cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Bolton spring site, Connecticut; Early holocene human occupation and environmental changes in southern New England

The recent discovery and excavation of the Bolton Spring Site, located in the glaciated uplands of eastern Connecticut, presents an enigma to archaeologists and geologists interested in dating and interpreting prehistoric human habitation sites. A single discrete charcoal-bearing occupation level at the site was characterized by artifacts of the Middle Archaic Period (8000-6000 B.P.) and contained an abundance of small-mammal remains typical of the Holocene woodland fauna. Although the site seemed to present a clearcut opportunity for radiocarbon-dating, C13-corrected radiocarbon dates from the cultural horizon span nearly three thousand years. Our interpretation is that occupation occurred near the end of a depositional hiatus during which noncultural charcoal accumulated. Subsequent burial of the cultural layer by eolian sediments may have resulted from deflation of pre-existing eolian sediments in the Connecticut River Valley during drier, mid-Holocene conditions. Substantial rockfall activity and rubble movement on adjacent slopes may have been restricted to late Holocene time.
Respiratory diseases in the first year of life in children born to HIV-1-infected women.

Our objective was to describe the respiratory complications, clinical findings, and chest radiographic changes in the first year of life in infected and uninfected children born to HIV-1-infected women. We prospectively followed a cohort of 600 infants born to HIV-1-infected women from birth to 12 months in a multicenter study. Of these, 93 infants (15.5%) were HIV-1-infected, 463 were uninfected, and 44 were of unknown status prior to death or loss to follow-up. The cumulative incidence ( ± SE) of an initial pneumonia episode at 12 months was 24.1 ± 4.7% in HIV-1-infected children compared to 1.4 ± 0.6% in HIV-1-uninfected children (P < 0.001). The rate of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) was 9.5 per 100 child-years. The HIV-1 RNA load was not higher in the group that developed pneumonia in the first year vs. those who did not. Children who developed lower respiratory tract infections or PCP had increased rates of decline of CD4 cell counts during the first 6 months of life. Lower maternal CD4 cell counts were associated with higher rates of pneumonia, and upper and lower respiratory tract infections. The rates of upper respiratory tract infection and bronchiolitis/reactive airway disease in infected children were not significantly different than in uninfected children. At 12 months, significantly more HIV-1-infected than uninfected children had tachypnea and chest radiographs with nodular and reticular densities. There was no relationship between cytomegalo virus infection in the first year of life and radiographic changes or occurrences of pneumonia. In conclusion, despite a low incidence of PCP, rates of pneumonia remain high in HIV-infected children in the first year of life. The incidence of pneumonia in uninfected infants born to HIV-1-infected mothers is low. Chest X-ray abnormalities and tachypnea suggest that subacute disease is present in infected infants. Further follow-up is warranted to determine its nature. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2001; 31:267–276. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The Effect of Mounting Position on Hot-Film Wall Shear Stress Sensors,

Abstract : Experimental data on the errors introduced in wall shear stress measurements when flush-mounted hot-film sensors are not properly positioned in relation to the test surface are presented. These data lead to the establishment of acceptable tolerance limits when positioning sensors in a calibration facility and also in the subsequent relocation of the sensor to where actual measurements are to be taken. Consideration is given not only to errors in mean values of wall shear stress, but also to RMS and instantaneous values. Results show that the hot-film sensor must be positioned within close tolerances for accurate shear stress measurements. Even though all testing was conducted on a 5 cm diameter pipe with fully developed turbulent flow, results are also applicable to other flows such as that over flat plates and in pipes of larger diameters.
Thermal deesterification and decarboxylation of alternating copolymers of styrene with β-substituted t-butyl α-cyanoacrylates

Alternating copolymers of styrene with β-carboalkoxy-substituted t-butyl α-cyanoacrylates undergo facile deesterification at 150–190°C, about 60°C below the deprotection temperature of poly(t-butyl methacrylate), and decarboxylation at 170–200°C. When the β-substituent is a methyl ester, the two events are clearly separated, with the deesterification occurring at a maximum rate at 165°C and decarboxylation at 193°C. Anhydride formation is negligible in this case. The copolymer with t-butyl cyanofumarate exhibits simultaneous deesterification and decarboxylation events at 180°C with concomitant minor dehydration.
Fast and robust 2D Minkowski sum using reduced convolution

We propose a new method for computing the 2-d Minkowski sum of non-convex polygons. Our method is convolution based. The main idea is to use the reduced convolution and filter the boundary by using the topological properties of the Minkowski sum. The main benefit of this proposed approach is from the fact that, in most cases, the complexity of the complete convolution is much higher than the complexity of the final Minkowski sum boundary. Therefore, the traditional approach often wastes a large portion of the computation on computing the arrangement induced by the complete convolution that is later on thrown away. Our method is designed to specifically avoid this waste of computation. We experimentally demonstrate that the proposed method is more efficient than the existing methods.
Hardware algorithms for determining similarity between two strings

The author presents pipelined hardware algorithms with time complexity O(n+m) for determining between two character strings expressed as the length of the longest common subsequence of the given pair of strings. The algorithms use cellular architecture with simple basic cells and regular nearest-neighbor communication generally suitable for VLSI implementation. Two methods are presented: a sequential method with serial text input and an alternating method in which both the pattern and the text are serially applied to the machine. Theorems are proved that lead to a very optimized design of a basic cell. >
Pneumothorax necessitans presenting as a presternal pneumothoracocele

Abstract A 31-year-old woman who is an intravenous drug abuser developed sternoclavicular joint infection with mediastinal and subcutaneous tissue abscesses that communicated through an erosion in the manubrium caused by osteomyelitis. Air entrapment from a subsequent apical pneumothorax formed a localized anterior "pneumothoracocele." We referred to this condition as "pneumothorax necessitans," and we suggest including it in the differential diagnosis of anterior chest wall masses.
Studies in the genus Glutinoglossum

Glutinoglossum is a recently described genus in Geoglossomycetes, characterized by viscid black fruiting bodies. Glutinoglossum was described based on molecular evidence showing that the fungus formerly known as Geoglossum glutinosum formed a well-supported clade separate from Geoglossum. This study provides a comprehensive examination of Glutinoglossum based on maximum-likelihood and Bayesian analyses of a dataset that includes nuc rDNA internal transcribed spacer and partial 28S regions and the nuc genes for RNA polymerase II largest subunit (RPB1) and minichromosome maintenance complex component 7 (MCM7). Four new species are described, an emended description of Glutinoglossum glutinosum and a key to the genus Glutinoglossum is provided.
Magnetic and Magnetostrictive Properties of Magnesium‐Nickel Ferrites

The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not the magnetic and magnetostrictive properties of mixed Ni-Mg ferrites having various compositions were superior to those of a simple Ni ferrite. The preparation of the ferrites and the test methods are described briefly. The properties tested were Young's modulus, the remanence, the coercivity, the reversible permeability, the static magnetostriction, the electromechanical coupling coefficient, and the dynamic magnetostrictive constant. The results of the tests showed that the Ni ferrite was superior to the Ni-Mg ferrites as far as magnetic and magnetostrictive properties were concerned.
Imaging of intracranial haemorrhage

Intracranial haemorrhage can be a devastating disorder that requires rapid diagnosis and management. Neuroimaging studies are not only required for diagnosis but also provide important insights into the type of haemorrhage, the underlying aetiology, and the accompanying pathophysiology. Historically, CT has been the diagnostic imaging study of choice; however, there is a growing body of data that suggest that MRI is at least as sensitive as CT to detect haemorrhage in the hyperacute setting, and superior to CT in the subacute and chronic settings. Blood has characteristic appearances on both imaging modalities at each stage (acute, subacute, and chronic) and it is important that physicians are familiar with the appearance of various types of intracranial haemorrhage on CT and MRI and their clinical implications. In addition, new imaging applications, such as magnetic resonance spectroscopy and diffusion tensor imaging, are promising research techniques that have the potential to enhance our understanding of the tissue injury and recovery that result from intracranial haemorrhage.
A multiplate cloud chamber study of unstable particles

A multiplate cloud chamber has been operated at mountain altitude under a penetrating shower selector. The distribution of scattering angles of penetrating secondaries is used to determine jointly the exponent γ of their differential momentum spectrum and the noise level, Σ1, of the chamber. γ is 2 to 2.5, and Σ1 is less than 0.8·10-2 radians, corresponding to a maximum detectable momentum (standard error) of more than 2 GeV/c. Several unusual decays in flight have been found. In one, a charged V-decay gives rise to a photon, recognized by the electron shower it produces. The event is interpreted as Kπ2 → π+π0, the π0 decaying in its normal (2γ) mode). In another, a V0-decay gives an interacting penetrating particle and a particle producing an electron shower in the first plate it strikes. The event is dynamically compatible with θ0 → π+π+214 MeV, but the charge exchange that must then be postulated is very improbable. A more likely interpretation is, Β-decay: KΒ0 → π + e+?0. From the observed energy release the neutral particle must be massless if KΒ0 has the same mass as the other K-particles. Finally, a. case is reported that appears to be a cascade decay of a neutral V into, a charged one. The charged V decays into an interacting light particle, probably a π-meson. The most likely interpretation in terms of presently known particles is V0→ gS±+π∓ gS+- → π+-+n, with a mass of at least 1390 MeV (QgSπ≥60MeV).
Inhibition of RNA-directed DNA polymerase from Rauscher leukemia virus by the 5'-triphosphate of cytosine arabinoside.

Abstract Arabinofuranosylcytosine 5′-triphosphate (araCTP), an analog of 2′-deoxyribosylcytosine 5′-triphosphate (dCTP), inhibits the DNA polymerase of Rauscher leukemia virus in vitro. Since cytosine arabinoside (araC), the parent nucleoside of araCTP, interferes with both replication and transformation by oncogenic RNA viruses, the inhibition by araCTP adds support to the generally held view that reverse transcriptase is the enzyme responsible for viral DNA synthesis in infected cells.
Observer design for discrete-time systems using covariance assignment

The design of one-step predictor and current output observers is considered for linear discrete-time systems using covariance assignment. For both types of observers, the authors first characterize the set of all assignable covariances and then parametrize the observer gains that achieve such a covariance assignment. Disturbance rejection robustness properties are also pointed out. >
Looking the Other Way: Selective Exposure to Attitude-Consistent and Counterattitudinal Political Information

An experiment with two computer-based sessions (complete data for 156 participants) examined selective exposure to attitude-consistent and counterattitudinal media messages. In the first session, participants indicated interest in politics and news, political attitudes, with four target issues embedded, along with attitude certainty and importance. Attitude accessibility data were derived from response latencies. In the second session, participants browsed an online opinion forum with eight texts about four issues, each with a pair of articles presenting opposing views. Selective exposure was unobtrusively recorded by software and coded as attitude-consistent and counterattitudinal based on individual participants' attitudes. Results show that attitude-consistent exposure dominated regardless of particular issue, with 36% more reading time. Higher habitual news use and attitude certainty both fostered attitude-consistent exposure. Selection of counterattitudinal articles was more likely among participants...
Enterococcus faecalis mevalonate kinase.

Gram-positive pathogens synthesize isopentenyl diphosphate, the five-carbon precursor of isoprenoids, via the mevalonate pathway. The enzymes of this pathway are essential for the survival of these organisms, and thus may represent possible targets for drug design. To extend our investigation of the mevalonate pathway in Enterococcus faecalis, we PCR-amplified and cloned into pET-28b the mvaK1 gene thought to encode mevalonate kinase, the fourth enzyme of the pathway. Following transformation of the construct EFK1-pET28b into Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) cells, the expressed C-terminally hexahistidine-tagged protein was purified on a nickel affinity support to apparent homogeneity. The purified protein catalyzed the divalent ion-dependent phosphorylation of mevalonate to mevalonate 5-phosphate. The specific activity of the purified kinase was 24 μmole/min/mg protein. Based on sedimentation velocity data, E. faecalis mevalonate kinase exists in solution primarily as a monomer with a mass of 32.2 kD. Optimal activity occurred at pH 10 and at 37°C. ΔHa was 22 kcal/mole. Kinetic analysis suggested that the reaction proceeds via a sequential mechanism. Km values were 0.33 mM (mevalonate), 1.1 mM (ATP), and 3.3 mM (Mg2+). Unlike mammalian mevalonate kinases, E. faecalis mevalonate kinase utilized all tested nucleoside triphosphates as phosphoryl donors. ADP, but not AMP, inhibited the reaction with a Ki of 2.7 mM.
Improvements in intrinsic feature pose measurement for awake animal imaging

Development has continued with intrinsic feature optical motion tracking for awake animal imaging to measure 3D position and orientation (pose) for motion compensated reconstruction. Prior imaging results have been directed towards head motion measurement for SPECT brain studies in awake unrestrained mice. This work improves on those results in extracting and tracking intrinsic features from multiple camera images and computing pose changes from the tracked features over time. Previously, most motion tracking for 3D imaging has been limited to measuring extrinsic features such as retro-reflective markers applied to an animal's head. While this approach has been proven to be accurate, the use of external markers is undesirable for several reasons. The intrinsic feature approach has been further developed from previous work to provide full pose measurements for a live mouse scan. Surface feature extraction, matching, and pose change calculation with point tracking and accuracy results are described. Experimental pose calculation and 3D reconstruction results from live images are presented.
'What is that Honor?': Re-Thinking Free Speech in the 'Stolen Valor' Case

This Article addresses the recent emotionally-charged Supreme Court case of United States v. Alvarez. In Alvarez, the Court struck down on free speech grounds the Stolen Valor Act, which, in effect, prohibited lying claims to have been personally awarded particular military medals. The Article first presents four distinctive reasons why, if possible, the Court should have avoided deciding this case on free speech grounds. The Article then argues that if the Court was nevertheless somehow bound to reach the free speech merits, the same four reasons presented above should have persuaded the Court to have upheld the statute. Among the relevant considerations are an appropriate degree of judicial modesty under the particular circumstances, and the only minimal degree to which the logic and value of free speech were realistically implicated in the case.
Radiation-Sensitive Mutants of CAENORHABDITIS ELEGANS

ABSTRACT Nine rad (for abnormal radiation sensitivity) mutants hypersensitive to ultraviolet light were isolated in the small nematode Caenorhabditis elegans . The mutations are recessive to their wild-type alleles, map to four of the six linkage groups in C. elegans and define nine new games named rad-1 through rad-9 . Two of the mutants— rad-1 and rad-2 —are very hypersensitive to X rays, and three— rad-2, rad-3 and rad-4 —are hypersensitive to methyl methanesulfonate under particular conditions of exposure. The hypersensitivity of these mutants to more than one DNA-damaging agent suggests that they may be abnormal in DNA repair. One mutant— rad-5 , a temperature-sensitive sterile mutant—shows an elevated frequency of spontaneous mutation at more than one locus; rad-4 , which shows a cold-sensitive embryogenesis, reduces meiotic X-chromosome nondisjunction tenfold and partially suppresses some but not all mutations that increase meiotic X-chromosome nondisjunction; the viability of rad-6 hermaphrodites is half that of rad-6 males at 25°; and newly mature (but not older) rad-8 hermaphrodites produce many inviable embryo progeny. Meiotic recombination frequencies were measured for seven rad mutants and found to be close to normal.
P1-S5.06 Oral sex and risk of sexually transmitted infections

Background Oral sex is a common sexual practice in the United States; in 2002, almost 90% of sexually active adults ages 20–44 and over half of teens 15–19 years reported having had oral sex with an opposite sex partner. Oral sex is thought by some men who have sex with men to have lower risk for HIV acquisition, and is a prevalent practice in this population. However, the risk of acquiring a given sexually transmitted infection (STI) from oral sex may depend on a number of factors, including the specific STI, particular oral sex practice, prevalence of the STI in the population, and the number of oral sex acts performed. It is difficult to quantify the risk of getting an STI from a specific type of oral sex activity, or compare risks due to specific sex acts, because most people who have oral sex also have vaginal and/or anal sex. Methods In order to develop public health messages on oral sex and STI risk, we performed a review of the scientific literature to assess the state of current knowledge for risks of seven STIs (including HIV) and six oral sex practices: insertive and receptive fellatio, cunnilingus, and anilingus. Approximately 200 publications between 1979 and 2010 were reviewed; only 65 reported novel findings for one or more of these 42 potential associations. Results The clearest evidence of risk was found for syphilis (all oral sex practices), chlamydia (insertive and receptive fellatio; receptive anilingus), gonorrhoea (insertive and receptive fellatio), herpes (insertive fellatio; receptive cunnilingus), and HIV (receptive fellatio). For example, for pharyngeal gonorrhoea 4 of 4 studies reported association with receptive fellatio; 1 of 1 study found none for insertive anilingus. Other STI and oral sex associations were less well-studied, or have not been documented. No reports allow direct per-contact estimates, but some facilitate comparisons with non-oral types of sexual contact. A number of studies did not specify whether ejaculation or use of barrier protection was assessed. Conclusions All oral sex practices are associated with risk of transmission of one or more STIs; however the relations between specific oral sex practices and risk of infection are not well-characterised for several STIs. Despite this, it is important to formulate appropriate public health messages regarding oral sex and STI risk. Future studies should clearly distinguish between specific oral sex practices and consider these factors in sample size determination.
Nepidae (Hemiptera) of the United States and Canada

Seventy-two years have elapsed since the most recent synoptic treatment of North American Nepidae. This paper updates our present knowledge and brings together information on the family from various sources. Notes on the biology and ecology of Nepidae, a redescription of Ranatra texana Hungerford, and an illustrated key to the 13 species of Nepidae of the United States and Canada are provided. Range extensions, distribution maps, diagnoses, and synonymies also are given.
Preservation of mandibular zinc in a beetle from the Eocene Kishenehn Formation of Montana, USA

Fossil insects of the 46 million-year-old Coal Creek Member of the Kishenehn Formation exhibit exceptional preservation as evidenced by the preservation of color and the blood-derived pigment heme in a blood-engorged mosquito. In the present study, analysis of a fossil rove beetle (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) from the Kishenehn Formation document preservation of zinc, a metal often used to harden the cutting surfaces of mandibles in extant insects, localized to the mandibles of the fossil insect. Scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy demonstrate that the carbonaceous bodies of preserved insects are physically homogeneous, composed primarily of carbon, and are distinct from the adjacent microbial mat within which the insects are thought to have been preserved. The microbial mat that covered the fossil insects is shown to consist of, in part, well-consolidated silicates. This thin layer, while completely transparent when wet, obscures the fossil when dry. The in situ preservat...
Different adiabatic quantum optimization algorithms for the NP-complete exact cover and 3SAT problems

One of the most important questions in studying quantum computation is: whether a quantum computer can solve NP-complete problems more efficiently than a classical computer? In 2000, Farhi, et al. (Science, 292(5516):472-476, 2001) proposed the adiabatic quantum optimization (AQO), a paradigm that directly attacks NP-hard optimization problems. How powerful is AQO? Early on, van Dam and Vazirani claimed that AQO failed (i.e. would take exponential time) for a family of 3SAT instances they constructed. More recently, Altshuler, et al. (Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 107(28): 12446-12450, 2010) claimed that AQO failed also for random instances of the NP-complete Exact Cover problem. In this paper, we make clear that all these negative results are only for a specific AQO algorithm. We do so by demonstrating different AQO algorithms for the same problem for which their arguments no longer hold. Whether AQO fails or succeeds for solving the NP-complete problems (either the worst case or the average case) requires further investigation. Our AQO algorithms for Exact Cover and 3SAT are based on the polynomial reductions to the NP-complete Maximum-weight Independent Set (MIS) problem.
In-situ, non-destructive acoustic characterization of solid state electrolyte cells

Abstract Solid-state electrolytes such as cubic Li6.25Al0.25La3Zr2O12 (LLZO) can enable solid-state batteries, metallic lithium anodes and higher voltage cathodes. However, the stability of cubic LLZO is affected by current density. In beta alumina solid electrolyte, microstructural failure was caused by Na dendrite penetration, and was shown to be a function of the fracture toughness, KIC. The relationship between dendrite penetration and KIC indicates electronic failure is related to creation of microstructural damage, and the microstructural damage may be used as an indicator of imminent electronic failure. To monitor microstructural damage during cycling, we developed a non-invasive, in-situ cell monitoring apparatus to help to correlate mechanical stability with Li-ion current density in LLZO. A pulse-echo transducer was integrated into all solid-state Li-LLZO-Li cells. The capability enables the characterization of microscopic inhomogeneities through the careful measurement of changes to the elastic moduli. The elastic moduli and fracture toughness have been previously reported for dense (>99%) specimens, but monitoring of the relative change in moduli during cycling has not been explored. In this study, an acoustic monitoring method is presented to monitor LLZO specimens during cycling.
A Study of Cyclic Nucleotide Metabolism and the Histology of Rat Liver During 3’-Methyl-4-Dimethylaminoazobenzene Carcinogenesis I. Histology

ABSTRACT We have studied the histology of rat liver at weekly intervals for 13 weeks from the beginning of carcinogenesis induced by continuous feeding of 3’ -methyl- 4-dimethylaminoazobenzene (0⋅06%). We found 100% incidence of cholangiocarcinoma by 10 weeks. The first change seen was the appearance at 3 weeks in periportal regions of the liver lobule, of shrunken acidophilic hepatocytes. These smaller hepatocytes were not necrotic, were seen in mitosis and were glycogendeficient; they persisted throughout, even in tumors, but were replaced by smaller cells, also glycogen deficient, which latter formed the predominant cell type in early tumors. The small cells were increasingly seen to form dutcules in both apparently uninvolved tissue and tumors. In early tumors, some ducts resembled the bile ducts of portal tracts, but they had increasingly bizarre characteristics in later tumors, and were frankly malignant, composing tumors we have classified as cholangiocarcinoma. Others have called the small cells ‘bile duct’ cells or ‘oval’ cells. We have preferred not to use these terms because our data suggest a hepatocytic origin for these cells. This study of histogenesis is correlated with biochemical studies of cyclic nucleotide metabolism described in companion papers and is discussed in the context of the extensive literature on rat liver carcinogenesis.
Case Study Addressed by Graduate Students

A graduate class offered by the TCU College of Education presented four different scenarios to address the Craven Heights case study shared below. The name of the course was Community Engagement and Individually Responsive Practice. This class had graduate students in our 4/1 teacher education master’s program, our masters educational leadership program, and a few doctoral students in higher education administration.
Abstract 3870: SLFN11 is a biomarker of sensitivity to PARP inhibition and chemotherapy in small cell lung cancer (SCLC)

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is an aggressive disease that accounts for 14% of lung cancers. Very little progress has been made towards the treatment of SCLC in the past four decades and there are no established biomarkers to predict effective therapies for patients. In other cancers, SLFN11 plays an important role in sensitizing cancer cells to topoisomerase inhibitors, DNA synthesis inhibitors and alkylating agents. Previously, our lab identified an increase in poly (ADP-Ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1), an enzyme involved in DNA damage repair, in SCLC patients and cell lines. PARP inhibitors demonstrate significant anti-tumor activity in cell line and animal models of SCLC and are currently being tested in clinical trials for SCLC patients. In Ewing sarcoma (EWS), SLFN11 has been proposed as a biomarker of PARP inhibitor response. Because both EWS and SCLC have high PARP levels and respond favorably to PARP inhibition, we hypothesized that SLFN11 may also be a biomarker for drug sensitivity in SCLC. Using SCLC patient tumors and a large panel of molecularly profiled SCLC cell lines, we investigated the expression of SLFN11 in SCLC and its association with in vitro sensitivity to PARP inhibition (olaparib) and chemotherapy. SLFN11 mRNA levels are significantly higher in SCLC patient tumors relative to normal lung tissue (P = 0.005). In a panel of 51 SCLC cell lines, higher SLFN11 protein expression correlates with both cisplatin (P Citation Format: C. Allison Stewart, Pan Tong, Robert Cardnell, Triparna Sen, Fatemah Mina Masrorpour, Youhong Fan, Jing Wang, Lauren Averett Byers. SLFN11 is a biomarker of sensitivity to PARP inhibition and chemotherapy in small cell lung cancer (SCLC). [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 3870.
Effect of adjunctive dexmedetomidine on postoperative intravenous opioid administration in patients undergoing thyroidectomy in an ambulatory setting

Abstract Study Objective Two of the most feared complications for patients undergoing thyroid surgery are pain and postoperative nausea and vomiting. Thyroidectomy is considered high risk for postoperative nausea and vomiting, and recent studies have looked at adjuncts to treat pain, limit narcotic use, "fast-track" the surgical process, and enhance recovery without compromising the patient's safety. One such perioperative medication of interest is dexmedetomidine (Dex), a centrally acting α-2 agonist that has been associated with reducing pain and postoperative opioid consumption. Our aim was to examine the effectiveness of Dex as an adjunctive intraoperative medication to reduce postoperative narcotic requirements in patients undergoing outpatient thyroid surgery. Design, Setting, Patients and Intervention After obtaining approval from the Institutional Review Board at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, we searched the electronic medical record for the period October 2013 to March 2015 to identify patients who had undergone thyroid surgery in the ambulatory setting under general anesthesia. Measurements and Main Results A total of 71 patients underwent thyroidectomy or thyroid lobectomy in the outpatient setting. Of the patients receiving adjunctive Dex, a lower proportion (50%, n=9) received postoperative intravenous opioids when compared with control patients (79%, n=42) ( P =.017). One patient (5%) in the Dex group required rescue postoperative antiemetics as compared to 11 (21%) patients in the control group ( P =.273). Conclusions Our data suggest that intraoperative use of Dex reduced narcotic administration in the postoperative period among study population patients undergoing thyroidectomy.
Romantic Relationship Characteristics and Adolescent Relationship Abuse in a Probability-Based Sample of Youth:

This study examines the longitudinal association between baseline adolescent romantic relationship characteristics and later adolescent relationship abuse (ARA). Data are from the first two waves o...
Effect of Hip Abduction Maximal Voluntary Isometric Contraction on Lumbar Motion and Power Output During the Back Squat

Background: Post-activation potentiation (PAP) is a neuromuscular phenomenon that has been shown to augment muscular force generating attributes as well as neural and sensory recruitment. While PAP has demonstrated to acutely enhance muscular performance during high-intensity activities, the effect of PAP on lumbopelvic kinematics under load remains unknown. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the potential PAP effect of a hip abduction maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) on lumbar motion and power output during the barbell back squat. Methods: Nine resistance-trained men (22.9±2.3 y; 85.0±13.8 kg; 174.3±5.1 cm) performed a set of 5 repetitions of the barbell back squat using 80% one-repetition maximum with and without a hip abduction MVIC prior to performance. Experimental and control trials were randomized and counterbalanced among participants. MVIC was carried out via manual long-lever hip abduction. During the back squat exercise, lumbar motion analysis was performed using wireless motion-sensor technology, and power output was assessed via an accelerometer. Results: No significant differences were observed between trials for lumbar flexion range of motion (ROM) (p=0.32), lumbar flexion maximum deviation (p=0.32), lumbar lateral flexion ROM (p=0.81), lumbar lateral flexion maximum deviation (p=0.98), lumbar rotation maximum deviation (p=0.70), average peak power (p=0.98), or average mean power output (p=0.99) during the squat protocol. Conclusions: Implementation of a manual long-lever hip abduction MVIC prior to the back squat exercise did not significantly alter lumbar motion or augment power output in resistance trained males.
The Arc toward Justice and Peace

William Schabas, one of the foremost human rights defenders of his generation, courageously declared that peace is a human right during a time when prominent human rights advocates call for the use of military force. The flourishing of human rights requires the condition peace. Thus, human rights law is naturally aligned with the international law restricting resort to force. Both are essential to the flourishing of humanity and the natural world. Those calling for military force to promote human rights likely labor under the false assumption that armed conflict is an effective means for accomplishing a variety of desiderata from humanitarian causes to suppressing terrorism to arms control. Military force is often viewed today as a tool of change, not a method of last resort. In fact, military force takes lives; it destroys homes and the environment; it leaves scars that never heal. One of the most important human rights protections we have is the prohibition on resort to force. Protection human rights, in particular the right to life, is incompatible with advocating greater resort to war. Professor Schabas championed this pairing of rules as this essay in his honor emphasizes. It concludes that for the long arc of history to truly be toward justice, it must also bend toward peace.
A Retrospective 10-Year Analysis of Water Absorbent Bead Ingestion in Children.

Aim. This retrospective case series was designed to evaluate the clinical experience of pediatric patients who had ingested water absorbent beads (WABs) and review the relevant literature. Materials and Methods. A retrospective chart analysis of 21 children who were admitted to the emergency service or outpatient clinic with complaints of swallowing WABs during a 10-year period was performed. The patients were divided into two groups: 6 patients who were hospitalized and 15 patients who were observed as outpatients for groups 1 and 2, respectively. All data were screened with respect to presentation, age, gender, clinical and radiological findings, modalities of treatment, and follow-up. Results. All patients were asymptomatic with uneventful outcomes. Laboratory studies, X-ray, and ultrasound examinations revealed normal results. None of the patients underwent surgery or other medical procedures. Gastrointestinal system obstruction or any other pathological findings were not detected after WAB ingestion. No complications were identified during follow-up. Discussion. This first clinical study showed that asymptomatic patients do not require inpatient observation and laboratory investigations, X-ray, and ultrasound. However, results of the present study cannot be generalized to children of all ages due to the few cases of bowel obstruction reported to date in small children.
Unmanned aerial vehicle-based monitoring of groundwater inputs to surface waters using an economical thermal infrared camera

Groundwater discharge into streams helps maintain flows during droughts and provides refugia for thermally sensitive species, as the relatively constant temperature of spring water buffers against instream diurnal and seasonal fluctuations. Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-based thermal imagery represents an attractive option to monitor sites of groundwater-surface water mixing. However, the use of economical thermal sensors presents several challenges to obtaining a stable dataset for mosaicking. Here, we present a method for acquiring and postprocessing thermal infrared imagery at spring discharge sites using an inexpensive, uncooled microbolometer mounted on a small UAV. The procedure involves initial estimation and removal of pixel bias from the sensor output, and then compensation for temporal sensor drift by optimizing the stability of the signal at ground features detected within multiple frames. We illustrate this approach by presenting a case study at the Devils River, a groundwater dependent stream in Texas. Comparison with imagery acquired using a more expensive thermal camera system, designed to compensate for sensor drift at the time of data acquisition using knowledge of internal camera temperature, reveals that our method produces a more consistent final mosaic image. A good linear fit (r2 = 0.97) between the signal in the stabilized dataset and ground-based measurements of water temperature underscores the potential for this method to inexpensively produce high quality maps of surface temperature in ecologically important stream reaches.
The NeuroHomology Database: An Online KMS for Handling and Evaluation of the Neurobiological Information

The NeuroHomology Database (NHDB) is an online knowledge management system designed for handling, systematization and processing of the neurobiological information about brain structures, neuroanatomical connections and similarities between brain nuclei from different species, as found or inferred from the literature. The NHDB has a modular structure, with a knowledge-base designed for storing the data and a set of inference engines for processing of the stored information. In this chapter we briefly describe the structure of the NHDB and discuss the important aspects of the process of searching for data inside of the system.
Establishing a Mentoring Plan for Improving Retention in Online Graduate Degree Programs

As online distance education courses continue to increase in popularity for graduate programs it is becoming evident that retention issues are much greater in this format than in traditional face to face classes. Maintaining contact with students and overcoming feelings of isolation can be a major challenge for instructors and program coordinators. This paper describes an e-mentoring plan established for students in a Master's of Adult Education degree program with the purpose of maintaining enrollment while supporting students throughout their experience. The steps of the plan are described along with the rationale for each.
Estimating Service Life for Corrugated Steel Pipe Culverts

This research category paper is a work in progress that discusses the processes used to improve the service life estimation of steel culverts under roadways in the State of California. The service life of Corrugated Steel Pipe (CSP) culverts is largely dictated by the loss of wall section of pipe arising from corrosion. This corrosion is due to chemical and electrochemical processes based on two major factors: pH levels and the resistivity of the soil. Service life estimates are based on several additional factors: potential for culvert abrasion, changing soil moisture, temperature conditions, soil moisture content, presence of chloride in the soil, and proximity of lakes, wetlands, or marine environments. In addition to pH and resistivity, the CSUN Caltrans Research team has added culvert thickness loss, sulfate and chloride content, total dissolved solids (TDS), salinity, and land use. The thickness reader allows the CSUN Caltrans Research team to calculate the loss of metal from the CSP culverts’ nominal thickness. The goal of this research is to improve the existing service life equations which is currently used by the California Department of Transportation and its associated test methods. To this end, modern non-destructive instrumentation is being implemented in the field to measure CSPs’ thickness which is one of the key parameters under investigation throughout the State of California.
Position-Insensitive Wireless Power Transfer Based on Nonlinear Resonant Circuits

Near-field resonant-based wireless power transfer (WPT) technology has a significant impact in many applications ranging from charging of biomedical implants to electric vehicles (EVs). The design of robust WPT systems is challenging due to its position-dependent power transfer efficiency (PTE). In this paper, a new approach is presented to address WPT’s strong sensitivity to the coupling factor variation between the transmit and receive coils. The introduced technique relies on harnessing the unique properties of a specific class of nonlinear resonant circuits to design position-insensitive WPT systems that maintain a high PTE over large transmission distances and misalignments without tuning the source’s operating frequency or employing tunable matching networks, as well as any active feedback/control circuitry. A nonlinear-resonant-based WPT circuit capable of transmitting 60 W at 2.25 MHz is designed and fabricated. The circuit maintains a high PTE of 86% over a transmission distance variation of 20 cm. Furthermore, transmit power and PTE are maintained over a large lateral misalignment up to ±50% of the coil diameter and angular misalignment up to ±75°. The new design approach enhances the performance of WPT systems by significantly extending the range of coupling factors over which both load power and high PTE are maintained.
The Influence of Shear Anisotropy in mTBI: A White Matter Constitutive Model

We examine the influence of shear anisotropy of brain tissue on the potential for mild traumatic brain injury. First we develop a new constitutive description for the white matter in the brain that can capture the anisotropic behavior of the white matter in both tension and shear. The material parameters for the models are determined using a set of three experiments already published in the literature. The calibrated and parameterized model is then implemented in a computational (finite element) model of the head. This computational model is two-dimensional and is used to simulate a previously published injury-causing event in the National Hockey League, using axonal strain as criterion to assess the level of diffuse axonal injury. It is demonstrated that the inclusion of shear anisotropy affects both the nature and the extent of predicted injury. Further, the locations of the predicted injury are more consistent with observations in the literature.
Robotic Essure® Coil Removal Via Cornual Wedge Resection

Video Objective Describe considerations for pre-operative surgical planning and identify techniques for a cornual wedge resection to adequately remove Essure® coils. Setting A premenopausal female with history of Essure® hysteroscopic sterilization with subsequent development of chronic pelvic pain desiring removal with a uterine sparing procedure. Interventions After confirmation of location and number of Essure® coils by pelvic ultrasound and X-ray, a robotic cornual wedge resection was performed using gentle traction-counter traction, sharp dissection and minimal electrosurgery to remove both fallopian tubes without exposure or fragmentation of the coils. The cornua was then closed with delayed absorbable barbed suture. Conclusion Adequate removal of Essure® coils involve proper pre-operative imaging and complete resection of the tubal interstitium with minimal coil exposure or fragmentation. This prevents breaking or incompletely removing the metallic coils and pro-inflammatory PET fibers.
Salient features of branched chain amino acid strain states using confocal Raman spectroscopy with adaptive principal component analysis

Abstract In this study, we examined how branched-chain amino acids responded to varying experimental conditions through an adaptive principal component analysis (PCA) method. Three branched chain amino acids were chosen: L-leucine, L-valine and L-isoleucine and, four blends were created with varying ratios in order to analyze the effectiveness of this approach on multicomponent samples. Blended samples were created by dissolving the three individual amino acids in four different ratios: 1:1:1, 2:1:1, 1:2:1, and 1:1:2 and allowed to recrystallize with subsequent baking to remove moisture. X-ray Diffraction was performed on control samples to verify purity and determine crystal structure. Raman spectra was collected using a modular micro-Raman system and according to a randomized full-factorial design of experiment (DOE) with the factors including excitation laser power density, and stage temperature resulting in 180 unique spectral scans across the spectral range of 50−4000 cm−1. Assignment of each Raman band in the individual amino acid samples were compared to literature values. The adaptive PCA method was executed across each sample’s collective data set, and variance across each amino acid’s complete DOE was acquired. We identified the vibrational modes that responded to changes in the excitation laser power density setting and stage temperature setting in individual samples. The variance calculated using the adaptive PCA is illustrated using standard PCA biplots. The adaptive PCA method also revealed variance due to blend composition, where the vibrational modes in the blended samples were matched to those that appear in the individual amino acid Raman spectral data to calculate the wavenumber shift.
Enhancing Self-Efficacy During Community Service: Factors Influencing AmeriCorps’ Members’ Change in Self-Efficacy:

Our study uses a social cognitive theory lens to examine the development of AmeriCorps’ members’ context-specific self-efficacy (self-efficacy to perform community service). The analysis uses panel...
Structural Design Synthesis of Aircraft Engine Pylons at Certification Level of Detail

Structural optimization technology, as advanced as it has become, is still not used to fully automate the design of airframe components at a level of analysis detail that would be acceptable for ce...
Explaining Firm Willingness to Forfeit Tax Deduction Under Internal Revenue Code Section 162(m): The Million-Dollar Cap

We examine firms' willingness to forfeit tax deductions in response to Internal Revenue Code Section 162(m). Using a sample of firms over the five-year period subsequent to the effective date of Section 162(m), we find firms forfeit deductions in almost 40 percent of firm-year observations. Empirically, we find the decision to forfeit is consistent with firms trading off the costs and benefits of preserving deductions. In particular we find that firms with higher recontracting costs are more likely to forfeit deductions, while firms with higher tax benefits and political costs are more likely to fully preserve deductions. In documenting the willingness of corporations to forfeit deductions, we add to the body of evidence that suggests Section 162(m) is not totally successful in using tax policy to curb executive pay.
One Man’s Terrorist: A Political History of the IRA

In this brief volume, Daniel Finn, historian and Deputy Editor for the New Left Review, provides a clear, concise, and perceptive survey of the political history of Northern Irish republicanism. Hi...
COVERT-Blockchain: Privacy-Aware Contact Tracing for COVID-19 on a Distributed Ledger

Privacy preservation in contact tracing for COVID-19 is challenging as such applications tend to reveal users sensitive data which is shared together with their location. This paper proposes COVERT-Blockchain, a novel distributed ledger based platform for contact tracing without revealing users privacy where infected users only share their anonymized location traces on the Blockchain with a sliding window. To further reduce the chances of revealing the corresponding users' trajectories, in COVERT-Blockchain we employ an adaptive logging mechanism to store trajectory data for contact tracing only if the users stayed in a location for longer time duration. COVERT-Blockchain is evaluated for scalability and robustness in terms of overhead and delays in storing and retrieving data, results show it to be efficiently achieving contact tracing without privacy leakage.