cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Screening for Early Pancreatic Neoplasia in High-Risk Individuals: A Prospective Controlled Study

Background & Aims: Individuals with a strong family history of pancreatic cancer and persons with Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS) have an increased risk for pancreatic cancer. This study screened for early pancreatic neoplasia and compared the pancreatic abnormalities in high-risk individuals and control subjects. Methods: High-risk individuals with PJS or a strong family history of pancreatic cancer were prospectively evaluated with baseline and 12-month computed tomography (CT) scan and endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS). If EUS was abnormal, EUS–fine-needle aspiration and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) were performed. Surgery was offered to patients with potentially neoplastic lesions. Radiologic findings and pathologic diagnoses were compared. Patients undergoing EUS and/or ERCP for benign non-pancreatic indications were concurrently enrolled as control subjects. Results: Seventy-eight high-risk patients (72 from familial pancreatic cancer kindreds, 6 PJS) and 149 control patients were studied. To date, 8 patients with pancreatic neoplasia have been confirmed by surgery or fine-needle aspiration (10% yield of screening); 6 patients had 8 benign intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs), 1 had an IPMN that progressed to invasive ductal adenocarcinoma, and 1 had pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia. EUS and CT also diagnosed 3 patients with 5 extrapancreatic neoplasms. At EUS and ERCP abnormalities suggestive of chronic pancreatitis were more common in high-risk patients than in control subjects. Conclusions: Screening EUS and CT diagnosed significant asymptomatic pancreatic and extrapancreatic neoplasms in high-risk individuals. IPMN should be considered a part of the phenotype of familial pancreatic cancer. Abnormalities suggestive of chronic pancreatitis are identified more commonly at EUS and ERCP in high-risk individuals.
Energy Flow in Push–Pull Chromophores: Vibrational Dynamics in para‐Nitroaniline

para-Nitroaniline (PNA) plays an essential role as the prototype model of push-pull chromophores. The nature and degree of participation of vibrational degrees of freedom in the charge-transfer and internal-conversion processes are current issues of great theoretical and practical importance. Ultrafast time-resolved anti-Stokes resonance Raman spectroscopy (TRARRS) experiments on PNA in dimethyl sulfoxide with three different excitation wavelengths were performed to probe these dynamical influences. The vibrational dynamics associated with S0 were independent of incident wavelength, and this supports the picture that the S1 dynamics are fast relative to the rate of intersystem crossing. The phenyl breathing mode nu(19) (860 cm(-1)) and the symmetric NO2 stretch nu(29) (1310 cm(-1)) exhibited vibrational lifetimes in S0 of 8.1 and 5.2 ps, respectively. No evidence for inhomogeneous broadening of the charge-transfer band in the UV/Vis absorption spectrum was found.
Arsenic-resistant bacteria solubilized arsenic in the growth media and increased growth of arsenic hyperaccumulator Pteris vittata L.

Abstract The role of arsenic-resistant bacteria (ARB) in arsenic solubilization from growth media and growth enhancement of arsenic-hyperaccumulator Pteris vittata L. was examined. Seven ARB (tolerant to 10 mM arsenate) were isolated from the P. vittata rhizosphere and identified by 16S rRNA sequencing as Pseudomonas sp., Comamonas sp. and Stenotrophomonas sp. During 7-d hydroponic experiments, these bacteria effectively solubilized arsenic from the growth media spiked with insoluble FeAsO 4 and AlAsO 4 minerals (from −1 to 5.04–7.37 mg L −1 As) and enhanced plant arsenic uptake (from 18.1–21.9 to 35.3–236 mg kg −1 As in the fronds). Production of (1) pyochelin-type siderophores by ARB (fluorescent under ultraviolet illumination and characterized with thin layer chromatography) and (2) root exudate (dissolved organic C) by P. vittata may be responsible for As solubilization. Increase in P. vittata root biomass from 1.5–2.2 to 3.4–4.2 g/plant dw by ARB and by arsenic was associated with arsenic-induced plant P uptake. Arsenic resistant bacteria may have potential to enhance phytoremediation of arsenic-contaminated soils by P. vittata .
Monitoring the moon's transient atmosphere with an all-sky imager

Abstract An indispensable tool in terrestrial aeronomy, all-sky imaging has recently been shown to be useful in studies of the Moon's exosphere. Two days after the peak of the 1998 Leonid meteor shower, an extended region of neutral sodium emission was detected in the night sky using a bare-CCD imaging system. The feature was found to be a train of sodium gas originating from the Moon. Subsequent observations indicate the feature is normally visible (max. brightness ∼15–90 Rayleighs (R)) during nights near the time of new Moon. Monthly monitoring of the feature using an all-sky system can provide useful information about the time-variability of the lunar atmosphere. Several processes are believed to be responsible for the production of lunar Na and evidence is presented indicating that two of these processes were each responsible for the observed brightness enhancements of the sodium feature on two separate new Moon periods in January and March 2000.
Resumption of valued activities in the first year post liver transplant.

ABSTRACTCurrent practice in education of transplant recipients includes general guidelines about return to involvement in life activities emphasizing medical precautions during wound healing and avoidance of activities that present risk of infection or rejection. This approach assumes patients gradually resume pre-transplant involvement in life activities: an assumption that has not been tested. Using the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure, this cross-sectional descriptive pilot study (n = 20) explored differences in the performance of activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living, leisure, and productivity at three time periods within the first year. Results showed basic daily tasks are stable by the third month but some instrumental tasks declined by the end of the first year post transplant. Results indicated that there were significant differences in the Short Form-36 mental component score of the group performing “worse than expected" suggesting that preparation of recipi...
Strategic planning in a turbulent environment: evidence from the oil majors

The long-running debate between the ‘rational design’ and ‘emergent process’ schools of strategy formation has involved caricatures of firms' strategic planning processes, but little empirical evidence of whether and how companies plan. Despite the presumption that environmental turbulence renders conventional strategic planning all but impossible, the evidence from the corporate sector suggests that reports of the demise of strategic planning are greatly exaggerated. The goal of this paper is to fill this empirical gap by describing the characteristics of the strategic planning systems of multinational, multibusiness companies faced with volatile, unpredictable business environments. In-depth case studies of the planning systems of eight of the world's largest oil companies identified fundamental changes in the nature and role of strategic planning since the end of the 1970s. The findings point to a possible reconciliation of ‘design’ and ‘process’ approaches to strategy formulation. The study pointed to a process of planned emergence in which strategic planning systems provided a mechanism for coordinating decentralized strategy formulation within a structure of demanding performance targets and clear corporate guidelines. The study shows that these planning systems fostered adaptation and responsiveness, but showed limited innovation and analytical sophistication. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Processes that Regulate Patterns of Species and Genetic Diversity

During a single lab period, students simulate colonization and drift in artificial communities to understand how these processes affect distributions of biodiversity in small versus large communities with varying degrees of isolation. Plastic bins represent islands, and are situated to represent different degrees of isolation. Ziploc bags of candy represent individuals in the communities and different candies inside the bags represent the genetic composition of the individuals. Students simulate colonization and drift in communities by tossing, replicating, and removing individuals from their communities. Students record which individuals and candies are removed from and added to their communities over time, graph their data, and discuss results.
Dispersion-based stimulated Raman scattering spectroscopy, holography, and optical coherence tomography

Stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) enables fast, high resolution imaging of chemical constituents important to biological structures and functional processes, both in a label-free manner and using exogenous biomarkers. While this technology has shown remarkable potential, it is currently limited to point scanning and can only probe a few Raman bands at a time (most often, only one). In this work we take a fundamentally different approach to detecting the small nonlinear signals based on dispersion effects that accompany the loss/gain processes in SRS. In this proof of concept, we demonstrate that the dispersive measurements are more robust to noise compared to amplitude-based measurements, which then permit spectral or spatial multiplexing (potentially both, simultaneously). Finally, we illustrate how this method may enable different strategies for biochemical imaging using phase microscopy and optical coherence tomography.
One Shot Detection with Laplacian Object and Fast Matrix Cosine Similarity

One shot, generic object detection involves searching for a single query object in a larger target image. Relevant approaches have benefited from features that typically model the local similarity patterns. In this paper, we combine local similarity (encoded by local descriptors) with a global context (i.e., a graph structure) of pairwise affinities among the local descriptors, embedding the query descriptors into a low dimensional but discriminatory subspace. Unlike principal components that preserve global structure of feature space, we actually seek a linear approximation to the Laplacian eigenmap that permits us a locality preserving embedding of high dimensional region descriptors. Our second contribution is an accelerated but exact computation of matrix cosine similarity as the decision rule for detection, obviating the computationally expensive sliding window search. We leverage the power of Fourier transform combined with integral image to achieve superior runtime efficiency that allows us to test multiple hypotheses (for pose estimation) within a reasonably short time. Our approach to one shot detection is training-free, and experiments on the standard data sets confirm the efficacy of our model. Besides, low computation cost of the proposed (codebook-free) object detector facilitates rather straightforward query detection in large data sets including movie videos.
Very late stent thrombosis with second generation drug eluting stents compared to bare metal stents: Network meta-analysis of randomized primary percutaneous coronary intervention trials.

Background The relative safety of drug-eluting stents (DES) and bare-metal stents (BMS) in primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) in ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) continues to be debated. The long-term clinical outcomes between second generation DES and BMS for primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) using network meta-analysis were compared. Methods Randomized controlled trials comparing stent types (first generation DES, second generation DES, or BMS) were considered for inclusion. A search strategy used Medline, Embase, Cochrane databases, and proceedings of international meetings. Information about study design, inclusion criteria, and sample characteristics were extracted. Network meta-analysis was used to pool direct (comparison of second generation DES to BMS) and indirect evidence (first generation DES with BMS and second generation DES) from the randomized trials. Results Twelve trials comparing all stents types including 9,673 patients randomly assigned to treatment groups were analyzed. Second generation DES was associated with significantly lower incidence of definite or probable ST (OR 0.59, 95% CI 0.39-0.89), MI (OR 0.59, 95% CI 0.39-0.89), and TVR at 3 years (OR 0.50: 95% CI 0.31-0.81) compared with BMS. In addition, there was a significantly lower incidence of MACE with second generation DES versus BMS (OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.34-0.74) at 3 years. These were driven by a higher rate of TVR, MI and stent thrombosis in the BMS group at 3 years. There was a non-significant reduction in the overall and cardiac mortality [OR 0.83, 95% CI (0.60-1.14), OR 0.88, 95% CI (0.6-1.28)] with the use of second generation DES versus BMS at 3 years. Conclusions Network meta-analysis of randomized trials of primary PCI demonstrated lower incidence of MACE, MI, TVR, and stent thrombosis with second generation DES compared with BMS. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Stimulation of phospholipases A2 by transglutaminases.

Among the enzymes catalyzing post-translational modifications of proteins, transglutaminases (TG; EC 2.3.2.13) have been extensively characterized from the enzymological point of view (1–4). Nevertheless, the physiological role(s) of these enzymes, particularly the intracellular TGs, are still poorly understood. TGs are a class of enzymes which catalyze a Ca++-dependent acyl-transfer reaction in which the γ-carboxamide group of a peptide-bound glutamine residue is the acyl-donor (1–4). Primary amino groups of many low-molecular weight amines may act as acyl-acceptors with the formation of mono-substituted γ-carboxamides of peptide-bound glutamic acid. In the absence of small molecular weight amines, TGs catalyze the formation of an e-(γ-glutamyl) - lysine isopeptide bond between endo-γ-glutaminyl and endo-e-lysyl residues in polypeptides (1–4). The latter reaction results in the formation of inter or intramolecular covalent crosslinks. These enzymes have been detected both intra and extracellularly in higher animals including man. The best characterized extracellular TG is variously known as fibrin-stabilizing factor, Laki-Lorand factor or coagulation Factor XIII.
Effect of dyes on the penetration of arsenic into the central nervous system and the spinal fluid.

The study of the relation between the antiseptic action and the chemical constitution of synthetic dyes dates back to the period of Paul Ehrlich1 who began with one group of dyes known as azo dyes, including trypan red, trypan blue and trypan violet. The other group of dyes consisted of basic tryphenyl-methane dyes, including parafuchsin, methyl violet, pyronin G and other similar substances, known as neurotrophic dyes because of their ability to stain nerve tissue.McIntosh and Fildes2 reported that arsenic could not be found in the brain tissue, due to a lack of affinity between the brain substances and the inability on the part of the drugs to penetrate into the brain. In vitro experiments show that this is purely a question of physical penetration. The same authors3 classified the dyes as, (1) those which stain the central nervous system, and (2) those which do not stain the central nervous system. They conclude that these variations were dependent upon the question of solubility. The subject further r...
Prophylactic uterine artery embolization in patients with abnormal placental attachment: initial experience

Purpose: Placenta accreta/increta/percreta (AIP) is defined as abnormal attachment of all or part of the placenta to the myometrium and carries a high risk of hemorrhage and maternal mortality. The standard of care for management of placenta AIP has been cesarean-hysterectomy. In this series, we report an approach to the management of patients with abnormal placental attachment, in which patients underwent uterine artery embolization immediatley following delivery via cesarean section. Materials and Methods: Patients with suspected placenta AIP on both ultrasound and MRI underwent uterine artery catheterization prior to cesarean section, followed by cesarean section delivery. Patients who did not desire future fertility underwent cesarean section, uterine artery embolization with gelfoam, followed by hysterectomy. These patients were assessed post procedure for transfusions required as well as surgical complications. Patients who desired future fertility had the placenta left in situ, and underwent uterine artery embolization with gelfoam. Patients were followed and assessed for complications from angiography, postoperative complications and delayed passage of the placenta. Results: Over one year, 8 patients who were referred for suspected placenta AIP underwent uterine artery embolization. Four did not desire future fertility, and undwerwent cesarean section with hysterectomy. The remaining four patients desired future fertility and had the placenta left in situ. No angiographic complications were noted. Of the placentas left in situ, 3 either passed spontaneously or resorbed. 1 developed vaginal bleeding 7 weeks postoperatively, and underwent hysterectomy. Of those with no plans for future fertility, all successfully underwent hysterectomy. The number of units of red blood cells received per patient was 2, 1, 0 and 0 respectively. The only complication was a cystotomy due to the attachment of the placenta to the posterior bladder wall. Conclusion: Prophylactic uterine artery embolization allows for decreased blood loss and morbidity in patients undergoing cesearean hysterectomy and, when combined with nonremoval of the placenta, can provide an alernative to hysterectomy in patients desiring future fertility.
Improved design of casting roll

Improved design is made to the surface material of casting core,casting core construction,and assembly of casting roll.The property of casting roll is improved and its lifetime is prolonged.
Effect of montelukast on treatment of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection and level of leukotrienes

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of montelukast on treatment of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection in children and the level of leukotrienes so as to improve the clinical cure rate.METHODS Totally 50children with M.pneumoniaeinfection,who were treated in the department of respiratory medicine from Mar 2012to Mar 2013, were enrolled in the study and randomly divided into the control group and the treatment group,with 25cases in each,then both groups were treated with conventional therapy,the treatment group was treated with additional montelukast for a three consecutive treatment courses based on the treatment of the control group,the clinical efficacy and the levels of blood and urine leukotrienes were observed and compared between the two groups,and the statistical analysis was performed with the use of SPSS13.0software.RESULTS The total effective rate of treatment was 88.00% in the treatment group,72.00% in the control group,the difference between the two groups was statistically significant(P0.05).The time of disappearance of the fever,cough,and wheezing and the time of X-ray examination retuning to normal were significantly shorter in the treatment group than in the control group,the difference was statistically significant(P0.05).After the three treatment courses,the level of blood leukotrienes was(156.23±1.58)pg/ml in the treatment group,(187.28±1.57)pg/ml in the control group;the level of urine leukotrienes was(150.38±2.45)pg/ml in the treatment group,(190.69±2.39)pg/ml in the control group,as compared with the levels of urine and blood leukotrienes before the treatment,the difference was statistically significant(P0.01);the levels of urine and blood leukotrienes of the treatment group were significantly lower than those of the control group,the difference was statistically significant(P0.05). CONCLUSION Montelukast has a good effect on the treatment of M.pneumoniae infection,which can rapidly relieve the clinical symptoms and improve the cure rate.
Nursing of wound around the skin inflammation caused by hydrogel dressing

Objective:To explore the nursing countermeasures of Hydrogel dressings in children with chronic wound care the skin inflammation around the wound,in order to improve the quality of wound care.Methods:In 23 cases of wound,wound healing process of skin inf lammation around children and nursing methods were retrospectively analyzed.Results:All children through actively suit the processing,wounds were well healing,no lead to wound infection increase or secondary inf ection.Conclusions:Hydrogel dressings in children with chronic wound care when can provide an ideal moisture environment for wound and accelerate wound healing,butin use process t o strictly grasp indi cations and methods.
RESERVOIR CORE POROSITY AND POROSITY DISTRIBUTION MEASUREMENT USING TECHNOLOGY OF -RAYS INDUSTRIAL COMPUTERIZED TOMOGRAPHY

This paper put forward a ICT (Industrial Computerized Tomography) measuring way of density difference which measures the porosity distribution of reservoir core for the further studying of porous structure and the porosity distribution using technology of ICT, and the measuring way have been applied to measure the porosity and porosity distribution of a core sample from certain oilfield. The result indicates that the CT density difference method is effective to measure the porosity distribution. The method is faster and more accurate than conventional methods, and it has also the merit, such as no damage to core sample and similar to formation condition. Therefore, it is an advanced method for measuring the rocks properties and following the tracks of formation fluid.
Receptor-independent induction of apoptosis by synthetic retinoids.

Abstract Retinoids modulate cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. Many of these effects are mediated by nuclear retinoid receptors. However, studies with certain synthetic retinoids, including some that can activate retinoid receptors, revealed that they affect cell growth and especially apoptosis by mechanisms that are independent of nuclear receptors. This chapter describes the pro-apoptotic effects of the synthetic retinoid CD437 [6-[3-(1-adamantyl)-4-hydroxyphenyl]-2-naphthalene carboxylic acid], and structurally-related retinoids and summarizes the mechanisms by which they induce apoptosis.
Introduction: BDSM + SF&F = Love

This book is about an alternative sexuality known as BDSM and an alternative narrative genre called science fiction and fantasy (SFF William Moulton Marston’s “Golden Age” Wonder Woman comics prove that much. However, this love remained largely secret and closeted during the culturally conservative 1940s and 1950s. The love between BDSM and SF&F began to blossom in the 1960s and 1970s, initially in the work of brave pioneers such as Samuel R. Delany and James Tiptree, Jr. By the mid-1980s, the broader American culture was beginning to embrace (or at least tolerate) BDSM, which meant that SF&F could celebrate its love for BDSM more openly. It has done so ever since. For the past 70 years, BDSM and SF&F have been expressing their love for one another. Since they “came out” in the mid-1980s, they have been doing so more openly and directly. By now, their love is mature and secure, as are the expressions of that love.
Bivariate Left Fractional Polynomial Monotone Approximation

Let \(f \in C^{r,p}\left (\left [0,1\right ]^{2}\right )\), \(r,p \in \mathbb{N}\), and let \(\overline{L}\) be a linear right fractional mixed partial differential operator such that \(\overline{L}\left (f\right ) \geq 0\), for all \(\left (x,y\right )\) in a critical region of \(\left [0,1\right ]^{2}\) that depends on \(\overline{L}\). Then there exists a sequence of two-dimensional polynomials \(Q_{\overline{m_{1}},\overline{m_{2}}}\left (x,y\right )\) with \(\overline{L}\left (Q_{\overline{m_{1}},\overline{m_{2}}}\left (x,y\right )\right ) \geq 0\) there, where \(\overline{m_{1}},\overline{m_{2}} \in \mathbb{N}\) such that \(\overline{m_{1}}> r\), \(\overline{m_{2}}> p\), so that f is approximated right fractionally simultaneously and uniformly by \(Q_{\overline{m_{1}},\overline{m_{2}}}\) on \(\left [0,1\right ]^{2}\). This restricted right fractional approximation is accomplished quantitatively by the use of a suitable integer partial derivatives two-dimensional first modulus of continuity.
First triumph: The Imagination

S artre is a philosopher of the imaginary. In an interview late in life, he admitted: “I believe the greatest difficulty [encountered in my research for my Flaubert study] was introducing the idea of the imaginary as the central determining factor in a person.” If one takes “imaginary” in the broad sense we have been using it, namely, as the locus of possibility, negativity and lack, articulated in creative freedom, this can be taken for an autobiographical remark as well. The tension between creative literature and philosophy, between image and concept, that he experienced as a lycee student was symptomatic of this basic feature of his thought. But that tension abated, though it did not disappear, when he turned his philosophical attention to the imagination and his literary undertakings to philosophical themes, as we noticed in Chapter 2. Recall Sartre’s remark that at this early stage he scarcely distinguished between psychology and philosophy. Though noted for his absence from classes at the Sorbonne, Sartre joined Nizan, Aron and Daniel Lagache to follow the lectures of psychologist Georges Dumas at the psychiatric hospital of Sainte-Anne. In fact, his graduation thesis for the DES was written under the direction of a distinguished professor of psychology, Henri Delacroix. His director later invited Sartre to submit a version of the text for the series he was editing for the Presses Universitaires de France. This short work, L’Imagination , became Sartre’s first book-length publication (1936). Unlike the DES thesis, where the lone reference to Husserl ( sic ) is second-hand, The Imagination awards Husserl’s thought pride of place. He is reserved for the final chapter where most, if not all, of the errors and inadequacies of the previously discussed philosophers and psychologists are set aright. This is clearly a Husserlian book, but one that bears the usual Sartrean qualifiers. The Imagination Between the DES thesis and the published book came the Berlin experience as well as nearly a decade of philosophical “novels” that, as we have remarked, anticipated several of the distinguishing aspects of Being and Nothingness . One can observe these and others presenting themselves in the course of Sartre’s book – which, like the next two, would be a study in philosophical psychology.
Risk Factors for Early Neonatal Seizures

Prenatal and perinatal risk factors for neonatal seizures occurring in 100 newborns in the first week were determined in a case-control study at Grottaferrata, the University of Rome, and other centers, Italy.
College institutional characteristics and the use of barrier methods among undergraduate students

AbstractSexually transmitted infections (STIs) may be prevented through the use of barrier methods, but rates of use among US college students are low. Previous research focuses on individual-level factors influencing barrier method use, but few studies consider community-level influences. This study examined consistency of barrier use by college institutional characteristics including region, enrolment, control (public or private), locale, type, or religious-affiliation. Data from the Autumn 2013 US National College Health Assessment-II (n = 13,400; 57 colleges) were analysed. Prevalence ratios were calculated for consistent barrier method use during vaginal, oral and anal sex. Consistent barrier use during vaginal sex was associated with enrolment at a college in the Northeast, compared to the West (aPR: 1.16 [95%CI 1.01–1.29], p = 0.04), and enrolment at larger institutions compared to smaller colleges. Attending a private college or university was associated with more consistent barrier method use dur...
Stability, breadth and guidance

Much recent work on explanation in the interventionist tradition emphasizes the explanatory value of stable causal generalizations—i.e., causal generalizations that remain true in a wide range of background circumstances. We argue that two separate explanatory virtues are lumped together under the heading of `stability’. We call these two virtues breadth and guidance respectively. In our view, these two virtues are importantly distinct, but this fact is neglected or at least under-appreciated in the literature on stability. We argue that an adequate theory of explanatory goodness should recognize breadth and guidance as distinct virtues, as breadth and guidance track different ideals of explanation, satisfy different cognitive and pragmatic ends, and play different theoretical roles in (for example) helping us understand the explanatory value of mechanisms. Thus keeping track of the distinction between these two forms of stability yields a more accurate and perspicuous picture of the role that stability considerations play in explanation.
California study of Ablation (CAABL):early utilization after index hospitalization for non-valvular atrial fibrillation.

Background Catheter ablation (ABL) for non-valvular AF (NVAF) is recommended for symptomatic patients refractory to medical therapy and its success is related to the duration of the arrhythmia prior to intervention.Our aim was to assess the early utilization and the factors that prompted ABL in patients hospitalized for new onset NVAF. Methods Using de-identified administrative discharge records for hospitalizations and emergency department (ED) visits, we determined the patients who had a first-time (since 1991) health record diagnosis of AF between2005 - 2011. We linked ambulatory surgery encounters for ABL based on ICD 9 code occurring within two years of initial hospitalization. After excluding other cardiac arrhythmias, atrio-ventricular nodal ablation or pacemaker/defibrillator placement and cardiac valve disease, bivariate comparisons were made with those who did not undergo ABL. Results During the study period,3,440 of 424,592 patients (0.81%) hospitalized for new onset NVAF underwent ABL. Parameters significantly (p<0.001) associated with ABL compared tonon-ABL patientsincluded: principal diagnosis of AF (55% vs 25%), age 35-64 yrs (46.1% vs. 22.4%), male (58.9% vs. 48.2%), private insurance (46.6% vs. 21.1%), Caucasian (81.0% vs.71.6%), lower frequency of ED visit < 6 months before index AF hospitalization (10.7% vs. 15.9%), lower severityofillness at time of AF diagnosis (16.5% vs. 35.6%) anda lower prevalence ofmajor comorbidities (p< 0.001). Conclusions Ablation has low utilization for treatment of new onset NVAF within two years of diagnosis. Earlier utilization of ABL may reduce health care burden related to NVAF and requires further evaluation.
Survey of the class of isovalent antiperovskite alkaline-earth pnictide compounds

The few reported members of the antiperovskite structure class $A{e}_{3}P{n}_{A}P{n}_{B}$ of alkaline-earth ($Ae\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}=\mathrm{Ca}$, Sr, Ba) pnictide ($Pn=\mathrm{N}$, P, As, Sb, Bi) compounds are all based on the $B$-site anion $P{n}_{B}=\mathrm{N}$. All can be categorized as narrow-gap semiconductors, making them of interest for several reasons. Because chemical reasoning suggests that more members of this class may be stable, we provide here a density functional theory (DFT)-based survey of this entire class of $3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}5$ compounds. We determine first the relative energetic stability of the distribution of pairs of $Pn$ ions in the $A$ and $B$ sites of the structure, finding that the $B$ site always favors the small pnictogen anion. The trends of the calculated energy gaps versus the $Ae$ cation and $Pn$ anions are determined, and we study effects of spin-orbit coupling as well as two types of gap corrections to the conventional DFT electronic spectrum. Because there have been suggestions that this class harbors topological insulating phases, we have given this possibility attention and found that energy gap corrections indicate the cubic structures will provide at most a few topological insulators. Structural instability is addressed by calculating phonon dispersion curves for a few compounds, with one outcome being that distorted structures should be investigated further for thermoelectric and topological character. Examples of the interplay between spin-orbit coupling and strain on the topological nature are provided. A case study of ${\mathrm{Ca}}_{3}\mathrm{BiP}$ including the effect of strain illustrates how a topological semimetal can be transformed into a topological insulator and Dirac semimetal.
Ethical dilemmas during international clinical rotations in global health settings: Findings from a training and debriefing program.

PURPOSE This study describes the impact of an open-access, case-based global health ethics workshop and describes the breadth of dilemmas faced by students to inform future interventions. METHODS Eighty-two medical students who undertook electives at 16 international sites between 2012 and 2015 received web-based surveys at three time points, incorporating quantitative and free-text probes of knowledge, skills, and attitudes related to global health clinical ethics dilemmas. Sixty students (73%) completed the pre-workshop survey, 38 (46%) completed the post-workshop survey, and 43 (52%) completed the post-trip survey. RESULTS Analysis demonstrated improvement following the workshop in self-rated preparedness to manage ethical dilemmas abroad, identify ways to prepare for dilemmas, engage support persons, and manage related emotions (all comparisons, p < 0.001). Participants described 245 anticipated or actual dilemmas, comprising nine domains. Nearly one-third of the dilemmas that were experienced involved the student as an active participant. Only 21% of respondents experiencing a dilemma discussed the dilemma with a local support person. CONCLUSIONS This analysis describes an ethics curriculum that prepares students to face ethical dilemmas during international clinical rotations. It broadens the representation of the dilemmas that students face, and highlights areas for curricular focus and optimization of on-site and post-trip student support resources.
Changes in metformin use and other antihyperglycemic therapies after insulin initiation in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Abstract Aims When patients with type 2 diabetes initiate insulin, metformin should be continued while continuation of other antihyperglycemics has unclear benefit. We aimed to identify practice patterns in antihyperglycemic therapy during the insulin transition, and determine factors associated with metformin continuation. Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of the Look AHEAD (Action for Health in Diabetes) trial which randomized overweight/obese adults under ambulatory care for type 2 diabetes to an intensive lifestyle intervention or diabetes support and education. Among the 931 participants who initiated insulin over ten years, we described longitudinal changes in antihyperglycemic medications during the insulin transition, and performed multivariable logistic regression to estimate the association between patient characteristics and metformin continuation. Results Before insulin initiation, 81.0% of patients used multiple antihyperglycemics, the most common being metformin, sulfonylureas, and thiazolidinediones. After insulin initiation, metformin was continued in 80.3% of patients; other antihyperglycemics were continued less often, yet 58.0% of patients were treated with multiple non-insulin antihyperglycemics. Metformin continuation was inversely associated with age (fully adjusted (a) OR 0.60 per 10 years [0.42–0.86]), serum creatinine above safety thresholds (aOR 0.09 [0.02–0.36]), lower income (P = 0.025 for trend), taking more medications (aOR 0.92 per medication [0.86–0.98]), and initiating rapid, short, or premixed insulin (aOR 0.59 [0.39–0.89]). Conclusions The vast majority of patients with type 2 diabetes continue metformin after insulin initiation, consistent with guidelines. Other antihyperglycemics are frequently continued along with insulin, and further research is needed to determine which, if any, patients may benefit from this.
A History of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings

It is impossible to understand the history of clinical health psychology without first describing some developments in mainstream clinical psychology, psychiatry, and medicine in the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries. So we will start with those and then shift to health psychology and clinical health psychology, in particular. The second major section will discuss issues about generalist versus specialist training and the role of the clinical health psychologist in primary and specialist medical care as they have evolved over time.
THE DEPENDENCE OF UV-MUTAGENESIS IN PHAGE T4 ON DNA LIGASE, POLYMERASE, AND NUCLEASE FUNCTIONS

ABSTRACT UV-induced reversion of two am mutations is undetectable if the phage have a temperature sensitive ( ts ) defect in their ligase (gene 30) function. If either a gene 43 DNA polymerase anti-mutator ts allele or a gene 47 ts allele defective in exonuclease function is present, UV-induced reversion of an am mutant is again undetectable. These results suggest that UV-induced lesions can be repaired by an error-prone pathway which employs a phage coded DNA ligase, polymerase, and exonuclease.
Upper airway reconstruction using long-range optical coherence tomography: Effects of airway curvature on airflow resistance.

Objectives Adenotonsillectomy (AT) is commonly used to treat upper airway obstruction in children, but selection of patients who will benefit most from AT is challenging. The need for diagnostic evaluation tools without sedation, radiation, or high costs has motivated the development of long-range optical coherence tomography (LR-OCT), providing real-time cross-sectional airway imaging during endoscopy. Since the endoscope channel location is not tracked in conventional LR-OCT, airway curvature must be estimated and may affect predicted airway resistance. The study objective was to assess effects of three realistic airway curvatures on predicted airway resistance using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) in LR-OCT reconstructions of the upper airways of pediatric patients, before and after AT. Methods Eight subjects (five males, three females, aged 4-9 years) were imaged using LR-OCT before and after AT during sedated endoscopy. Three-dimensional (3D) airway reconstructions included three airway curvatures. Steady-state, inspiratory airflow simulations were conducted under laminar conditions, along with turbulent simulations for one subject using the k-ω turbulence model. Airway resistance (pressure drop/flow) was compared using two-tailed Wilcoxon signed rank tests. Results Regardless of the airway curvatures, CFD findings corroborate a surgical end-goal with computed post-operative airway resistance significantly less than pre-operative (P 0.25). Resistances computed using turbulent simulations differed from laminar results by less than ∼5%. Conclusions The results suggest that reconstruction of the upper airways from LR-OCT imaging data may not need to account for airway curvature to be predictive of surgical effects on airway resistance. Lasers Surg. Med. 51:150-160, 2019. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Making Use of a Biased Eye: Photographic Studies of Neighborhoods

As researchers, our lives, attitudes, and experiences shape the questions we ask, how we ask them, and potentially even our methods of answering those questions. How we approach scholarly work is not just about our studies but how we perceive where we are at the time and where we are ideologically. Our positions can have both positive and negative effects on our research. In this chapter, I discuss my own personal experiences as a young scholar of neighborhood disorder and how I ultimately changed a biased position toward neighborhoods and race into a more open, less-biased research agenda and methods.
A Personal View of the Evolution of the Accounting Professoriate

The first three‐quarters of this paper are a review and analysis of the evolution of the accounting research environment, primarily in the United States but also with respect to Canada, from the 1960s to the present time. The final quarter of the paper consists of a critique of contemporary approaches to accounting research as well as recommendations for reform. Point de vue personnel sur l’evolution des corps professoraux en comptabilite L'auteur consacre les trois premiers quarts de l’etude a la revue et a l'analyse de l’evolution du milieu de la recherche comptable, principalement aux Etats‐Unis mais au Canada egalement, des annees 1960 a aujourd'hui. Le dernier quart de l’etude est une critique des approches contemporaines a l'endroit de la recherche comptable ainsi qu'un ensemble de recommandations de reforme.
The Motherlines of Asclepius: Ancestral Female Healers in the Origins of Medicine

There is a need to retrieve subsumed women’s stories and traditions from Western patriarchal overlays and to recentre empowered matristic ways of knowing in present-day consciousness. This paper is an organic inquiry examining symbols in the myth of the Greek healer god Asclepius and tracing these to earlier sources, while relating its origins to this critical moment in time when species loss, climate change, and widespread violence devastate our planet. I approach the power of the secret accompanying the underground dream temples this god is known for, and discover ancestral female healers personifying the union of microcosm and macrocosm. Honouring the natural and cyclic processes of birth, life, death, and regeneration, I illuminate the deep origins of the caduceus symbol. Considering how medical care and the process of attending to dreams are fields that have been dominated by androcentric worldviews, I ask what dreams may come when empowered women and mothers create definitions of health and wellbeing for themselves and unite in the creation of interdependent futures that may still have a chance to come into being.
Relating mindfulness and executive function in children

Despite the important role of cognitions in mindful awareness, research on the cognitive processes underlying mindfulness in young populations is scarce. This study explores the association between the core executive functions (i.e. inhibition, working memory, and shifting) and mindfulness within the same model in a sample of children. Seventy-two parent-child dyads participated in the study. Difficulties with executive functioning and child mindfulness level were assessed. Inhibition, working memory, and shifting were significantly correlated with mindfulness. Furthermore, moderate to good fit was found in a model testing the association between mindfulness and the latent executive function variable composed by the three executive functions, and individual executive functions demonstrated significant loadings in relation to the latent variable. In a model relating mindfulness to each individual executive function, mindfulness was uniquely associated with inhibition, working memory, and shifting. The application of current theoretical models of mindfulness to child populations and clinical implications are discussed.
Extreme Levitation of Colloidal Particles in Response to Oscillatory Electric Fields.

Micron-scale colloidal particles suspended in electrolyte solutions have been shown to exhibit a distinct bifurcation in their average height above the electrode in response to oscillatory electric fields. Recent work by Hashemi Amrei et al. (Phys. Rev. Lett., 2018, 121, 185504) revealed that a steady, long-range asymmetric rectified electric field (AREF) is formed when an oscillatory potential is applied to an electrolyte with unequal ionic mobilities. In this work, we use confocal microscopy to test the hypothesis that a force balance between gravity and an AREF-induced electrophoretic force is responsible for the particle height bifurcation observed in some electrolytes. We demonstrate that at sufficiently low frequencies, particles suspended in electrolytes with large ionic mobility mismatches exhibit extreme levitation away from the electrode surface (up to 50 particle diameters). This levitation height scales approximately as the inverse square root of the frequency for both NaOH and KOH solutions. ...
Neo-Confucianism, Women, and the Law in Chosŏn Korea

By examining women’s petitioning practice during the Chosŏn, this paper aims to show how women’s legal practice allows us to reconsider the Confucian gender norms such as the Thrice Following (samjongjido 三從之道) and the Doctrine of Spheres, inner and outer (naeoepŏp 內外法). Through capitalizing on the right to petition, women demonstrated as legal agents of negotiations who simultaneously embodied and defied Confucian gender norms. By examining Madam Yun’s case in detail, the paper demonstrates how she challenged the two pillars of Confucian gender norms and how the state construed gender norms not as fixed but as a fluid entity that could be contested and negotiated between the state and subjects.
Excessive Absenteeism Due to Asthma in California Elementary Schoolchildren

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Previous studies of asthma-related school absenteeism have reported absenteeism dichotomously (i.e., any school days missed versus none). However, schools use higher thresholds to identify and intervene for students at risk of chronic absenteeism (18 days or ≥10% schoolyear missed), which is associated with negative health and educational outcomes. We sought to identify factors associated with excessive absenteeism (EA) due to asthma (≥9 days missed), a threshold based on a convention defined by Attendance Works for absenteeism risk, and is linked to decreased academic performance and increased risk of chronic absenteeism. METHODS We examined responses for asthma-related absenteeism from the 2011-2014 California Health Interview Survey for children ages 5-11. Multivariate logistic regression modeled odds ratios of EA for demographic, healthcare utilization, and asthma-related factors. Sensitivity analysis was performed modeling a ≥1 threshold (any absenteeism). RESULTS 715 respondents represent an estimated 314,200 California schoolchildren with asthma. 50.3% of students missed ≥1 day, and 11.7% missed ≥9 days of school due to asthma. Odds of EA were significantly higher for younger children, lower-income families, and rural students, but not significant for any absenteeism. Indicators of greater asthma severity and poorer control were significantly associated with both EA and any absenteeism. CONCLUSIONS This study identified factors significantly associated with EA that were not significant for lower absence thresholds. This may help direct school-based asthma interventions for which limited resources must target students at higher risk of chronic absenteeism.
Sandpiles of Dignity: Labor Status and Boundary-Making in the Contemporary American Prison

This study investigates discursive strategies through which prisoners seek dignity. In particular, it turns toward the role of penal labor in such pursuits. Drawing on eighty-two in-depth interviews and eighteen months of ethnographic fieldwork conducted within one U.S. men’s prison, it details the role of job status in prisoner dignity claims. In the scramble to the top of a shifting sandpile of dignity, prisoner appeals to legitimacy rely on downward-facing symbolic boundaries erected to distinguish from lower-status others. Participants in the highest-status work sites made moral claims against others by self-identifying as professionals rather than inmates. At the bottom reaches of the labor hierarchy, workers emphasized lateral distances from other low-status prisoners. These competitive processes serve to reify penal labor structures, inequity, and control.