cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Improved First-Order Parameterized Statistical Timing Analysis for Handling Slew and Capacitance Variation

With shrinking process node sizes, the inherent effect of process variations is playing an increasingly larger factor in defining the behavior of a circuit. Conventional static timing analysis (STA) using best case/worst case analysis (BC-WC) is overly pessimistic in many cases, and could also be optimistic in some cases. This has resulted in the promotion of statistical static timing analysis (SSTA) as a method for estimating yield of a circuit in terms of timing activities. SSTA provides a robust and tractable framework where the variations of the process parameter space can be captured in one analysis and the results of the analysis can be used to predict the yield of the design (with respect to timing), along with other reports of interest such as the probability of a net being critical. A popular technique for SSTA is the first-order parameterized approach where sensitivities of the timing activities to process parameter variations are propagated through the circuit, and the probability distributions of timing activities are computed at points of interest based on these sensitivities. In this paper, we describe a methodology for taking into account the effect of input slew and output load sensitivities on path arrival sensitivities. In this paper we also describe how slew sensitivities can be propagated and provide analytical expressions for the same. We also provide experimental results to show the increase in accuracy obtained as compared with Monte-Carlo analysis
How Does Hispanic Portrayal in Children's Books Measure Up After 40 Years? The Answer Is “It Depends.”

This research synthesis examines 21 content-analysis studies conducted between 1966 and 2003 that focused on Hispanic portrayal in children's books. Specifically, it looks at how the literature has evolved in terms of amount of representation, characters' roles, and stereotyping. Findings vary by book type, Hispanic subgroup, and comparative reference points, but overall they suggest there are currently more books with Hispanic characters and themes. However, relative to Hispanic presence in the United States today versus 40 years ago, proportionate portrayal in children's literature has lost ground. Noted improvements include less stereotyping, particularly for Mexican American and male characters. More progress is needed in the portrayal of Hispanics with disabilities and other exceptionalities and of those at varied socioeconomic levels, in upper-class neighborhoods, and in leadership roles in homes and professions. New instructional uses are noted for the books, which increasingly contain special features (e.g., glossaries, author notes) and additional linguistic components (e.g., interlingual text, dual-language text). Websites and other resources are recommended for locating criteria useful in judging book quality, specific names of award-winning book titles, and a framework for Latino literature study. The author concludes that while improvement in Hispanic portrayal is evident, more progress is needed.
The Use of Reconstituted High-Moisture Corn in Diets of Laying Hens

Abstract WEATHER conditions during the harvest season determine whether the crop will dry normally or whether the grain will retain high moisture content and require mechanical drying before it can be stored. The large discount prices on high moisture corn would make it a very attractive feed ingredient if it could be utilized without having to be dried. Giesler (1960) demonstrated that corn containing 21.5% moisture could be successfully fed to swine. Stone (1965) reported that for dairy cattle a pound of dry matter in corn containing 30% moisture was nutritionally equal to the dry matter of corn containing 15% moisture. More recently, Perez and Preston (1970) reported the feeding of both high-moisture (30% moisture) and reconstituted high-moisture corn to broilers. Their diets were formulated on a dry matter basis and they obtained no significant difference in body weights of broilers fed dried corn or ensiled corn having natural high-moisture or…
On the evaluation of structural equation models

Criteria for evaluating structural equation models with latent variables are defined, critiqued, and illustrated. An overall program for model evaluation is proposed based upon an interpretation of converging and diverging evidence. Model assessment is considered to be a complex process mixing statistical criteria with philosophical, historical, and theoretical elements. Inevitably the process entails some attempt at a reconcilation between so-called objective and subjective norms.
Precipitation of calcium ions in hard water by pulsed spark discharge

Summary form only given. Most natural or domestic water contains excessive calcium and carbonate ions which are considered to provoke problems for both drinking and industrial water systems. Various methods are used to soften hard water, including reverse osmosis, adding precipitation inhibitors and nanofiltration et. al, but most of them are generally deleterious for environment or human health and their use is forbidden in drinking water. In this work, it is shown the calcium ions can be precipitated and thus the hardness of water can be reduced by repeatedly application of pulsed spark discharge. The comparison of the softening effect for different hardness is made Water with hardness up to 900 was made by continuously circulation and evaporation of Philadelphia city tap water in a mini cooling tower. Possible mechanisms, including local heating, reactive species, Shockwaves produced by the discharge are discussed. The plasma assisted removal of water hardness has the advantage of posing no potential threat for environment by needing no chemical additives.
3D pulsed laser-triggered high-speed microfluidic fluorescence-activated cell sorter

We report a 3D microfluidic pulsed laser-triggered fluorescence-activated cell sorter capable of sorting at a throughput of 23 000 cells per s with 90% purity in high-purity mode and at a throughput of 45 000 cells per s with 45% purity in enrichment mode in one stage and in a single channel. This performance is realized by exciting laser-induced cavitation bubbles in a 3D PDMS microfluidic channel to generate high-speed liquid jets that deflect detected fluorescent cells and particles focused by 3D sheath flows. The ultrafast switching mechanism (20 μs complete on–off cycle), small liquid jet perturbation volume, and three-dimensional sheath flow focusing for accurate timing control of fast (1.5 m s−1) passing cells and particles are three critical factors enabling high-purity sorting at high-throughput in this sorter.
Shiga Toxin 1 Induces Apoptosis in the Human Myelogenous Leukemia Cell Line THP-1 by a Caspase-8-Dependent, Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor-Independent Mechanism

Shiga toxins (Stxs) induce apoptosis in a variety of cell types. Here, we show that Stx1 induces apoptosis in the undifferentiated myelogenous leukemia cell line THP-1 in the absence of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) or death receptor (TNF receptor or Fas) expression. Caspase-8 and -3 inhibitors blocked, and caspase-6 and -9 inhibitors partially blocked, Stx1-induced apoptosis. Stx1 induced the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis, as activation of caspase-8 triggered the (i) cleavage of Bid, (ii) disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential, and (iii) release of cytochrome c into the cytoplasm. Caspase-8, -9, and -3 cleavage and functional activities began 4 h after toxin exposure and peaked after 8 h of treatment. Caspase-6 may also contribute to Stx1-induced apoptosis by directly acting on caspase-8. It appears that functional Stx1 holotoxins must be transported to the endoplasmic reticulum to initiate apoptotic signaling through the ribotoxic stress response. These data suggest that Stxs may activate monocyte apoptosis via a novel caspase-8-dependent, death receptor-independent mechanism.
Relationship Of Time-domain And Frequency-domain Generalized Orthogonal Functional Expansions To Wiener Kernels

The Wiener orthogonal functional expansion forms the theoretical basis of a class of approaches to the analysis of nonlinear systems. Because the Viener expansion is based on Gaussian white noise, there are impediments to its practic a 1 W i en e i- - 1 i ke oi-thogonal functional expansions may he based on test ensembles that are non-Gaussian, non-whi te, 01- both. These alternative approaches have several practical advantages in the laboratory. We shov how functional expansions based on two classes of input ensembles -- white brit non-Gaussian discrete noises and the sum of sinusoids -- converge to the standard Wiener- kernels, and we discuss this result in the context of selecting an approach for laboratory implementation. i m p 1 e men t a t i on . A 1 t e r na t i v e
A Spinel Oxynitride with Visible‐Light Photocatalytic Activity

Spinel zinc gallium oxynitride photocatalysts are prepared by the sol-gel method, at 550 C. In these materials, of base composition ZnGa{sub 2}O{sub 4} (octahedral Ga), reaction with ammonia leads to ZnGa{sub 2}O{sub x}N{sub y}, with a dramatic reduction of the bandgap to 2.7 eV, with just 1.3% N and no loss of Zn. At 850 C this phase is converted into wurzite (tetrahedral Ga). The novel oxynitrides also show visible-light photocatalytic activity towards the degradation of methylene blue.
Polycations XX: New Monodentate Cationic Ligands and Their Coordination with Ruthenium for the Construction of Complexes Expressing Enhanced Interaction with DNA

Prior investigations from this laboratory concerned with the preparation of new types of organic cations for a variety of biological and nonbiological applications have been extended to the preparation of cation-bearing ligands with nitrogen coordinating sites for use in complexation reactions with ruthenium cores. The syntheses of new cationic ligands as well as ruthenium complexes bearing them are reported here. The introduction of these new types of ligands is intended to provide to the complexes an enhanced ability to interact with DNA, and thereby to have the potential to be enhanced antitumor agents. Preliminary observations of their interactions with DNA are presented.
Theory learning as stochastic search in the language of thought

Abstract We present an algorithmic model for the development of children's intuitive theories within a hierarchical Bayesian framework, where theories are described as sets of logical laws generated by a probabilistic context-free grammar. We contrast our approach with connectionist and other emergentist approaches to modeling cognitive development. While their subsymbolic representations provide a smooth error surface that supports efficient gradient-based learning, our symbolic representations are better suited to capturing children's intuitive theories but give rise to a harder learning problem, which can only be solved by exploratory search. Our algorithm attempts to discover the theory that best explains a set of observed data by performing stochastic search at two levels of abstraction: an outer loop in the space of theories and an inner loop in the space of explanations or models generated by each theory given a particular dataset. We show that this stochastic search is capable of learning appropriate theories in several everyday domains and discuss its dynamics in the context of empirical studies of children's learning.
Iterative decoding algorithms for I-Q space-time codes

I-Q ST codes have shown the potential to provide high coding gains in rapid fading environments. The optimal decoding of I-Q ST codes involves the use of the super-trellis of the I and Q codes, which is complex in general. This paper proposes two iterative decoding algorithms for I-Q ST codes. The proposed algorithms have similar performance to optimal decoding with much lower complexity.
Scheduling Classes on a College Campus

We consider the problem of scheduling a set of classes to classrooms with the objective of minimizing the number of classrooms used. The major constraint that we must obey is that no two classes can be assigned to the same classroom at the same time on the same day of the week. We present an algorithm that produces a nearly optimal schedule for an arbitrary set of classes. The algorithm's first stage produces a packing of classes using a combination of a greedy algorithm and a non-bipartite matching and the second stage consists of a bipartite matching. First we show that for one variant of the problem our algorithm produces schedules that require a number of classrooms that is always within a small additive constant of optimal. Then we show that for an interesting variant of the problem the same algorithm produces schedules that require a small constant factor more classrooms than optimal. Finally, we report on experimental results of our algorithm using actual data and also show how to create schedules with other desirable characteristics.
Complications of Neonatal Intracranial Hemorrhage

After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Describe the pathologic injury to the brain caused by posthemorrhage ventriculomegaly (PHVM). 2. List the clinical diagnostic criteria for PHVM. 3. Describe findings on ultrasonography seen with PHVM. 4. Delineate the positive and negative aspects of techniques employed to manage PHVM. 5. Describe the neurologic and cognitive outcome of PHVM. The complications of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) in preterm neonates are related to the location and severity of hemorrhage. Hemorrhage in the subependymal region resolves with no residual effects. The resolution of hemorrhage in the parenchymal region is based on location of the hemorrhage. Over the course of weeks, parenchymal hemorrhage evolves either into posthemorrhagic cysts or porencephalic dilatation of the ventricular system. Among infants who have intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), in whom the initial hemorrhage in the periventricular germinal matrix progresses into the ventricular spaces, progressive posthemorrhagic ventricular dilation is the most frequent and serious complication. Ventricular size also can increase from blood clots at the time of the occurrence of IVH during the first week of life. Although this acute ventricular distention often subsides, 60% to 70% of infants who have IVH experience a progressive increase in ventricular size within 2 weeks of the initial occurrence due to accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Posthemorrhagic ventriculomegaly (PHVM) can progress slowly or rapidly. In the majority of cases (65%), slowly progressive PHVM spontaneously arrests. In the remaining 30% to 35% of affected infants, ventricular size increases rapidly over the course of days to weeks. PHVM is caused by obstruction of the CSF pathway by blood clots, usually at the posterior fossa cisterns and less commonly at the aqueduct of Sylvius or the foramen of Monroe. The PHVM caused by occlusion of the CSF pathways often progresses rapidly. In contrast, posthemorrhagic inflammatory changes in the arachnoid villi contribute …
Transcultural Self-Efficacy Perceptions of Baccalaureate Nursing Students

Addressing the health care needs of a 21st-century nation that is experiencing increased diversity and disparity will require new models of educating future providers. The cultural competence and confidence model was the guiding framework in a study evaluating the influence of cultural educational offerings on the transcultural self-efficacy (TSE) perceptions in baccalaureate nursing students. The Transcultural Self-Efficacy Tool was used to measure perceived TSE in a pretest (N = 260), posttest (N = 236) study over an academic year. Significant changes were demonstrated in overall self-efficacy and on the cognitive, practical, and affective subscales. A classification and regression tree analysis identified social orientation as the demographic variable most predictive of the TSE level. This study supports previous research where positive changes were found in students' TSE based on the inclusion of cultural interventions in the nursing curriculum.
Query translation based on hypergraph models

Le processus de translation presente utilise un modele hypergraphe du schema de la base de donnees pour fournir suffisamment d'informations permettant de generer la sequence de jonction
An Information Theoretic Framework for Eukaryotic Gradient Sensing

Chemical reaction networks by which individual cells gather and process information about their chemical environments have been dubbed "signal transduction" networks. Despite this suggestive terminology, there have been few attempts to analyze chemical signaling systems with the quantitative tools of information theory. Gradient sensing in the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum is a well characterized signal transduction system in which a cell estimates the direction of a source of diffusing chemoattractant molecules based on the spatiotemporal sequence of ligand-receptor binding events at the cell membrane. Using Monte Carlo techniques (MCell) we construct a simulation in which a collection of individual ligand particles undergoing Brownian diffusion in a three-dimensional volume interact with receptors on the surface of a static amoeboid cell. Adapting a method for estimation of spike train entropies described by Victor (originally due to Kozachenko and Leonenko), we estimate lower bounds on the mutual information between the transmitted signal (direction of ligand source) and the received signal (spatiotemporal pattern of receptor binding/unbinding events). Hence we provide a quantitative framework for addressing the question: how much could the cell know, and when could it know it? We show that the time course of the mutual information between the cell's surface receptors and the (unknown) gradient direction is consistent with experimentally measured cellular response times. We find that the acquisition of directional information depends strongly on the time constant at which the intracellular response is filtered.
Age-dependent alterations in Na+, K(+)-ATPase activity in the central nervous system of spontaneously hypertensive rats: relationship to the development of high blood pressure.

We have previously demonstrated that cerebroventricular administrations (i.c.v) of potassium chloride solutions (KCl; 0.375–1.25 μmoles/5 μl) elicit ouabain-sensitive, concentration-dependent decreases in the blood pressure and heart rates of anesthetized, normotensive Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. These studies have suggested an inverse relationship between Na+-pump activity in the central nervous system (CNS) and central sympathetic outflow. Such a view is further supported by the present studies showing that i.c.v. injections of KCl failed to produce any alterations in the blood pressures of rats pretreated with an autonomic ganglionic blocker, chlorisondamine. In the present studies, depressor responses to i.c.v. potassium chloride were considered as functional indices for evaluation of neuronal Na+-pump activity in 8 and 12 week old (8 wk and 12 wk) SHR, WKY and Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Basal arterial blood pressures of 8 wk-old SD and SHR, and the responsiveness of these two groups to i.c.v. potassium ...
Use of Multiplanar 3-Dimensional Ultrasonography for Prenatal Sex Identification

Objective. Determination of fetal sex is an important part of detailed second-trimester ultrasonography. This task can be hindered by the fetal position, a low amniotic fluid volume, and advanced gestational age. Identification of fetal sex is further important in multiple gestations and prior histories of indeterminate-sex pregnancies. The goal of the study was to compare the effectiveness of 2-dimensional ultrasonography (2DUS) versus 3-dimensional ultrasonography (3DUS) at sex identification and to determine how genitalia measurements taken with 3DUS technology compare with measurements taken with 2DUS. Methods. A total of 111 patients at or beyond 16 weeks’ gestation were recruited. Assignments of fetal sex using 2DUS and 3DUS were compared by the test of proportions. The actual neonatal sex was obtained after delivery. Given such small number of misdiagnoses by either 2DUS or 3DUS, the accuracies of the two modalities were not found to be statistically distinguishable from one another (P = .5585). The penile length, scrotal width, and bilabial diameter according to gestational age were measured and compared with previously published 2DUS data by t tests. Results. Sexes were assigned and interpreted in 65 cases. Ranges of genitalia measurements were plotted against gestational age and were found to be comparable with published data. There was a dramatic difference between the bilabial diameter and scrotal width with advancing gestational age that made sex determination much easier in the third trimester. Conclusions. Although 3DUS did not have better prediction of fetal sex when compared with 2DUS, it may be a useful tool in conjunction with traditional imaging techniques in assigning fetal sex. Key words: ambiguous genitalia; fetus; genitalia; sex; ultrasonography.
On convergence between natural and uniform sampling for PWM generation

Pulse width modulation is discussed in a comparator with periodic reference signal setting with the emphasis on distinctions between natural and uniform sampling. Motivated by low generator complexity of natural sampling, the convergence characteristics between natural and uniform sampling of a continuous, finite energy, band-limited signal is investigated. The necessary and sufficient conditions for lossless natural sampling are derived and shown to ensure lossless uniform sampling as well. A geometrical framework is constructed to upper bound the deviation between uniform and natural samples and the corresponding sampling instances. Finally, the relation between deviation energy and oversampling factor is discussed.
Intrinsic motivation in ethnic minority youth with type 1 diabetes

ABSTRACTIncreasing intrinsic motivation (IM) may be an effective way to improve regimen adherence and glycemic control in youth with type 1 diabetes (T1D). This preliminary study evaluated the reliability and validity of a new measure of intrinsic motivation for diabetes management for ethnic minority youth with T1D. The 12-item Intrinsic Motivation Inventory for Diabetes Management (IMI-DM) was developed to assess perceptions of confidence in and the importance of engaging in self-care behaviors for diabetes management. Participants included 51 11–16 year-old minority adolescents (mean age = 13.5 years) with T1D and their parents. The IMI-DM demonstrated excellent internal consistency (α = 0.92). Higher IM was associated with better diabetes self-management behaviors and glycemic control, better youth self-concept, less depression and family conflict, and greater youth responsibilities for diabetes management. These findings provide preliminary support for the reliability and validity of a new diabetes-s...
Role of p21Waf1/Cip1/Sdi1 in cell death and DNA repair as studied using a tetracycline-inducible system in p53-deficient cells.

Postulated roles for p21(Waf1/Cip1/Sdi1) (p21) in DNA repair and apoptosis remain controversial. Studies suggest both stimulatory and inhibitory effects of p21 in DNA repair. p21 has also been implicated in induction or protection from apoptosis. Using the tetracycline inducible expression system, we studied the role of p21 in DNA repair and apoptosis in wild-type p53 deficient DLD1 colorectal carcinoma cells. These cells displayed marked heterogeneity in their ability to tolerate higher levels of exogenous p21. The majority of the p21 overexpressing cells grew slower and did not exhibit apoptotic phenotype, some cells underwent apoptotic death within 5-8 days following p21 induction while other became giant cells prior to undergoing cell death. Induction of p21 transgene neither sensitized to nor protected from adriamycin-induced acute cell death. p21 also did not alter the clonogenic survival following adriamycin treatment. Clonogenic survival after u.v.-irradiation was, however, increased when p21 expression was transiently induced a few hours before and after u.v.-irradiation. Consistent with its effect on clonogenic survival, p21 also enhanced the cellular capacity to repair three different exogenously introduced u.v.-damaged reporter plasmids. Taken together our results demonstrate that p21 may modulate the nucleotide excision repair process to facilitate the repair of u.v.-type DNA damage even in the absence of wild-type p53.
Writing Up Your Research

1. What have been your experiences with academic writing, including writing up research projects? 2. What research reports have you read that really held your attention? That bored or irritated you? What distinguishes them? 3. What do you consider to be the characteristics of a good qualitative research report? 4. What aspects of your own writing do you find especially challenging? If you do not consider yourself a good academic writer, what do you think you can do to improve your writing?
Biofeedback Treatment of Vascular Headache

This BSA (Biofeedback Society of America) Task Force Report on vascular headache will consider three kinds of headaches: (a) migraine headache; (b) combined migraine and muscle contraction headache; and (c) cluster headache. Although the Ad Hoc Committee on the Classification of Headache (1962) classified cluster headache as a subtype of “vascular headaches of the migraine type,” Kudrow (1980) has argued persuasively that cluster headache is different from migraine headache and is a “primary headache disorder.” Among his bases are the differences in family history and distribution of the disorder and differences in treatment responses to various drugs. We will follow Kudrow’s (1980) convention in this chapter.
External Mechanical Devices and Vascular Surgery for Erectile Dysfunction

Abstract Introduction The field of sexual medicine is continuously advancing, with novel outcomes reported on a regular basis. Given the rapid evolution, updated guidelines are essential to inform practicing clinicians on best practices. Aim To summarize the current literature and provide clinical guidelines on penile traction therapy, vacuum erection devices, and penile revascularization. Methods A consensus panel was held with leading sexual medicine experts during the 2015 International Consultation on Sexual Medicine (ICSM). Relevant literature was reviewed and graded based on Oxford criteria to develop evidence-based guideline and consensus statements. Main Outcome Measures The development of clinically relevant guidelines. Results Penile traction therapy is a viable therapy to modestly improve penile length as a primary therapy, before penile prosthesis placement in men with decreased penile length or after surgery for Peyronie's disease. It also might have a role in the acute phase of Peyronie's disease but has inconsistent outcomes in the long-term phase. Vacuum erection devices are effective in creating an erection satisfactory for intercourse, even in difficult-to-treat populations. They also might be used in the post-prostatectomy setting to maintain penile length but have insufficient evidence as a penile rehabilitation therapy. For vasculogenic erectile dysfunction, men with suspected arterial insufficiency can be evaluated with penile Duplex Doppler ultrasonography and confirmatory angiography. Penile revascularization procedures have consistently demonstrated benefits in very select patient populations; however, inadequate data exists to suggest the superiority of one technique. Men with vascular risk factors are likely poor candidates for penile revascularization, although veno-occlusive dysfunction and age are less significant. Therapies for treating primary veno-occlusive dysfunction are not recommended and should be reserved for clinical trials. Conclusions Since the prior ICSM meeting, multiple developments have occurred in external mechanical devices and penile revascularization for the treatment of erectile and sexual dysfunction. Sexual medicine clinicians are encouraged to review and incorporate recommendations as applicable to their scope of practice.
EFFECT OF FERMENTED MEAT pH ON SUMMER SAUSAGE PROPERTIES1

Beef summer sausages were fermented to pH endpoints ranging from 5.5 to 4.6. A nonfermented sausage of pH 5.9 served as control. Fermentation time requirements using a frozen concentrate of Pediococus cerevisiae ranged from 7–8 h (pH 5.5) to 19–21 h (pH 4.6). Water holding capacities (WHC) of sausage mixes during the fermentation phase rapidly decreased as sausage pH decreased, reaching a minimum at pH 5.2. An increase in WHC from pH 5.2 to pH 4.6 was attributed to the combined effect of pH reduction and remaining functional protein. Bacterial counts (total viable and lactic bacteria) showed a stepwise increase from 2.4 × 108 cells/g (lactics) to 6.6 × 108 cells/g (lactics) during fermentation. Reductions of bacterial counts during heat processing appeared dependent on the sausage pH and phase of bacterial growth. Compositional changes (fat, protein, ash, salt, lactic acid) during the drying phase were significantly correlated to moisture loss of the sausages. Within drying intervals (days), sausages of p...
Fecal Transplants in the “Good Old Days”

I had a conversation with some colleagues last week about “personalized medicine,” which has been transformed now into the term “precision medicine.” The conversation revolved around what to do about the perceived effects of antibiotic treatment on the microbiota of individuals. How does one treat a patient without disrupting his or her microbiota? Do we create new classes of antimicrobials that target only a precise pathogen? I opined that I thought the day was coming when all individuals might have the microbiota from each anatomic site preserved so that it could be reconstituted after some catastrophic disruption caused by antimicrobial therapy for an infection, transplantation, surgery etc. The topic of fecal transplantation and how successful it has been for the treatment of intractable Clostridium difficile infection then came up. Would fecal reconstitution really work?
Root distribution following spatial separation of water and nitrogen supply in furrow irrigated corn

Proper management of water and fertilizer placement in irrigated corn (Zea mays L.) has the potential to reduce nitrate leaching into the groundwater. Potential management practices tested in a two year field experiment included row or furrow fertilizer placement combined with every or alternate furrow irrigation. To understand how fertilizer availability to plants could be affected by these management practices, root growth and distribution in a Ulm clay loam soil were examined. Spring rains were greater than normal in both years providing adequate moisture for early root growth in both irrigated and non-irrigated furrows. As the non-irrigated furrow began to dry, root biomass increased as much as 126% compared with the irrigated furrow. The greatest increase was at lower depths, however, where moisture was still plentiful. When early season moisture was available, roots proliferated throughout the soil profile and quickly became available to take up fertilizer N in both irrigated and non-irrigated furrows. Root growth responded positively to fertilizer placement in the furrow in 1996 but not in 1995. Excessive N leaching in 1995 may have limited the response to fertilizer N.
Conventional Laparoscopy vs. Robotic-Assisted Laparoscopy for Sacrocolpopexy and Sacrocervicopexy: a Review

An abdominal approach to apical pelvic organ prolapse surgery yields superior outcomes in terms of decreased recurrence rates. Furthermore, there is evidence to support that a minimally invasive approach yields better patient outcomes over an abdominal approach. However, there remains debate in the field over which minimally invasive approach is better. In this review, we compare conventional straight stick laparoscopy and robotic-assisted laparoscopy techniques for sacrocolpopexy and sacrocervicopexy (LSC and RASC). We reviewed data from recent retrospective and prospective studies that directly compare LSC and RASC. In particular, we considered complications, operative time, patient outcomes, and cost. Both LSC and RASC have benefits over the traditional open abdominal approach. Complication rates are low and resolution of prolapse is high in both LSC and RASC. Operative time and costs are generally higher in RASC. The existing studies comparing LSC and RASC have relatively small sample sizes. It will be important for further robust prospective studies to directly compare these two common minimally invasive approaches to pelvic organ prolapse.
Behavior of Steel-Concrete Composite Beams Under Fatigue Loads

Besides the static load, the cyclic load caused by the vehicles always exists in the bridge structures. This kind of loading may cause failure even when the nominal maximum loads have not exceeded the ultimate resistance of the structure. So, the main objective of this paper is to evaluate the fatigue behavior of composite beams at the sagging moment regions. A numerical model is described to predict the fatigue response of each part of the composite section. The accuracy of the developed numerical model is validated using existing test data. Also, the transformed section method is used to evaluate the fatigue response of the composite beams in terms of deflection, strains in the concrete flange and the steel beam, plastic deformation, reduction in the static strength of the shear connectors, and residual capacity of the composite beam. The cumulative damage rule is analyzed through the S-N curve to assess the procedures presented in the design code. A rapid growth in the residual deformations of the composite beams is obtained at the starting and the end of the fatigue life with the number of cycles while a linear increase in the remaining part of the fatigue life occurs. In addition, a reduction in the static strength of the shear connectors is developed with the number of cycles and subsequently causes a drop in the monotonic beam capacity which can be calculated based on the new shear connection strength.
Making the Most of School Vacation: A Field Experiment of Small Group Math Instruction

Catching students up who have fallen behind academically is a key challenge for educators, and can be difficult to do in a cost-effective manner. This field experiment examines the causal effect of...
Digital Analogs: Computing, Internet, and Spectrum Lessons for New Space Policy

Abstract Entrepreneurs hoping for aggressive growth in space markets cite the commercialization of the Internet as a golden age of market dynamism and enlightened regulation. This study investigate...
Red cell rheology in stomatocyte-echinocyte transformation: roles of cell geometry and cell shape

The influence of the shape of the red blood cell during stomatocyte-echinocyte transformation on its deformability was studied by microsieving through pores with diameters of 2.6, 4.5, and 6.9 micron. A stomatocytic transformation was produced by chlorpromazine (0.02, 0.1, and 0.5 mmol/L) and an echinocytic transformation by sodium salicylate (7.5, 30, and 120 mmol/L). For spherostomatocytes, an increase in filtration resistance through 2.6 and 4.5 micron pores was observed, whereas for spheroechinocytes, a decrease in filtration resistance through 2.6 micron pores was found. Larger pores (6.9 micron) were not sensitive to those shape changes. The changes in deformability can be explained by the fact that the surface area of (sphero)-stomatocytes decreased, whereas that of (sphero)-echinocytes increased; the cell volume remained essentially constant. Echinocytes produced by 24-hour adenosine triphosphate depletion differed from drug-induced echinocytes: they had an increased cell volume at constant surface area and consequently an increased filtration resistance through 2.6- and 4.5-micron filter pores. Shape changes with spicule formation are therefore not a homogeneous entity, and cell geometric factors (eg, surface area and volume) must be assessed with care. The viscosity of red cell suspensions at a hematocrit level of 45% was higher for drug-induced echinocytes than discocytes or stomatocytes at all shear rates tested. We conclude that the normal discocyte represents an optimum shape for the flow in vivo since a stomatocytic transformation could impair the passage through the microcirculation (decrease in cell filterability) and an echinocytic transformation could impair the flow in larger vessels (increase in blood viscosity).
Spatial variation of the local tissue oxygen diffusion coefficient measured in situ in the cat retina and cornea.

Precise knowledge of the oxygen diffusion coefficient (D) in tissue is essential for the analysis of oxygen transport. The PO2 profile in a tissue can be measured with a deeply recessed (L/d > 5), Polarographic microelectrode (Linsenmeier, 1986; Haugh et al., 1990). By contrast, one with a shallow recess (L/d < 1) is affected by D in the tissue. It is possible to utilize this feature to determine the tissue D from the polarization transient when the electrode is turned on (i.e., the imposed voltage is changed). The faster the approach to steady state, the larger the value of D must be. Previous attempts to utilize a microelectrode turn-on transient to give local values of D in tissue (Erdmann and Krell, 1976; Buerk, 1980; Buerk and Goldstick, 1990) were plagued by the problem that initially the extremely large current saturated the amplifier. In the present study, the amplifier saturation was eliminated by open-circuiting the amplifier for a few ms initially. All of the data recorded after the initial delay, including those at very early times, were used for the calculation of D by a nonlinear regression analysis. Apparently there have been no reliable previous measurements of D in the mammalian retina or cornea in situ. The usual previous approach has been to make the measurement on a slice of excised tissue in vitro. The measurements in the present study are therefore novel because they are local and made in situ in the intact tissue of a living animal.
Comparative and International Education: English-Language Scholarly Publications

This article describes the missions, administration, and the larger environmental context for publication about education comparatively across nations. The field of comparative and international education has evolved in response to new demands and opportunities. In addition to the field’s evolution – but not independent of those changes – the media for propagating the field has also changed. New electronic technologies, gatekeeping functions, commercial relationships with readers, and library policies have all affected the direction of scholarly publications.
Financial Impact of Incentive Spirometry

Despite largely unproven clinical effectiveness, incentive spirometry (IS) is widely used in an effort to reduce postoperative pulmonary complications. The objective of the study is to evaluate the financial impact of implementing IS. The amount of time nurses and RTs spend each day doing IS-related activities was assessed utilizing an online survey distributed to the relevant national nursing and respiratory therapists (RT) societies along with questionnaire that was prospectively collected every day for 4 weeks at a single 10-bed cardiothoracic surgery step-down unit. Cost of RT time to teach IS use to patients and cost of nurse time spent reeducating and reminding patients to use IS were used to calculate IS implementation cost estimates per patient. Per-patient cost of IS implementation ranged from $65.30 to $240.96 for a mean 9-day step-down stay. For the 566 patients who stayed in the 10-bed step-down in 2016, the total estimated cost of implementing IS ranged from $36 959.80 to $136 383.36. Using national survey workload data, per-patient cost of IS implementation costed $107.36 (95% confidence interval [CI], $97.88-$116.98) for a hospital stay of 4.5 days. For the 9.7 million inpatient surgeries performed annually in the United States, the total annual cost of implementing postoperative IS is estimated to be $1.04 billion (95% CI, $949.4 million-$1.13 billion). The cost of implementing IS is substantial. Further efficacy studies are necessary to determine whether the cost is justifiable.
Infrared Spectrum of Fulvenallene and Fulvenallenyl in Helium Droplets

Fulvenallene is the global minimum on the C7H6 potential energy surface. Rearrangement of fulvenallene to other C7H6 species and dissociation to produce fulvenallenyl radical (C7H5) is carried out in a continuous-wave SiC pyrolysis furnace at 1500 K. Prompt pick-up and solvation by helium droplets allows for the acquisition of vibrational spectra of these species in the CH stretching region. Anharmonic frequencies for fulvenallene, fulvenallenyl, and three isomers of ethynylcyclopentadiene are computed ab initio; VPT2+K spectral simulations are based on hybrid CCSD(T) force fields with quadratic (cubic and quartic) force constants computed using the ANO1 (ANO0) basis set. The acetylenic CH stretch of the fulvenallenyl radical is a sensitive marker of the extent by which the unpaired electron is delocalized throughout the conjugated propargyl and cyclopentadienyl subunits. The nature of this electron delocalization is explored with spin density calculations at the ROHF-CCSD(T)/ANO1 level of theory. Atomic ...
Broadening the Conversation About Intersectionality in Clinical Medicine.

We found the commentaries for our recent article, “Intersectionality in Clinical Medicine: The Need for a Conceptual Framework” (Wilson et al. 2019) helpful in providing opportunities for us to cla...
Deep Learning: a new definition of artificial neuron with double weight.

Deep learning is a subset of a broader family of machine learning methods based on learning data representations. These models are inspired by human biological nervous systems, even if there are various differences pertaining to the structural and functional properties of biological brains. The elementary constituents of deep learning models are neurons, which can be considered as functions that receive inputs and produce an output that is a weighted sum of the inputs fed through an activation function. Several models of neurons were proposed in the course of the years that are all based on learnable parameters called weights. In this paper we present a new type of artificial neuron, the double-weight neuron,characterized by additional learnable weights that lead to a more complex and accurate system. We tested a feed-forward and convolutional neural network consisting of double-weight neurons on the MNIST dataset, and we tested a convolution network on the CIFAR-10 dataset. For MNIST we find a $\approx 4\%$ and $\approx 1\%$ improved classification accuracy, respectively, when compared to a standard feed-forward and convolutional neural network built with the same sets of hyperparameters. For CIFAR-10 we find a $\approx 12\%$ improved classification accuracy. We thus conclude that this novel artificial neuron can be considered as a valuable alternative to common ones.
IgM-gammopathy strongly favours immune treatable MMN and MADSAM over ALS

The early diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is often difficult as not all patients meet clinical and electrophysiological criteria.1 Additionally a small per cent of patients have a divergent diagnosis, most commonly multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN) or motor-predominant multifocal acquired demyelinating sensory and motor neuropathy (MADSAM).2 Although motor conduction blocks distinguish MMN and MADSAM from ALS, it is often difficult to find these conduction abnormalities when present at the roots or plexus. Currently biomarkers to assist in the diagnosis of ALS versus MMN and MADSAM are inadequate. Specifically, GM1 (ganglioside monosialo-asialo) autoantibodies can be present in all these disorders, although typically of lower values in ALS. Recently, IgM-gammopathy was suggested to be more common in MMN (7%) compared with healthy (2%) and ALS (1%) controls.3 If true, IgM-gammopathy may forebode for an immune treatment refractory disorder as described in other IgM-gammopathy neuropathies.4 Herein, we address: (1) the occurrence of an IgM-gammopathy in MMN and MADSAM compared with ALS and (2) evaluate the immune treatment response of MMN and MADSAM IgM-monoclonal-gammopathy. ### Clinical characteristics We identified 78 MADSAM, 65 MMN cases and 412 ALS patients matched in gender and age. ALS was considered in the differential diagnosis of 51% (40/78) of MADSAM and 64% (42/65) of MMN patients due to motor predominant progressive symptoms. IgM-gammopathy was significantly (p<0.001; OR estimate of 33, 95% CI) more common in MADSAM 23% (18/78) and MMN 17% (11/65) compared with ALS<1% (2/412) (figure 1). IgM-Kappa was the most …
David Oliver: Conveyor belt medicine.

Over the New Year period I worked three 12 hour stints on the acute medical unit. What I saw, heard, and felt over those days, and over many others this winter, was nothing unusual for colleagues in acute care throughout the NHS. What it perhaps resembled most was an out-of-control conveyor belt, of the kind used to tragicomic effect by Charlie Chaplin in the 1936 film Modern Times .1 This one wasn’t carrying parts needing screws, however, but sick, frightened, or confused patients and their worried relatives. The operatives in this case weren’t depression era factory workers but clinical staff, struggling to deal with the relentless procession and unable to stop it. We know that each clinical encounter really matters to patients and their relatives. It will be …
Sternal elements of early dinosaurs fill a critical gap in the evolution of the sternum in Avemetatarsalia (Reptilia: Archosauria)

The sternum is a functionally important but poorly understood component of the pectoral girdle in both living and extinct dinosaurs. When ossified, the dinosaur sternum consists of paired plates si...
Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Surveillance Counterpoint: USA

Pancreas cancer remains a formidable challenge with an overall 5-year survival rate of 5 years; by 10 years, >3 % are survivors [3]. By observing continued patient attrition with longer follow-up, Trede et al. state that ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreas is an incurable disease [4]. As such, pancreaticoduodenectomy for adenocarcinoma of the pancreas appears to be a palliative procedure which confers survival advantage in comparison to other available options. This is my opinion, as well, since we rarely see long-term survivors. Survival is dependent on multiple factors, including the biology of the disease, the success of the surgical intervention, and the choice of appropriate adjuvant therapy. Surgical intervention is likely to be more successful in prolonging life if an R0 resection (complete resection with no microscopic residual tumor) is achieved with minimal morbidity [5]. The more experienced the center where the surgery is performed, the higher the likelihood of minimal morbidity and maximal survival benefit [6]. Regionalization of care (referring patients to high-volume centers) represents a strategy that could improve outcome for patients with localized pancreas cancer.