cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Identification of Gasoline in Fire Debris by Gas chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

The chemical detection of gasoline traces in fire debris is a challenge requiring highly sensitive,hyphenated analytical systems.The gas chromatography-mass spectrometry is suitable for the task.In this study,GC-MS were optimized to identify gasoline in simulated fire.And it was successful to apply this method to detect the gasoline in fire debris.
Nursing Care of 6 children with multiple sclerosis

Objective:To summarize Nursing Care of 6 children with multiple sclerosis.Methods:To summarize 6 children with multiple sclerosis(4 male,2 female,4-16years old).Glucocorticoids(methylprednisolone or prednisone)was given to everyone,Gamma globulin and prednisone were given to 5 examples for 8-12 months,intensification therapy was given to again when someone recurrence.Adverse effect of pharmacotherapy,and enact identical Nursing Care Plans were observed.Result:when meprednisone was given to everyone,through strengthening basic nursing,closely observing medication,compounding mental nursing,rehabilitation instruction and detailed guidance of discharge from hospital,6 cases with different degree of stability and release.Conclusion:IVIG and MPPT are effective for multiple sclerosis children.Enacting positive nursing care plans,paying attention to prevention and cure of drug adverse effect can reduce side effect and complication in treatment process.
Active Learning: A Survey

In all these cases, labels can be obtained, but only at a significant cost to the end user. An important observation is that all records are not equally important from the perspective of labeling. For example, some records may be noisy and contain no useful features that are relevant to classification. Similarly, records that cleanly belong to one class or another may be helpful, but less so than records that lie closer to the separation boundaries between the different classes.
Evaluating the use of self-assembled monolayer (SAM) release coatings for replicated optics

AbstractCarbon fiber-reinforced composite replicated mirrors offer weight savings, higher stiffness, tailorable CTEs, higher thermal conductivities, and excellent damage tolerant mechanical properties in comparison to traditionally processed glass mirrors. These mirrors can also be rapidly manufactured by replicating the surface of a high-precision glass mandrel multiple times. The mold release coating used is critical and must be on the molecular scale, uniform, and exhibit low adhesion in order to produce high-fidelity replication. This study investigates the use of a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) as the mold release agent for the manufacture of replicated mirrors. We have synthesized and tested perfluoropolyether (PFPE) coatings formed on glass substrate via self-assembly. Ellipsometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy were used to characterize the morphology, thickness uniformity and the chemical profile of the coatings. The release force necessary to remove the replicate...
Slicing the pie.

Case rate contracts take the onus of dividing payment from the insurer and places it on the provider. There are a number of methods which can be used to respond to this challenge. One method which has a number of significant advantages is the floating conversion factor reimbursement method. It is based on a very simple concept, is transparent and delivers the market reality of the plan performance directly to participating physicians, without any convoluted calculations or cushions in between. A withhold can be added to this method, though it is unnecessary. A profit/loss sharing plan with the hospital can be helpful in completing the alignment of incentives.
Sailors and the Early Modern British Empire: Labor, Nation, and Identity at Sea

Both an essential national resource and members of a transnational group of skilled laboring men, sailors played an important but troublesome role in early modern Britain's rise to global commercial and military power. Historians have studied how the state and merchant employers sought to mobilize and control their labor, how sailors responded, and how “Britishness” was defined at sea. Three intertwined strands of analysis – labor history, sailors and the state, and the interaction between racial, gendered, religious, and professional identities at sea – dominate the historiography, with the 18th-century Atlantic receiving the bulk of scholarly attention. This article surveys the field and suggests that a wider geographical and chronological scope is needed to recapture sailors' bottom-up perspective on early modern British capitalism and empire.
Enhancing Behavioral Intentions and Cognitive Attitudes of Typical Children towards Children with Disabilities

A variety of national (Wall, Wheaton & Zuver, 2009) and international (Carter & Spencer, 2006) studies have reported that children with disabilities are at least two to three times more likely to be victims of bullying than their typical peers. Since half of all preschool children with identified disabilities are now educated alongside their typically developing peers (Diamond & Hong, 2010), it is imperative to reduce bullying behaviors and to enhance sensitivity to peers with disabilities in the classroom (Campbell et al., 2000). Based on Rosenthal’s (1989) Affect/Effort Theory, children tend to place more effort in their interactions with others if they have higher expectations of their peer’s capabilities. Siperstein et al. (2007) suggested that it’s critical to showcase the competencies, capabilities and strengths of children with disabilities. The following research assesses the impact of Realabilities, an animated TV show and graphic novel series created by the first author, in enhancing the cognitive attitudes (as measured by a modified Adjective Checklist [ACL; Siperstein & Bak, 1977]) and behavioral intentions (as measured by a modified Shared Activities Questionnaire [SAQ; Morgan et al., 1996]) of typical children towards their peers with disabilities. Realabilities emphasizes the strengths of five characters with disabilities (Autism, ADHD, Visual Impairment, Hearing Impairment and Physical Impairment) who harness their special competencies to save their school from bullies. Significant findings from Paired and Independent Samples T-tests will be presented along with demographic and qualitative data to evaluate three storyboarded episodes, a fully animated episode, and the graphic novel series of Realabilities in enhancing the attitudes of typical elementary school children towards their peers with disabilities. Future directions, including a Realabilities Puppet Musical to sensitize preschool children and virtual reality simulations to sensitize teachers, special educators and typical middle school students to individuals with disabilities, will also be discussed. KeywordsAutism, Disabilities, Attitudes, Intentions, Sensitivity.
23-mm iodine-125 plaque for uveal melanoma: benefit of vitrectomy and silicone oil on visual acuity.

To review outcomes in mostly large uveal melanoma treated with a 23-mm-diameter iodine-125 plaque, the largest size available at our center, and the influence of vitrectomy and silicone oil 1000 centistokes for radiation attenuation. A one-to-one matched case–control comparison was performed. Case patients were treated with a 23-mm-diameter iodine-125 plaque and vitrectomy with silicone oil 1000-cSt placement. Control cases, treated with 23-mm plaque alone, were matched to cases with respect to tumor size and distance from tumor apex to optic nerve and fovea. Postoperative complications, visual acuity and metastasis were reviewed. Twenty case patients with uveal melanoma treated with a 23-mm plaque were identified. The final logMAR vision was 0.83 in case patients and 2.06 in control patients (P = 0.0064); the change from pre-treatment to last follow-up logMAR vision was 0.70 in cases and 1.62 in controls (P = 0.019). Of good vision outcomes, 65 % of cases and 25 % of controls achieved vision ≥20/200 (P = 0.025). Of poor vision outcomes, 35 % of cases and 80 % of controls achieved vision <20/200 (P = 0.0053), and 5 % of cases and 35 % of controls achieved “light perception” or “no light perception” vision (P = 0.044). Thirty-nine of the 40 eyes (98 %) achieved local tumor control. Metastasis occurred in 15 % of cases and 45 % of controls (P = 0.082). Iodine-125 brachytherapy for mostly large uveal melanoma is effective in achieving local tumor control. Furthermore, combining brachytherapy with vitrectomy and silicone oil 1000-cSt for radiation attenuation significantly improves vision over the use of plaque alone.
MRI Brain Volume Measurements in Infantile Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Infantile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis is a devastating neurodegenerative storage disease caused by palmitoyl-protein thioesterase 1 deficiency, which impairs degradation of palmitoylated proteins (constituents of ceroid) by lysosomal hydrolases. Consequent lysosomal ceroid accumulation leads to neuronal injury, resulting in rapid neurodegeneration and childhood death. As part of a project studying the treatment benefits of a combination of cysteamine bitartrate and N -acetyl cysteine, we made serial measurements of patients9 brain volumes with MR imaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten patients with infantile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis participating in a treatment/follow-up study underwent brain MR imaging that included high-resolution T1-weighted images. After manual placement of a mask delineating the surface of the brain, a maximum-likelihood classifier was applied to determine total brain volume, further subdivided as cerebrum, cerebellum, brain stem, and thalamus. Patients9 brain volumes were compared with those of a healthy population. RESULTS: Major subdivisions of the brain followed similar trajectories with different timing. The cerebrum demonstrated early, rapid volume loss and may never have been normal postnatally. The thalamus dropped out of the normal range around 6 months of age; the cerebellum, around 2 years of age; and the brain stem, around 3 years of age. CONCLUSIONS: Rapid cerebral volume loss was expected on the basis of previous qualitative reports. Because our study did not include a nontreatment arm and because progression of brain volumes in infantile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis has not been previously quantified, we could not determine whether our intervention had a beneficial effect on brain volumes. However, the level of quantitative detail in this study allows it to serve as a reference for evaluation of future therapeutic interventions.
Economic and Decision Tools for IWRM

Economics and decision sciences are used in IWRM for analysis and to create management instruments for control of water uses. Most applications of economics in IWRM are in the planning and analysis modes. Examples of core economic concepts include the differences between public and private goods and the valuation of benefits. Decisions require comparison of the merits of alternatives, which is a core concept in decision science with application of benefit-cost analysis and multicriteria decision analysis. Social and environmental impact assessments are also required for sustainability analysis in the decision process. Examples of important economic instruments include pollution charges, water markets and tradable permits, subsidies, and payment for environmental services.
Capture cross sections from (p,d) reactions

Cross sections for compound-nuclear reactions involving unstable targets are important for many applications, but can often not be measured directly. Several indirect methods have been proposed to determine neutron capture cross sections for unstable isotopes. We consider an approach that aims at constraining statistical calculations of capture cross sections with data obtained from light-ion transfer reactions such as (p,d). We discuss the theoretical descriptions that have to be developed in order to extract meaningful cross section constraints from such data and show some benchmark results.
Pediatrician Maintenance of Certification Using American Board of Pediatrics' Performance Improvement Modules

Abstract Background From 2010 to 2014, pediatricians completed Part 4 Maintenance of Certification (MOC) through practice- or organization-developed quality improvement (QI) activities approved by the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP). Organization-developed activities were online modules, such as the ABP's Performance Improvement Modules (PIMs), through which pediatricians implemented QI strategies in practice and reported quality measures. Objectives Aim 1 was to assess the proportion of pediatricians who completed practice- vs organization-developed QI activities for Part 4 MOC and to test the relationship between activities and pediatrician demographics. Aim 2 was to assess the relationship between PIM completion and improvement in care processes and outcomes as determined by PIM quality measures. Methods For aim 1, using deidentified demographic data from the ABP, we summarized QI activity completion and performed bivariate testing by pediatrician demographics. For aim 2, using deidentified parent and pediatrician-reported quality measures from the Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Asthma, Hand Hygiene, and Influenza PIMs, we used 2-sample tests of proportions to calculate pre–post changes in quality measures. Results For aim 1, of 50,433 pediatricians who completed Part 4 MOC from 2010 to 2014, 22% completed practice-developed and 78% organization-developed activities. More pediatricians completed organization-developed activities, regardless of age, gender, or subspecialty status. The majority (73%) of pediatricians who completed organization-developed activities completed ABP PIMs. For aim 2, PIM completion was associated with improvement on nearly all pediatrician- and parent-reported quality measures. Conclusions At the outset of the Part 4 MOC system, pediatricians most commonly completed online, organization-developed activities. Pediatricians and parents reported improvements in care processes and outcomes associated with PIMs, suggesting PIMs can be an effective means of facilitating practice improvement.
Abstract 18: Defining Clinical Presentation, Imaging Findings, and Management of Intracranial Fibromuscular Dysplasia: a Single Center Experience

Introduction: Intracranial (IC) artery involvement in fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD) may manifest as stenosis, dissection, or cerebral aneurysm. We sought to identify clinical, imaging, and treatmen...
Achieving target SBP for lowering the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in persons with diabetes mellitus.

AIM To test the efficacy of achieving target SBP less than 120 mmHg, or less than 140 mmHg, for lowering the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in persons with diabetes mellitus. METHOD The study comprised 4732 [mean ± SD age: 63 ± 7 years; 2258 (48%) women] persons with advanced diabetes mellitus. Participants randomly assigned to achieve intensive (<120 mmHg) or standard (<140 mmHg) SBP control were grouped according to whether or not they achieved their respective SBP goal. MACE consisted of nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, and death from cardiovascular causes. RESULTS During a median 5.0 (interquartile range: 4.2-5.7) years, 1939 (82%) and 2038 (86%) persons achieved SBP targets less than 120 and less than 140 mmHg in each treatment arm, respectively. Overall, 208 (9%) and 237 (10%) persons in the intensive and standard treatment arms experienced MACE. In the intensive treatment arm, multivariable Cox regression revealed no significant reduction in risk of MACE for those who achieved a target SBP less than 120 mmHg. In the standard treatment arm, those who achieved a target SBP less than 140 mmHg displayed a substantial reduction in risk of MACE (hazard ratio = 0.65, P = 0.005), all-cause death (hazard ratio = 0.64, P = 0.02), and nonfatal stroke (hazard ratio = 0.47, P = 0.02) as compared with those whose achieved SBP was 140 mmHg or higher. CONCLUSION Achieving a standard SBP goal between 120 and 140 mmHg may prove useful for lowering cardiovascular risk in persons with diabetes mellitus. Achieving a target SBP less than 120 mmHg does not appear to mitigate risk. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov # NCT00000620 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?term=NCT00000620&Search=Search).
Advice / Insights / Tips—for Teacher Education Programs and Administrators

At a conference, Debbie asked the audience of aspiring and practicing teacher educators and administrators, “Have you ever thought about teaching disruptive students and . . . ?” Immediately, before she could complete the rest of the question, everyone in the room answered, “No!” To her, this reaction succinctly illustrated the urgency of the problem of classroom discipline.
Craft Beer in the USA: Strategic Connections to Macro- and European Brewers

While most of the beer consumed around the world is produced by macrobrewers such as AB InBev, craft brewers (or microbreweries) currently receive most attention. In part, this is because craft beer represents the growing segment of the malt beverage industry and in part because the craft segment has had so many new entrants. In this paper, we describe the evolution of the craft beer component of the US beer industry, we explain the strategic interactions between US craft and macrobrewers, and we show how the US craft beer industry is having a revitalizing influence upon the brewing industry in Europe. While craft beer has its contemporary roots in the USA, for centuries Europeans have been brewing what could be considered “craft beer” in terms of its batch size and output heterogeneity.
Solving permutation problems with the ordering messy genetic algorithm

Although successful at first, messy genetic algorithms had minimum attention within the evolutionary computation community for the past few years. This chapter presents an ordering messy genetic algorithm (OmeGA) that is able to solve difficult permutation problems efficiently. Starting with a brief introduction to the fast messy genetic algorithm (fmGA), the chapter continues by proposing a robust representation model--the random keys--that proved to work successfully for representing permutations. The design of OmeGA is described and ordering deceptive problems are discussed in detail. Thereafter, experimental results that show the random key-based simple genetic algorithm (RKGA) being outperformed by its messy competitor in 32-length ordering deceptive problems are presented. The OmeGA is completely independent from the underlying chromosome's coding scheme and finds the global optimal solution in problems with both tightly and loosely coded building blocks. The chapter finally demonstrates the OmeGA's scale-up behavior.
Metabolic and Anatomic Complications Following Bariatric Surgery

There has been a virtual explosion in the number of bariatric procedures done in the USA and globally in the past 5 years. It is anticipated that more than 200,000 bariatric procedures will be done in the USA in 2012. Bariatric procedures carried out today are generally safe, in most cases effective, and commonly cost-effective in the total health care cost of this population [1]. This chapter reviews the short- and long-term complications of bariatric procedure.
Effect of mass on multimodal fuel consumption in moving people and freight in the U.S.

Abstract The United States transportation sector consumes 5 billion barrels of petroleum annually to move people and freight around the country by car, truck, train, ship and aircraft, emitting significant greenhouse gases in the process. Making the transportation system more sustainable by reducing these emissions and increasing the efficiency of this multimodal system can be achieved through several vehicle-centric strategies. We focus here on one of these strategies – reducing vehicle mass – and on collecting and developing a set of physics-based expressions to describe the effect of vehicle mass reduction on fuel consumption across transportation modes in the U.S. These expressions allow analysts to estimate fuel savings resulting from vehicle mass reductions (termed fuel reduction value, FRV), across modes, without resorting to specialized software or extensive modeling efforts, and to evaluate greenhouse gas emission and cost implications of these fuel savings. We describe how FRV differs from fuel intensity (FI) and how to properly use both of these metrics, and we provide a method to adjust FI based on mass changes and FRV. Based on this work, we estimate that a 10% vehicle mass reduction (assuming constant payload mass) results in a 2% improvement in fuel consumption for trains and light, medium, and heavy trucks, 4% for buses, and 7% for aircraft. When a 10% vehicle mass reduction is offset by an increase in an equivalent mass of payload, fuel intensity (fuel used per unit mass of payload) increases from 6% to 23%, with the largest increase being for aircraft.
Coastal Application of Sea Surface Height Measurement Using Direct Broadcast Satellite Signals

This paper presents results from a proof-of-concept experiment conducted at Platform Harvest to measure Sea Surface Height (SSH) using Ku- and K-band ‘Signals of Opportunity’ (SoOp) from DirecTV Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) system. The retrieved SSH was compared with the SSH measurement from a tide gauge located at the platform; the error in retrieval of Ku-band and K-band was found to be 2.78 cm and 2.58 cm, respectively. This matched the model for error with some differences that can be attributed to the difference in spatial and temporal characteristics of the SoOp and tide gauge measurements. Finally, this paper gives an overview of temporal and spatial sampling possible from a constellation of receivers observing Ku-band SoOp to resolve mesoscale eddies in coastal regions.
Comparison of three different types of implant-supported fixed dental prostheses: A long-term retrospective study of clinical outcomes and cost-effectiveness.

OBJECTIVE To study the performance of 2-3 posterior bone-level dental implants constructed with either three non-splinted crowns (NSC), three splinted crowns (SC), or a 3-unit implant-supported bridge over two implants (ISB). MATERIAL AND METHODS Patients treated with three metal-ceramic NSC, SC, or an ISB were included in the present retrospective study. Implant survival and success rate as well as all biological and technical complications were collected. The cost associated with each of the treatment options was evaluated in the comparative analysis. RESULTS One hundred and forty-five patients (40 NSC, 52 SC, and 53 in the ISB) receiving 382 bone-level implants (120 NSC, 106 ISB, and 156 SC) were included (mean follow-up of 76.2 months). Lack of success was observed in 33.8% of the total patient sample, being lower in the ISB group. Implant survival rates were 92.5% in the NSC, 100% in the ISB, and 88.5% in the SC, with significant difference noted between the ISB and SC (p = 0.01). Overall, 9.9% of the total implants were found to have peri-implantitis (PI), with 16.7% in the SC, 7.5% in the NSC, and 2.8% in the ISB. Patients presenting prosthodontic complications were significantly higher in NSC (32.5%) than ISB (13.2%) and SC (15.4%). The total cost of the ISB group was significantly lower when compared to the NSC and SC groups (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS An 3-unit implant-supported bridge restoring 2 implants seems to present the most ideal long-term therapeutic solution, among the investigated approaches in this study, in rehabilitating a 3-unit edentulous area.
Efficient screening of through-silicon-via (TSV) ASICs for CZT x-ray imaging detectors (Conference Presentation)

The High Resolution Energetic X-ray Imager (HREXI) is a coded-aperture imaging telescope that utilizes tiled CdZnTe (CZT) detectors to image cosmic x-ray sources and transients in the 3-200 keV energy band. A closely tiled array of 256 pixellated CZT detectors form the 1024 cm^2 detector plane of a proposed (Grindlay et al. 2019) SmallSat mission. This close tiling of the crystal units is achieved by Through-Silicon-Via (TSV) enabled readout ASICs that shrink the readout electronics footprint of the wire-bonded ASICs previously developed and incorporated on the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) mission. To close-tile large numbers of detectors, an efficient die-level ASIC screening method is required for the TSV-ASICs. The ASIC Test Stand (ATS) was developed (Violette et al. 2018, SPIE Proceedings) in order to enable rapid testing of die-level TSV-ASICs by precision alignment of a fixed array of spring-loaded pogo-pin probes to connect to the ASIC's 87 pads with a 225 micron pitch. Here we report ATS design improvements and results from testing ASIC energy resolution and stability using the commandable test pulser internal to the ASIC. Multiple ATS systems will enable rapid testing and selection of ASICs for large area detector arrays as needed for the HREXI SmallSat Prototype (HSP).
Chimerism and Tolerance Without Gvhd In Mismatched Recipients Of Combined Hematopoietic Stem Cell/Kidney Transplants: Donor-Specific Hyporeactivity Is Not a Reliable Biomarker For Tolerance

We recently reported that low-intensity conditioning combined with facilitating cell (FC)-enriched hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (FCRx) can safely achieve high levels of durable chimerism in unrelated and related mismatched kidney transplant (KTx) recipients. This is associated with stable renal function, complete absence of GHVD, and successful withdrawal of immunosuppression (IS). We herein present interim follow-up of now 19 subjects and present data to demonstrate that donor specific hypoactivity does not correlate with tolerance to the renal allograft if chimerism is not present. HLA-mismatched related (n = 12) and unrelated (n = 8) living donor KTx recipients were conditioned with fludarabine (days -5,-4,-3), cyclophosphamide (50 mg/kg day -3, +3), 200 cGy TBI, (day -1), KTx (day 0), followed by infusion of cryopreserved G-CSF mobilized FCRx (day +1). Multilineage chimerism was assessed prospectively by STR analysis. Mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) and cell mediated lympholysis (CML) assays were performed to assess donor-specific hyporeactivity. Subjects ranged in age from 18-65 years. 18 of 19 patients demonstrated peripheral blood macrochimerism at 1 month post-transplant (6% - 100%). The one patient who failed to engraft was highly sensitized (Class I PRA > 40%). No subjects developed acute or chronic GVHD or “engraftment syndrome.” Chimerism was transient in 4 subjects, each of which received either a suboptimal cell dose or had PRA > 20%. Durable whole blood and T cell chimerism was achieved in 14 subjects. All patients demonstrated in vitro donor-specific hyporesponsiveness (DSH) by MLR +/- CML post-transplant regardless of chimerism status. However, DSH in patients who lost chimerism was not predictive of successful IS weaning, as 3 of 4 transiently chimeric patients with DSH had subclinical Banff 1A rejection on protocol biopsy and while on tacrolimus monotherapy. Recurrence of underlying autoimmune disease has only occurred in subjects who were transiently chimeric. Protocol biopsies in chimeric subjects have exhibited normal histology for up to 3 years. Nine chimeric subjects are completely off IS from 1-34 months. The remainder are in the process of weaning. The presence of durable, high level whole blood and T cell chimerism in combined kidney + FCRx recipients is a robust biomarker of tolerance. DSH alone without donor chimerism in the first post-transplant year does not predict successful IS withdrawal or tolerance. Disclosures: Tollerud: Regenerex, LLC: Equity Ownership. Ildstad: Regenerex, LLC: Equity Ownership.
Antenna Array Calibration with Model Mismatch

Antenna array calibration techniques commonly assume that the parametric model of the array manifold matches the true manifold for the correct set of calibration parameters. This assumption does not hold for most frequently used models. This paper studies the impact of this mismatch on the quality of the calibration which can be achieved. The overall accuracy of the calibrated array generally depends on the number and distribution of the calibration signals even when the manifold is perfectly known at the calibrating signal directions.
In situ transport measurements reveal source of mobility enhancement of MoS2 and MoTe2 during dielectric deposition.

Layered transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) and other two-dimensional (2D) materials are promising candidates for enhancing the capabilities of complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) te...
Genetic variants of mineral metabolism in health and disease.

Purpose of review Disturbances in mineral metabolism are common among individuals with chronic kidney disease and have consistently been associated with cardiovascular and bone disease. The current review aims to describe the current knowledge of the genetic aspects of mineral metabolism disturbances and to suggest directions for future studies to uncover the cause and pathogenesis of chronic kidney disease - mineral bone disorder. Recent findings The most severe disorders of mineral metabolism are caused by highly penetrant, rare, single-gene disruptive mutations. More recently, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have made an important contribution to our understanding of the genetic determinants of circulating levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, calcium, phosphorus, fibroblast growth factor-23, parathyroid hormone, fetuin-A and osteoprotegerin. Although the majority of these genes are known members of mineral homeostasis pathways, GWAS with larger sample sizes have enabled the discovery of many genes not known to be involved in the regulation of mineral metabolism. Summary GWAS have enabled remarkable developments in our ability to discover the genetic basis of mineral metabolism disturbances. Although we are far from using these findings to inform clinical practice, we are gaining understanding of novel biological mechanisms and providing insight into ethnic variation in these traits.
Laboratory Investigation of Prewet Deicer Performance for Winter Mobility in the Pacific Northwest

Abstract Applying prewet deicers to roads during adverse winter weather is a cost-effective strategy to improve transportation safety and mobility. Prewet deicers have a small amount of liquid prod...
Real-Time Estimation of Drivers’ Trust in Automated Driving Systems

Trust miscalibration issues, represented by undertrust and overtrust, hinder the interaction between drivers and self-driving vehicles. A modern challenge for automotive engineers is to avoid these trust miscalibration issues through the development of techniques for measuring drivers’ trust in the automated driving system during real-time applications execution. One possible approach for measuring trust is through modeling its dynamics and subsequently applying classical state estimation methods. This paper proposes a framework for modeling the dynamics of drivers’ trust in automated driving systems and also for estimating these varying trust levels. The estimation method integrates sensed behaviors (from the driver) through a Kalman filter-based approach. The sensed behaviors include eye-tracking signals, the usage time of the system, and drivers’ performance on a non-driving-related task. We conducted a study ( $$n=80$$ ) with a simulated SAE level 3 automated driving system, and analyzed the factors that impacted drivers’ trust in the system. Data from the user study were also used for the identification of the trust model parameters. Results show that the proposed approach was successful in computing trust estimates over successive interactions between the driver and the automated driving system. These results encourage the use of strategies for modeling and estimating trust in automated driving systems. Such trust measurement technique paves a path for the design of trust-aware automated driving systems capable of changing their behaviors to control drivers’ trust levels to mitigate both undertrust and overtrust.
Resolving the Burden of Low Back Pain in Military Service Members and Veterans (RESOLVE): Protocol for a Multisite Pragmatic Clinical Trial.

Background Physical therapy (PT) is frequently used for the management of low back pain (LBP) within the US Departments of Defense (DOD) and Veterans Affairs (VA). However, variations in PT practice patterns and use of ineffective interventions lower the quality and increase the cost of care. Although adherence to the clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) can improve the outcomes and cost-effectiveness of LBP care, PT CPG adherence remains below 50%. The Resolving the Burden of Low Back Pain in Military Service Members and Veterans (RESOLVE) trial will evaluate the effectiveness of an active PT CPG implementation strategy using an education, audit, and feedback model for reducing pain, disability, medication use, and cost of LBP care within the DOD and VA health care systems. Design The RESOLVE trial will include 3,300 to 7,260 patients with LBP across three DOD and two VA medical facilities using a stepped-wedge study design. An education, audit, and feedback model will be used to encourage physical therapists to better adhere to the PT CPG recommendations. The Oswestry Disability Index and the Defense and Veterans Pain Rating Scale will be used as primary outcomes. Secondary outcomes will include the LBP-related medication use, medical resource utilization, and biopsychosocial predictors of outcomes. Statistical analyses will be based on the intention-to-treat principle and will use linear mixed models to compare treatment conditions and examine the interactions between treatment and subgrouping status (e.g., limb loss). Summary The RESOLVE trial will provide a pragmatic approach to evaluate whether better adherence to PT CPGs can reduce pain, disability, medication use, and LBP care cost within the DOD and VA health care systems.
Evaluation of a Training Toolkit to Improve Clinicians' Skills for Dementia Advance Care Planning

Background: Primary care clinicians care for most persons with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRDs), yet lack dementia-specific skills in advance care planning (ACP). Objectives: To de...
Partitioning switch costs when investigating task switching in relation to media multitasking

The prevalence of media multitasking - the concurrent use of multiple forms of media - has motivated research on whether and how it is related to various cognitive abilities, such as the ability to switch tasks. However, previous research on the relationship between media multitasking and task-switching performance has yielded mixed results, possibly because of small sample sizes and a confound between task and cue transitions that resulted in switch costs being impure measures of task-switching ability. The authors conducted a large-sample study in which media multitasking behavior was surveyed and task-switching performance was assessed using two cues per task, thereby allowing switch costs to be partitioned into task-switching and cue-repetition effects. The main finding was no evidence of any relationship between media multitasking scores and task-switching effects (or cue-repetition effects), either in correlational analyses or in extreme group analyses of light and heavy media multitaskers. The results are discussed in the context of previous research, with implications for studying media multitasking in relation to task-switching performance.
Radiography Versus Sonography in the Detection of Acute Fractures: A Case Series:

Plain radiography is often considered a first-line diagnostic tool and gold standard for bony fractures. This case series and brief literature review highlight the need for increased training in mu...
The association of neighborhood walkability with health outcomes in older adults after acute myocardial infarction: The SILVER-AMI study.

Abstract Physical activity and social support are associated with better outcomes after surviving acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and greater walkability has been associated with activity and support. We used data from the SILVER-AMI study (November 2014 – June 2017), a longitudinal cohort of community-living adults ≥75 years hospitalized for AMI to assess associations of neighborhood walkability with health outcomes, and to assess whether physical activity and social support mediate this relationship, if it exists. We included data from 1345 participants who were not bedbound, were discharged home, and for whom we successfully linked walkability scores (from Walk Score®) for their home census block. Our primary outcome was hospital-free survival time (HFST) at six months after discharge; secondary outcomes included physical and mental health at six months, assessed using SF-12. Physical activity and social support were measured at baseline. Covariates included cognition, functioning, comorbidities, participation in rehabilitation or physical therapy, and demographics. We employed survival analysis to examine associations between walkability and HFST, before and after adjustment for covariates; we repeated analyses using linear regression with physical and mental health as outcomes. In adjusted models, walkability was not associated with physical health (s = 0.010; 95% CI: -0.027, 0.047), mental health (s = -0.08; 95% CI: -0.175, -0.013), or HFST (s = 0.008; 95% CI: -0.023, 0.009). Social support was associated with mental health in adjusted models. Neighborhood walkability was not predictive of outcomes among older adults with existing coronary disease, suggesting that among older adults, mobility limitations may supercede neighborhood walkability.
DETECTION OF BLOODSTREAM INFECTION IN PAEDIATRIC ONCOLOGY PATIENTS: INFLUENCE OF BLOOD CULTURE MEDIUM

Objectives and Methods Expedient diagnosis of bloodstream infection is vital for the treatment of immunocompromised patients. Automated blood culture systems have revolutionised laboratory procedures and blood culture bottles have been developed to maximise detection of positive samples. Traditionally, blood cultures from oncology patients in our hospital were collected into standard aerobic (SA) and anaerobic (SN) bottles (bioMerieux). Whereas the use of SN bottles continued, in October 2006 SA bottles were replaced with new “FA bottles”, which should improve the growth of micro-organisms by sequestering inhibitors onto activated charcoal present in the culture medium. However, culture fluid from the FA bottles proved difficult to examine microscopically, occasionally resulting in delayed interpretation of culture findings. To determine whether the increased complexity could be justified on the basis of clinical benefit, we collected retrospective data on blood cultures from paediatric oncology patients for 12-month periods preceding and following the transition to FA bottles. Results Approximately 1000 blood cultures were collected in each of the time frames. A positivity rate of 16.2% using SA bottles fell to 11.3% following the introduction of FA bottles (p Conclusion No evidence was found to support any clinical benefit from continued use of FA bottles in our unit. The value of tailoring culture methods to the needs of local patient groups has been highlighted.
Patient Characteristics and Costs Associated With COVID-19-Related Medical Care Among Medicare Fee-for-Service Beneficiaries

BACKGROUND: New cases of COVID-19 continue to occur daily in the United States, and the need for medical treatments continues to grow. Knowledge of the direct medical costs of COVID-19 treatments is limited. OBJECTIVE: To examine the characteristics of older adults with COVID-19 and their costs for COVID-19-related medical care. DESIGN: Retrospective observational study. SETTING: Medical claims for Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) beneficiaries. PATIENTS: Medicare FFS beneficiaries aged 65 years or older who had a COVID-19-related medical encounter during April through December 2020. MEASUREMENTS: Patient characteristics and direct medical costs of COVID-19-related hospitalizations and outpatient visits. RESULTS: Among 28.1 million Medicare FFS beneficiaries, 1 181 127 (4.2%) sought COVID-19-related medical care. Among these patients, 23.0% had an inpatient stay and 4.2% died during hospitalization. The majority of the patients were female (57.0%), non-Hispanic White (79.6%), and residents of an urban county (77.2%). Medicare FFS costs for COVID-19-related medical care were $6.3 billion; 92.6% of costs were for hospitalizations. The mean hospitalization cost was $21 752, and the mean length of stay was 9.2 days; hospitalization cost and length of stay were higher if the patient needed a ventilator ($49 441 and 17.1 days) or died ($32 015 and 11.3 days). The mean cost per outpatient visit was $164. Patients aged 75 years or older were more likely to be hospitalized, but their hospitalizations were associated with lower costs than for younger patients. Male sex and non-White race/ethnicity were associated with higher probability of being hospitalized and higher medical costs. LIMITATION: Results are based on Medicare FFS patients. CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in substantial disease and economic burden among older Americans, particularly those of non-White race/ethnicity. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: None.
Detection of ultrashort-chain and other per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in U.S. bottled water

Abstract Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are compounds of emerging concern due to their persistence in the global water cycle and detection in drinking water sources. However, PFAS have been poorly studied in bottled water, especially in the United States. This study investigated the occurrence of PFAS and related factors in 101 uniquely labelled bottled water products for sale in the U.S. Products were screened for 32 target PFAS by solid phase extraction-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (SPE-LC-MS/MS). Fifteen of 32 measured analytes were detected, consisting primarily of C3-C10 perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCA) and C3-C6 and C8 perfluorosulfonic acids (PFSA). PFAS were detected above method detection limits in 39/101 tested products. The Σ32PFAS concentrations detected were 0.17–18.87 ng/L with a median of 0.98 ng/L; 97% of samples were below 5 ng/L. PFCA (83%) and short-chain perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAA) containing 5 or less CF2 groups (67%) were more prevalent on a mass basis than PFSA and longer-chain PFAA, respectively. Ultrashort-chain PFPrA, measured for the first time in bottled water, accounted for the greatest individual fraction of detected PFAS mass (42%) and was found almost exclusively in products labeled as Spring water. Purified water products contained significantly less PFAS than Spring water products, which was attributed to the use of reverse osmosis (RO) treatment in the majority of Purified waters (25/35) compared to Spring waters (1/45). RO-treated products contained significantly lower Σ32PFAS, long-chain, short-chain, and PFPrA concentrations than products without RO. Although no enforceable PFAS regulations exist for bottled water in the U.S., the finding that some products approach levels of concern justify a framework for monitoring PFAS in bottled water production.
How Should Clinicians and Organizations Assess Risks and Benefits of First-in-Human Implantation of Investigational Devices?

The number of new medical devices cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) through the 510(k) pathway that has subsequently been associated with safety risks has led to discussion of approaches to regulation and communication of device risks. As debate continues over whether the pathway needs to be altered
Chapter 78 Physical metallurgy

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of physical metallurgy. There are two basic methods of preparing the rare earth metals—metallothermic reduction or the electrolytic reduction of a rare earth salt, usually a fluoride or chloride or sometimes the oxide. The latter method is limited to the light lanthanides (La, Ce, Pr and Nd) and mischmetal (a mixture of the rare earth metals in the same proportions as in the naturally occurring ore) because of their low melting temperatures. In principle, the remaining rare earths could be reduced electrolytically, but at the high temperature required to operate the cell, which must be greater than the given rare earth metal's melting point, there is a horrendous materials compatibility problem vis-a-vis the electrodes and container. Thus the metallothermic method is basically the only choice for preparing 75% of the rare earth metals.
Strictness and Subsidiarity: An Institutional Perspective on Affirmative Action at the European Court of Justice

The move to strict review of gender equality cases by the European Court of Justice raises questions regarding the institutional role of the Court. Comparisons between the ECJ's affirmative action case law and US jurisprudence serve to illuminate the very different role played by the ECJ as the central arbiter of a supranational judiciary. In its readiness to decide contextual issues better left to the national courts, the European Court has taken an "American approach" to affirmative action out of keeping with its role. Closer attention to the dynamics of the Court's partnership with national judiciaries would serve as a step toward a functional conception of judicial subsidiarity.
Diabetes insipidus and pregnancy.

Summary 1. The clinical course of 2 patients with diabetes insipidus in pregnancy has been presented. One required increased administration of vasopressin for stable water exchange, one was maintained on the pre-pregnancy dosage. In both delivery was effected and oxytocics were not required for or after delivery of the placenta. 2. The antidiuretic activity of exogenous vasopressin was shown to be decreased in pregnancy with increase after delivery. 3. Possible influences of pregnancy on diabetes insipidus are discussed.
An interdisciplinary laboratory for computer science and engineering technology

This paper describes the development of a new Data Acquisition and Control Laboratory at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (A&M-CC). The laboratory is being equipped with state-of-the-art instruments that offer several capabilities, including internet-based experimentation, process variable measurements and analysis, control system modeling and design, signal and image processing, and sensor technology applications. This paper presents the major components of the laboratory, describes the interfacing of the components into fully operational systems, and discusses the interdisciplinary educational and research capabilities that the new laboratory supports.
Load/voltage modeling of distribution systems; a system identification approach

A system identification method is proposed which can be used to characterize the distribution system load as a function of the substation voltage. The primary objective of this technique is to capture the dynamic variation of the composite system load on distribution feeders so that the most effective substation voltage level can be obtained and applied to conserve energy over specified control periods. The proposed system identification method is implementable on actual distribution systems by utilizing existing capabilities of the distribution automation hardware. Also, the impulse response of a space heating load is identified using the proposed technique to demonstrate the applicability of the identification method. >