cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Apples and oranges: comparing antiarrhythmic drugs and catheter ablation for treatment of atrial fibrillation.

Since the initial proof of concept that catheter ablation could prevent recurrent atrial fibrillation (AF), there has been a considerable evolution in the focus of studies to evaluate this therapy. Initial studies were typically single center and aimed at ablation of paroxysmal AF in healthy young patients, with a relatively superficial end point of absence of recurrent symptomatic AF (ie, monitoring was minimal) in short term follow up. Technique was emphasized, with each group trumpeting the superiority of the lesion strategy of the day. Through this experience, procedural complications have decreased and attention has been directed gradually to patients with more-established AF. Guidelines have been developed1,2 to attempt to enforce more uniform descriptions of complications and success, with a focus on extensive monitoring for asymptomatic recurrence. Article p 2498 Having demonstrated that ablation can provide short termcontrol of AF in well-selected patients with an acceptable risk of serious complications (at least in experienced centers), we are now in the second wave of evaluation of AF ablation: comparing ablation to antiarrhythmic drugs in various clinical situations. Although not without precedent, comparing interventional and medical therapy is difficult. Any proper comparison would measure both differential efficacy and risk. It is easy to identify serious complications of interventions; serious complications of medical therapy are rare and hard to recognize, particularly over the short duration of clinical trials. In this context, the study by Jais and coworkers is an important step forward. 3 Patients with documented paroxysmal AF for at least 6 months who had failed at least 1 antiarrhythmic drug were randomized to treatment with a new antiarrhythmic drug (or combination of drugs) or catheter ablation. A 90-day treatment stabilization period allowed for the performance of up to 3 ablation procedures or 3 changes in antiarrhythmic therapy. The primary end point was the absence of recurrent AF (atrial arrhythmias 3 minutes, whether symptomatic or detected by monitoring) from months 3 to 12. Additional end points included time to AF recurrence, complications and adverse events, quality of life, exercise capacity, AF burden, and the success of amiodarone when naive patients were treated. Patients were treated with new antiarrhythmic drugs, chosen at the discretion of their personal physician from 8 drugs including amiodarone, as well as drug combinations. Ablation was usually performed with a strategy of pulmonary vein isolation and cavotricuspid isthmus ablation; left atrial ablation with verification of bidirectional block and ablation of non-pulmonary vein foci were performed at the discretion of the treating physician. Patients were monitored with 24-hour Holter recordings at
A Highly Sensitive Adenylate Cyclase Assay

Abstract A highly sensitive adenylate cyclase assay method has been developed which employs sequential chromatography on columns of Dowex cation exchange resin and aluminum oxide. With the use of [α-32P]ATP as substrate, this method permits the nearly complete separation of cyclic [32P]AMP formed from the substrate and other 32P-containing compounds, i.e., 32P in the assay blanks was barely detectable. In comparative studies, this method was found to be considerably more sensitive than previously reported methods. The high sensitivity of this method permits detection of the small amounts of cyclic AMP formed at low enzyme concentrations or at early time points in kinetic studies.
Disease steps in multiple sclerosis: a longitudinal study comparing disease steps and EDSS to evaluate disease progression

Clinical assessment of outcome in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients is problematic since the disease can affect different aspects of the central nervous system and follow a variable course. Recently...
Completing the human genome: the progress and challenge of satellite DNA assembly

Genomic studies rely on accurate chromosome assemblies to explore sequence-based models of cell biology, evolution and biomedical disease. However, even the extensively studied human genome has not yet reached a complete, 'telomere-to-telomere', chromosome assembly. The largest assembly gaps remain in centromeric regions and acrocentric short arms, sites known to contain megabase-sized arrays of tandem repeats, or satellite DNAs. This review aims to briefly address the progress and challenges of generating correct assemblies of satellite DNA arrays. Although the focus is placed on the human genome, many concepts presented here are applicable to other genomes.
Corrigendum: Your Brain on Art: Emergent Cortical Dynamics During Aesthetic Experiences.

In Table 1, the descriptions for Piece 6 and Piece 7 should read as follows: Piece 6: The Pulse Armed With a Pen (An Unknown History of the Human Heartbeat), 2013-2014. Custom-cut five-inch vinyl records, audio recordings, archival digital prints (record sleeves and linear notes), prints of three centuries of various human pulse and heartbeat tracings. Piece 7: Max Ernst, Undulating Earthquake (Tremblement de terre ondulatoire), 1928. Oil on canvas mounted on masonite. The Menil Collection, Houston.
Area and Regional Development Facets of The People Left Behind

N the latter third of The People Left Behind [President's National Advisory Commission on Rural Poverty, Washington, Government Printing Office, 1967] the commission turned away from the specific job, health, housing, and educational needs of the poor rural individual. It focused instead on the individual's economic, social, and governmental environment and upon the problems of financing, assembling, and coordinating the various programs discussed earlier. In doing so, the commission was confronted with the problems of area and regional development, community organization, and intergovernmental relations. I shall restrict my comments to these aspects of the commission's discussions and recommendations.
Introduction: Context, Overview, and Guiding Questions

We introduce the work undertaken in this volume by providing a bird’s eye view of the history and context in which this work began and has continued. The focus of much of the research in forgiveness has tended to be in areas of counseling and of personality and social psychology. In this volume, we emphasize the role of forgiveness in health. The research teams contributing to this volume have offered their views on forgiveness, conceptual models that guide work in different areas, and agendas for future research. We hope that readers will come away with an appreciation for the role of forgiveness in health. Additionally, we want you to be able to answer the question, Is forgiveness good for me?
Survival Tactics and Strategies of Methamphetamine-Using HIV-Positive Men Who Have Sex with Men in San Diego

In this article, two ways that HIV-positive drug users survive under the supervision of law enforcement agencies, community health organizations, and social welfare offices are differentiated. First, strategies are long-ranging and often carefully planned, and they involve conscious utilization and manipulation of bureaucratic processes. Second, tactics are short-ranging and often haphazard, and they are used to survive on daily or weekly bases, with entrenched problems and structural solutions avoided or ignored. Data from three years of ethnographic fieldwork with 14 methamphetamine-using HIV-positive men who have sex with men in San Diego, California is used to expand upon these two categories, explaining the different, often ineffectual, ways these men accessed care, services, shelter, drugs, and companionship. This article also examines the policy implications of taking in consideration these different kinds of survival methods, arguing for intensive client-specific interventions when working with long-term addicts with multiple health problems.
Some spatially integrated time-averaged identities for fluids

This paper deals with the derivation of a series of seemingly simple but ignored relations, and presents several identities for fluids never obtained before (relations of integrals over different sets of independent variables and connected by an invertible mapping). These identities are based on mass conservation and a mathematical transform with no restriction on dynamics. They are, however, crucial to some fundamental concepts and the interpretation of results from dynamics. The identity for momentum is of most importance and, when averaged over time, yields a relationship between the spatially integrated and time-averaged Lagrangian momentum and the spatially integrated and time-averaged Eulerian momentum. For a constant density fluid, the averaged identity reduces to a relation between the integrated mean displacement of the particles and the integrated mean Eulerian velocity. For an exactly oscillatory flow in an Eulerian description this identity yields a zero integrated mean displacement of particles. In the case of a progressive surface gravity wave, which is periodic but not exactly oscillatory in an Eulerian description such that there are no particles above the trough during part of the period, the mean momentum identity ensures that the integrated mean Eulerian momentum is equal to the integrated mean momentum of the particles. Therefore, there is essentially no superiority as to which description gives a better estimate of the total momentum or total transport at the same order of approximation. The widely used relation, that the Lagrangian velocity equals the Eulerian velocity plus the Stokes velocity, is not based on a 1 to 1 invertible mapping and is therefore ambiguous. This relation is not valid where there is a discontinuity, particularly above the wave trough. It can therefore give an incorrect result on the Lagrangian velocity. The Generalized Lagrangian Mean (GLM) theory uses a mapping between the mean positions of particles and the particles themselves and apparently avoids the non-invertibility. However, this mapping is actually not invertible in general because different particles may have the same mean position.
LONG-TERM ANTICOAGULATION MANAGEMENT AFTER RIGHT ATRIAL THROMBUS ASSOCIATED WITH ASD CLOSURE

Right atrial (RA) thrombi are a rare complication after surgical atrial septal defect (ASD) closure. A 24 year old woman presented for recommendations regarding anticoagulation management in the setting of a desire for future pregnancy. She underwent surgical closure of a secundum ASD with a bovine
A Corrido for Ann Weick: Remembering a Feminist Academic, Activist, and an Agent of Change

If the life and works of Ann Weick could be put to music, the genre would be a border corridor. In Latin America, the corrido is a type of ballad that often extols the virtues, struggles, and accomplishments of a hero or heroine; border ballad tells the tales of bandits whose exploits are fuelled by the frustrations of class struggle and domination. These bandits through heroic deeds strike out against authority. As marginalized people sing them, they become tales of resistance, empowerment, and hope (Kanellos, 2008). Ann’s life embodies the corrido: She was a heroine who fought for justice. Her life was a model of how to create change. She bravely spoke truth to power, and her passing evokes a great lament. Ann was raised in Portland, Oregon, and was the daughter of a father who was a sign maker and a mother who was a homemaker. Her call to social work emerged from Catholic religious tradition. She graduated as high school valedictorian from an all girls’ Catholic school and later served on the board of directors of the National Catholic Reporter for many years. She was loyal to her Catholic spiritual traditions and yet critiqued the papal policies and politics. Her life was one of service and included Peace Corp work with Turkish children in orphanages and schools. While Ann was well known for her systemic thinking and contributions to theory development, her social work experience emphasized direct work with poor families in a variety of capacities. These aspects of Ann, her spiritual tradition, her international work, and exposure to U.S. poverty were the foundation for the contributions that earned her many awards including the Council on Social Work Education Lifetime Achievement Award. Ann Weick was known, with her husband Dennis Saleebey, for the development and promotion of the strengths perspective. However, when Ann Weick’s body of work is reviewed as a whole, the underlying theme is that the amelioration of troubles must include as a fundamental component the respect for and value of client systems. Ann’s writings indicate that her corridor struggle was with an oppressive system that continued to violate people who were marginalized based on race, class, gender, and sexual orientation. The cautionary tale that the corrido of Ann Weick would tell is that becoming completely aligned with the medical
Cutaneous and Systemic Plasmacytosis in a Patient of Asian Descent Living in the United States

Cutaneous and systemic plasmacytosis is a rare disorder characterized by widely disseminated macular skin eruptions composed of polyclonal lymphoplasmacytic infiltrates associated with variable extracutaneous involvement. Previous reports have been largely restricted to the Japanese literature. We present the first documented case of cutaneous and systemic plasmacytosis in a patient residing in the United States. This 49-year-old man, who had immigrated from Korea 19 years earlier, developed innumerable persistent pink-to-brown macular lesions over his trunk and face. Initial and repeat skin biopsy specimens revealed dense perivascular and periadnexal infiltrates of mature plasma cells, and polyclonal plasmacytosis noted on two different biopsy specimens of mildly enlarged lymph nodes. Multiple tiny pulmonary nodules were found to be of the same histologic appearance. No evidence of clonal immunoglobulin gene rearrangements or human herpesvirus type 8 infection was noted in these biopsy specimens. Treatment with antibiotics, systemic chemotherapy, and anti-CD20 antibody therapy failed to eradicate these lesions, which have persisted for 6 years. This case demonstrates that cutaneous and systemic plasmacytosis can arise in a patient of Asian ancestry, even many years after emigration to the United States.
Towards autonomous phytopathology: Outcomes and challenges of citrus greening disease detection through close-range remote sensing

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have the potential to significantly impact early detection and monitoring of plant diseases. In this paper, we present preliminary work in developing a UAV-mounted sensor suite for detection of citrus greening disease, a major threat to Florida citrus production. We propose a depth-invariant sensing methodology for measuring reflectance of polarized amber light, a metric which has been found to measure starch accumulation in greening-infected leaves. We describe the implications of adding depth information to this method, including the use of machine learning models to discriminate between healthy and infected leaves with validation accuracies up to 93%. Additionally, we discuss stipulations and challenges of use of the system with UAV platforms. This sensing system has the potential to allow for rapid scanning of groves to determine the spread of the disease, especially in areas where infection is still in early stages, including citrus farms in California. Although presented in the context of citrus greening disease, the methods can be applied to a variety of plant pathology studies, enabling timely monitoring of plant health—impacting scientists, growers, and policymakers.
Inhibition of the TGFβ Pathway in Primary Effusion Lymphoma.

Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) interferes with a number of cellular pathways involved in apoptosis and cell cycle regulation. Since TGFβ is a potent inducer of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in hematopoietic lineages, we were interested in examining whether TGFβ signaling is blocked in primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) and if so whether KSHV plays a role in this repression. Treatment with TGFβ1 had no effect on either cell cycle or apoptosis in several PEL cell lines. The defect in this pathway was found to be a lack of the TGFβ type II receptor (TβRII), expression. Upon transfection of TβRII, PEL cell lines become responsive to TGFβ1 treatment. We are currently examining how TβRII transcription is regulated in PEL. The lack of TβRII expression in some tumors has been attributed to altered chromatin structure due to hypoacetylation. Treatment with both a demethylating agent and a histone deacetylase inhibitor resulted in expression of this receptor in PEL. Several KSHV latent gene products are known to interact with or recruit p300, a histone acetyltransferase, for other cellular processes. It is possible that the interaction of one or more of these viral gene products with p300 may serve to prevent it from acetylating histones associated with the TβRII gene and thereby repress its transcription. We have also found by ELISA that PEL cells secrete a higher level of TGFβ1 than other TGF β responsive B cell lines. Increased secretion of TGFβ1 in conjunction with downregulation of TβRII may be a mechanism by which KSHV creates an immunosuppressed environment while allowing infected cells to grow free from the constraints of this pathway.
Cardinal and Ordinal Numbers

The equivalence relation of equipotence divides up any collection of sets into equivalence classes and the property that equipotent sets is called cardinal numbers. The cardinal numbers are a measure of the number of points in sets. Among the infinite sets, the denumerable numbers have the cardinal number. In set theory, an infinite set is a set that is not a finite set. The infinite sets can be countable or uncountable. A set that is equipotent to the set of natural numbers is called denumearble. A set that is either finite or denumerable is called countable. The set of all rational numbers is denumerable. The union of a denumerable number of denumerable sets is a denumerable set and every infinite set contains a denumerable subset. Therefore, every infinite set is equipotent to a proper subset of itself. The set of all real numbers is uncountable.
Resistance training intensity and volume affect changes in rate of force development in resistance-trained men

To compare the effects of two different resistance training programs, high intensity (INT) and high volume (VOL), on changes in isometric force (FRC), rate of force development (RFD), and barbell velocity during dynamic strength testing. Twenty-nine resistance-trained men were randomly assigned to either the INT (n = 15, 3–5 RM, 3-min rest interval) or VOL (n = 14, 10–12 RM, 1-min rest interval) training group for 8 weeks. All participants completed a 2-week preparatory phase prior to randomization. Measures of barbell velocity, FRC, and RFD were performed before (PRE) and following (POST) the 8-week training program. Barbell velocity was determined during one-repetition maximum (1RM) testing of the squat (SQ) and bench press (BP) exercises. The isometric mid-thigh pull was used to assess FRC and RFD at specific time bands ranging from 0 to 30, 50, 90, 100, 150, 200, and 250 ms. Analysis of covariance revealed significant (p < 0.05) group differences in peak FRC, FRC at 30–200 ms, and RFD at 50–90 ms. Significant (p < 0.05) changes in INT but not VOL in peak FRC (INT: 9.2 ± 13.8 %; VOL: −4.3 ± 10.2 %), FRC at 30–200 ms (INT: 12.5–15.8 %; VOL: −1.0 to −4.3 %), and RFD at 50 ms (INT: 78.0 ± 163 %; VOL: −4.1 ± 49.6 %) were observed. A trend (p = 0.052) was observed for RFD at 90 ms (INT: 58.5 ± 115 %; VOL: −3.5 ± 40.1 %). No group differences were observed for the observed changes in barbell velocity. Results indicate that INT is more advantageous than VOL for improving FRC and RFD, while changes in barbell velocity during dynamic strength testing are similarly improved by both protocols in resistance-trained men.
Bootstrapping for Piece-Wise Convex Endmember Distribution Detection

A hyperspectral endmember detection and spectral unmixing algorithm that finds multiple sets of endmember distributions is presented. If endmembers are represented as random vectors, then they can be characterized by a multivariate probability distribution. These distributions are referred to as endmember distributions. The proposed method combines the Piece-wise Convex Multiple Model Endmember Detection (PCOMMEND) algorithm, the Sparsity Promoting Iterated Constrained Endmembers (SPICE) algorithm, and the Competitive Agglomeration (CA) algorithm to estimate endmember distributions. The goal is to produce distributions that are suitable for inclusion into the Normal Compositional Model (NCM). PCOMMEND forms a fuzzy partition of the spectral pixels into a collection of fuzzy convex sets. Each convex set is defined by a set of endmembers and the linear mixing model. In this way, non-convex hyperspectral data are more, accurately characterized. The SPICE algorithm estimates the number of endmembers, the endmembers, and the abundances for each convex set. This process is repeated several times; each time a set of endmembers is produced. The collection of all such sets is merged into a single set of endmembers. This set is clustered using the CA algorithm, which estimates the number of endmembers by estimating the number of clusters and prototypes for each cluster in the single set of endmembers. These prototypes are taken to be the means of endmember distributions. The covariances are estimated by assigning each endmember to the closest prototype and estimating the covariance of that set. The resulting distributions are suitable for the NCM model. Results are shown for the PAVIA data set.
Should Antifibrinolytics Be Used in Patients Undergoing Total Joint Replacements

In the preoperative testing clinic, I meet a thin elderly woman who is scheduled to have a revision of her left total hip replacement. I call her into my office, and she walks slowly with a cane. A quiet “unh” punctuates each step she takes. The 3-m distance never seemed so far. She had a history of breast cancer in remission after a mastectomy and chemotherapy 5 years ago. She also has thalassemia trait. In her previous surgeries, she required blood transfusions. I look over the blood test results and note that her hemoglobin is 11 gm/dl and hematocrit 34 %. Her blood type and screen shows the presence of antibodies to the surface antigens of her red blood cells.
Enhanced thermal conduction and influence of interfacial resistance within flexible high aspect ratio copper nanowire/polymer composites

Abstract Large quantities of high aspect ratio copper nanowires were synthesized from copper chloride using a simple solution-based method. The thermal conductivity of copper nanowire/polydimethylsiloxane and copper nanowire/polyurethane composites at different volume percentage loading from 0 to 4.1% were studied. At the highest loading, the thermal conductivity of both composite types increased more than threefold compared to the thermal conductivity values of the neat polymers. A hydrogen annealing process was implemented prior to mixing for select samples in an attempt to reduce performance-limiting thermal interface resistance between contacting nanowires and at nanowire/polymer matrix interfaces. Two separate theoretical models were used to study the effects of hydrogen annealing on the thermal conductivity of the composites and interfacial thermal resistance. In terms of potential as a substrate for flexible electronics, thermal imaging of a concentrated heat source on both neat polymer and composite samples showed that the resulting hot spot was significantly less severe when using the composite samples.
Key parameters governing the densification of cubic-Li7La3Zr2O12 Li+ conductors

Abstract Cubic-Li7La3Zr2O12 (LLZO) is regarded as one of the most promising solid electrolytes for the construction of inherently safe, next generation all-solid-state Li batteries. Unfortunately, sintering these materials to full density with controlled grain sizes, mechanical and electrochemical properties relies on energy and equipment intensive processes. In this work, we elucidate key parameters dictating LLZO densification by tracing the compositional and structural changes during processing calcined and ball-milled Al3+ doped LLZO powders. We find that the powders undergo ion (Li+/H+) exchange during room temperature processing, such that on heating, the protonated LLZO lattice collapses and crystallizes to its constituent oxides, leading to reaction driven densification at
Data Products at the IRIS‐DMC: Growth and Usage

ABSTRACT The Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS) Data Management Center (DMC) offers and distributes 31 distinct data products derived from raw data. These data products are intended to serve the seismology community as precursory tools and standardized baseline data sets for further research. The number of distinct data products has more than doubled since that reported previously in Trabant et al. (2012). In this article, we provide an overview of IRIS‐DMC data products, timeline of IRIS‐DMC data product activities, updated usage statistics, and highlights from 16 new data products.
Neurological consequences of systemic inflammation in the premature neonate

Despite substantial progress in neonatal care over the past two decades leading to improved survival of extremely premature infants, extreme prematurity continues to be associated with long term neurodevelopmental impairments. Cerebral white matter injury is the predominant form of insult in preterm brain leading to adverse neurological consequences. Such brain injury pattern and unfavorable neurologic sequelae is commonly encountered in premature infants exposed to systemic inflammatory states such as clinical or culture proven sepsis with or without evidence of meningitis, prolonged mechanical ventilation, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, necrotizing enterocolitis and chorioamnionitis. Underlying mechanisms may include cytokine mediated processes without direct entry of pathogens into the brain, developmental differences in immune response and complex neurovascular barrier system that play a critical role in regulating the cerebral response to various systemic inflammatory insults in premature infants. Understanding of these pathologic mechanisms and clinical correlates of such injury based on serum biomarkers or brain imaging findings on magnetic resonance imaging will pave way for future research and translational therapeutic opportunities for the developing brain.
Functional Analysis of Classroom Variables for Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

Functional assessment and functional analysis are processes that have been applied successfully in work with people who have developmental disabilities, but they have been used rarely with students...
ISIL and Counterterrorism Policy

In 2014, President Obama led a new major counterterrorism effort against the brutal jihadist group, the Islamic State (ISIL).The mission of the USA was to drive ISIL out of Iraq. The president’s approach to defeat ISIL: continued airstrikes in Iraq and Syria; train and equip thousands of local partner forces in the region; and cut off funding to ISIL. Mosul was the counterterrorism model the Obama administration put in place in Afghanistan, Libya, Somalia, and Syria where Special Operations Forces were deployed to assist locals who were pivotal in battles against ISIL.
Disturbance of gut satiety peptide in purging disorder.

Objective Little is known about biological factors that contribute to purging after normal amounts of food-the central feature of purging disorder (PD). This study comes from a series of nested studies examining ingestive behaviors in bulimic syndromes and specifically evaluated the satiety peptide YY (PYY) and the hunger peptide ghrelin in women with PD (n = 25), bulimia nervosa-purging (BNp) (n = 26), and controls (n = 26). Based on distinct subjective responses to a fixed meal in PD (Keel, Wolfe, Liddle, DeYoung, & Jimerson, ), we tested whether postprandial PYY response was significantly greater and ghrelin levels significantly lower in women with PD compared to controls and women with BNp. Method Participants completed structured clinical interviews, self-report questionnaires, and laboratory assessments of gut peptide and subjective responses to a fixed meal. Results Women with PD demonstrated a significantly greater postprandial PYY response compared to women with BNp and controls, who did not differ significantly. PD women also endorsed significantly greater gastrointestinal distress, and PYY predicted gastrointestinal intestinal distress. Ghrelin levels were significantly greater in PD and BNp compared to controls, but did not differ significantly between eating disorders. Women with BNp endorsed significantly greater postprandial hunger, and ghrelin predicted hunger. Discussion PD is associated with a unique disturbance in PYY response. Findings contribute to growing evidence of physiological distinctions between PD and BNp. Future research should examine whether these distinctions account for differences in clinical presentation as this could inform the development of specific interventions for patients with PD.
Transportation model for short-term natural gas purchase for power plants

The advantages of natural gas based power plants (NGPPs) have propelled the demand of natural gas as a preferred fuel for power generation [7]. With increase in NGPP consumption, the importance of interdependence between electricity and natural gas industries increases. Various efforts are being placed in order to increase the coordination of both the sectors including efforts taken by Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to initiate various forums for market modifications. One of the efforts is to increase the profit of Local Distribution Company in order to accommodate any change required to be made for better operation [8]. The objective of this paper is to propose an optimization model that analyzes different economic interactions of a Local Distribution Company with various suppliers and consumers. A simplified linear optimization model is presented which can be used for larger transportation structures.
Alternaria sensitisation at age 6 years is associated with subsequent airway hyper-responsiveness in non-asthmatics

In the non-selected birth cohort Tucson Children's Respiratory Study, early sensitisation to Alternaria was associated with increased airway hyper-responsiveness (AHR) into adult life among non-asthmatics. The increase in AHR was of a similar magnitude to that seen for Alternaria sensitised asthmatics and was primarily evident among those who were overweight or obese. In contrast, there was no significant association between early sensitisation to aeroallergens other than Alternaria and AHR among non-asthmatics. Why this group of Alternaria sensitised individuals without asthma demonstrated increased AHR of a magnitude similar to asthmatics is unknown and requires further investigation.
An electrical artifact associated with the ERG-jet gold foil electrode.

Purpose To examine a photoelectric artifact associated with the ERG-jet corneal contact lens electrode (Universe SA, La Chaux-de-Fons, Switzerland). Methods An artifact associated with the ERG-jet, gold foil corneal contact lens electrode was reproduced in vitro and in vivo using 50 msec light flashes. In vitro responses were examined using light flashes that varied in intensity, duration, and wavelength. Ionic strength of the bathing solution and temperature dependence were also examined. In vivo responses were compared to similarly recorded signals using the Burian-Allen bipolar electrode. Results The artifact is not apparent with microsecond light flashes, as with the Grass PS22 Photo-stimulator connected to a Ganzfeld. Longer light flashes and increasing light intensities, however, elicit graded responses that may resemble the late PIII component of the ERG in profile and in magnitude. The artifact varies with temperature, ionic concentration of the bathing medium, and wavelength of stimulating light. The artifact also varies in magnitude and polarity from one disposable electrode to the next. Light flashes of shorter wavelengths elicit greater responses than light flashes of equal radiant energy but of longer wavelengths. Conclusions The artifact derives from electrode polarization occurring at the interface between the gold foil and its ionic medium. Caution is required when using light stimuli longer than 2-3 msec with this and similar types of intrinsically polarizable metal electrodes.
Nuclear Cardiology 2: Myocardial Perfusion, Metabolism, Infarction, and Receptor Imaging

This chapter will review the role of radionuclide imaging in the diagnosis and management of coronary artery disease, acute ischemic syndromes, and heart failure. The pathophysiology of coronary artery disease and its complications, pertinent radiotracers and imaging instruments, and the clinical circumstances under which these tools are applied to clinical decision making will be reviewed.
The Past Medical History, Social History, and Review of Systems

Coccidioidomycosis Cytomegalovirus infection Herpes simplex viral infection of 1-month duration Histoplasmosis Kaposi’s sarcoma
A bereavement intervention for parents following the sudden, violent deaths of their 12-28-year-old children: description and applications to clinical practice

This report describes a randomized clinical trial with a longitudinal design involving parents bereaved by the violent deaths of their 12-28-year-old children, with a view to applying selected components of the study to clinical practice. Parents of children who died in the previous two to seven months by accident, homicide, or suicide were identified through the death certificates of the children. Of the 261 parents recruited and randomized to intervention and control conditions, 171 were mothers and 90 were fathers. Among the most important findings were: gender differences in both baseline distress and treatment response; and a very slow rate of reduction in distress over time, irrespective of participation in the intervention. Regardless of study group assignment and measurement period, mothers reported higher mental distress, more evidence of trauma, poorer loss accommodation, poorer physical health, and less marital satisfaction than did fathers. Among mothers, 85% met mental distress caseness criteria at baseline (2 to 7 months post-death), 81% met the criteria immediately following the treatment (5 to 10 months post-death), and 67% met the criteria six months later (11 to 16 months post-death). For fathers, 63% met mental distress caseness criteria at baseline, 71% met the criteria immediately post-treatment, and 69% met criteria six months later. Recommendations concern program planning, recruiting and retaining participants, screening and orientation of participants, program format, and evaluation.
Teens deserve more than abstinence-only education.

Adolescents should receive comprehensive sex education that includes information about both sexual abstinence and contraception. Virtual Mentor is a monthly bioethics journal published by the American Medical Association.
A positive positive to negative

The structure of an antibiotic that is effective against Gram-positive bacteria, but not against Gram-negative bacteria, has now been modified to improve its effectiveness against Gram-negative bacteria. The approach could help broaden the spectrum of activity of other antibiotics.
Eliminating Air Refraction Issues in DIC by Conducting Experiments in Vacuum

A major and often unrecognized error source in digital image correlation (DIC) is the influence of the intervening air between the cameras and sample. Minute differences in air temperature, composition, or both can cause index of refraction changes that act as a lens and cause distortions in the DIC displacement and strain results (Jones and Reu, Exp Mech, 2017). There are limited options to correct this problem as it is both spatial and temporal in nature. One method is to use X-rays for imaging that are not affected by air refraction, but this requires costly equipment. A second method uses a vacuum chamber to minimize the intervening air to remove the distortions, but unfortunately this requires inconvenient setups.
The Emergence of the Creativity in STEM: Fostering an Alternative Approach for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Instruction Through the Use of the Arts

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) has become a popular concept employed in courses occurring in primary, secondary, and higher education learning environments. There has been a movement with regard to the development of instructional content and practice to interject the arts into STEM course activities. This introduction of arts, or more appropriately creativity into traditionally left brain processes, results in a different cognitive approach for completing these STEM activities. The notion of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) is an emerging discipline that is unique in its desire to provide a well-rounded approach at instruction. Namely, STEAM offers a means by which students can further their understandings of analytical concepts through the use of creativity. This chapter seeks to examine the impact that creativity and the arts have on traditional STEM courses. This includes an investigation of the effectiveness of the arts in creating creative solutions when presented with STEM-centric problems and course assignments. Other areas of this chapter will include an investigation into the attitudes of the students toward STEAM activities and this new approach to teaching subjects devoid of creative artistic solutions such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The conclusion of this chapter will focus on three important subject areas that include the theories and practices employed in STEAM courses, as well as discussing the future of this emerging discipline.
A Modular and Concise Approach to MIDA Acylboronates via Chemoselective Oxidation of Unsymmetrical Geminal Diborylalkanes: Unlocking Access to a Novel Class of Acylborons

Acylboronates represent a very intriguing and rare class of organoboronates. Synthesis of these compounds from readily available substrates under mild conditions and access to novel classes of acylborons has been challenging. We report a novel and concise route to various MIDA acylboronates from terminal alkynes/alkenes or vinyl boronic esters using unsymmetrical geminal diborylalkanes as key intermediates. The high modularity and mild conditions of this strategy allowed a facile access to acylboronates possessing aliphatic, aromatic as well as the rarer heteroaromatic, alkynyl and α,β-unsaturated scaffolds. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of chemoselective oxidation of geminal diborons as well as synthesis of an α,β-unsaturated acylboronate.
Highly Stereoselective Synthesis of Fused Cyclopropane-γ-Lactams via Biocatalytic Iron-Catalyzed Intramolecular Cyclopropanation

We report the development of an iron-based biocatalytic strategy for the asymmetric synthesis of fused cyclopropane-γ-lactams, which are key structural motifs found in synthetic drugs and bioactive...
Lactic starter culture activity in milk from cows on pasture and in milk from cows on dry feed.

Lactic starter culture activity in milk from cows on rye pasture and in milk from cows on dry feed was compared, using two cultures widely distributed by commercial laboratories. The milk was pasteurized at 62.5°C. for 30 min. In 16 and 24 hr. at 21°C. one culture developed slightly higher acidities in milk from the pasture cows than in milk from the dry-feed cows, as shown by the means of 8 trials. The differences were statistically significant. On the other hand, the second culture, which showed lower activity in the test milks, developed a higher acidity in the milk from cows on dry feed. The differences at the 16-hr. period were statistically significant. The total solids content of milk averaged 13.70% from the cows on pasture and 13.20% from those on dry feed. The proteose-peptone content varied but the mean value was about the same for milk from the pasture cows as for that from the dry-feed cows: 2.4 and 2.3 mg./10 ml. milk, respectively. Non-protein nitrogen averaged 4.5 mg./10 ml. milk from cows...
Contrast Extravasation Mimicking Subarachnoid Hemorrhage After Cardiac Catheterization.

Neurological complications after coronary angiography are rare but associated with significant mortality and morbidity. These include ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes, and transient ischemic attacks. Rarely, contrast media can cross the blood brain barrier causing transient neurological symptoms including confusion and seizures. On imaging, it can mimic a subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Blood can be differentiated from contrast media using MRI. We present a patient who developed confusion after undergoing cardiac angiography and the initial CT of the brain showed SAH. However, MRI of the brain did not reveal any hemorrhage indicating contrast staining.
78 kDa Glucose-Regulated Protein Attenuates Protein Aggregation and Monocyte Adhesion Induced by Angiotensin II in Vascular Cells

Investigations of vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) phenotypic modulation due to angiotensin II (AngII) stimulation are important for understanding molecular mechanisms contributing to hypertension and associated vascular pathology. AngII induces endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in VSMCs, which has been implicated in hypertensive vascular remodeling. Under ER stress, 78 kDa glucose-regulated protein (GRP78) acts as an endogenous chaperone, as well as a master controller of unfolded protein response (UPR) to maintain protein quality control. However, the potential downstream consequences of ER stress induced by AngII on protein quality control and pro-inflammatory phenotype in VSMCs remain elusive. This study aims to identify protein aggregation as evidence of the disruption of protein quality control in VSMCs, and to test the hypothesis that preservation of proteostasis by overexpression of GRP78 can attenuate the AngII-induced pro-inflammatory phenotype in VSMCs. Increases in protein aggregation and enhanced UPR were observed in VSMCs exposed to AngII, which were mitigated by overexpression of GRP78. Moreover, GRP78 overexpression attenuated enhanced monocyte adhesion to VSMCs induced by AngII. Our results thus indicate that the prevention of protein aggregation can potentially mitigate an inflammatory phenotype in VSMCs, which may suggest an alternative therapy for the treatment of AngII-associated vascular disorders.
Stakeholder Capitalism: Progressive Dream or Nightmare?

Joseph Stiglitz’s proposes transforming America’s “liberal capitalism” into “progressive capitalism” by encouraging socially responsible corporations to include progressive stakeholders in corporate decision-making. He suggests that the time may be ripe because the Business Roundtable recently endorsed efforts to make American corporations more socially responsible. He predicts that if the Business Roundtable is sincere, progressive socially responsible, stakeholder and shareholder joint sovereign corporations will create a more dynamic economy, with greater shared prosperity and uplift the majority again to a middle-class life. However, Stiglitz fails to probe the contradictions and moral hazards inherent in stakeholder-shareholder co-sovereignty that could transform his dream into a nightmare. This essay elaborates and critically evaluates Stiglitz’s concept in the contemporary American political context. It shows that while progressive capitalism founded on stakeholder-shareholder co-sovereignty could have merit, corporations should reject it until Stiglitz explains how corporate boards of directors can safely test the waters.
Association of study design features and treatment effects in trials of chronic medical conditions: a meta-epidemiological study.

Objectives To evaluate the association of study design features and treatment effects in randomised controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating therapies for individuals with chronic medical conditions. Design Meta-epidemiological study. Setting RCTs from meta-analyses published in the 10 general medical journals with the highest impact factor published between 1 January 2007 and 10 June 2019 and evaluated a drug, procedure or device treatment of chronic medical conditions. Main outcome measures The association between trial design features and the effect size, reporting a ratio of ORs (ROR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Results We included 1098 trials from 86 meta-analyses. The most common outcome in the trials was mortality (52%), followed by disease progression (16%) and adverse events (12%). Lack of blinding of patients and study personnel was associated with a larger treatment effect (ROR 1.12; 95% CI 1.00 to 1.25). There was no statistically significant association with random sequence generation, allocation concealment, blinding of outcome assessors, incomplete outcome data, whether trials were stopped early, study funding, type of interventions or with type of outcomes (objective vs subjective). Conclusion The meta-epidemiological study did not demonstrate a clear pattern of association between risk of bias indicators and treatment effects in RCTs in chronic medical conditions. The unpredictability of the direction of bias emphasises the need to make every attempt to adhere to blinding, allocation concealment and reduce attrition bias. Trial registration number Not applicable.
Admixture mapping reveals the association between Native American ancestry at 3q13.11 and reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease in Caribbean Hispanics.

Genetic studies have primarily been conducted in European ancestry populations, identifying dozens of loci associated with late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, much of AD’s heritability remains unexplained; as the prevalence of AD varies across populations, the genetic architecture of the disease may also vary by population with the presence of novel variants or loci. We conducted genome-wide analyses of AD in a sample of 2565 Caribbean Hispanics to better understand the genetic contribution to AD in this population. Statistical analysis included both admixture mapping and association testing. Evidence for differential gene expression within regions of interest was collected from independent transcriptomic studies comparing AD cases and controls in samples with primarily European ancestry. Our genome-wide association study of AD identified no loci reaching genome-wide significance. However, a genome-wide admixture mapping analysis that tests for association between a haplotype’s ancestral origin and AD status detected a genome-wide significant association with chromosome 3q13.11 (103.7–107.7Mb, P = 8.76E−07), driven by a protective effect conferred by the Native American ancestry (OR = 0.58, 95%CI = 0.47−0.73). Within this region, two variants were significantly associated with AD after accounting for the number of independent tests (rs12494162, P = 2.33E−06; rs1731642, P = 6.36E−05). The significant admixture mapping signal is composed of 15 haplotype blocks spanning 5 protein-coding genes (ALCAM, BBX, CBLB, CCDC54, CD47) and four brain-derived topologically associated domains, and includes markers significantly associated with the expression of ALCAM, BBX, CBLB, and CD47 in the brain. ALCAM and BBX were also significantly differentially expressed in the brain between AD cases and controls with European ancestry. These results provide multiethnic evidence for a relationship between AD and multiple genes at 3q13.11 and illustrate the utility of leveraging genetic ancestry diversity via admixture mapping for new insights into AD.