cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of sex hormones on the duration of drug action in mice

An altered drug response is induced in mice following pretreatment not only with repeated doses, but even after a single dose, of a sex hormone. Testosterone pretreatment produces a biphasic effect on the duration of action of hexobarbital, prolonging the action initially and shortening the action in 4–8 days after the pretreatment. The early action of testosterone appears to be associated with an effect on the hypnotic property of a drug, since both hexobarbital and barbital sleep times are prolonged while the duration of action of the muscle relaxant chlorzoxazone remains unaffected. The long-term pretreatment with testosterone leads to a shorter duration of action of drugs that are deactivated by detoxification, notably hexobarbital and chlorzoxazone, but has no effect on the duration of hypnosis produced by barbital, a drug which is predominantly eliminated unchanged.
The Stepparent Role Expectations, Behavior, and Sanctions

Borrowing both conceptual framework and methodological suggestions from Nye's study of emerging roles, this article explores three different aspects of parental roles in reconstituted families: (1) the expectations from persons in that social position, (2) the typical or modal behavior of persons in that social position, and (3) sanctions associated with nonperformance of role expectations. The analysis of indepth interviews with one member of 99 remarried families with children indicates that (1) stepparents are expected to share equally in child-rearing duties in over half of the families, but less than natural parents, (2) equal sharing of decisions regarding children characterized less than a third of the sample, and (3) sanctions for stepparents who refuse to bring up stepchildren are not as strong as those for natural parents. A sizable proportion of reconstituted families differs considerably from the two-parent family model. Discussion focuses on whether this variation is always or necessarily pro...
A Dendritic Thioester Hydrogel Based on Thiol-Thioester Exchange as a Dissolvable Sealant System for Wound Closure

A dissolvable dendritic thioester hydrogel based on thiol-thioester exchange for wound closure is reported. The hydrogel sealant adheres strongly to tissues, closes an ex vivo vein puncture, and withstands high pressures placed on a wound. The hydrogel sealant can be completely washed off upon exposure to thiolates based on thiol-thioester exchange and allow gradual wound re-exposure during definitive surgical care.
Visualization of partial differential equation solutions

PDEs occur in various engineering disciplines. In developing visualization strategies, we considered only problems involving a spatially independent variable x (or in cylindrical coordinates, r) and the temporal variable t, which is also an independent variable. Given that the solutions are functions of two variables - x (or r) and t - the solution's character is difficult for engineering students and practitioners to understand. We've explored several visualization strategies, employing extensive graphics to appeal to the graphical learners among us. Here we present parts of the solutions to three typical engineering problems selected from the 20 we've addressed.
Conceptualizing a Nonnatural Entity: Anthropomorphism in God Concepts

Abstract We investigate the problem of how nonnatural entities are represented by examining university students’ concepts of God, both professed theological beliefs and concepts used in comprehension of narratives. In three story processing tasks, subjects often used an anthropomorphic God concept that is inconsistent with stated theological beliefs; and drastically distorted the narratives without any awareness of doing so. By heightening subjects’ awareness of their theological beliefs, we were able to manipulate the degree of anthropomorphization. This tendency to anthropomorphize may be generalizable to other agents. God (and possibly other agents) is unintentionally anthropomorphized in some contexts, perhaps as a means of representing poorly understood nonnatural entities.
Patterns and Correlates of Substance Use Among Affluent, Suburban High School Students

Despite ongoing concern about substance use during adolescence, very little is known about alcohol and drug use among teens living in affluent social settings. In this longitudinal study, cluster analysis was used to characterize patterns of substance use and change in other dimensions of psychosocial adjustment within a cohort of 292 high school students (54% girls) living in an affluent, suburban community. When compared with a cluster of students reporting minimal use, clusters reporting escalating, declining, and persistently high use consistently demonstrated relatively poorer psychosocial adjustment. Moreover, other dimensions of psychosocial adjustment remained relatively stable despite changes in substance use, and there were relations involving substance use and other aspects of psychosocial adjustment that may be specific to this social setting. The findings highlight the need for preventive intervention grounded in a clear understanding of developmental process occurring within populations of affluent, suburban teens.
A distributed expert system for fault diagnosis

The authors describe a hybrid approach to synthesizing solutions for diagnosis and set covering problems from the area of power system operations. The approach combines expert systems written in a rule-based language (OPS5) with algorithmic programs written in C and Lisp. An environment called DPSK has been developed to allow these programs to be run in parallel on a network of computers. Speed sufficient for real-time applications can be obtained. >
Feeding and Oviposition Behavior Do Not Explain Douglas-fir Resistance to Defoliation by the Western Spruce Budworm (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

Abstract There is phenotypic variation among individual trees of interior Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii variety glauca [Beissn.] Franco) in their resistance to defoliation by the western spruce budworm (Choristoneura occidentalis Freeman). We are evaluating the factors associated with this resistance using grafted clones derived from parent trees that are resistant versus susceptible to budworm defoliation in the field. We tested the potential role of feeding and oviposition behavior in determining the resistance using C. occidentalis larvae and moths from our nondiapausing laboratory colony, and foliage from grafted ramets (6–8-yr-old potted trees) of resistant and susceptible Douglas-firs. In the larval feeding bioassay, fifth instars were offered a choice between branches from susceptible and resistant ramets. There was no difference in the proportion of current-year buds and shoots consumed, indicating that larvae do not discriminate between foliage from susceptible and resistant trees. When offe...
Parenteral Prostanoid Use at a Tertiary Referral Center: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Background Evidence-based guidelines recommend the use of parenteral prostaglandin (PP) therapy in patients with advanced pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Despite this, many patients with PAH die without PP therapy. We sought to examine the frequency of PP use at a large referral center and characterize patients with PAH who died without receiving PP. Methods We conducted a single-center retrospective cohort analysis of consecutive patients with PAH between 2008 and 2012. Clinical data and cause of death were compared between patients with PAH treated with PP (PAH-PP) and those who were not but were not documented as poor PP candidates (PAH-nonPP). Results Of the 101 patients who received a diagnosis of PAH and died, 61 received PP therapy. Of the 40 patients not treated with PP, 10 did not have documented evaluations for PP therapy (PAH-nonPP) whereas 30 were not considered candidates or refused PP therapy. Compared with PAH-PP, PAH-nonPP had a longer 6-min walk distance, had a longer duration between time of diagnosis and date of worse functional class visit, were less likely to be diagnosed as functional class IV, and had significantly lower right atrial pressure. None of the PAH-nonPP died of progressive PAH. Conclusions We found that most patients who die with PAH are evaluated for PP therapy at a large referral center and the small minority of PAH-nonPP tended to have less severe disease and die of non-PAH-related causes. Our data suggest that at large pulmonary hypertension (PH) centers, the vast majority of patients who are appropriate candidates receive PP therapy.
A Systematic Computational Design System for Turbine Cascades, Airfoil Geometry and Blade-to-Blade Analysis

Presentation d'un systeme de calcul systematique qui peut etre utilise rapidement et efficacement pour le calcul des cascades de turbine, la methode etant par ailleurs largement applicable, precise, et economique. Application au calcul de plusieurs profils d'ailettes de turbine, ainsi qu'a deux cas de cascades en obtenant leurs caracteristiques calculees pour une certaine gamme du nombre de Mach et de l'angle d'incidence. Comparaison avec les resultats de la methode bidimensionnelle de l'ecoulement potentiel basee sur les singularites reparties
On-Call Communication in Orthopaedic Trauma: "A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words"--A Survey of OTA Members.

OBJECTIVES To quantify the effects of varying clinical communication styles (verbal and pictorial) on the ability of orthopaedic trauma surgeons in understanding an injury and formulate an initial management plan. METHODS A Research Electronic Data Capture survey was e-mailed to all OTA members. Respondents quantified (5-point Likert scale) how confident they felt understanding an injury and establishing an initial management plan based on the information provided for 5 common orthopaedic trauma scenarios. Three verbal descriptions were created for each scenario and categorized as limited, moderate, or detailed. The questions were repeated with the addition of a radiographic image and then repeated a third time including a clinical photograph. Statistical evaluation consisted of descriptive statistics and Kruskal-Wallis analyses using STATA (version 12.0). RESULTS Of the 221 respondents, there were a total of 95 who completed the entire survey. Nearly all were currently taking call (92/95 = 96.8%) and the majority were fellowship trained (79/95 = 83.2%). Most practice at a level I trauma center (58/95 = 61.1%) and work with orthopaedic residents (62/95 = 65.3%). There was a significant increase in confidence scores between a limited, moderate, and detailed description in all clinical scenarios for understanding the injury and establishing an initial management plan (P 0.05). CONCLUSIONS The addition of images in the form of radiographs and/or clinical photographs greatly improves the confidence of orthopaedic trauma surgeons in understanding injuries and establishing initial management plans with limited verbal information (P < 0.001). The inclusion of x-rays and photographs raises the confidence for understanding and management with limited verbal information to the level of a detailed verbal description in most scenarios. Mobile technology allows for easy secure transfer of images that can make up for the lack of available information from limited verbal descriptions because of the knowledge base of communicating providers.
Carcinoma in situ of the vagina subsequent to hysterectomy for carcinoma in situ of the cervix

Abstract A case of carcinoma in situ of the vagina following hysterectomy for in situ carcinoma of the cervix has been reported and a brief discussion of the incidence and treatment given. The extirpation of a wide band of vaginal mucosa at the time of hysterectomy, to avoid the possibility of direct extension to the vagina, is emphasized. A plea is made for careful follow-up on all patients with carcinoma in situ of the cervix with or without definitive treatment. Cytologic smears offer the most successful means of follow-up and, should they reveal cancer cells, partial colpectomy is an easy and necessary procedure.
Energy Accumulation in Waves Propagating in Space- and Time-Varying Transmission Lines

This letter introduces a new principle of energy accumulation in transmission lines with the LC parameters varying in space and time-an effect emerging from the concept of dynamic materials. We consider a checkerboard material assembly created by a periodic temporal “flip over” of the properties of spatial laminates fabricated from two different substances. In some extended ranges of material and structural parameters, an exponential growth of energy is maintained in waves traveling through this assembly due to the work done by an external source at the moments of temporal property switching. The effect is numerically demonstrated for an equivalent LC circuit.
Pregnancy and Postpartum Related Weight Counseling Practices of U.S. Obstetrician-Gynecologists: Results from the Doc Styles Survey, 2010.

Objective: To describe factors and provider characteristics associated with weight-related counseling practices among U.S. obstetrician-gynecologists (OB/GYNs). Methods: Data were from a 2010 cross-sectional survey of 250 OB/GYNs. The OB/GYNs were asked how often they used pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) to determine the appropriate range of gestational weight gain (GWG), counseled pregnant patients on appropriate rate of GWG, and counseled postpartum patients on weight loss or maintenance. They were also asked how often they counseled pregnant and postpartum patients on five weightrelated behaviors [consumption of Fruits and Vegetables (FV), Sugar-Sweetened Beverages (SSB), or high-fat or sugary foods, breastfeeding, and Physical Activity (PA)]. Results: Less than half of providers reported “always” using BMI to determine appropriate GWG (42%); however 65% reported “always” counseling about appropriate GWG rate. About one-third of providers reported counseling about postpartum weight loss or maintenance (38%).Providers reported counseling pregnant and postpartum patients on all weight-related behaviors only 58% and 27% of the time, respectively. Providers with normal BMI had a greater odds of counseling pregnant patients on FV consumption (adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 3.2; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.5-7.0) and postpartum patients on FV (aOR: 1.9; 95% CI: 1.1-3.6) compared to overweight/obese providers. Providers who exercised regularly had a greater odds of counseling pregnant and postpartum patients on SSB (aOR: 2.2; 95% CI: 1.1-4.8, and aOR: 2.6; 95% CI: 1.4-4.9, respectively) compared to those providers not exercising regularly. Providers who used podcasts for continuing medical education(CME) had a greater odds of providing counseling on several behaviors, including postpartum patients on FV consumption (aOR: 3.1; 95% CI: 1.3-7.2). Conclusions: Improvements can be made in weight-related counseling practices of OB/GYNs for both pregnant and postpartum patients. Strategies to improve counseling practices, such as podcasts for CME, could be investigated further
The effect of dietary methionine and its relationship to lysine on growth performance of the segregated early-weaned pig.

Two experiments were conducted to determine the dietary methionine requirement and the appropriate methionine:lysine for the segregated early weaned-weaned pig. In Exp. 1, 435 crossbred pigs (9.5 +/- 4 d of age and 3.5 kg BW) were fed diets (1.8% lysine, .62% cystine) containing 10% spray-dried plasma protein (SDPP) and 1.75% spray-dried blood meal (SDBM) from day 0 to 21 postweaning. Pigs were feed one of six dietary treatments from .36% to .56% total dietary methionine (.317 to .517% apparent digestible methionine). From d 0 to 7 and d 0 to 21 postweaning, ADG and gain:feed ratio (G/F) increased (linear, P .10). From d 0 to 7 postweaning, increasing dietary methionine improved (quadratic, P < .01) ADG and ADFI regardless of dietary lysine. From d 0 to 14 postweaning, increasing dietary methionine improved ADG (quadratic, P < .01), ADFI quadratic, P =.02), and G/F (quadratic, P < .10). Inflection point analysis projected maximum ADG at methionine:lysine ratios of 27 and 27.5% for pigs fed 1.4 and 1.8% lysine, respectively. Cumulative (d 0 to 21 postweaning) ADG, ADFI, and G/F were improved (quadratic, P < .05) by increasing dietary methionine. Increasing dietary lysine improved (P < .01) ADG and G/F from d 0 to 7, from d 0 to 14, and for the overall experiment. In conclusion, a diet with 1.8% total lysine that includes spray-dried blood products must contain .48 to .52% total dietary methionine (.437 to .477% apparent digestible) or 27.5% of total lysine to maximize growth performance of pigs from d 0 to 21 postweaning (3.5 to 12 kg BW).
Phosphatidylethanolamine induces specific conformational changes in the kininogens recognizable by antiphosphatidylethanolamine antibodies

Autoantibodies to the zwitterionic phospholipid (PL), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) have been described in patients with thrombotic diseases. Recently, we reported that many antiphosphatidylethanolamine antibodies (aPE) are not specific for PE per se, but are directed to plasma proteins which can bind PE, for example, high molecular weight kininogen (HK), low molecular weight kininogen (LK) and/or proteins in complex with HK, factor XI or prekallikrein. In the ELISA, we now show that intact HK binds to all PL tested. By using a monoclonal antibody (mAb) to the HK light chain, binding to cardiolipin (CL) was highest followed by phosphatidylserine (PS), PE and phosphatidylcholine (PC). By contrast, LK bound best to PE, with lesser amounts binding to PC and CL. Many aPE recognize only a kininogen-PE complex and neither PE nor kininogen when they are tested independently. We now report that these aPE are specific for the kininogen-PE complex as they do not recognize the kininogens when the latter are presented on other PL substrates. This indicates that PE induces unique antigenic conformational changes in the kininogens which are not induced when the kininogens bind to other PL. The kininogens bind to platelets and endothelial cells through an as yet undefined receptor. Since PE is a normal constituent of the outer layer of cell and platelet plasma membranes, it is available for the kininogens to bind. In vitro studies showed that purified IgG which bound kininogen-PE complexes in ELISA also caused platelets to undergo irreversible aggregation when stimulated by subthreshold concentrations of bovine thrombin.
AMS 742 sphincter: UCLA experience.

AbstractBetween December 1977 and November 1978 artificial sphincters were implanted in 2 female and 19 male patients for the treatment of urinary incontinence. Etiologies for incontinence varied, including post-prostatectomy incontinence, myelodysplasia and female incontinence after unsuccessful bladder neck suspension. Over-all, 38 per cent of the patients were excellent or improved postoperatively, while 24 per cent experienced continuing unabated urinary incontinence and 24 per cent experienced urethral erosion at the site of cuff placement. The device was removed in 14 per cent of the patients when it became infected.
Fractional Factorial Experiments

When there are numerous treatment factors to be examined but a limited budget, it may only be possible to observe a small proportion of the treatment combinations. Some main-effect and interaction contrasts cannot then be distinguished and are said to be aliased. Such fractional factorial experiments form the topic of in this chapter 15, where two methods of design construction are discussed to enable minimum aliasing between important contrasts. The first method is to select one block from a single-replicate block design. The second method uses the concept of an orthogonal array. Saturated designs, supersaturated designs, and definitive screening designs are introduced for searching for influential factors among a large number of potentially important factors. The concepts introduced in this chapter are illustrated through a real experiment and with the use of SAS and R software
Acricoactis brachyacontis sp. nov. from Adak Island, Alaska, represents a new genus and family of metridioidean sea anemone (Anthozoa: Hexacorallia: Actiniaria)

Acricoactis brachyacontis sp. nov. is described based on specimens collected from Adak Island (Aleutian Islands, Alaska, USA). This acontiate sea anemone lacks a marginal sphincter, has only basitrichs in the acontia, and has six pairs of complete mesenteries, thus falling outside any existing family diagnosis. Nucleotide sequences from four gene regions (12S, 16S, 18S, COIII) corroborate the morphological finding, placing the sequenced individuals as sister to, rather than nested within, any existing monophyletic family. The new species therefore represents a new family, Acricoactinidae, as well as a new, monospecific genus. In spite of the lack of a marginal sphincter, individuals may fully retract and cover their tentacles through the contraction of the regular circular muscles in the distal region of the column. Various features of Acricoactinidae are shared with cuticulate species (e.g., with only one cycle of complete mesenteries, reduced acontia, and a few perfect mesenteries) and acuticulate species (e.g., with smooth, thin column, and a shallow water distribution), but molecular data presented here place the family within the clade Acuticulata.
A QKD protocol with a two-way quantum channel

Quantum key distribution (QKD) provides unconditional physical layer security for the distribution of encryption keys between legitimate parties. This paper presents a quantum key distribution protocol over a two-way quantum channel. This protocol does not require any classical communication channel for key sifting and key reconciliation. Utilizing the proposed protocol, one can reduce the overhead in the classical channel and increase the speed with which keys can be exchanged. Absence of a classical communication channel reduces operational overhead.
A CONTEMPORARY BICRUCIATE-RETAINING TKA

Bicruciate ligament retaining total knee arthroplasty preserves all of the ligaments of the knee while still addressing the ligament balance and the flexion-extension gaps. The concept of cruciate ligament preservation is not new and both Townley and Cartier designed prostheses in the late 1980s that did preserve all of the ligaments. Their results were quite acceptable for that time in knee replacement surgery but the posterior stabilised and cruciate retaining designs controlled most of the market. The surgical technique for cruciate ligament preservation was more difficult, and without clear clinical benefit, most surgeons gravitated towards the cruciate retaining and posterior stabilised designs. In the late 1990s, evaluation of the total knee arthroplasty began to assess knee kinematics in addition to pain and functional outcomes. At the same time, studies on the unicondylar knee arthroplasty demonstrated impressive scores in motion and patient satisfaction with preservation of all of the ligamentous structures of the knee. Over the past two years, new designs that preserve all of the ligaments of the knee have returned to the market. The instruments have been improved and the prostheses have been changed to respect the kinematics of the knee. Fifteen to twenty percent of all total knee replacement patients are not completely satisfied with the surgery and the authors believe that complete ligament preservation may address this complaint.
Reconfigurable parallel continuum robots for incisionless surgery

We propose a new class of robotic device for minimally-invasive surgery that lies at the intersection of continuum, parallel, and reconfigurable robotics. This Continuum Reconfigurable Incisionless Surgical Parallel (CRISP) paradigm involves the use of multiple needle-diameter devices inserted through the skin and assembled into parallel structures inside the body. The parallel structure can be reconfigured inside the patient's body to satisfy changing task requirements such as reaching initially inaccessible locations or modifying mechanical stiffness for manipulation or palpation. Another potential advantage of the CRISP concept is that many small (needle-sized) entry points into the patient may be preferable in terms of both patient healing and cosmesis to the single (or multiple) larger ports needed to admit current surgical robots. This paper presents a mechanics-based model for CRISP forward and inverse kinematics, along with experimental validation.
Full self-consistency in the Fermi-orbital self-interaction correction

The Perdew-Zunger self-interaction correction cures many common problems associated with semilocal density functionals, but suffers from a size-extensivity problem when Kohn-Sham orbitals are used in the correction. Fermi-L\"owdin-orbital self-interaction correction (FLOSIC) solves the size-extensivity problem, allowing its use in periodic systems and resulting in better accuracy in finite systems. Although the previously published FLOSIC algorithm Pederson et al., J. Chem. Phys. 140, 121103 (2014). appears to work well in many cases, it is not fully self-consistent. This would be particularly problematic for systems where the occupied manifold is strongly changed by the correction. In this paper, we demonstrate a different algorithm for FLOSIC to achieve full self-consistency with only marginal increase of computational cost. The resulting total energies are found to be lower than previously reported non-self-consistent results.
Propagation and Evolution of Strain Localization in Clay

This research focuses on propagation and evolution of strain localization in clay. To this end, an undrained plane strain compression test program was performed to investigate the effects of the past stress history and strain rates on the strain localization response of kaolin clay. Results of a single test (T3) are presented herein. They include the overall global stress/pore pressure versus axial strain response, as well as indicators of propagation and evolution of strain localization. The results indicate that the response consisted of the three distinct phases: (1) a homogenous deformation, (2) an inception and propagation of strain localization, and (3) an evolution of strain localization within the shear band. The Lagrange strain tensor was used to obtain local volumetric and shear strains developed within the shear band during the evolution stage. It was found that local volumetric and shear strains reached 80% and 200% respectively, which corresponds to a global axial strain increment of only 1.7%. Furthermore, the shear band exhibited a decreasing tendency to compress, thus resulting in its incremental dilatancy angle varying from initially −24° to a final value of −6°.
An approximated imaging approach for GPR surveys with antennas far from the interface

GPR systems for remote surveys, i.e. working with antennas not in contact with the medium under test, are becoming more and more widespread. This kind of systems entails several advantages but complicate the imaging in a not negligible way. Indeed, the wave propagation cannot be properly modeled anymore as occurring into a homogeneous medium and the presence of the air-medium interface has to be taken into account in order to obtain accurate images of the scenario under test. This paper deals with an approximate imaging approach, wherein an equivalent wavenumber is introduced to describe the underlining scattering phenomenon by using a ray based model. By doing so and exploiting the Born Approximation, the imaging is faced as the solution of a linear inverse scattering problem formulated by computing the Green's function and the incident field into the spatial domain. Numerical results are provided to test the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Biallelic Dicer1 loss mediated by aP2-Cre drives angiosarcoma

Angiosarcoma is an aggressive vascular sarcoma with an extremely poor prognosis. Because of the relative rarity of this disease, its molecular drivers and optimal treatment strategies are obscure. DICER1 is an RNase III endoribonuclease central to miRNA biogenesis, and germline DICER1 mutations result in a cancer predisposition syndrome, associated with an increased risk of many tumor types. Here, we show that biallelic Dicer1 deletion with aP2-Cre drives aggressive and metastatic angiosarcoma independent of other genetically engineered oncogenes or tumor suppressor loss. Angiosarcomas in aP2-Cre;Dicer1Flox/- mice histologically and genetically resemble human angiosarcoma. miR-23 target genes, including the oncogenes Ccnd1 as well as Adam19, Plau, and Wsb1 that promote invasiveness and metastasis, were enriched in mouse and human angiosarcoma. These studies illustrate that Dicer1 can function as a traditional loss-of-function tumor suppressor gene, and they provide a fully penetrant animal model for the study of angiosarcoma development and metastasis. Cancer Res; 77(22); 6109-18. ©2017 AACR.
Infusing Knowledge of Indigenous Lifeways Into Graduate Collection Management Education

In 2013, we conducted a survey of faculty and recent graduates from graduate schools of library and information science (LIS). The purpose of this study was to assess student (as represente...
Comment of the Global Antitrust Institute, Antonin Scalia Law School, George Mason University, on the Canadian Competition Bureau's White Paper, 'Big Data and Innovation: Implications for Competition Policy in Canada'

This comment is submitted in response to the Canadian Competition Bureau’s White Paper entitled “Big Data and Innovation: Implications for Competition Policy in Canada.” The Global Antitrust Institute’s Competition Advocacy Program commends the Bureau’s conclusion that existing competition laws grounded in sound economic fundamentals deserve primacy in antitrust analysis in all markets, including those characterized by big data, while also urging the Bureau to consider expanding the White Paper to address important issues involving the analyses of big data that would be of considerable value to the international antitrust community.
The Effect of Prior Hip Arthroscopy on Patient-Reported Outcomes After Total Hip Arthroplasty: An Institutional Registry-Based, Matched Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND A significant number of patients who undergo hip arthroscopy will subsequently undergo total hip arthroplasty (THA) or hip resurfacing arthroplasty (HRA), although limited evidence exists regarding effects of prior hip arthroscopy on the outcomes of these procedures. METHODS Of 5091 patients who underwent hip arthroscopy, we identified 69 patients who underwent subsequent THA (46) or HRA (23). Patients were matched to patients with no history of hip arthroscopy. Preoperative and 2-year postoperative Hip disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), Short Form-12, Lower Extremity Activity Scale score, and satisfaction surveys were compared. RESULTS Patients who underwent THA with history of arthroscopy had lower postoperative Hip disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score Pain (82 ± 16 vs 93 ± 9, P = .003), Stiffness (85 ± 16 vs 93 ± 15, P = .01), Sports and Recreation (71 ± 22 vs 88 ± 18, P = .003), Quality-of-Life (65 ± 22 vs 86 ± 11, P < .0001), WOMAC Pain (86 ± 16 vs 93 ± 15, P = .03), WOMAC Stiffness (80 ± 21 vs 88 ± 17, P = .05), and Short Form-12 Physical Component Scores (48 ± 11 vs 54 ± 6, P = .008). They were less likely to be "very satisfied" after arthroplasty (71% vs 89%, P = .0008). CONCLUSION Hip arthroscopy before hip arthroplasty is associated with slightly lower results in several patient-reported outcomes. These results are relevant when assessing patients for hip arthroscopy and when counseling prospective arthroplasty patients with history of arthroscopy.
Transition probabilities help identify putative drivers of community change in complex systems.

Understanding the role of larger-scale processes in modulating the assembly, structure, and dynamics of communities is critical for forecasting the effects of climate-change and managing ecosystems. Developing this comprehensive perspective is difficult though, because species interactions are complex, interdependent, and dynamic through space and time. Typically, experiments focus on tractable subsets of interactions that will be most critical to investigate and explain shifts in communities, but qualitatively base these choices on experience, natural history, and theory. One quantitative approach to identify the putative forces regulating communities, without reducing system complexity, is estimating transition probabilities among species occupying space (i.e., multispecies Markov chain models). Although not mechanistic, these models estimate the relative frequency and importance of ecological pathways in community assembly and dynamics, and can serve as a framework to identify how pathways change across large scales and which are most important to investigate further. Here, we demonstrate this method in the Gulf of Maine (GOM) intertidal zone, where research has largely focused on the local-scale processes that influence communities, while the mechanisms responsible for more regional shifts in communities are less clear. Transition probabilities of faunal elements were quantified bimonthly for ~2.5 yr in local intertidal communities at three replicate sites in the southern, mid-coast, and northern GOM. Transitions related to mortality, colonization, and replacement by mussels, barnacles, red algae, and encrusting corallines differed regionally, suggesting specific pathways related to consumer pressure and recruitment vary across the GOM with shifting intertidal community structure. Combined with species abundance data and insights from previous research, we develop and evaluate the pathways by which communities likely change in the GOM. Species interactions in local communities can be complex, and this complexity should be incorporated into hypothesis building, experiments, theory, interpretations, and forecasts in ecology. Such a comprehensive approach will be critical to understand how regional shifts in local interactions can drive large-scale community change.
Comparative study of a 100kW PV WBG inverter using 1200V SiC MOSFET and JFET cascode devices

This paper compares the efficiency and power density of a 100kW five-level T-type inverter based on the type of SiC device used to implement it: Wolfspeed SiC MOSFET T-Type modules, Wolfspeed Gen-3 discrete SiC MOSFETs, and USCi discrete SiC JFET cascode devices. Analytical results indicate that the JFET cascodes experience the least overall power loss, though the discrete MOSFETs experience the least switching loss. In addition, an optimized pin-fin heatsink system has been designed to compare the power density of this inverter using these devices. It shows that the discrete devices can use 72% of the heatsink weight that the MOSFET modules require. A 100kW inverter using SiC T-type modules has been built, and downscaled experimental results are provided to verify the analysis.
Dual Paraneoplastic Endocrine Syndromes Heralding Onset of Extrapulmonary Small Cell Carcinoma: A Case Report and Narrative Review.

Objective: Extrapulmonary small cell carcinoma (EPSCC) is rare, and frequent metastases at presentation can complicate efforts to identify a site of origin. In particular, SCC comprises 30 ng/mL) and PTH-related peptide (PTHrP) 63.4 pmol/L (<2.3 pmol/L). Workup for hypokalemia yielded aldosterone 5.3 ng/dL (<31 ng/dL), renin 0.6 ng/mL/hr (0.5-4 ng/mL/hr) and 6 am cortisol 82 mcg/dL (6.7-22.6 mcg/dL) with ACTH 147 pg/mL (no ref. range). High-dose dexamethasone suppression testing suggested ACTH-dependent ectopic hypercortisolism. Contrast-enhanced CT findings included masses in the liver and right renal pelvis, a heterogeneous enlarged prostate invading the bladder, bilateral adrenal thickening and lytic lesions in the pelvis and spine. Liver biopsy identified epithelioid malignancy with Ki proliferation index 98% and immunohistochemical staining positive for synaptophysin and neuron specific enolase, compatible with high-grade small cell carcinoma. Staining for ACTH was negative; no stain for CRH was available. Two weeks after chemotherapy, 6am cortisol normalized and CT scans showed universal improvement. Conclusion: Extensive literature details paraneoplastic syndromes associated with SCC, but we report the first case of EPSCC diagnosed due to onset of dual paraneoplastic syndromes.
Logconcavity, twice-logconcavity and Turán-type inequalities

This paper presents a brief review of the logconcavity of some compound distributions and its relationship to Turan-type inequalities. Further, we introduce a new concept of twice-logconcavity (twice-logconvexity) and show that many discrete probability distributions and combinatorial sequences are twice-logconcave. These results are closely related to other areas of mathematics such as combinatorics and analysis.
Chapter 14 Reinforcement Learning for Robotic Reaching and Grasping

Summary A reinforcement learning approach is used to train a neural controller to perform a robotic reaching task. Unlike supervised learning techniques, where the teacher must provide the correct sequence of motor actions, only an evaluation of the robot's performance is provided. From this limited information, the robot must discover the appropriate motor programs that best satisfy the teacher's evaluation criterion. This type of learning approach is important because in a real-world environment, the teacher is generally not able to describe the motor program that performs the desired motor skill. This chapter utilizes the language of schema theory [1] as a mechanism for describing functional decompositions of motor programs. A connection is made from schema descriptions to a neural-level implementation of the schemas. It is at this low level of processing that we define a reinforcement learning algorithm that acquires motor programs that satisfy the reinforcement policy defined by the teacher.
Radiation-Induced Immune Modulation

Ionizing radiation is commonly used to treat cancer, with the explicit goal of eliminating an in situ tumor through reasonably well-understood direct killing mechanisms. However, the tumors that afflict patients do not evolve on plastic dishes or in immune-compromised mice. Instead, tumors develop in hosts with an intact immune system, which may serve to edit and shape the immunological phenotype of a particular lesion. Radiotherapeutic treatment of a mature tumor in an intact host results in immunologically relevant phenotypic changes in the targeted tumor cells themselves, and also has effects on the multitude of other cells that make up the tumor-associated stroma. Although many of these changes are both poorly investigated and poorly understood, recent studies have provided a new level of insight into the immunological effects of radiation, both at a local, molecular level, as well as at a systemic, whole-body level. Many of the “off-target” effects of radiation therapy might be expected to be proinflammatory, but harnessing these effects in a synergistic treatment regimen will undoubtedly require a greater knowledge and appreciation of the manner in which ionizing radiation interacts with the host.
A Summary of Ten Years of Research on HPFRC Coupling Beams

The design of coupling or “link” beams connecting structural walls in earthquake-resistant construction requires the use of intricate diagonal and transverse reinforcement detailing to ensure adequate strength, stiffness and energy dissipation during an earthquake event. The tensile strain-hardening behavior exhibited by high-performance fiber reinforced concretes (HPFRCs), along with their compression behavior that resembles that of well-confined concrete, led the senior writers to consider their use as a means to simplify the required reinforcement detailing in coupling beams, while leading to comparable or even enhanced seismic performance. Short coupling beams with a span-to-depth ratio (l n /h) of 1.0 were first investigated. Test results showed that HPFRC provides confinement to the diagonal reinforcement and increases coupling beam shear strength and drift capacity. This allows for a substantial reduction in both diagonal and confinement reinforcement without compromising deformation capacity. A follow-up study on coupling beams with l n /h = 1.75 showed that a ductile flexural mechanism with high damage tolerance can be achieved through the use of HPFRC. A precast scheme with a short embedment length was shown to effectively anchor the beam into the wall without interfering with the wall reinforcement. Also, an HPFRC mixture with high-strength (2300 MPa) hooked steel fibers in a 1.5% volume fraction was found to be the most promising in terms of structural performance, economy and ease of construction. In order to cover the range of l n /h ratios common in practice, additional studies were conducted on more slender coupling beams, with l n /h = 2.75 and 3.3. It was shown that slender precast HPFRC coupling beams can develop a high drift capacity and damage tolerance, even when diagonal reinforcement is eliminated. The results from this work thus provide structural engineers and contractors a viable design alternative for use in earthquake-resistant coupled wall construction.
Are two subjects better than one? The effects of developmental English courses on language minority and native English-speaking students’ community college outcomes

Abstract Developmental reading and writing courses seek to provide underprepared college students with the academic literacy skills necessary to succeed in college-level coursework. Yet, little is known about the effects of these courses on students with different language backgrounds. This study uses administrative data from a large college system and a regression discontinuity design to identify the impact of two developmental English subjects, reading and writing, compared to one developmental English subject, writing, on the educational outcomes of native English-speaking and language minority community college students. Results suggest heterogeneous effects. Taking developmental reading and writing versus just writing coursework has no impact on the educational outcomes of native English-speaking students. However, there is a potential benefit of pairing developmental reading and writing together on language minority students’ persistence and college-level reading and writing skills, as measured by a standardized exam.
The pattern of hearing outcome following surgery of the semicircular canals.

Objective To analyze demographic, clinical, surgical, and audiometric factors that may affect hearing outcome following surgery for the semicircular canals (SCC). Method This is a retrospective case review of adults who underwent surgeries for superior SCC (SSCC), lateral SCC (LSCC), or posterior SCC (PSCC) and whose data were extracted and analyzed for factors affecting the hearing outcome in these procedures. Results Thirteen patients underwent surgery for SSCC, seven cases for the LSCC, one for the PSCC, and one case of combined PSCC/SSCC surgery. The mean age was 49.8 ± 12 years (21-66). There was no difference between the preoperative and postoperative pure tone average (PTA) thresholds at 0.5-3 kHz. Higher thresholds were noted at 4, 6, and 8 kHz postoperatively. Deterioration (>10 dB) in the bone-conduction (BC) PTA was demonstrated in 3 of 22 (13.6%) cases with no significant difference in the demographic, clinical, surgical, and preoperative audiometric parameters relative to the cases without PTA BC change. A significantly larger difference in PTA BC (pre- vs. postoperative) was seen for males. Small effect size was noted for Air conduction (AC) PTA in males, and moderate effect size for Word Recognition Score (WRS) in surgery for the LSCC compare to SSCC. Conclusions SCC surgeries carry a relatively low risk of deterioration in PTA BC. High frequency thresholds should also be included in postoperative hearing outcome assessment. Cases of LSCC for intractable Meniere's disease and surgery in males carry higher risk of poor postoperative hearing outcomes. Level of Evidence: 4.
Simplifying M ATCH W ORD : Evidence from English functional categories

In work on the syntax-prosody interface, there is a prevalent idea that while lexical categories are preferentially mapped to prosodic words, no such pressure exists for functional categories (Selkirk 1984; 1996; 2011; Selkirk & Shen 1990; Truckenbrodt 1999; Elfner 2012). In Match Theory (Selkirk 2011), in which syntax-prosody isomorphism is enforced by a series of violable constraints, this supposed pressure is built into the system with the claim that MATCH WORD in some sense “ignores” functional categories. I argue that this idea is misguided, and that MATCH WORD does not discriminate between lexical and functional heads. The pervasive phonological reduction of function words is instead ascribed to the idiosyncratic prosodic requirements of the function words themselves. In particular, I adopt the model of Prosodic Subcategorization (Inkelas 1989; Zec 2005). This approach explains particular interactions that would be unexpected if MATCH WORD were genuinely indifferent to functional categories, and fits in with a large body of evidence suggesting that functional elements can behave in prosodically idiosyncratic ways (Nespor & Vogel 1986; Inkelas & Zec 1990; Zec 2005). The evidence comes from the behavior of several classes of English functional categories: prepositions, auxiliaries, determiners, weak object pronouns and contracted negation -n’t.
Mapping the 'Valley of Death': Managing Selection and Technology Advancement in NASA's Small Business Innovation Research Program

We determine the risk mitigation process inherent in managing a portfolio of technologies diverse in both their readiness for infusion and the nature of the performing organization, focusing on the so-called "valley of death" in which the technology's principles have been proven but prototypes have yet to be developed. Using the Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) of projects funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) proposals and awards, we find that the result of selection is a tendency toward larger companies. In the second round of funding, technology maturity is a stronger determinant of selection and company headcount is no longer a statistically significant driver. This combination allows the program to manage risk and deliver real technical advancement from even the smallest companies. We find that technologies typically advance from TRL 2, concept formulation, at the program's outset to roughly TRL 5, component validation, at the program's conclusion; these outcomes precede economic benefits from the subsidy. These findings illuminate a mechanism to address risk as well as demonstrating the technical outcomes of a managed early-stage technology program.
Unconventional delivery of inhaled nitric oxide during endoscopic laryngeal tracheal reconstruction in a child with pulmonary arterial hypertension: A case report

Endoscopic laryngeal tracheal reconstruction was performed on a child with glottic stenosis and pulmonary arterial hypertension. The surgical repair was performed while delivering inhaled nitric oxide via the ventilating port of a suspension laryngoscope with the patient maintaining spontaneous respirations. The surgery was accomplished without complications.