cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
fMRI during affect discrimination in bipolar affective disorder

Objective It has been hypothesized that disturbances in affect may represent distinct etiologic factors for bipolar affective disorder. The neural mechanisms mediating affective processes and their relationship to brain development and the pathophysiology of bipolar affective disorder remain to be clarified. Recent advances in neuroimaging techniques have made possible the non-invasive examination of specific brain regions during cortical challenge paradigms. This study reports findings based on fMRI data acquired during fearful and happy affect recognition paradigms in patients with bipolar affective disorder and in healthy adult subjects. Methods Prior to the scan, subjects were instructed to view the stimuli and to identify the type of facial expression presented. Echo planar scanning was performed on a 1.5 Tesla scanner which had been retrofitted with a whole body echo planar coil, using a head coil. Results The data indicate that in adult subjects with bipolar affective disorder, there is a reduction in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex activation and an increase in amygdalar activation in response to fearful facial affect. In a healthy comparison group, signal intensity changes were not found in these regions. In addition, although the patients with bipolar affective disorder completed the task demands, they demonstrated an impaired ability to correctly identify fearful facial affect but not the happy facial affect displayed. Conclusion These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that in some patients with bipolar affective disorder, there may be a reduction of frontal cortical function which may be associated with affective as well as attentional processing deficits.
The effects of jamming on control policies for frequency-hopped slotted ALOHA

A performance analysis of the effects of interference due to jamming on transmission control policies for slotted Aloha with frequency-hopped code division multiple access is presented. Both static and dynamic control schemes are considered. With static control, the transmission probability is fixed, while dynamic control adaptively varies the transmission probabilities as a function of the network backlog as well as the interference level due to jamming. Dynamic control is shown to provide a considerable performance improvement over static control when the interference level is unknown or time varying. Performance is evaluated using both analytical and simulation models. A numerical performance evaluation is given for a network of 250 users and a spread factor (number of hopping positions) of 100 where the other systems parameters are varied. >
Branching of strain histories for nonlinear viscoelastic solids with a strain clock

An important class of constitutive equations for nonlinear viscoelastic response utilizes the concept of a strain clock. The clock takes the form of a material time variable which is defined in terms of the strain history and which increases faster than physical time. Important consequences of the strain clock are that stress relaxation and creep occur faster as strain increases, and the stress may not increase monotonically with time. In this work, we discuss whether this non-monotonic response implies that strain histories may branch into multiple histories.
Health status (virus) of native North American Humulus lupulus in the natural habitat.

Ninety-one native North American Humulus lupulus plants from natural habitats in seven western and mid-western states of the U.S.A. were tested by ELISA serology for presence of two ilarviruses and three carlaviruses common to cultivated hops. All plants in natural habitats were free of detectable viruses. Propagations of 14 such plants from earlier collections had become infected, particularly with two carlaviruses (hop latent virus, American hop latent virus) after exposure for 22 years tobreeding nurseries. ELISA tests of some 284 hop plants primarily from breeding nurseries in Oregon indicated the following infection rates: Prunus necrotic ringspot virus, 85/284, 30%; apple mosaic virus, 88/234, 38%; hop mosaic virus, 59/158, 37 %; hoplatent virus, 104/158, 66 %; and American hop latent virus, 79/158, 50 %. Inoculum reservoirs of AHLV were sought among 53 principally perennial non-Humulus plant species surrounding AHLV-infected hop yards and nurseries. AHLV was neither indigenous to native North American H. lupulus nor detectable in these selected non-Humulus plant species. Breeding nurseries and commercial hop yards, thus, were the only detectable inoculum reservoir for AHLV. Zusammenfassung Virusbefall Amerikanischer Wildhopfen (Humulus lupulus L.) im naturlichen Habitat Es wurden 91 Wildhopfen aus natuirlichen Habitaten in 7 West- und Mittelweststaaten der USA serologisch (ELISA) auf Befall mit in Kulturhopfen verbreiteten Viren (2 ILAR- und 3 CARLAViren) untersucht. In keiner Pflanze war eines der Viren nachzuweisen. Jedoch 14 Nachkommen solcher Pflanzen aus fruheren Sammlungen erwiesen sich alle nach 22 Jahren Aufenthalt in Zuchtgar-ten als infiziert, insbesondere mit 2 CARLA-Viren (Latentes Hopfeovirus und Amerikanisches Latentes Hopfenvirus). Die serologische Uberprufung von 284 kultivierten Hopfen, in erster Linie aus Zuchtgarten in Oregon, mit Hilfe des ELISA-Tests ergaben folgende Befallsraten: Prunus Nekrotisches Ringfleck Virus 85/284 (30 %); Apfel Mosaik Virus 88/234 (38 %); Hopfen Mosaik Virus 39/158 (37 %); Latentes Hopfenvirus 104/158 (66 %) und Amerikanisches Latentes Hopfenvirus 79/158 (50 %). Aus der Umgebung AHLV-infizierter Hopfengarten wurden 53 meist perennierende Pflanzenspezies auf ihre Eignung als Wirte fur das AHLV uberpruft, AHLV erwies sich als kein natives Virus Nordamerikanischer Wildhopfen, noch war es in den ausgesuchten ubrigen Pflanzenspezies nachzuweisen. Hopfen-Zuchtgarten und Erwerbsanlagen sind daher als die einzigen Inokulum-Quellen anzusehen.
Performance time productivity and versatility estimates for 102 classical composers

Performance time productivity estimates for 102 classical composers are reported. For each composer, the grand total and totals within several musical genres (e.g., symphonies, concerti, operas) are provided, which are used to generate a measure of composer versatility, or the extent to which each composer's output spans multiple genres. Estimated durations of lost works for each composer are also summarized. Descriptive results identify the most prolific composers in the overall sample and within each genre. Illustrative correlational analyses revealed reliable overall associations between average annual productivity, eminence and composer birth year; versatility was related only to birth year. However, composers in different periods of musical history (Baroque/Classical, Romantic and 20th century) showed different patterns of correlations between the variables, with 20th-century composers showing no reliable correlations at all. Implications and suggestions for incorporating the reported productivity es...
Perinatal Substance Abusers: Factors Influencing Treatment Retention

This study investigated the association between two demographic and two psychological variables and treatment retention for 65 perinatal substance abusers. Subjects who lived in the community while attending day treatment were 6.125 times more likely to drp out than subjects who lived in a program-operated shelter (p < .0001). An interaction was found for pregnancy status and antisocial personality disorder (p < .0478). Subjects who were both pregnant and antisocial were 4.876 times more likely to remain in treatment than those who were neither pregnant nor antisocial. Degree of "treatment resistance," measured by the MMPI Negative Treatment Indicators (TRT) Scale, did not predict dropout. These findings indicate that supportive housing can play an important role in preventing dropout for perinatal substance abusers. Additionally, pregnancy may present a "window" of opportunity for treating a hard to reach population, drug abusing women with comorbid ASP.
Predictors of substance abuse treatment outcome in hospitalized veterans.

Background and Objectives: Historically patients consulted for the substanceabusetreatmentfromthemedicalsurgical floorshaveavery low show rate for the substance abuse treatment. The authors performed retrospective chart review to find predictors of substance abuse treatment outcome in hospitalized veterans at Atlanta VA Medical Center. Methods: The medical records from all the patients who were admitted to the medical/surgical floor with substance abuse consults from January‐December 2009 were reviewed. A total of 235 consults were received. Those records were examined to find the predictors for substance abuse treatment. Results: Multiple variables were tested for significance – patient demographics, housing status, employment, reason for hospitalization, toxicology screens, co‐morbid psychiatric and medical conditions, physician visits, and patients on waiting list. All variables were given cut‐off point for the p‐value of .10. These variables were then included in the logistic regression model. It was found that homelessness (x2 ¼ 16.14 and p < .0001) was the only individual variable that showed a statistically significant correlation with starting the program. It was found that homelessness (x2 ¼ 19.21 and p < .0001) was the only individual variable that showed statistically significant correlation with completing the program. Conclusions and Scientific Significance: Our study supports that for veterans with substance abuse, housing was the only consistent predictor to enter intensive outpatient program (IOP), complete IOP, and start aftercare. Our study demonstrates the need for and potential benefit of providing stable housing for the homeless veterans. (Am J Addict 2013;XX:1–8)
Ionic Liquids as Floatation Media for Cryo-Ultramicrotomy of Soft Polymeric Materials

Ionic liquids (ILs) and their mixtures with low molecular solvents present ideal properties for use as flotation liquids in cryo-ultramicrotomy. With control of T g and η by co-solvent addition, flat, ultra-thin sections are reliably floated onto transmission electron microscopy grids even at temperatures as low as -100°C. Even more, the liquids and their mixtures are stable in the microtome trough for several hours because of low vapor pressure and low solidification temperature. Compared to established flotation media for soft polymer systems, the time and skill needed for cryo-ultramicrotomy are significantly reduced. Although just a handful of ILs are discussed and a good general choice identified, if different liquid characteristics are needed for a particular sample, thousands of additional ILs will perform similarly, giving this new approach enormous flexibility.
The conflict within: resistance to inclusion and other paradoxes in special education

In the 30 years since the passage of the Education of All Handicapped Children Act (PL. 94–142) in 1975 (subsequently the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) special education in the USA as an institutionalized practice has become solidified. Over the years, however, the practice of segregating students because of disability has come under increased scrutiny. Beginning in the late 1980s, an increasing number of parents advocated that their children with disabilities be put in mainstream general education classes. Emotionally charged debates over the inclusion of students with disabilities in general education classrooms ensued. In this paper we look at the public debates over inclusion and expose some of the paradoxes within special education that serve to hinder the integration of individuals with disabilities into general classes and, by extension, society at large.
Recombinant human mannose-binding lectin dampens human alveolar macrophage inflammatory responses to influenza A virus in vitro.

IAV pneumonia remains a serious global health problem, and preventative and therapeutic strategies remain limited. AM are critical effector cells in the control of influenza, impairing IAV replication, promoting IAV clearance, and promoting efferocytosis and resolution of lung inflammation. MBL, an innate immune pattern recognition molecule, present in the lungs, binds IAV, and plasma MBL deficiency is associated with increased susceptibility to IAV, although the mechanism remains incompletely understood, and the influence of MBL on the IAV-AM interaction has not been established. In the current study, focusing on human macrophages (U937 cell line and clinically relevant human AM), data demonstrated that unopsonized IAV is readily internalized, induced release of TNF and ROS, and promoted macrophage apoptosis. In contrast, IAV, opsonized with rhMBL, reduced IAV uptake and macrophage apoptosis and dramatically reduced TNF release and ROS. Macrophage host-defense responses were reduced further in the presence of MASPs. Taken together, these data support the concept that rhMBL may serve a protective innate host response and a critical biological response modifier function by limiting AM inflammation, oxidative injury, and AM apoptosis, which may allow effective IAV clearance while limiting collateral damage to vital organs, such as the lungs. J. Leukoc. Biol. 95: 000–000; 2014.
Stem Cell Therapy for Diabetes Comes of Age

Type 1 diabetes—typically diagnosed in children—results from the autoimmune destruction of insulin-secreting β cells in the pancreas, with the consequent failure of glucose regulation. The direct medical costs approach $7 billion annually, with each patient spending over $100,000 in their lifetime. Although the disease can often be managed with daily insulin injections, this treatment does not even approach a cure. Although transplantation of β cells from cadavers to patients has shown promise, the scarcity and variability of these cells limits their utility. Pagliuca et al. now provide a rapid and efficient protocol for the large-scale production of mature, functional β cells from human pluripotent stem cells or potential transplantation to type 1 diabetes patients. Although pluripotent stem cells can in principle generate all cell types of the adult body, in practice it is difficult to grow sufficient numbers of mature functional cells from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). To date, the resulting cells are relatively immature and cannot secrete sufficient insulin in response to repeated glucose challenges. In the current study, the authors report an optimized and efficient protocol for the generation of human pancreatic β cells from hESC and hiPSC lines in less than 5 weeks in vitro. The method was reproducible across 12 independent human pluripotent stem cell lines and scalable to produce the nearly 1 billion β cells required for human therapy. Like bona fide human β cells, the derived β cells could repeatedly sense glucose levels and respond by secreting proper amounts of insulin. In addition, they functioned in vivo in a genetic mouse model of diabetes: the transplanted mice showed restored fasting blood glucose levels, the sustained ability to respond to glucose challenges with human insulin, and extended survival. Pluripotent stem cells are a promising source of cells to replace damaged or diseased tissue by transplantation, but we need to be able to produce large quantities of well-differentiated cells. These new data bring us one step closer to that goal for pancreatic β cells, but we still face a substantial challenge in preventing the transplanted β cells from rejection by the recipient patient. F. W. Pagliuca et al. , Generation of functional human pancreatic β cells in vitro. Cell 10.1016/j.cell.2014.09.040 (2014). [[Abstract]][1] [1]: http://www.cell.com/cell/abstract/S0092-8674(14)01228-8
Factors Affecting the Distribution of Opposing Mollusk Values

ABSTRACT Statistical treatment of collections of valves of the clam Dinocardium robustum deposited on the beach of Mustang Island, Texas, indicates the differences in the number of left and right valves are significant at the 0.05 level of probability. A relationship is shown to exist between average valve length and the percentage of excess valves, with the number of excess valves being significant only in collections having an average valve length greater than 69.5 mm. This relationship is attributed to a similarity in surf requirements for separating opposing valves and transporting large valves, namely a high energy surf. Differences in weight, ornamentation, and fragility between opposing valves do not affect their distribution. Boring snails attack left and right valves in equal n mbers, but seem to prefer small sizes. The size-frequency distribution of collections are varied, but highly skewed curves predominate.
Targeted electrode-based modulation of neural circuits for depression

Depression affects at least 10% of the world population and is a leading cause of worldwide disability (1). Major depressive disorder (MDD) is clinically defined as a multidimensional syndrome, involving disruption of mood, cognition, sensorimotor functions, and homeostatic/drive functions (including those that control sleep, appetite, and libido). While depression can be treated in many cases with either medication or an evidence-based psychotherapy, remission rates in controlled trials using currently available treatments rarely exceed 30%, and relapse is the rule rather than the exception (2). For many patients, combinations of multiple medications and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) are required. For those who remain severely depressed despite these aggressive approaches, new strategies are needed (3). This Review describes the development and testing of a new interventional strategy, deep brain stimulation (DBS), directed at this group of patients who are otherwise resistant to treatment. Critical to the development of DBS as a new treatment for intractable MDD has been the evolving understanding of the brain circuits that mediate normal and abnormal mood states and the systematic characterization of changes in these circuits that accompany successful and unsuccessful response to various treatments, measured using functional imaging (reviewed in refs. 4–8). Based on brain circuit models of depression derived primarily from PET scan measures of glucose metabolism and blood flow, the first region of the brain to be targeted with DBS in patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) was the subcallosal cingulate (SCC), the ventral-most segment of the cingulate gyrus (Figure ​(Figure1).1). As detailed in the following sections, this region of the brain was considered a critical node within a putative mood regulatory circuit, as it showed the most consistent changes in metabolism and blood flow with clinical recovery, using various well-established antidepressant interventions (9). As such, it was hypothesized that direct stimulation of the SCC and adjacent white matter would produce modulatory or normalizing changes within this otherwise unresponsive mood circuit, resulting in antidepressant effects (10). The first clinical results of DBS of the SCC were encouraging, leading to the initiation of additional clinical studies (11, 12). This initial clinical success further motivated continued refinement of this depression circuit model, with goals to optimize surgical targeting, define biomarkers that might effectively guide patient selection, and increase understanding of DBS mechanisms of action. Figure 1 Anatomical locations of key brain regions implicated in MDD.
Longitudinal Study of Observed and Perceived Family Influences on Problem-Focused Coping Behaviors of Preadolescents With Spina Bifida

Objective: To study coping socialization longitudinally by examining reported and observed family environment and parenting variables in relation to children’s problem-focused coping in a sample of 68 families of preadolescents with spina bifida and 68 matched able-bodied comparison families. Methods: Family environment and parenting variables were assessed with mother and father reports and observational measures. Children’s problem-focused coping was self-reported. Results: Prospective analyses revealed that maternal responsiveness, paternal responsiveness, and family cohesion predicted an increase in children’s use of problem-focused coping strategies, while change in paternal responsiveness and maternal responsiveness and demandingness was related concurrently to change in coping. Few group (spina bifida vs. able-bodied) or gender differences with respect to parenting and family influences on children’s coping behaviors were found. Conclusions: Multimethod findings suggest that the quality of parenting and family environment is associated with children’s problem-focused coping behaviors. We discuss clinical implications.
Conunents on Wagar' s "Toward a Praxis of World Integration"

Warren Wagar's 1995 ASA paper is an attempt to articulate a view of global political praxis culminating in a "democratic, liberal, and socialist world commonwealth." This is an admirable idea, but do the ideas in that paper get us closer to its realization--I think not. As I will argue below, Wagar's paper is nothing more than the Third International writ large, a polemic on organizational form ironically tied to a Eurocentric Second International view of the world that appears to ignore the historical lessons of both efforts.
Editing requirements for data base applications and their implementation on the INDY backend kernel

An extrapolation of user and hardware cost trends indicate that future systems should provide more complete functionality, simplicity of use, and reliability by increasing the amount of hardware present in the system. For data base systems, this can be done by providing very high level data languages and by implementing them directly in hardware. These goals are realized with a simple hardware arrangement called INDY, which uses inexpensive memory technologies (such as charge coupled devices, magnetic bubbles, or discs). This paper first discusses the data definition and editing requirements of data languages. Then the implementation of these requirements on the INDY backend kernel is described. Finally, a comparison is made of the various memory technologies for suitability to INDY.
Pervanadate-mediated tyrosine phosphorylation of keratins 8 and 19 via a p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase-dependent pathway

Glandular epithelia express the keratin intermediate filament (IF) polypeptides 8, 18 and 19 (K8/18/19). These proteins undergo significant serine phosphorylation upon stimulation with growth factors and during mitosis, with subsequent modulation of their organization and interaction with associated proteins. Here we demonstrate reversible and dynamic tyrosine phosphorylation of K8 and K19, but not K18, upon exposure of intact mouse colon or cultured human cells to pervanadate. K8/19 tyrosine phosphorylation was confirmed by metabolic 32PO4-labeling followed by phosphoamino acid analysis, and by immunoblotting with anti-phosphotyrosine antibodies. Pervanadate treatment increases keratin solubility and also indirectly increases K8/18 serine phosphorylation at several known sites, some of which were previously shown to be associated with EGF stimulation, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), or p38 kinase activation. However, K8/19 tyrosine phosphorylation is independent of EGF signaling or ERK activation while inhibition of p38 kinase activity blocks pervanadate-induced K8/19 tyrosine phosphorylation. Our results demonstrate tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor-mediated in vivo tyrosine phosphorylation of K8/19, but not K18, and suggest that tyrosine phosphorylation may be a general modification of other IF proteins. K8/19 tyrosine phosphorylation involves a pathway that utilizes the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, but appears independent of EGF signaling or ERK kinase activation.
Cognition, behavior, and the ILAE Classification of the Epilepsies: A view from Africa.

Abstract Recent ILAE revisions to the definition and classification of the epilepsies have highlighted cognitive–behavioral comorbidities (CBCs). Integrating a CBC dimension within a formal classification scheme would more fully account for the burden of epilepsy. This would be technically challenging, because we use fundamentally different methods to conceptualize, define, and diagnose CBCs that require additional expertise. In low resource settings such as sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), CBC burden is high. Existing classification systems are inevitably simplified in practice, because complex classifications require training and technologies that rarely exist in these settings. This makes low-resource settings a good place to develop simple methods to integrate CBCs into existing classifications so that they ultimately will communicate the full burden of epilepsy. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled “The new approach to classification: Rethinking cognition and behavior in epilepsy”.
Dynamic Scheduling Algorithm of Service Windows in a Distributed Measurement System

Dynamic time performance is one of the key factors for distributed measurement system(DMS)in networked manufacturing environments.Based on the no-preemptive priority queuing network model and infinitesimal perturbation analysis theory,the partition schemes of sample paths are proposed.Then a new dynamic scheduling algorithm is presented to optimize the dynamic time performance of DMS based on CORBA and dimensional measurement interface standard (DMIS).Industrial application experiments in a factory demonstrate the effectiveness of the new algorithm.
ECLS in Trauma: Practical Application and a Review of Current Status

Extracorporeal life support has evolved considerably over the past two decades. Once considered as salvage or experimental therapy in adults, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is evolving into a mainstream treatment for adult critical care. This is especially true in trauma and high-risk surgical patients, who have traditionally been excluded from consideration. Several technological advances have made this possible. This includes anticoagulant-bonded circuits, device miniaturization, servo-regulated centrifugal systems, and more efficient oxygenators. Adult ECMO may now be rapidly deployed for severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and cardiogenic shock. Trauma and surgical patients with severe ARDS should be considered for ECMO early in their clinical course to provide optimal lung rest.
Clustering and Epidemic Occurrence of MS

As determined by the nearly 200 prevalence studies currently available, MS is distributed worldwide into three bands or zones: high, medium, and low [6]. Migration studies among these bands have recently come into prominence. In the United States, for example, we have evidence that changing risk areas before onset changes the likelihood of MS (Table 1). Moves from the high-frequency north to the medium-frequency south decrease the risk, and moves from south to north increase the risk [9]. These conclusions arise from case-control comparisons of US veterans with MS, matched to their unaffected peers from the military. When we seek population-based data in migrants, though, the picture becomes very complex. For example, consider the risk of MS by age 30 for two groups in Denmark, one born there, and another arriving there at age 25 (Table 2). For the former the risk is nine in 10,000. For the latter, at this same age, this ratio is only four in 10,000, or less than half, even though they are drawn from the same high-risk population [7].
Relaying in access network with correlated and non-identical fading

In this paper, we investigate the performance of a three-link relay system in the scope of radio access networks. The diversity decode-and-forward (DDF) mode and repetition coding are adopted due to the robustness and low complexity for small devices. On the other hand, signal transmissions are subject to mixed fading. The backhaul link is under the Rician fading, while the access link and direct link are under the correlated and non-identical Rayleigh fading. Several exact and closed-form formulas are derived. The impact of correlation on QoS can be clearly observed from the numerical experiments.
Liposomal Amphotericin B and Delayed Presentation of Renal Tubular Acidosis: A Case Report

Conventional form of Amphotericin B has been associated with renal tubular acidosis decreased renal function and hypokalemia Liposomal Amphotericin B AmBisome is suggested to be associated with less nephrotoxicity We present a case of AmBisome associated kidney injury with delayed onset of renal tubular acidosis nbsp
Effects of Food Value of Artificial and Natural Sediments on Functional Response and Net Rate of Energy Gain by a Deposit-Feeding Polychaete

Deposit feeders are a ubiquitous trophic group in aquatic sediments. While many of the details of the nutrition of deposit feeders remain under debate (see Lopez et al. 1989 for a recent review), it is clear that some mixture of organic matter produced elsewhere (e.g. sedimenting planktonic debris), as well as organic matter produced in situ (e.g. bacteria, benthic diatoms) serves as food. Deposit feeders have high feeding rates, typically ingesting 10–100 times their own mass of sediments each day (Lopez & Levington 1987, Taghon 1988). Such prodigious feeding rates are attributed, not to unusually high energy demands, but to the low concentrations of nutritionally useful organic matter in sediments.
Extrahepatic toxicity of acetaminophen: critical evaluation of the evidence and proposed mechanisms.

Research on acetaminophen (APAP) toxicity over the last several decades has focused on the pathophysiology of liver injury, but increasingly attention is paid to other known and possible adverse effects. It has been known for decades that APAP causes acute kidney injury, but confusion exists regarding prevalence, and the mechanisms have not been well investigated. More recently, evidence for pulmonary, endocrine, neurological, and neurodevelopmental toxicity has been reported in a number of published experimental, clinical, and epidemiological studies, but the quality of those studies has varied. It is important to view those data critically due to implications for regulation and clinical practice. Here, we review evidence and proposed mechanisms for extrahepatic adverse effects of APAP and weigh weaknesses and strengths in the available data. Relevance for patients: APAP is one of the most commonly used drugs in the West. Although it is generally considered safe when used according to manufacturer recommendations, it has been known for decades that overdose can cause liver injury. Recent studies have suggested that APAP can damage cells in other organs as well, leading to calls for more and stricter regulations, which would limit use of this otherwise effective drug. It is especially important to view claims of developmental effects of antenatal APAP exposure with a critical eye because APAP is currently the only over-the-counter medication recommended for pregnant women to self-treat pain and fever.
Dense capacitive sensor array for monitoring distortion-induced fatigue cracks in steel bridges

Distortion-induced fatigue cracks caused by differential deflections between adjacent girders are common issues for steel girder bridges built prior to the mid-1980s in the United States. Monitoring these fatigue cracks is essential to ensure bridge structural integrity. Despite various level of success of crack monitoring methods over the past decades, monitoring distortion-induced fatigue cracks is still challenging due to the complex structural joint layout and unpredictable crack propagation paths. Previously, the authors proposed soft elastomeric capacitor (SEC), a large-size flexible capacitive strain sensor, for monitoring in-plane fatigue cracks. The crack growth can be robustly identified by extracting the crack growth index (CGI) from the measured capacitance signals. In this study, the SECs are investigated for monitoring distortion-induced fatigue cracks. A dense array of SECs is proposed to monitor a large structural surface with fatigue-susceptible details. The effectiveness of this strategy has been verified through a fatigue test of a large-scale bridge girder to cross-frame connection model. By extracting CGIs from the SEC arrays, distortion-induced fatigue crack growth can be successfully monitored.
A comparison of the robust conditional order-m estimation and two stage DEA in measuring healthcare efficiency among California counties

Abstract This paper examines cross-county healthcare efficiency rankings using modern non-parametric estimators, while taking into account secondary environmental variables. Results indicate that output-direction efficiency estimates yield counties producing inefficiently for both order-alpha and order-m estimators. After accounting for a variety of secondary environmental variables, unconditional efficiency estimates improve by anywhere between 7.5 and 10-percentage points. Results show that there is little correlation between the highly visible Robert-Woods-Johnson Foundation estimates with those derived here. We also find that counties are more efficient when they possess lower rates of obesity, unemployment, and preventable hospital readmissions. In addition, demographic variables do not play much of a role in explaining cross-county inefficiency. The analysis shows that the two stage DEA is inappropriate and violates several assumptions in comparison to the conditional order-m estimation.
Evaluation of Ventricular Function in Patients with Heart Failure: Invasive or Noninvasive?

Before considering the question as to whether ventricular function should be evaluated invasively or noninvasively in patients with heart failure, it may be useful to review the goals in the treatment of heart failure and the reasons for evaluating ventricular function.
Percutaneous Approach to Upper Urinary Tract Tumors

The “gold standard” for treatment of upper tract urothelial carcinoma is nephrourterectomy. In some cases, however, organ-sparing endoscopic therapy via percutaneous or ureteroscopic approaches should be considered. The percutaneous approach is generally used for cases of larger volume renal disease and those not accessible by ureteroscopic techniques. This chapter will review the indications, technique, complications, and results of this technique.
An Evaluation of Bimanual Gestures on the Microsoft HoloLens

We developed and evaluated two-handed gestures on the Microsoft HoloLens to manipulate augmented reality annotations through rotation and scale operations. We explore the design space of bimanual interactions on head-worn AR platforms, with the intention of dedicating two-handed gestures to rotation and scaling manipulations while reserving one-handed interactions to drawing annotations. In total, we implemented five techniques for rotation and scale manipulation gestures on the Microsoft HoloLens: three two-handed techniques, one technique for one-handed rotation and two-handed scale, and one baseline one-handed technique that represents standard HoloLens UI recommendations. Two of the bimanual interaction techniques involve axis separation for rotation whereas the third technique is fully 6DOF and modeled after the successful “spindle” approach from 3DUI literature. To evaluate our techniques, we conducted a study with 48 users. We recorded multiple performance metrics for each user on each technique, as well as user preferences. Results indicate that in spite of problems due to field-of-view limitations, certain two-handed techniques perform comparatively to the one-handed baseline technique in terms of accuracy and time. Furthermore, the best-performing two-handed technique outdid all other techniques in terms of overall user preference, demonstrating that bimanual gesture interactions can serve a valuable role in the UI toolbox on head-worn AR devices such as the HoloLens.
Worldwide Presence and Features of Flea-Borne Rickettsia asembonensis

Rickettsia asembonensis, the most well-characterized rickettsia of the Rickettsia felis-like organisms (RFLO), is relatively unknown within the vector-borne diseases research community. The agent was initially identified in peri-domestic fleas from Asembo, Kenya in an area in which R. felis was associated with fever patients. Local fleas collected from domestic animals and within homes were predominately infected with R. asembonensis with < 10% infected with R. felis. Since the identification of R. asembonensis in Kenya, it has been reported in other locations within Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Europe, North America, and South America. With the description of R. asembonensis-like genotypes across the globe, a need exists to isolate these R. asembonensis genotypes in cell culture, conduct microscopic, and biological analysis, as well as whole genome sequencing to ascertain whether they are the same species. Additionally, interest has been building on the potential of R. asembonensis in infecting vertebrate hosts including humans, non-human primates, dogs, and other animals. The current knowledge of the presence, prevalence, and distribution of R. asembonensis worldwide, as well as its arthropod hosts and potential as a pathogen are discussed in this manuscript.
Initial study of the radiomics of intracranial aneurysms using Angiographic Parametric Imaging (API) to evaluate contrast flow changes

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to apply targeted Parametric Imaging on aneurysms to quantitatively investigate contrast flow changes at pre-, post-treatment and follow-up with outcome scoring. Methods: The angiograms for 50 patients were acquired, 25 treated with coil embolization and 25 treated using a flow diverter. API was performed by synthesizing the time density curve (TDC) at every pixel. Based on the TDCs, we calculated various parameters for the quantitative characterization of contrast flow through the vascular network and aneurysms and displayed them using color encoded maps. The parameters included were : Time to Peak (TTP), Mean Transit Time (MTT), Time of Arrival (TTA), Peak Height (PH) and Area Under the Curve (AUC). Two Regions of Interest (ROI) were manually marked over the aneurysm dome and the main artery. Average aneurysm parameter values were normalized to those values recorded in the main artery and recorded pre-/post-treatment and follow-up and compared to Raymond Roy scores and flow diverter stent scoring. Results: The normalized mean values were as follows (pre and post treatment): TTP (1.09+/-0.14, 1.55+/-1.36), MTT (1.07+/-0.23, 1.27+/-0.42), TTA (0.14+/-0.15, 0.26+/-0.23), PH (1.2+/-0.54, 0.95+/-0.83) and AUC (1.29+/-0.69, 1.44+/- 1.92). The neural network gave a validation accuracy of 0.8036 with a loss of 0.0927. A receiver operating characteristic curve with an AUC of 0.866 was obtained. Conclusions: API can quantitatively describe the flow in the aneurysm for initial investigation of the radiomics of intracranial aneurysms. It also shows a clear demarcation between pre and post treatment. Statistical modelling and a machine learning network is used to prove the success of our model.
Design of an Industrial IoT-Based Monitoring System for Power Substations

The Internet of Things (IoT) concept allows objects to share data through wired or wireless connections for communication purposes. The industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is an extended concept of IoT that refers to an integration of data acquisition, communication, and processing on a real-time network. Currently, IIoT has been involved with the development of smart grids in many applications. As the operation of power systems is extremely time-critical, low-latency communication needs to be considered for most control and monitoring applications. Real-time capability of IoT is considered as a key feature for monitoring and control applications of power systems. Therefore, system operators can use the real-time monitoring system to provide better decisions for both technical- and financial-related matters. In this article, a high-speed IIoT-based monitoring system with recording functions is developed and implemented for a power system substation. Due to the high reliability and processing speed of field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), an FPGA-embedded controller is adopted in this system. The IoT platform also provides remote visualization for system operators in real-time. This article mainly aims to provide a practical application that was implemented and tested in a real-power substation. The system incorporates the features of an IoT platform with the needs of high-speed real-time applications while using a single high-resolution time source as the reference for both steady-state and transient conditions.
State of Charge Estimation of Sodium Ion Battery under different Operating Conditions using Cascade Forward Backpropagation Algorithm

Sodium ion battery (SIB) technology is a promising battery technology for future energy storage systems. Due to sodium’s abundance in nature and lower cost, it can be a good alternative to current Lithium ion battery (LIB) technology. The Na 0.7 Ni 0.3 Mn 0.59 Co 0.1 Cu 0.01 O 2 cathode material was synthesized using sol gel method. The sodium ion battery was fabricated and tested resulting in the maximum discharge capacity of 150 mAhg−1 at 0.1C. The transition metal oxide SIB discharge profile contains many voltage plateaus compared to its lithium counterpart, thus necessitate the determination of the state of charge estimation for SIBs. The fabricated SIB was discharged at two different current rates (0.5C & 1C) and three different temperatures (30°C, 45°C & 55°C). These experimental results of discharge cycles were used to train the Cascade Forward Backpropagation (CFB) algorithm and used for the estimation of State of Charge (SOC) of the SIB battery. The result showed a very good estimation of SOC for SIBs.
Prospective Initiative to Reduce Mucosal Barrier Injuries and Bloodstream Infections in Patients With Hematologic Malignancy Receiving Inpatient Chemotherapy.

PURPOSE:Mucosal barrier injury (MBI) occurs during periods of prolonged neutropenia in patients receiving cytotoxic chemotherapy for hematologic malignancies. This can lead to laboratory-confirmed ...
Protein kinases PknA and PknB independently and coordinately regulate essential Mycobacterium tuberculosis physiologies and antimicrobial susceptibility

The Mycobacterium tuberculosis Ser/Thr protein kinases PknA and PknB are essential for growth and have been proposed as possible drug targets. We used a titratable conditional depletion system to investigate the functions of these kinases. Depletion of PknA or PknB or both kinases resulted in growth arrest, shortening of cells, and time-dependent loss of acid-fast staining with a concomitant decrease in mycolate synthesis and accumulation of trehalose monomycolate. Depletion of PknA and/or PknB resulted in markedly increased susceptibility to β-lactam antibiotics, and to the key tuberculosis drug rifampin. Phosphoproteomic analysis showed extensive changes in protein phosphorylation in response to PknA depletion and comparatively fewer changes with PknB depletion. These results identify candidate substrates of each kinase and suggest specific and coordinate roles for PknA and PknB in regulating multiple essential physiologies. These findings support these kinases as targets for new antituberculosis drugs and provide a valuable resource for targeted investigation of mechanisms by which protein phosphorylation regulates pathways required for growth and virulence in M. tuberculosis.
EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS OF MOBILE VOICE AND SMS SERVICE : A STRUCTURAL MODEL

In addition to wireless telephony boom, a similar exponential increasing trend in wireless data service -for example, short message service (SMS) – is visible as technology advances. We develop a structural model to examine user demand for voice and SMS services. Specifically, we measure the own- and the cross-price elasticities of these services. The cross-price elasticity is of significant importance because marketing activities are critically influenced by whether the goods are substitutes or complements. The research context poses significant econometric challenges due to three-part tariffs, and sequential discrete plan choice and continuous quantity choice decisions. Using detailed individual consumption data of more than 6000 customers, we find that SMS and voice services are small substitutes. A 10% increase in the price of voice minutes will induce about 0.8% increase in the demand for SMS. The own price elasticity of voice is also low, to the order of approximately -0.1. Younger users’ demand is far more inelastic than that of older users. We then conduct counterfactual policy experiments that fully capture the effects of change in key parameters on the firm revenues. Finally, we discuss the generalizability of our framework.
Constructing meaning of the term Latinx: a trioethnography through Pláticas

For this study, the authors engaged in a series of conversations or platicas to critically examine their understanding and use of the term Latinx. Using ‘trioethnography’ as methodology, the author...
Insights into immune checkpoint inhibitor-induced thyroiditis

Immune checkpoint inhibitor therapies induce potent anti-tumour immunity as well as immune-related adverse events that manifest as autoimmune disease — particularly thyroiditis. Translational studies and preclinical models are beginning to unravel the molecular processes that mediate these adverse events; this knowledge might enable the development of ICIs with anti-tumour efficacy and improved safety margins.
Reactions of teachers versus non-teachers toward people who stutter.

Abstract The primary purpose of this study was to assess whether kindergarten through twelfth grade teachers differ from people in non-teaching occupations in their reactions to people who stutter (PWS). Taking differences in age and education into account, we compared reactions to PWS between 263 teachers and 1336 non-teachers in the United States based on their responses on the Public Opinion Survey on Human Attributes-Stuttering (POSHA-S, St. Louis, 2012). Findings indicated that teachers use a greater number and variety of information sources about PWS than the general public and that male teachers do so even more than female teachers. With regard to the other POSHA-S components, accommodating/helping, knowledge/experience, and sympathy/social distancing of PWS, teachers’ responses were not significantly different from their non-teaching counterparts. Regardless of occupation, women reported reactions to PWS that are considered more accommodating and helpful to PWS than the reported reactions of men. Learning outcomes : Readers should be able to: (1) identify the challenges that students who stutter encounter in the K-12 school setting, (2) identify recommended ways teachers can react to their students who stutter, (3) summarize findings regarding teachers’ reactions to people who stutter (PWS), and (4) identify key variables that are associated with reactions to PWS.
MÉTODOS MISTOS DE ESTUDO QUE EXAMINAM A PERCEPÇÃO DE NOVE PROFESSORES DE CIÊNCIAS SOBRE O TELESCÓPIO ROBÓTICO SLOOH PARA ENSINO DE ASTRONOMIA

Although previous studies show that robotic telescopes have the potential to enhance student learning, there is comparatively little research that focuses on teacher perceptions of this technology. This study investigates: “what is the academic merit of using SLOOH robotic telescopes to teach astronomy as perceived by science teachers?" Our sample consists of nine science teachers of students aged 13-18 years. Pre- and post-tests, interviews, and surveys were collected during two weeks of a summer online course about robotic telescopes. While pre and post-tests do not reveal a statistically significant gain in astronomy content knowledge, analysis of qualitative data reveals five themes which describe the most important aspects of using SLOOH according to participants: “Images,” “Interface,” “Classroom Application,” “Instructor Impact,” and “Logistical Issues.” Analysis of these themes suggests that SLOOH can provide an interactive and social learning environment with capabilities to incorporate crossdisciplinary themes.