cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Eagle Ford Shale Development and Local Government Fiscal Behavior

Drawing on data gathered through a survey of local officials, this study examines the impacts of the Eagle Ford Shale development on the fiscal behavior of local governments in its region. This study focused on how gas and oil production influences local governments’ revenue generation, tax structures, abilities to handle fiscal stress, and revenue stabilization strategies. The findings provide insight that suggests strong tax revenue gains for these jurisdictions. In some instances, these revenue gains have allowed these governments to buffer themselves against fiscal stress and maintain some revenue that allows them to offset specific costs associated with local oil production. However, the long‐term outlook of several of the localities in question makes them vulnerable to possible fiscal troubles. The short‐term planning of spending coupled with the long‐term expectation of oil and natural gas production may lead to many of these governments experiencing financial hardship when oil production declines.
Electron Microscopic Localization of Peptide- like Immunoreactivity in Labelled Dorsal Root Terminals in the Spinal Substantia Gelatinosa of the Monkey

During the past 15 years, there has been an explosion of information about the localization of peptide substances in the peripheral and central nervous system. This information has been derived largely from immunocytochemical studies which use antibodies that are specific for certain peptides to label the peptides in situ in fixed brain tissue.
Operant Conditioning of the Tibialis Anterior Motor Evoked Potential to Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

The activity of corticospinal pathways is important in movement control and its plasticity is essential for learning motor skills and re-learning them after spinal cord injury (SCI) and other CNS disorders. After SCI, corticospinal excitability and connectivity diminish, as SCI disturbs supraspinal connections. However, this can be reversed. Thus, if there is a way to enhance the function of corticospinal pathways, motor function recovery may be improved. The central hypothesis of this study is that operant conditioning of the corticospinal motor evoked potential can strengthen corticospinal connectivity and thereby improve motor function recovery in people after incomplete SCI.
Antennas and Transmission

Communication is usually limited by the amount of power that we can transfer from the transmitter to the receiver, because this, in part, determines the ratio of received signal power to noise power.
Radiogenomic analysis of lower grade glioma: a pilot multi-institutional study shows an association between quantitative image features and tumor genomics

Recent studies showed that genomic analysis of lower grade gliomas can be very effective for stratification of patients into groups with different prognosis and proposed specific genomic classifications. In this study, we explore the association of one of those genomic classifications with imaging parameters to determine whether imaging could serve a similar role to genomics in cancer patient treatment. Specifically, we analyzed imaging and genomics data for 110 patients from 5 institutions from The Cancer Genome Atlas and The Cancer Imaging Archive datasets. The analyzed imaging data contained preoperative FLAIR sequence for each patient. The images were analyzed using the in-house algorithms which quantify 2D and 3D aspects of the tumor shape. Genomic data consisted of a cluster of clusters classification proposed in a very recent and leading publication in the field of lower grade glioma genomics. Our statistical analysis showed that there is a strong association between the tumor cluster-of-clusters subtype and two imaging features: bounding ellipsoid volume ratio and angular standard deviation. This result shows high promise for the potential use of imaging as a surrogate measure for genomics in the decision process regarding treatment of lower grade glioma patients.
Accuracy and Efficacy for Robotic Assistance in Implanting Responsive Neurostimulation Device Electrodes in Bilateral Mesial Temporal Lobe Epilepsy.

Background Responsive neurostimulation (RNS) is a relatively new treatment option that has been shown to be effective for patients with medically refractory focal epilepsy when resection is not possible, especially in bilateral mesial temporal onset. Robotic devices are becoming increasingly popular for use in stereotactic procedures such as stereoelectroencephalography, but have yet to be used when implanting RNS devices. Objective To show that these 2 forms of advanced technology were compatible and could be used effectively in patient care. Methods We implanted RNS devices in 3 patients with bilateral mesial temporal lobe epilepsy. Each patient was placed in the prone position, and electrode trajectories were planned via the robotic navigation system via a transoccipital approach. One lead was placed along each amygdalohippocampal complex. A small craniectomy was then created in the parietal region for RNS generator implantation. Actual and expected target locations and distance were calculated for each depth. There were no complications in this group. Results RNS devices with bilateral leads were successfully implanted in all 3 patients, with bilateral mesial temporal lobe onset. Follow-up ranged from 3 to 6 mo, and there were no complications in this group. The median distance between the estimate and actual targets was 2.18 (range = 1.11-3.27) mm. Conclusion We show that implanting RNS devices with robotic assistance is feasible with excellent precision and accuracy. The advantages of using robotic assistance include higher flexibility, accuracy, precision, and consistency.
The shale gas revolution: Barriers, sustainability, and emerging opportunities

Abstract Shale gas and hydraulic refracturing has revolutionized the US energy sector in terms of prices, consumption, and CO2 emissions. However, key questions remain including environmental concerns and extraction efficiencies that are leveling off. For the first time, we identify key discoveries, lessons learned, and recommendations from this shale gas revolution through extensive data mining and analysis of 23 years of production from 20,000 wells. Discoveries include identification of a learning-by-doing process where disruptive technology innovation led to a doubling in shale gas extraction, how refracturing with emerging technologies can transform existing wells, and how overall shale gas production is actually dominated by long-term tail production rather than the high-profile initial exponentially-declining production in the first 12 months. We hypothesize that tail production can be manipulated, through better fracturing techniques and alternative working fluids such as CO2, to increase shale gas recovery and minimize environmental impacts such as through carbon sequestration.
(Invited) Software-guided greybox design methodology with integrated power and clock management

In this paper, we propose a cross-layer integrated microprocessor design methodology where instructions in software programs drive the design down to the gate level netlists. Based on in-depth exploration of the dynamic timing behavior of each instruction in the program, a fully integrated design approach is proposed with ultra-dynamic clock and power management circuits and software driven design optimization approach. A cross-layer simulation environment is also introduced enabling the collaborative co-design among compiler, architecture and circuits. The proposed design methodology helps bridge the gap between software and hardware development in a conventional development cycle. Our test vehicle using ARM based processor demonstrates substantial improvement on speed and power efficiency using the proposed design methodology.
Adaptive Allocation of Decision Making Responsibility between Supervisor and Computer

Multi-task situations where supervisor and computer have intersecting decision making responsibilities are discussed. Adaptive allocation of task responsibility is espoused and formulated as a multi-queue, multi-server situation with a pre-emptive but non-competitive service discipline. Average delay in task performance and percent of decisions performed by the computer are predicted via simulation as a function of number of tasks, human-computer speed mismatch, and probabilities of various types of computer error. Prerequisites to the real-world realization of adaptive human-computer multi-task systems are considered and two laboratory investigations in this area are discussed.
Resilient modulus prediction of soft low-plasticity Piedmont residual soil using dynamic cone penetrometer

Abstract Dynamic cone penetrometer (DCP) has been used for decades to estimate the shear strength and stiffness properties of the subgrade soils. There are several empirical correlations in the literature to predict the resilient modulus values at only a specific stress state from DCP data, corresponding to the predefined thicknesses of pavement layers (a 50 mm asphalt wearing course, a 100 mm asphalt binder course and a 200 mm aggregate base course). In this study, field-measured DCP data were utilized to estimate the resilient modulus of low-plasticity subgrade Piedmont residual soil. Piedmont residual soils are in-place weathered soils from igneous and metamorphic rocks, as opposed to transported or compacted soils. Hence the existing empirical correlations might not be applicable for these soils. An experimental program was conducted incorporating field DCP and laboratory resilient modulus tests on “undisturbed” soil specimens. The DCP tests were carried out at various locations in four test sections to evaluate subgrade stiffness variation laterally and with depth. Laboratory resilient modulus test results were analyzed in the context of the mechanistic-empirical pavement design guide (MEPDG) recommended universal constitutive model. A new approach for predicting the resilient modulus from DCP by estimating MEPDG constitutive model coefficients (k1, k2 and k3) was developed through statistical analyses. The new model is capable of not only taking into account the in situ soil condition on the basis of field measurements, but also representing the resilient modulus at any stress state which addresses a limitation with existing empirical DCP models and its applicability for a specific case. Validation of the model is demonstrated by using data that were not used for model development, as well as data reported in the literature.
Strategies and sample-size considerations for mapping a two-locus autosomal recessive disorder

The problem of detecting linkage, by using the LOD-score method, of polymorphic marker loci to a disorder that is determined by recessive alleles at two independent autosomal diallelic loci has been considered. The expected LOD score and the distribution of the LOD score have been worked out for various scenarios. It is found that the expected numbers of families to be sampled for detection of linkage are within feasible limits if the recombination fractions between the marker loci and the disorder loci are less than or equal to .1. The strategy of studying affected offspring only is shown to be more efficient than the strategy of studying both affected and normal offspring. The efficiency of the "affecteds-only" strategy (1) increases with increase in sibship size, (2) decreases with increase in population prevalence of the disorder, and (3) increases with increase in recombination distances between the marker and the disorder loci. From various considerations, it is found that sampling families of sibship size three with at least one affected, and adopting the affecteds-only strategy for analysis, may be an optimal strategy.
“We Cannot Be Indifferent”: Native Americans and the Students of the Bethlehem Boarding School

In this chapter the author draws from extensive research using the Bethlehem Boarding School archives, housed at the Moravian Archives in Bethlehem, PA. Examining the students’ oration of 1793, student records, periodicals, and publishers’ receipts demonstrates that the inclusion of the female students in the 1793 service in the Old Chapel represents an important liminal space of contact between Native Americans and the newly established Republic. The author argues that a collaborative classroom exercise of dialogue and poetry written by the female students, entitled “On the Aborigines of America from Carver, Morse, Smith, and Bartram,” presents a subversive model of white relations with Native Americans that seeks to counter genocidal policies towards America’s indigenous peoples. The students’ oration, which cites numerous injustices culled from personal experience and the readings of books and periodicals, presents an alternative model of Native American and European American relations.
Nitric Oxide Synthase Occurs in Neurons and Nerve Fibers of the Carotid Body

Nitric oxide (NO), a free radical, can be produced by vascular endothelial cells and certain neurons of the central and peripheral nervous systems upon activation of its biosynthetic enzyme, nitric oxide synthase (NOS). NO may function as a non-conventional neurotransmitter in the nervous system, and either NO or an NO-producing compound is believed to be the endothelium-derived relaxing factor of the vascular system. An antiserum recognizing the molecular form of NOS present in brain has been used to localize the enzyme in brain and peripheral tissues (Bredt et al., 1990). NOS containing neurons also display intense NADPH-diaphorase activity (Dawson et al., 1991; Hope et al., 1991), and this histochemical reaction, though less specific than immunohistochemistry, provides a label for NOS activity in both central and peripheral neurons.
Will It Be Silence and Violence or Safety and Prevention for the Next Generation of Gay Youth

Rates of unprotected anal intercourse and HIV infection are alarmingly high among young gay males. This second wave of infection indicates that traditional models for AIDS education are not working. AIDS educators need to rethink HIV-prevention efforts. Studies consistently find a high level of knowledge about HIV transmission and high levels of commitment to safer sex among gay males, but what accounts for the breakdown between safer sex intentions and practices among them? This article employs social constructionist and queer theoretical assertions that sexuality is socially and culturally produced in complicated and pluralist ways. The analysis examines how risky sexual situations shape young gay males' sexualities by exploring two examples selected to represent, alternatively, models of safer sexual and unsafe sexual trajectories. Implications for HIV prevention practices and policies are discussed.
Transcript Profiling of MRSA Biofilms Treated with a Halogenated Phenazine Eradicating Agent: A Platform for Defining Cellular Targets and Pathways Critical to Biofilm Survival.

Bacterial biofilms are surface-attached communities of non-replicating bacteria innately tolerant to antibiotics. Biofilms display differential gene expression profiles and physiologies as compared to their planktonic counterparts; however, their biology remains largely unknown. In this study, we used a halogenated phenazine (HP) biofilm eradicator in transcript profiling experiments (RNA-seq) to define cellular targets and pathways critical to biofilm viability. WoPPER analysis with time-course validation (RT-qPCR) revealed that HP-14 induces rapid iron starvation in MRSA biofilms, as evident by the activation of iron-acquisition gene clusters in 1 hour. Serine proteases and oligopeptide transporters were also found to be up-regulated, whereas glycolysis, arginine deiminase, and urease gene clusters were down-regulated. KEGG analysis revealed that HP-14 impacts metabolic and ABC transporter functional pathways. These findings suggest that MRSA biofilm viability relies on iron homeostasis.
Pre-transplant Proteinuria is a Risk Factor for Worsening Renal Function in Heart Transplant Candidates

Background Proteinuria has recently emerged as an independent risk factor for post-implant renal failure and mortality in patients undergoing continuous-flow left ventricular assist device implantation. Impact of proteinuria on heart transplant outcomes remains unknown. We hypothesized that end-stage heart failure patients with proteinuria have increased risk of renal failure and mortality following cardiac transplantation. Methods Patients who underwent orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT) at a major academic center between 2000 and 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. Urine protein was qualitatively assessed by dipstick test. Patients were categorized into proteinuria (≥ trace) or no proteinuria groups. Groups were comparatively analyzed for baseline recipient and donor characteristics. Outcomes measures included freedom from post-transplant renal failure which was defined as serum creatinine ≥ 2.5 mg/dL, and post-transplant patient survival. Results 195 out of 656 (26.7%) patients had evidence of proteinuria (≥ trace) at the time of cardiac transplantation. Of these, 93 (12.7%) had trace, 72 (9.8%) had 1+, 30 (4.1%) had 2+ or greater proteinuria. Patients with proteinuria (≥ trace) were younger (53.7 ± 12.3 vs. 50.6 ± 13.4 years, p=0.005), had higher serum creatinine (1.46 ± 0.78 vs. 1.32 ± 0.55 mg/dL, p=0.037), and lower serum albumin (3.81 ± 0.57 vs. 4.00 ± 0.52 g/dL, p Conclusions One in every four patients undergoing cardiac transplantation have evidence for proteinuria. Proteinuria is a risk factor for worsening renal function following cardiac transplantation but does not have a significant impact on post-transplant mortality. Proteinuria should be routinely assessed in transplant recipients and taken under consideration for individualization of immunosuppressive management in order to achieve optimal patient outcomes.
Defibrillation Threshold Testing: Current Status

When the transvenous ICD initially came into use for primary and secondary prevention of sudden cardiac death, defibrillation threshold (DFT) testing was universally performed. However, DFT testing is no longer routinely recommended for transvenous ICD implantation except in certain situations. Risk scores can help guide the decision to perform DFT testing. The subcutaneous ICD represents an area of uncertainty, with limited data available regarding the role of DFT testing in these devices. Current guidelines give a class I recommendation for performing DFT testing at the time of implant. Further studies are needed before this recommendation can be safely dismissed.
Addressing communication challenges in older patients with cancer and geriatric syndromes: a communication skills training module for health care providers

To describe the development, application and evaluation of a Communication Skills Traning Module for health care providers addressing Ageism, and sensory/physical impairments seen in older cancer patients. Training improved participants' self efficacy to communicate effectively. Participants demonstrated significant uptake of three skills- invite agenda, transition and normalize. Our results show the successful development and application of a Geriatrics focused communication skills training program for health care providers. Older adults frequently suffer from functional decline and sensory changes which, in turn, may trigger ageism, i.e., stereotyping and discriminating against individuals based on their age. Ageism commonly interferes with medical care. Communication strategies can be used to counteract ageism and to engage in optimal patient-centered care. This study describes the development, application, and evaluation of a communication skills training (CST) module (Geriatrics 101) designed to familiarize health care providers (HCPs) with the concept of ageism, and the frequent sensory and physical impairments in older patients with cancer, and to teach practical communication skills to effectively communicate with these patients. Geriatrics 101 is one of three modules in a 1-day CST program for HCPs, intended to improve the outcome of consultations through utilization of a set of clinically meaningful strategies. Study measures included post-training module evaluation, self-efficacy measured pre- and post-training, and communication skills uptake assessed pre- and post-training. 97 clinicians participated over 2 years. Over 90% of participants rated the module favorably. Participants’ self-efficacy to communicate efficiently with older patients with impairments improved significantly from pre- (M = 3.52, SD 0.85) to post-module training (M = 4.26, SD 0.50). Participants also demonstrated significant uptake of three skills—invite agenda, transition, and normalize. The successful development and application of our program paves the way for future research that focuses on the evaluation of such geriatric-focused communication training in clinical settings, assessing patient-reported outcomes.
Violence Victimization Predicts Body Mass Index One Decade Later among an Urban Sample of African American Young Adults: Sex as a Moderator and Dehydroepiandrosterone as a Mediator

Psychological stressors such as violence victimization are known contributors to obesity. However, moderators and mediators of this association have not been studied, although they might offer pathways for intervention or prevention. Using a sample of African American young adults, this study tested: (1) the moderating effect of sex on the effect of violence victimization on trajectories of body mass index (BMI), and (2) the mediating effect of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) on this association. This 13-year longitudinal study followed 73 male and 80 female African American young adults who lived in an urban area from 1999 to 2012 when the youth were 20–32 years old. The independent variable was violence victimization measured in 1999 and 2000. The dependent variable was BMI measured in 2002 and 2012. The mediator was DHEA measured in 2001 and 2002. Multilevel path analysis was used to test if males and females differed in violence victimization predicting change in BMI (Model I) and the mediating effect of DHEA change on the above association (Model II). The results of Model I suggested that the change in violence victimization from 1999 to 2000 predicted change in BMI from 2002 to 2012 for females, but not males. Based on Model II, the DHEA change from 2000 to 2001 for females fully mediated the association between violence victimization from 1999 to 2000 and increases in BMI from 2002 to 2012. Our findings suggest that violence victimization in urban areas contributes to the development of obesity among African American female young adults and change in DHEA mediates this link. Violence prevention may have important implications for obesity prevention of African American young women who live in unsafe urban areas. This study also suggests that DHEA may be involved in the violence victimization–obesity link for African American women.
Quality of Life before and after Sleeve Gastrectomy in Lebanese Population.

Introduction. Obesity is increasing worldwide and in Lebanon with a negative impact on the quality of life. The primary objective of this study is to measure the quality of life in obese subjects before and after bariatric surgery, depending on age, sex, and degree of weight loss. A secondary objective is to determine the impact of bariatric surgery on comorbidities associated with obesity. Materials and methods. Patients undergoing laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy for BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 between August 2016 and April 2017 were included. Participants completed the Moorehead-Ardelt Quality of Life Questionnaire II (MA II) prior to operation and one year after. Statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS statistics version 20.0. Results. 75 patients participated in the study. The majority were women (75%), and the mean age was 36.3 years. The mean weight loss was 36.57 kg (16–76). Initially, the total MA II score was −0.33 ± 0.93. Postoperatively, it increased to 1.68 ± 0.62 ( ). All MA II parameters improved after surgery ( ), but this improvement was independent of age and sex. Improvement in self-esteem, physical activity, work performance, and sexual pleasure was influenced by the degree of weight loss ( ). All comorbidities associated with obesity regressed significantly after sleeve gastrectomy ( ) with the exception of gastroesophageal reflux and varicose veins of the lower limbs. Conclusion. Sleeve gastrectomy improves quality of life and allows reduction of comorbidities.
Composition-Dependent Dielectric Properties of Poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene)s Near the Morphotropic Phase Boundary

The discovery of relaxor behavior in poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) [P(VDF-TrFE)] copolymers plays a crucial role in driving the formation of a morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) near which large enhancements of dielectric and piezoelectric responses are achieved. Here we study the dielectric spectra of P(VDF-TrFE)s near MPB and analyze the relaxor behavior using two different theoretical models. We observe the largest dielectric constant of ∼76 at 1 kHz in morphotropic composition P(VDF-TrFE) 50/50 mol % at around 69 °C. We show that the compositional dependence of dielectric peak temperature changes dramatically in the vicinity of VDF = 49 mol %. Moreover, we find that the parameters (i.e., dielectric relaxation strength) deduced from the fit of the experimental data by different models also changes abruptly at VDF = 49 mol %. These findings clearly signify the destabilization of normal ferroelectric phase occurring at the critical VDF content of 49 mol % and explicitly mark one boundary of ...
Applications of 1,3,5-trimethoxybenzene as a derivatizing agent for quantifying free chlorine, free bromine, bromamines, and bromide in aqueous systems

Free chlorine and free bromine (e.g., HOCl and HOBr) are employed as disinfectants in a variety of aqueous systems, including drinking water, wastewater, ballast water, recreational waters, and cleaning products. Yet, the most widely used methods for quantifying free halogens, including those employing N,N-diethyl-p-phenylenediamine (DPD), cannot distinguish between HOCl and HOBr. Herein, we report methods for selectively quantifying free halogens in a variety of aqueous systems using 1,3,5-trimethoxybenzene (TMB). At near-neutral pH, TMB reacted on the order of seconds with HOCl, HOBr, and inorganic bromamines to yield halogenated products that were readily quantified by liquid chromatography or, following liquid–liquid extraction, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The chlorinated and brominated products of TMB were stable, and their molar concentrations were used to calculate the original concentrations of HOCl (method quantitation limit (MQL) by GC-MS = 15 nmol L−1 = 1.1 μg L−1 as Cl2) and HOBr (MQL by GC-MS = 30 nmol L−1 = 2 μg L−1 as Cl2), respectively. Moreover, TMB derivatization was efficacious for quantifying active halogenating agents in drinking water, pool water, chlorinated surface waters, and simulated spa waters treated with 1-bromo-3-chloro-5,5-dimethylhydantoin. TMB was also used to quantify bromide as a trace impurity in 20 nominally bromide-free reagents (following oxidation of bromide by HOCl to HOBr). Several possible interferents were tested, and iodide was identified as impeding accurate quantitation of HOCl and HOBr. Overall, compared to the DPD method, TMB can provide lower MQLs, larger linear ranges, and selectivity between HOCl and HOBr.
Application of Neutron Dosimetry Measurements in the Determination of Reactor Pressure Vessel Fluence

Pressure vessel surveillance and benchmark dosimetry measurements are used to determine the effects of the plant-specific as-built core/internals/vessel materials and geometry on the vessel fluence. In several recent applications, uncertainties in these measurements and their interpretation have prevented the use of the dosimetry measurements in the benchmarking of the vessel fluence calculations. In this analysis, the uncertainties having a significant effect on the measurement-to-calculation comparisons used in the benchmarking are identified and evaluated, and the effect of these uncertainties on the >1-MeV vessel fluence derived from the measurements is determined.The vessel >1-MeV fluence is determined by a weighted sum of the response from a set of {sup 63}Cu, {sup 46}Ti, {sup 58}Ni, {sup 54}Fe, {sup 238}U, and {sup 237}Np fast neutron dosimeters located on the outer wall of the thermal shield, vessel inner wall and/or in the cavity outside the vessel. The uncertainty estimates assume a well-maintained and calibrated measurement system and the use of state-of-the-art methods for interpreting the measurements. In the case where the effects of the individual uncertainties on the fluence are correlated, the specific correlation is calculated and properly included in the fluence uncertainty estimate.The uncertainty in the >1-MeV fluence inferred from dosimeters located on themore » outer wall of the thermal shield or on the inner wall of the vessel ranges from 11 to 15% (1{sigma}) depending on the specific type of fast neutron dosimeter. The uncertainty in the >1-MeV fluence inferred from dosimeters located in the cavity is significantly higher, due to the uncertainty in the iron cross section and the resulting uncertainty in the extrapolation to the vessel inner wall, and ranges from 19 to 23% depending on the type of dosimeter. These vessel fluence uncertainties are substantially larger than the uncertainty in the measured dosimeter reaction rates of 6 to 8% from which the fluence was derived.« less
A large-scale study of MPI usage in open-source HPC applications

Understanding the state-of-the-practice in MPI usage is paramount for many aspects of supercomputing, including optimizing the communication of HPC applications and informing standardization bodies and HPC systems procurements regarding the most important MPI features. Unfortunately, no previous study has characterized the use of MPI on applications at a significant scale; previous surveys focus either on small data samples or on MPI jobs of specific HPC centers. This paper presents the first comprehensive study of MPI usage in applications. We survey more than one hundred distinct MPI programs covering a significantly large space of the population of MPI applications. We focus on understanding the characteristics of MPI usage with respect to the most used features, code complexity, and programming models and languages. Our study corroborates certain findings previously reported on smaller data samples and presents a number of interesting, previously un-reported insights.
Tumor Lysis Syndrome: Cancer Toxic Dump

During chemotherapy, highly chemosensitive cancer cells can rapidly lyse, releasing intracellular content (purines, potassium, and phosphorous) into circulation, leading to the formation of uric acid crystals, calcium phosphate crystals, hyperkalemia, and hypocalcemia. These metabolic derangements can lead to renal failure, seizures, and cardiac arrhythmias.
The Development and Initial Validation of the Interpersonal Stress Scale-Counselor

Using a multiphased and mixed method approach to instrument development, the ISS-C was composed of 16 items extracted into four factors, which demonstrated adequate model fit. The ISS-C scores show...
Perceptions of Responsibility for Antibiotic Resistance: Implications for Stewardship Campaigns

Widespread public engagement with antibiotic stewardship is essential to stem the rising incidence of antibiotic-resistant infections; however, campaigns that focus on increasing knowledge have not...
Funding and Credit Risk with Locally Elliptical Portfolio Processes: An Application to CCPs

We consider the problem of quantifying credit and funding risks in the presence of initial margin calculated by dynamically updated risk measures, such as Value-at-Risk and Expected Shortfall. The analytic scaling approach proposed in Andersen et al. [2] is generalized from a system driven by Brownian motion to an arbitrary radially symmetric (or ‘isotropic’) Levy process, permitting application to models possessing fat-tailed market movements during the margin period of risk (MPoR). Our mathematical results are applied to derive a closed-form representation for the credit valuation adjustment (CVA) and margin valuation adjustment (MVA) for centrally cleared portfolios in an arbitrage-free, continuous-time model driven by an isotropic Levy process. Our results cover both the exposures arising from client clearing and from participation in the loss mutualization of clearing member defaults. The latter is a particularly vexing modeling problem due to strong limitations on observable CCP data; our model gives rise to a compact valuation expression depending only on a clearing member’s own portfolio, and certain intuitive macroscopic measures capturing the gross risk and its concentration within the CCP.
Attorney Self-Disclosure

How do people with legal problems find an appropriate lawyer? For unsophisticated users of legal services – lower- and middle-income individuals and small businesses – it is a longstanding and vexing problem. Before hiring a lawyer, consumers want to know the answers to a variety of questions: Has the lawyer ever been disciplined? Has the lawyer ever been sued for malpractice? Does the lawyer carry malpractice insurance? Does the lawyer have the appropriate experience and expertise to handle this matter? In this information age, a “Google” search should yield answers to these questions, but, surprisingly, this critical information is difficult, and, in some cases, impossible for consumers to find. Moreover, lawyers have no legal obligation to provide this information to prospective clients. As a result, many consumers settle for a lawyer who does not fit their needs or choose not to hire a lawyer at all. This article proposes a novel approach to solving this problem. I argue that the professional duty of communication that is applicable to the lawyer-client relationship should be extended to the lawyer-prospective client relationship. Thus, the lawyer should owe the prospective client the duty to provide sufficient information about himself – what I call “lawyer-specific information” – so that the consumer can make an informed decision about whether to hire the lawyer. At a minimum, this disclosure should answer the questions posed above. Part I of this article describes the lack of lawyer-specific information available to consumers. Part II explores the current legal obligations of lawyers to prospective clients. Although lawyers owe prospective clients a variety of “quasi-fiduciary” duties, they have no obligation to provide lawyer-specific information. Part III sets forth the theoretical, moral and public policy justifications for requiring lawyers to disclose lawyer-specific information: (1) closing the information gap; (2) consumer protection; (3) the moral and philosophical concept of informed consent; (4) fulfilling prospective clients’ expectations, and (5) improving public confidence in the legal profession. Part IV compares a doctor’s obligation to disclose physician-specific information to consumers with the lawyer’s obligation. Although it is easier for consumers to find out information about prospective doctors than prospective lawyers, some courts have nevertheless held doctors liable for failing to disclose such information. This comparison to doctors makes the case for attorney self-disclosure even stronger. Part V sets forth a proposed amendment to the rules of professional conduct that would require lawyers to disclose lawyer-specific information to prospective clients.
Reconsidering donor race in predicting allograft and patient survival among kidney transplant recipients

A heated debate in creatinine-based eGFR calculation is the inclusion of race, a social construct, alongside biologic factors, such as age and sex ([1][1][⇓][2]–[3][3]). The controversy lies with using the race variable (Black versus non-Black) as a proxy for muscle mass—a concept that is not
The welfare effects of FDI: A quantitative analysis

Abstract Foreign direct investment (FDI) can increase productivity and wages. However, it is also often accompanied by primary income deficits as foreign-owned firms repatriate their profits. The welfare effects of FDI are thus ambiguous. A particularly illustrative example of this phenomenon are the Visegrad 4 (V4) countries (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia). This paper investigates whether FDI can be beneficial in the presence of profit repatriation using a general equilibrium model calibrated to the V4 economies. Counterfactual simulations suggest that the benefits of FDI outweigh the costs for these countries. On average, a 1% increase in the share of foreign firms is associated with a 0.17% increase in welfare. However, incentivising foreign firms to reinvest more of their profits domestically is, ceteris paribus, welfare-improving. A 10-percentage-point increase in the profit repatriation rate is associated with a 1.06% welfare gain on average.
Stratospheric Sampling and In Situ Atmospheric Chemical Element Analysis During Meteor Showers: A Resource Study

Resources studies for asteroidal mining evaluation have depended historically on remote sensing analysis for chemical elements. During the November 1998 Leonids meteor shower, a stratospheric balloon and various low-density capture media were used to sample fragments from Comet Tempel-Tuttle debris during a peak Earth crossing. The analysis not only demonstrates how potential sampling strategies may improve the projections for metals or rare elements in astromining, but also benchmarks materials during low temperature (-60 F), high dessication environments as seen during atmospheric exposure. The results indicate high aluminum, magnesium and iron content for various sampled particles recovered, but generalization to the sporadic meteors expected from asteroidal sources will require future improvements in larger sampling volumes before a broad-use strategy for chemical analysis can be described. A repeat of the experimental procedure is planned for the November 1999 Leonids' shower, and various improvements for atmospheric sampling will be discussed.
Implementing Man’s Natural Rights: The Developing International Law

Following the conclusion of the two great wars in this century, attempts were made to protect human rights and fundamental freedoms at the global level. The League of Nations and the present United Nations achieved some success in limited areas.1 But, tragically, in spite of some positive results, particularly by the specialized agencies of the UN, such as the International Labour Organization,2 the general observation cannot be escaped that the desired objectives originally set forth by its founders in 1945 have not become a reality. Indeed, this idealistic aim, which was to protect human beings at the world-wide level, could not be accomplished either by the League of Nations or the United Nations; and the conclusion cannot be escaped that the desired goal has still to be achieved at the world-wide level. It appears that concrete accomplishments will not be obtained in the relatively near future because of the East-West split, the rise of new nations rejecting the traditional corpus of international law, the lack of a democratic tradition in totalitarian systems, the competition between “have” and “have not” nations, and the widening gap between the industrialized and under-developed States.3
There's a Forest in those Trees: Teaching About the Role of Corporations in Society

This paper was prepared for the University of Georgia School of Law Conference on Teaching Corporate Law, October 16, 1999. The paper argues that the basic corporate law course should focus much more on the questions surrounding the role of the corporation in society. In the typical corporate law course, little attention is given to the broad question of the position of the corporation within society at large or the narrower question of the relationship between the corporation and workers. The lack of consideration of these issues is odd indeed, since corporate law (like all law) is understandable only within a social and political context, and because, by any account, workers provide an essential input to a corporation's productive activities and have much to do with the success or failure of the enterprise. This paper explains why it is essential to focus our students' attention on these issues. Without such coverage, I argue, our courses will fail to address some of the most pressing political and economic matters of our day: the growing rift between the rich an poor, the stagnation of wages, the decrease in living standards for much of the population, and the fact that corporations (and corporate law) must share some of the blame. I suggest that the basic course should encourage our students to ask whether society as a whole would be better off if the law of the corporation or, more fundamentally, the nature of the corporation itself, were significantly if not radically changed. The paper also offers a concrete suggestion, namely a case corporate law professors can add to the basic course that can facilitate the discussions of these issues. This case is Local 1330 vs. US Steel, the Youngstown Steel plant closing case. The case offers an interesting and provocative way to discuss first principles of corporate law, that is, the questions of who owns the corporation and for what purposes the corporation exists.
The Assault on Global Education

Who has the right and responsibility to determine the content of education about foreign affairs? Should the Department of Education (DOE) seek to influence what the schools and universities teach? These questions are the subject of a smoldering debate sparked by the regional office of the DOE in Denver, Colorado. Answers to them would tell us a great deal about the environment for making foreign policy.There can be no doubt that in the United States, knowledge of foreign policy problems is extremely low. Surveys regularly show that in comparison to students overseas, American students lag in their awareness of other cultures. In a study of 30,000 10- and 14-year-olds in nine countries, undertaken by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Americans ranked next to last in their comprehension of foreign cultures. According to a recent New York Times poll, 44 percent of Americans questioned did not know that the Soviet Union and the United States were allies during World War II. Only 14 percent of American respondents in the same poll were aware that the United States had joined Britain, France and Japan in the invasion of Russia to fight the Bolshevik forces in the civil war of 1917 (“Flawed,” 1986). While there is also ignorance in the Soviet Union and other countries about the United States, the place to tackle the problem of provincialism is at home.
A controlled anterior sequential interbody dilation technique for correction of cervical kyphosis.

OBJECT Cervical kyphosis can lead to spinal instability, spinal cord injury, and disability. The correction of cervical kyphosis is technically challenging, especially in severe cases. The authors describe the anterior sequential interbody dilation technique for the treatment of cervical kyphosis and evaluate perioperative outcomes, degree of correction, and long-term follow-up outcomes associated with the technique. METHODS In the period from 2006 to 2011, a consecutive cohort of adults with cervical kyphosis (Cobb angles ≥ 0°) underwent sequential interbody dilation, a technique entailing incrementally increased interbody distraction with the sequential placement of larger spacers (at least 1 mm) in the discectomy and/or corpectomy spaces. The authors retrospectively reviewed these patients, and primary outcomes of interest included kyphosis correction, blood loss, hospital stay, complications, Nurick grade, pain, reoperation, and pseudarthrosis. A subgroup analysis among patients with preoperative kyph...
Computational Simulation of Composite Structural Fatigue

Progressive damage and fracture of composite structures subjected to monotonically increasing static, tension-tension cyclic, pressurization, and flexural cyclic loading are evaluated via computational simulation. Constituent material properties, stress and strain limits are scaled up to the structure level to evaluate the overall damage and fracture propagation for composites. Damage initiation, growth, accumulation, and propagation to fracture due to monotonically increasing static and cyclic loads are included in the simulations. Results show the number of cycles to failure at different temperatures and the damage progression sequence during different degradation stages. A procedure is outlined for use of computational simulation data in the assessment of damage tolerance, determination of sensitive parameters affecting fracture, and interpretation of results with insight for design decisions.
A Risk Based Approach to Limit the Effects of Covert Channels for Internet Sensor Data Aggregators for Sensor Privacy

Effective defense against Internet threats requires data on global real time network status. Internet sensor networks provide such real time network data. However, an organization that participates in a sensor network risks providing a covert channel to attackers if that organization’s sensor can be identified. While there is benefit for every party when any individual participates in such sensor deployments, there are perverse incentives against individual participation. As a result, Internet sensor networks currently provide limited data. Ensuring anonymity of individual sensors can decrease the risk of participating in a sensor network without limiting data provision.
High reynolds number large-eddy simulation of free shear flows

Theoretical and numerical aspects of Large Eddy Simulation (LES) and Monotonically Integrated LES (MILES) are discussed in terms of the modified equations and quantified by comparing databases of homogeneous turbulence and transitional free jets. The MILES SGS models are found to be of tensorial eddyviscosity. LES appears virtually independent of the SGS model if the resolution is fine enough to ensure that the cut-off wavenumber lies in the inertial sub-range, provided that the SGS model can adequately channel kinetic energy out of the wavenumbers close to the cut-off wavenumber to prevent aliasing.
Impact of carbapenem resistance on epidemiology and outcomes of nonbacteremic Klebsiella pneumoniae infections

Background Although high mortality associated with carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) bacteremia has been well described, the epidemiology and outcomes of nonbacteremic infection are unknown. Methods Medical charts of adults hospitalized for CRKP pneumonia or urinary tract infection between January 2011 and December 2013 were reviewed retrospectively for relevant demographic and clinical details. Cases were matched to controls (non–carbapenem-resistant, non–extended-spectrum beta-lactamase [ESBL]-producing K pneumoniae [NRKP]) by the primary site of infection and year of isolation and compared in terms of risk of acquisition and outcomes. Results The CRKP and NRKP arms (n = 48 each) were elderly (median age, 74 years). Compared with controls, more patients in the CRKP arm resided in skilled nursing/long-term acute care facilities (77% vs 29%; P P P P = .02), and required intensive care unit admission (54% vs 31%; P = .04). More patients in the CRKP arm had previous ESBL infection (23% vs 6%; P = .04), and this arm had at least a 10-fold greater risk of coinfection with other carbapenem-resistant pathogens (44% vs 4%; P P = .01). Patients in the CRKP arm had prolonged hospitalization (median, 13 days) and a 32% rate of readmission within 30 days of discharge. Conclusions CRKP nonbacteremic infections occur in debilitated patients and are associated with frequent previous carbapenem exposure and high resource utilization, underscoring the need to focus efforts on antimicrobial stewardship and infection control.