cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Engineering practice variation through provider agreement: a cluster-randomized feasibility trial.

Purpose: Minimal-risk randomized trials that can be embedded in practice could facilitate learning health-care systems. A cluster-randomized design was proposed to compare treatment strategies by assigning clusters (eg, providers) to “favor” a particular drug, with providers retaining autonomy for specific patients. Patient informed consent might be waived, broadening inclu sion. However, it is not known if providers will adhere to the assignment or whether institutional review boards will waive consent. We evaluated the feasibility of this trial design. Subjects and methods: Agreeable providers were randomized to “favor” either hydrochlorothiazide or chlorthalidone when starting patients on thiazide-type therapy for hypertension. The assignment applied when the provider had already decided to start a thiazide, and providers could deviate from the strategy as needed. Prescriptions were aggregated to produce a provider strategy-adherence rate. Results: All four institutional review boards waived documentation of patient consent. Providers (n=18) followed their assigned strategy for most of their new thiazide prescriptions (n=138 patients). In the “favor hydrochlorothiazide” group, there was 99% adherence to that strategy. In the “favor chlorthalidone” group, chlorthalidone comprised 77% of new thiazide starts, up from 1% in the pre-study period. When the assigned strategy was followed, dosing in the recommended range was 48% for hydrochlorothiazide (25–50 mg/day) and 100% for chlorthalidone (12.5–25.0 mg/day). Providers were motivated to participate by a desire to contribute to a comparative effectiveness study. A study promotional mug, provider information letter, and interactions with the site investigator were identified as most helpful in reminding providers of their study drug strategy. Conclusion: Providers prescribed according to an assigned drug-choice strategy most of the time for the purpose of a comparative effectiveness study. This simple design could facilitate research participation and behavior change in non-research clinicians. Waiver of patient consent can broaden the representation of patients, providers, and settings.
Synthesis of a d-Glucopyranosyl Azide: Spectroscopic Evidence for Stereochemical Inversion in the SN2 Reaction

Stereospecific SN2 conversion of configurationally pure acetobromoglucose (2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-α-d-glucopyranosyl bromide) to the corresponding β-d-glucopyranosyl azide is a useful exercise in the advanced organic undergraduate teaching laboratory. The procedure is safe and suitable for small-scale implementation, and firm proof of the stereochemical change is obtained from 1H NMR coupling constants. The exercise provides students with experience in using important chiral pool natural product derivatives, reaction analysis by TLC, as well as careful product isolation, purification, and spectroscopic identification.
Written Emotional Disclosure of Trauma and Trauma History Alter Pain Sensitivity

Abstract The present study investigated whether written emotional disclosure of trauma and trauma history alters sensitivity to experimental pain in healthy women. We examined the immediate affective and physiological effects of written emotional disclosure and evaluated the pain modulatory effects of this personally relevant method of affect induction in women with and without trauma history. Participants wrote for 20 minutes about a traumatic or neutral topic prior to the thermal pain threshold and the ischemic pain tolerance tests. Written disclosure of trauma increased negative affect and skin conductance, which resulted in increased pain sensitivity on heat threshold tests. Trauma history was associated with lower basal ischemic pain tolerance under the neutral writing condition; however, this effect was reversed by disclosure of trauma, suggesting that preexisting differences in pain sensitivity and pain modulation may be related to lifetime history of trauma. Perspective These findings indicate that written emotional disclosure provides an effective method for inducing personally relevant affect that is sufficient to modulate pain. History of trauma was related to reduced pain tolerance and enhanced stress-induced hypoalgesia, which underscores the need for further research to examine the extent to which prior history of trauma alters pain processing.
Numerical analysis of interface energy-driven coarsening in thin films and its connection to grain growth

Abstract Interface energy-driven coarsening in thin films is investigated using numerical analysis of a mean field growth model. The development of preferred orientation in an initially randomly oriented film is demonstrated. The coarsening process may also lead to the development of bimodal particle size distributions, but this is shown to depend sensitively on the shape of the interface energy vs orientation function. The rate of transformation to a state of preferred orientation is dependent on quantities such as the film thickness and the ratio of the interface energy anisotropy to the particle boundary energy. We discuss the applicability of the model, which was developed to describe coarsening of islands in a discontinuous thin film, to surface or interface energy-driven grain growth in a continuous thin film.
Humidity-dependent wetting properties of high hysteresis surfaces.

The advancing contact angle (θ_(adv)) of water on thin films (∼1 μm) of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) with fluoroalkyl endgroups (6 kg/mol PEG with 10-carbon fluoroalkyl, denoted 6KC10) changes strongly with relative humidity (RH). Films of 6KC10 on silicon wafers pretreated with a fluorinated alkylsilane (TFOS) display θadv increasing from 75° at 12% RH to 95° at 94% RH. The surprising transition to nonwetting character at high humidity is attributed to fluoroalkyl groups ordering at the air−hydrogel interface when they are liberated by dissolution of PEG crystallites above 85% RH. When water is withdrawn from a drop on 6KC10, the contact line does not recede. This extreme hysteresis is attributed to restructuring of the gel to bury the fluoroalkyl groups when in contact with water.
The GRS/GRC from the Perspective of a Graduate Student and First Time Attendee

The networking and collaborative opportunities afforded to the attendees of the Ocean and Human Health Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) and the Gordon Research Conference (GRC) are vast and great. The GRS/GRC, in particular, has the capability of facilitating interlaboratory and interdisciplinary collaborations. The following article highlights the benefits associated with attending the GRS/GRC as a graduate student and first time attendee.
RESPONSE TO BLEOMYCIN OF ESCHERICHIA COLI MUTANTS DEFICIENT IN DNA REPAIR

The effect of bleomycin on the colony forming ability of Escherichia coli K12 strains in exponential growth at 37°C was not affected by introducing recAl3, lexAl, polAl and uvrA6 mutations. For cells starved for amino acids, wild type strains became ten-fold more resistant to bleomycin, but again introducing lexAl, polAl and uvrA6 strains did not change the effect on colony forming ability; however, starved recA13 cells were now four-fold more sensitive. Strains with recA13, lexA1 and polAl mutations were always more sensitive than wild type to gamma rays under the same conditions as used for the bleomycin treatment. It is suggested that bleomycin-induced lesions may be concentrated in that part of the bacterial genomes at the cell wall, near the replication forks.
Enhancement of T cell proliferation and differentiation by 8-mercaptoguanosine.

Recent studies of the mechanisms by which cellular interactions govern lymphocyte proliferation and differentiation have resulted in discovery of the lymphokines and elucidation of their modes of action. These molecules are peptides or proteins, whose amino acid sequence and physico-chemical properties have been difficult to characterize due to the difficulty in achieving high degrees of purity in the preparations under study. Recently, however, we have described the potent immunobiologic activity of a novel class of molecule, the C8-subsituted guanine ribonucleosides. The observation that these synthetic guanosine derivatives are mitogenic for murine splenic lymphocytes without participation of cyclic GMP1 was followed by description of their capacity to induce polyclonal synthesis and secretion of immunoglobulin in both murine and more recently human B lymphocytes. The mitogenic activity of these nucleoside derivatives was shown to be exerted intracellular2, predominantly on a subpopulation of mature B lymphocytes and to a lesser degree on a subset of immature B cells3. In addition, these agents exhibit powerful adjuvant effects both invitro and invivo and provide a T cell-like inductive signal for B cells that enables them to generate antigen-specific responses to T cell-dependent antigens in the absence of T cells4.
Developmental expression of serum response factor in the rat central nervous system.

Serum response factor (SRF), a transcription factor known to be essential for early embryonic development as well as post-natal regulation of both cellular proliferation and myogenic differentiation, is expressed broadly in neurons within the adult mammalian central nervous system (CNS). The function of SRF within the developing CNS is not well established, but it is likely to play an important role in neuraxial development and neuronal function, since many of its known target genes (e.g., c-fos) and transcriptional partners (e.g., Elk-1) are also highly expressed in neurons. Immunohistochemical survey of the post-natal developing rat brain revealed a progressive increase in SRF immunoreactivity in neurons of the cerebral and cerebellar cortices, and in selective subcortical regions from birth (P0) through post-natal day 28 (P28). SRF immunoreactivity stabilized from P28 into adulthood. A few loci, such as the nucleus of cranial nerve VII, showed the reverse expression pattern (strong immunoreactivity at P0-P7, declining by P28). The developmental expression pattern of SRF overlaps significantly with that of myotonic dystrophy protein kinase, a potential upstream regulator, and of the LIM-only genes Lmo1, Lmo2 and Lmo3, whose products belong to a family of proteins known to be strong positive regulators of SRF's transcriptional activity. These data suggest that SRF has a significant function in the early post-natal development of the CNS.
Male chronic pelvic pain syndrome: Prevalence, risk factors, treatment patterns, and socioeconomic impact

Type III prostatitis (chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome) is the most common form of prostatitis, accounting for 8% to 15% of urology outpatient office visits. Symptoms, including pain in the perineum, suprapubic region, testicles, or tip of the penis, are often exacerbated by urination or ejaculation. Currently available therapies have limited effectiveness in alleviating these symptoms. Further, there is an unexplained association between type III prostatitis and other unexplained somatic symptoms. Due to its high prevalence and lack of effective therapies, direct and indirect costs associated with type III prostatitis are substantial.
Synthesis, oxidation and crosslinking of tetramethyl bisphenol F (TMBPF)-based polymers for oxygen/nitrogen gas separations

Abstract Amorphous, high glass transition, crosslinkable poly(arylene ether)s for gas purification membranes have been synthesized. The polymers include a moiety capable of several oxidation reactions and UV crosslinking. Structural identification was confirmed by 1H NMR and IR spectroscopy and molecular weights were determined by SEC. Two oxidation reactions of the polymers were identified, one by chemical treatment using Oxone and KBr and one by elevated thermal treatment in air. DSC and TGA were used for thermal characterization, and TGA, 1H NMR and ATR-FTIR revealed the progress of the thermal oxidation reactions. Both polymers produced tough, ductile films and gas transport properties of the non-crosslinked linear polymers and crosslinked polymer are compared. The O2 permeability of one exemplary non-crosslinked poly(arylene ether) was 2.8 Barrer, with an O2/N2 selectivity of 5.4. Following UV crosslinking, the O2 permeability decreased to 1.8 Barrer, and the O2/N2 selectivity increased to 6.2.
The effect of load level on the mechanism of fatigue crack propagation in ABS

The fatigue crack propagation (FCP) mechanism of an ABS was examined under tension-tension loading as a function of load level. The crack was always preceded by a damage zone consisting of assemblies of stress-whitened lines. Crack growth was predominantly through the root damage line, with occasional jumps into neighbouring lines. These jumps occurred most frequently in the medium load level test. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses showed the damage within the stress-whitened lines to consist of elongated, and occasionally ruptured, rubbery domains at the specimen surface, with the appearance of extensive crazes bridging their interstices toward the mid-thickness. The craze intensity (size and number) increased with decreasing load level. The crazes manifested themselves on the fracture surface as a patch morphology, which was increasingly pervasive with decreasing load level. In the rougher region that followed, ductile tearing of the matrix is believed to be promoted by rubber cavitation and the merging of crazes. Normal fatigue striations indicate crack advance by greater fractions of the damage zone length at higher load levels.
Integrated fuel-cycle models for fast breeder reactors

Abstract Breeder-reactor fuel-cycle analysis can be divided into four different areas or categories. The first category concerns questions about the spatial variation of the fuel composition for single loading intervals. Questions of the variations in the fuel composition over several cycles represent a second category. Third, there is a need for a determination of the breeding capability of the reactor. The fourth category concerns the investigation of breeding and long-term fuel logistics. Two fuel-cycle models used to answer questions in the third and fourth area are presented. The space- and time-dependent actinide balance, coupled with criticality and fuel-management constraints, is the basis for both the Discontinuous Integrated Fuel-Cycle Model and the Continuous Integrated Fuel-Cycle Model. These models are derived by formally condensing the base equations through spatial integration. Cycle-average isotopic microscopic reaction rate and reactivity-worth coefficients, based on equilibrium behavior, complete the derivation of the discontinuous model. Approximating the discontinuous reload with continuous charge and discharge currents transforms the discontinuous model into the more mathematically elegant continuous model. The results of the continuous model are compared with results obtained from detailed two-dimensional space and multigroup depletion calculations. The continuous model yields nearly the same results as the detailed calculation, and this is with a comparatively insignificant fraction of the computational effort needed for the detailed calculation. Thus, the integrated model presented is an accurate tool for answering questions concerning reactor breeding capability and long-term fuel logistics.
An empirical study of IS planning characteristics among industries

Abstract In recent times, there has been an increased awareness among organizations of the potential of information technology and the use of information systems planning to exploit this potential and use information systems effectively. Prescriptive studies indicate that some industries have greater potential for exploiting information technology than others and therefore differ in their planning characteristics. In this study we explore the differences in IS planning characteristics among various industry groups. The study collected data on 12 IS planning variables in various industries using a large scale field survey of senior IS executives. The results indicate that some IS planning characteristics such as IS planning resources, IS resources, role of IS in the organization, extent of business domain analysis, contribution to organization's performance, and implementation success vary significantly among industry groups. Other planning variables such as top management and user involvement, planning effectiveness, information input to planning, and the use of a steering committee do not significantly differ among industry groups. On an overall basis, it was found that firms in insurance, banks, retail, and publishing tend to lay greater emphasis on most IS planning characteristics, and firms in utilities and oil industry do not lay much emphasis on IS planning characteristics.
Dual Control Strategies for Discrete State Markov Processes Part II

ABSTRACT This paper constitutes the second part of an investigation of the dual control of long duration stationary ergodic discrete Markov processes. In it the concept of decision space is introduced as a theoretical framework within which the performances of different control strategies may be compared. The evolution of a strategy is described in terms of a decision trajectory which converges by descending a ‘ hill of uncertainty ’. A study of the trajectory of the ideal strategy leads to a generalization of the definition of optimality. The existence of a whole class of sub-optimal strategies is demonstrated; it is shown that the optimal strategy of part I is a member of the class, and that any other member may be optimal also under certain conditions. Two examples of sub-optimal strategies are presented, one involving the estimation of confidence intervals, the other using a learning reinforcement technique.
Finding What Matters in Questions

In natural language question answering (QA) systems, questions often contain terms and phrases that are critically important for retrieving or finding answers from documents. We present a learnable system that can extract and rank these terms and phrases (dubbed mandatory matching phrasesor MMPs), and demonstrate their utility in a QA system on Internet discussion forum data sets. The system relies on deep syntactic and semantic analysis of questions only and is independent of relevant documents. Our proposed model can predict MMPs with high accuracy. When used in a QA system features derived from the MMP model improve performance significantly over a state-of-the-art baseline. The final QA system was the best performing system in the DARPA BOLT-IR evaluation.
A depositional model for outwash, sediment sources, and hydrologic characteristics, Malaspina Glacier, Alaska: A modern analog of the southeastern margin of the Laurentide Ice Sheet

The Malaspina Glacier on the southern coast of Alaska is a partial analog of the late Wisconsinan Laurentide Ice Sheet that occupied New England and adjacent areas. Ice lobes of the Malaspina are similar in size to end moraine lobes in southern New England and Long Island. Estimated ablation rates, surface slopes, and meltwater discharge per unit of surface area for the Laurentide Ice Sheet are comparable to measured ablation rates, surface slopes, and meltwater discharge rates for the Malaspina Glacier. Meltwater moves from the surface of the Malaspina down-glacier and toward the bed of the glacier along intercrystalline pathways and through a series of tunnels. Regolith beneath the glacier, which is eroded and transported to the margin of the glacier by subglacial and englacial streams, is the source of essentially all fluvial and lacustrine deposits on the Malaspina Foreland. By analogy, a similar hydrologic system existed at the southeastern margin of the Laurentide Ice Sheet. Subglacial regolith, which was eroded from beneath the ice sheet by meltwater, was the source of most stratified sediment deposited in New England and adjacent areas during the late Wisconsinan. Similarly, Wisconsinan ice-contact landforms in New England were built by the same processes that are constructing landforms composed of stratified sediments in contact with the Malaspina Glacier. For the Malaspina Glacier and the Laurentide Ice Sheet, therefore, we reject the concept of the “dirt machine” by which debris near the base of the glacier is carried to the surface of the glacier along shear planes and then washed off the surface to form ice-contact stratified deposits.
Schatzki ring in children and young adults: clinical and radiologic findings

Background. The Schatzki ring is a well-known clinical and radiologic entity in adults, but is thought to be rare in childhood. Objective. To review the clinical presentations and radiologic findings of children and young adults with Schatzki rings. Materials and methods. A retrospective review of all barium swallow examinations done between 1990 and 1996 revealed 20 patients with Schatzki rings. Results. The most frequent presenting symptoms of these patients were progressive dysphagia with solid food and acute food impaction. Radiographic findings of Schatzki rings were typical in all cases. Twelve patients had endoscopy and all had evidence of esophagitis. Conclusion. Schatzki rings are not rare in childhood. The patients are symptomatic, presenting with either progressive dysphagia with solids or acute food impaction. A thorough evaluation of the distal esophagus should be performed in patients with a suggestive clinical history.
Sovereign wealth funds: dangers and opportunities

Soaring oil prices since the early 2000s have led to a historic transformation of wealth from consuming regions to major oil exporters. In recent years many of these exporters have set up oil funds to utilize their massive and growing oil revenues. These funds are divided into two categories—stabilizing and saving. Their large investments in western markets have raised concerns that they might be driven by political and strategic interests rather than commercial ones. This article examines oil funds in the Persian Gulf, Norway and Russia. It discusses US and European proposals to regulate oil funds' investments. The article examines the International Monetary Fund's efforts to forge a consensus on a ‘code of conduct’ that would guide the relationship between oil funds and the recipient markets. The analysis argues against excessive regulation.
Toward a new era for chemical engineering education: making environmental and ethical issues fundamental

Given the relationship between manufactured chemicals and environmental degradation, chemical engineers need to be acutely aware of the implications of their designs and their responsibilities. The best way to promote such awareness and responsibility is to make these issues an explicit part of undergraduate chemical engineering education. Such an expansion of the curriculum is supported by the new ABET Criteria 2000. This paper explores ABET and other reasons for incorporating environmental and ethical issues into chemical engineering education, and provides general recommendations for how his goal may be accomplished. Five factors that require chemical engineering graduates to be well-versed in environmental issues are outlined, and an analysis of ethics and responsibility for chemical engineers is performed. A pervasive approach to curricular change, in which environmental and ethical topics are integrated into many courses at all levels of education, is proposed.
Skin and soft tissue abscesses: the case for culturing abscess fluid.

Opposing authors provide succinct, authoritative discussions of controverstal issues in energency medicine. Authors are provided the opportunity to review and comment on opposing presentations. Each topic is accompanied by an Editor's Note that summarizes important concepts. Participation as an authoritative discussant is by invitation only, but suggestions for topics and potential authors can be submitted to the section editors.
Asthma Incidence among Children and Adults: Findings from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Asthma Call-back Survey—United States, 2006–2008

Background. Asthma, a chronic respiratory condition affecting 8.2% of the US population (2009), causes significant societal and economic burden, resulting in missed school/work days, activity limit...
Street Gangs and Aggregate Homicides An Analysis of Effects During the 1990s Violent Crime Peak

This study contributes to the body of research examining why city-level violence rates peaked in 1993. Taking homicide data from that year, we introduce an indicator for active street gangs along with indicators derived from common structural explanations of homicide rates. We assess whether gang presence is empirically associated with homicide variation across 154 U.S. central cities. Consistent with conceptual claims, correlational evidence demonstrates that active gangs were a significant source of homicides across this sample of cities. As a secondary concern, we assess structural conditions that were likely to predict gang formation within cities during the crime peak.
A Cognitive Theory of Trust

Interpersonal trust is currently receiving widespread attention in the academy. Many legal scholars incorrectly assume that interpersonal trust is an unmitigated good (or bad) and that legal policy should therefore be crafted to maximize (or minimize) trust. A more nuanced understanding of trust indicates instead that it should be promoted or discouraged, depending on the context. Such an understanding needs to reflect the fact that trust and distrust can, and often do, coexist. In most relationships, the parties trust one another with regard to some matters and yet distrust one another with regard to other matters. More specifically, developing a relationship with somebody often involves acquiring an overall residual sense of how trustworthy the person is, as well as a specific sense of the person's trustworthiness in particular contexts. Our paper begins to develop a cognitive theory of trust. Our cognitive lens suggests specific types of relationships and contexts in which people are systematically inclined to trust one another nonoptimally. First, some accurate trust assessments may be socially nonoptimal. Consider a group whose members decide to forego costly assessments of strangers, confining their dealings to other group members. Or parties engaged in socially undesirable activities whose high trust for one another permits them to effectuate successful criminal conspiracies. In these cases, social gains can be realized by enacting regulatory measures that provide incentives for either trust-enhancing or trust-decreasing behaviors. Second, some relationships are plagued by mistaken initial trust assessments in contexts where accurate updating of these assessments is either precluded or impaired. In such contexts the law should intervene to either promote more accurate trust levels or to mitigate the costs of the mistaken assessments. We identify two relationships where, if left unregulated, one of the individuals will likely inaccurately assess the trustworthiness of the other. In the corporate management context, directors are inclined to overtrust officers, and we explore possible mechanisms for promoting specific types of distrust on the part of directors without excessively eroding the residual trust in the officer-director relationship. In doctor-patient relationships, patients similarly overtrust doctors albeit for different reasons. Because patients often benefit from overtrusting their doctors, however, promoting more accurate patient trust assessments likely would prove costly. Health care law should (and does) instead focus on promoting doctor trustworthiness and compensating patients who suffer harm from misplacing their trust.
Observability analysis of an inertial navigation system with stationary updates

Stationary measurement updates offer the possibility of containing errors in velocity, biases and attitude even during periods of GPS unavailability, given the information that the rover is not moving. Automated detection of appropriate instances of stationarity is possible, given a recently proposed frequency domain method based on IMU data. In this paper we focus on analytical and numerical evaluation of observability of error states of an INS aided with stationary updates. The null space of the continuous time observability gramian is evaluated for various motion scenarios typically occurring in a land vehicle.
Business training and education needs of chiropractors

Objective: This report is an examination of the perceived need for business skills among chiropractors. Methods: An online survey was completed by 64 chiropractors. They assessed the need for business skills and current levels of business skills. Using this information, gaps in business skills are identified. Results: The need for business skills is broad, encompassing all major business functions. Existing business skills are well below needed levels. Conclusion: The chiropractic profession needs significantly greater business and practice management skills. The existing gap between needed business skills and existing skills suggests that current training and education programs are not providing adequate business skills training. (J Chiropr Educ 2008;22(2):145–151)
Atypical femoral fractures associated with long-term bisphosphonate use.

A 75-year-old woman with osteoporosis presented with a 2-year history of anterior thigh pain that was worse when standing and walking. She had taken alendronate for more than 20 years, which was replaced with annual zoledronic acid infusions for the last 3 years. On examination, she had an antalgic
A mathematical model to evaluate the routine use of fecal microbiota transplantation to prevent incident and recurrent Clostridium difficile infection.

Clostridium difficile is a frequent source of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), especially among patients who receive treatment regimens that involve antibiotics1 or proton pump inhibitors (PPIs)2,3 or who have other conditions that disrupt normal gut microbiota. The rate of C. difficile infection (CDI) in the United States has been increasing since 2000, and CDI caused an estimated 336,565 cases in 2009.4 In some healthcare facilities, CDI has eclipsed methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus as the leading source of HAI.5 Of special concern is the development of recurrent CDI, which may be a complicated, long-term condition typified by repeated bouts of severe diarrhea. Because altering the indigenous microbiota of the intestinal tract causes CDI, there has been an interest in recolonizing the intestinal tract with introduced donor bacteria obtained from either healthy donor stool6,7 or a synthetically derived pure culture.8 This procedure, referred to as fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), restores the bacterial ecology that keeps C. difficile in check. Both uncontrolled case reports7,8 and a small clinical trial6 have shown encouraging results; however, FMT is still largely reserved for specialized intervention in difficult or refractory cases. Furthermore, the implications of routine intestinal recolonization as a standard course of treatment for the prevention of recurrent or incident CDI have not been widely explored. The need for an increased understanding of the potential effects and utility of FMT is especially urgent in light of the US Food and Drug Administration’s increased interest in the procedure and their decision that it falls under the agency’s regulatory purview.9 Mathematical models are ideal for studying such hypothetical scenarios. They can provide a repeatable, quantitative environment with which to evaluate evidence, guide policy creation, discover critical thresholds upon which the success of interventions may depend, and suggest new directions for observational studies and clinical trials. These strengths are difficult or impossible to duplicate with empirical research within a hospital. Critically, one patient’s outcome influences another’s exposure, which violates traditional statistical assumptions of independence. Finally, mathematical models are capable of scaling up the independent, individual-level observations that emerge from clinical research to the population level. In this way, we may study how these individuals interact with one another and influence the transmission process without a risk to patient safety. To evaluate the impact of routine intestinal microbiota recolonization in patients with CDI, we developed a mathematical model that describes the transmission of C. difficile within an intensive care unit (ICU) and has the capability to test the impact of FMT on prevention of recurrent or initial C. difficile infection due to in-hospital transmission.
Use of wireless system in healthcare for developing countries

Abstract Healthcare is one of the major applications of wireless systems that possess crucial issues. Specifically developing countries require a low cost and reliable network with efficient protocols. The most challenging concern of Body Area Network (BAN) is heterogeneity, which requires fairness with reliability among all the network nodes. Solutions proposed for these networks either do not provide fair packet transmission or consume high energy and introduce delays. In this paper, we propose a cross layer protocol for healthcare applications meeting the requirements and challenges of the heterogeneous BAN. The protocol is also feasible for developing countries as it can be implemented over existing wireless infrastructure and provides high network reliability with energy efficiency through cooperation and adaptability. Results show that the proposed scheme improves reliability, throughput, Packet Delivery Ratio (PDR), and energy consumption for scalable and mobile networks over conventional BAN protocols.
Animal Models in Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia

The first animal model of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) was described in 1967. This was a late-gestational, surgicallycreated lamb model. Since then, animal modeling has become more sophisticated. Using a variety of techniques and laboratory species, animal models have been produced to investigate the pathophysiology of CDH, from whole animal physiology studies to lung molecular changes. To provide the animal tissue required, three different approaches have been used: (1) a surgically-created model which has been reported in lambs and rabbits, (2) a teratogen-induced model which to date has been described in rats and mice, and (3) a congenital model which is present in a specific pig herd. All animal models are discussed in this article.
Mechanisms and outcomes of stroke during pregnancy and the postpartum period: A cross-sectional study

Abstract Background: Pregnancy-associated stroke remains incompletely characterized because of the rarity of these potentially devastating events. We investigated whether mechanism and outcome of ischemic pathophysiology stroke differ between young pregnant and nonpregnant women. Methods: We identified 135 consecutive women ages 18–40 years admitted to our center from January 2008 through June 2014 with ischemic stroke, TIA, cerebral venous thrombosis, or nonaneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage due to reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS). We reviewed charts for pregnancy status, demographics, medical comorbidities, stroke severity, etiology, and discharge outcomes. Results: There were 33 women with pregnancy-associated stroke (PAS) and 102 with non–pregnancy-associated stroke (NPAS). Among women with PAS, 73% of strokes occurred postpartum. In the PAS group, the most common cause of cerebrovascular events was RCVS (n = 12), 11 postpartum and 4 in women with preeclampsia. There were no significant differences between the groups in demographics. Women with PAS were less likely to have vascular risk factors such as hyperlipidemia and history of thromboembolism but more likely to have cerebral venous thromboses (21% vs 7%, p = 0.02). Women with PAS were more likely to have RCVS as stroke mechanism (36% vs 1%, odds ratio 57.7, 95% confidence interval 7–468, p = 0.0001). Conclusion: Compared with nonpregnant women of the same age group, women with PAS had fewer vascular risk factors. Cerebral venous thrombosis and RCVS were more common in PAS, most of which occurred postpartum. These results provide further evidence for the unique pathophysiology of pregnancy-related stroke, raising important questions for future investigation.
An evaluation of DEM accuracy: elevation, slope, and aspect

The accuracy of elevations, slopes, and aspects were evaluated for two DEMs of an area centered on Blacksburg, Virginia, in the southern Appalachian Mountains. The first was a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) 7.5-minute quadrangle-based DEM with 30-metre postings, produced utilizing automated stereocorrelation of 1:40,000-scale leaf-off aerial photographs with a Gestalt Photomapper (GPM). The second DEM of the same area was produced from a SPOT panchromatic stereopair using a proprietary stereo-correlation technique developed by the STX corporation, among those used by SPOT Image Corp. for high resolution DEM production. DEM accuracy was assessed visually and through comparisons of DEM-derived to field-surveyed values for elevation, slope, and aspect
Chemical and biological studies on 1, 2-dihydro-s-triazines. VII. Activity in pteroylglutamic acid-Lactobacillus casei #7469 systems.

1. A series of 1,2-dihydro-s-triazines has been studied inLacto bacillus casei # 7469—riboflavin,Lactobacillus fermenti #9338 —thiamine, andLactobacillus arabinosus #8014—nicotinic acid bioassay systems. The compounds studied were relatively poor inhibitors in riboflavin and thiamine bioassay, systems, inhibition in either case being reversed by high concentrations of the metabolic derivatives of pteroylglutamic acid, as well as by high concentrations of riboflavin or thiamine, in the respective bioassay systems. 2. Activity inLactobacillus arabinosus #8014 bioassay systems varied with substitution in the molecule, the 2,2-dimethyl-derivative with 3′, 4′-dichlorophenyl substitution exhibiting the most activity. Inhibition was reversed by nicotinic acid, nicotinamide, or coenzyme I, as well as by the metabolic derivatives of pteroylglutamic acid. Certain derivatives also interfered with the utilization ofpara-aminobenzoic acid in appropriate bioassay systems.
Solution-grown germanium nanowire anodes for lithium-ion batteries

Solution-grown germanium (Ge) nanowires were tested as high capacity anodes in lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries. Nanowire films were formulated and cast as slurries with conductive carbon (7:1 Ge:C w/w), PVdF binder and 1.0 M LiPF6 dissolved in various solvents as electrolyte. The addition of fluorethylene carbonate (FEC) to the electrolyte was critical to achieving stable battery cycling and reversible capacities as high as 1248 mA h g–1 after 100 cycles, which is close to the theoretical capacity of 1,384 mA h g-1. Ge nanowire anodes also exhibited high rate capability, with reversible cycling above 600 mA h g-1 for 1200 cycles at a rate of 1C. The batteries could also be discharged at 10C with a capacity of 900 mA h g-1 when charged at 1C.
Dinosaurs from the Lower Cretaceous Gongpoquan Basin in Jiuquan Area,Gansu Province,China

Dinosaurs from the Lower Cretaceous Xinminpu Group of the Gongpoquan Basin in the Jiuquan area, Gansu Province, northwestern China were mainly excavated during the course of two projects: the Sino-Japanese Silk Road Dinosaur Expedition in 1992, and the Sino-American Mazongshan Dinosaur Project during 1997~2000. A diverse dinosaur assemblage, including members of Theropoda, Sauropoda, Iguanodontoidea, and Neoceratopsia, has since been discovered. This Gongpoquan dinosaur assemblage is characterized by the coexistence of basal representatives of the diverse clades that would subsequently dominate the Late Cretaceous dinosaur faunas, such as two basal neoceratopsians Archaeoceratops oshimai and Auroraceratops rugosus, the basal hadrosauroid Equijubus normani, and the basal titanosauriform Gobititan shenzhouensis. This assemblage is also characterized by members of the Ornithomimosauria and Therizinosauroidea with unusually large body size (for this geological time interval). Comparative study shows, although closely related, all dinosaurs from the Xinminpu Group in the Gongpoquan Basin are more derived than those from the Jehol Group in the western Liaoning Province in their respectively clades. Considering the younger age of the dinosaur-bearing Xinminpu Group (Albian) in the Gongpoquan Basin than the Jehol Group in western Liaoning Province (late Hauterivian-early Aptian), the Gongpoquan dinosaur assemblage probably represents a later, more derived stage in the evolution of Early Cretaceous Psittacosaurus-fauna in northern China.
Profiles of Coronary Artery Disease in Women

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5915/30-1-16289 Coronary heart disease is reaching epidemic proportions in women. Therefore, it is important that risk factors in women be recognized and that a correct diagnosis of coronary heart disease be made early. Treatment options should be discussed with each patient and guidelines for prevention of further disease should be established.
Obtaining Funding for New Researchers in Psychology

A mentor is the key person to assist a student who wishes to become an independent investigator. The federal government provides long-term funding for decades of research by an investigator, and short-term funding for years of transition from student to investigator is available from both governmental and private agencies. Grants designed for men and women and various ethnic groups are valuable resources. Courteous acknowledgment of sponsorship by the grantee facilitates continued grants from the funding source.
Reduced-order multiscale modeling of nonlinear p-Laplacian flows in high-contrast media

In this paper, we consider a class of nonlinear flow problems that are modeled through a time-dependent p-Laplacian formulation. Using an approach that combines the Generalized Multiscale Finite Element Method (GMsFEM) and Discrete Empirical Interpolation Method (DEIM), we are able to accurately approximate the nonlinear p-Laplacian solutions at a significantly reduced cost. In particular, GMsFEM allows us to iteratively solve the global problem using a reduced-order model in which a flexible number of multiscale basis functions are used to construct a spectrally enriched coarse-grid solution space. The iterative procedure requires a number of nonlinear functional updates that are simultaneously made more cost efficient through implementation of DEIM. The combined GMsFEM-DEIM approach is shown to be a flexible framework for producing accurate reduced-order descriptions of the nonlinear model for a wide range of parameters and varying levels nonlinearity. A number of numerical examples are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed methodology.
Assessment of Respiratory Responses

The assessment of responses of the respiratory system to new drugs is dependent upon the particular pathology and condition being treated. The lung can be divided into vascular and parenchymal compartments. Pharmacological manipulation of the pulmonary vasculature is discussed elsewhere. Diseases of the parenchyma involve either the conducting airways, as in asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or the alveoli, interstitium and gas-exchanging membranes, as in pulmonary fibrosis. Drug evaluation in respiratory disease therefore depends upon the assessment of responses to therapies manipulating airflow and airway resistance, lung volumes and gas exchange.
Ultrasound guidance in anesthesia.

Abstract Sonography addresses a variety of concerns, such as patient safety and comfort, cost-effectiveness, time to complete a procedure, and success rates associated with invasive anesthesia procedures. Ultrasound guidance is commonly being used for the placement of nerve blocks, placement of peripheral and central lines, and arterial catheterization. Recently, it has been applied to preprocedural and imaged-guided spinal and epidural placement. The general terms and application of ultrasound to the practice of anesthesia are discussed in this article, as well as the general principles and the interpretation of basic images. Common procedures that include its use are also reviewed.
A Direct-Sum Theorem for Read-Once Branching Programs

We study a direct-sum question for read-once branching programs. If M(f) denotes the minimum average memory required to compute a function f(x_1,x_2, ..., x_n) how much memory is required to compute f on k independent inputs that arrive in parallel? We show that when the inputs are sampled independently from some domain X and M(f) = Omega(n), then computing the value of f on k streams requires average memory at least Omega(k * M(f)/n). Our results are obtained by defining new ways to measure the information complexity of read-once branching programs. We define two such measures: the transitional and cumulative information content. We prove that any read-once branching program with transitional information content I can be simulated using average memory O(n(I+1)). On the other hand, if every read-once branching program with cumulative information content I can be simulated with average memory O(I+1), then computing f on k inputs requires average memory at least Omega(k * (M(f)-1)).
Conjunctive Anomalies: A Reflection on Werewolves

Why did I choose this topic for our discussion? There are several answers; let’s begin with the most obvious. In the increasingly globalized world we inhabit, a comparative approach to either history or anthropology is unavoidable. Stories about werewolves spread from Europe to other continents: any approach to this topic will necessarily involve a comparative framework, but comparison should not be taken for granted: we should also reflect on its aims, assumptions and methods. I will try to ...
Detecting Sponsored Recommendations

With the vast number of items, Web pages, and news from which to choose, online services and customers both benefit tremendously from personalized recommender systems. Such systems additionally provide great opportunities for targeted advertisements by displaying ads alongside genuine recommendations. We consider a biased recommendation system in which such ads are displayed without any tags (disguised as genuine recommendations), rendering them indistinguishable to a single user. We ask whether it is possible for a small subset of collaborating users to detect such bias. We propose an algorithm that can detect this type of bias through statistical analysis on the collaborating users’ feedback. The algorithm requires only binary information indicating whether a user was satisfied with each of the recommended item or not. This makes the algorithm widely appealing to real-world issues such as identification of search engine bias and pharmaceutical lobbying. We prove that the proposed algorithm detects the bias with high probability for a broad class of recommendation systems when a sufficient number of users provides feedback on a sufficient number of recommendations. We provide extensive simulations with real datasets and practical recommender systems, which confirm the trade-offs in the theoretical guarantees.