cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Online maternity information seeking among lesbian, bisexual, and queer women

Abstract Objective recent research has concluded that barriers to maternity health care exist for lesbian, bisexual, and queer women. This mixed methods study aims to understand patterns in seeking and sharing online health information for LBQ women attempting conception. Design researchers performed a qualitative content analysis of 400 discussions in lesbian-oriented Facebook groups, containing 1764 total instances of text. 400 discussions from heterosexual-oriented conception and parenting Facebook groups were examined for comparison purposes, though they will not be the focus of this analysis. This paper also presents descriptive statistics on posts observed. Setting posts were drawn from a representative sample of lesbian-oriented conception, pregnancy, and parenting Facebook groups. Posts examined for comparison purposes were drawn from groups that appeared to primarily serve heterosexual women. Measurements and findings many participants in lesbian-oriented Facebook groups sought and provided medical information. Their queries focused on the insemination process, and frequently related to posters' specific situations, while heterosexual women tended to seek general advice about the conception and pregnancy process. The accuracy of the content of responses varied, and group members seemed to view the prevalence of contradictory information as positive evidence of diverse perspectives. Even when information was technically correct, posters did not always apply it properly to the question at hand. Key conclusions barriers to maternity care, or a lack of education and initiative among primary care providers, may drive lesbian, bisexual, and queer women to seek health information from peers on the Internet when trying to become pregnant. These exchanges may contribute to misinformation, which may negatively affect lesbian, bisexual, and queer women's fertility outcomes and overall health. Implications for practice clinicians should be conscious of online health information seeking as both a symptom of and cause of sexuality-based disparities.
Mutual coupling effects of skewed microstrip antennas

Effects of mutual coupling in arrays of printed strip dipoles and rectangular microstrip antenna, and the mutual impedance effects for two printed dipoles in broadside, collinear and echelon arrangement have been reported in the literature. In this paper, the authors consider the case of skewed microstrip antennas. This initial study is to help analyze a circular arrangement of N patches with arbitrary angle of separation, shape, and excitation to allow greater directional control of the radiation pattern. For this study, two identical rectangular patches are considered. The theoretical input impedance and mutual coupling are obtained through the method of moments. The patches are fabricated on RT Duroid substrates having relative permittivities of 2.2 and 2.33 and a substrate thickness of 0.0787 cm. The measured values for the return loss and insertion loss as a function of the skew angle at the X band are presented. The measurements are conducted using an HP8408A network analyzer controlled by an HP85 personal computer. A comparison of the theoretical and experimental results is presented.
TRANSCATHETER VERSUS SURGICAL AORTIC VALVE REPLACEMENT IN DIABETES MELLITUS: FROM THE NATIONWIDE INPATIENT SAMPLE

Background: We aimed to assess and compare the outcomes of TAVR versus SAVR in DM patients using the nationwide inpatient sample (NIS) database. Methods: We identified diabetic patients who underwent TAVR and SAVR in DM cohorts from the nationwide inpatient sample (NIS) database through 2011 to
Patterns in Vegetable Consumption: Implications for Tailored School Meal Interventions.

BACKGROUND Vegetable consumption is a challenging behavioral target; consumption rates are below recommended levels and when interventions produce improvements, increases in vegetable consumption are typically a fraction of the change in fruit consumption. We describe vegetable consumption within Ohio school meals and examine how fruit selection, the more popular item, impacts vegetable consumption. METHODS Fruit and vegetable waste was collected on 11,250 trays from 17 elementary and 16 middle/high schools, using the quarter-waste visualization method. RESULTS One in 4 students ate at least a one-fourth of a cup of vegetables with their school lunch. Consumption was the highest (30.8%) in elementary school buildings with a majority of regular priced meals. Fruit selection was associated with vegetable consumption (p < .001). Middle/high school students who consumed a fruit were 88% more likely to consume a vegetable as oppose to waste it (95% CI: 1.45-2.42). Fruit selection was also associated with not selecting a vegetable, but the association was of a lower magnitude (odds ratio 1.32; 95% CI: 1.06-1.64). Trends were similar in elementary schools. CONCLUSIONS Fruit and vegetable consumption should be approached as 2 distinct behaviors with particular attention given to vegetables. Fruit items can be leveraged, though, as a means to encourage vegetable selection.
Coastal Ecosystem Modeling in the Context of Climate Change: An Overview With Case Studies

Abstract Numerical simulation models play important roles in assessing the potential effects of climate change on coastal ecosystems and developing management strategies aimed at minimizing risks to sensitive habitats, species, and people living along the coasts. Numerical models also provide a quantitative framework to disentangle the synergistic influences of multiple factors and isolate the effects of individual stressors. This chapter provides a brief overview of numerical simulation models used to assess the potential effects of climate change on coastal ecosystems. Four selected case studies from diverse coastal ecosystems are presented, illustrating the power of modeling in addressing important environmental issues in the context of climate change.
GER and Complementary Medicine

Complementary and alternative medicine includes practices that are not an integral part of the conventional healthcare system but are used by therapists and patients to supplement their patient’s care. The use of complementary and alternative medicine is increasing worldwide for treatment of different acute and chronic diseases including gastroesophageal reflux disease. Even 40% of parents of pediatric gastroenterology patients are using some form of complementary and alternative therapy for their child. Complementary and alternative medicine is especially used in children in whom conventional treatment has failed. In addition, school absenteeism and the occurrence of adverse effects of medication are also important predictors of using these therapies. In this chapter, we will discuss traditional Chinese medicine (acupuncture), herbals and botanicals, and mind-body therapy including breathing exercises and massage therapy. Although interest in using complementary and alternative medicine use is increasing, there is a lack of randomized controlled trials investigating its efficacy and safety in children with gastroesophageal reflux disease. Therefore, well-designed studies in this vulnerable group of children are necessary in order to determine efficacy and safety of these different treatment modalities.
Maternal Knowledge and Use of Galactagogues in Andean Communities of Cusco, Peru

A commonly reported reason for early breastfeeding cessation is inadequate milk production. In response, women across the globe turn to galactagogues – substances used to increase the milk supply. Andean women have traditional knowledge about the medicinal and nutritional properties of plants and animals that are considered good to eat during breastfeeding. This research explores the maintenance and use of galactagogues, and specifically the use of the Andean flicker bird, within the wider framework of breastfeeding and nutrition policies in Peru. To elicit maternal knowledge and use of galactagogues, semi-structured and free-listing interviews were conducted with 33 mothers. Data analysis calculated the frequency and percentage of women reporting each type of galactagogue. In addition, thematic codes and relevant text passages were used in an iterative analytic process to document emerging themes. Identified galactagogues included five plants and six animals. Several galactagogues included protein-rich foods such as lamb meat and the Andean flicker bird. The use of protein-rich galactagogues as solid food is reinforced by public health messages. However, galactagogues in the research communities are usually consumed as soups or drinks, which are less rich in proteins than solid meals. The potential role of liquid galactagogues in the maintenance of appropriate hydration levels during breastfeeding in an environment where safe drinking water is scarce is a new contribution to the existing literature. The results are relevant to the design of maternal and child health policies that comply with intercultural health premises that value and respect the knowledge and practices of Andean Peoples.
Skin and Soft Tissue Ultrasound

Ultrasonography is routinely used for the evaluation of skin and soft tissue complaints. It is relatively easy to perform due to the superficial location of each structure allowing for high-frequency imaging, thereby producing high-resolution, detailed images. Commonly, ultrasound is used to evaluate for abscess, cellulitis, and foreign bodies within the skin and soft tissue. Recently, evidence demonstrates that ultrasound is becoming more useful and efficient in the diagnosis of necrotizing fasciitis, a life-threatening condition that requires timely recognition. This chapter will review basic skin and soft tissue anatomy, image acquisition, normal ultrasound anatomy, and interpretation of pathology.
Reasons for Vaping Among U.S. 12th Graders

Abstract Introduction Vaping has recently increased in popularity among adolescents. Little is known about heterogeneity of vapers, particularly in terms of why they vape. Identifying major subgroups of adolescent vapers by reasons for vaping is important to understand adolescent vaping behavior and to identify those most at risk for other substance use. Methods Monitoring Future data from 2015 and 2016 were used in a latent class analysis to identify subgroups of 12th graders based on their endorsement of 10 potential reasons for vaping. Multinomial regression with a latent class outcome was used to predict class membership. Results Three distinct classes of vapers were identified: adolescents who were (1) Vaping to Experiment (29.4%), (2) Vaping to Replace Cigarettes (7.3%), and (3) Vaping for Taste + Entertainment (63.4%). Vaping only flavors was associated with lower odds of membership and cigarette use was associated with higher odds of membership in the Vaping to Replace Cigarettes subgroup, and marijuana was associated with lower odds of membership in the Vaping to Experiment subgroup, compared with the Vaping for Taste + Entertainment subgroup. Conclusions This study identified multiple subgroups of vapers based on reasons for vaping. Whereas a small subgroup vaped for reasons related to cigarette use, most adolescent vapers reported vaping for reasons unrelated to cigarette use. There were considerable differences in primary reasons for vaping and risk for traditional cigarette and other substance use, suggesting different intervention strategies may be needed for different subgroups of vapers.
The Impact of a National Early Childhood Development Program on Future Schooling Attainment: Evidence from ICDS in India

A central argument for early childhood nutrition is that it improves health, educational, and economic outcomes in later life. Our understanding of the long-term relationship between nutrition and educational attainment in low- and middle-income countries is based on a few small-scale trials that may lack validity in contexts such as India, because the underlying socioeconomic and demographic conditions are different. In this study, we evaluate the effect of India’s Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), a national program of supplementary nutrition and other health services for children and new mothers, on future educational attainment. Using data from a large national household survey, we determine exposure to the program based on the year ICDS centers were established in villages or city wards. We employ household fixed-effect regression models to find that 15- to 54-year-old men and 15- to 49-year-old women who were fully exposed to an ICDS center during the first three years of life complete on average up to 0.65 additional grades of schooling than those with no exposure. If we also consider partial exposure to ICDS, the effect of the treatment is 0.52 extra grades of schooling . For ICDS centers that are known to provide supplementary nutrition, individuals in the above age groups with full exposure during the first three years of life complete 1.08 additional grades of schooling (0.93 extra years if we also consider partial exposure). Effect size varies by population subgroups, with women and members of Hindu and female-headed households gaining 1.19, 1.17, and 1.16 extra grades of schooling , respectively.
WSC 2067: What are the chances?

At the November 1967 “Conference on the Applications of Simulation Using GPSS” it seems unlikely that anyone was wondering if the conference would still be occupying a big hotel in 2017. Conferences persist for many reasons, but a technical conference like WSC has to remain relevant to users, vendors, researchers and consumers (not just hotels) to survive. If our kind of simulation vanished, then so (eventually) would WSC. What is required for simulation to “remain relevant” for the next 50 years? Without fear of having to answer for my crimes in 2067, I boldly speculate on what SHOULD matter for the next 10–20 years, if not the next 50, with a focus on our strength: dealing with uncertainty.
Measuring Use of Evidence-Based Psychotherapy for PTSD in VA Residential Treatment Settings with Clinician Survey and Electronic Medical Record Templates.

Objective Available studies on implementation of evidence-based psychotherapy (EBP) for patients attending Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) residential post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) programs rely on therapist self-report of EBP delivery. Patient-level data on receipt of EBP are needed both to corroborate therapist self-report and to understand patient factors that predict receipt of EBPs for PTSD. Materials and methods We identified 159 therapists from 38 VA residential PTSD programs who responded to a survey about EBP implementation during the 2015 fiscal year (FY15). Therapists self-reported their use of two EBPs, including prolonged exposure delivered in an individual format (PE-I) and cognitive processing therapy delivered in individual and group formats (CPT-I and CPT-G). Using electronic medical record (EMR) templates mandated for EBP documentation in FY15, we measured contemporaneous patient-level receipt of EBPs for PTSD. We assessed the degree of correlation between therapist self-reported EBP delivery and patient receipt of EBT as measured by EMR templates using polychoric correlation coefficients. We determined patient and therapist factors that predicted the receipt of EBPs with multivariable logistic regression, using random effects and robust standard error estimation, and controlling for site. The Veterans IRB of Northern New England provided a waiver of informed consent; as this was a retrospective review, no patients or therapists were contacted, and all data were stored, transmitted, and analyzed on secure VA servers. The VA Connecticut Health Care System Human Research Protection Program approved secondary use of therapist survey data for this project. Results When EMR template use became mandated in FY15, the proportion of patients in residential PTSD programs who received at least one EBP session that was recorded with an EMR template increased dramatically from 8.8% to 33.9%. There was adequate correlation and between survey-based and EMR-based measures of EBP receipt, with polychoric correlation values of 0.77 for PE-I, 0.69 for CPT-I, and 0.82 for CPT-G. Multiple patient factors were positive (e.g., female gender) and negative (e.g., depressive disorders) predictors of receipt of EBPs, even after controlling for site. Among therapist factors, only EBP consultant or trainer status was a positive predictor of EBP provision and only therapist race was a negative predictor of EBT provision after controlling for site. Conclusion Following a FY15 mandate, EMR templates documenting EBP delivery were widely used by therapists working in VA residential PTSD programs. EBP receipt measured using EMR templates was consistent with therapist self-report of EBT delivery. There were several patient-level predictors of EBP receipt and therapist-level predictors of EBP delivery. However, therapists most likely to deliver EBPs were clustered at a limited number of sites.
Intraoperative Psoas Compartment Block vs Preoperative Fascia Iliaca Block for Pain Control After Direct Anterior Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Abstract Background Modern joint arthroplasty protocols place an emphasis on minimizing patient-reported postoperative pain while minimizing opioid consumption. The use of multimodal pain management protocols has been reported to improve patient outcomes and satisfaction after total hip arthroplasty. Methods In a prospective, single-surgeon trial, 50 patients undergoing primary direct anterior approach total hip arthroplasty were randomized to receive a preoperative fascia iliaca compartment block (FICB) or an intraoperative surgeon-delivered psoas compartment block (PCB). Patient-reported pain was recorded in the postanesthesia care unit, recovery floor and 3 weeks postoperatively. Opioid use was recorded during the hospital stay. Results Average visual analog scale pain scores in the postanesthesia care unit were 38.7 ± 8.7 vs 35.6 ± 8.3 (P = .502) for the preoperative FICB and intraoperative PCB groups, respectively. No significant difference was found between groups at the 3-week visit for postoperative pain (FICB: 2.9 ± 1.4; PCB: 3.2 ± 2.0; P = .970) and patient-reported pain satisfaction (FICB: 8.8 ± 2.2; PCB: 9.7 ± 0.6; P = .110). Conclusion During the direct anterior approach for total hip arthroplasty, PCB is an effective and efficient regional anesthesia technique. It may be used to obtain satisfactory postoperative pain control and patient satisfaction while decreasing hospital resources.
RPM-SIM Simulator: A Comparison of Simulated Versus Recorded Data (Preprint)

This paper compares simulated versus recorded data for the RPM-SIM simulator, developed at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's National Wind Technology Center. The simulator was used to study the system dynamics of a wind/diesel hybrid power system. We also provide information on newly developed simulator modules that will be released. The simulator performed extremely well, demonstrating flexibility in making modifications and including specialized modules required for problem solving. We also outline several possible applications for this tool.
The Ontological Status of Representations

The goal of this paper is to argue that the ontological status of representations can only be evaluated within a theory. In other words, what counts as representation, or whether a certain representation is better than another one, depends solely on the (level of) description of the phenomenon under scrutiny. It is shown how “representation”, being a semantic notion, can be defined in terms of the notion “meaning”. For cognitive science, in particular, it follows that representations, functioning as mere descriptive devices to facilitate one’s goal of explaining and modeling brain/thought processes, cannot in and by themselves give rise to ontological or epistemological claims.
Improved decision-making in game trees: recovering from pathology

In this paper we address the problem of making correct decisions in the context of game-playing. Specifically, we address the problem of reducing or eliminating pathology in game trees. However, the framework used in the paper applies to decision making that depends on evaluating complex Boolean expressions. The main contribution of this paper is in casting general evaluation of game trees as belief propagation in causal trees. This allows us to draw several theoretically and practically interesting corollaries. • In the Bayesian framework we typically do not want to ignore any evidence, even if it may be inaccurate. Therefore, we evaluate the game tree on several levels rather than just the deepest one. • Choosing the correct move in a game can be implemented in a straightforward fashion by an efficient linear-time algorithm adapted from the procedure for belief propagation in causal trees. • We propose a probabilistic ally sound heuristic that allows us to reduce the effects of pathology significantly.
Humanity, ethnicity, nationality: Conceptual and comparative perspectives on the U.S.S.R.

5/12/90 Although it was almost 11 pm, we could make out the features of a diminutive figure from the upstairs window of the Praga Restaurant. The May light in Moscow is memorable to a first-time visitor. Not only does the evening refuse to blacken, but it has a bleak translucence that plays a peculiar trick on the eyes: it appears actually to sharpen vision, to lengthen its focus. As she moved slowly, agonistically it seemed to me, from Kallinnprospekt toward the Arbat, the young woman in the street below shifted a baby, swathed in newspaper, from her left side to her right. She was obviously very young, her bowed body notwithstanding. Although I was in a party of a dozen or so people, only one other, a Russian apprentice-ethnographer, saw her as I did. Our eyes crossed. So did our voices: "She is terribly poor," I heard myself murmuring, in a fit of banality. "And the child... ?" The scene reminded me passingly of a hollow, Hollywood script, ca. 1910: the over-dressed, over-fed wealthy gaze down from their lush interior world onto the immiserated people of the snowbound streets as they make their way through their chill lives. But this was not a celluloid romance. It was all too real, it was 1990, and it was not snowing: "She's Uzbek," noted he, "they are very backward and poor." And then, over my silence: "They breed a lot. It's their nature."
Efficacy of a Media Literacy Intervention for Indoor Tanning Prevention.

Indoor tanning leads to melanoma, the fifth most common cancer in the USA. The highest rate of indoor tanning is among young women whose exposure to tanned images in the media is linked to protanning attitudes. This study evaluated the efficacy of a media literacy intervention for reducing young women's indoor tanning. Intervention participants analyzed the content and functions of the media influencing protanning attitudes and produced counter-messages to help themselves and peers resist harmful media effects. The message production was of two types: digital argument production or digital story production. The control group received assessments only. This three-group randomized design involved 26 sorority chapters and 247 members in five Midwestern states where indoor tanning is prevalent. At 2- and 6-month follow-up assessments, those in the two intervention conditions were less likely to be indoor tanners (p = .033) and reported lower indoor tanning intentions (p = .002) compared to those in the control condition. No difference between the two intervention groups was found for behavior. Although the argument group exhibited slightly weaker indoor tanning intentions than the story group, the difference was not significant. The results provide the first evidence of the efficacy of a media literacy intervention for indoor tanning reduction. Implications for participative engagement interventions are discussed.
A New Pediatric AKI Definition: Implications of Trying to Build the Perfect Mousetrap

“If you look for perfection, you’ll never be content.” Leo Tolstoy Researchers have made the epidemiology of AKI and its outcomes in hospitalized patients an area of intense focus over the past two decades. Standardization and subsequent calibration of AKI diagnostic and severity criteria
Parity-Time-Symmetric Optics, Extraordinary Momentum and Spin in Evanescent Waves, and the Quantum Spin Hall Effect of Light

This talk provides a brief and pedagogical overview to parity-time-symmetric optics, extraordinary momentum and spin in evanescent waves, and the quantum spin Hall effect of light.
Implementing programs for young hearing impaired children.

This article delineates the special education laws and timetable of events in Minnesota which led to public school acceptance of responsibility for the education of hearing impaired infants in 1968. It describes an individually prescriptive regional public school program for 51 hearing impaired children from birth to 3 years of age and their parents located in Minneapolis, the host district. The components of service include tuition free placement in regular nursery schools and a parent teaching program. The author also identifies some critical variables in parent and child behavior and solicits future research based upon a sample of the hearing impaired population being educated in integrated nursery schools, kindergartens, and elementary classes for validation of a program of early oral and aural intervention which emphasizes parent teaching and home training.
Triage Performance in Emergency Medicine: A Systematic Review.

Study objective Rapid growth in emergency department (ED) triage literature has been accompanied by diversity in study design, methodology, and outcome assessment. We aim to synthesize existing ED triage literature by using a framework that enables performance comparisons and benchmarking across triage systems, with respect to clinical outcomes and reliability. Methods PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and Web of Science were systematically searched for studies of adult ED triage systems through 2016. Studies evaluating triage systems with evidence of widespread adoption (Australian Triage Scale, Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale, Emergency Severity Index, Manchester Triage Scale, and South African Triage Scale) were cataloged and compared for performance in identifying patients at risk for mortality, critical illness and hospitalization, and interrater reliability. This study was performed and reported in adherence to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines. Results A total of 6,160 publications were identified, with 182 meeting eligibility criteria and 50 with sufficient data for inclusion in comparative analysis. The Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale (32 studies), Emergency Severity Index (43), and Manchester Triage Scale (38) were the most frequently studied triage scales, and all demonstrated similar performance. Most studies (6 of 8) reported high sensitivity (>90%) of triage scales for identifying patients with ED mortality as high acuity at triage. However, sensitivity was low ( Conclusion We found that a substantial proportion of ED patients who die postencounter or are critically ill are not designated as high acuity at triage. Opportunity to improve interrater reliability and triage performance in identifying patients at risk of adverse outcome exists.
Impact of recent clinical trials on the use of chemotherapy for resectable non-small cell lung cancer in the United States.

6619 Background: Multiple clinical trials have demonstrated chemotherapy combined with surgery improves survival in many patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Per NCCN Guidelines, for s...
Surface acoustic waves enable rotational manipulation of Caenorhabditis elegans

Controllable, precise, and stable rotational manipulation of model organisms is valuable in many biomedical, bioengineering, and biophysics applications. We present an acoustofluidic chip capable of rotating Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) in both static and continuous flow in a controllable manner. Rotational manipulation was achieved by exposing C. elegans to a surface acoustic wave (SAW) field that generated a vortex distribution inside a microchannel. By selectively activating interdigital transducers, we achieved bidirectional rotation of C. elegans, namely counterclockwise and clockwise, with on-demand switching of rotation direction in a single chip. In addition to continuous rotation, we also rotated C. elegans in a step-wise fashion with a step angle as small as 4° by pulsing the signal duration of SAW from a continuous signal to a pulsed signal down to 1.5 ms. Using this device, we have clearly imaged the dopaminergic neurons of C. elegans with pdat-1:GFP expression, as well as the vulval muscles and muscle fibers of the worm with myo-3::GFP fusion protein expression in different orientations and three dimensions. These achievements are difficult to realize through conventional (i.e., non-confocal) microscopy. The SAW manipulations did not detectably affect the health of the model organisms. With its precision, controllability, and simplicity in fabrication and operation, our acoustofluidic devices will be well-suited for model organism studies.
Prevalence of antibodies to lung self-antigens (Kα1 tubulin and collagen V) and donor specific antibodies to HLA in lung transplant recipients and implications for lung transplant outcomes: Single center experience.

Abstract Purpose For patients with end stage lung disease, lung transplantation (LT) remains the only definitive treatment option. Long term survival post LT is limited by acute and chronic allograft dysfunction. Antibodies to lung self-antigens Kα1Tubulin and collagen V (autoantibodies) have been implicated in adverse outcomes post LT. The aim of our study was to determine the prevalence of autoantibodies in pre- and post-transplant sera, evaluate the impact on post-transplant outcomes. Methods In a prospective observational cohort analysis, 44 patients were enrolled who received LT between 09/01/2014 and 10/31/2015. Pre- and post-transplant sera were analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the presence of antibodies to collagen I, collagen V, and K-alpha 1 tubulin. The outcome variables are presence of primary graft dysfunction (PGD), cumulative acute cellular rejection (ACR), treatment with pulse steroids for clinical rejection, association with DSA, and onset of Bronchiolitis Obliterans Syndrome (BOS). Results In our cohort, 33 patients (75%) tested positive for the presence of autoantibodies. Pre-transplant autoantibodies were present in 23 patients (70%). Only a small percentage (26%) cleared these antibodies with standard immunosuppression. Some developed de novo post-transplant (n = 10). PGD was observed in 34% of our cohort, however the presence of autoantibodies did not correlate with increase in the incidence or severity of PGD. The prevalence of donor specific antibodies (DSA) in the entire cohort was 73%, with an increased prevalence of DSA noted in the autoantibody positive group (78.7% vs. 54.5%) than in the autoantibody negative group. BOS was observed in 20% of the cohort, with a median time to onset of 291 days' post-transplant. Patients with pre-transplant autoantibodies had a statistically significant decrease in BOS-free survival (p = 0.029 by log-rank test). Conclusions In our cohort, we observed a high prevalence of autoantibodies and DSA in lung transplant recipients. Pre-transplant autoantibodies were associated with de novo development of DSA along with a decrease in BOS-free survival. Limitations to our study include the small sample size and single center enrollment, along with limited time for follow-up.
Antifolate agents: a patent review (2010 - 2013).

Introduction: The folate biosynthetic pathway, responsible for the de novo synthesis of thymidine and other key cellular components, is essential in all life forms and is especially critical in rap...
Unlabeled Competitor Antibody to Reduce Nonlinear Signal Spillover in Mass Cytometry

Mass cytometry (MCM; CyTOF) utilizes isotopically purified metal-tagged antibodies for single-cell analysis and can analyze more than 40 parameters simultaneously with minimum signal spillover to other mass channels as compared to fluorescent flow cytometry. In spite of this improvement, various factors such as metal oxidation, abundance sensitivity related spillover, and metal impurities can cause measurable amounts of spillover in MCM that can potentially lead to misinterpretation of data. Linear spillover can be corrected by applying compensation; however, we demonstrate that at high signal intensities, MCM channel spillovers are frequently nonlinear. This report describes a simple method to correct for nonlinear signal spillover (due to abundance sensitivity, isotopic contamination, or oxide formation) that can occur at high signal intensity through the use of unlabeled competitor antibodies to the specific metal-tagged antibodies causing spillover. This method significantly decreased high signal intensity and nonlinear spillover to other mass channels while maintaining saturating antibody concentrations, thereby facilitating accurate staining and compensation. In contrast, the common method of using under-titrated antibodies to overcome spillover lead to staining intensity that varied with cell numbers and antigen abundance. We demonstrate that this technique reduces total signal without significantly altering immunophenotypic or functional measurement of relative antigen levels and could be used to enable improved linear compensation of signal spillovers from high abundance antigens. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Mass cytometry is becoming a well-established technology for comprehensive analysis of complex biological samples, due to its ability to enable measurement of more than 40 simultaneous parameters. Due to the use of isotopically pure metal-tagged antibodies, measurement channel spillover in mass cytometry is drastically lower than in fluorescent cytometry but can still occur due to metal oxidation, isotopic impurities, or abundance sensitivity when mass signals have high intensity. We show in this report that high abundance antigens with high signal intensity exhibit non-linear mass channel spillovers that cannot be easily compensated. We also demonstrate a simple method for the use of unlabeled competitor antibody to decrease antigen signal intensity while maintaining antigen abundance to allow for more accurate linear compensation. This method performs more consistently than the commonly used approach of using under-titrated antibodies. We believe that this report has immediate practical utility for researchers using mass cytometry and can be broadly utilized to enable compensation of mass cytometry data when needed. We thus feel that this article merits publication as a Brief Report in Cytometry Part A. © 2019 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry.
Troodon: A machine-learning based load-balancing application scheduler for CPU–GPU system

Abstract Heterogeneous computing machines consisting of a CPU and one or more GPUs are increasingly being used today because of their higher performance-cost ratio and lower energy consumption. To program such heterogeneous systems, OpenCL has become an industry standard due to the portability across various computing architectures. To exploit the computing capabilities of heterogeneous systems, application developers are porting their cluster and Cloud applications using OpenCL. With the increasing number of such applications, the use of shared accelerating computing devices (such as CPUs and GPUs) should be managed using an efficient load-balancing scheduling heuristic capable of reducing execution time, increasing throughput with high device utilization. Mostly, the OpenCL applications are suited (execute faster) on a specific computing device (CPU or GPU) and with varying data-sizes the speedup obtained by an application on the suitable device varies too. Applications’ mapping to computing devices without considering device suitability and obtainable speedup on a suitable device leads to sub-optimal execution time, lower throughput and load imbalance. Therefore, an application scheduler should consider both the device-suitability and speedup variation for scheduling decisions leading to a reduction in execution time and an increase in throughput. In this paper, we present a novel load-balancing scheduling heuristic named as Troodon that considers machine-learning based device-suitability model that classify OpenCL applications into either CPU suitable or GPU suitable. Moreover, a speedup predictor that predicts the amount of speedup that jobs will obtain when executed on a suitable device is also part of the Troodon. Troodon incorporates the E-OSched scheduling mechanism to map jobs on CPU and GPUs in a load balanced way. This results in reduced applications execution time, increased system throughput, and improved device utilization. We evaluate the proposed scheduler using a large number of data-parallel applications and compared with several other state-of-the-art scheduling heuristics. The experimental evaluation has demonstrated that the proposed scheduler outperformed the existing heuristics and reduced the application execution time up to 38% with increased system throughput and device utilization.
The Epidemiology of Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is an infectious agent that is distributed worldwide and which is perpetuated among humans in a large reservoir of chronic carriers. On a global scale, there are approximately 200 million carriers of HBV, i.e. 5% of the earth’s population are infected. The prevalence of infection with this virus, however, is not uniform throughout the world. Instead, there is a geographic gradient in the distribution of HBV, lowest in North America and western Europe, where the virus can be detected in 0.1 to 0.5% of the population, and highest in Southeast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, where the frequency of current infection may approach 5 to 20% of the population. This skewed distribution parallels that of hepatocellular carcinoma and provides strong epidemiologic evidence for an association between chronic HBV infection and this type of malignancy. If all these carriers were ill and temporarily or permanently disabled, the opportunities for spread to others in the community would be few. Unfortunately, a substantial proportion of infected persons are asymptomatic and, via routine interactions with others, serve as insidious, unrecognized sources for the dissemination of infection. Because those areas of the world with the highest prevalences of infection tend also to be the poorest, prospects for prevention with expensive prophylactic interventions are limited. Moreover, because of increasing travel, primarily by emigration, by persons from high-risk areas to countries with low prevalences of infection (and immunity), the potential exists for introduction of new foci of infection into low-risk areas.
Improving Student Behavior in Middle Schools: Results of a Classroom Management Intervention:

Transitioning from elementary to middle school is a time of particular vulnerability for students with behavior problems. This study examined the effects of class-wide function-related intervention...
Acquaintance Type 2: Connectors

Connectors are those who link others in a social network. In this case, both parties in a relationship can adopt the connector type, or one party may adopt the connector type while the other may adopt the associate type. There are two subtypes for this type. Professional connectors are those who can make the right introductions for professional reasons (i.e., business deals, employment opportunities), and personal connectors are those who can make the right introductions for personal reasons (e.g., to find a potential spouse, doctor, lawyer, handyman).
Decacarbon­yl(μ-ethyl­idenimino-1κN:2κC)-μ-hydrido-triangulo-triosmium(3 Os–Os)

The title complex, [Os3(C2H4N)H(CO)10] or [Os3(CO)10(μ-H)(μ-HN=C—CH3-1κN:2κC)], was synthesized in 41.6% yield by reactions between Os3(CO)11(CH3CN) and 2,4,6-tri­methyl­hexa­hydro-1,3,5-triazine. The central osmium triangle has two OsI atoms bridged by a hydride ligand and a μ-HN= C—CH3-1κN:2κC triazine fragment. Three CO ligands complete the coordination sphere around each OsI atom, while the remaining Os0 atom has four CO ligands. Each Os atom exhibits a pseudo-octa­hedral coordination environment, discounting the bridging Os—Os bond.
Factors affecting the leaching mechanism of Mg bearing oxide impurities in Hydrogen Assisted Magnesiothermic Reduction (HAMR) of TiO2

Abstract Titanium production by a direct TiO2 reduction route which is highly energy-efficient and environment-friendly compared to commercial Kroll's process, known as HAMR (Hydrogen Assisted Magnesiothermic Reduction) process has been developed in recent times to meet the growing global demands of low-cost pure Ti. Removal of the Mg compounds after each reduction and de-oxygenation step in the HAMR process by leaching, is essential to ensure good purity and mechanical properties of the final Ti powder. In this study, we investigate the effects of temperature, particle size, and pH on the dissolution kinetics of Mg from Mg-bearing compounds such as MgO and MgCl2 that remain after the HAMR Process. We also report the underlying mechanism and rate-controlling steps of Mg removal using HCl in connection with the HAMR process. The dissolution kinetics followed a logarithmic rate kinetic model for diffusion through a porous medium that is commonly used for battery research. Kinetics of leaching were significantly improved using finer particles with 99.96 wt.% Mg removal and corresponding Ti loss of only 1.8 wt. %. The rate of dissolution exhibited a weak dependence with the pH and did not abide by the rate-controlling steps of dissolution of ionic oxides like MgO proposed by previous kinetic models.
Nitrogen Source Governs Community Carbon Metabolism in a Model Hypersaline Benthic Phototrophic Biofilm.

ABSTRACT Increasing anthropogenic inputs of fixed nitrogen are leading to greater eutrophication of aquatic environments, but it is unclear how this impacts the flux and fate of carbon in lacustrine and riverine systems. Here, we present evidence that the form of nitrogen governs the partitioning of carbon among members in a genome-sequenced, model phototrophic biofilm of 20 members. Consumption of NO3− as the sole nitrogen source unexpectedly resulted in more rapid transfer of carbon to heterotrophs than when NH4+ was also provided, suggesting alterations in the form of carbon exchanged. The form of nitrogen dramatically impacted net community nitrogen, but not carbon, uptake rates. Furthermore, this alteration in nitrogen form caused very large but focused alterations to community structure, strongly impacting the abundance of only two species within the biofilm and modestly impacting a third member species. Our data suggest that nitrogen metabolism may coordinate coupled carbon-nitrogen biogeochemical cycling in benthic biofilms and, potentially, in phototroph-heterotroph consortia more broadly. It further indicates that the form of nitrogen inputs may significantly impact the contribution of these communities to carbon partitioning across the terrestrial-aquatic interface. IMPORTANCE Anthropogenic inputs of nitrogen into aquatic ecosystems, and especially those of agricultural origin, involve a mix of chemical species. Although it is well-known in general that nitrogen eutrophication markedly influences the metabolism of aquatic phototrophic communities, relatively little is known regarding whether the specific chemical form of nitrogen inputs matter. Our data suggest that the nitrogen form alters the rate of nitrogen uptake significantly, whereas corresponding alterations in carbon uptake were minor. However, differences imposed by uptake of divergent nitrogen forms may result in alterations among phototroph-heterotroph interactions that rewire community metabolism. Furthermore, our data hint that availability of other nutrients (i.e., iron) might mediate the linkage between carbon and nitrogen cycling in these communities. Taken together, our data suggest that different nitrogen forms should be examined for divergent impacts on phototrophic communities in fluvial systems and that these anthropogenic nitrogen inputs may significantly differ in their ultimate biogeochemical impacts.
Capsule Commentary on Tartaglia et al., Medical Student Perceptions of Cost-Conscious Care in an Internal Medicine Clerkship: A Thematic Analysis

This analysis by Tartaglia et al. [1] qualitatively examined medical student reflections on cost-conscious care as part of an integrated high-value care curriculum during the third-year internal medicine clerkship at the Ohio State University College of Medicine. The curriculum consisted of an online high-value care educational module and a reflective exercise in which students were asked to describe a case from their clerkship that lacked “attention to high-value care,” identify a solution, and discuss potential barriers to the success of the solution. Following student completion of the exercise at a 72 % participation rate, responses were coded and analyzed for themes. The most commonly identified contributors to low-value care included unnecessary or duplicative tests and treatments. Proposed solutions focused on processes such as discussion with the team and on interventions such as more appropriate lab testing. Barriers included time/effort, ingrained practices, and defensive medicine. The majority of respondents reported that an attending physician addressed cost versus benefit with the team.
Asset Reallocation in Markets with Intermediaries Under Selling Pressure

We study a search model of investors’ asset trading, intermediated by financial institutions that are at risk of selling under pressure. The pressure can lead to the development of a secondary market, where intermediaries bail each other out. Counterintuitively, an increase in competing intermediaries can lead to an increase of each intermediary’s value: the enhanced benefits of secondary trades can be so large as to dominate the reduction in value from narrower buy-sell spreads due to more intense competition. The market exhibits search externality; suppressing investors’ direct trading can improve welfare. We provide a calibration to the corporate acquisition market.
Consumers’ Perceptions of Blame in the Firestone Tire Recall

A survey using a convenience sample examined the relationships among blame placed on Firestone, Ford and the drivers in accidents involving Firestone tires. The amount of blame placed on one entity was unrelated to perceptions of others’ blameworthiness. Blaming Ford for the accidents predicted consumers’ desire to fine Ford, but not for more industry regulation.
Gastric neoplasia

This review summarizes the significant recent advances in our understanding of the clinical, epidemiologic, and pathologic aspects of gastric adenocarcinoma, gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs), and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma. Most of the advances in distal gastric adenocarcinoma are in its etiology and pathogenesis. The modulation of the inflammatory response to Helicobacter pylori organisms has been determined to be at the center of the precancerous process. These advances in the understanding of the pathogenesis of H. pylori-related carcinogenesis are relevant to the design of prevention strategies in high-risk populations. New markers of GISTs have focused on the cell of origin and have made possible the development and monitoring of new drugs that are effective even in metastatic tumors. MALT lymphomas have been causally associated with H. pylori infection. Molecular markers are useful to distinguish tumors that respond to H. pylori eradication from those requiring classic chemotherapy.