cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
VTE Incidence and Risk Factors in Patients With Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock.

BACKGROUND Prospective studies on the incidence of VTE during severe sepsis and septic shock remain absent, hindering efficacy assessments regarding VTE prevention strategies in sepsis. METHODS We prospectively studied 113 consecutively enrolled patients in the ICU with severe sepsis and septic shock at three hospitals. All patients provided informed consent. VTE thromboprophylaxis was recorded for all patients. Patients underwent ultrasonography and were followed for VTE prior to ICU discharge. All-cause 28-day mortality was recorded. Variables from univariate analyses that were associated with VTE (including central venous catheter [CVC] insertion, age, length of stay, and mechanical ventilation) were included in a multivariable logistic regression analysis using backward stepwise elimination to determine VTE predictors. RESULTS Mean APACHE (Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation) II score was 18.2 ± 7.0, and age was 50 ± 18 years. Despite all patients receiving guideline-recommended thromboprophylaxis, the incidence of VTE was 37.2% (95% CI, 28.3-46.8). Most VTE events were clinically significant (defined as pulmonary embolism, proximal DVT, and/or symptomatic distal DVT) and associated with an increased length of stay (18.2 ± 9.9 days vs 13.4 ± 11.5 days, P .05). Mortality was higher in patients with acute VTE but did not reach statistical significance. Insertion of a CVC and longer mechanical ventilation duration were significant VTE risk factors. VTE incidence did not differ by thromboprophylaxis type. CONCLUSIONS To our knowledge this is the first multicenter prospective study to identify a high incidence of VTE in patients with severe sepsis and septic shock, despite the use of universal, guideline-recommended thromboprophylaxis. Our findings suggest that the systemic inflammatory milieu of sepsis may uniquely predispose patients with sepsis to VTE. More effective VTE prevention strategies are necessary in patients with sepsis. TRIAL REGISTRY ClinicalTrials.gov; No.: NCT02353910; URL: www.clinicaltrials.gov
Discovering golden nuggets: data mining in financial application

With the increase of economic globalization and evolution of information technology, financial data are being generated and accumulated at an unprecedented pace. As a result, there has been a critical need for automated approaches to effective and efficient utilization of massive amount of financial data to support companies and individuals in strategic planning and investment decision-making. Data mining techniques have been used to uncover hidden patterns and predict future trends and behaviors in financial markets. The competitive advantages achieved by data mining include increased revenue, reduced cost, and much improved marketplace responsiveness and awareness. There has been a large body of research and practice focusing on exploring data mining techniques to solve financial problems. In this paper, we describe data mining in the context of financial application from both technical and application perspectives. In addition, we compare different data mining techniques and discuss important data mining issues involved in specific financial applications. Finally, we highlight a number of challenges and trends for future research in this area.
Evidence of a Hereditary Factor Affecting the Chick’s Response to Uncomplicated Selenium Deficiency

Abstract Experiments were conducted to determine whether a hereditary factor accounted for part of the variation observed in the growth responses of young chicks to uncomplicated selenium (Se) deficiency. Results showed that such a factor influenced the growth of chicks fed a Se-deficient diet. Those chicks most susceptible (SUS) to the growth depressing effects of Se-deficiency oxidized14 CH3 -methionine to 14CO2 at a greater rate when fed the Se-deficient diet than did chicks that appeared refractory (REF) (i.e., grew at near normal rates) to Se-deficiency. When diets were supplemented with Se, both lines exhibited equivalent rates of 14CH3-methionine oxidation. The SUS chicks appeared to have lower levels of free homocystine and cystathionine in plasma compared to REF chicks or to Se-supplemented chicks of both lines. These results provide evidence for an impairment in sulfur-amino acid metabolism as the basis of the hereditary effect.
An assessment of sinonasal anatomic variants potentially associated with recurrent acute rhinosinusitis

Objectives/Hypothesis: To examine sinonasal anatomic variants that may predispose toward recurrent acute rhinosinusitis (RARS). Study Design: Retrospective case-control. Methods: Sinus computed tomography (CT) scans from a consecutive series of adult patients meeting strict diagnostic criteria for RARS were retrospectively reviewed. A control group was assembled from patients who underwent pituitary or temporal bone CT for a nonrhinosinusitis indication. CT scans were scored for the presence of Haller cells, concha bullosa, and impinging septal spurs. Maximal septal deviation (degrees), infundibular widths, and Lund staging were also assessed. The prevalence of these anatomic variants was statistically compared between the RARS and control groups. Results: Thirty-six patients met diagnostic criteria for RARS (mean age, 47.2 years; 2:1 female preponderance); 42 control patients were identified. The mean Lund score for patients with RARS was 2.25 versus 1.27 for the control group (P < .001). Although RARS patients were more likely to manifest concha bullosa (41.7% vs. 28.6%) or impinging septal spurs (27.8% vs. 19.0%), these differences were not statistically significant (P = .165 and P = .260, respectively). However, patients with RARS were significantly more likely to radiographically demonstrate Haller cells (39.9% vs. 11.9%, respectively, P = .006). Finally, patients with RARS had significantly smaller mean infundibular widths when compared with control patients (0.591 mm vs. 0.823 mm, respectively, P < .001). Conclusions: The presence of Haller cells and smaller infundibular widths were statistically associated with RARS when compared to control patients. Our data suggest that anatomy could play a role in the pathogenesis of RARS. Further prospective study is warranted. Laryngoscope, 2010
Measuring Motivation in Swine: The Food-Metric Scale

Understanding how nonhuman animals such as swine respond to their environment and understanding how to provide them with a good quality of life involves using a range of experimental approaches. More and more, ethological researchers are turning to operant methods to answer some of these questions. Employing an operant such as a lever, researchers can assess how hard animals will work to get access to environmental resources: increased space or social contact. It is difficult, however, to determine how the effort made by the animals relates to the degree to which they need the resource and, in particular, how to interpret intermediate levels of responding. One approach to understanding the level of need is to compare it with familiar states of deprivation such as hunger. Food is an environmental resource known to range from low to high value depending on deprivation level. Depriving animals of a fixed proportion of their daily ad libitum intake allows the animals to demonstrate the levels of responding pr...
Performance analysis of FR-4 substrate for high frequency microstrip antennas

This work investigated the use of FR-4 substrate as a possible candidate for antenna design in the X-band. For this purpose single element microstrip antennas have been designed at frequencies ranging from 2 to 10 GHz. The variations in the antenna performance due to frequency increase have been studied. S-parameters have been used as a comparison metric between the simulated and fabricated antennas. The work provided an insight into the performance of antennas. Consequently, the modifications required in the antenna simulation design environment are suggested.
"Flying-Adder" PLL Based Synchronization Mechanism for Data Packet Transport

A novel frequency synthesis architecture, Flying-Adder architecture, has been developed in recent years. Compared with conventional PLL based frequency synthesis techniques, this new method has many unique features. Among them, the two most distinguishing ones are its instantaneous response speed and very fine frequency resolution. These features can be especially beneficial to application of data smoothing in packet-oriented transport systems. In this paper, this Flying-Adder PLL based synchronization approach is demonstrated through two real examples.
Evaluating Oral Health Needs in Preschool Children

Pediatricians and family physicians can play a significant role in the initiation of dental care for preschool children because they are seen more often by a physician than a dentist. The Committee on Standards for Child Health Care of the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends inspection of the mouth, teeth, and gums at every pediatric visit. This article describes the oral tissues in health and in disease as well as the role physicians can play in preventive dental care.
Understory plant species composition 30–50 years after clearcutting in southeastern Wyoming coniferous forests

Abstract To evaluate the long-term effects of clearcutting and slash treatment on understory plant species composition in Rocky Mountain coniferous forests, we collected comparable data from 30- to 50-year-old post-harvest stands and adjacent mature (>100-year-old) stands that originated after wildfire. In general, plant species richness was higher in the post-harvest stands than in adjacent mature stands, due in large part to the presence of species that benefit from disturbance. Species composition in post-harvest and mature stands was more similar in montane forests (2710–2805 m elevation) than in subalpine forests (2800–3164 m elevation), suggesting greater resilience of montane understories. Composition in post-harvest and mature stands was least similar when slash was piled and burned, and most similar when slash was lopped and scattered. Eighty-seven percent of the post-harvest stands had at least one exotic species, but total cover of exotic plant species in all post-harvest stands was ≤1%. Exotic species were largely absent from mature forests. Our results suggest that understory species of low-elevation montane forests recover more quickly from disturbance than do those of subalpine forests, with slash treatment and species life history traits strongly influencing this recovery.
Pay Differences Among the Highly Trained: Cohort Differences in the Sex Gap in Lawyers' Earnings

Using unique data from a survey of University of Michigan Law School graduates, we test various models of how sex differences in pay, labor supply and job settings should have evolved as women entered the elite male field of law. We compare the sex gap in earnings 15 years after graduation for two cohorts of lawyers and find that it has remained constant over time. In both cohorts, men earn 52 percent more than women, 17 percent more than women with similar characteristics, and 11 percent more than women with similar characteristics in the same job settings. Sex differences in hours worked have increased over time and explain more of the sex-based earnings gap, while sex differences in job settings and years spent in private practice have declined and explain less of the gap.
A recurring motif for antibody recognition of the receptor-binding site of influenza hemagglutinin

Influenza virus hemagglutinin (HA) binds to sialic acid receptors on the host cell, but receptor analogs have failed as viral-entry inhibitors. Now crystal structures of H2 HA in complex with Fab fragments from three neutralizing antibodies reveal a new mode to target HA. All three antibodies use an aromatic residue to plug a conserved cavity in the HA-binding site for sialic acid.
The Biomedical Applications of Plasma: A Brief History of the Development of a New Field of Research

This paper is an essay narrating the recent history of the introduction of the biomedical applications of nonthermal plasmas to the plasma science research community.
Dysregulated macrophages are present in bleomycin-induced murine laryngotracheal stenosis

ObjectiveTo define the inflammatory cell infiltrate preceding fibrosis in a laryngotracheal stenosis (LTS) murine model.Study DesignProspective controlled murine study.SettingLaboratory.Subjects and MethodsChemomechanical injury mice (n = 44) sustained bleomycin-coated wire-brush injury to the laryngotracheal complex while mechanical injury controls (n = 42) underwent phosphate-buffered saline (PBS)–coated wire-brush injury. Mock surgery controls (n = 34) underwent anterior transcervical tracheal exposure only. Inflammatory and fibrosis protein and gene expression were assessed in each condition. Immunohistochemistry served as a secondary outcome.ResultsIn chemomechanical injury mice, there was an upregulation of collagen I (P < .0001, P < .0001), Tgf-β (P = .0023, P = .0008), and elastin (P < .0001, P < .0001) on day 7; acute inflammatory gene Il1β (P = .0027, P = .0008) on day 1; and macrophage gene CD11b (P = .0026, P = .0033) on day 1 vs mechanical and mock controls, respectively. M1 marker inducible ...
Flow instability and bifurcation in gas-loaded reflux thermosyphons

In vertical gas-loaded two-phase reflux thermosyphons, the temperature and concentration gradients between the active and shut-off regions can create double-diffusive mixed convection flows. When the noncondensable gas molecular weight is greater than that of the vapor, different steady and time-dependent gas recirculation patterns develop, similar to those observed during Rayleigh-Benard convection in vertical slots. Experimental results presented here show that bifurcations from axisymmetric to three-dimensional, then asymmetric, and finally multiple distinct gas-flow patterns occur as the Rayleigh number increases. Ultimately, a sudden transition to a large-amplitude oscillatory gas flow takes place. Detailed concentration maps and power-density spectra from point wet-bulb temperature measurements clearly chart these transitions. These results impact the design of many condensing systems where noncondensables are present.
Trends in specialized surgical procedures at teaching and nonteaching hospitals.

ABSTRACT: Teaching hospitals are the principal site of many specialized surgical procedures. The recipients of these procedures tend to be younger, male, and nonwhite and tend to reside in either the poorest or the most affluent neighborhoods. Although the numbers of these procedures performed at major teaching hospitals increased dramatically between 1989 and 1995, they accounted for only a modest proportion of hospital discharges and patient days. Concentration of specialized surgical procedures in major teaching hospitals will likely continue. This trend has implications not only for these hospitals but for health care purchasers, policymakers, medical educators, and clinical researchers as well.
Using Parallel Propbanks to enhance Word-alignments

This short paper describes the use of the linguistic annotation available in parallel PropBanks (Chinese and English) for the enhancement of automatically derived word alignments. Specifically, we suggest ways to refine and expand word alignments for verb-predicates by using predicate-argument structures. Evaluations demonstrate improved alignment accuracies that vary by corpus type.
COMPARISON OF GLD FITTING METHODS: SUPERIORITY OF PERCENTILE FITS TO MOMENTS IN L2 NORM

The flexibility of the family of Generalized Lambda Dis- tributions (GLD) has encouraged researchers to fit GLD distributions to datasets in many circumstances. The methods that have been used to obtain GLD fits have also varied. This paper compares, for the first time, the relative qualities of three GLD fitting methods: the method of moments, a method based on percentiles, and a method that uses L-moments.
The role of selectins in Drosophila eye and bristle development

Mutations in the furrowed (fw) gene of Drosophila result in defects in the development of the eye and mechanosensory bristles. The eyes are reduced in size, have furrows or crevices in the retina, and show a disturbed patterning of ommatidia. In addition, the ommatidia have an altered morphology and often contain abnormal numbers of cells. The bristles show altered structure and polarity, and are occasionally duplicated or missing. These results suggest that the product of thefw gene is involved in cell determination events within sensory organs. Thefw gene has been cloned and shown to encode a protein homologous to vertebrate selectins. Like selectins, Fw contains a lectin-binding domain, ten complement binding repeats, and a transmembrane domain. The Fw protein is expressed in the larval imaginal discs where it might mediate carbohydrate-protein interactions necessary for proper development of a subset of adult sensory organs.
Abstract 2199: Ultra Rapid Brain Attack Team MRI Useful in Selecting Patients with Acute Stroke-like Symptoms for Intravenous Thrombolysis

Introduction: In acute ischemic stroke (AIS), intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV TPA), if administered appropriately can be beneficial; however, with stroke misdiagnosis, it can expose pa...
Microfabrication of Patterned Co-cultures for Controllable Cell–Cell Interfaces

Until recently, the classic cell culture studies have failed to address the complexity of intercellular interactions and their influence on cell function, behavior, and response. The integration of microfabrication techniques to biological applications has enabled custom microengineering of biomimetic microenvironments for in vitro studies. Over the years, numerous in vitro studies have been carried out to investigate and understand the cellular crosstalk by recapitulating the in vivo microenvironment. In this chapter, we discuss several engineering techniques that have been developed to fabricate patterned co-cultures in order to study cell–cell interactions in a physiologically relevant fashion.
Bioenergetics of huddling: test of a psycho-physiological hypothesis

Rates of oxygen consumption (Vo2) were measured in single, separated trios, and huddled trios of Mus musculus and Meriones unguiculatus at 5, 12, 20 and 30°C. No significant difference in Vo2 was found between the single animals and separated trios of individuals ( P > 0.05 for mice, P > 0.10 for gerbils). A significant difference in Vo2 was found between either singles or separated trios and huddled trios ( P < 0.005), except at 30°C. Absolute differences in Vo2 were greater at lower ambient temperatures; however, relative differences were independent of Ta. These results do not support a psycho-physiological component to the reduction in metabolic rate by huddled animals. Measurements on one to six separated and huddled individuals at 12.5°C support the classical explanation that reduction in metabolic rate is because of a reduction in the surface to volume ratio. When the number of huddled individuals is greater than three, the difference between observed and expected Vo2 based on the reduction of surface to volume ratio is attributed to changes in shape of the group and to increased levels of activity.
Setup of a Protocol of Molecular Diagnosis of β‐Thalassemia Mutations in Tunisia using Denaturing High‐Performance Liquid Chromatography (DHPLC)

Backgrounds β-Thalassemia is one of the most prevalent worldwide autosomal recessive disorders. It presents a great molecular heterogeneity resulting from more than 200 causative mutations in the β-globin gene. In Tunisia, β-thalassemia represents the most prevalent monogenic hemoglobin disorder with 2.21% of carriers. Efficient and reliable mutation-screening methods are essential in order to establish appropriate prevention programs for at risk couples. The aim of the present study is to develop an efficient method based on the denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC) in which the whole β-globin gene (HBB) is screened for mutations covering about 90% of the spectrum. Methods We have performed the validation of a DHPLC assay for direct genotyping of 11 known β-thalassemia mutations in the Tunisian population. Results DHPLC assay was established based on the analysis of 62 archival β-thalassemia samples previously genotyped then validated with full concordance on 50 tests with blind randomized samples previously genotyped with DNA sequencing and with 96% of consistency on 40 samples as a prospective study. Conclusion Compared to other genotyping techniques, the DHPLC method can meet the requirements of direct genotyping of known β-thalassemia mutations in Tunisia and to be applied as a powerful tool for the genetic screening of prenatal and postnatal individuals.
Hepatitis B epidemic report card delete situation analysis of Tianjin city in 2013

Objective To analysis the delete and correction situation,to learn about problem in reported hepatitis B,then to support theoretical basis for the further specification reporting. Methods Download all hepatitis B cases data from the National Notifiable Disease Reporting System( NNDRS),which are according to the final review time of 2013 and address in Tianjin,and analyzing the rate of deleted cards,the deleted reason and period. Results The rate of deleted cards is 15. 23%( 357 /2344),and deleted period is 10 days; the deleted reason of repeated reporting proportion is 50. 42%( 180 /357),then hepatitis B virus( HBV) carrier is35. 29%( 126 /357). The deleted rate of secondary or above hospital( 14. 99% and 13. 84%) is lower than the primary hospitals ' 26. 17%( χ2= 10. 176 and 9. 535,P 0. 01); The local hospitals deleted rate is14. 50%,which is lower than the non- local( 27. 69%)( χ2= 16. 566,P 0. 01); The HBV carrier deleted rate( 20%) is higher than the local( 4. 52%)( χ2= 57. 873,P 0. 01). Conclusions The repeated reporting,HBV carrier mistaken reporting are the main reason for deleting; Local secondary or above hospital hepatitis B diagnosis and reporting are more accuracy, the management measures in Tianjin got a better effects.
Developing Online Communities for Librarian Researchers: A Case Study

This study examines the role of online communities in connecting and supporting librarian researchers, through the analysis of member activities in the online community for academic librarians that attended the 2014 Institute for Research Design in Librarianship (IRDL). The 2014 IRDL cohort members participated in the online community via Twitter and a Facebook group page. A content analysis of their posts and an online survey among them identified different patterns of engagement and four primary types of content—posts related to completing the IRDL research project required for each cohort member, announcements about research-related resources and opportunities, posts reminiscing about the IRDL experience, and arrangements of conference attendance and meetups. Implications for successfully designing online communities for librarian researchers are discussed.
Differences in susceptibility of polymorphonuclear leukocytes from several species to alteration by systemic lupus erythematosus Serum: application to a more sensitive L. E. phenomenon test.

Recent investigations have demonstrated that the lupus erythematosus cell phenomenon is influenced, among other things, by intracellular factors. The hypothesis was formulated that leucocytes from different animal species would react with different degrees of intensity to the same L. E. serum. Leucocytes from twelve animal species were tested by counting the number of L. E. cells, "globs" (free homogeneous basophilic masses), droplets and rosettes per 1000 white blood cells and per 1000 P.M.N. after 2 hours’ incubation in the L. E. serum. Controls consisted of similar preparations using normal human serum and homologous plasma. There was a wide range of susceptibility among the various species tested. The chicken and the horse were the most susceptible species, while man fell low in the scale of susceptibility. Classical L. E. cells were produced from leucocytes of most species tested. It is felt that a highly sensitive L. E. test can be performed, using chicken, horse, guinea pig, or dog, instead of human leucocytes.
CyberGIS-Enabled Urban Sensing from Volunteered Citizen Participation Using Mobile Devices

Environmental pollution has significant impact on citizens’ health and wellbeing in urban settings. While a variety of sensors have been integrated into today’s urban environments for measuring various pollution factors such as air quality and noise, to set up sensor networks or employ surveyors to collect urban pollution datasets remains costly and may involve legal implications. An alternative approach is based on the notion of volunteered citizens as sensors for collecting, updating and disseminating urban environmental measurements using mobile devices. A Big Data scenario emerges as large-scale crowdsourcing activities tend to generate sizable and unstructured datasets with near real-time updates. Conventional computational infrastructures are inadequate for handling such Big Data, for example, designing a “one-fits-all” database schema to accommodate diverse measurements, or dynamically generating pollution maps based on visual analytical workflows.
Mediolateral Intercalation of Mesodermal Cells in the Xenopus Laevis Gastrula

The prospective mesoderm is important in nearly every aspect of early vertebrate embryogenesis because of its morphogenetic functions and because of the pattern-forming, inductive functions of the Spemann “organizer” contained in its dorsal sector (Spemann, 1938). The objective of this paper is to focus on the morphogenesis of the mesoderm in early embryogenesis, specifically on the powerful convergence and extension movements of the prospective dorsal mesoderm. The two major morphogenetic processes in the gastrula mesoderm are the migration of the leading edge mesoderm across the roof of the blastocoel (see Nakatsuji, 1984; Keller and Winklbauer, 1991) and the convergence (narrowing) and extension (lengthening) movements of the prospective dorsal, axial and paraxial mesoderm (see Keller, 1986). The function, the cellular basis, and the tissue interactions involved in convergence and extension of the dorsal mesoderm of Xenopus have been investigated extensively in this laboratory and reviewed with emphasis on history and function (Keller, 1986), on the underlying motility (Keller et al.,1991a), and on cell interactions regulating cell motility and behavior (Keller et al.,1991b). Our objective here will be to summarize and simplify the fundamental features of the convergence and extension movements, including their cellular basis, their function, and their regulation by tissue interactions in Xenopus laevis, the African clawed frog.
Affective and Autonomic Responses to Erotic Images: Evidence of Disgust-Based Mechanisms in Female Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder.

Disgust has recently been implicated in the development and maintenance of female sexual dysfunction, yet most empirical studies have been conducted with a sexually healthy sample. The current study contributes to the literature by expanding the application of a disgust model of sexual functioning to a clinically relevant sample of women with low sexual desire/arousal and accompanying sexual distress. Young women (mean age = 19.12 years) with psychometrically defined sexual dysfunction (i.e., female sexual interest/arousal disorder [FSIAD] group) and a healthy control group were compared in their affective (i.e., facial electromyography [EMG] and self-report) and autonomic (i.e., heart rate and electrodermal activity) responses to disgusting, erotic, positive, and neutral images. Significant differences were predicted in responses to erotic images only. Specifically, it was hypothesized that the FSIAD group would display affective and autonomic responses consistent with a disgust response, while responses...
Athletic Trainer Services in Public and Private Secondary Schools

Context: The presence of athletic trainers (ATs) in secondary schools to provide medical care is crucial, especially with the rise in sports participation and resulting high volume of injuries. Pre...
Optical characterization and polarization calibration for rigid endoscopes

Polarization measurements give orthogonal information to spectral images making them a great tool in the characterization of environmental parameters in nature. Thus, polarization imagery has proven to be remarkably useful in a vast range of biomedical applications. One such application is the early diagnosis of flat cancerous lesions in murine colorectal tumor models, where polarization data complements NIR fluorescence analysis. Advances in nanotechnology have led to compact and precise bio-inspired imaging sensors capable of accurately co-registering multidimensional spectral and polarization information. As more applications emerge for these imagers, the optics used in these instruments get very complex and can potentially compromise the original polarization state of the incident light. Here we present a complete optical and polarization characterization of three rigid endoscopes of size 1.9mm x 10cm (Karl Storz, Germany), 5mm x 30cm, and 10mm x 33cm (Olympus, Germany), used in colonoscopy for the prevention of colitis-associated cancer. Characterization results show that the telescope optics act as retarders and effectively depolarize the linear component. These incorrect readings can cause false-positives or false-negatives leading to an improper diagnosis. In this paper, we offer a polarization calibration scheme for these endoscopes based on Mueller calculus. By modeling the optical properties from training data as real-valued Mueller matrices, we are able to successfully reconstruct the initial polarization state acquired by the imaging system.
Case 6: Acute-onset Respiratory Failure in a 4-month-old Girl

1. Beth D. Harper, MD* 1. *Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA A 4-month-old girl presents with a 1-week history of a temperature to 102°F (38.9°C), congestion, rhinorrhea, and cough. She has had fatigue and diaphoresis with feedings over the last week, although this did not occur before this time. She was born at term following normal findings on prenatal ultrasonography. Initially, she had difficulty gaining weight, but she is now growing along the 10th percentile. She had 1 overnight hospitalization for bronchiolitis at age 2 months and was treated with albuterol for a total of 1 week. Her mother has a history of asthma in childhood. On physical examination, the girl is febrile and has a heart rate of 150 beats/min, respiratory rate of 46 breaths/min, and intercostal and subcostal retractions. Chest auscultation reveals bilateral coarse breath sounds. A rapid respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) antigen test is positive, and she is admitted to the inpatient ward. She remains tachycardic, with an increased heart rate to …
Family Business Innovation Decisions – A Multilevel Analysis

This study utilizes policy-capturing conjoint analysis of 1,936 innovation investment decisions in order to best understand how socioemotional trade-offs are simultaneously evaluated across family ...
Conclusion: Shakespeare “Our Contemporary”

The conclusion of the book places Shakespeare’s religious politics in the context of contemporary geopolitics both in Europe and in the United States. In particular, the Trumpian notion of “Fortress America” finds a precedent in the isolationist policies of Protestant England in Shakespeare’s time. I argue that Shakespeare’s plays resist that mentality through his sympathy for the plight of English Catholics and that his appeal to religious tolerance in his time reflects our best hope for a peaceful future in the twenty-first century.
Genetics of resistance to virus-induced leukemias.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the genetics of resistance to virus-induced leukemias. It discusses the genetics of susceptibility to leukemia in mice, the relevance of viruses as etiological agents, and the relationship of this information to leukemias and lymphomas in man. The studies that have formed the foundations of the current knowledge were begun several decades ago, with the period prior to 1960 being characterized by the gradual acceptance of the fact that viruses could cause cancer. The chapter highlights the virology of leukemia-inducing and related viruses, discusses the issues of specificity in virus-host genomic interaction, and describes the current knowledge of host genes conferring resistance or susceptibility to virus-induced neoplasia. The proposition that leukemias are virus induced has been suggested in the studies of the infectious transfer of leukemias in chickens and mice.
Treating the Acute and Chronic Injury: Historical Perspective

Most of the early work directed towards new clinical therapies focused on the issue of the mature fibroglial scar, and ways to alter its extent and density.
Imminent danger: Characterizing uncertainty in critically hazardous mining situations

■ Mineworkers are routinely tasked with making critically important decisions about whether or not a hazard presents an imminent danger. Researchers from the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health collected formative data to investigate mine safety professional perspectives on workplace examinations, which revealed a potential gap in how mineworkers are assessing risk. During interviews, participants revealed not having a systematic methodology for mineworkers to use to determine if a hazard is considered imminent danger. In this paper, we identify and describe three distinct categories of imminent danger complexity and discuss potential steps that could lead to improved identification of imminent danger situations. Finally, we identify potential practices to incorporate into risk management efforts, including feedback, communication and specialized training, to increase awareness of imminent danger situations.
The rhetoric of leaving, or the mirage of the fetishized West in Cristian Mungiu’s Occident:

In one of his earlier films, Occident (2002), Cristian Mungiu showcases the East–West divide in post-communist Romania. First, the rhetoric of leaving and the rhetoric of staying are complex historical legacies of the communist period, when communist propaganda demonized capitalism and the West. In the communist totalitarian public rhetoric, East–West binaries emphasized the East and communism, which led to a fetishization of the West in the private sphere. I call the motility of predominant discourses between private and public spheres the dialectic of rhetoric, which is also always historical. Secondly, the fetish of the West is a kind of Occidentalism, or a reversed Orientalism, and it is made apparent in the film’s title. The film’s characters are trapped between binaries, given that all these factors have social, political and psychological consequences on people’s lives. Compositionally, the film’s multiple narrative planes compile a postmodern, fragmented structure, mirroring the breakdown of rheto...
A Modified U-Net Convolutional Network Featuring a Nearest-neighbor Re-sampling-based Elastic-Transformation for Brain Tissue Characterization and Segmentation

The detection and segmentation of brain tumors from Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a very challenging task, despite the availability of modern medical image processing tools. Neuro-radiologists still diagnose deadly brain cancers such as even glioblastoma using manual segmentation. This approach is not only tedious, but also highly variable, featuring limited accuracy and precision, and hence raising the need for more robust, automated techniques. Deep learning methods such as the U-Net deep convolutional neural networks have been widely used in biomedical image segmentation. Although this model was demonstrated to yield desirable results on the BRATS 2015 dataset by using a pixel-wise segmentation map of the input image as an auto-encoder, which assures best segmentation accuracy, the output only showed limited accuracy and robustness for a number of cases. The goal of this work was to improve the U-net model by replacing the de-convolution component with an up- sampled by the Nearest-neighbor algorithm and also employing an elastic transformation to augment the training dataset to render the model more robust, especially for the segmentation of low-grade tumors. The proposed Nearest-Neighbor Re-sampling Based Elastic-Transformed (NNRET) U-net Deep CNN framework has been trained on 285 glioma patients BRATS 2017 MR dataset available through the MICCAI 2017 grand challenge. The framework has been tested on 146 patients using Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) & Intersection over Union (IoU) performance metrics and outweighed the classic U-net model.
Social Networks and Physical Activity in Senior Housing: A Pilot Feasibility Study.

Objective: Only 16% of people aged >65 years engage in recommended levels of physical activity, putting a vast major­ity at risk for multiple chronic conditions including heart disease. Physical activity is even lower among older adults with fewer economic resources. Research is needed to develop context-specific approaches to pair with physical activity interventions to increase effectiveness. In this pilot study, we examine social ties and physical activity levels of older adults living in a US Depart­ment of Housing and Urban Development subsidized senior housing community to test feasibility of a social network-based approach to physical activity interventions. This study is grounded in Social Contagion Theory and the Convoy Model of Social Relations, which argue health and health-related behaviors are facilitated through network ties. Methods: Data were collected through face-to-face interviews conducted over the course of three months (September- November 2018) with 46 residents living in a low-income senior housing community in southeast Michigan. Residents were asked about physical activity, people they know in the community, and their close social network composition. Results: Residents reported knowing, on average, six other residents and approxi­mately 28% of those in their close networks were also residents. Sociocentric network analysis identified two socially engaged (known by seven or more other residents) physically active residents, whereas ego-centric analysis identified four (60% or more of their network comprised residents). Conclusions: This study demonstrates potential feasibility of a strategic partnership that involves pairing social resources with physical activity interventions in afford­able senior housing. Multiple approaches, which need to be evaluated, exist to identify socially engaged residents. Ethn Dis. 2019;29(Suppl 1): 201-208; doi:10.18865/ed.29.S1.201.
Quantity, quality, both or neither? Vowel contrasts in Hakha Chin monophthongs

Hakha Chin—a Tibeto-Burman language spoken in Chin State in western Myanmar—is reported to have phonemic length distinctions in its monophthongs (Melnik, 1997; Peterson, 2003; Maddieson, 2004) (e.g., [ii] vs. [i], [aa] vs. [a]). These pairs are also sometimes represented with tense/lax vowels (e.g., [i] vs. [ɪ], [a] vs. [ə]) (Peterson, 2017). Indeed, the results of a perception study conducted by Mortenson and Van Bik (2002) found variable response patterns in different dialect groups. Listeners from Hakha, the city after which the language is named, relied heavily on spectral cues related to quality to distinguish between long and short vowels, while listeners from the town of Thanthlang relied mainly on durational cues to perform the same task. In the current study, we present the first instrumental acoustic analysis of Hakha Chin vowel quality in order to aid in elucidating the nature of the contrast. Data from three college-aged native speakers (two male) suggest that neither duration nor quality play key roles in distinguishing between the so-called long and short vowels of Hakha Chin. Rather, as originally suggested by Maddieson (2004), the length associated with long vowels is mainly realized through lengthening of sonorant codas.
Pulmonary actinomycosis and tracheal squamous cell carcinoma: A rare simultaneous presentation of both in a single patient

A 57-year-old male with schizophrenia and a 37 pack-year smoking history presented with cough productive of purulent sputum associated with hemoptysis and worsening shortness of breath. Computed tomography (CT) scan revealed multiple masses in the right upper and lower lobes with a small distal tracheal mass and significant mediastinal lymphadenopathy. CT guided biopsy of the largest lung mass in the right lower lobe confirmed a diagnosis of pulmonary actinomycosis. The patient received appropriate antibiotic therapy for four weeks, but his condition did not improve. A repeat CT scan showed worsening of the right lung consolidation with increasing occlusion of the trachea. Bronchoscopy was performed which revealed a friable necrotic mass occupying 70% of the tracheal lumen. Histopathology showed squamous cell carcinoma of the trachea likely of primary origin. Unfortunately, the patient was not a candidate for any surgical intervention or oncologic treatment, and he died few days later. This patient had a rare simultaneous presentation of both pulmonary actinomycosis and tracheal squamous cell carcinoma. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of simultaneous diagnosis of both conditions in the same patient. This case illustrates the importance of looking for an alternative diagnosis in patients with actinomycosis who do not respond well to appropriate therapy.
Aortic Valve Thickening as a Novel Risk Factor for Development of Aortic Incompetence after Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation

Introduction The development of aortic incompetence (AI) after left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation occurs in 25-30% of all LVAD patients and contributes to increased morbidity. While the underlying pathophysiology is still unclear, previous pathology studies have shown that LVAD patients have accelerated aortic valve cusp remodeling when compared to other heart failure patients; this has been postulated to be the mechanism for AI in the LVAD population. A number of studies have attempted to identify populations that are at risk of developing AI, but none have assessed the effect of preoperative aortic valve sclerosis as a risk factor. We sought to assess the impact of preoperative aortic valve sclerosis on the development of AI in patients requiring LVAD support. Methods We retrospectively reviewed medical charts of patients implanted with Heartmate II (Abbott) and Heartware HVAD (Medtronic) LVADs at a large academic medical center between January 2011 and September 2018. We reviewed transthoracic echocardiography preoperatively and at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12-months post LVAD implantation. Preoperative aortic valve thickening was predefined as mild or worse sclerosis on transthoracic echocardiogram. Patients with more than mild AI preoperatively or concomitant aortic valve replacement (AVR) were excluded from the analysis. Results A total of 660 echocardiography studies in 176 patients on LVAD support (mean age 55.1±14.0 years old, 84% male, 36.9% HVAD, 63.1% Heartmate2) were identified and analyzed. 25.5% were identified as bridge to transplant, 55.7% as destination therapy, 15.3% as bridge to decision and 3.4% as bridge to recovery. 21.6% were INTERMACS profile 1 and 71.0% were INTERMACS 2 and 3. 49.4% of the patients (n=87) had at least mild AI over the follow up period. The main risk factors identified for the development of AI post-operatively were aortic valve thickening on preoperative echocardiography (61.9% vs 42.4%, p = 0.014) and older age (58.9 ± 13.1 vs 51.4 ± 13.1, p = 0.003). On a multivariate analysis, patients with preoperative aortic valve thickening had a 2.1 times increased risk of developing mild or worse AI post LVAD implant (odds ratio of 2.1, p = 0.027). Conclusions Occurrence of aortic insufficiency is very frequent in patients on prolonged LVAD support. Our study is the first to show that preoperative aortic valve thickening is a significant risk factor for postoperative AI and should be included as a risk factor in decision making prior to LVAD implantation.
The phonology and micro-typology of Arabic R

The R sound exhibits considerable variability both across and within Arabic dialects; one that covers place and manner of articulation, as well as the notorious emphatic-plain distinction. Some R phones are in contrastive distribution, while others are contextually conditioned or free variants. This article aims to establish the underlying R phonemes in the spoken varieties of Arabic, evidence of which is sought in R’s dialect-specific phonological behavior: in minimal pair contrasts, distributional phenomena, loanword phonology, and phonological processes that target or are triggered by R. Investigation of such evidence reveals four major patterns based on the nature and number of R phonemes, consequently classifying Arabic dialects into four types: the split-R dialects (primarily Maghrebi and Egyptian dialect groups), the emphatic-R dialects (the Levantine group), the plain-R dialects (the Gulf group together with most peripheral dialects), and the uvular-R dialects (the qeltu-dialects of Mesopotamia). The analysis employs a minimalist, contrast-based model of feature geometry to characterize aspects of the attested R’s – such as emphatic-ness, coronality, dorsality, and sonority – and shows that the typology is directly mirrored in the representation. This has theoretical implications as well. Diverse rhotic representations within closely related language varieties demonstrate that distinctive features should not be interpreted as rigidly as is often assumed, and call attention to the semi-arbitrary relationship between phonetics and phonology.
First Direct Measurement of Sub-Nanosecond Polarization Switching in Ferroelectric Hafnium Zirconium Oxide

In this work, we report on an ultrafast direct measurement on the transient ferroelectric polarization switching in hafnium zirconium oxide with a crossbar metal-insulator-metal (MIM) structure. A record low sub-nanosecond characteristic switching time of 925 ps was achieved, supported by the nucleation limited switching model. The impact of electric field, film thickness and device area on the polarization switching speed is systematically studied.
Management of Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: Variation in Clinical Practice and Unmet Need for Follow-up among Survivors-A Single-Center Perspective.

Objective The purpose of the present study is to investigate the existence and/or prevalence of clinical practice variation in management of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) and to determine the need for long-term follow-up. Methods A single-center study was carried out of patients with aSAH over a 5-year period divided into 2 halves (2.5 years each) before and after addition of a dually trained cerebrovascular neurosurgeon. In-hospital clinical practice, clinical outcome (mortality and discharge destination) and long-term outcome (modified Rankin Scale score and Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status [TICS]) were compared using descriptive summaries and nonparametric tests. Results Among 251 patients admitted with aSAH, 115 (45.8%) were before the index event, whereas 136 (54.2%) were during the later period. The aneurysm-securing procedure changed from coil embolization to clip ligation (12/115 [10.4%] vs. 84/136 [61.8%]; P Conclusions Postdischarge clinical follow-up has improved facilitating recognition and treatment of delayed hydrocephalus. Existence of cognitive deficits among survivors calls for establishment of multidisciplinary clinics for long-term management of aSAH.