cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Molecular systematics and phylogeography of the Plethodon elongatus species group: combining phylogenetic and population genetic methods to investigate species history

Plethodon elongatus and P. stormi (Caudata: Plethodontidae) are Pacific Northwest endemic species which occur in northwestern California and southwestern Oregon. Studies on these salamanders have resulted in differing taxonomic conclusions, but the underlying historical hypotheses, at both inter- and intraspecific levels, have never been examined in a molecular framework. Here, representatives of 81 populations from throughout the range of both taxa are sequenced. Portions of three mitochondrial protein-coding genes (cytochrome b, NADH dehydrogenase subunit 4, and ATPase 6) were sequenced. Four haplotype groups with nonoverlapping geographical ranges were recovered in separate and combined analyses of the data. One clade corresponds to the distribution of P. stormi, while the remaining three comprise P. elongatus. Phylogenetic relationships among haplotype groups differ in separate analyses of the genes but converge on a well-supported topology, with P. elongatus and P. stormi as monophyletic sister taxa, in combined Maximum Parsimony and Maximum Likelihood analyses. Population genetic analyses of mismatch distributions and Tajima's D-statistic are consistent with range expansion for the largest clade within P. elongatus, covering the northern two-thirds of the species range. In contrast, the P. stormi haplotype clade and the P. elongatus clade from the southern third of the species range may have been relatively stable. Morphological boundaries between P. elongatus and P. stormi are largely congruent with mitochondrial DNA breaks and continued treatment as sister taxa is supported. Although mitochondrial DNA haplotype groups may reflect historical separation within P. elongatus, genetic barriers are incongruent with intraspecific patterns of morphological variation.
Relating focus to quality and cost in a healthcare setting

Focus in healthcare has been heralded as the next frontier in improving its efficiency and efficacy (Herzlinger 2004). Focus takes several different forms, ranging from standalone specialty centers to a hospital that places a strategic emphasis on a clinical area. We adopt this latter perspective and define focus as a disproportionate emphasis on a particular clinical area in a hospital. We use secondary data from hospitals providing cardiology care in New York State to examine the relationship between focus and performance. We develop two measures of focus. Proportional focus is defined to be the proportion of cases treated in a particular clinical specialty. Expertise focus is defined to be specific evidence that a hospital has taken action to build expertise in treating diseases in that specialty. We operationalize hospital performance along cost and quality dimensions, and we use hierarchical regression to examine the impact of focus on performance. Our results indicate that proportional focus, but not expertise focus, is associated with better cost performance. Quality performance, on the other hand, was associated only with the interaction between proportional focus and expertise focus, which means that only hospitals exhibiting higher levels of both proportional and expertise focus achieve better quality performance. These findings support the notion that not only is focus important in healthcare, but also that researchers and practitioners need to recognize that relationships are contingent on the performance and focus measures used and thus, findings may not be generalizable from one metric to another.
A cluster of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in New Hampshire: a possible role for toxic cyanobacteria blooms.

Cyanobacteria produce many neurotoxins including s-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA) that has been liked to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and neurodegenerative disease. A number of ALS cases have ...
Effects of focal hand dystonia on visually guided and internally guided force control

Background: A fundamental feature underlying many movement disorders is increased variability in the motor response. Despite abnormalities of grip force control in people with dystonia, it is not clear whether dystonia is also associated with increased variability in force output and whether force variability in dystonia is affected by the presence or absence of visual feedback. Objective: To examine force variability in 16 patients with writer's cramp and 16 matched controls. Methods: The variability of force output at the wrist under conditions of both vision and no vision was examined. The underlying frequency structure of the force signal was also compared across groups. Participants produced isometric wrist flexion to targets at 25% and 50% of their maximum voluntary contraction strength under conditions of both vision and no vision. Results: Similar levels of force variability were observed in patients with dystonia and controls at the lower force levels, but patients with dystonia were less variable in their force output than controls at the higher force level. This reduction in variability in people with dystonia at 50% maximum voluntary contraction was not affected by vision. Although a similar dominant frequency in force output was observed in people with dystonia and controls, a reduced variability in the group with dystonia at the higher force level was due to reduced power in the 0-4-Hz frequency bin. Conclusions: The first evidence of a movement disorder with reduced variability is provided. The findings are compatible with a model of dystonia, which includes reduced cortical activation in response to sensory input from the periphery and reduced flexibility in motor output.
Recent Advances in UV Laser Photodeposition

Techniques for laser-photochemically depositing localized thin films are reviewed. A comparison is made between techniques relying on gas-phase and surface-phase photochemistry. New photoreactions, confined entirely to surface phases, are described, including multimolecular reactions based on methyl methacrylate, and multicomponent reactions based on mixtures of trimethylaluminum and titanium tetrachloride. Recent developments in the use of surface photochemistry to nucleate subsequent growth by pyrolytic chemical vapor deposition are also reported.
Interplanetary stream interfaces

At l AU there is a distinct boundary (the stream interface) at the leading edge of a stream in the solar wind, characterized by an abrupt drop in density, a similar increase in temperature and a small increase in speed. It is suggested that stream interfaces form in the interplanetary medium as a consequence of the non-linear evolution of streams generated by an increase in temperature in the solar envelope. This evolution eventually leads to the formation of a reverse shock behind the interface and a forward shock ahead of it. Two instances in which both a stream interface and a reverse shock had developed at l AU are presented. Examples of flare generated shocks which passed through a stream and were observed near a stream interface are also presented. It is shown that stream interfaces are definitely not the same structures as piston boundaries. It is noted that slow shocks, like stream interfaces, always occur ahead of streams and may develop in the interplanetary medium.
Interruption and bizarreness effects in the recall of script-based text.

Recall of script, script-irrelevant, and script-interruptive actions in script-based stories was examined in four experiments. By varying the plausibility of the script-irrelevant and the script-interruptive actions, the bizarreness effect (i.e., enhanced recall for bizarre, implausible actions) was assessed within the context of script-based text. In addition, presentation of script-interruptive actions allowed for an assessment of the interruption effect (i.e., enhanced recall for interruptive actions). A bizarreness effect was found, to the extent that implausible script-irrelevant actions were better recalled than their more plausible counterparts and script actions. However, implausible actions were not better recalled than script-interruptive actions, nor did bizarreness significantly enhance recall of script-interruptive actions. These results are discussed in terms of recent assumptions underlying interruptions underlying interruption and bizarreness effects, and in terms of recent assumptions abo...
Determining the Shapes of Yield Curves for Unsaturated Soils by Modified State Surface Approach

Attention is increasingly paid to the elastoplastic behavior of unsaturated soils. In the development of an elastoplastic framework for unsaturated soils, it is necessary to determine the initial shape of the yield curve and its evolution with yielding. Accordingly, correct determination of shapes of yield curves is of significant importance. Existing methods rely on use of a series of specimens with "identical" stress history to determine the initial shape of yield curve. Preparation of such specimens requires thoughtful preparation, careful instrumentation, and lengthy equilibrium time, which makes identical specimens very difficult to obtain. As a result, the yield curve obtained through the existing methods could be misleading. Hence, this paper presents a simple method to correctly and rapidly determine the shapes of the yield curves and their evolution during yielding even if the soil specimens do no have identical stress histories. In this new method, a modified state surface approach, recently proposed to model the elastoplastic behavior of unsaturated soils under isotropic conditions, was applied. It overcomes the limitations in the existing methods, and allows correct and rapid determination of the elastic and plastic hardening surfaces, and then shapes of yield curves without additional laboratory work. An example was used to demonstrate the application of the proposed method. The comparison between the proposed method and other methods was discussed from which the capability and effectiveness of the proposed method were evaluated.
Orthopaedic information mastery: applying evidence-based information tools to improve patient outcomes while saving orthopaedists' time.

What information consumes is rather obvious: it consumes the attention of its recipients. Hence a wealth of information creates a poverty of attention, and a need to allocate that attention efficiently among the overabundance of information sources that might consume it. -Herbert Simon, Nobel Laureate Economist, 1971 Knowledge is power. -Sir Francis Bacon, 1597 Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested. -Sir Francis Bacon Medical information that is relevant to orthopaedic surgeons is continuously expanding and changing, while older information is expiring24,25. The speed at which new information is generated and disseminated challenges us to adopt new strategies for acquiring useful knowledge and leaving unusable information aside. Reading faster or spending more time reading does not ensure that one is gaining more relevant orthopaedic knowledge. In addition to the challenge of processing ever-increasing amounts of orthopaedic information, there exists the timeless problem of discriminating "the truth" from that which is "not-truth" (incorrect or not clinically useful). The ability to sift through large amounts of written material to uncover a few useful truths that will improve one's practice is a skill that busy orthopaedists and current residents should learn19,21. We live in an electronic information age in which patients often have more citations at their command than do practitioners15,16. Our present dilemma is that a large quantity of information is quickly available, yet more and faster information services have not translated into better care for patients15,20,21. The management or application of information related to orthopaedic care, combined with the skill of treating musculoskeletal disease, is what will set the orthopaedic surgeon apart from the educated lay public and from physicians who are …
Pancreatic secretion after secretin and cholecystokinin stimulation in chronic alcoholics with and without cirrhosis

We have studied the volume, protein concentration, total protein, and chymotrypsin and trypsin outputs in pure pancreatic juice (PPJ) following endoscopic cannulation of the pancreatic duct in 11 male and 2 female patients with advanced alcoholic cirrhosis (AC). Results were compared to those obtained from 21 nonalcoholic volunteers (NAV) and 26 chronic alcoholic (CA) patients without cirrhosis. Intravenous stimulation with secretin followed 10 min later by intravenous cholecystokinin-pancreozymin (CCK-PZ) resulted in highly significant increases in volumes during both phases of pancreatic stimulation in AC compared to NAV and CA. Protein concentration and total output during secretin stimulation was not different among the three groups. During CCK-PZ stimulation, CA exhibited a significant elevation in protein concentration and total output compared to NAV and AC. Although total chymotrypsin output was lower in secretin-stimulated CA than other groups, no other differences between the groups were observed in either of the hormone-stimulation phases. Marked elevations in trypsin output were observed in secretin-stimulated AC and in CCK-PZ-stimulated AC and CA. The high PPJ volume and the relatively low protein concentration observed in AC may effect a washout phenomenon resulting in a decreased tendency for ductal protein precipitation in these patients.
Determination of benzoic acid and sorbic acid in food by ultrasound-assisted dispersive liquid- liquid microextraction coupled with gas chromatography

Objective To set up a method for determination of benzoic acid and sorbic acid in food by ultrasound-assited dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction-gas chromatography. Methods A novel method of ultrasound-assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction combined with gas chromatography was used for the determination of benzoic acid and sorbic acid in food. Results Under the optimum conditions,the enrichment factor was up to 50; the calibration curves for benzoic acid and sorbic acid had good liner relation between 1 μg / ml ~ 30 μg / ml. The detection limits of benzoic acid and sorbic acid were12 mg / kg,11 mg / kg respectively. The recoveries of sorbic acid,benzoic acid were in the range of 87% ~ 109% with relative standard deviations( RSDs) of 1. 8% ~ 4. 5%,2. 1% ~ 4. 8% respectively. Conclusion The method was simple,rapid,low-cost and environment friendly,so it can be used for the determination of benzoic acid and sorbic acid in food.
The Evolution of Valuation in Bankruptcy

Financial analyses such as valuation, solvency and capital adequacy play a crucial role in bankruptcy. Over the course of the 20th century, methods of financial analysis in bankruptcy have shifted from earnings multiples to discounted cash flow (DCF) and recently to market-based approaches such as auctions, market pricing of equity and unsecured debt, and credit spreads. Each shift in bankruptcy court practice followed shifts in financial services industry practice and developments in academic finance. Bankruptcy courts shifted gradually, often several decades after the financial community. Newer methods encountered resistance and skepticism, and older methods continued to be used by courts in conjunction with newer methods for many years. The overall pattern reflects a movement toward greater financial and quantitative sophistication by bankruptcy courts and practitioners and seems to be driven by a desire for greater accuracy and objectivity.
Synthesis of 1,3-Substituted Cyclobutanes by Allenoate-Alkene [2 + 2] Cycloaddition

A method for the [2 + 2] cycloaddition of terminal alkenes with allenoates is presented. This process allows for the rapid synthesis of 1,3-substituted cyclobutanes in high yield under simple and robust reaction conditions.
Evaluation of Mechanistic Models for Nitrate Removal in Woodchip Bioreactors.

Woodchip bioreactors (WBRs) are increasingly being applied to remove nitrate from runoff. In this study, replicate columns with aged woodchips were subjected to a range of measured flow rates and influent nitrate concentrations with an artificial stormwater matrix. Dissolved oxygen (DO), nitrate, and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) were measured along the length of the columns. A multispecies reactive transport model with Michaelis–Menten kinetics was developed to explain the concentration profiles of DO, nitrate, and DOC. Four additional models were developed based on simplifying assumptions, and all five models were tested for their ability to predict nitrate concentrations in the experimental columns. Global sensitivity analysis and constrained optimization determined the set of parameters that minimized the root-mean-squared error (RMSE) between the model and the experimental data. A k-fold validation test revealed no statistical difference in RMSE for predicting nitrate concentrations between a zero-o...
Enzymatic Conversion of [3H]Clindamycin by the Human Neutrophil

Human neutrophils have been shown to concentrate radioactively labeled clindamycin approximately 12-fold compared with its concentration in the medium [1]. This concentrating effect was shown in this study to be dependent upon cellular energy at 37 °C. The amount of radioactively labeled clindamycin associated with formalin-fixed neutrophils was about twice the concentration of the medium and was interpreted by the authors to represent the binding of the antibiotic to the surface of the neutrophils.
Cheap modernism: expanding markets, publishers’ series, and the avant-garde

Cheap Modernism: Expanding Markets, Publishers’ Series, and the Avant-Garde depicts how modernism moved from ‘highbrow movement into a mainstream phenomenon’ owing to publishers’ series; cheap repr...
Engaging the Pink Elephant in the Room: Investigating Race and Racism through Art Education

This mixed-methods practitioner inquiry aimed to facilitate transformative learning of individuals’ racial attitudes. The focus of this research was to investigate what influence participating in a...
Reflections are Good!: Analysis of Combination of Grades and Students' Reflections using Learning Analytics (Abstract Only)

Reflection is a way to get quick opinions from users, clients, etc. Analysis of reflection often involves subjective review and interpretations. On the other hand, data analytics provides guidelines to collect and measure as well as analyze and reflect on data. In our case, learning analytics of students' reflections reveals information about learners, their learning experience, and all their related contexts. Eventually, learning analytics aim is to understand and optimize learning and the corresponding environments (in which learning occurs). It plays a critical role in evaluating students performance and making decisions on how to improve students' success and overall retention. In our study, we focus on applying learning analytics to a heterogeneous data set collected in the introductory programming course. This data set integrated self-assessment reflections along with the existing active learning group activities. By integrating self-assessment reflections, large amounts of valuable data can be gathered to facilitate continuous assessment of students' learning. Using activity-based active learning and peer-instruction, the effectiveness of the content interventions targeting students to understand the fundamental concepts of computer programming is also evaluated. For analysis purposes, we applied a time-based learning analytics model called sequence analysis to learn about the pattern of our at-risk students and use the learned model to predict at-risk students based on their reflections as well as performance in the course.
Cost of Oil and Biomass Supply Shocks under Different Biofuel Supply Chain Configurations

This analysis estimates the cost of selected oil and biomass supply shocks for producers and consumers in the light-duty vehicle fuel market under various supply chain configurations using a mathem...
FUEL CELLS – PROTON-EXCHANGE MEMBRANE FUEL CELLS | Membrane–Electrode Assemblies

The membrane–electrode assembly (MEA) is the heart of a proton-exchange membrane fuel cell and plays a decisive role in its performance. The quality and suitability of an MEA for a specific application depend strongly on its physical, chemical, and mechanical properties. The choice of the fabrication method has a great influence on the properties of the MEA. This article discusses in detail the various fabrication methods used for the preparation of MEA components such as membrane, catalyst layer, and gas diffusion layer and the assembly of these components into a multilayer MEA. The requirements of various MEA sublayers and the criteria for good performance are elucidated. The advantages of modern thin-film techniques and their potential applications for fabricating ultra-thin high-performance MEAs are also discussed in detail.
Describing the sternalis muscle: a new variant and an amended classification.

With emphasis on the clinical setting, knowledge of anatomical variation decreases misdiagnoses and surgical complications. We report a previously undocumented variant of sternalis muscle and recommend an augmented classification scheme. Dissection of the anterior thoracic wall on an 83-year-old female cadaver revealed bilateral sternalis muscles. The Snosek et al. classification system was referenced to describe the variant types. The right sternalis muscle has a single belly and can be classified using the Snosek et al. classification system as a simple type, right single. The left sternalis muscle presented with three muscle bellies, each having a unique pattern of superior attachments (heads). This variation is previously undocumented and requires a more detailed classification. We propose the addition of a new subtype of sternalis classification, as well as a modification to the Snosek et al. (Clin Anat 27:866–884, 2014) classification scheme, to include classification of different muscle bellies when multiple are present.
Development of a loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay for specific detection of all known subspecies of Clavibacter michiganensis.

AIMS Clavibacter michiganensis is an important bacterial plant pathogen that causes vast destruction to agriculturally important crops worldwide. Early detection is critical to evaluate disease progression and to implement efficient control measures to avoid serious epidemics. In this study, we developed a sensitive, specific and robust loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for detection of all known subspecies of C. michiganensis. METHODS AND RESULTS Whole genome comparative genomics approach was taken to identify a unique and conserved region within all known subspecies of C. michiganensis. Primer specificity was evaluated in silico and with 64 bacterial strains included in inclusivity and exclusivity panels; no false positives or false negatives were detected. Both the sensitivity and spiked assay of the developed LAMP assay was 1 fg of the pathogen DNA per reaction. A 100% accuracy was observed when tested with infected plant samples. CONCLUSIONS The developed LAMP assay is simple, sensitive, robust and easy to perform using different detection platforms and chemistries. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY The developed LAMP assay can detect all known subspecies of C. michiganensis. The LAMP process can be performed isothermally at 65°C and results can be visually assessed, which makes this technology a promising tool for monitoring the disease progression and for accurate pathogen detection at point-of-care.
Research into Interactive Digital Narrative: A Kaleidoscopic View

We are at a milestone moment in the development of the cultural form of Interactive Digital Narrative (IDN), and in the development of the study of IDN as a field of academic research and graduate education. We can date the beginning of the field to the late 1960s with the release of Joseph Weizenbaum’s Eliza in 1966, and recognize the late 1990s as another turning point when 30 years of diverse development began to coalesce into a recognizable new media practice. For the past 20 years we have seen accelerated growth in theory and practice, but the discourse has been split among contributory fields. With the convening of IDN as the focus of study in its own right, we can address key questions, such as its distinct history, taxonomy, and aesthetics. We can also recognize more clearly our unique challenges in studying a field that is evolving rapidly, and from multiple intersecting genetic strains. We can also articulate and investigate the potential of IDN as an expressive framework for engaging with the most pressing themes of human culture of the 21st century, and as a cognitive scaffold for increasing our individual and collective understanding of complex systems.
Design Cognition: Strategies for Teachers in Practice

Developing students’ higher-order thinking capability is a fundamental goal of education. Thus, design cognition has been recommended as a viable approach to address this need. Yet, current research findings primarily illustrate how students think, not pedagogical strategies for enhancing students’ design thinking. Thus, the purpose of this chapter is to bridge research and practice, by presenting strategies and heuristics, for instructors, on how to provide feedback through assessments (pre, formative, and summative) and how design challenges can be used to situate students within a context that intentionally and appropriately develops their cognitive abilities.
Simulating Episode-Based Bundled Payments for Cranial Neurosurgical Procedures.

Background Episode-based bundled payments were introduced by Medicare in 2013 as the Bundled Payments for Care Improvement (BPCI) in order to improve care coordination and cost efficiency. BPCI has not yet been applied to cranial neurosurgical procedures. Objective To determine projected values of episode-based bundled payments when applied to common cranial neurosurgical procedures using retrospective data from a large database. Methods We performed a large retrospective observational study using the MarketScan administrative database to project bundled payment payments for 4 groups of common cranial neurosurgical procedures. Results We identified 15 276 procedures that met our inclusion criteria. We observed significant variability between groups, with 90-d bundle projected payments ranging from $ 58,200 for craniotomy for meningioma to $ 102,073 for craniotomy for malignant glioma. We also found significant variability in projected bundled payments within each class of operation. On average, payment for the index hospitalization accounted for 85% of projected payments for a 30-d bundle and 70.5% of projected payments for a 90-d bundle. Multivariable analysis showed that hospital readmission, discharge to postacute care facilities, venous-thrombo-embolism, medical comorbidities, adjuvant therapies, and payer status significantly contributed to projected cranial bundle payments. Conclusion For the first time, to our knowledge, we project the values of episode-based bundled payments for common vascular and tumor cranial operations. As previously identified in orthopedic procedures, there is significant variability in total bundle payments within each cranial procedure. Compared to spine and orthopedic procedures, postdischarge care significantly impacts total bundle payments in cranial neurosurgery.
Masters Program Flexible Endoscopy Pathway: Stenting

The introduction of enteric stenting has allowed for minimally invasive approach to pathologies of the digestive tract; these are often challenging clinical scenarios. Though originally developed for the use of malignant biliary strictures and obstructions, the application and efficacy of self-expanding metal stents (SEMS) and self-expanding plastic stents (SEPS) have significantly grown since their inception. SEMS and SEPS have roles in the management of strictures and obstructions of the esophagus, gastric outlet, and large bowel, as well as an increasing role in the management of foregut and hindgut leaks and fistulae. This chapter discusses current characteristics and techniques of stents, as well as specific indications for stenting of the esophagus, gastroduodenal outlet obstruction, enteric leaks or fistulae, malignant bowel obstructions, and benign colorectal strictures.
Mechanisms of decision‐making in preoperative assessment for older adult prostate cancer patients—A qualitative study

Background and objective Little research exists which investigates the contextual factors and hidden influences that inform surgeons and surgical teams decision-making in preoperative assessment when deciding whether to or not to operate on older adult prostate cancer patients living with aging-associated functional declines and illnesses. The aim of this study is to identify and examine the underlying mechanisms that uniquely shape preoperative surgical decision-making strategies concerning older adult prostate cancer patients. Methods Qualitative methodologies were used that paired ethnographic field observations with semistructured interviews for data collection. An inductive thematic analysis approach was used to identify, analyze, and describe patterns in the data. Results Factors underlining surgical decision-making originated from the context of two categories: (1) clinical and surgery-specific factors; and (2) non-patient factors. Thematic subcategories included personal experiences, methods of assessment during medical encounters, anticipation of outcomes, perceptions of preoperative assessment instruments for frailty and multimorbidity, routines and workflow patterns, microcultures, and indirect observation and second-hand knowledge. Conclusion Surgeon's personal experiences has a significant impact on the decision-making processes during preoperative assessments. However, non-patient factors such as institutional microcultures passively and actively influence decision-making process during preoperative assessment.
Volatile Essential Oils Can Be Used to Improve the Efficacy of Heat Treatments Targeting the Western Drywood Termite: Evidence from a Laboratory Study

Use of heated air to create lethal temperatures within infested wood serves as a nonchemical treatment option against western drywood termites, Incisitermes minor (Hagen). When treating a whole or large portion of the structure, however, the presence of hard-to-heat areas (structural heat sinks) and potential risk of damaging heat-sensitive items are recognized as important challenges. To address these challenges, we tested if the incorporation of a volatile essential oil would increase the overall efficacy of heat treatments against the drywood termites. To choose an essential oil for use, we tested the volatile action of several candidate compounds against individual termites using a fumigant toxicity assay. As a proof-of-concept experiment, field-collected termites were housed in small wooden arenas and subsequently subjected to 2-h heat treatment at various air temperatures within a gas chromatography oven. A simulated heat sink and essential oil treatment was also included in the experimental design. Analyses of lethal temperatures (LTemp50 and LTemp99 values), probabilities of mortality, and survivorship data over time suggested that 1) the presence of a heat sink significantly increased the minimum air temperature needed for complete kill of the termites and 2) the volatile essential oil added at the site of a heat sink effectively counteracted the impact of the heat sink. The use of volatile essential oils makes it possible to effectively kill drywood termites even in areas which might not reach lethal temperatures (~50°C), potentially improving the overall efficacy of heat treatments while reducing the risk of heat damage.
The scoop on brain health dietary supplement products containing huperzine A

Context: Public health concerns are emerging surrounding huperzine A commonly found in dietary supplements. We sought to determine the actual content of products claiming to contain huperzine A and...
The Effect of Solder Paste Volume on Chip Resistor Solder Joint Fatigue Life

Abstract The solder joint topology plays a significant role in determining its fatigue life. Due to the complex nature of the actual manufacturing environment, there are variations in solder volume for each joint, which can induce the solder shape variations and misalignment of the chip resistor. The solder shape variation can severely affect its fatigue life. In this study, we use surface evolver software to calculate the solder shape with the global minimum energy. A finite element method was used to model the resistor solder joint under thermal cycling and to predict the fatigue life for different solder paste volumes. Through varying the solder past volume to obtain different solder joint shape, the corresponding fatigue life was predicted. The result could provide a guideline for an/the choosing optimal solder paste volume for surface mount components. Analysis results show that a larger and balanced solder volume can give the best fatigue life under thermal cycling conditions.
Incidence of high grade gliomas presenting as radiographically non-enhancing lesions: experience in 111 surgically treated non-enhancing gliomas with tissue diagnosis.

Although non-enhancing lesions suspicious for glioma are usually assumed to be low grade glioma (LGG), some high grade glioma (HGG) do not enhance, which may lead to a delay in biopsy and/or resection, diagnosis, and treatment initiation. Thus, there is a clear need for a large-sample study that quantifies the rate of malignant, non-enhancing gliomas. We retrospectively reviewed our series of 561 consecutive surgically treated gliomas with tissue diagnosis, 111 of which were non-enhancing, to determine the prevalence of high-grade histology in radiographically presumed LGG. Relative expression of tumor markers were also reported for non-enhancing lesions to investigate genetic correlates. We identified 561 surgically treated gliomas with tissue diagnosis from August 2012 to July 2018 and found that 111 patients (19.8%) demonstrated non-enhancing lesions suspicious for glioma on preoperative MRI. Thirty-one (27.9%) of the non-enhancing lesions were classified as HGGs (WHO Grade III or IV). Non-enhancing lesions were four times more likely to be HGG in patients older than 60 years than patients younger than 35 years (41.2% vs. 11.4%, Pearson Chi2 p < 0.001). Binomial logistic regression showed a significant inverse effect of age on the presence of IDH mutation in non-enhancing HGGs (p = 0.007). A clinically significant proportion (27.9%) of non-enhancing lesions were found to be HGG on final pathologic diagnosis. Thus, in patients with good functional and health status, especially those older than 60 years, we recommend obtaining tissue diagnosis of all lesions suspected to be glioma, even those that are non-enhancing, to guide diagnosis as well as early initiation of chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
Concurrence of Hirschsprung Disease and congenital duodenal obstruction

Abstract Hirschsprung disease (HD), duodenal atresia, and annular pancreas are rare congenital gastrointestinal malformations. Although 18% of HD cases are associated with other malformations, little evidence exists of concurrent HD and duodenal atresia or HD and annular pancreas. We present three cases of infants who had evidence of duodenal obstruction on prenatal imaging. Postnatally, all three had obstructive symptoms or constipation, even after duodeno-duodenostomy was performed. They were eventually found to have HD, which was successfully treated through surgical intervention. Although the diagnosis of these conditions can be challenging given similarities in their clinical presentations, proper diagnosis and surgical management is feasible and can significantly reduce morbidity and mortality for the infant.
The Thirteenth Amendment and Equal Educational Opportunity

Inequities for Black Americans, including educational ones, are often rooted in “neutral” policies — ones facially innocent, but effectively discriminatory. This Article establishes the Thirteenth Amendment as a viable alternative in anti-discrimination law for challenging such policies. Undoing these policies has traditionally been the work of the statutorily-based disparate-impact theory. But for a range of reasons, that theory’s success at bringing about enduring social change is stunted. The Thirteenth Amendment is rich legal ground into which we might instead sow new seed. The Amendment’s social and legislative histories and Supreme Court precedent establish that the Amendment was designed to eradicate social policies that entrench or perpetuate the vestiges of slavery, whether those policies are racially explicit or facially neutral. Accordingly, the Amendment overlaps with the disparate-impact theory’s original goal of remedying the present effects of past discrimination. This Article operationalizes the Amendment in this regard by applying it to a relatively popular context for disparate-impact challenges: school discipline policies. The views of the Amendment’s earliest advocates confirm that one of the most profound enactments of freedom for Black Americans was, among other things, obtaining an education. This Article is the first to explain why any education practice, like harsh school discipline policies, that discriminatorily denies access to public education also violates the Amendment’s conferral of meaningful freedom to Black Americans. This Article emphasizes the special role of Congress acting on its power under the Amendment to define the aspects of such freedom and outlines how Congress might do so. Direct congressional action under the Amendment is vital because it mitigates the difficulties of judicially enforced disparate-impact theory. Such action would also constitute an overdue re-conciliatory step towards directly confronting slavery’s legacy, as the Amendment vests in Congress a responsibility to scrutinize any lingering barriers to Black Americans’ acts of freedom, like obtaining an education. It outlining an education equity framework under the Thirteenth Amendment, the Article nods towards the Amendment’s enforcement possibilities as anchor for anti-discrimination law beyond public education.
The Blanket Effect: How Turning the World Upside Down Reveals the Nature of Graphene Oxide Cytocompatibility

Extensive cytocompatibility testing of 2D nanocarbon materials including graphene oxide (GO) has been performed, but results remain contradictory. Literature has yet to account for settling-although sedimentation is visible to the eye and physics suggests that even individual graphenic flakes will settle. To investigate settling, a series of functional graphenic materials (FGMs) with differing oxidation levels, functionalities, and physical dimensions are synthesized. Though zeta potential indicates colloidal stability, significant gravitational settling of the FGMs is theoretically and experimentally demonstrated. By creating a setup to culture cells in traditional and inverted orientations in the same well, a "blanket effect" is demonstrated in which FGMs settle out of solution and cover cells at the bottom of the well, ultimately reducing viability. Inverted cells protected from the blanket effect are unaffected. Therefore, these results demonstrate that settling is a crucial factor that must be considered for FGM cytocompatibility experiments.
Inhaled nitric oxide use in COVID19-induced hypoxemic respiratory failure.

Introduction: Nitric Oxide (NO) is an endogenous vasodilator that is synthesized by the vascular endothelium. Due to its vasodilatory effect and short half-life, the use of NO as an exogenous inhaled medication (iNO) to target the pulmonary vasculature, in conditions with increased pulmonary vascular resistance, has been studied. The use of iNO in patients with ARDS secondary to COVID-19 has therapeutic importance in improving oxygenation. It also has potential anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, and anti-thrombotic properties. Herein, we want to share our experience of use of iNO in hypoxemic respiratory failure secondary to COVID 19 pneumonia. We hypothesized that iNO may be beneficial at preventing intubation, decreasing invasive mechanical ventilation duration, and consequently improve outcomes including hospital mortality. Methods: This is a descriptive hypothesis generating study of patients admitted for COVID-19 pneumonia who received iNO for hypoxemic respiratory failure, at a single tertiary care center. We collected information on patient demographics, co-morbidities, iNO treatment, need for intubation, arterial blood gas analysis, laboratory values, hospital length of stay, and mortality. Patients were divided into two groups based on the timing of iNO administration: group 1 - pre-intubation (i.e. iNO started at least 1 day prior to endotracheal intubation, if any) and group 2 - post-intubation (i.e. iNO started on the same day as or after endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation). Result: A total of 45 (group 1, n=26 [57.8%] vs group2, n=19 [42.2%]) COVID 19 patients who had iNO use. The mean time from hospital admission to iNO administration(days) in group 1 was 2.1 (1.8, SD) vs 4.2 (5.9, SD) in group 2. The mean hospital length of stay from the beginning of iNO treatment until discharge or death was 18.3 vs 26.2 days, with 8 deaths (30.8%) vs 9 deaths (47.4%) in group 1 vs group 2, respectively. Discussion: Our study is unable to demonstrate comparably outcomes benefit of iNO. Although there was a trend towards decreased need for invasive mechanical ventilation in group 1[Only 11 (42.3 %) patients were intubated out of 26 who received iNO early after hospital admission (2.3 days)], no statistical significance could be achieved because of small sample size. Our study demonstrated that iNO administration pre-intubation did not appear harmful and appears to be safe, complementary to HFNC, signalling the domain where systematic investigation is required to confirm or not the potential for iNO to improve patient outcomes in the management of COVID 19-induced hypoxemic respiratory failure. Conclusion: This study showcases the potential benefit of early pre-intubation use of iNO in COVID patients with hypoxemic respiratory failure. This study could conclusively form the basis for a prospective trial and could have a tremendous impact in improving patient outcomes.
Neural Injury During Pregnancy and Childbirth

Neural injury is a fortunately rare occurrence during pregnancy or childbirth. The incidence of intrapartum nerve injury is thought to be 0.92 %. Lateral femoral cutaneous neuropathy (meralgia paresthetica) is the most common neuropathy seen during both pregnancy and delivery. The femoral nerve, lumbosacral plexus, sciatic nerve, obturator nerve, and common peroneal nerve are other possible sites of injury. The pudendal nerves are thought to be very commonly injured during vaginal delivery—some studies estimate that up to 80 % of vaginal births can be complicated by pudendal neuropathy, which may contribute to the development of postpartum urinary and fecal incontinence. Neuropathies during pregnancy and childbirth are most often caused by traction or compression; focal demyelination is more common than axonal injury. Cesarean sections can also be complicated by neural injury, either due to malpositioning or poor retractor placement. Most neuropathies of pregnancy and delivery resolve spontaneously within 2–6 months’ time. The diagnosis of neuropathy is largely clinical in the acute timeframe after childbirth, although for women with symptoms that persist longer than 3 weeks, electrodiagnosis can play a significant role in the localization of the lesion and determination of prognosis. Treatment of neuropathies during pregnancy after childbirth can include physical therapy, supportive orthoses, medication management, injections, or surgical neurolysis or neurectomy for intractable cases.
Cities and Suburbs: New Metropolitan Realities in the US - By Bernadette Hanlon, John Rennie Short and Thomas J. Vincino.

A review of the book "Cities and Suburbs: New Metropolitan Realities in the US," by Bernadette Hanlon, John Rennie Short, and Thomas J. Vincino is presented.
Reliability of copper wirebonds over through-silicon vias for SiGe power amplifiers

SiGe bipolar transistors with through-silicon-vias (TSVs) are widely used for power amplifiers for WiFi front-end modules. Wirebond packages are generally used to minimize cost and maximize heat dissipation from the devices. The die sizes are small (on the order of 1mm × 1mm) so that the bond pads and the TSVs occupy a large fraction of the chip area. It is therefore desirable to place TSVs under bond pads to minimize die size. In this report, we assess the reliability of structures with TSVs under bond pads. It is shown that TSVs can be placed under Cu wirebonds without degrading reliability.
Spin and Charge Order in The Vortex Lattice of The Cuprates: Experiment and Theory

I summarize recent results, obtained with E. Dernier, K. Park, A. Polkovnikov, M. Vojta, and Y. Zhang, on spin and charge correlations near a magnetic quantum phase transition in the cuprates. Static charge order coexisting with dynamic spin correlations has recently been observed around vortices in slightly overdoped Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ (J. E. Hoffman et al., Science 295, 466 (2002)), and neutron scattering experiments have measured the magnetic field dependence of static spin order in the underdoped regime in La2-δSrδCuO4 (B. Lake et al., Nature 415, 299 (2002)) and LaCuO4+y (B. Khaykovich et al. cond-mat/0112505). Our predictions provide a semi-quantitative description of these observations, with only a single parameter measuring distance from the quantum critical point changing with doping level. These results suggest that a common theory of competing spin, charge and superconducting orders provides a unified description of all the cuprates.
Analysis of the Investment Potential and Inflation-Hedging Ability of Precious Metals

Gold and silver show strong evidence of ability to hedge stock portfolios and inflation during the period from 1970 to 2006. However, negative betas are only observed for the 1970s, suggesting that it is the inflation-hedging ability that is the cause of the stock-hedging ability. Both metals show high correlation with expected future inflation as measured by the TIPS spreads, confirming Greenspan's (1993) conjecture that gold prices are an indicator of expected inflation.
Geometric Multiproducts: A New Extrapolation Tool

We show how to extrapolate an analytic function (or a smooth signal) by multiplying and dividing its values on geometric sequences that collapse to a point.