cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pathophysiology and the Monitoring Methods for Cardiac Arrest Associated Brain Injury

Cardiac arrest (CA) is a well-known cause of global brain ischemia. After CA and subsequent loss of consciousness, oxygen tension starts to decline and leads to a series of cellular changes that will lead to cellular death, if not reversed immediately, with brain edema as a result. The electroencephalographic activity starts to change as well. Although increased intracranial pressure (ICP) is not a direct result of cardiac arrest, it can still occur due to hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy induced changes in brain tissue, and is a measure of brain edema after CA and ischemic brain injury. In this review, we will discuss the pathophysiology of brain edema after CA, some available techniques, and methods to monitor brain oxygen, electroencephalography (EEG), ICP (intracranial pressure), and microdialysis on its measurement of cerebral metabolism and its usefulness both in clinical practice and possible basic science research in development. With this review, we hope to gain knowledge of the more personalized information about patient status and specifics of their brain injury, and thus facilitating the physicians’ decision making in terms of which treatments to pursue.
Wieloaspektowa rola logopedów w USA

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) is a professional association that supports professionals that provide services across a broad range of communication sciences and disorders including speech-language pathologists, audiologists, speech, language and hearing scientists and support personnel including speech-language pathology assistants and audiology assistants. ASHA’s key areas of focus for the future of speech-language pathology includes educating members and faculty to prepare graduate students for practice in these changed arenas. The purpose of the article is to show how ASHA is actively involved globally and locally in establishing standards and providing services in several domains including prevention and wellness, screening, assessment, treatment, collaboration with other professionals, counselling and modalities, technology and instrumentation as well as population and systems.
Evidence for top quark production in p̄p collisions at √s =1.8 TeV

We present the results of a search for the top quark in 19.3 pb[sup [minus]1] of [ital [bar p]p] collisions at [radical][ital s] =1.8 TeV. The data were collected at the Fermilab Tevatron collider using the Collider Detector at Fermilab (CDF). The search includes standard model [ital t[bar t]] decays to final states [ital ee][nu][bar [nu]], [ital e][mu][nu][bar [nu]], and [mu][mu][nu][bar [nu]] as well as [ital e]+[nu]+jets or [mu]+[nu]+jets. In the ([ital e],[mu])+[nu]+jets channel we search for [ital b] quarks from [ital t] decays via secondary vertex identification and via semileptonic decays of the [ital b] and cascade [ital c] quarks. In the dilepton final states we find two events with a background of 0.56[sub [minus]0.13][sup +0.25] events. In the [ital e],[mu]+[nu]+jets channel with a [ital b] identified via a secondary vertex, we find six events with a background of 2.3[plus minus]0.3. With a [ital b] identified via a semileptonic decay, we find seven events with a background of 3.1[plus minus]0.3. The secondary vertex and semileptonic-decay samples have three events in common. The probability that the observed yield is consistent with the background is estimated to be 0.26%. The statistics are too limited to firmly establish the existence of the more » top quark; however, a natural interpretation of the excess is that it is due to [ital t[bar t]] production. We present several cross-checks. Some support this hypothesis; others do not. Under the assumption that the excess yield over background is due to [ital t[bar t]], constrained fitting on a subset of the events yields a mass of 174[plus minus]10[sub [minus]12][sup +13] GeV/[ital c][sup 2] for the top quark. The [ital t[bar t]] cross section, using this top quark mass to compute the acceptance, is measured to be 13.9[sub [minus]4.8][sup +6.1] pb. « less
mTOR inhibitor-associated noninfectious pneumonitis in patients with metastatic renal cell cancer: A single-center experience.

e15612 Background: Noninfectious pneumonitis (NIP) is a known adverse effect of mTOR inhibitors, with a reported incidence of 25-45%. The goal of this review was to characterize the incidence, onse...
Metabolic fingerprinting of bacteria by fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy

Bacterial populations exhibit a range of metabolic states influenced by their environment, intra- and interspecies interactions. The identification of bacterial metabolic states and transitions between them in their native environment promises to elucidate community behavior and stochastic processes, such as antibiotic resistance acquisition. In this work, we employ two-photon fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) to create a metabolic fingerprint of individual bacteria and populations. FLIM of autofluorescent reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (phosphate), NAD(P)H, has been previously exploited for label-free metabolic imaging of mammalian cells. However, NAD(P)H FLIM has not been established as a metabolic proxy in bacteria. Applying the phasor approach, we create FLIM-phasor maps of Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, and Staphylococcus epidermidis at the single cell and population levels. The bacterial phasor is sensitive to environmental conditions such as antibiotic exposure and growth phase, suggesting that observed shifts in the phasor are representative of metabolic changes within the cells. The FLIM-phasor approach represents a powerful, non-invasive imaging technique to study bacterial metabolism in situ and could provide unique insights into bacterial community behavior, pathology and antibiotic resistance with sub-cellular resolution.
Design-Centered Innovation

Being competitive is easy. Just introduce a product with the best performance, the highest quality and reliability and the lowest cost! There’s nothing new here. What’s new, in the competitive world economy today, is how to do these things. The new answer, and the theme of my remarks today, is a shift from technology-centered innovation on the one hand or cost-centered innovation on the other to design-centered innovation.
A Real-Time Embedded FPGA Processor for a Stand-Alone Dual-Mode Assistive Device

This paper presents a stand-alone Dual-mode Tongue DriveSystem (sdTDS) which is designed for people with severedisabilities to control their environment using their tonguemotion and speech. The sdTDS detects user's tongue motion using a magnetic tracer placed on tongue and an array of magnetic sensors embedded in a wireless headset and at the same time it can capture the user's voice using a small microphone embedded in the same headset. A real-time FPGA-based local processor is proposed which can perform all required signal processing at sensor side, rather than sending all raw data out to a PC or smartphone. The proposed sdTDS significantly reduces the transmitter power consumption and subsequently increases the battery life.
Perioperative Care Implementation: Evidence-Based Practice for Patients With Pancreaticoduodenectomy Using the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Guidelines

Background Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is an aggressive cancer that carries a poor prognosis. Pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) offers the only potential cure, but the associated morbidity is high. The Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) evidence-based guidelines for perioperative care for PD can be used to reduce variations in practice. . Objectives The primary aim was to evaluate the feasibility of the ERAS guidelines for patients undergoing PD. Secondary aims were to assess length of stay (LOS), readmission within 30 days, 30-day mortality, and total surgical complication rates. . Methods Guideline feasibility was evaluated by percentage completion and compliance to each of the perioperative phases of the guideline. Hospital LOS, 30-day readmission, 30-day mortality, and total surgical complication rates were compared before and after ERAS implementation. . Findings The ERAS guidelines were feasible and safely implemented with no change in LOS, readmission, morbidity, and mortality rates.
Abstract 1667: Identifying intrinsic regulators of PD-L1 expression in cancer cells: A genome-scale CRISPR knock-out approach

Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common cancer in the United States and affects 600,000 people each year worldwide. With a five-year survival rate of only 50% and a recent rise in HPV-associated HNSCCs, improved treatment protocols are urgently needed. Evidence of immunosuppression is often reported in HNSCC, making immunotherapy an attractive strategy for the management of this disease. The immune checkpoint inhibitor Pembrolizumab was recently approved for the treatment of metastatic and recurrent HNSCC, but only 18% of initial participants in a trial of Pembrolizumab responded, and it remains difficult to predict patients likely to experience benefit. To increase the number of patients that respond to immune checkpoint inhibition, we sought to identify targetable genetic factors modulating PD-L1, a molecule that serves to dampen the anti-tumor immune response. We show that several HNSCC models exhibit mild (2-4 fold) induction of PD-L1 expression following treatment with interferon-γ (adaptive expression), and recent reports suggest that common oncogenic pathways, including the EGFR and PI3K pathways, may provide a novel strategy to regulate PD-L1 expression. To this end, we developed a high throughput screen to identify targetable pathways that may be used to regulate PD-L1 expression in patients with specific genetic lesions. We have employed a Genome-scale CRISPR Knock-Out (GeCKO) screening technique in HNSCC cell lines and selected for genetic knockouts exhibiting altered PD-L1 expression. Stable knockout pools with representation of approximately 300 gRNAs per target gene (>20,000 target genes in the library) were expanded and serially sorted to create stable sub-populations with enhanced PD-L1 expression. These sub-populations were sequenced to identify gRNAs whose knockout causes a change in PD-L1 expression (e.g. genes that repress or enhance PD-L1 expression). We expect that these large-scale screens, when performed over multiple HNSCC cell lines with diverse genetic lesions, will identify patterns of targetable regulators that may ultimately be manipulated in combination with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors. Citation Format: Jacqueline E. Mann, Megan L. Ludwig, Rebecca C. Hoesli, Aditi Kulkarni, Simmy Patel, Judy Kafelghazal, Alexey Nesvizhskii, J Chad Brenner. Identifying intrinsic regulators of PD-L1 expression in cancer cells: A genome-scale CRISPR knock-out approach [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1667. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-1667
Scalable Spatial-Spectral Multiplexing of Single-Virus Detection Using Multimode Interference Waveguides

Simultaneous detection of multiple pathogens and samples (multiplexing) is one of the key requirements for diagnostic tests in order to enable fast, accurate and differentiated diagnoses. Here, we introduce a novel, highly scalable, photonic approach to multiplex analysis with single virus sensitivity. A solid-core multimode interference (MMI) waveguide crosses multiple fluidic waveguide channels on an optofluidic chip to create multi-spot excitation patterns that depend on both the wavelength and location of the channel along the length of the MMI waveguide. In this way, joint spectral and spatial multiplexing is implemented that encodes both spatial and spectral information in the time dependent fluorescence signal. We demonstrate this principle by using two excitation wavelengths and three fluidic channels to implement a 6x multiplex assay with single virus sensitivity. High fidelity detection and identification of six different viruses from a standard influenza panel is reported. This multimodal multiplexing strategy scales favorably to large numbers of targets or large numbers of clinical samples. Further, since single particles are detected unbound in flow, the technique can be broadly applied to direct detection of any fluorescent target, including nucleic acids and proteins.
Cancer screening in women living with HIV infection

The number of women living with HIV continues to increase. Thirty years into the AIDS epidemic, we now expect those with access to highly active antiretroviral to survive into their seventh decade of life or beyond. Increasingly, the focus of HIV care is evolving from preventing opportunistic infections and treating AIDS-defining malignancies to strategies that promote longevity. This holistic approach to care includes detection of malignancies that are associated with certain viral infections, with chronic inflammation, and with lifestyle choices. The decision to screen an HIV-infected women for cancer should include an appreciation of the individualized risk of cancer, her life expectancy, and an attempt to balance these concerns with the harms and benefits associated with specific cancer screening tests and their potential outcome. Here, we review cancer screening strategies for women living with HIV/AIDS with a focus on cancers of the lung, breast, cervix, anus, and liver.
Don’t Leave U.S. Behind

This article examines the pace at which Federal and State legislation were implemented to provide working parents and caregivers the ability to take time off for the birth or adoption of a child, t...
Repressive Adaptive Style Across Ethnicities

There may be significant differences in coping styles across ethnicities. Previous research has suggested disparities in the number of individuals who utilize repressive adaptive coping style among cultural groups. Repressive adaptive style is a coping mechanism in which individuals report low distress levels while they actually experience high levels of stress. Developing an enhanced understanding of the prevalence of the utilization of repressive adaptive style in different ethnic groups is important for informing intervention techniques to better account for the cultural influences on mental health. The present study investigated the utilization of repressive adaptive style across American Indian (n = 31), African American (n = 53), and European American (n = 48) children in the Midwest. The age range of the children was 10 to 13 years and 50.8% were male. Dependent measures included the Children’s Social Desirability Scale and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children. Results indicated significant differences in reports of anxiety between ethnic groups. Additionally, it was discovered that African American and European American children utilized repressive adaptive style more than American Indian children, albeit not significantly. Because of the high rates of suicide and emotional distress believed to be experienced by American Indian children this result is interesting. Continued research investigating protective factors, such as high levels of cultural identity and connectedness, is warranted.
Automatic Parameter Tying: A New Approach for Regularized Parameter Learning in Markov Networks.

Parameter tying is a regularization method in which parameters (weights) of a machine learning model are partitioned into groups by leveraging prior knowledge and all parameters in each group are constrained to take the same value. In this paper, we consider the problem of parameter learning in Markov networks and propose a novel approach called automatic parameter tying (APT) that uses automatic instead of a priori and soft instead of hard parameter tying as a regularization method to alleviate overfitting. The key idea behind APT is to set up the learning problem as the task of finding parameters and groupings of parameters such that the likelihood plus a regularization term is maximized. The regularization term penalizes models where parameter values deviate from their group mean parameter value. We propose and use a block coordinate ascent algorithm to solve the optimization task. We analyze the sample complexity of our new learning algorithm and show that it yields optimal parameters with high probability when the groups are well separated. Experimentally, we show that our method improves upon L2 regularization and suggest several pragmatic techniques for good practical performance.
Perinatal Intake of Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB)

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a family of toxic chemicals that have been used commercially for more than 60 years as plasticizers, dielectric fluids, flame retardants, hydraulic and heat transfer fluids, and as coolants and lubricants in electrical equipment (Brandt, 1977). Improper disposal of PCBs by the industries that used them has resulted in environmental contamination and the ubiquitous presence of this material in aquatic environments, both freshwater and marine (Wassermann et al., 1979). Because they are persistent, lipophilic, and become concentrated through food webs, PCBs are present in the tissues of fish, cattle, poultry, wildlife, and humans (Hammond, 1972; Swain, 1983; Jensen, 1989).
Turkers of the World Unite: Multilevel In-Group Bias Among Crowdworkers on Amazon Mechanical Turk:

Crowdsourcing has become an indispensable tool in the behavioral sciences. Often, the “crowd” is considered a black box for gathering impersonal but generalizable data. Researchers sometimes seem t...
Predicting peripartum blood transfusion in women undergoing cesarean delivery: A risk prediction model

Objective There has been an appreciable rise in postpartum hemorrhage requiring blood transfusions in the United States. Our objective is to better define patients at greatest risk for peripartum transfusion at the time of cesarean in order to identify cases for early intervention and monitoring. Methods Our study is a secondary analysis of a retrospective cohort study. Cases of intraoperative and immediate postpartum blood transfusion among women undergoing cesarean delivery were identified. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify antepartum and intrapartum risk factors that were independently associated with blood transfusion. A risk calculator was then developed to predict the need for transfusion. Results Of 56,967 women, 1488 (2.6%) required any blood transfusion. The strongest risk factors for peripartum blood transfusion included anemia (odds ratio [OR] 3.7, 95% CI 3.3–4.3), abruption on presentation (OR 3.3, CI 2.6–4.1), general anesthesia (OR 5.2, CI 4.4–6.1) and abnormal placentation (OR 92.0, CI 57.4–147.6). An antepartum (model 1) and combined antepartum plus intrapartum risk model (model 2) were developed (model 1 AUC = 0.77, model 2 AUC = 0.83) and internally validated. Conclusions Among women who required cesarean delivery, we were able to identify risk factors which predispose women to peripartum blood transfusion and developed a prediction model with good discrimination.
Direct Oral Anticoagulants in Cirrhotic Patients: Current Evidence and Clinical Observations

The introduction of Direct Oral Anticoagulants (DOACs) to the pharmaceutical market provided patients and clinicians with novel convenient and safe options of anticoagulation. The use of this class of medications is currently limited to venous thromboembolic therapy and prophylaxis, in addition to stroke prophylaxis in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. Despite their altered hemostasis, patients with cirrhosis are thought to be in a procoagulant state and thus prone to thrombus formation. Patients with cirrhosis might benefit from the convenience of DOACs; however, the medical literature includes limited data on the efficacy and safety of DOACs in this special patient population. The aim of this review is to summarize the current evidence for anticoagulation options in patients with cirrhosis and their safety profile.
Automated Performance of On-Wafer Calibration and Characterization Using Non-Contact Probes

We present the repeatability performance of automated non-contact on-wafer probing for millimeter-wave and terahertz band applications. Based on the antenna-coupled noncontact probing approach, we incorporated computer control into the existing hardware to automate the test wafer manipulation. A digital microscope with pattern recognition is used to precisely control the alignment of on-wafer antennas at the test ports to minimize positioning repeatability errors. Commercial-off-the-shelf micro-positioners used in our system allow for sub-micron repeatability in device alignment, significantly improving repeatability. Furthermore, the non-contact system does not need vertical translation (conventionally used for probe landing), thus can achieve highly repeatable measurements. The repeatability performance of the automated system presented here is thus limited by the drift of the frequency extenders used.
Parental Perspectives on Physical Education Services for Children with CHARGE Syndrome

Using a grounded theory approach, the aim of this study was designed to explore parental perspectives with children who have CHARGE syndrome and their children’s experiences in physical education. ...
Sample Splitting as an M-Estimator with Application to Physical Activity Scoring

Sample splitting is widely used in statistical applications, including classically in classification and more recently for inference post model selection. Motivating by problems in the study of diet, physical activity, and health, we consider a new application of sample splitting. Physical activity researchers wanted to create a scoring system to quickly assess physical activity levels. A score is created using a large cohort study. Then, using the same data, this score serves as a covariate in a model for the risk of disease or mortality. Since the data are used twice in this way, standard errors and confidence intervals from fitting the second model are not valid. To allow for proper inference, sample splitting can be used. One builds the score with a random half of the data and then uses the score when fitting a model to the other half of the data. We derive the limiting distribution of the estimators. An obvious question is what happens if multiple sample splits are performed. We show that as the number of sample splits increases, the combination of multiple sample splits is effectively equivalent to solving a set of estimating equations.
The Introduction and Development of the H-index for Imaging Utilizers: A Novel Metric for Quantifying Utilization of Emergency Department Imaging

OBJECTIVE The objective was to develop a novel metric for quantifying patient-level utilization of emergency department (ED) imaging. METHODS Using 2009 to 2015 Truven Health MarketScan commercial claims and encounters database, all ED visits and associated imaging services were identified. To measure imaging resource intensity, total imaging relative value units (RVUs) were calculated for each patient per ED visit. An individual's annual imaging h-index is defined as the largest number, h, such that h ED visits by that individual in a given year is associated with total medical imaging RVUs of a value of at least h. RESULTS Over 7 years, in a sample of 86,506,362 privately insured individuals (232,919,808 person-years) in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, 38,973,716 ED visits were identified. A total of 9.5% of person-years had one ED visit and 2.7% had two or more (the remainder had none). From 2009 to 2015, the percentage of ED patients undergoing imaging increased from 25.1% to 34.6%. Individuals with two or more ED visits each associated with two or more imaging RVUs (ED imaging h-index ≥ 2) comprised 0.2% of the sample and 1.4% of ED visitors; however, they accounted for 4.0% of ED visits and the use of 18.6% of imaging resources. From 2009 to 2015, imaging resource allocation for such patients increased from 16.5% to 21.0%. CONCLUSIONS The ED imaging h-index allows identification of patients who undergo significant ED imaging, based on a single-digit patient-specific metric that incorporates both annual ED visit number and medical imaging resource intensity per visit. While ED patients with an ED imaging h-index ≥ 2 represented a minuscule fraction of privately insured individuals, they were associated with one-fifth of all ED imaging resources.
Correction to: Assessing U.S. Racial and Gender Differences in Happiness, 1972–2016: An Intersectional Approach

In the original publication, Table 1 was published incorrectly. The correct Table 1 is given below. The original article has been corrected.
Appropriateness of the Use of Navigation System in Total Knee Arthroplasty.

Backgroud The aim of this study was to evaluate the difference between the planned and verified actual values in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) performed using a navigation system. Methods Sixty patients who underwent primary TKA for knee pain from March 2018 to July 2018 were included in this study. All patients underwent TKA using the latest version of a computer navigation system (Kick ver. 2.6). All TKA procedures were performed by the same surgeon. The appropriateness of the use of navigation system in each of the several steps during the operation was investigated. Implant size was assessed using a preoperative template and after registration of landmarks with the navigation system. Intraoperative measurement was conducted using a femoral sizing implant apparatus. The difference between the planned value based on the navigation system and the actual cutting value was investigated. Intraoperatively confirmed hip-knee-ankle angle was also compared to the angle measured at postoperative 3 months. Results The average time spent on the registration process was 242 seconds (range, 205-345 seconds). Intraoperative femoral component size tended to be smaller than the size recommended by the navigation system. A significant difference between the planned distal femoral cutting level (9.08 ± 0.40 mm) and the verified actual cutting level (9.87 ± 1.39 mm) was identified (p < 0.05). The difference between the planned lateral and medial tibial resection levels (10.12 ± 0.34 mm and 4.47 ± 2.17 mm, respectively) and the verified actual lateral and medial tibial resection levels (9.07 ± 1.45 mm and 3.48 ± 2.00 mm, respectively) was statistically significant. Distal femoral cutting angle in sagittal plane was significantly different but femoral and tibial cutting angles showed no significant difference between the planned and verified values. At full extension, the average coronal alignment of the implant recorded after insertion of the actual implant using the navigation system was 0.23° ± 0.51° varus and showed no significant difference from the alignment measured at postoperative 3 months (0.45° ± 0.58°). Conclusions When performing navigation-assisted TKA, surgeons should aware that frequent errors can occur on the femoral cutting level, tibial cutting level, and implant sizing despite its reported advantage in defining the mechanical limb axis.
Improving Bioprinted Volumetric Tumor Microenvironments In Vitro

Despite the great breakthroughs in the past few decades in illuminating the pathological mechanisms of cancer and in developing new anticancer drugs, it remains extremely challenging to cure most cancers. Therefore, it is imperative to develop more sophisticated and more biomimetic preclinical cancer models. 3D models combined with dynamic culture techniques show great potential to accurately emulate the volumetric tumor microenvironment (TME). Here we introduce advances in bioprinting technologies for in vitro cancer modeling and their applications. Finally, we look ahead to the remaining challenges associated with current bioprinting strategies for achieving faithful cancer modeling.
Empirical research on K-16 climate education: A systematic review of the literature

Developing understanding about the Earth’s climate and the phenomenon of global climate change (GCC) is essential for all students, our future citizens and decision-makers. Recent implementation of...
Numerical investigation of falling ferrofluid droplets under magnetic fields

Abstract A methodical analysis on the dynamic interaction behavior between a pair of uneven sized ferrofluid droplets freely falling under gravity and uniform magnetic fields is presented in this article. Here, a conservative level set method (LSM) is adopted to precisely calculate the free interface curvature of the droplet, which again couples both magnetic and flow fields. The results indicate that at a unity viscosity ratio (i.e., λ = 1) and a fixed Galilei number (i.e., Ga = 1600), in the absence of any external forces except gravity, a critical initial vertical separation distance between the droplets prevails (ΔYcr⋆ ≥ 6), which prohibits them from undergoing coalescence phenomenon before hitting the bottom wall of the computational domain. However, enacting a magnetic field along α = 0∘ hinders coalescence, while it is expedited by the implementation of the magnetic field along α = 90∘. Contrarily, at α = 45∘, the droplets exhibit downward lateral migration along the secondary diagonal of the domain, leading to a larger separation between them at higher magnetic Bond numbers Bom (i.e., Bom = 8). Additionally, the investigation on the effects of surface tension suggests an increase in the vertical separation between droplets at higher Eotvos numbers (i.e., Eo = 9.48). Moreover, a magnetic field along α = 0∘ results in the formation of round-bottom hull shaped droplets, whereas they transform into teardrop shaped droplets before coalescence at α = 90∘. Furthermore, the magnetic field along α = 45∘ greatly impedes the coalescence phenomenon, which eventually leads to migration of droplets along divergent lateral directions. Finally, if the droplets are dispersed in air, they do not exhibit any coalescence event before the impact under gravity or gravity and magnetic fields.
A cluster-based taxonomy of bus crashes in the United States

Accident taxonomy or classification can be used to direct the attention of policymakers to specific concerns in traffic safety, and can subsequently bring about effective regulatory change. Despite the widespread usage of accident taxonomy for general motor vehicle crashes, its use for analyzing bus crashes is limited. We apply a two-stage clustering-based approach based on self-organizing maps followed by neural gas clustering to construct a data-driven taxonomy of bus crashes. Using the 2005–2015 data from general estimates system, we identify four clusters and expose the qualitative traits that characterize four distinct types of bus crash. Our analysis suggests that cluster characteristics are largely stable over time. Consequently, we make targeted policy recommendations for each of the four subtypes of bus crash.
The Shadow of Kiobel and Jesner: An Examination of the Alien Tort Statute and Bringing It Back into the Light

The Alien Tort Statute (“ATS”) was enacted in 1789 and seemed fated to go down as a curious historical footnote. Invoked only a handful of times over the ensuing two centuries, the ATS had new life breathed into it in 1980 with the case of Filartiga v. Pena-Irala. The ATS became a vehicle for victims of human rights violations seeking redress in U.S. courts. But while Filartiga represented a small window of opportunity opening for human rights activists, this utility would prove short-lived as the Supreme Court quickly began to curtail the applicability of the ATS: opening the window wider with the case of Sosa v. Alvarez-Machain, then slamming it closed in Kiobel v. Royal Dutch Petroleum Co., and finally bolting the lock and throwing away the key recently in Jesner v. Arab Bank, PLC. This constant chipping away at the ATS has sharply limited the circumstances in which it can be invoked, rendering it virtually toothless. This Note argues that the Court’s interpretations of the ATS post-Sosa is both flawed and at odds with its underlying intent. It will contrast the workable standard laid out by the Sosa Court with the subsequent brittle constructions of the Kiobel and Jesner Courts. This Note posits that the standard imposed by the Court in Sosa is best interpreted using Justice Breyer’s concurrence from Kiobel and Justice Sotomayor’s dissent in Jesner and calls for the adoption of a synthesis of these as the best interpretation of the ATS going forward. Specifically, this hybrid test interprets the first prong of Sosa through Justice Sotomayor’s Jesner dissent and relies on customary international law to inform courts as to what recognized norms are. It interprets the second prong of Sosa through Justice Breyer’s Kiobel concurrence and allows courts to use their discretion in determining whether enforcement of these norms is appropriate, viz, does it concern distinct American interests. It will show that this hybrid test is an appropriately constrained interpretation of the ATS based on its text, history, and intent, and also apply this hybrid test to two current cases to demonstrate its viability and applicability in practice.
Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment for Contaminated Private Wells in the Fractured Dolomite Aquifer of Kewaunee County, Wisconsin.

Background: Private wells are an important source of drinking water in Kewaunee County, Wisconsin. Due to the region’s fractured dolomite aquifer, these wells are vulnerable to contamination by hum...
Orthopaedic Surgeon Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Introduction: This study compares rates of depression, suicidal ideation, and burnout among resident/fellow and attending physicians in orthopaedic surgery to other specialties during height/end of...
Fine Needle Aspiration: Present and Future

Thyroid nodules are common and they affect up to 7% of US population; they are often seen in women and the majority are benign. Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) is considered an essential tool in providing a rational approach to the clinical management of thyroid nodules. The results of FNA can determine whether a thyroid nodule should be followed clinically or undergo surgical excision.1,2
Xanthohumol derivatives as mild mitochondrial uncouplers for treatment of metabolic syndrome

Xanthohumol (XN) is a prenylated flavonoid found in hops, beer, and in dietary supplements. There is substantial evidence in the literature that XN improves glucose and lipid metabolism of mammalian cells in vitro, but relatively little is currently known about the potential benefits/risks of chronic exposure to XN in vivo . Even less is known about the underlying mechanisms of action. Using Zucker fa/fa rats and diet-induced obese C57BL/6J mice as models of obesity and metabolic syndrome, we treated animals with XN at three dose levels 6-12 weeks (n=12-16/dose group). The XN-treated animals had significantly lower plasma glucose levels and smaller body weight gain compared to the control groups, while food intake was not affected by treatment. Using an untargeted metabolomics approach, we found a dose-dependent decrease of hepatic triglyceride content and metabolic products of dysfunctional lipid metabolism (medium-chain acylcarnitines, dicarboxy fatty acids, hydroperoxy and hydroxy fatty acids). Taken together, the results indicate that XN improves β-oxidation of fatty acids. Untargeted metabolomics analyses in combination with oxygen consumption measurements of mouse skeletal C2C12 muscle cells treated with XN revealed that it increased basal oxygen consumption and induced an adaptive stress response. Collectively, these findings are consistent with XN acting as a mild mitochondrial uncoupler of oxidative phosphorylation. Because XN has undesired electrophilic and pro-estrogenic properties, we prepared two hydrogenated derivatives of XN that lack electrophilicity and pro-estrogenicity. The derivatives were tested in the diet-induced obese C57BL/6J mice and in the C2C12 cells. They showed comparable activity as the parent XN but at lower doses and concentrations. These data suggest that hydrogenated XN derivatives are promising candidates for further development to treat metabolic syndrome.
Electrical and synaptic behavior of enteric neurons

The sections in this article are: 1 Methods 1.1 Extracellular Recording 1.2 Intracellular Recording 1.3 Dissections 2 Extracellularly Recorded Electrical Activity 2.1 Classification of Units 2.2 Burst-Type Units 2.3 Mechanosensitive Neurons 2.4 Single-Spike Units 3 Intracellularly Recorded Electrical Activity 3.1 Histoanatomical Factors 3.2 Electrical Behavior of Neuronal Processes 4 Introduction to Electrical and Synaptic Behavior 4.1 Electrophysiological Classification 4.2 Electrical Behavior of Cell Bodies 5 Chemical Neurotransmission 5.1 Fast EPSPs 5.2 Slow EPSPs 5.3 Fast IPSPs 5.4 Slow IPSPs 5.5 Presynaptic Inhibition 5.6 Mechanisms and Significance 6 Denervation Effects
Phenomenology and Clinical Science of Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a clinically well-characterized illness but of obscure pathophysiology. A shift in conceptual framework from searching for a specific protein defect in schizophrenia to a search for a defect in neural systems is a biologically plausible approach to investigating the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Keywords: psychosis; neural circuits; post mortem; neuroimaging; genetics; animal models
Effect of Antisense Suppression of Transforming Growth Factor-β3 Gene on Lactotropic Cell Proliferation

The mechanism by which oestrogen regulates lactotropic cell proliferation is not well understood. Recently it has been shown that a transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) gene-related peptide, TGF-beta3, is produced in the lactotropes and stimulates lactotropic cell proliferation in vitro. In this study, the role of this growth factor in oestrogen-induced lactotropic cell proliferation was determined in vitro using oligonucleotide designed to inhibit TGF-beta3 gene expression. We used the oligonucleotide in an antisense orientation, which is complementary to regions in the TGF-beta3 message. Oligonucleotides in sense and missense orientation were also used. We found that the antisense sequence that was effectively incorporated into pituitary cells produced a marked inhibition of the stimulatory action of oestrogen on lactotropic cell proliferation. Sense and missense oligonucleotides produced no significant effects on oestrogen-stimulated lactotropic cell proliferation. The growth-inhibitory effect of antisense oligonucleotide was blocked by TGF-beta3 peptide. These results suggest that TGF-beta3 may be involved in the processes that mediate oestrogen-regulated lactotropic cell proliferation.
The Development of Biologic End Points in Patients Treated with Differentiation Agents: An Experience of Retinoids in Prostate Cancer

The evaluation of new therapies in prostate cancer requires unique end points for agents with diverse mechanisms of action. Because retinoic acid may have a confounding effect on prostate-specific antigen, we incorporated a pathological end point into the outcome assessment of two sequential clinical trials using all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) and the combination of 13-cis-retinoic acid and IFN-2a (cRA?IFN). Pre- and posttherapy tumor biopsy specimens were studied for histological changes, apoptosis (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated nick end labeling assay), and proliferation index (Ki67). Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) expression was also evaluated using two different monoclonal antibodies to its intracellular domain (Cytogen 7E11 and Hybritech PM2). Fourteen patients with androgen-independent disease were treated with ATRA (50 mg/m2 p.o. every 8 h daily) and 16 androgen-independent and 4 androgen-dependent patients were treated with cRA?IFN (10 mg/kg/day cRA plus 3, 6, or 9 million units daily IFN). Both therapies were well tolerated, with fatigue and cheilitis being the most common adverse events. Clinical activity, assessed by radiographs and serum prostate-specific antigen, was minimal, and the majority of patients progressed within 3 months. One patient with androgen-dependent disease had prolonged stabilization for >1 year. The majority of cases (95%) showed no gross histological changes and no difference in apoptotic or proliferative indices. Increased PSMA immunoreactivity was seen in seven of nine (78%) cases using PM2 antibody and in two of nine (22%) cases using the 7E11 antibody. Although antitumor effects were modest, the results suggest a role for retinoids in modulating the expression of PSMA on prostate cancer cells.
Purification of Arsenic (+3 Oxidation State) Methyltransferase from Rat Liver Cytosol

Demonstrating the enzymatic basis of arsenic methylation is critical to further studies of the pathway for the conversion of inorganic arsenic into a variety of methylated metabolites. This protocol describes a procedure for the purification of an arsenic methyltransferase from rat liver cytosol. Purification of this enzyme and subsequent cloning of its gene has permitted studies of enzyme structure and function, and has lead to the identification of orthologous genes in genomes of organisms ranging in complexity from sea urchins to humans. These proteins are referred to as arsenic (+3 oxidation state) methyltransferases.
Turing machines on cayley graphs

We present a generalization of standard Turing machines based on allowing unusual tapes. We present a set of reasonable constraints on tape geometry and conclude that the proper degree of generality is Cayley graphs. Surprisingly, this generalization does not lead to yet another equivalent formulation of the notion of computable function. Rather, it gives an alternative definition of the recursively enumerable Turing degrees that does not rely on oracles
DE NOVO SYNTHESIS OF α-AMYLASE BY BACILLUS STEAROTHERMOPHILUS

Welker, N. E. (Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio and University of Illinois, Urbana), and L. Leon Campbell. De novo synthesis of alpha-amylase by Bacillus stearothermophilus. J. Bacteriol. 86:1202-1210. 1963.-The pH optimum for the synthesis of alpha-amylase by washed-cell suspensions was 6.7. alpha-Amylase synthesis began soon after the addition of the inducer (maltose, methyl-beta-d-maltoside, or phenyl-alpha-d-glucoside, at 10(-3)m), proceeded at a linear rate for 60 min, and then leveled off. Cell suspensions without inducer produced small amounts of alpha-amylase. The addition of glucose (2 x 10(-3)m), sucrose (10(-3)m), or glycerol (4 x 10(-3)m) to washed-cell suspensions failed to stimulate the production of alpha-amylase. Nitrogen starvation of washed cells for 60 min with fructose as a carbon source or by induction with pure maltose showed that the ability to produce alpha-amylase was lost. Examination of the amino acid pool at this time showed a general depletion of amino acids and the complete disappearance of tyrosine, phenyl-alanine, proline, and valine. Replenishment of the amino acid pool with casein hydrolysate (0.5%) restored the ability of the cells to produce alpha-amylase. Chloramphenicol and 8-azaguanine were shown to inhibit alpha-amylase synthesis. Inhibition was observed immediately upon the addition of chloramphenicol to cell suspensions preinduced for varying periods of time. Actinomycin D and mitomycin C also inhibited alpha-amylase synthesis when added to induced washed-cell suspensions. The amino acid analogues, norvaline, norleucine, and ethionine, inhibited alpha-amylase formation by 72, 53, and 38%, respectively. p-Fluorophenylalanine inhibited the synthesis of active alpha-amylase by 92% and the incorporation of proline-C(14) into alpha-amylase and cellular proteins by 95 and 74%, respectively.
Systematic review and meta-analysis of Meniett therapy for Meniere's disease.

Objectives/Hypothesis To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of micropressure treatment for Meniere's disease (MD). Data Sources Medline, Ovid, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library search of the literature from January 1996 to December 2012. Review Methods Systematic literature review followed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Inclusion criteria required definitive diagnosis of unilateral MD, treatment with Meniett device, vertigo control results, and hearing results before and after treatment. Randomized controlled trials and other types of case-control studies were included. Improvements in vertigo, American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) functional score, and pure tone average (PTA) were assessed. Funnel plots were used to detect bias and Q test was used to assess for heterogeneity. Random effects model was used for meta-analysis. T test was used to assess for significance. Results Of 113 abstracts screened, 18 studies met criteria for review and 12 were used for meta-analysis. Eight studies reported hearing evaluation and the improvement in PTA after Meniett treatment was significant (P = 0.0085). Data could not be combined for AAO-HNS functional score due to heterogeneity. However, there was a trend toward improvement. Of six studies reporting frequency of vertigo, Meniett treatment significantly reduced frequency of vertigo (P = < .0001). Limitations Much of the data used in the analysis was derived from retrospective or level 4 studies. The average follow-up was only 5 months, and there were low number of patients in the treatment and control groups. Conclusion The Meniett device is a safe, nondestructive treatment for patients' refractory to medical therapy for MD. Laryngoscope, 125:203–208, 2015
Hac and the Ere

Extended Red Emission (ERE) results from a photoluminescence process in dusty interstellar environments which are illuminated by UV/visible radiation. ERE characteristics are a broad emission feature of 60nm < FWHM < 100nm, with locally variable peak wavelengths in the range 630nm < λ c < 850nm, with strong intensity enhancements in H2 pnotodissociation regions. Observed integrated ERE band intensities range over more than three orders of magnitude, in objects extending; from dark nebulae illuminated by the interstellar radiation field, to reflection nebulae, to H II regions and planetary nebulae. In each case, the maximum ERE intensities are roughly proportional to the estimated intensity of the local UV/visible radiation field. The ERE efficiency is about 1 to 10%, if the ERE producing cross section is equal to the total dust cross section.
Adaptive compliant motion control of position-controlled manipulators

This paper presents a new adaptive compliant motion control scheme for position-controlled manipulators. The strategy does not require knowledge of the manipulator dynamic model, the position controller parameters, or the environment, and is extremely simple computationally. It is shown that the control scheme ensures global boundedness of all signals if the inner-loop position controller has a PD structure and that the ultimate bounds on the size of the force and position errors can be made arbitrarily small in this case. If the inner-loop position controller has a PD-plus-gravity-compensation structure then the stability is shown to be asymptotic. Experimental results are presented for the Robotics Research Corporation (RRC) Model K-1207 redundant robot and demonstrate that the control scheme provides a simple and effective means of obtaining high performance force control. >
The preparation of glutamine from beet juice.

Abstract A method is presented for the preparation of glutamine from beet juice. It involves the extraction of the glutamine from dried juice with an acetone solution of TCA, its precipitation from solution with anhydrous ammonia, and its purification with a solution of CaCl 2 in methanol followed by crystallization from ethanol-water. After one such crystallization, glutamine is obtained 80% pure, contaminated with no ammonia and with only a trace of other amino acids. Further purification can be accomplished by repeated recrystallization. Added glutamine is recovered to the extent of about 83%.