cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Association of Using Hearing Aids or Cochlear Implants With Changes in Depressive Symptoms in Older Adults

Importance Hearing loss is a common health problem in older adults that is strongly associated with the development of depression. Previous cross-sectional studies have reported lower odds of depression among individuals who use hearing aids. However, there have been limited prospective studies investigating the effect of hearing loss treatments on depressive symptoms. Objective To investigate the association between treatment with a hearing aid or cochlear implant with depressive symptoms in older adults. Design, Setting, and Participants A prospective observational study was conducted of 113 participants 50 years or older who received hearing aids (n = 63) or cochlear implants (n = 50). Participants were recruited from August 1, 2011, to January 31, 2014, at a tertiary care academic center. Intervention Hearing aid or cochlear implantation. Main Outcomes and Measures Depressive symptoms were evaluated by the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) at baseline and at 6 and 12 months after intervention. The score ranges from 0 to 15, and various scores between 3 and 10 have been used as being suggestive of depression. Results The median age of the 113 study participants was 69.6 years (interquartile range, 63.5-77.4 years). At baseline, the mean GDS score for the participants was 41% lower (95% CI, 7%-63%) among those receiving hearing aids (mean score, 1.5; 95% CI, 0.7-3.3) compared with those receiving cochlear implants (mean score, 2.6; 95% CI, 1.3-5.1). Cochlear implant recipients’ GDS scores improved from baseline to 6 months after treatment by 31% (95% CI, 10%-47%) and from baseline to 12 months after treatment by 38% (95% CI, 18%-54%). Hearing aid recipients’ GDS scores improved by 28% (95% CI, 0%-48%) at 6 months after treatment but were not significantly different from baseline at 12 months after treatment (16%; 95% CI, –24% to 43%). Conclusions and Relevance There was a significant improvement in depressive symptoms at 6 months after treatment for patients receiving cochlear implants and hearing aids; this improvement persisted to 12 months for those who received cochlear implants. Further research is warranted to assess the long-term effect of hearing rehabilitation on mental health in older adults.
Fault Analysis on Amorphous Alloy Transformer

In 2010,Liaoning bidding company purchased a batch of amorphous alloy transformers,and in the commissoning process, the transformers operated with great noise,shortly after equipment failure occurred many times. Familial defective is identified,and the batch has gone through depot replacement. Liaoning Electric Power Research Institute Device Status Assessment Center dismantled the transformer and found the cause of the problem.
Effects of calcium on synthesis and secretion of parathyroid hormone and secretory protein I.

Bovine parathyroid organoids were cultured for up to 3 wk in medium containing 1.4 or 1.8 mM calcium. Steady-state secretion of parathyroid hormone and secretory protein I was two- to fourfold greater at 1.4 mM. At the end of culture, organoids were incubated 3.5 h in 1 or 2 mM calcium to examine maximum and minimum acute secretory rates. Relative to organoids cultured at 1.8 mM calcium, culture at 1.4 mM induced a hypersecretory state, i.e., both the maximum and minimum acute secretory rates of organoids previously cultured at 1.4 mM calcium were up to threefold greater than those of organoids previously at 1.8 mM calcium. Proparathyroid hormone synthesis was up to 50% greater in organoids cultured at 1.4 mM calcium, whereas secretory protein I and total protein synthesis were unaltered. The results showed that parathyroid hypersecretion can be induced by chronic hypocalcemic conditions in vitro. We conclude that the secretory adaptation to chronic hypocalcemia in vitro involves alterations in both synthesis and degradation of parathyroid hormone.
Simple freezing apparatus for resolving rapid metabolic events associated with smooth muscle activation.

A method is described for freezing thin strips of smooth muscle by replacing physiological saline in the muscle chamber with cold organic solvent in <100 ms. Calculations suggest that, with a perfe...
Measurements and modeling of HO2 formation in the reactions of n-C3H7 and i-C3H7 radicals with O2.

The formation of HO2 in the reactions of C2H5, n-C3H7, and i-C3H7 radicals with O2 is investigated using the technique of laser photolysis/long-path frequency-modulation spectroscopy. The alkyl radicals are formed by 266 nm photolysis of alkyl iodides. The formation of HO2 from the subsequent reaction of the alkyl radicals with O2 is followed by infrared frequency-modulation spectroscopy. The concentration of I atoms is simultaneously monitored by direct absorption of a second laser probe on the spin−orbit transition. The measured profiles are compared to a kinetic model taken from time-resolved master-equation results based on previously published ab initio characterizations of the relevant stationary points on the potential-energy surface. The ab initio energies are adjusted to produce agreement with the present experimental data and with available literature studies. The isomer specificity of the present results enables refinement of the model for i-C3H7 + O2 and improved agreement with experimental me...
Strategies for Worksite Health Interventions to Employees with Elevated Risk of Chronic Diseases

Chronic disease rates have become more prevalent in the modern American workforce, which has negative implications for workplace productivity and healthcare costs. Offering workplace health interventions is recognized as an effective strategy to reduce chronic disease progression, absenteeism, and healthcare costs as well as improve population health. This review documents intervention and evaluation strategies used for health promotion programs delivered in workplaces. Using predetermined search terms in five online databases, we identified 1,131 published items from 1995 to 2014. Of these items, 27 peer-reviewed articles met the inclusion criteria; reporting data from completed United States-based workplace interventions that recruited at-risk employees based on their disease or disease-related risk factors. A content rubric was developed and used to catalogue these 27 published field studies. Selected workplace interventions targeted obesity (n = 13), cardiovascular diseases (n = 8), and diabetes (n = 6). Intervention strategies included instructional education/counseling (n = 20), workplace environmental change (n = 6), physical activity (n = 10), use of technology (n = 10), and incentives (n = 13). Self-reported data (n = 21), anthropometric measurements (n = 17), and laboratory tests (n = 14) were used most often in studies with outcome evaluation. This is the first literature review to focus on interventions for employees with elevated risk for chronic diseases. The review has the potential to inform future workplace health interventions by presenting strategies related to implementation and evaluation strategies in workplace settings. These strategies can help determine optimal worksite health programs based on the unique characteristics of work settings and the health risk factors of their employee populations.
Etching with atomic precision by using low electron temperature plasma

There has been a steady increase in sub-nm precision requirement for many critical plasma etching processes in the semiconductor industry. In addition to high selectivity and low controllable etch rate, an important requirement of atomic precision etch processes is no (or minimal) damage to the remaining material surface. It has traditionally not been possible to avoid damage in conventional radio-frequency (RF) plasma processing systems, even during layer-by-layer or 'atomic layer' etch. To meet these increasingly stringent requirements, it is necessary to have an accurate control over ion energy and ion/radical composition during plasma processing. In this work, a new plasma etch system designed to facilitate atomic precision plasma processing is presented. An electron sheet beam parallel to the substrate surface is used to produce a plasma in this system. This plasma has a significantly lower electron temperature T e ~ 0.3 eV and ion energy E i < 3 eV (without applied bias) compared to inductively and capacitively coupled RF plasmas. Electron beam plasmas also have a higher ion–to–radical ratio compared to RF plasmas, so this plasma etch system employs an independent radical source for accurate control over relative ion and radical concentrations. A low frequency RF bias capability that allows control of ion energy in the 2–50 eV range is another important component of this plasma etch system. The results of etching of a variety of materials and structures in this low-electron temperature plasma system are presented in this study: (1) layer-by-layer etching of p-Si at E i ~ 25–50 eV using electrical and gas cycling is demonstrated; (2) continuous etching of epi-grown µ-Si in Cl2-based plasmas is performed, showing that surface damage can be minimized by keeping E i < 10 eV. Also presented are the results of molecular dynamics modeling of atomic precision etching at low E i.
A Pluggable Framework for Composable HPC Scheduling Libraries

Driven by the increasing diversity of current and future HPC hardware and software platforms, the HPC community has seen a dramatic increase in research and development efforts into the composability of discrete software systems. While modularity is often desirable from a software engineering, quality assurance, and maintainability perspective, the barriers between software components often hide optimization opportunities. Recent examples of work in composable HPC software include GPU-Aware MPI, OpenMP's target directive, Lithe, HCMPI, and MVAPICH's unified communication runtime. These projects all deal with breaking down the walls between software or hardware components in order to achieve performance, programmability, and/or portability gains. However, they also generally focus on composing only specific types of HPC software and have limited extensability. In this paper, we present work on using a pluggable API framework on top of a 'generalized work-stealing' runtime to achieve composability of communication, accelerator, and other HPC libraries. We motivate this work by the increasing heterogeneity of HPC hardware, software, and applications, and note that as heterogeneity increases many discrete software frameworks will need to cooperate within a single process. Our framework, called HiPER (a Highly Pluggable, Extensible, and Re-configurable scheduling framework for HPC) enables exactly this cooperation. We demonstrate the programmability improvements enabled by the HiPER framework through the use of novel APIs which reduce programmer burden. We also present performance studies that demonstrate that through unified and asynchronous scheduling of composed software systems we can achieve performance improvements over hand-optimized benchmarks.
Developing an Empirically Based Typology of Delinquent Youths

A number of personality-based typologies have been developed to differentiatejuvenile delinquents. Some of these typologies have been faulted for theirmethod of construction, for their failure to provide outcome measures, orbecause they are dated and have not been retested with more recent delinquentpopulations. This paper describes efforts to develop an empirically derived,inductive typology of juvenile delinquents that can be used in appliedsettings to facilitate a better understanding of program outcomes and enableplacement authorities better to predict program effectiveness. The dataemployed in the analysis come from an outcome-based informationsystem—ProDES—that has been operational for more than4 years in Philadelphia. Unlike many such databases, ProDES was jointlydesigned by researchers and practitioners to serve a large system ofcommunity and institutional programs. Included among the outcome measuresare four standardized, self-reported personality scales that comprise 14subscales and form the basis of the typology. This paper describes themethods used to construct the typology, the substance of the classificationsystem, and its potential utility for program evaluation.
An Investigation of Facilitated Individualized Education Program Meeting Practice: Promising Procedures That Foster Family–Professional Collaboration:

There is limited research about effective Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting practices that promote family–professional collaboration. One emerging practice, the Facilitated IEP (FIEP) ...
Hypertensive Crisis Secondary to Pheochromocytoma

Pheochromocytoma is an uncommon tumor of the adrenal glands that can present with headaches, sweating, palpitations, and paroxysmal hypertension. Pheochromocytoma crisis can lead to cardiomyopathy, pulmonary edema, and even total circulatory collapse. We describe a patient with hypoxic respiratory failure requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation to stabilize until the pheochromocytoma was discovered and treated.
Trainees Looking Through the Lens of a Supervisor: Remediation and Gatekeeping Responses to Hypothetical Problems of Professional Competency

ABSTRACTThis study investigated MFT trainees' perspectives of competency problems as they imagine themselves as supervisors. Trainees read seven vignettes and selected from 17 remediation responses (N = 21) originally designed for licensed supervisors (Russell, Beggs, Peterson, & Anderson, 2007). Consistent with the literature, respondents endorsed talking with the trainee as their first line of remediation and reserved dismissal for competencies related to dishonesty/fraud. Contrary to past research, trainees identified late case notes as a dismissible offense and were more lenient with untreated mental illness. Supervisors might consider orienting trainees to ethical decision making and remediation policies/strategies prior to their work in the field.
Bots & (Main)Frames: Exploring the Impact of Tangible Blocks and Collaborative Play in an Educational Programming Game

While recent work has begun to evaluate the efficacy of educational programming games, many common design decisions in these games (e.g., single player gameplay using touchpad or mouse) have not been explored for learning outcomes. For instance, alternative design approaches such as collaborative play and embodied interaction with tangibles may also provide important benefits to learners. To better understand how these design decisions impact learning and related factors, we created an educational programming game that allows for systematically varying input method and mode of play. In this paper, we describe design rationale for mouse and tangible versions of our game, and report a 2x2 factorial experiment comparing efficacy of mouse and tangible input methods with individual and collaborative modes of play. Results indicate tangibles have a greater positive impact on learning, situational interest, enjoyment, and programming self-beliefs. We also found collaborative play helps further reduce programming anxiety over individual play.
Peptide density targets and impedes triple negative breast cancer metastasis

The C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4, CD184) pathway is a key regulator of cancer metastasis. Existing therapeutics that block CXCR4 signaling are dependent on single molecule-receptor interactions or silencing CXCR4 expression. CXCR4 localizes in lipid rafts and forms dimers therefore CXCR4 targeting and signaling may depend on ligand density. Herein, we report liposomes presenting a CXCR4 binding peptide (DV1) as a three-dimensional molecular array, ranging from 9k to 74k molecules μm-2, target triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). TNBC cells exhibit a maxima in binding and uptake of DV1-functionalized liposomes (L-DV1) in vitro at a specific density, which yields a significant reduction in cell migration. This density inhibits metastasis from a primary tumor for 27 days, resulting from peptide density dependent gene regulation. We show that complementing cell membrane receptor expression may be a strategy for targeting cells and regulating signaling.
ALCOHOL METABOLISM OF INBRED STRAINS OF RATS WITH ALCOHOL PREFERENCE AND NONPREFERENCE

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews alcohol metabolism of inbred strains of rats with alcohol preference and non-preference. Studies have been performed to test the hypothesis that the disparate alcohol preferences in two new inbred strains of rats, P (alcohol-preferring) and NP (alcohol non-preferring) are related to differences in rate and/or capacity of hepatic ethanol and acetaldehyde oxidation. After intra-peritoneal injection of ethanol, female animals exhibited higher rates of ethanol elimination and higher levels of blood acetaldehyde than males in both strains. However, for the same sex, no significant difference between P and NP was observed. In vitro studies with isolated hepatocytes and with liver homogenate and microsomal fractions confirmed that there is no correlation between alcohol preference-aversion and hepatic ethanol metabolism. Blood ethanol and acetaldehyde levels were also measured in P and NP rats during self-selection of 10% ethanol and water. The NP rats, consuming small amounts of alcohol daily, exhibited markedly lower levels of blood ethanol than the P rats, and their blood acetaldehyde levels were less than 1.8 μMolar.
Developing Research Practitioners: Exploring Pedagogical Options for Teaching Research Methods in LIS

This paper reports on an investigation into the effectiveness of teaching research methods in library and information science (LIS). A review of the literature revealed that the LIS community is en...
Modeling gender dynamics in intra and interpersonal interactions during online collaborative learning

There has been long-standing stereotypes on men and women's communication styles, such as men using more assertive or aggressive language and women showing more agreeableness and emotions in interactions. In the context of collaborative learning, male learners often believed to be more active participants while female learners are less engaged. To further explore gender differences in learners communication behavior and whether it has changed in the context of online synchronous collaboration, we examined students interactions at a sociocognitive level with a methodology called Group Communication Analysis (GCA). We found that there were no significant differences between men and women in the degree of participation. However, women exhibited significantly higher average social impact, responsivity and internal cohesion compared to men. We also compared the proportion of learners interaction profiles, and results suggest that women are more likely to be effective and cohesive communicators. We discussed implications of these findings for pedagogical practices to promote inclusivity and equity in collaborative learning online.
Modeling Structural and Functional Adaptation of Tumor Vessel Networks During Antiangiogenic Therapy

In many physiological processes, endothelial cells respond to blood forces, re-organizing locally through a process of adaptation to alter blood flow. Some segments dilate, while others are pruned, and eventually, a stable configuration is reached. In contrast, tumor blood vessels are chronically immature and inefficient, unable to achieve optimum perfusion throughout the network. It is thought that the angiogenic growth factor vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) contributes to this inefficiency, and indeed, many anti-VEGF therapies can cause maturation or stabilization of tumor blood vessels through a process resembling adaptive remodeling. Unfortunately very little is known about how adaptive remodeling affects the distribution of blood flow and the transport of nutrients and drugs into the tumor. In general, remodeling depends on blood shear forces, transvascular pressure as well as growth factors such as VEGF. To provide an analytical framework for understanding this process, we have developed a mathematical model, supported by multiparameter imaging methodology, that incorporates the necessary elements for predicting the transport of nutrients and drugs throughout tumor vessels and tissue, as well as the adaptive remodeling of the blood vessel network.
An integrated statistical and deterministic hydrologic model for analyzing trace organic contaminants in commercial and high-density residential stormwater runoff

Urbanization can dramatically alter stormwater, both the quantity and quality, by engendering larger peak flows and through the introduction of contaminants into runoff. The current study builds on previous research that developed relationships between a suite of nonpoint source contaminants, known as trace organic contaminants (TOrCs), and hydrologic measurements for a series of storms (one site had 15 storms and the other had 19 storms) in Madison, WI, by creating statistical and deterministic models. Correlations and regressions were calculated between TOrC loads and hydrologic measurements for a series of storms for both a commercial site and a high-density residential site. From the regressions, it became evident that loading responses to precipitation were not the same between the two land covers for some TOrCs, indicating varying load responses for TOrCs depending on land cover. The regressions were utilized in the Source Loading and Management Model for Windows (WinSLAMM), an event-based hydrologic and water-quality model, to demonstrate that it can be used to model novel contaminants. The regressions were also used to estimate mean annual loads of TOrCs from all commercial and high-density residential areas in Madison, WI, for the watersheds to which Madison discharges its stormwater. The mean annual loads varied between grams per year to tens of thousands of grams per year depending on the TOrC and watershed. This work will ultimately allow managers to simulate the presence of, establish total maximum daily loads for, and mitigate the loads of TOrCs through stormwater best management practices.
INCONSISTENT 6-MONTH FUNCTION AND ISOKINETIC TEST RESULTS FOLLOWING ACL RECONSTRUCTION IN A GROUP OF SKELETALLY IMMATURE PEDIATRIC PATIENTS:

Purpose:The goal of this study was to evaluate patient and surgical factors predictive of excellent functional and isokinetic test results 6-months following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) recons...
An examination of the association between MTSS implementation fidelity measures and student outcomes

AbstractPBIS is has been consistently correlated with reductions in student exclusion including suspensions, expulsions, poor attendance, and high school dropout rates. However, school-wide strateg...
Salton Sea Dust Extract Exposure Promotes Lung Inflammation in Mice

Author(s): Burr, A.C.; Kamath, R; Velazquez, J; Peng, X; Maltz, M; Botthoff, J; Cocker, D; Aronson, E; Carson, M; Lo, D; Nordgren, T.M.
Study of Δ++ production in the reaction π+p→π+πOp at 13.1 GeV/c☆

We have measured the production and decay angular distributions of the reaction π+p→πOΔ++ at 13.1 GeV/c incident momentum. For −t > 0.1 (GeV/c)2 the data is well described by M1 ϱ-exchange models, the best results being obtained from a weak cut model with a wrong signature nonsense zero. For −t < 0.1 (GeV/c)2 there is evidence for the existence of other exchange mechanisms.
Early apical stop production: A voice onset time analysis

Abstract: Voice onset time (VOT) has been shown to differentiate effectively the phonemic categories of stop consonants along the voicing dimension. This study involved the measurement of VOT from spectrograms of apical stops produced by young children acquiring American English. Stops were measured from three children recorded regularly between 1 and 2 years of age and from additional children ranging in age from 6 months to 4½ years. Frequency distributions of apical stops along the VOT continuum are compared longitudinally across subjects and with distributions of adult productions of word-initial /d/ and /t/. Drawing on a physiological discussion of the control of timing between stop release and onset of vocal fold oscillation, a pattern of apical stop development is proposed. The earliest examples of stops, around 6 months of age, have uniform distributions along the VOT continuum. Later the distributions of apical stops collapse into an interval corresponding to that of American English /d/. With further development some apical stops are added in the range of adult /t/. The distributions for both /d/ and /t/ words are similar between the ages of 2 and 4½ years, but they do not yet correspond to those of adults.
Leakage Investigation on a Fired Heater Tube of a Petroleum Refinery due to Carburization

The fired heater of a petroleum processing refinery leaks in one of the convection tubes. The tube is made of ASTM A-106 Gr.B. Process fluid in the tube is xylene with a design pressure of 15.8 kg/cm²g and design temperature of 299 °C (at the inlet) and 405 °C (at the outlet). This study aims to determine the type and causes and the mechanism of leakage in the tube. A number of tests have been carried out including visual inspection and macroscopic analysis, chemical analysis, metallographic and hardness testing, and SEM (scanning electron microscopy) analysis which is equipped with EDS (energy dispersive spectroscopy). The results obtained showed that the leak that occurred in the convection tube was caused by carburization and metal dusting. Carburization occurs in the inner walls of the tube that experience some localized overheating due to the formation of coke deposits. Abstrak Dapur pemanas pada sebuah kilang pengolahan minyak bumi mengalami kebocoran pada salah satu pipa konveksi. Pipa tersebut terbuat dari baja karbon rendah jenis ASTM A-106 Gr.B. Cairan proses di dalam pipa adalah xylene dengan tekanan desain 15,8 kg/cm²g dan suhu desain yaitu 299 °C (pada saluran masuk) dan 405 °C (pada saluran keluar). Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menentukan jenis dan faktor penyebab serta mekanisme terjadi kebocoran pada pipa tersebut. Sejumlah pengujian telah dilakukan meliputi pemeriksaan visual dan makroskopik, analisa kimia, pengujian metalografi dan kekerasan, serta analisa SEM ( scanning electron microscopy ) yang dilengkapi dengan EDS ( energy dispersive spectroscopy ). Hasil penelitian yang diperoleh menunjukkan bahwa kebocoran yang terjadi pada pipa konveksi disebabkan oleh karburisasi dan pembentukan debu/serbuk logam. Karburisasi terjadi pada dinding bagian dalam pipa yang mengalami panas berlebih secara lokal akibat terbentuknya endapan kokas.
Thought control strategies as predictors of borderline personality disorder and suicide risk.

Abstract Background Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is characterized by a pattern of instability in interpersonal relationships, affect, self-image and is marked by behavioral impulsivity including suicidal ideation and attempts. Additionally, individuals with BPD tend to engage in maladaptive ruminative thinking that is also related to suicidal ideation and attempts. Given these relations, this study aims to understand the 5 strategies of thought control (distraction, punishment, reappraisal, worry, and social control) as predictors of BPD symptoms and suicide risk. Methods The sample was collected at a Southeastern University using a convenience sample of undergraduate participants. The final sample (n = 403) had an age range of 18 to 27 (M = 19.67, SD = 1.45), was 74.4% female and 25.6% male, and was primarily Caucasian (69.7%) and African American (24.8%). Results Results demonstrate that distraction was negatively associated with BPD and suicide risk while worry and punishment were positively associated with BPD and suicide risk across three different measures of BPD. Social control was negatively associated with suicide risk and BPD but only on one of the BPD measures. Lastly, reappraisal was positively related to BPD symptoms on two measures. Limitations Given the sample characteristics, there may be limitations in the generalizability of the findings. Conclusions The findings represent a first step towards examining thought control strategies as possible predictors of BPD symptoms and suicide that can inform clinical interventions designed to increase or decrease utilization of these specific strategies.
Laminar burning speeds and flame instabilities of isobutane carbon dioxide air mixtures at high pressures and temperatures

Abstract Liquefied petroleum gases (LPGs), such as isobutane and propane, find applications as working fluids in refrigeration and as fuels in internal combustion engines. Isobutane is typically used as a precursor molecule in the synthesis of isooctane, a component of gasoline. It can also be used as a natural low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerant, however, there are fire safety concerns. This work investigated the effects of adding carbon dioxide (CO2) to isobutane (iC4H10) to evaluate its effects on flammability and flame propagation. This paper also compared isobutane results with propane (the major LPG component) results, which were adapted from a previous study. The laminar burning speeds of blends of iC4H10/CO2/air were measured in a constant volume spherical chamber. The flame stability/instability was evaluated in a cylindrical chamber where the flame propagation was captured with a high-speed camera in a Z-shaped Schlieren system. A power law correlation was developed to determine laminar burning speeds for blends of iC4H10/CO2/air at CO2 mole fractions of 0–80%, equivalence ratios of 0.8–1.2, temperatures of 298–580 K, and pressures of 0.5–4.2 atm. Results were compared with experimental studies from the literature and numerical data obtained using 1–D premixed flame code from CANTERA. Both experiments and numerical predictions showed that the laminar burning speeds of iC4H10/CO2 mixtures decreased with increasing CO2 mole fraction, and that the maximum laminar burning speed shifted towards stoichiometric mixture. Carbon dioxide acted as an inhibitor of flame instability, as verified both experimentally by photography and theoretically by calculating the critical Peclet number.
OCT Angiography to Predict Geographic Atrophy Progression using Choriocapillaris Flow Void as a Biomarker.

Author(s): Nattagh, Khashayar; Zhou, Hao; Rinella, Nicholas; Zhang, Qinqin; Dai, Yining; Foote, Katharina G; Keiner, Cathrine; Deiner, Michael; Duncan, Jacque L; Porco, Travis C; Wang, Ruikang K; Schwartz, Daniel M | Abstract: PurposeTo investigate the relationship between choriocapillaris (CC) flow void (FV) percentage and geographic atrophy (GA) growth rate, and study how variations in FV percentage surrounding GA predict regional GA growth.MethodsThis prospective, longitudinal study enrolled subjects with GA secondary to nonexudative age-related macular degeneration. Optical coherence tomography angiography imaged the CC and FV percentage was evaluated using a validated algorithm. GA growth rate was measured as the difference in the square root of GA area divided by the months between baseline and follow-up imaging.ResultsTwelve eyes from 7 subjects with a mean age of 80 ± 5 years (range 74-86) were studied once at baseline and 7 to 16 months later. GA expansion rate was positively correlated with increased CC FV percentage (Spearman rank correlation coefficient r = 0.69 [P = 0.038] and 0.76 [P = 0.013]) within the 6 x 6 mm scanned macular region and the 2° margin surrounding each GA lesion, respectively. Regions with CC FV at baseline located within 480 µm from the GA margin showed 33% greater chance of becoming atrophic compared with regions within 480 µm from the GA margin that did not show CC FV at baseline.ConclusionsGA expansion rate and CC FV density throughout the macular region and surrounding the GA margin were significantly correlated. The regional magnitude of FV immediately surrounding GA was associated with GA growth into that region.Translational relevanceCC FV analysis may facilitate prediction of GA growth over time for patients with advanced nonneovascular age-related macular degeneration.
Practical considerations for using K3 cameras in CDS mode for high-resolution and high-throughput single particle cryo-EM

Abstract Detector technology plays a pivotal role in high-resolution and high-throughput cryo-EM structure determination. Compared with the first-generation, single-electron counting direct detection camera (Gatan K2), the latest K3 camera is faster, larger, and now offers a correlated-double sampling mode (CDS). Importantly this results in a higher DQE and improved throughput compared to its predecessor. In this study, we focused on optimizing camera data collection parameters for daily use within a cryo-EM facility and explored the balance between throughput and resolution. In total, eight data sets of murine heavy-chain apoferritin were collected at different dose rates and magnifications, using 9-hole image shift data collection strategies. The performance of the camera was characterized by the quality of the resultant 3D reconstructions. Our results demonstrated that the Gatan K3 operating in CDS mode outperformed nonCDS mode in terms of reconstruction resolution in all tested conditions with 8 electrons per pixel per second being the optimal dose rate. At low magnification (64kx) we were able to achieve reconstruction resolutions of 149% of the physical Nyquist limit (1.8 A with a 1.346 A physical pixel). Low magnification allows more particles to be collected per image, aiding analysis of heterogeneous samples requiring large data sets. At moderate magnification (105kx, 0.834A physical pixel size) we achieved a resolution of 1.65 A within 9 hours of data collection, a condition optimal for achieving high-resolution on well behaved samples. Our results also show that for an optimal sample like apoferritin, one can achieve better than 2.5 A resolution with 5 minutes of data collection. Together, our studies validate the most efficient ways of imaging protein complexes using the K3 direct detector and will greatly benefit the cryo-EM community.
Skin Swabbing for Staphylococcus aureus-Targeting Phages.

Introduction Staphylococcus aureus (SA) is a major human bacterial pathogen increasingly refractory to antibiotics. Given the dearth of novel antibiotics in the developmental pipeline, we require concerted efforts at optimizing novel antimicrobial approaches. One promising option is the utilization of bacteriophage (phage) therapy, which has been resurrected as a viable clinical therapeutic. Specifically, an expanded library of phages targeting SA is desired. We surmised that SA-targeting phages would be readily accessible as a major component of the cutaneous microbiome. Specifically, we sought to discern if easily accessible (convenient) and discrete anatomic locations, including the nares, axilla, fingernails, toenails, and web spaces, could provide intact phages via a noninvasive, expedient procedure involving swabbing. Methods One hundred subjects participated in systematic skin swab specimen collections. Pooled samples were subject to phage harvesting utilizing the soft agar overlay technique. The approval was secured from the Naval Medical Research Center Institutional Review Board (NMRC 2018.0004 FWA00000152). We utilized the same procedures from known samples containing SA-targeting phages. As another positive control, we employed the same swab and acquired samples from an active wound infection. Results As anticipated, there were no adverse events, and the procedure was successfully implemented within the projected 10-minute duration. No phages were identified exploiting this methodology. Positive controls from various environmental samples identified SA-targeting phages as did the wound effluent sample. Conclusions Skin swabbing at multiple anatomic sites from 100 adults yielded insufficient biomass for phage recovery. The negative results provide helpful information for future phage isolation attempts. The lessons learned on why this study failed to isolate phages can be easily utilized by others. With a desire to increase our SA-targeting phage library in pursuit of future clinical trials, and acknowledging the paucity of these phages accessible via traditional recovery from environmental sources, we will next acquire large volumes of wound effluent from confirmed infected wounds with SA to optimize the biomass for phage recovery.
Ice nucleation activity of iron oxides via immersion freezing and an examination of the high ice nucleation activity of FeO

Heterogeneous ice nucleation is a common process in the atmosphere, but relatively little is known about the role of different surface characteristics on the promotion of ice nucleation. We have used a series of iron oxides as a model system to study the role of lattice mismatch and defects induced by milling on ice nucleation activity. The iron oxides include wustite (FeO), hematite (Fe2O3), magnetite (Fe3O4), and goethite (FeOOH). The iron oxides were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area measurements. The immersion freezing experiments were performed using an environmental chamber. Wustite (FeO) had the highest ice nucleation activity, which we attribute to its low lattice mismatch with hexagonal ice and the exposure of Fe-OH after milling. A comparison study of MnO and wustite (FeO) with milled and sieved samples for each suggests that physical defects alone result in only a slight increase in ice nucleation activity. Despite differences in the molecular formula and surface groups, hematite (Fe2O3), magnetite (Fe3O4), and goethite (FeOOH) had similar ice nucleation activities, which may be attributed to their high lattice mismatch to hexagonal ice. This study provides further insight into the characteristics of a good heterogeneous ice nucleus and, more generally, helps to elucidate the interactions between aerosol particles and ice particles in clouds.
Independent Predictors of 30-Day Perioperative Deep Vein Thrombosis in 1346 Consecutive Patients After Spine Surgery

Background Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a morbid postsurgical complication. Identifying the perioperative DVT risk profile will improve surgeons' ability to assess patients for surgical candidacy. In addition, these data will help to identify patients who would benefit from DVT chemoprophylaxis. Methods We evaluated all medical records for 1346 consecutive patients who underwent spinal surgery at Duke University for incidence of DVT within 30 days of surgery and documented all demographic, preoperative, operative, and postoperative variables. DVT treatment and long-term outcomes were also documented. Associations between postoperative DVT and individual risk factors in all patients were determined using adjusted logistic regression analysis. Patients were stratified into emergent and elective groups and a similar analysis was performed. Results Overall, 15 patients (1.1%) had a DVT in the 30 days after surgery, 7 patients (0.6%) after elective surgery and 8 patients (4.2%) after emergent surgery ( P = 0.03). Overall, multivariate logistic regression determined that previous DVT, postoperative urinary tract infection, and creatinine level >2.0 mg/dL were identified as positive predictors. When stratified by emergent surgery, we found packed red blood cell transfusion, surgical blood loss >2.0 L, and deep surgical site infection to be independently associated with increased risk of postoperative DVT. When stratified by elective surgery, we found that coronary artery disease and atrial fibrillation were associated with increased risk of DVT. No patients died in the 30-day perioperative period and 5 (33.3%) patients died within 1 year. Conclusions This study identifies patient factors predictive of postoperative DVT. Postoperative DVT prophylaxis may be warranted for patients undergoing emergent spine surgery because these patients have significantly higher risk of developing postoperative DVT.
Integrated Reliability Program for Scout Research Vehicle

Integrated reliability program for Scout launch vehicle in terms of design specification, review functions, malfunction reporting, failed parts analysis, quality control, standardization and certification
Book Review: Privacy and Confidentiality Issues: A Guide for Libraries and Their Lawyers

The privacy and confidentiality of library patrons concerned many public libraries after September 11, particularly because of the passage and enforcement of the Patriot Act. Theresa Chmara, a litigator who has represented the American Library Association, the Freedom to Read Foundation, and the American Bookseller’s Association, provides concise and useful guidelines for libraries about these and other related issues in Privacy and Confidentiality Issues: A Guide for Libraries and Their Lawyers. This work is highly recommend for public library directors but should be required professional reading for all library directors. Additionally, library schools, which have an obligation to educate future librarians about the First Amendment concept of privacy in the context of the library, should purchase this book. It also serves as a great edition to a law school’s First Amendment collection for the same reasons as well as to bolster an academic collection that may lack practice oriented sources in this area.
Passey, D. (2014). Inclusive Technology Enhanced Learning: Overcoming Cognitive, Physical, Emotional and Geographic Challenges

Educational technology literature presents a remarkable conglomeration of diverse research focuses the past few decades. Some research examines the effectiveness of integrating hardware devices suc...
Generating computer animated movies from a graphic console

Graphical output via the computer has been available for many years now, but generally only one device at a time has been available to produce the display, and only one mode of output or input has been considered. This paper describes the successful integration of several components to form a graphics system which produces plots, animated crt displays, and motion pictures. Two similar driving programs are employed to create either planar or 3 dimensional dynamic picture sequences from picture language commands and/or other pictorial input.
Falling Paper: Navier-Stokes Solutions, Model of Fluid Forces, and Center of Mass Elevation

We investigate the problem of falling paper by solving the two dimensional Navier-Stokes equations subject to the motion of a free-falling body at Reynolds numbers around ${10}^{3}$. The aerodynamic lift on a tumbling plate is found to be dominated by the product of linear and angular velocities rather than velocity squared, as appropriate for an airfoil. This coupling between translation and rotation provides a mechanism for a brief elevation of center of mass near the cusplike turning points. The Navier-Stokes solutions further provide the missing quantity in the classical theory of lift, the instantaneous circulation, and suggest a revised model for the fluid forces.
CML: the good, the better, and the difficult choices.

In this issue of Blood , Radich and colleagues from 4 cooperative groups report on the results of a randomized study of dasatinib versus imatinib as initial treatment for patients with chronic phase chronic myeloid leukemia (CML).[1][1] This study is the sequel to a trial where they first compared
Twenty-Five Years of the Children's Bureau Investment in Social Work Education

One focus of the Children's Bureau over the past 25–30 years has been the provision of funds for social work students at the BSW and MSW levels to specialize in child welfare. Universities have been taking advantage of Title IV-E funds to prepare social work students for public child welfare work. To assess current practices, a survey was sent to all U.S. social work programs to determine how many had a child welfare emphasis, examine how programs ran, and evaluate the programs. Descriptive results and findings from the most sophisticated evaluations are reviewed and implications provided.
Can a critical lower threshold of cerebral perfusion be determined? A pilot observational study.

Better prognostic indicators are needed for predicting the chances of survival in neurointensive care patients. Brain perfusion, usually assessed using nuclear medicine techniques, is considered a prognostic indicator. We showed that global cerebral blood flow (CBF) volume can be measured by sonography of the extracranial arteries.1 These measurements are noninvasive and can be repeatedly performed at the bedside. Reference data in children2 and in adults3,4⇓ correspond closely to those obtained with other techniques. Interobserver test-retest difference of global CBF volume measurement has been shown to be 1.7 ± 9.2%, which was comparable to a test-retest difference of 2.3 ± 8.7% found with H215O-PET measurement of CBF.5,6⇓ In this pilot observational study we determined CBF volume in neurointensive care patients in order to find out whether a critical lower threshold of cerebral perfusion can be defined above which patients eventually recovered and could be discharged and below which patients eventually died. In 128 patients (59 men, 69 women; mean age ± SD, 49 ± 18 years) admitted to the anesthesiologic and neurosurgical intensive care units of the University Hospital …
Micronutrient uptake by leaves from foliar sprays of EDTA chelated metals

Abstract Com, milo, grape and macadamia leaves were sprayed with the potassium salt, the ammonium salt and the sodium salt of EDTA, each with the following micronutrients as μg/ml solution respectively: 469 copper, 625 iron, 625 manganese and 750 zinc. Corn and milo tests were with solution culture and grape and macadamia were with soil‐grown‐plants. After about two weeks, samples were carefully washed with rubbing in 1/10N HC1 and detergent followed by deionized water. Analyses by optical emission spectrometry indicated foliar iron absorption by all species, manganese absorption by com, milo and grape but not by macadamia; substantial zinc absorption by com and milo with less by grape and a small amount by macadamia and large amounts of copper absorption by com, milo and grape with none by macadamia. The three EDTA sources did rot vary greatly in their responses. Same of the micronutrients were translocated to roots of corn and milo.
Taurine Stimulation of Isolated Hamster Brain Na+, K+-ATPase: Activation Kinetics and Chemical Specificity

Epileptic foci are associated with locally reduced taurine (2-aminoethanesulfonic acid) concentration and Na+,K+-ATPase (EC 3.6.1.3) specific activity. Topically applied and intraperitoneally administered taurine can prevent the development and/or spread of foci in many animal models. Taurine has been implicated as a possible cytosolic modulator of monovalent ion distribution, cytosolic "free" calcium activity, and neuronal excitability. Taurine may act in part by modulating Na+,K+-ATPase activity of neuronal and glial cells. We characterized the requirements for in vitro modulation of Na+,K+-ATPase by taurine. Normal whole brain homogenate Na+,K+-ATPase activity is 5.1 +/- 0.4 (4) mumol Pi X h-1 X mg-1 Lowry protein. Partial purification of the plasma membrane fraction to remove cytosolic proteins and extrinsic proteins and to uncouple cholinergic receptors yields a membrane-bound Na+,K+-ATPase activity of 204.6 +/- 5.8 (4) mol Pi X h-1 X mg-1 Lowry protein. Taurine activates the Na+,K+-ATPase at all levels of purification. The concentration dependence of activation follows normal saturation kinetics (K1/2 = 39 mM taurine, activation maximum = +87%). The activation exhibits chemical specificity among the taurine analogues and metabolites: taurine = isethionic acid greater than hypotaurine greater than no activation = beta-alanine = methionine = choline = leucine. Taurine can act as an endogenous activator/modulator of Na+,K+-ATPase. Its action is mediated by a membrane-bound protein.