cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of the 30 degree lateral recumbent position on pulmonary artery and pulmonary artery wedge pressures in critically ill adult cardiac surgery patients

BACKGROUND: Despite demonstrated benefits of lateral positioning, critically ill patients may require prolonged supine positioning to obtain reproducible hemodynamic measurements. OBJECTIVES: TO determine the effect of 30 degree right and left lateral positions on pulmonary artery and pulmonary artery wedge pressures after cardiac surgery in critically ill adult patients. METHODS: An experimental repeated-measures design was used to study 35 patients with stable hemodynamics after cardiac surgery. Subjects were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 position sequences. Pulmonary artery and pulmonary artery wedge pressures were measured in each position. RESULTS: Measurements obtained from patients in the 30 degree left lateral position differed significantly (all Ps < .05) from measurements obtained from patients in the supine position for pulmonary artery systolic, end-diastolic, and mean pressures. Pulmonary artery wedge pressures did not differ significantly; however, data were available from only 17 subjects. The largest mean difference in pressures between the 2 positions was 2.0 +/- 2.1 mm Hg for pulmonary artery systolic pressures, whereas maximum differences for end-diastolic and pulmonary artery wedge pressures were 1.4 +/- 2.7 mm Hg and 1.6 +/- 2.4 mm Hg, respectively. Clinically significant position-related changes in pressure occurred in 12 (2.1%) of 581 pressure pairs. Clinically significant changes occurred in end-diastolic pressure in 2 subjects and in pulmonary artery wedge pressure in 1 subject. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with stable hemodynamics during the first 12 to 24 hours after cardiac surgery, measurements of pulmonary artery and pulmonary artery wedge pressures obtained in the 30 degree lateral and supine positions are clinically interchangeable.
EVALUATION OF AN IN-FURROW AND SEED APPLIED INSECTICIDES, WITH AND WITHOUT ADDITIONAL BROADCAST APPLICATION FOR CONTROL OF THRIPS, 2004A

Selected insecticides applied onto seed or into the seed furrow at planting, both with and without an additional broadcast treatment at first true leaf stage (BC at 1 tl), and an insecticide with broadcast applications at both first true leaf and 2-3 leaf stages (BC at 2-3 leaf), were evaluated for control of thrips. ‘Delta Pine 432 RR’ cotton was planted 28 Apr at the Virginia Tech Tidewater Agric. Res. & Ext. Ctr., Suffolk, VA, using 36-inch row spacing. In-furrow (IF) treatments were applied into the seed furrow at the time of planting using tractor-mounted inverted jars with lid holes calibrated to deliver exact amounts via gravity. Gaucho 480 seed treatment was applied commercially. The foliar treatments were applied with a CO2 pressurized backpack sprayer as a broadcast at 14.3 gpa and 18 psi through 8002VS nozzles spaced 18 inches apart on the spray boom. Foliar applications were made on 17 May at the first sign of true leaf emergence after the cotyledon stage and on 24 May at the 2-3 leaf stage. A RCB design was used with 4 replicates; plots were 4 rows by 40 ft. Thrips injury to plants was determined by visually rating injury using a 0 to 5 scale, where 0 = no thrips induced plant injury, 1 = 10% injured leaves, no bud injury; 2 = 25% injured leaves, no bud injury; 3 = 75% injured leaves, and 0 to 25% buds injured; 4 = 90% injured leaves, and greater than 25% buds injured; and 5 = dead plants. Yield was determined by harvesting the 2 center rows of each plot (80 row ft) using a commercial 2-row John Deere cotton picker. Sub-samples were ginned to determine lint versus seed and trash weight (40% lint, 60% seed and trash). Data were analyzed using ANOVA and means were separated with LSD (P ≤ 0.10).
Cultivation of Entamoeba Histolytica From a Hepatic Amoebic Abscess.

Through the employment of Locke egg-serum medium for the culture of Entamoeba histolytica as used by Boeck and Drbohlav1 and somewhat augmented by Dobell and Laidlaw,2 the cultivation of this protozoa has now become of very practical service. Nearly all such isolations have been recovered from the intestinal tract of man. In many of the reported instances there exists considerable doubt as to the species of the cultivated amoeba. There is no question, however, that such microorganisms of the histolytica type have been cultivated, as many of the reports are by workers who are recognized authorities in this field and therefore well versed in the biological and morphological features recognized as differential and diagnostic for such species. Dobell3 reports the cultivation of amoeba from different types of monkeys which he indicates are not to be differentiated from Entamoeba histolytica of man. This is of much importance in the consideration of the experimental transmission of this infection to such types ...
Rational defect introduction in silicon nanowires.

The controlled introduction of planar defects, particularly twin boundaries and stacking faults, in group IV nanowires remains challenging despite the prevalence of these structural features in other nanowire systems (e.g., II–VI and III–V). Here we demonstrate how user-programmable changes to precursor pressure and growth temperature can rationally generate both transverse twin boundaries and angled stacking faults during the growth of ⟨111⟩ oriented Si nanowires. We leverage this new capability to demonstrate prototype defect superstructures. These findings yield important insight into the mechanism of defect generation in semiconductor nanowires and suggest new routes to engineer the properties of this ubiquitous semiconductor.
Excitation of Surface Plasmons with Gold Microspheres

** † ‡ A pulsed laser is used to produce surface plasmon excitation in a monolaye r of gold (Au) spheres to nanopattern a silicon substrate. An electrodynamic model accompanies the experimental data, based on the numerical solution to the complete Maxwell's equations including near - and far -field effects and reflection from the substrat e. The Drude -employed finite difference time domain method describes the deformation and enhancement of the laser pulse around the boundary of a Au sphere and the resulting intensity distribution incident upon the substrate . The effect of incident laser a ngle on plasmon generation and lithographic potential is studied.
Methods of detection, collection and preservation of parasitic isopods (Isopoda: Epicaridea)

Abstract Epicarideans, parasitic isopods found in and on other crustaceans, are cryptic in nature. Detecting and collecting these parasites can be difficult and requires special techniques. The present paper reviews these techniques, providing helpful information on locating the isopods and isolating them from their hosts. In addition, information on preservation of these animals is provided. Using these methods, ecologists and other researchers could provide critical material for future studies on the life histories and evolutionary relationships of these parasites.
Histomorphometric Analysis of Bone Remodeling

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the bone remodelling process. Bones can repair themselves by directing remodeling to the damaged site, and in addition to directed remodeling, there is apparently random remodeling, which may act to continually renew bone, preventing the accumulation of older, densely mineralized bone, which is more brittle. Although bone remodeling affects the serum levels of minerals, the minute-to-minute regulation of minerals does not depend on bone remodeling. A fundamental property of bone remodeling is that it occurs in discrete locations and involves a group of different kinds of cells. Young healthy cancellous bone forms a well-connected lattice, with plate-shaped trabeculae. Remodeling does not necessarily change this overall structure, but when resorption exceeds formation, the bone loss leads to thinning of the trabecular plates and/or to perforations. For the same amount of bone loss, the mechanical strength of the bone is impaired largely if the plates are perforated. Bisphosphonates have been reported to affect various steps of the remodeling process. They could affect lining cells, inhibit IL-6 production, affect osteoclast action directly, or promote early apoposis. Aminobisphosphonates inhibit an enzyme in the cholesterol synthesis pathway resulting in low levels of geranylgeranyl diphosphate. This results in inhibition of rho21, a GTP-binding protein, which then results in an inability of osteoclasts to form ruffled borders.
Semantic Challenges for Volunteered Geographic Information

Vast swaths of geographic information are produced by non-professional contributors using online collaborative tools. To extract value from the data, creators and consumers alike need some degree of consensus about what the entities of their domain of interest are and how they are related. Traditional information communities, such as government agencies, universities, and corporations, have devised informal and formal mechanisms to reduce the misinterpretation of the data they rely on, curating vocabularies, standards, and, more recently, formal ontologies. Because of the decentralized, fragmented nature of peer production, semantic agreements are more difficult to establish and to document in volunteered geographic information (VGI), severely limiting the re-usability and, ultimately, the value of the data. This paper provides an overview of the semantic issues experienced in VGI, and what potential solutions are emerging from research in geo-semantics and in the Semantic Web. The paradigm of Linked Data is discussed as a promising route to handle the semantic fragmentation of VGI, reducing the friction between data producers and consumers.
To Prescribe or Not to Prescribe? Consumer Access to Life-Enhancing Products

With rapid biotechnological advances in specialty drugs and direct-to-consumer advertising, consumers are under tremendous pressure to look, perform, feel, and live better. This is often accomplished through the use of life-enhancing products, sometimes referred to as performance-enhancing products, which can be accessed only through a gatekeeper, such as a physician. Integrating consumer and medical research, this article investigates how physicians make trade-offs between objective medical and nonmedical factors to determine consumers’ access to life-enhancing products by examining US pediatric endocrinologists’ prescription decisions for growth hormone (GH) for healthy but short children. The results of a conjoint study indicate that consumer medical criteria have less impact on a physician’s decision to prescribe GH if the consumer requests a prescription or the physician believes in the intangible product benefits, and more impact when the product is more expensive. A physician’s length of experience increases the impact of consumer medical criteria and decreases the influence of a consumer’s preference for a prescription on the decision to prescribe. Overall, this research shows that not all consumers have equal access to life-enhancing products; their access depends on a complex combination of medical and nonmedical factors related to the consumer, product, and the physician.
The lung profile. I. Normal pregnancy.

Abstract The lung profile run by two-dimensional thin-layer chromatography is described, including the LIS ratio and the percentages of disaturated acetone precipitated lecithin, PI, and PG. Results show that the accuracy of this profile increases that of the mature L/S ratio value even further, while decreasing the missed predictions with low LIS ratios to only about 7%.
Comparison of QTc and Troponin Levels in ST Elevation MIs Compared with Non-ST Elevation MIs.

Objectives ST elevation myocardial infarctions (STEMIs) and non-ST elevation myocardial infarctions (NSTEMIs) have differences that can be important to differentiate. Our primary hypothesis was that corrected QT (QTc) duration and troponin I levels were higher in STEMIs compared with NSTEMIs. The objective of our study was to compare STEMIs with NSTEMIs for QTc duration and troponin levels. Methods This was a retrospective case-control study of all STEMIs and a random sample of NSTEMIs during a 1-year period. STEMIs were retrieved by searching our electrocardiogram database for all of the cardiology-diagnosed STEMIs. NSTEMIs were found by selecting a randomized sample of all of the patients with a final discharge diagnosis of NSTEMI. Records and electrocardiograms were reviewed for initial troponin I levels and QTc duration. Data extractors were educated formally and a 5% sample was reevaluated by the other extractor as a reliability measure. Data analysis included χ2 tests and parametric or nonparametric analysis, where appropriate. A logistic regression model was created with variables selected a priori for predictors of STEMIs compared with NSTEMIs. Results A total of 92 STEMIs and 111 NSTEMIs were evaluated, and interrater reliability showed 90% agreement. Patients with NSTEMIs had significantly longer QTc. Troponin I did not differ on univariate analysis. In a logistic model, Hispanics were more likely than whites to have a STEMI (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 2.2, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.09-4.5). An increase in troponin I of 1 was associated with a 7% increase in the AOR of a STEMI (AOR 1.7, 95% CI 1.03-1.12) and an increase in QTc by 10 was associated with a 13% decrease in the AOR of a STEMI (AOR 0.87, 95% CI 0.78-0.93). Conclusions Patients with NSTEMIs had longer QTc intervals and lower troponin I levels than those with STEMIs.
Retirements and succession of nursing faculty in 2016-2025.

Abstract Background Faculty retirement has been a growing concern for the nursing education community given the impact it may have on preparing the future nursing workforce. Purpose To estimate faculty retirements in 2016-2015 and to assess the impact of retirements on the faculty workforce. Method The Least-Squares Regression and the Cohort Component Methods were used to project retirements. Discussion The study projected that total retirements in 2016-2025 would equal one third of faculty in 2015. Retirees are likely to come from current faculty aged 60 or older, and faculty aged 50-59 are likely to be their replacements. The impact of the retiring faculty on the faculty workforce will be huge given their overrepresentation in doctoral attainment, senior rank, and ability for graduate-level teaching. Conclusion The findings suggest a sense of urgency for the nursing education community to address the impending exodus of senior faculty and to develop younger faculty for their successful succession.
Comparisons of particle size distribution from conventional and advanced compression ignition combustion strategies

Particulate size distribution measurements are of importance in engine research as stricter regulations on particulate matter emissions (both mass and number based) are being implemented. Particula...
A distributed k-core decomposition algorithm on spark

k-core decomposition of a graph is a popular graph analysis method that has found widespread applications in various tasks. Thanks to its linear time complexity, k-core decomposition method is scalable to large real-life networks as long as the input graph fits in the main memory. For graphs that do not fit in the main memory, external memory based approach or distributed solution based on iterative MapReduce platform have been proposed. However, both external memory solution and iterative MapReduce based solution are slow due to their high disk I/O cost. In this paper we propose, Spark-kCore, a distributed k-core decomposition algorithm, which runs on Spark cluster computing platform. Using think-like-a-vertex paradigm, the proposed method utilizes a message passing paradigm for solving k-core decomposition, thus reducing the I/O cost substantially. Experiments on 15 large real-life networks show that our method is much faster than the existing k-core decomposition solutions.
Marked temperature dependence of the platelet calcium signal induced by human von Willebrand factor

Interaction of von Willebrand factor (vWF) with the platelet is essential to hemostasis when vascular injury occurs. This interaction elevates the intracellular free calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) and promotes platelet activation. The present study investigated the temperature dependence of vWF-induced [Ca2+]i signaling in human platelets. The influence of temperature can provide invaluable insight into the underlying mechanism. Platelet [Ca2+]i was monitored with Fura-PE3. Ristocetin-mediated binding of vWF induced a transient platelet [Ca2+]i increase at 37 degrees C, but no response at lower temperatures (20 degrees C to 25 degrees C). This temperature dependence could not be attributed to a reduction in vWF binding, as ristocetin-mediated platelet aggregation and agglutination were essentially unaffected by temperature. Most other platelet agonists (U-46619, alpha-thrombin, and adenosine 5'-diphosphate [ADP]) induced a [Ca2+]i signal whose amplitude did not diminish at lower temperatures. The [Ca2+]i signal in response to arachidonic acid, however, showed similar temperature dependence to that seen with vWF. Assessment of thromboxane A2 production showed a strong temperature dependence for metabolism of arachidonic acid by the cyclo-oxygenase pathway. vWF induced thromboxane A2 production in the platelet. Aspirin treatment abolished the vWF-induced [Ca2+]i signal. These observations suggest that release of arachidonic acid and its conversion to thromboxane A2 play a central role in vWF-mediated [Ca2+]i signaling in the platelet at physiological temperatures.
Attitudes and Family Violence: Linking Intergenerational and Cultural Theories

Drawing on intergenerational transmission and cultural (attitudinal) theories, this study examines the extent to which attitudes help explain (1) the relationship between experiencing violence while growing up and subsequent violence against one amp apose;s children and spouse, and(2) demographic differences in violence. Structural equation modeling techniques are used to examine data from a representative sample of the general population and a sample of ex-offenders. The findings indicate that experiencing violence while growing up is related to favorable attitudes towards violence against spouses. The experience of violence while growing up and attitudes are related to violence against both children and spouses. The relationship between experiencing violence while growing up and engaging in violence against spouses is mediated by attitudes. The results also suggest that men and nonwhites are more approving of violence towards spouses. However, attitudes do not account for demographic differences in violence against children and spouses.
Duration of Retinol Isotope Dilution Studies with Compartmental Modeling Affects Model Complexity, Kinetic Parameters, and Calculated Vitamin A Stores in US Women.

Background Retinol isotope dilution (RID) indirectly estimates vitamin A (VA) status. Multicompartment modeling of RID data is used to refine study designs and equations to calculate VA stores. Previous studies suggest that VA in slowly turning over pools is not traced if follow-up is not long enough; however, shorter RID studies are being investigated. Few long-term models have been published. Objective We determined the effect of time on mathematical models of VA kinetics, model parameters, and outcomes. Methods In this longitudinal study, women (mean ± SD age: 22 ± 3 y; n = 7) were given 2.0 µmol [14,15]-13C2-retinyl acetate. Blood samples were staggered from 4 h to 152 d; the fraction of dose in serum was modeled with compartmental models. Four model-time categories were created: full models that used all data (median: 137 d; range 97-152 d) and truncated shorter studies of 14, 27, and 52 d (range: 42-62 d). Outcomes included number of compartments to adequately model serum data, kinetic parameters, total traced VA mass, and time-to-dose equilibration. To gain insight into longer follow-up, an additional participant was given 17.5 µmol 13C4-VA, and data were modeled as long as enrichment was above baseline (5 y). Results Longer follow-up times affected kinetic parameters and outcomes. Compared with the 14-d models, long-term full models required an additional compartment for adequate fit (14.3% compared with 100%; P = 0.0056) and had longer [median (quartile 1, quartile 3)] whole-body half-life [15.0 d (10.5, 72.6 d) compared with 135 d (115, 199 d); P = 0.0006], time-to-dose equilibration [3.40 d (3.14, 6.75 d) compared with 18.9 d (11.2, 25.7 d); P < 0.0001], and total traced mass [166 µmol VA (162, 252 µmol VA) compared with 476 µmol VA (290, 752 µmol VA); P = 0.0031]. Conclusions Extended RID sampling alters numerous mathematically modeled, time-dependent outcomes in women. Length of study should be considered when using mathematical models for calculating total-body VA stores or kinetic parameters related to VA turnover. This study is registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03248700.
A Computational model of the mammalian external tufted cell

We introduce a novel detailed conductance-based model of the bursting activity in external tufted (ET) cells of the olfactory bulb. We investigate the mechanisms underlying their bursting, and make experimentally-testable predictions. The ionic currents included in the model are specific to ET cells, and their kinetic and other parameters are based on experimental recordings. We validate the model by showing that its bursting characteristics under various conditions (e.g. blocking various currents) are consistent with experimental observations. Further, we identify the bifurcation structure and dynamics that explain bursting behavior. This analysis allows us to make predictions of the response of the cell to current pulses at different burst phases. We find that depolarizing (but not hyperpolarizing) inputs received during the interburst interval can advance burst timing, creating the substrate for synchronization by excitatory connections. It has been hypothesized that such synchronization among the ET cells within one glomerulus might help coordinate the glomerular output. Next we investigate model parameter sensitivity and identify parameters that play the most prominent role in controlling each burst characteristic, such as the burst frequency and duration. Finally, the response of the cell to periodic inputs is examined, reflecting the sniffing-modulated input that these cell receive in vivo. We find that individual cells can be better entrained by inputs with higher, rather than lower, frequencies than the intrinsic bursting frequency of the cell. Nevertheless, a heterogeneous population of ET cells (as may be found in a glomerulus) is able to produce reliable periodic population responses even at lower input frequencies.
Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status and Adverse Outcomes in Patients With Cardiovascular Disease.

Neighborhood socioeconomic status (nSES) is associated with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in the general population; however, its effect on high-risk patients with prevalent coronary artery disease (CAD) is unclear. We hypothesized “double jeopardy,” whereby the association between nSES and adverse outcomes would be greater in high-risk patients with heart failure (HF) and/or previous myocardial infarction (MI) compared with those without. We followed 3,635 patients (mean age 63.2 years, 42% with HF, 25% with previous MI) with known or suspected CAD over a median of 3.3 years for all-cause death and cardiovascular death or nonfatal MI. Patients were categorized by a composite nSES score, and proportional hazards models were used to determine the association between nSES and outcomes. Cross-product interaction terms for previous MI × nSES and HF × nSES were analyzed. Compared with high nSES patients, low nSES patients had increased risk of all-cause death (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.61; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.20, 2.15) and cardiovascular death or MI (subdistribution HR [sHR] = 1.82; 95% CI = 1.30, 2.54). Associations were more pronounced among patients without HF or previous MI. Low nSES patients without HF had a higher risk of all-cause death (HR = 2.27; 95% CI = 1.41, 3.65) compared with those with HF (HR = 1.21; 95% CI = 0.82, 1.77, P interaction = 0.04). Similarly, low nSES patients without previous MI had a higher risk of cardiovascular death or MI (sHR = 2.72; 95% CI = 1.73, 4.28) compared with those with previous MI (sHR = 1.02; 95% CI = 0.58, 1.81, P interaction = 0.02). In conclusion, low nSES was independently associated with all-cause death and cardiovascular death or MI in patients with CAD; however, associations were greater in patients without HF or previous MI compared with those with HF or MI.
Making inference with messy (citizen science) data: when are data accurate enough and how can they be improved?

Measurement or observation error is common in ecological data: as citizen scientists and automated algorithms play larger roles processing growing volumes of data to address problems at large scales, concerns about data quality and strategies for improving it have received greater focus. However, practical guidance pertaining to fundamental data quality questions for data users or managers-how accurate do data need to be and what is the best or most efficient way to improve it?-remains limited. We present a generalizable framework for evaluating data quality and identifying remediation practices, and demonstrate the framework using trail camera images classified using crowdsourcing to determine acceptable rates of misclassification and identify optimal remediation strategies for analysis using occupancy models. We used expert validation to estimate baseline classification accuracy and simulation to determine the sensitivity of two occupancy estimators (standard and false-positive extensions) to different empirical misclassification rates. We used regression techniques to identify important predictors of misclassification and prioritize remediation strategies. More than 93% of images were accurately classified, but simulation results suggested that most species were not identified accurately enough to permit distribution estimation at our predefined threshold for accuracy ( 97% accuracy: enough to meet our accuracy threshold. Occupancy models that accounted for false-positive error provided even more accurate inference even at high rates of misclassification (30%). As simulation suggested occupancy models were less sensitive to additional false-negative error, screening models or fitting occupancy models accounting for false-positive error emerged as efficient data remediation solutions. Combining simulation-based sensitivity analysis with empirical estimation of baseline error and its variability allows users and managers of potentially error-prone data to identify and fix problematic data more efficiently. It may be particularly helpful for "big data" efforts dependent upon citizen scientists or automated classification algorithms with many downstream users, but given the ubiquity of observation or measurement error, even conventional studies may benefit from focusing more attention upon data quality.
Anxiety and Fear of Exercise in Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation: PATIENT AND PRACTITIONER PERSPECTIVES.

Purpose One unexplored mechanism for poor outcomes in cardiovascular and pulmonary rehabilitation (CVPR) is fear about aerobic exercise. Patients in CVPR may tend to avoid aerobic exercise because of the fear of physical sensations associated with exertion. This study examined fear about exercise in patients enrolled in outpatient CVPR and practitioner beliefs and behaviors related to fear associated with exercise. Methods Survey data were collected from patients (n = 117) enrolled in cardiac rehabilitation (n = 69) and pulmonary rehabilitation (n = 48) and practitioners (n = 16) who were exercise physiologists and nurses working in CVPR. Results Fears about exercise and avoidance behaviors were common among patients. In pulmonary rehabilitation, fears and avoidance of exercise were correlated with higher levels of anxiety and depression (r values = 0.27-0.54), lower forced expiratory volume in the first second of expiration/forced vital capacity (r values = -0.13 to -0.39), lower health-related quality of life (r values = -0.13 to -0.62), and stronger beliefs about utility of anxiety treatment (r values = 0.21-0.36). In cardiac rehabilitation, fears about exercise were correlated with higher levels of anxiety (r values = 0.19-0.38), lower mental health quality of life (r values = -0.25 to -0.27), and stronger beliefs about utility of anxiety treatment (r values = 0.30-0.40), and avoidance of exercise was correlated with lower exercise tolerance and poorer physical health quality of life (r values = -0.22 to -0.24). Practitioners estimated that an average of 47 ± 20% of patients experience fear associated with exercise and reported low feelings of preparedness to address patient anxiety and fear. Conclusions It may be beneficial to provide practitioners with skills to recognize and address anxiety and fear in their patients as it relates to exercise.
Association of Contrast and Acute Kidney Injury in the Critically Ill: A Propensity-Matched Study.

Background Despite evidence that low osmolar radiocontrast media is not associated with acute kidney injury, it is important to evaluate this association in critically ill patients with normal kidney function. Methods This retrospective observational study included 7,333 adults with an ICU stay at a six-hospital health system in south Florida. Patients who received contrast were compared with unexposed control subjects prior to and following propensity score (PS) matching derived from baseline characteristics, admission diagnoses, comorbidities, and severity of illness. Acute kidney injury (AKI), defined as initial onset (stage I) or increased severity, was determined from serum creatinine levels according to Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes guidelines. Results Based on 2,306 PS-matched pairs obtained from 2,557 patients who received IV contrast and 4,776 unexposed control subjects, the increase in AKI attributable to contrast was 1.3% (19.3% vs 18.0%; P = .273), and no association was found between contrast and the pattern of onset and recovery. Hospital mortality increased by 14.3% subsequent to AKI (18.0 vs 3.6; P Conclusions In critically ill adults with normal kidney function, low osmolar radiocontrast media did not substantively increase AKI. Rather than limiting the use of contrast in ICU patients, efforts to prevent AKI should focus on the susceptibility of patients with sepsis, diabetes complications, high Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation scores, and history of renal disease.
An Environment of Excellence: A Case Study Examining a High-Performing African American Urban School’s Learning Climate and Approach to Critical Cultural Care:

Studies on urban education and reform often focus on school failure, without exploring the positive impacts of curricula and pedagogy on student achievement. In addition, existing studies often ign...
Pharmacological approaches to antibody-mediated rejection-Are we getting closer?

Antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) is a leading causes of graft failure, leading to shortened survival of affected solid organs transplanted, and its sinister, insidious onset destroys organ function gradually, or in more florid cases immediately. Both HLA pre-sensitized patients and those who develop de novo alloantibody--the latter associated with inadequate immunosuppression-- pay a heavy price for this form of immune injury. While increased tacrolimus or bolus steroids reliably reverse T cell-meditated rejection, these strategies and many others are ineffective in reversing all but early (< 3 months) AMR once donor-specific antibody is generated.
Comparing clotting factors attributes across different methods of preference elicitation in haemophilia patients.

INTRODUCTION Emerging, systematic approaches for capturing patient input, such as preference elicitation, can provide valuable information for the benefit-risk assessment of medical products for treating bleeding disorders, such as haemophilia. AIM This study aims to identify existing and develop new methods to capture, rank and summarize preference scores for clotting factor therapies. METHODS Haemophilia patient preference data were compiled from studies identified through literature review and publicly available US FDA patient-focused drug development meeting documents. Text mining was performed to identify major themes across studies. A standardized preference score was estimated and aggregated. RESULTS Ten preference studies that employed qualitative (n = 3), and quantitative methods (n = 7) met the inclusion criteria. Text mining of qualitative and quantitative studies revealed similar themes as the standardized preference attribute importance. We found that seven quantitative studies employed discrete choice experiments (DCE)/conjoint analysis (CA) and examined a range of 5-12 attributes. For DCE/CA studies published prior to 2014 (n = 4), safety attributes (inhibitor and viral safety) were among the most important attributes, accounting for ~46% of the total utility measured. DCE/CA studies published after 2014 (n = 3) focused on frequency of infusion and reduction of bleeding risk, accounting for ~67% of the total utility. Interestingly, two studies that used different preference elicitation approaches (DCE and a monadic conjoint approach) both ranked infusion frequency as the most important attribute. CONCLUSIONS Although there are few published patient preference studies for haemophilia, the results of this study can be viewed in the larger context of enhancing scientific methods of incorporating patient input in medical product development.
Exploring childhood anti-vaccine and pro-vaccine communities on twitter – a perspective from influential users

Abstract Anti-vaccine information online continues to deter optimum childhood vaccination coverage. Tweets from influential users about childhood vaccines are assessed to determine vaccine information on Twitter. Results indicate a well-connected anti-vaccine community where influential users widely share vaccine misinformation. Sentiment analysis finds negative tweets populate both pro- and anti-vaccine communities confirming the popularity of negative sentiment on social media. Geo-location clusters for influential users were identified. The identification of influential users and their geo-locations may provide useful information to assist with curving online vaccine misinformation and detecting areas of potential disease outbreak.
High affinity binding of conformationally constrained synthetic oligomers to an antigen-specific antibody: Discovery of a diagnostically useful synthetic ligand for murine Type 1 diabetes autoantibodies

‘Antigen surrogates’ are synthetic, non-natural molecules that recognize the antigen-binding sites of antibodies. These molecules are of interest as replacements for native antigens as antibody ‘capture agents’ in ELISA-like assays of potential diagnostic utility, for example when the antibody is indicative of a disease state. Antigen surrogates for disease-related antibodies can be mined from one-bead one-compound (OBOC) libraries by first denuding the library of ligands for antibodies present in the serum of control patients or animals, followed by screening the remainder of the library against serum from individuals with a particular disease of interest. Most of the work in this area has been done with peptoids (oligomers of N-alkylated glycine), which provide antibody ligands with only modest affinity and selectivity. Here, we explore the hypothesis that this is due to the ‘floppiness’ of the peptoid backbone by creating libraries of peptoid-like molecules that have conformation-restricting structural elements inserted into their backbones. Indeed, we show here that these libraries can provide high affinity and selectivity antigen surrogates and that this much-improved binding is completely dependent on conformational restriction of the oligomer chain.
Coping with endogeneity and unobserved heterogeneity in real-time clustering critical crash occurrences nested within weather and road surface conditions.

The knot of endogeneity and unobserved heterogeneity are causes of rendering parameter estimates inconsistent in real-time crash prediction. This study intends to alleviate the potential sources of...
The Effects of Climate on the Hypogean Migration of Cave Salamanders, Eurycea lucifuga (Rafinesque, 1822)

Terrestrial migrations of salamanders are influenced by many factors, particularly temperature and moisture availability. Although photoperiod is generally an important migratory cue, it has not been specifically considered for salamanders. We examine the importance of the above abiotic factors at the macro- and microclimatic scales in the subterranean migration of a population of Cave Salamanders (Eurycea lucifuga) in Kentucky. This species exhibited a cyclic, seasonal migratory pattern between the twilight and dark zones in a cave. Our regression analysis of macroclimate indicated this migration was influenced largely by photoperiod, but also highly correlated with temperature and relative humidity; principle components analysis confirmed the importance of similar microclimate variables (illumination, temperature, and substrate wetness), explaining 88% of the variability in the data. These environmental variables fluctuate little in the dark zone of caves and thus likely do not provide cues on seasonal conditions to salamanders. However, these cues do vary in the twilight zone and may inform salamanders of epigean seasonal conditions. This information is critical to these cave-dwelling salamanders, particularly for finding suitable food resources.
Metamorphosis and the Protean Performer

Proteus—sea god, shapeshifter and seer—appears only briefly in Ovid’s Metamorphoses, and just as a minor character in the stories of others.11 Ovid, Metamorphoses, 2.9, 8.713–24, 11.221. Proteus al...
Predicting late symptoms of head and neck cancer treatment using LSTM and patient reported outcomes

Patient-Reported Outcome (PRO) surveys are used to monitor patients’ symptoms during and after cancer treatment. Late symptoms refer to those experienced after treatment. While most patients experience severe symptoms during treatment, these usually subside in the late stage. However, for some patients, late toxicities persist negatively affecting the patient’s quality of life (QoL). In the case of head and neck cancer patients, PRO surveys are recorded every week during the patient’s visit to the clinic and at different follow-up times after the treatment has concluded. In this paper, we model the PRO data as a time-series and apply Long-Short Term Memory (LSTM) neural networks for predicting symptom severity in the late stage. The PRO data used in this project corresponds to MD Anderson Symptom Inventory (MDASI) questionnaires collected from head and neck cancer patients treated at the MD Anderson Cancer Center. We show that the LSTM model is effective in predicting symptom ratings under the RMSE and NRMSE metrics. Our experiments show that the LSTM model also outperforms other machine learning models and time-series prediction models for these data.
The emergence of fine motor skills in children with Down syndrome

Abstract In this chapter, we review the literature on the early development of fine motor skills in young children with Down syndrome. Fine motor skills are the behaviors we engage in using the small muscles of our hands and fingers. These abilities are important because they support the production of skills that are necessary for independence such as activities of daily living and academic skills. They also can be part of developmental cascades, which enable the emergence of different skills later in development. Some key conclusions emerge from this review. There is considerable variability in the emergence and development of fine motor skills in young children with Down syndrome. Some children develop these skills along timetables that are not notably different from typically developing infants and young children. But for other children, these skills develop later and with some differences. Some of these differences are quite subtle and others are more pronounced. Overall, we note the paucity of studies conducted on this topic. In order to find enough research to write this review, we utilized many studies that were not focused on the development of fine motor skills in Down syndrome but did include at least one measure of these skills. There is an urgent need for additional research, including studies with larger sample sizes and multiple longitudinal observations. These studies would allow researchers to gain a more complete understanding of the developmental trajectories that characterize the emergence and development of these skills. In addition, the use of sophisticated statistical techniques would provide opportunities to describe different heterogeneous profiles that exist within the population of children. Our overall conclusions include a call for more research on this topic and some suggestions for future research questions that would be especially useful.
Dead on the Vine: Living and Conceptual Art and Vara

The Visual Artists Rights Act of 1990 (VARA), arriving in the wake of U.S. adherence to the Berne Convention, provides moral rights of integrity and attribution to artists who have created certain copyrightable physical works of visual art. Since - and before - the time of VARA’s enactment, however, many artists have been working with genres and media to produce art that is not comfortably accommodated within the scope of protected works contemplated by VARA. An increasing number of recent works of Conceptual and Appropriationist Art raise questions about fixation and original expression that are required for copyrightability that, in turn, is required for protection under VARA. This article discusses the uncomfortable fit of VARA and many contemporary works of art, and particularly those that incorporate to a significant extent living works in their natural state. The discussion focuses on the recent decision in a dispute involving a VARA claim in a living landscape (Chapman Kelley v. Chicago Park District, N.D. Ill., 2008). It concludes that works of art in which nature and chance play a dominant role are Conceptual works in which the artist’s contribution is limited to ideas that should not be protected by copyright or VARA.
The physiology of GABAB receptors in the vertebrate retina.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the role of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA B ) receptors in the vertebrate retina. GABA B receptors are important in generating center-surround antagonism in the outer retina and the control of transient and sustained signals in the inner retina. The prototypical GABA B agonist is baclofen, which is a GABA analog that contains a p -chlorinated phenol on the beta carbon. To date, various experiments indicate that horizontal cell feedback to cones is mediated, at least in part, by the GABA B receptor system that probably regulates a potassium conductance. In the inner retina, GABA B receptors are found on bipolar cells, amacrines, and ganglion cells. The actions are a subtle regulation of channel conductance but the effects are a dramatic reorganization of a fundamental coding property of the retina—the distinction between tonic and phasic responses to light. In both the distal and proximal retinas, the GABA B receptor does not work alone but in concert with the GABA A receptor.
Ritual Recognition of Abortion: Japanese Buddhist Practices and U.S. Jewish and Christian Proposals

To further our thinking about abortion from the viewpoint of embodiment, I suggest an imaginative trip to Japan where abortion is socially embodied in ritual expression. Traveling expands horizons, opens options, and tenders new perspectives; by traveling one discovers new things to see and new ways to see. Japanese beliefs, practices, and cultural mores with respect to abortion carry the potential of infusing new insight and fresh perspective into an old U.S. debate. While the individualized and private features of pregnancy and abortion are accented in the U.S. legal context, the familial and communal context of pregnancy and abortion appear to receive the accent in much of contemporary Japan. Abortion in Japan is viewed by many as a family matter; the fetus is seen as part of a biologically-based kinship network and is not limited to an object or subject in the body of the pregnant woman alone. The fetus (known in Japan as the “water-child”) is seen within a context of lineage-based generations; symbols and rituals acknowledging this relationship are visible to the visitor and available to Japanese families who wish to utilize them.
Gamma-Ray Spectrum from Thermal-Neutron Capture in Sm-149, and Associated Energy Levels in Sm-150

The gamma-ray spectrum resulting from thermal-neutron capture in ${\mathrm{Sm}}^{149}$ was investigated with the Argonne 7.7-m bent-crystal spectrometer. The observed spectrum consisted of 217 gamma rays with energies between 40 keV and 2.4 MeV. The bent-crystal gamma-ray data were combined with the conversion-electron data of Bieber et al. and Groshev et al. to obtain $K$ conversion coefficients for fifty of the observed gamma-ray transitions. These precision measurements of gamma-ray energies, intensities, and conversion coefficients were combined with a set of $\ensuremath{\gamma}\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\gamma}$ coincidence and $\ensuremath{\gamma}\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\gamma}$ angular-correlation measurements [with a similar source of ${\mathrm{Sm}}^{149}(n,\ensuremath{\gamma}){\mathrm{Sm}}^{150}$ gamma rays] to develop a partial level scheme for ${\mathrm{Sm}}^{150}$, in which the excitation energies (keV) and the spins and parities (in brackets) are: ground state [${0}^{+}$], 333.94[${2}^{+}$], 740.43[${0}^{+}$], 773.33[${4}^{+}$], 1046.13[${2}^{+}$], 1071.39[${3}^{\ensuremath{-}}$], 1165.57[${2}^{+}$], 1193.83[${2}^{+}$], 1278.78[${3}^{+}$], 1357.55[${3}^{\ensuremath{-}}$], 1449.11[${4}^{+}$], 1504.48[${3}^{+}$], and 1642.55[${4}^{+}$]. In this partial level scheme, the spin and parity assignments for all 14 levels are uniquely defined. The energy levels at 1279.05, 1449.15, and 1504.42 keV are of particular interest because they exhibit strong $E2$ transitions to the ${4}^{+}$ state at 773.51 keV and suggest the presence of strong collective components in their wave functions. The previously published radioactivedecay, ($n,\ensuremath{\gamma}$), and charged-particle work on ${\mathrm{Sm}}^{150}$ were then combined with the crystal diffraction data to define twelve additional levels in ${\mathrm{Sm}}^{150}$. This extended level scheme of ${\mathrm{Sm}}^{150}$ agrees well with much of the previously published work and removes many of the previous uncertainties in the level scheme.
Control of Pyridoxine Biosynthesis in Escherichia coli

Dempsey, Walter B. (University of Florida, Gainesville). Control of pyridoxine biosynthesis in Escherichia coli J. Bacteriol. 90:431-437. 1965.-The total pyridoxine in a culture of exponentially growing Escherichia coli was 3.6 x 10(-10) moles per mg of dry cells. One-fourth of this total was present in the medium, and was at least 90% pyridoxal 5'-phosphate. Both pyridoxol and pyridoxal, when present initially at 6 x 10(-7)m, substituted entirely for de novo synthesis of pyridoxine. The other four forms of the pyridoxine group were ineffective at this concentration. Pyridoxine biosynthesis in exponentially growing cultures of E. coli was immediately stopped by adding pyridoxol to the medium to a final concentration of 4 x 10(-7)m. Amino acid auxotrophs of E. coli suspended in minimal medium without the required amino acid produced extracellular pyridoxine for several hours at an average rate of 1.3 x 10(-10) moles per hr per mg of dry cells. The rate of production of extracellular pyridoxine by a threonine-starved threonine auxotroph was not altered by growing the culture before starvation in media containing 6 x 10(-5)m pyridoxol. The extracellular form of pyridoxine produced in these starvations required hydrolysis to be detected in the bioassay used in these measurements. The total findings suggest that pyridoxine biosynthesis is controlled by a rapidly acting mechanism but not by repression.