cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Etiology of Structural Asymmetry in Schizophrenia: An Alternative Hypothesis

During normal development of the fetal brain, the left hemisphere lags behind the right hemisphere in intrauterine growth, causing the left hemisphere to be smaller than the right hemisphere throughout the early and mid-prenatal period. By the end of the second trimester, the right hemisphere has achieved almost full-term size; thus second-trimester injuries affecting neurons, that is, anoxic, ischemic, toxic, or infectious insults that are systemic and bilateral, will affect the left hemisphere more than the right hemisphere. While other explanations for brain asymmetries in schizophrenia have been proposed, the embryological literature is consistent with the hypothesis that a prenatal injury may be one etiological factor in producing the structural brain asymmetries seen in psychotic adult patients.
A method for filtering bioacoustic transients by spectrogram image convolution

A method is presented for detecting bioacoustic transients. The desired transient-an animal call-is modeled as a sequence of frequency sweeps. Sweeps are detected by convolving a spectrogram of the signal with a kernel designed for the call of interest; convolution output is high when the call of interest is present and low other times. The method is tested on a set of bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus) calls recorded in a noisy Arctic environment. The method detects bowhead calls well, performing better than a matched filter and a hidden Markov model on the task. Strengths and weaknesses of the method are discussed. >
Fluid-Structure Analysis of a Clamped Ballute in Titan's atmosphere

This paper presents the ∞uid-structure analysis of a clamped ballute in Titan’s atmosphere. A ballute (balloon + Parachute) is a large in∞atable aerocapture device designed to be used in interplanetary mission. Since a ballute is operated in a high temperature and high altitude environment, such analysis requires a non-equilibrium ∞ow model solver that is coupled with a structure solver that takes into consideration large structure deformation. An unstructured Cartesian grid based ∞ow solver, NASCART-GT, with Titan’s atmospheric composition is used for the ∞ow solver and LS-DYNA is used for the structure solver.
UNC-13L, UNC-13S, and Tomosyn form a protein code for fast and slow neurotransmitter release in Caenorhabditis elegans

Synaptic transmission consists of fast and slow components of neurotransmitter release. Here we show that these components are mediated by distinct exocytic proteins. The Caenorhabditis elegans unc-13 gene is required for SV exocytosis, and encodes long and short isoforms (UNC-13L and S). Fast release was mediated by UNC-13L, whereas slow release required both UNC-13 proteins and was inhibited by Tomosyn. The spatial location of each protein correlated with its effect. Proteins adjacent to the dense projection mediated fast release, while those controlling slow release were more distal or diffuse. Two UNC-13L domains accelerated release. C2A, which binds RIM (a protein associated with calcium channels), anchored UNC-13 at active zones and shortened the latency of release. A calmodulin binding site accelerated release but had little effect on UNC-13's spatial localization. These results suggest that UNC-13L, UNC-13S, and Tomosyn form a molecular code that dictates the timing of neurotransmitter release.
Metal assimilation results from the interaction of prey- and predator-dependent processes.

Conclusion ECETOC has further developed its methodology for risk assessment for some PBT-like chemicals. All chemicals with a narcotic MOA (Types I and II) are considered suitable for risk assessment under this methodology because the toxicity and bioaccumulation of such chemicals can be predicted. This does not infer that chemicals that exhibit MOA III or IV are not able to be risk assessed, but rather that these must be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. In the first step of the ECETOC risk assessment proposal, a prediction of MOA is required. This WoE approach can be used to predict MOA with greater confidence than any single method alone.
Photoelectron spectroscopic characterization of the niobium-benzene anion produced by reaction of niobium with ethylene.

We report the 488 nm photoelectron spectrum of the NbC6H6- anion produced by reaction with ethylene in a flow tube reactor equipped with a niobium cold cathode discharge source. The vibrationally r...
Congenital Malaria in the United States: Report of a Case and Review

Congenital malaria, an uncommon disease in the United States, may result in serious morbidity when not promptly diagnosed. All cases of congenital malaria known to have been seen in the United States since 1950 are reviewed and the most recent case is presented to illustrate the salient features of this disease. Congenital malaria may remain undiagnosed for a prolonged period unless considered in the differential diagnosis of fever, anemia, and splenomegaly in an infant less than 4 months of age whose mother's travel history is unknown. This circumstance often results in the performance of unnecessary procedures, ineffective treatments, and potentially significant morbidity and expense.
Rec-mediated recombinational hot spot activity in bacteriophage lambda. II. A mutation which causes hot spot activity.

Crosses have been performed which identify phage mutants (chi) which cause recombinational hot spot activity in λ. The hot spot activity is found in crosses of red- gam- chi- strains in rec+ hosts; in the crosses reported here, both the chi- mutations and the hot spot are located near the right end of the chromosome. The hot spot occurs in standard crosses as well as under conditions which block DNA synthesis, and is dependent on a functional host recB gene.—The chi mutation is shown to be dominant, but the tests do not show whether chi is a gene or a site.
Embracing the Future: The Ball State University Geothermal Project

Ball State University will convert its campus from a coal-fired and natural gas-fired district heating system to a closed loop heat pump chiller district heating and cooling system serviced by more than 4,100 geothermal boreholes. It will be largest district ground source geothermal system in the United States. On May 29, 2009, an article in the The New York Times called Ball State “a pioneering university” for undertaking the initiative. The installation will include an integral programme of research designed to inform the industry – especially the owners of 65,000 other district-heated buildings in the U.S. – how to significantly reduce the “first costs” and risks associated with intensive borehole drilling, piping, and looping. These issues are cited in a 2008 Department of Energy (DOE)-sponsored study as a major impediment to the more widespread adoption of geothermal systems. The planned research will incorporate 2D resistivity programming, geological surveys of the impact of high-density boreholes on ground temperature, assessment of the role of soil and water pH, evaluation of the influence of variable system water flow, analysis of hydrological data, and verification of the claims made by new geoexchange pipe manufacturers for dramatically increased thermal transfer (40–50%) and the concomitant reduction in the number of required expensive boreholes (20–35%) to service a load.
The Optic Array

This chapter provides an overview of optic array. It presents descriptive background on the retinal projections of rigid transformations. The information one use in visual perception reaches the eye, in almost all cases, as reflected light. There are a few exceptions in which a light source such as the sun, a flame, or the filament of a lamp is viewed directly; however, in all other cases, light is reflected by the surfaces that surround the humans. There is a pattern of reflected light converging on every point in three-dimensional space. The chapter illustrates one such pattern for one particular point; only the boundaries of surfaces are shown. When Rays representing reflected light are drawn between the selected point and each surface boundary, this pattern is called as the rays of an optic array. It contains information that is potentially available for visual perception. The optic array of interest in visual perception is one in which the rays converge at the eye. Normally, eyes are not stationary. Small, involuntary eye movements occur continuously. Larger eye movements associated with changes in fixation, as well as head and body movements, occur frequently. Whenever the eye moves, the effective optic array changes.
Optimal control of manufacturing systems with buffer holding costs

In this paper, we examine the optimal control of a fluid flow model for manufacturing systems. The objective is to minimize inventory and shortfall costs. Under the assumption that the machines are reliable, we discuss and extend the method of solution used by Perkins and Kumar [31]. This approach exploits the structural properties of controls which perform well, and shows that an optimal control is determined by solving a series of quadratic programming problems having linear inequality constraints. Equivalently, the optimal control can be expressed by the description of a series of linear switching surfaces, which can be computed off-line (for a given manufacturing system).
Drug-induced changes in serum alkaline phosphatase and alanine aminotransferase activities not related to hepatic injuries.

Changes in serum alkaline phosphatase (SAP) and alanine aminotransferase activities are of clinical diagnostic significance in determining hepatic injuries. Drugs, however, can alter the activities of these enzymes by various mechanisms. Phenobarbital increases SAP activity in dogs as a result of hepatic microsomal induction (Litchfield and Corning, 1971). We examined the effect of related enzyme inducers. Beagle dogs (2/sex/group) were dosed orally with phenobarbital or diphenylhydantoin at 40 mg/kg or primidone at 40 to 80 mg/kg for 7 weeks. Only phenobarbital increased SAP; bromsulfophthalein retention was not affected. Plasma antipyrine half-life decreased and liver cytochrome P-450 content increased in each group compared with values from a control group. No histological changes of the liver were seen. Data indicate the specificity of phenobarbital. Some drugs decrease serum enzyme activities, e.g., alanine aminotransferase activity. Cefazolin was given s.c. to rats at 2 g/kg/day on days 1–18 and at 0.5 g/kg/day on days 19–32. Isoniazid was given orally at 20 mg/kg/day for 33 days to a similar group. Half of each group received pyridoxal HCl s.c. at 0.2 mg/ kg/day on days 1–18 and at 2 mg/kg/day on days 19–46. Serum alanine aminotransferase decreased in each group, but returned to normal on day 32 in rats dosed with isoniazid-pyridoxal combination. Isoniazid is known to interfere with alanine aminotransferase activity by decreasing the availability of this coenzyme. The mechanism of the cefazolin effect has not been elucidated.
Structural-Equation Estimation Without Instrumental Variables

For a structural equation in a system of linear equations, estimation by instrumental variables is the standard approach. In practice, however, it is often difficult to find valid instruments. This paper proposes a maximum-likelihood method that does not require instrumental variables; it is illustrated it by simulation and with a real data set.
Morphing Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator

The incorporation of Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (HIAD) technology into entry vehicle designs opens up a new avenue for trajectory control through shape morphing of the inflatable structure. In this work, we explore the effects of shape morphing utilizing the super ellipse model for aeroshell shape generation, the Modified Newtonian Impact Theory for aerodynamic evaluation, a three degree-of-freedom (3 DOF) trajectory simulation, and a stagnation point heating model to evaluate morphed aeroshell shapes and their effect on trajectory. The Inflatable Reentry Vehicle Experiment (IRVE) – 3 flight project and the High Energy Atmospheric Reentry Test (HEART) mission concept serve as the two HIAD case studies for our work. Our evaluation of this new control strategy focuses on three goals: 1) developing a tool for evaluating morphed aeroshell shapes; 2) determining a morphed aeroshell shape that will generate a useful change in lift-over-drag, while keeping the stagnation point heat flux below the practical limit of 30 W/cm; and 3) providing a basis for future research into morphing HIAD structures.
Identification of Spirochetes Related to Treponema pallidum in Necrotizing Ulcerative Gingivitis and Chronic Periodontitis

Abstract Background. Spirochetes are commonly asciated with periodontal disease, but it is not known whether these treponemes are pathogenic or merely opportunistic. We sought to determine whether spirochetes present in periodontal disease share antigens thought to be unique to spirochetes that are known pathogens. Methods. We examined dental plaque from 24 healthy subjects, from ulcerative sites in 17 patients with ulcerative gingivitis, and from areas of involvement in 19 patients with chronic periodontitis, using an immunocyto-chemical technique with monoclonal antibodies against pathogen-specific determinants on 47-kd and 37-kd molecules from Treponema pallidum subspecies pallidum. Serum was tested against T. pallidum by immunoblotting and by serologic assays for syphilis. Results. Spirochetes with a pathogen-specific epitope on a 47-kd molecule were not found in plaque samples from any of the 24 healthy subjects, but they were identified in plaque samples from 11 of 17 patients with ulcerative gingiv...
The Study of Physical Analysis and Guidance System for Promoting Preschool Children's Physique

Objective:To discuss the effect of physical analysis and guidance system for promoting preschool children's physical and sports ability. Method:5686 children from 23 kindergartens in urban area were observed for three years in a row.Indicators included height,weight,10 m shuttle run,standing long jump,tennis throwing away,connective jump with feet,sit and reach,and taking the balance beam.Individual guidance were given according to the analysis results. Result:The overall excellent rate increased year by year, the unqualified rate decreased year by year. One age group was selected for longitudinal analysis. The excellent rate increased for both Boys' and girls' groups, while the unqualified rate decreased. Conclusion:The system constitution analysis and guidance can promote the physical fitness and motor ability of preschool children.
Patient-centered medical home and quality measurement in small practices.

OBJECTIVES To assess performance on quality measures among small primary care practices that recently adopted an electronic health record (EHR), and how performance differs between practices that have achieved patient-centered medical home (PCMH) recognition and those that have not. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective cohort study. METHODS Comparison of practice characteristics and performance on quality measures across 150 independent practices from 2009 to 2011 by recognition status for Physician Practice Connections-PCMH. RESULTS PCMH-recognized practices performed significantly better than nonrecognized practices on 5 out of 7 clinical quality measures at baseline, and the differences were maintained over the 2-year study period. Both groups improved on all clinical quality measures. Though the magnitude of differences was small, PCMHrecognized practices had a higher number of patients diagnosed with hypertension and proportionally more black patients. A significant difference in PCMH-recognized practices is that they received, on average, 4 additional quality improvement visits compared with nonrecognized practices. CONCLUSIONS Among small practices that have adopted EHRs, practices with PCMH recognition consistently outperformed practices without recognition on most clinical quality measures. With adequate assistance, small, resource-strapped practices can continue to have higher performance on clinical quality measures.
Biomimetic Nanophase Materials to Promote New Tissue Formation for Tissue-Engineering Applications

One important aspect of tissue engineering is the development of new biomaterials to facilitate cell–material interactions, which can be achieved by mimicking certain advantageous features of natural extracellular matrix (ECM). Biomimetic nanoscale materials mimic the natural ECM and can be used as scaffolds to provide a better environment for new tissue formation. This chapter focuses on biomimetic nanoscale materials for tissue engineering. First, several techniques are introduced for the fabrication of nanophase scaffolds, which mimic the physical architecture of natural ECM. Second, the role of surface modification in mimicking the chemical composition of natural ECM is discussed. Two novel surface-modification techniques are presented to illustrate the process of fabricating biomimetic scaffolds that mimic both the physical architecture and chemical composition of natural collagen type I. Finally, the biological effects of the nanoarchitecture of scaffolds, such as protein interaction and cell function, including cell attachment, proliferation, and differentiation, are discussed.
Phytoplankton photosynthesis and primary production

We discussed in the previous chapter the nature, diversity, and cycles of development of the phytoplankton of Lake Mendota. In the present chapter, we continue a discussion of the phytoplankton of Lake Mendota, with emphasis on the photosynthetic process and on primary production. In this chapter we will consider the factors controlling primary production and photosynthetic efficiency, the manner in which available light is converted into organic matter, and the role of primary production and photosynthetic efficiency in the development of algal blooms.
Hysteroscopic resection of a large submucosal fibroid using intermittent bimanual uterine massage and a bipolar resectoscope: a case report.

Background Hysteroscopic resection of large sub-mucosal myomas embedded deep in the myometrium is often unsuccessful due to absorption of large amounts of nonionic fluid that may result in water intoxication or incomplete resection of the intramural portion of the tumor, which later protrudes within the cavity. Case A 35-year-old woman with a large, sessile, sub-mucosal leiomyoma underwent hysteroscopic resection using a bipolar resectoscope under laparoscopic monitoring with intermittent uterine massage. An isotonic electrolyte solution was used for uterine distention and visualization. Frequent massaging of the uterus during the procedure resulted in the expulsion of the fibroid into the endometrial cavity and facilitated complete resection. Conclusion A bipolar resectoscope, which can be used with electrolyte solutions, such as 0.9% NaCl, combined with uterine massage, allows complete removal of large leiomyomas without adverse electrolyte imbalances.
Abdominal Sepsis and Complicated Intraabdominal Infections

Complicated intraabdominal infections (cIAI) are a common cause of morbidity and mortality in the intensive care unit. Uncomplicated infections do not involve perforation or disruption of the gastrointestinal tract whereas complicated infections are associated with the presence of microbial pathogens in a normal sterile area of the abdomen. They usually manifest as peritonitis and/or abscess formation.
Evaluation of the Contribution of Irregularly Shaped Holes into the Effective Elastic Moduli by Numerical Conformal Mapping

This paper presents a computational procedure to calculate the contribution of the irregularly shaped defects into the effective moduli of two-dimensional elastic solids. In this procedure, the hole compliance tensor of an individual defect is constructed using the numerical conformal mapping (NCM) technique. The effective elastic properties of a porous solid are predicted in the non-interacting approximation using the elastic potential-based approach.
Immediacy Versus Accuracy

Michael T. Eismann shares his thoughts on the value of immediacy and accuracy in modern scholarly publishing.
Copper and zinc status in moderate alcohol intake.

To determine the effects of moderate alcohol (ETOH) consumption on dietary intakes, serum and urine zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) concentrations (conc), groups of nonsmoking, moderate drinkers, non-athletes, healthy young adult males aged 21–35 years and within 10% of ideal body weight, consumed 40g of ETOH/day as beer (fixed group) or maintained normal drinking habits (variable group) for 6 weeks, and then abstained for 3 weeks. A similarly described group of non-alcohol drinkers served as the control. There was no alcohol effect on dietary Zn or Cu intakes, however, the control group had significantly higher intakes of Zn than the drinking groups. Cu intakes were the same in all groups. Generally, the serum Zn and Cu conc of the drinking groups only, markedly rose during ETOH consumption and fell during abstention. Although this trend was not observed in the control group, they had higher serum Zn and Cu conc than the drinking groups. In general, urine Zn conc remained constant from baseline to consumption period and then decreased during the abstention period in all groups studied. Results indicate that moderate ETOH consumption raised serum Zn and Cu conc but had no effect on dietary intakes of these minerals or on urine Zn levels.
Modeling and Control of Web Lateral Dynamics in Roll-to-Roll Manufacturing: New Governing Equations and Control Strategies

In this paper we derive spatially dependent transfer functions for web lateral dynamics which provide web lateral position and slope at any location within the web span. This is a significant improvement over existing lateral transfer functions which provide the web lateral response only on the rollers. Our approach relies on taking the Laplace transform with respect to the temporal variable of both the web span lateral governing equation and the normal entry boundary conditions on the rollers, and solving the resulting equations. A general web span lateral transfer function, which is an explicit function of the spatial position along the span, is obtained. The new governing equations provide mechanisms to analyze web lateral behavior within spans, study propagation of lateral disturbances, and aid in the development of closed loop lateral control systems in emerging applications that require precise lateral positioning of the web. Both web lateral position and slope must be controlled to minimize propagation of lateral web oscillations into downstream spans. We illustrate the use of the new governing equations by providing numerical simulations for some representative disturbance and span scenarios.
Formulary Considerations for Insulins Approved Through the 505(b)(2) “Follow-on” Pathway:

Objective: To summarize formulary-relevant issues for follow-on insulins approved through the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 505(b)(2) approval pathway (Basaglar and Admelog). Data Sources: A s...
Globalization and Mexico: A 'Happy Ever After'?

Globalization is one of the most popular catchphrases of today. It is a phenomenon that has hardly left any part of the world unaffected. This paper attempts to study the Mexican experience of globalization ever since the Spanish conquest till the splurge of neoliberal growth strategy following its unilateral moratorium on debt payments in 1982. With the emergence of the NAFTA and the subsequent peso crisis of 1994, doubts are raised whether swallowing the neoliberal pill has indeed done the country any good. Or is it getting enmeshed into reperipherization? This paper seeks to throw some light in this regard.
An Integrative Review: Understanding Parental Use of Social Media to Influence Infant and Child Health

Parents of young children have unique informational needs and it has been demonstrated that information-seeking behaviors influence health outcomes. Due to social media’s popularity, understanding parents’ use of social media may assist in disseminating accurate parenting information and in developing targeted interventions. Thus, we aimed to identify and describe the existing literature of parental use of social media for parenting in the U.S. After searching nine databases with two separate Boolean phrases, identified articles were reviewed. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied, resulting in 12 articles published between January 2004 and May 2018 that related to parental use of social media for parenting or infant health in the U.S. Data from relevant articles were then extracted and analyzed. Facebook was the most frequent social media format. Parental utilization of social media varied by race/ethnicity and region. Studies primarily focused on women and a range of article topics were identified, the most common being infant feeding practices. Finally, two themes emerged: (1) parental support via social media and (2) effectiveness of using social media for health communication targeting parents. Social media provided support for parents and was effective for communicating health information; thus, public health organizations should include social media in their efforts to promote infant and child health. More research is needed to further identify demographic differences in social media use among parents.
Time-lapse Imaging for Studying Atmospheric Refraction: Measurements with Natural Targets

In this paper, we discuss developments in using natural targets (terrain and vegetation features) for refractive studies. Natural targets provide for the opportunity to study refraction in rural settings. One camera system was deployed at a remote location in the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, and was pointed at a natural desert landscape focusing on a mountain range. Day and night images from this system were collected from January 2018 to February 2018. A second camera system is currently stationed in the desert of the Jornada Experimental Range in New Mexico, focusing on a mountain range and desert valley. This system was set up in May 2018 with a planned operation of one year. We describe a point tracking image processing approach and present refraction analyses of the images from the time lapse systems. We discuss corrections for camera motion and correlations with meteorological data.
$α$-Satellite: An AI-driven System and Benchmark Datasets for Hierarchical Community-level Risk Assessment to Help Combat COVID-19

The novel coronavirus and its deadly outbreak have posed grand challenges to human society: as of March 26, 2020, there have been 85,377 confirmed cases and 1,293 reported deaths in the United States; and the World Health Organization (WHO) characterized coronavirus disease (COVID-19) - which has infected more than 531,000 people with more than 24,000 deaths in at least 171 countries - a global pandemic. A growing number of areas reporting local sub-national community transmission would represent a significant turn for the worse in the battle against the novel coronavirus, which points to an urgent need for expanded surveillance so we can better understand the spread of COVID-19 and thus better respond with actionable strategies for community mitigation. By advancing capabilities of artificial intelligence (AI) and leveraging the large-scale and real-time data generated from heterogeneous sources (e.g., disease related data from official public health organizations, demographic data, mobility data, and user geneated data from social media), in this work, we propose and develop an AI-driven system (named $\alpha$-Satellite}, as an initial offering, to provide hierarchical community-level risk assessment to assist with the development of strategies for combating the fast evolving COVID-19 pandemic. More specifically, given a specific location (either user input or automatic positioning), the developed system will automatically provide risk indexes associated with it in a hierarchical manner (e.g., state, county, city, specific location) to enable individuals to select appropriate actions for protection while minimizing disruptions to daily life to the extent possible. The developed system and the generated benchmark datasets have been made publicly accessible through our website. The system description and disclaimer are also available in our website.
How the Other Half Learns: Equality, Excellence and the Battle Over School Choice

Forget what you thought you knew about Success Academy. If you have not read Robert Pondiscio’s How the Other Half Learns: Equality, Excellence, and the Battle Over School Choice then you know litt...
Multiple mechanisms for overcoming lethal over-initiation of DNA replication

Abstract DNA replication is a highly regulated process that is primarily controlled at the step of initiation. In the gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis the replication initiator DnaA, is regulated by YabA, which inhibits cooperative binding at the origin. Mutants lacking YabA have increased and asynchronous initiation. We found that under conditions of rapid growth, the dnaA1 mutation that causes replication over-initiation, was synthetic lethal with a deletion of yabA. We isolated several classes of suppressors of the lethal phenotype of the ΔyabA dnaA1 double mutant. Some suppressors (dnaC, cshA) caused a decrease in replication initiation. Others (relA, nrdR) stimulate replication elongation. One class of suppressors decreased levels of the replicative helicase, DnaC, thereby limiting replication initiation. We found that decreased levels of helicase were sufficient to decrease replication initiation under fast growth conditions. Our results highlight the multiple mechanisms cells use to regulate DNA replication.
Outcomes of Arthroscopic Elbow Contracture Release: Improvement for Severe Prosupination and Flexion Contracture.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate outcomes following arthroscopic elbow contracture release to describe the use of arthroscopy for improvement in extension/flexion and pronation/supination arcs of motion at a single institution for degenerative and posttraumatic etiologies. Methods Consecutive arthroscopic elbow arthrolysis performed between 2003 and 2015 were retrospectively reviewed. Basic patient demographics, indications for surgery, preoperative and postoperative elbow range of motion, postoperative patient outcome score, and all complications were recorded and analyzed. Results Fifty-two patients were included with an average follow-up of 5.1 years (range 1.4 to 9.4). Severe contractures made up 50% of cases, followed by 23% moderate, and 27% mild. Average extension/flexion for the post-traumatic group (n = 30) increased by 63° ± 31 and by 29° ± 24 for the degenerative group (n = 22). Average gain in pronosupination was 38° ± 62 in the post-traumatic group and 13°±23 in the degenerative group. Postoperative DASH scores were 17.5 ± 18.4 for post-traumatic cases and 12.8 ± 19.3 for degenerative cases. Conclusion Arthroscopic elbow contracture release is an effective intervention for degenerative and post-traumatic elbow contracture for both flexion/extension and pronosupination contracture. Furthermore, a two-stage release should be considered when both flexion and pronosupinaton contractures are present. Level of Evidence IV, case series, treatment study
Ovarian serous carcinoma with a novel hsp90ab1 mutation in a patient with synchronous primary fallopian tube serous carcinoma

Background/aim Ovarian carcinoma is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women in the United States. Serous papillary carcinoma is the most common histological type of ovarian carcinoma that often goes undetected until it has spread within the pelvis and abdomen leading to poor prognosis. Translation of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology into personalized medicine and identification of new potential targets for therapeutic applications may be helpful. Case report We report a case of a 59-year-old female who initially presented in the emergency department with increasing abdominal girth, and bloating. Computed tomography showed ascites and omental and pelvic masses. Fine needle biopsy of the omental mass showed high-grade papillary adenocarcinoma consistent with high-grade ovarian serous carcinoma. She was treated with chemotherapy followed by debulking surgery. Primary ovarian serous carcinoma and synchronous primary fallopian tube serous carcinoma with multiple leiomyomas were identified in the surgical specimen. Pleural biopsy was also positive for carcinoma. NGS and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression testing were performed in the ovarian serous carcinoma. The results showed mutations of breast cancer type 1 (BRCA1) and type 2 (BRCA2), tumor protein p53 (TP53) (c.524G>A at pR175H), and heat shock protein 90 alpha family class B member 1 (HSP90AB1) (p.R456C), as well as low RNA expression score of PD-L1. Conclusion Identification of these mutations and PD-L1 abnormality at the diagnosis of ovarian carcinoma may shed light for clinicians to provide targeted therapy with poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors and immune checkpoint inhibitors for ovarian serous carcinoma. This is the first documented case of ovarian serous carcinoma to have found a HSP90AB1 (p.R456C) mutation.
Early-Age Deck Cracking from Asymmetric Thermal Behavior in Skewed Adjacent Box Beam Bridges

This study investigates the causes of early-age deck cracking for skewed composite adjacent box beam bridges with integral abutments. It hypothesizes that cracking is attributed to (1) asymmetric thermal movements in a skewed deck and (2) thermal restraints from an integral abutment design, as well as box beams and post-tensioned tie rods. To verify this hypothesis, a bridge in Ohio was instrumented for measuring temperature and strain. The field investigation aimed at observing thermal movements of the deck for about five days immediately after placing the concrete deck. No visible cracks were found after completing the deck and abutments; however, 10 months later, visible cracks were observed. These cracks were mainly observed near the edges of the deck where it adjoins with an abutment, as well as at acute corners. Also, it was observed that a temperature gradient of 8°C developed through the deck depth. The rotation and expansion (or contraction) from the temperature gradient are partially restrained by the presence of box beams and post-tensioned tie rods, resulting in the effective tensile strain at the bottom surface. It is concluded that the skewed deck geometry causes an asymmetric thermal expansion, contraction, or both, leading to increased tensile strains. They exceeded the threshold cracking strain at the acute corner and at mid-width along the deck edges where they adjoin with asphalt roadways. It is also concluded that thermal restraints applied after completing the bridge is another factor for cracking. They are imposed by design features, including soil backfills and asphalt pavements, which are inherent to integral abutment bridges.
Emissions control via carbon policies and microgrid generation: A bilevel model and Pareto analysis

Economic models are needed to analyze the impact of policies adopted for controlling carbon emissions and increasing distributed renewable generation in microgrids (green penetration). The impacts are manifested in performance measures like emissions, electricity prices, and electricity consumption. This paper presents an economic model comprising bi-level optimization and Pareto analysis. In the bi-level framework, the upper level models the operation of the microgrids and the lower level deals with electricity dispatch in the grid. The economic model is applied on a sample network in two steps. In step1, the bi-level model yields operational strategies for the microgrids and the corresponding values of the grid performance measures. In step2, a statistical analysis of variance combined with Pareto optimization attains guidelines for setting policies for emissions reduction and green penetration without adversely impacting electricity prices and demand. We conclude that renewable generation from microgrids can significantly reduce the negative impacts of the policies. Our economic model is novel as it 1) integrates operational strategies of microgrids and the grid under an emissions control regime, 2) explicitly considers social cost of carbon in the electricity dispatch, and 3) balances multiple objectives of emissions reduction, green penetration, and electricity consumption using a Pareto analysis.
Static Vehicle Corrosion Test Method and Its Significance in Engine Coolant Evaluations for Aluminum Heat Exchangers

A method for testing engine coolants using static vehicles is described. Tests were conducted with engines idling at the speed equivalent to 97 kph (60 mph) with an operating cycle of 16 h on and 8 h off for 161 000 simulated service kilometres (100 000 miles). The initial antifreeze coolant concentration was 45 percent with ASTM corrosive water for approximately 8000 simulated kilometres (5000 miles) in order to duplicate the original coolant fill condition at the vehicle assembly plant and allow sufficient period for film forming inhibitors to react with the internal multimetal surfaces. The initial coolant concentration was then cut in half to simulate a depleted coolant condition and accelerate the corrosion activity in the engine cooling system. Commercially available antifreeze coolants have been evaluated using this test method in the recent production vehicles, equipped with prototype aluminum radiators. Data showing variations in coolant characteristics and the decay of certain inhibitor components as a function of the simulated vehicle mileage are presented. The reproducibility of data was also analyzed. A conclusion is developed which suggests that the static vehicle corrosion test could provide an additional screening test method for the automotive engineers to evaluate corrosion protection and inhibitor stability of antifreeze coolants in conjunction with fleet and customer service testing.
Biotin Analysis of Commercial Vitamin and Other Nutritional Supplements

Because previous observations suggest that biotin may be present in vitamin preparations not labeled as containing biotin, we determined the biotin content of several over-the-counter vitamin and nutritional supplements said to contain biotin (group 1) and several in which biotin content was not specified (group 2). Biotin concentration was measured using the 125I-avidin assay which detects total avidin-binding substances. Water extracts were assayed for free biotin and acid hydrolysates were assayed for total biotin. The results of the 125I-avidin assay agreed with the stated biotin content for most vitamin and nutritional supplements in group 1. Biotin was the only avidin-binding substance in the preparations from group 1, based on reversed-phase chromatography. However, some vitamin and nutritional supplements in group 2 contained nutritionally significant amounts of biotin, particularly if the supplement contained liver or yeast extract. Total biotin was significantly higher than free biotin in one supplement; the difference was attributable to release of biotin rather than a biotin analog. We conclude that biotin may be present in some vitamin and nutritional supplements not labeled as containing biotin; biotin intake might be under-estimated if the subject is receiving a nutritional supplement containing extracts of liver or yeast.
Plausible clocks with bounded inaccuracy

In a distributed system with N processes, time stamps of size N (such as vector clocks) are necessary to accurately track potential causality between events. Plausible clocks are a family of time-stamping schemes that use smaller time stamps at the expense of some accuracy. To date, all plausible clocks have been designed to use fixed-sized time stamps, and the inaccuracy of these schemes varies from run to run. In this paper, we define a new metric, imprecision, that formally characterizes the fidelity of a plausible clock. We present a new plausible clock system that guarantees an arbitrary constant bound on imprecision. This bound is achieved by allowing time stamps to grow and shrink over the course of the computation. We verify the correctness of our algorithm, present results of a simulation study, and evaluate its performance.
Verification of Polyhedral-Invariant Hybrid Automata Using Polygonal Flow Pipe Approximations

This paper presents a computational technique for verifying properties of hybrid systems with arbitrary continuous dynamics. The approach is based on the computation of approximating automata, which are finite-state approximations to the (possibly infinite-state) discretetrace transition system for the hybrid system. The fundamental computation in the generation of approximating automata is the mapping of sets of continuous states to the boundaries of the location invariants. This mapping is computed by intersecting flow pipes, the sets of reachable states for continuous systems, with the invariant boundaries. Flow pipes are approximated by sequences of overlapping convex polygons. The paper presents an application of the computational procedure to a benchmark hybrid system, a batch evaporator.
Service Learning for Success – Three Cases at The University of Akron

Service Learning is a form of education where students are assigned to participate in a variety of activities that combines what was learned in the classroom with community service projects. It requires knowledge, skills and passion from the faculty, students and community members that all work together in the real world. In recent years, service learning has been included in many academic disciplines throughout the United States. This paper examines three case studies to explain how service learning was designed for student success at The University of Akron.
The influence of work on the outcome of low-risk pregnancies.

In this study, the relation of white-collar work on the outcomes of low-risk pregnancies was investigated. The medical records of 300 primiparous women whose pregnancy outcomes were known were selected sequentially from prenatal care log books over a 6-month period in three private, group obstetric practices in a university community. The majority of these women worked outside the home and included 220 white-collar workers (73 percent) and 28 blue-collar workers (9 percent). Thirty-four women (11 percent) were homemakers. Within this sample, 197 women (66 percent) met the selection criteria for low-risk pregnancies based on known sociodemographic, medical, and health risk factors. Although the sample numbers were small, comparison of low-risk white-collar workers (n = 141) with low-risk homemakers (n = 24) showed significant differences for rates of Cesarean section for failure to progress (16 percent versus 0 percent, P P
Perceptions of the Environment and Wholesaler Structure in a Channel of Distribution in a Developing Country

Abstract This study explores relationships between perceptions of the technological environment and selected structural variables of wholesalers in the channel of distribution for petroleum products in a developing country from a systems theory perspective. Survey research was used to collect primary data related to technolgical environment factors and size, assortment structure, and market coverage of wholesalers of petroleum products in Nigeria. Canonical correlation analysis was used to assess the relationships between constructs. From a theory development perspective, the study explores the applicability of systems theory concepts to an important marketing area. From a managerial standpoint, the study has implications for international marketing managers concerned about the nature of specific aspects of the business environment in newly emerging third world markets.
Prediction of Cylindrical Shell Response by Statistical Energy Methods

The response of a closed cylindrical shell is determined for acoustic excitation which is random in time and correlated in space. Two slightly different formulations of the statistical energy method are utilized to compute shell displacement and interior pressure responses which are compared with measured values in J-octave frequency bands. Structural damping estimates are based on linear viscoelastic theory, parameters for which are empirically determined from experimental data. Various 3-octave band averages are defined for computing other frequency-dependent parameters for the system. Good over-all agreement between theoretical and experimental results for shell response is achieved when the nonideal characteristics of the l-octave filters are accounted for. On the other hand, agreement for interior pressure response was less satisfactory. A detailed discussion is given for several possible sources of discrepancy.
A ritz method for an optimal control problem

We generalize and simplify the proofs of the basic papers of Bosarge and Johnson (Refs. 1-3) on a variational procedure for approximating the solution of thestate regular problem. We derive generala priori error bounds for this procedure and apply these results to obtain asymptotic error bounds for the special case of spline-type approximations.
Development of behavioral and emotional problems in Tourette syndrome

Tourette syndrome is a movement disorder with multiple neuropsychiatric features. Using the parent form of the Child Behavior Checklist by Achenbach and Edelbrock, we identified behavioral and emotional difficulties in 78 males, 6-16 years of age, with Tourette syndrome. Symptoms most often identified included obsessive-compulsive behavior, aggressiveness, hyperactivity, immaturity, withdrawal, and somatic complaints. Abnormal checklist scores were most prevalent in adolescents with Tourette syndrome. Tic severity was not a statistically significant predictor of behavioral disturbance, although a suggestive relationship between tic severity and behavioral disturbance was observed in the 12- to 16-year-old group. Dividing Tourette syndrome patients into those with or without hyperactivity failed to identify whether hyperactivity had a major impact on abnormal behaviors. Our results illustrate the relative frequency of psychopathology in Tourette syndrome and emphasize the need for a comprehensive approach to this syndrome.
Effect of storage conditions on the sensory quality of ground arabica coffee

The objective of this study was to determine how long ground coffee beans could be stored at room and freezing temperatures before sensory changes could be detected, and to identify specific attribute changes associated with this storage. Ground beans were stored for 0 (fresh), 1, 2 and 3 weeks at room and freezing temperatures. Coffee was prepared from each of these treatments and difference testing was performed. Paired comparison tests were conducted on the fresh, 1- and 2-week-stored coffee grounds to examine the attributes of coffee aroma, flavor, bitterness and overall preference. At room temperature storage, results indicated significant (P < 0.05) differences in the coffee prepared from fresh versus the 2-week-stored ground beans. Coffee made from freshly ground beans had a stronger coffee aroma, less bitterness and was more preferred compared with the beans stored for 1 or 2 weeks (P < 0.05). At freezer storage, differences were detected between coffee prepared from coffee grounds stored for 1 or 2 weeks. Coffee prepared from grounds stored for 2 weeks had a stronger coffee aroma and was more bitter compared with the other storage times (P < 0.05).