cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mesospheric ozone response to changes in water vapor

[1] Observations made by the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) now extend in time for almost a decade and allow for an improved understanding of seasonal and interannual variations of middle atmospheric minor constituents. In particular, measurements of mesospheric ozone and water vapor made by the UARS Halogen Occultation Experiment (HALOE) reveal significant seasonal and decadal variability. At midlatitudes, the observed variation in water vapor is primarily an annual cycle that peaks in summertime driven by changes in the residual circulation. In contrast to earlier satellite observations, HALOE ozone sunset observations also have an annual cycle that is anticorrelated with the water vapor cycle. The anticorrelation is a consequence of water vapor photolysis producing hydrogen species that destroy ozone. However, HALOE sunrise observations of ozone show no seasonal cycle. Analysis of monthly anomalies between 1991 and 2001 show a long-term water vapor increase of approximately 1%/year. The observed response of ozone depends on altitude and time of day and is strongly negative (up to −4%/year) for sunset observations around 80 km. Again, the response of ozone at sunrise is minimal. Sensitivity tests using a three-dimensional global chemical transport model show good agreement with the observations and confirm that the observed decrease in sunset ozone is a response to increasing water vapor.
Hse1, a Component of the Yeast Hrs-STAM Ubiquitin-sorting Complex, Associates with Ubiquitin Peptidases and a Ligase to Control Sorting Efficiency into Multivesicular Bodies

Ubiquitinated integral membrane proteins are delivered to the interior of the lysosome/vacuole for degradation. This process relies on specific ubiquitination of potential cargo and recognition of that Ub-cargo by sorting receptors at multiple compartments. We show that the endosomal Hse1-Vps27 sorting receptor binds to ubiquitin peptidases and the ubiquitin ligase Rsp5. Hse1 is linked to Rsp5 directly via a PY element within its C-terminus and through a novel protein Hua1, which recruits a complex of Rsp5, Rup1, and Ubp2. The SH3 domain of Hse1 also binds to the deubiquitinating protein Ubp7. Functional analysis shows that when both modes of Rsp5 association with Hse1 are altered, sorting of cargo that requires efficient ubiquitination for entry into the MVB is blocked, whereas sorting of cargo containing an in-frame addition of ubiquitin is normal. Further deletion of Ubp7 restores sorting of cargo when the Rsp5:Hse1 interaction is compromised suggesting that both ubiquitin ligases and peptidases associate with the Hse1-Vps27 sorting complex to control the ubiquitination status and sorting efficiency of cargo proteins. Additionally, we find that disruption of UBP2 and RUP1 inhibits MVB sorting of some cargos suggesting that Rsp5 requires association with Ubp2 to properly ubiquitinate cargo for efficient MVB sorting.
Laboratory monitoring of the clinical effects of low molecular weight heparins

Despite a clinical prophylactic efficacy of low molecular weight heparins (LMWHs) for 24 hrs after a single subcutaneous administration, the routine laboratory tests (anti-Xa, anti-IIa, Heptest, APTT which show a reliable in vitro dose-response) exhibit no ex vivo response after 6 hours. In addition, the values obtained in these assays do not correlate with clinical efficacy or bleeding side effects. With therapeutic doses of LMWHs, a proportionately higher effect was noted in these tests including, in addition, thrombin generation, Heptest-Hi, and thrombin time assays. However, the relevance of these assays to the clinical efficacy/toxicity of LMWHs remains unclear since they do not relate to the total pharmacodynamic effect. For example, protamine neutralization, adjunct drug treatment and a patient's own predisposing factors which contribute to the hemostatic balance may not be reflected in these assays. These observations point to the limitations of the available laboratory tests for monitoring LMWHs. In order to find a more sensitive means to detect the effects of LMWH, assays for specific molecular markers of coagulation and fibrinolysis activation were evaluated. Alterations in the levels of thrombin-antithrombin complex, t-PA, total degradation products and D-dimer assays were observed over a 7-10 day LMWH treatment period. Prothrombin fragment F1+2, modified antithrombin, PAI and fibrinogen degradation products were not significantly effected. The association of the changes observed in these markers to the mechanism of action of LMWH or to the efficacy of the treatment, however, remains to be determined.
Log‐linear model selection in a rural dental health study

This field study sought to measure the effects of dental delivery and school-based, dental health education on use of dental health care by children in grades K-6. We attempted to control for two potential confounding factors by an approximate randomization of children into treatment groups with stratification on grade and initial oral disease levels. A backward elimination log-linear model selection procedure for the 5-factor classification permitted tests for higher-order interaction, namely effect-modification, confounding and collapsibility. We found that the effect of dental health education on use of dental care depended on the mode of dental delivery.
Semi-Analytic Mode Matching (SAMM) algorithm for efficient computation of nearfield scattering in lossy ground from borehole sources

The 3D semi-analytic mode matching (SAMM) algorithm is used to determine nearfield scattering from underground targets in lossy soil, where the source is a dipole placed within a borehole in the ground. Scattering is described by moderately low-order superpositions of spherical modes placed at multiple user- specified coordinate scattering centers (CSCs); the mode coefficients are found numerically by least-squares fitting all boundary conditions at discrete points along the relevant interfaces while at the same time obeying radiation conditions. SAMM results are compared with a completely different method: the Half-Space Born Approximation (HSBA). Good agreement between methods serves as algorithm validation.
Repair of incisional hernias with biological prosthesis: a systematic review of current evidence.

Abstract Background No consensus has been reached on the use of bioprosthetics to repair abdominal wall defects. The purpose of this systematic review was to summarize the outcomes from studies describing this use of various bioprosthetics for incisional hernia repair. Methods Studies published by October 2011 were identified through literature searches using EMBASE, MEDLINE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. Results A total of 491 articles were scanned, 60 met eligibility criteria. Most studies were retrospective case studies. The studies ranged considerably in methodologic quality, with a modified Methodological Index of Nonrandomized Studies score from 5 to 12. Many repairs were performed in contaminated surgical sites (47.9%). At least one complication was seen in 87% of repairs. Major complications noted were wound infections (16.9%) and seroma (12.0%). With a mean follow-up period of 13.6 months the hernia recurrence rate was 15.2%. Conclusions There is an insufficient level of high-quality evidence in the literature on the value of bioprosthetics for incisional hernia repair. Randomized controlled trials that use standardized reporting comparing bioprosthetics with synthetic mesh for incisional hernia repair are needed.
Categorizing and comparing psychophysical detection strategies based on biomechanical responses to short postural perturbations

A fundamental unsolved problem in psychophysical detection experiments is in discriminating guesses from the correct responses. This paper proposes a coherent solution to this problem by presenting a novel classification method that compares biomechanical and psychological responses. Subjects (13) stood on a platform that was translated anteriorly 16 mm to find psychophysical detection thresholds through a Adaptive 2-Alternative-Forced-Choice (2AFC) task repeated over 30 separate sequential trials. Anterior-posterior center-of-pressure (APCoP) changes (i.e., the biomechanical response RB) were analyzed to determine whether sufficient biomechanical information was available to support a subject's psychophysical selection (RΨ) of interval 1 or 2 as the stimulus interval. A time-series-bitmap approach was used to identify anomalies in interval 1 (a1) and interval 2 (a2) that were present in the resultant APCoP signal. If a1 > a2 then RB = Interval 1. If a1 < a2, then RB= Interval 2. If a2 - a1 < 0.1, RB was set to 0 (no significant difference present in the anomaly scores of interval 1 and 2). By considering both biomechanical (RB) and psychophysical (RΨ) responses, each trial run could be classified as a: 1) HIT (and True Negative), if RB and RΨ both matched the stimulus interval (SI); 2) MISS, if RB matched SI but the subject's reported response did not; 3) PSUEDO HIT, if the subject signalled the correct SI, but RB was linked to the non-SI; 4) FALSE POSITIVE, if RB = RΨ, and both associated to non-SI; and 5) GUESS, if RB = 0, if insufficient APCoP differences existed to distinguish SI. Ensemble averaging the data for each of the above categories amplified the anomalous behavior of the APCoP response. The major contributions of this novel classification scheme were to define and verify by logistic models a 'GUESS' category in these psychophysical threshold detection experiments, and to add an additional descriptor, "PSEUDO HIT". This improved classification methodology potentially could be applied to psychophysical detection experiments of other sensory modalities.
Metabolizing Anger: A Tantric Buddhist Solution to the Problem of Moral Anger

One of the main obstacles to thinking clearly about the morality of anger is that we have two competing intuitions: we think that the effects of anger are often bad, destroying both our relationships and our peace of mind, and that the expression of anger in response to injustice can be good or even required. The tension caused by these competing intuitions has long been noted in Western philosophical works on anger and has led to two distinct approaches to the problem of moral anger, the moderation approach and the elimination approach. Here it is argued that neither approach can fully make sense of the moral contours of anger. A third view on anger is defended, the Tantric view, according to which moral excellence involves a sophisticated facility with complex emotional states. In the presentation of the Tantric view, two tenth-century Buddhist texts are referred to, both by the Indian Buddhist philosopher Dharmaraksita.
The New Provision for Tolling the Limitations Periods for Seeking Tax Refunds: Its History, Operation and Policy, and Suggestions for Reform

This Article examines a provision of the Internal Revenue Code that Congress enacted in 1998 that suspends the running of the limitations periods that apply to claims for tax refunds. The provision suspends the limitations periods when a taxpayer is "financially disabled," which is defined as being unable to manage one's financial affairs due to a sufficiently severe, medically determinable physical or mental impairment. Congress enacted this provision in response to a series of cases that culminated in a decision of the United States Supreme Court in which the Court held that courts could not equitably suspend, or "toll," the refund limitations periods under any circumstances. The Article discusses the long-standing judicial practice of tolling limitations periods as a matter of equity and shows how the contours of this practice as applied to claims against the federal government remain uncertain despite the Court's recent efforts to provide guidance. The Article also sets forth the history of, explains and illustrates the limitations periods that apply to administrative claims for tax refunds and demonstrates how an interpretation of these provisions that has gained acceptance in some courts is incorrect. After chronicling the series of cases that led Congress to enact the new Code provision, the author critically examines the new provision and provides guidance on issues of interpretation that are likely to arise. The author argues that the new provision is not well suited to the needs of the majority of taxpayers who are likely to seek its relief and contains requirements that are antithetical to its underlying purpose. The Article concludes by proposing four specific amendments to the new provision and by suggesting specific areas in which administrative guidance is necessary under the provision as it currently exists.
Zinc(II)-Dipicolylamine Coordination Complexes as Targeting and Chemotherapeutic Agents for Leishmania major

Cutaneous leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease that causes painful lesions and severe disfigurement. Modern treatment relies on a few chemotherapeutics with serious limitations, and there is a need for more effective alternatives. This study describes the selective targeting of zinc(II)-dipicolylamine (ZnDPA) coordination complexes toward Leishmania major, one of the species responsible for cutaneous leishmaniasis. Fluorescence microscopy of L. major promastigotes treated with a fluorescently labeled ZnDPA probe indicated rapid accumulation of the probe within the axenic promastigote cytosol. The antileishmanial activities of eight ZnDPA complexes were measured using an in vitro assay. All tested complexes exhibited selective toxicity against L. major axenic promastigotes, with 50% effective concentration values in the range of 12.7 to 0.3 μM. Similar toxicity was observed against intracellular amastigotes, but there was almost no effect on the viability of mammalian cells, including mouse peritoneal macrophages. In vivo treatment efficacy studies used fluorescence imaging to noninvasively monitor changes in the red fluorescence produced by an infection of mCherry-L. major in a mouse model. A ZnDPA treatment regimen reduced the parasite burden nearly as well as the reference care agent, potassium antimony(III) tartrate, and with less necrosis in the local host tissue. The results demonstrate that ZnDPA coordination complexes are a promising new class of antileishmanial agents with potential for clinical translation.
Behavior of Unsymmetrical-Continuous Folded Plates

Values of longitudinal stresses obtained from six different tests on continuous and cantilevered folded plate structures with rigid supports under the action of symmetrical and unsymmetrical concentrated fold line loads are compared with the results from a theoretical analysis carried out on an electronic, digital computer. Theoretical analysis is based on the assumptions of the ordinary theory. An iteration method, which is modified to assure convergence in a finite number of cycles for all types of geometric configurations, is used to correct for relative joint displacements.
Personalized Systems of Instruction in Management—a Replication

The article discusses a survey pertaining to the use of personalized systems of instruction (PSI) in management education. The PSI method has been used with some success in the psychology, physics,...
Clinical Curative Effect of Intravenous Gamma Globulin Combined with Methylprednisolone in the Treatment of Measles Complicated with Severe Pneumonia

Objective To observe the clinical curative effect of intravenous gamma globulin combined with methylprednisolone in the treatment of measles complicated with severe pneumonia. Methods Select our hospital supplementary information to select the starting and ending date 2012-12/2014-12 were measles combined with severe pneumonia in 94 cases, according to numbers were randomly divided into observation group(n=47) and control group(n=47), control group was treated with intravenous immunoglobulin therapy, observation group were treated with methylprednisolone, compared two groups of clinical curative effect. Results For the observation group, the time period for difficulty breathing recovery, pulmonary rales disappear, blood gas recovery, chest-X-ray-showed absorption, and cooling were shorter than those of the control group,with statistically significant differences(P0.05). Mechanical ventilation rate and mortality rate of the observation group were0.00% and 2.13%, while those of the control group were 10.64% and 19.15%, with statistically significant differences between groups(P0.05). The difference of incidences of adverse reactions between the treatment of the observation group(0.00%) and the control group(2.13%) were not statistically significant(P0.05). Conclusion Clinical effect of intravenous injection of gamma globulin combined with methylprednisolone in treating measles complicated with severe pneumonia treatment is better than single injection of gamma globulin. It is safe and of high clinical value.
An Important Role of Pumilio 1 in Regulating the Development of the Mammalian Female Germline

Pumilio/FBF (PUF) proteins are a highly conserved family of translational regulators. The Drosophila PUF protein, Pumilio, is crucial for germline establishment and fertility. In mammals, primordial folliculogenesis is a key process that establishes the initial cohort of female mammalian germ cells prior to birth, and this primordial follicle pool is a prerequisite for female reproductive competence. We sought to understand whether PUF proteins have a conserved role in mammals during primordial folliculogenesis and female reproductive competency. In mammals, two homologs of Pumilio exist: Pumilio 1 (Pum1) and Pum2. Here, we report that PUMILIO (PUM) 1 plays an important role in the establishment of the primordial follicle pool, meiosis, and female reproductive competency, whereas PUM2 does not have a detectable function in these processes. Furthermore, we show that PUM1 facilitates the transition of the late meiotic prophase I oocyte from pachytene to diplotene stage by regulating SYCP1 protein. Our study reveals an important role of translational regulation in mammalian female germ cell development.
Exceptional cosmetic surgeries on homology spheres

Abstract The cosmetic surgery conjecture is a longstanding conjecture in 3-manifold theory. We present a theorem about exceptional cosmetic surgery for homology spheres. Along the way we prove that if the surgery is not a small Seifert Z / 2 Z -homology sphere or a toroidal irreducible non-Seifert surgery then there is at most one pair of exceptional truly cosmetic slope. We also prove that toroidal truly cosmetic surgeries on integer homology spheres must be integer homology spheres.
Management Perceptions of Market Liberalization

Previous studies, examining the impact of market liberalization in the emerging nations, at the level of the firm, included analyses of whether newly privatized state-enterprises financially perform better than they did before privatization. The impact of changes in the liberalized economic environment on companies that have been operating in the private sector has received scant attention. Recognizing that management control of smaller and medium-sized firms in emerging nations remains in the hands of the founders, or the founders' family members, this paper reports the findings of a survey from a region in India focusing on managerial perceptions of performance at the company-level and the manufacturing-level. The statistical results suggest that market liberalization is perceived as having a positive impact at the company-level.
Complicating the rhetoric: How racial construction confounds market-based reformers’ civil rights invocations

Reformers today maintain the use of civil rights rhetoric when advocating for policies that address educational inequity. While continuing the legacy of earlier civil rights activists, the leaders invoking this rhetoric and the educational platforms they promote differ greatly from previous decades. Not only does this new crop of reformers differ demographically, they also tend to promote market-oriented initiatives like the expansion of charter schools and other school choice initiatives, which embody market logics alongside a sharp retrenchment from the public sphere. While scholars have revealed how these policies generate questionable outcomes for students and communities of color, few have considered the manner in which marginalized racial groups are characterized and framed amidst these reforms and cries for civil rights. In this empirical paper, I use Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) to analyze how race-based constructions complicate the use of civil rights rhetoric in today’s increasingly marketized educational context. Specifically, I investigate how two educational leaders discuss race within comments about education and its connection to civil rights. The findings suggest that the leaders allude to race without explicitly naming it in the context of civil rights discourse. In addition, their civil rights invocations exist alongside subtly constructed, negative racial narratives that they articulate in the context of their statements. Given these findings, this paper ends with a discussion of these seemingly incompatible discourses. In particular, I interrogate how these racial constructions reflect the characteristics of colorblindness and how this, in turn, may undermine policies the aim to address racial inequity.
Clinician assessments and patient perspectives of single-tooth implant restorations in the esthetic zone of the maxilla: A systematic review

Abstract Statement of problem Esthetic outcomes associated with implant dentistry are important to both clinicians and patients. However, esthetic satisfaction may vary between the 2 groups. In order to evaluate the current publications relating to this topic, the following focused question was developed, "what are the quantitative and qualitative differences between clinician evaluations and patient perspectives in the assessment of single-tooth implant outcomes in the esthetic zone?" Purpose The purpose of this systematic review was to identify differences in esthetic satisfaction between clinicians and patients when evaluating single-tooth implant-supported restorations. Material and methods An electronic search of the Medline database and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (2000 to 2014) was performed. The search was supplemented by a manual search of specific journals. A quality assessment of full-text articles was performed according to Cochrane Collaboration's tool and Newcastle-Ottawa scale for risk of bias assessment. Information regarding outcomes was collected and compared. Results The search term combinations identified 555 titles. Subsequent to further review, 11 publications, including 2 randomized controlled trials, were selected for inclusion. Because of the heterogeneity of the study designs, study interventions, and esthetic assessment methods, no meta-analysis was performed. The clinicians identified a satisfactory outcome in 51% to 100% for peri-implant soft tissue and 62% to 90% for implant restorations. Patients showed a mean range score of 43% to 93% for peri-implant soft tissue and 81% to 96% for implant restorations. The visual analog scale score of the dentists was always lower than that of the patients. The review identified correlations between subjective and objective assessments for the Pink Esthetic Score (PES), the Papilla Index (PI), the Implant Crown Aesthetic Index (ICAI), and the modified (mod-ICAI) indices. Conclusions Clinicians are more critical of esthetic outcomes than patients. The PES and the PI correlated with the patients' responses concerning the peri-implant soft tissue. The ICAI and the mod-ICAI showed a correlation of both the peri-implant mucosa and implant-supported crown satisfaction. Thus, a comprehensive and practical index should be developed to assess the esthetic outcomes for single-tooth implant restorations in the esthetic zone.
Metasurfaces with controlled angular phase dispersion (Conference Presentation)

Metasurfaces are two-dimensional arrangements of nano-scatterers that enable control of phase, amplitude, and polarization of light with high efficiency and subwavelength resolution. They have enabled diffractive optical elements with enhanced functionalities and performance. Nevertheless, metasurface diffractive optical elements share many of the properties of regular diffractive optical elements. One of these properties is the response of diffractive elements to changing the angle of illumination: if the beam incident on a grating is rotated by an angle, all diffraction orders will rotate by corresponding angles in the same direction. More precisely, because of the constant grating momentum, the change in the sine of all diffraction angles will be equal to the change in the sine of the illumination angle. Many optical devices of interest, however, do not require this type of behavior, which makes their implementation using metasurfaces very challenging. For instance retroreflectors, which reflect light incident from any angle to the same direction, or collimators, that deflect light coming from any angle to a single given direction, do not follow the regular diffractive optics angular response. We investigate properties of single-layer metasurfaces that enable devices like retroreflectors and collimators. We show that such metasurfaces should have the ability to control the phase, as well as the derivative of phase with respect to angle. We demonstrate designs that provide such control, and use them to show devices that defy the regular response of diffractive optical devices to changes in the illumination angle.
Using the Eco-Map and Ecosystems Perspective to Guide Skilled Nursing Facility Discharge Planning

Growing numbers of seniors across the United States require skilled nursing facility care after an inpatient hospital stay. Previous studies indicate that roughly 20 percent of all hospitalized Medicare beneficiaries are admitted to a skilled nursing facility following a qualifying hospital stay. Social workers address psychosocial problems, social support, networks, and healthcare needs during transitions in care, particularly discharge planning. Ecosystems perspective and the eco-map as a discharge planning tool is presented. Social workers can use these tools to examine the patient with respect to their transactional relationships with systems. This will further will facilitate provision of wrap-around services upon discharge.
Leveraging Big (Geo) Data with (Geo) Visual Analytics: Place as the Next Frontier

A tension exists in the discipline of Geography between the concepts of space and place. Most research and development in Geographical Information Science (GIScience) has been focused on the former, through methods to formally structure data about the world and to systematically model and analyze aspects of the world as represented through those structured data. People, however, live and behave in socially constructed places; what they care about happens in those places rather than in some abstract, modeled ‘space’. Study of place, by human geographers (and other social scientists and humanist scholars), typically using qualitative methods and seldom relying on digital data, has proceeded largely independently of GIScience research focused on space. There have been calls within GIScience to formalize place to enable application of Geographical Information Systems methods to place-based problems, and some progress in this direction has been made. Here, however, a complementary view is offered for treating ‘place’ as a first class object of attention by capitalizing on the combination of “big data” and new human-centered visual analytical methods to enable understanding of the complexity inherent in place as both a concept and a context for human behavior.
Risk factors associated with blood transfusion after shoulder arthroplasty

Background Closed-suction drainage has been studied extensively in hip and knee arthroplasty literature. However, little is known about outcomes in patients treated with drainage after shoulder arthroplasty, particularly relative to transfusion requirements. Methods All primary total and reverse total shoulder arthroplasties (TSAs and RSAs) performed at a single institution during a 5-year period were retrospectively reviewed. Data collected included patient demographic information, estimated blood loss (EBL), drain output, length of drain use, changes in hemoglobin (Hgb) level postoperatively, transfusions, and complications. A multivariable regression analysis was performed to identify independent risk factors for transfusion. Results There were no differences in surgery duration, EBL, or complications between TSA and RSA patients ( P > .05). Patients undergoing RSA were older (74.0 vs. 68.4 years; P P P P P = .006), and higher transfusion rates (11.7% vs. 3.1%; P = .002). Independent risk factors for transfusion included low preoperative Hgb levels in both TSA ( P = .024) and RSA ( P = .002) and higher EBL in TSA ( P = .031). Conclusion Low preoperative Hgb level is an independent risk factor for requiring blood transfusion after TSA and RSA. Increased wound drainage was not a risk factor for transfusion, and the 40-mL increase in wound drainage found in RSA is of questionable clinical significance.
Organizing girls’ empowerment: Negotiating tensions through community engaged research

Amid the disempowerment and marginalization faced by young girls, character development programs are being implemented to change the course for girls by fostering strong and empowered feminine identities. I explore the challenges of implementing one such program through my ethnographic and community engaged research with a character development program designed to equip 3rd through 5th grade girls with the skills and confidence they need to grow into empowered women. Through a qualitative analysis, I empirically demonstrate the importance of community engaged scholarship for uniting theory with practice. My analysis extends research exploring community engaged, empowerment programs by highlighting the ways empowerment is experienced differently by every girl. I point to the tension between empowerment in theory and in practice, specifically addressing the assumptions: 1) of girls’ uniform experience base, 2) about the influence of the GRL message among competing others, and 3) regarding the utility of certain strategies in diverse situations, all of which undermine the process of empowerment. I describe my experience working with the founder of the organization to revise the curriculum and offer a set of practical implications for this and similar organizations to productively respond to the tensions between the theory and practice of empowerment. Finally, I argue for a conceptual shift in the way we theorize empowerment as an ongoing and constantly negotiated state of engagement, rather than an endpoint or stable state of being.
Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation as a Bridge to Lung Transplantation in the United States: A Multicenter Survey.

The clinical use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) as a bridge to lung transplantation (LTx) has greatly increased in recent years. However, clinical practices for ECMO as a bridge to LTx vary widely between LTx centers. To better define the current practice of ECMO as a bridge to LTx, we surveyed pre-LTx ECMO practices among all adult LTx programs in the United States. All US LTx centers were surveyed (n = 57) between January and December 2014. Responses were received from 33 of 57 centers (58%). Of 33 responding centers, six (18%) performed ≥50 LTxs per year (defined as high volume) and two (6%) performed 65 years of age was judged an ECMO contraindication in 15/33 (45%) of responding centers, but 12/33 (36%) centers, including the six high-volume centers, had no official age cutoff for ECMO candidacy. There was no consensus on the maximum acceptable duration of pre-LTx ECMO therapy; although 18/33 (55%) of programs had no defined maximal duration of ECMO pre-LTx, 10/33 (30%) considered >10 days on ECMO support contraindicated. Our survey suggests that in the United States, ECMO is used frequently pre-LTx, particularly VV ECMO at high-volume centers. However, criteria for ECMO initiation, age eligibility, bedside care, and maximum duration of support varied significantly between survey respondents.
Physician Consultations, Prostate Cancer Knowledge, and PSA Screening of African American Men in the Era of Shared Decision-Making:

African American (AA)/Black men are more likely to develop aggressive prostate cancer (PCa), yet less likely to be screened despite guidelines espousing shared decision-making regarding PCa screening and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing. Given the documented racial disparities in PCa incidence and mortality, engaging interactions with physicians are especially important for AA/Black men. Thus, this study evaluated occurrence of physician-patient conversations among AA/Black men, and whether such conversations were associated with PCa knowledge. We also quantified the serum PSA values of participants who had, and had not, discussed testing with their physicians. Self-identified AA/Black men living in California and New York, ages 21-85, donated blood and completed a comprehensive sociodemographic and health survey ( n = 414). Less than half (45.2%) of participants had discussed PCa screening with their physicians. Multivariate analyses were used to assess whether physician-patient conversations predicted PCa knowledge after adjusting for key sociodemographic/economic and health-care variables. Increased PCa knowledge was correlated with younger age, higher income and education, and having discussed the pros and cons of PCa testing with a physician. Serum PSA values were measured by ELISA. Higher-than-normal PSA values were found in 38.5% of men who had discussed PCa screening with a physician and 29.1% who had not discussed PCa screening. Our results suggest that physician-AA/Black patient conversations regarding PCa risk need improvement. Encouraging more effective communication between physicians and AA/Black men concerning PCa screening and PSA testing has the potential to reduce PCa health disparities.
Introducing big data analytics in high school and college

In this teaching tip and courseware note we describe a series of hands on activities and exercises that we've used to introduce the notion of big data analytics to a wide range of audience. These exercises range in complexity from a paper and pencil thought exercise, to using Google Trends for simple explorations, to using a spread sheet to simulate the iterative nature of Google's PageRank algorithm, to programming with a Python based map-reduce framework. These exercises have been used in courses to train high school teachers in data science, full semester university courses (undergraduate and graduate), and CS education outreach efforts. Feedback has been positive as to their efficacy.
Informal Self-Employment: Poverty Trap or Decent Alternative?

Fifty years of scrutiny have not yielded a verdict on the character of the informal self-employed sector.1 One perspective, articulated most sharply by the International Labor Organization (2002), views the sector as having a deficit of “decent” work— “decent” encompassing the state of being unprotected and unrepresented by formal labor institutions. In fact, enough unsavory qualities are rumored about the informal sector to invite not only criticisms about its decency, but condemnations as a full-fledged poverty trap. Critics point to higher levels of poverty, lower incomes adjusted for human capital, lower rates of productivity growth of informal firms, and more volatile incomes—which, combined with a lack of labor protections, suggests that the sector is more precarious.
Apoptosis in Retinitis Pigmentosa

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a group of inherited retinal diseases characterized by progressive death of photoreceptors. Photoreceptor death in several rodent models of human RP was recently demonstrated to involve apoptosis. We sought to determine if photoreceptor death occurs by apoptosis in retinas from patients with RP. Donor retinas were screened using two labeling methods for in situ demonstration of fragmented nuclear DNA, a hallmark of apoptosis. To improve the sampling, portions of the retinas were processed as flat mounts. We examined 15 retinas from patients (age 24 to 87 yrs) who had different genetic forms of RP and retained photoreceptors at the time of death, as well as seven retinas from normal donors (age 19 to 68 yrs). Scattered labeled nuclei were present in the retinas from two RP donors who were 24 and 29 yrs old at the time of death. Labeled nuclei were not found in the normal retinas or in the retinas from the older RP donors. This study provides initial evidence that photoreceptor death in human RP occurs by apoptosis, as found previously in the rodent inherited retinal dystrophies. Apoptosis is a relatively rapid process in other types of cells, and it may be difficult to demonstrate in human RP retinas, where photoreceptor death is protracted over several decades. In addition, the likelihood of documenting this rather brief event in the retinas of older RP donors is small because they contain greatly reduced numbers of photoreceptors. Photoreceptor dysfunction results from several different gene defects in animal models and RP patients, but photoreceptor death in each case appears to occur by the final common pathway of apoptosis. Agents to inhibit apoptosis warrant evaluation as new therapy for inherited photoreceptor diseases.
Mindfulness-Based Practices for the Treatment of Cannabis Use Disorder

Complementary and integrative health approaches such as meditation have become popular in recent years, and there is a growing interest in using these self-care practices to alleviate stress and anxiety. These mindfulness-based practices, often described as “mind and body” practices, have a long history of use for increasing calmness and physical relaxation, improving psychological balance, coping with illness, and enhancing overall health and well-being. In recent years, mindfulness-based practices have been examined within the framework of psychology and neuroscience. There is an increasing understanding of the cognitive processes and neurobiological mechanisms underlying these practices. Working with the general principles of meditative practices, treatment involving the fostering of mindfulness has been used to address the practical needs of patients with substance use disorder (SUD). From a cannabis use disorder (CUD) perspective, many symptoms associated with cannabis withdrawal such as irritability, anger, or depression; nervousness or anxiety; and restlessness or depressed mood may be improved or ameliorated through meditative practices. While little research has directly examined the efficacy of contemplative, meditative practices for CUD, mindfulness-based approaches have shown some success when applied to the treatment of substance abuse and addiction. This chapter focuses on approaches involving mindfulness-based contemplative, meditative practices, as well as their origin, conceptual framework, neurobiological mechanism of action, and application to the treatment and prevention of CUD and, more broadly, SUD.
McCune–Albright Syndrome

McCune–Albright syndrome (MAS) is a rare, non-hereditable genetic disorder classically defined by a clinical presentation of bone (fibrous dysplasia), skin (cafe-au-lait macules), and/or endocrine abnormalities. Sporadic occurrence of an activating mutation in the GNAS gene creates a mosaic tissue environment marked with normal and mutated cells. Mutation effect is variable with ability to cause significant disruption to various organs. Bone abnormalities include deformities and fractures, which may lead to pain, disability, and immobility. Visible irregularly shaped skin markings may be large and pronounced. Hyper-functioning endocrinopathies pose challenges to normal growth, development, and function. Individual presentation is unique in extent and severity with a range from mild, barely recognizable symptoms to severe, disfiguring disease. MAS commonly presents in childhood with a fracture or endocrine abnormality, which leads to a diagnosis. Individual variation drives the need for medical and nursing care that is centered on an accurate diagnosis. Management and treatment of bone and endocrine disease enhances and promotes patient well-being and optimal physical functioning. Despite the complexity and challenges, the majority of individuals affected appear to be psychologically well adjusted and live productive lives (Kelly et al., Bone 37(3):388–394; 2005).
Nonlinear Infrared Frequency Conversion in AgGaS2 and AgGaSe2

The nonlinear infrared materials silver thiogallate (AgGaS2) and silver selenogallate (AgGaSe2) have recently been grown in large-size high-optical-quality crystals which have allowed several significant demonstrations of nonlinear infrared frequency conversion. Both materials have been operated as tunable infrared parametric oscillators.[1,2] High efficiency second harmonic conversion of 10.6-μm radiation has been demonstrated in room temperature AgGaSe2 using a low repetition rate pulsed CO2 laser pump.[3] Recent preliminary results have shown that bulk AgGaSe2 has high average power capability.[4] A few growth related problems remain to be resolved, such as improvement of the surface damage threshold and dielectric coating performance, and further reduction of scattering. With increased availability, these materials should find numerous applications in the generation of widely tunable high-average-power coherent infrared radiation.
Clinical usefulness of the IUD post insertion ultrasound in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients

The aim of this retrospective chart review study was to evaluate the clinical usefulness of an ultrasound performed at the intrauterine device (IUD) post insertion visit in an otherwise asymptomatic patient. The data demonstrated that 18% of asymptomatic patients required an IUD removal based on an IUD post insertion ultrasound 4-8 weeks after insertion. This study does support the routine use of performing an ultrasound at the IUD post insertion visit in an otherwise asymptomatic patient.
Use of Feedback in Established and Developing Speech

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the use of feedback in established and developing speech. The chapter presents a current view of how speech control may operate in skilled and non-skilled speakers. The chapter also reviews evidence for at least three levels of information flow that can be used to direct the production of speech: (1) internal feedback, (2) response feedback, and (3) external feedback. Internal feedback is made possible by circuits among the cerebrum, midbrain, and cerebellum of the brain. Response feedback from much of the speech musculature is relayed from muscle spindles and, added to any information from tendon and joint receptors, is thought to form the complex sensation of movement and position. External feedback through the auditory and tactile systems yields knowledge of results to the speaker—knowledge that can be used for fine-tuning of the speech signal or for the correction of errors.
Re)Recognizing the multidimensional roles of family and peers on crime

Social scientists have long recognized the salience of family and peers in understanding the etiology of crime and delinquency. Although criminologists universally acknowledge that family and peers can each exert prosocial and antisocial influences on offending behaviors, this area of study has gradually divided into a "good" and "bad" dichotomy. Specifically, family tends to be viewed and measured as a key factor that protects against offending. In stark contrast, peers tend to be viewed and measured as key correlates toward offending. In the following discussion, we explore the historical roots of this tendency through examining how key theoretical perspectives have shaped this dichotomy and informed current perspectives on the link between family, peers, and crime. We then highlight how some studies have stepped outside of this dichotomy to consider the independent and interdependent roles of family and peers as both positive and negative influences on offending behaviors. Overall, there is nothing new about understanding peers and family as both prosocial and criminogenic in their influences; rather, there is a greater need to (re)recognize these multifaceted roles in modern criminological studies.
Kinesiology of the temporomandibular joint

Abstract The Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) is a complex synovial joint both morphologically and functionally. Many factors are associated with the causes of Temporomandibular Dysfunction (TMD), including alteration in TMJ kinematics, oral parafunctional habits, bruxism, postural dysfunction, or sensitization of the central nervous system. The TMJ, cervical spine, and head position are integrally related, and dysfunction in one of these regions may lead to TMDs. Sign and symptoms of TMD may include decreased mandibular range of motion, pain in the muscles of mastication and in the TMJ, joint sounds, joint locking, reduced bite force, muscle spasm, functional limitation or deviation of jaw movements, neck pain, and headache. Mastication serves as a resource for functional status of the stomatognathic system, and any limitations of functional activities have an impact on a digestion and general health; therefore, can affect individual’s quality of life.
Surveillance analysis of drinking water-born endemic fluorosis in 2009 in Xuchang city, Henan province

Objective To investigate the status of an illness of endemic fluorosis in Xuchang city,and to evaluate the effect of implementation of control measures.Methods In 2009,Changge city and Xuchang county were chosen as survey counties(city).We investigated the surveillance counties (city) about the running state of water-inproving projects,and fluoride content of drinking water in the villages,and ten villages were chosen as survey villages,dental fluorosis and fluoride content of children aged 8 to 12,clinical skeletal fluorosis and urinary fluoride content of 16-year-old adult were investigated.Results In all the villages with projects of defluoridation for drinking water of the two monitoring counties,that the projects was being used accounted for 61.39％(97/158),and the projects discarded accounted for 38.61％(61/158).In the 9 non-water-improving villages,the average water fluoride ranged 1.32 - 2.25 mg/L; in the 1 water-improving village,the mean water fluoride was 0.44 mg/L.The total rate of dental fluorosis of children aged 8 to 12 was 38.65％ (80/207),and the geometric mean of urinary fluoride was 1.65 mg/L.The rate of adult skeletal fluorosis by clinical detection was 0.30％ (9/2982),and the geometric mean of urinary fluoride was 2.09 mg/L.Conclusions Xuchang city is a mild to moderate fluorosis epidemic areas of endemic fluorosis,and condition of the disease has not yet been effectively controlled,and there is need to further intensify the prevention and control efforts. Key words: Fluorosis, dental; Drinking; Osteofluorosis; Data collection