cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of high- versus low-tissue affinity ACE-inhibitor treatment on circulating aldosterone levels in patients with chronic heart failure.

Introduction. Previous animal studies of chronic heart failure (CHF) suggest that angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors of differing tissue avidity provide varying levels of renin-angiotensin system (RAS) suppression. Human studies have not consistently confirmed these animal findings. We hypothesised that production of circulating aldosterone (ALDO) would be suppressed to a greater extent in subjects treated with an ACE-inhibitor of higher tissue avidity. We randomised subjects with stable CHF to receive the low-tissue affinity ACE-inhibitor enalapril (ENAL) or the high-tissue affinity ACE-inhibitor trandolapril (TRAN), and assessed circulating ALDO levels at baseline and after eight weeks of treatment. Methods. Thirty clinically stable subjects with CHF and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) < 40% who were in a steady-state fluid balance were enrolled into a prospective, randomised double-blind trial.After a one month run-in period for standardisation to initial ACE-inhibition with ENAL, baseline circulating ALDO levels were measured and patients were randomised to receive ENAL 40 mg versus TRAN 4 mg (or the maximally tolerated doses) for eight weeks. Final determination of ALDO levels were made at the end of the 8-week study period. Results. Baseline clinical characteristics including age, diabetes, LVEF, serum sodium, potassium and creatinine concentrations, and background medications were similar in both groups.We found no statistically significant difference in circulating ALDO levels between the ENAL and TRAN groups at the end of the 8-week study period. (ENAL (12.6 vs. 13.3 ng/dL);TRAN (12.5 vs. 14.5 ng/dL); p=NS). Conclusion. We found no statistically significant difference in circulating ALDO levels between high- and low-tissue affinity ACE-inhibitor therapy. Further studies assessing ALDO production at the tissue level is warranted.
High‐capacity peptide‐centric platform to decode the proteomic response to brain injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a progressive disease process underlain by dynamic and interactive biochemical mechanisms; thus, large-scale and unbiased assessments are needed to fully understand its highly complex pathobiology. Here, we report on a new high-capacity label-free proteomic platform to evaluate the post-TBI neuroproteome. Six orthogonal separation stages and data-independent MS were employed, affording reproducible quantitative assessment on 18 651 peptides across biological replicates. From these data 3587 peptides were statistically responsive to TBI of which 18% were post-translationally modified. Results revealed as many as 484 proteins in the post-TBI neuroproteome, which was fully nine times the number determined from our prior study of focal cortical injury. Yet, these data were generated using 25 times less brain tissue per animal relative to former methodology, permitting greater anatomical specificity and proper biological replication for increased statistical power. Exemplified by these data, we discuss benefits of peptide-centric differential analysis to more accurately infer novel biological findings testable in future hypothesis-driven research. The high-capacity label-free proteomic platform is designed for multi-factor studies aimed at expanding our knowledge on the molecular underpinnings of TBI and to develop better diagnostics and therapeutics.
High-Order Accurate Fluid-Structure Simulation of a Tuning Fork

Abstract The aeroacoustics of a tuning fork are investigated using a high-order fluid–structure interaction (FSI) scheme. The compressible Navier–Stokes equations are discretized using a discontinuous Galerkin arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian (DG-ALE) method on an unstructured tetrahedral mesh, and coupled to a non-linear hyperelastic neo-Hookean model of a tuning fork, discretized using continuous Galerkin finite elements on an unstructured tetrahedral mesh. The fluid and structure are both integrated implicitly in time using a partitioned approach based on an implicit–explicit Runge–Kutta method. We measure radial sound distributions which show good agreement with theoretical predictions and physical experiments in the open literature. In addition we demonstrate how to measure Q factors for several common modes, emphasizing that we can accurately capture the decay rates arising purely from the interaction of the tuning fork with the air and without any damping built into the structure model.
Optimization Problems And Genetic Algorithms

This paper presents an application of genetic algorithms (GAs) to a well-known traveling salesman problem (TSP) which is a challenging optimization task. Using the techniques of selection, crossover, and mutation borrowed from the Darwin’s evolution theory, GAs were able to find the optimal solution after generating only 24 populations of solutions instead of exploring more than a million possible solutions.
Langerhans cell histiocytosis.

The term histiocytosis identifies a group of disorders characterized by localized or generalized reactive or neoplastic proliferation of cells similar, if not identical, to cells of the mononu-clear phagocyte and dendritic cell systems. In Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH), the proliferating cell
Vision-guided autonomous stair climbing

The Tactical Mobile Robot (TMR) program calls for autonomous mobility in an urban environment. Among all man-made structures which pose as barriers for a mobile robot stairs are the most obvious and ubiquitous structure an autonomous urban robot needs to be able to handle. The Urban II chassis by IS Robotics provides a mechanically simple and elegant way to enable the stair-climbing capability. This paper addresses the issue of using computer vision techniques to control the vehicle automatically when climbing stairs. The algorithm is based in detecting stair edges from a monocular sequence. It is shown that the position and orientation of the stair edges can be used to compute the 3D orientation and position of the vehicle relative to the stairs. Robust examination of those parameters is the key to reliable performance. A combination of techniques such as medium filtering, histogram peak finding, outlier rejection and weighted average are shown to be effective in practice. At the end, we briefly explain our work-in-progress in automatic corner-turning in climbing multiple flights of stairs.
Dynamic compilation of data-parallel kernels for vector processors

Modern processors enjoy augmented throughput and power efficiency through specialized functional units leveraged via instruction set extensions. These functional units accelerate performance for specific types of operations but must be programmed explicitly. Moreover, applications targeting these specialized units will not take advantage of future ISA extensions and tend not to be portable across multiple ISAs. As architecture designers increasingly rely on heterogeneity for performance improvements, the challenges of leveraging specialized functional units will only become more critical. In particular, exploiting software parallelism without sacrificing portability across the spectrum of commodity and multi-core SIMD processors remains elusive.This work applies dynamic compilation to explicitly data-parallel kernels and describes a set of program transformations that efficiently compile bulk-synchronous scalar kernels for SIMD functional units while tolerating control-flow divergence. It is agnostic to specific features of ISAs, and performance scalability is expected from 2-wide to arbitrary-width vector units. This technique is evaluated with existing workloads originally targeting GPU computing. A microbenchmark written in CUDA achieving near peak throughput on a GPU achieves over 90% peak throughput on an Intel Sandybridge. Speedups for real-world applications running on on CPUs featuring SSE4 achieve up to 3.9x over current state of the art heterogeneous compilers for data-parallel workloads.
Utilization of Cost/Benefit Analysis in Planning Prevention Programs

Summary. Benefit-cost analysis is a type of policy analysis still in a developing stage, particularly with respect to investments in people. Policy analysts, policy makers, and other users concur this type of analysis cannot be a sufficient basis for public policy decisions. For health programs, it is an approach that can supplement medical and epidemiologic bases for public investment decisions. It is a useful tool where an understanding of health problems is deficient in some areas. This paper discusses some examples of the use of benefit-cost analysis in planning disease prevention programs and the explicit consideration to the quality of life benefits associated with reduced disease.
Optimal test planning for the fatigue-limit model when the fatigue-limit distribution is known

This article discusses tools for planning life tests under the random fatigue-limit model, when the form of the fatigue-limit distribution is completely specified. Expressions for the Fisher information matrix elements are provided. Test-plan objectives, such as minimum variance of quantile or parameter estimator, can be written in terms of these expressions. Under Type I censoring, all experimental conditions can be described by a standardized slope parameter & a standardized log(censoring time). This article provides equivalence theorems, which can be used to check the optimality of test plans which often have two levels. The best three-level standard test plans are not optimal, but, in general, involve fewer extrapolations to low stresses than the optimal plans. Test plans for a titanium-alloy fatigue test are presented to illustrate the methods.
Effects of Inequality and Reasons for Inequality on Group Identification and Cooperation in Social Dilemmas

Three studies tested the hypotheses that inequality among group members, as well as specific reasons for inequality, would significantly influence strength of group identification and cooperative responses to a social dilemma. In Study 1, participants reacted to scenarios describing a public good social dilemma. For some scenarios there was an equal distribution of initial resources, while in others the distribution was unequal. As predicted, group identification led to more cooperation in the dilemma. Starting with more money tended to reduce group identification for females but to increase it for males. In Study 2, participants were faced with an actual one-trial public good social dilemma involving real money. In some conditions, participants began with endowments of different sizes, and the inequality was explained as either random or justified. As predicted, reasons for inequality as well as the fact of inequality had an impact on group identification which, in turn, influenced cooperation in the dil...
Hospital-based proton linear accelerator for particle therapy and radioisotope production

Abstract Taking advantage of recent advances in linear accelerator technology, it is possible for a hospital to use a 70 MeV proton linac for fast neutron therapy, boron neutron capture therapy, proton therapy for ocular melanomas, and production of radiopharmaceuticals. The linac can also inject protons into a synchrotron for proton therapy of deep-seated tumors. With 180 μA average current, a single linac can support all these applications. This paper presents a conceptual design for a medical proton linac, switchyard, treatment rooms, and isotope production rooms. Special requirements for each application are outlined and a layout for sharing beam among the applications is suggested.
Physiological control of left ventricular assist devices based on gradient of flow

The new generation of left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) is based on rotary pumps used to augment the blood flow from the failing heart of a patient. A controller is necessary for these devices to properly control the blood flow, to detect failure modes, and to avoid adverse effects of the pump operation. In particular, it is essential that the pump accommodate changes to preload and afterload of the patient's circulatory system. The pump must increase blood flow in response to additional venous return, and maintain pressure in response to changes in systemic vascular resistance (SVR) of the patient. However, the limited availability of observable variables makes it difficult to explicitly close the feedback loop to generate the control. In this paper, we describe a feedback mechanism which uses the gradients of mean pump flow and minimum (diastolic) pump flow to control the pump speed. The objective of this controller is to optimize flow while avoiding suction. The optimum speed is obtained by minimizing in real time the gradient of blood flow with respect to speed. Simulations were carried out on a state-space model of the cardiovascular system combined with a rotary pump to demonstrate the responsiveness and robustness of this algorithm. The results show that the gradient methods can continuously track the optimal flow point in response to step perturbations of preload and SVR. Our results also show that a feedback controller based on the gradient method applied on a diastolic pump flow demonstrates better performance than when applied on mean pump flow.
A Lamb wave electrostatic voltage sensor

Lamb-wave electrostatic voltage sensors have been fabricated using planar technology incorporating a standard interdigital transducer (IDT) array (for generation and detection of the Lamb waves) and a capacitative electrode placed on each side of the sensor substrate in the region of wave propagation (for applying the DC potential). The Lamb waves/modes generated for substrate thicknesses of 50, 102, and 254 mu m were identified using theoretical dispersion curves. The modes were of both the antisymmetric and symmetric variety. The electrostatic voltage sensitivity, as measured in a SAW (surface acoustic wave) oscillator configuration, was double that of an equivalent Rayleigh device. Insertion losses, short- and long-term oscillator stability, and oscillator thermal sensitivity are reported. >
Persistent arthritis in Borrelia burgdorferi–infected HLA–DR4–positive CD28-negative mice post–antibiotic treatment

Objective: The immunological events that lead to persistent joint inflammation in certain Lyme arthritis patients post antibiotic treatment have been elusive so far. The prevalence of this condition is highest in individuals with RA-associated HLA.DR alleles. The aim of this study was to generate a murine model that presents persistent arthritis post antibiotic treatment.
Automatic Detection and Extraction of Coronal Dimmings from SDO/AIA Data

The volume of data anticipated from the Solar Dynamics Observatory/Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (SDO/AIA) highlights the necessity for the development of automatic-detection methods for various types of solar activity. Initially recognized in the 1970s, it is now well established that coronal dimmings are closely associated with coronal mass ejections (CMEs), and they are particularly noted as a reliable indicator of front-side (halo) CMEs, which can be difficult to detect in white-light coronagraph data.
Training Teachers for a Virtual School System: A Call to Action

Online learning at the K-12 level is growing exponentially. Students learning in supplemental virtual schools and full-time cyber schools, using a variety of delivery models that include and sometimes combine independent, asynchronous, and synchronous instruction, in almost every state in the US. In some instances the knowledge, skills, and abilities required by teachers in this technology-mediated environment is consistent with what they learned about face-to-face teaching in their teacher education programs, while in many instances, the two are quite different. Presently the lack of empirical research into effective K-12 online teaching limits teacher education programs. However, teacher education programs still need to better prepare pre-service and in-service teachers to design, deliver, and support students engaged virtual schooling.
Crouched postures reduce the capacity of muscles to extend the hip and knee during the single-limb stance phase of gait

Many children with cerebral palsy walk in a crouch gait that progressively worsens over time, decreasing walking efficiency and leading to joint degeneration. This study examined the effect of crouched postures on the capacity of muscles to extend the hip and knee joints and the joint flexions induced by gravity during the single-limb stance phase of gait. We first characterized representative mild, moderate, and severe crouch gait kinematics based on a large group of subjects with cerebral palsy (N ¼ 316). We then used a three-dimensional model of the musculoskeletal system and its associated equations of motion to determine the effect of these crouched gait postures on (1) the capacity of individual muscles to extend the hip and knee joints, which we defined as the angular accelerations of the joints, towards extension, that resulted from applying a 1 N muscle force to the model, and (2) the angular acceleration of the joints induced by gravity. Our analysis showed that the capacities of almost all the major hip and knee extensors were markedly reduced in a crouched gait posture, with the exception of the hamstrings muscle group, whose extension capacity was maintained in a crouched posture. Crouch gait also increased the flexion accelerations induced by gravity at the hip and knee throughout single-limb stance. These findings help explain the increased energy requirements and progressive nature of crouch gait in patients with cerebral palsy. r 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Midterm Outcomes of Open Descending Thoracic Aortic Repair in More Than 5,000 Medicare Patients.

Background Diseases involving the descending thoracic aorta (DTA) represent a heterogeneous substrate with a variety of therapeutic options. Although thoracic endovascular aortic repair has been increasingly applied to DTA disease, open surgical repair is ostensibly more durable. Methods A total of 5,578 patients who underwent open DTA repair (Current Procedural Terminology code 33875) from 1999 to 2010 were identified from the Medicare database; 5,489 patients had complete data. Survival was assessed with Kaplan-Meier analysis. Cox regression determined predictors of death. Hospital and surgeon volume and variability were modeled, and their association with survival assessed. Results Median survival after open DTA repair was only 4.3 years (95% confidence interval: 4.0 to 4.6). The likelihood of death varied significantly by certain aortic diseases: aortic rupture and acute aortic dissection patients had the highest early mortality. Survival beyond 180 days was best for patients with acute aortic dissection and isolated thoracic aortic aneurysm, and lowest for patients with thoracoabdominal aneurysm and aortic rupture. Hospital and surgeon volume, as well as interhospital and intersurgeon variability, had associations with overall survival. Conclusions Open DTA repair has treated a spectrum of aortic diseases in Medicare beneficiaries. Overall mortality was high, predominately confined to the initial postoperative hazard phase. Independent hospital and surgeon effects, hospital and surgeon volume, and a more recent date of surgery correlated with improved survival, while increased operative urgency and complexity correlated with worse outcomes. These observations argue for regionalization of DTA treatment for Medicare patients in specialized centers to concentrate expertise, which should translate into better outcomes.
FACTORS CONTROLLING SPATIAL VARIATION OF TREE SPECIES ABUNDANCE IN A FORESTED LANDSCAPE

Spatial patterns of tree species in forested landscapes are regulated by a variety of environmental and disturbance factors. Biological factors such as disturbance and competition that operate within a local neighborhood (neighborhood factors) might also influence these patterns. We sought empirical evidence for the role of neighborhood factors in determining spatial patterns of abundance of dominant tree species in the 3160-ha Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest (HBEF), a second growth, northern hardwood–conifer forest in New Hampshire, USA. We measured tree abundance patterns and a suite of environmental and disturbance factors expected to regulate these patterns in 0.05-ha plots distributed throughout the Hubbard Brook Valley. Environmental and disturbance effects were modeled using linear regression with spatially correlated errors described by semivariograms. These models explained 26–62% of the variation in abundance among the seven tree species that comprise 90% of the total basal area in the HBEF. S...
Work and Heat

This chapter deals with two quantities that affect the thermal energy stored in a system. Work and heat represent the transfer of energy to or from a system, but they are not in any way stored in the system. They represent energy in transition and must carefully be defined to quantify their effect on the thermal energy stored in a system. Once they are quantified, they can be related to the conservation of energy principle known as the first law of thermodynamics.
Spinal Injury Hospitalizations Among U.S. Army Soldiers Deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan

This retrospective study examined spinal-related hospitalizations of U.S. Army soldiers deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq. Spinal cord injuries (SCI) and vertebral column injuries (VCI) were identified using International Classification of Disease, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification diagnosis codes. In our study, spinal hospitalizations represented 8.2% of total injury admissions. Risk factors for SCI and VCI incidences were determined using Poisson regression. Lack of previous deployment experience increased risk of having SCI by 33% and VCI by 24% in Iraq (similar increases, but not statistically significant in Afghanistan). Male soldiers had 4.85 times higher risk for SCI in Iraq and 69% higher risk in Afghanistan than female soldiers. In Afghanistan, almost 60% of spinal episodes included traumatic brain injury (TBI), compared to about 40% in Iraq. In both theaters, mild TBI accounted for more than 50% of all TBI-spinal episodes. Sixteen percent of SCI inpatient episodes in Afghanistan and 13% in Iraq were associated with paralysis, with median bed days of 46 and 33 days compared to a median of 6 days in both theaters for nonparalysis spinal injuries. The mortality rate was 2.5 times lower in Afghanistan than in Iraq.
Racial bullying and adolescent substance use: An examination of school-attending young adolescents in the United States

This article examines the association between race and racial bullying (bullying due to one's race), in relation to youth substance use in school attending young adolescents in the United States. Weighted unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression models were run to assess if racial bullying involvement was associated with youth substance use. Data for this study come from the Health Behaviors in School-Aged Children survey (n = 7,585). An association between racial bullying status (not involve, bullying victim, bullying perpetrator, or mixed bullying victim/perpetrator) and youth substance was identified in this study. Racial bully perpetrators were most likely to have used cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana, followed by youth in the mixed victim/perpetrator group. When analyses were stratified by race, non-Hispanic White and Hispanic youth experienced an increased risk of cigarette, alcohol, and marijuana use if in the perpetrator or mixed group (compared to those not involved with racial bullying). Non-Hispanic White and Asian youth were also more likely to report marijuana use if in the victim group. Non-Hispanic Black youth were more likely to use alcohol and marijuana if they were a perpetrator or in the mixed group, but they were not more likely to use cigarettes. Differences appear to exist in relation to racial bullying experience and substance across racial/ethnic group among youth in grades 7-10. Implications for prevention and educational professionals are discussed.
The Harlem Renaissance: The One and the Many

Introduction One Ever Feels His Two-Ness: W.E.B. Du Bois, Johann Gottfried Von Herder, and Franz Boas Feeling Universality and Thinking Particularistically: Alain Locke, Franz Boas, and Melville Herskovits Camels of Obviousness and Gnats of Particularities: Alain Locke, Melville Herskovits, Roger Fry and Albert C. Barnes Universality of Life Under the Different Colors and Patterns: Claude McKay Worlds of Shadow-Planes and Solids Silently Moving: Jean Toomer, Alfred Stieglitz, Georgia O'Keeffe and Waldo Frank My Souls Was with the Gods and My Body in the Village: Zora Neale Hurston, Franz Boas, Melville Herskovits and Ruth Benedict Afterword Selected Bibliography Index
Graphic Forms in the Conflict of Laws

An array of graphic forms (charts, diagrams, etc.) useful in teaching conflicts along with a few remarks on the theory of graphic representation.
A Test of a Theory of Strategically Retaliatory Trade Barriers

Within a game-theoretic lobbying model, the formation of strategic trade barriers is examined. Trade barriers are modeled as comprising a political component as well as a strategically retaliatory component that serves to deter foreign protectionism. Within this theoretical framework, the optimal policy is to erect retaliatory barriers against all imports even though the partner country protects only a subset of goods that are traded. The theory is described and tested using cross-industry U.S. nontariff barrier (NTB) data against nine developed countries in 1983. A three-equation simultaneous Tobit model is estimated for this purpose. Whether U.S. NTBs against these partner countries are retaliatory and, if so, whether the cross-industry structure of protection validates the predictions of the theory are empirically addressed.
Bulk stress distributions in the pore space of sphere-packed beds under Darcy flow conditions

In this paper, bulk stress distributions in the pore space of columns packed with spheres are numerically computed with lattice Boltzmann simulations. Three different ideally packed and one randomly packed configuration of the columns are considered under Darcy flow conditions. The stress distributions change when the packing type changes. In the Darcy regime, the normalized stress distribution for a particular packing type is independent of the pressure difference that drives the flow and presents a common pattern. The three parameter (3P) log-normal distribution is found to describe the stress distributions in the randomly packed beds within statistical accuracy. In addition, the 3P log-normal distribution is still valid when highly porous scaffold geometries rather than sphere beds are examined. It is also shown that the 3P log-normal distribution can describe the bulk stress distribution in consolidated reservoir rocks like Berea sandstone.
Light Absorption by Crystalline and Amorphous Silicon Quantum Dots with Silver Adsorbates and Dopants

Recent work on light absorption by model surfaces of Si has shown that Ag adsorbates increase the intensity of photoinduced electronic transitions at lower photon energies. Furthermore, another set of recent results for Si quantum dots (QDs) has shown that P and Al dopants shift the light absorbance toward lower photon energies. In this report, the optical absorbance of Si QDs with P and Al dopants and either one or three Ag adsorbed atoms has been calculated with TD-DFT using the PW91/PW91 density functionals to compare with our previous results. In general, the presence of Ag adsorbates shows both a decrease in the HOMO-LUMO gap and a drastic increase in the absorbance below 4 eV. The addition of dopants leads to a combined effect where the energy gap is further decreased to values below 2 eV. The molecular orbitals for the initial and final states involved in transitions with large oscillator strengths were also calculated, which qualitatively show the excited electrons moving toward the Ag during exci...
Experimental and theoretical studies of spray impingement on a hot surface in reacting stagnation flows

EXPERIMENTAL AND THEORETICAL STUDIES OF SPRAY IMPINGEMENT ON A HOT SURFACE IN REACTING STAGNATION FLOWS S.C. Li, P.A. Libby, and F.A. Williams Center for Energy and Combustion Research Department of Applied Mechanics and Engineering Sciences University of California, San Diego La Jolla, CA This paper reports experimental and theoretical results concerning spray impingement on a hot wall in a laminar stagnating flow, both with and without a flat premixed flame present near the solid surface. Water sprays with drop diameters up to 200 pm are transported in a fuel-lean methane-air stream from a circular duct toward a stainless-steel plate. When the flame is present it heats the wall to a temperature around 1250 K and causes the smaller droplets to disappear as they approach it while the larger droplets cross the flame and impinge on the hot wall. Influences of the wall temperature on droplet impingement are studied by extinguishing the flame and allowing the plate to cool gradually t o room temperature. Trajectories of the water droplets in the spray, illuminated by a Ar+laser, are recorded by a camera. Measurements of droplet diameter and of two components of velocity are made by a phase doppler particle analyzer (PDPA). Velocity profiles of the gas without spray are also measured with the PDPA by seeding the flow with MgO particles. The experimental results provide fundamental information on droplet vaporization in the flame, on the relationship between arrival and departure velocities of droplets striking -1
An experimental study of momentum-preserving shaped holes for film cooling using PSP and PIV

An experimental investigation was conducted to study the performance of film cooling injection from a cylindrical hole and a “W-shaped” hole. A Pressure Sensitive Paint (PSP) technique was used to map the spatial distribution of film cooling effectiveness on the surface of the test plate based on a mass-transfer analogy. The effects of mass flux ratio and density ratio on film cooling effectiveness are investigated by performing PSP experiments at various mass flux ratio using two coolant gases. In order to investigate the kinematic relationship between film cooling effectiveness and mass flux ratio, a high resolution PIV system was used to conduct flow field measurements. Interactions between the mainstream flow and injection flow are also investigated to elucidate the kinematic mechanisms of film cooling.
Proposal for pharmacy residency leadership certificates.

In her 2006 Harvey A. K. Whitney Lecture, Sara White[1][1] proclaimed that successful pharmacy leaders invest in the development of their staff, students, and residents to prepare them to lead others. Pharmacy residency program directors should take advantage of opportunities to help ensure that
Effect analysis of tuberculosis prevention and control in Yizhou City of Guangxi

[Objective]To analyze the effect of tuberculosis(TB) prevention and control in Yizhou City of Guangxi,provide the reference for further TB prevention and control.[Methods]The data of registration record of newly diagnosed patients,as well as the registration record,monthly report and quarterly report of TB patients were collected in Yizhou City of Guangxi from 2002-2012,and the Excel software was adopted in statistical analysis.[Results]A total of 9 720 TB patients were found from 2002-2012,the average annual prevalence rate was 131.17/lakh,and the male-to-female ratio was 2.32∶ 1.The prevalence rate of farmers was the highest(78.36%),and most of patients were middle-aged and the aged people,which 35-74 year-old group accounted for 72.91%.The average annual cure rate of smear positive case was 88.7%.[Conclusion]Since the modern tuberculosis control strategy was implemented in Yizhou City,which includes strengthening publicity of TB knowledge and improving DOTS management,the discovery rate and cure rate of TB patients have been increased significantly.
The adolescent with operated or unoperated congenital heart disease.

• What special problems are presented by adolescents with surgically untreatable congenital heart disease?• What type of marriage and family counseling is advisable for hypoxemic polycythemic girls?• In which operated congenital heart diseases is prophylaxis of bacterial endocarditis still advisable?
Development and validation of the brief esophageal dysphagia questionnaire.

Background Esophageal dysphagia is common in gastroenterology practice and has multiple etiologies. A complication for some patients with dysphagia is food impaction. A valid and reliable questionnaire to rapidly evaluate esophageal dysphagia and impaction symptoms can aid the gastroenterologist in gathering information to inform treatment approach and further evaluation, including endoscopy. Methods 1638 patients participated over two study phases. 744 participants completed the Brief Esophageal Dysphagia Questionnaire (BEDQ) for phase 1; 869 completed the BEDQ, Visceral Sensitivity Index, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Questionnaire, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale for phase 2. Demographic and clinical data were obtained via the electronic medical record. The BEDQ was evaluated for internal consistency, split-half reliability, ceiling and floor effects, and construct validity. Key Results The BEDQ demonstrated excellent internal consistency, reliability, and construct validity. The symptom frequency and severity scales scored above the standard acceptable cutoffs for reliability while the impaction subscale yielded poor internal consistency and split-half reliability; thus the impaction items were deemed qualifiers only and removed from the total score. No significant ceiling or floor effects were found with the exception of 1 item, and inter-item correlations fell within accepted ranges. Construct validity was supported by moderate yet significant correlations with other measures. The predictive ability of the BEDQ was small but significant. Conclusions & Inferences The BEDQ represents a rapid, reliable, and valid assessment tool for esophageal dysphagia with food impaction for clinical practice that differentiates between patients with major motor dysfunction and mechanical obstruction.
The Historical Context of Conversion

This chapter provides an outline of the factors that led to the conversion of enslaved Africans to Christianity. It opens by portraying the introduction of enslaved Africans to the colony of Georgia. The chapter continues an account of how rationales to simultaneously support both conversion and slavery as a benevolent institution were developed which formally initiated doctrines of racism and white supremacy which would become basic components of established institutions.
Waveband Switching: A New Frontier in Optical WDM Networks

The rapid advances in dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) technology with hundreds of wavelengths per fiber and world-wide fiber deployment have brought about a tremendous increase in the size (i.e., the number of ports) of photonic cross-connects, as well as in the cost and difficulty associated with controlling such large cross-connects. Waveband switching (WBS) has attracted attention for its practical importance in reducing the port count, associated control complexity, and cost of photonic cross-connects. In this chapter, we show that WBS is different from traditional wavelength routing, and thus techniques developed for wavelength-routed networks (including, for example, those for traffic grooming) cannot be directly applied to effectively address WBS-related problems. We describe a Three-layer multi-granular optical cross-connect (MG-OXC) architecture for WBS. By using this MG-OXC in conjunction with intelligent WBS algorithms, we show that one can achieve considerable savings in the port count. We present various WBS schemes and lightpath grouping strategies. Finally we discuss issues related to waveband conversion and failure recovery in WBS networks.
Postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS) with anti-NMDA receptor antibodies after human papillomavirus vaccination

We describe a young woman who developed POTS with positive serum anti-NMDA receptor antibodies and no evidence of encephalitis after vaccination with HPV vaccine, Cervarix. Her symptoms improved significantly with immunomodulatory therapy and re-occurred after immunomodulatory therapy was stopped, suggesting an autoimmune etiology of POTS after vaccination.
Pitfalls in the Treatment of Sepsis

Sepsis is a challenging, dynamic, pathophysiology requiring expertise in diagnosis and management. Controversy exists as to the most sensitive early indicators of sepsis and sepsis severity. Patients presenting to the emergency department often lack complete history or clinical data that would point to optimal management. Awareness of these potential knowledge gaps is important for the emergency provider managing the septic patient. Specific areas of management including the initiation and management of mechanical ventilation, the appropriate disposition of the patient, and consideration of transfer to higher levels of care are reviewed.
The skin: the many functions of fish integument

The integument or skin is the envelope that not only separates and protects a fish from its environment, but also provides the means through which most contacts with the outer world are made. It is a large organ and is continuous with the linings of all body openings, and also covers the fins. Fish integument is a multifunctional organ, and its components may serve important roles in protection, communication, sensory perception, locomotion, respiration, ion regulation, excretion, and thermal regulation.
An Examination of Care Practices of Pregnant Women Incarcerated in Jail Facilities in the United States.

The number of incarcerated women in the United States has been steadily increasing over the last 30 years. An estimated 6–10% of these women are pregnant at intake. Previous studies on the health needs and care of pregnant incarcerated women have focused mainly on prison settings. Therefore, we examined the pregnancy-related accommodations and health care provided for regional jail populations. The present study is a quantitative survey (administered through phone or email to employees of predominately jail medical facilities) of common practices and policies employed across 53 jail facilities in the United States as a function of geographic region (North vs. South; West vs. Central vs. East). We examined provision of pregnancy screening, special diets, and drug rehabilitation and prohibition of shackling. Strikingly, across all aspects of the care of pregnant incarcerated women there are areas to be improved upon. Notably, only 37.7% of facilities pregnancy test all women upon entry, 45.7% put opioid addicted women through withdrawal protocol, and 56.7% of facilities use restraints on women hours after having a baby. In this first study to examine practices in regional jails nationwide, we found evidence that standards of care guidelines to improve health and well-being of pregnant incarcerated women, set by agencies such as American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, are not being followed in many facilities. Because not following these guidelines could pose major health risks to the mother and developing fetus, better policies, better enforcement of policies, and better common practices are needed to improve the health and welfare of pregnant incarcerated women.
Clostridium septicum aortitis with synchronous ascending colon and rectal adenocarcinoma

Clostridium septicum (C. septicum) aortitis is a rare condition frequently associated with colon adenocarcinoma and carries a poor prognosis. We report the case of a 66-year-old man who presented with abdominal pain, blood in the stool, fever and chills. Laboratory tests were significant for leukocytosis and microcytic anemia. Abdominal imaging revealed a right colon mass and aortitis. Colonoscopy confirmed the right colon mass and also discovered a rectal mass, both adenocarcinomas. Treatment consisted of antibiotics, aortic repair, right hemi-colectomy and later trans-anal excision of the rectal mass. Blood cultures and the aortic specimen grew C. septicum. The patient improved and was doing well in follow up. Keywords Clostridium septicum, aortitis, colorectal adenocarcinoma Ann Gastroenterol 2017; 30 (4): 468-470
Palmitic acid is a toll-like receptor 4 ligand that induces human dendritic cell secretion of IL-1β

Palmitic acid (PA) and other saturated fatty acids are known to stimulate pro-inflammatory responses in human immune cells via Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). However, the molecular mechanism responsible for fatty acid stimulation of TLR4 remains unknown. Here, we demonstrate that PA functions as a ligand for TLR4 on human monocyte derived dendritic cells (MoDCs). Hydrophobicity protein modeling indicated PA can associate with the hydrophobic binding pocket of TLR4 adaptor protein MD-2. Isothermal titration calorimetry quantified heat absorption that occurred during PA titration into TLR4/MD2, indicating that PA binds to TLR4/MD2. Treatment of human MoDCs with PA resulted in endocytosis of TLR4, further supporting the function of PA as a TLR4 agonist. In addition, PA stimulated DC maturation and activation based on the upregulation of DC costimulatory factors CD86 and CD83. Further experiments showed that PA induced TLR4 dependent secretion of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1β. Lastly, our experimental data show that PA stimulation of NF-κB canonical pathway activation is regulated by TLR4 signaling and that reactive oxygen species may be important in upregulating this pro-inflammatory response. Our experiments demonstrate for the first time that PA activation of TLR4 occurs in response to direct molecular interactions between PA and MD-2. In summary, our findings suggest a likely molecular mechanism for PA induction of pro-inflammatory immune responses in human dendritic cells expressing TLR4.
Sources of Social Support Among International College Students in the United States

International students are challenged due to the abrupt change in social support. The purpose of this study was to operationalize different sources of social support and evaluate determinants of mental health among international students (n=328). An instrument was developed to measure four distinct sources of social support. Repeated measures ANOVA were used to evaluate statistical differences. Results found significant mean differences between each type of social support with social support from: family/friends currently living in their home country highest and friends/families living and born in the U.S. lowest. These findings provide evidence on the applicability of this new instrument. The depth in which social support is defined in this study can reflect the greater context in future research findings.
Fundamental limits on energy efficiency performance of VCO-based ADCs

In systems constrained by battery power or scavenged energy limits, ADC energy efficiency as expressed by the fJ/step figure-of-merit is a critical design driver. This paper describes a time-domain approach to determine the fundamental limit on ADC performance for techniques such as VCO-based ADCs which perform the ADC function in the time domain.
Abstract 15090: Impact of Disclosure of Genetic Risk for Coronary Heart Disease on Physician Attitudes and Decision-Making: The MI-GENES Study

Introduction: Whether electronic health record (EHR)-based disclosure of genetic risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) influences physician decision-making and attitudes toward clinical use of genomic information is unknown. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that receipt of a multi-locus CHD genetic risk score (GRS) for a patient would lead to positive physician attitudes regarding incorporation of genomic information in clinical practice and assist with clinical decision-making. Methods: The MI-GENES trial randomized patients aged 45-65 years (n=203) at intermediate risk for CHD to receive conventional risk scores (‘CRS encounters’) or CRS plus a 28-variant GRS (‘GRS encounters’). Risk was disclosed using an EHR-based decision aid, along with genetic counseling and physician discussion. All study physicians had both CRS and GRS encounters. A survey was completed by study physicians following risk disclosure encounters. Data were analyzed using logistic regression and expressed as odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals. For responses with low frequency, data were analyzed using Fisher’s exact test, and p-values were reported. Results: Academic faculty cardiologists (n=4) and internists (n=2) participated in the disclosure of GRS/CRS risk to patients. Following GRS encounters, physicians were more likely to report that they would use the genetic risk score if it becomes available in the future (100% versus 83%, p=0.0001), and to recommend CHD genetic testing to family members if available in the future (OR 16.38 (4.67-103.89), p= Conclusions: Availability of a multi-locus GRS for CHD associated with positive physician attitudes toward incorporation of genomic information in clinical practice and assisted with clinical decision-making in precision medicine.
Differential mutual information forward search for multi-kernel discriminant-component selection with an application to privacy-preserving classification

In machine learning, feature engineering has been a pivotal stage in building a high-quality predictor. Particularly, this work explores the multiple Kernel Discriminant Component Analysis (mKDCA) feature-map and its variants. However, seeking the right subset of kernels for mKDCA feature-map can be challenging. Therefore, we consider the problem of kernel selection, and propose an algorithm based on Differential Mutual Information (DMI) and incremental forward search. DMI serves as an effective metric for selecting kernels, as is theoretically supported by mutual information and Fisher's discriminant analysis. On the other hand, incremental forward search plays a role in removing redundancy among kernels. Finally, we illustrate the potential of the method via an application in privacy-aware classification, and show on three mobile-sensing datasets that selecting an effective set of kernels for mKDCA feature-maps can enhance the utility classification performance, while successfully preserve the data privacy. Specifically, the results show that the proposed DMI forward search method can perform better than the state-of-the-art, and, with much smaller computational cost, can perform as well as the optimal, yet computationally expensive, exhaustive search.