cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparing Empirical Typologies of Premarital Couples from Four Chinese Countries and American Premarital Couples

This study developed an empirical couple typology using a convenient sample of premarital Chinese couples from Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, and Taiwan and compared that typology with a premarital American couple typology. Cluster analyses were conducted with a sample of 7,567 premarital Chinese couples who completed the PREPARE inventory. Results identified four types of premarital Chinese couples: Vitalized, Harmonious, Traditional, and Conflicted. As hypothesized, the four premarital couple types were replicated across the Chinese and American samples, but the frequency of couples in each type differed. Couple typologies can be used to recommend premarital preparation approaches that fit each of the four couple types.
Nutritional value of turkey proteins.

Utilization of turkey proteins as compared with casein, using the young rat as the experimental animal
Supraglottal Air Pressure in the Production of English Stops

Generally higher levels of intra-oral air pressure during occlusion are regularly reported for English /p,t,k/ as compared with /b,d,g/, and considerable significance has been attached to such observations, particularly by phonologists. Many of the published bodies of data, however, represent quite limited speech samples, consisting in the main of short nonsense utterances which contain stops in only a few contextual situations. In the present study ten readings of a list of twenty short English phrases were recorded for a single speaker. The phrases contained stops in initial, medial and final positions, and under various conditions of stress. A pressure transducer mounted at the end of a nasal catheter was introduced into the pharynx, and variations in intra-oral pressure were recorded on a multi-channel penwriter. From the pressure records obtained it appeared that /p,t,k/ and /b,d,g/ differ in their mean peak pressures, but that this difference is not equally significant in all contexts. Both initiall...
Professor Alan R. Bromberg's Rule 10b-5

Professor Alan Bromberg was the foremost authority in the law of Rule 10b-5. In this article, the author Professor Marc Steinberg, Professor Bromberg's colleague for 25 years, highlights Professor Bromberg's scholarship in this area. Focusing on key U.S. Supreme Court decisions and congressional legislation, Professor Steinberg reflects on the dialogue that he had with Professor Bromberg through the years on these developments. As this article illustrates, Professor Bromberg enjoyed a truly impressive academic career.
Proteasome Inhibitor Based Protocol For Antibody Mediated Rejection In Kidney Transplantation

Background Rapid and complete elimination of donor-specific anti-human leukocyte antigen antibodies (DSA) during antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) of renal transplantation is rarely achieved with traditional antihumoral therapies. Current antihumoral therapies do not target the mature antibody producing plasma cells. Bortezomib is a first in class proteosome inhibitor for the treatment of plasma cell derived tumors like multiple myeloma. Proteasome inhibitor-based therapy has been shown to effectively treat refractory AMR. Here, we report on our experience with plasma cell targeted therapy (bortezomib) as an antirejection strategy for refractory early and delayed AMR post renal transplantation. Methods Adult kidney transplant recipients with AMR, diagnosed by Banff criteria, received a bortezomib-based regimen after failing at least 2 traditional treatments for AMR. Bortezomib therapy was administered (1.3 mg/m2 IV D1,4,8,11) with plasmapheresis performed immediately before each dose of Bortezomib and a single dose of rituximab (375 mg/m2) given with the first bortezomib dose. Methylprednisolone was administered along with Bortezomib at 100 mg IV on D1,4 and 50 mg IV on D8,11. All patients received valganciclovir prophylaxis for prevention of herpes zoster and cytomegalovirus reactivation. Monitoring included serial donor-specific antihuman leukocyte antigen antibody (DSA) levels, serum creatinine levels, urine protein excretion and repeated allograft biopsies. Results Ten episodes of AMR in eight renal transplant recipients were treated with bortezomib, rituximab, methylprednisone and plasmapheresis. View this table: Post treatment reduction in immunodominant DSA was observed and this data will be available at the meeting. None of the patients experienced peripheral neuropathy from bortezomib and only one patient had GI toxicity with nausea and diarrhea, which was transient. None of the patients had reactivation of herpes zoster infection. In conclusion, bortezomib, rituximab, methylprednisone and plasma exchange therapy provided reversal of AMR rejection post renal transplantation with improvement in renal function, proteinuria and histology, at a median follow-up of 15 months. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Extreme promiscuity of a bacterial and a plant diterpene synthase enables combinatorial biosynthesis

Diterpenes are widely distributed across many biological kingdoms, where they serve a diverse range of physiological functions, and some have significant industrial utility. Their biosynthesis involves class I diterpene synthases (DTSs), whose activity can be preceded by that of class II diterpene cyclases (DTCs). Here, a modular metabolic engineering system was used to examine the promiscuity of DTSs. Strikingly, both a bacterial and plant DTS were found to exhibit extreme promiscuity, reacting with all available precursors with orthogonal activity, producing an olefin or hydroxyl group, respectively. Such DTS promiscuity enables combinatorial biosynthesis, with remarkably high yields for these unoptimized non-native enzymatic combinations (up to 15mg/L). Indeed, it was possible to readily characterize the 13 unknown products. Notably, 16 of the observed diterpenes were previously inaccessible, and these results provide biosynthetic routes that are further expected to enable assembly of more extended pathways to produce additionally elaborated 'non-natural' diterpenoids.
Standardized disk-diffusion susceptibility test for Haemophilus influenzae.

The emergence of ampicillin-resistant strains of Haemophilus influenzae has emphasized the need for an improved practical method for routine susceptibility testing of clinical isolates. We have previously described a simplified medium for quantitative dilution susceptibility testing that is composed of Mueller-Hinton medium plus Supplement C (Difco). In the present study, paired broth-dilution and disk-diffusion susceptibility tests with ampicillin and chloramphenicol were performed on 100 strains of Haemophilus (95 H. influenzae and five H. parainfluenzae ), including 30 strains with previously documented ampicillin resistance. Disk-diffusion tests were performed in exactly the same manner as the standardized Kirby-Bauer procedure used for less fastidious organisms, except that supplemented Mueller-Hinton agar plates were incubated in an increased-CO2 atmosphere. Using this method, ampicillin-susceptible strains of Haemophilus produced zone diameters of 22 mm or more, while ampicillin-resistant strains produced zones of 18 mm or less. All strains were chloramphenicol-susceptible and produced zone diameters of 30 mm or more. This method would allow routine disk-diffusion testing of isolates of H. influenzae by hospital diagnostic laboratories, using a clear medium that closely resembles unsupplemented Mueller-Hinton agar.
Spatial Variations in Excess Shear Stress in a Gravel-Bed River Bend

Detailed topographic and hydraulic measurements were obtained in a bend of the Colorado River in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, to characterize flow through the reach with a two-dimensiona...
4 “WAS IT WORTH IT?” A PILOT STUDY OF ADVANCED CANCER PATIENTS' RETROSPECTIVE PERCEPTIONS OF BENEFIT FROM PHASE I TRIAL PARTICIPATION.

Background The scientific aims of phase I oncology trials are to evaluate the safety and tolerability of new therapeutic agents. Subjects who enrol in phase I oncology trials generally are advanced cancer patients (ACPs) for whom standard treatments have either failed, have low expectation of benefit, or do not exist. Although all ACPs undergo an informed consent process prior to trial participation, there is evidence that ACPs may not appreciate the primary aims of a phase I trial and also have unrealistic expectations of therapeutic benefit. However, these perceptions of benefit have not been well described. A pilot study was performed to examine and evaluate these perceptions from ACPs who participated in phase I oncology trials. Methods In this pilot study, patients who were enrolled in phase I trials were interviewed retrospectively regarding their perceptions of benefit after withdrawal from a phase I trial. To date, a total of nine ACPs have been interviewed: median age 72 years (range 59-82 years); 55% male; 77% Caucasian. Their qualitative responses were recorded and analyzed for content and themes. The interview included open-ended questions assessing patient experiences with the trial, including reasons for enrolment, impressions of improvement in quality of life, costs incurred, and other benefits. Results Stated reasons for enrolment include hope, prior treatment failure, altruism, and family influence. Described patient perceptions of anticipated trial benefit included stabilization of disease and close monitoring of their disease. Unexpected costs incurred during trial participation were time spent during clinic visits, financial costs with transportation, time taken off work by family members to support trial participation, time spent away from the family, and additional procedures associated with the trial. Issues of quality of life during the trial revolved around side effects from the investigational agent. Many interviewed patients (44%) describe their current quality of life off the trial as being improved compared with quality of life during phase I trial participation. The majority of interviewed patients (67%) acknowledged that the trial did not impact their overall survival. Conclusions Our data suggest that ACPs had perceptions of significant therapeutic benefit prior to enrolment, including stabilization of disease, close monitoring of their disease, and an improvement in overall survival and quality of life. There would appear to be significant and unanticipated out-of-pocket expenses incurred by subjects and their families as a result of phase I trial enrolment. Further research is needed to examine the multiple factors, such as side effects, unexpected costs, and lack of improved survival, that contribute to these individuals9 perceptions of benefit from trial participation.
The Historic Emergence of American Pragmatism

American pragmatism can be understood as what happens to the Emersonian evasion of epistemology-centered philosophy when forced to justify itself within the professional perimeters of academic philosophy. The first articulators of American pragmatism — members of the Metaphysical Club in Cambridge, Massachusetts — were learned professionals principally interested in demystifying science and, a few, in modernizing religion.1 Unlike Emerson, they were preoccupied with method, yet their understanding of method was quite Emersonian. Much like Emerson, they were intent on viewing science as continuous with religion — both shot through with moral purpose.
Electrogenicity of Na-coupled bile salt transport in isolated rat hepatocytes

The importance of membrane voltage in uptake of bile salts into hepatocytes is not known. Electrogenicity of the primary bile salt transport process, Na-bile salt cotransport, has been difficult to determine because the large K and Cl conductances of the sinusoidal membrane (GK and GCl, respectively) obscure any transport associated currents. In the present study hepatocytes were treated to reduce these membrane conductances and electrogenic entry of taurocholate and glycocholate was demonstrated. Intracellular voltage and resistance changes resulting from bile salt transport were measured in hepatocytes in which GK and GCl were blocked by impalement with Na acetate microelectrodes and external exposure to quinine (400 microM). This increased the cell input resistance from 153 +/- 17 to 230 +/- 17 M omega (n = 14, P < 0.001). Under these conditions, exposure to 100 microM of taurocholate or glycocholate produced Na-dependent depolarizations of 3.0 +/- 0.5 and 4.2 +/- 0.8 mV, respectively. These correspond to transport currents of 13.9 and 7.6 pA/cell, which are comparable to those predicted from known [3H]taurocholate uptake rates if one positive charge enters the cell with each bile salt molecule. Although uptake of these two bile salts was electrogenic, this was not the case for all bile salts. Na-dependent transport of taurodehydrocholate, which occurs at similar rates to that for taurocholate, produced no voltage change. The unconjugated bile salts cholate and ursodeoxycholate also produced no measurable voltage or resistance changes. In conclusion, Na-dependent uptake of taurocholate and glycocholate is electrogenic, whereas uptake of taurodehydrocholate, ursodeoxycholate, and cholate is predominantly electroneutral.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Optimizing Indirect Memory References with milk

Modern applications such as graph and data analytics, when operating on real world data, have working sets much larger than cache capacity and are bottlenecked by DRAM. To make matters worse, DRAM bandwidth is increasing much slower than per CPU core count, while DRAM latency has been virtually stagnant. Parallel applications that are bound by memory bandwidth fail to scale, while applications bound by memory latency draw a small fraction of much-needed bandwidth. While expert programmers may be able to tune important applications by hand through heroic effort, traditional compiler cache optimizations have not been sufficiently aggressive to overcome the growing DRAM gap. In this paper, we introduce milk — a C/C++ language extension that allows programmers to annotate memory-bound loops concisely. Using optimized intermediate data structures, random indirect memory references are transformed into batches of efficient sequential DRAM accesses. A simple semantic model enhances programmer productivity for efficient parallelization with OpenMP. We evaluate the Milk compiler on parallel implementations of traditional graph applications, demonstrating performance gains of up to 3×.
Fostering 21st-Century Evolutionary Reasoning: Teaching Tree Thinking to Introductory Biology Students.

The ability to interpret and reason from Tree of Life diagrams is a vital aspect of 21st-century science literacy. This article reports the development, implementation, and evaluation of a research...
Therapy for Late Stage Melanoma

Melanoma arises from mutated melanocytes which have progressed to cancer. Late stage (stage III-IV) melanoma is typically not curable with surgery because of its spread. It is one of the most highly invasive cancers and is also extremely resistant to cancer cell killing with chemotherapeutic agents. Metastatic melanoma is a deadly disease for which there are no effective therapies. The situation of therapy has improved, however, recently in that there is a fraction of long-term survivors with remission in patients undergoing immunotherapy [1]. Also, targeted therapy is gaining attention as a new option for melanoma therapy, especially when problems with resistance, which often occurs, can be overcome. Here, a brief overview of melanoma therapy will include a discussion of new directions for therapy on the horizon, including some of our current work in this area.
Conditional Motivated Reasoning: How the Local Economy Moderates Partisan Motivations in Economic Perceptions

Using motivated reasoning, voters rely on partisanship as a heuristic for evaluating the economy in belief-preserving ways. Yet recent findings show that these motivations may be restricted by a range of contextual factors. We argue that partisan motivations in economic perceptions are moderated by the local economic context. As conditions worsen, a negative information environment leads in-partisans to political ambivalence that reduces confidence in party cues when evaluating the economy. As conditions improve, the motivation for in-partisans to rely on party cues is restored. As positive information has been shown to be less influential for opinion formation than negative information, and out-group members tend to be most prone to motivated reasoning, the economic context should moderate the political motivations of out-partisans to a lesser extent than in-partisans. A multilevel analysis of the 1980 to 2012 American National Election Studies supplemented with state-level data on unemployment and per c...
Damage Detection and Evaluation II

In the most general terms damage can be defined as changes introduced into a system that adversely effect the current or future performance of that system. Implicit in this definition is the concept that damage is not meaningful without a comparison between two different states of the system, one of which is assumed to represent the initial, and often undamaged, state. This discussion is focused on the study of damage identification in structural and mechanical systems. Therefore, the definition of damage will be limited to changes to the material and/or geometric properties of these systems, including changes to the boundary conditions and system connectivity, which adversely effect the current or future performance of that system.
Making autonomous intersection management backwards-compatible

Trafﬁc congestion and automobile accidents are two of theleading causes of decreased standard of living and lost pro-ductivity in urban settings. Recent advances in artiﬁcial in-telligence suggest that autonomous vehicle navigation willbe possible in the near future. Individual cars can nowbe equipped with features of autonomy such as adaptivecruise control, GPS-based route planning (Rogers, Flechter,& Langley 1999; Schonberg
Preliminary exploration: Perceived egocentric distance measures in room-scale spaces using consumer-grade head mounted displays

Distance misperception (sometimes, distance compression) in immersive virtual environments is an active area of study, and the recent availability of consumer-grade display and tracking technologies raises new questions: Can misperceptions be measured within the small tracking volumes of consumer-grade technology? Are measures practical within this space directly comparable, or are some preferable to others? Do contemporary displays even induce distance misperceptions? This work explores these questions.
Overcoming the latecomer dilemma: the unintended effect of successful strategies in the community university movement in Taiwan

AbstractThe existing research highlights how effective strategies facilitate social movements in recruiting participants and attracting resources. Less effort has been done to investigate the relationship between strategies and their long-term impact on the movement. In this article, I examine a grassroots education reform movement – the Community University Movement in Taiwan since 1998 to shed light on the dynamic relationship between initial strategies and the movement development. Specifically, I examine the latecomer phenomenon – one of the crucial consequences brought by initial strategies. Movement leaders often face a dilemma that encouraging broader participation runs the risk of attracting latecomers with diverse backgrounds to the movement. Based on my ethnographic work, I find that the latecomers bring four types of impacts to the community university movement – fragmentation, competition, goal replacement, and political-patronage. I further investigate how movement leaders coped with this sit...
DIAS: Differentially Private Interactive Algorithm Selection using Pythia

Differential privacy has emerged as the dominant privacy standard for data analysis. Its wide acceptance has led to significant development of algorithms that meet this rigorous standard. For some tasks, such as the task of answering low dimensional counting queries, dozens of algorithms have been proposed. However, no single algorithm has emerged as the dominant performer, and in fact, algorithm performance varies drastically across inputs. Thus, it's not clear how to select an algorithm for a particular task, and choosing the wrong algorithm might lead to significant degradation in terms of analysis accuracy. We believe that the difficulty of algorithm selection is one factor limiting the adoption of differential privacy in real systems. In this demonstration we present DIAS (Differentially-private Interactive Algorithm Selection), an educational privacy game. Users are asked to perform algorithm selection for a variety of inputs and compare the performance of their choices against that of Pythia, an automated algorithm selection framework. Our hope is that by the end of the game users will understand the importance of algorithm selection and most importantly will have a good grasp on how to use differentially private algorithms for their own applications.
Analysis and Testing of a Coaxial Magnetic Gearbox With Flux Concentration Halbach Rotors

Halbach array magnetic gearboxes have been discussed as being able to create high torque density. However, Halbach arrays are difficult to mechanically assemble, and often the effective air gap must be made larger to provide space for a retaining sleeve. This paper investigates the benefits of using an additional ferromagnetic retaining pole within the Halbach array structure. It is shown that utilizing this flux concentration ferromagnetic pole improves the torque density and can also help retain the magnets in place.
Comparing Strategies for Recruiting Small, Low-Wage Worksites for Community-Based Health Promotion Research.

Background. HealthLinks is a workplace health promotion program developed in partnership with the American Cancer Society. It delivers a package of evidence-based interventions and implementation s...
Lithium and tricyclic antidepressants.

Pharmacokinetic studies of lithium and tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) in children and adolescents report similarities to adults with respect to a wide interindividual genetic variation in the rate of elimination and with regard to the linear nature of the system. Children may eliminate these medications more rapidly; therefore, more frequent dosing may be necessary to maintain steady state serum lithium or plasma TCA levels. Doses of these medications necessary for desired blood levels can be obtained from tables based on nomograms (i.e., one-step dosage adjustment determined from a single serum lithium or plasma TCA level drawn 24 hours after administration of a single dose). Use of these dose prediction tables avoids toxicity due to excessively high blood levels in genetically slow metabolizers in whom medication regimes that use mg/kg dose schedules may produce toxic blood levels.
Haploids and doubled haploids in Citrus ssp.

Citrus breeding is based either on conventional (hybridization, selection, mutation) or biotechnological methods, the latter employing in vitro tissue culture, regeneration from protoplasts, somatic hybridization, in vitro mutant selection, genetic transformation and haploid/doubled haploid production. All cultivated forms of Citrus spp. and related genera (Poncirus, Fortunella, etc.) are diploid with a monoploid number of chromosomes (n=x=9). Triploid and tetraploid forms of Citrus spp. also exist. Haploid plants, with a gametophytic set of chromosomes in the sporophyte, have potential use in mutation research, selection, genetic analysis and genetic transformation. The possibility of obtaining triploid somatic hybrids (important for the seedlessness of their fruits) by fusion between haploid and diploid protoplasts is an important application of haploidy in Citrus spp. breeding. Doubled haploids are also important in genome mapping and in exploring gametoclonal variation. Haploids can be induced in woody plants mainly through two approaches: gynogenesis, where they arise from the female gamete (in situ parthenogenesis induced by irradiated pollen and followed by in vitro culture of embryos, in situ or in vitro parthenogenesis induced by triploid pollen followed by in vitro culture of embryos), and androgenesis where they are regenerated from the male gametes (anther culture, isolated microspore culture). Although in our laboratory haploid plantlet regeneration through gynogenesis in C. clementina Hort. ex Tan., variety ‘Nules’, has been induced by in vitro pollination with the pollen of ‘Oroblanco’, a triploid grapefruit-type (triploidy of pollen, like irradiation, does not hinder pollen germination, but prevents pollen fertilization and stimulates the development of haploid embryoids from ovules (Germana and Chiancone, 2001), the experimental procedure in this Manual will be limited to the protocol of anther culture because of its proven efficiency. In particular, the protocol given is for anther culture of several varieties (Nules, ‘SRA 63’ and ‘Monreal’) of C. clementina Hort. ex Tan, which is currely the only Citrus species that responds well to androgenesis. In addition to genotypic effects, physiological conditions of donor plants and seasonal dependency are important factors for anther culture in Citrus and other woody plants (Germana et al., 2000a). Although a lot of research has been carried out on gametic embryogenesis in Citrus spp. and their relatives, not much of it has been successful. For further details regarding Citrus haploidy, see the review by Germana (1997).
A Hill-Climbing Approach for Planning with Temporal Uncertainty.

We present a hill-climbing algorithm to solve planning problems with temporal uncertainty. First an optimistic plan that is valid when all actions complete quickly is found. Then temporal reasoning techniques are used to determine when the plan may fail. At time points that cause an unsafe situation, contingency branches are inserted. We describe our planner PHOCUS-HC, give preliminary results, and discuss future work.
Valence Mixing in Rare Earth Compounds

The concepts of “fast” and “slow” time scale valence measurements are emphasized by a comparison of L III absorption and Mossbauer effect measurements on the temperature induced valence change in EuPd 2 Si 2 . Further we show how synchrotron radiation based L III measurements of the Ce-valence state can be used to demonstrate electronic structure trends under wide changes in chemical environment.
Applying Problem-Based Learning (PBL) Strategy to Strengthen Sustainability Education in Textile and Apparel Curriculum

In this paper, we applied problem-based learning (PBL) in four required courses in apparel design and merchandising programs and reported the PBL projects and student learning assessment. In the Fall 2016 semester, four courses, i.e., Seminar on Fashion Sustainability, Fundamentals of Textiles I, Fundamentals of Textiles II, and Advance Apparel Product Development, were revised and taught to include PBL projects. All of the PBL projects were related to sustainability and described in the paper. The student learning outcomes were evaluated using pre- and post-quizzes and PBL project evaluation rubrics. Students averaged a score of 5 on the pre-quiz (50%) and increased to an average score of 8 (80%) on the post-quiz, demonstrating short-term gains in their sustainability content knowledge. The average PBL project scores were between 89% to 99% in the four courses, which overwhelmingly demonstrated the students' analytical, problem solving, and decision-making skills in the completed PBL projects.
Occupational Exposure To Asbestos: Effects Of Unregulated Fibers

Asbestos-related diseases remain a major public health problem due to the large reservoir of asbestos in built infrastructure and the continued global trade in the material. Exposure standards for ...
Timing of Anticoagulation in Atrial Fibrillation Status Post Cardioembolic Stroke.

Background:Anticoagulation is the mainstay of secondary stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation; however, few studies have assessed the optimal timing for initiation of anticoagulati...
Volunteer Cloud as an Edge Computing Enabler

The rapid increase in the number of devices connected to the Internet, due to the Internet of Things, demands new ways of processing data produced by the devices. Edge Computing is one of the solutions that tries to process data close to the origin, which is the edge of networks. Emerging cloud systems, such as volunteer clouds, can also be used towards the processing of data produced by IoT devices. This paper proposes a Volunteer Computing as a Service (VCaaS) based Edge Computing infrastructure. The paper addresses the architectural design of the proposed system together with its research and technical challenges.
Ectopic ACTH Syndrome in a Child With Abdominal Ewing Sarcoma: A Rare Paraneoplastic Phenomenon

Ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone syndrome is a paraneoplastic phenomenon rarely seen in pediatrics and rarely described in Ewing sarcoma. We report a 15-year-old boy with abdominal Ewing sarcoma and clinical and laboratory findings of ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone syndrome that promptly resolved with treatment of the tumor.
Therapeutic IVUS and Contrast Imaging

Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), comprising a mechanically scanned ultrasound transducer, or a solid-state array, placed near the tip of a catheter, is now well established as a useful imaging modality in diagnosis of cardiovascular disease and for assessment of therapy. More recently, the potential for the same underlying technology to address not only diagnosis, but also therapy, has been recognized. This promotes the desirable concept of being able to perform therapy immediately after a diagnosis is made and under image guidance. Frequently, this therapy involves the use of ultrasound beams in combination with contrast microbubbles to provide enhanced local drug delivery. In addition to the therapeutic uses of microbubbles, this chapter will also address the imaging qualities facilitated by using microbubbles in the context of IVUS. When these concepts are brought together, we can assess each of anatomic structure in very fine detail, functional performance (e.g., blood flow) and the molecular signature of disease. Using relatively modest enhancements to current designs, it is possible to perform a comprehensive diagnosis and follow this immediately with image-guided therapy. It is also possible to incorporate a method to assess completion of therapy/drug delivery. A number of technical considerations, discussed in this chapter, enable this vision. Firstly, achieving therapeutic levels of ultrasound, or at least levels at which drug delivery is achieved, is feasible with appropriate device design choice. Secondly, when performing a therapeutic procedure, it is preferable to have simultaneous in time and space image guidance. Thirdly, it is attractive to have a multi-function catheter to provide each of imaging, therapy/drug delivery, and verification of delivery. Although no fully integrated diagnostic, therapy, verification catheter has been tested in vivo, this appears to be within reach in the near future.
Examining the Role of Preschool Classrooms' Behavioral Composition as a Predictor of the Quality of Teacher-Child Interactions.

Research Findings: This study examined the relation between classroom behavioral composition and teacher–child interactions in preschool classrooms and the potential for teachers’ experience, educa...
Associations Between Preoperative Hyponatremia and 30-Day Perioperative Complications in Lumbar Interbody Spinal Fusion.

STUDY DESIGN Retrospective population database study. OBJECTIVE To investigate the relationship of preoperative hyponatremia to postoperative morbidity and mortality in lumbar interbody fusion patients. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Optimization of preoperative patient selection and perioperative management can improve patient outcomes in spinal surgery. Hyponatremia, incidentally identified in 1.7% of the US population, has previously been tied to poorer postoperative outcomes in both the general surgery and orthopedic surgery populations. MATERIALS AND METHODS Using the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database, the authors identified all lumbar interbody fusion patients treated between 2012 and 2014. Patients were classified as hyponatremic (Na<135 mEq/L) or as having normal sodium levels (135-145 mEq/L) preoperatively. The primary outcome was major morbidity and secondary endpoints were prolonged hospitalization, 30-day readmission, and reoperation. Multivariable linear regression was used to find independent predictors of these outcomes. RESULTS Of 10,654 patients, 45.6% were male individuals, 5.5% were hyponatremic, and 4.2% experienced a major postoperative complication. On multivariable analysis, preoperative hyponatremia was independently associated with major morbidity (odds ratio, 1.22; 95% confidence interval, 1.03-1.44; P<0.05) and prolonged hospitalization (odds ratio, 1.14; 95% confidence interval, 1.02-1.27). CONCLUSIONS Here the authors provide the first evidence suggesting preoperative hyponatremia is an independent predictor of major morbidity after lumbar interbody fusion. Hyponatremia may represent a modifiable risk factor for improved patient care and preoperative risk counseling.
Towards Understanding Complex Human Dexterous Manipulation Strategies: Kinematics of Gaiting-based Object Rotations

This paper presents a novel method for tracking gaiting-based (changing contacts, reciprocal, cyclical) withinhand manipulation strategies of a human hand. We present a kinematic model that relies on data collected from 6-DOF magnetic sensors attached to 7 external sites on the hand. The sensors are calibrated by three procedures—sensor-to-fingertip, constrained fingertip workspace limits, and flat hand configuration. Subjects rotated two cubes of different sizes around the 3 object-centric axes, while a synchronized camera recorded the object motion. Hand motions were segmented and then averaged using dynamic time warping (DTW) to yield a representative time-series motion primitive for the given task. The hand movements of two subjects during cube rotation tasks were reconstructed using a 22-degree of freedom (DOF) hand kinematic model. Based on a qualitative evaluation of the joint movements, intrasubject correlations of joint angles were found.
Brain power

The human brain is just 2% of the body’s weight, but 20% of its metabolic load (1⇓–3), and 10 times more expensive per gram than muscle. On the other hand, the brain manages to produce poetry, design spacecraft, and create art on an energy budget of ∼20 W, a paltry sum given that the computer on which this article is being typed requires 80 W. So where in the brain is power consumed, what is it used for, why is it so expensive relative to other costs of living, and how does it achieve its power efficiency relative to engineered silicon? Many classic papers have studied these questions. Attwell and Laughlin (4) developed detailed biophysical estimates suggesting that neural signaling and the postsynaptic effects of neurotransmitter release combined to account for 80% of the brain’s adenosine triphosphate (ATP) consumption, conclusions that are also supported by the overall physiology and anatomy of neural circuits (5, 6). Numerous studies explored the structural and functional consequences of this expenditure for limiting brain size (7) and scaling (8), efficient wiring patterns (9), analog (graded potential) vs. digital (spiking) signaling (10), distributed neural codes (11⇓–13), the distribution of information traffic along nerve tracts and their size distribution (14⇓–16), and computational heterogeneity and efficiency (17). Many of these ideas have been synthesized by Sterling and Laughlin (18) into a set of principles governing the design of brains. Now, in PNAS, Levy and Calvert (19) propose a functional accounting of the power budget of the mammalian brain, suggesting that communication is vastly more expensive than computation, and exploring the functional consequences for neural circuit organization. Levy and Calvert (19) build on the earlier literature by focusing primarily on the relative power committed to different modes of information … [↵][1]1Email: vijay{at}physics.upenn.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Redo Orthotopic Heart Transplantation in the Current Era

Abstract Objective This study aims to investigate the trends, outcomes, and risk factors for mortality following redo orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT). Methods The United Network for Organ Sharing registry was used to identify adult OHT recipients from 2000-2020 and stratify into primary and redo cohorts. Five-year posttransplant survival was compared between two propensity-matched cohorts. Multivariable modeling was performed to identify risk-adjusted predictors of redo posttransplant mortality, both conditional and non-conditional on shorter-term survival. Results A total of 40,711 recipients were analyzed, 39,657 (97.4%) primary and 1,054 (2.6%) redo. Redo recipients had lower median age and were more frequently bridged with intravenous inotropes, intra-aortic balloon pump, and/or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (all P Conclusions Although infrequently performed, redo OHT remains associated with worse post-transplant outcomes as compared to primary OHT. While several high-risk features were identified to impact post-retransplant outcomes in the acute perioperative period, donor characteristics such as hypertension and decreased ejection fraction continue to have lasting negative impacts in the longer term.
The ASCII Code

Table A.l shows the 128 ASCII codes. Each code is shown in octal (leftmost column and top row) and hexadecimal (rightmost column and either the top or bottom rows). Octal numbers are typeset in italics, preceded by a quote (’). Hex numbers are typeset in a fixed-width font, preceded by a double-quote (′′). To find the code of a character, substitute the code from the top or bottom row for the x. The octal code of “A,” e.g., is found by substituting the ’1 from the top row for the x in the ′10x from the left column, i.e., it is octal 101 or binary 1000001. Similarly, the hex code of “A” is a combination of ′′4x and ′1 , i.e., it is ′′41.
Ovarian lesion volumes as a screening tool for malignancy in adolescent ovarian tumors.

Abstract Background Preoperative evaluation of ovarian tumors for malignancy is essential to determine appropriate treatment. Our study assessed the utility of ovarian lesion volumes to screen for malignancy in adolescent ovarian lesions. Methods A retrospective chart review of adolescent patients (8–18years) who underwent an ovarian operation from January 2008 to December 2012. Data included demographics, ultrasonographic volume measurements, and tumor markers. Volumes were calculated using the prolate ellipsoid formula. Data are presented as medians. Results One hundred twenty-three females were included at a median age of 13.7years (IQR 12.5–16). Eight patients had malignancies. The median benign lesion volume was significantly smaller than malignant [152cm3 (IQR 57–592)vs. 1548cm 3 (IQR 627–2105), p =0.001]. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis (AUC 0.84, p =0.001) revealed a threshold ovarian lesion volume of 3 (100% sensitivity, 54% specificity, NPV 100%, PPV 13%) to accurately screen for malignancy. This held true when applied to our dataset as none of the 62 girls with volumes 3 had malignant pathology. Conclusions This is the first documented use of ovarian lesion volumes as a screening tool in adolescent ovarian lesions. This should be used in conjunction with tumor markers and other imaging features to better screen for malignancy.
The Selective α7 Agonist GTS-21 Attenuates Cytokine Production in Human Whole Blood and Human Monocytes Activated by Ligands for TLR2, TLR3, TLR4, TLR9, and RAGE

The cholinergic antiinflammatory pathway modulates Inflammatory cytokine production through a mechanism dependent on the vagus nerve and the α7 subunit of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. GTS-21 [3-(2,4-dimethoxybenzylidene) anabaseine], a selective α7 agonist, inhibits inflammatory cytokine production in murine and human macrophages and in several models of inflammatory disease in vivo, but to date its antiinflammatory efficacy in human monocytes has not been characterized. We report here our findings that GTS-21 attenuates tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin 1β levels in human whole blood activated by exposure to endotoxin. GTS-21 inhibited TNF production in endotoxin-stimulated primary human monocytes in vitro at the transcriptional level. The suppressive effect of GTS-21 was more potent than nicotine in whole blood and monocytes. Furthermore, GTS-21 attenuated TNF production in monocytes stimulated with peptidoglycan, polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid, CpG, HMGB1 (high-mobility group box 1 protein), and advanced glycation end product-modified albumin. GTS-21 decreased TNF levels in endotoxin-stimulated whole blood obtained from patients with severe sepsis. These findings establish the immunoregulatory effect of GTS-21 on human monocytes, and indicate the potential benefits of further exploration of GTS-21’s therapeutic uses in human inflammatory disease.
Ontogeny and Phylogeny of Paradoxical Reward Effects

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the theoretical considerations related to the ontogeny of learning and the paradoxical effects of appetitive reward. It is shown that there is an ontogenetic level that appears to correspond to lower phylogenetic levels and perhaps even to a lower level of adult human functioning. At this level, learning, extinction, and other reactions to reinforcement change occur without the benefit of goal anticipation. The chapter suggests that transitions between non-paradoxical and paradoxical effects of reward from one infant-rat age to another may be the ontogenetic counterpart of: (1) the transition between the fish-turtle and bird-mammal stages phylogenetically, and (2) the transitions between, for example, masked and unmasked extinction effects in adult human eyeblink conditioning. It is also shown that there are concurrent changes in the brain neurophysiology and neuroanatomy, particularly in the limbic system specifically the hippocampus, which has been identified as an organ of inhibition, frustration, and anticipation, all of which are involved in paradoxical functioning.
Bilateral disease and early age at presentation are associated with shorter survival in patients with congenital heart disease and intraluminal pulmonary vein stenosis.

Purpose. Pulmonary vein stenosis (PVS) is a progressive disease that is frequently lethal. We have previously identified neoproliferation of myofibroblasts as the mechanism for progressive intraluminal PVS. PVS occurs in association with other congenital heart diseases (CHD) and in structurally normal hearts. This study sought to describe the spectrum of CHD seen with PVS and explore risk factors associated with mortality. Methods. All patients diagnosed over a 12-year period with a combination of PVS involving ≥2 vessels and CHD were identified. Cases were categorized according to major anatomic and physiologic categories. Patient and disease characteristics associated with time to death were explored. Results. Eighty-two cases followed longitudinally at our institution were analyzed. Anatomic diagnoses included nonheterotaxy + anomalous pulmonary venous return (29%), heterotaxy + anomalous veins (20%), two ventricles + normal veins (22%), and single ventricle + normal veins (29%). Median age at diagnosis was 5.3 months (0–24 years). Despite multiple treatments, there were 35 (43%) deaths in the group with an estimated survival of 71%, 64%, and 44% at 1, 2, and 5 years, respectively. Bilateral disease at diagnosis (hazard ratio [HR] 3.9 [1.7, 9.2], P= .002), age 2 pulmonary veins at diagnosis (HR 3.7 [1.6, 8.8], P= .003) were associated with shorter time to death in univariate analysis. In multivariable analysis, both bilateral disease (HR 2.9 [1.2, 7.1]P= .02) and age <5 months at diagnosis (HR 2.4 [1.1, 5.6]P= .03) were independently associated with time to death. Conclusion. Bilateral disease and earlier age at diagnosis are independent predictors of poor survival in patients with CHD and PVS, while patients with unilateral disease presenting at an older age have a better prognosis. These findings are helpful in risk stratification of patients with CHD and multivessel PVS.
Recurrence and malignant degeneration after resection of adult hemispheric low-grade gliomas.

Object Unlike their malignant counterparts, low-grade gliomas are associated with prolonged survival. However, these tumors have a propensity to progress after resection and ultimately undergo malignant degeneration. The factors associated with recurrence and malignant degeneration remain relatively unknown. The authors set out to determine factors that were independently associated with recurrence and malignant degeneration in patients who underwent resection of a hemispheric low-grade glioma. Methods Adult patients who underwent craniotomy and resection of a hemispheric low-grade glioma (WHO Grade II) at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institution's academic tertiary-care institution between 1996 and 2006 were retrospectively reviewed. Multivariate proportional hazards regression analyses were used to identify associations with tumor recurrence and malignant degeneration. Results Of the 191 consecutive patients with low-grade gliomas in this series (89 fibrillary astrocytomas, 89 oligodendrogliomas, and 13 mi...
C-11 Dimethyloxazolidinedione (DMO): Biodistribution, Radiation Absorbed Dose, and Potential for PET Measurement of Regional Brain pH: Concise Communication

An improved radiochemical synthesis for C-11 dimethyloxazolidinedione (C-11 DMO) makes this agent attractive for the measurement of regional brain tissue pH (rpH) using positron emission tomography (PET). Toward this end, biodistribution data for C-14 DMO in rats at various times after an intravenous bolus injection are reported, together with estimates of radiation absorbed dose for C-11 DMO in man. An error analysis of C-11 DMO PET measurement of rpH indicates that rpH can be determined to within +/- 0.1 pH unit for pH greater than 6.5 with a 20-mCi injected bolus of C-11 DMO, a 30- 45-min equilibration time, and a 15-min PET imaging period.
Short-term outcomes following "full-plastic jacket" everolimus-eluting bioresorbable scaffold implantation.

The advent of drug-eluting stents (DES) improved the rates ofrestenosis [1]. In cases of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) forlong-diffuse lesions, operators often face the dilemma of whether tofully cover most of the vessel length. Incomplete lesion coverage is anindependent risk factor of restenosis [2], while on the other hand,a “full-metal jacket (FMJ)” remains associated with higher rates of in-stent restenosis and stent thrombosis [3–5]. In addition, a FMJ oftenprecludes future surgical revascularization. The use of bioresorbablescaffolds (BRS) appears very attractive due to their full reabsorption 2to 3 years after implantation. However, very little is known about theperformanceofBRSwhenusedforthetreatmentoflong-diffuselesions.Onthisbasis,wesoughttoinvestigatethefeasibilityandtheshort-termclinical outcomes following BRS implantation for very long lesions(“full-plastic jacket”).A retrospective analysis in 2 high volume centers in Milan was per-formedonconsecutivepatientswhounderwentPCIwithBRS(ABSORB;Abbott Vascular, Santa Clara, California) between May 2012 and May2014. Exclusion criteria were PCI for ST-segment elevation myocardialinfarction, non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and bypassgraft. During the study period, a total of 142 patients (191 lesions)underwent BRS implantation. Procedural “full-plastic jacket” (FPJ) was