cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pericardial Tamponade Caused by Perforation of Marshall Vein During Left Jugular Central Venous Catheterization

BACKGROUND The persistence of a vein of Marshall (VoM) from the left subclavian vein to the coronary sinus is a rare cardiac anomaly known as a persistent left superior vena cava (PLVC). This anatomical variant is usually asymptomatic but can lead to serious complications during catheterization via the left subclavian or internal jugular vein, as described here. In our case, the patent vein of Marshall directly connected the coronary sinus with the left subclavian vein discovered in a cardiac arrest patient because of pericardial effusion during the insertion of a central venous catheter (CVC). CASE REPORT A 62-year-old patient required a central line insertion through a left internal jugular vein. The patient immediately went into cardiac arrest after CVC insertion with a pericardial effusion. The patient was successfully resuscitated with the drainage of a pericardial effusion. A chest X-ray revealed that the central venous catheter (CVC) was located along the left border of the mediastinum rather than the right border. It was evident that the central venous catheter was inadvertently placed into the pericardial space, resulting in tamponade. This complication occurred through inadvertent access of a small persistent vein of Marshall. CONCLUSIONS This case illustrates the importance of knowledge of anatomical variants of the persistent vein of Marshall to prevent or correctly interpret and manage procedural complications.
Early life voiding dysfunction leads to lower urinary tract dysfunction through alteration of muscarinic and purinergic signaling in the bladder

Lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD) is a common problem in children and constitutes up to 40% of pediatric urology clinic visits. Improved diagnosis and interventions have been leading to better...
CRADLE: an IoMT psychophysiological analytics platform

The effect of certain emotional stimuli on physiological indicators is helpful in the treatment of, amongst others, strokes and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Such knowledge can help with understanding the efficacy of rehabilitation procedures after serious debilitating medical conditions. With recent advances in Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) technology, solutions can be built to correlate psychophysiological signals. Furthermore, data mining and artificial intelligence applied to these signals can help in early intervention in cases where direct correlation is inconclusive. When combined with carefully designed and customized feedback mechanisms, AR can be of high value to the rehabilitation process. In this paper we present a platform built using IoMT sensors and augmented reality (AR) technology. The system is capable of creating ambient environments in AR simulating quantifiable emotional stimuli while measuring physiological variability. The CRADLE (Correlational Research Application Development Linking Emotions) platform can capture subject personalities, procure psychophysiological data from large scale studies, and in the future, perform data mining tasks to make recommendations about conducive environments for psychological wellness. Using CRADLE, this paper shows that heart rate variability (HRV) is impacted in a limited study of five subjects using AR to simulate emotional states. Effectiveness of rehabilitation tasks can hence be actively measured and modified without explicit feedback from subjects using this system.
Allocating Security Analysts to Cyber Alerts Using Markov Games

Allocating cyber-security analysts to incoming cyber alerts is an important task in any organization employing cyber-defense mechanisms. Alerts are typically generated when intrusion detection software on computer systems (e.g., servers, routers) detect abnormal or suspicious activity. Based on the respective significance level of the alerts, some are assigned to cyber-security analysts for further investigation. Due to the wide range of potential attacks coupled with high degrees of attack sophistication, identifying what constitutes a true attack is a challenging problem, especially for organizations performing critical operations (e.g., military bases, financial institutions, etc.) that are constantly being subjected to cyber attacks every day. In this paper, we develop a game-theoretical framework that assigns cyber-security analysts to cyber alerts to minimize the overall risk faced by an organization. Our approach considers a series of games between the attacker and the defender in which a state is maintained between sub-games. The state captures the availability of analysts as well as an attack budget metric that enables us to model the level of risk an attacker is willing to undertake. Through dynamic programming and Q-maximin value iteration-based algorithms, we identify optimal allocation strategies that take into account the current availability of analysts, the risk faced by the attacker, the incoming alerts, and the future outlook of the system. We assess the effectiveness of our allocation strategies by comparing them to other sensible heuristics (e.g., random, greedy and myopic). Our results show that our approach outperforms these other strategies in minimizing risk.
Students Discussing Ideas in Online Spaces: Research-Infused Recommendations for Making Computer-Mediated Discussions Productive for Learning

Online learning technologies are permeating classroom spaces. Whereas face-to-face discussions are broadly accepted as productive for facilitating learning, online discussions are less familiar to instructors and yet provide a more democratic and accessible environment for students in which to co-construct ideas. Although there is a plethora of research on what is occurring in computer-mediated discussions (CMDs) in regards to student behaviors and experiences, there is a dearth of literature devoted to how instructors should implement these findings into their courses. Six recommendations are offered that are based primarily on research with undergraduate and graduate level formal coursework, making these ideas, though possibly relevant to other learning situations, best suited for instructors and students involved in higher education. The goal is to help instructors be more confident and purposeful with how they conduct online discussions, as they aim to make the learning experiences of their students more productive.
Management of Endocrine Emergencies in the ICU

Endocrine emergencies are frequent in critically ill patients and may be the cause of admission or can be secondary to other critical illness. The ability to anticipate endocrine abnormalities such as adrenal excess or , hypothyroidism, can mitigate their duration and severity. Hyperglycemic crisis may trigger hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) admission and may be life threatening. Recognition and safe treatment of severe conditions such as acute adrenal insufficiency, thyroid crisis, and hypoglycemia and hyperglycemic crisis may be lifesaving. Electrolyte abnormalities such as hypercalcemia and hypocalcemia may have underlying endocrine causes, and may be treated differently with recognition of those disorders- electrolyte replacement alone may not be adequate for efficient resolution. Sodium disorders are common in the ICU and are generally related to altered water balance however may be related to pituitary abnormalities in selected patients, and recognition may improve treatment effectiveness and safety.
Variational Bayes: A report on approaches and applications.

Deep neural networks have achieved impressive results on a wide variety of tasks. However, quantifying uncertainty in the network's output is a challenging task. Bayesian models offer a mathematical framework to reason about model uncertainty. Variational methods have been used for approximating intractable integrals that arise in Bayesian inference for neural networks. In this report, we review the major variational inference concepts pertinent to Bayesian neural networks and compare various approximation methods used in literature. We also talk about the applications of variational bayes in Reinforcement learning and continual learning.
Mammography: Case Histories of Significant Medical Advances

We describe how the development of x-ray-based techniques and equipment (“mammography”) lead to widespread screening for breast cancer and enabled “minimally invasive” biopsies of breast tumors. Specifically, we chronicle how: 1) new protocols and equipment catalyzed the first widespread screening programs and minimally invasive biopsies in the 1960s and 1970s; 2) concerns about safety and accuracy spurred technological advance in the 1980s; and, 3) digitization further improved the safety and accuracy of mammography in the 1990s and 2000s.
A resilience matrix approach for measuring and mitigating disaster-induced population displacement

Abstract Globally, risk factors for population displacement due to major disasters are on the rise. These factors include the increasing frequency of extreme weather events, aging infrastructure, growing populations, and increasing urbanization. In cases of widespread damage, tools are needed to support complicated multiyear reconstruction efforts so that populations can return. We adapt the resilience matrix approach [1] as an organizing framework and resilience assessment tool to the problem of population displacement under conditions of damaged infrastructure. The resulting Population Resilience Matrix (PRM) links infrastructure reconstruction directly to the goal of reducing displacement due to infrastructure damage through performance metrics across the physical, social, information, and project management domains. This approach yields a summary of status and priorities that accounts for funding availability and the multi-phase recovery process. The PRM is applied to a synthetic extreme flood scenario, and includes detailed event-specific, locally relevant recovery assessment metrics. A practical approach to identifying the contributions of interdependent infrastructure systems to displacement is also outlined. The PRM is intended to support decision makers with coordinating roles, such as local disaster recovery managers. This approach is compatible with and complementary to US guidance on pre- and post-disaster planning and can also be applied internationally.
The devil is in the details: Factors influencing hand hygiene adherence and contamination with antibiotic-resistant organisms among healthcare providers in nursing facilities.

Background:Antibiotic-resistant organism (ARO) colonization rates in skilled nursing facilities (NFs) are high; hand hygiene is crucial to interrupt transmission. We aimed to determine factors associated with hand hygiene adherence in NFs and to assess rates of ARO acquisition among healthcare personnel (HCP).Methods:HCP were observed during routine care at 6 NFs. We recorded hand hygiene adherence, glove use, activities, and time in room. HCP hands were cultured before and after patient care; patients and high-touch surfaces were cultured. HCP activities were categorized as high-versus low-risk for self-contamination. Multivariable regression was performed to identify predictors of hand hygiene adherence.Results:We recorded 385 HCP observations and paired them with cultures performed before and after patient care. Hand hygiene adherence occurred in 96 of 352 observations (27.3%) before patient care and 165 of 358 observations (46.1%) after patient care. Gloves were worn in 169 of 376 observations (44.9%). Higher adherence was associated with glove use before patient care (odds ratio [OR], 2.55; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.44–4.54) and after patient care (OR, 3.11; 95% CI, 1.77–5.48). Compared with nurses, certified nurse assistants had lower hand hygiene adherence (OR, 0.31; 95% CI, 0.15–0.67) before patient care and physical/occupational therapists (OR, 0.22; 95% CI, 0.11–0.44) after patient care. Hand hygiene varied by activity performed and time in the room. HCP hands were contaminated with AROs in 35 of 385 cultures of hands before patient care (0.9%) and 22 of 350 cultures of hands after patient care (6.3%).Conclusions:Hand hygiene adherence in NFs remain low; it is influenced by job title, type of care activity, and glove use. Hand hygiene programs should incorporate these unique care and staffing factors to reduce ARO transmission.
Computer-aided fixation detection using retinal birefringence in multi-modal ophthalmic systems: Computer, electronics, algorithms

Abstract Many diagnostic and some therapeutic ophthalmic devices require a reliable complementing method to track the direction of gaze or just to validate fixation of the eye on a presented target. This would allow acquisition of artefact-free robust images of the fovea and the surrounding macula. So far, there have been only few attempts to provide fast and dependable fixation information to an optical imaging system in real time, to guide image acquisition. The author's lab has developed several instruments that detect the location of the fovea using retinal birefringence scanning (RBS), proven to be very effective. Here, an RBS-based fixation detection subsystem is proposed, designed to operate conjointly with a number of ophthalmic imaging technologies. Combining RBS with such technologies is not trivial, because RBS uses polarized light and polarization-sensitive optics, while most other modalities don't. The polarization optics was optimized by means of enhanced computer modeling. Both the electronic hardware and the software were designed for fast and reliable performance. Because many retinal imaging systems are used in pediatric settings, extensive audio-visual circuitry was employed for efficient attention/fixation attraction. The optomechanics has been optimized for robust data acquisition. This computer-aided conjoint system employs true anatomical information from the back of the eye and needs no calibration. The prototype instrument uses a decision-making logic based on four frequencies generated during scanning. The results reveal the applicability of RBS as an adjunct fixation monitoring modality, showing promise to remove the limitation imposed by eye movements upon advanced ophthalmic imaging technologies.
Error-related negativity relates to the neural processing of brief aversive bodily sensations.

Abstract The error-related negativity (ERN) is an event-related potential occurring in the electroencephalogram (EEG) within 100 ms after the commission of an error. The ERN is thought to partially reflect emotionally aversive aspects of error commission, however, it has thus far not been related to the neural processing of other aversive events, such as brief aversive bodily sensations. Therefore, the present study investigated the links between the ERN and the N1 amplitudes of respiratory-related evoked potentials (RREP) and somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP). During the acquisition of high-density EEG, 41 healthy participants performed a Flanker task to evoke the ERN, while RREP and SEP were separately elicited, using inspiratory occlusions and electrocutaneous stimulation of the wrist. Significant positive correlations were observed between the amplitudes of the ERN and the N1 of RREP and SEP, suggesting relationships between the neural processing of different emotionally aversive events, namely errors and bodily sensations.
Whose Energy Future? Whose Imagination? Revitalizing Sociological Theory in the Service of Human Survival*

Climate change threatens the future of all life on earth, but not for all of us in the same way or on the same time schedule. Indeed, climate change and the responses to it all too often exacerbate...
Subspace adaptivity in Rosenbrock–Krylov methods for the time integration of initial value problems

Abstract The Rosenbrock–Krylov family of time integration schemes is an extension of Rosenbrock-W methods that employs a specific Krylov based approximation of the linear system solutions arising within each stage of the integrator. This work proposes an extension of Rosenbrock–Krylov methods to address stability questions which arise for methods making use of inexact linear system solution strategies. Two approaches for improving the stability and efficiency of Rosenbrock–Krylov methods are proposed, one through direct control of linear system residuals and the second through a novel extension of the underlying Krylov space to include stage right hand side vectors. Rosenbrock–Krylov methods employing the new approaches show a substantial improvement in computational efficiency relative to prior implementations.
Revenants of the Dispossessed: A Momentary Conclusion

This brief and provisional conclusion deploys the old Irish legend of “The Ghost of James Haddock” as a metaphor for how erased and colonized peoples can return to reclaim a stolen inheritance. It acknowledges the historical moment that produced this project: an era of global resurgences in nativism, nationalism, racial-chauvinism, and anti-immigrant animosity. Dark ghosts have returned indeed—but then, not all ghosts are wicked, either. There have been other, brighter ghosts at play here, and they also seek to recover a stolen inheritance.
Integrating stakeholder values and ideas with trade-off analytics to achieve more optimal marine spatial plans

Integrating stakeholder values and ideas with trade-off analytics to achieve more optimal marine spatial plans
Multiple Cases of Hypomelanism in Wood Frog Larvae (Rana sylvatica) Associated with Developmental Retardation and Mortality

Hypomelanism in natural populations is rare and has been anecdotally associated with developmental retardation and mortality when present in anuran larvae. We report multiple, recent cases of hypomelanism across 5 populations in 2 counties in Connecticut. We also experimentally confirm that this phenotype is associated with extremely delayed metamorphosis and increased mortality.
CORONAL SOURCES OF THE SOLAR F10.7 RADIO FLUX

We present results from the first solar full-disk (the radio flux at 10.7 cm, 2.8 GHz) image taken with the S-band receivers on the recently upgraded Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array in order to assess the relationship between the index and solar extreme ultraviolet (EUV) emission. To identify the sources of the observed 2.8 GHz emission, we calculate differential emission measures from EUV images collected by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly and use them to predict the bremsstrahlung component of the radio emission. By comparing the bremsstrahlung prediction and radio observation we find that 8.1% ± 0.5% of the variable component of the flux is associated with the gyroresonance emission mechanism. Additionally, we identify optical depth effects on the radio limb which may complicate the use of time series as an EUV proxy. Our analysis is consistent with a coronal iron abundance that is four times the photospheric level.
Neural network strategies for plasma membrane selection in fluorescence microscopy images.

In recent years there has been an explosion of fluorescence microscopy studies of live cells in the literature. The analysis of the images obtained in these studies often requires labor-intensive manual annotation to extract meaningful information. In this study, we explore the utility of a neural network approach to recognize, classify, and select plasma membranes in high resolution images, thus greatly speeding up data analysis and reducing the need for personnel training for highly repetitive tasks. Two different strategies are tested: 1) a semantic segmentation strategy and 2) a sequential application of an object detector followed by a semantic segmentation network. Multiple network architectures are evaluated for each strategy, and the best performing solutions are combined and implemented in the Recognition Of Cellular Membranes (ROC-ME) software. We show that images annotated manually and with the ROC-ME software yield identical results, by comparing Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) binding curves for the membrane protein FGFR3. The approach that we describe in this work can be applied to other image selection tasks in cell biology.
Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) after trauma: Improving incidence, but increasing mortality.

Abstract Purpose Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) is an infrequent, yet morbid inflammatory complication in injury victims. With the current project we sought to estimate trends in incidence, determine outcomes, and identify risk factors for ARDS and related mortality. Materials & methods The national Trauma Quality Improvement Program dataset (2010–2014) was queried. Demographics, injury characteristics and outcomes were compared between patients who developed ARDS and those who did not. Logistic regression models were fitted for the development of ARDS and mortality respectively, adjusting for relevant confounders. Results In the studied 808,195 TQIP patients, incidence of ARDS decreased over the study years (3–1.1%, p Conclusion Although the incidence of ARDS after trauma appears to be declining, mortality is on the rise.
Target setting with compensation discretion: How are ex ante targets affected when superiors have ex post discretion?

Abstract Target setting by superiors and their discretion in compensation decisions are important interrelated pieces in an organization's control system. Thus, we examine how these processes influence each other and superiors' decisions therein. We predict, and experimentally find, superiors with ex post compensation discretion set more difficult targets and put less effort into the target-setting process. This suggests that providing ex post compensation discretion fundamentally changes the ex ante target-setting process. We further analyze how superiors use their discretion and find superiors who set targets knowing they can make ex post compensation adjustments are more likely to make both positive and negative adjustments to subordinate compensation compared to those who set targets without the benefit of ex post discretion, whereas past research findings suggest that superiors are reluctant to make negative adjustments to compensation. Thus, our study illustrates that target setting and compensation discretion influence each other to affect superiors' decisions concerning subordinates, providing insight into the use of these processes in management control systems.
Patient preferences and adherence to adjuvant GnRH analogs among premenopausal women with hormone receptor positive breast cancer

Adjuvant ovarian function suppression (OFS) in premenopausal hormone receptor (HR) positive breast cancer (BC) improves survival. Adherence to adjuvant gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogs (GnRHa) remains a challenge and is associated with toxicities and inconvenient parenteral administration. The goal of this study was to describe real-world adherence patterns and patient preferences surrounding adjuvant GnRHa. We analyzed the medical records of premenopausal women with non-metastatic HR positive BC from January 2000 to December 2017; participants received adjuvant monthly goserelin or leuprolide at The Ohio State University. Data collected included demographics, clinicopathologic characteristics, and OFS adherence/side effects. We defined non-adherence as discontinuation of GnRHa within 3 years for a reason other than switching to an alternate OFS, delay > 7 days from a dose, or a missed dose. Chi-square tests assessed associations between clinical characteristics and outcomes. A total of 325 patients met eligibility. Of these, 119 (37%) patients were non-adherent to GnRHa; 137 (42%) underwent elective bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy after initial GnRHa. Those opting for surgery reported significantly more hot flashes (74% vs 48%, p < 0.001), arthralgias (46% vs 30%, p = 0.003), and vaginal dryness (37% vs 21%, p = 0.001) compared with patients remaining on GnRHa. Non-adherence to adjuvant GnRHa occurred in over a third of patients and almost half the patients initiating GnRHa underwent subsequent surgical ablation. These high frequencies highlight real-world patterns of OFS. Additionally, treatment toxicities may impact personal preference of OFS modality. Personalized practices to target predictors of adjuvant GnRHa non-adherence are critical to optimize symptoms, adherence, and survivorship.
Resilience, coping, and distress among healthcare service personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background The COVID-19 pandemic has a detrimental effect on the health and well-being of health care workers (HCWs). The extent to which HCWs may differ in their experience of depression and anxiety is unclear, and longitudinal studies are lacking. The present study examined theorized differences in distress between resilient and non-resilient HCWs over time, as reported in a national online survey. We also examined possible differences in distress as a function of sex and doctoral-level status. Methods A national sample responded to an online survey data that included the study measures. Of the HCWs who responded, 666 had useable data at the two time points. A longitudinal structural equation model tested an a priori model that specified the relationship of a resilient personality prototype to self-reported resilience, coping, depression and anxiety at both measurement occasions. Additional invariance models examined possible differences by sex and doctoral-level status. Results The final model explained 46.4% of the variance in psychological distress at Time 1 and 69.1% at Time 2. A non-resilient personality prototype predicted greater depression and anxiety. A resilient personality prototype was predictive of and operated through self-reported resilience and less disengaged coping to effect lower distress. No effects were found for active coping, however. The final model was generally invariant by sex and HCWs status. Additional analyses revealed that non-doctoral level HCWs had significantly higher depression and anxiety than doctoral-level HCWs on both occasions. Conclusions HCWs differ in their susceptibility to distress imposed by COVID-19. Those who are particularly vulnerable may have characteristics that contribute to a lower sense of confidence and efficacy in stressful situations, and more likely to rely on ineffective, disengaged coping behaviors that can exacerbate stress levels. Individual interventions and institutional policies may be implemented to support HCWs at risk.
Late onset atrial fibrillation in patients undergoing surgical aortic valve replacement.

OBJECTIVE Aortic valve disease is a risk factor for atrial fibrillation (AF), and AF is associated with increased late mortality and morbidity after cardiac surgery. The evolution of alternative approaches to AF prophylaxis, including less invasive technologies and medical therapies, has altered the balance between risk and potential benefit for prophylactic intervention at the time of surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). Such interventions impose incremental risk, however, making an understanding of predictors of new onset AF that persists beyond the perioperative episode relevant. METHODS We conducted a retrospective single-institution cohort analysis of patients undergoing SAVR with no history of preoperative AF (n = 1014). These patients were cross-referenced against an institutional electrocardiogram (ECG) database to identify those with ECGs 3-12 months after surgery. Logistic regression was used to identify predictors of late AF. RESULTS Among the 401 patients (40%), who had ECGs in our institution 3-12 months after surgery, 16 (4%) had late AF. Patients with late AF were older than patients without late AF (73 vs. 65, p = .025), and underwent procedures that were more urgent/emergent (38% vs. 15%, p = .015), with higher predicted risk of mortality (2.2% vs. 1.3%, p = .012). Predictors associated with the development of late AF were advanced age, higher preoperative creatinine level and urgent/emergent surgery. CONCLUSIONS The incidence of late AF 3-12 months after SAVR, is low. Prophylactic AF interventions at the time of SAVR may not be warranted.
EGCG induces G-CSF expression and neutrophilia in experimental sepsis

A major green tea component, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), has been proven protective against lethal sepsis in experimental setting, but its protective mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Here, we provide evidence to support EGCG's capacities in stimulating G-CSF production and neutrophilia in vivo. In an animal model of sepsis, EGCG significantly elevated peritoneal levels of G-CSF and several chemokines (e.g., MCP-1/CCL2 and MIP-1γ/CCL9), and consequently increased peritoneal neutrophil numbers (neutrophilia) at a late stage. In vitro, EGCG divergently affected HMGB1-mediated production of several chemokines: reducing CXCL15 and RANTES/CCL5, but elevating G-CSF and MIP-1α/CCL3 production by peritoneal macrophages. Similarly, it significantly induced the expression and secretion of G-CSF and MIP-1α/CCL3 in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Based on our preliminary data, it may be important to search for anti-inflammatory and G-CSF-stimulating agents for the clinical management of inflammatory diseases.
Optimal detection schemes for the restoration of images with signal dependent noise

Restoration techniques that are based on optimal vector detection methods are introduced. The restoration methods are derived from a Bayesian framework, and reduce to a M-ary hypothesis test among a representative set, or codebook, of vectors. These techniques remove the signal-dependent noise while retaining the structure required for accurate image representation. >
Pimecrolimus 1% cream for oral erosive lichen planus: a 6-week randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled study with a 6-week open-label extension to assess efficacy and safety

Objective To assess the efficacy and safety of topical pimecrolimus 1% cream in the treatment of oral erosive lichen planus. Design A 6-week randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled phase followed by a 6-week open-label phase. Setting Outpatients of the Department of Dermatology, University of Utah. Patients Twenty-one patients with oral erosive lichen planus were randomized and treated with either pimecrolimus 1% cream or vehicle cream. Intervention Pimecrolimus 1% cream, or its vehicle, were applied twice daily for 6 weeks to each side of the mouth with a 2 × 2 inch gauze pad folded in half and placed directly on the erosive lesion. Main Outcome Measures Efficacy was based on clinical evaluation of Investigator’s Global Assessment (IGA) of the overall severity of the disease, erythema, measurement of the size of any target erosion in millimetres, and assessment of spontaneous pain. Blood levels of pimecrolimus were monitored in all subjects on day 0 and repeated on day 7. Results Pimecrolimus 1% cream was superior to vehicle cream in reducing mean IGA, pain, and erosion size. For the vehicle group that entered the open-label phase, pimecrolimus 1% cream improved the mean IGA, pain, erosion size, and erythema. Pimecrolimus levels were detected in nine out of 10 of the pimecrolimus-treated subjects. These levels were consistently low. The pimecrolimus cream was well-tolerated. No clinically relevant, drug-related adverse events were reported. Conclusion Pimecrolimus 1% cream was superior to vehicle in reducing pain, erythema, decreasing erosion size, and improving overall severity of disease when compared with vehicle treatment.
Foodservice employee substance abuse: is anyone getting the message?

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to investigate foodservice industry employees’ experiences and perceptions related to substance abuse prevention measures in the workplace. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative approach was used for this foundational study, and data collection occurred by conducting in-depth interviews with 30 foodservice employees. Findings – Participants reported that, in their perceptions, substance abuse prevention measures were virtually non-existent at their places of employment. The few participants that were aware of such policies indicated that they had never seen the policy actually enforced. Practical implications – The results of this exploratory study suggest that foodservice employees may not be receiving adequate messages about workplace substance abuse prevention policies nor are they developing an adequate awareness of such policies. Further, where such policies are in place, they may not being adequately enforced, implying negligent business practices. Failur...
Search for Gamma Ray Lines from Supernovae and Supernova Remnants

An important astrophysical problem on which gamma ray astronomy has particular bearing is the study of gamma ray lines from supernovae (SN) in the process of development or from their remnants (SNR). Since the existence of many SNR is an experimental fact, most estimates of possible gamma ray emission concern the end result of the SN process. Exactly what occurs in the initial phase and how it is triggered is subject to considerably more speculation. Only a brief summary of some of the more pertinent predictions and observations will be given here.
Optical coherence tomography: a novel modality for scrotal imaging

Background: For patients with nonobstructive azoospermia, sperm retrieval rates remain modest. We describe the use of optical coherence tomography to improve retrieval rates and to decrease tissue destruction. Methods: Four patients underwent diagnostic testicular biopsy and imaging with the Niris optical coherence tomography de - vice. We performed a descriptive comparison between optic al coherence tomographic images and conventional histology. Results: The measured seminiferous tubule diameter differed by 16 μm between comparative imaging from optical coherence tomography and conventional histology using hematoxylin and eosin staining. Conclusion: We illustrate the usefulness of optical coherence tomography in the setting of testicular biopsy and the management of nonobstructive azoospermia. Contexte : Chez les patients atteints d'azoospermie non obstructive, les taux de collecte de spermatozoides demeurent modestes. Nous decrivons le recours a une tomographie optique coherente pour ameliorer les taux de collecte et reduire la destruction tissulaire. Methodes : Quatre patients ont subi une biopsie testiculaire diagnostique et une epreuve d'imagerie a l'aide d'un appareil Niris de tomographie optique coherente. Une comparaison descriptive a ete effectuee entre les images obtenues par tomographie optique coherente et les resultats des epreuves histologiques standard. Resultats : La difference dans le diametre des tubules seminiferes mesure par tomographie optique coherente et par coloration histologique a l'hematoxyline-eosine n'etait que de 16 μm. Conclusion : Nous presentons une etude descriptive illustrant l’uti - lite de la tomographie optique coherente pendant une biopsie testiculaire en vue de la prise en charge d'une azoospermie non obstructive.
Use of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment and Alzheimer's Disease-8 as cognitive screening measures in Parkinson's disease.

Objective To examine the sensitivity and specificity of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), a brief cognitive screening measure previously validated for use in Parkinson's disease (PD), and Alzheimer's Disease-8 (AD8), an eight-item informant report used to screen for dementia, but not yet validated for use in PD, to identify cognitive impairment in a sample of 111 patients with PD. Methods Cognitive impairment was determined based on a battery of neuropsychological measures, excluding the MoCA and AD8. Classification rates of both the MoCA and AD8 in identifying cognitive impairment were examined using logistic regression and receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis. Optimal cutoff scores were determined to maximize sensitivity and specificity. Results The MoCA correctly classified 78.4% of participants (p < 0.001), and ROC analysis yielded an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.82. A MoCA cutoff score of <25 yielded optimal sensitivity (0.77) and specificity (0.79) for identifying PD patients with cognitive impairment. Similar analyses for the AD8 were statistically nonsignificant, although the classification rate was 70.5%, with an AUC of 0.50. Conclusions These results provide additional support for the MoCA, but not the AD8, in identifying cognitive impairment in patients with PD. Copyright @ 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Habenula and thalamus cell transplants mediate different specific patterns of innervation in the interpeduncular nucleus

Innervation of specific peptidergic and cholinergic compartments of the interpeduncular nucleus (IPN) was investigated using embryonic cell suspension transplants immunoreactive for substance P (SP) and ChAT. In both neonatal and adult host rats, the IPN was first denervated of its normal SP and cholinergic input from the medial habenula by bilateral lesions of the fasciculi retroflexi (FR). In adult hosts, transplants of embryonic habenular cells placed near the denervated IPN mediated a return of the normal pattern of SP staining restricted to habenula-target subnuclei, plus an increase in staining intensity of SP cells intrinsic to the IPN. There was no recovery of ChAT staining. A similar pattern of SP staining resulted following habenular transplants into neonatal hosts, but in addition there was a partial recovery of normal ChAT staining in cholinergic subnuclei and anomalous ChAT staining in normally peptidergic subnuclei. Control transplants of embryonic thalamus cells placed into adult hosts produced a surprising pattern of ChAT staining in the IPN identical to that seen with habenula transplants placed into neonatal hosts; the adult IPN was thus able to support reinnervation mediated by an aberrant cholinergic source while being refractory to its normal habenular cholinergic afferents. This pattern of results implies regulation by the IPN of habenular SP and cholinergic innervation, and some interaction between the maturing normal cholinergic afferents and their targets that is missing when these afferent sources are abnormal.
WEAKENING OF AN ELASTIC SOLID BY A RECTANGULAR ARRAY OF CRACKS

An infinite elastic solid containing a double-periodic rectangular array of slit-like cracks is considered. The solid is subjected to a uniform stress resulting in a state of plane strain. The cracks are represented as suitable distributions of dislocations which are determined from a singular integral equation. This equation is solved numerically in an efficient manner using an expansion of the non-singular part of the kernel in a series of Chebyshev polynomials. Values of the stress intensity factors are presented, as well as the change in strain energy due to the presence of the cracks. Also, the effective elastic constants of a sheet having a rectangular array of cracks are given as functions of the crack spacing.
Topological analysis and synthesis of chaotic time series

Abstract We have developed a topological procedure for analyzing chaotic time series which identifies the stretching and squeezing mechanisms responsible for chaotic behavior in low-dimensional dynamical systems. These mechanisms, quantitatively described by a “template” or “knot-holder”, can then be used to model the processes which generate the original chaotic data set.
Complexation thermodynamics and structural aspects of actinide–aminopolycarboxylates

Abstract The interaction of trivalent actinides with aminopolycarboxylate ligands in aqueous solution is reviewed. The strength of complexation to form binary and ternary complexes is interpreted in terms of cationic hydration and structural effects in the interaction of metal cations with aminopolycarboxylate ligands. The trends in the enthalpies and entropies of complexation of actinide and lanthanide cations are compared and discussed in terms of those effects. The results of the spectral measurements, TRLFS, 13 C NMR and EXAFS, provide information on the binding modes and structural aspects of the complexation. These results reflect the progress in recent years in understanding the factors determining the complexation thermodynamics and the structural aspects of the interaction of f-element cations with aminopolycarboxylates ligands.
A Note on Who's Who in America as a Biographical Data Source in Studies of Elites:

This article examines the comprehensiveness of Who's who in America coverage of elites and the extent of biographical data reported in Who's Who in America biographies using two business elite populations derived from standard sources. Who's Who in America coverage of the two business elite populations appeared fairly comprehensive when three editions were examined for each population. The extent of data reported in Who's Who in America biographies varied greatly by type of data, with more “sensitive” types less likely to be reported. These results are discussed.
Transition Metals and the Frohlich Mechanism for Superconductivity

The properties of screened plasma oscillations of the $d$ band, which Fr\"ohlich first suggested could lead to superconductivity, are investigated. Specific-heat anomalies in the normal and superconducting state, normal-state resistivities, pressure-induced and pressure-dependent superconductivity, M\"ossbauer-effect studies, lattice transformations, and the occurrence of superconductivity in transition metals are compared with the theory. These diverse properties indicate that the Fr\"ohlich mechanism is operative in high-${T}_{c}$ transition elements and constitutes a new mechanism for superconductivity.
Users' privacy preferences in open plan offices

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore managers' and employees' opinions regarding privacy in open plan offices and also investigate the relationship between the perception of managers and employees on visual and acoustical privacy in order to provide better design solutions in an open plan office setting.Design/methodology/approach – The research method is a structured interview. The categorized data are analyzed with percentage of frequency distributions and Chi square analysis. A total of 42 subjects were interviewed and separated in two groups as managers and employees.Findings – It was found that lack of privacy still exists as an unsolved negative aspect in open plan offices. Findings indicated that there is a strong desire for employees to change and control their physical working space when both visual and acoustical privacy is needed in an open plan office setting. Another finding is that there is a difference of opinion regarding visual privacy between managers and employees.Research ...
Consumers' mood states: Antecedents and consequences of experiential versus informational strategies for brand choice

The relationship between mood (an affective state variable) and choice strategies that are primarily affective (experiential strategy) or cognitive (informational strategy) is examined with a literature review and an empirical study. Findings suggest consumers in positive moods may be more likely to use an experiential strategy than those in negative moods, and consumers in negative moods may be more likely to use an informational strategy than those in positive moods. Results also suggest consumers in positive moods who use an experiential strategy may have more positive post-processing moods than those who use an informational strategy, and consumers in negative moods who use an informational strategy may have more positive and post-processing moods than those who use an experiential strategy. The implications of these findings are discussed and suggestions for further research are provided.
A Professional Doctorate in Educational Leadership: Saint Louis University's Ed.D. Program

This article presents the case of a professional doctorate program in educational leadership at Saint Louis University (SLU). This Ed.D. program was designed to prepare students for executive leadership positions in school districts, distinguishing it from SLU's Ph.D. program that prepares students for research or academic positions. This article describes the program's background and theoretical foundation as well as its design and components. Concluding remarks focus on lessons learned during the program's development and ideas regarding future work.
Molecular pathology of breast apocrine carcinomas: A protein expression signature specific for benign apocrine metaplasia

Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease that encompasses a wide range of histopathological types including: invasive ductal carcinoma, lobular carcinoma, medullary carcinoma, mucinous carcinoma, tubular carcinoma, and apocrine carcinoma among others. Pure apocrine carcinomas represent about 0.5% of all invasive breast cancers according to the Danish Breast Cancer Cooperative Group Registry, and despite the fact that they are morphologically distinct from other breast lesions, there are at present no standard molecular criteria available for their diagnosis. In addition, the relationship between benign apocrine changes and breast carcinoma is unclear and has been a matter of discussion for many years. Recent proteome expression profiling studies of breast apocrine macrocysts, normal breast tissue, and breast tumours have identified specific apocrine biomarkers [15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-PGDH) and hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMG-CoA reductase)] present in early and advanced apocrine lesions. These biomarkers in combination with proteins found to be characteristically upregulated in pure apocrine carcinomas (psoriasin, S100A9, and p53) provide a protein expression signature distinctive for benign apocrine metaplasias and apocrine cystic lesions. These studies have also presented compelling evidence for a direct link, through the expression of the prostaglandin degrading enzyme 15-PGDH, between early apocrine lesions and pure apocrine carcinomas. Moreover, specific antibodies against the components of the expression signature have identified precursor lesions in the linear histological progression to apocrine carcinoma. Finally, the identification of proteins that characterize the early stages of mammary apocrine differentiation such as 15-PGDH, HMG-CoA reductase, and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) has opened a window of opportunity for pharmacological intervention, not only in a therapeutic manner but also in a chemopreventive setting. Here we review published and recent results in the context of the current state of research on breast apocrine cancer.
The Effects of Heroin Addiction on Teeth

(1974). The Effects of Heroin Addiction on Teeth. Journal of Psychedelic Drugs: Vol. 6, No. 1, pp. 57-60.
Transient and steady-state water vapor permeation through polymer films

Water vapor transport properties for the polymers Kapton H11 and Parylene C were determined over a temperature range of 20 to 55°C. Activation energies and entropies for permeation as well as partial molar free energies, heats, and entropies of dilution were calculated for water vapor concentrations ranging from 3 × 10−6 to 1 × 10−3 mole H2O per cm3 of polymer. Mylar A was tested to extend the available data for partial molar heats and entropies of dilution and to compare permeation and diffusion results with the corresponding values in the literature. Diffusion coefficients were measured using the time-lag technique of Barrer but employing a modified test apparatus. Equilibrium sorption isotherms at 30°C were obtained for Mylar A and Kapton H with a Cahn microbalance. The ratios of the permeability to diffusion coefficients as measured from time-lag experiments agreed with solubility coefficients within 3% for Mylar A and within 12% for Kapton H. Both polymers obeyed Henry's law. The results were interpreted in light of polymer polarity and morphology.