cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Improved Ziv-Zakai lower bound for vector parameter estimation

The Ziv-Zakai (1969) bounds on the mean square error (MSE) in parameter estimation are some of the tightest available bounds. These bounds relate the MSE in the estimation problem to the probability of error in a binary hypothesis testing problem. The original Bayesian version derived by Ziv and Zakai, and improvements by Chazan, Zakai and Ziv (1975) and Bellini and Tartara (1974) are applicable to scalar random variables with uniform prior distributions. This bound was extended by Bell, Ephraim, Steinberg and Van Trees (see Proceedings of 1994 International Symposium on Information Theory, Trondheim, Norway, June 1994) to vectors of random variables with arbitrary prior distributions. The goal of this paper is to present an improvement to the vector version of Bell et. al., explore some properties of the bounds, and present further generalizations.
Anesthetic Management of Thoracic Trauma

The initial assessment and stabilization of the thoracic trauma patient is critical for successful outcomes. An understanding of the relevant anatomy and familiarization with the signs and symptoms of injury to the vital structures will minimize the chance of missed injury which could be catastrophic. Airway management and lung isolation provide challenges to the anesthesiologist. Identification of the location of a tracheobronchial injury preoperatively will dictate the method of isolation beyond the injury. Lung isolation techniques are more challenging to novice anesthesiologists. Anesthesiologists who may be asked to manage thoracic trauma patients should familiarize themselves with these techniques. There is no level I evidence for the management of pulmonary contusion. There are similarities between the contused lung and ARDS and the patients who present with pulmonary contusion should be ventilated with lung protective strategies. Management of cardiac trauma requires an understanding of the type of injury and prompt diagnosis is of paramount importance. Signs of cardiac tamponade must be identified quickly and the pericardium decompressed urgently. Echocardiography is a useful tool in evaluating injury and guiding therapy in unstable patients if available. Injury to the thoracic aorta is increasingly being managed with endovascular techniques, but not all patients are ­candidates. An understanding of the physiology of the ­thoracic aortic clamp and its implications for hemodynamic management remains important. Similarly, strategies for spinal cord protection during open repair must be considered. Expectant management of minimal aortic injury may become more common. Anesthesiologists play an integral role in the management of pain in the patients with chest wall injury. There is potential for improved outcomes with epidural analgesia, but many patients will not be candidates for neuraxial analgesia. In the patients who will meet exclusion criteria, other techniques including paravertebral blocks should be considered.
Abstract 3093: Clinical Factors Associated With Hypotension Within 12 Hours Of Antihypertensive Therapy In Ed Stroke Patients

Background: Extremes of blood pressure (BP) have been associated with poor outcomes in acute stroke. Aggressive antihypertensive therapy in stroke patients with elevated blood pressure (BP) can lead to undesired hypotension. We sought to determine whether any pre-treatment factors are associated with undesired hypotension within 12 hours of initiating antihypertensive therapy in emergency department (ED) patients with neurological emergencies. Methods: This was a secondary analysis of an observational study conducted at an urban academic ED and two community EDs between November 2007 and March 2009. Patients with signs or symptoms of neurological emergencies treated with antihypertensives in the ED were eligible for enrollment if they were not enrolled in interventional clinical trials. Demographics, medical history, antihypertensive use, and BP measurements were abstracted in duplicate. Discrepant data were adjudicated by a third investigator. Based on American Heart Association guidelines, target BP was defined as a 20% reduction in systolic BP from that recorded immediately prior to treatment. Hypotension was defined as a systolic BP drop of > 40% from the pre-treatment level or systolic BP <100mmHg within 12hours of initiation of antihypertensives. Univariable Cox regression was used to evaluate factors associated with early hypotension. Results: One hundred patients were enrolled. Median age was 62years (range 36-96), 50 were male and 53 were black. The most common diagnoses were intracerebral hemorrhage (n=36), ischemic stroke (n=35) and hypertensive emergency (n=10). Hypotension occurred in 28 patients within 12hours of initiation of antihypertensive therapy. Median time from first treatment to hypotension was 211 minutes (range 2-629, IQR 98-355). In univariable analysis, lower baseline GCS and higher baseline BP were associated with post-treatment hypotension ([Table][1]). Conclusions: In this observational study, hypotension occurred frequently in ED patients with neurological emergencies who received antihypertensives. Since sicker patients with higher BP were more likely to become hypotensive, overly aggressive treatment in these patients may have accounted for the hypotension observed. Larger, future studies should see if these patients are indeed treated more aggressively. ![Table][2] Table. Univariate predictors of hypotension [1]: #T1 [2]: pending:yes
Close observation versus upfront treatment in hepatocellular carcinoma: are the exception points worth the risk?

Introduction To assess the outcomes of immediate LDT versus observation strategies for T1 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with respect to progression beyond Milan and survival. Method T1 HCCs were retrospectively reviewed from a multidisciplinary tumour board database between September 2007 and May 2015. In the observation group, T1 lesions were observed until the tumour grew to meet T2 criteria (=2 cm). The treatment group consisted of T1 lesions treated at diagnosis with liver directed therapy (LDT). Kaplan-Meier plots were constructed for tumour progression beyond Milan and overall survival. Results 87 patients (observation n=56; LDT n=31) were included in the study. A total of 22% (n=19) of patients progressed beyond Milan with no difference in progression between treatment and observation groups (19% vs 23%, p=0.49). Median time to progression beyond Milan was 16 months. Overall transplantation rate was 22% (observation group n=16; treatment group n=3, p=0.04). Median survival was 55 months with LDT versus 36 months in the observation group (p=0.22). In patients who progressed to T2 (n=60), longer time to T2 progression was a predictor of improved survival (HR=0.94, 95% CI 0.88 to 0.99, p=0.03). Conclusions Immediate LDT of T1 lesions was not associated with increased risk of progression beyond Milan criteria when compared with an observation approach. Longer time to T2 progression was associated with increased survival and may be a surrogate for favourable tumour biology.
Final Outcome of 223Ra-therapy and the Role of 18F-fluoride-PET in Response Evaluation in Metastatic Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer-A Single Institution Experience.

Background 223Ra was the first therapeutic alpha-emitting radionuclide registered for clinical practice. This radionuclide is targeting actively bone-forming cells, and it is approved for treating metastatic skeletal disease in prostate cancer. 18F-PET is used to detect skeletal metastatic disease based on osteoblastic activity. The aim of this study was to analyze, if 18F-PET can be used assessing the results of 223Ra therapy, and to report final median overall survival in a total of 773 therapy cycles. Methods A 161 men with castration-resistant prostate cancer were included in a single institution study (Protocol#: PA14-0848) and they received a total of 773 223Ra therapy cycles. Results The median overall survival (95% CI) was 12.4 (9.1, 16.1) months in patient population. Interim Na18F-PET imaging was applied in 14 patients at baseline, after 3 cycles and after 6 cycles. TLF10 (skeletal disease burden at SUV-values >10 on Na18F -PET) were calculated in all these PET studies, and there was no significant association between change in TLF10 after 3 cycles and TLF10 after 6 cycles (p=0.20). Conclusion From these results, we conclude that interim imaging does not help in assessing the final outcome of 223Ra therapy. The survival benefit of 223Ra therapy alone is more than a year in a high-risk group of advanced prostate cancer.
Child Sexual Molestation

Over the past several decades, our awareness of the magnitude and the impact of sexual victimization has increased considerably. Sexual abuse has become an acute problem, manifested in ever increasing costs to society as well as to its victims. The costs incurred by society include medical and psychological services to aid victim recovery, the apprehension and disposition of offenders, and the invisible climate of fear that makes safety a paramount consideration in scheduling normal daily activities. In addition to the monetary costs associated with sexual abuse (Prentky & Burgess, 1990), the impact of such abuse on its victims has been well documented. Indeed, there is a large and growing literature on the proximal (short-term) and distal (long-term) effects of child sexual abuse (see Table 14.1).
The Centrality of Truth

There is a long tradition according to which the concept of truth is one of the most important subjects for philosophical discussion, but in this century the tradition has come to be seriously questioned by a large number of philosophers, as well as historians, literary critics and theoreticians, and others. I think this is because of various tempting errors and confusions. Here I examine a few of the reasons truth has become tarnished, or at least diminished, in the minds of many, and then go on to say why the concept of truth should be restored to its key role in our understanding of the world and of the minds of agents.
Management of hypertension. What is the role of beta blockers

The 1984 report of the Joint National Committee on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of Hypertension for the first time recommended beta blockers as an alternative to diuretics for step 1 of stepped-care treatment. Numerous studies have shown that beta blockers are as effective as diuretics for monotherapy in patients with mild hypertension. They are the only antihypertensive drugs that have been shown to be cardioprotective following a myocardial infarction. Beta blockers are especially indicated for step 1 therapy in young patients (particularly those with evidence of hyperkinetic circulation), in patients who have had a myocardial infarction, and in patients with angina, migraine, or hereditary tremor because they are helpful in treating these conditions as well as in managing hypertension. Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and calcium channel blockers are challenging beta blockers and diuretics as the drugs of choice for initial therapy of hypertension in selected patients. Time will ultimately determine the relative roles of each as step 1 therapy.
First, Do Not Punish: Individual Incentives in Health Policy

Explanation of why penalizing health insurance subscribers who do not achieve wellness goals is unethical. Virtual Mentor is a monthly bioethics journal published by the American Medical Association.
A New Pathway of Phospholipid Biosynthesis in Animal Cells

One of the current challenges in cell biology is to understand how the many different lipids of animal cell membranes are formed and how they function. In an attempt to address this challenge my colleagues and I have been investigating membrane phospholipids that contain arachidonic acid. These phospholipids are of special interest for several reasons: a) They contain most of the arachidonic acid that is present in animal tissues, and this fatty acid is one of those essential polyunsaturated fatty acids that are required for the normal reproduction, development, growth, and health of animals; b) They are formed by special mechanisms; c) They include phospholipids, such as the phosphoinositides, that play key roles in stimulus transduction; d) Arachidonic acid derived from membrane phospholipids can be used for the biosynthesis of prostaglandins and other powerful biological agonists.
Measuring the Gain of the Climate System’s Response to Milankovitch Forcing in the Precession and Obliquity Bands

Using the amplitude of the Milankovitch radiation cycles for June at 65°N as a measure of the forcing, and the amplitude of oceanic δ18O cycles as a measure of the system’s response, we show that the system’s gain in the precession and obliquity bands has been surprisingly strong and constant over the past 600,000 years.
Accounting complexity and misreporting: Manipulation or mistake?

I explore the effect of accounting complexity on misreporting using a setting of revenue restatements. I measure revenue recognition complexity using a factor score based on the number of words and revenue recognition methods from the revenue recognition disclosure in the 10-K just prior to the restatement announcement. Results are consistent with revenue recognition complexity increasing the probability of revenue restatements, after controlling for other determinants of misreporting revenue. These results are significant both statistically and economically and are robust to a number of different specifications. I also test whether misreporting for complex revenue recognition firms is the result of mistakes or manipulation. My tests provide no evidence consistent with complex revenue recognition being associated with manipulating revenue. However, there is evidence that firms that restate revenue and have more complex revenue recognition are less likely to receive an AAER from the SEC and have less negative restatement announcement returns than firms with less complex revenue recognition, suggesting mistakes are more likely for more complex firms. This paper is based on my dissertation. I appreciate the guidance and advice of my dissertation committee members: Michelle Hanlon (Chair), Russell Lundholm, Ilia Dichev, and Dana Muir. The helpful comments of K. Ramesh, Jeff Wilks, Cathy Shakespeare, Lian Fen Lee, Chad Larson, Judson Caskey, Peter Demerjian and University of Michigan workshop participants are also gratefully acknowledged. The Paton Fund, the Ross School of Business, and Leabo Fellowship provided financial support.
“First Hispanic Pope, First Hispanic Saint”: Whiteness, founding fathers and the canonization of Friar Junípero Serra

In 2015, Roman Catholic Pope Francis canonized eighteenth-century Franciscan Friar Junipero Serra, founder of nine California missions, after a long and controversial process in which the decision was opposed on the grounds that it expressed indifference to the human suffering precipitated by Spanish colonization of California. Contrarily, supporters of the canonization argued that the move represented an important and overdue symbolic endorsement of Latinos and the Hispanic roots of California. This article examines the polemics around the canonization that occurred in the popular media and discusses the implications of this case for an understanding of racial and ethnic dynamics regarding Latinos. Using Whiteness as an interpretive lens, I contend that the Serra controversy put on display a specific moment of the de-racialization of Latinos, in which Latinos are cast as foundational people in the history of the United States in a way that is typically reserved for White Americans.
Endovascular Management of a Refractory Pseudoaneurysm of the Sternocleidomastoid Artery Caused by Attempted Internal Jugular Central Line Placement with Long-Term Follow-Up: A Case Report and Review

Introduction. This case report shows successful treatment of a refractory sternocleidomastoid branch of the superior thyroid artery (SBSTA) pseudoaneurysm using endovascular glue embolization in a patient who refused surgery. Case Presentation. A 63-year-old female with multiple comorbidities presented with a firm 7 cm tender mass located in the right neck. Ultrasound showed pseudoaneurysm and a 7 × 3.3 × 4 cm multilobular hematoma in the location of the previous central line. CTA showed a corresponding heterogeneous mass. Serial imaging demonstrated enlargement over 2 weeks. Angiogram showed contrast blush off of the SBSTA. Management and Outcome. SBSTA was embolized using glue. Repeat angiogram showed embolization and no contrast blush. One month later, the mass was no longer pulsatile but present on physical exam. CTA showed decreased size. 8 months later, her neck was soft without mass. Discussion. Pseudoaneurysms of the external carotid artery are rare and usually due to trauma. Pseudoaneurysms after central line placement are documented, but most are complications of femoral central lines. A handful of cases of superior thyroid artery pseudoaneurysms due to several etiologies are reported, but none involving the SBSTA. Therapeutic options include surveillance, compression, thrombin injection, embolization, and surgery. Endovascular management offers an alternative for patients unwilling or unable to undergo open surgery.
Non-small cell to small cell lung cancer on PD-1 inhibitors: two cases on potential histologic transformation

Introduction Histologic transformation from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) to small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a well-recognized mechanism of resistance in EGFR-mutant adenocarcinoma upon treatment with TKIs, but rarely reported with programmed death1 (PD-1) inhibitors. We report two cases of potential transformation during treatment with PD-1 inhibitors. Case presentations Case 1, a 65-year-old man was diagnosed with stage IVa lung adenocarcinoma on pleural fluid cytology. He received six cycles of carboplatin and pemetrexed, then maintained on pemetrexed. He had disease progression after nine cycles of pemetrexed and was switched to nivolumab. He progressed after five cycles of nivolumab. Core biopsy of the lung mass revealed SCLC. Case 2, a 68-year-old man was diagnosed with two primary NSCLCs and underwent resection. He had recurrence after several months and was treated with four cycles of carboplatin, paclitaxel, and pembrolizumab on clinical trial, with partial response. He was continued on pembrolizumab and had disease progression after 30 cycles. Biopsy of the new lesions showed SCLC. Discussion Histologic transformation from NSCLC to SCLC can be explained by the presence of a common cell precursor. Proposed molecular mechanisms include loss of RB1, TP53 mutations, and MYC amplification. The distinction between transformation and mixed histology tumors is challenging, especially when pathologic material used for the initial diagnosis is limited. The possibility of a second metachronous primary lung cancer cannot be excluded in our cases. Conclusion Histologic transformation with PD-1 inhibitors could be under-recognized. Disease progression should prompt re-biopsy to uncover new histology and change in treatment. Future studies are needed to elucidate mechanisms and predictors of transformation.
Methods to Quantify Nanomaterial Association with, and Distribution Across, the Blood–Brain Barrier In Vivo

The role and functional anatomy of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is summarized to enable the investigator to appropriately address evaluation of nanomaterial interaction with, and distribution across, it into brain tissue (parenchyma). Transport mechanisms across the BBB are presented, in relation to nanomaterial physicochemical properties. Measures and test substances to assess BBB integrity/disruption/permeation are introduced, along with how they are used to interpret the results obtained with the presented methods. Experimental pitfalls and misinterpretation of results of studies of brain nanomaterial uptake are briefly summarized, that can be avoided with the methods presented in this chapter. Two methods are presented. The in situ brain perfusion technique is used to determine rate and extent of nanomaterial distribution into the brain. The capillary depletion method separates brain parenchymal tissue from the endothelial cells that contribute to the BBB. It is used to verify nanomaterial brain tissue entry. These methods are best used together, the latter refining the results obtained with the former. Details of the materials and equipment needed to conduct these methods, and description of the procedures and data interpretation, are provided.
Predictors of Early and Late Mortality in Older Kidney Transplant Recipients

Abstract Background Older kidney patients with chronic kidney disease benefit significantly from kidney transplantation. However, these older transplant recipients have greater mortality after transplantation than younger transplant recipients. Understanding the impact of comorbidities on post-transplant mortality can improve risk stratification and patient selection. Methods A single-center analysis of 3105 kidney transplant recipients was performed over a 12-year period. Comorbidities associated with death were evaluated in older and younger transplant recipients. Results The 2 most important factors associated with increased mortality in the first 100 days after transplant were recipient age ≥60 and receipt of deceased donor organs (adjusted odds ratios, 3.29 and 5.80, respectively), with no statistically significant impact of recipient comorbidities. In the later post-transplant period (after the first 100 days), recipient age ≥60 and receipt of deceased donor organs (adjusted hazard ratios [HR] of 2.14 and 2.29, respectively) remained predictors of mortality. We also found that donor age ≥60 and the recipient having cardiovascular disease and diabetes were independent predictors of increased mortality. There was a statistically significant interaction between diabetes and heart disease and recipient age ≥60, with a lesser impact on late mortality in older patients compared to younger patients. Conclusions This analysis suggests that comorbidities have a larger impact later after transplantation, with less effect on older recipients. These observations suggest that certain comorbid conditions should be evaluated differently in older patients compared to younger ones.
Kālīghāṭ and the Fashioning of Middle-Class Modernities

The upper middle classes have worked over the past century to transform the Hindu temple from a symbol of “backwardness” to a symbol of the modern Indian city. By writing books and journal articles, filing lawsuits and organizing campaigns—thereby engaging in what Sanjay Joshi calls “cultural entrepreneurialism”—individuals in this segment of society both respond to and shape an evolving global discourse on Indian modernity. This article focuses in particular on the ways in which they have worked on Kālīghāṭ, a Hindu temple and pilgrimage site in Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) that was once the target of the most vehement criticisms of temple Hinduism, but is now promoted as an appropriate symbol of modern Kolkata. This case study on one prominent temple in an Indian metropolis sheds light on a process that has shaped notions of Hindu temples throughout the nation.
L’Herméneutique de L’Innovation: Canon et Exégèse Dans L’Israël Biblique (The Hermeneutics of Innovation: Canon and Exegesis in Biblical Israel)

This book examines the doctrine of transgenerational punishment found in the Decalogue: the idea that God punishes sinners vicariously and extends the punishment due them to three or four generations of their progeny. Already in ancient Israel, even though it was a “God-given” law, the unfairness of punishing innocent people merely for being the children or grandchildren of wrongdoers was clearly recognized. A series of inner-biblical and post-biblical responses to the rule demonstrates that later writers were able to criticize, reject, and replace this problematic doctrine with the alternative notion of individual retribution. From this perspective, the formative canon is the source of its own renewal: it fosters critical reflection upon the textual tradition and sponsors intellectual freedom. "The longest part of his study is devoted to show the innovation during the formation process of the canon...This part of Levinson’s book is revealing and excellent, as he brilliantly demonstrates intrabiblical exegesis. He suggests that this can serve as a guide for modern exegesis." — Walter Vogels, Saint-Paul University in Review of Biblical Literature, March 2007."An important work, rendered all the more useful by its third part, which is a bibliography."— John Barton, in Society for Old Testament Studies Book List 2007."A sophisticated understanding of how canonization should be conceived in Judaism. An important work, rendered all the more useful by its third part, which is a bibliography." — John Barton, Society for Old Testament Study Book List 2007." . . . an excellent short introduction to inner-biblical exegesis." — P. S. Johnston, Vetus Testamentum 58 (2008).La versione italiana di questo documento e disponibile al seguente link: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2085494A versao em portugues deste artigo pode ser encontrada em: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2085496La version francaise de ce document se trouvent a: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1858808 Dies titel ist auch in deutsch erhaltlich bei: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2080486
Intraspecific polyploidy correlates with colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in Heuchera cylindrica

Premise Polyploidy is known to cause physiological changes in plants which, in turn, can affect species interactions. One major physiological change predicted in polyploid plants is a heightened demand for growth-limiting nutrients. Consequently, we expect polyploidy to cause an increased reliance on the belowground mutualists that supply these growth-limiting nutrients. An important first step in investigating how polyploidy affects nutritional mutualisms in plants, then, is to characterize differences in the rate at which diploids and polyploids interact with belowground mutualists. Methods We used Heuchera cylindrica (Saxifragaceae) to test how polyploidy influences interactions with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). Here we first confirmed the presence of AMF in H. cylindrica, and then we used field-collected specimens to quantify and compare the presence of AMF structures while controlling for site-specific variation. Results Tetraploids had higher colonization rates as measured by total, hyphal, and nutritional-exchange structures; however, we found that diploids and tetraploids did not differ in vesicle colonization rates. Conclusions The results suggest that polyploidy may alter belowground nutritional mutualisms with plants. Because colonization by nutritional-exchange structures was higher in polyploids but vesicle colonization was not, polyploids might form stronger associations with their AMF partners. Controlled experiments are necessary to test whether this pattern is driven by the direct effect of polyploidy on AMF colonization.
An experimental study of the moderator assembly for a low-energy proton accelerator neutron irradiation facility for BNCT.

An accelerator-based neutron irradiation facility (ANIF), which has been proposed for BNCT, is based on a 2.5-MeV proton beam bombarding a thick lithium target. Neutrons which are emitted from the lithium target are too energetic for BNCT and must be moderated. A calculational study, which was done previously on the moderator assembly for an ANIF, shows that, with an optimized moderator assembly, an ANIF can produce a neutron flux which has quality and intensity sufficient for BNCT. In order to verify our previous calculational study, a lithium target and a non-optimized moderator assembly (a cylindrical tank of D2O) have been constructed and tested at the Ohio State University Van de Graaff proton accelerator.
Gamma Delta T Cell Function in Ruminants

Gamma delta (γδ) T cells constitute a major lymphocyte population in peripheral blood and epithelial surfaces. They play nonredundant roles in host defense against diverse pathogens. Although γδ T cells share functional features with other cells of the immune system, their distinct methods of antigen recognition, rapid response, and tissue tropism make them a unique effector population. This review considers the current state of our knowledge on γδ T cell biology in ruminants and the important roles played by this nonconventional T cell population in protection against several infectious diseases of veterinary and zoonotic importance.
Chapter 81 – Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is one of two major forms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and as such is an important type of abnormality of mucosal immune function. Studies designed to gain increased insight into the cause of this disease are important not only because of the promise they hold for improved treatment of patients but also because of their potential to provide a deeper understanding of the mucosal immune response. In this chapter we provide a discussion of several major factors bearing on the development of UC, including its major clinical manifestations, its genetic underpinning, its relation to the gut microbiome, its association with epithelial cell abnormalities, and its immunopathogenesis. This discussion makes it apparent that UC differs from its counterpart gut inflammation, Crohn disease (CD), by the fact that it is a more superficial bowel inflammation centered on epithelial cell damage rather than bowel wall granulomatous cellular infiltration; in addition, its hallmark immune abnormality, a Th2-like interleukin-13 response by natural killer T cells is vastly different from the Th1/Th17 response characteristic of CD and is more clearly the result of a primary epithelial cell abnormality. Thus, whereas the two major forms of IBD may be driven by abnormal responses to elements of the gut microbiome, the type of abnormal response in these diseases is distinct.
ON SOME STOCHASTIC DIFFERENTIAL GAMES

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses some stochastic differential games. Various methods of probabilistic functional analysis have been applied to study stochastic differential and integral equations. The origin of differential games and their development concurrently with optimal control theory is quite well known. An intelligent evader can deliberately maneuver to confuse the pursuer's predictions. Thus, optimal pursuit and evasion must be considered equally. It was Isaacs who coined differential games to describe games whose state can be described by differential equations. The key step to a general formulation was the distinction between state and control variables. The nature of a strategy is then clear when it makes the control variables functions of the state variables. This is an immediate generalization of the strategies of discrete games and is general enough for a far wider range of applications than just combat problems.
Tolerability and effectiveness of povidone-iodine or mupirocin versus saline sinus irrigations for chronic rhinosinusitis.

Abstract Objectives The role of topical anti-infectives in acute exacerbations of chronic rhinosinusitis is controversial. Povidone-iodine is an anti-bacterial and anti-viral that is affordable and available over-the-counter and may demonstrate advantages over mupirocin as a sinus irrigation therapy. The objective was to compare povidone-iodine or mupirocin versus saline sinus irrigations for sinusitis exacerbations in post-surgery subjects as well as to assess tolerability of povidone-iodine sinus irrigations. Materials and methods This was a prospective single-blinded (clinician only) randomized controlled trial. Subjects were post-surgery with acute exacerbations of chronic rhinosinusitis and gram-positive bacteria on culture. They received povidone-iodine, mupirocin, or saline sinus irrigations, twice daily for 30 days. Outcomes were post-treatment culture negativity (primary) and Sinonasal Outcome Test-20 and Lund-Kennedy endoscopic score change (secondary). Results Of the 62 subjects analyzed, post-treatment culture negativity rate was higher in the MUP (14/20, 70%) group compared to the PI (9/21, 43%) and SAL (9/19, 47%) groups, although this was not significant (p = 0.29). Povidone-iodine sinus irrigations at the 1% concentration were very well-tolerated, similar to saline irrigations. There were no significant differences in Sinonasal Outcome Test-20 score (povidone-iodine −0.3 [−0.6, 0.05] vs. mupirocin −0.3 [−0.7, 0.05] vs. saline −0.4 [−0.8, 0.05]; p = 0.86) or Lund-Kennedy endoscopic score (povidone-iodine −3.5 [−7, −0.5] vs. mupirocin −2 [−4, 2] vs. saline −3 [−5, 0]; p = 0.45) change. No serious adverse effects were reported. Conclusions In patients who have had prior sinus surgery with acute exacerbations of CRS and gram-positive bacteria on culture, mupirocin sinus irrigations achieved a better post-treatment culture “control” rate compared to saline and povidone-iodine. In addition, 1% povidone-iodine solution was well-tolerated as a sinus irrigation and may represent a feasible method for temporarily disinfecting the sinonasal cavity of bacteria and viruses such as COVID-19.
Deformation Mechanisms of γ′ and γ″ Co-precipitates in IN718

Alloy 718 is widely used in gas turbine engines. Even though recent studies have been focusing on the unique deformation mechanisms of the tetragonal γ″ phase as compared to those of the cubic γ′ phase, γ′ and γ″ often co-precipitate and form composite particles. The deformation mechanisms of these composite particles have not been investigated in detail. In this work, we use a combination of ab initio and microscopic phase field methods to study shearing of a dual-lobed type γ″/γ′/γ″ composite particle by various dislocations. Complicated fault structures within both γ′ and γ″ phases are predicted, and some of them have been observed in the experiment. The difficulty associated with experimental characterization of the fault structures in the co-precipitates is also discussed.
Millisecond Suppression of Counter-Propagating Optical Signal using Ultrafast Laser Filaments

We demonstrate millisecond-scale on-axis signal suppression using filament air plasmas formed by unaltered Gaussian beams with implications for background/continuum rejection for remote sensing applications.
Changes in shaft resistance and pore water pressures during heating of an energy foundation

This study focuses on the evolution of shaft resistance during operation of a geothermal energy foundation installed in a saturated glacial till layer. Energy foundations are a sustainable alternative to traditional space heating and cooling approaches for buildings. Despite efficient operational performance, there are still valid concerns regarding the effects of heating on the structural performance of foundations. To investigate the effect of heating at the soil-pile interface, four drilled shafts are utilized as energy foundations on the Urbana-Champaign campus of the University of Illinois and instrumented. Although the energy foundations are not yet operational, a theoretical investigation is possible to understand the effects of heating on the evolution of thermally induced pore water pressures and the shaft resistance of an energy foundation. A thermo-poroelastic numerical model is validated against an analytical solution, then is used to analyze the thermo-mechanical response of the soil-structure system under different conditions. The results indicate that the evolution of pore water pressure is affected by the rate of heating and the hydraulic conductivity of the surrounding soil, as expected. Higher pore water pressures are generated in the case of low hydraulic conductivity and higher rates of heating. Prior to the dissipation of excess pore pressures, the changes in shaft resistance are variable and influenced by the thermally-induced deformation of the foundation and the surrounding soil.
Sisyphus observed: Unraveling the high ATP usage of an RNA chaperone

DEAD-box proteins are nonprocessive RNA helicases that can function as RNA chaperones by coupling ATP binding and hydrolysis to structural reorganization of RNA. Here, Jarmoskaite et al. quantify the ATP utilization of an RNA chaperone during refolding of a misfolded ribozyme substrate. Strikingly, 100 ATP hydrolysis events are needed per successfully refolded ribozyme, suggesting that each round of unfolding requires ten ATP molecules, since 90% of substrate unfolding cycles only lead back to the kinetically favored misfolded state. This near-Sisyphean effort reveals a potentially conserved model for RNA reorganization by RNA chaperones.
Enriched laboratory housing increases sensitivity to social stress in female California mice (Peromyscus californicus)

Domesticated mice and rats have shown to be powerful model systems for biomedical research, but there are cases in which the biology of species is a poor match for the hypotheses under study. The California mouse (Peromyscus californicus) has unique traits that make it an ideal model for studying biological mechanisms underlying human-relevant behaviors such as intra-female aggression, biparental care, and monogamy. Indeed, peer-reviewed scientific publications using California mouse as a model for behavioral research have more than doubled in the past decade. Critically, behavioral outcomes in captive animals can be profoundly affected by housing conditions, but there is very limited knowledge regarding species-specific housing needs in California mice. Currently, California mouse investigators have to rely on guidelines aimed for more common laboratory species that show vastly different physiology, behavior, and/or ecological niche. This not only could be suboptimal for animals' welfare, but also result in lack of standardization that could potentially compromise experimental reproducibility and replicability across laboratories. With the aim of assessing how different housing systems can affect California mouse behavior both in the home cage as well as the open field and social interaction tests before and after social defeat stress, here we tested three different caging systems: 1. Standard mouse cage, 2. Large cage, and 3. Large cage + environmental enrichment (EE), which focused on increasing vertical complexity based on observations that California mice are semiarboreal in the wild. We found that the effects of housing were largely sex specific: compared to standard cages, in females large + EE reduced home cage stereotypic-like backflipping and rearing behaviors, while large cage increased social interactions. In males, the large+EE cage reduced rearing and digging but did not significantly affect backflipping behavior. Interestingly, while there were no significant differences in the open field and social interaction pre-stress behaviors, large and large+EE housing increased the sensitivity of these tests to detect stress induced phenotypes in females. Together, these results suggest that increasing social and environmental complexity affects home cage behaviors in male and female California mice without interfering with, but rather increasing the magnitude of, the effects of defeat stress on the open field and social interaction tests.
Why popcorn costs so much at the movies

Going to the movies and downing a tub of popcorn and an oversized soda is as American as … well, going to a baseball game and getting several hot dogs and beers. Both outings can now put a nontrivial dent in any family’s entertainment budget.
Microbial inhibition on hospital garments treated with Dow Corning 5700 antimicrobial agent.

We evaluated the efficacy of the antimicrobial activity of cotton-polyester fabric treated with 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium chloride (DC 5700), a quaternary ammonium compound bound irreversibly to the material. Significant antimicrobial activity was observed with 58 of 61 gram-positive cocci but with only 1 of 35 gram-negative bacilli and 0 of 5 yeasts. No inhibition of bacilli or yeasts was observed when the DC 5700 concentration ranged from 0.05 to 1.0% or when antimicrobial activity was assayed by the agar overlay bioassay or broth agitation methods. Images
A Survey of Response to Intervention Team Members' Effective Practices in Rural Elementary Schools:

This study examined the perceptions of general and special education teachers regarding the effectiveness of intervention teams in rural elementary schools. The passage of IDEIA 2004 brought consid...
THE REGENTS VERSUS THE PROFESSORS: EDWARD TOLMAN'S ROLE IN THE CALIFORNIA LOYALTY OATH CONTROVERSY

In 1950, the University of California Board of Regents approved a policy that all faculty members, as a condition for continued employment, were required to either sign an oath indicating that they were not members of the Communist Party or explain why they would not sign. A group of faculty members, led by psychologist Edward Tolman, refused to sign the oath and were fired. This article discusses how Tolman emerged as the leader of the faculty nonsigners and how his stature within psychology enabled him to recruit assistance from the American Psychological Association and the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues.
Potential drug-drug and drug-condition interactions among fibromyalgia patients initiating pregabalin or duloxetine: prevalence and health care expenditure impact

Objective To quantify the prevalence of potential drug–drug/drug–condition interactions (DDI/DCI) among fibromyalgia patients initiating pregabalin or duloxetine, and to determine the impact of potential DDI/DCI on health care expenditures. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting U.S. clinical practice, as reflected within a large administrative claims database. Subjects Fibromyalgia patients newly initiating pregabalin or duloxetine between July 1, 2008 and October 1, 2010 (initiation date = index). Outcome Measures Potential DDI measured using clinical software that identifies co-prescription of medications that potentially interact with pregabalin or duloxetine. Potential DCI, drawn from the contraindications and warnings and precautions sections of pregabalin and duloxetine prescribing information, measured using administrative claims-based algorithms. All-cause health care expenditures measured throughout a 6-month postindex period. Analyses included univariate, bivariate, and multivariable statistical approaches. Results Seven thousand seven hundred fifty-one pregabalin and 7,785 duloxetine initiators were selected for study: mean age 49 years, 88% female. Only 1.4% of pregabalin initiators had ≥1 potential pregabalin DCI; none had potential pregabalin DDI. In contrast, 67% of duloxetine initiators had potential duloxetine DDI/DCI, driven mostly by potential duloxetine DDI (62% of duloxetine initiators). Compared between pregabalin and duloxetine initiators, differences in the prevalence of potential DDI/DCI were statistically significant (P < 0.001). Multivariable analyses indicated that, among duloxetine initiators, those with potential duloxetine DDI/DCI had postinitiation health care expenditures that were $670 higher (P < 0.001) than those without potential duloxetine DDI/DCI. Among pregabalin initiators, potential pregabalin DDI/DCI were not associated with health care expenditures. Conclusions Among fibromyalgia patients initiating pregabalin or duloxetine, potential duloxetine DDI could be highly prevalent. Among duloxetine initiators, potential duloxetine DDI/DCI were significantly associated with increased health care expenditures.
Role of the 6-Minute Walk Test in Cardiac Rehabilitation

Exercise testing is a key component of the initial patient assessment performed when a patient enrolls in a cardiac rehabilitation program, and change in functional capacity has become a common clinical outcome in cardiac rehabilitation programs (1). Traditionally, exercise testing has been conducted on a treadmill or bicycle ergometer using graded intensity protocols designed to determine maximal exercise capacity. Maximal exercise testing has been extensively validated for diagnosis, prognostication, and exercise prescription, all of which are discussed in detail elsewhere in this book. However, such testing requires specialized facilities, equipment, and personnel and is associated with considerable cost, which may or may not be covered by third-party payers in the cardiac rehabilitation setting.
Three-photon double-resonance spectroscopy of autoionizing Rydberg states in H2.

A new three-photon double-resonance excitation scheme for ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ is combined with time-of-flight ion detection and is used for high-resolution spectroscopy of autoionizing and field-ionizing Rydberg states. Using modest laser powers, we have achieved a Doppler-limited resolution of 0.15 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$.
Vena Cava Filters: Uses and Abuses

Currently, there are more than 10 permanent and optional retrievable vena cava filters in use in North America and Europe. Indications for inferior vena cava (IVC) filter placement are intuitive and filters are used in patients who have deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and contraindications to anticoagulation, or in patients who hemorrhage while anticoagulated for DVT. Multiple studies have proposed broadening the use of IVC filters as primary venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis in certain patient populations. Many permanent IVC filters have been well studied and have superior performance characteristics. On the other hand, optional retrievable IVC filters are attractive in the patient with a well-defined, short-term risk for VTE and contraindications to anticoagulation. Filter retrieval after the patient can be anticoagulated would eliminate the long-term risk of DVT associated with permanent IVC filter placement. Unfortunately, most optional retrievable filters are relatively new and have little to no data on their long-term performance when used as permanent filters, and the percentage of retrievable filters actually removed is less than 50%. The spirited debate concerning which patient should get which filter is just beginning. More prospective, randomized trials evaluating optional retrievable filters are needed to answer these important questions.
Prevention of venous thromboembolism in hospitalized medical patients.

The hospitalized medical patient in the US today has multiple risk factors for venous thromboembolism (VTE) and is therefore at a significant risk of developing this condition both during hospitalization and after discharge. The American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) guidelines recommend pharmacologic prophylaxis unless there are contraindications. Low-molecular-weight heparins (LMWH) are the preferred class of drugs due to multiple advantages, including daily dosing and a decreased risk of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia, to name a few. Several emerging oral anticoagulants, including Factor Xa inhibitors and direct thrombin inhibitors, are currently being evaluated in Phase III clinical trials as prophylaxis against VTE in medically ill patients and may some day replace parenteral drugs. Mt Sinai J Med 75:449–453, 2008. © 2008 Mount Sinai School of Medicine