cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transplants of NGF-rich tissue increases survival and regeneration of axotomized cholinergic neurons in the basal forebrain

Transections of the fimbria-fornix (F/FX) result in a loss or shrinkage of cholinergic neurons in the medial septum/vertical limb of the diagonal band (MS/VDB) possibly due to the deprivation of a retrogradely transported, target-derived trophic factor(s) in the hippocampal formation. From recent evidence reported in this and other labs, it is suggested that one of these trophic factors may be nerve growth factor or NGF (Collins and Crutcher, 1985; Hefti, 1986; Gage et al, 1986; Springer et al, 1987). Specifically, we recently reported that the receptor to NGF is actively transported in the F/FX, thus establishing a mechanism by which NGF may mediate trophic support in the septo-hippocampal pathway (Johnson et al, 1987). Further, removal of target contact by transecting the F/FX results in a loss of MS/VDB neurons which are immunoreactive to the NGF receptor (Springer et al, 1987). We also have demonstrated that aspirations of the frontoparietal and anterior cingulate cortical areas result in cell loss or shrinkage in the nucleus basalis (Springer et al, 1987).
Adult Gamma Camera Myocardial Perfusion Imaging: Diagnostic Reference Levels and Achievable Administered Activities Derived From ACR Accreditation Data

Abstract Purpose The aim of this study was to glean from accreditation surveys of US nuclear medicine facilities the in-practice radiopharmaceutical diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) and achievable administered activities (AAAs) for adult gamma camera myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI). Methods Data were collected from the ACR Nuclear Medicine Accreditation Program during one three-year accreditation cycle from May 1, 2012, to April 30, 2015. Data elements included radiopharmaceutical, administered activity, examination protocol, interpreting physician specialty, practice type, and facility annual examination volume. Facility demographics, DRLs, and AAAs were tabulated for analysis. Results The calculated DRLs and AAAs are consistent with previously published surveys, and they adhere to national societal guidelines. Facilities seeking ACR accreditation are nearly evenly split between hospital based with multiple gamma cameras and office based with single gamma cameras. The majority of facilities use single-day, low-dosage/high-dosage 99m Tc-based protocols; a small minority use 201 TlCl protocols. Administered activities show a consistency across facilities, likely reflecting adoption of standard MPI protocols. Conclusions This practice-based analysis provides DRL and AAA benchmarks that nuclear medicine facilities may use to refine gamma camera MPI protocols. In general, the protocols submitted for ACR accreditation are consistent with national societal guidelines. The results suggest that there may be opportunities to further reduce patient radiation exposure by using modified examination protocols and newer gamma camera software and hardware technologies.
Intermittent Catheterization and Vesical Defenses

AbstractThe effectiveness of intermittent catheterization in eradicating bacteriuria in patients requiring catheterization for inadequate voiding was subjected to a mathematical analysis to establish its theoretical basis. It can be shown that, at 1 extreme, with 6ml. urine remaining in the bladder, assuming reasonable hydration, catheterization must be done at least every 2 to 2½ hours to limit bacteriuria. In contrast, if as little as 0.5ml. urine is left behind, catheterization may be done every 4 to 5 hours to achieve the same result. Moreover, from the graphic depiction of the calculation it is seen that a reduction in the intervals between catheterization has a much greater effect than an increase in the urinary output in the reduction of the bacterial count.The volume of residual urine after catheterization was directly determined by measurement of Phenolsulfonphthalein that was washed out after drainage by catheter in the female dog and in women. In the dog it averaged 0.435ml. but in women it was...
Accessing the Classroom Discourse Community Through Accountable Talk: English Learners’ Voices

This case study draws on Gee's (1989) D/discourse theory to investigate English learners’ (ELs’) perspectives regarding Accountable Talk (AT)—a structured, discourse-intensive instructional approach—after a yearlong implementation in three content-based (mathematics) middle school classrooms. Interviews with 21 ELs (3 Advanced Placement, 18 comprehensive)1 revealed that students perceived AT as a means for (a) improving the quality of classroom interactions, (b) having expanded learning opportunities, and (c) getting ahead in school and life. In particular, students felt that by establishing shared norms for talk, explicitly teaching them verbal and nonverbal features of the school Discourse (e.g., active listening strategies), and increasing their access to peer experts and to opportunities to take on roles of authority (i.e., teachers/helpers), AT enabled their classroom participation on a more equal footing. These results suggest that giving the school-based Discourse a name (such as AT) and explicitly teaching about its principles may benefit culturally and linguistically diverse students by facilitating their socialization into the community of practice. At the same time, the study revealed that teacher perceptions and practices may limit the benefits of AT for ELs.
“They Vote Like Their Kindred”: Regional Citizenship, Electoral Politics, and Discourses of Belonging in Brong Ahafo, Ghana:

This paper explores reactions to election results in the Brong Ahafo region of Ghana from the perspectives of the politics of belonging debates – the distinction citizens of the same nation-state make between those who belong and those who belong less in one of Ghana’s highly competitive electoral regions. It argues that multi-party democracy has intensified or given rise to social and political tensions or conflicts in some local communities rather than enhance democratic ideals and peaceful coexistence
A Greedy Algorithm to Construct L1 Graph with Ranked Dictionary

$$\mathcal {L}_1$$ graph is an effective way to represent data samples in many graph-oriented machine learning applications. Its original construction algorithm is nonparametric, and the graphs it generates may have high sparsity. Meanwhile, the construction algorithm also requires many iterative convex optimization calculations and is very time-consuming. Such characteristics would severely limit the application scope of $$\mathcal {L}_1$$ graph in many real-world tasks. In this paper, we design a greedy algorithm to speed up the construction of $$\mathcal {L}_1$$ graph. Moreover, we introduce the concept of "Ranked Dictionary" for $$\mathcal {L}_1$$ minimization. This ranked dictionary not only preserves the locality but also removes the randomness of neighborhood selection during the process of graph construction. To demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed algorithm, we present our experimental results on several commonly-used datasets using two different ranking strategies: one is based on Euclidean metric, and another is based on diffusion metric.
Chemokines and Chemokine Receptors along the Brain Microvasculature

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the expression of chemokine receptors along the brain microvasculature, and their potential role in neuroinflammatory and neuroinfectious processes. The unique properties of the cerebral microvasculature might significantly dictate the course and extent of chemokine action within the central nervous system (CNS), and critically modulate both physiologic and pathophysiologic processes. In numerous inflammatory, traumatic, and infectious conditions of the CNS, astrocytes and infiltrating leukocytes have been determined to be major sources of chemokine production. Chemokine receptors have been reported to be expressed by endothelial cells from a wide variety of tissues and implicated in mediating several aspects of angiogenesis and angiostasis. Such expression by endothelial cells prompts consideration that specialized interactions of chemokines with the brain microvascular endothelium might constitute the incipient steps in directing leukocyte traffic into the CNS. Bilateral expression of chemokine binding sites along both abluminal and luminal surfaces of brain in vivo, may carry important implications for both chemokine and pathogen transport across the blood–brain barrier (BBB). Additional studies have attested to the functional competence of these chemokine binding sites. Confirmation of a role for chemokine receptors at the BBB will expand the endothelium as a target for therapeutics in the treatment of inflammatory, infectious and vascular diseases of the brain.
Control of Diesel Particulate Emissions

Federal emission control requirements for diesel-fueled automobiles include a particulate standard of 0.6 g mi-1 in 1982 and 0.2 g mi-1 in 1985. Development programs aimed at meeting these requirements include both engine modifications and the use of aftertreatment devices. Only aftertreatment will be considered in this review.
Preclinical studies of gilteritinib, a next-generation FLT3 inhibitor.

To the editor: FLT3-activating mutations are one of the most frequent genetic aberrations in acute myeloid leukemia (AML).[1][1] Internal tandem duplication (FLT3-ITD) mutations are associated with the worst prognosis, whereas tyrosine kinase domain (FLT3/TKD) mutations have an uncertain prognostic
Indirect computed tomographic lymphography for iliosacral lymphatic mapping in a cohort of dogs with anal sac gland adenocarcinoma: Technique description

Sentinel lymph node mapping can help to direct surgical oncologic staging and metastatic disease detection in patients with complex lymphatic pathways. We hypothesized that indirect computed tomographic lymphography (ICTL) with a water-soluble iodinated contrast agent would successfully map lymphatic pathways of the iliosacral lymphatic center in dogs with anal sac gland carcinoma, providing a potential preoperative method for iliosacral sentinel lymph node identification in dogs. Thirteen adult dogs diagnosed with anal sac gland carcinoma were enrolled in this prospective, pilot study, and ICTL was performed via peritumoral contrast injection with serial caudal abdominal computed tomography scans for iliosacral sentinel lymph node identification. Technical and descriptive details for ICTL were recorded, including patient positioning, total contrast injection volume, timing of contrast visualization, and sentinel lymph nodes and lymphatic pathways identified. Indirect CT lymphography identified lymphatic pathways and sentinel lymph nodes in 12/13 cases (92%). Identified sentinel lymph nodes were ipsilateral to the anal sac gland carcinoma in 8/12 and contralateral to the anal sac gland carcinoma in 4/12 cases. Sacral, internal iliac, and medial iliac lymph nodes were identified as sentinel lymph nodes, and patterns were widely variable. Patient positioning and timing of imaging may impact successful sentinel lymph node identification. Positioning in supported sternal recumbency is recommended. Results indicate that ICTL may be a feasible technique for sentinel lymph node identification in dogs with anal sac gland carcinoma and offer preliminary data to drive further investigation of iliosacral lymphatic metastatic patterns using ICTL and sentinel lymph node biopsy.
Midlife and Late-Life Vascular Risk Factors and White Matter Microstructural Integrity: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Neurocognitive Study.

BackgroundDiffusion tensor imaging measures of white matter (WM) microstructural integrity appear to provide earlier indication of WM injury than WM hyperintensities; however, risk factors for poor...
Long Distance Teacher Education

The University of South Carolina used an educational television format for an introductory braille course to reach a population of teachers scattered throughout the state. Results indicate that thi...
Case of a Girl with Chronic Abdominal Pain, Frequent Emergency Room Visits, and Opioid Abuse

A 17-year-old G1P0010 girl was referred to an adolescent medicine specialist by the emergency department (ED) for evaluation of chronic abdominal pain recurring over the past year after she was seen in the ED 2 days ago for cervicitis. She has a history of physical and sexual abuse, extensive psychiatric history, prescription narcotic abuse, gynecologic history of pelvic inflammatory disease, and repeated sexually transmitted infections. Physical exam is significant for multiple tattoos, linear thigh hematoma, diffuse abdominal tenderness to palpation, scant vaginal discharge, and tearfulness on pelvic exam. She seems agitated and uses her cell phone to text throughout the clinic visit. Presentation is concerning for chronic pelvic pain and possible domestic minor sex trafficking (DMST). Because victims of DMST rarely self-identify, it is critical for physicians to recognize the warning signs of sex trafficking and effectively intervene on behalf of these patients to directly affect recovery and outcomes.
Developmental relations between alcohol expectancies and social norms in predicting alcohol onset.

Expectations about alcohol's effects and perceptions of peers' behaviors and beliefs related to alcohol use are each shown to strongly influence the timing of drinking onset during adolescence. The present study builds on prior work by examining the conjoint effects of within-person changes in these social-cognitive factors on age of adolescent drinking onset. We related youths' alcohol status (i.e., alcohol-naive, initiation during study, prior initiation) to increases in positive and negative alcohol outcome expectancies (AOEs), as well as increases in perceived peer/close friend alcohol use and acceptance, during adolescence. We also investigated whether changes in AOEs and perceived social norms prospectively predicted alcohol onset in alcohol-naive adolescents. Participants were 1,023 adolescents aged 12.2 years on average at enrollment (SD = 0.98), 52% female, participating in an ongoing longitudinal survey on substance use and health behaviors. Positive AOEs, close friends' norms, and same-age peer norms increased linearly, whereas negative AOEs decreased linearly. Changes were attenuated for participants who remained alcohol-naive and increased for participants who experienced initiation during the study. Furthermore, we found associations between individual changes in AOEs and perceived social norms. Finally, survival models revealed that onset of alcohol use was prospectively predicted by stronger initial positive AOEs, as well as increases in close friends' norms and decreases in negative AOEs over time. These findings emphasize codevelopment of AOEs and perceived social norms, coinciding with, and predictive of, onset of alcohol use, and point toward a unique role for within-individual changes in identifying youth at risk for early onset of alcohol use. (PsycINFO Database Record
Molecular polydispersity improves prediction of asphaltene aggregation

Abstract Asphaltene flocculation and deposition from petroleum fluids may cause severe formation damage and flow assurance challenges. Flocculation occurs when asphaltene aggregates are no longer colloidally stable in solution. Although extensive experimental and modeling studies have been performed on asphaltene aggregation, some of the mechanisms and parameters governing this phenomenon (such as molecular structure and polydispersity) are still not fully understood. In this study, a polydisperse mixture of asphaltene molecules varying in size, aromaticity and functionality was studied by atomistic molecular dynamics simulations. Aggregation in systems spanning 105 to 1005 molecules was simulated for approximately one microsecond under ambient conditions and a concentration of 5 wt% in heptane. Simulation trajectories revealed two stages of aggregation: nanoaggregation and clustering, in agreement with the Yen–Mullins hierarchy. Distinctions between nanoaggregates and clusters were observed by various analyses including trajectory visualization, fractal dimension, and cluster size analysis. Different roles for molecules varying in size and aromaticity were observed in the aggregation process: molecules low in molecular weight and/or aromaticity tended to cap larger aggregates, prohibiting further accumulation and limiting nanoaggregate size. Comparisons to simulations of monodisperse systems containing only one type of molecules, either highly hydrogen bonding or non‑hydrogen bonding, accentuated these findings. This study demonstrates the importance of polydispersity on asphaltene aggregation and provides a lower limit of approximately 375 molecules in such a mixture to represent the two stages of aggregation.
Clinical associations between allergies and rapid eye movement sleep disturbances

Background Allergic rhinitis, an immunoglobulin E inflammatory condition including nasal congestion, obstruction, sneezing, pruritus, and fatigue symptoms, has significant impact on quality of life and impairs sleep. Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) patients often have normal all-night apnea-hypopnea (AHI) or respiratory-disturbance (RDI) indices on polysomnography (PSG). We hypothesized that the rapid eye motion–respiratory disturbance index (REM-RDI) may be a novel predictor of allergic status. Methods A retrospective analysis of 100 patients compared REM-RDI results in 67 allergen-positive patients with 33 nonallergic patients who presented with nasal blockage. Subjects completed STOP-Bang©, 22-item Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22)©, and Epworth Sleepiness Scale© questionnaires and underwent skin-prick testing (SPT) and PSGs including REM-RDI values. Using multivariate logistic regression models, we evaluated relationships between allergic status and sleep parameters while controlling for possible confounders including body mass index (BMI). Results Using REM-RDI as the outcome of interest, allergen-positive patients were 3.92 times more likely to have REM-RDI values in a moderate/severe range (≥15 events/hour); and patients with moderate/severe REM-RDI values were more likely to be allergen positive (p < 0.05). Allergic status was not significantly related to all-night AHI, RDI, or REM-AHI. BMI was not significantly related to REM-RDI. STOP-Bang© was related to allergy status (p = 0.02) and REM-RDI (p < 0.01). Allergic patients had increased REM latency and less total amount of REM. Conclusion We revealed significant bidirectional associations between allergen positivity and increased REM-RDI values independent of BMI, AHI, RDI, and REM-AHI. Allergic inflammation and REM-RDI data may play important roles in diagnosing and treating fatigued SDB patients and as objective perioperative safety and outcomes measures.
Pre-exposure prophylaxis for human immunodeficiency virus: the past, present, and future

This article presents an overview of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention. The authors describe the past animal and human research that has been conducted that informs our current understanding of PrEP; summarize ongoing research in the area, including describing new regimens and delivery mechanisms being studied for PrEP; and highlight key issues that must be addressed in order to implement and optimize the use of this HIV prevention tool.
Ctrip: Scientifically Managing Travel Services

Ctrip is a $437 million Chinese on-line travel services company with a scientific, data driven approach to management. The case explores Ctrip's founding and early growth, its expansion into multiple market segments including hotel reservations, air ticketing, leisure travel, and corporate travel, and the sources of its competitive advantage. The firm's culture, organization and call center operations are described in detail, as are its decision-making and business processes. At the end of the case, executives are considering whether Ctrip should actively pursue either the budget or luxury travel segments, which would mean shifting attention from the company's core customer base of Frequent Independent Travelers.Learning Objective: The case has three main purposes. First, it helps students understand some of the distinctive challenges of the Chinese marketplace and how those challenges can be overcome. Ctrip was founded in 1999 at a time when the Chinese travel industry was fragmented; the key players were either state-owned enterprises or small, local travel agencies. Ctrip grew quickly by consolidating the business, broadening geographical coverage, and offering superior service. Second, the case includes a detailed description of the company's scientific approach to management, which help students better understand its elements and key components: data-driven decision making, experimentation, process analysis, and a non-hierarchical, learning oriented culture. Third, the case presents students with a dilemma faced by many growing companies - deciding if and when to expand into new market segments that are likely to require different capabilities because they appeal to a different customer base (in this case, either budget or luxury travelers rather than Ctrip's traditional Frequent Independent Travelers).
Critical Discussion of Some Basic Issues Raised in the Logic, Epistemology, History, and Ontology of the Natural Sciences

In this chapter I have brought together some critical reflections on the work of some of my colleagues in the field. I shall discuss first Stegmuller’s conception of the problem and the criterion of empirical significance in scientific languages. Then I shall reflect critically on Popper’s Logic of Scientific Discovery and Hempel’s explanation of scientific laws. In a third section I plan to say something about Kuhn’s The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. Section 4 will be concerned with Lakatos’ methodology of scientific research programs. In Section 5 I shall turn to Hubner’s Critique of Scientific Reason,and particularly to his conception of the nature of scientific theories. Finally, I shall make an effort to compare my own view of the nature of the natural sciences with that of Patrick Heelan.
Pulmonary malakoplakia secondary to Rhodococcus equi infection mimicking a lung neoplasm in a lung transplant recipient.

Pulmonary masses occasionally occur after lung transplantation and vary in etiology, which includes malignant and benign conditions, such as infection. Here, we report a case of a patient presenting with a lung mass 3 years after lung transplant. To our knowledge, this is the first described case of pulmonary malakoplakia due to Rhodococcus equi infection in an allograft post-lung transplantation. This case outlines the challenges of differentiating benign from malignant masses after transplantation.
The effect of electric fields on grain growth in MgAl2O4 spinel

Abstract The application of electrostatic fields during processing of oxide ceramic microstructures was previously reported to enhance densification and grain growth. In this study effects of the externally applied electrostatic field strength on grain growth in MgAl2O4 were investigated. Free sintering of green bodies showed accelerated grain growth by about 20% in the presence of an applied nominal field strength of 0.95 kV/cm. In contrast to previous studies, annealing of dense microstructures in the presence of a nominal electric field strength as high as 2.22 kV/cm revealed no additional grain growth. A machine learning algorithm for grain size analysis enabled grain size distributions including up to 30,000 grains. Due to the resulting counting statistics for microstructure analysis, it was discovered that the applied electrostatic fields caused grain growth predominantly during the early stages of sintering, i.e., at lower green body densities, hence suggesting an enhancement of surface diffusion.
Outbreak of Opportunistic Ascending Pyelonephritis with Numerous Yeast after Experimental Humanization Surgery in NOD.Cg-Prkdcscid Il2rgtm1Wjl/SzJ and NOD.Cg-Rag1tm1Mom Il2rgtm1Wjl/SzJ Immunodeficient Mice.

Unexpected mortality occurred in a group of 12 NOD.Cg-NOD.Cg-PrkdcscidIl2rgtm1Wjl/SzJ (NSG) and 12 NOD.Cg-Rag1tm1Mom Il2rgtm1Wjl/SzJ (NRG) immunodeficient mice. At 10 d after routine bone marrow-liver-thymus humanization surgery, 9 mice were found dead without observation of initiating clinical signs; 1 d later (day 11), 3 additional mice showed signs of morbidity, including severe hunching, lateral recumbency, slow movement, shallow respiration, and decreased response to external stimulus. All remaining mice rapidly decompensated and were found dead or were euthanized within 4 d after the first death. Histopathology revealed severe ascending pyelonephritis with numerous yeast. Cultures in some mice were positive for Enterococcus faecalis or Staphylococcus xylosus, 2 bacteria considered commensals in rodents. In addition, Candida albicans was cultured from some animals. Further investigation revealed that a restraining device used for tail vein injections was the likely fomite harboring Candida organisms. These findings indicate that ascending pyelonephritis, with Candida as the etiologic agent, can cause significant mortality in NSG and NRG immunodeficient mice.
Properties of N-polar InGaN/GaN quantum wells grown with triethyl gallium and triethyl indium as precursors

N-polar InGaN/GaN multi quantum wells (MQWs) were grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) using a methyl-free process with triethyl gallium (TEGa) and triethyl indium (TEIn) as precursors allowing the demonstration of N-polar (In,Ga)N layers with residual carbon impurity concentrations as low as 2 x1016 cm-3, which was about one order of magnitude lower compared to samples grown with trimethyl indium (TMIn) as the indium precursor. The residual oxygen concentration in the samples ranged between 3 and 5 x1016 cm-3. Interestingly the significantly lower carbon content in the samples grown with TEIn resulted only in a slight increase of the quantum well luminescence compared to the samples grown with TMIn. Independent of the indium precursor used, the luminescence of the N-polar MQWs was significantly less intense compared to complimentary Ga-polar samples, which were also grown for comparison.
Synthetic secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (LGM2605) inhibits Libby amphibole fiber-induced acute inflammation in mice.

Abstract Background Exposure to the Libby amphibole (LA) asbestos-like fibers found in Libby, Montana, is associated with inflammatory responses in mice and humans, and an increased risk of developing mesothelioma, asbestosis, pleural disease, and systemic autoimmune disease. Flaxseed-derived secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG) has anti-inflammatory, anti-fibrotic, and antioxidant properties. We have previously identified potent protective properties of SDG against crocidolite asbestos exposure modeled in mice. The current studies aimed to extend those findings by evaluating the immunomodulatory effects of synthetic SDG (LGM2605) on LA-exposed mice. Methods Male and female C57BL/6 mice were given LGM2605 via gavage initiated 3 days prior to and continued for 3 days after a single intraperitoneal dose of LA fibers (200 μg) and evaluated on day 3 for inflammatory cell influx in the peritoneal cavity using flow cytometry. Results LA exposure induced a significant increase (p Conclusions LGM2605 reduced LA-induced acute inflammation and WBC trafficking supporting its possible use in mitigating downstream LA fiber-associated diseases. Summary Following acute exposure to Libby amphibole (LA) asbestos-like fibers, synthetic SDG (LGM2605), a small synthetic molecule, significantly reduced the LA-induced increase in spleen weight and peritoneal inflammation in C57BL/6 male and female mice. Our findings highlight that LGM2605 has immunomodulatory properties and may, thus, likely be a chemopreventive agent for LA-induced diseases.
Risk Factors for Mortality in Pediatric Postsurgical versus Medical Severe Sepsis

Abstract Background Sepsis is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality after surgery. Most studies regarding sepsis do not differentiate between patients who have had recent surgery and those without. Few data exist regarding the risk factors for poor outcomes in pediatric postsurgical sepsis. Our hypothesis is pediatric postsurgical, and medical patients with severe sepsis have unique risk factors for mortality. Methods Data were extracted from a secondary analysis of an international point prevalence study of pediatric severe sepsis. Sites included 128 pediatric intensive care units from 26 countries. Pediatric patients with severe sepsis were categorized into those who had recent surgery (postsurgical sepsis) versus those that did not (medical sepsis) before sepsis onset. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to determine risk factors for mortality. Results A total of 556 patients were included: 138 with postsurgical and 418 with medical sepsis. In postsurgical sepsis, older age, admission from the hospital ward, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome at sepsis recognition, and cardiovascular and respiratory comorbidities were independent risk factors for death. In medical sepsis, resource-limited region, hospital-acquired infection, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome at sepsis recognition, higher Pediatric Index of Mortality-3 score, and malignancy were independent risk factors for death. Conclusions Pediatric patients with postsurgical sepsis had different risk factors for mortality compared with medical sepsis. This included a higher mortality risk in postsurgical patients presenting to the intensive care unit from the hospital ward. These data suggest an opportunity to develop and test early warning systems specific to pediatric sepsis in the postsurgical population.
Social validity and cultural competence

Abstract This chapter offers strategies for utilizing social validity toward improving cultural competence. Conceptualizations of cultural competence are provided in relation to conceptualizations of social validity. Discussion and examples are offered to show how assessment of cultural preferences and norms is highly complementary to social validity assessment.
Disparities in receipt of guideline concordant treatment for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients in California.

160Background: Lung cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related death in the U.S. In 2013, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force began recommending...
Accuracy and clinical feasibility of 3D-myocardial thickness map measured by cardiac computed tomogram

Although myocardial thickness is an important variable for therapeutic catheter ablation of cardiac arrhythmias, quantification of wall thickness has been overlooked. We developed a software (AMBER) that measures 3D-myocardial thickness using a cardiac computed tomogram (CT) image, verified its accuracy, and tested its clinical feasibility. We generated 3D-thickness maps by calculating wall thickness (WT) from the CT images of 120 patients’ hearts and a 3D-phantom model (PhM). The initial vector field of the Laplace equation was oriented to calculate WT with the field lines derived from the 3D mesh. We demonstrate the robustness of the Laplace WT algorithm by comparing with the real thickness of 3D-PhM, echocardiographically measured left ventricular (LV) WT, and regional left atrial (LA) WT reported from previous studies. We conducted a pilot case of catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF) utilizing real-time LAWT map-guided radiofrequency (RF) energy titration. AMBER 3D-WT had excellent correlations with the real thickness of the PhM (R = 0.968, p < 0.001) and echocardiographically measured LVWT in 10 patients (R = 0.656, p = 0.007). AMBER 3D-LAWT (n = 120) showed a relatively good match with 12 previously reported regional LAWT. We successfully conducted pilot AF ablation utilizing AMBER 3D-LAWT map-guided real-time RF energy titration. We developed and verified an AMBER 3D-cardiac thickness map measured by cardiac CT images for LAWT and LVWT, and tested its feasibility for RF energy titration during clinical catheter ablation.
Integrating central and peripheral neurons in elongating multi-lineage-organized gastruloids

Human stem cell technologies including self-assembling 3D tissue models provide unprecedented access to early neurodevelopment and enable fundamental insights into neuropathologies. Gastruloid models have yet to be used to investigate the developing nervous system. Here we generate elongating multi-lineage-organized (EMLO) gastruloids with trunk identity that co-develop central and peripheral nervous system (CNS, PNS) correlates. We track migrating neural crest cells that differentiate to form peripheral neurons integrated with an upstream spinal cord region. This follows initial EMLO polarization events, and is coordinated with primitive gut tube elongation and cardiomyocyte differentiation. By immunofluorescence of multi-lineage and functional biomarkers, we evaluate EMLOs over a twenty-two day period, and apply them to investigate the impact of mu opioid receptor modulation on neuronal activity. This comprehensive study demonstrates a novel combined CNS-PNS model of early organogenesis and integration events in the trunk to benefit human biomedical research.
The planner’s use of information

This new edition of The Planner’s Use of Information is a welcome update of what has become a classic in the field. Dandekar views planning as a problem-solving process. She has assembled an outsta...
Digital Twin in Energy Internet and Its Potential Applications

The development of information technologies such as the internet of things(IoT), big data, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence has made the global energy rapid advancement in digitalization and intelligence. Based on electric power systems, heat/cold supply networks and natural gas networks, the Energy Internet integrates multiple energy sources to form an interconnected and open energy platform. But the complexity and different characteristics of different energy grids make the planning and operation of Energy Internet placing higher challenges on digitization and intelligence. As a newly technology, Digital Twin aims at promoting the integration of the new generation information technology and manufacturing and better controlling of complex systems, which helps to solve the technical challenges of the current energy internet development. In this paper, the basic concept and development requirements of Energy Internet are firstly discussed, and the concept, technical connotations of Digital Twin are then introduced and summarized, the construction and possible applications of Digital Twin to Energy Internet are discussed.
'Public' Mutual Funds

The concentration of public equity in the hands of just a few mutual-fund complexes has raised concerns about whether these institutions take seriously the stewardship obligations that come with the significant voting power that they have amassed. One leading theory, the agency-cost theory, is that the major fund complexes, all of which specialize in passively managed funds, lack the incentive to adequately police corporate managers on behalf of fund shareholders. Others counter that competition for mutual-fund investors provides sufficient incentive for satisfactory oversight. I argue that neither agency costs nor competitive incentives are the primary driver of stewardship behavior. Rather, the large mutual-fund complexes act out of fear of public retribution. They recognize that failure to look like good stewards could lead to potentially costly regulations. This ‘publicness’ view stems from work that explains important aspects of securities regulation as a response to the public’s desire to impose accountability and transparency mechanisms usually associated with public bodies on powerful private institutions. This lens suggests that large mutual-fund complexes act as stewards to avoid the consequences of publicness, but does not suggest a need for reform.
A Review on HEVC and AVC based Video Compression Technique

Digital video storing, video streaming and video conferencing are globally important industry which will continue to spread across the networks, businesses, and homes. Internet multimedia data like videos and images are the most frequently used digital format for information transmission. Video compression is the way to deliver more and higher quality video in a cost-effective way. Video coding process plays vital role to compress and decompress digital video. High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) is latest video compression standard which has potential to give better performance than any other standards like H.264. This paper reviews on three different processes used during encoding process which are FWE-HEVC, weighted entropy encoding for the HEVC coding standard and AOSH-tangent weighted trade-off.
Beyond Exact Gradients: Convergence of Stochastic Soft-Max Policy Gradient Methods with Entropy Regularization

Entropy regularization is an efficient technique for encouraging exploration and preventing a premature convergence of (vanilla) policy gradient methods in reinforcement learning (RL). However, the theoretical understanding of entropy regularized RL algorithms has been limited. In this paper, we revisit the classical entropy regularized policy gradient methods with the soft-max policy parametrization, whose convergence has so far only been established assuming access to exact gradient oracles. To go beyond this scenario, we propose the first set of (nearly) unbiased stochastic policy gradient estimators with trajectory-level entropy regularization, with one being an unbiased visitation measure-based estimator and the other one being a nearly unbiased yet more practical trajectory-based estimator. We prove that although the estimators themselves are unbounded in general due to the additional logarithmic policy rewards introduced by the entropy term, the variances are uniformly bounded. This enables the development of the first set of convergence results for stochastic entropy regularized policy gradient methods to both stationary points and globally optimal policies. We also develop some improved sample complexity results under a good initialization.
An accomplice more than a mere victim: the impact of β-cell ER stress on type 1 diabetes pathogenesis.

Abstract Background Pancreatic β-cells are the insulin factory of an organism with a mission to regulate glucose homeostasis in the body. Due to their high secretory activity, β-cells rely on a functional and intact endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Perturbations to ER homeostasis and unmitigated stress lead to β-cell dysfunction and death. Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a chronic inflammatory disease caused by the autoimmune-mediated destruction of β-cells. Although autoimmunity is an essential component of T1D pathogenesis, accumulating evidence suggests an important role of β-cell ER stress and aberrant unfolded protein response (UPR) in disease initiation and progression. Scope of review In this article, we introduce ER stress and the UPR, review β-cell ER stress in various mouse models, evaluate its involvement in inflammation, and discuss the effects of ER stress on β-cell plasticity and demise, and islet autoimmunity in T1D. We also highlight the relationship of ER stress with other stress response pathways and provide insight into ongoing clinical studies targeting ER stress and the UPR for the prevention or treatment of T1D. Major conclusions Evidence from ex vivo studies, in vivo mouse models, and tissue samples from patients suggest that β-cell ER stress and a defective UPR contribute to T1D pathogenesis. Thus, restoration of β-cell ER homeostasis at various stages of disease presents a plausible therapeutic strategy for T1D. Identifying the specific functions and regulation of each UPR sensor in β-cells and uncovering the crosstalk between stressed β-cells and immune cells during T1D progression would provide a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of disease process, and may reveal novel targets for development of effective therapies for T1D.
Diversity-oriented leadership, internal communication, and employee outcomes: a perspective of racial minority employees

Based on a sample of 633 racial minority employees in the United States, the current study examined the effectiveness of diversity-oriented leadership on internal communication and key employee out...
Sensor-based robots: algorithms and architectures

This volume in a series on computer systems originates from the lectures presented at the NATO Advanced Research Workshop on "Sensor-Based Robots: Algorithms and Architectures", held at Chateau de Bonas in France, in October 1988. The aim of the workshop was to study the fundamental research issues and problems associated with sensor-based robot manipulators and to propose approaches and solutions from various viewpoints in improving present-day manipulators in the areas of sensor fusion and integration, sensory information processing and parallel algorithms and architectures for robotic computations. The book takes the view that the increasing demand for high performance sensor-based robot manipulators in assembly tasks can only be met by the efficient acquisition and processing of internal/external sensory information, the utilization and integration of sensory information from various sensors to acquire knowledge in a changing environment, the exploitation of inherent robotic parallel algorithms and efficient VLSI architectures for robotic computations and system integration into a working and functioning robotic system.
Bulk power system low frequency oscillation suppression by FACTS/ESS

Low frequency oscillations in the interconnected power systems are observed all around the world. In this paper, the authors studied the inter-area mode low frequency oscillations by analyzing the phenomena in Nashville area of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) system. Our study revealed 4 dynamic groups of generators in this area. Within each group, generators swing together and have the same dynamic trend. Generators from different dynamic groups swing against each other. The authors studied the possibility of using a FACTS/ESS controller to damp the low frequency oscillations in Nashville area. The active power is controlled to damp the low frequency oscillation while the reactive power is controlled to keep the local bus voltage at a constant level. The simulation results of the actual TVA system showed that the energy storage devices can be used for power system low frequency oscillation damping. The study also showed that the wide area measurements could be used as inputs for improved FACTS/ESS control.
Ultrananocrystalline Diamond Films from Fullerene Precursors

Fullerenes are unique sources of carbon vapor. The molecule C 60 has an equivalent carbon vapor pressure near to 1 Torr at the very modest temperature of 600 °C. Fragmentation produces primarily carbon dimer C 2 , resulting in highly supersaturated carbon vapor, which condenses, surprisingly, to form ultrananocrystalline diamond films. This new form of diamond (3–5 nm crystallite size) is phase-pure as established by a variety of techniques. Theoretical calculations provide insight into the mechanisms underlying the insertion of C 2 into the (110) and (100) faces of the diamond lattice and show that the carbons are largely π-bonded across two-atom-wide grain boundaries. The electrical conductivity can be controlled by nitrogen additions over many orders of magnitude and results in n-type doping. Tribological, electronic, and MEMS applications of these unusual materials are discussed.
Sodium-dependent neutral amino acid transport by human liver plasma membrane vesicles

The activities of several selected Na(+)-dependent amino acid transporters were identified in human liver plasma membrane vesicles by testing for Na(+)-dependent uptake of several naturally occurring neutral amino acids or their analogs. Alanine, 2-(methylamino)isobutyric acid, and 2-aminoisobutyric acid were shown to be almost exclusively transported by the same carrier, system A. Kinetic analysis of 2-(methylamino)isobutyric acid uptake by the human hepatic system A transporter revealed an apparent Km of 0.15 mM and a Vmax of 540 pmol.mg-1 protein.min-1. Human hepatic system A accepts a broad range of neutral amino acids including cysteine, glutamine, and histidine, which have been shown in other species to be transported mainly by disparate carriers. Inhibition analysis of Na(+)-dependent cysteine transport revealed that the portion of uptake not mediated by system A included at least two saturable carriers, system ASC and one other that has yet to be characterized. Most of the glutamine and histidine uptake was Na(+)-dependent, and the component not mediated by system A constituted system N. The largest portion of glycine transport was mediated through system A and the remainder by system ASC with no evidence for system Gly activity. Our examination of Na(+)-dependent amino acid transport documents the presence of several transport systems analogous to those described previously but with some notable differences in their functional activity. Most importantly, the results demonstrate that liver plasma membrane vesicles are a valuable resource for transport analysis of human tissue.
Fecal Streptococci in Frozen Foods: IV. Effect of Sanitizing Agents and Blanching Temperatures on Streptococcus faecalis

Low-temperature heat treatment for sanitizing fruits and some vegetables is very detrimental to the appearance of the products. Fruits especially are so softened that they are extremely difficult to market. In order to correct this trouble, industries use such chemical sanitizing agents as chlorine and the quaternary ammonium compounds in the processing of many fruits. All these chemicals are inactivated by the organic materials that make up the physical composition of the fruit or vegetable. This phenomenon could be a serious problem if complete elimination of organisms is desired. Investigations by Rudolfs, Falk, and Ragotzkie (1951a, b, c) showed that, if sewage irrigation or night soil application was stopped one month before the tomato harvest, the fruit could be safely consumed raw. The possibility that the tomatoes would be vectors for the transmission of enteric diseases was considered unlikely. Later studies on decontamination of tomatoes showed that storage, or washing with or without detergents, was ineffective. Germicidal rinses containing chlorine were superior to the other methods, but were unreliable. The only effective method of decontamination was pasteurization at 60 C for five minutes. Pederson (1947) studied the processing of vegetables before freezing and found that a large proportion of the bacteria are destroyed by the blanching process. However, the surviving bacteria may develop during cooling, handling, and prefreezing. Under commercial conditions, some contamination of the food by bacteria was caused by vegetable juices spilling on the processing equipment, thus providing medium for growth. Bacterial counts, therefore, should be considered as an indication of the care with which vegetables are handled between blanching and freezing. It was noted also that no coliform bacteria or enterococci were found on vegetables directly after blanching. From the results of the frozen food survey of Larkin, Litsky and Fuller (1955), it can be seen that fecal streptococci were present in many of the commercial frozen foods. Where does this contamination occur?
The Endocrine System

Historically, the endocrine system was simply considered to be made up of a few glands that secreted their products directly into the bloodstream. These glands were sometimes referred to as “ductless glands.” Today the endocrine system is viewed as a very complex system of cells, tissues, and organs producing many hormones and amines. The endocrine system can be divided into two major categories, the diffuse or dispersed neuroendocrine system (DNS) and the nonneuroendocrine system. Most of the cells and tissues that are part of the endocrine system belong to the DNS, while a small group of cells that produce steroid and thyroid hormones have unique characteristics that set them apart from the neuroendocrine system.