cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Using the ratio of urinary oestrogen and progesterone metabolites to estimate day of ovulation.

A modification of the Royston ratio algorithm for estimating day of ovulation from ratios of urinary metabolites of estrogen and progesterone is demonstrated and validated. Ovulation can be diagnoses by frequent ultrasound frequent plasma LH assays or frequent urinary LH assays but daily morning urine LH assays confirm ovulation in 1 standard deviation above baseline defined as mean of Days 1-6 that is followed by 4 consecutive lower values. The algorithm proposed here does not require a peak only a 60% drop in the ratio over a 3-day period. The new algorithm scans 5- day sequences of ratios starting with Day 7 looking for a sequence in which the 1st day is the highest and the ratio values for the last 2 days are 40% or less of the 1st days. The 2nd day is designated as luteal transition. This method was demonstrated using a sample of 87 cycles from 28 healthy women trying to conceive. The algorithm was evaluated in 3 ways using a sample of 283 cycles of 188 women in a WHO study of ovulation prediction: by variation in the difference between day and LH peak and luteal transition; by variance in the length of luteal phase; and by proportion of cycles with identifiable cycles. 40% for the descent cut-off gave the best concordance with LH peak least variance for luteal phase length and best estimate the ovulation day. 97% of LH peaks were identified 88% of selected days of luteal transition fell with 2 days of LH peak and the mean luteal phase length was 13.4 days with a variance of 3.8. Using data from the WHO sample without clear LH peaks a day of luteal transition could be determined in 90% and mean luteal phase length was 13.3 with a variance of 5.0. The method was compared to 4 other steroid algorithms with more precise results in every case. Finally the new algorithm was validated using data from a 3rd sample of 60 cycles of 17 women with comparable results. This algorithm is useful because it determines ovulation day in 90% of cycles does not require a creatinine assay to adjust for urine concentration nor does it require data for very early or late cycle days.
Channel Characterization and HSDPA Bit Rate Prediction of a Dense City Network

In radio network simulations, the channel model is one of the key inputs and it has a large impact on the network performance, especially for HSDPA. When evaluating the benefits of different features in system simulations it is therefore important that the chosen channel model is a good approximation of the radio environment of the evaluated type of area. In this paper an assessment of the radio channel characteristics in a densely planned European city center is presented. Live traffic measurements are compared to "real network" simulations results using a range of different channel models. The results show that the 3GPP Typical Urban channel model does not reproduce the measured performance from the dense urban environment in a good way; only half the capacity compared to what was calculated from the measurements was achieved. Instead, ITU Pedestrian A models the environment in a better way.
A Sensitive Question: Asking about Race in a Research Interview

Conversations are significant, but often overlooked cultural sites where attitudes, beliefs, and values about race are both reified and challenged. As such, these sites deserve increased scholarly attention (Allen, 2007). We employed Brown and Levinson’s Politeness Theory as a framework to examine the discursive strategies used by 11 interviewers in a research context as they asked 115 patient participants (taking part in a larger study of patients at a community-based family medicine residency clinic) to identify their race, as well as to identify the discursive strategies used by patient participants who answered this question. Our analysis revealed that in their attempt to temper potential face threats from patient participants when asking the “race question,” interviewers used a number of discursive strategies including clarifying the question, grounding the question, and disarming the participant. Our analysis also revealed that in answering the “race question,” patient participants used various levels of face-threatening strategies, including joking, derisive humor, and bald, on-record face threats. In our discussion, we use our own research experience as a springboard to emphasize the need for researchers to examine critically the often taken-for-granted research convention of including race as a demographic variable in their work.
Effect of Carrier on the Distribution of 54Mn and 67Ga in Tumor-Bearing Animals

The simultaneous administration of carrier gallium has been shown [1] to change the biodistribution of carrier-free 67Ga from one of predominately soft-tissue distribution to localization primarily in bone and kidney. In tumor-bearing animals, administration of carrier gallium significantly reduced 67Ga accumulation in tumor tissue [2]. There is little available data concerning the effect of carrier on the tissue distribution and tumor localization of 67Ga. when the interval between the injection of carrier and tracer is varied. Conceivably, carrier material appropriately administered might offer a useful means of affecting tracer distribution in a tumor-bearing host and enhance the lesion-background ratios of tumor-seeking radiopharmaceuticals. We explored this question for both Ga/67Ga (a trace metal with no known intracellular function) [3] and Mn/54Mn, and ion known to enter mitrochondia [4] and intimately associated with cellular metabolism [5]. Since both of these metals develop high tumor-background ratios [3,6], have positron-emitting isotopes suitable for use with the newer positron-imaging devices, and have been shown to alter tumor growth rates [7–9], these data might be useful for both diagnosis and therapy.
The Viral Diseases of Fish: A Review Through 1978: Part 1: Diseases of Proven Viral Etiology

In this review, a survey is made of the published literature on the viral diseases of fish available up to and including the year 1978. It is divided into two main sections. Part 1 describes 11 diseases where a virus has been isolated and proven to be the causative agent. Part 2 discusses 16 diseases where there is reason to suspect viral etiology because of evidence deriving from electron microscopy or transmission experiments with bacteria-free filtrates of homogenates of diseased tissue, but where final proof of a causative relationship is lacking. The review attempts to provide the most significant information on the disease process itself, in most cases including external signs, fish species susceptible, pathology, geographic distribution, existence of carriers, methods of transmission, and control. It also gives the most recent and significant data concerning the nature of the causative virus, including its cultural, biological, and physicochemical properties, where such information is available.
Myocardial Viability and Remodeling: Does Size Matter?

Ischemic heart disease with resultant left ventricular (LV) dysfunction is the major underlying cause of heart failure and carries significant morbidity and mortality. Therapeutic endeavors to improve the prognosis of these patients have evolved over the years and include a multifaceted approach
Structure, history and dynamics of a mature oak-beech forest in western Indiana1

Abstract This study relates contemporary patterns of species composition, stand structure, and tree regeneration in a mature western Indiana forest, Kieweg Woods, to the complex of Euro-American settlement impacts and regional environmental change. We established permanent plots at this 5 ha flat upland site to initiate a long-term program of forest monitoring; this paper reports on the results of the first stand census, as well as placing them in historical context by examining both General Land Office survey records for the surrounding landscape and the dendrochronology of several of the stand's mature trees. Reconstruction of presettlement vegetation indicates that this site was transitional between open Quercus-Carya assemblages found at the margins of prairie and the more mesophytic Fagus grandifolia-Acer saccharum forests associated with the dissected topography of the Wabash River valley. Contemporary stand composition reflects this mix of species, but with Quercus spp., Carya spp. and Liriodendron...
Risk of venous thromboembolism in patients undergoing surgery for pelvic organ prolapse

We sought to determine the incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients undergoing surgery for pelvic organ prolapse (POP) based on surgical approach. The American College of Surgeons National Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database was used to select all surgeries performed for POP from 2005 to 2013. CPT-4 codes were grouped based on surgical approach: vaginal (VAG), laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy (LSC), or open abdominal sacrocolpopexy (ASC). Patient demographics, preoperative American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification system scores, and 30-day postoperative complications were obtained. Of the 26,103 women who underwent surgery for POP, 21,311 (81.7 %) underwent VAG, 3,346 (12.8 %) LSC, and 1,426 (5.5 %) ASC. VTE occurred in 36 patients (0.17 %) in the VAG group, 8 (0.24 %) in the LSC group, and 9 (0.63 %) in the ASC group. The ASC group had a significantly higher incidence of VTE compared with the VAG group (p < 0.01). Upon multivariate analysis, factors associated with a greater incidence of VTE included BMI greater than 30 kg/m2 (p = 0.048), ASA score of 3, 4, or 5 (p = 0.027), and length of stay above the 75th percentile (p < 0.01). The procedure group did not retain statistical significance in multivariate modeling. Venous thromboembolism is rare following surgery for POP. Although differences in VTE rates between procedure groups failed to maintain statistical significance after multivariate analysis, we were able to identify risk factors associated with an increased VTE risk in surgery for POP. Women with obesity, an increased length of stay, or ASA score of 3 or higher are at an increased risk for developing VTE after undergoing surgery for POP.
The effect of initial ice roughness on airfoil aerodynamics

Under most glaze icing conditions a smooth region in the vicinity of the stagnation point is followed by a rough region which forms at a well defined boundary. This smoothlrough boundary is believed to be due to increased heat transfer and the formation and freezing of water beads on the surface. It has been postulated that this may be due to boundary-layer transition occurring at this location. In order to study this phenomena, Imm diameter hemispheres were placed on the leading edge of a NACA 0012 airfoil and the effect on the boundary layer studied at low subsonic spesds and Reynolds numbers from 750,000 to 2.25~10 . Flow visualization and hot-wire anemometry were used to detect transition and determine the boundary-layer characteristics. The most forward location where a 0.5mm high roughness element caused transition was at x/c=0.015 at the lowest Reygolds number and at x/c=0.0075 at Re=2.25x10. Standard methods to predict transition due to roughness based on a critical roughness Reynolds number consistently failed, predicting transition much closer to the stagnation point than that measured. It was postulated that these methods failed since most of the roughness elements were larger than the local boundary-layer thickness. .
Analytical applications of quaternary ammonium halides using ion-selective electrodes: A review

The analytical applications of quaternary ammonium halides are reviewed. These compounds are used as titrants in the potentiometric determination of a variety of inorganic and organic anions including soaps and surfactants. Various liquid-membrane electrodes such as the perchlorate, fluoroborate, nitrate, and calcium electrodes may be used as sensors and, in some cases, solid-state electrodes such as the cyanide (iodide) electrode. The most important titrants are cetyltrimethylammonium bromide and chloride and cetylpyridinium chloride.
Narrative review of genes, environment, and cigarettes

Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable death in the US, emphasizing the need to understand which genes and environments are involved in the establishment of cigarette use behaviors. However, to date, no comprehensive review of the influence of genes, the environment, and their interaction on cigarette use exists. This narrative review provides a description of gene variants and environmental factors associated with cigarette use, as well as an overview of studies investigating gene-environment interaction (GxE) in cigarette use. GxE studies of cigarette use have been useful in demonstrating that the influence of genes changes as a function of both the phenotype being measured and the environment. However, it is difficult to determine how the effect of genes contributing to different phenotypes of cigarette use changes as a function of the environment. This suggests the need for more studies of GxE, to parse out the effects of genes and the environment across the development of cigarette use phenotypes, which may help to inform potential prevention and intervention efforts aimed at reducing the prevalence of cigarette use. Key Messages No comprehensive reviews of the influence of genes, the environment, and their interaction on cigarette use exist currently. The influence of genes may change as a function of the environment and the phenotype being measured. It is difficult to determine how the effect of genes contributing to different phenotypes of cigarette use changes according to environmental context, suggesting the need for more studies of gene-environment interaction related to cigarette use to parse out effects.
Skeletal Muscle Mitochondrial Content, Oxidative Capacity, and Mfn2 Expression Are Reduced in Older Patients With Heart Failure and Preserved Ejection Fraction and Are Related to Exercise Intolerance

Abstract Objectives The aim of this study was to examine skeletal muscle mitochondria content, oxidative capacity, and the expression of key mitochondrial dynamics proteins in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), as well as to determine potential relationships with measures of exercise performance. Background Multiple lines of evidence indicate that severely reduced peak exercise oxygen uptake (peak VO2) in older patients with HFpEF is related to abnormal skeletal muscle oxygen utilization. Mitochondria are key regulators of skeletal muscle metabolism; however, little is known about how these organelles are affected in HFpEF. Methods Both vastus lateralis skeletal muscle citrate synthase activity and the expression of porin and regulators of mitochondrial fusion were examined in older patients with HFpEF (n = 20) and healthy, age-matched control subjects (n = 17). Results Compared with age-matched healthy control subjects, mitochondrial content assessed by porin expression was 46% lower (p = 0.01), citrate synthase activity was 29% lower (p = 0.01), and Mfn2 (mitofusin 2) expression was 54% lower (p Conclusions These findings suggest that skeletal muscle oxidative capacity, mitochondrial content, and mitochondrial fusion are abnormal in older patients with HFpEF and might contribute to their severe exercise intolerance.
Analysis of Container Transportation Route Option on Shipping Alliance

This paper first gives an analysis of the changing state of liner shipping route,and then studies the system optimization of transportation network by adopting the method of system analysis.In combining with the concrete characteristics of container,a model of the route option of all containers transport.This model is certainly much valuable for liner shipping companies to the daily management,dispatch and route planning.
Report of the national institutes of health workshop on Kawasaki disease

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, National Institutes of Health convened a workshop on Kawasaki disease, May 1997, co-chaired by Drs. Karyl Barron and Stanford Shulman. The goal of the workshop was to review the latest scientific advances relating to the epidemiology, etiology, pathogenesis, treatment, and complications of Kawasaki disease, along with future therapeutic options and proposed future research directions.
Women and Accidents: The Need to Separate Gender Database

Abstract As female's participation in the US labor force continues to grow, there is a need to separate workplace injuries suffered by men and women. Statistics showed that women faced different types of injuries compared to men, especially on workplace violence. For example, women faced more fatality from workplace violence, and murders by personal acquaintances than men. The authors’ study shows that women faced different types of workplace hazards and the risks have been increasing over the past years. Some analysis suggests that some jobs better protect women and the others. The study also finds that there is a lack of understanding of the different safety issues each gender faces, and the lack of data or separation of data between genders. This paper focuses on the main events of fatal and nonfatal injuries among women in all industries, especially on homicides and assaults to shed lights on the gender gaps on safety issues and the need for more gender-specific research and data.
Olanzapine: Psychopharmacology, Clinical Efficacy, and Adverse Effects:

Olanzapine is an atypical antipsychotic that has a pharmacological profile similar that of clozapine. It is biotransformed by hepatic enzymes and can be dosed on a once-daily basis. In large, doubl...
Petrographic analysis of Pre-Columbian pottery from four islands in the Lesser Antilles and implications for inter-island transport and interactions

Abstract Prehistoric Amerindian groups in the Lesser Antilles Island chain of the Caribbean used local materials for temper in the manufacturing of pottery and in some cases likely transported that pottery to other islands. To help better define possible cases of exchange, spheres of interaction, and population movements, we petrographically characterized temper in 93 thin sections of ceramic sherds from Pre-Columbian sites on the islands of Barbados (23), Mustique (32), and Union (13), as well as nine thin sections of local beach sand from Mustique that may have been used for tempering ceramics. An additional 25 thin sections of sherds from older (ca. 400–900 CE) occupation layers at the Grand Bay site were analyzed to complement the prior work. Based on petrographic description, the sherds were categorized into temper categories, many previously defined, but some newly delineated in this study. For more precise comparison, representative samples from each temper type were point-counted using the Gazzi-Dickinson method and their detrital modes plotted on various ternary diagrams. The Carriacou sherds include four temper types, three previously defined (Placer, Igneous Volcaniclastic, Igneous Feldspathic) and a new Mixed temper type. The Union sherds have only Mixed and Igneous Volcaniclastic tempers. The Mustique sherds include three new temper types: Altered-Feldspathic, Altered-Silica and Altered-Epidote. The Barbados sherds are mostly Quartzose with two additional temper varieties defined by the presence of soil (Quartzose-Soil) and carbonate (Quartzose-Carbonate) debris. The Mustique and Barbados temper compositions directly reflect island geology, implying that the temper and pottery were produced locally with no evidence for imported ceramics. In contrast, pottery from Union exhibits compositions that overlap with those of Carriacou, suggesting that Union may have been the source for some of the pottery on Carriacou, an island where pottery is thought to have been largely imported. This research is the first petrographic analysis of prehistoric pottery from Union and Mustique, and one of the most comprehensive mineralogical studies of Pre-Columbian ceramics in the Caribbean region.
Ending the Opioid Epidemic — A Call to Action

Clinicians, writes Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, have a responsibility to help address the U.S. opioid epidemic, by sharpening prescribing practices, using drug monitoring programs, treating opioid-use disorder, and changing how our society sees addiction.
MEAT, ANIMAL, POULTRY AND FISH PRODUCTION AND MANAGEMENT | Beta-Agonists

The use of approved beta-agonist feed additives improves the efficiency and yield of lean meat production in beef cattle, swine, and turkeys. These compounds act to repartition the use of nutrients consumed by animals toward increased muscle growth and reduced amount of fat gain. They are administered as a feed ingredient because they are orally active. When fed as approved during the last 20 (zilpaterol hydrochloride) to 42 (ractopamine hydrochloride) days before harvest, carcass weight and lean meat yield are significantly increased and meat quality and eating characteristics are changed minimally.
Clinical Evaluation of Visceral Pain

Because of rigorous efforts to characterize visceral pain, today, visceral hyperalgesia has emerged as the key mechanism for unexplained chest pain, unexplained abdominal pain, functional dyspepsia, and irritable bowel syndrome (1,2). Consequently, several innovative techniques have been developed both for evoking visceral pain and for identifying the locus of this problem. This chapter will focus on the methods that are currently available for the evaluation of visceral sensation and pain.
The mediational role of posttraumatic stress in the relationship between domestic violence exposure and peer victimisation: a Cambodian sample

ABSTRACTResearch demonstrates that children exposed to domestic violence experience a myriad of internalising and externalising symptoms. The current study examines this pathway within a Cambodian sample, specifically determining if the effect of witnessing domestic violence on the child’s tendency to bully or to be bullied is mediated by symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The PTSD Checklist – Civilian Version, a revised version of a12-item bullying and victimisation questionnaire, and the Revised Conflict Tactics Scale were administered to 206 high school students in Phnom Penh. A significant mediational effect of PTSD symptoms was found for victimisation (being bullied); no such mediational model was supported for bullying as the outcome variable. However, controlling for emotional, physical, and sexual child abuse resulted in the mediation effect being non-significant. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.
Plant community effects on CH4 fluxes, root surface area, and carbon storage in experimental wetlands

Abstract Wetland creation is a form of ecological engineering that often relies on establishing a plant community to increase ecosystem services. However, we still lack understanding about how species composition and diversity affect certain wetland ecosystem functions associated with these ecosystem services. Our objective was to investigate the link between plant community (diversity and composition) and plant carbon storage, root surface area and methane (CH4) emission. We hypothesized that more diverse mixtures would 1) store more carbon in above and belowground biomass and 2) emit less CH4 due to increased root surface area and aeration. Three plant groups that represented different growth forms (i.e., “functional groups”: ferns, reeds and tussocks) were planted in mesocosms to represent four levels of functional diversity and every combination of functional groups at each diversity level. Unplanted mesocosms served as the zero diversity treatment. At peak biomass in 2014 and 2015, we harvested aboveground biomass and took soil cores from each mesocosm at 0–10 cm to determine the root biomass and surface area. Methane fluxes were measured in situ using a closed chamber system and a Picarro G2301 CRDS analyzer. Fluxes did not vary by functional group richness level or composition. Presence of the reed and tussock functional groups decreased fluxes; however, root surface area was not correlated with CH4 emission. Plant carbon storage was greater in all treatments containing tussocks (expect for the reed tussock mixture) compared with ferns grown alone. Functional group richness did not have a significant effect on plant carbon storage, however there was a positive trend. Root surface area increased 87% from the first to second year; however, there were no differences among functional group richness levels or mixtures. Our results indicate that planting reed and tussock functional groups in dense clumps during restoration could maintain a high level of carbon storage and relatively low CH4 emissions.
Vaginal Sacral Colpopexy: A Natural Orifice Approach to a Gold Standard Procedure.

Abstract Study Objective A transvaginal approach to sacral colpopexy has a natural appeal to those interested in minimally invasive pelvic reconstructive surgery. Development of an effective technique has been frustrated because of the technical difficulty of confining the dissection and placement of mesh to the retroperitoneal space. The objective of this prospective study is to describe the technique and report the outcomes of a transvaginal, retroperitoneal sacral colpopexy. Design Prospective cohort study (Canadian Task Force Design classification II-2). Setting Urogynecology of Southern Alabama private practice. Patients Women with stage 2 or greater apical prolapse. Interventions Surgical repair of apical prolapse using vaginal sacral colpopexy. Measurements and Results Over a 1-year period, 15 posthysterectomy patients with stage 2 or greater vaginal prolapse were recruited and consented to vaginal sacral colpopexy. Primary outcome was success of the repair, with success defined as a combination of objective and subjective parameters using pelvic organ prolapse quantification measures, and quality of life questionnaires. Secondary outcomes were complications and operating time. One case converted to a native tissue repair. The vaginal sacral colpopexy was completed in the remaining 14. Eleven patients have been followed for 1 year or longer. Two patients did not return after their 6-week examination because of chronic illness. They were contacted by telephone over 2 years after the surgery and expressed total satisfaction with the operation and the outcome. One patient was seen at 3 months and was noted to have an excellent anatomic result; however, a pelvic organ prolapse quantification evaluation was not done. She has been totally lost to further follow-up. There was 1 mechanical failure in which the titanium tacks securing the apex to the anterior longitudinal ligament dislodged and a second case with a stage 2 posterior compartment defect. One incidental cystotomy, and 1 incidental proctotomy occurred. These were both small, remote from the site of the vaginal mesh, and did not prevent completion of the procedure. There were no mesh-related complications. Mean operating time was 123 minutes. Conclusion In this small pilot study, a transvaginal retroperitoneal sacral colpopexy is described and is demonstrated to be feasible and safe. Based on the experience gained, changes in technique have been implemented to prevent future mechanical tack failures. Assuming that these changes will be successful in preventing apical recurrence due to dislodgement of mesh from the anterior longitudinal ligament, a larger study is planned to determine efficacy. Inherent advantages of the transvaginal approach are discussed, including a favorable morbidity profile, full access to all compartments, short operating times, and decreased costs.
Adherence to continuous positive airway pressure improves attention/psychomotor function and sleepiness: a bias-reduction method with further assessment of APPLES.

Abstract Objective/background Variable adherence to prescribed therapies for sleep disorders is commonplace. This study was designed to integrate three available statistical technologies (instrumental variables, residual inclusion, and shrinkage) to allow sleep investigators to employ data on variable adherence in the estimation of the causal effect of treatment as received on clinical outcomes. Patients/methods Using data from the Apnea Positive Pressure Long-term Efficacy Study (APPLES), regression adjustment for observed and unobserved confounders was applied to two primary neurocognitive outcomes, plus two measures of sleepiness. We demonstrate how to obtain estimates of reduced uncertainty for the causal effect of treatment as received for continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) within clinical subpopulations (defined by baseline disease severity) of sleep apnea patients. Results and conclusions Following six months of treatment, statistically significant improvements caused by device adherence were detected for subjective sleepiness in mild, moderate, and severe disease, objective sleepiness in severe disease, and attention and psychomotor function in moderate disease. Some evidence for worsening of learning and memory due to increased adherence in moderate disease was also detected. Application to APPLES illustrates that this method can yield bias corrections for unobserved confounders that are substantial—revealing new clinical findings. Use of this fully general method throughout sleep research could sharpen understanding of the true efficacy of pharmacotherapies, medical devices, and behavioral interventions. Extensive technical appendices are provided to facilitate application of this general method. Clinicaltrials.gov identifier NCT00051363 .
Tobacco use predicts a more difficult episode of care after anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty.

Background In the current health care environment, it is becoming increasingly important to recognize risks factors that may affect a patient's postoperative outcome. To determine the potential impact of tobacco as a risk factor, we evaluated postoperative pain, narcotic use, length of stay, reoperations, and complications in the global 90-day episode of care for patients undergoing anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) who were current tobacco users, former users, or nonusers. Methods Database search identified 163 patients with primary anatomic TSA done for glenohumeral arthritis; these were divided into 3 groups: current tobacco users (28), nonusers (88), and former users (47). All surgeries were done with the same technique and implants. Results Patients in the current tobacco use group had significantly higher visual analog scale scores preoperatively and at 12 weeks postoperatively than nonusers and former users. Mean improvement in visual analog scale scores was significantly less in current tobacco users. Cumulative oral morphine equivalent use at 12 weeks was significantly higher in current tobacco users than in nonusers and former users. The average oral morphine equivalent per day was also significantly higher in the current tobacco users than in nonusers and former users. There were no significant differences in length of stay or complications. Conclusions Although length of stay, complication rates, hospital readmissions, and reoperation rates were not significantly different, tobacco users reported increased postoperative pain and narcotic use in the global period after TSA. Former tobacco users were found to have a postoperative course similar to that of nonusers, suggesting that discontinuation of tobacco use can improve a patient's episode of care performance after TSA.
Ultratransparent and stretchable graphene electrodes

Two-dimensional materials, such as graphene, are attractive for both conventional semiconductor applications and nascent applications in flexible electronics. However, the high tensile strength of graphene results in fracturing at low strain, making it challenging to take advantage of its extraordinary electronic properties in stretchable electronics. To enable excellent strain-dependent performance of transparent graphene conductors, we created graphene nanoscrolls in between stacked graphene layers, referred to as multilayer graphene/graphene scrolls (MGGs). Under strain, some scrolls bridged the fragmented domains of graphene to maintain a percolating network that enabled excellent conductivity at high strains. Trilayer MGGs supported on elastomers retained 65% of their original conductance at 100% strain, which is perpendicular to the direction of current flow, whereas trilayer films of graphene without nanoscrolls retained only 25% of their starting conductance. A stretchable all-carbon transistor fabricated using MGGs as electrodes exhibited a transmittance of >90% and retained 60% of its original current output at 120% strain (parallel to the direction of charge transport). These highly stretchable and transparent all-carbon transistors could enable sophisticated stretchable optoelectronics.
Brief Report: Checklist for Autism Spectrum Disorder: Most Discriminating Items for Diagnosing Autism

The smallest subset of items from the 30-item Checklist for Autism Spectrum Disorder (CASD) that differentiated 607 referred children (3–17 years) with and without autism with 100% accuracy was identified. This 6-item subset (CASD-Short Form) was cross-validated on an independent sample of 397 referred children (1–18 years) with and without autism and on data from 1417 children in the CASD standardization sample and 1052 children in the CASD normative sample, resulting in 98.5, 97.6, and 99.8% diagnostic accuracy, respectively. Diagnostic agreement was high between the CASD-Short Form and the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (96%), and the Child Autism Rating Scale (98%). Diagnostic accuracy for the CASD-SF was similar to accuracy for the 30-item CASD full form.
Thirty-Day Readmissions After Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation in the United States: Insights From the Nationwide Readmissions Database.

Background: Early readmissions contribute significantly to heart failure–related morbidity and negatively affect quality of life. Data on left ventricular assist device (LVAD)–related 30-day readmissions are scarce and limited to small studies. Methods and Results: Patients undergoing LVAD implantation between January 2013 and November 2014 who survived the index hospitalization were identified in the Nationwide Readmissions Database. We analyzed the incidence, predictors, causes, and costs of 30-day readmissions. Of 2510 LVAD recipients, 788 (31%) were readmitted within 30 days. Length of index hospitalization ≥31 days (hazard ratio [HR], 1.26; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.07–1.50) and female sex (HR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.01–1.42) were associated with a higher risk of 30-day readmission, whereas private insurance (HR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.70–0.99), pre-LVAD use of short-term mechanical circulatory support (HR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.29–0.98), and discharge to a short-term hospital facility (HR, 0.41; CI, 0.21–0.78) were associated with a lower risk. Cardiac causes accounted for 23.8% of readmissions: heart failure (13.4%) and arrhythmias (8.1%). Noncardiovascular causes accounted for 76.2% of readmissions: infection (30.2%), bleeding (17.6%), and device-related causes (8.2%). Mean length of stay for readmission was 10.7 days (median, 6 days), and average hospital cost per readmission was $34 948±2457. Conclusions: Early readmissions are frequent after LVAD implantation even in contemporary times. Preimplant identification of high-risk patients, and a protocol-driven follow-up using a multidisciplinary approach will be needed to reduce readmissions and improve outcomes.
Case 3: Sugarcoating

An executive director running a US-based nonprofit must decide how to address an ethical breach that occurred in India, where the organization does its fieldwork. This case introduces ethical dilemmas that arise when nonprofits operate in multiple sites around the world, and when executive leadership is unable to directly oversee the fieldwork of the organization’s employees. Also, it discusses ethical issues around reporting requirements, which become even more complicated in international contexts. Handy and Russell ask readers to think across international and cultural lines in this case.
Reprint of Unexpected isotopic variability in biogenic aragonite: A user issue or proxy problem?

Abstract The present study seeks to investigate sources of isotopic variability in the commonly used paleoclimate archive, the marine bivalve Arctica islandica, with an emphasis on the potential of human-induced variability arising from sampling techniques. Stable carbon (δ13Ccarbonate) and oxygen (δ18Ocarbonate) isotopes were analyzed for split (intra-sample) and replicate (intra- and inter-shell) samples taken from a group of laboratory-reared individuals, a natural population from northern Norway, and a natural population from the Gulf of Maine, USA. Compared to analytical uncertainty of 0.17‰ and 0.30‰ for δ13C and δ18O, respectively, among the natural populations, the mean difference between shell splits and shell replicates ranged from 0.12‰ and 0.33‰ for δ13C and δ18O, respectively. Our data suggest that heterogeneity of the carbonate material (i.e., large range of isotopic composition within one sample due to seasonal environmental variability) may contribute to “unexpected” variability more than human-induced error from sampling imprecision when collecting whole annual increments. Furthermore, δ13C from juvenile shells were highly variable (2σ standard deviation = 0.65‰), approximately four times more variable than analytical precision. High precision among δ18O measurements of the laboratory-reared shells confirm the presumption that shells reliably and consistently precipitate in isotopic equilibrium with ambient seawater. Monte Carlo simulations of measurements from this population allowed characterization of improvements in uncertainty at increasing levels of replication. Substantial reduction in uncertainty occurs when increasing from two to three shells, however replication using a total of four shells further decreased uncertainty to within the 99% confidence level. Published studies sometimes compensate for uncertainties by replicating records over multiple individuals or multiple transects within the one individual. Oftentimes, however, isotope records are constructed from single individuals or transects and therefore fail to provide thorough estimates of proxy error. Our findings suggest that replication of carbon and oxygen isotope measurements of contemporaneously produced aragonite is necessary in order to reduce proxy-derived noise. Furthermore, population-specific estimates of uncertainty related to natural variability among individuals should be investigated in order to provide more realistic representations of proxy noise when reporting isotope time series.
Artificial Intelligence and the Science of Image Understanding

Advanced automation promises to increase productivity, improve working conditions and assure product quality. Some computer-based systems perform tasks blindly, without elaborate sensor-based feedback. In many applications however visual input can speed up an automated system by eliminating search or the need for costly fixtures that maintain exact alignment of parts. In still other situations, many inspection jobs for example, there may be no alternative to machine vision.
The Effects of Ice Storms on the Hydrology and Biogeochemistry of Forests

A critical challenge of biogeochemical research is to distinguish between the effects of natural and anthropogenic disturbances on nutrient cycles. Natural agents of disturbance – particularly wind and ice storms, insect defoliation episodes, and fire – are stochastic and highly variable; hence, it is difficult to develop broad generalizations about the effects of such exogenous perturbations on ecosystem pattern and process (Waring and Schlesinger 1985). Nonetheless, examples of disturbance effects are apparent (Lemon 1961; Mattson and Addy 1975; Bormann and Likens 1979a; Whitney and Johnson 1984; Bruederle and Stearns 1985), pointing to their importance in the regulation of biogeochemical cycles in general, nitrogen (N) cycles in particular (Swank et al. 1981; Likens and Bormann 1995; Mitchell et al. 1996; Eshleman et al. 1998). Here, we review the impact of ice storms on N cycling in forest ecosystems, also reviewing (and comparing) disturbance effects on N cycling more generally.
Die Feldelektronenemission des Palladiums im Vergleich zu Nickel und Platin

Die Bevorzugung des Wolframs bei Feldelektronenemissionsuntersuchungen ist im wesentlichen auf seine sehr gunstigen vakuumtechnischen Eigenschaften und seine sehr hohe Zerreisfestigkeit zuruckzufuhren. Wolfram hat unter den Metallen nicht nur den hochsten Schmelzpunkt, sondern zeichnet sich zugleich durch besonders niedrigen Dampfdruck aus, so das die Entgasung und Oberflachenreinigung relativ leicht durchzufuhren sind. Seine bemerkenswert hohe Zerreisfestigkeit erlaubt uberdies die Anwendung sehr hoher elektrischer Feldstarken, was sich fur die Desorption, Feldverdampfung, Feldionisation und ionenmikroskopische Abbildung groserer Oberflachenbereiche als sehr gunstig erweist.
Intergenerational Earnings Mobility in Korea

This study investigates intergenerational earnings mobility in Korea for sons born between 1958 and 1973 and compares Korea's mobility to that of other countries. It uses data from the Korea Labor and Income Panel Study and the Household Income and Expenditure Survey conducted by the National Statistics Bureau. Since no single Korean data set includes the information on both sons' and their fathers' adult earnings, this study follows the two-sample approach previously applied in several other countries. The estimated intergenerational earnings elasticity of around 0.4 is similar to estimates for some already developed countries and smaller than typical estimates for recently developing countries.
A Review and Programmatic Model of Group Social Skills Training for Psychiatric Patients

The literature on social skills training is so extensive as to preclude a comprehensive review in any one source. Although the field is quite new, its initially optimistic results have generated considerable analog and clinical research investigations. This chapter will provide a review of social skills training as well as a description of the programmatic model developed in our clinic. The chapter is divided into two sections reflecting each of these topics. The present discussion will focus on the historical development of the skills training model and its therapeutic application with both individuals and groups. The objective of this section is to describe the following content areas: (a) early work on the role of social competence and psychopathology; (b) paradigmatic operant research demonstrating the modifiability of social behavior; (c) an overview of clinical research applications emphasizing group training programs with various patient populations; and (d) a critique of research. In the second section, the content and characteristics of a group training program that has been employed at the Providence Veterans Administration (VA) Medical Center will be described.
Existence Theorems: Weak Convergence and Growth Conditions

Let A be a subset of the tx-space Rn+1 and let A(t) denote its sections, that is, A(t) = [x ∈ R n | (t, x) ∈ A]. For every (t, x) ∈ A let Q(t, x) be a given subset of the z-space R n , x = (x1,…x n ), z = (z1,…,z n ). Let Mo be the set Mo = [(t,x, z) | (t, x) ∈ A, z ∈ Q(t, x)] ⊂ R1+2n and let F o (t, x, z) be a given real valued function defined on Mo. Let B be a given subset of the t1x1t2x2-space R2n+2, and let g(t 1 , x 1 , t 2 , x2) be a real valued function defined on B. Let Ω = {x} denote a nonempty collection of AC functions x(t) = (x1,…, x n ), t1 ≤ t ≤ t2, such that $$ x\left( t \right) \in A\left( t \right),{\text{ }}x'\left( t \right) \in Q\left( {t,x\left( t \right)} \right)for{\text{ }}t \in \left[ {{{t}_{1}},{{t}_{2}}} \right]\left( {a.e.} \right),e\left[ x \right] = \left( {{{t}_{1}},x\left( {{{t}_{1}}} \right),{{t}_{2}},x\left( {{{t}_{2}}} \right)} \right) \in B,{\text{ }}{{F}_{0}}(\cdot ,x\left( \cdot \right),x'\left( \cdot \right)) \in {{L}_{1}}\left[ {{{t}_{1}},{{t}_{2}}} \right] $$ (11.1.1)
The energetics of peptide-lipid interactions: Modulation by interfacial dipoles and cholesterol

Abstract The goal of this work is to determine how specific compositional, structural, and mechanical properties of the lipid bilayer modulate the membrane binding and conformation of a biologically significant peptide, the signal sequence of the bacterial protein LamB. The combination of circular dichroism, microelectrophoresis, and fluorescence quenching data showed that this peptide converted from a random coil in the aqueous phase to a “hammock” configuration in bilayers, with both termini exposed to the aqueous phase on the outside of the lipid vesicle and a central hydrophobic a -helical segment located near the hydrocarbon-water interface. Although the free energy of binding ΔG depended on the charge of the lipid, indicating the importance of electrostatics, the peptide bound to zwitterionic phosphatidylcholine (PC) bilayers with ΔG = −6.3 kcal/mol. Analysis of isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) data indicated that both conformational changes in the peptide and the hydrophobic effect contributed to this binding to PC bilayers. Peptide binding and α-helix formation were essentially eliminated by adding lipids containing large, oriented dipoles located a few angstroms into the bilayer hydrocarbon region, pointing to an important role for interfacial dipoles. That is, for PC bilayers containing either 6-ketocholestanol or PCs with nitroxide moieties at the 7-position in one of their acyl chains, ΔG was reduced to −3 kcal/mol. Binding experiments with polyunsaturated PCs showed that ΔG was not strongly dependent on molecular area. However, incorporation of cholesterol into the PC bilayer, which increases the area expansion or isothermal compressibility modulus, modified the energetics of binding. Increasing concentrations of cholesterol reduced ΔG to about −5 kcal/mol at equimolar cholesterol, but even more markedly reduced the enthalpy ΔH of binding from −8 kcal/mol in the absence of cholesterol to near 0 kcal/mol with equimolar cholesterol. Thus, peptide binding was enthalpically driven for PC bilayers, but entropically driven for equimolar PC: cholesterol bilayers. We conclude that variations in lipid composition that alter bilayer properties, including fixed charges, interfacial dipoles, and isothermal compressibility modulus, can strongly influence peptide binding.
Effects of condensed vs hydrolysable tannins on gluten film strength and stability

Abstract Depending on their structure, tannins are known to strongly complex proteins and alter their functionality. This study aimed to determine effect of polymeric condensed tannins from sorghum (proanthocyanidins, PA), versus tannic acid (hydrolysable tannins) on rheological properties and stability of wheat gluten films and foams; monomeric catechin was used for comparison. Gluten films were solution-cast and assessed for tensile strength, aqueous solubility, and stability to protease hydrolysis. Wheat flour batter and isolated gliadins, glutenins, and starch viscosity and stability at room temp and under cook-cool cycles were assessed. PA-treated film, but not tannic acid or catechin films, showed increased (p
Abstract TMP25: Short Chain Fatty Acids Mediate the Beneficial Effects of Young Microbiome on Recovery in Aged Mice after Ischemic Stroke

Introduction: Age is a non-modifiable risk factor for stroke. The elderly have high mortality and delayed recovery after a stroke compared to younger patients, a finding that is recapitulated in mu...