cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Linkage of serum insulin concentrations to chromosome 3p in Mexican Americans

Hyperinsulinemia predicts the development of type 2 diabetes, and family studies suggest that insulin levels are regulated in part by genes. We conducted a genome-wide scan to detect genes influencing variation in fasting serum insulin concentrations in 391 nondiabetic individuals from 10 large multigenerational families. Approximately 380 microsatellite markers with an average spacing of 10 cM were genotyped in all study subjects. Insulin concentrations measured by radioimmunoassay were transformed by their natural logarithms before analysis. In multipoint analysis, peak evidence for linkage occurred on chromosome 3p approximately 109 cM from pter in the region of 3p14.2-p14.1. The multipoint logarithm of odds (LOD) score was 3.07, occurring in the region flanked by markers D3S1600 and D3S1285 (P value by simulation <0.0001). In a two-point analysis, LOD scores ranged from 0.75 to 2.52 for the nine markers typed in the region spanning 88-143 cM from pter. The fasting insulin resistance index was highly correlated with fasting insulin concentrations in this sample and also provided strong evidence for linkage to this region (LOD = 2.99). There was no evidence in our genome-wide scan for linkage of insulin levels to any other chromosome. These results provide evidence that a gene-influencing variation in insulin concentrations exists on chromosome 3p. Possible candidate genes in this region include GBE1 and ACOX2, which encode enzymes involved in glycogen and fatty acid metabolism, respectively.
A blister test for interfacial adhesion of large-scale transferred graphene

Abstract A blister test and associated analysis was developed to characterize the interfacial adhesion between graphene and substrates to which it has been transferred. In this study, chemical vapor deposition grown graphene had been transferred to a highly polished copper substrate from its seed foil. The graphene/photoresist composite film was pressurized with deionized water through a nominally 1-mm hole in the copper and the deflection of the membrane was measured by a full field interference method. The deflection profiles compared well with those obtained from a linear plate model that accounted for the initial strain in the membrane and a relaxed boundary condition at the edge of the blister. This was used to calculate the energy release rate as a function of delamination growth to obtain fracture resistance curves for the graphene/copper interface. To the best of our knowledge, these are the first measurements of fracture resistance curves for adhesive interactions between transferred graphene and a copper substrate. The delamination path of the graphene/photoresist sample was confirmed by Raman spectroscopy. The measured adhesion energy for the graphene/copper interface was higher than that of a photoresist/copper interface, but slightly lower than previous measurements for as-grown graphene on copper foil.
Morphological and molecular characterization of Phytophthora glovera sp. nov. from tobacco in Brazil

A root rot disease of cultivated tobacco called yellow stunt has been observed in the burley tobacco production areas of Brazil since the early 1990s. Root infecting fungi and straminipiles were isolated from the roots of diseased tobacco plants, including a semi-papillate, homothallic, slow growing Phytophthora species. Pathogenicity trials confirmed that Phytophthora sp. caused root rot and stunting of burley and flue-cured tobaccos. Morphological characteristics of the asexual and sexual stages of this organism did not match any reported Phytophthora species and were very different from the widely known tobacco black shank pathogen P. nicotianae. Phylogenetic analysis based on sequences of the internal transcribed spacer rDNA, β-tubulin and translation elongation factor 1-α regions indicated that this organism represents a previously unreported Phytophthora species that is significantly supported in clade 2 and most closely related to P. capsici. However P. glovera differs from P. capsici in a number of morphological characters, most significantly P. glovera is homothallic and produces both paragynous and amphigynous antheridia while P. capsici is heterothallic and produces only amphigynous antheridia. In this paper we confirmed pathogenicity of this species on tobacco and describe the morphological and molecular characteristics of Phytophthora glovera sp. nov.
Beliefs About the True Self Explain Asymmetries Based on Moral Judgment

Past research has identified a number of asymmetries based on moral judgments. Beliefs about (a) what a person values, (b) whether a person is happy, (c) whether a person has shown weakness of will, and (d) whether a person deserves praise or blame seem to depend critically on whether participants themselves find the agent's behavior to be morally good or bad. To date, however, the origins of these asymmetries remain unknown. The present studies examine whether beliefs about an agent's "true self" explain these observed asymmetries based on moral judgment. Using the identical materials from previous studies in this area, a series of five experiments indicate that people show a general tendency to conclude that deep inside every individual there is a "true self" calling him or her to behave in ways that are morally virtuous. In turn, this belief causes people to hold different intuitions about what the agent values, whether the agent is happy, whether he or she has shown weakness of will, and whether he or she deserves praise or blame. These results not only help to answer important questions about how people attribute various mental states to others; they also contribute to important theoretical debates regarding how moral values may shape our beliefs about phenomena that, on the surface, appear to be decidedly non-moral in nature.
Suicidality in clinical practice: Anxieties and answers

This issue of the Journal of Clinical Psychology: In Session is devoted to suicidality in clinical practice, with coverage of a broad range of topics. After summarizing some of the problems and recent advances in clinical suicidology, I provide a brief overview of the articles. Included are the more broadly defined issues of risk management and psychotherapy with suicidal individuals, along with more specific topics such as risk assessment, no-suicide contracts, and the risk of suicide with the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) by children and adolescents. Most of the articles feature case vignettes and provide practitioners with clinical recommendations, and all of the articles have clear and important clinical implications.
Spirometric nomograms for normal children and adolescents in Puerto Rico

Objective. The use of spirometric reference values specific to the population being tested is preferable. A study carried out in Puerto Rico is used here to develop nomograms for normal children and adolescents based on age and height, two variables that have been found to be good predictors of pulmonary function. Material and methods. The data for healthy individuals aged 5 to 18 were extracted (108 girls and 107 boys) from a larger study of spirometric measurements collected on 4 527 individuals attending medical services in Puerto Rico. Several models were tested for the prediction of FEV1, FVC and the ratio FEV1/FVC. The best models were selected for each gender, and nomograms were developed showing the fifth, twenty-fifth, fiftieth, seventy-fifth, and ninety-fifth percentile of the predicted values according to age and height separately. Results. The best models were those using the logarithm of the pulmonary function and the cube of height (R2= 0.79-0.81), and age without transformation (R2= 0.73-0.77). Corresponding nomograms were developed based on these models. The ratio showed little variation for different ages and heights.Conclusions. Pulmonary function can be efficiently predicted by age and height. Nomograms provide a simple way to use spirometric references that can be incorporated to clinical practice.
Level of Difficulty and Consistency of Performance in Anagram Solving

Changing the levels of difficulty of anagrams and/or the requirement that solutions be verbalized affected the level of performance. Ss improved with practice, women being superior to men. Consiste...
Stability and Galerkin approximation in thermoelastic models

We consider the coupled partial differential equations which arise in modeling linear thermoelastic structures. We review stability properties of the distributed parameter model, particularly as related to the choice of norm on the state space. We discuss the choice of norm for two models-one with elastic dynamics governed by a wave equation and the other by an Euler-Bernoulli beam equation. We discuss the implications for stability as well as Galerkin approximations.
The very idea of design: what God couldn't do

This paper argues for the proposition that there is fundamental incoherence in the idea of a divine designer. Such a being would have to have intentions and thoughts prior to designing and making a world. But it is a necessary truth that thought – of the complex and articulated kind necessary for the design of a cosmos – presupposes possession of language. It is further necessarily true that language is impossible, save for beings who inhabit a public world containing other linguistic subjects. The divine designer would be the impossible exemplar of the private language, whose incoherence was demonstrated by Wittgenstein. Objections to this line of argument are noted and rebutted. Even God can't whisper in His own ear . Isaak Babel
Terahertz-bandwidth pulse propagation on a coplanar stripline fabricated on a thin membrane

An ultra-broadband coplanar stripline employing a durable 1.4 /spl mu/m-thick membrane substrate has been devised, fabricated, and tested. Nearly distortionless propagation of terahertz-bandwidth electrical pulses over lengths in excess of 4 mm has been experimentally demonstrated using subpicosecond test signals and a sampling measurement technique based on ultrashort-duration laser pulses. A comparison to pulse propagation data on identical coplanar strips on a GaAs substrate illustrates a dramatic improvement in the radiation attenuation and phase velocity dispersion for the membrane CPS with increasing frequency. >
Gold nanoparticles to improve HIV drug delivery

Background: Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has improved lifespan and quality of life of patients infected with the HIV-1. However, ART has several potential limitations, including the development of drug resistance and suboptimal penetration to selected anatomic compartments. Improving the delivery of antiretroviral molecules could overcome several of the limitations of current ART. Results & Conclusion: Two to ten nanometer diameter inorganic gold crystals serve as a base scaffold to combine molecules with an array of properties in its surface. We show entry into different cell types, antiviral activity of an HIV integrase inhibitor conjugated in a gold nanoparticle and penetration into the brain in vivo without toxicity. Herein, gold nanoparticles prove to be a promising tool to use in HIV therapy.
Diversity of Response Patterns in a Simple Repetitive Uniform Task

A 3×3×3 factorial design, N=135, is used to evaluate the effects of three conditions of feedback (zero, low extrinsic, and high extrinsic), three conditions of response pattern restriction (no restriction dictated, restriction to three patterns, restriction to one pattern), and three levels of repetitive-figure manipulation diversity determined by scores on Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking, Form A, Activity III: repetitive parallel lines. The experimental task was to turn nine circularly arranged knobs repetitively in a white visual, broadband audio environment over three 6-minute periods separated by rest pauses.O'Brien (1976) found significant differences for measures of response variability including pattern changing activity, pattern shifting, error factors, and other measures. An extended ad hoc analysis of that exploratory study is accomplished in which a comparison of percent common patterns emitted evidences that Ss who score differently on the pretest perform with different degrees of uniquene...
Detecting redundancy in optimization problems over intersection of ellipsoids

An ellipsoid within a system of ellipsoids is called redundant if it contains the intersection of all the other ellipsoids. We provide a semidefinite programming based method that uses the probabil...
Answer to “Plaster Under the Tower“

The criticisms from Pohl imply that he has refuted certain contentions which I have made concerning the Newport Tower. I have refrained from anything beyond comment on his various statements. 1. Only three of the columns (N, NE, E) rest on circular stones. The stone on which the SE column rests is only partially circular, the missing portion being chinked out with smaller stones. The other four columns rest on “plinths” (see point 3 below) which are composed of many small stones (Means, 1942, and personal observation). 2. The stones, and the column bases, are very close to 4’ in diameter, and probably were 4’ in diameter when the mortar coating which originally covered them was in place. 3. Pohl's discussion of plinths is completely immaterial. The columns did not stand on plinths, but on drums 18” high, which are now buried in the soil with the exception of their top stones. We were able to identify the original floor level in 1949, and to determine that the original floor surface was gravel (Godfrey, 1950b, 1951). The drums were mortared and plastered (or whitewashed) down to this floor.
Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory and Cognitive Architectures

Many biological models of human motivation and behavior posit a functional division between those subsystems respon- sible for approach and avoidance behaviors. Gray and McNaughton's (2000) revised Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory (RST) casts this distinction in terms of a Behavioral Activation System (BAS) and a Fight-Flight-Freeze System (FFFS), mediated by a third, conflict resolution system — the Behavioral Inhibition System (BIS). They argued that these are fundamental, functionally distinct systems. The model has been highly influential both in personality psychology, where it provides a biologically-based explanation of traits such as extraversion and neuroticism, and in clinical psychology wherein state disorders such as Major Depressive Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder can be modeled as differences in baseline sensitivities of one or more of the systems. In this paper, we present work in progress on implementing a simplified simulation of RST in a set of embodied virtual characters. We argue that RST provides an interesting and potentially powerful starting point for cognitive architectures for various applications, including interactive entertainment, in which simulation of human-like affect and personality is important.
Gradation Effects on the Strength Properties of Cement and Fly Ash Stabilized Quarry By-Products

Crushing of aggregates at quarries produces large amounts of waste by-product materials that, if not utilized, pile up or end up in landfills. Current research at the Illinois Center for Transportation has focused on the sustainable applications of by-product materials in transportation infrastructure. Samples of quarry by-products (QB) were collected from several stone quarries in the State of Illinois and characterized for their engineering properties. Due to their low strengths and potential high fines contents, stabilization of QB was necessary for pavement use. Accordingly, the QB samples were stabilized with both 2% Type I portland cement and 10% class ‘C’ fly ash and tested for the 7-day unconfined compressive strengths. Initially, the unstabilized and stabilized QB specimens from two different crushing stages were tested for their unconfined compressive strengths. Then, the QB samples were sieved, size separated, and the gradations were engineered to match certain gradation curves that are power exponents of the ratio of the sieve size to the maximum particle size. This paper presents findings for the different QB gradations established as a factorial based on the Fuller curve for optimum packing and maximum density. For both stabilizers, the effects of gradation on the unconfined compressive strengths of QB were evaluated. Gradations that produce optimum packing and higher compressive strength are recommended to be utilized in pavement construction to achieve optimal field performance.
Habituation and Balance Retraining Therapy: A Retrospective Review

The results presented indicate that rehabilitation therapy for balance disorders can be of significant benefit for a wide range of patients as a singular management tool or in combination with medical or surgical techniques. Although more investigative work is needed to adequately address the issue of customized versus generic programs, the present data begin to suggest some possible advantages to an approach individualized to each patient.
Clinical relevance of sarcopenia in chronic kidney disease.

Purpose of reviewIn this article, we review sarcopenia in chronic kidney disease (CKD). We aim to present how definitions of sarcopenia from the general population may pertain to those with CKD, its assessment by clinicians and emerging therapies for sarcopenia in CKD. For this review, we limit our
Toward Robotic Companions that Enhance Psychological Wellbeing with Smartphone Technology

Despite the fact that depression is becoming more and more prevalent, mental healthcare still has high barriers for many people. In order to lower these barriers, we plan to study the efficacy of using socially assistive robots with mobile phone technology to improve people's psychological wellbeing. We propose a longitudinal experimental study that explores (1) the impact of a social agent's physical presence on therapeutic interactions and (2) the benefits of leveraging mobile phone data to personalize and intelligently select psychological interventions for maximized therapeutic effect. Results from the study will provide insights into interactive technologies that deeply understand individuals.
The Use of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation After Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial

Introduction Multimodal pain management is used after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) to reduce opioid intake. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) has generated much interest as a non-pharmacologic, patient-controlled therapy. The aims of this study were to evaluate the efficacy of TENS in reducing opioid intake and improving recovery after TKA. Materials and methods This was a prospective, parallel-group, double-blinded, randomized trial of patients receiving femoral nerve catheter block with allocation to either active or placebo TENS device groups. All participants were 18-85 years and underwent unilateral, primary TKA at two academic hospitals. Device usage was monitored during inpatient and outpatient phases. Participants were requested to return at second, fourth, and sixth postoperative weeks for follow-up. The primary endpoint was opioid usage, as indicated by medication intake in equianalgesic equivalents to morphine. Secondary measures included: visual analogue scale (VAS) pain scores; functional assessments as measured from knee joint range of motion (ROM) and Timed Up and Go (TUG) test; and clinical outcomes as defined by modified Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Scores (KOOS) and the 12-item Short Form Survey Instrument (SF-12). Results Among 116 participants, overall withdrawal was 37.9% (44 patients) at similar rates in both study arms. After excluding for non-femoral nerve catheter (FNC) blocks (i.e., protocol deviations), there were 35 patients in the active group and 31 patients in the placebo group whose complete records were analyzed. There were no significant differences between groups in any of the clinical endpoints.
Downscaling probabilistic seasonal climate forecasts for decision support in agriculture: A comparison of parametric and non-parametric approach

Abstract Seasonal climate forecasts (SCF) are produced operationally in tercile-probabilities of the most likely categories, e.g., below-, near- and above-normal rainfall. Inherently, these are difficult to translate into information useful for decision support in agriculture. For example, probabilistic SCF must first be downscaled to daily weather realizations to link with process-based crop models, a tedious process, especially for non-technical users. Here, we present two approaches for downscaling probabilistic seasonal climate forecasts – a parametric method, predictWTD, and a non-parametric method, FResampler1, and compare their performance. The predictWTD, which is based on a conditional stochastic weather generator, was found to be not very sensitive to types of rainfall information (amount, frequency or intensity) in constraining or conditioning the stochastic weather generator, but conditioning the stochastic weather generator on both rainfall frequency and rainfall intensity had distorted the distribution of the downscaled seasonal rainfall total. Both predictWTD and FResampler1 are sensitive to the length of climate data, especially for a wet SCF; climate data longer than 30 years was found suitable for reproducing the theoretical distribution of SCF. FResampler1 performed well as predictWTD in downscaling probabilistic SCF, however, it requires the generation of more realizations to ensure stable simulations of the seasonal rainfall total distributions.
Enhancing Microbiological Safety of Fresh Orange Juice by Fruit Immersion in Hot Water and Chemical Sanitizers

Trials were conducted with hot water and chemicals to sanitize Valencia oranges contaminated by natural microflora or inoculated with Escherichia coli. Microbial loads and sensory quality of fresh juice extracted from surface-heated fruit were also evaluated. E. coli on fruit surfaces was reduced by either hot water or chemical treatments. An estimated 5-log reduction of E. coli was attained by immersing inoculated fruit in hot water at 80°C for 1 min or 70°C for 2 min. Immersing inoculated fruit in various chemical solutions at about 30°C for 8 min only reduced E. coli by about 1.8- to 3.1-log cycles on nonstem-scar surfaces of the fruit. In general, both hot water and chemical treatments were less effective at removing microflora from the stem-scar area. Rapid hot-water immersions at 80°C for 1 min and 70°C for 2 min reduced both fruit-surface and initial juice microbial loads without altering original sensory quality of fresh juice.
Documenting and Improving Collegiate Learning in the USA

This chapter examines the expansion and current features of learning outcomes assessment in the US higher education. It begins with an overview of the diverse and stratified higher education system, including the multiple layers of state and federal influence but lack of centralized tightly linked control mechanisms. It describes the changing context of, and increased interest in, learning outcomes in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, including the roles of various external actors. In so doing it highlights the regional and national accrediting bodies that serve as gateways to federal financial aid funds and therefore serve as important means of affecting change. Although assessment is important for institutional accountability, its true value lies in its as-yet-unrealized potential to fundamentally improve the teaching and learning at the campus level. As such, the chapter concludes with considerations of on-campus actors at the heart of assessment processes and the evidence of changing practices that have been revealed through recent national surveys by research and voluntary membership groups.
How the War Had Evolved by Mid-October 2007: Putin’s MO During the Crisis; November 2007—Sechinites Sense Betrayal and Raise the Stakes

Putin had found that he could not balance the clans. In addition, he decided that the only feasible way to keep the Sechin faction under control and ensure his own personal security was to grant it a major concession—he would remain at the helm of decision-making by taking the post of prime-minister. But the Sechinites did not relent—that was not enough. He must run again or at least anoint Naryshkin. They had a deputy finance minister arrested, had Belkovsky denounce Putin for amassing an alleged fortune of $40 billion, and had a famous 1992 attack on Putin for corruption by Marina Sal’ye reprinted. All this provoked Putin into attacks on them to make them keep quiet during the final weeks before the presidential election. Chaplina wrote an article denouncing them, and Shvartsman gave a factual interview about their ruthless use of physical and other intimidation against private business owners to force them to surrender their properties to state companies.
Alcohol Use and Depressive Symptoms Among a Nationally Representative Sample of Youth Investigated for Maltreatment

Objective:The relationships between depressive symptoms and alcohol use among maltreated youth have been well documented. However, the direction of these associations remains unclear. Two prevalent...
Biochemical Markers of Brain Injury

Detection of brain injury perioperatively can be a difficult task as it ranges from the very subtle to grossly apparent. Brain injury following cardiopulmonary bypass (CBP) remains a common and serious complication that is often misdiagnosed.1,2 The American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines for coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery divide postoperative neurologic deficits into two categories.3 Type 1 deficits include major focal neurologic events, stupor and coma. Type 2 deficits describe more global cognitive deficits such as deterioration in intellectual function, memory, and confusion without evidence of focal injury. Type 1 deficits are usually caused by identifiable sources of cerebral hypoxia due to intraoperative hypoperfusion or embolic phenomena. In contrast, the etiology of type 2 deficits is unclear and likely multifactorial; where factors such as hypoxia, time on CPB, age, type of procedure, preoperative creatinine levels, and perioperative inflam­matory response have been implicated in its pathophysiology.4 While physical examination and neuroimaging modalities have proven valuable for the detection and treatment of acute focal brain damage postoperatively, mild and diffuse injuries such as ­neurocognitive decline (NCD) seen in type 2 deficits would benefit from improvements in the early diagnosis and identification of these patients. Neuropsycho­logical tests, the current gold standard for detecting NCD, are complex and difficult to use routinely in the postoperative ­setting. Identifying biochemical surrogate markers for brain dysfunction would greatly assist in the diag­-nosis and timely treatments of patients with this complication.
Various scintigraphic patterns indicative of chronic cholecystitis

1070 Learning Objectives 1. To identify the various scintigraphic patterns that are indicative of chronic cholecystitis on hepatobiliary studies via illustrations. 2. To recognize unusual patterns that might explain patient’s symptoms and be suggestive of the need of surgical intervention through specific examples. Summary: Chronic cholecystitis results from long standing inflammation resulting in loss of gallbladder (GB) function and can present as recurrent abdominal pain or dyspeptic symptoms requiring cholecystectomy. US and Hepatobiliary imaging are often used in conjunction and form the main stay of establishing a diagnosis of chronic cholecystitis. Hepatobiliary scintigraphy (HIDA scan) is the primary imaging procedure utilized for diagnosis of acute cholecystitis. However, there is no single definite pattern to indicate chronic cholecystitis. In the course of performing HIDA scan, several findings suggesting chronic rather than acute GB disease might be encountered. Recognition of these abnormal scintigraphic patterns should suggest chronic GB disease that can most often be confirmed with US. The various scintigraphic patterns that might represent chronic cholecystitis on a HIDA scan are: 1) delayed GB filling with normal biliary to bowel transit, 2) delayed biliary to bowel transit with normal GB filling (no prior analgesic or CCK administered), 3) slow filling of GB, 4) irregular or eccentric GB filling, 5) faint or very small contracted GB, 6) band or septa across GB, 7) photopenic defects in GB, 8) poor response to sincalide (CCK) with low EF. Examples of the above scintigraphic patterns with correlative radiological imaging and pathology would be included for illustration.
Pramipexole in the management of restless legs syndrome: an extended study.

Study objectives To determine whether pramipexole used over an extended time for restless legs syndrome (RLS) remains effective; whether the dose of the drug needs to be increased; whether augmentation develops; and whether side effects, especially sleepiness, are prominent. Design Retrospective review of the records of consecutive patients treated with pramipexole for RLS. Setting Sleep disorders center in an academic hospital. Patients 60 consecutive patients treated with pramipexole for RLS. Interventions N/A. Measurements and results Pramipexole was completely effective in controlling RLS in 67%, partially effective in 27%, and ineffective in 7% of patients. Eleven patients (18%) discontinued pramipexole after less than 4 months; the remainder were followed for a mean of 27.2 months, during which only 4 others stopped the drug. The median daily dose increased from 0.38 mg after stabilization to 0.63 mg at the end of the study. Forty percent experienced mild side effects, most commonly insomnia, nausea or dyspepsia, and dizziness. Only 5% experienced sleepiness, and none experienced sleep attacks while driving. Augmentation developed in 33%, most in the first year and all by 30 months. Augmentation was not predictable by prior augmentation with other dopaminergic agents. Only 1 patient discontinued pramipexole because of augmentation. Conclusions Pramipexole was effective for RLS with continued response with time. Modest escalations in dose occurred, partly due to additional doses prescribed for augmentation. Side effects were common, but generally mild and tolerated. Sleepiness while driving was not a problem. Augmentation occurred in 33% of patients but was treatable with increased doses earlier in the day.
Submental Muscle Activation During Lingual Tasks in Healthy Adults.

Lingual strengthening exercises are established to improve lingual function, thereby oral swallowing. This study measured submental muscle activation during maximum isometric pressure (MIP) lingual tasks in healthy adults, tasks that are or can be adopted in lingual strengthening exercises. In addition, the effects of age and gender on submental muscle activation are examined. Forty-nine participants between the ages of 18 to 35 years and greater than 60 years were included in the study. Participants completed trials of intraoral MIP lingual elevation, protrusion, and depression, during which submental muscle activation was measured using surface electromyography (sEMG). Peak amplitude measures were normalized and log transformed, following which a three-way ANOVA was performed. Peak amplitudes of submental muscle activation were highest during lingual MIP protrusion, followed by lingual depression, and were least during lingual elevation. No significant differences in peak amplitudes were observed between older and younger adults, but higher peak amplitudes were recorded in women. The differential effects of lingual task, age, and gender on peak submental muscle activation are examined. The potential impact of incorporating tasks adopted in this study in lingual strengthening exercises to improve oral and pharyngeal swallowing is discussed.
Cytoreduction for Colorectal Metastases: Liver, Lung, Peritoneum, Lymph Nodes, Bone, Brain. When Does it Palliate, Prolong Survival, and Potentially Cure?

Colorectal cancer commonly metastasizes. The liver is the most frequent site of metastases and dominates the length of survival for this disease. As surgical and systemic therapies have become accepted and now are proven to be potentially curative, other sites of metastases have become more clinically relevant in terms of clinical symptoms and influence on survival. Treatment of extrahepatic metastases by surgical and ablative procedures is increasingly accepted and is proving to be effective at palliating symptoms, as well as life prolonging. In this review, we will first summarize key issues with metastatic colorectal cancer to the liver and available treatments. We will then discuss surgical and ablative treatments of other sites of disease including lung, lymph nodes, peritoneum, bone, and brain. Best available evidence for treatment strategies will be presented as well as potential new directions.
Generic Drugs in the United States: Policies to Address Pricing and Competition

The cost of prescription drugs in the United States continues to be a source of concern for patients, caregivers, and policymakers. Drug prices typically decline rapidly once generic drugs receive US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval and enter the market, but the past decade has witnessed rising costs and shortages of generic drugs. We describe the strategies used by brand-name manufacturers to undermine generic competition and the reasons underlying the price increases of off-patent drugs, some of which continue to lack any competition from generic versions, and others that have increased in price despite having generic versions. We discuss the FDA's role in addressing drug prices and promoting competition, including recent agency policies to modify its process of reviewing generic drug applications and to prioritize applications for off-patent drugs with few competitors. We also examine proposed policy solutions and research areas that could help address the price increases of off-patent drugs.
Atrioventricular conduction in patients undergoing pacemaker implant following self-expandable transcatheter aortic valve replacement

Background Heart block requiring a pacemaker is common after self-expandable transcatheter aortic valve replacement (SE-TAVR); however, conduction abnormalities may improve over time. Optimal device management in these patients is unknown. Objective To evaluate the long-term, natural history of conduction disturbances in patients undergoing pacemaker implantation following SE-TAVR. Methods All patients who underwent new cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) implantation at Michigan Medicine following SE-TAVR placement between January 1, 2012 and September 25, 2017 were identified. Electrocardiogram and device interrogation data were examined during follow-up to identify patients with recovery of conduction. Logistic regression analysis was used to compare clinical and procedural variables to predict conduction recovery. Results Following SE-TAVR, 17.5% of patients underwent device placement for new atrioventricular (AV) block. Among 40 patients with an average follow-up time of 17.1 ± 8.1 months, 20 (50%) patients had durable recovery of AV conduction. Among 20 patients without long-term recovery, four (20%) had transient recovery. The time to transient conduction recovery was 2.2 ± 0.2 months with repeat loss of conduction at 8.2 ± 0.9 months. On multivariate analysis, larger aortic annular size (odds ratio: 0.53 [0.28-0.86]/mm, P = 0.02) predicted lack of conduction recovery. Conclusions Half of the patients undergoing CIED placement for heart block following SE-TAVR recovered AV conduction within several months and maintained this over an extended follow-up period. Some patients demonstrated transient recovery of conduction before recurrence of conduction loss. Larger aortic annulus diameter was negatively associated with conduction recovery.
The Evolution of American Perspectives Concerning Treatment of the Dead and the Role of Human Decomposition Facilities

Treatment of the body after death varies considerably around the world, with death as a personal and intimate event being the common practice for many contemporary, non-Western cultures. The perception of death as disconcerting and toxic is a Westernized concept, and relatively recent within the span of humanity’s cognitive ability to recognize death and its meaning. Perceiving death as a form of corruption has been a part of American culture since the late eighteenth century when people began to physically and mentally separate themselves from death and its attributes though action, consolation, ritual, and even word choice. Schillace (2015), in discussing current American perceptions of death, writes: “We find ourselves in a culture of opposites: bent on living forever, but committed to the disposable nature of absolutely everything else” (Schillace, 2015, p. 5). It is the denial of our temporary time as animated bodies that, some argue, leads to negative perceptions of death and the dead.
The Sastras of Teacher Education in South Asia: Conclusion

The purpose of our conclusion chapter is to examine and summarize the volume’s themes. At the onset of the book, Rohit introduced the Sanskrit word śāstras as akin to a guide for everyday practice. In our conclusion chapter, we discuss how the volume’s chapters reflect the challenges, innovations, and outcomes of teacher education across South Asia. We examine the sastras learned from this volume. The three sastras include the following: (1) Teachers lead as policies guide; (2) action drives incremental progress; and (3) data and design shape a professional teaching practice. We also outline recommendations for a future research agenda related to teacher education in the South Asian region.
The problem with E90

Wall constructions are typically evaluated at an accredited acoustical laboratory for sound transmission loss per the ASTM E90 standard and the STC determined per the ASTM E413 standard. In North America, there are several accredited acoustic laboratories where walls can be evaluated. Accredited acoustic laboratories are required by the ASTM E90 standard to demonstrate that their facility is in compliance with the standard by performing transmission loss testing utilizing a reference specimen outlined in the ASTM E1289 standard. This standard prescribes a series of reference assemblies based on sheet metal panels in a metal frame, all with STC values less than 30, to be used in demonstrating compliance. A recent study conducted at the Owens Corning Acoustic Research Center, an accredited acoustical laboratory, provided enough data to perform a gauge study on the E90 test. The results of that study will be presented in this paper.Wall constructions are typically evaluated at an accredited acoustical laboratory for sound transmission loss per the ASTM E90 standard and the STC determined per the ASTM E413 standard. In North America, there are several accredited acoustic laboratories where walls can be evaluated. Accredited acoustic laboratories are required by the ASTM E90 standard to demonstrate that their facility is in compliance with the standard by performing transmission loss testing utilizing a reference specimen outlined in the ASTM E1289 standard. This standard prescribes a series of reference assemblies based on sheet metal panels in a metal frame, all with STC values less than 30, to be used in demonstrating compliance. A recent study conducted at the Owens Corning Acoustic Research Center, an accredited acoustical laboratory, provided enough data to perform a gauge study on the E90 test. The results of that study will be presented in this paper.
Utility of Concurrent Bandwidth Feedback in Training Aircraft Flight Tasks

The effects of concurrent bandwidth feedback on operator performance and workload was analyzed in training an aircraft flight control task. In the experiment, participants completed a simulated fli...
Changes in perceived neighborhood ethnic density among racial and ethnic minorities over time and psychotic-like experiences.

Abstract Background Research primarily conducted in Europe find high neighborhood ethnic density (i.e., proportion of own ethnic group) lessens risk of psychotic symptoms among racial and ethnic minorities; however, most studies measure ethnic density through crude demarcations in geographic data only at illness onset which may miss meaningful variation from the perspective of residents. The present study is the first in the U.S. to examine whether changes in perceived ethnic density from childhood are associated with psychotic-like experiences (PLE). Methods A Northeastern U.S. urban undergraduate sample of 1330 racial and ethnic minorities completed a self-report inventory of PLE, the Prodromal Questionnaire, and indicated their racial and ethnic neighborhood composition before and after age 12. One way analyses of covariance (ANCOVA) adjusted for age, family poverty, racial and ethnic group, immigrant status, and lifetime cannabis use, compared PLE across ethnic density categories and change. Results Racial and ethnic minorities who grew up in a neighborhood (before age 12) predominantly inhabited by a different group of color (e.g., being Black in a predominantly Asian neighborhood) endorsed significantly more PLE than those who grew up in racially concordant, mixed, or predominantly White neighborhoods. In addition, those reporting a change in perceived neighborhood ethnic density after age 12 endorsed significantly more PLE than those reporting no change. Conclusion Racial dynamics among people of color in urban neighborhood U.S. contexts may create psychological challenges in the social environment. The developmental timing of demographic changes in neighborhoods may influence stress processes that enhance risk for PLE.
Quench Protection Optimization of Multi-Coil LTS Magnets

Quench protection is critical for superconducting systems, especially those containing significant energy to damage the system or its components during quench. We propose a new quench protection approach for multi-coil low temperature superconducting (LTS) magnet systems. The approach minimizes the number of protection components that must be activated during quench. In this approach, inductively-coupled coils are electrically connected in several possible ways: all in parallel; several parallel-connected groups, with each group consisting of several series connected coils; several series-connected groups, with each group consisting of several coils in parallel. If one of the parallel-connected coils or groups quenches, current in this coil or group decreases while current in the other parallel-connected coils or groups tries to increase to keep the total magnetic flux in the circuit the same, and this tendency will be affected by the nature of the inductive coupling among the coils. If during this event the non-quenching parallel coils remain superconducting, then the quench is limited to only the quenched coil or group. In some cases, the equipment may continue operation after quench, although at a somewhat reduced capacity. The proposed approach is potentially more advantageous for superconducting systems that consist of many weakly-coupled coils of similar size.
Computer-Dependent Services for Blind Persons:

The computer can play an important role in providing the assistance needed by blind persons in order to be competitive in educational and vocational settings. Computer Services for the Blind is now...
Studying Effects of Cigarette Smoke on Pseudomonas Infection in Lung Epithelial Cells

Cigarette smoking is the major etiological cause for lung emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Cigarette smoking also promotes susceptibility to bacterial infections in the respiratory system. However, the effects of cigarette smoking on bacterial infections in human lung epithelial cells have yet to be thoroughly studied. Described here is a detailed protocol for the preparation of cigarette smoking extracts (CSE), treatment of human lung epithelial cells with CSE, and bacterial infection and infection determination. CSE was prepared with a conventional method. Lung epithelial cells were treated with 4% CSE for 3 h. CSE-treated cells were, then, infected with Pseudomonas at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 10. Bacterial loads of the cells were determined by three different methods. The results showed that CSE increased Pseudomonas load in lung epithelial cells. This protocol, therefore, provides a simple and reproducible approach to study the effect of cigarette smoke on bacterial infections in lung epithelial cells.
Provider Practices and Young Women's Experiences with Provider Self-disclosure during Emergency Contraceptive Visits

Abstract Background Research on the impact of providers disclosing personal contraceptive experiences with patients is limited. In this study, we examine patient and provider perspectives about provider self-disclosure (PSD) of personal contraceptive experiences and its effects on contraceptive decision making and the provider–patient relationship. Methods We conducted 18 one-on-one telephone interviews with clinicians who provide contraceptive services to young women and 17 patients seeking emergency contraception from three Bay Area community-based, youth-friendly clinics regarding their contraceptive counseling practices and experiences, respectively. After transcribing and coding all interviews, we summarized structural codes related to contraceptive counseling and PSD. Results Although providers noted that PSD could help to build rapport and increase patient comfort, most did not report self-disclosing their contraceptive experiences, primarily owing to concerns that it might cross professional boundaries or compromise patient autonomy. All patients held positive attitudes toward and welcomed PSD practices, with many noting that it increased their comfort and trust in their provider. Conclusions There were notable differences between patient and provider attitudes toward PSD of contraceptive method use, with patients expressing more positive feelings about the practice than providers. Community-based providers should consider that many young women welcome self-disclosure of provider contraceptive experiences and that more research is needed to understand the effects of PSD practices around contraception on the patient–provider relationship and autonomous contraceptive decision making.
Sound transmission in human thorax through airway insonification: an experimental and computational study with diagnostic applications

Pulmonary diseases and injury lead to structural and functional changes in the lung parenchyma and airways, often resulting in measurable sound transmission changes on the chest wall surface. Additionally, noninvasive imaging of externally driven mechanical wave motion in the chest (e.g., using magnetic resonance elastography) can provide information about lung stiffness and other structural property changes which may be of diagnostic value. In the present study, a comprehensive computational simulation (in silico) model was developed to simulate sound wave propagation in the airways, parenchyma, and chest wall under normal and pathological conditions that create distributed structural (e.g., pneumothoraces) and diffuse material (e.g., fibrosis) changes, as well as a localized structural and material changes as may be seen with a neoplasm. Experiments were carried out in normal subjects to validate the baseline model. Sound waves with frequency content from 50 to 600 Hz were introduced into the airways of three healthy human subjects through the mouth, and transthoracic transmitted waves were measured by scanning laser Doppler vibrometry at the chest wall surface. The computational model predictions of a frequency-dependent decreased sound transmission due to pneumothorax were consistent with experimental measurements reported in previous work. Predictions for the case of fibrosis show that while shear wave motion is altered, changes to compression wave propagation are negligible, and thus, insonification, which primarily drives compression waves, is not ideal to detect the presence of fibrosis. Results from the numerical simulation of a tumor show an increase in the wavelength of propagating waves in the immediate vicinity of the tumor region.