cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Conjunctival biopsy to diagnose neurosarcoidosis in patients with inflammatory nervous system disease of unknown etiology

Neurosarcoidosis mimics many neurologic diseases and poses a major diagnostic challenge. Blind conjunctival biopsy is often used to help diagnose neurosarcoidosis when biopsy of affected nervous system tissue is not feasible. While this test is relatively inexpensive and well-tolerated, the diagnostic yield in patients with inflammatory nervous system disease of unknown etiology remained uncertain. We evaluated 440 patients who underwent conjunctival biopsy due to concern for neurosarcoidosis. Only a small minority of patients (3%) had positive conjunctival biopsies consistent with sarcoidosis, and some patients (1%) with positive biopsies were found to have a cause for their neurologic disease other than neurosarcoidosis. Many patients (14%) had negative conjunctival biopsies but were later confirmed to have neurosarcoidosis after additional evaluations. This study demonstrates that conjunctival biopsy has a low diagnostic yield for neurosarcoidosis in patients with inflammatory nervous system disease and suggests that alternative diagnostic means should be pursued.
Effect of nutritional repletion on pituitary and serum follicle-stimulating hormone isoform distribution in growth-retarded lambs.

Using nutritionally restricted ovariectomized lambs, we tested the hypothesis that nutritionally regulated endogenous increases in GnRH secretion (as assessed by LH pulsatility) not only alter the quantity of FSLI present in the pituitary and serum, but also alter the pituitary and serum FSH isoform distribution. Eleven lambs were nutritionally restricted from weaning and ovariectomized at 12 wk of age. Beginning at 56 wk, 6 were fed ad libitum for 14 days, and the other 5 were continued on the restricted diet. Jugular blood samples were collected frequently (12-mm interval) for 4 h prior to pituitary removal. Immunoreactive ovine LH (l-0LH) and immunoreactive ovine FSH (l-0FSH) concentrations were measured in sees and pituitary extracts. Bioactive (B) 0FSH and I-oFSH isoform distribution patterns were determined in serum pools and pituitary extracts. Ad libitum feeding increased 1-0th pulsatiity and mean concentrations of pituitary and serum I.oFSH and B-oFSH. The I-oFSH isoform distribution patterns in the pituitaries from the nutritionally restricted animals were not different from those of repleted lambs; in both, the predominant FSFI peak eluted in the pH range of 3.5-5.6. A similar predominance of l-0FSH isoforms was also evident in the serum of ad libiwm.fed animals. This predominance was not demonstrable in 3 of the resthcted-fed animals due to low circulating concentrations of FSH (< 2.5 ng/ml). Subsequent studies, utilizing serum from 4 additional restricted-fed lambs with circulating I-oFSH concentrations in the range of 4-14 ng/ml (but no detectable LH pulses) revealed similar predominance of 0FSH isoforms in the pH 3.5-5.6 range. The ESH isoforms eluting in different pH ranges differed in their Immunological and biological activities. In summary, our results demonstrate that nutritionally regulated changes in endogenous GnRH secretion do not alter the distribution patterns of FSH isoforms in the pituitary or circulation of restricted- and ad libitum-fed ovariectomized lambs.
The effect of strain counterstrain (SCS) on forearm strength compared to sham positioning

Abstract Objective Determine the effect of strain counterstrain (SCS) techniques on forearm pronation and supination muscle strength compared to passive sham positioning. Design Randomized, blinded, sham-controlled study. Subjects 12 healthy right-handed subjects (4 men, 8 women) with 19 included forearms (6 right, 13 left). Each forearm was individually and randomly assigned to the SCS or control group (9 SCS, 10 control). Methods Subjects attended 3 sessions within 3 weeks. Initial forearm pronation and supination strength was assessed at the first session. Forearm muscle strength was assessed in a stable seated position using a hydraulic dynamometer with doorknob-shaped handle. Pre- and post-treatment strength was assessed during the second session, with the SCS group receiving 1 SCS treatment to the pronator and supinator muscles and the control group receiving passive sham positioning between assessments. The third session consisted of a 1-week follow-up forearm strength. Results At baseline, the SCS and control groups were comparable with respect to age, gender, height, weight, hand dominance, and initial pronator and supinator strength ( p > 0.05). After treatment, control group strength remained unchanged ( p > 0.05) while the SCS group increased pronation strength by 8.3% ( p = 0.009) and supination strength by 11.9% ( p = 0.046) from pre-treatment to follow-up 1 week later. SCS group strength increased more compared to the control group for pronation ( p = 0.045) and supination ( p = 0.059). Conclusions Forearm strength increased after SCS in a healthy population with muscle tenderness, with greater strength increase apparent than after passive sham positioning.
A biocompatible magnetic film: synthesis and characterization

Biotechnology applications of magnetic gels include biosensors, targeted drug delivery, artificial muscles and magnetic buckles. These gels are produced by incorporating magnetic materials in the polymer composites. A biocompatible magnetic gel film has been synthesized using polyvinyl alcohol. The magnetic gel was dried to generate a biocompatible magnetic film. Nanosized iron oxide particles (γ-Fe2O3, ~7 nm) have been used to produce the magnetic gel. The surface morphology and magnetic properties of the gel films were studied. The iron oxide particles are superparamagnetic and the gel film also showed superparamagnetic behavior. Magnetic gel made out of crosslinked magnetic nanoparticles in the polymer network was found to be stable and possess the magnetic properties of the nanoparticles.
Thermodynamic Calculations for the Chemical Vapor Deposition of Silicon Nitride

The importance of silicon nitride (Si3N4) prepared by the chemical vapor deposition (C VD) technique is discussed briefly. A computer code was used to calculate CVD phase diagrams useful for the preparation of this material. Theoretical deposition efficiencies and gaseous phase compositions are also reported. The reactants include NH3/SiH4, NH3/SiH2Cl2, NH3/SiCl4, and NH3/SiF4. The effect of N2, H2, and Ar additions, as well as the system pressure, are evaluated. The results are compared with experimental data from the literature.
MERGERS INCREASE OUTPUT WHEN FIRMS COMPETE BY MANAGING REVENUE

From a panel data sample of 898 hotel mergers, we find that mergers increase occupancy without reducing capacity. In some regressions, price also appears to increase. These effects are small, but statistically and economically significant. And they occur only in markets with the highest capacity utilization and highest uncertainty. These findings lead us to reject simple models of price or quantity competition in favor of models of ―revenue management,‖ where firms price to fill available capacity in the face of demand uncertainty. The results suggest that mergers in revenue-management industries should not be analyzed using models of competition that miss significant industry features. The same warning applies to the scrutiny of information sharing by proximate businesses—if outright merger does not appear to have anticompetitive effects then neither should information sharing, again provided that the significant features of the industry are taken into account.
Expression Graphs - Unifying Factor Graphs and Sum-Product Networks.

Factor graphs are a very general knowledge representation, subsuming many existing formalisms in AI. Sum-product networks are a more recent representation, inspired by studying cases where factor graphs are tractable. Factor graphs emphasize expressive power, while sum-product networks restrict expressiveness to get strong guarantees on speed of inference. A sum-product network is not simply a restricted factor graph, however. Although the inference algorithms for the two structures are very similar, translating a sum-product network into factor graph representation can result in an exponential slowdown. We propose a formalism which generalizes factor graphs and sum-product networks, such that inference is fast in cases whose structure is close to a sumproduct network.
Putting Parties in Their Place: Inferring Party Left-Right Ideological Positions from Party Manifestos Data

The left-right ideological positions of political parties play a central role in theorizing about many different aspects of democratic processes. Unfortunately, scholars are hindered in their ability to test existing theories by the limited availability of data that is comparable over time and across countries. This paper describes a simple 'vanilla' method for using manifestos data to estimate party leftright positions. It then tests this method and four existing ones by regressing a variety of accepted survey-based measures of left-right party positions on the estimates of party positions generated by the various techniques. Finally, analysis of the residuals from these regressions identifies the extent to which there are systematic sources of errors in using manifestos data to estimate party left-right positions. The vanilla method consistently produces the best estimates of party positions, and these estimates are quite good (less than one point, on average, from the estimates of other accepted approaches). Manifestos data, however, tend to locate extreme parties closer to the ideological center than do other survey-based approaches. he left-right ideological positions of political parties play a central role in theorizing many different aspects of democratic processes. Scholars employ the left-right positions of parties in theoretical arguments and empirical tests on such topics as macro-economic policymaking, legislative institutional choice, electoral competition, voting behavior, political representation, and cabinet stability. Thus, evaluation of a wide range of theoretical arguments in comparative politics requires reliable measures of the left-right positions of political parties. A practical problem facing scholars, however, is the limited availability of appropriate measures. There are two common sources of data on leftright party locations. One consists of expert surveys on specific party systems, where experts are asked to provide estimates of party left-right positions in these systems. Castles and Mair (1984) published the first such survey in a large number of countries, and results from a similar, subsequent survey are presented in Huber and Inglehart (1995).' Although these surveys are widely used to measure party positions, they suffer important limitations: they have been administered infrequently, in different formats, and only over the last fifteen years. A second source of data is the left-right positions of party supporters as reported in mass surveys such as the Eurobarometer or the World Values Survey. These surveys have been administered more frequently, but only over the last two decades and for a limited number of countries. Thus, scholars are frequently forced to limit their
WAVE-INDUCED OSCILLATIONS OF SMALL MOORED VESSELS

This study deals with the motions of a neutrally buoyant rectangular parallelpiped moored by a linear spring system m standing waves. The results show that a linear theory which considers the response of the body as a smgle-degree-of-freedom oscillator adequately describes the surge motion for standing waves ranging from shallow-water waves to deep-water waves and for ratios of body length to wave length of from 0.1 to 1 5. It was found that the response curves for surge motion become more selective with respect to frequency in the vicinity of resonance as the distance of the body from a reflecting surface increases. Therefore, coupling this with viscous effects, which are more important near resonance, it is possible to reduce the effect of resonance considerably for a moored body with a particular natural frequency by choosing the proper mooring location in its standing wave environment. This has possible application in the planning of berthing facilities in marinas.
Anomalous Vascular Patterns of the Optic Disc in Amblyopia.

Purpose To evaluate the presence of anomalies of the optic disc vascular patterns in subjects with amblyopia. Design Case controlled study. The outcome measure is temporal deviation of central retinal vessels and / or vascular pattern asymmetry. Methods A total of 342 hyperopic amblyopic patients were evaluated. An additional 88 subjects with equal visual acuity with strabismus, and 108 subjects with equal visual acuity and anisometropia were evaluated. Results In this study, more than 50% of amblyopic patients had optic disc deformities. Sixty-five percent of subjects with amblyopia, orthophoria, and anisometropia exceeding 1.5 D had these anomalies compared with less than 7% of the groups without amblyopia or strabismus. Conclusions These disc anomalies may be associated with disorganization of optic nerve axons. This finding indicates the possibility of a peripheral cause for impaired vision and could provide an explanation for the variability in visual defects associated with amblyopia. Optic nerve imaging should be incorporated into clinical protocols for amblyopia research.
The Impact of Basic Public Health Services on Hypertension Control in Nanning Community

Objective To understand the impact of basic public health service on the blood pressure control and to supply scientific references.Methods Totally 400 hypertensive who had participated in the basic public health services management for full 1 year were selected with simple random sampling method in three community health centers in Nanning.Questionnaire and physical examination were both conducted towards them.Results The blood pressure control rate was 70.3%.Single factor chi-square test showed that gender,education,marriage,income,drug compliance,smoking,number of follow-up and self blood pressure monitoring had influence on blood pressure control.Logistic multiple factors analysis showed that,gender and taking medicine regularly were the main influencing factors of blood pressure control.Blood pressure control rate in male was lower than in women( OR = 0.541,95% CI = 0.322-0.911);blood pressure control rate of the taking medicine regularly was higher than those not( OR = 2.735,95% CI = 1.692-4.421).Conclusion Basic public health services can effectively improve blood pressure control,yet pertinent measures should be timely taken with respects of gender,drug compliance.
Predictors and outcomes of unplanned early rehospitalization in the first year following lung transplantation

Unplanned early rehospitalization (UER), defined as an unscheduled admission within 30 days of a hospital discharge, is associated with graft loss and recipient mortality in some solid organ transplants but has not been investigated in lung transplant. In this retrospective study, we collected socio-demographic and clinical factors to determine predictors and outcomes of UER in the first year following lung transplantation. There were 193 patients who underwent lung transplantation and survived to discharge during the 7.9-year study period. There were 116 (60.1%) patients with at least one UER. Infections (32.8%) and post-surgical complications (11.8%) were the most common reasons for UER. On multivariate analysis, the strongest predictor of having an UER was discharge to a long-term acute care facility (odds ratio: 3.01, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.46-6.20; P=.003). Patients with any UER in the first year following transplantation had worse adjusted survival (hazard ratio: 1.89, 95% CI 1.02-3.50; P=.04). It is unclear, however, to what extent UERs reflect preventable outcomes. Further large-scale, prospective research is needed to identify the extent to which certain types of UER are modifiable and to define patients at high-risk for preventable UER.
Pulmonary complications of hepatic diseases

Severe chronic liver disease (CLD) may result from portal hypertension, hepatocellular failure or the combination of both. Some of these patients may develop pulmonary complications independent from any pulmonary pathology that they may have. Among them the hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS), portopulmonary hypertension (PPH) and hepatic hydrothorax (HH) are described in detail in this literature review. HPS is encountered in approximately 15% to 30% of the patients and its presence is associated with increase in mortality and also requires liver transplantation in many cases. PPH has been reported among 4%-8% of the patient with CLD who have undergone liver transplantation. The HH is another entity, which has the prevalence rate of 5% to 6% and is associated in the absence of cardiopulmonary disease. These clinical syndromes occur in similar pathophysiologic environments. Most treatment modalities work as temporizing measures. The ultimate treatment of choice is liver transplant. This clinical review provides basic concepts; pathophysiology and clinical presentation that will allow the clinician to better understand these potentially life-threatening complications. This article will review up-to-date information on the pathophysiology, clinical features and the treatment of the pulmonary complications among liver disease patients.
The Varieties of Parsimony in Psychology

Philosophers and psychologists make many different, seemingly incompatible parsimony claims in support of competing models of cognition in nonhuman animals. This variety of parsimony claims is problematic. Firstly, it is difficult to justify each specific variety. This problem is especially salient for Morgan's Canon, perhaps the most important variety of parsimony claimed. Secondly, there is no systematic way of adjudicating between particular claims when they conflict. I argue for a view of parsimony in comparative psychology that solves these problems, based on Sober's (1994) view that parsimony claims are claims that one model is more plausible given background theory.
The paleoanthropology of Hadar, Ethiopia

Abstract Field research at the fossil-bearing deposits in the Afar Depression began in the 1970s. Prior to this, hominin fossils older than 3.0 Mya consisted of only a handful of fragments. During Phase I, the International Afar Research Expedition to Hadar, Ethiopia collected some 240 fossil hominins from Hadar over a time range of 3.0–3.4 Mya. Along with hominin fossils from Laetoli, they were deemed a new species, Australopithecus afarensis . This taxon was posited as the last common ancestor to robust Australopithecus and the Homo lineage in eastern Africa. Phase II research under the Hadar Research Project has added strength to the Phase I results, including the first association of a Homo fossil with stone tools at 2.4 Mya. This presentation is a cursory synopsis of the importance and implications of the hominin fossils recovered at Hadar during over the last 34 years.
Marginalized Milk: “Extreme” Nursing, Milk Exchange, and Erotic Breastfeeding

This chapter explores breastfeeding and breastmilk uses and behaviors that have been perpetuated as “spectacle” by mainstream media, looking at how this “othering” polarizes people and undermines public acceptance of breastfeeding. Foss examines media’s framing of extended breastfeeding as “extreme” with frenzy over the documentary Extraordinary Breastfeeding , the controversial 2012 Time magazine cover featuring a mother and her breastfeeding 3 year-old, and the Game of Thrones episode in which Noblewoman Lysa breastfeeds her very articulate older child. Other breastfeeding-related examples are also addressed, including the distribution of human milk and erotic breastfeeding. Foss concludes that public backlash to different “deviant” breastfeeding acts are gendered, reinforcing power disparities between the public and private, male and female desires, and differing conceptualizations of the female body.
Comment on Løhre & Teigen (2016). “There is a 60% probability, but I am 70% certain: communicative consequences of external and internal expressions of uncertainty”. Thinking & Reasoning

A number of philosophers and psychologists have observed that uncertainty may take different forms. Perhaps the best known psychological account is an essay by Kahneman and Tversky (1982) called Va...
Robotic Assisted Lobectomy for Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer-related deaths in the USA. We review the epidemiology of lung cancer, the multimodality treatment, and the surgical treatment of this disease. In the section covering the surgical treatment of lung cancer, we will discuss open lobectomy, video-assisted lobectomy, and the new approach of robot-assisted lobectomy for treatment of lung cancer.
Association in Contingency Tables, Correspondence Analysis, and (Modified) Andrews Plots

Andrews plots [Andrews (1972)], as a tool to graphically interpret multivariate data, have recently gained considerable recognition. We present the use of Andrews plots and Modified Andrews plots which are recently introduced by the authors [Khattree and Naik (2001)], in graphically exhibiting the association in the cross classified data and in the context of correspondence analysis. A new alternative to traditional correspondence analysis introduced by C. R. Rao (1995) and implementation of our approach in this case are also discussed.
Echelon approach to areas of concern in synoptic regional monitoring

Echelons provide an objective approach to prospecting for areas of potential concern in synoptic regional monitoring of a surface variable. Echelons can be regarded informally as stacked hill forms. The strategy is to identify regions of the surface which are elevated relative to surroundings (Relative ELEVATIONS or RELEVATIONS). These are areas which would continue to expand as islands with receding (virtual) floodwaters. Levels where islands would merge are critical elevations which delimit echelons in the vertical dimension. Families of echelons consist of surface sectors constituting separate islands for deeper waters that merge as water level declines. Pits which would hold water are disregarded in such a progression, but a complementary analysis of pits is obtained using the surface as a virtual mould to cast a counter-surface (bathymetric analysis). An echelon tree is a family tree of echelons with peaks as terminals and the lowest level as root. An echelon tree thus provides a dendrogram representation of surface topology which enables graph theoretic analysis and comparison of surface structures. Echelon top view maps show echelon cover sectors on the base plane. An echelon table summarizes characteristics of echelons as instances or cases of hill form surface structure. Determination of echelons requires only ordinal strength for the surface variable, and is thus appropriate for environmental indices as well as measurements. Since echelons are inherent in a surface rather than perceptual, they provide a basis for computer-intelligent understanding of surfaces. Echelons are given for broad-scale mammalian species richness in Pennsylvania.
Risk Factors: Tobacco and Alcohol

Tobacco and alcohol can be considered the two most important head and neck cancer risk factors since the majority of head and neck cancers are attributed to the two risk factors [1, 2] . Each is a head and neck cancer risk factor independent of the other factor [3] . An interaction between tobacco and alcohol on the risk of head and neck cancers was reported in the 1970s and is a paradigm of interaction between two environmental factors in human carcinogenesis [1, 2] .
On the Students’ Concepts, the Teacher’s Comments

In this course on ‘clinical epidemiology,’ the students – residents and fellows in various clinical disciplines – should already have gained secure command of general concepts of medicine, most elementary concepts in particular (cf. Sect. II – 1). To give them a sense of the extent to which they actually did have this background, they were given the assignment to define a particular set of elementary concepts of medicine. Their definitions were, generally, quite inconsistent (App. 1) and, thus, substantially at variance with what they should have been (App. 2).
Mid-infrared spectroscopic evidence for AGN heating warm molecular gas

We analyse 2,015 mid-infrared (MIR) spectra of galaxies observed with Spitzer's Infrared Spectrograph, including objects with growing super-massive black holes and objects where most of the infrared emission originates from newly formed stars. We determine if and how accreting super-massive black holes at the centre of galaxies -- known as active galactic nuclei (AGN) -- heat and ionize their host galaxies' dust and molecular gas. We use four MIR diagnostics to estimate the contribution of the AGN to the total MIR emission. We refer to galaxies whose AGN contribute more than 50 per cent of the total MIR emission as AGN-dominated. We compare the relative strengths of PAH emission features and find that PAH grains in AGN-dominated sources have a wider range of sizes and fractional ionizations than PAH grains in non-AGN dominated sources. We measure rotational transitions of H_2 and estimate H_2 excitation temperatures and masses for individual targets, H_2 excitation temperatures for spectra stacked by their AGN contribution to the MIR, and the H_2 excitation temperature distributions via a hierarchical Bayesian model. We find an average 200 K difference between the excitation temperatures of the H_2 S(5) and H_2 S(7) pure rotational molecular hydrogen transition pair in AGN-dominated versus non-AGN dominated galaxies. Our findings suggest that AGN impact the interstellar medium of their host galaxies.
Amniochorial Membrane Nodules

Four lesions, amnion nodosum (AN), squamous metaplasia of amnion (SM), vanishing twin (VT) and yolk sac remnant (YSR), are discussed. AN is a hallmark of severe oligohydramnios, commonly seen in fetal congenital malformations, prolonged premature rupture of membranes or maternal vascular malperfusion, particularly of postterm pregnancy. It is associated with a high perinatal mortality. Grossly, it features shiny nodules on the placental membranes, fetal surface of the chorionic disc or the umbilical cord. Microscopically, AN are nodules of fetal vernix attached to the amniotic surface. The differential diagnosis includes mainly SM. Histological diagnosis of AN should warn of the possibility of congenital anomalies, particularly of the urinary tract, if unknown at the time of birth. SM are patches of keratinizing squamous epithelium on the amniotic surface that cannot be easily wiped out. Its significance is that SM must be differentiated from AN, candida infection and subchorionic fibrin deposits, but by itself it does not have clinical significance. VT is a nodule present in the membranes or less commonly on the placental disc representing an embryo that died in the first trimester. YSR is a well-demarcated calcified embryonal rest on the chorionic disc or placental membranes.
(Dis)Incentivizing Patient Satisfaction Metrics: The Unintended Consequences of Institutional Bias

Background: Patient satisfaction surveys as a metric for quality-based financial incentives carry a risk of bias toward women and underrepresented physicians. Previous assessments in our department of medicine found that most women faculty were rated in the bottom quartile of patient satisfaction scores, whereas analysis of scores for underrepresented physicians had not been performed. To investigate, we compared patient satisfaction scores and relevant demographics of faculty physicians during 1 year when quality-related financial incentives were offered based on this metric. Methods: Patient satisfaction and communication scores collected during academic year 2015-2016 were obtained for 369 physicians (119 women and 250 men) at Indiana University Health system. Independent variables included physician gender, race, ethnicity, and subspecialty or division; 190 physicians constituted the study cohort for whom data were available for comparison. Statistical analyses were performed to determine if there were differences between gender and race in patient satisfaction scores (mean, median, t-tests, and Chi-square tests). A factorial analysis of variance model was performed to incorporate both main effects and to determine if there was a significant interaction between them. Results: Median and mean of scores were lower for women physicians and underrepresented physicians. Analysis demonstrated nonsignificant effect between gender-segregated cohorts. Racially underrepresented physicians had significantly lower mean scores than their white colleagues [F(4, 185)=2.46, p=0.046]. Conclusion and Relevance: Our results indicate a significant difference in patient satisfaction scores between underrepresented and white physicians. These data may suggest a potential bias, among patients and institutional practices, ultimately leading to pay inequities through differences in financial incentives toward underrepresented physicians.
Capacity Enhancement of Indoor 5G mmWave Communication by Beam Steering and Narrowing

Millimeter wave (mmWave) frequencies are promising as carrier frequencies for fifth generation (5G) communication networks, because of its huge spectrum availability. However, mmWave signals are prone to higher free space path loss. With the advances made in antenna design and circuitry, it is possible to produce smaller antennas by combining even smaller antenna arrays together. Highly directive beams can then be formed and steered using antenna arrays, which can compensate for the increased path loss of mmWave signals. In this paper, the effectiveness of beam steering and narrowing is demonstrated for mmWave communication, in order to provide enhanced capacity, in an indoor communication environment.
Penguin vocalization classifications

The present study researches five different penguin species vocalizations who currently residing at the Newport Aquarium in Newport, KY. These penguins—while different species—coexist in the same habitat at the Newport Aquarium. It was purposed that the different species do not “speak the same language” and therefore do not respond to different species of penguin’s calls, despite sharing the same enclosure. Therefore, this study aimed at collecting and categorizing the different species’ calls and then proceeding to analyze the vocal data to see if any of the species shared similar vocal spectrum similarities. Once collected, the aim of this data is twofold: primarily to classify the different penguin species calls—especially during specific events (i.e., defending a nest, distress, calling for a mate, etc.) and secondarily to analyze the vocal spectral energy of the different species to see if similarities exist.
Influence of Plant Age on Cold Hardiness of Three Container-Grown Herbaceous Perennials

Abstract Overwintering container-grown perennial plants is often necessary during their production. Rooted vegetative cuttings potted at the beginning of the growing season and rooted vegetative cu...
Pulmonary Hypertension and Lung Transplantation, 2010

Pulmonary arterial hypertension is a disease characterized by progressive resistance to flow across the pulmonary vascular bed, resulting in death from progressive right heart failure. The evolutio...
Deletion of transcription factor AP-2α gene attenuates fibroblast differentiation into myofibroblast.

Excessive fibrosis underlies many critical organ dysfunctions.1, 2 Fibrosis emanates from fibroblast trans‐differentiation into myofibroblasts,3 marked by increased α‐smooth muscle actin (α‐SMA) expression and excessive collagen secretion, initiated as a reparative process of normal wound healing and tissue repair in response to injury.4 However, activated myofibroblasts accumulate within pathological lesions of various fibrotic disorders,5 including patchy and interstitial fibrosis in progressive heart failure and cardiac hypertrophy.6 Therefore, attenuation of differentiation to myofibroblasts is expected to mitigate fibrosis. We attempted to find a potential target to extenuate the fibroblast differentiation by analysing the transcription factors in human fibroblasts/myofibroblasts, as transcriptome changes occur in fibroblasts during differentiation.7 Here, we report a novel molecular target, transcription factor AP‐2α (TFAP2A), to reduce fibroblasts trans‐differentiation.
Progress in data interoperability to support computational toxicology and chemical safety evaluation

New approach methodologies (NAMs) in chemical safety evaluation are being explored to address the current public health implications of human environmental exposures to chemicals with limited or no data for assessment. For over a decade since a push toward "Toxicity Testing in the 21st Century," the field has focused on massive data generation efforts to inform computational approaches for preliminary hazard identification, adverse outcome pathways that link molecular initiating events and key events to apical outcomes, and high-throughput approaches to risk-based ratios of bioactivity and exposure to inform relative priority and safety assessment. Projects like the interagency Tox21 program and the US EPA ToxCast program have generated dose-response information on thousands of chemicals, identified and aggregated information from legacy systems, and created tools for access and analysis. The resulting information has been used to develop computational models as viable options for regulatory applications. This progress has introduced challenges in data management that are new, but not unique, to toxicology. Some of the key questions require critical thinking and solutions to promote semantic interoperability, including: (1) identification of bioactivity information from NAMs that might be related to a biological process; (2) identification of legacy hazard information that might be related to a key event or apical outcomes of interest; and, (3) integration of these NAM and traditional data for computational modeling and prediction of complex apical outcomes such as carcinogenesis. This work reviews a number of toxicology-related efforts specifically related to bioactivity and toxicological data interoperability based on the goals established by Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable (FAIR) Data Principles. These efforts are essential to enable better integration of NAM and traditional toxicology information to support data-driven toxicology applications.
Extended Letermovir Administration, Beyond Day 100, Is Effective for CMV Prophylaxis in Patients with Graft Versus Host Disease

Introduction Patients who are seropositive for cytomegalovirus (CMV) prior to allogeneic stem cell transplant (ASCT), have a ∼30% incidence of CMV reactivation (Teira, Blood 2016). Letermovir is commonly used for CMV prophylaxis in this cohort. In the phase III trial for letermovir, prophylaxis was only continued through week 14 (∼day 100). The incidence of CMV reactivation increased significantly after week 18 post ASCT. It was hypothesized that late reactivation in some patients was due to graft versus host disease (GVHD) and glucocorticoid use (Marty, NEJM 2017). To our knowledge, no data has been published regarding the efficacy of extended letermovir prophylaxis in patients with GVHD, who are receiving high dose glucocorticoids. Methods We retrospectively identified all patients that received an ASCT between January 2018 and August 2019 at Columbia University Medical Center and were given letermovir for CMV prophylaxis. We further limited our analysis to the subset of patients that were diagnosed with acute or chronic GVHD and continued letermovir after the diagnosis of GVHD regardless of the day 100 milestone. Results We identified 12 patients that continued letermovir after the diagnosis of GVHD (Table 1). The median duration of letermovir after the diagnosis of GVHD was 5 months. 10/12 patients received letermovir beyond 100 days post-transplant. The remaining 2 patients have had less than 100 days follow up post-transplant to date. Only 3 patients (25%) who continued letermovir after GVHD diagnosis showed evidence of CMV reactivation, which was not clinically significant, while on the drug. Notably, all 3 patients had received post-transplant cyclophosphamide. 2 patients had received grafts from haploidentical donors and 1 patient from an 8/10 mismatched unrelated donor. All 3 had low level viremia ( In summary we show that extended letermovir prophylaxis is effective in CMV-seropositive patients that develop GVHD and require systemic immunosuppression. Despite low level viremia in 3/12 patients, there was no need to switch any patients to alternate antivirals. Patients that developed low level CMV reactivation had lower CD4 counts compared to patients who did not reactivate. Post transplant cyclophosphamide is a potential risk factor for CMV reactivation in GVHD patients on extended letermovir. These findings should be confirmed in a prospective study.
Molecular Advances in Central Nervous System Mesenchymal Tumors

Mesenchymal tumors of the central nervous system (CNS) comprise an array of neoplasms that may arise from or secondarily affect the CNS and its immediate surroundings. This review focuses on meningiomas and solitary fibrous tumors, the most common primary CNS mesenchymal tumors, and discusses recent advances in unveiling the molecular landscapes of these neoplasms. An effort is made to underscore those molecular findings most relevant to tumor diagnostics and prognostication from a practical perspective. As molecular techniques become more readily used at the clinical level, such alterations may strengthen formal grading schemes and lend themselves to treatment with targeted therapies.
Mechanism for Singlet Oxygen Production in Li-Ion and Metal-Air Batteries

Singlet oxygen has emerged as a real mystery puzzling battery science, having been observed in Li–O2 and Na–O2 batteries, in conventional Li-ion batteries with NMC cathodes, and during the oxidatio...
Living in a Food Desert is Associated with 30-day Readmission after Revascularization for Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia.

Background Living in a food desert has been associated with increased cardiovascular risk; however, its impact on vascular surgery outcomes is unknown. This study hypothesized that living in a food desert would be associated with increased postoperative complications in patients undergoing revascularization for chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI). Methods This was a single-center retrospective analysis of open and endovascular infrainguinal revascularization for CLTI between April 2013 and December 2015. A food desert was defined using the US Department of Agriculture's Food Access Research Atlas. Bivariate analyses were performed appropriate to the data. Binary logistic regression was performed assessing the association of food desert status with 30-day postoperative complications. Results In total, 152 cases were included, of which 17% (n = 26) resided in food deserts. Patients in the food desert cohort were less likely to be low income (27% vs. 54%, P = 0.01). Living in a food desert was associated with increased 30-day readmission [(39% vs. 20%, P = 0.04), unadjusted OR: 2.5 (CI: 1.0–6.2)]. FD cases also had a higher proportion of wound complications [12 (46%) vs. 28 (22%), P = 0.01)]. The overall wound complication rate was 27% with the majority being due to infections (63%). On multivariable analysis, food desert status remained associated with increased odds of 30-day readmission (OR: 2.7, CI: 1.2–8.4, P = 0.047). Reasons for readmission in the food desert group were all due to wound complications (100% vs. 72%, P = 0.08). Conclusions Living in a food desert was associated with nearly three times the odds of 30-day readmission after lower extremity revascularization for CLTI. This increase in readmission may be explained through increased wound complications. These findings support considering access to healthy food as a potential modifiable risk factor for adverse outcomes, particularly in CLTI revascularization.
Model-Based Approach to Improve Clinical Outcomes in Neonates With Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome Using Real-World Data.

At least 60% of the neonates with opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS) require morphine to control withdrawal symptoms. Currently, the morphine dosing strategies are empiric, not optimal and associated with longer hospital stay. The aim of the study was to develop a quantitative, model-based, real-world data-driven approach to morphine dosing to improve clinical outcomes, such as reducing time on treatment. Longitudinal morphine dose, clinical response (Modified Finnegan Score (MFS)), and baseline risk factors were collected using a retrospective cohort design from the electronic medical records of neonates with NOWS (N = 177) admitted to the University of Maryland Medical Center. A dynamic linear mixed effects model was developed to describe the relationship between MFS and morphine dose adjusting for baseline risk factors using a split-sample data approach (70% training: 30% test). The training model was evaluated in the test dataset using a simulation based approach. Maternal methadone and benzodiazepine use, and race were significant predictors of the MFS response. Positive autocorrelations of 0.56 and 0.12 were estimated between consecutive MFS responses. On an average, for a 1,000 μg increase in the morphine dose, the MFS decreased by 0.3 units. The model evaluation showed that observed and predicted median time on treatment were similar (13.0 vs. 13.8 days). A model-based framework was developed to describe the MFS-morphine dose relationship using real-world data that could potentially be used to develop an adaptive, individualized morphine dosing strategy to improve clinical outcomes in infants with NOWS.
Gender, Genre, and Retribution in Rayco Pulido’s Lamia: A Historical Novel for the Present Day

McKinney offers a timely analysis of Rayco Pulido’s award-winning graphic novel Lamia. Focusing on the interplay between the comics medium, crime-fiction genre, Spain’s machista past, and contemporary feminist movements, McKinney argues that the historical setting is merely a dissimulated mirror meant to reflect current issues plaguing Spanish society, specifically a frustrating lack of progress regarding the mistreatment of women. When read against the backdrop of the recent La Manada trial, the #MeToo, #YoTeCreo and other viral movements, or the alarming misogynistic rhetoric of the far-right in Spanish politics, Lamia feels alarmingly contemporary despite its historical setting. The rejection of patriarchy portrayed in this graphic novel is accentuated by the breakdown of hierarchical structures and social systems that collapse under careful scrutiny.
The Virtues and Limitations of Dynamic Capabilities

Dynamic capabilities have been identified as a key determinant of competitive advantage. This paper explores the foundations of dynamic capabilities and the limits to their effectiveness, first theoretically and then through the case of Danaher, the most successful US conglomerate for over three decades. Limitations of dynamic capabilities include that they (a) can be substitutable and (b) embody strategic choices themselves. The case of Danaher, an exemplar of dynamic capabilities, illustrates how dynamic capabilities require long-term commitments in order to be effective, involve a set of choices that are closely tied to others made by the firm, and embody tradeoffs that imply that investments in any particular dynamic capability may be inconsistent with acquiring new ones.
Delirious Mania: An Approach to Diagnosis and Treatment

The Psychiatric Consultation Service at Massachusetts General Hospital sees medical and surgical inpatients with comorbid psychiatric symptoms and conditions. During their twice-weekly rounds, Dr Stern and other members of the Consultation Service discuss diagnosis and management of hospitalized patients with complex medical or surgical problems who also demonstrate psychiatric symptoms or conditions. These discussions have given rise to rounds reports that will prove useful for clinicians practicing at the interface of medicine and psychiatry.
Abstract 005: Violent Crime, Physical Inactivity, And Obesity: Examining Differences In Spatial Relationships By Racial/ethnic Composition Of Community Residents

Introduction: Violent crime (e.g., homicide, aggravated assault) is a major public health issue that disproportionately affects communities of color in large urban centers. Studies have reported th...
More than Amplifying Voice and Providing Choice: Educator Perceptions of Flipgrid Use in the Classroom

While the video discussion tool Flipgrid has increasingly become popular among educators, limited research has been conducted with Flipgrid as the subject. The research on Flipgrid has focused, to date, primarily on single-case uses. These studies have been beneficial in examining how Flipgrid is being used in isolated contexts. The goal in conducting this study was to add to the research base by exploring on a macro level how educators are using Flipgrid and how they perceive the use of Flipgrid enhancing student learning. To meet this goal, we conducted an online survey to gather data on educators’ (n = 230) uses of Flipgrid and their perceptions about Fligrid use on student learning. The data show that primary uses of Flipgrid are promoting creativity and formative evaluation of student learning. Data analysis suggested that teachers perceived Flipgrid to be a valuable teaching tool and a valuable student learning tool. We discuss these findings and implications for Flipgrid users and those who provide support for and training on Flipgrid.
An Initial Investigation of the CIRCLE Infant-Toddler Teacher Training for Toddler Teachers

This pilot study conducted an initial evaluation of the Center for Improving the Readiness of Children for Learning and Education (CIRCLE) Infant-Toddler Teacher Training program. The program is un...
Psychometric Evaluation of the School Nurses' Awareness and Perceptions Survey (SNAPS) for Youth At-Risk of Trafficking

Background and purpose Estimates suggest approximately 244,000-360,000 schoolaged children in the United States are at risk of being trafficked. The purpose of this study was to test the psychometric properties of the School Nurses' Awareness and Perceptions Survey (SNAPS). Methods A multi-phase approach for reliability and validity using correlation, exploratory, and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) with samples of school nurses from Massachusetts (Phase I) and nationally (Phase II). Results SNAPS is a 32-item 5-point Likert scale with a potential score range of 32-160. Cronbach's alpha was .94 with sub-scales ranging from 0.84-0.94. CFA revealed a three-factor scale with a cumulative variance of 70.79% (Chisquare 3.13, df 461, p Conclusions Strong psychometric properties were found for the new measure allowing assessment of school nurses' knowledge of youth trafficking.