cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Proctotrupoidea (Hymenoptera) from India: A Review*

Abstract This review presents a critical, annotated and illustrated catalogue, which brings together and summarizes all the available information on the taxonomy of Proctotrupoidea from India. Over 170 species, belonging to 69 genera, and a series of undescribed species of these genera are dealt with. Synoptic keys to families, subfamilies, tribes, genera and species, with notes on diagnostic characters and distribution arc included. Many genera are redefined and correctly placed and are recorded for the first time from India. Twenty plates of line drawings are included. No attempt is made to elucidate synonymies. This review should serve as the basis for future taxonomic revisions.
PREVIOUSLY UNSUSPECTED CIS-ACTING SEQUENCES FOR DNA REPLICATION REVEALED BY CHARACTERIZATION OF A CHIMERIC HERON/DUCK HEPATITIS B VIRUS

Heron hepatitis B virus (HHBV) is an avian hepadnavirus that is closely related to duck hepatitis B virus (DHBV). To learn more about the mechanism of hepadnavirus replication, we characterized a clone of HHBV that contains a substitution of DHBV sequence from nucleotide coordinates 403 to 1364. This clone, named HDE1, expresses a chimeric pregenomic RNA, a chimeric polymerase (P) protein, and a core (C) protein with a one-amino-acid substitution at its carboxy terminus. We have shown that HDE1 is defective for minus-strand DNA synthesis, resulting in an overall reduction of viral DNA. HDE1 was also defective for plus-strand DNA synthesis, resulting in aberrant ratios of replication intermediates. Genetic complementation assays indicated that HDE1 replication proteins, C and P, are functional for replication and wild-type HHBV proteins do not rescue either defect. These findings indicate that the HDE1 substitution mutation acts primarily in cis. By restoring nucleotides 403 to 902 to the HHBV sequence, we showed that cis-acting sequences for plus-strand DNA synthesis are located in the 5' half of the HDE1 chimeric region. These data indicate the presence of one or more formerly unrecognized cis-acting sequences for DNA synthesis within the chimeric region (nucleotides 403 to 1364). These cis-acting sequences in the middle of the genome might interact directly or indirectly with known cis elements that are located near the ends of the genome. Our findings suggest that a specific higher-order template structure is involved in the mechanism of hepadnavirus DNA replication.
Effects of excess enantiomer on the crystal properties of a racemic compound: ephedrinium 2-naphthalenesulfonate

Abstract A small enantiomeric excess in the crystallization medium during the crystal growth of the racemic compound, (±)-ephedrinium 2-naphthalenesulfonate, (±)-EN, is found to become partially incorporated into the racemic crystals. The small enantiomeric excess (guest) in a racemic compound (host) may disrupt the crystal lattice, leading to changes in the thermodynamic properties and intrinsic dissolution rate of the host crystals. This hypothesis was tested by growing crystals of (±)-EN from aqueous media containing various excess quantities of either enantiomer and the resulting crystals were analyzed by a stereoselective HPLC method. The melting point phase diagram of (±)-EN was determined and the extent of solid solution formation was 0.029 mole fraction of either enantiomer of EN in the racemic compound of EN at 25°C. The segregation coefficient was found to be about 0.078, lower than 0.15 for a homochiral host (Duddu, S.P. et al., Int. J. Pharm. , 94 (1994) 171–179), suggesting that (±)-EN with higher symmetric packing has a lower tendency to take up excess enantiomer into its host crystals. The melting point and the heat of fusion of the crystals were measured by differential scanning calorimetry. Increasing amounts (0–5%) of guest incorporated into the host gave approximately linear decreases in the melting point, enthalpy of fusion and entropy of fusion. The disruption index was on the order of 5, which is comparable with that for non-isomeric doping of organic crystals, but much lower than that of 20 for doping (− )-EN with ( + )-EN (Duddu, S.P. et al., Int. J. Pharm ., 94 (1994) 171–179). The intrinsic dissolution rate reached a maximum value at low levels (0.015–0.03 mole fraction) of doping corresponding to solid solution formation, and then decreased to the original value at higher levels of doping corresponding to the formation of a separate phase. Thus, a small excess of either enantiomer in the racemic compound significantly changes the thermodynamic properties and the intrinsic dissolution rate of (±)-EN. These results may have implications for other racemic drugs.
States of minimum dissipation in magnetohydrodynamics: a review

The hypothesis that the steady, or statistically steady, states of a magnetofluid can be predicted by minimizing the integral of the total energy dissipation is discussed in relation to theorems in fluid dynamics. A survey is made of the recent literature wherein the hypothesis is used to predict magnetofluid behaviour and some related work. A detailed discussion of boundary conditions is provided, and we close with a brief summary of the current state of research.
Effect of Grain Boundaries on Plastic Deformation of Sodium Chloride

Sodium chloride single crystals were joined at a melt zone with a hot-wire technique to produce bicrystals of controlled crystallographic orientation. The plastic deformation properties of the bicrystals were measured in bending while the birefringence was observed with a petrographic microscope. The birefringence at the boundary was interpreted to indicate that significant deformation across the grain boundaries occurred. The stress required for deformation across the boundary was found to increase with increased angle between crystallographic axes. Twist boundaries were found to be more resistant than tilt boundaries. Behavior was consistent with the dislocation model for grain boundaries.
Solar Activity and Classical Physics

This review of solar physics emphasizes several of the more conspicuous scientific puzzles posed by contemporary observational knowledge of the magnetic activity of the Sun. The puzzles emphasize how much classical physics we have yet to learn from the Sun. The physics of solar activity is based on the principles of Newton, Maxwell, Lorentz, Boltzmann, et. al., along with the principles of radiative transfer. In the large, these principles are expressed by magnetohydrodynamics. A brief derivation of the magnetohydrodynamic induction and momentum equations is provided, with a discussion of popular misconceptions.
Frequency patterns in cochlear, brainstem, and cerebral lesions

Three groups of patients with different pathologies (cerebral, brainstem, and cochlear lesions) were tested and compared for performance on frequency patterns. Results indicated that the frequency pattern test was highly sensitive to cerebral lesions (83%), but not as sensitive to brainstem lesions (45%). There was very little overlap between results of subjects with cochlear hearing loss and those with cerebral lesions. The specificity of frequency patterns for detecting cerebral lesions (the number of true negative results divided by the number of cochlear subjects) was 88.2%.
The Importance of a Promise: Underwater Mortgages and a Municipal Rescue Attempt Through Eminent Domain

Millions of Americans purchased real estate during the housing bubble of the mid 2000s, when prices reflected a constant upward trend, and real estate appeared to be an ideal investment. When the bubble burst, however, the value of real property plummeted, yet homeowners remain obligated to pay their bubble era mortgage amounts. This has created a situation where many Americans must pay creditors significantly more than the current value of the properties for which they borrowed to purchase. When property values plummet in this way foreclosure rates skyrocket and in a cyclical manner, values continue to drop, crime rates rise, and tax bases and consumer markets whither.State and federal governments have struggled, with minimal success, to address the issue of excessive debt created by the housing bubble as it continues to mire the economy in a slow and lurching recovery. Most efforts to eliminate debt overhang have been based on incentivizing lenders to forgive and restructure debt in various ways. Unfortunately these incentives have generally not been sufficient, and programs have foundered. This Article examines an alternative plan to address excessive housing debt through the operation of investor funded use of the governmental power of eminent domain to acquire and restructure debt. This Article argues that this plan has the potential to resolve many of the shortcomings of previous efforts to alleviate debt, but that, as conceived, this plan also has many problems. This Article will identify the primary barriers to the operation of such a plan and thereby indicate how to modify the plan to address those barriers.
Cytomegalic inclusion disease of a nineteen-week fetus. Case report including a study of the placenta.

Abstract To the authors' knowledge, neither plasma cells nor infection with cytomegalovirus has been described in a human fetus of less than 20 weeks' gestation. Cytomegalic inclusion disease of a 19-week fetus is reported herein, including the features of the placenta. There was coincidental viral hepatitis in the mother. The findings suggest that the human fetus is immunologically competent as early as 19 weeks' gestation.
International Involvement and Production Efficiency among Startup Firms

AbstractThe economic theory of small firms often requires a reasoning process distinct from those typically used for large multinational enterprises (MNEs), since small firms typically do not possess the resources MNEs commonly employ to outperform similar domestic firms. In the current analysis, we argue that new small firms with international sales can better predict their revenue stream than can comparably aged firms with only domestic sales, and, as a result, international selling firms have higher levels of technical productive efficiency. We employ 7829 firm-year observations from the 2007 to 2011 years of the Kauffman Firm Survey microdata sample in our analysis. A stochastic frontier model empirically supports the result that technical productive efficiency is positively related to the foreign sales ratio. These results hold after controlling for multiple relevant owner and firm characteristics, as well as accounting for potential endogeneity concerns.
Density of Resonant States and a Manifestation of Photonic Band Structure in Small Clusters of Spherical Particles

We introduce a numerical recipe for calculating the density of the resonant states of the clusters of dielectric spheres. Using truncated multipole expansions (generalized multisphere Mie solution) we obtain the scattering matrix of the problem. By introducing an infinitesimal absorption in the spheres we express the dwell time of the electromagnetic wave in terms of the elements of the scattering matrix. Using the parameters in recent light localization experiments [Phys. Rev. Lett. 87, 153901 (2001)], we demonstrate that the density of the resonant states, related to the dwell time, shows the formation of the photonic band structure in small clusters of dielectric spheres as the small as five particles. Density of resonant states of a cluster of 32 spheres exhibits a well defined structure similar to the density of electromagnetic states of the infinite photonic crystal. Our results suggest that, due to the formation of small ordered clusters, a significant modification of the density of electromagnetic states can occur in a random collection of monodisperse spheres.
Dysfunctional cardiac mitochondrial bioenergetic, lipidomic, and signaling in a murine model of Barth syndrome

Barth syndrome is a complex metabolic disorder caused by mutations in the mitochondrial transacylase tafazzin. Recently, an inducible tafazzin shRNA knockdown mouse model was generated to deconvolute the complex bioenergetic phenotype of this disease. To investigate the underlying cause of hemodynamic dysfunction in Barth syndrome, we interrogated the cardiac structural and signaling lipidome of this mouse model as well as its myocardial bioenergetic phenotype. A decrease in the distribution of cardiolipin molecular species and robust increases in monolysocardiolipin and dilysocardiolipin were demonstrated. Additionally, the contents of choline and ethanolamine glycerophospholipid molecular species containing precursors for lipid signaling at the sn-2 position were altered. Lipidomic analyses revealed specific dysregulation of HETEs and prostanoids, as well as oxidized linoleic and docosahexaenoic metabolites. Bioenergetic interrogation uncovered differential substrate utilization as well as decreases in Complex III and V activities. Transgenic expression of cardiolipin synthase or iPLA2γ ablation in tafazzin-deficient mice did not rescue the observed phenotype. These results underscore the complex nature of alterations in cardiolipin metabolism mediated by tafazzin loss of function. Collectively, we identified specific lipidomic, bioenergetic, and signaling alterations in a murine model that parallel those of Barth syndrome thereby providing novel insights into the pathophysiology of this debilitating disease.
Improving Ice Nucleation Activity of Zein Film through Layer-by-Layer Deposition of Extracellular Ice Nucleators

Zein protein has been of scientific interest in the development of biodegradable functional food packaging. This study aimed at developing a novel zein-based biopolymer film with ice nucleation activity through layer-by-layer deposition of biogenic ice nucleators, that is, extracellular ice nucleators (ECINs) isolated from Erwinia herbicola, onto zein film surface. The adsorption behaviors and mechanisms were investigated using quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D). On unmodified zein surface, the highest ECINs adsorption occurred at pH 5.0; on UV/ozone treated zein surface followed by deposition of poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDADMAC) layer, the optimum condition for ECINs adsorption occurred at pH 7.0 and I 0.05 M, where the amount of ECINs adsorbed was also higher than that on unmodified zein surface. QCM-D analyses further revealed a two-step adsorption process on unmodified zein surfaces, compared to a one-step adsorption process on PDADMAC-modified zein surface....
Archytas marmoratus (Diptera: Tachinidae): field survival and performance of mechanically extracted maggots

Mechanically extracted maggots of Archytas marmoratus (Townsend) (AM) were evaluated against larvae of Heliothis zea (Boddie) and Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) in whorl and early tassel stage corn, Zea mays L. Survival of AM maggots applied in whorl-stage corn declined significantly, from 80.5% at time of application, to 53.3 and 14.6% by 72 and 120 h after application, respectively. Rates of AM parasitization of H. zea larvae offered 24, 48, and 72 h after maggots were applied in early-tassel stage corn declined progressively over the 3 d. Conversely, rates of AM parasitization of H. zea larvae increased progressively with time of continuous exposure to maggots up to 32 h. Rates of AM parasitization of H. zea larvae tended to increase progressively from the third- to the fifth-instar larvae. Hates of AM parasitization of fourth- and fifth-instar H. zea larvae increased progressively and significantly with densities of 5, 10, and 20 AM maggots per plant. Increases in rates of AM parasitization of fifth-instar S. frugiperda larvae exposed to similar maggot densities were inconsistent, but were generally lower than the rates of parasitization of H. zea larvae.
Opacification and degradation of the implanted intraocular lenses

Abstract This chapter presents a summary of different causes of opacification/discoloration/degradation of intraocular lenses (IOLs) manufactured from different biomaterials and in different designs. The majority of the cases presented are based on the author's own analyses, but a brief review of the literature is also provided. Different processes leading to IOL opacification/discoloration/degradation were identified and may include formation of deposits/precipitates on the IOL surface or within the IOL substance, excess influx of water in hydrophobic materials, direct discoloration of the IOL by capsular dyes or medications, IOL coating by substances such as ophthalmic ointment and silicone oil, and slowly progressive degradation of the lens biomaterial facilitated by long-term ultraviolet exposure.
Complete Genome Sequence of Enterococcus faecium ATCC 700221

ABSTRACT We report the complete genome sequence of a vancomycin-resistant isolate of Enterococcus faecium derived from human feces. The genome comprises one chromosome of 2.9 Mb and three plasmids. The strain harbors a plasmid-borne vanA-type vancomycin resistance locus and is a member of multilocus sequencing type (MLST) cluster ST-17.
Extra Vesical Ureteroneocystostomy in Renal Transplantation

From October 1970 to January 1986, 808 patients underwent renal transplant ureteroneocystostomy by an extravesical technique. Complications related to the anastomosis and/or ureter were reviewed. There were 23 total complications, for an over-all urological complication rate of 2.8 per cent. Of these complications 17 were related to the ureteroneocystostomy, for an anastomotic complication rate of 2.1 per cent. Complications were almost universally repaired by another operation. Two patients died and 1 lost the allograft because of urological complications.
Fluid Bridge Test in the Evaluation of Male Urinary Continence

AbstractGraphic documentation of the competence (or incompetence) of the sphincteric regions was attempted in 25 male subjects using the fluid bridge test. The objective of the test was to recognize urodynamically the urinary fluid bolus that escapes through an incompetent outlet and tends to act as a fluid bridge between the bladder and a urethral test point distal to the sphincteric region. Our studies indicate that the fluid bridge test can be included in the urodynamic armamentarium for recognizing the integrity of the proximal and the distal sphincteric regions of the male patient. We herein describe the technique and pitfalls of the interpretation.
Evaluation of the N/F® System for Identification of Nonfermentative Gram-Negative Bacilli Using a Reference Laboratory Population

The Corning N/F® system was evaluated for possible use in a reference laboratory by assessing the results obtained in testing 220 clinical isolates evenly distributed into 49 species or biotypes. The organisms chosen were indicative of the variety and distribution of nonfermentative gram-negative bacilli that are often received for identification by a reference laboratory, and included organisms not listed in the N/F data base. The complete N/F system consists of the two-tube N/F-Screen® and the Uni-N/F-Tek® plate. The two N/F-Screen tubes alone, intended to identify Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the Pseudomonas fluorescens/putida group, identified five of 17 of these isolates. The complete system correctly identified 55% of 220 isolates to the level of identification required by a reference laboratory. Of the 173 test organisms included in the N/F data base, 75% were identified to the level of identification listed by the manufacturer. However, the more commonly isolated organisms were identified with greater accuracy. In particular, all isolates of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, Alcaligenes odorans, Moraxella osloensis, six species of Pseudomonas including Pseudomonas aeruginosa and four biotypes of Pseudomonaslike groups were correctly identified by the system.
A Theory of Housing Intervention

Why has housing become a matter of public concern in both the developed and the developing parts of the world? Has the market mechanism failed? If so, what are the dimensions and the reasons for its malfunctioning? How well does housing fit the general criteria for justifiable interventions that have been established by modern economists?
The Power of the Sun-King at the Potager du Roi

This chapter explores how natural knowledge was used as a tool of politics in the potager du roi at Versailles. Under the Sun King, Louis XIV, the royal gardens gained particular importance as a means of demonstrating the Sun King’s natural authority over the earth and his power to bring fertility and felicity to his lands. Jean de la Quintinie, director of the potager, the kitchen gardens at Versailles, contributed to this program with both his gardening and a book he wrote on raising fruit. In the book, he described the three different logics of governance he used in the garden to manifest royal power: physical control, land stewardship, and control of the effects of the sun on fruit. He drew the analogy between sun and Sun King as forces governing the earth, naturalizing royal power. La Quintinie described absolutism in France as a natural system of authority that paralleled the sun’s power in nature. But he also showed by analogy that absolutism could be dangerous and corrupting like the sun, providing a surprisingly critical portrait of absolutism even while celebrating the Sun King.
Multiple beam ptychography for high throughput data acquisition

We extend ptychography CDI to allow for imaging of multiple areas on a sample simultaneously using multiple identical beams. This enables high throughput imaging of large samples without increased data collection or loss in resolution.
Use of nitroglycerin by bolus prevents intensive care unit admission in patients with acute hypertensive heart failure.

Abstract Objectives The purpose of this study was to compare health care resource utilization among patients who were given intravenous nitroglycerin for acute heart failure (AHF) in the emergency department (ED) by intermittent bolus, continuous infusion, or a combination of both. Methods We retrospectively identified 395 patients that received nitroglycerin therapy in the ED for the treatment of AHF over a 5-year period. Patients that received intermittent bolus (n=124) were compared with continuous infusion therapy (n=182) and combination therapy of bolus and infusion (n=89). The primary outcomes were the frequency of intensive care unit (ICU) admission and hospital length of stay (LOS). Results On unadjusted analysis, rates of ICU admission were significantly lower in the bolus vs infusion and combination groups (48.4% vs 68.7% vs 83%, respectively; P P =.02. On adjusted regression models, the strong association between bolus nitroglycerin and reduced ICU admission rate remained, and hospital LOS was 1.9 days shorter compared with infusion therapy alone. Use of intubation (bolus [8.9%] vs infusion [8.8%] vs combination [16.9%]; P =.096) and bilevel positive airway pressure (bolus [26.6%] vs infusion [20.3%] vs combination [29.2%]; P =.21) were similar as was the incidence of hypotension, myocardial injury, and worsening renal function. Conclusions In ED patients with AHF, intravenous nitroglycerin by intermittent bolus was associated with a lower ICU admission rate and a shorter hospital LOS compared with continuous infusion.
Recent advances in the solution of quadratic assignment problems

The quadratic assignment problem (QAP) is notoriously difficult for exact solution methods. In the past few years a number of long-open QAPs, including those posed by Steinberg (1961), Nugent et al. (1968) and Krarup (1972) were solved to optimality for the first time. The solution of these problems has utilized both new algorithms and novel computing structures. We describe these developments, as well as recent work which is likely to result in the solution of even more difficult instances.
Effect of Repeated Short Interval Flooding Events on Root and Shoot Growth of Four Landscape Shrub Taxa

Abstract Research was conducted to screen four landscape shrub taxa for tolerance to repeated flooding events. Plants of Fothergilla × intermedia ‘Mt. Airy’ (dwarf witchalder), Ilex verticillata ‘Winter Red’ (winterberry), Clethra alnifolia ‘Ruby Spice’ (summersweet), and Viburnum nudum Brandywine™ (possumhaw) were flooded repeatedly over six weeks for 0 (non-flooded), 3, or 6 days with a draining period of 6 days between each flooding event. The experiment was repeated for a total of two runs. With the exception of F. × intermedia ‘Mt. Airy’, all taxa showed good visual quality and no reduction in root growth in either run, and effects on shoot growth were minimal. Size index of Clethra alnifolia ‘Ruby Spice’ was 27% higher in plants flooded for 0 or 3 days than in plants flooded for 6 days in run 1 only. Shoot dry weight of Ilex verticillata ‘Winter Red’ was actually 11% higher in plants flooded 6 days days than in plants flooded for 0 or 3 days in run 2. Size index of Viburnum nudum Brandywine™ increas...
Intracranial Pressure Monitoring: Theory and Practice

Intracranial dynamics have been of interest to scientists and clinicians for more than two hundred years. Descriptions of the factors governing the relationship between pressure and volume within a closed space such as the head have been the subject of a large body of both experimental and clinical investigation which has contributed much to our understanding of pathological states of increased intracranial pressure (ICP).
Balloon atrial septostomy: The Rashkind procedure (1965–1990) — historical and technical aspects

This presentation is dedicated to the humanist and physician, William J. Rashkind, and in particular, to his contributions in the development of balloon atrial septostomy as applied to the therapy of transposition of the great arteries.
Dynamics of Cerebrospinal Fluid System as Defined by Cranial Computed Tomography

With the development of cranial computed tomography (CT), the neuroradiological evaluation of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) system has been markedly altered. A definitive representation of the ventricles and subarachnoid spaces (SASs) is now non-invasively obtained within a matter of minutes. Associated pathological processes are also readily demonstrated.
Gambler’s Ruin: A Random Walk on the Simplex

The purpose of this note is to give a solution to a problem of Thomas M. Cover (see Chapter V, Section 5.4). Suppose there are three gamblers with respective capital p a , p b , and p c , where p a + p b + p c = 1. The players engage in a symmetric three-way game modeled by Brownian motion in the two-dimensional simplex P i ≥ 0, p a + p b + p c = 1. When one of the players goes broke, play continues between the remaining two players, where the play is now modeled by a Brownian motion in one dimension, until a second player loses, and the remaining player is declared a winner. Doob’s optional sampling theorem implies that player i will be a winner with probability p i . Cover’s problem is to find the probability that the players lose in a specific order. For example, we would like to find the probability that player 3 loses first and then player 2 loses. We provide a “messy” solution.
Learning Logs and the efficacy of autonomous reflecting

This paper examines the educational impact of a prepilot study on the “Learning Logs” literacy strategy as it was used in Louisiana. The study examined how students’ conceptual understanding of kinematics and Newton’s laws were impacted in a ninth-grade physical science course. The findings address a gap within the current research literature concerning the efficacy of the strategy in the high-school physics classroom. Pre- and posttesting evidence demonstrated that participating in the end-of-class activity of autonomous reflection, without instructor feedback, resulted in negative learning gains and reinforcement of misconceptions. The data collected demonstrate a need for a more standardized feedback system to better inform students and teachers on conceptual mastery.
Semen parameters on the day of oocyte retrieval predict low fertilization during conventional insemination IVF cycles.

Poor fertilization during conventional IVF is difficult to predict in the absence of abnormal semen parameters; large-scale studies are lacking. The purpose of this study is to evaluate factors associated with low fertilization rates in conventional insemination IVF cycles. A retrospective cohort study evaluating demographic, reproductive evaluation, and IVF cycle characteristics to identify predictors of low fertilization (defined as 2PN/MII ≤ 30% per cycle). Participants were included if they were undergoing their first IVF cycle utilizing fresh autologous oocytes and conventional insemination with male partner’s sperm (with normal pretreatment semen analysis). They were randomly divided into a training set and a validation set; validation modeling with logistic regression and binary distribution was utilized to identify covariates associated with low fertilization. Postprocessing sperm concentration of less than 40 million/ml and postprocessing sperm motility < 50% on the day of retrieval were the strongest predictors of low fertilization in the training dataset. Next, in the validation set, cycles with either low postprocessing concentration (≤ 40 million/ml) or low postprocessing progressive motility (≤ 50%) were 2.9–times (95% CI 1.4, 6.2) more likely to have low fertilization than cycles without either risk factor. Furthermore, cycles with low postprocessing concentration and progressive motility were 13.4 times (95% CI 4.01, 45.06) more likely to have low fertilization than cycles without either risk factor. Postprocessing concentration and progressive motility on the day of oocyte retrieval are predictive of low fertilization in conventional IVF cycles with normal pretreatment diagnostic semen analysis parameters.
Risk of Myocardial Infarction in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Population-based National Study.

Background & objective Chronic inflammation is linked to increased cardiovascular risk. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is characterized by chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract and elevated pro-inflammatory markers. The association between IBD and myocardial infarction (MI) is not well understood. We sought to elucidate this risk using a large database. Methods We reviewed data from a large commercial database (Explorys, IBM Watson) that aggregates electronic medical records from 26 nationwide health care systems. Using systemized nomenclature of medicine-clinical terms, we identified adult patients (20 to 65 years) with a diagnosis of IBD-ulcerative colitis (UC) or Crohn's disease (CD)-who had active records between August 2013 and August 2018. We then examined the risk of MI in patients with or without IBD. Results Out of 29,090,220 patients, 131,680 (0.45%) had UC, and 158,750 (0.55%) had CD. Prevalence of MI was higher in patients with UC and CD versus non-IBD patients (UC 6.7% vs CD 8.8% vs non-IBD 3.3%, odds ratio [OR] for UC 2.09 [2.04 -2.13], and CD 2.79 [2.74-2.85]. The odds of MI in IBD patients overall were highest in younger patients and decreased with age (age 30-34 years: OR 12.05 [11.16-13.01], age 65+ years: OR 2.08 [2.04-2.11]). After adjusting for age, race, sex, and traditional cardiovascular risk factor, IBD conferred greater odds of MI (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.25 [1.24-1.27]). Conclusion In this large cohort, IBD is associated with significantly increased MI compared with non-IBD patients. The relative risk of MI was highest in younger patients and decreased with age. These findings emphasize the need for aggressive risk factor reduction in IBD.
Developing a Measure of Generative Historical Consciousness From Political Leaders' Speeches.

The desire for power causes wars, oppression, and destruction, yet power is a necessary dimension of all human enterprises. Therefore, taming power is a central moral and political problem in the s...
Tubular Retractors for Intraventricular Tumors

Abstract The surgical management of intraventricular tumors requires microsurgical approaches that necessitate retraction of deep white matter structures for visualization or the use of endoscopic tools that may be limiting for bimanual manipulation and hemostasis. These limitations served as the impetus for the development of novel tubular retractor systems that have gone through a series of evolution over the past three decades. In this chapter, we discuss the traditional microsurgical management of intraventricular lesions and review the ventricular anatomy and pathology suitable for surgical management. Additionally, a comprehensive review of the experiences of investigators who have developed and adopted minimally invasive tubular retractors to aid in the resection of intraventricular tumors demonstrates the variety of surgical approaches and visualization techniques that can be employed with tubular retractors to aid in the surgical management of intraventricular lesions and minimize patient morbidity and maximize tumor resection.
Sequential outer table craniotomy a in hyperossified meningioma. Technical note.

✓ A hyperossified meningioma with significant calvarial thickening is fairly common. Craniectomy of the involved region followed by cranioplasty is usually required to resect the bone overgrowth. However, in some cases, the hyperossified calvaria is too thick to allow safe penetration with a craniotome or trephine. In this report, the authors present a technique for preserving the outer calvaria while still resecting the majority of the underlying tumor mass. The key is to perform a craniotomy in a region adjacent to the hyperossified bone and to remove the tumorous, ossified inner table through this “window” by means of a high-speed drill. A second craniotomy can then be performed over the undermined area; this maneuver can be advanced and repeated until the tumor is resected. Frameless stereotactic guidance and microplates are useful in performing this procedure.
Navigating a 'Perfect Storm' on the Path to Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus After Gestational Diabetes: Lessons from Patient and Provider Narratives.

Objectives Complications of pregnancy such as gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) forewarn future chronic illness and disability, and demonstrate the need for a life course approach to prevention. Our study had two aims: (1) to elucidate how experiences reported by patients and providers converge to facilitate or impede follow-up care after GDM, and (2) to elicit recommendations for system-level changes to enhance prevention across key care transitions. Methods We conducted in-depth interviews with 30 GDM patients and 29 providers of maternity, specialty and primary care in an urban safety hospital network, and used a three-tiered thematic analysis to interpret their narratives. Results Findings reveal that a ‘perfect storm’ gathers on the path to prevention across stages of care. At diagnosis, patients feel profound anxiety about the debilitating effects of type 2 diabetes mellitus in their communities, providers choose reassurance over risk communication, and both focus primarily on the birth of a healthy baby. Providers report that clinical teams often lack coordination, and confuse patients with a barrage of often-inconsistent advice. In the postpartum period, providers juggle competing clinical priorities and mothers juggle overwhelming demands; for both, the recommended 2-h oral glucose tolerance test is too arduous for women and providers to do as prescribed. Finally, the transition from maternity to primary care is complicated by communication barriers between clinicians and patients, and between maternity and primary care providers. Conclusions for Practice Respondents propose systems innovations to open communication between provider specialties in order to bridge the chasm between reproductive care and life course prevention.
Unequal Protective Effects of Parental Educational Attainment on the Body Mass Index of Black and White Youth.

Background: Parental educational attainment is shown to be protective against health problems; the Minorities’ Diminished Returns theory, however, posits that these protective effects tend to be smaller for socially marginalized groups particularly blacks than whites. Aims: To explore racial differences in the effect of parental educational attainment on body mass index (BMI) in a national sample of US adolescents. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we used baseline data of 10,701 (8678 white and 2023 black) 12–17 years old adolescents in the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH; 2013). Parental educational attainment was the predictor. Youth BMI (based on self-reported weight and height) was the dependent variable. Age, gender, ethnicity, and family structure were covariates. Race was the focal moderator. Results: Overall, higher parental educational attainment was associated with lower youth BMI. Race, however, moderated the effect of parental educational attainment on BMI, suggesting that the protective effect of parental educational attainment on BMI is significantly smaller for black than white youth. Conclusions: In the United States, race alters the health gains that are expected to follow parental educational attainment. While white youth who are from highly educated families are fit, black youth have high BMI at all levels of parental educational attainment. This means, while the most socially privileged group, whites, gain the most health from their parental education, blacks, the least privileged group, gain the least. Economic, social, public, and health policymakers should be aware that health disparities are not all due to lower socioeconomic status (SES) of the disadvantaged group but also diminished returns of SES resources for them. Black–white health disparities exist across all high socioeconomic status (SES) levels.
How Does Creative Arts Therapy Reduce Distress for Children With Cancer? A Metasynthesis of Extant Qualitative Literature :

Introduction: As more children survive cancer, attention must be paid to their quality of life (QOL). Integrative therapies are an ideal modality for nurses to advocate for reducing distress and improving QOL for children with cancer. Creative arts therapy is a type of integrative health that may improve QOL in this population. Therefore, the research question was asked, "For children with cancer, what opportunities exist for creative arts therapy to reduce distress?" Method: A metasynthesis of the extant qualitative research was conducted to answer the research question. Seven qualitative studies were identified, which included 162 participants. New themes were identified through rigorous analyzation by the study team of each study as individual data. Results: Four derived analytic themes emerged through the analysis: (a) connection is established through creative expression, (b) coping is facilitated by creative arts, (c) communication is enabled by creative arts interventions, and (d) continuance (the concept of time) is experienced through creative arts. Examples of each theme with subthemes are delineated, including expressive quotes. Summary: Through this qualitative synthesis of studies with creative arts therapy, evocative opportunities to reduce the distress associated with the disease experience are revealed. Nurses are called now to promote creative arts therapy to improve the symptoms in children with cancer.
Multimodal Controller for Generative Models.

Class-conditional generative models are crucial tools for data generation from user-specified class labels. Existing approaches for class-conditional generative models require nontrivial modifications of backbone generative architectures to model conditional information fed into the model. This paper introduces a plug-and-play module named `multimodal controller' to generate multimodal data without introducing additional learning parameters. In the absence of the controllers, our model reduces to non-conditional generative models. We test the efficacy of multimodal controllers on CIFAR10, COIL100, and Omniglot benchmark datasets. We demonstrate that multimodal controlled generative models (including VAE, PixelCNN, Glow, and GAN) can generate class-conditional images of significantly better quality when compared with the state-of-the-art conditional generative models. Moreover, we show that multimodal controlled models can also create novel modalities of images.
Dermal exosomes containing miR-218-5p promote hair regeneration by regulating β-catenin signaling

The progression in the hair follicle cycle from the telogen to the anagen phase is the key to regulating hair regrowth. Dermal papilla (DP) cells support hair growth and regulate the hair cycle. However, they gradually lose key inductive properties upon culture. DP cells can partially restore their capacity to promote hair regrowth after being subjected to spheroid culture. In this study, results revealed that DP spheroids are effective at inducing the progression of the hair follicle cycle from telogen to anagen compared with just DP cell or minoxidil treatment. Because of the importance of paracrine signaling in this process, secretome and exosomes were isolated from DP cell culture, and their therapeutic efficacies were investigated. We demonstrated that miR-218-5p was notably up-regulated in DP spheroid–derived exosomes. Western blot and immunofluorescence imaging were used to demonstrate that DP spheroid–derived exosomes up-regulated β-catenin, promoting the development of hair follicles.
'RATCH'eting Up the Anti-Corruption Drive: Could a Look at Recent History Cure a Case of Theory-Determinism?

This paper discusses certain problems with the anti-corruption rhetoric emanating from international financial institutions such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. These problems arise from the theoretical premises from which many of the individuals who staff these organizations seem to begin their inquiries into economic governance, as well as the deductive nature of their analytic approach, both of which contribute to a lack of interest in empirical historical research into the complex relationship between corruption, governance, and growth. A cure might be to begin with a more nuanced definition of corruption, then examine the actual interplay between corruption, governance and growth in actual economies that have developed very successfully, such as those of Northeast Asia in the 1960s and 1970s.
California's adoption of microgrids: A tale of symbiotic regimes and energy transitions

Abstract California is a pioneer in energy system innovations, and it is not surprising that the state is leading the nation in the adoption of microgrids. However, the inherent characteristics of microgrids make them challenging to integrate and operate within the current energy system. This is mainly because unlike other decentralized energy systems, microgrids often tend to interact with the centralized grid infrastructure as both a parallel and a competing distribution grid model at the micro scale. The adoption and integration of microgrids, therefore, represents a socio-technical transition in the electric power sector. In this context, this study relies on the Multi-Level Perspective framework to examine the drivers, contexts, processes, and policies that have enabled an ongoing transition in California's electricity system that has allowed adoption of microgrids. The analysis shows that even though several drivers carry weight, including resilience concerns and market factors, California's pathway to microgrids is largely driven by the legislative and regulatory push toward clean energy and a symbiotic relationship between powerful regime actors and a microgrid niche. This is enabling a transformation in the state's energy system, in which the entry of microgrids is subtly facilitated by the regime in a way that does not threaten the current utility-dominated electricity system. By providing a detailed account of how a decentralized energy system that challenges the centralized grid regime has made its place in the centralized grid regime in California, this paper identifies the key facets that affect the integration of microgrids in the broader context of energy transitions.
Effect of preoperative intravenous vs oral acetaminophen on postoperative opioid consumption in an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) program in patients undergoing open gynecologic oncology surgery.

Abstract Objective Both intravenous (IV) and oral acetaminophen provide effective opioid-sparing analgesia after surgery when used as part of a multimodal preemptive pain management strategy. The purpose of this study was to compare postoperative opioid consumption in patients undergoing open gynecologic oncology surgery who received preoperative IV vs oral acetaminophen within an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) program. Methods Retrospective data were collected on consecutive patients undergoing open gynecologic oncology surgery from May 1, 2016 to February 28, 2018 in patients receiving either 1 g IV or oral acetaminophen preoperatively. Patients were given a preoperative multimodal analgesia regimen including acetaminophen, celecoxib, pregabalin and tramadol. The primary outcomes were morphine equivalent daily doses (MEDD) on postoperative days (POD) 0 and 1. Secondary outcomes included highest patient-reported pain score in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) and intraoperative MEDD. Regression models adjusted by matched pairs were fit to estimate the average treatment effect of IV vs oral acetaminophen on MEDD. Results Of 353 patients, 178 (50.4%) received IV acetaminophen and 175 (49.6%) received oral acetaminophen. When balancing across the matched samples, there was no difference in postoperative MEDD for POD 0 between the IV and oral acetaminophen groups (Beta = −1.11; 95% CI: −4.83 to 2.60; p = 0.56). On POD 1, there was no difference between the IV and oral groups (Beta = 2.24; 95% CI: −2.76 to 7.25; p = 0.38). Conclusions There was no difference in postoperative opioid consumption between patients receiving preoperative IV or oral acetaminophen within an ERAS program for patients undergoing open gynecologic oncology surgery.
Amnion-Chorion Membrane in Open-Wound Approach for Localized Horizontal Ridge Augmentation: A Case Series Report.

Introduction Guided bone augmentation often requires extensive releasing of the mucoperiosteal flap to achieve primary wound closure, an invasive procedure that can compromise the keratinized tissue volume and increase patient morbidity. Amnion-chorion membranes have been used to actively promote healing in chronic open-wound situations in the medical field, suggesting that they could be used in a similar manner in the oral cavity.The ability to use open-wound healing techniques for guided bone regeneration would allow clinicians to avoid invasive procedures that cause additional tissue trauma at the surgical site. Case series Amnion-chorion membranes were applied over the bone grafting material augmenting localized horizontal ridge defects, and a gap between the flaps was left intentionally during healing. Minor flap releasing procedures were performed in these cases, which demonstrated uneventful soft tissue healing, good volume of bone regeneration and preserved keratinized tissue. Conclusions Preliminary clinical outcomes suggested contained minor horizontal ridge defects may be treated satisfactorily in a controlled, open-wound healing manner that reduces surgical trauma, chair time, and patient morbidity.