cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Radiographic Evaluation of Bovine Artificial Inseminating Technique among Professional and Herdsman-Inseminators Using .5- and .25-ml French Straws

Using radiography, inseminating syringe tip location and inseminate distribution in excised bovine reproductive tracts were described for 20 professional and 20 herdsman-inseminators using .5- and .25-ml French straws. Inseminations (20 by each participant) were performed in tracts placed on a device that stimulated the anatomical position of the reproductive organs in vivo. A computer-coupled graphics information digitizer was used to quantitate the precise location of the syringe tip and to estimate the distribution of radiopaque inseminate within the tract from each pair of radiographs. Neither category of inseminator (professional or herdsman) nor volume of inseminate (.5 vs .25 ml) influenced (P greater than .05) syringe tip placement or subsequent distribution of the radiopaque inseminate within the tract. The proportion of syringe tip placements in various anatomical locations (586 attempts) were: uterine body, 39%; cervix, 25%; left uterine lumen, 13% and right uterine lumen, 23%. The variability among inseminators was high, with the ability to position the syringe tip in the uterine body ranging from 0 to 85% of the 20 attempts. Among all inseminators, 82% were unable to place the syringe in the uterine body greater than 60% of the time. When averaged across all inseminations (n = 666), 40% of the inseminate was located in the uterine body and(or) equally distributed in the uterine lumina. The remainder of the inseminate was located in the cervix (17%) or disproportionately in one uterine lumen (43%). Syringe tip placement in the uterine body was correlated (r = .73; P less than .05) with the proportion of inseminate located in the uterine body and(or) equally distributed to the lumen of both uterine horns. Measurements of various anatomical components of the reproductive tract were made from the first radiograph. The means were: cervical diameter, 5.9 cm; length from internal cervical os to external uterine bifurcation, 16.4 cm; uterine body length, 1.7 cm and uterine body surface area, 3.6 cm2. There was no relationship between the palpable anatomical components and uterine body size.
The Central Nervous System Regulates Embryonic HSPC Production via Stress-Responsive Glucocorticoid Receptor Signaling

Hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell (HSPC) specification is regulated by numerous defined factors acting locally within the hemogenic niche; however, it is unclear whether production can adapt to fluctuating systemic needs. Here we show that the CNS controls embryonic HSPC numbers via the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal/interrenal (HPA/I) stress response axis. Exposure to serotonin or the reuptake inhibitor fluoxetine increased runx1 expression and Flk1(+)/cMyb(+) HSPCs independent of peripheral innervation. Inhibition of neuronal, but not peripheral, tryptophan hydroxlyase (Tph) persistently reduced HSPC number. Consistent with central HPA/I axis induction and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) activation, GR agonists enhanced, whereas GR loss diminished, HSPC formation. Significantly, developmental hypoxia, as indicated by Hif1α function, induced the HPA/I axis and cortisol production. Furthermore, Hif1α-stimulated HSPC enhancement was attenuated by neuronal tph or GR loss. Our data establish that embryonic HSC production responds to physiologic stress via CNS-derived serotonin synthesis and central feedback regulation to control HSC numbers.
Excommunication for Debt in Late Medieval France: The Business of Salvation

Late medieval church courts frequently excommunicated debtors at the request of their creditors. Tyler Lange analyzes over 11,000 excommunications between 1380 and 1530 in order to explore the forms, rhythms, and cultural significance of the practice. Three case studies demonstrate how excommunication for debt facilitated minor transactions in an age of scarce small-denomination coinage and how interest-free loans and sales credits could be viewed as encouraging the relations of charitable exchange that were supposed to exist between members of Christ's body. Lange also demonstrates how from 1500 or so believers gradually turned away from the practice and towards secular courts, at the same time as they retained the moralized, economically irrational conception of indebtedness we have yet to shake. The demand-driven rise and fall of excommunication for debt reveals how believers began to reshape the institutional Church well before Martin Luther posted his theses.
Kynurenines and Glutamate: Multiple Links and Therapeutic Implications.

Glutamate is firmly established as the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the mammalian brain and is actively involved in most aspects of neurophysiology. Moreover, glutamatergic impairments are associated with a wide variety of dysfunctional states, and both hypo- and hyperfunction of glutamate have been plausibly linked to the pathophysiology of neurological and psychiatric diseases. Metabolites of the kynurenine pathway (KP), the major catabolic route of the essential amino acid tryptophan, influence glutamatergic activity in several distinct ways. This includes direct effects of these “kynurenines” on ionotropic and metabotropic glutamate receptors or vesicular glutamate transport, and indirect effects, which are initiated by actions at various other recognition sites. In addition, some KP metabolites affect glutamatergic functions by generating or scavenging highly reactive free radicals. This review summarizes these phenomena and discusses implications for brain physiology and pathology.
Embodiedness, Embeddedness, Teleology

Nietzsche was more than a dilettante about scientific knowledge of the human body and its functioning. A barometer of his interest in physiology is the frequency of the words ‘physiology’ and ‘physiological’ in his work. Where there is one reference to physiology in Human, All-too-Human, there are twelve in Daybreak, six in Gay Science, sixteen in Beyond Good and Evil, thirty-three in Genealogy of Morals, twenty-six in Twilight of the Idols, thirteen in Antichrist, seventeen in Ecce Homo, and hundreds more in the notebooks from 1880–1888 (Brown 2004). Nietzsche’s fascination with physiology can also be gauged by the books lining his bookshelves. He owned more than three dozen books and professional texts on physiology, medicine, and health, most of them purchased after 1875. If annotations are an accurate guide, he appears to have read many of these books cover-to-cover and some of them more than once (Brobjer 2004; Moore 2004). Moreover, Nietzsche himself acknowledges that physiology accounted for much of his reading after 1880. He wrote in Ecce Homo that by about 1880, ‘a truly burning thirst took hold of me: henceforth I really pursued nothing more than physiology, medicine, and natural sciences’ (EH ‘Human’ 3).
Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulation of the Hydrogen Reduction of Magnetite Concentrate in a Laboratory Flash Reactor

A three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model was developed to study the hydrogen reduction of magnetite concentrate particles in a laboratory flash reactor representing a novel flash ironmaking process. The model was used to simulate the fluid flow, heat transfer, and chemical reactions involved. The governing equations for the gas phase were solved in the Eulerian frame of reference while the particles were tracked in the Lagrangian framework. The change in the particle mass was related to the chemical reaction and the particle temperature was calculated by taking into consideration the heat of reaction, convection, and radiation. The stochastic trajectory model was used to describe particle dispersion due to turbulence. Partial combustion of H2 by O2 injected through a non-premixed burner was also simulated in this study. The partial combustion mechanism used in this model consisted of seven chemical reactions involving six species. The temperature profiles and reduction degrees obtained from the simulations satisfactorily agreed with the experimental measurements.
Best Practices in Legal Education: How Live Critiquing and Cooperative Work Lead to Happy Students and Happy Professors

At Widener Law Commonwealth, the legal writing program organizes itself around best practices for the students and, also, best practices for the professors. Rather than catalog the innovative approaches that set our program and pedagogy apart from others, this article focuses on two central ideas and guiding principles for producing happy students and happy professors: 1) using live critiquing to provide feedback on assignments and 2) encouraging cooperative work among legal writing faculty.
An effective leadership approach for today's engineer 2006 IEEE/UT EMC

We can all agree that being a leader in today's engineering environment provides many challenges. However, being an effective leader brings many rewards. Establishing a motivated team that successfully delivers a quality product or service on time and within budget rewards the leader as well as the team. Team members and leaders are rewarded through professional achievement, work satisfaction, and personal recognition. The organization is rewarded with establishing a reputation of delivering high quality products and services that create opportunities for future growth and sustainment. This paper recommends the application of the model of transformational leadership as a solution for engineering leaders. Case studies are included that provide exampIes of how transformational leadership can benefit engineers. Additionally, summaries of transformational leadership study findings are provided that relate to more than engineering type initiatives.
Rigorous theory for transient capillary imbibition in channels of arbitrary cross section

This article addresses a classical fluid mechanics problem where the effect of capillary action on a column of viscous liquid is analyzed by quantifying its time-dependent penetrated length in a narrow channel. Despite several past studies, a rigorous mathematical formulation of this inherently unsteady process is still unavailable, because these existing works resort to a crucial assumption only valid for mildly transient systems. The approximate theories use an integral approach where the penetration is described by equating total force acting on the domain to rate of change of total momentum. However, while doing so, the viscous resistance under temporally varying condition is assumed to be same as the resistance created by a quasi-steady velocity profile. Thus, leading order error appears due to such approximation which can only be true when the variation in time is not strong enough causing negligible transient deviation in the hydrodynamic quantities. The present paper proposes a new way to solve this problem by considering the unsteady field itself as an unknown variable. Accordingly, the analysis applies an eigenfunction expansion of the flow with unknown time-dependent amplitudes which along with the unsteady intrusion length are calculated from a system of ordinary differential equations. A comparative exploration identifies the situation for which the integral approach and the rigorous technique based on eigenfunction expansion deviate from each other. It also reveals that the two methods differ substantially in short-time dynamics at the initial stage. Then, an asymptotic perturbation shows how the two sets of results should coincide in their long-time behavior. In this way, the findings will provide a comprehensive understanding of the physics behind the transport phenomenon.
An Exploratory Examination and Critique of Academic Law Librarian Blogs: A Look into an Evolving Reference Communication Practice

ABSTRACTThis study is an exploratory qualitative investigation of academic library blogs with the purpose of examining how the technology of blogging is evolving for reference and research purposes at particular academic law libraries. This study uses anthropological archive research methods to study the blogs’ posts and triangulates the study with librarian blogger interviews. It provides a look into possible future directions for blogging in academic law libraries that may serve as a model for other academic libraries.
Abstract P611: Vascular-mediated Preterm Birth is Associated with Cardiovascular Risk after Pregnancy

Objective: To investigate whether preterm birth and placental evidence of malperfusion is associated with subclinical atherosclerosis and a higher cardiovascular risk factor burden 4 to 12 years after pregnancy. Methods: A cohort of women with preterm (n=119) and term births (n=242), mean age 38 years, was examined on average eight years after pregnancy for carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT), fasting lipids, blood pressure and inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein [hsCRP] and Interleukin-6 [IL-6]). Pregnancy characteristics included placental pathology evidence of malperfusion (vasculopathy, infarct, advanced villous maturation, perivillous fibrin, fibrin deposition), infection (chorioamnionitis, funisitis, deciduitus), villitis (chronic inflammation), fetal thrombosis or chorangiosis. Vascular-mediated preterm births were those with malperfusion lesions, and by design, those with preeclampsia were excluded. Results: Women with malperfusion lesions had a higher mean carotid IMT (+0.055 cm), total cholesterol (+17.49 mg/dl), LDL-C (+11.44), triglycerides (+17%), apolipoprotein-B (+8.95) and systolic and diastolic blood pressure (+4.58/+2.62 mmHg) compared to women with term births, independent of age, race, smoking and adiposity assessed before and after pregnancy (all p Conclusions: Vascular-mediated preterm birth is associated with maternal subclinical atherosclerosis and a higher cardiovascular risk factor burden in the decade after pregnancy compared to term birth. The placenta may offer unique insight into how pregnancy complications can portend the emergence of maternal cardiovascular disease.
Voting and civic engagement: Results from an online field experiment:

How does voting interact with civic engagement outside the electoral process? An online field experiment on more than 140,000 registered voters in San Francisco yielded two main results. Subjects w...
Pulmonary Embolism and Pulmonary Hypertension

Pulmonary thromboembolic disease spectrum is comprised of acute pulmonary embolism (PE), chronic PE, and pulmonary (arterial) hypertension. Approximately 8% of the untreated cases may result in death. Besides thrombus, fat, air, and amniotic fluid are also known to cause PE. Pulmonary hypertension is defined as a pulmonary systolic arterial pressure equal to or exceeding 25 mmHg or a mean pulmonary artery pressure greater than 18 mmHg during rest (normal level, 10 mmHg). Pulmonary venous hypertension is defined by a measurement of pulmonary venous pressure equal to or more than 18 mmHg. Pulmonary hypertension secondary to known cardiac, pulmonary, or hepatic disease is far more common than is primary pulmonary hypertension, which has no identifiable cause. This chapter will help correlate the plain radiographic features with computed tomography.
Heterologous Leader Sequences in Fusion Constructs Enhance Expression of Geranyl Diphosphate Synthase and Yield of β-Phellandrene Production in Cyanobacteria (Synechocystis)

Fusion constructs as protein overexpression vectors proved to be critical in the heterologous expression of terpene synthases in cyanobacteria. The concept was recently applied to the heterologous overexpression of the β-phellandrene synthase (β-PHLS) from plants, fused to the highly expressed endogenous cpcB gene encoding the β-subunit of phycocyanin. Overexpressed CpcB*PHLS fusion proteins enhanced the heterologous yield of C10H16 β-phellandrene hydrocarbons production in Synechocystis. This work extended the concept of fusion constructs as protein overexpression vectors by showing that highly expressed heterologous genes could also serve as leader sequences for protein overexpression in cyanobacteria. Examined are the kanamycin nptI and chloramphenicol cmR resistance cassettes, both of which are overexpressed in Synechocystis. Evidence showed a dual purpose of the nptI gene, as a leader sequence fused to a heterologous geranyl-diphosphate synthase (GPPS), promoting its expression, while at the same tim...
CHAPTER 8 – Random Eigenvalue Equations

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the random Eigenvalue equations. It discusses the stochastic Sturm–Liouville problem. It presents the assumption that the boundary conditions are deterministic. The harmonic oscillator is a well-used application in physics. Near equilibrium points, systems are represented as harmonic oscillators. In quantum mechanics, the time-independent Schrodinger equation is an eigenvalue equation. In the one-dimensional case, the transformation of the independent variable yields the Sturm–Liouville form.
Pushing the Limits of Structure-Based Models: Prediction of Nonglobular Protein Folding and Fibrils Formation with Go-Model Simulations

The development of computational efficient models is essential to obtain a detailed characterization of the mechanisms underlying the folding of proteins and the formation of amyloid fibrils. Structure-based computational models (Go-model) with Cα or all-atom resolutions have been able to successfully delineate the mechanisms of folding of several globular proteins and offer an interesting alternative to computationally intensive simulations with explicit solvent description. Here, we explore the limits of Go-model predictions by analyzing the folding of the nonglobular repeat domain proteins Notch Ankyrin and p16INK4 and the formation of human islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP) fibrils. Folding trajectories of the repeat domain proteins revealed that an all-atom resolution is required to capture the folding pathways and cooperativity reported in experimental studies. The all-atom Go-model was also successful in predicting the free-energy landscape of hIAPP fibrillation, suggesting a “dock and lock” mechan...
Oral Cavity: Nonneoplastic and Benign Neoplasia

The universal challenge of writing about diagnostic surgical pathology is the flawed process of distilling experiential learning at the microscope into words on a page. Experiencing pathology and reading about pathology, are two very different processes that will forever be entwined. One cannot become a pathologist and maintain competency without be grounded in both. This massive chapter covers the wide array of autoimmune, infectious, idiopathic, and benign processes, and benign tumors that can affect the oral cavity; its very diversity defies summary into key points. My goal is to strike the right balance of tersely presented information, diagnostic descriptors, pitfalls, and histological examples, to companion you, as you experience oral pathology.
The microbiology of post-cesarean wound morbidity.

Objective To determine the microbiology of wound morbidity following cesarean deliveries. Methods Nine hundred thirty-nine wounds in post-cesarean patients were followed prospectively. Aspirates from the abdominal incision were collected if the wounds developed erythema, induration, or pain and had demonstrable fluid collection noted on ultrasound. Cultures were also obtained of wound exudates when there was spontaneous separation of the skin. Gram stains were performed concomitantly with culture. Results The cumulative incidence of post-cesarean wound morbidity between September 1990 and June 1991 was 6.9% (65 of 939), and the rate of culture-positive wounds was 72% (47 of 65). Ureaplasma urealyticum was the most frequent isolate at a rate of 62% (29 of 47), followed by coagulase-negative staphylococci at 32% (15 of 47) and Enterococcus faecalis at 28% (13 of 47). Gram stains of the exudates obtained were used to predict microbiologic results. Organisms present on Gram stain yielded a sensitivity of 0.55, specificity of 1.0, positive predictive value of 1.0, and negative predictive value of 0.71 when used to predict positive culture results for bacterial wound infection other than with genital mycoplasmas. White blood cell counts greater than ten per 400x high-power fields yielded a sensitivity of 0.83, specificity of 0.72, positive predictive value of 0.89, and negative predictive value of 0.62 when used to predict wound infection including genital mycoplasmas. Conclusions Genital mycoplasmas are the most prevalent bacterium in post-cesarean wound infections in this population. If genital mycoplasmas are pathogenic in this setting, then the Gram stain may be useful in predicting wound microbiology. More research is needed on the pathogenic role of genital mycoplasmas in wound infections.
Preclinical pharmacokinetic, antitumor and toxicity studies with CL-994 (N-acetyldinaline)

CI-994, a substituted benzamide derivative, is a compound that showed solid tumor selectivity for a variety of solid tumor models compared to L1210 leukemia. Due to its lack of aqueous solubility, it requires oral administration. Female B6D2F1 mice were treated with CI-994 once daily by oral administration of 50 mg/kg for 14 days. Following treatment mice were evaluated for pharmacodynamic effects as well as the pharmacokinetic behavior of CI-994 and the de-acetylated derivative dinaline. Mice samples (plasma, urine, feces) were analyzed using solid phase extraction, reverse phase HPLC and ultraviolet detection. The plasma distribution and elimination half-lives for CI-994 were 51 minutes and 9.4 hours, respectively, on D-1; 31 minutes and 3.4 hours, respectively on D-14. The apparent plasma distribution and elimination half-lives for dinaline were 27 minutes and 2.4 hours, respectively, on D-1; 40 minutes and 7.3 hours, respectively on D-14. The CI-994 AUC on D-1 and D-14 were 2879 and 2407 µ × minutes, respectively; while the dinaline AUC on D-1 and D-14 were 87 and 92 µg/ml × minutes, respectively. Urinary excretion for CI-994 and dinaline was higher on D-14, while the fecal excretion was the same on both days. The Colon #38 tumor growth in treated mice was reduced to 22% of that observed in the controls by D-19. The levels of all blood cells were reduced in the treated mice when compared to controls and the total WBC was the most affected (median 38%). Recovery to pretreatment levels occurred quickly following treatment cessation. Phase I evaluation of chronic oral administration of CI-994 is currently ongoing.
Low-rank matrix recovery via efficient schatten p-norm minimization

As an emerging machine learning and information retrieval technique, the matrix completion has been successfully applied to solve many scientific applications, such as collaborative prediction in information retrieval, video completion in computer vision, etc. The matrix completion is to recover a low-rank matrix with a fraction of its entries arbitrarily corrupted. Instead of solving the popularly used trace norm or nuclear norm based objective, we directly minimize the original formulations of trace norm and rank norm. We propose a novel Schatten p-Norm optimization framework that unifies different norm formulations. An efficient algorithm is derived to solve the new objective and followed by the rigorous theoretical proof on the convergence. The previous main solution strategy for this problem requires computing singular value decompositions - a task that requires increasingly cost as matrix sizes and rank increase. Our algorithm has closed form solution in each iteration, hence it converges fast. As a consequence, our algorithm has the capacity of solving large-scale matrix completion problems. Empirical studies on the recommendation system data sets demonstrate the promising performance of our new optimization framework and efficient algorithm.
Training the Answer?: No!

(1945). Training the Answer? The Journal of Health and Physical Education: Vol. 16, No. 2, pp. 65-94.
Of Scalpels and Family

A discussion of tractor parts leads to a wedding and subsequently, a son. Researchers dream of the “elegant” experiment, one whose findings are both beautiful and convincing.
Understanding of risk factors for the human papillomavirus (HPV) infection based on gender and race

This study assessed if race and gender predict known sexual risk factors associated with HPV. Data (n = 301) were from a cross-sectional study conducted at a drag racing event on September 12–13, 2015 in Madison, Illinois. Both multivariable logistic and linear regression models estimated the association between race, gender, and sexual risk factors. About 63% of participants were males, and 65% identified as Blacks. Compared to females, males were more likely to have a higher number of oral sexual partners (OR = 2.10; 95% CI: 1.23, 3.57). Males were also more likely to have earlier oral sexual (b = −2.10; 95% CI: −3.60, −0.60) and vaginal sexual (b = −1.10; 95% CI: −1.69, −0.31) debuts compared to females. Blacks were more likely to have higher number of vaginal sexual partners (OR = 3.38; 95% CI: 1.81, 6.31) and earlier vaginal sex (b = −1.09; 95% CI: −1.78, −0.41) but less likely to have earlier oral sexual debuts compared with Whites (b = 2.67; 95% CI: 1.21, −4.13). Because HPV is associated with several cancers, our findings provide impetus for the development of targeted educational interventions aimed at improving the knowledge of these sexual risk factors, especially among men and across race groups.
Friberg Equation to Predict Pediatric Distal Forearm Fracture Remodeling.

Background:This study is the first to test Friberg’s equation’s (Vt=V0[e(−st)]) accuracy in predicting the residual angular deformity in pediatric distal forearm fractures.Methods:Angular deformities from distal forearm fractures in 50 children (mean age, 9 y) were retrospectively measured on follow
Seizures and the impact on clinical outcomes at discharge in acute stroke patients from a large multicenter FL-PR registry (P4.035)

Objective: Using the large FL-PR (Florida and Puerto Rico) Stroke Registry, we compared the clinical outcomes at discharge in the acute stroke patients with and without seizure. Background: There are limited studies on the impact of seizures on clinical outcomes of patients with acute stroke. Design/Methods: A total of 162,607 acute stroke patients from 90 medical centers were included from 2010 to 2017 in FL-PR registry. We compared clinical characteristics and outcomes amongst patients with and without admission diagnosis of seizures. Outcome measures include length of stay, mortality rate, ambulatory status, and discharge disposition. We used Chi-square tests to compare categorical variables and Wilcoxon tests to compare continuous variables. Results: There were 2,058 (1.2%) patients with seizure among the acute stroke patients in the FL-PR registry, with 1271/115,547 (1.1%) seizures in acute ischemic stroke (AIS), 433/19,350 (2.2%) in intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), 233/7,864 (2.9%) in subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and 114/18,238 (0.6%) in transient ischemic attack (TIA). Compared with stroke patients without seizure, more patients with seizure were black (28.9 % vs 18.4%, p Conclusions: Seizures have a significant impact in acute stroke patients on the length of hospital stay and clinical outcome at discharge. Quality improvement strategies targeting stroke patients with seizures are needed to improve care. Study Supported by: FL-PR CReSD (The Florida Puerto Collaboration to Reduce Stroke Disparities ) is part of an NINDS (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke )-funded national collaborative. Disclosure: Dr. Zhang has nothing to disclose. Dr. Wang has nothing to disclose. Dr. Dong has nothing to disclose. Dr. Fenelon has nothing to disclose. Dr. Gutierrez has nothing to disclose. Dr. Sacco has nothing to disclose. Dr. Rundek has nothing to disclose. Dr. and Collaborators has nothing to disclose.
Feature Selection with Graph Mining Technology

Many real world applications have problems with high dimensionality, which existing algorithms cannot overcome. A critical data preprocessing problem is feature selection, whereby its non-scalability negatively influences both the efficiency and performance of big data applications. In this research, we developed a new algorithm to reduce the dimensionality of a problem using graph-based analysis, which retains the physical meaning of the original high-dimensional feature space. Most existing feature-selection methods are based on a strong assumption that features are independent of each other. However, if the feature-selection algorithm does not take into consideration the interdependencies of the feature space, the selected data fail to correctly represent the original data. We developed a new feature-selection method to address this challenge. Our aim in this research was to examine the dependencies between features and select the optimal feature set with respect to the original data structure. Another important factor in our proposed method is that it can perform even in the absence of class labels. This is a more difficult problem that many feature-selection algorithms fail to address. In this case, they only use wrapper techniques that require a learning algorithm to select features. It is important to note that our experimental results indicates, this proposed simple ranking method performs better than other methods, independent of any particular learning algorithm used.
Urological Care for Patients with Diabetes-Induced Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction

Diabetic cystopathy is a common and costly complication of the disease. The main driver for bladder dysfunction in this disease process is hyperglycemia. This leads to tissue damage in particularly susceptible cells. In diabetic cystopathy, hyperglycemia contributes to progressive loss of nerve fibers, which affects both the autonomic and somatic divisions of the nervous system. Urologic sequelae of diabetes include lower urinary tract dysfunction as well as sexual dysfunction. The process is slowly progressive and insidious. A common finding is impaired bladder sensation, which can lead to an asymptomatic increase in bladder capacity and urinary retention. The detrusor remodeling that occurs can also cause overactive bladder symptoms. Symptom presentation is widely variable and may go unnoticed for many years. Urodynamics can be the cornerstone of diagnosis in many cases. Treatments vary depending on subtype of bladder dysfunction and generally have lower success rates due to the irreversible loss of detrusor sensory and contractile ability.
Factoring Origin of Life Hypotheses into the Search for Life in the Solar System and Beyond

Two widely-cited alternative hypotheses propose geological localities and biochemical mechanisms for life’s origins. The first states that chemical energy available in submarine hydrothermal vents supported the formation of organic compounds and initiated primitive metabolic pathways which became incorporated in the earliest cells; the second proposes that protocells self-assembled from exogenous and geothermally-delivered monomers in freshwater hot springs. These alternative hypotheses are relevant to the fossil record of early life on Earth, and can be factored into the search for life elsewhere in the Solar System. This review summarizes the evidence supporting and challenging these hypotheses, and considers their implications for the search for life on various habitable worlds. It will discuss the relative probability that life could have emerged in environments on early Mars, on the icy moons of Jupiter and Saturn, and also the degree to which prebiotic chemistry could have advanced on Titan. These environments will be compared to ancient and modern terrestrial analogs to assess their habitability and biopreservation potential. Origins of life approaches can guide the biosignature detection strategies of the next generation of planetary science missions, which could in turn advance one or both of the leading alternative abiogenesis hypotheses.
Financial Restructuring in Chapter 11

In this study, we investigate a large sample of firms that emerged from Chapter 11 reorganizations, with the primary aim of improving our understanding of how these reorganizations affect capital structure. Even though Chapter 11 reorganizations wipe out the majority of short-term debt, we find, like Gilson (1997), that total debt ratios remain significantly higher than those of industry peers immediately after emergence. Further, cross-sectional regressions of debt ratios suggest that observed post-emergence capital structures are only partially consistent with the predictions of the static-trade-off capital structure theory. Moreover, unlike Gilson, we find that the post-reorganization debt ratios are positively related to pre-reorganization debt ratios, suggesting that the debt is sticky. We interpret our collective results as evidence that the Chapter 11 process assists firms in moving toward their theoretically optimal capital structures, but not all the way. This is consistent with the argument put forth by Roe (1983) and Bebchuk (1988) that the Chapter 11 process does not permit firms to remove as much debt as would be optimal, but at odds with Gilson's conclusion that "repeat bankruptcy filings or restructurings by these firms should not be taken as evidence that Chapter 11 produces economically inefficient capital structures" (p. 190). While our evidence suggests that reorganizations partially alleviate financial distress, they presumably also alleviate economic distress via asset restructurings and sales. Despite apparent impediments to adjusting capital structure, we conjecture that the latter takes more time. Because firms with high debt ratios, especially short-term debt ratios, are most likely financially (but not necessarily economically) distressed, we therefore predict that firms with high debt ratios spend less time in Chapter 11. Regressions of the time spend in Chapter 11 support our predictions. Overall, our results suggest that while the Chapter 11 process might not completely resolve financial distress issues, it does so much faster than it resolves more fundamental operational problems.
Using Simulation and Coaching as a Catalyst for Introducing Team-Based Medical Error Disclosure

Practitioners face many barriers to disclosing errors to patients, including embarrassment, fear of litigation, and minimal training in how to discuss them. Efforts at teaching error disclosure skills often focus on a one-on-one doctor–patient interaction and neglect the inter-professional context. This chapter describes research conducted at the University of Washington to assess whether participating in a team-based disclosure simulation training improved clinicians’ knowledge, attitudes, and skills regarding team-based disclosure of harmful errors to patients and team communication about avoiding such errors in the future. We developed two surgical and two medical error case scenarios based on real incidents. The premise of the simulations was that the members of a surgical or medical team had recently been involved in a harmful error and therefore needed to meet to discuss the event and how it happened, plan whether and how to disclose the event to the patient, and then perform the disclosure to the patient according to their plan. The nurses and physicians who participated in the simulations were experienced professionals. We trained actors from a professional troupe to perform the roles of a standardized team member and a standardized patient who had experienced a harmful error. We trained professionals from the fields of risk management and officers in patient or medication safety to become disclosure coaches who helped teams to discuss harmful errors and to plan whether and how to disclose errors to patients. Participants included 38 teams of physicians and nurses and risk managers from five different healthcare organizations in the Seattle area. Findings indicate that physicians developed an appreciation for team error disclosure. Nurses gained experience in participating as partners in conversations from which they had traditionally been excluded. Risk managers learned to participate in disclosure planning as educators, focusing on helping teams to rehearse and prepare for difficult conversations rather than dictating institutional regulations. These project outcomes are potentially transformative for the individuals and institutions involved.
Intercohort Variations in the Education-Health Gradient: Sociohistorical Changes in Early-Life Selection Mechanisms in the United States.

OBJECTIVES Most prior studies on cohort-specific changes in the education gradient relative to health treat the distribution of education within a particular cohort as a "starting place" for understanding later-life health disparities. This premise has obfuscated the role that sociohistorical changes in early-life selection mechanisms play in the widening of education-based inequalities in functional limitations across birth cohorts. METHODS Drawing from the Health and Retirement Survey (1992-2016; n = 20,920), this study employs inverse probability weight (IPW) to account for early-life selection mechanisms that are likely to affect both educational attainment and functional limitations. IPW-adjusted generalized linear mixed-effects models were used to estimate the total effect of education on functional limitations across birth cohorts (born 1924-1959). RESULTS A significant linear decline in the negative effects of childhood socioeconomic disadvantage on education (β = 0.005, p < .01) over the birth year was documented. By contrast, the same variable's negative effect on functional health increased significantly (β = 0.006, p < .001) across cohorts. Adjustment for childhood socioeconomic status did yield narrower education-based inequalities in functional limitations, but the difference between IPW-adjusted and unadjusted results was not statistically significant. The pattern of significant widening of education-based inequalities (β = -0.05, p < .001) in functional limitations across birth cohorts was maintained. DISCUSSION This study underscores the role that sociohistorical changes in early-life selection mechanisms play in modifying patterns of education-based inequalities in health across cohorts.
Intralesional immunotherapy for molluscum contagiosum: A review

Molluscum contagiosum (MC) is a common cutaneous viral infection with no standard treatment. The virus responsible for MC is thought to be cleared by cell mediated immunity (CMI). Intralesional immunotherapy that stimulates CMI has been shown to be an effective treatment for other cutaneous viruses. In this review, we evaluate the efficacy and safety of intralesional immunotherapy in the treatment of MC. Articles met inclusion criteria if they examined the effects of intralesional immunotherapy as a treatment for MC, with a clear outcome and reproducible methodology. 228 studies were screened and ten studies met criteria for inclusion. Intralesional immunotherapies investigated included candida, combined measles, mumps, rubella vaccine, tuberculin purified protein derivative, vitamin D3, interferon α, and Streptococcal substrain OK-432. Studies demonstrated clearance of MC lesions following intralesional immunotherapy, with complete response rates between 36% to 100%. No serious adverse effects were noted. Intralesional immunotherapy is a safe and effective treatment option for MC in pediatric and adult patients. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Enhancing the analytic utility of clinical trial data to inform health disparities research

Abstract Clinical trials are often conducted among younger, healthier, and less racially diverse patient populations than the population at large. Health disparities for individuals with cancer are most apparent when there are notable differences in the occurrence, frequency, burden of cancer and mortality rates among specific population groups. Enhancing the diversity of participants in clinical trials to reflect the characteristics of cancer survivors in the U.S. population is of growing interest to better insure the safety and efficacy of resultant treatments. The Project Data Sphere® (PDS) cancer research platform is a first-of-its kind research environment that provides the research community with broad access to both de-identified patient-level clinical trial data and advanced analytic tools to enable big data-driven research. To address these analytic constraints, the data profiles in selected PDS patient-level cancer phase III clinical datasets have been augmented by linking the social, economic, and health-related characteristics of like cancer survivors from nationally representative health and health care-related survey data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). Our article shines a spotlight on this ongoing initiative to improve access to clinical trial data in support of health care disparities research initiatives.
Machine Learning for Circuit Aging Simulation

The widespread availability of high-quality open source software for behavioral model optimization motivates the investigation of a behavioral approach to the modeling of aged circuits. A continuous-time formulation of a recurrent neural network (RNN) is compatible with transient circuit simulation, and this work evaluates RNN applicability to the modeling of aged circuits. For any reasonable input, the model should be required to produce an output response that is physically plausible. Approaches to imposing physical constraints on black-box models are outlined briefly.
#VERYFAT #VERYBRAVE: the fat girl’s guide to being #Brave and not a dejected, Melancholy, down-in-the-dumps weeping fat girl in a bikini: by Nicole Byer, Kansas City, MO, Andrew McMeel Publishing, 2020, $19.99, ISBN 1524850748

If you are looking for a hilarious, badass, and #veryfat#verybrave book, then you definitely need to read Nicole Byer’s autobiographical self-love book. #VERYFAT #VERYBRAVE: The Fat Girl’s Guide to...
Rational Selection and Utilization of Opioid Analgesics in Critical Care

Goal-directed analgesia and sedation protocols are associated with improved outcomes for critically ill patients. The first step to implementing these strategies is a critical understanding of the components of these protocols. Critically ill patients commonly experience pain that, unless recurrently assessed, is frequently unrecognized. There are several validated tools that can be implemented to reliably assess and quantify pain among intubated patients and/or patients unable to communicate. Following pain identification, clinicians should initiate multimodal strategies for pain prevention and treatment. When deciding on the choice of opioid medications, derangements in patients’ pathophysiology, presence of active metabolites, and other clinical and institutional factors should be considered. All pain and sedative medication administration should be guided by goal-directed protocols targeting an analgesia-first-based approach to achieve lighter sedation targets when possible. Additionally, daily pauses in sedation should be implemented to coincide with daily spontaneous breathing trials for all intubated patients.
Multi-omic evaluation of metabolic alterations in multiple sclerosis identifies shifts in aromatic amino acid metabolism.

The circulating metabolome provides unique insights into multiple sclerosis (MS) pathophysiology, but existing studies are relatively small or characterized limited metabolites. We test for differences in the metabolome between people with MS (PwMS; n = 637 samples) and healthy controls (HC; n = 317 samples) and assess the association between metabolomic profiles and disability in PwMS. We then assess whether metabolic differences correlate with changes in cellular gene expression using publicly available scRNA-seq data and whether identified metabolites affect human immune cell function. In PwMS, we identify striking abnormalities in aromatic amino acid (AAA) metabolites (p = 2.77E-18) that are also strongly associated with disability (p = 1.01E-4). Analysis of scRNA-seq data demonstrates altered AAA metabolism in CSF and blood-derived monocyte cell populations in PwMS. Treatment with AAA-derived metabolites in vitro alters monocytic endocytosis and pro-inflammatory cytokine production. We identify shifts in AAA metabolism resulting in the reduced production of immunomodulatory metabolites and increased production of metabotoxins in PwMS.
Disparities in Complications After Prolapse Repair and Sling Procedures: Trends from 2010-2018.

Abstract Objective To compare 30-day complication rates after prolapse repair and sling procedures across racial/ethnic groups, and evaluate trends over time. Methods We identified female patients in a national outcomes-based database who underwent prolapse repair and/or sling procedures between 1/1/2010 and 12/31/2018, stratified by race and ethnicity, and compared 30-day postoperative complication rates. Multivariable logistic regression adjusted for confounders. Trends in complication rates over time were evaluated using a test for trend (p-trend). Results We identified 70,540 prolapse repairs and 23,968 sling procedures. Following prolapse repairs, Black women had the highest complication rates (11%, vs 8% for Hispanic and 9% for both White and Other race/ethnicity women, p Conclusion Black women have higher odds of experiencing postoperative complications after prolapse repair procedures, particularly vascular complications. Vascular complication rates after prolapse repair decreased over time for all racial/ethnic groups except Black women. Hispanic women have higher odds of vascular complications after prolapse repair and slings than other racial/ethnic groups.
Muskmelon Cultivar Trial

Materials and Methods The muskmelon trial was planted in the greenhouse on April 9 in 72 cell trays, one seed/cell. Transplanting to the field occurred five weeks later on May 14. Trial design was a randomized complete block with four replications. A plot consisted of one row of eight plants spaced 21 in. apart in rows 7 ft apart. Soil type was light-colored coarse sand. Cultural methods included raised beds that were fertigated with drip tubes and covered with black plastic mulch. Fertilizer was applied preplant incorporated in the bed at the rate of 70 lb/acre nitrogen (N), 70 lb/acre P205, and 220 lb/acre K2O. An additional 50 lb/acre N was applied through drip lines during the growing season. Weed control was achieved by covering beds with black plastic mulch and spraying Strategy and Sandea herbicides between the beds. Insects were controlled with Admire insecticide at planting and foliar applications of insecticides as needed. Foliage diseases were controlled with fungicide sprays of Bravo, Cabrio, Kocide, and Penncozeb fungicides.
Using an agile software development methodology for a complex problem domain

Software development for complex problem domains is a difficult undertaking with challenges to successful outcomes. Complex problem domains exhibit volatility, interactions, and unpredictability that place high demands on the creation of a software solution. For this type of problem, the process used to create the software solution, in addition to meeting the goal of the solution, needs to produce a solution that can handle the effects of complexity in the problem domain. This paper examines forces that a complex problem domain places on the development of a software solution and how the software development process can affect the software product in relation to those forces. It focuses on how the practices of an agile software development methodology, in particular the Extreme Programming Methodology, embraces change and has practices that implicitly affect the design and implementation to meet the needs of software solutions for complex problem domains.
Spin transfer in 6Li(p, n) and7Li(p, n) at 800 MeV

The spin transfer parameters KLL and KNN have been measured for zero-degree neutron production from 6Li(p, n) and7Li(p, n) using 800 MeV incident protons. Since KLL ≈ −0.5 for both lithium isotopes, lithium is a potentially useful production target for polarized neutrons.