cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optimizing blocking of nonspecific bacterial attachment to impedimetric biosensors

Abstract We evaluated the capacity for a variety of commonly used, low and high-molecular weight blocking agents to prevent nonspecific binding of Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus intermedius to impedimetric gold electrodes. The blocking agents tested here were mercaptoundecanol (MCU), polyethylene glycol (PEG, MW ≈ 1 kDa or 5 kDa), bovine serum albumin (BSA), and chicken serum albumin (CSA). The surfactant Tween 20 was applied additionally in some conditions. BSA and MCU in combination with Tween 20 were found to yield the greatest blocking capacities, whereas 5kPEG was found to actually enhance S. intermedius attachment. Although genetically and physiologically similar, S. intermedius and S. aureus differed significantly in their capacity to attach to the gold substrate. Monitoring of gold functionalization kinetics in real-time via impedance spectroscopy indicated that surface functionalization occurred within a few minutes of gold exposure to a given blocking agent. Higher impedance changes were observed with lower molecular weight blocking agents, likely due to denser molecular packing on the gold substrate. Careful optimization of blocking agent with respect to chemical properties, molecular size and potential interactions is recommended.
The Estranged Relationships in Song of Soloman

Song of Soloman, published in 1977 by Toni Morrison, traces Milkman's journey of stepping out of white people's ideologies and searching for the roots of black culture and tradition. The paper attempts to analyze the estranged relationships revealed by the novel.
Robust compensation of electromechanical delay during neuromuscular electrical stimulation of antagonistic muscles

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) to extend as well as flex a limb joint requires stimulation of an antagonistic muscle pair. This is due to the fact that muscles are unidirectional actuators. The control challenge is to allocate control inputs to antagonist muscles based on the system output, usually a limb angle error. Further, NMES input to each muscle is delayed by an electromechanical delay (EMD), which arises due to the time lag between the electrical excitation and the force development in a muscle. EMD is known to cause instability or performance loss during closed-loop control of NMES. In this paper, a robust delay compensation controller for EMDs in antagonistic muscles is presented. A Lyapunov stability analysis yields uniformly ultimately bounded tracking for a human limb joint actuated by antagonistic muscles. The simulation results indicate that the controller is robust and effective in switching between antagonistic muscles and compensating EMDs during a simulated NMES task.
HUNGER, APPETITE AND THIRST

Hunger is doubtless made up of several components, and some persons experience one type of sensation and others another. Besides sensations referred to the epigastrium, there are feelings of weakness and a desire for food. Contractions of the empty digestive tract are not the sole cause of the hunger sensations. Patients have continued to feel hunger after complete or partial gastrectomy. That emptiness of the stomach is not essential in producing hunger is shown by the fact that patients with pyloric obstruction and a full stomach will still get hungry. Rabbits also get hungry although in them the stomach is never empty. Curiously, hunger does not always come even after many hours of fasting. Many persons are not hungry in the morning after the longest fast of the day. The taking of black coffee or a sedative, or the smoking of a pipe, may for a time relieve hunger. Part of the hunger sensation is doubtless due to the lowering of the body's stores of food in blood and liver.
Variation in photosynthetic components among photosynthetically diverse cotton genotypes

Photosynthesis is an important component of upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) yield, but little has been done to increase the photosynthetic performance within the cotton germplasm pool. Part of this dilemma is due to the multi-component aspect of this process and also to lack of information on genetic variation among such components. The objectives of this research were to identify genetic variability in photosynthetic components for six cotton genotypes previously shown to differ in leaf CO2-exchange rates (CER) and to determine if an afternoon decline in photosynthesis altered genotypic differences in CER. CO2-exchange rates were measured at several internal CO2 levels (Ci) to generate CER vs. Ci curves for each genotype and thereby isolate some of the components of photosynthesis. Ribulose 1,5 bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase (Rubisco), hydroxypyruvate reductase, malate dehydrogenase, and catalase activities were assayed on leaves used to generate the CER vs. Ci curves. Ambient CER and chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence measurements were taken before and after solar noon to test for an afternoon decline in photosynthesis. Dixie King, a low ambient CER genotype, exhibited a greater CO2 compensation point, lower carboxylation efficiency, and reduced Photosystem II (PS II) activity than the other genotypes. The carboxylation efficiency of DES 119 was 13% greater than STV 508 and 29% greater than Dixie King, but not different from the other genotypes in 1994. Pee Dee 3 had greater maximum assimilation rate (A) than all other genotypes except STV 213 in 1993. Although no significant genotype by time of day interaction was detected, CER and Chl fluorescence variable to maximum ratio (Fv/Fm) were reduced 8% and 39%, respectively, in the afternoon as compared to the morning. This study demonstrates genetic variations in many of the components of photosynthesis. However, the narrow range of variation in such components for superior photosynthesizing genotypes explains why difficulties are encountered when breeding for increased photosynthesis.
Modal calibration of GSSG probes

This work describes the use of modal Short-Open-Load calibrations to characterize symmetric and nearly symmetric GSSG probes for use in de-embedding and creating probe tip calibrations. Three methods have been developed that leverage the use of a modal representation and symmetric interface. The first method assumes perfect probe symmetry and uses a second tier technique to characterize the differential and common-mode 2-port behavior of the probe using a Short-Open-Load one-port modal calibration approach. This is extended in the second method where the probe mode conversion is also determined from the symmetric Short, Open, and Load standards under the condition of imperfect probe symmetry (low mode conversion). In both cases the single-ended error terms are determined allowing general de-embedding or calibration augmentation. Finally we demonstrate a useful first tier calibration approach using an imperfect single-ended calibration to the probe-tip, followed by immediate modal second-tier using the original standards data corrected by the imperfect first tier. Combined with four-port SOLT-SOLR this modal cleanup approach provides for the first time a practical way to calibrate to a symmetric and coupled reference plane while using only commercially available symmetric calibration standards.
Interrupting Intergenerational Transmission of Child Maltreatment: Protective Factors Associated with Breaking the Cycle of Maltreatment

This chapter discusses resilience and protective factors and their importance when examining ITCM. Several factors have been identified in the child maltreatment literature as having the potential to buffer the negative outcomes associated with child maltreatment and ITCM. These factors include education, social support, positive relationships, resources, and resilience. This chapter includes a discussion of protective factors shown to reduce ITCM as well as other potential factors that have not yet been fully explored.
Fate of Nonpathogenic and Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli During the Manufacture of Colby-like Cheese.

Pasteurized whole milk was artificially contaminated with 100 to 1000 Escherichia coli/ml and was used to manufacture Colby-like cheese. Some cheeses were made so their composition differed from that of normal Colby cheese. Cheeses were cut in half and stored at 3°C and 10°C. E. coli was enumerated by surface-plating of samples on Trypticase Soy Agar (TSA) with an overlay of Violet Red Bile Agar (VRB). E. coli increased by 100 to 1000-fold, depending on the strain, to about 1 × 106/g of curd, in most instances, by the end of the cook (3.5–3.9 h). After this point numbers of E. coli in cheeses generally decreased over a period of weeks. One strain of enteropathogenic E. coli (EEC) could not be detected after 4 weeks, and another (in all but one instance) after 6 weeks. However, EEC in one lot of cheese persisted at numbers in excess of 1 × 103/g after 12 weeks of refrigerated storage. EEC survived at low levels (<350/g) for many weeks in one instance. Cheeses of poor quality (high moisture and pH) were mad...
Why Did Protagoras Use Poetry in Education

Like Plato, Protagoras held that young children learn virtue from fine examples in poetry. Unlike Plato, Protagoras taught adults by correcting the diction of poets. In this paper I ask what his standard of correctness might be, and what benefit he intended his students to take from exercises in correction. If his standard of correctness is truth, then he may intend his students to learn by questioning the content of poems; that would be suggestive of Plato’s program in Republic III. But his standard is more likely to be the accurate use of language; in that case he would intend his students to learn to express their thoughts clearly enough that their audience would understand what they were saying. That standard would be independent of the truth of what they are saying; and that would be a precursor to modern techniques by which we try to teach speaking and writing. Truth is not so easy to escape, however, and we shall see that Protagoras’ exercise must assume that the poet is trying to tell the truth.
Feasibility study of a novel biped NABiRoS: Non anthropomorphic bipedal robotic system

Traditional humanoid robots are complex machines whose practical uses are yet limited due to their prohibitive complexity, cost, slow speed, and lack of stability. This video presents an experimental feasibility study on a novel bipedal robot concept and prototype that takes inspiration from humanoids but features fundamental differences that drastically improve its agility and stability while reducing its complexity and cost. This Non-Anthropomorphic Bipedal Robotic System (NABiRoS) modifies the traditional bipedal form by aligning the legs in the sagittal plane and adding compliance to the feet, reducing the total number of actuated degrees of freedom to four. The platform is comparable in height to a human, but weighs much less because of its lightweight architecture and novel leg configuration. The inclusion of the compliant element showed immense improvements in the stability and robustness of walking gaits on the prototype, allowing the robot to remain stable during locomotion without any inertial feedback control. The platform was also able to traverse shallow ramps and steps and portray a certain level of emotion through the dynamic motions it performs. NABiRoS was able to achieve walking speeds of up to 0.75km/h (0.21m/s) using a simple pre-processed ZMP based gait and a positioning accuracy of +/− 0.04m with a preprocessed quasi-static algorithm. Strategies for changing the walking direction and traversing uneven terrain are currently being investigated.
Correcting nonlinear modulation error in linear FMCW radar systems

The range and Doppler resolution and accuracy of an FMCW radar depends on accurate modulation or a method to correct for modulation error. Shown here is a technique for a linear modulated radar (saw-tooth or triangle modulation) where data from a calibration target is used to find the phase/frequency modulation error and corrects the baseband data in a so-called autofocus method. The work described here shows the derivation of phase error in the baseband radar signal as a function of time and range (delay). We describe the algorithm for finding the modulation error using a point target. Finally we give experimental results using a radar built for this purpose.
El Sistema de Tribunales de Inversión. Posibles incompatibilidades con el Derecho europeo

Con la entrada en vigor del Tratado de Lisboa en 2009 la Union Europea ha adquirido la competencia exclusiva en materia de inversiones extranjeras directas (art. 207 TFUE), convirtiendose junto a la politica comercial comun en uno de los principales pilares de la accion exterior de la misma. Esta circunstancia ha hecho que la Union Europea haya interpretado esta nueva competencia como una oportunidad para intentar un tratamiento comprensivo de los temas de comercio e inversion a nivel europeo y para proponer una reforma profunda del sistema tradicional de proteccion de inversiones y de los mecanismos de resolucion de controversias inversor-Estado, conocidos en sus siglas anglosajonas de ISDS. Entre las reformas propuestas destaca la creacion de un Tribunal Internacional de Inversiones, propuesta no exenta de polemica y que encontraria posibles escollos desde el punto de vista del Derecho de la Union.Recibido:10 noviembre 2016Aceptado: 11 mayo 2017Publicacion en linea: 01 octubre 2017
Resource-Constrained Scheduling for Digital Microfluidic Biochips

Digital microfluidics based on electrowetting-on-dielectric technology is poised to revolutionize many aspects of chemistry and biochemistry through miniaturization, automation, and software programmability. Digital microfluidic biochips (DMFBs) offer ample spatial parallelism, which is then exposed to the compiler. The first problem that a DMFB compiler must solve is resource-constrained scheduling, which is NP-complete. If the compiler is applied off-line, then long-running algorithms that produce solutions of high quality, such as iterative improvement or branch-and-bound search, can be applied; in an online context, where a biochemical reaction is to be executed as soon as it is specified by the programmer, heuristics that sacrifice solution quality to attain a fast runtime are used. This article describes in detail the algorithms and heuristics that have been proposed for resource-constrained scheduling, focusing on several recent contributions: path scheduling and force-directed list scheduling. It also discusses shortcomings and limitations of existing optimal scheduling problem formulations based on Integer Linear Programming and presents an updated formulation that addresses these issues. The algorithms are compared and evaluated on an extensive benchmark suite of biochemical assays used for applications, such as in vitro diagnostics, protein crystallization, and automated sample preparation.
Integrated Coil Design for EV Wireless Charging Systems Using LCC Compensation Topology

The double-sided LCC topology provides a highly efficient compensation method for electric vehicle (EV) wireless charging systems. However, the two compensated coils occupy a large volume. In order to address the volume increase as well as to be compatible with unipolar coil structures, which are widely applied in EV wireless charging systems, an integration method is introduced in this paper. Aspect ratios of the compensated coils are studied to minimize the respective coupling effect. With the proposed integration method, the extra coupling coefficients are either eliminated or decreased to a negligible level. A wireless charging system with the proposed integration method is built and the experimental results show that the system resonates at 85 kHz and delivers 3.09 kW with a dc–dc efficiency of 95.49% at an air gap of 150 mm. Furthermore, a comparison with the integration method into bipolar coil structures is presented and the results demonstrate that the system with the proposed integration method is more immune to front-to-rear and vertical misalignments.
Friction stir processing of newly-designed Mg-5Al-3.5Ca-1Mn (AXM541) alloy: Microstructure evolution and mechanical properties

Abstract Friction stir processing (FSP) of a new rare earth-free Mg-5Al-3.5Ca-1Mn (AXM541) alloy resulted in significant microstructural refinement and mechanical properties comparable to existing AXM series Mg alloys. Severe refinement of the Al-Ca (C36) phase during FSP led to uniform dispersion throughout the microstructure. The synergistic effect of high heat input and the presence of these 1–4 µm size particles resulted in dynamic recrystallization via particle stimulated nucleation (PSN), with an average grain size of 4.5 µm after FSP. Further, improved mechanical properties of the AXM541 alloy along the processing direction produced a tensile yield strength (TYS) of 322 ± 14 MPa and a total elongation of 16 ± 3%. The increase in strength was also attributed to the dispersion strengthening effect associated with Al-Ca and Al-Mn (D810) particles. Moreover, the AXM541 alloy showed a better mechanical response compared with other AXM alloys irrespective of high Ca/Al ratio, due to the effective refinement and redistribution of Al-Ca phases resulting from FSP. However, strain hardening ability and TYS of the AXM541 alloy could be further improved if the Mn/Al ratio could be tailored, as Al-Mn particles do not break down during FSP.
Uniformly Most Powerful Tests for Optimum Equilibrium

This note intends to solve the problem of one equation with three unknowns. It works like a three-species competition model. The nonsmooth model is solved through dynamic quadratic regression. The solution is the optimum equilibrium subject to the solvency constraint which is not too tight. It is the maximum likelihood estimator, which is asymptotically stable and time-consistent and has minimal squared errors. In application, this study derives the optimal risk-share rule. The optimal interest rate is the upper bound on insurance premium, while the option price is the lower bound on the premium.
Automatic Affective Dynamics: An Activation–Habituation Model of Affective Assimilation and Contrast

Our modeling approach seeks to better understand the computational dynamics of the affective and cognitive systems. One experimental phenomenon open to such dynamical analysis is ”affective priming” – or the influence of a prior stimulus on subsequent affective processing. In this type of procedure, ’assimilation priming’ refers to when the response to the target is biased in favor of the prime, such as with brief or minimally attended primes. However, following long durations or highly attended primes, the response to the target is often biased against the prime, which is termed ’contrast priming’. We present a neural dynamics model of affective priming in which this transition from assimilation to contrast occurs automatically as a result of habituation. Unlike response strategies, this transition is predicted to rise and fall in a gradual nonlinear manner as a function of prime duration. We confirmed this prediction with a speeded affect judgment task that manipulated the exposure duration of valenced images.
Prioritizing Salmon Habitat Restoration with the AHP, SMART, and Uncertain Data

Ecological assessments provide essential background information about ecosystem states and processes and are thus a useful starting point for applying adaptive ecosystem management. As a logical follow-up to ecological assessment, managers may wish to identify, and set priorities for, ecosystem maintenance and restoration activities. The Simple Multi-Attribute Rating Technique (SMART) is a useful extension to the standard AHP model that allows characterisation of uncertainty in attribute values of alternatives, and thus is one way of incorporating risk analysis into the standard AHP model. Criterium DecisionPlus is used to demonstrate application of the AHP and SMART methods to the problem of evaluating priorities for salmon habitat restoration projects.
Nuclear factor-κB in immunity and inflammation: the Treg and Th17 connection.

Although nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) is generally considered to be a pro-inflammatory transcription factor, recent studies indicate that it also plays a critical role in the development of an anti-inflammatory T cell subset called regulatory T (Treg ) cells. Two NF-κB proteins, c-Rel and p65, drive the development of Treg cells by promoting the formation of a Foxp3-specific enhanceosome. Consequently, c-Rel -deficient mice have marked reductions in Treg cells, and c-Rel -deficient T cells are compromised in Treg cell differentiation. However, with the exception of Foxp3, most NF-κB target genes in immune cells are pro-inflammatory. These include several Th17 -related cytokine genes and the retinoid-related orphan receptor-γ (Rorg or Rorc) that specifies Th17 differentiation and lineage-specific function. T cells deficient in c-Rel or p65 are significantly compromised in Th17 differentiation, and c-Rel -deficient mice are defective in Th17 responses. Thus, NF-κB is required for the development of both anti-inflammatory Treg and pro-inflammatory Th17 cells.
The concept of Cheng and its western translations

The main reasons for the difficulty in understanding and translatingcheng may be summarized as follows. First, its prehistory is not always clear. This makes it troublesome to identify its original meaning. Second, the multiple sources from the three schools, Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism, often causecheng to be entangled with various concepts specifically affiliated to certain schools. The particular meanings of these concepts and their connections withcheng possibly mislead our effort to explore the core content ofcheng as such. Finally,cheng has been described as a force causing either “transformation” or “change.” In the former case, its influence is often exaggerated, while in the latter, it appears, more or less, mystical. However, despite all the complexity, the core content ofcheng is still identifiable. It consists of what two English terms-“sincerity” and “reality”-convey. In general, the termcheng can be properly applied to a person or thing so long as either one of them or the unity of them is present.
Quantitative mineralogy and geochemistry of pelletized sulfide-bearing gold concentrates in an alkaline heap leach

Abstract Sulfide-rich gold mill concentrates from the Cripple Creek & Victor Gold Mining Co. (CCV thus pelletizing CC&V mill concentrates is not likely to improve leach pad permeability or minimize acid generation. The combination of automated mineralogy, element mapping, and chemical analysis of leachates proved to be an effective means of monitoring leach behavior of fine-grained materials. The Ca element mapping was the most efficient method of monitoring cement binder degradation.
2D Microscale Observations of Interlaminar Transverse Tensile Fracture in Carbon/Epoxy Composites

This study presents a new experiment to image and analyze the evolution of transverse tensile fracture in tape-laminate carbon/epoxy composites at the microscale. To this end, a miniature double cantilever beam specimen is developed to produce stable transverse tensile fracture and various amounts of crack turning through a stack of 90° plies. The specimen is wedge-loaded with a custom micromechanical tester, while the crack growth is optically monitored at both the micro- and macro-scale. Post-test, microscale images are analyzed to determine the transverse crack path relative to the applied loading, and to directly measure local strains using 2D digital image correlation. The experimental data sets obtained in this study enable direct validation of finite element simulations of transverse tensile cracking in fibrous composites at the microscale and provide impetus for their further model development.
2050 Identifying the role and immunobiological mechanisms of Fli-1 mediated pathogenicity in graft Versus host disease

OBJECTIVES/SPECIFIC AIMS: Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HCT) is a curative procedure for hematological malignancies. Chronic graft Versus host disease (cGVHD) is a lethal complication that often develops after allo-HCT. Fli-1 is an aberrantly expressed protein in cancers including erythroleukemia and melanoma, while being implicated in pathogenesis of systemic lupus in mice and humans, a disease with marked similarity to cGVHD. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: cGVHD was induced using hematopoietic cells from conditional knock-out mice deficient for the fli-1 gene specifically on T cells and progression of cGVHD in murine allo-HCT recipients was monitored using a clinical scoring system, and changes in activation status of hematopoietic cell populations were quantified using flow cytometry. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Recipients transplanted with fli-1 deficient T cells exhibited reduced cGVHD clinical scores compared with littermate wild-type controls. Donor-grafts containing fli-1 deficient T cells were associated with restrained T-cell responses including reduced Interferon-y cytokine production, PD-1 expression, and differentiation into follicular helper T cells. fli-1 T-cell deficient donor-grafts also improved donor B-cell reconstitution and reduced plasma cells in allo-HCT recipients relative to littermate wild-type control donor-graft recipients. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: Thus, inhibiting Fli-1 represents a promising therapeutic strategy for the goal of preventing cGVHD after allo-HCT while also directly targeting cancers which aberrantly express Fli-1.
Abstract 057: BBSome in Smooth Muscle is Required for the Regulation of Vascular Function

The BBSome is a protein complex composed of 8 Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) proteins, including Bbs1, involved in the regulation of various cellular processes including trafficking of receptors to ci...
A Hierarchical Power Routing Scheme for Interlinking Converters in Unbalanced Hybrid AC-DC Microgrids

In this paper, a hierarchical power routing scheme for Interlinking Converters (ICs) in unbalanced hybrid AC-DC microgrids is proposed. The proposed scheme aims to minimize power losses in the microgrid and increase the system loadability at the point of common coupling (PCC). Control variables of this optimization problem are active and reactive power bias factors of all three-phase ICs. At first, the optimization problem minimizes the power losses in the microgrid, afterward a supervisory control scheme is applied to maximize the loadability at the PCC by assigning the three phase power mismatches at the PCC to ICs. The obtained results from implementing the proposed strategy on the modified IEEE 13 bus system are compared with other strategies which are aimed to just maximize loadability or minimize power losses to show the validity and advantages of proposed method.
Preservation of Cardiopulmonary Function in Patients Treated with Ultrasound-Accelerated Thrombolysis in the Setting of Submassive Pulmonary Embolism.

PURPOSE To evaluate the clinical effectiveness of ultrasound-assisted thrombolysis (USAT) in resolution of right ventricular dysfunction (RVD), preservation of cardiopulmonary function, and quality of life (QoL) in patients with acute submassive pulmonary embolism (PE). MATERIALS AND METHODS A single-center prospective study of patients presenting with acute PE and signs of RVD, as determined by right ventricle-to-left ventricle diameter ratio (RV:LV) > 0.9 on computed tomographic angiography of the thorax, was performed. Patients underwent USAT with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator. Primary endpoints measured were RV:LV by echocardiogram at baseline presentation and at 72 hours and 90 days after treatment. Secondary endpoints were QoL scores assessed by SF-36 Health Surveys at baseline and at 90 days, cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) parameters at 90 days, and procedural outcomes, including response of pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) and procedural complications. RESULTS Twenty-five patients were treated between June 17, 2013, and September 15, 2014, with mean reduction of RV:LV by echocardiogram from 1.38 ± 0.28 at presentation to 0.92 ± 0.14 (P < .0001) at 72 hours and 0.84 ± 0.25 (P < .0001) at 90 days. SF-36 Health Survey scores demonstrated no long-term self-perceived adverse physical or mental effects as a result of PE. CPET parameters, including VO2max, weight-adjusted VO2, VE/VCO2, and VD/VT demonstrated no pulmonary vascular impairment at 90 days. PAP significantly improved after USAT, with mean initial systolic pressure of 50.46 ± 13.98 mmHg reduced to 39.64 ± 8.66 mmHg (P = .0001). There were no deaths, recurrent venous thromboembolism, hemodynamic decompensation, or hemorrhage. CONCLUSIONS USAT resulted in significant reduction of RV:LV at 72 hours, which was preserved at 90 days. QoL and objective measures of cardiopulmonary function are preserved at 90 days in this population. Further studies with long-term follow-up are needed to determine the potential value of USAT for the prevention of post-PE syndrome in patients with submassive PE.
Implementation of Drug Vial Optimization to Reduce Drug Waste

In 2009 the University of North Carolina (UNC) Medical Center opened the North Carolina Cancer Hospital to serve as the premier location for oncology patients in the state. For the Department of Ph...
When Stars Do Not Align: Overall Hospital Quality Star Ratings and the Volume-Outcome Association.

Background:Volume-outcome relationships are well established for coronary artery bypass grafting and total joint arthroplasty surgery. Although the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Overall Hospital Quality Star Ratings program includes outcome quality measures for these procedures
Building Collective Efficacy to Support Public Health Workforce Development.

CONTEXT Leaders in public health have made great advances in workforce development over the past 30 years, while shifting from an emphasis based in training on individual, technical skills to a more holistic development approach, which boosts crosscutting skills. Efforts to increase public health workforce capabilities remain focused on workers as individuals, rather than the workforce as a collective unit. PROGRAM Research has shown that a strategic adult learning approach can improve both individual capabilities and the collective performance of the workforce, which can be explained using social cognitive theory and the concept of collective efficacy, or the collective belief of workers in the ability of the group to succeed. We explain how a prior training program pushed us to explore this approach. IMPLEMENTATION The proposed approach covers proposed implementation strategies to build collective efficacy as part of existing workforce development initiatives, with a focus on 5 key steps. EVALUATION Experience in fields as diverse as sports psychology and organizational development has shown that it is possible to evaluate changes in collective efficacy using measures that can be adopted in public health. DISCUSSION Adjusting existing public health workforce development initiatives to build collective efficacy can help link workforce self-confidence to performance. More actionable data are needed to determine the best methods for achieving those goals in the field of public health.
Structural and Electronic Properties of Hexagonal and Cubic Phase AlGaInN Alloys Investigated Using First Principles Calculations

Structural and electronic properties of hexagonal (h-) and cubic (c-) phase AlGaInN quaternary alloys are investigated using a unified and accurate local-density approximation-1/2 approach under the density-functional theory framework. Lattice bowing parameters of h- (and c-) phase AlGaN, AlInN, InGaN, and AlGaInN alloys are extracted as 0.006 (-0.007), 0.040 (-0.015), 0.014 (-0.011), and -0.082 (0.184) A, respectively. Bandgap bowing parameters of h- (and c-) phase AlGaN, AlInN, InGaN, and AlGaInN alloys are extracted as 1.775 (0.391), 3.678 (1.464), 1.348 (1.164), and 1.236 (2.406) eV, respectively. Direct-to-indirect bandgap crossover Al mole fractions for c-phase AlGaN and AlInN alloys are determined to be 0.700 and 0.922, respectively. Under virtual crystal approximation, electron effective masses of h- and c-phase AlGaInN alloys are extracted and those of c-phase alloys are observed to be smaller than those of the h-phase alloys. Overall, c-phase AlGaInN alloys are shown to have fundamental material advantages over the h-phase alloys such as smaller bandgaps and smaller effective masses, which motivate their applications in light emitting- and laser diodes.
Serologic screening and infectious disease consultation (IDC): Indicated in heart, lung, liver (HLL) solid organ transplants (SOT) for measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella.

BACKGROUND Solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients are a special group of patients who require comprehensive evaluation for preventable infectious diseases before transplantation. The main aim of our study was to investigate the number of heart, lung, and liver (HLL) transplant recipients who were evaluated for their immune status against measles, mumps, rubella (MMR), and varicella (VZV). As a secondary aim, we investigated whether pre-transplant infectious disease consultation (IDC) improves vaccination rates. METHODS This study was an institution-based retrospective analysis of HLL transplant recipients born in or after 1957 and evaluated at Mayo Clinic, FL Transplant Center between January 1st, 2016 and December 31st, 2017. Data collection was obtained from electronic medical records. The vaccination rates were compared by univariate analysis based on IDC and no ID consultation (NIDC). RESULTS One hundred and eighty-seven (77%) of a total 242 patients received an IDC pre-transplantation. Varicella IgG levels were screened in all 187 IDC candidates. Among the 187 IDC patients, mumps, measles, and rubella IgG serologies were performed in 9 (5%), 21 (11%), and 51 (27%), respectively. Among all 242 patients, vaccines given included 2 (0.8%) MMR, 10 (4.1%) varicella and 85 (35.12%) Zostavax. Univariate analysis revealed that Zostavax was given to 76 (40.6%) pre-transplant IDC patients and only in 9 (16.7%) NIDC patients (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS Despite the relatively high IDC rate, patients' screened numbers for MMR IgG levels were low. Results pointed out the need for MMR protocol-driven serologic screening as well as for VZV and IDC prior to transplantation to increase vaccination rates.
Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy for the Horse

The veterinarians of the University of Florida Equine Lameness & Imaging Service specialize in the treatment and rehabilitation of poor performance in sport horses. This series of one-page full color fact sheets describes various diagnostic and imaging services available for diagnosing and treating lameness issues in horses. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_series_equine_lameness_and_imaging_service
Implementing a Process to Systematically Identify and Address Poor Medication Adherence in Pediatric Liver Transplant Recipients.

Objectives Poor adherence to medication following pediatric liver transplantation remains a major challenge, with some estimates suggesting that 50% of adolescent liver transplant recipients exhibit reduced medication adherence. To date, no gold standard has emerged to address this challenge; however, system interventions are most likely to be successful. We sought to implement a system to identify and address adherence barriers in a liver transplant clinic. Methods Using structured quality improvement methods, including multiple plan-do-study-act cycles, we developed a system to screen for patients at risk of poor adherence, identify patient- and/or parent-reported barriers to adherence, and partner with patients to overcome identified barriers. We developed a process to track key outcomes, including the variability in tacrolimus trough levels and episodes of late acute cellular rejection. Results The practice saw a total of 85 patients over 6 months, and about half were females. Over this period, the improvement team implemented this system-level process with high reliability (>90% of patients received the bundle of interventions). The most commonly identified adherence barrier by patients and caregivers was "forgetting." The second most commonly identified adherence barrier by patients was that the medication "gets in the way of their activities," whereas by caregivers, it was "difficulty swallowing pills." Discussion We identified challenges and opportunities to screen for poor adherence and identify patient- and/or caregiver-reported barriers to immunosuppression adherence. Identifying such barriers and partnering with patients to overcome those barriers using patient-centered, barrier-specific interventions could improve long-term graft survival through improved medication adherence.
“Speaking so that We are Heard:” A Zulu Comic Book as Women’s Social Action in 1990s South Africa

This article explores activism in a 1990s comic produced by a South African women’s activist group. The comic, written in Zulu, attempts to mobilize women through the use of narrative and personal ...
Chapter One: International Courts as Coordination Devices for Opposition Parties: The Case of the East African Court of Justice

This chapter examines how opposition political parties and politicians have sought to overcome repressive practices in four of the six East African Community member states: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and South Sudan. Opposition political parties and politicians from these countries have prodded the East African Court of Justice to use a treaty remedy for violations of rules governing the elections of members to the East African Legislative Assembly in each of these countries. They have done so by pursuing a judicial remedy in the East African Court of Justice to resolve a coordination problem that opposition parties face when their opportunity to participate in an above-the-board election is compromised by a dominant party in their home country. These cases show how challenging the electoral malpractices of dominant parties in the East African Court of Justice, facilitate opposition mobilization against dominant parties in ways that are not always possible, or even anticipated, in the home country of the opposition party. The East African Court of Justice has facilitated this coordination by consistently affirming that above the board elections are the only permissible mode of electing members of the East African Legislative Assembly. This has in turn helped opposition political parties to know when they have a factual basis with a likelihood of success so that they could bring cases against dominant political parties in the East African Court of Justice. By contrast, the lack of cases from Burundi and Rwanda, the chapter argues shows that the clampdown on organizational rights in these countries have made it impossible for opposition parties and politicians to bring election cases before the East African Court of Justice.
Identification of the molecular-weight growth reaction network in counterflow flames of the C3H4 isomers allene and propyne

Abstract The reaction networks responsible for aromatics formation in counterflow flames of the C3H4 isomers allene and propyne are identified through a combined experimental and modeling study. Mole fraction profiles of near-atmospheric pressure (933 mbar) diffusion flames fueled by the C3H4 isomers are analyzed by means of a newly assembled, chemically detailed kinetic mechanism. The experiment consists of a counterflow burner system that is coupled to a high-resolution time-of-flight molecular-beam mass spectrometer with single-photon ionization via synchrotron-generated vacuum-ultraviolet photons. Flame-sampled, mass-specific photoionization efficiency curves are used to identify the presence of aliphatically substituted aromatic species in addition to the commonly considered pericondensed ring structures. The new mechanism describes the formation and growth of aromatics through repetitive sequences of radical–radical and radical–molecule reactions that include C1 C6 intermediates. Higher concentrations of aromatic species are observed in the allene flame and the new mechanism captures the observed experimental trends very accurately. The results indicate the importance of the aliphatically substituted aromatics and of ring-enlargement reactions for the growth reactions. According to the model simulations, radical+radical recombination and PAH-radical+molecule reactions play an important role in PAH growth.
Safety and efficacy of hysteroscopic resection of uterine leiomyoma embedded at the base of a uterine septum.

Background To determine the safety and efficacy of hysteroscopic resection of uterine leiomyoma embedded at the base of a uterine septum. Methods This case series included 11 patients with infertility or recurrent pregnancy loss who were found to have a uterine septum (one septate and 10 sub-septate) and a uterine leiomyoma embedded at the base of the uterine septum. All patients underwent a hysteroscopic division of the uterine septum and hysteroscopic resection of the uterine leiomyoma. Safety was determined by any intra-operative complications, and any immediate or late postoperative complications. Efficacy was determined based on the findings on a postoperative trans-vaginal 3D ultrasound (TV 3D US) with a saline infusion sonohysterogram (SIH) and reproductive outcomes. Results There were no reported intra-operative complications, or immediate or late postoperative complications. Eleven patients underwent TV 3D US with SIH; findings were normal in 8 (72.7%); 3 patients underwent a second operative hysteroscopy and subsequent TV 3D US with SIH were also normal. The analysis of reproductive outcomes was limited to patients who were < 40 years (9 patients). Seven patients conceived (77.8%), six delivered (66.7%) and one miscarried (14.3%). Conclusions Hysteroscopic myomectomy of a leiomyoma, which is embedded at the base of a uterine septum, can be safely performed at the same session of hysteroscopic division of the uterine anomaly. Improvement in reproductive outcomes is to be expected after such procedures.
Women in Line: Space Security in the United States

Nation-wide data on women in national security, partnered with individual interviews, paint a clear picture: the United States is a long way off from gender equality in national and space security positions. However, universities are poised to change that now more than ever before. This article gives a brief overview of the “business case for diversity” research trend showing the economic advantages of gender-diverse leadership and discusses women-focused professional organizations and female student interest in national and space security. This is followed by an introduction into U.S. space security policy and the roles women play in that sector’s development. The final section highlights efforts at the University of Nebraska and offers guidance to university educators on pedagogical approaches to support gender diversity in national space security.
Understanding the barriers to pooled SARS-CoV-2 testing in the United States

Pooled testing for SARS-CoV-2 detection is instrumental for increasing test capacity while decreasing test cost, key factors for sustainable, long-term surveillance measures. While numerous pooled approaches have been described, uptake by labs has been limited. We surveyed 90 US labs to understand the barriers to implementing pooled testing.
Reduced ASE threshold from aperiodic photonic structures in rhodamine B-doped king salmon (oncorhynchus tshawytscha) iridophores

Abstract The broadband reflectance of iridescent silvery fish is caused by aperiodic photonic structures formed by complex distributions of guanine platelets in their iridophores. Photons can be reflected multiple times inside the iridophores found in many pelagic teleosts allowing for advanced photonic methods of characterization. The one-dimensional aperiodic structures reflect light over a broad spectrum. Enhanced amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) and suppressed laser light in stained skin tissue is attributed to the high group velocities and negligible localization of light over the gain envelope of rhodamine B (RhB). The enhancement to the ASE, reported herein, is shown to be caused by an increase in the effective ASE gain path length of photons generated in the iridophores of skin tissue stained with RhB. We show that the effective ASE gain path length can be used as a figure-of-merit to quantify aperiodic photonic structures, including those found in many underwater animals, by determining the increase of a photon's average time spent in broadband reflective tissue.
Genetic approach to feature selection for ensemble creation

Ensembles of classifiers have been shown to be very effective for case-based classification tasks. The vast majority of ensemble construction algorithms use the complete set of features available in the problem domain for the ensemble creation. Recent work on randomly selected subspaces for ensemble construction has been shown to improve the accuracy of the ensemble considerably. In this paper we focus our attention on feature selection for ensemble creation using a genetic search approach. We compare boosting and bagging techniques using three approaches for feature selection for ensemble construction. Our genetic-based method produces more reliable ensembles and up to 80% in memory reduction on the datasets employed.
Synthesis of ribonucleic acid in plants: I. Distribution of ribonucleic acid and of protein among subcellular components of pea epicotyls☆

Abstract A fractionation procedure is proposed for the subcellular components of the apical portion of the pea seedlings. This procedure emphasizes isolation of microsomal particles and separation of nuclei from cytoplasmic components. Amount and distribution of DNA, RNA, protein and phosphorus of phosphoprotein of these components from the homogenates of the apical portion of pea seedlings are reported. 50–60 per cent of the cellular RNA is found to be located in the microsomal fraction. This apical portion is further divided into the tip section and the stem section. Analyses of RNA, and protein of all the subcellular components from these two sections show that the components from the tip section are two times more enriched in RNA.
Design and Development of a Complex Shear Modulus Measurement Setup for Viscoelastic Materials

Details of the design and development study of a complex shear modulus measurement setup for viscoelastic materials have been presented in this paper. The new setup is specifically designed for measuring the complex shear modulus of pressure sensitive adhesives. The setup consists of a rigid block that is connected to a rigid fixture through two identical shear specimens of the viscoelastic material to be tested. The rigid block and the shear specimens resemble a single degree of freedom system. Once the frequency response function of the rigid block is measured, the frequency dependent material properties of the viscoelastic material can be calculated in a frequency range of 20 to 200 Hz. The setup also has a forced liquid convection heating/cooling system that enables testing in a temperature range of 5° F to 200° F. Test results for a sample viscoelastic material have also been presented in this paper. Basic principals of this testing method can be found in various sources, yet very few of them provide detailed information for practical implementation. Also, unlike the widely-known vibrating beam technique, no detailed standards exist on the subject. The main objective of this paper is to be an aid for future implementations of the testing approach through summarizing this recent effort for the design, analysis and construction of a sample test setup.