cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Trajectories of Symptoms and Impairment for Pediatric Patients With Functional Abdominal Pain: A 5-Year Longitudinal Study

ABSTRACT Objective This prospective study characterizes trajectories of symptoms and impairment in pediatric patients with abdominal pain not associated with identifiable organic disease. Method The Children's Somatization Inventory and the Functional Disability Inventory were administered four times over 5 years to 132 patients (6-18 years old) seen in a pediatric gastroenterology clinic. Individual trajectories were empirically grouped and correlates of trajectory group membership at baseline were evaluated. Results A model with three unique trajectories was found to adequately fit both symptom and impairment data. Two trajectories indicated relatively long-term improvement and one indicated continued high levels of symptoms and impairment. At baseline, the long-term risk group did not have the most severe pain but had significantly more anxiety, depression, lower perceived self-worth, and more negative life events. Conclusions These results indicate that several distinct trajectories of relatively long-term outcomes may exist in children with functional abdominal pain. One trajectory indicated long-term risk for a high level of symptoms and impairment. Psychosocial correlates of long-term risk for physical symptoms and impairment, such as child-reported stress and internalizing symptoms, may be useful for treatment planning.
High-resolution photoacoustic imaging

We report a high-resolution photoacoustic imaging apparatus based on a ring transducer which allows focused laser and ultrasonic beams to be launched collinearly from a monolithic device.
On Producing High and Early Result Throughput in Multijoin Query Plans

This paper introduces an efficient framework for producing high and early result throughput in multijoin query plans. While most previous research focuses on optimizing for cases involving a single join operator, this work takes a radical step by addressing query plans with multiple join operators. The proposed framework consists of two main methods, a flush algorithm and operator state manager. The framework assumes a symmetric hash join, a common method for producing early results, when processing incoming data. In this way, our methods can be applied to a group of previous join operators (optimized for single-join queries) when taking part in multijoin query plans. Specifically, our framework can be applied by 1) employing a new flushing policy to write in-memory data to disk, once memory allotment is exhausted, in a way that helps increase the probability of producing early result throughput in multijoin queries, and 2) employing a state manager that adaptively switches operators in the plan between joining in-memory data and disk-resident data in order to positively affect the early result throughput. Extensive experimental results show that the proposed methods outperform the state-of-the-art join operators optimized for both single and multijoin query plans.
Can dynamic spectrum access induce heavy tailed delay

Dynamic Spectrum Access (DSA) allows secondary users (SUs) to opportunistically transmit when the channels belonging to primary users (PUs) are idle. This paper provides an asymptotic analysis of the transmission delay experienced by SUs for DSA networks. It is shown that DSA induces only light-tailed delay as long as both the busy time of PU channels and the message size of SUs are light-tailed. On the contrary, if either the busy time or the message size is heavy tailed, then the SUs' transmission delay is heavy tailed. For this latter case, it is proven that if one of either the busy time or the message size is light-tailed and the other is regularly varying with index α, then the transmission delay is regularly varying with the same index α. As a consequence, the delay has an infinite mean provided α <1 and an infinite variance provided α <2. Furthermore, if both the busy time and the message size are regularly varying with index α and α, respectively, then the tail distribution of the delay is as heavy as the one with the smaller index. Moreover, the impact of spectrum mobility and multi-radio diversity on the delay performance of SUs is studied. It is shown that the spectrum mobility can mitigate the heavy tailed delay of SUs, while the use of multiple radio interfaces may aggravate it.
Scenario-testing of agricultural best management practices in Lake Erie watersheds

Abstract Current research has shown that reductions in nonpoint nutrient loading are needed to reduce the incidence of harmful algal blooms and hypoxia in the western and central basins of Lake Erie. We used the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to test various sediment and nutrient load reduction strategies, including agricultural best management practice (BMP) implementation and source reduction in various combinations for six watersheds. These watersheds, in order of decreasing phosphorus loads, include the Maumee, Sandusky, Cuyahoga, Raisin, Grand, and Huron, and together comprise 53% of the binational Lake Erie Basin area. Hypothetical pristine nutrient yields, after eliminating all anthropogenic influences, were estimated to be an order of magnitude lower than current yields, underscoring the need for stronger management actions. However, cover crops, filter strips, and no-till BMPs, when implemented at levels considered feasible, were minimally effective, reducing sediment and nutrient yields by only 0–11% relative to current values. Sediment yield reduction was greater than nutrient yield reduction, and the greatest reduction was found when all three BMPs were implemented simultaneously. When BMPs were targeted at specific locations rather than at random, greater reduction in nutrient yields was achieved with BMPs placed in high source locations, whereas reduction in sediment yields was greatest when BMPs were located near the river outlet. Modest nutrient source reduction also was minimally effective in reducing yields. Our model results indicate that an “all-of-above” strategy is needed to substantially reduce nutrient yields and that BMPs should be much more widely implemented.
Maternal bronchodilator use and the risk of orofacial clefts

background: Few epidemiological studies have explored the relationship between orofacial clefts and bronchodilators. We assessed whether mothers who used bronchodilators during early pregnancy were at an increased risk of delivering infants with orofacial clefts. methods: We used National Birth Defects Prevention Study case–control data from mothers of 2711 infants with orofacial clefts and 6482 mothers of live born infants without birth defects, delivered during 1997 through 2005. Information on medication use from 3 months before pregnancy through delivery was collected using a standardized interview . Logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for maternal bronchodilator use during the periconceptional period (1 month before pregnancy through the third month of pregnancy) while controlling for other covariates. results: We observed an association between maternal bronchodilator use during the periconceptional period and cleft lip only (CLO) (aOR ¼ 1.77, 95% CI: 1.08–2.88). The risk of cleft palate only (CPO) (aOR ¼ 1.53, 95% CI: 0.99–2.37) was elevated but was not statistically significant. No association was observed for maternal bronchodilator use and the risk of cleft lip with cleft palate (aOR ¼ 0.78, 95% CI: 0.46–1.31). The most commonly used bronchodilator was albuterol (88.7%). Maternal albuterol use was associated with CLO (aOR ¼ 1.79, 95% CI: 1.07–2.99) and CPO (aOR ¼ 1.65, 95% CI: 1.06–2.58). conclusions: We observed a statistically significant association between maternal bronchodilator use during the periconceptional period and the risk of CLO after controlling for other risk factors. It is unclear whether the increased odds ratios observed in this study are due to the bronchodilators, the severity of asthma, or both, or to chance alone. Further studies to disentangle the role of asthma or asthma medications would help clarify these findings.
Location Updates In Cellular Networks Using Bloom Filters

Location Updates (LU) are emergency 911 procedures mandated by the FCC for cellular networks today; helping locate mobiles within 100 meters of their vicinity. This requires paging all mobiles within a vicinity regularly thereby leading to an increased use of bandwidth. This paper analyzes the existing schemes of hash based paging in LU procedures using Bloom Filters (BF) and introduces two new schemes to improve performance: Optimization of Bloom Filters (OBF) and Cumulative Bloom Filters (CBF). An identifier field in the paging message is coded by applying hashing functions to create a BF and this is used to page a number of mobiles concurrently. False LU are the mobiles that may not belong to a particular paging area but still respond with LU updates. We observe that these false probabilities are very small and can be traded-off with the bandwidth gain. The results obtained compare the analytical and simulation results and their observation leads us to the goal of this research: to obtain a multi-fold increase in bandwidth gain at the cost of keeping the false positives to a realistic minimum.
Spot Size of Focused Truncated Gaussian Beams

The separation of half-maximum intensity points of a focused truncated coherent Gaussian beam is evaluated. The results differ appreciably from the conventional values used in the past. This result is important in areas where the resolution of two optical beams is required, as, for instance, in determining the optimal separation of elements in a detector array used to identify these beams.
Quinolizidinone carboxylic acid selective M1 allosteric modulators: SAR in the piperidine series

SAR study of the piperidine moiety in a series of quinolizidinone carboxylic acid M(1) positive allosteric modulators was examined. While the SAR was generally flat, compounds were identified with high CNS exposure to warrant additional in vivo evaluation.
Morphology and orientation of tube extensions on aggregations of the polychaete annelid Phragmatopoma californica

The morphology of organisms can influence fluid flow near their surfaces which, in turn, can influence the rates of mass exchange as well as the ability of the animals to capture and retain particles. In this paper, the morphologies and orientations of extensions on the tubes of aggregated individuals of the sabellariid polychaete Phragmatopoma californica from different habitats are described. The effects of these structures on fluid exchange and feeding-tentacle deflection are also assessed. The tube shape of aggregated P. californica varies among habitats. In exposed habitats, extensions on tubes (flares) encircle the entire circumference of the worms' apertures. In more protected habitats, extensions (hoods) partially encircle the circumference of apertures and are oriented so that the opening of the hood faces into the predominant direction of water flow over the aggregation. After the surface structures are damaged, hoods are repaired more quickly than flares. In this study, all damaged hodds were repaired within 24 h while flares were fully repaired only after 240 h. The repaired hoods are oriented in the same direction as the original structures Both hoods and flares decrease the rate of fluid exchange between the aggregation surface and the mainstream water flow. These structures also decrease the deflection of the feeding tentacles by the water flow. The orientation of the hoods relative to the direction of water flow affects both the rates of fluid exchange and the deflection of the tentacles.
Dinámicas históricas y espaciales en la construcción de un barrio alteño

The city of El Alto is recognized as the epicenter of the October 2003 events that forced the resignation of president Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada and began a political process that resulted in the election of Evo Morales in 2005. Part of an explanation about how the residents of this city were able to articulate social mobilizations of such magnitude and impact is due to the predominately indigenous population of the city. This invites us to ask how the residents wove history of territory and the memories “brought” by the migrants from rural/indigenous communities in the construction of neighborhoods. In this essay I will argue that the current forms of social and neighborhood organization in El Alto, represent translations, adaptations, and re-inventions of forms of organization in their places of origin. This, in turn, manifests a complex tapestry of memories, social practices, and everyday actions, to give shape to their particular forms of organization.
Training new technical writers

Many organizations hire new technical writers regularly as their business expands, or hire temporary technical writers to cope with a heavy workload period. Although it is assumed that such people are hired for their writing skills, they still must be trained quickly in four areas: how business is done in the organization, the process used to produce information, the style of writing preferred, and the technical tools available and how they are to be used. The author shows one way of structuring such a training program. It is based on an actual course developed over a period of three years. It is concluded that a good training program requires considerable forethought and subsequent modification to keep up with change, an organized coordinator, a dedicated set of teachers and a process that can be readily learned and modified again by others as turnover occurs. >
Letter to the Editor-Analysis of Dominance with Inequality Sets

This note describes a simpler method than that used by Fishburn to analyze a set of strategies for dominance when the decision maker's probability distribution satisfies a certain set of inequalities.
The Privatization Process: A Natural Order Or Shock Therapy?

McKinnon (1991) argues that there is a natural order of economic liberalization and privatization. Sachs (1990) and Becker (1995) argue that the value of speed is so important it outweighs the value of waiting to discover the optional sequence. This paper investigates the question of order as it specifically applies to privatization of the industrial and financial sectors. Empirical evidence indicates that, while order is important, simultaneous change provides the necessary order. In this case, there is, in fact, no conflict between the natural order case and the shock therapy argument. A quick leap, the simultaneous privatization of the industrial and financial sectors, provides the necessary order.
Estimation and kinetic analysis of insulin-independent glucose uptake in human subjects

Using the glucose clamp technique, glucose uptake was determined isotopically in normal human volunteers at plasma glucose concentrations of congruent to 60, 95, and 160 mg/dl during insulin infusions that increased plasma insulin to congruent to 20, 80, and 160 microU/ml. Because glucose uptake was found to be a linear function of plasma insulin at each plasma glucose concentration (r greater than 0.92, P less than 0.01), glucose uptake at 0 plasma insulin was estimated by linear regression analysis. The values thus derived (1.30, 1.62, and 2.59 mg . kg-1 . min-1 for plasma glucose concentrations of 60, 95, and 160 mg/dl, respectively) produced a linear Eadie-Hofstee plot, suggesting that insulin-independent glucose uptake followed Michaelis-Menten kinetics. The Km for glucose uptake at 0 plasma insulin (congruent to 10 mM) was similar to those observed for glucose uptake at the other plasma insulin concentrations studied (congruent to 9-12 mM), but its Vmax was less (5.2 vs. 6.4, 18.5, and 26.8 mg . kg-1 . min-1 for congruent to 20, 80, and 160 U/ml, respectively). These results indicate that in postabsorptive human subjects 75-85% of glucose uptake is noninsulin-mediated and provide additional support for the concept that insulin may increase glucose uptake merely by providing additional transport sites. The method described herein provides an assessment of insulin-independent glucose uptake in vivo that may prove useful in distinguishing between intrinsic defects of the glucose transport system and those due to defects in insulin action.
Outcomes of Capitohamate Bone-Ligament-Bone Grafts for Scapholunate Injury.

Purpose In an attempt to restore natural carpal kinematics more closely, bone-ligament-bone (BLB) grafts have been described for treating scapholunate (SL) injury. In this article we report the long-term results of capitohamate BLB autograft for the treatment of SL dissociation. Methods The medical records of patients treated with capitohamate BLB grafts for SL dissociation were retrospectively reviewed. Twenty-three patients were available for evaluation. Patients were sent a Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) and a Patient-Rated Wrist Evaluation (PRWE) questionnaire and returned for exam. Thirteen patients returned the questionnaire, and 12 wrists were examined. Range of motion, grip strength, pain, complications, return to work, and radiographic parameters were documented. Results The average length of follow-up evaluation was 9.2 years. The average SL gap was 4.5 mm preoperatively and 3.6 mm at final follow-up. The average SL angle was 70 degrees preoperatively and 73 degrees at final follow-up. There was no statistically significant difference in preoperative versus postoperative flexion, extension, radial deviation, ulnar deviation, or grip strength. The average postoperative visual analog scale (VAS) score was 1.25 at rest and 3.58 with activity. The average Mayo Wrist Score was 66.8 preoperatively and 70.9 postoperatively (p = 0.158). The average postoperative PRWE was 20.5, and average postoperative DASH was 15.1. At final follow-up, four patients had no radiographic evidence of arthritis. Two patients had evidence of early-stage radiocarpal arthritis, four had evidence of midcarpal arthritis, and two had radiographic evidence of mild scaphotrapeziotrapezoid arthritis. One patient required a salvage procedure with four-corner fusion. Discussion BLB reconstruction can be used to treat SL instability. At final follow-up, the majority of patients did not worsen clinically or functionally or require secondary salvage procedures; however, radiologic progression of arthritis was not prevented. These outcomes are comparable to midterm results of other SL reconstructive options; thus, we have abandoned this technique for other less technically demanding procedures. Level of Evidence IV
Some Price Discrimination Aspects in Bank Farm Loan Interest Rates

RAPID and far-reaching changes in agricultural technology in recent decades have made it necessary for farmers to use larger amounts of non-real-estate credit. This is reflected in the rapid expansion of the nonreal-estate farm debt, the increased ratio of cash expenses to gross income in farming, and the increased importance of non-real-estate assets in the aggregate financial structure of agriculture. Commercial banks which are the leading suppliers of this type of agricultural credit now hold approximately three fourths of the non-real-estate farm debt. Since farmers are using more credit, interest cost is becoming an increasingly important expense item in agriculture. It is appropriate, consequently, that researchers in the field of agricultural credit devote some of their efforts to the pricing and cost of non-real-estate farm credit. Most of the research studies in farm non-real-estate credit in the past have been, essentially, descriptive. Major emphasis has been placed on describing the terms and characteristics of non-real-estate farm loans. The pricing element has received limited emphasis under such captions as "the structure of interest rates" and "factors affecting interest rates." The tacit assumption in most of these studies is that competition and variations in lending costs are the regulating factors that determine the interest rates on farm production loans. Variations in interest rates between banks in a given agricultural region and between borrowers in a given bank, however, are often not readily accounted for by differences in lending costs-at least to the extent that lending costs are measurable. The lack of a close association between rates and costs leads to the hypothesis that the country banker has considerable latitude in "fixing" the interest rate on farm production loans. In fact, the country banker may have enough freedom in rate making to render price discrimination possible. Such a pricing policy may create rigidities in interest rate structure which do not harmonize with a goal of efficient use of resources in an industry presumed to be competitive and capable of passing lower costs to farmers in the form of lower interest rates.
Experimental Use of Points or Money as Reinforcers: Does What is Risked Make a Difference?:

When work on a cooperative task rather than a lower paying individual one entailed risk that Ss could take each other's earnings, Ss who were rewarded in points having no intrinsic value behaved very differently from Ss studied previously who earned money contingent on their responses. Pairs working for money typically ceased cooperating when risk was introduced while those working for points tended to continue cooperating. Use of points both reduced the disruptive effects of taking and led occasionally to periods of inactivity. Comparing these results and previous findings, there may be differences among tasks in the effects of various types of rewards.
Caring for Prison Inmates the Hospice Way

The purpose of this article is to describe the evolution of a prison hospice program. The article provides a historical background of the role of Florence Wald, a pioneer of the national hospice movement, and the natural extension of her role in the development of the Connecticut prison hospice program. The article also includes personal narrative of the author regarding her relationship with Florence Wald that led to the development of the Connecticut prison hospice program.
Mid-childhood fruit and vegetable consumption: The roles of early liking, early consumption, and maternal consumption.

Previous studies have shown that early liking, early consumption, and maternal consumption of fruits and vegetables (F&V) each predict children’s F&V consumption, but no one has examined the independent contributions of these three correlated factors. We aim to examine the extent to which each of these 3 factors is associated with F&V consumption in mid-childhood after accounting for the other 2 in the analysis. We analyzed data from 901 mother-child dyads from Project Viva, a prospective pre-birth cohort study. Mothers reported their child’s early liking and consumption of F&V at age 2 years and later consumption at mid-childhood (median age 7.7 years). They also reported their own consumption of F&V at 6 months postpartum. We used multivariable linear regression models to examine the independent associations of these 3 factors with mid-childhood consumption, adjusting for socio-demographic, pregnancy, and child confounders. At 2 years, 53% of the mothers strongly agreed that their child liked fruit and 25% strongly agreed that their child liked vegetables. F&V consumption was 2.5 (1.3) and 1.8 (1.1) times/d at age 2 y and 1.5 (1.1) and 1.3 (0.8) times/d in mid-childhood. Maternal F&V consumption was 1.4 (1.1) and 1.5 (1.0) times/d, respectively. Children’s early consumption played the most predominant role. For every 1 time/d increment in children’s early consumption of F&V, mid-childhood consumption was higher by 0.25 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.19, 0.30) times/d for fruits and 0.21 (95% CI: 0.16, 0.26) times/d for vegetables, adjusted for confounders plus the other 2 exposures. In conclusion, children’s early F&V consumption has the most significant influence on children’s later consumption.
Measurements of oxygen partial pressure and single-unit action potentials in the parieto-visceral ganglion of Aplysia californica.

Repeatable microelectrode recording from identifiable neurons within the isolated parieto-visceral ganglion of the sea hare Aplysia californica has been accomplished because the somatic positions and axonal projections into either hemisphere of these cells have been demonstrated both anatomically and electrophysiologically (Rosenbluth, 1963; Coggeshall, 1967; and Frazier et al, 1967). Only reference has been made to the metabolic dependence of these neurons (Chalazonitis and Arvanitaki, 1970) although interruption of the burst pattern in isolated pacemaker neurons exposed to metabolic blocking agents occurs (Chen et al, 1973). However, the direct measurement of the cytosolic oxygen levels and activity levels of specific neurons has not been attempted through multi-electrode recording of simultaneous action potentials and oxygen partial pressure.
Postoperative Care of the Cardiac Surgical Patient

The postoperative management of cardiac surgery patients is not straightforward and demands key insight into the physiologic perturbations common within this population. Furthermore, considerations in the immediate perioperative period change as the patient recovers from cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). In order to ensure stability throughout this transition, the critical care team must have a firm understanding of the various consequences of intraoperative decisions and how to manage them following surgery.
Impact of sex, age, and ethnicity/race on the survival of patients with rectal cancer in the United States from 1988 to 2012

// Martin D. Berger 1 , Dongyun Yang 2 , Yu Sunakawa 1 , Wu Zhang 1 , Yan Ning 1 , Satoshi Matsusaka 1 , Satoshi Okazaki 1 , Yuji Miyamoto 1 , Mitsukuni Suenaga 1 , Marta Schirripa 1 , Annika Medea Lenz 1 , Pierre Bohanes 1 , Afsaneh Barzi 1 , Jane C. Figueiredo 1, 2 , Diana L. Hanna 1 , Heinz-Josef Lenz 1, 2 1 Division of Medical Oncology, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA 2 Department of Preventive Medicine, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA Correspondence to: Heinz-Josef Lenz, email: lenz@usc.edu Keywords: age, ethnicity/race, sex, rectal cancer, survival Received: May 14, 2016 Accepted: July 01, 2016 Published: July 19, 2016 ABSTRACT Most studies report on colon and rectal cancers collectively, even though biologic and prognostic differences exist between these disease entities. Here, we investigated the effects of sex, age, and ethnicity/race on rectal cancer (RC) mortality by stage focusing on differences before and after 2004. Using the SEER database, we identified 105,511 patients diagnosed with RC from 1988-2012. Main outcomes were disease-specific survival (DSS) and overall survival (OS). In patients with stage I-III RC, women achieved a longer DSS (HR 0.87, P < 0.001) than men, independent of age, from 1988-2012. In stage IV disease, the sex disparity favoring women was limited to the age 18-44 yr cohort (DSS HR 0.79, P < 0.001). The sex difference in DSS ( P interaction = 0.009) was significantly reduced from 2004 to 2012 across all ages. Hispanics and Native Americans with locoregional RC had inferior DSS relative to Whites from 1988-2003, but these differences were not evident from 2004-2012 ( P interaction = 0.001). Additionally, Asians with stage I-III RC had superior DSS from 2004 on compared to Whites. Mortality in African American patients improved modestly overall and remained significantly higher than other ethnicities/races across all stages. Sex disparities have narrowed in patients with metastatic RC, but persist in patients with stage I-III disease. These differences are most evident among young patients (18-44 years), where sex disparities have even widened in stage I-III disease. While outcomes have improved for Asians, Hispanics, and Native Americans with stage I-III rectal cancer, black-white disparities remain in all disease stages.
Examining Personal Ads and Job Ads

In both love and work, people are making increasing use of the Internet to reach others. The rhetorical analysis of online advertisements for love (personal ads) and work (job ads) in this chapter will show that these genres draw on the well-worn rhetorical modes to facilitate connections. In both cases, if the ads work as they are intended to, successful love or work relationships develop as a by-product of careful, thoughtful writing. Writers of online personal ads and job ads use approaches similar to print ads and to each other in several ways: both use basic rhetorical modes, both share a need for large numbers of responses to make the right connections, both connect sometimes in shared meeting places, and both make use of credentials to establish a preliminary match. However, the two kinds of ads differ from each other and from print ads in terms of the Aristotelian principles of truth value (ethos), emotional appeal (pathos), and specific factual argument (logos). This chapter explores the rhetorical principles used and abused by writers of online personals and employment ads, and helps account for both success and failure to connect in love and work.
Contemporary debates over the acceptability of kidneys for donation.

We really can't promise both more transplants and better outcomes. The controversies over organ allocation really represent intellectual exhaustion in the face of a long series of inadequate policy responses to the decade-long trend of the kidney supply increasing only at the expense of organ quality and patient outcomes.
New Insights into the Biology of Toll-Like Receptors and Inflammasomes.

Abstract Abstract SCI-23 Innate immunity evolved to recognize microbial infection and to respond to danger signals that appear under disease conditions. The most recently described innate immune receptor family is the Nod-like receptor (NLR) family. The inflammatory cytokines IL-1b and IL-18 are released only upon cleavage by the inflammatory caspase-1. Caspase-1 activity itself is controlled by a cytosolic signaling complex consisting of the NLR member NALP3 and the adapter protein ASC. After activation NALP3, ASC and caspase-1 form a multi-molecular complex termed the NALP3 inflammasome. The NALP3 inflammasome is activated in response to various membrane active bacterial toxins (e.g. nigericin, maitotoxin or gramicidin) or by incubation with crystalline materials (e.g. silica, asbestos, monosodium urate or alum). The mechanisms by which the NALP3 inflammasome is activated by physico-chemical diverse activators are not well understood. We demonstrate that crystals activate the NALP3 inflammasome in a process that requires phagocytosis and crystal uptake leads to lysosomal damage and rupture. Furthermore, sterile lysosomal damage is also sufficient to induce NALP3 activation and inhibition of phagosomal acidification or inhibition or lack of cathepsins impairs NALP3 activation. These results indicate that the NALP3 inflammasome can sense lysosomal damage induced by various means as an endogenous danger signal. Our results demonstrate a novel strategy of immune cells to recognize different classes of stimuli by a common, indirect mechanism. Cytosolic DNA can activate a NALP3 independent yet ASC dependent inflammasome. AIM2, a member of the PYHIN protein family, has a pyrin domain and a HIN200 DNA binding domain. We discovered that AIM2 binds to dsDNA and forms an inflammasome with ASC leading to caspase 1 activation. These pathways are promising new targets for pharmacological inhibitors with broad clinical significance. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
The effectiveness of EDTA as a fish preservative.

Summary A concentration of 0.005% Na4EDTA markedly inhibited the growth of the facultative psychrophiles P. putrefaciens, P. Fragi and P. fluorescens in half strength nutrient broth at pH 7.0. Achromobacter lipolyticum was the only psychrophilic organism of 20 tested which was found to be insensitive to EDTA. The application of a 1.0% dip of Na4EDTA to haddock fillets for 1 min failed to suppress the increase in bacterial numbers on fillets stored at 3 C when compared to untreated control fillets. Refrigerated storage at 3 C was, however, extended by the dip from 5 to 9–10 days based on odor and taste evaluations. The formation of trimethylamine and volatile basic nitrogen was markedly suppressed in EDTA dipped fillets.
Beyond VEGF inhibition: Comparative efficacy analysis of novel VEGF and non-VEGF therapeutic agents in phase I trials for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC).

3541 Background: Recently, regorafenib (RGF), an oral multikinase inhibitor, was approved for patients (pts) with mCRC who have failed standard therapies. Compared to placebo, the phase III CORRECT...
Reply to Ezcurdia and Gómez-Torrente

Contra Ezcurdia, it is argued that my thesis —that substitution of coreferential names or indexicals in attitude ascriptions preserves truth values of propositions semantically expressed, although it often changes truth values of propositions asserted— is compatible with the fact that belief ascriptions play important explanatory roles. Contra Gomez-Torrente, it is argued that although single-word natural kind terms are rigid in Kripke's original sense, natural kind predicates containing them are neither rigid nor obstinately essential —in the sense of applying to the same individuals in every possible world-state, whether those individuals exist at the world-state or not.
Detecting a need for improved management in a data-limited crab fishery

Abstract A majority of fisheries worldwide lack effective management because of poor quality data and limited resources. Data-limited stock assessments are increasingly used where model-based, data-rich approaches are not possible. However, their widespread use is constrained by several important limitations, especially the inability to estimate biomass or maximum sustainable yield (MSY)-based reference points. Here we applied several data-limited stock assessments and utilized expert opinion to identify early warning signs of depletion in the rapidly growing Southern California (CA) rock crab fishery, a small scale yet economically valuable fishery being managed with relatively limited information. We chose our specific assessment methods with the aid of a decision support tool (FishPath) designed to help identify context-appropriate options for assessing and managing fisheries. Results of five assessments indicated that serial depletion, regional overfishing, and effort creep may be occurring in the rock crab fishery. Expert opinion regarding changes in fishery operations and fishing effort provided vital insights for interpreting assessment results. We illustrate a general path for enhancing understanding of fishery impacts in a data-limited fishery, and sound rationale for proactive management to address warning signs of overfishing in the southern CA rock crab fishery.
Global Behavior of Solutions of x n + 1 = max {x n , A}/x n x n – 1

We investigate the asymptotic behavior, the oscillatory character, and theperiodic nature of solutions of the difference equation $$x_{n + 1} = \frac{{\max \left\{ {x_n ,A} \right\}}}{{x_n x_{n - 1} }},\quad n = 0,1,\;...$$ where \(A\) is a real parameter and the initial conditions arearbitrary nonzero real numbers.
A Doctor Like Me: Physician-Patient Race-Match and Patient Outcomes

This paper assesses the impacts of physician-patient race-match on patient mortality. We draw on administrative data from Florida, linking hospital encounters from 2012 through 2014 to information from the Florida Physician Workforce Survey. Using an instrumental variables approach, we find that physician-patient race-match reduces the likelihood of within-hospital mortality by 0.39 percentage points, a 15% reduction relative to the overall mortality rate. An alternative identification approach relying on sample restrictions to exclude endogenous physician-patient pairings yields similar results.
Nuclear vowel priming and anticipatory oral postures: evidence for parallel phonological planning?

ABSTRACTLinguistic and psycholinguistic theories of speech planning typically assume serial phonological encoding. However, under some neurally-inspired speech models, phonological elements are ini...
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of blue wavelength light exposure on sleep and recovery of brain structure, function, and cognition following mild traumatic brain injury

Abstract Sleep and circadian rhythms are among the most powerful but least understood contributors to cognitive performance and brain health. Here we capitalize on the circadian resetting effect of blue-wavelength light to phase shift the sleep patterns of adult patients (aged 18–48 years) recovering from mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), with the aim of facilitating recovery of brain structure, connectivity, and cognitive performance. During a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 32 adults with a recent mTBI, we compared 6-weeks of daily 30-min pulses of blue light (peak λ = 469 nm) each morning versus amber placebo light (peak λ = 578 nm) on neurocognitive and neuroimaging outcomes, including gray matter volume (GMV), resting-state functional connectivity, directed connectivity using Granger causality, and white matter integrity using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Relative to placebo, morning blue light led to phase-advanced sleep timing, reduced daytime sleepiness, and improved executive functioning, and was associated with increased volume of the posterior thalamus (i.e., pulvinar), greater thalamo-cortical functional connectivity, and increased axonal integrity of these pathways. These findings provide insight into the contributions of the circadian and sleep systems in brain repair and lay the groundwork for interventions targeting the retinohypothalamic system to facilitate injury recovery.
Radiative Electron Capture in Fe 55

The internal bremsstrahlung emitted in electron capture by ${\mathrm{Fe}}^{55}$ was studied from 14 kev to the upper energy limit at 220 kev. Fair agreement with the formula of Morrison and Schiff is observed at high energies, whereas a strong rise of the intensity occurs at low energies. The discrepancy may be due to failure of the theory to take into account the effects of nuclear charge, capture of $p$ electrons, and forbiddenness of the transition.
Moderately Hypofractionated Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy With Simultaneous Integrated Boost for Prostate Cancer: Five-Year Toxicity Results From a Prospective Phase I/II Trial

Background In this phase I/II trial, 5-year physician-assessed toxicity and patient reported quality of life data is reported for patients undergoing moderately hypofractionated intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for prostate cancer using a simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) and pelvic lymph node (LN) coverage. Materials and methods Patients with T1-T2 localized prostate cancer were prospectively enrolled, receiving risk group based coverage of prostate ± seminal vesicles (SVs) ± pelvic lymph nodes (LNs). Low risk (LR) received 69.6 Gy/29 fractions to the prostate, while intermediate risk (IR) and high risk (HR) patients received 72 Gy/30fx to the prostate and 54Gy/30fx to the SVs. If predicted risk of LN involvement >15%, 50.4 Gy/30fx was delivered to pelvic LNs. Androgen deprivation therapy was given to IR and HR patients. Results There were 55 patients enrolled and 49 patients evaluable at a median follow up of 60 months. Included were 11 (20%) LR, 23 (41.8%) IR, and 21 (38.2%) HR patients. Pelvic LN treatment was given in 25 patients (51%). Prevalence rates of late grade 2 GI toxicity at 1, 3, and 5 years was 5.8, 3.9, and 5.8%, respectively, with no permanent grade 3 events. Prevalence rates of late grade 2 GU toxicity at 1, 3, and 5 years rates were 15.4, 7.7, and 13.5%, respectively, with three grade 3 events (5.8%). The biochemical relapse free survival at 5 years was 88.3%. There were no local, regional, or distant failures, with all patients still alive at last follow up. Conclusion Moderate hypofractionation of localized prostate cancer utilizing a SIB technique and LN coverage produces tolerable acute/late toxicity. Given equivalent efficacy between moderate hypofractionation schedules, the optimal regimen will be determined by long-term toxicity reported from both the physician and patient perspective. Clinical trial registration www.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT01117935, Date of Registration: 5/6/2010.
Working with Transgender Young People and their Families: A Critical Developmental Approach.: Damien W. Riggs, Palgrave Macmillan, 2019, (148 pp), ISBN978-3-030-14230-8

Working with Transgender Young People and their Families: A Critical Developmental Approach lives up to its title. Author Damien Riggs, a Professor in the College of Education, Psychology, and Soci...
Persistent Air Bubble Sequestered at the Silicone Oil–Silicone Intraocular Lens Interface as a Cause of Reversible Visual Distortion

Purpose:To report a novel cause of post-operative reversible visual distortion due to a persistent air bubble sequestered at the intraocular lens (IOL)–silicone oil interface.Methods:Two cases of p...
Exploratory Factor Analysis of the Vestibular Activities Avoidance Instrument

Importance Fear avoidance is a behavioral response to dizziness that can lead to chronic symptoms and maladaptation of the vestibular system, but there is no valid and reliable clinical measure of fear avoidance for persons with dizziness. Although the Vestibular Activities Avoidance Instrument (VAAI) was developed to identify fear avoidance beliefs in persons with dizziness, it was considered too long for clinical use. Objective To continue development of the VAAI for clinical use by reducing its length and by assessing the internal consistency and construct validity through associations with measures of disability, quality of life, and psychological well-being. Design, Setting, and Participants This prospective cohort study conducted from February 2018 to December 2019 at a tertiary care balance disorders clinic and in outpatient physical therapy clinics in the United States included 404 adults with dizziness. Main Outcomes and Measures Participants completed the 81-item VAAI, the Vestibular Activities and Participation (VAP) measure, the 12-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) at baseline. Exploratory factor analysis of the VAAI was conducted to reduce the number of items. Internal consistency of the reduced VAAI was determined by calculating the Cronbach α. Convergent validity was assessed by examining the associations between the reduced VAAI and the VAP, the SF-12, and the HADS using Spearman correlation coefficients. Results Data from 404 adults (mean [SD] age, 54.0 [17.0] years; 64.6% women) were included in the analyses. The exploratory factor analysis indicated that 2 factors explained the underlying constructs of the 81-Item VAAI. The first factor was retained and measured the construct of fear avoidance. The VAAI was reduced to 9 items (VAAI-9). The VAAI-9 showed excellent internal consistency (Cronbach α = 0.92) and was positively associated with the VAP (ρ = 0.81) and the HADS anxiety (ρ = 0.47) and depression (ρ = 0.64) subscales, and negatively associated with physical (ρ = −0.76) and mental (ρ = −0.47) health–related quality of life. Conclusions and Relevance These findings indicate that the VAAI-9 is a short, internally consistent, valid measure of fear avoidance and is associated with quality of life, activity limitations and participation restrictions, and psychological well-being. The next steps in the development of the VAAI-9 will include validation in an external sample, assessment of test-retest validity, and prospective investigations of its association with future disability.
The association of sport participation behaviors with throwing-arm health in Little League Baseball pitchers

Background and Hypothesis There is increasing concern about the role sport specialization might play in the increasing injury rates observed among youth baseball pitchers. However, existing research on specialization in baseball has focused on high school and professional baseball populations. We hypothesized that pitchers who were highly specialized, reported pitching more than eight months in the past year, received private coaching, or pitched with pain or fatigue in the previous year would report worse throwing-arm health. Methods One-hundred eighty-four Little League pitchers (boys N = 181, age 9.8 ± 1.6 years old) between 7 and 12 years of age completed an anonymous, online questionnaire with their parents' assistance. The questionnaire consisted of participant demographics, sport specialization status, months of pitching per year, whether they traveled regularly to participate in showcases, if they received private coaching, whether they pitched with elbow or shoulder pain, whether they pitched with fatigue, and the Youth Throwing Score (YTS), a valid and reliable patient-reported outcome measure for youth baseball players. The associations between variables of interest and YTS were examined using multivariable linear regression, adjusting for covariates. Results Sport specialization, pitching year-round, and receiving private coaching were not associated with the YTS (P > .05). Pitching with pain in the previous year was associated with a worse YTS score than pitching without pain (least square mean [standard error]: 49.6 [1.8] vs. 57.8 [1.1], P Conclusions Pitching with pain or fatigue was associated with worse throwing-arm health in Little League baseball pitchers. While traveling at least once a month to participate in showcases was also associated with worse throwing-arm health, specialization and private coaching were not related to worse throwing health. Clinicians working with pediatric patient populations should be aware that while the factors examined in this article were reported relatively infrequently, screening for Little League pitchers who participate in showcases or pitch with pain or fatigue may be an effective strategy for identifying these individuals who are at higher risk of injury.
Association of cardiometabolic health factors with age-related executive function and episodic memory.

Although decline of cognitive abilities in late life is regarded as a common facet of aging, there is inter-individual variability in this decline. Possible contributors are cardiometabolic risk fa...
Ideas foundational to calculus learning and their links to students’ difficulties

Existing literature reviews of calculus learning made an important contribution to our understanding of the development of mathematics education research in this area, particularly their documentation of how research transitioned from studying students’ misconceptions to investigating students’ understanding and ways of thinking per se. This paper has three main goals relative to this contribution. The first goal is to offer a conceptual analysis of how students’ difficulties surveyed in three major literature review publications originate in the mathematical meanings and ways of thinking students develop in elementary, middle and early high school. The second goal is to highlight a contribution to an important aspect that the articles in this issue make but was overshadowed by other aspects addressed in existing literature reviews: the nature of the mathematics students experience under the name “calculus” in various nations or regions around the world, and the relation of this mathematics to ways ideas foundational to it are developed over the grades. The third goal is to outline research questions entailed from these articles for future research regarding each of them.