six 1-hour classes scheduled twice a week for 3 weeks. The first and last classes were for one or both parents only, and the middle four sessions were for the child and parent(s). The school-age SCRPA curriculum (ages 6-14) consisted of eight 90-minute classes for both child and parent(s) scheduled twice a week for 4 weeks.Private physicians referred 21 preschool children and 38 school-age children into the program. The school-age children were randomly assigned to a study or control group, and the preschool children served as their own controls.A comparison of asthma episodes during the 3 months before and aft...
Statistical approach to segmentation of single-channel cerebral MR images

A statistical model is presented that represents the distributions of major tissue classes in single-channel magnetic resonance (MR) cerebral images. Using the model, cerebral images are segmented into gray matter, white matter, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The model accounts for random noise, magnetic field inhomogeneities, and biological variations of the tissues. Intensity measurements are modeled by a finite Gaussian mixture. Smoothness and piecewise contiguous nature of the tissue regions are modeled by a three-dimensional (3-D) Markov random field (MRF). A segmentation algorithm, based on the statistical model, approximately finds the maximum a posteriori (MAP) estimation of the segmentation and estimates the model parameters from the image data. The proposed scheme for segmentation is based on the iterative conditional modes (ICM) algorithm in which measurement model parameters are estimated using local information at each site, and the prior model parameters are estimated using the segmentation after each cycle of iterations. Application of the algorithm to a sample of clinical MR brain scans, comparisons of the algorithm with other statistical methods, and a validation study with a phantom are presented. The algorithm constitutes a significant step toward a complete data driven unsupervised approach to segmentation of MR images in the presence of the random noise and intensity inhomogeneities.
Grain-boundary physics in polycrystalline photovoltaic materials

We use the combination of high-resolution electron microscopy and density-functional theory to study the atomic structure and electronic effects of grain boundaries in polycrystalline photovoltaic materials such as Si, CdTe, CuInSe 2 , and CuGaSe 2 . We find that grain boundaries containing dislocation cores create deep levels in Si, CdTe, and CuGaSe 2 . Surprisingly, however, they do not create deep levels in CuInSe 2 . We further find that the presence of Ga in grain boundaries in CuInSe 2 generates deep levels. These results may explain the fact that Si and CdTe solar cells usually require special passivation, whereas CuInSe 2 solar cells do not. The passivation of grain boundaries in Si and CdTe is also studied. We find that grain boundaries in CdTe can be passivated very well by Cl, Br, and I.
Triggering Organizational Change: Application of Importance‐Satisfaction Analysis

In this paper the authors have developed and presented a diagnostic and resource allocation tool in the tradition of action research and survey-feedback methods. This highly pragmatic technique was used in an R & D laboratory to identify where organizational resources and attention should be focused in the management of human resources. The framework can also help management avoid ineffective change activities in areas where the effort would have no significant effects.
Reserves, Regret, and Rejoicing in Open English Auctions

Auction sellers usually must set a reserve, which is the lowest auction price that they will accept. I propose that anticipated regret and rejoicing affect reserves. Regret occurs when the highest bid exceeds the seller's value for the property but is still below the reserve. Rejoicing occurs when the reserve forces the winning bidder to pay a higher price. The impact of regret and rejoicing can be observed by examining sellers' learning over sequential auctions, particularly when they use a frequency heuristic. Results from an auction experiment with simulated bidders support the impact of anticipated regret and rejoicing on reserves.
Similitude in cyclone separators

Criteria for similitude in reverse flow cyclone separators are developed in this paper explicitly including the inlet particulate probability distribution. The application of these criteria is demonstrated by example using data from the literature. Some practical points to consider when using cyclone similarity relations are presented in the Conclusion.
Overexpression of the multidrug resistance gene mdr3 in spontaneous and chemically induced mouse hepatocellular carcinomas.

Abstract Overexpression of a family of plasma membrane glycoproteins, known as P-glycoproteins, is commonly associated with multidrug resistance in animal cells. In rodents, three multidrug resistance (mdr or pgp) genes have been identified, but only two can confer the multidrug resistance phenotype upon transfection into animal cells. Using the RNase protection method, we demonstrated that the levels of three mdr gene transcripts differ among mouse tissues, confirming a previous report that the expression of these genes is tissue specific (J.M. Croop, M. Raymond, D. Huber, A. DeVault, R. J. Arceci, P. Gros, and D. E. Housman, Mol. Cell. Biol. 9:1346-1350, 1989). The levels of mdr transcripts were determined for mouse liver tumors spontaneously arising in both C3H/HeN and transgenic animals containing the hepatitis B virus envelope gene and for tumors induced by two different carcinogenic regimens in C57BL/6N and B6C3-F1 mice. The mdr3 gene was overexpressed in all 22 tumors tested. Our results demonstrate that overexpression of the mdr3 gene in mouse liver tumors does not require exposure of the animals to carcinogenic agents and suggest that its overexpression is associated with a general pathway of hepatic tumor development. The overexpression of the mdr3 gene, which is the homolog of human mdr1 gene, in hepatocellular carcinomas may be responsible for the poor response of these tumors to cancer chemotherapeutic agents.
High Resolution Spectroscopy of Optical Lattice-Confined 174 Yb

We report high resolution spectroscopy of optical lattice-confined 174Yb atoms. We demonstrate spectroscopic linewidths as narrow as 4 Hz (full-width at half-maximum) using the highly forbidden clock transition (1S0-3P0) in a one-dimensional optical lattice.
Stenamoeba polymorpha, a New Species Isolated from Domesticated Horse Equus ferus caballus.

A new species of lobosean amoeba, Stenamoeba polymorpha n. sp., was isolated from the diarrheic stool of a domesticated horse in Great Falls Virginia, U.S. It shares characteristics with the five other described Stenamoeba species. However, electron microscopy revealed S. polymorpha has a substantially thickened cell surface lamina. Under light microscopy, the amoebae had a dynamic polymorphic appearance because hyaloplasm readily formed and resorbed subpseudopodia from any peripheral region of the cell. While in locomotion, the amoebae produced subpseudopodia that led and alternated the direction of movement with an apparent zigzag path. Sometimes, stationary amoebae had a vertical cell posture that was substantially taller than wide or long. The new species description is also supported by small subunit ribosomal ribonucleic acid gene analyses using phylogenies with both broad and narrow taxon sampling, pairwise nucleotide comparisons, and in-silico secondary structure predictions. The latter suggested Stenamoeba spp. discriminatory motifs in variable region eight. Stenamoeba polymorpha n. sp. is the first of its genus to be recovered from mammal feces, the first to yield a potential group one intron and the second described from North America. Here, the phylogenies suggest Stenamoeba limacina is this new species' nearest known relative.
Study on Mining-induced Fracture Distribution of Coal and Rock Mass near Protective Layer Mined

Based on engineering example of protective layer mining in Hongling coal mine of Shenyang Coal Group,the mining-induced fracture distribution has been studied.And the mechanical property of coal containing gas is expounded.By similarity simulation experiment,we analysis the mining-induced fracture distribution and permeability of coal and rock mass near protective layer mined by speckle method.
Productivity and Technological Change

While it is generally recognized that effective management of technological change in products and processes is critical to any firms’ success and growth, and that any change in process capacity usually introduces some technological change, the management of technological change, particularly in processes, remains among the least understood aspects of operations and production management. The contradiction is that technological change is, at the same time, credited as a major contributor to the economic advance or success of firms as well as the economic growth of regions and nations.
2 – COMPONENTS OF THE SYSTEM

This chapter presents the framework pieces used for polypeptide model construction and highlights the atomic framework pieces available and their structural uses. It describes the fused framework system pieces and atomic framework system with its use. Both the atomic and fused framework units can be modified to show the space-filling character of their components. Occasionally, the peptide linkage in a polypeptide is cis, that is, the N–H bond and the carbonyl bond are on the same side of the C–N bond. When a cis linkage is needed, it can be constructed from its component parts—a trigonal nitrogen, a trigonal carbon, and a carbonyl oxygen. The chapter also reviews the space-filling pieces used for these transformations.
Restoring Crested Wheatgrass Stands to Big Sagebrush for Improved Sage-Grouse Habitat: A Literature Review

Greater sage-grouse ( Centrocercus urophasianus) is a high priority species for federal and state land management agencies in the Western United States. Sage-grouse are sagebrush ( Artemisia spp .) obligates requiring sagebrush for their survival throughout the year. Sagebrush has been removed and replaced with crested wheatgrass ( Agropyron cristatum & A. desertorum ) throughout the West. The objectives of this paper were to review the literature (100 papers), as well as consult experts, to determine which methods are most likely to eliminate crested wheatgrass and establish sagebrush. No technique eliminates crested wheatgrass in a single application but research suggests it should not comprise more than 14% cover for successful reseeding of other species. Grazing and fire have no long-term impacts on crested wheatgrass. Mechanical treatments, such as plowing, disking, and cultivating reduce and eradicate crested wheatgrass, but a flush of invasive annual grasses following mechanical disturbance can make establishment of seeded species difficult. If invasive plant establishment is a problem with mechanical treatments, crested wheatgrass stands should be treated with glyphosate in early spring for two consecutive years at a rate of 1.1 kg/ha of active ingredient. Then, sagebrush should be seeded in the late fall using a compact row seeder or Brillion cultipacker at a rate of 0.22 kg/ha pure live seed.
Robust respiration monitoring using low-cost doppler sensor and wireless network: poster

This work proposes a novel respiration monitoring system using Doppler signal from a low-cost motion sensor and received signal strength (RSS) measurements from a wireless network. We present the ambiguity problem of the Doppler monitoring system. We find that RSS from a wireless network is complimentary to Doppler signal, and we propose to integrate Doppler with RSS to make respiration monitoring more robust. Our experimental results show that the respiration rate estimation is more accurate by sensor fusion of these two radio frequency (RF) sensing modalities.
Associations of Comorbid Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms with Psychotic and Affective Symptoms and General Functioning

Since the earliest descriptions of schizophrenia, it has been noted that both obsessions and compulsions occur at rates that far exceed what is found in the general population. This has raised the issues about the extent to which these symptoms are related to or independent of other forms of disturbance in schizophrenia including positive and negative symptoms and general psychosocial impairment. In this chapter we review research on the relationship of obsessions and compulsions with positive, negative, and depressive symptoms as well as functional status. As illustrated over multiple studies, the linkage of obsessions and compulsions with symptoms in schizophrenia remains unclear. While persons with schizophrenia who have obsessions and compulsions tend to have more severe depressive symptoms and overall poorer functional capacities, no consistent pattern of association with positive and negative symptoms has emerged. Different explanations for the inconsistencies in the literature are discussed including the possibility that these are a reflection of variations in measurement as well as the possibility that different subgroups of patients with schizophrenia and obsessions and compulsions exist.
Taxonomy of ' Euconnus complex'. Part XI. Status of Euconophron and Scopophus (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Scydmaeninae).

Euconophron was described over a century ago and includes over 120 nominal species, being the third largest subgenus of Euconnus . However, its diagnosis remains unclear. Western Palaearctic species seem to form a homogenous group characterized by emarginate or bifurcate aedeagal apex, whereas exotic members of this subgenus show a great diversity in external and genital characters. Moreover, Scopophus , a Nearctic subgenus of Euconnus , and at least some species placed in Euconnus s. str. outside Europe seem to be very similar to Euconophron . In the present paper the status of Euconophron and Scopophus is verified on the basis of morphological structures of their type species, i.e., Scydmaenus promptus Coquerel (the type species of Euconophron ) and Euconnus affinis Casey (the type species of Scopophus ), each represented by respective type specimens. It is concluded that: i) the redescription of Scydmaenus promptus published by H. Franz was based on a misidentified specimen; ii) Euconophron can be maintained as a separate subgenus if unique characters of western Palaearctic species are included in its diagnosis; iii) Scopophus is a junior synonym of Euconnus s. str.; iv) status of species currently placed in Euconophron that occur outside western Palaearctic seems dubious, some of them may belong in Euconnus s. str. (this problem requires further study and species redescriptions); v) Euconnus s. str. and Euconophron may be closely related. Emended diagnosis of Euconophron is given, and lectotypes are designated for Scydmaenus promptus and Euconnus affinis .
How Do Undergraduates Research? A User Experience Experience

In 2010, the Oregon Tech Library moved to a new campus-wide content management system. This change, and the popularization of products such as LibGuides and Library a la Carte, inspired Oregon Tech librarians to develop new subject guides. As a means of participating in the new system and of saving money, the library created a subject guide format to be used on the web content management system, Sitefinity. The guide format was designed by a committee with librarian and library staff input, but without assistance from students— the target audience. As a result, the guides that were developed tended to be text heavy and riddled with library jargon that did not make sense to students. In addition, the guides were difficult to edit, resulting in dated content and frequent broken links. While instruction librarians would push relevant guides in their classes, they never caught on among students. By 2014, Oregon Tech librarians were aware of problems with their subject guides and had begun to consider technology and formatting changes to make the guides more accessible. Two librarians attended usability courses (through Library Juice Academy and Acquia) and decided to employ usability research methods to design a guide format that would better meet student needs.
Defining “One China”

This chapter traces the origins and development of the “1992 consensus” policy. Specifically, it also uses the neoclassical realist model to examine why, despite its growing power and influence vis-a-vis Taiwan, Beijing has allowed for greater latitude in the interpretations of “one China.” As the power-politics explanation is inadequate in accounting for the PRC’s behavior, this chapter offers that one must not dismiss the role of ideational variables such as discourse and “argumentative persuasion” in shaping the interests, identity, and articulation of the policy elites responsible for cross-strait relations. This author seeks to show, through the policy statements and rhetoric expressed by officials from Taipei and Beijing, the changing construction of the “one China” principle, and how the PRC has gradually come to terms with the continued existence of the ROC even though it remains unlikely to explicitly and formally recognize it. Nevertheless, in light of the rising political power of pro-independence forces on Taiwan, the CCP elites have opted for the “lesser of two evils” as the ROC and its constitution, at least, stipulate both Taiwan and the mainland belonging to a one Chinese nation. Such tacit understanding has strengthened the KMT–CCP united front on the foundation of the “1992 consensus.” In spite of Tsai’s successful election in January 2016, the Xi Jinping administration has maintained its stance that the DPP must accept the “1992 consensus” and its core principle of one China.
tRNA structure and evolution and standardization to the three nucleotide genetic code

Cloverleaf tRNA with a 75 nucleotide (nt) core is posited to have evolved from ligation of three 31 nt minihelices followed by symmetric internal deletions of 9 nt within ligated acceptor stems. St...
Customizing Students' Learning Experiences while Designing an Online Course

This design case illustrates an innovative research-based pedagogical approach to customizing students’ learning experiences in an online course. We centered the course design on the experiential learning model which fosters student’s learning through a reexamination and integration of their current knowledge with new and refined knowledge (Kolb, 1984, 2015). Through experiential learning we better served the purpose of the course because it provided opportunities that involved concrete and hands-on experiences with real life activities/projects, reflection on learning, and learning gains. Further, we incorporated elements of game design to transform the learning space into a study and play alternative, where students enhanced their learning and performance and benefited from study work that was engaging, productive, and pleasant (Prensky, 2001).
Telecommunication and an information infrastructure in China

International telephony and computer networks now play a critical role in managing an international company. Unfortunately for companies doing business in China, reliable connections to these networks have only recently become available in the major cities and are non existent in most of the country. In response, the Chinese government has made telecommunications a priority in its efforts to promote economic development; but its efforts have been hindered by conflicting political and business interests. In this paper we look at the two aspects of the development of the information infrastructure in China: telecommunications development and the Internet. Currently the central government maintains tight control over telecommunications development, but this control is quickly breaking down. The Internet in China has been developing in a totally separate environment, largely out of the control of the central government. While control over telecommunications appears to be relaxing, control over the Internet has suddenly tightened. This paper presents the evolution of these policies.
Museum–University Partnerships for Preservice Science Education

In this chapter, we focus on the role that Informal Science Institutions (ISIs) play in partnership with higher education institutions for teacher education; specifically partnerships in the United States, Canada and Israel, where pre-service science teachers are able to learn and practice teaching in ISIs. Using a sociocultural lens we review the emerging patterns across these sites and discuss how museum practicum experiences provide pre-service teachers with opportunities to teach in low-stakes settings, repeat lessons to diverse audiences, and develop their skills and dispositions for teaching science. Challenges that exist in such partnerships are reviewed followed by a discussion that addresses implications for science teacher education and research.
How elementary and collegiate instructors envision tasks as supportive of mathematical argumentation: A comparison of instructors’ task constructions

Abstract We examine how instructors at different grade levels proposed mathematical tasks to support students’ engagement in constructing viable arguments and critiquing others’ reasoning. During small group interviews with pairs of practicing elementary and collegiate mathematics instructors, they created tasks intended to support students’ ability to create and critique mathematical arguments. From the anslysis of their written and verbal work, we found that although all instructors requested explanations in their created tasks, there were key differences in the nature of reasoning-and-proving expected. Grade 1 instructors tended to focus on empirical justifications and procedural explanation; Grade 3 and 4 instructors included similar requirements, but had more emphasis on soliciting rationales; and college instructors required students to ultimately develop more formalized arguments, consistently including requests for conjectures and generalizations. The findings provide evidence for key differences in argumentation norms at specific levels in schooling, and implications for research, teaching, and curricular design.
The influence of age- and sex-specific labor demands on sleep in Namibian agropastoralists.

Abstract Objective To understand the basics of sleep quality in a pastoralist population and to explore predictors of this variation. Design Cross-sectional. Setting Northern Namibia, dry seasons of 2016 and 2017. Participants The Himba, a nonindustrial seminomadic agropastoralist population without access to the electrical grid. Measurements Using Actiwatch-2 devices, 75 participants completed 721 days of wear. We calculated sleep duration, efficiency, and activity counts before and after sunset/sunrise and onset/offset. Participants were also interviewed about sleeping arrangements and nighttime disruptions. Results Himba show lower sleep duration and efficiency than other populations studied, and men had substantially lower duration and efficiency than women. Sex differences were not attenuated when napping was included with total sleep time. Age predicted longer sleep duration and lower evening and morning activity levels. Number of adult co-sleepers predicted increased sleep duration and efficiency in women. Livestock disturbance was not a commonly reported cause of nighttime waking. Conclusions These findings support predictions that pastoralist groups may have lower sleep quality than other subsistence populations, but this does not appear to be a consequence of noise from livestock. Instead, lower sleep quality appears to be the result of subsistence and social activities, particularly for men and young adults overall.
Dysplasia and Cancer in the Ileal Pouch

Abstract Restorative proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) greatly reduces the risk of colitis-associated neoplasia. However, the surgical procedure does not complete abolish the risk of cancer. Dysplasia or cancer of IPAA can occur, which, if present, is predominantly located in the anal transitional zone or rectal cuff. Mucosectomy has not been shown to be completely eradicate the risk for pouch neoplasia. Pouchoscopy with biopsy is currently the gold standard modality for surveillance. However, regular pouchoscopy with surveillance may still miss dysplasia. The strongest risk factor for pouch neoplasia is the presence of colitis-associated neoplasia of the large bowel before colectomy. Other purported risk factors including chronic pouchitis and cuffitis, long duration of disease, and the presence of primary sclerosing cholangitis or family history of colorectal cancer. This author recommends that yearly surveillance pouchoscopy be performed in the patients at risk and pouchoscopy every 2–3 years in those without those risk factors.
Treatment dilemma for survivors of rituximab-induced bowel perforation in the setting of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is a recognised complication of solid and haematopoietic stem cell transplant. It consists of a heterogeneous group of lymphoid neoplasms that arises secondary to post-transplant immunosuppression. Although there is no definite standard of care for the optimal treatment for PTLD, rituximab, a monoclonal antibody, with and/or without chemotherapy (usually CHOP=cytoxan, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone) has become a routine part of the treatment of any CD20 (+) PTLD, with response rates similar to chemotherapy with decreased toxicity. A rare and often lethal, complication of rituximab therapy for PTLD is bowel perforation secondary to tumour lysis of lymphoma involving the intestine. A small number of cases of bowel perforation have been reported, with very few documented survivors. The risk for recurrent perforation in the setting of ongoing rituximab treatment is unknown. There is sparse data supporting how to best treat the survivors.
Securitisation, loan specialisation and bank risk

This study examines the effect of securitisation on the loan portfolio, investigating its impact on bank loan specialisation. Using US bank holding company data from 2001: Q2 to 2014: Q1, I find a positive relation between securitisation and bank loan specialisation, driven primarily by securitised mortgages. This study in addition examines securitisation's effect on the negative relationship (as observed in previous studies) between loan specialisation and bank risk, finding that within the period of our studies, securitisation weakens that relationship. Such results suggest that within the focus period of this study, mortgage backed securitisation in particular resulted in an overall specialisation of credit, in ways that weakens the risk benefit associated with loan specialisation.
033 Using Rapid Reviews to Influence Guidance Development in the Emergency Department Setting

Background Decision making within health care organisations often requires rapid response to emergent, controversial or high-impact issues affecting clinical and operational practices. Context CT imaging without oral contrast for patients admitted into the Emergency Department (ED) for abdominal/pelvic pain has been proposed as a viable option to reduce the risk of contrast-induced nephropathy and allergic reactions, as well as emergency room delays and overall length of stay (LOS) in the ED. A centralised evidence assessment unit within a large health care organisation was asked to conduct a rapid evidence review to inform the development of evidence-based guidance. Description of Best Practice A 5-step rapid review process was initiated, including: 1) Communicating with key stakeholders to determine relevant populations, interventions, comparisons, outcomes, timing and settings (PICOTS); 2) Conducting a comprehensive evidence search using a pre-established list of key databases and other sources to identify high-quality guidelines, systematic reviews and clinical trials evaluating the efficacy and diagnostic accuracy of conducting abdominal CT with and without oral contrast agents; 3) selecting and abstracting data from relevant studies; 4) evaluating and synthesising the literature; and 5) translating results for clinical/operational decision making. Findings of low- to moderate-quality evidence across outcomes, combined with operational and resource data, resulted in a decision not to implement the practice. Lessons for Guideline Developers, Adaptors, Implementers, and/or Users Coupled with expert input from knowledgeable clinicians and stakeholders, rapid evidence reviews can be critical to shaping evidence-based guidance in Emergency Department settings.
Some New Combinatorial Formulas For Cluster Monomials Of Type A Quivers

Lots of research focuses on the combinatorics behind various bases of cluster algebras. This paper studies the natural basis of a type $A$ cluster algebra, which consists of all cluster monomials. We introduce a new kind of combinatorial formula for the cluster monomials in terms of the so-called globally compatible collections. We give bijective proofs of these formulas by comparing with the well-known combinatorial models of the $T$-paths and of the perfect matchings in a snake diagram. For cluster variables of a type $A$ cluster algebra, we give a bijection that relates our new formula with the theta functions constructed by Gross, Hacking, Keel and Kontsevich.
Bioretention cell age and construction style influence stormwater pollutant dynamics.

Abstract In urbanized landscapes, green infrastructure is proposed as a method for using relatively small plots of land to manage stormwater and protect receiving ecosystems from pollutants. Bioretention cells can infiltrate stormwater from roads and parking lots, and as stormwater passed through the soils, metals can be removed. Metal removal and storage has been demonstrated in laboratory media columns and field-scale test cells, but we have an incomplete understanding of metal removal and accumulation in aging bioretention cells in the field. We surveyed 25 bioretention cells (0–7 years of service) for soil physicochemistry to determine which characteristics related to soil metal (Cu, Pb, and Zn) concentrations. We collected soil cores and treated them with simulated stormwater to measure potential rates of metal removal under different metal and salt concentrations. Older bioretention cells had higher Cu, Pb, and Zn concentrations in soil, which indicates accumulation and storage over time. The oldest cells had metal concentrations that were not a risk to human health but which approached screening thresholds for potential impairment of plants. Soil organic matter content (OM) was positively associated with metal concentrations which highlights the importance of OM in the functioning of cells. Retrofit bioretention cells were younger with less OM and more clay than cells built concurrently with new parking lot construction (i.e., de novo), but after 2.7 years of service, soil OM was similar between retrofit and de novo builds. Soil cores from de novo bioretention cells retained more stormwater metals than soil cores from retrofit cells, and this was likely due to differences in soil OM. Elevated road salt in stormwater was associated with less effective metal removal and leaching of Zn from soils. Overall, these data suggest that management (e.g., salting) and design (e.g., construction) decisions can greatly influence metal removal function of bioretention cells.
153 The relationship of self-reported resilience and traumatic call exposure among patrol officers at the dallas police department

To characterize law enforcement officer (LEO) resilience to physiological and psychological stress and describe the impact of cumulative traumatic exposure on resilience. Patrol officers at five of the Dallas Police Department divisions volunteered to participate in 1.5 hour semi-structured focus groups. Focus groups (n=18 LEO) assessed experiences with traumatic calls and cumulative stress over the course of a shift. Transcripts were thematically analyzed in an iterative deductive/inductive coding scheme to identify anticipated and emergent findings. The majority of participants were male and ages ranged from 23 to 61 years (mean=38 years). Participants were 67% non-Hispanic white and 56% had a four-year college degree. Officer resilience emerged in many forms, including officer-nominated local innovations and immediate and distal coping mechanisms. Resilience to traumatic calls over time was significantly influenced by tenure. For experienced LEOs (>10 years of service), a reduction in adrenaline reaction was recognized for high-stress calls similar to past encounters. Participants describe a peak of perceived adrenaline rush, which they subsequently become resilient to reaching during similar circumstances. The frequency at which LEO respond to high-stress calls was described as a method of instinctively building resilience to situational stress reactions. This suggests that previous LEO experiences could have an integral part in influencing the physiology and psychology of LEO stress reactions on the job. The themes gathered serve to inform future areas of the study, as well as a predictive algorithm that can build in time between high stress calls to improve LEO occupational health and safety. LEO experience stressful calls for service on a daily basis, which may cumulatively compound placing the LEO and civilians at risk of unintended consequences, like PTSD, injury, or mortality. To our knowledge, the degree of occupational stress resilience among LEO has not been considered for intervention in the cumulative stress pathway.
The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Obstetric and Gynecologic Procedures and Consults at a Metropolitan Hospital in the Epicenter

Study Objective The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on surgical volume and emergency department (ED) consults across obstetric & gynecologic (OB/GYN) services at a hospital located in the national epicenter of the pandemic Design Retrospective cohort study Setting Tertiary-care academic medical center in a metropolitan city Patients or Participants Women undergoing OB/GYN ED consults or surgical procedures Interventions March 16th institutional COVID-19 mandate to hold all elective surgeries Measurements and Main Results The volume and types of surgical cases and ED consults were compared before and after the COVID-19 mandate During the pandemic, the volume of ED consults and GYN surgeries significantly decreased, while OB surgeries remained stable The average weekly case volume for ED consults, GYN surgeries, and OB surgeries were 44 8, 34 8, and 38 6 cases respectively during the “pre-COVID” timeframe (February 1st to March 15th) versus 17 8, 7 2, and 40 9 cases respectively during the “post-COVID” timeframe (March 16th toApril 15th), representing a 60 3% decrease in ED consults (p=<0 01) and a 79 3% decrease in GYN surgical volume (p=<0 01) The distribution of GYN surgical case types also changed significantly during the pandemic with higher proportions of emergent surgeries for ectopics, miscarriages, and concern for cancer (p <0 001) Alternatively, the OB surgical volume and distribution of OB surgical case types remained relatively constant Conclusion This study highlights how the pandemic has impacted the ways OB/GYN patients access and receive care The OB surgeries remained stable during the COVID-19 pandemic reflecting the non-elective and time-sensitive nature of obstetric care In contrast, ED consults and GYN surgeries decreased significantly As expected, institutional policies suspending elective surgeries affected the volume and types of GYN surgeries performed during the pandemic, and the “stay-at-home” policy and personal fears of COVID-19 infection likely affected ED consult volumes
Enhancing nanoparticle penetration through airway mucus to improve drug delivery efficacy in the lung

Introduction: Airway mucus gel layer serves as a key delivery barrier that limits the performance of inhaled drug delivery nanoparticles. Conventional nanoparticles are readily trapped by the airwa...
J-domain proteins promote client relay from Hsp70 during tail-anchored membrane protein targeting

J-domain proteins (JDPs) play essential roles in Hsp70 function by assisting Hsp70 in client trapping and regulating the Hsp70 ATPase cycle. Here, we report that JDPs can further enhance the targeting competence of Hsp70-bound client proteins during tail-anchored protein (TA) biogenesis. In the guided-entry-of-tail–anchored protein pathway in yeast, nascent TAs are captured by cytosolic Hsp70 and sequentially relayed to downstream chaperones, Sgt2 and Get3, for delivery to the ER. We found that two JDPs, Ydj1 and Sis1, function in parallel to support TA targeting to the ER in vivo. Biochemical analyses showed that, while Ydj1 and Sis1 differ in their ability to assist Hsp70 in TA trapping, both JDPs enhance the transfer of Hsp70-bound TAs to Sgt2. The ability of the JDPs to regulate the ATPase cycle of Hsp70 is essential for enhancing the transfer competence of Hsp70-bound TAs in vitro and for supporting TA insertion in vivo. These results demonstrate a role of JDPs in regulating the conformation of Hsp70-bound clients during membrane protein biogenesis.
Dexmedetomidine and paralytic exposure after damage control laparotomy: risk factors for delirium? Results from the EAST SLEEP-TIME multicenter trial

To evaluate factors associated with ICU delirium in patients who underwent damage control laparotomy (DCL), with the hypothesis that benzodiazepines and paralytic infusions would be associated with increased delirium risk. We also sought to evaluate the differences in sedation practices between trauma (T) and non-trauma (NT) patients. We reviewed retrospective data from 15 centers in the EAST SLEEP-TIME registry admitted from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2018. We included all adults undergoing DCL, regardless of diagnosis, who had completed daily Richmond Agitation Sedation Score (RASS) and Confusion Assessment Method-ICU (CAM-ICU). We excluded patients younger than 18 years, pregnant women, prisoners and patients who died before the first re-laparotomy. Data collected included age, number of re-laparotomies after DCL, duration of paralytic infusion, duration and type of sedative and opioid infusions as well as daily CAM-ICU and RASS scores to analyze risk factors associated with the proportion of delirium-free/coma-free ICU days during the first 30 days (DF/CF-ICU-30) using multivariate linear regression. A 353 patient subset (73.2% trauma) from the overall 567-patient cohort had complete daily RASS and CAM-ICU data. NT patients were older (58.9 ± 16.0 years vs 40.5 ± 17.0 years [p < 0.001]). Mean DF/CF-ICU-30 days was 73.7 ± 96.4% for the NT and 51.3 ± 38.7% in the T patients (p = 0.030). More T patients were exposed to Midazolam, 41.3% vs 20.3% (p = 0.002). More T patients were exposed to Propofol, 91.0% vs 71.9% (p < 0.001) with longer infusion times in T compared to NT (71.2 ± 85.9 vs 48.9 ± 69.8 h [p = 0.017]). Paralytic infusions were also used more in T compared to NT, 34.8% vs 18.2% (p < 0.001). Using linear regression, dexmedetomidine infusion and paralytic infusions were associated with decreases in DF/CF-ICU-30, (− 2.78 (95%CI [− 5.54, − 0.024], p = 0.040) and (− 7.08 ([− 13.0, − 1.10], p = 0.020) respectively. Although the relationship between paralytic use and delirium is well-established, the observation that dexmedetomidine exposure is independently associated with increased delirium and coma is novel and bears further study.
Descartes Embodied: Reading Cartesian Philosophy Through Cartesian Science

Introduction Part I. Historiographical Preliminaries: 1. Does history have a future? Some reflections on Bennett and doing philosophy historically Part II. Method, Order and Certainty: 2. Descartes and method in 1637 3. A point of order: analysis, synthesis, and Descartes's Principles 4. J. B. Morin and the Second Objections 5. Descartes and experiment in the Discourse and Essays 6. Descartes on knowledge and certainty Part III. Mind, Body, and the Laws of Nature: 7. Mind, body, and the laws of nature in Descartes and Leibniz 8. Understanding interaction: what Descartes should have told Elizabeth 9. How God causes motion: Descartes, divine sustenance, and occasionalism 10. Descartes and occasionalism 11. Semel in Vita: the scientific background to Descartes meditations 12. Forms and qualities in the Sixth Replies Part IV. Larger Visions: 13. Descartes, or the cultivation of the intellect 14. Experiment, community, and the constitution of nature in the seventeenth century.
Denver Elephant Project: a Report on Experimentation with Thrusting Spears

One aspect of the Denver Elephant Project, the experimental use of thrusting spears, is presented. A recentlydeceased elephant was made available for archaeological experimentation, and as a part o...
Structures of Serine/Threonine and Tyrosine Kinases

Publisher Summary This chapter highlights the structural features of canonical eukaryotic protein kinases and describes a few of the many molecular mechanisms by which their catalytic activity is regulated. Canonical protein kinases are two-domain (bi-lobed) enzymes. The N-terminal lobe (N lobe) comprises a five-stranded anti-parallel β-sheet and an α-helix, and the larger C-terminal lobe (C lobe) comprises seven α-helices and four short β-strands. The polypeptide segment between β5 and α-D connects the N lobe to the C lobe, although a loop N-terminal to this segment, between αC and β4, is anchored in the C lobe, resulting in three pivot points in the rotation of the N lobe relative to the C lobe. ATP binds in the cleft between the two lobes, coordinated primarily by residues in the N lobe. The loop between β1 and β2 contains the nucleotide binding loop, also known as the glycine-rich loop or P (phosphate) loop, and β3 contains a conserved lysine residue, which coordinates the α- and β-phosphate groups of ATP. Receptors, protein serine/threonine kinases (PSK) and protein tyrosine kinases (PTK), are activated by ligand binding to the extracellular region of the receptors, which results in receptor oligomerization and activation through trans-phosphorylation. In the absence of bound ligand, the protein kinase domains in these receptors are maintained in a non-optimized or low-activity state through autoinhibitory interactions that usually involve the activation loop and often the juxtamembrane region (between the transmembrane helix and the kinase domain).
Child passenger safety practices in the U.S.: disparities in light of updated recommendations.

Background Children are best protected in motor vehicle collisions when properly using the appropriate restraint and sitting in a rear row. Racial and ethnic disparities have been reported in injury statistics and use of any restraint; however, predictors of safety seat use, being unrestrained, and sitting in the front seat have not been explored previously. Purpose To determine factors associated with child passenger safety practices by race/ethnicity in a national sample of child passengers aged Methods Secondary analysis conducted in 2011 of the 2007, 2008, and 2009 National Survey of the Use of Booster Seats in which child passenger restraint use was observed directly. Age-stratified, survey-weighted chi-square and logistic regression analyses were conducted. Results Restraint use was observed for 21,476 children aged Conclusions Few children use the recommended child passenger restraints. Understanding the reasons for the suboptimal child passenger restraint practices identified in this study is essential for the development of effective programs to reduce or eliminate preventable motor vehicle collision–related injuries.