cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Relevance of Victim Conduct in Tort and Criminal Law

In her ambitious and wide-ranging article, Professor Vera Bergelson challenges a fundamental precept of criminal law doctrine and theory—that victim conduct is and should be largely irrelevant to the defendant’s criminal liability. Bergelson believes that this supposed irrelevance is overstated as a descriptive account of the criminal law, and is normatively indefensible. She offers her own specific proposal for accommodating victim conduct in determining criminal liability and sentencing. In this comment, I will suggest that her counterproposal is highly problematic, especially in its reliance on superficially analogous comparative fault principles in tort law. After describing her proposal in more detail, I identify some difficulties with the “conditionality of rights” framework, with the assumption that consent is a species of victim fault that can readily be compared to the defendant’s fault, and with the claim that tort comparative fault principles are a desirable model for determining the relevance of victim fault in criminal law.
The performance of the multispectral thermal imager (MTI) surface temperature retrieval algorithm at three sites

This work describes the surface temperature retrieval algorithm for the U.S. Department of Energy Multispectral Thermal Imager (MTI) satellite and its performance at three test sites. The MTI is a 15-band multispectral research and technology development satellite that provides high spatial resolution imagery of the earth's surface from a polar orbit. It has a capability for pixel-by-pixel retrieval of total atmospheric water vapor during the day. The surface temperature retrieval process uses atmospheric profiles of temperature and water vapor from numerical weather prediction data assimilation products available for the globe. The profiles of water vapor are scaled using the retrieved pixel-by-pixel water vapor during the day to improve atmospheric compensation within the image. The algorithm requires specification of a maximum emissivity or the acceptance of a default: here the maximum band emissivity is known and specified. The results of the algorithm are evaluated at three sites with a high degree of surface uniformity and known spectral emissivity: Lake Tahoe, NV/CA, Ivanpah Playa, NV/CA, and the Mauna Loa caldera, HI. At the first two sites, coincident measurements of surface temperature and emissivity are available. At Mauna Loa, surface emissivity measurements are available, but surface temperature measurements are not. Therefore, at Mauna Loa, the surface emissivity estimates derived from the surface temperature retrieval are compared with emissivity measurements. The results show that the surface temperature retrievals had a root mean square (RMS) difference with surface measurements of 0.6 K during the day and 1.0 K at night. This indicates, albeit weakly, that the use of pixel-by-pixel water vapor retrieved by the satellite improves the overall surface temperature retrievals. At Ivanpah Playa, all the data are daytime, and the surface temperature retrievals have an RMS difference with the in situ measurements of 0.8 K. The Mauna Loa emissivities derived from the surface temperature retrieval agreed excellently with in situ emissivity measurements. The approach taken to perform surface temperature retrieval, used operationally within the MTI research and development program, is seen to be simple and effective.
Hydromorphone Exposure Exacerbates Inflammatory Bowel Disease in a Mouse Model

RESULTS: There were 178,414 Caucasians and 18,385 African Americans. Five-year survivals in African Americans were 50.7% vs 56.2% in Caucasians (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 1.16). Overall, 22.3% of African Americans vs 14.1% of Caucasians presented with stage IV disease (p<0.001). Survival of patients with stage IIII disease was 58.7% in African Americans vs 66.7% in Caucasians (adjustedHR1.21).Of those patients with surgically treatable cancer, surgery was performed in 81% of Caucasians and 71% of African Americans (p<0.0001). Analysis of patients receiving appropriate surgical therapy for stage I-III disease revealed a 64.7%5-year survival in African Americans vs 66.7% in Caucasians (adjusted HR 1.21).
Interactions of CNS Drugs: Psychotherapeutic Agents—The Antipsychotic Drugs

Aspects of the pharmacology of the phenothiazine antipsychotic agents pertinent to possible interactions are reviewed. Pharmacokinetic interactions of possible clinical importance are the interference with the absorption of the phenothiazines by antacids, reversal of the hypotensive effect of guanethidine by psychotropic drugs, blockade of the effects of levodopa in Parkinson's disease, and stimulation of phenothiazine-metabolizing enzymes by phenobarbital. Pharmacologically, phenothiazines may potentiate certain depressant effects of other CNS depressants or add to the anticholinergic side effects of a number of other drugs. The phenothiazines appear to antagonize both the CNS stimulant and the anorexic effects of amphetamines and related substances. Other reactions of possible concern are the phenothiazine-induced hypoglycemia, the relationship of lithium toxicity to sodium intake, and the number of false positive pregnancy tests in patients on phenothiazine therapy.
Relating early olfactory processing with behavior: a perspective

A fundamental goal in sensory neuroscience is to understand the rules that govern how neural activity evoked by a stimulus drives the final behavioral outcome. Here, focusing primarily on the insect olfactory system and its first two anatomical stages: olfactory sensory neurons in the insect antenna and their postsynaptic targets in the antennal lobe, we review the current understanding of the relationships between odor-evoked neural activity and behavior. The compiled evidences suggest that these olfactory circuits closer to the sensory periphery may already represent sensory information in a format that is easily translatable to behavior.
Involvement of mTOR signaling pathways in regulating growth and dissemination of metastatic brain tumors via EMT.

Background Metastatic dissemination to the brain may involve a process termed epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which results in a migratory, invasive and proliferative cell phenotype. Recent studies suggest that Mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR, that exists in two multi-protein complexes (mTORC1 and mTORC2), may regulate EMT, in addition to controlling cell growth, survival, metabolism and motility. However, the role of mTOR in brain metastases remains elusive. We hypothesize that mTOR plays a crucial role in the process of EMT in brain metastasis and therefore serves as a target of therapy. Materials and methods Immunohistochemical analyses were performed to determine the expression of components of mTOR pathways. Immunofluorescence and immunoblotting were executed to determine the markers of EMT after treatments with siRNA or inhibitors of mTOR pathways. Cell proliferation using MTT, S-phase entry by determining EdU-incorporation, chemotactic and scratch-wound migration assays were performed. Results Metastatic tumor samples expressed components of mTOR pathways, namely, mTOR, Raptor and Rictor with a significant overlap. Metastatic potential was enhanced in an astrocytic environment and suppressed following mTOR inhibition. mTOR inhibition resulted in nuclear localization of the epithelial marker of EMT, E-cadherin, and enhancement in expression of the mesenchymal marker vimentin. Conclusion Results suggest that the mTOR pathway is activated in metastatic brain tumors, and inhibition of mTOR signaling could provide therapeutic value in the management of patients with brain metastases.
Sudden Stops, Banking Crises and Investment Collapses

We evaluate whether financial openness leaves emerging market economies vulnerable to the adverse effects of capital reversals (sudden stops) on domestic investment. We investigate this claim in a broad sample of emerging markets during the period 1976-2002. If the banking sector does not experience a systemic crisis, sudden stop events fail to have a significant impact on investment. Bank crises, on the other hand, have a significant negative effect on investment even in the absence of a contemporaneous sudden stop crisis. We also find that openness to capital flows exacerbates the severity of the adverse impact of banking crises on investment. The critical component of capital flight appears to be the reversal of short duration flows, intermediated through the banking sector. Our results provide statistical support for the policy view that a strong banking sector which can withstand the negative fallout of capital flight is essential for countries that open their economies to international financial flows.
Relation Between Latent Period and Growth Rate in Chemically Induced Tumors

SummaryThere is a high degree of correlation between the malignancy of chemically induced tumors, as measured by growth rate and mitotic index, and shortness of the latent period before appearance of palpable tumors. This relation holds true in the various responses of different strains of mice to the same agent, and in responses to different agents and modes of administration.It is suggested that the growth rate of a tumor in the microscopic stage is important and may be the main factor determining the latent period in carcinogenesis.
In vitro effects of glycosphingolipids on human tumor cell proliferation.

AbstractA drug-resistant subpopulation of cells (HTFU) was previously isolated from the human colonic carcinoma cell line HT29. The cell lines varied significantly in in vitro growth patterns with HTFU cells showing contact inhibition while HT29 cells demonstrated uncontrolled growth (10). The malignant cell lines were grown in the presence of various concentrations of blood group A fucolipid, Lewisb, Forssman hapten, and ceramide tri-hexoside for 2 weeks. Although HTFU cells demonstrated an equal or enhanced sensitivity to the lipids relative to HT29 cells, the cell lines responded in similar fashion to each lipid. Treatment with Forssman and ceramide trihexoside induced a temporary inhibition of cell proliferation, however, continued exposure to these lipids became stimulatory. Exposure to Lewisb and blood group A fucolipids caused a permanent retardation of cell proliferation.
Bioanalytical method development and validation for the determination of glycine in human cerebrospinal fluid by ion-pair reversed-phase liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

Abstract A LC–MS/MS method has been developed and validated for the determination of glycine in human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The validated method used artificial cerebrospinal fluid as a surrogate matrix for calibration standards. The calibration curve range for the assay was 100–10,000 ng/mL and 13 C 2 , 15 N-glycine was used as an internal standard (IS). Pre-validation experiments were performed to demonstrate parallelism with surrogate matrix and standard addition methods. The mean endogenous glycine concentration in a pooled human CSF determined on three days by using artificial CSF as a surrogate matrix and the method of standard addition was found to be 748 ± 30.6 and 768 ± 18.1 ng/mL, respectively. A percentage difference of −2.6% indicated that artificial CSF could be used as a surrogate calibration matrix for the determination of glycine in human CSF. Quality control (QC) samples, except the lower limit of quantitation (LLOQ) QC and low QC samples, were prepared by spiking glycine into aliquots of pooled human CSF sample. The low QC sample was prepared from a separate pooled human CSF sample containing low endogenous glycine concentrations, while the LLOQ QC sample was prepared in artificial CSF. Standard addition was used extensively to evaluate matrix effects during validation. The validated method was used to determine the endogenous glycine concentrations in human CSF samples. Incurred sample reanalysis demonstrated reproducibility of the method.
A review of devices of fire descent escapes for high-rise building

For high-rise building,fire escape is the world's problem and also the major issues of public safety because of its complex structural features and large number of resident.In this paper,relief device of rope,escape chute,elevator,glider aircraft and other escape equipments working principle,function and characteristics are summarized.The general parameters of those products are listed,and their applications and shortcomings are discussed.After that the research progress of high-rise flexible escape chute is presented.As a forecast,the escape equipment automation,networking and intelligent is the development direction of the fire safety systems and equipment.
Ordering a Line in a Pasch Plane (ORD)

This chapter defines order relations on lines and derives their properties, including transitivity and trichotomy. The concepts of maximum, minimum, upper bound, and lower bound of a subset of an ordered line are developed, as well as the connections between order, segments, and rays. Ordering will assume great importance in later chapters which develop the correspondence between a line and the set of all rational (or real) numbers.
Cardiovascular alterations during declining and steady-state low cardiac output secondary to coronary insufficiency in thedog.

Summary A preparation in dogs is described in which the cardiac output was decreased in a stepwise manner and then maintained at a steady-state low value of approximately 50 per cent of the control value. This was accomplished by gradual, controlled constriction of the left circumflex coronary artery at its origin followed by serial interruption of left circumflex-anterior descending arterioarterial communications. The mean data collection period was 150 minutes. Cardiac output declined 51 per cent by 90 minutes. The mean steady-state low cardiac output period was 60 minutes. Aortic pressure declined 31 per cent by 90 minutes, but then increased to 16 per cent below control. Systemic resistance progressively increased. Left atrial pressure increased considerably, but gradually declined terminally. Peripheral arteriovenous per cent oxygen difference increased but was variable during the steady-state low cardiac output period. Cardiac rate diminished. Electrocardiographic changes of severe injury always occurred. The technique proved to be reliable and consistent for producing a low cardiac output state. In addition to permitting the biochemical and physiologic study of cardiogenic circulatory failure, this preparation could provide a much needed laboratory model for evaluating methods of cardiovascular assistance. The authors would like to thank Drs. J. Michael Criley, Bruce G. Brown, William R. Milnor, and Michael O'Rourke for review of the manuscript and to F. Wilbur Barnett, III, for technical help.
Liposuction of Lipomas

When lipomas reach 4 cm or more in size or are multiple, liposuction becomes an excellent alternative to excisional surgery. The basic concept is that fat lobules are bluntly broken down or curetted by a cannula and then removed through the cannula's aperture by a vacuum force generated from a suction machine. There are few minor sequelae, and these are rarely of a prolonged nature. The benefits of liposuction are decreased surgical time, a shorter scar, a better final contour, and the ability to remove several lipomas through one opening. In addition, liposuction surgery is a useful modality for the removal of lipomas because of the low recurrence rate and minimal malignant potential of these tumors.
Environmental Applications of Electronic Spectroscopy

Environmental analysis, most often for the detection and quantification of environmental contaminants, holds many challenges in terms of chemical variety, complexity, and quantity. Electronic spectroscopic techniques, such as UV-visible absorption and fluorescence, provide a comprehensive suite of techniques for characterizing environmental contaminants, particularly when combined with chromatographic separations.
Inexpensive high resolution tiled displays for scientific visualization of data

This paper investigates one possible method for using open source software and “off the shelf” computer components to reduce the cost of high resolution display walls. The approach is primarily based on VNC and results in drawing approximately fifty two million pixels per second. This draw rate performs sufficiently well for multiple frame / second drawing on a twenty megapixel tiled display.
Utilization of Platelet-Rich Plasma for Musculoskeletal Injuries: An Analysis of Current Treatment Trends in the United States.

Background:Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has emerged as a popular biologic treatment for musculoskeletal injuries and conditions. Despite numerous investigations on the efficacy of PRP therapy, curren...
Polarizabilities of 3P Atoms and van der Waals Coefficients for Their Interaction with Helium Atoms

Abstract Time-dependent density functional theory with self-interaction correction is applied to obtain the scalar and tensor dynamic polarizabilities of atoms in 3 P states. The static polarizabilities are in good agreement with previous values. The dynamic polarizabilities are then used to evaluate the leading term in the long range interaction between the 3 P atoms and helium. They are significant in determining the likelihood that the 3 P atoms can be trapped in a helium buffer gas.
This Is (not) Our Multicultural Future

This chapter examines visual representations of mixed-race children in the tradition of the commercial entertainment genre of reality TV. Locating ordinary biracial kids at the center of the discussion, the chapter contextualizes the recent rise of the reality-observation genre in Korean commercial television in relation to the globalization of the reality TV format and the Korean media industry’s neoliberal turn. It analyzes two reality-observation programs that cast ordinary mixed-race children—Rainbow Kindergarten (tvN 2011) and Cackling Class in Vietnam (tvN 2013)—as the televisual site where Korean audiences learn to read racial differences. By critically analyzing what particular types of racial differences become (in)visible in television culture, the chapter argues that both shows televise the neoliberal remaking of the familial unit on a transnational scale.
Extreme variability in succinylcholine dose for muscle relaxation in electroconvulsive therapy.

Objectives:To determine what dose of succinylcholine falls outside the range of 2 SD above or below the mean optimal dose of 0.9 mg/kg used for electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).Methods:In this retro...
Rapid preimplantation genetic screening using a handheld, nanopore-based DNA sequencer

Objective To determine if a handheld, nanopore-based DNA sequencer can be used for rapid preimplantation genetic screening (PGS). Design Laboratory study. Setting Academic medical center. Patient(s) Amplified genomic DNA from euploid and aneuploid trophectoderm biopsy samples (n=9) that was also tested using traditional next generation sequencing (NGS). Intervention(s) Short-read DNA library preparation and nanopore-based sequencing using a hand-held MinION sequencer. Main Outcome Measure(s) Comparison of cytogenetic testing result from NGS and nanopore-based sequencing and the time required for library preparation and sequencing. Result(s) Multiplexed short-read DNA library preparation was completed in 45 minutes. Sequencing on a single sample was completed within 20 minutes and 5 samples were simultaneously sequenced in under 2 hours. Whole-chromosome aneuploidy screening results obtained from nanopore-based sequencing were identical to those obtained using NGS. Conclusion(s) Here we report the first application of nanopore-based sequencing for PGS on trophectoderm biopsy samples using a novel rapid multiplxed short-read nanopore sequencing library preparation protocol. Sequencing for aneuploidy screening could be performed on a single sample in 20 minutes and on 5 samples, simultaneously, within 2 hours. Overall, nanopore sequencing is a promising tool to perform rapid PGS onsite, enabling same day testing and embryo transfer, thus obviating the need for complex, large and expensive DNA sequencers or embryo freezing.
Flights of Noctuidae and Crambidae of economic importance in Southeast Missouri – 2015, 2016

Abstract Growers of cotton and soybean in Southeast Missouri have expressed deep concern over increases in lepidopteran damage the past 2 years. Efforts to control fall armyworm, bollworm, Southwestern corn borer, and black cutworm with Bt varieties of corn or cotton and foliar insecticides generally meet with limited success. Therefore, we sought a more effective means to monitor and manage these moth populations in cotton, soybean, corn, and grain sorghum by use of pheromone traps and verification of degree-day models. Green plastic funnel traps baited with their respective lures were dispensed and monitored weekly (1 May – 1 Oct 2015, 2016) in 8 randomly selected soybean and cotton fields. Degree-days began at biofix, and a single sine method with lower and upper thresholds were used for the model. Temperature data were obtained from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Each moth peak was assigned accumulative number of degree-days. Accumulated degree-day sums for peak flight of each moth species were estimated by averaging accumulated degree-days between counties for peaks 1–5. For direct comparison, interpretation, and incorporation into a predictive model, differences between the degree-days that flight actually occurred and predictions from models were evaluated with analysis of variance. Factors in the model were county, flight/model, peak, and degree-days. No significant differences in degree-days were found between the peak-flight in degree-days, and the degree-days of its model for the respective moth species, regardless of county. These models are a good fit for predicting catches of moths in monitoring traps and management decisions for Southeast Missouri.
Identification of early B cell precursors (stage 1 and 2 hematogones) in the peripheral blood

Differentiating malignant B-lymphoblasts from early benign B cell precursors (hematogones) is a vital component of the diagnosis of B-lymphoblastic leukaemia. It has been previously reported that only late-stage B cell precursors circulate in the peripheral blood. Consequently, flow cytometric detection of cells with immunophenotypic findings similar to earlier stage precursors in the peripheral blood justifiably raises concern for involvement by B-lymphoblastic leukaemia. We report here, however, that benign early B cell precursors can indeed be detected in the peripheral blood, thus complicating the interpretation of flow cytometric findings derived from these sample types. A retrospective search of our collective databases identified 13 cases containing circulating early stage B cell precursors. The patients ranged in age from 15 days to 85 years old. All positive cases demonstrated that the earlier B cell precursors were associated with later stage precursors, a finding that could help differentiate these cells from B-lymphoblastic leukaemia.
2 – ELECTRONS IN ATOMS AND SOLIDS: BONDING

This chapter provides a panoramic view of what materials are composed of and what holds them together. It enables distinctions to be drawn between materials and their properties. A dichotomy exists between the quantum description of solids in terms of atomic electrons, on one hand and classical models involving interacting pairs of atoms that attract and repel one another, on the other hand. In the former, the approach is to enumerate possible electron states of individual atoms, their occupation by electrons, and their fate when atoms are brought together in solids. The latter assumes that whole atoms, which integrate and smooth the complex behavior of subatomic particles, interact according to mathematically simple physical laws. A guiding operative principle in either case is that stable bonding configurations are the outcome of minimizing the energy that resides in electrons and atoms. In both cases, compromises must be struck between attractive and repulsive forces, the resultant of which yields very precise solid-state atomic positions and well defined bond energies. Knowledge of atomic electron energy levels and transitions among them has been capitalized upon in assorted electron (AES) and X-ray spectrometers to identify atoms. These instruments have been indispensable tools in characterizing surface layers and interfaces in all classes of materials, particularly in microelectronics technology. Together with high-resolution electron microscopy, these methods have provided much information on the structural and bonding character of atoms within solids. Generally speaking, hard, high-strength materials are the legacy of strong primary bonds. These are found particularly in ionic and covalent solids, as well as in many metals. Electrical and thermal conduction and optical reflectivity go hand-in-hand with the availability of large numbers of mobile electrons, and metals have these in the greatest profusion.
Derechos humanos: el caso de los niños

Este articulo se refiere a la creciente importancia que se ha dado a los ninos, como persona humana, con igualdad de derechos. Relata como la Asamblea General en 1959 proclama el valor y dignidad del nino como persona humana y la necesidad de otorgarle la debida proteccion para su crecimiento y desarrollo y luego en noviembre de 1989, la aprobacion de la Convencion sobre los Derechos del Nino, con caracter de convencion de derecho, con poder vinculante y obligatorio cumplimiento para los Estados ratificantes, los cuales ya ascienden a 179, constituyendo uno de los mas grandes exitos de las Naciones Unidas en estos primeros cincuenta anos. En declaraciones aprobadas en distintas conferencias y cumbres mundiales queda de manifiesto que el respeto a los derechos humanos se considera base de la convivencia, la seguridad y la paz, y condicion indispensable para el desarrollo y el progreso economico y social. Es asi como en la Cumbre Mundial de la Infancia, en octubre de 1990 en Nueva York, los 75 paises asistentes se comprometen a ratificar la Convencion de los Derechos del Nino, y a formular planes nacionales en favor de la infancia, fundamentalmente en las areas de la salud, la nutricion y la educacion infantil. El reto de hoy es como pasar de la masiva ratificacion a la masiva implementacion.
Management of Penetrating Injury to the Left Colon

Does management and outcomes of penetrating injuries to the left colon differ? Management pendulum has swung from non-operative management during the Civil War era, to mandatory exploration and fecal diversion by WWII. Continuing advancements in medical management, anesthesia, and surgical techniques have led to the transition from mandatory fecal diversion to primary repair. Civilian trauma experience further supported this paradigm shift with identification of risk factors better defining the role of primary repair. Patients with non-destructive injuries benefited from primary repair, while in those with destructive injuries, resection, and anastomosis is recommended. Injury location historically has been managed with the bias of left-sided colonic injuries mandating fecal diversion due to concerns for increased complications. Evolving literature contradicts such logic as colonic related outcomes appear similar. The majority of penetrating colon injuries can be managed safely with primary repair despite anatomic injury location as outcomes are similar.
Cultural Planning: Positioning Arts and Place in the Policy Discourse

I begin my exploration of the connection between arts and place with the concept of cultural planning that positions the connection between arts and place in the policy discourse. Cultural planning has been defined in different ways, but the literature in the United States promotes the idea that is a process involving the community in matters of the arts. In this chapter, I examine how cultural planning can be better understood in the larger context of urban planning and comprehensive planning. Then, I provide a brief history and I analyze key themes in the international literature that show how cultural planning has been referring to a new approach of urban planning, how it has been contested when focusing solely on the arts, and how it has highlighted community engagement. I sketch an overview of cultural planning in the United States considering the grey literature that has emerged around it and its various relationship with urban planning and comprehensive plans around the country. I then focus on American cities and look at the planning documents of eighteen cities that are members of the United States Urban Arts Federation (USUAF). I conclude with a case study that focuses on issues of participation in cultural planning in Madison, Wisconsin.
Recurrent rectal prolapse: what is the next good option?

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess the clinical and functional outcome of surgery for recurrent rectal prolapse and compare it with the outcome of patients who underwent primary operation for rectal prolapse. METHODS: All patients who underwent surgery for rectal prolapse were evaluated for age, gender, procedure, anorectal manometry and electromyography findings, and morbidity. The results for patients who underwent surgery for recurrent rectal prolapse were compared with a group of patients matched for age, gender, surgeon, and procedure who underwent primary operations for rectal prolapse. RESULTS: A total of 115 patients underwent surgery for rectal prolapse. Twenty-seven patients, 10 initially operated on at this institution and 17 operated on elsewhere, underwent surgery for recurrent rectal prolapse. These 27 patients were compared with 27 patients with primary rectal prolapse operated on in our department. In the recurrent rectal prolapse group, prior surgery included rectopexy in 7 patients, Delorme's procedure in 7 patients, perineal rectosigmoidectomy in 7 patients, anal encirclement procedure in 4 patients, and resection rectopexy in 2 patients. Operations performed for recurrence were perineal rectosigmoidectomy in 14 patients, resection rectopexy in 8 patients, rectopexy in 2 patients, pelvic floor repair in 2 patients, and Delorme's procedure in 1 patient. There were no statistically significant differences between the groups in preoperative incontinence score (recurrent rectal prolapse, 13.6±7.8vs. rectal prolapse, 12.7±7.2; range, 0–20) or manometric or electromyography findings, and there were no significant differences in mortality (0vs. 3.7 percent), mean hospital stay (5.4±2.5vs. 6.9±2.8 days), anastomotic complications (anastomotic stricture (0vs. 7.4 percent), anastomotic leak (3.7vs. 3.7 percent) and wound infection (3.7vs. 0 percent)), postoperative incontinence score (2.8±4.8vs. 1.5±2.7), or recurrence rate (14.8vs. 11.1 percent) between the two groups at a mean follow-up of 23.9 (range, 6–68) and 22 (range, 5–55) months, respectively. The overall success rate for recurrent rectal prolapse was 85.2 percent. CONCLUSION: The outcome of surgery for rectal prolapse is similar in cases of primary or recurrent prolapse. The same surgical options are valid in both scenarios.
Nanostructures of type-II topological Dirac semimetal NiTe2

Many transition metal dichalcogenides have been predicted and verified experimentally to exhibit topological semimetallic behavior due to symmetry breaking. NiTe2 is predicted to belong to an interesting class of materials: type-II topological semimetal. Here, we report the growth, structural, and magnetic properties of polycrystalline NiTe2 nanostructures synthesized using a two-step solvothermal technique. Nanostructures of NiTe2 crystalize in a hexagonal CdI2-type structure (space group P 3 ¯ m 1) with lattice parameters a = b = 3.85 A and c = 5.26 A. NiTe2 nanostructures exhibit paramagnetic behavior at room temperature and display a large increase in magnetization below 30 K. These results will certainly pave the way to fully understand one- and two-dimensional NiTe2 for topological behavior that can be useful for novel device applications.
Incidental Cryptococcal lung mass in an immunocompetent patient.

Cryptococcus is an encapsulated fungal organism often implicated in central nervous system and pulmonary disease in patients with AIDS or other immunocompromising diseases. However, immunocompetent...
Statistically Steady State Large‐Eddy Simulations Forced by an Idealized GCM: 1. Forcing Framework and Simulation Characteristics

Using large‐eddy simulations (LES) systematically has the potential to inform parameterizations of subgrid‐scale processes in general circulation models (GCMs), such as turbulence, convection, and clouds. Here we show how LES can be run to simulate grid columns of GCMs to generate LES across a cross section of dynamical regimes. The LES setup approximately replicates the thermodynamic and water budgets in GCM grid columns. Resolved horizontal and vertical transports of heat and water and large‐scale pressure gradients from the GCM are prescribed as forcing in the LES. The LES are forced with prescribed surface temperatures, but atmospheric temperature and moisture are free to adjust, reducing the imprinting of GCM fields on the LES. In both the GCM and LES, radiative transfer is treated in a unified but idealized manner (semigray atmosphere without water vapor feedback or cloud radiative effects). We show that the LES in this setup reaches statistically steady states without nudging to thermodynamic GCM profiles. The steady states provide training data for developing GCM parameterizations. The same LES setup also provides a good basis for studying the cloud response to global warming.
A Diagnostic Stewardship Intervention To Improve Blood Culture Use among Adult Nonneutropenic Inpatients: the DISTRIBUTE Study.

ABSTRACT Interventions to optimize blood culture (BCx) practices in adult inpatients are limited. We conducted a before-after study evaluating the impact of a diagnostic stewardship program that aimed to optimize BCx use in a medical intensive care unit (MICU) and five medicine units at a large academic center. The program included implementation of an evidence-based algorithm detailing indications for BCx use and education and feedback to providers about BCx rates and indication inappropriateness. Neutropenic patients were excluded. BCx rates from contemporary control units were obtained for comparison. The primary outcome was the change in BCxs ordered with the intervention. Secondary outcomes included proportion of inappropriate BCx, solitary BCx, and positive BCx. Balancing metrics included compliance with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) SEP-1 BCx component, 30-day readmission, and all-cause in-hospital and 30-day mortality. After the intervention, BCx rates decreased from 27.7 to 22.8 BCx/100 patient-days (PDs) in the MICU (P = 0.001) and from 10.9 to 7.7 BCx/100 PD for the 5 medicine units combined (P
On code sharing and model documentation of published individual and agent-based models

Being able to replicate research results is the hallmark of science. Replication of research findings using computational models should, in principle, be possible. In this manuscript, we assess code sharing and model documentation practices of 7500 publications about individual-based and agent-based models. The code availability increased over the years, up to 18% in 2018. Model documentation does not include all the elements that could improve the transparency of the models, such as mathematical equations, flow charts, and pseudocode. We find that articles with equations and flow charts being cited more among other model papers, probably because the model documentation is more transparent. The practices of code sharing improve slowly over time, partly due to the emergence of more public repositories and archives, and code availability requirements by journals and sponsors. However, a significant change in norms and habits need to happen before computational modeling becomes a reproducible science.
Recurrent Severe Preschool Wheeze: From Prespecified Diagnostic Labels to Underlying Endotypes

Rationale: Preschool wheezing is heterogeneous, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood.Objectives: To investigate lower airway inflammation and infection in preschool children with dif...
Computation of a probabilistic and anisotropic failure metric on the aortic wall using a machine learning-based surrogate model.

Abstract Scalar-valued failure metrics are commonly used to assess the risk of aortic aneurysm rupture and dissection, which occurs under hypertensive blood pressures brought on by extreme emotional or physical stress. To compute failure metrics under an elevated blood pressure, a classical patient-specific computer model consists of multiple computation steps involving inverse and forward analyses. These classical procedures may be impractical for time-sensitive clinical applications that require prompt feedback to clinicians. In this study, we developed a machine learning-based surrogate model to directly predict a probabilistic and anisotropic failure metric, namely failure probability (FP), on the aortic wall using aorta geometries at the systolic and diastolic phases. Ascending thoracic aortic aneurysm (ATAA) geometries of 60 patients were obtained from their CT scans, and biaxial mechanical testing data of ATAA tissues from 79 patients were collected. Finite element simulations were used to generate datasets for training, validation, and testing of the ML-surrogate model. The testing results demonstrated that the ML-surrogate can compute the maximum FP failure metric, with 0.42% normalized mean absolute error, in 1 s. To compare the performance of the ML-predicted probabilistic FP metric with other isotropic or deterministic metrics, a numerical case study was performed using synthetic “baseline” data. Our results showed that the probabilistic FP metric had more discriminative power than the deterministic Tsai-Hill metric, isotropic maximum principal stress, and aortic diameter criterion.
From the Edge

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The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Case: Its Significance for Northern School Desegregation

Brown v. Board of Education' stands for the proposition that the equal protection clause prohibits the operation of a "dual school system" and requires the conversion of that system into a "unitary nonracial school system." Under a dual system, students are assigned to schools on the basis of their race in order to segregate them. That is clearly impermissible. But what is a permissible basis for assigning students to schools under a "unitary nonracial school system"? This seems to be the central riddle of the law of school desegregation. There is one easy answer to this question: Under a "unitary nonracial school system" students may be assigned to schools on the basis of any criterion other than race. But there is an understandable reluctance to accept this answer. This stems from the fact that even if some seemingly innocent criterion is substituted for race as the basis for assignment, virtually the same segregated patterns of student attendance that existed under the dual system might result-whites in one set of schools and blacks in another. Moreover, there are reasons to be concerned with this result, even assuming race is not the basis for assignment. The concern might be predicated on a fear of "evasion"-if the school board is allowed to use any criterion other than race, it might be able to accomplish the same thing as it did under the dual school system. The concern with the result might also be based on the view that a segregated student attendance pattern alone-without regard to the basis for assignment-gives rise to an inequality. The segregation might stigmatize the blacks, deprive them of educationally significant contacts with the socially and economically dominant group, and reduce the share of resources allocated to black schools simply because they are attended only by members of the minority group. But, of course, the picture is not all one-sided. There are several countervailing factors that have the effect of diluting this concern
In vitro activity of coumermycin A1 against Mycobacterium tuberculosis var. hominis.

Coumermycin A1 exhibited in vitro activity against eight strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis var. hominis. All eight strains were inhibited by levels of 2.5 μg/ml, and six of the eight strains were inhibited by levels of 0.3 μg/ml or less.
Phylogenetic comparison of the S3 gene of United States prototype strains of bluetongue virus with that of field isolates from California.

To better define the molecular epidemiology of bluetongue virus (BTV) infection, the genetic characteristics and phylogenetic relationships of the S3 genes of the five U.S. prototype strains of BTV, the commercially available serotype 10 modified live virus vaccine, and 18 field isolates of BTV serotypes 10, 11, 13, and 17 obtained in California during 1980, 1981, 1989, and 1990 were determined. With the exception of the S3 gene of the U.S. prototype strain of BTV serotype 2 (BTV 2), these viruses had an overall sequence homology of between 95 and 100%. Phylogenetic analyses segregated the prototype U.S. BTV 2 strain to a unique branch (100% bootstrap value), whereas the rest of the viruses clustered in two main monophyletic groups that were not correlated with their serotype, year of isolation, or geographical origin. The lack of consistent association between S3 gene sequence and virus serotype likely is a consequence of reassortment of BTV gene segments during natural mixed infections of vertebrate and invertebrate hosts. The prototype strain of BTV 13, which is considered an introduction to the U.S. like BTV 2, presents an S3 gene which is highly homologous to those of some isolates of BTV 10 and especially to that of the vaccine strain. This finding strongly suggests that the U.S. prototype strain of BTV 13 is a natural reassortant. The different topologies of the phylogenetic trees of the L2 and S3 genes of the various viruses indicate that these two genome segments evolve independently. We conclude that the S3 gene segment of populations of BTV in California is formed by different consensus sequences which cocirculate and which cannot be grouped by serotype.
List of Symbols and Abbreviations

Introduces timed arrays and design approaches to meet the new high performance standards The author concentrates on any aspect of an antenna array that must be viewed from a time perspective. The first chapters briefly introduce antenna arrays and explain the difference between phased and timed arrays. Since timed arrays are designed for realistic time-varying signals and scenarios, the book also reviews wideband signals, baseband and passband RF signals, polarization and signal bandwidth. Other topics covered include time domain, mutual coupling, wideband elements, and dispersion. The author also presents a number of analog and digital beamforming networks for creating and manipulating beams. The book concludes with an overview of the methods to integrate time delay into the array design and of several other adaptive arrays that prove useful in many different systems. Examines RF signal concepts such as polarization and signal bandwidth and their applications to timed antenna arrays Covers arrays of point source, elements in timed antenna arrays, active electronically scanned array technology, and time delay in corporate fed arrays Includes complete design examples for placing time delay in arrays Timed Arrays: Wideband and Time Varying Antenna Arrays is written for practicing engineers and scientists in wireless communication, radar, and remote sensing as well as graduate students and professors interested in advanced antenna topics. Randy Haupt, PhD., is Professor and Department Head of EECS at the Colorado School of Mines. He received his PhD from the University of Michigan and retired from the USAF as a LtCol. Dr. Haupt was an RF staff consultant at Ball Aerospace & Technologies, Corp., senior scientist and department head at the Applied Research Laboratory of Penn State, professor and department head of ECE at Utah State, professor and chair of EE at the Uni ersity of Nevada Reno, and professor of EE at the USAF Academy. Dr. Haupt is a Fellow of the IEEE and Applied Computational Electromagnetics Society (ACES).
Reply to Commentators: Scientific and Everyday Theories are of a Piece

Since I cannot in the space allotted address the full range of issues raised in these commentaries, I will focus my attention primarily on one point of difference, regarding the distinction between scientific and everyday theorizing, that fundamentally separates my approach from the approaches of Duschl et al., Gilbert, and Ohlsson (but not, I think, Hewson and Lemberger). At the end of this reply I will briefly address Hewson's and Lemberger's commentary and make a few remarks about the increasingly popular term 'model'.
Integrated optics for nano-scale energy-assisted magnetic recording (EAMR) applications

Energy-assisted magnetic recording (EAMR) is a promising technology for ultra-high density, nanometer-scaled, magnetic recording. The EAMR technique requires using a laser beam to define magnetic features, wherein high-efficiency optical coupling and delivery of highly focused optical energy to features much smaller than the optical wavelength are key challenges. We have proposed and designed an on-wafer microfocal lens to achieve high-efficiency optical coupling. Energy delivery is further enhanced with the integrated aluminum near-field transducer based on localized surface plasmon resonance. Simulations indicate that, at 450 nm wavelength, spot sizes below 40 nm can be generated to enable recording density in excess of 1 Tb/in2. The proposed features can be implemented using standard industry top-down fabrication processes, thus facilitating integration of the optical-delivery components into conventional industrial manufacturing.
A programmable baseband processor design for software defined radios

Future wireless systems need extremely fast and flexible architectures to support varying standards, algorithms and protocols with data rates in the range of 10-100 Mbps. Software Defined Radios (SDRs) based on DSP-FPGAs are a widely proposed solution for these systems. However, these SDR solutions have not been able to meet real-time requirements. We propose a programmable architecture solution for SDRs using a stream-based architecture based on the Imagine media processor. The configurable Imagine simulator allows us to investigate issues such as memory bottlenecks, number and type of functional units needed, and the utilization of those functional units. To evaluate stream-based architectures for baseband processing, we parallelize and implement sophisticated baseband algorithms including multiuser estimation, multiuser detection and Viterbi decoding on this simulator. We present the bottlenecks in such a stream-based architecture for efficient communications processing. Comparisons with current generation DSP-based solutions show orders-of-magnitude performance improvements, both due to the stream-based nature of computations as well as the increase in the number of functional units having a high utilization factor. The result is a baseband processor designed with broad system functionality and flexibility that approaches real-time performance for future wireless systems.