cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Distributed intelligent agents for service restoration and control applications

Typically, the electricity power network is divided into two basic networks: the transmission network and the distribution network. Other than the voltage range of operation, the distribution network differs from the transmission network in that it is mostly radial and also has many points of connection that are normally open. This allows various configurations by the operating utility by the simple control of closing and opening switches. Under normal circumstances, the system is operated and coordinated from the control center. With new technological advances the operation of these switches can now be remotely controlled from a control center. Every time that the power network fails the central control center determines which system elements and control actions should be implemented to either save the system from collapse or to reconfigure or restore the system after an outage. In this research, the concept of distributed agents connected to substations instead of controlling the system by a control center is being studied. These agents would be in charge of starting local system response in the case of a system blackout or any other abnormal situation. Agents would be required to communicate among themselves to coordinate the control actions. Here, simulations scenario on power system restoration and losses minimization using the distributed agents simulated in Matlab will be presented.
Excretion of amino acids by patients with psoriasis ingesting two levels of the same protein.

Abstract The amounts of 27 amino acids and other ninhydrin-reacting substances were determined by ion-exchange chromatography in the urine of patients with psoriasis, eating diets containing 54 and 104 Gm. of protein from the same source. Regardless of level of protein intake, asparagine plus glutamine, histidine, glycine, and taurine or lysine contents of urine accounted for between 55 and 64 per cent of the total amount of amino acids present. This nucleus of amino acids, with the exception of lysine, was the same as in control individuals fed the same diets. The amount of amino acids in the urine increased when the protein intake was doubled, but only lysine, α-aminoadipic acid, and cystathionine excretion was increased at least twofold. No outstanding differences in amino acid excretion were found between patients with psoriasis and control subjects.
Home and Away: Self-Reflexive Auto-/Ethnography

Das Erkunden des Unbekannten setzt das Verlassen des Bekannten voraus. Dieses Verlassen ist somit eine Grundvoraussetzung fur das Transzendieren von Selbst und Gesellschaft, ob man nun die entfernte Kultur oder die Kultur in der Nachbarschaft untersucht. Das Verlassen ermoglicht jedoch auch ein anderes und tieferes Verstandnis von dem, was man zuruckgelassen hat. In dieser Abhandlung werde ich eine Verknupfung der beiden zutiefst menschlichen Lebensweisen des Zuhause-Seins und des In-der-Fremde-Seins vornehmen, sowohl im buchstablichen Sinn der Verknupfung der eigenen und der fremden Kultur als auch im ubertragenen Sinn der Verknupfung von Ethnografien des Bekannten und des Unbekannten. Der Blick zuruck in die Heimat erweist sich dabei als eine Moglichkeit, Selbst-Reflexivitat zu praktizieren. Ich werde wissenschaftliche Ansatze zur Erfahrung von Heimat und Fremde mit meinen personlichen Erfahrungen verknupfen, um Bedeutungs-Dimensionen aufzuzeigen. Mein Beitrag behandelt die folgenden Dimensionen: (a) Die Etymologie von Heimat und Fremde, (b) kulturpsychologische Aspekte, (c) Fernweh versus Heimweh sowie (d) zentrale auto-ethnografische Fragen und "Reisen in die Heimat"; diese Reisen illustrieren die Moglichkeiten, die die Auto-Ethnografie eroffnet. Auto-Ethnografie stellt demnach ein weiteres Puzzleteil dar im Bemuhen, uns selbst und andere zu verstehen. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs0203105
Micro-ring resonator based electro-absorption modulators on the hybrid III-V on silicon platform

The requirements of an optical interconnect that is to be used for high bandwidth computing are low power consumption, small footprint and high spectral efficiency. A microring resonator has several key features that make it an ideal candidate for use in optical interconnects viz. small size, resonance-enhanced efficiency and no intrinsic reflections. Quantum confined stark effect (QCSE) electro-absorption III-V modulators are efficient even at low powers because they provide effective impedance transformation from electrical voltage to optical power [1]. In this paper we present a compact hybrid silicon microring modulator that unifies QCSE and ring resonance effect.
Evaluation of General versus Specific Instruction of Badminton Skills to Women of Low Motor Ability

Abstract This study evaluated the effectiveness of a basic skills course as a prerequisite for performing badminton skills among college women of low motor ability. Subjects (N = 106), classified by the Scott Motor Ability Test, were assigned to one of three groups: (a) a group that experienced a basic skills course prior to badminton instruction, (b) a group enrolled initially in badminton, and (c) a group that experienced another sport prior to badminton instruction. Data were collected on performance in badminton skills for each group at mid-semester and at the end of semester. No significant differences were found between groups on performance of badminton skills. Results supported the theory of specificity in learning motor skills and did not support the worth of a basic skills course in facilitating subsequent performance in the specific skills of badminton.
Stricture at Pancreatico-Jejunostomy or Pancreatico-Gastrostomy

Stricture at the pancreatojejunostomy or pancreatogastrostomy after pancreatoduodenectomy is fairly common. It frequently contributes to pancreatic exocrine insufficiency and sometimes is associated with the debilitating attacks of pancreatic pain and pancreatitis. Diagnosis is best achieved by secretin-stimulated magnetic resonance (MR) pancreatography. Surgical reconstruction has been used for recurrent severe pain but the procedure is difficult and results are mixed. Endoscopic treatments of pancreatico-jejunostomy anastomotic (PJA) strictures have advanced rapidly in the recent past and are now the first-line therapy. Direct puncture of the pancreatic duct through the stomach using endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) has revolutionized endoscopic treatment and permitted several new endoscopic treatments of PJA strictures.
Pathology, Classification, and Treatment of Syringomyelia

Syringomyelia poses unique challenges for the clinician because of its complex symptomatology, varied pathology, and multiple options for treatment. The purpose of this chapter is to review current knowledge concerning the pathology and pathophysiology of syringomyelia as a foundation for diagnosis and treatment. Conclusions are based on pathological findings in 175 patients coming to autopsy in the years 1955–1993, clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in a database of 1245 patients (1993–2000), and operative findings in 387 patients undergoing surgical treatment between the years 1994 and 2000. The use of a pathology-based classification of syringomyelia provides a scientific basis for diagnosis and treatment.
Cross-Industry Concurrent Engineering

Concurrent Engineering (CE) has been discussed as a tool to reduce time to market in one company. In other words, CE was only discussed from the viewpoint of production time. But if we introduce the same idea of sharing knowledge not only across different processes in one company, but also to across different industries, i.e., if we develop cross-industry CE, we can not only reduce time and cost, but we can also make our production system more flexible. This paper describes the basic idea of cross-industry CE and its usefulness.
The Energetics of Halogenated Ethylenes (Ethynes) and 1,3-Butadienes (Butadiynes): A Computational and Conceptual Study of Substituent Effects and “Dimerization”

The energetics of ethylenes and 1,3-butadienes may be interrelated by the reaction: RHC=CH 2 + H 2 C=CHR' - RHC=CH-CH=CHR' + H 2 . Shown earlier to be nearly enthalpically thermoneutral for a variety of hydrocarbon cases, we are now interested in the related energetics of halogenated alkenes and alkynes. Using quantum chemical calculations, we have studied this as recast as the isodesmic reactions: 2(H 2 C=CHX) + H2C=CH-CH=CH2→p,q-di-X-1,3-butadiene + 2H 2 C=CH 2 2(HC≡CX) + HC≡C-C≡CH → di-X-butadiyne + 2HC≡CH. Here p,q- = 1,3-; 1,4- and 2,3- with X = F, Cl, Br, and I. The halogen and location-dependent deviations from near enthalpic thermoneutrality are discussed.
AB0417 Exercise is associated with decreased risk of metabolic syndrome in patients with sle

Background Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have an increased prevalence of insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome. Exercise has been shown to improve insulin resistance and components of the metabolic syndrome in the general population. However, few studies have evaluated the effects of exercise on the metabolic health of patients with SLE. Objectives Determine the relationship between exercise and metabolic health in SLE patients. Methods We performed a cross sectional study of 165 patients with SLE and recorded the amount of dedicated exercise performed outside of daily activities as metabolic equivalents in minutes per week (METs). We measured clinical variables, fasting insulin and glucose, and calculated the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) as a measure of insulin resistance. Metabolic syndrome was defined by the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III definition. Current MET expenditure was categorized into quartiles and we used these to determine the relationship between exercise and the metabolic syndrome and its individual components using binary logistic regression and multivariable regression analyses adjusting for age, race and sex. Results Patients with SLE (n=165) had a median [IQR] age of 41 years [30-48], 89.1% were female, median BMI was 27.5 kg/m 2 [23.6-32.74], and 29% had metabolic syndrome. Median disease duration was 7 years [3-12] and SLEDAI was 4 [0-6]. The median exercise expenditure was 200 MET min/week [0-591.75]. With each quartile increase in METs, resting heart rate decreased by 2.3 beats per minute (95% CI, 0.7-4.0 beats per minute) (P=0.006). The odds of having metabolic syndrome was decreased by 25.9% (0.8-44.6%) for each quartile increase in METs (P=0.044). Each increasing quartile of exercise was associated with a 12.3% (0.2-22.9%) decrease in HOMA (P=0.045), 8.9 mg/dl (0.5-17.3 mg/dl) decrease in triglycerides (P=0.037), and 2.5 mg/dl (0.7-4.3 mg/dl) increase in HDL (P=0.006), but no significant change in the presence of hypertension (P=0.10), fasting glucose level (P=0.14), or BMI (P=0.11). There was a non-significant trend toward decreased waist circumference with increasing exercise (P=0.06). Conclusions Some metabolic benefits are associated with the amount of exercise performed in patients with SLE, particularly decreased odds of having metabolic syndrome and improvement in insulin resistance, triglyceride, and HDL levels. Future interventional studies to determine if exercise can prevent or reverse the metabolic syndrome and its associated adverse cardiometabolic risk factors in patients with SLE patients will be of interest. Disclosure of Interest None Declared
Nanotechnologies in Surgery: The New Paradigm

Nanotechnology requires surgeons to rethink their concept of surgery. Rather than “cutting out the bad tissue, and repairing the good tissue” (with ever-increasing precision and minimal tissue disruption), the surgeon using nanotechnologies must think in terms of the cellular (or subcellular) characteristics of tissues and how the surgeon can interact at the cellular/micron/nano level. The nanorealm—from the micron (10−6 m) to the nanometer (10−9 m)—lies below the detection of the human eye. Nanoparticles and nanomaterials accomplish surgical goals by interacting with tissues at the cellular or subcellular level. The surgeon must substitute “visual flight rules” and “hands-on surgery” with “instrument flight rules” and “vicarious surgery.” Nanoparticles such as quantum dots, liposomes, and paramagnetic nanoparticles and nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes, nanoscaffolds, and nanofilms have already shown broad applications in surgery and related disciplines. Paramagnetic nanoparticles and quantum dots can be used to image tumors and enhance MRI scans. Nanoendoscopes can be used to investigate the interior of cells—with quantum dots labeling various intracellular organelles—without injury to the cell. Nanoscaffolds can be used for both hemostasis and improved tissue repair and regeneration. Nanotechniques are enabling point-of-care handheld lab-on-a-chip devices; nanotechniques are essential for tissue-machine and brain-machine interfaces that can restore or replace lost tissues and functions. The era of “surgical nanorobots” utilizing the body’s “metabolic highways”—the vascular system from aorta and vena cava to capillary and venule—to atraumatically operate on any bodily tissue (down to a single errant cell, if need be!) is close at hand.
How does music training predict cognitive abilities? A bifactor approach to musical expertise and intelligence

Many studies have found that variation in music training is associated with intellectual abilities, but research disagrees over whether music education should primarily correlate with general intelligence (g) or with specific lower-level cognitive abilities (e.g., fluid reasoning, verbal ability, or spatial reasoning). Past research, however, has not modeled the data in ways that can separate general abilities like g from specific abilities. To examine if the associations between music training and intelligence are general, specific, or both, a bifactor modeling approach was applied to data from a sample of 237 young adults who varied substantially in musical expertise. People completed a range of tasks that measured several lower-order abilities: fluid intelligence, crystallized intelligence (vocabulary knowledge), verbal fluency, and auditory discrimination ability. Simple correlations showed that music training correlated with all 4 lower-order abilities. A bifactor model, however, found that music training had both general (a strong association with g: s = .74 [.50, .98]) and specific (a moderate association with auditory ability: s = .37 [.08, .67]) relationships. The findings reconcile past research on the breadth of music training’s relationships and illustrate a fruitful method for identifying its links with cognitive abilities.
Analysis of cancer prevalence in local population of Xuhang town in 2013

Objective: to learn the local residents with cancer in Xuhang town. Methods: The data of patients with cancer in Xuhang on April 30, 2013 from Shanghai Health Service Information System was employed to analyze the prevalence of cancers. Results: There were total 589 patients with cancer in Xuhang, of whom 276 were male and 313 were female. The prevalence rate with cancer was 1.89% and the prevalence rate increased along with the increase of the age. The top 5 cancers were breast cancer, gastric cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer and rectal cancer, and the sequence between males and females was different. Conclusion: The prevalence rate of cancer in Xuhang increases. It requires for the health workers of the community health service center to improve the quality of following up the cancer patients to maximize their survival period.
WE-G-BRC-03: Risk Assessment for Physics Plan Review

Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) originated as an industrial engineering technique used for risk management and safety improvement of complex processes. In the context of radiotherapy, the AAPM Task Group 100 advocates FMEA as the framework of choice for establishing clinical quality management protocols. However, there is concern that widespread adoption of FMEA in radiation oncology will be hampered by the perception that implementation of the tool will have a steep learning curve, be extremely time consuming and labor intensive, and require additional resources. To overcome these preconceptions and facilitate the introduction of the tool into clinical practice, the medical physics community must be educated in the use of this tool and the ease in which it can be implemented. Organizations with experience in FMEA should share their knowledge with others in order to increase the implementation, effectiveness and productivity of the tool. This session will include a brief, general introduction to FMEA followed by a focus on practical aspects of implementing FMEA for specific clinical procedures including HDR brachytherapy, physics plan review and radiosurgery. A description of common equipment and devices used in these procedures and how to characterize new devices for safe use in patient treatments will be presented. This will be followed by a discussion of how to customize FMEA techniques and templates to one's own clinic. Finally, cases of common failure modes for specific procedures (described previously) will be shown and recommended intervention methodologies and outcomes reviewed. Learning Objectives: 1.Understand the general concept of failure mode and effect analysis 2.Learn how to characterize new equipment for safety 3.Be able to identify potential failure modes for specific procedures and learn mitigation techniques 4.Be able to customize FMEA examples and templates for use in any clinic
Fine tuning metabolism of biochemically active abiraterone metabolites to optimize anti-androgen therapy in prostate cancer.

5016Background: Abiraterone inhibits CYP17A1 and blocks androgen synthesis, prolonging survival in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Abiraterone is metabolized in patients to D4A, which ...
A resonant voltage multiplier for long-range inductive power transmission

A switch-based technique has been presented for efficient inductive power transmission at large coupling distances. Unlike the conventional inductive link, in which the receiver (Rx) LC-tank is utilized as a voltage source, the proposed link switches the Rx LC-tank in a novel fashion to act as a current source. Therefore, the voltage across the load (R L ) can be significantly larger than the Rx LC-tank voltage. This enables the design of integrated voltage multipliers without additional off-chip capacitors and diodes, which are needed in conventional voltage multipliers. In the proposed link, the energy is first stored in the Rx coil by shorting the Rx LC-tank for several power carrier cycles. At the peak of Rx coil current, the coil energy is then transferred to the load capacitance and R L . In simulations, the proposed inductive link was capable of achieving a DC voltage of 5.7 V across R L of 100 kΩ while the peak of maximum AC voltage across the Rx coil was 1 V at the operation frequency of 1 MHz.
Anyone for trotters

Your item about Jonathan Bagger, the particle-physics student who had produced a meal of broiled pig for just 17 cents a serving (March p3), reminded me of the time I was introduced to this delicacy during the Second World War. I had been evacuated to rural Lancashire to escape the risk of air-raids, where the kind couple who looked after me and my friend Jim decided to serve us stewed pigs' trotters. They thought they were doing us a favour since the dish was considered a great delicacy in that part of the world. I certainly agree with Bagger that once they are tasted, they are never forgotten.
Investigation of cloud point extraction for the analysis of metallic nanoparticles in a soil matrix.

The characterization of manufactured nanoparticles (MNPs) in environmental samples is necessary to assess their behavior, fate and potential toxicity. Several techniques are available, but the limit of detection (LOD) is often too high for environmentally relevant concentrations. Therefore, pre-concentration of MNPs is an important component in the sample preparation step, in order to apply analytical tools with a LOD higher than the ng kg−1 level. The objective of this study was to explore cloud point extraction (CPE) as a viable method to pre-concentrate gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), as a model MNP, spiked into a soil extract matrix. To that end, different extraction conditions and surface coatings were evaluated in a simple matrix. The CPE method was then applied to soil extract samples spiked with AuNPs. Total gold, determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) following acid digestion, yielded a recovery greater than 90%. The first known application of single particle ICP-MS and asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation to evaluate the preservation of the AuNP physical state following CPE extraction is demonstrated.
Fortsetzung dieser Versuche: Die osmotische Entwicklungserregung der Eier des kalifornischen Seeigels (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus und franciscanus)

Es war auffallend, das diese Methode der osmotischen Druckerhohung, welche in Woods Hole an Arbacia gute Resultate ergab, zu schwankenden Resultaten bei den Eiern der kalifornischen Seeigel fuhrte. Wenn eine Methode bald gute, bald schlechte Resultate gibt, so darf man darauf rechnen, das noch eine wesentliche Variable im Spiele ist, die unberucksichtigt geblieben ist. Ich dachte lange Zeit, das die Temperatur diese Variable sei, fand aber, das auch bei Berucksichtigung dieser Moglichkeit die Resultate der rein osmotischen Entwicklungserregung in Pacific Grove ihren unsicheren Charakter beibehielten. Als ich nun im Jahre 1906 meine Versuche uber die Ursachen der Giftigkeit einer reinen Chlornatriumlosung fortsetzte, wurde meine Aufmerksamkeit wieder auf die Bedeutung der Konzentration der Hydroxylionen bei der Entwicklung gelenkt; und dabei wurde mir der Unterschied in der Alkalinitat des Seewassers in Pacific Grove und Woods Hole und die mogliche Bedeutung dieses Unterschiedes klar. Das Seewasser im Laboratorium in Woods Hole gab mit Phenolphthalein eine sehr kraftige Rotfarbung, wahrend das Seewasser in Pacific Grove, das fur die Versuche frisch aus dem Ozean geschopft wurde, mit Phenolphthalein farblos bleibt. Es gibt aber mit Neutralrot eine Orangefarbung. Daraus folgt auf Grundlage der Arbeiten von Friedenthal und Salm, das das Seewasser, das bei meinen Versuchen in Woods Hole benutzt wurde, eine Konzentration der Hydroxylionen hatt, die ⪚ 10-5 normal war, wahrend das Seewasser in Pacific Grove eine Konzentration der Hydroxylionen hat, die niemals den Wert 10-5 normal erreicht, aber ⪚ 10-6 normal ist. Meine Versuche hatten mir auch gezeigt, von welcher auserordentlichen biologischen Bedeutung schon ganz geringe Unterschiede in der Konzentration der Hydroxylionen sind.
Use of CT angiography among patients with prior coronary artery bypass grafting surgery

Given the inherent challenges in performing invasive coronary angiography (ICA) in patients who have coronary artery bypass grafts, there has been great interest in developing safe and accurate non-invasive techniques to assess graft patency. Clinically, such an evaluation is often required when patients present with symptoms suggestive of ischemia. However, while coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) has been extensively studied in patients without known prior coronary artery disease (CAD), the role of CTA remains less clear for patients with prior coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery. Addressing the need for more data in this area, Drs. Barbero and colleagues published in The International Journal of Cardiology a comprehensive review on this topic: “64 slice-coronary computed tomography sensitivity and specificity in the evaluation of coronary artery bypass graft stenosis”.
A review of The Rule of Logistics: Walmart and the Architecture of Fulfillment. By Jesse Lecavalier

This comprehensive and well-illustrated book is much about fulfillment, which can be seen in this particular context as a double sense term; the fulfillment function of logistics but also the fulfi...
Assessment of the Usefulness of PD&R Research Products

This report presents the results of a study that evaluated the degree of customer satisfaction with PDR people who subscribed to the HUD USER electronic mailing lists; and people who ordered reports from the HUD USER Clearinghouse. Overall, the three groups of PD&R customers expressed similar high levels of satisfaction. The typical pattern of response was that fewer than six percent expressed low levels of satisfaction on any item, while more than 80 percent were highly satisfied and the remaining were mildly satisfied.
Defending virtue epistemology: epistemic dependence in testimony and extended cognition

This paper provides an account of how virtue epistemology can accommodate knowledge acquired through testimony and extended cognition. Section 1 articulates the characteristic claim of virtue epistemology (VE), and introduces the issues discussed in the paper. Section 2 details a related pair of objections to VE: that it is unable to accommodate cases of knowledge through (1) testimony and (2) extended cognition. Section 3 reviews two different virtue epistemologies and their responses to these objections presented in Greco (Achieving knowledge, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2010; Philos Phenomenol Res 85(1):1–26, 2012). Considerations are presented for why both of these accounts and responses are inadequate. Because of this, I suggest that it is unlikely that an analysis of the attribution relation will provide an adequate response to the objections. Section 4 advocates for a revised VE and a different way of dealing with the objections, which accommodates how agents are sometimes epistemically dependent on external sources. The central claim, for which a novel argument is presented, is that in some cases of knowledge (including the troublesome cases) the success is attributable to the abilities of an information system of which the knower is a part. This requires an important revision to traditional VE, but the characteristic claim of VE still holds true–every instance of knowledge is an instance of success attributable to ability. Thus, VE’s solutions to problems concerning the nature and value of knowledge are secured.
Alcohol and the Brain: Neuronal Molecular Targets, Synapses, and Circuits

Ethanol is one of the most commonly abused drugs. Although environmental and genetic factors contribute to the etiology of alcohol use disorders, it is ethanol's actions in the brain that explain (1) acute ethanol-related behavioral changes, such as stimulant followed by depressant effects, and (2) chronic changes in behavior, including escalated use, tolerance, compulsive seeking, and dependence. Our knowledge of ethanol use and abuse thus relies on understanding its effects on the brain. Scientists have employed both bottom-up and top-down approaches, building from molecular targets to behavioral analyses and vice versa, respectively. This review highlights current progress in the field, focusing on recent and emerging molecular, cellular, and circuit effects of the drug that impact ethanol-related behaviors. The focus of the field is now on pinpointing which molecular effects in specific neurons within a brain region contribute to behavioral changes across the course of acute and chronic ethanol exposure.
Objective Validation of Perfusion-Based Human Cadaveric Simulation Training Model for Management of Internal Carotid Artery Injury in Endoscopic Endonasal Sinus and Skull Base Surgery.

BACKGROUND The emergence of minimally invasive endoscopic endonasal skull base surgery has necessitated reproducible and realistic simulators of rare vascular injuries. OBJECTIVE To assess the face and content validity of an innovative perfusion-based cadaveric model developed to simulate internal carotid artery (ICA) injury during endoscopic surgery. METHODS Otolaryngology and neurosurgery trainees attempted 3 consecutive trials of endoscopic control of a parasellar ICA injury, with standardized technical feedback. Time to hemostasis (TTH) and blood loss were trended. All participants completed validated questionnaires using a 5-point Likert scale to assess the domains of confidence gain, face validity, content validity, and curriculum applicability. RESULTS Among all participants (n = 35), TTH and mean blood loss significantly decreased between first vs second attempt (P = .005), and first vs third attempt (P = .03). Following the first attempt, trainees experienced an average 63% reduction in blood loss and 59% reduction in TTH. In the quartile of most improved participants, average blood loss reduction was 1115 mL (84% reduction) and TTH of 259 s (84% reduction). There were no significant differences between trainees of varying postgraduate year or specialty. Average pre and postprocedural confidence scores were 1.38 and 3.16, respectively (P < .0001). All trainees reported model realism, which achieved mean face validity 4.82 ± 0.41 and content validity 4.88 ± 0.33. CONCLUSION The perfusion-based human cadaveric ICA injury model achieves high ratings of face and content validity across all levels of surgical trainees, and enables safe, realistic simulation for standardized skull base simulation and future curriculum development. Objective improvements in performance metrics may translate to improved patient outcomes.
A Dynamic Protein–Protein Coupling between the TonB-Dependent Transporter FhuA and TonB

Bacterial outer membrane TonB-dependent transporters function by executing cycles of binding and unbinding to the inner membrane protein TonB. In the vitamin B12 transporter BtuB and the ferric citrate transporter FecA, substrate binding increases the periplasmic exposure of the Ton box, an energy-coupling segment. This increased exposure appears to enhance the affinity of the transporter for TonB. Here, continuous wave and pulse EPR spectroscopy were used to examine the state of the Ton box in the Escherichia coli ferrichrome transporter FhuA. In its apo state, the Ton box of FhuA samples a broad range of positions and multiple conformational substates. When bound to ferrichrome, the Ton box does not extend further into the periplasm, although the structural states sampled by the FhuA Ton box are altered. When bound to a soluble fragment of TonB, the TonB-FhuA complex remains heterogeneous and dynamic, indicating that TonB does not make strong, specific contacts with either the FhuA barrel or the core region of the transporter. This result differs from that seen in the crystal structure of the TonB-FhuA complex. These data indicate that unlike BtuB and FecA, the periplasmic exposure of the Ton box in FhuA does not change significantly in the presence of substrate and that allosteric control of transporter-TonB interactions functions by a different mechanism than that seen in either BtuB or FecA. Moreover, the data indicate that models involving a rotation of TonB relative to the transporter are unlikely to underlie the mechanism that drives TonB-dependent transport.
Chromatin modifications in metabolic disease: Potential mediators of long‐term disease risk

Metabolic diseases such as obesity and diabetes are complex diseases resulting from multiple genetic and environmental factors, such as diet and activity levels. These factors are well known contributors to the development of metabolic diseases. One manner by which environmental factors can influence metabolic disease progression is through modifications to chromatin. These modifications can lead to altered gene regulatory programs, which alters disease risk. Furthermore, there is evidence that parents exposed to environmental factors can influence the metabolic health of offspring, especially if exposures are during intrauterine growth periods. In this review, we outline the evidence that chromatin modifications are associated with metabolic diseases, including diabetes and obesity. We also consider evidence that these chromatin modifications can lead to long-term disease risk and contribute to disease risk for future generations. This article is categorized under: Biological Mechanisms > Metabolism Developmental Biology > Developmental Processes in Health and Disease Physiology > Organismal Responses to Environment.
After Finitude and the Question of Phenomenological Givenness

Quentin Meillassoux’s 2006 After Finitude offered a sharp critique of the phenomenological project, charging that phenomenology was one of the “two principal media” of correlationism—ultimately reducible to an “extreme idealism.” Meillassoux grounds this accusation in an account of givenness that presupposes that “every variety of givenness” finds its genesis within the positing of the subject. However, this critique fails to hit its mark precisely because it presupposes an account of intuitive givenness that is entirely foreign to the phenomenological project. Quite against Meillassoux’s conflation of givenness, the world-for-us, and the positing subject—the very centre of the phenomenological project is the recognition that intuitive givenness cannot be reduced to the constructive activity of the subject. Givenness is marked by a heterogeneity; givenness refers to what is given to us, not to what emerges from us.
An addressable pneumatic regulator for distributed control of soft robots

In this paper, we describe a digitally-controlled, miniature, multi-mode pressure regulator for integration directly into centimeter-scale soft robots. This regulator integrates best-of-class commercially-available pneumatic valves and pressure sensors to achieve a small and lightweight servo-controlled pressure regulator. We demonstrate that the regulator is able to track both step and ramp commands and quantify the error in the resulting pressure. In order to facilitate integration of many such regulators into a single soft robot, we have implemented an addressable digital communication system, based on the industry-standard I2C bus. This allows us to connect up to 127 regulators on a single 4-line bus, significantly reducing the mass and complexity of the required wiring.
High Sensitivity ESI MS and MALDI MS

The increase in the use of electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI MS) and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI MS) in the biomedical sciences has fueled an intense interest in analyzing smaller and smaller amounts of sample. Increases in sensitivity have allowed the analysis of samples in the low femtomole to subattomole range. This has been accomplished primarily by changes in the capillary size for ESI MS and in sample deposition methods for MALDI MS.
Arterial line filters ranked for gaseous micro-emboli separation performance: an in vitro study.

Arterial line filters (ALFs) are arguably the most important component in the cardiopulmonary bypass circuit to protect the patient from gaseous macro-and micro-emboli (GME) originating in the perfusion circuit. The GME separating ability of 10 ALFs was ranked according to seven performance criteria. Ten ALFs rated between 20 and 43 μm were evaluated for flow resistance, the count, size, and volume of GME passed after a 10-mL room air bolus, and the ability to separate a high-count, 10-to 200-μm flowing distribution of GME. The Luna Innovations EDAC™ emboli detector was used to size, count, and sort GME. Three test trials were conducted for 3 each of the 10 filters. Performance criteria were correlated by regression analysis, statistically compared using analysis of variance, or ranked using non-parametric tests. Significance was set at 0.05. Weighting all seven test parameters equally, the most effective ALFs were the Cobe 21 and Gish 25-μm filters. The Pall LG-6 ranked more efficient than the Medtronic 20 and Dideco 27-μm filters. The Cobe 43, Terumo 40, Medtronic 38, Terumo 37, and Gish 40-μm filters were less effective as a group compared with the other filters. For the 10 filters, blood flow resistance was not correlated to rated pore size. Generally, the smaller the pore rating, the higher the GME separation ability rank, except for the leuko-reduction filter, which performed more effectively than other large pore filters.
Universalizing the University in a World Society

A set of policy ideas has been institutionalized in global society in the last decade or two and has spread very widely among nation-states. Higher education in general and the university in particular are highly valued and as much more than incidental prestige good. The teaching and research they produce are now seen as core components of development. And development itself is defined much more broadly than in traditional economic notions. Now, dominant conceptions stress the knowledge society and economy, which directly values education and which also sees education as a core factor in the production of most other goods. The whole system of assumptions involved has shifted to the global level, and national progress is seen as requiring success at this level. Thus, the traditional inter- and intranational status competitions over education, once seen as counterproductively inflationary, are now seen as central strategies for national success. Furthermore, university organization and management are now also seen as important features of these central strategies.
Social media affordances in the context of police transparency: An analysis of the first public archive of police body camera videos

ABSTRACTAs more police departments adopt body cameras (BCs), there is a hope that the devices will help usher in a new era of police accountability. Turning to the first online archive of BC footage, this article examines the emergent possibilities and problems that arise when human actors interact with technical designs in applied contexts. Communication affordance theory is used as a framework to situate the archive within discussions about police use of social media, visibility, transparency, and police–community relations. A web application using YouTube’s public API was used to analyze the usage and interaction statistics of the archive. Then, a focus group was conducted to discuss the usability of the archive and its benefits and drawbacks for police–community relations. Findings show that despite the visibility of social media, the videos have low view counts, little interaction, are not easily searchable, and raise more questions about police–community relations than they answer.
MOVING BEYOND PLANS FOR EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS: ORGANIZATIONAL RESILIENCE IN RESIDENTIAL CARE FACILITIES

The devastating aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita brought to national attention the importance of emergency preparedness for long-term care facilities. Although most facilities have an emergency plan, these plans may not adequately capture their “organizational resilience,” or adaptive capacity to handle the unexpected. Adequate links to the community and sufficient facility resources are critical to a resilience approach. However, little research focuses on the preparedness of residential care facilities (RCFs). In addition, we do not know whether RCFs with certain characteristics (e.g., CCRC or chain membership) are more likely to have access to resources that foster resilience. Data come from the 2015 Ohio Biennial Survey of Long-Term Care (response rate=88%; N=576), which is the only statewide survey of the entire RCF population in Ohio. A survey module adapted questions from the 2014 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Emergency Preparedness checklist. We conduct a series of logistic regressions to examine facility characteristics of RCFs that are associated with different checklist items that measure organizational resilience. Being part of a CCRC was associated with a higher likelihood of having a backup generator (Odds ratio =3.90, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.86–8.18) holding other facility characteristics constant. RCFs that are part of a CCRC are also more likely to work with local police departments and hospitals to develop their plans. Chain membership was associated with a higher likelihood of having at least one day’s supply of bottled water (Odds ratio =1.74, 95% confidence interval [CI]= 1.03–2.94). We will discuss implications for policy.
3D Sound Rendering in a Virtual Environment to Evaluate Pedestrian Street Crossing Decisions at a Roundabout

Crossing streets is a potentially hazardous activity for pedestrians, and it is made more hazardous when the complexity of the intersection increases beyond a simple linear bisection, as it does in the case of a roundabout. We are interested in how pedestrians make decisions about when to cross at such intersections. Simulating these intersections in immersive virtual reality provides a safe and effective way to do this. In this context, we present a traffic simulation designed to assess how pedestrians make dynamic gap affordance judgments related to crossing the street when supplied with spatialized sound cues. Our system uses positional information to generate generic head-related transfer functions (HRTFs) for spatializing audio sources. In this paper we evaluate the utility of using spatialized sound for these gap crossing judgments. In addition, we evaluate our simulation against varying levels of visual degradation to better understand how those with visual deficits might rely on their auditory senses. Our results indicate that spatialized sound enhances the experience of the virtual traffic simulation; its effects on gap crossing behavior are more subtle.
A Quantitative Assessment of the Accuracy and Reliability of Robotically Guided Percutaneous Pedicle Screw Placement: Technique and Application Accuracy.

Background Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) and anterior (ALIF), transforaminal (TLIF), or lateral lumbar interbody fusion (LLIF) often require percutaneous pedicle screw fixation (PSF) to achieve circumferential fusion. Robotic guidance technology may augment workflow to improve screw placement and decrease operative time. Objective To report surgical experience with robotically assisted percutaneous screw placement following LLIF. Methods Data from fusions with robotically assisted PSF in prone or lateral decubitus positions was reviewed. A CT-guided robotic guidance arm was used for screw placement (Excelsius GPS™, Globus Medical Inc, Audubon, Pennsylvania). Postoperative CT imaging facilitated screw localization. 3-dimensional and 2-dimensional coordinates of the screw tip and tail were calculated and compared with a target trajectory to calculate targeting errors. Breach was defined as a violation of the lateral or medial pedicle wall. Results Robotic-guided screw placement was successful in 28/31 patients. In those patients, 116/116 screws were successfully implanted. The breach rate was 3.4% (4/116). Across 17 patients (70 screws), mean 3-D accuracy was 5.0 ± 2.4 mm, mean 2-D accuracy was 2.6 ± 1.1 mm, and mean angular offset was 5.6 ± 4.3° with corresponding intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) of 0.775 and 0.693. 3-dimensional accuracy correlated with age (R = 0.306, P = .011) and BMI (R = 0.252, P = .038). Accuracy did not significantly differ among vertebral body levels (P > .22). Mean operative time for MIS-TLIF and percutaneous screws was 277 ± 52 and 183 ± 54 min, respectively. Operative time did not significantly decrease across either group (P > .187). Conclusion The Excelsius GPS™ robotic guidance system allows accurate PSF in most cases with 2 mm 2-D accuracy. Future studies are needed to demonstrate the utility of this novel guidance system and workflow improvement.
Individual Amino Acids Differentially Regulate Paracellular Calcium Flux across an Intestinal Cell Model

Acute high protein intake results in increased intestinalcalcium absorption in humans and animals. Calcium is absorbed through both passive paracellular and facilitated trans cellular pathways. In rats, the increase in intestinal calcium absorption observed during a high protein dietis mediated at least in part through increased apical intestinal calcium uptake suggesting involvement of the transcellular pathway. However, we previously found that the expression of a paracellular calcium-permissive tight junction protein, Claudin-2, is higher in the duodenum of rats consuming a high compared to lowprotein diet. Whether dietary protein affects paracellular calcium flux has not been evaluated. Furthermore, the bioactive amino acids that might underlie this effect have not been identified. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the direct effects of mixed and individual amino acids on paracellular calcium flux across a small intestinal absorptive cell model. MethodsCaco-2 Bbe cells were used as a model of ...
EVANESCENT WAVE FIBER OPTIC BIOSENSORS

The NRL fiber-optic biosensor was developed with the specific goal of using long fibers (1-20 m) to facilitate the analysis of environmental and clinical samples for hazardous materials. The long fibers were deemed important for preventing contamination of the operator and the optical components by potentially hazardous materials. The use of the biosensor is described here in terms of the chemistry for protein immobilization, stability of antibody-coated fibers, and sensitivity for detection of protein toxins. Antibodies coated on the fiber are stable for over 1 year of storage prior to use. The fiber optic biosensor has been used to measure ng/ml (pM) concentration of toxins in under a minute.
Mobile and Connected Health Technology Needs for Older Adults Aging in Place: Cross-Sectional Survey Study

Background: An increasing number of mobile and wearable devices are available in the market. However, the extent to which these devices can be used to assist older adults to age in place remains unclear. Objective: This study aimed to assess older adults’ perceptions of using mobile and connected health technologies. Methods: Using a cross-sectional design, a total of 51 participants were recruited from a senior community center. Demographics and usage of mobile or wearable devices and online health communities were collected using a survey questionnaire. Descriptive statistics assessed usage of devices and online health communities. The Fisher exact test was used to examine the relationship between technology usage and having access to a smartphone. Results: The sample was primarily comprised non-Hispanic white (35/51, 69%), educated (39/51, 76% any college), and female (36/51, 71%) participants, with an average age of 70 (SD 8) years. All participants were insured and nearly all lived at home (49/51, 94%). A total of 86% (44/51) of the participants had heard of wearable health devices, but only 18 out of 51 (35%) had ever used them. Over 80% (42/51) expressed interest in using such devices and were interested in tracking exercise and physical activity (46/51, 90%), sleep (38/51, 75%), blood pressure (34/51, 67%), diet (31/51, 61%), blood sugar (28/51, 55%), weight (26/51, 51%), and fall risk (23/51, 45%). The greatest concerns about using wearable devices were cost (31/51, 61%), safety (14/51, 28%), and privacy (13/51, 26%); one-fourth (12/51) reported having no concerns. They were mostly interested in sharing data from mobile and connected devices with their health care providers followed by family, online communities, friends, and no one. About 41% (21/51) of the older adults surveyed reported having ever heard of an online health community, and roughly 40% (20/51) of the participants reported being interested in joining such a community. Most participants reported having access to a smartphone (38/51, 74%), and those with such access were significantly more likely to show interest in using a wearable health device (P<.001) and joining an online health community (P=.05). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that, although few older adults are currently using mobile and wearable devices and connected health technologies for managing health, they are open to this idea and are mostly interested in sharing such data with their health care providers. Further studies are warranted to explore strategies to balance the data sharing preference of older adults and how to best integrate mobile and wearable device data with clinical workflow for health care providers to promote healthy aging in place.
Experimental Investigation of Microramp Control of an Axisymmetric Shock/Boundary-Layer Interaction

Mitigation of shock-induced boundary-layer separation using vortex generators (VGs) is an emerging flow control approach in planar inlet geometries. In the present work, an experimental campaign is...