cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease

Diabetes is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases worldwide and is associated with significant morbidity and cost. Patients with diabetes have accelerated development of atherosclerosis caused by multiple factors, including hyperglycemia-induced endothelial injury, dyslipidemia, and inflammation. As a result, patients with diabetes are at increased risk of ischemic events, and cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of death in this population. Patients with diabetes benefit from a multifaceted approach that targets modifiable risk factors of ischemic heart disease. Medical management with antiplatelet therapies along with an early focus on glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol is extremely important to prevent the development and progression of cardiovascular disease. In addition to medical therapies, patients with advanced atherosclerosis and obstructive coronary artery disease benefit from coronary revascularization. Patients with extensive coronary artery disease benefit from surgical revascularization with coronary artery bypass grafting. However, with the advances in percutaneous revascularization strategies, particularly with drug-eluting stents, coronary stenting is a viable option for revascularization, especially in patients with less extensive coronary artery disease.
Safety evaluation of destination lighting treatment at stop controlled cross-intersections

Intersection crashes during nighttime hours may occur because of poor driver visual cognition of conflicting traffic or intersection presence. In rural areas, the only source of lighting is typical...
Plasma Thiamine Deficiency Associated with Alzheimer's Disease but Not Parkinson's Disease

In this study we compared plasma and erythrocyte thiamine levels in a group of patients with idiopathic Parkinson's Disease (iPD) to a group of patients with probable Alzheimer's Disease (pAD). pAD patients had significantly lower plasma thiamine levels (raw and z-score) than iPD patients. A significantly higher number of pAD patients had plasma thiamine deficiencies than iPD patients. The demographics of our patient groups were similar to those reported by other investigators, making age, sex and nutritional status unlikely explanations for our findings. These results suggest that plasma thiamine deficiency is associated with pAD but not with iPD.
Lysine and protein levels in corn-soybean meal diets for growing-finishing swine.

Previous work with growing swine indicated that the lysine requirement, expressed as a percentage of the diet, decreased by .02 percentage units with each 1% reduction in dietary protein level. Thus, the dietary lysine needed for optimal performance may be less than the reported requirement when a portion of the soybean meal in a corn-soybean meal diet is replaced with crystalline lysine. An experiment was conducted to test this concept in each of three phases of growth: growing (23.6 to 47.2 kg), early finishing (47.2 to 74.8 kg) and late finishing (74.8 to 92.8 kg). Dietary crude protein levels were 16, 13 and 12% for the positive control regimen and 14, 11.5 and 11% for the negative control regimen during the growing, early finishing and late finishing periods, respectively. In each phase of growth, regimen 1 was the positive control; regimen 2 was the negative control plus lysine to the level in the positive control; regimen 3 was the negative control plus lysine to the level in the positive control less .02% lysine for each 1% decrease in crude protein from the positive control level; and regimen 4 was the negative control. Ninety-six crossbred pigs were used to form two barrow and two gilts replicates with six pigs per pen-replicate. Average daily gains summarized over the entire growing-finishing period were .74, .75, .75 and .65 kg per day for regimens 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. Corresponding gain to feed ratios were .29, .29, .30 and .26. Within each growth phase, average daily gain and gain to feed ratio followed patterns similar to the overall results. Carcass evaluation of barrows indicated a trend toward leaner carcasses from pigs on regimens 1, 2 and 3 than from those on regimen 4. Thus, the lysine requirement can be reduced when crude protein levels are reduced by replacing soybean meal with synthetic lysine.
State–of–the–art on linkage between quality, quality costs and productivity

This paper reviews the state–of–the–art on the importance of quality, quality costs, and the linkage between quality and productivity. A summary is given of research developments in the discussion of quality costs, in chronological order, using the 'state– of–the–art matrix' (SAM). The paper also identifies the critical issues for research in relating quality costs to productivity, and is intended to stimulate thinking in quality–productivity linkages. Such an understanding is essential to maintain both quality– and cost– competitiveness among products and services. A synthesis of the review of the literature is a starting point for researchers and practitioners to prevent themselves from 'reinventing the wheel'.
Discovery of several novel, widespread, and ecologically distinct marine Thaumarchaeota viruses that encode amoC nitrification genes

Much of the diversity of prokaryotic viruses has yet to be described. In particular, there are no viral isolates that infect abundant, globally significant marine archaea including the phylum Thaumarchaeota. This phylum oxidizes ammonia, fixes inorganic carbon, and thus contributes to globally significant nitrogen and carbon cycles in the oceans. Metagenomics provides an alternative to culture-dependent means for identifying and characterizing viral diversity. Some viruses carry auxiliary metabolic genes (AMGs) that are acquired via horizontal gene transfer from their host(s), allowing inference of what host a virus infects. Here we present the discovery of 15 new genomically and ecologically distinct Thaumarchaeota virus populations, identified as contigs that encode viral capsid and thaumarchaeal ammonia monooxygenase genes (amoC). These viruses exhibit depth and latitude partitioning and are distributed globally in various marine habitats including pelagic waters, estuarine habitats, and hydrothermal plume water and sediments. We found evidence of viral amoC expression and that viral amoC AMGs sometimes comprise up to half of total amoC DNA copies in cellular fraction metagenomes, highlighting the potential impact of these viruses on N cycling in the oceans. Phylogenetics suggest they are potentially tailed viruses and share a common ancestor with related marine Euryarchaeota viruses. This work significantly expands our view of viruses of globally important marine Thaumarchaeota.
The patient perspective: perceptions of the quality of the abortion experience.

Purpose of reviewAbortion services are essential in sexual and reproductive health and should be held to the same standards as other health services. Patient (or person)-centeredness is a key dimension of healthcare quality that incorporates the perspectives of patients in care provision. The purpos
Do Health-Care Professionals Really Understand the Role of Occupational Therapy in Hospice Care?

Background:The distinct value of occupational therapy (OT) in end-of-life care is to facilitate quality of life for clients and their caregivers through engagement in occupations during the clients...
MR-guided laser interstitial thermal therapy in the treatment of recurrent intracranial meningiomas.

Objective Recurrent meningiomas can prove problematic for treatment, especially if anaplastic, as options are limited primarily to surgery and radiation therapy. Laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) is a minimally invasive technique for achieving immediate cytoreduction. This study seeks to determine the utility of LITT in the setting of recurrent meningiomas. Materials and methods Patients undergoing LITT for tumor treatment at our institution between November 2014 and February 2016 were identified. Those with biopsy-confirmed meningiomas were reviewed with attention to ablation volume, survival, demographic data, and complications. Data from imaging performed at set intervals post-operatively were available for all. Results Four patients were identified, three of whom had successful treatment with a total of four ablations. The one case that did not result in a successful ablation was due to problems with stereotactic placing of the laser catheter. One patient had a grade 1 meningioma, with the other two being Grade 3. Immediate ablation volumes averaged 75% of preoperative tumor volume and increased to 97% at 2 weeks before dropping to 65% at 3 months. One patient had acute hemiparesis with speech difficulty, which resolved after 6 months. At date of last follow-up, two of three had progression at an average of nine weeks, and one had no progression at 28 weeks. Conclusion LITT appeared to be a potentially viable treatment for recurrent meningiomas. Ablation volumes increased over time, but not beyond the initial meningioma volume. Larger studies are needed to better determine complications and outcomes. Lasers Surg. Med. 51:245-250, 2019. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Differences in Health Outcomes between Men and Women: Biological, Behavioral, and Societal Factors.

In the US and almost all other high-income countries, women live longer than men. As we enter a new era in which biomedical data are increasingly ubiquitous, it will serve us well to reenvision the research needed to understand the fundamental issues that drive differences in longevity and other health outcomes between men and women. The “Fourth Industrial Revolution” in which biological, physical, and information sciences are merging opens up important possibilities. The ability to measure the entire spectrum of information about the human biological, environmental, and behavioral condition will become both routine and relatively inexpensive: from genes to genomics; from clinical data to the electronic health record and insurance claims; from digital information about behavior and social interaction to geospatial referencing. In addition, because of ubiquitous access to cell phones and the Internet, these streams of information can be accessed in real time. Amid this revolution in the global scientific and social fabric, some of the most fundamental issues in the human condition are the differences in biology, behavior, and outcomes as a function of sex and gender. Sex differences begin with a difference in a single chromosome that leads to multiple obvious physical differences, but the evolution of societies and the changing roles of individuals within societies are also important. In parallel with variation in physical and biological function, gender identity provides a related but often complex construct with distinct biological and social influences. At the beginning of any such discussion, it is useful to acknowledge that beyond the X and Y chromosomes and direct biological structural manifestations, men and women overlap much more than they differ, so that differences should be understood as occurring within a broad spectrum rather than pointing to specific distinct differences. As far as we can tell, for most of human history, men …
Piaget's Theory, Behaviorism, and Other Theories in Education:

The article places Piaget's theory in the context of other psychological and epistemological theories that have influenced education. With respect to the psychological aspect, it shows that the rel...
Effect of a HEART Care Pathway on Chest Pain Management Within an Integrated Health System.

Study objective We describe the association of implementing a History, ECG, Age, Risk Factors, and Troponin (HEART) care pathway on use of hospital care and noninvasive stress testing, as well as 30-day patient outcomes in community emergency departments (EDs). Methods We performed a prospective interrupted-time-series study of adult encounters for patients evaluated for suspected acute coronary syndrome. The primary outcome was hospitalization or observation, noninvasive stress testing, or both within 30 days. The secondary outcome was 30-day all-cause mortality or acute myocardial infarction. A generalized estimating equation segmented logistic regression model was used to compare the odds of the primary outcome before and after HEART implementation. All models were adjusted for patient and facility characteristics and fit with physicians as a clustering variable. Results A total of 65,393 ED encounters (before, 30,522; after, 34,871) were included in the study. Overall, 33.5% (before, 35.5%; after, 31.8%) of ED chest pain encounters resulted in hospitalization or observation, noninvasive stress testing, or both. Primary adjusted results found a significant decrease in the primary outcome postimplementation (odds ratio 0.984; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.974 to 0.995). This resulted in an absolute adjusted month-to-month decrease of 4.39% (95% CI 3.72% to 5.07%) after 12 months' follow-up, with a continued trend downward. There was no difference in 30-day mortality or myocardial infarction (0.6% [before] versus 0.6% [after]; odds ratio 1.02; 95% CI 0.97 to 1.08). Conclusion Implementation of a HEART pathway in the ED evaluation of patients with chest pain resulted in less inpatient care and noninvasive cardiac testing and was safe. Using HEART to risk stratify chest pain patients can improve the efficiency and quality of care.
Endocrine disruptors and the future of toxicology testing — lessons from CLARITY–BPA

Five years ago, an ambitious collaboration, the Consortium Linking Academic and Regulatory Insights on Toxicity of BPA (CLARITY–BPA; henceforth CLARITY), was launched by three US agencies. The goal was to provide a definitive evaluation of bisphenol A (BPA) and explain disparities between traditional regulatory studies and findings from independent investigators. BPA or vehicle-treated rats from an FDA facility were used in a guideline study and animals and/or tissues were provided to academic researchers for analysis. An interim summary released in February 2018 by the FDA concluded that currently authorized uses of BPA continue to be safe. We disagree. In this Perspectives, we summarize the goals, design and problems of CLARITY. We conclude that, despite its flaws, CLARITY provides important insight and, taken together, the data provide compelling evidence that low-dose BPA exposure induces marked adverse effects. Indeed, the greatest number of effects were observed at doses 20,000 times lower than the current ‘safe’ dose of BPA for humans. The aim of the Consortium Linking Academic and Regulatory Insights on Toxicity of BPA (CLARITY–BPA) was to provide a definitive evaluation of bisphenol A (BPA). In this Perspectives, the authors summarize the goals, design and problems of CLARITY–BPA.
Miscanthus Anderss. produces viable seed in four USDA Hardiness Zones.

Abstract Forty-one taxa of Miscanthus grown in USDA Hardiness Zones 4, 5, 6, and 7 were examined in 1996 and 1997 for seed set and viability. Although laboratory results varied widely between years, climatic zones, and cultivars, many plants set viable seed. Eleven types had <18% viable seed, including ‘Morning Light’, ‘Variegatus’ and ‘Zebrinus’, and appear to represent the least risk for becoming invasive plants, especially in northern climates. Other characteristics of Miscanthus are discussed in terms of invasive potential in the United States.
Digital Finance: Big Data, Start-ups, and the Future of Financial Services

The internet is dramatically transforming the way business is done, particularly for financial services. Digital Finance takes a thoughtful look at how the industry is evolving, and it explains how to integrate concepts of digital finance into existing traditional finance platforms. This book explores what successful companies are doing to maximize their opportunities in this context and offers suggestions on how to introduce digital finance into a firm’s structure. Specific strategies for a digital future are presented, alongside numerous case studies that explore key attributes of success. In recognition of the rapidly evolving nature of finance today, Digital Finance is accompanied by a website maintained by the author (PerryBeaumont.com), as well as links to other content with insightful articles, analyses, and opinions. For both practitioners and students of finance, Digital Finance provides a rich context for a better understanding of the landscape of finance today, and lays the foundation for us to process and create the financial innovations of tomorrow.
Aftermath of the Parkland Shooting: A Case Report of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder in an Adolescent Survivor.

The Journal of Child and Family Studies states that there have been more mass shootings within the last 18 years than in the entire 20th century combined, with 77% carried out by adolescents. This case study aims to evaluate the clinical presentation of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in an adolescent by highlighting the clinical course of a school shooting survivor. Here, we present the case of a 15-year-old female who presented to the emergency department (ED) of the University Hospital Medical Center (UHMC) under the Baker Act by the police for self-injury and self-harm. She had been admitted three times to the psychiatric hospital, all following the trauma of surviving the shooting. She met the criteria for PTSD and was triggered by graphics in the news outlets and social media. As clinicians working with PTSD adolescents, we must be cognizant of these factors as we think about prognosis and create a comprehensive treatment plan. This case study brings to our attention how complex and multifaceted PTSD patients can be in this day and age where social media, news outlets, and television are so pervasive. Three clinical pearls to take home from this patient encounter are: understanding the importance of news and media in modern-day PTSD diagnosis, how certain avoidance behaviors can delay remission, and how uncontrolled re-exposure can lead to poorer outcomes in children and adolescents specifically. It is no longer a rare occurrence to have a patient who has survived a mass school shooting. As a result of this unfortunate reality, clinicians need to be able to recognize and treat symptoms of PTSD in adolescent patients. We must be equipped to expect the interplay of modern triggers such as social media and news media and how it may affect adolescent patients.
Evaluation of the WHO/CDC Syphilis Serology Proficiency Programme to support the global elimination of mother-to-child transmission of syphilis: an observational cross-sectional study, 2008-2015.

Objectives Syphilis morbidity is high among pregnant women in lower income countries with limited laboratory capacity. We evaluated a long-standing global Syphilis Serology Proficiency Programme (SSPP) that supports testing quality in national reference laboratories to determine if participation affects congenital syphilis elimination strategies. Design In this observational cross-sectional study, we calculated coverage on type, frequency and quality of syphilis testing reported by laboratories enrolled in the SSPP from 2008 to 2015. We used country-reported data to WHO on four congenital syphilis (CS) indicators and World Bank country economic data to compare coverage and completeness of reporting of indicators in lower income countries with and without an SSPP-enrolled laboratory. Participants From 2008–2015, 78 laboratories from 51 countries participated in >1 SSPP evaluation; 56% were national reference laboratories, of which most (93%) participated for >3 years and 11 (22%) in all 24 cycles. Results Median proficiency performance score was >95% regardless of test conducted. Of the 51 countries with an SSPP-enrolled laboratory, 22 (43%) were lower-income countries, of which 21 reported CS data during 2008–2015. Comparing CS data from 87 (90% of total) lower income countries with and without an SSPP-enrolled laboratory, countries with an SSPP-laboratory had stronger reporting on antenatal syphilis testing (p=0.04). For 2015, an estimated 74% of prenatal syphilis tests and 63% of positive tests reported to WHO from countries with an SSPP-enrolled laboratory. Conclusion The SSPP has focused well on national reference laboratories, but has been only partially successful in recruiting laboratories from lower income countries. The finding that over half of syphilis infections in pregnant women living in countries with SSPP-enrolled laboratories suggests wide reach of the current quality assurance programme. However, reach could expand with focussed recruitment of laboratories from lower income countries.
How farmers “repair” the industrial agricultural system

Scholars are increasingly calling for the environmental issues of the industrial agricultural system to be addressed via eventual agroecological system-level transformation. It is critical to identify the barriers to this transition. Drawing from Henke’s (Cultivating science, harvesting power: science and industrial agriculture in California, MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, 2008) theory of “repair,” we explore how farmers participate in the reproduction of the industrial system through “discursive repair,” or arguing for the continuation of the industrial agriculture system. Our empirical case relates to water pollution from nitrogen fertilizer and draws data from a sample of over 150 interviews with row-crop farmers in the midwestern United States. We find that farmers defend this system by denying agriculture’s causal role and proposing the potential for within-system solutions. They perform these defenses by drawing on ideological positions (agrarianism, market-fundamentalism and techno-optimism) and may be ultimately led to seek system maintenance because they are unable to envision an alternative to the industrial agriculture system.
Assessing knee anatomy using Makoplasty software a case series of 99 knees.

Abstract Background Role of MAKOplasty software in determining femoral neck version, distal-femoral resection angle, tibial axis difference, distal-femoral rotation, medial/lateral tibial slope, and tibial tubercle alignment has yet to be fully explored. Methods Preoperative CT scans and plain films of 99 patients were obtained for each patient according to predetermined MAKO-protocol by four observers. Reliability analyses (Cronbach's Alpha-test) was performed to determine agreement between raters for angle measures. Results Anatomic measurements were similar to previously published literature, and cronbachs'alpha analysis demonstrated agreement amidst all observers. Conclusion MAKOplasty software produces similar results to anatomic measurements in planning for TKA with good reproducibility.
Emergency’s Challenges

The final chapter examines several of the overarching challenges that are raised by “emergencies,” regardless of specific contexts in which that term is invoked. It focuses on five types of general concerns, namely the normalization of the exception, the problematics of balancing between the competing values of security and liberty, the manipulability of the very use of the concept of “emergency” to frame a given situation or state of affairs, the “Us versus Them” character of emergency situations that, in turn, exacerbates some of the previously identified challenges, and the capacity to exercise international monitoring and supervision when a government declares a state of emergency.
Algorithmic ethnography, during and after COVID-19

Social scientists are increasingly turning to digital interactions as a primary source of qualitative data. Online activities in turn typically take place on algorithmically mediated platforms, whi...
RF-FSO Dual-Path UAV Network for High Fidelity Multi-Viewpoint Scalable 360° Video Streaming

We explore a novel RF-FSO dual-path UAV net-work for remote scene aerial scalable 360° video capture and streaming, to enable future virtual human teleportation. One UAV captures the 360° video viewpoint and constructs a scalable tiling representation of the data comprising a base layer and an enhancement layer. The base layer is sent by the UAV to a ground-based remote server using a direct RF link. The enhancement layer is relayed by the UAV to the server over a multi-hop path comprising directed UAV to UAV FSO links. The viewport-specific content from the two layers is then integrated at the server to construct high fidelity content to stream to a remote VR user. The dual-path connectivity ensures both reliability and high fidelity remote immersion. We formulate an optimization problem to maximize the delivered immersion fidelity which depends on the content capture rate, FSO and RF link rates, effective routing path selection, and fast UAV deployment. The problem is mixed integer programming and we formulate an optimization framework that captures the optimal solution at lower complexity. Our experimental results demonstrate an up to 6 dB gain in delivered immersion fidelity over a state-of-the-art method and for the first time enable 12K-120fps 360° video streaming at high fidelity.
Clinical Documentation Improvement: Transitioning to Neonatologist Driven Progress Notes

Clinical Documentation Improvement: Transitioning to Neonatologist Driven Progress Notes Purpose: Our purpose was to implement a consistent documentation standard for a neonatology provider group including neonatal advanced practice providers (APP), neonatology fellows and neonatologists serving at a level four tertiary care Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Primary outcomes included consistent note content, timeliness of note completion, and overall provider time spent in documentation. Secondary objectives included clinician satisfaction with the new standard and usefulness of the daily note to consulting services and other clinical team members Methods: …
Drug discovery for primary amebic meningoencephalitis: from screen to identification of leads.

Introduction: Naegleria fowleri is responsible for primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) which has a fatality rate of >97%. Because of the rarity of the disease, pharmaceutical companies do not ...
Dive into Systems: A Free, Online Textbook for Introducing Computer Systems

This paper presents our experiences, motivations, and goals for developing Dive into Systems [17], a new, free, online textbook that introduces computer systems, computer organization, and parallel computing. Our book's topic coverage is designed to give readers a gentle and broad introduction to these important topics. It teaches the fundamentals of computer systems and architecture, introduces skills for writing efficient programs, and provides necessary background to prepare students for advanced study in computer systems topics. Our book assumes only a CS1 background of the reader and is designed to be useful to a range of courses as a primary textbook for courses that introduce computer systems topics or as an auxiliary textbook to provide systems background in other courses. Results of an evaluation from students and faculty at 18 institutions who used a beta release of our book show overwhelmingly strong support for its coverage of computer systems topics, its readability, and its availability. Chapters are reviewed and edited by external volunteers from the CS education community. Their feedback, as well as that of student and faculty users, is continuously incorporated into its online content. We anticipate releasing version 1.0 of the book in spring of 2021, and a release candidate is currently available at https://diveintosystems.org.
Association between pelvic nodal radiotherapy and patient-reported functional outcomes through 5 years among men undergoing external-beam radiotherapy for prostate cancer: An assessment of the comparative effectiveness analysis of surgery and radiation (CEASAR) cohort.

Abstract Background The role of pelvic irradiation in men receiving external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) for prostate cancer is unclear, in part due to a lack of data on patient-reported outcomes. We sought to compare functional outcomes for men receiving prostate and pelvic versus prostate-only radiotherapy, longitudinally over 5 years. Materials and methods We performed a population-based, prospective cohort study of men with clinically-localized prostate cancer undergoing EBRT. We examined the effect of prostate and pelvic (n = 102) versus prostate-only (n = 485) radiotherapy on patient-reported disease-specific (using the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite[EPIC]-26) and general health-related (using the SF-36) function, over 5 years. Regression models were adjusted for outcome-specific baseline function, clinicopathologic characteristics, and androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). Results 587 men (median [quartiles] age 69 [64–73] years) met inclusion criteria and completed ≥1 post-treatment survey. More men treated with prostate and pelvic radiotherapy had high-risk disease (58% vs. 18%, P 0.05). Marginally clinically important differences were noted in hormonal function at 3-years (adjusted mean difference 4.7, 95% confidence interval [1.2–8.3]; minimally clinically important difference (MCID) 4 to 6) and 5-years (4.2, [0.4–8.0]) following treatment. After adjustment, there was a transient statistically significant, but not clinically important, difference in emotional well-being at 6 months (3.0, [0.19–5.8]; MCID 6) that resolved by 1 year and no differences in physical functioning or energy and fatigue. Conclusion This prospective, population-based cohort study of men with localized prostate cancer treated with EBRT, showed no clinically important differences in disease-specific or general health-related quality of life with the addition of pelvic irradiation to prostate radiotherapy, supporting the use of pelvic radiotherapy when it may be of clinical benefit, such as men with increased risk of nodal involvement.
Cost-analysis of Surgical Intraocular Pressure Management in Glaucoma.

PRCIS The multiplicity of treatment options for lowering intraocular pressure (IOP) is both a blessing and a challenge. Some attention to cost-analysis might assist in choosing an optimal therapy, especially in a cost-constrained, international setting. PURPOSE The aim of this study was to quantify and to analyze the relative cost of various glaucoma surgical procedures and selective laser trabeculoplasty surgery per mm Hg IOP reduction ($/mm Hg) since standard cost-utility methods are not well suited to the study of glaucoma which characteristically only claims visual acuity in its end stages. METHODS Published glaucoma treatment studies were reviewed to quantitate the reduction of mean IOP and glaucoma medications for a given treatment modality. A US perspective was adopted, using Medicare allowable costs were used to calculate a newly introduced parameter-cost per mm Hg IOP reduction-at 1 year postoperatively. RESULTS The cost per mm Hg IOP reduction after 1 year of treatment ranged from $190/mm Hg for trabeculectomy to $1376/mm Hg for iStent. For reference, the cost of selective later trabeculoplasty surgery was $121/mm Hg. After the first year, cost/mm Hg ranged from $12 to $61/mm Hg. CONCLUSIONS Conventional glaucoma surgeries and selective laser trabeculoplasty surgery were the most cost-efficient surgical methods to lower IOP compared with the various minimally invasive glaucoma surgeries options. They may be more appropriate management when cost is an important issue.
Can Technology Mitigate the Impact of Heat on Labor Productivity? Experimental Evidence from India

This paper analyses the role of technology in reducing heat-induced labor productivity losses. For this, we use a field experiment in India which randomized the use of productivity-augmenting digital mode versus classic paper-and-pen mode for conducting 2000 household surveys. Combining this experimentally induced variation in survey mode with day-to-day variation in temperature, we estimate the impact of survey mode on surveyor productivity as temperature rises. We find that as temperature rises and working conditions start to deteriorate, using digital-mode results in 5 percent higher surveyor-productivity compared to paper surveys. These relative productivity gains are mainly concentrated in extremely hot days - where the adverse impact of heat is likely at its peak. Further analysis shows that these impacts are not driven by differences in effort of surveyors or differences in the characteristics of respondents, thereby pointing to the role of technology in reducing the adverse effects of heat.
Revision Image-Guided Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery

• Image-guided surgery (IGS) incorporates both computer-enabled review of preoperative imaging and intraoperative surgical navigation. Rhinologists have embraced IGS as a technological means to reduce surgical morbidity and improve surgical outcomes.
Development and Evaluation of a Multi-Institutional Case Studies-Based Course in Food Safety.

Developing novel, engaging courses in food safety is necessary to train professionals in this discipline. Courses that are interactive and case-based encourage development of critical thinking skills necessary for identifying and preventing foodborne disease outbreaks. The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of a case study module-based course for upper division undergraduate and graduate students interested in food safety. Four independent case study modules were developed and implemented by 4 universities working in tandem over a semester course. All case studies incorporated molecular and epidemiological methods employed by professionals in food safety in outbreak investigations. Each case study was based on a (i) suspect foodborne pathogen, (ii) identification tools including biochemical test variations and pulsed field gel electrophoresis, multiplex PCR and/or whole genome sequencing, and (iii) suspect location and company type from farm to production site to restaurant. Pre- and postinstruction evaluations revealed significant increases in understanding of the concepts introduced through each module as demonstrated by overall mean normalized gain of 0.32 ± 0.35 (15% ± 19%; n = 60). Institution, role of instructor, prescore, and learning environment all played a significant role in the effects of overall learning. This study provides a successful model for a case study-based course in food safety. The guidelines and materials developed by our group are available for use by other institutions.
Inverse polynomial transform algorithms for DFTs and convolutions

In this paper, we introduce a new fast computation algorithm for multidimensional DFTs. This method uses inverse polynomial transforms to perform an efficient mapping of multidimensional DFTS into one-dimensional DFTs in a way similar to earlier polynomial transform techniques, but with all operations performed in reversed order. This is shown to yield fast DFT algorithms which retain the basic advantages related to the use of polynomial transforms while allowing a significant reduction in round-off noise. We then combine the direct and inverse polynomial transform methods to derive new fast algorithms for multidimensional convolutions.
Abstract 2877: Focal adhesion kinsase (FAK) protein overexpression and gene copy number gain correlate with better outcome in patients with surgically resected NSCLC tumors

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA Purpose: Cancer cell migration mechanisms are important for invasion and metastasis development. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a critical cancer-related signaling molecule that regulates cell motility and migration. We investigated the effect of tumor FAK protein expression and gene copy number gain in the prognosis of patients with surgically resected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Material and Methods: We studied FAK protein expression by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in 216 NSCLC stages I-III archival tumors, including 151 adenocarcinomas (ACs) and 65 squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs). In 190 of these tumors (132 ACs and 58 SCCs), we examined FAK gene copy number by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). FAK IHC expression was examined using the H-score, and a score >150 was defined as overexpression. We examined the correlation of FAK abnormalities with tumors' clinic-pathological and molecular features, and with patients' outcome, including recurrence free and overall survivals. Results: FAK cytoplasmic protein expression score (P<0.0001) was significantly higher in AC (143 ± 71) compared to SCC (70 ± 42) histology, and in never smokers than smokers. FAK protein overexpression was more frequently (P=0.0005) detected in stage I (46%) than stage II (22%) and III (23%) tumors. In ACs, FAK protein overexpression was significantly higher (P=0.003) in tumors with EGFR mutation (11/13, 85%) compared with wild-type tumors (40/97, 41%). We found that ≥4 FAK gene copies in ≥20% of malignant cells were detected in 28.8% of ACs and 22.4% of SCCs. We did not find correlation between protein expression and gene copy number. After adjusting for stage and adjuvant therapy, NSCLC and AC patients with FAK expression higher than the median had better overall survival (NSCLC, HR 0.51 [CI 0.29-0.86], P=0.017; AC, HR 0.43 [CI 0.23-0.82], P=0.011) compared with patients without protein overexpression. Also, we found that, after adjusting for stage and adjuvant therapy, FAK gene copy number ≥4 in ≥20% of tumors cells correlated with better overall survival (HR 0.34 [CI 0.16-0.95], P=0.039) in patients with AC histology. Conclusion: FAK protein overexpression and gene copy number gain were frequently detected in NSCLC tumors, and, interestingly, they correlated with better outcome in patients with surgically resected tumors. Citation Format: Ximing Tang, Yiran Cai, Carmen Behrens, Heather Lin, J. Jack Lee, Ignacio. I. Wistuba. Focal adhesion kinsase (FAK) protein overexpression and gene copy number gain correlate with better outcome in patients with surgically resected NSCLC tumors. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 2877. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-2877
N-Formimino-L-glutamate iminohydrolase from histidine-adapted Pseudomonas. Purification and properties.

Abstract N-Formimino-l-glutamate iminohydrolase has been purified 700-fold to homogeneity from extracts of histidineadapted Pseudomonas sp. The products of the reaction are equimolar amounts of ammonia and N-formyl-l-glutamate. The enzyme has a molecular weight of 100,000 and 2 subunits of equal molecular weight.
Photomedicine and phototherapy considerations for patients with skin of color

Background/purpose: Patients with skin of color present unique challenges and opportunities for dermatologists in their disease states as well as their response to treatment. There are differences in dosing for patients with skin of color using standard phototherapeutic approaches as well as unique disease states that may respond to newer phototherapeutic options. Lastly, there are optical diagnostic options that allow investigators to differentiate erythema and pigmentation in a quantitative manner for clinical research purposes. Methods: Review of the current literature with regard to vitiligo, hidradenitis suppurativa and optical diagnostic methods. Conclusions: Practitioners need to be aware of the various phototherapy and laser therapy options for patients with skin of color. New discoveries for the use of visible light as a form of treatment are on the horizon, and optical diagnostic techniques such as diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and colorimetry may add value clinically and within the research realm as objective measures of pigmentation and erythema.
Sympatric evolution in sorghum.

The four distinct categories of sorghum which are common in Africa are described briefly. They are fully compatible genetically and there is a tendency to segregate for one type or the other. A considerable linkage of genes governing contrasting morphologies is indicated
Finding the key – cell biology and science education

No international research community, cell biology included, can exist without an educational community to renew and replenish it. Unfortunately, cell biology researchers frequently regard their work as independent of the process of education and see little reason to reach out to science teachers. For cell biology to continue to prosper, I argue that researchers must support education in at least three ways. First, we must view education and research as part of a single scientific community. Second, we should take advantage of new technologies to connect the research laboratory to the classroom. Finally, we must take the initiative in defending the integrity of science teaching, particularly when education is under attack for political or religious reasons.
Validation and regulatory acceptance of alternatives.

For years there was no focus within the U.S. federal government for alternatives to animal toxicity testing. Questions coming to regulatory agencies fell upon individuals to address in the best way they could. Given this void, the ad hoc Interagency Regulatory Alternatives Group was founded by staff in a number of federal agencies in the late 1980s to coalesce efforts in the field. The group sponsored two international workshops on eye irritation, the first making proposals for change in the current test method in rabbits, the second reviewing available data on in vitro alternatives. The result has been that the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is considering revision of the in vivo eye irritation test guideline to incorporate a number of the workshop deliberations. However, movement of the in vitro eye irritation alternatives has been disappointing; attempts to determine their practical testing significance have thus far been unrewarding.
Redefining oxidative stress.

Oxidative stress is often defined as an imbalance of pro-oxidants and antioxidants, which can be quantified in humans as the redox state of plasma GSH/GSSG. Plasma GSH redox in humans becomes oxidized with age, in response to oxidative stress (chemotherapy, smoking), and in common diseases (type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease). However, data also show that redox of plasma GSH/GSSG is not equilibrated with the larger plasma cysteine/cystine (Cys/CySS) pool, indicating that the "balance" of pro-oxidants and antioxidants cannot be defined by a single entity. The major cellular thiol/disulfide systems, including GSH/GSSG, thioredoxin- 1 (-SH2/-SS-), and Cys/CySS, are not in redox equilibrium and respond differently to chemical toxicants and physiologic stimuli. Individual signaling and control events occur through discrete redox pathways rather than through mechanisms that are directly responsive to a global thiol/disulfide balance such as that conceptualized in the common definition of oxidative stress. ...
Diferencias en el estilo de comunicación entre empleados finlandeses y mexicanos cuando se comunican con sus jefes: un estudio comparativo

Effective communication is one of the biggest challenges for companies and organizations today at both national and international (global) levels. The purpose of this article is to show the results of a study carried out by an international group of researchers who were interested in characterizing and comparing communicative behaviour of Finnish and Mexican employees when interacting with their bosses. The article includes the following: first, a brief theoretical framework; second, the methodology used; third, the results of the comparative statistical analysis between Finnish and Mexican employees; fourth, general conclusions and their cultural explanation; and fifth, theoretical and practical implications of the study concerning the communicative competences required for effective communication between employees and their bosses in both national and international (global) organizations.
An Epidemiological Investigation into the Relative Importance of Age and Oral Hygiene Status as Determinants of Periodontitis

The objective of this study was to assess the relative effects of age and oral hygiene on the progression of periodontitis by estimating incidence from age-specific prevalence. This study analyzed data from a representative national sample of 14,690 dentate Americans, aged from 15 to 74, seen in the first National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 1) in 1971-1974. Results showed that the rate of increase in the estimated incidence of periodontitis with age, throughout all age groups, is much higher among subjects with poor oral hygiene than among those with good oral hygiene. Oral hygiene was confirmed as the most important predictor for periodontitis; in all age groups, more than 95% of those examined with good oral hygiene did not have periodontitis. It was concluded that the effect of age on the progression of periodontitis could therefore be considered negligible when good oral hygiene is maintained.
Endogenous endonuclease hypersensitive sites in Schizosaccharomyces pombe chromosomes

Abstract A novel method was used to characterize the long range susceptibility of Schizosaccharomyces pombe chromosomal DNA to endogenous endonuclease cleavage. Analyses of pulsed field gel experiments revealed two periodicities in the distribution of endogenous endonuclease hypersensitive sites. Endonuclease cleavage sites occurred, roughly at 30–50 kilobase pairs (kb) intervals under physiological conditions (25 mM KCl). At higher salt concentrations (250 mM KCl or 0.2 M and 0.9 M NaCl), endonuclease hypersensitive sites occurred at 200–300 kb intervals. Endonuclease hypersensitive sites in different chromosomal regions were monitored during different stages of the cell cycle. DNA sequencing around the endonuclease hypersensitive sites revealed the presence of clusters of A+T-rich motifs, autonomously replicating sequences (ARSs) in sequences (a characteristic of the scaffold-associated regions (SARs) and the presence of a CTG trinucleotide at most sites.
Unison speech and rate control therapy

Abstract The most popular approach to therapy of stuttering today is rate control, in its many variations Many of these procedures involve the use of electronic devices to control rhytm, temporal delay, or to generate masking noise. However, most clinicians do not have or have access to, the instrumentation. Extemporaneous modelling by the clinician can be used, but many clinicians are not trained or may not be skillful at such precisely demanding skills during the give-and-take of therapy. A method, requiring only ordinary audiotape cassette units with unison speech modeling for use by clinicians, is described, and is presented in an organized therapy format.
Drugs and the Brain: Learning the Impact of Methamphetamine Abuse on the Brain through a Virtual Brain Exhibit in the Museum

Drugs and the Brain: A Serious Game, a prototype museum exhibit, was designed to employ virtual models of the brain into a video game format. It was done to create a fun and engaging way of conveying knowledge and concepts about neuroscience, as well as the impact of methamphetamine abuse on the brain. The purpose of this study is to evaluate this prototype exhibit that promises to educate participants from various age, ethnicity, and gender backgrounds, and to establish a stronger concept of drug abuse prevention among children. A quantitative methodology using the pre‐ and post‐experimental designs was conducted on 175 museum visitors. A series of two‐sample paired t‐tests and subsequent ANOVAs were performed to examine the difference between pre‐ and post‐tests and to determine if there was a difference in the results in age, gender, ethnicity, and race. Results showed that both the understanding and attitudes of the participants toward the impact of methamphetamine abuse on the brain improved signific...