cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of a selective beta2 adrenergic agonist and theophylline on skin test reactivity and cardiovascular parameters

Abstract Fenoterol, a selective β 2 -adrenergic agent, and aminophylline in the "therapeutic range" were compared with placebo for their inhibitory effect on skin test reactivity to allergens and histamine. Cardiovascular parameters were also assessed. A new, inexpensive micrometer adaptor to a tuberculin syringe was used to deliver allergens and histamine more accurately. No inhibition of skin test reactivity to antigens or histamine was found after a loading dose or after 1 wk of round-the-clock therapy with these bronchodilators. Although there was increased heart rate after 1 and 2 hr with fenoterol, there was no patient preference for one bronchodilator over the other. The results of this study point out some of the difficulties in trying to extrapolate in vitro findings to in vivo correlates since neither fenoterol nor therapeutic doses of theophylline interfere with immediate skin test reactivity.
Prediction of diffusion coefficients for polymer‐solvent systems

A revised version of a recently proposed free-volume theory of polymer-solvent diffusion is introduced and evaluated using experimental diffusivity data collected over wide temperature and concentration ranges. The theory accurately predicts the large temperature and concentration variations typically observed for polymer-solvent diffusion coefficients.
No Harm Found When Nurse Anesthetists Work Without Supervision By Physicians

In 2001 the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) allowed states to opt out of the requirement for reimbursement that a surgeon or anesthesiologist oversee the provision of anesthesia by certified registered nurse anesthetists. By 2005, fourteen states had exercised this option. An analysis of Medicare data for 1999-2005 finds no evidence that opting out of the oversight requirement resulted in increased inpatient deaths or complications. Based on our findings, we recommend that CMS allow certified registered nurse anesthetists in every state to work without the supervision of a surgeon or anesthesiologist.
Complexity of genetic sequences modified by horizontal gene transfer and degraded-DNA uptake

Horizontal gene transfer has been a major vehicle for efficient transfer of genetic materials among living species and could be one of the sources for noncoding DNA incorporation into a genome. Our previous study of lnc- RNA sequence complexity in terms of fractal dimension and information entropy shows a tight regulation among the studied genes in numerous diseases. The role of sequence complexity in horizontal transferred genes was investigated with Mealybug in symbiotic relation with a 139K genome microbe and Deinococcus radiodurans as examples. The fractal dimension and entropy showed correlation R-sq of 0.82 (N = 6) for the studied Deinococcus radiodurans sequences. For comparison the Deinococcus radiodurans oxidative stress tolerant catalase and superoxide dismutase genes under extracellular dGMP growth condition showed R-sq ~ 0.42 (N = 6); and the studied arsenate reductase horizontal transferred genes for toxicity survival in several microorganisms showed no correlation. Simulation results showed that R-sq < 0.4 would be improbable at less than one percent chance, suggestive of additional selection pressure when compared to the R-sq ~ 0.29 (N = 21) in the studied transferred genes in Mealybug. The mild correlation of R-sq ~ 0.5 for fractal dimension versus transcription level in the studied Deinococcus radiodurans sequences upon extracellular dGMP growth condition would suggest that lower fractal dimension with less electron density fluctuation favors higher transcription level.
A Flatfile for the KiK-net Database Processed Using an Automated Protocol

The Kiban-Kyoshin network (KiK-net) database is an important resource for ground motion (GM) studies. The processing of the KiK-net records is a necessary first step to enable their use in engineer...
Impact of Vaccine Behavior on the Resurgence of Measles

Widespread avoidance of the measles-mumps-rubella vaccination (MMR) demonstrates that the effectiveness of vaccination programs can be thwarted by public misperceptions of vaccine risk. By coupling game theory and epidemic models, we examine vaccination choice among populations stratified into vaccine skeptics and vaccine believers. The two behavioral groups are assumed to be heterogeneous with respect to their perceptions of vaccine and infection risks. We demonstrate that the pursuit of self-interest among vaccine skeptics often leads to vaccination levels that are suboptimal for a population, even if complete coverage is achieved among vaccine believers. Furthermore, as the number of vaccine skeptics increases, the probability of infection among vaccine skeptics increases initially, but it decreases once the vaccine skeptics begin receiving the vaccination, if both behavioral groups are vaccinated according to individual self-interest. This research illustrates the importance of public education on vaccine safety and infection risk in order to achieve vaccination levels that are sufficient to maintain herd immunity.
Oxidative Stress, Motor Abilities, and Behavioral Adjustment in Children Treated for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

Purpose/objectives To examine associations among oxidative stress, fine and visual-motor abilities, and behavioral adjustment in children receiving chemotherapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) . Design A prospective, repeated-measures design . Setting Two pediatric oncology settings in the southwestern United States. Sample 89 children with ALL were followed from diagnosis to the end of chemotherapy. Methods Serial cerebrospinal fluid samples were collected during scheduled lumbar punctures and analyzed for oxidative stress biomarkers. Children completed fine motor dexterity, visual processing speed, and visual-motor integration measures at three time points. Parents completed child behavior ratings at the same times. Main research variables Oxidative stress, fine motor dexterity, visual processing, visual-motor integration, and behavioral adjustment . Findings Children with ALL had below-average fine motor dexterity, visual processing speed, and visual-motor integration following the induction phase of ALL therapy. By end of therapy, visual processing speed normalized, and fine motor dexterity and visual-motor integration remained below average. Oxidative stress measures correlated with fine motor dexterity and visual-motor integration. Decreased motor functioning was associated with increased hyperactivity and anxiety . Conclusions Oxidative stress occurs following chemo-therapy for childhood ALL and is related to impaired fine motor skills and visual symptoms . Implications for nursing Early intervention should be considered to prevent fine motor and visual-spatial deficits, as well as behavioral problems.
Wayfinding in ageing and Alzheimer's disease within a virtual senior residence: study protocol.

Aim To report a study protocol that examines the impact of adding salient cues in a virtual reality simulation of a senior residential building on wayfinding for older adults with and without Alzheimer's disease. Background An early symptom of Alzheimer's disease is the inability to find one's way (wayfinding). Senior residential environments are especially difficult for wayfinding. Salient cues may be able to help persons with Alzheimer's disease find their way more effectively so they can maintain independence. Design A repeated measures, within and between subjects design. Methods This study was funded by the National Institutes of Health (August 2012). Older adults (N = 40) with normal cognition and older adults with early stage Alzheimer's disease/mild cognitive impairment (N = 40) will try to find their way to a location repeatedly in a virtual reality simulation of senior residence. There are two environments: standard (no cues) and salient (multiple cues). Outcome measures include how often and how quickly participants find the target location in each cue condition. Conclusion The results of this study have the potential to provide evidence for ways to make the environment more supportive for wayfinding for older adults with Alzheimer's disease. This study is registered at Trialmatch.alz.org (Identifier 260425-5).
Testing the utility of fluorescent proteins in Mimulus lewisii by an Agrobacterium-mediated transient assay

The Agrobacterium -mediated transient expression assay by leaf infiltration in Mimulus lewisii is robust. Fluorescent proteins EGFP, EYFP and DsRed give bright fluorescence signals in the infiltrated tissue. Mimulus lewisii is an emerging developmental genetic model system. Recently developed genomic and genetic resources and a stable transformation protocol have greatly facilitated the identification and functional characterization of genes controlling the development of ecologically important floral traits using this species. To further expedite gene and protein function analyses in M. lewisii, we adopted and simplified the Agrobacterium-mediated transient gene expression method routinely used in tobacco plants. With the validated transient assay, we examined the performance of fluorescent proteins EGFP, EYFP and DsRed in M. lewisii. All three proteins gave bright fluorescence signals when transiently expressed in agroinfiltrated leaves. Furthermore, we demonstrated the utility of fluorescent proteins in M. lewisii by showing the nuclear localization of Reduced Carotenoid Pigmentation 1 (RCP1), a recently discovered R2R3-MYB transcription factor that regulates carotenoid pigmentation during flower development. Both the transient assay and the fluorescent proteins are valuable additions to the M. lewisii toolbox, making this emerging genetic and developmental model system even more powerful.
Capacitor fundamentals

In this review of capacitor fundamentals, the author attempts to clarify the modes of operation of the broad spectrum of capacitors, including paper/polymeric films, electrolytics, and ceramics. How each class of capacitor performs in both low- and high-power electronics is discussed in detail, with emphasis upon delineating those factors affecting life, reliability, maintainability, and environmental compatibility of systems in which the capacitor is a required element. Diagnostic measurement techniques for quality assessment, noninvasive life determination, and system continuity of performance under component aging are analyzed and compared. Particular emphasis is given to the influence of the mode of operation of the capacitor upon life and reliability, including energy discharge, low- and high-frequency filtering in AC+DC systems, AC resonant inverter, and switch-mode power supply use, along with transient pulse filtering applications. Practical factors as delineated by manufacturers in the field are discussed in depth. >
The oddity preference effect and the concept of difference in pigeons.

Previous work in discrimination learning has shown that nonmatching (oddity) tasks are learned faster and more accurately than comparable matching tasks. This learning advantage has been coined the oddity preference effect (Wright & Delius in Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Behavior Processes, 31, 425-432. doi: 10.1037/0097-7403.31.4.425 , 2005). Pigeons trained in a nonmatching task, following training in a same/different (S/D) task, learned the abstract concept of difference (Daniel et al., in Animal Cognition, 18(4), 831-837, 2015), but they did not show the expected faster acquisition or high levels of transfer from the oddity preference effect. In the present study, experimentally naive pigeons were trained in an identical nonmatching task to examine whether they would show the oddity preference effect on abstract-concept learning. These experimentally naive pigeons did show an oddity preference effect; their transfer to novel configurations was above chance with the initial (smallest) set size (3-item set) and was substantially more accurate than novel transfer in similar match-to-sample (MTS) or S/D tasks (Bodily et al., in Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Behavior Processes, 34, 178-184. doi: 10.1037/0097-7403.34.1.178 , 2008; Katz & Wright in Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Behavior Processes, 32, 80-86. doi: 10.1037/0097-7403.32.1.80 , 2006). As the number exemplars in the training set increased, transfer to novel configurations increased and reached equivalence to trained-stimulus performance with a 24-item set. Despite this transfer being equal to baseline performance with a 24-item set, subsequent transfers following training with larger set sizes declined before eventually rising again to baseline performance. This unusual set-size function (with inflection points at the 24- and 96-set sizes) suggests that these pigeons may have combined item-specific and relational learning strategies with differing emphasis as they acquired the abstract concept.
The 1986 reform of ICC's practice relating to costs and payments

The following text is taken from a circular letter by Mr Stephen Bond, Secretary General of the International Chamber of Commerce Court of Arbitration to parties, counsel, and arbitrators involved in ICC arbitration proceedings. It describes the content and the rationale for long-awaited changes in the ICC's financial practices, and is reproduced here because of its practical importance to every party participating in ICC arbitration . The General Editor EFFECTIVE as of 1 July 1986, important changes have been instituted with respect to the ICC's Rules and practice relating to the assessment of costs and the manner of payment by parties. They will be to the advantage of almost every party to an ICC arbitration. In brief, these changes, which become effective as of 1 July 1986, are as follows: 1. Defendants are no longer asked to pay US $500 when a request for arbitration is filed against them. Rather the claimant alone is responsible for the payment required before a request for arbitration may be entertained, which payment is now in the amount of US $2,000. The US $2,000, which should accompany each request for arbitration, is not recoverable by the claimant but is fully credited to the claimant's share of the advance on costs. 2. The formerly open-ended scale for administrative charges is now capped at US $50,500, which amount will not be exceeded whatever the amount in contention. 3. Parties are no longer requested to pay the totality of the advance on costs at the commencement of the arbitration. Rather, the payment of the advance on costs is now staggered with the first 50 per cent (25 per cent from each party) due prior to the seizing of the arbitral tribunal with the case and the second 50 per cent (again 25 per cent from each party) due prior to …
Channel Domination and Countervailing Power in Distributive Channels

Three hypotheses are discussed: that the power of a channel leader is a result of his control over some power sources, and of dependency of other channel members upon him, and that such power can b...
Role of peripheral capsaicin-sensitive neurons and CGRP in central vagally mediated gastroprotective effect of TRH

We investigated in conscious rats the role of capsaicin-sensitive neurons and alpha-calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), the form preferentially expressed in capsaicin sensory neurons, in mediating intracisternal thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) analogue-induced vagal muscarinic gastroprotection against ethanol lesions. The TRH analogue RX-77368 (1.5 ng ic) reduced by 78 and 66% gastric hemorrhagic lesions induced by intragastric intubation of 60 and 80% ethanol, respectively. alpha-CGRP (1 nmol/kg iv) inhibited by 88% gastric lesions induced by 60% ethanol, and this peptide action was blocked by the CGRP antagonist, CGRP-(8-37) (128 nmol/kg iv). The protective effect of RX-77368 against 60% ethanol was completely abolished by the CGRP monoclonal antibody 4901 (4.8 mg/kg iv), CGRP-(8-37) (128 nmol/kg iv), and capsaicin pretreatment (125 mg/kg). Gastric lesions induced by 60% ethanol were not altered by the CGRP antagonist or antibody alone but were enhanced by capsaicin pretreatment. These results suggest that the gastroprotection induced by intracisternal TRH analogue involves an interaction between central vagal efferent pathways and splanchnic sensory afferent terminals containing CGRP.
Electric Field Distribution of UHV AC Parallel Lines

The electric field distribution of UHV AC parallel lines have great influence on enviormental protection,the corridor width and the demolition range.the power-frequency electric field strength of 500～1 000 kV single-circuit and double-circuit AC lines under various conditions,such as different phase sequence,line heights and distances are studied in this paper,and then the distribution rule of electric field in 1 000 kV UHV AC parallel lines is obtained.Finally,the phase arrangement and the corresponding line space are proposed on the basis of the existing environmental standards,which could provide support for the construction and operation of UHV AC power transmission projects.
Systems Biology: Unravelling Molecular Complexity in Health and Disease

In November 2014, Georgetown University Medical Center and Medstar Institute for Innovation convened a conference related to “Systems and Complexity Sciences for Healthcare: a Conference on the Imperative for Systems Science in the twenty-first Century”. The symposium brought more than 100 biomedical researchers, medical educators, leaders and clinicians to deliberate the importance of understanding and incorporating biological system complexities into patient care. Such an approach provides tangible methods for breaking the bonds of traditional treatment and clinical management methods, towards truly personalized medicine, or cura personalis. Such a systems approach towards health, illness, and disease considers the inter-dependencies within and outside of a biological system and offers significant benefits towards improving clinical outcomes and quality of life. Despite substantial scientific evidence, however, the systems and complexity paradigm and its application to healthcare remains in its infancy. Herein, we present a summary of discussions and opinions of conference participants who collectively highlighted the tremendous opportunities of using such approaches, while recognizing the socio-economic, ethical, and organizational road-blocks that have prevented the widespread implementation of such a model for clinical research and patient care.
A coarse-grained thermodynamic model for the predictive engineering of valence-selective membranes

Membrane-based filtration has shown promise in the treatment of municipal and industrial water supplies. Most existing filtration membranes rely on size-selective rejection mechanisms and do not offer a systematic means to tune the chemistry of the membrane and, in turn, the rejection of solutes based on chemical factors. Technological advancements in copolymer self-assembly have permitted the creation of highly porous membranes through arrested microphase separation. The resulting structures exhibit nanoscale pores whose size and chemistry are controlled by the macromolecular architecture of the copolymer precursors. Here, we examine in detail how the structure and chemistry of charge-functionalized copolymers affect their performance as nanofiltration membranes through experiments and coarse-grained molecular simulation of membranes formed from poly(acrylonitrile-r-oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate-r-glycidyl methacrylate) (P(AN-r-OEGMA-r-GMA)). Charge-selective moieties were introduced into the membranes through reactions with diamine salts of varying length, enabling these membranes to offer preferential rejection of multivalent ionic species. Using a minimal model, we explore the essential thermodynamics features of salt rejection in these membranes, and develop a model capable of linking the performance of the membranes to their molecular character through measurement of the underlying free energy profile. Our key result is an effective membrane porosity which quantitatively describes experiments for a wide variety of situations after calibrating a single parameter. These results demonstrate that at moderate ion concentrations and flow rates, the selection of ions is driven predominantly by equilibrium thermodynamics. Going forward, the ability of the model to capture the rejection of dissolved solutes can be leveraged to design optimized membranes for targeted performance profiles in silico before undertaking time consuming batteries of Edisonian experiments.
Hyperfine quenching of the 2 s 2 p P 0 3 state of berylliumlike ions

The hyperfine-induced $2s2p\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}^{3}P_{0}--2{s}^{2}\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}^{1}S_{0}$ transition rate for Be-like $^{47}\mathrm{Ti}^{18+}$ was recently measured in a storage-ring experiment by Schippers et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 033001 (2007)]. The measured value of $0.56(3)\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{s}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ is almost 60% larger than the theoretical value of $0.356\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{s}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ from a multiconfiguration Dirac-Fock calculation by Marques et al. [Phys. Rev. A 47, 929 (1993)]. In this work, we use a large-scale relativistic configuration-interaction method to calculate these hyperfine-induced rates for ions with $Z=6--92$. Coherent hyperfine-quenching effects between the $2s2p\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}^{1,3}P_{1}$ states are included in a perturbative as well as a radiation damping approach. Contrary to the claims of Marques et al., contributions from the $^{1}P_{1}$ state are substantial and lead to a hyperfine-induced rate of $0.67\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{s}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, in better agreement with, though larger than, the measured value.
“He’s Like a Brother”: The Social Construction of Satisfying Cross-Sex Friendship Roles

Unlike most forms of relating, cross-sex friendships do not inherit pre-established social roles that influence norms and form expectations. Instead, members of cross-sex friendships must construct an understanding of their relationship and find the language with which to explain it to others. This study identifies the role(s) commonly created or adopted for cross-sex friendship and determines which constructs of cross-sex friendship are correlated with relational satisfaction. Study 1 used in-depth interviews (N = 40) and qualitative analysis to discover roles with which cross-sex friends identify. Study 2 utilized a close-ended questionnaire (N = 206) to assess the relative frequency of the role types, whether men and women differed in their role selection, and whether role type is related to relational satisfaction. Both samples consisted of college students in the western United States. Results indicate that women most commonly construct their male–female friendship as a sibling relationship, and men most frequently label their relationship “just friends,” and both of these ways of constructing the relationship are related to a high level of friendship satisfaction. Participants who described their friendship as a romantic relationship had a significantly lower level of friendship satisfaction. The implication of these results for understanding the social construction of cross-sex friendship is discussed.
Global environmental drivers of influenza

In temperate countries, influenza outbreaks are well correlated to seasonal changes in temperature and absolute humidity. However, tropical countries have much weaker annual climate cycles, and outbreaks show less seasonality and are more difficult to explain with environmental correlations. Here, we use convergent cross mapping, a robust test for causality that does not require correlation, to test alternative hypotheses about the global environmental drivers of influenza outbreaks from country-level epidemic time series. By moving beyond correlation, we show that despite the apparent differences in outbreak patterns between temperate and tropical countries, absolute humidity and, to a lesser extent, temperature drive influenza outbreaks globally. We also find a hypothesized U-shaped relationship between absolute humidity and influenza that is predicted by theory and experiment, but hitherto has not been documented at the population level. The balance between positive and negative effects of absolute humidity appears to be mediated by temperature, and the analysis reveals a key threshold around 75 °F. The results indicate a unified explanation for environmental drivers of influenza that applies globally.
Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasm of the Pancreas

Abstract The incidence of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) of the pancreas has been rising in the past 2 decades, driven mainly by the widespread use of cross-sectional imaging. IPMNs are intraductal mucin-producing neoplasms that involve the main pancreatic duct or its side branches and lack the ovarian stroma typically seen in mucinous cystic neoplasms. The International Association of Pancreatology released consensus guidelines in 2006 and 2012 providing clinical algorithms based on IPMN features and risk of malignancy. In this article, we review the different classifications of IPMNs, their natural history, and clinical management and address recent controversies in the literature.
Improved Shear Wave Group Velocity Estimation Method Based on Spatiotemporal Peak and Thresholding Motion Search

Quantitative ultrasound elastography is increasingly being used in the assessment of chronic liver disease. Many studies have reported ranges of liver shear wave velocity values for healthy individuals and patients with different stages of liver fibrosis. Nonetheless, ongoing efforts exist to stabilize quantitative ultrasound elastography measurements by assessing factors that influence tissue shear wave velocity values, such as food intake, body mass index, ultrasound scanners, scanning protocols, and ultrasound image quality. Time-to-peak (TTP) methods have been routinely used to measure the shear wave velocity. However, there is still a need for methods that can provide robust shear wave velocity estimation in the presence of noisy motion data. The conventional TTP algorithm is limited to searching for the maximum motion in time profiles at different spatial locations. In this paper, two modified shear wave speed estimation algorithms are proposed. The first method searches for the maximum motion in both space and time [spatiotemporal peak (STP)]; the second method applies an amplitude filter [spatiotemporal thresholding (STTH)] to select points with motion amplitude higher than a threshold for shear wave group velocity estimation. The two proposed methods (STP and STTH) showed higher precision in shear wave velocity estimates compared with TTP in phantom. Moreover, in a cohort of 14 healthy subjects, STP and STTH methods improved both the shear wave velocity measurement precision and the success rate of the measurement compared with conventional TTP.
Renewable Isoprene by Sequential Hydrogenation of Itaconic Acid and Dehydra-Decyclization of 3-Methyl-Tetrahydrofuran

Catalytic hydrogenation of itaconic acid (obtained from glucose fermentation) yields 3-methyl-tetrahydrofuran (3-MTHF), which then undergoes catalytic dehydra-decyclization to isoprene. It is demonstrated that a one-pot cascade reaction converts itaconic acid to 3-MTHF at ∼80% yield with Pd–Re/C catalyst and 1000 psig H2. Subsequent gas-phase catalytic ring opening and dehydration of 3-MTHF with phosphorus-containing zeolites including P-BEA, P-MFI, and P-SPP (self-pillared pentasil) exhibits 90% selectivity to dienes (70% isoprene, 20% pentadienes) at 20–25% conversion.
Effect of Carbon Dioxide on the Twinkling Artifact in Ultrasound Imaging of Kidney Stones: A Pilot Study.

Abstract Bone demineralization, dehydration and stasis put astronauts at increased risk of forming kidney stones in space. The color-Doppler ultrasound “twinkling artifact,” which highlights kidney stones with color, can make stones readily detectable with ultrasound; however, our previous results suggest twinkling is caused by microbubbles on the stone surface which could be affected by the elevated levels of carbon dioxide found on space vehicles. Four pigs were implanted with kidney stones and imaged with ultrasound while the anesthetic carrier gas oscillated between oxygen and air containing 0.8% carbon dioxide. On exposure of the pigs to 0.8% carbon dioxide, twinkling was significantly reduced after 9–25 min and recovered when the carrier gas returned to oxygen. These trends repeated when pigs were again exposed to 0.8% carbon dioxide followed by oxygen. The reduction of twinkling caused by exposure to elevated carbon dioxide may make kidney stone detection with twinkling difficult in current space vehicles.
Sex, Region, and Outcomes After Revascularization.

The importance of both sex and gender in biological research was highlighted by a report in 2000 from the Institute of Medicine, “Exploring the Biological Contributions to Human Health: Does Sex Matter?”1 This landmark report not only clarified the use of the terms sex (“…a classification, generally as male or female, according to the reproductive organs and functions that derive from the chromosomal complement.”) and gender (“…a person’s self-representation as male or female, or how that person is responded to by social institutions on the basis of the individual’s gender presentation.”) but also addressed the important role that both sex and gender play in health and the development of disease, healthcare delivery, and response to treatment. Furthermore, there were strong recommendations for an increased emphasis on design of studies, so they can be analyzed by sex with adequate power and for a requirement to present the results of studies according to sex in the medical literature. Despite this Institute of Medicine report and the 1993 National Institutes of Health Revitalization Act2,3 that mandated representation of women and men in clinical trials in proportion to the sex-related prevalence of the disease under study, several reports have shown that enrollment of women continues to lag behind their representation among patients with or at risk for cardiovascular disease.4–6 At the same time, increased reporting of the results of clinical trials according to sex leaves the medical community faced with the challenge of interpreting the results of these underpowered subgroup analyses and how to apply them in practice. See Article …
Bruise Documentation, Race and Barriers to Seeking Legal Relief for Intimate Partner Violence Survivors: a Retrospective Qualitative Study

Documentation of physical injuries from intimate partner violence (IPV) is critically important when a victim seeks legal help. Bruising, a common IPV injury, is often less visible on victims of color. This retrospective qualitative study is focused on IPV survivors’ and service providers’ experiences with the complex interrelationship between IPV injury, bruise documentation, race and legal assistance. Focus group results with a racially diverse group of female IPV survivors and legal service providers indicate that all victims struggle with documenting their bruises, but for women of color, even documentation of visible bruising underrepresents the severity of their IPV injuries. Further, there are a number of social, logistic, and systemic barriers to injury documentation that may make legal relief for IPV difficult for all women, but particularly more difficult for women of color. Proposed solutions to address the gap include, improved documentation techniques, and greater education for legal service providers. Implications for the field of family violence generally and potential future research directions are also discussed.
Chemical optimization of macrocyclic HIV-1 inactivators for improving potency and increasing the structural diversity at the triazole ring

HIV-1 entry inhibition remains an urgent need for AIDS drug discovery and development. We previously reported the discovery of cyclic peptide triazoles (cPTs) that retain the HIV-1 irreversible inactivation functions of the parent linear peptides (PTs) and have massively increased proteolytic resistance. Here, in an initial structure–activity relationship investigation, we evaluated the effects of variations in key structural and functional components of the cPT scaffold in order to produce a platform for developing next-generation cPTs. Some structural elements, including stereochemistry around the cyclization residues and Ile and Trp side chains in the gp120-binding pharmacophore, exhibited relatively low tolerance for change, reflecting the importance of these components for function. In contrast, in the pharmacophore-central triazole position, the ferrocene moiety could be successfully replaced with smaller aromatic rings, where a p-methyl-phenyl methylene moiety gave cPT 24 with an IC50 value of 180 nM. Based on the observed activity of the biphenyl moiety when installed on the triazole ring (cPT 23, IC50 ∼ 269 nM), we further developed a new on-resin synthetic method to easily access the bi-aryl system during cPT synthesis, in good yields. A thiophene-containing cPT AAR029N2 (36) showed enhanced entropically favored binding to Env gp120 and improved antiviral activity (IC50 ∼ 100 nM) compared to the ferrocene-containing analogue. This study thus provides a crucial expansion of chemical space in the pharmacophore to use as a starting point, along with other allowable structural changes, to guide future optimization and minimization for this important class of HIV-1 killing agents.
The 2017 ACC/AHA Updated Valve Guidelines Regarding Mitral Regurgitation: The Guidelines Get it Right

When the ACC/AHA Guidelines for Valvular Heart Disease were first published in 1998, they were based primarily on expert opinion and observational studies, as randomized controlled trials (RCTs) we...
The Lives and Deaths of Open Source Code Forges

Code forges are third party software repositories that also provide various tools and facilities for distributed software development teams to use, including source code control systems, mailing lists and communication forums, bug tracking systems, web hosting space, and so on. The main contributions of this paper are to present some new data sets relating to the technology adoption lifecycles of a group of six free, libre, and open source software (FLOSS) code forges, and to compare the lifecycles of the forges to each other and to the model presented by classical Diffusion of Innovation (DoI) theory. We find that the observed adoption patterns of code forges rarely follow the DoI model, especially as larger code forges are beset by spam and abuse. The only forge exhibiting a DoI-like lifecycle was a smaller, community-managed, special-purpose forge whose demise was planned in advance. The results of this study will be useful in explaining adoption trajectories, both to practitioners building collaborative FLOSS ecosystems and to researchers who study the evolution and adoption of socio-technical systems.
Change dynamics in institutional discontinuities: Do formal or informal institutions change first? Lessons from rule changes in professional American baseball

Extant research presents a conflicting picture of change dynamics during institutional discontinuities. Some studies propose or depict formal rules as changing first. Others argue that norms need t...
Evidence-based immune-modulating nutritional therapy in critically ill and injured patients

BACKGROUND: Immunonutrition, both immune-enhancing (IE) and immune-modulating (IM), has become an important therapeutic option in the care of critically ill and injured patients. METHODS: Review of current literature and evidence on the use of immunonutrition, in particular use of immune enhancing and immune modulating nutrition support in critically ill and injured patients. RESULTS: We have gained much knowledge on the changes and on the mechanism of action of key nutrients and their substrates during critical illness and severe injuries, especially in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), sepsis, and septic shock; accordingly, the use of such nutrients and substrates has increased dramatically and has become Level I evidence (per the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force). CONCLUSIONS: There has been a significant paradigm shift with regard to selecting the appropriate nutritional strategy for critically ill and injured patients. Doing so for a particular patient and particular disease is no longer regarded as a supportive measure. Rather, it is regarded as direct nutritional therapy, based on molecular changes and on the biology of key nutrients induced by the disease process.
The Texas DSRIP program: An exploratory evaluation of its alignment with quality assessment models in healthcare

ABSTRACTProviding quality healthcare is one of the topmost priorities in the care delivery system. Quality is recognized as value added to the healthcare system. Healthcare policies and programs are innovated and designed to reform delivery of patient care, an example is the Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment (DSRIP) program. In this paper, we leverage three assessment models in healthcare quality namely, Donabedian’s model, the Institute of Medicine’s Patient Care Aim model and the Institute of Healthcare Improvement’s Triple Aim model. The paper shows how DSRIP likely interrelates with and is congruent to the aforementioned assessment models. DSRIP’s goals are likely designed in such a way that they supposedly intertwine with the goals of these models. The article aims at showing how DSRIP is attempting to operationalize its own goals with those of the above models. Nonetheless, the article explains DSRIP’s inner workings and conclusively analyzes how its systemic design aligns with and conforms t...
Energy Storage for Peak Power and Increased Revenue

Worldwide electricity markets are changing due to decreasing prices of fossil fuels and addition of renewable generators (wind and solar). Large-scale renewables deployment collapses prices at times of high wind or solar input that limits their deployment and impacts nuclear plant revenue. These changes have reduced the demand for baseload electricity but increased the demand for dispatchable electricity—a market currently served in the United States primarily by natural gas turbines. At the same time, there is a longer-term need for dispatchable low-carbon electricity production—a replacement for fossil fuel electricity production. The changes may be challenging the economics of nuclear power today but may create new opportunities for existing and new build nuclear energy systems in the future. Heat storage coupled to electrical power plant whether gas, fissile fuel, coal, or nuclear may enable baseload reactor operation with variable electricity to the grid—heat into storage when low electricity prices and production of added electricity using stored heat when prices are high.
Integrating health and mental health services in schools: psychologists collaborating with primary care providers.

Abstract This article reviews recent trends, developments and empirical support for the expansion of psychological practice to include school-based treatment and management of serious and chronic medical conditions, including somatization, in collaboration with primary health care providers. Trends and developments reviewed include (a) the expansion and integration of health, mental health, social and community services in schools, (b) the rapid growth of school-based health centers (SBHCs), (c) psychology’s increased involvement in the collaborative treatment of chronic and serious medical disorders, (d) recent federal and state legislative initiatives, and (e) cost-driven marketplace changes. Lack of empirical data specific to collaborative psychologist–health care provider collaboration in schools and SBHCs, particularly around somatization, is discussed. Ethical and legal, professional, and reimbursement issues that must be addressed if psychologists are to practice in this emergent arena are identified. This article calls for research to document both the clinical effectiveness and cost-efficacy of collaborative psychologist–primary care provider intervention in schools and SBHCs.
Examining Personal Information Privacy-Protective Responses (IPPR) with the Use of Smart Devices.

Increasingly, smart devices (such as smart phone, iPod/mp3, or tablet) have become an essential part of daily life and work of individuals. Various applications are being developed and made available to the users based on their needs. However, many applications when downloaded and installed on a phone are used as a medium for tracking users’ personal data and behavior by companies. This research in progress examines whether users are aware of the privacy issues associated with their download and use of smart devices’ apps and how that knowledge would influence their future privacy preserving behavior. The study was conducted by surveying smart device users and analyzing their responses across three categories as antecedents of users’ privacy-protective responses: whether the users are concerned about privacy and big data gathered while they are downloading an application, subjective norms, and perceived usefulness.
Embryonic Induction and Teratology of the Developing Skin and Oral Mucosa

The investigative approaches of experimental teratology and experimental embryology do not differ fundamentally in their strategies. In fact the only difference between the two disciplines may well be their points of departure; that is whether or not the production and understanding of the development of abnormal or normal structure is the major focus of the investigation. Yet, workers in the two disciplines often have failed to incorporate or specifically relate to each other’s basic advances. It is the purpose of this chapter to examine advances in experimental embryology of epithelio-mesenchymal interactions with a view toward relating these recent data to teratological problems. There have been a number of advances in the understanding of the mechanisms involved in the development of epithelial derivatives of the integument (haif, glands, etc.) and oral mucosa (teeth, glands, etc.) and in epithelio-mesenchymal interactions involved in development of skeletal derivatives (limbs, palate, cranial bones). The overriding theme of epithelio-mesenchymal interactions encompasses all of the most often studied experimental models in teratological research as well as in experimental embryology.
Clinical Reasoning: Transient speech deficits in a patient with history of medulloblastoma

A 58-year-old left-handed man presented with transient speech difficulty, blurry vision, and right arm heaviness.
Neighborhood disorder, exposure to violence, and perceived discrimination in relation to symptoms in midlife women

Some symptoms at midlife are associated with stress, such as hot flashes, trouble sleeping, headaches, or depressed mood. Hot flashes have been studied in relation to laboratory stressors, physiological biomarkers, and self-reported stress, but less is known about hot flashes in relation to the larger context of women’s lives. This study examined the risk of symptoms in relation to neighborhood disorder, exposure to neighborhood violence, social cohesion and perceived discrimination. We hypothesized that women exposed to more negative neighborhood characteristics and discrimination would be more likely to report hot flashes and other midlife symptoms. Participants were black and white women, aged 40 to 60, drawn from a cross-sectional investigation of race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and blood pressure in New York City (n = 139). Demographic information, medical history, menopausal status, and symptoms were measured by questionnaire. Likert scales were used to measure neighborhood characteristics, specifically, the Neighborhood Disorder Scale, the Exposure to Violence Scale, the Perceived Violence Subscale, the Neighborhood Social Cohesion and Trust Scale, and the Everyday Discrimination Scale. Ten symptoms were included in analyses: lack of energy, feeling blue/depressed, backaches, headaches, aches/stiffness in joints, shortness of breath, hot flashes, trouble sleeping, nervous tension, and pins/needles in hands/feet. Each scale with each symptom outcome was examined using logistic regression analyses adjusting for significant covariates. Black women reported higher scores on all negative neighborhood characteristics and discrimination, and a lower score on the positive Neighborhood Social Cohesion and Trust. Neighborhood Disorder was associated with feeling blue/depressed, aches/stiffness in joints, and hot flashes, and Perceived Violence was associated with aches/stiffness in joints, after controlling for model-specific covariates. There was a lower risk of backaches with increasing Neighborhood Social Cohesion and Trust score. The Everyday Discrimination Scale was associated with lack of energy. Lack of energy, feeling blue/depressed, aches/stiffness in joints, and hot flashes appeared to be most vulnerable to negative neighborhood context and discrimination. This study adds to the literature linking neighborhood environments to health outcomes. The associations between negative neighborhood contexts and discrimination with diverse symptoms, and the association between social cohesion and back pain, point to the need to expand analyses of stress to multiple physiological systems.
Microscopic Blood Cell Classification Using Inception Recurrent Residual Convolutional Neural Networks

Deep Learning (DL) approaches have been explored in different modalities of biomedical image analysis, and they provide superior performance against alternative machine learning approaches. In this paper, we have evaluated the performance of a deep learning model called the Inception Recurrent Residual Convolutional Neural Network (IRRCNN) for White Blood Cell (WBC) and Red Blood Cell (RBC) classification. We have tested the performance of the IRRCNN approach on two publicly available blood cell datasets for both RBC and WBC classification obtained from the Yale School of medicine and CellaVision respectively. The experimental results show almost 100% recognition accuracy for the WBC dataset and 99.94% testing accuracy for RBC classification. This is approximately a 1.4% and 2.35% improvement when compared to existing deep learning-based approaches.
Associations among cervical dilatation at admission, intrapartum care, and birth mode in low-risk, nulliparous women.

BACKGROUND Admission in early labor is associated with increased likelihood of cesarean birth, but the context in which this occurs is unclear. Previous research has explored the relationship between dilatation at admission and the use of single intrapartum interventions; however, the majority of women in the United States receive multiple intrapartum interventions. The objective of this study was to examine the associations among cervical dilatation at admission, intrapartum care, and birth mode in low-risk, nulliparous women with spontaneous onset of labor. METHODS This was a cross-sectional, observational study of 21 858 nulliparous, singleton, term vertex births that occurred from 2002 to 2007 across nine hospitals in the Consortium on Safe Labor. Outcome measures included the individual and combined use of intrapartum interventions (amniotomy, epidural anesthesia, oxytocin augmentation) and birth mode. RESULTS In this sample, 92.0% of women received at least one intrapartum intervention and 22.7% received all three interventions. After propensity score adjustment, women were more than twice as likely to receive the combination of amniotomy-epidural-oxytocin when admitted at 0-3 cm (RR 2.83 [95% CI 2.45-3.27]) and 4-5 cm (2.49 [2.15-2.89]) compared to 6-10 cm. Adjusted likelihood of cesarean birth was five times greater for women admitted at 0-3 cm (5.26 [4.36-6.34]) and two times greater for women admitted at 4-5 cm (2.27 [1.86-2.77]) compared to 6-10 cm. CONCLUSIONS To promote normal physiologic birth, low-risk, nulliparous women should be engaged in shared decision-making about timing of admission after spontaneous onset of labor.