cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
LESS: Radical Prostatectomy

In the last two decades, urologists and patients have witnessed a technological revolution in urology caused by laparoscopy and robotics. The surgical treatment of prostate cancer is probably the main example of this change. More recently, laparoendoscopic single-site (LESS) surgery, also known as single-port laparoscopy (SPL), and natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) turned into reality the ideal of surgery with minimal or no scar. Despite promising early outcomes, these techniques worsened the ergonomics and increased the learning curve for surgeons. The technical restraints limit the applicability of LESS to a selected group of patients. Although the number of reports has increased dramatically worldwide in recent years, few surgical centers perform LESS regularly.
Rubber Reinforcement and its Classification

Abstract Principles of rubber reinforcement are discussed and new nomenclature is proposed to classify reinforced rubbers. The engineering tensile strength σb of amorphous, gum, non-crystallizable rubbers is only about σb≈3 MPa. These have no commercial use. However, if such rubbers contain enough stiff (hard or rigid) “entities” of density ρ and specific surface area S, such that 600/ρ m2/mL>S>60/ρ m2/mL, then σb>20 20 MPa. These rubbers are considered highly reinforced. The value of S for a stiff “entity” is largely dependent on its characteristic smallest dimension, d. For spheres or rods, d is diameter, and for plates, d is thickness. For all three shapes, the range of d corresponding to the limits of S given previously is approximately 100 nm>d>1 nm. Sometimes, the prefix nano- has been used to designate materials that contain stiff “entities” in this range of d. Other times, the prefix nano- has denoted a smaller range of d, 10 nm>d>1 nm. Thus, the term nano- is ambiguous in the literature. It is pr...
Apolipoprotein A-I conformation markedly influences HDL interaction with scavenger receptor BI.

Apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) is an important ligand for the high density lipoprotein (HDL) scavenger re- ceptor class B type I (SR-BI). SR-BI binds both free and lipoprotein-associated apoA-I, but the effects of particle size, composition, and apolipoprotein conformation on HDL binding to SR-BI are not understood. We have studied the effect of apoA-I conformation on particle binding using native HDL and reconstituted HDL particles of defined composition and size. SR-BI expressed in transfected Chi- nese hamster ovary cells was shown to bind human HDL 2 with greater affinity than HDL 3 , suggesting that HDL size, composition, and possibly apolipoprotein conformation in- fluence HDL binding to SR-BI. To discriminate between these factors, SR-BI binding was studied further using reconstituted L - � -palmitoyloleoyl-phosphatidylcholine-containing HDL par- ticles having identical components and equal amounts of apoA-I, but differing in size (7.8 vs. 9.6 nm in diameter) and apoA-I conformation. The affinity of binding to SR-BI was significantly greater (50-fold) for the larger (9.6-nm) parti- cle than for the 7.8-nm particle. We conclude that differ- ences in apoA-I conformation in different-sized particles markedly influence apoA-I recognition by SR-BI. Preferen- tial binding of larger HDL particles to SR-BI would pro- mote productive selective cholesteryl ester uptake from larger cholesteryl ester-rich HDL over lipid-poor HDL. — de Beer, M. C., D. M. Durbin, L. Cai, A. Jonas, F. C. de Beer, and D. R. van der Westhuyzen. Apolipoprotein A-I confor- mation markedly influences HDL interaction with scavenger receptor BI. J. Lipid Res. 2001. 42: 309-313.
PP06.8 – 2551: Face validity of the Global Upper Limb Deviation Index (GULDI)

Objective This study aimed to examine the face validity of the Global Upper Limb Deviation Index (GULDI), a measure that compiles 3D motion graph information from different joints and different motions in a single global index that quantifies motion pathology status. Methods Eight Typically Developing Children (TDC) and eight children with Bilateral Spastic Cerebral Palsy (BSCP) were tested using 3D motion analysis while performing four reach to grasp and four gross motor tasks. Motion Graph Deviation Indexes (MGDIs) were calculated to summarize the subject's deviation at each specific joint graph and each specific motion. Motion Indexes (MIs) and Graph Indexes (GIs) were estimated from the average of the respective MGDIs. Finally GULDI was calculated from the average of all MI's demonstrating the overall motion pathology. Independent samples t-tests were used to assess GULDI, MIs and GIs differences between the TDC and BSCP groups. Spearman correlation analysis was conducted between the indexes and four qualitative CP assessment tools: MACS, GMFCS, Dystonia Fahn-Marsden Scale and Modified Ashworth Scale. Results GULDI was significantly (p Conclusion The high correlation of GULDI with four qualitative assessment tools increases the validation of that index providing a quantitative analysis tool for the assessment of upper limb function.
Osteoarthritis: Diagnosis and Medical/Surgical Management. 3rd ed.

Roland W. Moskowitz, David S. Howell, Roy D. Altman, Joseph A. Buckwalter, and Victor M. Goldberg, editors. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders; 2001. 688 pages. $195.00. The original volume in this series, published in 1984, was the first comprehensive book devoted to osteoarthritis and was edited by Moskowitz et al. Although the authorship of the text has changed somewhat, the editors (who now include Roy D. Altman, Professor of Medicine from the University of Miami, …
Resource Development in Today’s Environmental and Political Climate

Abstract Since the emergence of humanity, the earth’s resources have played an important role in the development of our society. Over time, rudimentary tools and weapons gave way to more sophisticated uses of the earth’s resources, culminating in all of the necessities as well as the luxuries that are used today. All advances of humankind are tied to the development and utilization of the earth’s resources, including energy, minerals, timber, fish, animals, and soils. The industrial and agricultural revolutions that began in the eighteenth century and the scientific revolution of the preceding century provided the impetus for the rapid expansion and development of energy and mineral resources and the advanced technology that continues to this day. The aspirations of the rapidly growing populations of developing nations, as well as the demand for necessities and luxuries consumed by the industrialized nations, require the continued availability of resources that are the basis of products and new wealth. Such resources must be produced in a manner consistent with protection of health, safety, and the environment. History tells us that this can only be accomplished by an enlightened, conscientious, and affluent society. In a free society, energy and mineral resources development is largely accomplished by private corporations, companies, and individuals. It is entrepreneurial by nature, capital intensive, and, in the United States and other industrialized nations, highly regulated. Developers may be severely affected at any stage of their preparations or operations by economic, environmental, social, and political factors. It is important to recognize that energy and mineral resources are only developed and produced to supply the demand for products by our total society. All of these factors must be given proper consideration in any decision to risk investment capital in a resource development venture.
Identifying Effective Spelling Interventions Using a Brief Experimental Analysis and Extended Analysis

ABSTRACTSpelling is an important skill that is crucial to effective written communication. In this study, brief experimental analysis procedures were used to examine spelling instruction strategies (e.g., whole word correction; word study strategy; positive practice; and cover, copy, and compare) for four students. In addition, an extended analysis was used to determine the effectiveness of the selected strategy over time. Third- and fifth-grade students, who were identified by their teachers as being poor spellers, participated in individual sessions using various strategies to improve their spelling performance. The results of the brief experimental analysis were used to identify the two most effective strategies for each student, and those strategies were alternated during the extended analysis for comparison. All students showed spelling improvements; however, not all students responded to the same interventions. For all students, the extended analysis demonstrated results consistent with the original...
A search for 2·6-Hr iodine-126m

Abstract Attempts to produce 2·6-hr 126mI in the reactions 127 I (p, pn), 127 I (n, 2n), 123 Sb (α, n) have been unsuccessful. The previous report of an iodine nuclide of 2·6-hr half-life and mass 126 appears to be in error.
Lack of Agreement on Distal Radius Fracture Treatment

Introduction: Variation in clinical practice resulting from the absence of evidence-based treatment protocols has negative implications on both the cost and the quality of medical care. The objective of this study was to assess whether a standard of care for the treatment of extra-articular nondisplaced distal radius fracture has developed despite the lack of a conclusive recommendation from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Methods: A case-vignette survey was conducted. Treatment type and duration of casting selections were analyzed. The cost implications of responses were assessed. Participants were practicing orthopedists primarily in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Orthopedists (n = 494) were recruited via E-mail and at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting held in Chicago in March 2013. Inclusion criteria required that participants be graduates of an accredited medical school and be practicing orthopedists at the time of survey distribution. The main outcome measure was surgical or nonsurgical intervention. Results: Nonsurgical treatment was selected by 60% of respondents, with surgery preferred by 37%. Duration of casting responses varied from 2 to 12 weeks. Among nonsurgical responses, 69% indicated 6 weeks as their preferred duration of casting (95% confidence interval, 64.9–73.1%). Surgery imposes a 76% greater total cost to society than nonsurgical treatments. Conclusions: Our findings suggest the absence of a consensus strategy for the treatment of extra-articular nondisplaced distal radius fractures. Implications of variance in treatment on cost and quality support the need for established, evidence-based guidelines or further clinical trials to assist in the management of this common fracture.
Rare absences of redshifted energy in supercontinuum generation

We report the observation of rare events following left-skewed heavy-tailed statistics in supercontinuum generation. These rogue events, pulses of unusually small bandwidth, appear when spectral broadening is frustrated by competition between pre-solitonic features.
CITATION OF AUTHORS' NAMES AND THE TYPIFICATION OF NAMES OF FUNGAL TAXA PUBLISHED BETWEEN 1753 AND 1832 UNDER THE CHANGES IN THE CODE OF NOMENCLATURE ENACTED IN 1981

The change in the starting-point date to 1753 for all fungi, with a protected status for names used by Persoon and by Fries in sanctioning works, results in a simplification of bibliographic work. The new provisions of the Code also provide maximum stability in application of early names by allowing their typification in their current sense in most cases. The virtual disappearance of the "ex" formulation between authors' names, and procedures for applying the new ": Pers." and ": Fr." formulations for many names published from 1753 through 1832 are discussed. The Nomenclature Section enacted, and the XIII International Botanical Congress approved, at their meetings in Sydney, Australia, in August, 1981, numerous changes in the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (ICBN) which take immediate effect. Several of these have major importance to mycologists and lichenologists, and the implications of these are discussed in greater detail elsewhere (Korf, 1982). Two topics of general interest, the simplification in citing authors' names and the new provisions for selecting types of early names to attain stability, are treated here.
Effect of Silk Feeding by Western Corn Rootworm (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) on Yield and Quality of Inbred Corn in Seed Corn Production Fields

Field shldies were conducted during 1983-1986 to determine damage thresholds for western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte, adults feeding on silks of inbred lines of dent corn, Zea mays L., grown under seed-production field conditions. Three inbred genotypes were used as pollen sources and three others as female plant material to assess beetle impacts. Beetle densities of one to three beetles per ear reduced kernels per hectare and kernels per kilogram, increased round kernel fractions, and decreased flat fractions for all genotypes. With simulated seed-production field conditions, effects due to distance between male pollen source and receptive female ear (row effects) did not influence beetle damage thresholds across blocks of female corn. Environmental stress and plant genotype influenced impacts of beetle density. Conditions of moishue or heat stress during pollination magnified beetle feeding effects. Abundant pollen levels also reduced impacts of beetle feeding. Regression equations for prediction of kernels per hectare as influenced by beetle density were calculated.
Estimating Average Daily Traffic Using ITS Data

The data collected by ITS detectors have great potential in transportation statistics and research. However, their quality has been of concern because those detectors were initially designed for operations usages rather than planning usages. In this study, data collected by two regional ITS deployments are screened to weed out erroneous data. Several methods for estimating average daily traffic are evaluated. It has been observed that, while ITS detector data might not be as accurate as those collected by automatic traffic recorders used in planning applications, it is possible to obtain relatively accurate estimates based on short-term traffic data that has high quality.
The first record of the European land snail Discus rotundatus (Müller, 1774) from Montreal, Canada (Discidae: Pulmonata)

Comparison of the shells of a land snail collected in Montreal, Canada with those of several North American and European Discus species resulted in the identification of the Montreal specimens as the European Discus rotundatus .
Human peripheral blood mononuclear cell substrate for propagating wild type HIV-1.

Molecularly derived HIV proteins fail to induce broadly neutralizing antibodies (NAB) and cytotoxic T cell (CTL) responses, which are considered necessary for any effective vaccination. Natural virion proteins of the primary isolates of HIV-1 (pi-HIV), grown in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) followed by viral inactivation and pooling to reflect the antigenic diversity of the prevalent strains in a given population, would provide a novel polyvalent HIV vaccine (HIVAX) capable of inducing both HIV-NAB and CTL. Proven technologies are harnessed to provide a framework for advancing human blood-derived HIVAX. Fresh leukocytes, recovered by gravity flow elution from leukocyte depletion blood filters, or buffy coats, routinely removed in preparing blood components for transfusion, provide an abundant and safe cell substrate following ficoll-separation of viable PBMC. The low content of wild-type HIV (wt-HIV) in infected plasma can be chaperoned by dendritic cells through their DC-SIGN receptor for gp120 and efficiently expanded in co-culture with CD4-enriched cell substrate in a medium containing human AB serum as a substitute for foetal calf serum. Dimethyl methylene blue (DMMB), ethylene diiimine (EDI), or psoralens can be used to inactivate the virion RNA selectively and the unbound chemicals and their products are removable by molecular sieving. Additional inactivation by physical methods would include proven hydrostatic pressure cycling technology (PCT) and flash pasteurization at 60°C for less than 10 minutes to totally inactivate infectivity of the virions. Our empirical strategy is to pool five different HIV isolates of the prevalent subtype B (U S.A.) or C (Southern Africa), augmented by other subtypes A, C/B, D, E, and 'X' (new emerging subtypes), to provide a polyvalent HIV vaccine (HIVAX). Immunochemical quantification of the gp120, gp41, p24 and p31 antigen content of HIVAX ensures consistency of the product, and safety is ensured by failure to amplify HIV nucleic acid sequences by RT-PCR and to demonstrate infectivity in animal models. Ultimate efficacy HIVAX must be shown by human clinical trials in the high-risk populations.
Patents as an Incentive System

The modem justification for granting patents is that patents give firms an incentive to invest in research and development (R&D). It therefore seems important to understand how patent law performs as an incentive system, and how it could be improved. Perhaps the most convincing investigation into the effectiveness of patent law would be an empirical one. However, an empirical investigation seems unpromising, since patent systems in different countries are not substantially different, and, in any case, important inventions are patented worldwide so that the incentives for R&D do not depend on where a firm is domiciled. In this chapter I will undertake the more limited task of trying to expose conceptually some shortcomings of patent law as an incentive system.
Coherent Optomechanical Coupling between a Surface Acoustic Wave and a Nitrogen Vacancy Center in Diamond

We demonstrate coherent coupling between a surface acoustic wave and a nitrogen vacancy center in diamond in the resolved-sideband regime. Rabi oscillations and coherent population trapping have been demonstrated via phonon-assisted sideband transitions.
Current misconceptions about mental retardation

Owing to the legislative, medical social, and educational advances in services to the handicapped in recent years, it is anticipated that knowledge of mental retardation has subsequently increased. The responses of college students and experts on a 16-item questionnaire related to mental retardation were assessed. Results indicated that there has been a significant increase in knowledge about the mentally retarded during the last 6 years; however, misconceptions persist, especially among students.
Google hacking as a general education tool

In order to give students hand-on experiences with Internet and World Wide Web security issues, this paper advocates using Google hacking search exercises in a non-majors computer science general education course.
Knowledge-based regulation and the politics of inter-national comparison

The observation that the same reforms resurface periodically is not new. One example of recurring reforms, mentioned by Tyack and Cuban (1995), is the idea of school-business partnerships that, starting in the 1960s, periodically surfaced, got implemented, became criticized, was suspended, and, after a while, was reintroduced and erroneously presented as a novel, innovative and unprecedented approach to reforming schools. School-business partnership or, more broadly, public-private partnership (PPP) is but one of many reforms that has been periodically recycled. Modifications in the design occur every time it is reintroduced either because the policy context and the impetus for reform have changed, because policy makers attempt to make an old reform look new, or because there is no institutional memory left of previous experiences with the similar reform. Recycled reforms also abound in developing countries. In Mongolia and in neighboring Central Asian states, for example, the pendulum between decentralization and recentralization of educational finance swings all couple of years (Steiner-Khamsi & Stolpe, 2006) in the opposite direction. After years of preparing a Steiner-Khamsi, Gita: Knowledge-Based Regulation and the Politics of International Comparison. Nordisk Pedagogik, Vol. 29, pp. 61–71 Oslo. ISSN 0901-8050.
Pathways linking clinician demographics to mental health diagnostic accuracy: An international perspective.

OBJECTIVE This study examined the impact of clinicians' demographics and response time on diagnostic accuracy. METHOD We conducted mediation analyses on data from a WHO field study of the ICD-11 that required clinicians (N = 1,822, 44.3% female, 44.92 years old) to diagnose two case vignettes. RESULTS Contradictory to decision-making theories, clinicians with more years of experience and slower response times had higher rates of diagnostic accuracy. In comparison to North American clinicians, clinicians in Asia who responded faster had lower accuracy rates, and clinicians in South America who responded slower had higher accuracy rates. Medical professionals with quicker response times had lower accuracy rates compared with psychologists and other clinical professionals. CONCLUSION Findings indicate that clinicians should consider how their clinical setting, level of experience, and response time influence the diagnostic process. Future research on diagnostic accuracy should consider additional mediating factors, such as cultural differences in response time.
Progranulin: Functions and neurologic correlations

Progranulin is a highly conserved secreted protein that is expressed in multiple cell types, both in the CNS and in peripheral tissues. Both directly and via its conversion to granulins, progranulin regulates cell growth, survival, repair, and inflammation. Progranulin has a major role in regulation of lysosomal function and microglial responses in the CNS. Autosomal dominant mutations of the progranulin ( GRN ) gene leading to protein haploinsufficiency are linked to familial frontotemporal dementia with neuropathologic frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) associated with accumulation of TAR-DNA binding protein of 43kDA (TDP-43) inclusions (FTLD-TDP). Homozygous GRN mutations are linked to neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCL). These findings have stimulated interest in elucidating the normal regulation and function of progranulin and granulins and the pathomechanisms by which progranulin deficiency leads to neurodegeneration. These topics have been recently reviewed1–5 and some salient aspects are discussed here.
Temperature-compensated open-loop tuning of a dual-notch absorptive bandstop filter

For the first time, a scalable open-loop temperature-compensated tuning approach is presented for dual-notch absorptive bandstop filters (ABSF). A post-fabrication calibration procedure is detailed to generate a surrogate model that can be utilized for highly accurate in-the-field tuning of parameter-sensitive ABSFs. Notch frequency variations of less than 0.06% and isolation improvements of over 30 dB are measured for a dual-notch ABSF across its quasi-absorptive tuning range from −25 to 85° C.
Enhancing Luminescence in Lanthanide Coordination Polymers Through Dilution of Emissive Centers

Abstract A Ln-adipate metal-organic framework templated with 4,4′-bipyridine (GWMOF-6) was synthesized with Eu(III) or Tb(III) ions with various concentrations of optically inert Gd(III) ion in order to evaluate the effects of diluting the emissive metal center on the efficiency of luminescence. The doping ratios of Ln:Gd (Ln = Eu or Tb) showed that of the ratios studied, the 50:50 system had among the highest quantum yields (Eu = 3.9%, Tb = 7.6%) with increasing lifetimes as Gd(III) concentration increased. A 50:50 Eu:Tb system was also synthesized and showed to be more efficient than the Eu:Gd systems (Φ = 15.3%), with an exceptionally high energy transfer efficiency (80%) from the 5D4 state of the Tb(III) ion to the 5D1 and 5D0 energy levels of the Eu(III) ion.
No Democracy Please, We’re Saudis

At the level of political international relations theorists explore how and why states act and interact, and examine what we mean by sovereignty. The foundation of western political thought about states is the Westphalian system, which is clearly understood. The Peace of Westphalia in 1648 ended the Thirty Years’ War and brought about the modern European nation state system and the system of sovereign states, not just for Europe but the world. While the notions of statehood and sovereignty are applied in the Arab world, the picture is somewhat more complex, for two principal reasons. First, the oft-stated call for Arab unity, and second the role of religion in the Arab world. Pan-Arabism is understood to be at the core of regional diplomacy and interactions between the states, which if carried to its logical conclusion would override the Westphalian system of states with their self-interest and conflict, and instead lead to greater unity in the interests of pan-Arab goals. Clearly this is not the case, as pan-Arabism is stymied by the many variances within the Arab world. Likewise religion, which is often taken to be oppositional when it comes to Islam. In the case of Saudi, we have a state that is monarchical and self-interested in maintaining the house of Saud, and one that binds together the leading families with religion as a social thread running throughout the kingdom. It has many conflicts with other Arab and Islamic states on the one hand, and promotes global Islam on the other. In short, Islam overrides nationalism, and Saudi Arabia as a kingdom understands its role to be custodian of both the two holy sites and the Arabian peninsula as the home of Mohammed’s Islam and also globally as a kingdom that promotes the spirit of global Islam, which in turn eclipses any national identity or interest.
STUDIES OF ENERGY COUPLING IN RECONSTITUTED SEGMENTS OF THE RESPIRATORY CHAIN

Publisher Summary The development of techniques to incorporate isolated enzymes complexes from the mitochondrial inner membrane into liposomes so that phenomena associated with energy coupling are observable has brought the problem of energy coupling to the level of enzymology. If the coupling ratio for proton translocation is higher than two protons per electron pair per coupling region as claimed by several laboratories, then there must be an indirect coupling mechanism alone or in addition to a Mitchell loop mechanism. Even if the coupling ratio is two protons, however, the mechanism is not established as alternating electron and hydrogen carrier transmembrane redox reactions and considerable structural and kinetic information about the respiratory chain will be required to establish a particular mechanism. Experience with cytochrome oxidase vesicles has indicated a coupling ratio of two protons per electron pair with reduced naphthoquinonesulfonate as substrate. The protons measured with the pH meter presumably correspond to the protons released from the reduced quinone when cytochrome c is reduced. This special case of cytochrome oxidase that is half of a loop in Mitchell's terminology is either electron transport across the membrane to oxygen inside, absorbing protons to form water, or a genuine proton pump moving protons outward with the redox reaction occurring in the external medium.
Interference Effects Affecting RTE

When a highly charged, but not bare, projectile interacts with a neutral target, one target electron may be captured into an excited state of the projectile while a projectile electron is also excited. Various mechanisms have been proposed to achieve this intermediate doubly excited state: an interaction between the two participating electrons, called Resonance Transfer and Excitation, or RTE; two non-correlated interactions between each nucleus with the other’s electron, called Non-resonance Transfer and Excitation, NTE(1–15), and more recently capture of one target electron by the projectile nucleus, coupled with an excitation of a projectile electron by another target electron, 2 -electron Transfer and Excitation, 2eTE (also referred to as UTE and CTE)(16–19). Since in every case, it is possible to have initial and (semi-)final states that are identical it is intriguing to search for interference effects between these processes.
The Use of Corporal Punishment, Suspension, Expulsion, and Timeout with Behaviorally Disordered Students in Public Schools: Legal Considerations.

Few issues in the education of behaviorally disordered students have been as widely or hotly debated as the use of punishment to manage their behaviors. In addition to the empirical and ethical dim...
Chapter 1 – Adenovirus Structure

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the structural components of the adenovirus. MALDI-TOF mass spectroscopy has confirmed the predicted protease cleavage sites of several structural proteins. The use of phage-display libraries has pinpointed the residues involved in the interaction between penton base and fiber. X-ray crystallography and sequence analysis together reveal the hypervariable regions of hexon at the top of the molecule where the most variation is tolerated. The early biochemical characterization of the component molecules was advantageous for interpreting the first cryo-EM reconstruction and difference map. The finding that ⍺v integrins are utilized as internalization receptors by many serotypes led to the observations by cryo-EM that the penton base Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) protrusions are located appropriately to both evade antibody neutralization and facilitate receptor clustering. These findings will help in designing the future adenoviral vectors.
Selective photoreceptor damage in albino rats using continuous blue light. A protocol useful for retinal degeneration and transplantation research.

Purpose: To develop a retinal degeneration model with selective photoreceptor loss and RPE sparing, to be used as recipient for evaluating retinal transplants. Methods: Albino rats were exposed to blue light, continuously, for 1–7 days (24–168 h) in a specially designed cage. Eyes were histologically analyzed at periods between 2 h and 8 months after the light exposure. Electroretinograms (ERGs) were recorded from some rats at 12–216 days after exposure. Using behavioral methods, visual thresholds of some rats were determined before exposure and re-measured between 18 and 52 days following exposure. Results: Apoptotic nuclei appeared exclusively in the photoreceptor layer after 1–5 days exposure to blue light. Light microscopy revealed that 2–4 days of light exposure reduced the outer nuclear layer (normally eight to ten rows) to 1 row of cells in the central retina and to two to three rows in the periphery, both in the superior and the inferior retina. Average ERG a- and b-wave amplitudes of light-damaged rats were both reduced by about 98%. Visual performance in the behavioral test was substantially impaired. Conclusions: Continuous exposure of albino rats to moderate blue light for 2–5 days selectively eliminates most of the photoreceptors while leaving the RPE initially intact.
Abstract P134: Sex Differences in the Effects of Chronic Muscadine Grape Extract Treatment on Cardiac Function Parameters and Aortic Pulse Wave Velocity (PWV) in Hypertensive Transgenic (mRen2)27 Rats

Muscadine grape extract (MGE) polyphenolics have potential beneficial cardiovascular effects. Whether the effects are sex-specific during progression of hypertension is unknown. We measured aortic ...
Role of Whole-Body 18F-FDG PET/CT in Screening for Metastases in Newly Diagnosed Sinonasal Malignancies.

OBJECTIVE. The aim of this study is to assess the utility of pretreatment whole-body 18F-FDG PET/CT in screening for distant metastasis (DM) and regional lymphatic metastasis (LM). MATERIALS AND ME...
Staging Revolution: Artistry and Aesthetics in Model Beijing Opera During the Cultural Revolution

English-language scholarship concerning China's Model Revolutionary Works (geming yangbanxi 革命样板戏) has struggled with the lingering influence of the Cold War for decades. The theater that was eleva...
Love in the First Degree: Individual Differences in First-Person Pronoun Use and Adult Romantic Attachment Styles:

The current project brings together over 1,400 observations drawn from seven studies to examine relations between adult romantic attachment styles and pronoun use. In each study, participants provi...
Fiber-optic probes for biomedical optoacoustic imaging, monitoring, and sensing

We proposed biomedical optoacoustics/photoacoustics more than 25 years ago and developed this technology for imaging, monitoring, and sensing applications [1-35]. Optoacoustic diagnostic modality is based on thermoelastic generation of optoacoustic waves and combines high optical contrast and ultrasound spatial resolution. We developed optoacoustic systems (including highly-compact, multi-wavelength, fibercoupled, FDA-compliant laser diode systems) with fiber-optic, ultra-sensitive, wide-band optoacoustic probes. We tested them in small and large animal studies and in clinical studies in healthy volunteers and patients with traumatic brain injury and circulatory shock as well as in neonatal and fetal patients. The high sensitivity and bandwidth of the fiber-optic optoacoustic probes allowed for: 1) signal detection from tissues at depths well beyond the optical diffusion limit (up to several centimeters); 2) detection of microscopic tissue volumes; 3) optoacoustic imaging in large tissue phantoms and tissues with high resolution; 4) monitoring of tissue thermotherapy; 5) noninvasive probing of cerebral tissues in large animals and in humans (both neonates and adults); 6) accurate oxygenation measurements in humans in tissues and in specific blood vessels; and 7) optoacoustic waves therapeutic effects that can be used for noninvasive optoacoustic theranostics. The obtained data indicated that the systems were capable of optoacoustic measurements and mapping of cerebral blood oxygenation in adults and in neonates, detection of intracranial hematomas, oxygenation measurements both from cerebral and central blood vessels and from cerebral tissues.
Patients With Opioid Use Disorder Deserve Trained Providers

There are ongoing efforts to lift training requirements for providers to prescribe buprenorphine for the treatment of opioid use disorder. These authors argue that such efforts, while well-meaning,...
Access to smart devices and utilization of online health resources among older cardiac rehabilitation participants

Background Newer models of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) delivery are promising but depend upon patient participation and ability to use technological media including Internet and smart devices. Aim To explore the availability of smart devices, current utilization and proficiency of use among older CR program attendees. Methods Study participants were enrolled from four CR programs in Omaha, Nebraska United States and completed a questionnaire of 28 items. Results Of 376 participants approached, 169 responded (45%). Mean age was 71.1 (SD ± 10) years. Demographics were 73.5% males, 89.7% Caucasians, 52% with college degree and 56.9%, with income of 40K$ or more. Smart device ownership was 84.5%; desktop computer was the most preferred device. Average Internet use was 1.9 h/d (SD ± 1.7); 54.3% of participants indicating for general usage but only 18.4% pursued health-related purposes. Utilization of other health information modalities was low, 29.8% used mobile health applications and 12.5% used wearable devices. Of all participants, 72% reported no barriers to using Internet. Education and income were associated positively with measures of utilization and with less perceived barriers. Conclusion Among an older group of subjects attending CR, most have access to smart devices and do not perceive significant barriers to Internet use. Nonetheless, there was low utilization of health-related resources suggesting a need for targeted education in this patient population.
The early gut microbiome could protect against severe retinopathy of prematurity.

In this study, 6 infants with type 1 retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) were compared with 4 high-risk preterm neonates without any ROP but similar baseline neonatal comorbidities. The infants with type-1 ROP showed significant enrichment of Enterobacteriaceae at 28 weeks' postmenstrual age. Several metabolic pathways, including several amino acid metabolism pathways, were enriched in gut microbiota of infants without ROP. Based on these findings, we posit a possible association between early gut microbiome profile and ROP pathogenesis. Furthermore, it is possible that absence of Enterobacteriaceae overabundance, in addition to enrichment of amino acid biosynthesis pathways, may protect against severe ROP in high-risk preterm infants.
Endoscope infection transmission state-of-the-art: beyond duodenoscopes to a culture of infection prevention.

Purpose of review The elevator mechanism of the duodenoscope was the focus of endoscopically transmitted infections prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since that time, the 'suspicious suspects' in the endoscopy unit have grown in number in the eyes of both patients and endoscopists. Recent findings This review summarizes the existing guidelines related to infection control in the endoscopy unit and emerging technologies to address gaps, identifies recommendations proposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, and reminds the reader that infection prevention has not changed since the emergence of COVID-19, only the importance of infection prevention has increased in visibility. Summary Infection prevention has been and will always be necessary in the gastrointestinal endoscopy unit. Although outbreaks of antibiotic-resistant organisms and infectious diseases like COVID-19 raise the profile of infection control, there have been no major changes to infection control practice recommendations because of the global pandemic. The history of lapses in infection control, persistent contamination of reprocessed endoscopes, and failure of many endoscopy units to identify certain endoscopic procedures as aerosol-generating procedures prior to the pandemic emphasize the need for better knowledge and implementation of infection control practices within endoscopy units.
Napping on the night shift and its impact on blood pressure and heart rate variability among emergency medical services workers: study protocol for a randomized crossover trial.

There is an emerging body of evidence that links exposure to shift work to cardiovascular disease (CVD). The risk of coronary events, such as myocardial infarction, is greater among night shift workers compared to day workers. There is reason to believe that repeated exposure to shift work, especially night shift work, creates alterations in normal circadian patterns of blood pressure (BP) and heart rate variability (HRV) and that these alterations contribute to increased risk of CVD. Recent data suggest that allowing shift workers to nap during night shifts may help to normalize BP and HRV patterns and, over time, reduce the risk of CVD. The risk of CVD related to shift work is elevated for emergency medical services (EMS) shift workers due in part to long-duration shifts, frequent use of night shifts, and a high prevalence of multiple jobs. We will use a randomized crossover trial study design with three study conditions. The targeted population is comprised of EMS clinician shift workers, and our goal enrollment is 35 total participants with an estimated 10 of the 35 enrolled not completing the study protocol or classified as lost to attrition. All three conditions will involve continuous monitoring over 72 h and will begin with a 36-h at-home period, followed by 24 total hours in the lab (including a 12-h simulated night shift), ending with 12 h at home. The key difference between the three conditions is the intra-shift nap. Condition 1 will involve a simulated 12-h night shift with total sleep deprivation. Condition 2 will involve a simulated 12-h night shift and a 30-min nap opportunity. Condition 3 will involve a simulated 12-h night shift with a 2-h nap opportunity. Our primary outcomes of interest include blunted BP dipping and reduced HRV as measured by the standard deviation of the inter-beat intervals of normal sinus beats. Non-dipping status will be defined as sleep hours BP dip of less than 10%. Our study will address two indicators of cardiovascular health and determine if shorter or longer duration naps during night shifts have a clinically meaningful impact. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04469803 . Registered on 9 July 2020
Results of an Academic Dialysis Program-Wide SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination Effort

Patients with End Stage Kidney Disease requiring dialysis are exceedingly vulnerable to SARS-CoV-2 infection with high hospitalization rates and mortality. Despite this risk, little is known about real world dialysis patient SARS-CoV-2 vaccination acceptance. Surveys of the general population suggest significant vaccine hesitancy and high potential for refusal. From January 27th to March 12th 2021, the University of Virginia (UVA) Health System, in partnership with the Virginia Department of Health / Blue Ridge Health District (BRHD) provided on-site mobile vaccination clinics at 12 UVA dialysis sites. We conducted a cross-sectional study to evaluate vaccine acceptance and evaluate factors associated with refusal. Of 859 dialysis patients with complete vaccination data, 80% received at least one dose of vaccine and 87% of these vaccinations were provided by the UVA/BRHD partnership. The overall patient refusal rate was low at 14%. Patients refusing SARS-CoV-2 vaccine were more likely to be female, younger and missing a documented flu vaccination during the 2020-2021 season. Attributes such as race or prior infection with SARS-CoV-2 were not significantly associated with vaccine refusal. In conclusion, dialysis patients in our program were surprisingly likely to accept vaccination for SARS-CoV-2. Identifying attributes associated with refusal may help target populations at high risk of vaccine refusal.
Dried Plum Consumption Improves Total Cholesterol and Antioxidant Capacity and Reduces Inflammation in Healthy Postmenopausal Women.

Dried plums contain bioactive components that have demonstrated antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. The objective of this study was to determine if dried plum consumption reduces the risk fa...
The Determinants of Federal Reserve Policy Actions: A Reexamination

In an earlier article (Journal of Macroeconomics, 1997) we presented estimates of Federal Reserve reaction functions including variables representing economic and political influences. Our goal was to examine the relative importance of political versus economic influences in determining Federal Reserve actions, as well as to see which economic state variables influenced Federal Reserve actions during various time periods. This paper extends our earlier work in three ways. First, we re-estimate the monetary policy reaction functions in our earlier study in a way which obviates possible reverse causation problems and better approximates the information set that was available to the Open Market Committee at the time its decisions were made. Second, we now have five more years of data which allows us to examine the Greenspan years more fully. Third, we divide our sample period, 1965-1994, into two sub-periods, pre-1979 and post-1979, to examine the view that the Federal Reserve evidenced greater concern for inflation in the latter sub-period. The essential change from our earlier study is to use the interval between FOMC meetings as our observation rather than a calendar month. This change is shown to have significant effects on the estimated importance of political factors and economic state variables as determinants of Federal Reserve actions.
sperm associated antigen 7 is activated by T3 during Xenopus tropicalis metamorphosis via a thyroid hormone response element within the first intron.

Thyroid hormone (T3) affects many diverse physiological processes such as metabolism, organogenesis, and growth. The two highly related frog species, diploid Xenopus tropicalis and pseudo tetraploid Xenopus laevis, have been used as models for analyzing the effects of T3 during vertebrate development. T3 regulates T3-inducible gene transcription through T3 receptor (TR)-binding to T3-response elements (TREs). We have previously identified sperm associated antigen 7 (spag7) as a candidate T3 target gene that is potentially involved in adult stem cell development and/or proliferation during intestinal metamorphosis. To investigate whether T3 regulates spag7 directly at the transcriptional level via TR, we first conducted qRT-PCR to analyze its expression during natural and T3-induced metamorphosis and found that spag7 was up-regulated during natural metamorphosis in the intestine, tail, brain and hindlimb, peaking at the climax of metamorphosis in all those organs, and upon T3 treatment of premetamorphic tadpoles. Next, we demonstrated that an intronic TRE in spag7, first identified through bioinformatic analysis, could bind to TR in vitro and in vivo during metamorphosis. A dual luciferase assay utilizing a reconstituted frog oocyte transcription system showed that the TRE could mediate promoter activation by liganded TR. These results indicate that spag7 expression is directly regulated by T3 through the TRE in the first intron during metamorphosis, implicating a role for spag7 early during T3-regulated tissue remodeling and resorption.
Chapter 17. Recent Advances in the Design and Evaluation of Inhibitors of Phospholipase A2

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the recent advances in the design and evaluation of inhibitors of phospholipase A 2 (PLA 2 ). PLA 2 refers to a large class of acylhydrolytic enzymes that specifically act at the sn-2 position of phospholipid substrate. Substrate sources are derived from two broad categories: 1) synthetic PL or 2) natural “membrane” lipid forms. The use of PLA 2 administration as the initiating inflammatory insult are the most documented and well characterized models in terms of evaluating the proinflammatory activity of PLA 2 . The activity of PLA 2 is greatly enhanced when the substrate is above its critical micelle concentration (CMC). The importance of comparing inhibitor activity against the same enzyme can be illustrated with manoalide. Its IC 50 value for inhibition of PLA 2 hydrolysis has been measured against a number of enzymes and varies over almost three log units. The inhibitory effects of these retinoids on the release and metabolism of AA from rat peritoneal macrophages challenged with A23187, zymosan, and 12-O-tetradecanoate phorbol-13-acetate (TPA) have also been studied. Several other natural products have also been reported to inhibit PLA 2 . Gossypol, a male non-steroidal antifertility agent, has been shown, at 100 μM, to completely inhibit intact human spermatozoa PLA 2 hydrolysis of monolayers of phosphatidylglycerol. A three-dimensional study of the bovine pancreatic PLA 2 X-ray structure, with the goal of identifying novel compounds that fit both sterically and electronically into the active site, has resulted in the identification of a series of potent in vitro inhibitors. Another study of the same X-ray structure has resulted in the synthesis of long chain alkylamine inhibitors. Although there has been considerable activity in this field over the last decade, much work remains before a clinical candidate can emerge.
Diagnosis of Migraine and Tension-Type Headaches

Headache diagnosis in the office is predicated on deciding if the patient’s headache is primary or secondary. Aiding diagnosis is the use of the International Classification of Headache Disorders, second edition (ICHD-2), as well as abbreviated screeners. While migraine is the most common primary headache seen in the office, tension-­type headache is more common in the community. The authors discuss the diagnostic findings typically seen with migraine and tension-type headaches, then review the red flags that can point to a more sinister etiology meriting further workup. Using Dr. David Dodick’s SNOOP mnemonic for secondary workup can help avoid the dangerous pitfalls of missing a secondary headache. Correct diagnosis often starts with pattern recognition when a patient presents to the clinician’s office, and this can be helped by using brief migraine screeners. Utilizing scales for impact and disability helps in both diagnosis as well as in targeting appropriate intervention in treating headaches.