cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Some Aspects of the Conservation Problem in Archives

As we begin the last quarter of the twentieth century the world is confronted with the possibility of losing or damaging, perhaps irreparably, some of the most important elements of its physical environment. The threat to the global environment posed by the increasing pollution of the water we drink and the air we breathe, a threat made worse by the frightening possibility (not yet proved) that we are slowly destroying the shallow envelope of atmosphere which keeps our planet habitable for mankind, is a major concern. We can note some progress in the battle to save the environment, but the threat remains a real one. Nor is the physical environment the only endangered element in present day life. Less disastrous certainly than the potential damage to the earth's atmosphere, but nonetheless a vital factor in the quality of life as we have known it, is the threatened loss of man's cultural heritage resulting from the increasing damage sustained by the written records of our civilization in the collections of the nation's archives, libraries, historical societies, and similar repositories. In a report entitled "America's Museums: The Belmont Report," published by the American Association of Museums in 1969, one contributor states: "I question whether even a small percentage of the museums in this country are doing anything more than presiding over the steady deterioration of that which they have been instituted to preserve." That same statement can be applied even more appropriately to this country's archives and libraries, where the problems are not only significantly greater in magnitude but are, in some ways, more complex and more difficult of solution than those of the nation's museums and art galleries.
The ethics of collective judgments in medicine and health care.

KIE: The editor introduces a journal issue composed of a set of articles (see also entries by Lisa H. Newton, David T. Ozar, R.S. Downie, Norman E. Bowie, Peter A. French, Richard T. De George, and James L. Muyskens) on the ethical aspects of collective decision making in health care. He identifies three urgent ethical questions in all collective decision making: how to allocate moral agency and responsibility; how each member of the group should exert his/her own moral agency; and to whom primary moral responsibility is due. He also suggests a six-level model for conceptualizing the ethics of collective medical decision making.
Incidence of tendon entrapment and dislocation with calcaneus and pilon fractures on CT examination

To examine the association between tibial pilon and calcaneal fracture classification and tendon entrapment or dislocation. After institutional review board approval, we retrospectively reviewed consecutive CT scans with calcaneal or pilon fractures from 5 years at a level 1 trauma center. We categorized calcaneal fractures according to the Sanders classification, and pilon fractures according to the Ruedi and Allgower and the Arbeitsgemeinschaft fur Osteosynthesefragen-Orthopaedic Trauma Association (AO-OTA) classifications. Ankle tendons were assessed for dislocation or entrapment. Fisher’s exact test was used for statistical analysis with significance at p < 0.05. A total of 312 fractures (91 pilon only, 193 calcaneal only, and 14 ankles with ipsilateral pilon and calcaneal fractures) were identified in 273 patients. Twenty-two pilon, 42 calcaneal, and nine combination fractures were associated with 99 occurrences of tendon entrapment or superior peroneal retinacular injury. Such findings were associated with multiple fractures (p = 0.002). Multifragmentary pilon fractures were associated with posterior tibial and flexor digitorum longus tendon entrapment (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0003 for Ruedi/Allgower and AO-OTA, respectively), and multifragmentary Sanders type 3 or 4 calcaneal fractures were associated with superior peroneal retinacular injury (p = 0.0473) compared to simple fracture patterns. Thirty-nine percent of tendon entrapments or retinacular injuries were prospectively identified, 85 % by musculoskeletal radiologists (p < 0.0001). Approximately 25 % of calcaneal and pilon fractures were retrospectively identified to contain posteromedial tendon entrapment or superior peroneal retinacular injury. Radiologists should meticulously search for such injuries, particularly when analyzing multifragmentary and multiple fractures.
Substrate Pretreatments and Strength Limiting Factors in Cu-AlN Direct Bonds

Cu-AlN direct bonds were made by the gas-metal eutectic method. Two kinds of AlN substrates from different suppliers were used for the research. The AlN surfaces were preoxidized in O 2 at three different temperatures. An optional “anneal” in Ar was applied following the oxidation procedure. Two processes were used for the bonding. The bond strengths and the failure modes were found to depend on the substrate used, the pretreatment of the AlN and bonding conditions. There was an optimum thickness for the Al 2 O 3 layer on the AlN surface. High temperature annealing in Ar was demonstrated to effectively promote bond strength. The highest peel strength measured was 50 N/cm. A thermal expansion mismatch between Al 2 O 3 and AlN was considered to be the main factor which dominated the ultimate bond strength. This mismatch resulted in a residual stress in the Al 2 O 3 layer. A measurement by XRD indicated a 300 MPa tensile stress existed in the surface Al 2 O 3 after AlN oxidation. This made Al 2 O 3 /AlN the weakest interface and limited the bond strength rather than the eutectic bond.
Human Factors Design of Writing Instruments for Children: The Effects of Pen Size Variations

Human factors research in handwriting and pen design has received attention only recently. This paper reports a study on the effects of pen size variations on the writing performance of boys and girls at age 10. Three pen sizes with shank diameters of 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 inch were compared. Results indicate a performance superiority of boys over girls using these pens. The thick pen was found to be most effective for the boys in the study. No difference was found between the three pens for girls. The need for human factors research in writing instrument design for school age children of both sexes and other population groups is discussed.
Analysis of measles IgG antibody level changes after immunization among middle school students in Fenghua

Objective:To understand the measles IgG antibody level at different time periods in Fenghua through the monitoring on middle school students who were inoculated measles vaccine at different time.Methods: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was employed in this study.Results: A total of 559 sera samples were detected from 2009 to 2011,including 217 cases with immunization half a year ago,240 cases with immunization 1.5 years ago and 102 cases with immunization 2.5 years ago,and the GMC were 1668.38 IU/ml,1119.22 IU/ml and 1200.72 IU/ml respectively,while the protective measles IgG antibody positive rates were 86.64%(188/217),53.75%(129/240),54.9%(56/102).Conclusion: The immunization effect of measles vaccine was good,performing high measles IgG antibody level,but it declined after a time.Measles antibody level in students with immunization 2.5 years ago showed a more significant decrease than that in those with immunization half a year ago,the same decrease was also found in positive rates of protective antibodies.
Capability and Counterplan of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCs) in Sichuan Province

Objective To analyze the capability status of CDCs in Sichuan province,identify the problems and propose feasible suggestions and countermeasures and to provide scientific decision basis and references for the government.Methods Data were collected from the national information reporting system in CDCs;in-depth review,conversaziones and on- site survey were conducted.Results The number of CDCs accounted for 0.85% of the total health institutions in Sichuan province,and the number of staffs in CDCs accounted for 4.51% of the total heath staffs.The aforementioned two indicator were both lower than that of average national level.The authorized strength of CDCs within Sichuan was 11 968 and permanent workers were 10 843,with 687 in provincial center,1904 in municipal level centers and 8252 in county level centers.The top three professional with the highest number of staff were communicable disease control,sanitary inspection and immunization.Comprehensive quality of the staffs was not high;the personnel structure of the comprehensive score was only 27.81 points,ranked 24th in domestic and 8th in the west provinces of China,respectively.The total expenditures accounted for 101.85%,98.20% and 93% of total income at provincial,city and county level respectively,all higher than the average level of the whole nation and west provinces.Serious shortage exhibited in financial support of the governments at all levels.Personnel salary was not high,especially in provincial CDC and Ya' an CDC.Provincial profession per capita housing area was 38 m2,which failed to reach the national standard;however,at both city and county level it reached the national standard.Conclusion Governments should attache important to and give further investment to strengthen construction of ability of CDC staffs.In addition,it is urgent to improve welfare treatment to make them focus on the job and better to fulfill their obligations and responsibilities,and finally to make due contribution for disease control and prevention in Sichuan.
A Review of Development,Typical Topologies and Power Flow Control Strategies of DC Grid

With the development of new energy power generation and the growth of inter-regional power transmission,ac grids are not able to satisfy the needs of future power transmission,so almost every country in the world is seeking the solutions.Because of its special advantages,high voltage direct current transmission(HVDC) turns out to be the approach of future power transmission.This paper analyzes the research background of the HVDC technology,discusses the development history of the HVDC technology,summarizes the typical topology of ring,radial,mesh and mixed structure in DC grid,analyzes the working curve and characteristics of master-slave and dc voltage droop control,and introduces the improved power flow control strategies for the DC grid.Finally,the paper gives the conclusion and outlook of the dc grid.
Latin American External Debt: The Case of Uncertain Development

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses three central aspects of the present Latin American situation. It presents the changes in the magnitude and composition of the debt. The chapter discusses the real cost of the loans contracted. It discusses the implications of past indebtedness for future policy choices. The chapter discusses the constructive potential of external financing for Latin American development during the difficult period of adjustment to higher oil prices after 1973. Whether that potential is realized depends on the future availability of private loans on favorable terms and not merely the past access. It also depends on the domestic policies of debtor countries. A development model structured upon significant external debt involves a delicate balance. All that is certain is the obligation to repay: returns and even real costs are unknown. Coping with such uncertainty imposes important constraints on future decisions.
Evaluation and field assessment of bifacial photovoltaic module power rating methodologies

1-sun power ratings for bifacial modules are currently undefined. This is partly because there is no standard definition of rear irradiance given 1000 Wm−2 on the front. Using field measurements and simulations, we evaluate multiple deployment scenarios for bifacial modules and provide details on the amount of irradiance that could be expected. A simplified case that represents a single module deployed under conditions consistent with existing 1-sun irradiance standards leads to a bifacial reference condition of 1000 Wm−2 G front and 130–140 Wm−2 G rear . For fielded systems of bifacial modules, G rear magnitude and spatial uniformity will be affected by self-shade from adjacent modules, varied ground cover, and ground-clearance height. A standard measurement procedure for bifacial modules is also currently undefined. A proposed international standard is under development, which provides the motivation for this work. Here, we compare outdoor field measurements of bifacial modules with irradiance on both sides with proposed indoor test methods where irradiance is only applied to one side at a time. The indoor method has multiple advantages, including controlled and repeatable irradiance and thermal environment, along with allowing the use of conventional single-sided flash test equipment. The comparison results are promising, showing that the indoor and outdoor methods agree within 1%–2% for multiple rear-irradiance conditions and bifacial module types.
Development of a functional, internet-accessible department of surgery outcomes database

The need for surgical outcomes data is increasing due to pressure from insurance companies, patients, and the need for surgeons to keep their own "report card". Current data management systems are limited by inability to stratify outcomes based on patients, surgeons, and differences in surgical technique. Surgeons along with research and informatics personnel from an academic, hospital-based Department of Surgery and a state university's Department of Information Technology formed a partnership to develop a dynamic, internet-based, clinical data warehouse. A five-component model was used: data dictionary development, web application creation, participating center education and management, statistics applications, and data interpretation. A data dictionary was developed from a list of data elements to address needs of research, quality assurance, industry, and centers of excellence. A user-friendly web interface was developed with menu-driven check boxes, multiple electronic data entry points, direct downloads from hospital billing information, and web-based patient portals. Data were collected on a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant server with a secure firewall. Protected health information was de-identified. Data management strategies included automated auditing, on-site training, a trouble-shooting hotline, and Institutional Review Board oversight. Real-time, daily, monthly, and quarterly data reports were generated. Fifty-eight publications and 109 abstracts have been generated from the database during its development and implementation. Seven national academic departments now use the database to track patient outcomes. The development of a robust surgical outcomes database requires a combination of clinical, informatics, and research expertise. Benefits of surgeon involvement in outcomes research include: tracking individual performance, patient safety, surgical research, legal defense, and the ability to provide accurate information to patient and payers.
Incorporating Ethical Considerations Into Automated Vehicle Control

Not only do automated vehicles need to meet specifications for technical performance, they also need to satisfy the societal expectations for behavior in traffic with humans. Societal expectations, such as accident avoidance and adherence to traffic laws, have their foundation in core moral issues found in philosophy and ethics. Thus, engineers designing control algorithms for automated vehicles can benefit from applying principles and frameworks from philosophy to drive design decisions. In particular, we use a set of ethical frameworks to map design decisions for a model predictive control problem to philosophical principles. Deontology, a rule-based ethical framework, motivates the development of constraints on the system. Consequentialism, a cost-based ethical framework, motivates the construction of the objective function. The choice of weights is guided by the concepts of virtue ethics and role morality to determine behavior for different types of vehicles. The strong link between ethical principles and actual vehicle behavior developed through this approach is demonstrated experimentally by implementing alternative design choices on a test vehicle in a simple driving scenario.
Situating stigma in stratified reproduction: Abortion stigma and miscarriage stigma as barriers to reproductive healthcare.

Abstract Objectives To examine whether race and reported history of abortion are associated with abortion stigma and miscarriage stigma, both independently and comparatively. Study design Self-administered surveys with 306 new mothers in Boston and Cincinnati, United States. Main outcome measures Abortion stigma perception (ASP); miscarriage stigma perception (MSP); and comparative stigma perception (CSP: abortion stigma perception net of miscarriage stigma perception). Results Regardless of whether or not they reported having an abortion, white women perceived abortion (ASP) to be more stigmatizing than Black and Latina women. Perceptions of miscarriage stigma (MSP), on the other hand, were dependent on reporting an abortion. Among those who reported an abortion, Black women perceived more stigma from miscarriage than white women, but these responses were flipped for women who did not report abortion. Reporting abortion also influenced our comparative measure (CSP). Among those who did report an abortion, white women perceived more stigma from abortion than miscarriage, while Black and Latina women perceived more stigma from miscarriage than abortion. Conclusions By measuring abortion stigma in comparison to miscarriage stigma, we can reach a more nuanced understanding of how perceptions of reproductive stigmas are stratified by race and reported reproductive history. Clinicians should be aware that reproductive stigmas do not similarly affect all groups. Stigma from specific reproductive outcomes is more or less salient dependent upon a woman's social position and lived experience.
Biophysical Adaptations of Man Under Climatic Stress

The principal features of man’s adaptation to climate are described as a special case of the broader biological problem of achieving a common standardized body temperature in animals of greatly different tissue mass. The biophysical consequences of a variable temperature environment are then considered with respect to the relative efficiency of adaptation by increased heat production, development of peripheral insulation, and utilization of thermal capacity properties, as these efficiencies change with tissue mass.
Sustainability and Depletion Accounting: A Case Study of Oil in Libya

There is a strong need to study sustainability and depletion accounting of oil in the Libyan economy because oil production and export is the single largest source of national income in the country. This study covers the time period from 1990 to 2009. Throughout this period, the Libyan national economy used its oil and petroleum industries to increase national income. Development sustainability can be defined as investment divided by GDP. This measure provides an indication of the low level of sustainable development in Libya over the period of analysis, which is 0.38 on average. It is important that the Libyan government develop and implement plans and strategies for achieving sustainability and the maintenance of oil resources.Carbon dioxide emissions provide another indication of the presence or absence of sustainability. The ratio of carbon dioxide ranged from a minimum of 8.50 metric tons per capita in 1990 to 10.00 metric tons per capita in 2009 and average 9.07 metric tons per capita over the course of the study period. CO2 emissions were also much higher than other countries in the Middle East and North Africa. This suggests there was relatively little interest in the sustainable development of the Libyan economy during this period. The Environment Domestic Product (EDP) increased sharply from the beginning of the study at $24.23 billion in 1991 to $45.87 billion in 2009 in constant dollars. Again, one can infer that policy makers did not consider the depletion of oil resources and the environment in their planning process, or at least did not place a high level of concern on this issue.
A Rare Case of Downhill Esophageal Varices in the Absence of Superior Vena Cava Obstruction.

A Rare Case of Downhill Esophageal Varices in the Absence of Superior Vena Cava Obstruction
Redox Signaling in Neurotransmission and Cognition During Aging

Abstract Significance: Oxidative stress increases in the brain with aging and neurodegenerative diseases. Previous work emphasized irreversible oxidative damage in relation to cognitive impairment. This research has evolved to consider a continuum of alterations, from redox signaling to oxidative damage, which provides a basis for understanding the onset and progression of cognitive impairment. This review provides an update on research linking redox signaling to altered function of neural circuits involved in information processing and memory. Recent Advances: Starting in middle age, redox signaling triggers changes in nervous system physiology described as senescent physiology. Hippocampal senescent physiology involves decreased cell excitability, altered synaptic plasticity, and decreased synaptic transmission. Recent studies indicate N-methyl-d-aspartate and ryanodine receptors and Ca2+ signaling molecules as molecular substrates of redox-mediated senescent physiology. Critical Issues: We review redox...
Empirical MRSA Coverage for Nonpurulent Cellulitis: Swinging the Pendulum Away From Routine Use.

Cellulitis is an infection of the deep dermis and subcutaneous tissue, manifesting as expanding erythema, edema, and warmth of the skin.1 In most instances of cellulitis, the causative microorganism cannot be definitively determined. However, based on studies using blood cultures, other laboratory markers (anti–streptolysin O and anti–DNase B antibodies), and clinical response to β-lactam antimicrobials, the vast majority of cellulitis is thought to be caused by β-hemolytic streptococci.2 Staphylococci, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), are a less common cause of cellulitis and are more likely to be encountered in cases of purulent cellulitis (drainage or exudate in the absence of a drainable abscess) or abscess formation.3 Thus, current guidance from the Infectious Diseases Society of America advises that nonpurulent cellulitis without abscess should be treated with antimicrobials targeted primarily against streptococci.
Tumors of newborn NFS/N mice infected with murine retroviruses containing avian v-myc.

Deregulated expression of the c-myc protooncogene appears to contribute to the development of a great variety of neoplasms in different vertebrate species. Perhaps the strongest evidence in support of this view comes from the observations that chickens infected with retroviruses carrying v-myc rapidly develop a spectrum of hematopoietic neoplasms and solid tumors (1). The indications that altered expression of myc is also an important event in the genesis of mammalian tumors are more circumstantial. They center primarily on the observations that aberrant expression of c-myc is associated with the insertion of proviruses in juxtaposition to this gene in T cell lymphomas (2,3) and the regular translocation of c-myc in specific B cell-lineage neoplasms (4,5). Recently, a number of different approaches have been developed to more clearly define the contribution of altered myc expression to neoplasia. These include the development of in vitro transformation assays of nonestablished cell lines (6,7) and studies of transgenic mice bearing myc genes controlled by different regulatory sequences (8,9). Our attempts to understand the role of deregulated myc expression in transformation have focused on a novel system in mice using recombinant murine retroviruses that contain avian v-myc genes. Here we report that newborn NFS/N mice infected with different pseudotypes of these recombinant viruses develop a wide spectrum of hematopoietic and epithelial tumors.
Innovative Intravesical Therapies

The American Urological Association guidelines for the treatment of interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome have proven to be beneficial to many patients. There is a subset of patients who respond poorly to the standard treatment options. Given the continued pain and voiding dysfunction seen in this patient population, innovative therapies have been pursued to alleviate the symptomatology resistant to standard treatment regimens.
Modeling the effect of blunt impact on mitochondrial function in cartilage: implications for development of osteoarthritis.

Objective Osteoarthritis (OA) is a disease characterized by degeneration of joint cartilage. It is associated with pain and disability and is the result of either age and activity related joint wear or an injury. Non-invasive treatment options are scarce and prevention and early intervention methods are practically non-existent. The modeling effort presented in this article is constructed based on an emerging biological hypothesis-post-impact oxidative stress leads to cartilage cell apoptosis and hence the degeneration observed with the disease. The objective is to quantitatively describe the loss of cell viability and function in cartilage after an injurious impact and identify the key parameters and variables that contribute to this phenomenon. Methods We constructed a system of differential equations that tracks cell viability, mitochondrial function, and concentrations of reactive oxygen species (ROS), adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and glycosaminoglycans (GAG). The system was solved using MATLAB and the equations' parameters were fit to existing data using a particle swarm algorithm. Results The model fits well the available data for cell viability, ATP production, and GAG content. Local sensitivity analysis shows that the initial amount of ROS is the most important parameter. Discussion The model we constructed is a viable method for producing in silico studies and with a few modifications, and data calibration and validation, may be a powerful predictive tool in the search for a non-invasive treatment for post-traumatic osteoarthritis.
Molecular correlates of localized versus co-occurring chronic pain conditions

Background Complex chronic pain conditions, including temporomandibular disorder (TMD), vestibulodynia (VBD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and widespread bodily pain (WBP), represent a significant healthcare problem. Current treatment regimens remain ineffective due to the conditions’ unclear etiology and heterogeneous clinical manifestation. An emerging literature suggests that localized pain conditions occurring in isolation result from local increases in peripheral afferent activity, while those occurring in concert result from central dysregulations in pain processing. To understand the nature of these complex conditions and improve standards of care, the identification of unique biological signatures and pathways that map onto distinguishing clinical features is required. Thus, the objective of this session is to discuss the relationship between pain, related psychological characteristics, cytokine levels, and microRNA expression profiles in individuals with localized versus co-occurring chronic pain conditions.
Long-wave infrared picosecond parametric amplifier based on Raman shifter technology.

A new method for a long-wave infrared (LWIR), picosecond difference frequency generation (DFG) source using one near-infrared laser and a Raman shifter is experimentally tested and characterized. The signal seed for DFG is a Stokes pulse generated via transient stimulated Raman scattering in a nonlinear medium with a Raman frequency in the 2–20 µm range. A study of the dynamics of the transient Raman regime in liquid C6D6 has shown that the efficiency of Stokes production can be increased and the central wavelength can be controlled by chirping the pump pulse in order to compensate for chirping caused by self-phase modulation. High energy, ≥3 µJ, picosecond pulses at 10.6 µm have been generated in a GaSe crystal pumped by 1 mJ pulses of 1060 nm light from a Nd:glass laser.
The effects of positive and negative information on consumers’ willingness to ride in a driverless vehicle

Abstract Objectives As automation becomes more prevalent in the transportation industry, driverless vehicles are appearing more frequently in the news. However safe or efficient these vehicles are touted to be, media portrayal has the potential to dramatically affect consumer perceptions. Consumer perceptions will ultimately determine the success or failure of driverless vehicles, and potentially drive policy changes as driverless vehicles become more common. Methods The purpose of this research was to investigate the effects of different types of information (positive or negative) on consumer perceptions of driverless vehicles, and how individuals of different genders and nationalities may feel influenced differently by the same information. The current research used a two-study approach. Results In the first study, results showed that individuals are more willing to ride in driverless vehicles after hearing positive information about them, and less willing to ride after hearing negative information about the vehicles. In study two, our results were similar to those found in study one regarding information type and willingness to ride. Additionally, there was a main effect of nationality because Indians were significantly more willing to ride in driverless vehicles compared to Americans. This main effect of nationality was qualified by significant interactions between nationality and gender as well as nationality and information type. Conclusions Overall, Indian females were the group with highest willingness to ride scores. The paper concludes with a discussion of the findings, theoretical contributions, practical applications, development of policy, and potential avenues of future study.
Synthesis, Crystal Structure, and Properties of Three La–Zn–P Compounds with Different Dimensionalities of the Zn–P Framework

Two novel ternary compounds in a La–Zn–P system, La2Zn11P9 and La7Zn2P11, were synthesized via high-temperature transport reactions. The crystal structures for both compounds were established by means of single crystal X-ray diffraction. The complex three-dimensional (3D) crystal structure of metal-rich La3Zn2P4 is composed of a Zn–P framework with large channels accommodating four atomic columns of La atoms. The isolated columns of La atoms alternating with Zn–P tetrahedral chains and disordered P3 chains, resembling polyacene fragments, build up the crystal structure of phosphorus-rich La7Zn2P11. The previously reported La3Zn2–xP4 compound with intermediate phosphorus content has a two-dimensional (2D) structural motif composed of Zn2P2 and La3P2 layers. A structural dimensionality reduction from 3D La2Zn11P9 to 2D La3Zn2-xP4 to 1D La7Zn2P11 is due to both the flexibility of the Zn–P framework with ZnP4 tetrahedra and ZnP3 planar building units and the ability of phosphorus to form homonuclear bonds and...
The Disappearing Role of Education Finance Policies in Higher Education Access: Panel Data Analysis of 21 Asia-Pacific Countries in a Global Setting

This chapter investigates the relationship between educational finance policy and college access in Asian and Pacific countries (a broader group than the stricter definition of Asia-Pacific used in Chap. 1), compared with the global trends. The author uses panel data models to analyze the 9-year data (1998–2006) of the 98 countries worldwide and the 21 Asian and Pacific countries, respectively, to explore whether education finance policies have promoted college access, after controlling for national economy, basic education, and population characteristics. It finds that for the 98 countries, public expenditure per secondary student as percentage of GDP per capita bears a significant, positive association with tertiary enrollment ratios and that public spending as percentage of GDP and public expenditure per tertiary student as a percentage of GDP per capita are not significant predictors for college enrollment. However, the impact of all the three kinds of public education expenditures on college access disappeared for the 21 Asian and Pacific countries. The growth of national average income can explain the higher education expansion in the region.
Making User-Defined Interactive Game Characters BEHAVE.

With the most resource intensive tasks in games offloaded to special purpose processors, game designers now have the opportunity to build richer characters using more complex AI techniques than have been used in the past. While additional CPU time makes improved AI feasible, better tools for building agents are needed to make good interactive characters a reality. In this paper we present the BEHAVEngine and BehaviorShop which enable the creation of rich interactive characters.
Disorder-Induced Metal–Insulator Transition in Conducting Polymers

The metal–insulator (M-I) transition in conducting polymers is particularly interesting; critical behavior has been observed over a relatively wide temperature range in a number of systems, including polyacetylene, polypyrrole, poly (p-phenylene vinylene), and polyaniline. In each case, metallic, critical, and insulating regimes have been identified through Zabrodskii plots of the logarithmic derivative of the conductivity. The critical regime (in which the conductivity varies as Tβ, where β ≈ 1/3) is tunable by varying the extent of disorder and by applying external pressure and/or an external magnetic field. The transitions from metallic to critical behavior and from critical to insulating behavior have been induced with a magnetic field and from insulating to metallic behavior with applied pressure.
Imaging Diagnosis of Injury to the Anterolateral Ligament in Patients With Anterior Cruciate Ligaments: Association of Anterolateral Ligament Injury With Other Types of Knee Pathology and Grade of Pivot-Shift Examination: A Systematic Review.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to systematically review the literature to evaluate the reliability, or the ability of a repeated measurement to yield consistent results, and validity of ultrasound (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at evaluating anatomy and pathology of the anterolateral ligament of the knee (ALL) in the setting of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries. Furthermore, the incidence and association of ALL injury with the pivot-shift examination, and other structural injuries, will be reviewed for additional clinical relevance. Methods Adhering to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, 2 reviewers independently searched the Medline, Embase, Cochrane, EBSCOhost, OVID, and Web of Science databases for all studies related to imaging of the ALL. All eligible articles and their references were screened by both reviewers. Studies discussing diagnostic imaging of the ALL with regard to identification of injury to the structure in patients with suspected ACL injury were included. No restrictions regarding date of publication, type of publication, or language in the included article were applied. The exclusion criteria included commentaries, case reports, and studies that did not attempt to identify the ALL as a discrete structure. Quality assessment and data extraction was performed for each included study before final analysis was performed. Results A total of 13 articles were included for final analysis. In the included studies, at least 1 portion of the ALL could be visualized on MRI in 76% to 100% of knees, and injury to the ALL was identified in 10.8% to 62.5% of patients. Inter- and intraobserver reliabilities ranged from moderate to almost perfect. There was a consensus among studies that ALL injuries were significantly associated with injuries to the lateral collateral ligament, popliteus tendon, iliotibial band, and bony contusions to the lateral tibia and femur. Most of the included studies found a significant association of injuries to the ALL and a high-grade pivot-shift examination. Only 2 studies used US to evaluate for injury to the ALL, and both studies had almost perfect interobserver reliability. Only 1 study confirmed initial diagnoses at the time of the ACL reconstruction surgery. Conclusions In patients with ACL injuries, concomitant ALL injuries can be identified on MRI or US with high levels of inter- and intraobserver reliability, and are often associated with a high-grade pivot-shift examination, lateral collateral ligament injury, and lateral femoral condyle and tibial plateau bone bruises. Level of evidence Level IV, systematic review of level II-IV studies.
Social networks and risk of delayed hospital arrival after acute stroke

Arriving rapidly to the hospital after a heart attack or stroke is critical for patients to be within time windows for treatment. Prior research in heart attacks has suggested a paradoxical role of the social environment: those who arrive early are surrounded by nonrelatives, while those who arrive late are surrounded by spouses or family members. Here, we used network methods to more deeply examine the influence of social context in stroke. We examined the relationship of personal social networks and arrival time in 175 stroke patients. Our results confirmed the paradox by showing that small and close-knit personal networks of highly familiar contacts, independent of demographic, clinical, and socioeconomic factors, were related to delay. The closed network structure led to constricted information flow in which patients and close confidants, absent outside perspectives, elected to watch-and-wait. Targeting patients with small, close-knit networks may be one strategy to improve response times.
Transcatheter MitraClip repair alters mitral annular geometry - device induced annular remodeling on three-dimensional echocardiography predicts therapeutic response.

Echocardiography (echo) is widely used to guide therapeutic decision-making for patients being considered for MitraClip. Relative utility of two- (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) echo predictors of MitraClip response, and impact of MitraClip on mitral annular geometry, are uncertain. The study population comprised patients with advanced (> moderate) MR undergoing MitraClip. Mitral annular geometry was quantified on pre-procedural 2D transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and intra-procedural 3D transesophageal echocardiography (TEE); 3D TEE was used to measure MitraClip induced changes in annular geometry. Optimal MitraClip response was defined as ≤mild MR on follow-up (mean 2.7 ± 2.5 months) post-procedure TTE. Eighty patients with advanced MR underwent MitraClip; 41% had optimal response (≤mild MR). Responders had smaller pre-procedural global left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic size and mitral annular diameter on 2D TTE (both p ≤ 0.01), paralleling smaller annular area and circumference on 3D TEE (both p = 0.001). Mitral annular size yielded good diagnostic performance for optimal MitraClip response (AUC 0.72, p mild MR) on followup TTE (p = 0.017); greater magnitude of device-induced annular reduction remained associated with sub-optimal MitraClip response even when normalized for pre-procedure annular circumference (p = 0.028). MitraClip alters mitral annular geometry as quantified by intra-procedural 3D TEE. Pre-procedural mitral annular dilation and magnitude of device-induced reduction in mitral annular size on 3D TEE are each associated with sub-optimal therapeutic response to MitraClip.
Neural correlates of sleep, stress, and selective memory consolidation

The sleeping brain often preferentially consolidates salient (e.g. emotional, novel, rewarding) memories. When a stressful event occurs in proximity to a memory task, recently learned information tends to be prioritized for consolidation (behavioral tagging). Evidence for tagging emerges from neuroimaging studies, which show altered patterns of neural activity and connectivity in memory networks after stress and sleep. Furthermore, recent studies suggest that stress and sleep interact to promote selective consolidation. In this paper, we describe evidence for stress-related and sleep-related changes in the brain and behavior, with an emphasis on emotionally salient memories. We propose that stress and subsequent SWS-REM sleep cycles facilitate functional connectivity and promote the selective consolidation of salient memories and describe recent evidence to support this theory.
Polyester mesh dressings reduce delayed wound healing rates after total hip arthroplasty compared with silver-impregnated occlusive dressings

Abstract Background New dressings purport to reduce surgical wound complications after total hip arthroplasty (THA). This study compared delayed wound healing rates and reoperations between 2 increasingly popular dressings: a silver-impregnated occlusive (standard) dressing and a 2-octyl cyanoacrylate adhesive with polyester mesh. Methods This retrospective cohort study reviewed 431 consecutive THAs performed by 2 surgeons between January 2017 and May 2019. One hundred and eight were excluded for not using standard or mesh dressings. A final 323 cases were separated into 2 cohorts: mesh (n = 186) and standard dressings (n = 137). Standard dressings were removed at 1 week. Mesh persisted until nonadherent, approximately 3-4 weeks. The surgeon assessed delayed wound healing at the 2-week postoperative visit. Secondary outcomes include deep infection and return to the operating room for a wound-related diagnosis. Differences were determined using the chi-square test. Results There were no demographic, comorbidity, or surgical differences between groups. There were 22 total cases of delayed wound healing with 7 (3.8%) in the mesh group and 15 (10.9%) in the standard dressing group (P = .01). There were no significant differences in reoperations (2 [1.1%] vs 2 [1.5%], P = .76) or deep infections (2 [1.1%] vs 1 [0.7%], P = .75). Conclusions Mesh dressings are a safe and reliable dressing type for THA and were associated with a decrease in early wound healing complications when compared with standard, silver-impregnated occlusive dressings in this retrospective series. The mesh tension sharing properties and longer duration of occlusive protection may explain this difference. Level of Evidence Level III.
Coupled transmembrane mechanisms control MCU-mediated mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake

Ca2+ uptake by mitochondria regulates bioenergetics, apoptosis, and Ca2+ signaling. The primary pathway for mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake is the mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU), a Ca2+-selective ion channel in the inner mitochondrial membrane. MCU-mediated Ca2+ uptake is driven by the sizable inner-membrane potential generated by the electron-transport chain. Despite the large thermodynamic driving force, mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake is tightly regulated to maintain low matrix [Ca2+] and prevent opening of the permeability transition pore and cell death, while meeting dynamic cellular energy demands. How this is accomplished is controversial. Here we define a regulatory mechanism of MCU-channel activity in which cytoplasmic Ca2+ regulation of intermembrane space-localized MICU1/2 is controlled by Ca2+-regulatory mechanisms localized across the membrane in the mitochondrial matrix. Ca2+ that permeates through the channel pore regulates Ca2+ affinities of coupled inhibitory and activating sensors in the matrix. Ca2+ binding to the inhibitory sensor within the MCU amino terminus closes the channel despite Ca2+ binding to MICU1/2. Conversely, disruption of the interaction of MICU1/2 with the MCU complex disables matrix Ca2+ regulation of channel activity. Our results demonstrate how Ca2+ influx into mitochondria is tuned by coupled Ca2+-regulatory mechanisms on both sides of the inner mitochondrial membrane.
Chicago Acts to Address Pharmacist Workload and Patient Safety

Management students might remember Frederick W. Taylor, a 19th century American engineer, who has been called the father of scientific management. Taylor introduced time studies and recognized that workplace productivity could be greatly enhanced by closely observing workers and eliminating wasted time and motion. Taylor did not escape criticism from labor organizations that his emphasis on production was extreme and that he failed to consider the “human” equation in the workplace. Fast forward to today. Taylor’s methods have morphed into the modern concept and practice of metrics in which an organization measures employee behavior, activity and performance. Are today’s modern metrics simply Frederick Taylor on steroids?
Optimal 3D-UAV Trajectory and Resource Allocation of DL UAV-GE Links with Directional Antennas

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) is a promising technology to solve many new challenging problems. It provides high maneuverability and control, low manufacturing cost with respect to other flying technologies and many other features. In particular, there is an increasing interest in UAVs in the field of wireless communications, due to their capacity to carry on transceivers and establish communication among UAVs, or between UAVs and ground base stations/users. In this work, we investigate a UAV deployment in which each flying vehicle serves a set of users, carrying directional antennas. To do so, we maximize the minimum downlink rate among the users that a UAV serves. Due to the non-convexity of the problem, we will divide it into four sub-problems. Afterwards, an iterative algorithm is proposed to optimize the four sub-problems by using the block coordinate descent method, successive convex approximation and sequential quadratic programming. Simulation results show that the addition of directional antennas results in a better performance in terms of throughput compared with omni-directional benchmarks.
Insomnia subtypes and clinical impairment in hospitalized children with autism spectrum disorder.

Insomnia subtypes have not been characterized in severely affected youth with autism spectrum disorder. We examined indices of clinical impairment (i.e. length of hospital stay, autism severity, no...
High-b diffusivity of MS lesions in cervical spinal cord using ultrahigh-b DWI (UHb-DWI).

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate UHb-rDWI signal in white matter tracts of the cervical spinal cord (CSC) and compare quantitative values between healthy control WM with both MS NAWM and MS WM lesions. Methods UHb-rDWI experiments were performed on (a) 7 MS patients with recently active or chronic lesions in CSC and on (b) 7 healthy control of similar age range and gender distribution to MS subjects. All MRI data were acquired using clinical 3T MRI system. Axial high-b diffusion images were acquired using 2D single-shot DW stimulated EPI with reduced FOV and a CSC-dedicated 8 channel array coil. High-b diffusion coefficient DH was estimated by fitting the signal-b curve to a double or single-exponential function. Results The high-b diffusivity DH values were measured as (0.767 ± 0.297) x 10-3 mm2/s in the posterior column lesions, averaged over 6 MS patients, and 0.587 x 10-3 mm2/s in the corticospinal tract for another patient. The averaged DH values of the 7 healthy volunteers from the posterior and lateral column were (0.0312 ± 0.0306) x 10-3 and (0.0505 ± 0.0205) x 10-3 mm2/s, respectively. UHb-rDWI signal-b curves of the MS patients revealed to noticeably behave differently to that of the healthy controls. The patient signal-b curves decayed with greater high-b decay constants to reach lower signal intensities relative to signal-b curves of the healthy controls. Conclusion UHb-DWI of the CSC reveals a marked difference in signal-b-curves and DH values in MS lesions compared to NAWM and healthy control WM. Based on physical principles, we interpret these altered observations of quantitative diffusion values to be indicative of demyelination. Further studies in animal models will be required to fully interpret UHb-DWI quantitative diffusion values during demyelination and remyelination.