cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evolutionary studies of the soybean: the frequency and distribution of alleles among collections of Glycine Max and G. Soja of various origin

Allelic frequencies at 10 loci common throughout the genus Glycine subgenus Soja were determined for 27 geographical area-species samples. The samples included 366 accessions of Glycine soja, the ‘wild’ soybean, and 193 accessions of G. max, the domesticated soybean, from the USDA Soybean Germplasm Collection. The data indicate that the alleles for grey pubescence (t 1), low seed coat peroxidase level (ep), and blunt pubescence tip (pb) probably arose as mutations during the domestication of G. max. The remaining seven loci studied(Fr, Pa 1, Pa 2, Fg 1, Fg 2, Fg 3and Fg 4)are polymorphic throughout the subgenus Soja; differences among collections of G. max and G. soja seem to be the result of differing selection pressures. A cluster analysis of allelic frequencies reveals two distinct groups within the subgenus corresponding to G. soja and G. max, Semi-wild accessions of G. max, while morphologically more similar to cultivated plants, clustered with samples of G. soja. The semi-wild accessions examined are thought to have arisen via hybridization between G. soja and G. max.
Bone Cellular Activity Associated with Skeletal Atrophy from Disuse.

SummaryBone samples from control and immobilized rat legs were subjected to metabolic and chemical studies. Immobilization of the limb resulted in a marked drop in cellular nitrogen within one week, an effect which was still evident at 2 weeks. Loss in bone weight did not occur until the second week indicating that the reduction in cell nitrogen preceded bone resorption. The possibility that bone atrophy resulting from disuse was mediated via the parathyroid gland was advocated in view of the increased level of bone citric acid content and the higher output of lactic acid by the incubating bone tissue from the immobilized limbs.
Critical Care Nurses’ Knowledge of Confidentiality Legislation

Background Health care legislation can be difficult to understand and apply in critical situations where patients may not be physically capable of autonomous control of confidential health information. Nurses are often the first to encounter confidential information about patients. Objectives To explore critical care nurses' knowledge of federal and North Carolina state legislation regarding confidentiality. Methods This descriptive, qualitative study included 12 critical care nurses who were asked to describe their knowledge of federal confidentiality legislation and specific knowledge of North Carolina's confidentiality legislation. Results Critical care nurses were knowledgeable about federal confidentiality laws but demonstrated a need for further education about state-specific legislation. Conclusion Nurses' application of confidentiality legislation demonstrates their knowledge of confidentiality legislation. To continue the trusting relationship that nurses have traditionally held with patients and patients' families, it is imperative for nurses to remain current about confidentiality legislation. Through education both before and after licensure, correct application of legislation can be achieved. Further research can aid in exploring the intersection between health care legislation and ethics.
389 IMPROVING THE DIAGNOSIS OF BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERPLASIA IN DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED MALES AT RAINIER SCHOOL IN BUCKLEY, WA.

The Rainier School is an institution in Buckley, Washington where 394 developmentally disabled adults reside. After seeing patients and talking with doctors in their clinic, it was apparent that a common pattern of urinary symptoms was being observed among many of the older male residents. Due to their level of disability, these residents were unable to communicate their symptoms of urinary distress. Primary care physicians, nurses, and direct care staff members were interviewed to document these symptoms and identify some possible etiologies. After interviewing staff and reviewing the literature, it was determined that benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) may be the underlying problem for some of these residents. BPH is the largest cause of urinary symptoms in aging males. To address possible BPH problems at Rainier School, a PowerPoint presentation was given to the health care staff and direct care staff. A BPH symptom-scoring sheet was also adapted specifically for direct care staff to use as a screening tool for the developmentally disabled older males. Implementation of the scoring sheet is now occurring campus wide. Follow-up with primary care physicians has begun and treatment options are being considered for five new patients.
Stopping power of K electrons for relativistic incident electrons

The contribution of the relativistic effects on the stopping power ofK electrons has been investigated for fast incident electrons. Due to the domination of the transverse and spin-flip effects over the longitudinal term, it is suggested that their contribution be included in future energy loss tabulations.
Using standardized patient encounters to teach longitudinal continuity of care in a family medicine clerkship

Despite demonstrated benefits of continuity of care, longitudinal care experiences are difficult to provide to medical students. A series of standardized patient encounters was developed as an innovative curricular element to address this gap in training for medical students in a family medicine clerkship. The objective of this paper is to describe the development and implementation of the curriculum, evaluate the effectiveness of the curriculum for increasing student confidence around continuity of care and chronic disease management, and explore student opinions of the value of the experience. The encounters simulate continuity of care in typical family medicine practice over four standardized patient visits, providing students with experience in longitudinal relationships, ongoing management of chronic and acute conditions, lifestyle counseling, and the use of an electronic medical record. Perceptions of the curriculum were obtained using a pre-post survey asking students to self-rate experience and confidence in continuity relationships, chronic disease management, and lifestyle counseling. Students were also asked about the overall effectiveness of the encounters for simulating family practice and continuity of care. Open-ended comments were gathered through weekly reflection papers submitted by the students. Of 138 third-year medical students, 137 completed the pre-survey, 126 completed the post-survey, and 125 (91%) completed both the pre- and the post-survey. Evaluation results demonstrated that students highly valued the experience. Complete confidence data for 116 students demonstrated increased confidence pre-post (t(115) = 14.92, p < .001) in managing chronic disease and establishing relationships. Open-ended comments reflected how the experience fostered appreciation for the significance of patient-doctor relationships and continuity of care. This curriculum offers a promising approach to providing students with continuity of care experience. The model addresses a general lack of training in continuity of care in medical schools and provides a standardized method for teaching chronic disease management and continuity relationships.
Corticosteroids in Bell’s Palsy

The effects of corticosteroids on the early and late outcome of 42 children (21 boys, 21 girls) with Bell’s palsy (acute idiopathic facial nerve paralysis) were evaluated in a prospective randomized study at the University of Istanbul, Turkey.
A limiting current oxygen sensor with La 0.8 Sr 0.2 (Ga 0.8 Mg 0.2 ) 1- x Fe x O 3- δ dense diffusion barrier

La0.8Sr0.2(Ga0.8Mg0.2)1-x Fe x O3-δ (LSGMF, x = 0.2–0.9) was prepared by a solid-state reaction method, and the characterization was investigated. Limiting current oxygen sensors were fabricated with La0.8Sr0.2Ga0.8Mg0.2O3-δ (LSGM) as solid electrolyte and La0.8Sr0.2(Ga0.8Mg0.2)0.1Fe0.9O3-δ (LSGMF9) as dense diffusion barrier. The influences of temperature, oxygen concentration, and the thickness of dense diffusion barrier (L) on sensing properties of oxygen sensors were investigated. The results show that the crystal structure of samples is perovskite. The electrical conductivity increases with increasing x. A transition from semiconductive to pseudometallic behavior which is associated with oxygen losses from the lattice is observed with an increase of temperature for x = 0.3, 0.5, and 0.7. The thermal expansion coefficient (TEC) in the temperature range 300–1000 °C increases to a maximum and then decreases with increasing x. TECs between LSGMF9 and LSGM are close. The limiting current oxygen sensor exhibits an excellent sensing performance, and the limiting current responses depend linearly on the oxygen concentration. As the L value increases, the limiting current decreases. The polarization resistance of the sensor decreases with increasing oxygen concentration.
Reader instability as a source of low frequency noise

Magnetoresistive readers/sensors are designed to work in stable condition. This work presents a series of analytical and experimental methods that allow to detect and analyse reader noise caused by switching between metastable states.
From Compulsive to Persuasive Agencies: Whitehead’s Case for Entertainment

Western societies currently face the backlash of violent and militant extremisms practiced in the form of tribalistic-phobocratic politics. The battleground is set between advocates of self-centeredness and those who entertain a world-centered self. To entertain concerns what Henri Bergson calls “zones of indetermination” and assumes A. N. Whitehead’s dictum: “in the real world it is more important that a proposition be interesting than that it be true. The importance of truth is, that it adds to interest” (1978 89, 92, 259). Cultural agencies, processes, and aims that we take an “interest” in have the power to be more influential, encouraging norms of persuasion. Such openness to the persuasion of entertainment is propositional in character, or acts as “lures for feeling” of proposals to be felt without mandates. The first section will discuss the way in which to take up the daunting task of reading Whitehead. The second and third sections will address those aspects pertinent to a philosophy of entertainment that present the cultural-aesthetic underpinnings for the emergence of persuasive agencies. The goal of cultivating tolerance and freedom for civilized societies hinges upon institutional methods and practices that are legitimated more by way of persuasive coercion rather than coercive persuasion.
"Is This an STD? Please Help!": Online Information Seeking for Sexually Transmitted Diseases on Reddit

Increasing incidence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) has prompted the public health and technology communities to innovate new measures to understand how individuals use Internet resources to attain relevant information, particularly for sensitive or stigmatized conditions. The purpose of this study is to examine recent health information seeking and needs of the r/STD community, a subreddit focused exclusively on STDs. We found that the majority of posts crowd-source information about intermediate, non-reportable STDs such as human papillomavirus (HPV). Crowdsourced information in this community focused on symptoms, treatment, as well as the social and emotional aspects of sexual health such as fear of misdiagnosis. From our analysis, it is clear that online communities focused on discussion of health symptoms have the ripe potential to influence information-seeking behavior and consumer action.
Elevated Levels of Pathogenic Indicator Bacteria and Antibiotic Resistance Genes after Hurricane Harvey’s Flooding in Houston

Urban flooding can dramatically affect the local microbial landscape and increase the risk of waterborne infection in flooded areas. Hurricane Harvey, the most destructive hurricane since Katrina in 2005, damaged more than 100000 homes in Houston and flooded numerous wastewater treatment plants. Here we surveyed microbial communities in floodwater inside and outside residences, bayou water, and residual bayou sediment collected immediately postflood. Levels of Escherichia coli, a fecal indicator organism, were elevated in bayou water samples as compared to historical levels, as were relative abundances of key indicator genes of anthropogenic sources of antibiotic resistance (sul1/16S rRNA and intI1/16S rRNA) based on 6 month postflood monitoring. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction measurements showed that gene markers corresponding to putative pathogenic bacteria were more abundant in indoor floodwater than in street floodwater and bayou water. Higher abundances of 16S rRNA and sul1 genes were also ob...
Trends in Hospitalization, Readmission, and Diagnostic Testing of Patients Presenting to the Emergency Department With Syncope

Study objective Emergency department (ED) visits for syncope are common and routine diagnostic testing is frequently low yield. Our objective is to determine whether recent guidelines emphasizing limiting hospitalization and advanced diagnostic testing to high-risk patients have changed patterns of syncope care. Methods This was a retrospective population epidemiology study of syncope-related ED visits and hospitalizations using the National Emergency Department Sample from 2006 to 2014 and the State Inpatient Databases and Emergency Department Databases from 2009 and 2013. Primary outcomes were annual incidence rates of syncope ED visits and subsequent hospitalizations, and rates of hospitalization, observation, 30-day revisits, and diagnostic testing comparing 2009 with 2013. Differences were estimated with multivariable logistic regression modeling adjusted for patient clinical and demographic characteristics. Results From 2006 to 2014, we identified 15,154,920 survey-weighted ED visits for syncope. Annual rates of ED visits increased from 643 to 771 per 100,000 adults, whereas hospitalizations declined from 36.3% to 24.7% (–11.6% absolute difference; 95% confidence interval [CI] –13.0% to –10.2%). In multistate adjusted analyses, the proportion of ED visits resulting in hospital admission decreased 11.7% (95% CI –11.9% to –11.6%) between 2009 and 2013, whereas the proportion of ED visits resulting in observation care increased by 7.9% (95% CI 7.8% to 8.0%), with no significant change in 30-day ED revisit rates (absolute difference 0.1%; 95% CI –0.1% to 0.3%). The frequency of advanced cardiac testing increased from 13.8% to 17.0%, and neuroimaging increased from 40.6% to 44.3%, driven by increased testing of patients receiving observation and inpatient care. Conclusion Although the incidence of ED visits for syncope has increased, hospitalization rates have declined, without an adverse effect on ED revisits, possibly because of increased use of observation care. Use of advanced cardiac testing and neuroimaging has increased, driven by growth in testing of patients receiving observation and inpatient care.
For Us, Today: Understanding Curriculum as Theological Text in the Twenty-First Century

Drawing from feminist, queer, and conventional theologies, Whitlock considers theology as framework and method for curriculum theorizing. Drawing theologically from early mid-twentieth-century theologians Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Paul Tillich and from curriculum theorists Pinar, Huebner and Purpel, she then brings queer and feminist theologians into the curriculum conversation, notably using Althaus-Reid’s notion of indecent theology. A queer feminist theology curriculum theory is one of participation and engagement, concerned with new ethics of relation in the search for the divine life and humanity’s participation in it. By way of example, the author works within this framework and employs the proposed methodology to queerly disrupt heteronormative, homonormative notions of Christian ethics. Whitlock attends to understanding curriculum as theological text by showing not so much how engaging in relational ethics might help humanity come to know God—one definition of theology—but how through such engagement God might know us.
Die VOC-Richtlinie als Chance für Lackierbetriebe

Fur rund 15 000 Betreiber kleinerer und mittlerer Lackieranlagen wird es ab 2001 ernst. Ab April wird die EU-Losemittelrichtlinie auch in Deutschland gelten. Offiziell werden Umrustzeiten bis Oktober 2007 eingeraumt. Der zweiteilige Beitrag zeigt, was der Lackieranlagen- Betreiber beachten muss, damit die neue Richtlinie nicht nur der Umwelt, sondern auch dem eigenen Betrieb nutzt.
What Doesn’t Kill You: Correlates of Resilience Among Master of Social Work Students

The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and resilience in a sample (n=139) of Masters of Social Work (MSW) students. Perceived stress, religious faith, experiential avoidance, and mindfulness were also examined as correlates of resilience. Resilience scores for the MSW students were comparable to general population and college student norms, but ACEs and perceived stress scores were higher. Despite a broad literature supporting associations of high ACE scores with varied measures of physical and psychological problems, this study paradoxically showed a positive relationship between higher ACE scores and resilience. Regression analysis indicated a model including age, ACE scores, experiential avoidance, religious faith, and perceived stress explained 39.2% of the variance in resilience scores. Prior adverse childhood experiences and stronger religious faith are associated with increased resilience, while experiential avoidance and perceived stress are associated with lower resilience. This study provides further evidence that many students come to social work education with substantial trauma histories and experience considerable stress during their studies. Results suggest that social work educators should acknowledge risks associated with avoidant coping, and provide learning experiences aimed at developing students’ capacities for increased awareness and acceptance of challenging experiences—their own and others.
Heart Transplantation for Congenital Heart Disease

Heart transplantation for children with congenital heart disease is a challenging procedure that requires significant preoperative planning and occasionally some intraoperative ingenuity. Failed single ventricle palliation has become the most common indication for heart transplantation in the diagnostic group of congenital heart disease. Reconstructive procedures in addition to the transplant procedure itself are often necessary, particularly in patients with single ventricle anomalies. Situs inversus with dextrocardia is probably the most challenging diagnosis for transplantation.
Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) and its treatment: an NIH Collaboratory study of claims data.

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a disabling complication of many chemotherapies. We investigated the feasibility of using health plan claims and administrative data to identify CIPN occurrence by comparing patients who received neurotoxic and non-neurotoxic chemotherapies. The sample included over 53,000,000 patients from two regional and one national insurer in the USA (> 400,000 exposed to chemotherapy). Peripheral neuropathy was identified using a broad definition (definition 1) and a specific definition (i.e., drug-induced polyneuropathy code) (definition 2). CIPN incidence as measured by definition 1 within 6 months of chemotherapy initiation was 18.1% and 6.2% for patients who received neurotoxic and non-neurotoxic chemotherapy, respectively (relative risk neurotoxic vs. non-neurotoxic (RR), 2.93 (95% CI, 2.87–2.98)). For definition 2, these incidences were 3.6% and 0.1% (RR, 25.2 (95% CI, 22.8–27.8)). The incidences of new analgesic prescriptions for neurotoxic and non-neurotoxic groups were as follows: gabapentin, 7.1%/1.7%; pregabalin, 0.69%/0.31%; and duloxetine, 0.78%/0.76%. The incidence of CIPN as defined by definitions 1 and 2 was low compared with that of published research studies, but the relative risk of CIPN among patients who received neurotoxic chemotherapies compared with those who received non-neurotoxic chemotherapies was high using definition 2. These data suggest that as used currently by clinicians, administrative codes likely underestimate CIPN incidence. Thus, studies using administrative data to estimate CIPN incidence are not currently feasible. However, the drug-induced polyneuropathy code is a specific indicator of CIPN in administrative data and may be useful for investigating predictors or potentially preventive therapies of CIPN.
Temporal Changes and Regional Variation in Acceptance of Hepatitis C Virus–Viremic Livers

The high efficacy of current hepatitis C virus (HCV) therapy and increased numbers of HCV-infected deceased donors have changed the paradigm of HCV in liver transplantation (LT). Modeling studies have been performed to evaluate the optimal timing of HCV treatment (before versus after LT) in HCV-infected patients and to assess the cost-effectiveness of transplanting HCV-infected livers into HCV- patients. However, these models rely on historical data and have not quantified the temporal changes in the median Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score at transplant of recipients of an HCV-infected liver across geographic areas. We performed a retrospective cohort study of Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network/United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) data of nonstatus 1 deceased donor LT recipients from January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2018, and we calculated the difference in allocation MELD score in recipients of HCV nucleic acid test (NAT)- versus NAT+ livers by year and UNOS region. We used Pearson correlation coefficients to assess the relationship between MELD score difference in recipients of HCV NAT+ versus HCV NAT- livers and the proportion of non-HCV recipients of HCV NAT+ livers. Nationally, the allocation MELD score difference at LT in recipients of HCV NAT+ versus NAT- livers did not change (4-point difference). This stability was seen in regions 3, 5, and 10. In regions 1, 7, 8, 9, and 11, the MELD score difference decreased, which is a diminishing advantage. However, in regions 2 and 4, it increased, which is a rising advantage. In 2018, recipients of HCV NAT+ livers had a lower MELD score in 9/11 regions, and the MELD score advantage of accepting HCV NAT+ livers had a moderate inverse correlation with the regional use in non-HCV patients (r = -0.53). These data should be used to inform clinicians of the pre- and post-LT trade-offs of HCV treatment.
Advanced characterization for industrial catalysis applications

ABSTRACT The interplay between analytical technique and industrial practice has been central in the development of catalytic materials for processing petroleum. This article presents reviews of key aspects of two of the most important classes of catalytic materials: noble-metal Pt nanoparticles (NPs) on alumina, which are the basis of catalytic reforming; and layered sulfides of Mo and W, which catalyze hydrogenation and hetero-atom removal in hydroprocessing. The state of understanding of Pt cluster growth and resulting structures, as developed using X-ray absorption spectroscopy and STEM, is reviewed. Influences of both Pt reduction temperature in hydrogen gas, and oxidizing pretreatment conditions prior to Pt reduction, are considered. Recent work by the present authors on Pt NP structure evolution is presented in the context of the previous work. A review is subsequently presented of layered sulfide based NPs, summarizing contributions from a range of analytical techniques. Work on active site structures of sulfide NPs is reviewed, focusing particularly on the critical interactions of active edge sites with sulfur and hydrogen in chemisorption, physisorption, and spillover interactions. New temperature programmed reduction (TPR) results are presented for supported and unsupported sulfide NPs. Structural changes in TPR of alumina-supported MoS2 are investigated using extended X-ray absorption fine structure and density functional theory modeling, and are determined to arise from removal of identifiable edge-site sulfur species.
The Complexity of Policy Preferences: Examining Self-interest, Group-Interest, and Race Consciousness Across Race and Political Ideology

Research on attitudes toward racial policies has often been limited to a single racial group (e.g., either Whites or Blacks). These studies often focus on the role of self-interest, group-interest, and race consciousness, but this work has operationalized these concepts in different ways when studying White or Black respondents. Using data from a study in which Whites and Blacks living in Chicago were asked their attitudes toward affirmative action, we build on this body of research by using common measures of self-reported self-interest, group-interest, and race consciousness to predict support for affirmative action. We also examine whether the effects of these determinants are moderated by political ideology. We find that self-reported self-interest influences support for affirmative action among Black conservatives, but not among other respondents. Self-reported group-interest, however, has significant effects that differ between Blacks and Whites and across liberals, moderates, and conservatives. We also find that race consciousness affects respondents’ attitudes toward affirmative action, but that this effect is moderated by political ideology.
WILMOT W. BROWN: ONE OF THE MOST PROLIFIC COLLECTORS OF THE VERTEBRATE FAUNA OF THE NEW WORLD

Wilmot W. Brown (1870?–1953) collected birds, mammals, amphibians, and reptiles from 1890 until his death in 1953, amassing a collection that forms the core of knowledge of the distribution and taxonomy of the terrestrial vertebrate fauna of Central and South America. His collection of more than 18,000 bird specimens is spread over 25 institutions, although his longest collaboration was with Outram Bangs and John Thayer of the Museum of Comparative Zoology. He collected throughout the Caribbean; northern South America, including Colombia and Panama; and principally throughout Mexico, where he was based for more than 40 years, forming one of the most important collections ever amassed for that country. He collected more than 750 specimens now classified as some form of type specimen, and at least eight taxa are named in his honor, including two reptiles, a mammal, and five birds. Although he sent regular, detailed correspondence back to his benefactors in the United States, he never published a single professional article, and no field journal has been located, leaving his legacy obscured. In an era of lax data collection and fraudulent collectors, Brown's specimens and associated data have proven to be of high quality and help form the basis for our current understanding of New World biodiversity, although his legacy is marred by his disregard for the conservation plight of the species he collected.
Abstract 16: Sex Disparities in Organ Donation: Finding an Equal Donor Pool

Introduction: The majority of living organ donors are women, and the majority of deceased organ donors are men. This poses a problem for transplant candidates who have worsened survival with sex mi...
A break-even analysis of benzoyl peroxide and hydrogen peroxide for infection prevention in shoulder arthroplasty.

Background Newer strategies to decolonize the shoulder of Cutibacterium acnes may hold promise in minimizing the occurrence of infections after shoulder arthroplasty, but little is known about their cost-effectiveness. Break-even models can determine the economic viability of interventions in settings with low outcome event rates that would realistically preclude a randomized clinical trial. We used such modeling to determine the economic viability of benzoyl peroxide and hydrogen peroxide for infection prevention in shoulder arthroplasty. Methods Skin decolonization protocol costs ($11.76 for benzoyl peroxide; $0.96 for hydrogen peroxide), baseline infection rates for shoulder arthroplasty (0.70%), and infection-related care costs ($50,230) were derived from institutional records and the literature. A break-even equation incorporating these variables was developed to determine the absolute risk reduction (ARR) in the infection rate to make prophylactic use economically justified. The number needed to treat was calculated from the ARR. Results Topical benzoyl peroxide is considered economically justified if it prevents at least 1 infection out of 4348 shoulder arthroplasties (ARR = 0.023%). Hydrogen peroxide is economically justified if it prevents at least 1 infection out of 50,000 cases (ARR = 0.002%). These protocols remained economically viable at varying unit costs, initial infection rates, and infection-related care costs. Conclusions The use of topical benzoyl peroxide and skin preparations with hydrogen peroxide are highly economically justified practices for infection prevention in shoulder arthroplasty. Efforts to determine drawbacks of routine skin decolonization strategies are warranted as they may change the value analysis.
Frequency-Dependent Material Motion Benchmarks for Radiative Transfer.

We present a general solution for the radiation intensity in front of a purely absorbing slab moving toward an observer at constant speed and with a constant temperature. The solution is obtained by integrating the lab-frame radiation transport equation through the slab to the observer. We present comparisons between our benchmark and results from the Kull simulation code for an aluminum slab moving toward the observer at 2% the speed-of-light. We demonstrate that ignoring certain material motion correction terms in the transport equation can lead to 20-80% errors with the error magnitude growing as the frequency resolution is improved. Our results also indicate that our benchmark can identify potential errors in the implementation of material motion corrections.
Emerging Clinical Translational Treatment Strategies for Age-Related Hearing Loss

Recent advances in audiological research, biomedical and chemical engineering, and hearing sciences suggest that effective biomedical treatments, technological interventions, and acoustic-based therapies will soon bring some exciting opportunities to delay or treat key aspects of age-related hearing loss (ARHL), or presbycusis. In the present chapter, some of the provocative research that is paving the way for these upcoming successful interventions, including the groundwork for a first FDA-approved drug or system to treat acquired hearing loss, including age-related, is presented. Impactful work on drug and medicinal discoveries and developments; localized drug delivery possibilities, including micropumps and hydrogels; and acoustic/technological approaches for effective interventions are highlighted in the present chapter. In the same way that cochlear implant development has been remarkable in the past decades, starting with the initial one-channel cochlear implants developed and tested early on at the House Ear Institute, we will soon experience remarkable breakthroughs for interventions to prevent or treat presbycusis.
Common Mode EMI Mitigation at a Power Converter Network

A new approach to mitigate common-mode (CM) electromagnetic interference (EMI) has been presented in this paper. Conventional CM EMI reduction techniques are costly, especially in a system with largely networked power converters. The proposed topology will offer a new EMI cancellation solution without such costly trade-offs, that the conventional filter sciences face over efficiency, power density, and performance. The topology effectively functions as a virtual EMI filter within an energy system without using any additional active or passive circuits. Thus, it has the potential to achieve filter less energy systems. The proposed method has been validated through the LTspice simulator and modeled signal processing approach. The proposed algorithm has also been validated through medium voltage CM EMI testbed with multiple SiC half- bridge modules (300kVA, 1kV input DC voltage), following available EMI standards.
Spirituality and the Illness Experience: Perspectives of African American Older Adults.

Background:Disparities in hospice and palliative care (PC) for African Americans have been linked to mistrust toward the healthcare system, racial inequalities, and cultural preferences. Spirituali...
Multimodal Expressions of Self: Telling Ghost Stories as Intersectional African American and Latinx American Scholars:

Using autoethnography to critically analyze personal and cultural experiences, we use the notion of “home” metaphorically through (a) academia—of our traumatic experiences as African American and L...
Pancreatic fistula

External and internal pancreatic fistulas have a different etiology and natural history. Approximately 50% of internal and 70% to 90% of external pancreatic fistulas can be expected to heal with nonoperative management. Nonclosure is predicted by anatomic factors, which may be defined at endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography or by CT if disconnected pancreatic segments are seen. Enteral nutrition beyond the ligament of Treitz is probably as effective as total parenteral nutrition in reducing fistula output. Octreotide reduces output and, possibly, time to closure. It does not increase the incidence of closure, and there is no convincing evidence that it prevents significant postoperative leaks. Endoscopic stenting has been reported to be effective treatment for side leaks, particularly when associated with stenoses or calculi. However, it is not widely available and has a significant complication rate related to pancreatic sphincterotomy and stent blockage. Surgical treatment is indicated for end leaks with a disconnected pancreatic segment. The choice of appropriate procedure is important. Percutaneous interventional therapies are emerging as options for treatment of end leaks but are still investigational.
Oviposition behaviour of Bracon mellitor, a parasitoid of the boll weevil (Anthonomus grandis). II. Associative learning

ABSTRACT. The parasitoid, Bracon mellitor, will probe with its ovipositor plant structures containing its host. The identification of methyl parahydroxy-benzoate (methyl parasept), an antimicrobial additive to the semi-synthetic diet used for rearing the host, as a releaser of this behaviour prompted an investigation of the parasitoid's response to this chemical. Its absence from field hosts suggested the response was learned. Female parasitoids reared in host-infested cotton plant buds from the fields or in methyl parasept-free hosts did not respond to methyl parasept alone until exposed to hosts contaminated with it. This is taken to imply associative learning by the females reared from the methyl parasept-free hosts. A few responses to methyl parasept were elicited from inexperienced females reared from methyl parasept-contaminated hosts, but their responsiveness increased after they had been exposed to methyl parasept-contaminated hosts as oviposition stimuli. These results point to the caution that must be exercised in the isolation and identification of kairomones.
Electrical and chemical synapses between relay neurons in developing thalamus

Gap junction-mediated electrical synapses interconnect diverse types of neurons in the mammalian brain, and they may play important roles in the synchronization and development of neural circuits. Thalamic relay neurons are the major source of input to neocortex. Electrical synapses have not been directly observed between relay neurons in either developing or adult animals. We tested for electrical synapses by recording from pairs of relay neurons in acute slices of developing ventrobasal nucleus (VBN) of the thalamus from rats and mice. Electrical synapses were common between VBN relay neurons during the first postnatal week, and then declined sharply during the second week. Electrical coupling was reduced among cells of connexin36 (Cx36) knockout mice; however, some neuron pairs remained coupled. This implies that electrical synapses between the majority of coupled VBN neurons require Cx36 but that other gap junction proteins also contribute. The anatomical distribution of a β-galactosidase reporter indicated that Cx36 was expressed in some VBN neurons during the first postnatal week and sharply declined over the second week, consistent with our physiological results. VBN relay neurons also communicated via chemical synapses. Rare pairs of relay neurons excited one another monosynaptically. Much more commonly, spikes in one relay neuron evoked disynaptic inhibition (via the thalamic reticular nucleus) in the same or a neighbouring relay neuron. Disynaptic inhibition between VBN cells emerged as electrical coupling was decreasing, during the second postnatal week. Our results demonstrate that thalamic relay neurons communicate primarily via electrical synapses during early postnatal development, and then lose their electrical coupling as a chemical synapse-mediated inhibitory circuit matures.
Program for Yield-Point Load of Arches

THE DETERMINATION OF THE YIELD-POINT LOAD OF A CURVED BEAM IS FORMULATED AS A LINEAR PROGRAMMING PROBLEM BY MEANS OF THE LOWER BOUND THEOREM OF LIMIT ANALYSIS. BY USING THE REPLACEMENT STRUCTURE COROLLARY FOR AN UPPER BOUND IN CONJUNCTION WITH THIS LOWER BOUND FORMULATION, AN EFFICIENT ITERATIVE TECHNIQUE IS DEVELOPED. THE METHOD HAS BEEN CODED IN A FORTRAN IV PROGRAM WHICH IS CAPABLE OF HANDLING ANY INPLANE ARCH SUPPORTED IN ANY MANNER AT TWO ENDS. SOME POSSIBLE APPLICATIONS OF THIS PROGRAM TO DESIGN ARE DESCRIBED. FINALLY, SOME RESULTS ARE GIVEN WHICH ILLUSTRATE THE STRENGTH ADVANTAGES OF CURVED BEAMS COMPARED TO STRAIGHT BEAMS. /ASCE/
Detection of Mitotic Cells

In preparation for cell division, nuclear chromatin undergoes a vital rearrangement required for the organization of chromosomes and their allocation to daughter cells. This process is initiated during G2 phase with the most remarkable morphological manifestation being chromatin condensation. This unit provides protocols for identification and quantification of mitotic cells based on immunocytochemical detection of histone H3 phosphorylated on Ser 10 (H3-P), the critical event occurring during the G2 to M transition (essential for chromatin condensation), using anti-H3-P, a commercially available antibody to which apoptotic cells are not reactive, concurrently with differential staining of cellular DNA. Additionally an adaptation of this method used to stain cells mounted on microscope slides for analysis by multiparameter laser scanning cytometry is also presented. Keywords: cell cycle; chromatin; histone; multiparameter laser scanning cytometery; mitosis; mitotic index
Open source standardization: The rise of linux in the network era

To attract complementary assets, firms that sponsor proprietary de facto compatibility standards must trade off control of the standard against the imperative for adoption. For example, Microsoft and Intel in turn gained pervasive adoption of their technologies by appropriating only a single layer of the standards architecture and encouraging competition in other layers. In reaction to such proprietary strategies, the open source movement relinquished control to maximize adoption. To illustrate this, we examine the rise of the Linux operating system from 1995–2001, particularly the motivations of organizational buyers and suppliers of complementary assets, and Microsoft’s reaction to its success.
Factors contributing to quality coparenting: Implications for family policy.

Abstract Cognitive, contextual, and perceptual factors contributing to quality coparenting were examined in a survey of 135 respondents (54 males, 81 females) who were separated/divorced former partners coparenting minor-aged children. Respondents indicated, for the most part, a coparenting atmosphere of anger and hostility. The regression analysis indicated that satisfaction with financial child support arrangements (Beta = .219, p= .041), less hostile divorce proceedings (Beta = -.291,p= .003) and forgiveness (Beta = .319, p =.003) were the strongest predictors of quality coparenting. Emerging conflict issues between former partners were regarding children and finances, specifically access to the children and child financial support. These findings have implications for family policy which could assist with facilitating a civil and cooperative coparenting environment.
Patient and Partner Satisfaction with the AMS 700 Penile Prosthesis

AbstractPatient and partner satisfaction with the use of an AMS 700††American Medical Systems, Inc., Minnetonka, Minnesota. inflatable penile prosthesis was evaluated by reviewing the records from 387 patients and questionnaires completed by 272 of these patients. The evaluation demonstrated that 83% of the patients and 70% of the partners were satisfied with use of this device. Couples who reported the lowest levels of satisfaction were characterized by men who required more than 1 procedure for prosthesis implantation. Pain and appearance of the penis were the most common causes for dissatisfaction with the device. Results from this evaluation recognize the importance of careful surgical technique to avoid any surgical complications but, more importantly, they emphasize the need for physician-manufacturer interaction to maximize mechanical reliability of the prosthesis.
Preoperative patient optimization for mechanical circulatory support.

Two patients are presented for consideration of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) placement for mechanical circulatory support. Pertinent right heart catheterization and laboratory data are presented in Table 1. Table 1 Laboratory and hemodynamic data for patient 1 and patient 2 A 56-year-old man with ischemic cardiomyopathy with a left ventricular ejection fraction of 20%. He has had five admissions in the last six months for intravenous loop diuretics, despite dietary and medication compliance and optimization of his outpatient medical regimen. Body mass index (BMI) is 18; A 42-year-old woman presents from home with lethargy after months of “feeling sick”. On admission, blood pressure is 72/58 mmHg, heart rate is 118 beats/minutes, and oxygen saturation is 84% on room air. She is intubated and transferred to the cardiac intensive care unit, where transthoracic echocardiogram shows a dilated left ventricle with an ejection fraction of 15% and global hypokinesis of both ventricles. Both of these patients raise unique questions of how the team can best optimize their risk prior to LVAD placement in order to avoid foreseeable postoperative pitfalls. There are three common postoperative complications in LVAD patients and established pre-operative predictors and preventative strategies for each. Prior to discussing those complications, it is important to review the contraindications for LVAD placement (Table 2) (1). While these may change as technology advances, currently, the presence of any of these contraindications should obviate LVAD placement. It is also important to recognize that some contraindications are reversible and short term mechanical support can occasionally be considered in these patients. Table 2 Contraindications for permanent left ventricular assist device implantation Safeguards and pitfalls Postoperative pitfall 1: right ventricular (RV) failure In the early post-operative period, several mechanisms may contribute to RV failure, including a sudden increase in cardiac output, increased RV preload from increased venous return, and increased RV wall strain and afterload due to septal shift, and pulmonary vasoreactivity after cardiopulmonary bypass. RV failure leads to liver and renal failure, underfilling of the LV and pump causing arrhythmias or shock, and a higher peri-operative mortality (1). Table 3 lists independent clinical, laboratory, hemodynamic, and echocardiographic predictors of RV failure. Table 3 Independent predictors of RV failure after LVAD implantation Prospective data is limited regarding pre-operative interventions (aside from diligent patient selection) that effectively reduce the risk of RV failure. Anecdotal evidence and experience has suggested that pre-operative diuresis, use of intra-aortic balloon pump, and inotropic support to optimize RV preload and hemodynamics can reduce the risk of RV failure in high risk patients (1).
Transfection of Mouse Cochlear Explants by Electroporation

The sensory epithelium of the mammalian inner ear, also referred to as the organ of Corti, is a remarkable structure comprised of highly ordered rows of mechanosensory hair cells and non-sensory supporting cells located within the coiled cochlea. This unit describes an in vitro explant culture technique that can be coupled with gene transfer via electroporation to study the effects of altering gene expression during development of the organ of Corti. While the protocol is largely focused on embryonic cochlea, the same basic protocol can be used on cochleae from mice as old as P5.
Enhanced transduction and replication of RGD-fiber modified adenovirus in primary T cells.

Background Adenoviruses are often used as vehicles to mediate gene delivery for therapeutic purposes, but their research scope in hematological cells remains limited due to a narrow choice of host cells that express the adenoviral receptor (CAR). T cells, which are attractive targets for gene therapy of numerous diseases, remain resistant to adenoviral infection because of the absence of CAR expression. Here, we demonstrate that this resistance can be overcome when murine or human T cells are transduced with an adenovirus incorporating the RGD-fiber modification (Ad-RGD). Methodology/Principal Finding A luciferase-expressing replication-deficient Ad-RGD infected 3-fold higher number of activated primary T cells than an adenovirus lacking the RGD-fiber modification in vitro. Infection with replication-competent Ad-RGD virus also caused increased cell cycling, higher E1A copy number and enriched hexon antigen expression in both human and murine T cells. Transduction with oncolytic Ad-RGD also resulted in higher titers of progeny virus and enhanced the killing of T cells. In vivo, 35–45% of splenic T cells were transduced by Ad-RGD. Conclusions Collectively, our results prove that a fiber modified Ad-RGD successfully transduces and replicates in primary T cells of both murine and human origin.
Formation of (−)-arctigenin in Forsythia intermedia

Abstract Forsythia intermedia cell-free extracts were examined for their ability to catalyse the enantioselective and regiospecific O -methylation of matairesinol. In contrast to the enzymatic steps defined from (+)-pinoresinol to (−)-matairesinol, the conversion of matairesinol into arctigenin was not highly enantioselective; both (+)- and (−)- antipodes of matairesinol served as substrates for methylation, with the naturally occurring (−)-enantiomer slightly preferred. But the cell-free extracts also catalysed the synthesis of (+)- and (−)-isoarctigenins, with (−)-matairesinol again the preferred substrate. Thus the O -methylation of matairesinol, catalysed by F. intermedia cell-free extracts, is neither highly enantioselective nor regiospecific. No evidence that subsequent methylation of either arctigenin or isoarctigenin occurred to afford dimethyl matairesinol was obtained, i.e. the O -methyltransferase(s) only catalysed monomethylation. Taken together, it is proposed that post-coupling methylation does not proceed via regiospecific methylation of matairesinol to give arctigenin directly. Instead, regiospecific glucosylation first occurs to afford matairesinoside; subsequent methylation affords arctiin, which is then converted into arctigenin via action of a β-glucosidase.