cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mitoxantrone, Etoposide, and Cytarabine With or Without Valspodar in Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Acute Myeloid Leukemia and High-Risk Myelodysplastic Syndrome: A Phase III Trial (E2995)

Purpose To determine whether adding the multidrug resistance gene-1 (MDR-1) modulator valspodar (PSC 833; Novartis Pharmaceuticals, Hanover, NJ) to chemotherapy provided clinical benefit to patients with poor-risk acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Patients and Methods A phase III randomized study was performed using valspodar plus mitoxantrone, etoposide, and cytarabine (PSC-MEC; n = 66) versus MEC (n = 63) to treat patients with relapsed or refractory AML and high-risk MDS. Results For the PSC-MEC versus MEC arms, complete response (CR) was achieved in 17% versus 25% of patients, respectively (P = not significant). For patients who had not received prior intensive chemotherapy (ie, with secondary AML or high-risk MDS), the CR rate was increased—35% versus 15% for the remaining patients (P = .018); CR rates did not differ between treatment arms. The median disease-free survival in those achieving CR was similar in the two arms (10 versus 9.3 months) as was the pati...
Isolated potentials and pace-mapping as guides for ablation of ventricular tachycardia in various types of nonischemic cardiomyopathy.

Nonischemic Cardiomyopathy and Ventricular Tachycardia. Background: In patients with prior infarction, isolated potentials (IPs) during sinus rhythm reflect fixed scar and often indicate sites critical for ventricular tachycardia (VT). The purpose of this study was to determine the value of IPs in conjunction with pace-mapping to guide VT ablation in patients with various types of nonischemic cardiomyopathy. Methods: Mapping and ablation of VT were performed in 35 consecutive patients (26 men, age 55 ± 13 years, ejection fraction 0.31 ± 0.14) with VT and various etiologies of nonischemic cardiomyopathy. Pace-mapping was performed at sites with low voltage. Radiofrequency energy was delivered at sites with concealed entrainment or matching pace-maps. Results: One hundred ninety-five VTs (mean cycle length 363 ± 88 ms) were induced. Sites with prespecified ablation criteria displaying IPs during sinus rhythm were recorded in 21 of 35 patients (60%, IP-positive). In these patients, a total of 216 sites meeting prespecified ablation criteria were identified and 146 of 216 sites (68%) displayed IPs. Fifteen of 21 IP-positive patients (71%) no longer had inducible VT after ablation. In 14 of 35 patients, no sites with IPs where prespecified ablation criteria were met were identified (IP-negative) despite combined endocardial and epicardial mapping in 7 of 14 patients. Only 1 of 14 IP-negative patients (7%) no longer had inducible VT at the end of the ablation procedure. During a meanfollow-upof18 ±13months,14of21IP-positivepatients(67%)remainedarrhythmia-free,compared to 1 of 14 IP-negative patients (7%; P < 0.01). Half of the IP-negative patients had major adverse events due to recurrent arrhythmias, compared to none in IP-positive patients. Conclusion: IPs in conjunction with pace-mapping are helpful for identifying critical isthmus areas for ablation of VT in patients with various types of nonischemic cardiomyopathy. Patients with nonischemic cardiomyopathy in whom the arrhythmogenic substrate is characterized by IPs have a more favorable outcomethanpatientsinwhomIPsareabsent. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 21, pp. 1017-1023, September 2010)
Primitive neuroectodermal tumor.

(1987). Case 2 Primitive Neuroectodermal Tumor. Pediatric Pathology: Vol. 7, No. 1, pp. 85-90.
Dependence of venous enhancement on the field of view in 3D contrast-enhanced MRA using the elliptical centric view order

The dependence of venous suppression on the acquisition field of view (FOV) in elliptical centric 3D contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (CE-MRA) is studied theoretically and experimentally. It is hypothesized that a reduced FOV in an arterial phase acquisition results in improved venous suppression. An expression is derived linking the k-space representation of a vein to venous return time and acquisition parameters. For a y x z FOV reduction from 24 cm x 7.2 cm to 18 cm x 3.6 cm, equivalent voxel size, and venous return times ranging from 0-7 s, the mean improvement in venous suppression ranged from 7.0% for the 19-mm-diameter vein to 32.1% in the 6-mm-diameter vein, assuming a step function-shaped venous enhancement profile. Decreased venous enhancement with reduced FOV is also observed for scans with equivalent acquisition times, although the degree of suppression is dependent on the shape of the venous enhancement curve.
Quality Assurance for Interstitial Radiofrequency-Induced Hyperthermia

During the last decade, various interstitial techniques have been developed to induce and maintain hyperthermia (HT) in implantable solid deep-seated tumors. These techniques can be classified into two broad categories; those which utilize externally generated electromagnetic (EM) energy and a form of conversion of EM energy into heat [radiofrequency (RF) electrodes, capacitively-coupled RF implants, microwave (MW) antennas, and Curie point ferromagnetic seeds], and those which deliver energy in the form of heat with no need for an intermediate conversion (hot water tubes, low frequency resistive wire elements, and other hot source techniques). The principles of operation and detailed descriptions of the technical aspects of each heating delivery technique have been published elsewhere (Stauffer, 1989; Hand, 1990a; Hand, 1990b; International Consensus Report, 1990).
Biophysical interactions and the structure and dynamics of riverine ecosystems: the importance of biotic feedbacks

Characteristics of streams and rivers reflect variations in local geomorphology, climate, natural disturbance regimes and the dynamic features of the riparian forest. Hierarchical interactions between these components result in a rich variety of distinct stream communities which, when considered in combination with strong biotic feedbacks to the physical environment, present formidable challenges in discovering and understanding fundamental, system-level characteristics of natural rivers. The objectives of this article are to briefly review the traditional view of hierarchical physical controls on stream structure and dynamics and to show how this viewpoint is changing as recognition of strong biological influences on physical structure are emerging. In combination, identifying natural stream characteristics and the interactions among individual components, as well as recognizing the importance of biotic feedbacks on physical structure, form the basis for establishing effective conservation strategies.
Digital holography and 3-D imaging

This feature issue on Digital Holography and 3-D Imaging comprises 15 papers on digital holographic techniques and applications, computer-generated holography and encryption techniques, and 3-D display. It is hoped that future work in the area leads to innovative applications of digital holography and 3-D imaging to biology and sensing, and to the development of novel nonlinear dynamic digital holographic techniques.
Power-aware QoS management in Web servers

Power management in data centers has become an increasingly important concern. Large server installations are designed to handle peak load, which may be significantly larger than in off-peak conditions. The increasing cost of energy consumption and cooling incurred in farms of high-performance Web servers make low-power operation during off-peak hours desirable. This paper investigates adaptive algorithms for dynamic voltage scaling in QoS-enabled Web servers to minimize energy consumption subject to service delay constraints. We implement these algorithms inside the Linux kernel. The instrumented kernel supports multiple client classes with per-class deadlines. Energy consumption is minimized by using a feedback loop that regulates frequency and voltage levels to keep the synthetic utilization around the aperiodic schedulability bound derived in an earlier publication. Enforcing the bound ensures that deadlines are met. Our evaluation of an Apache server running on the modifier Linux kernel shows that non-trivial off-peak energy savings are possible without sacrificing timeliness.
Polypeptide vesicles with densely packed multilayer membranes

Multilamellar membranes are important building blocks for constructing self-assembled structures with improved barrier properties, such as multilamellar lipid vesicles. Polymeric vesicles (polymersomes) have attracted growing interest, but multilamellar polymersomes are much less explored. Here, we report the formation of polypeptide vesicles with unprecedented densely packed multilayer membrane structures with poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(γ-(4,5-dimethoxy-2-nitrobenzyl)-L-glutamate) (PEG-b-PL), an amphiphilic diblock rod-coil copolymer containing a short PEG block and a short hydrophobic rod-like polypeptide segment. The polypeptide rods undergo smectic ordering with PEG buried between the hydrophobic polypeptide layers. The size of both blocks and the rigidity of the hydrophobic polypeptide block are critical in determining the membrane structures. Increase of the PEG length in PEG-b-PL results in the formation of bilayer sheets, while using random-coil polypeptide block leads to the formation of large compound micelles. UV treatment causes ester bond cleavage of the polypeptide side chain, which induces helix-to-coil transition, change of copolymer amphiphilicity, and eventual disassembly of vesicles. These polypeptide vesicles with unique membrane structures provide a new insight into self-assembly structure control by precisely tuning the composition and conformation of polymeric amphiphiles.
The Influence of Pretraining Positive Affect and Training Design on Perceived Training Effectiveness

Abstract This paper reports the results of an exploratory field study on the effect of trainees' pretraining positive affect and training design on perceived training effectiveness. The study found that individuals' pretraining positive affect significantly influences trainees' evaluations of utility of the training design while training design influences trainees' learning. Managerial implications and future research directions are discussed.
EFFECT OF HABITAT BIOGEOCHEMICALS ON SURVIVAL OF LOBSTERS (HOMARUS AMERICANUS)

Abstract Lobsters from eastern Long Island Sound (LIS) were exposed to laboratory conditions designed to simulate the habitat in western LIS during the 1999 mass mortality. Elsewhere (Robohm et al. 2005) we have shown that hypoxia and concomitant biogeochemical conditions increase the susceptibility of lobsters to a common pathogen at normal summer temperatures. Here we report that in otherwise favorable conditions, high temperature (24°C) alone had no lethal effect on disease-free eastern LIS lobsters for weeks. However, at this temperature, moderate hypoxia (<2.5 mg/L dissolved oxygen) was lethal to half of a group (n = 20) of lobsters in about 5 days. Addition of sulfide and ammonium to levels reported for LIS (5.5 μM sulfide and 17 μM ammonium) decreased the LT50 to 3.3 days. Higher sulfide concentrations decreased the LT50 significantly. We conclude that lobster survival times are greatly diminished by hypoxia, sulfide and ammonium at high temperature. Because seasonal hypoxia with the production of ...
Outer and Inner Membrane Proteins Compose an Arginine-Agmatine Exchange System in Chlamydophila pneumoniae

Most chlamydial strains have a pyruvoyl-dependent decarboxylase protein that converts l-arginine to agmatine. However, chlamydiae do not produce arginine, so they must import it from their host. Chlamydophila pneumoniae has a gene cluster encoding a putative outer membrane porin (CPn1033 or aaxA), an arginine decarboxylase (CPn1032 or aaxB), and a putative cytoplasmic membrane transporter (CPn1031 or aaxC). The aaxC gene was expressed in Escherichia coli producing an integral cytoplasmic membrane protein that catalyzed the exchange of l-arginine for agmatine. Expression of the aaxA gene produced an outer membrane protein that enhanced the arginine uptake and decarboxylation activity of cells coexpressing aaxB and aaxC. This chlamydial arginine/agmatine exchange system complemented an E. coli mutant missing the native arginine-dependent acid resistance system. These cells survived extreme acid shock in the presence of l-arginine. Biochemical and evolutionary analysis showed the aaxABC genes evolved convergently with the enteric arginine degradation system, and they could have a different physiological role in chlamydial cells. The chlamydial system uniquely includes an outer membrane porin, and it is most active at a higher pH from 3 to 5. The chlamydial AaxC transporter was resistant to cadaverine, l-lysine and l-ornithine, which inhibit the E. coli AdiC antiporter.
The Snake Raiser Heart An Unusual Cause of Chest Pain

A 65-year-old alcoholic man presented with subacute exertional dyspnea and left shoulder pain. Three years earlier he was bitten by a rat while feeding a pet snake, resulting in sepsis, which was treated with intravenous antibiotics. Cardiac catheterization at an outside hospital was interpreted as myocardial bridging of the circumflex artery, and transthoracic 2-dimensional echocardiogram raised suspicion of aortic dissection, resulting in a transfer to our hospital. Chest radiograph at admission was unremarkable, but ECG revealed sinus tachycardia with inferolateral ST-T wave changes, suggestive of ischemia (Figure 1A and 1B). Bedside transesophageal echocardiogram with 3-dimensional full-volume reconstruction showed severe aortic stenosis and a large pseudoaneurysm (PSA) of the mitral-aortic intervalvular fibrosa, with a mobile calcification noted at the opening of the PSA …
A identidade de Identidade e Diferença

O TEOREMA HEGELIANO DA "IDENTIDADE DE IDENTIDADE E DIFERENCA"SUGERE A JUSTAPOSICAO DE DOIS AUTORES DIVERSOS: UM MODERNISTA TARDIO AMERICANO (WILLIAN GADDIS, 1985) E UM ESCRITOR ANGOLANO (PEPETELA, 1992). AMBOS OS ROMANCES TRAZEM UMA QUESTAO IMPLICITA, HISTORICA E FORMAL, SOBRE A REPRESENTACAO LITERARIA DA EXPERIENCIA POLITICA CONTEMPORÂNEA REBAIXADA SOB EGIDE DO CAPITAL.
The Interaction of Communication Medium and Management Control Systems in the Processes and Outcomes of Transfer Price Negotiations

Because organizations rely heavily on computer-mediated communication (CMC), it is important to understand the impact of interactions between CMC and the management control system on decision-making behavior and on organizational performance . Management control systems are composed of techniques used by managers to motivate employees to achieve the organization’s strategic goals. Because CMC has been shown to impact behavior, CMC has the potential to either support or subvert the goals of the organization. This chapter shows, through the results of two laboratory experiments, that negotiating behavior using CMC leads to lower profits in a transfer pricing scenario. More importantly, this chapter then demonstrates that if organizations are aware of these consequences and design their management control systems using a fundamental concept from evolutionary psychology theory, they can mitigate some of the negative consequences.
Design and evaluation of hardware strategies for reconfiguring hypercubes and meshes under faults

This paper discusses the design of two reconfiguration strategies for distributed memory multicomputer architectures under failures. The specific architectures to which we apply the techniques are hypercubes and meshes. The first scheme uses spare processors attached to certain processors in the hypercube or mash using a novel embedding technique. The second approach places spare processors along specific links in the hypercube or mesh. Both schemes involve the mapping of logical links of a virtual machine onto a set of physical links in the final reconfigured machine and hence suffer some performance degradation. We characterize the performance degradation through trace-driven simulation of real applications running on the faulty and reconfigured system. We find that the schemes have high reliability, suffer little degradation in performance, and are very low in cost. >
Induced mild hypothermia: the spearhead strategy for effective neonatal neuroprotection?

* Abbreviation: HI/R = : hypoxia–ischemia/reperfusion Perinatal hypoxic–ischemic brain injury remains one of the most desperate conditions in modern pediatric practice. The potentially devastating and lifelong consequences of this condition are accentuated by the frustrating impotence of current therapeutic options. In recent years remarkable experimental advances have elucidated many of the cellular and vascular mechanisms of hypoxic–ischemic brain injury. This in turn has facilitated the design of rational, focused, and mechanism-based rescue therapies in animal models.1 Unfortunately, translation of this experimental progress to human clinical trial has been confined in large part to the adult stroke population, and has been slow to trickle down to the asphyxiated newborn infant. Perhaps the most exciting neuroprotective strategy to emerge from the laboratory in recent years has been the use of mild sustained hypothermia.2–12 In this month's issue, Gunn et al13 report promising data from a prospective trial of this technique in asphyxiated term infants. The feasibility and safety data reported in this randomized study support the advance of this technique toward larger-scale clinical trials in the human newborn with hypoxic–ischemic encephalopathy. For decades, the pursuit of safe and effective neuroprotection for the asphyxiated newborn infant has been impeded by certain features intrinsic to both the insult (ie, hypoxia–ischemia/reperfusion [HI/R]) and the substrate (ie, the immature brain).1 The complex concatenation of cellular events triggered by a cerebral HI/R insult evolves rapidly through a series of amplifying cascades and eventually crosses the threshold of irreversible injury. Although our concepts of the reversibility of neuronal injury are changing, there is clearly a therapeutic window of opportunity beyond which intervention rapidly becomes ineffective.14 The second major constraint has been our ongoing inability to interrogate the neurologic well-being of the fetus, thereby delaying the diagnosis of cerebral HI/R insults and constricting the therapeutic window. Thirdly, …
Potent rewarding and reinforcing effects of the synthetic cathinone 3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV)

Reports of abuse and toxic effects of synthetic cathinones, frequently sold as “bath salts” or “legal highs”, have increased dramatically in recent years. One of the most widely used synthetic cathinones is 3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV). The current study evaluated the abuse potential of MDPV by assessing its ability to support intravenous self-administration and lower thresholds for intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS) in rats. In the first experiment, rats were trained to intravenously self-administer MDPV in daily 2 hr sessions for 10 days at doses of 0.05, 0.1, or 0.2 mg/kg/infusion. Rats were then allowed to self-administer MDPV under a progressive ratio (PR) schedule of reinforcement. Next, rats self-administered MDPV for an additional 10 days under short (2 hr/day, ShA) or long (6 hr/day, LgA) access conditions to assess escalation of intake. Aseparate group of rats underwent the same procedures with the exception of self-administering methamphetamine (0.05 mg/kg/infusion) instead of MDPV. In a second experiment, the effects of MDPV on ICSS thresholds following acute administration (0.1, 0.5, 1 and 2 mg/kg i.p.) were assessed. MDPV maintained self-administration across all doses tested. A positive relationship between MDPV dose and breakpoints for reinforcement under PR conditions was observed. LgA conditions led to escalation of drug intake at the 0.1 and 0.2 mg/kg doses, and rats self-administering methamphetamine showed similar patterns of escalation. Finally, MDPV significantly lowered ICSS thresholds at all doses tested. Together, these findings indicate that MDPV has reinforcing properties and activates brain reward circuitry, suggesting a potential for abuse and addiction in humans.
The occurrence of holistic categorization

Abstract By a current consensus, less deliberate cognition produces holistic perceptual processing. Does it also produce holistic category learning? In three experiments, subjects were given categorization tasks (as in Kemler Nelson, 1984 , Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior 23, 734–759) which can be successfully performed using either an analytic, criterial-attribute rule, or a more holistic family-resemblance judgment. Different groups were speeded, given a difficult concurrent task, tricked into learning under incidental conditions, or given no impediment. As in Kemler Nelson, incidental learners used family-resemblance relations more than intentional learners in categorization decisions, and concurrent-task subjects did also. However, speeded subjects were clearly, strongly analytic. The implications of these findings for the link between implicit cognition and holistic processing are discussed. We also consider whether real-world categorization by adults, and category learning by children, are likely biased towards holistic similarity comparisons.
Power Handling Capability of Large Area HTS Thin Films at Microwave Frequencies

Measurements of the surface resistance Rs of Tl2Ba2CaCu2O8, (Tl,Pb)Sr2CaCu2O7, and YBa2Cu3O7 thin films prepared on 5 cm (2 inch) diameter LaAlO3 substrates show that these films maintain low surface resistance at microwave frequencies even while carrying high power. A 5.55 GHz TE011 mode resonator has been designed for measurement of Rs at high power. Superconductor films are placed on both sides of a sapphire cylinder and microwave power is coupled into and out of the resonator. The Q-value and S-parameters are measured, from which Rs is calculated. By controlling the temperature and changing the input power, Rs can be determined as a function of both temperature and maximum rf magnetic field amplitude Hmax. For Tl2Ba2CaCu2O8 films at 4.2 K and Hmax = 85 Oe, Rs at 5.55 GHz was 72µΩ YBa2Cu3O7 and (Tl,Pb)Sr2CaCu2O7 films exhibited similarly low Rs at 4.2 K for maximum magnetic fields up to about 20 Oe. At 90 K, the surface resistance for the Tl2Ba2CaCu2O8 films remained below 100µΩ for maximum magnetic fields up to 6 Oe. The results demonstrate the potential for superconducting films for use in high power applications at microwave frequencies.
Oxygen, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen ion concentrations in arterial blood during pregnancy.

Abstract The arterial blood of 50 pregnant women was analyzed for oxygen, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen ion concentrations. Oxygen saturations of 87.3 to 100 per cent were found, with a mean value of 97.2 per cent. The P O 2 , ranged from 80.8 to 106.8 mm. Hg with a mean of 96.6. From 12 weeks' gestation to term, the average P CO 2 , was 28.7 mm. Hg and the pH 7.42. The applicability of the nomograms of Severinghaus and of Van Slyke and Sendroy to human blood during pregnancy was determined.
Philosophies of Wrong: Slave Girl Protocols of Abolitionist Emancipation

Rooted in a critical rereading of Harriet Jacobs’s Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Written by Herself, this paper re-thinks the abolitionist tradition through the figure of the slave girl and the particular politics of emancipation she enacts and displaces. By staging a series of important deviations from the largely disembodied enlightenment discourses of emancipatory desire central to the Western liberal tradition I argue that Jacobs's slave narrative works to refuse and re-imagine a lineage of abolitionist praxis commonly regarded as derivative of, rather than distinct from, the Western cannon of political theory. Shifting Jacobs’s slave girl protocols of emancipation from the margins of the abolitionist tradition to its epistemic center demands the assemblage of a more capacious extra-disciplinary approach to the kinds of captivity her activism aimed to abolish; one that relies not only upon the sharpened analytic tools of political philosophical thought, but so too those analytics wrought to repurpose them, in particular black feminist interventions to conventional binaries that stabilize categories of gender difference, as well as critical approaches to the historical formation of slavery's domestic social orders that shaped and maintained categories of racial and ethnic differences even beyond the victory of Constitutional emancipation.
Studies on Ascospore Variants of Hypomyces Ipomoeae

A number of variants which cannot well be explained on the basis of Mendelian segregation of preexisting genes have arisen as the primary growth from single ascospores isolated from both inbred and...
Landscape patterns of free amino acids in arctic tundra soils

Concentrations of free amino acids were measured in soils from four major ecosystem types in arctic Alaska. Total free amino acid concentrations were several-fold higher than ammonium (the major form of inorganic nitrogen) in water extracts of soils. The dominant free amino acids in these soils were glycine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, serine, and arginine. Concentrations of total amino acids ranged 5-fold across communities, being highest in tussock tundra and lowest in wet meadows. Incubation experiments indicate that the turnover of amino acids is rapid, which suggests high rates of gross nitrogen mineralization in these soils. The high concentrations and dynamic nature of soil free amino acids suggest that this nitrogen pool is a significant component of nitrogen cycling in these tundra ecosystems.
Sensorimotor Convergence in Circuitry of the Motor Cortex

Scientists and philosophers have long appreciated that active somatosensation requires the sensory and motor systems to exchange information about body the body's movements as well as touch in order to accurately interpret incoming somatosensory information and plan future movements. However, the circuitry underlying this sensory and motor integration is complicated and is difficult to study without tools to label specific cellular components in the various brain regions involved. Here, I review the general pathways that convey ascending sensory and descending motor information, using the rodent whisker system as a model to take advantage of the cell type specificity possible in this model. I then detail the circuits in motor cortex in which incoming information from somatosensory cortex and thalamus is integrated. I close with a brief description of changes in these circuits during motor learning.
Comparison and Analysis on Line Selection Node of Small Disturbance Method and Shunt Resistance Method

The paper introduced the 4 kinds of line selection principle that applies to the resonance grounding system,in which the small disturbance method and shunt resistance method were compared from the aspects such as line selection principle,measures for line selection accuracy,fast and successive line selection ability,increase quantity and duration of residual current and safety. It is pointed out that the small disturbance method has notable advantages than shunt resistance method on technology aspect,but only the transformer type arc suppression coil with controllable fast regulation and higher short circuit impedance can realize the line selection with small disturbance method,and the arc suppression coil with turns adjustment can only realize the line selection with shunt resistance method.
Treatment of wounds injured by high-voltage electricity

This paper discussed the characteristics of high-voltage electrical injury,the diagnosis and treatment of tissue repair in early time and treatment of tissue damage of muscles,tendons,nerves,blood vessels and bones.Different restorative procedures were chosen according to the wounds' location and shape.Repair by using surgical skin flaps in reconstruction of multiple wound,especially the wound of cervical part and penis was emphasized.
Anemia of pregnancy

This article focuses on the general guidelines for diagnosis and management of anemia during pregnancy. It serves as a background for detailed work-up of more difficult problems a prac-titioner may have to contend with when dealing with patients during the course of pregnancy. Clinically relevant physiologic and pathologic principles are explained so that the reader may understand the principles of practice rather than the practice itself.
A Randomized Controlled Trial of IVR-Based Alcohol Brief Intervention to Promote Patient-Provider Communication in Primary Care.

Brief interventions for unhealthy drinking in primary care settings are efficacious, but underutilized. Efforts to improve rates of brief intervention though provider education and office systems redesign have had limited impact. Our novel brief intervention uses interactive voice response (IVR) to provide information and advice directly to unhealthy drinkers before a physician office visit, with the goals of stimulating in-office dialogue about drinking and decreasing unhealthy drinking. This automated approach is potentially scalable for wide application. We aimed to examine the effect of a pre-visit IVR-delivered brief alcohol intervention (IVR-BI) on patient–provider discussions of alcohol during the visit. This was a parallel group randomized controlled trial with two treatment arms: 1) IVR-BI or 2) usual care (no IVR-BI). In all, 1,567 patients were recruited from eight university medical center-affiliated internal medicine and family medicine clinics. IVR-BI is a brief alcohol intervention delivered by automated telephone. It has four components, based on the intervention steps outlined in the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism guidelines for clinicians: 1) ask about alcohol use, 2) assess for alcohol use disorders, 3) advise patient to cut down or quit drinking, and 4) follow up at subsequent visits. Outcomes were patient reported: patient–provider discussion of alcohol during the visit; patient initiation of the discussion; and provider’s recommendation about the patient’s alcohol use. Patients randomized to IVR-BI were more likely to have reported discussing alcohol with their provider (52 % vs. 44 %, p = 0.003), bringing up the topic themselves (20 % vs. 12 %, p < 0.001), and receiving a recommendation (20 % vs. 14 %, p < 0.001). Other predictors of outcome included baseline consumption, education, age, and alcohol use disorder diagnosis. Providing automated brief interventions to patients prior to a primary care visit promotes discussion about unhealthy drinking and increases specific professional advice regarding changing drinking behavior.
What Do Citizens Want from Their Member of Congress

What do citizens want from their members of Congress? Do they expect them to be constituent servants? Do they expect them to work on local problems? Or do they expect them to represent them on the ...
Capacity-Building for Career Paths in Public Health and Biomedical Research for Undergraduate Minority Students: A Jackson Heart Study Success Model.

Objective: This article chronicles the building of individual student capacity as well as faculty and institutional capacity, within the context of a population-based, longitudinal study of African Americans and cardiovascular disease. The purpose of this article is to present preliminary data documenting the results of this approach. Design: The JHS Scholars program is designed, under the organizational structure of the Natural Sciences Division at Tougaloo College, to provide solid preparation in quantitative skills through: good preparation in mathematics and the sciences; a high level of reading comprehension; hands-on learning experiences; and mentoring and counseling to sustain the motivation of the students to pursue further studies. Setting: This program is on the campus of a private Historically Black College in Mississippi. Participants: The participants in the program are undergraduate students. Main Outcome Measures: Data, which included information on major area of study, institution attended, degrees earned and position in the workforce, were analyzed using STATA 14. Results: Of 167 scholars, 46 are currently enrolled, while 118 have graduated. One half have completed graduate or professional programs, including; medicine, public health, pharmacy, nursing, and biomedical science; approximately one-fourth (25.4 %) are enrolled in graduate or professional programs; and nearly one tenth (9.3%) completed graduate degrees in law, education, business or English. Conclusions: These data could assist other institutions in understanding the career development process that helps underrepresented minority students in higher education to make career choices on a path toward public health, health professions, biomedical research, and related careers. Ethn Dis. 2016;26(3):399-406; doi:10.18865/ed.26.3.399
Toward Improvements in Short-time Scale Satellite-Derived Precipitation Estimates using Blended Satellite Techniques

This article describes a strategy for blending the intermittently spaced precipitation estimates from various passive microwave sensors onboard low-Earth orbiting meteorological satellites with the observations from rapid time-update coincident geostationary-based visible and infrared imagers. Validation datasets are presented which demonstrate the perfor- mance of the technique at 3-hourly time scales, and its capability to capture regional diurnal cycles of precipitation.
Assessment of QCM array schemes for mixture identification: citrus scented odors

QCM sensor arrays are promising systems for volatile complex mixture analysis. Such mixtures, sometimes termed odors, can prove to be challenging targets for accurate identification using conventional approaches. As a result, development of novel gas sensing systems and materials for identification of complex mixtures has garnered much interest in recent years. Herein, we present a comparative study between traditional and alternative quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) array sensing schemes for complex mixture identification. In this study, several citrus scented odors were chosen for identification using three different QCM sensing scheme. A traditional multisensor array (MSA) scheme was compared to a recently introduced virtual sensor array (VSA) scheme and identification results were found to be comparable (84–91% to 73–98% accurate). In addition, a new sensing scheme developed by combining complementary MSA and VSA schemes is introduced. In this regard, a virtual multisensor array (V-MSA), with enhanced data density, allowed accurate identification (100%) of complex mixtures (odor samples) over multiple concentrations. While each method employed is promising, the newly presented V-MSA scheme is superior to each of the previously presented array sensing methods for complex mixture analysis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a QCM V-MSA.
Radar architecture using MIMO transmit subarrays

This paper describes a Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) radar architecture using transmit subarrays. Adapting the size and number of transmit sub-arrays allows optimization of the radar angular resolution, sensitivity, and processing load for a given function. The improved resolution associated with MIMO operation is optimized during volume search where the sub-array beamwidth can be adapted to efficiently fill the search volume, yielding a Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) equivalent to that obtained through conventional operation while improving accuracy. Dedicated track operation does not realize equivalent performance improvement from MIMO operation, but can yield improved accuracy in specific applications. Since a radar system may require a mix of search volumes and dedicated track, the architecture must be flexible. By dynamically choosing the optimal transmit sub-array size to efficiently fill the search volume, increased angular and Doppler resolution can be obtained with a realizable signal processor without sacrificing sensitivity.
The Development of the “One-Hit” or “Single Site” Theory of Complement Mediated Immune Hemolysis

After a brief review of early experiments leading up to a multihit, or cumulative damage theory of immune hemolysis, the author describes the experiments by Mayer and associates that led to the development of the one hit theory. The author describes his personal experiences at and the workings of the Mayer laboratory at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health and at the School of Medicine. He discusses the development of the mathematical theory by Rapp for the interaction of C2 with the cell intermediate EAC142 and describes experimental confirmation for the one hit theory of immune hemolysis. The author places these events in historical context of the development of modern concepts of complement action.
Building a Foundation for Better Learning through Integrative Instructional Modeling

(1995). Building a Foundation for Better Learning through Integrative Instructional Modeling. Hospitality & Tourism Educator: Vol. 7, No. 1, pp. 13-66.
Addressing racial disproportionality and disparities in human services: multisystemic approaches

The book titled, ‘Addressing Racial Disproportionality and Disparities in Human Services,’ suggests the magnitude of the task editors Fong, Dettlaff, James, and Rodriguez have taken on. Topics such...
Evaluating the efficacy of different types of stem cells in preserving gut barrier function in necrotizing enterocolitis.

Abstract Background Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in premature infants. Increased intestinal permeability is central to NEC development. We have shown that stem cells (SCs) can reduce the incidence and severity of NEC. Our current goal was to investigate the efficacy of four different types of SC in preservation of gut barrier function during NEC. Materials and methods We compared (1) amniotic fluid–derived mesenchymal SC, (2) bone marrow–derived mesenchymal SC, (3) amniotic fluid–derived neural SC, and (4) enteric neural SC. Premature rat pups received an intraperitoneal injection of 2 × 106 SC or phosphate-buffered saline only and were then subjected to experimental NEC. Control pups were breastfed and not subjected to NEC. After 48 h, animals received a single enteral dose of fluorescein isothiocyanate -labeled dextran (FD70), were sacrificed 4 h later, and serum FD70 concentrations determined. Results Compared to breastfed, unstressed pups with intact gut barrier function and normal intestinal permeability (serum FD70 concentration 2.22 ± 0.271 μg/mL), untreated pups exposed to NEC had impaired barrier function with significantly increased permeability (18.6 ± 4.25 μg/mL, P = 0.047). Pups exposed to NEC but treated with SC had significantly reduced intestinal permeability: Amniotic fluid–derived mesenchymal SC (9.45 ± 1.36 μg/mL, P = 0.017), bone marrow–derived mesenchymal SC (6.73 ± 2.74 μg/mL, P = 0.049), amniotic fluid–derived neural SC (8.052 ± 1.31 μg/mL, P = 0.0496), and enteric neural SC (6.60 ± 1.46 μg/mL, P = 0.033). Conclusions SCs improve gut barrier function in experimental NEC. Although all four types of SC reduce permeability equivalently, SC derived from amniotic fluid may be preferable due to availability at delivery and ease of culture, potentially enhancing clinical translation.
Abstract WP182: Long Term Risk of Ischemic Stroke After Acute Coronary Syndrome

Background: Prior studies have shown an increased risk of ischemic stroke (IS) after myocardial infarction (MI), particularly in the first few days after the event. There is limited evidence, however, on the long-term risk and whether it is directly related to cardiac injury. We hypothesized that the risk of IS after acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is significantly higher when there is evidence of cardiac injury such as ST elevation MI (STEMI) or non-STEMI (NSTEMI) than when there is no evidence of cardiac injury such as Unstable Angina (UA). Methods: Administrative claims data were obtained from all emergency department encounters and hospitalizations at California’s nonfederal acute care hospitals between 2008 and 2011. Patients with STEMI, NSTEMI, and UA were identified using appropriate ICD-9 codes. Age and ICD-9 codes for sex, race-ethnicity, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, congestive heart failure, and atrial fibrillation were analyzed. The outcome was IS during 2 years follow-up. Unadjusted and adjusted Cox proportional hazards models were used to determine the association between ACS subtype and ischemic stroke risk. Results: We identified 74,962 ACS patients: 35.9% STEMI, 54.8% NSTEMI, and 9.3% UA. The mean age in years was 66.7 ± 14.4 and 61.5% females; 3.2% of patients had IS during the two year follow-up. When compared to UA, the long term risk of IS was higher in patients with STEMI (adjusted HR 2.07 95% CI 1.67-2.56) and NSTEMI (adjusted HR 1.87, 95% CI 1.51-2.30), even after adjusting for stroke risk factors at baseline and incident atrial fibrillation (Figure). Other stroke risk factors after ACS are shown in the Figure. Conclusion: Analysis from a large administrative dataset revealed that both NSTEMI and STEMI confer an increased risk of ischemic stroke, independent of risk factors, which may be related to cardiac injury. Studies exploring ischemic stroke mechanisms in cardiac patients are needed to improve and tailor stroke prevention strategies.
Surgical Management of Adult Acquired Buried Penis

Adult acquired buried penis is a morbid condition characterized by complete entrapment of the phallus as a result of morbid obesity, post-surgical cicatrix formation, or primary genital lymphedema. Hygienic voiding is not possible and urinary dribbling is frequent with accompanying inflammation, skin breakdown, and infection from the chronic moisture. The end result is penile skin fibrosis resulting in permanent functional loss. Herein, we describe the etiology of adult acquired buried penis, advances in its surgical management, and quality of life outcomes with treatment. Adult acquired buried penis is increasing in incidence as morbid obesity becomes more prevalent. Frequently comorbid conditions affect treatment including those affecting wound healing such a diabetes mellitus. Functional and cosmetic surgical outcomes are being published in greater volume in recent years leading to more refined treatment algorithms. Patient quality of life is greatly improved by definitive surgical management. Adult acquired buried penis is a morbid condition that is increasing in incidence as obesity becomes more commonplace. Surgical management often necessitates surgical lipectomy of the suprapubic fat pad, scrotoplasty, and penile split thickness skin graft. Substantial quality of life improvements have been consistently reported after surgical treatment.
β Cell GLP-1R Signaling Alters α Cell Proglucagon Processing after Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy in Mice.

Summary Bariatric surgery, such as vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG), causes high rates of type 2 diabetes remission and remarkable increases in postprandial glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) secretion. GLP-1 plays a critical role in islet function by potentiating glucose-stimulated insulin secretion; however, the mechanisms remain incompletely defined. Therefore, we applied a murine VSG model to an inducible β cell-specific GLP-1 receptor (GLP-1R) knockout mouse model to investigate the role of the β cell GLP-1R in islet function. Our data show that loss of β cell GLP-1R signaling decreases α cell GLP-1 expression after VSG. Furthermore, we find a β cell GLP-1R-dependent increase in α cell expression of the prohormone convertase required for the production of GLP-1 after VSG. Together, the findings herein reveal two concepts. First, our data support a paracrine role for α cell-derived GLP-1 in the metabolic benefits observed after VSG. Second, we have identified a role for the β cell GLP-1R as a regulator of α cell proglucagon processing.
Durability challenges and perspective in the development of PGM-free electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction

Summary Significant advancement in the development of highly active platinum group metal-free (PGM-free) electrocatalysts is giving rise to the possibility of a low-cost replacement for Pt electrocatalysts in polymer electrolyte fuel cells. However, before the successful implementation of PGM-free electrocatalysts, the challenge of long-term stability under fuel cell operating conditions needs to be addressed. In this opinion, the current status of PGM-free electrocatalyst performance and durability is reviewed. A perspective on the route for the study of degradation mechanisms in PGM-free electrocatalysts in both half-cell and membrane electrode assembly environments is presented. The analysis of proposed degradation mechanisms suggests classification into two relevant length scales: atomic scale and macro/mesoscale. Lastly, an overview of different characterization techniques (both experimental and theoretical) for studying different possible degradation mechanisms is outlined. Directly addressing the underlying mechanisms leading to loss of activity in PGM-free electrocatalysts will provide valuable insight necessary for the development of next-generation materials with improved durability capable of competing with Pt-based counterparts.
Neighborhood Structure, Community Social Organization, and Residential Mobility:

This article expands on classic models of residential mobility by investigating how neighborhood features influence mobility thoughts and actual mobility, with a particular focus on the role of nei...
Efficient palette-based decomposition and recoloring of images via RGBXY-space geometry

We introduce an extremely scalable and efficient yet simple palette-based image decomposition algorithm. Given an RGB image and set of palette colors, our algorithm decomposes the image into a set of additive mixing layers, each of which corresponds to a palette color applied with varying weight. Our approach is based on the geometry of images in RGBXY-space. This new geometric approach is orders of magnitude more efficient than previous work and requires no numerical optimization. We provide an implementation of the algorithm in 48 lines of Python code. We demonstrate a real-time layer decomposition tool in which users can interactively edit the palette to adjust the layers. After preprocessing, our algorithm can decompose 6 MP images into layers in 20 milliseconds.
The transmission of knowledge and garbage

Almost everyone will grant that knowledge is often transmitted through testimony. Indeed, to deny this would be to accept a broad-ranging skepticism. Here is a problem: Knowledge seems to be transmitted right along side lots of garbage. That is, besides transmitting genuine knowledge, we manage to transmit lots of beliefs that are irrational, superstitious, self-deceiving, and flat out false. So how is that possible? How is it that the very same channels manage to transmit both knowledge and garbage together? Call this “the garbage problem”. Part One of the paper explicates the problem in more detail and argues that the problem seems unsolvable by some familiar approaches to testimonial knowledge. Part Two presents and begins to defend a solution. The general idea is to treat the garbage problem as a generality problem.