cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Investigation of the Role of 5-HT3 Receptors in the Secretion of Prolactin, ACTH and Renin

The potential roles of central and peripheral 5-HT3 receptors in the secretion of prolactin, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), corticosterone and renin was investigated. Male rats received the 5-HT
Stochastic explanation of speckle contrast detection in ultrasound-modulated optical tomography.

Ultrasound-modulated optical tomography is an imaging technique that detects ultrasonically tagged light in optically turbid media to obtain images with optical contrast and ultrasonic spatial resolution. A CCD-camera-based speckle contrast detection scheme has been introduced previously to detect modulated light emerging from the ultrasonic sample volume. Differences in speckle contrast were experimentally observed when ultrasound was applied compared to when it was not. In this paper we provide an analytic explanation for this phenomenon and connect speckle statistics with ultrasonic field parameters. The theory predicts that speckle contrast changes linearly with applied acoustic intensity. This prediction is experimentally validated for both 1 and 3.5MHz ultrasound. Signal dependence on ultrasound frequency is discussed.
Risk stratification in acute heart failure: Rationale and design of the STRATIFY and DECIDE studies

Background A critical challenge for physicians facing patients presenting with signs and symptoms of acute heart failure (AHF) is how and where to best manage them. Currently, most patients evaluated for AHF are admitted to the hospital, yet not all warrant inpatient care. Up to 50% of admissions could be potentially avoided and many admitted patients could be discharged after a short period of observation and treatment. Methods for identifying patients that can be sent home early are lacking. Improving the physician’s ability to identify and safely manage low-risk patients is essential to avoiding unnecessary use of hospital beds. Methods Two studies (STRATIFY and DECIDE) have been funded by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute with the goal of developing prediction rules to facilitate early decision making in AHF. Using prospectively gathered evaluation and treatment data from the acute setting (STRATIFY) and early inpatient stay (DECIDE), rules will be generated to predict risk for death and serious complications. Subsequent studies will be designed to test the external validity, utility, generalizability and cost-effectiveness of these prediction rules in different acute care environments representing racially and socioeconomically diverse patient populations. Results A major innovation is prediction of 5-day as well as 30-day outcomes, overcoming the limitation that 30-day outcomes are highly dependent on unpredictable, post-visit patient and provider behavior. A novel aspect of the proposed project is the use of a comprehensive cardiology review to correctly assign post-treatment outcomes to the acute presentation. Conclusions Finally, a rigorous analysis plan has been developed to construct the prediction rules that will maximally extract both the statistical and clinical properties of every data element. Upon completion of this study we will subsequently externally test the prediction rules in a heterogeneous patient cohort.
Religion and Coping: A Contribution from Religious Studies

Freud and Marx pegged religion as a beguiling painkiller. Recent social scientific research has exposed the not-so-simple reality of religious coping, identifying differential usage, means, and outcomes. Appropriately, psychologists, many with clinical training, lead the way. This article is a contribution from religious studies. It describes two thus far neglected modes of religious coping that are prominent in traditions and distinctly representative of religious responses to suffering-magical rituals and religious experiences. Consideration of these forms will address deficiencies and imbalances in the literature apparent from the study of religions. Specifically, the current investigation of religion and coping would benefit from historical perspective, greater attention to unconscious coping processes, heightened use of qualitative data, and fuller recognition of the challenges inherent in the therapeutic use of religion.
Effects of passage and item scrambling on equating relationships

This study investigated the effects of passage and item scrambling on equipercentile and item response theory equating using a random groups design. For all four tests and for both scramblings used, differences in item and examinee statistics were found to exist between all three forms used (the base form and the two scrambled forms). Up to 50% of the examinees administered a scrambled form would have received a different scale score if the base form equating, rather than the scrambled form equating, had been used to convert their number-correct scores. It is, therefore, suggested that caution be used when scrambled forms are being administered, because in applications such as that studied here, the effects of applying the equating results obtained using a base form to the number-correct scores obtained on a scrambled form can be quite substantial in terms of the numbers of examinees who would receive different scores.
Ion Implantation to Inhibit Corrosion of Copper

Ion implantation of boron and aluminium is used to passivate copper surfaces. Such a process modifies the copper only near its surface without affecting copper’s desirable bulk properties. The present experiments show that implant doses as low as 1015 ions/cm2 of either boron or aluminium can reduce the oxidization rate by one order of magnitude or more compared to non-implanted samples.
Channel identification machines

We present a formal methodology for identifying a channel in a system consisting of a communication channel in cascade with an asynchronous sampler. The channel ismodeled as amultidimensional filter, whilemodels of asynchronous samplers are taken from neuroscience and communications and include integrate-and-fire neurons, asynchronous sigma/delta modulators and general oscillators in cascade with zero-crossing detectors. We devise channel identification algorithms that recover a projection of the filter(s) onto a space of input signals loss-free for both scalar and vector-valued test signals. The test signals are modeled as elements of a reproducing kernel Hilbert space (RKHS) with a Dirichlet kernel. Under appropriate limiting conditions on the bandwidth and the order of the test signal space, the filter projection converges to the impulse response of the filter. We show that our results hold for a wide class of RKHSs, including the space of finite-energy bandlimited signals. We also extend our channel identification results to noisy circuits.
Interactions between methylating and pyridyloxobutylating agents in A/J mouse lungs: implications for 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone-induced lung tumorigenesis.

The tobacco-specific nitrosamine, 4-(methylnitrosoamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone, is activated to lung DNA methylating and pyridyloxobutylating intermediates. It is likely that both pathways play a role in lung tumor initiation by this nitrosamine. Previous studies indicated that O 6-methylguanine ( O 6-mG) persistence is critical for lung tumor formation in A/J mice. The model pyridyloxobutylating agent, 4-(acetoxymethylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNKOAc), enhanced the tumorigenic activity of a model methylating agent, acetoxymethylmethylnitrosamine (AMMN), presumably by increasing O 6-mG persistence in lung DNA. We have been testing the hypothesis that the pyridyloxobutylation pathway increases the mutagenic activity of the DNA methylation pathway by preventing the repair of O 6-mG by O 6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase (AGT). In this study, we report that NNKOAc depletes AGT in lungs but not livers of A/J mice. The consequences of AGT depletion by NNKOAc were then compared with those observed with a known AGT inhibitor, O 6-benzylguanine ( O 6-bG). NNKOAc and O 6-bG had similar effects on the levels of AMMN-derived O 6-mG at 4 and 96 h postinjection. This increase in O 6-mG levels correlated to increased lung tumor multiplicity in animals simultaneously treated with AMMN (0.75 or 1 μmol) and NNKOAc or O 6-bG. Only NNKOAc significantly increased lung tumor multiplicity at doses of 0.25 or 0.5 μmol AMMN. The results from these studies indicate that the pyridyloxobutylating agent, NNKOAc, can influence the tumorigenic activity of methylating agents in two ways. At low AMMN doses, the increase in tumor multiplicity is dominated by the additive tumorigenic properties of AMMN and NNKOAc. At higher AMMN doses, NNKOAc appears to enhance the tumorigenic activity of AMMN through enhanced depletion of the repair protein, AGT, leading to increased O 6-mG persistence. It is likely that similar interactions are important for the organospecific effects of 4-(methylnitrosoamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone.
Guelph Subversive Activities

Bismarck had announced before the Prussian Landtag that the Guelphs were carrying on activities aimed against the Prussian state. These activities, however, were not all of one kind; they were both legal and illegal and ranged from the formation of a political party to represent Guelph or Hanoverian interests to the alleged Guelph military legion. It is perhaps a credit to the perseverance and will power of the ex-King and his supporters that they did not aim at achieving their goals through one avenue alone but opportunistically utilized every available means — military, journalistic, parliamentary, and personal — to secure a restoration of Guelph power. Nevertheless, from a Prussian viewpoint, it was Guelph illegal, treasonable activities which initially were of major concern to Bismarck’s plans for the thorough integration of the new province into the Prussian state system.
Hypertension and Cardiovascular Abnormalities in Starved-Refed Swine

Heart rate and blood pressure were recorded daily in 2 groups of young adult swine during many months of experimentation involving repeated epi sodes of starvation (total feed deprivation) and refeeding. Electrocardiograms from the standard and augmented limb leads were recorded during various phases of the study. Severe stresses upon the cardiovascular system were produced as a result of unrestricted initial refeeding particularly, with glucose alone or with a diet high in glucose. Damage of apparently irreversible nature was produced in the myocardium, arteries, and arterioles as a result of the stresses in refeeding following starvation. Notable diastolic hypertension was evident after only 2 starvation-refeeding episodes, and persisted following the fourth episode until the animals were killed 4 to 6 months later.
Muscarinic receptor antagonist and an alpha-adrenergic agonist are required in combination to provide stable mydriasis following intravitreal injection in mice

Tropicamide (muscarinic receptor antagonist) and phenylephrine (α-adrenergic receptor agonist) are commonly used to dilate the pupils by topical application. These two eye drops are often used, singly or in combination, to dilate the pupil and perform acute light-evoked physiological experiments (electroretinography, for example), before and after intravitreal injections of pharmacological agents, as an assay for their affect on retinal activity. This study wanted to determine whether treatment with one of these drugs, or with both, is most effective in maintaining mydriasis after intravitreal injections. Changes in pupillary dilation before and after intravitreal injection of balanced salt solution (0.5 μl) were recorded. Phenylephrine (α-adrenergic agonist) and tropicamide (muscarinic agonist) when combined, but not singly, produced full and stable pupillary dilation following intravitreal injections. Re-instillation of topical mydriatics after intravitreal injections was required for maximal pupillary dilation. A combination of a muscarinic receptor antagonist and an alpha-adrenergic agonist is required for stable mydriasis following intravitreal injection
Spatial sampling by diffuse photons

The contribution of some region in an opaque multiple-scattering sample to the detected signal is considered. Because diffusion theory gives only the total photon concentration and not the fraction of that which ultimately reaches the detector, it must be supplemented. We show how to do so by making further use of the assumption that photon migration is Markovian. This procedure is illustrated for illumination–detection geometries and scattering parameters of interest for diffusing-light spectroscopies. Specifically, we explore slab geometries with plane-wave illumination and detection as well as a semi-infinite sample with point illumination and detection. For the former the photon behavior as a function of slab thickness, scattering anisotropy, absorption, and boundary reflectivity is predicted and shown to compare well with Monte Carlo random-walk simulations.
Extrahepatic Synthesis of Factor VII in Human Atherosclerotic Vessels

Objective— Coagulation is initiated by the interaction of tissue factor (TF) with plasma coagulation factors VII (FVII) and X (FX). TF is highly expressed in atherosclerotic lesions, but little is known about the synthesis of FX or FVII outside of the liver. Previous studies suggested that macrophages synthesize FVII. We therefore hypothesized that macrophages within atherosclerotic lesions may produce FVII, leading to partial activation of the coagulation cascade. Methods and Results— Immunohistochemistry was performed using antibodies against FVII, FX, and TF on normal and atherosclerotic vessels. In atherosclerotic lesions, FVII immunostaining was colocalized with TF in macrophages and spindle-shaped smooth muscle cells. FVII mRNA was also detected in these cells using in situ hybridization, suggesting the local synthesis of FVII in atherosclerosis. Reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction confirmed the presence of FVII mRNA in normal and atherosclerotic vessels as well as smooth muscle cells, fibroblasts, and keratinocytes in vitro. Conclusions— The localization of FVII synthesis outside the liver may be indicative of other cellular functions for this coagulation protein. The observed coexpression of TF and FVII may contribute to autocrine signaling via thrombin-independent mechanisms and may represent a novel mechanism contributing to growth in the setting of vascular disease.
Environmental signals and transgenerational epigenetics

The ability of an environmental factor or toxicant to promote a phenotype or disease state not only in the individual exposed, but also in subsequent progeny for multiple generations, is termed transgenerational inheritance. The majority of environmental agents do not promote genetic mutations or alterations in DNA sequence, but do have the capacity to alter the epigenome. Although most environmental exposures will influence somatic cells and not allow the transgenerational transmission of a phenotype, the ability of an environmental factor to reprogram the germline epigenome can promote a transgenerational inheritance of phenotypes and disease states. A limited number of critical developmental periods exist when environmental signals can produce a significant epigenetic reprogramming of the germline. In this review, the ability of environmental factors or toxicants to promote epigenetic transgenerational phenotypes is reviewed.
Atypical pneumonias: current clinical concepts focusing on Legionnaires' disease.

Purpose of reviewThis review provides clinicians with an overview of the clinical features of the atypical pneumonias. Atypical community-acquired pneumonia pathogens cause systemic infections with pneumonia. The key to the clinical diagnosis of atypical pneumonias depends on recognizing the charact
Estimating caffeine intake from energy drinks and dietary supplements in the United States

No consistent definition exists for energy products in the United States. These products have been marketed and sold as beverages (conventional foods), energy shots (dietary supplements), and in pill or tablet form. Recently, the number of available products has surged, and formulations have changed to include caffeine. To help characterize the use of caffeine-containing energy products in the United States, three sources of data were analyzed: sales data, data from federal sources, and reports from the Drug Abuse Warning Network. These data indicate that sales of caffeine-containing energy products and emergency room visits involving their consumption appear to be increasing over time. Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007–2010 indicate that 2.7% [standard error (SE) 0.2%] of the US population ≥1 year of age used a caffeine-containing energy product, providing approximately 150–200 mg/day of caffeine per day in addition to caffeine from traditional sources like coffee, tea, and colas. The highest usage of these products was among males between the ages of 19 and 30 years (7.6%, SE 1.0). Although the prevalence of caffeine-containing energy product use remains low overall in the US population, certain subgroups appear to be using these products in larger amounts. Several challenges remain in determining the level of caffeine exposure from and accurate usage patterns of caffeine-containing energy products.
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: risk assessment and infection control policies

The endemic state of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) occurs through a constant influx of MRSA into the healthcare setting from newly admitted MRSA-positive patients, followed by cross-transmission among inpatients and an efflux of MRSA from the hospital with discharged patients. To date, most MRSA prevention strategies have targeted cross-transmission among hospitalised patients. Intensive concerted interventions that include isolation can reduce the MRSA incidence substantially. However, debate continues about the cost-effectiveness of infection control policies, including screening protocols, to control the influx of MRSA into hospitals. The rationale and cost-effectiveness of wide screening, as compared to targeted screening, should be further studied using appropriate statistical approaches and economic modelling.
New North American Record for Xyleborinus andrewesi (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae)

The ambrosia beetle Xyleborinus andrewesi is widely distributed throughout the Old World tropics (Browne 1961). It is not native to the New World, but has been reported from Hawaii (Cognato & Rubinoff 2008), Cuba (Bright &Skidmore 2002), and Jamaica (Wood & Bright 1992). We report it for the first time from the United States, based on a collection in North Ft. Myers, Lee County, Florida. Thirty-four beetles were reared from a section of a branch taken from sugar apple (Annona squamosa L.). Voucher specimens are deposited in the Florida State Collection of Arthropods, Gainesville, Florida. Xyleborinus andrewesi is a small, dark reddish-brown, elongate-cylindrical beetle about 2 mm long. It is easily distinguished from the 2 other Florida species of Xyleborinus by the subacuminate elytra and rows of numerous strong, acuminate tubercles on the first and third interstriae (Fig. 1). Xyleborinus andrewesi is not host-specific (Beaver & Browne 1975). Only 1 host is currently confirmed from the U.S., Annona squamosa L. (sugar apple, custard apple, sweetsop), which is a new family host record for Annonaceae. However, Xyleborinus andrewesi has been recorded from 59 hosts in 29 families
Carotid Endarterectomy with Retrograde Proximal Stenting: Not a Simple Solution

Methods: Participants underwent a 1.5-day course covering open and endovascular procedures on high-fidelity simulators and cadavers. Before and after the course, participants completed a written test that assessed procedural knowledge concerning index open vascular and endovascular procedures. Participants also assessed their own procedural competence in both open and endovascular procedures on a 5-point Likert scale (1: no ability to perform, 5: performs independently). Postcourse and precourse scores were compared among postgraduate year (PGY) 1 and 2 and PGY 3 to 7 trainees. Participants used a survey to rate the relevance and realism of open and endovascular simulations. Results: Twenty-four vascular integrated residents and vascular fellows (PGY1-7) completed the course and all assessments. After course participation, procedural knowledge scores were significantly improved among PGY1-2 residents (precourse: 51% correct vs postcourse: 63%; P 1⁄4 .002) but not among PGY3-7 residents (precourse: 62% correct vs postcourse: 67%; P 1⁄4 .2). Self-rated procedural competence was significantly improved between PGY 1-2 (precourse: 2.5 6 .2 vs postcourse: 3.4 6 .2; P < .0001) and PGY 3-7 (precourse: 3.2 6 .3 vs postcourse: 4.0 6 .2; P 1⁄4 .003) participants. Self-rated procedural competence significantly improved for both endovascular (precourse: 2.3 6 .2 vs postcourse: 3.3 6 .1; P < .0001) and open procedures (precourse: 2.7 6 .2 vs postcourse: 3.6 6 .1; P 1⁄4 .002). Greater than 90% of participants reported they were “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with the relevance and realism of both open and endovascular simulations. All participants reported they would recommend the course to other trainees. Conclusions: This intensive simulation and surgical skills course improved procedural knowledge concerning index open vascular and endovascular procedures among PGY 1-2 trainees and improved self-rated procedural competence across all levels of training for both open and endovascular procedures. Trainees rated the simulation experience highly. These data support the implementation of similar intensive simulation and surgical skills courses with ongoing objective assessment of their educational effect.
The effects of repetition on the short-term memory function

Lists of stimulus items were constructed in such a way that successive presentations of items were always separated by 1 intervening item for one group of items and by 10 intervening items for another group. The S’s task was to decide whether he had seen each item before. The amount of forgetting which occurred between presentations was determined both for the short- and long-delay items as a function of the repetition of these items.
A New Approach to Laboratory-Based Learning in an Introductory Ergonomics Course

Laboratory-based learning plays an important role in the introductory Ergonomics course at the University of Oklahoma. Qualitative analyses of technical reports over several semesters revealed repeated problems. Students were unfamiliar with academic publications, did not know how to report results, and had difficulty interpreting results. In addition to these problems, other difficulties arose. Students felt overwhelmed. Some developed a dislike for the field of human factors. Several cited the labs as the source of their dissatisfaction. To address these problems, we adopted a new approach to conducting the laboratory portion of the course. We sought to increase student engagement, support learning through scaffolding, increase the rate and quantity of feedback, and provide team-development opportunities. Students' performance in data analysis and technical writing improved over the previous year and throughout the semester. Satisfaction with the course as a whole and the laboratory section in particula...
‘Savages in the midst’: revolutionary Haiti in international society (1791–1838)

In 1804, the former French colony of Saint-Domingue, now Haiti, became independent. The first modern state born of a successful slave revolt was then isolated diplomatically until well into the 19th century. Although the country occupied the minds of contemporary diplomats, colonial authorities, and intellectuals, and had a complicated relationship with the society of states, historical accounts of the expansion of international society into the Atlantic have largely ignored Haiti’s early independence. This can be attributed to the literature’s sparse consideration of colonialism, the institution of slavery, race, commerce, and abolitionism in the expansion process. The Haitian case reveals the advantages of incorporating all of these insights and offers a more nuanced and complicated picture of the encounter between Haiti and international society.
Enforcing Wildlife Protection in China: The Legislative and Political Solutions

Since China enacted the Wildlife Protection Law in 1988, its wildlife has been threatened with the most serious survival crisis. In the prereform era, wildlife was a neglected policy area. Serving the objective of reform, the Wildlife Protection Law upholds the “protection, domestication, and utilization” norm inherited from past policies. It establishes rules for wildlife management and protection. This law provides for penalties against violations. Yet, its ambiguous objectives, limited protection scope, and decentralized responsibilities have made its enforcement difficult. Political factors such as institutional constraints, national obsession with economic growth, shortage of funding, and local protectionism have made the Wildlife Protection Law enforcement an uphill struggle. This study calls for a revision in the Wildlife Protection Law to drop the “protection for human use” objective, expand protection scope, introduce anticruelty provisions, and nationalize protection responsibilities. Understand...
Skeletons Under the Altar: Negative Associations and Voting for Evangelicals in Latin America

Evangelical Christians are a rapidly growing share of the population in most Latin American countries, yet there is substantial cross-national variation in their involvement and success in electoral politics. This paper examines one possible explanation for the electoral success or failure of evangelical politicians---the effect on voting behavior of their ties to former dictators. In the context of an online survey experiment conducted prior to Chile's 2013 general election, the treatment primes evangelicals' historical support for the government of Gen. Augusto Pinochet. I then examine the effect of this association on vote intention for an evangelical candidate for Congress. For right-wing, non-evangelical respondents, priming the Pinochet connection increases vote intention. However, the treatment has no significant effect for non-evangelicals on the center and left or for evangelical voters of any stripes. Moreover, public associations of evangelical politicians with pinochetismo are low, and campaigns do not focus on this connection. Hence, the weight of the past does not appear to be a factor in Chilean evangelicals' limited electoral success. The paper concludes with a discussion of plans to conduct similar survey experiments during upcoming general elections in Brazil, Guatemala, and Peru.
Hotspotting – A Probabilistic Graphical Model For Image Object Localization

Object localization is an image annotation task which consists of finding the location of a target object in an image. It is common to crowdsource annotation tasks and aggregate responses to estimate the true annotation. While for other kinds of annotations consensus is simple and powerful, it cannot be applied to object localization as effectively due to the task’s rich answer space and inherent noise in responses. We propose a probabilistic graphical model to localize objects in images based on responses from the crowd. We improve upon natural aggregation methods such as the mean and the median by simultaneously estimating the difficulty level of each question and skill level of every participant. We empirically evaluate our model on crowdsourced data and show that our method outperforms simple aggregators both in estimating the true locations and in ranking participants by their ability. We also propose a simple adaptive sourcing scheme that works well for very sparse datasets.
Electronic Prescribing: Drug Dealing Twenty-First Century Style

remember that’s only the ones patients choose to fill). That’s 3 billion-plus chances for error—AND for callbacks from the pharmacy about illegibility, drug interactions, and formulary issues. According to estimates, medication errors kill thousands of Americans each year—7,000 by the Institute of Medicine’s estimate. Incredibly, this exceeds the number of deaths from workplace injuries. There are other reasons (besides error reduction) to consider electronic prescribing, including speed, patient “wow,” too many drugs and formulations to remember, and reducing those dreaded pharmacy callbacks. Let’s take a little trip to the future and design the perfect electronic prescribing solution. Then, we’ll explore in detail one option that requires little investment and is a “safe” starting option for someone who wants to test things by gingerly putting a toenail edge into the water. OK, fast forward your DUD player (a generation up from those old DVD players) past Orwell’s 1984 and past 2001: HAL, the talking computer in Space Odyssey, to sometime in the 2000-teens. You have been selected by your specialty organization, the AARP (American Academy of Remarkable Physicians—after all, you are reading this), to be on the committee to design the ultimate prescribing solution. With the plethora of new soundalike, look-alike drugs, handwritten solutions are no longer acceptable. Really now, how many docs could read their OWN handwriting to distinguish reliably between Zaditor, Zagam, Zantac, Zebeta, Zerit, Zestril, Zemplar, Zarontin, Zaroxolyn, Zemuron, Zenapax, zanamivir, zafirlukast, Ziagen, zaleplon, Zinacef, Zinecard, Z-max (who’s got time to write it out?), Ziac, Zocor, Zofran, Z-pak, Zonegran, Zonalon, Zostrix, Zosyn, Zovia, and Zovirax. Oops (sorry), I forgot Zyflo, Zyloprim, Zyprexa, Zyrtec, Zydone, and Zyban. In addition, “regular” computer systems are now out of the question. The worldwide ban on nuclear power brought about by the Kyoto Treaty of 2009 9
Monitoring available phosphorus content in soil of cultivated land based on hyperspectral technology

The study aimed to develop a universal method to monitor soil APC by hyperspectral data. The correlations between soil APC and the hyperspectrum reflectivity and its mathematical transformations were analyzed. The feature bands and its transformations were screened to develop the optimizing model of monitoring soil APC based on the method of multiple linear regression. The in-situ testing samples were used to evaluate the accuracy of the model. Results showed that the correlations of first order differential could reach around 0.6, especially for visible bands. Differential transformation was helpful for reducing the noise interference to the diagnosis ability of the target spectrum. The first order differential of reciprocal transformation was determined as the optimal inversion model for soil APC, of which the corresponding sensitive bands were 472, 967, 1062, 1211and 1402 nm. The in-situ testing samples were used to evaluate the accuracy of the model. The inversion model of soil APC in the cultivated land with the one differentiation of reciprocal transformation of hyperspectral could reach high accuracy with good stability.
The mitokine quest(ion)

Cells and organisms adapt to mitochondrial dysfunction by activating the mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPR), which is regulated by mitochondrial-to-nuclear communication; and UPR activation can also be transmitted between different cell types suggesting a role in tissue coordination. Shao and colleagues now identify a neuronal circuit and a secreted neuropeptide required for cell non-autonomous UPR regulation.
Integrating Behavioral Health into Pediatric Primary Care: Implications for Provider Time and Cost.

Objectives Integrating a behavioral health consultant (BHC) into primary care is associated with improved patient outcomes, fewer medical visits, and increased provider satisfaction; however, few studies have evaluated the feasibility of this model from an operations perspective. Specifically, time and cost have been identified as barriers to implementation. Our study aimed to examine time spent, patient volume, and revenue generated during days when the on-site BHC was available compared with days when the consultant was not. Methods Data were collected across a 10-day period when a BHC provided services and 10 days when she was not available. Data included time stamps of patient direct care; providers' direct reports of problems raised; and a review of medical and administrative records, including billing codes and reimbursement. This study took place in a rural, stand-alone private pediatric primary care practice. The participants were five pediatric primary care providers (PCPs; two doctors of medicine, 1 doctor of osteopathy, 2 nurse practitioners) and two supervised doctoral students in psychology (BHCs). Pediatric patients (N = 668) and their parents also participated. Results On days when a BHC was present, medical providers spent 2 fewer minutes on average for every patient seen, saw 42% more patients, and collected $1142 more revenue than on days when no consultant was present. Conclusions The time savings demonstrated on days when the consultant was available point to the efficiency and potential financial viability of this model. These results have important implications for the feasibility of hiring behavioral health professionals in a fee-for-service system. They have equally useful implications for the utility of moving to a bundled system of care in which collaborative practice is valued.
The effect of federal and state off-label marketing investigations on drug prescribing: The case of olanzapine

In the past decade, the federal government has frequently investigated and prosecuted pharmaceutical manufacturers for illegal promotion of drugs for indications not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ("off-label" uses). State governments can choose to coordinate with the federal investigation, or pursue their own independent state investigations. One of the largest-ever off-label prosecutions relates to the atypical antipsychotic drug olanzapine (Zyprexa). In a series of settlements between 2008 and 2010, Eli Lilly paid $1.4 billion to the federal government and over $290 million to state governments. We examined the effect of these settlements on off-label prescribing of this medication, taking advantage of geographical differences in states' involvement in the investigations and the timing of the settlements. However, we did not find a reduction in off-label prescribing; rather, there were no prescribing changes among states that joined the federal investigation, those that pursued independent state investigations, and states that pursued no investigations at all. Since the settlements of state investigations of off-label prescribing do not appear to significantly impact prescribing rates, policymakers should consider alternate ways of reducing the prevalence of non-evidence-based off-label use to complement their ongoing investigations.
Video Goes Vertical: Local News Videographers Discuss the Problems and Potential of Vertical Video

By utilizing 15 in-depth interviews with current and former local television (TV) news videographers and editors, this article examines vertical video and what impact it is having on the production...
Assessment of bioresorbable scaffold with a novel high‐definition 60 MHz IVUS imaging system: Comparison with 40‐MHz IVUS referenced to optical coherence tomography

Background In vivo assessment of bioresorbable scaffold (BRS) is of growing clinical interest. The novel 60MHz high-definition intravascular ultrasound (HD-IVUS) has been developed to overcome the limitations of conventional 40 MHz IVUS. This study aimed to evaluate the performance and limitations of 60 MHz HD-IVUS compared with 40 MHz IVUS with respect to polymeric-strut visualization, quantitative and qualitative analysis, and feasibility of high-speed pullback in the assessment of BRS. Methods and Results In a bench-test model, 361 struts were analyzed to evaluate the influence of ultrasound-beam angles and proximity of adjacent struts on IVUS visualization of BRS struts. Various settings were created by deforming the BRS and positioning the transducer offcenter. In an in vivo swine coronary model, scaffold and lumen areas, degree of visible external elastic membrane, incomplete strut apposition, and strut fracture were evaluated in 59 matched cross-sections obtained at conventional (0.5 mm/sec) and high speed (10 mm/sec) pullbacks. Both studies utilized optical coherence tomography (OCT) as reference. Overall, 60 MHz HD-IVUS demonstrated significantly improved visualization of polymeric struts compared with 40 MHz IVUS (well-visualized: 84.5% vs 62.3%, not visible: 4.4% vs 13.9%, respectively. P < 0.001), which was less affected by the beam angle and adjacent strut proximity. In the in vivo model, 60-MHz HD-IVUS showed better agreement of area measurements and strut abnormalities with OCT than 40 MHz IVUS. These findings were also confirmed on high-speed pullback images of 60 MHz HD-IVUS. Conclusion As referenced to OCT, this study showed superiority of 60 MHz HD-IVUS over 40 MHz IVUS in the assessment of BRS with feasibility of high-speed pullback imaging.
Kant's Confusion of Expression with Communication

Tout en reconnaissant la pertinence de l'article de Guyer sur Kant («Kant's Conception of Fine Art»), l'A. souleve une confusion qu'il fait entre l'idee d'expression et celle de communication chez Kant, qui peut se reveler d'importance pour comprendre la relation entre forme et contenu de l'oeuvre d'art
MDSC clinical assay for cancer detection and monitoring in urothelial carcinoma.

TPS110Background: Human Myeloid Derived Suppressor Cells (MDSCs) have gained recognition as a significant population of cells that arise in cancer patients to mediate immune tolerance. Some studies have shown MDSC concentrations to be associated with overall survival and response to therapy in urothelial carcinoma. MDSCs comprise a heterogenous population that are yet to be fully characterized. We have identified a set of biomarkers uniquely expressed by the suppressive human MDSC phenotype and have developed an assay targeted to these markers. MDSCs are potentially a relatively cheap and easily performed screening and monitoring tool in cancers. This study will examine how a proprietary clinical assay works in detecting and monitoring MDSCs in blood and urine samples from patients with or without localized or metastatic bladder cancer. Methods: The pilot research trial will enroll 63 subjects in a 1:1:1 ratio in three groups, normal controls over age 40 without evidence of any malignancy, patients with m...
119Sn Mössbauer spectroscopy of the time-resolved evolution of SnCl3− ligand structure on the surface of growing platinum nanoparticles

Abstract The importance of stabilizing ligands cannot be understated for the colloidal synthesis of nanoparticles as well as their dispersion and assembly into macro-structures such as electrodes. We have recently demonstrated a novel all-inorganic ligand approach to Pt nanoparticle synthesis where surface-adsorbed Sn serves as both reducing agent and stabilizing ligand, producing remarkably monodispersed nanoparticles. By eliminating the need to remove organic surfactants prior to nanoparticle incorporation into electrodes, we were able to use electrostatic assembly to achieve well-defined nanoparticle dispersions in contrast to the aggregated structures common in the field. The approach has allowed us to elucidate the nature of structure sensitivity for electrocatalytic oxygen reduction reaction in acidic and alkaline media. In this paper, we provide a detailed investigation of the evolution of surface-adsorbed Sn-Pt ligand interaction during Pt nanoparticle growth. We show that surface adsorbed SnCl3− exists as pyramidally coordinated to the Pt nanoparticle through Sn-Pt bond formation, resulting in a distorted tetrahedrally coordinated Sn-moiety. Furthermore, we show the shift in the bond charge distribution as the Pt is reduced from its initial Pt2+ state to its metallic state. Direct evidence for the distorted tetrahedral coordination of Pt-SnCl3− and the shift in Sn-Pt bond charge during nanoparticle growth emerges from the 119Sn Mossbauer quadrupole splitting (QS) and Isomer-shift (IS) respectively. Evolution of the structure and chemistry of inorganic complexes during nanoparticle growth has never before been demonstrated and our work is the first to identify the strength of the Sn-Pt interaction in these systems. Such an understanding of nanoparticle surface chemistry will permit extension of this technique to other metals and macro-structures.
Differences between males and females in adult sickle cell pain crisis in eastern Saudi Arabia.

Background: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is highly prevalent in the Al-Hasa area of eastern Saudi Arabia. We analyzed our patient data to try and find an explanation for the unexpected observation tha...
Caseous calcification of the mitral annulus: case report and brief review.

Background Caseous calcification of the mitral annulus (CCMA) is a very rare variant of mitral annular calcification, which is typically asymptomatic but can manifest as a cardiac tumour, abscess, or in the form of mitral valve dysfunction. Case summary We present a patient who developed shortness of breath and was initially thought to have an intracardiac tumour, but ultimately was recognized as massive calcification of the mitral valve by computed tomography angiogram. This finding was unfortunately made only shortly before the patient's clinical deterioration, and the specific diagnosis of CCMA was made on post-mortem findings, precluding any directed treatment for this entity. Discussion Caseous calcification of the mitral annulus can lead to significant pathology, including mitral regurgitation, stenosis, or systemic embolization of caseous material. Due to its relative scarcity and tendency to be asymptomatic, a diagnosis of CCMA is often difficult to make or easily overlooked. Early recognition and appropriate treatment is crucial for avoiding these potential complications.
Biotherapy Treatment: Mesothelin-Targeted Therapies

The use of targeted therapies can provide mesothelioma patients with innovative treatment options. Mesothelin is a protein expressed in mesothelioma as well as other cancers including pancreas, ovarian, and lung cancer. A number of agents have been evaluated as potential treatments for malignant mesothelioma, including immunotoxins, monoclonal antibodies, antibody drug conjugates, vaccines, and chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-T cells). Each targeted therapy has a unique toxicity profile, which requires a team of specialists to appropriately treat and resolve those toxicities. This chapter focuses on the role of mesothelin as a biological target of treatment.
Receding Horizon Control for Mode Selection and Powertrain Control of a Multi-mode Hybrid Electric Vehicle

Multi-mode Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs) have shown the advantages over traditional single-mode HEVs. For multi-mode HEVs, selecting an appropriate vehicle mode and determining power- split are keys for the reduction of energy consumption. Scholars have used Dynamic Programming (DP) to determine mode selection and power-split offline due to the long computation time. This paper presents a DP-based Receding Horizon Control (RHC) method for mode selection and power- split. The DP-based RHC utilizes the Dynamic Programming algorithm to create an optimal solution within a moving prediction horizon, which has the potential for real-time application. The advantage of this DP-based receding horizon control is that it is able to handle discrete control problems. To optimize the mode selection and power-split, the experimentally determined mode shift fuel and electricity costs are incorporated in the algorithm. The simulations have been performed for DP and RHC with different sizes of prediction horizon. The control performance, fuel economy and computation time for different simulation scenarios are discussed and compared.
Distinct Conformational States Underlie Pausing during Initiation of HIV-1 Reverse Transcription

A hallmark of the initiation step of HIV-1 reverse transcription, in which viral RNA genome is converted into double-stranded DNA, is that it is slow and non-processive. Biochemical studies have identified specific sites along the viral RNA genomic template in which reverse transcriptase (RT) stalls. These stalling points, which occur after the addition of three and five template dNTPs, may serve as checkpoints to regulate the precise timing of HIV-1 reverse transcription following viral entry. Structural studies of reverse transcriptase initiation complexes (RTICs) have revealed unique conformations that may explain the slow rate of incorporation; however, questions remain about the temporal evolution of the complex and features that contribute to strong pausing during initiation. Here we present cryo-electron microscopy and single-molecule characterization of an RTIC after three rounds of dNTP incorporation (+3), the first major pausing point during reverse transcription initiation. Cryo-electron microscopy structures of a +3 extended RTIC reveal conformational heterogeneity within the RTIC core. Three distinct conformations were identified, two of which adopt unique, likely off-pathway, intermediates in the canonical polymerization cycle. Single-molecule Forster resonance energy transfer experiments confirm that the +3 RTIC is more structurally dynamic than earlier-stage RTICs. These alternative conformations were selectively disrupted through structure-guided point mutations to shift single-molecule Forster resonance energy transfer populations back toward the on-pathway conformation. Our results support the hypothesis that conformational heterogeneity within the HIV-1 RTIC during pausing serves as an additional means of regulating HIV-1 replication.
Use of Guideline-Directed Medical Therapy in Patients With ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

Introduction ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is a serious manifestation of coronary artery disease and remains a significant contributor to morbidity and mortality worldwide. To reduce the risk of recurrent cardiovascular disease (CVD) events, the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and American Heart Association (AHA) recommend the use of five classes of medications after acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether STEMI patients admitted to our community hospital were discharged on optimal medical therapy based on the latest AHA/ACC guidelines. Methods A retrospective, single-center electronic medical records review was conducted at our community hospital between July 2017 and December 2018. Patients included in the study were admitted to our hospital through the emergency department as STEMI alerts. We reviewed the discharge prescriptions and assessed compliance with the medication regimen endorsed by AHA/ACC, which includes aspirin, P2Y12 inhibitors, β-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), and statins. Results A total of 147 patients were included in our study. The mean age of our study population was 62 ± 12.48 years. 97.2% of all patients with STEMI underwent coronary angiography. Hypertension (65.9%) was the most common comorbidity followed by hyperlipidemia (54.42%), diabetes mellitus (29.25%), and history of coronary artery disease (CAD) (24.48%). Among patients with successful reperfusion, 87.4% of the patients received the combination of four guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) (comprising dual antiplatelet therapy, a β-blocker, and a statin) and 57% were discharged on five guideline-directed medical treatment (the combination of dual antiplatelet therapy, a β-blocker, an ACEIs or an ARB, and a statin). Conclusion Optimal secondary prevention medications are known to be effective in reducing the risk of repeat ischemic events in ACS. This study demonstrated that adherence to GDMT in our community-based hospital study is better compared to prior studies but remained suboptimal. Potential strategies to improve adherence to guidelines are necessary.