cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Microwave versus Recon-o-Stat™ for Preparation of Technetium-99m-Sestamibi: A Comparison of Hand Exposure, Radiochemical Purity and Image Quality

Objective: Multiple methods of preparing 99mTc Cardiolite® are routinely utilized. The most recent method available is the Recon-o-Stat™ which employs heat-pump technology. The Recon-o-Stat was compared to the microwave method with respect to the radiation dose to the preparer, radiochemical purity and the quality of myocardial perfusion images. Methods: Twenty-five Cardiolite vials were prepared by each method. Thermoluminescent dosimeter ring badges were worn to determine extremity radiation dose during preparation. Radiochemical purity was performed immediately and when possible at 24 hr. Selected images were reviewed for quality in a randomized, blinded fashion by two board certified nuclear medicine physicians. Results: Use of the Recon-o-Stat resulted in a 60% reduction in radiation dose to the preparer. The immediate Recon-o-Stat radiochemical purity was consistently above 90% but significantly lower than the microwave radiochemical purity. The 24-hr Recon-o-Stat radiochemical purity was occasionally Conclusion: The Recon-o-Stat method can significantly reduce the annual extremity exposure to the preparer of Cardiolite without adversely affecting the image quality.
What is "liquid"? Understanding the states of matter

Liquids exist in a relatively small part of the enormous range of temperatures and pressures existing in the universe. Nevertheless, they are of vital importance for physics and chemistry, for technology, and for life itself. A century of effort since the pioneering work of van der Waals has led to a fairly complete basic understanding of the static and dynamic physicochemical properties of liquids. Advances in statistical mechanics (the fundamental formulations of Gibbs and Boltzmann, integral equations and perturbation theories, computer simulations), in knowledge of intermolecular forces, and in experimental techniques; have all contributed to this. Thirty years ago the very existence of liquids seemed a little mysterious; today one can make fairly precise predictions of the solid-liquid-gas phase diagram and of the microscopic and macroscopic static and dynamic properties of liquids. This paper is a survey, with particular emphasis on equilibrium properties, of the theory which underlies that basic understanding, which is now at least comparable with our understanding of the physics of solids.
The Early History of Infectious Bronchitis

Two years later, Bushnell and Brandly (3) reported on an essentially identical disease. They established that the causative agent was a filterable virus because the disease could be transmitted by Berkefeld-filtered material. Because the symptoms of respiratory distress were caused by a filterable virus, Bushnell and Brandly regarded the disease as a form of infectious laryngotracheitis (LT). Further critical tests were not made to confirm this identity. Bushnell and Brandly's report (3) was considered by most later research workers in avian respiratory diseases to actually describe further outbreaks of infectious bronchitis (IB). It was not until much later that the possibility could be considered that some or all of their cases could really have been cases of the mild or lowvirulence type of LT described by Cover and Benton (4). A further source of confusion was that, in the 1930s, the name infectious bronchitis was used in some papers actually describing LT. This confusion was cleared up a few years later by Beach and Schalm (1), who proved by cross-immunity studies in chickens that IB virus was distinct from infectious LT virus and
A Model for Predicting Citrus Rust Mite Damage on Valencia Orange Fruit

A model is derived for calculating the percent surface damage to Valencia oranges by populations of Phyllocoptruta oleivora (Ashmead), taking account of a seasonally-varying damage rate. Accumulated area under mite population curves (mite-days) was linearly related to accumulated damage on fruit surfaces. Linear correlations for all times of the growing season were very high (0.927–0.996). The slope of the regression of mite-days on cumulative damage increased gradually over the season from 0.001%/mite/day in spring to 0.01%/mite/day in winter. Attempts to include temperature effects by putting mites on a degree-day time scale did not produce a more constant damage rate.
California Natural Gas Pipelines: A Brief Guide

The purpose of this document is to familiarize the reader with the general configuration and operation of the natural gas pipelines in California and to discuss potential LLNL contributions that would support the Partnership for the 21st Century collaboration. First, pipeline infrastructure will be reviewed. Then, recent pipeline events will be examined. Selected current pipeline industry research will be summarized. Finally, industry acronyms are listed for reference.
Introduction to Part Seven

Promising conceptual and procedural theoretical frameworks have been proposed for sustainably balancing human use with ecological concerns. In the first reading, “Ecological Footprints for Beginners,” published in Our Ecological Footprint: Reducing Human Impact on the Earth, Mathis Wackernagel and William Rees offer a useful accounting tool and form of impact capacity analysis. The ecological footprint is useful for estimating the resource consumption of an urban landscape and the capacity to absorb the corresponding waste generated by the residents, compared with a similar landscape. The authors introduce a preliminary framework for estimating the “ecological bottom line of sustainability” and conclude that we tend to underestimate the ecosystem services or benefits we receive from nature.
A Week to Remember: The Impact of Browser Warning Storage Policies

When someone decides to ignore an HTTPS error warning, how long should the browser remember that decision? If they return to the website in five minutes, an hour, a day, or a week, should the browser show them the warning again or respect their previous decision? There is no clear industry consensus, with eight major browsers exhibiting four different HTTPS error exception storage policies. Ideally, a browser would not ask someone about the same warning over and over again. If a user believes the warning is a false alarm, repeated warnings undermine the browser’s trustworthiness without providing a security benefit. However, some people might change their mind, and we do not want one security mistake to become permanent. We evaluated six storage policies with a large-scale, multimonth field experiment. We found substantial differences between the policies and that one of the storage policies achieved more of our goals than the rest. Google Chrome 45 adopted our proposal, and it has proved successful since deployed. Subsequently, we ran Mechanical Turk and Google Consumer Surveys to learn about user expectations for warnings. Respondents generally lacked knowledge about Chrome’s new storage policy, but we remain satisfied with our proposal due to the behavioral benefits we have observed in the field.
A Theory of Secession

First published in 2005, A Theory of Secession: The Case for Political Self-Determination offers an unapologetic defense of the right to secede. Christopher Heath Wellman argues that any group has a moral right to secede as long as its political divorce will leave it and the remainder state in a position to perform the requisite political functions. He explains that there is nothing contradictory about valuing legitimate states, while permitting their division. Once political states are recognized as valuable because of the functions that they are uniquely suited to perform, it becomes apparent that the territorial boundaries of existing states might permissably be redrawn as long as neither the process, nor the result of this reconfiguration, interrupts the production of the crucial political benefits. Thus, if one values self-determination, then one has good reason to conclude that people have a right to determine their political boundaries.
Plasmid transfer in biofilms: a perspective on limitations and opportunities

Biofilms dominate microbial life, and their importance for human health and the environment can no longer be dismissed. Nevertheless many of the processes governing this form of microbial growth are still poorly understood. This includes the horizontal exchange of genetic information, which is a major driver in bacterial evolution and rapid adaptation, exemplified by the alarming spread of multi-drug resistance among pathogens mediated by plasmids. Biofilms are often considered hot spot for horizontal gene transfer, yet several studies have shown that plasmid transfer is limited to the outer layers. On the basis of results from decades of research we analyse this paradox and discuss the mechanisms by which biofilm growth can promote the initial transfer of some plasmids, but also limit further plasmid invasion into the population or community. If we want to adequately promote or combat horizontal gene spread in biofilms, we need to gain better insight into the physicochemical and biological mechanisms that control this process.
East African NGO Impacts

From 2000-2008 the author conducted field research on two non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in East Africa. One site was in Kenya's central mountainous region of urban Nairobi where it has become the largest and fastest growing NGO in the country. Most of its clients live in or near a million-person city slum. The other organization was in the southern rural area, along the Kenyan coast where members had enjoyed relative peace, but extreme poverty. One-on-one client interviews have been conducted at the two research sites, along with observations of staff leaders, social services, village banking meetings, and so on. These materials became the sources of data gleaned during the study of both organizations. This study delineates similarities and differences among microfinance NGOs that provide economic and social development services to poor families in Africa, focusing on different strategies, unique client services, and so forth. The paper concludes with an assessment of their socio-economic impacts, and offers several suggestions for governments to emphasize in reducing human suffering.
Three-body interactions and the elastic constants of hcp solid 4He.

The effect of three-body interactions on the elastic properties of hexagonal close packed solid 4He is investigated using variational path integral (VPI) Monte Carlo simulations. The solid’s nonzero elastic constants are calculated, at T = 0 K and for a range of molar volumes from 7.88 cm3/mol to 20.78 cm3/mol, from the bulk modulus and the three pure shear constants C0, C66, and C44. Three-body interactions are accounted for using our recently reported perturbative treatment based on the nonadditive three-body potential of Cencek et al. Previous studies have attempted to account for the effect of three-body interactions on the elastic properties of solid 4He; however, these calculations have treated zero point motions using either the Einstein or Debye approximations, which are insufficient in the molar volume range where solid 4He is characterized as a quantum solid. Our VPI calculations allow for a more accurate treatment of the zero point motions which include atomic correlation. From these calculatio...
Promoting academic achievement through the mother tongue and a critically compassionate intellectual praxis

This paper reports on my attempt to create an “additive schooling” situation (Valenzuela in Subtractive Schooling: US Mexican Youth and the Politics of Caring Albany: State University of New York Press, 1999) for Spanish-dominant students (SDS) at Bronx Community College (BCC). This additive schooling situation was envisioned as space where SDS could thrive using their mother tongue as a resource within the framework of a learning community that promoted a “critically compassionate intellectual praxis” (Cammarota and Romero in Why Bilingual Education? A Summary of Research Findings. San Francisco, CA: Bloomsbury West, 2006). I discuss how I invited SDS students’ mother tongue into the learning process by linking ESL courses that I taught with Spanish composition courses for native speakers, which I took as a language learner. My participation in the Spanish courses allowed the creation of an ethnographic partnership wherein knowledge was co-constructed with my students within a critical academic discourse that welcomed their language and identities. I discuss the impact this pedagogical initiative had on SDS success rates at BCC and suggest ways it can be implemented in other teaching contexts.
Comparison of two multiband cameras for use on small UAVs in agriculture

This study evaluates the applicability of two multiband cameras used with a small unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for stress detection in citrus orchards. The aerial images were acquired using both cameras at UAV flying altitudes of 30, 60, and 90 m were processed to extract histogram distributions of green normalized difference vegetative index as feature datasets. Support vector machine based classification results revealed that the high resolution camera with near infrared (670–750 nm) and green bands was better in detecting healthy and unhealthy citrus trees. The highest average overall classification accuracy of 91±7% (mean ± standard deviation) was obtained using feature datasets of high resolution camera images acquired at an altitude of 60 m.
Sarcopenia in Peripheral Arterial Disease: Prevalence and Effect on Functional Status

Abstract Objectives (1) To determine the prevalence of sarcopenia in older men with peripheral arterial disease (PAD); (2) to compare a subgroup of the group with age-, race-, sex-, and body mass index (BMI)–matched non-PAD control counterparts, and (3) to compare the functional status of those with PAD with and without sarcopenia. Design Cohort study. Setting Medical center. Participants Sedentary community-dwelling men (N=108; age, >50y) with a confirmed diagnosis of PAD (44% blacks; BMI, 27.8±0.4kg/m 2 ; ankle-brachial index, .62±.01). Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry scans were used to assess appendicular lean mass and determine the prevalence of sarcopenia by/height 2 . Treadmill tests were used to determine claudication onset time, peak walking time, and claudication recovery time. 6-Minute walk distance was also measured. Results Sarcopenia prevalence in our PAD cohort was 25%. The PAD subgroup (n=42) matched with control counterparts in terms of race, sex, age, and BMI had higher prevalence rates than did their non-PAD counterparts (23.8% vs 2.4%; P P P Conclusions Men with PAD demonstrate a high prevalence of sarcopenia. Those with sarcopenia and PAD demonstrate decreased mobility function.
Damages and Injunctive Relief Under Section 1983

Section 19831 provides that any person acting under color of law who violates the fourteenth amendment rights of another may be "liable to the party injured in an action at law, suit in equity, or other proper proceeding for redress." The Supreme Court re cently decided two important cases dealing with remedies under section 1983. Smith v. Wade2 involved punitive damages, while Los Angeles v. Lyons3 concerned injunctive relief. Both cases, like others before them,4 highlight the continuing split on the Court as to the proper scope of section 1983 liability. In this article I will discuss section 1983 remedies in general, with particular attention to these two cases.
The clinical utility of qualitative electroencephalography during tilt table testing - A retrospective study.

Abstract Objective To assess electroencephalography (EEG) changes during tilt table testing in syncope and other orthostatic syndromes. Methods We retrospectively reviewed consecutive tilt table studies with simultaneous EEG from April 2014 to May 2016 at our center. All patients had video EEG during tilt table. All patients had at least 10 min of head up tilt unless they had syncope or did not tolerate the study. Video EEG was interpreted by epileptologists. Results Eighty-seven patients met the inclusion criteria. Mean age was 45 years, and 55 were women. Seven patients (∼8%) had syncope during tilt table, 11 patients (∼12%) had significant neurogenic orthostatic hypotension and a separate group of 11 patients (∼12%) had significant orthostatic tachycardia. Valsalva responses were abnormal in 7 of the 11 patients with orthostatic hypotension, suggesting an underlying neurogenic orthostatic hypotension. Visually discernable EEG changes were seen in only 3 patients (∼43%) who had syncope and in 1 patient (∼9%) with orthostatic tachycardia. Conclusions Qualitative EEG analysis based on visual inspection during tilt table study revealed abnormalities in less than half the patients with syncope and a very small fraction with orthostatic tachycardia. Significance Routine qualitative EEG recording might not be clinically useful during tilt table studies.
Stress and Achievement of Cardiovascular Health Metrics: The American Heart Association Life's Simple 7 in Blacks of the Jackson Heart Study

Background Ideal cardiovascular health metrics (defined by the American Heart Association Life9s Simple 7 [LS7]) are suboptimal among blacks, which results in high risk of cardiovascular disease. We examined the association of multiple stressors with LS7 components among blacks. Methods and Results Using a community‐based cohort of blacks (N=4383), we examined associations of chronic stress, minor stressors, major life events, and a cumulative stress score with LS7 components (smoking, diet, physical activity, body mass index, blood pressure, total cholesterol, and fasting plasma glucose) and an LS7 composite score. Multivariable logistic regression assessed the odds of achieving intermediate/ideal levels of cardiovascular health adjusted for demographic, socioeconomic, behavioral, and biomedical factors. The LS7 components with the lowest percentages of intermediate/ideal cardiovascular health levels were diet (39%), body mass index (47%), and physical activity (51%). Higher chronic, minor, and cumulative stress scores were associated with decreased odds (odds ratio [OR]) of achieving intermediate/ideal levels for smoking (OR [95% confidence interval], 0.80 [0.73–0.88], 0.84 [0.75–0.94], and 0.81 [0.74–0.90], respectively). Participants with more major life events had decreased odds of achieving intermediate/ideal levels for smoking (OR, 0.84; 95% confidence interval, 0.76–0.92) and fasting plasma glucose (OR, 0.90; 95% confidence interval, 0.82–0.98). Those with higher scores for minor stressors and major life events were less likely to achieve intermediate or ideal LS7 composite scores (OR [95% confidence interval], 0.89 [0.81–0.97] and 0.91 [0.84–0.98], respectively). Conclusions Blacks with higher levels of multiple stress measures are less likely to achieve intermediate or ideal levels of overall cardiovascular health (LS7 composite score), specific behaviors (smoking), and biological factors (fasting plasma glucose).
The Current Status of Cloning and Nuclear Reprograming in Amphibian Eggs

The process of cloning on our planet dates back to the initial reproduction of unicellular plant and animal forms and also to the propagation of multicellular forms by budding. Nuclear transplantation is the name of one of several possible techniques that can give rise to a clone. The first successful transplantation of a living nucleus from one cell to another was achieved in 1934 by Hammerling in the unicellular alga plant, Acetabularia. Five years later, Comandon and de Fonbrune (1939) accomplished this feat in the unicellular animal, Amoeba, and in 1952 Briggs and King reported the first successful cloning in a metazoan organism by transplanting embryonic nuclei into enucleated eggs of the frog, Rana pipiens.
Ureteroscopy for Upper Ureteric and Renal Stones: Overcoming Difficulties with the Flexible Approach

Advances in flexible endoscope design, miniaturization of accessory equipment, and refinement in ureteroscopic technique have all combined to facilitate upper urinary tract access and treatment of proximal ureteral and renal stones. Smaller caliber endoscopes with improved optics are placed atraumatically throughout the calyceal system, allowing ureteroscopic lithotripsy of calculi of various compositions and sizes. Herein, we will present technical considerations for performing safe and effective flexible ureteroscopy for nephroureterolithiasis as well as reviewing the results and complications of these endoscopic interventions.
Comparison of PET/CT and PET/MR imaging and dosimetry of yttrium-90 ( 90 Y) in patients with unresectable hepatic tumors who have received intra-arterial radioembolization therapy with 90 Y microspheres

The aim of our study was to compare 90Y dosimetry obtained from PET/MRI versus PET/CT post-therapy imaging among patients with primary or metastatic hepatic tumors. First, a water-filled Jaszczak phantom containing fillable sphere with 90Y-chloride was acquired on both the PET/CT and PET/MRI systems, in order to check the cross-calibration of the modalities. Following selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT) with 90Y microspheres, 32 patients were imaged on a PET/CT system, immediately followed by a PET/MRI study. Reconstructed images were transferred to a common platform and used to calculate 90Y dosimetry. A Passing-Bablok regression scatter diagram and the Bland and Altman method were used to analyze the difference between the dosimetry values. The phantom study showed that both modalities were calibrated with less than 1% error. The mean liver doses for the 32 subjects calculated from PET/CT and PET/MRI were 51.6 ± 24.7 Gy and 46.5 ± 22.7 Gy, respectively, with a mean difference of 5.1 ± 5.0 Gy. The repeatability coefficient was 9.0 (18.5% of the mean). The Spearman rank correlation coefficient was very high, ρ = 0.97. Although the maximum dose to the liver can be significantly different (up to 40%), mean liver doses from each modalities were relatively close, with a difference of 18.5% or less. The two main contributors to the difference in 90Y dosimetry calculations using PET/CT versus PET/MRI can be attributed to the differences in regions of interest (ROIs) and differences attributed to attenuation correction. Due to the superior soft-tissue contrast of MRI, liver contours are usually better seen than in CT images. However, PET/CT provides better quantification of PET images, due to better attenuation correction. In spite of these differences, our results demonstrate that the dosimetry values obtained from PET/MRI and PET/CT in post-therapy 90Y studies were similar.
Vitis spp. Rootstocks Are Poor Hosts for Meloidogyne hapla, a Nematode Commonly Found in Washington Winegrape Vineyards

The majority of winegrape (Vitis vinifera) vineyards in Washington are planted with own-rooted grapevines, as opposed to grapevines grafted onto rootstock varieties. The plant-parasitic nematode Meloidogyne hapla (common name: northern root-knot nematode) is commonly found in Washington winegrape vineyards, and own-rooted grapevines are susceptible to this nematode. Before rootstocks are used to manage M. hapla or other horticultural characteristics in Washington, their host status for M. hapla should be defined. In greenhouse experiments, 10 commercially available rootstock varieties were evaluated for their M. hapla host status. Additionally, the reproductive potential of different M. hapla populations collected from Oregon and Washington, and of another root-knot nematode, M. chitwoodi, on rootstock varieties and own-rooted V. vinifera Chardonnay was evaluated. The rootstocks Salt Creek, Freedom, Harmony, St. George, Riparia Gloire, 101-14 Mgt, 3309C, 110R, 420A, and Matador were poor hosts for M. hapla. Populations of M. hapla varied in reproductive potential and virulence on own-rooted Chardonnay. An M. hapla population collected from a V. vinifera vineyard in Paterson, WA had 33 to 78% greater reproduction than the other M. hapla populations. An M. hapla population collected from a V. vinifera vineyard in Alderdale, WA was consistently more virulent than the other M. hapla populations. Own-rooted Chardonnay and the rootstock Matador were poor hosts for M. chitwoodi. This is the first report of the host status of several grapevine rootstocks for M. hapla.
PKA regulates HMGB1 through activation of IGFBP-3 and SIRT1 in human retinal endothelial cells cultured in high glucose

Inflammation is a key component of a number of diseases, including diabetic retinopathy. We investigated the cellular pathway by which protein kinase A (PKA) inhibited high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1). Primary human retinal endothelial cells (REC) were grown in normal glucose (5 mM) or high glucose (25 mM). Cells in high glucose were treated with exchange protein for cAMP 1 (Epac1) and IGFBP-3 siRNA. Additional cells in high glucose were treated with forskolin, a PKA agonist, and Epac1 siRNA. Some cells were treated with a plasmid for insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 (IGFBP-3) that does not bind IGF-1. Finally, some REC received Ex527, a sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) antagonist, prior to forskolin treatment. Protein analyses were done for HMGB1, Epac1, IGFBP-3, SIRT1, and PKA. PKA inhibited cytoplasmic HMGB1, independent of Epac1 actions. PKA activated IGFBP-3 and SIRT1 to inhibit cytoplasmic HMGB1. High glucose inhibited SIRT1 levels and increased cytoplasmic HMGB1 in REC. PKA requires active IGFBP-3 and SIRT1 to inhibit HMGB1 inflammatory actions in the retina vasculature. Activation of these pathways may offer new targets for therapy development.
A method for measuring human body composition using digital images

Background/Objectives Body mass index (BMI) is a proxy for obesity that is commonly used in spite of its limitation in estimating body fatness. Trained observers with repeated exposure to different body types can estimate body fat (BF) of individuals compared to criterion methods with reasonable accuracy. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a computer algorithm to provide a valid estimate %BF using digital photographs. Subjects/Methods Our sample included 97 children and 226 adults (age in years: 11.3±3.3; 38.1±11.6, respectively). Measured height and weight were used (BMI in kg/m2: 20.4±4.4; 28.7±6.6 for children and adults, respectively). Dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) was the criterion method. Body volume (BVPHOTO) and body shape (BSPHOTO) were derived from two digital images. Final support vector regression (SVR) models were trained using age, sex, race, BMI for % BFNOPHOTO, plus BVPHOTO and BSPHOTO for %BFPHOTO. Separate validation models were used to evaluate the learning algorithm in children and adults. The differences in correlations between %BFDXA, %BFNOPHOTO and %BFPHOTO were tested using the Fisher’s Z-score transformation. Results Mean BFDXA and BFPHOTO were 27.0%±9.2 vs. 26.7%± 7.4 in children and 32.9± 10.4% vs. 32.8%±9.3 in adults. SVR models produced %BFPHOTO values strongly correlated with %BFDXA. Our final model produced correlations of rDP = 0.80 and rDP = 0.87 in children and adults, respectively for %BFPHOTO vs. %BFDXA. The correlation between %BFNOPHOTO and %BFDXA was moderate, yet statistically significant in both children rDB = 0.70; p <0.0001 and adults rDB = 0.86; p<0.0001. However, the correlations for rDP were statistically higher than rDB (%BFDXA vs. %BFNOPHOTO) in both children and adults (children: Z = 5.95, p<0.001; adults: Z = 3.27, p<0.0001). Conclusions Our photographic method produced valid estimates of BF in both children and adults. Further research is needed to create norms for subgroups by sex, race/ethnicity, and mobility status.
Strength of association between the Five-Times-Sit-to-Stand Test and balance, knee extensor strength and lower limb power in community-dwelling older adults

Background/Aims Although strength, power and balance are associated with the Five-Times-Sit-to-Stand Test in older adults, the relative contribution of each to sit-to-stand performance is unclear. ...
From Visual Information to Cognitive Maps

It has been suggested that much of animal navigation takes place without reference to visual information in the environment (Gallistel 1990). A geocentric dead reckoning process, which tracks the travel trajectory of animals internally with only periodic reference to external visual cues, is thought to be a major component underlying animal navigation. Following Gibson (1979),and in contrast to the non-visual emphesis for animal navigation, two types of structure in visual flow are thought to be important for human navigation: perspective structure, which specifies self-motion and self-to-object relations, and invariant structure, which specifies object-to-object relations. A review of the cognitive mapping literature for sighted and blind human adults suggests that the invariant structure in visual flow is important to the formation of cognitive maps, or survey knowledge, of environments. In contrast, a geocentric dead reckoning process which uses the self-movement information provided by perspective structure may be importantly involved in the formation of route knowledge. Findings reviewed from studies of the development of navigational skills in children are consistent with the idea that cognitive mapping skills develop in concert with the ability to perceptually differentiate perspective and invariant structure in visual flow.
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) scores and gynecologic oncology surgical outcomes.

Abstract Objective The Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) is a national survey of inpatient experience. This study evaluated the association between HCAHPS survey results and outcomes in gynecologic cancer surgery. Methods This observational study used HCAHPS survey data from 2009 to 2011 to assign hospitals into score terciles. The Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database was used to identify admissions during the same time period for gynecologic cancer-specific surgeries. Data sources were linked at the hospital level. Postoperative complications, mortality, and prolonged length of stay were compared between higher and lower scoring hospitals. Complications were grouped as ‘surgical’, ‘medical’, or ‘care team’. Mixed effects models were used to evaluate the associations between hospitals' HCAHPS scores and outcomes after adjustment for patient and hospital-level variables. Results 17,509 linked encounters in 651 hospitals across the U.S. were identified, with 51% uterine, 40% ovarian, and 9% cervical cancer surgical admissions. In-hospital mortality was lower in hospitals in the top HCAHPS score terciles compared to bottom HCAHPS score tercile (odds ratio (OR) 0.54, 95% CI: 0.31–0.94). Surgery in higher scoring HCAHPS hospitals was associated with less ‘surgical’ complications (OR 0.82, 95% CI 0.69–0.98). No association was found between ‘medical’, ‘care team’, overall complications, or prolonged hospitalization (p > 0.05) and HCAHPS scores. Conclusions Gynecologic oncology surgeries performed in top HCAHPS tercile hospitals were associated with lower in-hospital mortality and surgical complications compared to surgeries performed in bottom tercile hospitals. Associations between HCAHPS scores and other adverse events were not seen.
Shock Tube Laser Schlieren Study of the Pyrolysis of Isopropyl Nitrate

The decomposition of isopropyl nitrate was measured behind incident shock waves using laser schlieren densitometry in a diaphragmless shock tube. Experiments were conducted over the temperature ran...
Research Advances and Challenges of Autonomous and Connected Ground Vehicles

Autonomous vehicle (AV) technology can provide a safe and convenient transportation solution for the public, but the complex and various environments in the real world make it difficult to operate safely and reliably. A connected autonomous vehicle (CAV) is an AV with vehicle connectivity capability, which enhances the situational awareness of the AV and enables the cooperation between AVs. Hence, CAV technology can enhance the capabilities and robustness of AV to be a promising transportation solution in the future. This paper introduces a representative architecture of CAVs and surveys the latest research advances, methods, and algorithms for sensing, perception, planning, and control of CAVs. It reviews the state-of-the-art and state-of-the-practice (when applicable) of a multi-layer Perception-Planning-Control architecture including on-board sensors and vehicular communications, the methods of sensor fusion and localization and mapping in the perception layer, the algorithms of decision making and trajectory planning in the planning layer, and the control strategies of trajectory tracking in the control layer. Furthermore, the implementations and impact of vehicle connectivity and the corresponding consequential challenges of cooperative perception, complex connected decision making, and multi-vehicle controls are summarized and their significant research issues enumerated. Most importantly, the critical review in this paper provides a list and discussion of the remaining challenges and unsolved problems of CAVs in each Section which would be helpful to researchers in the field. The comprehensive coverage of this paper makes it particularly useful to academic researchers, practitioners, and students alike.
23.3 A 0-to-60V-Input V CM Coulomb Counter with Signal-Dependent Supply Current and ±0.5% Gain Inaccuracy from −50°C to 125°C

Most battery-powered systems require measurement of the battery's state of charge, (SOC). A straightforward way to determine SOC is to keep track of the current flowing in and out of a battery, a method known as coulomb counting. Compared to other methods such as voltage or impedance monitoring, coulomb counting is simple to implement, does not require complex algorithms and is independent of cell chemistry. However, coulomb counters must operate continuously and essentially integrate forever; traditionally, their relatively high power consumption (several tens of µA e.g. [1]–[3]) and susceptibility to drift in the presence of offset have prevented their more widespread use.
Laying the foundation for a commercialized internet: international internet governance in the 1990s

In the current era, the commercial nature of the internet seems like a foregone conclusion. However, during the administration of U.S. President Bill Clinton, the structures and guidelines for how ...
HELMINTH FAUNA OF ICE SEALS IN THE ALASKAN BERING AND CHUKCHI SEAS, 2006-15.

Climate warming may affect the distribution of helminth parasites, allowing endemic species to increase in prevalence and new species to appear. We analyzed tissues from 141 ice-associated seals collected in the Alaskan (US) Bering and Chukchi seas during 2006–15 for internal helminth parasites and compared results with past studies. Specimens were collected from: ringed seals (Pusa hispida), bearded seals (Erignathus barbatus), spotted seals (Phoca largha), and ribbon seals (Histriophoca fasciata). Helminths were present in 94% (133/141) of the seals sampled. Nematodes were most prevalent in bearded (97%, 72/74) and spotted seals (93%, 13/14). Cestodes were most prevalent in bearded seals (82%, 61/74) and absent in ribbon seals, trematodes were only found in bearded (64%, 47/74) and ringed (5%, 2/44) seals, and acanthocephalans were mostly found in ringed (61%, 27/44) and spotted (64%, 9/14) seals. Although no helminths were new to the Bering-Chukchi Seas region, this study found a previously unreported host record for the lungworm Parafilaroides (Filaroides) gymnurus in a ribbon seal. We also found the lungworm Otostrongylus circumlitus in a ribbon seal and P. (F.) gymnurus in bearded seals, representing location records previously unreported from the Bering-Chukchi Seas region (although they have been reported from the Sea of Okhotsk). We found the cestode genus Pyramicocephalus in bearded seals (3%, 2/74) at a lower prevalence than was reported previously for Pyramicocephalus phocarum (44–100%) in the Bering-Chukchi Seas region. We found no species of the acanthocephalan genus Bolbosoma, although the genus was previously identified in ringed, spotted, and ribbon seals. This study yielded no new helminths and no increases in the prevalence of endemic parasites in these seal species.
Multiple improved residual networks for medical image super-resolution

Abstract The rapid development of deep learning has resulted in great breakthroughs in image super-resolution reconstruction technology in medical imaging modalities. The application of artificial intelligence to medical image processing has been the focus of scholars both domestically and internationally in recent years. Due to the fast super-resolution convolutional neural network (FSRCNN) algorithm has fewer convolutional layers and lacks the correlation between the feature information of adjacent convolutional layers, it is difficult to be used to extract deep information of an image, and the super-resolution rate of the image reconstruction effect is not good. To solve this problem, we propose the multiple improved residual network (MIRN) super-resolution reconstruction method. First, MIRN designs the residual blocks connected by multi-level skips to build multiple improved residual block (MIRB) modules. A deep residual network with multi-level skip connection is used to solve the lack of correlation between the characteristic information of adjacent convolutional layers. Then, the stochastic gradient descent method (SGD) is used to train a deep residual network connected by multi-level jumpers with an adjustable learning rate strategy to obtain a super-resolution reconstruction model of the network. Finally, the low-resolution image is input in the MIRN super-resolution reconstruction model, and the residual block obtains the predicted residual eigenvalues and then combines the residual image and the low-resolution image into a high-resolution image. Most quantitative and qualitative evaluations on benchmark datasets demonstrate that the proposed model can better reconstruct the details and textures of images and avoid the over-smoothing of medical images after iteration, and the performance of the proposed algorithm is revealed to be better than that of existing state-of-the-art methods.
Opioid use disorder and rural America

Abstract Rural communities continue to be among the most vulnerable and hardest hit by the current opioid epidemic in the United States. Inaccessible and inadequately organized healthcare and addiction treatment services leave residents of many rural communities vulnerable to the preventable harms of opioid misuse, addiction, and the syndemics associated with injection drug use (IDU), such as hepatitis B and C, endocarditis, and HIV. Understanding the unique factors and barriers in rural communities is important for informing and implementing public health programs and treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD). In this chapter, we describe the shifts in burden patterns associated with OUD and IDU in rural areas, their causes, and barriers to treatment. Lastly, we will discuss promising models for medication-assisted treatment and prevention and treatment of the infectious disease consequences of OUD and IDU in a resource-limited rural setting.
Air Pollutant Emission Rates for Dry Anaerobic Digestion and Composting of Organic Municipal Solid Waste.

Dry anaerobic digestion (AD) of organic municipal solid waste (MSW) followed by composting of the residual digestate is a waste diversion strategy that generates biogas and soil amendment products. The AD-composting process avoids methane (CH4) emissions from landfilling, but emissions of other greenhouse gases, odorous/toxic species, and reactive compounds can affect net climate and air quality impacts. In situ measurements of key sources at two large-scale industrial facilities in California were conducted to quantify pollutant emission rates across the AD-composting process. These measurements established a strong relationship between flared biogas ammonia (NH3) content and emitted nitrogen oxides (NOx), indicating that fuel NOx formation is significant and dominates over the thermal or prompt NOx pathways when biogas NH3 concentration exceeds ∼200 ppm. Composting is the largest source of CH4, carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), and carbon monoxide (CO) emissions (∼60-70%), and dominate NH3, hydrogen sulfide (H2S), and volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions (>90%). The high CH4 contribution to CO2-equivalent emissions demonstrates that composting can be an important CH4 source, which could be reduced with improved aeration. Controlling greenhouse gas and toxic/odorous emissions from composting offers the greatest mitigation opportunities for reducing the climate and air quality impacts of the AD-composting process.
An activating mutation in Pdgfrb causes skeletal stem cell defects with osteopenia and overgrowth in mice

Autosomal dominant PDGFR{beta} gain-of-function mutations in mice and humans cause a spectrum of wasting and overgrowth disorders afflicting the skeleton and other connective tissues, but the cellular origin of these disorders remains unknown. We demonstrate that skeletal stem cells (SSCs) isolated from mice with a gain-of-function D849V point mutation in PDGFR{beta} exhibit SSC colony formation defects that parallel the wasting or overgrowth phenotypes of the mice. Single-cell RNA transcriptomics with the SSC colonies demonstrates alterations in osteoblast and chondrocyte precursors caused by PDGFR{beta}D849V. Mutant SSC colonies undergo poor osteogenesis in vitro and mice with PDGFR{beta}D849V exhibit osteopenia. Increased expression of Sox9 and other chondrogenic markers occurs in SSC colonies from mice with PDGFR{beta}D849V. Increased STAT5 phosphorylation and overexpression of Igf1 and Socs2 in PDGFR{beta}D849V SSCs suggests that overgrowth in mice involves PDGFR{beta}D849V activating the STAT5-IGF1 axis locally in the skeleton. Our study establishes that PDGFR{beta}D849V causes osteopenic skeletal phenotypes that are associated with intrinsic changes in SSCs, promoting chondrogenesis over osteogenesis.
The association of post-operative delirium with patient-reported outcomes and mortality after lung transplantation

Post-operative delirium after lung transplantation is common. Its associations with health-related quality of life (HRQL), depression, and mortality remains unknown. In 236 lung transplant recipients, HRQL and depressive symptoms were assessed as part of a structured survey battery before and after transplantation. Surveys included the Geriatric Depressive Scale (GDS) and Short Form 12 (SF12). Delirium was assessed throughout the post-operative intensive care unit (ICU) stay with Confusion Assessment Method for ICU. Delirium and mortality data were extracted from electronic medical records. We examined associations between delirium and changes in depressive symptoms and HRQL using linear mixed effects models and association between delirium and mortality with Cox-proportional hazard models. Post-operative delirium occurred in 34 participants (14%). Delirium was associated with attenuated improvements in SF12-PCS (difference ₋4.0; 95%CI: -7.4, -0.7) but not SF12-MCS (difference 2.2; 95%CI: -0.7,5.7) or GDS (difference ₋0.4; 95%CI: -1.5,0.7). Thirty-two participants died during the study period. Delirium was associated with increased adjusted hazard risk of mortality (HR 17.9, 95%CI: 4.4,72.5). Delirium after lung transplantation identifies a group at increased risk for poorer HRQL and death within the first post-operative year. Further studies should investigate potential causal links between delirium, and poorer HRQL and mortality risk after lung transplantation.
Evaluation of the academic achievements of clinician health services research scientists involved in “pre-K” career development award programs

Introduction: Research career development awards (CDAs) facilitate development of clinician-scientists. This study compared the academic achievements of individuals in a structured institutional “pre-K” CDA program, the Mayo Clinic Kern Scholars program, with individuals who applied for but were not admitted to the Kern program (“Kern applicants”), and awardees of other unstructured internal CDAs. Methods: This was a longitudinal cohort study of clinicians engaged in research at Mayo Clinic between 2010 and 2019. The primary outcome was time to the 15th new peer-reviewed publication after the program start, adjusted for baseline number of publications. Secondarily, we described successful awarding of federal funding by the NIH or VA. Results: The median (IQR) number of baseline publications was highest among Kern Scholars compared to Kern Applicants or other CDA awardees [16 (12, 29) vs 5 (1, 11) and 8 (5, 16); P < 0.001]. After adjustment for baseline publications, the time to 15th new publication was significantly shorter for Kern Scholars than for the two comparator groups (P<0.001). Similar findings were observed with total new publications within 5 years (P < 0.001), as well as number of new first-/last-author publications within 5 years (P < 0.001). The overall frequency of K-awards, R-awards (or equivalent), or any funding were similar between groups, with the exception of R03 awards, which were significantly more common among Kern Scholars (P = 0.002). Conclusion: The Kern Scholars program is a successful training model for clinician-scientists that demonstrated comparatively greater acceleration of scholarly productivity than other internal CDA programs.
Dealmaker: A Model-Based Reasoning System

Our initial systems were developed with rule-based knowledge system shells such as IBM’ s Expert System Environment, Micro Data Base System’ s GURU, and M.1 from Teknowledge. More powerful hybrid knowledge system development tools have recently become available for use in the business computing mainstream, and DEALMAKER has been implemented in this class of tool.
Chronic kidney disease and the risk of incident gout among middle-aged men: a seven-year prospective observational study.

Objective The kidney is the major organ that facilitates excretion of urate in humans. Surprisingly, few studies have assessed whether a reduced glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and/or kidney damage is associated with a higher incidence of gout, and this study was undertaken to address this question. Methods Data from a 7-year followup of patients enrolled in the Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial, a primary prevention trial for cardiovascular disease among 12,866 men ages 35–57 years, were used for the present investigation. Presence of gout was determined by the study physicians from the original trial. Chronic kidney disease was defined using criteria similar to those proposed by the National Kidney Foundation. The Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to assess the association between gout and chronic kidney disease, after accounting for the effects of potential confounders. Results Overall, there were 722 cases of physician- diagnosed incident gout over 76,602 person-years of followup. The standardized incidence ratio of gout among those with chronic kidney disease was 1,217 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1,191–1,244). The adjusted hazard ratio (HR) among those with chronic kidney disease was 1.61 (95% CI 1.60–1.61). Each standard deviation decline in the estimated GFR was associated with an HR of 1.43 (95% CI 1.35–1.51). Including the serum urate level, as well as the urate–chronic kidney disease interaction term, as variables in the second analysis did not attenuate the HR. Proteinuria and hematuria, two markers of kidney damage, were associated with an elevated risk of gout independent of the estimated GFR. Conclusion Chronic kidney disease manifesting as reduced glomerular function or as presence of blood or protein in the urine increases the risk of incident gout.