cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: Preliminary results in patients with postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock

Long-term survival at our institution for postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock patients supported with the BioPump is 36% (29/80 patients). A heparin-coated extracorporeal membrane oxygenator (ECMO), first introduced in 1991, may reduce organ injury associated with cardiopulmonary bypass. The device can be employed rapidly because it connects directly to the cardiopulmonary bypass cannula. In an effort to improve our results in the treatment of postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock, we used ECMO in 21 patients with this syndrome and accompanying complications. The patients were divided into three groups: group 1, ECMO after coronary artery bypass grafting; group 2, ECMO after mitral valve operation; and group 3, ECMO after open heart operation with prolonged cardiac arrest. Survival in group 1 was 80% with 12 of 14 patients discharged to home. All three deaths were caused by cardiac failure. Bleeding complications in this group were moderate. There was no evidence of disseminated intravascular coagulation, and levels of fibrin split products remained within the normal range. Postoperative complications included stroke (2), renal failure (1), mediastinitis (1), and prolonged respiratory failure (6). Mortality in group 2 was 100%. The major problem limiting recovery was left ventricular distention secondary to inadequate left ventricular decompression. Mortality in group 3 was 100%; all 4 died of brain death. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation without left ventricular drainage clearly is not effective in patients undergoing mitral valve operations as it does not effectively decompress the left ventricle, but it was highly effective in treating postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock in our coronary artery bypass grafting patients. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation also proved to be safe as the patient-related complications of stroke, renal failure, and mediastinitis were low. Our preliminary success with heparin-coated ECMO now needs to be confirmed by studies from other centers with larger groups of patients.
Experimental Alteration of Vegetation on Nonsorted Circles: Effects on Cryogenic Activity and Implications for Climate Change in the Arctic

ABSTRACT Nonsorted circles are relatively barren patterned-ground features common in most arctic tundra regions. We studied how vegetation changes on nonsorted circles might affect cryogenic processes, which is of relevance as arctic vegetation responds to climate change. Twenty-eight circles at a moist nonacidic tundra site in northern Alaska received one of four treatments: (a) vegetation removal; (b) vegetation removal and sedge transplants; (c) vegetation removal and moss transplants; or (d) no manipulation. We monitored soil-surface temperatures, thaw depth, frost heave, and soil-surface instability as indicators of cryogenic processes for three years. Vegetation removal led to 1.5 °C (22.3%) warmer summer soil-surface temperatures, 4.8 cm (6.2%) deeper mean thaw depth, 3.5 cm (26.2%) greater frost heave and a drastic increase in an index of soil instability when compared to the control. In contrast, moss additions lowered soil-surface temperatures by 2.8 °C (41.8%) in the summer, delayed freezing by...
Statistical Analysis of Supply Response in Late Spring Potatoes in California

THIS paper specifies, and attempts to quantify, the major economic determinants of the supply of late spring potatoes in California. Interest in this problem arises from two sources. (1) Supplies and prices of late spring potatoes in California have fluctuated widely in recent years, with prices declining to levels approximating harvesting costs during years of relatively large acreage. (2) Late spring potatoes are one of several alternative cash crops that farmers in the southern San Joaquin Valley of California can produce. The empirical findings pertain to a limited geographic area, but the method of approach-and particularly possible applications of the results-are thought to be of broader interest, The concept of supply response has been introduced to express average relationships, over the period studied (1929-1953), between the supply of late spring potatoes and the specified variables that are thought to determine that supply in large part. Regression techniques are used to estimate the relationships between late spring potato acreage and selected variables. Possible uses for the estimated parameters are demonstrated (1) as prediction mechanisms, and (2) as a basis for acreage (and supply) regulation through the establishment of a price system with given intercommodity price relationships. The second application of the findings of this study is presented in the form of isoacreage maps, with prices serving as coordinates. Alternative approaches to statistical treatment of supply response are considered briefly. The use of cross sectional data and time series within either one of two general frameworks is discussed. Empirical analysis is confined to time series of one equation drawn from a general model of the late spring potato industry. The factors affecting supply are divided into those affecting yield and those affecting acreage. The acreage equation is viewed as the aggregate result of the planning of individual late spring potato producers. Both the yield and acreage equations are formulated within the general model and contain only predetermined independent variables (exogenous or lagged endogenous). Therefore, least squares estimates of the parameters are both consistent and efficient.
Which Constitution? Who Decides?

It is an "indispensable feature of our constitutional system," according to conventional wisdom, that "the federal judiciary is supreme in the exposition of the law of the Constitution." The doctrine of judicial supremacy, though nowhere stated in the Constitution, is considered the foundation of American constitutionalism. This Article rejects judicial supremacy because it cannot satisfy requirements of accountability. Accountability, through the consent of the governed, is the sine quo non of legitimacy in a republican democracy. Hence, the electorate's incapacity to give their consent to justices and judicial decisions through "input-accountability," "process-accountability," and "output accountability" renders judicial supremacy anathema to self-government. This Article then recommends instituting a congressional override to reverse Supreme Court decisions when the electorate, through their representatives in Congress, regards those decisions to be unconstitutional. Although the idea of a congressional override is unorthodox, it is far from radical. Congressional overrides already occur in Dormant Commerce Clause cases, and, of course, in statutory interpretation. More important, this Article shows that Congress has tried to override some important cases, for example, Texas v. Johnson and Employment Division v. Smith. After a national conversation in each case, Congress enacted the FLAG PROTECTION ACT to override Johnson and the RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AND RESTORATION ACT to override Smith. These statutes, unquestionably supported by the American people, would have been congressional overrides had the Court permitted them to stand. But a majority of justices on the Court, thoroughly intoxicated with the power judicial supremacy grants them, denied the people any say in ascertaining constitutional meaning in these cases.
Transcriptional profiling of overwintering gene expression in the small carpenter bee, Ceratina calcarata

Genome-wide overwintering gene expression studies in bees are of critical importance to understand their survival, life cycles, and fitness. In this study, we use RNA sequencing to characterize the genes and gene functions associated with overwintering adult females compared with active season females for the small carpenter bee, Ceratina calcarata. We found extensive changes in gene expression associated with overwintering, including an underrepresentation of genes related to muscle fibers and an overrepresentation of genes related to lipid metabolic processes. These data suggest inactive, overwintering bees invest heavily in the production of proteins related to fat storage and divest transcriptional activity away from cellular and muscular structural processes. This study provides the first characterization of overwintering gene expression as important baseline data of a major life history event relevant to survival and health for a wild bee pollinator.
When the "Other" Is the Teacher: Implications of Teacher Diversity in Higher Education

Using qualitative methods, I explore these questions: What is it like for women of color to teach in predominantly white universities? What happens in the classroom of a predominantly white campus when the teacher is the “other”? I work with data from my own lived experience as a Latina professor, from in-depth interviews with 15 women teachers of color, and from written documents (including questionnaires with 19 professors and 267 of my own student evaluations). To interpret these data, I draw on Erving Goffman's insights about social interaction and public behavior and on Michael Foucault's conceptualization of power, especially his theorizing on the way in which power is exercised and articulated at the local level. I argue that the classroom of a predominantly white campus is a contested terrain when the teacher differs from the white male norm. Most important, I argue that in this contested terrain, some students struggle to reproduce society's systems of inequality. Thus I posit that students can play a crucial role in containing social change and enforcing traditional standards.
Excited State Dynamics in Variable-length DNA A Tracts Reflect Base Stacking Disorder and not Exciton Delocalization

Excited states in single-stranded all-adenine oligonucleotides decay to long-lived charge transfer states if the bases are well stacked, while poor base stacking found near the ends of the strand leads to monomer-like nonradiative decay.
The Ras Tafari Movement in Jamaica: A Study of Race and Class Conflict

it attempts to operationally delineate the concept of awareness of group hostility. Second, it suggests a technique for the measurement of awareness. Third, the technique can be applied to the measurement of awareness of other social problems. Fourth, in a given community the relative positions of awareness to different social problems could be ascertained. Finally, the items of an awareness instrument should be tested for the scalability of these items.
Intracolonic bypass by an intraluminal tube. An experimental study.

The most important cause of morbidity and mortality in colonic resection remains anastomotic leakage and, to this end, temporary stomas, with their own incidence of mortality or morbidity, are often created. Problems associated with both anastomosis and stoma can be prevented with the use of an internal bypass tube. This tube is implanted in the proximal colon above the proposed anastomotic site, then passed distally to the rectal ampulla, following which, the proximal and distal colonic segments are anastomosed. The fecal stream and gastrointestinal secretions are thereby prevented from coming in contact with the anastomotic site. The tube is expelled spontaneously after a varying time. The anastomoses in the experimental animals were subjected to maximal stress. Additionally, large dehiscences and induced fecal peritonitis were purposefully created in some animals. Results demonstrated that the intracolonic bypass tube prevents leakage even from gross dehiscences and that these dehiscences progress to complete healing. The experimental study leading to its clinical adaptation is presented.
Decreased infections in cardiac transplant recipients on cyclosporine with reduced corticosteroid use.

Fifty patients undergoing orthotopic cardiac transplantation were monitored over 34 months for evidence of infection. Four separate immunosuppressive protocols were used during the course of the study; the most recent protocol (protocol 4) employed significantly lower overall steroid dosages than the earlier protocols (protocols 1, 2, and 3). All immunosuppressive regimens used cyclosporine, and azathioprine was added in the last three protocols. Statistical techniques to compare the occurrence of infection in protocols 1,2, and 3 v protocol 4 showed that patients in protocol group 4 (n=21) had significantly more time free of pneumonia (P=.02) and major infections (P=.04) and marginally more time free of symptomatic cytomegalovirus infection (P=.08) than patients in protocol groups 1, 2, and 3 (n=29). The median incidence of major infection per month was lower for protocol group 4 (P=.02). The time free of viral infection did not differ significantly between the two groups (P=.75) nor did the median incidence of rejection per month (P=.19). The authors conclude that reduction of steroid dosages in cardiac transplant patients receiving cyclosporine is associated with a significant decrease in the incidence of clinically important infections.
Spinal Cords Built to Scale.

An outstanding question in embryogenesis is how different-sized animals maintain similarly proportioned body plans. In this issue of Developmental Cell, Uygur et al. (2016) tackle this issue in the context of neural tube patterning, discovering that differential sensitivity to the Hedgehog pathway may provide one answer to this fundamental issue.
Roll-to-Roll Transfer of Electrospun Nanofiber Film for High-Efficiency Transparent Air Filter

Particulate matter (PM) pollution in air has become a serious environmental issue calling for new type of filter technologies. Recently, we have demonstrated a highly efficient air filter by direct electrospinning of polymer fibers onto supporting mesh although its throughput is limited. Here, we demonstrate a high throughput method based on fast transfer of electrospun nanofiber film from roughed metal foil to a receiving mesh substrate. Compared with the direct electrospinning method, the transfer method is 10 times faster and has better filtration performance at the same transmittance, owing to the uniformity of transferred nanofiber film (>99.97% removal of PM2.5 at ∼73% of transmittance). With these advantages, large area freestanding nanofiber film and roll-to-roll production of air filter are demonstrated.
Efficacy of Aprotinin in Different Doses and Autologous Blood Transfusions in Cardiac Surgery

A study was undertaken to compare the two doses of aprotinin and the amount of autologous blood transfused in order to determine the optimal dose of this inhibitor for use in cardiac surgery. A total of 120 patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery from November 1990 to April 1992 took part in this randomized double-blind study. Two groups of 60 patients were treated. Patients in the high-dose group were given the dose of aprotinin recommended by the Hammersmith group (6 million kallikrein inactivator units), the other 60 (the low-dose group) received half the dose. Blood loss from thoracic drains in the postoperative period showed a statistically significant difference between the two groups between 6 and 12 h (a mean loss of 69 ml in the high-dose group versus 109.5 ml in the low dose, P = 0.003). The overall postoperative drainage losses were very similar (537.2 ml in the high-dose group versus 610.9 ml in the low dose). The blood and clotting markers did not differentiate between the high- and low-dose patients. In combination with autologous blood transfusions, a low dose of aprotinin appears as efficient in reducing postoperative blood loss as the high-dose regimen.
Transcending Tolerance: Pragmatism, Social Capital, and Community in Communication

This article investigates tolerance in its application to communities as a form of social capital. We argue that, although the building and sustaining of communities is widely viewed to be aided by infusions of tolerance, contemporary characterizations of tolerance are in fact at loggerheads with the work of social capital. We would supplant tolerance with transcendence and seek thereby to reconceive communication within communities as a pragmatic mode of civic interaction effected between self and other, self and community, and community and community. To these ends, we draw from communication literatures on tolerance and social capital and from pragmatist schemas that envision communication within communities as representing transcendence, not tolerance.
Prediction of secondary crash frequency on highway networks

Secondary crash (SC) occurrences are major contributors to traffic delay and reduced safety, particularly in urban areas. National, state, and local agencies are investing substantial amount of resources to identify and mitigate secondary crashes to reduce congestion, related fatalities, injuries, and property damages. Though a relatively small portion of all crashes are secondary, determining the primary contributing factors for their occurrence is crucial. The non-recurring nature of SCs makes it imperative to predict their occurrences for effective incident management. In this context, the objective of this study is to develop prediction models to better understand causal factors inducing SCs. Given the count nature of secondary crash frequency data, the authors used count modeling methods including the standard Poisson and Negative Binomial (NB) models and their generalized variants to analyze secondary crash occurrences. Specifically, Generalized Ordered Response Probit (GORP) framework that subsumes standard count models as special cases and provides additional flexibility thus improving predictive accuracy were used in this study. The models developed account for possible effects of geometric design features, traffic composition and exposure, land use and other segment related attributes on frequency of SCs on freeways. The models were estimated using data from Shelby County, TN and results show that annual average daily traffic (AADT), traffic composition, land use, number of lanes, right side shoulder width, posted speed limits and ramp indicator are among key variables that effect SC occurrences. Also, the elasticity effects of these different factors were also computed to quantify their magnitude of impact.
Synthesis and crystal structures of transition metal ion complexes of di(2-thienyl)imide

Abstract Di(2-thienyl)imide, 1, has been shown to chemically polymerize, and, if metal complexes of 1 could be synthesized, the polymer could have potential applications as an ion sensor and environmental remediation agent. As a first step towards this goal, di(2-thienyl)imide is shown to form complexes with Mn (II), Co (II), and Zn (II) perchlorates. The complexes of Mn2+ and Co2+ are isostructural with two di(2-thienyl)imide ligands in equatorial positions and two perchlorate ions axial. The Zn2+ complex has two water molecules in the axial positions and the thiophene rings in the two equatorial ligands are tilted in the same direction from the median plane due to intra- and intermolecular contacts. The crystal structures and infrared spectra, as well as an improved synthesis and polymerization of di(2-thienyl)imide, are reported and discussed.
SurePoint: Exploiting Ultra Wideband Flooding and Diversity to Provide Robust, Scalable, High-Fidelity Indoor Localization

We present SurePoint, a system for drop-in, high-fidelity indoor localization. SurePoint builds on recently available commercial ultra-wideband radio hardware. While ultra-wideband radio hardware can provide the timing primitives necessary for a simple adaptation of two-way ranging, we show that with the addition of frequency and spatial diversity, we can achieve a 53% decrease in median ranging error. Because this extra diversity requires many additional packets for each range estimate, we next develop an efficient broadcast ranging protocol for localization that ameliorates this overhead. We evaluate the performance of this ranging protocol in stationary and fast-moving environments and find that it achieves up to 0.08 m median error and 0.53 m 99th percentile error. As ranging requires the tag to have exclusive access to the channel, we next develop a protocol to coordinate the localization of multiple tags in space. This protocol builds on recent work exploiting the constructive interference phenomenon. The ultra-wideband PHY uses a different modulation scheme compared to the narrowband PHY used by previous work, thus we first explore the viability and performance of constructive interference with ultra-wideband radios. Finally, as the ranging protocol requires careful management of the ultra-wideband radio and tight timing, we develop TriPoint, a dedicated "drop-in" ranging module that provides a simple I2C interface. We show that this additional microcontroller demands only marginal energy overhead while facilitating interoperability by freeing the primary microcontroller to handle other tasks.
Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) DR15 Is Associated with Reduced Incidence of Acute GvHD in HLA-Matched Allogeneic HSCT but Does Not Impact Survival.

HLA DR 15 is found more frequently in patients with bone marrow failure syndromes and is associated with response to immunosuppression. This suggests that HLA DR15 may preferentially present immunodominant myeloid antigens or that HLA DR15 positive cells may be more sensitive to immunosuppression. We investigated the role of HLA DR15 on graft-versus-leukemia effect and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in HLA-matched HSCTs performed for myeloid malignancies. We performed a retrospective review of 109 consecutive related and 42 consecutive unrelated allogeneic HSCT patients treated between 1991 and 2003 at Roswell Park Cancer Institute to investigate the influence of HLA DR15 on overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS) and the incidence of grade 2–4 acute GVHD. HLA DR15 was determined by either molecular (n=92) or serologic (n=59) methods. The proportion of patients with one or two HLA DR15 alleles was 21% (32/151) which is similar to the general Caucasian population. Patient characteristics included: AML (n=74), CML (n=59), and MDS (n=18); median age 42 years (range 11–62); Males (n=93), Females (n=58); Caucasian (>95%); TBI-containing conditioning regimens (n=130); Busulfan + Cyclophosphamide (n=19), Busulfan + TBI (n=27), Cyclophosphamide + TBI (n=11), Etoposide + Cyclophosphamide + TBI (n=84), or other combinations (n=10). There was no difference in OS between the HLA DR15 positive versus negative groups in any disease or donor relation subgroups. There was no significant difference in PFS between the HLA DR15 positive and negative groups, however a trend toward late relapses after three years was observed in the HLA DR15 positive group. The HLA DR15 positive group experienced a significantly lower incidence of acute GVHD grade 2–4: 22% versus 41%, p=0.045. There was no difference between the HLA DR15 positive versus negative groups with respect to conditioning regimen, use of TBI or GVHD prophylaxis regimen. We are currently expanding this study to include a larger cohort from other centers. These results suggest that HLA DR15 may function as a surrogate for an altered response to the immunosuppression induced by GvHD prophylaxis. If these results are confirmed, this would be the first association between a specific HLA antigen and GvHD development, thus suggesting the need for studying GvHD prophylaxis modification based on specific HLA antigens.
Population-level genetic variation and climate change in a biodiversity hotspot

Introduction Estimated future climate scenarios can be used to predict where hotspots of endemism may occur over the next century, but life history, ecological and genetic traits will be important in informing the varying responses within myriad taxa. Essential to predicting the consequences of climate change to individual species will be an understanding of the factors that drive genetic structure within and among populations. Here, I review the factors that influence the genetic structure of plant species in California, but are applicable elsewhere; existing levels of genetic variation, life history and ecological characteristics will affect the ability of an individual taxon to persist in the presence of anthropogenic change. Factors influencing the distribution of genetic variation Persistence in the face of climate change is likely determined by life history characteristics: dispersal ability, generation time, reproductive ability, degree of habitat specialization, plant-insect interactions, existing genetic diversity and availability of habitat or migration corridors. Existing levels of genetic diversity in plant populations vary based on a number of evolutionary scenarios that include endemism, expansion since the last glacial maximum, breeding system and current range sizes. Regional priorities and examples A number of well-documented examples are provided from the California Floristic Province. Some predictions can be made for the responses of plant taxa to rapid environmental changes based on geographic position, evolutionary history, existing genetic variation, and ecological amplitude. Conclusions, solutions and recommendations The prediction of how species will respond to climate change will require a synthesis drawing from population genetics, geography, palaeontology and ecology. The important integration of the historical factors that have shaped the distribution and existing genetic structure of California's plant taxa will enable us to predict and prioritize the conservation of species and areas most likely to be impacted by rapid climate change, human disturbance and invasive species.
Determination of 19 sulfonamides residues in pork samples by combining QuEChERS with dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction followed by UHPLC-MS/MS.

A new simple and rapid pretreatment method for simultaneous determination of 19 sulfonamides in pork samples was developed through combining the QuEChERS method with dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction followed by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. The sample preparation involves extraction/partitioning with QuEChERS method followed by dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction using tetrachloroethane as extractive solvent and the acetonitrile extract as dispersive solvent that obtained by QuEChERS. The enriched tetrachloroethane organic phase by dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction was evaporated, reconstituted with 100 μL acetonitrile/water (1:9 v/v) and injected into an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography with a mobile phase composed of acetonitrile and 0.1% v/v formic acid under gradient elution and separated using a BHE C18 column. Various parameters affecting the extraction efficiency were investigated. Matrix-matched calibration curves were established. Good linear relationships were obtained for all analytes in a range of 2.0-100 μg/kg and the limits of detection were 0.04-0.49 μg/kg. Average recoveries at three spiking levels were in the range of 78.3-106.1% with relative standard deviations less than 12.7% (n = 6). The developed method was successfully applied to determine sulfonamide residues in pork samples.
Femtosecond electron spectroscopy in an electron microscope with high brightness beams

Abstract A concept of performing femtosecond electron spectroscopy in an electron microscope with adaptive optics to handle space-charge-dominated beams is presented. Improved temporal-spectral resolutions are obtained through a combination of time and energy compression optics to disentangle the spectral information buried in temporally compressed pulses. A combined ∼1 eV-sub-ps performance with 105 electrons in single pulses, and femtosecond core-level spectroscopy at single-shots with higher doses are demonstrated. This strategy provides several orders of magnitude improvement in sensitivity compared to the state-of-the-art ultrafast electron microscopes, representing a flexible solution for studying electronic and chemical dynamics in complex systems overcoming the collective space-charge limitations.
NAIP-NLRC4 Inflammasomes Coordinate Intestinal Epithelial Cell Expulsion with Eicosanoid and IL-18 Release via Activation of Caspase-1 and -8

Intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) form a critical barrier against pathogen invasion. By generation of mice in which inflammasome expression is restricted to IECs, we describe a coordinated epithelium-intrinsic inflammasome response in vivo. This response was sufficient to protect against Salmonella tissue invasion and involved a previously reported IEC expulsion that was coordinated with lipid mediator and cytokine production and lytic IEC death. Excessive inflammasome activation in IECs was sufficient to result in diarrhea and pathology. Experiments with IEC organoids demonstrated that IEC expulsion did not require other cell types. IEC expulsion was accompanied by a major actin rearrangement in neighboring cells that maintained epithelium integrity but did not absolutely require Caspase-1 or Gasdermin D. Analysis of Casp1-/-Casp8-/- mice revealed a functional Caspase-8 inflammasome in vivo. Thus, a coordinated IEC-intrinsic, Caspase-1 and -8 inflammasome response plays a key role in intestinal immune defense and pathology.
A simple derivation of tropical cyclone ventilation theory and its application to capped surface entropy fluxes

AbstractIn a recent study, a theory was presented for the dependence of tropical cyclone intensity on the ventilation of dry air by environmental vertical wind shear. This theory was found to successfully capture the statistics of intensity dynamics in the historical record. This theory is rederived here from a simple three-term power budget and extended to analytical solutions for the complete phase space, including the change in storm intensity itself. The derivation is then generalized to the case of a capped surface entropy flux wind speed, including analytical solutions defined relative to both the traditional potential intensity and the capped-flux potential intensity. The results demonstrate that a cap on the surface entropy flux wind speed reduces the potential intensity of the system and effectively amplifies the detrimental effect of ventilation on the tropical cyclone heat engine. However, such a cap does not alter the qualitative structure of the phase-space solution for intensity change phras...
A Formative Evaluation of a Diabetes Prevention Program Using the RE-AIM Framework in a Learning Health Care System, Utah, 2013-2015.

INTRODUCTION Evaluation of interventions can help to close the gap between research and practice but seldom takes place during implementation. Using the RE-AIM framework, we conducted a formative evaluation of the first year of the Intermountain Healthcare Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP). METHODS Adult patients who met the criteria for prediabetes (HbA1c of 5.70%-6.49% or fasting plasma glucose of 100-125 mg/dL) were attributed to a primary care provider from August 1, 2013, through July 31, 2014. Physicians invited eligible patients to participate in the program during an office visit. We evaluated 1) reach, with data on patient eligibility, participation, and representativeness; 2) effectiveness, with data on attaining a 5% weight loss; 3) adoption, with data on providers and clinics that referred patients to the program; and 4) implementation, with data on patient encounters. We did not measure maintenance. RESULTS Of the 6,862 prediabetes patients who had an in-person office visit with their provider, 8.4% of eligible patients enrolled. Likelihood of participation was higher among patients who were female, aged 70 years or older, or overweight; had depression and higher weight at study enrollment; or were prescribed metformin. DPP participants were more likely than nonparticipants to achieve a 5% weight loss (odds ratio, 1.70; 95% confidence interval, 1.29-2.25; P < .001). Providers from 7 of 8 regions referred patients to the DPP; 174 providers at 53 clinics enrolled patients. The mean number of DPP counseling encounters per patient was 2.3 (range, 1-16). CONCLUSION The RE-AIM framework was useful for estimating the formative impact (ie, reach, effectiveness, adoption, and implementation fidelity) of a DPP-based lifestyle intervention deployed in a learning health care system.
Efficient Hybrid Methods of Optimal Structural Design

An analysis of direct (mathematical programming) and optimality criteria (indirect search) methods for structural optimization is presented. It is shown that both approaches require many similar calculations in their respective numerical algorithms. Based on this analysis, it is concluded that efficient and general hybrid methods can be developed, exploiting common features of both direct and optimality criteria methods. A numerical example is solved to assess the potential of hybrid methods. Extensions of the hybrid methods to dynamic response problem are discussed.
Insufficient Energy From MgO Exsolution to Power Early Geodynamo

The origin of Earth's ancient magnetic field is an outstanding problem. It has recently been proposed that exsolution of MgO from the core may provide sufficient energy to drive an early geodynamo. Here we present new experiments on Mg partitioning between iron-rich liquids and silicate/oxide melts. Our results indicate that Mg partitioning depends strongly on the oxygen content in the iron-rich liquid, in contrast to previous findings that it depends only on temperature. Consequently, MgO exsolution during core cooling is drastically reduced and insufficient to drive an early geodynamo alone. Using the new experimental data, our thermal model predicts inner core nucleation at ~850 Ma and a nearly constant paleointensity.
Study on Minimum Starting Energy of Self-stirring Reactor Driven By Pressure Energy

Stirring plays an important role in the metallurgical process. Enhancing the agitation of materials can strengthen the turbulence in multiphase flow, which can shorten uniform mixing time and reaction time. In order to improve leaching reaction and heat transfer efficiency, a novel self-stirring tubular reactor driven by pressure energy used in bauxite digestion process is presented originally by Northeastern University, which combines the advantages of autoclaves and conventional tubular digestion equipment. According to the principle of dimensional analysis, the dimensionless equation between input power and various factors is established, and it is corrected to obtain input power, through verified, the calculated values are basically consistent with the experimental results.
On-Farm Corn and Soybean Management Demonstration Trials

Farmers are faced with many decisions in managing corn and soybean as new technologies are introduced, such as new corn and soybean varieties, new pesticides, and new seed treatments. It also is important for farmers to harvest crops in a timely fashion to maximize yields. Corn rootworm is a persistent and economically important pest in Iowa. Rotating corn with soybean usually manages the pest, although rotation-resistant populations have occurred in some locations. As problems with corn rootworm resistance to Bt corn continue to be found in Iowa, it is important to research methods to manage this pest. The objective of these trials was to investigate what effect various corn and soybean management practices would have on grain yield.
Test of data compilation procedures for Fraunhofer line discriminator

Calculations and data correlation procedures for Fraunhofer line discriminator operating over open water
Life in Three-Walled Rooms

I am a person who has always been much more interested in other people’s lives than my own. Growing up in white, middle-class Washington, DC, I had friends and classmates who had lived all over the world and regularly moved on from Washington to exotic places like San Diego, Honolulu, Germany, Japan, and Africa. I so wanted to go with them, to meet the wonderful people they would meet and see the fantastic places they would see.
Inference and the Logical Role of Free Adjuncts and Absolutes

In this chapter, the role of inference in the proposed analysis of free adjuncts and absolutes is considered in detail. As a preliminary to the ensuing discussion, the formal semantic analysis of free adjuncts and absolutes developed in Chapters II–V is briefly summarized in section 1; as I show, this analysis provides a ‘mixed’ account of the semantic variability of adjuncts and absolutes, attributing equal importance to rules of grammar and language users’ inferences as determinants of the logical function of an adjunct or absolute.
Prerequisite Skills for Semi-Independent Living Services (SILS) Placement.

The goal of residential services should be placement in the least restrictive setting. Individuals and programs who make placement decisions should therefore understand what skills are needed to mo...
Electronic Structures of Crystalline and Amorphous Silicon Dioxide and Related Materials

In spite of considerable amount of research work done on the structures and properties of silicon dioxide, both experimentally and theoretically, in the last fifteen years [1–3], our understanding about this remarkable material in both crystalline and amorphous forms is still far from complete. Thus, there is still no consensus with regards to the structures of amorphous SiO2 (a-SiO2). Continuous random network (CRN) model [4], mixture of macrocrystalline model [5] and model of aggregation of large clusters [6] with internal surfaces, all have their respective supporters. Unlike semiconductors, the measured value of the band gap in SiO2 has not yet been fully settled [1,7] and the interpretation of various spectroscopic data remains controversial [1,7]. One of the key elements in advancing further understanding about the structure and bonding of SiO2 is the detailed knowledge of the electronic structures of various forms of SiO2 and their dependence on the atomic scale structures. Early theoretical work on SiO2 concentrated on studying molecular fragments [9–13]. Empirical methods have been used to study the electronic structure of bulk materials [14–17].
Non-cardioembolic risk factors in atrial fibrillation-associated ischemic stroke.

Introduction Cardioembolic (CE) risks is usually considered as the main mechanism of ischemic stroke in non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) patients. However, a substantial number of ischemic strokes in NVAF patients are related to non-CE mechanisms. The aim of this study was to investigate the non-CE risk factors in ischemic stroke patients had NVAF. Methods We included 401 patients (65.6% male, 68.6 ± 9.6 years old) who had been hospitalized due to ischemic stroke and had a known or newly diagnosed NVAF. The CE (intracardiac thrombus, dense spontaneous echo contrast, or low left atrial appendage flow velocity) and non-CE (complex aortic plaque, significant carotid stenosis, or intracranial arterial stenosis) risk factors were investigated at the time of the index stroke. Results The number of CE and non-CE risk factors increased with increasing CHA2DS2-VASc scores (p for trends < 0.001). The presence of CE risk factors was independently associated with persistent atrial fibrillation (p < 0.001), body mass index (p = 0.003), heart failure (p = 0.003), and left atrial volume index (p < 0.001). In contrast, the presence of non-CE risk factors was independently associated with age (p < 0.001), hypertension (p = 0.049), diabetes (p = 0.030), and coronary artery calcium score (CACS; p < 0.001). CACS had the added value in predicting non-CE risk factors of ischemic stroke regardless of the CHA2DS2-VASc risk category (p < 0.001). Conclusion Non-CE risk factors in ischemic stroke patients with NVAF are associated with high CHA2DS2-VASc score and CACS. Atherosclerotic non-CE risk factors should be considered as potential mechanisms of stroke even in patients with AF-associated ischemic stroke.
The Electrothermal Instability on Pulsed Power Ablations of Thin Foils

Presented are results from the optical imaging of atmospheric ablations of thin aluminum foils. These experiments were performed to evaluate the growth of temperature perturbations attributed to the electrothermal instability (ETI). ETI has been shown to seed magnetohydrodynamic instabilities on pulsed power-driven ablations of initially solid metallic targets, a topic of interest to various programs in pulsed power-driven plasma physics that depend on stable liner implosions. Experimental observations presented herein demonstrate exponentially growing temperature perturbations perpendicular to the direction of current with growth rates consistent with the linear ETI theory. High-temperature regions were observed to enter the vapor phase before sufficient energy had been deposited in the bulk foil to overcome the latent heat of vaporization, indicating a significant spatial heterogeneity in energy deposition rates. The growth rates of these perturbations scale as the square of current density, the predicted behavior for long-wavelength ETI structures. The development of these structures was unchanged by physical deformation of the foil surface, but dramatically influenced by incorporating areas of local high resistance in the foil loads. Extending the observation window in time showed a transition from perpendicular to parallel filaments, which is significant because ETI is predicted to switch orientations when the bulk foil material transitions into the plasma state. Collectively, these results provide an experimental validation of many theoretical predictions regarding ETI.
The copBL operon protects Staphylococcus aureus from copper toxicity: CopL is an extracellular membrane-associated copper-binding protein.

As complications associated with antibiotic resistance have intensified, copper (Cu) is attracting attention as an antimicrobial agent. Recent studies have shown that copper surfaces decrease microbial burden, and host macrophages use Cu to increase bacterial killing. Not surprisingly, microbes have evolved mechanisms to tightly control intracellular Cu pools and protect against Cu toxicity. Here, we identified two genes (copB and copL) encoded within the Staphylococcus aureus arginine-catabolic mobile element (ACME) that we hypothesized function in Cu homeostasis. Supporting this hypothesis, mutational inactivation of copB or copL increased copper sensitivity. We found that copBL are co-transcribed and that their transcription is increased during copper stress and in a strain in which csoR, encoding a Cu-responsive transcriptional repressor, was mutated. Moreover, copB displayed genetic synergy with copA, suggesting that CopB functions in Cu export. We further observed that CopL functions independently of CopB or CopA in Cu toxicity protection and that CopL from the S. aureus clone USA300 is a membrane-bound and surface-exposed lipoprotein that binds up to four Cu+ ions. Solution NMR structures of the homologous Bacillus subtilis CopL, together with phylogenetic analysis and chemical-shift perturbation experiments, identified conserved residues potentially involved in Cu+ coordination. The solution NMR structure also revealed a novel Cu-binding architecture. Of note, a CopL variant with defective Cu+ binding did not protect against Cu toxicity in vivo. Taken together, these findings indicate that the ACME-encoded CopB and CopL proteins are additional factors utilized by the highly successful S. aureus USA300 clone to suppress copper toxicity.
Categorial disambiguation

This paper presents an implemented, computationally inexpensive technique for disambiguating categories (parts of speech) by exploiting constraints on possible category combinations. Early resolutions of category ambiguities provide a great deal of leverage, simplifying later resolutions of other types of lexical ambiguity.
Zebrafish mab21l2 mutants possess severe defects in optic cup morphogenesis, lens and cornea development

BACKGROUND Mutations in MAB21L2 result in severe ocular defects including microphthalmia, anophthalmia, coloboma, microcornea, and cataracts. The molecular and cellular underpinnings of these defects are unknown, as is the normal cellular function of MAB21L2. Zebrafish mab21l2 au10 mutants possess ocular defects resembling those in humans with MAB21L2 mutations, providing an excellent model to characterize mab21l2 functions during eye development. RESULTS mab21l2 -/- mutants possessed a host of ocular defects including microphthalmia and colobomas as well as small, disorganized lenses and cornea dysgenesis. Decreased proliferation, increased cell death, and defects in marker gene expression were detected in the lens. Cell death in the optic stalk was elevated in mab21l2 -/- mutants and the basement membrane between the edges of the choroid fissure failed to break down. Neuronal differentiation in the retina was normal, however. mab21l2 -/- mutant corneas were disorganized, possessed an increased number of cells, some of which proliferated ectopically, and failed to differentiate the corneal stroma. CONCLUSIONS mab21l2 function is required for morphogenesis and cell survival in the lens and optic cup, and basement membrane breakdown in the choroid fissure. mab21l2 function also regulates proliferation in the lens and cornea; in its absence, the lens is small and mispatterned, and corneal morphogenesis and patterning are also disrupted.
Hardware Rooted Trust for Additive Manufacturing

Additive manufacturing systems have unique security requirements. In addition to traditional system integrity, additive systems need additional guarantees of part authenticity and confidentiality. When a part comes out of additive manufacture, it must be the exact desired part, without substitution or tampering. In addition, the associated files must be strongly protected from disclosure. The use of hardware roots of trust like a trusted platform module (TPM) to protect authentication and encryption keys can guarantee that the necessary authentication and encryption cannot be subverted by remote software attack. For example, if the additive machine is hardened with a TPM, the TPM can provide an encryption key pair where the private key never leaves the hardware. If the part file is encrypted under the corresponding public key, then it can only be decrypted on the authorized printer, and only if that printer's software has not been compromised. Similarly, a part file can be signed by a private key in the TPM, and when validated by the corresponding public key, the authenticity is assured by hardware. This paper provides the first worked examples of how such hardware rooted protections can be integrated into existing additive manufacturing flows to dramatically strengthen protection of the authenticity, confidentiality, and availability of additive manufacturing files.