cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Factors associated with oral problems among adults with spinal cord injury.

Objective: To explore factors associated with self-reported current oral (tooth and gum) problems and oral pain in the past 12 months among adults with spinal cord injury.
An Examination of Perseverative Thinking and Perception of Threat from Emotion as Mechanisms Underlying the Relationship Between Distress Intolerance and Internalizing Symptoms

Distress intolerance (DI) represents the perceived inability to withstand and manage upsetting emotional and physical internal experiences. Recent research suggests that DI is relevant to a number of clinical disorders; however the mechanisms underlying the association between DI and internalizing symptoms are unclear. It may be that DI is primarily a construct characterized by the perception of negative emotions as threatening. This possibility is consistent with current DI treatments, which focus on repeatedly exposing participants to emotional distress so that threat disconfirmation and habituation will result. However, an alternative line of research suggests that associations between DI and internalizing symptoms can be accounted for by perseverative thinking, a style of thought characterized by repetitive and passive sustained attention on information, particularly negative information. Using path analysis, the current study simultaneously compared pathways between DI and internalizing symptoms through appraisal of negative emotion and perseverative thinking in a sample of Mechanical Turk participants (N = 175). Results demonstrated a significant indirect effect through perseverative thinking for models examining depressive symptoms, OCD symptoms, worry, and fear of negative evaluation. In contrast, the indirect effect through appraisal of negative emotion was significant only for the model examining OCD symptoms. Potential clinical and theoretical implications are discussed.
Genebank Conservation of Germplasm Collected from Wild Species

Crop genebanks are tasked with maintaining genetic resources that support agriculture. They must keep a diverse array of samples alive for decades to centuries. Controlled conditions within the genebank are necessary to maintain quality and ensure consistency of the sample through time. Challenges for providing quality and consistency increase with samples that are mostly unstudied and highly heterogeneous and respond in unpredicted ways, as is the case for samples collected from the wild. The task of genebanking will be facilitated by better definitions of the “conservation target,” meaning the level of diversity that the sample is intended to represent. With that definition, collectors will have better knowledge of what and where to collect – and when to stop – and “fit-for-purpose” samples will be preserved. Major uncertainties persist about the life expectancy of the sample and whether genebanking imposes genetic shifts. Standards have been recommended by the international community to ensure lasting quality of samples despite a large number of unknowns. We believe some of these standards will be counter-productive or unobtainable for wild-collected samples, and we have offered alternatives that stress documentation so future genebank users can predict whether a sample will suit their needs.
Over 250 Law Professors with Gender Violence Expertise Oppose Senate Judiciary Committee Process for Evaluating Sexual Misconduct Allegations Against Judge Kavanaugh

Law professors with gender violence expertise oppose process for evaluating sexual misconduct allegations against Judge Kavanaugh.
Abstract 1612: The effect of docosahexaenoic acid on androgen-dependent and androgen-independent prostate tumors in combination with abiraterone and enzalutamide

Standard treatments for prostate cancer typically involve androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). In later stages of prostate cancer, the tumor typically evolves to become insensitive to ADT, otherwise known as castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Despite being hormone-insensitive, CRPC has been shown to respond to both abiraterone and enzalutamide. Although both treatments deprive the tumor of androgens, they both display different mechanisms of action. Abiraterone inhibits androgen production, and enzalutamide acts by interrupting the binding of androgens to the androgen receptor. Studies in our laboratory have shown that docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; C22:6, n-3), a long chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), inhibits tumorigenesis in both androgen-dependent (LNCaP) and androgen-independent (PC-3, DU145) prostate cancer cell lines in culture. Moreover, in vivo studies with n-3 supplementation have been shown to significantly reduce PC-3 and DU145 tumor growth compared to corn oil diets rich in linoleic acid (C18:2, n-6). With evidence suggesting that n-3 PUFA dietary supplementation can inhibit tumorigenesis in CRPC, this study investigated the efficacy of DHA in combination with both abiraterone and enzalutamide in a subset of prostate tumor phenotypes in vitro. PC-3 and LNCaP cell viability were reduced with DHA in combination with either enzalutamide or abiraterone compared to primary treatments of each. These results suggest that DHA enrichment can augment abiraterone and/or enzalutamide therapy with androgen-dependent and androgen-independent prostate tumors in vitro. The results of this study provide preliminary evidence of the effectiveness of nutritional supplementation in conjunction with cancer therapeutics, and it will serve as a prelude to a pilot clinical trial evaluating the effects of nutritional supplementation with high levels of omega-3 fatty acids on enzalutamide inhibition of CRPC. Citation Format: Andrew R. Cooper, Irvin V. Ma, Andy Shao, Prem Kumar, Ronald S. Pardini. The effect of docosahexaenoic acid on androgen-dependent and androgen-independent prostate tumors in combination with abiraterone and enzalutamide [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1612.
Additive Manufacturing With Soft TPU – Adhesion Strength in Multimaterial Flexible Joints

The adhesion in 3D-printed composites between dissimilar layers was investigated in response to demand for multimaterial prints. Previously, we reported on the thermal properties for printability of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) blends~\cite{harris001}. Here, we report the qualitative and quantitative adhesion properties between commonly-printed materials, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) or acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA), and flexible TPU. ASTM D1002/D3164 lap shear adhesion tests were performed to measure the adhesion strength between the acrylonitrile plastics and TPU, finding values of $4.7~\mathrm{MPa}$ between ABS and TPU and $6.4~\mathrm{MPa}$ between ASA and TPU. These values are on the same order of magnitude of reported commercial adhesives, suggesting that multimaterial 3D printing can provide an automated, industrially-relevant alternative to handmade fabrication. SEM images are reported to show the quality of adhesion between materials in the composites. These images expose qualitative differences in the interlayer adhesion between materials in the composites that depend on the \textit{order of printing}. Thermal (DSC and TGA) and rheological characterizations were performed to investigate the processing conditions of the extruded plastics while they are in their melt states. The role of viscosity is shown to have major implications on the adhesion, as materials with lower viscosities displayed improved filling of the interlayer voids and increased strength of adhesion.
Elucidating the Linkages Between Entrepreneurial Orientation and Local Government Sustainability Performance

Linking strategic management to performance has been called essential for public managers to confront pernicious environmental and community problems in the 21st century. This article examines the ...
How Does Quality of Life Relate to Auditory Abilities? A Subitem Analysis of the Nijmegen Cochlear Implant Questionnaire.

Background Objective speech recognition tasks are widely used to measure performance of adult cochlear implant (CI) users; however, the relationship of these measures with patient-reported quality of life (QOL) remains unclear. A comprehensive QOL measure, the Nijmegen Cochlear Implant Questionnaire (NCIQ), has historically shown a weak association with speech recognition performance, but closer examination may indicate stronger relations between QOL and objective auditory performance, particularly when examining a broad range of auditory skills. Purpose The aim of the present study was to assess the NCIQ for relations to speech and environmental sound recognition measures. Identifying associations with certain QOL domains, subdomains, and subitems would provide evidence that speech and environmental sound recognition measures are relevant to QOL. A lack of relations among QOL and various auditory abilities would suggest potential areas of patient-reported difficulty that could be better measured or targeted. Research Design A cross-sectional study was performed in adult CI users to examine relations among subjective QOL ratings on NCIQ domains, subdomains, and subitems with auditory outcome measures. Study Sample Participants were 44 adult experienced CI users. All participants were postlingually deafened and had met candidacy requirements for traditional cochlear implantation. Data Collection and Analysis Participants completed the NCIQ as well as several speech and environmental sound recognition tasks: monosyllabic word recognition, standard and high-variability sentence recognition, audiovisual sentence recognition, and environmental sound identification. Bivariate correlation analyses were performed to investigate relations among patient-reported NCIQ scores and the functional auditory measures. Results The total NCIQ score was not strongly correlated with any objective auditory outcome measures. The physical domain and the advanced sound perception subdomain related to several measures, in particular monosyllabic word recognition and AzBio sentence recognition. Fourteen of the 60 subitems on the NCIQ were correlated with at least one auditory measure. Conclusions Several subitems demonstrated moderate-to-strong correlations with auditory measures, indicating that these auditory measures are relevant to the QOL. A lack of relations with other subitems suggests a need for the development of objective measures that will better capture patients' hearing-related obstacles. Clinicians may use information obtained through the NCIQ to better estimate real-world performance, which may support improved counseling and development of recommendations for CI patients.
Use of mobile health applications for health-promoting behavior among individuals with chronic medical conditions:

BackgroundChronic medical conditions (CCs) are leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Strategies to control CCs include targeting unhealthy behaviors, often through the use...
Respiratory–Swallow Coordination Training and Voluntary Cough Skill Training: A Single-Subject Treatment Study in a Person With Parkinson's Disease

Purpose Airway protective disorders are common in Parkinson's disease (PD), yet effective methods to rehabilitate these life-threatening impairments are limited. This study examined the effects of two skill-based treatments aimed at improving swallowing and cough in a severely dysphagic person with PD: respiratory-swallow coordination training (RSCT) and voluntary cough skill training (VCST). It was hypothesized that (a) RSCT would improve respiratory-swallow coordination and swallowing safety and efficiency and (b) VCST would improve reflex and voluntary cough effectiveness. Method An 81-year-old man with midstage PD and severe dysphagia was recruited for study participation. The study utilized a multiple-baseline ABACA experimental design with a 2-month delayed retention assessment. Measures of respiratory-swallow coordination, swallowing safety and efficiency, and cough effectiveness were collected at each assessment using respiratory inductive plethysmography, flexible endoscopic evaluations of swallowing, and spirometry. Data were analyzed descriptively using baseline corrected tau and standard mean difference effect sizes (d). Results Large effect sizes were observed immediately following RSCT for respiratory-swallow coordination (d = 9.17), penetration-aspiration (d = 12.88), vallecular residue (d = 1.75), piriform residue (d = 4.15), and overall dysphagia severity (d = 1.83). Large effect sizes were also observed immediately following VCST for single voluntary cough (d = 4.30), sequential voluntary cough (d = 3.28), and reflex cough (d = 5.58). Improvements were maintained 2 months later for all outcome measures except single voluntary cough. Discussion This is the first study to examine the effects of RSCT and VCST in a person with PD. Robust improvements in respiratory-swallow coordination and swallowing safety and efficiency were achieved following four sessions of RSCT, and significant improvements in reflex and voluntary cough strength were seen following four sessions of VCST. Future work is needed to study these treatments in larger cohorts of people with PD.
Layers of Lawyers: Parsing the Complexities of Claimant Representation in Mass Tort MDLs

The individual plaintiff in an MDL is subject to the efforts and decisions of numerous different attorneys, including many whom the plaintiff did not choose but who stand to share in any fees resulting from the plaintiff’s case. Which lawyers effectively represent the MDL plaintiff, at what point(s) in time, for what purpose(s), and with what obligations and potential liability to that plaintiff? What obligations and potential liability do the MDL leadership attorneys have to their own individually retained clients and other litigants in the MDL, and how should these attorneys handle any perceived conflicts in their obligations to the two groups? These important questions have thus far received little systematic attention from courts or scholars but are increasingly the focus of litigation. This Symposium contribution begins to fill the scholarly void. It explores the guidance provided by existing caselaw, state bar ethics opinions, and state rules of professional responsibility regarding the default obligations and liabilities that attend the receipt of client fees by these different overlapping “layers” of plaintiffs’ lawyers and any limitations which may be imposed on them by contract or court order. It then extrapolates from this limited guidance to analyze two contexts of special, recurring importance in mass tort MDLs: (1) the disclosure and consent obligations of lawyers who both “represent” two or more clients covered by, and “participate in making,” an “aggregate settlement” and (2) conflicts that may arise when a court-appointed leadership attorney negotiates an “inventory” settlement involving only clients who individually retained her. The Article concludes by suggesting some best practices that future MDL courts and their appointed plaintiffs’ leadership attorneys might employ.
The impact of COVID-19 on academic productivity by female physicians and researchers in transfusion medicine.

Background Several studies have highlighted the disparities in gender equity that exist in different medical specialties. The COVID-19 pandemic has further heightened the inequity faced by female physicians as they are challenged by increasing household and childcare duties in addition to their professional responsibilities. Given these hurdles, fewer women than men have published in various medical disciplines. In this brief report, we wanted to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the academic output of female physicians and researchers in transfusion medicine. Study design and methods We compared all articles in four transfusion medicine journals published from January 1 to July 31, 2019 with the same time period in 2020. Overall, 1024 articles were reviewed for whether they included women as first or senior authors. Results Overall, women were first authors in 45.9% (n = 458) of all publications and senior authors in 35% (n = 356) of all publications. There was a statistically significant decrease in the percentage of women as first authors between 2019 (49.1%) and 2020 (42.7%) (p = .04). There was no significant change in the percentage of women as senior authors between 2019 (35.4%) and 2020 (35.5%) (p = 0.99). Conclusions Similar to other medical specialties, the COVID-19 pandemic has further increased the disparities faced by female researchers in transfusion medicine as evidenced by a decrease in publications with women as first authors.
SEXUAL ORIENTATION CHANGE EFFORTS (SOCE) *REDUCE* SUICIDE: CORRECTING A FALSE RESEARCH NARRATIVE

Background: Sexual Orientation Change Efforts (SOCE) signifies therapy activities designed to change or reduce homosexual orientation. Recent studies claim that such therapies increase suicide risk by showing positive associations between exposure to SOCE and current or lifetime suicidality. However, the suicidality may have occurred or begun before exposure to SOCE, thereby rendering this causal claim partly or wholly mistaken. The purpose of this study was to test this possibility. Method: We replicated a representative study, Blosnich and colleagues’ recent analysis of a population sample of 1518 sexual minority persons, which had concluded from logistic regression models that SOCE “may compound or create … suicidal ideation and suicide attempts” and thus had “insidious associations with suicide risk”. Using information on SOCE timing that was available in the data but unreported, we adjusted the models for the time order of SOCE and suicidality. Results: After controlling for pre-SOCE suicidality, SOCE was not positive associated with any form of suicidality. For suicidal ideation, Blosnich et al. reported an adjusted odds ratio (AOR) of 1.92 (95% CI 1.01-3.64); the adjusted AOR was .44 (.20-.94). For suicide planning, Blosnich et al.’s AOR was 1.75 (1.01-3.06); adjusted was .60 (.32-1.14). For suicide attempts, Blosnich et al.’s AOR was 1.75 (.99-3.08), adjusted was .74 (.36-1.43). The majority of cases labeled “experienced SOCE” by Blosnich et al. consisted of persons expressing suicidal ideation, planning and/or attempts prior to experiencing SOCE. For these, undergoing SOCE sharply reduced suicidality. Compared to those not experiencing SOCE, suicide attempts were reduced 82% to 91% when SOCE followed a prior expression of suicidal ideation (AOR .18, .05-.63) or planning (AOR .13, .04-.45), however SOCE following an initial suicide attempts did not significantly reduce further attempts. Effects were stronger for those who were adults rather than for minors when experiencing SOCE. Conclusion: By violating the principle of temporal precedence in scientific inference, i.e., that a cause cannot occur after an effect, Blosnich et al. reversed the correct conclusion in these data. Experiencing SOCE therapy does not encourage higher suicidality, as they claim; rather, experiencing higher suicidality appears to encourage recourse to SOCE, which in turn strongly reduces suicidality, particularly initial suicide attempts. Restrictions on SOCE deprive sexual minorities of an important resource for reducing suicidality, putting them at substantially increased suicide risk.
Arabidopsis thimet oligopeptidases are redox-sensitive enzymes active in the local and systemic plant immune response.

Upon pathogen infection, receptors in plants will activate a localized immune response, the effector-triggered immunity (ETI), and a systemic immune response, the systemic acquired response (SAR). Infection also induces oscillations in the redox environment of plant cells, triggering response mechanisms involving sensitive cysteine residues that subsequently alter protein function. Arabidopsis thaliana thimet oligopeptidases TOP1 and TOP2 are required for plant defense against pathogens and the oxidative stress response. Herein, we evaluated the biochemical attributes of TOP isoforms to determine their redox sensitivity using ex vivo Escherichia coli cultures and recombinant proteins. Moreover, we explored the link between their redox regulation and plant immunity in wild-type and mutant Arabidopsis lines. These analyses revealed that redox regulation of TOPs occurs through two mechanisms: (1) oxidative dimerization of full-length TOP1 via intermolecular disulfides engaging cysteines in the N-terminal signal peptide, and (2) oxidative activation of all TOPs via cysteines that are unique and conserved. Further, we detected increased TOP activity in wild-type plants undergoing ETI or SAR following inoculation with Pseudomonas syringae strains. Mutants unable to express the chloroplast NADPH-dependent thioredoxin reductase C (NTRC) showed elevated TOP activity under unstressed conditions and were SAR-incompetent. A top1top2 knockout mutant challenged with P. syringae exhibited misregulation of ROS-induced gene expression in pathogen-inoculated and distal tissues. Furthermore, TOP1 and TOP2 could cleave a peptide derived from the immune component ROC1 with distinct efficiencies at common and specific sites. We propose that Arabidopsis TOPs are thiol-regulated peptidases active in redox-mediated signaling of local and systemic immunity.
Acceptance of Illness Among Patients Pursuing Transplantation or Left Ventricular Assist Device.

Acceptance of illness is related to better mental health among patients with chronic illness; however, this construct has not been evaluated as part of routine transplantation evaluations. The purpose of this study was to create a brief measure of acceptance of illness for patients pursuing organ transplantation and examine how acceptance is related to distress. Retrospective medical record reviews were conducted for 290 patients who completed a routine psychosocial evaluation prior to transplant listing which included the Illness Acceptance Scale (IAS). Internal consistency for the IAS was excellent (Cronbach’s alpha = .92). Illness acceptance was negatively correlated with depression, anxiety, and catastrophizing and was not related to health literacy or health numeracy. The IAS is a reliable and valid measure for patients who are pursuing thoracic transplant or left ventricular assist device. Clinicians may want to screen transplant candidates for illness acceptance and refer those with lower levels to psychological interventions.
Between museum and church: remembering and reinventing national heritage

The proposed transfer of the St. Isaac’s Cathedral museum to the Russian Orthodox Church occasioned a major controversy in 2017. This essay considers the contestation between the museum and the Chu...
Beyond Valuation: Real Options Thinking in it Project Management

Real options can be a powerful tool for quantifying the value of strategic and operational flexibility associated with uncertain IT investments. However, they also constitute a new way of thinking about how projects can be organized and managed to maximize upside potential while minimizing downside risk. Explains how practitioners can incorporate options thinking into contemporary IT project management. Options thinking means recognizing real options and how they add value. Just as important is managing projects so that the option value that exists in theory is realized in practice. Several real-world examples illustrate how the value of embedded real options can be realized through active project management. There are pitfalls associated with each option, as well as benefits and limitations of different approaches to valuing options. Organizations must decide whether to undertake the challenges of adopting options thinking as a project management philosophy.
Older and Wiser? The Need to Reexamine the Impact of Health Professionals Age and Experience on Competency-Based Practices.

Introduction Delivery of healthcare services makes up a complex system and it requires providers to be competent and to be able to integrate each of the institute of medicine's (IOM) 5 core competencies into practice. However, healthcare providers are challenged with the task to be able to understand and apply the IOM core competencies into practice. Objective The purpose of the study was to examine the factors that influence health professional's likelihood of accomplishing the IOM core competencies. Methods A cross-sectional study design was used to administer a validated online survey to health providers. This survey was distributed to physicians, nursing professionals, specialists, and allied healthcare professionals. The final sample included 3,940 participants who completed the survey. Results The study findings show that younger health professionals more consistently practice daily competencies than their older counterparts, especially in the use of evidence-based practice, informatics, and working in interdisciplinary teams. Less experienced health professionals more consistently applied quality improvement methods but less consistently used evidence-based practice compared to their more experienced counterparts. Conclusion There is a need to understand how health professionals' age and experience impact their engagement with IOM's core competencies. This study highlights the need for educational resources on the competencies to be tailored to health providers' age and experience.
Social Justice and Interpersonal Wellness

The purpose of this assignment is to provide an analysis for diversity inclusion in the community college setting this examination of community college advocacy faculty recruitment, harassment, bullying, and the concerns of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning (LGBTQ) to determine support services and leadership.
Atresia of the rostral superior sagittal sinus: associated cerebral venous patterns.

It has been accepted generally that the supperior sagittal sinus takes origin at the foramen caecum. While this obtains in a few, 58 per cent of the cadaver specimens examined have a one-to-three centimeter atresia of the most rostral end of the sinus. In these the veins of the frontal poles of the brain were directed medially and caudally to join in the midline, thus establishing the lumen of the sinus. In instances of more extensive atresia, the anterior superior cerebral veins, as well as those from the infero-mesial poles, all course medially and caudally to form the sinus. In other words, the longer the atretic segment, the more striking the change in venous patterns of the superior and mesial frontal lobes of the brain.
Screening Breast MRI in Patients Previously Treated for Breast Cancer: Diagnostic Yield for Cancer and Abnormal Interpretation Rate.

Rationale and Objectives To determine the cancer detection rate and abnormal interpretation rate of screening breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in previously treated breast cancer patients. Materials and Methods Institutional review board–approved retrospective review of the breast MRI database from 2009 to 2011 identified a total of 3297 screening examinations. After excluding genetic mutation carriers, untested first-degree relatives of known mutation carriers, and patients with a history of chest irradiation, there were 1194 (36.2%) examinations in 691 patients previously treated for breast cancer. MRI reports were reviewed to determine MRI findings and breast imaging reporting and data system (BI-RADS) assessments. The longitudinal medical record was reviewed to determine patient demographics and outcomes of imaging surveillance and biopsy. Results Mean patient age at initial cancer diagnosis was 46.1 years, and mean patient age during the study interval was 52 years. Cancer detection rate was 10 per 1000 (1%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.5%–1.8%]; 12 of 1194 examinations). Overall 10.7% (128 of 1194) of examinations received an abnormal interpretation, including 5.4% (65 of 1194) BI-RADS 4 or 5 and 5.3% (63 of 1194) BI-RADS 3 assessments with a 9.4% positive predictive value (PPV1; 12 of 128 examinations) and a 17.9% PPV3 (12 malignancies per 67 biopsies). Conclusions Screening breast MRI in women previously treated for breast cancer detected cancer in 1.0% of examinations, with a 10.7% abnormal interpretation rate, and a PPV for malignancy of 17.9%.
Epidermal Growth Factor and Its Receptor and Their Possible Relationships to Gynecologic Endocrinology

Recent research in endocrinology is beginning to show that paracrine chemical substances such as epidermal growth factor may play important roles in fostering differentiation of epithelia, including tissues in the reproductive tract, raising implications for the understanding of hormone responsiveness and oncogenesis. The current enthusiasm for the study of peptide growth factors,1 epidermal growth factor (EGF), and their cell-surface receptors, is based on the realization that most of them have mitogenic properties and regulate a cascade of events (pleiotropic response) in normally dividing cells. On the other hand, cells that are transformed (after exposure to retroviruses) produce proteins that have extensive primary sequence homology with these peptide growth factors, thus becoming independent of an exogenous supply of mitogens required for their growth. EGF and other peptide growth factors exert their biologic effect through specific receptor proteins located at the plasma membrane. An exciting discovery was made when the primary structure of the EGF receptor was determined and was compared with a data base of all known protein sequences.2–4 Extensive homology was found between the EGF receptor and the protein encoded by a viral oncogene (erbB);oncogenes are genomic sequences in the cellular or viral genome that are considered responsible for the induction of neoplasia
Prosocial soap operas for development

There have been a number of examples throughout the world. including some of the projects with which we have been associated. in which people have been reached at the personal level at which decisions are being made. with a resulting dramatic impact on behavior. One of the common ingredients of such social marketing campaigns is utilization of the mass media in a carefully orchestrated approach that leads to changed attitudes and behavior on the part of a large percentage of the populace (emphasis added). William N. Ryerson, Population Communications International (1994, pp. 256–257)
Assisted visualization of e-commerce auction agents

This paper describes the integration of perceptual guidelines from human vision with an Al-based mixed-initiative search technique. The result is a visualization assistant, a system that identifies perceptually salient visualizations for large, multidimensional collections of data. Understanding how the low-level human visual system "sees" visual information in an image allows us to: (1) evaluate a particular visualization, and (2) direct the search algorithm towards new visualizations that may be better than those seen to date. In this way we can limit search to locations that have the highest potential to contain effective visualizations. One testbed application for this work is the visualization of intelligent e-commerce auction agents participating in a simulated online auction environment. We describe how the visualization assistant was used to choose methods to effectively visualize this data.
Opioid effect on lungs

Opioids are widely used for their analgesic properties for the management of acute and chronic pain related to a variety of illnesses. Opioid usage is associated with adverse effects on respiration which are often attributed to depression of the central nervous system. Recent data indicate that opioid use has increased over the last two decades. There is also increasing evidence that opioids have a variety of effects on the lungs besides suppression of respiration. Opioids can affect immune cells function, increase histamine release causing bronchospasm, vaso-constriction and hypersensitivity reactions. Together, these actions have a variety of effects on lung function. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of the effects of opioids on the lungs including the respiratory centre, immune function, airways and pulmonary vasculature.
Activation of Prorennin by Pepsin

Abstract The ability of pepsin to catalyze the activation of prorennin was demonstrated when purified prorennin solutions buffered at pH 6.0 and 5.5 were activated by pepsin at 25 C with little interference from autocatalytic activation by rennin. Addition of m NaCl retarded activation of prorennin by pepsin at pH 6.0 and 5.5, but the reaction was still faster than in rennin-catalyzed activation mixtures containing the same concentration of salt. Pepsin-catalyzed activation of prorennin at pH 6.0 appeared to follow zero-order kinetics during the early stages of reaction, followed by a marked change to a reduced rate of activation. However, the kinetics of activation may have been complicated by lack of pepsin stability at pH 6.0. Pepsin was more proteolytic than rennin on casein substrates at all pH values from 2.0 to 6.0. The general proteolytic activities of rennin and pepsin as distinguished from their milk-clotting activities may be related to their respective abilities to activate prorennin. Pepsin was able to stimulate activation of crude rennet extracts at pH 5.5, where rennin has good stability. Use of pepsin in commercial rennet activation could reduce or eliminate activation losses.
Partain, C. Leon: History of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), 1980–2010: A Perspective from Vanderbilt University

The purpose of this article is to describe significant early contributions to the clinical applications of MRI that were initiated and led by Vanderbilt University faculty. These contributions included the first International NMR Imaging Symposium (l980), the first publication correlating MRI and CT in the chest and abdomen (l980), and the first comprehensive textbook on NMR Imaging (l983, printed in English and Japanese) Keywords: first symposium; first text; MR/CT correllation; contrast enhancement; birth of societies; journals
Chapter 7 – The Role of Growth Factors in Balancing Cap Mesenchyme Survival and Differentiation

The iterative differentiation of nephrons demands a continual supply of undifferentiated progenitor cells. We now know the identities of several growth factors essential for the survival and proliferation of the nephron progenitor cell population, or cap mesenchyme, and we are beginning to understand how they establish the niche known as the nephrogenic zone. The nephrogenic zone provides a unique environment in which renewal and differentiation are balanced. A variety of different signaling inputs to a cell can be generated by the combinatorial actions of a small number of distinct signaling pathways. In fact, recent work suggests that fibroblast growth factor, Wnt, and bone morphogenic protein pathways may regulate both progenitor renewal and the early steps of progenitor differentiation through subtle modifications in signal transduction mechanisms. This chapter reviews the reported mechanisms by which these pathways balance survival, proliferation, and differentiation of nephron progenitor cells within the nephrogenic zone.
Weak subduction makes great quakes

The world's greatest earthquakes, producing catastrophic shaking and tsunamis, occur in subduction zones. Here oceanic plates dive below adjoining regions along megathrust faults (see the figure). The recent magnitude ~9 megathrust earthquakes in Sumatra, Chile, and Japan, with fault displacements of several tens of meters, were stark reminders of the destructive power of these events. On page 1213 of this issue, Hardebeck ( 1 ) uses the orientations of fault planes of thousands of smaller earthquakes near and above the world's megathrusts to evaluate the state of stress driving these great events. The general conclusion made is that all faults in subduction zones, including the megathrusts, are unusually weak.
Crop price comovements during extreme market downturns

This study develops and estimates mixture models of crop price comovements using copula functions, which allow for departures from normality during extreme market circumstances. The models also account for unique time-series patterns inherent in crop price data. The results point to two main conclusions. First, mixture models appear to provide an easy-to-estimate approach for capturing real-life crop price movements. Second, mixture models find that, during extreme market downswings, correlations in price movements strengthen by several orders of magnitude. These results suggest that structured securities assembled from different crops tend to lose diversified protection during extreme market downswings, the exact times when such protection is needed most.
The Delirium Room: A Restraint-Free Model of Care for Older Hospitalized Patients with Delirium

The care of older hospitalized patients with delirium can be challenging. Standard practice is limited to the use of 1:1 sitters, antipsychotic medications, and physical restraints. An alternative model of care, called the delirium room (DR), provides 24-h nursing care, emphasizes non-pharmacological approaches, and is completely free of physical restraints. Experience at two different hospitals has found that a restraint-free environment can be achieved; the principles of tolerate, anticipate, and don’t agitate (T-A-DA method) are effective strategies of management. Based on two different sets of data, negative outcomes associated with delirium such as loss of function, longer hospital stay, and increased mortality can be decreased to levels seen in patients without delirium. In-hospital falls are less frequent in the DR compared to typical rooms on the same ward. While limitations exist, a DR is a safe, effective way to manage patients with delirium.
Interface characterization of fully-depleted SOI MOSFET by a subthreshold I-V method

Interface state densities can dramatically affect the performances of MOSFETs by causing threshold voltage shift and mobility degradation. In SOI structures, due to the complex multi-interface nature and small gate area, the interface state characterization still remains a very challenging problem. Conventional C-V method is not suitable for investigating interfaces in SOI MOS devices, mainly because of the large area needed and the high series resistance in thin-film. Several other measurement techniques based on currents rather than capacitance have been proposed. In this work, an evolved technique for characterizing interface state density in fully-depleted SOI MOSFETs is presented. By measuring subthreshold swing of the SOI MOSFETs, the interface state density can be determined. The distribution of both front- and back-interface state densities in the bandgap can be evaluated by applying a rigorous one-dimensional analytical model for FD-SOI MOSFETs operating in the weak inversion regime. In addition, this technique has been applied successfully to the comparison of interface qualities of various SOI wafers and the study of electrical stress effect. The SOI devices used in this study were n-channel and p-channel MOSFETs fabricated with submicron CMOS technology on both SIMOX and Bonded-and-Etchback SOI (BESOI) wafers.
Juvenile social relationships reflect adult patterns of behavior in wild geladas

Unlike many mammals, primates spend much of their lives as reproductively-immature juveniles. During the juvenile period, they develop social relationships and physical skills that both facilitate survival to adulthood and impact adult fitness. In this study, we use 2 years of observational data to examine the development of these skills across the juvenile period in a wild cercopithecine primate, the gelada (Theropithecus gelada). As adults, male and female geladas require different skills to be successful; we therefore expected sex differences in social behavior and partner choice during the juvenile period to already reflect these sex-specific trajectories. For example, males, who disperse at puberty and ultimately must challenge other adult males for access to mates, should invest in high-energy play-fighting with other males to develop fighting and rival assessment skills. In contrast, philopatric females, who remain with their close kin throughout their lives, should invest more in forming less-physical and more-social bonds with other females within their group. As predicted, sex differences that foreshadowed sex-specific adult roles were apparent in play rates, the average number of play partners per individual, grooming partner types and social partner preferences. Males played more and had more play partners than same-age females. Males also groomed more often with individuals from outside their natal group than females, although no sex difference was observed in either grooming rates or number of grooming partners per individual. Females stopped playing earlier than males, and instead invested in grooming relationships with close relatives. Additionally, we found that individual play and grooming rates were temporally consistent for both males and females (i.e., from one year to the next year), suggesting that individuals exhibit stable behavioral phenotypes. We conclude by discussing how early life in geladas may shape adult behavior and reproductive strategies. Am. J. Primatol. 77:1086–1096, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Histopathologic, ultrastructural, and immunologic findings in an oral psoriatic lesion

There has been some controversy over whether psoriasis can involve the oral mucosa. An oral lesion in a 32-year-old man with a psoriatic scalp lesion has been studied by light and electron microscopy and by immunologic methods. Results from each of these three techniques are consistent with previous findings in psoriatic lesions and suggest that oral psoriasis can occur.
Pharmacology of airway inflammation in asthma and COPD

The current asthma therapies are not cures and symptoms return soon after treatment is stopped even after long term treatment. Although inhaled glucocorticoids are highly effective in controlling airway inflammation in asthma, they are ineffective in the small group of patients with glucocorticoid-dependent and -resistant asthma. With very few exceptions, COPD is caused by tobacco smoking, and smoking cessation is the only truly effective treatment of COPD available. Current pharmacological treatment of COPD is unsatisfactory, as it does not significantly influence the severity of the disease or its natural course. Glucocorticoids are scarcely effective in COPD patients without concomitant asthma. Bronchodilators improves symptoms and quality of life, in COPD patients, but, with the exception of tiotropium, they do not significantly influence the natural course of the disease. Theophylline is the only drug which has been demonstrated to have a significant effect on airway inflammation in patients with COPD. Here we review the pharmacology of currently used antiinflammatory therapies for asthma and COPD and their proposed mechanisms of action. Recent understanding of disease mechanisms in severe steroid-dependent and -resistant asthma and in COPD, has lead to the development of novel compounds, which are in various stages of clinical development. We review the current status of some of these new potential drugs.
A simple apparatus for controlling nucleation and size in protein crystal growth

A simple device is described for controlling vapor equilibrium in macromolecular crystallization as applied to the protein crystal growth technique commonly referred to as the 'hanging drop' method. Crystal growth experiments with hen egg white lysozyme have demonstrated control of the nucleation rate. Nucleation rate and final crystal size have been found to be highly dependent upon the rate at which critical supersaturation is approached. Slower approaches show a marked decrease in the nucleation rate and an increase in crystal size.
Microdosimetry and chromosome aberrations: effects of 230 keV neutrons on Vicia faba chromosomes.

Abstract Physical energy deposition events have been related to sub-nuclear cytological events (chromosomal changes) in metaphases sequentially accumulated from the latter part of the cell cycle of Vicia faba. 230 keV neutrons produce about 0.4 recoil protons per late interphase nucleus per rad with the majority of protons travelling 1 to 2 microns from their origin, depositing energy at around 90 keV per micron. The frequency of induced aberrations is basically linear with dose, though varying through consecutive cell sampling periods because of differential induced mitotic delay. Distributions of chromosomal aberrations and total cytological events are overdispersed in relation to the Poisson distribuyion indicating that some proton recoils produce multiple events. When gaps and aberrations within chromosomes and multiple aberrations between chromosomes, are considered as discrete events, distributions follow Poisson expectations. About 40% of proton recoils result in observable cytological change. The highly energetic proton recoils (∼90 keV per micron) which can induce multiple events are the ones most likely to produce effects which result in cell death. The sphere of influence of the proton recoils is probably adequately estimated from their range (∼1 to 2 μm) since it seems compatible with the spatial proximity of the initial components of the resultant chromosome aberrations.
Proton conductance caused by long-chain fatty acids in phospholipid bilayer membranes.

Mechanisms of proton conductance (GH) were investigated in phospholipid bilayer membranes containing long-chain fatty acids (lauric, myristic, palmitic, oleic or phytanic). Membranes were formed from diphytanoyl phosphatidylcholine in decane plus chlorodecane (usually 30% vol/vol). Fatty acids were added either to the aqueous phase or to the membrane-forming solution. Proton conductance was calculated from the steady-state total conductance and the H+ diffusion potential produced by a transmembrane pH gradient. Fatty acids caused GH to increase in proportion to the first power of the fatty acid concentration. The GH induced by fatty acids was inhibited by phloretin, low pH and serum albumin. GH was increased by chlorodecane, and the voltage dependence of GH was superlinear. The results suggest that fatty acids act as simple (A- type) proton carriers. The membrane: water partition coefficient (Kp) and adsorption coefficient (beta) were estimated by finding the membrane and aqueous fatty acid concentrations which gave identical values of GH. For palmitic and oleic acids Kp was about 10(5) and beta was about 10(-2) cm. The A- translocation or "flip-flop" rate (ka) was estimated from the value of GH and the fatty acid concentration in the membrane, assuming that A- translocation was the rate limiting step in H+ transport. The kA's were about 10(-4) sec-1, slower than classical weak-acid uncouplers by a factor of 10(5). Although long-chain fatty acids are relatively inefficient H+ carriers, they may cause significant biological H- conductance when present in the membrane at high concentrations, e.g., in ischemia, hypoxia, hormonally induced lipolysis, or certain hereditary disorders, e.g., Refsum's (phytanic acid storage) disease.
Oriented Mesoporous Organosilicate Thin Films

Coassemblies of block copolymers and inorganic precursors offer a path to ordered inorganic nanostructures. In thin films, these materials combined with domain alignment provide highly robust nanoscopic templates. We report a simple path to control the morphology, scaling, and orientation of ordered mesopores in organosilicate thin films through the coassembly of a diblock copolymer, poly(styrene-b-ethylene oxide) (PS-b-PEO), and an oligomeric organosilicate precursor that is selectively miscible with PEO. Continuous films containing cylindrical or spherical pores are generated by varying the mixing composition of symmetric PS-b-PEO and an organosilicate precursor. Tuning interfacial energy at both air/film and film/substrate interfaces allows the control of cylindrical pore orientation normal to the supported film surfaces. Our method provides well-ordered mesoporous structures within organosilicate thin films that find broad applications as highly stable nanotemplates.