cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Review article : Exercise training variables influencing the enhancement of voluntary muscle strength

That muscle strength is important to the performance of functional activities and can be increased by exercise training is well accepted. The extent to which training is able to enhance muscle strength, however, is dependent on a number of training variables. Among these variables are training intensity, frequency and duration. The importance of these variables is the subject of this review. Although the review is based primarily on studies of healthy individuals, it has implications for clinicians working with rehabilitation patients.
Characterization of the dopamine receptor system in adult rhesus monkeys exposed to cocaine throughout gestation

Rationale Cocaine use during pregnancy is associated with alterations in the dopamine (DA) system in the fetal brain. However, little is known about the effects of prenatal cocaine exposure on the postnatal dopaminergic system.
P4-349: A comparative analysis of long-term experience with cholinesterase inhibitors in a memory disorders clinic

72 (10) 68 (9) 71 (8) 0.2268 Female, N (%) 35 (71%) 8 (37%) 26 (57%) Male, N (%) 14 (29%) 14 (63%) 20 (43%) 0.0192
Framing the Future: Self-Determination

There is an established and still-growing evidence base that promoting self-determination has positive school and post-school benefits for students with disabilities, and yet efforts to do so remain sporadic, at best. This article examines the evidence that promoting self-determination is critically important for students with disabilities, explores reasons such efforts are not wide-spread, and provides recommendations to remedy this situation.
Theoretical and Experimental Study of Annular-Plate Self-Sealing Structures

Stiction is a notorious yield and reliability problem for MEMS devices. Nevertheless, this phenomenon can be utilized to realize some novel microstructures or devices. This paper presents the theoretical analysis and experimental investigation of an annular-plate self-sealing structure which takes advantage of the stiction phenomenon. A theoretical guideline that helps to select appropriate parameters was developed by calculating the total energy of the plate during the drying process. We derived a critical number Nc, which is used as a design criterion to predict whether stiction of the annular plate will occur or not. The accuracy of this design guideline was also verified experimentally.
Intraoperative bispectral index monitoring and time to extubation after cardiac surgery: secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial

Fast track recovery is a care process goal after cardiac surgery. Intraoperative anesthetic depth may impact recovery, but the impact of brain monitoring on time to extubation and intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay after cardiac surgery has not been extensively studied. Our goal was to determine if BIS-guided anesthesia improves time to extubation compared to MAC-guided anesthesia in a cardiac surgery population. In this secondary outcome analysis of a randomized controlled study, we analyzed 294 patients undergoing elective coronary bypass grafting, valve replacements, and bypass plus valve replacements at a single tertiary referral center between February 1, 2009 and April 30, 2010. We analyzed cardiac surgery patients that had been randomized to BIS-guided anesthesia alerts (n = 131) or MAC-guided anesthesia alerts (n = 163). The primary outcome measure was time to extubation in the BIS-guided and anesthetic concentration-guided groups. Secondary outcomes were length of stay in the ICU and total postoperative hospital length of stay. Valid extubation time data were available for 247 of 294 patients. The median [IQR] time to extubation was 307 [215 to 771] minutes in the BIS group and 323 [196 to 730] minutes in the anesthetic concentration group (p = 0.61). The median [IQR] ICU length of stay was 54 [29 to 97] hours versus 70 [44 to 99] hours (p = 0.11). In terms of postoperative hospital length of stay, there was no difference between the groups with median [IQR] times of 6 [5-8] days (p = 0.69) in each group. The use of intraoperative BIS monitoring during cardiac surgery did not change time to extubation, ICU length of stay or hospital length of stay. Data regarding BIS monitoring and recovery in an exclusively cardiac surgery population are consistent with recent effectiveness studies in the general surgical population. ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT00689091 .
Can this Business be Rescued

This teaching case describes an ethical dilemma for a small business owner operating in the challenging business environment of Belarus, 2003. Each of his four options is a viable consideration dep...
G389(P) A case for early ammonia testing in all encephalopathic patients: female patients with x-linked ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency

We report the case of a 14-year-old girl admitted to PICU following a four-day history of vomiting, unusual behaviour and progressive drowsiness. She had depressed consciousness and encephalopathic features, thus requiring intubation and ventilation. The initial CT and MR scans were unremarkable and an encephalopathy screen, including plasma ammonia was performed on admission. Shortly after admission the patient developed seizures and signs of raised intracranial pressure with a right fixed, dilated pupil. The pre-ictal ammonia concentration was markedly elevated at 638umol/L. A repeat urgent CT brain showed diffuse cerebral oedema with signs of brain herniation; neuroprotective measures were therefore initiated. Attempts to rapidly reduce ammonia levels by haemofiltration and infusions of sodium benzoate and phenylbutyrate were biochemically successful. Despite a quick decline in ammonia levels the patient developed central diabetes insipidus and showed no signs of neurological recovery, with persistent fixed, dilated pupils. Biochemical investigations strongly suggested a diagnosis of ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency (OTCD) with low citrulline and increased urinary orotic acid. DNA for mutation analysis and a liver biopsy or enzyme studies were sent to confirm the diagnosis. Brain stem testing 5 days post- admission confirmed brain stem death. OTCD is the commonest inborn error of the urea cycle and shows X-linked inheritance. The classic presentation in male hemizygotes is with life threatening hyperammonaemic coma shortly after birth but milder variants present later. The phenotype in female heterozygotes is variable and depends on the pattern of X-chromosome inactivation in hepatocytes. This can range from severe neonatal encephalopathy to being completely asymptomatic throughout life. Survival and neurocognitive outcomes can be better than in severely affected males but are variable. Aggressive treatment of hyperammonaemic crises, dietary management with low protein diets, and alternative pathway therapy prevent further cognitive decline. This case highlights the importance of early ammonia testing in encephalopathic patients regardless of age. A diagnosis of OTCD should be considered in patients with hyperammonaemia regardless of sex. Early recognition and appropriate treatment are critical to avoid severe brain damage and death.
Hospital at War. The 95th Evacuation Hospital in World War II

Zachary B. Friedenberg. College Station, TX: Texas AM 2004. 158 pages. $32.50. This book is a detailed diary of the 95th Evacuation Hospital of the United States Army, from April 1943 through May 1945, as it moved through North Africa, Italy, France, and Germany. Zachary B. Friedenberg wrote the text on the basis of his personal experiences and remembrances plus the diaries of several physicians, nurses, and enlisted men from the hospital. Following the war, Dr. Friedenberg finished his residency and became a professor of orthopaedic surgery at the University of Pennsylvania. The 95th Evacuation Hospital was a mobile combat support unit of 400 beds. It functioned in close support of a division, corps, or even an army and received both medical and surgical patients directly from the battalion aid stations. No reconstructive surgery or rehabilitation was done. The administrative officers and enlisted men made the hospital completely self-supporting and mobile, with its own trucks, generators, laundry, and other supplies. It took …
A Demonstration of Incremental Speech Understanding and Confidence Estimation in a Virtual Human Dialogue System

This demonstration highlights some emerging capabilities for incremental speech understanding and processing in virtual human dialogue systems. This work is part of an ongoing effort that aims to enable realistic spoken dialogue with virtual humans in multi-party negotiation scenarios (Pluss et al., 2011; Traum et al., 2008). In these negotiation scenarios, ideally the virtual humans should demonstrate fluid turn-taking, complex reasoning, and appropriate responses based on factors like trust and emotions. An important component in achieving this naturalistic behavior is for the virtual humans to begin to understand and in some cases respond in real time to users' speech, as the users are speaking (DeVault et al., 2011b). These responses could include relatively straightforward turn management behaviors, like having a virtual human recognize when it is being addressed and turn to look at the user. They could also include more complex responses such as emotional reactions to what users are saying.
Hexose transporter expression in rat small intestine: effect of diet on diurnal variations

In rodents, a number of intestinal digestive and absorptive processes demonstrate a diurnal pattern of activity. To investigate if the jejunal hexose transporters are regulated in such a diurnal fashion, the levels for the glucose and fructose transporter mRNA and proteins were determined at 6-h intervals over a 24-h control fed period. SGLT-1, GLUT-2, and GLUT-5 mRNA levels increased between two- and eightfold before the onset of peak feeding. GLUT-5 protein levels also varied in a diurnal fashion but were out of phase with the observed changes in GLUT-5 mRNA levels. In contrast, GLUT-2 protein levels remained relatively constant during the control fed 24-h period. The effect of dietary manipulations on the observed diurnal variation was also investigated. After only 3 h of feeding a 60% fructose-enriched diet, the levels of GLUT-5 mRNA and protein were significantly elevated. GLUT-5 mRNA and protein levels remained elevated relative to the level of control diet-fed animals over the ensuing 24 h and during the 7th day of fructose feeding. Exposure to elevated levels of fructose had no significant effect on the diurnal pattern of GLUT-2 and SGLT-1 mRNA. In contrast, GLUT-2 protein was rapidly downregulated during the length of the fructose feeding study. In conclusion, the data demonstrate a normal daily variation in the level of hexose transporter expression that can be rapidly modulated by diet.
Ion beam radiation effects on InAs semiconductor quantum dots

Self-assembled quantum dots (QDs) have attracted significant attention because of their potential applications in novel semiconductor devices. In this work, we investigated radiation effects induced by 1.0 MeV proton ion beams on InAs self-assembled quantum dots. In particular, we emphasized the effects of lattice environments of QDs on their luminescence emission after ion beam irradiation. Photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy was used to characterize the optical properties of QDs subjected to proton irradiation and post-irradiation annealing. Compared to the single-layer QDs grown in GaAs films, the QDs embedded in an AlAs/GaAs superlattice exhibited much higher PL degradation resistance to proton beam bombardment, e.g., at the highest dose (1.0×1014 cm−2) used in this work, a difference of ~ 20-fold in PL intensity was found between the QDs configured in these two different lattice structures. After thermal annealing of irradiated QD samples, ion beam enhanced blueshift of PL was observed to be much more pronounced for the single-layer QDs. We discuss mechanisms that may result in the differences in optical response to ion beams between QDs with different lattice surroundings.
Change in the Economic Absorption of a Cohort of Inmigrant Mexican Americans and Negroes between 1960 and 1971

Survey research and other data were obtained on 280 Mexican Americans, 280 Negroes, and 413 Anglos in Racine, Wisconsin in 1960. Interviews were conducted with 75% of the original respon? dents and surviving spouses or children for data on an additional 20% in 1971. During the 11-year period economic differences between Anglos on the one hand and Negroes and Mexican Americans on the other hand remained essentially the same or slightly increased on the most crucial measures of occupation and income, whereas measured differences in level of living and home conditions tended to either remain fairly stable or to decrease. Differences between Mexican Americans and Negroes tended to decrease in all areas.
Academic plastic surgery: faculty recruitment and retention.

Background A critical element of a thriving academic plastic surgery program is the quality of faculty. A decline in recruitment and retention of faculty has been attributed to the many challenges of academic medicine. Given the substantial resources required to develop faculty, academic plastic surgery has a vested interest in improving the process of faculty recruitment and retention. Methods The American Council of Academic Plastic Surgeons Issues Committee and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons/Plastic Surgery Foundation Academic Affairs Council surveyed the 83 existing programs in academic plastic surgery in February of 2012. The survey addressed the faculty-related issues in academic plastic surgery programs over the past decade. Recruitment and retention strategies were evaluated. This study was designed to elucidate trends, and define best strategies, on a national level. Results Academic plastic surgery programs have added substantially more full-time faculty over the past decade. Recruitment efforts are multifaceted and can include guaranteed salary support, moving expenses, nurse practitioner/physician's assistant hires, protected time for research, seed funds to start research programs, and more. Retention efforts can include increased compensation, designation of a leadership appointment, protected academic time, and call dilution. Conclusions Significant change and growth of academic plastic surgery has occurred in the past decade. Effective faculty recruitment and retention are critical to a successful academic center. Funding sources in addition to physician professional fees (institutional program support, grants, contracts, endowment, and so on) are crucial to sustain the academic missions.
Optical manipulation of DNA

The manipulation of long unfolded single strands of DNA could be a useful analytic tool for biologists. For example, markers such as fluorescent tags can be used for submicron locators of genes. The location of cuts on a long segment of DNA made by restriction enzymes can also be determined. Coupled with the ability to visualize a single unwoven strand of the DNA in fluorescence, the possibility of making real time measurements of repair, replication, etc. may also be possible.
Case Study 19. Leaving Africa: Mitochondrial Eve

For more than a century paleoanthropologists have been arguing over the relationship between the fossils and regional populations of modern humans. While the fossil record should be able to identify the time and place of the first modern people, it remains too incomplete for such a task. However, all of this argument and speculation was declared to be at an end with the publication of a 1987 paper that claimed geneticists had found the answer: We are all descended from a woman who lived in Africa about 200,000 years ago. The study by Rebecca Cann, Mark Stoneking, and Allan Wilson was so creative and sure of itself, and so elegant in its reasoning that it appeared to be definitive. Unfortunately it was also subtly simplistic, leaving the next generation of researchers to improve on it, and create a much messier picture. Uncertainties do remain about the mitochondrial ancestor, and that study describes only one dimension of human genetic evolution; nonetheless, “Mitochondrial Eve” revolutionized the way anthropologists think about human populations.
Maximum-likelihood estimation of 3D event position in monolithic scintillation crystals: Experimental results

We present a simple 3D event position-estimation method using raw list-mode acquisition and maximum-likelihood estimation in a modular gamma camera with a thick (25 mm) monolithic scintillation crystal. This method involves measuring 2D calibration scans with a well-collimated 511 keV source and fitting each point to a simple depth-dependent light distribution model. Preliminary results show that angled collimated beams appear properly reconstructed.
Signal processing for perpendicular recording

In order to use a magnetic recording system to store data many issues must be addressed. Inter-symbol interference, media noise, head and electronics noise and various nonlinear distortions all compromise reliable detector performance. The set of issues is the same regardless of whether the medium is magnetized in a longitudinal or a perpendicular direction. Likewise the same basic partial-response maximum-likelihood detector architecture is appropriate for both longitudinal and perpendicular recording. Details of the recording system such as the transition response, the noise power spectral density and the nature of the nonlinearities do differ greatly between longitudinal and perpendicular recording. The details of the signal processing implementation must change to accommodate these differences.
Recent advances in infrared semiconductor based chemical sensing technologies

Recent advances in the development of sensors based on the use of quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) for the sensitive, selective detection, quantification and monitoring of both small and large molecular gas species with resolved and unresolved spectroscopic features respectively will be reported
Galileo's Telescope: A European Story. By Massimo Bucciantini, Michele Camerota, and Franco Giudice. Translated by Catherine Bolton. (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2015. Pp. xii, 340. $35.00.)

In the summer of 1609 Galileo heard about an instrument, invented in Holland in 1608, which enabled observers to see distant objects as if they were nearby. Within a few months, he was able to dupl...
Oxygenated VOCs, aqueous chemistry, and potential impacts on residential indoor air composition.

Dampness affects a substantial percentage of homes and is associated with increased risk of respiratory ailments; yet the effects of dampness on indoor chemistry are largely unknown. We hypothesize that the presence of water-soluble gases and their aqueous processing alters the chemical composition of indoor air and thereby affects inhalation and dermal exposures in damp homes. Herein, we use the existing literature and new measurements to examine the plausibility of this hypothesis, summarize existing evidence, and identify key knowledge gaps. While measurements of indoor volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are abundant, measurements of water-soluble organic gases (WSOGs) are not. We found that concentrations of total WSOGs were, on average, 15 times higher inside homes than immediately outside (N=13). We provide insights into WSOG compounds likely to be present indoors using peer-reviewed literature and insights from atmospheric chemistry. Finally, we discuss types of aqueous chemistry that may occur on indoor surfaces and speculate how this chemistry could affect indoor exposures. Liquid water quantities, identities of water-soluble compounds, the dominant chemistry, and fate of aqueous products are poorly understood. These limitations hamper our ability to determine the effects of aqueous indoor chemistry on dermal and inhalation exposures in damp homes. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
The Cost of Risk in Offshore Systems Development

Organizations frequently consider offshore systems development in the belief that projects can be completed for lower cost. While prices quoted by offshore vendors are often very appealing when compared with domestic vendors, there are additional risks that must be considered when looking to offshore systems development. These risks typically take the form of intangible and indirect project costs. This paper describes and classifies these risks, which fall into three primary categories of security risks, legal risks, and general risks. Suggestions for incorporating these intangible and indirect costs into the decision making process for offshore v. domestic vendor selection are offered.
Examining the Effects of Lottery-style Promotions in Casinos

Abstract The efficacy of lottery-style promotions within casinos is explored in this field study. These expensive promotions are ubiquitous within the casino industry, yet their incremental profitability remains questionable. Daily performance data from an Australian casino were gathered over a two-year period, featuring both promotional and nonpromotional periods. Three lottery promotions failed to impact daily slot wagering levels, leaving only the costs to be absorbed by the operator. While few studies have addressed the efficacy of these casino promotions, the broader literature on sweepstakes and promotional games provides several helpful recommendations to improve performance, including the following: Improved targeting, multiple revisions to prize structures, incorporation of skill-based activities, and image-based advertising. All of these dimensions have been identified as effective, yet all were absent from the failed casino promotions. Access to this rarely available performance data added valuable results to both the sweepstakes research stream and the casino management literature.
A Term Project in Visual Basic: The Downhill Snowboard Shop.

Most commercial programming applications are considerably more complex than the end-of-chapter exercises found in programming textbooks. This case addresses this problem by requiring the students in entry-level Visual Basic programming classes to create an application that helps users order ski equipment from a retailer. For convenience, the forms in this project are simplified versions of what users might actually see in a shopping cart application. Although integrative in nature, the case does not require advanced programming skills. However, it requires familiarity with data and control arrays, formatting, loop controls, and parsing, as well as considerable documentation. It is therefore most suitable as an integrative term project. The required tasks can be completed using either VB.6 or VB.Net.
Three Methods for Determining Pareto-Optimal Solutions of Multiple-Objective Problems

Typical problems in system design, decision making, decentralized control, etc., and most multi-person games bear the following general formulation of multiple-objective (MO) optimization problems: $${\text{maximize }}{{\text{z}}_{\text{1}}} = {{\text{J}}_{\text{1}}}\left( {{{\text{x}}_1}, \ldots ,{{\text{x}}_{\text{n}}}} \right), \ldots ,\,\,{\text{and}}\,{{\text{z}}_{\text{N}}} = {{\text{J}}_{\text{N}}}\left( {{{\text{x}}_{\text{1}}}, \ldots ,{{\text{x}}_{\text{n}}}} \right)\,{\text{subject to }}\left( {{{\text{x}}_1}, \ldots ,{{\text{x}}_{\text{n}}}} \right) \in {\text{X}}{\text{.}}$$ (1)
Kinetics of photoreactivation.

This paper summarizes experimental work (most of which is published) in which light flashes were used for an analysis of photoenzymatic repair in vivo and in vitro. The method permits determination of the reaction rate constants for the formation, dark dissociation, and repair photolysis of enzyme-substrate complexes under various conditions, and estimation of the number of photoreactivating enzyme molecules present. Investigation of these characteristics is basic for understanding of the overall photoreactivation kinetics observed in biological systems, its dependence on experimental parameters, and possibly its biological significance.
Using a Library Learning Object Repository to Empower Teaching Excellence for Distance Students

AbstractIn 2015, in response to the findings of an online learning needs assessment, two librarians and a Web developer began creating a library learning object repository. This repository would en...
Clean Energy Justice: Charting an Emerging Agenda

The rapid transition to clean energy is fraught with potential inequities. As clean energy policies ramp up in scale and ambition, they confront challenging new questions: Who should pay for the transition? Who should live next to the industrial-scale wind and solar farms these policies promote? Will the new “green” economy be a fairer one, with more widespread opportunity, than the fossil fuel economy it is replacing? Who gets to decide what kinds of resources power our decarbonized world? In this article, we assert that it is useful to understand these challenges collectively, as part of an emerging agenda of “clean energy justice.” Mapping this agenda highlights the equity challenges that will attend the transition to clean energy, and allows for more comprehensive, creative approaches to legal and policy solutions. A cleaner energy economy does not ineluctably translate into a more just economy. We identify four considerations that will be critical to ensure that clean energy does not entrench widening inequalities in wealth and power: (1) how to fund the transition; (2) who benefits from the upsides of the new clean energy economy, including green jobs and new technologies like rooftop solar panels; (3) who participates in decisions about the shape of the new clean energy economy; and (4) how and where new clean energy infrastructure is sited. Drawing from available data, we describe why there are real risks that the gains of clean energy might be unequally distributed, while the costs fall on rural communities and non-adopters of new technologies, thus exacerbating inequality while greening the grid. And through original empirical research, we highlight the challenges of full and equal participation in the esoteric, technocratic procedures of energy law. The present moment is a critical one for bringing these diverse considerations together into this overarching agenda. The U.S. energy system is in the early days of a long transition away from fossil fuels towards clean energy. It is time for energy lawmakers and energy law scholars to better anticipate the distributive and procedural justice concerns that will attend this transition, and to forge new ways to address them.
Cyclic Changes in Active Site Polarization and Dynamics Drive the “Ping-pong” Kinetics in NRH:Quinone Oxidoreductase 2: An Insight from QM/MM Simulations

Quinone reductases belong to the family of flavin-dependent oxidoreductases. With the redox active cofactor, flavin adenine dinucleotide, quinone reductases are known to utilize a “ping-pong” kinetic mechanism during catalysis in which a hydride is bounced back and forth between flavin and its two substrates. However, the continuation of this catalytic cycle requires product displacement steps, where the product of one redox half-cycle is displaced by the substrate of the next half-cycle. Using improved hybrid quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical simulations, both the catalytic hydride transfer and the product displacement reactions were studied in NRH:quinone oxidoreductase 2. Initially, the self-consistent charge-density functional tight binding theory was used to describe the flavin ring and the substrate atoms, while embedded in the molecular mechanically treated solvated active site. Then, for each step of the catalytic cycle, a further improvement of energetics was made using density functional t...
Social Cognition 2.0: An Interactive Memory Systems Account

For 40 years, research on impression formation and attitudes has relied on dual-process theories that represent knowledge in a single associative network. Although such models explain priming effects and some implicit responses, they are generally silent on other forms of learning and on the interface of social cognition with perception and action. Meanwhile, advances in cognitive neuroscience reveal multiple, interacting forms of learning and memory (e.g., semantic associative memory, Pavlovian conditioning, and instrumental learning), with detailed models of their operations, neural bases, and connections with perceptual and behavioral systems. This memory systems perspective offers a more refined, neurally plausible model of social cognition and attitudes that, I argue, provides a useful and generative account of human social behavior.
Predictors and rates of recurrence of atrial arrhythmias following catheter ablation in adults with congenital heart disease.

Background Catheter ablation is commonly performed to treat atrial arrhythmias in adult congenital heart disease (ACHD). Despite the frequency of ablations in the ACHD population, predictors of recurrence remain poorly defined. Objective We sought to determine predictors of arrhythmia recurrence in ACHD patients following catheter ablation for atrial arrhythmias. Methods We performed a retrospective study of all catheter ablations for atrial arrhythmias performed in ACHD patients between January 12, 2005 and February 11, 2015 at our institution. Prespecified exposures of interest and time from ablation to recurrence were determined via chart review. Results Among 124 patients (mean age: 45 years) who underwent catheter ablation, 96 (77%) were treated for macro-reentrant atrial tachycardia, 10 (7%) for focal atrial tachycardia, 9 (7%) for atrial fibrillation, 7 (6%) for atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia, and 2 (2%) for atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia. 15 (12%) required transseptal/transbaffle puncture. Fifty-one percent of patients recurred with a median time to recurrence of 1639 days. By univariate and multivariable analysis, body mass index (BMI) and Fontan status were the only variables associated with recurrence. Dose-dependent effect was observed with overweight (HR = 2.37, P = .012), obese (HR = 2.67, P = .009), and morbidly obese (HR = 4.23, P = .003) patients demonstrating an increasing risk for arrhythmia recurrence postablation. There was no significant different in recurrence rates by gender, age, non-Fontan diagnosis, or need for transseptal puncture. Conclusions In our cohort of ACHD patients, BMI was a significant risk factor for arrhythmia recurrence postablation, independent of Fontan status. These findings may help guide treatment decisions for persistent arrhythmias in the ACHD population.
Investigation of gas slippage effect and matrix compaction effect on shale gas production evaluation and hydraulic fracturing design based on experiment and reservoir simulation

Abstract Recent core-lab study of Marcellus Shale illustrated that effect of gas slippage and matrix compaction are significant on gas production because of substantial reservoir pressure depletion, especially during the late time of gas production. However, the impact of gas slippage and matrix compaction on gas recovery evaluation and hydraulic fracturing design is still not clearly understood and systematically investigated. Additionally, such impact varies with production time and completion/production circumstances. Therefore, it is critical to develop a laboratory-modeling based approach that properly characterizes the two permeability effects and evaluates their impact on well production evaluation and hydraulic fracturing design. In this study, a comprehensive parametric study is conducted by running reservoir simulations using empirical permeability correlations developed from core-lab tests under different confining stress and pore pressure conditions. Simulations of different case scenarios are run in two contrast groups. One group considers the effect of gas slippage and matrix compaction on gas production and the other group ignores the two effects. By comparing the simulated gas production, critical conductivity, and proppant pumping amount/cost of the two contrast groups, a better understanding of the effect of gas slippage and geomechanics on shale gas well performance and hydraulic fracturing design can be developed for operators. The results show that ignoring the two permeability effect in reservoir simulation leads to an overestimation of gas production evaluation, which is up to 11% for Marcellus Shale. It also leads to an over-design of proppant pumping amount, resulting in early staging, screening-out, and excessive pumping cost. Calculations further show that, an average of over 2 million dollars can be wasted for fracturing a single horizontal well in Marcellus Shale if excluding the two effect from a fracturing design. The two effects are more significant for lower BHP, longer hydraulic fracture, and larger stage spacing conditions.
The effect of interviewer evaluation of respondents’ attitudes and understanding on future survey participation in a panel study

This study explored whether the interviewers’ judgments of respondents’ performances in an initial survey can predict survey participation for a second survey among the same group of respondents in...
Abstract TP366: Using Machine Learning to Predict Tracheostomy After Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Objective: Tracheostomy employment after intracerebral hemorrhage indicates the need for continued medical care and predicts patient dependence. Our objective was to determine if advanced machine l...
Development of Real-Time Software for Thomson Scattering Analysis at NSTX-U

AbstractThe Thomson scattering (TS) diagnostic on the National Spherical Tokamak eXperiment Upgrade (NSTX-U) has been an essential system for many operational campaigns due to its function of measu...
Numerical Calculation of Multi-Physical Field Coupling for High Voltage Basin Insulator

With requirement of high voltage and high current transmission, operation performance of basin insulators needs to be analyzed in the multi-physical coupling simulation. Electrical-thermal-mechanical performance parameters of basin insulator bulk materials are obtained through experiments. Based on the experimental data, multi-physical field finite element method for calculating electric-thermal-mechanical system is proposed. The non-linear relationship between dielectric constant, tangent value of the loss angle, the thermal conductivity and thermal expansion coefficient is taken into account in calculation of a single physical field. Three-dimensional finite element model of basin insulator is established to decouple the electric field, the temperature field and the stress field. The RBF neural network is used to learn the simulation data of the electric-thermal-mechanical multi-physical coupling field, so as to realize non-linear inversion of the optimal structural parameters of basin insulator. The application results show that the decoupling simulation of basin insulators can be realized by the multi-physical field finite element method. The maximum electric field strength of the basin body is also near the central conductor. The maximum electric field strength is 11.85 kV/mm. The maximum temperature of the basin body at the interface between the central conductor and the epoxy material at 6300A is 97 degree. Most significant displacement and stress concentration areas are mainly located at the flange side of the basin insulator. The research results of this paper can effectively guide the design of high voltage basin insulator structure, and have certain theoretical guidance value for fault diagnosis and pattern recognition of basin insulator in GIS/GIL equipment.
Management of Patient with Supratentorial Tumor

Supratentorial tumors account for approximately 80% of all brain tumors in adults and constitute the majority of neurosurgical conditions that present for craniotomy. The nature of the lesions varies from benign tumors like meningiomas, pituitary adenomas to highly malignant tumors like glioblastomas. An anesthesiologist may encounter a patient with a supratentorial tumor for an elective planned surgery, thus allowing adequate time for optimization or for an acute neurologic deterioration, requiring emergent intervention. Understanding supratentorial tumors’ pathophysiology and implications of their effects not only on the neurological system, but also on other bodily systems like the endocrine, is crucial for delivering a safe and optimal anesthetic. The perioperative goals for supratentorial tumor resection are to optimize cerebral perfusion, oxygenation, and operative conditions, bestow neuroprotection, facilitate rapid and smooth awakening for postoperative neurological evaluation, minimize postoperative pain, and improve the oncological outcomes. It is important to avoid any secondary systemic insults. An ideal anesthetic regimen should deliver adequate amnesia and analgesia while maintaining systemic and cerebral milieu along with reduction in CMR and ICP. The different stages of anesthesia, from induction to emergence, entail idiosyncrasies that calls for tailored medication delivery, special positioning and monitoring. Intracranial hypertension, brain edema, seizure, and sequelae of endocrinopathies like DI, SIADH, or CSW are features of some brain tumors that need to be considered as understanding of their effects can guide how and when hyperosmolar solutions, diuretics, steroids, antiepileptics, and/or colloids are administered.
Photoplethysmographic evaluation of generalized tonic-clonic seizures.

Objective Photoplethysmography (PPG) is an optical technique measuring variations of blood perfusion in peripheral tissues. We evaluated alterations in PPG signals in relationship to the occurrence of generalized tonic-clonic seizures (GTCSs) in patients with epilepsy to evaluate the feasibility of seizure detection. Methods During electroencephalographic (EEG) long-term monitoring, patients wore portable wristband sensor(s) on their wrists or ankles recording PPG signals. We analyzed PPG signals during three time periods, which were defined with respect to seizures detected on EEG: (1) baseline (>30 minutes prior to seizure), (2) preseizure period, and (3) postseizure period. Furthermore, we selected five random control segments during seizure-free periods. PPG features, including frequency, amplitude, duration, slope, smoothness, and area under the curve, were automatically calculated. We used a linear mixed-effect model to evaluate changes in PPG features between different time periods in an attempt to identify signal changes that detect seizures. Results We prospectively enrolled 174 patients from the epilepsy monitoring unit at Boston Children's Hospital. Twenty-five GTCSs were recorded from 13 patients. Data from the first recorded GTCS of each patient were included in the analysis. We observed an increase in PPG frequency during pre- and postseizure periods that was higher than the changes during seizure-free periods (frequency increase: preseizure = 0.22 Hz, postseizure = 0.58 Hz vs changes during seizure-free period = 0.05 Hz). The PPG slope decreased significantly by 56.71 nW/s during preseizure periods compared to seizure-free periods. Additionally, the smoothness increased significantly by 0.22 nW/s during the postseizure period compared to seizure-free periods. Significance Monitoring of PPG signals may assist in the detection of GTCSs in patients with epilepsy. PPG may serve as a promising biomarker for future seizure detection systems and may contribute to future seizure prediction systems.
Treatment Patterns for Distal Radius Fractures Before and After Appropriate Use Criteria Adoption

BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to determine agreement with the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) for distal radius fractures (DRFs), before and after t...
The 10 Greatest Films for Teaching Economics

We asked economic educators from around the country to identify five films that they found most useful in teaching economics. Our sample of 105 educators reflects wide-ranging opinions about the greatest films for teaching economics. We provide summaries of each of the Top 10 films in our list and short descriptions of the next 10. We also include a list of every film that was mentioned. The films surveyed are an eclectic mix that spans different eras and genres. It is our hope that this list will spur conversations about economics among interested readers and economic educators.
Association between yoga, physiologic and psychologic health: A cross sectional study.

Abstract Purpose To compare markers of health associated with chronic diseases between yoga and non-yoga participants. Methods : 30 participants were categorized as either: 1) “Yoga” engaging in yoga ≥2 times/week for ≥6 months, or 2) “Non-yoga” not engaging in yoga. Results : Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) scores were significantly different between the yoga and non-yoga groups (PSS: 8.0 vs. 17.5, respectively, p Conclusion : This research supports that yoga participation is associated with lower PSS and BDI-II scores but does not support a relationship with markers of inflammation. Further research is warranted.
Modelling and assessing sustainability of a supply chain network leveraging multi Echelon Bayesian Network

Abstract Supply chain sustainability (SCS) is an approach that takes into consideration the environmental, economic, and social aspects of the supply chain processes, components, technologies, and logistics when designing a supply chain network. The elements that impact SCS encompass all kinds of waste, emissions, green management, workers’ health and well-being, market competitiveness, transportation, and financial aspects of the network. Supply chain experts should integrate sustainability practices in different phases of the supply chain and encourage organizations to orient their efforts toward designing sustainable supply chains. In this study, we present a new metric, “supply chain sustainability index (SCSI)” to assess the overall sustainability of a biomass supply chain network through three criteria: environmental, social, and economic sustainability. To pursue the objective of the study, a Bayesian Network approach is implemented to depict the causal relationship among different variables and to demonstrate a better analysis of the subject. For further assessment and analysis of the overall sustainability of the supply chain network, sensitivity analysis and belief propagation are performed. Results indicate that all three criteria are imperative to SCSI prediction; however, economic sustainability has a slightly higher effect among the three criteria, while social criteria have the lowest effect on SCSI.
Elizabethkingia meningoseptica sepsis associated with COVID-19 infection: An emerging nosocomial pathogen

Elizabethkingia meningoseptica is a multi-drug resistant, aerobic, gram-negative bacteria known for causing nosocomial infections and high mortality in critically ill patients. A 68-year-old male with a past medical history significant for hypertension and stroke presented to the emergency department with worsening cough and shortness of breath ten days after being diagnosed with Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) infection. He also endorsed fatigue, fever, loss of smell, and diarrhea. He denied any chest pain, nausea and vomiting. On examination, he was febrile with a temperature of 102.2-degree Fahrenheit, heart rate of 145 beats/minute, blood pressure of 120/90 mm of Hg, respiratory rate of 24 breaths/minute, and oxygen saturation of 85% while breathing ambient air. Laboratory data revealed a leukocytosis of 12,000/μL, elevated serum creatinine of 1.38 mg/dL, D-dimer of 4.36 mg/L, C-reactive protein of 18 mg/dL and markedly elevated ferritin of 2500 ng/mL. Chest radiograph showed patchy bilateral alveolar infiltrates. His clinical presentation was consistent with severe COVID-19 infection causing acute respiratory distress syndrome. The patient was initiated on bi-level positive pressure ventilation, but his respiratory status continued to worsen, requiring intubation and mechanical ventilation. He was managed with low tidal volume ventilation and ARDS-network protocol. Treatment with remdesivir, dexamethasone, and convalescent plasma was initiated. On day 10 of admission patient developed fever, increasing oxygen requirement, and hypotension concerning for sepsis. Empiric treatment with vancomycin and piperacillin-tazobactam was started after obtaining blood cultures, which grew Elizabethkingia meningoseptica resistant to all beta-lactam antibiotics (penicillins and cephalosporins). Intravenous trimethoprimsulfamethoxazole was started but later switched to clindamycin due to electrolyte abnormalities. Therapy was continued for two weeks, and repeat blood cultures were sterile. His hospital course was complicated by prolonged ventilator weaning, acute kidney injury, and hospital-acquired pneumonia. He was successfully extubated to a high-flow nasal cannula after twenty days and is currently being managed for delirium. Elizabethkingia meningoseptica causes neonatal meningitis and nosocomial sepsis in older adults with underlying chronic comorbidities or immunocompromised status like an organ transplant receiving immunosuppressive therapy, uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, and end-stage renal disease. Mortality is high and ranges from 30%- 50%. It is usually resistant to beta-lactam antibiotics, carbapenems, and aminoglycosides. Some isolates have shown varying susceptibility to fluoroquinolones, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, minocycline, and tigecycline. With the increasing use of steroids and prolonged critical illness in patients with COVID-19 infection, this emerging pathogen is a paramount health concern during the pandemic.
Extracellular matrix and Hippo signaling as therapeutic targets of antifibrotic compounds for uterine fibroids.

BACKGROUND Uterine fibroids are highly prevalent, collagen-rich, mechanically stiff, fibrotic tumors for which new therapeutic options are needed. Increased extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffness activates mechanical signaling and Hippo/YAP promoting fibroid growth, but no prior studies have tested either as a therapeutic target. We tested the hypothesis that injection of a purified form of collagenase Clostridium histolyticum (CCH) that selectively digests type I and type III collagens would alter ECM stiffness, Hippo signaling, and selectively reduce fibroid cell growth. We also used two FDA-approved drugs, verteporfin and nintedanib, to elucidate the role of Hippo/YAP signaling in uterine fibroid and myometrial cells. METHODS The clinical trial was registered (NCT02889848). Stiffness of samples was measured by rheometry. Protein expression in surgical samples was analyzed via immunofluorescence. Protein and gene expression in uterine fibroid or myometrial cell lines were measured by real time PCR and western blot, and immunofluorescence. RESULTS Injection of CCH at high doses (0.1-0.2 mg/cm3 ) into fibroids resulted in a 46% reduction in stiffness in injected fibroids compared to controls after 60 days. Levels of the cell proliferation marker proliferative cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) were decreased in fibroids 60 days after injection at high doses of CCH. Key Hippo signaling factors, specifically the transcriptionally inactive phosphorylated YAP (p-YAP), was increased at high CCH doses, supporting the role of YAP in fibroid growth. Furthermore, inhibition of YAP via verteporfin (YAP inhibitor) decreased cell proliferation, gene and protein expression of key factors promoting fibrosis and mechanotransduction in fibroid cells. Additionally, the anti-fibrotic drug, nintedanib, inhibited YAP and showed anti-fibrotic effects. CONCLUSIONS This is the first report that in vivo injection of collagenase into uterine fibroids led to a reduction in Hippo/YAP signaling and crucial genes and pathways involved in fibroid growth. These results indicate that targeting ECM stiffness and Hippo signaling might be an effective strategy for uterine fibroids.