cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Studies of the Foraging and Feeding Behavior of Yellowjacket Foundresses, Vespula (Paravespula) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), in the Laboratory

The foraging and feeding behavior of laboratory yellowjacket foundresses of Vespula maculifrons, V. vulgaris, and V. germanica was observed. Overall activity was greater for queens of V. vulgaris than for V. maculifrons, suggesting an effect on eventual mature colony size. Rates of foraging were influenced by time of day and stage of development of the queen nest. Overall activity and fluid collection increased late in the day for queens of V. maculifrons , whereas carbohydrate foraging increased during this same period for V. vulgaris. Pulp collection was concentrated in the early period of nest establishment for both species. Water foraging was rare before nest establishment and was associated with pulp collection in V. maculifrons . Honey-foraging rates increased as the queen nests developed and were positively correlated to water-foraging rates for both V. maculifrons and V. vulgaris . Honey foraging occurred at a higher rate than foraging for other resources in all species. The durations of pulp collection bouts were found to be affected by type and moisture content of the pulp source and prior experience of the queen. Durations of flesh collection forays by queens of V. maculifrons and V. vulgaris decreased as nests were established.
Reevaluating the functional implications of Australopithecus afarensis navicular morphology.

The longitudinal arch is a unique characteristic of the human foot, yet the timing and pattern of its evolution remain controversial, in part due to the disagreement among researchers over which skeletal traits are the best indicators of its presence or absence. The small size of the human navicular tuberosity has previously been linked to the presence of a longitudinal arch, implying that the large tuberosity of early hominins such as Australopithecus afarensis reflects a flat foot. However, this hypothesis is at odds with other evidence of pedal form and function, such as metatarsal, tarsal, and footprint morphology, which show that a longitudinal arch was probably present in A. afarensis. This study reevaluates the morphometric affinities of the A. afarensis naviculars among other Plio-Pleistocene fossil hominins and anthropoid primates (N = 170). Multivariate cluster analyses show that all fossil hominin naviculars, including those attributed to A. afarensis, are most similar to modern humans. A measure of navicular tuberosity size quantified as the ratio of the tuberosity volume to the surface area of the talar facet shows that Ateles has the largest navicular tuberosity among the anthropoid sample and that there is no difference between highly arboreal and terrestrial taxa in this metric (e.g., Hylobates and Gorilla beringei). Instead, a relatively large navicular tuberosity may reflect the development of leg musculature associated with ankle plantarflexion. The functional inferences derived from the morphology of the A. afarensis naviculars are consistent with the morphology of the Laetoli footprints.
Effect of an antimicrobial stewardship intervention on outcomes for patients with Clostridium difficile infection.

Background Although antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) are uniquely positioned to improve treatment of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) through targeted interventions, studies to date have not rigorously evaluated the influence of ASP involvement on clinical outcomes attributed to CDI. Methods We performed a quasiexperimental study of adult patients with CDI before (n = 307) and after (n = 285) a real-time ASP review was initiated. In the intervention group, an ASP pharmacist was notified of positive CDI results and consulted with the care team to initiate optimal therapy, minimize concomitant antibiotic and acid-suppressive therapy, and recommend surgical/infectious diseases consultation in complicated cases. The primary outcome was a composite of attributable 30-day mortality, intensive care unit admission, colectomy/ileostomy, and recurrence. Results A higher percentage of patients in the ASP intervention group had acid-suppressive therapy discontinued (30% vs 13%; P P = .04), received appropriate therapy with oral vancomycin (87% vs 59%; P .01), and vancomycin was initiated earlier (mean, 1.1 vs 1.7 days; P .01). Incidence of the composite outcome was not significantly different between the 2 groups (12.3% vs 14.7%; P = .40). Conclusions ASP review and intervention improved CDI process measures. A decrease in composite outcomes was not found, which may be due to low baseline rates of attributable complications in our institution.
Anti-N-Methyl-d-Aspartate Receptor Encephalitis Appearing as a New-Onset Psychosis: Disease Course in Children and Adolescents Within the California Encephalitis Project

Abstract Background Given that psychiatric symptoms are common, not only during the course of the illness but also on presentation, in children and adolescents with anti- N -methyl-d-aspartate receptor encephalitis, it is important that practitioners possess an adequate understanding of the clinical features and potential treatment of this disease. We describe the clinical characteristics of 24 patients who presented to the California Encephalitis Project. Methods Patients were referred by physicians, and standardized forms were used to gather demographic, clinical, and laboratory data. Results Twenty-four patients between ages two and 18 years were identified. Psychosis was a primary presenting symptom in two thirds of patients, and just over 20% of these were admitted to an inpatient psychiatric facility. Ultimately, all patients developed psychiatric symptoms during the course of the illness. There was a characteristic progression of symptoms that was consistent with that noted in other studies, with prominent psychiatric symptoms initially, which then progressed to seizures and autonomic instability in most patients. All of those examined developed movement abnormalities, which included primarily orofacial dyskinesias and choreiform movements. Conclusions Anti- N -methyl-d-aspartate receptor encephalitis, unlike other paraneoplastic or autoimmune encephalitides, affects those 18 years and under an estimated 40% of the time based on prior studies. Recognizing the signs and symptoms of this condition is essential to making a diagnosis and initiating timely treatment. Child psychiatrists have an important role in this disorder.
Coverage Analysis of D2D Relay-Assisted Millimeter-Wave Cellular Networks

Millimeter-wave (mmWave) communications is one of the most promising candidate technologies for next generation cellular networks due to the global bandwidth shortage for mobile broadband access. The susceptibility of millimeter waveform propagation to blockages, however, may largely restrict the coverage of mmWave signals. To overcome blockages, we propose to leverage two-hop device-to-device (D2D) relaying. Using stochastic geometry, we develop a coverage probability model for the downlink of a relay- assisted mmWave cellular network using dominant interferer analysis, which accounts for both beamforming gains and blockages. Theoretical analysis and simulation results show that the downlink coverage of a mmWave cellular network can be improved by using two-hop D2D relay transmissions.
Overview of the Clinical Utility of Next Generation Sequencing in Molecular Diagnoses of Human Genetic Disorders

Massively Parallel Sequencing, currently embodied as Next Generation Sequencing, has now been widely applied to clinical molecular diagnoses of human genetic disorders. This chapter describes the clinical utility of the Next Generation Sequencing (NGS), the scope of its application, its power in detecting DNA changes that were not previously possible by conventional methods, and its evolution into the new gold standard of molecular diagnoses.
Athletic Trainers' Roles and Responsibilities Regarding Academic Adjustments as Part of the Concussion-Management Process in the Secondary School Setting.

Context: Athletic trainers (ATs) play a vital role in managing the care of student-athletes after a sport-related concussion, yet little is known about their specific involvement in the implementation of academic adjustments as part of the concussion-management plan. Objective: To explore ATs' perceived roles and responsibilities regarding the implementation of academic adjustments for concussed student-athletes. Design: Qualitative study. Setting: Individual telephone interviews. Patients or Other Participants: Sixteen ATs employed in the secondary school setting (8 women, 8 men; age = 39.6 ± 7.9 years; athletic training experience = 15.1 ± 5.6 years), representing 12 states, were interviewed. Data Collection and Analysis: One telephone interview was conducted with each participant. After the interviews were transcribed, the data were analyzed and coded into themes and categories, which were determined via consensus of a 4-person research team. To decrease researcher bias, triangulation occurred th...
A stochastic approach to small UAV feedback control for target tracking and blind spot avoidance

This paper presents a stochastic optimal control approach suitable for implementation on small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). The controller provides tracking of a target at a desired distance, keeps the target away from the sector of blind spots and prevents flying over the target to avoid the flipping images in the camera's recorded sequence. The controller is based on a two-dimensional stochastic kinematic model which accounts for uncertainty and its interference with the control problem nonlinearities. Consequently, the computed controller is a two-dimensional lookup table which can be stored in the memory of the UAV's on-board computer and executed at high rates. The results are illustrated by both numerical simulations and flight test data with a small UAV.
GABAA receptor subtype selectivity of the proconvulsant rodenticide TETS.

The rodenticide tetramethylenedisulfotetramine (TETS) is a potent convulsant (lethal dose in humans 7-10 mg) that is listed as a possible threat agent by the United States Department of Homeland Security. TETS has previously been studied in vivo for toxicity and in vitro in binding assays, with the latter demonstrating it to be a non-competitive antagonist on GABAA receptors. To determine whether TETS exhibits subtype selectivity for a particular GABAA receptor combination, we used whole-cell patch-clamp to determine the potency of TETS on the major synaptic and extrasynaptic GABAA receptors associated with convulsant activity. The active component of picrotoxin, picrotoxinin, was used as a control. While picrotoxinin did not differentiate well between 13 GABAA receptors, TETS exhibited the highest activity on α2β3γ2 (IC50 480 nM, 95% CI 320-640 nM) and α6β3γ2 (IC50 400 nM, 95% CI 290-510 nM). Introducing β1 or β2 subunits into these receptor combinations reduced or abolished TETS sensitivity, suggesting that TETS preferentially affects receptors with α2/β3 or α6/β3 composition. Since α2β3γ2 receptors make up 15-20% of the GABAA receptors in the mammalian CNS, we suggest that α2β3γ2 is probably the most important GABAA receptor for the seizure-inducing activity of TETS.
Acute right heart failure caused by tacrolimus after renal transplantation: Serial observation by speckle tracking and Doppler echocardiography

Tacrolimus is an immunosuppressive agent well known to be capable of producing renal impairment. Acute renal failure with right heart failure caused by tacrolimus is rarely described. We report the findings of one such case in which tacrolimus caused acute renal failure with severe tricuspid regurgitation and right ventricular failure documented by echocardiography.
Gender-related differences in proliferative response of cardiac fibroblasts to hypoxia: effects of estrogen.

Ischemic heart disease is more prevalent in men than in women. The remodeling of extracellular matrix, is a structural correlate of heart failure of ischemic origin and proliferation of cardiac fibroblasts is a key factor in this remodeling. We asked if proliferative response of male and female cardiac fibroblasts is differentially susceptible to hypoxia. DNA synthesis, using 3H-thymidine incorporation was compared under hypoxia (2% O2) in cardiac fibroblasts obtained from adult, age-matched male and female rat heart. In female cells DNA synthesis remained unchanged under hypoxia and this resistance was dependent on tyrosine kinase activation, as it was abolished in the presence of genistein, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor. Male cells, on the other hand, were susceptible to hypoxia and their DNA synthesis was reduced significantly (70%, (p < 0.0001). This effect was partially reversed by inhibition of tyrosine kinase. Western analysis showed a higher abundance of tyrosine phosphorylated proteins in male cells compared to female cells as well as differences in molecular weight of basal and hypoxia-induced tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins between male and female cells. The presence of estrogen (17-β estradiol, 10 nM) altered the response of both cells to hypoxia. In female cells the combined effect of hypoxia and estrogen led to inhibition of DNA synthesis, whereas in male cells estrogen partially reversed the hypoxia-induced inhibition of DNA synthesis (37% (p < 0.01) inhibition in the presence of estrogen vs. 70% (p < 0.0001) inhibition in the absence of estrogen). The effects of estrogen in male and female cells were mediated via estrogen receptors as they were reversed by the pure anti-estrogen, ICI 182,780. Western analysis of cell lysate showed hypoxia-induced increase in the level of estrogen receptor β in both male and female cells. Gel shift analysis showed hypoxia-induced increase in cytoplasmic ERE (estrogen response element)-binding activity and decrease in nuclear ERE-binding in male cells. In female cells cytoplasmic and nuclear ERE-binding activities remained unchanged under hypoxia. Together, these data demonstrate that while female cells are resistant to hypoxia-induced inhibition in DNA synthesis, male cells are susceptible; intracellular pathways involving tyrosine phosphorylation are involved in the response of both cells; and estrogen, via estrogen-receptor-dependent mechanisms, differentially alters the response of male and female cells to hypoxia.
Iridium-based hydride transfer catalysts: from hydrogen storage to fine chemicals

Selective hydrogen transfer remains a central research focus in catalysis: hydrogenation and dehydrogenation have central roles, both historical and contemporary, in all aspects of fuel, agricultural, pharmaceutical, and fine chemical synthesis. Our lab has been involved in this area by designing homogeneous catalysts for dehydrogenation and hydrogen transfer that fill needs ranging from on-demand hydrogen storage to fine chemical synthesis. A keen eye toward mechanism has enabled us to develop systems with excellent selectivity and longevity and demonstrate these in a diversity of high-value applications. Here we describe recent work from our lab in these areas that are linked by a central mechanistic trichotomy of catalyst initiation pathways that lead highly analogous precursors to a diversity of useful applications.
Direction of Life History Evolution in Drosophila mojavensis

Studies of the genetic basis for life history evolution involving analysis of demographic change in response to patterns of environmental variability have yet to provide a general explanation for the diversity of life histories often observed among species. Part of this problem is due to the lack of information about the forces actually responsible for causing the genetic variation observed in natural populations, without which we cannot evaluate the significance of the variation measured or the precise outcome in long-term life history evolution. Adaptation to environmental variability can lead to different equilibrium life histories all with equivalent fitnesses (Schaffer and Rosenzweig, 1977). The form of life history expected will depend on the pattern of environmental variation and degree of correlation among life history traits (Tuljapurkar, 1988; Orzack and Tuljapurkar, 1989). Only when observed genetic variation and covariation in components of fitness can be associated with the causes in nature responsible for their maintenance will understanding of the microevolutionary processes directing life history evolution be possible (Istock et al., 1976; Reznick and Endler, 1982; Etges, 1989a).
Popularisierung des Wissens

Die sich wandelnden Interpretationen von Alexander von Humboldt weisen eine bemerkenswerte Konstante auf. Seit den 1840er Jahren und bis heute wird die zentrale Rolle Humboldts und seines Werks fur die Popularisierung von Wissen betont. Gerade aus Sicht der globalen Wissensgesellschaft erscheint Humboldt als Trendsetter der epochalen Tendenz, Wissen zu demokratisieren. Sie gewann zu Humboldts Lebzeiten an Schwung und wird inzwischen als zentrales Merkmal des »Humboldtian Writing« (Ette 2003, 304–310) gesehen. Insbesondere Humboldts Ansichten der Natur von 1808, neu aufgelegt sowie erweitert 1826 und 1849 (Humboldt 1808, 1826, 1849), seine sogenannten Kosmos-Vorlesungen in der Berliner Singakademie 1827/28, sowie die Publikation der ersten Bande des Kosmos seit 1845 haben zur Humboldts Ruhm als »Ideal eines erfolgreichen Wissenschaftspopularisators« beigetragen (Humboldt 1993, 13).
culturally Competent Care

Today's healthcare environment is increasingly complex and provides significant challenges to nurses and patients alike. It is imperative that nurses strive to understand the diversity of their patients and coworkers to provide optimum care. One essential component of nursing practice is the ability to provide Culturally Competent Care (CCC). This article outlines several aspects of CCC and organizational efforts that support good nursing practice through staff education.
Humoral immunodeficiencies: conferred risk of infections and benefits of immunoglobulin replacement therapy

Primary immunodeficiency (PID) diseases result from genetic defects of the immune system that increase a patient's susceptibility to infections. The types of infections that occur in patients with PID diseases are dictated largely by the nature of the immunodeficiency, which can be defined by dysfunction of cellular or humoral defenses. An increasing number of PID diseases, including those with both cellular and humoral defects, have antibody deficiency as a major feature, and as a result can benefit from immunoglobulin replacement therapy. In fact, the most common PID diseases worldwide are antibody deficiencies and include common variable immunodeficiency, congenital agammaglobulinemia, hyper-IgM syndrome, specific antibody deficiency, and Good syndrome. Although immunoglobulin replacement therapy is the cornerstone of treatment for the majority of these conditions, a thorough understanding of the specific infections for which these patients are at increased risk can hasten diagnosis and guide additional therapies. Moreover, the infection trends in some patients with PID disease who have profound defects of cellular immunity, such as autosomal-dominant hyper-IgE syndrome (Job/Buckley syndrome) or dedicator of cytokinesis 8 (DOCK8) deficiency, suggest that select patients might benefit from immunoglobulin replacement therapy even if their immunodeficiency is not limited to antibody defects. In this review, we provide an overview of the predisposition to infections seen in PID disease that may benefit from immunoglobulin replacement therapy.
Publisher Correction: Bacterial butyrate prevents atherosclerosis

In the version of this News & Views originally published, owing to production error, the concentration scales given for butyrate circulates in the bloodstream and colon were incorrect. It was stated that "butyrate circulates at mM levels (as opposed to µM in colon)"; this should have read "butyrate circulates at µM levels (as opposed to mM in colon)". This error has now been corrected.
HDA9-PWR-HOS15 is a core histone deacetylase complex regulating transcription and development

Histone deacetylases remove acetyl groups from histone proteins and play important roles in many genomic processes. How histone deacetylases perform specialized molecular and biological functions in plants is poorly understood. Here, we identify HIGH EXPRESSION OF OSMOTICALLY RESPONSIVE GENES 15 (HOS15) as a core member of the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) HISTONE DEACETYLASE9-POWERDRESS (HDA9-PWR) complex. HOS15 immunoprecipitates with both HDA9 and PWR. Mutation of HOS15 induces histone hyperacetylation and methylation changes similar to hda9 and pwr mutants. HOS15, HDA9, and PWR are coexpressed in all organs, and mutant combinations display remarkable phenotypic resemblance and nonadditivity for organogenesis and developmental phase transitions. Ninety percent of HOS15-regulated genes are also controlled by HDA9 and PWR HDA9 binds to and directly represses 92 genes, many of which are responsive to biotic and abiotic stimuli, including a family of ethylene response factor genes. Additionally, HOS15 regulates HDA9 nuclear accumulation and chromatin association. Collectively, this study establishes that HOS15 forms a core complex with HDA9 and PWR to control gene expression and plant development.
Ghosting: contextualized inline query completion in large scale retail search

Query auto-completion presents a ranked list of queries as suggestions for a user-entered prefix. Ghosting is the process of auto-completing a search recommendation by highlighting the suggested text inline within the search box. We propose the use of a behavior-based recommendation model along with customer search context to ghost on high-confidence queries. We tested ghosting on a retail production system, on over 140 million search sessions. We found that session-context based ghosting significantly increased the acceptance of offered suggestions by 6.18%, reduced misspellings among searches by 4.42%, and improved net sales by 0.14%.
Harsh communication: characteristics of caregivers and persons with dementia.

Objectives: While ways to reduce caregiver burden have dominated dementia care research, there is little understanding of daily communication and its relationship to caregiver burden and depression...
Worthy of Justice: A Veterans Treatment Court in Practice

This article examines the purpose and practice of a Veterans Treatment Court (VTC), a new type of problem‐solving court designed to connect qualifying former service members in the criminal justice system with social services. While existing studies of VTCs explain these courts by focusing on veterans' distinct needs or deservingness based on their military service, this article argues that these courts are being created because of societal beliefs about veteran worth. By revealing how court staff, participants, and volunteers in one VTC invoke beliefs about veteran worth, the findings of this study show that VTCs link worth to veteran identity, leaving participants suspended in conflicting notions of state and individual responsibility for criminal behavior.
IMPACT OF PULMONARY HEMODYNAMICS ON CARDIAC EVENTS AFTER TRANSCATHETER AORTIC VALVE REPLACEMENT AMONG PATIENTS WITH SEVERE AORTIC STENOSIS

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) commonly co-exists among patients with severe AS. In this study, we sought to investigate the impact of PH and identify hemodynamic predictors of survival after TAVR. We reviewed records of patients with severe AS and included those who underwent pre procedure right
Coronavirus disease 2019 infection among asymptomatic and symptomatic pregnant women: two weeks of confirmed presentations to an affiliated pair of New York City hospitals.

Novel coronavirus disease 2019 is rapidly spreading throughout the New York metropolitan area since its first reported case on March 1, 2020. The state is now the epicenter of coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak in the United States, with 84,735 cases reported as of April 2, 2020. We previously presented an early case series with 7 coronavirus disease 2019–positive pregnant patients, 2 of whom were diagnosed with coronavirus disease 2019 after an initial asymptomatic presentation. We now describe a series of 43 test-positive cases of coronavirus disease 2019 presenting to an affiliated pair of New York City hospitals for more than 2 weeks, from March 13, 2020, to March 27, 2020. A total of 14 patients (32.6%) presented without any coronavirus disease 2019–associated viral symptoms and were identified after they developed symptoms during admission or after the implementation of universal testing for all obstetric admissions on March 22. Among them, 10 patients (71.4%) developed symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 over the course of their delivery admission or early after postpartum discharge. Of the other 29 patients (67.4%) who presented with symptomatic coronavirus disease 2019, 3 women ultimately required antenatal admission for viral symptoms, and another patient re-presented with worsening respiratory status requiring oxygen supplementation 6 days postpartum after a successful labor induction. There were no confirmed cases of coronavirus disease 2019 detected in neonates upon initial testing on the first day of life. Based on coronavirus disease 2019 disease severity characteristics by Wu and McGoogan, 37 women (86%) exhibited mild disease, 4 (9.3%) severe disease, and 2 (4.7%) critical disease; these percentages are similar to those described in nonpregnant adults with coronavirus disease 2019 (about 80% mild, 15% severe, and 5% critical disease).
9.19 – Biocompatibility

Biocompatibility is the most commonly used term to describe appropriate biological requirements of a biomaterial or biomaterials used in a medical device. Biocompatibility has also been described as the ability of a material to perform with an appropriate host response in a specific application. Biocompatibility or safety evaluation addresses the identification of an appropriate host response. The goal of this chapter is to provide a pathway or roadmap for the practical approach to the identification of biocompatibility and/or safety. This chapter discusses biocompatibility, materials for medical devices, and in vitro and in vivo tests for biocompatibility. It also discusses inflammation, wound healing, and the foreign body reaction; hemocompatibility; and immune responses in detail.
Is Delinquency Associated With Subsequent Victimization by Community Violence in Adolescents? A Test of the Risky Behavior Model in a Primarily African American Sample.

Objective Victimization is common in adolescence and is associated with negative outcomes, including school failure, and poor emotional, behavioral, and physical health. A deeper understanding of the risk of victimization can inform prevention and intervention efforts. This study tests the risky behavior model in adolescents, examining prospective associations between mean levels of and changes in delinquency and risk for victimization over four annual data collections. Method Low-income adolescent (53.6% female; Mage = 12.13 years, SD = 1.62 years; 91.9% African American) and maternal caregiver dyads (N = 358) residing in urban neighborhoods in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States that had moderate-to-high levels of violence and/or poverty completed separate annual home interviews for 4 years. Maternal caregivers reported on adolescents' delinquent behavior; adolescents reported on their victimization by community violence experiences. Results Using a latent difference score model, results supported the risky behavior model for the first 2 years, but not the final data collection period. That is, levels of and changes in delinquent behavior were associated with more victimization by community violence at the subsequent time point for the first 2 study years. In contrast, there was no evidence for the opposite, specifically that victimization by community violence predicted delinquency. Conclusion Knowing that both levels of delinquency and increases in delinquency place youth at heightened risk for victimization by community violence provides impetus to intervene. Screening for increases in delinquency among youth may be one way to target youth at high risk for victimization by community violence for fast-tracked intervention.
Research Pipeline II: Upcoming Biologic Therapies

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory condition mediated by activated T-cells. Cutaneous manifestations of psoriasis have been shown to have a tremendous impact on quality of life, particularly in patients with moderate to severe disease. Given the high morbidity associated with psoriasis, disease control is paramount. Systemic treatments are indicated for effective management of cutaneous disease and the comorbidities that result from chronic inflammation. Prior systemic treatments were non-specific and associated with significant side effect profiles. With the development of biologics, treatments have become increasingly targeted and efficacious. This chapter will review biologic drugs currently in development that may eventually add to the growing armamentarium of psoriasis treatments.
The Hunt for Party Discipline in Congress

TTT e analyze party discipline in the House of Representatives between 1947 and 1998. The effects of 1/V/ party pressures can be represented in a spatial model by allowing each party to have its own cutting line on roll call votes. Adding a second cutting line makes, at best, a marginal improvement over the standard single-line model. Analysis of legislators who switch parties shows, however, that party discipline is manifest in the location of the legislator's ideal point. In contrast to our approach, we find that the Snyder-Groseclose method of estimating the influence of party discipline is biased toward exaggerating party effects.
Genetic Medicine Arrives in the Outpatient Clinic: Ethical Concerns for Dermatologists

The promises of revolutionizing medicine through unlocking the genome have tantalized generations of researchers and clinicians. In the last decade, reliable and relatively inexpensive genetic sequencing techniques have finally allowed for useful genetic testing in clinical medicine. The arrival of consumer and clinical applications of genetic testing requires ethicists to broaden their horizons to consider the ethical ramifications of this revolution in actual cases and not just in hypothetical ones. Novel ethical quandaries arise as one patient’s genetic information can influence the decisions of their relatives. Dermatologists must expand their role to help patients understand and appropriately share their genetic information with loved ones. Dermatologists may also be called on to help facilitate patients’ participation in massive genetic biobanks. These new tasks require dermatologists to expand their knowledge of genetic medicine and its accompanying ethical concerns.
A multi-study approach to refining ecological momentary assessment measures for use among midlife women with elevated risk for cardiovascular disease.

Background Ample evidence indicates that everyday perceptions of the social environment can affect health behaviors; these include social comparisons (i.e., self-evaluations compared to others) and positive versus negative social interactions. However, relations between social perceptions and healthy behaviors have received little attention among specific medical populations for whom an improved understanding of behavioral determinants could inform updates to tailored interventions. Research methods that capture and differentiate between stable, person-level differences and dynamic, within-person variability in these relations would be particularly useful, both for identifying their nature in daily life and informing improvements to tailored interventions. Methods We conducted a series of three formative research studies to adapt and test the measures and instructions for an ecological momentary assessment (EMA) protocol with midlife women who had elevated risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD; e.g., current diagnosis of hypertension, type 2 diabetes). Study 1 involved a pilot test of initial EMA items, sent to participants' smartphones 5 times per day for 7 days (N=13; MAge =47, MBMI =33.7 kg/m2), as well as brief exit interviews to identify points of confusion and suggestions for improvement. Study 2 used 1-hour, individual qualitative interviews with a new sample to elicit women's perceptions of revised items and identify additional opportunities for refinement (N=10, MAge =52, MBMI =29.8 kg/m2). In Study 3, a new sample of participants completed 7 days of EMA with revised items and instructions (5 times per day; N=13, MAge =50, MBMI =33.4 kg/m2). Results Item performance in Study 3, including the frequencies of reporting social comparisons and interactions, was compared to that in Study 1 using multilevel modeling; these tests showed meaningful improvement in reporting patterns between Studies 1 and 3 (e.g., changes of d=0.33-0.75 where appropriate). Conclusions Together, findings from this series of studies demonstrate the utility of a multi-study approach to refining EMA methods for use with midlife women who have elevated CVD risk, which may generalize to other populations of interest.
Marijuana Legalization and Disability Claiming

We study the effect of recent legalization of recreational marijuana use (RMLs) in the United States on Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income claiming, proxied by new applications and new benedficiaries, over the period 2001 to 2019. We combine administrative caseload data from the Social Security Administration with state policy changes using two-way fixed effects regression. We find that RML adoption increases new disability application rates. However, there is no change in new beneficiaries post-RML. We provide suggestive evidence that the observed changes in applications post-RML are potentially driven by increases in marijuana misuse and selective migration.
Coronary Endothelial and Microvascular Function Testing

Mayo Clinic Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory’s role in understanding the pathophysiology, establishing the diagnosis, predicting the prognosis, and advancing treatment of coronary endothelial dysfunction has been, and in fact remains, crucial. Following Robert F. Furchgott’s 1986 historic announcement on the major role of endothelium-derived nitric oxide (NO) in regulation of vascular tone, Mayo Clinic researchers demonstrated that the functional and structural integrity of the vascular endothelium is not only important to maintain balance between circulating endothelium-derived vasodilator and vasoconstrictor molecules but also confers protection against arterial atherosclerosis and thrombosis. Acetylcholine catheter-based evaluation protocol of coronary epicardial and microvascular endothelial function was initiated in 1994 as part of an NIH grant and approved for clinical practice in 1997. In 1994, the Mayo Endothelial Database – world’s current largest invasive database of coronary endothelial and microvascular function assessment – enrolled its first patient. In a series of subsequent cutting-edge high-impact studies between 1997 and 2000, our lab demonstrated the association between coronary endothelial and microvascular dysfunction, myocardial ischemia, and increased risk of severe adverse cardiovascular events. Since 2001, we have investigated new therapeutic options for coronary endothelial dysfunction that either constitute current mainstay clinical therapy for this challenging disease entity, such statins and L-arginine, or cornerstone early studies of potentially promising investigational therapies such as endothelin-1 antagonists and most recently autologous intracoronary CD34+ cell therapy. In 2018, we were among the first to introduce and advance the concept of endothelial dysfunction as a systemic disease with not only cardiac but also numerous extracardiac clinical manifestations.
An Introduction to Endocrinology

Endocrinology is the study of hormones. The term hormone is derived from the Greek word harmao (I excite) and was used by the legendary physiologist E. H. Starling in his Croonian lectures at the Royal College of Physicians in 1905. He proposed, with remarkable prophecy, that these substances are secreted by one organ and are transported by the bloodstream (“ductless transport”) to other organs at distant sites, on which they exert their diverse effects. It was further speculated at that time, again with remarkable accuracy, that these “chemical messengers” had a rather rapid onset of action and excited their target organs even in extremely small quantities. Since then, endocrinology has evolved into an extremely sophisticated branch of internal medicine. A brief historical review of the events that have bridged the past and the present is pertinent, since it illustrates how the echoes of the past have been profoundly visionary.
Stress during pregnancy: the role of institutional racism.

Institutional racism, also known as structural racism, can be defined as differential access to resources and opportunities by race as well as policies, laws, and practices that reinforce racial inequity. This study examines how institutional racism in the form of residential redlining (neighbourhood-level racial inequities in mortgage lending) and segregation (geographic separation of groups by race) is associated with self-reported stress among a diverse cohort of pregnant women. Institutional racism was measured by a residential redlining index using Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data and residential segregation using 2000 US Census data. These redlining and segregation indices were linked with data from a pregnancy cohort study (n = 4652), which included individual measures of reported stress. We ran multilevel linear regression models to examine the association between redlining, segregation and reported stress. Hispanic women compared with all other women were slightly more likely to report stress. There was no significant relationship between redlining and stress among this population. However, higher neighbourhood percentage black was inversely associated with stress. This study suggests that some forms of segregation may be associated with reported stress. Future studies should consider how redlining and segregation may provide an understanding of how institutional racism and the neighbourhood context may influence stress and health of populations.
A 1.8 to 2.4 GHz stacked power amplifier implemented in 0.25/SPL mu/m CMOS SOS technology

A fully-integrated power amplifier (PA) designed with 8 stacked transistors is implemented in a 0.25/SPL mu/m Ultra-CMOS Silicon-on-Sapphire (SOS) technology. The stacked Cascode configuration allows the PA to deliver high gain and high output power while maintaining the PA stability. At 2.2 GHz, the PA under a bias supply of 16 V (2V per transistor) measures a saturated output power PSAT of 28.5 dBm (0.7 Watt) and a linear gain of 21.7 dB with a peak power-added efficiency (PAE) and drain efficiency (DE) of 16% and 18.5%, respectively. PAE and DE increase to 25.5% and 29%, respectively, when the PA is biased with a 13 V power supply. In the frequency range of 1.8 to 2.4 GHz the PSAT was above 27.6 dBm.
Fault-Tolerant Broadcasting in 2-D Wormhole-Routed Meshes

In this paper, a fault-tolerant broadcast scheme in 2-D meshes with randomly generated faults is provided. This approach is based on an early work on time-step optimal broadcasting in square-shape fault-free 2-D meshes with optimal total communication distance (TCD). An extension to any rectangular-shape fault-free 2-D meshes is first given. The fault block model is used in which all faulty nodes in the system are contained in a set of disjoint blocks. The boundary lines of blocks divide the whole mesh into a set of fault-free polygons and a sequence of rectangular fault-free regions is derived from these polygons. The broadcast process is carried out at two levels: inter-region and intra-region. In the inter-region-level broadcast, the broadcast message is sent from a given source to a special node (called eye [1]) in each rectangular fault-free region. In the intra-region-level broadcast, the extended optimal fault-free broadcast is applied. Some analytical results are given including an upper bound of TCD.
Thermodynamics of metal cyanide coordination: Part IX. Log K, ΔHO, and ΔSO values for the Ni2+-, Zn2+-, Cd2+-, and Hg2+- CN− systems at 10, 25, and 40 °C☆

Abstract Log K , Δ H 0 , and Δ S 0 values valid at zero ionic strength are reported or summarized from previous studies for cyanide ion interaction with bivalent nickel, zinc, cadmium, and mercury at 10, 25, and 40 °C. From the values of Δ H 0 as a function of temperature, average Δ C p 0 values are calculated.
Optical nonlinearities of GaAs/Ga1-xAlxAs superlattices

Departments of Physics* and Electrical Engineeringt\Torcester Polytechnic Institute,Worcester, Massachusetts 01609ABSTRACTThe third order nonlinear optical susceptibility, of the GaAs/Gao.7A10.3As superlattice iscalculated by determining the enhanced band nonparabolicity in the superlattice growth direction.A 4—band k.p model is used for the band structure of the constituent bulk semiconductors, and
A Case Report on Nutritionally Deficient Bacteria: Abiotrophia adiacens

Abiotrophia is a nutrition-deficient gram-positive cocci comprising of mainly two species ( A. adiacens and A. defective ). The name Abiotrophia is derived from the Greek language meaning “life nutrition deficiency”. Abiotrophia species is part of normal flora of the human upper respiratory, gastrointestinal, and urogenital tracts. It has been associated with serious infections like bacteremia and endocarditis. This paper discusses a case of A. adiacens causing bacteremia and vertebral osteomyelitis. A 62-year-old male presented with back pain, fever and chills. Spinal imaging study showed spinal abscess and spinal osteomyelitis, and the blood culture grew A. adiacens . Abiotrophia species, formerly referred to as nutritionally variant streptococci, needs supplemented media for growth and survival. There are extremely few cases that have been reported with spinal involvement due to Abiotrophia species. Resistance to multiple antibiotics has been described in this species. Abiotrophia-associated infections are rare but could be life-threatening. Clinicians should be cognizant of its potential in causing severe infections. We report this case in an attempt to increase awareness about this organism. J Med Cases. 2015;6(7):295-296 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.14740/jmc2163w
Modular matrix models

Inspired by a formal resemblance of certain q-expansions of modular forms and the master field formalism of matrix models in terms of Cuntz operators, we construct a Hermitian one-matrix model, which we dub the ``modular matrix model.'' Together with an N=1 gauge theory and a special Calabi-Yau geometry, we find a modular matrix model that naturally encodes the Klein elliptic j-invariant, and hence, by Moonshine, the irreducible representations of the Fischer-Griess Monster group.
Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience to Inform Cognitive-Control Interventions for Drug Abuse: Introduction to the Special Section

Cognitive control has long been a validated construct to explain risk for drug abuse. Research evidence suggests that cognitive-control interventions show promise for future preventive intervention and treatment efforts across development. Biomarkers of the efficacy of these interventions have also been identified. To examine the potential of utilizing developmental cognitive neuroscience to guide cognitive-control interventions for the prevention and treatment of substance use disorders, the National Institute on Drug Abuse held a research roundtable in Rockville, Maryland, in May 2010. The research presented at the roundtable and reviewed in this Special Section of Child Development Perspectives highlights the promise of cognitive-control interventions for enhancing, or ameliorating deficits in, executive functions relevant to substance use disorders, as well as the promise of neuroscience techniques for guiding the conceptualization of these interventions.
Interactive Data Graphics and Information Processing

Among the chief promises of interactivity in news content online are that it leads to improved engagement with and attitudes toward content, yet scholarship is mixed on how such effects should occur, and under what conditions they do so. This study sought to examine the processes and conditions for effects of interactivity on processing online health news containing graphically displayed data. An experiment (N = 86) was conducted using online health news to examine these effects and test two previously proposed mechanisms – namely, those of increased involvement and perceived interactivity. Interactivity of information graphics accompanying an online health article was manipulated across three ordinal levels, and effects on postexposure attitudes and memory measures obtained. Preexisting level of involvement with the content domain and numerical aptitude were measured and tested as potential moderators of effects. The results showed that involvement with the content domain moderated the role of interactiv...
Differential Diagnosis of Illness in Travelers Arriving From Sierra Leone, Liberia, or Guinea: A Cross-sectional Study From the GeoSentinel Surveillance Network

The outbreak of Ebola virus disease in western Africa has led to export of infected patients to Europe and North America. This cross-sectional study examined the spectrum of illness observed in tra...
Aβ-polyacrolein aggregates: Novel mechanism of plastic formation in senile plaques

Abstract High levels of acrolein (H2C HC CH O) occur in Alzheimer’s brain. Amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide co-localizes with acrolein presumably due to Aβ-induced lipid peroxidation. Focal production of acrolein may yield a transient elevation in the concentration of acrolein that may be susceptible to polymerization via basic latex polymer chemistry. Following incubation of Aβ with acrolein (16–750 mM), we observed the formation of thin plastic fragments that were extensively punctuated. Planar aggregates stained for protein and for cross-β structures suggesting an Aβ-polyacrolein colloidal mixture. Depending on acrolein concentration and incubation time, we observed uniformly sized planar aggregates (approximately 10 μm2) or monolayers (>100 mm2) of thin polyacrolein films embedded with Aβ oligomers. The ability of Aβ to catalyze the polymerization of acrolein is likely due to Aβ’s surfactant and redox properties. These observations suggest that plastic in the form of Aβ-polyacrolein latexes may exist in neural tissue contributing to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease.
Permanganate Oxidation of Polybutadiene Rubbers

Abstract In view of the failure to obtain quantitative yields of the expected carboxylic acids by permanganate oxidation of the several butadiene polymers studied, definite conclusions about their structures cannot be made. The results have a qualitative significance, however, in that the −10° emulsion polymer was found to produce a larger amount of succinic acid than the 50° emulsion polymer and less tricarballylic acid, and thus they correlate with general thinking that lowered temperature of polymerization results in a polymer of more regular structure and less branching. The Alfin polymer, although prepared in a system entirely different from the emulsion system, gave results which indicated a microstructure similar to that of 50° emulsion polybutadiene. Sodium polybutadiene was less completely characterized than the others, but the large amounts of carbon dioxide and β-carboxyadipic acid isolated correlated well with the high percentage of external double bonds known to be present from other methods ...
Structural Transformations in Solid Nitrogen at High Pressure

The Andersen-Parrinello-Rahman constant-pressure molecular-dynamics technique has been generalized to study molecular crystals. The method, which appears to have wide applicability, is used to study structural transformations in solid nitrogen at high pressures.