cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of Hydrocortisone on C14OOH—P-Aminosalicylic Acid Distribution in Cartilage of the Rat

SummaryC14 as PAS and/or its metabolites is deposited in appreciable amounts in the heart, costal cartilage and tibial cap of the normal rat following the intraperitoneal injection of C14OOH-PAS. Localization in the avascular cartilage is significant in that this salicylate is mainly protein-free and thus available for cellular metabolism. In hypo-physectomized rats hydrocortisone inhibited noticeably the concentration of C14OOH-PAS in the costal cartilage of steroid-treated rats when compared to the untreated control. Growth hormone tends to counteract this inhibitory action of hydrocortisone in the deposition of C14 noted 15 minutes, but not at longer intervals, after intraperitoneal injection of C14OOH-PAS. This investigation indicates that salicylate-C14 can localize in cartilage, both articular and costal, and that this concentration in the costal cartilage is decreased markedly by hydrocortisone treatment.
Resolution of whiplash-associated allodynia following cervicothoracic thrust and non-thrust manipulation.

Whiplash injuries of the cervical spine comprise 30% of injuries reported following motor vehicle accident (MVA) and often progress to chronic painful conditions. The purpose of this case report is...
Pistachio nut consumption and serum lipid levels.

Objective: Clinical and epidemiological studies have reported the beneficial effects of tree nuts and peanuts on serum lipid levels. We studied the effects of consuming 15% of the daily caloric intake in the form of pistachio nuts on the lipid profiles of free-living human subjects with primary, moderate hypercholesterolemia (serum cholesterol greater than 210 mg/dL).Methods: Design: Randomized crossover trial. Setting: Outpatient dietary counseling and blood analysis. Subjects: 15 subjects with moderate hypercholesterolemia. Intervention: Fours weeks of dietary modification with 15% caloric intake from pistachio nuts. Measures of Outcome: Endpoints were serum lipid levels of total cholesterol, HDL-C, LDL-C, VLDL-C, triglycerides and apolipoproteins A-1 and B-100. BMI, blood pressure, and nutrient intake (total energy, fat, protein, and fiber) were also measured at baseline, during, and after dietary intervention.Results: No statistically significant differences were observed for total energy or percent o...
Into the Abyss of someone else's dying: the voice of the end-of-life caregiver.

This study was undertaken to better understand family caregivers' perspectives of providing end-of-life (EOL) care to elders facing expected deaths from life-limiting, chronic illnesses, and the st...
DietCam: Regular Shape Food Recognition with a Camera Phone

The purpose of this paper is to develop an automatic camera phone based multi-view food classifier as part of a food intake assessment system. Food intake assessment is important for obesity management, which has shown significant impacts in public healthcare. Conventional dietary record based food intake assessment methods exhibit insufficient popularity due to their low accuracy and high dependence on human interactions. Image based food recognition appears recently. But it is still under development and far away from field applications. This paper presents DietCam, a camera phone based application to evaluate food intakes automatically from multiple perspectives. Food recognition from images is afflicted currently with a low recognition accuracy caused by the uncertainties of food appearances. The deformable nature of food items together with the complex background environment makes the problem even harder. DietCam separates every food item through evaluating the best perspective and recognize each of them from multiple images with a probabilistic method. The recognition accuracy is increased through an enhanced joint distribution from every viewpoint. A prototype of DietCam has been implemented on iPhone. In the field experiments, it shows an accuracy of 84% for regular shape food items.
Bio-Inspired Relay Node Placement Heuristics for Repairing Damaged Wireless Sensor Networks

Due to the harsh surroundings and violent nature of wireless sensor network (WSN) applications, the network sometimes suffers a large-scale damage that involves several nodes and would thus create multiple disjoint partitions. This paper investigates a strategy for recovering from such damage through the placement of relay nodes (RNs) and promotes a novel approach. The proposed approach opts to reestablish connectivity (i.e., 1-vertex connectivity) using the least number of relays while ensuring a certain quality in the formed topology. Unlike contemporary schemes that often form a minimum spanning tree among the isolated segments, the proposed approach establishes a topology that resembles a spider web, for which the segments are situated at the perimeter. Such a topology not only exhibits stronger connectivity than a minimum spanning tree but achieves better sensor coverage and enables balanced distribution of traffic load among the employed relays as well. To further increase the robustness of the formed topology, the SpiderWeb approach is further extended so that the final topology is guaranteed to be 2-vertex connected. Both centralized and distributed implementations of the SpiderWeb approach are discussed. The simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed recovery algorithm.
Birds of a Feather...? How Supervisor-Subordinate Dissimilarity Moderates the Influence of Supervisor Behaviors on Workplace Attitudes

This study explored the moderating role of subordinate-supervisor demographic dissimilarity on the relationship between supervisor behaviors and employee outcomes among a sample of middle- and uppe...
Parastomal Hernias: Laparoscopic Management

Parastomal hernia is a vexing problem plaguing many patients with permanent ostomies. Laparoscopic parastomal hernia repair with mesh is an attractive option for treatment, offering excellent visualization and potentially fewer wound complications than traditional approaches. However, laparoscopic parastomal hernia repair requires a unique skill set in order to be performed efficiently and safely and is more costly than open surgery. Data are limited regarding recurrence and actual patient benefit, so individual preference drives the use of the minimally invasive technique. This article reviews the available data and focuses on the potential advantages and pitfalls of a laparoscopic approach to parastomal hernia repair. We aim to provide technical insight, while addressing controversies and complications specific to the laparoscopy.
Diurnal Predation by a Coyote (Canis latrans jamesi) on an Adult Blue-Footed Booby (Sula nebouxii) on Isla Tiburón, Gulf of California, Mexico

Abstract We report the predation by a coyote (Canis latrans jamesi) on a foraging, adult blue-footed booby (Sula nebouxii) during the early afternoon on 2 December 2009 on the west coast of Isla Tiburon in the Gulf of California, Mexico. The observed event took place while a flock of blue-footed and brown boobies (Sula leucogaster) was plunge-diving close to shore. The food habits of coyotes on Isla Tiburon are not known, and capture of live adult boobies by coyotes has not previously been documented in the literature.
Input-aware statistical timing analysis-based delay test pattern generation

Delay test pattern generation has emerged as an increasingly critical problem in high performance VLSI designs. Existing techniques find timing critical paths by STA or SSTA, apply a traditional ATPG algorithm subsequently and find the test patterns. In this paper, we propose a new delay test pattern generation method, which finds timing critical paths by more accurate input-aware statistical timing analysis, achieves input patterns by back-tracing, and verifies the estimated timing critical paths under the input patterns by logic simulation. Our experimental results based on 9 ISCAS'89 benchmark circuits show that the state-of-the-art SSTA-TQM-BnB technique achieves an average of 57.83%, 54.50%, and 69.91% delay fault coverage, while our SPSTA-DTPG technique achieves an average of 67.83%, 71.39%, and 77.53% delay fault coverage for a test size of 50, 100, and 200, respectively.
Uptake and release of tryptophan and serotonin: an HPLC method to study the flux of endogenous 5-hydroxyindoles through synaptosomes.

: An HPLC assay with fluorometric detection has been developed that is sensitive enough to measure simultaneously endogenous levels of tryptophan, serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, or 5-HT), and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) inside synaptosomes as well as that released into the incubation medium. Using this assay, we have observed that tryptophan is rapidly taken up by synaptosomes and turned over to 5-HIAA without a concurrent release of 5-HT. Exogenous 5-HT is also rapidly taken up, and, within 20–30 min, 80% of the 5-HT is deaminated. Veratridine induces release of both tryptophan and 5-HT from synaptosomes. Changes in the disposition of exogenous tryptophan or 5-HT can be completely accounted for by uptake or by stoichiometric changes in metabolites. This assay method should be valuable in the study of 5-HT pools and in the determination of from which pool 5-HT release occurs.
Design and characterization of a novel chitosan/nanocrystalline calcium phosphate composite scaffold for bone regeneration

To meet the challenge of regenerating bone lost to disease or trauma, biodegradable scaffolds are being investigated as a way to regenerate bone without the need for an auto- or allograft. Here, we have developed a novel microsphere-based chitosan/nanocrystalline calcium phosphate (CaP) composite scaffold and investigated its potential compared to plain chitosan scaffolds to be used as a bone graft substitute. Composite and chitosan scaffolds were prepared by fusing microspheres of 500-900 microm in diameter, and porosity, degradation, compressive strength, and cell growth were examined. Both scaffolds had porosities of 33-35% and pore sizes between 100 and 800 . However, composite scaffolds were much rougher and, as a result, had 20 times more surface area/unit mass than chitosan scaffolds. The compressive modulus of hydrated composite scaffolds was significantly higher than chitosan scaffolds (9.29 +/- 0.8 MPa vs. 3.26 +/- 2.5 MPa), and composite scaffolds were tougher and more flexible than what has been reported for other chitosan-CaP composites or CaP scaffolds alone. Using X-ray diffraction, scaffolds were shown to contain partially crystalline hydroxyapatite with a crystallinity of 16.7% +/- 6.8% and crystallite size of 128 +/- 55 nm. Fibronection adsorption was increased on composite scaffolds, and cell attachment was higher on composite scaffolds after 30 min, although attachment rates were similar after 1 h. Osteoblast proliferation (based on dsDNA measurements) was significantly increased after 1 week of culture. These studies have demonstrated that composite scaffolds have mechanical properties and porosity sufficient to support ingrowth of new bone tissue, and cell attachment and proliferation data indicate composite scaffolds are promising for bone regeneration.
Microprocessor modeling in VHDL without a gate/RTL/behavioral model of the microprocessor

A microprocessor model is discussed that has a behavioural model for the software functionality and an I/O interface to communicate with the hardware models. It is not a true microprocessor model executing real code from ROM, but can be thought of as a socket-replacement model. This model acts similarly to a real microprocessor model with its associated ROM and RAM. It has several advantages over a real microprocessor model with ROM and RAM. There is no need for simulator support of a high level language source debugger, the runtime needed to execute the model is much shorter (especially if the real microprocessor model cannot run on an accelerator), and the software does not need to be as far along in the design cycle because there is no need for the microprocessor compiled code. The implementation issues involved with this kind of microprocessor model are discussed, including the use of entities and processes, the use of wait statements and signals, interfacing with hardware models, enforcing timing, and dealing with asynchronous microprocessor signals. >
Two-dimensional photonic crystal accelerator structures

Photonic crystals provide a method of confining a synchronous speed-of-light mode in an all-dielectric structure, likely a necessary feature in any optical accelerator. We explore computationally a class of photonic crystal structures with translational symmetry in a direction transverse to the electron beam. We demonstrate synchronous waveguide modes and discuss relevant parameters of such modes. We then explore how accelerator parameters vary as the geometry of the structure is changed, and consider trade-offs inherent in the design of an accelerator of this type.
Usual formulas of continentality and their limits of validity

Equations given by W. Zenker in the last decade of the Nineteenth Century and later modified by other authors, characterizing the degree of continentality at a given place have the general form: k = mA/sin ϕ + n: where k = the continentality coefficient in per cent, A = average annual range of temperature at a given place, ϕ = geographical latitude, and m and n are constants.
CAD implications of new interconnect technologies

This paper looks at the CAD implications of possible new interconnect technologies. We consider three technologies in particular: three dimensional ICs, carbon nanotubes as a replacement for metal interconnects, and optical interconnections for longer range on-chip communication. Each of these requires new CAD support to be used effectively.
Heat Transfer from Thermal Plasmas to Neighboring Walls or Electrodes

A successful exploitation of thermal plasmas in the field of high temperature chemistry and material processing requires a fundamental understanding of the interaction between a plasma and matter in the condensed phase. In this paper some of the basic aspects involved in the heat exchange between a thermal plasma and solids or liquids are reviewed, with emphasis on recent experimental results obtained at the University of Minnesota. These results refer to plasma heat transfer situations with and without electric current flow to or from the surface under consideration. For both situations methods have been developed which allow fairly accurate measurements of local heat fluxes over a wide range of plasma parameters.
Circulatory autoregulation in chronic congestive heart failure: responses to head-up tilt in 41 patients.

Abstract To evaluate mechanisms that regulate the response to postural change in patients with chronic congestive heart failure (CHF), the hemodynamic and vasoactive hormonal responses to head-up tilt were examined in 41 patients. Peripheral venous pooling was present in only 18 patients and was inversely correlated with baseline pulmonary wedge pressure. Baseline supine hemodynamic indexes of these 18 patients indicated less severe CHF compared with those of the 23 patients who did not demonstrate venous pooling. The 18 patients with intact afferent pooling also had lower levels of plasma renin activity and demonstrated increases in both plasma renin activity and norepinephrine on tilt; these reflex increases in vasoactive hormones were not seen in the 23 patients with severe CHF. Overall, 3 patterns could be identified. Of the 18 patients with venous pooling, 12 maintained many of the elements of normal postural response, with increases in systemic vascular resistance and circulating norepinephrine that maintain blood pressure constant. Six patients did not increase resistance in response to peripheral venous pooling and had major decreases in blood pressure analogous to idiopathic orthostatic hypotension. The larger group of 23 patients with more severe CHF did not have peripheral venous pooling and, hence, no afferent stimulus for reflex changes. Thus, the hemodynamic and neurohormonal responses to head-up tilt in CHF are heterogeneous and may be influenced by the severity of disease. The abnormalities of response may reflect the progression of vascular adaptation with loss of myocardial pump function and are important in terms of the pathophysiology and treatment of chronic heart failure.
Prolactin signaling through the short isoform of the mouse prolactin receptor regulates DNA binding of specific transcription factors, often with opposite effects in different reproductive issues

It has been well established that prolactin (PRL) signals through the long form of its receptor (PRL-RL) and activates the Jak/Stat pathway for transcription of PRL target genes. However, signaling pathways mediated through the short PRL-R isoform (PRL-RS) remains controversial. Our recent finding that PRL signaling through PRL-RS represses two transcription factors critical for follicular development lead us to examine other putative PRL/PRL-RS target transcription factors in the decidua and ovary, two well-known target tissues of PRL action in reproduction. In this investigation we used mice expressing PRL-RS on a PRL-R knockout background and a combo protein/DNA array to study the transcription factors regulated by PRL through PRL-RS only. We show that PRL activation of the PRL-RS receptor either stimulates or inhibits the DNA binding activity of a substantial number of transcription factors in the decidua as well as ovary. We found few transcription factors to be similarly regulated in both tissues, while most transcription factors are oppositely regulated by PRL in the decidua and ovary. In addition, some transcription factors are regulated by PRL only in the ovary or only in the decidua. Several of these transcription factors are involved in physiological pathways known to be regulated by PRL while others are novel. Our results clearly indicate that PRL does signal through PRL-RS in the decidua as well as the ovary, independently of PRL-RL, and activates/represses transcription factors in a tissue specific manner. This is the first report showing PRL/PRL-RS regulation of specific transcription factors. Many of these transcription factors were not previously known to be PRL targets, suggesting novel physiological roles for this hormone.
«STORIA DI UN'AMICIZIA»: IL SERENO CONGEDO DI PALAZZESCHI ROMANZIERE:

In anni di rinnovato interesse e di grande favore critico nei confronti di Palazzeschi, l'articolo propone una rilettura dell'ultimo romanzo dello scrittore, ancor oggi fra le pagine meno conosciute e frequentate dalla critica. Pur muovendo dalla convinzione che Storia di un'amicizia non possa per invenzione e originalita competere con i migliori risultati del fiorentino, l'articolo mette in luce l'importanza che il romanzo riveste quale compendio dei modi di un'arte consolidata nel tempo. L'impressione e quella di un racconto che senza alcuna pretesa di novita ripropone per l'ultima volta lo stile leggero e beffardo di Palazzeschi, sospeso fra realta e fantasia, fra il serio e il grottesco, sedotto dal gioco fine a se stesso, come dalla tentazione dell'apologo. Ma Storia di un'amicizia e anche un libro che intende essere il bilancio di un'esistenza umana, in fondo anch'essa divisa fra il dolore e l'allegria e felicemente risolta in una dichiarazione di amore alla vita.
Spatial expression of the kallikrein-kinin system during nephrogenesis.

Summary. During nephrogenesis, new nephrons are induced in the periphery of the kidney, while maturing nephrons occupy a deeper position in the renal cortex. This centrifugal pattern of maturation is characterized by nephron patterning, establishment of proximal-distal segment identity, tubular and glomerular growth and differentiation, and acquisition of specialized functions. All of these processes are coordinated in time and space with renal vasculogenesis, glomerulogenesis and regional hemodynamic changes. The end-result ensures that tubular structure and function are tightly coordinated with glomerular filtration during normal kidney development. To achieve this delicate task of glomerulotubular balance, the developing kidney produces growth factors and vasoactive hormones that act in a paracrine manner to regulate nephrovascular growth, differentiation and physiological functions. One such paracrine system is the kallikrein-kinin system (KKS), which generates bradykinin (BK) from the cleavage of kininogen by kallikrein.BK activates a Gprotein coupled receptor, B2R, to regulate renal blood flow and salt and water excretion. The developing kidney expresses an endogenous KKS. Expression of the KKS components and B2R is intimately coordinated with the terminal differentiation of the distal nephron. Kallikrein marks the onset of connecting tubule development, whereas kininogen and B2R map to the developing ureteric bud branches and maturing collecting ducts.Gene targeting studies indicate that the fetal KKS plays an important role in the maintenance of terminal epithelial cell differentiation.
Phase I study of the combination of anti-GD2 antibody 3F8 and barley-derived (1→3,1→4)-β-D-glucan for patients with resistant neuroblastoma

9566 Background: Beta glucans are complex, naturally occurring polysaccharides that prime leucocyte dectin and CR3 receptors. Based on our preclinical observations that oral barley-derived (1→3,1→4...
Electrically Tunable Quasi-3-D Mushroom Plasmonic Crystal

This paper reports an electrically tunable plasmonic crystal incorporating a nematic liquid crystal (LC) layer on the top surface of quasi-3-D mushroom plasmonic nanostructures. The presented plasmonic crystal is formed by an array of polymeric mushroom nanoposts with gold disks at the top and perforated nanoholes in a gold thin film at the bottom. The coupling between surface plasmon polariton (SPP) and Rayleigh anomaly (RA) is observed in experiments with quasi-3-D plasmonic crystals, and verified by simulations. The coupled SPP-RA resonance mode has its electric field vector prominently normal to the surface of the plasmonic nanostructures, and extends into the surrounding medium. This feature makes the coupled resonance sensitive to molecular reorientation in LC, and thus, is useful for designing index modulation-based tunable plasmonic crystal devices. Therefore, by applying external voltages across the LC layer, the SPP-RA resonance mode shows a redshift of 8 nm with a 35% change in the amplitude.
Putting mental health into mental health law: Therapeutic jurisprudence.

This article critiques the traditional doctrinal approach to mental health law and compares the traditional approach with a new, interdisciplinary approach known as therapeutic jurisprudence. Therapeutic jurisprudence views the law itself as a potential therapeutic agent. Examples are given of how legal rules, procedures, and the roles of legal actors may produce therapeutic or antitherapeutic results and of how the law may improve therapeutic outcomes without sacrificing the interests of justice.
The causes of nonazotemic hyperuricemia.

Nonazotemic hyperuricemia, defined as serum uric acid greater than 8 mg. per 100 ml. accompanied by serum urea nitrogen less than 22 mg. per 100 ml., was found in 183 of 3,589 general hospital patients studied. Only six of the 183 patients had clinically overt gout. Of these patients, 113 had either obesity or some form of degenerative vascular disease, defined as atherosclerotic or hypertensive cardiovascular disease with or without congestive heart failure. Many of these patients were also hypercholesterolemia Hyperuricemia is relatively frequent in young men, in whom its diagnostic significance is not yet apparent. It is relatively infrequent in women unless they are obese. The relationships to obesity, hypertension, and congestive heart failure are striking. There is no relationship to diabetes mellitus. Accordingly, hyperuricemia in the middle-aged, if not due to an obvious cause such as obesity, gout, or arterial hypertension, should arouse diagnostic suspicion of coronary artery disease. This is especially true if the hyperuricemia is accompanied by hypercholesterolemia.
The unhappy wanderers: children with attention deficits.

There has been growing recognition of a troublesome symptom complex consisting of problems with attention, activity and impulse control, and other cognitive and behavioral functions. The condition is found to varying degrees in a substantial number of youngsters who, as a result, have difficulty meeting academic and social standards. The historical background of the concept is examined, its common clinical components are surveyed, and the strategies that may be applied to deal with these components are discussed. Attention deficit as a pediatric diagnosis is reconsidered.
The Return to Normalcy: Postwar British Strategy

Britain emerged from the Second World War among the ruling trinity in the world, one of the ‘Big Three’ wartime victors. But the country’s position at the conference tables of world diplomacy obscured the reality of diminished power. Britain had, in effect, given its all to win the war, exhausting domestic industries and selling off many of its overseas assets. The country was devastated economically. Yet, the perception of world power remained, both in the minds of officials and in the perception of the general public. That Britain, which had just emerged victorious from the most destructive war in its history, would continue to maintain the trappings of international power was almost universally accepted at this time. In many sections of British opinion, the extensive network of bases east of Suez was considered the most vital testament to Britain’s greatness.
The Overwhelming Need: How the Unequal Political Economy Shapes Urban Teachers’ Working Conditions

Although the literature on teacher working conditions often cites student- and school-level factors as contributors to teacher turnover in high-poverty urban schools, the larger context of social a...
Unlocking the electronic genome of halogenobenzenes.

The drive to develop new organic materials for use in optoelectronic devices has created the need to understand the fundamental role functionalization plays concerning the electronic properties of conjugated molecules. Here density functional theory (DFT) is used to investigate how the HOMO–LUMO gaps of halogenobenzenes are affected as a function of substituent size, position, electronegativity, ionization potential, and polarizability. A detailed molecular orbital analysis is also provided. It is shown that the molecular static polarizability and ionization potential of the bound halogens are the primary physical descriptors governing the HOMO–LUMO gap within halogenobenzenes. Two secondary descriptors controlling the HOMO–LUMO gap in these materials are the aromaticity of the halogen substituted benzene rings (as monitored via the harmonic oscillator method of aromaticity index [HOMA]) and the reduced population of the halogen atomic orbitals in the frontier MOs (%XHOMO or %XLUMO). The molecular polarizability and aromaticity, as well as %XHOMO and %XLUMO, are shown to be a function of halogen electronegativity and size, as well as number and position on the ring. It is ultimately demonstrated that halogenobenzenes which are most polarizable and are either least aromatic and/or exhibit the smallest %XLUMO (or largest %XHOMO) values, have the smallest HOMO–LUMO gaps.
Low Prevalence of Hepatitis C Virus Antibody in Men Who Have Sex with Men Who Do Not Inject Drugs

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the most common chronic blood-borne virus infection in the United States, with an estimated 3.2 to 4 million people chronically infected.1,2 Large or repeated percutaneous exposures to blood such as through transfusion from unscreened donors or injection drug use have been the primary sources of infection. Sexual transmission occurs, but appears to be inefficient compared with other sexually transmitted viruses.3 Multiple studies published in the 1990s have shown that men who have sex with men (MSM) without a history of injection drug use who are seen in sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) counseling and testing sites (CTS) have a prevalence of antibody to HCV (anti-HCV) that is no higher than other men who deny injection drug use in these settings, or adult men in the general population.4–7 More recently, similar findings were reported among non-injection drug user (non-IDU) MSM seen in an STD clinic in San Diego8 and among a large cohort of MSM recruited for an HIV transmission study in Canada.9 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that people at increased risk for HCV infection be identified and offered counseling and testing.5 Such people generally include those with a high prevalence of infection, such as injection drug users (IDUs). Because non-IDU MSM without other known risk factors for HCV infection are not at increased risk, HCV testing is not recommended routinely for this population. Recent reports of increased HCV infection among HIV-positive non-IDU MSM have again raised concerns of sexual transmission of HCV. Consequently, some health-care providers and MSM advocates believe that all MSM should be tested routinely for HCV infection.10–13 To further examine this issue, we compared anti-HCV prevalence between non-IDU MSM clients and other non-IDU male clients in selected STD clinics and HIV CTS in three large cities.
Noninvasive Respiratory Support in Infants and Children

CPAP and noninvasive ventilation (NIV) offer an alternative to intubation and mechanical ventilation in the treatment of acute and chronic respiratory disorders commonly encountered in infants and children. There are many distinct challenges associated with the application, management, and safety of CPAP and NIV in the pediatric population. This review attempts to identify indications, contraindications, management strategies, and safety measures associated with the application of CPAP or NIV delivery in children. More recently, high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) has emerged as an alternative to CPAP and NIV. Evidence related to the use of CPAP, NIV, and HFNC is included in this review.
Beyond "Just Eat Less, Exercise More": Obesity Treatment in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes.

Obesity and diabetes prevalence rates continue to rise nearly in parallel and are inextricably linked. Nearly 40% of American adults have obesity, and nearly 15% have diabetes. Obesity is perhaps the strongest risk factor and contributor to type 2 diabetes. Approximately 90% of patients with type 2 diabetes have a BMI >25 kg/m2 (1). The risk of type 2 diabetes increases geometrically with increasing BMI, and patients with a BMI >35 kg/m2 have as much as a 93 times increased risk for developing diabetes (2). In …
Intermolecular Alignment in β2-Microglobulin Amyloid Fibrils

The deposition of amyloid-like fibrils, composed primarily of the 99-residue protein β2-microglobulin (β2m), is one of the characteristic symptoms of dialysis-related amyloidosis. Fibrils formed in vitro at low pH and low salt concentration share many properties with the disease related fibrils and have been extensively studied by a number of biochemical and biophysical methods. These fibrils contain a significant β-sheet core and have a complex cryoEM electron density profile. Here, we investigate the intrasheet arrangement of the fibrils by means of 15N−13C MAS NMR correlation spectroscopy. We utilize a fibril sample grown from a 50:50 mixture of 15N,12C- and 14N,13C-labeled β2m monomers, the latter prepared using 2-13C glycerol as the carbon source. Together with the use of ZF-TEDOR mixing, this sample allowed us to observe intermolecular 15N−13C backbone-to-backbone contacts with excellent resolution and good sensitivity. The results are consistent with a parallel, in-register arrangement of the prote...
Dynamics of an Abyssal Circulation Driven by Bottom-Intensified Mixing on Slopes

The large-scale circulation of the abyssal ocean is enabled by small-scale diapycnal mixing, which observations suggest is strongly enhanced toward the ocean bottom, where the breaking of internal tides and lee waves is most vigorous. As discussed recently, bottom-intensified mixing induces a pattern of near-bottom up- and downwelling that is quite different from the traditionally assumed widespread upwelling. Here the consequences of bottom-intensified mixing for the horizontal circulation of the abyssal ocean are explored by considering planetary geostrophic dynamics in an idealized “bathtub geometry.” Up- and downwelling layers develop on bottom slopes as expected, and these layers are well described by boundary layer theory. The basin-scale circulation is driven by flows in and out of these boundary layers at the base of the sloping topography, which creates primarily zonal currents in the interior and a net meridional exchange along western boundaries. The rate of the net overturning is controlled by the up- and downslope transports in boundary layers on slopes and can be predicted with boundary layer theory.
Hope, Hate and Indignation: Spinoza and Political Emotion in the Trump Era

In the Ethics, Spinoza argues that individual human emotions and imagination shape the social world. This world, he argues, can in turn be shaped by political institutions to be more or less hopeful, more or less rational, or more or less angry and indignant. In his political works, Spinoza offered suggestions for how to shape a political imaginary that is more guided by hope than by fear or anger. In this chapter, using the framework of Spinoza’s theory of emotions, I will investigate how Barack Obama’s promise of ‘hope’ was translated into Donald Trump’s rhetoric of hate. Such a transition, from hope to fear is one that would be unsurprising to Spinoza. Spinoza worried about the political and personal effectiveness of hope. He argued that hope can easily be turned into what he called ‘indignatio’ or indignation—an emotion that he believed eroded trust in political institutions. Spinoza warned about the danger of governance that relies upon the emotions of anger and hatred. I will set out how the Trump administration’s reliance on the motivational forces of hate and anger risk what Spinoza called indignation. Spinoza’s political works were written to show how to turn political indignation and anger into a chastened, and perhaps more rational, hope. Finally, I will propose that we may derive from Spinoza participatory, democratic institutions that can overcome this indignation.
Optimal Bayesian Filtering for Biomarker Discovery: Performance and Robustness

Optimal Bayesian feature filtering (OBF) is a fast and memory-efficient algorithm that optimally identifies markers with distributional differences between treatment groups under Gaussian models. Here, we study the performance and robustness of OBF for biomarker discovery. Our contributions are twofold: (1) we examine how OBF performs on data that violates modeling assumptions, and (2) we provide guidelines on how to set input parameters for robust performance. Contribution (1) addresses an important, relevant, and commonplace problem in computational biology, where it is often impossible to validate an algorithm's core assumptions. To accomplish both tasks, we present a battery of simulations that implement OBF with different inputs and challenge each assumption made by OBF. In particular, we examine the robustness of OBF with respect to incorrect input parameters, false independence, imbalanced sample size, and we address the Gaussianity assumption by considering performance on an extensive family of non-Gaussian distributions. We address advantages and disadvantages between different priors and optimization criteria throughout. Finally, we evaluate the utility of OBF in biomarker discovery using acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and colon cancer microarray datasets, and show that OBF is successful at identifying well-known biomarkers for these diseases that rank low under moderated t-test.
Effective Link Equalizations for Serial Links at 112 Gbps and Beyond

As the data rate reaches 112Gbps and advances in transceiver designs and semiconductor processes, there are changes when equalization (EQ) schemes are chosen and implemented. In this paper, we explain and investigate the effectiveness and of EQ schemes.
Robust design of topology-optimized metasurfaces

Topology-optimized metasurfaces are thin film optical devices that have received much interest because they support ultra-high diffraction efficiencies. An important design consideration is ensuring that devices are insensitive to imperfections arising from realistic fabrication processing. We show that topology-optimized metasurfaces can be made robust by incorporating the performance of geometrically eroded and dilated devices directly into the iterative optimization algorithm. We additionally apply topology optimization to refine conventional designs and make them more robust. Unexpectedly, we find that devices robust to systematic erosion and dilation variations are also robust to random periodic perturbations. An analysis of the optical modes of robust devices indicates that robustness is enforced via highly complex and non-intuitive interactions between these modes and cannot be enforced using simple design rules. These concepts can more generally address other fabrication imperfections, such as thickness and refractive index variation, and can extend to other diffractive and nanophotonic platforms.
First trimester maternal exposures to endocrine disrupting chemicals and metals and fetal size in the Michigan Mother-Infant Pairs study.

Exposures to endocrine disrupting chemicals and metals are near ubiquitous worldwide, and their potential impact on children is a major public health concern. This pilot study was designed to characterize exposures to phthalates, phenols and metals among pregnant women in the first trimester, and to examine associations with fetal biometrics and birth weight. A total of 41 chemicals and elements were analyzed in urine from 56 mothers with full-term newborns from the Michigan Mother-Infant Pairs study. Bivariate analyses identified predictors of exposure biomarkers. Associations between birth weight, Fenton z-scores and second trimester fetal biometrics with toxicants were examined via multivariable linear regression. An average of 30 toxicants were detected in maternal urine. Fast food consumption was associated with several phthalate metabolites, phenols and metals, and canned food consumption with bisphenol F (P <0.05). Mono (3-carboxypropyl) phthalate was significantly associated with higher birth weight and Fenton z-score while the opposite was observed for bisphenol S. Estimated femur length from ultrasonography was significantly inversely associated with arsenic, barium and lead. While limited by sample size, this study is one of the first to evaluate birth outcomes with respect to emerging endocrine disrupting chemicals and to examine associations between toxicants and fetal biometrics. Exposure assessment was provided by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences' Children's Health Exposure Analysis Resource (NIEHS CHEAR), a resource available to children's studies with the goal of combining data across cohorts in an effort to characterize the impact of toxicants on child health from birth and beyond.
US Presidential election effects on Mexican ADRs: a two-year analysis

ABSTRACTExaminations of the impact of Brexit on UK ADRs show the ADR and Great British Pound (GBP) values decreased immediately after the vote results were known. Within a year, the ADRs recovered ...
Venovenous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in a Gravid Patient with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: A Case Report

BACKGROUND Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), also known as extracorporeal life support (ECLS), is a technique used to provide prolonged cardiac and respiratory support to persons whose heart and lungs are unable to deliver adequate perfusion or gas exchange to sustain life. It is indicated in patients with severe ARDS, severe hypothermia, and cardiac and respiratory failure when other conventional methods fail. CASE REPORT We report the case of a 22-year-old gravid 2 Para 1 woman who presented to the Emergency Department with pyelonephritis, who subsequently developed sepsis that progressed to ARDS. She was managed successfully with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation [ECMO] for 5 days, with heparin used as an anticoagulant. After significant improvement, she was successfully de-cannulated and extubated. CONCLUSIONS The use of ECMO in pregnancy and post-partum can be associated with several complications to both mother and fetus. With appropriate patient selection, good knowledge of the procedure, and early initiation, successful outcomes can be attained.
Combining Estimators to Improve Structural Model Estimation Under Quadratic Loss

Asymptotically, semi parametric estimators of the parameters in linear structural models have the same sampling properties. In finite samples the sampling properties of these estimators vary and large biases may result for sample sizes often found in practice. With a goal of improving asymptotic risk performance and finite sample efficiency properties, we investigate the idea of combining correlated structural equation estimators with different finite and asymptotic sampling characteristics. Based on a quadratic loss measure, we provide a risk domination result and present evidence that the finite sample performance of the resulting combination estimator is superior to that of a leading traditional moment based estimator. A basis for interval estimation and inference for the combination estimator is demonstrated.
Production and Conservation of Starter Cultures: From “Backslopping” to Controlled Fermentations

As human society has evolved from small, nomadic groups of hunter-gatherers to large, stationary civilizations, there has been an increased reliance on the preservation of foods to sustain populations through periods of reduced agricultural productivity. Microbial fermentations have been used for millennia to preserve high water activity foods such as fruits, vegetables, and meats. Originally, a process called “backslopping”, in which a small portion of a previously successful fermentation is used to inoculate fresh substrate was used to generate starter cultures for future fermentations. However, these processes fell from favor in the nineteenth century concurrently with the rise in public interest and governmental regulations concerning food safety. Starter cultures for mass-produced fermented foods were subsequently required to be produced from defined GRAS microorganisms, triggering a systematic reduction of microbial diversity seeding the digestive tract. Recently, several landmark studies have highlighted the importance of a healthy gut microbiome leading to a renewed interest in more traditional (artisanal) methods of food fermentations. New methods of mixed-strain starter culture production, particularly immobilized cell reactors, present attractive alternatives to the more traditional batch reactors due to their ability to produce a more robust and diverse starter all in one step. Additionally, advances in culture preservation technology, like freeze- and spray-drying, have increased the long-term viability and reduced the cost of starter cultures.
“THE MISSING ELEMENT:” PREDICTORS OF NON-CALCIFIED CORONARY PLAQUES AMONG PATIENTS WITH ATHEROSCLEROTIC DISEASE

The study objective was to evaluate the profile of patients with a zero Coronary Artery Calcium (CAC) score despite demonstrable CAD on Coronary Cardiac Computed Angiography (CCTA). We evaluated those who underwent both CCTA and CAC score in the Prospective Multicenter Imaging Study for Evaluation
Ammonia fiber expansion increases in vitro digestibility and fermentability of corn distillers dried grains with solubles with or without carbohydrases.

Abstract A significant portion of gross energy (GE) in corn distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) is indigestible by non-ruminants, and the impact of ammonia fiber expansion (AFEX) on improving GE digestibility is unknown. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of AFEX and enzymes on crystallinity index and neutral detergent fiber (aNDF) degradation in DDGS using a porcine in vitro fermentation system. Two sources of DDGS samples (ICM and POET) were pretreated with liquid ammonia at 100 °C and 2069 kPa for 30 min. The DDGS samples with or without AFEX pretreatment were predigested with pepsin and pancreatin with or without carbohydrases (1500 U/g xylanase, 1100 U/g β-glucanase, 110 U/g mannanase, and 35 U/g galactosidase). Residues were then subjected to in vitro fermentation (directly inoculating DDGS samples with fecal inocula) and accumulated gas production recorded up to 72 h. Concentration of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) were measured in the fermented solution. On a dry matter (DM) basis, non-protein nitrogen was increased by 20.8 g/kg, and aNDF was decreased by 146 g/kg in corn DDGS after AFEX pretreatment. Pretreatment with AFEX decreased the crystallinity index of fiber in DDGS from about 15 to 0 %, increased (P
Dynamic Behavior for a Coupled Nonlinear Oscillator Model with Distributed and Discrete Delays

— In this paper, the oscillatory behavior of the solutions for a coupled nonlinear oscillator model with distributed and discrete delays is investigated. Time delay induced partial death patterns with conjugate coupling in relay oscillators has been investigated in the literature. According to the practical problem, the propagation delays are not only the discrete delays, but also with distributed delay. A model includes distributed and discrete delays is considered. By mathematical analysis method, the oscillatory behavior of the coupled nonlinear oscillator model is brought to the instability of the uniqueness equilibrium point and the boundedness of the solutions. Some sufficient conditions are provided to guarantee the oscillation of the solutions. Computer simulations are given to support the present results. Our simulation suggests that the two theorems are only sufficient conditions.
Incidence, predictive factors, and outcomes of intra-procedure adverse events during fenestrated-branched endovascular aortic repair of complex abdominal and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms

Abstract Objectives To evaluate the incidence of intraoperative adverse events (IAEs) and their impact on outcomes after fenestrated-branched endovascular aortic repair (FB-EVAR) of complex abdominal aortic aneurysms (CAAAs) and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAAs). Methods We reviewed the clinical and imaging data of 600 consecutive patients (445 male mean age of 75±8 years-old) who underwent FB-EVAR between 2007 and 2019 in a single institution. IAE was defined as any intraoperative complication or technical problem requiring additional and unplanned procedures, and was classified in access-related, target artery (TA)-related or graft-related. End-points included rates of IAEs, 30-day or in-hospital mortality, major adverse events (MAEs), patient survival, freedom from secondary intervention and TA instability. Results A total of 122 IAE were identified in 105 patients (18%). IAE were TA-related in 55 patients (9%), access-related in 46 patients (8%) and graft-related in seven patients (1%). Female sex was more frequent among IAE patients (44% vs. 22%, p 50% (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.3-3.3), and Crawford Extent II TAAA (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.1-3.3) were predictive of IAEs whereas preloaded design (OR 0.6, 95% CI 0.4-0.9) and TA diameter (+1mm, OR 0.6, 95% CI 0.4-0.9) were protective of IAEs. IAE affected negatively secondary intervention (HR: 1.6, 95% CI: 1.1-2.3) and TA instability (HR: 2.5, 95% CI: 1.2-5.4), however, did not affect patient survival (HR: 1.0, 95% CI: 0.7 – 1.4). Conclusions IAEs are common, occurring in nearly one out of five patients treated by FB-EVAR for complex aortic aneurysms, and have a negative impact on clinical outcomes. IAEs were associated with female sex, TA diameter and more extensive aortic disease.