cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Clinical outcomes of pancreaticoduodenectomy in octogenarians: a surgeon’s experience from 2007 to 2015

Background: As the number of elderly people in our population increases, there will be a greater number of octogenarians who will need pancreaticoduodenectomy as the only curative option for periampullary malignancies. This study evaluated clinical outcomes of pancreaticoduodenectomy in octogenarians, in comparison to younger patients. Methods: A retrospective review was conducted of 216 consecutive patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy from January 2007 to April 2015. A two-sided Fisher’s exact statistical analysis was used to compare pre-operative comorbidities, intra-operative factors, surgical pathology, and post-operative complication rates between non-octogenarians and octogenarians. Results: One hundred and eighty three non-octogenarians and 33 octogenarians underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy. Of patients with periampullary adenocarcinoma, octogenarians were more likely to present with advanced disease state (P=0.01). The two cohorts had similar ASA scores (P=0.62); however, octogenarians were more likely to have coronary artery disease (P=0.03). The length of operation was shorter in octogenarians (P=0.002). Mortality rates (P=0.49) and overall postoperative complication rates (P=1.0) were similar in two cohorts; however octogenarians had a higher incidence of pulmonary embolism (P=0.02). Conclusions: Our data demonstrates that octogenarians can undergo pancreaticoduodenectomy with outcomes similar to those in younger patients. Thus, patients should not be denied a curative surgical option for periampullary malignancy based on advanced age alone.
An Introduction to Best Practices in Free Energy Calculations

Free energy calculations are extremely useful for investigating small-molecule biophysical properties such as protein-ligand binding affinities and partition coefficients. However, these calculations are also notoriously difficult to implement correctly. In this chapter, we review standard methods for computing free energy via simulation, discussing current best practices and examining potential pitfalls for computational researchers performing them for the first time. We include a variety of examples and tips for how to set up and conduct these calculations, including applications to relative binding affinities and small-molecule solvation free energies.
Somatosensory-evoked potentials in term neonates with postasphyxial encephalopathy

This article reviews the use of median nerve somatosensory- evoked potentials in full-term neonates with postasphyxial encephalopathy. The predictive value of this technique with regard to neurodevelopmental outcome is compared with that of clinical assessment and cranial ultrasonography.
Rho Kinases and Cardiac Remodeling

Hypertensive cardiac remodeling is characterized by left ventricular hypertrophy and interstitial fibrosis, which can lead to heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. The Rho-associated coiled-coil containing kinases (ROCKs) are members of the serine/threonine protein kinase family, which mediates the downstream effects of the small GTP-binding protein RhoA. There are 2 isoforms: ROCK1 and ROCK2. They have different functions in different types of cells and tissues. There is growing evidence that ROCKs contribute to the development of cardiovascular diseases, including cardiac fibrosis, hypertrophy, and subsequent heart failure. Recent experimental studies using ROCK inhibitors, such as fasudil, have shown the benefits of ROCK inhibition in cardiac remodeling. Mice lacking each ROCK isoform also exhibit reduced myocardial fibrosis in a variety of pathological models of cardiac remodeling. Indeed, clinical studies with fasudil have suggested that ROCKs could be potential novel therapeutic targets for cardiovascular diseases. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of the roles of ROCKs in the development of cardiac fibrosis and hypertrophy and discuss their therapeutic potential for deleterious cardiac remodeling. (Circ J 2016; 80: 1491-1498).
SU-F-T-492: The Impact of Water Temperature On Absolute Dose Calibration

Purpose: The Task Group 51 (TG 51) protocol prescribes that dose calibration of photon beams be done by irradiating an ionization chamber in a water tank at pre-defined depths. Methodologies are provided to account for variations in measurement conditions by applying correction factors. However, the protocol does not completely account for the impact of water temperature. It is well established that water temperature will influence the density of air in the ion chamber collecting volume. Water temperature, however, will also influence the size of the collecting volume via thermal expansion of the cavity wall and the density of the water in the tank. In this work the overall effect of water temperature on absolute dosimetry has been investigated. Methods: Dose measurements were made using a Farmer-type ion chamber for 6 and 23 MV photon beams with water temperatures ranging from 10 to 40°C. A reference ion chamber was used to account for fluctuations in beam output between successive measurements. Results: For the same beam output, the dose determined using TG 51 was dependent on the temperature of the water in the tank. A linear regression of the data suggests that the dependence is statistically significant with p-values of the slope equal to 0.003 and 0.01 for 6 and 23 MV beams, respectively. For a 10 degree increase in water phantom temperature, the absolute dose determined with TG 51 increased by 0.27% and 0.31% for 6 and 23 MV beams, respectively. Conclusion: There is a measurable effect of water temperature on absolute dose calibration. To account for this effect, a reference temperature can be defined and a correction factor applied to account for deviations from this reference temperature during beam calibration. Such a factor is expected to be of similar magnitude to most of the existing TG 51 correction factors.
Revenue management analysis with competitive sets: Vulnerability and a challenge to strategic co-opetition among hotels

Growing concerns about the integrity of the revenue per available room index—the lodging industry de facto performance measure—stem from previously published empirical evidence concerning the competitive set’s venerability and from management’s financial incentives to outperform the hotel’s competitive set. This study demonstrates the potential of the decision to include or exclude a hotel in, or from, competitive set averages to bias its performance index. The analysis shows that the bias potential is nonlinear and asymmetric in relation to the subject hotel’s revenues, and uses this revealed asymmetry to prove that when future relative performance levels are uncertain, exclusion tactics is preferred. Finally, the study demonstrates how the relative nature of the performance indicator, coupled with management potential opportunistic inclusion/exclusion competitive set tactics, are detrimental to the perceived desirability of co-opetition strategies.
Heinrich Meyer Was bleibt. Bemerkungen über Literatur und Leben, Schein und Wirklichkeit

(1968). Heinrich Meyer Was bleibt. Bemerkungen uber Literatur und Leben, Schein und Wirklichkeit. The Germanic Review: Literature, Culture, Theory: Vol. 43, No. 2, pp. 136-138.
Sibawayhi (8th Century a.d.)

Sībawayh is abu Bisr ibn uθmān ibn Qanbar Sībawayh. He is an 8th century linguist (140?–180 H/757–796 a.d.). He was born in Baydā, in the province of Shiraz, in southwestern Persia. He wrote only one book, called al-kitāb ‘The book.’ It is the first grammar of Arabic, and was composed in a manner that has not been surpassed. Sībawayh classified the Arabic kalimu ‘words’ into three classes: ism ‘name/noun’, fil ‘action/verb’, and ħarf ‘particle’. The particles are invariable, but the ism ‘name/noun’ and fi l ‘action/verb’, have variable endings. To explain these desinential endings, Sībawayh proposed the concept of āmil / awāmil ‘operator/s’, that is, variation was motivated, not random.
Additions to the knowledge of Nevada carabid beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) and a preliminary list of carabids from the Great Basin National Park.

Author(s): Will, Kipling; Madan, Riva; Hsu, Han Hsuan | Abstract: BackgroundAdditions to the list of Carabidae known for Nevada, USA and carabid beetles found in the Great Basin National Park, NV are reported with notes on ecology and identification resources.New informationFor 79 species of carabids, we present 57 new state records, two state records previously reported in online resources, one confirmation of a previous questionable record for the state, and report 22 records for the Great Basin National Park that includes three new state records.
Current Scenario of Tick-Borne Diseases in India - A Review

Ticks have been associated with human afflictions since time immemorial as evidenced by earlier records from many countries of the world. They are the obligatory blood-feeding arachnids and playing role as vectors for transmission of many infectious diseases in man and animal. Various wild and domestic animals are reservoir hosts for tick-borne pathogens of livestock and human hosts. In recent times, many of the newly emerging and reemerging diseases of zoonotic origin are transmitted by ticks. Tick-borne diseases are prevalent only in specific risk areas where the favorable environmental conditions exist for the individual tick species. Indian tick typhus (ITT), first recognized in 1917 in India, is caused by Rickettsia conori, earlier reported sporadically from mountainous and forested areas and now reported from many parts of the country. In India, the fatal tick-borne viral diseases, viz., Cremian Congo Hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) and Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD) were caused by ticks of Hyalomma analoticum and Hemophysalis spinigera. KFD is a re-emerging disease discovered in 1957 from Shimoga district of Karnataka state; however, in recent years it has moved its territory to seven districts of the state as well as centripetally spread to neighboring Kerala, Goa and Maharashtra states which are sharing borders with the state. CCHF, an emerging disease, was first reported from Gujarat in 2011; however, in recent years cases were recorded from Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh states. There are sporadic records available for the occurrence of other tick-borne diseases, viz., relapsing fever, lyme disease, Ganjam virus disease and Q fever from various parts of the country time to time. This paper reviews the current scenario of tick-borne diseases in the country and the factors responsible for the occurrence and probable measures for prevention and appropriate control.
Weakly Supervised Actor-Action Segmentation via Robust Multi-task Ranking

Fine-grained activity understanding in videos has attracted considerable recent attention with a shift from action classification to detailed actor and action understanding that provides compelling results for perceptual needs of cutting-edge autonomous systems. However, current methods for detailed understanding of actor and action have significant limitations: they require large amounts of finely labeled data, and they fail to capture any internal relationship among actors and actions. To address these issues, in this paper, we propose a novel, robust multi-task ranking model for weakly supervised actor-action segmentation where only video-level tags are given for training samples. Our model is able to share useful information among different actors and actions while learning a ranking matrix to select representative supervoxels for actors and actions respectively. Final segmentation results are generated by a conditional random field that considers various ranking scores for different video parts. Extensive experimental results on the Actor-Action Dataset (A2D) demonstrate that the proposed approach outperforms the state-of-the-art weakly supervised methods and performs as well as the top-performing fully supervised method.
ONCOLOGIC PATIENTS WITH ADVANCED HEART FAILURE: TO VAD OR NOT TO VAD?

After heart disease, cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States. Evolving cancer treatments have improved overall survival and many survivors now die of non-oncologic causes. Advanced heart failure (HF) therapies, including ventricular assist devices (VAD), traditionally have
Developmental Studies on Rewiring the Brain: What They Tell Us about Brain Evolution

Development of the cerebral cortex involves the integration of genetically encoded intrinsic cues, as well as extrinsic cues that are generated by sensory activity. Here we review data that illuminate the relative contributions of these processes to the anatomy, function, and behavioral output of the brain, with a focus on gain-of-function rewiring studies in the mammalian cerebral cortex. We also discuss the implications of these findings for understanding brain evolution.
Neurochemical Aspects of Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury is a silent epidemic and major source of death and disability worldwide in modern society. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that approximately 1.4 million US individuals sustain traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) per year of which, approx 50,000 people die from TBI each year and 85,000 people suffer long-term disabilities. In the USA, more than 5.3 million people live with long-term disability with dramatic impacts on their own and their families’ lives. The socioeconomic cost of treating and rehabilitating TBI patients exceeds $56 billion. This economic cost and rate of mortality has generated considerable interest in elucidating the complex molecular mechanism underlying cell death and dysfunction after TBI. Most common causes of TBI are car accidents, bicycle accidents (more than 50%), falls and sport injuries (20–25%), and violence and domestic abuse (including shaken baby syndrome) (20–25%). TBI produces physical, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral effects in the traumatized subject.
Public Policies and Families

It is important for health practitioners to examine what changing families and the changing ecology of families mean to them and to their work. The thoughtful chapters in this book trace the progression of themes that have been developed: the focus on an historical approach; an examination of social class and its impact on families; a balanced and thoughtful look at not only the needs but also the strengths of black families; a similar look at single-parent families; and a look at newer family forms and policy implications. My chapter fits into the latter part of this sequence. It will focus on public policies as they affect families, both positively and negatively. This focus does not mean or imply that families simply respond helplessly to public policies. Families are agents of change as well. The connection goes both ways.
The antimicrobial activity of cefotaxime: Comparative multinational hospital isolate surveys covering 15 years

The “third-generation” cephalosporins (3GC) have emerged as one of the most significant therapeutic entities in the last 15 years. These 3GC compounds (using cefotaxime as a model) have generally maintained their potency and spectrum of activity against important pathogens. However, the continuing popularity of this class associated with local, regional, or national-level use or abuse has led to efficacy reduction against some organism populations associated with selection of Class I cephalosporinase, stably derepressed mutants predominantly amongCitrobacter andEnterobacter spp.; emergence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase producingEnterobacteriaceae (usuallyKlebsiella spp.), as well as some isolates mimicking Class I-type resistance patterns; and lastly, altered PBP-mediated resistance among pneumococci,Haemophilus influenzae and pathogenicNeisseria spp. Some of these resistance patterns had been present prior to the clinical introduction of 3GCs and have only significantly threatened their use in the last 5 years. Prudent application of these 3GC drugs should be the goal for this decade as follows: 1) use as monotherapy at appropriate doses and frequencies only for organisms with low potential for mutational events; 2) use combination therapy routinely for organisms such asCitrobacter, Enterobacter, some indole-positive proteae andPseudomonas aeruginosa, to minimize emerging resistance clones; 3) use conservatively in high risk patients to minimize “super-colonization” by emerging problem bacteria (e.g. vancomycin-resistant enterococci,Xanthomonas maltophilia etc.); 4) use only those agents among 3GCs that have documented safety, broad clinical applications to all age groups, acceptable pharmacokinetic features and clear cost-saving potential; and 5) use in prophylaxis (surgical procedure, selective decontamination), should be focused toward single-dose or short-course regimens to reduce total hospital-wide exposure to broad-spectrum β-lactam drugs. If these recommendations are followed and coupled with good infection control/epidemiology practices, the 3GC drugs will continue to have an important role in the chemotherapy of moderate-to-severe infections in this decade. However, physicians will need to be more knowledgeable about alternative treatment regimens when the described resistances appear in the hospital environments or in the individual patient.
Response of bladder, urethral and intracavernous pressure to ventral lumbosacral root stimulation in Sprague-Dawley and Wistar rats.

AbstractSix Sprague-Dawley and six Wistar rats were used for electrostimulation of the L5 to S2 ventral roots. Landmarks for identification of the roots were developed; bladder, urethral and intracavernous pressures were recorded; and tail and leg movements were checked. Urethral sphincter contraction was elicited by stimulation of the L5–L6 ventral roots, while bladder contraction and penile erection were mediated by the L6–S1 ventral roots. The best sphincteric response and intracavernous pressure rise were obtained by stimulation of the L6 ventral root, and the highest bladder pressures by stimulation of the S1 ventral root. Stimulation of the S1-S2 ventral roots provoked ipsilateral tail movement; of L6, tail movement, hindleg muscle twitch, and slight toe spread; and of L5, hindleg stretch and plantar flexion. No significant differences were found between the two strains of rats, although a higher bladder pressure was recorded during stimulation of the L6 ventral root in Sprague-Dawley rats, which mi...
Fantasy Millionaires: Identifying At-Risk Consumers Based on Motivation

The daily fantasy sports (DFS) industry came under heavy criticism for marketing messages focused on the potential for financial gain despite overwhelming evidence that only a small percentage of p...
Effects of Virtual Reality Properties on User Experience of Individuals with Autism

In recent years, virtual reality (VR) has been become a popular training tool for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Although VR was proven to be a promising tool for individuals with ASD, effects of VR properties or attributes of user interfaces designed for VR on user experience is still an unexplored area. In this study, we explore effects of five attributes of user interfaces designed for VR on user experience of high-functioning individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (HFASD): instruction methods, visual fidelity, view zoom, clutter, and motion. Our motivation is to give positive contribution to the design of future VR training applications for individuals with ASD so that more benefits can be gained. Three VR experiences were designed and implemented, and a user study was performed with 15 high-functioning individuals with ASD and 15 neurotypical individuals as the control group. Results indicated that using animated instructions and avoiding verbal instructions, using low visual fidelity and normal view zoom, and using no clutter and no motion in VR warehouse training applications targeting individuals with HFASD are good design practices.
Bisphenol S Modulates Type 1 Diabetes Development in Non-Obese Diabetic (NOD) Mice with Diet- and Sex-Related Effects

Bisphenol S (BPS) is a common replacement for bisphenol A (BPA) in plastics, which has resulted in widespread human exposure. Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease resulting from pancreatic β-cell destruction and has been increasing in incidence globally. Because of the similarities (e.g., endocrine disrupting) between BPS and BPA, and the fact that BPA was previously shown to accelerate T1D development in female non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice, it was hypothesized that BPS could contribute to the increasing T1D incidence by altering immunity with sex-biased responses. Adult female non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice were orally administered BPS at environmentally relevant doses (3, 30, 150 and 300 μg/kg), and males were given 0 or 300 μg/kg BPS. Females following 30 μg/kg BPS treatment on a soy-based diet had significantly delayed T1D development at the end of the study and decreased non-fasting blood glucose levels (BGLs) during the study. In contrast, BPS-exposed males on a soy-based diet showed an increased insulin resistance and varied BGLs. This might be a mixture effect with phytoestrogens, since males on a phytoestrogen-free diet showed improved glucose tolerance and decreased insulin resistance and CD25+ T cells. Additionally, while BPS altered BGLs in soy-based diet mice, minimal effects were observed concerning their immunotoxicity. Thus, BPS had sex- and diet-dependent effects on T1D and glucose homeostasis, which were likely caused by other mechanisms in addition to immunomodulation.
Retrospective evaluation of cyclosporine in the treatment of presumed idiopathic chronic hepatitis in dogs.

BACKGROUND: The etiology of idiopathic chronic hepatitis (ICH) in dogs is poorly understood, but evidence supports an immune‐mediated pathogenesis in some dogs. OBJECTIVES: To describe a case series of dogs with presumed ICH treated with cyclosporine (CsA) with or without concurrent medications and to document the incidence of biochemical remission and factors associated with failure to attain remission. ANIMALS: Forty‐eight client‐owned dogs diagnosed with presumed ICH, treatment of which included CsA. METHODS: Two‐institution, retrospective case series of dogs between 2010 and 2017. All dogs were treated with CsA with or without concurrent medications for ≥2 weeks. Data were collected from medical records. RESULTS: Biochemical remission (<1.1 times the upper limit of normal for alanine aminotransferase activity) was attained in 79% of dogs (38/48). Median dose of CsA at remission was 7.9 mg/kg/d (range, 2.5‐12.7 mg/kg/d) and median time to remission was 2.5 months (range, 0.75‐18 months). Concurrent hepatoprotectant treatment was not associated with likelihood of remission. Clinical score, ascites, hypoalbuminemia, hyperbilirubinemia, prolonged coagulation times, dose, and duration of treatment were not associated with the probability of remission or time to remission. Common adverse effects of CsA were gastrointestinal signs in 38% (18/48) and gingival hyperplasia in 25% (12/48) of treated dogs. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: A treatment regimen including CsA and frequent hepatoprotectant use resulted in biochemical remission of ICH in most dogs. None of the evaluated factors, including hepatoprotectant use, were significantly associated with likelihood of remission. Future prospective studies are indicated to evaluate CsA monotherapy in ICH dogs.
Transverse dynamics considerations for microbunched electron cooling

The technique of microbunched electron cooling (MBEC) is an attractive coherent cooling scheme with potential applications in future high-energy circular colliders. In our previous work, we analyzed the cooling of the energy spread using a one-dimensional (1D) technique that tracks the dynamics of microscopic fluctuations in the hadron and electron beams. In this paper, we extend this approach so that it covers the transverse emittance cooling as well. In order to do so, it is necessary to consider the betatron motion of the hadron beam and take into account effects of the momentum dispersion in the modulator and kicker regions. We derive relatively simple analytical expressions for the emittance and energy spread cooling times in terms of the various beam and lattice parameters, allowing us to perform fast optimization studies for an MBEC configuration. Verified through comparison with simulation, our theory can also incorporate features such as plasma amplification stages, which are crucial components of a realistic cooling system.
Efficient Identification of Error-in-Variables Switched Systems via a Sum-of-Squares Polynomial Based Subspace Clustering Method

This paper addresses the problem of identification of error in variables switched linear models from experimental input/output data. This problem is known to be generically NP hard and thus computationally expensive to solve. To address this difficulty, several relaxations have been proposed in the past few years. While solvable in polynomial time these (convex) relaxations tend to scale poorly with the number of points and number/order of the subsystems, effectively limiting their applicability to scenarios with relatively small number of data points. To address this difficulty, in this paper we propose an efficient method that only requires performing (number of subsystems) singular value decompositions of matrices whose size is independent of the number of points. The underlying idea is to obtain a sum-of-squares polynomial approximation of the support of each subsystem one-at-a-time, and use these polynomials to segment the data into sets, each generated by a single subsystem. As shown in the paper, exploiting ideas from Christoffel’s functions allows for finding these polynomial approximations simply by performing SVDs. The parameters of each subsystem can then be identified from the segmented data using existing error-in-variables (EIV) techniques.
Pancreatic injury in children with blunt abdominal trauma: a report of 14 cases

Objective To evaluate the management of pancreatic injury in pediatric blunt abdominal trauma.Methods Fourteen children with closed pancreatic injury from January 1999 to May 2008 were reviewed.Results There were 11 boys and 3 of girls (M:F = 3.7:1).Five injuries were a result of bicycle handlebar injury,4 were from vehicle-related accidents,3 from direct blow and 2 from fall.The clinical presentations of pancreatic injury were abdominal pain,tenderness,leukocytosis,hy-peramylasemia and fever.The laboratory findings associated with pancreatic injury were elevated serum amylase level in 10 (71.5%) and leukocytosis in all cases.No correlation was found between leukocyte level,amylase value and the severity of pancreas injury.Repeated amylase values and CT scans were useful in detecting pancreatic injuries.CT scan was obtained in 11(78.6%) patients and was diagnostic in 6 (54.5%).Two of four children with negative CT scan finding had pancreatic injuries confirmed by exploratory laparotomy.Ultrasound scan was performed in 12 (85.7%) patients and was positive for pancreatic injury in 8 (66.7%).One child had emergency endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreaticography (ERCP).Nine children were treated conservatively.This included six with minor pancreas injuries,one with proximal pancreatic duct injury,and two with duct injuries that were missed at admission.Five children were operated.The procedures included exploratory laparoto-mies and external drainage of pseudocysts.Four children had external drainage of pseudocysts.Conclusions The diagnosis of pancreatic injury was confirmed by hyperamylasemia,CT evaluation and ultrasound scan,and laparotomy.Initial serum amylase level and leukocytosis do not correlate with the severity of pancreatic injury.The majority of pancreatic injuries can be managed non-operatively.The non-operative management of proximal pancreatic duct injury allows the formation pseudocyst which could be subsequently drained.Distal duct injuries are best managed by prompt spleen-sparing diatal pancreatectomy.There is no benefit for closed drainage of minor pancreatic injuries discovered laparotomy. Key words: Pancreas injuries; Abdominal injuries; Diagnosis
An Exploratory Factor Analysis of the Stimulant, Sedative, and Affective Responses to Alcohol.

Background Subjective response (SR) to acute alcohol reflects individual variance to the sensitivity of alcohol's pharmacological effects. It has been argued that measures of stimulation and sedation may not fully capture the full-range SR, with 2 novel domains proposed: high arousal negative and low arousal positive. While substantial progress has been made in the field of SR and alcohol use risk, it remains unknown how these novel domains correspond to traditional SR measures. Therefore, the current study examined the latent structure of traditional and novel SR measures at rising breath alcohol concentrations (BrACs) during alcohol administration. Methods Heavy drinkers (n = 67; 36M/31F) participated in an intravenous alcohol administration. Questionnaires assessing stimulation, sedation, mood, valence and arousal, and craving were assessed at baseline and at BrACs of 20, 40, and 60 mg%. A series of exploratory factor analyses were conducted to examine the latent factor structure of SR at each time point. Correlations examined the association between the generated factors and measures of problematic alcohol use. Results The analysis generated a 3-factor solution, consistent across all time points. The factors measured the following effects of SR: (i) stimulation and positive mood, (ii) sedation and aversive effects, and (iii) tension reduction. The tension reduction factor was most commonly associated with problematic alcohol use in this sample. Conclusion This study extends upon the literature evaluating the biobehavioral effects of alcohol by examining a novel combination of SR to alcohol measures. This study demonstrates that the proposed low arousal positive domain, which loaded onto the tension reduction factor, provides novel information not captured by previous SR measures. Going forward, studies of alcohol's subjective effects should use this dimensional approach to reduce multiple comparisons across a wide range of scales and to build a literature grounded on the underlying structure of SR as a translational phenotype for AUD.
Micron-scale, efficient, and robust phase modulators at visible wavelengths

Optical phase modulators are essential to large-scale integrated photonic systems at visible wavelengths, promising for many emerging applications. However, current technologies require large device footprints and either high power consumption or high drive voltage, limiting the number of active elements in a visible integrated photonic circuit. Here, we demonstrate visible silicon-nitride thermo-optical phase modulators based on adiabatic micro-ring resonators that offer at least a one-order-of-magnitude reduction in both device footprint and power consumption compared to waveguide phase modulators. Designed to operate in the strongly over-coupled regime, the micro-resonators provide 2 pi phase modulation with minimal amplitude variations, corresponding to less than 1 dB device insertion losses. By delocalizing the resonant mode, the adiabatic micro-rings also exhibit substantially improved robustness against fabrication variations.
Effect of varying quantities of lean beef as part of a Mediterranean-style dietary pattern on lipids and lipoproteins: a randomized crossover controlled feeding trial.

BACKGROUND It remains unclear whether red meat consumption is causatively associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, and few randomized controlled studies have examined the effect of incorporating lean beef into a healthy dietary pattern. OBJECTIVES To evaluate the effects of a Mediterranean (MED) diet (carbohydrate 42%, protein 17%, fat 41%, SFAs 8%, MUFAs 26%, PUFAs 8%) with 14 (MED0.5; 0.5 oz), 71 (MED2.5; 2.5 oz), and 156 (MED5.5; 5.5 oz) g/d/2000 kcal lean beef compared with an average American diet (AAD; carbohydrate 52%, protein 15%, fat 33%, SFAs 12%, MUFAs 13%, PUFAs 8%) on lipid and lipoprotein concentrations, particle number, and size. METHODS This was a multicenter, 4-period controlled feeding, randomized crossover study. Fifty-nine generally healthy males and females (BMI 20-38 kg/m2; age 30-65 y) consumed each diet for 4 wk with a ≥1-wk washout between the diets. Fasting blood samples were collected at baseline and at the end of each 4-wk period. Lipid subfractions were measured by NMR. RESULTS Compared with the AAD, all 3 MED diets decreased LDL cholesterol (MED0.5: -10.3 mg/dL; 95% CI: -5.4, -15.7 mg/dL; MED2.5: -9.1 mg/dL; 95% CI: -3.9, -14.3 mg/dL; MED5.5: -6.9 mg/dL; 95% CI: -1.7, -12.1 mg/dL; P < 0.0001). All MED diets elicited similar reductions in total LDL particle number compared with baseline (P < 0.005); however, significant decreases only occurred with MED0.5 (-91.2 nmol/L; 95% CI: -31.4, -151.0 nmol/L) and MED2.5 (-85.3 nmol/L; 95% CI: -25.4, -145.2 nmol/L) compared with AAD (P < 0.003). Compared with the AAD, non-HDL cholesterol (P < 0.01) and apoB (P < 0.01) were lower following the 3 MED diets; there were no differences between the MED diets. All diets reduced HDL-cholesterol and HDL particle number from baseline (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS Lipid and lipoprotein lowering was not attenuated with the inclusion of lean beef in amounts ≤71 g (2.5 oz)/d as part of a healthy low-saturated-fat Mediterranean-style diet.This study is registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02723617.
Determining signal entropy in uncertainty space

Abstract Shannon entropy, a measure of the average uncertainty in a signal, is determined using the uncertainty space method. First, uncertainty space will be reviewed, then the uncertainty envelope will be presented, and finally components from uncertainty space and measurement space are combined to determine signal entropy which is the number of bits on average required to describe the signal. The formula for signal entropy is derived using the data’s normalized uncertainty. It is shown that signal entropy is equivalent to the real-valued digit or binary accuracy of the signal data.
Role of Neutrophils in Cardiac Injury and Repair Following Myocardial Infarction.

Neutrophils are first-line responders of the innate immune system. Following myocardial infarction (MI), neutrophils are quickly recruited to the ischemic region, where they initiate the inflammatory response, aiming at cleaning up dead cell debris. However, excessive accumulation and/or delayed removal of neutrophils are deleterious. Neutrophils can promote myocardial injury by releasing reactive oxygen species, granular components, and pro-inflammatory mediators. More recent studies have revealed that neutrophils are able to form extracellular traps (NETs) and produce extracellular vesicles (EVs) to aggravate inflammation and cardiac injury. On the contrary, there is growing evidence showing that neutrophils also exert anti-inflammatory, pro-angiogenic, and pro-reparative effects, thus facilitating inflammation resolution and cardiac repair. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on neutrophils’ detrimental roles, highlighting the role of recently recognized NETs and EVs, followed by a discussion of their beneficial effects and molecular mechanisms in post-MI cardiac remodeling. In addition, emerging concepts about neutrophil diversity and their modulation of adaptive immunity are discussed.
The Importance of Female Mentors and Safety in the Workplace to Female Otolaryngology Applicants When Creating Rank Lists.

Objectives The aim of this research is to understand the importance of female career mentors, research mentors, co-residents, and program directors/chairs to current female otolaryngology residents when applying to residency. The importance of safety in the workplace was also investigated. Methods Surveys were sent via electronic mail to 119 programs, and program directors were asked to distribute them to female residents. Using the Likert scale, participants ranked the importance of various factors when creating a rank list, in particular, importance of safety in the workplace and importance of female mentors in various leadership positions. Demographic information, geographic location, LGBTQ identification, and fellowship plans were also collected. Results There were 62 participants nationally. Eighty-seven percent (n = 54) of participants stated that having at least 1 female attending and having female co-residents was "very important" or "important" when ranking programs. A number of respondents replied that having a female career development mentor (38.7% [n = 24] and 43.5% [n = 27]), female program director or chair (4.8% [n = 3] and 16.1% [n = 10]), and female research mentor (12.9% [n = 8] and 29% [n = 18]) was "very important" or "important," respectively. Ninety-three percent (n = 58) replied that feeling safe in their training environment was "very important" or "important." Conclusion Having female mentors as well as safety in the workplace in residency is important to a vast majority of residents and applicants when creating a rank list. Programs with women in these roles may gain a disproportionate number of female residents because they may be more desirable places than those without women in these roles.
Toward understanding the molecular basis for attenuation of picornaviruses.

Publisher Summary Attenuating live viruses forms the basis for several vaccines currently in use to prevent human disease. Effective live-virus vaccines have been developed for poliovirus, yellow fever virus, adenovirus, and measles, mumps, and rubella viruses. Several methods have been used to produce attenuated viruses from virulent parent viruses. Theiler (1951) demonstrated that after prolonged passage of wild-type yellow fever virus in embryonic chick cell culture the virus became attenuated. Despite the development of attenuated mutants, the basis for attenuation of these viruses is poorly understood. When attenuated poliovirus is administered orally to human volunteers the virus replicates in the throat and intestine, but does not infect the central nervous system. Further insight into the mechanisms responsible for attenuation of viruses is important for the prevention of viral disease. The advent of new techniques in molecular biology has profound implications for future vaccine development. Attenuating live viruses has traditionally been an empirical process, without the ability to control where mutations occur in the genome.
Phonatory effects of type I thyroplasty implant shape and depth of medialization in unilateral vocal fold paralysis.

Objectives/Hypothesis Medialization thyroplasty (MT) is commonly used to treat glottic insufficiency. In this study, we investigated the phonatory effects of MT implant medialization depth and medial surface shape. Methods Recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) and vagal paralysis were simulated in an in vivo canine. A type 1 MT was performed using a silicone elastomer implant with variable medialization depths and medial surface shapes: rectangular, V-shaped, divergent, and convergent. The effects on phonation onset flow/pressure relationships and acoustics were measured. Results Increasing depth of medialization led to improvements in fundamental frequency (F0) range and normalization of the slope of pressure/flow relationship toward baseline activation conditions. The effects of implant medial shape also depended on depth of medialization. Outcome measures were similar among the implants at smaller medialization depths. With large medialization depths and vagal paralysis conditions, the divergent implant maintained pressure/flow relationship closer to baseline. The vagal paralysis conditions also demonstrated decreased fundamental frequency range and worse flow/pressure relationship compared to RLN paralysis. Conclusions The depth and medial shape of a medialization laryngoplasty (ML) implant significantly affect both the F0 range and aerodynamic power required for phonation. These effects become more notable with increasing depth of medialization. The study also illustrates that ML is less effective in vagal paralysis compared to RLN paralysis. Level of Evidence N/A. Laryngoscope, 124:2791–2796, 2014
Teaching & Learning Guide for: A General Model of Preventive and Interventive Self-Control

Author’s Introduction The field of self-control has witnessed an unprecedented boom, not least due to the immense implications of successful and unsuccessful self-control for people’s lives. However, successful and unsuccessful self-control can take many different forms, and many conceptual problems have been raised as to what self-control is about and how to best study it. Integrating different literatures, our Social and Personality Psychology Compass article provides a general model of self-control, which distinguishes between preventive (i.e., anticipatory) and interventive (i.e., momentary) forms of self-control. The proposed Preventive-Interventive Model (PI-Model) of Self-Control combines seven basic components: preventive strategies, desire, conflict, motivation, volition, opportunity constraints, and behavioral enactment. The model helps to distinguish self-control from standard motivational processes, to define the concept of temptation, and to identify different types of self-control failure including self-monitoring failure, motivational self-control failure, and volitional self-control failure .F urther, the model helps to outlinefive broad mechanisms through which people may be able to proactively boost self-control success. In this 10-week supplementary teaching and learning guide, weeks 1–2 are spent reviewing previous models from which the PI-Model drew ideas. Week 3 is spent reading about integrative models of self-control including the PI-Model. Weeks 4–7 focus on core components from the PI-Model: desire, conflict, motivation, and preventive self-control. Week 8 covers pertinent topics to self-control including affect and self-regulation. Week 9 takes the learner into the context of everyday life and self-control. And finally, week 10 deals with practical ways to boost self-control. We believe that a thorough reading and discussion of the papers in this teaching andlearning guide will provide a broad introduction to the field of self-control and might also help the learner identify self-control conflicts and make smart decisions about how to handle them. Syllabus
Near vision impairment predicts cognitive decline: data from the Hispanic Established Populations for Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly.

OBJECTIVES: To estimate the association between sensory impairment and cognitive decline in older Mexican Americans. DESIGN: A prospective cohort study. SETTING: The Hispanic Established Populations for Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly from five southwestern states. PARTICIPANTS: The sample consisted of 2,140 noninstitutionalized Mexican Americans aged 65 and older followed from 1993/1994 until 2000/2001. MEASUREMENTS: The outcome, cognitive function decline, was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination blind version (MMSE-blind) at baseline and at 2, 5, and 7 years of follow-up. Other variables were near vision, distance vision, hearing, demographics (age, sex, marital status, living arrangements, and education), depressive symptoms, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, stroke, heart attack, and functional status. A general linear mixed model was used to estimate cognitive decline at follow-up. RESULTS: In a fully adjusted model, MMSE-blind scores of subjects with near vision impairment decreased 0.62 points (standard error (SE) = 0.29, P =.03) over 2 years and decreased (slope of decline) 0.13 points (SE = 0.07, P=.045) more per year than scores of subjects with adequate near vision. Other independent predictors of cognitive decline were baseline MMSE-blind score, age, education, marital status, depressive symptoms, and number of activity of daily living limitations. CONCLUSION: Near vision impairment, but not distance vision or hearing impairments, was associated with cognitive decline in older Mexican Americans.
R--pulse wave timing: a technique for continuous cardiovascular monitoring in obstetrics--preliminary report.

Abstract A simple, noninvasive technique for continuous cardiovascular monitoring in obstetrics using R-pulse wave timing is described. This preliminary study suggests that different maternal heart rate/R pulse patterns are found in different clinical circumstances. A significant decrease in the R pulse interval occurred in the third trimester in both normal and diabetic women in the left lateral position when compared to the supine position. The R pulse intervals were all prolonged in the standing position in both gravid and nongravid women. During labor R pulse interval usually shortened during uterine contraction. Prolongation of R pulse interval was observed during thiopental injection, hypotension, and excessive bleeding at cesarean section. Exercise testing in healthy male subjects suggested that the change in R pulse interval becomes constant when the oxygen consumption rate reaches a plateau at 100% maximal work load. Further extensive clinical study appears worthwhile since it may add another dimension to cardiovascular monitoring and give an early indication of cardiovascular reserve.
The Right of the People Shall Not be Violated: The Evolution of Constitutional Rights in New Jersey

This is an expanded and footnoted version of a lecture delivered by Robert F. Williams at the New Jersey Historical Commissionâ€™s 2009 Annual Conference, â€œNew Jersey and the Bill of Rights,â€ held on November 21st in Trenton, New Jersey. The quote in the title comes from Article I, Paragraph 6 of the 1844 New Jersey Constitution.
Structural genomics: a new era for pharmaceutical research.

A report on the 15th Annual Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine Symposium on structural genomics in pharmaceutical design, Princeton, USA, 24-25 October 2001.
Poverty, power, and knowledge: an early entangled history of Hispaniola

This article explores the entanglement of knowledge, power, and poverty during the first years of European interaction with the Americas. Histories of the European “discovery” and colonization of the Americas have often been characterized by the importance of European power and the hunt for gold, but this history has also been entangled with an equally compelling, if deeply ambiguous, history of poverty. The article engages with this entanglement of poverty and power by viewing early Atlantic history through the prism of Franciscan sources. The Franciscans were a religious order that engineered a unique doctrine of poverty; from a Franciscan perspective poverty was a spiritual act, a philosophy, an identity, and a form of politics. Poverty contributed to the deterritorialization of the Franciscans; they developed a geographically extensive network in the late Middle Ages and were the first Christian missionaries to travel to the Americas and establish an institutional presence. They played an important ro...
Two‐Phase Coexistence in Single‐Grain BaTiO3–(Mn0.5Zn0.5)Fe2O4 Composites, Via Solid‐State Reaction

We have developed a synthesis method of single-grain two-phase BaTiO3–(Mn0.5Zn0.5)Fe2O4 nanomaterials via a solid state reaction. The grains of BTO-rich samples were found to have a rod-like morphology with a high aspect ratio and a diameter of 200 nm, whereas the grains of MZF-rich samples had a tetrahedral/octahedral cross-section with a span of 200 nm. Such a synthesis of two-phase perovskite/spinel single-crystal grains with different grain geometries offers the potential to build new types of multiferroic materials.