cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
PERVASIVE HEALTHCARE: APPLICATIONS, CHALLENGES AND WIRELESS SOLUTIONS

A major challenge for healthcare is how to provide improved services to an increasing number of people using limited financial and human resources. Pervasive healthcare is considered a solution to many existing problems and a possible future of the current healthcare services. In simple terms, pervasive healthcare can be defined as healthcare to anyone, anytime, and anywhere by removing locational, time and other restraints while increasing both its coverage and quality. The broad definition includes prevention, healthcare maintenance and checkups, shortterm monitoring (or home healthcare monitoring), long-term monitoring (nursing home), personalized healthcare monitoring, incidence detection and management, and, emergency intervention, transportation and treatment. These requirements could be effectively supported by universal, efficient and reliable access to healthcare services, providers, and biomedical information that is available at any time. In this paper, several pervasive healthcare applications and related challenges are discussed. An integrated wireless architecture that is designed to use the capabilities of current and emerging wireless and mobile networks for location management, intelligent emergency system, patient monitoring, and mobile telemedicine applications is presented.
The Physician as Citizen

Physicians are acknowledged to have roles which transcend particular physician-patient relationships. This chapter examines two views: one sees the physician’s role as citizen deriving from his or her role as personal physician to patients; the other sees the role of the physician taking form from his or her more public responsibilities. The consequences of these views as they relate to issues of public health, confidentiality, and caring for social ills are discussed.
On the Second-Greatest and Second-Least Characteristic Roots of a Positive Definite Matrix

Methods used earlier ([1], [2]) to obtain bounds for the greatest and least characteristic roots of a positive definite matrix are here applied to obtain approximations to the second-greatest and second-least characteristic roots.
Laser Effects on the Eye

Of all the viscera in the body, the eye is the most important one for all phases of laser research. It is the eye for which laser surgery can be done now. Also, it is the protection of the eye which is so important for all personnel engaged in laser research. The comparison is often made of the early stages of biomedical investigations of the laser to the early stages of the biomedical applications of x-ray. One does not want to repeat the tragedies of the early days of x-ray investigation. It has been said often that if one does not know history, one is forced to repeat all the mistakes which have occurred previously. Related to the eye hazards from the laser are the studies of the eye hazards of microwaves of radar. These are also of great interest and importance. Many of these studies on microwave effects on the eye are more detailed and advanced than those on the laser. The threshold value for the radar eye injury is given usually as 10 mw/cm2, primarily with lenticular changes.
Energy Dispersive K X-Ray Fluorescence Analysis for On-Line Process Control of Heavy Metal Concentrations

X-ray analysis has traditionally been wavelength dispersive, manpower intensive, and an analytical laboratory tool employing massive and costly x-ray generators and diffraction spectrometers. Following the development of the lithium drifted silicon and germanium [Si(Li) and Ge(Li)] semiconductor radiation detectors in the mid 1960’s, and more recently the high purity germanium detector [HPGe], the analytical technique of energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence analysis (XRFA)1 matured during the 1970’s.
Absence of EGF receptors and of EGF uptake in Peyer's patch dome epithelium.

M cells (microfold cells, or membranous cells), which are located in the dome epithelium of Peyer’s patches, function as antigen sampling sites for various intestinal microorganisms and antigens.1 They differentiate from crypt stem cells,2 but the mechanisms of regulation of M cell differentiation and migration are unknown. M cells have characteristic morphological features: short and irregular microvilli or microfolds, sparse lysosomes, en-dosome formation along their apical membranes, and mononuclear leukocytes enfolded in their pockets. M cells also function as antigen transporting cells, taking up various microorganisms and macromolecules from the intestinal lumen and transporting them to enfolded lymphocytes and macrophages.3,4 Because of the wide range of enteric pathogens and commensal microorganisms taken up by M cells, it is presumed that microbial adherence to M cells depends on several factors, but these factors have not yet been defined.
Electromagnetic simulation by the FDTD method in Java

The FDTD (Finite Difference Time Domain) is the most popular method for transient electromagnetic simulation. A FDTD method is developed through applying Yee's algorithm and a Mur boundary condition. The method is implemented in Java using object-oriented design principles. The program can simulate and visualize an evolving electromagnetic field in any cuboidal, multiple material domain. The program is made available as open source from www.east-lancashire-research.org.uk (AR-08-17).
Race and Women in Crime: A Longitudinal and Cross-Sectional Comparison of Arrests for Black and Latino Females with White Females

Although women have made tremendous gains on men in criminal involvement in the last few decades, their involvement remains largely neglected in research. Most scholars choose instead to explore criminal behavior by the general population, juveniles, and men. This trend has left a major scholastic gap that the current study seeks to fill. The study analyzed the pattern of Black, Latino, and White female arrests in a mid-sized city in the United States from January 2001 through December 2005. The data ascertained that like males, female minorities are disproportionately represented in the arrest statistics, but linear regression analyses revealed a statistically significant decline in the arrest rates for Black and Latino females, while the change in the arrest rate for White females did not show statistical significance over the same period of time. In addition, while economic crimes explained the largest percentage of arrests for minority females, White females were arrested more commonly for public order offenses. _______________________________________________________________________
Carbon-14 content in tree and soil samples at the Idaho National Laboratory nuclear site

Abstract Idaho National Laboratory (INL) is a nuclear research facility located in southeastern Idaho, USA; over the course of its operational history, INL has operated 52 reactors and 1 reactor fuel reprocessing facility. To determine the extent to which previous nuclear operations at INL have impacted local environmental carbon-14 (14C) concentrations, tree and soil samples from the INL desert and surrounding areas were collected, combusted, and analyzed by Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS). Transport models of the plumes from the Advanced Test Reactor Facility (ATR) and the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant (ICPP) suggest the historic annual integrated plume distributions from each of these source terms was most likely in the northeast-southwest direction, with very little ground contact from stack emissions in the immediate vicinity of the facilities and maximum estimated ground contact arising ∼400–1000 m to the northeast/southwest from each facility. 14C data from annual growth ring data from trees located immediately adjacent to the ATR, INL’s Central Facilities Area (CFA), and Mud Lake, Idaho (ML) are in statistical agreement with regional nuclear weapons testing fallout backgrounds. Surface soil samples taken near a low level radioactive disposal facility and downwind from the ICPP show percent modern carbon (pMC) values ranging from 28 ± 2 to 92 ± 4, suggesting a mixture of aged and modern background carbon containing materials. Taken together, these data suggest that 14C in the INL region is predominantly derived from a mixture of aged and modern background sources (e.g. nuclear weapons testing fallout), with insignificant contributions from INL source terms.
Effects of acute dietary nitrate supplementation on aortic blood pressures and pulse wave characteristics in post-menopausal women.

Abstract Purpose Consumption of nitrate-rich beetroot juice can lower blood pressure in peripheral as well as central arteries and may exert additional hemodynamic benefits (e.g. reduced aortic wave reflections). The specific influence of nitrate supplementation on arterial pressures and aortic wave properties in postmenopausal women, a group that experiences accelerated increases in these variables with age, is unknown. Accordingly, the primary aim of this study was to determine the effect of consuming nitrate-rich beetroot juice on resting brachial and aortic blood pressures (BP) and pulse wave characteristics in a group of healthy postmenopausal women, in comparison to a true (nitrate-free beetroot juice) placebo. Methods Brachial (oscillometric cuff) and radial (SphygmoCor) pressures and derived-aortic waveforms were measured during supine rest in thirteen healthy postmenopausal women (63 ± 1 yr) before and 100 min after consumption of 140 ml of either nitrate-rich (9.7 mmol, 0.6 gm NO3−) or nitrate-depleted beetroot juice on randomized visits approximately 10 days apart (cross-over design). Ten young premenopausal women (22 ± 1 yr) served as a reference (non-supplemented) cohort. Results Brachial and derived-aortic variables showed the expected age-associated differences in these women (all p Conclusions Dietary nitrate supplementation favorably modifies aortic systolic and mean blood pressure under resting conditions in healthy postmenopausal women. Acute supplementation of nitrate does not, however, appear to restore indices of aortic stiffness in this group. Future work should evaluate chronic, long-term effects of this non-pharmacological supplement.
Classical and quantum simulations of a lithium ion solvated by a mixed Stockmayer cluster

Abstract The structure, classical thermodynamics, and ground state properties of a cluster comprised of a lithium ion surrounded by 106 points dipoles, are determined. Two types of Stockmayer particles, D ( N ) and D ( T ) , with disparate polarities are chosen to reproduce the empirical room temperature properties of six molecules of a highly polar substance, namely nitromethane, and one hundred of a relatively less polar substance, tetrahydrofuran, to study the effects of additives in electrolyte mixtures typically used in lithium batteries. The global minimum features a pentacoordinated charge on the surface, while the ion is found between two solvation layers around room temperature.
The impact of chronic kidney disease on postoperative complications in patients undergoing revision total knee arthroplasty: A propensity matched analysis.

Objectives Though the role of chronic kidney disease (CKD) has been studied previously in primary arthroplasty procedures of the hips and knees, there is a paucity of literature analyzing CKD's impact on surgical outcomes in revision total knee arthroplasty (rTKA) patients. As the number of patients with CKD requiring revision surgery increases, more vigilant pre-operative and post-operative measures can be taken to ensure successful outcomes. This retrospective study sought to 1) determine differences in demographics and preoperative comorbidities of patients with normal or mild CKD and those with moderate/severe CKD and 2) establish moderate/severe CKD as an independent risk factor for complications in the 30-day postoperative period in patients undergoing rTKA. Methods The ACS-NSQIP database was queried for patients who had undergone rTKA from 2005 to 2016. Patient were assigned to one of five CKD severity classes after eGFR calculation and were further stratified into two cohorts: stages 1/2 vs. stages 3/4/5. After propensity matching to generate a matched normal/mild CKD cohort of rTKA patients, univariate and multivariate analyses were used to assess differences and the impact of severe CKD on the risk for complications. Results There were significant differences in several demographic features, comorbidities, and complications between the two cohorts upon univariate analyses. Upon multivariate analyses, CKD of moderate/severe/failure status was found to be a significant independent risk factor for acute renal failure (OR 18.097, 95% CI 4.970-65.902, p < 0.001), blood transfusions (OR 1.697, 95% CI 1.500-1.919, p < 0.001), return to the operating room (OR 1.257, 95% CI 1.009-1.566, p = 0.041), extended length of stay (OR 1.707, 95% CI 1.292-2.255, p < 0.001), and mortality (OR 2.165, 95% CI 1.116-4.200, p = 0.022) in the 30-day postoperative period. Conclusion This current study found moderate/severe CKD to be an independent risk factor for several complications and should guide healthcare professionals for better patient-optimization. Orthopaedic surgeons should factor in CKD severity in the management of patients undergoing rTKA to effectively mitigate the effects of adverse events.
Moderate Deviations of a Random Riccati Equation

The paper characterizes the invariant filtering measures resulting from Kalman filtering with intermittent observations in which the observation arrival is modeled as a Bernoulli process with packet arrival probability γ. Our prior work showed that, for γ >; 0 , the sequence of random conditional error covariance matrices converges weakly to a unique invariant distribution μγ. This paper shows that, as γ approaches one, the family {μγ}γ >; 0 satisfies a moderate deviations principle with good rate function I (·): (1) as γ ↑ 1 , the family {μγ} converges weakly to the Dirac measure δP* concentrated on the fixed point of the associated discrete time Riccati operator; (2) the probability of a rare event (an event bounded away from P*) under μγ decays to zero as a power law of (1-γ) as γ↑ 1; and, (3) the best power law decay exponent is obtained by solving a deterministic variational problem involving the rate function I (·). For specific scenarios, the paper develops computationally tractable methods that lead to efficient estimates of rare event probabilities under μγ.
Do Managers Know What they Are Buying? Understanding Acquisition Premiums and Post Acquisition ROA

Acquisition premiums literature does not usually contain the consideration that the acquirer and the target’s managers bilaterally bargain over the acquisition price. This is problematic in underst...
Development of a nickel oxide/oxyhydroxide-modified printed carbon electrode as an all solid-state sensor for potentiometric phosphate detection

Phosphate is one of the main nutrients playing many key roles in the human body and plant growth. Because of this essential demand, phosphate is often used as a micronutrient additive in both fertilizers and dietary supplements. However, its excessive amount could result in severe health issues in the human body and the ecosystem of aquatic life. Therefore, there is a need for an inexpensive rapid measurement approach that could assess the optimum level of phosphate by using simple low-cost sensors. Here, for the first time, we demonstrate the use of a nickel oxide modified screen printed carbon (PrC) electrode as a low-cost electrochemical potentiometric phosphate detection sensor. The nickel oxide/oxyhydroxide (NiO/NiOOH)-PrC electrode has been prepared by a facile anodic electrodeposition process onto a screen printed carbon electrode. The characterization performed by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and energy diffractive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) techniques confirmed the formation of NiO/NiOOH by significant changes in surface morphology and elemental composition of PrC after electrodeposition. The results exhibited a porous deposited layer containing nickel and an increased oxygen value of the modified electrode as compared to pristine PrC. Potentiometric phosphate detection on the NiO/NiOOH-PrC electrode showed a linear response in the concentration range of 10−6–10−1 M, yielding a slope of −78.48 mV per decade with a fast response time. The electrode demonstrated a stable response with less than 0.8% variability of the recorded potential over 2000 seconds. High durability and reusability of the electrode were confirmed by repeated potentiometric phosphate determination tests over a course of 21 days. Interference tests with chloride, nitrate, sulfate, bromide, acetate, and carbonate solutions revealed very low selectivity coefficients within the range of 10−11–10−2, which indicated a high phosphate-selectivity of the developed sensor. This novel technology provides great potential for future scalable production and applications in portable real-time monitoring of phosphate ions in different precision agricultural and point-of-care diagnostic applications.
Generalist grasshoppers from thermally variable sites do not have higher thermal tolerance than grasshoppers from thermally stable sites - A study of five populations.

Abstract Thermal tolerance allows many organisms, including insects, to withstand stressful temperatures. Thermal generalists are expected to have higher thermal tolerance than specialists, but the environmental conditions leading to the evolution of a thermal generalist life history are not fully understood. Thermal variability has been put forth as an evolutionary driver of high thermal tolerance, but rarely has this been empirically tested. We used a generalist agricultural pest grasshopper, Melanoplus differentialis, to test upper and lower thermal limits of populations that experienced different levels of thermal variability. We quantified thermal heterogeneity at five sites in a longitudinal transect in the Midwestern U.S. by examining, over a 101-year period, 1) variance in daily thermal maxima and minima; and 2) daily range. Also, as a measure of a biologically relevant thermal extreme, we depicted days per month at each site that reached a stressfully high temperature for M. differentialis. We collected individuals from these sites and tested their upper and lower thermal limits. We found that most of our metrics of thermal heterogeneity differed among sites, while all sites experienced an average of at least two stressfully high temperature events per month. We found that heavier males from these sites were able to withstand both warmer and colder temperatures than smaller males, while heavier females had no thermal advantage over lighter females. However, site of origin had no effect on thermal tolerance. Our findings indicate three things: 1) there is no clear correlation between thermal variability and thermal tolerance in the populations we studied; 2) weight affects thermal tolerance range among sites for M. differentialis males, and 3) thermal extremes may be more important than thermal variability in determining CTMax in this species.
Above the Line, Below the Line: The resilience of Internet-facing systems relies on what is below the line of representation.

Knowledge and understanding of below-the-line structure and function are continuously in flux. Near-constant effort is required to calibrate and refresh the understanding of the workings, dependencies, limitations, and capabilities of what is present there. In this dynamic situation no individual or group can ever know the system state. Instead, individuals and groups must be content with partial, fragmented mental models that require more or less constant updating and adjustment if they are to be useful.
Predicting Lightning-Related Outages in Power Distribution Systems: A Statistical Approach

This paper presents a novel data-driven approach for predicting lightning-related outages that occur in power distribution systems on a daily basis. In order to develop an approach that is able to successfully fulfill this objective, there are two main challenges that ought to be addressed. The first challenge is to define the extent of the target area. An unsupervised machine learning approach is proposed to overcome this difficulty. The second challenge is to adequately identify characteristics of lightning-related outages and to explore the relationship between these outages and weather-related variables (thunderstorm events). In this paper, these outages are clustered into a few manageable groups. Then, a probabilistic model is presented to estimate the likelihood of each group of outages. Finally, a machine learning classification algorithm that can handle the imbalanced problem is developed to predict what group will the outage belong to on a specific day in a specific area of the system under study. Actual outage data, obtained from a major utility in the U.S., in addition to radar weather forecast data are utilized to build the proposed approach. Also, three case studies are provided to show several issues associated with predicting lightning-related outages, and to demonstrate how the proposed approach can address those problems adequately.
Reducing ultrafine particulate emission from multiple 3D printers in an office environment using a prototype engineering control

Recent studies have shown that high concentrations of ultrafine particles can be emitted during the 3D printing process. This study characterized the emissions from different filaments using common fused deposition modeling printers. It also assessed the effectiveness of a novel engineering control designed to capture emissions directly at the extruder head. Airborne particle and volatile organic compound concentrations were measured, and particle emission rates were calculated for several different 3D printer and filament combinations. Each printer and filament combination was tested inside a test chamber to measure overall emissions using the same print design for approximately 2 h. Emission rates ranged from 0.71 × 107 to 1400 × 107 particles/min, with particle geometric mean diameters ranging from 45.6 to 62.3 nm. To assess the effectiveness of a custom-designed engineering control, a 1-h print program using a MakerBot Replicator+ with Slate Gray Tough polylactic acid filament was employed. Emission rates and particle counts were evaluated both with and without the extruder head emission control installed. Use of the control showed a 98% reduction in ultrafine particle concentrations from an individual 3D printer evaluated in a test chamber. An assessment of the control in a simulated makerspace with 20 printers operating showed particle counts approached or exceeded 20,000 particles/cm3 without the engineering controls but remained at or below background levels (< 1000 particles/cm3) with the engineering controls in place. This study showed that a low-cost control could be added to existing 3D printers to significantly reduce emissions to the work environment.
Thermal Analysis of a Superconducting Undulator Cryostat for the APS Upgrade

The Advanced Photon Source Upgrade includes four 4.8-m-long superconducting undulator (SCU) cryostats, each containing two planar undulator NbTi magnets up to 1.9 m long. The cooling is provided by six cryocoolers arranged in three thermal circuits. The magnets are indirectly cooled with LHe penetrating through channels in the magnet cores. This 4 K circuit, which also includes a LHe tank, is cooled by five 4 K cryocooler 2nd stages. A beam vacuum, which is thermally isolated from the magnets, is cooled by one 10 K cryocooler 2nd stage. A thermal shield and warm parts of current leads are cooled by the 1st stages of all six cryocoolers. This paper presents an ANSYS-based thermal analysis of the new SCU cryostat including all thermal circuits. The benchmarked thermal conductance between the cryocooler cold heads and the LHe tank are used in the calculations as well as the measured cryocooler load lines. The model predicts temperatures in the system, total 4 K heat loads, and excess cooling power for various operational modes of the undulator.
Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Screening for Iliac Arterial Calcification in Kidney Transplant Candidates

BACKGROUND Peripheral vascular disease and iliac arterial calcification are prevalent in kidney transplant candidates and jeopardize graft outcomes. We report our experience with computed tomography (CT) screening for iliac arterial calcification. MATERIAL AND METHODS We retrospectively reviewed electronic medical records of 493 renal transplant candidates from protocol initiation in 2014. Non-contrast CT was performed or retrospectively reviewed if any of the following criteria were present: diabetes, ESRD >6 years, 25 pack-years of smoking or current smoker, diagnosis of peripheral vascular disease, parathyroidectomy, and coronary artery disease intervention. Differences in evaluation and transplant outcomes between groups were compared with chi-squared analysis. Multivariate logistic regression identified predictive criteria for presence of iliac arterial calcification. RESULTS Of 493 candidates evaluated, CTs were reviewed in 346 (70.2%). Iliac arterial calcification was identified in 119 screened candidates (34.4%). Of candidates with iliac arterial calcification identified on CT, 16 (13.4%) were excluded for CT findings, and 9 (7.6%) had their surgical management plan changed. Overall, 91 (76.5%) candidates with iliac arterial calcification on CT were approved, compared to 203 (89.4%) without calcification (P<0.001). The percentage of screened patients with iliac arterial calcification on CT increased with increasing age (P<0.0005). Age and diabetes mellitus were predictive of calcification. CONCLUSIONS Many kidney transplant candidates are at risk for iliac arterial calcification, although such calcification does not prevent transplantation for most candidates who have it. Algorithmic pre-operative screening has clinical value in determining transplant candidacy and potentially improving postoperative outcomes in patients requiring kidney transplantation.
High-temperature effects on the mucus layers in a realistic human upper airway model

Abstract Firefighters and workers in some industries often inhale (polluted) air at high temperatures, eg, 50–200°C, and very low relative humidity, say, 5–10%. Such severe environmental conditions may cause health problems or further aggravate existing ones. As in vivo tests are very complex, potentially harmful and costly, and in vitro experiments often lack high resolution and predictive capability, in silico studies become a priority. They may include computer simulations of the air-particle dynamics in human lung-airway models to understand the convection heat transfer as well as pollutant transport, deposition and uptake at high inlet temperatures and low relative humidity. In this study, detailed modeling, simulation and analysis focuses on two-phase flow in a human upper lung-airway model with a realistic 3D mucus lining. Especially modeling of the upper airway mucus layers was of interest in order to simulate the vapor mass transfer to the airflow because of its primary function for airway humidification. Naturally, the humidification causes water loss in the mucus layer, which leads to its reduction or even depletion when exposed to relatively high temperatures. Accounting for the changes in thickness and the rise in temperature in the mucus layer allows for the determination of locations of thermal injury in the human airways due to continuous exposure of such abnormal inhalation conditions. Different temperature profiles and local changes in mucus layer thickness were studied for ranges of severe inlet temperature conditions at a representative flow rate of 20 LPM (liters per minute). For inlet temperature reaching 100°C, mucus-layer thinning was observed in the upper airways. Interestingly, as a confirmation of the Reynolds analogy, the areas of significant wall heat flux and associated wall shear stress coincided with the regions of highest mucus evaporation, resulting in the humidification of the air with low relative humidity. Model development and mucus layer generation were done using C++ programming. All computer simulations were carried out using the open-source computational fluid dynamics toolbox OpenFOAM.
Toxoplasma gondii seropositivity and serointensity and cognitive function in adults

Infecting approximately one-third of the world's human population, Toxoplasma gondii has been associated with cognitive function. Here, we sought to further characterize the association between Toxoplasma gondii and cognitive function in a community sample of adults aged approximately 40 to70 years. Using adjusted linear regression models, we found associations of Toxoplasma gondii seropositivity with worse reasoning (b = -.192, p < .05) and matrix pattern completion (b = -.681, p < .01), of higher anti-Toxoplasma gondii p22 antibody levels with worse reasoning (b = -.078, p < .01) and slower Trails (numeric) performance (b = 5.962, p < .05), of higher anti-Toxoplasma gondii sag1 levels with worse reasoning (b = -.081, p < .05) and worse matrix pattern completion (b = -.217, p < .05), and of higher mean of the anti-Toxoplasma gondii p22 and sag1 levels with worse reasoning (b = -.112, p < .05), slower Trails (numeric) performance (b = 9.195, p < .05), and worse matrix pattern completion (b = -.245, p < .05). Neither age nor educational attainment moderated associations between the measures of Toxoplasma gondii seropositivity or serointensity. Sex, however, moderated the association between the sag1 titer and digit-symbol substitution and the association between the mean of the p22 and sag1 levels and digit-symbol substitution, and income moderated the association between Toxoplasma gondii seropositivity and numeric memory and the association between the p22 level and symbol-digit substitution. Based on the available neuropsychological tasks in this study, Toxoplasma gondii seropositivity and serointensity were associated with some aspects of poorer executive function in adults.
Coupled orbital and attitude control in spacecraft rendezvous and soft docking

This paper discusses coupled orbital and attitude control in spacecraft rendezvous and soft docking. The target spacecraft orbit can be either circular or elliptic. The high-fidelity model for this...
Minimally invasive circumferential decompression and stabilization for metastatic vertebral column disease

Abstract Vertebral column involvement is a common occurrence in patients with systemic cancer. Progressive involvement of the pathologic segment can lead to epidural spread and neural element compression, as well as pathologic fracture and de novo deformity. The latter requires anterior column reconstruction. Modern minimally invasive approaches, such as the mini-open lateral retropleural approach and mini-open transpedicular approach, allow circumferential decompression and reconstruction to be more safely achieved in this medically frail population. Here we provide a primer on minimally invasive approaches to corpectomy and reconstruction for vertebral column metastases.
An interview with Dr. Anne Marie Lynn, a pioneering woman in medicine.

Dr. Anne Marie Lynn (1949 -present), Professor Emeritus of Anesthesiology, Pain Medicine, and Pediatrics at the University of Washington, Seattle was one of the most influential women in pediatric anesthesiology of her generation. Dr. Lynn embodies the spirit of discovery and advancement that have created the practice of pediatric anesthesiology as we know it today. A pioneer in pain medicine pharmacology, particularly morphine and ketorolac, her research transformed pediatric anesthesia, pediatric pain medicine, and pediatric intensive care medicine. Through her journal articles, book chapters, national and international lectures, mentoring of residents, fellows, and faculty, and leadership in the Society for Pediatric Anesthesia, she inspired a generation of women and men physicians by demonstrating that gender should not be a barrier to undertaking roles once only held only by men. In 2017, for her many contributions, she was awarded the Society for Pediatric Anesthesia's Myron Yaster lifetime achievement award.
Ethical impact of suboptimal referrals on delivery of care in radiology department.

The referral is the key source of information that enables radiologists and radiographers to provide quality services. However, the frequency of suboptimal referrals is widely reported. This research reviews the literature to illuminate the challenges suboptimal referrals present to the delivery of care in radiology departments. The concept of suboptimal referral includes information, that is; missing, insufficient, inconsistent, misleading, hard to interpret or wrong. The research uses the four ethical principles of non-maleficence, beneficence, Autonomy and Justice as an analytic framework. Suboptimal referrals can cause harm by hindering safe contrast-media administration, proper radiation protection by justification of procedures, and compassionate patient care. Suboptimal referrals also hinder promoting patient benefits from the correct choice of imaging modality and protocol, an optimal performed examination, and an accurate radiology report. Additionally, patient autonomy is compromised from the lack of information needed to facilitate benefit–risk communication. Finally, suboptimal referrals challenge justice based on lack of reasonable patient prioritising and the unfairness caused by unnecessary examinations. These findings illuminate how suboptimal referrals can inhibit good health and well-being for patients in relation to safety, missed opportunities, patient anxiety and dissatisfaction. The ethical challenges identified calls for solutions. Referral-decision support tools and artificial intelligence may improve referral quality, when implemented. Strategies addressing efforts of radiology professionals are inevitable, including gatekeeping, shared decision-making and inter-professional communication; thereby raising awareness of the importance of good referral quality and promoting commitment to ethical professional conduct.
A Recombinant DNA Lab Exercise Based On Racing Endonuclease and Ligase Enzymes

Recombinant DNA methods underlie much of modern biochemical and molecular biology research and industrial and pharmaceutical manufacturing. This laboratory exercise introduces these methods using a...
Location management in cellular networks

It has been known for over one hundred years that radio can be used to keep in touch with people on the move. However, wireless communications using radio were not popular until Bell Laboratories developed the cellular concept to reuse the radio frequency in the 1960s and 1970s [31]. In the past decade, cellular communications have experienced an explosive growth due to recent technological advances in cellular networks and cellular telephone manufacturing. It is anticipated that they will experience even more growth in the next decade. In order to accommodate more subscribers, the size of cells must be reduced to make more efficient use of the limited frequency spectrum allocation. This will add to the challenge of some fundamental issues in cellular networks. Location management is one of the fundamental issues in cellular networks. It deals with how to track subscribers on the move. The purpose of this chapter is to survey recent research on location management in cellular networks. The rest of this chapter is organized as follows. Section 2.2 introduces cellular networks and Section 2.3 describes basic concepts of location management. Section 2.4 presents some assumptions that are commonly used to evaluate a location management scheme in terms of network topology, call arrival probability, and mobility. Section 2.5 surveys popular location management schemes. Finally, Section 2.6 summarizes the chapter.
Perception of weight and threat to health.

Objectives To examine African American women’s perception of their risk for obesity-related comorbid illnesses compared to their weight category. Methods Participants were recruited from urban health centers in Atlanta, Georgia. Anthropometric measurements and self-reported demographics, medical conditions, and health beliefs about obesity and its related comorbid diseases were recorded. Results More than 80% of the women (N = 323) were either overweight or obese. Among overweight women, 44% reported being a normal weight. Seventy-two percent of the obese women reported being overweight, and 13.6% reported that they were obese. All women reported that each disease was “very serious;” however, overweight women reported having the same risk for each disease as normal weight women. Obese women reported having a higher risk of each disease (p Conclusion Overweight and obese women underestimate their weight categories. Overweight, but not obese, women reported the same perceived susceptibility for obesity-related comorbid diseases as normal-weight women. An increase in the perceived threat to health may motivate women to increase prevention efforts in the early stage of overweight to prevent or delay morbidity or mortality.
Physical models of ultra thin oxide reliability in CMOS devices and implications for circuit reliability

An extensive review article on the physics of ultra-thin oxide breakdown in CMOS devices and circuits has recently been published (Stathis, IEEE Trans. Device and Materials Reliability, vol. 1, pp. 43-59, 2001, and Proc. 2001 Int. Reliability Physics Symp. p. 132, 2001.). This paper gives a brief summary and an update with some further comments on the subject.
Higher order software techniques applied to a space shuttle prototype program

HOS concepts are now being applied to a prototype Shuttle flight software system. By providing software with its own meta-software and its own universal system, not only can we produce reliable systems, but we can also communicate these systems to others. Development and real-time flexibility are not sacrificed. The only limitations applied are those which prevent a potential error from occuring, i. e., the only flexibility missing is that which allows for flexibility of errors.
Did biological control cause extinction of the coconut moth, Levuana iridescens, in Fiji?

In 1925, J.D. Tothill and two colleagues set out to manage Levuana iridescens, the coconut moth of Fiji, using biological control. By 1930, they had succeeded so completely that this pest of the copra crop had been reduced to almost undetectable levels by the tachinid fly, Bessa remota, introduced from Malaya, and they had summarized their campaign in a thoroughly documented and well-illustrated monograph. The example of the coconut moth is presented in the modern literature as the first and best documented extinction of a species due to scientific biological control. The program has been severely criticized because the moth was unique, beautiful, and considered endemic to Fiji. Thus, this program is also portrayed as an example of the highly controversial practice of neoclassical biological control. However, a careful reexamination of this event discloses that the moth was likely not native to Fiji, appeared to be spreading through the Fijian Archipelago, and might have spread to other island groups in the South Pacific. Also, L. iridescens is probably not extinct. Collateral damage, that is, non-target impacts, did occur as native zygaenid moths have been attacked by the tachinid, and they may be extinct. The reasons for the control campaign of L. iridescens were not primarily economic. Tothill and colleagues were trying to protect copra so that ethnic Fijian culture, so dependent on the coconut palm threatened by L. iridescens, could be sustained. Hence, this control program represents a difficult clash of values: preservation of insect biodiversity versus preservation of indigenous Pacific Islander cultures. A strategy to search for L. iridescens populations is proposed and development of biological control of B. remota, using hyperparasitoids, is possible, but would require careful evaluation since it might release L. iridescens from suppression, have non-target impacts on native tachinids, and lack an economic motivation.
An efficient method for simulating token ring or token bus access protocols

A technique is presented which considerably reduces the simulation effort when high-level protocols are considered or the number of network stations is large. The technique requires partitioning the network into sets of primary and background stations. The primary stations are represented in a detailed fashion while the background stations are modeled with a background algorithm which stochastically estimates the amount of time the background stations hold the token. The background algorithm is shown to be quite accurate and more efficient than conventional discrete-event simulation techniques. >
The 'Open Discovery' Challenge

One of the most exciting goals of literature-based discovery is the inference of new, previously undocumented relationships based upon an analysis of known relationships. Human ability to read and assimilate scientific information has long lagged the rate by which new information is produced, and the rapid accumulation of published literature has exacerbated this problem further. The idea that a computer could begin to take over part of the hypothesis formation process that has long been solely within the domain of human reason has been met with both skepticism and excitement, both of which are fully merited. Conceptually, it has already been demonstrated in several studies that a computational approach to literature analysis can lead to the generation of novel and fruitful hypotheses. The biggest barriers to progress in this field are technical in nature, dealing mostly with the shortcomings that computers have relative to humans in understanding the nature, importance and implications of relationships found in the literature. This chapter will discuss where current efforts have brought us in solving the open-discovery problem, and what barriers are limiting further progress.
Survey of bioinformatics programs in the United States: Research Articles

Bioinformatics is a rapidly growing field, and educational programs for bioinformatics are increasing at a similar pace to answer the demand for qualified professionals. Here we survey currently available bioinformatics programs. We have compiled summaries of these programs, including university, state, degree type, department, entrance requirements, degree requirements, links to course Web pages, research interests, and funding. Complete details are presented in the Web version, and an abbreviated listing of the primary attributes of all programs is included in this article. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Fundamental limits of perfect privacy

We investigate the problem of intentionally disclosing information about a set of measurement points X (useful information), while guaranteeing that little or no information is revealed about a private variable S (private information). Given that S and X are drawn from a finite set with joint distribution pS,X, we prove that a non-trivial amount of useful information can be disclosed while not disclosing any private information if and only if the smallest principal inertia component of the joint distribution of S and X is 0. This fundamental result characterizes when useful information can be privately disclosed for any privacy metric based on statistical dependence. We derive sharp bounds for the tradeoff between disclosure of useful and private information, and provide explicit constructions of privacy-assuring mappings that achieve these bounds.
Learning and Memory: An Integrated Approach

CHAPTER 1: PERSPECTIVES ON LEARNING AND MEMORY: Learning and Adaptation Behaviourist and Cognitive Approaches CHAPTER 2: CLASSICAL CONDITIONING: Overview of Classical Conditioning Neural Basis of Classical Conditioning S-S or S-R Associations? CHAPTER 3: INSTRUMENTAL LEARNING: Overview of Instrumental Conditioning What is Associated? What is the Conditioned Stimulus? CHAPTER 4: REINFORCEMENT AND LEARNING: Overview Reward and Punishment Aversive Control of Behaviour CHAPTER 5: TRANSIENT MEMORIES: Conditioning Research versus Memory Research Sensory Memory CHAPTER 6: ACQUISITION OF MEMORIES: Introduction Practice and Trace Strength CHAPTER 7: RETENTION OF MEMORIES: Overview The Retention Function Spacing Effects Interference Retention of Emotionally Charged Material CHAPTER 8: RETRIEVAL OF MEMORIES: Overview of the Chapter CHAPTER 9: SKILL ACQUISITION: Overview of Skill Acquisition The Cognitive Stage CHAPTER 10: INDUCTIVE LEARNING: Overview of Inductive Learning Concept Acquisition Causal Inference CHAPTER 11: APPLICATIONS TO EDUCATION: The Goals of Education Psychology and Education Reading Instruction Mathematics Instruction.
Speed and complexity characterize attention problems in children with localization‐related epilepsy

Summary Objective Children with epilepsy (EPI) have a higher rate of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD; 28–70%) than typically developing (TD) children (5–10%); however, attention is multidimensional. Thus, we aimed to characterize the profile of attention difficulties in children with epilepsy. Methods Seventy-five children with localization-related epilepsy ages 6–16 years and 75 age-matched controls were evaluated using multimodal, multidimensional measures of attention including direct performance and parent ratings of attention as well as intelligence testing. We assessed group differences across attention measures, determined if parent rating predicted performance on attention measures, and examined if epilepsy characteristics were associated with attention skills. Results The EPI group performed worse than the TD group on timed and complex attention aspects of attention (p < 0.05), whereas performance on simple visual and simple auditory attention tasks was comparable. Children with EPI were 12 times as likely as TD children to have clinically elevated symptoms of inattention as rated by parents, but ratings were a weak predictor of attention performance. Earlier age of onset was associated with slower motor speed (p < 0.01), but no other epilepsy-related clinical characteristics were associated with attention skills. Significance This study clarifies the nature of the attention problems in pediatric epilepsy, which may be under-recognized. Children with EPI had difficulty with complex attention and rapid response, not simple attention. As such, they may not exhibit difficulty until later in primary school when demands increase. Parent report with standard ADHD screening tools may under-detect these higher-order attention difficulties. Thus, monitoring through direct neuropsychological performance is recommended.
Optimization of a quadrupole ion storage trap as a source for time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry

Designs of a quadrupole ion trap (QIT) as a source for time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometry are evaluated for mass resolution, ion trapping, and laser activation of trapped ions. Comparisons are made with the standard hyperbolic electrode ion trap geometry for TOF mass analysis in both linear and reflectron modes. A parallel-plate design for the QIT is found to give significantly improved TOF mass spectrometer performance. Effects of ion temperature, trapped ion cloud size, mass, and extraction field on mass resolution are investigated in detail by simulation of the TOF peak profiles. Mass resolution (m/Δm) values of several thousand are predicted even at room temperature with moderate extraction fields for the optimized design. The optimized design also allows larger radial ion collection size compared with the hyperbolic ion trap, without compromising the mass resolution. The proposed design of the QIT also improves the ion–laser interaction volume and photon collection efficiency for fluorescence measurements on trapped ions. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.