cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Effects of Injected Penicillin on Egg Formation and Blood Calcium

Abstract Antibiotics added to the diet of chickens tend to improve the utilization of calcium and phosphorus (Lindblad et al., 1952) and increase the percentage of bone ash (Ross and Yacowitz, 1952). Slinger et al. (1953) reported that the addition of penicillin to certain diets for turkeys decreased egg weight slightly but not significantly. They did not determine what part of the egg was influenced most. Gabuten and Shaffner (1953) reported that penicillin fed at the level of 15 and 30 parts per million to chickens for two or more weeks increases specific gravity of egg, shell breaking-strength and blood calcium. If acetylcholine and ephedrine are injected when an egg is in the oviduct, certain components of the subsequently-laid eggs are changed, (Sturkie Weiss and Ringer, 1954). This report concerns the effects of penicillin injected during the period of egg formation on components of the egg and blood calcium. PROCEDURE White …
Discussing treatment options.

A sixty-year-old man presented to an orthopaedic surgeon with a periprosthetic infection after total knee arthroplasty performed by another surgeon. He underwent removal of the components, placement of an antibiotic spacer, and antibiotic suppression therapy. Eight weeks later, a revision total knee arthroplasty was performed. The patient did well initially but returned four months after the revision with periprosthetic reinfection. The revision components were removed, another antibiotic spacer was placed, and antibiotic suppression therapy was again administered. During the operation, the entire extensor mechanism, including the quadriceps tendon, patella, and patellar tendon, was found to be necrotic and required radical debridement. Five months later, another operation was performed to remove the spacer, and a plastic surgeon was consulted to assist in the wound closure because of the presence of extensive scar tissue. Intraoperative cultures were negative during these two most recent procedures. The orthopaedic surgeon presented the patient with four treatment options: arthrodesis, resection arthroplasty, amputation, or revision total knee arthroplasty with extensor mechanism allograft and a possible flap closure (rotational or free flap). The patient refused a knee arthrodesis and voiced a strong preference for amputation over arthrodesis. The patient's first choice, however, was to save the knee and to have a second radical revision performed. The surgeon then discussed in detail the risks that would be involved with reconstruction, including the high risk of reinfection and other wound complications. An infection, he explained, could lead to amputation, sepsis, and death. The surgeon also informed the patient that the procedure was not commonly performed, had no proven success rate, and could be fraught with complications. The patient remained steadfast in his choice and elected to undergo radical reconstruction of the knee.
Spatial data traversal in road map databases: a graph indexing approach

Spatial data are found in geographic information systems such as digital road map databases where city and road attributes are associated with nodes and links in a directed graph. Queries on spatial data are expensive because of the recursive property of graph traversal. We propose a graph indexing technique to expedite spatial queries where the graph topology remains relatively stationary. Using a probabilistic analysis, this paper shows that the graph indexing technique significantly improves the efficiency of constrained spatial queries.
Break-junction tunneling on MgB2

Abstract Tunneling data on magnesium diboride, MgB 2 , are reviewed with a particular focus on superconductor–insulator–superconductor (SIS) junctions formed by a break-junction method. The collective tunneling literature reveals two distinct energy scales, a large gap, Δ L ∼7.2 meV, close to the expected BCS value, and a small gap, Δ S ∼2.4 meV. The SIS break junctions show clearly that the small gap closes near the bulk critical temperature, T c =39 K. The SIS spectra allow proximity effects to be ruled out as the cause for the small gap and therefore make a strong case that MgB 2 is a coupled, two-band superconductor. While the break junctions sometimes reveal parallel contributions to the conductance from both bands, it is more often found that Δ S dominates the spectra. In these cases, a subtle feature is observed near Δ S + Δ L that is reminiscent of strong-coupling effects. This feature is consistent with quasiparticle scattering contributions to the interband coupling which provides an important insight into the nature of two-band superconductivity in MgB 2 .
Comparing methods to identify general internal medicine clinic patients with chronic heart failure.

Abstract Objectives Identification of patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction is the first step in identifying which patients may benefit from clinical practice guidelines. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a computerized tool using clinical information that is commonly available to identify patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD). Methods We performed a cross-sectional study of patients seen in a Department of Veterans Affairs General Internal Medicine Clinic who had echocardiography or radionuclide ventriculography performed as part of their clinical care. Results We identified 2246 subjects who had at least one cardiac imaging study. A total of 778 (34.6%) subjects met study criteria for LVSD. Subjects with LVSD were slightly older than subjects without LVSD (70 years vs 68 years, P = .00002) but were similar with regard to sex and race. Subjects with LVSD were more likely to have prescriptions for angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, carvedilol, digoxin, loop diuretics, hydralazine, nitrates, and angiotensin II receptor antagonists. Of the variables included in the final predictive model, ACE inhibitors, loop diuretics, and digoxin exerted the greatest predictive power. Discriminant analysis demonstrated that models containing pharmacy information were consistently more accurate (75% accurate [65% sensitivity, 81% specificity]) than those models that contained only International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision (ICD-9), codes, including ICD-9 codes for congestive heart failure (72% accurate [80% sensitivity, 68% specificity]). Conclusions We demonstrated that an automated, computer-driven algorithm identifying LVSD permits simple, rapid, and timely identification of patients with congestive heart failure by use of only routinely collected data. Future research is needed to develop accurate electronic identification of heart failure and other common chronic conditions. (Am Heart J 2001;142:1003-9.)
Finding Firm Value without a Pro Forma Analysis (corrected)

We present a firm value calculator (FVC) that uses applications of growth-annuity and growth-perpetuity equations. The FVC provides the same detailed analysis of firm value as the more complicated pro forma analysis and can thus replace a pro forma analysis or be used to check or correct it. The FVC can be easily implemented—through either a computer spreadsheet or a handheld calculator. The algorithmic nature of the FVC may also be implemented through computer programming to quickly produce a large number of analyses, which can save a practitioner a great deal of time when many companies are to be analyzed or compared.
Transforming Growth Factor (TGF)-β1–producing Regulatory T Cells Induce Smad-mediated Interleukin 10 Secretion That Facilitates Coordinated Immunoregulatory Activity and Amelioration of TGF-β1–mediated Fibrosis

Interleukin (IL)-10 and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 are suppressor cytokines that frequently occur together during a regulatory T cell response. Here we used a one gene doxycycline (Dox)-inducible plasmid encoding TGF-β1 to analyze this association and test its utility. In initial studies, we showed that intranasal administration of this plasmid (along with Dox) led to the appearance of TGF-β1–producing cells (in spleen and lamina propria) and the almost concomitant appearance of IL-10–producing cells. Moreover, we showed that these cells exert Dox-regulated suppression of the T helper cell (Th)1-mediated inflammation in trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid colitis. In subsequent in vitro studies using retroviral TGF-β1 expression, we established that IL-10 production by Th1 cells occurs after exposure to TGF-β1 from either an endogenous or exogenous source. In addition, using a self-inactivating retrovirus luciferase reporter construct we showed that TGF-β1 induces Smad4, which then binds to and activates the IL-10 promoter. Furthermore, intranasal TGF-β1 plasmid administration ameliorates bleomycin-induced fibrosis in wild-type but not IL-10–deficient mice, strongly suggesting that the amelioration is IL-10 dependent and that IL-10 protects mice from TGF-β1–mediated fibrosis. Taken together, these findings suggest that the induction of IL-10 by TGF-β1 is not fortuitous, but instead fulfills important requirements of TGF-β1 function after its secretion by regulatory T cells.
NK Cells Play a Critical Role in the Regulation of Class I-Deficient Hemopoietic Stem Cell Engraftment: Evidence for NK Tolerance Correlates with Receptor Editing

The role that NK cells play in the rejection of hemopoietic stem cell (HSC) and tolerance induction has remained controversial. In this study, we examined whether NK cells play a direct role in the rejection of HSC. Purified HSC from MHC class II-deficient mice engrafted readily in congenic mice, while HSC from class I-deficient donors (β 2 -microglobulin −/− (β 2 m −/− )) failed to engraft. Recipient mice lacking CD8 + , CD4 + , or T cells also rejected HSC from class I-deficient donors, pointing directly to NK cells as the effector in rejection of HSC. Recipients, deficient in or depleted of NK cells, engrafted readily with β 2 m −/− HSC. Expression of the activating Ly-49D and inhibitory Ly-49G2 receptors on recipient NK cells was significantly decreased in these β 2 m −/− →B6 chimeras, and the proportion of donor NK cells expressing Ly-49D was also significantly decreased. Notably, β 2 m −/− chimeras accepted β 2 m −/− HSC in second transplants, demonstrating that NK cells in the chimeras had been tolerized to β 2 m −/− . Taken together, our data demonstrate that NK cells play a direct role in the regulation of HSC engraftment, and down-regulation and/or deletion of specific NK subsets in mixed chimeras can contribute to the induction of NK cell tolerance in vivo. Moreover, our data show that bone marrow-derived elements significantly contribute to NK cell development and tolerance.
Reflections on the iconography of environmental justice activism

The United States environmental justice movement has grown in the last 20 years from tactical cooperation between civil rights and environmental activists on hazardous waste issues into a broad-based movement for social change. As dozens of organizations invest resources in an environmental justice agenda, it is important to examine how such organizations portray their stance toward the goals of the larger movement in order to better understand tensions within the movement between social justice and environmental protection, diversity and commonality, and localized and broader movement agendas. This paper explores what contemporary environmental justice imagery tells us about this social movement through a critical discourse analysis of environmental justice organizations' logos. The conceptual approach used here links a tradition of critical discourse analysis of textual materials with elements of a critical visual methodology. The paper examines how the social grievance of environmental injustice is constructed in relation to the social and natural world, and considers what these images tell us about the identities, relationships and modes of authority that constitute the contemporary environmental justice movement.
Effect of Supplementing Diets with Fat on Infrared Analysis of Milk Fat

Abstract Individual a.m. and p.m. milk samples (n = 1340) were collected in two feeding trials to investigate the effects of amount and source of dietary fat on the determination of milk fat by different analytical methods. Percentage of milk fat was determined by the modified Babcock procedure and infrared instrumentation using either the A filter (5.73 um) or a combination of the A and B (3.48 um) filters. In Trial 1, 24 cows were fed either 0 or .45 kg/d of calcium soap. Mean percentages of milk fat measured by the Babcock, A, and AB methods were, respectively: control, 3.88, 3.88, 3.88; calcium soap, 3.92, 3.93, 3.93. Differences among methods were not significant for either the control or fat-supplemented treatments. In Trial 2, 20 cows were fed 0 or .63 kg/d of either tallow or yellow grease. Milk fat percentages were, respectively: control, 3.43, 3.44, 3.43; tallow, 3.59, 3.61, 3.56; yellow grease, 3.36, 3.36, 3.33. Percentage of milk fat was not affected by analytical method for the three diets. Using data from Trial 1, week of lactation had a greater effect on mean molecular weight of fatty acids in milk than did the feeding of fat. Additional research is warranted to analyze fat in milk from cows under more widely differing dietary conditions.
Internal deformation of the southern Gorda plate: Fragmentation of a weak plate near the Mendocino triple junction

North-south compression across the Gorda-Pacific plate boundary caused by the northward-migrating Mendocino triple junction appears to reactivate Gorda plate normal faults, originally formed at the spreading ridge, as left-lateral strike-slip faults. Both seismically imaged faults and magnetic anomalies fan eastward from ;N208E near the Gorda ridge to ;N758E near the triple junction. Near the triple junction, the Gorda plate is faulted pervasively and appears to be extending east-southeast as it subducts beneath North America. Continuation of northeast-southwest‐oriented deformation in the southern Gorda plate beneath the continental margin contrasts with the northwest-southeast‐trending structures in the overlying accretionary prism, suggesting partial Gorda‐North American plate decoupling. Southeast of the triple junction, a slabless window is generated by removal of the subducting Gorda plate. Southwest of the triple junction, the Pacific plate acts as a rigid barrier forcing southern Gorda crust to rotate clockwise, fragment, and flow into the slabless window. Net clockwise rotation of the southern Gorda crust forms a boundary with the nonrotating northern Gorda plate, which is observed as a bend in the magnetic anomalies. This boundary, which is compressional on the western end and extensional to the east, may separate the stress regime of the southern Gorda plate from the remainder of the Cascadia subduction zone.
Mitigation of Medication Mishaps via Medication Therapy Management

Background:In 2006. the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services incorporated the requirement for a Medication Therapy Management Program (MTMP) for individuals with Part D coverage to ensure that drug regimens provide optimal therapeutic outcomes through improved medication use, thereby reducing adverse drug events.Objective:To evaluate the effectiveness of an MTMP implemented for Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug members enrolled with Health Alliance Plan (HAP) during 2006 and 2007.Methods:Patient eligibility for MTMP was searched electronically. Clinical pharmacists researched medication histories and adherence and, through telephone contact, ascertained the patients' healthcare goals and needs. A patient-centered pharmacotherapy plan was created and implemented collaboratively with the patient's physician(s). To ensure that therapy goals were met, pharmacists performed follow-up interventions. Clinical outcomes and cost savings were compared for MTMP enrollees versus those declining enrollment.Resul...
Vibrational Communication (Drumming) and Mate-Searching Behavior of Stoneflies (Plecoptera); Evolutionary Considerations

A long recognized but little explored mode of intersexual communication in insects is use of low-frequency substrate-borne vibrational signals. Representatives of 10 insect orders are known to have adopted this mode; range of communication, informational content and receiver integration of signals and energy costs are discussed. Arctoperlarian stoneflies represent the epitome of evolution of vibrational communication. Their ancestral signals were monophasic volleys of evenly spaced drumbeats. Derived signals to achieve species-specificity and possibly to enable sexual.selection or some measure of reproductive fitness has involved modification of the ancestral form toward complex signals through: (1) changes in the rhythmic patterning of calls, (2) patterns of ♂-♀ duetting, and/or changes in the method of signal production such as rubbing or tremulation. Proposed paradigms for the evolution of vibrational communication and evolution of signal patterns are presented, with examples of the signals of several arctoperlarian species. The entire mating system of Arctoperlaria is discussed, and searching behavior in relation to vibrational communication is presented for Pteronarcella badia, Claassenia sabulosa, Perlinella drymo and Suwallia sp.
Plagiarism Software's Useful to Researchers : Analysis of few Softwares

Copy right issues are to be considered by the researcher while writing and presenting the data. IPR issues are taking care of intellectual property. In past, to avoid violation of copyright it is necessary to cite the work of authors but copyright laws has not indicated the level of copying the text from the original documents and hence restrictions were less in adding the text. But now there are software's available to indicate how much percentage of data is copied from the other text even though cited the original author. In the era of electronic publishing there is no control on copying and hence Turrnitin and iThenticate software's are used to validate the contents covered in communication by the communicator. In academic , education and research areas software's are used to validate the contents of research work. There are now many commercial as well as open source software's available to check the contents. It is now necessary on the part of communicator to check the plagiarism in their article and submit for the presentation. This article focuses on different plagiarism software's which guide researcher and help students, teachers, universities and organizations for validating text. Article elaborate in detail the features and limitations of the plagiarism software both commercial and OSS such as Turnitin, IThenticate, Urkund, Anti-Plagiarism, Dupli Checker, Paper Rater, Viper, Plagium, Plagtracker, Plagscan. This article may be helpful to researchers to check their papers, thesis, journal articles etc. before publishing using plagiarism checking tools. Some of these software tools also help in checking grammar, grading the contents which would develop art of writing original contents among the students.
Role of cardiac eNOS expression during pregnancy in the coupling of myocardial oxygen consumption to cardiac work

We assessed whether pregnancy results in enhanced nitric oxide (NO)-mediated control of myocardial oxygen consumption. Rats were studied before (C), at 1 wk (1w) or 2 wk (2w) of pregnancy, and at 4...
S14.6 Prevalence and predictors of trichomonas infection in incarcerated women

Background Trichomonas vaginalis is the most prevalent curable sexually transmitted infection in the United States and may lead to preterm delivery, infertility and increased HIV transmission. Illicit drug use, HIV infection and Black race have been associated with high rates of infection. Incarcerated women may be at especially high risk for infection, though few studies have examined routine screening for trichomonas in this population. Methods Women >18-years-old entering the Rhode Island Department of Corrections between September 2009 and December 2010 were recruited to participate. All women submitted a self-collected vaginal swab for trichomonas culture and Transcription Mediated Amplification testing. Each participant completed a survey addressing demographics, symptoms, sexual behaviour, and substance use by audio computer-assisted self-interview. Data analysis was completed using multivariate logistic regression in STATA. Results 288 women enrolled in the study, mean age was 28 years. 59% of participants were White, 17% Hispanic, 12% Black and 12% other races. Forty-three per cent reported vaginal symptoms and 54% reported illicit drug use in the 30 days prior to incarceration. Among all participants, the prevalence of trichomonas was 8.7% by culture and 12.5% by NAAT. The strongest predictors of infection included Black race (OR 4.1, 95% CI 1.4 to 12.0), cocaine use in the 30 days prior to incarceration (OR 2.5, 95% CI 1.1 to 5.7), and >3 year since last pap smear (OR 5.2, 95% CI 1.5 to 17.8). Vaginal symptoms and age were not significantly associated with trichomonas detection. Conclusions Trichomonas infection is common in incarcerated women, especially among Blacks, recent cocaine users and those not receiving routine gynaecologic care. Infection was not predicted by symptoms or by age. Routine screening for trichomonas infection in high-risk populations may lead to increased detection and treatment.
Gastric adenocarcinoma: clinicopathologic differences among Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites. A single Institution's experience over 14 years.

Background Gastric cancer is a leading cause of cancer death worldwide and has significant ethnic and socioeconomic differences in distribution. The aim of this study was to compare clinicopathologic characteristics and survival between Hispanics (H) and non-Hispanic whites (NHW) with gastric cancer. Methods We reviewed the records of all patients diagnosed with gastric cancer between 1999 and 2013 at our institution. A total of 638 patients were studied. Demographics, tumor characteristics and survival rate were analyzed. Kaplan-Meier was used for survival analysis. Results There were 101 H and 537 NHW. The median age at diagnosis was 63 years in H and 69 years in NHW. At diagnosis, 48 (48%) of H patients had stage IV disease compared with 195 (36%) of NHW (P<0.03). H were more likely to have distal cancers and poorly diff erentiated tumors compared to NHW (44% vs. 15%, P<0.0001; 70% vs. 50%, P<0.0002, respectively). There was a significant difference in median overall survival between the two groups, being 51 months for H (95% CI: 34.6-66.9) and 99 months for NHW (95% CI: 77.3-120.7) P<0.0001. In multivariate analysis, age (OR: 1.02, 95% CI: 1.02-1.03, P<0.0001), poor differentiation (OR: 1.21, 95% CI: 1.02-1.43, P<0.02), ethnicity (OR: 1.69, 95% CI: 1.07-2.55, P<0.02), and stage (OR: 1.95, 95% CI: 1.77-2.15, P<0.0001) were independent predictors of survival. Conclusions H patients were diagnosed with gastric cancer at a younger age, to present with advanced disease at diagnosis, and had shorter overall survival compared to NHW. Keywords Gastric cancer, Hispanic, cancer, ethnicity, survival, risks factors, health disparities, early gastric cancer Ann Gastroenterol 2016; 29 (3): 325-331
Box-Counting Dimension Revisited: Presenting an Efficient Method of Minimizing Quantization Error and an Assessment of the Self-Similarity of Structural Root Systems.

Fractal dimension (FD), estimated by box-counting, is a metric used to characterise plant anatomical complexity or space-filling characteristic for a variety of purposes. The vast majority of published studies fail to evaluate the assumption of statistical self-similarity, which underpins the validity of the procedure. The box-counting procedure is also subject to error arising from arbitrary grid placement, known as quantisation error (QE), which is strictly positive and varies as a function of scale, making it problematic for the procedure's slope estimation step. Previous studies either ignore QE or employ inefficient brute-force grid translations to reduce it. The goals of this study were to characterise the effect of QE due to translation and rotation on FD estimates, to provide an efficient method of reducing QE, and to evaluate the assumption of statistical self-similarity of coarse root datasets typical of those used in recent trait studies. Coarse root systems of 36 shrubs were digitised in 3D and subjected to box-counts. A pattern search algorithm was used to minimise QE by optimising grid placement and its efficiency was compared to the brute force method. The degree of statistical self-similarity was evaluated using linear regression residuals and local slope estimates. QE due to both grid position and orientation was a significant source of error in FD estimates, but pattern search provided an efficient means of minimising it. Pattern search had higher initial computational cost but converged on lower error values more efficiently than the commonly employed brute force method. Our representations of coarse root system digitisations did not exhibit details over a sufficient range of scales to be considered statistically self-similar and informatively approximated as fractals, suggesting a lack of sufficient ramification of the coarse root systems for reiteration to be thought of as a dominant force in their development. FD estimates did not characterise the scaling of our digitisations well: the scaling exponent was a function of scale. Our findings serve as a caution against applying FD under the assumption of statistical self-similarity without rigorously evaluating it first.
Histamine Release from Rat Mast Cells by Dextran: Effects of Adrenergic Agents, Theophylline and Other Drugs

SummaryDextran released histamine in a selective manner from suspensions of normal rat peritoneal mast cells. Some characteristics of the release reaction are described. The quantity of histamine released by dextran was reduced about 50% by the presence of isoproterenol (10-8M), epinephrine (10-7M) or norepinephrine (10-6M). Propranolol but not phenoxybenzamine abolished the isoproterenol effect. Prostaglandin E1 (10-5M) also partially inhibited histamine release by dextran. Theophylline and dibutyryl cyclic AMP also produced a dose-related inhibition of the release, which reached 50% effectiveness at about 2 × 10-4M concentration. Effects of several miscellaneous drugs are also described. The results obtained with the principal drugs indicated that the release reaction might be modulated by cyclic AMP.I am grateful to Mr. Ronald Adamik for his excellent technical assistance.
The rostral pars distalis of the pituitary gland of the freshwater and marine alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus). A light and electron microscope study.

In the alewife the orohypophyseal duct, a remnant of Rathke's pouch, persists in adults as a tube passing from the rostral pars distalis to the pharyngeal region. Its lumen is not open to the buccal cavity. The prolactin cells are situated around the bifurcations of this duct in the rostral pars distalis. Contents from prolactin cells, such as granules, nuclei, mitochondria and Golgi structures were found in these bifurcations. These contents were indistinguishable from those of intact prolactin cells. Evidence of actual release into the duct was often noted. At the presumptive point of release, the cells lining the lumen separate and the contents, probably of an entire prolactin cell, are extruded. The cilia usually found at the point of extrusion arise from prolactin cells. The prolactin cells of freshwater fish were more heavily granulated than those from a marine environment. Prolactin cells of fish entering freshwater streams were not heavily granulated but showed evidence of increased activity. Granule size was not affected by salinity. The ACTH cells are arranged in bands along branches of the neurohypophysis in the rostral pars distalis. No differences in ACTH cells from fish of different salinities were noted.
Endotracheal Intubation Training and Skill Maintenance for Respiratory Therapists

BACKGROUND: Endotracheal intubation is commonly performed outside the operating room (OR). Although respiratory therapists (RTs) performing endotracheal intubation is a well-established practice, the optimum way for RTs to be trained and maintain their skills is unspecified. The purpose of this study was to describe training methods and skills maintenance methods and to identify barriers that prevent RTs from intubating in some institutions. METHODS: A survey instrument was developed by the author. The survey was posted on the AARConnect online social media platform management section in March of 2015 after approval from our institutional review board and approval from the American Association for Respiratory Care board of directors. Respondents from institutions where RTs intubate received questions about RT training and skill maintenance, whereas the other respondents received questions about barriers to RTs performing endotracheal intubation. Both groups answered questions about attitudes about endotracheal intubation practice. RESULTS: There were 74 respondents who completed the survey. Half (50%) of the respondents were from institutions where RTs performed endotracheal intubation. These institutions were larger in bed capacity and had more adult ICU beds. Other demographic data were similar. The most common training methods identified were simulation training (86%), supervised intubations (84%), and classroom training (65%). Classroom training lasted a mean of 4.3 h with a range of 1–16 h. The majority (91%) were required to complete 10 or fewer supervised endotracheal intubations before competency validation. Skill recertification was automatic if a minimum number of endotracheal intubations were performed annually in 78% of centers, and 11% required a written test or classroom training annually. The primary barrier cited for RTs not intubating was lack of need. CONCLUSIONS: Endotracheal intubation training for RTs varied among those surveyed. Simulation training and supervised endotracheal intubations were the most common training methods. Endotracheal intubation recertification methods were also wide-ranging, with most RTs being recertified if completing a minimum number of endotracheal intubations.
Visible to infrared plasmonic absorption from silver nanostructures enabled by microreactor-assisted solution deposition

The ability to control the morphology of silver films is critical since optical properties of silver films largely depend on their morphology. Due to their ability to precisely tailor the growth mechanism, vacuum-based processes have been widely used to control the morphology of silver films. In this study, we report the use of a continuous flow microreactor deposition process for the formation of silver films. Colloidal silver nanocrystals along with smaller reactive silver species are generated in the microreactor. These in situ silver reactants were delivered directly onto the glass substrate to form silver nanostructures at room temperature. The morphology of the silver nanostructure is transitioned from isolated irregular silver nanocrystals to a continuous silver nanocrystalline film as the deposition period increases. The UV-vis-NIR spectra of the resulting silver nanostructures vary correspondingly with their morphology. In particular, a broadband absorption from visible to near infrared is shown for the spectrum of the silver nanostructure close to the percolation threshold. Highly conductive silver films are also obtained as surface coverage was far beyond the percolation threshold. The utility of silver nanostructures with different morphologies is also demonstrated via surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) of Rhodamine B. This study demonstrates the capability of the continuous flow microreactor-assisted solution deposition process to fabricate silver nanostructures that can be useful in various applications.
Intravenous Chlorothiazide Versus Enteral Metolazone to Augment Loop Diuretic Therapy in the Intensive Care Unit.

Background: In cases of loop diuretic resistance in the intensive care unit (ICU), recommendations for a specific second-line thiazide agent are lacking. Objective: To compare the effects of intravenous chlorothiazide (CTZ) and enteral metolazone (MET) on urine output (UOP) when added to furosemide monotherapy therapy in critically ill adults. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study conducted in the medical, surgical, and cardiothoracic ICUs of a quaternary medical center. The primary outcome was change in UOP induced by the study interventions compared with furosemide alone. Secondary outcomes included onset of diuresis, eventual need for hemodialysis, and incidence of adverse events. Results: A total of 122 patients (58 in CTZ, 64 in MET) were included. When added to furosemide monotherapy, CTZ induced a greater change in UOP at 24 hours compared with MET (2405 vs 1646 mL, respectively; P = 0.01). CTZ also caused a more rapid dieresis: 1463 mL total UOP in the first 6 hours compared with 796 mL i...
An image processing framework for automated analysis of swimming behavior in tadpoles with vestibular alterations

Micogravity, as experienced during prolonged space flight, presents a problem for space exploration. Animal models, specifically tadpoles, with altered connections of the vestibular ear allow the examination of the effects of microgravity and can be quantitatively monitored through tadpole swimming behavior. We describe an image analysis framework for performing automated quantification of tadpole swimming behavior. Speckle reducing anisotropic diffusion is used to smooth tadpole image signals by diffusing noise while retaining edges. A narrow band level set approach is used for sharp tracking of the tadpole body. The use of level set method for interface tracking provides an inherent advantage of using level set based image segmentation algorithm (active contouring). Active contour segmentation is followed by two-dimensional skeletonization, which allows the automated quantification of tadpole deflection angles, and subsequently tadpole escape (or C-start) response times. Evaluation of the image analysis methodology was performed by comparing the automated quantifications of deflection angles to manual assessments (obtained using a standard grading scheme), and produced a high correlation (r2 = 0.99) indicating high reliability and accuracy of the proposed method. The methods presented form an important element of objective quantification of the escape response of the tadpole vestibular system to mechanical and biochemical manipulations, and can ultimately contribute to a better understanding of the effects of altered gravity perception on humans.
The Impact of Police on Criminal Justice Reform

Research Summary Despite significant national reductions in crime during the past three decades, a comparable reduction in adult arrest rates has not occurred. In addition, scant attention has been paid to the role of the police in pretrial justice and other criminal justice reform efforts, despite their role as gatekeepers to the criminal justice system. A key inquiry that must be addressed by both academics and practitioners is whether it is possible to reduce crime and the number of arrests simultaneously. Cincinnati (Hamilton County), Ohio, provided a unique opportunity to examine this unanswered question when it closed the Queensgate Correctional Facility in 2008, thereby reducing the available jail space in the county by 36%. By relying on an interrupted time-series analysis, our findings show that contrary to public concern, both crime and arrests were reduced in Cincinnati even after the jail closure. Specifically, the Cincinnati Police Department reported a statistically significant decrease in felony arrests, and a nonsignificant decline in misdemeanor arrests, while maintaining a continued (nonsignificant) decline in violence and property crimes. Importantly, our findings demonstrate that the previous existent downward trend in Cincinnati reported crimes was not interrupted with the loss of more than one third of the available jail space in Hamilton County. Policy Implications Policy makers and practitioners are concerned with balancing the individual rights of the accused with public safety; reducing incarceration; and promoting a more efficient, effective, and fair criminal justice system. The Cincinnati Police Department addressed these fundamental concerns by changing how officers viewed the use of arrest: as a limited commodity rather than as a standard response. By using strategies such as problem-oriented policing, place-based policing, and focused deterrence, Cincinnati Police were able to narrow their focus on the repeat places, problems, and groups of individuals that were driving crime within the city. The evidence suggests that the police can have a significant impact on pretrial justice and other criminal justice reform efforts through the implementation of evidence-based policing strategies that seek to reduce crime and reduce the use of arrest simultaneously.
Hydrogen–Deuterium Exchange Mass Spectrometry Reveals Calcium Binding Properties and Allosteric Regulation of Downstream Regulatory Element Antagonist Modulator (DREAM)

Downstream regulatory element antagonist modulator (DREAM) is an EF-hand Ca2+-binding protein that also binds to a specific DNA sequence, downstream regulatory elements (DRE), and thereby regulates transcription in a calcium-dependent fashion. DREAM binds to DRE in the absence of Ca2+ but detaches from DRE under Ca2+ stimulation, allowing gene expression. The Ca2+ binding properties of DREAM and the consequences of the binding on protein structure are key to understanding the function of DREAM. Here we describe the application of hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) and site-directed mutagenesis to investigate the Ca2+ binding properties and the subsequent conformational changes of full-length DREAM. We demonstrate that all EF-hands undergo large conformation changes upon calcium binding even though the EF-1 hand is not capable of binding to Ca2+. Moreover, EF-2 is a lower-affinity site compared to EF-3 and -4 hands. Comparison of HDX profiles between wild-type DREAM and two EF-1 mutated constructs illustrates that the conformational changes in the EF-1 hand are induced by long-range structural interactions. HDX analyses also reveal a conformational change in an N-terminal leucine-charged residue-rich domain (LCD) remote from Ca2+-binding EF-hands. This LCD domain is responsible for the direct interaction between DREAM and cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) and regulates the recruitment of the co-activator, CREB-binding protein. These long-range interactions strongly suggest how conformational changes transmit the Ca2+ signal to CREB-mediated gene transcription.
Use of phosphodiesterase inhibitors and prevalence of self-reported glaucoma in the United States.

Objective While decreased ocular blood flow is thought to be a possible contributor to glaucoma pathogenesis, it is unclear what role systemic phosphodiesterase inhibitors (PDEi) play. We performed a cross-sectional study of a nationally representative sample of the U.S. population to investigate the relationship between the most commonly used PDEi, sildenafil and theophylline, and self-reported glaucoma. Methods We used the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005–2008 cycles for this observational study. 7,042 participants, aged 40 years and over, responded to a survey item on glaucoma status and were included in the analysis. Multivariable logistic regression models were constructed to evaluate the association between at least 1 year of self-reported PDEi use and prevalent glaucoma. Regressions were adjusted for potential confounding variables, including demographics, socioeconomic status, and general health conditions, and accounted for the complex design of the survey. Sample weights were constructed and used to ensure the generalizability of results. Results 482 respondents self-reported a diagnosis of glaucoma, of which 11 used sildenafil and 20 used theophylline for at least 1 year. Covariates significantly associated with higher odds of glaucoma prevalence in univariable analyses included older age, black race, former smoking status, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, myocardial infarction, and stroke. Conversely, higher education and income were significantly associated with lower odds of glaucoma prevalence. In regression analyses adjusted for demographic and socioeconomic variables, sildenafil (OR = 4.90, CI: 1.24–19.27, p = 0.025) and theophylline (OR = 3.15, CI: 1.46–6.80, p = 0.005) were significantly associated with higher odds of self-reported glaucoma. These associations held after further adjustment with general health behaviors and conditions for both sildenafil and theophylline. Conclusions Use of sildenafil and theophylline for one or more years was associated with greater prevalence of self-reported glaucoma, a finding which requires further prospective study to assess causality and possible mechanisms of action.
Essential or extravagant: Considering FOIA budgets, costs and fees

Abstract This study seeks to square the competing arguments of the Freedom of Information Act's necessity versus its financial burden by analyzing more than 500 FOIA annual reports, representing 93% of all cabinet- level data from 1975 until 2015. FOIA expenses account for less than 1% of agency budgets, and while costs per request have increased over time, the small proportion of FOIA expense versus general budgets has remained stagnant.
Threat in the Company of Men

Everyday, we visually perceive people not only in isolation but also in groups. Yet, visual person perception research typically focuses on inferences made about isolated individuals. By integrating social vision and visual ensemble coding, we present novel evidence that (a) perceivers rapidly (500 ms) extract a group’s ratio of men to women and (b) both explicit judgments of threat and indirect evaluative priming of threat increase as the ratio of men to women in a group increases. Furthermore, participants’ estimates of the number of men, and not perceived men’s coalition, mediate the relationship between the ratio of men to women and threat judgments. These findings demonstrate the remarkable efficiency of perceiving a group’s sex ratio and downstream evaluative inferences made from these percepts. Overall, this work advances person perception research into the novel domain of people perception, revealing how the visually perceived sex ratio of groups impacts social judgments.
Robustness of anthropogenically forced decadal precipitation changes projected for the 21st century.

Precipitation is characterized by substantial natural variability, including on regional and decadal scales. This relatively large variability poses a grand challenge in assessing the significance of anthropogenically forced precipitation changes. Here we use multiple large ensembles of climate change experiments to evaluate whether, on regional scales, anthropogenic changes in decadal precipitation mean state are distinguishable. Here, distinguishable means the anthropogenic change is outside the range expected from natural variability. Relative to the 1950–1999 period, simulated anthropogenic shifts in precipitation mean state for the 2000–2009 period are already distinguishable over 36–41% of the globe—primarily in high latitudes, eastern subtropical oceans, and the tropics. Anthropogenic forcing in future medium-to-high emission scenarios is projected to cause distinguishable shifts over 68–75% of the globe by 2050 and 86–88% by 2100. Our findings imply anthropogenic shifts in decadal-mean precipitation will exceed the bounds of natural variability over most of the planet within several decades. Decadal precipitation changes are dominated by random natural variability, posing a challenge for projecting anthropogenic impacts. Here the authors use large suites of model simulations to show that human-induced future decadal shifts in regional precipitation can be distinguished from natural variability.
Democratization or censorship?: Argentina’s newspaper coverage of the media reform

Using second-level agenda setting, this paper examines the coverage of Argentina’s 2009 media reform. To investigate the attributes the media used, data were collected from three national newspapers’ online publications ( Clarin, La Nacion , and Pagina/12 ). Results from the analysis suggest that the newspapers used different attributes and tone based on their political leanings. Content analysis before and after selected court’s rulings on the new media law demonstrate that La Nacion and Clarin tended to converge in the way they used attributes and tone. When the rulings went against the interests of Clarin and La Nacion , both newspapers reacted negatively, in tone and attribute, relative to Pagina/12 .
GNSS multipath detection in urban environment using 3D building model

The paper describes a multipath detection algorithm to predict and exclude multipath signals using a ray-tracing algorithm on a three-dimensional building model. In addition, a sensitivity analysis was performed to estimate the confidence level of the model's multipath prediction. A field test was performed and experimental results showed that the detection accuracy using a building model is sensitive to both the modeling uncertainty and the accuracy of the initial user position estimate. Position accuracy was improved after applying the proposed detection algorithm.
Field Ion Microscopy

Perhaps the most fascinating of all the techniques available for the study of surfaces is the field ion microscope inasmuch as it is the only technique capable of giving an image of the atoms themselves. It was developed from the earlier field emission microscope and has recently been given another dimension by the addition of a time-of-flight mass spectrometer. This latter combination has been described as the atom probe and it is well-named since it can locate and identify individual atoms in the sample surface.
Incentive Compatible Moving Target Defense against VM-Colocation Attacks in Clouds

Cloud computing has changed how services are provided and supported through the computing infrastructure. However, recent work [11] reveals that virtual machine (VM) colocation based side-channel attack can leak users privacy. Techniques have been developed against side-channel attacks. Some of them like NoHype remove the hypervisor layer, which suggests radically changes of the current cloud architecture. While some other techniques may require new processor design that is not immediately available to the cloud providers.
Vitrectomy Techniques for the Anterior Segment Surgeon

Since the introduction and development of the operating microscope by Harms in 1953 (1) and Barraquer in 1956 (2) an array of surgical tools, equipment, and technology has been added to the ophthalmic armamentarium. Examples include the microinstrumentation developed for cataract surgery (particularly for extracapsular extraction and intraocular lens techniques) and, importantly, microinstrumentation for surgical manipulation and management of the vitreous.