cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Barrett’s esophagus registry of over 1000 patients from a specialist center highlights greater risk of progression than population-based registries and high risk of low grade dysplasia

SUMMARY. Barrett’s esophagus (BE) arising from chronic gastro-oesophageal reflux (GERD) is the main pathologic precursor of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). The risk of progression to high-grade dysplasia (HGD) and EAC is unclear, and recent population studies from Denmark and Northern Ireland suggest that this has been overestimated in the past. No data exist from the Republic of Ireland. A detailed clinical, endoscopic, and pathologic database was established in one center as a proposed pilot for a national registry, and initial and follow-up data were abstracted by a data manager. One thousand ninety-three patients were registered, 60 patients with HGD were excluded, leaving 1033, with a median age of 59 and 2 : 1 male to female ratio, and 3599 person-years of follow-up. The overall incidence of HGD/EAC was 1.33% per year overall, 0.85% if the first year is excluded. Within the first year after index endoscopy, 18 cases of HGD or EAC were identified, and 30 following the first year. Low-grade dysplasia (LGD) on index endoscopy was associated with an incidence of progression of 6.5% per year, and 3.1% when tertiary referrals were excluded. These data provide important demographic and clinical information on the population of Irish patients with BE, with incidence rates of progression higher than recently published population-based registry series, perhaps relating to sampling and pathological assessment. Low-grade dysplasia on initial biopsy is a significant proxy marker of risk of progression.
Topography-dependent motion compensation: Application to UAVSAR data

The UAVSAR L-band synthetic aperture radar system has been designed for repeat track interferometry in support of Earth science applications that require high-precision measurements of small surface deformations over timescales from hours to years. Conventional motion compensation algorithms, which are based upon assumptions of a narrow beam and flat terrain, yield unacceptably large errors in areas with even moderate topographic relief, i.e., in most areas of interest. This often limits the ability to achieve sub-centimeter surface change detection over significant portions of an acquired scene. To reduce this source of error in the interferometric phase, we have implemented an advanced motion compensation algorithm that corrects for the scene topography and radar beam width. Here we discuss the algorithm used, its implementation in the UAVSAR data processor, and the improvement in interferometric phase and correlation achieved in areas with significant topographic relief.
Differentiating between effects of invasion and diversity: impacts of aboveground plant communities on belowground fungal communities.

Summary •Exotic plant species can affect soil microbial communities with the potential for community and ecosystem feedbacks. Yet, separating the effects of exotics from confounded changes in plant community diversity still remains a challenge. •We focused on how plant diversity and native or exotic life history affected root fungi because of their significant roles in community and ecosystem processes. Specifically, we examined how fungi colonizing plant roots were affected by plant richness (one, two or four species) replicated across a range of plant community mixtures (natives, exotics, native–exotic mixtures). •Fungal biomass inside roots was affected independently by plant richness and mixture, while root fungal community composition was affected only by plant richness. Extraradical networks also increased in size with plant richness. By contrast, plant biomass was a function of plant mixture, with natives consistently smaller than exotics and native–exotic mixtures intermediate. •Plant invasions may have an impact on the belowground community primarily through their effects on diversity, at least in the short-term. Disentangling the effects of diversity and invasion on belowground microbial communities can help us to understand both the controllers of belowground resilience and mechanisms of successful colonization and spread of exotic plants.
Multiple stages of fluid trapping in the Stripa granite indicated by laser microprobe analysis of Cl, Br, I, K., U, and nucleogenic plus radiogenic Ar, Kr, and Xe in fluid inclusions

Abstract Argon, Kr, and Xe were extracted from fluid inclusions (FI) in the Stripa granite by laser microprobe decrepitation of quartz and feldspar and measured in a low blank, high sensitivity, ion-counting mass spectrometer. Both unirradiated and pile-irradiated splits of Stripa samples were analyzed using identical procedures. Irradiation of samples in a nuclear pile before extraction, along with standards, enables measurement of abundances of Cl, K, Br, Se, I, Ba + Te, and U simultaneously with 36Ar,40Ar, 84Kr, and 129Xe. Large variations in Br Cl and I Cl occur in FI within a single specimen of Stripa drill core. Two “endmember” FI compositions are represented: (1) I Cl greater than 0.0012 and Br Cl ∼0.006 (atom ratios), a distinctive halogen signature previously measured in brines associated with some oil-fields and fine-grained sediments and (2) I Cl less than 1 × 10−4 and Br Cl ∼0.0015, which resembles many fluids and FI, including high-temperature “magmatic” FI in some granitic rocks. Most measurements of halogen ratios are intermediate between these two extremes, with uncorrelated variations in I Cl and Br Cl indicating at least one additional fluid. There are large and uncorrelated variations in ratios between 40Ar, 36Ar, 84Kr, and Cl which reflect a complex history of production and trapping of radiogenic and nucleogenic isotopes in FI and possibly processes that fractionate these elements. In samples that were not pile-irradiated, nucleogenic Ar, Kr, and Xe produced by neutron capture from Cl, Br, I, and Ba ± Te are present, plus 40Ar from radioactive decay of K and Xe from spontaneous fission of U. 40Are is defined as 40Ar in excess of the amounts attributable to atmospheric; gases and that produced by decay of K in FI. Abundances of 40Are and fissiogenic Xe in FI are typically an order of magnitude greater than production from in situ decay of K and U, similar to estimates of average production per unit volume within Stripa in ∼2 Ga. It is inferred that a significant fraction of these isotopes were generated within Stripa and then locally transported in a fluid during episodes of recrystallization/metamorphism. Concentrations of nucleogenic 80∗Kr, 82∗Kr, and 128∗Xe are several orders of magnitude greater than average production from Br and I within Stripa, evidence that these isotopes were produced in an I- and Br-rich source rock outside of Stripa.
Medical student gender and issues of confidence

Abstract Objective To review the literature on gender differences and issues of self-confidence in medical students and to present original research on observers’ perceptions of medical student confidence. Methods One hundred forty-one 3rd year medical students at Indiana University School of Medicine were videotaped during their objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). Trained coders rated how confident the student appeared and coded a variety of nonverbal behaviors at the beginning, middle, and end of the interaction. Analysis focused on gender differences in coders’ ratings of perceived confidence. Results Female medical students were viewed as significantly less confident than male medical students ( F (1,133) = 4.45, p Conclusion Past research indicates that despite performing equally to their male peers, female medical students consistently report decreased self-confidence and increased anxiety, particularly over issues related to their competence. In a standardized patient interaction examination situation, female medical students also appeared significantly less confident than male medical students to independent observers. Practice implications Medical educators should focus on issues of female students’ confidence, increasing faculty sensitivity, and publicly recognizing and discussing perceptions of confidence.
Physiological cost of pregnancy in a viviparous lizard (Sceloporus jarrovi)

The Vo2 (standard metabolic rate; cc · h−1) of pregnant Sceloporus jarrovi increases to a maximum near term. Immediately following parturition, Vo2 decreases sharply. Approximately 93.6% of the Vo2 of late pregnant S. jarrovi is due to litter and non-reproductive female Vo2. The difference between measures of the Vo2 of late pregnant lizards and late pregnant Vo2 estimated by summing litter and nonreproductive Vo2 (6.4%) represents the physiological cost of maintaining a litter. This estimate of the physiological cost of pregnancy in S. jarrovi is similar to that reported for mammals; however, it is lower than other estimates of the cost of pregnancy in reptiles. Estimates of litter metabolism were obtained by measuring maximum embryo metabolism, using an in vitro technique and multiplying embryo Vo2 by litter size. These results suggest that others have overestimated the physiological cost of pregnancy in reptiles because maximum litter Vo2 has been underestimated. Others have suggested that viviparity is an expensive mode of reproduction because the physiological cost of supporting a litter is an important component of an individual's reproductive effort. Data presented here support the alternative hypotheses that the cost of supporting a litter is not high and constitutes a small fraction of the energy apportioned into reproduction. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Using informant directed interviews to discover risk orientation: How formative evaluations based in interpretive analysis can improve persuasive safety campaigns

Abstract This essay demonstrates how qualitative analysis of a target audience's discourse can identify themes and issues that need to be targeted in an effective persuasive campaign. The text for analysis was obtained by conducting informant directed interviews with Texas farmers who live in regions identified as having high injury and death rates associated with farm equipment. Thematic analysis of the resulting transcripts indicated that farmers view themselves as gamblers who have a high risk tolerance. The information gathered in this field study suggests persuasive campaign strategies that are likely to be most effective in reducing injuries related to farm equipment. Further, researchers can adapt the method used to other situations in which health practitioners need clear information about how best to motivate voluntary behavior change.
Analytical Solution for Free Vibration of Multilayered Circular Plate

An analytical solution is deduced for a three-dimensional transversely isotropic axisymmetric multilayered circular plate made of piezoelectric (PE) and piezomagnetic (PM) under simply supported boundary condition. The state space vector, finite Hankel transform and propagation matrix methods are utilized together to obtain the full-field solutions for the multilayered circle plate. Numerical examples for five-layered PE/PM composites with dimensionless frequencies of the multilayered plate under simple-supported lateral boundary conditions are presented. The frequencies increase with the ratio of the thickness to radius.
A validation of carbon fiber imaging couch top modeling in two radiation therapy treatment planning systems: Philips Pinnacle3 and BrainLAB iPlan RT Dose.

Background Carbon fiber (CF) is now the material of choice for radiation therapy couch tops. Initial designs included side metal bars for rigidity; however, with the advent of IGRT, involving on board imaging, new thicker CF couch tops without metal bars have been developed. The new design allows for excellent imaging at the expense of potentially unacceptable dose attenuation and perturbation.
Multiple blood donations associated with iron deficiency in patients with restless legs syndrome.

Objective To describe a series of patients with restless legs syndrome (RLS) and iron deficiency with and without anemia related to repeated blood donations. Patients and Methods Study patients were identified by asking consecutive patients with RLS seen at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn, from February 1 to December 31, 2001, whether they donated blood. All patients who fulfilled the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group criteria for RLS, had donated blood a minimum of 3 times a year the preceding 3 years, and had iron deficiency (serum ferritin concentration Results Eight patients met the study criteria. The mean ± SD serum ferritin concentration was 8.1±3.5 μg/L, and 4 patients had anemia. In 6 of the 8 patients, RLS began at about the same time of or after blood donation. Patients had donated blood for 4.2±1.3 times a year (range, 3-6 times a year) for 15.2±8.3 years (range, 5-25 years). Hemoglobin concentrations were 12.8±1.8 g/dL (range, 10.6-15.5 g/dL). In 2 patients, RLS essentially resolved with correction of iron stores alone, and medications for RLS were successfully discontinued in 2 other patients. Conclusions Repeated blood donation is associated with induction or perpetuation of RLS due to iron deficiency with or without coexisting anemia. Potential blood donors should be questioned about RLS, and donation should not be allowed until the serum ferritin concentration has been measured and iron stores replenished if necessary.
Using pulsed power for hydrodynamic code validation

As part of ongoing hydrodynamic code verification and validation efforts, a series of near-term liner experiments (NTLX) was designed for the Shiva Star capacitor bank at the Air Force Research Laboratory . An aluminum liner that is magnetically imploded onto a central target by self-induced Lorentz forces drove the experiments. Target design utilized the adaptive mesh refinement Eulerian hydrodynamics code radiative adaptive grid eulerian (RAGE) in twoand three-dimensions. One-dimensional simulations of the liner driver utilizing the lagrangian magnetohydrodynamics code RAVEN are used to set the initial temperature and density profiles as well as liner velocity at impact time. During liner/target impact, a convergent shock is generated in the target that drives subsequent hydrodynamics experiments. In concentric targets, a cylindrically symmetric shock will converge on axis. The degree of shock symmetry observed characterizes the liner symmetry at impact. By shifting the target center away from the liner driver axis, variations in shock propagation velocity generate off-center shock convergence. Results indicate that RAVEN and RAGE are in excellent agreement for the calculated shock trajectory. However, a small but significant discrepancy does occur during the last few millimeters of run-in when convergence effects are greatest. The codes predict shock arrival times that are approximately 100 ns faster than those observed experimentally.
Endothelial cell- and lymphocyte-based in vitro systems for understanding KSHV biology.

Kaposi sarcoma (KS), the most common AIDS-associated malignancy, is amultifocal tumor characterized by deregulated angiogenesis, proliferation of spindle cells, and extravasation of inflammatory cells and erythrocytes. Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV; also human herpesvirus-8) is implicated in all clinical forms of KS. Endothelial cells (EC) harbor the KSHV genome in vivo, are permissive for virus infection in vitro, and are thought to be the precursors of KS spindle cells. Spindle cells are rare in early patch-stage KS lesions but become the predominant cell type in later plaque- and nodular-stage lesions. Alterations in endothelial/spindle cell physiology that promote proliferation and survival are thus thought to be important in disease progression and may represent potential therapeutic targets. KSHV encodes genes that stimulate cellular proliferation and migration, prevent apoptosis, and counter the host immune response. The combined effect of these genes is thought to drive the proliferation and survival of infected spindle cells and influence the lesional microenvironment. Large-scale gene expression analyses have revealed that KSHV infection also induces dramatic reprogramming of the EC transcriptome. These changes in cellular gene expression likely contribute to the development of the KS lesion. In addition to KS, KSHV is also present in B cell neoplasias including primary effusion lymphoma and multicentric Castleman disease. A combination of virus and virus-induced host factors are similarly thought to contribute to establishment and progression of these malignancies. A number of lymphocyte- and EC-based systems have been developed that afford some insight into the means by which KSHV contributes to malignant transformation of host cells. Whereas KSHV is well maintained in PEL cells cultured in vitro, explanted spindle cells rapidly lose the viral episome. Thus, endothelial cell-based systems for studying KSHV gene expression and function, as well as the effect of infection on host cell physiology, have required in vitro infection of primary or life-extended EC. This chapter includes a review of these in vitro cell culture systems, acknowledging their strengths and weaknesses and putting into perspective how each has contributed to our understanding of the complex KS lesional environment. In addition, we present a model of KS lesion progression based on findings culled from these models as well as recent clinical advances in KS chemotherapy. Thus this unifying model describes our current understanding of KS pathogenesis by drawing together multiple theories of KS progression that by themselves cannot account for the complexities of tumor development.
The Mean-Meridional Transport Circulation of the Troposphere in an Idealized GCM

Abstract Large numbers of particle trajectories are used to characterize the mean-meridional transport circulation of an idealized general circulation model (GCM). The GCM has a uniform land surface, no topography or land–sea contrasts, and no seasonal cycle. The trajectories are analyzed using both Lagrangian-mean statistics and an approach based on the Green's function of the tracer transport equation. It is shown that the distribution of particle trajectories provides an estimate of the ensemble-mean Green's function for the inviscid transport equation. Lagrangian means have a number of problems that render their interpretation difficult, including boundary effects and selection of the appropriate averaging period. The Green's function, on the other hand, provides a quantitative description of the transport circulation that is easy to visualize and interpret. The results demonstrate that within the idealized model the atmosphere can be divided into three parts: the Southern Hemisphere extratropics, the...
Speculations Concerning Southeastern Earthquakes, Mafic Intrusions, Gravity Anomalies and Stress Amplification

Mafic intrusions in the southeastern United States are very often found near earthquake epicenters. This association is supported by a tendency for earthquakes to occur near zones of high gravity gradient. Speculation on an earthquake mechanism which could explain these associations are based largely on the implied existance of inhomogeneities in rigidity. Stress amplification by the anomalously rigid structures may be the proximate cause for many southeastern United States earthquakes.
Body esteem in adolescent hair pullers

Abstract Background and aims Trichotillomania (TTM) often first presents in adolescence, a developmental period marked by vulnerability in body image. To date, no one has studied the relationship between this disorder and body esteem. Methods 49 adolescents with DSM-IV TTM or chronic hair pulling (HP) and 23 control adolescents were administered diagnostic assessments and self-report measures of hair pulling and body esteem. Results HP youth vs. controls reported lower levels of body esteem on all Body-Esteem Scale for Adolescents and Adults (BESAA) subscales (appearance, attribution and weight satisfaction). HP contributed to lowered body esteem, independent of comorbid anxiety or depression. As expected, HP youth with vs. without comorbid anxiety or depression reported lowered levels of body esteem. Further, greater HP severity and distress were significantly associated with lower levels of body esteem. HP severity alone but not distress/impairment predicted lower levels of body esteem, independent of c...
Measures of Fertility

An important distinction between erude birth and death rates is that popu-lations may vary greatly in their proportions over age 50 or 65, where mortality is concentrated, but most tend to be similar in the proportions at ages 15-44, where fertility concentrates. As an illustration, Table 7.1 displays age distributions for the United States and six other countries, supplementing the series of Table 3.1.
The Sales/Marketing Integration Gap: The Joint Impact of Environmental, Firm, and Functional Drivers on Realized Versus Desired Integration

Marketing and sales have distinct thought-world differences that often inhibit their ability to work together. As a result, firms promote integration between the two groups with the ultimate aim of improving relationship effectiveness and customer performance. This study introduces the concepts of realized integration and desired, or future, integration and the difference between the two (the integration gap). Through the lens of self-categorization theory, this study examines how both functional and firm behaviors interact with several internal and external environment factors to impact both types of integration. The study shows how these factors impact both realized and desired integration in several ways, providing a more complete view of the relationship between the two. Finally, the study finds that desired integration can negatively impact relationship outcomes reducing the positive benefits of the realized level of integration. As a result, managers need to not only promote integration but also manage the integration gap by increasing levels of realized integration or decreasing levels of desired integration.
An Estimation of Standards for Public School Expenditures

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate how cross- sectional observations of expenditures by school districts within a particular state's jurisdiction may be used to estimate efficiency standards for public school expenditures. The standards are estimated using frontier regression techniques which adjust for the differential levels of efficiency of resource usage across different school districts. Based on these standards we estimated that inefficiencies in Missouri's school districts' actual expenditures cost the state an average of about $513.00 per student (or 17% of the current average total expenditure) for the fiscal year 1990-91.
Massachusetts Inpatient Medicaid Cost Response to Increased Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Benefits.

Objectives. To investigate the impact of an increase in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits on Medicaid costs and use in Massachusetts.Methods. Using single and multigroup interrupted time series models, I examined the effect of an April 2009 increase in SNAP benefits on inpatient Medicaid cost and use patterns. I analyzed monthly Medicaid discharge data from 2006 to 2012 collected by the Massachusetts Center for Health Information and Analysis.Results. Inpatient costs for the overall Massachusetts Medicaid population grew by 0.55 percentage points per month (P < .001) before the SNAP increase. After the increase, cost growth fell by 73% to 0.15 percentage points per month (–0.40; P = .003). Compared with the overall Medicaid population, cost growth for people with the selected chronic illnesses was significantly greater before the SNAP increase, as was the decline in growth afterward. Reduced hospital admissions after the SNAP increase drove the cost declines.Conclusions. Medicaid c...
Conditional Expected Tsunami Inundation for Hawaii

Values were reported for a priori estimates of expected tsunami inundation — conditioned by values for epicenter location and tsunami magnitude. Those values of conditional expected tsunami inundation (CETI) were restricted to coastal locations having historical observations of tsunamis. Here a method is developed and applied for interpolating between these existing CETI to obtain predictions at coastal locations not possessing historical tsunami data. The method uses the existing CETI for calibrating (by best-fitting) the functional shape provided by the output from Bernard’s time-stepping linear two-dimensional difference equations over a mesh having spatial increments of about 5 km and time steps of l5 sec (prototype time). Coastal position is measured along the coast from a reference point. Graphs for the interpolated CETI are given for the five major Hawaiian islands, assuming a tsunami magnitude of 4 arriving from the north.
Fully Decentralized Task Swaps with Optimized Local Searching

Communication constraints dictated by hardware often require a multi-robot system to make decisions and take actions locally. Unfortunately, local knowledge may impose limits that run against global optimality in a decentralized optimization problem. This paper redesigns the task-swap mechanism recently introduced in an anytime assignment algorithm to tackle the problem of decentralized task allocation for large scale multirobot systems. We propose a fully decentralized approach that allows local search processes to execute concurrently while minimizing interactions amongst the processes, needing neither global broadcast nor a multi-hop communication protocol. The formulation is analyzed in a novel way using tools from group theory and the optimization duality theory to show that the convergence of local searching processes is related to a shortest path routing problem on a graph subject to the network topology. Simulation results show that this fully decentralized method converges quickly while sacrificing little optimality.
Teaching And Learning Outside The Box And The Soft-Side Of Teaching Model

Traditional teaching methods have been tested, examined and many have been published in a variety of disciplines. However, newer paradigms of teaching have evolved due to the availability of technology that is implemented in many educational institutions. Besides adopting technology as a means to teaching effectiveness, the ‘soft-side’ of teaching are apparent among the more educated and more knowledgeable learners. Teachers are transforming from a ‘figure-head’ to a ‘participant.’ This study discussed the newer technology to be utilized in the classrooms and proposed a ‘soft-side’ teaching model for the ‘new’ effective teacher in the 21 st century. Teaching and learning outside the box are discussed.
Predictable and educational spoken dialogues: pilot results.

This paper addresses the challenge of designing spoken dialogues that are of educational benefit within the context of an intelligent tutoring system, yet predictable enough to facilitate automatic speech recognition and subsequent processing. We introduce a design principle to meet this goal: construct short dialogues in which the desired student utterances are external evidence of performance or learning in the domain, and in which those target utterances can be expressed as a well-defined set. The key to this principle is to teach the human learner a process that maps inputs to responses. Pilot results in two domains – self-generated questions and morphology exercises – indicate that the approach is promising in terms of its habitability and the predictability of the utterances elicited. We describe the results and sketch a brief taxonomy classifying the elicited utterances according to whether they evidence student performance or learning, whether they are amenable to automatic processing, and whether they support or call into question the hypothesis that such dialogues can elicit spoken utterances that are both educational and predictable.
A trajectory of early-stage spinoff success: the role of knowledge intermediaries within an entrepreneurial university ecosystem

Universities play a well-established role in regional economic growth, one contribution to which is academic entrepreneurship, the establishment and support of faculty and graduate student spinoff companies based on university research. A vibrant literature examines the general contributions of universities within regional innovation ecosystems while another strain of literature examines individual intermediaries, such as technology licensing offices and incubators, in support of the university’s economic development mission. Little research exists, however, that conceptualizes the structure and function of an entrepreneurial university ecosystem. This paper seeks to address this gap in the literature by examining the composition, contributions, and evolution of social networks among faculty and graduate student entrepreneurs and the role of knowledge intermediaries therein. While our investigation supports an emerging literature that finds academic entrepreneurs are typically limited by their own homophilous social networks, we also find that spinoff success relies upon academic and non-academic contacts who connect faculty and students to other social networks important to spinoff success. We investigate how by creating a taxonomy of social network evolution among spinoffs; the results show that the contributions of universities depend on the existence and interrelationship of loosely coordinated, heterogeneous knowledge intermediaries guided by a strong collective ethos to encourage and support academic entrepreneurship.
USING GUIDED REINVENTION TO DEVELOP TEACHERS’ UNDERSTANDING OF HYPOTHESIS TESTING CONCEPTS

Statistics education reform efforts emphasize the importance of informal inference in the learning of statistics. Research suggests statistics teachers experience similar difficulties understanding statistical inference concepts as students and how teacher knowledge can impact student learning. This study investigates how teachers reinvented an informal hypothesis test for categorical data through the framework of guided reinvention. We describe how notions of variability help bridge the development from informal to formal understandings of empirical sampling distributions and procedures for constructing statistics and critical values for conducting hypothesis tests. A product of this paper is a hypothetical learning trajectory that statistics educators could utilize as both a framework for research and as an instructional tool to improve the teaching of hypothesis testing. First published May 2015 at Statistics Education Research Journal Archives
Teratogenic potential of FD&C Red No. 3 when given by gavage.

FDC the increases in the animals given 30 or 800 mg/kg were of borderline significance. The only significant increase in maternal weight gain, on days 0-7 in the animals given 30 mg/kg, was considered a random occurrence. No dose-related changes were seen in maternal clinical findings, implantations, fetal viability, or fetal size (weight and length). No fetal terata were seen, and neither skeletal nor visceral development was affected. FD&C Red No. 3 was neither fetotoxic nor teratogenic at 800 mg/kg when given by gavage.
‘Being the bridge’: News fixers’ perspectives on cultural difference in reporting the ‘war on terror’

This article examines some of the cultural differences between news ‘fixers’ and foreign reporters, focusing specifically on the expectations and experiences of the fixers, rather than the correspo...
Membrane vesicles in sea water: heterogeneous DNA content and implications for viral abundance estimates

Diverse microbes release membrane-bound extracellular vesicles from their outer surfaces into the surrounding environment. Vesicles are found in numerous habitats including the oceans, where they likely have a variety of functional roles in microbial ecosystems. Extracellular vesicles are known to contain a range of biomolecules including DNA, but the frequency with which DNA is packaged in vesicles is unknown. Here, we examine the quantity and distribution of DNA associated with vesicles released from five different bacteria. The average quantity of double-stranded DNA and size distribution of DNA fragments released within vesicles varies among different taxa. Although some vesicles contain sufficient DNA to be visible following staining with the SYBR fluorescent DNA dyes typically used to enumerate viruses, this represents only a small proportion (<0.01-1%) of vesicles. Thus DNA is packaged heterogeneously within vesicle populations, and it appears that vesicles are likely to be a minor component of SYBR-visible particles in natural sea water compared with viruses. Consistent with this hypothesis, chloroform treatment of coastal and offshore seawater samples reveals that vesicles increase epifluorescence-based particle (viral) counts by less than an order of magnitude and their impact is variable in space and time.
Review of tracheostomy videos for staff education

Tracheostomy care is a basic nursing skill. While it is a matter of routine procedure in the daily practice of otolaryngology and critical care nurses, general nurses in other areas may perform it infrequently. Therefore, many otolaryngology nurses provide staff education when a tracheostomy patient is present in a nonspecialty area. This educational effort can be time consuming and repetitious for the specialty nurse. Audiovisual materials can be useful as a basis for an educational session or as a substitute when the specialty nurse is unavailable. The author conducted a thorough search for available videorecordings on nursing care of adults with tracheostomies. Four videos were identified and acquired. Each one was viewed twice, and then subjectively rated for completeness and accuracy of content in a comparative, "Consumer Reports"-like manner. Recommendations are made considering content, cost, and availability. The review is written for experienced clinicians and presumes a thorough knowledge of tracheostomy care.
Knowledge, Not Funding is the Most Important Research Resource

In the last issue of the Asia Pacific Journal of Medical Toxicology, Dr. Reza Afshari raised the question of what are the best scientific areas of focus of toxicology for “low income countries and how such research might be achieved (1). South-south collaboration, in which developing countries share resources, was one of the proposed solutions. Rather than limit discussion to “low income” countries, the issue of research agenda might be better framed within the perspective of “developed” and “developing” countries. Two of the largest Asia Pacific Association of Medical Toxicology member countries, Iran and India lay almost within visual distance of the United Arab Emirates. Despite its wealth, the United Arab Emirates has a general lack of high-quality medical research, and toxicology research is virtually non-existent. In contrast, Iran and India, with far less economic strength, have a vast network of highly trained and expert clinicians in medical toxicology and most other medical specialties. This is helpful to consider, and to understand that high income does not equal quality in research. Outstanding medical research, applicable to both developing and developed countries, may be conducted in resource-poor settings. An example of collaborative research that comes to mind is the World Health Organization (WHO) Pediatric Hydrocarbon Study Group clinical decision rule for young children with possible hydrocarbon aspiration (2). The results of this research, that was supported by the WHO, conducted in Egypt, and led by an American toxicologist, have clinical applicability and utility in developing and developed countries. Conducting this study in a developed country, such as the USA, would have been extraordinarily difficult or impossible. In addition to South-South collaborations, tapping research expertise of other countries, developed or developing, is another key factor for facilitating relevant and translatable research in countries that historically lack such. Finding mutually relevant research questions that are shared by developed and developing countries can also avail research opportunities. Lastly, developing a culture of research led by clinicians and persons with expertise in biostatistics and epidemiology, who may be based in clinical sciences or academia, is an important key to having a sustained productive research effort in any country. This letter can be easily summarized: “The most important resource for quality research is not funding, it is knowledge”.
Large elastoplastic deformation of a sample under compression and torsion in a rotational diamond anvil cell under megabar pressures

Abstract Material behavior under high pressure and large plastic shear is usually studied in a rotational diamond anvil cell (rotational DAC, or RDAC). The first modeling results for three-dimensional plastic flow and evolution of the stress-strain state for a rhenium sample compressed and twisted in RDAC under megabar pressures are presented. Large elastic and plastic deformation theory is utilized. In addition to quantitative information about evolution of the stress-strain fields, the following unexpected results are obtained. During initial compression followed by torsion under a fixed axial force and for beveled anvils, the sample thickness reduces by a factor of ninety. Pressure, as well as the pressure gradient, grow drastically at the central part, and this new phenomenon is called the pressure self-focusing effect. This effect allows a much higher maximum pressure to be reached in a RDAC than in a DAC under the same force. The effects of diamond and sample shape, yield strength and its pressure dependence, the friction coefficient, and applied force on the pressure distribution are analyzed. The obtained results open new ways to increase maximum achievable pressure and develop new intuition in mechanical responses at megabar pressures which will be beneficial to the optimum design of geometry and loading conditions in the experiment.
Origins of Quantum Theory

Quantum theory originated from experiments involving several aspects of electromagnetic energy and matter. The study of blackbody radiation led to the idea of energy being quantized on an atomic level, which manifests itself in the line spectra of atoms. Ascribing a wave character to a moving particle led to the formulation of wave mechanics. Bohr made use of an assumption about quantized angular momentum with an explanation for the line spectrum of hydrogen. This chapter addresses several of these developments in physics that led directly to quantum mechanics.
Symptoms and Physical Findings

The Paget–Schroetter syndrome refers to a sudden thrombosis of the subclavian vein, which is usually associated with physical exertion of the arm due to the patient’s occupation or sport activities (Fig. 12.1). The name of the syndrome was given by the physicians who described this syndrome, namely, Paget in England and Von Schroetter in Austria [1–3]. Hughes must be credited with bringing this entity to the clinical knowledge and to label it most properly as we know it today [4, 5]. Typically the patient affected with acute thrombosis of the subclavian vein presents her/himself to the emergency room or to the physician’s office complaining of sudden pain in the affected arm as well as swelling and some bluish discoloration of the entire arm. Most often this episode is associated following a sudden effort with the arm. Occasionally the patient has had several episodes in the past that have resolved spontaneously with rest, until finally a very acute severe event takes place that prompts the patient to seek medical attention. The syndrome usually affects young people leading active and productive lives. The occurrence of thrombosis of the vein is often directly related to their occupation or sports activity. Among the sports leading to cause this syndrome are swimming, climbing, weight lifting, tennis playing, and others. Occupations that lead to the occurrence of this syndrome vary, but usually are laborers involved in strenuous physical activity with their arms with repetitive movements particularly over the head maneuvers. The physical findings at the time of the examination show usually severe edema of the arm particularly between the elbow and the shoulder, but it may also involve the forearm and the hand and fingers (Fig. 12.2a, b). The entire upper extremity may have bluish discoloration along with this edema. The radial pulse usually is always present and there are no signs of ischemia.
In Memoriam Zing-Yang Kuo 1898–1970

Dr. Kuo’s most recent book reflects the increasing effort in his life work to move away from all a priori assumptions and toward a naturalistic psychology.
Generalizability of Indicators from the New York City Macroscope Electronic Health Record Surveillance System to Systems Based on Other EHR Platforms

Introduction: The New York City (NYC) Macroscope is an electronic health record (EHR) surveillance system based on a distributed network of primary care records from the Hub Population Health System. In a previous 3-part series published in eGEMS, we reported the validity of health indicators from the NYC Macroscope; however, questions remained regarding their generalizability to other EHR surveillance systems. Methods: We abstracted primary care chart data from more than 20 EHR software systems for 142 participants of the 2013-14 NYC Health and Nutrition Examination Survey who did not contribute data to the NYC Macroscope. We then computed the sensitivity and specificity for indicators, comparing data abstracted from EHRs with survey data. Results: Obesity and diabetes indicators had moderate to high sensitivity (0.81-0.96) and high specificity (0.94-0.98). Smoking status and hypertension indicators had moderate sensitivity (0.78-0.90) and moderate to high specificity (0.88-0.98); sensitivity improved when the sample was restricted to records from providers who attested to Stage 1 Meaningful Use. Hyperlipidemia indicators had moderate sensitivity (≥0.72) and low specificity (≤0.59), with minimal changes when restricting to Stage 1 Meaningful Use. Discussion: Indicators for obesity and diabetes used in the NYC Macroscope can be adapted to other EHR surveillance systems with minimal validation. However, additional validation of smoking status and hypertension indicators is recommended and further development of hyperlipidemia indicators is needed. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that many of the EHR-based surveillance indicators developed and validated for the NYC Macroscope are generalizable for use in other EHR surveillance systems.
In vivo confocal microscopy for detection of subconjunctival Onchocerca lupi infection in a dog.

A seven-year-old male castrated mixed-breed dog was diagnosed with bilateral subconjunctival masses. In vivo confocal microscopy facilitated visualization of Onchocerca lupi adult nematodes and their characteristic cuticular morphology. Long, thin, white nematodes were extracted during excisional biopsy. Histopathologic and parasitologic evaluation confirmed the diagnosis of O. lupi. In addition to surgical debulking of the parasitic granulomas, the dog received systemic doxycycline, prednisone, and ivermectin therapy. In vivo confocal microscopy was repeated one year after initial diagnosis, and no remaining nematodes were visible. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of use of in vivo confocal microscopy as a noninvasive diagnostic and monitoring tool for canine onchocerciasis.
The Iatrogenic Effects of Group Intervention for Antisocial Youth: Premature Extrapolations?

Group intervention for antisocial youth has received harsh criticism in recent years. This paper reviews relevant research focused on the influence of contact with delinquent peers on the development of antisocial activity. Also reviewed are studies reporting outcomes of group intervention for antisocial youth. Although a few studies have found iatrogenic effects for group intervention with antisocial youth, the majority have not. Well-developed models of group intervention have produced substantial reductions in youth antisocial activity. We describe one such program, a family-style residential program based on behavioral learning principles, and review outcomes of this program. We conclude that treatment of antisocial youth in groups is feasible and can be effective in reducing delinquent behavior.
Novel methods for measuring cardiac autophagy in vivo.

Autophagy, a highly conserved cellular mechanism wherein various cellular components are broken down and recycled through lysosomes, occurs constitutively in the heart and may serve as a cardioprotective mechanism in some situations. It has been implicated in the development of heart failure and is up-regulated following ischemia-reperfusion injury. Autophagic flux, a measure of autophagic vesicle formation and clearance, is an important measurement in evaluating the efficacy of the pathway, however, tools to measure flux in vivo have been limited. Here, we describe the use of monodansylcadaverine (MDC) and the lysosomotropic drug chloroquine to measure autophagic flux in in vivo model systems, specifically focusing on its use in the myocardium. This method allows determination of flux as a more precise measure of autophagic activity in vivo much in the same way that Bafilomycin A1 is used to measure flux in cell culture. MDC injected 1 h before sacrifice, colocalizes with mCherry-LC3 puncta, validating its use as a marker of autophagosomes. This chapter provides a method to measure autophagic flux in vivo in both transgenic and nontransgenic animals, using MDC and chloroquine, and in addition describes the mCherry-LC3 mouse and the advantages of this animal model in the study of cardiac autophagy. Additionally, we review several methods for inducing autophagy in the myocardium under pathological conditions such as myocardial infarction, ischemia/ reperfusion, pressure overloading, and nutrient starvation.
On maps preserving products of matrices

Abstract Let D be a division ring with characteristic different from 2, and let R = M n ( D ) . The first goal of this paper is to describe an additive map f : R → R satisfying the identity f ( x ) f ( y ) = m for every x , y ∈ R such that x y = k , where m , k ∈ R are fixed invertible elements. Additionally, let M = M n ( C ) , the set of all n × n matrices with complex entries. We will describe a bijective linear map g : M → M satisfying g ( X ) ∘ g ( Y ) = M whenever X ∘ Y = K for every X , Y ∈ M , where M , K ∈ M are fixed, and ∘ denotes the Jordan product.
A GaN based Dual Active Bridge Converter for Energy Storage Systems

Renewable energy sources are intermittent in nature and they are often used in conjunction with energy storage systems to ensure a continuous flow of power. Bidirectional DC/DC converters serve as an intermediary between the energy storage hardware and the inverter connected to the grid. Dual active bridge (DAB) converters are well suited for this application, especially when the power is greater than 1 kW. They offer bidirectional power flow and the power devices can achieve zero-voltage-switching (ZVS). Furthermore, gallium nitride (GaN) based transistors have many attributes that enable them to outperform silicon (Si) MOSFETs in this topology. This research compares the performance of a DAB converter designed with GaN transistors to one built with Si MOSFETs. Additionally, it demonstrates how numerical modeling techniques such as boundary element method (BEM) and finite element method (FEM) can be utilized to reduce parastics during PCB layout and facilitate transformer design. A hardware prototype was built for 48 V to 400 V conversion with a rated power of 2 kW.