cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Paramyxovirus Receptor-Binding Molecules: Engagement of One Site on the Hemagglutinin-Neuraminidase Protein Modulates Activity at the Second Site

The hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) protein of paramyxoviruses carries out three different activities: receptor binding, receptor cleaving (neuraminidase), and triggering of the fusion protein. These three discrete properties each affect the ability of HN to promote viral fusion and entry. For human parainfluenza type 3, one bifunctional site on HN can carry out both binding and neuraminidase, and the receptor mimic, zanamivir, impairs viral entry by blocking receptor binding. We report here that for Newcastle disease virus, the HN receptor avidity is increased by zanamivir, due to activation of a second site that has higher receptor avidity. Only certain receptor mimics effectively activate the second site (site II) via occupation of site I; yet without activation of this second site, binding is mediated entirely by site I. Computational modeling designed to complement the experimental approaches suggests that the potential for small molecule receptor mimics to activate site II, upon binding to site I, directly correlates with their predicted strengths of interaction with site I. Taken together, the experimental and computational data show that the molecules with the strongest interactions with site I-zanamivir and BCX 2798-lead to the activation of site II. The finding that site II, once activated, shows higher avidity for receptor than site I, suggests paradigms for further elucidating the regulation of HN's multiple functions in the viral life cycle.
Topographic Influence on the Seasonal and Interannual Variation of Water and Energy Balance of Basins in North America

A large area basin-scale (LABs) hydrologic model is developed for regional, continental, and global hydrologic studies. The heterogeneity in the soil-moisture distribution within a basin is parameterized through the statistical moments of the probability distribution function of the topographic (wetness) index. The statistical moments are derived using GTOPO30 (30 arc sec; 1-km resolution) digital elevation model data for North America. River basins and drainage network extracted using this dataset are overlaid on computed topographic indices for the continent and statistics are extracted for each basin. A total of 5020 basins with an average size of 3255 square kilometers, obtained from the United States Geological Survey HYDRO1K data, is used over the continent. The model predicts runoff generation due to both saturation and infiltration excess mechanisms along with the baseflow and snowmelt. Simulation studies are performed for 1987 and 1988 using the International Satellite Land Surface Climatology Project data. Improvement in the terrestrial water balance and streamflow is observed due to improvements in the surface runoff and baseflow components achieved by incorporating the topographic influences. It is found that subsurface redistribution of soil moisture, and anisotropy in hydraulic conductivities in the vertical and horizontal directions play an important role in determining the streamflow and its seasonal variability. These enhancements also impact the surface energy balance. It is shown that the dynamics of several hydrologic parameters such as basin mean water table depth and saturated fraction play an important role in determining the total streamflow response and show realistic seasonal and interannual variations. Observed streamflow of the Mississippi River and its subbasins (Ohio, Arkansas, Missouri, and Upper Mississippi) are used for validation. It is observed that model baseflow has a significant contribution to the streamflow and is important in realistically capturing the seasonal and annual cycles.
Foreign Doctors at the Imam's Court: Medical Diplomacy in Yemen's Coffee Era

This article brings together the trade records of the Dutch and English East India Companies' merchants, chronicles in Arabic, and a published French travel narrative to shed light on an overlooked phenomenon, that of early modern medical diplomacy to Qasimi Yemen during the early eighteenth century. In this era foreign merchants flocked to the southern Arabian Peninsula, many with the interest of procuring coffee, a commodity that was then still difficult to purchase elsewhere. Along with them came doctors and ships' surgeons, who were called on to treat Yemen's imam al-Mahdi Muhammad (d. 1718), who suffered from many ailments in the last years of his rule. This study illustrates that these episodes of early modern cross-cultural health care were not peripheral or secondary to the large-scale political interests of overseas envoys or the immediate commercial involvements of foreign merchants but rather tightly intertwined with them. In addition to documenting heretofore unremarked upon events, the larger objective of this study is to investigate the role foreigners played as both agents of exchange and recorders of events in Yemen's early modern history.
Cutting Microfinance Interest Rate

Microfinance is a social innovation to alleviate poverty by providing small unsecured loans to local entrepreneurs and the poor. Many borrowers use the microfinance loans to seed their small entrepreneurial businesses. However, the high interest rates charged by the microfinance institutions (MFIs) are likely to increase the financial burden of the poor. In this study, we adopt a multiple stakeholders approach to analyze what affects microfinance interest rates and argue that every stakeholder could have a significant contribution in this social venture, especially in cutting interest rate to share the social mission. We emphasize the interdependence of multiple stakeholders, such as between the poor borrower and community/ MFI history, between women and government supported institutions, between the manager decision on loan portfolio risk and the rule of law, and between MFIs managers and employees. Within 7,217 organization-year observations from 2003 to 2011 across 105 countries, collected from Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX), the empirical results largely support our hypotheses on interest rate setting. Our multiple stakeholders’ approach significantly extends the current understanding on the microfinance and offers important managerial implications.
Connected learning in and after school: Exploring technology's role in the learning experiences of diverse high school students

This article explores the efforts of one network of afterschool programs to leverage new media technologies to promote out-of-school learning among high school students from nondominant backgrounds and connect this learning to their school contexts. The study entailed in-depth interviews and focus groups with 40 youth and adults involved in the afterschool programming, as well as 12 observations of afterschool sessions and school-based classes. A thematic analysis of the transcripts and field notes revealed a notable discrepancy in youth's learning experiences in school and afterschool settings. Out-of-school learning experiences were more likely to be peer supported, interest powered, and production centered. They were also more likely to engage youth and adults around a shared purpose and to take advantage of openly networked infrastructures. Two theoretical frameworks from the field of information behavior are used to explore the distinct successes and challenges associated with promoting rich learning experiences in each setting.
Grading of Prostate Cancer: Past, Present, and Future

The grading of prostate cancer has undergone significant changes since the adoption of the Gleason grading system in the 1970s. Gleason patterns 1 and 2 are no longer in use and the current Gleason score 6 of 10 is the lowest grade possible. Several specific morphologies that were historically considered Gleason grade 3 are currently assigned a Gleason pattern 4. Consequently, current Gleason score 6 cancers have a better prognosis than historic ones. There is now ample literature that supports that Gleason score 7 includes patients with very different prognosis; those with Gleason score 3 + 4 have a much better prognosis than patients with Gleason score 4 + 3. Within patients with high-grade cancer, it is now also clear that patients with Gleason score 8 have a significantly better prognosis than men with Gleason scores 9–10. Additionally, more recent studies have demonstrated that there is no significant difference in the prognosis of patients with Gleason score 9 or 10, making the distinction between the two pointless. A new contemporary grading system has been proposed that addresses these changes/problems and provides a simpler system with only five grades that reflect more accurately the prognosis of each group. We review the different changes applied to the Gleason scoring system since its conception as well as the studies leading to a new contemporary grading system.
The effects of sodium pentobarbital or ether anesthesia on spontaneous and electrochemically-induced gonadotropin release.

SummaryThese studies have examined the effects of sodium pentobarbital or ether anesthesia on temporal plasma patterns and concentrations of FSH and LH following electrochemical stimulation (ECS) of the medial preoptic area (MPOA) or dorsal anterior hypothalamic area (DAHA) in proestrous rats. The injection of sodium pentobarbital at 1245 on proes-trus and ECS of either the MPOA or DAHA at 1300 elicited a rise in plasma FSH 120 min poststimulation. Injection of this barbiturate at 1245 and ECS of either region at 1500, when the effects of anesthesia had begun to wane, reduced the time interval between stimulation and the first significant plasma FSH rise to 60 min. A third group of proestrous rats was anesthetized with ether at 1100 and the DAHA or the MPOA was electrochemically stimulated. In such preparations, FSH in plasma rose significantly 60 min post-stimulation. In all MPOA-electrochemically stimulated groups, the first significant rise in plasma LH occurred 30 min poststimulation regardless of the...
Survey of prevalence and prevention of common chronic diseases in Shijingshan district of Beijing

Objective To study the epidemic of chronic diseases such as hypertension,diabetes and their prevention and treatment in Shijingshan district in Beijing.Methods Chronic diseases were investigated in 9 communities of Shijingshan district in 2012.3 960 residents aged 18 years and older were investigated,including 1 498 males and 2 462 females.The survey collected data on chronic diseases,such as high blood pressure,diabetes and abnormal blood lipid level and the treatment,as well as the measurements of height,weight,waist circumference,blood pressure,fasting blood glucose and blood lipid.The diagnosis of the diseases were determined according to relevant guidelines diagnostic criteria.Results The prevalence of hypertension awareness,treatment and controlled rates were 44.49%,65.62%,62.59% and 39.12% respectively.For diabetes these rates were 15.26%,77.46%,62.60% and 39.40% respectively.For lipid abnormality the above rates were 45.03%,32.59%,14.30% and 9.09% respectively.Prevalence of these chronic diseases increases with age and the prevalence in men aged 50 years and younger is significantly higher than that in female,but after 50 years old the prevalence increased rapidly in women,and was higher than that in men after age of 60.Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that high blood pressure,diabetes,higher body mass index(BMI),older age and obesity/overweight are major risk factors of cardio-cerebrovascular diseases.Conclusions The prevalence of hypertension,diabetes,hyperlipidemia in Shijingshan district is high and is still increasing,but the rates of awareness,treatment and controlling of disease were not high and need to be promoted.The control and prevention of chronic diseases,and strengthening the standardized management of chronic disease and promoting treatment effect,are the current focus of the chronic disease prevention and management.
SURGICAL TREATMENT OF ORIGIN OF BOTH VESSELS FROM RIGHT VENTRICLE, INCLUDING CASES OF PULMONARY STENOSIS.

S ince 1957, 9 patients who had origin of both vessels from the right ventricle and 8 who had pulmonary stenosis in addition have been treated surgically at the Mayo Clinic. Hypertension in the pulmonary artery was severe in all patients without pulmonic stenosis, and the pulmonary stenosis when present was unusually severe. These findings, plus the small size of the ventricular septal defect in 3 of the 17 and the anomalies of the right coronary artery in 5, complicated surgical repair. There have been two hospital deaths in the patients without pulmonary stenosis; none of the last 4 patients who were operated upon have died. The first 4 patients with associated pulmonary stenosis died after operation, and the last 4 lived. In this report, details of these cases are given and the present techniques, which appear to allow a low mortality and good results, are described.
A general purpose machine vision prototyper for investigating the inspection of planar webs

In order for an industrial inspection system to be of utility in manufacturing it must be fast, accurate, and flexible. It would seem that the best method for creating flexible machine vision systems is to define a subclass of inspection problems where all the problems within the subclass have a number of common features. Such a subclass must be of interest to a number of manufacturers. It must also be "reasonable," to solve. Once the subclass has been selected, the next logical step is to create a device that makes performing all the needed experiments on the various problems within the class easy. This work has four major objectives. The first objective is to define a meaningful subclass of inspection problems that are (a) of interest to a number of manufacturers, and (b) represent inspection tasks that seem "reasonable" within the current state-of-the-art of computer vision. The subclass selected for this work is the longitudinal planar web inspection problem under the two-dimensional imaging restriction. The second objective of this work is to create a vehicle that will allow the types of experimentation usually associated with the development of machine vision systems to be facilitated. This vehicle created is called a "machine vision prototyper." The third objective of this work is to use the machine vision prototyper system to attack a particular planar web applications problem. The application considered is the problem of locating and identifying surface defects in surfaced hardwood lumber in a species independent manner. The fourth objective of this research is to indicate how the prototyper system can be used to attack a second planar web application problem. This application problem is the inspection of hardwood parts coming out of a molder. The utility of the machine vision prototyper system as an experimental tool is demonstrated on two of the three possible types of longitudinal planar web inspection problems. The results include the development of a machine vision system for a hardwood surfaced lumber surface feature detection problem, and a discussion of how the prototyper can be used to attack the problem of inspecting hardwood parts coming out of a molder. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)
A 9000-year flood history for Southern California: A revised stratigraphy of varved sediments in Santa Barbara Basin

Abstract The center of Santa Barbara Basin (SBB) preserves annual laminations through most of the Holocene providing an important locality for high-resolution late Quaternary paleoclimate and paleoceanography reconstructions. An accurate chronology is necessary for these sediment-based records and enables comparisons with more distal data time-series of similar quality. Here we present an improved high-resolution radiocarbon chronology for the last 9000 yrs. based on 89 accelerator mass spectrometric (AMS) 14C dates of mixed planktonic foraminiferal carbonate from three sediment cores collected in SBB (MV0811-14JC, SPR0901-06KC and ODP Hole 893A). Accurate core-to-core correlation is demonstrated using prominent gray flood and olive turbidite layers identified in SBB and dated in multiple cores. Gray layer deposits were found more frequently in wetter intervals as determined by multi-proxy hydroclimate records in Southern California (e.g., lake deposits and tree rings). Mass accumulation rates (MARs) calculated for the SBB depocenter using the improved radiocarbon age model indicate high MARs are associated with these gray layers that have been associated with floods. Thus sediment accumulation in SBB is largely controlled by sediment delivery via river runoff following precipitation events although MARs may also be influenced by other factors that enhance erosion in river catchments. Folded sediment is observed within the basal core section of MV0811-14JC which stratigraphically correlates with 14C age reversals in ODP Hole 893A. We associate this sediment slump feature with the large Goleta submarine slide complex in Santa Barbara Channel and estimate the submarine slide event occurred at ~ 9000 ± 200 yrs. BP. Furthermore, small olive turbidite layers identified and dated in SBB can be temporally linked with large earthquakes along San Andreas Fault and can therefore potentially reconstruct earthquake history in Southern California.
Security strategy and application of the life-cycle cloud platform of electric energy metering equipment

The coordinated management of the measurement equipment in life-cycle is the essential condition for its quality improvement and stable operation. Considering the present situation that each stage data of the electric energy metering equipment life cycle is isolated, a scheme of the life-cycle management for the electric energy metering equipment is designed, which established ten stages of the equipment life cycle from R & D to worthless in use. According to the management and use of each stage data, the design scheme of the life-cycle cloud platform of the electric energy metering equipment based on composite cloud structure is proposed. Meanwhile, the security policy of the cloud platform, which covers three levels of IaaS, PaaS and SaaS, is formulated to achieve efficient and secure data transfer in multiparty data interaction mode. Then the application of cloud platform is studied, especially on the intelligent manufacturing and supervision, intelligent warehouse management in the whole industry chain and the equipment operation state evaluation, to provide support for quality improvement of electric energy metering equipment and reliable operation of metering business.
Dislocation Configurations Due to Plate Impact

Plate impact recovery experiments are described in which single crystals of LiF are impacted by a thin flyer plate. Provisions are made to prevent reloading of the crystal by reflected waves or repeated impact. As a result, the crystal remains in position for subsequent removal to examine the dislocation configurations produced by a known stress pulse. Observation of dislocations by an etch pit technique shows large increases in dislocation density with closely spaced, long glide bands emanating from both front and rear surfaces. Comparatively short, widely spaced interior glide bands have lengths comparable to those predicted by applying the linear drag model of ultrasonic attenuation studies to the stress levels of the plate impact experiments.
Clinical Applications of MR Perfusion Imaging

Several techniques are available for assessing brain perfusion or hemodynamics in the clinical setting, in general falling into two basic categories: those using diffusible and those using nondiffusible tracers. H 2 15 O PET, 99mTc-HMPAO or 99mTc-ECD single photon emission computed tomography, stable xenon computed tomography (CT), and arterial spin-labeled (ASL) MRI are examples of diffusible tracer techniques, where the tracer is not confined to the vessels and enters the tissue. The major nondiffusible tracer techniques in use are bolus contrast CT and MR perfusion methods, where the tracer remains within the vasculature as long as the blood–brain barrier is intact. Clinical experience in MRI is greatest for bolus contrast or dynamic susceptibility contrast perfusion MRI, although the use of dynamic contrast-enhanced and ASL techniques is increasing. Each MRI-based technique has advantages and disadvantages, which are discussed briefly in this chapter and in greater depth in chapters elsewhere in this book. Improvements in acquisition and postprocessing strategies over the last several years have made efficient implementation of both approaches a reality, not only in clinical trials but also in routine daily clinical practice with practical utility of perfusion methodology demonstrated for several applications such as acute and chronic cerebrovascular disease, central nervous system neoplasms, epilepsy, and aging and neurodegenerative disorders. This chapter focuses primarily on these clinical applications, using selected examples to illustrate strengths, weaknesses, or complementary roles of different MR perfusion techniques.
Does contract farming improve welfare? A review

Abstract Although many urban areas around the world have grown steadily in recent years, the structural transformation, wherein an economy goes from relying primarily on agriculture and natural resources to relying primarily on manufacturing, has eluded many developing countries. In those countries, contract farming, whereby processors contract out the production of some agricultural commodity to growers, is often seen as a means of spurring the development of an agribusiness sector, and thus launch the structural transformation. As a result, economists and other social scientists have extensively researched contract farming over the last 30 years. We review the findings of the economics literature on contract farming and discuss its implications for development policy and research. In so doing, we highlight the methodological weaknesses that limit much of the literature on contract farming in answering questions of relevance for policy. Despite valiant research effort, many of the core features of contract farming imply substantial challenges for researchers aiming to study the question “Does contract farming improve welfare?” We conclude with a discussion of where we see the literature on contract farming evolving over the next few decades.
Surgical results of total anomalous pulmonary venous connection repair in 256 patients.

OBJECTIVES This study was performed to analyse the surgical results of total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC) repair at a single institution and to identify trends and variables associated with mortality and morbidity, particularly predictors of recurrent pulmonary venous obstruction (PVO). METHODS Our surgical database contained 256 patients with biventricular anatomy who underwent surgical repair for TAPVC from 1981 to 2016. The anatomic TAPVC subtypes in this study were as follows: 114 supracardiac (44.5%), 56 cardiac (21.9%), 64 infracardiac (25.0%) and 22 mixed (8.6%) types. The follow-up for the entire study ranged from 1.6 months to 28.2 years (median 10.4 years). Preoperative PVO was present in 128 patients (50.0%). All patients with TAPVC with single-ventricle anatomy were excluded from the analysis. Data were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS Seven (2.7%) early deaths and 26 (10.1%) late deaths occurred. The actuarial survival rate at 20 years postoperatively was 85.3%. The preoperative predictors of operative mortality were younger age and the era of TAPVC repair (before 1998). In addition to these variables, associated cardiac anomalies were predictors of late mortality. Those for postoperative PVO were younger age, lower weight and being an emergency case. The actuarial survival rate at 20 years was 38.6% for patients with postoperative PVO and 92.2% for patients without postoperative PVO (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS The long-term outcomes after TAPVC repair in patients with biventricular anatomy were satisfactory. Mortality was significantly associated with the rate of progression of postoperative PVO, and careful follow-up was required especially within 6 months after the primary operation.
Limitations and Confusing Aspects of Diagnostic Testing for Neurologic Lyme Disease in the United States

In the United States, laboratories frequently offer multiple different assays for testing of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples to provide laboratory support for the diagnosis of central nervous system Lyme disease (CNSLD). Often included among these diagnostic tests are the same enzyme immunoassays and immunoblots that are routinely used to detect the presence of antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi in serum. However, performing these assays on CSF alone may yield positive results simply from passive diffusion of serum antibodies into the CSF. In addition, such tests are only U.S. Food and Drug Administration cleared and well validated for testing serum, not CSF. When performed using CSF, positive results from these assays do not establish the presence of intrathecal antibody production to B. burgdorferi and therefore should not be offered. The preferred test to detect intrathecal production of antibodies to B. burgdorferi is the antibody index assay, which corrects for passive diffusion of serum antibodies into CSF and requires testing of paired serum and CSF collected at approximately the same time. However, this assay also has limitations and should only be used to establish a diagnosis of CNSLD in conjunction with patient exposure history, clinical presentation, and other laboratory findings.
A Multidisciplinary Intervention to Improve Care for High-Risk COPD Patients:

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations contribute to both costs and patient morbidity. The authors designed a quality project to improve care for high-risk COPD patients admitted with an exacerbation. An electronic medical record report was used to target admitted high-risk COPD patients for an intervention that included pulmonary and respiratory therapy consults, post-discharge phone calls from a patient navigator, referrals to palliative services when appropriate, and bedside delivery of medications. The control population was a similar group of patients at a community partner hospital who received usual care. In all, 157 unique patients were enrolled over 16 months; referrals to palliative care services increased and rates of outpatient follow-up improved. There was no difference in readmissions or emergency department visits between the 2 groups. Better coordination of outpatient care and attention to psychosocial burdens were identified as possible targets for future interventions.
Outcomes After Minimally Invasive Parafascicular Surgery for Intracerebral Hemorrhage: A Single-Center Experience

Background Spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) comprises 10%–15% of strokes with a high mortality (40%) and low rates of functional independence within 6 months (25%). Minimally invasive parafascicular surgery has emerged as a potentially safer option for ICH management. Methods Data from 25 patients who underwent channel-based ICH evacuation were retrospectively collected regarding demographics, clinical presentation, neuroimaging characteristics, follow-up modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, and disposition. Results Sixteen patients were male (64%) and 9 were female (36%), with a mean age of 52 years. There were 4 frontal, 1 occipital, and 20 basal ganglia hemorrhages; 15 (60%) showed intraventricular extension. Seventeen ICHs (68%) and 6 of 7 patient deaths (86%) were left sided. The mean volume was 46 cm3 (range, 13.1–101.2 cm3), and the mean clot reduction was 92%. Left-sided ICH (P = 0.014) and the presence of intraventricular hemorrhage (P = 0.038) were associated with worsened postoperative GCS score. Larger hemorrhages were associated with mortality (66 cm3 vs. 38 cm3; P Conclusions BrainPath-mediated transsulcal approaches are associated with improved mRS and GCS scores, with low rates of residual hematoma, although further data are needed via controlled studies to determine the importance of hemorrhage location and size, timing of surgical intervention, and long-term patient outcomes.
Operating Room Personnel Determine Efficiency of Pediatric Spinal Fusions for Scoliosis

Abstract Study Design Retrospective chart review. Objectives To investigate the effect of different surgeons, anesthesiologists, and cRNAs individually and in teams on various perioperative and operative time intervals in a large, high-volume children's hospital. Summary of Background Data Along with individual factors, studies have indicated that team factors play a role in efficiency, with larger teams leading to increased procedure times. An operating room (OR) staff dedicated to orthopedics has been reported to decrease turnover time; however, the characteristics and behaviors of surgical team members, to our knowledge, have not been analyzed as possible factors contributing to pediatric OR efficiency, and limited research has been conducted in the field of orthopedic personnel. Methods Chart review identified consecutive pediatric and adolescent patients who had primary posterior spinal fusion (PSF) of ≥7 levels for correction of spinal deformity. Time intervals and delays were recorded based on previous studies looking at OR efficiency and adjusted to the specific time points available in our perioperative nursing records. Results Adjusted for etiology, osteotomy, fusion levels, distance from hospital, staff switch, and body mass index, there was a significant difference in patient wait time among anesthesiologists, surgeon-anesthesiologist, and anesthesiologist-certified registered nurse anesthetist (cRNA) teams; in surgery prep time and total prep among surgeons and SA teams; and in surgery time and total room time among surgeons. There were no significant differences among cRNAs, individually, in any time interval. Conclusions Anesthesiologists have a significant effect before and surgeons have a significant effect after entry into the OR. Identification of this variability provides an opportunity to study the differences in habits and processes of high- and low-efficiency teams, which can then be applied to all teams with the goal of improving performance of all surgical teams. Level of Evidence Level IV, case series.
Parliamentary and semi-presidential advantages in the sovereign credit market: democratic institutional design and sovereign credibility

We propose that institutional differences in executive-legislative relations generate heterogeneity in the creditworthiness of democracies in the sovereign credit market. In particular, there is a credibility advantage for parliamentarism relative to presidentialism, because the former, with stronger parties, elongates policy-makers’ time horizons and lowers their discount rate, thereby enhancing their ability to signal the credibility of their commitment to debt repayment. Our Heckman selection analysis of democracies from 1990 to 2012 confirms the existence of parliamentary advantage in sovereign credibility, and it also reveals a semi-presidential advantage relative to presidentialism. Our study contributes to the recent stream of research that problematizes the democracy/autocracy dichotomy in the study of sovereign credibility.
A quantitative engineering study of ecosystem robustness using thermodynamic power cycles as case studies.

Human networks and engineered systems are traditionally designed to maximize efficiency. Ecosystems on the other hand, achieve long-term robustness and sustainability by maintaining a unique balance between pathway efficiency and redundancy, measured in terms of the number of flow pathways available for a given unit of flow at any node in the network. Translating this flow-based ecosystem robustness into an engineering context supports the creation of new robust and sustainable design guidelines for engineered systems. Thermodynamic cycles provide good examples of human systems where simple and clearly defined modifications can be made to increase efficiency. Twenty-three variations on the Brayton and Rankine cycles are used to understand the relationship between design decisions that maximize a system’s efficient use of energy (measured by thermodynamic first law efficiency) and ecological measures of robustness and structural efficiency. The results reveal that thermodynamic efficiency and ecological pathway efficiency do not always correlate and that while on average modifications to increase energy efficiency reduce the robustness of the system, the engineering understanding of ecological network design presented here can enable decisions that are able to increase both energy efficiency and robustness.
Longitudinal Patterns of School Disengagement before Conception among New York City Teen Mothers

BACKGROUND School-based pregnancy prevention programs should optimally be offered while students are still engaged in school since early disengagement is strongly associated with risk of a teen birth. METHODS We used linked New York City birth and enrollment data (2005-2013), a sample of 6,809 teen mothers (mean age conception = 16.2 years). We measured preconception disengagement using monthly absences, age 12 until conception, and identified five attendance trajectories using group-based trajectory modeling. RESULTS We identified five attendance trajectories that were heterogeneous with respect to age of onset and rate of increase of absenteeism. In two groups, 80% were chronically absent (CA) [2-<4 absences/month] or severely chronically absent (SCA) [4+ absences/month] at age 12, and over 90% by age 13, when they averaged 3.8-5.1 absences/month. Despite heterogeneity, 37% of teen mothers were CA or SCA at age 12, increasing to 56% by age 14. By early high school, age 15, 63% of teen mothers had absenteeism problems; 26% were CA and 37% SCA. CONCLUSIONS Most teen mothers were disengaged before high school, years before conception. School-based pregnancy prevention programs should be offered in middle school or earlier when at-risk students are not missing significant amounts of school and may be more receptive to prevention messages.
Interventions Within the Scope of Occupational Therapy Practice to Improve Motor Performance for Children Ages 0-5 Years: A Systematic Review.

Importance: Occupational therapy practitioners need updated information about which interventions may improve motor skills for young children. Objective: To identify the effectiveness of occupational therapy interventions to promote motor development and prevent delay for children ages 0–5 yr. Data Sources: Six databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, ERIC, Cochrane, and OTseeker) were searched for articles published from January 2010 to March 2017. Study Selection and Data Collection: The search yielded 4,488 articles that were reviewed for inclusion. Fifty-six studies were entered into both evidence and risk-of-bias tables. Included studies used Level I–III designs, were within occupational therapy’s scope of practice, included participants with a mean age younger than 6 yr, and addressed motor skills. Findings: Three intervention themes emerged: early intervention for children younger than age 3 yr, interventions for preschool children ages 3–5 yr, and interventions for children with or at risk for cerebral palsy. Conclusions and Relevance: Occupational therapy practitioners should consider use of interventions with moderate or strong evidence as described in this review. Limitations include high risk of bias and limited evidence for several interventions. What This Article Adds: This article provides occupational therapy practitioners with updated information on evidence-based practices for children age 5 and younger who have motor delays.
Iatrogenic Oral Ketamine Overdose in Palliative Care.

Background: Optimal pain management in the palliative care setting often requires multiple pharmacological interventions including novel and off-label therapies. Ketamine is an anesthetic agent with increasing evidence supporting its use for pain. Through N-methyl-d-aspartate antagonism and activity at opioid receptors, it is an adjuvant to traditional analgesics with the benefit of being opioid sparing. Ketamine has a wide safety profile with limited reports of overdose. Little is published on supratherpeutic dosing in the pain setting. Objective: We report a case of a 41-year-old male with refractory nociceptive and neuropathic cancer-related pain. Conventional therapies were ineffective. Ketamine was initiated to reduce opioid burden and attenuate pain with good response. The patient received an iatrogenic overdose (10 times ordered dose) of the drug. Several self-limited physiologic and psychologic reactions were observed during subsequent monitoring. Design: This is a study and analysis of a patient with refractory nociceptive and neuropathic pain syndrome treated with ketamine who sustained an iatrogenic overdose of ketamine. Conclusions: Ketamine's use to treat pain is increasing along with its evidence of efficacy. Despite ketamine's wide safety profile, the medication is not without risk, especially in palliative care wherein patients are on multiple drugs with potentially severe interactions. Careful examination of the risks of overdose, especially of the various formulations of the drug, is needed.
Telepsychiatry: The Evaluation and Treatment of Seniors in Rural Retirement Communities

Few studies examine the benefits from geriatric telepsychiatry in rural retirement communities. Objectives: 1. To demonstrate that using telepsychiatry a) standard approaches to psychiatric evaluation would yield diagnoses in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V); b. psychotherapies and pharmacotherapy could be effectively administered. 2. To examine the relationships among cognition, mood, agitation and functions at baseline and the response to treatment over time. Design: Prospective longitudinal study. Measures : Geriatric Depression scale (GDS), Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE), Barthel Index (BI), Pittsburgh Agitation Scale (PAS). Setting: Video Teleconferencing. Interventions : Psychotherapy, psychopharmacology. Participants: 428 Seniors over 55, met criteria for at least one DSM-V diagnosis. Results: Treatments were administered for a full range of psychiatric diagnoses and age-related medical conditions. The most frequently prescribed pharmacological agents were: antidepressants (78%) antipsychotics (64%), memory enhancers (38%). Participants (66%) received psychotherapy: individual (31%), couple (7%), family (13%). Variation in the MMSE scores were observed: 55% remained stable, 11% declined, 18% improved. GDS Scores improved from baseline to 26 weeks (p=0.02, d=0.99: 95% CI 0.39-1.56 ). PAS scores declined from baseline to 52 weeks (McNemar’s S= 11.27, p =0.0008, d=1.17: 95% CI 0.63-1.68 ). Function (BI) at week 26 was not statistically significantly different from baseline (t(26)=1.66, p=0.11, d=0.65: 95%CI -0.16-1.42 ). Participants maintained independence (64.5%) at 52 weeks (McNemar’s S = 6.23, p =0.013, d=0.79: 95%CI 0.19-1.36 ) Conclusion: This study demonstrates the feasibility and benefit of providing a full complement of services via telepsychiatry to seniors and provides a rationale for more comprehensive reimbursement plans .
Early Postoperative Small Bowel Obstruction After Appendectomy Because of Staples in Pediatric Patients

Abstract Background Postoperative small bowel obstruction (SBO) is an important complication of laparoscopic appendectomy in children, resulting in readmission and potential for intestinal loss. We reviewed our experience with early postoperative SBO. Methods A retrospective review was performed of patients undergoing an appendectomy with subsequent SBO from 2014 to 2018. Patients were excluded if a concurrent gastrointestinal procedure was done during the appendectomy, or if they had previous abdominal surgery. Results Of 793 appendectomies performed at our institution during the study period, only six patients met the inclusion criteria for our chart review (7.6 SBO per 1000 appendectomies), ranging in age from 4 to 19 y. Four patients had uncomplicated appendicitis, and all underwent laparoscopic appendectomy within 24 h. Five were discharged postoperatively, with one patient remaining hospitalized for persistent ileus. Median time to representation with SBO was 7 d (range, 2-37). Three patients had indications for urgent exploration and underwent re-exploration shortly after presentation. Three patients underwent initial nonoperative management, but subsequently, all patients failed to progress and required operative exploration. Staples were found to be the culprit lesion in four of six patients, all of which notably initially presented with uncomplicated appendicitis, with two patients found to have ischemic bowel at the time of exploration. Conclusions Although rare, pediatric patients with SBO soon after laparoscopic appendectomy should be considered for early operative management, especially if the appendicitis was uncomplicated. When staples are used for appendectomy, stray staples should not be left as they can serve as a nidus for obstruction.
Regenerative Active Front End based motor-drive systems with enhanced dynamic performance

Motor-drive systems with a Regenerative Active Front End (AFE) are a very important segment in the drives market. The main advantages are that they do not require braking resistors, they provide an input current with significantly reduced Total Harmonic Distortion (THD), and they generate a unity power factor. Furthermore, AFE based systems can inject reactive power back into the line as needed to provide power factor correction within a given drive's thermal capacity limits. However, AFE design as a critical part of a motor-drive system still faces several challenges such as LCL resonance condition, limited dynamic performance under certain grid conditions, and deteriorated performance when system parameters are not well known. This paper introduces a DC bus observer algorithm that can be utilized within an AFE to significantly reduce or even eliminate these challenges while improving dynamic performance.
Transcatheter Versus Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement in Renal Transplant Patients: A Meta-Analysis

Background: The outcome of transcutaneous aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in patients with kidney transplant is unknown, as majority of these patients were excluded from the major TAVR clinical trials. We sought to compare patients with severe aortic stenosis who underwent TAVR versus surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) with a history of kidney transplant. Methods: PubMed, Google Scholar and Cochrane databases were searched to identify relevant articles. The incidence of all-cause mortality and acute kidney injury (AKI) was calculated using relative risk on a random effect model. Results: A total of 1,538 patients (TAVR 328, SAVR 1,210) were included in the study. TAVR was associated with lower mortality as compared with SAVR at 30 days from the index procedure (odds ratio (OR) 0.48, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.25 - 0.93; P = 0.03). One-year mortality was studied in three studies and showed comparable mortality in patients undergoing TAVR and SAVR (OR: 0.76, 95% CI: 0.10 - 5.51; P = 0.78). Compared to SAVR, TAVR carries an identical risk of AKI (OR: 0.44, 95% CI: 0.10 - 1.90; P = 0.27). A sensitivity analysis performed by exclusion of Voudris et al study showed a non-significant difference in the mortality incidence of two groups at 30 days (OR: 0.72, 95% CI: 0.27 - 1.91; P = 0.51). Conclusions: In patients with a history of kidney transplant, TAVR was associated with a comparable risk of mortality and AKI compared to SAVR. Cardiol Res. 2020;11(5):280-285 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/cr1092
Address of the 2020-2021 President and Immediate Past President to the First House of Delegates at the 2020 Virtual Annual Meeting of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy

[ ]as the pandemic disrupts many longstanding structures in health care, new opportunities are emerging to position pharmacists as critical contributors to health care and essential members of care teams First are the student pharmacists who come to our schools because they want to help people live better and healthier lives [ ]are the patients that our students will take care of throughout their careers The combination of passion and perseverance, grit, is what will lead us to the transformation of pharmacy practice and education that will result in providing better care to our patients
A Sentimental Art Education.

Sentimentalism as a genre is known for its association with melodramatic 19th-century novels, such as Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin or Alcott’s Little Women. But, as a cultural tendency, sentimentalism...
One-Bit Compressed Sensing Using Untrained Network Prior

In this paper, we address the problem of one-bit compressed sensing using the data-driven deep learning approach. Our approach uses an untrained neural network to reconstruct sparse vectors from their one-bit measurements. We define a new cost function using the untrained network, which maximizes the consistency between one-bit measurements and the corresponding linear measurements. The resulting optimization problem is solved using the projected gradient descent scheme and the backpropagation method. Our algorithm offers superior empirical performance compared to the existing model-based algorithms. Also, unlike the other deep learning-based algorithms that use learned generative priors, our algorithm does not require a large training set. Further, we empirically show that the proposed algorithm exhibits performance that is comparable to the learned generative network-based method.
Insights of MILD Combustion from High-Fidelity Simulations

Simulation of coal combustion remains challenging due to the many physical processes involved which span a large range of length and time scales. Although detailed models exist for devolatilization, char oxidation and gas-phase kinetics, most simulation efforts simplify these models considerably to reduce the high cost of simulation. Three mixture fraction-based chemistry models are evaluated, namely, the steady laminar flamelet, equilibrium, and Burke-Schumann models in the scope of coal volatiles combustion. Coal volatiles are assumed to be composed of “light gasses” (CH\(_4\), CO, etc.) as well as tar, which refers to the various large aromatic compounds released during the devolatilization process. Here, tar is treated as a single empirical species. Each mixture fraction-based model is evaluated by comparing predicted gas phase properties to computations using finite-rate chemistry with a detailed reaction model. The results indicate that the reconstructions for gas phase temperature and composition from steady flamelet model is the most accurate. The Burke-Schumann chemistry model performed very poorly for predicting the gas phase temperature and composition under stoichiometric conditions. We apply the steady laminar flamelet model to Moderate or Intense Low Oxygen Dilution (MILD) combustion. A key requirement for MILD combustion is that mixing rates are sufficiently fast that gas-phase chemistry occurs nearly volumetrically, eliminating visible flame structures. A Well-stirred reactor assumption is applied to MILD combustion due to its characteristic of volumetric reactions. The necessary conditions to achieve MILD combustion, including recirculation rate of flue gas and heat loss, are determined under various mixture fractions and mass fractions of light gas in the fuel stream. We conclude that the increasing the recirculation rate and heat loss are helpful for achieving MILD regime. Additionally, we observe that the recirculation rate and heat loss values required to achieve MILD combustion increase as the fuel stream is enriched in light gases. Steady flamelet computations reveal that MILD combustion can be achieved when reactants are not well-mixed as long as the scalar dissipation rate is sufficiently large. Our considerations indicate that the steady laminar flamelet model provides a reliable method to model MILD combustion in the absence of well-mixed reactants.