cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of contact precautions for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus.

Background There are limited controlled data demonstrating contact precautions (CPs) prevent methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) infections in endemic settings. We evaluated changes in hospital-acquired MRSA and VRE infections after discontinuing CPs for these organisms. Methods This is a retrospective study done at an 800-bed teaching hospital in urban Detroit. CPs for MRSA and VRE were discontinued hospital-wide in 2013. Data on MRSA and VRE catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs), ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), central line–associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs), surgical site infections (SSIs), and hospital-acquired MRSA bacteremia (HA-MRSAB) rates were compared before and after CPs discontinuation. Results There were 36,907 and 40,439 patients hospitalized during the two 12-month periods: CPs and no CPs. Infection rates in the CPs and no-CPs periods were as follows: (1) MRSA infections: VAP, 0.13 versus 0.11 ( P = .84); CLABSI, 0.11 versus 0.19 ( P = .45); SSI, 0 versus 0.14 ( P = .50); and CAUTI, 0.025 versus 0.033 ( P = .84); (2) VRE infections: CAUTI, 0.27 versus 0.13 ( P = .19) and CLABSI, 0.29 versus 0.3 ( P = .94); and (3) HA-MRSAB rates: 0.14 versus 0.11 ( P = .55), respectively. Conclusions Discontinuation of CPs did not adversely impact endemic MRSA and VRE infection rates.
Enhancing Practice Through Clinically Rich Methods Courses in Physical Education: Perceptions of Preservice Teachers and Their Cooperating Teachers

ABSTRACTSimilar to other teacher education disciplines, Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) must adjust to calls for clinically rich teacher preparation because knowledge learned in PETE does not easily transfer to cultures of schools, classrooms, and gymnasia. Opportunity exists to understand more about clinically rich PETE courses, particularly through lenses of those engaged in clinical practice. Framed by occupational socialization theory, this research examined perspectives of university faculty, 11 preservice teachers and two cooperating teachers during clinically rich methods courses in a PETE program. We analyzed data using inductive analysis and constant comparison. Preservice teachers reported enjoying more realistic experiences and enhanced confidence. Cooperating teachers appreciated staying in touch with best practices in the field, and the responsibility of preparing new teachers. The findings suggest the value of a practice-to-theory approach, and created professional learning oppor...
Second primary acute lymphoblastic leukemia in adults: a SEER analysis of incidence and outcomes.

We conducted a surveillance epidemiology and end results (SEER)-based analysis to describe the incidence and characteristics of second primary acute lymphoblastic leukemia (sALL) among adults (≥18 years) with a history of primary malignancies (1M). Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) of sALL cases were calculated by site and 1M stage. We also evaluated the differences in 5-year sALL survival by age, site, and extent of 1M, latency of sALL after 1M, and evidence of underlying racial/ethnic disparity. We identified 10,956 patients with de-novo/primary acute lymphoblastic leukemia (1ALL) and 772 with sALL. Women (49.1% vs. 42.9%), white patients (72.0% vs. 59.5%), older patients (58.8% vs. 25.2%; age ≥65 years), and patients diagnosed between 2003 and 2012 (66.8% vs. 53.9%) had a higher proportion of sALL compared with 1ALL. There was a significantly inferior median 5-year survival for sALL patients compared to 1ALL (6 vs. 15 months; HR 1.20, 95% CI 1.10-1.31, P < 0.001). The median latency period was 60.0 months; the most common 1M among sALL patients were breast (17.9%) and prostate (17.4%). Patients with any 1M were at increased risk of developing sALL (SIR 1.76, 95% CI 1.58-1.95, P < 0.001). Hematological-1M sites had significantly higher SIRs (hematological-SIR 7.35; solid-SIR 1.33; P < 0.001). We observed a significant increase in sALL incidence after a 1M and a significantly worse 5-year survival with different demographic characteristics from 1ALL. There is a need to define appropriate screening methods for patients surviving their primary cancer.
Standards prepared by drop-on-demand dispenser for SIMS

Quantitative determination of metal impurities becomes increasingly crucial for the semiconductor industry as integrated circuit critical dimensions continue to shrink. Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF SIMS) has been widely used for this purpose. Proper standards are necessary to ensure measurement accuracy and precision. Ion implanted samples with known dose conventionally serve as SIMS standards because of high precision and good uniformity. However, due to the matrix effect, implanted standards may not always be available for different matrixes. In this paper, the authors proposed to prepare SIMS standard samples using the drop-on-demand technique. A series of droplet arrays were dispensed on silicon wafers from solutions of Fe, Ni, and Cu with concentrations ranging from 2 to 1000 ppm. The dose determined by TOF SIMS linearly correlated with the calculated dose of the droplets. The linearity of these metals was better than 0.99, which demonstrated that the drop-on-demand technique c...
Bioenergy from plants and plant residues

Publisher Summary A significant number of governments worldwide are committed to displacing fossil fuels with renewable, low-carbon fuels produced from plant biomass grown on a sustainable basis. There are numerous nonfood biomass feedstocks that are considered appropriate, viable, and potentially sustainable for biofuel and biopower production worldwide. This chapter breaks down the ongoing plant biomass activities into two main categories based on the type of conversion technology employed: biochemical conversion and thermochemical conversion. It provides insight into the complex and challenging pathway of converting nonfood lignocellulosic biomass into a wide range of biofuels and coproduct, a brief overview of the biochemical conversion pathway, and highlights some of the challenges and opportunities for each unit operation. There are three basic types of thermochemical conversion technologies for the processing of biomass: gasification, pyrolysis, and combustion. The combustion of biomass is the simplest and most mature of these in terms of processing biomass into a desired singular output—heat—and the overall efficiencies are low in comparison to the other two. There are four basic unit operations in biomass gasification: The pre-processing of biomass; biomass gasification and generation of syngas; syngas clean-up and reforming; and gas utilization. It is to be noted that the extent and time required to achieve significant levels of production will be determined by public policy, sustainability metrics, available capital funds, and sustained public and private funding of research and development activities.
A Comparison of Private Garage and Centralized I&M Programs

A comparison of a centralized I&M program and a private garage I&M program currently operating in California indicates that the centralized program is providing over ten times greater emissions reductions. An analysis of the potential for upgrading both programs indicates that the private garage approach is unlikely to ever be competitive with a centralized I&M program.
7 The Digital Age and the Social Imaginary

Benedict Anderson (1991) first coined the term “imagined communities” in 1983 when the first edition of the publication by the same name came out, and was an instant success with cultural anthropologists. Shortly after the publication of the book and before it caught on with a wider scholarly public, he mused about how anthropologists were more interested in his work than colleagues in his own field, political science. Anderson touched on a couple of key ideas that dramatically impacted how anthropologists thought about culture and society. One was that community and identity are products of the collective imagination. And as such they are always tied up in a process of remembering and forgetting. And secondly, that media is always central to how that social imagination is articulated and disseminated. But even more importantly, media shapes the process of remembering and forgetting that goes into the collective imagination.
Association of Fibroblast Growth Factor-23 (FGF-23) with Incident Frailty in HIV-Infected and HIV-Uninfected Individuals

Background:In the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study, we examined whether fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23), a bone-derived phosphaturic hormone involved in bone metabolism, is associated with incident frailty. Furthermore, we examined whether this association differs by HIV serostatus and race.Method
Focused Resident Education and Engagement in Quality Improvement Enhances Documentation, Shortens Hospital Length of Stay, and Creates a Culture of Continuous Improvement.

Purpose System-based practice with an emphasis on quality improvement (QI) is a recent initiative for the American College of Surgeons and a core-competency for surgical trainees. Few surgical training programs have a curriculum for hospital-based QI. Methods Our vascular surgery service implemented several QI initiatives focused on decreasing length of stay (LOS) by targeting resident education and engagement. Residents were educated on terminology and processes impacting hospital and CMS QI metrics such as Medicare geometric mean LOS (CMS GMLOS) and diagnostic-related groups (DRG) with complication or comorbidity (CC/MCC) coding. LOS initiatives focused on identifying, tracking and removing avoidable perioperative delays, and improving accuracy of clinical documentation. Residents were given specific roles in QI initiatives and the impact on LOS was quantified. Patients’ CMS GMLOS were compared to actual LOS during daily rounds, with confirmation that resident progress notes contained thorough and accurate documentation of diagnoses, comorbidities, and complications. Ten minutes during weekly preoperative conferences were dedicated to ongoing QI, with LOS metrics for the inpatient census presented by trainees and reviewed by attendings. Feedback was given addressing barriers to avoidable delays and impact on LOS. Data for July 2016-June 2017 (FY17) was compared to preimplementation baseline data (FY16) for vascular discharges overall. Accurate documentation of acuity was evaluated with in-depth review of notes and overall case mix index. Results Within the first year of implementation, overall vascular admissions demonstrated a 21% reduction in LOS, closing the gap between observed LOS and expected CMS GMLOS, from 2.1days to 0.5days on average. Documentation improved, with a shift in 24% of DRGs to accurately reflect CC/MCC. Overall case mix index increased by 10%, from 3.07 to 3.37. Conclusions A culture of continuous quality improvement can be created with the establishment of a QI infrastructure that educates and involves trainees as stakeholders. Assigning discrete roles to increase resident accountability supports both formal and informal resident education that can substantially impact hospital benchmarking metrics.
Abstract # 3161 Beta-adrenergic receptor mediated inflammation regulation and cardiometabolic risk factors interact to influence cognition in the elderly

Inflammation, cardiometabolic risk (CMR) factors, and autonomic imbalance have been independently associated with cognitive declines in aging, but their interactive effect on cognition remains unclear. We quantified the magnitude of their associations with cognitive function and the extent to which links were synergistic. In eighty dementia-free participants (mean = 73.6 years), cognitive function was assessed with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and CMR was ascertained using principal components analysis on nine serum and blood pressure (BP) measures. Autonomic balance was estimated by delta-BP between 10-min exercise and 1-min cool-down. Beta-adrenergic receptor-mediated inflammation control (BARIC) was quantified by co-incubating immune cells with lipopolysaccharide and beta-agonist for monocyte TNF-alpha expression. Data were analyzed using multivariate linear regression. Of 76 participants who completed MoCA, cognition was impaired in 21 (27.6%; MoCA ⩽ 23) and correlated with age (beta = −0.30, t = −2.56, p = 0.013), but not BMI or gender. Impaired BARIC and higher delta-BP were independently associated with lower MoCA scores (beta = −1.14, t = −2.94, p = 0.005; beta = 0.86, t = 2.32, p = 0.025), adjusted for CMR. For CMR factors, the first component explained 31.5% of total variance, for which higher values reflected hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia, and significantly predicted lower MoCA scores (beta = −1.20, t = −2.92,p = 0.005). Furthermore, a synergistic effect of BARIC and CMR on MoCA scores was observed (beta = −1.01, t = −3.62, p 0.001). Sympathoadrenal regulation of inflammation, CMR factors, and autonomic balance exert both independent and synergistic effects on cognitive function in older adults, highlighting a critical role of ANS-immune interactions in aging and cognition.
Microcanonical Particlization with Local Conservation Laws

We present a sampling method for the transition from relativistic hydrodynamics to particle transport, commonly referred to as particlization, which preserves the local conservation of energy, momentum, baryon number, strangeness, and electric charge microcanonically, i.e., in every sample. The proposed method is essential for studying fluctuations and correlations by means of stochastic hydrodynamics. It is also useful for studying small systems. The method is based on Metropolis sampling applied to particles within distinct patches of the switching space-time surface, where hydrodynamic and kinetic evolutions are matched.
Leveraging Science to Advance Health Equity: A Regional Health Policy Research Center’s Approach

Advancing health equity and reducing disparities through evidence-based policy research requires the expertise, insights, and active participation of various policy stakeholders – particularly those represent­ing vulnerable populations who may be disproportionately affected by such policies. Unfortunately, there are few sustainable settings for these diverse stakeholders to convene, share their knowledge, develop and execute research in a collaborative fashion, and effectively translate evidence-based findings. The development of a health policy-focused center supports the collaborative structure needed to present a unified, multi-disciplinary approach toward informing health policy. The Transdisci­plinary Collaborative Center for Health Disparities Research (TCC) at Morehouse School of Medicine (U54MD008173) was funded in 2012 by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Dispari­ties (NIMHD) as an innovative approach for conducting health policy research and disseminating evidence-based science to diverse stakeholders. This article provides an overview of the research projects, pilot project programs, infrastructure cores, com­munications, and strategic dissemination activities supported by the TCC. Ethn Dis. 2019;29(Suppl 2):323-328; doi:10.18865/ed.29.S2.323
Melanoma Incidence Among Non-Hispanic Whites in All 50 US States From 2001 Through 2015.

Background The United States has large regional variation in primary prevention campaigns for skin cancer. We collected data from all 50 states to examine changes in melanoma incidence and performed age-period-cohort analyses to describe the simultaneous effects of age, period, and cohort on incidence rates. Methods Annual melanoma incidence rates for non-Hispanic whites from 2001 to 2015 were extracted from the US Cancer Statistics registry. Secular trends were examined overall and by sex and state. We used joinpoint regression to compute annual percent change and average annual percent change and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). We also analyzed incidence trends by 5-year age group and birth cohort using incidence rate ratios and age-period-cohort modeling. Results Melanoma incidence increased from 20.7 per 100 000 (95% CI = 20.5 to 20.9) in 2001 to 28.2 per 100 000 (95% CI = 28.0 to 28.5) in 2015, increasing by 3.90% (95% CI = 2.36% to 5.48%) annually between 2001 and 2005 and 1.68% (95% CI = 1.37% to 1.99%) annually from 2005 through 2015. The average annual percent change in melanoma incidence rates were similar for men (2.34%, 95% CI = 1.91 to 2.78) and women (2.25%, 95% CI = 1.60 to 2.91). Age-specific relative risk by birth cohort increased from circa 1921 to 1981 before decreasing. Compared with adults born circa 1956, those born circa 1991 had lower melanoma risk (incidence rate ratio = 0.85; 95% CI = 0.77 to 0.94). Geographic variation was observed; some states still have melanoma rates trending upwards in all birth cohorts. Conclusions The continued increase in melanoma incidence among non-Hispanic whites, particularly in states where rates continue to rise among recent and current birth cohorts, underscores the need for increased public health campaigns aimed at reducing sun exposure.
Predictors for recovery of macular function after surgery for primary macula-off rhegmatogenous retinal detachment

To determine predictors of best-corrected postoperative visual acuity (VA) in patients who underwent surgical intervention for macula-off rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. Primary macula-off retinal detachments from the University of Colorado Primary Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment Database (2012–2017) were reviewed. The primary outcome measure was a postoperative VA of 20/40 or better at least 6 months after surgery. Patient demographics, medical history, duration of central vision loss before surgery, examination findings, operative technique, and postoperative findings were analyzed as possible predictors of postoperative visual recovery to 20/40 or better. Chi-square or Fisher’s exact test was used to compare categorical variables, and Wilcoxon rank sum test was used for continuous variables. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to determine the adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for variables that were significant in the univariable analyses. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. One hundred thirty-one patients met inclusion criteria. Eighty-one (61.8%) patients achieved a postoperative VA of 20/40 or better 6 or more months after surgery. Patients with a single retinal break were more likely than patients with more than one break to reach a postoperative VA of 20/40 or better (76.9% vs. 55.4%, p = 0.021). Patients with a better preoperative logMAR VA had better postoperative VA (p = 0.021). Duration of central vision loss prior to surgical repair was not related to final postoperative VA in this particular study. Postoperative recovery of visual acuity to 20/40 or better was significantly more common in patients with a single retinal break as well as in patients with better preoperative visual acuity. Duration of central vision loss prior to surgical repair was not significantly associated with postoperative VA.
Thin And Thick Conceptions of The Nineteenth Amendment Right to Vote and Congress's Power to Enforce It

This Article, prepared for a Georgetown Law Journal symposium on the Nineteenth Amendment’s 100-year anniversary, explores and defends a “thick” conception of the Nineteenth Amendment right to vote and Congress’s power to enforce it. A “thin” conception of the Nineteenth Amendment maintains that the amendment merely prohibits states from enacting laws that prohibit women from voting, once the state decides to hold an election. And a “thin” conception of Congress’s power to enforce the Nineteenth Amendment maintains that Congress may only supply remedies for official acts that violate the Amendment’s substantive guarantees. This piece argues the Nineteenth Amendment does more. A thick understanding of the Nineteenth Amendment’s substantive right is consistent with the Amendment’s text and history, as well as with a synthetic interpretation of the Constitution and its expanding guarantees of voting rights. The thick understanding of the Nineteenth Amendment would allow voting rights plaintiffs to attack restrictive voting laws burdening women, especially when those laws burden young women of color, who are guaranteed nondiscrimination in voting on the basis of age and race as well. And a thick understanding of Congress’s power to enforce the Nineteenth Amendment offers a way to redeem the Amendment from some of its racist origins and entanglement with the sexism that limited the Amendment’s reach, and to reinforce the democratic legitimacy of the Constitution. The thick understanding of Congress’s enforcement power would give Congress the ability to pass laws protecting women from voter discrimination and promoting their political equality. Nonetheless, the current Court is unlikely to embrace a thick understanding of the Nineteenth Amendment.
The Very Important Patient.

Background: The incidence rates of heart failure (HF) and chronic pain increase with age. In the geriatric population, both disorders often coexist and pose a challenge to clinicians in treating them simultaneously. Methods: We conducted an online literature search for reports of the heart failure effects of pharmacological treatments for chronic pain. Results: Topical pain medications are favored agents because of their efficacy, tolerability, and favorable side-effect profile. Acetaminophen is a preferred oral medication for the treatment of pain in patients with HF. Due to deleterious effects including HF, the long-term use of oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and gabapentinoids are discouraged. Conclusion: Prescribers should thoroughly consider the risk-benefit ratio and individual patient-risk profile before instituting pharmacological treatment for chronic pain in patients with HF.
A simple scoring system to estimate perioperative mortality following liver resection for primary liver malignancy—the Hepatectomy Risk Score (HeRS)

Background Selection of the optimal treatment modality for primary liver cancers remains complex, balancing patient condition, liver function, and extent of disease. In individuals with preserved liver function, liver resection remains the primary approach for treatment with curative intent but may be associated with significant mortality. The purpose of this study was to establish a simple scoring system based on Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) and extent of resection to guide risk assessment for liver resections. Methods The 2005-2015 NSQIP database was queried for patients undergoing liver resection for primary liver malignancy. We first developed a model that incorporated the extent of resection (1 point for major hepatectomy) and a MELD-Na score category of low (MELD-Na =6, 1 point), medium (MELD-Na =7-10, 2 points) or high (MELD-Na >10, 3 points) with a score range of 1-4, called the Hepatic Resection Risk Score (HeRS). We tested the predictive value of this model on the dataset using logistic regression. We next developed an optimal multivariable model using backwards sequential selection of variables under logistic regression. We performed K-fold cross validation on both models. Receiver operating characteristics were plotted and the optimal sensitivity and specificity for each model were calculated to obtain positive and negative predictive values. Results A total of 4,510 patients were included. HeRS was associated with increased odds of 30-day mortality [HeRS =2: OR =3.23 (1.16-8.99), P=0.025; HeRS =3: OR =6.54 (2.39-17.90), P<0.001; HeRS =4: OR =13.69 (4.90-38.22), P<0.001]. The AUC for this model was 0.66. The AUC for the optimal multivariable model was higher at 0.76. Under K-fold cross validation, the positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of these two models were similar at PPV =6.4% and NPV =97.7% for the HeRS only model and PPV =8.4% and NPV =98.1% for the optimal multivariable model. Conclusions The HeRS offers a simple heuristic for estimating 30-day mortality after resection of primary liver malignancy. More complicated models offer better performance but at the expense of being more difficult to integrate into clinical practice.
Climate change impacts on soil salinity in agricultural areas

Changes in climate patterns are dramatically influencing some agricultural areas. Arid, semi‐arid and coastal agricultural areas are especially vulnerable to climate change impacts on soil salinity. Inventorying and monitoring climate change impacts on salinity are crucial to evaluate the extent of the problem, to recognize trends and to formulate irrigation and crop management strategies that will maintain the agricultural productivity of these areas. Over the past three decades, Corwin and colleagues at the U.S. Salinity Laboratory (USSL) have developed proximal sensor and remote imagery methodologies for assessing soil salinity at multiple scales. The objective of this paper is to evaluate the impact climate change has had on selected agricultural areas experiencing weather pattern changes, with a focus on the use of proximal and satellite sensors to assess salinity development. Evidence presented in case studies for Californiaʼs San Joaquin Valley (SJV) and Minnesotaʼs Red River Valley (RRV) demonstrates the utility of these sensor approaches in assessing soil salinity changes due to changes in weather patterns. Agricultural areas are discussed where changes in weather patterns have increased root‐zone soil salinity, particularly in areas with shallow water tables (SJV and RRV), coastal areas with seawater intrusion (e.g., Bangladesh and the Gaza Strip) and water‐scarce areas potentially relying on degraded groundwater as an irrigation source (SJV and Murray‐Darling River Basin). Trends in salinization due to climate change indicate that the infrastructure and protocols to monitor soil salinity from field to regional to national to global scales are needed. HIGHLIGHTS: Climate change will have a negative impact on agriculture, particularly in arid regions. Proximal/remote sensors are useful to assess climate change impact on soil salinity across scales. Salt‐water intrusion, shallow water tables and degraded water reuse will increase soil salinity. Infrastructure and protocols to monitor soil salinity across multiple scales are needed.
Systematic review and meta-analysis of racial survival disparities among oropharyngeal cancer cases by HPV status.

BACKGROUND There is a well documented racial disparity in overall survival for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC); however, it is unknown to what extent this disparity varies by HPV-status. METHODS A literature search was conducted through December 2019 using Ovid Medline, Cochrane Library, Embase, Scopus, and Clinicaltrials.gov. PRISMA guidelines were followed. A meta-analysis was conducted using random effects models to obtain pooled hazard ratios (HRs). RESULTS Of 649 studies initially identified, 20 studies met criteria for the narrative review. There were four studies evaluating survival by race in HPV-positive OPSCC and five studies in HPV-negative OPSCC suitable for pooling. The pooled HR associated with black race was 1.10 (95% CI 0.96-1.23) among patients with HPV-positive (n = 23 608) and 1.50 (95% CI 1.12-1.88) among patients with HPV-negative (n = 12 112). There was notable heterogeneity (I2 = 83%) and publication bias among the HPV-negative OPSCC studies. CONCLUSIONS The racial disparity in OPSCC survival persists for HPV-negative disease and is nonsignificant for HPV-positive disease. Unmeasured differences in socioeconomic status and access to care may contribute to this disparity.
Targeting complex plutonium oxides by combining crystal chemical reasoning with density-functional theory calculations: the quaternary plutonium oxide Cs2PuSi6O15

The stability of the novel Pu(iv) silicate, Cs2PuSi6O15, was predicted from a combination of crystal chemical reasoning and DFT calculations and confirmed by its synthesis via flux crystal growth. Formation enthalpies of the A2MSi6O15 (A = Na-Cs; M = Ce, Th, U-Pu) compositional family were calculated and indicated the Cs-containing phases should preferentially form in the Cmc21 structure type, consistent with previous experimental findings and the novel phases produced in this work, Cs2PuSi6O15 and Cs2CeSi6O15. The formation enthalpies of a second set of compositions, A2MSi3O9, were also calculated and a comparison between the two compositional families correctly predicted A2MSi6O15 to be on average more stable than A2MSi3O9.
Management of Pelvic Organ Prolapse: A Unitary or Multidisciplinary Approach?

The concept of the female pelvic floor as a single functional entity is not new. As this concept has developed, the importance of a multidisciplinary approach for the management of pelvic organ dysfunction has become more apparent. For example, pelvic organ prolapse is the descent of one or more organs into the vaginal canal. Many women with pelvic organ prolapse may have symptomatic dysfunction in adjacent compartments within the pelvis such as urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence, or rectal prolapse. This makes sense as among many neuromuscular factors, the levator ani complex is a major component of pelvic floor musculature which contributes to the support of all the pelvic floor organs. As such, an optimal outcome may not be achieved unless all of a patient’s symptomatic pelvic floor dysfunctions are addressed at the same time.
Trauma during Early Adolescence and Boys’ Social Behavior: A Focus on Teen Dating Violence

Although early adolescence is increasingly recognized as commencing a sensitive period for social development, little research exists on the impact of trauma exposure during this juncture. We hypothesized that trauma experienced during early adolescence would be particularly disruptive to the acquisition of social skills necessary for healthy future relationships. Among 1500 boys from the National Comorbidity Study Adolescent Supplement, we examined trauma exposure across developmental periods on interpersonal outcomes in late adolescence. Most (62.3%) participants reported prior exposure to at least one potentially traumatic event, and rates of such exposures generally increased linearly over time with a relative spike in exposure occurring at age 15. Trauma exposure during early adolescence, but not other developmental periods, uniquely predicted boys’ perpetration of physical teen dating violence (TDV; OR = 2.2) and broader social problems (B = 2.061, SE = .091) in late adolescence. In contrast, and consistent with existing literature, trauma exposure early in development and during mid-adolescence predicted late adolescence conduct disorder diagnoses. At least in the context of early adolescent exposure, the link between trauma and TDV perpetration may be conceptualized within a broader framework of social competence rather than oft-purported antisociality. Early adolescence may present opportunities for targeted prevention of TDV and broader social problems.
The social life of academic articles: some reflections on the making and impact of “Social capital and economic development”

Our lives are remembered as an assemblage of overlapping stories – some of them prosaic and unremarkable, others more fraught, contingent and consequential – but most remain unfinished, punctuated only by their telling: to particular people, in particular ways, for particular purposes. In this spirit, a first-person account is provided of the making and impact of what has become the most-cited article in the 50-year history of Theory and Society. Originally drafted as a chapter of the author’s PhD dissertation, the article sought to provide the concept of social capital with an intellectual history, to forge an analytical framework integrating two (heretofore) largely separate realms of scholarship applying social capital theory to economic development, and to suggest some ways in which this framework, grounded in findings from across the social sciences, might be applicable to policy and practice. The paper itself emerged over two years from the generous input of many junior and senior scholars, several of whom were not based at the author’s university (and thus had few incentives to provide it). Pre-publication, the article’s positive reception – first amplified by a high-profile reviewer and then a widening circle of influential development researchers – played a decisive role in helping the author secure the first (and thus far only) opening for a sociologist in the World Bank’s Development Research Group. Post-publication, the paper’s key elements – theoretical, methodological, and substantive – became the foundation for a career at the nexus of (interdisciplinary) research, policy, implementation, evaluation, teaching, and mentoring across an array of sectors. It was an article that changed a life – and by extension, a lot of other lives. The story continues.
Influence of daily aspirin therapy on ACE2 expression and function-implications for SARS-CoV-2 and patients with aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease.

In March 2020, the French Minister of Health warned against the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like aspirin and ibuprofen, suggesting that their use might be associated with more severe disease presentation in patients with COVID-19.1 This advice was apparently based on unpublished anecdotal reports that patients who had been exposed to NSAIDs developed more severe symptoms of COVID-19.
Innate Immunity to Orthohantaviruses: Could Divergent Immune Interactions Explain Host-specific Disease Outcomes?

Abstract The genus Orthohantavirus (family Hantaviridae, order Bunyavirales) consists of numerous genetic and pathologically distinct viral species found within rodent and mammalian insectivore populations world-wide. Although reservoir hosts experience persistent asymptomatic infection, numerous rodent-borne orthohantaviruses cause severe disease when transmitted to humans, with case-fatality rates up to 40%. The first isolation of an orthohantavirus occurred in 1976 and, since then, the field has made significant progress in understanding the immune correlates of disease, viral interactions with the human innate immune response, and the immune kinetics of reservoir hosts. Much still remains elusive regarding the molecular mechanisms of orthohantavirus recognition by the innate immune response and viral antagonism within the reservoir host, however. This review provides a summary of the last 45 years of research into orthohantavirus interaction with the host innate immune response. This summary includes discussion of current knowledge involving human, non-reservoir rodent, and reservoir innate immune responses to viruses which cause hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome and hantavirus cardio-pulmonary syndrome. Review of the literature concludes with a brief proposition for the development of novel tools needed to drive forward investigations into the molecular mechanisms of innate immune activation and consequences for disease outcomes in the various hosts for orthohantaviruses.
SF-GRASS: s olver- f ree gra ph s pectral s parsification

Recent spectral graph sparsification techniques have shown promising performance in accelerating many numerical and graph algorithms, such as iterative methods for solving large sparse matrices, spectral partitioning of undirected graphs, vectorless verification of power/thermal grids, representation learning of large graphs, etc. However, prior spectral graph sparsification methods rely on fast Laplacian matrix solvers that are usually challenging to implement in practice. This work, for the first time, introduces a solver-free approach (SF-GRASS) for spectral graph sparsification by leveraging emerging spectral graph coarsening and graph signal processing (GSP) techniques. We introduce a local spectral embedding scheme for efficiently identifying spectrally-critical edges that are key to preserving graph spectral properties, such as the first few Laplacian eigenvalues and eigenvectors. Since the key kernel functions in SF-GRASS can be efficiently implemented using sparse-matrix-vector-multiplications (SpMVs), the proposed spectral approach is simple to implement and inherently parallel friendly. Our extensive experimental results show that the proposed method can produce a hierarchy of high-quality spectral sparsifiers in nearly-linear time for a variety of real-world, large-scale graphs and circuit networks when compared with prior state-of-the-art spectral methods.
The earthquake in Santa Monica Bay, California, on August 30, 1930

An earthquake which barely attained destructive violence over a small area occurred at about 4:40 p.m., Pacific Standard Time, on August 30, 1930 (at 0^h 40^M, G.C.T., on August 31, 1930. It originated near the coast a short distance west of Santa Monica, a suburb of Los Angeles., California. The shock was perceptible at distances up to about 160 kilometers (100 miles) from the adopted epicenter given below.
Greedy algorithm for local contrast enhancement of images

We present a technique that achieves local contrast enhancement by representing it as an optimization problem. For this, we first introduce a scalar objective function that estimates the average local contrast of the image; to achieve the contrast enhancement, we seek to maximize this objective function subject to strict constraints on the local gradients and the color range of the image. The former constraint controls the amount of contrast enhancement achieved while the latter prevents over or under saturation of the colors as a result of the enhancement. We propose a greedy iterative algorithm, controlled by a single parameter, to solve this optimization problem. Thus, our contrast enhancement is achieved without explicitly segmenting the image either in the spatial (multi-scale) or frequency (multi-resolution) domain. We demonstrate our method on both gray and color images and compare it with other existing global and local contrast enhancement techniques.
Sensitivity and Specificity of Altered Propulsive Force Following Concussion (P7.158)

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate propulsive force change during gait termination (GT) as a metric to identify lingering postural control impairments post-concussion. BACKGROUND: Impaired postural control is a cardinal symptom following concussion, and ensuring its full recovery is necessary before clearing an athlete to return to play (RTP). A recent GT study found altered propulsive forces persisted once concussed individuals resumed baseline values on clinical tests. Therefore, GT is an effective dynamic task in identifying a lingering impaired movement strategy after concussion. DESIGN/METHODS: Fifty NCAA Division I student-athletes (height: 173.7±11.7 cm, weight: 80.5±23.0 kg, age: 19.3±1.1 years) with diagnosed concussions completed two standard gait and five GT trials using a Gaitrite portable walkway system and four force plates (1,000 Hz). The peak propulsive forces were recorded during foot contact on the force plate and normalized to both step velocity and standard gait trials. The data were compared using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC). RESULTS: The propulsive force change on Day 1 post-concussion was highly sensitive (Sensitivity: 0.88, Specificity: 0.69, Area under the curve (AUC)= 0.88). The cutoff score was 0.55, or a 55[percnt] change in propulsive force. On the day of RTP, the change in propulsive force was highly specific (Sensitivity: 0.53, Specificity: 0.85, AUC= 0.72). The cutoff score was 0.49 (49[percnt]). CONCLUSIONS: The high sensitivity of the change in propulsive force on Day 1 post-concussion suggests a reduction in propulsive force greater than 55[percnt] reflects a reduced likelihood of persistent impairments in postural control. Conversely, the high specificity on the day of RTP illustrates that a change in propulsive force greater than 49[percnt] would imply lingering impairments and an incomplete recovery. These findings provide further evidence that GT is an effective screening tool for identifying lingering and persistent deficits in post-concussion postural control. Study Supported by: NINDS 1R15NS070744-01A1 Disclosure: Dr. Oldham has nothing to disclose. Dr. Evans has nothing to disclose. Dr. Wikstrom has nothing to disclose. Dr. Buckley has nothing to disclose.
Moderators of the Relation between Shyness and Behavior with Peers: Cortisol Dysregulation and Maternal Emotion Socialization.

This study investigated the relations among shyness, physiological dysregulation, and maternal emotion socialization in predicting children's social behavior with peers during the kindergarten year (N = 66; 29 girls). For shy children, interactions with peers represent potential stressors that can elicit negative emotion and physiological reactions. Behavior during these contexts can be viewed as adaptive (e.g., playing alone) or maladaptive (e.g., watching other children play without joining in) attempts to regulate the ensuing distress. Whether shy children employ adaptive or maladaptive regulatory behaviors was expected to depend on two aspects of emotion regulatory skill: (1) children's physiological regulation, and (2) maternal emotion socialization. Findings supported the hypotheses. Specifically, shy children with poorer cortisol regulation or have mothers who endorsed a higher level of non-supportive emotion reactions engaged in more maladaptive play behaviors whereas shy children with better cortisol regulation or a high level of supportive maternal emotion reactions engaged in more adaptive play behaviors.
Family Size Preferences

Family size preferences may be represented by family size desires, intentions, expectations, and ideals. Desired family size is the number of children wanted in one's lifetime and is viewed as a me ...
Acute diarrhea in developed countries: A rationale for self-treatment

Acute diarrhea is a common, nonlethal condition that causes frequent inconvenience and economic loss. People rarely consult physicians for this problem. Epidemiologic studies among adults, hospitalized adults, children attending day care centers, homosexual men, and travelers indicate a wide spectrum of etiologic agents. The clinical presentation of acute diarrhea may lead clinicians to consider certain causative agents, but it is not diagnostic of any specific cause. Clinical laboratory studies can detect or isolate pathogens in only a minority of cases. By the time this information is available, patients have usually recovered. For these reasons, early self-treatment aimed at reducing symptoms of acute diarrhea is recommended.
The FMLA and the Changing Demand for Substitute Teachers

(1995). The FMLA and the Changing Demand for Substitute Teachers. The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas: Vol. 68, No. 5, pp. 301-306.
Protein Composition of the Outer Membrane of Salmonella typhimurium: Effect of Lipopolysaccharide Mutations

The protein composition of the outer membrane of Salmonella typhimurium has been analyzed by electrophoresis on slabs of sodium dodecyl sulfate-acrylamide gel. This powerful technique allows very high resolution of protein mixtures and has permitted the identification of multiple major protein components of the outer membrane; no evidence for a single major component of molecular weight 44,000 was obtained. These proteins were shown to be decreased in amount in mutants which have defective lipopolysaccharides. Mutants of an apparently new type were also found which contain decreased amounts of the proteins and the parent-like lipopolysaccharide, yet are resistant to a lipopolysaccharide-specific phage, C21. Several outer membrane proteins are insoluble in sodium dodecyl sulfate unless heated at high temperature (above 70 C). A purification procedure based on this property is tentatively suggested. Images
Application of the BaTiO(3) beam-fanning optical limiter as an adaptive spatial filter for signal enhancement in pulsed infrared laser-excited photothermal spectroscopy.

A method for obtaining a high-contrast visible-light signal from infrared absorption in low-absorbance samples is described. This method is based on a beam-fanning optical limiter in photorefractive BaTiO3. The resulting signal is not linear but does exhibit an enhanced signal-to-background ratio that is 4 to 6 orders of magnitude better than that of conventional infrared absorption spectrophotometry in the shot-noise limit. A simple model for the beam-fanning, optical-limiter-based, pulsed-laser-excited photothermal spectroscopy detector is found to describe the experimental data adequately. This technique using photothermal spectroscopy detection may have advantages for rapid signal analysis and for two-dimensional visible imaging of infrared absorption.
Cardiac-enriched LIM domain protein fhl2 is required to generate IKs in a heterologous system

Objective: Co-expression of the KvLQT1 and minK potassium channel subunits is required to recapitulate I Ks, the slow component of the cardiac delayed rectifier current, and mutations in either gene cause the congenital Long QT syndrome. It is becoming increasingly well-recognized that multiprotein channel complexes containing proteins capable of modulating channel function assemble at the plasma membrane. Thus, the aim of our study was to identify proteins involved in I Ks modulation. Methods and results: Using a yeast-two-hybrid screen with the intracytoplasmic C-terminus of minK as bait, we identified the cardiac-enriched four-and-a-half LIM domain-containing protein (fhl2) as a potential minK partner. We show interaction between the two proteins in GST pulldown assays and demonstrate overlapping subcellular localization using immunocytochemistry of transfected cells supporting a potential interaction. At the functional level, expression of KvLQT1and minK in HEK cells, which lack endogenous fhl2 protein, generated I Ks only when fhl2 was co-expressed. By contrast, in CHO-K1 cells, which express fhl2 endogenously, I Ks was suppressed by anti-fhl2 antisense which did not affect the currents generated by KvLQT1alone. Conclusion: These data indicate that at least in heterologous cells, the generation of I Ks requires fhl2 as an additional protein component.
Space Science in the Twenty-First Century: Imperatives for the Decades 1995–2015 (Solar and Space Physics)

We are told by those who were fortunate enough to have participated in National Aeronautics and Space Administration missions in the 1960s that mission time scales were measured in months. Ideas transformed themselves into hardware and launches in less than a year. Little in-depth analysis of the anticipated findings was required to justify a project. A spacecraft with functioning instruments was sure to discover something new, different, and probably interesting. In 1989, as NASA resumes launching spacecraft (including the first planetary missions since Pioneer Venus was launched in 1978), missions evolve from ideas to implementation to the beat of a different drummer. With more than a decade not atypical of the period between concept and fruition and with a mature discipline calling for data pertinent to clearly defined scientific questions, planning has become an essential element of the space program. Plans a r e developed and updated frequently by committees of the Space Science Board and internally by NASA offices. Unofficial grass roots groups have added their voices, most recently at a session on Magnetospheric Missions Beyond International Solar Terrestrial Physics (ISTP) held at the Spring Meeting of AGU. A cynic might regard more science and less planning as desirable, but such a flippant view ignores the complexity of the process of assigning priorities among challenging, difficult, and costly options for future missions.