cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Wireless Spectrum Analyzer in Your Pocket

We propose Snoopy, a system that can translate one's mobile phone or tablet into a low-cost, yet effective RF spectrum analyzer. Since typical spectrum analyzers are specialized hardware that is both expensive to acquire and cumbersome to carry around, they are rarely available for quick-and-easy spectrum sensing while on the go. To address this challenge, Snoopy augments popular mobile devices with a small attachable hardware unit (RF frequency translator) that can provide a reasonable view of the wireless spectrum across different frequency bands. It achieves this by leveraging the spectral scan functionality available in certain 802.11 NICs (e.g., the Atheros 9280 family of chipsets), which provides an unique lens towards the WiFi spectrum (2.4 GHz). Through the use of suitable frequency translators, such a view can be flexibly shifted to other spectrum bands. Although such a construction might not match the precision of the most sophisticated but expensive spectrum analyzers, we show that by leveraging some carefully designed spectral features, Snoopy can achieve decent accuracy in determining TV whitespaces (512 -- 698 MHz) -- it can detect primary signals at up to - 90dBm with an error rate of
How Anxiety Leads to Suboptimal Decisions Under Risky Choice Situations

The current research proposes that situationally activated anxiety—whether incidental or integral—impairs decision making. In particular, we theorize that anxiety drives decisionmakers to more heavily emphasize subjective anecdotal information in their decision making, at the expense of more factual statistical information—a deleterious heuristic called the anecdotal bias. Four studies provide consistent support for this assertion. Studies 1A and 1B feature field experiments that demonstrate the role of incidental anxiety in enhancing the anecdotal bias in a choice context. Study 2 builds on these findings, manipulating individuals’ incidental anxiety and showing how this affects the anecdotal bias in the context of message evaluations. Study 2 also provides direct evidence that only high-arousal negative emotions such as anxiety/worry enhance the anecdotal bias, not just any negative emotion (e.g., sadness). While the first three studies examine how incidental anxiety impacts choice, the last study demonstrates the effect of integral anxiety on decision making, manipulating anxiety by intensifying participants’ perceived risk. Our results show that—consistent with findings from our first three studies—the anecdotal bias is enhanced when anxiety is heightened by individuals’ perception of risk.
Endothelial detachment sites in glomerular capillaries of vinblastine-treated rats.

In Wistar-Furth rats given vinblastine sulfate intravenously, an abnormality of the glomerular capillary wall was observed. Electron micrographs of renal corpuscles of treated animals revealed sites where the glomerular endo-thelium had separated from the glomerular basement membrane. The resultant subendothelial space contained a flocculent material similar in appearance to the blood plasma present within the capillary lumen. Endothelial detachment sites were observed near the mesangial region, as well as in parts of the capillary loops distant from the mesangium. Vinblastine treatment also resulted in a disappearance of microtubules from the cytoplasm of endothelial cells and in an appearance of paracrystalline inclusions which were similar in fine structure to those reported in previous studies using Vincaalkaloids. Although these intracytoplasmic paracrystals were common in the glomerular endothelium of treated animals, they were rarely seen at sites of endothelial detachment. The way in which vinblastine treatment elicits endothelial detachment is not known.
Association of SRD5A2 genotype and pathological characteristics of prostate tumors.

The enzyme product of SRD5A2 , 5α-reductase type II, is responsible for converting testosterone to the more metabolically active dihydrotestosterone. Therefore, SRD5A2 may be involved in the development or growth of prostate tumors. To examine the effects of allelic variants in the gene SRD5A2 on the presentation of prostate tumors, we studied a sample, primarily Caucasian, of 265 men with incident prostate cancer who were treated by radical prostatectomy. We assessed the relationship of the A49T and V89L polymorphisms at SRD5A2 with clinical and pathological tumor characteristics of these patients. We found no association of V89L genotypes with any of the characteristics studied. The presence of the A49T variant was associated with a greater frequency of extracapsular disease [odds ratio (OR), 3.16; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.03–9.68] and a higher pathological tumor-lymph node-metastasis (pTNM) stage (OR, 3.11; 95% CI, 1.01–9.65). In addition, the A49T variant was overrepresented in two poor prognostic groups, which have been correlated with reduced rates of biochemical disease-free survival. One group included men with at least two of the following poor prognostic variables: ( a ) stage T3 tumor; ( b ) PSA level >10; and/or ( c ) Gleason score, 7–10 (OR, 3.46; 95% CI, 1.04–11.49). The second group included men with positive margins and high Gleason score (OR, 6.28; 95% CI, 1.05–37.73). Our results suggest that the A49T mutation may influence the pathological characteristics of prostate cancers and, thus, may affect the prognosis of these patients.
795: First trimester dysregulation of single carbon metabolism and prediction of preeclampsia

eclampsia, HELLP syndrome, and normotensive controls. Patients with preeclampsia had significantly higher proteinuria (2.9 / 2.1 grams/24 hours) than either those with HELLP syndrome (0.29 / 0.93 grams/24 hours), or normotensive controls (0.10 / 0.06 grams/24 hours). The degree of podocyturia was higher in patients with preeclampsia (160 / 87 cells/mg creatinine) than in those with either normotensive pregnancies (22 / 20, p 0.02) or HELLP syndrome (21.5 / 8.6, p 0.02); no difference was observed between normotensive vs. HELLP pregnancies (p 0.5). There was a positive correlation between the degree of proteinuria and podocyturia, for the group as a whole (r 0.85, p 0.001). CONCLUSION: Flow cytometry may facilitate the use of podocyturia for both clinical and research purposes. The absence of podocyturia in patients with HELLP syndrome, with either absent or minimal proteinuria, further supports its distinct pathophysiology with respect to preeclampsia.
Prevalence of Total Hip and Knee Replacement in the United States.

Background Descriptive epidemiology of total joint replacement procedures is limited to annual procedure volumes (incidence). The prevalence of the growing number of individuals living with a total hip or total knee replacement is currently unknown. Our objective was to estimate the prevalence of total hip and total knee replacement in the United States. Methods Prevalence was estimated using the counting method by combining historical incidence data from the National Hospital Discharge Survey and the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) State Inpatient Databases from 1969 to 2010 with general population census and mortality counts. We accounted for relative differences in mortality rates between those who have had total hip or knee replacement and the general population. Results The 2010 prevalence of total hip and total knee replacement in the total U.S. population was 0.83% and 1.52%, respectively. Prevalence was higher among women than among men and increased with age, reaching 5.26% for total hip replacement and 10.38% for total knee replacement at eighty years. These estimates corresponded to 2.5 million individuals (1.4 million women and 1.1 million men) with total hip replacement and 4.7 million individuals (3.0 million women and 1.7 million men) with total knee replacement in 2010. Secular trends indicated a substantial rise in prevalence over time and a shift to younger ages. Conclusions Around 7 million Americans are living with a hip or knee replacement, and consequently, in most cases, are mobile, despite advanced arthritis. These numbers underscore the substantial public health impact of total hip and knee arthroplasties.
Precise Measurement of the Λ 0 Magnetic Moment

The magnetic moment of the ..lambda../sup 0/ hyperon has been measured to be ..mu../sub ..lambda../ = (-0.6138 +- 0.0047) ..mu../sub N/.
Neural, endocrine, and immune system interactions. Relevance for health and disease.

The integration of the central and peripheral nervous systems and the immune system has become a focal point in the understanding of human health and disease. The nervous system communicates with the immune system via the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). The immune system, particularly via proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-1, can, in turn, regulate CNS activity. That the nervous system can modulate immunity has been inferred from several lines of evidence.
Remarkable Fossil Fungi

Among the relics of former vegetation that carry the record back many millions of years the remains of fungi are so rarely found that their presence is always exceptional, although it is obvious that many times during the long history of the earth the environment has offered optimum conditions for their abundant development. To mention but one such occasion, that of the formation of the coal measures must have witnessed an exceedingly abundant mycological flora. That these plants were present thus early is indicated by the abundance of hyphae, and other traces of fungal activity such as butyric fermentation, in the tissues of Carboniferous vascular plants, and the scarcity of described forms must be attributed to the perishable nature of most fungal tissues and to the lack of systematic work by experienced mycologists on the more or less obscure material available. To be sure, quite a considerable number of fossil forms referred to Fungi have been recorded from various geologic horizons but the vast majority of these are leaf-spot types based upon real or fancied resemblances, and found on impressions of foliage and without definite botanical characters. Some undoubtedly represent fungal ravages, others are due to insects, some are glandular, and others are purely imaginary.1 Sometimes the traces of fungi preserved in petrified plant tissues are fortunately disclosed in sections and a number of well authenticated forms are known, principally from the Carboniferous, their discovery being due almost entirely to the relatively large amount of histological work that has been expended on the Carboniferous flora. Some of the more important of these will be mentioned in the following pages. The exceptional conditions of
Inhibitory Effects of Male Sex Hormone on Human Menstruation and Their Evaluation by Vaginal Smears.

ConclusionA study is presented in which the administration of testosterone propionate interrupted regular menstrual cycles in a young woman. Menstruation was resumed after cessation of treatment with this hormone. Vaginal smears showed that during the period of induced amenorrhea there was a replacement of the normal smear picture by one of the typical atrophic menopausal type, indicating a temporary suppression of ovarian follicular activity. This smear type was preceded and followed by characteristic intermediate stages and persisted throughout the course of treatment, and for a short time afterward. It was then followed by gradual resumption of follicular activity and a normal smear picture. The next menses occurred 28 days after the last dose of Oreton and about 12 to 13 days after the establishment of follicular activity.This study furnishes a method for controlling the use of male sex hormone in women, and for inducing a temporary cessation of their menstrual cycle.
Nematic-Like Alignment in SWNT Thin Films from Aqueous Colloidal Suspensions

We present a modification of the vacuum filtration technique for fabricating transparent conductive SWNT thin films with local nematic-like orientational ordering. Dilute SWNT surfactant dispersions are filtered through a vacuum filtration setup in a slow and controlled fashion. The slow filtration creates a region of high SWNT concentration close to the filter membrane. While slowly moving through this region, SWNTs interact and align with each other, resulting in the formation of thin films with local nematic ordering. Scanning electron microscopy and image analysis revealed a local scalar order parameter (S2D) of 0.7–0.8 for slow filtration, three times higher than those produced from “fast filtration” (S2D ≈ 0.24). Orientational ordering is demonstrated with different stabilizing surfactants, as well as with dispersions enriched in metallic SWNTs, produced by density-gradient ultracentrifugation. Simple estimates of relative convective versus diffusive transport highlight the main differences between ...
Germination Responses of Carnegiea Gigantea and Lemaireocereus Thurberi

Plhipps, R. L., and G. E. Gilbert. 1961. A preliminary report concerning radial growth of selected trees at Neotoma. Ohio Agr. Expt. Sta. Circ. 102, 44 p. Roosen, P. 1957. La teneur en eau des tiges de peupliers euramericains en Belgique. Inst. Agron. Sta. Recherches Gembloux. Bull. 25: 179-197. Schroeder, C. A., and P. A. Wieland. 1956. Diurnal fluctuations in size in various parts of the avocado tree and fruit. Proc. Am. Soc. Hort. Sci. 68: 253-258.
Prospective Evaluation of Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Lead Function During and After Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation

Abstract Objectives This study investigated the mechanism of lead malfunction by monitoring lead parameters throughout left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation. Background Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) lead malfunction can occur after LVAD implantation. Methods ICD lead data were prospectively evaluated during and after LVAD implantation and at 12 pre-specified intraoperative time points. Results We prospectively evaluated 32 patients with ICDs who underwent LVAD implantation, of whom 20 patients underwent serial testing at 12 intraoperative steps. Post-operative right ventricle (RV) sensing had decreased by >50% from baseline in 7 patients (22%), with RV sensing improving at 1 to 7 weeks in 2 patients (28.6%). Nine patients (28.1%) had >10-ohm (Ω) high-voltage (HV) impedance changes from baseline to final impedance. In all 5 patients with >50% decrease in RV sensing and all 7 patients with a >10-Ω HV impedance change who underwent intraoperative testing, changes were not detected until after weaning from cardiopulmonary bypass. Patients with decreased RV lead sensing >50% (n = 7) had lower glomerular filtration rates (48.7 ± 21.9 ml/min/1.73 m 2 vs. 68.4 ± 22.5 ml/min/1.73 m 2 , respectively, p = 0.0489), were more likely to have undergone concomitant RVAD placement (42.9% vs. 0%, respectively, p = 0.0071), concomitant tricuspid valve surgery (57.1% vs. 16%, p = 0.0469), or to have had cardiac tamponade or unplanned return to the operating room (57.1% vs. 12%, p = 0.0258). Conclusions ICD lead malfunction can occur following LVAD implantation but may improve over time. Intraoperative RV sensing and HV impedance changes were not detected until after weaning from cardiopulmonary bypass, suggesting the mechanism of RV lead malfunction may be related to LV unloading and concomitant leftward septal shift. A conservative approach is warranted in many patients with ICD parameter changes after LVAD implantation because parameter abnormalities may improve over time. (Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) Function During Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) Implantation; NCT01576562 )
Low-tidal Volume Ventilation for Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infected Children with Pneumonia and Respiratory Failure and Seventy-six Cases's Report

Objective To explore clinical effect of low-tidal volume ventilation and lung-protective effect on respiratory syncytial virus(RSV) infected children with pneumonia and respiratory failure.Methods Selected RSV-infected children with pneumonia and respiratory failure in pediatric intensive care unit(PICU) from 2002 January to 2010 February who need ventilation.The ventilation strategy from 2002 January to 2005 January was large–tidal volume,it recruited 53 cases;the ventilation strategy from 2005 February to 2010 February was low-tidal volume,it recruited 76 cases.The parameters of ventilator、the complication and prognosis were observed between the two groups.The change between blood-gas before ventilation、6-8 hours after ventilation and 24 hours after ventilation in low-tidal volume group were compared.Results The incidence of barotrauma in low-tidal volume ventilation group was significantly lower than that in large tidal volume ventilation group;low-tidal volume ventilation improved hypoxemia and carbon dioxide retention and hyperventilation avoided at the same time.Conclusions The low-tidal volume ventilation strategy is suitable for respiratory syncytial virus-infected children with pneumonia and respiratory failure,it can reduce the incidence of barotraumas.
On management of the P.E teaching staff in the independent college of fujian province

With the quick development of the independent college,how to build up its teaching staff is becoming more and more important.This paper research on the situation of the independent college in fujian Province.The result shows that the independent college have some problem with its teaching staff constructing.This paper also points out that we need to take some measures such as cultivating,inspirit system,controlling system to perfect teaching staff building.
Effect of supplemental nutrient source on heifer growth and reproductive performance, and on utilization of corn silage-based diets by beef steers.

Two experiments were conducted to determine effects of oilseeds or soybean hulls on growth and reproductive performance of heifers and utilization of corn silage diets by growing beef cattle. In Exp. 1, 96 beef heifers (249 kg of BW) were used in a randomized complete block design. Treatments were as follows: 1) corn and soybean meal (CON) at 56% of the DMI; 2) whole linted cottonseed at 15% of the DMI (COT); 3) whole raw soybeans at 15% of the DMI (SB); or 4) pelleted soyhulls at 30% of the DMI (SH). Diets were formulated to be isonitrogenous (13.8% CP) and fed to achieve target weights equal to 65% of expected mature BW at the time of AI. Estrus was synchronized and heifers were inseminated by AI in response to detected estrus. Because the energy value for SH was underestimated, cumulative ADG for SH (1.03 kg/d) was greater (P ≤ 0.03) than for CON (0.89 kg/d), COT (0.87 kg/d), or SB (0.86 kg/d). Treatment did not affect (P > 0.10) the proportion of pubertal heifers at the beginning of the breeding season: CON (60%), COT (53%), SB (69%), SH (71%), or first-service conception rates: CON (37%); COT (38%); SB (57%); SH (42%). In Exp. 2, crossbred steers (387 kg) were used in a 6 x 6 Latin square design to evaluate the effects of supplemental nutrient source on utilization of corn silage diets. Treatments included diets used in Exp. 1, plus a negative control (soybean meal at 10% of the DMI; SIL) and whole raw soybeans at 25% of the DMI (SB25). Diets were formulated to be isonitrogenous (13.8% CP) except SB25 (17% CP), and were fed twice daily at 1.8 x NE m . Oilseed inclusion decreased (P < 0.10) acetate:propionate ratios and (P < 0.10) apparent ruminal OM and ruminal and total tract NDF digestibilities. The CON and SH diets had the greatest (P < 0.10) total-tract OM digestibilities. Microbial efficiencies were greatest (P < 0.10), and long chain fatty acid flow to the duodenum increased (P < 0.10) with oilseeds. Biohydrogenation averaged 90.4% and increased slightly (P < 0.10) when oilseeds were added to the diet. Adding oilseeds or soybean hulls to corn silage-based diets did not affect reproductive performance of heifers. Although oilseed additions increased total fatty acid flow to the duodenum, a high degree of biohydrogenation occurred, greatly increasing C18:0, with only marginal increases in unsaturated fatty acid flow. Depending on diet and feeding conditions, inclusion of whole oilseeds may not be an effective means of increasing linoleic acid supply for ruminant animals.
Redox-Based Therapeutics for Prevention, Mitigation, and Treatment of Lung Injury Secondary to Radiation Exposure

The lungs are among the most radio-intolerant organs. Prevention, mitigation, and/or treatment of lung damage are crucial to reducing morbidity/mortality following radiation exposure in which the majority or all of the thorax has been exposed. Mechanisms of injury begin at the time of exposure and proceed through a clinically latent period that may last weeks, months, or even years before signs of functional injury that can impart a significant reduction in long-term quality of life. In cases of supratherapeutic exposures, lung injury may progress to fulminant organ failure and mortality. At the molecular and cellular levels, damage is manifested by oxidative stress and damage to DNA and key signaling molecules, as well as by continuous cell turnover (i.e., apoptosis and proliferation), leading to bioenergetic exhaustion, inflammation, and fibrosis. Although no treatment is currently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for radiation pneumonitis/fibrosis, redox-based therapeutics have proven to be an attractive strategy because of their ability to modify cell damage and restore redox balance, leading to improved outcomes. Innovative technologies, such as integrated “omics” approaches and spatial imaging with mass spectrometry, offer new avenues for understanding the mechanisms underlying radiation-induced lung injury and identifying novel therapeutic targets for intervention.
Simultaneous Deletion of the 9GL and UK Genes from the African Swine Fever Virus Georgia 2007 Isolate Offers Increased Safety and Protection against Homologous Challenge.

ABSTRACT African swine fever virus (ASFV) is the etiological agent of a contagious and often lethal viral disease of domestic pigs that has significant economic consequences for the swine industry. The control of African swine fever (ASF) has been hampered by the unavailability of vaccines. Successful experimental vaccines have been derived from naturally occurring, cell culture-adapted, or genetically modified live attenuated ASFV. Recombinant viruses harboring engineered deletions of specific virulence-associated genes induce solid protection against challenge with parental viruses. Deletion of the 9GL ( B119L ) gene in the highly virulent ASFV isolates Malawi Lil-20/1 (Mal) and Pretoriuskop/96/4 (Δ9GL viruses) resulted in complete protection when challenged with parental isolates. When similar deletions were created within the ASFV Georgia 2007 (ASFV-G) genome, attenuation was achieved but the protective and lethal doses were too similar. To enhance attenuation of ASFV-G, we deleted another gene, UK ( DP96R ), which was previously shown to be involved in attenuation of the ASFV E70 isolate. Here, we report the construction of a double-gene-deletion recombinant virus, ASFV-G-Δ9GL/ΔUK. When administered intramuscularly (i.m.) to swine, there was no induction of disease, even at high doses (10 6 HAD 50 ). Importantly, animals infected with 10 4 50% hemadsorbing doses (HAD 50 ) of ASFV-G-Δ9GL/ΔUK were protected as early as 14 days postinoculation when challenged with ASFV-G. The presence of protection correlates with the appearance of serum anti-ASFV antibodies, but not with virus-specific circulating ASFV-specific gamma interferon (IFN-γ)-producing cells. ASFV-G-Δ9GL/ΔUK is the first rationally designed experimental ASFV vaccine that protects against the highly virulent ASFV Georgia 2007 isolate as early as 2 weeks postvaccination. IMPORTANCE Currently, there is no commercially available vaccine against African swine fever. Outbreaks of the disease are devastating to the swine industry and are caused by circulating strains of African swine fever virus. Here, we report a putative vaccine derived from a currently circulating strain but containing two deletions in two separate areas of the virus, allowing increased safety. Using this genetically modified virus, we were able to vaccinate swine and protect them from developing ASF. We were able to achieve protection from disease as early as 2 weeks after vaccination, even when the pigs were exposed to a higher than normal concentration of ASFV.
A Novel Combination Therapy Based On the Genetics of Follicular Lymphoma

Abstract 1330 Follicular lymphoma (FL) is a common and incurable form of Non-Hodgkin9s lymphoma characterized by the translocation t(14;18) that results in increased expression of the anti-apoptotic BCL2 protein. Exactly what drives expansion of the malignant B-cells in FL is not clear. Here we report recurrent genetic lesions targeting cell cycle controls in FL. These include mutations in the CYCLIN D3 gene (6%), chromosomal gains of CDK4 (31%), and losses of CDKN2a/b (9%), and RB1 (10%). Consistent with the genetic data, 46% of FLs show abundant RB phosphorylation, and together these lesions identify patients with advanced tumours who fare badly with standard therapies. In a murine FL model loss of cell cycle control acts as an oncogenic driver and cooperates with BCL2. Moreover, xenografted FLs respond to CDK4/6 inhibition and combinations with BH3 mimetic drugs cause extensive apoptosis and consolidate the therapeutic effect. Hence, loss of cell cycle control is an oncogenic event in ∼50% of FL and the simultaneous blockade of CDK4 and BCL2 is an effective combination therapy for FL. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Conflict of Interest in Seminal Hepatitis C Virus and Cholesterol Management Guidelines.

Importance Little is known regarding whether Institute of Medicine (IOM) standards for managing conflicts of interest (COI) have been met in the development of recent important clinical guidelines. Objective To evaluate adherence to the IOM standards for limits on commercial COI, guideline development, and evaluation of evidence by the 2013 American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association cholesterol management guideline and the 2014 American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and Infectious Diseases Society of America hepatitis C virus management guideline. Design, Setting, and Participants This study was a retrospective document review of the June 2014 print version of the cholesterol guideline and the final September 2015 print version of the hepatitis C virus guideline. Each guideline was assessed for adherence to the IOM standards for commercial COI published in the 2011 special report Clinical Practice Guidelines We Can Trust . Main Outcomes and Measures The IOM standards call for no commercial COI among guideline committee chairs and cochairs and for less than 50% of committee members to have commercial COI. Guideline and contemporaneous article disclosure statements were used to evaluate adherence to these standards. Each guideline was also reviewed for adherence to other IOM standards for guideline development and evidence review. Results Among the 16 cholesterol guideline committee members, 7 (44%) disclosed commercial COI, all 7 reported industry-sponsored research, and 6 (38%) also reported consultancy. Of 3 guideline chairs and cochairs, 1 (33%) disclosed commercial COI. Review of contemporaneous articles identified additional commercial COI. Among the 29 hepatitis C virus guideline committee members, 21 (72%) reported commercial COI. Eighteen (62%) disclosed industry-sponsored research, 10 (34%) served on advisory boards, 5 (17%) served on data safety monitoring boards, 3 (10%) were consultants, and 3 (10%) reported other honoraria. Of 6 guideline cochairs, 4 (67%) disclosed commercial COI. All 4 disclosed additional COI in other publications that were not listed in their guideline disclosures. Contemporaneous literature review revealed an additional cochair with commercial COI. Of the 9 IOM guideline development and evidence standards, the cholesterol guideline met 5 (56%), and the hepatitis C virus guideline met them all. Conclusions and Relevance Neither the cholesterol guideline nor the hepatitis C virus guideline fully met the IOM standards for commercial COI management, and discordance between committee leader guideline disclosures and those in contemporaneous articles was common. Adherence to additional IOM standards for guideline development and evidence review was mixed. Adoption of consistent COI frameworks across specialty societies may help ensure that clinical guidelines are developed in a transparent and trustworthy manner.
50,000 Years Before Present: The Dawn of Human Evolution

Human understanding of animal behavior is key to our survival and is representative of the fact that all animals evolve to respond to the behavior of other animals. Human interest in animal behavior extends deep into our evolutionary roots.
Treat the Patient, Not the Angiogram

Opposing Viewpoint, see p 1385 Millions of people are living with refractory angina and ischemic pain despite maximal medical therapy and are told that they have no revascularization option. The most common reason patients are told that they have no option for revascularization is the presence of a coronary chronic total occlusion (CTO).1 Although no rigorous data exist, anecdotally, the majority of CTOs are now approachable with percutaneous techniques using drug-eluting stents owing to advances in the techniques that have resulted in improved success rates regardless of anatomy (>85%) and significant relief of ischemic symptoms while maintaining adequate safety. However, attempt rates for CTO percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) range from 1% to 16% between institutions.2 The question then arises: Among patients with a good indication for revascularization (particularly those with refractory angina and a CTO), why are so many not offered revascularization options? Here, the Canadian Cardiovascular Society Task Force on Refractory Angina provides some insights: “…[T]he nonrevascularization status will be influenced by the local expertise and operator tolerance to risk.”3 Controversy persists over what constitutes a good indication for CTO PCI. Although observational data are encouraging, it is important to acknowledge that the potential for CTO PCI to improve survival remains unproven. Until such data are available from randomized trials, asymptomatic patients can only be informed about the uncertain benefits …
Fixity: On the inheritance and maintenance of tea plantation houses in Darjeeling, India

On tea plantations in Darjeeling, India, a house comes with every job. These domestic spaces constitute a significant portion of workers’ compensation. Jobs—and the houses that come with them—are inherited by successive generations of workers, but houses remain the property of plantations. Archival and ethnographic stories about the provision, inheritance, and upkeep of houses bring attention to the continued importance of “fixity” to capitalist regimes of accumulation. Fixity has three dimensions: a persistent association between ethnicity, place, and work; the fostering of senses of belonging through systems of inheritance; and the routine maintenance of infrastructures, including housing. As a theoretical and descriptive tool, fixity highlights a tension in late capitalism between work and life, and between freedom and bondage. [colonialism, gender, commodities, agriculture, work, Himalayas, West Bengal]
Expert’s Opinion Report

The questions below were inspired by and based on the editorial penned by TDB and titled, “Contracting for Innovation and Innovating Contracts: An Overview and Introduction to the Special Issue” in...
Regional Anesthesia Considerations for Chronic Noncancer Pain

Chronic noncancer pain in patients presents unique challenges that regional anesthesiologists may encounter in their practices. Biopsychosocial models for treatment of these patients often require a multidisciplinary and multimodal approach that often extends beyond a perioperative encounter. A thorough medication history including all analgesics, assessment of pre-existing pain, a focused physical exam, and consultations with any physicians managing a patient’s chronic pain is essential to developing an anesthetic plan. Patients with chronic noncancer pain and high chronic opioid consumption have a narrow therapeutic window for further pain control perioperatively. Thus the regional anesthesiologist must utilize opioid-sparing techniques including pharmacologic adjuvants and regional interventional procedures to reduce any adverse opioid side effects in the perioperative period.
The Functional Use of Religion When Faced with Imminent Death: An Analysis of Death Row Inmates’ Last Statements

This article draws on religious coping theory to (1) assess how death row inmates use religion to cope with imminent death; (2) evaluate whether certain coping methods are more frequently used than...
Avian Endocrine System

Abstract Birds produce homologues of the vast majority of mammalian hormones. These can have similar roles in birds and mammals. In addition, avian hormones have unique functions related for instance to oviparous reproduction, seasonality, crop milk, the salt gland in marine birds, migration and song. There are also marked differences between avian and mammalian metabolism. Not all the protein/peptide hormones and neuropeptides found in mammals are present in birds. In a reciprocal manner, birds express a few protein/peptide hormones not found in mammals such as prolactin-like protein. There is still controversy on the existence of avian leptin. Caution should be expressed about extrapolating studies for poultry species such as chickens to other birds. This is due to multiple generations of the selection with chickens following domestication about 10,000 years ago and to the evolutionary position of galliform and also anseriform birds (Galloanserae). These separated from the vast majority of modern birds (Neoaves) about 95 million years ago.
Plasma Homocysteine and Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase Gene Polymorphism in Human Health and Disease: An Update

The strongly rising prevalence of chronic diseases in most of the developing & developed countries causes major problems in the health systems. High blood cholesterol caused by high fat consumption...
Loss, Meaning-Making, and Coping After the 2016 Presidential Election:

Hillary Rodham Clinton was heralded by news outlets and political pundits as the clear frontrunner and expected winner of the 2016 U.S. Presidential election. Her election loss to Republican Donald...
Identification of Factors Associated With Variation in US County-Level Obesity Prevalence Rates Using Epidemiologic vs Machine Learning Models.

Importance Obesity is a leading cause of high health care expenditures, disability, and premature mortality. Previous studies have documented geographic disparities in obesity prevalence. Objective To identify county-level factors associated with obesity using traditional epidemiologic and machine learning methods. Design, Setting, and Participants Cross-sectional study using linear regression models and machine learning models to evaluate the associations between county-level obesity and county-level demographic, socioeconomic, health care, and environmental factors from summarized statistical data extracted from the 2018 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation County Health Rankings and merged with US Census data from each of 3138 US counties. The explanatory power of the linear multivariate regression and the top performing machine learning model were compared using meanR2measured in 30-fold cross validation. Exposures County-level demographic factors (population; rural status; census region; and race/ethnicity, sex, and age composition), socioeconomic factors (median income, unemployment rate, and percentage of population with some college education), health care factors (rate of uninsured adults and primary care physicians), and environmental factors (access to healthy foods and access to exercise opportunities). Main Outcomes and Measures County-level obesity prevalence in 2018, its association with each county-level factor, and the percentage of variation in county-level obesity prevalence explained by linear multivariate and gradient boosting machine regression measured withR2. Results Among the 3138 counties studied, the mean (range) obesity prevalence was 31.5% (12.8%-47.8%). In multivariate regressions, demographic factors explained 44.9% of variation in obesity prevalence; socioeconomic factors, 33.0%; environmental factors, 15.5%; and health care factors, 9.1%. The county-level factors with the strongest association with obesity were census region, median household income, and percentage of population with some college education.R2values of univariate regressions of obesity prevalence were 0.238 for census region, 0.218 for median household income, and 0.160 for percentage of population with some college education. Multivariate linear regression and gradient boosting machine regression (the best-performing machine learning model) of obesity prevalence using all county-level demographic, socioeconomic, health care, and environmental factors hadR2values of 0.58 and 0.66, respectively (P Conclusions and Relevance Obesity prevalence varies significantly between counties. County-level demographic, socioeconomic, health care, and environmental factors explain the majority of variation in county-level obesity prevalence. Using machine learning models may explain significantly more of the variation in obesity prevalence..
Association of Antidepressant Medication Type With the Incidence of Cardiovascular Disease in the ARIC Study.

Background The association of antidepressant medication type with the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is unclear. We hypothesized that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are assoc...
Multi-Morbid Health Profiles and Specialty Healthcare Service Use: A Moderating Role of Poverty

Increasing life expectancy in the USA makes a better understanding of the heterogeneous healthcare needs of the aging population imperative. Many aging studies have discovered multimorbid health problems focusing mainly on various physical health conditions, but not on combined mental or behavioral health problems. There is also a paucity of studies with older adults who use professional healthcare services caring for their mental and substance-related conditions. This study aims to enhance the knowledge of older peoples’ complex healthcare needs involving physical, mental, and behavioral conditions; examine the relationship between multi-morbid health profiles and specialty healthcare service utilization; and investigate its association to poverty. The study data were derived from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) in 2013 (n = 6296 respondents aged 50 years and older). To identify overall health conditions, nine indicators, including physical, mental, and substance/alcohol, were included. Healthcare service utilization was measured with four mutually exclusive categories: No treatment, mental health treatment only, substance use treatment only, and both. We identified four health profiles: Healthy (82%), having physical health problems (6%), physical and mental health problems (4%), and behavioral problems (8%). Older people’s health profiles were differentially associated with healthcare use. Those living in poverty with both physical and mental health problems or substance/alcohol health problems were less likely to receive mental health and substance use treatments than those with more financial resources. Implications for geriatric healthcare practices and policy are discussed.
The Burden of Acute Kidney Injury in Indian Pediatric Intensive Care Units

How to cite this article: Ali U. The Burden of Acute Kidney Injury in Indian Pediatric Intensive Care Units. Indian J Crit Care Med 2019;23(8):349.
Laparoscopic Resection of a Hydropic Leiomyoma

Video Objective We describe a resection of an asymptomatic hydropic leiomyoma presenting as either a post-surgical change or a uterine malformation, and briefly review the literature for similar case presentations. Setting A 34-year-old otherwise healthy woman was referred for resection of a uterine mass after it was incidentally discovered at the time of laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Imaging revealed a 17-cm fluid-containing mass arising from the cervix that was thought to either be a residual cyst from her prior cesarean scar or an obstructed horn of a didelphys or bicornuate uterus. Interventions The patient was taken for diagnostic hysteroscopy that revealed a normal intrauterine cavity, and diagnostic laparoscopy with laparoscopic resection of the mass using blunt bipolar dissection. The defect was repaired with 0-PDS and the mass was removed via a mini-laparotomy after enclosed morcellation in a specimen bag. Chromopertubation was performed at the end of the procedure ensuring tubal patency. Conclusion Hydropic leiomyomas are rare variants of uterine mesenchymal tumors that present in reproductive-aged women as large, indolent pelvic masses with imaging features of cystic or degenerating changes often concerning for malignancy. We describe the first case to be managed laparoscopically, and to present as a possible uterine malformation or post-surgical change, further showing the degree of the diagnostic challenge posed by hydropic leiomyomas and the importance of preoperative imaging.
Transient neonatal sleep fragmentation results in long-term neuroinflammation and cognitive impairment in a rabbit model

Abstract Sleep fragmentation is an increase in sleep-wake transitions without an overall decrease in total sleep time. Sleep fragmentation is well documented during acute and chronic hospitalization and can result in delirium and memory problems in children. Sleep fragmentation is also often noted in neurodevelopmental disorders. However, it is unclear how sleep fragmentation independent of disease affects brain development and function. We hypothesized that acute sleep fragmentation during the neonatal period in otherwise healthy animals would result in neuroinflammation and would be associated with abnormalities in cognitive development. The orbital shaker method was used to fragment sleep for 72 h in postnatal day 3 New Zealand white rabbit kits (fragmentation group). To control for maternal separation, the sham group was separated from the dam and maintained in the same conditions without undergoing sleep fragmentation. A naive control group remained with the dam. Kits underwent behavioral testing with novel object recognition and spontaneous alternation T-maze tests at 2–3 weeks post-fragmentation and were sacrificed 3–50 days after fragmentation. Sleep fragmentation resulted in acute and chronic changes in microglial morphology in the hippocampus and cortex, and regional differences in mRNA expression of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines at 3, 7 and 50 days post-fragmentation. Impaired novel object recognition and a longer latency in T-maze task completion were noted in the fragmented kits. This was in spite of normalization of sleep architecture noted at 2 months of age in these kits. The results indicate that transient neonatal sleep fragmentation results in short-term and long-term immune alterations in the brain, along with diminished performance in cognitive tasks long-term.
Alkali-activated materials: the role of molecular-scale research and lessons from the energy transition to combat climate change

Alternative (i.e., non-Portland) cements, such as alkali-activated materials, have gained significant interest from the scientific community due to their proven CO2 savings compared with Portland cement together with known short-term performance properties. However, the concrete industry remains dominated by Portland cement-based concrete. This Letter explores the technical and non-technical hurdles preventing implementation of an alternative cement, such as alkali-activated materials, in the concrete industry and discusses how these hurdles can be overcome. Specifically, it is shown that certain technical hurdles, such as a lack of understanding how certain additives affect setting of alkali-activated materials (and Portland cement) and the absence of long-term in-field performance data of these sustainable cements, can be mitigated via the use of key molecular- and nano-scale experimental techniques to elucidate dominant material characteristics, including those that control long-term performance. In the second part of this Letter the concrete industry is compared and contrasted with the electricity generation industry, and specifically the transition from one dominant technology (i.e., coal) to a diverse array of energy sources including renewables. It is concluded that financial incentives and public advocacy (akin to advocacy for renewables in the energy sector) would significantly enhance uptake of alternative cements in the concrete industry.
Partial Metal Ion Saturation of C2 Domains Primes Synaptotagmin 1-Membrane Interactions

Synaptotagmin 1 (Syt1) is an integral membrane protein whose phospholipid-binding tandem C2 domains, C2A and C2B, act as Ca2+ sensors of neurotransmitter release. Our objective was to understand the role of individual metal-ion binding sites of these domains in the membrane association process. We used Pb2+, a structural and functional surrogate of Ca2+, to generate the protein states with well-defined protein-metal ion stoichiometry. NMR experiments revealed that binding of one divalent metal ion per C2 domain results in loss of conformational plasticity of the loop regions, potentially pre-organizing them for additional metal-ion and membrane-binding events. In C2A, a divalent metal ion in site 1 is sufficient to drive its weak association with phosphatidylserine-containing membranes, whereas in C2B, it enhances the interactions with the signaling lipid phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate. In full-length Syt1, both Pb2+-complexed C2 domains associate with phosphatidylserine-containing membranes. Electron paramagnetic resonance experiments show that the extent of membrane insertion correlates with the occupancy of the C2 metal ion sites. Together, our results indicate that upon partial metal ion saturation of the intra-loop region, Syt1 adopts a dynamic, partially membrane-bound state. The properties of this state, such as conformationally restricted loop regions and positioning of C2 domains in close proximity to anionic lipid headgroups, "prime" Syt1 for cooperative binding of a full complement of metal ions and deeper membrane insertion.
The Role of the Oceans in the Global Carbon Cycle: An Overview

Typical gases such as oxygen tend to be distributed mostly in the atmosphere (99.4%) and less so in the ocean (0.6%). Carbon dioxide is vastly different from such gases, with 98.5% of the pre-industrial CO2 in the ocean and only 1.5% in the atmosphere. The reason that CO2 is found preferentially in the ocean is because of its high solubility (thirty times that of oxygen) and because of the hydrolysis reaction it undergoes to form carbonate and bicarbonate ions. The oceanic carbon inventory of total dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) is also influenced by a combination of biologically mediated processes (the biological pump) and physical and chemical processes (the solubility pump). Both the biological and solubility pumps contribute to a higher concentration of DIC in the deep ocean, which reduces atmospheric CO2 relative to what it would be otherwise.
Precise Control of Cu Nanoparticle Size and Catalytic Activity through Pore Templating in Zr Metal–Organic Frameworks

Composite materials composed of nanoparticles trapped within metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) combine the broad functionality of nanotechnology with the structural regularity of crystalline scaffold...