cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluating the test-retest reliability of symptom indices associated with the ImPACT post-concussion symptom scale (PCSS).

ABSTRACTObjective: The Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT) is a commonly used tool in sports concussion assessment. While test–retest reliabilities have been established for the ImPACT cognitive composites, few studies have evaluated the psychometric properties of the ImPACT’s Post-Concussion Symptom Scale (PCSS). The purpose of this study was to establish the test–retest reliability of symptom indices associated with the PCSS.Participants and Methods: Participants included 38 undergraduate students (50.0% male) who underwent neuropsychological testing as part of their participation in their psychology department’s research subject pool. The majority of the participants were Caucasian (94.7%) and had no history of concussion (73.7%). All participants completed the ImPACT at two time points, approximately 6 weeks apart. The PCSS was the main outcome measure, and eight symptom indices were calculated (a total symptom score, three symptom summary indices, and four symptom clus...
Adapting VMAT plans optimized for an HD120 MLC for delivery with a Millennium MLC

Linac downtime invariably impacts delivery of patients' scheduled treatments. Transferring a patient's treatment to an available linac is a common practice. Transferring a Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT) plan from a linac equipped with a standard-definition MLC to one equipped with a higher definition MLC is practical and routine in clinics with multiple MLC-equipped linacs. However, the reverse transfer presents a challenge because the high-definition MLC aperture shapes must be adapted for delivery with the lower definition device. We have developed an efficient method to adapt VMAT plans originally designed for a high-definition MLC to a standard-definition MLC. We present the dosimetric results of our adaptation method for head-and-neck, brain, lung, and prostate VMAT plans. The delivery of the adapted plans was verified using standard phantom measurements.
Response to: 'Unmet needs of cataract blind children in special schools in Southeast Nigeria'.

Response to: ’Unmet needs of cataract blind children in special schools in Southeast Nigeria’
Characteristics of Part-Time Online Instructors: A Comparison of For-Profit to Nonprofit Faith-Based Institutions

ABSTRACTAs the for-profit business model and a reliance on adjunct faculty continues to grow among faith-based institutions, little research exists on the differences in the characteristics of part-time online faculty in for-profit versus nonprofit environments that could provide guidance to administrators. This study utilized a descriptive, nonexperimental survey design employing the chi-squared test (χ2) as a statistical tool to analyze the categorical data. This descriptive exploratory study compares part-time online faculty in for-profit and nonprofit environments based on results from a convenience sample of 1,034 online instructors from 19 faith-based institutions in the United States. Information presented in this paper includes demographic characteristics, types of students served, religious commitment, course logistics, and student–instructor interaction. Part-time online instructors from for-profit or nonprofit faith-based institutions were similar in several personal characteristics such as age...
Near-field thermal imaging of optically excited gold nanostructures: scaling principles for collective heating with heat dissipation into the surrounding medium

In this paper, we introduce a new optical temperature and thermal imaging technique combining near-field microscopy and Er3+ photoluminescence thermometry. The tip aperture of 120 nm limits the spatial resolution of near-field thermal imaging. We use the technique with two different approaches towards local temperature measurement and thermal imaging. In the first approach, gold nanostructures on top of Al0.94Ga0.06N thin film embedded with Er3+ ions are optically excited through the SNOM tip with 532 nm CW laser to generate thermal images that have a Gaussian thermal profile because heating and probing are done through a single tip aperture. In the second approach, nanostructures on top of thermal sensor film of AlGaN : Er3+ ions deposited on a transparent sapphire substrate are excited with 532 nm CW laser through the substrate with a large spot size (FWHM ∼10 μm) and Er3+ emission from the film is collected in transmission mode through the SNOM tip. We use this approach to measure steady-state thermal profiles from optically excited different sized clusters made from 40 nm gold nanoparticles. This approach yields steady-state thermal profiles that have inverse distance temperature decay away from the cluster and we find that the maximum temperature change and temperature decay length into the surrounding medium (r½) scales with cluster radius.
The Toy model: Understanding the early universe

In many branches of science, progress is being made by taking advantage of insights from other branches of science. Cosmology, the structure and evolution of the universe, is certainly an area that is currently beset by problems in understanding. We show here that the scientific insights from the studies of early childhood development, in particular, those of Piaget, give a new way of looking at the early universe. This new approach can not only be invaluable in undergraduate teaching, but can even be the basis of semi-quantitative predictions.
From Map Reading to Geometric Intuitions.

The origins and development of our geometric intuitions have been debated for millennia. The present study links children's developing intuitions about the properties of planar triangles to their developing abilities to read purely geometric maps. Six-year-old children are limited when navigating by maps that depict only the sides of a triangle in an environment composed of only the triangle's corners and vice versa. Six-year-old children also incorrectly judge how the angle size of the third corner of a triangle varies with changes to the other two corners. These limitations in map reading and in judgments about triangles are attenuated, respectively, by 10 and 12 years of age. Moreover, as children get older, their map reading predicts their geometric judgments on the triangle task. Map reading thus undergoes developmental changes that parallel an emerging capacity to reason explicitly about the distance and angle relations essential to euclidean geometry. (PsycINFO Database Record
On Balance Sheets, Idiosyncratic Risk and Aggregate Volatility: Is Firm Volatility Good for the Economy?

Over the last four decades, the volatility of the firm level component of stock returns has increased relative to the market and industry components. It has also been documented that during the same period, the U.S. economy has experienced a sharp decline in the volatility of GDP growth. Do firms adjust their capital structure in response to higher idiosyncratic risk? And if so, could that affect the performance of the aggregate economy? Using a dynamic general equilibrium model we show that in the presence of larger firm-specific risk, firms shift the composition of their balance sheets towards more self-financing and away from debt. In the presence of financial accelerator-like frictions, larger idiosyncratic risk translates into greater external financing costs, steering firms to borrow less to counteract larger premia. Model simulations suggest that larger idiosyncratic risk dampens the financial accelerator and can lead to reductions in output and investment volatility of up to 10 and 13 percent, respectively; and up to a 36 percent decline in firm leverage.
General Versus Specific Intellectual Competencies

One major goal of education is to provide students with the knowledge and skills that will prepare them to be productive citizens and enable them to make informed decisions about work, family and societal issues. It is commonly believed that what we learn in school will be applied at appropriate times later in life. Unfortunately, research on transfer of learning raises doubts about the effectiveness of education to create transferable knowledge and skills.
Gated Residual Networks with Dilated Convolutions for Supervised Speech Separation

In supervised speech separation, deep neural networks (DNNs) are typically employed to predict an ideal time-frequency (T-F) mask in order to remove background interference. However, the performance of DNNs is frequently degraded for untrained noises and speakers. Inspired by recent research on dilated convolutions for context aggregation, we propose a novel convolutional neural network (CNN) to deal with noise- and speaker-independent speech separation. The proposed model incorporates dilated convolutions, gating mechanisms and residual learning. We find that the proposed model consistently outperforms a state-of-the-art long short-term memory (LSTM) based model in terms of objective speech intelligibility and quality. Additionally, the proposed CNN is more computationally efficient than the LSTM model.
Fungal Infection of the CNS

Fungal infections in the central nervous system have been known to lead to significant morbidity and mortality. Most of these infections are chronic and develop in patients with altered immune response. The most common predisposing factors for fungal CNS infections are HIV, organ transplant, tumors, prolonged antimicrobial therapy, chemotherapy, and long-term use of ventilators and catheters. The most common fungal pathogens are Cryptococcus spp., Candida albicans, Aspergillus spp., Histoplasma capsulatum, Coccidioides spp., and Zygomycetes. Occasionally there are serious outbreaks of rare fungal infections that affect also immunocompetent subjects, bringing to focus the enormity of unknown fungi that pose a threat to humans. The diagnosis is often difficult and the treatment options are limited. Hence, the prognosis of these infections is poor with high morbidity and high mortality. This chapter will discuss the most common fungal infections of the CNS and their challenges.
Quadricuspid aortic valve: Case series and review of literature

A quadricuspid aortic valve is an uncommon valve lesion. Its physical manifestations vary, and it may be associated with other cardiac lesions. Echocardiography is the imaging modality of choice, with computerized tomography or cardiac magnetic resonance imaging being utilized as adjunctive imaging modalities in certain cases. Herein, we present a case series of three patients with this valvular lesion treated at our institution, as well as a contemporary review of the literature.
Rapid development of pulmonary hypertension during treatment of paediatric cancer

Paediatric pulmonary hypertension has been described as a secondary complication of multiple diseases and their treatment. Limited information exists about the relationship between pulmonary hypertension and cancer in children. A review of charts was performed in all patients treated for cancer and developed pulmonary hypertension. A total of four patients developed pulmonary hypertension during treatment of cancer. All patients had solid tumors, had echocardiographic evidence of elevated right ventricular pressures, and required intensive care stays. Treatment courses included inhaled and oral pulmonary vasodilators along with systemic steroids. Each had normalisation of echocardiograms and resolution of pulmonary symptoms. Prompt diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension and treatment with pulmonary vasodilators and steroids are considered important measures followed by chemotherapy and radiation regimens.
63 A VARIANT OF MULTIPLE ENDOCRINE ABNORMALITIES.

Purpose Different genes (eg, tumor suppressor genes) are involved in endocrine gland tumorigenesis, which is described clinically as an association between multiple endocrine neoplasia 1 and 2. It is also possible to acquire, over time, multiple endocrine abnormalities with autonomous (tertiary) function in response to a single endocrine disorder. Herein we describe a patient with aldosteronism, hyperthyroidism, and acromegaly. Methods and Results A 72-year-old African American male presented to the ER with progressive dyspnea on exertion and at rest with orthopnea and bilateral lower extremity edema of several days9 duration. Vital signs: blood pressure 170/98 mm Hg; irregularly irregular heart rate with a pulse deficit of 20 bpm; respiratory rate 20/min without arterial hypoxemia; and afebrile. His physical examination revealed rapid atrial fibrillation and decompensated congestive heart failure (CHF) with expanded intra- and extravascular volumes. He also was noted to have coarse facial features and large hands and feet, without thyromegaly. Abdominal CT revealed a 1.2 cm left adrenal gland nodule consistent with adrenal adenoma. Serum aldosterone was 28 (normal 1-16 ng/dL), plasma renin activity Conclusions A mutation on chromosome 11 is a potential origin of the clinical presentation in our patient due to the different range of syndromes reportedly associated with heterogenous mutations at different sites of this chromosome. An acquired variant, however, cannot be discounted, which may have begun as hyperpituitarism with excessive ACTH and TSH provocation, leading to autonomous function of adrenal and thyroid glands.
Jewish Savannah in Atlantic Perspective: A Reconsideration of North America’s First Intentional Jewish Community

This chapter revises the traditional analysis of the Jews of colonial Savannah, who first arrived in 1733 and constituted the first intentional Jewish community of North America. These Jews, most of whom descended from forced converts to Catholicism, have generally been appraised as free people indigenous to Portugal and Spain, as refugees from religious persecution, as largely ignorant of the British colony, and as either wealthy or relative newcomers to impoverishment, who embraced an opportunity to create a new experience for themselves as public Jews. Based on the application of a transimperial Atlantic History approach, coupled with recently unearthed archival evidence, this chapter argues that Savannah’s Jews were quintessentially Atlantic Jews, to whom Portuguese Jewish heritage, slavery, poverty, and mobility were central. This enhanced understanding of Savannah’s Jews is achieved through a consideration of other more sizeable Atlantic Jewish communities that left behind a much richer archival legacy.
Next-Generation Sequencing of Retinoblastoma Identifies Pathogenic Alterations beyond RB1 Inactivation That Correlate with Aggressive Histopathologic Features.

Purpose To determine the usefulness of a comprehensive, targeted-capture next-generation sequencing (NGS) assay for the clinical management of children undergoing enucleation for retinoblastoma. Design Cohort study. Participants Thirty-two children with retinoblastoma. Methods We performed targeted NGS using the UCSF500 Cancer Panel (University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA) on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor tissue along with constitutional DNA isolated from peripheral blood, buccal swab, or uninvolved optic nerve. Peripheral blood samples were also sent to a commercial laboratory for germline RB1 mutation testing. Main Outcome Measures Presence or absence of germline RB1 mutation or deletion, tumor genetic profile, and association of genetic alterations with clinicopathologic features. Results Germline mutation or deletion of the RB1 gene was identified in all children with bilateral retinoblastoma (n = 12), and these NGS results were 100% concordant with commercial germline RB1 mutation analysis. In tumor tissue tested with NGS, biallelic inactivation of RB1 was identified in 28 tumors and focal MYCN amplification was identified in 4 tumors (2 with wild-type RB1 and 2 with biallelic RB1 inactivation). Additional likely pathogenic alterations beyond RB1 were identified in 13 tumors (41%), several of which have not been reported previously in retinoblastoma. These included focal amplifications of MDM4 and RAF1, as well as damaging mutations involving BCOR, ARID1A, MGA, FAT1, and ATRX. The presence of additional likely pathogenetic mutations beyond RB1 inactivation was associated with aggressive histopathologic features, including higher histologic grade and anaplasia, and also with both unilateral and sporadic disease. Conclusions Comprehensive NGS analysis reliably detects relevant mutations, amplifications, and chromosomal copy number changes in retinoblastoma. The presence of genetic alterations beyond RB1 inactivation correlates with aggressive histopathologic features.
Surgeons' Views on Shared Decision-Making.

Purpose Shared decision-making (SDM) has a significant role in surgical encounters, where decisions are influenced by both clinician and patient preferences. Herein, we sought to explore surgeons' practices and beliefs about SDM. Methods We performed a qualitative study consisting of semi-structured individual interviews with 18 surgeons from private practice and academic surgery practices in Baltimore, Maryland. We purposively sampled participants to maximize diversity of practice type (academic vs private), surgical specialty, gender, and experience level. Interview topics included benefits and challenges to patient involvement in decision-making, communicating uncertainty to patients, and use of decision aids. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed. Transcripts were analyzed using content analysis to identify themes. Results Surgeons were supportive of patients being involved in decision-making, particularly in cases with uncertainty about treatment options. However, surgeons identified SDM as being more appropriate for patients whom surgeons perceived as interested in decision-making involvement and for decisions in which surgeons did not have strong preferences. Additionally, surgeons reported typically presenting only a subset of available options, remaining confident in their ability to filter less suitable options based on intuitive risk assessments. Surgeons differed in their approach to making recommendations, with some guiding patients towards what they saw as the correct or optimal decision while others sought to maintain neutrality and support of the patients' chosen decision. Conclusions Many surgeons do not believe SDM is universally optimal for every surgical decision. They instead use assessments of patient disposition or potential clinical uncertainty to guide their perceived appropriateness of using SDM.
Singularity in the wake of slavery: Adriana Cavarero's ontology of uniqueness and Alex Haley's Roots

This essay examines Italian philosopher Adriana Cavarero's ontology of uniqueness through a reading of Alex Haley's novel Roots, and the recent television adaptation of that book If Cavarero has insisted throughout her work that we need to challenge the philosophical privileging of abstract universality and focus instead on the irreducibility of embodied singularity, and if such a move in her work has always relied on a feminist analysis of the role women play in such a drama, I argue that attention to issues of race and the institution of slavery both supports and complicates her analysis in meaningful ways
Police response to same-sex intimate partner violence in the marriage equality era

Growing research attention is being devoted to intimate partner violence (IPV) involving sexual minority individuals, which is providing insights about prevalence and disclosure patterns. While thi...
Internal Auditory Canal Diverticula in Children: A Congenital Variant.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS Internal auditory diverticula in adults have been found to exist independent of otosclerosis, and in the presence of otosclerosis. We sought to determine the prevalence of internal auditory canal (IAC) diverticula in a pediatric cohort, to assess whether IAC diverticula are a risk factor for hearing loss, and the co-occurrence of otic capsule hypoattenuation. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective review. METHODS A single-site retrospective review of high-resolution temporal bones computed tomography (CT) scans including the presence and size of diverticula and hypoattenuation of the otic capsule. Demographic, imaging, and audiometric data were collected and descriptively analyzed. Bivariate analysis of collected variables was conducted. Comparisons between sides in unilateral cases were also performed. RESULTS 16/600 (2.7%; 95% CI [2.0%, 3.4%]) were found to have IAC diverticula. Six were bilateral. Thirty-one patients (5.2%) were found to have hypoattenuation of the otic capsule. There were no coincident cases of IAC diverticulum and hypoattenuation of the otic capsule. There was no association between the presence of IAC diverticula and age (P = .13). In six patients with unilateral diverticula, pure tone average (P = .42), and word recognition (P = .27) scores were not significantly different when compared to the normal, contralateral side. CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of IAC diverticula in children is lower than the prevalence in adults. IAC diverticula in children likely represent congenital variants of temporal bone anatomy. Similar to adult populations, there is evidence that IAC diverticula in children are likely not an independent risk factor for hearing loss. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 4 Laryngoscope, 131:E1683-E1687, 2021.
On The Field: Examining Differences in Video Format in Sports Media Viewing:

With virtual reality’s emerging popularity and the subsequent push for more sports media experiences, there is a need to evaluate virtual reality’s use into more video watching experiences. This re...
Salvage therapies in transplant-eligible relapsed classic Hodgkin lymphoma, are novel regimens better?

7530Background: Clinical trials of novel salvage therapies (ST) have encouraging outcomes for relapsed/refractory classic Hodgkin lymphoma (R/R cHL) eligible for autologous stem cell transplant (AS...
Repositioning Pan-Africanism for Human Security in the 21st Century

Africa in the 21st century is still troubled by myriads of problems. These problems include neo-colonialism, modern slavery, ethnicism, racism, xenophobic attacks, environmental degradation, human trafficking, sexual exploitation, war, famine, terrorism, conflicts, etc. All these problems gravely impede human security. Human security is more than military or national security and refers to all that constitutes the good life and makes life more abundant for the people. Human securities include the access to food, portable water, education, good environment, human rights, etc. Resolving and combating these problems will require concerted efforts on the part of many if not all African nations in the continent and Diaspora. Some of these problems cut across national boundaries. Problems like terrorism, illegal migration, human trafficking, sexual exploitation, xenophobic attacks, etc cut across national borders. Though Pan-Africanism may have waned in strength it can be repositioned to harness African cultural and historic values to combat its contemporary problems in the 21st century. A hermeneutic method will be used to interpret the meaning and import of Pan-Africanism and human security. A critical analytic method will be used to discuss the issues. The paper finds and concludes that Pan-Africanism can be re-positioned to enable Africa combat the problems facing her.
Minimizing opioid consumption by eliminating patient-controlled analgesia after penile inversion vaginoplasty with enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol

Background Genital-based gender affirmation surgery is a physically demanding procedure requiring extensive postoperative pain management. However, perioperative opioid use for these procedures is relatively understudied. Objectives This study analyzes whether intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) enhances pain control after penile inversion vaginoplasty (PIV) in the setting of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols, and whether non-PCA (NCA) based regimens could reduce postoperative opioid use. Methods All patients undergoing PIV with ERAS protocols by a single provider from December 2018 to November 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. Patient demographics, comorbid conditions, pain scores, length of stay, and opioid usage during their hospitalization were collected. Postoperative opioid use and pain scores were compared between PCA and NCA patient cohorts. Results 61 patients were included. 30 patients received intravenous PCA postoperatively, and 31 patients used NCA based narcotic pain control. All patients underwent ERAS protocol perioperatively. Average patient age was 34.5 years (SD 11.9) in the PCA cohort and 37.6 years (SD 11.9) in the NCA cohort (p = 0.242). Average total postoperative opioid use during hospital stay was reduced by 53.7% in the NCA cohort, with an average use of 501.6 morphine milligram equivalents (MME) (SD 410.3) among PCA patients and an average use of 232.0 MME (SD 216.5) among NCA patients (p = 0.003). Daily average pain scores for postoperative days 1 to 6 did not differ between the PCA and NCA patient groups (p>0.05). Average hospital length of stay was shorter among NCA patients, 6.2 days (SD 1.0) versus 7.3 days (SD 1.4) respectively (p Discussion In combination with an ERAS non-narcotic pain control protocol, it may be possible to reduce opioid use by more than 50% and shorten hospital length of stay among patients during their postoperative hospital stay by implementing NCA pain management protocols. Conclusion Minimizing postoperative opioid consumption after PIV will benefit patients and their sustained well-being. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Physical therapist clinical reasoning in home care for walking assistive device prescription: A description of practice.

Background Home care in the United States (US) provides rehabilitative care to people who are homebound after acute hospitalization. Patients with stroke and brain injury (BI) are commonly seen by physical therapists (PTs/PTAs), who often address the loss of walking independence. Clinical reasoning (CR) is required for walking assistive device (WAD) prescription within the home. There has never been a description of the home care PT CR process, which could inform entry-level training and health policy. Purpose To describe the homecare CR process by identifying factors used for prescription of WADs in patients with stroke and BI. Secondly, to describe any practice issues associated with WADs. Methods Directors of 7 agencies affiliated with Nazareth College DPT program were recruited to identify PTs/PTAs to complete an online survey between March - July 2017. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected, and analyzed for frequencies or for common themes. Results A total of 334 PTs/PTAs were enrolled from all agencies and 72 responses were analyzed. The CR process did not differ between stroke and BI. Safety was the primary factor, which was assessed by patient query, observation skills, and objective measures. PTs/PTAs also measured balance, strength, function, cognition, and patient preferences within the context of the home. WADs obtained prior to initiation of home care often weren't used. Conclusion A complex CR process has been described for WAD prescription in home care for patients with stroke and BI. Entry-level training and health policy implications are described.
Why Can’t I Just Stay on Prednisone? The Long-Term Adverse Effects of Steroids

Glucocorticoids have been a mainstay of therapy for inflammatory bowel disease for many years and have proven to be very effective for inducing remission in IBD patients. However, they are fraught with many undesirable side effects that make their long-term use problematic. This chapter reviews the data behind how glucocorticoids can be effective in IBD and also reviews the many different side effects that come with both long-term and short-term usage.
Advanced trauma life support training for physicians and nurses: a pilot program.

Abstract ATLS training is making dramatic inroads into the management of multiple-systems trauma patients. This course, sponsored by the ACS, is helping develop a common language between physicians at all levels of trauma care. We strongly believe that ATLS training should be offered to ED nurses as well, in recognition of the fact that they are intimately involved in the initial assessment and resuscitation of trauma victims. Our initial two efforts at piloting ATLS training for nurses together with physicians have met with unqualified success. Physicians and nurses alike have been enthusiastic in their praise, stressing the commonality of purpose that lies at the core of this program. Such a program openly admits the reality of the necessity for interdependence, for open communication, and for mutual respect between physicians and nurses. We hope that our positive experience and evaluation will help encourage the ACS to offer its course nationally to nurses along with physicians and perhaps even to provide nurses with official recognition of successful completion. We believe that such a joint program is the optimal way to improve the care of multiple-systems trauma victims in the crucial first hour.
Case 74: Relying on Others

Today you are anesthetizing a patient who is morbidly obese—body mass index (BMI) 45—with acromegaly in the Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) suite. The oxygen pipeline inside the MRI suite cannot reach outside the MRI and there is no piped oxygen in the preinduction room. Hence, the emergency oxygen tank, attached to the anesthesia machine (Aestiva, Datex Ohmeda) is used. In the preinduction room outside the MRI, the patient is ramped up and positioned for tracheal intubation [1, 2]. A rapid sequence induction is used with fentanyl, propofol, and succinylcholine and cricoid pressure. A grade 2 view is seen on laryngoscopy with a Mac 4 blade. After successful endotracheal intubation, bilateral air entry is heard and end-tidal carbon dioxide (CO2) is seen. The endotracheal tube (ETT) is secured at 25 cm.
Approach to an Abnormal Surveillance Measurement

Hemodialysis vascular access dysfunction is a common complication. Vascular access stenosis is the most common cause of this dysfunction. Early detection of stenotic lesions and treatment by percutaneous transluminal balloon angioplasty (PTA) might be beneficial. Early detection of stenotic lesions can be achieved by means of monitoring or surveillance. Well-trained dialysis staff can perform monitoring on regular basis. Surveillance needs additional tools and instrumentations and trained staff to perform it. A well-designed study to evaluate the benefit of surveillance on access thrombosis, longevity, and other morbidity and mortality parameters is very well needed.
"Your Model Is Predictive-- but Is It Useful?" Theoretical and Empirical Considerations of a New Paradigm for Adaptive Tutoring Evaluation.

Classification evaluation metrics are often used to evaluate adaptive tutoring systems— programs that teach and adapt to humans. Unfortunately, it is not clear how intuitive these metrics are for practitioners with little machine learning background. Moreover, our experiments suggest that existing convention for evaluating tutoring systems may lead to suboptimal decisions. We propose the Learner Effort-Outcomes Paradigm (Leopard), a new framework to evaluate adaptive tutoring. We introduce Teal and White, novel automatic metrics that apply Leopard and quantify the amount of effort required to achieve a learning outcome. Our experiments suggest that our metrics are a better alternative for evaluating adaptive tutoring.
La infancia abandonada en Chile, 1770-1930

Concepcion...Nacimiento...Abandono...Muerte ... Triste, simple y tragico camino que esperaba a un buen numero de recien nacidos; herencia tragica del siglo XIX y, en parte, del siglo anterior, como consecuencia de la transicion desde una sociedad agricola y tradicional a una sociedad urbana y semiindustrial. En efecto, dicha transicion puso en entredicho los comportamientos sociales y los valores morales de la primera. La ilegitimidad de los nacimientos y el abandono de menores, fenomeno que aumentaba ano tras ano, era la manifestacion de una contradiccion al interior de sociedades con una fuerte influencia de la religiosidad, jerarquizadas y con rigidas normas de comportamiento social, familiar y sexual.
The Impact of Technology on Student Perceptions of Instructor Comments

The lack of writing skill among college graduates is often blamed on poor teaching, or alternatively, failure on the part of schools and instructors to teach the basic grammar and punctuation skills that employers remember learning in their own school years. While it may be true that teaching techniques and course content have changed over the years, a far greater cause of student inability to write clearly may be students’ negative perceptions of instructor comments. If this is indeed the case, as borne out in some earlier studies by Bardine, then how might students who grew up in a digital era view electronic comments? The prevalence of technological tools to make electronic notations increases readability, but what impact might instructors’ use of technology in making comments have on tone, completeness, and length of comments when viewed through the lens of the student writer?
Hydrologic sciences and water resources management issues in a changing world

Abstract The need for more effective management of water resources is greater than ever, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions of the world. Water resources managers must utilize more sophisticated hydrologic prediction tools. Depending on the problems, the hydrologic information needed may range from hourly forecasts (i.e., in the case of flash floods) to seasonal to interannual (i.e., in the case of reservoir operation), and to decadal to century (i.e., in the case of water supply structural design). A further complication arises from the additional uncertainty resulting from global climate change and, hence, the intensification of the hydrologic cycle. Therefore, there is no doubt that climate variability and change will have a great impact on regional water resources and the way they should be managed. Further research and data-collection activities are needed in order to quantify the impact of the intensification of the hydrologic cycle on the magnitude, direction, and frequency of floods, droughts, and other weather hazards which impact water resources management. A number of international projects have been initiated for this purpose, including the Global Energy and Water cycle EXperiment (GEWEX) of the World Climate Research Program (WCRP) and the Earth Observing System (EOS) of NASA in the United States. These projects have a strong emphasis on state-of-the-art remote-sensing satellites which are capable of providing useful information for a variety of purposes related to hydrology and water resources. A review of these projects and their potential benefits to water resources management issues, particularly in the context of arid/semi-arid regions, will be presented.
“Useless”: Disability, Slave Labor, and Contradiction on Antebellum Southern Plantations

African American slaves with disabilities (broadly defined as physical, mental or aesthetic conditions seen as unfavorable or impairing) performed a variety of duties on antebellum southern plantations. However, tensions between goals of production, profit, control, and planters’ expectations often created contradictory assessments of disability in slaves. Slaves with disabilities were also at risk of abuse—including corporeal punishment, neglect, and murder—from masters.
Intrapartum Fever and Unexplained Seizures in Term Infants

Objective Early-onset neonatal seizures are a strong predictor of later morbidity and mortality in term infants. Although an association of noninfectious intrapartum fever with neonatal seizures in term infants has been reported, it was based on only a small number of neonates with seizures. We therefore conducted a case control study to investigate this association further. Methods All term infants with neonatal seizures born at Brigham and Women's Hospital between 1989 and 1996 were identified. For this study, cases consisted of all term neonates with a confirmed diagnosis of seizure born after a trial of labor for whom no proximal cause of seizure could be identified. Infants with sepsis or meningitis were excluded. Four controls matched by parity and date of birth were identified for each case. The rate of intrapartum maternal temperature >100.4 degrees F was compared for case infants and controls. Potential confounding was controlled in logistic regression analysis. Results Cases comprised 38 term infants with unexplained seizures after a trial of labor. We identified 152 controls. Infants with seizures were more likely to be born to mothers who were febrile during labor (31.6% vs 9.2%). In almost all cases, the fever developed during labor (94.7% cases, 97.4% controls). At admission, mothers of infants with seizures were not significantly more likely to have factors associated with concern about infection such as a white blood cell count >15 000/mm(3) (28. 9% vs 19.1%) and premature rupture of the membranes (15.8% vs 17.8%). In a logistic regression analysis controlling for confounding factors, intrapartum fever was associated with a 3.4-fold increase in the risk of unexplained neonatal seizures (odds ratio = 3.4, 95% confidence interval = 1.03-10.9). Conclusion Our data indicate that intrapartum fever, even when unlikely to be caused by infection, is associated with a fourfold increase in the risk of unexplained, early-onset seizures in term infants.
Genetic Separation of the Inosinic Acid Cyclohydrolase-Transformylase Complex of Salmonella typhimurium

Genetic and enzymatic analyses were made with the purH mutants of Salmonella typhimurium. These mutants are purine auxotrophs which are deficient in the conversion of phosphoribosyl-aminoimidazolecarboxamide (AIC) to inosine-5'-monophosphate (IMP). Two steps are required for this process: phosphoribosyl-AIC transformylase (EC 2.1.2.3) and IMP cyclohydrolase (EC 3.5.4.10). Genetic analysis identified two complementation groups, I and II, and a third group of noncomplementing mutants (I-II). Mutations in gene I lead to complete loss of transformylase activity and no loss of cyclohydrolase activity if the mutation is of the missense type, but partial loss if it is of the chain-terminating type (nonsense or frameshift). Gene II mutants are all of the missense type and show normal transformylase activity but no cyclohydrolase activity. The noncomplementing mutants (I-II) are all of the chain-terminating type and are completely deficient in both activities. The results are explained and discussed in terms of subunit interactions of a stable enzyme complex.
In vivo 7Li nuclear magnetic resonance study of lithium pharmacokinetics and chemical shift imaging in psychiatric patients

New data are presented on the application of 7Li in vivo nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to human studies. The technique was used to monitor the between-dose pharmacokinetics of lithium (Li) in brain for three patients on Li therapy. Brain Li concentrations were at their highest from 0 to 2 hours after the peak occurred in serum concentration. Elimination from brain tissue took longer than elimination from muscle, and no signal could be detected from brain at 10 days after termination of therapy. A birdcage radiofrequency coil for 7Li was constructed and used to measure the 7Li spin-lattice relaxation time of 4.6 seconds in vivo in human head, and to acquire preliminary spectroscopic images of a phantom and human brain.
Cox-2 Inhibitors: Today and Tomorrow

The elucidation of inducible cyclooxygenase (Cox-2) dependent inflammatory pathways led to the development of specific Cox-2 inhibitors, the coxibs. These agents include the currently available celecoxib and rofecoxib and such second-generation agents as parecoxib, valdecoxib, and etoricoxib. The therapeutic advantage of coxibs is founded primarily in their lack of significant gastrointestinal (GI) side effects. Clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy of coxibs to be completely comparable with traditional nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and pharmacoeconomics suggest favorable cost/benefit ratios with these agents compared with traditional NSAIDs, related to their reduced GI complication profiles and lower indirect costs associated with disability. Although several clinical questions remain (eg, use with low-dose aspirin, risk of thrombosis, myocardial infarction, edema, and hypertension), the emergence and clinical utility of coxibs is likely to continue on the basis of their efficacy and relative GI safety advantage. Although newer, more specific Cox-2 inhibitors may alter the choice, it is likely that this class of anti-inflammatories will become (if they have not already) the drugs of first choice in the treatment of acute pain, chronic pain, and most rheumatic conditions in the 21st century. In addition to the treatment of rheumatic conditions, it is possible that coxibs will also be of clinical utility in protection against malignant transformation and Alzheimer disease.
Diagnosis in Just Over a Minute: a Case of Chronic Eosinophilic Pneumonia

Chronic eosinophilic pneumonia (CEP) is a rare interstitial lung disease characterized by subacute dyspnea, peripheral infiltrates on imaging, and pulmonary eosinophilia. We report a case of a 48-year-old man who presented to a “minute clinic” with cough and dyspnea. After improvement on a short course of steroids for a presumptive diagnosis of bronchospasm, he presented to our hospital with symptom recurrence. Computed tomography (CT) imaging revealed peripheral infiltrates and bronchoscopy confirmed pulmonary eosinophilia. In this clinical vignette, we review the typical presentation of chronic eosinophilic pneumonia, the differential diagnosis of pulmonary infiltrates with eosinophilia, and the challenges of diagnosing a rare condition that may mimic more common causes of dyspnea, especially in a “minute clinic” setting.
Direct insertion of SiH3 radicals into strained Si-Si surface bonds during plasma deposition of hydrogenated amorphous silicon films

We investigate the interaction of silyl $({\mathrm{SiH}}_{3})$ radicals with hydrogenated amorphous silicon $(a\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{S}\mathrm{i}:\mathrm{H})$ films using real time in situ infrared spectroscopy in a mode that can detect as little as \ensuremath{\sim}0.2 ML of Si-H bonds. The results are directly relevant to the growth of $a\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{S}\mathrm{i}:\mathrm{H}$ by plasma-chemical vapor deposition. In this paper, a remote silane plasma source is used to generate a pure ${\mathrm{SiH}}_{3}$ beam, without any contribution of H or ${\mathrm{SiH}}_{2}.$ Deuterated $(a\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{S}\mathrm{i}:\mathrm{D})$ films are exposed to this beam and the change in the IR absorption caused by the loss of SiD groups and the creation of SiH groups is measured in real time. At the beginning of exposure to ${\mathrm{SiH}}_{3}$ radicals, a hydrogen-rich layer is deposited on top of the deuterated sample, but no release of deuterium from SiD surface groups can be observed. This is a surprising result, since it has been assumed in the literature that ${\mathrm{SiH}}_{3}$ radicals can easily abstract surface-bonded H atoms, and that abstraction must occur in order to create dangling bond sites on which ${\mathrm{SiH}}_{3}$ radicals subsequently adsorb. Our results show that the reaction mechanism with the largest rate coefficient must be the direct insertion of ${\mathrm{SiH}}_{3}$ radicals into bonding sites at the film surface, which leads to a hydrogen-rich top layer while preserving the preexisting SiD bonds. After completion of one monolayer of surface Si-H bonds, deuterium atoms from the initial surface are released simultaneously with the creation of SiH bulk groups. We propose a reaction scheme based on the direct insertion of ${\mathrm{SiH}}_{3}$ radicals into strained Si-Si bonds. This scheme also predicts that the surface-bonding configurations depend on a dynamic balance between the rates of ${\mathrm{SiH}}_{3}$ adsorption and thermal desorption, which is confirmed experimentally as a function of ${\mathrm{SiH}}_{3}$ flux. We discuss the implications of this reaction mechanism for the growth of $a\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{S}\mathrm{i}:\mathrm{H}$ from silane discharges, and for the growth of microcrystalline Si in ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ diluted ${\mathrm{SiH}}_{4}$ discharges.
Phase stability of a manganese-stabilized low-activation martensitic steel

Abstract The development of alloys with reduced long-life radioactivity has been incorporated into the goals of fusion materials development. One possible candidate alloy is an Fe-12Cr-6.5Mn-lW-0.3V-0.1C stabilized martensitic steel. The phase stability of this steel has been investigated following neutron irradiation over a temperature range of 420 to 600° C to doses as high as 100 dpa. The microstructural response of the irradiated steel has been compared to that of the same alloy aged for 10000 h from 365 to 600°C. M23C6 was the only carbide found in both the aged and irradiated structures. In the samples aged at 420 and 520°C, and the samples irradiated at 520°C, an Fe-Cr-Mn-W chi-phase formed. In the samples irradiated at 420°C, alpha prime formed. The presence of chi-phase in both the thermally aged and neutron irradiated steels indicates that the Fe-Cr-Mn system is prone to intermetallic phase formation so that careful study of the effects of alloying are needed.
Attached leaves and fruits of myrtaceous affinity from the Middle Eocene of Colorado

Abstract A new myrtaceous genus, Syzygioides Manchester, Dilcher et Wing, gen. nov., is established based upon compressed twigs showing the attachment of leaves, with axillary panicles of flowers and fruits from the Eocene of the Rocky Mountain region. The new combination Syzygioides americana (Lesquereux) Manchester, Dilcher et Wing, comb. nov. applies to leaves that formerly were attributed to Eucalyptus and Eugenia . The opposite, decussately arranged leaves are similar in architecture to those of extant Syzygium fluviatilis (Hemsley) Merrill et Perry and S. jambos (L.) Alston, but the attached leathery fruits, with incurved persistent calyx and short capitate stigmas, are unlike those of extant Eucalyptus, Syzygium, Eugenia and other extant genera. Syzygioides americana first appears in the Lower Eocene of the Rocky Mountain region and is common in the Middle Eocene. The improved understanding of this fossil shows the presence of an extinct myrtaceous genus in the Eocene and demonstrates the need for caution in attempting to identify isolated fossil leaves to extant genera of the Myrtaceae.
Kinetic studies on the immobilization of antibodies to high-performance liquid chromatographic supports.

Several factors can potentially affect the rate of immobilization of proteins onto solid supports, such as those used in affinity-based high-performance liquid chromatography. This study examined several of these factors and their influence on the coupling of periodate-treated rabbit immunoglobulin G antibodies to dihydrazide-activated silica. Items considered included the number of potential coupling sites on the antibodies, the density of activated sites on the support, the relative amount of antibody combined with the support, and the density of the overall reaction slurry. In each case, the rate of change in the solution-phase antibody concentration gave biphasic behavior which could be described by two competing pseudo-first-order reactions. The overall immobilization rate was essentially independent of the density of the support's activated sites (when present at a coverage of 0.1-0.4 micromol/m2) but was strongly influenced by the number of available coupling groups on the antibodies. Increasing the slurry density had no appreciable effect on the immobilization rate, and the reaction rate showed only a small change when using different types of reagents for support activation (e.g., adipic vs oxalic dihydrazide). These results are consistent with a mechanism in which the rate-limiting step during immobilization is the covalent attachment of antibodies to the support and not mass transfer of antibodies to the support's surface.