cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Automated quantification of diastolic filling parameters from cardiac Doppler ultrasound

In order to extract quantitative physiological information from cardiac Doppler velocity data, precise contour determination is required. It has previously been shown that computation of parametrized diastolic filling (PDF) parameters from the clinical diastolic Doppler velocity profile (DVP) can be accomplished by manual comparison of a PDF model predicted to clinically recorded DVP. However, visual DVP contour estimation as well as comparison of PDF model prediction to the DVP requires hand tracing and is prone to interobserver variations. Using the cardiac Doppler ultrasound acoustic signal, a computer based method of DVP computation is developed. When applied to the E-wave of the human diastolic transmitral DVP, the method allows automated computation of PDF parameters, equivalent to automated solution of the inverse problem of diastole. >
Intratetrad mating, heterozygosity, and the maintenance of deleterious alleles in Microbotryum violaceum (=Ustilago violacea).

The mating system of Microbotryum violaceum was investigated in populations that are polymorphic for mating-type bias, where individuals produce viable haploids of only one of the two required mating types. The cause of mating-type bias was identified as deleterious recessive alleles linked to mating type. Maintenance of the deleterious alleles was promoted by early conjugation among products of single meioses, such that the duration of the free-living haploid stage is minimized. This development was also observed in nonbiased isolates. As a consequence, the mating system tends toward mating within the tetrad, which might be expected to reduce heterozygosity. However, complete centromere linkage of mating type ensures conjugation between first division meiotic products, such that mating in M. violaceum is analogous to forms of meiotic parthenogenesis with first division restitution (i.e. automixis with central fusion). This fungus was used to test the prediction that this mating system would maintain heterozygosity in regions of the genome linked to centromeres. Therefore, populations were screened for additional heterozygous lethal recessive alleles linked to centromeres, and several examples were found. Furthermore, the occurrence of intratetrad mating in M. violaceum provides an explanation for low variation among individuals within populations, inconsistent estimates of outcrossing rates, low levels of mating between tetrads of one diploid individual, and high frequencies of haplo-lethal alleles in natural populations.
A Dose-Response Study of OROS Methylphenidate in Children With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Objective. OROS methylphenidate HCL (MPH) is a recently developed long-acting stimulant medication used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This study was conducted to examine dosage effects on ADHD symptoms and stimulant side effects and to explore potential moderating effects of ADHD subtype. Methods. Children with ADHD combined type (ADHD-CT) or predominantly inattentive type (ADHD-PI; n = 47), ages 5 to 16 years, underwent a placebo-controlled, crossover trial using forced titration with weekly switches at 3 dosage levels. Parent and teacher ratings of ADHD symptoms were used to evaluate efficacy. In addition, vital signs and standardized measures of stimulant side effects were obtained weekly. Results. Parent ratings were more sensitive to treatment effects than teacher ratings. ADHD symptoms and Clinical Global Impressions Severity Index ratings at each dose condition differed significantly from placebo and baseline ratings, which did not differ from one another. For those with ADHD-CT, there was a clear linear dose-response relationship, with clinically significant reductions in ADHD Rating Scale-IV scores occurring in two thirds to three fourths of the subjects during either 36- or 54-mg dose conditions. Children with ADHD-PI, conversely, were more likely to respond optimally to lower doses and derived less benefit from higher doses, with 60% displaying significant improvement on the ADHD Rating Scale-IV at 36 mg or lower. Mild stimulant side effects were reported during placebo and at all dosage levels. With the exception of insomnia and decreased appetite, which were more common at higher doses, parent report of side effects was not related to dose. In addition, younger and smaller children were more likely to display sleep difficulties and decreased appetite at the higher dose levels Although pulse rate increased slightly with increasing dose, there were no dose effects on blood pressure. Conclusions. In children with ADHD-CT, the most common subtype of ADHD, increasing doses of stimulant medication were associated with increased improvement of inattention and hyperactivity symptoms. In children with ADHD-PI, symptom improvement occurred at lower doses and less benefit was derived from higher doses. In both ADHD subtypes, higher doses were associated with parent ratings of increased insomnia and decreased appetite.
Melt elasticity and viscosity of neoprene WB at high shear rates

An elastomer developed for superior processing characteristics, Neoprene WB, has been studied in a capillary rheometer from 80–125°C. and shear rates of 0.4–11,000 sec.−1 Both the viscous and elastic properties of the bulk polymer are evaluated from pressure drop measurements. Per cent increase in diameter of the elastomer when extruded (“die swell”) and its surface characteristics provide direct evidence of extrusion processibility. A principle of corresponding shear rates at different temperatures simplifies the understanding and application of rheometer data. Data on all responses obtained at a low temperature can be laterally superposed to higher shear rate to agree with data obtained at higher temperature. Equilibrium shear stress vs. shear rate curves show Neoprene WB undergoes shear thinning with, for example, viscosity at 100°C. dropping from over 106 poise at low shear rate to 5 × 102 poise at high. The entrance or elastic effect drops very slowly to a minimum with increasing shear and then rises rapidly. This shear rate-temperature condition at which the entrance effect is a minimum is a critical condition for the polymer; it is the transition from smooth to rough extrudate. Die swell of smooth extrudates increases as the shear rate is increased but decreases with greater orifice length to diameter ratio. Above the transition the die swell of rough extrudates drops to a minimum and then rises again at still higher shear rates.
The Covalent Bond in H 2

Ruedenberg’s approach to bonding in H2+ is applied to the two-electron covalent bond in H2. A simplified analysis yields the same conclusion as Ruedenberg’s more rigorous treatment; kinetic energy plays a crucial role in chemical bond formation.
Exploration of innovative radar sensing schemes for subsurface object detection

The problem of abandoned landmines and unexploded ordnance is particularly acute when these objects are near the surface, so that their radar returns cannot easily be separated from the ground surface response. To address this, the authors pursue simulations designed to test methods of sensor deployment and data processing that exploit angular, positional, and frequency diversity for detection of metallic targets that are on the order of the subsurface wavelength in size. Rigorous 2D computations were performed and results processed for the angular correlation function (ACF) approach, in which one performs a coherent average of received signals from two incidence and observation angles. Simulations pursue the behavior of the ACF under realistic ground roughness and moisture content, target geometry, and highest practical resolution GPR frequencies. To achieve an expanded ensemble of cases, given a single subject ground surface, the authors average both over frequencies and overlapping incident beam locations.
A heterojunction bipolar transistor large-signal model for high power microwave applications

A large-signal model is presented for HBT's. The model accounts for self-heating effects and is based on the Gummel-Poon formulation. Full model compatibility with the commercially available software package LIBRA is ensured. The model incorporates temperature dependence for most of its parameters and has been employed for the analysis of the DC and microwave power characteristics of AlGaAs-GaAs HBT's. Good agreement between simulated and directly measured DC and microwave characteristics support the validity of the model. >
Optimal initial phase wavelet transform

Localization of the wavelet series coefficients and the efficiency of representation with the wavelet transform depends on the relative initial phase of the signal and the analyzing wavelet functions, and the dependence becomes more pronounced for wideband signals. The authors a) establish the significance of initial phase for efficient representation of narrowband signals using wavelets, b) develop an algorithm of linear computational complexity to search through a uniformly tiled time-scale plane for the optimal initial phase. >
The Coming Meltdown of Traditional Capitalism

Heilbroner challenges the concept that capitalism is purely an economic system and asserts it is rather a regime informed by social and political forces. The relentless pursuit of capital is the process” by which the social order manifests its historical vigor. “Within the regime of capitalism two realms of power and authority, the state and the economy, exist in a dialectic marked, in normal circumstances, by the concession of the incomparably more powerful state to the current interest of capital. However, the rise of international capitalism has changed this dynamic. Heilbroner describes this historical movement and ponders what capitalism will look like after its traditional form gives way.
ON DETERMINING THE CONSISTENCY OF PARTIAL DESCRIPTIONS OF TREES

We examine the consistency problem for descriptions of trees based on remote dominance, and present a consistency-checking algorithm which is polynomial in the number of nodes in the description, despite disjunctions inherent in the theory of trees. The resulting algorithm allows for descriptions which go beyond sets of atomic formulas to allow certain types of disjunction and negation.
Preparing future professionals by enhancing workforce readiness.

A new course aims to help combat the absence of sufficient workforce preparedness for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.
Dislocations of the shoulder with special reference to accompanying small fractures.

1. A defect in the posterosuperior area of the anatomical neck of the humerus was demonstrated roentgenographically in patients with acute anterior dislocation and both by roentgenograms and at surgery in patients with recurrent anterior dislocations. 2. This defect can rarely be seen on conventional, routine roentgenograms of the shoulder; at times it can be demonstrated in an uncertain degree of internal rotation. It can easily be seen in the simple roentgenographic projection described. 3. Since this defect, if large, may facilitate recurrent dislocation, it should be looked for in all acute injuries. If it can be accomplished by adequate immobilization, this defect should be allowed to meal and fill in. 4. In recurrent dislocation of the shoulder the defect should be evaluated when planning surgical repair. It is the author's opinion that the defect, if large, should be repaired just as the labral defect is repaired anteriorly. 5. The defect, usually traumatic in origin, should not be confused with normal anatomical variations.
Dimensional interrelationships of the proximal and distal tubules of the nephrons in the dog.

SummaryMeasurements of the dimensions of proximal and distal tubules were made on nephrons obtained by microdissection from the kidneys of three female dogs. In any nephron, the length, average cross section, and volume (as for a cylinder) of the proximal tubule from its attachment to the glomerulus to the thin portion of Henle's loop were always larger than the same values for the distal tubule measured from the point of attachment to the glomerular vascular pole to entry into the collecting tubule. Proximal-distal volume ratios averaged 5.34 ± 1.32 (SD), 5.88 ± 1.46, and 7.59 ± 1.51 for each of the three dogs. The proximal convolutions accounted for 74.8 ± 9.1%, 71.0 ± 7.6%, and 77.0 ± 6.0% of the total proximal volume in the same animals. The convolutions bulked equally large in the distal tubule, making up 75.3 ± 10.9%, 70.0 ± 10.3%, and 69.1 ± 9.3% of the total, respectively. Proximal convolutions exceeded distal convolutions in volume, with ratios of 5.46 ± 1.97, 5.66 ± 1.67, and 8.95 ± 2.25 times, ...
Blood Volume Changes in the Mammary Gland.

Conclusions1. Large blood volume changes, not apparent in the undisturbed animal, occur in the mammary gland of the cow following excitation. 2. Arterial and mammary venous differences of non-diffusible blood substances are markedly affected by blood volume changes and cannot be corrected for on the basis of the observed changes in concentration.
Application value of laparoscope in the treatment of cesarean scar preg- nancy

Objective To evaluate the clinical effect, safety and application value of laparoscope in the treatment of cesarean scar pregnancy(CSP). Methods Thirty-one cases of patients with cesarean scar pregnancy were selected as the re search object, they were randomly divided into the observation group and the control group, the patients in the observation group were treated with laparoscopic pregnancy lesion resection and uterus repair, while the control group were treated with laparotomy of lesion wedge resection and uterus repair. Results In the observation group, 10 cases were markedly effective, 5 cases were effective, 1 case was ineffective, and the total effective rate was 93.6%;In the control group, 6 cases were markedly effective, 5 cases were effective, 4 case were ineffective, and the total effective rate was 73.3%, there were significant differences between the two groups( P0.05); In the treatment of type Ⅰ, the curative effect of observation group was obviously better than that of control group( P0.05). Conclusion Laparoscopy has important significance in the treatment of cesarean scar pregnancy. Laparoscopic surgery has the superiority of less bleeding, less pain, rapid postoperative recovery, shorter hospitalization time, keep the reproductive function, and beau-tiful incision, it can effectively control the wound, improve the probability of fertility, so it 's the preferred surgical method of ectopic pregnancy, and worthy of promotion.
Kinetic characterization of hemostasis in thermal injury.

Hemostasis has been characterized by kinetic measurements in 12 patients with severe burns. Survival and turnover of 51Cr-platelets, 131I-fibrinogen, and 125I-plasminogen were simultaneously measured in 10 patients within 24 hours of injury; the disappearance times were shortened in concert to approximately 20% of normal values, and platelet and fibrinogen turnover were increased to more than three times normal. Serial studies in five of these patients 3 and 5 weeks later showed progressive improvement in kinetic measurements ,but normal values were not achieved. Two additional patients with similar rates of consumption demonstrated localization of radiolabeled platelets and fibrinogen in the burn wound. Heparin therapy did not modify consumption significantly. Enhanced fibrinolysis was reflected by marked reduction in 125I-plasminogen survival, depletion of the plasma plasminogen levels, and elevated levels of fibrin degradation products. Initial low levels of platelets and fibrinogen were followed by compensatory elevations; factor V and prothrombin complex factors were depressed during the first five days, but factor VIII levels were not reduced. Thermal injury is characterized by marked and prolonged consumption within the wound of platelets, fibrinogen, and plasminogen that is not reversible by heparin. This process depletes hemostatic components and causes bleeding when the burn is massive or complications are severe.
Abstracting PL Forms

The undesired consequences of the SL assumption that the simplest constituent assertions in an argument are independent can be illustrated by this example: All men are mammals. All mammals are warm-blooded. Therefore, all men are warm-blooded.
Characteristics related to early secondary amenorrhoea and pregnancy among women diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus: an analysis using the GOAL study.

Objective Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) disproportionately affects women and often develops during their reproductive years. Research suggests that some women who receive cyclophosphamide as treatment for SLE experience earlier decline in menstrual function, but reproductive health among women with SLE who have not taken this drug is less well understood. This study aims to better understand the relation between SLE and reproduction by assessing early secondary amenorrhoea and pregnancy in women treated with and without cyclophosphamide from a population-based cohort with large numbers of African-Americans. Methods Female patients with SLE, ages 20–40 at time of diagnosis, who were 40 years or older at the time of the survey were included in this analysis (N=147). Participants in the Georgians Organized Against Lupus (GOAL) study were asked about their reproductive histories including early secondary amenorrhoea, defined as loss of menstruation before age 40. Results Women who were cyclophosphamide naive had an increased prevalence of early secondary amenorrhoea compared with population estimates, 13–17% compared with 1–5%. Factors associated with early secondary amenorrhoea in women not treated with cyclophosphamide were marital status and receipt of a kidney transplant. Treatment with cyclophosphamide doubled the prevalence after adjustment for patient characteristics. Over 88% of women reported being pregnant at least once, and about 83% of these had a child, but the majority of pregnancies occurred before diagnosis. Conclusions SLE diagnosed in early adulthood may affect women9s reproductive health even if they are not treated with cyclophosphamide. Better understanding of other factors related to reproductive health in this population will improve clinicians9 and patients9 abilities to make treatment and family planning decisions.
Physical modeling of surface and heterojunction for mesa-structured HBTs

Mesa-structured heterojunction bipolar transistors are analyzed by 2D device simulation, with emphasis on the treatment of exposed base surface and emitter-base heterojunction. Physical models for surface (surface recombination velocity and surface traps) and heterojunction (thermionic/diffusion and base dopant back diffusion) are compared to illustrate their effects on terminal characteristics. A strategy to assure accurate modeling is suggested.
Parvalbumin-expressing interneurons coordinate hippocampal network dynamics required for memory consolidation

Activity in hippocampal area CA1 is essential for consolidating episodic memories, but it is unclear how CA1 activity patterns drive memory formation. We find that in the hours following single-trial contextual fear conditioning (CFC), fast-spiking interneurons (which typically express parvalbumin (PV)) show greater firing coherence with CA1 network oscillations. Post-CFC inhibition of PV+ interneurons blocks fear memory consolidation. This effect is associated with loss of two network changes associated with normal consolidation: (1) augmented sleep-associated delta (0.5-4 Hz), theta (4-12 Hz) and ripple (150-250 Hz) oscillations; and (2) stabilization of CA1 neurons' functional connectivity patterns. Rhythmic activation of PV+ interneurons increases CA1 network coherence and leads to a sustained increase in the strength and stability of functional connections between neurons. Our results suggest that immediately following learning, PV+ interneurons drive CA1 oscillations and reactivation of CA1 ensembles, which directly promotes network plasticity and long-term memory formation.
Once upon a time…the (hi)story of the concept of the chaîne opératoire in French prehistory

ABSTRACTThe concept of the chaine operatoire was popularized in the English-speaking world for the first time in the Archaeological Review from Cambridge in 1990. At that time, the history of the integration of this concept into French prehistory had begun. It would take a few years for this process to be successfully completed and more years for the history of research in lithic technology to take this into account. However, the concept and its history have, since the 1990s, been the subject of particularly intriguing writing and rewriting issues. This article presents the state of knowledge on this matter 1) by exposing what could be called the ‘official’ version of this history and 2) by correcting it with concrete historiographical facts gathered in the literature. In doing so, it also speculates on the context and motivations of scholars involved in these projects of writing the concept of the chaine operatoire.
Decreasing Emergency Department Walkout Rate and Boarding Hours by Improving Inpatient Length of Stay.

Author(s): Artenstein, Andrew W.; Rathlev, Niels K.; Neal, Douglas; Townsend, Vernette; Vemula, Michael; Goldlust, Sheila; Schmidt, Joseph; Visintainer, Paul | Abstract: Introduction: Patient progress, the movement of patients through a hospital system from admission todischarge, is a foundational component of operational effectiveness in healthcare institutions. Optimalpatient progress is a key to delivering safe, high-quality and high-value clinical care. The Baystate PatientProgress Initiative (BPPI), a cross-disciplinary, multifaceted quality and process improvement project, waslaunched on March 1, 2014, with the primary goal of optimizing patient progress for adult patients.Methods: The BPPI was implemented at our system’s tertiary care, academic medical center, a highvolume,high-acuity hospital that serves as a regional referral center for western Massachusetts. TheBPPI was structured as a 24-month initiative with an oversight group that ensured collaborative goalalignment and communication of operational teams. It was organized to address critical aspects ofa patient’s progress through his hospital stay and to create additional inpatient capacity. The specificgoal of the BPPI was to decrease length of stay (LOS) on the inpatient adult Hospital Medicine serviceby optimizing an interdisciplinary plan of care and promoting earlier departure of discharged patients.Concurrently, we measured the effects on emergency department (ED) boarding hours per patient andwalkout rates.Results: The BPPI engaged over 300 employed clinicians and non-clinicians in the work. We createdincreased inpatient capacity by implementing daily interdisciplinary bedside rounds to proactively addresspatient progress; during the 24 months, this resulted in a sustained rate of discharge orders writtenbefore noon of more than 50% and a decrease in inpatient LOS of 0.30 days (coefficient: -0.014, 95%CI [-0.023, -0.005] Pl 0.005). Despite the increase in ED patient volumes and severity of illness overthe same time period, ED boarding hours per patient decreased by approximately 2.1 hours (coefficient:-0.09; 95% CI [-0.15, -0.02] P = 0.007). Concurrently, ED walkout rates decreased by nearly 32% to amonthly mean of 0.4 patients (coefficient: 0.4; 95% CI [-0.7, -0.1] P= 0.01).Conclusion: The BPPI realized significant gains in patient progress for adult patients by promotingearlier discharges before noon and decreasing overall inpatient LOS. Concurrently, ED boarding hoursper patient and walkout rates decreased.
On the development of a dual-band 0.18-pm BiCMOS transmit/receive switch for microwave and millimeter-wave array transceivers

A fully integrated 24.5/35-GHz dual-band T/R/Calibration switch module with Q-enhanced filtering function for a concurrent dual-band phased array system is presented. The proposed T/R/Calibration switch module offers internal calibration function with a quasi-elliptic dual-bandpass filtering which is enabled by a Q-enhanced metamaterial transmission line structure. This switch module architecture provides a self-calibration from the farthest end of the proposed dual-band array system maintaining low loss and high-power handling capability.
On α′ precipitate composition in thermally annealed and neutron-irradiated Fe- 9-18Cr alloys

Abstract Ferritic-martensitic steels are leading candidates for many nuclear energy applications. However, formation of nanoscale α′ precipitates during thermal aging at temperatures above 450 °C, or during neutron irradiation at lower temperatures, makes these Fe-Cr steels susceptible to embrittlement. To complement the existing literature, a series of Fe-9 to 18 Cr alloys were neutron-irradiated at temperatures between 320 and 455 °C up to doses of 20 dpa. In addition, post-irradiation annealing treatments at 500 and 600 °C were performed on a neutron-irradiated Fe-18 Cr alloy to validate the α-α′ phase boundary. The microstructures were characterized using atom probe tomography and the results were analyzed in light of the existing literature. Under neutron irradiation and thermal annealing, the measured α′ concentrations ranged from ∼81 to 96 at.% Cr, as influenced by temperature, precipitate size, technique artifacts, and, possibly, cascade ballistic mixing.
IN SITU DELAMINATION OF GRAPHITE/EPOXY COMPOSITE MATERIALS

ABSTRACT In situ delamination of two graphite/epoxy composites has been conducted in the scanning electron microscope to study the effect of rubber particle toughening of the matrix on the micromechanics of fracture. Extensive tearing and microcracking was observed during the fracture. The fractographs indicate that the elastomer contributes significantly to the toughening of the composite by initiating localized deformation and/or microcracking in the vicinity of the particles. A study of coated versus uncoated specimens have proved conclusively that the coating enhances picture quality without introducing any artifacts into the micrographs. The entire delamination sequence has been videotaped off the SEM to provide a dynamic record of the actual fracture process.
A Preliminary Validation of the Suicidal Behavior Exposure Scale.

Objective Research on suicide contagion has suggested that exposure to suicide-related thoughts and behaviors of others promotes one's personal risk for suicide. However, our understanding of the role suicidal exposure plays in the development of suicide risk is underdeveloped. This limited understanding may be due, in part, to the lack of a validated measure of exposure to suicidal behavior. The present study aimed to develop and validate a comprehensive self-report instrument of exposure to suicidal behaviors. Method Using two independent convenience samples of undergraduate students, exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) was performed on a newly developed measure of suicidal exposure. Results Data supported a three-factor model of suicidal exposure: exposure to suicidal communication, direct exposure to suicide deaths and attempts, and indirect exposure to suicide deaths and attempts. Each factor demonstrated positive bivariate associations with depressive symptoms, posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, suicide ideation, and suicide attempt history, suggesting convergent validity. Analyses demonstrated generally acceptable internal consistency. Conclusion This instrument will facilitate the study of suicidal exposure. Further validation of this scale, with attention to its reliability and invariance across gender and other demographic variables in clinically relevant samples, will be important for advancing the assessment of suicidal exposure and understanding its relation to suicide risk.
Adipose-Derived Stem Cells: Characterization and Application in Urology

Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSC) originate from the stromal vascular fraction of adipose tissue. Similar to other types of mesenchymal stem cells, these cells are closely associated with blood vessels, possibly residing in the tunica adventitia. They have the ability to differentiate into various cell types and secrete many trophic factors as well as immunosuppressive molecules. Thus, their therapeutic capacity is believed to be the result of these properties alone or in combination. ADSC have been shown to differentiate into epithelial-like cells when transplanted into kidneys. Their epithelial-like and smooth muscle differentiations in the bladder have also been observed. Treatment of stress urinary incontinence by injecting ADSC into the urethra has been demonstrated in animal models and human patients. Improvement of erectile function in animal models of different types of erectile dysfunction has also been reported.
Oxygen Radical Generation by Asbestos and Its Correlation to Cytotoxicity

Etiologic identification of occupational minerals as pathogenic in humans usually requires epidemiologic, pathologic, toxicologic and animal experimental studies. Epidemiologic studies are often initiated by potential health concerns prompted by cytotoxicity, animal experimentation and/or case reports of overt human health effects. Because we need to know in advance the biosafety of the materials we work with, bioassays and animal experiments to predict the health effects in humans would be of great value. Animal experimental studies are time consuming, relatively expensive and the results are often controversial and difficult to extrapolate to humans due to differences in the responsiveness between species. Disease prediction by cytotoxicity tests would be beneficial because in vitro bioassays are relatively inexpensive, rapidly concluded for the valuable depictions of disease mechanisms and biologic interactions.
Positron emission tomography costs less to patients than conventional screening for malignancy in dermatomyositis

Abstract Background Dermatomyositis (DM) is associated with malignancy and interstitial lung disease. Many malignancies associated with DM occur in organs not routinely screened by national guidelines; thus, best screening practices are still debated. Positron emission tomography (PET) has been suggested as a single study alternative to more complex screening panels and may also be valuable in detecting interstitial lung disease progression. Criticisms of PET screening exams have focused on cost and radiation exposure. Objective To compare the cost of PET and its variants to conventional malignancy screening panels, and to review concerns regarding radiation exposure in PET. Methods Four variants of PET and PET-CT were included in the study. The conventional screening panel was defined as CT of the abdomen and pelvis without contrast, CT of the thorax without contrast, CEA, CA 19.9, PSA (men), mammography (women), transvaginal ultrasound (women), cytopathology (women), and CA 125 (women). The MarketScan® Commercial Claims and Encounters database, a collection of private insurance claims data from 53 million Americans, was queried for every instance of each test from 2005 to 2014 and the mean inflation-adjusted cost of each was recorded. The mean total cost to insurance companies and the mean out-of-pocket costs to patients for PET variants were compared to the costs for conventional panels. Additionally, the cost of pulmonary function tests (PFT) from the same period was evaluated. Results From 2005–2014, the mean inflation-adjusted costs of PET have trended downward, but the mean cost of PET-CT have trended upward. The mean total cost to insurance companies for PET-CT whole body was $730.70 and $537.62 greater than the cost of conventional panels for men and women, respectively. The out-of-pocket patient costs for PET-CT whole body was $109.82 and $111.33 less than the cost of conventional panels for men and women, respectively. The mean total cost of PFT was $205.02. Conclusions The cost of PET-CT whole body was greater than conventional panels for insurance companies, but patient out-of-pocket costs were lower. PET-CT may also have added value in detecting and monitoring interstitial lung disease progression in DM patients. More data are needed on the efficacy of PET-CT in detecting malignancy in DM patients; however, the cost difference is less than expected, suggesting the single scan could be a reasonable alternative to the conventional screening panel in some patients.
Philosophical Métissage and the Decolonization of Difference: Luce Irigaray, Daniel Maximin, and the Elemental Sublime

This article draws on Daniel Maximin’s extended essay on Caribbean identity, Les fruits du cyclone, to open up the potential in Luce Irigaray’s work for a decolonizing, elemental sublime. In so doi...
Diagnosing and mitigating laser preheat induced mix in MagLIF

A series of Magnetized Liner Inertial Fusion (MagLIF) experiments have been conducted in order to investigate the mix introduced from various target surfaces during the laser preheat stage. The material mixing was measured spectroscopically for a variety of preheat protocols by employing mid-atomic number surface coatings applied to different regions of the MagLIF target. The data show that the material from the top cushion region of the target can be mixed into the fuel during preheat. For some preheat protocols, our experiments show that the laser-entrance-hole (LEH) foil used to contain the fuel can be transported into the fuel a significant fraction of the stagnation length and degrade the target performance. Preheat protocols using pulse shapes of a few-ns duration result in the observable LEH foil mix both with and without phase-plate beam smoothing. In order to reduce this material mixing, a new capability was developed to allow for a low energy (∼20 J) laser pre-pulse to be delivered early in time (−20 ns) before the main laser pulse (∼1.5 kJ). In experiments, this preheat protocol showed no indications of the LEH foil mix. The experimental results are broadly in agreement with pre-shot two-dimensional HYDRA simulations that helped motivate the development of the early pre-pulse capability.
Politics, Economics, and Health

Capitalism has contributed to improvements in people’s lives by supporting the growth and availability of scientific advancements in education, research, and technology. It has spurred the growth of urban metropoles and infrastructure, rapid transfer of goods and services, more efficient global connectedness, and innovative conveniences for humans. Advances in diagnostic and treatment technology, pharmacotherapeutics, and genetics are some of the progress supported by capitalism. However, there is an inherent conflict between capitalism that values social inequality and the rights of citizenship upholding equality. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights specified three types of citizenship rights: civil, political and social; the right to health or the right to a standard of living adequate for health and well-being is an important social right. The implementation of the right to health as a right of citizenship creates the tension between two opposing values (social inequality vs. equity). The focus of this chapter is on the critical influence of capitalism, globalization, and politics in the development of the healthcare infrastructure, health inequity, and the struggle to achieve the right to health by world citizens.
Random isn't real: How the patchy distribution of ecological rewards may generate "incentive hope".

Anselme & Gunturkun generate exciting new insights by integrating two disparate fields to explain why uncertain rewards produce strong motivational effects. Their conclusions are developed in a framework that assumes a random distribution of resources, uncommon in the natural environment. We argue that, by considering a realistically clumped spatiotemporal distribution of resources, their conclusions will be stronger and more complete.
Wake Up and Smell the Fusions: Single-Modality Molecular Testing Misses Drivers.

Multi-target assays have become common in clinical molecular diagnostic laboratories. However, all assays, no matter how well-designed, have inherent gaps due to technical and biological limitations. In some clinical cases, testing by multiple methodologies is needed to address these gaps and ensure the most accurate molecular diagnoses.
The Kindie Movement: Independent Children’s Music in the United States Since 2000

This chapter considers the development and expansion of the “kindie” children’s music industry in the United States since 2000. Kindie music has been largely defined by children’s artists’ expansion into a wide range of pop-oriented musical genres and styles, growing outward from indie rock to encompass genres including hip hop, country, R&B, ska, punk, electronic music, and metal that were relatively unrepresented in earlier children’s recordings, by artists such as Laurie Berkner, Dan Zanes, David Weinstone, Recess Monkey, The Okee Dokee Brothers, and others. Critical reception by journalists, parents, and other musicians has largely focused on parental taste, suggesting that previous children’s music offerings (frequently citing Raffi and Barney) had long been unpalatable to adults, but now kindie musicians making music for kids was also acceptable to adults. While these critical discourses are limited and often unfair to earlier musicians, they have provided a remarkably stable and effective rhetoric around which a diverse collection of musicians has cohered and grown. Based on interviews with several dozen musicians, this chapter considers how issues of taste have defined the kindie movement, while offering a critical appraisal of the relationship between musicians, parents and child audiences, developed in kindie recordings, performances, and discourses.
Acupuncture in the Emergency Management of Painful Conditions

A high percentage of patients present to the emergency department for management of painful conditions. It is in society’s interest to provide pain relief without contributing to the ongoing opioid crisis. Acupuncture is an ancient therapy dating from more than 4000 years. It has not historically been shown in rigorous duplicated studies to be effective in the management of acutely painful conditions. More recent literature has shown its promise in the treatment of a variety of defined and common complaints. Nonopioid treatment options for management of moderate to severe acute pain in the emergency department are limited. Recent reports and comparative studies utilizing acupuncture show promise for the emergency care of acute painful conditions.
Cognitief-gedragstherapeutische analyse

De derde component van Stap 1 van het stepped-caremodel (zie fig. II.1 in de inleiding van deel II) is de cognitief-gedragstherapeutische analyse. Deze complexe activiteit is een aanvulling op de formele beoordeling van zelfverwonding die beschreven is in H. 8 en bouwt erop voort. In dit hoofdstuk wordt aan de hand van de in H. 6 besproken biopsychosociale benadering beschreven hoe de analyse van zelfverwonding in zijn werk gaat. Zoals eerder aangegeven omvat de biopsychosociale benadering vijf onderling gerelateerde dimensies die ons helpen zelfverwonding te begrijpen en te behandelen: omgevingsdimensie, biologische dimensie, cognitieve dimensie, affectieve dimensie en gedragsmatige dimensie. De analyse begint met de laatste dimensie – de gedragsmatige dimensie – omdat het belangrijk is om meteen aan het begin een inschatting te maken van de specifieke details van de zelfverwonding. Daarna kan de behandelaar de omstandigheden in kaart gaan brengen die het gedrag in de hand werken en in stand houden.
Designing Material Tools to Mediate Disciplinary Engagement in Environmental Science

Disciplinary activity in science is tool-mediated, and instructional designers often build in opportunities for students to use the conceptual and material tools of the discipline as they engage in...
Scalable Game-Focused Learning of Adversary Models: Data-to-Decisions in Network Security Games

Previous approaches to adversary modeling in network security games (NSGs) have been caught in the paradigm of first building a full adversary model, either from expert input or historical attack data, and then solving the game. Motivated by the need to disrupt the multibillion dollar illegal smuggling networks, such as wildlife and drug trafficking, this paper introduces a fundamental shift in learning adversary behavior in NSGs by focusing the accuracy of the model using the downstream game that will be solved. Further, the paper addresses technical challenges in building such a game-focused learning model by i) applying graph convolutional networks to NSGs to achieve tractability and differentiability and ii) using randomized block updates of the coefficients of the defender's optimization in order to scale the approach to large networks. We show that our game-focused approach yields scalability and higher defender expected utility than models trained for accuracy only.
Social media and community-oriented policing: examining the organizational image construction of municipal police on Twitter and Facebook

Municipal police departments across the United States are under pressure to strengthen relationships with the communities they serve, reinvigorating a discussion about enhancing the community orien...
On Validation of a Two-Surface Plasticity Model for Soil Liquefaction Analysis

Constitutive modeling of granular materials such as sands, non-plastic silts, and gravels has been significantly advanced in the past three decades. Several new constitutive models have been proposed and calibrated to simulate the results of various laboratory element tests. Due to this progress and owing to the surge of interest in geotechnical engineering community to use well-documented constitutive models in major geotechnical projects, a more thorough evaluation of these models is necessary. Performance of the current models should be particularly evaluated in the simulation of boundary value problems where stress/strain paths are much more complex than the element tests performed in laboratory. Such validation efforts will be an important step towards the use of these models in practice. This paper presents the results of an extensive validation study aimed at assessing the capabilities and limitations of a two-surface plasticity model for sands in two selected boundary value problems, i.e. lateral spreading of mildly sloping liquefiable grounds. The results of a large number of centrifuge tests conducted during the course of four consecutive international projects known as Liquefaction Experiments and Analysis Project (LEAP) are used in this validation study. The capabilities and limitations of the two-surface plasticity model, initially calibrated against element tests, will be carefully assessed by comparing the numerical simulations with the results of the centrifuge tests from recent LEAP projects.
Solution Based Cu-Doped Aluminum Oxide as a Back Interface Layer for CdTe Solar Cells

Developing a passivated and low-defect density back contact layer will enable higher efficiency II-VI polycrystalline devices. Here, we report the CdS/CdTe/CuAlOx/Au device structure to increase the open circuit voltage ( $V_{OC}$ ) and fill factor (FF). With careful optimization of the CuAlOx buffer layer reactant concentration, and post annealing time and temperature, our best cell exhibits 14.6% efficiency without a separate Cu doping process ( $V_{OC}=829\ \text{mV}, FF= 78.0\%,\ J_{SC}=22.6\ \text{mA}/\text{cm}^{2}$ ); our controlled device, CdS/CdTe/Cu(CuCl 2 treated)/ Au, shows 13.9% efficiency ( $V_{OC}= 829\ \text{mV},\ FF=75.2\%,J_{SC}=22.3\text{mA}/\text{cm}^{2}$ ).
The cell-level perspective in social conflicts in Dictyostelium discoideum

A recommendation of: Forget, Mathieu; Adiba, Sandrine; De Monte, Silvia Social Conflicts in Dictyostelium discoideum : A Matter of Scales https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-03088868/
König, Arthur Peter 1856–1901

Arthur Peter Konig was born in Krefeld, Germany on September 13, 1856. His father was a teacher; his mother died when he was 2 years old, and he was mainly raised by an aunt. Konig suffered from birth from congenital kyphosis and was physically handicapped. However, he was an excellent pupil. After graduating from gymnasium, he began a merchant’s apprenticeship. Nonetheless, soon he was able to study at the Bonn and Heidelberg Universities and in 1879 at Berlin University where he formed a relationship with one of his professors, Hermann von Helmholtz.
Ultrasonic spine surgery for every thoracic disc herniation: a 43-patient case series and technical note demonstrating safety and efficacy using a partial transpedicular thoracic discectomy with ultrasonic aspiration and ultrasound guidance.

OBJECTIVE Thoracic disc herniations (TDHs) are a challenging pathology. A variety of surgical techniques have been used to achieve spinal cord decompression. This series elucidates the versatility, efficacy, and safety of the partial transpedicular approach with the use of intraoperative ultrasound and ultrasonic aspiration for resection of TDHs of various sizes, locations, and consistencies. This technique can be deployed to safely remove all TDHs. METHODS A retrospective review was performed of patients who underwent a thoracic discectomy via the partial transpedicular approach between January 2014 and December 2020 by a single surgeon. Variables reviewed included demographics, perioperative imaging, and functional outcome scores. RESULTS A total of 43 patients (53.5% female) underwent 54 discectomies. The most common presenting symptoms were myelopathy (86%), motor weakness (72%), and sensory deficit (65%) with a symptom duration of 10.4 ± 11.6 months. A total of 21 (38.9%) discs were fully calcified on imaging and 15 (27.8%) were partially calcified. A total of 36 (66.7%) were giant TDHs (> 40% canal compromise). The average operative time was 197.2 ± 77.1 minutes with an average blood loss of 238.8 ± 250 ml. Six patients required ICU stays. Hospital length of stay was 4.40 ± 3.4 days. Of patients with follow-up MRI, 38 of 40 (95%) disc levels demonstrated 3 months) were maintained or improved for all patients, with 28 (65.1%) patients having an increase of 1 grade or more on their Frankel score. Six (14%) patients required repeat surgery, 2 of which were due to reherniation, 2 were from adjacent-level herniation, and 2 others were from wound problems. Patients with calcified TDHs had similar improvement in Frankel grade compared to patients without calcified TDH. Additionally, improvement in intraoperative neuromonitoring was associated with a greater improvement in Frankel grade. CONCLUSIONS The authors demonstrate a minimally disruptive, posterior approach that uses intraoperative ultrasound and ultrasonic aspiration with excellent outcomes and a complication profile similar to or better than other reported case series. This posterior approach is a valuable complement to the spine surgeon's arsenal for the confident tackling of all TDHs.
University Branding: The Contribution of Intercollegiate Athletics

A recent ESPN campaign included a mock Duke University advertisement that conveyed the significant contribution of intercollegiate athletics to institutional brand equity at even the most prestigious academic institutions. The ad positioned Duke’s athletic feats as more relevant and important to prospective students and their parents than the school’s academic reputation; yet, with the exception of Alessandri (2007), the literature has not explicitly considered the contributions of intercollegiate athletics in building University brands. To date, authors that have studied brand equity in intercollegiate athletics have almost universally considered branding as it relates to building team brand equity (Gladden, Milne & Sutton, 1998; Ross, 2006), as opposed to the contribution of athletic brands to institutional brand equity.