cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cortical β-amyloid levels and neurocognitive performance after cardiac surgery

Introduction Neurological and neurocognitive dysfunction occurs frequently in the large number of increasingly elderly patients undergoing cardiac surgery every year. Perioperative cognitive deficits have been shown to persist after discharge and up to several years after surgery. More importantly, perioperative cognitive decline is predictive of long-term cognitive dysfunction, reduced quality of life and increased mortality. The proposed mechanisms to explain the cognitive decline associated with cardiac surgery include the neurotoxic accumulation of β-amyloid. This study will be the first to provide molecular imaging to assess the relationship between neocortical β-amyloid deposition and postoperative cognitive dysfunction. Methods and analysis 40 patients providing informed consent for participation in this Institutional Review Board-approved study and undergoing cardiac (coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), valve or CABG+valve) surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass will be enrolled based on defined inclusion and exclusion criteria. At 6 weeks after surgery, participants will undergo 18 F-florbetapir positron emission tomography imaging to assess neocortical β-amyloid burden along with a standard neurocognitive battery and blood testing for apolipoprotein E e-4 genotype. Results The results will be compared to those of 40 elderly controls and 40 elderly patients with mild cognitive impairment who have previously completed 18 F-florbetapir imaging. Ethics and dissemination This study has been approved by the Duke University Institutional Review Board. The results will provide novel mechanistic insights into postoperative cognitive dysfunction that will inform future studies into potential treatments or preventative therapies of long-term cognitive decline after cardiac surgery.
An efficient algorithm for the creation of single assignment forms

Transformation to single assignment form is presented as a technique enabling the exploitation of fine-grain parallelism in programs. An efficient algorithm is presented for the creation of single assignment and static single assignment code from unstructured FORTRAN code. The algorithm creates code of near optimal quality with respect to both the number of names and assignment statements added to the code. Experimental results show the degree of enlargement of storage and program length when creating single assignment code, and the containment of enlargement using name reclamation. Other results show the extent of improved parallelization using single assignment code.
Reliable interest point detection under large illumination variations

Most interest point detection algorithms are highly sensitive to illumination variations. This paper presents a method to detect interest points robustly under large photometric changes. The method, which we call contrast invariant feature transform (CIFT), determines salient interest points in an image by calculating and processing contrast signatures. A contrast signature shows the response of an interest point detector with respect to a set of contrast stretching functions. The method is generic and can be used with most interest point detectors. In this paper, we demonstrate how CIFT improves the repeatability rate of the Harris corner detector.
Inhibition of mTORC1 inhibits lytic replication of Epstein-Barr virus in a cell-type specific manner.

Background Epstein-Barr virus is a human herpesvirus that infects a majority of the human population. Primary infection of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) causes the syndrome infectious mononucleosis. This virus is also associated with several cancers, including Burkitt’s lymphoma, post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder and nasopharyngeal carcinoma. As all herpesvirus family members, EBV initially replicates lytically to produce abundant virus particles, then enters a latent state to remain within the host indefinitely.
Regulation of Infection with Histoplasma capsulatum by TNFR1 and -2

The concerted action of several cytokines is necessary for resolution of both primary and secondary infection with Histoplasma capsulatum . Among the soluble factors that contribute to tissue sterilization, TNF-α stands as a central mediator of protective immunity to this fungus. In this study, we explored the regulation of protective immunity by TNFR1 and -2. In primary pulmonary infection, both TNFR1 −/− and -2 −/− mice manifested a high mortality after infection with H. capsulatum , although TNFR1 −/− mice were more susceptible than TNFR2 −/− mice. Overwhelming infection in the former was associated with a pronounced decrement in the number of inflammatory cells in the lungs and elevated IFN-γ and TNF-α levels in the lungs. In contrast, IFN-γ levels were markedly decreased in TNFR2 −/− mice, and treatment with this cytokine restored protective immunity. Lung macrophages from both groups of knockout mice released substantial amounts of NO. Upon secondary infection, TNFR2 −/− mice survived rechallenge and cleared infection as efficiently as C57BL/6 animals. In contrast, mice given mAb to TNFR1 succumbed to reexposure, and the high mortality was accompanied by a significant increase in fungal burden in the lungs. Both IL-4 and IL-10 were elevated in the lungs of these mice. The results demonstrate the pivotal influence of TNFR1 and -2 in controlling primary infection and highlight the differences between these receptors for regulation reexposure histoplasmosis.
A combined modality therapeutic approach to metastatic anal squamous cell carcinoma with systemic chemotherapy and local therapy to sites of disease: case report and review of literature

Cases of metastatic anal carcinoma managed with a combination of systemic chemotherapy and local therapies to both solitary sites of metastases and the primary site have been reported in the literature. We present a case of a 55-year-old male with metastatic anal squamous cell carcinoma to the liver treated with induction chemotherapy with cisplatin (CDDP) and 5-fluorouracil (5FU) followed by liver resection and radiation to the anal primary with concurrent 5FU and mitomycin. This approach resulted in control of disease without evidence of recurrence, and no increased toxicities now 19 months from initial diagnosis to time of reporting. This novel approach resulted in a good treatment response as documented by imaging and symptom improvement and a long disease free interval.
Masculinity and HIV: Dimensions of Masculine Norms that Contribute to Men’s HIV-Related Sexual Behaviors

Numerous studies have documented a relationship between masculine norms and men’s HIV-related sexual behaviors, but intervening upon this relationship requires a nuanced understanding of the specific aspects of masculine norms that shape men’s sexual behaviors. We integrate theories on masculinities with empirical HIV research to identify specific dimensions of masculine norms that influence men’s HIV-related sexual behaviors. We identify three major dimensions of masculine norms that shape men’s sexual behavior: (1) uncontrollable male sex drive, (2) capacity to perform sexually, and (3) power over others. While the existing literature does help explain the relationship between masculine norms and men’s sexual behaviors several gaps remain including: a recognition of context-specific masculinities, an interrogation of the positive influences of masculinity, adoption of an intersectional approach, assessment of changes in norms and behaviors over time, and rigorous evaluations of gender-transformative approaches. Addressing these gaps in future research may optimize prevention efforts.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Risk Factor for Surgical Site Infection following Colectomy

Abstract Background: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with increased systemic oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction, and activation of pro-inflammatory cascades, which increase host susceptibility to infection. OSA has not been evaluated as a risk factor for surgical site infection (SSI) following colectomy. We hypothesized that OSA increases the risk for SSI after colectomy. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of 507 colectomies that took place between August 2011 and September 2013. Forty-two patients carried the diagnosis of OSA prior to surgery. These 42 patients were matched to 68 patients with no OSA for age, body mass index (BMI), diabetes mellitus (DM), reason for surgery and surgical approach. Results: The rate of SSI was 28.6% (12 of 42) in the patients with and 10.3% (7 of 68) in the patients without OSA (p=0.03). Using logistic regression, the predictors of SSI following colectomy were found to be OSA (odds ratio [OR] of 3.98, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.29–12.27), a...
An unusual complication of anterior spinal instrumentation: hemothorax contralateral to the side of the incision. A case report.

Anterior procedures on the spine, initially popularized for the treatment of spinal tuberculosis8, are now frequently used for the treatment of a variety of complex spinal disorders. Several authors have discussed the perioperative complications of such procedures5,10,12,17,18,19,22, however, to our knowledge, development of a hemothorax contralateral to the side of the incision has not been reported. We report such a complication in a patient who had a burst fracture of the twelfth thoracic vertebra, which was osteoporotic. The patient was managed with a decompression and arthrodesis from the eleventh thoracic to the first lumbar vertebra. The procedure was performed through a left thoracoabdominal approach and consisted of corpectomy of the twelfth thoracic vertebra, placement of a strut graft, and internal fixation with screws and a plate. Postoperatively, a hemothorax developed on the right side and necessitated a second procedure. This unexpected, serious complication was iatrogenic; it developed because a protruding screw tip lacerated the diaphragm on the contralateral side. A seventy-four-year-old woman was first seen by us because of a two-month history of back pain following a motor-vehicle accident. The patient reported that the pain had been increasing during the previous two weeks and that there was progressive motor weakness of the lower extremities. Neurological examination revealed a symmetrical decrease in the strength of the muscles of the lower extremities, with the patient having a full range of motion against gravity but not against resistance. There was a sensory loss distal to the inguinal level. The neurological deficit was recorded as grade C on the scale of Frankel et al.6. A magnetic resonance imaging scan revealed a burst fracture of the twelfth thoracic vertebra, which was osteoporotic, and an associated loss of …
Optimization of novel pentablock copolymer based composite formulation for sustained delivery of peptide/protein in the treatment of ocular diseases

This manuscript is focussed on the development of pentablock (PB) copolymer based sustained release formulation for the treatment of posterior segment ocular diseases. We have successfully synthesised biodegradable and biocompatible PB copolymers for the preparation of nanoparticles (NPs) and thermosensitive gel. Achieving high drug loading with hydrophilic biotherapeutics (peptides/proteins) is a challenging task. Moreover, small intravitreal injection volume (≤100 μL) requires high loading to develop a long term (six months) sustained release formulation. We have successfully investigated various formulation parameters to achieve maximum peptide/protein (octreotide, insulin, lysozyme, IgG-Fab, IgG, and catalase) loading in PB NPs. Improvement in drug loading can facilitate delivery of larger doses of therapeutic proteins via limited injection volume. A composite formulation comprised of NPs in gel system exhibited sustained release (without burst effect) of peptides and proteins, may serve as a platform technology for the treatment of posterior segment ocular diseases.
Toward rapid, high-sensitivity, volume-constrained biomarker quantification and validation using backscattering interferometry.

Realizing personalized medicine, which promises to enable early disease detection, efficient diagnostic staging, and therapeutic efficacy monitoring, hinges on biomarker quantification in patient samples. Yet, the lack of a sensitive technology and assay methodology to rapidly validate biomarker candidates continues to be a bottleneck for clinical translation. In our first direct and quantitative comparison of backscattering interferometry (BSI) to fluorescence sensing by ELISA, we show that BSI could aid in overcoming this limitation. The analytical validation study was performed against ELISA for two biomarkers for lung cancer detection: Cyfra 21-1 and Galectin-7. Spiked serum was used for calibration and comparison of analytical figures of merit, followed by analysis of blinded patient samples. Using the ELISA antibody as the probe chemistry in a mix-and-read assay, BSI provided significantly lower detection limits for spiked serum samples with each of the biomarkers. The limit of quantification (LOQ) ...
Library-based scatter correction for dedicated cone beam breast CT: a feasibility study

Purpose: Scatter errors are detrimental to cone-beam breast CT (CBBCT) accuracy and obscure the visibility of calcifications and soft-tissue lesions. In this work, we propose practical yet effective scatter correction for CBBCT using a library-based method and investigate its feasibility via small-group patient studies. Method: Based on a simplified breast model with varying breast sizes, we generate a scatter library using Monte-Carlo (MC) simulation. Breasts are approximated as semi-ellipsoids with homogeneous glandular/adipose tissue mixture. On each patient CBBCT projection dataset, an initial estimate of scatter distribution is selected from the pre-computed scatter library by measuring the corresponding breast size on raw projections and the glandular fraction on a first-pass CBBCT reconstruction. Then the selected scatter distribution is modified by estimating the spatial translation of the breast between MC simulation and the clinical scan. Scatter correction is finally performed by subtracting the estimated scatter from raw projections. Results: On two sets of clinical patient CBBCT data with different breast sizes, the proposed method effectively reduces cupping artifact and improves the image contrast by an average factor of 2, with an efficient processing time of 200ms per conebeam projection. Conclusion: Compared with existing scatter correction approaches on CBBCT, the proposed library-based method is clinically advantageous in that it requires no additional scans or hardware modifications. As the MC simulations are pre-computed, our method achieves a high computational efficiency on each patient dataset. The library-based method has shown great promise as a practical tool for effective scatter correction on clinical CBBCT.
The Genus Mesamia in Mexico (Homoptera: Cicadellidae)

The Genus Mesamia was erected by Ball in 1907[2][1] as a subgenus of Eutettix to include a group of species with flattened vertex, the margin of which is acutely angled with the front. [1]: #fn-1
TWO NEW SPECIES OF MALVACEAE FROM SONORA, MEXICO AND TEXAS

Abstract: Batesimalva stipulata is described from Sonora, Mexico (Mpio. de Alamos) and Wissadula parvifolia from Texas (Hidalgo County). The positions of both species in their respective genera are discussed, and keys are provided for the distinction of the new species from their congeners.
A Fast Algorithm of Optimal Generator and Load-Shedding for Emergency Control

To form the list for emergency control strategy,an optimal generator and load-shedding algorithm based on fast time-domain simulation is proposed.In essence,optimal generator and load shedding problem is an optimal control problem,and because the control variables of generator and load shedding are constants,thus the proposed model can be solved by control parameters conveniently.Considering the physical meaning of gradient and discrete features of generator and load shedding,a micro-step discrete method is put forward,and the proposed algorithm is further improved in aspects of stability criterion,integral step and micro-step coefficient.The rapidness,accuracy and practicality of the proposed algorithm as well as its independence from convergence are verified by simulation results of New England 39-bus system.
378 DIAGNOSTIC VALUE OF ANNEXIN A1 EXPRESSION IN MYOEPITHELIAL CELLS FOR THE DETECTION OF BREAST CANCER.

Background Breast cancer is quite an elusive disease; thus, the more information we have about a certain breast sample culture, the better the prognosis. Often times, a biopsy is performed on patient samples and the results tell the physician whether or not the cancers are invasive. However, there is no test that shows if a currently benign tumor will become invasive—and therefore malignant—in the near future. This study has tried to determine whether the annexin A1 is a significant marker in differentiating between benign and premalignant mammary cells. Methods We constructed a paraffin-block microarray consisting of breast tissue from 100 patients. All the samples were taken from the Department of Pathology at Olive View-UCLA Medical Center, and they included sections from normal breast tissue, fibroadenomatous tissue, invasive ductal carcinoma tissue, invasive lobular carcinoma tissue, ductal carcinoma in situ tissue, and lobular carcinoma in situ tissue. In order to analyze the samples, we used rabbit polyclonal annexin A1 antibodies. Results Annexin A1 expression was qualitatively lower in neoplastic cells in the cytoplasmic and nuclear cell compartments. Conclusion The absence of annexin A1 in mammary myoepithelial cells is a useful marker in differentiating between normal and malignant glands in challenging cases of breast cancer.
Involvement of Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 1 in the Regulation of the UDP-Glucuronosyltransferase 1A7 (UGT1A7) Gene in Rat Hepatocytes

UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 1A7 (UGT1A7) is a major UGT contributing to the glucuronidation of xenobiotic phenols in rats. Its expression in rat liver is tightly regulated, with low constitutive and high inducible expression in response to aryl hydrocarbon receptor ligands and oltipraz. Previously, we reported the absence of 3-methylcholanthrene- or oltipraz-responsive elements in the 1.6-kbp region flanking the UGT1A7 promoter. However, potential binding sites were noted for several liver-enriched transcription factors. Here we show that deletion of the hepatic nuclear factor (HNF)3, HNF4, and CCAAT-enhancer binding protein-like binding sites had no effect on the expression of a UGT1A7 reporter plasmid, p(−965/+56)1A7-Luc, in primary rat hepatocytes. The full activity of the promoter was contained in the region between bases −157 and +76. Two sites of binding by rat liver nuclear proteins were detected in this region by DNase footprinting. PR-1 corresponded to the HNF1-like binding site between bases −52 and −38, whereas PR-2 was located between −30 to −6. Gel retardation studies supported the presence of HNF1α in the PR-1 DNA-liver nuclear protein complex. Mutation of PR-1 inhibited binding in the gel shift assay, prevented activation by overexpressed HNF1 in human embryonic kidney cells, and reduced by >80% the maximal luciferase activities expressed from basal and 3-methylcholanthrene-responsive UGT1A7 gene reporter constructs in primary rat hepatocytes. These data provide evidence for an important stimulatory role of HNF1 in promoting UGT1A7 gene expression in rat liver.
Measuring the Degree of Crystallinity in Semicrystalline Regioregular Poly(3-hexylthiophene)

By using a combination of wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), mass density, and 13C solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements, a quantification of the absolute degree of crystallinity in regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) (rr-P3HT) is presented. A regiorandom P3HT (rra-P3HT), lacking long-range order, was used to separate the crystalline contribution from the total scattering in WAXD, thus yielding degrees of crystallinity in the range of 47–56% at room temperature for three different rr-P3HTs. For the same rr-P3HT with identical processing history, NMR yields degrees of crystallinity that are consistently ∼10% greater than that obtained by WAXD, which can only be explained by ordered chain segments in the amorphous phase. NMR results also suggest that rra-P3HT contains weakly ordered chain segments, which likely contribute to an underestimation of degree of crystallinity when determined from mass density measurements, if rra-P3HT is used to approximate a fully amorphous P3HT. The result...
The effect of bromocriptine on the motility of human spermatozoa and its capacity to penetrate the cervical mucus.

We investigated the direct effects of bromocriptine on the motility of the human ejaculated spermatozoa and its capacity to penetrate the cervical mucus (CM) in vitro. Washed sperm were incubated with a wide range of bromocriptine concentrations (0.005 to 5mM). Progressive and total motility was evaluated after 15, 30, 60, and 180 minutes. No reduction of motility was observed at any concentration tested. Similar results were observed with semen samples. Failure to alter sperm motility was evident in samples with either good or reduced motility. Also, CM penetration as measured after 90 minutes by Penetrak assay (Serono Diagnostics, Randolph, MA) was not impaired by a concentration as high as 5mM bromocriptine. We conclude that bromocriptine in a wide range of concentrations does not inhibit sperm motility nor does it impair the capability of the sperm to penetrate the CM. These data support the therapeutic use of daily vaginal bromocriptine for the treatment of infertility.
Weakly Institutionalized Party Systems and Presidential Democracy: Evidence from Guatemala:

Today, all of Latin America's presidential republics are at least nominal democracies, with the region's past experience with frequent military coups an increasingly distant memory. As a result, ov...
Exploring Physician Perspectives of Residency Holdover Handoffs: A Qualitative Study to Understand an Increasingly Important Type of Handoff.

The term “holdover admissions” refers to patients admitted by an overnight physician and whose care is then transferred to a new primary team the next morning. Descriptions of the holdover process in internal medicine are sparse. To identify important factors affecting the quality of holdover handoffs at an internal medicine (IM) residency program and to compare them to previously identified factors for other handoffs. We undertook a qualitative study using structured focus groups and interviews. We analyzed data using qualitative content analysis. IM residents, IM program directors, and hospitalists at a large academic medical center. A nine-question open-ended interview guide. We identified 13 factors describing holdover handoffs. Five factors—physical space, standardization, task accountability, closed-loop verification, and resilience—were similar to those described in prior handoff literature in other specialties. Eight factors were new concepts that may uniquely affect the quality of the holdover handoff in IM. These included electronic health record access, redundancy, unwritten thoughts, different clinician needs, diagnostic uncertainty, anchoring, teaching, and feedback. These factors were organized into five overarching themes: physical environment, information transfer, responsibility, clinical reasoning, and education. The holdover handoff in IM is complex and has unique considerations for achieving high quality. Further exploration of safe, efficient, and educational holdover handoff practices is necessary.
Parental obesity leads to metabolic changes in the F2 generation in Drosophila

Abstract Objective A significant portion of the heritable risk for complex metabolic disorders cannot be attributed to classic Mendelian genetic factors. At least some of this missing heritability is thought to be due to the epigenetic influence of parental and grandparental metabolic state on offspring health. Previous work suggests that this transgenerational phenomenon is evolutionarily conserved in Drosophila . These studies, however, have all depended on dietary paradigms to alter parental metabolic state, which can have inconsistent heritable effects on the metabolism of offspring. Methods Here we use AKHR null alleles to induce obesity in the parental generation and then score both metabolic parameters and genome-wide transcriptional responses in AKHR heterozygote F1 progeny and genetically wild-type F2 progeny. Results Unexpectedly, we observe elevated glycogen levels and changes in gene expression in AKHR heterozygotes due to haploinsufficiency at this locus. We also show that genetic manipulation of parental metabolism using AKHR mutations results in significant physiological changes in F2 wild-type offspring of the grandpaternal/maternal lineage. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that genetic manipulation of parental metabolism in Drosophila can have an effect on the health of F2 progeny, providing a non-dietary paradigm to better understand the mechanisms behind the transgenerational inheritance of metabolic state.
Barthes en Roumanie: Histoire et Amour, expériences pathétiques

Le premier sejour de travail de Roland Barthes fut celui de Bucarest, entre 1947 et 1949. A la recherche d’un poste qui lui offre une retribution dont il avait tant besoin apres huit annees passees en sanatorium, Barthes se fait aider par son ancien camarade de lycee Philippe Rebeyrol, en poste a Bucarest en tant que directeur de l’Institut Francais des Hautes Etudes depuis 1946. Un choix de textes extraits de trois archives – le Fonds Barthes a la Bibliotheque nationale de France, les Archives du Ministere des Affaires Etrangeres de Nantes et le dossier ‘Amphytrio’ de l’archive privee de Petre Sirin – brossent la figure d’un jeune intellectuel subtil et bizarre auquel la politique repugne mais qui ne cache pas son adhesion au marxisme, un don Juan seducteur mais discret, un introverti qui assiste a Bucarest a l’avenement de la dictature stalinienne et ne se rapprochera jamais des communistes par la suite. Tiraille entre les missions administratives qui lui donnent parfois des ennuis (dont l’affaire Henri...
Pilot trial of an implantable microdevice for In Vivo drug sensitivity testing in patients with early stage, triple negative breast cancer receiving neoadjuvant therapy.

TPS1101Background: Available in vitro chemosensitivity models are time consuming, difficult to scale and fail to recapitulate the complexities of the tumor microenvironment. As a result, ASCO advis...
Cluster headaches—evidence-based guidance

Data sources Medline, Cochrane Database of Clinical Trials and bibliographies of identified articles. Study selection Only English-language papers that clearly stated the defined diagnostic criteria were included. For the management section, controlled trials were used if available. Data abstraction and synthesis A qualitative synthesis of included studies was carried out. Findings Cluster headache is rare (lifetime prevalence of 0.07%). Smoking appears to increase the risk but there is conflicting evidence about the role of coffee and alcohol. Diagnosis is entirely based on clinical features. No laboratory or radiological investigations with sufficient sensitivity and specificity have been identified. The pain is described as very severe and can last for up to 3 h. There is often parasympathetic overactivity such as lacrimation and rhinorrhea. In some patients there is facial flushing or pallor, dysaesthesia of scalp hairs, tenderness of the carotid artery on that side and bradycardia. Sympathetic activity can result in miosis or ptosis on that side of the face. The main differential diagnosis is migraine. Attacks are typically at night (when sleep apnoea can occur) and can be caused by alcohol, notroglycerine and histamine, leading to the hypothesis that oxygen desaturation triggers an attack. Standard treatment of acute attacks is oxygen delivered by facemask but this has only been evaluated in one small double-blind randomised controlled trial (RCT). A review of sumatriptan has shown it to be effective without serous adverse effects or cardiovascular changes. Dihydroergotamine (DHE) and ergotamine have both been reported to be useful but only the nasal for of DHE has been evaluated. Intranasal capsaicin was used successfully in two RCT. There have been few RCT that considered prophylaxis, and surgical-management studies did not include controls and were of varying quality. A case-series of 66 patients did find blockade of the sphenopalatine ganglion and radiofrequency thermocoagulation of the Gasserian ganglion was produced good results in a case series of 27 patients. Conclusions An overview of this condition is presented based on a thorough review of the area with treatment guidelines suggested based on findings.
Temporal variability of suspended mass and composition in the Northeast Pacific water column: relationships to sinking flux and lateral advection

Abstract Temporal variations in full water column profiles of 1–53 μm suspended mass and bulk composition (calcium carbonate, opal, aluminosilicate and organic matter fractions) were determined by large-volume in situ filtration at station M, 220 km west of Point Conception, California (4100 m depth) in the NE Pacific. Occupations during June 1991, October 1991, February 1992, June 1992 and November 1993 demonstrated that suspended mass varied seasonally by a factor of two throughout the mid- and deep-water column, suggesting a dynamic relationship with concurrently measured variations in deep water sinking flux. Suspended mass in the deep water column was highest in the two June occupations and November 1993, and lower during October 1991 and February 1992. Subsurface maxima in suspended Al and opal occurred throughout the upper 1500 m, and are interpreted as lateral advection of shelf and slope derived sediments, occurring mostly in summer and fall. A factor-of-three discrepancy between water column losses of suspended mass between June and October 1991 and integrated near-bottom vertical flux over this period supports the conclusion that sediment traps do not capture important large aggregate flux events which efficiently remove deep suspended matter. Lateral dispersion of advected lithogenous material must occur, but calculations based on the composition and estimated flux of large aggregates suggest that much of the laterally injected mass can be removed vertically on time scales of weeks at this site. As a result, deep suspended particles have a residence time of 14 C ( Druffel et al., 1998 ) for the February and June 1992 profiles, lending support to the hypothesis that sedimentary carbon or dissolved organic matter adsorbed to lithogenous mineral particles determines the apparent age of suspended carbon throughout this water column.
Ecological barriers to HIV service access among young men who have sex with men and high-risk young women from low-resourced urban communities

Using an ecological perspective, we sought to elucidate the perceived barriers preventing HIV service access among two groups of U.S. youth (ages 12-24) disproportionately affected by HIV, men who have sex with men and high-risk women. We content analyzed interviews with 318 key informants to identify distinct service barriers. The 29 barriers informants named were organized into six categories (service-seeking demands, stigmas, knowledge and awareness, service quality, powerful opposition, and negative emotions). Findings suggest that barriers impacting access to HIV prevention, testing, and linkage-to-care services are remarkably similar and point to the need for comprehensive approaches to improving youth's access services that address both individual-level barriers and extra-individual barriers simultaneously. Findings can be used to guide future research, programming and interventions to reduce the disproportionate spread of HIV among US youth.
Lurking at URPE 50: Selective Observations, Criticisms, Horizons:

How did the 2018 URPE at 50 conference appear to a “lurker,” someone interested, even enthusiastic, about radical political economy but not directly involved in the organization? Based on observati...
It Can Understand the Logs, Literally

Workflow reconstruction through logs is crucial for troubleshooting targeted distributed systems. It is also challenging to extract enough information from logs and keep a concise view, which makes manual log analysis hard to practice. However, currently popular tools rely on identifier-based log parsing, leaving a large amount of workflow information unexploited. In this paper, we propose a log extraction approach NLog, which utilizes a natural language processing based approach to obtain the key information from log messages and identify the same object in logs generated by different statements without any domain knowledge. We propose to use keyed message, a new log storage structure to store the parsed logs. We implement NLog and apply it to distributed data analytics frameworks Spark and MapReduce. Evaluation results show that NLog can accurately identify the objects in log messages even without explicit identifiers. By using keyed messages, users can have a concise as well as flexible view of the workflows.
An assessment of medical students’ knowledge of prediabetes and diabetes prevention

The United States has 84 million adults with prediabetes, putting them at a higher risk than the general population for developing type 2 diabetes. Missed opportunities among primary care providers in diagnosing and managing patients with prediabetes represent a gap in care, suggesting there is a need to educate practicing physicians and medical students about diabetes prevention. The purpose of this study is to assess medical students’ basic knowledge of prediabetes and diabetes prevention, identify potential educational needs, and target areas for improvement in undergraduate medical education curricula. A cross-sectional study to assess medical students’ preclinical and clinical management knowledge of prediabetes and diabetes prevention. Medical students attending the 2016 American Medical Association’s annual meeting took a 6-item knowledge questionnaire using a mobile application or a paper version. Scores were reported for the full sample of respondents, by year in medical school, by topic area, and by mode of survey response. The average student answered fewer than half of the questionnaire questions correctly. Scores on some items addressing preclinical content were higher among third- and fourth-year students compared to first- and second-year students (p = 0.039 and effect size = 0.363). Average scores on the items addressing clinical management were not significantly different by year in medical school, but the item measuring effectiveness of metformin to a lifestyle change program had 41.9% correct answers among the mobile application respondents compared to 21.5% among paper test respondents (p = 0.003 and effect size = 0.463). Medical student performance on the prediabetes knowledge questionnaire was low. Students’ year in medical school had a slight impact on overall performance, but only for certain questions. The results suggest the need for improvements in current medical school curricula for increasing the awareness of screening for prediabetes as well as the benefits of the lifestyle change programs in the National Diabetes Prevention Program.
Deep Learning and Neurology: A Systematic Review.

Deciphering the massive volume of complex electronic data that has been compiled by hospital systems over the past decades has the potential to revolutionize modern medicine, as well as present significant challenges. Deep learning is uniquely suited to address these challenges, and recent advances in techniques and hardware have poised the field of medical machine learning for transformational growth. The clinical neurosciences are particularly well positioned to benefit from these advances given the subtle presentation of symptoms typical of neurologic disease. Here we review the various domains in which deep learning algorithms have already provided impetus for change—areas such as medical image analysis for the improved diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and the early detection of acute neurologic events; medical image segmentation for quantitative evaluation of neuroanatomy and vasculature; connectome mapping for the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s, autism spectrum disorder, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; and mining of microscopic electroencephalogram signals and granular genetic signatures. We additionally note important challenges in the integration of deep learning tools in the clinical setting and discuss the barriers to tackling the challenges that currently exist.
A day-by-day prospective analysis of stress, craving and risk of next day alcohol intake during alcohol use disorder treatment.

Abstract Background Stress has been known to increase craving in individuals with Alcohol Use Disorders (AUD) and predict future alcohol relapse risk, but whether stress on a particular day affects craving on that day to impact prospective alcohol intake in the real world, particularly during early treatment and recovery, has not been studied thus far. Method The first study included 85 AUD individuals who reported their daily stress, craving, and alcohol intake in the first two weeks of early treatment. A second validation study included 28 AUD patients monitored daily during eight weeks of outpatient 12-Step based behavioral counseling treatment for AUD. Data were collected from telephone-based daily diaries for 903 days in Study 1 and 1488 in Study 2. Multilevel latent models tested if daily and person-averaged craving mediated the link between stressful events and next day drinking during treatment. Results In both Study 1 and 2, exposure to a stressful event on a particular day predicted increased craving on that day (p’s≤.002); and such increases in craving predicted the likelihood of drinking the next day (p’s≤.014) and the drinking amount (p’s Conclusions The results across two studies with separate samples are the first to establish that craving directly mediates the association between stress and next day alcohol intake in individuals with AUD. Findings suggest a need for novel treatment approaches to address stress-induced craving to improve alcohol use outcomes.
Microblog use and student engagement in the large-classroom setting.

Background and objectives Encouraging student engagement in the large-classroom setting can be difficult. Challenges include the depersonalized nature of the environment and the fact that students frequently find asking questions and participating in class discussion intimidating. Social media has the potential to address these barriers, but this has not yet been formally evaluated. Our study analyzed the impact of microblog use on students' question-asking behaviors (an indicator of student engagement) in a large-classroom setting. Methods Formative evaluation of a large-classroom medical humanities course identified microblog use as a potential tool to facilitate greater student engagement. A microblog was thereafter incorporated into the course. Student engagement was operationalized as question-asking behaviors before and after microblog incorporation. Results Paired t tests showed that the total number of questions asked was significantly greater in the microblog-available classes, t (2)=12.12. In addition, significantly more individual students asked questions in the microblog-available classes, t (2)=17.39. Conclusions Our study, demonstrating an increase in question-asking behavior after incorporation of a microblog, has important implications for educators who seek to enhance student engagement and learning in the large-classroom setting. In addition, innovative use of emerging technologies (such as microblogs) as educational tools requires continuous assessment and iterative change to maximize benefit. More research is needed to evaluate what specific barriers to engagement are overcome by microblog use and whether microblog use can similarly benefit other courses.
Development of a low-cost imaging system for remote mosquito surveillance

Targeted vector control strategies aiming to prevent mosquito borne disease are severely limited by the logistical burden of vector surveillance, the monitoring of an area to understand mosquito species composition, abundance and spatial distribution. We describe development of an imaging system within a mosquito trap to remotely identify caught mosquitoes, including selection of the image resolution requirement, a design to meet that specification, and evaluation of the system. The necessary trap image resolution was determined to be 16 lp/mm, or 31.25um. An optics system meeting these specifications was implemented in a BG-GAT mosquito trap. Its ability to provide images suitable for accurate specimen identification was evaluated by providing entomologists with images of individual specimens, taken either with a microscope or within the trap and asking them to provide a species identification, then comparing these results. No difference in identification accuracy between the microscope and the trap images was found; however, due to limitations of human species classification from a single image, the system is only able to provide accurate genus-level mosquito classification. Further integration of this system with machine learning computer vision algorithms has the potential to provide near-real time mosquito surveillance data at the species level.
Understanding and Improving Persistent Transactions on Optane™ DC Memory

Storing data structures in high-capacity byte-addressable persistent memory instead of DRAM or a storage device offers the opportunity to (1) reduce cost and power consumption compared with DRAM, (2) decrease the latency and CPU resources needed for an I/O operation compared with storage, and (3) allow for fast recovery as the data structure remains in memory after a machine failure. The first commercial offering in this space is Intel® Optane™ Direct Connect (Optane™ DC) Persistent Memory. Optane™ DC promises access time within a constant factor of DRAM, with larger capacity, lower energy consumption, and persistence. We present an experimental evaluation of persistent transactional memory performance, and explore how Optane™ DC durability domains affect the overall results. Given that neither of the two available durability domains can deliver performance competitive with DRAM, we introduce and emulate a new durability domain, called PDRAM, in which the memory controller tracks enough information (and has enough reserve power) to make DRAM behave like a persistent cache of Optane™ DC memory.In this paper we compare the performance of these durability domains on several configurations of five persistent transactional memory applications. We find a large throughput difference, which emphasizes the importance of choosing the best durability domain for each application and system. At the same time, our results confirm that recently published persistent transactional memory algorithms are able to scale, and that recent optimizations for these algorithms lead to strong performance, with speedups as high as 6× at 16 threads.
Trans-stromal epithelial cyst after multiple lamellar keratoplasties - Case report and review of literature.

Abstract Design Single Observational Case Report. Setting A 67-year-old male of Persian descent had a complex systemic and ocular history prior to a right penetrating keratoplasty (PK) reported here. The clinical diagnoses leading to the PK included Cogan's syndrome, chronic uveitis, secondary glaucoma, and corneal stromal scarring, presumed secondary to a corneal ulcer diagnosed on the second visit to our clinic. The specimen described here had been in place for 11 months and 17 days after the third failed Descemet stripping endothelial keratoplasty (DSEK). Visual acuities had ranged from 20/100 to 20/400 in both eyes. Visual acuity in the right eye just before surgery was 20/400. Intraocular pressures were 22 mmHg in both eyes with functioning Ahmed glaucoma shunts. The stromal cyst was not suspected preoperatively and no clinical imaging was performed. Study Methods Histopathology including serial sections and immunohistochemistry. Results Histologic study demonstrated a trans-stromal corneal epithelial cyst without goblet cells that extended through a 500 μm gap in the donor tissue surface and edge. Conclusions This large stromal cyst was an unusual complication of serial posterior lamellar keratoplasties and we postulate that multiple prior posterior lamellar grafts may have been a risk factor for this complication. Anterior segment imaging with either anterior segment optical coherence tomography or high-resolution ultrasound would likely have detected this stromal cyst.
Harmonizing Work, Family, and Personal Life: From Policy to Practice

List of figures List of tables List of contributors Introduction Steven Poelmans Part I. Describing Different Work-Life Policies/Policy Development/Pitfalls: 1. Strategic HR and work-life balance Paula Caligiuri and Nicole Givelekian 2. Reviewing policies for harmonizing work, family and personal life Steven Poelmans and Barbara Beham 3. Integrating career development and work-family policy Tammy Allen 4. Work-life balance on global assignments Paula Caligiuri and Mila Lazarova 5. IBM case Joan Giue and Oana Petrescu Part II. Policy Design, Implementation, and Deployment: 6. Stages in the implementation of work-family policies Steven A. Y. Poelmans, Shilpa Patel and Barbara Beham 7. Policy development across borders: a framework for work-life initiatives in multinational enterprises Anne Bardoel and Helen DeCieri Annex: ACREW Key Performance Indicators (KPI) Checklist of Work/Life Best Practice Part III. Cultural Change: 8. Barriers to the planning, implementation and usage of work-life policies Cynthia Thompson 9. Proposing a model for cultural change Steven A. Y. Poelmans and Olena Stepanova Epilogue: Social change Steven A. Y. Poelmans and Aline Masuda Annex: List of Website references Index.
The dynein light chain protein Tda2 functions as a dimerization engine to regulate actin capping protein during endocytosis.

Tda2 functions as a dimerization engine for its binding partner Aim21 to form a 2:2 heterotetramer. Tda2-induced dimerization of Aim21 facilitates its proper localization and interaction with actin...
Inclusion of hybrid rye in diets for weanling pigs does not compromise daily gain, but may reduce diarrhea incidence despite pigs having preference for consuming corn over hybrid rye

Abstract Two experiments were conducted to test the hypotheses that feed preference and growth performance will not differ if hybrid rye replaces some of the corn in diets for nursery pigs. In experiment 1, 40 barrows (9.2 ± 1.0 kg) were housed in 20 pens for eight days. Each pen had two identical feeders containing a corn-based diet or a diet in which 500 g/kg of the corn was substituted with hybrid rye, and feeder positions were switched daily. In experiment 2, 160 pigs (6.0 ± 0.7 kg) were randomly allotted to 40 pens and five treatments. Phase 1 diets were fed from day 1–7 (0, 30, 60, 90, or 120 g/kg rye), whereas phase 2 (0, 50, 110, 160, or 210 g/kg rye) and phase 3 (0, 150, 300, 450, or 600 g/kg rye) diets were fed from day 7–21 and day 21–34, respectively. Body weights were recorded at the start and end of each phase, fecal scores were recorded every other day, and blood samples were obtained from one pig per pen on day 21 and 34. Results of experiment 1 indicated that preference was greater (P