cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
In vitro activity of daptomycin and vancomycin lock solutions on staphylococcal biofilms in a central venous catheter model

Background. Catheter lock solutions are used for prevention and management of catheter-related bloodstream infections. We investigated the activity of daptomycin and vancomycin lock solutions against Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis in an in vitro central venous catheter (CVC) model. Methods. Biofilm-producing reference strains of S. aureus and S. epidermidis were evaluated. After 24 h of bacterial growth in a CVC model, daptomycin and vancomycin bactericidal activity (þ/� preservative-containing heparin sodium) were separately evaluated as a lock solution using 0.5, 1 and 5 mg/ml. Calcium carbonate (50 mg/l) was added to all lock solutions containing daptomycin. Each CVC was drained, flushed and sonicated at 72 h to assess CFU/ml. Results. After 72 h of exposure in the catheter lock solutions, daptomycin and vancomycin at 0.5, 1 and 5 mg/ml demonstrated bactericidal activity (>3.0 log10 CFU/ml) against S. aureus and S. epidermidis (P � 0.001). Heparin lock solution alone produced a non-significant reduction in S. aureus and S. epidermidis (1.92 � 0.07 and 1.65 � 0.03 log10 CFU/ml, respectively). Daptomycin 5 mg/ml lock solution þ/� heparin eradicated (limit of detection 2.0 log10 CFU/ml) S. epidermidis at 72 h as did the vancomycin 5 mg/ml plus heparin. S. aureus was only eradicated from the daptomycin 5 mg/ml catheter lock-solution. Conclusions. Our CVC model demonstrated that 72 h of exposure to 5 mg/ml lock solutions of daptomycin (plus calcium), þ/� heparin or 5 mg/ml of vancomycin plus heparin demonstrate promise in treating catheter infections with biofilm-producing S. epidermidis. Similarly, 5 mg/ml of daptomycin (plus calcium) as a
Deliberate Practice and Performance in Music, Games, Sports, Education, and Professions A Meta-Analysis

More than 20 years ago, researchers proposed that individual differences in performance in such domains as music, sports, and games largely reflect individual differences in amount of deliberate practice, which was defined as engagement in structured activities created specifically to improve performance in a domain. This view is a frequent topic of popularscience writing—but is it supported by empirical evidence? To answer this question, we conducted a meta-analysis covering all major domains in which deliberate practice has been investigated. We found that deliberate practice explained 26% of the variance in performance for games, 21% for music, 18% for sports, 4% for education, and less than 1% for professions. We conclude that deliberate practice is important, but not as important as has been argued.
Distributed Kalman Filters in Sensor Networks: Bipartite Fusion Graphs

We study the distributed Kalman filter in sensor networks where multiple sensors collaborate to achieve a common objective. Our motivation is to distribute the global model that comes from the state-space representation of a sparse and localized large-scale system into reduced coupled sensor-based models. We implement local Kalman filters on these reduced models, by approximating the Gaussian error process of the Kalman filter to be Gauss-Markov, ensuring that each sensor is involved only in reduced-order computations and local communication. We propose a generalized distributed Jacobi algorithm to compute global matrix inversion, locally, in an iterative fashion. We employ bipartite fusion graphs in order to fuse the shared observations and shared estimates across the local models.
Coherence, Knowledge and Skepticism

About twenty years ago Keith Lehrer wrote this about how he does philosophy: … In philosophy, we do not have experiments, only the light of reason to guide us… Anyone who obscures that light is defeating the enterprise… Should I ever reach the point at which I am disinclined to seek criticism and amend my views in light of it, I shall take to writing fiction… and give up writing philosophy altogether. Criticism is the touchstone of philosophical inquiry, and those who shunt it aside… are phonies and beguilers.1
The dying patient.

The terminal illness of an individual creates time of crisis for patient, family, and physician. They call upon their individual coping skills in response to this crisis. The psychiatrist can evaluate these attempts at coping and intervene to modify maladaptive responses.
Spectral Predictors

Many scientific, imaging, and geospatial applications produce large high-precision scalar fields sampled on a regular grid. Lossless compression of such data is commonly done using predictive coding, in which weighted combinations of previously coded samples known to both encoder and decoder are used to predict subsequent nearby samples. In hierarchical, incremental, or selective transmission, the spatial pattern of the known neighbors is often irregular and varies from one sample to the next, which precludes prediction based on a single stencil and fixed set of weights. To handle such situations and make the best use of available neighboring samples, we propose a local spectral predictor that offers optimal prediction by tailoring the weights to each configuration of known nearby samples. These weights may be precomputed and stored in a small lookup table. We show that predictive coding using our spectral predictor improves compression for various sources of high-precision data
Up in Smoke? Unintended Consequences of Retail Marijuana Laws for Partnerships

When Colorado citizens petitioned in 2012 to legalize the retail sale of marijuana in their state, Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper publicly opposed the ballot measure. He knew that state legalization of retail marijuana sales would be risky because the federal Controlled Substances Act makes selling marijuana a crime. He worried that being the first state to legalize retail marijuana sales would make Colorado the “experiment.” Governor Hickenlooper knew that this experiment would come with “unintended consequences.”Governor Hickenlooper’s concerns were well founded. Scholars have identified a host of practical and legal problems caused by the combination of state marijuana legalization and federal prohibition, in realms ranging from banking, taxation, legal representation, employment law, family law, and others. However, the scholarly discussion has largely overlooked the ramifications of state marijuana legalization for state business entity laws. This article introduces a significant, new business law discussion: the unintended consequences of state marijuana legalization for the formation and dissolution of partnerships. This article argues that partnerships cannot legally form to engage in the retail marijuana business, and would automatically dissolve if they were formed for that purpose, because the retail marijuana business is illegal under the Controlled Substances Act. It then advocates an amendment of the state marijuana laws to remedy the problems identified. Finally, this article concludes by advising states that legalize marijuana sales in the future to proceed slowly and learn from others’ mistakes so that they may avoid unintended consequences of their own.
Evidence for the involvement of superoxide anion in dopamine-beta-hydroxylase system.

SummaryDopamine-β-hydroxylase activity was markedly activated by a NADH-phenazine methosulfate-O2 model system known to generate superoxide anion (O2-) in the absence of ascorbate. This activation of the enzyme activity was shown to be dependent on the concentration of phenazine methosulfate. When superoxide dismutase was added along with ascorbate to the system, DBH activity was markedly inhibited. Furthermore, the addition of the superoxide scavenger, nitro blue tetrazolium, to the enzyme either in the presence of ascorbate or NADH-phenazine methosulfate, resulted in the inhibition of DBH activity. These data suggest that O2- is essential for the enzyme activity and that the role of ascorbate is probable in the generation of O2-.
THE ROLE OF THE ACE2/ANG-(1-7)/MASR AXIS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF OBESITY- HYPERTENSION IN MALE AND FEMALE MICE

OF DISSERTATION THE ROLE OF THE ACE2/ANG-(1-7)/MASR AXIS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF OBESITY-HYPERTENSION IN MALE AND FEMALE MICE Obesity is strongly associated with hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. An activated renin-angiotensin system (RAS) has long been suggested as a critical contributor to elevated blood pressure with obesity. Angiotensin II (AngII), the main effector of an activated RAS, can be catabolized by angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) to form angiotensin-(1-7) (Ang-(1-7)), which, acting through the mas receptor (MasR), has been shown to oppose the effects of an activated RAS. Therefore, further understanding of the mechanisms of this counter-regulatory arm, called the ACE2/Ang-(1-7)/MasR axis, may lead to new therapies for obesity-induced hypertension. Previously, we demonstrated that differences in the regulation of ACE2 in a tissue-specific manner contribute to sexual dimorphism of diet-induced obesity-hypertension in mice. Whereas male mice fed a high fat (HF) diet developed hypertension, HF-fed female mice were protected from obesity-hypertension, and this was associated with increased activity of ACE2 in adipose tissue of females. Both upregulation of adipose ACE2 and protection against obesity-hypertension were lost when females were ovariectomized (OVX). We hypothesized that estrogen-mediated increases in adipose ACE2 reduce the AngII/Ang-(1-7) peptide balance and protect females from obesity-hypertension. To test this hypothesis, we first determined if estrogen restores protection of Ovx female mice from obesityhypertension, and therapeutically protects male mice from obesity-hypertension. We demonstrated that estrogen administration to Ovx HF-fed females activates adipose ACE2, reduces plasma Ang II concentrations, and decreases blood pressure in wildtype, but not of ACE2-deficient obese females. In contrast, estrogen administration to HF-fed male mice had no on the development of obesity-hypertension, regardless of genotype. These results demonstrate that estrogen protects female mice from obesity-hypertension through an ACE2dependent mechanism. Next we defined the role of MasR deficiency on the development of obesity-hypertension in male and female mice. In HF-fed MasRdeficient female mice, diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was significantly elevated compared to LF-fed controls, suggesting that protection from obesityhypertension was abolished by MasR deficiency. In contrast, HF-fed male mice with MasR deficiency exhibited reduced blood pressure compared to wildtype controls which was associated with reduced cardiac function. Overall, these studies indicate that the ACE2/Ang-(1-7)/MasR axis plays an important role in sexual dimorphism of obesity-hypertension, and in the regulation of cardiac function. Moreover, these studies suggest that the effects of this counterregulatory arm of the RAS may be sex-specific.
Characters of Senile Injuries and Preventive Countermeasures

[Objective]To analyze the distribution characters and epidemic rules of senile injuries in Dalian and provide evidence for the establishment of preventive measures. [Methods] Descriptive epidemiological method was applied to analyze the cases in emergency and clinical departments of 3 top hospitals in Dalian in 2006. [Results] A total of 911 injuries were reported among people above 60 year old (390 males and 521 females; 0.75:1) ; the leading five injury causes were accidental tumbles/falls (42.59%), motor vehicle traffic accidents (24.04%), hit by blunt objects (13.28%), hit by knife/sharp objects (10.21%) and non-motor vehicle traffic accident (1.32%) respectively; the injury locations were home (38.86%), highway/street (23.93%), trade and service area (14.82%), residential institution (13.06%), industrial and construction area (2.41%) respectively; the major injured body parts were head (27.22%), lower limb (22.50%), arm (22.06%) and trunk (14.82%) respectively; 86.39% of the injuries belonged to non-intentional injuries; 57.19% were slightly injured, 69.59% were cured and went back home; only 0.22% died. [Conclusion]The senile population is the high risk group of injuries because of the decline of their physical function; however, their environment is relatively stable, therefore the injuries are mainly accidental tumbles/falls and traffic accidents; pertinent preventive measures should be taken.
Strain Dynamic Response of Asphalt Pavement on Steel Deck Bridge with Field Loading Test

In order to obtain the actual mechanical response of asphalt pavement of steel deck bridge,a field loading test was carried out on Changji East Road Bridge in Shanghai,a steel bridge of the pavement with stone mastic asphalt and epoxy asphalt as the upper and the lower layers respectively. Test results show that the maximum strain appears at surface,where the pavement is the easiest to be damaged. The dynamic response of longitudinal and transverse strains under two loading conditions(uniform velocity and brake) was analyzed in different layers,and the response trends at the same measurement point had little discrepancy. Longitudinal dynamic strain alternated in tensioncompression cycles and fluctuated,while transverse strain merely fluctuated.With the increase of the depth and the speed,the dynamic strains decreased according to the decrease of the axle loads.The transverse strain was greater than the longitudinal value,and the amplitude of the former was more sensitive to the influence factors than that of the latter.Sensitivities of dynamic strains and their amplitude to axle load and vehicle speed decreased from top to bottom. The differences between dynamic and static strains existed different rules in three layers.The results can be applied to the structure design or material selection of asphalt pavement on steel bridge.
Coculture of Human Zygotes on Fetal Bovine Reproductive Tract Cells

When early cleaved human embryos are kept in culture, only one in four can be expected to develop into fully expanded blastocysts.1 Alternatively, only 1% to 12% of them will implant and develop into full-term babies, when replaced into the uterus or fallopian tube before the third cleavage division commences.2,3 Embryonic wastage following assisted reproduction can only in part be explained by an increased incidence of genetic abnormalities or loss at the time of replacement. Other more esoteric factors, like a reduced receptivity of the endometrium in stimulated menstrual cycles, probably play an important role as well.
The Status of the Relationship between the Citizen and the Government

From the founding of America, the relationship between the citizens and their government has been central to the definition of our nation. We were established as a nation of people who rely on certain “self-evident truths” to guide how we conduct our official business. Personal liberty, maximum individual freedom, and a God-given endowment of equality form the centerpiece of our system. These gifts from our Creator are unalienable—they cannot be detached from us as individuals—and the government must operate within a framework that acknowledges and protects the supremacy of these individual rights.
Polarization of Gold in Nanopores Leads to Ion Current Rectification

Biomimetic nanopores with rectifying properties are relevant components of ionic switches, ionic circuits, and biological sensors. Rectification indicates that currents for voltages of one polarity are higher than currents for voltages of the opposite polarity. Ion current rectification requires the presence of surface charges on the pore walls, achieved either by the attachment of charged groups or in multielectrode systems by applying voltage to integrated gate electrodes. Here we present a simpler concept for introducing surface charges via polarization of a thin layer of Au present at one entrance of a silicon nitride nanopore. In an electric field applied by two electrodes placed in bulk solution on both sides of the membrane, the Au layer polarizes such that excess positive charge locally concentrates at one end and negative charge concentrates at the other end. Consequently, a junction is formed between zones with enhanced anion and cation concentrations in the solution adjacent to the Au layer. Th...
Interprofessional simulation education designed to teach occupational therapy and nursing students complex patient transfers

Abstract Objective The objective of this study was to use interprofessional education to improve the knowledge and skill levels of nursing students regarding safe patient transfers, and occupational therapy students regarding safe handling of a patient's medical lines during transfers. Methods A prospective mixed methods approach was used for data collection of an interprofessional education simulation experience centered on transferring a client with two or more medical lines. Results Forty-nine nursing and occupational therapy students participated in the study. Significant increases ( p Conclusions Results support that IPE can assist in improving skill levels, and is an important factor in teaching students how to communicate, collaborate, and learn from other health care professions.
VLSI overall design

This paper characterises the overall VLSI system design process in terms of a number of different tasks appropriate to a large variety of different representations. The functional tasks must be formally specified and the performance of each task must be varied over a large variety of architectural alternatives. The complexity of Fifth Generation designs will emphasise the need for a designer's expertise to be brought into programs that both generate these representations and transform between them. The three major VLSI technologies that are expected to gain prominence during this decade are assessed.
cAMP-dependent regulation of RhoA/Rho-kinase attenuates detrusor overactivity in a novel mouse experimental model

Objective To investigate detrusor function and cAMP activation as a possible target for detrusor overactivity in an experimental model lacking a key denitrosylation enzyme, S-nitrosoglutathione reductase (GSNOR). Materials and Methods GSNOR-deficient (GSNOR−/−) (n = 30) and wild-type (WT) mice (n = 26) were treated for 7 days with the cAMP activator, colforsin (1 mg/kg), or vehicle intraperitoneally. Cystometric studies or molecular analyses of bladder specimens were performed. Bladder function indices and expression levels of proteins that regulate detrusor relaxation (nitric oxide synthase pathway) or contraction (RhoA/Rho-kinase pathway) and oxidative stress were assessed. For statistical analysis the Student's t-test and one-way analysis of variance were used. Results GSNOR−/− mice had significantly higher (P < 0.05) voiding and non-voiding contraction frequencies compared to WT mice (Cohen's effect size values d = 1.82 and 2.52, respectively). Colforsin normalised these abnormalities (Cohen's effect size values d = 1.85 and 1.28, respectively). Western blot analyses showed an up-regulation of the RhoA/Rho-kinase pathway reflected by significantly higher (P < 0.05) phosphorylated myosin phosphatase target subunit 1 (P-MYPT-1) expression in GSNOR−/− mouse bladders, which was reversed by colforsin treatment. There was a higher level (P < 0.05) of gp91phox expression in the bladders of GSNOR−/− mice without significant change after colforsin treatment. Neuronal and endothelial nitric oxide synthase phosphorylation on Ser-1412 and Ser-1177, respectively, did not differ between GSNOR−/− and WT mouse bladders irrespective of colforsin treatment. Conclusion Impaired denitrosylation is associated with detrusor overactivity, which is linked with upregulated RhoA/Rho-kinase signalling. Colforsin reverses physiological and molecular abnormalities. This study describes a novel model of detrusor overactivity and suggests a possible basis for its treatment.
Examining police officer definitions of evidence-based policing: are we speaking the same language?

ABSTRACTEvidence-based policing has become a commonly used term in academic circles to describe policing practices guided by research evidence demonstrating their effectiveness. Little is known, however, about how police practitioners understand and define the term and the extent to which these definitions align with researcher conceptions of the term. We examine data from a survey on receptivity to research administered to 1355 police officers, supervisors, and leaders from multiple US agencies. Officers familiar with the term ‘evidence-based policing’ were asked to define it, and we coded each definition for key terms identified in the literature as relevant to evidence-based practice and for overall match to commonly used academic definitions. Our results suggest variability in both familiarity with the term ‘evidence-based policing’ and use of key terms from academic definitions based on rank. Higher ranking officers were more likely to have definitions that aligned with academic conceptions, although...
Two-Year Outcomes of the Enabling Mothers to Prevent Pediatric Obesity Through Web-Based Education and Reciprocal Determinism (EMPOWER) Randomized Control Trial:

Background. Childhood overweight and obesity is a public health epidemic with far-reaching medical, economic, and quality of life consequences. Brief, web-based interventions have received increased attention for their potential to combat childhood obesity. The purpose of our study was to evaluate a web-based, maternal-facilitated childhood obesity prevention intervention dubbed Enabling Mothers to Prevent Pediatric Obesity Through Web-Based Education and Reciprocal Determinism (EMPOWER), for its capacity to elicit sustained effects at the 2-year postintervention follow-up mark. Method. Two interventions were evaluated using a randomized controlled trial design. The experimental, EMPOWER arm received a social cognitive theory intervention (n = 29) designed to improve four maternal-facilitated behaviors in children (fruit and vegetable consumption, physical activity, sugar-free beverage intake, screen time). The active control arm received a knowledge-based intervention dubbed Healthy Lifestyles (n = 28), ...
Pain Control as a Multidisciplinary Problem

Although today’s section meeting is focused on the control of pain, under a subsection designation of “dentistry,” the topic of pain control is obviously one which transcends the limitations of a specific discipline. Surely head and neck pain from all causes, with our without mouth pain, can be classified as a multidisciplinary problem. If pain is to be considered from the viewpoints of new therapeutic approaches and frontiers for immediate research, such avenues must be taken. The concept of pain control in the terminal patient, therefore, demands an overview approach and an overview conclusion, with the practitioner eschewing any temptation to follow a middle of the road path that can constrict clinical or research goals because of unproductive tunnel vision.
Tobacco Control Policy Adoption Dynamics: A Case Study of Missouri Communities

Tobacco control policies reduce the health and economic burden caused by tobacco. With over half of the United States communities lacking adequate protective policies, an examination of policy adoption factors can provide insights to facilitate policy adoption. A case study approach examines the rate of adoption, prominent media frames, policy leaders’ perceptions and coalition activities for smokefree and Tobacco 21 policies adopted in Missouri. Findings show compared to smokefree policy, Tobacco 21 requires a considerably shorter timeframe and fewer resources for adoption. Tobacco 21 coalitions target a small group of stakeholders compared to smokefree coalitions’ emphasis on broad community engagement. Both policies are formally opposed, but elected officials perceive less political risk supporting Tobacco 21. As a new tobacco control policy tool, Tobacco 21 has relative advantage that should be considered by community health advocates.
Material matters: Analysis of density uncertainty in 3D printing and its consequences for radiation oncology.

Purpose Using 3D printing to fabricate patient-specific devices such as tissue compensators, boluses, and phantoms is inexpensive and relatively simple. However, most 3D printing materials have not been well characterized, including their radiologic tissue equivalence. The purposes of this study were to (a) determine the variance in Hounsfield Units (HU) for printed objects, (b) determine if HU varies over time, and (c) calculate the clinical dose uncertainty caused by these material variations. Methods For a sample of 10 printed blocks each of PLA, NinjaFlex, ABS, and Cheetah, the average HU and physical density were tracked at initial printing and over the course of 5 weeks, a typical timeframe for a standard course of radiotherapy. After initial printing, half the blocks were stored in open boxes, the other half in sealed bags with desiccant. Variances in HU and density over time were evaluated for the four materials. Various clinical photon and electron beams were used to evaluate potential errors in clinical depth dose as a function of assumptions made during treatment planning. The clinical depth error was defined as the distance between the correctly calculated 90% isodose line and the 90% isodose line calculated using clinically reasonable, but simplified, assumptions. Results The average HU measurements of individual blocks of PLA, ABS, NinjaFlex, and Cheetah varied by as much as 121, 30, 178, and 30 HU, respectively. The HU variation over 5 weeks was much smaller for all materials. The magnitude of clinical depth errors depended strongly on the material, energy, and assumptions, but some were as large as 9.0 mm. Conclusions If proper quality assurance steps are taken, 3D printed objects can be used accurately and effectively in radiation therapy. It is critically important, however, that the properties of any material being used in patient care be well understood and accounted for.
Seeing Is Not Believing: Perceptions of Date Labels over Food and Attributes

This study investigates consumers’ perceptions of date labels (“Best by” and “Use by”) between different food items (spaghetti sauce and deli meat) and across different attributes (nutrition, quali...
Access and Bundling in High-Technology Markets

The raging antitrust debates surrounding Microsoft all include, and must face up to, one underlying question: whether antitrust should stay away from high-technology markets.1 There are serious arguments in the affirmative that are based on unique characteristics endemic to high-technology markets.
Comparison of maternal beliefs about causes of autism spectrum disorder and association with utilization of services and treatments

Author(s): Chaidez, Virginia; Fernandez Y Garcia, Erik; Wang, Lulu W; Angkustsiri, Kathleen; Krakowiak, Paula; Hertz-Picciotto, Irva; Hansen, Robin L | Abstract: BackgroundThis study aimed to describe parental perceptions of the causes of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in an ethnically diverse sample and explore whether these perceptions relate to treatment choices.MethodsThe sample consisted of White (nn=n224), Hispanic (nn=n85), and Asian (nn=n21) mothers of a child with ASD. A mixed methods approach was used in this secondary analysis focusing on parental perceptions about the causes of ASD and the relationship of these to utilization of services and treatment.ResultsEnvironmental and genetic factors were most often believed to be the cause or one of the causes of ASD by mothers across all ethnic groups studied. Asian mothers were more likely to cite multiple causes. Environmental causes were associated with receiving 20 or more hours of autism-related services per week, whereas belief in environmental exposures and vaccines and medications as causes were associated with complementary-alternative medicine (CAM) use.ConclusionOur findings suggest that ethnic differences in autism causal beliefs and treatment choices may exist. Future research should be conducted to specifically confirm the findings, to understand parental motivation behind their service and treatment choices, and to gain more insight into the types, usage, and sources of CAM treatments. Clinicians can use parental autism causal beliefs in discussions about treatment recommendations.
A higher-order error estimation framework for finite-volume CFD

Abstract Computational fluid dynamics is an invaluable tool for both the design and analysis of aerospace vehicles. Reliable error estimation techniques are needed to ensure that simulation results are accurate enough to be used in engineering decision-making processes. In this work, a framework for estimating error and improving solution accuracy is presented. A linearized error transport equation (ETE) is used to estimate local discretization errors. A truncation error estimation technique is proposed which combines aspects of higher-order residual methods and continuous residual methods. The equivalence between adjoint and ETE methods for functional error estimation is demonstrated. Using adjoint/ETE equivalence, the higher-order properties of adjoint methods are extended to ETE methods. Consequently, ETE error estimates are shown to converge to the true discretization error at a higher-order rate. ETE error estimates are then used to correct the entire primal solution, and by extension, all output functionals, to higher order. The computational advantages of this ETE approach are discussed. Results are presented for 1D and 2D inviscid and viscous flow problems on grids with smoothly varying and non-smoothly varying grid metrics.
Empirical Considerations on Intelligence Testing and Models of Intelligence: Updates for Educational Measurement Professionals

This brief article introduces the topic of intelligence as highly appropriate for educational measurement professionals. It describes some of the uses of intelligence tests both historically and cu...
People of German Heritage

Germans are reserved, formal people who appreciate a sense of order in their lives. Their love of music and celebrations has permanently influenced many of the world’s cultures. German, the official language of the Federal Republic of Germany, is spoken in Germany; Austria; and Liechtenstein; large parts of Switzerland and South Tirol; and small parts of Belgium, France, and Luxembourg. German is the native language of over 100 million people, and many literary works have been translated into German. This chapter follows the dominant values and beliefs according to the 12 domains of the Purnell Model of Cultural Competence: overview/heritage, communication, family roles and organization, workforce issues, biocultural ecology, high-risk behaviors, nutrition, pregnancy, death rituals, spirituality, health-care practices, and health-care practitioners.
Adversarial Robustness as a Prior for Learned Representations

An important goal in deep learning is to learn versatile, high-level feature representations of input data. However, standard networks' representations seem to possess shortcomings that, as we illustrate, prevent them from fully realizing this goal. In this work, we show that robust optimization can be re-cast as a tool for enforcing priors on the features learned by deep neural networks. It turns out that representations learned by robust models address the aforementioned shortcomings and make significant progress towards learning a high-level encoding of inputs. In particular, these representations are approximately invertible, while allowing for direct visualization and manipulation of salient input features. More broadly, our results indicate adversarial robustness as a promising avenue for improving learned representations. Our code and models for reproducing these results is available at this https URL .
Kidney disease combined with posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome in children: a report of 6 cases and literature review

目的 提高肾脏专科医师对可逆性后部白质脑病综合征(PRES)的认识。 方法 回顾性分析武汉市儿童医院2005年1月至2016年7月确诊的6例儿童肾脏疾病并PRES的临床特点和影像学资料，并结合文献进行分析。 结果 原发病分别为肾病综合征、狼疮性肾炎各2例，急性肾小球肾炎、肾血管先天畸形各1例。4例曾使用糖皮质激素，2例曾使用免疫抑制剂。临床表现：6例均急性起病，头痛(伴或不伴呕吐)6例，血压增高5例，抽搐5例，意识障碍4例，视力障碍2例。头颅影像学特点：6例头颅磁共振成像(MRI)均示顶、枕叶皮质及皮质下白质受累，累及额叶2例，累及颞叶、海马、基底核、侧脑室周围深部白质1例，累及桥脑l例；5例为长T1加权像(T1WI)、长T2加权像(T2WI)、液体衰减反转恢复(FLAIR)高信号、弥散加权成像(DWI)等信号；1例为长T1WI、长T2WI、FLAIR高信号、DWI高信号。经及时脱水、降压及对症治疗，5例短期内临床症状均好转，其中4例1～2周MRI示病灶均消失，1例6周后头颅MRI示病灶消失；另1例死亡，未复查头颅MRI。 结论 儿童肾脏疾病可合并PRES，临床表现和头颅影像学特点多样，并非均可逆，应提高对该病的认识，早期发现，及时治疗，以改善治疗效果和预后。
Conservation of migration area by transport cross sections using Cumulative Migration Method in deterministic heterogeneous reactor transport analysis

Abstract Transport corrections are often used to account for the anisotropy in neutron scattering in multi-group deterministic simulations of light water reactors. It remains an open question on how to generate accurate transport cross sections using Monte Carlo codes and how to effectively evaluate the accuracy of existing transport correction methods. The anisotropy of neutron scattering with hydrogen in water has a large impact on neutron migration area, which is one important metric to be preserved. Recent work on the Cumulative Migration Method (CMM) has demonstrated that accurate homogenized transport cross sections and diffusion coefficients can be generated by conserving energy-dependent migration area. In this paper, a new transport correction method for computing heterogeneous transport cross sections based on CMM is proposed and verified on practical problems such as the B&W 1484 and the BEAVRS benchmark problems. Results demonstrate that CMM generated transport cross sections improve k e f f and the power distribution. Additionally, this paper demonstrates that CMM generated transport cross sections truly preserve the neutron migration area in deterministic calculations.
Modeling the transfer of low molecular weight plasma proteins during hemodialysis and online hemodiafiltration

Replacing the renal excretion of low molecular weight proteins (LMWP) by extracorporeal dialysis (dialysis) treatment poses technological challenges. Hemodialyzers with sieving coefficients for LMWP that match or even exceed those of the glomerular membrane barrier are commercially available; however, the associated losses of albumin are much higher than physiological levels of renal albumin excretion. A unidimensional, convection-diffusion model of solute transfer has been developed to analyze and quantitate LMWP extraction and albumin loss during dialysis treatment. The model is applicable to any extracorporeal dialysis technique and any type of hemodialyzer. Clinical extraction data for beta 2 microglobin (β2M, 11.6 kDa), myoglobin (16.7 kDa) and interleukin 6 (IL6, 21-30 kDa) from 15 patients on hemodiafiltration (HDF) using a Nipro Elisio H series high flux hemodialyzer were analyzed using the model and values for the convection and mass transfer coefficients were derived. The model predicts that under normal clinical operating conditions, given equal amounts of β2M removal, albumin losses are higher using pre-dilution rather than post-dilution HDF. The model can be used to provide estimates of the internal filtration rates of hemodialyzers operating in vivo.
Sequential Sampling Statistics for Evaluating Low Concentrations

The sampling of low concentrations of particles can be especially time consuming and thus expensive when one attempts to get enough particles for an acceptable statistical confidence interval. The "sequential analysis" technique originated in the 1940s by Wald was shown to minimize the number of samples needed, at the cost of increased data analysis. The technique can be extended from sampling items to sampling intervals, e.g., time, volume, area, etc. Sequential sampling analysis tests hypotheses about the probabilities of events, thus about concentrations. A brief description of the technique and an example are provided here. Upper and lower limits on counts versus sampling extent can be set to give a desired 1-α probability of accepting a specified low concentration and β probability of accepting a specified high concentration. At very low or very high probabilities of finding a particle compared with the levels hypothesized, sequential sampling can produce a decision with relatively very few samples. ...
Structured versus free block play: the impact on arithmetic processing.

Abstract Background Block play is one type of intervention that improves visuospatial skills. There are multiple forms of block play and it is unclear whether they have differential cognitive effects. Method Given the importance of visuospatial skills for mathematical performance, we studied the differential impact of two types of block playstructured (copying a block design) and free (building from imagination) on arithmetic processing, using behavioral and fMRI methods. Forty-three children aged 8.3±0.8 years participated (21 free play and 22 structured block play). Results Results showed that while both groups showed behavioral improvements, only the structured block play group showed significant improvements in both addition and subtraction performance. Additionally, the structured block play group showed increased activation in several regions linked to memory, motor, and arithmetic processing after training. Conclusion The results inform choices for activities used in the classroom to improve visuospatial skills and suggest structured block play may be beneficial for arithmetic processing.
Appendiceal Adenocarcinoma Presenting As Perforated Appendicitis

Primary tumors of the appendix, specifically appendicular adenocarcinoma, are a rare malignant neoplasm of the gastrointestinal tract. We present a case of a 64-year-old female who had significant peritoneal adhesions from a previously perforated appendix involving the right ureter, bladder, and anterior abdominal wall after a course of perforated appendicitis, which was managed conservatively with drain placement with interval appendectomy. We are discussing this case in hopes of bringing awareness to the possibility of underlying malignancy in the setting of perforated appendicitis in patients of advanced age.
Catalytic, contra-Thermodynamic Alkene Isomerization

The positional isomerization of C–C double bonds is a powerful strategy for the interconversion of alkene regioisomers. However, existing methods provide access to thermodynamically more stable isomers from less stable starting materials. Here we report the discovery of a dual catalyst system that promotes contra-thermodynamic positional alkene isomerization under photochemical irradiation, providing access to terminal alkene isomers directly from conjugated, internal alkene starting materials. The utility of the method is demonstrated in the deconjugation of diverse electron rich/poor alkenes and through strategic application to natural product synthesis. Mechanistic studies are consistent with a regiospecific bimolecular homolytic substitution (SH2') mechanism proceeding through an allyl-cobaloxime intermediate.
Teacher Evaluation in Early Childhood Education: Application of a Model

The problem of evaluating graduates of teacher education programs has been a concern of institutions of higher education for a number of years. The need for institutions of higher education to evaluate their teacher education programs was emphasized in the standards adopted in 1970 and 1977 by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (Standards, 1970 & 1977). Standard 6.1 states “The institution... engages in systematic efforts to evaluate the quality of its graduates upon completion of their program of study and after they enter the teaching profession. This evaluation includes evidence of their performance in relation to program objectives.” (p. 11) Standard 6.2 emphasized the use of evaluation results in program improvement and states “The institution regularly evaluates its teacher education programs and uses the results of its evaluation in the modification and improvement of those programs.” (p. 11)
“WIZARD: Artificial Intelligence and Conformational Analysis”

The title of this talk is WIZARD, which is also the name of our computer programme. Many people like to give programmes names that mean something. WIZARD doesn’t mean anything, I like the name. The WIZARD project has three parts. It combines axiomatic theories, which are mathematical models of reasoning, and artificial intelligence, which is the technique that we utilize to study axiomatic theories. We then apply that to conformational analysis. Those are the three parts of the WIZARD project. Our purpose in the WIZARD project was to provide an expert which the chemists could utilize, sort of a helper to a chemist, so that they could understand the conformational possibilities in a molecule. We wanted a chemist to be able to find all conformers, rather than just one, two, or a large number of them. We also wanted to have the chemist be able to understand such things as the conformational rigidity or flexibility of a molecule.
Naming Trees in the Gerusalemme

This article argues that the forest landscape, among other elements of Torquato Tasso’s Gerusalemme liberata, dramatizes the poetic process Tasso idealizes in an earlier treatise. As the source of building material (materia) that symbolizes the subject matter (materia) of the romance, the forests are made instruments of compositional objectives. But several trees stand out from the instrumentalized forest to decry the poem’s violent commitment to theory: a cypress tombstone for the poem’s most exploited character, and felled yew trees (tassi) that name the author’s destructive relationship with the literary profession. So while the forest of the Liberata guarantees the poem’s unity, its single trees memorialize with their names the artistic and personal tolls of a purely instrumental poetics.
Decreased Nucleotide and Serotonin Storage Associated With Defective Function in Chediak-Higashi Syndrome Cattle and Human Platelets

Prolonged mean template bleeding time of 14 min observed in seven cattle with the Chediak-Higashi syndrome (CHS) prompted the examination of platelet function in these animals. There was no distinguishable difference in concentration of circulating platelets between CHS and control cattle. CHS bovine platelets failed to aggregate in vitro in response to concentrations of acid-soluble collagen which induced aggregation in all normal samples. The primary platelet response to 5 muM ADP was normal in CHS cattle. A markedly decreased amount of serotonin (1.2% of normal) was detected in CHS bovine platelets. Bovine CHS platelet ATP and ADP contents were significantly less than normal, and the ATP/ADP ratios were 5.04 in normal and 29.38 in CHS platelets. Results of these animal investigations prompted a similar study of two patients with CHS. In humans, an increased bleeding time greater than 15 min and an in vitro impaired aggregation response to acid-soluble collagen and 5 muM adrenaline were discovered. Both ATP and ADP were reduced in CHS human platelets, and the ATP/ADP ratio was 3.96, compared to a ratio of 1.52 for platelets of two normal subjects. These findings suggested the presence of a “storage pool disease” of CHS platelets.
A pool of central memory-like CD4 T cells contains effector memory precursors.

The L51S mutation in the D10.G4.1 TCR α-chain reduces the affinity of the TCR to its ligand by affecting the interactions among the TCR, the β-chain of I-A k , and the bound peptide. We show that this mutation drives the generation of a pool of memory CD44 high CD62L neg CD45RB neg CD4 TCR transgenic T cells. Their activation threshold is low, such that they proliferate in response to lower concentrations of agonist peptides than naive L51S CD4 T cells. Unlike effector memory CD4 T cells, however, they lack immediate effector function in response to TCR stimulation. These cells express IL-2Rα only after culture with specific peptide. Although they can be recovered from lymph nodes, the majority lack the expression of the lymph node homing receptor CCR7. When these cells receive a second TCR stimulation in vitro, they differentiate into potent Th2-like effector cells, producing high levels of IL-4 at doses of agonist peptide too low to stimulate cytokine release from similarly differentiated naive L51S CD4 T cells. Having these properties, the L51S TCR transgenic memory CD4 T cells cannot be classified as either strict central memory or effector memory, but, rather, as a pool of memory T cells containing effector memory precursors.
Differential-Linear Cryptanalysis

This paper introduces a new chosen text attack on iterated cryptosystems, such as the Data Encryption Standard (DES). The attack is very efficient for 8-round DES,2 recovering 10 bits of key with 80% probability of success using only 512 chosen plaintexts. The probability of success increases to 95% using 768 chosen plaintexts. More key can be recovered with reduced probability of success. The attack takes less than 10 seconds on a SUN-4 workstation. While comparable in speed to existing attacks, this 8-round attack represents an order of magnitude improvement in the amount of required text.
Response of a drilled shaft foundation constructed in a redrilled shaft excavation following collapse

Two drilled shaft foundations (DSFs) of equal size (1.2 m diameter) were installed at the Turrell Arkansas Test Site (TATS). The soil stratigraphy at the TATS consisted of 6.1 m of clay underlain by 3.0 m of silt underlain by sand. After drilling the excavation for the North 1.2 m DSF, the silty soil collapsed from the sidewall of the excavation into the bottom of the excavation. Following the collapse, the excavation was redrilled and the construction of the DSF was completed. The measured capacity, unit side resistance, and end bearing resistance of the South 1.2 m diameter DSF were predicted by using software programs and mean values of soil data. The measured response of the North 1.2 m diameter DSF was backward modeled to determine the appropriate strength and stress reduction. Based on the measured data for this site, a 10 percent reduction in unit weight within the silt layer and a modification of the soil properties within the top 3.0 m of the sand layer produced predicted responses that matched t...
Selecting climate change scenarios using impact-relevant sensitivities

Climate impact studies often require the selection of a small number of climate scenarios. Ideally, a subset would have simulations that both (1) appropriately represent the range of possible futures for the variable/s most important to the impact under investigation and (2) come from global climate models (GCMs) that provide plausible results for future climate in the region of interest. We demonstrate an approach to select a subset of GCMs that incorporates both concepts and provides insights into the range of climate impacts. To represent how an ecosystem process responds to projected future changes, we methodically sample, using a simple sensitivity analysis, how an ecosystem variable responds locally to projected regional temperature and precipitation changes. We illustrate our approach in the Pacific Northwest, focusing on (a) changes in streamflow magnitudes in critical seasons for water management and (b) changes in annual vegetation carbon.
How Sexually Dimorphic Are Human Mate Preferences

Previous studies on sex-differentiated mate preferences have focused on univariate analyses. However, because mate selection is inherently multidimensional, a multivariate analysis more appropriately measures sex differences in mate preferences. We used the Mahalanobis distance (D) and logistic regression to investigate sex differences in mate preferences with data secured from participants residing in 37 cultures (n = 10,153). Sex differences are large in multivariate terms, yielding an overall D = 2.41, corresponding to overlap between the sexes of just 22.8%. Moreover, knowledge of mate preferences alone affords correct classification of sex with 92.2% accuracy. Finally, pattern-wise sex differences are negatively correlated with gender equality across cultures but are nonetheless cross-culturally robust. Discussion focuses on implications in evaluating the importance and magnitude of sex differences in mate preferences.