cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Three Tests for Confirmation of the Diagnosis of Heparin Induced Thrombocytopenia.

In a recent two year period only 14% of platelet aggregation tests performed on 230 patients suspected of having heparin induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) were positive. The test (control platelet-rich plasma 0.14 mL, fresh heated patient serum 0.22 mL plus heparin 0.04 mL (1 Unit/mL final concentration) was performed using suitable controls on a commercial 4 channel aggregometer. 20% or greater increase in light transmission was a positive result. We then started a prospective study in which three different tests were done on the serum of each of 96 consecutive Hines Veterans Affairs Hospital patients who were clinically suspected of having HIT. The three tests were: platelet aggregation (PA) (same method as in the earlier study), C 14 serotonin release (standard washed platelet method-SRA) and ELISA (GTI-PF4, Waukeshaw, Wisconsin), all performed on the same serum sample. The SRA and ELISA tests were performed on serum stored at −70°C. Blinded to the test results, a clinical score was determined from the record as HIGH (30% or greater fall in platelet count with recovery within 15 days off heparin), MEDIUM (same criteria but other cause present, or failure to recover platelet counts on continued heparin therapy) or LOW probability (failure to fall at least 30% or to recover from 30% or greater fall within 15 days observation). Results of the clinical scoring and laboratory tests were as follows: Clinical Probabilities: High (n=23), Medium (N=33), Low (n=40). Of the 56 who were High or Medium probability, 41% were High and 59% were Medium probability. Analysis of the results of the laboratory tests for sensitivity and specificity for each category revealed the following: Conclusions: Sensitivity of the PA test was greater than either of the other two tests, with specificities for the PA and SRA being nearly equal. The ELISA test was relatively insensitive and less specific than then other two.
Surface fluid registration and multivariate tensor-based morphometry in newborns - the effects of prematurity on the putamen

Many disorders that affect the brain can cause shape changes in subcortical structures, and these may provide biomarkers for disease detection and progression. Automatic tools are needed to accurately identify and characterize these alterations. In recent work, we developed a surface multivariate tensor-based morphometry analysis (mTBM) to detect morphological group differences in subcortical structures, and we applied this method to study HIV/AIDS, William's syndrome, Alzheimer's disease and prematurity. Here we will focus more specifically on mTBM in neonates, which, in its current form, starts with manually segmented subcortical structures from MRI images of a two subject groups, places a conformal grid on each of their surfaces, registers them to a template through a constrained harmonic map and provides statistical comparisons between the two groups, at each vertex of the template grid. We improve this pipeline in two ways: first by replacing the constrained harmonic map with a new fluid registration algorithm that we recently developed. Secondly, by optimizing the pipeline to study the putamen in newborns.
Lessons from the Front Lines: Factors that Contribute to Turnover among Youth Development Workers

Motivated, competent Youth Development Workers (YDW’s ) are essential to effective youth outreach programs. This study explores factors affecting job turnover among Youth Development Workers (YDW’s) through detailed direct observation and interviews of six YDW’s in four organizations and a group interview with eight different YDW’s. YDW stressors included few resources, high need among youth, paperwork, excessive responsibilities, burnout/cynicism, miscommunication with supervisors, personal financial strain and lack of job security. Workers identified needs for appreciation, support from superiors, opportunities to advance, experienced mentors, resources and role definition. For programs to be effective and minimize turnover, YDW’s require resources, mentorship, role definition and appreciation.
“Soft power” does not always mean “smart power”: an investigation of human terrain teams in Iraq and Afghanistan

This article reviews the promise and actual achievement of Human Terrain Teams (HTTs): the small groups of social scientists that were eventually embedded in every combat brigade in Iraq and Afghanistan. On the basis of interviews with both HTT personnel and their military commanders, this article explores the military’s need for sociocultural information, the ethical issues surrounding research carried out in combat zones, and the tensions between military and social science organizational cultures. The account provides a close, detailed account of HTT activities, offers a critical reflection on the possibilities of creating a “softer”, less violent counterinsurgency, as well as the difficulty of attempting to make war more “intelligent”, discriminating and effective. This article is published as part of a collection on soft power.
Enhancing photocatalytic CO2 reduction by coating an ultrathin Al2O3 layer on oxygen deficient TiO2 nanorods through atomic layer deposition

Abstract In this work, anatase nanorods (ANR) of TiO2 with active facet {100} as the major facet were successfully synthesized, and reducing the ANR by NaBH4 led to the formation of gray colored oxygen deficient TiO2-x (ReANR). On the surface of ReANR, a thin layer of Al2O3 was deposited using atomic layer deposition (ALD), and the thickness of Al2O3 varied by the number of ALD cycles (1, 2, 5, 10, 50, 100, or 200). The growth rate of Al2O3 was determined to be 0.25 A per cycle based on high-resolution TEM analysis, and the XRD result showed the amorphous structure of Al2O3. All the synthesized photocatalysts (ANR, ReANR, and Al2O3 coated ReANR) were tested for CO2 photocatalytic reduction in the presence of water vapor, with CO detected as the major reduction product and CH4 as the minor product. Compared with ANR, ReANR had more than 50% higher CO production and more than ten times higher CH4 production due to the oxygen vacancies that possibly enhanced CO2 adsorption and activation. By applying less than 5 cycles of ALD, the Al2O3 coated ReANR had enhanced overall production of CO and CH4 than uncoated ReANR, with 2 cycles being the optimum, about 40% higher overall production than ReANR. Whereas, both CO and CH4 production decreased with increasing number of ALD cycles when more than 5 cycles were applied. Photoluminescence (PL) analysis showed an ultrathin layer of Al2O3 (2 cycles of ALD) coating on the ReANR was able to reduce the charge carrier recombination rate, likely because of the passivation of surface states. On the other hand, a relatively thick layer of Al2O3 may act as an insulation layer to prohibit electron migration to the catalyst surface. This work gives valuable insights on the application of ALD coating on photocatalysts to promote CO2 photoreduction to fuels.
Applications of Business Analysis Model FIRM

This chapter provides step-by-step instructions for applying the business model FIRM to Home Depot Company using time series of sales, total costs, and total assets for this company. The chapter covers the data used; estimated equations for sales, assets, and profit rate; and forecasts of fundamental business variables, including sales, total costs, total assets, total profits, profit rate, and profit margin. The estimated models are also used for simulations of cost reduction, sales projections, and investment evaluation. Following these steps, managers can readily apply FIRM to their own firm.
Thermodynamics of the System HCl + SmCl3 + H2O from 5 to 55°C. Application of Harned's Rule and the Pitzer Formalism

A comprehensive array of electrochemical cell measurements for the system HCl +SmCl3 + H2O was made from 5 to 55°C using a cell without liquid junction ofthe type:Pt; H2(g, 1 atm)|HCl (m A) + SmCl3 (m B)|AgCl, Ag (A)The present study, unlike previous studies of trivalent ions, are not complicatedby hydrolysis reactions. Measurements of the emf were performed for solutionsat constant total ionic strengths of 0.025, 0.05, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5,and 3.0 mol-kg−1. The mean activity coefficients of HCl (γHCl) in the mixtureswere calculated using the Nernst equation. All the experimental emf measurements(about 850) were first treated in terms of the simpler Harned's rule. Harnedinteraction coefficients (αAB and βAB) were calculated. The linear form of Harned'srule is valid for most ionic strengths, but quadratic terms are needed at I = 1.5and 3 mol-kg−1. The Pitzer model was used to evaluate the activity coefficientsusing literature values, β(0), β(1), and C φ, for HCl from 0 to 50°C and 25°C forSmCl3. The effect of temperature on the parameters for SmCl3 has been estimatedusing enthalpy and heat-capacity data. The mixing parameter ΘH,Sm wasdetermined at 25°C. The addition of the ΨH,Sm,Cl coefficient did not improve the fitsignificantly and no temperature dependence was found to be significant. Thevalue of ΘH,Sm = 0.2 ± 0.01 represented the values of γHCl with a standarddeviation of σ = 0.009 over the entire range of temperatures and ionic strength.The use of higher-order electrostatic effects (EΘH,Sm, EΘH,Sm) was included as itgave a better fit of the activity coefficients of HCl.
A new algorithm for a class of deterministic drift counteraction optimal control problems

A new algorithm is presented to solve a class of deterministic drift counteraction optimal control (DCOC) problems for nonlinear discrete-time systems. The objective is to find a control policy that maximizes the time until the system violates prescribed constraints for the first time. We analyze convergence of the algorithm and show that it is more accurate compared to the conventional value iteration algorithm from dynamic programming. Two numerical DCOC examples of a forced van der Pol oscillator and of north-south station keeping of a geostationary satellite are reported.
Knowing, Doing and Being

In this chapter I will not talk about knowledge theory but only try to put knowledge theory in the proper perspective. Knowing is not the only activity of the human individual, and if we start by seeing it in relation to his other activities we may gain a better approach to it.
[Enzyme studies of synovial fluid from osteoarthritis knee joints (author's transl)].

Bei 40 Patienten, die wegen einer Meniskopathie, begleitet von einer unterschiedlich stark ausgepragten Arthrose am Kniegelenk, operiert wurden, konnten die Werte der Lactatdehydrogenase-Gesamtaktivitat (LDH-T) und der LDH-H-Isoenzyme bestimmt werden. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, das schwere Arthrosen ohne begleitende synovitische Reaktion und Falle mit inaktiven, chronifizierten Synovitiden geringe, Befunde mit klinisch und makroskopisch-anatomisch aktiven Synovitiden (einschlieslich sogenannter aktivierter Arthrosen) hohe LDH-Gesamtaktivitaten aufwiesen. Fernerhin fand sich durchwegs ein Uberwiegen der LDH-H-Isoenzyme als Zeichen einer aeroben Stoffwechsellage.
"You've Been Disciplined": Graduate Academic Writing as Social Practice

This essay describes a doctoral-level rhetoric and composition writing assignment that aims to help students transition from their identities as students to their identities as scholars. With an emphasis on academic writing as social practice, the assignment asks graduate students to analyze the intellectual moves scholars make in the context of a specific and detailed conversation in any subfield of English Studies. The essay shares the responses of two graduate students, one specializing in children's literature and one in literary and cultural studies, and argues that the process of joining any disciplinary conversation is complex and deserves explicit instruction.
Surgical management of functional constipation: An intermediate report of a new approach using a laparoscopic sigmoid resection combined with malone appendicostomy.

Abstract Introduction We previously reported our surgical technique for functional constipation for patients who have failed medical management using a novel collaborative approach with gastroenterology input, pre-operative contrast enema, colonic manometry, and laxative protocol combined with a laparoscopic colonic resection with Malone appendicostomy. Now we report our intermediate outcomes. Methods Patients who failed bowel management program for functional constipation were reviewed from 3/2014–2/2017. Patients with Hirschsprung disease, anorectal malformation, tethered cord, spina bifida, Trisomy 21, cerebral palsy, mitochondrial disease, or prior colon resection were excluded. Results Of 31 patients (14 females; median age 12years, follow-up 10.3months) with functional constipation and failed medical management, 26 (84%) had preoperative colonic manometry which, in addition to the contrast enema, guided laparoscopic colon resection. Ten patients (32.3%) are clean with no flushes (1 takes no laxatives, 8 are on low dose laxatives only, and 1 patient was clean on laxatives but chose to switch back to flushes). Of the 21 patients that remain on antegrade flushes, 20 (95.2%) are clean, and one patient (4.8%) continues to soil. We define clean as no soiling and no abnormal stool burden on x-ray. Laxative trials are planned for all patients on an antegrade flush regimen. Conclusion Our intermediate results show that laparoscopic colon resection with Malone appendicostomy allows the majority of patients to be clean on antegrade flushes, and some to be on no or minimal laxatives. Type of study Retrospective review. Level of Evidence 3
A Practical Approach for Interpreting Multivariate T2 Control Chart Signals

A persistent problem in multivariate control chart procedures is the interpretation of a signal. Determining which variable or group of variables is contributing to the signal can be a difficult task fo rthe practitioner. However, a procedure for decomp..
A Pathways Approach to Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex and typically chronic illness, producing a wide variety of symptoms and following an unpredictable course. SLE is an auto-immune condition, commonly affecting the skin, joints, kidneys, the brain, and other organs. This chapter describes the application of a multi-level integrative care plan, following the Pathways Model, to assist a patient with SLE in managing and moderating symptoms, and improving quality of life. The patient, Mary Anne, was a 33-year-old female nurse, with a 14-year history of living with SLE. Her initial response to her diagnosis of lupus was biomedical, with a passive reliance on a wide range of medications, and an increasingly inactive, sedentary lifestyle. Along with lupus she developed obesity, hypertension, migraine, sleep disturbance, depression, and anxiety. Her rheumatologist referred her for behavioral health interventions to help her learn non-pharmacologic forms of pain management and motivate her for illness self-management for her chronic conditions. The interventions were organized according to the three levels of the Pathways Model, developed by McGrady and Moss (Pathways to illness, pathways to health. New York, NY: Springer, 2013), and included: Level One—movement, sleep hygiene, and mindful eating; Level Two—Aquatherapy, an illness self-management support group, and a mindfulness class; and Level Three—heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback, self-hypnosis training with healing imagery, a nutritional consultation, and a sleep medicine program. This patient mastered excellent skills with self-hypnosis, paced breathing, and HRV biofeedback. She increased physical activity and modified her diet. At the 3-year point, she reported less frequent pain and joint swelling, less nausea and sick feeling, moderate improvement in sleep, and less frequent and less severe Lupus “flares.”
Preeclampsia: Acute Complications and Management Priorities

Acute complications of preeclampsia contribute substantially to maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. The considerable variation in onset, clinical presentation, and severity of this hypertensive disease that is unique to pregnancy creates challenges in identifying risk factors for clinical deterioration. Delivery of the fetus remains the only definitive treatment for preeclampsia. Surveillance of signs and symptoms and laboratory parameters consistent with progression in severity requires an appreciation of the dynamic and progressive nature of the disease. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the pathophysiology of preeclampsia, setting the foundation for discussion of management priorities for acute complications that pose the greatest risks to maternal health.
Defining the Role Of Language in Infants' Object Categorization with Eye-tracking Paradigms

Assessing infant category learning is a challenging but vital aspect of studying infant cognition. By employing a familiarization-test paradigm, we straightforwardly measure infants’ success in learning a novel category while relying only on their looking behavior. Moreover, the paradigm can directly measure the impact of different auditory signals on the infant categorization across a range of ages. For instance, we assessed how 2-year-olds learn categories in a variety of labeling environments: in our task, 2-year-olds successfully learned categories when all exemplars were labeled or the first two exemplars were labeled, but they failed to categorize when no exemplars were labeled or only the final two exemplars were labeled. To determine infants’ success in such tasks, researchers can examine both the overall preference displayed by infants in each condition and infants’ pattern of looking over the course of the test phase, using an eye-tracker to provide fine-grained time-course data. Thus, we present a powerful paradigm for identifying the role of language, or any auditory signal, in infants’ object category learning.
Investigation of Oxazine and Rhodamine Derivatives as Peripheral Nerve Tissue Targeting Contrast Agent for In Vivo Fluorescence Imaging

Accidental nerve transection or injury is a significant morbidity associated with many surgical interventions, resulting in persistent postsurgical numbness, chronic pain, and/or paralysis. Nerve-sparing can be a difficult task due to patient-to-patient variability and the difficulty of nerve visualization in the operating room. Fluorescence image-guided surgery to aid in the precise visualization of vital nerve structures in real time during surgery could greatly improve patient outcomes. To date, all nerve-specific contrast agents emit in the visible range. Developing a near-infrared (NIR) nerve-specific fluorophore is poised to be a challenging task, as a NIR fluorophore must have enough "double-bonds" to reach the NIR imaging window, contradicting the requirement that a nerve-specific agent must have a relatively low molecular weight to cross the blood-nerve-barrier (BNB). Herein we report our efforts to investigate the molecular characteristics for the nerve-specific oxazine fluorophores, as well as their structurally analogous rhodamine fluorophores. Specifically, optical properties, physicochemical properties and their in vivo nerve specificity were evaluated herein.
Demographic, Behavioral, and Geographic Differences Between Men, Transmen, and Transwomen Currently on PrEP, Former PrEP Users, and Those Having Never Used PrEP.

Many recent studies have compared men currently taking pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to men not taking PrEP. However, less is known about demographic, behavioral, and geographic characteristics of men formerly, but not currently, taking PrEP. Using a 2017–2018 U.S. national, internet-based sample (n = 10,504) of men, transmen, and transwomen who have sex with men, we compared three groups based on their PrEP experiences. Results highlight individual-level financial and geo-contextual barriers to PrEP use that can inform prevention efforts to improve PrEP initiation and continuation for both PrEP-naive and PrEP-experienced individuals, respectively.
A Vision towards Pervasive Edge Computing

This talk presents an emerging pervasive edge computing paradigm where heterogeneous mobile edge devices (e.g., smartphones, tablets, IoT and vehicles) can collaborate to sense, process data and create many novel applications at network edge. We propose a data centric design where data become self-sufficient entities that are stored, referenced independently from their producers. This enables us to design efficient and robust data discovery, retrieval and caching mechanisms. The future research agenda including scalable data discovery, cache management, autonomous processing, trust, security and privacy, incentives and semantic data naming) will be discussed.
Role of electrolyte concentrations and renin-angiotensin-aldosterone activation in the staging of canine heart disease.

Background Refractory congestive heart failure (CHF) and associated diuretic resistance are not well defined. Objectives To characterize renal function, electrolyte concentrations, indices of diuretic efficacy, and renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) activation in dogs with naturally occurring heart disease (HD) in American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine stages B1, B2, C, and D and to determine their usefulness in defining HD stages. Animals Group 1:149 dogs with HD stages B1, B2, C, and D. Group 2:22 dogs with HD stages C and D. Methods Group 1: Renal parameters, serum and urine electrolyte and diuretic concentrations, and urine aldosterone concentrations were measured. Medication dosages and measured variables were compared among stages. Correlation of furosemide dosages to serum concentrations was explored. Group 2: Angiotensin-converting enzyme activity and RAAS components were measured and compared among CHF stages. Results Serum chloride concentration was the best differentiator of HD stage. Furosemide PO dosages (≤6 mg/kg/day) were weakly correlated with serum furosemide concentrations, whereas higher dosages were not significantly correlated. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor dosage and RAAS inhibition were greater in stage D, compared to stage C dogs. Conclusions and clinical importance Hypochloremia is a useful marker for stage D HD in dogs. Poor furosemide dosage correlation to serum concentration may indicate variable and poor absorption, especially at higher dosages, advanced disease, or both. A small number of stage D dogs met proposed criteria for diuretic resistance. Greater RAAS inhibition in stage D versus stage C indicates effectiveness of RAAS-suppressive treatments in this group of dogs with refractory CHF.
Estrogen activates Alzheimer's disease genes

Introduction: Women are at increased risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD), but the reason why remains unknown. One hypothesis is that low estrogen levels at menopause increases vulnerability to AD, but this remains unproven. Methods: We compared neuronal genes upregulated by estrogen in ovariectomized female rhesus macaques with a database of >17,000 diverse gene sets and applied a rare variant burden test to exome sequencing data from 1208 female AD patients with the age of onset < 75 years and 2162 female AD controls. Results: We found a striking overlap between genes upregulated by estrogen in macaques and genes downregulated in the human postmortem AD brain, and we found that estrogen upregulates the APOE gene and that progesterone acts antagonistically to estrogen genome-wide. We also found that female patients with AD have excess rare mutations in the early menopause gene MCM8. Discussion: We show with genomic data that the menopausal loss of estrogen could underlie the increased risk for AD in women.
AN UNUSUAL CARDIAC ARREST: MULTIFACTORIAL TORSADES DE POINTES

Torsades de Pointes (TdP) is a form of polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (pVT) characterized by prolongation of the QT interval and oscillation of the QRS around the electrical base. TdP is considered to be driven by early afterdepolarizations rather than ischemia, unlike other forms of pVT.
High-priority drug-drug interaction clinical decision support overrides in a newly implemented commercial computerized provider order-entry system: Override appropriateness and adverse drug events.

Objective The study sought to determine frequency and appropriateness of overrides of high-priority drug-drug interaction (DDI) alerts and whether adverse drug events (ADEs) were associated with overrides in a newly implemented electronic health record. Materials and methods We conducted a retrospective study of overridden high-priority DDI alerts occurring from April 1, 2016, to March 31, 2017, from inpatient and outpatient settings at an academic health center. We studied highest-severity DDIs that were previously designated as "hard stops" and additional high-priority DDIs identified from clinical experience and literature review. All highest-severity alert overrides (n = 193) plus a stratified random sample of additional overrides (n = 371) were evaluated for override appropriateness, using predetermined criteria. Charts were reviewed to identify ADEs for overrides that resulted in medication administration. A chi-square test was used to compare ADE rate by override appropriateness. Results Of 16 011 alerts presented to providers, 15 318 (95.7%) were overridden, including 193 (87.3%) of the highest-severity DDIs and 15 125 (95.8%) of additional DDIs. Override appropriateness was 45.4% overall, 0.5% for highest-severity DDIs and 68.7% for additional DDIs. For alerts that resulted in medication administration (n = 423, 75.0%), 29 ADEs were identified (6.9%, 5.1 per 100 overrides). The rate of ADEs was higher with inappropriate vs appropriate overrides (9.4% vs 4.3%; P = .038). Conclusions The override rate was nearly 90% for even the highest-severity DDI alerts, indicating that stronger suggestions should be made for these alerts, while other alerts should be evaluated for potential suppression.
The effect of 800 MeV proton irradiation on the mechanical properties of tungsten

For the Accelerator Production of Tritium (APT) and the Accelerator Driven Transmutation Facility (ADTF), tungsten is being proposed as a target material to produce neutrons. Previous work has shown that the mechanical properties of tungsten are degraded from irradiation in a fission neutron flux but little work has been performed on the irradiation of tungsten in a high energy proton beam. In this study, tungsten rods were irradiated at the 800 MeV Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) proton accelerator for six months. To avoid corrosion during irradiation, the rods were slip fit with thin (0.25 mm thick) 304L stainless steel (SS) or (0.125 mm thick) annealed Alloy 718 tubing. After irradiation to a maximum dose in the tungsten of 23.3 dpa at Tirr = 50‐270 ◦ C, the clad rods were opened in the hot cells and the tungsten was removed. The tungsten was then sliced into short compression specimens (∼ 3 mm long). Hardness tests and compression tests were performed on the tungsten rods to assess the effect of irradiation on their mechanical properties. Results show an increase in hardness with dose and irradiation temperature and an increase in yield stress with dose.
Robo-Tipping: Are Customers Game?

This study sought to investigate customer attitudes towards tipping robotic employees in bars. A convenience sample of participants who were 21 years of age or older and who had patronized a bar was recruited using Amazon’s Mechanical Turk platform. Of the 102 usable responses, only 15 participants had experienced robotic bartender service. Only 11 individuals (10.8%) in total said they would tip a robot; 10 of those were respondents who had acutally experienced robotic bartenders, representing 67% of that subsample. Participants listed efficiency and required maintenance as reasons for giving a tip to a robotic bartender. Out of 91 respondents who initially declined to tip a robotic bartender, 38 study participants (41.8%) agreed to tip if they knew that the collected funds would go to human employees. However, in the same group of respondents, only 14 (15.4%) agreed to tip in the scenario when tipping would serve as a learning experience for a robot to understand customer preferences. The rationale for not tipping included such reasoning as robots are machines that do not need extra income and cannot appreciate the gesture. This study suggests that explaining how the collected funds will be used may positively impact consumer intentions to tip a robotic bartender. This extra revenue may help offset the cost of the robot, and subsequently lower the prices of the drinks served at a robotic bar, thus making the product more affordable for a wider audience.
Argon Plasma Coagulation: Elucidation of the Mechanism of Gas Embolism.

Background Argon plasma coagulation (APC) is a tool used in the management of tracheobronchial obstruction or bleeding. Complications include gas embolism which can cause devastating effects including hemodynamic instability, cardiac arrest, and stroke. Multiple theories as to how gas embolism occurs with APC have been postulated; however, none have identified the exact mechanism. Objectives To identify the mechanism by which APC causes gas embolism in the tracheobronchial tree. Methods Using an explanted porcine tracheobronchial tree with lung parenchyma, the APC catheter was applied through noncontact and direct contact to the endobronchial airway mucosa via flexible bronchoscopy. This was done at multiple gas flow settings and pulse durations. Visual changes in the mucosa were photographed, videoed, and described. Results Gross evidence of submucosal gas transfer occurred when the APC catheter was in direct contact with the mucosa at all gas flow settings in all applications, despite using shorter pulse durations. Whenever the catheter was not in contact with the mucosa, there was no transfer of gas at any gas flow setting or pulse duration. Conclusions Direct mucosal contact with the APC probe leads to submucosal gas deposition and is a likely mechanism for gas entry into the intravascular space. In reported cases of APC-associated gas embolism, presence of a vascularized endobronchial tumor may have increased the risk of gas tracking into the intravascular space. Care should be taken when applying APC during brisk bleeding or limited vision, as inadvertent mucosal contact may occur and could increase the risk of gas embolism.
Engagement With the Plan of Care Among Older Adults With Multiple Cardiac Diagnoses.

Aging adults depend on complex treatment plans to manage chronic conditions, yet little is known about their ability to perform the sophisticated behaviors required of technologically engaged patie...
A herpetofauna with dramatic endemism signals an overlooked biodiversity hotspot

The Milne Bay Region of southeasternmost Papua New Guinea comprises a small portion of mainland New Guinea and several offshore islands, totaling 15,000 km2 in land area. I numerically summarize the literature and findings from my field surveys of the region's herpetofauna and show that it contains the greatest known assemblage of range-restricted endemic herpetofauna globally for such a small area. Further, most of these species occupy only one or two of 11 small areas of local endemism within the region. I compare the number and density of endemic herpetofauna in the Milne Bay Region to other regions of notable endemic biodiversity and find it to be far larger than that in the large majority of these other "hotspots", despite the much larger sizes of those areas. Herpetofaunal surveys within the Milne Bay Region are more complete than for other taxa, but it is clear that this region holds a large trove of range-restricted endemic species within less well-studied groups too. The driver of this endemic diversity is the ongoing geological dismemberment and uplift of the region resulting from the opening of the Woodlark Rift. Prior ignorance of the biodiversity importance of this region stems from decades of classifying New Guinea as a "tropical wilderness area", which has deprived that region of the conservation focus accorded the more famous "hotspots". One effect of this is that some of the areas of local endemism identified here are under immediate pressure for habitat conversion, especially Woodlark Island, which is threatened by both mining and virtually complete conversion to oil palm, posing a high extinction risk for scores of endemic species.
Teachers' Content Knowledge and Pedagogical Beliefs Regarding the Use of African American English.

Purpose In order to provide appropriate and effective assessment and instructional activities, teachers are encouraged to develop their cultural competency. Although speech-language pathologists (S...
Rewards versus Imprisonment: The Impact of Choice

Imprisonment and monetary rewards for non-convictions can similarly incentivize potential offenders to refrain from committing crime. Although imprisonment is expensive, it may still enjoy a cost advantage over rewards. This is because only detected criminals are imprisoned, whereas rewards need to be provided to the remaining, much larger, population. In this article I demonstrate that the possible cost disadvantages of rewards are mitigated when people are offered a choice between an enforcement scheme involving no rewards and another involving rewards coupled with longer imprisonment sentences. Specifically, by using rewards in this manner, one can jointly reduce crime, time served per convict, and the tax burden of the criminal justice system, under the same conditions as one could by introducing rewards without choice in an environment where there is perfect detection. Moreover, monetary rewards provide incentives through wealth transfers, but imprisonment operates by destroying wealth. This leads choice based reward regimes to be optimal unless the imprisonment elasticity of deterrence is higher than is empirically observed.
Morphological Landscapes from High Content Imaging Reveal Cytokine Priming Strategies that Enhance Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Immunosuppression.

Successful clinical translation of mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) products has not been achieved in the United States and may be in large part due to MSC functional heterogeneity. Efforts have been made to identify 'priming' conditions that produce MSCs with consistent immunomodulatory function; however, challenges remain with predicting and understanding how priming impacts MSC behavior. The purpose of this study was to develop a high throughput, image-based approach to assess MSC morphology in response to combinatorial priming treatments and establish morphological profiling as an effective approach to screen the effect of manufacturing changes (i.e. priming) on MSC immunomodulation. We characterized the morphological response of multiple MSC lines/passages to an array of Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha (TNF-⍺) priming conditions, as well as the effects of priming on MSC modulation of activated T cells and MSC secretome. Although considerable functional heterogeneity, in terms of T cell suppression, was observed between different MSC lines and at different passages, this heterogeneity was significantly reduced with combined IFN-γ/TNF-⍺ priming. The magnitude of this change correlated strongly with multiple morphological features and was also reflected by MSC secretion of immunomodulatory factors e.g. PGE2, ICAM-1, and CXCL16. Overall, this study further demonstrates the ability of priming to enhance MSC function, as well as the ability of morphology to better understand MSC heterogeneity and predict changes in function due to manufacturing. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
“We Overwhelm Them with Hope”: How Online Mentors Can Support Online Learners

This survey research study analyzed responses from 143 mentors from around the world participating in a global higher education initiative. Results confirmed the effectiveness of four mentoring domains identified in the literature, reporting the most success from providing emotional and psychological support for students. This article provides mentoring strategies including student goal setting, identifies characteristics of an online role model, and shows the importance of online mentors’ confidence in students gaining technology skills. The study has additionally contributed to the literature supporting (a) benefits of online mentoring for nontraditional students, (b) influence of technology on mentoring challenges, and (c) role assumption in online mentoring. Additionally, the study provided a literature review of the background of online mentoring and mentoring practices, the benefits and challenges of online mentoring, and lessons learned from research. This work presents a comprehensive understanding of online mentoring, providing support for mentors seeking to improve their performance as well as recommendations for creating mentoring programs to improve organizations.
5 Reversing Myxococcus xanthus Polarity

Colonies of Myxococcus xanthus on the surface of agar spread outward, and genetic studies of motility began with the isolation of mutants having abnormal spreading patterns. Motile strains can produce slime from either end and simply switch the producing end when they reverse. Bipolar slime secretion suggested that by trying to move in both directions simultaneously, cells were unable to make progress in either. A movie of single cells reversing, made by Lars Jelsbak, shows that cells simply stop momentarily before moving off in the opposite direction. How C-signaling gives rise to two different reversal patterns is explained by the signal transduction circuit. Rosa Yu isolated and characterized many new null-motility mutants and from the mutant phenotypes was able to draw two general conclusions about A-motility. First, all of her mutant strains that retained some A-motility, including mglB mutants, produced slime only at one end of each cell. The second conclusion was that mglA and all other “nonmotile” mutants that she had detected were secreting slime from both ends. The author suggests that the rapid reversals of mglA mutants are not due to signals from the reversal generator but are a statistical consequence of active slime secretion from both ends. For example, pilA, which encodes the pilin monomer, is one of the most highly transcribed genes in M. xanthus. The mechanism of gliding reversal that is proposed in this chapter explains how Mgl is shared by two engines that have no protein molecules in common.
The "Nationalization" of the Bank of Nova Scotia, 1880-1910

Surprisingly little attention has been paid to the role of capital in the economic history of the Maritimes. Some general information may be gleaned from the official histories of the Bank of Nova Scotia, the Royal Bank of Canada, and the Canadian Bank of Commerce,1 and several recent studies have provided insight into the fortunes of some of the region's smaller banks.2 The significance of finance capital in regional development has been most forcefully underlined by T.W. Acheson and R.T. Naylor, who have advanced some provocative generalizations about the role of the banks in the industrialization of the Maritimes. Acheson has argued that the Maritimes lacked institutions prepared to finance large-scale industrialization, and as a result the responsibility for undertaking industrial investment was thrown largely on the shoulders of individual entrepreneurs. Industrialization therefore took place in the smaller towns of the region, with only limited involvement by Halifax and Saint John businessmen and banks.3 Similarly, Naylor has argued that the larger banks retained a "commercial" orientation and that while the financing of industrialization was undertaken by smaller local banks, the major banks promoted the flow of capital out of the Maritimes and into the Canadian west and the Caribbean, thereby starving local industry of needed capital.4 For most of the critical years in the industrialization of the Maritimes, the three decades from 1880 to 1910, the Bank of Nova Scotia was the largest and most influential banking institution in the region. A close examination of the bank's lending practices during this period casts doubt on the conclusion that the
Galaxy interactions and the stimulation of nuclear activity

The author discusses the idea that interactions between galaxies can lead to enhanced galactic activity. He discusses whether, apart from the observational evidence, there is a strong theoretical or heuristic motivation for investigating galaxy interactions as stimulators of nuclear activity in galaxies. Galactic interactions as mechanisms for triggering nuclear starbursts are covered.
Altered trans-Activational Properties of a Mutated WT1 Gene Product in a WAGR-associated Wilms' Tumor

WAGR syndrome is an acronym for a rare constellation of congenital abnormalities including predisposition to Wilms' tumor, Aniridia, Genitourinary malformations, and mental Retardation. These congenital defects are associated with a constitutional deletion affecting one copy of chromosome band 11p13, implicating the loss of one allele from a number of contiguous genes in this syndrome. Predisposition to Wilms' tumor and genitourinary abnormalities have been attributed to hemizygosity for the WT1 tumor suppressor gene, a transcriptional repressor that is normally expressed transiently during kidney development. Here we show that a Wilms' tumor arising in a child with WAGR syndrome contained a point mutation within the remaining WT1 allele. This mutation resulted in a glycine to aspartic acid substitution within the putative trans-activation domain of WT1, converting the encoded protein from a transcriptional repressor to an activator of its target DNA sequence. Thus, a critical amino acid substitution can alter the functional properties of WT1 and provide the "second hit" required for Wilms tumorigenesis.
On Zion's Mount: Mormons, Indians, and the American Landscape

Reviewed Medium: book Authors: Jared Farmer Year: 2008 Pages: 472 Publisher: Harvard University Press ISBN: 978-0-674-02767-1 (hard cover). Prices: $29.95 USD(hard cover).
Simulation of multiconductor transmission lines by Pade approximation via the Lanczos process

We introduce a mathematical model for lossy, multiconductor transmission lines that makes possible the use of the Pade approximation via the Lanczos (PVL) process to the analysis of complex linear networks that contain multiple transmission line systems. Results from numerical experiments are presented to demonstrate the validity and discuss the efficiency of the proposed model.
A measurement of the albedo of thick cirrus clouds at 3.9 μm

[1] Cirrus (ice) clouds are often semitransparent (transmittance greater than zero, but less than one), which makes it difficult to measure fundamental cloud properties, such as albedo. This paper explores a way to measure the albedo of thick cirrus clouds (zero transmittance) at 3.9 μm using GOES Imager data. In brief, the 10.7 μm GOES data are used to separate the cirrus clouds into temperature classes. Then the measured 3.9 μm radiance is plotted against the cosine of the solar zenith angle. A theoretical relationship between radiance and solar zenith angle is used to extract the albedo. The result is that thick cirrus clouds have an albedo of 1.08% ± 0.05% at 3.9 μm. The albedo of thick cirrus is a step toward the measurement of the transmittance of thin cirrus.
Assessing the Advisory Centre on WTO Law from a Broader Governance Perspective

This paper is for a symposium on the Tenth Anniversary of the Advisory Centre on WTO Law (ACWL). The paper places the ACWL in the broader context of international trade law governance. It notes that although the ACWL is quite different than the WTO Appellate Body in presenting legal arguments as opposed to issuing rulings, it plays an analogous role in two respects. First, it enhances the legitimacy of the WTO dispute settlement system through facilitating developing country access to it, thus increasing the law’s normative force. Second, it helps to clarify WTO rules to developing country policymakers in providing them with legal opinions, and thus helps to ensure that the rules are understood and followed across the WTO membership. In its ten years, the ACWL has become an important institution in these two respects — dispute settlement and analysis of measures’ consistency with WTO rules, including a member’s own.
SU‐E‐J‐128: Two‐Stage Atlas Selection in Multi‐Atlas‐Based Image Segmentation

Purpose: In the new era of big data, multi-atlas-based image segmentation is challenged by heterogeneous atlas quality and high computation burden from extensive atlas collection, demanding efficient identification of the most relevant atlases. This study aims to develop a two-stage atlas selection scheme to achieve computational economy with performance guarantee. Methods: We develop a low-cost fusion set selection scheme by introducing a preliminary selection to trim full atlas collection into an augmented subset, alleviating the need for extensive full-fledged registrations. More specifically, fusion set selection is performed in two successive steps: preliminary selection and refinement. An augmented subset is first roughly selected from the whole atlas collection with a simple registration scheme and the corresponding preliminary relevance metric; the augmented subset is further refined into the desired fusion set size, using full-fledged registration and the associated relevance metric. The main novelty of this work is the introduction of an inference model to relate the preliminary and refined relevance metrics, based on which the augmented subset size is rigorously derived to ensure the desired atlases survive the preliminary selection with high probability. Results: The performance and complexity of the proposed two-stage atlas selection method were assessed using a collection of 30more » prostate MR images. It achieved comparable segmentation accuracy as the conventional one-stage method with full-fledged registration, but significantly reduced computation time to 1/3 (from 30.82 to 11.04 min per segmentation). Compared with alternative one-stage cost-saving approach, the proposed scheme yielded superior performance with mean and medium DSC of (0.83, 0.85) compared to (0.74, 0.78). Conclusion: This work has developed a model-guided two-stage atlas selection scheme to achieve significant cost reduction while guaranteeing high segmentation accuracy. The benefit in both complexity and performance is expected to be most pronounced with large-scale heterogeneous data.« less
Design and optimization of a new actively compensated filter

The paper presents a new actively compensated filter, which is a modified form of an existing active filter. Design guidelines are developed to eliminate its first order sensitivity and to reduce the second order sensitivity through optimization. PSPICE simulations and experimental results are provided to prove the theoretical predictions. Simulation and experimental results also show that, by choosing proper op. amps., the new circuit can be used to realize filters at very high frequencies in the order of a few hundreds of kHz. >
New Measures to Assess Attitudes and Intended Behaviors of Paid Caregivers toward Sexuality of Adults with Developmental Disabilities

Keywords: attitudes, staff, sexuality, sexual behavior, relationships, developmental disabilities Background: Attitudes that paid residential caregivers have about the sexuality of clients with developmental disabilities may impact adequate and appropriate care as well as the rights of clients in residential settings. The purpose of the study was to develop two surveys to assess attitudes and intended behaviors of staff who work with individuals with developmental disabilities. Materials & Methods: A survey to measure attitudes and one to measure behavior were developed, piloted, and validated through a test-retest process and use of a previously developed survey that contained language that was dated and inconsistent. Results: Both surveys were found to be reliable and valid, and attitudes and intended behaviors were found to be significantly correlated. Conclusions: The development of reliable and valid tools to assess attitudes and intended behaviors of caregivers is important for establishing appropriate training, policy, and procedures for handling sexuality-related issues with clients with developmental disabilities.