cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nanoparticles for Cardiovascular Imaging and Therapeutic Delivery, Part 2: Radiolabeled Probes

Nanoparticulate imaging agents and therapeutics have proven to be valuable tools in preclinical cardiovascular disease research. Because of their distinct properties and significant functional versatility, nanoparticulate imaging agents afford certain capabilities that are typically not provided by traditional small molecule agents. This review is the second in a two-part series covering nanoparticulate imaging agents and theranostics. It highlights current examples of radiolabeled nanoparticulate probes in preclinical cardiovascular research and demonstrates their utility in applications such as blood pool imaging and molecular imaging of ischemia, angiogenesis, atherosclerosis, and inflammation. These agents provide valuable insight into the molecular and cellular mechanisms of cardiovascular disease and illustrate both the limitations and the significant potential of nanoparticles in diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Further technologic development to improve performance, address safety concerns, and fulfil regulatory obligations is required for clinical translation of these emergent technologies.
Endovascular Therapy for Stroke — It's about Time

Although many stroke centers worldwide have performed endovascular stroke therapy since the results of the Prolyse in Acute Cerebral Thromboembolism (PROACT) II trial were published in 1999,1 lingering uncertainties about efficacy and the selection of patients created an uneasy equipoise. Especially nettlesome was the uncertain benefit of endovascular therapy as compared with intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA). The controversy over endovascular therapy was heightened in 2013 when the results of the Interventional Management of Stroke (IMS) III,2 Mechanical Retrieval and Recanalization of Stroke Clots Using Embolectomy (MR RESCUE),3 and Local versus Systemic Thrombolysis for Acute Ischemic Stroke (SYNTHESIS Expansion)4 clinical . . .
Wildlife Rabies: Overview of Ecology and Epidemiology

One area of increasing importance to rabies research is cooperation between organizations: industry and government, academia and government, and various local and national levels of government. The need for cooperation between countries is also emphasized. Such cooperation could provide more effective and economical rabies control.
An Analysis of Georgia’s Venture Capital Exodus and Related Legislative Efforts

This paper attempts to analyze the effectiveness and necessity of current legislative efforts to bolster venture capital investment in Georgia, specifically the inception of the Invest Georgia Fund. The Invest Georgia Fund, which passed as HB 318 in the 2013 legislative session, is an attempt to help the state retain many of the high-tech start-up corporations that have been leaving the state. Whether a substantial number of these corporations have been leaving the state has been a subject of debate. This paper attempts to quantify the number of high-growth corporations leaving Georgia and consolidate and gather existing data on venture capital investment in the state, so the necessity of some legislative action like the Invest Georgia Fund can be addressed. A case study is made of the medical technology industry to test for state industry size and state industry investment correlations. From the data gathered, a final policy proposal is suggested.
Complete metal ion requirement of influenza virus N1 neuraminidases. Brief report.

Influenza virus neuraminidases of the N1 serotype exhibit a complete dependence on Ca++ ions for activity. It is recommended that viral neuraminidase activity routinely be assessed in buffers containing 5mm CaCl2.
The Social Psychology of Gender Inequality

I review social psychological theories that can explain gender inequality, highlighting the theoretical claims, findings, and limitations central to each account. Symbolic interactionist and social learning theories of socialization specify the processes through which gendered norms and expectations are learned, while the structural and doing gender perspectives highlight the roles of structural position and interactional pressures in the construction of gender inequality. Network and identity theories offer more specific structural approaches that emphasize the role of networks in the dissemination of information and values, which then produce gender-differentiated selves, opportunities, experiences, and interests. Expectation states theories show how gender status beliefs contribute to male dominance in problem solving groups and how those group experiences perpetuate the beliefs that drive them. Affect control theories show how gender differences in self-sentiments motivate identity adoption and, in turn, behavior that is differentiated by gender, with men behaving in more dominant and less sensitive ways. They also show how these behavior patterns reinforce the sentiments driving them. Identity control theory offers a similar perspective, showing how gendered identity standards motivate men to behave in more aggressive and less nurturant ways than women. Future work testing propositions related to multi-level processes and intersectionality would strengthen these theoretical explanations.
Nora’s Medulla: A Problem-Based Learning Case for Neuroscience Fundamentals

Students work through this Problem-Based Learning Case in order to discover how Nora ended up blue lipped and non-responsive. By exploring fundamental mechanisms of neuronal communication, students examine facts, research concepts, and propose hypotheses about how Nora's physiology was disrupted to cause her respiratory distress. The dramatic context supports student learning at many levels - from systems neurophysiology to synaptic pharmacology. The case as written is used in an undergraduate course for non-science majors, but because the case focuses on basic fundamental neuroscience concepts, the case could be easily used in high school or other undergraduate courses that cover basic neuroscience.
Identification of melatonin receptor 1A agonists as neuroprotective agents in experimental models of ischemic injury

T identification of neuroprotective agents for stroke remains elusive. We therefore test whether melatonin receptor 1A agonists melatonin, N-acetyl-serotonin (NAS) and ramelteon are neuroprotective in experimental models of ischemic injury. We demonstrate that melatonin or NAS or ramelteon inhibits cell death induced by oxygen-glucose deprivation or H2O2 in primary cerebrocortical neurons and primary hippocampal neurons in vitro and organotypic hippocampal slice cultures ex vivo. We further found that melatonin and NAS reduce hypoxia/ischemia injury in the middle cerebral artery occlusion mouse model of cerebral ischemia in vivo. Our data show that melatonin and NAS are neuroprotective by inhibiting the mitochondrial cell death pathway including the inhibition of the release of apoptogenic factors cytochrome C, Smac, and apoptosis-inducing factor from mitochondria to cytoplasm, and activation of caspase-3, -9. Furthermore, pro–IL-1 processing, and activation of caspase-1 are evaluated in melatonin-mediated neuroprotection. Moreover, we demonstrate that the neuroprotective effects of NAS may result from the influence of mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening, mitochondrial fragmentation as well as the suppression of the autophagic cell death pathway under stress conditions by increasing LC3-II and Beclin-1 levels and decreasing p62 level. Taken together, we conclude that melatonin receptor 1A agonist’s melatonin, NAS and ramelteon have the potential as the novel therapies for ischemic injury.
Encontro con Xosé Neira Vilas: "Camiño bretemoso" e a experiencia migratoria

Entrevista realizada en setembro de 2015 na que se tratan aspetos referidos a sua obra literaria (en concreto Camino bretemoso) e a propia experiencia do autor como emigrante.
42 Gene expression profile from 1,760 sle patients reveals novel complex interferon responsive gene networks

Background and aims RNA profiling was performed on 1760 SLE patients from two, large Phase III clinical trials, ILLUMINATE-1 and −2. SLE was compared to both healthy controls and other autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. The goals of this study were to characterise gene expression networks in SLE using these large cohorts, and to compare gene expression phenotypes in SLE to healthy controls and other autoimmune diseases. Methods Blood was collected at baseline and RNA was interrogated on all samples using Affymetrix HTA 2.0 microarrays and on select SLE samples using NanoString nCounterTM. Complete demographics, serum IgG anti-dsDNA antibodies, and complement were measured in SLE. Analyses of gene expression and gene pathways were performed. Results Baseline elevation of interferon responsive genes (IRG) was detected in SLE and associated with younger age, elevated anti-dsDNA antibodies, elevated SLEDAI and decreased levels of C3. Significant differences in SLEDAI organ domain involvement between IRG-positive and IRG-negative groups were observed. Elevated expression of IRG, genes involved with B cell and plasma cell biology, and with cell cycling and signalling were detected in SLE. A bimodal expression pattern of IRG was unique to SLE. Substantial heterogeneity of expression of IRG and complex relationships in interferon (IFN) gene networks were observed. Conclusions There was substantial heterogeneity of gene expression in IFN gene networks when examining individual IFN genes and complex relationships were observed among IFN gene networks. Low IFI27 was identified as a novel subtype of IFN signature in SLE.
Cryogenic thermal conductivity measurements on candidate materials for space missions

Spacecraft and instruments on space missions are built using a wide variety of carefully-chosen materials. It is common for NASA engineers to propose new candidate materials which have not been totally characterized at cryogenic temperatures. In many cases a material's cryogenic thermal conductivity must be known before selecting it for a specific space-flight application. We developed a test facility in 2004 at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center to measure the longitudinal thermal conductivity of materials at temperatures between 4 and 300 Kelvin, and we have characterized many candidate materials since then. The measurement technique is not extremely complex, but proper care to details of the setup, data acquisition and data reduction is necessary for high precision and accuracy. We describe the thermal conductivity measurement process and present results for ten engineered materials, including alloys, polymers, composites, and a ceramic.
Godunov-type upwind flux schemes of the two-dimensional finite volume discrete Boltzmann method

Abstract A simple unified Godunov-type upwind approach that does not need Riemann solvers for the flux calculation is developed for the finite volume discrete Boltzmann method (FVDBM) on an unstructured cell-centered triangular mesh. With piecewise-constant (PC), piecewise-linear (PL) and piecewise-parabolic (PP) reconstructions, three Godunov-type upwind flux schemes with different orders of accuracy are subsequently derived. After developing both a semi-implicit time marching scheme tailored for the developed flux schemes, and a versatile boundary treatment that is compatible with all of the flux schemes presented in this paper, numerical tests are conducted on spatial accuracy for several single-phase flow problems. Four major conclusions can be made. First, the Godunov-type schemes display higher spatial accuracy than the non-Godunov ones as the result of a more advanced treatment of the advection. Second, the PL and PP schemes are much more accurate than the PC scheme for velocity solutions. Third, there exists a threshold spatial resolution below which the PL scheme is better than the PP scheme and above which the PP scheme becomes more accurate. Fourth, besides increasing spatial resolution, increasing temporal resolution can also improve the accuracy in space for the PL and PP schemes.
Treatment and Reentry Approaches for Offenders with Co-occurring Disorders

An increasing number of offenders in jail, prison, and community corrections settings have mental health and substance abuse problems. In a recent survey conducted within state prisons, 24% of inmates reported a recent history of mental health problems (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2006), and prevalence estimates of mental disorders in jails and prisons range from 10 to 15% (Lamb, Weinberger, & Gross, 2004; National GAINS Center, 2004; Teplin, Abram, & McClelland, 1996, 1997). Approximately three-quarters of prisoners have had a diagnosable substance abuse or dependence disorder in their lifetime (Peters, Greenbaum, Edens, Carter, & Ortiz, 1998). Rates of both mental health and substance use disorders among offenders far surpass those found in the general population (Robins & Regier, 1991). A significant proportion of offenders have co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders (National GAINS Center, 2004), including 80% of probationers sentenced to participate in substance abuse treatment (Hiller, Knight, & Simpson, 1996) and as many as half of female offenders and juvenile detainees (Jordan, Schlenger, Fairbank, & Caddell, 1996; Teplin, Abram, McClelland, Dulcan, & Mericle, 2002). Research indicates that from 72 to 87% of offenders with severe mental disorders have co-occurring substance use disorders (Abram & Teplin, 1991; Abram, Teplin, & McClelland, 2003; Chiles, Cleve, Jemelka, & Trupin, 1990; Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2006). A number of factors explain the influx of inmates with co-occurring disorders to jails and prisons. These include the closing and “downsizing” of state mental hospitals, adoption of restrictive civil commitment criteria, inadequate access to community support services, widespread availability of relatively cheap and rapidly addicting street drugs, and law enforcement efforts to eliminate drug use and drug-related street crime. Studies examining persons with mental disorders in community settings indicate that having co-occurring disorders increases the risk for community violence and for arrest (Monahan et al., 2001, 2005). Once arrested, persons with co-occurring disorders are more likely to be incarcerated, and once incarcerated, these persons remain in jail significantly longer than other inmates, and are more likely to receive a sentence Chapter 22
Housing Market Search

Search and the resulting selection, be it for housing or other goods, is a fundamental part of consumer behaviour. In the real-estate market and the process of residential mobility, our neighbourhood searches will determine where we will buy or rent. It may be a temporary rental but where we look will ultimately influence where we live. Our searches are of course conditioned by budget constraints, and our preferences for particular neighbourhood characteristics and population compositions. As searching is a central component of housing market behaviour, knowing about the search process will aid our understanding of how the residential mosaic is formed. The outcome of myriad searches, and then the moves consequent upon those searches, is the basis for the changing composition of neighbourhoods and communities.
MAP Kinase and Cell Signaling in DRG Neurons and Spinal Microglia in Neuropathic Pain

Nerve injury is known to produce neuropathic pain by inducing changes not only in neurons such as primary sensory neurons in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG), but also in non-neuronal cells such as microglia in the spinal cord. Increasing evidence suggests that mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) play important roles in neuropathic pain sensitization by regulating intracellular signaling in both DRG neurons and spinal cord microglia. Intrathecal injection of MAPK inhibitors for the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), p38, or c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway targets the MAPK pathways at both DRG and spinal cord levels and has been shown to attenuate neuropathic pain in different animal models. In particular, activation of p38 in DRG neurons by nerve growth factor and cytokines contributes to thermal hypersensitivity by increasing the expression and activity of sodium channels (e.g., Nav1.7/Nav1.8) and TRP channels (e.g., TRPV1 and TRPA1). Activation of p38 in spinal microglia by chemokines, cytokines, ATP, and proteases also contributes to neuropathic pain symptoms such as mechanical allodynia. Thus, activation of MAPK pathways in both neurons and glia and in both the peripheral and central nervous system is important for neuropathic pain sensitization, and blocking these pathways at multiple sites may lead to effective therapies for neuropathic pain.
Spring EngAGEment: An Interprofessional Collaboration to Enhance Community Interaction and University Education

Purpose Interprofessional education and practices are increasingly recognized as vital to addressing complex health needs, including individuals living with Alzheimer's disease or other associated ...
Reduction of Endotracheal Tube Cuff Pressure During a Series of Routine Cuff Pressure Checks

Background: Tracheal intubation is a routine practice in the operating unit as well as in the care of critically ill patients. It is estimated that 13 to 20 million intubations are done annually in the United States. The primary functions of an ETT cuff include prevention of air leaks during mechanical ventilation and protection of the airway from aspiration. Respiratory therapists often check the ETT cuff pressure as part of the overall respiratory care procedure. Due to the design of cuff pressure manometers, a small air leak from the cuff is a common occurrence when the cuff pressure manometer sampling tube opens the one-way valve in the pilot balloon. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the degree of air leaks during routine cuff pressure checks. Methods: An adult airway management trainer (Laerdal, Wappingers Falls, NY) was orally intubated with a new, size 8 ETT (Covidien Shiley TaperGuard Evac, Mansfield, MA). The resting position of the ETT was 21 cm at the incisors. Following intubation, the ETT cuff was deflated completely and re-inflated with 12 mL of air. The cuff pressure was measured with a cuff pressure manometer (Posey Cufflator, Arcadia, CA) at baseline with 12 mL of air in cuff and again after each removal and re-attachment of the cuff pressure manometer to the pilot balloon. These removal/re-attachment steps are repeated until an air leak around the cuff was heard. Five trials were done using the same ETT and protocol. Results: Changes of ETT cuff pressure are shown in Figure 1. Air leak around the ETT cuff was heard at these cuff pressures: 25 cm H2O, 25 cm H2O, 27 cm H2O, 26 cm H2O, and 20 cm H2O. Conclusions: The cuff pressures measured with initial air leak around the ETT cuff are within or below the recommended cuff pressure range (25 cm H2O to 30 cm H2O). Cuff pressure checks may cause unintended air leaks around the cuff. Since air leak around the ETT cuff poses a risk for aspiration, routine or frequent cuff pressure checks should be performed with caution. In addition, routine use of a cuff pressure that falls within the recommended cuff pressure range does not guarantee a leak-free ETT cuff.
Germline analysis of DNA-damage repair genes in men with advanced prostate cancer in comparison to women with breast cancer.

e13147Background: Women with breast cancer have traditionally been the population for genetic counseling. The association of hereditary cancer syndromes and the development of advanced prostate can...
Mathematical Modeling of the Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Microenvironment Defines the Importance of Cytotoxic Lymphocyte Infiltration and Presence of PD-L1 on Antigen Presenting Cells.

Although immune-based therapy has proven efficacious for some patients with microsatellite instability (MSI) colon cancers, a majority of patients receive limited benefit. Conversely, select patients with microsatellite stable (MSS) tumors respond to checkpoint blockade, necessitating novel ways to study the immune tumor microenvironment (TME). We used phenotypic and spatial data from infiltrating immune and tumor cells to model cellular mixing to predict disease specific outcomes in patients with colorectal liver metastases. Formalin fixed paraffin embedded metastatic colon cancer tissue from 195 patients were subjected to multiplex immunohistochemistry (mfIHC). After phenotyping, the G-function was calculated for each patient and cell type. Data was correlated with clinical outcomes and survival. High tumor cell to cytotoxic T lymphocyte (TC-CTL) mixing was associated with both a pro-inflammatory and immunosuppressive TME characterized by increased CTL infiltration and PD-L1+ expression, respectively. Presence and engagement of antigen presenting cells (APC) and helper T cells (Th) were associated with greater TC-CTL mixing and improved 5-year disease specific survival compared to patients with a low degree of mixing (42% vs. 16%, p = 0.0275). Comparison of measured mixing to a calculated theoretical random mixing revealed that PD-L1 expression on APCs resulted in an environment where CTLs were non-randomly less associated with TCs, highlighting their biologic significance. Evaluation of immune interactions within the TME of metastatic colon cancer using mfIHC in combination with mathematical modeling characterized cellular mixing of TCs and CTLs, providing a novel strategy to better predict clinical outcomes while identifying potential candidates for immune based therapies.
Sex differences in the association between perfluoroalkyl acids and liver function in US adolescents: Analyses of NHANES 2013-2016.

Abstract Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) are persistent in the environment, highly bio-accumulative in the body, and likely hepatotoxic in humans. There is evidence of sex-specific physiological responses to PFAA exposure. However, epidemiological studies seldom stratify the analyses by sex. Given the high prevalence of liver disease in general population adolescents, this study was designed to determine whether or not there is association between exposure to PFAAs and biomarkers of liver function in adolescent participants of the 2013–2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, and whether or not such association is sex-specific. Multivariate linear regressions were performed to examine the association between single PFAAs [perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS); linear form of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA); perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS); perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA)], and biomarkers of liver function — gamma glutamyltransferase (GGT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and total bilirubin. Multivariate logistic regressions were performed to estimate adjusted odd ratios (aOR) of elevated ALT, AST and GGT. The study results show that, in females, there was a positive association of the highest PFOA quartile with increased ALT, AST and GGT, and the highest PFNA quartile with increased ALT and AST. Conversely, in male adolescents there was an association of the highest linear PFOA quartile with decreased ALT, and the highest PFNA quartile with ALT and AST. Females had higher odds of clinically-defined elevated ALT with increased PFOA (aOR = 1.79; 95% CI: 1.05, 3.04) or PFNA (aOR = 2.28; 95% CI: 1.08, 2.28), whereas males had decreased odds of clinically-defined elevated ALT with increased n-PFOA (aOR = 0.43; 95% CI: 0.20, 0.93) or PFNA (aOR = 0.5; 95% CI: 0.28, 0.89). In conclusion, there were sex differences in the association between serum PFAA levels and biomarkers of liver function. These results may provide support for analyzing sex-based adverse effects of PFAAs.
176 PURINE CATABOLIC ENZYMES IN HUMAN SYNOVIAL FLUIDS

Cartilage 5′nucleotidase (5NT) activity has been implicated in calcium pryophosphate dihydrate (CPPD) deposition [Arthritis Rheum 24:492, 1981]. We measured synovial fluid (SF) 5NT and nucleotide pyrophosphohydrolase (NPPH), another cartilage ectoenzyme associated with CPPD deposition, in 173 patients with well-characterized arthropathies. A cytosolic enzyme, adenosine deaminase (ADA), and an ectoenzyme not associated with CPPD deposition, alkaline phosphatase (AP), were measured as controls.
Practice Patterns and Barriers in Botulinum Toxin Injection for the Treatment of Voice Disorders

Summary Laryngeal botulinum toxin injection is an important treatment modality for spasmodic dysphonia and other laryngeal disorders. We sought to compare usage patterns of laryngeal botulinum toxin injections for voice disorders and to identify and quantify inefficiencies and barriers in providing this treatment. A 26 item survey was written and approved for distribution by the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and the National Spasmodic Dysphonia Association. It was distributed to Otolaryngologists who perform laryngeal botulinum toxin injections via the e-mail lists of the National Spasmodic Dysphonia Association provider database, American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Voice Committee and the American Laryngological Association Neurolaryngology Study Group. There were 81 survey participants who collectively reported performing >1700 laryngeal botulinum toxin injections for voice disorders monthly (Mean = 21.5 pts/month). Regarding botulinum toxin A (BtxA) vial use, 54% of participants reported using multiple doses per vial for different patients during a single clinic day, while 14% reported using pharmacy predrawn single use aliquots. A combination of usage practices was reported by 7% of participants. Using an individual vial per patient and discarding the unused remainder was reported by 26% of participants with an associated annual cost in wasted BtxA of $84,300 per physician. There is wide variation in injection practices regarding management of BtxA vials and adherence to an individual vial per patient policy is associated with significant waste of health care resources. Alternative approaches to BtxA vial use could positively impact health care resource utilization.
Lidocaine Versus Bupivacaine in the Treatment of Headache with Intranasal Sphenopalatine Nerve Block.

Background Intranasal sphenopalatine ganglion (SPG) block has been shown to be an effective treatment for headaches. Multiple therapeutic agents have been studied, although the wide availability and low cost of lidocaine and bupivacaine have made them attractive treatment options. To the authors knowledge, no study has yet demonstrated superiority of one anesthetic over the other. Objective To determine the efficacy of lidocaine versus bupivacaine when performing intranasal sphenopalatine ganglion (SPG) block for the treatment of headaches. Study design Retrospective cohort study. Setting A single tertiary care academic institutionMETHODS: This retrospective study identified patients who underwent SPG block at a single institution from January 1, 2014 to December 20, 2017. Patients were included if they were treated with either lidocaine or bupivacaine and had both pre- and post-procedure pain scores recorded on a 0-10 scale. Patients were excluded if they were less than 18 years of age. Results 386 total procedures were performed. 303 (78.5%) were lidocaine delivered via the SphenoCath device, and 83 (21.5%) were bupivacaine delivered via the Tx360 device. 90.2% of treatments (n = 348) decreased the patient's pain level. Of the treatments performed with lidocaine, 89.1% (n = 270) resulted in improvement of the patient's pain level with a mean decrease in pain level of 3.1 (SD ± 2.3). Of the treatments performed with bupivacaine, 94.0% (n = 78) resulted in improvement of the patient's pain level, with a mean decrease in pain level of 3.0 (SD ± 1.9). No statistically significant difference was found between the 2 anesthetics. Limitations The retrospective study design may introduce selection bias. Both lidocaine and bupivacaine were administered by different devices (Sphenocath and Tx360 respectively) which may account for differences in initial treatment success. There were differences in the size of the two groups, which may also introduce error. Conclusions This study demonstrates similar efficacy of SPG block performed with lidocaine or bupivacaine. While no difference was found, the particular advantages and disadvantages of the intranasal delivery device may influence physician choice. Key words Sphenopalatine ganglion nerve block, lidocaine, bupivacaine, sphenocath, Tx360, pain intervetnio, headache, miimally invasive therapy.
Age at menarche and cardiovascular health: results from the NHANES 1999-2016

Objective Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among women. Early menarche has been associated with many cardiovascular disease risk factors, but little is known about its associations with cardiovascular health (CVH) as defined by Life's Simple 7 (LS7). We aim to examine the associations between age at menarche and CVH. Methods Data were obtained from the 1999-2016 National Health and Nutrition Examinations Survey (NHANES). CVH was assessed according to LS7 (ideal CVH: > 4 ideal CVH metrics, CVH score: ranging from 0 to 14). Weighted logistic regression was used after adjusting for sociodemographic factors. The interaction between age at menarche and age was also examined. Results Among the 20,447 women included, 2,292 (11.2%) had ideal CVH. After adjusting for age, race/ethnicity, education, poverty income ratio, marital status, and birth year, significantly worse CVH was observed among women with early menarche (OR: 0.70, 95% CI: 0.60-0.82), and higher odds of ideal CVH were observed among those with late menarche (OR: 1.40, 95% CI: 1.21-1.62). Consistent results were observed for CVH score. Age significantly modifies the associations between age at menarche and CVH. Late menarche was significantly associated with ideal CVH among those aged 25-34 (OR: 1.64, 95% CI: 1.27-2.11) or 35-44 (OR: 1.73, 95% CI: 1.31-2.30), while the associations for early menarche were observed only among those aged 25-34 years (OR: 0.72, 95% CI: 0.53-0.97). Conclusions Our findings suggested that early menarche is associated with worse CVH, especially among young women. Further efforts are warranted to confirm these findings.
Evaluation of Long-Term Reliability and Overcurrent Capabilities of 15-kV SiC MOSFETs and 20-kV SiC IGBTs During Narrow Current Pulsed Conditions

Silicon carbide (SiC) is becoming a preferred technology of choice for power dense application compared with silicon (Si). A more comprehensive analysis of the long-term pulsed power reliability of SiC is necessary so that the technology can make the transition commercially. In this article, a testbed is utilized to evaluate research grade 15-kV SiC MOSFETs and 20-kV SiC IGBTs manufactured by Wolfspeed, a Cree Company. A testbed was developed here at Texas Tech University (TTU), Lubbock, TX, USA, to test these two devices. The narrow pulse testbed’s capacitor bank can be charged up to 10 kV and output square waveform pulse up to $2.0~\mu \text{s}$ . The waveform has a full-width at half-maximum pulse and is tested at a repetition pulse rate of three seconds. The electrical characteristics of the forward conduction and reverse breakdown of the device under test (DUT) are measured periodically during the experiment. The DUTs were pulsed at different current levels, up to 340 A (1.06 kA/cm2) for the IGBTs and 74 A (296 A/cm2) for MOSFETs, while the electrical device degradation was monitored. This work discusses the results of the long-term pulsed power reliability, failure modes, and their robustness in overcurrent operations of high-power SiC MOSFETs and IGBTs.
Welcome and Introduction to SPIE Conference 11698

Welcome and Introduction to SPIE Photonics West OPTO conference 11698: Emerging Digital Micromirror Device Based Systems and Applications XIII
Empowering Environmental Justice Decision Makers: Increasing Educational Resources for U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Mapping Tools

Policy development and subsequent action occur at all levels of government with various opportunities for input from nongovernmental organizations and individual citizens. U.S. Environmental Protec...
Pesticides Misused for Bed Bug Control: Comparing Professional and Nonprofessional Applications Reported to the National Pesticide Information Center, 2013-2017.

Objectives. To compare outcomes when pesticides are used to control bed bugs by professionals and nonprofessionals. Methods. All US National Pesticide Information Center inquiries from 2013 to 2017...
Characterizing T cell subsets in the nasal mucosa of children with acute respiratory symptoms

In infants admitted to an ICU with respiratory failure, there is an association between the ratio of CD8+ to CD4+ T cells within the upper respiratory tract and disease severity. Whether this ratio is associated with respiratory disease severity within children presenting to a pediatric emergency department is not known. We studied a convenience sample of 63 children presenting to a pediatric emergency department with respiratory symptoms. T cell subsets in the nasal mucosa were analyzed by flow cytometry. We compared CD4+ and CD8+ T cells subsets in these samples and analyzed the proportion of these subsets that expressed markers associated with tissue residency. We were able to identify major subsets of CD8 and CD4 T cells within the nasal mucosa using flocked swabs. We found no difference in the ratio CD8+ to CD4+ T cells in children with upper or lower respiratory illness. A positive association between tissue-resident memory T cell frequency and patient age was identified. In our patient populations, the CD8+:CD4+ ratio was not associated with disease severity. The majority of T cells collected on nasal swabs are antigen experienced, and there is an association between the frequency of tissue-resident T cells and age.
Principles of Quantitation in Cardiac PET

This chapter focuses on several applications of tracer-kinetic methods to PET imaging of the heart. It will be useful, first, to review some general, basic principles of compartment analysis that have been well described by several other authors.1–3 This review emphasizes the most important underlying assumptions and requirements for obtaining accurate quantitative measurements of myocardial perfusion or metabolism from dynamic PET image data. The review is followed by descriptions of several different tracer-kinetic techniques that have been used for imaging tissue perfusion, viability, and oxygen consumption, using a variety of radiolabeled tracers.
FROM WORK TO WELFARE A New Class Movement in India

Abstract The rigidity of early class analysis and the recent demise of any type of class analytics have turned attention away from examining the growing population of informally employed workers as a class. By not examining informal workers as a class “in themselves,” we are losing insights into how they are translating their positions into a class “for themselves.” As a consequence, the recent literature on globalization and liberalization is increasingly concluding that the decreasing proportion of formally employed workers (and the subsequent rise in informal employment) the world over signifies a decline in all class-based organization. Such arguments have obscured our understanding of the current social dynamics of exploitation and resistance. In an attempt to begin filling this gap, this article recovers class as an important analytical tool with which to examine (1) the current relations of power between the state, employers, and the majority of India's workers, and (2) how the structures of produc...
Meningococcic meningitis; a report of multiple cases occurring in the same family.

Summary We here add to the literature a report of three cases of meningococcic meningitis in the same family. It is interesting to note that the three cases were hospitalized within a period of thirty-six hours; one case terminated fatally within three and one-half hours following admission. In order to avoid multiple cases in the same family it may be wise to give all members of the family of any patient with meningococcic meningitis a day's supply of sulfadiazine. It is known that from 1 to 2 Gm. per day converts a throat culture from positive to negative.
Tallulah Bankhead, Bette Davis, and Marc Blitzstein: Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes as Play, Film, and Opera

While other American plays such as Elmer Rice’s Street Scene, Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire, and Eugene O’Neill’s Mourning Becomes Electra have made the journey from stage to film and finally to opera, the film and operatic versions were faithful recreations of the original without the addition of new characters, including those from other works by the same playwright. Lillian Hellman’s best play, The Little Foxes (1939), is unusual in two respects: in the 1941 film version, a character is added who did not appear in the original in order to provide a love interest for the protagonist’s daughter, thereby resulting in a different ending; in the 1949 operatic version, a character from a later play by Hellman, Another Part of the Forest, is introduced to show how a young woman with romantic ideals evolved into the Lady Macbeth of American drama. Thus each version of The Little Foxes deepens our understanding of the original without altering the play’s dramatic impact.
The enhancement of macrophage adenylate cyclase by products of activated lymphocytes.

Abstract Guinea pig peritoneal macrophages showed increased adenylate cyclase activity when incubated with mediators of cellular immunity. Such mediators are released by sensitized and stimulated lymphocytes and are known to cause morphological and functional changes in macrophages in vitro after 72 hours. The presence of lymphocyte mediators in macrophage monolayer cultures was found to increase adenylate cyclase activity (basal) at 24 and 48 hours. It was shown that lymphocyte mediators do not stimulate adenylate cyclase when added to broken cell macrophage preparations but act only in long term cultures containing serum. The effect of lymphocyte mediators was not observed when fluoride-stimulated adenylate cyclase was measured. Indomethacin was also found to increase adenylate cyclase when included in macrophage cultures and to largely obliterate the stimulation of that activity by lymphocyte mediators which suggests that prostaglandins are involved. These findings indicate a role for adenylate cyclase in the increase in functional specialization of the macrophage caused by lymphocyte mediators.
Mediating Protracted Conflict

This article contains an examination of two instances of protracted communal conflict, in Sudan and Sri Lanka. In my view the level of hostilities between the insurgent group and the national government in each case has risen to a level equivalent to that of warfare between sovereign states. The insurgent groups in each case, in Sudan, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/SPLA), and in Sri Lanka, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), appear to have acquired certain attributes of belligerency. These include the capacity to maintain military control of territory, the ability to administer that territory effectively coercionfree, and a fidelity to the implementation of international human rights law. It is contended these attributes may provide particular mediators, for Sudan, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), and for Sri Lanka, the Norwegian government's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, an ability to move governments from the practice of "discounting" or disparaging the insurgents during negotiations, to a practice of negotiating with the latter in a sober vein. The supposition is that this "movement" on the part of the government renders a ceasefire more attainable.
Asymptotic expansion of high-energy upper bounds of the scattering amplitude

A family of asymptotic expansions for the Froissart-Martin bound is obtained. It is shown that incorporation of the second term in the asymptotic expansions brings the Froissart-Martin bound to closer agreement with experiment.
Factors influencing the longer-term survival of uncemented acetabular components used in total hip revisions.

Background: There are few longer-term follow-up reports of the results and complications of the use of cementless acetabular components in revision hip arthroplasty. In this study, we analyzed the clinical and radiographic results to determine the factors that affect longer-term survival of titanium-fiber-metal-coated acetabular components. Methods: During a fourteen-year period, one surgeon performed 211 consecutive unselected cementless acetabular revisions in 194 patients with a mean age of sixty-two years. The same technique was used for all revisions: the component was impacted and was fixed with multiple screws, and bone deficiencies were augmented with supplemental bone graft. Both the acetabular and the femoral components were revised in 142 hips, whereas an isolated acetabular revision was performed in sixty-nine hips. All 211 revisions were included in a survivorship analysis to twelve years. Prospectively determined clinical results in 135 hips and radiographic results in 131 hips were available at a minimum of five years postoperatively. Results: Seven acetabular components were removed: three, because of infection; one, because of recurrent dislocation; and three, because of mechanical loosening. There was asymptomatic radiographic loosening of one additional acetabular component, for a total rate of aseptic loosening of 2%. The twelve-year prosthetic survival rate was 95% (95% confidence interval, 91% to 99%), with failure defined as component removal for any reason. There was no significant difference in the rate of survival of the cup or femoral component between the sixty-nine hips treated with isolated acetabular revision and the 142 hips in which both components were revised. There was a significant difference in the rate of dislocation between the hips treated with isolated acetabular revision (dislocation in fourteen hips, 20%) and those in which both components had been revised (dislocation in eleven hips, 8%; p = 0.03), but there was no difference in component survival if a dislocation occurred. There was a significant association between a patient weight of >82 kg and acetabular failure (p = 0.04). Conclusions: This titanium-fiber-metal-coated hemispheric component fixed with multiple screws had a twelve-year survival rate of 95% when used in an unselected, consecutive series of acetabular revisions. The rate of dislocation was significantly higher in the patients treated with isolated acetabular revision, and routine postoperative bracing is now recommended for that group. Level of Evidence: Prognostic study, Level II-1 (retrospective study). See Instructions to Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
The problem of maternal syphilis after serologic surveillance during pregnancy

Abstract Because of an initial case of congenital syphilis occurring in the off spring of a gravida who acquired infection in the interim between initial treponemal serologic testing and parturition, 1,000 maternal delivery serum specimens from gravida whose interim between the initial VDRL and parturition exceeded 90 days were screened using the rapid plasma reagin (RPR) card test. The specificity of a positive microflocculation reaction was confirmed by the fluorescent Treponema antibody absorption (FTA-Abs) test. Two additional cases of maternal syphilis prior to parturition were documented. While these cases may constitute isolated experiences, serious thought should be given to the screening of mothers prior to or at parturition for evidence of infection with Treponema pallidum until such time as the incidence of syphilis in the community is markedly reduced.
Interferon Responsiveness of Rabbit Synovial Cells and Chondrocytes

Rabbit synovial cells (SC), articular chondrocytes (AC), and epiphyseal (EC) chondrocytes were grown in vitro. A portion of the spectrum of human pathogenic viruses infective for the cells was determined. Responses of the cells to different viruses or a chemical inducer of interferon varied, with EC responding vigorously and with high titers, AC responding only to chemical inducer and influenza virus, and SC producing no detectable interferon. All cells supported prolonged growth of influenza virus without showing microscopic cytopathology.
Moment Arms of the Intrinsic Muscles at the PIP Joint of the Middle Finger are Independent of the Position of the MCP Joint

Studies of muscle moment arms have classically followed a method of superposition whereby the measurement or derivation of moment arm magnitudes at any given joint assume independence of the position of joints proximal to the joint under study. This is particularly important for muscles crossing multiple joints. However, because of the nature of the soft tissue anatomy that defines the paths of the intrinsic muscles of the hand inserting into the extensor hood (also known as the dorsal expansion), this assumption may not be true for the intrinsic muscle moment arms at the Proximal Interphalangeal (PIP) Joint. These are muscles that insert into the “hood” of the dorsal expansion at the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint of the fingers acting as flexors at the MCP joint and extensors at the PIP joint. The gliding and flexible nature of these tissues bring into question the validity of the assumption that the extension moment arm of the intrinsic muscles at the PIP joint are independent of the position of the MCP joint. Indeed the fact that some of the intrinsic muscles exhibit an increasing (bowstringing) moment arm at the MCP joint with increased flexion infers that the paths of muscles acting through the dorsal expansion do change with respect to phalanx rotation. Does this changing path then affect the extension moment arm of the intrinsics acting at the PIP joint? This project investigates this question with the hypothesis that the extension moment arms of the second lumbrical (2Lum), the second and third dorsal interosseous (2DI and 3DI) at the middle finger PIP joint are significantly different with the middle MCP joint flexed, neutral (at extension) and hyperextended.Copyright © 2007 by ASME