cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
New Host and Distribution Records of Eimeria callospermophili

ABSTRACT: Eimeria callospermophili, and for the first time in Arizona, U.S.A. This coccidian was found in 4 of 10 (40%) round-tailed ground squirrels. Sporulated oocysts were spheroidal to subspheroidal, 20.4 × 17.8 µm (18–25 × 14–22 µm), with a length/width ratio of 1.1 (1.0–1.3), an oocyst residuum, and 0–2 polar granules. Sporocysts were ovoidal, 9.2 × 6.8 µm (7–10 × 6–8 µm), with a length/width ratio of 1.2 (1.1–1.4), a Stieda body, and a sporocyst residuum. The measurements and structural features of these oocysts were similar to those reported for E. callospermophili from other marmotine rodents.
Impacts of Climate Change and Growth on Water Demands in the Puget Sound Region

Introduction This study incorporates climate change and urban development scenarios into regional water demand projections. A disaggregated water demand model is coupled with an advanced urban simulation model (UrbanSim) to generate demands at detailed spatial resolution. The difference between including changes in variables such as density, income, and other demographic indicators is evaluated. The region in which this study takes place is the Puget Sound Region of the United States, which is located in the Pacific Northwest (Figure 1). This area has a population of over 4.2 million people and includes the cities and suburbs of Seattle, Tacoma, Everett, and Bellevue, Washington. The Puget Sound Region has experienced rapid growth during the past decade, with a 10% change in population from 2000 to 2008 (357,000 additional residents). This rate of growth is slower but similar to that which occurred in the 1990’s when 525,000 residents were added to the region (a twenty percent increase in population). In 2000, two-thirds of the population resided within incorporated areas, in 1990 that ratio was 50/50. The growth from 2000-2008 continues the migration to incorporated areas, with growth concentrated primarily in existing dense urban areas but some new growth in the urban fringe. Seattle’s center has experienced the development of condominiums creating residential space along with increasing redevelopment of single-family lots into multiple townhome style single-family homes. The development along the urban fringe has increased the density of housing, but large lots and residences are still the norm. Population within the region is projected to continue to increase, with an additional 1.7 million residents from 2000 to 2040 (roughly a million households). Most population increases are in the one and two resident households, suggesting large increases in multifamily populations and townhomes. This estimate agrees with the current trends of growth in the major urban areas (Seattle, Tacoma, Bellevue, and Everett) and is an important factor in future urban growth patterns. The climate is considered Mediterranean, in that the majority of precipitation falls during winter months, and the summers are unusually dry. The vast majority of the drinking water for this region is supplied by surface water. The lack of over-year storage capacities in the reservoirs results in a delicate balancing act between meeting summer water demands and maintaining environmental flows for ESA listed species. Accurately projecting water demands ensures that this balance is maintained and future water supply projects come online as needed.
197 EFFECTS OF PROVIDER POSITION AND TIME WORKED ON COMPASSION SATISFACTION, BURNOUT, AND COMPASSION FATIGUE/SECONDARY TRAUMA.

The Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL) is a method developed by Dr. B. Hudnall Stamm at the Institute of Rural Health, Idaho State University, to analyze the degree of the three factors of compassion satisfaction, burnout, and compassion fatigue/secondary trauma in medical providers in compassion-based professions. It consists of a 30-question survey with answers scaled from 0 (never) to 5 (very often) that assess the degree to which providers experience the effects of such burnout, fatigue, and trauma in their professions. The most frequently surveyed providers are those for whom compassion was a major component in their career choice. This survey was given to 25 providers at a public community health center in Wenatchee, WA, which primarily provides services to medically underserved populations in Chelan and Douglas counties. Respondents included eight physicians, three certified physician assistants, four pharmacists, two nurse practitioners, and eight behavior health specialists. Fourteen of these providers work full time and 11 work part time varying from 0.10 FTE to 0.80 FTE. The survey was analyzed to determine associations along two axes, the particular position of a provider and the amount of time they worked per week; and their personal experience in the three areas of burnout, satisfaction, and fatigue/secondary trauma as determined by the survey. In this particular sample of providers, it was determined that neither of these two axes had a statistically significant impact on burnout, satisfaction, fatigue, and secondary trauma.
Infectious Status of Clonorchis sinensis in Guangzhou Panyu District from 1998 to 2002

Objective To study the infectious distributions and epidemiology character of Clonorchis sinensis in Guangzhou Panyu district, and to establish the prevention strategy. Methods Based on the geographic feature of Panyu, the people and students mainly inhabited in 1～3 natural village of four counties in different locations (east, south, west and north direction) were investigated. The eggs of Chonorchis sinensis in stools were checked by clean water deposition and Kato-Katz thick smear method. The number of eggs per gram of stool was estimated. The sera of restaurant workers were tested for the antibody against Chonorchis sinensis. Results The eggs of Chonorchis sinensis were checked in 10715 peoples, of which 1597 peoples were infected, with an infection rate of 14.90%. Sera of 127530 people were tested for the anti- Chonorchis sinensis antibody, of which 12278 peoples were positive, with a positive rate of 9.63%. The results of the two nationwide investigations of human parasites in 1988 and 2002 indicated that the infection rate of Chonorchis sinensis was increased by 76.35%. Conclusions The health of peoples in the district is threatened seriously by the infection of Chonorchis sinensis. The number of infected peoples was increased dramatically from 1988 to 2002. The propaganda, education and individual consciousness on the prevention of chonorchiasis must be strengthened. The effective and integrated control measures must be taken. Proper stool disposal must be strictly implemented.
Study on the antimicrobial activity of bamboo shoot shell extracts

With bamboo shoot shells as raw materials,active substance was extracted by ultrasonic-organic solvent method,and purified by macroporous adsorption resin. Agar diffusion method was used to investigate antimicrobial effect of bamboo shoot shell extracts on some common food putrefied microbes,the stability of the antimicrobial activity was also investigated under heat treatment and UV light treatment. The results showed that the minimum inhibition concentration of bamboo shoot shell extracts in the test range was 8.75mg/mL for Staphyloccocus aureus,4.375mg/mL for Bacillus subtilis,35mg/mL for Bacillus cereus,35mg/mL for Escherichia coli,but there was no significant antibacterial effect on Saccharomyces cerevisiae,Rhizopus stolonifer and Aspergillus niger. The antibacterial activity substance in bamboo shoot shell extracts has good heat stability;UV light stability of the antibacterial activity substance is different to different microbials.
Failure Analysis on Joint of Boiler Reheater Connecting Tube

By the methods of microscope analysis,mechanical analysis,chemical analysis,metallographic examination and SEM,the joint of boiler reheater connecting tube(12Cr1MoV) in which cracks occur many time was analyzed.The results indicate that the crack of boiler reheater connecting tube joint is the reheating crack and the primary season in which the cracks occur is excessive stress.
Fat embolism of bone. A roentgenographic and histological investigation, with use of intra-arterial lipiodol, in rabbits.

In an attempt to produce fat embolism of bone experimentally, a catheter was inserted retrograde into the left common femoral artery of twenty-six adult rabbits, with its tip just proximal to the aorto-iliac bifurcation. An average total amount of 1.3 milliliters of Lipiodol (an iodinated neutral fat which has caused fat embolism in human patients when inadvertently introduced intravascularly) was infused continuously for twenty-two minutes. Magnification of the roentgenograms of the right femur and tibia of undissected animals and also of the decalcified bones revealed minute intraosseous accumulations of embolic fat globules (radiopaque Lipiodol), demonstrable from ten minutes to seven and one-half days after infusion. A technique was developed to permit fat staining of bone decalcified without dissolving marrow or embolic fat. Sections of the bones were also prepared with a differential Lipiodol stain, since with routine fat stains marrow fat and Lipiodol neutral fat appear identical. Intraosseous Lipiodol fat emboli were histologically demonstrated for five weeks; they had obstructed subchondral arteries and capillaries of the femoral head especially. Although rare fat emboli were detected at six and eight weeks, they had disappeared at ten weeks.
Uterine surgical approaches to reduce prematurity.

Alterations of the uterine configuration contribute to the prematurity rate. Surgical techniques to remove intrauterine adhesions, correct congenital uterine anomalies, rectify cervical incompetence, and to manage uterine myomas offer assistance in the prevention of prematurity. To achieve this goal, hysteroscopy appears to offer the greatest hope in this area.
Idiopathic chronic fatigue in older adults is linked to impaired mitochondrial content and biogenesis signaling in skeletal muscle

// Nicholas R. Wawrzyniak 1 , Anna-Maria Joseph 2 , David G. Levin 1 , David M. Gundermann 2 , Christiaan Leeuwenburgh 2 , Bhanuprasad Sandesara 2 , Todd M. Manini 2 and Peter J. Adhihetty 1 1 Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA 2 Department of Aging and Geriatric Research, Division of Biology of Aging, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA Correspondence to: Peter J. Adhihetty, email: // Todd M. Manini, email: // Keywords : fatigue; skeletal muscle; mitochondria; PGC-1α; Gerotarget Received : January 11, 2016 Accepted : June 09, 2016 Published : July 18, 2016 Abstract Fatigue is a symptom of many diseases, but it can also manifest as a unique medical condition, such as idiopathic chronic fatigue (ICF). While the prevalence of ICF increases with age, mitochondrial content and function decline with age, which may contribute to ICF. The purpose of this study was to determine whether skeletal muscle mitochondrial dysregulation and oxidative stress is linked to ICF in older adults. Sedentary, old adults ( n = 48, age 72.4 ± 5.3 years) were categorized into ICF and non-fatigued (NF) groups based on the FACIT-Fatigue questionnaire. ICF individuals had a FACIT score one standard deviation below the mean for non-anemic adults > 65 years and were excluded according to CDC diagnostic criteria for ICF. Vastus lateralis muscle biopsies were analyzed, showing reductions in mitochondrial content and suppression of mitochondrial regulatory proteins Sirt3, PGC-1α, NRF-1, and cytochrome c in ICF compared to NF. Additionally, mitochondrial morphology proteins, antioxidant enzymes, and lipid peroxidation were unchanged in ICF individuals. Our data suggests older adults with ICF have reduced skeletal muscle mitochondrial content and biogenesis signaling that cannot be accounted for by increased oxidative damage.
Informational dynamics of epistemic possibility modals

We investigate, in a logical setting, the expressivist proposal that assertion primarily functions to express and coordinate doxastic states and that ‘might’ fundamentally expresses lack of belief. We provide a formal model of an agent’s doxastic state and novel assertability conditions for an associated formal language. We thereby prove that an arbitrary assertion (including a complex of ‘might’ and ‘factual’ claims) always succeeds in expressing a well-defined (partial) doxastic state, and propose a fully general and intuitive update operation as a model of an agent coming to accept an arbitrary assertion. Leaving a comprehensive philosophical and linguistic defense for elsewhere, we explore technical aspects of our framework, providing, for instance, a complete logic of assertability and reduction axioms for the novel update operations related to our proposal. Finally, we contrast our work with related proposals in the logic literature.
Fracture Prevalence in Adults with Transfusion-Dependent Thalassemia Is Related to Osteoporosis and Age

Introduction : Adults with transfusion dependent thalassemia syndromes are living into later adulthood as a result of better transfusion therapy and chelation. Unfortunately, chronic health problems develop in these patients that persist into adulthood. Osteoporosis and osteopenia are significant co-morbidities in the thalassemia population as a result of impaired growth in childhood, extramedullary expansion of the marrow, iron deposition, vitamin D deficiencies, and hypogonadism. The morbidity of osteoporosis is significant in this population, leading to fractures and chronic pain. The purpose of this study was to provide a cross-sectional descriptive analysis of bone disease in adult thalassemia patients with osteoporosis and fracture histories. Methods : A retrospective review of electronic medical records was carried out from patients with transfusion-dependent thalassemia (>8 transfusions per year) seen at the Weill Cornell Comprehensive Thalassemia Center. Information on demographics, diagnosis, iron assessment, and co-existing medical conditions was collected. Results of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scans as well as urine and serum markers of bone turnover were also obtained (C-telopeptide (CTX), N-telopeptide (NTX), bone alkaline phosphatase (AP)). The prevalence of fractures was collected. Results : We identified 65 adult patients with transfusion-dependent thalassemia (median age = 36.8, range 16-56; 41 female, 24 male). Thirteen patients had diagnosed thalassemia intermedia (TI), one patient had hemoglobin Lepore, one patient had alpha-thalassemia major, and one patient had Hemoglobin E/beta thalassemia. The remaining patients (n = 49) had thalassemia major. 98% of patients (n=64) were on chelation therapy, the median liver iron content (LIC) was 2.821 mg/g dw (range 0.5 – 135) with a median T2* on cardiac MRI of 34.5 msec (range 7-49 msec). Based on T score 41 had a prevalence of 66.7%; p=0.001). Conclusions : Osteoporosis remains a significant problem in the adult transfusion-dependent thalassemia population, and often begins in young adulthood. A fracture history is significantly associated with decreased DEXA T scores. Bone turnover markers decrease with age, which may reflect decreased remodeling or increased use of bone-sparing treatments. A fracture history was far more common in patients over the age of 40. Improved treatments for transfusion-dependent thalassemia patients with osteoporosis should be a high priority for future research. Disclosures Chapin: Novo-Nordisk: Honoraria; Alexion: Honoraria. Kleinert: Apopharma: Membership on an entity9s Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novartis: Membership on an entity9s Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau.
The Sell Assessment of Sexual Orientation: Background and Scoring

The measurement of sexual orientations in research studies is becoming increasingly prevalent despite little critical examination of how this should be done. This paper reviews how sexual orientations have been measured historically, and provides a review of the strengths and limitations of each measure. Measures of sexual orientation are categorized as: 1) dichotomous, 2) bipolar (such as the Kinsey Scale), 3) multidimensional (such as the Klein Scale), and/or 4) orthogonal (such as the scale proposed by Shively and DeCecco). A new measure of sexual orientation, the Sell Assessment of Sexual Orientation, is proposed based upon this review. Finally, methods of scoring and summarizing the proposed measure are discussed.
Women's police stations and intimate partner violence: Evidence from Brazil

Abstract Although women's police stations have gained popularity as a measure to address intimate partner violence (IPV), there is little quantitative evaluation of their impacts on the incidence of IPV. This paper estimates the effects of women's police stations in Brazil on female homicides, a measure of the most severe form of IPV. Given that a high fraction of female deaths among women ages 15–49 years can be attributed to aggression by an intimate partner, female homicides appear the best proxy for severe IPV considering the scarcity of data on IPV in Brazil. We assemble a panel of 2074 municipalities from 2004 to 2009 and apply a difference-in-differences approach using location and timing to estimate the effect of establishing a women's police station on the municipal female homicide rate. Although we do not find a strong association on average, women's police stations appear to be highly effective among young women living in metropolitan areas. Establishing a women's police station in a metropolitan municipality is associated with a reduction in the female homicide rate by 1.23 deaths per 100,000 women ages 15–49 years (approximately a 17 percent reduction in the female homicide rate in metropolitan municipalities). The reduction in the homicide rate of women ages 15 to 24 is even higher: 5.57 deaths per 100,000 women. Better economic opportunities and less traditional social norms in metropolitan areas may explain the heterogeneous impacts of women's police stations.
Contribution of Anal Sex to HIV Prevalence Among Heterosexuals: A Modeling Analysis

Anal intercourse is reported by many heterosexuals, and evidence suggests that its practice may be increasing. We estimated the proportion of the HIV burden attributable to anal sex in 2015 among heterosexual women and men in the United States. The HIV Optimization and Prevention Economics model was developed using parameter inputs from the literature for the sexually active U.S. population aged 13-64. The model uses differential equations to represent the progression of the population between compartments defined by HIV disease status and continuum-of-care stages from 2007 to 2015. For heterosexual women of all ages (who do not inject drugs), almost 28% of infections were associated with anal sex, whereas for women aged 18-34, nearly 40% of HIV infections were associated with anal sex. For heterosexual men, 20% of HIV infections were associated with insertive anal sex with women. Sensitivity analyses showed that varying any of 63 inputs by ±20% resulted in no more than a 13% change in the projected number of heterosexual infections in 2015, including those attributed to anal sex. Despite uncertainties in model inputs, a substantial portion of the HIV burden among heterosexuals appears to be attributable to anal sex. Providing information about the relative risk of anal sex compared with vaginal sex may help reduce HIV incidence in heterosexuals.
Picornaviral Polymerase Structure, Function, and Fidelity Modulation

Like all positive strand RNA viruses, the picornaviruses replicate their genomes using a virally encoded RNA-dependent RNA polymerase enzyme known as 3Dpol. Over the past decade we have made tremendous advances in our understanding of 3Dpol structure and function, including the discovery of a novel mechanism for closing the active site that allows these viruses to easily fine tune replication fidelity and quasispecies distributions. This review summarizes current knowledge of picornaviral polymerase structure and how the enzyme interacts with RNA and other viral proteins to form stable and processive elongation complexes. The picornaviral RdRPs are among the smallest viral polymerases, but their fundamental molecular mechanism for catalysis appears to be generally applicable as a common feature of all positive strand RNA virus polymerases.
DTA and quenching methods in the system CaO-CO_2-H_2O

Harker (1964) recently described a simple technique for differential thermal analysis in closed systems containing volatile components under pressure, which promises to be of great utility. He contrasted the reaction temperatures recorded in his preliminary studies with those reported in the same systems by quenching techniques, and he noted some rather large temperature discrepancies. This led him to conclude that the accuracy of the quenching technique in systems where the liquid phase cannot be quenched to a glass "is often somewhat low and sometimes quite misleading." However, if the melting temperature of portlandite recorded by Wyllie and Tuttle (1960) is corrected as shown by Gittins and Tuttle (1964), the results obtained by DTA and quenching techniques are almost identical, and Harker's concern for the validity of the quenching technique becomes unnecessary, in this system at any rate. This note contains revised values for melting reactions in the system CaO-CO_2H_2O measured by one of us (EJR) using the quench technique, and a discussion of this technique and DTA by the other (PJW).
Iron Plating—Process and Product Characteristics

SummaryIron is commonly deposited from sulphate, chloride, sulphate-chloride, or fluoborate electrolytes. Most commonly used is the FeCl2-CaCl2 bath. The properties of the deposits are governed by the electrolyte composition and the operating conditions. The main problems are difficulty of bath maintenance and rather high stresses in the deposits. A ferrous chloride electrolyte has been developed which permits simple control of the plating process and produces sound deposits with low stresses. Examination of the deposit structures shows an apparently straightforward relationship between the process parameters and the physical properties of the iron.
“Two‐Point” Self‐Assembly and Photoinduced Electron Transfer in meso‐Donor‐Carrying Bis(styryl crown ether)‐BODIPY–Bis(alkylammonium)fullerene Donor–Acceptor Conjugates

BF2 -chelated dipyrromethene, BODIPY, was functionalized to carry two styryl crown ether tails and a secondary electron donor at the meso position. By using a "two-point" self-assembly strategy, a bis-alkylammonium-functionalized fullerene (C60 ) was allowed to self-assemble the crown ether voids of BODIPY to obtain multimodular donor-acceptor conjugates. As a consequence of the two-point binding, the 1:1 stoichiometric complexes formed yielded complexes of higher stability in which fluorescence of BODIPY was found to be quenched; this suggested the occurrence of excited-state processes. The geometry and electronic structure of the self-assembled complexes were derived from B3LYP/3-21G(*) methods in which no steric constraints between the entities was observed. An energy-level diagram was established by using spectral, electrochemical, and computational results to help understand the mechanistic details of excited-state processes originating from 1 bis-styryl-BODIPY*. Femtosecond transient absorbance studies were indicative of the formation of an exciplex state prior to the charge-separation process to yield a bis-styryl-BODIPY.+ -C60.- radical ion pair. The time constants for charge separation were generally lower than charge-recombination processes. The present studies bring out the importance of multimode binding strategies to obtain stable self-assembled donor-acceptor conjugates capable of undergoing photoinduced charge separation needed in artificial photosynthetic applications.
Views of Inclusive Education From the Perspectives of Preservice and Mentor Teachers

Abstract The trend of educating students with disabilities in inclusive general education settings is expanding. Consequently, teacher preparation for inclusive practices is a necessary consideration for teacher educators. An important component of shaping preservice teacher dispositions comes from school experiences and interactions with mentor teachers. It is through this relationship that preservice teachers formulate their own attitudes, beliefs, and skills about inclusive practices. This article reports the findings from a set of surveys containing both closed- and open-ended responses related to inclusive education from both preservice (student) and mentor teachers. Analysis of the open-ended responses revealed definitions of inclusive education focused on student deficits and barriers to implementation of inclusive practices that focused on deficits in the capacity of the environment. Implications for teacher preparation, including challenging deficit-based assumptions, are discussed.
Shear Behavior of Full-Scale High Volume Fly Ash-Self Consolidating Concrete (HVFA-SCC) Beams

Abstract An experimental test was carried out to investigate the shear behavior of full-scale beams constructed with high volume fly ash self-consolidating concrete (HVFA-SCC). HVFA-SCC is a new concrete grade of HVFA concrete with the rheology of self-consolidating concrete that satisfies the quality of construction work, environment aspects, and concrete sustainability. Mixes with different cement replacement levels of fly ash and hydrated lime [50%, 60%, and 70% (by weight)] were used. Twelve full-scale reinforced concrete beams were cast and tested using a four-point load test setup. This study focused on observing the effect of factors such as cement replacement level, longitudinal reinforcement ratio, and shear reinforcement ratio on the beam shear behavior. All beams were 4000 mm (13 ft) in length, 457 mm (18 in.) in thickness, and 305 mm (12 in.) in width. Rheological and mechanical properties of the mixes were monitored. During testing, cracking and ultimate shear, deflection, crack pattern, and mode of failure were recorded. Furthermore, test results were compared to conventional concrete study, finite element modeling, and database of conventional concrete and self-consolidating concrete.
Psychiatric Disorders Differently Correlate with Physical Self-Rated Health across Ethnic Groups

In this study, we compared 10 ethnic groups for associations between psychiatric disorders and physical self-rated health (SRH) in the United States. Data came from the Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Surveys (CPES), 2001–2003. The study included 7587 non-Latino White, 4746 African American, 1442 Mexican, 1106 other Hispanic, 656 other Asian, 600 Chinese, 577 Cuban, 520 Vietnamese, 508 Filipino, and 495 Puerto Rican individuals. The Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) was used to measure psychiatric disorders, including major depressive disorder (MDD), general anxiety disorder (GAD), social phobia, panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), alcohol abuse, and binge eating disorders. A single-item measure was used to estimate physical SRH. Demographic (age and gender) and socioeconomic (education and income) factors were also measured. Unadjusted and adjusted correlations between psychiatric disorders and physical SRH were calculated. Major ethnic variations were found in the correlation between psychiatric disorders and physical SRH; as well as the role of demographic and socioeconomic status (SES) factors in explaining these associations. non-Hispanic Whites, Cubans, and African Americans showed more correlations between psychiatric disorders and physical SRH than other ethnic groups. In non-Hispanic Whites, the associations between psychiatric disorders and physical SRH were explained by demographic factors. In African Americans, the link between psychiatric disorders and poor physical SRH were explained by SES indicators. In conclusion, although single-item physical SRH measures are traditionally assumed to reflect the physical health needs of populations, they may also indicate psychiatric disorders in some ethnic groups, such as non-Hispanic Whites, Cubans, and African Americans. Demographic and socioeconomic factors also have differential roles in explaining the link between psychiatric disorders and physical SRH. Physical SRH does not exclusively reflect physical health, and it may be more biased by mental health across some ethnic groups.
Double Ureter in Children: Surgical Management

Among 25 cases of double ureter which required surgical treatment, six were accompanied by ureterocele. Interpelvic anastomosis was performed in two cases with uretero-ureteral reflux. En bloc reimplantation was performed for ten double ureters, three of which had common ureteral orifice with reflux in both ureters. In three other cases there was a common segment with low bifurcation and uretero-ureteral reflux which had to be excised in order to create two ureteral orifices in the bladder.
Surgical Complications in Intradural Extramedullary Spinal Cord Tumors - An ACS-NSQIP Analysis of Spinal Cord Level and Malignancy

Background Intradural extramedullary (IDEM) spinal cord tumors account for two-thirds of all intraspinal neoplasms. Surgery for IDEM tumors carries risks for many different complications, which to date have been poorly described and quantified. In this study, we better characterize risk factors and complications for IDEM tumors, stratifying patients by spinal cord level and malignancy. Methods The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) database was queried to determine 30-day outcomes following surgery for IDEM tumors between 2005 and 2016. Patients with cervical, thoracic, and lumbar tumors were compared in terms of demographics, comorbidities, and postoperative complications. A similar analysis was performed comparing patients with benign and malignant tumors. Results A total of 991 patients with IDEM tumors were identified in the cohort. The majority of tumors were thoracic (44.3%), followed by lumbar (35.4%) and cervical (20.3%). Only 6.3% of patients were readmitted within 30 days, 4.2% returned to the operating room, and 1.0% died. Significant associations were noted between spinal cord level and patient sex, age, functional status, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification, prevalence of diabetes and hypertension, and risk of developing pneumonia. Benign and malignant tumors differed by patient sex, baseline ASA class, risk of return to the operating room, mortality, and likelihood of transfusion. Conclusions IDEM tumors are common and carry surgical risks, with different complication profiles for tumors at different spinal levels and degrees of malignancy. With definitive risk factors and outcomes, the ACS-NSQIP cohort provides a snapshot of national neurosurgery trends and outcomes in contemporary IDEM surgery.
Associations between intimate partner violence and reproductive and maternal health outcomes in Bihar, India: a cross-sectional study

Bihar, India has higher rates of intimate partner violence (IPV) and maternal and infant mortality relative to India as a whole. This study assesses whether IPV is associated with poor reproductive and maternal health outcomes, as well as whether poverty exacerbates any observed associations, among women who gave birth in the preceding 23 months in Bihar, India. A cross-sectional analysis of data from a representative household sample of mothers of children 0–23 months old in Bihar, India (N = 13,803) was conducted. Associations between lifetime IPV (physical and/or sexual violence) and poor reproductive health outcomes ever (miscarriage, stillbirth, and abortion) as well as maternal complications for the index pregnancy (early and/or prolonged labor complications, other complications during pregnancy or delivery) were assessed using multivariable logistic regression, adjusting for demographics and fertility history of the mother. Models were then stratified by wealth index to determine whether observed associations were stronger for poorer versus wealthier women. IPV was reported by 45% of women in the sample. A history of miscarriage, stillbirth, and abortion was reported by 8.7, 4.6, and 1.3% of the sample, respectively. More than one in 10 women (10.7%) reported labor complications during the last pregnancy, and 16.3% reported other complications during pregnancy or delivery. Adjusted regressions revealed significant associations between IPV and miscarriage (AOR = 1.35, 95% CI = 1.11–1.65) and stillbirth (AOR = 1.36, 95% CI = 1.02–1.82) ever, as well as with labor complications (AOR = 1.27, 95% CI = 1.04–1.54) and other pregnancy/delivery complications (AOR = 1.68, 95% CI = 1.42–1.99). Women in the poorest quartile (Quartile 1) saw no associations between IPV and miscarriage (Quartile 1 AOR = 0.98, 95% CI = 0.67–1.45) or stillbirth (Quartile 1 AOR = 1.17, 95% CI = 0.69–1.98), whereas women in the higher wealth quartile (Quartile 3) did see associations between IPV and miscarriage (Quartile 3 AOR = 1.55, 95% CI = 1.07, 2.25) and stillbirth (Quartile 3 AOR = 1.79, 95% CI = 1.04, 3.08). IPV is highly prevalent in Bihar and is associated with increased risk for miscarriage, stillbirth, and maternal health complications. Associations between IPV and miscarriage and stillbirth do not hold true for the poorest women, possibly because other risks attached to poverty and deprivation may be greater contributors.
Hydrophobic and Charge Effects in the Partitioning of Solutes in Aqueous Two-Phase Systems

Dobry and Boyer-Kawenoki1 in 1947 were the first to provide a “methodical study of compatibility in polymer solutions” that had been noted in the study of paints and varnishes. They found that a solution of two polymers dissolved in a single solvent (prepared by mixing two single-polymer solutions) often formed two liquid phases. In their survey, Dobry and Boyer-Kawenoki also noted that each phase in such a system contained principally, but not exclusively, one of the polymers. They eloquently theorized the nature of phase separation, stating, “in a solution of [polymer] A enough free space is available for A molecules, although there is none for [polymer] B molecules.”
Translation and Validation of the Spanish Form of the Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory

One major problem in cross-cultural research is language equivalence of measurement instruments that have been translated. This study was designed to determine the equivalency of the Spanish transl...
Wave Packets, Potentials, and Forces

We have seen how a state function having a definite wavevector and angular frequency represents conditions in a uniform beam of particles. In like manner, a single function represents the free rotation of a system about an axis. Furthermore, a particle confined in a parabolic or Coulombic potential appears in states possessing a definite angular frequency and energy.
Research on the Education of Autistic Children: Recent Advances and Future Directions

The purpose of this chapter is twofold: first, to report on some recent advances in the treatment of autistic children, and second, to propose some directions for future research with these children. In general, autism has been described as an extreme form of childhood psychopathology, characterized by deficits in language and in social and emotional behavior, as well as a preoccupation with bizarre, stereotyped mannerisms and, in some cases, tantrums or self-injurious behavior. The first application of the principles of behavior modification to the specific problems of autistic children appeared in the literature in 1961. Three papers by Ferster during that year (Ferster, 1961; Ferster & De Myer, 1961a,b) gave a major impetus to subsequent research in the field. During the last 15 years, the developing discipline has begun to establish a useful technology of behavior change for autistic children, including the training of self-help skills (e.g., Marshall, 1966), speech (Hewett, 1965: Metz, 1965; Risley & Wolf, 1967: Lovaas, 1966, 1967), and reading skills (Hewett, 1964); the elimination of self-injurious behavior and other severe behavior excesses (e.g. Wolf, Risley, & Mees, 1964; Lovaas, Freitag, Gold, & Kassorla, 1965a; Tate & BAroff, 1966; Lovaass, & Simmons, 1969; Carr, Newsom, & Binkoff, 1976); and the establishment of classroom programs (Kozloff, 1975; Koegel & Rincover, 1974; Rincover & Koegel, 1977) and training regimens for parents (Davison, 1964; Schreibman & Koegel, 1975) and teachers (Koegel, Russo, & Rincover, 1977).
Intermediate State Capabilities and Informal Entrepreneurship: A Configurational Perspective

Drawing on recent “neo-configurational” theorizing in the broader management literature (Misangyi et al., 2017), we propose that the effects of national institutions on informal entrepreneurial act...
Latent trajectories of infant breast milk consumption in the United States

Patterns of breastfeeding over time are not currently well understood. Limited qualitative and quantitative evidence suggests that there may be latent subgroups of mothers in the United States following very different trajectories of breast milk provision for their infants. This study used a quantitative modelling method (group-based trajectory modelling) to identify and describe these subgroups. Using data from the Infant Feeding Practices Study II (n = 3,023), the authors identified four distinct trajectories of breastfeeding intensity, each of which included a substantial subset of the total sample. A model with four groups fit the data well by objective and conceptual standards. Bivariate associations were analysed, and significant difference between trajectory group membership was found on an array of maternal and family determinants, including maternal demographics, hospital experience, and psychosocial resources, as well as on postweaning perceptions. These associations were used to create group profiles for each subgroup. Controlling for sociodemographic covariates, we also found that trajectory membership was significantly associated with several health outcomes for the target child 6 years later, including certain infections, picky eating, and health care utilization; trajectory group membership was also associated with maternal breastfeeding of subsequent children and maternal body mass index (BMI) at Year 6. Child BMI z-score and maternal breast cancer diagnosis were not significantly different across trajectory groups after accounting for confounding covariates, nor was time missed from school for the target child. Though exploratory, the initial identification and description of these four subgroups suggest future directions using breastfeeding trajectory methods, with potential implications for measurement, intervention development, and targeting.
Institutional Incidence of Severe tPA-Induced Angioedema in Ischemic Cerebral Vascular Accidents.

Introduction. Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is commonly used in ischemic cerebral vascular accidents (CVAs). tPA is generally well tolerated; however, orolingual angioedema is a well-documented adverse effect. Angioedema is generally mild, transient, and unilateral but can manifest as severe, life-threatening upper airway obstruction requiring intubation. Reported incidence for all severities ranges from one to five percent, whereas reported incidence of severe cases ranges from 0.18 to 1 percent of patients receiving tPA for ischemic CVA. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and middle cerebral artery distribution have been associated with a higher risk of developing angioedema. The aim of this study is to evaluate the incidence of severe tPA-induced angioedema and its effects on length of stay (LOS) and death. Methods. A retrospective chart review of patients receiving tPA for ischemic CVA from January 2014 through December 2016 was conducted at a large tertiary center with Comprehensive Stroke Center designation. Subjects were eighteen or older. Baseline demographics and clinical data were collected. Results. 147 patients were included with four developing severe angioedema due to tPA resulting in an incidence of 2.72%. All four were female. The median LOS was thirty days for patients with angioedema and twelve days for those without. The survival probability was higher in the angioedema group and mean time to death was twenty-two days in the angioedema group and twenty-one days in the nonangioedema group. Twenty-five patients died, one from the angioedema group. ACE inhibitor use was found to have an OR of 7.72. Conclusion. This study found a higher incidence of severe angioedema than that reported. Development of severe angioedema increased length of stay but was not shown to worsen outcomes in regards to death. Consistent with previous studies, ACE inhibitor use was associated with a higher risk of developing angioedema.
Variation in the Yaa position of collagen peptides containing azaGlycine

Herein, we report the systematic investigation of amino acid variation in the Yaa position of collagen peptides containing an adjacent azaGlycine residue. We demonstrate the reliability of azaGlycine as a glycine replacement and provide a sequence independent strategy for stabilizing the triple helical assembly of collagen peptides.
Concepts of Risk Stratification in Measurement and Delivery of Quality

The importance of quality is gaining increased attention from all stakeholders in healthcare due to high regional variability and association between poor quality care and increased healthcare costs. Quality of care is assessed by patient-reported outcome measures; however, if not available, quality is then commonly calculated by dividing value by cost. Value varies with respect to perspective, and cost can be complex to compute. Costs may comprise direct cost, indirect cost, or both depending on the perspective. To ensure high quality of care, the concept of risk stratification is imperative. This involves identification of parameters likely to influence outcome negatively including patient’s age, diagnosis etc., which may be predictive of poor postoperative quality of life. For stratification, risk models, expert panels, and databases can be utilized. In the literature, various categories of risk for many parameters have been developed. For example, preoperative specific spine diagnoses have been found to be predictive of postoperative quality of life. To apply this concept, one must define a specific endpoint, build risk models based on data or in collaboration with experts, and establish risk groups with risk calculators based on preoperative profiles. When judiciously applied, it seems that risk stratification has the potential to inform patients and healthcare providers with tools to set expectations, predict likelihood of outcome, and ensure good quality of care in the new era of accountable care.
Dinner Theater in a Toddler Classroom: The Environment as Teacher.

This article explores the ways that the classroom environment announces a way of being a teacher in relation to pedagogical practices informed by the municipal preschools of Reggio Emilia. Drawing ...
Computing-in-Memory with SRAM and RRAM for Binary Neural Networks

Recent advances in deep learning have shown that Binary Neural Network (BNN) is able to provide a satisfying accuracy on various image datasets with a significant reduction in computation and memory cost. With both weights and activations binarized to +1 or −1 in BNNs, the high-precision multiply-and-accumulate (MAC) operations can be replaced by XNOR and bit-counting operations. In this work, we present two computing-in-memory (CIM) architectures with parallelized weighted-sum operation for accelerating the inference of BNN: 1) parallel XNOR-SRAM, where a customized 8T-SRAM cell is used as a synapse; 2) parallel XNOR-RRAM, where a customized bit-cell consisting of 2T2R cells is used as a synapse. For large-scale weight matrices in neural networks, the array partition is necessary, where multi-level sense amplifiers (MLSAs) are employed as the intermediate interface for accumulating partial weighted sums. We explore various design options with different sub-array sizes and sensing bit-levels. Simulation results with 65nm CMOS PDK and RRAM models show that the system with 128×128 sub-array size and 3-bit MLSA can achieve 87.46% for an inspired VGG-like network on CIFAR-10 dataset, showing less than 1% degradation compared to the ideal software accuracy. The estimated energy-efficiency of XNOR-SRAM and XNOR-RRAM shows ~30× improvement compared to the corresponding conventional SRAM and RRAM architectures with sequential row-by-row read-out.
Annual survey of organometallic metal cluster chemistry for the year 2001

The synthetic, mechanistic, and structural chemistry of organometallic metal cluster compounds is reviewed for the year 2001.
CD40 Ligand-Modified Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cells Enhance Antitumor Function by Eliciting an Endogenous Antitumor Response.

Summary Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells provide great efficacy in B cell malignancies. However, improved CAR T cell therapies are still needed. Here, we engineered tumor-targeted CAR T cells to constitutively express the immune-stimulatory molecule CD40 ligand (CD40L) and explored efficacy in different mouse leukemia/lymphoma models. We observed that CD40L+ CAR T cells circumvent tumor immune escape via antigen loss through CD40/CD40L-mediated cytotoxicity and induction of a sustained, endogenous immune response. After adoptive cell transfer, the CD40L+ CAR T cells displayed superior antitumor efficacy, licensed antigen-presenting cells, enhanced recruitment of immune effectors, and mobilized endogenous tumor-recognizing T cells. These effects were absent in Cd40−/− mice and provide a rationale for the use of CD40L+ CAR T cells in cancer treatment.
Intertrial Variability in Human Corticospinal Activity during Grasp Force Planning

ABSTRACT Neuronal firing rate variability during planning has been found to contribute to trial-to-trial variability in primate behavior. However, in humans, whether planning related mechanisms contribute to trial-to-trial behavioral variability remains unknown. We investigated the time-course of trial-to-trial variability in corticospinal excitability (CSE) using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) while subjects planned to perform a self-paced reach-to-grasp task. We hypothesized that CSE variability will be modulated during task planning and that such a modulation would explain trial-to-trial behavioral variability. Able-bodied individuals were visually cued to plan their grip force before exertion of either 30% or 5% of maximum force on an object. TMS was delivered at different time points following a cue that instructed the force level. We first modeled the relation between CSE magnitude and its variability at rest (n=12) to study the component of CSE variability during task planning that was not related to changes in CSE magnitude (n=12). We found an increase in CSE variability during task planning at 30% but not at 5% of force. This effect was temporally dissociated from the decrease in CSE magnitude. Importantly, the increase in CSE variability during planning explained 64% of inter-individual differences in time to peak force rate trial-to-trial variability. These results were found to be repeatable across studies and robust to different analysis methods. Our findings suggest that the planning-related mechanisms underlying modulation in CSE variability and CSE magnitude are distinct. Notably, the extent of modulation in planning-related variability in corticospinal system within individuals may explain their trial-to-trial behavioral variability.
Alcohol Binge-Induced Cardiovascular Dysfunction Involves Endocannabinoid–CB1-R Signaling

Highlights •Alcohol is one of the most frequently used intoxicants in the United States. Binge alcohol drinking is a major contributor of emergency department visits. •Binge alcohol drinking may adversely affect cardiovascular function. •Here we show that acute alcohol intoxication is associated with elevated levels of cardiac endocannabinoid anandamide and profound cardiovascular dysfunction and blood redistribution lasting for several hours. •The adverse cardiovascular effects of acute alcohol intoxication are attenuated by CB1-R antagonist or in CB1-R knockout mice. •A single alcohol binge has profound effect on the cardiovascular system, which involves endocannabinoid-CB1-R signaling.