cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effect of performance-based financing on illness, care-seeking and treatment among children: an impact evaluation in Rwanda

Performance-based financing (PBF) strategies are promoted as a supply-side, results-based financing mechanism to improve primary health care. This study estimated the effects of Rwanda’s PBF program on less-incentivized child health services and examined the differential program impact by household poverty. Districts were allocated to intervention and comparison for PBF implementation in Rwanda. Using Demographic Health Survey data from 2005 to 2007–08, a community-level panel dataset of 5781 children less than 5 years of age from intervention and comparison districts was created. The impacts of PBF on reported childhood illness, facility care-seeking, and treatment received were estimated using a difference-in-differences model with community fixed effects. An interaction term between poverty and the program was estimated to identify the differential effect of PBF among children from poorer families. There was no measurable difference in estimated probability of reporting illness with diarrhea, fever or acute respiratory infections between the intervention and comparison groups. Seeking care at a facility for these illnesses increased over time, however no differential effect by PBF was seen. The estimated effect of PBF on receipt of treatment for poor children is 45 percentage points higher (p = 0.047) compared to the non-poor children seeking care for diarrhea or fever. PBF, a supply-side incentive program, improved the quality of treatment received by poor children conditional on patients seeking care, but it did not impact the propensity to seek care. These findings provide additional evidence that PBF incentivizes the critical role staff play in assuring quality services, but does little to influence consumer demand for these services. Efforts to improve child health need to address both supply and demand, with additional attention to barriers due to poverty if equity in service use is a concern.
The long road of pain: chronic pain increases perceived distance

Spatial perception is sensitive to the energetic costs required to perform intended actions. For example, hills look steeper to people who are fatigued or burdened by a heavy load. Similarly, perceived distance is also influenced by the energy required to walk or throw to a target. Such experiments demonstrate that perception is a function, not just of optical information, but also of the perceiver’s potential to act and the energetic costs associated with the intended action. In the current paper, we expand on the notion of “cost” by examining perceived distance in patients diagnosed with chronic pain, a multifactorial disease, which is experienced while walking. We found that chronic pain patients perceive target distances to be farther away compared with a control group. These results indicate the physical, and perhaps emotional, costs of chronic pain affect spatial perceptions.
On the advantages of a no-party state

One of the most important issues of political development and nation building in Africa is national integration. One major political institution which the new nations have employed in the pursuit of this goal is the political party. Ironically and unfortunately, political parties stand for division and cleavages. Thus as Seymour Lipset and Stein Rokkan have noted, in Cleavage Structures, Party Systems, and Voter Alignment: an introduction (Glencoe, 1967), ‘“Party” throughout the history of western government stood for division [my italics], conflict, opposition within a body polity. “Party” is etymologically derived from “part” and since it first appeared in political discourse in the late Middle Ages has always retained this reference to one set of elements in competition or in controversy with another set of elements within some unified whole’ (p. 3). These indeed have been the main characteristics of political parties in most parts of Africa. That is, most of them are fragmentary, and thus contribute to national disintegration rather than fostering national integration. In other words, many political parties in most African nations have not functioned efficiently for the good of their respective countries.
A three-spin interaction model

Abstract A three spin interaction in the form of a box product, σ 1 × σ 2 · σ 3 , is considered. The thermodynamic behavior is investigated using an effective field theory. A second-order phase transition is found and the magnetization and energy per spin appear to be very similar to those of an ordinary Heisenberg ferromagnet.
Chemistry: The Central Science

1. Introduction: Matter and Measurement. 2. Atoms, Molecules, and Ions. 3. Stoichiometry: Calculations with Chemical Formulas and Equations. 4. Aqueous Reactions and Solution Stoichiometry. 5. Thermochemistry. 6. Electronic Structure of Atoms. 7. Periodic Properties of the Elements. 8. Basic Concepts of Chemical Bonding. 9. Molecular Geometry and Bonding Theories. 10. Gases. 11. Intermolecular Forces, Liquids, and Solids. 12. Modern Materials. 13. Properties of Solutions. 14. Chemical Kinetics. 15. Chemical Equilibrium. 16. Acid-Base Equilibria. 17. Additional Aspects of Equilibria. 18. Chemistry of the Environment. 19. Chemical Thermodynamics. 20. Electrochemistry. 21. Nuclear Chemistry. 22. Chemistry of the Nonmetals. 23. Metals and Metallurgy. 24. Chemistry of Coordination Compounds. 25. The Chemistry of Life: Organic and Biological Chemistry.
Impact of interfacial polymer morphology on photoexcitation dynamics and device performance in P3HT/ZnO heterojunctions

To understand the critical factor(s) that influence short-circuit current in poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT)/ZnO solar cells, we investigate the morphology of the interfacial polymer layer and the photoexcitation dynamics in the picosecond regime. Thin (∼6 nm) films of P3HT deposited on bare ZnO and ZnO modified with an alkanethiol monolayer are used as model systems for the heterojunction interface. Results are compared with thin P3HT films on glass for the behavior of the polymer alone. Synchrotron grazing incidence X-ray diffraction spectra of P3HT thin films deposited on glass and on an alkanethiol-modified ZnO surface identify a crystalline P3HT interfacial layer, while an amorphous interfacial layer of P3HT is found on unmodified ZnO. To investigate the decay dynamics of initial photoexcited states, the samples are interrogated by pump–probe spectroscopy with sub-picosecond time resolution. Compared to P3HT/ZnO composite films, the decay behavior for both polarons and excitons over a 500 ps time interval becomes significantly slower with alkanethiol modification, indicating a reduction in early-stage charge recombination. These experiments demonstrate how the interfacial polymer morphology has a critical role in determining device performance.
The effectiveness and estimated costs of the Access to Baby and Child Dentistry program in Washington state

ABSTRACT Objectives The authors estimated the effectiveness of the Access to Baby and Child Dentistry (ABCD) program as a tool to improve the oral health of children, and they measured its costs. ABCD is an effort to increase the utilization of dental care by Medicaid-enrolled children younger than 6 years. Methods The authors compared the oral health of third-grade children in Spokane County Wash. (ABCD) with that of children in Pierce County (non-ABCD). They then compared the expenditures of ABCD with those associated with alternative dental care interventions. Results Children in Spokane County had better oral health than did the children in Pierce County. The authors also found that the ABCD program increased mean dental care costs by $8.17 per user over costs in Pierce County, and the program cost a mean of $5.33 per user in outreach and dentist and staff training costs. Conclusions This study found that ABCD improved the oral health of all third graders, including those not eligible or enrolled in the program. Increased expenditures were attributable mainly to outreach and training costs. Clinical Implications Programs such as ABCD, carried out collaboratively by component societies, health districts, dental schools and Medicaid, have the potential to increase access to care and improve health.
Clustering Aggregation as Maximum-Weight Independent Set

We formulate clustering aggregation as a special instance of Maximum-Weight Independent Set (MWIS) problem. For a given dataset, an attributed graph is constructed from the union of the input clusterings generated by different underlying clustering algorithms with different parameters. The vertices, which represent the distinct clusters, are weighted by an internal index measuring both cohesion and separation. The edges connect the vertices whose corresponding clusters overlap. Intuitively, an optimal aggregated clustering can be obtained by selecting an optimal subset of non-overlapping clusters partitioning the dataset together. We formalize this intuition as the MWIS problem on the attributed graph, i.e., finding the heaviest subset of mutually non-adjacent vertices. This MWIS problem exhibits a special structure. Since the clusters of each input clustering form a partition of the dataset, the vertices corresponding to each clustering form a maximal independent set (MIS) in the attributed graph. We propose a variant of simulated annealing method that takes advantage of this special structure. Our algorithm starts from each MIS, which is close to a distinct local optimum of the MWIS problem, and utilizes a local search heuristic to explore its neighborhood in order to find the MWIS. Extensive experiments on many challenging datasets show that: 1. our approach to clustering aggregation automatically decides the optimal number of clusters; 2. it does not require any parameter tuning for the underlying clustering algorithms; 3. it can combine the advantages of different underlying clustering algorithms to achieve superior performance; 4. it is robust against moderate or even bad input clusterings.
Control of Population Stratification by Correlation-Selected Principal Components

In genome-wide association studies, population stratification is recognized as producing inflated type I error due to the inflation of test statistics. Principal component-based methods applied to genotypes provide information about population structure, and have been widely used to control for stratification. Here we explore the precise relationship between genotype principal components and inflation of association test statistics, thereby drawing a connection between principal component-based stratification control and the alternative approach of genomic control. Our results provide an inherent justification for the use of principal components, but call into question the popular practice of selecting principal components based on significance of eigenvalues alone. We propose a new approach, called EigenCorr, which selects principal components based on both their eigenvalues and their correlation with the (disease) phenotype. Our approach tends to select fewer principal components for stratification control than does testing of eigenvalues alone, providing substantial computational savings and improvements in power. Analyses of simulated and real data demonstrate the usefulness of the proposed approach.
Spaces and subspaces of images for recognition

In this paper we study and compare the recognition performance of subspaces in two different spaces, namely the image space and spectral histogram space. In image space, each image is represented as a long vector and in the spectral histogram space, each image is represented by its histograms of the convolved images with a chosen bank of filters. Spectral histogram space is a nonlinear transformation of the image space. First principal components and independent components in the spaces are studied. Then we study different subspaces by connecting the known subspaces through geodesic curves in the projection space. Our preliminary results show the recognition performance depends more on which space to use than the different subspaces in a given space. This suggests the need to study different spaces for recognition purpose.
Dna Barcoding Of Lizards (reptilia, Squamata) Of Qatar

Recent rapid development in Qatar has brought awareness and recognition of the importance to catalogue, describe and preserve its biodiversity. Traditional methods of using morphological characteristics for species identification, although important, requires years of experience and is in need of complete specimens before identity is certain. Recent worldwide endeavor of DNA barcoding by using a segment of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome oxidase c 1 (CO1) to describe all species in the world, has gained recognition and popularity. In this student-centered research supported by Undergraduate Research Experience Program (UREP) of Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF), the objective is to sequence the barcoding gene CO1 of the lizards in Qatar and to compare the sequence among closely related species to facilitate future identification. The final results of this study will make available the barcode sequences of CO1 to be included in the GenBank database. Lizard species were collected across Qatar and photographs were taken for appropriated morphological identification. About 0.5 cm3 of muscle tissues were obtained from each specimen for DNA extraction. Currently between 8 to 12 different primer pairs suggested in literature and primer pair combinations were used for 7 species and a variety of programs of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were employed in order to amplify the segment of gene of about 650 bp. Among the successfully amplified sequences from the 7 species currently analyzed, three species, Trachylepis septemtaeniata, Mesalina brevirostris, and Uromastyx aegyptia produced PCR products. To eliminate the presence of multiple sequences in the PCR product, PCR fragments were ligated to cloning vector in order to amplify one single sequence for each species. The current total success rate (<43%) based on the primer sequences obtained from publish results and from internal primers developed in this study further supports that the universal primers for reptiles are difficult to develop due to deep phylogenetic divergence. Future studies seeking universal primers should focus on candidate genes that evolve more slowly than CO1 gene to ensure higher homology of sequences among the reptilian species.
The family in psychosomatic medicine.

Psychosomatic or psychophysiologic illness is defined in medical texts as a disorder marked by physical symptoms caused by emotional factors. Treatment should include the whole family not be limited to the patient. The family approach to certain dysfunctions in medicine is discussed. Contraception is an area of medicine which should be characterized by communication between the spouses and between the couple and the doctor. Psychological aspects of both the female-controlled and the male-controlled methods of birth control are mentioned.
Health values change over time in people with type 2 diabetes

Commentary on : Nugent LE, Carson M, Zammitt NN, et al. Health value & perceived control over health: behavioural constructs to support Type 2 diabetes self-management in clinical practice. J Clin Nurs 2015;24:2201–10.[OpenUrl][1][CrossRef][2][PubMed][3] The prevalence of diabetes continues to increase worldwide.1 Diabetes self-management is challenging for individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) who require self-monitoring of blood-glucose, regular medications, physical activity, healthy eating and examinations at regular intervals to prevent diabetes complications. Healthcare professionals also face challenges delivering individualised care … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DJ%2BClin%2BNurs%26rft.volume%253D24%26rft.spage%253D2201%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1111%252Fjocn.12878%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F26033074%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=10.1111/jocn.12878&link_type=DOI [3]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=26033074&link_type=MED&atom=%2Febnurs%2F19%2F3%2F84.atom
Biological Impacts in Fathead Minnow Larvae Following a 7-Day Exposure to Agricultural Runoff: A Microcosm Study.

The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of agricultural runoff on growth and development in fathead minnow larvae. Identifying these impacts in the field is difficult due to the complexity of pulsatile events and the challenge of maintaining larval fish under environmental conditions. This paper presents evidence of sublethal impacts on minnow larvae, maintained in microcosms, following a 7-day exposure to agricultural runoff. Fathead minnow larvae (5–12 dph) were exposed to agricultural runoff in the Elkhorn River, NE, USA. At 28 dph, 16 days after the field exposure, river exposed larvae showed reductions in body mass and length compared to controls. Female larvae exposed to river water also showed a reduction in the expression of cyp19a compared to controls. Further research will be necessary to separate the impact of agrichemicals from that of other stressors, such as suspended sediment and daily oscillation in water temperature.
Effect of ascorbate on healing of poultry bruises.

SummaryThe level of ascorbate in the blood of normal birds was higher in birds kept at 7.2 and 21°C than in those raised at 30°C. Bruising resulted in a depletion of ascorbate in the blood probably due to utilization by the damaged tissues. Bruises injected daily with 2.0 mg Na-ascorbate healed at a much faster rate than bruises of non-treated birds. This treatment resulted in fast degradation of the hemoglobin present, mostly to bilirubin in birds kept at 30°C which normally accumulate biliverdin. Na-ascorbate reduced the size of the bruise and activated proteolytic enzyme in bruised tissue.
ANALYSIS OF INITIAL PARACHUTE DEPLOYMENT DURING MASS ASSAULT

There is some interest in improving the accuracy and reliability of mass assault operations. These operations have been conducted for many years using the static-line method of parachute deployment. The success of this method is based upon its perceived ability to establish an orderly deployment of parachutes in the immediate wake of the aircraft. However, the behavior of parachute suspension lines in the wake of aircraft is complex and not well understood. It is difficult to predict the consequences of modifying the aircraft, the parachute, or the present deployment method. This paper presents methods used to obtain a kinematical description of the system comprising soldier, deployment bag, and suspension lines from a video record of a mass assault exercise. Several kinematical features are used to obtain insights into the physical environment of the soldier during the subinterval of parachute deployment called the line-sail interval. The results of this preliminary examination indicate that the use of video to analyze parachute deployment can contribute towards the development of both empirical and computational models needed to predict the behavior of soldier-parac hute systems in the wake of aircraft.
Cleaning Patch Clamp Pipettes Enables their Reuse

Patch-clamp recording is a gold-standard technique for the measurement of membrane voltage and current fluctuations in electrically active cells. From the advent of the technique in the 1970s, it has been widely accepted that using a new, un-contaminated pipette to patch-clamp every cell is a critical requirement to form a high-quality seal with the cell and yield a successful recording. However, exchanging pipettes between each cell is a manual and time-consuming task that requires dexterity and interrupts the otherwise-automated flow of the experiment.We circumvent the need to manually exchange pipettes by instead creating a conceptually simple cleaning procedure that enables their reuse. This automated cleaning procedure consists of dipping used pipettes into a commercially available detergent, pneumatically forcing the detergent into the tip, and rinsing the tip in a non-cytotoxic solution.Pipettes cleaned in this fashion for 31 seconds yielded successful recordings at a rate similar to that of new pipettes (cleaned pipettes: 90%, n=50; new pipettes: 86%, n=50) in human embryonic kidney (HEK) cultures and mouse brain slice tissue (cleaned: 59%, n=46; new: 50%, n=18). The pipette tip was confirmed to be contamination-free using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). A single pipette could be cleaned repeatedly; we measured no significant decreases in seal resistance or recording quality over 10 patch-clamp recordings and cleaning cycles with a single pipette (n=5 pipettes). Passive and active electrical characteristics of cells did not degrade over successive cleaning cycles. These findings suggest that pipettes that undergo the cleaning procedure are as effective as new pipettes and do not alter the characteristics of the recording. Aside from obvious advantages in time, effort and cost of replacing pipettes, reusing a single pipette reduces experimental variability and most critically, is a major step towards fully automating patch-clamp electrophysiology experiments.
No Ordinary Fish Tale: Working Toward a Transnational Solution to the Cod Crisis in the Gulf of Maine

In response to a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)1 survey that showed “record-low levels of abundance”2 of groundfish3 in the Gulf of Maine (“Gulf”), local fisherman Brian Pearce asserted: “It concerns [me] that what [NOAA is] saying and what we [the local fishermen] are seeing is such a contrast . . . . Who sees more fish in the ocean than the fishermen?”4 Despite Mr. Pearce’s skepticism, the state of the cod fishery in the Gulf of Maine—home to “critical”5 and “legendary”6 fishing grounds in Canadian and American7 territories—is, in fact, dire.8 According to the NOAA survey, conducted in August
Regulating Biocompatibility of Carbon Spheres via Defined Nanoscale Chemistry and a Careful Selection of Surface Functionalities.

A plethora of nanoarchitectures have been evaluated preclincially for applications in early detection and treatment of diseases at molecular and cellular levels resulted in limited success of their clinical translation. It is important to identify the factors that directly or indirectly affect their use in human. We bring a fundamental understanding of how to adjust the biocompatibility of carbon based spherical nanoparticles (CNPs) through defined chemistry and a vigilant choice of surface functionalities. CNPs of various size are designed by tweaking size (2–250 nm), surface chemistries (positive, or negatively charged), molecular chemistries (linear, dendritic, hyperbranched) and the molecular weight of the coating agents (MW 400–20 kDa). A combination of in vitro assays as tools were performed to determine the critical parameters that may trigger toxicity. Results indicated that hydrodynamic sizes are potentially not a risk factor for triggering cellular and systemic toxicity, whereas the presence of a highly positive surface charge and increasing molecular weight enhance the chance of inducing complement activation. Bare and carboxyl-terminated CNPs did present some toxicity at the cellular level which, however, is not comparable to those caused by positively charged CNPs. Similarly, negatively charged CNPs with hydroxyl and carboxylic functionalities did not cause any hemolysis.
The computational nature of human language

Whenever we hear (or see) a word or string of words of the language that we speak, our minds perform a special kind of computation on the expression, assigning it a syntactic structure that corresponds to a particular meaning. Consider the deceptively simple example of the orthographic form fish . We can use this orthographic form by itself to represent a sentence, defined at this preliminary point as a linguistic expression that begins with a capital letter and ends with a terminal punctuation mark (period, question mark, or exclamation point): (1) Fish! (1) can be assigned more than one interpretation because fish can designate either a verb or a noun. Under both interpretations the expression has the same pronunciation (whose representation is called Phonetic Form (PF)). Syntactically, however, there are two distinct linguistic representations for (1), one as a verb and the other as a noun. These representations correlate with the different interpretations of (1). In this way, the syntax provides a structural basis for the representation of meaning. This aspect of meaning is called Logical Form (LF). Ambiguity arises when a single PF corresponds to more than one LF. In this case, (1) is structurally ambiguous because its ambiguity derives from a difference in syntactic structure – i.e. whether the PF of (1) is construed as a verb (labeled V) or a noun (labeled N).
NONLINEAR SEMIGROUPS, ACCRETIVE OPERATORS, AND APPLICATIONS

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses recent progress in the area of nonlinear semigroups and accretive operators. It presents new and recent results on the nonlinear analogs of classical linear theorems (for example, those of Hille–Yosida, Chernoff, and Trotter–Neveu–Kato), the asymptotic behavior of nonlinear semigroups (for example, ergodic theory), and the properties of accretive operators. It also discusses recent applications to nonlinear partial differential equations, stochastic games, and control theory. The chapter presents a theorem that includes the Hilbert space result because every closed convex subset of a Hilbert space H is a nonexpansive retract of H.
Comparison of ingestion and topical application of insecticides against the common bed bug, Cimex lectularius (Hemiptera: Cimicidae)

BACKGROUND The global prevalence of Cimex lectularius infestations has challenged current intervention efforts, as pyrethroid resistance has become ubiquitous, availability of labeled insecticides for bed bugs is limited, and non-chemical treatment options, such as heat, are often unaffordable. We evaluated representative insecticides toward the goal of developing a novel, ingestible liquid bait for hematophagous arthropods. RESULTS LC50 values were estimated for adult males and first instar nymphs of an insecticide-susceptible strain for abamectin, clothianidin, fipronil and indoxacarb, after ingestion from an artificial feeder. LD50 values were calculated based on the ingested blood volume. Ingested abamectin, clothianidin and fipronil caused rapid mortality in both life stages. Fipronil was ∼43-fold more effective by ingestion than by topical application. Indoxacarb and its bioactive metabolite decarbomethoxylated JW062 (DCJW) were ineffective at causing bed bug mortality even at concentrations as high as 1000 ng mL−1 blood. CONCLUSIONS Fipronil, clothianidin and abamectin have potential for being incorporated into a liquid bait for bed bug control; indoxacarb and DCJW were not effective. Bed bugs are a good candidate for an ingestible liquid bait because systemic formulations generally require less active ingredient than residual sprays, they remain contained and more effectively target hematophagous arthropods. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry
1 W CW reliable = 730 nm aluminium-free active layer diode laser

1 W continuous wave (CW) reliable operation (/spl sim/1000 h) in large transverse spot-size (d/T=0.55 /spl mu/m), compressively strained, InGaAsP (/spl lambda/=0.73 /spl mu/m)-active region diode lasers is demonstrated. The use of tensile-strained InGaP barrier layers provides strain-compensation and results in a weak temperature sensitivity for the threshold current (T/sub 0/=125 K) and external differential quantum efficiency (T/sub 1/=410 K).
Short-Term Use of Phenobarbital in the Treatment of “Superwarfarin” Poisoning.

Abstract Background: “Superwarfarin” was developed in the 1970s as an anticoagulant rodenticide. The half-life of the “superwarfarin”, brodifacoum, is four times longer than warfarin. Patients with significant brodifacoum ingestions have often required long-term treatment with vitamin K1 (e.g., 6 months), occasionally with adjunctive phenobarbital therapy. Case: A 52-year-old male was admitted to the hospital after being found unconscious at home. He was pale and tachycardic at presentation with an oozing laceration on his right leg and bright red blood per rectum. Two liters of maroon fluid were recovered via nasogastric lavage. Admission laboratory values included: PT > 300 seconds, aPTT > 300 seconds, hemoglobin 2.8 g/dL, hematocrit 8.8%, and platelet count 400,000 per μL. Metabolic acidosis with an increased anion gap was present. A drug screen (Toxi-Lab®) was negative. Alcohol, salicylate, and acetaminophen assays yielded negative results. The following day, the patient admitted ingesting with a total of 170 grams of brodifacoum with suicidal intent. Subcutaneous vitamin K1 (10 mg QID), octreotide acetate (50 mg PO), and pantoprazole sodium (40 mg PO) were administered. He improved clinically, but his PT (range: 22.4–47.4 seconds), INR (range: 2.1–5.5), and aPTT (range: 40–70 seconds) remained abnormal. On hospital day 5 his vitamin K1 dose was increased to 25 mg QID and oral phenobarbital (30 mg TID) was started. A total of thirty-eight units of plasma and 8 red cell units were transfused during the admission. He was transferred to an inpatient psychiatric facility on day 8, and he was discharged from that facility after 5 days. Vitamin K1 and phenobarbital were discontinued at this time. Three and one-half months later, the patient was asymptomatic. His laboratory values included: PT 13.2 seconds, INR 1.1, aPTT 25 seconds, hemoglobin 14.3 g/dL, and hematocrit 42%. A serum brodifacoum level yielded negative results. Conclusion: Superwarfarin has been noted to be an increasingly common cause of poisoning in the past 20 years, especially in intentional ingestions. Many cases have been successfully treated with long-term vitamin K1 — with adjunctive phenobarbital given to some patients. The rationale for using phenobarbital in this setting is that it increases warfarin metabolism by inducing cytochrome P450 isozymes known to be major catabolic enzymes for warfarin (CYP2C9/19) in the liver. We report the successful treatment of significant brodifacoum toxicity with a short course of vitamin K1 (13 days) in combination with phenobarbital (6 days). Download : Download high-res image (280KB) Download : Download full-size image Figure
Top ten best practices for interprofessional precepting

Abstract Background With increasing emphasis on positioning interprofessional education within clinical training, preceptors play a critical role in interprofessional learning. We define interprofessional precepting as intentionally educating learners from multiple professions in authentic practice-based settings, combining clinical teaching and patient care with explicit conversations about how interprofessional collaboration contributes to high-quality, patient-centered, team-based care. Interprofessional precepting requires a unique skillset, and we provide our top ten best practices for interprofessional precepting based on our experiences in the interprofessional education field and evidence from the literature. These best practices support interprofessional preceptors providing interprofessional education experiences in practice-based settings and can serve as a resource to guide preceptor development of the abilities necessary for establishing a high-quality educational experience.
Peering into the Genetic Makeup of Natural Microbial Populations Using Metagenomics

This chapter focuses on how metagenomic data are applied to examine the genomic heterogeneity of natural microbial populations. It highlights the opportunities and challenges inherent to the approach and describes recently developed methods to maximally leverage the potential of these datasets while tackling some of the challenges. We describe how performing population genomic analyses using metagenomic data allows (1) resolution of ecologically and genetically cohesive populations in the environment, (2) tracking of evolutionary processes within them, and (3) application of metatranscriptomic and metaproteomic analyses to determine the in situ physiology of distinct populations. While challenges remain that are inherent to the approach, the current wave of new bioinformatic tools is starting to realize the theoretical potential of metagenomics to peer into the spatiotemporal dynamics of the genetic structure of natural populations.
LR White Flat Embedding of Cells Grown on Coverslips

We do this two different ways, using polyethylene (PE) molds or aluminum weigh boats, depending on the sample. You can either heat- or UV-cure these molds – just change the type of “lid” on the embedding mold. The PE molds are used when the coverslip can be made to fit in the mold. We use JB-4-type molds, available from your favorite microscopy supplier. The key to using these molds is that they have to be pre-treated…fill the inner cup of the mold with LR White, cover with an aluminum JB-4 chuck (try to have enough resin in the mold to come up around the base of the chuck), and polymerize in a 60° C oven for a day or two, until the resin is hard. The Al chuck can usually be removed by hand, but a flathead screwdriver used as a pry will help pop it off if you have trouble.
Immunotherapy use, outcomes, and toxicities in gastrointestinal malignancies.

100Background: Use of checkpoint inhibitors has expanded over recent years, and the gastrointestinal (GI) oncologic indications for immunotherapy (IO) continue to evolve. IO use in GI malignancies is still in its infancy, and we sought to describe our clinical experience thus far. Methods: We retrospectively identified all patients (pts) with GI malignancies treated with IO at the Wilmot Cancer Institute from December, 2015 through July, 2017. We examined patient and tumor-related clinicopathologic features. Our main outcomes of interest were best response on IO, and frequency/severity of IO toxicity. Fisher’s exact test was used to compare categorical factors between groups of interest. Results: 21 pts received IO for a GI malignancy, all of whom had metastases (mets). 76% of pts were male, and the median age was 62 years (range, 25 – 87). Common diagnoses were colorectal (CRC) (n = 10), gastroesophageal (GE) (n = 5), and hepatocellular cancers (HCC) (n = 4). 76% of pts received pembrolizumab, and 24% of...
Chief Executive Cognition, Turnaround Strategy and Turnaround Attempts of Declining Firms

This paper develops an interpretative model of turnaround management that describes how both the attention and attribution patterns of CEOs in declining firms influence the odds of successful turna...
Adaptations to Spreading Markets: Brands, Management, and Warehouses

The numerous, geographically dispersed impressions stamped on the handles of earthenware storage jars for wine and oil symbolize the rich, diversified commerce of the Judean kingdom from the later eighth century B.C.E. Of these, the most widely discussed are those called lamelek (Imlk), impressions. Each has either a four-winged scarab1 or a two-winged sun disc and an inscription bearing the word lmlk and one of four place-names: Hebron, Socoh, Ziph, and Mmst (still unidentified). More than 1000 such stamps have been found in sites including Jerusalem, Ramat Rahel, Mizpah, Gibeon, Gezer, Beth-shemesh, Azekah, Tell el-Judeideh, Lachish, Jericho, and others. The dating of the stamps is controversial, but Stern (1975, pp. 49–50; see also Rosenbaum, 1979, pp. 32–3) after a careful survey of the evidence, cautiously concludes that they probably date from the end of the eighth to the end of the seventh centuries.2
Establishment of Human- and Mouse-Derived Gastric Primary Epithelial Cell Monolayers from Organoids

Organoid cultures generated from gastrointestinal tissues have been an invaluable advancement for in vitro studies of physiological function and disease. Here we present a comprehensive protocol for the establishment and culture of human- and mouse-derived 3-dimensional gastric organoids transferred to 2-dimensional gastric epithelial cell monolayers. We introduce two methods that include the establishment of monolayers from: (1) intact organoids, and (2) single cells dissociated from intact organoids.
An algebraic approach to entropy and its generalizations: a survey

We discuss several axiomatizations of entropy and some of its generalizations using an algebraic approach. The entropy is defined for such objects as functions, partitions, and set collections and the axiomatizations use natural operations on such objects. The generalizations of entropy we propose have applications in circuit design, data mining, machine learning, and information retrieval.
Standard Product Costs

We saw in chapter 6 how pragmatic considerations led to normal costing. There, actual direct costs are combined with indirect costs; but the indirect costs are assigned with an estimated burden rate. Use of an estimated burden rate simplifies the record keeping, with little apparent sacrifice in accuracy. We now extend this theme, by examining the product costing art in a system where all the product cost components are estimated. This is called a standard costing system.
Snoring and carotid artery disease: A new risk factor emerges

Objectives/hypothesis Previous studies have identified a relationship between snoring, carotid intima media thickening, and the presence of atherosclerosis. This study examines the correlation between snoring and carotid artery disease through use of duplex ultrasound identifying greater than 50% internal carotid artery stenosis. Study design Prospective cohort study. Methods Patients presenting to three academic vascular laboratories for carotid duplex examination completed the following surveys: demographic information, assessment of risk factors for carotid stenosis, assessment of history of obstructive sleep apnea, or continuous positive airway pressure use and Snoring Outcomes Survey. Patients were categorized into 2 groups based on the presence or absence of carotid disease. Data were analyzed by univariate contingency tables and logistic regression analysis. Results Five hundred one patients completed the survey, of whom 243/501 (49%) had evidence of carotid occlusive disease. On univariate analysis, smoking, hypertension, heart disease, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes, and stroke all correlated with greater than 50% carotid stenosis. Multivariate analysis indicated that snorers were significantly more likely to have carotid disease. Three hundred twenty-seven participants were thought to have primary snoring. On univariate analysis, snorers were found to be significantly more likely to have carotid disease. After adjustment for covariates, snoring was not significant for carotid disease. However, multivariate analysis showed snorers to be significantly more likely to have bilateral carotid disease. Conclusions This study shows a potential relationship between snoring and bilateral carotid artery stenosis greater than 50%; snorers have risk of carotid stenosis twice that of nonsnorers. Further investigation is warranted to better elucidate this relationship. Level of evidence 2b Laryngoscope, 129:265-268, 2019.
Novel role of the ER/SR Ca2+ sensor STIM1 in the regulation of cardiac metabolism.

Little is known of the physiological role of stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1) in the heart. Here, we demonstrate, for the first time, that hearts lacking cardiomyocyte STIM1 exhibit dysregula...
Dietary iron interacts with genetic background to influence glucose homeostasis.

Iron is a critical component of metabolic homeostasis, but consumption of dietary iron has increased dramatically in the last 30 years, corresponding with the rise of metabolic disease. While the link between iron metabolism and metabolic health is well established, the extent to which dietary iron contributes to metabolic disease risk is unexplored. Further, it is unknown how dietary iron interacts with genetic background to modify metabolic disease risk. LG/J and SM/J inbred mouse strains were used to investigate the relationship between genetic background and metabolic function during an 8-week high iron diet. Glucose tolerance and adiposity were assessed, colorimetric assays determined levels of circulating metabolic markers, and hepatic iron content was measured. RNA sequencing was performed on white adipose tissue to identify genes differentially expressed across strain, diet, and strain X diet cohorts. Hepatic Hamp expression and circulating hepcidin was measured, and small nucleotide variants were identified in the Hamp genic region. LG/J mice experienced elevated fasting glucose and glucose intolerance during the high iron diet, corresponding with increased hepatic iron load, increased circulating ferritin, and signs of liver injury. Adipose function was also altered in high iron-fed LG/J mice, including decreased adiposity and leptin production and differential expression of genes involved in iron and glucose homeostasis. LG/J mice failed to upregulate hepatic Hamp expression during the high iron diet, resulting in low circulating hepcidin levels compared to SM/J mice. This study highlights the importance of accounting for genetic variation when assessing the effects of diet on metabolic health, and suggests dietary iron’s impact on liver and adipose tissue is an underappreciated component of metabolic disease risk.
Abstract 553: The Matricellular Protein Ccn1 is a Key Mediator of Smooth Muscle Cell Migration and Neointimal Formation

Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), a potent chemoattractant, induces smooth muscle cell (SMC) migration via the MAPK and PI3K/Akt pathways. However, the downstream mediators are still elusive. ...
Particle-modified polymeric cladding on glass optical fibers enhances radial light scattering

Radially light-emitting optical fibers are of increasing interest for applications in medicine, visible aesthetics, and environmental remediation. Optical fibers contain a light guiding core coated by protective polymer layers (cladding and coating), which assure both the strength and flexibility of the optical fiber. This paper examines the feasibility of scattering light radially from fibers by loading the fiber cladding with particle scattering centers during the optical fiber fabrication process. This work uses an in-line full-scale scalable facility to coat the fibers and control the polymer cladding and silica sphere. Loadings up to 2.0 wt. % of 500 nm silica particles on the cladding of the optical fiber led to an average of 80 times higher scattering for visible light and up to 30 times higher in the UVA wavelength range compared against cladding without particle modifications. This study illustrated the feasibility of fabricating broadband light scattering optical fibers for use with modified polymeric cladding.
The Effects of Clawbacks on Auditors' Propensity to Propose Restatements and Risk Assessments

SUMMARY The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the Dodd-Frank Act of 2010 include clawback provisions requiring executives to pay back incentive-based compensation that they earned based on financial s...
Small Cell Lung Cancer Bombesin Receptors Utilize Calcium as a Second Messenger

Neuropeptide receptors mediate their action through the use of second messenger systems. Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and secretin, which are 28 and 27 amino acid peptides, respectively, utilize cAMP as a second messenger (Jensen and Gardner, 1984). Each of these peptides binds to distinct polypeptide receptors which are coupled to a stimulatory guanine nucleotide regulatory subunit (Ns) which interacts positively with the membranebound enzyme adenylate cyclase. In contrast, somatostatin (SRIF) receptors interact with an inhibitory guanine nucleotide regulatory subunit (Ni) which interacts negatively with adenyl ate cyclase.
Botulinum Toxin Treatment of Plantar Fasciitis (Plantar Fasciopathy)

Plantar fasciitis/fasciopathy (PF) is a common problem which affects two million people in the USA and 10 % of runners. The symptoms of heel pain and foot discomfort can interfere with daily functions and are often disabling in the chronic form of PF. Commonly used treatments for symptoms of plantar fasciitis include stretching, taping, night splints, orthosis, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, iontophoresis, steroid injections, ultrasound extracorporeal and intracorporeal shock waves, acupuncture, and cryosurgery. With most of these approaches, improvement is short lived, and some approaches (i.e., shock wave therapy) are very painful and often require prior nerve block. Furthermore, injection of steroids can cause rupture of the plantar fascia. Clearly, an effective and safe therapeutic approach without substantial side effect is very much needed for PF. Local injection of botulinum toxin A is a relatively novel treatment for PF. The results of two double-blind, placebo-controlled studies have supported its efficacy (level B). A comparator-blinded study has shown that BoNT-A is more effective than betamethasone in relieving pain and improving function at 6 months. Furthermore, the positive effect of ona- and abobotulinumtoxinA lasted often beyond 6 months, and the injections caused no side effects. In this chapter, various therapeutic approaches for management of PF are presented with emphasis on botulinum toxins and their advantages.
1307-P: Do Youth Want Psychosocial Screenings in Diabetes Clinic? Profiles of Acceptability

Background: Psychosocial screening is recommended and increasingly common, but little is known about youths’ perspectives on screenings. Methods: One hundred and twenty-four adolescents (57.7% female) ages 12-21 years (M=16.2±2.3) completed routine, clinic-integrated screenings. K-means clustering derived profiles and ANOVA assessed correlates profiles. Results: Four distinct profiles emerged (Table 1). Profiles varied by depression (F=3.54, p=0.017), diabetes distress (F=3.27, p=0.036), and A1c values (F=4.03, p=0.009). Majority (72.6%) placed high importance on diabetes teams awareness about their emotions and reported no difficulties/discomfort (Embracers). Those uncomfortable with screening (Avoiders) were most depressed and had lowest A1C. Youth who endorsed difficulties with tablet and placed low importance about team awareness about their emotions (Skeptics) had relatively high depression but least diabetes distress. A small fourth group (Strugglers; n=3) must be interpreted with caution due to size. No differences were found for age, gender, diabetes duration/type, race/ethnicity, self-rated global health, or anxiety. Conclusions: Most youth responded favorably to in-clinic psychosocial screenings. Those less satisfied may have increased mental health risk and may benefit from technical support and an emphasized rationale for screenings. Disclosure J.J. Wong: None. S. Hanes: None. M.S. Lanning: None. M.L. Tanenbaum: None. D. Naranjo: None. K.K. Hood: Research Support; Self; Dexcom, Inc. Speaker’s Bureau; Self; LifeScan, Inc., MedIQ.
Gastric outlet obstruction as the initial presentation of upper tract urothelial carcinoma

GOO is often the first sign of advanced upper gastrointestinal neoplasms. The most common neoplasms associated with GOO include gastric, pancreatic, and biliary tract cancers. Urinary tract urothelial carcinoma has been a rarely documented cause of GOO.
Has the COVID-19 lockdown changed Earth's climate?

The lockdown measures imposed by many nations due to the COVID-19 pandemic have led to air pollution falling dramatically, thereby offering scientists a rare opportunity to study its links with climate and weather. But as Kate Ravillious discovers, it's a complicated connection