cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Predictors of family satisfaction with support during shared decision making in neuroscience intensive care units (S23.005)

Objective: The study objective was to identify patient- and family-related factors associated with complete satisfaction with shared decision making support among families of neurocritically ill patients. Background: Only about 50% of families of neuroscience intensive care unit (NICU) patients report being completely satisfied with the support provided during shared decision making. Identifying factors associated with satisfaction may inform strategies to improve how clinicians approach families in making shared decisions. Design/Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational cohort study using a database of Family Satisfaction in the ICU 24 (FS-ICU 24) surveys collected from the NICUs at two US academic medical centers. The FS-ICU 24 is a validated instrument that asks a patient’s family member at time of ICU discharge to rate satisfaction with aspects of ICU care on Likert scales, with one item asking about satisfaction with decision making support. We dichotomized top-box responses to this item and identified patient- and family-related factors associated with complete satisfaction using multivariate regression. Results: We included 364 available surveys, each completed by one family member of 364 separate NICU admissions. 175 (48.1%) of the surveys indicated complete satisfaction with support during decision making. Only 3 of the 25 patient and family covariates in our multivariate model predicted complete satisfaction: the patient being female (OR=1.66, 95% CI 1.07–2.59, p=0.02); the family reporting three or more family meetings during admission (OR=2.64, 95% CI 1.50–4.79, p=0.0008), and the patient having code status changed to DNR during admission (OR=7.89; 95% CI 2.33–33.49, p=0.002). Conclusions: While we confirmed that only 48.1% of NICU families were completely satisfied with support provided for shared decision making, we were only able to identify 3 patient- and family-related predictors of complete satisfaction. Future studies to improve family satisfaction with NICU decision making support should have broad inclusion criteria. Disclosure: Dr. Ou has nothing to disclose. Dr. Garritano has nothing to disclose. Dr. Weber has nothing to disclose. Dr. Johnson has nothing to disclose. Dr. Anderson has nothing to disclose. Dr. Knies has nothing to disclose. Dr. Nhundu has nothing to disclose. Dr. Bautista has nothing to disclose. Dr. Sheth has received personal compensation in an editorial capacity Current Treatment Options in Neurology. Dr. Sheth has received research support from Remedy Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Dr. Rosand has received personal compensation for activities with Pfizer as a member of the Data Safety Monitoring Board. Dr. Hwang has received research support from American Brain Foundation Practice Research Training Fellowship, Apple Pickers Foundation, Neurocritical Care Society, National Institute of Health.
Breakfast food health and acute exercise: Effects on state body image.

Food intake and exercise have been shown to alter body satisfaction in a state-dependent manner. One-time consumption of food perceived as unhealthy can be detrimental to body satisfaction, whereas an acute bout of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise can be beneficial. The current study examined the effect of exercise on state body image and appearance-related self-esteem following consumption of isocaloric foods perceived as healthy or unhealthy in 36 female college students (18-30 years old) in the Northeastern United States. Using a randomized-controlled design, participants attended six study sessions with breakfast conditions (healthy, unhealthy, no food) and activity (exercise, quiet rest) as within-participants factors. Body image questionnaires were completed prior to breakfast condition, between breakfast and activity conditions, and following activity condition. Results showed that consumption of an unhealthy breakfast decreased appearance self-esteem and increased body size perception, whereas consumption of a healthy breakfast did not influence appearance self-esteem but increased body size perception. Exercise did not influence state body image attitudes or perceptions following meal consumption. Study findings suggest that morning meal type, but not aerobic exercise, influence body satisfaction in college-aged females.
"Cultivando Respeto" (Cultivating Respect): Engaging the Latino Community.

This article addresses an innovative approach to connecting an urban university with the surrounding neighborhoods comprised of Latino immigrants, who represent potential new students or current students’ family members. The National Latino Research Center (NLRC) uses popular education, culturally informed, and linguistically relevant strategies to engage diverse Latino communities in the northern region of San Diego County in California. Methods of engaging the Latino community include cultivating long-term relationships, responding to time-sensitive community crises, facilitating inter-generational connections, presenting material in a culturally informed and relevant way, providing hands-on experiences with civic engagement, and growing partnerships within the university and among non-profits. Preliminary findings described a two-year study on civic engagement testing the effectiveness of a Spanish-language curriculum based on popular education offered (free) to members of urban and rural low-resourced Latino communities. The Center statistically correlated Latino community members’ experiential learning, participating in social media, and voting with gains in civic engagement knowledge.
CALCULATION OF DOUBLE BETA DECAY MATRIX ELEMENTS : A STATUS REPORT

The current status of efforts to calculate double beta decay matrix elements is summarized. Particular focus is put on the two most popular theoretical approaches in use for such calculations, the nuclear shell model and the proton-neutron Quasi Particle Random Phase Approximation. Some brief comments regarding double beta decay to excited states are also made.
The Patient Voice Amplified

The KP Member Voice panel is an online research panel of more than 25,000 Kaiser Permanente members who contribute their opinions and insights about many aspects of the care and services they receive at Kaiser Permanente. This information helps guide quality improvement and the development of new features and services.
"Bath Salt" Use and Beliefs About Use Among Electronic Dance Music Attendees

Use of synthetic cathinones ("bath salts") has been associated with tens of thousands of emergency department visits. Few surveys, however, query use. Research on "bath salt" use is needed, especially in high-risk populations, to inform prevention and harm reduction efforts. A total of 933 adults (ages 18-40) were surveyed entering electronic dance music (EDM) parties in New York City in 2017. Lifetime use of 22 different synthetic cathinones was queried, and agreement with four statements about "bath salts" was also assessed. Prevalence and correlates of self-reported "bath salt" use was examined as well as correlates of beliefs about "bath salts." An estimated 3.5% of EDM attendees have knowingly used "bath salts." Almost half (46.7%) believe "bath salts" are more harmful than MDMA, 30.1% believe "bath salts" have turned users into cannibals, 30.0% believe "bath salts" are sometimes found in Molly, and 14.9% believe they might have unknowingly used "bath salts." Males, those earning <$500 per week, and those with a college degree were at higher risk for use. Believing "bath salts" have turned users into cannibals, however, was protective against use. Findings suggest the need for more accurate information (e.g., regarding drug effects) on this large and heterogeneous group of compounds.
Mammal communities are larger and more diverse in moderately developed areas.

Humans transform natural ecosystems worldwide into towns and cities, replacing natural habitat with human-built surfaces. This loss of habitat and increase in human activity make suburban areas difficult for some species to survive in, raising concerns that developed areas become ecologically unbalanced as they lose biodiversity. However, the preservation of urban green space and lack of hunting could also open the door for some species to thrive in the midst of large human populations. Indeed, some animals, mammals in particular, have grown more tolerant of humans and appear to have adapted to suburban landscapes around the world. Some species that have been exclusively living in the wilderness, such as a small carnivore called the fisher, are even moving back into cities. Research into how mammals are coping with the urbanization of their habitats has produced conflicting results. Studies that explore a variety of cities and habitats would help to clear up this confusion. Parsons et al. worked with citizen scientist volunteers to survey the mammals at 1,427 sites across Washington DC and Raleigh, North Carolina. The volunteers set up motion-triggered cameras in these sites, which covered a full range of urban and wild habitats, including back yards and large nature preserves. The cameras detected similar or higher numbers of mammal species in suburban sites compared to wild areas. Indeed, most species appear to use suburban areas at least as much as wild land. Urban green space is especially important; it is used by less urban-adapted species like coyotes to navigate areas that are densely populated by humans. The results presented by Parsons et al. suggest that many mammals have indeed adapted to the suburban environment over the last few decades, resulting in more balanced urban ecosystems. More testing in other cities will help to determine how general this pattern of adaptation is, and provide us with knowledge that could help us to conserve many different species. However, some species were still most abundant in wild areas, emphasizing the need to also conserve wildlands and to minimize our impact on natural ecosystems.
Improving the Performance of Stamping Systems

The wear of the working surfaces in stamping equipment is analyzed. Means of improving the surface layer of the working components so as to extend tool life are considered.
Phenome-wide association study identifies dsDNA as a driver of major organ involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus.

In systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), dsDNA antibodies are associated with renal disease. Less is known about comorbidities in patients without dsDNA or other autoantibodies. Using an electronic h...
The role of extracellular matrix stiffness in regulating cytoskeletal remodeling via vinculin in synthetic smooth muscle cells

Abstract Vinculin is a key player in sensing and responding to external mechanical cues such as extracellular matrix stiffness. Increased matrix stiffness is often associated with certain pathological conditions including hypertension induced cellular cytoskeleton changes in vascular smooth muscle (VSM) cells. However, little is known on how stiffness affects cytoskeletal remodeling via vinculin in VSM cells. Thus, we utilized matrices with elastic moduli that simulate vascular stiffness in different stages of hypertension to investigate how matrix stiffness regulates cell cytoskeleton via vinculin in synthetic VSM cells. Through selecting a suitable reference gene, we found that an increase in physiologically relevant extracellular matrix stiffness (2–50 kPa) downregulates vinculin gene expression but upregulates vinculin protein expression. This discrepancy, which was not observed previously for non-muscle cells, suggests that the vinculin-mediated mecahnotransduction mechanism in synthetic VSM cells may be more complex than those proposed for non-muscle cells. Also adding to previous findings, we found that VSM cell growth may be impeded by substrates that are either too soft or too rigid.
Comparison of Treadmill Trip-Like Training Versus Tai Chi to Improve Reactive Balance Among Independent Older Adult Residents of Senior Housing: A Pilot Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND There is growing interest in using perturbation-based balance training to improve the reactive response to common perturbations (eg, tripping and slipping). The goal of this study was to compare the efficacy of treadmill-based reactive balance training versus Tai Chi performed at, and among independent residents of, older adult senior housing. METHODS Thirty-five residents from five senior housing facilities were allocated to either treadmill-based reactive balance training or Tai Chi training. Both interventions were performed three times per week for 4 weeks, with each session lasting approximately 30 minutes. A battery of balance tests was performed at baseline, and again 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months post-training. The battery included six standard clinical tests of balance and mobility, and a test of reactive balance performance. RESULTS At baseline, no significant between-group differences were found for any balance tests. After training, reactive balance training participants had better reactive balance than Tai Chi participants. Maximum trunk angle was 13.5° smaller among reactive balance training participants 1 week after training (p = .01), and a reactive balance rating was 24%-31% higher among reactive balance training participants 1 week to 6 months after training (p < .03). Clinical tests showed minimal differences between groups at any time point after training. CONCLUSION Trip-like reactive balance training performed at senior housing facilities resulted in better rapid balance responses compared with Tai Chi training.
Adaptive Protection Scheme for a Microgrid with High Levels of Renewable Energy Generation

Deployment of high renewable energy based penetration in a distribution network increases the fault current levels and therefore it becomes imperative to review the protective device coordination study. Traditional relaying schemes may fail to protect the distribution system with high penetration of distributed generators (DGs) such as grid-tied photovoltaic, diesel generators and wind energy based systems. This paper investigates the impact on protective device coordination under high DG deployment. IEEE 13 bus test feeder has been modeled in ETAP software to perform the device coordination study with and without (photovoltaic) PV/wind power sources. A novel adaptive protective scheme is proposed using numerical relays compatible with IEC 61850 standard. To implement the algorithm, a laboratory based microgrid test bed has been modeled with logical nodes based on the IEC 61850 communication protocols. The limitation of modern numerical relays to update the settings in real-time has been discussed.
Alkynylation of Pentose Derivatives with Stereochemical Fidelity: Implications for the Regioselectivity of Alkynyl Diol Cycloisomerizations to Cyclic Enol Ethers

This work characterizes a previously undetected epimerization in the preparation of alkynyl diols from pentose precursors utilizing the Ohira-Bestmann reagent. Lithium trimethylsilyldiazomethane (Colvin reagent) additions to the d-ribose and d-lyxose-derived benzylidene acetals provide the respective alkynyl diol stereoisomers, without epimerization. Regioselective tungsten-catalyzed cycloisomerizations of the d-ribose- and d-lyxose-derived alkynyl diols yield rigid bicyclic pyranose glycals, confirming the stereochemical fidelity of the Colvin alkynylation process.
Voicing cues as a function of the tense/lax distinction in vowels

Abstract: Stop release and the presence or absence of a falling F1 transition in the preceding vowel have been shown to be effective cues to [± voice] in post-vocalic, word-final stops in English. Speech production data was gathered to determine the predictability and interrelationship of these two cues. Spectrographic analysis indicates (1) that release is predicted by the tenseness of the preceding vowel, (2) that release seems to function as a segment cue, as well as a voicing cue, and (3) that the falling F1 transition and stop release, when functioning as cues to [+ voice] in a post-vocalic, word-final stop, are in complementary distribution and vary according to the tenseness of the preceding vowel.
Helmet-CAM: Strategically Minimizing Exposures to Respirable Dust Through Video Exposure Monitoring

Exposure to respirable crystalline silica (RCS) remains a serious health hazard to the US mining workforce who are potentially exposed as various ore bodies are drilled, blasted, hauled by truck, crushed, screened, and transported to their destinations. The current Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) permissible exposure limit (PEL) for RCS remains at approximately 100 μg/m3, but it is noteworthy that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has lowered its PEL to 50 μg/m3 (with enforcement dates staggered through 2022 for various sectors), and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has held a 50 μg/m3 recommended standard since 1976. To examine a method for reducing RCS exposure using a NIOSH-developed video exposure monitoring (VEM) technology (referred to as Helmet-CAM), video and respirable dust concentration data were collected on eighty miners across seven unique mining sites. The data was then collated and partitioned using a thresholding scheme to determine exposures that were in excess of ten times the mean exposure for that worker. Focusing on these short duration, high magnitude exposures can provide insight to implement controls and interventions that can dramatically lower the employee’s overall average exposure. In 19 of the 80 cases analyzed, it was found that exposure could be significantly lowered by 20% or more by reducing exposures that occur during just 10 min of work per 8-hour shift. This approach provides a method to quickly analyze and determine which activities are creating the greatest health concerns. In most cases, once identified, focused control technologies or behavioral modifications can be applied to those tasks.
Comparative study on fetal ultrasonic diagnosis and pathological results of complex congenital heart diseases

Objective To probe the diagnostic efficacy of fetal eehocardiography for characterizing complex congenital heart diseases.Methods Fetal echocardiography was performed on 49 cases of fetal complex congenital heart disease, the ultrasonic diagnosis was compared retrospectively with pathological results after autopsy.Results Antenatal sonographic diagnosis was in agreement with the pathological results in 42 cases (85.71 %), 7 cases were disagreed with pathological diagnosis (antenatal sonographic diagnosis was discrepancy in 3 cases, 4 cases were partially mis-classified).Twenty-four cases were combined with extra-cardiac malformations.Nine cases had chromosomal abnormality.Conclusions Fetal echocardiography is highly accurate for antenatal diagnosis of complex congenital heart disease, but it is hard to detect some type of cardiac anomalies. Key words: Ultrasonography,prenatal; Heart defects,congenital
Risks of venous thrombosis and bleeding in critically ill adolescents after trauma or major surgery.

Abstract Background The risks of venous thromboembolism (VTE) and bleeding in critically ill adolescents based on interventions received and anatomic site of trauma or major surgery may identify a cohort eligible for enrollment in a trial of pharmacologic prophylaxis. Methods This retrospective cohort study using the Virtual Pediatric Systems database included adolescents admitted to pediatric intensive care units after trauma or major surgery between 2013 and 2017. Mixed effects logistic regression was used to determine the adjusted risks of VTE and bleeding with central venous catheterization (CVC), mechanical ventilation (MV) and anatomic site of trauma or major surgery. The adjusted risks were used to identify the cohort eligible for enrollment. Measurements and Main Results VTE developed in 212 (0.8%) of 27,647 adolescents. The adjusted risk of VTE was > 2% with CVC and 2 or more of MV and trauma or major surgery to the brain or abdomen. Excluding those with bleeds present on admission or at high risk of bleeding, 375 (1.4%) adolescents would be eligible for enrollment. Conclusions VTE is generally uncommon in adolescents after trauma or major surgery. The small proportion of adolescents who are at high risk of VTE and at low risk of bleeding impacts the feasibility of a trial. Level of Evidence Prognostic Study Level II.
Dyspnea With Unilateral Pulmonary Ground Glass Opacities and Cavitary Lesions.

Case Presentation A 62-year-old man presented with a 3-month history of shortness of breath and a dry cough. He had a medical history of hypertension (without use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors), hyperlipidemia, depression, and 10-pack-years of cigarette smoking several decades ago. He was a limousine driver and denied any history of occupational high-risk exposures. The patient denied significant weight gain or weight loss, night sweats, fevers, hemoptysis, chest pain, or palpitations. He had a normal physical examination. Pulmonary function studies with a hemoglobin level of 12.9 gm/dL revealed normal spirometry, normal lung volumes, and moderately low diffusion capacity (56% of predicted). A 6-minute walk test showed mild desaturation (97% to 92% after 432 m). Stress echo revealed ejection fraction of 60% with no regional wall motion abnormalities, no evidence of impaired diastolic filling, estimated peak pulmonary artery pressure 35 to 40 mm Hg, and no valvular abnormalities with desaturation to 87% during the test. Extensive rheumatologic, infectious disease, and hypercoagulability workup were unremarkable. BAL was negative for malignancy, infection, or eosinophilic lung disease.
Gray matter predominant Longitudinally Extensive Transverse Myelitis: a rare association with metastatic Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma. (P5.123)

This is a case report of a 29 year old female with a history of granulomatosis with polyangitis, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis s/p living related donor kidney transplant in 2000 presented with bronchitis, low grade fevers and productive cough which progressed to neck stiffness prior to admission. Lumbar puncture showed WBC of 73 (13[percnt] lymph, 29[percnt] mono), RBC 17, protein 52, glucose 54. She was initially started on acyclovir and ceftriaxone. Two days later, patient noticed right hand weakness, right facial droop and additionally LUE weakness. Over the course of the night, patient started to develop upper and lower extremity paralysis as well as diaphragmatic paralysis requiring intubation. Repeat LP was as follows: glucose of 54, Protein 110 and WBC 136 with a lymphocytic predominance. Paraneoplastic panel, autoimmune and infectious workup negative. MRI brain showed Flair hyper-intensities in the deep gray nuclei and leptomeningeal enhancement of the ventral medulla and gray matter of cervical cord. MRI spine showed extensive abnormal T2 hyper-intense signal affecting the entire spinal cord, most concentrated at the anterior horns of the central gray matter, with linear intramedullary enhancement within the cervical spinal cord. Patient responded minimally to steroids 1g for 10 days and PLEX for 7 days. Multiple cystic appearing lymph nodes within the left neck measuring approximately 1.5 cm in size were incidentally discovered on MRI. Biopsy of this lesion was consistent with metastatic papillary thyroid carcinoma. Total thyroidectomy with left selective neck dissection II-IV was performed. Repeat MRI showed modest improvement in STIR signal changes after the resection There have been rare case reports of metastatic papillary thyroid cancer associated with a paraneoplastic LETM with CRMP-5 antibody positivity. While this antibody was negative in our patient, the marked improvement of patient’s symptoms nodal resection argues for a likely paraneoplastic etiology of LETM. Disclosure: Dr. Dalal has nothing to disclose. Dr. Hafeez has nothing to disclose. Dr. Zakaria has nothing to disclose.
Structure, spectroscopy, stability, and bridge exchange in the M3O4 incomplete-cubane complexes, [M(III)3(Sal-AHA)3(μ-OR)]− (M = Fe, Ga)

Abstract The [Ga(III)3(3,5-diCl-Sal-AHA)3(μ-OCH3)]− anion crystallizes with one K+ and one H3O+ counter ion between each pair of anions. The structure is analogous to the previously reported [Fe(III)3(3,5-diCl-Sal-AHA)3(μ-OCH3)]−, with each containing a M3O4 incomplete cubane at the base of a phenyl-derived pocket that surrounds a triply bridging methoxy group. The EPR spectrum of [Fe(III)3(3,5-diCl-Sal-AHA)3(μ-OCH3)]− at 4.5 K is complex with features near geff = 2, 4.3, and above 5. Only the 4.30 feature maintains intensity much above 30 K, and it persists to above 150 K. Room temperature magnetic susceptibility measurements indicate an average spin of S = 5/2 per trimer in both solid and solution. Both the Ga and Fe clusters are stable in methanol. However, the Ga complex slowly decomposes in 40% water or in the presence of EDTA, while the Fe cluster does not. Experiments with a mixed Fe/Ga solution show that the order of stability of the [M(III)3(3,5-diCl-Sal-AHA)3(μ-OCH3)]−, clusters in the presence of EDTA is M(III)3 = Fe3 > Fe2Ga > FeGa2 > Ga3. Metal or chelate exchange occurs very slowly (weeks to months) if at all. However, the μ3-methoxy bridge can be replaced by deuterated methoxy or a μ3-hydroxy bridge within hours to days.
The metabolism of hypertension. Its relation to drug therapy.

Abstract 1. 1. Various hypertensive mechanisms and the known links between them are described, including abnormalities in catecholamine metabolism and in hormone, electrolyte, and tissue metabolism. 2. 2. Drug therapy is discussed in the frames of reference provided by these abnormalities.
Step It Up

(2009). Step It Up. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance: Vol. 80, No. 1, pp. 22-24.
An evaluation of protein secondary structure prediction algorithms

Publisher Summary Algorithms for secondary structure prediction are based upon diverse theoretical approaches. Over the time, several algorithms have been developed to predict the secondary structure of proteins based on very distinct theoretical approaches. Comparative analysis of the performance of various algorithms can be deceptive if factors, such as the selection of proteins for the testing set and the choice of the scoring Index are not carried out properly. The chapter provides an updated evaluation of several predictive methods with a testing set size that permits to obtain more accurate statistics, which in turn can possibly measure the usefulness of the information gathered by those methods and identify trends that characterize the behavior of individual algorithms. Further, the chapter presents a uniform testing of these methods, vis-a-vis the size of the datasets, the measure of accuracy and proper cross-validation procedures. From a large list of available algorithms for secondary structure prediction, nine are selected to represent the main classes. These are chosen mainly because they are the most commonly cited in the literature and by the fact that they permit a relatively safe implementation through of a computer program. The selected methods are summarized in the chapter. The present analysis might give rise to a somewhat pessimistic view of the effectiveness of protein secondary structure prediction algorithms. In fact, with the increasing number of proteins with known three-dimensional structure, constant re-evaluation of the performance must take place to ascertain the validity of the methods. It is noted that the methods are analyzed consistently using the 148 proteins selected in this study. Moreover, the situation is even worse for the Mathews correlation coefficient, which indicates that the predictions are poorly correlated with the actual structure.
Anterior Ankle Arthroscopy: Indications, Pitfalls, and Complications

Anterior ankle arthroscopy is a useful, minimally invasive technique for diagnosing and treating ankle conditions. Arthroscopic treatment offers the benefit of decreased surgical morbidity, less postoperative pain, and earlier return to activities. Indications for anterior ankle arthroscopy continue to expand, including ankle instability, impingement, management of osteochondritis dissecans, synovectomy, and loose body removal. Anterior ankle arthroscopy has its own set of inherent risks and complications. Surgeons can decrease the risk of complications through mastery of ankle anatomy and biomechanics, and by careful preoperative planning and meticulous surgical technique.
Effects of vaginal hysterectomy on anorectal sensorimotor functions--a prospective study.

Background While bowel and bladder dysfunction are recognized consequences of a radical hysterectomy, the effects of a simple hysterectomy on anorectal sensorimotor functions, particularly rectal sensation, vary among studies and the effects on rectal compliance remain unknown. Our aims were to prospectively evaluate anorectal sensorimotor functions before and after a hysterectomy. Methods Anal pressures, rectal compliance, capacity, sensation, and bowel symptoms were assessed before, at 2 months, and at 1 year after a simple vaginal hysterectomy for benign indications in 19 patients. Rectal staircase (0–44 mmHg, 4-mmHg steps), ramp (0–200 mL at 50, 200 and 600 mL min−1) and phasic distentions (8, 16, and 24 mmHg above operating pressure) were performed. Key Results Anal resting (63 ± 4 before, 56 ± 4 mmHg after) and squeeze pressures (124 ± 12 before, 124 ± 12 mmHg after), rectal compliance and capacity (285 ± 12 before, 290 ± 11 mL 1 year after), and perception of phasic distentions were not different before vs after a hysterectomy. Sensory thresholds for first sensation and the desire to defecate were also not different, but pressure and volume thresholds for urgency were somewhat greater (Hazard ratio = 0.7, 95% CI [0.5, 1.0]) 1 year after (vs before) a hysterectomy. Rectal pressures were higher (P < 0.0001) during fast compared with slow ramp distention; this rate effect was greater at 1 year after a hysterectomy, particularly at 100 mL (P = 0.04). Conclusions & Inferences A simple vaginal hysterectomy has relatively modest effects (i.e., somewhat reduced rectal urgency and increased stiffness during rapid distention) on rectal sensorimotor functions.
Neutrinos from SN1987A and current models of stellar-core collapse.

The neutrino signatures obtained from extended hydrodynamic calculations of stellar-core collapse are described and compared with the data of Hirata et al. and Bienta et al. The comparisons suggest that SN1987A resulted from the collapse of a small core, and marginally suggest the delayed shock mechanism.
Substrate Recognition by β-Ketoacyl-ACP Synthases

β-Ketoacyl-ACP synthase (KAS) enzymes catalyze Claisen condensation reactions in the fatty acid biosynthesis pathway. These reactions follow a ping-pong mechanism in which a donor substrate acylates the active site cysteine residue after which the acyl group is condensed with the malonyl-ACP acceptor substrate to form a β-ketoacyl-ACP. In the priming KASIII enzymes the donor substrate is an acyl-CoA while in the elongating KASI and KASII enzymes the donor is an acyl-ACP. Although the KASIII enzyme in Escherichia coli (ecFabH) is essential, the corresponding enzyme in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (mtFabH) is not, suggesting that the KASI or II enzyme in M. tuberculosis (KasA or KasB, respectively) must be able to accept a CoA donor substrate. Since KasA is essential, the substrate specificity of this KASI enzyme has been explored using substrates based on phosphopantetheine, CoA, ACP and AcpM peptide mimics. This analysis has been extended to the KASI and KASII enzymes from E. coli (ecFabB and ecFabF) where we show that a 14 residue malonyl-phosphopantetheine peptide can efficiently replace malonyl-ecACP as the acceptor substrate in the ecFabF reaction. While ecFabF is able to catalyze the condensation reaction when CoA is the carrier for both substrates, the KASI enzymes ecFabB and KasA have an absolute requirement for an ACP substrate as the acyl donor. Provided that this requirement is met, variation in the acceptor carrier substrate has little impact on the kcat/Km for the KASI reaction. For the KASI enzymes we propose that the binding of ecACP (AcpM) results in a conformational change that leads to an open form of the enzyme to which the malonyl acceptor substrate binds. Finally, the substrate inhibition observed when palmitoyl-CoA is the donor substrate for the KasA reaction has implications for the importance of mtFabH in the mycobacterial FASII pathway.
Responses of tarsal chemoreceptive hairs of the blowfly, Phormia regina☆

Abstract Responses of the four types of tarsal chemoreceptive hairs on the blowfly were studied electrophysiologically. There were consistent differences among the different hair types and also among specific hairs of type D. These differences may aid in behavioural discriminations made by the blowfly. Some of them appear to be related to frequency of use. No responses of a water receptor were observed.
Reasons for delayed discharge of trauma patients.

Background. In the trauma population, increased length of stay is associated with age, comorbidities, and injury severity. We hypothesized that a significant contributor to a delay in length of stay was unrelated to these variables. Materials and methods. All trauma patients admitted for > 48 h with acute injury from 7/1/2000 to 9/30/2000 were evaluated daily for discharge readiness. Actual discharge time was recorded from the time discharge orders were written. A discharge-ready patient not discharged within 24 h was a Delay discharge. Discharge delay was categorized as availability of rehabilitation beds, family reasons, or system-related delay. Payer was classified as commercial, government, Medicare, or uninsured. Actual hospital costs were used. Results. One hundred twenty-eight patients were evaluated; 30 patients had a delay in discharge. The average delay was 2 days (range 1–15 days). Mean hospital stay for Delay patients was 13.4 days, and 8.1 days for Timely patients (P < 0.05). Injury severity, age, and comorbidities were not different among groups. The main reason for delay was lack of a rehabilitation bed. Hospital costs were $39,013 per patient in the Delay group and $24,414 in the Timely group. Delay patients were more likely to be uninsured, have an orthopedic injury, and require ICU care. Conclusion. Discharge delays significantly lengthen hospital stay for nonmedical reasons in trauma patients. Improved efficiency in a trauma system will require changes from acute care to rehabilitation.
Perspectives on MeV astronomy instrumentation

Abstract Although remarkable progress has been made in gamma ray astrophysics recently (witness the recent advances in understanding gamma ray bursts) many of the early scientific objectives remain unfulfilled. This is due primarily to the rather modest improvement in sensitivity (several hundred) from the pioneering balloon observations in the 1960s to the Compton Observatory and INTEGRAL missions. Important objectives related to supernovae, novae and the search for line emissions from compact objects will benefit from another factor of 100 improvement in sensitivity. Several instrumental techniques to achieving dramatic improvements will be discussed. These include advanced Compton telescopes using detectors with high spectral and spatial resolution, and concepts for Laue collectors and focusing gamma ray telescopes.
Effect of chemically contaminated marine sediment on naupliar production of the marine harpacticoid copepod,Tigriopus californicus

There is a growing body of evidence indicating that chemically contaminated sediments in urban bays and estuaries pose a significant threat to the productivity of these important marine habitats. Particularly at risk are benthic species which live in direct contact with the sediment. However, nondemersal species are also at risk via the food chain and by direct contact with resuspended sediment particulates. There are substantial data on the lethal and sublethal effects of aqueous contaminants on a variety of aquatic species. In contrast, there is very limited information on the toxic effects of the generally water-insoluble sediment-associated contaminants. In the present communication the authors report a series of experiments in which the harpacticoid copepod, Tigriopus californicus, was exposed to sediments from urban and nonurban bays, and reproductive success was evaluated. This species was selected for study as it is widely distributed along the West Coast of North America, and as a group, copepods are an important component of the marine food chain. In addition, the relatively short reproductive life span of this species makes it particularly amenable for studies of reproductive success. Here, the authors report reduced and irregular naupliar production as a consequence of exposure to chemically contaminated sedimentsmore » from urban waterways.« less
Understanding Bead Hump Formation in Gas Metal Arc Welding Using a Numerical Simulation

Three-dimensional numerical simulations were conducted to study temperature distributions and fluid flows during formation of humped beads in high speed gas metal arc welding (GMAW). Based on simulation and experimental results, the physical mechanisms associated with humping phenomenon were investigated and two conditions responsible for hump formation were identified: the formation of thin liquid channel induced by surface tension pinching force and premature solidification of the melt in the thin channel that divides the weld pool into a front and rear portion. A strong backward fluid flow that produced an accumulation of melt at the rear of the weld pool increased the size of humps. Although surface tension was shown to be important in hump formation, Marangoni flow induced by negative surface tension gradients was not significant for hump formation. The simulation results clarified the fluid flow associated with two different hump shapes. Experimental welds without bead humping were made at a lower travel speed and were also simulated to illustrate the differences in heat and fluid flow from humped beads.
RNAi screening of developmental toolkit genes: a search for novel wing genes in the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum

The amazing array of diversity among insect wings offers a powerful opportunity to study the mechanisms guiding morphological evolution. Studies in Drosophila (the fruit fly) have identified dozens of genes important for wing development. These genes are often called candidate genes, serving as an ideal starting point to study wing development in other insects. However, we also need to explore beyond the candidate genes to gain a more comprehensive view of insect wing evolution. As a first step away from the traditional candidate genes, we utilized Tribolium (the red flour beetle) as a model and assessed the potential involvement of a group of developmental toolkit genes (embryonic patterning genes) in beetle wing development. We hypothesized that the highly pleiotropic nature of these developmental genes would increase the likelihood of finding novel wing genes in Tribolium. Through the RNA interference screening, we found that Tc-cactus has a less characterized (but potentially evolutionarily conserved) role in wing development. We also found that the odd-skipped family genes are essential for the formation of the thoracic pleural plates, including the recently discovered wing serial homologs in Tribolium. In addition, we obtained several novel insights into the function of these developmental genes, such as the involvement of mille-pattes and Tc-odd-paired in metamorphosis. Despite these findings, no gene we examined was found to have novel wing-related roles unique in Tribolium. These results suggest a relatively conserved nature of developmental toolkit genes and highlight the limited degree to which these genes are co-opted during insect wing evolution.
How Has China's Economic Emergence Contributed to the Field of Economics?

China’s economic transformation demonstrates that the paths of transition and development are broader and more varied than generally predicted by economic research relating to other countries. Research focused on China’s experience contributes to the scope and richness of the economics literature in notable ways. The China literature illustrates and makes more vivid established insights and paradigms, including those of Nobel laureates whose work relates to development and institutions. Furthermore, China is inspiring new insights and understanding regarding the central role of institutions. This paper, in particular, focuses its review on the literature that expands our understanding of the process of induced institutional change.
Urinary incontinence secondary to severe labial agglutination

The purpose of the study was to describe the presentation and management of urinary incontinence because of severe labial adhesions. Records of all patients diagnosed with labial agglutination and urinary incontinence at the Division of Gynecologic Specialties between January 1999 and February 2006 were reviewed. Clinical presentation, management, and treatment outcome were extracted from the records. Five subjects were identified. Mean age was 78 (range 59–87) years. Four subjects presented with mixed and one with urge urinary incontinence. Four reported change in flow of stream with voiding. Physical examination showed near-total occlusion of the introitus and urethral meatus in four subjects and partial occlusion in one subject. All were treated topically with estrogen and/or steroids. None of the subjects improved with conservative management, and all required lysis of the labial adhesions. Postoperatively, all were treated with daily topical estrogen and three with concurrent topical steroids. All subjects reported resolution of voiding dysfunction; three had complete resolution of their incontinence. Lysis of labial adhesions combined with postoperative topical estrogen and steroids appears to be an effective treatment in women with this condition.
The effect of domain shape on principal components analyses: A reply

In a previous paper, I reevaluated the domain shape dependence arguments of Buell and concluded that ‘unrotated’ principal components do represent, to a very large degree, the underlying structure represented in the dispersion matrix. Richman's comments are largely based as a defence of component rotation—a subject that was not addressed in my original paper. It is my thesis that much of the alleged uninterpretability of ‘unrotated’ components stems from an attempt to retrieve characteristic scenarios or ‘modes of the variation’ (which PCA does not purport to do) and not from an overdependence on the shape of the domain. This misapplication often results from a confusion of the goals of principal components analysis and common factor analysis as is evidenced in Richman's comments.
Emergent properties of neural systems: How focal molecular neurobiological alterations can affect behavior

Whereas the basic wiring diagram of the mammalian central nervous system (CNS) is genetically preprogramed, its fine tuning throughout different phases of infancy, childhood, and adulthood are highly experience dependent. The potential neurobiological mechanisms and behavioral effects of such experience-dependent neuroplasticity as a function of stage of development are outlined. A basic thesis of this paper is that mechanisms involved in neuronal learning and memory, such as long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD), are used and reused not only in the sculpting of the CNS in the initial establishment of connections, but also again in the molding of personality and behavior based on experience. It is postulated that for higher order processes such as emotional memory, such neuroplasticity is occurring at increasingly larger numbers of synapses and cell assemblies with increasing mechanistic complexity and self-organization. Just as overexcitation or deprivation can profoundly affect the development of the visual system, it is postulated that similar phenomena exist in the neural substrates of emotional and cognitive development. In addition, a secondary and potentially more widespread series of ramifications are likely to occur in the higher order and integrative systems, such as secondary and tertiary cortical association areas and prefrontal cortex that become the ultimate integrators of emotion and experience, leading to subsequent actions and plans for the future. This process is by definition, plastic, and such remodeling is likely to take place not only at the level of the single synapse, but also at higher levels of network integration of which we currently have only the barest glimpse. Nonetheless, beginning to discuss the neurobiology of such self-organizing plastic systems may begin to change our conceptual approaches to psychopathology and open new avenues of therapeutics for the major psychiatric illnesses that are critically dependent on such higher order learning and memory mechanisms.
SU-E-T-403: Investigation of Electron Dose Calculation Using the Lateral Buildup Ratio Method

Purpose: To calculate the percentage depth dose of any irregular shape electron block using the lateral build‐up‐ratio method.Methods: Percentage depth dose (PDD) curves were measured using 6, 9, 12, and 15 MeV electron beam energies for applicator cone sizes of 6×6, 10×10, 14×14, and 20×20 cm2. Circular cutouts for each cone were prepared from 2.0 cm diameter to the maximum possible size for each cone. In addition, three irregular cutouts were prepared. The scanning was done using a water tank and two diodes ‐ one for the signal and the other a stationary reference outside the tank. The water surface was determined by scanning the signal diode slowly from water to air and by noting the sharp change of the percentage depth dose curve at the water/air interface.Results: The lateral build‐up‐ratio (LBR) for each circular cutout was calculated from the measured PDD curve using the open field of the 14×14 cm2 cone as the reference field. Using the LBR values and the radius of the circular cutouts, the corresponding lateral spread parameter (sigma) of the electron shower was calculated. The PDD curves of the irregular cutout sizes were calculated using the sigma values of the 2 cm and the 3 cm diameter cutout sizes. Finally, the calculated PDD curves were compared with measurements of the irregular cutouts Conclusions: The PDD curves for the irregular cutout calculated using the sigma value of the 2.0 cm diameter cutout agreed with the measured PDD curves within 2% for 6MeV and 4% for 12 MeV. On the other hand, using the average sigma values of the 2 and 3 cm diameter cutouts reduced the difference by a factor of two. The result of the calculated sigma value showed that at a given depth and energy, the sigma value increases with cutout size.
Low redundancy polynomial checks for numerical computation

This paper presents a new approach to detection and correction of errors in numerical computations caused by both software and/or hardware faults. This approach does not depend on the form of representation or on the specific features of the implementation of a program or a device computing the given function. The described approach results in a substantial reduction of the hardware overhead required for multiple error detection and correction as compared to the check sum method or other methods previously known.