cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Porphyrin Metabolism in Mice Following Quantitative Administration of Collidine Compounds and Oxidation Products

ConclusionsParenteral administration of 5 mg/mouse/day of diethyl-1, 4-dihydro-2, 4,6-trimethylpyridine-3,5-dicarboxylate (“collidine derivative”) in corn oil causes increased hepatic and biliary proto- and coproporphyrin levels. Hepatic coproporphyrin was found to be entirely Type III isomer. No green porphyrins are found in livers of animals receiving “collidine derivative.” Oxidation products of “collidine derivative” did not produce abnormalities in porphyrin metabolism within a 10-day observation period.
Microfabrication of stacked dielectric elastomer actuator fibers

Dielectric elastomer actuators (DEA) are one of the best candidate materials for next generation of robotic actuators, soft sensors and artificial muscles due to their fast response, mechanical robustness and compliance. However, high voltage requirements of DEAs have impeded their potential to become widely used in such applications. In this study, we propose a method for fabrication of silicon based multilayer DEA fibers composed of microlevel dielectric layers to improve the actuation ratios of DEAs at lower voltages. A multi-walled carbon nanotube - polydimethylsiloxane (MWCNT/PDMS) composite was used to fabricate mechanically compliant, conductive parallel plates and electrode connections for the DEA actuators. Active surface area and layer thickness were varied to study the effects of these parameters on actuation ratio as a function of applied voltage. Different structures were fabricated to assess the flexibility of the fabrication method for specific user-end applications.
Biomechanical study of vertebroplasty with postural reduction in treatment of thoracolumbar traumatic compression fracture

Objective:To assess the changes of biomechanics and morphology of the fractured vertebral body treated by percutanous vertebralplasty(PVP) combined with postural reduction.Method:Six fresh spines of T12-L3 from 6-8 week-old calf were collected.After reproducible flexion-compression fracture of L1 was in-duced by MTS(MTS 858 Bionix test system,America),the destabilized specimens were augmented using a combined reduction/injection procedure.Each specimen was tested in four models:intact model as the control,L1 flexion-compression fracture model,PVP combined with reduction model,3000 cycle of fatigue load model.The stiffness of T12-L3,range of motion of each segment,L1 straining and post-fatigue failure strength were tested by MTS and spinal range of motion test system respectively.After fatigue test,the morphological study was made by cross-section observation of L1,and radiographs of the augmented spine were evaluated on a specimen selected at random.Result:98.33% of anterior border of vertebral body was restored by PVP com-bined with reduction(P0.05).Instant stiffness of the spine recovered to 102.26% in axial compression at 500N load,and 99.97% in flexion,100.21% in extension,100.29%,100.59% in right or left bending,100.14%,100.04% in right or left axial rotation at 4Nm moments.Those had no significant differences compared with the intact state(P0.05).This procedure also restored the stability of each segment in all directions of motion to the levels similar to those of intact spine at 4Nm moments(P0.05).Under 3000 cycle of fatigue load,changes of the height of augmented vertebra were not obvious(P0.05).Post-fatigue stiffness of the spine was 99.79% of the intact condition in axial compression at 500N load(P0.05).95.99% in extension at 4Nm mo-ments(P0.05),87.44% in flexion,90.13%,90.81% in left or right bending(P0.05),94.33%,94.37% in left or right axial rotation,which were able to stabilize the spine.At 4Nm moments after fatigue,there were no statis-tic differences in all directions of motion in T12-T13 and L2-L3 compared with that in intact state(P0.05),on difference either in injured segment of the T13-L1,L1-L2 in extension and left or right axial rotation(P 0.05),no difference was encountered between the fatigue and injury states in T13-L1 left or right bending and L1-L2 flexion(P0.05).The straining of L1 after PVP and 3000 cycle of fatigue load was similar to the intact under the different physiological conditions(P0.05).There was no significant difference in the failure strength between intact and augmented vertebrae(P0.05).A good cement-bone bonding and fracture filling in PVP spicemens was demonstrated by the radiographs and cross-sectional observations.Conclusion:The PVP combined with reduction can restore the spinal stability effectively after operation,but the spinal stability de-creased in some extent after 3000 cycle of fatigue load.
Application of Zhongfen-3000 Chromatographic Online Monitoring System

The working principle of Zhongfen-3000 chromatographic online monitoring system and the function of expert intelligent system are described.By comparing the data obtained by Zhongfen-3000 chromatographic online monitoring system from Main Transformer 2 of 500 kV Xijiang Substation in Guangdong power grid and the results of offline analysis by HP6890,the practical applications and existing problems of Zhongfen-3000 system are demonstrated with corresponding solution put forward.
The nature of boron-oxygen lifetime-degrading centres in silicon

Light-induced degradation of minority carrier lifetime in silicon is caused by the formation of two B-O recombination centres: fast-stage centres (FRC) and slow-stage centres (SRC). FRC were concluded to emerge by a carrier-assisted reconfiguration of a latent BO2 defect composed of a substitutional boron atom and an oxygen dimer. The nature of SRC however remained uncertain; this defect appeared to involve an interstitial boron atom rather than a substitutional one. More recent data on SRC in boron-containing compensated p-Si and n-Si now show that the SRC actually emerge in the same way as FRC: by a reconfiguration of BO2, but from a different latent form. The two latent BO2 defects (the precursors for FRC and for SRC) are created during a cooling stage after the last high-temperature anneal, and their concentration, proportional to the boron concentration and squared oxygen concentration, depends on the cooling rate. (© 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Leveraging the Diaspora for Africa’s Economic Development

ABSTRACTAfrican countries need to engage their diasporas in industrialized countries to provide much needed human, social, and financial capital to help with their economic development. For Africa’s economies to successfully transition from their current state of commodity-dominated production to high value-added production, governments in the continent must design and implement strategies to harness their grossly underutilized diaspora in developed countries. For the most part, the diaspora’s contribution to development has been viewed only in terms of remittances that go primarily to support families. In this paper, we provide a broad overview of some of the diaspora friendly policies that can help engage the African diaspora in the economic development of their respective countries of origin (COOs). Governments in the COOs need to move beyond seeing the diaspora as simply a source for remittances, and engage them in a meaningful way to provide them with a sustainable competitive advantage in the global...
The Impact of the “all-of-the-above” Option and Student Ability on Multiple Choice Tests

Despite the prevalence of multiple choice items in educational testing, there is a dearth of empirical evidence for multiple choice item writing rules. The purpose of this study was to expand the base of empirical evidence by examining the use of the “all-of-the-above” option in a multiple choice examination in order to assess how different student ability groups would respond to this particular alternative. Ten experimentally manipulated items were generated with “all-of-the-above” as one of the options and were incorporated into three different test formats. Test formats were randomly distributed to university students in the study. The test scores in these test formats were compared as well as the experimentally manipulated items. Results showed that when “all-of-the-above” is used as the correct answer, the item is more difficult for all students, despite the literature assumption that it provides a cueing effect to students. Research findings corroborate literature assumptions that high ability students score significantly higher than other ability students in this type of option.
Considerations for secure and resilient satellite architectures

Traditionally, the focus of security and ensuring confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data in spacecraft systems has been on the ground segment and the uplink/downlink components. Although these are the most obvious attack vectors, potential security risks against the satellite's platform is also a serious concern. This paper discusses a notional satellite architecture and explores security vulnerabilities using a systems-level approach. Viewing attacks through this paradigm highlights several potential attack vectors that conventional satellite security approaches fail to consider. If left undetected, these could yield physical effects limiting the satellite's mission or performance. The approach presented aids in risk analysis and gives insight into architectural design considerations which improve the system's overall resiliency.
Substance use, recovery, and linguistics: The impact of word choice on explicit and implicit bias.

Abstract Background The general public, treatment professionals, and healthcare professionals have been found to exhibit an explicit negative bias towards substance use and individuals with a substance use disorder (SUD). Terms such as “substance abuser” and “opioid addict” have shown to elicit greater negative explicit bias. However, other common terms have yet to be empirically studied. Methods 1,288 participants were recruited from ResearchMatch. Participants were assigned into one of seven groups with different hypothesized stigmatizing and non-stigmatizing terms. Participants completed a Go/No Association Task (GNAT) and vignette-based social distance scale. Repeated-measures ANOVAs were used to analyze the GNAT results, and one-way ANOVAs were used to analyze vignette results. Results The terms “substance abuser”, “addict”, “alcoholic”, and “opioid addict”, were strongly associated with the negative and significantly different from the positive counterterms. “Relapse” and “Recurrence of Use” were strongly associated with the negative; however, the strength of the “recurrence of use” positive association was higher and significantly different from the “relapse” positive association. “Pharmacotherapy” was strongly associated with the positive and significantly different than “medication-assisted treatment”. Both “medication-assisted recovery” and “long-term recovery” were strongly associated with the positive, and significantly different from the negative association. Conclusions Results support calls to cease use of the terms “addict”, “alcoholic”, “opioid addict”, and “substance abuser”. Additionally, it is suggested that “recurrence of use” and “pharmacotherapy” be used for their overall positive benefits. Both “medication-assisted recovery” and “long-term recovery” are positive terms and can be used when applicable without promoting stigma.
Strategies for Motility and Dysmotility in Nutrition Support

Among the many variables which affect enteral nutrient delivery, gastrointestinal motility is of paramount importance. The overall integrity of this ’organ’ determines the success of enteral nutritional support. We shall review the management of motility and dysmotility states and suggest strategies which may help to optimize this aspect of critical care management.
RNA as a Therapeutic Target for Bleomycin

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the role of Ribonucleic acid (RNA) as a therapeutic target for Bleomycin (BLM). Small molecule-DNA interactions have been studied for many years, and a number of these molecules find utility as antitumor agents. In contrast, much less emphasis had been given to the targeting of RNA until recently. This has been due in part to the greater technical difficulties inherent in the preparation and handling of RNA, and probably also to the more recent realization that RNA constitutes a potential therapeutic target. The targeting of RNA can lead to alteration of cell function, is illustrated by the actions of ricin, a protein that kills cells by creating a lesion in ribosomal RNA and onconase, an antitumor protein with ribonuclease activity believed to function at the level of transfer RNA (tRNA) inactivation. The potential of small molecules to function therapeutically at the level of RNA degradation is illustrated by BLM, a clinically important antitumour antibiotic long believed to function at the level of DNA degradation. Recent evidence indicates that bleomycin is also capable of effecting RNA strand scission. BLM has been shown to cleave all major classes of RNA in vitro, as well as dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) mRNA within intact E. coli. In addition to its role as a prototype for antitumour agents that function at the level of DNA cleavage, BLM may also serve as a prototype for new classes of therapeutic agents that function via RNA cleavage.
Health and Environmental Issues at U.S. Nuclear Test Sites

Of the 1030 nuclear tests the United States conducted from 1945-1992, 210 were in the atmosphere; the more significant sites were at the Bikini and Enewetak atolls in the Marshall Islands and at the Nevada Test Site (NTS). Ecological effects of these tests consist mainly of short-and long-term contamination of surface soil, contamination of groundwater, and surface disturbance. One test in the Marshall Islands resulted in the evacuation of 241 Marshallese, including 12 pregnant women, as well as 28 military weather observers. Twenty-three Japanese fisherman were also exposed. Many of these persons suffered acute radiation sickness, but no immediate deaths occurred. The collective dose to these highly exposed persons was about 200 person Sv; no estimate is available for lesser exposed persons. At the NTS no persons were documented to be highly exposed, but the collective dose to the population living in the nearby downwind area has been estimated to be 12 000 person Gy. Observed health effects from the tests have included acute radiation sickness in the heavily exposed group in the Marshall Islands: One late death was due to infection possibly caused by multiple blood transfusions, and there was an increased incidence of thyroid cancer. Health effects in the population around the NTS have been difficult to detect; there is a statistically significant increase in the incidence of acute leukaemia in a subgroup of a case-control study and there is a statistically significant association of thyroid neoplasms with dose, but not for thyroid nodules or for thyroid carcinomas.
Health Status of Children: Vulnerability and Educational Effects

Good health is essential for an individual’s educational progression. The Government of Ghana underpinned this fact in its Education Strategic Plan 2003–2015, making the promotion of good health and sanitation in schools and the delivery of HIV/AIDS prevention programmes two of the ten main policy goals at the basic school level (Ministry of Education 2009). Still, about 5 % of households in 2003 reported illness as the reason why their child was not enrolled in primary or lower secondary school based on data collected from the Core Welfare Indicators Questionnaire Survey (GSS 2003), while this specific question is not captured in more recent surveys.
Apparatus and Methods for Laser Doppler Electrophoresis

Laser Doppler electrophoresis is a descriptive name for a new analytical technique for the determination of the electrophoretic mobilities of particles in suspension or of macromolecules in solution. It is a combination of electrophoresis, the motion of charged particles in an electric field, with laser Doppler velocimetry, a technique for determining the velocities of particles by measuring the Doppler shift of laser light which is scattered from them. The laser Doppler approach differs from other types of electrophoresis in that the velocities of the particles are measured continuously, rather than being inferred from a measurement of displacement over a period of time. Several names have been applied to this new technique. The most common names in current use in the literature are laser Doppler spectroscopy and electrophoretic light scattering (ELS). We shall use primarily the latter name and the abbreviation ELS.
A randomized phase II, open-label study of sipuleucel-T with concurrent or sequential enzalutamide in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC).

e16071^ Background: For patients with mCRPC, there are multiple agents available, particularly in the early setting. Sipuleucel-T, an autologous cellular immunotherapy, and enzalutamide, an androge...
Multipole Resonances in Transdimensional Lattices of Plasmonic and Silicon Nanoparticles

Transdimensional photonics has emerged as a new field of science and engineering that explores the optical properties of materials and nanostructures in the translational regime between two and three dimensions. In the present work, we study an example of such transdimensional lattice consisting of nanoparticle array, and we aim at a direct comparison of lattice resonances excited in the periodic lattices of either plasmonic (gold) or silicon nanoparticles of the same size and interparticle spacing. We numerically analyze extinction cross-sections and reflection from the array, and we include electric and magnetic dipoles and electric quadrupoles into consideration. Lattice resonances are excited at the wavelength close to Rayleigh anomaly which is defined by the array periodicity, and different multipoles respond to one or another period of rectangular array depending on incident light polarization. We show that lattice resonances originating from dipole moments are extended to the larger spectral range than electric-quadrupole lattice resonances. Overlap of resonances causes a decrease in reflection (generalized Kerker effect) and, in the case of electric quadrupole and magnetic dipole moments, the coupling of the multipoles is enabled by the lattice.
Oral Signs of Connective Tissue Disease

In this chapter, we aim to discuss the epidemiology, pathogenesis, differential diagnosis, and treatment of oral manifestations encountered in the autoimmune diseases of Sjogren’s syndrome (SS), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), systemic sclerosis (SSc), mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD), and dermatomyositis (DM). Systemic autoimmune conditions are estimated to affect 5%–8% of Americans. Oral manifestations are encountered with high frequency and are often the first clinical signs or symptoms of the disease.
A Collaborative educational intervention to improve pre-clinical medical student confidence with Advance Care Planning (ACP).

Background Advance care planning (ACP) is an essential skill for clinicians, yet trainees feel inadequately prepared to conduct ACP discussions. Optimal teaching methods and timing are unknown. Aim We designed a curricular intervention to expose second-year medical students to the process of ACP, aiming to improve their ACP knowledge and confidence. Design The intervention consisted of a case-based workshop facilitated by a physician experienced in ACP ("facilitated ACP workshop"), which was added to an existing multifaceted ACP curriculum (longitudinal senior mentor program including multiple visits with a volunteer older adult, completion of an electronic ACP learning module and reflective writing exercise). The control group received the existing ACP curriculum only, while the intervention group received the existing curriculum plus the facilitated ACP workshop. Both groups completed an ACP knowledge assessment and confidence survey at the conclusion of the curriculum. Setting/participants Two consecutive classes of second year medical students, single academic hospital. Results No statistically significant differences in ACP knowledge or confidence were seen post-intervention. Overall confidence with ACP tasks remained relatively low despite a multifaceted ACP curriculum. Conclusions Future studies should investigate longitudinal, experiential ACP learning, and seek to optimize ACP teaching strategies and timing.
Evolutionary multi-objective optimization for multivariate pairs trading

Abstract Forming combinations of comoving assets is a critical step in pairs trading that has only been addressed either manually or through enumerative procedures. Both approaches fail in the multivariate case and do not consider conflicting objectives in the problem structure. This paper is the first attempt to address these novel problems by presenting an intelligent system that recommends profitable pair combinations through a Mixed Integer Programming (MIP) formulation and solving the NP-Hard optimization problem with a multi-objective genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) containing problem specific modifications. Combinations of assets are optimized on two conflicting objectives of risk (mean-reversion) and return (spread variance) to form sets of profitable multivariate pairs trading opportunities. Promising results support the superiority of multi-objective and multivariate pairs trading strategies over their traditional single objective and univariate counterparts. The findings should motivate new directions for pairs trading research and also expand the applications of evolutionary multi-objective optimization for hard problems in finance and other industries.
Using Unknown Occluders to Recover Hidden Scenes

We consider the challenging problem of inferring a hidden moving scene from faint shadows cast on a diffuse surface. Recent work in passive non-line-of-sight (NLoS) imaging has shown that the presence of occluding objects in between the scene and the diffuse surface significantly improves the conditioning of the problem. However, that work assumes that the shape of the occluder is known a priori. In this paper, we relax this often impractical assumption, extending the range of applications for passive occluder-based NLoS imaging systems. We formulate the task of jointly recovering the unknown scene and unknown occluder as a blind deconvolution problem, for which we propose a simple but effective two-step algorithm. At the first step, the algorithm exploits motion in the scene in order to obtain an estimate of the occluder. In particular, it exploits the fact that motion in realistic scenes is typically sparse. The second step is more standard: using regularization, we deconvolve by the occluder estimate to solve for the hidden scene. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our method with simulations and experiments in a variety of settings.
Feasibility and Acceptability of a Self-Report Activity Diary in Families of Children With and Without Special Needs.

This study was conducted to examine the feasibility and acceptability of a self-report activity diary completed by parents and older children to assess the child’s daily activity in children with a...
Complete wear-through of a metal-backed acetabular cup in an ambulatory patient.

Abstract We present a rare case of a patient who presented with complete and rapid wear-through of a ceramic femoral head through a polyethylene liner and titanium acetabular cup. In addition, this patient exhibited significantly elevated serum titanium ion levels, which may serve as a marker of severe metallosis in cases where the preoperative plain radiographs underestimate signs of periarticular metal debris. The unique findings of this case include the rapid (less than 1 year time) wear-through of the femoral head in interval radiographs and the dramatic progression of metallosis and pelvic and femoral osteolysis that required both component revision. In addition, the markedly elevated titanium levels secondary to cup wear-through are also of interest and demonstrate a systemic manifestation of abrasive wear of a titanium alloy component.
Outcome, quality of life and direct costs after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in an urban region of Switzerland.

Considering the significant morbidity and mortality of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, only little data on survival or quality of life after successful resuscitation is available in Europe. Additionally, economic aspects of such events are poorly studied. The purpose of this study is to provide data for survival, quality of life and costs directly related to the cardiac arrest for a region of Switzerland served by one emergency medical service (EMS). Eighty eight patients older than 18 years of age that were resuscitated by the EMS Winterthur in the year 2013 were included and retrospective analysis of EMS-protocols was performed. For patients alive at follow-up, 2 years after the event, a structured interview with quality of life questionnaires was conducted. This study was accepted by the local Ethics Committee. Thirty five percent (n = 31) of resuscitated patients were admitted alive to the hospital following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. This incidence was as high as 60%, if the patients had a shockable rhythm as first rhythm. Survival to follow-up was 16% (n = 14). These patients had an excellent quality of life overall, with little to no limitations in daily life. There was no significant difference in survival for patients in outlying regions with comparatively longer timespans until arrival of EMS. Median EMS-costs for deceased patients were CHF 1731 (inter-quartile range 346), for survivors CHF 2′169 (inter-quartile range CHF 444) and median hospital-costs were CHF 27′707 (inter-quartile range CHF 62′783). Quality of care for patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the region of Winterthur is high, including patients in outlying regions. The associated costs are similar to other European countries. This trial was registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov under NCT02625883.
Biventricular noncompaction cardiomyopathy with severe dilated phenotype in a family with a novel MYH7 gene variant

Abstract Left ventricular noncompaction (LVNC) is a primary genetic cardiomyopathy characterized by abnormal trabeculations frequently seen towards the left ventricular apex. It is heterogeneous in nature and it may present as a single condition, or in combination with other primary cardiomyopathies. Although “left ventricular noncompaction” refers directly to the most commonly involved ventricle, other nomenclature includes “spongy myocardium," “fetal myocardium," and “noncompaction cardiomyopathy," the latter of which most appropriately includes biventricular phenotypes. A frequent sub-phenotype associated with left ventricular noncompaction includes the presence of a dilated left ventricle with decreased function, similar to characteristics of dilated cardiomyopathy. The genetic basis of noncompaction cardiomyopathy has been linked to multiple gene variants and chromosomal anomalies. Here, we present evidence of two first-degree family members (mother and daughter) harboring a novel MYH7 pathogenic gene variant associated with biventricular noncompaction cardiomyopathy with dilated sub-phenotype. Both patients developed end-stage heart failure requiring transplantation. Left ventricular noncompaction isolated/benign phenotype is the most common presentation, yet when it is associated with a dilated phenotype, progressive heart failure may be the inevitable outcome despite medical therapy. In this case report, we describe a novel MYH7 variant (p.Glu1914Lys) linked to biventricular noncompaction and dilated sub-phenotype and congenital heart disease. This case adds to limited information regarding the aggressive phenotype from this pathogenic variant. Based on our report, we encourage clinicians to incorporate genetic testing in patients with noncompaction cardiomyopathy to further stratify this disease and to facilitate cascade genetic testing to relatives at increased cardiovascular risk. Learning objective Clinicians should become familiar with the recently classified cardiomyopathy, left ventricular noncompaction, also known as noncompaction cardiomyopathy. This includes its array of presenting phenotypes, its criteria for diagnosis, and the most commonly affected genes. Cardiologists should be able to counsel to biological first-degree relatives pertaining to genetic testing, family planning, and the possibility of transplantation in affected individuals. This report provides an example of how familial genetic and phenotypic characterization should influence management in the setting of noncompaction cardiomyopathy.
Freedom Now! Civil Rights, Black Power, and Anticolonial Insurgencies, 1945–1976

Internal tensions within the ecclesiastical operations of African Methodism coexisted with the broad activism of African Methodist Episcopal members (AMEs) in civil rights, Black Power, and anticolonial insurgencies. The bishops and other clerical and lay leaders whose vocations focused on denominational affairs contrasted with militant ministers and members who defined African Methodism through a praxis that aimed at societal reconstruction in the United States and ending colonialism in Africa. The objectives of denominational governance, however, diverted attention away from energized opposition to hegemonic structures and practices that harmed AME constituencies. Though the maintenance of African Methodism as a proud and independent religious body remained as a worthwhile demonstration of black self-determination and institutional autonomy, this preoccupation caused some leaders to extend only perfunctory support to significant initiatives against white supremacy. Some clergy, however, balanced their immersion in denominational affairs with social activism. Such ministers similarly advocated significant reform within the AME Church to effect fiscal accountability and greater democracy in ecclesiastical governance.
Causal survival analysis: A guide to estimating intention-to-treat and per-protocol effects from randomized clinical trials with non-adherence:

When reporting results from randomized experiments, researchers often choose to present a per-protocol effect in addition to an intention-to-treat effect. However, these per-protocol effects are of...
Development of a conceptual model for understanding the learning environment and surgical resident well-being.

Abstract Background Surgeon burnout is linked to poor outcomes for physicians and patients. Several conceptual models exist that describe drivers of physician wellness generally. No such model exists for surgical residents specifically. Methods A conceptual model for surgical resident well-being was adapted from published models with input gained iteratively from an interdisciplinary team. A survey was developed to measure residents’ perceptions of their program. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) tested the fit of our proposed model construct. Results The conceptual model outlines eight domains that contribute to surgical resident well-being: Efficiency and Resources, Faculty Relationships and Engagement, Meaning in Work, Resident Camaraderie, Program Culture and Values, Work-Life Integration, Workload and Job Demands, and Mistreatment. CFA demonstrated acceptable fit of the proposed 8-domain model. Conclusion Eight distinct domains of the learning environment influence surgical resident well-being. This conceptual model forms the basis for the SECOND Trial, a study designed to optimize the surgical training environment and promote well-being.
“I Love How We Developed a Community Already”: A Graduate Student Orientation Model for Minority-Serving Programs and Institutions

In recent years, an increasing number of universities have qualified as Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), thanks in part to significant growth in the numbers of Latinx students who are enrolling in bachelor’s degree programs. A greater proportion of this student population is completing bachelor’s degrees and continuing into master’s and doctoral programs. Nevertheless, graduate orientation remains overlooked despite being a rich opportunity to support the identity development of Latinx students. This pedagogical reflection contributes to the discussion of Latinx student experiences by exploring an innovative approach to new graduate student orientation for a master’s program in a Chicana/o Studies department at an MSI. The orientation provides holistic support for Latinx students by building an academic community founded on mutual support and bringing greater transparency to the hidden curriculum of graduate education that often elides Latinx students. The essay explores insights from student feedback on the orientation and provides reflection questions to help departments and MSIs bring a more equity-minded, supportive approach to welcoming and retaining new Latinx graduate students.
Research on Challenging Behaviors and Functional Assessment

Various functional behavioral assessment (FBA) methods have been developed by researchers and employed by practitioners to better understand and treat challenging behavior from an operant perspective. Through decades of research, these methods have been extended to meet the needs of many populations, settings, and practitioners; however, research has also uncovered limitations to existing methods and led to new types and modifications that have increased the efficiency and precision of FBA, as well as its usability and acceptability by practitioners. This chapter provides an overview of recent research on FBA methods, with a particular focus on methodological advancements that have led to broader applications of FBA and improved treatment outcomes. Additionally, this chapter offers a glimpse into future research directions on FBA practice.
Sex differences in glucocorticoid responses to shipping stress in Pekin ducks.

Some concerns have been raised recently about the assay of corticosterone vs. cortisol in poultry species. Thus, we tested the hypothesis that ducks secrete both glucocorticoids. First, we validated two commercially ELISA kits for the two glucocorticoids by first charcoal stripping duck serum in order to remove all steroid hormones. We ran serial dilutions of spiked, charcoal-stripped serum on kits of opposite glucocorticoid as well as a serial dilution using the respective ELISA buffer of the opposite assay kit. We found that the glucocorticoid standard curve in duck serum matched the respective curve in that kit's own buffer. However, when the opposite hormone was run in each kit in both duck serum or ELISA buffer, a near zero slope was obtained. Second, we further validated the presence of both glucocorticoids using mass spectrometry. Third, we tested the hypothesis that exogenous ACTH would stimulate the release of both corticosterone and cortisol. And, fourth, we tested the hypothesis that each glucocorticoid would have different serum levels in response to shipping stress. To test this hypothesis, we collected serum from 10 drakes and 10 hens from 2 flocks (N = 20 per time point per sex): 24 h prior to shipping, at shipping as ducks were walked off the truck, 24 h after shipping, and 1 wk after shipping. Data were analyzed by 2-way repeated measures ANOVA. Surprisingly, we also observed a sex difference in both glucocorticoid levels in that hens showed higher (P < 0.01) serum levels than did drakes at all-time points in response to either ACTH or transportation. Finally, no differences were observed in either glucocorticoid levels associated with shipping in either sex. The fact that both glucocorticoids are released in measurable amounts lends to the possibility that they may be differentially regulated, or at least there is a sex difference in the neural pathways associated with glucocorticoid release in ducks. Although corticosterone is the likely predominate glucocorticoid in ducks, serious attention should be given to the role of cortisol in poultry. Further consideration of sex, age, and timing of blood collection to stressor needs to be considered when assessing glucocorticoid levels in any avian species.
End-of-Life Care in Patients Undergoing Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation

Background: Patients receiving allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) have high morbidity and mortality risk, but literature is limited on factors associated with end-of-life (EOL) car...
SU-D-210-07: The Dependence On Acoustic Velocity of Medium On the Needle Template and Electronic Grid Alignment in Ultrasound QA for Prostate Brachytherapy

Purpose: To analyze the impact on acoustic velocity (AV) of two different media (water and milk) using the needle template/electronic grid alignment test. Water, easily available, makes a good material to test the alignment of the template and grid although water’s AV (1498 m/s at 25°C) is significantly different from tissue (1540 m/s). Milk, with an AV much closer (1548 m/s) to prostate tissue, may be a good substitute for water in ultrasound quality assurance testing. Methods: Tests were performed using a Hitachi ultrasound unit with a mechanical arrangement designed to position needles parallel to the transducer. In this work, two materials – distilled water and homogenized whole milk (AVs of 1498 and 1548 m/s at 25°C) were used in a phantom to test ultrasound needle/grid alignment. The images were obtained with both materials and analyzed for their placement accuracy. Results: The needle template/electronic grid alignment tests showed displacement errors between measured and calculated values. The measurements showed displacements of 2.3mm (water) and 0.4mm (milk), and 1.6mm (water) and 0.3mm (milk) at depths of 7cm and 5cm respectively from true needle positions. The calculated results showed a displacement of 2.36 mm (water); 0.435mm (milk), and 1.66mm (water) and 0.31mm (milk)more » at a depth of 7cm and 5cm respectively. The displacements in the X and Y directions were also calculated. At depths of 7cm and 5cm, the (ΔX,ΔY) displacements in water were (0.829mm, 2.21mm) and (0.273mm, 1.634mm) and for milk were (0.15mm, 0.44mm) and (0.05mm, 0.302mm) respectively. Conclusion: The measured and calculated values were in good agreement for all tests. They show that milk provides superior results when performing needle template and electronic grid alignment tests for ultrasound units used in prostate brachytherapy.« less
Cell phenotype classification based on 3D cell image analysis

Summary form only given. The accuracy of the histological classification of cells plays a determining role in disease diagnosis and treatment. Recent studies have shown that the distribution of chromatin-associated proteins reflects alterations in cell phenotype. Using 3D fluorescence images of cultured human breast epithelial cells with multiple known phenotypes, we have developed an automated method to classify the phenotype of epithelial cells based on their nuclear protein distribution. Features which describe the distribution of specific nuclear proteins are first measured, on a per nucleus basis, by our local bright feature (LBF) analysis technique. Features from thousands of nuclei with multiple, known phenotypes were then grouped by a novel voting-based clustering method into a number of clusters of similar pattern. This allows us to establish the statistical link between clusters and the phenotypes of the cells. Finally, we used this statistical link to predict the probable phenotype of individual or groups of nuclei. The results show that the combined use of 3D confocal imaging, image feature analysis, and clustering analysis provides an efficient way to predict the phenotype of epithelial cells based on the nuclear distribution of chromatin-associated proteins.
Source of tiny wiggles in Chron C5: A comparison of sedimentary relative intensity and marine magnetic anomalies

[1] In addition to the well-established pattern of polarity reversals, short-wavelength fluctuations are often present in both sea-surface data (“tiny wiggles”) and near-bottom anomaly data. While a high degree of correlation between different geographical regions suggests a geomagnetic origin for some of these wiggles, anomaly data alone cannot uniquely determine whether they represent short reversals or paleointensity variations. Independent evidence from another geomagnetic recording medium such as deep-sea sediments is required to determine the true nature of the tiny wiggles. We present such independent evidence in the form of sedimentary relative paleointensity from Chron C5. We make the first comparison between a sedimentary relative paleointensity record (ODP Site 887 at 54°N, 148°W) and deep-tow marine magnetic anomaly data (43°N, 131°W) [Bowers et al., 2001] for Chron C5. The sediment cores are densely sampled at ∼2.5 kyr resolution. The inclination record shows no evidence for reverse intervals within the ∼1 myr-long normal Chron C5n.2n. Rock magnetic measurements suggest that the primary magnetic carrier is pseudo-single domain magnetite. We choose a partial anhysteretic magnetization (pARM) as our preferred normalizer, and the resulting relative paleointensity record is used as input to a forward model of crustal magnetization. We then compare the results of this model with the stacked deep-tow anomaly records. The two records show a significant degree of correlation, suggesting that the tiny wiggles in the marine magnetic anomalies are likely produced by paleointensity variations. An analysis of our sampling density suggests that if any reverse intervals exist at this site, they are likely to be <5 kyr in duration. Furthermore, we suggest that reverse intervals during Chron C5n.2n documented in other locations are unlikely to be global.
Corporate culture, business models, competitive advantage, strategic assets and the bottom line: Theoretical and measurement issues

Purpose – This paper seeks to enhance understanding of the role and effect of corporate culture as a unique strategic asset on the success of business models.Design/methodology/approach – The paper is a conceptual exploration of several key constructs and their interrelationship. The argument is based on four related notions: that corporate culture is an “asset”; that it is a “strategic asset” in the sense of comprising a source of competitive advantage; that it might well be the “ultimate strategic asset”; and that culture as a strategic asset can be the essence or core of a business model. The paper also uses “empirical examples” of actual companies to study and demonstrate the core constructs and ideas. It also examines issues involving the key dimensions of corporate culture, the measurement of corporate culture, and certain related performance measurement issues.Findings – The paper shows that corporate culture is a strategic asset, which, if managed properly, can be the key differentiating factor in...
Scalable VPNs for the global information grid

Virtual private networks (VPNs) are the preferred mechanism for securing sensitive traffic crossing public networks. Traditionally, configuration of VPN gateways has been done manually. However, static configuration of gateways is particularly problematic within the context of the global information grid (GIG), the next-generation network of networks developed by the US government. For one, GIG VPNs are expected to consist of tens to hundreds of trusted networks, which is an order of magnitude greater than current deployments. Moreover, trusted networks that essentially comprise of units in the field (e.g. army companies or ships) need to be seamlessly connected to the GIG even while they are mobile. Our goal in this paper is to address the lack of scalability and support for mobility that exists in current VPNs. We do so by providing a dynamic routing protocol which VPN gateways use to securely advertise prefixes of their internal network to peering gateways. Our initial results show that our protocol can sustain VPNs comprising of roughly one thousand gateways with only moderate overhead
The Negative Impact of Government Policies on the Built Environment

Governmental intervention into the economy has exacerbated the negative effects of the energy crisis on the built environment. Examples considered include three explicit attempted ameliorations of the problem, and two programs originally intended for other purposes, but with harmful impacts on the built environment. These include: construction insulation subsidies, building codes requiring operating windows, encouragement of solar, wind power, zoning legislation and, rent control.
Nonlocal component of radiative flux perturbation

[1] Radiative flux perturbation (RFP) is defined as the top-of-the-atmosphere (TOA) radiative imbalance after the atmosphere-land system adjusts fully to an external perturbation, and serves as a useful metric for quantifying climate forcing. This paper presents an effort to address the issue of whether a forcing imposed persistently over a specific region may alter the radiative balance elsewhere through atmospheric circulation, thus giving rise to a nonlocal component of RFP. We perturb the climate simulated with an atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) solely by increasing the cloud droplet number concentration over the land, and observe widespread positive (warming) RFP over the ocean, along with the expected negative (cooling) RFP over the land. A detailed analysis suggests that the oceanic (or nonlocal) RFP is closely associated with a reduction in low cloud amount, which can be attributed primarily to the horizontal advection of drier land boundary layer air and to the oceanic boundary layer top entrainment of drier free troposphere air. By examining how the land surface and atmospheric energy balances are re-established, we are able to identify the physical mechanisms behind the strong hydrological impact of a tropical land shortwave (SW) forcing (the multiplier effect). In contrast, the hydrological cycle is relatively insensitive to an extratropical forcing.
Chapter 24 The absorption and fluorescence spectra of rare earth ions in solution

Publisher Summary This chapter deals with absorption and fluorescence spectra in aqueous solutions. In outlining the present status of the experimental results and their theoretical interpretations, an attempt is made to identify areas that are currently undergoing active development. Practically all of the experimental and interpretive techniques cited are directly applicable to investigations in non-aqueous solvents, but no effort has been made to cover that extensive literature. At an early stage it was recognized that the spectra of certain members of the group serve as a sensitive probe to monitor changes in the ionic environment. Such spectra can provide a basis for the development of models of the structure of solutions. Intensity correlations play a more immediate role in the interpretation of the mechanisms of relaxation of excited states of the ions in solution. The concepts involved have been widely applied in investigations of lanthanide lasers.