cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Aluminum in Pediatric Parenteral Nutrition Products: Measured Versus Labeled Content

OBJECTIVE Aluminum is a contaminant in all parenteral nutrition solutions. Manufacturers currently label these products with the maximum aluminum content at the time of expiry, but there are no published data to establish the actual measured concentration of aluminum in parenteral nutrition solution products prior to being compounded in the clinical setting. This investigation assessed quantitative aluminum content of products commonly used in the formulation of parenteral nutrition solutions. The objective of this study is to determine the best products to be used when compounding parenteral nutrition solutions (i.e., those with the least amount of aluminum contamination). METHODS All products available in the United States from all manufacturers used in the production of parenteral nutrition solutions were identified and collected. Three lots were collected for each identified product. Samples were quantitatively analyzed by Mayo Laboratories. These measured concentrations were then compared to the manufacturers’ labeled concentration. RESULTS Large lot-to-lot and manufacturer-to-manufacturer differences were noted for all products. Measured aluminum concentrations were less than manufacturer-labeled values for all products. CONCLUSIONS The actual aluminum concentrations of all the parenteral nutrition solutions were significantly less than the aluminum content based on manufacturers’ labels. These findings indicate that 1) the manufacturers should label their products with actual aluminum content at the time of product release rather than at the time of expiry, 2) that there are manufacturers whose products provide significantly less aluminum contamination than others, and 3) pharmacists can select products with the lowest amounts of aluminum contamination and reduce the aluminum exposure in their patients.
Partially nested designs in psychotherapy trials: A review of modeling developments

AbstractObjective: Individually-randomized psychotherapy trials are often partially nested. For instance, individuals assigned to a treatment arm may be clustered into therapy groups for purposes of treatment administration, whereas individuals assigned to a wait-list control are unclustered. The past several years have seen rapid expansion and investigation of methods for analyzing partially nested data. Yet partial nesting often remains ignored in psychotherapy trials. Methods: This review integrates and disseminates developments in the analysis of partially nested data that are particularly relevant for psychotherapy researchers. Results: First, we differentiate among alternative partially nested designs. Then, we present adaptations of multilevel model specifications that accommodate each design. Next, we address how moderation by treatment as well as mediation of the treatment effect can be investigated in partially nested designs. Model fitting results, annotated software syntax, and illustrative da...
The robustness continuum.

Organisms are subject to random changes in their external environments, as well as in their internal components. A central goal of evolutionary systems biology is to understand how living systems cope with—and in some cases exploit—this variation. Many cellular and developmental processes operate with high fidelity to produce stereotyped, irreversible outcomes despite environmental and genetic perturbation. These processes are said to be robust or insensitive to variation. Robustness can lead to single, invariant phenotypes, or it can take the form of phenotypic plasticity, in which different environmental conditions reproducibly induce distinct phenotypes. Some organisms cope with environmental variation not with robust responses but with stochastic, reversible fate decisions. In those organisms, lower robustness yields heterogeneity among individuals, which in turn serves as a bet-hedging mechanism for the population. Considering high-fidelity and bet-hedging processes together—as a robustness continuum—provides a unifying framework for analyzing and conceptualizing variation in complex evolving systems. This framework can be applied to understanding the architectures and dynamics of the regulatory networks that underlie fate decisions in microbes, plants, animals, and cancer cells.
{Ba[Au(SCN)2]2}n: a three-dimensional net comprised of monomeric and trimeric gold(I) units

The noteworthy structural feature of the title complex, poly[acetonitrile­tetra-μ2-thio­cyanato-barium(II)digold(I)], {[Au2Ba(SCN)4(CH3CN)]}n, is that the bis­(thio­cyanato)­aurate(I) anion adopts both monomeric and trimeric motifs. The trimer unit has an Au⋯Au distance of 3.1687 (3) A. In both the monomeric and trimeric units, the AuI atoms are also bonded to two S atoms. Within the trimeric unit, the AuI atoms exist in differing environments; one Au atom has a T-shaped three-coordinate geometry while the other has a square-planar four-coordinate geometry. The AuI atom of the monomer adopts a linear two-coordinate geometry. The extended structure can be described as a three-dimensional coordination polymer consisting of chains of Ba atoms bridged by thio­cyanate N atoms. These chains are cross-linked via the gold monomeric and trimeric units.
A data management model for change control in collaborative design environments

This thesis presents a data management model to support collaborative design environments. Specifically, the proposed model describes a multidisciplinary project in terms of independently evolving designs from the participating disciplines. The model monitors independent design activities by systematically tracking component descriptions in the individual disciplines. Projects are coordinated through asynchronous communication of design changes. There are two salient features of the given model. First, we specify a three-layered closely coupled framework of versions, assemblies, and configurations. In this framework, configurations integrate designs from each of the participating disciplines to describe an overall project. Assemblies can be either total or partial. The designs in each discipline are represented as total assemblies; partial assemblies represent complex entities that can be further aggregated to describe an overall design in a given discipline. Complex entities are in turn formed by aggregating instances of primitive entities in the database. We maintain an evolving description of a primitive entity as a version hierarchy; each version in a given hierarchy contains specific descriptions of instances of that entity. The second feature introduces a new concept, equivalent operation, which provides an efficient mechanism for managing changes among versions of a primitive entity. Intuitively, an equivalent operation is a single data operation that summarizes the effect of a sequence of changes on an instance description. By applying this concept, we establish a version of a primitive entity as the summary of all changes that have been made to its contents. A version in the data management model is thus a unit of granularity whose consistency can be evaluated. In addition, we develop operators to store, detect and characterize changes among individual versions. The close coupling of the version, assembly and configuration levels allows these computed version changes to be recursively combined to represent changes at various assembly and configuration levels. Applying these two concepts, the model efficiently supports project coordination through the asynchronous communication of changes among designers, as well as project monitoring through the systematic tracking of evolving project descriptions. We have implemented and tested the model in both an ORACLE relational database for alpha-numeric design data as well as an AUTOCAD environment for 3-D graphical objects.
Child maltreatment over two decades: change or continuity?

The increasing reports of child maltreatment during the last two decades have precipitated discussions about the degree to which these figures represent an increase in reporting or a true growth of child abuse and neglect. Using reports to child protection agencies over a 20-year period in an Indiana county, analyses suggest that there is a stability in characteristics of alleged perpetrators and victims and in the patterns of mistreatment. Shifts in the substantiation rates offer little insight for this issue, but it may be argued that the growth in reports reflects a genuine increase of abusive and neglectful behavior. Implications for abuse and neglect rates are explored. Language: en
Association of Caries and Tobacco Risk with Dental Fitness Classification

ABSTRACT Objective: Dental emergencies negatively affect the Army during combat. Dental readiness continues to be a primary mission of the Army Dental Care System and is an important part of mobilization. Dental Fitness Classification (DFC) is used to evaluate the oral health status and current treatment needs of soldiers. Caries and tobacco risk assessments were recently added to the annual examination of Army soldiers. The aim of this project was to determine whether any association existed between the DFC and caries and tobacco risk assessments of Army soldiers. Methods: The study population consisted of 66,484 U.S. Army active duty soldiers. The data were obtained from an Army electronic database that maintains all patient visits. The following information was obtained for each soldier; rank, DFC, caries risk, and tobacco risk assessment. Summary statistics were computed and DFC was compared with caries risk, tobacco risk, and rank using the χ2 analysis and logistic regression model. Results: High-car...
The Ability of Systematic Transrectal Ultrasound Guided Biopsy to Detect Prostate Cancer in Men with the Clinical Diagnosis of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

AbstractMultiple directed and systematic ultrasound guided biopsies of the prostate were performed in 73 men with the clinical diagnosis of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Seven men (10%) had prostate cancer. Of the 67 patients with benign biopsies 40 underwent subsequent transurethral prostatectomy and 2 (5%) had prostate cancer. Multiple directed and systematic biopsies of the prostate detected 78% of the nonpalpable prostate cancers diagnosed in the study population. Radical prostatectomy was performed in all 9 men with prostate cancer: there were 3 small organ-confined tumors, 5 large organ-confined tumors and 1 stage C tumor with 1 focus of microscopic capsular penetration. Our results suggest that multiple directed and systematic ultrasound guided biopsies are capable of detecting low volume nonpalpable prostate cancer in men with BPH. However, the exact indication for pre-treatment ultrasound guided biopsy of the prostate in men with symptomatic BPH remains unclear. It may be that use of this m...
Structured Engagement: The Changing Relationship between International Organizations and NGOs

Intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) use a variety of means to formally organize non-governmental organizations (NGOs) access to their institutions. This paper asks: does the way in which NGO access mechanisms differ from each other matter? Using an original survey of over 100 inter-governmental organizations, the paper examines the different functional advantages associated with four types of NGO access mechanisms. The statistical analysis indicates that these mechanisms are designed to generate more than just reputational and informational benefits.
Charting School Discipline

Exclusionary school discipline can steer students away from educational opportunities and towards the juvenile and criminal justice systems. As many public school systems have turned to exclusionary school discipline practices over the past two decades, they have also increasingly adopted charter schools as alternatives to traditional public schools. This research is examines the student codes of conduct for the charter schools in the School District of Philadelphia to consider the role of their disciplinary practices and the potential effects on charter students.We analyzed every disciplinary code provided to the Philadelphia School District by charter schools within Philadelphia during the 2014-2015 school year. Our goal was to examine the provisions relating to detention, suspension, and expulsion, along with other disciplinary responses, to determine what conduct can result in disciplinary consequences, what responses are available for various types of misbehavior, and whether the code language is clear or ambiguous or even accessible to students or potential students and their parents or caregivers. We conclude that too many of the codes are not well drafted, and too many follow models of punitive discipline that can be used to push out non-compliant or challenging students. Some codes grant almost complete discretion to school administrators to impose punitive discipline for any behavior the administrator deems problematic. We hope that this work will spur future research on implementation of charter school discipline policies to illustrate how charter schools are using their codes. Further, we hope to see the charter sector develop model disciplinary codes that move away from a zero tolerance punitive model towards disciplinary systems based on restorative principles.
Manipulations of Choice Familiarity in Multiple-Choice Testing Support a Retrieval Practice Account of the Testing Effect.

We performed 4 experiments assessing the learning that occurs when taking a test. Our experiments used multiple-choice tests because the processes deployed during testing can be manipulated by varying the nature of the choice alternatives. Previous research revealed that a multiple-choice test that includes “none of the above” (NOTA) produces better performance on a subsequent test only when the correct answer is something other than NOTA (Odegard & Koen, 2007). However, when NOTA was an incorrect choice alternative, the correct answer was the only familiar alternative. Thus, familiarity may have allowed participants to identify the answer, which was then restudied. In other words, the testing benefit might have reflected a familiarity-guided restudy process rather than retrieval practice. In the current study, we examined the role of familiarity in the multiple-choice testing effect, manipulating the familiarity of alternatives. If NOTA was the correct answer, there was no testing benefit when the alternatives were all novel (Experiment 1) or all familiar (Experiment 3). Familiarity-guided restudy predicts memory impairment when there is a single familiar alternative for a NOTA-correct question. In contradiction to this hypothesis, there was a testing benefit for this condition (Experiments 2 and 4). Experiment 4 further collected metacognitive confidence ratings during the multiple-choice test, providing evidence of a recall-to-reject strategy for this condition. These results suggest that learning from multiple-choice tests is mainly due to retrieval practice rather than the use of familiarity.
Planning and Implementing an International Travel/Study Course Experience for Health Professionals and Students

Abstract The ever-increasing ease of travel coupled with the importance, if not necessity, of improving our international outlook both personally and professionally, has stimulated a new interest in study abroad programs for both students and professionals alike. This article first presents a review of travel/study options and provides a rationale for integrating an international professional experience into the curriculum for health professionals and students. Second, the authors describe the necessary phases in the development, marketing, implementation, and evaluation of an international travel/study learning experience. The article addresses important issues such as feasibility of offering an international course, mechanisms for approval, marketing, arranging site visitations, safety/legal liability, budgeting, and balancing the educational and cultural experience.
Authorship Trends of Emergency Medicine Publications over the Last Two Decades.

Introduction: With the recent merger of the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) and the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) a heightened pressure for publication may become evident. Our objective was to determine whether there was a gap in the type of both medical degree designation and advanced degree designation among authorship in three United States-based academic emergency medicine journals. Methods: We reviewed the Journal of Emergency Medicine, Academic Emergency Medicine and Annals of Emergency Medicine for the type of degree designation that the first and senior authors had obtained for the years 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010 and 2014. Results: A total of 2.48% of all authors held a degree in osteopathic medicine. Osteopathic physician first authors contributed to 3.26% of all publications while osteopathic physician senior authors contributed 1.53%. No statistical trend could be established for the years studied for osteopathic physicians. However, we noted an overall trend for increased publication for allopathic senior authors (p=0.001), allopathic first authors with a dual degree (p=0.003) and allopathic senior authors with a dual degree (p=0.005). For each journal studied, no statistical trend could be established for osteopathic first or senior authors but a trend was noted for allopathic first and senior authors in the Journal of Emergency Medicine (p-value=0.020 and 0.006). Of those with dual degrees, osteopathic physicians were in the minority with 1.85% of osteopathic first authors and 0.60% of osteopathic senior authors attaining a dual degree. No statistical trend could be established for increased dual degree publications for osteopathic physicians over the study period, nor could a statistical trend be established for any of the journals studied. Conclusion: Very few osteopathic physicians have published in the Journal of Emergency Medicine, Academic Emergency Medicine or Annals of Emergency Medicine over the last two decades. Despite a trend for increased publication by allopathic physicians in certain journals, there appears to be no trend for increased publication of osteopathic physicians in emergency medicine.
Response patterns and postspike effects of peripheral afferents in dorsal root ganglia of behaving monkeys.

1. The activity of single afferent units was recorded in cervical dorsal root ganglia (DRG) in two macaque monkeys as they generated alternating flexion and extension torques about the wrist during...
Quality of consumer drug information provided by four Web sites

The quality of drug-specific information available to consumers on the Internet was studied. The 30 most commonly dispensed prescription drugs were selected to represent those medications for which consumers would be seeking information. A Web page evaluation form was developed to objectively evaluate each site in terms of sponsors, references, recency of updates, ease of use, overall organization, and other characteristics. A second form was developed to qualitatively and quantitatively assess the drug information provided by the sites. Four Internet sites, MedicineNet, RxList, Drug InfoNet, and thriveonline, were evaluated. Authors, contributors, and references were identified for three of the sites. All sites had disclaimers advising patients to seek the advice of a health care professional, all indexed drug information by both brand name and generic name, and all were well organized. Only RxList and MedicineNet contained information on all the drugs evaluated. For the drugs documented, RxList, MedicineNet, Drug InfoNet, and thriveonline contained 84%, 60%, 87%, and 72% of the 22 variables assessed, respectively. The accuracy of the information provided was greater than 98% for all the sites. Only two of four Internet sites containing consumer drug information included all the prescription drugs being evaluated. Most but not all of the information on the four sites was accurate.
Public Debt, Inequality, and Power: The Making of a Modern Debt State

Who are the dominant owners of US public debt? Is it widely held, or concentrated in the hands of a few? Does ownership of public debt give these bondholders power over our government? What do we make of the fact that foreign-owned debt has ballooned to nearly 50 percent today? Until now, we have not had any satisfactory answers to these questions. Public Debt, Inequality, and Power is the first comprehensive historical analysis of public debt ownership in the United States. It reveals that ownership of federal bonds has been increasingly concentrated in the hands of the 1 percent over the past three decades. Based on extensive and original research, Public Debt, Inequality, and Power will shock and enlighten. “These days, the topic of America’s debt stirs heated political debate. But one of the most important facts in this discussion has hitherto been obscured: who actually owns that debt inside America? Hager has done some fascinating and pathbreakingresearch to answer that question and concluded that the ownership pattern is surprisingly concentrated—and unequal—and that this may have implications for how the entire debt debate develops in the coming years. This is an illuminating work that deserves wide attention.” GILLIAN TETT, Financial Times “The relationship between the ownership structure of government debt and economic inequality—between public finance and the class structure of modern capitalism—is one of several central concerns of political economy that has been almost completely neglected in recent decades. Sandy Brian Hager’s book returns to the subject with theoretical and empirical bravado.” WOLFGANG STREECK, Director Emeritus, Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies “Money is power, and US Treasury debt is the world’s single largest financial instrument. Hager’s insightful book fills an enormous hole in our knowledge of who owns this debt and how the power flowing from that increasingly concentrated ownership affects US and global politics.” HERMAN M. SCHWARTZ, author of Subprime Nation: American Power, Global Capital, and the Housing Bubble SANDY BRIAN HAGER is Postdoctoral Fellow at the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs at Harvard University. He has published in various journals, including New Political Economy and Socio-Economic Review.
Update on enthesitis-related arthritis.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW This review provides a detailed update regarding the genetics, pathogenesis, disease phenotype evaluation, therapies and expected outcomes for children with enthesitis-related arthritis (ERA). RECENT FINDINGS Recent studies evaluated human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-B27 subtypes and non-major histocompatibility complex genes including toll like receptor 4, NLRP3, CXCR4 and PTPN12 in children with ERA. The microbiome and γδ-T cells have also been an area of active investigation. Several studies focus on the imaging phenotype of children with ERA, including the use of ultrasonography and MRI. MRI techniques studied in this population include dedicated MRI, whole-body MRI and diffusion-weighted imaging. Conventional and biologic disease-modifying agents continue to be the mainstay of therapy, though the past 2 years have witnessed several greatly needed randomized controlled trials to study the efficacy of these medications in ERA. Finally, long-term effectiveness studies of biologics in children with ERA have helped inform provider and patient expectations of disease response and prognosis. SUMMARY Further evaluation of the role of the microbiome and the interleukin 17/interleukin 23 axis, techniques to optimize evaluation of disease features, and efficacy and effectiveness of newer medications are greatly needed in this understudied population of children.
Context analysis for a new regulatory model for electric utilities in Brazil

Abstract This article examines what would have to change in the Brazilian regulatory framework in order to make utilities profit from energy efficiency and the integration of resources, instead of doing so from traditional consumption growth, as it happens at present. We argue that the Brazilian integrated electric sector resembles a common-pool resources problem, and as such it should incorporate, in addition to the centralized operation for power dispatch already in place, demand side management, behavioral strategies, and smart grids, attained through a new business and regulatory model for utilities. The paper proposes several measures to attain a more sustainable and productive electricity distribution industry: decoupling revenues from volumetric sales through a fixed maximum load fee, which would completely offset current disincentives for energy efficiency; the creation of a market for negawatts (saved megawatts) using the current Brazilian mechanism of public auctions for the acquisition of wholesale energy; and the integration of technologies, especially through the growth of unregulated products and services. Through these measures, we believe that Brazil could improve both energy security and overall sustainability of its power sector in the long run.
Facilitating discussions about privilege among future conservation practitioners.

The world's resources are not equally shared across all people, and it has become clear that successful conservation solutions must take this inequality into account (IPCC 1997; UNFCCC 2016). It is thus important for current and future conservation professionals to think deeply about privilege, and to consider its effect in their work. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved
Developing Ethical Behavior for Public Organizations: Cooperative Learning at the Public School Level

An approach to developing ethical behavior in public organizations can be achieved by implementing a cooperative learning structure in the American public school educational system. Cooperative learning towards ethical development seeks to build a contractual relationship between students in public schools that could help shape ethical behavior of students before they enter adult public organizations. Public school organizations should develop a consensus oriented decision-making process among educators and students that acknowledges the needs of all students. The agreed upon principles will be staples in identifying abusive and deviant behavior in school and adult public organizations.Eclipsing the hierarchical structure in both public school organizations and adult public organizations with a student/worker- centered environment could optimize ethical behavior.
Automatic segmentation of lumbar vertebrae in CT images

Lower back pain is one of the most prevalent disorders in the developed/developing world. However, its etiology is poorly understood and treatment is often determined subjectively. In order to quantitatively study the emergence and evolution of back pain, it is necessary to develop consistently measurable markers for pathology. Imaging based measures offer one solution to this problem. The development of imaging based on quantitative biomarkers for the lower back necessitates automated techniques to acquire this data. While the problem of segmenting lumbar vertebrae has been addressed repeatedly in literature, the associated problem of computing relevant biomarkers on the basis of the segmentation has not been addressed thoroughly. In this paper, we propose a Random-Forest based approach that learns to segment vertebral bodies in CT images followed by a biomarker evaluation framework that extracts vertebral heights and widths from the segmentations obtained. Our dataset consists of 15 CT sagittal scans obtained from General Electric Healthcare. Our main approach is divided into three parts: the first stage is image pre-processing which is used to correct for variations in illumination across all the images followed by preparing the foreground and background objects from images; the next stage is Machine Learning using Random-Forests, which distinguishes the interest-point vectors between foreground or background; and the last step is image post-processing, which is crucial to refine the results of classifier. The Dice coefficient was used as a statistical validation metric to evaluate the performance of our segmentations with an average value of 0.725 for our dataset.
Auditory comprehension performance of college students with and without sport concussion on Computerized-Revised Token Test Subtest VIII.

Aim: Auditory comprehension (AC) and visually assessed cognitive functions were compared in early stage postconcussed (PC) athletes and healthy controls using the Subtest VIII of the Computerized-Revised Token Test (C-RTT) and Immediate Postconcussion Assessment and Cognitive Test (ImPACT). Results: As compared with healthy controls (n = 30), PC subjects (n = 30) had significantly lower C-RTT efficiency scores (p = 0.018), and lower ImPACT scores; total symptom score (p = 0.000.), verbal memory (p = 0.000), visual memory (p = 0.000), visual motor speed (p = 0.000) and reaction time (p = 0.004) in this post-test only matched subject design. Impulse Control was not significant (p = 0.613). Multiple regression and ANOVA indicated an association with reaction time only (p = 0.012) for the PC subjects. After controlling for reaction time, a significant difference in AC remained. Conclusion: The relationship between AC and other visually assessed cognitive functions was inconsistent suggesting that the C-RTT an...
Bayesian inference of high-dimensional, cluster-structured ordinary differential equation models with applications to brain connectivity studies

We build a new ordinary differential equation (ODE) model for the directional interaction, also called effective connectivity, among brain regions whose activities are measured by intracranial electrocorticography (ECoG) data. In contrast to existing ODE models that focus on effective connectivity among only a few large anatomic brain regions and that rely on strong prior belief of the existence and strength of the connectivity, the proposed high-dimensional ODE model, motivated by statistical considerations, can be used to explore connectivity among multiple small brain regions. The new model, called the modular and indicator-based dynamic directional model (MIDDM), features a cluster structure, which consists of modules of densely connected brain regions, and uses indicators to differentiate significant and void directional interactions among brain regions. We develop a unified Bayesian framework to quantify uncertainty in the assumed ODE model, identify clusters, select strongly connected brain regions, and make statistical comparison between brain networks across different experimental trials. The prior distributions in the Bayesian model for MIDDM parameters are carefully designed such that the ensuing joint posterior distributions for ODE state functions and the MIDDM parameters have well-defined and easy-to-simulate posterior conditional distributions. To further speed up the posterior simulation, we employ parallel computing schemes in Markov chain Monte Carlo steps. We show that the proposed Bayesian approach outperforms an existing optimization-based ODE estimation method. We apply the proposed method to an auditory electrocorticography dataset and evaluate brain auditory network changes across trials and different auditory stimuli.
P4-249: Insulin-degrading enzyme gene therapy reduces amyloid deposits in male and female APP/PS1 mice

Background: Dysfunctional amyloid catabolism may be causal in AD, and reversing levels of toxic amyloid may be therapeutically effective. Insulin degrading enzyme (IDE) can catabolize monomeric amyloid beta and potentially shift equilibrium away from deposition, and compromised IDE function may contribute to AD. Objective(s): Assess the efficacy of IDE gene therapy for reducing levels of deposited brain amyloid, including possible gender differences. Methods: Male and female double transgenic APP/PS1 mice (Jackson Laboratories) approximately 200 days old received unilateral hippocampal injections of 2.4e10 genome particles (gp) of IDE-AAV2/8 or 2.5e10 gp of pGFP-AAV2/82.8x10. Vectors for human IDE or control green fluorescent protein (GFP) expression consisted of coding sequences, chicken beta actin/cytomegalovirus hybrid promoter, between AAV2 inverted repeat sequences, packaged in AAV8 capsids. One month later the mice were sacrificed and the brains were processed for thioflavin S labeling. “Soluble” oligomeric amyloid beta was immunolabeled with primary antibody A11 (Chemicon 9234) and secondary antibody conjugated to quantum dots. Synaptic and potential neuronal degeneration was labeled with FluoroJadeC. Epifluorescence microscopy was used to generate digital video images for treatment-blinded stereological estimation of the fractional area occupation of thioflavin S labeling. Results: Extensive amyloid deposits were present throughout the neocortex and hippocampus. GFP fluorescence and immunoreactivity, and HAtagged IDE immunoreactivity, revealed transgene expression throughout much of the hippocampus. Oligomer labeling, observed in most neurons, showed no obvious relationship with either vector injections or plaques, but some spherical clusters of dystrophic neurites labeled strongly. FluoroJade C-labeled dystrophic neurites were found in some but not all plaques. Side differences in the thioflavin S-labeled hippocampal but not neocortical tissue area fraction were greater after IDE gene transfer than GFP (p 0.04). Gender was not significant. Conclusions: Localized overexpression of IDE via AAV vector-mediated gene transfer may be effective in reducing brain amyloid accumulation. This material is the result of work supported by AG10485 from NIA and with resources and the use of facilities at the NF/SG VA Medical Center, Gainesville, FL.
The Promise of Telepractice to Address Functional and Behavioral Needs of Persons With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract As the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) continues to rise, so do the number of families in need of services. ASD is characterized by varying levels of social communicative deficits and repetitive or restrictive patterns of behaviors or interests, which often require a unique combination of services. Young children with ASD may have more complex service needs than children with other developmental disabilities, and families of children with ASD frequently have more difficulty finding appropriate services than children with other disabilities ( Kogan et al., 2008 ). From diagnosis to treatment, the challenge of connecting providers and families with resources to improve outcomes for their children with ASD is often daunting. Telepractice refers to the provision of services or related activities via communications technology ( American Speech and Hearing Association, 2005 ). Telepractice is an approach that may lessen the distance, both physically and metaphorically, between providers and families. In this chapter, we: (a) present the barriers facing families of children with ASD; (b) provide a basic overview of telepractice; (c) describe how telepractice models are being used for children with ASD; (d) highlight possible benefits, capacities, and considerations for use; (e) present some site-specific models currently using telepractice; and (f) discuss implications for future research.
Isozymes of Cellulase in the Abscission Zone of Phaseolus vulgaris

Cellulase activity in the abscission zone of Red Kidney bean was previously shown to be partially soluble in a low salt buffer and partially soluble in a high salt buffer (Lewis and Varner, 1970). This suggested the presence of more than one molecular form of the enzyme. The work reported here was done to elucidate the multiple nature of cellulase in the abscission zone.
Ethical Issues in the Health Care of Children with Developmental Handicaps

Over the last several decades medical care has become considerably more complex. As our understanding of medical problems and their treatment has expanded, we are faced with multiple diagnostic and therapeutic options that demand consideration and decision. Within this maze of technical choices are many issues that involve the personal values of both the patient and the health professional. The moral value systems of the patient and the health professional will come into conflict at times. Not infrequently, the values of society as expressed in laws and the policies of public agencies will also come into conflict with those of the patient and health professional. Medical ethics is the discipline that examines moral values and studies these value conflicts within the health care setting.
Whole algal biomass in situ transesterification to fatty acid methyl esters as biofuel feedstocks

Abstract This chapter addresses the yield of lipids quantified as fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) by using different catalysts and catalyst combinations, and the acid catalyst hydrochloric acid providing a consistently high level of conversion to FAME. The discussion is accompanied by a link to the large-scale application of this process as a whole biomass conversion pathway. Microalgae-focused lipid technologies for biofuel applications and renewable and biodiesel fuel properties are described along with in situ transesterification of oleaginous algal biomass, choice of catalyst for in situ whole biomass transesterification, and the analytical characterization of lipid content in algal biomass using in situ transesterification.
Pluralism and Chinese Religions

What counts as the same? Judgments of sameness and difference are fundamental to how social groups create and define themselves over time and across space. This is never a purely objective decision because no two things, people, or groups are ever identical. Group identity thus depends in part on interpretive decisions about similarity and difference. This paper examines three primary mechanisms for such interpretation: (1) memory, in which we identify similarities that continue over time and are shared only with certain other people (e.g., memories of an ancestor or a local miracle); (2) mimesis, in which we create similarity by repeating actions over time (as in the performance of periodic rituals); and (3) metaphor, in which we come to see new similarities that had not been obvious before (typical of much conversion, for instance). Each of these modes of sameness and difference creates an alternative social dynamic, with different consequences for how people can live together socially. This presentation will analyze a range of Chinese religious behavior, from ancestor worship to Christian conversion. The approach suggests that theological considerations (as a form of memory) alone never fully determine the social importance of religion, that we need to understand the ability to impose particular interpretive frames, and that pluralism needs to be examined over time as well as space.
Algorithms and Programming

We will use the term “algorithm” rather loosely but always in the general sense of a method or a set of instructions for doing something. Formally, an “algorithm” must terminate. Sometimes we may describe an algorithm that may not terminate simply following steps in our description. Whether we expressly say so or not, there should always be a check on the number of steps, and the algorithm should terminate after some large number of steps no matter what. Algorithms are sometimes distinguished as “numerical”, “seminumerical”, and “nonnumerical”, depending on the extent to which operations on real numbers are simulated.
Motivational Interviewing-Enhanced Safety Planning for Adolescents at High Suicide Risk: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

This pilot randomized controlled trial examined the feasibility and acceptability of a motivational interview (MI)–enhanced safety planning intervention (MI-SafeCope) for teens hospitalized due to ...
Inflexible stoichiometry in bulk pyrite FeS2 as viewed by in situ and high‐resolution X‐ray diffraction

Non-stoichiometry is considered to be one of the main problems limiting iron pyrite, FeS2, as a photovoltaic absorber material. Although some historical diffraction experiments have implied a large solubility range of FeS2−δ with δ up to 0.25, the current consensus based on calculated formation energies of intrinsic defects has lent support to line-compound behavior. Here it is shown that pyrite stoichiometry is relatively inflexible in both reductive conditions and in autogenous sulfur partial pressure, which produces samples with precise stoichiometry of FeS2 even at different Fe/S ratios. By properly standardizing in situ gas-flow X-ray diffraction measurements, no significant changes in the lattice parameter of FeS2 can be resolved, which portrays iron pyrite as prone to forming sulfur-deficient compounds, but not intrinsic defects in the manner of NiS2−δ.
Are Visual Search Patterns Predictive of Hazard Recognition Performance? Empirical Investigation Using Eye-Tracking Technology

AbstractPoor hazard recognition is a widespread issue in the construction industry. When construction hazards remain unrecognized, workers are more likely to indulge in unsafe behavior, experience ...
Matrix-assisted ionization Fourier transform mass spectrometry for the analysis of lipids.

RATIONALE Assessing the utility of vacuum matrix-assisted ionization (MAI) for the direct and rapid analysis of lipids in complex samples with emphasis on bacterial taxonomy. METHODS Matrix-assisted ionization Fourier transform mass spectrometry (MAI-FTMS) was used to characterize polar and non-polar lipids in mixtures. RESULTS For non-polar lipid triacylglycerols (TAGs), MAI-FTMS produced lipid-specific ions for eight different edible oils and allowed these oils to be identified based on their MAI-FTMS profiles. For polar lipids from bacteria, MAI-FTMS of crude lipid extracts allowed taxonomic identification of eight blind-coded samples based on taxonomy-specific phospholipid profiles. MAI produced results comparable and complementary to benchmark MALDI and ESI methods currently used for characterization of polar and non-polar lipids in the same mixtures. CONCLUSIONS The newly developed MAI technique is a rapid, simple and complementary method for the characterization of polar and non-polar lipids in complex mixtures.
Puberty in cystic fibrosis

Historically, delayed puberty was considered a common clinical feature of cystic fibrosis (CF). More recent reports have documented normal pubertal progression in the majority of individuals with CF. However, youth with more severe disease are still at risk for delayed puberty. Careful evaluation of pubertal development in children and adolescents with CF is important as pubertal timing impacts linear growth, bone mineral accrual, body image and psychosocial wellbeing, all of which can also be impacted directly by CF. This article reviews the physiology of puberty, timing of puberty in CF, evaluation of pubertal development, and the differential diagnosis, evaluation, and management of delayed and precocious puberty in people with CF.
Ultra-Low-Voltage Operation of MEM Relays for Cryogenic Logic Applications

Operation of micro-electro-mechanical (MEM) relays at temperatures down to 4 K is demonstrated for the first time. Due to a dramatic reduction in hysteretic switching behavior and elimination of contact oxidation, MEM relays can be operated reliably with sub-25 mV voltage signals at temperatures below 100 K. This makes them advantageous for implementing ultra-low-power digital logic circuits for cryogenic applications such as quantum computing.
SARS-CoV-2: Combating Coronavirus Emergence.

The emergence and rapid global spread of SARS-CoV-2 mark the third such identification of a novel coronavirus capable of causing severe, potentially fatal disease in humans in the 21st century. As noted by Andersen et al. (Nature Medicine), the sequencing of proximal zoonotic ancestors to SARS-CoV-2 has aided in the identification of alleles that may contribute to the virus' virulence in humans.
Fast graph simplification for interleaved Dyck-reachability

Many program-analysis problems can be formulated as graph-reachability problems. Interleaved Dyck language reachability. Interleaved Dyck language reachability (InterDyck-reachability) is a fundamental framework to express a wide variety of program-analysis problems over edge-labeled graphs. The InterDyck language represents an intersection of multiple matched-parenthesis languages (i.e., Dyck languages). In practice, program analyses typically leverage one Dyck language to achieve context-sensitivity, and other Dyck languages to model data dependences, such as field-sensitivity and pointer references/dereferences. In the ideal case, an InterDyck-reachability framework should model multiple Dyck languages simultaneously. Unfortunately, precise InterDyck-reachability is undecidable. Any practical solution must over-approximate the exact answer. In the literature, a lot of work has been proposed to over-approximate the InterDyck-reachability formulation. This paper offers a new perspective on improving both the precision and the scalability of InterDyck-reachability: we aim to simplify the underlying input graph G. Our key insight is based on the observation that if an edge is not contributing to any InterDyck-path, we can safely eliminate it from G. Our technique is orthogonal to the InterDyck-reachability formulation, and can serve as a pre-processing step with any over-approximating approaches for InterDyck-reachability. We have applied our graph simplification algorithm to pre-processing the graphs from a recent InterDyck-reachability-based taint analysis for Android. Our evaluation on three popular InterDyck-reachability algorithms yields promising results. In particular, our graph-simplification method improves both the scalability and precision of all three InterDyck-reachability algorithms, sometimes dramatically.
Elevating Radiology Education Research Through a Dedicated Research Fellowship: Adding Professional Identity as Essential for Success.

Rationale and Objectives Education research has been undervalued in radiology, with few radiology journals having dedicated space for such research and barriers to production including dedicated time, resources, grant funding, and mentorship. As radiologists, we have an opportunity to study education in our unique learning environments and create more effective ways to teach that are grounded in established education theory, solid assessment methodologies, and a focus on merit as well as worth. Materials and Methods The growth of education research in our field requires a two-pronged approach; We must cultivate leaders in education research from within our specialty, and continue to submit high quality work to radiology journals to increase exposure of the reviewers and readership to education methodologies. Results We have created the first radiology education research fellowship to this end. This manuscript details the fellowship creation process, the first education research fellow experience, and in-depth analysis of the inaugural year via a qualitative program review. Conclusion We were successful in supporting an inaugural fellow in attaining the knowledge and skills to become a productive education researcher. Beyond this, the fellowship experience was a catalyst in developing her unique professional identity as an education master which will further raise the status of education research in pediatric radiology.