cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Operationalizing Crime Over the Life Course

Pointing to declines in self-reported criminality across waves of the National Youth Survey, several researchers have concluded that “testing effects” may render longitudinal self-report data unreliable. This article argues that the issue remains unsettled on two accounts. First, alternative explanations for the declines have not been fully addressed. These include matters of scale construction, item-specific age—crime curves, and selective attrition. Second, previous research tends to conflate two types of testing effects explanations: panel fatigue and changing content validity. Each of these five explanations has different implications and is explored in the present article. Through this series of analyses, the author concludes that the declines stem from item-specific issues, namely, the inclusion of early-peaking offenses in the scales and the changing content validity of some survey items. Implications are discussed with respect to how criminologists operationalize key constructs such as crime and d...
Direct-to-implant breast reconstruction.

Implant-based breast reconstruction is the most common means to restore the breast following mastectomy for breast cancer treatment or risk reduction. Many patients chose implant reconstruction secondary to the advantages of a shorter operative time, lack of donor-site morbidity, and quicker return to normal life activities.
Results of a Survey to Identify Differences between Interdisciplinary and Transdisciplinary Research Process

Because of the rise in new technological and scientific discoveries and products, the disciplines have multiplied rapidly into disciplinary, multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and now transdisciplinary in the fields of natural science, social science, engineering and technology, humanities, arts, and the professional or applied arts and sciences. The numbers of disciplines, subdisciplines, and fields of study have grown from less than twenty-five to well over eight thousand and are still growing rapidly. The majority have been developed in the last one hundred years with the bulk developing in the years since World War II ended in 1945. The main objective of this chapter is to discuss the results of a survey conducted to compare interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research requirements.
Chemical and isotopic tracers illustrate pathways of nitrogen loss in cranberry floodwaters

Limited research exists on the sources of nitrogen (N) in cranberry floodwaters, which have been identified as a prominent cause of concern to watershed N loading in the cranberry-producing region of southeastern Massachusetts. In this study, we used naturally occurring chemical and isotopic tracers to infer the sources of N transported by harvest floodwaters. In 2012, the cranberry bed was a net source of total N (TN), exporting 0.8 kg N ha (primarily as organic N) to a nearby lake. Systematic increases in TN concentration were associated with increasing fractions of pre-event soil water and groundwater ("porewater") in discharge. Results showed that N concentrations in porewater generally derive from the natural mixing of soil water and perched groundwater within the cranberry bed but locally display a connection to deep groundwater where the underlying peat is absent. These findings illustrate the environmental significance of stored pools of porewater in cranberry beds and the ability to focus on moments of disproportionate N transfer to most efficiently curtail floodwater N losses (i.e., 58% of N export occurred in only 22% of floodwater discharge).
Implementing a robotics curriculum at an academic general surgery training program: our initial experience

The robotic surgical platform is being utilized by a growing number of hospitals across the country, including academic medical centers. Training programs are tasked with teaching their residents how to utilize this technology. To this end, we have developed and implemented a robotic surgical curriculum, and share our initial experience here. Our curriculum was implemented for all General Surgical residents for the academic year 2014-2015. The curriculum consisted of online training, readings, bedside training, console simulation, participating in ten cases as bedside first assistant, and operating at the console. 20 surgical residents were included. Residents were provided the curriculum and notified the department upon completion. Bedside assistance and operative console training were completed in the operating room through a mix of biliary, foregut, and colorectal cases. During the fiscal years of 2014 and 2015, there were 164 and 263 robot-assisted surgeries performed within the General Surgery Department, respectively. All 20 residents completed the online and bedside instruction portions of the curriculum. Of the 20 residents trained, 13/20 (65 %) sat at the Surgeon console during at least one case. Utilizing this curriculum, we have trained and incorporated residents into robot-assisted cases in an efficient manner. A successful curriculum must be based on didactic learning, reading, bedside training, simulation, and training in the operating room. Each program must examine their caseload and resident class to ensure proper exposure to this platform.
The Use of Acetyl Thiocholine in the Histochemical Study of the Action of Organophosphorus Insecticides

Acetyl thiocholine and related thioesters were investigated as histochemical indicators of cholinesterases in insects. It was shown that acetyl thiocholine was hydrolyzed by insect cholinesterase in a manner indistinguishable from acetyl choline. The histochemical detection of copper thiocholine was used to demonstrate that the intact insect nerve sheath effectively prevents the penetration of acetyl thiocholine into the ventral nerve cord of Periplaneta americana and that cholinesterase activity in this substrate is abolished by lethal doses of organophosphorus insecticides.
Photoinduced Magnetism in a Series of Prussian Blue Analogue Heterostructures

Heterostructured thin films consisting of distinct layers of the Prussian blue analogues RbaCob[Fe(CN)6]c·mH2O (CoFe PBA) and RbjMk[Cr(CN)6]l·nH2O (MCr PBA, where M = Ni or Co) have been fabricated, and their photomagnetic properties have been investigated. The CoFe PBA is known to be photoactive, with light induced changes in the unit cell size and the spin states below ∼150 K and magnetic order below ∼20 K. The NiCr and CoCr PBAs do not have native photoeffects, but are known to have higher magnetic ordering temperatures (TCNiCr ∼ 70 K, TCCoCr ∼ 30 K), and a pressure dependence of the magnetization. The layered heterostructures are synthesized using aqueous chemistry and sequential adsorption techniques that allow for fine control of layer thickness. Some of the heterostructured films show photoinduced magnetization changes up to the ordering temperatures of the MCr PBA component, behavior that is not seen when the individual materials are measured separately. A variety of different layer arrangements a...
Manufacturing Modeling of 3-D Resin Injection Pultrusion Process Control Parameters for Polyester/Glass Rovings Composites

Pultrusion, sometimes referred to as continuous resin transfer molding process, is a continuous, cost-effective method for manufacturing composite materials with constant cross sections (such as rod stock, beams, channels and tubing). The objective of this study is to improve the fiber reinforcement wetout and thus the quality of the pultruded part in the injection pultrusion process. The complete wetout of the dry reinforcement by the liquid resin depends on various design and process parameters. The process parameters modeled in this study are: fiber pull speed, fiber volume fraction, and viscosity of the resin. In the present work a 3-D finite volume technique is employed to simulate the liquid resin flow through the fiber reinforcement in the injection pultrusion process. The numerical model simulates the flow of polyester resin through the glass rovings and predicts the impact of the process parameters on wetout, resin pressure field, and resin velocity field. The location of the liquid resin flow front has been predicted for an injection slot as well as for five discrete injection ports.
Effect of long-term antibiotic use on weight in adolescents with acne

OBJECTIVES Antibiotics increase weight in farm animals and may cause weight gain in humans. We used electronic health records from a large primary care organization to determine the effect of antibiotics on weight and BMI in healthy adolescents with acne. METHODS We performed a retrospective cohort study of adolescents with acne prescribed ≥4 weeks of oral antibiotics with weight measurements within 18 months pre-antibiotics and 12 months post-antibiotics. We compared within-individual changes in weight-for-age Z-scores (WAZs) and BMI-for-age Z-scores (BMIZs). We used: (i) paired t-tests to analyse changes between the last pre-antibiotics versus the first post-antibiotic measurements; (ii) piecewise-constant-mixed models to capture changes between mean measurements pre- versus post-antibiotics; (iii) piecewise-linear-mixed models to capture changes in trajectory slopes pre- versus post-antibiotics; and (iv) χ(2) tests to compare proportions of adolescents with ≥0.2 Z-scores WAZ or BMIZ increase or decrease. RESULTS Our cohort included 1012 adolescents with WAZs; 542 also had BMIZs. WAZs decreased post-antibiotics in all analyses [change between last WAZ pre-antibiotics versus first WAZ post-antibiotics = -0.041 Z-scores (P < 0.001); change between mean WAZ pre- versus post-antibiotics = -0.050 Z-scores (P < 0.001); change in WAZ trajectory slopes pre- versus post-antibiotics = -0.025 Z-scores/6 months (P = 0.002)]. More adolescents had a WAZ decrease post-antibiotics ≥0.2 Z-scores than an increase (26% versus 18%; P < 0.001). Trends were similar, though not statistically significant, for BMIZ changes. CONCLUSIONS Contrary to original expectations, long-term antibiotic use in healthy adolescents with acne was not associated with weight gain. This finding, which was consistent across all analyses, does not support a weight-promoting effect of antibiotics in adolescents.
Reconstruction of sternal and abdominal wall defects in a case of desmoid tumor

A case of desmoid tumor of the anterior chest and abdominal wall is presented. The entire body of the sternum along with the upper abdominal wall and inner parts of both breasts was resected. The resulting defect over the pericardium and abdomen was reconstructed by the omentum and Marlex mesh. The large skin defect was covered by bilateral thoracoabdominal tube pedicles. The patient had a stable chest wall with uncompromised respiratory function 1 week after the operation. Prevention of local recurrences of desmoid tumors requires wide excision of the involved soft tissues and bony structures. The principles of wide resection of soft tissue tumors, reconstruction of the anterior chest and abdominal wall defects, and planning the skin coverage over the resulting defect are discussed.
Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization on Enriched CD138-Positive Cells in Plasma Cell Myeloma.

To validate plasma cell enrichment technique for improving the detection of cytogenetic abnormalities in the Plasma cell myeloma (PCM)/multiple myeloma (MM). We compared the abnormality detection rate for overnight unstimulated bone marrow cultures to that for the plasma cell enriched fractions obtained with the use of CD138-coated immunomagnetic beads. Average enrichment factor (EF) was 11. One or more abnormalities were detected in 90% of enriched samples vs. 65% of non-enriched samples, thus resulting in a significantly higher detection rate of total cytogenetic abnormalities in enriched plasma cells (p=0.0038). Additional findings of RB1 deletion, TP53-, 1p-, 1q+ and IGH@ rearrangement seen in the 25% of enriched samples could contribute to the altered risk in the patient. One of the three cases with plasma cells as low as 1% by morphology was positive for a residual disease marker in the enriched sample and negative in the non-enriched sample. The plasma cell enrichment technique increased the detection rate of diagnostic and prognostic markers and is a very sensitive method for detecting minimal residual disease.
Reconceptualizing a More Inclusive Faculty Engagement Model: Including and Engaging Part-time Faculty at Community Colleges

ABSTRACTBecause of the importance of faculty engagement to achieve our nationwide student completion goals, this paper comprehensively and critically reviews the conceptualizations of faculty and employee engagement in the extant literature. This review is a means to develop an improved, more inclusive, faculty engagement framework. It is a framework that positions adjunct faculty at community colleges—who have been too often marginalized—as a central group that should also benefit from new engagement models.
Setting the SCENE: Developing a caring youth sport environment

ABSTRACTQuality coaching practice has many intricacies. One important component is developing a caring sport environment, which has been shown to foster positive athlete-coach relationships, enhance motivation, promote positive youth development, and encourage sport commitment. The purpose of this article is to share a collection of strategies based on philosophical frameworks, i.e., the caring relation and ubuntu, insight from practitioners, and empirical work, to set the SCENE for developing a caring sport environment (i.e., supporting athletes, connecting with players, empowering athletes, nurturing care, and establishing a safe environment).
Statistical Power in Two-Level Hierarchical Linear Models with Arbitrary Number of Factor Levels.

Abstract As the US health care system undergoes unprecedented changes, the need for adequately powered studies to understand the multiple levels of main and interaction factors that influence patient and other care outcomes in hierarchical settings has taken center stage. We consider two-level models where n lower-level units are nested within each of J higher-level clusters (e.g. patients within practices and practices within networks) and where two factors may have arbitrary a and b factor levels, respectively. Both factors may represent a × b treatment combinations, or one of them may be a pretreatment covariate. Consideration of both factors at the same higher or lower hierarchical level, or one factor per hierarchical level yields a cluster ( C ), multisite ( M ) or split-plot randomized design ( S ). We express statistical power to detect main, interaction, or any treatment effects as a function of sample sizes ( n , J ) , a and b factor levels, intraclass correlation ρ and effect sizes δ given each design d ∈ { C , M , S } . The power function given a , b , ρ , δ and d determines adequate sample sizes to achieve a minimum power requirement. Next, we compare the impact of the designs on power to facilitate selection of optimal design and sample sizes in a way that minimizes the total cost given budget and logistic constraints. Our approach enables accurate and conservative power computation with a priori knowledge of only three effect size differences regardless of how large a × b is, simplifying previously available computation methods for health services and other researches.
Tunable CPW-based transmission line for mm-wave applications

This paper presents a coplanar waveguide (CPW) based tunable transmission line (TTL) for broadband operation in mm-wave band such as the 5G generation of communication systems. The design consists of a conventional CPW on the top aluminum layer with inductance and limited capacitance tuning mechanisms using MOS switches. The 3D electromagnetic (EM) simulation of a sample TTL of size 500×1000 μm indicate the design is capable of reaching inductive peaking with values of 4.93–7.57 nH in a frequency range of 40–60 GHz.
Efficacy of a lead based paint XRF analyzer and a commercially available colorimetric lead test kit as qualitative field tools for determining presence of lead in religious powders

ABSTRACTThe performances of a portable X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) lead paint analyzer (RMD LPA-1, Protec Instrument Corp., Waltham, MA) and a commercially available colorimetric lead test kit (First Alert Lead Test Kit, eAccess Solutions, Inc., Palatine, IL) were evaluated for use by local or state health departments as potential cost-effective rapid analysis or “spot test” field techniques for tentative identification of lead content in sindoor powders. For both field-sampling methods, sensitivity, specificity and predictive values varied widely for samples containing <300,000 µg/g lead. For samples containing ≥300,000 µg/g lead, the aforementioned metrics were 100% (however, the CIs had a wide range). In addition, both field sampling methods showed clear, consistent positive readings only for samples containing ≥300,000 µg/g lead. Even samples with lead content as high as 5,110 µg/g were not positively identified by either field analysis technique. The results of this study suggest the XRF analyzer and co...
Computational Aspects of Controlled Tabular Adjustment: Algorithm and Analysis

Statistical agencies have used complementary cell suppression to limit statistical disclosure in tabular data for four decades. Cell suppression results in significant information loss and reduces the usefulness of published data, significantly so for the unsophisticated user. Furthermore, computing optimal complementary cell suppressions is known to be an NP-hard problem. In this paper, we explore a recent method for limiting disclosure in tabular data, controlled tabular adjustment (CTA). Based on a mixed integer-programming model for CTA, we present a procedure that provides a lower bound on the objective, which is demonstrated to decrease the computational effort required to solve the model. We perform experiments to examine heuristics for CTA proposed elsewhere that can be used to convert the MIP problem into linear programming problems while preserving essential information.
Ballarat Sepiolite, Inyq County, California

Abstract Ballarat sepiolite appears to have formed by alteration of previously existing minerals, primarily saponite, rather than by direct crystallization, during cyclic inundation by a Pleistocene lake. The sepiolite appears as a coating on fracture surfaces of metamorphosed limestone in combination with saponite and diopside. Ballarat sepiolite occurs as a naturally pure and well crystallized material, very similar to Two Crows sepiolite from Nevada, so that its diffraction pattern has more peaks resolved than patterns of sepiolite given for specimens from other sources, such as Kuzu, Japan. Also, the infrared absorption spectra are more sharply defined.
Recent advances in the discovery of small-molecule inhibitors of HIV-1 integrase.

AIDS caused by the infection of HIV is a prevalent problem today. Rapid development of drug resistance to existing drug classes has called for the discovery of new targets. Within the three major enzymes (i.e., HIV-1 protease, HIV-1 reverse transcriptase and HIV-1 integrase [IN]) of the viral replication cycle, HIV-1 IN has been of particular interest due to the absence of human cellular homolog. HIV-1 IN catalyzes the integration of viral genetic material with the host genome, a key step in the viral replication process. Several novel classes of HIV IN inhibitors have been explored by targeting different sites on the enzyme. This review strives to provide readers with updates on the recent developments of HIV-1 IN inhibitors.
A meta-analysis: Parkinson's disease and dual-task walking

Abstract A growing body of literature has reported the effects of dual tasks on gait performance in people with Parkinson's disease (PD). The purpose of this meta-analysis was to synthesize the existing literature and quantify the overall influence of dual tasks on gait performance in PD. A thorough literature search was conducted, and 19 studies met the stringent inclusion criteria. Two moderator variable analyses examined the dual-task effect by: (a) mean single-task gait speed for each study (≥1.1 m/s or SMD = −0.68) confirmed that gait performance is adversely affected by dual tasks in people with PD. Second, the significant negative effect of dual tasks is present regardless of the mean level of single-task gait speed in a study. Third, dual-task walking speed deteriorates regardless of the type of dual task. Together, these results confirm that dual tasks severely affect walking performances in people with PD.
Variability in training, practice, and prioritization of services among emergency medicine pharmacists.

Purpose The purpose of this survey-based research project is to identify factors, including prior training, institution demographics, and pharmacist prioritization of services that may impact variability in practice among emergency medicine (EM) pharmacists. Methods An electronic survey was available for 6 weeks. Participants were contacted through professional membership directories. Survey questions addressed EM pharmacist training and institution demographics. Pharmacists were asked to define the frequency with which they performed ASHP-identified best practice services. Results Responses were received by 208 pharmacists (response rate = 9.4%) who were primarily from academic (48.1%) or community (47.6%) emergency departments (EDs). Pharmacists working in an academic ED were more likely to have EM postgraduate year 2 training (27.8%) compared to a community ED (11.2%) (p = 0.0182). Pharmacists practicing in an academic emergency department (ED) reported participating in traumas, care for boarded patients, and performing scholarly activities more frequently (p < 0.01) and medication reconciliations less frequently (p < 0.01) than those in a community ED. Most EM pharmacists reported postgraduate year 1 training (45.7%) as compared to postgraduate year 2 EM (18.3%) or critical care (13.7%) pharmacy residency training. Conclusion Institution and ED demographics as well as pharmacist level of training can affect the frequency of services provided in the ED setting.
Third eGrid Workshop Maps the Grid of the Future: Attendees Engage to Examine the Role of Power Electronic Applications in Modern Electric Power Systems

Distributed energy resources (DERs), bulk grid events, grid stability and resilience, microgrids, standards, power quality, and high-voltage dc (HVDC) technologies were among the topics of interest at the third IEEE International Workshop on Electronic Grid (eGrid). IEEE eGrid 2018, hosted by Clemson University in Charleston, South Carolina, 12-14 November 2018, provided a platform for examining the role of power electronic applications in modern electric utilities. Power electronics is currently changing from an enabling technology for renewable generation and energy efficiency to an underpinning technology for grid modernization, electronic transmission, and distribution grids that can effectively manage electricity among many power electronic-based sources and loads. Power electronicbased sources and loads will be prominent in the grid of the future.
Mn-doped Zn/S quantum dots as photosensitizers for antimicrobial photodynamic inactivation

The survival of pathogens on surfaces is a major contributor to infection transmission, and drives the development of selfsterilizing surfaces. Here, we have investigated if manganese-doped zinc sulfide quantum dots (Mn:ZnS QDs) can be used as photosensitizers for their potential application in surface disinfection via antimicrobial photodynamic inactivation (aPDI). A small library of Mn:ZnS QDs capped with 3-mercaptopropionic acid was synthesized using a hydrothermal approach in which both the amount of manganese (0-30 at.%) and heating period (9 – 20 h) were varied. The resultant Mn:ZnS QDs were shown by transmission electron microscopy to vary in size from 2.6-3.9 A as a function of heating time, and exhibited a strong emission band at ~598 nm (λex = 325 nm). Upon excitation of 5%-Mn:ZnS QDs at 514 nm, a near-IR emission band attributable to singlet oxygen phosphorescence was observed at 1278 nm, confirming that these QDs may function as photosensitizers via a Type II mechanism. The aPDI efficacy of the Mn:ZnS QDs was evaluated against both Gram-positive [methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA; ATCC-44), vancomycin-resistant E. faecium (VRE; ATCC-2320)], and Gram-negative [multidrug-resistant A. baumannii (MDRAB; ATCC-1605), NDM-1 positive K. pneumoniae (KP; ATCC-2146)] bacteria. Our best results demonstrated detection limit photodynamic inactivation (6 log units reduction) of KP, MDRAB, and MRSA upon illumination (30 min; 65±5 mW/cm2; 400-700 nm), but only a ~1 log unit reduction against VRE. Together with antiviral studies of Zika virus that showed ~3 log units of inactivation, these findings demonstrate the utility of Mn:ZnS QDs as photosensitizers for aPDI.
Operator Strategy Model Development in UAV Hacking Detection

An increasingly relevant security issue for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs, also known as drones) is the possibility of a global positioning system (GPS) spoofing attack. Given the existing problems in current GPS spoofing detection techniques and human visual advantages in searching and localizing targets, we propose a human-autonomy collaborative approach of human geo-location to assist UAV control systems in detecting GPS spoofing attacks. An interactive testbed and experiment were designed and used to evaluate this approach, which demonstrated that human-autonomy collaborative hacking detection is a viable concept. Using the hidden Markov model (HMM) approach, operator behavior patterns and strategies from the experiment were modeled via hidden states and transitions among them. These models revealed two dominant hacking detection strategies. Statistical results and expert performer evaluations show no significant difference between different hacking detection strategies in terms of correct detection. The detection strategy model suggests areas of future research in decision support tool design for UAV hacking detection. Also, the development of HMMs presents the feasibility of quantitatively investigating operator behavior patterns and strategies in human supervisory control scenarios.
Real-World Experience With Cabozantinib in Metastatic Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Retrospective Analysis

Cabozantinib inhibits tyrosine kinase activity at the MET, AXL, and VEGF receptors and is approved for front-line therapy in metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Little off-protocol data exist on tolerability and response. The objective of this retrospective study was to assess off-protocol tolerability and response rates in patients with metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma being treated with cabozantinib. Data on baseline disease characteristics and treatment details were retrospectively gathered for patients with metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma treated with cabozantinib at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center from 2015 to 2017. A blinded radiologist determined the best response according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) 1.1. Descriptive statistics were utilized. Cabozantinib has a high disease control rate (92%), even as a late line of therapy in metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma. However, careful monitoring is warranted, as many patients require treatment breaks and dose reductions for therapy-related toxicity.
Political socialization on Xbox Live: a sociocultural linguistic approach to adolescent identity

This article examines a group of adolescent boys discussing the 2012 presidential elections while chatting on Xbox Live. The article uses a sociocultural linguistic framework to analyze the local a...
Objects and Agency: Science and Technology Studies, Latin American Studies, and Global Histories of Knowledge in the Early Modern World

Drawing from a combination of the author’s own research on Portugal’s empire and recent work across a range of disciplines, this essay discusses the growing dialogue between Latin American studies and science and technology studies (STS). It discusses key similarities and differences in the questions, methods, and theoretical frameworks which have guided research in both areas. It focuses particular attention on the divergent ways in which the two interdisciplinary arenas of scholarship have handled objects and materiality. The author argues that despite important differences in orientation, a focus on objects and materiality informed by STS perspectives can broaden the archive available to scholars of colonial Latin America, challenge and extend critical insights of colonial research, and call into question the adequacy of conventional Latin American and Atlantic spatial frameworks. Resumo Baseando-se numa combinacao das pesquisas do proprio autor com trabalhos recentes de temas variados, o presente artigo trata do dialogo crescente entre Estudos Latinoamericanos e Estudos de Ciencia e Tecnologia (STS). O artigo aborda semelhancas e diferencas centrais nas questoes, metodos e estruturas teoricas que ate entao tem guiado investigacoes nos campos de Estudos Latinoamericanos e STS. Ele foca particularmente nas diferentes formas que os dois âmbitos interdisciplinares de pesquisa tratam objetos e materialidade. O autor argumenta que apesar das diferentes orientacoes dessas duas areas, o foco em objetos e as suas materialidades, baseado nas perspectivas do STS, permite uma ampliacao do arquivo disponivel aos que investigam a America Latina colonial, desafia e expande o pensamento critico desse campo e incentiva novos questionamentos sobre o uso de conceitos espaciais convencionais da America Latina e do Atlântico que vem sendo utilizados por pesquisadores do tema.
Laser emission microscope for cancer diagnosis (Conference Presentation)

The bio-laser is an emerging technology in biosensing and imaging. In contrast to traditional fluorescence based measurement, lasing emission is used as the sensing signal, which has strong intensity, threshold behavior, and narrow linewidth, and is free of background. In this presentation, we will first discuss the principle of bio-lasers. Then we will describe the development of the laser emission microscope based on bio-lasers for tissue imaging that can be used for cancer diagnosis.
Teaching Points With 3-Dimensional Mapping of Cardiac Arrhythmias Teaching Point 3: When Early Is Not Early

Before creating a detailed 3-dimensional map of an arrhythmia, the electrophysiologist should already have a reasonable idea regarding which cardiac chamber contains either the focal site of origin of an automatic tachycardia or the relevant substrate for reentry. Typically, a combination of careful review of the ECG during tachycardia and knowledge of the location of abnormal substrate (such as myocardial infarction, atriotomy scar, etc) will allow focused mapping in the appropriate chamber. Prior teaching points have already discussed1,2 the fact that an isolated “early site of activation” is essentially meaningless for guiding ablation of macroreentry. However, in some circumstances, even for a focal “automatic” tachycardia, the apparently early site is not a suitable site to target for ablation. After constructing the activation map during tachycardia before ablation, especially if the earliest site of activation obtained does not appear to be particularly early compared with the surface ECG reference, the following should be considered. ### Overlapping Cardiac Structures Mapping a chamber other than the actual chamber where the tachycardia originates will clearly lead to a wrong conclusion. For example, when mapping premature ventricular tachycardias or monomorphic ventricular tachycardia in a structurally normal heart, a detailed map of the right ventricular outflow tract may show the “earliest site” of activation to be in the posterior wall of the right ventricular outflow tract. The true site of origin may, however, be in a coronary cusp or the subvalvar anterior left ventricular outflow tract. The posterior right ventricular outflow tract may appear to be early because a far-field signal is detected on the mapping electrode or because of breakthrough in the right ventricular outflow tract from the wave front originating on the other side of the region.3,4 After mapping the left ventricle and coronary cusps and combining the maps, the earliest activation …
Technique to Determine Intense Electron Beam Parameters and X-Ray Spectra From Dose-Rate Measurements at Different Angles

A new technique can determine far-field X-ray spectra produced by intense pulsed electron beams (e-beams). Dose-rate measurements at three different angles of observation determine the e-beam voltage, current, and angle of incidence, all as functions of time. A Monte-Carlo code using the inferred e-beam parameters can then calculate the far-field spectrum at any point in space and time. The technique is described using a 2-MV example (Gamble II) and an 8-MV example (radiographic integrated test stand (RITS)-6). Error-propagation analyses estimate the uncertainty in the parameters inferred from the dose-rate measurements.
Analytic methods for estimating the health effects of social policies in the presence of simultaneous change in multiple policies: A review

A growing body of empirical research seeks to quantify the causal effects of social policies on health by exploiting variation in the timing of policy changes across places. However, multiple social policies are often adopted simultaneously or in close succession in the same locations, creating clustering which must be handled analytically for valid inferences. Although this is a substantial methodological challenge for studies aiming to isolate social policy effects, yet systematic assessments of available analytic solutions and tradeoffs among approaches are lacking. We designated eight analytic solutions prior researchers have adopted, including efforts to disentangle individual policy effects and efforts to estimate the joint effects of clustered policies. We leveraged an existing systematic review of social policies and health to evaluate how often policy clustering is identified as a threat to validity and how often each analytic solution is applied in practice. Of the 55 studies, only 17 (31%) reported checking for any clustered policies, and 36 (67%) used at least one approach that helps address clustered policies. The most common approaches were adjusting for clustered policies, defining the outcome on subpopulations likely to be affected by the policy of interest but not other clustered policies, and selecting a less-correlated measure of policy exposure were the most common approaches. Systematically assessing policy clustering and applying analytic solutions when necessary would strengthen future studies on the health effects of social policies. Adequate reporting on these analytic decisions would facilitate evaluating validity and interpreting study findings.
ANISTROPIC STARS: EXACT SOLUTIONS AND STABILITY

I report on recent work concerning the existence and stability of self-gravitating spheres with anisotropic pressure. After presenting new exact solutions, Chandrasekhar's variational formalism for radial perturbations is generalized to anisotropic objects and applied to investigate their stability. It is shown that anisotropy can not only support stars of mass M and radius R with 2M/R≥8/9 and arbitrarily large surface redshifts, but that stable configurations exist for values of the adiabatic index γ smaller than the corresponding isotropic value.
Contextualizing the gender gap in voter turnout

Overall women turn out to vote at a higher rate than men, yet few studies have examined the consistency of this finding across American electoral contexts. We use voter file data to compare turnout...
Zizek’s Pandemic

At times, Slavoj Zizek’s book Pandemic helps to clarify these differences by separating the spread of the coronavirus from the viral spread of culture and the endless replications of computer viruses. On a basic level, employing Lacan’s fundamental three-part theory, we can say that biological viruses belong to the Real, mental virus belong to the Imaginary, and computer viruses belong to the Symbolic. As we shall see in reading Zizek’s text, while it is hard to keep these different viral forms separate, it is necessary to maintain these distinctions. Moreover, as Zizek insists, if we want to have an effective global response to this pandemic and other pressing issues, then we have to affirm a mode of understanding that is universal and scientific, which could be seen as representing the fourth dimension in Lacan’s structure.
Potassium-chelating drug sodium polystyrene sulfonate enhances lysosomal function and suppresses proteotoxicity

Lysosomes are crucial for degradation and recycling of damaged proteins and cellular components. Therapeutic strategies enhancing lysosomal function are a promising approach for aging and age-related neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we show that an FDA approved drug sodium polystyrene sulfonate (SPS), used to reduce high blood potassium in humans, enhances lysosomal function both in C.elegans and in human neuronal cells. Enhanced lysosomal function following SPS treatment is accompanied by the suppression of proteotoxicity caused by expression of the neurotoxic peptides A{beta} and TAU. Additionaly, treatment with SPS imparts health benefits as it significantly increases lifespan in C.elegans. Overall our work supports the potential use of SPS as a prospective geroprotective intervention. HIGHLIGHTSO_LISodium polystyrene sulfonate improves pH-dependent processing of lysosomal cargo, enhances proteotoxic stress resistance and extends lifespan in C. elegans C_LIO_LISodium polystyrene sulfonate boosts lysosomal function in human neuronal cells and reduces level of aggregation-associated phosphorylated-TAU C_LI
Thinking of Graduate School? Perspectives from the CEE Editorial Team and Publications Board

The CEE Editorial Team and Publications Board provide their answers to six questions surrounding the decision to attend graduate school.
Genetic Engineering of Oilseeds for Desired Traits

The beginnings of chemical engineering are usually placed in the last quarter of the nineteenth century (1). In subsequent years there was a great proliferation of patents relating to industrial chemistry. In addition to the production of feed stocks for the fledgling industry, some of these new inventions had a profound effect on the American diet. In particular, the development of hydrogenation of vegetable oils contributed to the widespread use of soybean oil, previously too oxidatively unstable for most food applications, and the development of vegetable oil-based margarine in the second half of the present century (2).
Agreement among measurements and estimations of glomerular filtration in children with cancer.

Background Glomerular filtration is an important route of elimination for many types of chemotherapy. Accurate estimation of glomerular filtration at the bedside is essential in the management of children with cancer. Bedside formulae for the estimation of glomerular filtration have not been validated in children with cancer. We investigated the accuracy of three formulae (the original Schwartz, Counahan-Barratt, and revised Schwartz equations) against measurement of the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in a cohort of children with cancer. Procedure This was a retrospective review of existing data from a single institution. The electronic medical record was queried for subjects meeting inclusion criteria during a 3.5 year time frame. Bland-Altman analyses were used to assess agreement among current formulae and estimating the GFR compared to the measured, or index GFR. Logistic regression was performed to identify potential variables with an effect on the estimation of GFR. Results None of the three estimation formulae provided a reliable estimate of the index GFR. The mean difference was lowest between the revised Schwartz and the index GFR compared to the other two formulae and the index GFR. For the original Schwartz equation, age and prior receipt of chemotherapy were significant predictors of under- and overestimation. For the revised Schwartz equation, one age group (6–12 years) and a diagnosis of neuroblastoma actively receiving chemotherapy were positive risk factors for overestimation of the GFR. Conclusion Currently available estimation formulae for GFR may not be appropriate for children with cancer. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2015;62:80–84. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Impact of a comprehensive heart failure management program on hospital readmission and functional status of patients with advanced heart failure

Abstract Objectives. To assess the impact of a comprehensive heart failure management program, functional status, hospital readmission rate and estimated hospital costs were determined and compared for the 6 months before and the 6 months after referral. Background. The course of advanced heart failure is characterized by progressive clinical deterioration reflected in frequent hospital admissions, which comprise the major financial cost. Methods. Over a 3-year period, 214 patients were accepted for heart transplantation and discharged after evaluation, which included adjustments in medical therapy and intensive patient education. Patients were in New York Heart Association functional class III or IV (94 and 120 patients, respectively), with a mean left ventricular ejection fraction of 0.21, peak oxygen consumption of 11 ml/kg per min and a total of 429 hospital admissions in the previous 6 months (average 2.0 per patient). Changes in the medical regimen included a 98% increase in angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor dose and a flexible diuretic regimen after 4.2-liter net diuresis, with counseling also regarding diet and progressive exercise. Results. During the 6 months after referral, there were only 63 hospital readmissions (85% reduction), with 0.29/patient (p Conclusions. Comprehensive heart failure management led to improved functional status and an 85% decrease in the hospital admission rate for transplant candidates discharged after evaluation. The potential to reduce both symptoms and costs suggests that referral to a heart failure program may be appropriate not only for potential heart transplantation, but also for medical management of persistent functional class III and IV heart failure.
Large-scale, Exhaustive Lattice-based Structural Auditing of SNOMED CT

One criterion for the well-formedness of ontologies is that their hierarchical structure forms a lattice. Formal Concept Analysis (FCA) has been used as a technique for assessing the quality of ontologies, but is not scalable to large ontologies such as SNOMED CT (> 300k concepts). We developed a methodology called Lattice-based Structural Auditing (LaSA), for auditing biomedical ontologies, implemented through automated SPARQL queries, in order to exhaustively identify all non-lattice pairs in SNOMED CT. The percentage of non-lattice pairs ranges from 0 to 1.66 among the 19 SNOMED CT hierarchies. Preliminary manual inspection of a limited portion of the over 544k non-lattice pairs, among over 356 million candidate pairs, revealed inconsistent use of precoordination in SNOMED CT, but also a number of false positives. Our results are consistent with those based on FCA, with the advantage that the LaSA pipeline is scalable and applicable to ontological systems consisting mostly of taxonomic links.
A Logit Model to Predict the Enforceability of Noncompete Agreements

A random sample of 104 from 411 litigated cases was analyzed to discern whether certain case characteristics can predict case outcomes of noncompete agreements signed by employees. Significant univariate analyses enabled the construction of a logit model to predict such outcomes. Suggestions for employment practices from the employer's perspective are also presented.
Cell Biology of Echinoid Coelomocytes: I. Diversity and Characterization of Cell Types

Abstract Echinoderm coelomocytes have been postulated to play an important role in cell-mediated host defense mechanisms. The diversity and classification of coelomocyte types has been underestimated and therefore any assignment of cell types to specific roles has been incomplete. Evidence is presented that the petaloid, phagocytic cell type is composed of two distinctive subsets of cells. The two subsets differ in their position on sucrose gradients following their isolation, in their tendency to aggregate, and in their shape and appearance when spread on a glass substratum, and the structure and composition of the actin-based cytoskeleton is different in each subset. The relative role of each subset in host defense mechanisms may be reflected in these differences.
Multi-spectral operation of InGaAs quantum dot infrared photodetectors and infrared sensors applications

This study demonstrates multi-spectral operation of InGaAs quantum dot infrared photodetectors that display peak responsivity and peak detectivity at 77 K. The applications of multi-spectral infrared sensors are also discussed in detail.
Acute toxicology of components of vegetation smoke.

In spite of generations of experience, the basis for respiratory and eye irritation caused by vegetation smoke is not adequately understood. Increasing concern about the long- and short-term health consequences of residential, agricultural, and forestry burning is stimulating greater interest in examining the knowledge that does exist and in designing research that will answer some of the more important questions. This review is a study of existing literature that relates to acute effects of smoke arising from combustion of vegetation.
Hybrid ARQ in block-fading channels with an energy harvesting receiver

We consider a communication system with energy harvesting at a receiver for which the processing energy is the bottleneck. We propose using hybrid automatic retransmission request (HARQ) with soft combining to reduce the processing energy and improve the throughput under limited receiver energy. In this protocol, the receiver keeps requesting additional redundancy in order to increase the gap between transmission rate and the overall accumulated mutual information (so-called capacity gap), which in turn reduces the processing energy. We compare the performance of two HARQ schemes: (1) incremental redundancy (IR) HARQ, which incrementally increases the code-length by sending additional coded symbols (parity symbols) in each retransmission and (2) Repetition-HARQ, which simply repeats transmitting the same coded message (codeword) in response to the retransmission requests, and applies maximum ratio combining (MRC) at the receiver. In these systems, the decoding energy is a decreasing function of the capacity gap but an increasing function of the code-length. The IR-HARQ protocol yields a better capacity gap, but increases the code-length, while Repetition-HARQ offers less improvement in the capacity gap, but does not increase the effective code-length. Thus, contrary to systems without an energy constraint on receiver processing in which IR-HARQ always performs better, here, depending on the system parameters, repetition-HARQ can outperform IR-HARQ.
Falls and peripheral nerve injuries: an age-dependent relationship

OBJECT Despite the growing epidemic of falls, the true incidence of peripheral nerve injuries (PNIs) in this patient population remains largely unknown. METHODS The authors performed a retrospective cohort study of 839,210 fall-injured patients who were registered in the National Trauma Data Bank (NTDB) between 2009 and 2011 and fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Regression techniques were used to investigate the association of demographic and socioeconomic factors with the rate of PNIs in this patient population. The association of age with the incidence of PNIs was also investigated. RESULTS Overall, 3151 fall-injured patients (mean age 39.1 years, 33.3% females) sustained a PNI (0.4% of all falls). The respective incidence of PNIs was 2.7 per 1000 patients for ground-level falls, 4.9 per 1000 patients for multilevel falls, and 4.5 per 1000 patients for falls involving force. This demonstrated a rapid increase in the first 2 decades of life, with a maximum rate of 1.1% of all falls in the 3rd decade, fol...