cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Food Label Use Modifies Association of Income with Dietary Quality

We analyzed the 1994-1996 Continuing Survey of Food Intake by Individuals and the Diet and Health Knowledge Survey (DHKS) to examine whether the relationship between income and dietary quality is modified by food label (FL) use among 20- to 60-y old DHKS respondents who were either household meal preparers, meal planners or food shoppers (n = 2952). Multivariate logistic regression results indicated that the influence of income on dietary quality is mediated by FL use. Those who were wealthier and used FL were significantly less likely to have a lower Healthy Eating Index (HEI) compared with the reference group formed by those in the lower income category who did not use FL [OR = 0.42; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.31, 0.56]. By contrast, those who were wealthier but did not use FL were as likely as the reference group to have a low HEI (OR = 1.08; 95% CI: 0.74, 1.54). Those who were poorer but used FL were significantly less likely to have a low HEI compared with the reference group (OR = 0.62; 95% CI: 0.48, 0.80). Thus, FL use is associated with improved dietary quality among all income groups with a greater benefit of use among higher income individuals. Income is not associated with improved dietary quality in the absence of FL use.
Proctolin, its presence in and action on the oviduct of an insect

1. Proctolin has been isolated from oviduct extracts of Leucophaea maderae by HPLC. 2. Quantitative bioassay with the hindgut of L. maderae demonstrated a proctolin titre of 0.93±0.15 ng/oviduct. 3. Exposure to proctolin produced three changes in the spontaneous contractile activity of the oviduct: (a) an increase in muscle tonus, (b) an increase in the amplitude and (c) frequency of phasic contractions. The sensitivity of the oviduct to proctolin was compared with the hindgut and foregut organ preparations from the same insect. 4. Oviducts were responsive to proctolin in a calcium-free medium and the peptide also appeared to facilitate the reentry of calcium after depleted preparations were returned to normal levels of external calcium.
Citrus Consumption and Risk of Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma

Purpose Citrus products are widely consumed foods that are rich in psoralens and furocoumarins, a group of naturally occurring chemicals with potential photocarcinogenic properties. We prospectively evaluated the risk of cutaneous malignant melanoma associated with citrus consumption. Methods A total of 63,810 women in the Nurses’ Health Study (1984 to 2010) and 41,622 men in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (1986 to 2010) were included. Dietary information was repeatedly assessed every 2 to 4 years during follow-up. Incident melanoma cases were identified through self-report and confirmed by pathologic records. Results Over 24 to 26 years of follow-up, we documented 1,840 incident melanomas. After adjustment for other risk factors, the pooled multivariable hazard ratios for melanoma were 1.00 for overall citrus consumption twice per week (reference), 1.10 (95% CI, 0.94 to 1.30) for two to four times per week, 1.26 (95% CI, 1.08 to 1.47) for five to six times per week, 1.27 (95% CI, 1.09 to 1.49) for once to 1.5 times per day, and 1.36 (95% CI, 1.14 to 1.63) for 1.6 times per day (Ptrend .001). Among individual citrus products, grapefruit showed the most apparent association with risk of melanoma, which was independent of other lifestyle and dietary factors. The pooled multivariable hazard ratio for melanoma comparing the extreme consumption categories of grapefruit ( three times per week v never) was 1.41 (95% CI, 1.10 to 1.82; Ptrend .001). Conclusion Citrus consumption was associated with an increased risk of malignant melanoma in two cohorts of women and men. Nevertheless, further investigation is needed to confirm our findings and explore related health implications.
Electronic processes in the photo-crystallization of vitreous selenium

Abstract The effect of highly absorbed light in increasing the growth rate of surface crystallites in vitreous (amorphous, polymeric) selenium films has been studied in detail. It is demonstrated that the action of the light results from the production of hole-electron pairs in the vitreous phase, and that the growth rate is controlled by the flux of holes towards the crystal boundary. The response time of the photo-crystallization effect is determined by hole trapping below the surface of the film. Examination of the topography of the energy bands shows that the crystallite act as a sink for holes. A qualitative model, based on the diffusion of holes towards the crystal boundary followed by a molecular reorientation, is described. The breaking of an Se-Se bond upon formation of a free hole may also be effective.
Detection and occurrence of microconstituents in reclaimed water used for irrigation – a potentially overlooked source

An online SPE-HPLC-HESI-MS/MS method and an online SPE-HPLC-APPI-MS/MS method were developed to analyze 72 microconstituents in reclaimed water. In this study, 55 reclaimed water samples were collected from the sprinkler system for a year-long period at Florida International University Biscayne Bay Campus, where reclaimed water was reused for daily irrigation. Analysis results showed that several analytes were continuously detected in all reclaimed water samples and others will show rather transient signal increases. Coprostanol, bisphenol A, and DEET’s maximum concentration exceeded 10,000 ng/L. The four most frequently detected compounds were diphenhydramine (100 %), DEET (98 %), atenolol (98 %) and carbamazepine (96 %).
Evaluating the predictive validity of suicidal intent and medical lethality in youth.

Objectives: To examine whether suicidal intent and medical lethality of past suicide attempts are predictive of future attempts, the association between intent and lethality, and the consistency of these characteristics across repeated attempts among youth. Method: Suicide attempts in a 15-year prospective study of 180 formerly psychiatrically hospitalized adolescents (Mage at hospitalization = 14.83; 51% female; 80% Caucasian) were characterized with the Subjective Intent Rating Scale and Lethality of Attempt Rating Scale. Anderson-Gill recurrent events survival models and generalized estimating equations were used to assess predictive validity. Generalized linear models were used to examine stability of characteristics across attempts. Results: Neither intent nor lethality from the most recent attempt predicted future attempts. The highest level of intent and most severe lethality of attempts during the follow-up predicted subsequent attempts, but the degree to which highest intent and most severe lethality contributed to prediction after considering methods of suicide attempts, past number of attempts, or psychiatric diagnoses was mixed. Across successive attempts, there was little consistency in reported characteristics. Intent and lethality were related to each other only for attempts occurring in early adulthood. Conclusions: Highest intent and lethality were better predictors of future attempts than intent and lethality of the most recent attempt. However, these characteristics should be considered as predictors only within the context of other factors. For youth, clinicians should not infer true intent from the lethality of attempts, nor assume that characteristics of future suicide attempts will be similar to those of previous attempts. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved). Language: en
CD247 Modulates Blood Pressure by Altering T-Lymphocyte Infiltration in the Kidney

The CD3 ζ chain (CD247), a gene involved in T-cell signaling, has been shown to associate with blood pressure in human genetic studies. To test the functional role of CD247 in hypertension and renal disease, zinc-finger nucleases targeting CD247 were injected into Dahl salt-sensitive (SS/JrHsdMcwi) embryos. The resulting 11-bp frameshift deletion in exon 1 of CD247 led to a predicted premature stop codon. Western blotting confirmed the absence of CD247 protein in the thymus, and flow cytometry (n=5-9 per group) demonstrated that the mutant rats (CD247(-/-)) have a >99% reduction in circulating CD3(+) T cells compared with littermate controls (CD247(+/+)). Studies were performed on age-matched, littermate male, CD247(+/+) and CD247(-/-) rats fed a 4.0% NaCl diet for 3 weeks. The infiltration of CD3(+) T cells into the kidney after high salt was significantly blunted in CD247(-/-) (1.4±0.4×10(5) cells per kidney) when compared with that in the CD247(+/+) (8.7±2.0×10(5) cells per kidney). Accompanying the reduced infiltration of T cells, mean arterial blood pressure was significantly lower in CD247(-/-) than in CD247(+/+) (134±1 versus 151±2 mm Hg). As an index of kidney disease, urinary albumin and protein excretion rates were significantly reduced in CD247(-/-) (17±1 and 62±2 mg/d, respectively) when compared with that in CD247(+/+) (49±3 and 121±5 mg/d, respectively). Glomerular and renal tubular damage were also attenuated in the CD247(-/-). These studies demonstrate that functional T cells are required for the full development of Dahl salt-sensitive hypertension and indicate that the association between CD247 and hypertension in humans may be related to altered immune cell function.
Detecting Stepping-Stone Connection Using Association Rule Mining

A main concern for network intrusion detection systems is the ability of an intruder to evade the detection by routing through a chain of intermediate stepping-stone hosts. The intruders have developed some evasion techniques such as injecting chaff packets or timing jitter. Such evasion techniques cause most of the previous timing-based detection algorithms to fail. In this paper, we address these issues and devise a methodology to defeat these counter measures. Our algorithm uses modified association rule mining to detect stepping-stones. It is based on finding as many matched pairs of packets as possible within the fixed length intervals and then decide whether it is a stepping-stone connection by the matched rate. This algorithm allows checking multiple connections at once and therefore greatly increasing the efficiency compared to others. We examine the selected parameters and provide different trade-offs among false rates. Our experiments report a very good performance with very high detection rate and low false detection rate when using carefully selected parameter values.
The two kinds of linear discriminant functions and their relationship.

Fisher’s two-group discriminant function has been generalized in two different ways for the case of three or more groups. Both generalizations have been called discriminant functions, leading to confusion in the literature. A reasonable nomenclature is canonical discriminant functions and classification functions. The precise functional relation between the two functions is derived, and the interpretation of the two functions is discussed. An illustrative example is provided.
Characterization of junction capacitance parameters for Gaussian/constant doping profiles

A new model for the junction capacitance parameters for junctions that can be described by a Gaussian/constant doping profile is presented. The model relies on accurate approximations for the error function and its integral. On the basis of these approximations, routines which accurately predict the built-in potential of the junction and the zero-bias junction capacitances for a wide range of junction parameters have been constructed. Values of the built-in potential, zero-bias capacitance, and capacitance versus voltage characteristics for typical junction parameters are shown. >
‘Signs of the times’: confession and the semiotic production of inner truth

How is it that confession – a highly ritualized, dialogically structured speech act – appears to transparently reflect and reveal the inner states of confessants? This article explores this question by closely engaging select post-Vatican II defences of the Sacrament of Penance, which lay out the requirements of ‘modern’ confession in striking detail. A close reading of these theological texts demonstrates that felicitous confession is the product of three correlated (meta-)semiotic processes: (1) the figuration of the pentinent memory as a storehouse for sin; (2) the management of ritual time into discrete stages of ‘private’ meaning-making and ‘public’ pronouncement; and (3) the erasure of the social scenery of the confessional utterance. In concert, these processes render indexical signs as iconic ones and, in so doing, naturalize confession as the cathartic revelation of inner truths, already constituted as such.
HARD: Hardware-Assisted Lockset-based Race Detection

The emergence of multicore architectures will lead to an increase in the use of multithreaded applications that are prone to synchronization bugs, such as data races. Software solutions for detecting data races generally incur large overheads. Hardware support for race detection can significantly reduce that overhead. However, all existing hardware proposals for race detection are based on the happens-before algorithm which is sensitive to thread interleaving and cannot detect races that are not exposed during the monitored run. The lockset algorithm addresses this limitation. Unfortunately, due to the challenging issues such as storing the lockset information and performing complex set operations, so far it has been implemented only in software with 10-30 times performance hit. This paper proposes the first hardware implementation (called HARD) of the lockset algorithm to exploit the race detection capability of this algorithm with minimal overhead. HARD efficiently stores lock sets in hardware bloom filters and converts the expensive set operations into fast bitwise logic operations with negligible overhead. We evaluate HARD using six SPLASH-2 applications with 60 randomly injected bugs. Our results show that HARD can detect 54 out of 60 tested bugs, 20% more than happens-before, with only 0.1-2.6% of execution overhead. We also show our hardware design is cost-effective by comparing with the ideal lockset implementation, which would require a large amount of hardware resources
In Memoriam: Thomas G. Pickering 1940-2009.

Dr. Thomas George Pickering, physician, clinical scientist, professor and mentor, husband, father, and grandfather, died in May 2009, from the complications of brain cancer. Tom, who studied and trained in England at Cambridge, Middlesex Hospital, and Oxford University, came to New York to explore behavioral aspects of medicine in 1972. His earliest hypertension research at Oxford focused on baroreceptor function, the autonomic nervous system, and the emerging class of cardiovascular medications, known as the β-adrenoreceptor blockers. Although he returned to Oxford from 1974 to 1976, the possibility of being able to work as both a practicing physician and a clinical investigator drew him back to New York City and Cornell University Medical College, where he spent more than 20 years in a productive career in behavioral cardiovascular medicine, clinical hypertension, and blood pressure measurement research. During the past decade, Tom moved within New York City to the Mount Sinai School of Medicine and then to Columbia University School of Medicine. Tom translated his clinical observations in medical practice to research endeavors throughout his career. Striking examples of his ability include important observations on relations among renovascular disease, cardiovascular complications, and the impact of renal revascularization,1,2 as well as his astute observations that anxiety, perceived stress, job strain, and the medical care environment itself induced hypertension in some individuals who …
Accessing Justice: Are Pro Se Clinics a Reasonable Response to the Lack of Pro Bono Legal Services and Should Law School Clinics Conduct Them?

This Article explores the use of pro se education as a means of providing access to the justice system. It reviews various pro se legal clinics across the country to assess how different jurisdictions are perceiving and responding to the needs of low-income litigants. It discusses in some detail the pro se projects in the District of Columbia as well as law school pro se clinics, including Catholic Law School's Families and the Law Clinic ("FALC"). Ultimately, the Article examines the teaching and service goals that can be met by law school participation in pro se projects.
Palmitoylation controls trafficking of GAD65 from Golgi membranes to axon-specific endosomes and a Rab5a-dependent pathway to presynaptic clusters

The GABA-synthesizing enzyme GAD65 is synthesized as a soluble cytosolic protein but undergoes post-translational modification(s) to become anchored to the cytosolic face of Golgi membranes before targeting to synaptic vesicle membranes in neuroendocrine cells. Palmitoylation of cysteines 30 and 45 in GAD65 is not required for targeting to Golgi membranes but is crucial for post-Golgi trafficking to presynaptic clusters in neurons. Here, we show that palmitoylated GAD65 colocalizes with the small GTP-binding protein Rab5a in Golgi membranes and in axons but not in dendrites. In the presence of the constitutively positive mutant Rab5(Q79L) palmitoylation resulted in polarized targeting of GAD65 to giant Rab5a-positive axonal endosomes, characterized by the absence of the Rab5a-effector molecule EEA1 and the transferrin receptor. By contrast, Rab5a-positive/EEA1-positive somatodendritic giant endosomes containing the transferrin receptor were devoid of GAD65. Palmitoylation-deficient GAD65 was excluded from endosomal compartments. A dominant negative mutant of Rab5a, Rab5a(S34N), specifically blocked axonal trafficking and presynaptic clustering of palmitoylated GAD65, but did not affect axonal trafficking of mutants of GAD65 that fail to traffic to giant axonal endosomes containing Rab5a(Q79L). Two transmembrane synaptic vesicle proteins, VAMP2 and VGAT also localized to the axonal giant endosomes, and their axonal trafficking and presynaptic clustering was blocked by Rab5a(S34N). The results suggest that palmitoylation of GAD65 regulates the trafficking of the protein from Golgi membranes to an endosomal trafficking pathway in axons that is dependent on Rab5a and is required for the targeting of several synaptic vesicle proteins to presynaptic clusters.
Compensatory Capsid Protein Mutations in Cucumber Mosaic Virus Confer Systemic Infectivity in Squash (Cucurbita pepo)

Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) systemically infects both tobacco and zucchini squash. CMV capsid protein loop mutants with single-amino-acid substitutions are unable to systemically infect squash, but they revert to a wild-type phenotype in the presence of an additional, specific single-site substitution. The D118A, T120A, D192A, and D197A loop mutants reverted to a wild-type phenotype but did so in combination with P56S, P77L, A162V, and I53F or T124I mutations, respectively. The possible effect of these compensatory mutations on other, nonsystemically infecting loop mutants was tested with the F117A mutant and found to be neutral, thus indicating a specificity to the observed changes.
Beyond Opinion Leaders: How Attempts to Persuade Foster Political Awareness and Campaign Learning

The number of Americans who report engaging in interpersonal persuasion during elections has drastically increased over the past decade. While past studies have demonstrated the impact of such proselytizing on vote choice, the author finds substantial evidence that it may also have larger democratic benefits, both for those attempting to persuade and for those whom they choose to target. Data from the 2008 National Annenberg Election Survey suggest that (a) attempting to persuade contributes to people’s ability to give reasons in support of both their own preferred candidate and the opposing candidate, and (b) persuasive conversation is a powerful channel for the spread of political information from the more engaged to the less engaged.
Spatial scaling relationships for spread of disease caused by a wind-dispersed plant pathogen

Spatial scale is of great importance to understanding the spread of organisms exhibiting long-distance dispersal (LDD). We tested whether epidemics spread in direct proportion to the size of the host population and size of the initial disease focus. This was done through analysis of a previous study of the effects of landscape heterogeneity variables on the spread of accelerating epidemics of wheat (Triticum aestivum) stripe rust, caused by the fungus Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici. End-of-season disease gradients were constructed by estimating disease prevalence at regular distances from artificially inoculated foci of different sizes, in field plots of different dimensions. In one set of comparisons, all linear dimensions (plot width and length, focus width and length, and distance between observation points) differed by a factor of four. Disease spread was substantially greater in large plot/large focus treatments than in small plot/small focus treatments. However, when disease gradients were plotted using focus width as the unit distance, they were found to be highly similar, suggesting a proportional relationship between focus or plot size and disease spread. A similar relationship held when comparing same-size plots inoculated with different-sized foci, an indication that focus size is the driver of this proportionality. Our results suggest that power law dispersal of LDD organisms results in scale-invariant relationships, which are useful for better understanding spatial spread of biological invasions, extrapolating results from small-scale experiments to invasions spreading over larger scales, and predicting speed and pattern of spread as an invasion expands.
Extrudate swell behavior of glass fiber filled polyamide 6

This paper discusses the extrudate swell behavior of glass-filled polyamide 6. The key features of the experiments were the facility to extrude directly into a density matched oil kept at extrusion temperature and thus, the ability to measure the diameter of the extrudate of the glass-filled polyamide immediately upon exit from the die, without the extrudate contacting air and as a function of time in a chamber under isothermal and neutrally-buoyant conditions. The concentration and orientation of the fibers of the extrudates were also studied using X-ray radiography in a post-mortem fashion. A skin/core morphology, where uniaxially aligned fibers constitute the skin zone and the core contains a reduced concentration of fibers, was observed.
Assessment of Coordinated Effects in Merger Control: Between Presumption and Analysis

The first part of the paper, drawing upon modern oligopoly theory, provides an answer to the question concerning the market characteristics that are relevant in assessing coordinated effects arising from mergers (standard of proof). The second part analyzes recent decisions on coordinated effects in the field of EU merger control, in order to draw a conclusion as to the degree of certainty that antitrust enforcers have to reach, before taking a decision prohibiting or authorizing a merger (burden of proof). The cases reviewed include the EU Commission's decision and the related judgment by the Court of First Instance in the Airtours/First Choice case and the EU Commission's decision in Sony/BMG. Since the latter appears, prima facie, radically different from Airtours with respect to the method adopted and the conclusions drawn, the paper also investigates what has changed in the time lapse between the two decisions. I argue that a number of circumstances (the judgments of the Court of First Instance in Airtours, Tetra Laval and Schneider, the adoption of Merger Regulation No. 139/2004 and the cooperation with the US FTC in merger control activity) have affected both the standard of proof and the burden of proof. These circumstances have made the Commission's analysis more economically sound. However, as a downside, the CFI's decisions have also raised the burden of proof on the Commission for prohibiting a merger on the ground of coordinated effects. I conclude that such approach is far too conservative and may result in the undue clearance of mergers, which eventually prove harmful to competition.
Bony Versus Soft Tissue Reconstruction for Anterior Shoulder Instability: An Expected Value Decision Analysis.

Background:One complication of anteroinferior glenohumeral shoulder dislocation is a critical bone defect that requires surgical repair to prevent recurrent instability. However, controversy exists...
In Memoriam: Remembering Justice Byron R. White

Justice Byron R. White was the Circuit Justice for the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit for thirty-one years. He was a man of remarkable talent. Indeed, he was a "giant" of a man in every respect. His strength of intellect, magnetic personality, and uncommon ability to connect meaningfully with many people made him a towering force worthy of his equally imposing statute. He was, to borrow a phrase, a man to match the mountains that he so dearly loved.
Flow pulsatility does not increase mean microvascular pressure or filtration in zone 3 rabbit lungs

We previously reported that mean pulmonary arterial pressure (Ppa) during pulsatile flow exceeded that for steady flow when flow was greater than the normal resting value and speculated that this w...
Anatomic, clinical, and therapeutic features of acute cardiac rupture: Successful surgical management fourteen hours after myocardial infarction

A 62-year-old man sustained an acute myocardial infarction complicated on the thirteenth hour by left ventricular rupture and acute pericardial tamponade. Echocardiography confirmed the suspicion of intrapericardial fluid, and immediate pericardiocentesis improved the hemodynamic state for a period sufficient to permit preparation for operation. Resection of ruptured and necrotic anteroapical left ventricular myocardium with primary reconstruction was successfully accomplished with the aid of temporary extracorporeal circulation. The patient has remained well for 1 year after the operation. Anatomic, clinical, and therapeutic features of acute cardiac rupture are discussed.
News photos of scientists skew race but not gender

This analysis of the photographs of scientists published in The Science Times, the weekly science section of The New York Times, shows the actual gender distribution among U.S. scientists was accur...
Rate of acute myocardial infarction in patients with troponin-positive chest pain and unobstructed coronary arteries

Background Many patients with troponin-positive chest pain are initially diagnosed with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), but are later found to have nonobstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) by x-ray angiography. CMR may be useful in this diagnostically challenging cohort; the presence and/or pattern of myocardial necrosis identified by CMR may allow differentiation between diverse etiologies such as AMI, myocarditis, Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, among others. AMI may occur despite nonobstructive CAD, since plaque rupture with occlusive thrombosis may be followed by recanalization. Nevertheless, the diagnosis of AMI is critical for patient management. Prior CMR studies of this population report aw ide range in the rate of AMI (5%30%), perhaps because existing studies have limited sample size (20-130 patients). The aim of this study was to determine the rate of AMI in a larger patient population with troponin-positive chest pain and unobstructed coronary arteries and to examine clinical characteristics that may be associated with this diagnosis. Methods This single-center prospective study enrolled consecutive patients who presented with troponin-positive chest pain, had obstructive CAD (>50% stenosis) excluded by invasive coronary angiography, and then were referred for CMR. A comprehensive set of clinical characteristics including CAD risk factors and peak troponin levels were collected. Angiographic atherosclerosis severity was categorized as entirely normal (0%), near-normal (1-25% stenosis), and mild atherosclerosis (>25-50% stenosis). Hyperenhancement in a CAD-pattern on delayed-enhancement CMR was used to determine the diagnosis of AMI.
Multi-stage Detection Using Constellation Structure

A structural approach to multi-stage detection is proposed where the joint information between interfering users is utilized to give better soft decisions on the user bits in each stage or iteration. The key idea is to use the structure of the multi-user signal constellation to achieve higher performance in terms of the bit-error-rate, particularly at high SNR, and reduce the possibility of error propagation or limit cycles. A maximal asymptotic efficiency detector is employed as the first stage to generate better initial estimates of the user bits, followed by a local maximum likelihood kernel for subsequent stages. The proposed detector is particularly attractive for heavily correlated or over-loaded multi-user systems. The proposed multi-stage detector also includes the possibility of known memoryless non-linearity in the system, e.g., the non-linearity introduced due to saturation by the downlink RF amplifier in satellite communication systems.
Prognostic Importance of Sleep Quality in Patients With Heart Failure

Background Poor sleep quality is common and is associated with poor quality of life and health status in patients with heart failure. However, few investigators have focused on the impact of impaired sleep quality on survival in heart failure. Objective To examine whether self-reported sleep quality is associated with prognosis in patients with heart failure. Methods The study sample consisted of 204 patients with heart failure. Sleep quality was measured with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Poor sleepers were defined as patients with scores greater than 5 on the index. Patients were followed up for a median of 364 days to determine cardiac events (a composite of cardiac death, hospitalizations, or emergency department visits for cardiac reasons). Multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression was used to examine whether poor sleepers were at a higher risk than good sleepers for shorter cardiac event-free survival after covariates were adjusted for. Results Of 204 patients, 129 (63%) reported poor sleep quality. Poor sleepers were 2.5 times more likely to have a shorter cardiac event-free survival (95% CI, 1.164-5.556) than were good sleepers after covariates were controlled for. Conclusions Impaired sleep quality was prevalent in patients with heart failure and was associated with poor cardiac event-free survival. Clinicians should assess and manage sleep quality in patients with heart failure to improve outcomes.
Ordered Membrane Domain-Forming Properties of the Lipids of Borrelia burgdorferi.

Abstract Co-existing disordered and ordered (raft) membrane domains exist in Borrelia burgdorferi , the causative agent of Lyme disease. However, although B. burgdorferi contains cholesterol lipids, it lacks sphingolipids—a crucial component of rafts in eukaryotes. To define the principles of ordered lipid domain formation in Borrelia , the domain forming properties of vesicles composed of its three major lipids, acylated cholesteryl galactoside (ACGal), monogalactosyl diacyglycerol (MGalD), and phosphatidylcholine (PC) and/or their mixtures were studied. Anisotropy and fluorescence resonance energy transfer measurements were used to assay membrane order and ordered-domain formation. ACGal had the highest potential to form ordered domains. Interestingly, mixtures of ACGal with B. burgdorferi PC formed ordered domains more readily than mixtures of ACGal with MGalD. This appears to reflect the relatively high level of saturation observed for B. burgdorferi PC, as vesicles containing ACGal and PC, but in which the unsaturated lipid dioleoyl PC was substituted for Borrelia PC, failed to form ordered domains. In addition, the properties of ACGal were compared to those of cholesterol. Depending on what other lipids were present, ordered-domain formation in the presence of ACGal was greater than or equal to that in the presence of cholesterol. Giant unilamellar vesicles formed from ACGal-containing mixtures showed rounded domain shapes similar to those in analogous vesicles containing cholesterol, indicative of liquid-ordered state rather than solid-like gel-state domain formation. Over all, principles of ordered-domain formation in B. burgdorferi appear to be very similar to those in eukaryotes, with saturated PC taking the place of sphingolipids, but with ACGal being the main lipid component inducing ordered-domain formation.
The Living Experience of Feeling Surprised.

The purpose of this article is to report the finding of a Parse research method study on the universal living experience of feeling surprised. In dialogical engagement with the researcher, eight pa...
Identification of Novel Mir-34a Targets in a c-Myc Murine Model

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) serve a fundamental function in the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. MiRNA-mediated repression is mediated by the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) and is generally thought to be predicted by base-pairing in the seed region of the microRNA. In predicting the effects of miRNAs on gene expression, it is important to consider that the transcriptional context will result in differential targeting of transcripts, and necessitates the study of miRNA function in the cell type of interest. Here, to study tumor suppressive functions of two miRNAs, miR-146a and miR-34a, we utilized the Eμ-Myc transgenic mouse bred to targeted knockouts for these two miRNAs. We found that miR-146a deficiency led to more aggressive B-cell neoplasms that showed a more differentiated B-cell phenotype. Transcriptional changes were fairly limited and were not enriched for miR-146a targets as a class. However, the changes included differences that were consistent with regulation of the transcription factor Egr1, which was demonstrated to be a direct target in human cells. In miR-34a deficient mice with the Eμ-Myc transgene, we did not observe changes in survival or in the phenotype of the neoplasms that developed. However, transcriptional profiling revealed changes in many predicted miR-34a targets, as determined by gene set enrichment analyses (GSEA). Novel predicted targets are being analyzed by luciferase assays. These analyses reveal the importance of assessing cell-type and disease-specific miRNA targeting, which can reveal novel and previously unknown miRNA targets and facilitate our understanding of leukemia and lymphoma pathogenesis. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Dynamic coupling between TRPV4 and Ca2+-activated SK1/3 and IK1 K+ channels plays a critical role in regulating the K+-secretory BK channel in kidney collecting duct cells.

The large-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channel, BK (KCNMA1), is expressed along the connecting tubule (CNT) and cortical collecting duct (CCD) where it underlies flow- and Ca2+-dependent K+ secret...
The Narrative Arc of TATs: Introduction to the JPA Special Section on Thematic Apperceptive Techniques

ABSTRACTThe past decade has seen important developments in thematic apperceptive techniques (TATs), with the creation of new card sets having alternate pictures representing different cultures, new scoring systems becoming available, and increasing international communication of these achievements. However, continuing impediments to the development of a validational literature include lingering mistaken assumptions about the nature of story data, ongoing debates about appropriate psychometric evaluation, and continuing questions about how stimuli and scoring systems should be conceptualized and interpreted. Negotiating the publication system can impede some potential authors. Excellent work on TATs with children is not well known in the adult-focused journals. The labor burden of meeting increasingly sophisticated publication standards might be a barrier to assessors focused on clinical practice. Accumulating a focused evidence base is challenging given the diversity of criterion variables for which TATs ...
A structured bowel management program for patients with severe functional constipation can help decrease emergency department visits, hospital admissions, and healthcare costs.

Abstract Background Published health-care costs related to constipation in children in the USA are estimated at $3.9 billion/year. We sought to assess the effect of a bowel management program (BMP) on health-care utilization and costs. Methods At two collaborating centers, BMP involves an outpatient week during which a treatment plan is implemented and objective assessment of stool burden is performed with daily radiography. We reviewed all patients with severe functional constipation who participated in the program from March 2011 to June 2015 in center 1 and from April 2014 to April 2016 in center 2. ED visits, hospital admissions, and constipation-related morbidities (abdominal pain, fecal impaction, urinary retention, urinary tract infections) 12 months before and 12 months after completion of the BMP were recorded. Results One hundred eighty-four patients were included (center 1 = 96, center 2 = 88). Sixty-three (34.2%) patients had at least one unplanned visit to the ED before treatment. ED visits decreased to 23 (12.5%) or by 64% (p Conclusion In children with severe functional constipation, a structured BMP decreases unplanned visits to the ED, hospital admissions, and costs for constipation-related health care. Level of evidence 3
Influence of Vane/Blade Spacing on the Heat Flux for a Transonic Turbine

An experimental and analytical research program determining the influence of vane/blade spacing on the vane and blade time-averaged and unsteady heat-flux for a full-scale rotating turbine stage was performed. The turbine stage was operated at a transonic vane exit condition, with pressure and heat-flux measurements obtained throughout the stage. This paper focuses on the midspan heat-flux measurements for both the vane and blade at three vane/blade axial spacings: 20%, 40%, and 60% of vane axial chord. The time-averaged heat-flux results for the vane and the blade are compared with predictions obtained using a 2-D, Reynolds-averaged multi-blade row code, UNSFLO, developed by Giles (1984). The measured and predicted unsteady heat-flux envelopes (as a function of vane/blade spacing) are also compared with predictions. For selected locations on the blade, a direct comparison between the measured phase-averaged surface pressure and the measured phase-averaged Nusselt number history is presented. At some locations along the surface the pressure and the heat flux are shown to be in phase, but at other locations they are not. The influence of vane/blade spacing on the blade heat load was found to be small, and much less than the differences caused by changes in the Reynolds number during the experimental matrix.Copyright © 2000 by ASME
Effect of fused deposition modeling process parameters on the mechanical properties of a filled polypropylene

Few commodity semi-crystalline thermoplastics in neat form are used in fused deposition modeling (FDM) because they experience dimensional instability (warping) during printing. In this study, a commercially available polypropylene (PP) filament for FDM processing was used to print tensile and flexural test samples. Three printing parameters were investigated: (1) extrusion temperature (200, 250 °C), (2) printing speed (45, 90 mm/s) and (3) layer height (0.1, 0.3 mm). Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) showed that FDM printed PP samples had fewer α-crystals and more β-crystals than injection-molded (IM) PP samples. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicated that a higher extrusion temperature, slower printing speed and smaller layer height facilitated the molecular diffusion at the interfaces and created a smaller neck size within the printed parts. Density measurements showed that IM PP samples were denser than the FDM PP samples. No differences in density were found among the FDM PP samples. Compared to the IM PP, the mechanical properties decreased less for the PP printed at higher extrusion temperature (< 11.5%). The FDM PP parts had similar or even increased flexural modulus compared to the IM PP.
Alginate Ototoxicity in the Mouse Model

Objective To determine whether alginate exposure to the round window of the mouse causes any measurable ototoxicity. Study Design Prospective animal study. Setting Basic science laboratory affiliated with a tertiary care university medical center. Subjects and Methods After Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee approval, 5 adult mice were obtained and underwent bullostomy and round window niche application of alginate. Auditory brainstem response (ABR) tests were completed at baseline prior to the procedure and also 5, 14, and 30 days postprocedure. Results were compared. At termination of procedure, the mice were sacrificed with harvest of the cochleae, which were viewed under histologic section. Results There were no significant increases in ABR thresholds in any of the test animals at all test periods after alginate exposure compared to baseline. There were also no observable behavioral changes after the procedure to indicate vestibular dysfunction. Cochlear sectioning revealed no evidence of histologic damage. Conclusion Exposure of alginate to the round window does not cause any obvious ototoxicity in the mouse model. Further clinical trials will be needed to elucidate the effect of alginate in the human middle ear.
Contemporary adhesion prevention

Objective To (1) review the events leading to peritoneal adhesion formation; (2) review traditional adhesion prevention adjuvants; (3) overview studies for adhesion prevention barriers including a perspective for their use; and (4) look toward the future of adhesion prevention. Results A great deal of effort has been dedicated to reduce adhesion formation because of the morbidity associated with adhesions and the associated economic burden, which considering only hospital costs and surgeons' fees, was $1,180 million in the United States. To understand the role of adhesion barriers in gynecological surgery, an appreciation of the cellular cascade and temporal nature of peritoneal repair is necessary. Evidence indicates that areas denuded of peritoneum will heal satisfactorily and that suturing of the peritoneum may increase adhesion formation. Physical barriers, including both mechanical and viscous solutions, are widely used to prevent adhesion formation by limiting tissue apposition during the critical stages of mesothelial repair. Clinical studies do not support the use of intraperitoneal dextran for adhesion prevention. Theoretical considerations of peritoneal fluid dynamics indicate that crystalloid instillates should not prevent adhesion formation because of their short intraperitoneal residence. This prediction is consistent with clinical observation. The availability of Interceed (Johnson and Johnson Medical, Inc., Arlington, TX) and Gore-Tex Surgical Membrane (W.L. Gore, Flagstaff, Arizona) barriers provides substantial progress in postsurgical adhesion prevention. Conclusions Although many investigators are incorporating adhesion prevention barriers into their routine clinical situations, physician acceptance is constrained by technical difficulties.
Amdahl's law for tail latency

Queueing theoretic models can guide design trade-offs in systems targeting tail latency, not just average performance.
Mechanical and Optical Properties of Polylactic Acid Films Containing Surfactant-Modified Cellulose Nanocrystals

The addition of surface-modified cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) to polymeric matrices can lead to an enhancement of the mechanical and optical properties of host polymers. The use of surfactants can provide an easy and effective way to change the CNC functionality and to evaluate the effects of surface chemistry in the reinforcement mechanisms. In this work, CNCs were solution blended with polylactic acid (PLA) and melt extruded into films. The PLA toughness increased from 1.70 MJ/m3 to 2.74 MJ/m3, a 61% increase, with the addition of 1% of decylamine-modified CNCs without a decrease of the tensile strength or modulus. In this work, we investigated the use of two surfactants, decylamine and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, to enhance CNC compatibility with the hydrophobic PLA matrix. Decylamine at 1.0 wt.% with respect to CNC loading was found to significantly enhance CNC compatibility and property enhancement. The low concentration of surfactant is notable, as other works typically use significantly higher loadings for CNC incorporation and property enhancement. At high CNC concentrations, mechanical properties decreased but the aligned assembly of the CNCs provided intricate colors to the films when observed between crossed polars. The alignment and nanoscale structure of CNCs within the films play an important role in the properties obtained.
The Profession of Ecclesiastical Lawyers: An Historical Introduction

Historians of the English legal profession have written comparatively little about the lawyers who served in the courts of the Church. This volume fills a gap; it investigates the law by which they were governed and discusses their careers in legal practice. Using sources drawn from the Roman and canon laws and also from manuscripts found in local archives, R. H. Helmholz brings together previously published work and new evidence about the professional careers of these men. His book covers the careers of many lesser known ecclesiastical lawyers, dealing with their education in law, their reaction to the coming of the Reformation, and their relationship with English common lawyers on the eve of the Civil War. Making connections with the European ius commune, this volume will be of special interest to English and Continental legal historians, as well as to students of the relationship between law and religion.
Visual-Form Learning Analytics: A Tool for Critical Reflection and Feedback

Accessible learning analytics available from the data within learning management systems, can assist with teaching and learning practices, but often this data is difficult to interpret. Learning analytics, specifically those presented in visual-form, can provide information that supports learners’ reflection and guides them to the necessary changes that lead to successful self-regulated learning. This research study utilized photo-elicitation methods to prompt learners’ reflections of their self-regulated retrieval practice activities, quiz-based learning opportunities, which were qualitatively analyzed. A tool, U-Behavior, was created which was designed to extract students attempt data on the retrieval practice activities which were presented to students as opportunities to study the course content rather than as evaluations of understanding. Upon completion of the retrieval practice activities, learners were presented with their personalized learning analytics in visual-form and prompted to reflect on their learning. Visual-form learning analytics create opportunities for feedback and critical reflection for both instructors and learners and improve student learning. Analysis of the visual-form learning analytics and corresponding reflections highlighted learners’ understanding of high-impact learning practices, the realization of intended study behaviors versus engrained behaviors, high score orientation, and a focus on comparisons.