cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Review of High-Viscosity Oil Multiphase Pipe Flow

Heavy oil makes up a major portion of the world’s total oil resources. The high viscosity of heavy oil poses great challenges for its production and transportation through wells and pipelines. Experimental results show that the high-viscosity oil multiphase flow behaviors are very different from the low-viscosity oils. Significant discrepancies are displayed when the high-viscosity oil data are compared to the available mechanistic multiphase flow models, which were developed on the basis of low-viscosity oil experimental results. In this paper, the recent experimental findings on high-viscosity oil multiphase pipe flows are reviewed in contrast to low-viscosity oil multiphase flows. These include flow pattern, pressure gradient, holdups, slug characteristics, oil/water mixing, core-annular flow, gas-lift effect, and phase distributions. Individual closure relationships in the mechanistic models are discussed in light of experimental measurements and observations with high-viscosity oils. Future experimen...
Upper Cambrian-Lower Ordovician (Sauk) platform carbonates of the northern Appalachian (Gondwana) passive margin

Sauk platform carbonates of the northern Appalachian passive (Gondwana) margin are composed of high-frequency stacking patterns containing fifth-order depositional cycles. Most of the these cycles, termed parasequences in this study, display upward-shoaling peritidal patterns, commonly terminating in emergence. Parasequence surfaces are erosional resulting from this emergence and have associated karst features, especially solution-collapse breaccia. The carbonates, mostly fine- to medium-crystalline and locally vuggy dolostones, are generally of low permeability. Solution-collapse breccias increase whole-rock permeability through fractures. In addition to solution-collapse breccias, emergence generated terra-rossa soil, now lithified, as well as silcrete, now chert, and caused the dedolomitization of dolostones.
Religion and Politics Under the Putin Administration: Accommodation and Confrontation within “Managed Pluralism”

On 11 January 2006, a knife-wielding youth entered a synagogue in Moscow and wounded eight people. This event sparked calls from tlie Jewish community in Russia for increased goveniment action to prevent similar acts from occurring. Not long afterward, in a meeting with Russia's chief Rabbi Bed Lazar, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov offered that "This is a phenomenon [xenophobia] that requires the government, religious groups, and public organizations to pay more serious attention to me education of society," and inaicated a perception of growing sentiment against Jews and other minorities in
A New Kinetic Monte Carlo Algorithm for Heteroepitactical Growth: Case Study of C60 Growth on Pentacene

A novel multilattice kinetic Monte Carlo algorithm is developed for heteroepitactical growth of a hexagonal lattice material (C60) on an oblique lattice material (pentacene). This algorithm captures the behavior of single molecule and small clusters of C60 molecules diffusing, clustering, and reorganizing as monolayers on the surface and switching lattices depending on their local environment. An extensive catalog of jump rates and energy barriers created from molecular dynamics simulations and molecular mechanics is used as the sole input to the method in order to follow the evolution of C60 growth on pentacene for time scales approaching a millisecond that are unattainable using molecular dynamics alone.
Through-Silicon Hole Interposers for 3-D IC Integration

In this investigation, a system-in-package (SiP) that consists of a very low-cost interposer with through-silicon holes (TSHs) and with chips on its top and bottom sides (a real 3-D IC integration) is studied. Emphasis is placed on the fabrication of a test vehicle to demonstrate the feasibility of this SiP technology. The design, materials, and process of the top chip, bottom chip, TSH interposer, and final assembly will be presented. Shock and thermal cycling tests will be performed to demonstrate the integrity of the SiP structure.
Salt diapir reactivation and normal faulting in an oblique extensional system, Vulcan Sub-basin, NW Australia

Oblique extension and salt diapirism have their own distinct mechanisms that control the geometry and kinematics of structures. In this study, we document a geological phenomenon from the Vulcan Sub-basin in NW Australia that combines these processes: a salt diapir reactivated in an oblique extensional system. Detailed structural analysis of this natural example, with a focus on normal fault systems, allows characterization of the oblique extensional system and investigation of how the pre-existing structural fabrics and salt diapir control deformation, and interact with each other under oblique extension. After comparison with forward modelling results and using constraints from geological evidence, our fault strike analysis indicates that the Neogene flexural extension orientation in the oblique extensional system is around 347°, revealing a perpendicular relationship between extension direction and fault strikes from the deformation zone. The salt diapir, reactivated during Neogene extension, strongly influences local structure in the oblique extensional system by altering fault strikes, stepping patterns, deformation zone width and fault density, indicative of a ‘stress–strain concentration’ effect of the salt diapir owing to its extremely low strength. These results provide valuable insights into the understanding of oblique extensional systems, the geomechanical role of salt during extension, and the Neogene tectonic evolution of NW Australia. Supplementary material : Dominant seismic frequency analysis, uninterpreted seismic profiles, additional structural and isochron maps, a 3D view of fault systems, and original measurements of the fault system are available at http://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.3148321.
Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle: How Using 'Recycled' Simulations in an LRW Course Benefits Students, LRW Professors, and the Relevant Global Community

This article is the first to address head-on the ongoing debate over “recycling” simulations in legal researching and writing (LRW) courses. It describes not only how concerns over student cheating can be effectively addressed, but also how recycling simulations in an LRW course is a win-win-win for all relevant stakeholders. Unlike theory-based first year doctrinal courses, an LRW course typically teaches law students how to think, analyze, research, and write like lawyers through the use of real-world “simulations.” Drafting these simulations is one of most challenging and time-consuming aspects of an LRW professor’s job. Yet, despite the effort involved in both creating and teaching new simulations, controversy continues within the legal academy about whether reusing simulations is appropriate – or is simply an invitation for students to cheat. Using the analogous concepts behind traditional recycling as a guide, this article describes the benefits to students, LRW professors, and the greater legal community that could be realized by the deliberate use of recycled simulations. First, this article shows how using recycled simulations in an LRW course results in greater student learning and measurably better student work product. Second, this article describes how using recycled simulations contributes to the professional development of an LRW professor. Finally, in light of recent proposed changes to ABA law school accreditation standards, which may soon require law schools to engage in institutional assessment of student learning outcomes, this article describes how using recycled simulations in particular can help an LRW professor begin a more effective and reliable formal assessment of critical student learning within the LRW course. Beginning this type of assessment in a first year LRW course would be particularly beneficial to numerous stakeholders because it would allow an institution to determine, early on, what programmatic changes must be made in order to ensure that its students attain competency in these necessary real-world skills by graduation.
Length scale dependence in elastomers – comparison of indentation experiments with numerical simulations

Abstract Probing depth dependent deformation at nano- and micrometer length scales has been observed in indentation experiments of polymers. Unlike in metals, where size effects are observed in plastic deformation and are attributed to geometrically necessary dislocations, the origin of size dependence in polymers is not well understood. As classical continuum theories are unable to describe such phenomena, higher order gradient theories have been developed to capture such size dependent deformation behavior. The present study adopts the penalty finite element approach for a couple stress elasticity theory under axisymmetric conditions to numerically simulate and analyze the probing depth dependent deformation. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and natural rubber have been used as model materials to analyze the depth dependent deformation at different probing depths. Simulations were performed on PDMS using spherical indenter tips of different radii to show the influence of strain/rotation gradients on elastic modulus. To capture the experimentally observed increase in hardness with decreasing probing depth, simulations applying a conical indenter tip were performed and compared with experimental data.
Why We Need Minimum Basic Requirements in Science for Acupuncture Education.

As enthusiasm for alternatives to pharmaceuticals and surgery grows, healthcare consumers are turning increasingly to physical medicine modalities such as acupuncture. However, they may encounter obstacles in accessing acupuncture due to several reasons, such as the inability to locate a suitable practitioner, insufficient reimbursement for treatment, or difficulty gaining a referral due to perceived lack of evidence or scientific rigor by specialists. Claims made about a range of treatment paradigms outstrip evidence and students in acupuncture courses are thus led to believe that the approaches they learn are effective and clinically meaningful. Critical inquiry and critical analysis of techniques taught are often omitted, leading to unquestioning acceptance, adoption, and implementation into practice of approaches that may or may not be rational and effective. Acupuncture education for both licensed physicians (DOs and MDs) and non-physicians needs to include science (i.e., explanation of its effects based on contemporary explanations of biological processes), evidence, and critical thinking. Erroneous notions concerning its mechanisms such as moving “stuck Qi (Chi)” or “energy” with needles and that this energy stagnates at specific, tiny locations on the body called acupuncture points lead to mistakes in methodologic design. For example, researchers may select sham and verum point locations that overlap considerably in their neural connections, leading to nonsignificant differences between the two interventions. Furthermore, attributing the effects of acupuncture to metaphorical and arcane views of physiology limits both acceptance and validation of acupuncture in both research and clinical settings. Finally, the content and quality of education and clinical exposure across acupuncture programs varies widely, with currently no minimum basic educational requirements in a scientific methodology. Considering the pressures mounting on clinicians to practice in an evidence-based and scientific manner that also demonstrates cost-effectiveness, acupuncture schools and continuing medical education (CME) courses need to provide their students a strong foundation in rational approaches supported by research.
Effect of endoscopic pyloric therapies for patients with nausea and vomiting and functional obstructive gastroparesis

Abstract Gastroparesis (GP) is associated with loss of interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) and gastric dysrhythmias such as tachygastria. We hypothesized that a subset of patients with GP, normal 3 cycles per minute (cpm) gastric myoelectrical activity (GMA), and normal upper endoscopy may respond to pyloric therapies. Aims To determine the effect of botulinum toxin A (btA) injection or balloon dilation (BD) of the pylorus on symptoms and body weight in patients with GP and 3 cpm GMA. Methods Patients were identified who had GP, normal 3 cpm GMA, and normal endoscopy that excluded mechanical obstruction of the pylorus. Electrogastrograms (EGG) with water load tests (WLT) were recorded to determine GMA. Gastric emptying was measured with 4 h scintigraphy. Each patient underwent up to three pyloric treatments with btA or BD. Results Thirty-three patients (29 women) with an average age of 42 years were studied. Seventy-nine percent had idiopathic GP and 21% had diabetic GP. The average percent meal retained at 4 h was 42% and each EGG test showed normal 3 cpm GMA. Nausea was the major symptom in 76% of patients. Complete or partial symptom response occurred in 75%, 72%, and 88% of patients after the first, second, or third endoscopic pyloric treatment, respectively. Overall, 78% of the 33 patients reported improvement in symptoms and average weight gain was 1.54 lb from baseline to final treatment (p Conclusion Pyloric therapies appear to be effective treatments in symptomatic patients with GP and 3 cpm GMA and controlled trials are warranted.
Weedy fallow as an alternative strategy for reducing nitrogen loss from annual cropping systems

Nitrogen loss from croplands is a major environmental problem with human health and ecosystem consequences. Cover crops are planted during the fallow period between cash crops to provide a number of ecosystem services and are a popular tool for nitrogen reduction. Unfortunately, on-farm adoption of cover crops in the USA is limited to less than 2 % of land area in most regions. Naturally occurring weeds, if left unmanaged between cash crops (i.e., “weedy fallow”), may provide similar ecosystem services (e.g., nitrogen reduction) as cover crops. To test this hypothesis, a meta-analysis of 17 studies was conducted to compare potential nitrogen loss (inorganic soil nitrogen or leachate nitrogen) from fallow annual cropping systems managed with cover crops, weeds, and bare soil. A potential nitrogen loss response ratio (e.g., leachate nitrogen from bare soil relative to weedy fallow) was determined for independent paired observations in each study, and factors influencing nitrogen loss across all studies were determined with 95 % bootstrap confidence intervals and meta-regression analysis. Results suggest that potential nitrogen loss from croplands is 60 % greater in bare soil compared to weedy fallow fields. Cover crops further reduced potential nitrogen loss by 26 % compared to weedy fallow, and the nitrogen reduction potential of cover crops (relative to weedy fallow) likely increases with greater biomass accumulation of the cover crop. While cover crops were more effective in mitigating potential nitrogen loss, weedy fallow may provide greater net benefits on a regional scale if there were fewer barriers to farmer adoption. The weedy fallow strategy for nitrogen reduction has several potential pitfalls (e.g., propagation of noxious or herbicide-resistant weedy species), but this meta-analysis demonstrates that fallow weeds provide an important ecosystem service and policy-makers should consider revising conservation incentive programs accordingly.
THU0638 Leg Length Inequality as A Risk Factor for Disability in A Community-Based Longitudinal Study

Background Leg length inequality (LLI), a condition in which one limb is longer than the other, is associated with osteoarthritis (OA) and pain of the knee and hip. OA is a leading cause of disability, but it is not known whether LLI is a risk factor for disability when accounting for OA. Objectives This longitudinal analysis examined the hazard of incident and progressive disability by LLI in a large, bi-racial (African American and Caucasian) community-based study in the United States of men and women 45+ years old with and without OA. Methods Participants were enrolled from 1991–1997 (original cohort) or 2003–2004 (enrichment cohort); 2369 participants had complete baseline LLI and baseline and follow-up (1999–2003 or 2006–2010) disability data available for analyses. With the participant supine, right and left lower extremity lengths were measured by trained examiners using a tape measure from anterior superior iliac spine to distal medial malleolus. LLI was defined as a difference between limbs ≥2 cm at baseline. Self-reported disability was assessed with the Stanford Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) Disability Index, which assesses 20 functions covering 8 domains (dressing, arising, eating, walking, reaching, gripping, chores, hygiene) scored on a scale of 0–3 (no difficulty to unable). HAQ scores were calculated by averaging the scores of the 8 domains. Incident Disability was present if baseline HAQ =0 and follow-up HAQ >0, and Progression of Disability was present if baseline HAQ Results Characteristics of the total sample were: mean ± standard deviation (SD) baseline age 60 ± 9.7 years; 66% women; 31% African American; mean ± SD baseline BMI 30 ± 6.2 kg/m2; 23% knee OA; 26% hip OA; 21% knee problems; 8% hip problems; 44% knee symptoms; 36% hip symptoms; median follow up time 7.6 years, range 3.6–17.8 years. 154 participants (6.5%) had a LLI ≥2 cm. Compared to those without LLI, the adjusted hazard of Incident Disability was 39% higher among participants with LLI (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 1.39, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.002, 1.93). For the model with Progression of Disability, a statistically significant interaction was noted between baseline LLI and time of baseline LLI assessment; thus, results were stratified by time of assessment. Among participants with baseline LLI collected during 1999–2004, the adjusted hazard for Progression of Disability was 60% higher among participant with LLI vs. no LLI (aHR 1.60, 95% CI 1.12, 2.28). Conclusions LLI appears to be a modifiable risk factor for incident and progressive disability outcomes when accounting for OA. Treatment for LLI, such as shoe lift therapy, should be examined as an approach to prevent disability progression. Disclosure of Interest None declared
Great Teaching: Eight Strategies to Immediately Engage Your Audience

Have you ever been bored by a speaker before he finished his first sentence? What about when you step up to the front of a room to speak. Do you know exactly what your first words will be? Whether welcoming new students to the first class of a semester, making a presentation at a 4-H event or speaking at a conference, your introductory statement can make or break you. In fact, your first two or three words can determine a successful launch or leave you stalled-out. This paper describes eight strategies that both novice and seasoned speakers may use to successfully launch presentations.
Unequal error protection for video streaming using delay-aware fountain codes

Recently, the forward error correction (FEC) codes are gaining popularity in video transmission community because of its capability of recovering lost packets in lossy wireless networks. The state-of-the-art scheme for FEC video transmission are the delay-aware fountain codes (DAF), which combine the ratelessness of fountain codes with the property of video coding. However, DAF assumes that all the data in the video has the same importance, thus every packet should have the equal chance to be decoded. In this work, in order to further adapt DAF to real-world video coding, we propose a method to integrate the unequal error protection (UEP) into DAF to provide additional protection for important bits. Different from the existing schemes, the proposed scheme does not impose any restriction on the importance profile, and it does not rely on any specific video coding standard. Most importantly, the proposed scheme is designed within the framework of DAF, so it neither requires any change on the DAF decoder or the protocol, nor any additional coordination between encoder and decoder. Simulation experiments show the proposed system achieves higher decoding ratios and PSNR compared to equal error protection (EEP) under the same network conditions.
Macrophage depletion using clodronate liposomes decreases tumorigenesis and alters gut microbiota in the AOM/DSS mouse model of colon cancer

We found that macrophage depletion during late-stage tumorigenesis is effective at reducing tumor growth. This was associated with a decrease in macrophage markers and chemokines in the colon tissu...
Eosinophilic Granulocytes: A New Bio-Marker of Sexual Maturity in Fishes?

A microscopic morphological feature (eosinophilic granulocytes, eG) was recently detected in the gonads of two species of economically important and broadly distributed, tropical Indo-Pacific eteline snappers, primarily in the ovaries of mature but reproductively inactive female Ruby Snapper Etelis carbunculus. Eosinophilic granulocytes have been known for more than a century to occur in diverse tissues (e.g., liver, kidney, gill, gonad) of a variety of freshwater and marine teleosts and have usually been recognized as bio-markers of immune response to environmental toxins or pathogens. Until now, they have been mostly overlooked as indicators of natural atresia in gonads and evidence of prior reproductive function in healthy fishes. The eG feature is herein suggested as a bio-marker of sexual maturity that might be useful when combined with an existing suite of largely qualitative markers of maturity in mature females that lack direct signs of maturity such as atretic yolked oocytes and post-ovulatory fo...
Comparing Classical Water Models Using Molecular Dynamics to Find Bulk Properties.

A computational chemistry exercise for the undergraduate physical chemistry laboratory is described. In this exercise, students use the molecular dynamics package Amber to generate trajectories of bulk liquid water for 4 different water models (TIP3P, OPC, SPC/E, and TIP4Pew). Students then process the trajectory to calculate structural (radial distribution functions) and dynamic (diffusion coefficients) properties of water that they compare to experimental values and to the other models. On the basis of these comparisons, students are also able to draw conclusions regarding the relative efficacy of these water models at modeling properties of real water.
Judicial Review, Constitutionally Protected Rights, and Democracy

There is a long-standing tradition in Anglo-American legal thinking, and in the popular mind as well, according to which a separation of function between legislator and judge can be marked with the principle that it is the legislator who lays down the law, the judge merely interprets it. According to this view, it is the legislator who appeals to the values, goals, and policies to be achieved by law, the judge’s duty is to interpret the meaning of statutes, determine the range of applicability of law to particular facts, separate out factual from legal issues in the course of litigation, etc. But, he has no proper concern with the ends of law, or the values pursued by law; those determinations are properly within the law-making function. A separation of this sort seems to some particularly appealing in a democratic state, since it appears to reserve the making of law, and the determination of the moral and social objectives of law for officials who are accountable to the citizenry, and thus subject to the popular will. What has come to be called “judicial activism,” then, has also come to be viewed as anti-democratic (at worst) or a necessary check on, or limitation of democracy (at best).
A Stability Analysis of Nonlinear Model Predictive Control

A methodology to analyze the closed-loop stability of nonlinear model predictive control is presented. The closed-loop system is described by a set of difference equations obtained by discretizing the continuous-time model. The method of discretization is shown to affect the input/output properties of the resulting discrete-time model. Some nominal closed-loop properties of linear model predictive control algorithms are shown to be valid for nonlinear systems. Lyapunov stability theory is used to prove the stabilizing nature of the model predictive control algorithm with properly chosen tuning parameters. The duality between iterative processes and the sampled-data representation of a continuous-time system is used to analyze closed-loop stability. The state and input sensitivity equations of the continuous-time model are used in computing the closed-loop stability criteria. The nominal stability analysis is extended to the important cases of unmeasured states and uncertain model parameters. A numerical Lyapunov function is used to estimate closed-loop regions of attraction. Simulation examples are presented to illustrate the analysis methods and closed-loop behavior.
Acute leukemia following localized irradiation for carcinoma of the larynx.

During a 5-yr leukemia surveillance study in the metropolitan Kansas City area, four patients who had previously received irradiation therapy for carcinoma of the larynx developed acute leukemia. The frequency of occurrence represents a significant increase of the observed over the expected. These findings indicate that, even with such localized radiotherapy, the possibility of irradiation-induced leukemia must be considered in therapeutic decisions.
Mechanical strength of chunk-based printed parts for cooperative 3D printing

Abstract Cooperative 3D printing is an emerging technology that envisions a large number of mobile 3D printing robots working cooperatively to finish a print job. To support the cooperative 3D printing, we have developed a chunk-based printing approach. In chunk-based printing, the workpiece is first divided into small chunks and then the chunks are allocated to an army of robots for printing. Although the chunk-based printing has demonstrated its capability in speeding up the printing process and scaling up the printing size, the bond strength at chunk joint is still unclear. The lack of this knowledge limits the potentials of the chunk-based printing. To this end, we assess the tensile strength of chunk-printed parts and compare their strength against those normally printed by traditional layer-based 3D printing. We first identify the parameters associated with chunk-based printing, such as the chunk slope angle and the chunk overlapping depth, which can directly influence the bond strength. Then, the design of experiment is performed based on different combinations of these parameters. Based on the experimental results, we conclude that the existence of chunk joint will not weaken the strength for the chunk-based printed parts under the proper selection of chunk-based printing parameters. The results therefore prove the validity of the chunk-based printing and provides the fundamental knowledge support for the chunk-based cooperative 3D printing of the future.
Clinical relevance of esophageal subepithelial activity in eosinophilic esophagitis

Esophageal subepithelial activity (ESEA) is an important determinant of disease severity and complications in eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). Inflammation and fibrosis of the lamina propria and muscularis propria result in esophageal dysfunction and stricture formation that are clinically manifest by symptoms of dysphagia and food impaction as well as the need for esophageal dilation. Esophageal biopsies that are limited to the evaluation of the esophageal epithelium are an inadequate means to assess overall, clinical disease severity in EoE. Instruments for the assessment of subepithelial activity in EoE are both limited and/or underutilized and thus represent an important unmet clinical need. Studies using endoscopic features, endoscopic ultrasonography, and barium esophagography have demonstrated improvement in ESEA parameters with topical steroid therapy. Impedance planimetry is being evaluated as an objective and quantifiable measure of esophageal distensibility that is a consequence of ESEA. In conjunction with symptom and histologic assessment, evaluation of ESEA provides a more complete evaluation of disease activity in EoE that will enhance clinical care as well as provide insights into the strengths and limitations of therapeutic interventions.
The Effects of Race and Physical Evidence on the Likelihood of Arrest for Homicide

Previous research examining the association between criminal suspect’s race and the likelihood of arrest has produced inconsistent findings. Social scientists remain unsure as to whether Black or W...
Tumor detection rates in screening carriers with SDHx-related hereditary paraganglioma-pheochromocytoma syndrome based on prior tumor history.

1545Background: Patients with germline pathogenic variants (PVs) in the SDHx genes have increased risk for paragangliomas/pheochromocytomas (PGL/PCC), renal cell carcinomas, and gastrointestinal st...
Frequency and predictors of 30-day readmission after an index hospitalization for generalized convulsive status epilepticus: A nationwide study.

Abstract Objective The objective of the study was to assess the frequency and factors associated with all-cause 30-day readmission among patients hospitalized with generalized convulsive status epilepticus (GCSE) in a nationwide sample in the United States. Methods We used The 2014 Nationwide Readmission Database (NRD) as the data source. We included adults (age ≥ 18 years) with a primary discharge diagnosis of GCSE, identified using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) code 345.3. We excluded patients who died during hospitalization and those who had missing information on the length of stay (LOS). We also excluded those discharged in December 2014. We computed the overall 30-day readmission rate and compared prespecified groups by their 30-day readmission status. We applied a multiple logistic regression analysis to identify independent predictors of all-cause 30-day readmission adjusting for potential confounders. Results Among 14,562 (weighted 31,062) adults discharged with a diagnosis of GCSE, 2520 (17.3%) were readmitted within 30 days. In multivariate analysis, patients with comorbid conditions (odds ratio (OR) for Charlson Comorbidities Index (CCI) = 1 and ≥ 2 was 1.12, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.0–1.36 and 1.32, 95% CI: 1.17–1.48, respectively), LOS > 6 days (OR: 1.42; 95% CI: 1.05–192), discharged against medical advice (OR: 1.45; 95% CI: 1.09–1.92), or discharged to a short-term hospital (OR: 1.39; 95% CI: 1.0–1.88), had higher odds of 30-day readmission, while there was an inverse association for those aged ≥ 45 years or with high income. Seizures were the most common cause associated with readmission, followed by sepsis and cerebrovascular diseases, respectively. Significance Little is known about the frequency and predictors of early readmission after GCSE. This study showed that more than one in six patients with GCSE was readmitted within 30 days after discharge. More considerable attention to high-risk subgroups may identify opportunities to ameliorate the clinical outcome and lessen the economic burden of early readmission after GCSE.
Complications and challenges for securing Mediterranean timelines.

Tumor hypoxia levels range from mild to severe and have different biological and therapeutical consequences but are not easily assessable in patients. Here we present a method based on diagnostic dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) that reflects a continuous range of hypoxia levels in tumors of cervical cancer patients. Hypoxia images were generated using an established approach based on pixel-wise combination of DCE-MRI parameters Ve and Ktrans, representing oxygen consumption and supply, respectively. Using two tumor models, an algorithm to retrieve surrogate measures of hypoxia levels from the images was developed and validated by comparing the MRI-defined levels with hypoxia levels reflected in pimonidazole stained histological sections. An additional indicator of hypoxia levels in patient tumors was established based on expression of nine hypoxia-responsive genes; a strong correlation was found between these indicator values and MRI-defined hypoxia levels in 63 patients. Chemoradiotherapy outcome of 74 patients was most strongly predicted by moderate hypoxia levels, whereas more severe or milder levels were less predictive. By combining gene expression profiles and MRI-defined hypoxia levels in cancer hallmark analysis, we identified a distribution of levels associated with each hallmark; oxidative phosphorylation and G2/M checkpoint were associated with moderate hypoxia, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, and inflammatory responses with significantly more severe levels. At the mildest levels, interferon response hallmarks together with HIF1A protein expression by immunohistochemistry appeared significant. Thus, our method visualizes the distribution of hypoxia levels within patient tumors and has potential to distinguish levels of different prognostic and biological significance.
Environmental Lead Exposure and Influenza and Respiratory Syncytial Virus Diagnoses in Young Children: A Test-Negative Case-Control Study.

Experimental and epidemiological evidence suggests that environmental toxicants may influence susceptibility to influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The objective of the present study was to estimate the association between blood lead concentrations and the odds of child influenza or RSV infection. A test-negative, case-control study was conducted among 617 children, <4 years of age, tested for influenza/RSV from 2012–2017 in Rochester, NY. There were 49 influenza cases (568 controls) and 123 RSV cases (494 controls). Blood lead concentrations reported in children’s medical records were linked with influenza/RSV lab test results. Covariables were collected from medical records, birth certificates, and U.S. census data. In this sample, evidence of an association between blood lead levels and RSV or influenza diagnosis was not observed. Children with a lead level ≥1 μg/dL vs. <1 μg/dL had an adjusted odds ratio (aOR) and 95% confidence limit of 0.95 (0.60, 1.49) for RSV and 1.34 (0.65, 2.75) for influenza. In sex-specific analyses, boys with lead concentrations ≥1 μg/dL vs. <1 μg/dL had an aOR = 1.89 (1.25, 2.86) for influenza diagnosis, while the estimates were inconsistent for girls. These results are suggestive of sex-specific associations between blood lead levels and the risk of influenza, although the sample size was small.
Beyond narcan: comprehensive opioid training for law enforcement

Local law enforcement in Tippecanoe County Indiana identified a need for training to be better prepared for encounters with people that were using opioids. In response, an interactive video series ...
Resurrecting Proudhon’s idea of justice:

Much of the writing of Pierre-Joseph Proudhon (1809–1865) is neglected within sociology. Yet building on the work of Auguste Comte, Proudhon was an influential, if controversial, social theorist th...
Detection of web builder size via chemical cues present on silk by web-invading cellar spiders (Araneae: Pholcidae)

Animals often compete for resources and territory. Differences in size and body condition often play a crucial role in determining the outcome of these competitions. Web spiders not only create very costly semipermanent territories in the forms of their webs but have been shown able to gather myriad information from chemical cues present on silk. Furthermore, some web spiders are known to invade the webs of conspecifics in lieu of creating their own. We examined whether two pholcid spiders, Pholcus manueli and Pholcus phalangioides, use chemical information about the size and body condition of the web owner to inform their decisions when invading a foreign web. Specifically, we examined whether spiders could gather information about the size and hunger level of a conspecific and whether this information influenced their web-invading behaviour. We also examined whether washing webs with ethanol could remove these effects. We introduced spiders to webs built by conspecifics and recorded their latency to invade the webs. Pholcus manueli invaded webs built by larger conspecifics more slowly while P. phalangioides did not alter invasion latency to larger spiders' webs. Washing webs with ethanol removed this effect. Neither species’ behaviour was affected by the hunger level of the web builder. Our results show that P. manueli can determine the size of a conspecific from chemical cues attached to silk and adjust their web invasion behaviour accordingly, but that P. phalangioides does not adjust its behaviour in response to such cues. Importantly, our web-washing results support that chemical cues and not web structure influenced invasion behaviour of P. manueli, giving us a powerful tool for future research. The species level differences suggest separate behavioural strategies between the two similar species and that these strategies may influence the outcome of competitions between the two.
Training Pediatricians to Identify and Manage Adolescent Depression and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Following the Parkland Gun Violence Tragedy

Purpose: Youth who are exposed to gun violence, including school shootings, are at increased risk for developing major depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) leading to an increase in suicide. Primary care providers (PCPs) are uniquely positioned to be able to identify early signs of mental health problems and intervene, yet they lack appropriate training in identifying signs of depression and of PTSD. Experiential training for PCPs using standardized patients has shown promise in improving screening for and diagnosis of adolescent depression. However, this training had not previously …
The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on stroke code time metrics at an academic, comprehensive stroke center

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic forced immediate changes to stroke code protocols to maintain safety of patients and providers. We hypothesize that stroke code time metrics were significantly l...
Active Surveillance for Thyroid Cancer

The incidence of thyroid cancer is increasing predominately due to the overdiagnosis of small differentiated thyroid cancers that have an excellent prognosis. Surgical management of small thyroid cancers results in hardship for individual patients who develop complications related to thyroid surgery and significant economic burden to the healthcare system at large. Active surveillance has emerged as an alternative to surgical management for patients with appropriate thyroid malignancies. This chapter reviews the clinical data supporting the use of active surveillance as a management option for differentiated thyroid cancer while also discussing limitations and future directions of active surveillance.
Complexation ability and physicochemical properties of starch inclusion complexes with C18 fatty acids

Abstract Starch, especially its amylose component, is well-known to form inclusion complexes with a variety of small molecules such as fatty acids. The structure of the lipid guest could affect its complexation ability and other properties such as thermal stability. The present study aimed to investigate the complexation ability and the physicochemical properties of high amylose maize starch (HAMS) inclusion complexes with C18 fatty acids of various numbers and positions of double bonds, including octadecanoic (stearic, SA), (Z)-octadec-9-enoic (oleic, OA), (E)-octadec-9-enoic (elaidic, EA), (9Z,12Z)-octadeca-9,12-dienoic (linoleic, LA), (9Z,12Z,15Z)-octadeca-9,12,15-trienoic (α-linolenic, ALA), and conjugated linoleic acids (CLA). Two complexation methods were used, which are the DMSO method and the “empty” V-type method. The formation, structural characteristics, and thermal properties of inclusion complexes formed were examined by complementary techniques including differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. As the guest fatty acid became more unsaturated and as the number of double bonds increased, the dissociation temperatures of HAMS-fatty acid inclusion complexes formed decreased with either complexation method. The DMSO method resulted in the formation of Form I inclusion complexes only, whereas the “empty” V-type method promoted the formation of Form II inclusion complexes with higher thermal stability. In addition, ethanol concentration was found to influence the formation of inclusion complexes when using the “empty” V-type method, and intermediate concentrations were more favorable to maintain a stable and flexible amylose helical structure to form inclusion complexes with higher crystallinity and thermal stability.
A linear neural circuit for light avoidance in Drosophila larvae

Understanding how neural circuits underlie behaviour is challenging even in the era of the connectome because it requires a combined approach encompassing anatomical and functional analyses. This is exemplified in studying the circuit underlying the light-avoidance behaviour displayed by the larvae of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. While this behaviour is robust and the nervous system relatively simple, only bits and pieces of the circuit have been delineated. Indeed, some studies resulted in contradicting conclusions regarding the contributions of various neuronal types to this behaviour. Here we devise trans-Tango MkII, a new version of the transsynaptic circuit tracing and manipulation tool trans-Tango. We implement trans-Tango MkII in anatomical tracing and combine it with circuit epistasis analysis. We use neuronal inhibition to test necessity of particular neuronal types for light-avoidance. We complement these experiments by selective neuronal activation to examine sufficiency in rescuing light-avoidance deficiencies exhibited by photoreceptor mutants. Together, our studies reveal a four-order, linear circuit for light avoidance behaviour connecting the light-detecting photoreceptors with a pair of neuroendocrine cells via two types of clock neurons. Our combined approach could be readily expanded to other larval circuits. Further, this strategy provides the framework for studying more complex nervous systems and behaviours.
Antenna-Based Aerial Inspection of Nonflat Terrains using Microwave Remote Sensing

This paper proposes the use of antenna-based aerial inspections. We develop an approach that enables an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) equipped with a microwave remote sensing (MRS) system to effectively scan nonflat terrains. The approach relies on probabilistic sampling and phase shifting to generate a set of waypoints that collectively cover the area of interest. A short tour is also generated that enables the UAV to visit the waypoints in an appropriate order that reduces the overall distance traveled. Experiments with models of real nonflat terrains demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach.
高温超导体材料的J_c(77.3K,20T)达到2×10~4A/cm~2

自高温氧化物超导体问世以来,人们以极大的兴趣关注其在强磁场大电流电工机器中应用的可行性.由于高温超导体存在难以克服的弱连接现象,采用常规的陶瓷粉末工艺制备的材料,其临界电流密度很低,且随磁场的升高很快退降.人们期望提高这类材料在强磁场下的J_c,以便朝实用化方向推进一步.自Jin等人采用熔融织构生长法(MTG)制备YBa_2
Authoritarian elections and leadership succession, 1975-2004*

Why do non-democratic regimes hold elections they might lose? In this paper, I develop a model in which authoritarian rulers agree to positive levels of electoral risk primarily to gain information that reduces the risk of their violent removal from office via a coup d’etat or revolution. Using a comprehensive database documenting how the world’s leaders exited from office, I provide evidence that elections help authoritarian regimes regulate succession to their top posts. There is evidence of both regime effects (e.g., leaders of multi-party authoritarian regimes are more likely to exit electorally and less likely to exit violently) and electoral-cycle effects (violent and peaceful exits vary systematically across the electoral cycle in multi-party regimes).
Combined Effect of Irradiance and Water Regime on Sorghum Photosynthesis

Grain sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench. cvs. TX430 and KS82] was grown in a Haynie very fine sandy loam (coarse-silty, mixed, superactive, calcareous, mesic Mollic Udifluvents) under constant 47 % shade or full irradiance in a greenhouse under two watering regimes to see the combined and individual effects of low irradiance (LI) and low water (LW) on the sorghum genotypes. Under the high-irradiance (HI) and high-water (HW) treatment (control) and the LI-HW treatment, TX430 grew taller than KS82. Both LI and LW reduced several times the fresh and dry masses. Under the control conditions, TX430 reached its maximum net photosynthetic rate (P Nmax) of 28.93 μmol m−2 s−1 at a photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) of 1 707 μmol m−2 s−1, and KS82 reached its P Nmax of 28.32 μmol m−2 s−1 at a PPFD of 2 973 μmol m−2 s−1. The fact that TX430 had P Nmax under a lower PPFD than KS82 may relate to its taller growth under LI conditions. Hence genotypes of sorghum might be selected for low irradiance using curves relating P N to PPFD.
A decade of minimally invasive donation: experience with more than 1200 laparoscopic donor nephrectomies at a single institution

Leventhal JR, Paunescu S, Baker TB, Caciedo JC, Skaro A, Kocak B, Gallon L, Friedewald J, Luo X, Kaufman DB, Fryer JP, Abecassis MM. A decade of minimally invasive donation: experience with more than 1200 laparoscopic donor nephrectomies at a single institution. Clin Transplant 2010 DOI: 10.1111/j.1399-0012.2009.01199.x. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Abstract: Background: The past decade has seen laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (LDN) transform into a standard of care procedure. Furthermore, LDN has evolved with the introduction of new technologies aimed at increasing efficiency and safety. There are few large, single center experiences detailing the results of LDN, its associated complications, and their management. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of 1200 LDN performed at our center for both pediatric and adult recipients. Results: Mean body mass index of donors was 27.1 (range 17–48). Twenty-six percent of kidneys had multiple renal arteries. Greater than 99% were left LDN. Mean length of stay was 1.37 ± 0.6 d, which decreased to 1.1 ± 0.5 d for the last 475 cases. The overall complication rate was 4.2%. Among those patients, 1.6% of the patients experienced an intraoperative complication, including eight renovascular injuries; 7/8 renovascular injuries led to open conversion. Four conversions were elective; our overall conversion rate was 0.92%; 2.6% had a post-operative complication; 1.2% required readmission for complication management. Three of 1200 patients have required reoperation for prolonged ileus and internal hernia (2), respectively. There have been no cases of donor renal failure or death. Since 2003, we have routinely used hand-assisted LDN (HALDN). There have been no cases of primary non-function. Urologic complications have been uncommon. Conclusions: Our series supports the safety and efficacy of LDN/HALDN.
Evaluation of the protective efficacy of the killed Coccidioides immitis spherule vaccine in humans

A vaccine consisting of formaldehyde-killed spherules of Coccidioides immitis, previously shown to provide protection against development of lethal coccidioidomycosis in laboratory animals, was evaluated in humans. This double blind “Phase 3” study, conducted during the period 1980 to 1985, involved 2, 867 healthy subjects with no history of coccidioidomycosis and negative skin tests. Randomized into vaccine (n = 1, 436) or placebo (n = 1, 431) groups, the former received three intramuscular injections of 1.75 mg (dry weight) of spherules, the latter received three injections of sterile 0.85% NaCl solution. Compatible clinical presentation with cultural or serologie findings permitted detection of coccidioidomycosis. Of those receiving vaccine, nine developed coccidioidomycosis and nine additional were suspected of having the disease. Of the group receiving placebo, 12 developed coccidioidomycosis, and 13 additional were suspected of having the disease. All cases and suspected cases were mild. Under the c...