cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Home health nurses coping with practice care errors

The Institute of Medicine report from 2000 (To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System, National Academy Press, Washington, DC) highlighted the magnitude of practice care errors in the US healthcare system as well as the potentially life-threatening consequences they create. Nurses who make care errors experience a devastating mental and emotional impact and do not know how to deal with the experience. This study assessed how nurses cope with care errors and what strategies they use. A survey design was used for this study and 192 home health nurses completed the survey in a southeastern state. Packets containing sealed surveys, a flier, and a description of the study were mailed to the nurses. Results of the study with home health nurses indicate that nurses felt angry at themselves for making the care errors. Planful problem-solving was the most frequently used coping technique followed by accepting responsibility. The most commonly reported change in practice following a care error experience was ...
Geodynamo History Preserved in Single Silicate Crystals: Origins and Long-Term Mantle Control

The long-term history of the geodynamo provides insight into how Earth's innermost and outermost parts formed. The magnetic field is generated in the liquid-iron core as a result of convection driven by heat carried across the core-mantle boundary and freezing of the solid inner core. Earth's magnetic field acts as a shield against energetic solar radiation, and therefore the geodynamo played an important role in the development and retention of our atmosphere, ultimately setting the stage for the evolution of life. A new analytical approach, using single silicate crystals that host minute magnetic particles, can reveal heretofore hidden aspects of Earth's magnetic history. This method is being used to address some of the outstanding questions regarding the long-term behavior of the geodynamo.
Barriers to physicians' decisions to discuss hospice: insights gained from the United States hospice model

Due to its comprehensive and cost-saving design, hospice has become a critical component of health care. Physicians have become the primary gatekeepers to information on hospice and sources of referral to hospice. However, many physicians do not discuss hospice options until late in the disease course, when patients and their families are no longer able to benefit from hospice services. Although physicians, as well as patients and hospice personnel, cite patient and hospice structure factors as barriers, the present article will focus on barriers physicians have more control over, such as their discomfort discussing terminality and fear of losing contact with patients. Focusing on the American hospice model, the present article will review past findings, examine gaps in the research, and propose systematic ways to discern whether the factors physicians claim are barriers actually affect their decision making about hospice referral.
Studies Toward the Synthesis of (-)-Zampanolide: Preparation of the Macrocyclic Core.

Studies towards the synthesis of the macrocyclic core of (-)-zampanolide are reported. The synthetic approach features a one-pot reduction/vinylogous aldol reaction for construction of the C-15-C-20 fragment, an intramolecular silyl-modified Sakurai (ISMS) reaction for construction of the 2,6-cisdisubstituted exo-methylene pyran subunit, and use of an sp 2 -sp 3 Stille reaction for macrocyclization.
PYOVERDINE PRODUCTION BY PSEUDOMONAS AERUGINOSA EXPOSED TO METALS OR AN OXIDATIVE STRESS AGENT

Siderophores are low molecular mass compounds used by many microor- ganisms to scavenge dissolved iron, which is typically rare in environments. Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PAO1) was exposed to metals and methyl viologen in low-iron medium in order to monitor the abundance of a specific siderophore (pyoverdine) and monitor growth over time. In this study it was discovered that cadmium can stimulate pyoverdine abundance. Cadmium may interact with and sequester the Fur regulatory protein, which represses siderophore synthesis under conditions of iron sufficiency. Mercury did not stimulate pyov- erdine production at concentrations that strongly inhibited bacterial growth, suggesting that pyoverdine production is not governed as part of a general stress response. Methyl viologen is an oxygen radical generator, and it was discovered that exposure to it decreased pyov- erdine production. Decreased pyoverdine production may be a mechanism for reducing the iron potentiation of oxygen toxicity. It is hypothesized that factors stimulating production of siderophores may increase the susceptibility of microorganisms to oxidative damage. In general, our research suggests new opportunities for predicting ecotoxicological outcomes based on understanding of molecular mechanisms and the effect of xenobiotics or stress factors on fundamentally important microbial processes.
Managing heterogeneous ecological data using Morpho

Ecological and environmental data cover a wide range of topics, from biodiversity surveys to measurements of trace gas fluxes, and are modeled using a tremendous variety of schemas. We have developed Morpho, a data management application designed to assist researchers in managing this heterogeneous collection of ecological data. Our goal in developing Morpho was to ease the burden of data management on scientists while improving access to and documentation for ecological data. Morpho allows ecological researchers to describe their data using a comprehensive and flexible metadata specification, and to share their data publicly or to specific collaborators over the Knowledge Network for Biocomplexity (KNB). Morpho's main features include: (1) flexible metadata creation and editing using an XML syntax for metadata exchange; (2) a 'wizard' interface for collecting metadata; (3) automated metadata extraction while importing data; (4) an XML editor that is configurable using multiple XML DTDs; (5) compliance with the Ecological Metadata Language; (6) powerful metadata search on the network or locally; and, (7) comprehensive revision control for data and metadata.
The β and γ cytoplasmic actins are differentially thermostabilized by MgADP; γ actin binds MgADP more strongly

Using the technique of thermal denaturation in a temperature gradient followed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of the fractions, the thermostabilities of the cytoplasmic actins have been investigated. Addition of 5 mM MgADP (but not NADH or CaCl/sub 2/) to stripped, radiolabeled leukocyte lysate thermostabilizes the actins by about 16/sup 0/C relative to stripped lysate alone, producing a slightly stronger stabilization in ..gamma.. actin. This result will allow preparative fractionation of ..beta.. and ..gamma.. actins and additional biochemical characterization of their differences.
Cigarette smoking as a cause of cancers other than lung cancer: an exploratory study using the surveillance, epidemiology, and end results program.

Background Cigarette smoking is causally related to several cancers, particularly lung cancer, yet for some cancers there are inconsistent associations. This study investigates the association of smoking with other cancers by correlating them with the regional incidence rates for lung cancer, which was used as a proxy for cigarette smoking. This ecologic approach relating cigarette smoking to cancer using a large database avoids the limitations and bias present in case-control and cohort studies. Methods Based on the assumption that regions with a high rate of lung cancer also have a high rate of cigarette smoking, our original hypothesis is that these high-intensity regions will also have high rates of other cancers if they are associated with cigarette smoking. Linear regression and correlation analysis of regional incidence rates for lung cancer, obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program, were plotted with incidence rates of other cancers to determine the association between lung cancer and the other cancers. Results Cancers that have a strong correlation with cigarette smoking in the literature also demonstrate a strong correlation with lung cancer. These cancers included urinary bladder, laryngeal, esophageal, colorectal, and kidney cancer. A number of cancers showed a weak association with cigarette smoking, such as pancreatic and liver cancer. Other cancers showed no correlation, such as ovarian and prostate cancer. Conclusions Cancers that respectively showed a strong or absent correlation with lung cancer in the SEER Program were similarly strongly or weakly correlated with cigarette smoking in the literature. Cancers with borderline correlations show ambiguous results or confounding variables in the literature.
Statistical characterization of the impact strengths of vapor-grown carbon nanofiber/vinyl ester nanocomposites using a central composite design

The effects of vapor-grown carbon nanofiber (VGCNF) weight fraction, high-shear mixing time, and ultrasonication time on the Izod impact strengths of VGCNF/vinyl ester (VE) nanocomposites were studied using a central composite design. A response surface model (RSM) for predicting impact strengths was developed using regression analysis. RSM predictions suggested that an 18% increase in impact strength was possible for nanocomposites containing only 0.170 parts per hundred parts resin (phr) of VGCNFs (∼0.1 v%) that were high-shear mixed for 100 min when compared to that of neat VE. In general, the predicted impact strengths increased for high-shear mixing times above 55 min and VGCNF weight fractions below 0.400 phr. The predicted strengths decreased as the VGCNF weight fraction was further increased. Scanning electron micrographs of the nanocomposite fracture surfaces showed that increased impact strength could be directly correlated to better nanofiber dispersion in the matrix. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013
Collisionless solar wind protons: A comparison of kinetic and hydrodynamic descriptions

Kinetic and hydrodynamic descriptions of a collisionless solar wind proton gas are compared. Heat conduction and viscosity are neglected in the hydrodynamic formulation but are automatically included in the kinetic formulation. The fact that the results of the two models are very nearly the same indicates that heat conduction and viscosity are not important in the solar wind proton gas beyond approximately 0.1 AU. It is concluded that the hydrodynamic equations provide a valid description of the collisionless solar wind protons and, hence, that future models of the quiet solar wind should be based on a hydrodynamic formulation.
Enhanced Defense against Pneumocystis carinii Mediated by a Novel Dectin-1 Receptor Fc Fusion Protein

Pneumocystis carinii (PC) pneumonia is a leading opportunistic infection found among HIV-infected individuals worldwide. Although CD4+ T cell deficiency clearly correlates with susceptibility to PC pneumonia, murine models of disease indicate that PC-directed Abs may prevent infection and/or inhibit growth of existing PC within the lungs. Recognition of PC by alveolar macrophages involves the β-glucan receptor Dectin-1 and macrophage effector function against PC is enhanced by Abs derived from PC-vaccinated hosts. We developed a fusion protein consisting of the extracellular domain of Dectin-1 linked to the Fc portion of murine IgG1, which we hypothesized would enhance host recognition and opsonic phagocytosis of PC. The recombinant protein, Dectin-Fc, is dimeric and the Ag recognition site identifies β-1,3 glucan linkages specifically and with high affinity (KD = 2.03 × 10−7 M). Dectin-Fc enhances RAW264.7 macrophage recognition of the β-glucan containing particulate zymosan in an FcγRII- and FcγRIII-dependent manner and preopsonization of PC organisms with Dectin-Fc increased alveolar and peritoneal macrophage-dependent killing of PC. SCID mice treated with a replication incompetent adenoviral vector expressing Dectin-Fc had attenuated growth of PC within the lungs, overall decreased PC lung burden, and diminished correlates of PC-related lung damage relative to SCID mice receiving a control vector. These findings demonstrate that targeting PC β-glucan with Dectin-Fc enhances host recognition and clearance of PC in the absence of B and T cells, and suggest that FcγR-based targeting of PC, via cell wall carbohydrate recognition, may promote resistance against PC pneumonia in the immunodeficient host.
Generation dispatch in a smart grid environment

This paper proposes a new generation dispatch system for the smart grid environment. As distributed generation, demand response and renewable energy resources become significant portions of overall system installed capacity, a better system dispatch tool for system control centers is required in order to cope with the increasing amount of uncertainties being introduced by the new resources. A Smart Dispatch (SD) framework for regional transmission organizations and transmission system operators to manage large power grids is proposed. In particular, the ability of the new dispatch system to provide a better holistic and forward-looking view of system conditions and generation patterns will be discussed in detail. Such features are deemed critical for the success of efficient system operations in the future. A practical example of applying the SD framework to a modern grid control center is provided.
On the accuracy of finite element solutions of problems with traction boundary conditions

In the variational formulation of finite element models for mechanics problems, boundary conditions are classified as either essential or natural. The traction boundary conditions are identified as natural in many commonly-used finite element models. A valid finite element mode must satisfy explicitly the essential boundary conditions, since the latter are satisfied implicitly as a posteriori conditions of the formulation. Though assumed solutions can be arbitrary regarding natural boundary conditions, the arbitrariness can affect the accuracy of solutions, because the weighted error residuals of all the Euler equations of the variational principle should be minimized to obtain solutions. As a possible alternative to refining finite element meshes for improving the accuracy of solutions, an explicit enforcement of the natural boundary conditions can be considered. In this work, the nature of the implicit enforcement of the natural boundary conditions of a problem through a variational formulation is investigated. Systematic methods to enforce natural boundary conditions explicitly to improve the accuracy of solutions are developed for two finite element models. Consider a boundary value problem defined by VZu = f in a domain D and some boundary conditions at boundary B. The problem has a variational principle that the stationary condition of a scalar functional I with respect to an admissible solution u (which satisfies u = h on B, if such a condition exists) yields the interior equation and a natural boundary condition, au/an = g on B where n is the outward normal to B. The functional I is:
Impact of Group-Buying Models on SmallBusiness Purchasing: Pilot Research Analysis

This article examines the efficacy of group buying by presenting a brief synopsis of the group purchasing organization (GPO) market and by examining Vendor IQ Group, Inc., a new entrant to the GPO market for small- and medium-sized businesses managed by private equity firms. In particular, the article explores the tangible economic benefits gained by a specific member of Vendor IQ’s buying consortium. Herein referred to as “Company A,” this member is the undisclosed middle-market consultancy and portfolio company of a large global private equity firm. This report also examines the potential benefits that accrue to private equity firms that partner with GPOs to optimize their portfolio performance. The survey finds direct improvements in underlying enterprise values and thus implied value to limited partners.
PS-262 Risk Profile To Prevent Re-admittance To The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Background and aims Infants at the Neonatology Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of the Emma Children’s Hospital/Academic Medical Centre Amsterdam are transferred to regional hospitals once they no longer need intensive care. Unfortunately, a number of these infants are re-admitted to the NICU. This study investigates the similarities between these hospitalised infants, in order to develop a way to limit the number of infants re-admitted to the NICU. Methods The first step in the process is to classify different diagnoses for re-admittance of infants to the NICU. By using these diagnoses, and adding parameters resulting from a search of literature, a set of risk parameters can be created. This set will be used to retrospectively analyse the nursing files of infants re-admitted to the NICU within 72 h after discharge. The exclusion criteria used were re-admittance for phototherapy, inserting an IV or planned surgical or treatment interventions. Results From July 2009 to July 2013, 44 infants were re-hospitalised at the NICU. Nineteen infants met the inclusion criteria. Of these 19 infants a (graphical) risk profile could be created showing the physiological (in)stability in the three days before discharge. Conclusions This study shows that infants have different early warning signs of physiological instability. However this instability can be expressed in a risk score, which might predict the chance that the infants are re-admitted to the NICU. The NICU may thus decide to not discharge the infant for a few more days. Further research on the utilisation of the risk score is needed.
An Investigation of Quantity Discrimination in Clark's Nutcrackers (Nucifraga columbiana)

We examined quantity discrimination in the Clark’s nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana), a corvid bird with a strong dependence upon caching and recovering nuts. We presented 2 sets of nuts simultaneously, in 21 different conditions, to see if the nutcrackers could choose the larger of the 2 quantities. The nutcrackers displayed a strong ability to discriminate quantities of nuts. Like other animals tested previously, the nutcrackers’ performance decreased as the ratio of the 2 quantities approached 1. Interestingly, at constant distances, the nutcrackers did not have more difficulty with contrasts containing larger quantities. Thus, nutcrackers have a fine sensitivity for discriminating between 2 quantities. We review the relevant literature and explore the possibility that nutcrackers, like some other birds, may have developed a keen ability to discriminate quantities. This ability may have developed as an adaptive specialization to cope with their scatter-hoarding ecology, though the evidence for such a conclusion is mixed.
Visual feedback and second language segmental production: The generalizability of pronunciation gains

Abstract While a number of researchers have noted the lack of research on pronunciation instruction, relative to other aspects of language (i.e. syntax), pronunciation has been shown to be crucial for facilitating intelligible and comprehensible second language (L2) productions. Addressing the need for empirically tested pedagogical methods, the current study considers the use of a classroom-based visual feedback paradigm for the instruction of a segmental feature, namely voice onset time, which has been shown to be a distinctive marker of accent for English-dominant L2 learners of Spanish. In addition, this study examines the potential generalizability of gains made through the visual feedback paradigm, assessing whether gains made in controlled reading tasks (i.e. carrier sentences) will extend to more continuous and spontaneous speech. The results demonstrate significant improvements in voice onset time produced by participants following the visual feedback paradigm, relative to a control group. Furthermore, while the visual feedback training was limited to short, controlled utterances (i.e. carrier sentences), benefits were observed for more continuous and spontaneous speech.
Late follow-up of ball-valve prostheses in the descending thoracic aorta.

Clinical and hemodynamic observations are reported in a group of five patients with free aortic regurgitation treated with insertion of a ball valve prosthesis in the descending aorta. Long-term follow-up ranging from 13 to 23 years illustrates the durability and biocompatibility of the valve and the validity of the concept that a moving prosthesis can function for indefinitely long periods of time. The prolonged survival of these patients at a normal level of activity without congestive failure is strong evidence of the efficacy of the prosthesis even though it did not entirely control all of the aortic insufficiency. All patients showed remarkable improvement of their symptoms from 11 to 21 years after surgery. Four of them have required complete correction of the aortic insufficiency with one postoperative death due to low output syndrome. The valves which have remained in place after insertion of a subcoronary valve are functioning well from 3 to 6 years. There was no evidence of hemolysis, valve malfunction, ball variance, or thrombosis in any of these patients. The evolution of the technique made it possible to minimize complications which, it should be pointed out, were usually associated with faulty methods of insertion. These patients would appear to represent the longest period of insertion of any valvular prosthesis.
Transischiorectal fossa approach for resection of pudendal nerve schwannoma: case report

Pudendal nerve schwannomas are very rare, with only two cases reported in the English-language literature. The surgical approaches described in these two case reports are the transgluteal approach and the laparoscopic approach. The authors present the case of a patient with progressive pelvic pain radiating ipsilaterally into her groin, vagina, and rectum, who was subsequently found to have a pudendal schwannoma. The authors used a transischiorectal fossa approach and intraoperative electrophysiological monitoring and successfully excised the tumor. This approach has the advantage of direct access to Alcock's canal with minimal disruption of the pelvic muscles and ligaments. The patient experienced complete relief of her pelvic pain after the procedure.
Revisiting the sliding ladder

A uniform ladder leaning against a wall, or sliding down against a wall, is a familiar theme in introductory mechanics and calculus courses, made popular in recent years by several papers pertaining to its various intriguing aspects and important limitations. This configuration is particularly well-known in the context of static equilibrium where the friction exerted by the floor keeps the ladder from sliding [1]. The situation involving the ladder sliding down instead of being static is a staple topic of calculus courses, although usually only from a geometric point of view. The physics of the sliding ladder was addressed in [2, 3, 4], none of which took friction into consideration. In the present work we study in detail a situation involving a ladder sliding between a rough wall and a frictionless floor. This is a situation where in spite of the presence of friction the ladder is still destined to slide down, no matter how large the friction coefficient between the wall and the ladder is. As we will establish in this paper, in spite of the friction present, the ladder must always be speeding up while sliding down, until it breaks off the wall at some critical angle.
Applying the Lessons of Tuberous Sclerosis: The 2015 Hower Award Lecture.

Abstract Tuberous sclerosis complex is a dominantly inherited disorder that variably affects the brain, skin, kidneys, heart, and other organs. Its neurological manifestations include epilepsy, autism, cognitive and behavioral dysfunction, and giant cell tumors. A mutation of either TSC1 or TSC2 can cause tuberous sclerosis complex. Their two gene products, hamartin and tuberin, form a physical complex which normally inhibits protein synthesis mediated through the mechanistic target of rapamycin, so a TSC1 or TSC2 mutation results in overactivation of the mechanistic target of rapamycin cascade. In addition to their tumor suppressor roles, TSC1 and TSC2 help to regulate cell size, neuronal migration, axon formation, and synaptic plasticity. Clinical trials of two different the mechanistic target of rapamycin inhibitors have demonstrated substantial improvement of tuberous sclerosis complex–related tumors, and a recent trial also showed a benefit from the mechanistic target of rapamycin inhibitor everolimus in the treatment of refractory epilepsy due to tuberous sclerosis complex. Effective mechanism-based therapy is now available for some manifestations of tuberous sclerosis complex.
The social connectivity of urban rivers

Abstract By social connectivity we refer to the communication and movement of people, goods, ideas, and culture along and across rivers, recognizing longitudinal, lateral, and vertical connectivity, much as has been described for other rivers for hydrology and ecology. We focus on rivers as they pass through cities, and the relationships between these rivers and city dwellers. Historically, the most important longitudinal connectivity function of rivers was their role as major transport routes and the simplification of formerly complex, irregular banks and beds, into straight, uniform shipping channels has resulted in a loss of lateral and vertical connectivity, notably the quotidian uses such as fishing, washing clothes, water supply, swimming and other recreation. The scale of the river itself, and its scale in comparison to the scale of the city, largely determine the river's social function and the degree to which it influences city form. River width affects the perception of ‘closeness’ of the other bank, ease of bridging the river, influence of the river on the city's street pattern, and type of waterfront uses that occur. Up to 15 m wide, people can converse, whereas across rivers ~ 50 to ~ 200 m wide, people are not recognizable but still clearly visible, instilling the banks with a ‘lively’ atmosphere. At widths over ~ 200 m, people blur, yet moving vehicles and trees branches shaking in wind may still provide some dynamic elements to an otherwise static landscape composed of building facades. In exceptionally wide rivers, the city on the opposite bank is little more than a skyline, which often becomes a signature and symbol of regional identity. In contemplating how people use rivers, we can define a range of human activities in relation to height above the water (i.e., instream to banktop), a vertical dimension of human connectivity with rivers. Many uses occur on the top of the bank, such as quiet contemplation, walking, or cycling along a riverside trail, while others depend on contact with the water itself, such as wading, diving, and canoeing (which presupposes adequate water quality). Many of these relationships are illustrated by the challenge of reconnecting Cairo with the Nile.
A unique genetically encoded FRET pair in mammalian cells.

Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) between two suitable fluorophores is a powerful tool to monitor dynamic changes in protein structure in vitro and in vivo. The ability to genetically encode a FRET pair represents a convenient "labeling-free" strategy to incorporate them into target protein(s). Currently, the only genetically encoded FRET pairs available for use in mammalian cells use fluorescent proteins. However, their large size can lead to unfavorable perturbations, particularly when two of them are used at the same time. Additionally, fluorescent proteins are largely restricted to a terminal attachment to the target, which may not be optimal. Here we report the development of an alternative genetically encoded FRET pair in mammalian cells that circumvents these challenges by taking advantage of a small genetically encoded fluorescent unnatural amino acid as the donor and enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) as the acceptor. The small size of Anap relative to fluorescent proteins, and the ability to co-translationally incorporate it into internal sites of the target protein endows this novel FRET pair with improved versatility over its counterparts that rely upon two fluorescent proteins.
Iterative image reconstruction in elastic inhomogenous media with application to transcranial photoacoustic tomography

Photoacoustic computed tomography (PACT) is an emerging computed imaging modality that exploits optical contrast and ultrasonic detection principles to form images of the photoacoustically induced initial pressure distribution within tissue. The PACT reconstruction problem corresponds to a time-domain inverse source problem, where the initial pressure distribution is recovered from the measurements recorded on an aperture outside the support of the source. A major challenge in transcranial PACT brain imaging is to compensate for aberrations in the measured data due to the propagation of the photoacoustic wavefields through the skull. To properly account for these effects, a wave equation-based inversion method should be employed that can model the heterogeneous elastic properties of the medium. In this study, an iterative image reconstruction method for 3D transcranial PACT is developed based on the elastic wave equation. To accomplish this, a forward model based on a finite-difference time-domain discretization of the elastic wave equation is established. Subsequently, gradient-based methods are employed for computing penalized least squares estimates of the initial source distribution that produced the measured photoacoustic data. The developed reconstruction algorithm is validated and investigated through computer-simulation studies.
An efficient artificial molecular pump

Abstract Despite the fact that artificial molecular machines are on the rise, there is a long way to go to eventually fill the yawning gap that exists between biological and man-made machines in terms of both their mechanisms of action and efficiencies of operation. Herein, we describe our recent efforts directed towards the development of a second-generation (more efficient) artificial molecular pump – a wholly synthetic compound, which operates to compartmentalise highly charged rings in a high-energy state on an oligomethylene chain. The optimized artificial molecular pump operates rapidly, thanks to well-tuned noncovalent bonding interactions, paving the way to address enthalpically and entropically demanding polymers that would be difficult to obtain with the available repertoire of synthetic methods.
Goal commitment predicts treatment outcome for adolescents with alcohol use disorder

Abstract Objective Commitment to change is an innovative potential mediator and mechanism of behavior change (MOBC) that has not been examined in adolescents with substance use disorders (SUD). The Adolescent Substance Abuse Goal Commitment (ASAGC) questionnaire is a reliable and valid 2-scale measure developed to assess the adolescent's commitment to either abstinence or harm reduction (HR) that includes consumption reduction as a stated treatment goal. The objective of this study was to examine the ASAGC's ability to predict alcohol use treatment outcome. Method During sessions three and nine of a 10-week treatment program, therapists completed the ASAGC for 170 adolescents 13–18 years of age with alcohol use disorder (AUD). Drinking behaviors were assessed during and after a continued-care phase until 12-month from study onset. Results Analysis of Variance results indicated that adolescents who reported no alcohol use had significantly higher scores on the commitment to abstinence scale than adolescents who reported alcohol use. None of the ANOVA models were significant for commitment to HR. When treatment outcome was examined, commitment to abstinence consistently predicted number of drinking days, number of heavy drinking days, and the maximum number of drinks post-treatment. In contrast, commitment to HR did not predict any of the drinking outcomes. These results suggest that the more adolescents were committed to abstinence during treatment, the less they used and abused alcohol after treatment completion. Conclusions In addition to the ASAGC's ability to differentiate between commitment to abstinence and commitment to HR, study findings demonstrate that goal commitment consistently predicts AUD treatment outcome.
5-hydroxymethylcytosine accumulation in postmitotic neurons results in functional demethylation of expressed genes

5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) occurs at maximal levels in postmitotic neurons, where its accumulation is cell-specific and correlated with gene expression. Here we demonstrate that the distribution of 5hmC in CG and non-CG dinucleotides is distinct and that it reflects the binding specificity and genome occupancy of methylcytosine binding protein 2 (MeCP2). In expressed gene bodies, accumulation of 5hmCG acts in opposition to 5mCG, resulting in "functional" demethylation and diminished MeCP2 binding, thus facilitating transcription. Non-CG hydroxymethylation occurs predominantly in CA dinucleotides (5hmCA) and it accumulates in regions flanking active enhancers. In these domains, oxidation of 5mCA to 5hmCA does not alter MeCP2 binding or expression of adjacent genes. We conclude that the role of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine in postmitotic neurons is to functionally demethylate expressed gene bodies while retaining the role of MeCP2 in chromatin organization.
Beyond the Enlightenment: Comte and the New Problem of Social Science

A. Elley Finch’s On the Inductive Philosophy, Including a Parallel between Lord Bacon and A. Comte as Philosophers: A Discourse Delivered Before the Sunday Lecture Society, Nov. 26,1871(1872) provides us with a glimpse of the methodological world of the earlier conversation. The lecture shows the coherence of the conversation, as well as its optimism. The natural sciences represented more than a model for social science: they were also coparticipants in the struggle between theism and science. Much of the distinctive flavor of methodological writing in this period is given by the omnipresence of this struggle, which took the form of the epistemological question of the relations between “the several methods which the mind has pursued in its search after truth,” methods which Finch, following Comte, called “the Theological, the Metaphysical, and the Scientific” (Finch, 1872, p. 2). Finch mentioned James Herschel, William Whewell, and a good many other physicists and writers on the history of astronomy, physics, and electromagnetism, and ran their views together with those of Comte and Bacon — a useful reminder that the writers were part of the same movement of thought as Comte, Mill, and Quetelet and that what this movement of thought represented was problematic — even odious — to conventional public opinion.1 The movement of thought was a community of discourse as well. They discussed one another’s views on astronomical and physical subjects. They shared roughly the same ideas of which sorts of social science had been successful. Finch’s examples are representative: political economy, the ‘psychology’ of Locke and James Mill, and the emerging statistical literature, including the commentaries on the Census and such descriptive works as Mayhew’s London Labour and London Poor, correspond to a collection of communities of discourse which also overlap. The despair over the possibility of the social sciences, which is part of the backdrop to the methodological writings of Weber and Durkheim, had not yet set in. Finch pointed only to successes. He noted that Malthus’s “arguments were pronounced by Archbishop Whately to be as unanswerable as the Elements of Euclid” (1872, p. 33), and treated them as “an almost perfect instance of the Inductive Method.” The method of statistics, described as “the grand inductive weapon of sanitary science” (1872, p. 32), was enlisted in the struggle with religion. “The theological theory of disease,” Finch said, is “becoming gradually stamped out by statistics” (1872, p. 32). The sense that all these enterprises shared a common front against theology was reciprocated: Conte’s Cours and Mill’s Principles of Political Economy were placed on the Index librorum prohibitorum by the Catholic Church.
Assessing uptake of antimicrobials by Zea mays L. and prevalence of antimicrobial resistance genes in manure-fertilized soil.

Abstract Manure-borne antimicrobials and antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) are of environmental concern due to their potential to be transferred into the food-web via plant-uptake. In this study, Zea mays L. seeds were grown in three different soil conditions: soil without dairy manure, dairy manure-amended soil, and antimicrobial spiked dairy manure-amended soil, to investigate the potential uptake of antimicrobials and ARGs present in manure. The antimicrobial spiked manure consisted of dairy manure fortified with 1 mg/Kg of each individual antimicrobial compounds belonging to the sulfonamide and tetracycline classes. Samples of the Zea mays L. plants were harvested over the course of three weeks to determine potential uptake of antimicrobials from soil to plant shoots, and to compare prevalence of ARGs in manure amended soils and plant tissue. Antimicrobial analysis was performed using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), and ARGs (sul1, tetO, and OXA-1) were analyzed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The study found that both tetracycline and sulfamerazine antimicrobials bioaccumulated in the Zea mays L., reaching concentrations of nearly 3000 ng/g and 1260 ng/g, respectively. Tetracycline residues predominated in the soil, while sulfonamides had mainly bioaccumulated in Zea mays L. tissue. The greatest average uptake factor within the Zea mays L. tissue was 8 for tetracyclines and 110 for sulfonamides indicating larger bioaccumulation of sulfonamides. Additionally, three ARGs (sul1, tetO, and OXA-1) were detected in the soil, only after manure application. However, ARGs were not detected in any of the plant samples.
Poetry, Media, and the Material Body : Autopoetics in Nineteenth-Century Britain

From the Romantic fascination with hallucinatory poetics to the turn-of-the-century mania for automatic writing, poetry in nineteenth-century Britain appears at crucial times to be oddly involuntary, out of the control of its producers and receivers alike. This elegant study addresses the question of how people understood those forms of written creativity that seem to occur independently of the writer's will. Through the study of the century's media revolutions, evolving theories of physiology, and close readings of the works of nineteenth-century poets including Wordsworth, Coleridge and Tennyson, Ashley Miller articulates how poetry was imagined to promote involuntary bodily responses in both authors and readers, and how these responses enlist the body as a medium that does not produce poetry but rather reproduces it. This is a poetics that draws attention to, rather than effaces, the mediacy of the body in the processes of composition and reception.
Non-Emergent Right Heart Catheterizations can be Performed in Patients with Elevated INR: Clinical Outcomes at the University of Maryland Medical Center

Introduction Right heart catheterizations (RHC) remains the gold standard for pulmonary hypertension (PH) diagnosis, and a key component to heart failure (HF) risk assessment and in advanced heart failure planning. Many patients with HF and PH require anticoagulation (AC) which cannot be safely held without enoxaparin bridging, due to mechanical heart valves, left ventricular assist devices (LVAD), or chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). While it is increasingly common to perform RHC without interruption of warfarin AC, no studies have analyzed complication rates in this population. RHC in patients on AC with elevated INR does not lead to more frequent adverse events. Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of patients over 18 years old with PH and/or HF who underwent RHC at the University of Maryland Medical Center during 2013 calendar year to determine the complication rate and assess for potential pre-procedural predictors of complications. Those with heart transplants undergoing surveillance endomyocardial biopsy were excluded. Results A total of 270 right heart catheterizations were reviewed . There were 41 heart transplants that were excluded. Of the remaining 229 cases, 163 (71%) patients had heart failure—110 (48%) with reduced ejection fraction. There were 170 (74%) patients with pulmonary hypertension and 9 patients with an LVAD. Of these cases, 80 (34%) had an INR >1.5 with 27 (12%) having an INR >2 . There were 62 (78%) patients on warfarin. The most common indication for AC was atrial fibrillation/flutter—37 (60%)—with 8 (13%) requiring AC for cardiac thrombus, 7 (11%) for pulmonary embolism/deep vein thrombosis, 4 (6%) for valvular pathology, and 3 (5%) for LVAD. A majority of cases, 179 (78%) gained access via the right internal jugular vein. Micro-puncture kit was used 3 cases. There were no reported cases of hematoma, major bleeding (hemoglobin drop >2gm/dL), pulmonary hemorrhage, or cardiac tamponade. Two patients reported site discomfort—neither had an elevated INR. Conclusion RHC can be safely performed in patients with an elevated INR. In light of a growing population of LVAD's, and increasing awareness of CTEPH, a growing population of patients with advanced cardiopulmonary disease requires uninterrupted AC. If confirmed on a larger patient population, these findings would improve patient comfort and significantly reduce health care costs by eliminating the need for enoxaparin bridging or hospital admission for intravenous unfractionated heparin.
Accurate Energy Forecast in Buildings: A Data Driven Machine Learning Approach

Buildings are major energy consumer worldwide, accounting for 20%-40% of the total energy production. Efficient energy management in buildings is important for effective energy saving. In this study, we propose and develop a five-step machine learning and artificial intelligence approach for high-precision energy forecasts in buildings. First, a feature database of potential energy predictors is constructed. Then, for a given building, its historical data is compared against the feature database to extract the features that best fit the observed consumption patterns. Afterwards, historical data is grouped by daily consumption pattern similarities and a machine is trained on each cluster to make local or cluster specific predictions. Finally, these local predictions are combined to generate the global precise energy forecast of the building. Tested on a set of buildings geographically distributed in Canada and in the USA, our method shows improved performance compared to traditional approaches.
Applications of plasmonic nanoparticles for in vivo biosensing of plants

Further understanding of biomass producing associated metabolic pathways in plants can be used to increase the production of biomass. In vivo detection of these markers has proved to be limited due to complex sample preparation required by traditional methods. Recently the Vo-Dinh group has designed a platform to detect nucleic acid targets in biological systems called inverse molecular sentinels which utilize surface-enhanced Raman scattering. These multimodal probes were shown to detect and image key microRNA within whole plants in vivo. This work lays the foundation for detecting and imaging biological markers in plants with enhanced spatial and temporal resolution.
Institutional competition through performance funding: A catalyst or hindrance to teaching and learning?

US colleges and universities have operated on the belief that academics need the freedom to question received wisdom, test new pedagogical methods, and produce knowledge that can be transparently s...
Goodness, availability, and argument structure

According to a widely shared generic conception of inferential justification—‘the standard conception’—an agent is inferentially justified in believing that p only if she has antecedently justified beliefs in all the non-redundant premises of a good argument for p. This conception tends to serve as the starting-point in contemporary debates about the nature and scope of inferential justification: as neutral common ground between various competing, more specific, conceptions. But it’s a deeply problematic starting-point. This paper explores three questions that haven’t been given the attention they deserve, that complicate the application of the standard conception to cases, and that reveal it to be underspecified at the core—in ways that aren’t resolved but inherited by more specific (extant) versions of it. The goal isn’t to answer the questions, but to articulate them, explain what turns on them, and invite a critical re-examination of the standard conception.
Microbial Ecology of European Foul Brood Disease in the Honey Bee (Apis mellifera): Towards a Microbiome Understanding of Disease Susceptibility

European honey bees (Apis mellifera Linnaeus) are beneficial insects that provide essential pollination services for agriculture and ecosystems worldwide. Modern commercial beekeeping is plagued by a variety of pathogenic and environmental stressors often confounding attempts to understand colony loss. European foulbrood (EFB) is considered a larval-specific disease whose causative agent, Melissococcus plutonius, has received limited attention due to methodological challenges in the field and laboratory. Here, we improve the experimental and informational context of larval disease with the end goal of developing an EFB management strategy. We sequenced the bacterial microbiota associated with larval disease transmission, isolated a variety of M.plutonius strains, determined their virulence against larvae in vitro, and explored the potential for probiotic treatment of EFB disease. The larval microbiota was a low diversity environment similar to honey, while worker mouthparts and stored pollen contained significantly greater bacterial diversity. Virulence of M. plutonius against larvae varied markedly by strain and inoculant concentration. Our chosen probiotic, Parasaccharibacter apium strain C6, did not improve larval survival when introduced alone, or in combination with a virulent EFB strain. We discuss the importance of positive and negative controls for in vitro studies of the larval microbiome and disease.
Evaluating life history trade-offs through the presence of linear enamel hypoplasia at Pueblo Bonito and Hawikku: A biocultural study of early life stress and survival in the Ancestral Pueblo Southwest.

OBJECTIVES Due to the indelible nature of enamel, bioarchaeologists use linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH) to detect early investments in surviving stress and have identified an association between LEH presence and constraints in growth and maintenance as well as an increased susceptibility to future stress events. This study evaluates heterogenous frailty and susceptibility to death in relation to episodes of early life stress, as reflected by LEH presence, in the Ancestral Pueblo Southwest. This study hypothesizes that LEH presence will be associated with decreased survivorship and an increased likelihood of mortality in both samples. MATERIALS AND METHODS This study uses two samples, one from Pueblo Bonito (A.D. 800-1200; n = 28) and the second from Hawikku (A.D. 1300-1680; n = 103). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis with a log-rank test was used to evaluate the effect of LEH presence on survivorship for the two samples. RESULTS Survival analysis reveals statistically significant differences in mortality risk between individuals with and without LEH for the Hawikku sample, but no significant differences for the Pueblo Bonito sample. CONCLUSION The results demonstrate differences in the response to early life stress at the Hawikku and Pueblo Bonito sites, likely reflecting context. The Pueblo Bonito sample represents a high-status group, and survival following LEH may be the result of cultural buffering. Hawikku dates to a period associated with increased levels of disease and malnutrition as well as Spanish colonization. This environment may have exacerbated mortality risk for individuals in the region who survived early life stress and signifies the consequences of European colonialism in the New World.