cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Molecular Perspective on the Historical Biogeography of the Northern High Latitudes

Phylogeographic analyses of arctic organisms provide spatial and temporal frameworks for interpreting the role of climate change on biotic diversity in high-latitude ecosystems. Phylogenetic analyses based on 673 base pairs of the mitochondrial control region from 95 arctic hares (Lepus arcticus, L. othus, L. timidus) and 2 other Lepus species identified 6 strongly or moderately supported clades. The 3 arctic hare species are closely related, but phylogenetic discontinuities were found at the eastern and western boundaries of Beringia, the latter not previously identified as a species boundary. The locations of these discontinuities are congruent with previously described genetic breaks in Arctic plants, birds, and small mammals. Similarly, the finding of a Beringian clade corroborates previous studies identifying Beringia as a refugium. A coalescent view of a population on Seward Peninsula, Alaska (eastern Beringia), did not, however, provide a genetic signature of population expansion. In contrast, a Greenland population did show a signal of expansion.
The Effects of Mathematics Strategy Instruction for Children with Serious Problem-Solving Difficulties

This study investigated the role of strategy instruction on solution accuracy in children with and without serious math difficulties (MD) in problem solving. Children's posttest solution accuracy was compared on standardized and experimental measures as a function of strategy conditions. Strategy conditions included curriculum materials that gradually increased the number of irrelevant propositions within word problems. Children in Grade 3 (N = 193) were randomly assigned to one of five conditions: materials + verbal strategies (e.g., underlining the question), materials + verbal + visual strategies, materials + visual strategies (e.g., correctly placing numbers in diagrams), materials only-no overt strategies, and an untreated control. Compared to children with MD in the control condition, posttest outcomes for children with MD on standardized measures improved significantly under verbal + visual conditions, whereas posttest scores on the experimental problem-solving measures improved under the materials...
The absence of genetic markers for streptomycin and rifampicin resistance in Mycobacterium avium complex strains

Mycobacterium avium, Mycobacterium intracellulare complex (MAC) bacilli are an important cause of bacteraemia in AIDS patients but treatment is complicated by their resistance to the usual antimycobacterial agents. In this study of 20 strains of MAC none was found to have the mutations associated with resistance to rifampicin and streptomycin in M. tuberculosis suggesting that MAC have unique mechanisms for resistance to these agents.
Current Estimate of Costs of Lung Cancer Screening in the United States

The United States Preventive Services Task Force recently endorsed the use of low-dose computed tomography for lung cancer screening in high-risk patients because of the potential to reduce deaths. Before implementation on a national level, it will be important to ensure that a safe, high-quality, and accessible service can be adequately provided. It will also be important to make sure that screening is cost-effective. This article summarizes the published analyses of lung cancer screening cost, provides a contemporary estimation of the annual cost of screening in the United States, and identifies areas for improvement in the future.
Inflammation in the setting of chronic allograft dysfunction post-kidney transplant: phenotype and genotype.

Background Chronic Allograft Dysfunction (CGD) is a common outcome in kidney transplants, but its pathogenesis is unclear. We investigated the CGD phenotype and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with CGD.
Diabetes technology: markers, monitoring, assessment, and control of blood glucose fluctuations in diabetes.

People with diabetes face a life-long optimization problem: to maintain strict glycemic control without increasing their risk for hypoglycemia. Since the discovery of insulin in 1921, the external regulation of diabetes by engineering means has became a hallmark of this optimization. Diabetes technology has progressed remarkably over the past 50 years—a progress that includes the development of markers for diabetes control, sophisticated monitoring techniques, mathematical models, assessment procedures, and control algorithms. Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) was introduced in 1999 and has evolved from means for retroactive review of blood glucose profiles to versatile reliable devices, which monitor the course of glucose fluctuations in real time and provide interactive feedback to the patient. Technology integrating CGM with insulin pumps is now available, opening the field for automated closed-loop control, known as the artificial pancreas. Following a number of in-clinic trials, the quest for a wearable ambulatory artificial pancreas is under way, with a first prototype tested in outpatient setting during the past year. This paper discusses key milestones of diabetes technology development, focusing on the progress in the past 10 years and on the artificial pancreas—still not a cure, but arguably the most promising treatment of diabetes to date.
Spontaneous Activity of Neostriatal Cholinergic Interneurons In Vitro

Neostriatal cholinergic interneurons fire irregularly but tonicallyin vivo. The summation of relatively few depolarizing potentials and their temporal sequence are thought to underlie spike triggering and the irregularity of action potential timing, respectively. In these experiments we used whole-cell, cell-attached, and extracellular recording techniques to investigate the role of spontaneous synaptic inputs in the generation and patterning of action potentials in cholinergic interneurons in vitro. Cholinergic cells were spontaneously active in vitro at 25 ± 1°C during whole-cell recording from 2 to 3 week postnatal slices and at 35 ± 2°C during cell-attached and extracellular recording from 3 to 4 week postnatal slices. A range of firing frequencies and patterns was observed including regular, irregular, and burst firing. Blockade of AMPA and NMDA receptors altered neither the firing rate nor the pattern, and accordingly, voltage-clamp data revealed a very low incidence of spontaneous EPSCs. GABAAreceptor antagonists were also ineffective in altering the spiking frequency or pattern owing to minimal inhibitory input in vitro. Functional excitatory and inhibitory inputs to cholinergic cells were disclosed after application of 4-aminopyridine (100 μm), indicating that these synapses are present but not active in vitro. Blockade of D1 or D2 dopamine receptors or muscarinic receptors also failed to influence tonic activity in cholinergic cells. Together these data indicate that cholinergic interneurons are endogenously active and generate action potentials in the absence of any synaptic input. Interspike interval histograms and autocorrelograms generated from unit recordings of cholinergic cells in vitro were indistinguishable from those of tonically active neurons recorded in vivo. Irregular spiking is therefore embedded in the mechanism responsible for endogenous activity.
Adverse Events Do Not Outweigh Benefits of Combination Therapy for Crohn's Disease in a Decision Analytic Model

Background & Aims The Study of Biologic and Immunomodulator-Naive Patients With Crohn's Disease (SONIC) showed that combination therapy with infliximab and azathioprine (IFX/AZA) is more effective than treatment with IFX alone. Numbers and types of adverse events were roughly equivalent among groups, although enrollment was limited, so it was not clear how rare adverse events might affect overall outcomes in practice. We sought to define the frequency at which a rare adverse event would have to occur for the risks of combination therapy to outweigh the benefits of treatment. Methods We constructed a decision model to compare the risks and benefits of IFX/AZA with IFX monotherapy. Model parameters were taken from SONIC and other published literature. The base-case analysis was patients with active Crohn's disease who are naive to both medications (similar to those in SONIC) who were treated for 1 year. We used sensitivity analyses to determine the thresholds at which the risks of side effects from IFX/AZA outweigh its benefits. Results During 1 year, the benefits of IFX/AZA would outweigh the risks, unless serious infections occurred in 20% or more of the population or lymphoma in 3.9% or more. These thresholds are 5-fold and 65-fold higher than base-case estimates, respectively. Conclusions On the basis of data from 1 year of SONIC, the combination of IFX/AZA was more effective than IFX alone in patients with Crohn's disease who are naive to either drug. For the risks of combination therapy to outweigh the benefits in this time frame, the incidence of serious adverse events would have to be higher than seems clinically realistic.
Prevalence of Heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) in Coyotes (Canis latrans) in Washington State

A total of 556 hearts from free-ranging coyotes (Canis latrans) in eastern and central Washington State were examined for heart-worms (Dirofilaria immitis) during 2005–2007. Sampling occurred in fall and winter and only heart tissues were examined. No immature or adult heartworms were detected, indicating that heartworm infection is either not currently present in eastern and central Washington, or the prevalence is very low. These data do not support the concept of heartworm transmission in eastern or central Washington State at this time.
Racial/ethnic differences in youth depression indicators: An item response theory analysis of symptoms reported by White, Black, Asian, and Latino youths.

Accurate assessment of dysfunction is central to clinical psychological science, essential for valid conclusions about prevalence, risk, and appropriate intervention. Measures applied without adjus...
Role of PACAP in Migraine Headaches

Investigators at Danish Headache Centre, University of Copenhagen, Glostrup, Denmark, studied the incidence of migraine during and after intravenous infusion of pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide-38 (PACAP38) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) in 22 female migraine patients without aura (mean age 24 years [range 19-36]).
Quantum Hyperdense Coding

We use photons simultaneously entangled in polarization and temporal mode to implement hyperdense coding, a quantum-enhanced communication protocol that can transmit up to 2.81 bits of classical information for every 2-qubit photon received.
Democratizing democracy: Strong democracy, US political campaigns and the Internet

(2000). Democratizing democracy: Strong democracy, US political campaigns and the Internet. Democratization: Vol. 7, The Internet, Democracy and Democratization, pp. 36-58.
The role of stomata in sensitivity of Betula papyrifera seedlings to SO2 at different humidities.

Stomata of paper birch (Betula papyrifera Marsh.) seedlings were more open at high humidity than at low humidity and responded rapidly to changes in vapor pressure deficit. SO2 at 0.2 or 0.8 μl l-1 caused partial stomatal closure. Seedlings fumigated with SO2 at 0.2 or 0.5 μl l-1 for 30 h or 0.2 μl l-1 for 75 h took up more SO2 at high than at low humidity. Differences in pollutant uptake could be explained by stomatal conductance with no need to invoke changes in mesophyll conductance. Betula seedlings were more sensitive to SO2 when fumigated at high humidity, as manifested in more leaf necrosis, increased leaf abscission, and greater growth inhibition compared to seedlings fumigated at low humidity. Amount of injury to leaves increased with rate of SO2 uptake, and inhibition of root growth increased with total SO2 uptake.
Inter-cities Relationships in the Process of “Global Economy’ Urbanization”

Cities play a key role in the modern global economy. They became full -fledged (together with states, multinational corporations and international econo mic organizations) subjects of international economy relationships; concentrated financial and commodity markets, enormous productive and innovative potential of humanity. Due to these institutional and infrastructural transformations now we can consider a gradual process ofglobal economyurbanization � (term was offered by author) �concentration of global economical relationships, activities and power within a global net of cities. The main reasons of transformation of economic importance of cities are their advantages in comparison with State economic systems. Labor and capital in urban economy systems is more mobile and productive; cities are more predisposed to create and commercialize innovations. Moreover, cities are easier to connect with international markets and world trade, are able to reduce transport costs, to increase own investment attractiveness, and to rapidly form new types of business activities and forms of manufacturing organization. This study analyzes a current system of global cities, an intensity of inter -cities relationships, a potential of global urban system transformations in a future. Original methodology of inter-cities economic collaborationevaluation allowed to classify modern urban economies for few types depends ontheir role and meaning in globalizing economy. Further interactions within a global cities hierarchy (including inter -cities competitions, inter -cities consumption and labor division and so on) will mostly identify trends and patterns of the world economydevelopment in the nearest future. Some
Several Buddhist Theoretical Issues in "Living Zen"

"Living Zen" advocated by Master Jinghui adheres to the basic spirit of the original Buddhism and complements "Humanistic Buddhism".In both ideas and practice,"Living Zen" reflects some important theoretical and practical issues that Buddhism has been facing since it was first created: It is sacred or secular? Is it Ascetic or mean? Does it embrace daily life or the one and only way? Can words fully convey the meaning? Shall we get the fish and forget the fish gear? Different answers to these major theoretical and practical issues show differences in meaning and nature of different religions and their different attitudes towards the society,and especially,relationship between politics and religion.
Improvement in Electrotransfection of Cells Using Carbon-Based Electrodes.

Electrotransfection has been widely used as a versatile, non-viral method for gene delivery. However, electrotransfection efficiency (eTE) is still low and unstable, compared to viral methods. To understand potential mechanisms of the problems, we investigated effects of electrode materials on eTE and viability of mammalian cells. Data from the study showed that commonly used metal electrodes generated a significant amount of particles during application of pulsed electric field, which could cause precipitation of plasmid DNA from solutions, thereby reducing eTE. For aluminum electrodes, the particles were composed of aluminum hydroxide and/or aluminum oxide, and their median sizes were 300–400 nm after the buffer was pulsed 4–8 times at 400 V cm−1, 5 ms duration and 1 Hz frequency. The precipitation could be prevented by using carbon (graphite) electrodes in electrotransfection experiments. The use of carbon electrodes also increased cell viability. Taken together, the study suggested that electrodes made of electrochemically inert materials were desirable for electrotransfection of cells in vitro.
The environment for the software engineer

The task of education and educators is threefold: to teach basic principles that have a lasting value and can be applied in the analysis of events, phenomena and artifacts; to provide insight into the current state of the art and the historic development that led to this state; to teach a body of facts, procedures and mechanisms for the application of knowledge.
Electrochemical Synthesis of Highly Oriented, Transparent, and Pinhole-Free ZnO and Al-Doped ZnO Films and Their Use in Heterojunction Solar Cells

Electrochemical synthesis conditions using nonaqueous solutions were developed to prepare highly transparent (T > 90%) and crystalline ZnO and Al-doped ZnO (AZO) films for use in solar energy conversion devices. A focused effort was made to produce pinhole-free films in a reproducible manner by identifying a key condition to prevent the formation of cracks during deposition. The polycrystalline domains in the resulting films had a uniform orientation (i.e., the c-axis perpendicular to the substrate), which enhanced the electron transport properties of the films. Furthermore, electrochemical Al doping of ZnO using nonaqueous media, which was demonstrated for the first time in this study, effectively increased the carrier density and raised the Fermi level of ZnO. These films were coupled with an electrodeposited p-type Cu2O to construct p-n heterojunction solar cells to demonstrate the utilization of these films for solar energy conversion. The resulting n-ZnO/p-Cu2O and n-AZO/p-Cu2O cells showed excellent...
Clinical interventions to reduce stillbirths in sub-Saharan Africa: a mathematical model to estimate the potential reduction of stillbirths associated with specific obstetric conditions.

Objective Stillbirths are among the most common adverse pregnancy outcomes, with 98% occurring in low-income countries. More than one-third occur in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, the medical conditions causing stillbirths and interventions to reduce stillbirths from these conditions are not well documented. We estimated the reductions in stillbirths possible with combinations of interventions. Design We developed a computerised model to estimate the impact of various interventions on stillbirths caused by the most common conditions. The model considered the location of obstetric care (home, clinic or hospital) and each intervention's efficacy, penetration and utilisation. Maternal transfers were also considered. Setting and population Pregnancies in SSA in 2012. Methods For each condition, we created a series of scenarios involving different combinations of interventions and modelled their impact on stillbirth rates. Main outcome measures Stillbirths associated with various maternal and fetal conditions and the percentage reduction with various interventions. Results Eight to ten maternal and fetal conditions were responsible for most stillbirths, but none for more than 15%. The most common conditions causing stillbirths in SSA include obstructed labour and uterine rupture, fetal distress and umbilical cord complications, fetal growth restriction, pre-eclampsia/eclampsia, and placental abruption/placenta praevia. Syphilis and malaria contribute smaller numbers. Reducing stillbirths requires appropriate diagnosis and management of each condition, usually including hospital care for monitoring and delivery, often by caesarean section. Maternal syphilis and malaria were the only conditions for which outpatient management alone reduced stillbirth. Conclusions Most stillbirths in low-income countries occur at term and during labour and therefore are preventable by appropriate obstetric care. Management focused on the maternal and fetal conditions that cause stillbirths is necessary to achieve stillbirth rates approaching those found in high-income countries. Tweetable abstract Reducing stillbirth incidence requires appropriate management of each causative condition and often caesarean delivery.
A Vernacular of Surveillance: Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus Perform White Authenticity

This article looks at popular visual media in the context of the larger surveillance society in which it occurs. Bringing into conversation scholarship in feminist media studies, surveillance, performance, and critical race studies, the article offers another way to explore race in popular media and consider the implications of surveillance. The work examines how principles from contexts of surveillance carry over into contexts not under surveillance. The article explores the vernacularization—the process of making things mundane, everyday, unremarkable—of ideas about authenticity and performing, and the implications when it comes to race issues, which are animated in contexts of surveillance, but exceed these and are apparent in contexts not under surveillance. T hrough a critical examination of Taylor Swift’s video “Shake it off,” and Miley Cyrus’s video “We Can’t Stop,” the author argues s elf-reflexivity marks their performing behavior as distinct from their authentic self, reassuring audiences there is an authentic (white) self under the performance. This authentic self is presented as stable, a core identity most naturally enacted by white bodies, brought into relief by performing otherness.
Book review: Semantic Foundations of Logic Volume 1: Propositional Logics by Richard L. Epstein With assistance and collaboration of Walter A. Carnielli Itala, M. L. D'Ottaviano, Stanislav Krejewski, Roger D. Maddux (Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1990)

This is not your typical book on logic. The novel tone of this book is established by the author's desire for unity among the various logics which have been introduced to date. The basic questions addressed by this book are: "If logic is objective how come there are so many logics? Is there one right logic, or many right ones? Is there some underlying unity that connects them?" [Preface] In answering these questions it becomes apparent that a major pre-occupation of the author lies with understanding and explaining the relationship between the truths of the logics, i.e. their theorems, and everyday reality and reasoning. In a nutshell the author develops and shares with the reader a process of abstraction from the natural language of everyday reasoning to a more formalized language of logic. This abstraction process is driven by the type of reasoning to be done. This basic process is responsible for the expanding collection of logics under study today. The author invites us to join him in exploring the underlying unity he is proposing as a basis for this abstraction process.
Feedforward estimators for the distributed average tracking of bandlimited signals in discrete time with switching graph topology

We consider the distributed average tracking problem where a group of agents estimates the global average of bandlimited signals using only local communication. An estimator is designed to solve this problem with minimal error. Previous discrete-time designs are limited to tracking signals which either are constant, are slowly varying, have a known model (or frequency), or consist of a single unknown frequency which can be estimated. In contrast, we propose a feedforward design which is capable of tracking the average of arbitrary bandlimited signals. The communication graph is assumed to be connected and symmetric with non-zero weighted Laplacian eigenvalues in a known interval, although simulations show that the performance degrades gracefully as these assumptions are violated. Our design also provides the estimate of the average without delay and is robust to changes in graph topology.
Does a Unique Neuropsychiatric Profile Currently Exist for Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy

There is evidence that repetitive mild traumatic brain injury leads to specific patterns of neuropathological findings, labeled chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). However, questions remain about whether these neuropathological changes produce changes in behavior, cognition, and emotional status that are associated with a unique neuropsychiatric profile that can be assessed using currently available clinical tools. Our review of the literature indicates that insufficient evidence currently exists to suggest a distinct neuropsychiatric profile for CTE. Major limitations to the field presently include the relatively nascent nature of the topic, reliance on retrospective next-of-kin reporting, the lack of prospective studies, and similarities in neuropsychiatric symptoms between CTE, other neurodegenerative disorders and forms of psychopathology. Clinicians and researchers alike have a responsibility to adopt a cautious and balanced approach for antemortem assessments to minimize the potential unintended negative consequences of both overdiagnosing and underdiagnosing a clinical entity that has yet to be clearly established.
Identifying transit deserts in major Texas cities where the supplies missed the demands

Coined by the author, the concept “transit desert” is developed from the now common concept of a “food desert,” which is an area where there is limited or no access to fresh food (Clark et al. 2002; Jiao et al. 2012; Whelan et al. 2002; Wrigley 1993; Wrigley et al. 2002). The food desert concept has received a lot of attention and influenced planning policies and practices. By applying the same idea to transit systems within urban areas, geographic areas can be identified where there is a lack of transit service. This involves identifying the transit dependent populations as a measure of transit demand, calculating the transit supply, and then subtracting the supply from the demand to measure the gap (Jiao & Dillivan 2013). In detail, transit dependent populations are those who might require transit service to get around more than other people. The transit supply is measured by aggregating a number of criteria that contribute to better transit access and measured within a designated geographic area. Transit deserts are defined as areas where the transit demand is significantly greater than the supply.
Matrix-Assisted Autologous Chondrocyte Transplantation in the Knee: A Systematic Review of Mid- to Long-Term Clinical Outcomes:

Background:Matrix-assisted autologous chondrocyte transplantation (MACT) is a surgical treatment option for articular cartilage lesions of the knee joint.Purpose:To investigate mid- to long-term cl...
Autonomous guidance navigation and control for agile quadrotors using polynomial trajectory planning and li adaptive control

We address the challenge to allow efficient autonomous flight in real world environments, both indoor and outdoor. We use a straight-line SE-SCP to find an initial route through the environment and minimum snap trajectory generation using piecewise polynomials. Then, we implement an adaptive robust control able to address some robustness issues for quadrotors in outdoor flight, such as mass variation and wind disturbances. Coupling these techniques we allow highspeed and aggressive autonomous flight through obstacle-dense indoor environments, as well as address outdoor disturbances.
The Origin of Anansi the Spider

The Origin of Anansi the Spider is inspired by an African fable from the Ashanti people of Ghana. Anansi had a dreamed to be lord of all stories, so he went to the Sky-God Nyame and made his request. Nyame gave him the mission of bringing back a python, a leopard, and a swarm of hornets and promised that if Anansi did this, he will become lord of the stories. Anansi was a greattrickster, and was able to use his cunning wit to fool the animals into coming back to Nyame with him. Anansi succeeded and was named lord of all stories. A digital print was created encompassing all the animals on Anansi's quest. This print was used as the exterior of the traditional Ghanaian mermaid dress silhouette. Anansi was created from an etched leather image of a Huntsman spider hand-sewn onto the dress.
Neurally Adjusted Ventilatory Assist Is Associated with Greater Initial Extubation Success in Postoperative Congenital Heart Disease Patients when Compared to Conventional Mechanical Ventilation.

Extubation failure is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality in postoperative patients with congenital heart disease (CHD). The study purpose was to investigate initial extubation success utilizing neurally adjusted ventilatory assist (NAVA) compared with pressure-regulated volume controlled, synchronized intermittent mandatory ventilation with pressure support (SIMV-PRVC + PS) for ventilatory weaning in patients who required prolonged mechanical ventilation (MV). Also, total days on MV, inotropes, sedation, analgesia, and pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) length of stay (LOS) between both groups were compared. This was a non-randomized pilot study utilizing historical controls (SIMV-PRVC + PS; n = 40) compared with a prospective study population (NAVA; n = 35) in a Level I PICU and was implemented to help future trial designs. All patients (n = 75) required prolonged MV ≥96 hours due to their complex postoperative course. Ventilator weaning initiation and management was standardized between both groups. Ninety-seven percent of the NAVA group was successfully extubated on the initial attempt, while 80% were in the SIMV-PRVC + PS group (p = 0.0317). Patients placed on NAVA were eight times more likely to have successful initial extubation (odds ratio [OR]: 8.50, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01, 71.82). The NAVA group demonstrated a shorter median duration on MV (9.0 vs. 11.0 days, p = 0.032), PICU LOS (9.0 vs. 13.5 days, p
Relating GPM Radar Reflectivity Profile Characteristics to Path-Integrated Attenuation

The Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission was launched in February 2014; its dual-frequency precipitation radar (DPR) operates at both Ku- and Ka-band s. Attenuation in precipitation is typically not negligible, especially at Ka-band. Hence, attenuation correction is an important part of the GPM DPR retrieval algorithm. The operational algorithm uses a path-integrated attenuation (PIA) obtained by comparing the measured surface return with that expected either from a nearby, nonprecipitating area or from the same area, acquired at a previous, nonprecipitating time. This surface reference technique has worked well in most situations but can result in erroneously low estimates of the path attenuation in situations with nonuniform filling of the radar beam, especially at Ka-band due to its larger attenuation. This paper explores the existence of relationships between the Ka-band PIA and the characteristics of the measured reflectivity profiles. The author finds that PIA is, indeed, related to reflectivity profiles, with strongest correlation between the PIA and the measured rainfall dual-frequency reflectivity ratio just above the surface. This relationship could be used as an estimator in the cases with severe nonuniform beam filling.
Enzymatic defects of hereditary porphyrias: an explanation of dominance at the molecular level.

In four of the five autosomal dominant porphyrias four different partial enzymatic defects of the porphyrin biosynthetic pathway have been discovered in the last few years. With the exception of protoporphyria, the residual enzymatic activity in carriers of these defects is approximately equal to 50% of that found in controls. In each case the pattern of excretion of porphyrin and/or porphyrin precursors reflects the site of the partial metabolic block. There are indications, at least in intermittent acute porphyria, that the degree of penetrance of the disorder varies according to the level of phenotypic expression, being highest for the enzyme deficiency, lower for the excretion of precursors and lowest for the clinical symptoms. It is proposed that environmental factors, and probably also gene interaction, are the cause of the different degrees of penetrance.
Cohort Differences in Cognitive Impairment and Cognitive Decline Among Mexican-Americans Aged 75 Years or Older

Research suggests that the prevalence and incidence of cognitive impairment among older adults is decreasing. This analysis used data from 9 waves (1993-2016) of the Hispanic Established Populations for the Epidemiologic Study of the Elderly to assess cognitive status and cognitive decline for 2 cohorts of Mexican-Americans aged ≥75 years in 1993-1994 versus 2004-2005. Logistic regression, joint longitudinal survival models, and illness-death models for interval-censored data were used to examine cohort differences in the odds of prevalent cognitive impairment, trajectories of cognitive decline, and the risk of 10-year incident cognitive impairment, respectively. Results indicated that compared with the 1993-1994 cohort, the 2004-2005 cohort had higher odds for prevalent cognitive impairment (odds ratio = 2.51, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.92, 3.29), particularly among participants with <4 years of education (odds ratio = 2.99, 95% CI: 2.14, 4.18). Conversely, the 2004-2005 cohort exhibited significantly slower rates of cognitive decline (βˆ = 0.50, 95% CI: 0.39, 0.62) and had a significantly lower risk of incident cognitive impairment (hazard ratio = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.62, 0.91) compared with the 1993-1994 cohort. This analysis provides mixed results for cohort trends in the cognitive health of older Mexican-Americans. Continued research is needed to identify risk factors that contribute to these population-level trends.
Using Precision Environmental Health Principles in Risk Evaluation and Communication of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

This article provides a description of the rationale and processes adopted by the Gulf Coast Health Alliance: Health Risks related to the Macondo Spill consortium to evaluate and communicate the ri...
Lipid Bilayers and Liposomes on Microfluidics Realm: Techniques and Applications

Liposomes and lipid bilayer systems are one of the most ubiquitous structures in the living world, with complex structural features and a variety of biological functions in a constrained milieu. Redesigning and reprogramming these structures as biomimicking components will enable us to investigate basic biophysical and pharmacological processes within intra- and extracellular environments. Microfluidics, an enabling and disruptive technology, have greatly attracted this field by presenting unique capabilities, such as reduction in fluidic volumes, automation, and high-throughput, which have not been introduced with other technologies. In this chapter, a broad perspective and a variety of applications of microfluidic-associated methods were reviewed comprehensively.
Experimental study of the momentum correlation of a pseudothermal field in the photon-counting regime

Thermal (or pseudothermal) radiation has been recently proposed for imaging and interference types of experiments to simulate entangled states. We report an experimental study on the momentum correlation properties of a pseudothermal field in the photon counting regime. The characterization and understanding of such a light source in the context of two-photon physics, especially its similarities and differences compared to entangled two-photon states, is useful in gaining knowledge of entanglement and may help us to assess the real potential of applications of chaotic light in this context.
Mapping infant neurodevelopmental precursors of mental disorders: How synthetic cohorts & computational approaches can be used to enhance prediction of early childhood psychopathology.

Abstract Bridging advances in neurodevelopmental assessment and the established onset of common psychopathologies in early childhood with epidemiological data science and computational methods holds much promise for identifying risk for mental disorders as early as infancy. In particular, we propose the development of a mental health risk algorithm for the early detection of mental disorders with the potential for high public health impact that applies and adapts methods innovated in and successfully applied to early detection of cardiovascular risk. Specifically, we propose methods to advance risk prediction of early developmental psychopathology by creating synthetic cohorts that contain complete behavioral and neural data in the first years of life, as the basis for a robust and generalizable risk algorithm. The application of computational approaches within synthetic cohorts, an approach increasingly applied in psychiatry, may be particularly well suited to advancing risk prediction in early childhood mental health. We propose new research directions using these methods to generate an early childhood mental health risk calculator that could significantly advance early mental health risk detection to direct preventive intervention and/or need for more intensive assessment within a pragmatic framework for maximal clinical utility. The availability of such a tool in early childhood, a period of high neuroplasticity, holds promise to reduce the burden of mental disorder by identifying risk early in the clinical sequence and delivering prevention that targets the neurodevelopmental vulnerability phase.
Parental risk factors for fever in their children 7-10 days after the first dose of measles-containing vaccines.

We evaluated whether parental clinical conditions were associated with fever after a first dose of measles-containing vaccine (MCV) in the child in a cohort study including 244,125 children born in...
Nesting success of wood-cavity-nesting bees declines with increasing time since wildfire

Bees require distinct foraging and nesting resources to occur in close proximity. However, spatial and temporal patterns in the availability and quantity of these resources can be affected by disturbances like wildfire. The potential for spatial or temporal separation of foraging and nesting resources is of particular concern for solitary wood-cavity-nesting bees as they are central-place, short-distance foragers once they have established their nest. Often the importance of nesting resources for bees have been tested by sampling foraging bees as a proxy, and nesting bees have rarely been studied in a community context, particularly postdisturbance. We tested how wood-cavity-nesting bee species richness, nesting success, and nesting and floral resources varied across gradients of wildfire severity and time-since-burn. We sampled nesting bees via nesting boxes within four wildfires in southwest Montana, USA, using a space-for-time substitution chronosequence approach spanning 3-25 years postburn and including an unburned control. We found that bee nesting success and species richness declined with increasing time postburn, with a complete lack of successful bee nesting in unburned areas. Nesting and floral resources were highly variable across both burn severity and time-since-burn, yet generally did not have strong effects on nesting success. Our results together suggest that burned areas may provide important habitat for wood-cavity-nesting bees in this system. Given ongoing fire regime shifts as well as other threats facing wild bee communities, this work helps provide essential information necessary for the management and conservation of wood-cavity-nesting bees.
Variations in Screening Adenoma Detection Rate by Specialty of Physicians in a Predominately African American Population.

BACKGROUND Screening colonoscopy aims to interrupt the adenoma-carcinoma sequence by removing all precancerous adenomatous polyps. Adenomatous polyp detection rate (ADR) can vary between endoscopists as well as between race, age, and risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). The purpose of this study was to compare ADR among academic gastroenterologists (A-GI), non-A-GI, and surgeons for endoscopies performed in the same endoscopic suite of a large medical center with a predominately African American (AA) population. METHODS All screening colonoscopies performed in 2014 for patients aged 62-76 years were identified using the electronic medical records data. Patients with average risk and high risk of CRC defined as having a 'personal history of polyps' or 'family history of CRC', and history of ulcerative colitis and Fecal Occult Blood Test/Fecal Immunochemical Test (FOBT/FIT) positivity were included. Patients with incomplete colonoscopy (defined as failing to achieve cecal intubation or poor preparation) and unrecovered tissue biopsy were excluded. ADR was calculated for three groups of endoscopists: A-GIs, non-A-GIs, and surgeons. RESULTS A total of 573 screening colonoscopies was analyzed. The endoscopists comprised five A-GIs, eight non-A-GIs, and six surgeons. The majority of patients were of AA decent (71%), female (54%) with an average age of 66 years. Patients classified as average risk comprised 79% of the population. Most of the colonoscopies were performed by A-GI (n=339), followed by non-A-GI (n=144), and surgeons (n=90). The ADR for A-GI was 50% as compared to 32% for non-A-GI (p<0.001) and 25% for surgeons (p<0.001). Also, A-GI were more likely to identify ≥3 adenomas during screening colonoscopies. Significant differences were observed (p<0.001) in the mean time of colonoscopy for A-GI (30 mins) non-A-G (14 mins), and surgeons (18 mins). CONCLUSION Significant variation in the ADR between endoscopists belonging to different specialties were observed. Although all appear to achieve acceptable ADR (ie at least 25 for men and 15 for women), academic gastroenterologists had better performance than non-academic GI and surgeons. This may be explained by a significantly longer average duration of procedures for the highest ADR group.
W11 How to portray neurologic and musculoskeletal pathology in simulated patients

Level: Introductory Background Simulated/Standardized (SP) patients are an invaluable teaching tool for formative and summative assessment. Have you ever wondered how to mimic pathological findings for learners in neurologic and musculoskeletal exams? Have you ever thought about why people with Parkinson’s disease move the way they do? Could this technique be useful to you in student Objective Standardized Clinical Exams (OSCEs) or other training assessments? Attend this workshop and find out the how and why behind neurologic and musculoskeletal disease findings. Intended learning outcomes This workshop will identify components of the neurologic and musculoskeletal exams most often encountered in physical exams, demonstrate how pathologic findings can be taught to simulated/standardized patients, and allow practice with peers in the workshop. Upon workshop conclusion, learners will be able to: Identify the pathophysiology behind common neurologic and musculoskeletal disorders Articulate the physical findings associated with the disease processes including the ‘why’ behind the pathology Demonstrate or teach the pathologic findings to peers Workshop structure 5 minutes– Introductions 5 minutes– Objectives and pair up 45 minutes– brief didactic or video, demonstration with SP, and pair practice of each disorder with feedback 5 minutes– wrap up and conclusions Educational Methods Used Didactics and Video Think, Pair and Share Personalized Learning Expert driven feedback Official ASPE Affiliate Presentation Submission. This workshop is designed for those without a medical background, but all are welcome. References Bates’ Guide to Physical Examination and History Taking; Bickley, Lynn S.; Walters Klewer Health Publishing, 12th edition; copyright @2017, ISBN-10: 9781469893419 Training Standardized Patients to Have Physical Findings; Barrows, Howard S.; Southern Illinois University School of Medicine Press, Springfield. Illinois; copyright @1999, ISBN-10: 0-931369-33-9
No) Exit from liberalism

Post-Cold War expansion of liberal order rested on three legs: the implosion of major alternative ordering projects, the enjoyment by liberal democracies of a “patronage monopoly,” and the dominanc...
Using Reflective Journals to Characterize Pre-Service Teacher Professional Noticing Skills

This study examined professional teacher noticing in the context of written responses 12 pre-service teachers (PSTs) provided in a reflective journal after posing addition and subtraction problems ...
Criminalization of Care: Drug Testing Pregnant Patients.

This article reveals how law and legal interests transform medicine. Drawing on qualitative interviews with medical professionals, this study shows how providers mobilize law and engage in investig...
Fundamental work toward an image processing-empowered dental intelligent educational system

Computer-aided education in dental schools is greatly needed in order to reduce the need for human instructors to provide guidance and feedback as students practice dental procedures. A portable computer-aided educational system with advanced digital image processing capabilities would be less expensive than current computer-aided dental educational systems and would also address some of their limitations. This dissertation outlines the development of novel components that would be part of such a system. This research includes the design of a novel image processing technique, the Directed Active Shape Model algorithm, which is used to locate the tooth and drilled preparation from a digital image, and also to measure the exact size, shape and location of the drilled preparation in relation to the expected preparation. The use of statistical measures taken from the digital images to provide feedback about the smoothness and depth of the dental preparation is also detailed. This research also includes the design and testing of a posture-monitoring component for a portable educational system. Maintaining proper posture is critical for dental practitioners, because poor posture can affect not only the dental practitioner's health, but also the quality of the practitioner's work. The algorithms and techniques designed for use in the dental education support system could also be applied in the design of computer-aided educational systems for the development of procedural skills in many other fields, and in the design of systems to support practicing dentists.
An overview of the Ultrafast X-ray Imager (UXI) program at Sandia Labs

The Ultra-Fast X-ray Imager (UXI) program is an ongoing effort at Sandia National Laboratories to create high speed, multi-frame, time gated Read Out Integrated Circuits (ROICs), and a corresponding suite of photodetectors to image a wide variety of High Energy Density (HED) physics experiments on both Sandia’s Z-Machine and the National Ignition Facility (NIF). The program is currently fielding a 1024 x 448 prototype camera with 25 μm pixel spatial resolution, 2 frames of in-pixel storage and the possibility of exchanging spatial resolution to achieve 4 or 8 frames of storage. The camera’s minimum integration time is 2 ns. Minimum signal target is 1500 e- rms and full well is 1.5 million e-. The design and initial characterization results will be presented as well as a description of future imagers.
Cuprammonium-glycoside complexes.

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the complexing reaction between cuprammonium and carbohydrate molecules with special consideration of the spatial relationships. Knowledge regarding the shapes taken by sugar molecules in solution important to understand their chemical reactions; shape is the determining factor in all cases where a reactant makes even a temporary contact with groups attached to more than a single carbon atom. Knowledge regarding shapes is also essential to any attempted correlation of physical properties. Molecular shapes constitute the basis for the specific action of enzymes. The reactions between cuprammonium and the carbohydrates considered are called “glycol-complexing reactions” as they involve an attachment among cuprammonium and two suitably locating hydroxyl groups. The reaction between cuprammonium and a glycol is a reversible, bimolecular association. It is evidenced by spectrophotometric and conductometric phenomena; and, with optically active glycols, is often accompanied by dramatic changes in optical rotation. The reaction with cuprammonium provides a measure of the relative position of adjacent hydroxyl groups.
Development of an instrument for assessing self-efficacy in schizophrenic spectrum disorders

Self-efficacy constructs recently have been incorporated into a model of social functioning for schizophrenics. This model proposes that self-efficacy mediates patients' coping efforts. To assess this hypothesis accurately, it is critical to have a scale that measures self-efficacy reliably and validly. Such a scale was developed in this research, which used two independent samples of schizophrenic-spectrum patients. Results indicate that this scale is both valid and reliable. The data support the validity of two underlying subscales, one that measures positive symptom self-efficacy and one that measures negative symptom/social interaction self-efficacy. Future directions of psychosocial constructs in schizophrenic-symptom development are discussed, including the need for concurrent tracking of symptom development and self-efficacy.