cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Longitarsus jacobaeae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), a Flea Beetle for the Biological Control of Tansy Ragwort. Ii. Life History of a Swiss Biotype

A Swiss biotype of Longitarsus jacobaeae (Waterhouse), a flea beetle, had an average preoviposition period of 13±2 days when it was exposed to a daily regimen of 12 hr of light (24±1°C) and 12 hr of darkness (12.75±1°C). At these conditions, females oviposited an average 72±29 days, laid an average 506±207 eggs, and lived an average 9±34 days. Since pairs of beetles ate an average 19.2±3.2 feeding units per day (1 FU = 1.6 mm2 of leaf of tansy ragwort, Senecio jacobaea L.), they averaged 2.7±0.5 FU/pair per egg produced. Adults reacted to a longer day (16 hours) and a higher daytime temperature (26.7°C) by reducing the intake of food and perhaps reducing the rate of oviposition. When males of an Italian biotype were placed with females of the Swiss biotype, the intake of food was reduced (because the males ate less) but oviposition was not reduced. The eggs, which have a facultative estival diapause averaging 4 months (range 1–9) at these conditions, are laid on the root crowns or in the soil near them throughout the summer. Larvae fed and usually overwintered in the root crown, and some eggs also overwintered and hatched the following spring. Since the larval stage required an average of only 65±11 days and the pupal stage an average 18±2 days, adults can emerge in the summer from eggs hatching in the fall or spring. The eggs of the Swiss biotype, which originated from an area where the average summer rainfall is 100 mm per month, required high humidity. Therefore, it will probably be difficult to establish on the pest tansy ragwort in the regions of the Pacific Coast where the summers are dry.
Low Interinstrument Variability of the International Normalized Ratio With the Coagamate X2/Simplastin Excel System

Minimizing the interlaboratory variability of the International Normalized Ratio (INR) for patients receiving coumarin therapy will require local laboratory calibration of individual coagulation instrument/reagent systems. However, some laboratories possess multiple coagulation instruments of the same model, and it is unclear if each instrument would require separate calibration. To address this question, a controlled study was performed that examined the interinstrument variability of the INR on three separate Coagamate X2 coagulometers (Organon Teknika, Durham, NC) using the Simplastin Excel reagent (Organon Teknika) (International Sensitivity Index = 2.14). The interinstrument coefficient of variation (CV) of the INR among the three instruments was 3.4% and 3.5% for patient control plasmas (n = 20) and coumarin plasmas (n = 40, INR range 1.5-4.6), respectively. The number of discordant INRs between paired instruments (one INR within and one INR out of the therapeutic range, plus a difference of at least 0.4 INR units) was very low (0%). The interinstrument INR CVs for three commercial quality control plasmas were 2.6% (INR = 0.92), 4.1% (INR = 2.1), and 6.3% (INR = 4.5), and correlated well with the low CVs for patient samples. This study showed that the Coagamate X2/Simplastin Excel system is capable of very low interinstrument INR variability, and surpasses the interlaboratory CVs reported in the literature. Formal calibration of a single instrument may be adequate for laboratories possessing multiple instruments of the same model.
Simulation Research of Robust Control System for Robotic Assisted Hand

The Robotic Assisted Hand,a wearable exoskeleton robot for stroke rehabilitation was the controlled plant.The forward simMechanics model,the mathematic model,and an Robust controll system for Robotic Assisted Hand were presented.Considering the aim of Robotic Assisted Hand that is to help hemiplegic patients training for rehabilitation and to induce the patient's active movement,the functions of patients' active joint torques were designed in controller.The performance of the controller was tested by computer simulations in MATLAB/Simulink.Results show that the controller can adapt to different level hemiplegic patients,and has better dynamic performance and stronger robustness.
Bacterial growth inhibition by amniotic fluid. IV. Studies on the nature of bacterial inhibition with the use of plate-count determinations.

Abstract Bacterial growth inhibition in amniotic fluid is associated with a compound or class of compounds which resembles antibacterial cationic peptides. The inhibitor studied in amniotic fluid is sensitive to treatment with monobasic and dibasic potassium phosphate, and the inhibitory activity of amniotic fluid is lost following adsorption onto bentonite. The inhibitory component in amniotic fluid interacts with bacterial cells by adsorption or is internalized by viable cells only. The inhibitory quality of amniotic fluid is not destroyed by heating to 100° C. for 15 minutes, and this heat-stable inhibitory activity is associated with the compound or compounds which are phosphate sensitive. A possible mode of antibacterial action which is consistent with the data presented is discussed.
Regional pulmonary blood flow during rest, tilt, and exercise in unanesthetized dogs.

We assessed the heterogeneity of regional pulmonary blood flow (PBFr), using radioactive microspheres in five unanesthetized dogs standing at rest (Rest), standing at a 45 degrees upward tilt (Tilt...
Peritoneal Equilibration in Children

The simplicity of performing peritoneal dialysis belies the physiologically complex processes that underlie the removal of solutes and water from the bloodstream. The successful removal of solutes ...
Christodemocracy Rejects Political Outcomes Thought to Be the Product of an Illegitimate Identity

More than one normative framework can exist and be active within a single formal system. This allows conservative Christians to partially realize the assumptions of Christodemocracy. When, however, that realization is prevented by the secular state, civil disobedience becomes the test of greater allegiance.
RNA-Seeded Functional Amyloids Balance Growth and Survival.

In this issue of Developmental Cell, Audas et al. (2016) report non-membrane-enclosed amyloid bodies (ABs) assembled in the nuclei of cells exposed to heat and low pH. Remarkably, ABs form not by liquid-to-liquid phase separation, implicated in RNA-seeded granule assembly, but by an amyloidogenic process that promotes a liquid-to-solid transition.
Impacts of Active Learning on Student Outcomes in Large-Lecture Biology Courses

Abstract Learning theorists have provided ample evidence supporting the use of active, student-centered, social learning environments. However, little action has been taken within U.S. university curricula to transform lecture courses so that they include such teaching methods. By adding cooperative and collaborative activities into large-lecture, introductory biology courses, I was able to measure the impacts of such active-learning strategies on student attendance and performance. I gathered data from two investigations involving 378 undergraduates from paired sections of biology, one section using activelearning activities and one not. In the first investigation, I used a mixedmethods approach to measure the effects of a cooperative pre-exam group discussion on student performance, confidence, and anxiety. In the second investigation, I used a quantitative approach to measure the effects on course attendance and performance of using scenario-based collaborative activities regularly throughout a semeste...
SAMP-ening down sepsis

The inflammatory response is a critical component of innate immunity and required for controlling infection, clearing cellular damage, and initiating tissue repair. While this response is usually self-limiting and tightly controlled, inflammation can sometimes be aberrantly activated and prove injurious to host tissues, leading to acute or chronic disease pathologies.
Multi-agent Simulation Framework for Large-Scale Coalition Formation

Coalition formation, a key factor in multi-agent cooperation, can be solved optimally for at most a few dozen agents. This paper proposes a general approach to find suboptimal solutions for a large-scale coalition formation problem containing thousands of agents using multi-agent simulation. We model coalition formation as an iterative process in which agents join and leave coalitions, and we propose several valuation functions that assign values to the coalitions. We propose several coalition selection strategies that agents may use to decide whether or not to leave their current coalition and which coalition to join. We also show how these valuation functions and coalition selection strategies represent specific coalition formation applications. Finally, we show almost-optimal performance of our algorithms in small-scale scenarios by comparing our solutions with an optimal solution, and we show stable performance in a large-scale setting in which searching for the optimal solution is not feasible.
Constraints on the 22 Ne(α,n) 25 Mg s-process neutron source from analysis of nat Mg+n total and 25 Mg(n,γ) cross sections

The ${}^{22}\mathrm{Ne}(\ensuremath{\alpha}{,n)}^{25}\mathrm{Mg}$ reaction is thought to be the neutron source during the s process in massive and intermediate mass stars as well as a secondary neutron source during the s process in low-mass stars. Therefore, an accurate determination of this rate is important for a better understanding of the origin of nuclides heavier than iron as well as for improving s-process models. Also, the s process produces seed nuclides for a later p process in massive stars, so an accurate value for this rate is important for a better understanding of the p process. Because the lowest observed resonance in direct ${}^{22}\mathrm{Ne}(\ensuremath{\alpha}{,n)}^{25}\mathrm{Mg}$ measurements is considerably above the most important energy range for s-process temperatures, the uncertainty in this rate is dominated by the poorly known properties of states in ${}^{26}\mathrm{Mg}$ between this resonance and threshold. Neutron measurements can observe these states with much better sensitivity and determine their parameters (except ${\ensuremath{\Gamma}}_{\ensuremath{\alpha}})$ much more accurately than direct ${}^{22}\mathrm{Ne}(\ensuremath{\alpha}{,n)}^{25}\mathrm{Mg}$ measurements. I have analyzed previously reported ${}^{\mathrm{nat}}\mathrm{Mg}+n$ total and ${}^{25}\mathrm{Mg}(n,\ensuremath{\gamma})$ cross sections to obtain a much improved set of resonance parameters for states in ${}^{26}\mathrm{Mg}$ between threshold and the lowest observed ${}^{22}\mathrm{Ne}(\ensuremath{\alpha}{,n)}^{25}\mathrm{Mg}$ resonance, and an improved estimate of the uncertainty in the ${}^{22}\mathrm{Ne}(\ensuremath{\alpha}{,n)}^{25}\mathrm{Mg}$ reaction rate. For example, definitely two, and very likely at least four, of the states in this region have natural parity and hence can contribute to the ${}^{22}\mathrm{Ne}(\ensuremath{\alpha}{,n)}^{25}\mathrm{Mg}$ reaction, but two others definitely have non-natural parity and so can be eliminated from consideration. As a result, a recent evaluation in which it was assumed that only one of these states has natural parity has underestimated the reaction rate uncertainty by at least a factor of 10, whereas evaluations that assumed all these states could contribute probably have overestimated the uncertainty.
Sources of disconnection in neurocognitive aging: cerebral white-matter integrity, resting-state functional connectivity, and white-matter hyperintensity volume

Abstract Age-related decline in fluid cognition can be characterized as a disconnection among specific brain structures, leading to a decline in functional efficiency. The potential sources of disconnection, however, are unclear. We investigated imaging measures of cerebral white-matter integrity, resting-state functional connectivity, and white-matter hyperintensity volume as mediators of the relation between age and fluid cognition, in 145 healthy, community-dwelling adults 19–79 years of age. At a general level of analysis, with a single composite measure of fluid cognition and single measures of each of the 3 imaging modalities, age exhibited an independent influence on the cognitive and imaging measures, and the imaging variables did not mediate the age-cognition relation. At a more specific level of analysis, resting-state functional connectivity of sensorimotor networks was a significant mediator of the age-related decline in executive function. These findings suggest that different levels of analysis lead to different models of neurocognitive disconnection, and that resting-state functional connectivity, in particular, may contribute to age-related decline in executive function.
Single-Dose Memantine Improves Cortical Oscillatory Response Dynamics in Patients with Schizophrenia.

Aberrant gamma-band (30–80 Hz) oscillations may underlie cognitive deficits in schizophrenia (SZ). Gamma oscillations and their regulation by NMDA receptors can be studied via their evoked power (γEP) and phase locking (γPL) in response to auditory steady-state stimulation; these auditory steady-state responses (ASSRs) may be biomarkers for target engagement and early therapeutic effects. We previously reported that memantine, an NMDA receptor antagonist, enhanced two biomarkers of early auditory information processing: prepulse inhibition and mismatch negativity (MMN) in SZ patients and healthy subjects (HS). Here, we describe memantine effects on γEP and γPL in those subjects. SZ patients (n=18) and HS (n=14) received memantine 20 mg (p.o.) and placebo over 2 test days in a double-blind, randomized, counterbalanced, cross-over design. The ASSR paradigm (1 ms, 85 dB clicks in 250–0.5 s trains at a frequency of 40 Hz; 0.5 s inter-train interval) was used to assess γEP and γPL. SZ patients had reduced γEP and γPL; memantine enhanced γEP and γPL (p<0.025 and 0.002, respectively) in both SZ and HS. In patients, significant correlations between age and memantine effects were detected for γEP and γPL: greater memantine sensitivity on γEP and γPL were present in younger SZ patients, similar to our reported findings with MMN. Memantine acutely normalized cortical oscillatory dynamics associated with NMDA receptor dysfunction in SZ patients. Ongoing studies will clarify whether these acute changes predict beneficial clinical, neurocognitive and functional outcomes. These data support the use of gamma-band ASSR as a translational end point in pro-cognitive drug discovery and early-phase clinical trials.
Highlights from the scientific and educational abstracts presented at the ASER 2017 annual scientific meeting and postgraduate course

The annual meeting of the American Society of Emergency Radiology (ASER) took place in Toronto, Canada, on September 6 through September 9, 2017. Attendees represented the USA as well as international emergency radiology communities, including those from academic, private practice, and teleradiology settings. There were several “members in training” in attendance as well. The meeting again featured the “Trauma Head to Toe” 2-day didactic course, highlighting various important topics on imaging of traumatic injuries. Scattered throughout the 4 days were several poster and case of the day presentations, scientific sessions, and self-assessment modules. The following is a summary of the educational posters and scientific papers.
Epigenetics of Memory Processes

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the epigenetics of memory processes. Epigenetic mechanisms have some necessary role in the dynamic nature of the adult CNS in response to the environment, and that epigenetic regulation of gene transcription facilitates memory formation. Studies also indicate that manipulation of such mechanisms can restore learning and memory deficits in several rodent models of neurodegeneration and brain injury. Seminal studies continue to demonstrate that the histone proteins and DNA that comprise chromatin are targets of neuronal signaling pathways involved in CNS plasticity and memory formation. Epigenetics is defined as the covalent modification of chromatin that influences activity-dependent changes in gene expression. These changes can be transient, underlying the dynamic regulation of gene activity states, or they can be long-term and responsible for lasting alterations in gene activity states. The combination of dynamic and stable components renders chromatin an ideal substrate for signal integration and storage of cellular information in the CNS. Concerning the field of learning and memory, there are two basic molecular epigenetic mechanisms that are currently studied—post-translational modifications of histone proteins and direct covalent methylation of cytosines. Histones are proteins that organize DNA in the nucleus. There are eight histone proteins (histones 2A, 2B, 3, and 4, with two copies of each molecule) at the heart of the chromatin core.
Classification of Movement and Inhibition Using a Hybrid BCI.

Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) are an emerging technology that are capable of turning brain electrical activity into commands for an external device. Motor imagery (MI)—when a person imagines a motion without executing it—is widely employed in BCI devices for motor control because of the endogenous origin of its neural control mechanisms, and the similarity in brain activation to actual movements. Challenges with translating a MI-BCI into a practical device used outside laboratories include the extensive training required, often due to poor user engagement and visual feedback response delays. Additionally, MI-BCIs have poor user flexibility/freedom to time the execution/inhibition of their movements and to control the movement type (right arm versus left leg) and characteristics (reaching versus grabbing), as well as high false positive rates of motion control. Solutions to improve sensorimotor activation and user performance of MI-BCIs have been explored. Virtual reality (VR) motor-execution tasks have replaced simpler visual feedback (smiling faces, arrows) and have solved this problem to an extent. Hybrid BCIs (hBCIs) implementing an additional control signal to MI have improved user control capabilities to a limited extent. These hBCIs either fail to allow the patients to gain asynchronous control of their movements, or have a high false positive rate. We propose an immersive VR environment which provides visual feedback that is both engaging and immediate, but also uniquely engages a different cognitive process in the patient that generates event-related potentials (ERPs). These ERPs provide a key executive function for the users to execute/inhibit movements. Additionally, we propose signal
Optimal Path Planning in a Threat Environment

Analytical and discrete optimization approaches for routing an aircraft in a threat environment have been developed. The model considers an aircraft’s trajectory in three dimensional (3D) space and presents the aircraft by a symmetrical ellipsoid with the axis of symmetry orienting the trajectory direction. The threat is associated with the risk of aircraft detection by radars, sensors or surface air missiles. Using the analytical and discrete optimization approaches, the deterministic problem of finding an aircraft’s optimal risk trajectory subject to a constraint on the trajectory length has efficiently been solved. Through techniques of Calculus of Variations, the analytical approach reduces the original risk optimization problem to a vectorial nonlinear differential equation. In the case of a single detecting installation, the solution to this equation is expressed by a quadrature. The discrete optimization approach approximates the original problem by the Constrained Shortest Path Problem (CSPP) for a 3D network with a flexible structure. The CSPP has been solved for various ellipsoid shapes and different length constraints in the cases of several radars. The impact of ellipsoid shape on the geometry of an optimal trajectory as well as impact of variable RCS on performance of the discrete optimization approach have been analyzed and illustrated with several numerical examples.
Investigating approaches to diversity in a national survey of physics doctoral degree programs: The graduate admissions landscape

Over-reliance on GRE scores for admission may be substantially limiting the number of well-qualified women and students from traditionally marginalized racial or ethnic groups accepted to physics graduate programs.
Does oil really curse democracy? A long-run time-series analysis of 127 countries

Abstract The resource curse is a topic studied intensively in both economics and political science. Much of the focus is now on whether oil affects democratic institutions. We further the debate on this aspect through the use of both additional measures of democracy and multiple time-series estimation strategies. We find no robust long-run effect of oil abundance on any of the following measures of democracy: Polity, Polcon, Civil Liberties, or Political Rights, over the period 1974–2012. We use different country and period samples to respond to the findings of others suggesting that the effects of oil abundance may differ between Latin America, the Middle East, mature oil producers, or that they become significantly negative only post-1980. In each case we still do not find a robust relationship. We emphasize long-run effects not only because they match the slow pace of institutional change, but also because they are consistent even in the presence of reverse causality.
Wheat resistance to Fusarium head blight

Fusarium head blight (FHB), caused primarily by Fusarium graminearum, has rapidly become the most devastating wheat disease worldwide. Host resistance is the most effective and sustainable strategy...
Carcinoma of the Paranasal Sinuses

The paranasal sinuses are composed of seven bones (ethmoid, maxilla, palatine, lacrimal, pterygoid plate of sphenoid, nasal, and inferior turbinate), four paired sinuses (frontal, ethmoid, maxillary, and sphenoid), and complex networks of nervous, vascular, and lymphatic structures.
Relationship and Identity Development

So far we’ve covered transformational relationships in general terms. Discovering and understanding the intricately and dynamically interrelated features of relationships, however, requires a much deeper investigation. The three basic factors of transformational relationships are (1) evolved human predispositions, (2) tacit knowledge, and (3) social capital. These features, which we’ll call the “triad” for simplicity, have some intriguing attributes. First, these factors are essential to life success. They will evolve in a person in a specific way in response to differing biophysical and social contexts. In technical terms, they are life sustaining and nondeterministic.
Transacting with Clancey’s “Transactional Perspective on the Practice-Based Science of Teaching and Learning”

My paper is a critical-creative reader’s response to William J. Clancey’s contribution to this volume: “Transactional Perspective on the Practice-Based Science of Teaching and Learning.” Because I agree strongly with what he says, there will be little criticism. I begin by examining the matrix of biological functioning from whence cognitive functioning emerges to make some comments about motivation before connecting the examination to the constructive character of Deweyan inquiry. We will find that for Dewey at least, mental functioning, like biological functioning, is never simply located in space or time. I also look at Dewey’s functional, even organic, notion of tools as “extra-organic” organs. As functions, tools are not simply located either. This lack of simple location provides useful clues to the question of learning transfer. I also look at Dewey’s circular notion of causation as a logical concept as well at his theory of intentionality and language before concluding with a discussion of Dewey’s theory of emotions. All of these Deweyan ideas are brought to bear on Clancey’s paper in hopes of creatively amplifying his fine analysis. If the reader finds my response less than creative, I nonetheless commend Clancey’s paper to them for their own critical-creative response.
Assessment of a Bridge Collapse and its Design Parameters for Northridge Earthquake

Publisher Summary During the January 17, 1994, Northridge earthquake, the Mission-Gothic Undercrossing bridge collapsed after severe damage. Its unusual layout of bents, directional dependence of flared column stiffness, and an arrangement of stirrups in the lower part of the column's flare led to its collapse under strong ground motion. The collapse behavior was investigated as a three-dimensional structural system with the consideration of superstructure, column, and abutment conditions. Failure criteria of the bridge columns were developed using nonlinear finite element analysis and biaxial interaction yield surface. Analytical results showed the bridge collapse behavior to be similar to that observed after the earthquake. The results indicated that due to orientation of the columns connected to the bridge, force transmitted from its deck to columns was acting at a 45° from the strong axis of a cross-section, which then caused a 13% reduction in column capacity. Unfavorable conditions in load combination for bridge columns tend to increase if the bridge structure is subjected to three-dimensional ground motion. Hence, circular flare for columns was recommended to avoid unequal column capacity under the lateral load. This chapter indicates a need for additional stirrups to prevent spalling of concrete in the lower part of the flare
FEEDING AND NUTRITION

This chapter discusses germfree animal nutrition and feeding. Successful germfree rearing of many animal species indicates that they have no requirements for unknown nutrients supplied, specifically by bacteria. The rearing of germfree rats and mice on chemically defined diets indicates no requirement for nutrients other than those already known to be required by these species. It is possible that the cecal distention seen in germfree rodents is caused by a deficiency of some nutrient(s), but recent hypotheses tend to link this condition with an accumulation of pharmacologically active substances within the germfree intestinal tract. Although germfree guinea pigs show a somewhat retarded growth rate, germfree rats and mice show growth equal to that of conventional animals, and germfree chickens, turkeys, pigs, and monkeys show superior growth. Milk substitutes for caesarian-derived hand-fed mammals have not provided pre-weaning growth equal to that of mother-fed young, but such substitutes are no longer necessary after reproducing colonies. Germfree guinea pigs do not require milk substitutes even when caesarian derived.
Mapping Protein Modifications

An emerging truism of proteomics is that most proteins are present in living systems in multiply modified forms. In reviewing the “life cycle” of a protein in Chapter 2, we considered the formation of polypeptides on ribosomes, their posttranslational cleavage, their modification by endogenous and exogenous agents, the accumulation of oxidative damage, and their eventual degradation. All of these events involve distinct modifications to protein structures. The occurrence of modifications at multiple sites on some proteins adds to the complexity of the situation. Many of the techniques of protein biochemistry used over the past 50 years have allowed us to determine whether a protein is modified. In most cases, the determination tells us that the protein is modified, but does not tell us where it is modified. Knowing this is important, because the same modification at different sites may have different consequences.
Abstract WP118: Docosahexaenoic Acid Provides Neuroprotection by Increasing Neurogenesis After Experimental Stroke

Introduction: Ischemic injury induces neurogenesis in the subventricular zone (SVZ) of the lateral ventricles and subgranular zone (SGZ) of dentate gyrus (DG), and it promotes the migration of neur...
Specimen records for North American Lepidoptera (Insecta) in the Oregon State Arthropod Collection. Lycaenidae Leach, 1815 and Riodinidae Grote, 1895

A dataset for North American specimens in the holdings of the Oregon State Arthropod Collection is presented. Details about the metadata an some basic summary of the contents are presented. The dataset itself, in the form of a text file (csv formatting) is provided in the supplemental file materials.
PEPTIDE-CHAIN INITIATION IN HEART AND SKELETAL MUSCLE

ABSTRACT Rates of peptide-chain initiation were estimated in heart and skeletal muscle by measurements of the rate of protein synthesis and levels of ribosomal subunits. During perfusion of isolated rat heart or hemicorpus with buffer containing glucose and amino acids, polysomes decreased, levels of ribosomal subunits rose, and protein synthesis declined. These findings indicated development of a restraint on peptide-chain initiation in either tissue. In heart muscle, the restraint was relieved by addition of insulin, fatty acids or non-carbohydrate substrates. In skeletal muscle of mixed fiber type, only insulin was effective in relieving the restraint on initiation. In either tissue, activity of eIF-2, assayed by the formation of the ternary complex of met-tRNA f Met , GTP and eIF-2, was unchanged by insulin.
Employee engagement and absenteeism: A step towards improving patient care

Introduction Recent evidence indicates strong relationships exist between authentic leadership, employee engagement, and reduced burnout. However, little is known regarding the relationship between nursing staff engagement and absenteeism. This article describes how leadership implemented engagement strategies are used to reduce absenteeism on a general surgery unit in a Southeastern community hospital. Methods The aim of this Quality Improvement (QI) project was to decrease absenteeism by 15% using employee engagement strategies derived from Maslow's hierarchy of needs over a 5-month timeframe. Employee attendance software was used to track absences pre-intervention from January to June 2018 and post-intervention from January to June 2019. Results Sixty-seven percent of unit employees (n = 32) were eligible for data collection as they were staff during the pre- and post-intervention timeframes. There were 51 staff absences pre-intervention, compared with 37 absences post-intervention, resulting in a decrease in absenteeism by 27.5%. Discussion This QI project illustrates strategies for nurse leaders to consider implementing to engage their employees and reduce burnout. These findings suggest that burnout is related to absenteeism, which can affect the quality of patient care. This QI project is the foundation for a future study that explores employee engagement strategies in reducing absenteeism to improve patient care.
Multi-phase Boltzmann weighting: accounting for local inhomogeneity in molecular simulations of water–octanol partition coefficients in the SAMPL6 challenge

Accurately computing partition coefficients is a pivotal part of drug discovery. Specifically, octanol-water partition coefficients can provide information into hydrophobicity of drug-like molecules, as well as a de facto representation of membrane permeability. However, one challenge facing the computation of partition coefficients is the need to encapsulate various microscopic environments. These include areas of largely bulk solvent (i.e., either water or octanol) or regions where octanol is saturated with water or areas of higher salt concentration. Also, tautomeric effects require consideration. Thus, we present a Boltzmann weighting approach that incorporates transfer free energies across varying microscopic media, as well as varying tautomeric state, to compute partition coefficients in the SAMPL6 challenge.
Isolation and propagation of leptospires at 37 °C directly from the mammalian host.

The causative agent of leptospirosis includes multiple serovars and species of pathogenic leptospires that are excreted via urine from reservoir hosts of infection. Primary isolation takes weeks to months, and is limited to semi-solid media at 28–30 °C. Here we present an alternative media formulation, HAN, compared to commercially available EMJH and the more specialized T80/40/LH media formulations, in semi-solid and liquid compositions, for the primary isolation of two diverse species and serovars of pathogenic leptospires directly from host kidney tissue. All three media types supported the isolation and propagation of L. interrogans serovar Copenhageni strain IC:20:001 in semi-solid media at 29 °C. However, only HAN and T80/40/LH supported the growth of L. borgpetersenii serovar Hardjo strain HB15B203 at 29 °C. In addition, HAN supported primary isolation at 37 °C. Both T80/40/LH and HAN supported primary isolation of strain IC:20:001 in liquid media at 29 °C but only HAN supported growth of strain HB15B203 in liquid media, at both 29 and 37 °C. HAN media supports the primary isolation of fastidious pathogenic leptospires directly from infected host tissue at either 29 or 37 °C: this formulation represents a more defined media for the continued optimization of growth factors required to support the primary isolation of the large and diverse range of species and serovars within the genus Leptospira circulating within domestic and wild animal populations.
Metabolomics-related nutrient patterns at seroconversion and risk of progression to type 1 diabetes.

Objective Our aim was to elucidate the role of diet in type 1 diabetes (T1D) by examining combinations of nutrient intake in the progression from islet autoimmunity (IA) to T1D. Methods We measured 2457 metabolites and dietary intake at the time of seroconversion in 132 IA-positive children in the prospective Diabetes Autoimmunity Study in the Young. IA was defined as the first of two consecutive visits positive for at least one autoantibody (insulin, GAD, IA-2, or ZnT8). By December 2018, 40 children progressed to T1D. Intakes of 38 nutrients were estimated from semiquantitative food frequency questionnaires. We tested the association of each metabolite with progression to T1D using multivariable Cox regression. Nutrient patterns that best explained variation in candidate metabolites were identified using reduced rank regression (RRR), and their association with progression to T1D was tested using Cox regression adjusting for age at seroconversion and high-risk HLA genotype. Results In stepwise selection, 22 nutrients significantly predicted at least two of the 13 most significant metabolites associated with progression to T1D, and were included in RRR. A nutrient pattern corresponding to intake lower in linoleic acid, niacin, and riboflavin, and higher in total sugars, explained 18% of metabolite variability. Children scoring higher on this metabolite-related nutrient pattern at seroconversion had increased risk for progressing to T1D (HR = 3.17, 95%CI = 1.42-7.05). Conclusions Combinations of nutrient intake reflecting candidate metabolites are associated with increased risk of T1D, and may help focus dietary prevention efforts.
Expectations of Lumbar Surgery Outcomes among Opioid Users Compared with Non-Users.

Study design Matched cohort study. Purpose To compare and describe the effect of opioid usage on the expectations of lumbar surgery outcomes among patients taking opioids and patients not taking opioids. Overview of literature Chronic opioid use is common among lumbar-spine surgery patients. The decision to undergo elective lumbar surgery is influenced by the expected surgery outcomes. However, the effects of opioids on patients' expectations of lumbar surgery outcomes remain to be rigorously assessed. Methods A total of 77 opioid users grouped according to dose and duration (54 "higher users," 30 "lower users") were matched 2:1 to 154 non-opioid users based on age, sex, marital status, chiropractic care, disability, and diagnosis. All patients completed a validated 20-item Expectations Survey measuring expected improvement with regard to symptoms, function, psychological well-being, and anticipated future spine condition. "Greater expectations" was defined as a higher survey score (possible range, 0-100) based on the number of items expected and degree of improvement expected. Results The mean Expectations Survey scores for all opioid users and all non-users were similar (73 vs. 70, p=0.18). Scores were different, however, for lower users (79) compared with matched non-users (69, p=0.01) and compared with higher users (70, p=0.01). In multivariable analysis, "reater expectations" was independently associated with having had chiropractic care (p=0.03), being more disabled (p=0.002), and being a lower-dose opioid user (p=0.03). Compared with higher users, lower users were also more likely to expect not to need pain medications 2 years after surgery (47% vs. 83%, p=0.003). Conclusions Patient expectations of lumbar surgery are associated with diverse demographic and clinical variables. A lower dose and shorter duration of opioid use were associated with expecting more items and expecting more complete improvement compared with non-users. In addition, lower opioid users had greater overall expectations compared with higher users.
Do Women Who Self-report More Exercise Have Increased Rates of Symptomatic Stress Urinary Incontinence After Midurethral Slings?

Author(s): Ferrante, Kimberly L; Gantz, Marie G; Sridhar, Amaanti; Smith, Ariana; Rahn, David D; Ellington, David R; Weidner, Alison C; Wohlrab, Kyle; Mazloomdoost, Donna; Moalli, Pamela; Lukacz, Emily S; NICHD Pelvic Floor Disorders Network | Abstract: ObjectivesThere is a paucity of data on postoperative exercise and how it relates to surgical failure, specifically after midurethral sling (MUS) surgery. We aimed to assess if women with higher self-reported activity levels as measured by strenuous exercise are more likely to experience stress urinary incontinence (SUI) symptoms after MUS than women with lower self-reported activity.MethodsThis is a secondary analysis of Operations and Pelvic Muscle Training in the Management of Apical Support Loss: the OPTIMAL Trial, a randomized trial comparing sacrospinous ligament suspension versus uterosacral ligament suspension, both with concomitant retropubic MUS. Participants completed a validated assessment of activity preoperatively and postoperatively. Women in the upper quartile for strenuous exercise (≥90 minutes per week) were compared with the remaining participants. Symptomatic SUI was defined as retreatment or reoperation for SUI and/or any positive response to Pelvic Floor Disorders Inventory stress incontinence questions 20 to 22.ResultsA total of 351 participants in the OPTIMAL study received MUS along with their prolapse repair and had postoperative exercise and Pelvic Floor Disorders Inventory data. At 2 years, 87 (29%) of 305 exercised strenuously for at least 90 minutes per week, and 63 (23%) of 277 experienced SUI. Women who were less active at 2 years were significantly more likely to experience SUI than women who were more active (26.6% vs 12.8%, P = 0.0138).ConclusionsIn this study, symptomatic SUI occurred more frequently in women with lower self-reported exercise levels 2 years after MUS surgery.
Urban renewal and school reform in Baltimore: rethinking the 21st century public school: by Erkin Ozay, London and New York, Routledge, 2020, 188 pp., £120/$155 (hardback), ISBN: HB//9780367332570

Urban Renewal and School Reform in Baltimore unpacks urban design as an instrument of renewal and education reform in Baltimore. The book is an important contribution to rethinking the connections ...
Implementing testing approaches for SARS-CoV-2 to address health disparities: lessons learned from sexually transmitted infections.

SARS-CoV-2 is a novel coronavirus and the cause of COVID-19 (https://www.who.int/). There are currently 45 million individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 and over 1.2 million who have died worldwide.1 Of these, nine million cases and over 228 000 deaths have occurred in the USA.1 COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted individuals with comorbidities and of older age. Other social risk factors predicting vulnerability to COVID-19 include low socioeconomic status, race/ethnicity and occupational setting. There has been a higher number of COVID-19 cases and deaths among marginalised groups. Populations in the USA with a greater COVID-19 burden include African American/black and Hispanic/Latino communities. There are limited data on SARS-CoV-2 and sexual orientation and gender diversity. However, based on existing health disparities, the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) community is also likely to be disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. A key component of addressing COVID-19 is diagnostic testing for SARS-CoV-2. However, approaches and models to implementing accessible SARS-CoV-2 testing, especially for vulnerable communities, have not been well described. STIs also disproportionately affect underserved and marginalised communities, with 376 million new infections of curable STIs worldwide in 2016.2 In the USA, African American/black, Hispanic/Latino and LGBTQ+ individuals are at a greater risk for STIs due to proximal and distal social determinants of health, including economic stability, physical environments, social and community context, education, and healthcare access.3 Similarly, the impact of social determinants has worsened STI health outcomes among vulnerable populations across the world.3 Given the overlap in communities affected by COVID-19 and STIs, there are significant lessons to be learned from experiences with STI testing. We examine challenges related to COVID-19 testing and offer potential solutions derived from STI testing that may increase access for those most at risk and mitigate health disparities (figure 1). Figure 1 Improving access to COVID-19 testing. The ability to …
The dynamics of food shopping behavior: Exploring travel patterns in low-income Detroit neighborhoods experiencing extreme disinvestment using agent-based modeling.

Only a handful of studies have leveraged agent-based models (ABMs) to examine public health outcomes and policy interventions associated with uneven urban food environments. While providing keen insights about the role of ABMs in studying urban food environments, these studies underutilize real-world data on individual behavior in their models. This study provides a unique contribution to the ABM and food access literature by utilizing survey data to develop an empirically-rich spatially-explicit ABM of food access. This model is used to simulate and scrutinize individual travel behavior associated with accessing food in low-income neighborhoods experiencing disinvestment in Detroit (Michigan), U.S. In particular, the relationship between trip frequencies, mode of travel, store choice, and distances traveled among individuals grouped into strata based on selected sociodemographic characteristics, including household income and age, is examined. Results reveal a diversified picture of not only how income and age shape food shopping travel but also the different thresholds of tolerance for non-motorized travel to stores. Younger and poorer population subgroups have a higher propensity to utilize non-motorized travel for shopping than older and wealthier subgroups. While all groups tend to travel considerable distances outside their immediate local food environment, different sociodemographic groups maintain unique spatial patterns of grocery-shopping behavior throughout the city and the suburbs. Overall, these results challenge foundational tenets in urban planning and design, regarding the specific characteristics necessary in the built environment to facilitate accessibility to urban amenities, such as grocery stores. In neighborhoods experiencing disinvestment, sociodemographic conditions play a more important role than the built environment in shaping food accessibility and ultimately travel behavior.
The Deconditioning Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Unaffected Healthy Children.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had devastating direct consequences on the health of affected patients. It has also had a significant impact on the ability of unaffected children to be physically active. We evaluated the effect of deconditioning from social distancing and school shutdowns implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic on the cardiovascular fitness of healthy unaffected children. This is a single-center, retrospective case–control study performed in an urban tertiary referral center. A cohort of 10 healthy children that underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing after COVID-19 hospital restrictions were lifted was compared to a matched cohort before COVID-19-related shutdowns on school and after-school activities. Comparisons of oxygen uptake (VO2) max and VO2 at anaerobic threshold between the pre- and post-COVID-19 cohorts were done. The VO2 max in the post-COVID cohort was significantly lower than in the pre-COVID cohort (39.1 vs. 44.7, p = 0.031). Only one out of ten patients had a higher VO2 max when compared to their matched pre-COVID control and was also the only patient with a documented history of participation in varsity-type athletics. The percentile of predicted VO2 was significantly lower in the post-COVID cohort (95% vs. 105%, p = 0.042). This study for the first time documented a significant measurable decline in physical fitness of healthy children as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated restrictions. Measures need to be identified that encourage and facilitate regular exercise in children in a way that are not solely dependent on school and organized after-school activities.
Anger, Fear, and Sadness: How Emotions Could Help Us End a Pandemic of Racism

Racism, recently referred to as another kind of pandemic, affects the health and safety of diverse individuals within the United States and around the world. Emotions are a powerful and integral aspect of the experience of racism; however, within the field of behavior analysis, we have been hesitant to acknowledge emotion or explore how it relates to behavior and behavioral contingencies. As a result, the scope of our understanding of emotion is limited. To better understand the current experience and perception of practitioners in the field of behavior analysis, as they relate to emotion and racism, a brief survey was conducted. Findings indicated that although many may be comfortable discussing emotion and displaying emotions for themselves and others, this was not the case for everyone. Further, many were uncomfortable discussing racism. Although participants believed that emotions of racism are important and should be addressed by the field of behavior analysis, they think the field has not done enough work in this area. The results of the study lead to several recommendations, including additional antiracism research and the acknowledgment of emotional experience, as well as for how individuals can better understand, and maybe reduce, the negative emotions associated with oppression.
Secretory activity of human cyst fluid isolated from polycystic kidney disease patients (893.24)

Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is characterized by the slow growth of fluid-filled cysts in kidney tubules. Kidney function is relatively normal in the first 5 decades of life despite substantial cyst development but thereafter the decline in function is precipitous leading to complete renal failure in five years in 50% of patients. As cysts increase in size, the probability of rupture and release of cyst fluid becomes increasingly likely. Cyst fluid has been shown to cause an additional secretory Clflux that leads to the expansion of the remaining intact cysts. We have previously shown that the active component of the cyst fluid is lysophosphatidic acid (LPA). Electrophysiological techniques were used to measure human cyst fluid stimulation of ion flux in the mpkCCDcl4 cell line, a model of the cell type that lines renal cysts. The Clsecretory response is due to activation of both CFTR and a calcium activated chloride channel. Interestingly, the cyst fluid effect was not accompanied by an increase in cAMP but rather via a LPA receptor mediated activation of phospholipase C followed by the stimulation of the tyrosine kinase Pyk. These results suggest novel targets for treatment of late stage PKD.