cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Risk Factors for Failure of Bone Grafting of Tibia Nonunions and Segmental Bone Defects: A New Preoperative Risk Assessment Score.

OBJECTIVE To develop a clinically useful prediction model of success at the time of surgery to promote bone healing for established tibial nonunion or traumatic bone defects. DESIGN Retrospective case controlled. SETTING Level 1 trauma center. PATIENTS Adult patients treated with surgery for established tibia fracture nonunion or traumatic bone defects from 2007 to 2016. Two hundred three patients met the inclusion criteria and were available for final analysis. INTERVENTION Surgery to promote bone healing of established tibia fracture nonunion or segmental defect with plate and screw construct, intramedullary nail fixation, or multiplanar external fixation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Failure of the surgery to promote bone healing that was defined as unplanned revision surgery for lack of bone healing or deep infection. No patients were excluded who had a primary outcome event. RESULTS Multivariate logistic modeling identified 5 significant (P < 0.05) risk factors for failure of the surgery to promote bone healing: (1) mechanism of injury, (2) Increasing body mass index, (3) cortical defect size (mm), (4) flap size (cm), and (5) insurance status. A prediction model was created based on these factors and awarded 0 points for fall, 17 points for high energy blunt trauma (OR = 17; 95% CI, 1-286, P = 0.05), 22 points for industrial/other (OR = 22; 95% CI, 1-4, P = 0.04), and 28 points for ballistic injuries (OR = 28; 95% CI, 1-605, P = 0.04). One point is given for every 10 cm of flap size (OR = 1; 95% CI, 1-1.1, P < 0.001), 10 mm of mean cortical gap distance (OR = 1; 95% CI, 1-2, P = 0.004), and 10 units BMI, respectively (OR = 1.5; 95% CI, 1-3, P = 0.16). Two points are awarded for Medicaid or no insurance (OR = 2; 95% CI, 1-5, P = 0.035) and 3 points for Medicare (3; 95% CI, 1-9, P = 0.033). Each 1-point increase in risk score was associated with a 6% increased chance of requiring at least 1 revision surgery (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS This study presents a clinical score that predicts the likelihood of success after surgery for tibia fracture nonunions or traumatic bone defects and may help clinicians better determine which patients are likely to fail these procedures and require further surgery.
Big Data Analysis: Why Not an Asthma APP?

Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is among the highest health diagnosis and therefore an economic drain, which puts substantial pressure on a huge number of patients, communities, and health systems. These chronic conditions are presently incurable but their symptoms can be controlled through quality health care, appropriate medications, and good self-management skills. Many asthma APPs have been developed to support asthma patients’ self-management of the disease. Asthma APPs are still in the infancy stage of development. Literature review indicates satisfaction to be equivocal. Moreover, available APPs have many unresolved issues, such as the following: (1) No APP provides comprehensive asthma information while at the same time possessing the characteristics of an efficient tool for self-management of the disease; (2) No APP has the ability to integrate data from disparate formats; (3) Not many APPs provide for two way communication between patients and Health Care Providers (HCPs) and support the providers decision making process; (4) No APP targets older adults. Different sources of data often imply data stored in inherently different formats. The integration of such data, culled from different databases requires use of Big Data (BD) techniques. The proposed asthma mobile APP aims to promote elderly asthma patients’ positive adjustment to this chronic disease by being an effective tool for patients to control their asthma triggers and support asthma self-management. Adjustment is a dynamic process and varies by individual. For that reason, a personalized asthma APP is necessary to control this chronic disease. The proposed asthma APP will allow patients to input their own asthma self-management data so the APP can identify patient personal triggers and will predict an asthma attack accordingly. Considering a patient’s individual determinants and uniqueness is required to push the patient’s positive adjustment to asthma since these elements affect the ability of individual to adapt to the illness. The paper reports our effort to establish the desirable characteristics for the next generation asthma APP and for a population segment not presently well served.
Outcomes from ovarian cancer screening in the PLCO trial: Histologic heterogeneity impacts detection, overdiagnosis and survival

Abstract Aim A mortality benefit from screening for ovarian cancer has never been demonstrated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the screening outcomes for different histologic subtypes of ovarian cancers. Methods Women in the screening arm of the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Screening Trial underwent CA-125 and transvaginal ultrasound annually for 3–5 years. We compared screening test characteristics (including overdiagnosis) and outcomes by tumour type (type II versus other) and study arm (screening versus usual care). Results Of 78,215 women randomised, 496 women were diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Of the tumours that were characterised (n = 413; 83%), 74% (n = 305) were type II versus 26% other (n = 108). Among screened patients, 70% of tumours were type II compared to 78% in usual care (p = 0.09). Within the screening arm, 29% of type II tumours were screen detected compared to 54% of the others (p Conclusions Test characteristics of screening for ovarian cancer differed for type II tumours compared to other ovarian tumours. Type II tumours were less likely to be screen diagnosed, early stage at diagnosis or overdiagnosed.
Feasibility of using artificial neural networks with E.I.S. data from coated steel

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (E.I.S.) techniques can provide information about the condition of protective coatings on steel marine structures. Currently, an expert is required to interpret the data produced from an E.I.S. measurement, classifying the coating as good or poor, or identifying the data as bad. This limits the use of E.I.S. techniques to experienced operators. If the E.I.S. technique is to be used for production by inexperienced operators, measurements must be classified automatically. This investigation uses artificial neural networks (ANN) to develop an automated E.I.S. data classifier. ANNs were trained with a large data base of measurements on known good or poor coatings, including some bad data. The ANNs were tested with E.I.S. data not included in the training set. A variety of measurement signal processing schemes and network structures were evaluated. ANNs were developed which can accurately determine if the coating is good or poor, and whether measurement problems produced bad data.
Understanding Interactions Between Municipal Police Departments and the Public on Twitter

Law enforcement agencies have started using social media for building community policing, i.e., establishing collaborations between the people in a community and local police departments. Both researchers and practitioners need to understand how the two parties interact on social media on a daily basis, such that effective strategies or tools can be developed for the agencies to better leverage the platforms to fulfill their missions. In this paper, we collected 9,837 tweets from 16 municipal police department official Twitter accounts within 6 months in 2015 and annotated them into different strategies and topics. We further examined the association between tweet features (e.g., hashtags, mentions, content) and user interactions (favorites and retweets) by using regression models. The models reveal surprising findings, e.g., that the number of mentions has a negative correlation with favorites. Our findings provide insights into how to improve interactions between the two parties.
Repetitive Process Control of Additive Manufacturing With Application to Laser Metal Deposition

Additive manufacturing (AM) is a set of manufacturing processes that have promise in the production of complex, functional structures that cannot be fabricated with conventional manufacturing, and in the repair of high-value parts. However, a significant challenge to the adoption of AM processes to these applications is proper process control. Because AM processes exhibit dynamics in two dimensions—within a layer and from one layer to the next—unconventional tools are needed to enable the necessary process control. Here, stability analysis and control design are presented for the laser metal deposition (LMD) process, based on a previously developed 2-D modeling framework. Linear repetitive process results are extended in order to analyze the stability of this class of systems. A layer-to-layer process controller is developed using a spatial dynamic model of the process and layer-domain closed-loop poles. The stability analysis and control methodology are applied to the LMD process, which is known to exhibit layer-to-layer instability in both open-loop and in-process control depositions. Walls are experimentally fabricated using constant process parameters and the proposed control methodology. The results demonstrate that the proposed control methodology is able to track the reference height and remove the unstable ripple dynamic that naturally occurred in the open-loop deposition.
Nephron-sparing management of Xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis presenting as spontaneous renal hemorrhage: a case report and literature review.

Xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis (XGP) is an uncommon infectious disease of the kidney known to mimic other renal maladies. A rare presentation of this uncommon disease is spontaneous renal hemorrhage (SRH). We report a case of XGP in a 58 year old woman who presented with abdominal pain, hematuria, and radiating left flank pain. CT scan was felt to be consistent with perirenal hemorrhage abutting a fat-containing renal mass. The patient was eventually taken to surgery for left partial nephrectomy. Pathology report returned as XGP, and the patient has no complications from this disease process at 8 month follow up. Our search of the literature shows XGP presenting as SRH to be a rare clinical entity. Furthermore, this is the first such case managed with a nephron-sparing approach. The “great imitator” XGP should be added to the differential for patients presenting with spontaneous renal hemorrhage.
Principles of Knowledge Organization: Analysis and Structures in the Networked Environment

Knowledge organization in the networked environment is guided by standards. Standards in knowledge organization are built on principles. For example, NISO Z39.19-1993 Guide to the Construction of Monolingual Thesauri (now undergoing revision) and NISO Z39.85-2001 Dublin Core Metadata Element Set are two standards used in many implementations. Both of these standards were crafted with knowledge organization principles in mind. Therefore it is standards work guided by knowledge organization principles which can affect design of information services and technologies. This poster outlines five threads of thought that inform knowledge organization principles in the networked environment. An understanding of each of these five threads informs system evaluation. The evaluation of knowledge organization systems should be tightly linked to a rigorous understanding of the principles of construction. Thus some foundational evaluation questions grow from an understanding of standards and principles: on what principles is this knowledge organization system built? How well does this implementation meet the ideal conceptualization of those principles? How does this tool compare to others built on the same principles?
The Effect of Lazaroid on Cerebral Elastance and Edema in a Cryogenic Injury Model

Lazaroid belongs to a novel group of compounds — aminosteroids (AS) which are potent inhibitors of central nervous system tissue lipid peroxidation, and are devoid of classical glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid activities. Recent studies have shown that aminosteroids possess cerebral-protective properties and are efficacious in attenuating damage to the CNS imparted by trauma, ischemia, and vasospasm. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of AS on (a) brain elastance, a measure of the protective volumetric buffering capacity of the brain, and (b) on cerebral perilesional edema. We used the cryogenic brain injury rat model, the constant rate and continuous infusion method to study brain elastance, and the gravitometric method to determine brain edema.
Randall G. Holcombe: Advanced introduction to the Austrian school of economics

What is Austrian Economics and how is it different from “regular” economics? This is a much more difficult question to answer than it might seem. One may be tempted to answer, “how long have you got?” and risk losing the audience immediately. One has to find the right entry point, the hook necessary to draw in the curious and lead them to an understanding that comes from the commitment to reexamine one’s presumptions concerning meaning and method. In this slim volume Randall Holcombe had risen to the challenge. If read carefully it provides a comprehensive and accurate introduction for the serious student wanting to know what Austrian Economics is all about. To be sure, it is an “advanced” introduction, meaning, it seems, that some prior knowledge of economics and some conceptual maturity is assumed. Neoclassical equilibrium economics is the standard against which Austrian market process economics is compared throughout. The goal is to achieve understanding by contrast. Whereas equilibrium economics builds models distinguished by the equilibria they embody, Austrian economics examines the real-time processes by which people’s actions are ordered in a disequilibrium world, a world in which, although people’s plans are never completely coordinated, economies function effectively to peacefully produce valuable goods and services. So, rather than beginning with a standard account of the origins and development of Austrian economics (which, in fact, is the subject of the last chapter) Holcombe jumps right into the key conceptual difference that characterizes Austrian Economics—it is disequilibrium economics. The first chapter, “the Market Process” thus uses the idea of the dynamic market process to explain fundamental Austrian ideas, namely, spontaneous order; the nature and role of time and knowledge in economic activity; equilibrium as market clearing; the role and importance of entrepreneurship; the nature of realworld competition not as a state of affairs, but, rather as a discovery process; and, Rev Austrian Econ DOI 10.1007/s11138-014-0291-7
Principles of Alcoholism Psychotherapy

A recent article in the New York State Journal of Medicine indicated that many physicians had problems in the diagnosis and management of alcoholics (Douglas, 1976). The author suggested that Alcoholics Anonymous was the only effective treatment for alcoholics. Most professionals in the field of alcoholism consider AA an effective method of treatment for many, but by no means all, alcoholics. The experience has been that a variety of treatment approaches, often including AA, is needed for the various subpopulations of alcoholics that are to be found in a community (Zimberg, 1975).
Accessibility to culture and education. Educative city of Córdoba (Spain)

Universal Access to urban services is an indicator of equity and life quality in our cities. Culture and education services have become crucial because of their contribution to a sustainable econom...
Investigation of computational upscaling of adsorption of SO2 and CO2 in fixed bed columns

Fixed bed adsorption is an economical method of removing harmful gases, such as SO2 and CO2, from industrial flue gas. It is possible to reduce the cost and environmental impact of fixed bed adsorption by repurposing waste materials to be used as adsorbents, such as semi-coke derived from oil shale, a possible alternative to fossil fuels. Fixed bed adsorption systems are difficult and time consuming to characterize experimentally, especially on large scales. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) can expand researchers understaning of how these systems are affected by material selection and operating conditions. This study uses CFD to characterize fixed bed adsorption of SO2 and CO2. The research primarily focuses on SO2 adsorption on semi-coke, with an extension to CO2 adsorption on commercial carbon. The CFD modeling was able to describe the amount of the pollutants each material was able to adsorb over time based on a variety of inputs on a larger scale than experimental research. The model was further able to give more detailed comparisons of materials and operating conditions than the experiments, particularly the SO2 and semi-coke system.
Drywall Waste Blocks: A Novel Masonry Material Utilizing Recycled Construction & Demolition Waste

This paper describes patent-pending mixtures and methods for producing masonry blocks using gypsum drywall waste and preliminary investigation of Drywall Waste Block (DWB) engineering properties. Recycling waste from building construction and demolition (C&D) provides many environmental and economic benefits. However, challenges remain for recycling certain low-value C&D materials, such as gypsum drywall waste, and there are few uses for drywall waste from demolition, which constitutes the majority of the drywall waste stream. Recycling drywall waste is desirable as this waste produces noxious hydrogen sulphide gas in landfill conditions, resulting in bans on landfilled drywall waste in some localities. Investigation of compressive strength, water absorption, and thermal performance of DWB specimens is described, and results are compared to specifications for concrete masonry units (CMU), and other comparable masonry blocks. Technical gaps for DWB to be recognized as a CMU alternative are also discussed.
Increased E / A Ratio is a Risk Factor for the Formation of Pleural Effusion in Heart Failure

Pleural effusion is a common finding in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF). The pathogenesis of pleural effusion in heart failure is multifactorial. However, the role of right and left ventricular function assessed by ECHO cardiogram has not been studied. Therefore, we explored the association between right and left ventricular parameters on echocardiogram in patients with heart failure with and without pleural effusion diagnosed using CT scan of chest. A case–control study was utilized to explore the objectives. Using strict exclusion criteria, patients admitted with a single diagnosis of acute CHF were stratified into those with and without pleural effusion using CT scan of chest done at admission. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify significant factors associated with pleural effusion. Among the 70 patients, 36 (51%) had pleural effusions. The mean E/A ratio in patients with effusion (2.53 ± 1.1) was significantly higher than in patients without effusion (1.15 ± 0.9), p < 0.01. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that elevated E/A ratio was significantly associated with pleural effusion, OR 3.26 (95% CI 1.57–6.77, p < 0.009). Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), septal Eʹ, lateral Eʹ, and medial E/Eʹ ratio were not significantly different in patients with and without pleural effusion. Elevated E/A ratio is a risk factor for the formation of pleural effusion in patients with heart failure.
“Know Who They Have in Front of Their Eyes”: A Justice as Praxis Paradigm for Teaching and Learning:

Inequitable access to learning opportunities has intersectional consequences for Black students in general and gifted education. Equally important, all students (regardless of race, ethnicity, gend...
Comparison of programmed intermittent epidural bolus and continuous epidural infusion for post-operative analgesia after major abdominal surgery: A randomized controlled trial.

Abstract Study objective Few studies have compared continuous epidural infusion (CEI) against programmed intermittent epidural bolus (PIEB) epidural analgesia after major abdominal surgery. It has not been established whether the modality of epidural medication administration affects postoperative pain and other patient outcomes. The goal of this study was to compare the efficacy of PIEB against CEI in postoperative pain management after a broad range of surgeries with abdominal incisions, all managed in the context of an established enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathway. Design Prospective, randomized, controlled trial. Setting Postoperative acute care. Patients 120 patients scheduled for major surgery involving abdominal incisions with planned postoperative epidural analgesia were enrolled as study participants. Interventions All subjects received a standardized epidural solution containing ropivacaine 0.0625% and fentanyl 2 μg/ml. The CEI group received this solution as a continuous infusion, while the PIEB group received this solution as programmed intermittent boluses. Measurements The primary study outcome was the total local anesthetic used over the first 24 h post-operatively. Secondary outcomes included pain severity, pain interference, total opioid consumption, patient satisfaction, and adverse effects at 24, 48, and 72 h postoperatively. Main results There was no difference in the primary outcome of total amount of local anesthetic administered in the first 24-hour postoperative period (PIEB: 123 mg [Interquartile Range (IQR): 114–136]; CEI: 126 mg [IQR: 120–134]). There were also no differences in average pain severity, total opioid consumption, patient satisfaction, number of PCEA requests and incidence of adverse events at 24, 48, and 72 h postoperatively. Conclusions Our study suggests that within the context of an established ERAS program, PIEB and CEI modes of epidural analgesia can be equally efficacious and safe in providing postoperative analgesia after major abdominal surgery.
Leopard seal diets in a rapidly warming polar region vary by year, season, sex, and body size

Resolving the preferred prey items and dietary proportions of leopard seals is central to understanding food-web dynamics in the rapidly-warming Antarctic Peninsula region. Previous studies have identified a wide range of prey items; however, due to anecdotal or otherwise limited information, leopard seal diets remain unresolved by seal sex, individual, body size, region, and season. Over the 2013, 2014, and 2017 field seasons we collected scat, tissue samples (red blood cells and plasma; n = 23) for stable isotope analyses, and previously-reported animal-borne video from 19 adult leopard seals foraging near mesopredator breeding colonies at Cape Shirreff, Livingston Island. We summarized a priori diet information from scat and video analysis and applied a three-isotope (δ13C, δ15N, δ34S), four-source (fish, fur seal, krill, penguin) Bayesian mixing model to examine temporal variability in both prey sources and leopard seal tissues. The austral spring diets of males and females focused on Antarctic krill (31.7–38.0%), notothen fish (31.6–36.5%), and penguin (24.4–26.9%) and were consistent across all 3 years. Several lines of evidence suggest the transition to summer foraging was distinct for males and females. Female diets transitioned rapidly to higher δ15N values (+2.1‰), indicating increased consumption of penguin (29.5–46.2%) and energy-dense Antarctic fur seal pup (21.3–37.6%). The seasonal increase in leopard seal δ15N values, and thus fur seal in their diet, was predictably related to larger body size; it may also be forcing reductions to the largest Antarctic fur seal colony in the Antarctic Peninsula. Our ensemble sampling approach reduces historical biases in monitoring marine apex predator diets. Further, our results are necessary to best inform regional fisheries management planning.
Recent results from BABAR

The BABAR Collaboration at SLAC continues to produce a wide variety of publications on interesting and unique topics despite having ceased data-collection operations more than 10 years ago. Presented here are the results of three recent studies. The first is on the direct measurement of the B ± → K ± X (3872) branching fraction, allowing the first determination of the branching fractions of the exotic X (3872) charmonium state. The second is a publication on the first observation of the D 0 → K −π+e +e − branching fraction. The third is on searches for lepton flavor and lepton number violating decays in D 0 meson decays, resulting in improvements over existing limits by factors that vary from 20 to almost 800 depending on the D 0 decay channel.
Recent observations of Supernova Remnants with VERITAS

Supernova remnants (SNRs) are widely considered the most likely source of cosmic rays below the knee (10 15 eV). Studies of GeV and TeV gamma-ray emission in the vicinity of SNRs, in combination with multi-wavelength observations, can trace and constrain the nature of the charged particle population believed to be accelerated within SNR shocks. They may also speak to the diffusion and propagation of these energetic particles and to the nature of the acceler- ation mechanisms involved. We report here on recent observations of SNRs with VERITAS, including the discoveries of VHE gamma-ray emission from from G120.1+1.4 (Tycho's SNR) and from the northwest shell of G78.2+2.1 (gamma-ray source VER J2019+407, which was discovered as a consequence of the VERITAS Cygnus region survey).
Bayesian Model Comparison with the Hyvärinen Score: Computation and Consistency

The Bayes factor is a widely used criterion in model comparison and its logarithm is a difference of out-of-sample predictive scores under the logarithmic scoring rule. However, when some of the ca...
Informed Prefetching in I/O Bounded Distributed Deep Learning

Deep learning research has been growing rapidly in the past decade for the significant performance improvement on GPUs. While the computing capability of current GPUs is tremendous, data pre-processing/loading becomes a potential bottleneck that incurs major training latency and adds overhead in both CPU and memory, especially when datasets are too large to fit in memory. When datasets are stripped on distributed file systems, access to a remote storage node may deteriorate I/O performance significantly due to network I/O latency in cloud. Moreover, some deep learning workloads may be assigned to remote GPU servers in Edge Computing which results in even higher network I/O latency. Therefore, it is desirable to provide efficient parallel and distributed prefetching solution which is able to reduce the I/O cost of data pre-processing before feeding the data into GPUs for training on distributed storage systems of Cloud or Edge. Although the current deep learning frameworks like PyTorch or TensorFlow offer multiprocessing data loading functionalities, their approaches come at the price of high computing resource usage and memory usage. In this paper, we presented a novel thread-level Informed Prefetching Data Loader framework, IPDL, in support of efficient data prefetching from remote storage nodes in distributed deep learning environments and possibly in Edge Computing. Compared to its counterparts in PyTorch, IPDL is able to provide accelerated I/O performance for data loading while consuming lower computing resource and memory space at the same time. Extensive experiments on both an individual server and a cluster computing system have shown the superiority of IPDL over the latest implementation of PyTorch.
Modelling of Semiconductors Subject to Prescribed Currents

We compare existence and uniqueness results for one dimensional current driven semiconductor models with those for a one dimensional semiconductor model subject to potential conditions. Furthermore, we discuss the reasons that for the bipolar current driven model it is physically not possible to impose the electron current I n and the hole current I p independently, but that only the total current I = I n + I p can be chosen. This introduces a coupling between the current continuity equations which is not present for the potential driven model.
Specificity of the T cell receptor for antigen.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the evolutionary and organismal influences of the specificity of the T cell receptor that may have contributed to a particular strategy of immune recognition. Understanding the specificity of recognition in the immune system is uniquely complicated because of the vast diversity of the specific receptors. The chapter focuses on the structure of the determinant recognized by the T-cell receptor (TCR) and the structure of the receptor itself. A recently proposed model of the TCR–antigen–MHC interaction has been discussed in the chapter. The chapter discuses the specificity of the TCR and the mechanisms by which T cells carry out the process of self- and nonself-discrimination. The TCR α and β chains that determine clonal specificity are encoded by variable (V), diversity (D), and joining (J) region gene elements that rearrange to form a mature, transcribable gene, and the number and diversity of these gene elements determine the repertoire potential for TCR specificity. A description of the organization of these gene elements and of the structure of TCR heterodimer is reviewed in the chapter.
Microcavity-integrated colored perovskite solar cells

We demonstrate optical cavity-embedded perovskite solar cells capable of creating transmissive colors that can be easily tuned by altering the spacer layer thickness in the cavity and simultaneously generating ∼4% of power conversion efficiency.
Community Organizing: Practice, Research, and Policy Implications

Community organizing—a field of practice in which residents collaboratively investigate and undertake sustained collective action regarding social issues of mutual concern—has often proven an effective method for achieving changes in policies and systems at local, regional, and even national scales. The field is dynamic. It has expanded and has undergone numerous changes over recent decades. Research from a variety of disciplines has documented, evaluated, and informed many of these changes. This article scrutinizes the evolving field of community organizing, with a particular focus on the current state of social and psychological research on broad-based community organizing processes and outcomes. These findings include not only the effects of community organizing efforts on policies and systems, but also the influences of community organizing on psychological changes among the people and groups who participate. These findings are incorporated into recommendations for policies, practices, and future research.
Some Unenchanted Evenings

Popular and long-running Broadway musicals always generate original cast recordings that are eagerly collected by fans. Many more musicals, however, annually fall by the wayside after a relative handful of performances; most are never heard from again. Despite the stigma of failure associated with a money-losing flop, these shows were created by very talented people and the scores are not always the dismal product one expects. Some notable flops have been commercially recorded and are well worth the time and effort it takes to collect them. This article details 26 of them.
Environmental technology verification program verification strategy

Publisher Summary The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has always evaluated technologies to determine their effectiveness in monitoring, preventing, controlling, and cleaning up pollution. However, numerous government and private groups have identified the lack of an organized and ongoing program to produce independent, credible performance data as a major impediment to the development and use of innovative environmental technology. Such data are needed by technology buyers and permiters both at home and abroad to make informed technology decisions. Because of this broad input, the President's environmental technology strategy, Bridge to a SustainableFuture, and the Vice President's National Performance Review contain initiatives for an EPA program to accelerate the development of environmental technology through an objective verification and reporting of technology performance. In 1994, EPA's Office of Research and Development formed a workgroup to plan the implementation of the Environmental Technology Verification Program (ETV). The workgroup produced a Verification White Paper that guided the initial stages of the program. It outlines the operating principles and implementation activities that are shaping the program, the challenges that are emerging, and the decisions that must be addressed in the future. The program will continue to be modified through input from all parties having a stake in environmental technology, through further operational experience, and through formal evaluation of the program.
Long-Term Relationship between Phosphorus Inputs and Wetland Phosphorus Concentrations in a Northern Everglades Marsh

Assessments of long-term relationships between changes innutrient inputs and wetland nutrient concentrations can becomplicated by fluctuations in other environmental factors aswell as by problems typical of long-term monitoring data.Consequently, statistical analysisof these types of data sets requirescareful consideration of environmental covariates, potentialbiases in the monitoring design, and irregularities caused bychanges in field sampling protocols. We evaluated therelationship between anthropogenic phosphorus (P) inputs andwater-column total P (TP) concentrations in a northernEverglades marsh by statistically analyzing available datacollected from several sampling programs over the past 20 years(1978–1997). Canal inputs of agricultural runoff contributemost of the P to the marsh and have produced a zone ofenrichment within the marsh during the past few decades.Regression analyses showed that both canal and marsh TPconcentrations increased during the 1980s and then decreased inthe 1990s. However, the statistical relationship between canal Pinputs and marsh TP, while significant, generally was weakexcept for marsh locations adjacent to the canal. Strongerrelationships existed between marsh TP and hydrologic parameterssuch as marsh water depth, which is controlled by changes inweather patterns and marsh management. In particular, dryconditions during the 1980s may have contributed to observedincreases in marsh P concentrations and the movement of a P`front' further into the marsh. Higher rainfall and water depthsand agricultural best management programs initiated during the1990s have been associated with reduced P concentrations incanal waters entering the marsh. While it is anticipated thatthis reduction eventually will result in lower marsh TPconcentrations, this effect is not yet evident, possibly due tointernal loading of P from enriched marsh soils. Our findingsillustrate some of the environmental factors that can complicateattempts to develop empirical relationships between P inputs andwetland P concentrations and to use such relationships to forecast changesin marsh concentrations based on past monitoring data alone.
Prevalence of unhealthy substance use on teaching and hospitalist medical services: implications for education.

The prevalence of unhealthy substance use (USU) among medical inpatients can vary, and prior research has not characterized the prevalence of USU among patients cared for by a teaching service (TS) and a nonteaching hospitalist service (NTHS). The objective of this study was to compare the prevalence of USU among patients cared for by a TS and an NTHS. We conducted a cross-sectional study from February to June 2009 at a community teaching hospital. Within 24 hours of admission, all eligible internal medicine admissions to the TS or NTHS were screened for USU, using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption and Drug Abuse Screening Test. Patients screening positive then underwent a diagnostic interview and blinded chart review to increase case finding and to assess whether each patient's admission was related to USU. There were 414 eligible and consenting patients out of 656 patients identified. Patients on the TS were younger and more likely to be current smokers, male, unmarried, non-white, and unemployed (p < .01 for all comparisons). TS patients were more likely to have evidence of USU (29.2% vs. 12.3%; p < .01). Among all admissions to the TS, 22.2% were deemed to be probably or possibly due to USU, as compared with only 3.7% of admissions to the NTHS (p < .01). Medical TSs care for a greater share of patients with USU as compared with an NTHS. These data highlight the need for expanded medical resident training in the diagnosis and management of USU. (Am J Addict 2012;00:1-9)
Geometric Methods for Feature Extraction and Dimensional Reduction

We give a tutorial overview of several geometric methods for feature extraction and dimensional reduction. We divide the methods into projective methods and methods that model the manifold on which the data lies. For projective methods, we review projection pursuit, principal component analysis (PCA), kernel PCA, probabilistic PCA, and oriented PCA; and for the manifold methods, we review multidimensional scaling (MDS), landmark MDS, Isomap, locally linear embedding, Laplacian eigenmaps and spectral clustering. The Nystrom method, which links several of the algorithms, is also reviewed. The goal is to provide a self-contained review of the concepts and mathematics underlying these algorithms.
Handymenu: Integrating menu selection into a multifunction smartphone-based VR controller

We integrated touch menus into a cohesive smartphone-based VR controller. Smartphone touch surfaces offer new interaction styles and also aid VR interaction when tracking is absent or imprecise or when users have limited arm mobility or fatigue. In Handymenu, a touch surface is split into two areas: one for menu interaction and the other for spatial interactions such as VR object selection, manipulation, navigation, or parameter adjustment. Users in our studies transitioned between the two areas and performed nested, repeated selections. A formal experiment included VR object selection (ray and touch), menu selection (ray and touch), menu layout (pie and grid), as well as touch and visual feedback sizes in some cases (two levels each).
Media and War

Representations of war in the media have changed drastically over time. Like the media representations of war, the American public's view of wars has also shifted over time; this is often a result of the media portrayals of war events. This paper examines the role of newspaper, yellow journalism, and sensationalism writing during the Spanish-American War on the American public's support for the war and juxtaposes this with television media accounts of the American war in Vietnam and how this created public disapproval for the war. Both had everlasting effects on US war policy for the future.
Perceptions of Very Old Adults About Informed Care in Medical Encounters

To the Editor: Cognitive, physical, and sensory limitations in older adults often limit informed decision-making in medical encounters.[1]However,older adults remaininterested in making informed healthcare choices,and patient-centered care will require innovations that promote engagement of older adults in care decisions.[2-3] The aim of this study was to determine the proportion of very old adults who felt adequately informed about their care following their most recent clinical encounter and identify correlates of informed care.
Partial Hepatectomy with Temporary Hepatic Vascular Occlusion in Dogs with Hepatic Arteriovenous Fistulas

A technique for temporary hepatic vascular occlusion during partial hepatectomy for hepatic arteriovenous (AV) fistulas in the dog is presented in seven dogs, and three additional cases of hepatic AV fistulas are reviewed. Hematologic, serum biochemical, radiologic, and nuclear scintigraphic parameters before and after surgery are discussed; abnormalities included anemia, hypoproteinemia, leukocytosis, increased liver function tests, retrograde filling of the portal vein during celiac angiography, and increased arteriovenous ratios during nuclear scintigraphy. Hemodynamic and pathologic findings are presented, and portal hypertension and secondary multiple portosystemic shunts are described. Clinical improvement was observed in four dogs with follow-up periods ranging from 5 months to 3 years.
The economic impact of industry-funded university R&D

Abstract In recent years, industry has increased its direct funding of university R&D. This article examines whether such “collaborative” R&D leads to increases in technological innovation in industry. Data are analyzed for the years 1953 through 1986. It is found that direct industry funding of university research is associated with subsequent increases in industry R&D expenditures. These expenditures include funding from both federal and industry sources. This increase in R&D expenditures occurs with a median lag of five years. Rival hypotheses are examined, such as the effect of general university research expenditures. However, these hypotheses are rejected. This article concludes by raising significant implications for policy.
Gas chromatographic determination of 1,2-propanediol dinitrate in blood.

Abstract A method is described for determination of 1,2-propanediol dinitrate in blood at concentrations ranging from 10 ng/ml up to 25,000 ng/ml. It uses double ether extraction with manual shaking in order to complete sample preparation within 5 min. Samples are analyzed via gas chromatography—electron-capture detection using a column of 3% base deactivated SP-2250 on Supelcoport. This column provides excellent separation and little 1,2-propanediol dinitrate tailing.
Hydrophobic ion pairing as a method for enhancing structure and activity of lyophilized subtilisin BPN' suspended in isooctane

The use of enzymes in low water environments permits reactions to occur that are difficult or impossible in aqueous solution. In this manner, proteases can be used to form, rather than hydrolyze, ester and amide linkages. Presumably, the native-like structure of the enzyme must remain intact for catalysis to transpire. However, little is known regarding the integrity of the overall structure of lyophilized proteins suspended in organic media. In this study, the structural changes that occur during the freeze-drying process and those effected by suspension in the organic solvent were examined. Using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, the secondary structure of lyophilized subtilisin BPN' was monitored and correlated to the level of enzymatic activity when suspended in isooctane. In addition, the ability of ionic detergents to stabilize subtilisin BPN' via ion pairing was evaluated. It was found that subtilisin unfolds to some degree during lyophilization, whether it is ion paired or not. Furthermore, there are structural changes observed when the enzyme is placed in isooctane, although the effects are less with ion-paired subtilisin. This higher level of retention of secondary structure results in increased enzymatic activity.
Semilinear problems in unbounded domains

Abstract As formulated by Silva [E.A. de B.e. Silva, Linking theorems and applications to semilinear elliptic problems at resonance, Nonlinear Anal. 16 (1991) 455–477] and Schechter [M. Schechter, A generalization of the saddle point method with applications, Ann. Polon. Math. 57 (3) (1992) 269–281; M. Schechter, New saddle point theorems, in: Generalized Functions and Their Applications, Varanasi, 1991, Plenum, New York, 1993, pp. 213–219], the sandwich theorem has become a very useful tool in finding critical points of functionals leading to solutions of partial differential equations. In the present paper, this theorem is strengthened to apply to more general situations. We present some applications.
The Missed Opportunities of Medicaid

Dr. Sharfstein's Introduction: The federal-state mental health care program is a major payer for mental health care. Medicaid could finance additional community services needed by adults and children with severe mental illness, but it is both underutilized and inappropriately utilized in most states. The National Mental Health Association has published Operation Help: An Advocate's Guide to Medicaid, which provides detailed descriptions of how states have used Medicaid options to cover community mental health care and how they might better use these monies to improve planning and service delivery for the severely mentally ill. This month's column by the author of Operation Help recognizes the potential of Medicaid and the need to revise state Medicaid plans to reflect appropriate public health objectives.
The Interdependence of Individual Portfolio Decisions and the Demand for Insurance

We analyze the individual’s demand for insurance as a special case of general portfolio hedging activity. The demand for insurance contracts is determined simultaneously with the demands for other assets in the portfolio. We demonstrate that when the payoffs of the policy are correlated with the payoffs to the individual’s other assets, the demand for insurance contracts is generally not a separable portfolio decision. We argue that this separability condition is not generally met because of significant interdependence of claims across different insurance policies. Furthermore, our generalizations can reverse the standard prediction that wealthier individuals will demand less insurance.
Transient Sister Chromatid Separation and Elastic Deformation of Chromosomes during Mitosis in Budding Yeast

The accurate segregation of chromosomes at mitosis requires that all pairs of chromatids bind correctly to microtubules prior to the dissolution of sister cohesion and the initiation of anaphase. By analyzing the motion of GFP-tagged S. cerevisiae chromosomes, we show that kinetochore-microtubule attachments impose sufficient tension on sisters during prometaphase to transiently separate centromeric chromatin toward opposite sides of the spindle. Transient separations of 2-10 min duration occur in the absence of cohesin proteolysis, are characterized by independent motion of the sisters along the spindle, and are followed by the apparent reestablishment of sister linkages. The existence of transient sister separation in yeast explains the unusual bilobed localization of kinetochore proteins and supports an alternative model for spindle structure. By analogy with animal cells, we propose that yeast centromeric chromatin acts as a tensiometer.
Synthesis of gasoline-range hydrocarbons over Mo/HZSM-5 catalysts

Abstract Mo/HZSM-5 has been found active in Fischer–Tropsch synthesis (FTS). The catalysts were evaluated under various reaction conditions with low H2/CO (molar ratio ∼1.0) syngas typical of a synthesis gas derived from biomass gasification. Liquid hydrocarbons formed on the Mo/HZSM-5 were composed mainly of alkyl-substituted aromatics and lower branched and cyclized alkanes. Aliphatic hydrocarbons were detected only in trace amounts. Lower hydrocarbons produced included mainly methane, ethane, propane and iso-butane. Higher alcohols and carboxylic acids (C1–C6) were detected in the water phase liquids from FTS. It is supposed that the formation of hydrocarbons on Mo/zeolite is through bifunctional-zeolite acidity and molybdenum metal catalysis via mixed alcohols as the intermediates. Investigation on the effects of zeolite structure indicated that zeolite Y is also an excellent support for Mo in the FTS.
The Sexual Interaction Inventory: A New Instrument for Assessment of Sexual Dysfunction

A major problem in research on the effectiveness of sex therapy procedures has been the lack of a valid and reliable measure of sexual functioning. In many other types of direct, behavioral therapy (e.g., assertiveness training) the patients can be directly observed while engaging in the target behavior. In the area of sexual behavior, ethical and social considerations obviously make direct observation impossible. Consequently, many clinicians have relied on the patients’ unsystematic verbal report as the measure of treatment outcome. This chapter offers a structured behavioral self-report inventory as an alternative to such informal assessment.