cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Heparin Use in Daily Hemodialysis

More frequent dialysis is thought to be associated with increased heparin requirements; however, limited data are available which compare heparin requirements of conventional to daily dialysis. Objectives: To determine differences in heparin dose during conventional thrice-weekly dialysis (CHD) compared to daily hemodialysis (DHD). Methods: All patients within the daily home hemodialysis at the Northwest Kidney Centers were evaluated for heparin dose both pre- and post initiation of daily hemodialysis. Patients on DHD received an initial bolus of heparin, without a continuous heparin drip, and supplemental heparin midway through the dialysis run as needed to maintain adequate activated clotting times (ACTs). CHD patients received a heparin bolus, followed by initiation of heparin drip as needed to maintain adequate ACTs. Results: Of the 1117 patients who dialyze at the NKC, 55% were Caucasian, 21% African-American, 20% Asian/Pacific Islander, and 35% were of other ethnicity. The majority of patients were greater than 60 years (56%), while 36% ranged from 40–60 years and 13% ranged from 20–40 years. Male patients constituted 54% of patients. Diabetes was the primary cause of renal disease (36%), followed by hypertension (21%) and glomerular disease (18%). Of those patients in the home hemodialysis program (n = 45), 10 patients started daily home hemodialysis using the Aksys daily home hemodialysis system. Of those, the majority was male (100%), Caucasian (78.8%) with an average age of 46.7 ± 18 years. Glomerulonephritis was the primary cause of end-stage renal disease (40%), while the percentages of other diseases were similar [Alport's syndrome (20%), hypertension (20%) and diabetes (10%)]. Compared to initial DHD heparin requirements (10,111 ± 2219 units), CHD heparin dose requirements (6833 ± 2715 units) were significantly lower (p = 0.045); however, total heparin needs were similar between groups (10,166 ± 4380 units vs. 10,778 ± 2959 units) (p = 0.324). Conclusion: Although patients initiating DHD have greater initial heparin requirements than when on CHD, total heparin doses remain similar to those required on conventional thrice-weekly hemodialysis. Greater initial heparin doses required during short daily dialysis appear safe compared to those of conventional dialysis.
Interspecific Kleptoparasitism of Elegant Terns by Snowy Egrets

Abstract Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) kleptoparasitism of Elegant Terns (Thalasseus elegans) at a southern California breeding colony entailed piracy of fish from recently fed chicks, adults feeding chicks and adults engaged in courtship feeding.
Seasonal Cycling and Transport of Mercury and Methylmercury in the Turbidity Maximum of the Delaware Estuary

The Delaware River Estuary (DRE) is a cornerstone of industrialization, shipping, and urban usage, and has a long history of human impact on pollution and recovery. Mercury (Hg) is a contaminant of concern in the DRE based upon concentrations in some fish samples that were found to exceed State and Federal fish tissue criteria. Methylation of Hg often follows a seasonal pattern as its production is biologically mediated. Surveys were conducted in November 2011, April 2012, and July 2012 to assess this effect. We sampled surface and bottom water at six sites spanning the estuarine turbidity maximum (ETM) in the main channel of the river, plus three sediment sites at shallow, subtidal locations. Our results indicate there is a clear seasonal increase in both water column and sediment methylmercury (MeHg) and %MeHg concentrations in the ETM during July. Water-column-filtered total mercury (HgT), suspended particle HgT, and MeHg concentrations were found to fluctuate little with location or season in the ETM. In contrast, sediment MeHg, water-column-filtered MeHg, and pore water HgT varied seasonally. Furthermore, pore water MeHg levels were elevated in concert with increased k meth rates in July. Estimated river input and sediment and atmospheric depositional MeHg flux were compared seasonally. River flux was more than an order of magnitude higher than sediment flux in April, coinciding with higher fluvial transport. However, during July, river flux decreases and sediment flux becomes a larger relative source. This trend has potential implications for fish and other biota residing in the DRE during summer.
BUILDING CULTURES OF PEACE THAT PROTECT HUMAN RIGHTS

The protection of vulnerable groups is a crucial aspect of the defense of the human rights so admirably described in the UN’s Declaration of Human Rights and its subsequent conventions. Although governmental structures and policies are indispensable for the defense of these rights, we cannot rely on states to secure them. They ultimately depend on the solidarity of societies and how persons act and communities behave. Thus, the protection of human rights depends upon our building cultures of peace that resolve conflicts nonviolently and link governments with the affective ties and human relations that constitute civil society. To construct cultures of peace, the UN General Assembly advocated working on eight bases. This paper reviews these bases, their interdependency, and their reliance on both state systems and community solidarity. It suggests specific actions that may promote human rights.
Three Worlds of Capabilities?: Comparing Capabilities Among Social Democratic, Liberal, and Christian Democratic Regimes

The capabilities approach has gained more legitimacy and use as a way of comparing government performance. While many of the criteria it uses to judge government performance are useful when trying to compare developing and developed countries, these same standards are not very revealing when one tries to use them to compare capabilities among only developed countries. This paper proposes new, more discerning and subtle measures of capabilities to apply to Western countries. It then applies them to archetypical countries that represent Esping-Andersen’s three worlds of welfare capitalism to see whether social democratic, liberal, or Christian democratic regimes better promote the capabilities of their citizens.
Progress in off-plane computer-generated waveguide holography for near-to-eye 3D display

Waveguide holography refers to the use of holographic techniques for the control of guided-wave light in integrated optical devices (e.g., off-plane grating couplers and in-plane distributed Bragg gratings for guided-wave optical filtering). Off-plane computer-generated waveguide holography (CGWH) has also been employed in the generation of simple field distributions for image display. We have previously depicted the design and fabrication of a binary-phase CGWH operating in the Raman-Nath regime for the purposes of near-to-eye 3-D display and as a precursor to a dynamic, transparent flat-panel guided-wave holographic video display. In this paper, we describe design algorithms and fabrication techniques for multilevel phase CGWHs for near-to-eye 3-D display.
A new compact and high efficiency resonant converter

This paper explores a new resonant converter which features compact size, high efficiency, and compatibility with self-driven synchronous rectifiers. The proposed resonant converter and the LLC series resonant converter (LLC-SRC) are in the same three-element resonant converter category and these two converters both consist of 2 inductors and one capacitor in their resonant tanks. While the LLC-SRC converter has all of its resonant elements on the input side, the proposed resonant converter has one of its resonant inductors on the output side. Utilizing the output resonant inductor allows the proposed resonant converter to implement self-driven synchronous rectifiers. When comparing the series resonant inductor in the LLC-SRC, the output inductor in the proposed resonant converter generally has lower cost and smaller size in voltage-step down applications. Operational analysis of the proposed resonant converter is made through sinusoidal approximation. A 250W prototype of the proposed resonant converter is built to verify the analysis made in this paper and evaluate its performance. With the same soft-switching characteristics as the LLC-SRC has, the proposed resonant converter can achieve 95.7% efficiency in a 430V to 27.5V/9A conversion even with diode rectifiers.
Safeguarding the confidentiality of automated medical information.

Article-at-a-Glance Background Information about encounters between patients and physicians, nurses, and other caregivers is recorded on paper and in computer databases. Caregivers are expected to respect the confidential nature of patient information. Yet quality management programs, for example, entail systematic, efficient collection of information extracted from patient case files. Compiling “report cards” on managed care networks necessitates access to aggregated information on episodes of care and their outcomes. Regional provider networks; the development of comprehensive computerized patient records; and the dependence of health care reform on large-scale, highly distributed databases make the patient record even more vulnerable. Each organization must assess whether its protection of patients’ privacy is sufficient. An information security program A logical first step in devising such a program is to establish the necessary policies, which are prerequisites to the proper development of computer systems. A policy should address such issues as the authorized access needs to sensitive information and limitations concerning secondary use; the application of technical, procedural, physical, and personnel safeguards; and the dissemination of information. Information managers should seek opportunities to install commercially secure products that meet their security requirements. Conclusions Top management, information systems planners, and quality improvement leaders must jointly determine policies that satisfy the duty to preserve patients’ confidentiality, foster the most effective use of information in the patient record, and avoid overly restrictive policies that would impede total quality management.
Dialysis: Bioengineered vessels for dialysis access: soon to be a reality?

Haemodialysis vascular access is a 'lifeline' for almost 2 million patients worldwide; yet given the substantial problems associated with access dysfunction, vascular access is also the Achilles heel of haemodialysis. Recent data suggest that use of novel bioengineered human acellular vessels for haemodialysis access might help to overcome these problems.
Predicting Structural and Serologic Modifications in Blood Group Antigens by Homology Modeling.

Abstract Homology modeling of blood group proteins offers the possibility of predicting the effect of amino acid changes on serologic phenotype and immunogenicity. The location of an amino acid change within known structural motifs, its phylogenetic conservation, and its proximity to known epitopes give insight into its potential effect on protein structure and, consequently, its clinical significance. We applied this approach to investigate the loss of membrane expression of the Dombrock blood group antigens in a patient with a single amino acid change and to investigate RhD alterations in weak D phenotypes. The Dombrock homology model was derived with rat ART2.2 crystal structure as template. For the RhD model, the crystal structure of the Rh-like-ammonia transporter from Nitrosomonas europaea was used. Protein alignment was derived with Clustal X, adjusted visually, and submitted to the Swiss Modeling server. Models were viewed with Deep View Swiss Pdb Viewer. The Dombrock null containes a Phe62Ser substitution. This Phe (F) residue is located in an FDDQY motif near the COOH terminus. This region of the protein also contains a HYYLT motif. These two motifs are highly conserved in the ART protein family and contribute several aromatic amino acids to this region of the molecule. Aromatic side chain interactions between these residues could contribute to the stability of the Do protein. In support, the distance in the ART2.2 crystal structure between Phe in FDDQY and His in HYYLT is 3.7 A, which is the appropriate distance for aromatic side chain interactions. This is also the measured distance between these two residues in the Do model. Thus, protein modeling indicates that the Phe62Ser mutation disrupts important stacking interactions between Phe62 and His160. When amino acid changes causing weak D phenotypes were examined, some of those affecting expression of RhD were located near the vestigial transport channel. These include the Trp220Arg mutation (weak D Type 16). This Trp residue is part of the transport channel in Nitrosomonas and is conserved in Rh proteins of almost all species. Its role in maintaining Rh structure is indicated by the dramatic effect its modification has on protein and epitope expression. Additionally, Arg114Trp change (weak D Type 17), which is also near the channel, reduces D expression to only 66 antigen sites/cell. GlyXXXGly motifs stabilize interactions of adjacent alpha helices in membrane proteins. Evidence for a role in stabilization of RhD is revealed by the Gly282Asp mutation (weak D Type 15) which is part of such a motif. In addition, a D-epitope in loop 3 is near the 282Asp residue. Alteration of helical packing accompanied by epitope conformation could explain production of anti-D in patients with weak D Type 15. Homology modeling is an important tool for understanding the structure and serologic bases of blood group proteins and will continue to give important insight as more protein crystal structures become available.
Abstract 640: Role Of Endothelial No Synthase Expression On Endothelial Dysfunction In Hypertensive Patients

Previous studies have implicated impairment in the expression of endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) and the S1177 phosphorylated form of eNOS in mediating endothelial dysfunction in the spontaneously hypertensive rats. However, the relevance of this observation in human hypertension remains unknown. Accordingly, we assessed endothelial function in 19 patients with untreated essential hypertension (HTN) and 18 age-matched normotensive controls (NT), using noninvasive flow mediated vasodilation (FMD) in the brachial artery. We also assessed endothelial cell (EC) protein expression of eNOS and S1177 phosphorylated eNOS using immunofluorescence staining of the ECs extracted via J wire insertion into antecubital veins. We found that FMD was significantly reduced in the HTN versus the NT group (6.67±0.53 % vs. 9.16±0.98 %, p protein expression of total eNOS and S1177 phosphorylated eNOS were not significantly different between the HTN and NT groups (0.46±0.07 vs. 0.38±0.05 and ±0.05 vs. 0.36±0.08, p = NS, respectively). In conclusion, our study suggests that impairment in the endothelial vasodilator function is independent of eNOS or S1177 phosphorylation of eNOS protein expression in human hypertension. Further studies are needed to clarify the molecular basis of endothelial dysfunction in hypertensive patients.
Time since disturbance affects colonization dynamics in a metapopulation.

Summary 1.Disturbances are widespread in nature and can have substantial population-level consequences. Most empirical studies on the effects of disturbance track population recovery within habitat patches, but have an incomplete representation of the recolonization process. Additionally, recent metapopulation models represent post-disturbance colonization with a recovery state or time-lag for disturbed (“focal”) patches, thus assuming that recolonization rates are uniform. 2.However, the availability of colonists in neighboring “source” patches can vary, especially in frequently-disturbed landscapes such as fire-managed forests that have a mosaic of patches that differ in successional state and undergo frequent local extinctions. To determine how time since disturbance in both focal and neighboring source patches might affect metapopulations, we studied the effects of time since fire (TSF) on abundances of a specialist palmetto beetle within and between fire management units in Apalachicola National Forest, Florida. 3.We measured beetle abundances at three distances from the shared edge of paired units, with units ranging from 0-64 months since fire and the difference in time since burning for a focal-source pair ranging from 3-58 months. 4.Soon after fire, beetle abundances within management units were highest near the unit edge, but this pattern changed with increasing TSF. Between paired units, the more recently-disturbed (“focal”) unit's beetle abundance was positively related to source unit abundance, but the shape of this relationship differed based on focal unit TSF and the units’ difference in time since burning. 5.Results suggest that both focal and source habitat history can influence recolonization of recently-disturbed patches and that these effects may persist over years. Thus, when predicting metapopulation dynamics, variation in habitat characteristics should be considered not only for patches receiving colonists, but for patches supplying colonists as well. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Localizing Faults in SQL Predicates

Fault localization techniques have been applied to database and data-centric applications that use SQL or SQL-based languages. However, existing techniques can only identify the SQL statements that have faults, but not determine the precise location of the faults within SQL statements. Since SQL statements can be rather complex, programmers are still left with a difficult repair chore. We propose a novel fault localization method to localize multiple types of faults in SQL predicates, that is based on row-based dynamic slicing and delta debugging. Our method was implemented in a tool called ALTAR, and experiments were performed on two publicly available databases. Our method can be compared with existing fault localization techniques when these are applied to "drill-down" in SQL statements. The results showed that ALTAR can discover more types of faults. Moreover, for the type of faults discovered by current methods, ALTAR is more precise.
Entertaining Each Other

Television (TV) is reemerging as a focal point for common experiences and community formation through the use of various digital technologies while viewing. A prominent example of this is second screening, or the use of various technologies to share reactions to and attitudes and opinions about what we see and hear while watching TV with other (virtual) viewers. We contend that second screening requires communication scholars to rethink the nature of the TV entertainment experience, as the practice increasingly blurs lines between interpersonal and mass communication processes. In this article, we introduce a conceptual model designed to identify key issues to be considered and addressed by those seeking to better understand entertainment experiences during socially shared TV viewing.
Diblock Terpolymers Are Tunable and pH Responsive Vehicles To Increase Hydrophobic Drug Solubility for Oral Administration

Synthetic polymers offer tunable platforms to create new oral drug delivery vehicles (excipients) to increase solubility, supersaturation maintenance, and bioavailability of poorly aqueous soluble pharmaceutical candidates. Five well-defined diblock terpolymers were synthesized via reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer polymerization (RAFT) and consist of a first block of either poly(ethylene-alt-propylene) (PEP), poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAm), or poly(N,N-diethylaminoethyl methacrylate) (PDEAEMA) and a second hydrophilic block consisting of a gradient copolymer of N,N-dimethylacrylamide (DMA) and 2-methacrylamidotrehalose (MAT). This family of diblock terpolymers offers hydrophobic, hydrophilic, or H-bonding functionalities to serve as noncovalent sites of drug binding. Drug–polymer spray dried dispersions (SDDs) were created with a model drug, probucol, and characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). These studies revealed that probucol crystallinity decreased with increa...
Hyperthyroidism caused by lingual thyroid tissue in a child with congenital hypothyroidism

Ectopic thyroid is an anomaly in the migration of the thyroid between the third and seventh week of gestation. Most of patients remain asymptomatic, hyperthyroidism is very unusual. The authors found only three cases reported to date. We report the case of a girl diagnosed with congenital hypothyroidism at birth, being since then medicated with levothyroxine. When she was 21-year-old, a routine blood test revealed a TSH level of 0.00 mU/L and therefore the hormone treatment was suspended since there was suspicion of iatrogenic hyperthyroidism, which was later excluded. Neither the thyroid ultrasound nor the thyroid scintigraphy showed thyroid tissue on-site, so a full body scintigraphy was performed which showed toxic ectopic lingual thyroid tissue. The treatment was started with metimazol 15 mg a day. When a «new» hyperthyroidism is observed after a congenital hypothyroidism had been diagnosed, ectopic lingual thyroid must be suspected.
Strawberry jam and roasted chicken: Gender, corporeality, and identity formation in Mariló Seco’s Mermelada de fresa (1999)

espanolLa obra de teatro de un acto Mermelada de fresa (1999), de Marilo Seco, especificamente usa comida para representar las dificultades que pueden resultar del proceso de navegar las expectativas sociales e individuales. Diferencias generacionales sobre el rol de las mujeres, mas una combinacion de valores tradicionales y contemporaneos en la sociedad espanola de los anos 90, crean una abundancia de expectativas para la protagonista, Ella. Sus maneras de lidiar con los problemas, ejemplificadas por su ritual de mermelada de fresa, resultan ser inefectivas porque solo se enfocan en el aspecto fisico del rol de ser mujer (belleza, relaciones sexuales, etc.), lo cual perjudica su estado mental. El pollo al horno representa el consumo masculino, figurativo y literal, de mujeres, ya que es otro objeto de gratificacion. La comida y las metaforas de consumo en Mermelada de fresa exponen las dificultades para cumplir las normas sociales, roles y expectativas, que son frecuentemente contradictorias para cualquier individuo, pero particularmente para las mujeres, en una sociedad plural. EnglishMarilo Seco’s one-act play, Mermelada de fresa (1999), employs particular items of food to portray the difficulties that can arise in the process of navigating both society’s and an individual’s expectations. Generational differences about the role of women, plus the mix of traditional and contemporary values in 1990s Spanish society create an overabundance of behavioral expectations for Ella. Her coping mechanisms, displayed by the strawberry jam ritual, turn out to be dysfunctional because she focuses only on the physical representation of the female role (beauty, sexual activity) to the detriment of the psychological self. The contested roasted chicken echoes men’s consumption of women because it represents another commodity or object of gratification for the men. Culinary imagery and metaphors in Mermelada de fresa expose the mounting demands and complexity in satisfying an escalating number of often contradictory roles that exist for any individual, but particularly for women, in a pluralistic society.
Correlates of health information seeking between adults diagnosed with and without cancer.

Purpose To examine predictors of information seeking behavior among individuals diagnosed with cancer versus those without. Methods Cross-sectional data from the Health Information National Trends Survey 4 Cycles 1–3 (October 2011 to November 2013) were analyzed for 10,774 survey respondents aged ≥18 years. Binary logistic regression was used to examine the effect of socio-demographic and behavioral factors on health information seeking. Results Cancer diagnosis did not predict health information seeking. However, respondents diagnosed with cancer were more likely to seek health information from a healthcare practitioner. Compared to males, females were more likely to seek health information irrespective of cancer diagnosis. Regardless of cancer diagnosis, those without a regular healthcare provider were less likely to seek health information. Likelihood of seeking health information declined across education strata, and significantly worsened among respondents without high school diplomas irrespective of cancer diagnosis. Conclusions Respondents sought health information irrespective of cancer diagnosis. However, the source of health information sought differed by cancer diagnosis. Gender, education, and having a regular healthcare provider were predictors of health information seeking. Future health communication interventions targeting cancer patients and the general public should consider these findings for tailored interventions to achieve optimal results.
Maize (Zea mays L.) kernel development, suitability for dry-grind ethanol production, and susceptibility to aflatoxin accumulation in relation to late-season water stress

ix Chapter 1. General Introduction 1 Thesis Organization 1 Literature Review 1 i) Maize kernel development 1 ii) Starch synthesis and structure 4 iii) Storage protein synthesis and properties 7 iv) Variation in grain composition attributable to environment 8 v) Starch digestibility and ethanol production 10 vi) Relationship between drought and mycotoxin accumulation 12 Experimental Hypotheses and General Approaches 14 References 15 Chapter 2. Maize Kernel Development, Composition, and Starch Digestibility as Affected by Water Stress during Grain Filling 22 Abstract 22 Introduction 23 Materials and Methods 27 Results and Discussion 34 Conclusions 44 Acknowledgements 45 References 45
Continuous subpixel monitoring of urban impervious surface using Landsat time series

Abstract A novel method called Continuous Subpixel Monitoring (CSM) was developed to map and monitor urban impervious surface change continuously at the subpixel level. Time series model of each pixel was first estimated based on clear Landsat observations between 2000 and 2014, and any land surface change was detected by the Continuous Change Detection and Classification (CCDC) algorithm. These coefficients and Root Mean Square Errors (RMSEs) of the estimated time series models were then employed as the inputs of random forest regressor. A few experiments with different combinations of variables and bands were explored to better construct random forest regression models. We successfully applied this algorithm to map subpixel urban impervious surface area (ISA%) and characterize its dynamics in Broome County, New York. Several conclusions can be drawn from the results and analyses. First, the integration of subpixel mapping technique and time series analysis in CSM can yield a relatively satisfactory ISA% result at one point in time. With higher precision and smaller bias, its mapping accuracy is better than that of National Land Cover Database (NLCD) percent developed imperviousness product, without using extensive auxiliary data, such as nighttime light image and transportation network. Second, the ISA% change of any time interval can be easily derived and detected by CSM with relatively high accuracy, which have the potential to generate sub-annual ISA% change products. Furthermore, this approach can detect not only urban expansion/intensification (ISA% gain), but also different patterns of urban transitions overtime, such as urban demolition/redevelopment to vegetation (ISA% loss), and surface modifications (no mechanical change). Finally, CSM works well in one of the cloudiest regions in the United States. This algorithm could provide a new direction to map and monitor percent urban impervious surface change in a reliable and efficient way, which also has the potential to apply to other land cover types (e.g., tree, shrub, and barren lands) at the subpixel level.
Electric Fields Induced By Transcutaneous And Intracranial Current Injections In The Rat Brain

As a non-invasive brain stimulation technique, transcranial electrical stimulation (TES) and specifically the transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has gained popularity in recent years for treatment of a wide variety of cognitive and neurological disorders. Recent studies have shown that TES can alter the motor cortex excitability. Animal studies to demonstrate the underlying mechanisms of TES are clearly lacking in literature. Clinical studies have agreed on the critical role of the current intensity and the montage of the electrodes for the treatment to be effective. In this study, we used a rat model for in vivo investigation of the vertical electrical (E) field distribution due to electrodes placed over the skin and through a craniotomy hole. A mono-phasic current pulse was used as a substitute for DC currents by taking advantage of primarily resistive properties of the brain tissue at low frequencies. The electrical potentials induced by the current pulses were recorded with penetrations at 0mm, 2mm, and 4mm away from the stimulation electrode. The results showed that the E-field was maximum immediately under the anodic electrode and decreased both in the vertical and horizontal directions rapidly by distance. The magnitude of the electric field varied from tens of mV/mm to a fraction of mV/mm by distance for a 100 μ A stimulus amplitude. The results also show that the E-field amplitudes and distribution strongly depend on whether the stimulus electrode is placed over the skin or into a craniotomy hole.
Searching for safety: crime prevention in the era of Google

This research investigated the association between Internet searches and property crime levels in the United States. States with the highest levels of property crime tended to have the highest levels of Google crime prevention queries for target hardening, surveillance, and formal and informal social control. In addition, levels of crime reduction were often greatest in states with more crime prevention queries and the magnitude of the reduction was often substantial. Findings from this research support the conceptualization of aggregated online crime prevention queries as a potential factor for understanding crime reduction strategies and overall changes in crime rate patterns at the state-level.
Risk Factors and Early Outcomes of Vasoplegia Syndrome (VS) after Heart Transplantation in CF-LVAD Patients

Purpose VS in heart transplantation has been associated with adverse survival outcomes. We evaluated risk factors for and early outcomes of VS amongst CF-LVAD patients undergoing OHT. Methods Single center, retrospective cohort of all adult CF-LVAD BTT patients between 5/2013 to 5/2018. VS was defined as profound vasodilatory shock (SVR ≤ 800 dynes/s/cm−5) with a preserved cardiac index (CI ≥2.2 L/min/m2) requiring vasopressor support (vasopressor score ≥ 4) within 48hrs post OHT. Vasopressor score = (epinephrine dose x 100 μg/kg/min) + (norepinephrine dose x 100 μg/kg/min) + (vasopressin dose x 10000 units/kg/min) + (phenylephrine dose x 100 μg/kg/min). Pulsatility Index (PI) of HM II CF-LVAD at index admission was obtained as a surrogate marker of pulsatility. Results Eighty-four CF-LVAD patients underwent OHT during the study period. Median age was 56 years, 22 (26.2%) females, and 29 (34.5%) ischemic etiology. Eighteen (21.4%) patients developed VS after OHT. VS was associated with a higher median BMI (31.0 vs 27.3; p = 0.01) as compared to patients absent VS. Median duration of CF-LVAD support was longer in VS patients; 13.4 months vs 9.2 months, p=0.27. In 69 HMII patients, the mean PI at admission was lower in those who subsequently developed VS; 5.9 vs 6.4; p= 0.04. The rest of the recipient, donor and intraoperative characteristics were similar between groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed BMI (OR 1.34; 95% CI 1.11-1.63; p Conclusion VS after transplant in CF LVAD subjects is associated with low pulsatility and high BMI. In this single center experience, VS was not associated with worse outcomes.
The impacts of maternal stress on worker phenotypes in the honey bee

Maternal stress is a common source of heritable health and behavioral variation. This type of maternal effect could be particularly important for honey bees (Apis mellifera), as a single queen is responsible for many generations of workers who perform all colony functions including raising subsequent worker generations. Multiple factors work synergistically to cause colony loss, but a role for maternal stress effects is unstudied. We used an artificial cold temperature treatment as a proof-of-concept approach to investigate whether acute queen stress causes changes in worker phenotypes, including egg hatching rate, development time, and adult behavior and immune function. We found that queen stress impacts early-life phenotypes (egg hatching and development time), with more limited impacts on adult phenotypes (behavior and immune function). Thus, if maternal stress impacts colony health, it is likely through cumulative impacts on worker population numbers, not through phenotypic effects that impact individual adult worker behavior or health resilience. This study addresses an important and overlooked question, and provides a baseline understanding of the likely impacts of queen stress on worker phenotypes.
Embracing inclusive excellence: Asian and Asian American college students

This study aims to understand the importance of embracing and promoting inclusiveness in higher education as a path to academic excellence. As student populations become increasingly diverse and hi...
Adverse childhood experiences and poor birth outcomes in a diverse, low-income sample.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACE) are associated with an array of health consequences in later life, but few studies have examined the effects of ACEs on women’s birth outcomes. We analyzed data gathered from a sample of 1848 low-income women who received services from home visiting programs in Wisconsin. Archival program records from a public health database were used to create three birth outcomes reflecting each participant’s reproductive health history: any pregnancy loss; any preterm birth; any low birthweight. Multivariate logistic regressions were performed to test the linear and non-linear effects of ACEs on birth outcomes, controlling for age, race/ethnicity, and education. Descriptive analyses showed that 84.4% of women had at least one ACE, and that 68.2% reported multiple ACEs. Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that cumulative ACE scores were associated with an increased likelihood of pregnancy loss (OR = 1.12; 95% CI = 1.08–1.17), preterm birth (OR = 1.07; 95% CI = 1.01–1.12), and low birthweight (OR = 1.08; 95% CI = 1.03–1.15). Additional analyses revealed that the ACE-birthweight association deviated from a linear, dose-response pattern. Findings confirmed that high levels of childhood adversity are associated with poor birth outcomes. Alongside additive risk models, future ACE research should test interactive risk models and causal mechanisms through which childhood adversity compromises reproductive health.
Overcoming a travel burden to high-volume centers for treatment of retroperitoneal sarcomas is associated with improved survival.

Guidelines recommend treatment of retroperitoneal sarcomas (RPS) at high-volume centers. However, high-volume centers may not be accessible locally. This national study compared outcomes of RPS resection between local low-volume centers and more distant high-volume centers. Patients treated for RPS were identified from the National Cancer Database (1998–2012). Travel distance and annual hospital volume were divided into quartiles. Two groups were identified: (1) short travel to low-volume hospitals (ST/LV), (2) long travel to high-volume hospitals (LT/HV). Outcomes were adjusted for clinical, tumor, and treatment characteristics. Two thousand five hundred ninety-nine patients met the inclusion criteria. The LT/HV cohort was younger and more often white (p < 0.01). The LT/HV group had more comorbidities, higher tumor grade, and more often radical resections and radiotherapy (all p < 0.05). The ST/LV group underwent significantly more R2 resections (4.4% vs. 2.6%, p = 0.003). Thirty-day mortality was significantly lower in the LT/HV group (1.2% vs. 2.8%, p = 0.0026). Five-year survival was better among the LT/HV group (63% vs. 53%, p < 0.0001). After adjustment, the LT/HV group had a 27% improvement in overall survival (HR 0.73, p = 0.0009). This national study suggests that traveling to high-volume centers for the treatment of RPS confers a significant short-term and long-term survival advantage, supporting centralized care for RPS.
An Atypical Presentation of Propionibacterium Acnes Endophthalmitis Following Cataract Surgery

Purpose:To describe a case with an unusual presentation of Propionibacterium acnes (P acnes) with ultimately a good visual outcome.Methods:A case report with review of approaches to P acnes endopht...
It Only Affects Me: Pharmaceutical Regulation and Harm to Others

In her Pharmaceutical Freedom, Jessica Flanigan argues that antibiotics can be regulated consistent with her otherwise largely deregulatory view with respect to pharmaceuticals and recreational drugs. I contend in this essay that the reasons for justifying antibiotic regulation are reasons that can be offered to justify the regulation of many other drugs, both pharmaceutical and recreational. After laying out the specifics of Flanigan’s view, I suggest that it is amenable to the regulation of drugs like varenicline. Though such drugs can legitimately improve the quality of a patient’s life by helping them quit smoking, they could be permissibly regulated if they expose others to impermissible risks. I then argue that recreational drugs like alcohol could be regulated using the same reasoning. In the penultimate section of this essay, I anticipate objections that one might have to my extension of arguments favoring antibiotic regulation to drugs correlated with aggression. Flanigan might find my extrapolation of her view as entirely plausible and accept that her view is relatively friendly to these regulations, or she might reconsider her antibiotic caveat if these regulations are overly paternalistic on her understanding. I conclude by briefly considering the benefits and drawbacks of adopting each view.
Robust and efficient wireless power transfer using a switch-mode implementation of a nonlinear parity–time symmetric circuit

Stationary wireless power transfer has been deployed commercially and can be used to charge a variety of devices, including mobile phones and parked electric vehicles. However, wireless power transfer set-ups typically suffer from an inherent sensitivity to the relative movement of the device with respect to the power source. Nonlinear parity–time symmetric circuits could be used to deliver robust wireless power transfer even while a device is moving rapidly, but previous implementations have relied on an inefficient gain element based on an operation-amplifier circuit, which has inherent loss, and hence have exhibited poor total system efficiency. Here we show that robust and efficient wireless power transfer can be achieved by using a power-efficient switch-mode amplifier with current-sensing feedback in a parity–time symmetric circuit. In this circuit, the parity–time symmetry guarantees that the effective load impedance on the switch-mode amplifier remains constant, and hence the amplifier maintains high efficiency despite variation of the transfer distance. We experimentally demonstrate a nonlinear parity–time symmetric radiofrequency circuit that can wirelessly transfer around 10 W of power to a moving device with a nearly constant total efficiency of 92% and over a distance from 0 to 65 cm. A parity–time symmetric circuit that uses a switch-mode amplifier and current-sensing phase-delay feedback can wirelessly transfer around 10 W of power to a moving device with a nearly constant total efficiency of 92%.
Combined Anterior Osteophytectomy and Cricopharyngeal Myotomy for Treatment of DISH-Associated Dysphagia.

Study Design:Retrospective observational case series.Objective:To assess the outcome of patients with diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) with dysphagia who underwent cricopharyngeal my...
Direct simulation of a stochastically driven multi-step birth-death process

1 Abstract The description of transcription as a stochastic process provides a framework for the analysis of intrinsic and extrinsic noise in cells. To better understand the behaviors and possible extensions of existing models, we design an exact stochastic simulation algorithm for a multimolecular transcriptional system with an Ornstein-Uhlenbeck birth rate that is implemented via a special function-based time-stepping algorithm. We demonstrate that its joint copy-number distributions reduce to analytically well-studied cases in several limiting regimes, and suggest avenues for generalizations.
The Beginning: Match and Residency

The definition of a “successful” ophthalmology match is one that pairs an applicant with a program at which he/she can thrive as an ophthalmologist-in-training. In the first section of this chapter, I will provide some personal perspective—both as a successful former applicant and as a faculty member who now participates in the residency selection process—on ways to increase your likelihood of a successful match. The second section focuses on surviving and thriving in residency itself, including advice for making those formative years productive and enjoyable.
Shyness, Social Behavior, and Relationships

Beyond the distress that the shy person experiences in social situations, one is tempted to ask what difference shyness makes. It is one thing to assert that shyness is related to self-reports of anxiety, self-esteem, fearfulness, etc., and quite another to demonstrate its relevance to overt social behavior or its impact on the development or continuation of important and ongoing personal relationships. Shyness is often conceptualized as a dimension of personality, and in that regard it is important to note that the concept of personality is used in two distinct ways in psychology: personality refers to (a) internal psychological structures and dynamics (e.g., individual differences, traits, expectations, beliefs, etc.); and (b) the reputation an individual acquires within the context of a social group. Some personality psychologists have recently emphasized not only the need to examine the linkages between these two conceptualizations, but also that the primary purpose of investigating personality in the former sense is to explain personality in the latter sense (e.g., Hogan, 1983). Similarly, the focus of this chapter is to examine research relating shyness (conceived as a relatively stable dimension of personality) to social behavior, relationships, and the reactions of others.
Solving concurrent Markov decision processes

Typically, Markov decision problems (MDPs) assume a single action is executed per decision epoch, but in the real world one may frequently execute certain actions in parallel. This paper explores concurrent MDPs, MDPs which allow multiple non-conflicting actions to be executed simultaneously, and presents two new algorithms. Our first approach exploits two provably sound pruning rules, and thus guarantees solution optimality. Our second technique is a fast, sampling-based algorithm, which produces c1ose-to-optimal solutions extremely quickly. Experiments show that our approaches outperform the existing algorithms producing up to two orders of magnitude speedup.
Induction of apoptosis by baculovirus transactivator IE1.

Apoptosis is induced upon infection of SF-21 cells by mutants of the baculovirus Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcMNPV) lacking a functional p35 gene which encodes a stoichiometric inhibitor of members of the interleukin-1beta converting enzyme family of cysteine proteases (N.J. Bump et al, Science 269:1885-1888, 1995; R.J. Clem, M. Fechheimer, and L.K. Miller, Science 254:1388-1390, 1991). We found that transfection of SF-21 cells with the AcMNPV ie-1 gene was sufficient to induce apoptosis, which was characterized by fragmentation of cellular DNA into oligonucleosomal fragments and apoptotic body formation. No signs of apoptosis were observed in Trichoplusia ni TN-368 cells transfected with ie-1, a result which is consistent with the observation that p35 mutants of AcMNPV do not induce apoptosis in this cell line. Cotransfection of SF-21 cells with p35 blocked ie-1-induced apoptosis, indicating that expression of ie-1 activates apoptosis through a p35-inhibitable cysteine protease pathway. Cotransfection with Cp-iap, an active member of another family of antiapoptotic inhibitors of apoptosis (iaps), also inhibited IE1-induced apoptosis. Thus, ie-1 may participate in inducing apoptosis in AcMNPV-infected cells, although the dependence of induction on DNA replication suggests that ie-1 is not the direct apoptotic signal during infection. The ie-1 gene product, IE1, is known to be a potent transactivator of baculovirus gene expression that interacts with specific palindromic sequences which can act as transcriptional enhancers and as origins of DNA replication in transient assays.
THE NATURE AND EVOLUTION OF INTERSTELLAR ICES

The evolution of icy grain mantles is governed by the environment in which they exist. This review presents an overview of the study of the molecules that make up the mantles and discusses their relevance to the origin of life. Models predict two phases of mantle growth during cloud collapse: simple polar and nonpolar molecules dominate the mantle layers at early and late times, respectively (Section 1). The effect of processing on grain mantle composition and the connection between organics in grain mantles and prebiotic chemistry is introduced. Section 2 describes how infrared spectroscopy of dense cloud sources, combined with theoretical models and laboratory data, gives us information on the composition and abundance of the ices in varying regions. The observed features and how they are used as diagnostics of mantle evolution are discussed in Section 3. This section also discusses the importance of these molecules to prebiotic chemistry. Section 4 compares grain mantle composition in different low-mass star forming regions, which best represent the solar birthplace. The final section (Section 5) summarizes the information presented, emphasizing the link between the study of interstellar dust and the origin of life.
Proactive Screening for Emotional/Behavioral Concerns in Head Start Preschools: Promising Practices and Challenges in Applied Research.

There is a growing need for cross-cultural research on screening instruments appropriate for use with young children from culturally diverse backgrounds who are at risk for emotional or behavioral ...