cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Spatial Distribution of Fecal Indicator Bacteria in Groundwater beneath Two Large On-Site Wastewater Treatment Systems

On-site wastewater treatment systems (OWS) are a common means of wastewater treatment in coastal North Carolina, where the soils are sandy and groundwater is relatively close to the surface ( 99%) at reducing FIB concentrations before discharge to groundwater. Results indicate that the LPP did enhance the distribution of FIB in groundwater beneath the drainfield area relative to the pump to distribution box system. Although the LPP system had a vadose zone over 2 m thinner than the pump to distribution box system, FIB treatment was similar. Enterococci was the most resilient FIB of the three tested.
Analysis and design for ill-conditioned plants: Part 2. Directionally uniform weightings and an example

Abstract A study is made of a special case of the robust performance problem given by Freudenberg (1989). When the weightings used to describe the uncertainty and performance specifications vary only with frequency, then it is possible to strengthen the results in the above-mentioned work by deriving both upper and lower bounds upon the structured singular value. Both sets of bounds are stated in terms of the coupling coefficients introduced by Freudenberg (1989), and essentially yield necessary and sufficient conditions for the structured singular value to be small. This information is used to suggest a strategy for compensator design to achieve robust performance despite plant ill-conditioning. Applying this strategy to an example, it can be seen how the design trade-offs quantified by the Bode gain-phase relation manifest themselves in the robust performance problem. Finally, the design is compared with one obtained using the'µ-synthesis' approach.
Distributed compilation metrics (abstract)

Software metrics typically are used to determine the complexity of code, the cost of software development, the effort required to develop software, or the probability of software errors. As programs increase in size and complexity, more of the limited CPU resource is consumed during compilation. In an effort to reduce the overall time for compilation of large (in excess of 1,000,000 lines of code) embedded Ada programs, a distributed Ada compilation system implemented on a network of computers has been developed. Tests of this system, using small to medium size (1,000 to 50,000 lines of code) Ada programs, have shown various levels of performance improvement over sequential compiles. The level of improvement, however, has not been consistent. At times, when the system is executing multiple concurrent compiles, there is a significant loss of efficiency. There has been relatively little work done on compilation time metrics [1,2]; and even less work done on distributed compilation time metrics which could be used to predict these major reductions in compilation performance.Our research presents two models for predicting compilation time for large Ada programs in a distributed environment. The first model involves the application of several standard metrics (lines of code, data structures, i/o intensity) and some non-standard metrics for compilation time. The weaknesses discovered in this model for a distributed environment are discussed. The second model combines some standard metrics with a scheduling algorithm to both predict distributed compilation time and determine an allocation of packages among distributed processors to optimize compilation time.We present tests of both of these models using modified PIWG Z tests. Compilation time predictions from these models are also shown for larger programs. Problems with an approach based on compilation time efficiency and recommendations for continued research in compilation metrics are discussed.
Laparoscopic resection of intra-abdominal metastasis from intracranial hemangiopericytoma

Introduction Hemangiopericytoma (HPC) is a rare mesenchymal tumor derived from capillary and postcapillary pericytes that often has an indolent course and occasionally presents with abdominal metastasis.
A comparison of naloxone and naltrexone in laboratory tests predictive of antipsychotic potential

Naloxone and naltrexone were compared neuropharmacologically, especially in several rodent models considered to be predictive of antipsychotic activity, since narcotic antagonists have been reported to be effective in the treatment of schizophrenia. Naltrexone was found to be a potent antagonist of amphetamine-induced aggregate toxicity in mice; this was in marked contrast to naloxone, which enhanced amphetamine's toxicity. Both naloxone and naltrexone exhibited an unusual profile of activity in the apomorphine-induced stereotypy test in mice in that they antagonized the chewing behavior but failed to antagonize the rearing; this is in contrast to the activity of standard neurolepitcs (e.g., haloperidol, clozapine) which antagonize both behaviors induced by apomorphine. Neither of the narcotic antagonists exhibited any activity in several other tests predictive of antipsychotic activity. Naltrexone was a potent inhibitor of spontaneous locomotor activity in mice; naloxone, although much weaker, also antagonized motor activity. Thus, endorphins may play a role in the modulation of exploratory or locomotor activity. The marked difference in activity between the two antagonists in the amphetamine aggregate toxicity study may indicate a significant neuropharmacological difference between these agents; i.e., naltrexone may be much more than merely a more potent naloxone. Furthermore, naltrexone's potent activity as an antagonist of amphetamine-induced aggregate toxicity in mice may be predictive of a better therapeutic effect in schizophrenia than has been observed with naloxone.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ACHIEVEMENT IMAGERY INDEX PERCEPTUAL CODING TASK AND INTELLIGENCE

The Iowa Picture Interpretation Test and a perceptual-coding test using wooden blocks with numbers were administered to 99 students in Grades 8 and 9. IQs from the students' files in the school were obtained. Pearson product-moment correlations of three variables showed that perceptual-coding scores were related to intelligence and achievement imagery index of Iowa Picture Interpretation Test. Intelligence and the achievement imagery index of the IPIT were not correlated significantly. Further, multiple correlation showed that achievement imagery index of IPIT and IQ taken together were significantly related to perceptual-coding scores.
Differential Targeting of Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors by Novel αA-Conotoxins

We describe the isolation and characterization of two peptide toxins from Conus ermineus venom targeted to nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). The peptide structures have been confirmed by mass spectrometry and chemical synthesis. In contrast to the 12-18 residue, 4 Cys-containing alpha-conotoxins, the new toxins have 30 residues and 6 Cys residues. The toxins, named alphaA-conotoxins EIVA and EIVB, block both Torpedo and mouse alpha1-containing muscle subtype nAChRs expressed in Xenopus oocytes at low nanomolar concentrations. In contrast to alpha-bungarotoxin, alphaA-EIVA is inactive at alpha7-containing nAChRs even at micromolar concentrations. In this regard, alphaA-EIVA is similar to the previously described alpha-conotoxins (e.g. alpha-MI and alpha-GI) which also selectively target alpha1- versus alpha7-containing nAChRs. However, alpha-MI and alpha-GI discriminate between the alpha/delta versus alpha/gamma subunit interfaces of the mouse muscle nAChR with 10,000-fold selectivity. In contrast, alphaA-conotoxin EIVA blocks both the alpha/gamma site and alpha/delta site with equally high affinity but with distinct kinetics. The alphaA-conotoxins thus represent novel probes for the alpha/gamma as well as the alpha/delta binding sites of the nAChR.
Estimation of muscle synergies in the presence of arbitrary inputs

The strategy the central nervous system utilizes to produce movements in the face of multiple degrees of freedom available has been a subject of study for the past few years. Of the possible mechanisms, the muscle synergies-stereotypical coordinated patterns of muscle activity elicited by dedicated networks have been suggested to be the building blocks. Based on this hypothesis, several algorithms have been proposed to discern these synergies from the recorded electromyographic signals (EMG). In the proposed model, the synergies are treated as filters (IRFs) that take as input any arbitrary non-negative signal. That is, the EMG is seen as a convolution mixture of synergies and corresponding inputs.
Model-based software health management for real-time systems

Complexity of software systems has reached the point where we need run-time mechanisms that can be used to provide fault management services. Testing and verification may not cover all possible scenarios that a system will encounter, hence a simpler, yet formally specified run-time monitoring, diagnosis, and fault mitigation architecture is needed to increase the software system's dependability. The approach described in this paper borrows concepts and principles from the field of “Systems Health Management” for complex systems and implements a two level health management strategy that can be applied through a model-based software development process. The Component-level Health Manager (CLHM) for software components provides a localized and limited functionality for managing the health of a component locally. It also reports to the higher-level System Health Manager (SHM) which manages the health of the overall system. SHM consists of a diagnosis engine that uses the timed fault propagation (TFPG) model based on the component assembly. It reasons about the anomalies reported by CLHM and hypothesizes about the possible fault sources. Thereafter, necessary system level mitigation action can be taken. System-level mitigation approaches are subject of on-going investigations and have not been included in this paper. We conclude the paper with case study and discussion.
EFFECTS OF GLUCOSE REPRESSION ON THE TRANSMISSION AND RECOMBINATION OF MITOCHONDRIAL GENES IN YEAST (SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE)

Matings of a number of Saccharomyces cerevisiae stocks give different output ratios of mitochondrial genotypes depending on whether the cells are glucose-repressed or derepressed. The effects of glucose repression are independent of cellular mating type and mitochondrial genotype, and take place at least in part after zygotes are formed. An explanation is proposed in terms of changes in the relative numbers of mitochondrial DNA molecules contributed by the a and α parents, modified by selective replication or destruction of molecules inside the zygote.
A Comparison of Eight Kindergarten Phonemic Awareness Programs Based on Empirically Validated Instructional Principles

In this article, the authors review eight published and widely used curricula for teaching phonemic awareness. They describe characteristics that enhance ease of use and delivery of instruction and review how each of the programs addresses design features of phonemic awareness instruction supported by research evidence. Their findings indicated that these programs were generally easy to use and incorporated many instructional techniques based on research evidence. The programs also had four common weaknesses: (a) all materials needed for instruction were not typically included, (b) supplementary and home enrichment materials were not always present, (c) specific feedback techniques were not typically specified, and (d) practice and review activities were not routinely provided. The article concludes with a discussion of practical implications for selecting published phonemic awareness instructional materials.
Laparoscopic surgery for ulcerative colitis

Laparoscopic techniques have revolutionized the management of many colorectal diseases. Virtually every procedure has been attempted laparoscopically. Success lies in the documented claims of shorter hospitalization, faster recovery, and improved cosmesis. The application of laparoscopy for some disease processes has required acquisition of experience and an evolution of technique to optimize benefit. Inflammatory diseases of the intestine, such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and diverticulitis, have proven particularly challenging to the laparoscopic surgeon because of the technical demands posed by their complicating inflammatory nature. Early laparoscopic experience involved long operative times, high rates of conversion, and excessive operating room costs, which raised concern about the physiologic and economic advantages. Over the last decade, intense investigation and subsequent refinements in technique and technology have led to considerable advances and a clearly established role for laparoscopic management of Crohn’s disease and diverticulitis; however, laparoscopy for ulcerative colitis has not proven to be as promising. Laparoscopic procedures described for ulcerative colitis include laparoscopic subtotal colectomy, total proctocolectomy, and restorative proctocolectomy. These procedures involve laparoscopic mobilization of long segments of large bowel, control of multiple and variable blood vessels,
Electrochemical and Spectroscopie Evaluation of Lithium Intercalation in Tailored Polymethacrylonitrile Carbons

Disordered polymethacrylonitrile (PMAN) carbon monoliths have been studied as potential tailored electrodes for lithium ion batteries. A combination of electrochemical and surface spectroscopic probes have been used to investigate irreversible loss mechanisms. Voltammetric measurements show that Li intercalates readily into the carbon at potentials 1V positive of the reversible Li potential. The coulometric efficiency rises rapidly from 50% for the first potential cycle to greater than 85% for the third cycle, indicating that solvent decomposition is a self-limiting process. Surface film composition and thickness, as measured by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), does not vary substantially when compared to more ordered carbon surfaces. Li{sup +} profiles are particularly useful in discriminating between the bound states of Li at the surface of solution permeable PMAN carbons.
Integrated biochemical, molecular genetic, and bioacoustical analysis of mesoscale variability of the euphausiid Nematoscelis difficilis in the California Current

Integrated assessment of the euphausiid Nematoscelis difficilis (Crustacea; Euphausiacea) and the zooplankton assemblage of the California Current was designed to investigate individual,population,and community responses to mesoscale variability in biological and physical characters of the ocean. Zooplankton samples and observational data were collected along a cross-shelf transect of the California Current in association with the California Cooperative Fisheries Investigations (CalCOFI) Survey during October 1996. The transect crossed three domains defined by temperature and salinity: nearshore,mid-Current,and offshore. Individual N. difficilis differed in physiological condition along the transect,with higher size-corrected concentrations of four central metabolic enzymes (citrate synthetase,hexokinase,lactate dehydrogenase (LDH),and phosphoglucose isomerase (PGI)) for euphausiids collected in nearshore waters than in mid-Current and offshore waters. There was little variation in the DNA sequences of the genes encoding PGI and LDH (all DNA changes were either silent or heterozygous base substitutions),suggesting that differences in enzyme concentration did not result from underlying molecular genetic variation. The population genetic makeup of N. difficilis varied from sample to sample based on haplotype frequencies of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (mtCOI; P ¼ 0:029). There were significant differences between pooled nearshore and offshore samples,based on allele frequencies at two sites of common substitutions in the mtCOI sequence (P ¼ 0:020 and 0:026). Silhouette and bioacoustical backscattering measurements of the zooplankton assemblage of the top 100 m showed marked diel vertical migration of the scattering layer,of which euphausiids were a small but significant fraction. The biochemical and molecular assays are used as indices of complex physiological (i.e.,growth and condition) and genetic (i.e., mortality) processes; the bioacoustical observations provide insight into the ecosystem context for the single-species measurements. All data are intended for integration into predictive models of secondary production and biomass concentration in the ocean. r 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Electrocardiographic and Biochemical Study in Hemorrhagic Shock in Dogs Treated with Hyperbaric Oxygenation

A modification of the standard Fine preparation for hemorrhagic shock yielding an 83 per cent mortality rate was developed. Hyperbaric oxygenation (OHP) at 3 atmospheres absolute was found to decrease the mortality rate significantly, to 26 per cent. Electrocardiographic changes induced by OHP were bradycardia and sinus arrhythmia, which were abolished by vagotomy. Tachycardia, depression of the S-T segment, with changes in the configuration of the T wave that indicated myocardial damage, was observed in shock dogs treated with OHP. All changes improved after decompression and reinfusion of shed blood. The improved survival rate is attributed to better oxygenation of the hypoxic tissues [see figure in the PDF file] by the increased physically dissolved oxygen.
Impact of preceding crop on alfalfa competitiveness with weeds

Organic producers would like to include no-till practices in their farming systems, but they are concerned about managing weeds without tillage. We are seeking to develop a continuous no-till system for organic farming, based on a complex rotation that includes a 3-yr sequence of alfalfa. In this study, we evaluated impact of preceding crop on weed infestation in alfalfa. Alfalfa was established with no-till following spring wheat, corn or soybean. The study involved a 4-yr interval, with weed dynamics measured in the fourth year. Alfalfa established after soybean suppressed weeds more than alfalfa established after spring wheat or corn. Weed biomass in alfalfa following spring wheat was 18% of the plant community, but only 1% when alfalfa followed soybean and 6% when alfalfa followed corn. Weed biomass increased because alfalfa density following spring wheat was only 71% of alfalfa following soybean. Weeds such as downy brome (Bromus tectorum L.) and dandelion (Taraxacum officinale Weber) were able to establish and produce biomass where alfalfa stand was sparse. Alfalfa forage yield across 3 yr was also higher following soybean than either spring wheat or corn. Alfalfa competitiveness with weeds can be improved by choice of preceding crop.
The Geant4 physics validation repository

The Geant4 collaboration regularly performs validation and regression tests. The results are stored in a central repository and can be easily accessed via a web application. In this article we describe the Geant4 physics validation repository which consists of a relational database storing experimental data and Geant4 test results, a java API and a web application. Lastly, the functionality of these components and the technology choices we made are also described
Malignant priapism as the initial clinical manifestation of metastatic renal cell carcinoma with invasion of both corpora cavernosum and spongiosum.

Malignant priapism as the initial clinical manifestation of metastatic renal cell carcinoma with invasion of both corpora cavernosum and spongiosum
Adams et al. Respond.

A response by Swann A. Adams, Suel Ki Choi, Jan M. Eberth and colleagues to a letter to the editor about their article "Medicaid coverage expansion and implications for cancer disparities" in a 2016 issue is presented.
Valve replacement in children and adolescents.

Replacement of diseased heart valves has become the treatment of choice in many adults. Valve replacement in older children and adolescents has been done in our institution only when other procedures are ineffective. Over the past 10 years, 24 patients have received 28 artificial valves. Thirteen (54 per cent) had rheumatic heart disease; the remainder had congenital or acquired valvular abnormalities. The Bjork-Shiley valve was most commonly used in the aortic position and the Beall prosthesis in the mitral position. Sixteen patients (67 per cent) survived operation and have been followed from 3 to 79 months, averaging 27 months. All are free of cardiac symptoms. Hemarthrosis occurred once in 2 survivors (13 per cent). Eight patients died (33 per cent), 5 immediately postoperatively and 3 within a year after the operation. The mortality rate has declined to 21 per cent during the past 3 years. Our experience in the pediatric age group suggests that valve replacement is a serious undertaking with a higher mortality rate than in adults. The operation should be reserved for those patients in whom valvuloplasty or valvulotomy is expected to be ineffective.
Brain Stimulation in Addiction

Localized stimulation of the human brain to treat neuropsychiatric disorders has been in place for over 20 years. Although these methods have been used to a greater extent for mood and movement disorders, recent work has explored brain stimulation methods as potential treatments for addiction. The rationale behind stimulation therapy in addiction involves reestablishing normal brain function in target regions in an effort to dampen addictive behaviors. In this review, we present the rationale and studies investigating brain stimulation in addiction, including transcranial magnetic stimulation, transcranial direct current stimulation, and deep brain stimulation. Overall, these studies indicate that brain stimulation has an acute effect on craving for drugs and alcohol, but few studies have investigated the effect of brain stimulation on actual drug and alcohol use or relapse. Stimulation therapies may achieve their effect through direct or indirect modulation of brain regions involved in addiction, either acutely or through plastic changes in neuronal transmission. Although these mechanisms are not well understood, further identification of the underlying neurobiology of addiction and rigorous evaluation of brain stimulation methods has the potential for unlocking an effective, long-term treatment of addiction.
Ontology-Driven Metamodel Validation in Cyber-Physical Systems

This paper describes the development and use of an ontology to validate model integration and metamodel description in the cyber-physical systems engineering domain. A primary goal of the Defense Advanced Research Program Agency (DARPA)’s Adaptive Vehicle Make (AVM) program is to reduce product cost by reducing the design space early in the engineering life cycle, to enable a high-value focus on reasonable alternatives. The OpenMETA tool suite uses semantic constructs for model integration across engineering disciplines, and facilitates trade analysis across those disciplines (such as electrical, mechanical, thermal, fluid, and cyber). Independently, through expert interviews, the authors developed a lightweight ontology to represent important trades in the early system engineering design process, and have been using that ontology as both a communication and validation mechanism for the semantics embedded in the OpenMETA tools. The results are informing the tool development, providing an independent validation mechanism, and creating a layer of the ontology that is extremely useful to both people and machines that was not initially obvious. The ontology-based approach described in this paper facilitates the identification and encoding of the important relationships between design decisions and subsequent reasonable decision alternatives, and serves as an independent validation of the semantics and relationships encoded in the OpenMETA tool suite, both at very low cost.
Confirmation and Evidence Distinguished

It can be demonstrated in a very straightforward way that confirmation and evidence as spelled out by us can vary from one case to the next, that is, a hypothesis may be weakly confirmed and yet the evidence for it can be strong, and conversely, the evidence may be weak and the confirmation strong. At first glance, this seems puzzling; the puzzlement disappears once it is understood that confirmation is of single hypotheses, in which there is an initial degree of belief which is adjusted up or down as data accumulate, whereas evidence always has to do with a comparison of one hypothesis against another with respect to the data and is belief-independent. Confusing them is, we suggest, a plausible source of the so-called “base-rate fallacy” identified by Kahneman and Tversky which leads most of us to make mistaken statistical inferences. It is also in the background, or so we argue in some detail, of the important policy controversies concerning human-induced global warming.
What is the Best Treatment for Congenital Vertical Talus

Congenital vertical talus (CVT) is a rare congenital anomaly with a reported incidence of 1:100,000. The aetiology of this condition is unclear. It is thought around 50 % of cases are isolated but the rest have associated musculoskeletal, neurologic or chromosomal abnormalities. Traditional treatment involves extensive soft tissue releases. A less invasive correction according to the Ponseti principle has been recently advocated. In this chapter we explore the best available evidence for CVT management and highlight the difficulty in constructing a high grade recommendation on management.
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Metabolic Profiles to Distinguish Geographically Isolated Populations of Mountain Goats

Basic physiological studies on mountain goats (Oreamnos americanus) are conspicuously lacking in the literature, and the physiology of this species is perhaps the least known of the high mountain ungulates. The objective of this study was to evaluate metabolic profiles of female mountain goats from five geographically distinct populations using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Serum samples were collected from nannies located in Alaska in September (AK) from Glacier in August (GMT), from the Grand Tetons in November-December (GT), from NE Yellowstone in December (NEY) and from Absaroka in March (AB). Serum was extracted with acetone, dried and re-suspended in a standard NMR buffer. NMR spectra were analyzed with Chenomix™ software. Metabolites were identified and concentrations determined using the Chenomix™ database and the Human Metabolome Database. We identified 55 metabolites in the serum of mountain goats using this emerging technology. Of these 42 metabolites differed among the herds (P < 0.05). Of these 42 metabolites; creatinine, lactate and pyruvate distinguished (P < 0.05) each herd from another. Furthermore, using Principal Component Analyses of these metabolites allowed us to clearly differentiate metabolic profiles in carbohydrate, protein and lipid metabolism in nannies from these five populations. This study has the potential to enhance our understanding of how changes in nutrition, reproduction, susceptibility to disease, and survival rates drive population dynamics.
Synergistic Interaction of Hypertension and Diabetes in Promoting Kidney Injury and the Role of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress

Diabetes mellitus and hypertension are major risk factors for chronic kidney injury, together accounting for >70% of end-stage renal disease. In this study, we assessed interactions of hypertension and diabetes mellitus in causing kidney dysfunction and injury and the role of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Hypertension was induced by aorta constriction (AC) between the renal arteries in 6-month-old male Goto-Kakizaki (GK) type 2 diabetic and control Wistar rats. Fasting plasma glucose averaged 162±11 and 87±2 mg/dL in GK and Wistar rats, respectively. AC produced hypertension in the right kidney (above AC) and near normal blood pressure in the left kidney (below AC), with both kidneys exposed to the same levels of glucose, circulating hormones, and neural influences. After 8 weeks of AC, blood pressure above the AC (and in the right kidney) increased from 109±1 to 152±5 mm Hg in GK rats and from 106±4 to 141±5 mm Hg in Wistar rats. The diabetic-hypertensive right kidneys in GK-AC rats had much greater increases in albumin excretion and histological injury compared with left kidneys (diabetes mellitus only) of GK rats or right kidneys (hypertension only) of Wistar-AC rats. Marked increases in ER stress and oxidative stress indicators were observed in diabetic-hypertensive kidneys of GK-AC rats. Inhibition of ER stress with tauroursodeoxycholic acid for 6 weeks reduced blood pressure (135±4 versus 151±4 mm Hg), albumin excretion, ER and oxidative stress, and glomerular injury, while increasing glomerular filtration rate in hypertensive-diabetic kidneys. These results suggest that diabetes mellitus and hypertension interact synergistically to promote kidney dysfunction and injury via ER stress.
A Random Walk through Silicon Valley: Non-Compete Agreements

Companies in general become very protective of their technologies. They are concerned that their intellectual property, especially trade secrets, customer lists, goodwill, and so on could be compromised when employees depart to competitors or set up “competing shops” themselves. This fear has led to the proliferation of company/employee non-compete agreements. One of the exceptions to these protective agreements is the state of California—including Silicon Valley. California, to continue to spur technological development and economic growth, does not enforce non-compete agreements. A random walk through Silicon Valley can attest to the competitive environment that exists, possibly, in part, to unenforced non-compete agreements. This article examines the current state of play of non-compete agreements.
Ability of Chromogenic Agar, MALDI-TOF, API 20E and 20 Strep Strips, and BBL Crystal Enteric and Gram-Positive Identification Kits to Precisely Identify Common Equine Uterine Pathogens

Abstract Bacterial endometritis is a well-recognized cause of subfertility in mares. Clinicians rely on accurate identification of bacteria to determine if the isolate is pathogenic to develop a therapeutic plan. To determine the accuracy of bacterial identification systems, 25 isolates each of Escherichia coli , Pseudomonas aeruginosa , Klebsiella pneumoniae , and Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus were evaluated by Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization–time of flight (MALDI-TOF), chromogenic agar, API bacterial identification system and BBL Crystal bacterial identification system. The gold standard for bacterial identification used in this study was DNA sequencing of 16S rDNA (ribosomal subunit). Chromogenic agar (96%) and MALDI-TOF (95%) identified a significantly greater number of bacterial isolates as compared with the BBL Crystal (86%) and API identification (38%) systems. The BBL Crystal system correctly identified a significantly great number of Gram-negative isolates (93% accurate) as compared with S. zooepidemicus isolates (75% accurate). In conclusion, MALDI-TOF and chromogenic agar were able to precisely identify both Gram-positive and Gram-negative equine uterine pathogens. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization–time of flight systems are currently used in veterinary diagnostic laboratories; however, chromogenic agar can be incorporated into clinical practice to rapidly and accurately identify common equine uterine pathogens.
Esophageal Clearance in Gastroesophageal Reflux

Gastroesophageal reflux is a normal physiologic process, with multiple mechanisms in place to prevent physiologic reflux from becoming pathologic. One such mechanism is esophageal clearance. Esophageal clearance is composed of two distinct phases: volume clearance and chemical clearance. Volume clearance utilizes swallowing and esophageal peristalsis to empty the esophagus of reflux bolus and virtually all acid. Chemical clearance neutralizes the residual acid film by saliva, either swallowed or secreted by the esophagus. Combined pH-multichannel intraluminal impedance is the best technique to measure both phases of clearance. Normal values for children have been established. If either phase of esophageal clearance is prolonged, the esophagus experiences increased acid exposure, and this can result in secondary complications. There are physiologic and disease states which can impact either or both of the clearance phases. They do so by impacting the swallow, esophageal peristalsis, esophageal motility, and composition or quantity of saliva. As a result, these patients are predisposed to gastroesophageal reflux disease.
Examination of Market Segmentation among Medical Marijuana Dispensaries.

Background: As medical marijuana legislation becomes more common, concerns arise about the overconcentration of dispensaries, raising questions about the number of medicinal marijuana dispensaries ...
Posture planning for agent animation

Abstract A human motion planning method called posture planning is described that addresses how an agent controls and coordinates body parts to achieve a given task in the Cartesian task space.
Effects of repeated cocaine administration on dopamine D1 receptor modulation of mesocorticolimbic GABA and glutamate transmission.

Abstract Repeated cocaine exposure alters medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) function to allow for enhanced excitatory transmission to the nucleus accumbens and ventral tegmental area (VTA). Previous studies have demonstrated changes in receptor function in the mPFC in animals repeatedly exposed to cocaine that produced increased excitatory output. The present report tested the hypothesis that daily injections of cocaine would enhance D1 receptor responsiveness by infusing the D1 receptor agonist SKF 38393 into the mPFC and monitoring glutamate and/or GABA release in the mPFC, nucleus accumbens and VTA of saline- and cocaine-pretreated animals using in vivo microdialysis. The data demonstrated that intra-mPFC SKF 38393 reduced GABA and glutamate levels in the mPFC in control animals. Intra-mPFC SKF 38393 had no effect on glutamate levels in animals 1 day after daily cocaine treatments, increased mPFC glutamate at 7 days of withdrawal and reverted to decreasing glutamate at 30 days of withdrawal. SKF 38393 induced reduction in mPFC GABA is lost at 7 and 30 days of withdrawal. Intra-mPFC SKF 38393 did not alter glutamate levels in the nucleus accumbens or VTA of control animals. Infusion of SKF 38393 into the mPFC of animals previously exposed to cocaine increased and reduced glutamate release in the nucleus accumbens after 7 and 30 days of withdrawal, respectively and increased glutamate levels in the VTA 7 and 30 days after daily cocaine injections. The data suggest that repeated cocaine exposure alters D1 receptor function in the mPFC that could contribute to enhanced behavioral responses that occur following repeated cocaine.
Racial Discrimination in Health Care and Utilization of Health Care: a Cross-sectional Study of California Adults

Racial and ethnic discrimination in health care have been associated with suboptimal use of health care. However, limited research has examined how facets of health care utilization influence, and are influenced by, discrimination. This study aimed to determine if type of insurance coverage and location of usual source of care used were associated with perceptions of racial or ethnic discrimination in health care. Additionally, this study examined if perceived racial or ethnic discrimination influenced delaying or forgoing prescriptions or medical care. Data from the 2015–2016 California Health Interview Survey were used. Logistic regression models estimated odds of perceiving racial or ethnic discrimination from insurance type and location of usual source of care. Logistic regression models estimated odds of delaying or forgoing medical care or prescriptions. Responses for 39,171 adults aged 18 and over were used. Key health care utilization variables were as follows: current insurance coverage, location of usual source of care, delaying or forgoing medical care, and delaying or forgoing prescriptions. We examined if these effects differed by race. Ever experiencing racial or ethnic discrimination in the health care setting functioned as a dependent and independent variable in analyses. When insurance type and location of care were included in the same model, only the former was associated with perceived discrimination. Specifically, those with Medicaid had 66% higher odds of perceiving discrimination, relative to those with employer-sponsored coverage (AOR = 1.66; 95% CI 1.11, 2.47). Race did not moderate the impact of discrimination. Perceived discrimination was associated with higher odds of delaying or forgoing both prescriptions (AOR = 1.97; 95% CI 1.26, 3.09) and medical care (AOR = 1.84; 95% CI 1.31, 2.59). Health care providers have an opportunity to improve the experiences of their patients, particularly those with publicly sponsored coverage.
Assessment of mammographic breast density after sleeve gastrectomy.

Abstract Background Mammographic breast density (BD) is an independent risk factor for breast cancer. The effects of bariatric surgery on BD are unknown. Objectives To investigate BD changes after sleeve gastrectomy (SG). Setting University hospital, United States. Methods Fifty women with mammograms before and after SG performed from 2009 to 2015 were identified after excluding patients with a history of breast cancer, hormone replacement, and/or breast surgery. Patient age, menopausal status, co-morbidities, hemoglobin A1C, and body mass index were collected. Craniocaudal mammographic views before and after SG were interpreted by a blinded radiologist and analyzed by software to obtain breast imaging reporting and data system density categories, breast area, BD, and absolute dense breast area (ADA). Analyses were performed using χ2, McNemar's test, t test, and linear regressions. Results Radiologist interpretation revealed a significant increase in breast imaging reporting and data system B+C category (68% versus 54%; P = .0095) and BD (9.8 ± 7.4% versus 8.3 ± 6.4%; P = .0006) after SG. Software analyses showed a postoperative decrease in breast area (75,398.9 ± 22,941.2 versus 90,655.9 ± 25,621.0 pixels; P Conclusions ADA decreases after SG, particularly in postmenopausal patients. Software-generated ADA may be more accurate than radiologist-estimated BD or breast imaging reporting and data system for capturing changes in dense breast tissue after SG.
Wednesday, September 26, 2018 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM Improving Quality of Life for Patients with Tumors: 80. High facility volume may improve survival in patients with primary bone tumors of the vertebral column

BACKGROUND CONTEXT Primary bone tumors of the vertebral column (BTVC) are rare and represent a challenge when considering management options. It stands to reason that these complicated tumors would be best treated at high volume centers. However, this has not been well established. We investigated the largest registry of primary bone tumors, the National Cancer Database (NCDB); our goal was to determine the impact of facility case volume on outcomes in patients with primary BTVCs. PURPOSE Our goal was to determine the impact of facility case volume on outcomes in patients with primary BTVCs. STUDY DESIGN/SETTING Retrospective National Cancer Database review. PATIENT SAMPLE Patients with primary osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, chondroma and Ewing's sarcoma of the vertebral column identified in the National Cancer Database. OUTCOME MEASURES Long-term survival by Kaplan-Meier method and univariate or multivariate analyses of factors associated with survival. METHODS We retrospectively analyzed 941 patients in the NCDB from 2004 through 2015. Patients were stratified based on per year facility volume for primary BTVCs. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to correlate specific outcome measures with these factors. Then, long-term survival between groups was evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier (KM) method with statistical comparisons based on the log-rank test. Multiple variables were analyzed between the two groups. RESULTS We identified 941 patients presenting with primary BTVCs; histological diagnosis was chondrosarcoma (n=243), chordoma (n=407), Ewing's sarcoma (n=164) and osteosarcoma (n=127). A total of 199 patients were treated at HVCs (>1 case annually) and 742 were treated at low-volume centers (LVC). Patients treated at high-volume centers were, on average, younger (48 vs. 52 years, p=.0076), more likely to be insured (p CONCLUSIONS This is the largest patient cohort to date examining the impact of facility volume on outcomes in patients with primary BTVCs. Primary BTVCs are rare, even for HVCs; despite this, patient survival was significantly improved when treatment was performed at HVCs. Patients receiving treatment at HVC were more likely to receive a radical resection. There was a trend toward fewer margin positive resections. Further investigation is necessary to help improve the referral of appropriate patients to the HVCs. FDA DEVICE/DRUG STATUS This abstract does not discuss or include any applicable devices or drugs.
Which hospitals participate in community building? What medical anchors spend on community economic development

ABSTRACTPlace-bound anchor institutions provide unique resources and institutional capacity to community and economic development. As such, these “eds and meds” play an increasingly important role in community economic development research and practice. Positive assessments of anchors’ contributions, however, remain limited to single-site case studies of specialty hospitals and universities with extensive resources. To deepen inquiry into anchors, we use new data, available due to recent U.S. health care policy changes, to test the impact of hospitals’ service missions and revenue sources on community economic development spending. We identify 4 basic types of hospitals: large comprehensive, specialty, neighborhood continuum of care, and regional continuum of care. Our statistical tests suggest that anchor institution activity—operationalized as community economic development spending—arises predominantly from larger, teaching-intensive hospitals. Hospital characteristics, rather than urban socioeconomic ...
Optimal Protein Intake during Weight Loss Interventions in Older Adults with Obesity.

Obesity rates in people 60 years and older are increasing. While obesity is linked with detrimental health risks, weight loss in this population has previously been considered controversial due to ...
Benchmarking Cluttered Robot Pick-and-Place Manipulation With the Box and Blocks Test

In this work, we propose a pick-and-place benchmark to assess the manipulation capabilities of a robotic system. The benchmark is based on the Box and Blocks Test (BBT), a task utilized for decades by the rehabilitation community to assess unilateral gross manual dexterity in humans. We propose three robot benchmarking protocols in this work that hold true to the spirit of the original clinical tests—the Modified-BBT, the Targeted-BBT, and the Standard-BBT. These protocols can be implemented by the greater robotics research community, as the physical BBT setup has been widely distributed with the Yale-CMU-Berkeley (YCB) Object and Model Set. Difficulty of the three protocols increase sequentially, adding a new performance component at each level, and therefore aiming to assess various aspects of the system separately. Clinical task-time norms are summarized for able-bodied human participants. We provide baselines for all three protocols with off-the-shelf planning and perception algorithms on a Barrett WAM and a Franka Emika Panda manipulator, and compare results with human performance.
Geometric-confinement suppression of flow-boiling instability using perforated wick: Part II CHF limits and wick properties

Abstract Flow-boiling canopy wick allows for control of the liquid and vapor tracks adjacent to the heated surface. Various CHF limits and the wick properties used in Part I of this two-part article are presented here.
Beyond the Capitalist Workplace: How the Production of Surplus Across the Economy Keeps Producers Divided

This article analyzes the public and household sectors of the economy as sites of surplus production within contemporary capitalist societies. It also shows how the coexistence of structurally dist...
Business and economics librarians’ insights on data literacy instruction in practice: An exploration of themes

Based on an applied thematic analysis, this study identifies data literacy education practices in the business and economics librarian profession. Five themes emerged from the interviews: Roles and...
Association Between a Common, Benign Genotype and Unnecessary Bone Marrow Biopsies Among African American Patients.

Importance Up to two-thirds of African American individuals carry the benign rs2814778-CC genotype that lowers total white blood cell (WBC) count. Objective To examine whether the rs2814778-CC genotype is associated with an increased likelihood of receiving a bone marrow biopsy (BMB) for an isolated low WBC count. Design, Setting, and Participants This retrospective genetic association study assessed African American patients younger than 90 years who underwent a BMB at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Mount Sinai Health System, or Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia from January 1, 1998, to December 31, 2020. Exposure The rs2814778-CC genotype. Main Outcomes and Measures The proportion of individuals with the CC genotype who underwent BMB for an isolated low WBC count and had a normal biopsy result compared with the proportion of individuals with the CC genotype who underwent BMB for other indications and had a normal biopsy result. Results Among 399 individuals who underwent a BMB (mean [SD] age, 41.8 [22.5] years, 234 [59%] female), 277 (69%) had the CC genotype. A total of 35 patients (9%) had clinical histories of isolated low WBC counts, and 364 (91%) had other histories. Of those with a clinical history of isolated low WBC count, 34 of 35 (97%) had the CC genotype vs 243 of 364 (67%) of those without a low WBC count history. Among those with the CC genotype, 33 of 34 (97%) had normal results for biopsies performed for isolated low WBC counts compared with 134 of 243 individuals (55%) with biopsies performed for other histories (P Conclusions and Relevance In this genetic association study, among patients of African American race who had a BMB with a clinical history of isolated low WBC counts, the rs2814778-CC genotype was highly prevalent, and 97% of these BMBs identified no hematologic abnormality. Accounting for the rs2814778-CC genotype in clinical decision-making could avoid unnecessary BMB procedures.