cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cryptorchidism in Boys With Cerebral Palsy Is Associated With the Severity of Disease and With Co-Occurrence of Other Congenital Anomalies.

Background: Cryptorchidism is reported in 40-50% of small case series of cerebral palsy (CP), and attributed to hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis abnormalities, intellectual disability or cremaster spasticity. We collected demographic and clinical data to define the frequency of cryptorchidism and clinical comorbidities in a large CP population. Methods: Electronic health record (EHR) data were collected for all male patients ≥7 years of age seen in a large, multidisciplinary CP clinic between 2000 and 2016. Variables including age, testicular position, surgical findings, CP severity, birth history, and comorbidities were tested for association using univariable and stepwise backward logistic regression analyses. Results: Of 839 established patients, testis position was scrotal in 553, undescended in 185 (24%), retractile in 38 (5%) and undocumented in 63 cases. Cryptorchidism were diagnosed at a mean age of 5.8 years, with 20% documented as acquired, and testes were most commonly in the superficial inguinal pouch (41%) and associated with an inguinal hernia (56%). Severity was bilateral in 114/166 (69%) undescended and 24/36 (66%) retractile cases, respectively. Mean birth weight and the frequency of prematurity (55, 58 and 54%) and multiple birth (14, 13, and 9%) were not significantly different among the three groups. We observed a strong ordinal trend in the frequency of comorbidities, including quadriplegia, syndromic features/known genetic disease, intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), death, brain malformations, seizures, gastrostomy, absent continence, intellectual disability and hearing, speech or visual impairment, with the retractile group holding the intermediate position for the majority. The stepwise multivariable analysis showed independent positive associations of cryptorchidism with quadriplegia, syndromic features/known genetic disease, hearing loss, and absent continence, and inverse associations with gestational age and multiple birth. Conclusion: These data suggest that cryptorchidism is less common than previously reported in CP cases, but most strongly associated with quadriplegia. Delayed diagnosis may be related to an acquired condition or to the multiple additional functional deficits that occur in this population. Our data suggest that UDT and CP may both be components of malformation syndromes occurring in singleton births whose clinical features are more likely to include earlier delivery, IUGR, hearing loss and/or global spasticity.
The Best Least-Squares Line Fit

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the best least-squares line fit. Traditional approaches for fitting least-squares lines to a set of two-dimensional data points involve minimizing the sum of the squares of the minimum vertical distances between the data points and the fitted line. That is, the fit is against a set of independent observations in the range y. This chapter presents a numerically stable algorithm that fits a line to a set of ordered pairs (x, y) by minimizing its least-squared distance to each point without regard to orientation. This is a true 2D point-fitting method exhibiting rotational invariance. A least-squares line-fitting method that is insensitive to coordinate system orientation can be constructed by minimizing instead the sum of the squares of the perpendicular distances between the data points and their nearest points on the target line. Such an algorithm has been presented in the literature, but the algorithm is based on a slope-intercept form of the line resulting in solution degeneracy and numerical inaccuracies. The algorithm presented in this chapter uses a θ–p (line angle, distance from the origin) parameterization of the line that results in no degenerate cases and provides a unique solution.
Normal Anatomical Variants and Other Mimics of Skeletal Trauma

Numerous non-pathological appearances can simulate disease processes in the developing skeleton. These may be anatomical variants, related to irregular, decreased or increased mineralisation during ossification, or artefactual. Only those that simulate the effects of trauma will be covered in this chapter, which is not intended to be exhaustive. Skeletal variations that are more commonly encountered in paediatric practice are included but the reader is directed to more comprehensive texts such as Theodore Keats Atlas (Keats and Anderson 2001), which this chapter is not designed to replace as a reference text
Feeding Prometheus: An Interdisciplinary Approach for Solving the Global Food Crisis

The current global food system is inadequate to meet the needs of the current world population without compromising future well-being. For example, current intensified production systems lead to undernutrition in some regions coupled with epidemics of obesity in others while compromising their underlying ecological foundations, such as creating areas of ocean hypoxia. Such common observations challenge the research community to ask new types of basic questions and apply novel analytical frameworks for analyzing them. Elaboration of an integrated applied research agenda is imperative to addressing these global food system challenges. We propose that core competencies of a new analytical framework lie at the intersection of four domains: 1) the ecology of agroecosystems; 2) equity in global and local food systems; 3) cultural dimensions of food and agriculture; and 4) human health. This intersection constitutes a new analytical framework for transitions toward global food system sustainability.
Critical Roles of Ca2+ and K+ Homeostasis in Apoptosis

Apoptosis occurs during the development, aging, and in various disease states. The apoptotic biochemical cascade involves activation of caspases, release of mitochondrial apoptotic factors, and nuclear DNA fragmentation, subjecting to regulation by pro- and antiapoptotic Bcl-2 genes. Emerging evidence supports that apoptosis is controlled by ionic mechanisms involving changes in Ca2+ and K+ homeostasis. It is proposed that Ca2+ changes in cell organelles mainly the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria, but not the cytosolic Ca2+, play critical roles in regulating and mediating apoptosis events. The Bcl-2 family members control the ER-mitochondria amplification loop of apoptosis. Overexpression of Bcl-2 or deficient for Bax and Bak lowers ER resting Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]ER) and secondarily decreased mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake. This fine-tuning of Ca2+ compartmentalization provides a mechanism for temporal and spatial regulation of Ca2+ signaling in apoptosis. Compelling evidence also reveals that excessive K+ efflux and intracellular K+ depletion are critical steps in apoptotic cell shrinkage and downstream events. Physiological concentration of intracellular K+ acts as a repressor of apoptotic effectors. A huge loss of cellular K+, likely a common event in apoptosis of many cell types, may serve as a disaster signal allowing the execution of the suicide program by activating key events in the apoptotic cascade including caspase cleavage, cytochrome-c release, and endonuclease activation. The proapoptotic disruption of K+ homeostasis can be mediated by overactivated K+ channels and, most likely, accompanied by reduced K+ uptake as a result of dysfunction of Na+,K+-adenosine triphosphatease. In addition to the K+ channels in the plasma membrane, mitochondrial K+ channels also play important roles in apoptosis. Investigations on the Ca2+ and K+ regulation of apoptosis, together with the molecular mechanism, have provided a more comprehensive understanding of the apoptotic mechanism. Further studies are needed to address new questions and may afford novel therapeutic strategies for apoptosis-related diseases.
Nutations of sunflower seedlings on tilted clinostats.

The kinetics of hypocotyl nutations in Helianthus annuus L. were measured on plants which were rotated on clinostats with axes of rotation inclined at various angles, alpha, away from the vertical. The g-force component acting in the direction of the plant axis was taken as g cos alpha. The average period and average amplitude of nutation were constant for all such axially directed g-forces between 1.0 and 0.2 g (vertical to about 80 inclination). On the horizontal clinostat (90 inclination) nutation was neither initiated nor sustained. The g-force just sufficient fully to activate nutational oscillations should be sought for g-force parameter values ranging from 0 to 0.2.
Let’s Have Some More: A Comment on Armanios, Lanahan, and Yu

This tantalizing paper raises new questions for research. These questions are explored in this short commentary.
Racial and Ethnic Differences in Obesity in People With Spinal Cord Injury: The Effects of Disadvantaged Neighborhood.

Abstract Objective To examine the role of neighborhood in the relation between race and obesity in people with spinal cord injury (SCI). Design A cross-sectional analysis of survey data from National SCI Database linked with neighborhood data from American Community Survey by census tract. Setting A total of 17 SCI Model Systems centers. Participants Individuals (N=3385; 2251 non-Hispanic whites, 760 non-Hispanic blacks, 374 Hispanics) who completed a follow-up assessment during 2006-2017 (mean duration of injury, 8.3±9.9y) and resided in 2934 census tracts. Intervention Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Body mass index (BMI) (kg/m2). Results The overall prevalence of obesity was 52.9% (BMI≥25.0) and 23.3% (BMI≥30.0). Hispanics were 67.0% more likely to be obese (BMI≥30.0 kg/m2) relative to non-Hispanic whites (odds ratio, 1.67; 95% confidence interval, 1.27-2.18), after controlling for demographic and injury-related characteristics. Most of the non-Hispanic blacks (66.8%) were living in neighborhoods with high concentrated disadvantaged index (CDI), compared to 35.0% of Hispanics and 9.2% of non-Hispanic whites living in this similar neighborhood status (P Conclusions Neighborhood characteristics partially diminish racial differences in obesity. Weight management for the SCI population should target those who are Hispanic and living in the disadvantaged neighborhoods.
Propagule pressure and priority seeding effects on the demography of invasive annual and native perennial grass species

ABSTRACTBackground: Annual grass invasion and dominance creates a self-sustaining cycle that promotes wildfires and reduces forage abundance. Restoring native plant species to annual grass-invaded ...
The Promise of Place-Based Investment in College Access and Success: Investigating the Impact of the Pittsburgh Promise

Place-based promise scholarships are a relatively recent innovation in the space of college access and success. Although evidence on the impact of some of the earliest place-based scholarships has begun to emerge, the rapid proliferation of promise programs largely has preceded empirical evidence of their impact. We utilize regression discontinuity and difference-in-differences analyses to investigate the causal effect of the Pittsburgh Promise on students’ immediate postsecondary attainment and early college persistence outcomes. Both analytic approaches yield similar conclusions. As a result of Promise eligibility, Pittsburgh Public School graduates are approximately 5 percentage points more likely to enroll in college, particularly four-year institutions; 10 percentage points more likely to select a Pennsylvania institution; and 4 to 7 percentage points more likely to enroll and persist into a second year of postsecondary education. Impacts vary with changes over time in the program structure and opportunities and are larger for those responsive to the Promise opportunity, as instrumental variable-adjusted results reveal. Although the Pittsburgh Promise represents a sizeable investment, conservative cost-benefit calculations indicate positive returns. Even with positive economic returns, an important question is whether locally funded programs such as the Pittsburgh Promise are economically sustainable in the long run.
Regional differences within the Anterior Cingulate Cortex in the Generation versus Suppression of Pain Affect in Rats

The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) modulates emotional responses to pain. Whereas, the caudal ACC (cACC) promotes expression of pain affect, the rostral ACC (rACC) contributes to its suppression. Both subdivisions receive glutamatergic innervation, and the present study evaluated the contribution of N-methyl-d-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptors within these subdivisions to rats' expression of pain affect. Vocalizations that follow a brief noxious tail shock (vocalization afterdischarges, VAD) are a validated rodent model of pain affect. The threshold current for eliciting VAD was increased in a dose-dependent manner by injecting NMDA into the rACC, but performance (latency, amplitude, and duration) at threshold was not altered. Alternately, the threshold current for eliciting VAD was not altered following injection of NMDA into the cACC, but its amplitude and duration at threshold were increased in a dose-dependent manner. These effects were limited to Cg1 of the rACC and cACC, and blocked by pretreatment of the ACC with the NMDA receptor antagonist d-2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate. These findings demonstrate that NMDA receptor agonism within the cACC and rACC either increases or decreases emotional responses to noxious stimulation, respectively. PERSPECTIVE: NMDA receptor activation of the rostral and caudal ACC respectively inhibited or enhanced rats' emotional response to pain. These findings mirror those obtained from human neuroimaging studies; thereby, supporting the use of this model system in evaluating the contribution of ACC to pain affect.
The Association of a Novel Identified VDR SNP With Prostate Cancer in African American Men.

BACKGROUND/AIM Vitamin D receptor (VDR) is present in numerous cellular pathways and it has been suggested that VDR genetic variants influence individual susceptibility to prostate cancer. Also, analyses of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in VDR revealed ethnicity-associated polymorphisms. The aim of this study was to identify VDR SNPs in African American men with and without prostate cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS The entire VDR gene was screened for germline mutations in a case-control study by denaturing high performance liquid chromatography and DNA sequencing. Logistic regression was used to estimate the association of SNPs, age, family history, and Gleason score with prostate cancer risk. RESULTS Six SNPs in the non-coding regions, and one SNP in the coding region, were detected. SNP 1 (c.278-69G>A) and SNP 4 (c.907+75C>T) have not been previously reported. SNP 4 had a significant protective effect (β=-0.6, p<0.05); whereas, SNP 7 (rs7975232) showed an increase association with prostate cancer risk and high Gleason score (β=0.32, p<0.05). SNP 4, SNP 7 and age were better predictors of prostate cancer risk than family history with a high degree of sensitivity (74.7%) and specificity (92.4%). CONCLUSION SNP 4 and SNP 7 could be promising markers for prediction of reduced or increased prostate cancer risk, respectively.
In vivo regulation of hepatic glutathione synthesis: effects of food deprivation or glutathione depletion by electrophilic compounds.

Glutathione traps reactive intermediates of compounds such as acetaminophen and prevents their covalent binding to tissue macromolecules and their hepatotoxicity (Mitchell et al., 1973). The availability of glutathione for conjugate formation is, therefore, a critical determinant of the toxicity of electrophilic drug metabolites capable of alkylating nucleophilic sites on vital hepatic molecules. Indeed, depletion of glutathione by diethyl maleate leads to a striking increase in the extent of liver injury caused by such drug metabolites (Potter et al., 1974).
Financial Hardships Of Medicare Beneficiaries With Serious Illness

In a national survey, seriously ill Medicare beneficiaries described financial hardships resulting from their illness-despite high beneficiary satisfaction with Medicare overall and the fact that many have supplemental insurance. About half reported a serious problem paying medical bills, with prescription drugs proving most onerous.
Solving nested-constraint resource allocation problems with an interior point method

Abstract Efficient methods for convex resource allocation problems usually exploit algebraic properties of the objective function. For problems with nested constraints, we show that constraint sparsity structure alone allows rapid solution with a general interior point method. The key is a special-purpose linear system solver requiring only linear time in the problem dimensions. Computational tests show that this approach outperforms the previous best algebraically specialized methods.
Elucidating the roles of three β-glucuronosyltransferases (GLCATs) acting on arabinogalactan-proteins using a CRISPR-Cas9 multiplexing approach in Arabidopsis

Arabinogalactan-proteins (AGPs) are one of the most complex protein families in the plant kingdom and are present in the cell walls of all land plants. AGPs are implicated in diverse biological processes such as plant growth, development, reproduction, and stress responses. AGPs are extensively glycosylated by the addition of type II arabinogalactan (AG) polysaccharides to hydroxyproline residues in their protein cores. Glucuronic acid (GlcA) is the only negatively charged sugar added to AGPs and the functions of GlcA residues on AGPs remain to be elucidated. Three members of the CAZy GT14 family (GLCAT14A-At5g39990, GLCAT14B-At5g15050, and GLCAT14C-At2g37585), which are responsible for transferring glucuronic acid (GlcA) to AGPs, were functionally characterized using a CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing approach in Arabidopsis. RNA seq and qRT-PCR data showed all three GLCAT genes were broadly expressed in different plant tissues, with GLCAT14A and GLCAT14B showing particularly high expression in the micropylar endosperm. Biochemical analysis of the AGPs from knock-out mutants of various glcat single, double, and triple mutants revealed that double and triple mutants generally had small increases of Ara and Gal and concomitant reductions of GlcA, particularly in the glcat14a glcat14b and glcat14a glcat14b glcat14c mutants. Moreover, AGPs isolated from all the glcat mutants displayed significant reductions in calcium binding compared to WT. Further phenotypic analyses found that the glcat14a glcat14b and glcat14a glcat14b glcat14c mutants exhibited significant delays in seed germination, reductions in root hair length, reductions in trichome branching, and accumulation of defective pollen grains. Additionally, both glcat14b glcat14c and glcat14a glcat14b glcat14c displayed significantly shorter siliques and reduced seed set. Finally, all higher-order mutants exhibited significant reductions in adherent seed coat mucilage. This research provides genetic evidence that GLCAT14A-C function in the transfer of GlcA to AGPs, which in turn play a role in a variety of biochemical and physiological phenotypes including calcium binding by AGPs, seed germination, root hair growth, trichome branching, pollen development, silique development, seed set, and adherent seed coat mucilage accumulation.
AFM based nanomechanical characterization of cellulose nanofibril

Cellulose nanofibril (CNF) is the fundamental unit of almost all types of natural fibers and is regarded as one of the main factors that influence their mechanical properties. Besides, owing to hav...
Brigham Eyebrow Tool for Alopecia: A Reliable Assessment of Eyebrow Alopecia Areata.

There are no tools to evaluate eyebrow involvement in patients with alopecia areata. We developed and assessed the reliability of the Brigham Eyebrow Tool for Alopecia (BETA) as a quantitative evaluation of eyebrow alopecia areata. BETA uses facial landmarks of eyebrow anatomy and is calculated using surface area and density. A total of 50 eyebrow images with varying levels of hair loss were distributed to six board-certified dermatologists at three academic medical centers with standardized instructions and examples. Interrater and intrarater reliability were calculated using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). BETA demonstrated high interrater (ICC = 0.88, confidence interval = 0.83–0.92 right eyebrow scores and ICC = 0.90, confidence interval = 0.85–0.94 left eyebrow scores) and intrarater (ICC = 0.90, confidence interval = 0.85–0.93 right eyebrow scores and ICC = 0.91, confidence interval = 0.87–0.94 left eyebrow scores) reliability. When measured in the same patient with varying degrees of hair loss over time, BETA demonstrated sensitivity to change. BETA is a simple and reliable objective assessment of eyebrow alopecia areata. BETA is easy-to-use and quick to calculate, making it feasible for a variety of clinical and research settings. Although developed for alopecia areata, we hope that BETA will be investigated in other etiologies of eyebrow alopecia to serve as a universal tool for monitoring disease progression, improvement, and response to treatment.
Ability of ICU Health Care Professionals to Recognize Common Patient-Ventilator Asynchronies

Background: Patient-ventilator asynchrony (PVA) has detrimental effects that include increased WOB, patient discomfort, increased need for sedation, prolonged mechanical ventilation, and decreased survival. Ventilator waveforms could assist identifying and correcting PVA by matching ventilator parameters to patient respiratory needs. The goal of this study was to assess the ability of HCPs working in ICUs to interpret common types of PVA. Methods: Descriptive observational study at a 496-bed university-affiliated institution in San Antonio, TX. Study was approved by the IRB. Four waveforms showing examples of PVA (ineffective effort, flow asynchrony, double-triggering, and auto-triggering) were presented, one at a time, to each HCP in the same order and asked to select the best answer from a multiple-choice questionnaire. HCPs with previous training on waveforms were compared to non-trained. Results: A total of 47 HPCs, including 19 RRTs (40.4%), 2 CRTs (4.3%), 6 resident physicians (12.8%), 7 fellows, (14.9%), 1 attending physician (2.1%), 1 physician assistant (2.1%), and 11 RNs (23.4%), completed the evaluation. Only 9 (19.1%) HCPs recognized the 4 types of asynchrony correctly, whereas 9 (19.1%) detected 2 types correctly, and 16 (34.0%) detected 1 type correctly. Thirteen participants (27.7%) did not identify any asynchrony correctly. Flow asynchrony was identified by 12 HCPs (25.5%), double-triggering by 18 (38.3%), while autotriggering and missed trigger was identified by the same number of HCPs, 20 (42.5%). There was not a significant difference between trained and non-trained HCPs who identified 4 asynchronies. Only 2 (10.5%) of the 19 RRTs identified all PVAs, while both CRTs (100%), one attending (100%), 2 CRTs (100%), 1 resident (16.7%), and 2 RNs (18.2%) identified all PVAs. The great majority of RRTs (57.9%) recognized only one type of PVA. The percentage of trained HCPs who identified 2 asynchronies (77.7%) was significantly higher than non-trained HCPs (22.2%; P = 0.023). Lack of recognition of any asynchrony was significantly higher in the non-trained group (76.9%) than in the trained group (23. 1%; P = 0.005). Conclusions: A small number of HCPs in the ICU are able to recognize common types of patient-ventilator asynchronies. Previous training on ventilator waveform analysis may significantly impact the ability of professionals to identify ventilator asynchrony.
Generating French virtual commuting network at municipality level

We aim to generate virtual commuting networks in the French rural regions in order to study the dynamics of their municipalities. Since we have to model small commuting flows between municipalities with a few hundreds or thousands inhabitants, we opt for a stochastic model presented by Gargiulo et al. 2012. It reproduces the various possible complete networks using an iterative process, stochastically choosing a workplace in the region for each commuter living in the municipality of a region. The choice is made considering the job offers in each municipality of the region and the distance to all the possible destinations. This paper presents how to adapt and implement this model to generate French regions commuting networks between municipalities. We address three different questions: How to generate a reliable virtual commuting network for a region highly dependant of other regions for the satisfaction of its resident's demand for employment? What about a convenient deterrence function? How to calibrate the model when detailed data is not available? We answer proposing an extended job search geographical base for commuters living in the municipalities, we compare two different deterrence functions and we show that the parameter is a constant for network linking French municipalities.
A Plasma Proteomic Signature of Skeletal Muscle Mitochondrial Function.

Although mitochondrial dysfunction has been implicated in aging, physical function decline, and several age-related diseases, an accessible and affordable measure of mitochondrial health is still lacking. In this study we identified the proteomic signature of muscular mitochondrial oxidative capacity in plasma. In 165 adults, we analyzed the association between concentrations of plasma proteins, measured using the SOMAscan assay, and skeletal muscle maximal oxidative phosphorylation capacity assessed as post-exercise phosphocreatine recovery time constant (τPCr) by phosphorous magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Out of 1301 proteins analyzed, we identified 87 proteins significantly associated with τPCr, adjusting for age, sex, and phosphocreatine depletion. Sixty proteins were positively correlated with better oxidative capacity, while 27 proteins were correlated with poorer capacity. Specific clusters of plasma proteins were enriched in the following pathways: homeostasis of energy metabolism, proteostasis, response to oxidative stress, and inflammation. The generalizability of these findings would benefit from replication in an independent cohort and in longitudinal analyses.
Technology Enabled Learning in Nursing

Over the last decade, technology enabled learning has thrived in the health care professional education arena. This is particularly true as the rise of disruptive technologies has greatly impacted not only education but also the delivery of health care across the globe. Thus, it is immensely important that nurses use a variety of digital tools to provide learning experiences that will best prepare for health care professionals to practice in a digital health ecosystem. In this chapter, the goal is to highlight examples of technology-enhanced learning and to prepare nurses for a technology-enhanced practice within a digital health ecosystem.
Evaluation of pressure reconstruction techniques for Model Order Reduction in incompressible convective heat transfer

Abstract This paper compares pressure reconstruction strategies in Model Order Reduction for incompressible flows with convective heat transfer. The Navier-Stokes equation are reduced along with the passive scalar transport equation for the temperature using the POD-Galerkin technique. Six different pressure reconstruction methods are evaluated, two of which are novel to the best of the authors’ knowledge. Accurate pressure reconstruction is key to avoid error buildup in when solving for the conservation of linear momentum at the reduced level. The six approaches are compared using Direct Numerical Simulations of convective heat exchange processes in a 3D Backward Facing Step with a heated cylinder. When comparing time-averaged metrics, we observe that the reconstruction methods that approximate the reduced pressure field using techniques borrowed from full order models (mechanical analogy, pressure Poisson, and velocity supremizers) yield higher errors than the methods that seek to stabilize the reduced systems (reduced residual stabilization, artificial divergence, and Uzawa operator).
Finerenone: A Non-steroidal Mineralocorticoid Receptor Blocker for Diabetic Kidney Disease

Hemodynamic alterations, metabolic dysfunction, inflammation, and fibrosis are the main drivers of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) progression. Targeting inflammation and fibrosis as a driver, the FIDELIO-DKD (Effect of Finerenone on Chronic Kidney Disease Outcomes in Type 2 Diabetes) trial reported by Bakris et al. provides evidence of a new therapeutic class for treating DKD.
Behavioral interventions to improve population health outreach for hepatitis C screening: randomized clinical trial.

Abstract Objective To evaluate whether opt out framing, messaging incorporating behavioral science concepts, or electronic communication increases the uptake of hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening in patients born between 1945 and 1965. Design Pragmatic randomized controlled trial. Setting 43 primary care practices from one academic health system (Philadelphia, PA, USA) between April 2019 and May 2020. Participants Patients born between 1945 and 1965 with no history of screening and at least two primary care visits in the two years before the enrollment period. Interventions This multilevel trial was divided into two studies. Substudy A included 1656 eligible patients of 17 primary care clinicians who were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to a mailed letter about HCV screening (letter only), or a similar letter with a laboratory order for HCV screening (letter+order). Substudy B included the remaining 19 837 eligible patients followed by 417 clinicians. Active electronic patient portal users were randomized 1:5 to receive a mailed letter about HCV screening (letter), or an electronic patient portal message with similar content (patient portal); inactive patient portal users were mailed a letter. In a factorial design, patients in substudy B were also randomized 1:1 to receive standard content (usual care), or content based on principles of social norming, anticipated regret, reciprocity, and commitment (behavioral content). Main outcome measures Proportion of patients who completed HCV testing within four months. Results 21 303 patients were included in the intention-to-treat analysis. Among the 1642 patients in substudy A, 19.2% (95% confidence interval 16.5% to 21.9%) completed screening in the letter only arm and 43.1% (39.7% to 46.4%) in the letter+order arm (P Conclusions Opt out framing and effort reduction by including a signed laboratory order with outreach increased screening for HCV. Behavioral science messaging content did not increase uptake, and mailed letters achieved a greater response rate than patient portal messages. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03712553.
Senior Faculty Perceptions of Social Work Journals

Abstract Academic journals are the primary means of disseminating new knowledge. A journal's prestige is a key determinant of its contents' visibility, readership, impact on practice, and use and citation in future research. This article presents a method for assessing the prestige of journals in the diverse field of social work, and demonstrates its application in a 1990 survey in which 421 senior faculty at accredited graduate schools of social work rated the familiarity and perceived quality of 120 journals in their field. The findings have value for researchers seeking to publish their work in the most appropriate journal and for persons attempting to assess the scholarly contribution of social work educators.
Configuration landscape analysis and backbone guided local search: part I: Satisfiability and maximum satisfiability

Boolean satisfiability (SAT) and maximum satisfiability (Max-SAT) are difficult combinatorial problems that have many important real-world applications. In this paper, we first investigate the configuration landscapes of local minima reached by the WalkSAT local search algorithm, one of the most effective algorithms for SAT. A configuration landscape of a set of local minima is their distribution in terms of quality and structural differences relative to an optimal or a reference solution. Our experimental results show that local minima from WalkSAT form large clusters, and their configuration landscapes constitute big valleys, in that high quality local minima typically share large partial structures with optimal solutions. Inspired by this insight into WalkSAT and the previous research on phase transitions and backbones of combinatorial problems, we propose and develop a novel method that exploits the configuration landscapes of such local minima. The new method, termed as backbone-guided search, can be embedded in a local search algorithm, such as WalkSAT, to improve its performance. Our experimental results show that backbone-guided local search is effective on overconstrained random Max-SAT instances. Moreover, on large problem instances from a SAT library (SATLIB), the backbone guided WalkSAT algorithm finds satisfiable solutions more often than WalkSAT on SAT problem instances, and obtains better solutions than WalkSAT on Max-SAT problem instances, improving solution quality by 20% on average.
Análisis de variantes regionales según el modelo variacionista y el de las redes de relación: el impacto de factores sociales en la variación de (r) y (ʎ.) en el castellano andino de Cuzco

Quatre buts sont poursuivis a travers l'analyse de la variation linguistique de deux variables sociolinguistiques (r et λ) en castillan andin de Cuzco : 1) Donner une nouvelle definition de la classe sociale qui puisse servir de facteur d'analyse de la variation linguistique; 2) Proposer une liste de facteurs linguistiques et extralinguistiques pour l'analyse de la variation du castillan a Cuzco et determiner ceux qui affectent l'usage des variantes regionales; 3) Verifier si le facteur reseau de relations est complementaire du facteur classe sociale; 4) Evaluer l'impact de la valeur sociale des differentes variantes regionales sur l'usage de celles-ci
Distribution of Selenium in Human Milk

Selenium is a trace element which possesses a strong metabolic similarity to sulfur. Early investigators suggested this element was highly toxic and possibly carcinogenic (1,2). However, during the early 1960’s increasing evidence indicated that selenium was an essential nutrient, especially in production animals where supplementation prevented a wide array of disorders (3). More recent support for the essentiality of selenium comes from its ability to maximize growth of mammalian cells in culture, including the clonal growth of normal human fibroblasts (4). Generally, the concentration of selenium needed to stimulate cellular growth is about 50 nM.
The measurement of fast state of polarization changes in aerial fiber

The state of polarization was measured of an aerial fiber over a six-day period. An upper limit of the state of polarization changes in aerial fiber was observed as 1.824 seconds. This gave an indication of how fast the polarization mode dispersion changes.
Risk factors for the development of prostate brachytherapy related urethral strictures.

Purpose: We identified clinical, treatment and dosimetric parameters associated with the development of urethral strictures following permanent prostate brachytherapy.Materials and Methods: From April 1995 through April 2003, 1,186 consecutive patients underwent prostate brachytherapy for clinical stage T1b-T3a NxM0 (2002 American Joint Committee on Cancer) prostate cancer. The treatment plan included supplemental XRT in 625 patients (52.7%) and androgen deprivation therapy in 465 (39.2%). Median followup was 4.3 years. Multiple clinical, treatment and dosimetric parameters were evaluated in univariate and multivariate analyses to identify independent predictors for urethral stricture disease.Results: A total of 29 patients had brachytherapy related urethral strictures. All strictures involved the BM urethra with a 9-year actuarial risk of 3.6% and a median time to development of 2.4 years. The mean radiation dose to the BM urethra was significantly greater in patients with vs without stricture (p = 0.002...
A numerical study of the unsteady wake behind a sphere in a uniform flow at moderate Reynolds numbers

Numerical simulations of uniform flow past a sphere are presented for Reynolds numbers from 100 to 500. The Navier–Stokes equations are discretized in three-dimensional space using a Galerkin-type finite element method. A velocity–pressure segregated algorithm using an explicit scheme is implemented for unsteady problems. Extensive computations at Re=100 are first carried out in order to determine optimal parameters for the simulations, as well as to examine the computational convergence. Unsteady flow fields are successfully simulated by introducing an artificial perturbation into the simulation. The development of asymmetric, stationary wakes at Re>250 is numerically simulated, which is consistent with experimental observations by others. The occurrence of periodic vortex shedding behind the sphere at Re>375 agrees with experimental measurements. The shed vortices detaching from a fixed location on the sphere at these Reynolds numbers are also in agreement with previous experimental observations. These results from the present simulations have not been reported in previous numerical studies. Statistical characteristics of the unsteady flow field such as drag, separation angle, and Strouhal number are also in good agreement with compared experimental data. With a further increase of Re to 500, irregularly shaped vortices begin to appear in addition to well-organized vortices, as observed in experiments. Spectral analysis reveals a periodic fluctuation of the vortex detachment location, the period of which is about four times longer than that of individual vortex shedding.
The computer as psychometrician

The application of computers to the functions traditionally carried out by a psychometrician or psychologist is examined. Diagnosis, psychotherapy, interviewing, psychological testing, test interpretation, and report writing are reviewed. The advantages and disadvantages of using computers in assessment applications are discussed. Patient and professional acceptance of automated psychological services is reviewed, as well as the parameters to consider in the development of computerized interviewing and testing. Brief comments are made regarding suitable computer systems for these applications. It is argued that computers can provide a cost-effective enhancement to the delivery of mental health services.
Hyperalgesia in an animal model of multiple sclerosis.

Abstract Many individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) experience clinically significant pain, yet the underlying neural mechanisms for MS pain are not understood. Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a well-studied disease in rodents that mimics many clinical and pathological features of MS, including central nervous system inflammation and demyelination. To determine whether EAE is an appropriate model for MS-related pain, nociceptive responses in both male and female SJL mice were measured before and after immunization with myelin proteolipid protein peptide 139–151 (PLP139–151) in complete Freund's adjuvant to induce ‘active’ EAE. To determine if changes in nociception were due to direct effects of encephalitogenic T cells, nociceptive responses in female SJL mice were measured following the transfer of activated, PLP139–151 specific T cells to induce ‘passive’ EAE. Both forepaw and tail withdrawal latencies to a radiant heat stimulus were measured. In both active and passive EAE, there was an initial increase in tail withdrawal latency (hypoalgesia) that peaked several days prior to the peak in motor deficits during the acute disease phase. During the chronic disease phase, tail withdrawal latencies decreased and were significantly faster than control latencies for up to 38 days post-immunization. This hyperalgesia was seen in both sexes and in both active and passive EAE models. Forepaw withdrawal latencies remained within 1–2 s of baseline latencies for the entire testing period, indicating that the hypoalgesia and hyperalgesia were most pronounced in clinically affected body regions. These results suggest that both active and passive EAE are useful models of MS-related pain.
Alignment Effects on Simple Turn Decisions in Track-Up and North-Up Maps

Turn decisions will be slower and less accurate for misaligned orientations of a map than when the map is aligned with one's heading direction. It is unclear what the size of this effect will be for misalignments within a narrow range around the aligned heading. This series of experiments examined the effect of turn-arrow alignment on accuracy and speed of turn decisions. In the first experiment, participants were presented with a series of maps, each with a turn arrow of a different orientation and heading superimposed over the center. The second experiment added a simulated driving task to increase cognitive load. Results indicate that while error rates and reaction times rise with increased misalignment, a wide range of misaligned headings ±50° around the perfectly aligned heading show error rates and reaction times that are not significantly different from the aligned heading and thus produce little cognitive cost.
Pycnodysostosis with heterozygous beta-thalassemia

A 6-year follow-up of a Greek girl with pycnodysostosis associated with heterozygous beta-thalassemia is reported. Active rickets in infancy was superimposed on pycnodysostosis. In the family the autosomal recessive disease, pycnodysostosis, appeared in two of three siblings in combination with the autosomal dominant disease, thalassemia minor.
Mitochondrial structure in steroid‐producing cells: Three‐dimensional reconstruction of human Leydig cell mitochondria by electron microscopic tomography

Mitochondria of human Leydig cells were reconstructed in three dimension utilizing the technique of electron microscopic tomography to obtain a better understanding of the topology of the internal membrane system and the relationship of these cristae to the inner boundary membrane (IBM). Cristae structure, in many respects, is consistent with previous tomographic studies from typical mitochondria, i.e., mitochondria from nonsteroid-producing cells. Cristae are diverse in form, with well-defined lamellar cristae interconnected to pleomorphic and tubular regions. Occasional fenestrations are present in the lamellar regions. Also consistent with other mitochondria studied by tomography, the openings of the cristae to the IBM (referred to as crista junctions) are roughly circular or elliptical and approximately 20–25 nm in diameter. Morphological contact sites between the outer mitochondrial membrane and IBM are also present. Cristae membranes in these steroid-producing mitochondria are often found in close proximity to the IBM. Unique to steroid-producing mitochondria is a form of the cristae in which multiple lamellae are in very close apposition, previously defined as the lamellar association. Tomographic reconstructions of the lamellar association reveal that these well-organized membranes also open to the IBM via crista junctions. These regions of closely apposed lamellar cristae are also interconnected and display small tubular extensions from the lamellae. The current study is the first electron microscopic tomography study of mitochondria from steroid-producing cells. The results show the cristae interconnect to form an extensive internal membrane system, which is perhaps better termed the cristae compartment. This internal membrane system is notable due to the high surface area with few small openings to the IBM. Such a morphology is more analagous to the thylakoid membrane system of chloroplasts than the long-standing view of mitochondrial cristae. The significance of the lamellar association form of the cristae is unknown. Anat Rec Part A 278A:454–461, 2004. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Effects of the physico-chemical nature of two biomimetic crystals on the innate immune response.

Abstract The influence of the physico-chemical features of particulates made of calcium phosphate (hydroxyapatite, HAP) crystals, or monosodium urate monohydrate (MSUM) crystals, on the innate immune response was investigated in mice after intraperitoneal injections. The phenotype and activation status of harvested peritoneal cells from C57BL/6 mice was determined by flow cytometry analysis at 24, 48 and 72 h after particulate injections and compared to a known adjuvant, aluminum phosphate (ALP). A rigorous characterization of the chemistry, structure, morphology and particle size of the particulates was completed. Mid-sized (10 μm mean size) particulates of both crystal types recruited the most cells, as compared to fine (1 μm) or large (100 μm) particulates. Analysis of sub-populations of the peritoneal cells revealed that MSUM induced fewer PMNs and eosinophils than HAP or ALP. MSUM also had the greatest effect on the expression of CD11b, MHC-Class II and CD86 on peritoneal macrophages indicating MSUM provides a robust antigen presenting and co-stimulatory bridge between the innate and adaptive immune systems. This study indicates that manipulation of the physico-chemical features of particulates is a means of controlling the innate immune response and that knife-like morphologies are more stimulatory than spherical or plate-like shapes. Proper utilization of the physico-chemical features of particulates offers a new direction for the development of more effective vaccine adjuvants.
Volumetric and Viscometric Properties of Binary Mixtures of Aliphatic Alcohols (C1−C4) with Nitroethane from 293.15 K to 313.15 K

Densities and viscosities were measured for the binary mixtures of methanol, ethanol, propan-1-ol, propan-2-ol, butan-2-ol, and 2-methylpropan-2-ol with nitroethane at temperatures from 293.15 K to 313.15 K and atmospheric pressure. Densities were determined using a vibrating-tube densimeter. Viscosities were measured with an automatic Ubbelohde capillary viscometer. The estimated uncertainties are less than ±0.05% for density and ±0.7% for viscosity. Excess volumes and viscosity deviations as a function of mole fraction average were derived, and the computed results were fitted to the Redlich−Kister equation. Furthermore, McAllister's three-body-interaction model is used to correlate the binary kinematic viscosities and the binary densities.
ENHANCEMENT OF INTRAMOLECULAR EXCIMER FORMATION OF 1,3‐BICHROMOPHORIC PROPANES VIA APPLICATION OF HIGH PRESSURE and VIA COMPLEXATION WITH CYCLODEXTRINS. PROTECTION FROM OXYGEN QUENCHING

— The emission of several 1,3-bichromophoric(BC) systems has been investigated in aqueous solutions containing various cyclodextrins (CD's). In all cases where molecular models reveal that the correspondence of the size and shape of the eclipsed conformation of the BC system and the cavity CD is high, a stable CD (host)-BC (guest) complex is formed and in these cases, the ratio of excimer to monomer emission intensity UE/IM) is much larger than that found in homogeneous solution. The effect of application of high pressure on the IE/IM ratio was investigated, as was the influence of 02 quenching of excimer and monomer in homogeneous solutions, in aqueous micellar solutions, and in aqueous solutions of CD complexes. A strong protection from 02 quenching is observed in the latter case.
Ekman transport and upwelling during Younger Dryas estimated from wind stress from GENESIS Climate model experiments with variable North Atlantic heat convergence

Reconstructed climatic changes during the Younger Dryas interval are similar to, but somewhat larger and more wide-spread than, those expected based on the direct atmospheric effects of reduced North Atlantic oceanic heat transport. The paleoclimatic data show that North Atlantic cooling during the Younger Dryas was accompanied by stronger winds in many regions, suggesting that enhanced wind-driven ocean upwelling may have served as a positive feedback on the cooling. We test this hypothesis using the GENESIS atmospheric general circulation model, and find that Younger Dryas-age specified reduction in North Atlantic oceanic heat transport increases tropical Ekman divergence by ≈10% in regions and at times of prominent upwelling, sufficient to affect tropical temperatures.