cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analysis of pathogenic distribution and drug resistance in 156 neonates with purulent meningitis

Objective To analyse the pathogenic distribution and drug resistance in 156 hospitalized neonates with purulent meningitis from January,2000 to December,2005,so as to provide the basis for the rational application of antimicrobial agents in clinic.Methods Cerebral spinal fluid specimen was inoculated on blood agar and high osmolar agar culture medium,bacteria were identified by an automated API system;antimicrobial susceptibility tests were performed by Kirby-Bauer method,extended spectrum β-lactamases(ESBLs) were detected by double-disk diffusion method.Results One hundred and fifty-six strains of aerobic bacteria were isolated,42(26.92%) of which were gram-negative bacilli,the main gram-negative bacilli were Escherichia coli(11 strains,26.19%),Acinetobacter spp.(5 strains,11.91%),Klebsiella pneumoniae(4 strains,9.52%),Proteus(4 strains,9.52%),12(28.57%) strains produced ESBLs;103(66.03%) of the 156 strains were gram-positive cocci,Staphylococcus epidermidis(56 strains,54.37%),Staphylococcus haemolyticus(7 strains,6.80%) were the main gram-positive cocci;11(7.05%) were the other bacteria.The isolation rate of gram-negative bacilli during 2003~2005 was 35.14%,which was higher than 19.51% during 2000-2002(χ2=4.83,P0.05).Gram-negative bacilli were sensitive to imipem,ceftriaxone and cefoperazone;and the gram-positive cocci were sensitive to cefotaxime,cefoperazone and ceftriaxone.Conclusion The main pathogens of neonatal purulent meningitis are Staphylococcus epidermidis,Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus haemolyticus,the isolation rate of gram-negative bacilli are in rising trend year by year,antimicrobial agents should be selected rationally based on the results of the antimicrobial susceptibility test result.
Sir2/Sirt1 Links Acute Inebriation to Presynaptic Changes and the Development of Alcohol Tolerance, Preference, and Reward.

Acute ethanol inebriation causes neuroadaptive changes in behavior that favor increased intake. Ethanol-induced alterations in gene expression, through epigenetic and other means, are likely to change cellular and neural circuit function. Ethanol markedly changes histone acetylation, and the sirtuin Sir2/SIRT1 that deacetylates histones and transcription factors is essential for the rewarding effects of long-term drug use. The molecular transformations leading from short-term to long-term ethanol responses mostly remain to be discovered. We find that Sir2 in the mushroom bodies of the fruit fly Drosophila promotes short-term ethanol-induced behavioral plasticity by allowing changes in the expression of presynaptic molecules. Acute inebriation strongly reduces Sir2 levels and increases histone H3 acetylation in the brain. Flies lacking Sir2 globally, in the adult nervous system, or specifically in the mushroom body α/β-lobes show reduced ethanol sensitivity and tolerance. Sir2-dependent ethanol reward is also localized to the mushroom bodies, and Sir2 mutants prefer ethanol even without a priming ethanol pre-exposure. Transcriptomic analysis reveals that specific presynaptic molecules, including the synaptic vesicle pool regulator Synapsin, depend on Sir2 to be regulated by ethanol. Synapsin is required for ethanol sensitivity and tolerance. We propose that the regulation of Sir2/SIRT1 by acute inebriation forms part of a transcriptional program in mushroom body neurons to alter presynaptic properties and neural responses to favor the development of ethanol tolerance, preference, and reward. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT We identify a mechanism by which acute ethanol inebriation leads to changes in nervous system function that may be an important basis for increasing ethanol intake and addiction liability. The findings are significant because they identify ethanol-driven transcriptional events that target presynaptic properties and direct behavioral plasticity. They also demonstrate that multiple forms of ethanol behavioral plasticity that are relevant to alcoholism are initiated by a shared mechanism. Finally, they link these events to the Drosophila brain region that associates context with innate approach and avoidance responses to code for reward and other higher-order behavior, similar in aspects to the role of the vertebrate mesolimbic system.
Using sectioning to construct confidence intervals for quantiles when applying antithetic variates

We use sectioning to construct a confidence interval (CI) for a quantile when applying antithetic variates, which is a well-known variance-reduction technique. Closely related to batching, sectioning starts with the batching CI and replaces the batching quantile estimator with the overall quantile estimator throughout. Since the overall quantile estimator often has smaller bias than the batching quantile estimator, the sectioning CI is centered at a better point estimator, and this should lead to sectioning CIs having better coverage than batching CIs.
Serum and retinal responses to three different doses of macular carotenoids over 12 weeks of supplementation

Abstract The macular carotenoids lutein (L), zeaxanthin (Z), and mesozeaxanthin (MZ) have been shown to have neuroprotective and visual performance benefits once deposited in retinal tissues. The purpose of this 12-week trial was to determine biweekly the absorption kinetics, efficiency of retinal deposition, and effects on the spatial profile of macular pigment for three levels of L + Z + MZ supplement. This study was a double-blind, placebo-controlled 12-week trial. Twenty-eight healthy subjects, aged 18–25 yrs participated. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of four daily supplementation groups: placebo (safflower oil; n = 5), 7.44 mg total macular carotenoid (n = 7), 13.13 mg total macular carotenoid (n = 8), and 27.03 (n = 8) mg total macular carotenoid. Ratios of the three carotenoids were virtually identical for the three levels of supplement (83% L, 10% Z, 7% MZ). At baseline and every two weeks thereafter over the 12-week study period, a fasting blood draw was conducted and, via heterochromatic flicker photometry, spatial profiles of macular pigment optical density (MPOD) were determined. Compared to placebo, serum concentrations of both L and total Z, for each of the supplement levels, were found to increase significantly from baseline after two weeks of daily ingestion (p Although L serum responses increased with dose, the slope of increase was shallower than for Z. Given the higher levels of L in the supplements, this is suggestive of a compressed response with relatively high doses of L. Although all three doses significantly augmented MPOD, the 13.13 mg/day L + Z supplement level was the most efficient in doing so. The data regarding efficiency may inform recommendations regarding macular carotenoid supplementation for age-related macular degeneration. Lastly (although not statistically significant), the shift toward a more pronounced central peak in the spatial profile of MPOD in all treatment groups suggests that central retinal deposition of Z and MZ was efficient and can be seen after a short period of supplementation, especially with higher (e.g. 27.03 mg) daily doses of macular carotenoids. ISRCTN trial registration number: ISRCTN54990825.
High Performance Bi-Metallic Manganese Cobalt Oxide/Carbon Nanotube Li-ion Battery Anodes

Abstract Metal oxide compounds are a promising category of materials for the Li-ion battery anode due to their high theoretical capacity and natural abundance, although acceptable capacity retention and cycle life has not yet been achieved. In this work, we significantly improve the cycle life of manganese oxide through simultaneous cobalt doping and impregnation with a low 10% mass loading of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The MnO/CNT anode was able to retain its capacity of ca. 550 mAh/g over 300 cycles at 400 mA/g. To the best of our knowledge, this is among the best cycle life data reported for any MnO/CNT based anode. The composite also shows excellent rate capability, still supplying 400 mAh/g at a current rate of 1600 mA/g.
On the Site-Decomposition of Magnetocrystalline Anisotropy Energy Using Ome-Electron Eigenstates

We discuss two di erent schemes for decomposing the magnetocrystalline anisotropy energy into atomic site-speci c contributions, and show that one of these, which uses projected single-particle states, is inherently ill-de ned in practical applications. We therefore argue that the other decomposition scheme, involving ground state matrix elements of the spin-orbit operator, is preferable for the numerical prediction of one-site contributions to the anisotropy.
A high power-density three-phase inverter adopting the double-end sourced power module layout

This paper proposes a double-end sourced layout for wire-bonded multi-chip paralleled silicon carbide power modules. The simulation results demonstrate suppressed voltage-overshoot and improved current-sharing with the proposed layout, as well as reduced total switching losses and a more even loss-distribution among paralleling devices. Power modules were fabricated in the lab, a double-pulse test and continuous power test were conducted, whose outcomes verified the simulation results. Furthermore, this paper investigates and compares the thermal management on the proposed layout and the conventional baseline layout. It proves that the proposed structure has a smaller footprint on the heatsink under the same thermal requirements. Finally, a high power-density three-phase inverter that adopts the proposed structure was designed and tested.
Adsorption and decomposition of H2S on UO2(0 0 1)

Abstract The adsorption and decomposition of H2S on UO2(0 0 1) are studied using ultrahigh vacuum methods, including X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), low energy ion scattering (LEIS), electron stimulated desorption (ESD), and temperature programmed desorption (TPD), over the temperature range 100–800 K. Our work is motivated by the large stockpiles of depleted uranium in the US, and the interest in possible uses of UO2 in catalytic applications, e.g., hydrodesulfurization processes to remove impurity sulfur from petroleum. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is adsorbed molecularly at 100 K on the surface, and a desorption peak for molecular H2S is observed at ∼130 K in TPD, corresponding to a binding energy of ∼0.3 eV. Adsorption properties as a function of H2S exposure are measured at different temperatures using XPS; the S2p intensity and lineshapes demonstrate that the saturation coverage of S-containing species is ∼1 monolayer (ML) at 100 K, and decreases with increasing temperature to ∼0.2 ML of dissociation fragments at 300 K. Moreover, LEIS and XPS show that a small amount of S remains chemically bonded to the UO2 surface after TPD measurements. We use complementary ESD techniques to measure the adsorption rates of H2S at different coverages and temperatures, for comparison with the XPS data. We suggest that oxygen vacancies are of importance in the adsorption of S-containing molecules, as proposed recently by several groups for the S/TiO2 system.
Quality-of-life measures improved in a mild hypertension study

Source Citation Grimm RH Jr, Grandits GA, Cutler JA, et al., for the TOMHS Research Group. Relationships of quality-of-life measures to long-term lifestyle and drug treatment in the Treatment of Mi...
Sex Differences in the Effects and Actions of Cocaine

The use of cocaine among women has steadily increased in the last decade, despite overall cocaine use decreasing. Women progress through the landmark stages from initial use to dependence at a faster rate than men do. Females escalate more rapidly to addiction, have greater motivation to obtain and/or use drugs of abuse, and have a greater risk of relapsing following abstinence. Importantly, rats exhibit the same sex differences, demonstrating that fundamental biological processes contribute to sex differences in cocaine addiction. This chapter will attempt to parse out the underlying sex differences in the mechanisms mediating the behavioral effects of cocaine, the role that estradiol plays in the molecular, systemic, and behavioral effects of cocaine, and how this impacts addiction.
Security Control in Glass Manufacturing

ABSTRACT Security control is the application of control systems technology to the prevention of system failures and to the minimization of losses during and after a system emergency. The control of security for an industrial system demands an understanding of the causes and effects of disruptive structural disturbances, called contingencies. To reduce the effect of these disturbances one can implement contingency control, contingency prevention and contingency planning. Of particular interest are the actions required prior to a system emergency, because here it is possible to exercise contingency control, that is, to alter the security of the system to make it less susceptible to certain contingencies. Contingency control has been formulated as a constrained optimization problem in which the imposition (relaxation) of security constraints increases (decreases) the security of the system. This paper discusses some of the contingencies and their control that are applicable to the glass manufacturing system, including the problem of viscosity and flow control in the downcomer preceding the glass feeding machine, in detail.
AMPA receptor translocation and phosphorylation are induced by transcranial direct current stimulation in rats.

Abstract Over the last decade, the interest in transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has continued to increase, along with consideration of how it affects neuroplasticity mechanisms in the brain. Both human and animal studies have demonstrated numerous benefits and, although its application has increased, the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying tDCS’ beneficial effects remain largely unknown. Recent studies have shown that long-term potentiation (LTP) increases following tDCS. In this work, we utilized a rodent model of tDCS to directly assess changes in the α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptor, a critical protein for enhancing synaptic transmission. Animals were subjected to 250 μA of direct current (DC) stimulation for 30 min with immediate tissue collection. Translocation and phosphorylation of AMPA receptors were examined using protein immunoblot analysis following a subcellular fractionation method. Our findings show that a single application of in vivo tDCS can affect both the translocation and phosphorylation of AMPA receptors in the hippocampus while increasing AMPA receptor phosphorylation in the hypothalamus. In the hippocampus, tDCS increased AMPA translocation to the synapse and increased the phosphorylation of the S831 site on GluA1. In the hypothalamus, no statistically significant changes were observed in AMPA translocation while an increase in the phosphorylation of the S831 site was observed. No changes in the phosphorylation of GluA1 at the S845 site were detected in either brain region. In sum, our findings identify specific AMPA receptor changes induced by tDCS, thereby providing further details on the mechanisms by which tDCS could affect the establishment of LTP and modulate neuroplasticity.
Common Primary and Secondary Causes of Headache in the Elderly

Objective/background Headache in the elderly, defined as individuals aged 65 and older, although less prevalent than younger individuals, can present as a diagnostic challenge, given the increase in potentially fatal diseases within this population. Methods These individuals require a complete history, neurological examination, and assessment of potential secondary causes of headaches. Results Secondary causes include temporal or giant cell arteritis, subdural hematomas, central nervous system (CNS) tumors, strokes, and CNS infections. Once secondary conditions are ruled out, then primary causes of headache are considered such as tension-type headache, migraine, cluster headache, or hypnic headache. Conclusion This article reviews the distinguishing characteristics of the most common types of headache in patients over the age of 65 years old, along with potential diagnostic tests and treatment.
Proton Pump Inhibitor Use, H 2 -Receptor Antagonist Use, and Risk of Incident Clinical Vertebral Fracture in Women

The few prospective studies examining the relation between proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use and risk of vertebral fracture (VF) suggest a higher risk, but the magnitude of the association has been inconsistent. Moreover, no prospective studies have examined the association between substantially longer duration of PPI use and VF risk. Our objective was to determine the association between PPI use, H2RA use, and incident clinical VF in women. We conducted a prospective study in 55,545 women participating in the Nurses’ Health Study. PPI and H2RA use was assessed by questionnaire every 4 years. Self-reports of VF were confirmed by medical record. Our analysis included 547 incident VF cases (2002–2014). The multivariate adjusted relative risk (MVRR) of VF for women taking PPIs was 1.29 (95% CI 1.04–1.59) compared with non-users. Longer duration of PPI use was associated with higher VF risk (MVRR 1.16 [0.90–1.49] for < 4 years; 1.27 [0.93–1.73] for 4–7.9 years; 1.64 [1.02–2.64] for ≥ 8 years; ptrend = 0.01). The MVRR of VF for women taking H2RAs was 1.22 (0.90–1.67) compared with non-users. Longer duration of H2RA use was not associated with VF risk (MVRR 1.16 [0.88–1.53] for < 4 years; 0.98 [0.60–1.59] for ≥ 4 years; ptrend = 0.72). PPI use is independently associated with a modestly higher risk of VF and the risk increases with longer duration of use. There was no statistically significant association between H2RA use and VF risk. Our findings add to the growing evidence suggesting caution with PPI use, particularly with longer duration of use.
Family Matters: Gender, Work Arrangements, and the Rural Myth

In this chapter, we demythologize rural life and the rural gender ideology by examining the ways in which rural men and women structure their work lives and child-care provisions. We bring a gender perspective to the examination of the work arrangements of the household to explore the gendered underpinnings of the division between standard and nonstandard work. Our multivariate statistical analysis of the data from nonmetropolitan Wisconsin show that the gender ideology of the rural myth persist in rural residents’ lives, in spite of changes in the reality of active labor market participation of women. When considering which individual, family and labor market factors explain the character and extent of men and women’s work engagements in paid employment, we find the strong influence of family and social characteristics on women’s work and not men’s. Family constraints such as the number and age of children as well as being socially embedded in a place through generational links, affect women’s involvement in standard work. The gender ideology that childcare is women’s work persists in a changed form, as they make decisions to spend the money on childcare based on women’s, but not men’s earnings.
Lie Groups and Algebraic Groups

Hermann Weyl, in his famous book The Classical Groups, Their Invariants and Representations [164], coined the name classical groups for certain families of matrix groups. In this chapter we introduce these groups and develop the basic ideas of Lie groups, Lie algebras, and linear algebraic groups. We show how to put a Lie group structure on a closed subgroup of the general linear group and determine the Lie algebras of the classical groups. We develop the theory of complex linear algebraic groups far enough to obtain the basic results on their Lie algebras, rational representations, and Jordan–Chevalley decompositions (we defer the deeper results about algebraic groups to Chapter 11). We show that linear algebraic groups are Lie groups, introduce the notion of a real form of an algebraic group (considered as a Lie group), and show how the classical groups introduced at the beginning of the chapter appear as real forms of linear algebraic groups.
Hierarchical Graphical Models for Social and Behavioral Analysis and Forecasting

Current approaches to forecast human behavior in different applications depend on human experts. The method is slow, static, biased, and imprecise. Existing computational models do not consider the intrinsic hierarchical characteristics of countries, provinces, tribes, groups, organizations, etc. They predominantly focus on a specific level of organization, therefore confining their applications to a particular network. As different entities in an organization need different levels of abstraction, only a hierarchical knowledge representation would be capable of serving various ranks and levels. We propose a hierarchical-graphical-knowledge-representation (HGKR) to integrate layered abstractions into a coherent structure such that behavior forecasting may propagate downward or aggregate upward. The system consists of a hierarchical graphical model, an evolutionary computation module, inference/forecasting, and decision support to forecast behaviors of groups at different hierarchies. The HGKR is based on initial anthropological information and refined through computational genetic algorithm. We develop a hierarchical-evolutionary-engine and a hierarchical-inference-engine, specifically, a two-stage clustering inference algorithm and hierarchical behavior-forecasting algorithm. The HGKR, together with its inference models, will have numerous applications in many culturally aware domains.
Wet Corn Stover Storage: Correlating Fiber Reactivity With Storage Acids Over a Wide Moisture Range

Wet storage is synonymous with ensilage, a simple biotechnology that has been used to preserve forage for livestock feed for millennia. In this natural process, organic acids are produced by anaerobic microbial degradation of a small fraction of the biomass, and these acids reduce the pH to levels that minimize further microbial activity and can preserve the biomass for years as long as anaerobic conditions are maintained. These organic acids also result in mild pretreatment with potential to enhance downstream conversion processes, making this an effective storage strategy. However, the degree and significance of this natural pretreatment capability of ensiled storage on downstream processes has not previously been quantified across a range of storage conditions. In this study, the degree of pretreatment was investigated by measuring the reactivity of corn stover fiber to cellulolytic enzymes. Although the results indicated significant improvement in hydrolytic outcomes after wet storage, by a factor of up to 2.4, saccharification of cellulose to sugar monomers was still limited. The results also show that dominance of lactic acid in the ensilage process is key to wet storage [pretreatment] effectiveness as in the livestock feed industry. Lactic acid pKa value is lower than the pKa of other silage acids and lower than typical silage pH. This gives lactic acid the advantage of being in the more dissociated form, with more protons available to facilitate pretreatment hydrolysis. However, unlike the livestock feed industry, where quality feedstock is attainable within very narrow storage moisture range, for biofuel purposes, a wider range of 35 ―65% is appropriate in achieving a similar quality outcome. This is true both for the immediate fiber response to enzymes and with subsequent pretreatment. This wider moisture range implies more flexibility in harvest schedule without sacrificing feedstock quality, thus alleviating concerns over feedstock quality that biomass suppliers or biorefineries may have.
Managing The Personal and Invisible Self: An Analysis of LGBT Career Experiences

Organizations have historically discouraged people from making their social identities evident in the workplace (Ragins, Townsend, & Tattis, 1998). There has been an emerging perspective in recent ...
Where do FOIA responses live? Electronic Reading Rooms and web sources

T he Freedom of Information Act, FOIA (5 U.S.C. 552), generally provides any person with the statutory right, enforceable in court, to obtain access to government information in executive branch agency records. FOIA does not apply to the judicial or legislative branches of the U.S. government. This right to access is limited when information is protected from disclosure by one of FOIA’s nine statutory exemptions and exclusions. The “Electronic Freedom of Information Act Amendments of 1996” required that agencies needed to make eligible records available electronically. As a result, there are dozens of FOIA Libraries and Electronic Reading Rooms that are repositories for responses to agency FOIA requests. These documents are also known as responsive documents. Documents are often posted by agencies with redactions to protect personal privacy, national security, and other FOIA exemptions and exclusions. It is important for researchers, journalists, and citizens to use the terms “FOIA Libraries” and “Electronic Reading Rooms” as part of their search terminology. This will ensure they can find documents that might not be findable through a regular Google search.
Concurrent Validity of Postural Sway Measures in Older Adults With Cognitive Impairment

Aims: To examine concurrent validity of inertial sensor (APDM ISway) versus force plate center of pressure (COP) measures of postural sway in cognitively impaired older adults. Methods: Participant...
A study of the cellular and molecular mediators of the adjuvant action of a nontoxic monophosphoryl lipid A.

With the current resurgence of efforts to improve and expand human vaccines, attention is again being focused on the development of safe and effective adjuvants (17). In particular, the utilization of synthetic antigenic determinants or ligands of low molecular weight, which are inherently weak antigenically, necessitates the use of adjuvant carriers for optimum efficiency.
Statistical Variability of Dispersion at Local and Regional Scales: LPDM-LES Model Ensembles and Observations

A Lagrangian particle dispersion model (LPDM) driven by velocity fields from large-eddy simulations (LESs) is used to determine the mean and variability of plume dispersion at local and regional scales in a highly convective boundary layer. Comparison of the LPDM-LES results with data from two field experiments shows that they match the observations reasonably well.
Synthetic studies toward phenoxan analogs

We developed two reactions needed for a total synthesis of phenoxan, a naturally occurring compound with anti-HIV activity. In this Note, we further examined these two issues: metallation of a 2-methyl-oxazole and formation of a pyran-4-one. We employed these methods for the preparation of a phenoxan analog.
Posttranscriptional regulation of the human reduced folate carrier (RFC) gene by multiple 5′ untranslated regions (UTRs)

551 RFC is the primary transport route for folates and antifolates (e.g., methotrexate, pemetrexed) into mammalian cells. Folates facilitate transfer of one-carbon units involved in the biosynthesis of dTMP, purine nucleotides, serine, and methionine. Antifolate inhibitors of these pathways are important chemotherapeutic drugs in the treatment of a variety of cancers. The human RFC (hRFC) gene is ubiquitously but differentially expressed in human tissues and tumors. The hRFC gene is regulated by at least five 5′ non-coding exons (A1/A2, A, B, C, and D). These exons are characterized by alternate transcription start sites, multiple splice forms, and selective tissue distributions. Altogether, there are at least 15 unique hRFC transcripts in which different 5′UTRs are fused to a shared splice acceptor region within the first coding exon, with a common hRFC open reading frame. In the classical model of ribosome scanning for translation, ribosomes enter at the 5′ m7G cap of mRNAs, travel in the 3′ direction, and stop to initiate translation at the first AUG codon. Both AUG sequence context and characteristics of the 5′UTR (length, GC context, secondary structure, upstream AUGs) significantly impact overall translation efficiency. Moreover, 5′UTRs can potentially affect transcript stabilities and encode N-terminally modified proteins initiated from upstream in-frame AUGs. 5′UTR sequences may also be involved in an alternate mechanism for translation initiation, in which ribosomes are recruited independently of the 5′ cap to an internal ribosomal entry site (IRES). In this report, we assessed the effects of the various hRFC 5′UTRs on translation efficiencies and mechanism, on steady state levels of hRFC transcripts, protein and function, on transcript stabilities, and on the synthesis of hRFC isoforms initiated from upstream AUGs. We demonstrate by in vitro translation assays with hRFC constructs including various 5′UTRs that synthesis of hRFC protein reflects the characteristics of the individual 5′UTRs. However, within cells, hRFC protein levels are determined not only by differences in translation efficiencies, but also transcript stabilities. For certain hRFC transcripts, a cap-independent translation involving IRESs may occur. For 5′UTRs derived from the hRFC-A1/A2 and -A non-coding exons, translation from upstream initiation sites results in modified hRFC proteins with increased molecular masses (approx. 7 kDa and 2 kDa, respectively) from wild type hRFC. These complex mechanisms for regulating hRFC expression likely provide a means of “fine tuning” carrier levels and function in response to folate requirements and/or to cell- and tissue- specific stimuli. Alterations in these posttranscriptional mechanisms may also be important factors in antifolate resistant tumor cells that have lost hRFC expression.
Cervical Human Papillomavirus Testing With Two Home Self-Collection Methods Compared With a Standard Clinically Collected Sampling Method.

BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to compare the outcomes of 2 self-collection methods to detect cervical human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA with outcomes from a standard clinical method. The standard method samples were collected by a clinician at a routine pelvic examination. Self-samples were t
Toward a model of three-dimensional tongue movement

Tongue and vocal tract models that are derived from physiological data are usually based on two-dimensional data, such as lateral X-rays or tracking of midsagittal pellets. Models based on the acoustic wave are also two-dimensional in that they typically assume a uniform cross-sectional shape for the tongue and vocal tract. Cross-sectional tongue shape is not uniform, which adds tremendous complexity to tongue behavior. This paper offers three propositions essential for a three-dimensional model of the tongue: First, extrapolations from two-dimensional lengthwise tongue measurements are not an accurate representation of three-dimensional behaviors. Second, cross-sectional tongue shape can differ considerably at different positions along its length. Third, stabilization of the tongue tip against the palate, as occurs during alveolar consonants, facilitates production of tongue shapes that are different from those produced by the free-standing tongue, as occurs during some vowels. Both anterior and posterior tongue shapes are modified by palatal stabilization, but in different ways. Therefore, a model of tongue shape is proposed, which divides the tongue into “functional segments” in the sagittal and coronal planes, and explains three-dimensional tongue shapes and movements based on ultrasound, MRI, electropalatography, and X-ray microbeam measurements.
Wound Management in Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis

Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis are severe mucocutaneous drug reactions associated with a potentially high mortality rate. They are characterized by epidermal necrosis and extensive detachment. For these reasons, wound care is a fundamental component of patient management. However, there is a lack of evidence-based data, and treatment approaches can vary drastically between institutions. Our aim was to analyze the available studies on this topic as an attempt to review various management strategies. Considering the rarity, variable presentations, and difficulty to prospectively study patients with SJS/TEN, there is a lack of evidence-based data on the topic of wound management. We reviewed the most recently published guidelines, expert opinions, and other studies from different countries and hospital centers. There is a great variability in the utilization of antiseptic agents, wound dressing types, and implementation of surgical debridement across the globe and different institutions. There is a lack of randomized controlled trials. However, the general principle is to protect the underlying viable exposed dermis, minimize the risk of infection, reduce the risk of pigmentary changes and scarring, and optimize the conditions for re-epithelization. Large-scale randomized clinical trials are needed for the optimization of wound care in these conditions.
Role of CTA in Women with Abdominal Scars Undergoing DIEP Breast Reconstruction: Review of 1,187 Flaps.

Background This study examines the effect of prior abdominal surgery on flap, donor-site, and overall complications in women undergoing deep inferior epigastric artery perforator (DIEP) flap breast reconstruction and assesses whether preoperative computed tomography angiography (CTA) affects outcomes. Methods All DIEP flaps performed at our institution between 2004 and 2015 were identified retrospectively. Patients were stratified based on a history of prior abdominal surgery and whether or not they underwent a preoperative CTA. A subgroup analysis was performed to compare operative times and incidence of complications using adjusted odds ratios (ORs). Results Over a 12-year period, 425 patients (640 flaps) had prior abdominal surgery, and 393 patients (547 flaps) had no prior abdominal surgery. Of the patients with previous abdominal surgery, 67 (15.7%) underwent preoperative CTA and 333 (78.4%) did not. Patients with prior abdominal surgery were more likely to have donor-site wound complications (OR: 1.82, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.15–2.87, p = 0.01), fat necrosis ≥2cm of the transferred flap (OR: 1.39, 95% CI: 1.0–1.94, p = 0.05), and were more likely to have bilateral DIEP flap reconstruction (OR: 1.61, 95% CI: 1.22–2.12, p Conclusion DIEP flap reconstruction can be safely performed in women with prior abdominal surgery. However, these patients should be counseled that they are at an increased risk for donor-site wound breakdown and fat necrosis of the reconstructed breast. Preoperative CTA does not reduce complication rate, overall operative time, or time needed to dissect perforators in women with abdominal scars.
Trends in the Incidence of Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma in All 50 United States Examined Through an Age-Period-Cohort Analysis.

Background Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is a major contributor to cancer-related mortality in the United States. We aimed to investigate trends in incidence rates from all 50 states from 2001 to 2016, overall and by race, sex, and state and using age-period-cohort analyses. Methods Age-adjusted incidence rates and trends in adults aged 35 years and older were calculated using data from the US Cancer Statistics registry. We used joinpoint regression to compute annual percent changes (APC) and average annual percent changes. We also analyzed incidence trends by age groups and birth cohorts through age-period-cohort modeling. Results Age-standardized incidence rates increased by 1.23% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.92% to 1.54%) annually between 2001 and 2008 but were stable between 2008 and 2016 (APC = 0.11%, 95% CI = -0.13% to 0.35%). APCs and inflection points were no different for men and women. Rates increased statistically significantly among non-Hispanic whites (NHW) and non-Hispanic blacks between 2001 and 2007 and between 2001 and 2008, respectively, but, in later years, rates increased slowly among NHWs (APC = 0.36%, 95% CI = 0.12% to 0.60%), and were stable among non-Hispanic blacks (APC = -0.40%, 95% CI = -0.89% to 0.10%). The number of states with age-standardized incidence rates no less than 20.4 per 100 000 increased from 16 in 2001-2003 to 40 by 2015-2016. We found a strong birth cohort effect in both men and women and increasing rates among successive birth cohorts of NHWs. Conclusions The incidence of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma has consistently increased in the United States, albeit at slower rates recently. We observed notable increases among NHWs and in some states in the central and southern part of the country.
Impact of near-future turbine technology on the wind power potential of low wind regions

Abstract Near-future wind turbines – with increased hub heights, larger rotors, and improved energy capture methods – have the potential to bring wind power to previously undeveloped low wind regions. To date, however, little published research has been completed for these less profitable locations. This research studies the wind resource characteristics of low wind sites to determine the impact of near-future turbine technologies on wind energy potential. Histograms of hourly wind speed data at nine Florida sites, for the period 2005–2014, were compared with data fit to a Modified-Weibull probability distribution. Estimates of annual energy production and turbine capacity factors were then determined for a near-future wind turbine. Histograms for the low wind sites were found to have three characteristic shapes – Type I, II and III - that are related to the annual 10 m mean wind speed and the probability that observed wind speeds are less than 4 m/s. While sites with a Type I characteristic shape benefitted the most from near-future turbine technology, sites having Type II and Type III characteristic shapes appear to be the most viable for future wind power development. Energy estimates obtained using the Modified-Weibull distribution overestimated annual energy production by 5.6%, on average, as compared to estimates obtained using histograms. Overestimation was the greatest for sites having histograms with a Type I characteristic shape, 8.0% on average, and the least for sites having a Type III characteristic shape, 2.8% on average. Characteristic shapes can be useful to analyze the wind power potential at low wind sites.
Distributed Network Time Synchronization: Social Learning Versus Consensus

The objective of this paper is to investigate a social learning-based distributed network time synchronization (SLDNTS) and compare it to a classic approach: consensus-based distributed network time synchronization (CDNTS). An observation random variable (ORV), which is a conditional likelihood (e.g., Gaussian) given a synchronized true time hypothesis, is used to generate clock times at each node and each iteration. A time offset and time quality of each node clock are represented, respectively, by a mean shift from the true time and variance of a Gaussian random variable (RV) to consider a practical environment. Then, this paper proposes a simple method to construct an observation matrix that satisfies both the identifiability condition (IC) and the prevailing observation signal existence condition (POSEC) required for the social learning (SL). Each node quantizes its ORV into a heads and tails Bernoulli RV with $(1-\varepsilon)$ and $\varepsilon$ probability, respectively, where $\varepsilon$ is a control parameter for the SLDNTS convergence speed. Using this proposed observation matrix, each node computes its intermediate belief on each possible time hypothesis, shares the information with its connected neighbor nodes, and updates its belief probabilities. Then, this paper verifies, through simulation, that the proposed SLDNTS shows superior performance compared to the classic CDNTS including average time synchronization (ATS) algorithm, maximum time synchronization (MTS) algorithm, and least square time synchronization (LSTS) algorithm under the same observation environment.
Robust statistical inference for the matched net benefit and the matched win ratio using prioritized composite endpoints

As alternatives to the time-to-first-event analysis of composite endpoints, the {\it net benefit} (NB) and the {\it win ratio} (WR) -- which assess treatment effects using prioritized component outcomes based on clinical importance -- have been proposed. However, statistical inference of NB and WR relies on a large-sample assumptions, which can lead to an invalid test statistic and inadequate, unsatisfactory confidence intervals, especially when the sample size is small or the proportion of wins is near 0 or 1. In this paper, we develop a systematic approach to address these limitations in a paired-sample design. We first introduce a new test statistic under the null hypothesis of no treatment difference. Then, we present the formula to calculate the sample size. Finally, we develop the confidence interval estimations of these two estimators. To estimate the confidence intervals, we use the {\it method of variance estimates recovery} (MOVER), that combines two separate individual-proportion confidence intervals into a hybrid interval for the estimand of interest. We assess the performance of the proposed test statistic and MOVER confidence interval estimations through simulation studies. We demonstrate that the MOVER confidence intervals are as good as the large-sample confidence intervals when the sample is large and when the proportions of wins is bounded away from 0 and 1. Moreover, the MOVER intervals outperform their competitors when the sample is small or the proportions are at or near the boundaries 0 and 1. We illustrate the method (and its competitors) using three examples from randomized clinical studies.
Zika Virus-Induced Neuronal Apoptosis via Increased Mitochondrial Fragmentation

The 2015 to 2016 outbreak of Zika virus (ZIKV) infections in the Americas coincided with a dramatic increase in neurodevelopmental abnormalities, including fetal microcephaly, in newborns born to infected women. In this study, we observed mitochondrial fragmentation and disrupted mitochondrial membrane potential after 24 h of ZIKV infection in human neural stem cells and the SNB-19 glioblastoma cell line. The severity of these changes correlated with the amount of ZIKV proteins expressed in infected cells. ZIKV infection also decreased the levels of mitofusin 2, which modulates mitochondria fusion. Mitochondrial division inhibitor 1 (Mdivi-1), a small molecule inhibiting mitochondria fission, ameliorated mitochondria disruptions and reduced cell death in ZIKV-infected cells. Collectively, this study suggests that abnormal mitochondrial fragmentation contributes to ZIKV-induced neuronal cell death; rebalancing mitochondrial dynamics of fission-fusion could be a therapeutic strategy for drug development to treat ZIKV-mediated neuronal apoptosis.
Eye and Adnexa

Sampling of the vitreous for toxicologic and other forensic investigations or for microbiologic studies is best performed on an eye that is intact and without known structural intraocular disease such as a retinal detachment. A 15-gauge needle is inserted at an oblique angle through the sclera at a point 5 mm lateral to the limbus (corneoscleral junction). The needle will traverse the pars plana and enter the vitreous body. Damage to the retinal cells will result in a falsely high potassium value (the correct vitreous potassium concentration can be used for a rough estimation of the postmortem interval), and thus gentle aspiration of 2–3 mL of vitreous is required. The material is drawn into a 10-mL sterile syringe and may be stored at 4 °C for up to 48 h. In suspected child abuse, vitreous should never be aspirated because there is a risk of artifactual damage to the retina. Instead, before removal of the eye, the fundus should be photographed. It is the retina that bears the brunt of the injury in child abuse, and the assessment and position of retinal hemorrhages are of prime importance.
Can Sandel Dethrone Meritocracy

This is an invited review essay of Michael Sandel, The Tyranny of Merit: What's Become of the Common Good? (FSG 2020), for the inaugural issue of The American Journal of Law and Inequality (R. Kennedy, M. Minow, C. Sunstein, eds.). Sandel makes three principal arguments: (1) meritocracy is deeply flawed because it worsens inequality and fills meritocracy's winners with hubris and losers with shame; (2) universities should introduce a lottery into the admissions process; and (3) this reform, coupled with increased emphasis on the dignity of labor, will repair the politics of resentment that now roil our country. I respond in the following ways. First, treating meritocracy as an ideology, I assess the underlying tension in Sandel's logic, which accords primary moral value to the form of politics over outcomes, and status over materiality. Given the complex culture of meritocracy, I question whether its excesses can be curbed, or gross inequality reduced, with an approach that fails to stress material outcomes. Second, I conclude that Sandel's proposal to reform university admissions could only be realistically implemented at a handful of highly selective and wealthy institutions. Even then, its impact on meritocratic faith or tangible inequality is likely to be exceedingly modest. Worse, randomizing distribution may in fact lead to a backlash among communities that have (over)invested in the means to compete for slots at elite universities and colleges, which would undermine Sandel's objectives. Despite these misgivings, his idea may still be worth a try. Third, I praise Sandel's concern that meritocracy is contributing to the broader politics of resentment. But I say that his approach to emotions in politics is incomplete, for it focuses too narrowly on white grievance in a single election, and we need to get better at assessing historical claims of anger and disillusionment from multiple communities across time. I conclude by suggesting that Trumpism was not a coherent attack on meritocracy, but one that tried to harness resentment to introduce meritocratic logic into new domains, such as immigration and refugee policy. If we want to reduce meritocracy's dominance in particular social domains, I argue, we must offer a potent substitute that can bring elites and everyday people together. In certain domains such as university admissions or border control where the politics are fraught, that alternative may be the rhetoric of fairness.
Creating Languages in Racket: Sometimes you just have to make a better mousetrap.

Choosing the right tool for a simple job is easy: a screwdriver is usually the best option when you need to change the battery in a toy, and grep is the obvious choice to check for a word in a text document. For more complex tasks, the choice of tool is rarely so straightforward--all the more so for a programming task, where programmers have an unparalleled ability to construct their own tools. Programmers frequently solve programming problems by creating new tool programs, such as scripts that generate source code from tables of data.
E-Peer Coaching: A Model to Support Rural Special Education Field Placements:

Providing adequate supervision for pre-service teachers enrolled in special education field placements is a challenge. Rural placements often exacerbate this challenge due to the large geographical...