cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Evaluation of Two Dosing Regimens for Piperacillin-Tazobactam

Study Objective. To compare the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles of two dosing regimens for piperacillin-tazobactam against commonly encountered pathogens. The regimens compared were piperacillin 4.0 g-tazobactam 0.5 g administered every 8 hours, and piperacillin 3.0 g-tazobactam 0.375 g administered every 6 hours. Design. Multiple-dose, open-label, randomized, crossover study. Setting. Clinical research center at Hartford Hospital. Subjects. Twelve healthy volunteers. Intervention. The two dosing regimens for piperacillin-tazobactam were administered intravenously in crossover design. Blood was sampled after the third dose. Measurements and Main Results. Drug concentrations were determined by a validated high-performance liquid chromatography assay. The percentage of time above minimum inhibitory concentration (%T>MIC) for piperacillin was calculated for a range of MIC values. The maximum concentration (Cmax), area under the concentration-time curve (AUC0-τ), and total clearance of piperacillin differed significantly between the two study regimens, as did the Cmax, AUC0-τ, volume of distribution, and total clearance of tazobactam (p MIC for MIC values 8–16 μg/ml; a similar value for the piperacillin 3.0 g-tazobactam 0.375 g regimen was 16–32 μg/ml. Conclusion. Although statistically significant differences in the pharmaco-dynamic profile were noted for the regimens, both provide adequate T>MIC against commonly encountered pathogens considered susceptible to piperacillin-tazobactam. However, for treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection, combination therapy or higher-dosage regimens (e.g., piperacillin 3.0 g-tazobactam 0.375 g every 4 hours, piperacillin 4.0 g-tazobactam 0.5 g every 6 hours, or continuous-infusion piperacillin 12 g-tazobactam 1.5 g/day) may be a prudent option when full MIC data are unavailable.
Nanoscale thermodynamics of biological interfacial tension

The interfacial tension of biological water, a promoter of biomolecular interactions, is difficult to determine because of the inhomogeneous nanoscale patterns that make up the surface of biomolecu...
Cardiac rehabilitation: A review of current developments

An overview is given of the current status of cardiac rehabilitation and its effects on morbidity and mortality. While there is an emphasis in most current programs upon physical exercise as an important autonomous risk factor for Coronary Heart Disease (CHD), there is at the same time a tendency in cardiac rehabilitation to go beyond mere physical exercise towards adding more multimodal psychoeducational modules in rehabilitation programs; those approaches are aimed at educating the patient about a less risky and healthier way of life. Such psychoeducation is more and more aimed at the “toxic” aspects of negative emotions. The in-between classic Type A Behavior Pattern (TABP) might, in general, be less powerful in predicting later CHD morbidity or mortality than some specific emotional components of TABP, such as anger and hostility. The literature is reviewed as to risk factors and CHD and the role of negative affectivity in development and or maintenance of CHD. Approaches for modification are discussed against the background of their effectivity in cardiac rehabilitation. The recent Dutch guidelines, issued by the Dutch Heart Foundation, appear to incorporate many of the elements mentioned in the research literature on cardiac rehabilitation. On a scientific level they form an excellent audit to evaluate and to contour efficiently the until-now very heterogeneous field of cardiac rehabilitation.
The Evolution of Readiness Theory

This is a step-by-step account of the development of readiness theory, which concerns how a disputant decides to enter negotiation aimed at settling an intractable conflict. A cumulative case study method was used, involving sequential examination of the peace processes that settled three conflicts between dominant and subordinate ethnic groups. The theory that emerged from these case studies embraces the following topics among others: motivation to end the conflict, perceived urgency of escaping the conflict, optimism about the outcome of negotiation, secret prenegotiation communication between the disputants, mutually acceptable substantive frameworks, and positive vs. negative interdependence.
Independant regulation of hexose catabolizing enzymes and glucose transport activity in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Abstract When cells of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were cultured on D, L-glycerate or glycerol a number of hexose catabolizing enzymes were specifically induced. Maximum specific activities of these enzymes were approached within 0.39 cell generation during the diauxic growth transition from succinate to glycerol. However, the transport system for glucose was not formed under these conditions. Hexose catabolizing enzymes were repressed until succinate was depleted from the medium. Cells cultured on pyruvate plus either α-methylglucoside or 2-deoxyglucose failed to induce the hexose catabolizing enzymes, but the glucose transport system was induced rapidly to high levels of activity.
New pteridophyte records for the territory of Amapá, Brazil.

Eighteen Pteridophyte taxa in 15 genera are reported as new for the Territory of Amapa, Brazil. The collections area a result of a recent Projeto Flora Amazonica/Programa Flora expedition to that region, and update previous lists of taxa for Amapa.In 1975, Tryon and Conant publised a checklist of the ferns of the Brazilian Amazonia reporting 84 taxa for the Territory of Amapa. The paucity of records for Amapa reflects, at least in part, the amount of botanical exploration. The most complete list of taxa occurring in the Territory is an unpublished list of collection compiled by J. M. Pires. This compilation reports 118 taxas for the Territory of Amapa. The following list is intended to update both the Pires compilation an the Tryon and Conant checklist for the Territor. These records are the result of a Projeto Flora Amazonica/Programa Flora expedition to the region in the latter part of 1979. Species were included in this list is not reportes in the compilation of colections for Amapa, or listed as specifically occurrin in Amapa in the monographs and revisions consulted for listed as specifically occurring in Amapa in the monograohs and revisions consulted for identification (Evans, 1969; Kramer, 1957, 1978; de la Sota, 1960; Lellinger, 1972; Maxon & Morton, 1938; Scamman, 1960, Smith, 1971; Tryon, 1941, 1964).This list reports 18 taxa in 15 genera, increasing the number of taxa in Amapa from the 118 listed by Pires to 136. Most of the taxa reported here might have been predicted to occur in Amapa on the basis of their distribution records for surrounding regions.Each species is followed by a collection number. The collection number is that of D. F. Austin, C. E. Nauman, R. S. Secco, C. Rosario, and M. R. Santos except for four collections in which R. S. Secco was absent and B. V. Rabelo was present, and these are indicated after the collection number. Specimens are deposited in the herbaria of the Museu Paraense Emilio Goeldi, Belem, Brazil and the United States. The family system is essentially that used by Tyron and Conant.
Better Plans for the Better-Paid: Determinants and Effects of 401(k) Plan Design

This paper seeks to understand why plan sponsors design their 401(k) plans the way they do. Drawing on a rich dataset of several hundred 401(k) plans, we find support for the argument that these plans are principally a form of tax-motivated compensation. In other words, to appeal to better-paid workers, employers provide more generous matching contributions and non-cash plan design features. At the same time, complex federal tax rules restrict pay discrimination in favor of the highly-paid, so these plans must also incorporate monetary and non-monetary incentives to induce a minimum level of participation by lower-paid workers. We show that, since all employees do not avail themselves of these saving incentives, the median employer promises a match equivalent to 3% of pay yet spends only about 2%. Also, generous match rates enhance participation by the lower-paid, but do not do much to increase plan-wide saving rates. Overall, employer 401(k) matching contributions are an imperfect vehicle for advancing broad-based retirement security objectives, and they have an uneven impact across firms.
Political Risk and Strategic Investing: Explaining Political Parties and Interest Groups' Contributions in State Supreme Court Elections

The purpose of this paper is to analyze under what conditions political parties and interest groups are more likely to participate in state supreme court elections. This paper focuses on the amount of money that each group contributed to judicial candidates in partisan and non-partisan elections from 2000 to 2008. Political parties, single issue groups, attorneys, business groups, and labor groups were included to determine whether there were systematic variations in contributions between the types of groups. The results indicate that two factors were important in explaining groups’ contributions to judicial campaigns: the type of judicial election and the competitiveness of the race. Thus, there appeared to be systematic differences in the type of strategic calculations that different groups used to determine when to contribute money to judicial campaigns. Political parties and economic interest groups appeared to use strategic calculations whereas single issue groups were more willing to take political risks in contributing money to judicial campaigns.
Shallow-crustal metamorphism during Late Cretaceous anatexis in the Sevier hinterland plateau: Peak temperature conditions from the Grant Range, eastern Nevada, U.S.A.

Documenting spatio-temporal relationships between the thermal and deformation histories of orogenic systems can elucidate their evolution. In the Sevier hinterland plateau in eastern Nevada, an episode of Late Cretaceous magmatism and metamorphism affected mid- and upper-crustal levels, concurrent with late-stage shortening in the Sevier thrust belt. Here, we present quantitative peak temperature data from the Grant Range, a site of localized, Late Cretaceous granitic magmatism and greenschist facies metamorphism. Twenty-two samples of Cambrian to Pennsylvanian metasedimentary and sedimentary rocks were analyzed, utilizing Raman spectroscopy on carbonaceous material, vitrinite reflectance, and Rock-Eval pyrolysis thermometry. A published reconstruction of Cenozoic extension indicates that the samples span pre-extensional depths of 2.5–9 km. Peak temperatures systematically increase with depth, from ∼100 to 300 °C between 2.5 and 4.5 km, ∼400 to 500 °C between 5 and 8 km, and ∼550 °C at 9 km. The data define a metamorphic field gradient of ∼60 °C/km, and are corroborated by quartz recrystallization microstructure and published conodont alteration indices. Metamorphism in the Grant Range is correlated with contemporary, upper-crustal metamorphism and magmatism documented farther east in Nevada, where metamorphic field gradients as high as ∼50 °C/km are estimated. These data have implications for localized but significant thermal weakening of the plateau crust, including attaining temperatures for quartz plasticity at depths of ∼5–6 km, and the potential for partial melting possibly as shallow as ∼12–15 km. Thermal weakening may have contributed to a slowing of shortening rates documented in the Sevier thrust belt at this latitude at ca. 88 Ma, by locally inducing mid- and lower-crustal ductile thickening in the hinterland.
68 SEXUAL FUNCTION AFTER LIVER TRANSPLANTATION.: Table

Background Sexual dysfunction is a common complaint in patients with advanced liver disease. The impact of orthotopic liver transplantation on sexual function has not been well described. Aim To determine the impact of liver transplantation on sexual function and identify the most frequent complaints and possible related factors. Methods Telephone survey of patients who have undergone liver transplantation at the University of Tennessee, Memphis, from 1998 to 2004. A five-page questionnaire including questions related to biological function, sexual function, and specific sexual dysfunction was used. Specific sexual dysfunction included loss of libido, poor vaginal lubrication, dyspareunia, inability to reach orgasm, difficulty achieving erections, loss of early morning erections, and premature ejaculation. Results Ninety-one of 183 living patients who underwent liver transplantation from 1/1998 to 4/2004 were interviewed. M/F 65/26, age mean 53.1, range 27-75, hep C: 47/non-hep C: 44. Overall 67/91 (83.5%) of patients reported complaints of sexual dysfunction after transplantation, 60/65 (92%) men and 16/26 (62%) female (p = .001). The main specific sexual dysfunction was inability to maintain erections in men (59%) and decreased vaginal lubrication in females (38%) (Table 1). Only 13/91 (14%) patients had improved sexual function after transplantation. No significant difference was found in this group in regard to age and etiology of the liver disease. Conclusions Sexual dysfunction continues to have a high prevalence in patients after liver transplantation. Male gender is significantly associated with sexual dysfunction after liver transplantation.
The orthopaedic surgeon's role in the treatment and prevention of diabetic foot wounds

Foot ulcers in individuals with diabetes often are the precursors to lower extremity amputation. The multidisciplinary team approach is highly effective in the prevention and treatment of diabetic foot morbidity. This article focuses on the role of the orthopaedic surgeon as a member of the wound care team for the diabetic foot.
The Age and Sex of the Perpetrators of Abuse and Neglect in the Lives of Children with Disabilities

Who perpetrates the ANCD? If we can anticipate the perpetrators of abuse and neglect in the lives of children with disabilities we have a greater chance of anticipating it and interrupting it. In this chapter and in the next two chapters, we focus on getting to know the characteristics of the perpetrators of child abuse and neglect (CAN) and abuse and neglect of children with disabilities (ANCD). We begin with a focus on the chronological age characteristics of these people. We might wonder whether perpetrators are young, middle-aged, or old. We might also wonder whether there are inherent patterns across perpetrator ages. Then we will focus on the prevailing patterns across the sex of perpetrators. Are there patterns we might recognize across males and females? We examine the research findings and present data from and analysis of newspaper coverage of ANCD. We illustrate our findings from stories from the newspaper coverage and conclude the chapter with a set of recommendations for researchers and practitioners.
Recurrence of Disease After Liver Transplantation in the Pediatric Population

Disease relapse after liver transplantation occurs infrequently in the pediatric population, and the spectrum of recurrent conditions differs from that which is seen in adults. Chemotherapy followed by liver transplantation as primary treatment for hepatic malignancies such as hepatoblastoma and hepatocellular carcinoma yields excellent outcomes with low recurrence rates, even in the presence of locally advanced tumors. End-stage liver disease secondary to hepatitis C viral infections is an uncommon indication for liver transplantation in pediatric patients, but the rates of recurrent viremia and retransplantation appear similar to adult recipients with hepatitis C. The posttransplant management of children with disorders of immune regulation (such as autoimmune hepatitis) is particularly challenging, as they often require a greater degree of immunosuppression and yet are at elevated risk for disease relapse. The return of cholestasis has also been reported for liver transplant recipients with specific types of biliary diseases, such as primary sclerosing cholangitis, progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis subtype 2, or sclerosing cholangitis associated with the multisystem disorder Langerhans cell histiocytosis.
Reconstructing race and gender in American cosmetic surgery

ABSTRACTWhile scholars have examined how cosmetic surgery can reinforce gender norms, the development of racially specific standards is a more recent phenomenon that has received less scrutiny. This article examines how cosmetic surgeons conceptualize race and its intersection with gender. Through analysis of eighty surgeon-authored procedural guides, I find that surgeons engage in what I term the biological construction of social difference, mixing discourses of biology and physical difference with social and cultural discourses to describe patient beauty ideals. Surgeons develop an expert discourse on race and gender that is simultaneously about difference and beauty. The development of “ethnic” specific cosmetic surgery standards enshrines a “white” default referent even as it opens the door to other configurations of physical appearance. Cosmetic surgery implies that physical markers of race and gender are mutable – literally, via the surgeon’s scalpel – even as it relies on and reinforces established...
Positive reappraisals after an offense: Event-related potentials and emotional effects of benefit-finding and compassion*

AbstractUsing a within-subjects design, three emotion regulation strategies (compassion-focused reappraisal, benefit-focused reappraisal, and offense rumination) were tested for their effects on forgiveness, well-being, and event-related potentials. Participants (N = 37) recalled a recent interpersonal offense as the context for each emotion regulation strategy. Both decisional and emotional forgiveness increased significantly for the two reappraisal strategies compared to offense rumination. Compassion-focused reappraisal prompted the greatest increase in both decisional and emotional forgiveness. Furthermore, both reappraisal strategies increased positively oriented well-being measures (e.g. joy, gratitude) compared to offense rumination, with compassion-focused reappraisal demonstrating the largest effect on empathy. Late positive potential (LPP) amplitudes in response to unpleasant affect words were larger following the benefit-focused reappraisal strategy, indicating frontal LPP augmentation due to a...
Nurturing and Promoting African American Male College Success Through Growth Mindset Strategies

The antecedents of structural inequalities along with the political and institutional arrangements that too often leave African American men struggling to find their way in academic life sometimes are seen as insurmountable threats. Yet, there is hope. In fact, there are proven methods that African American males can take to help them navigate the labyrinths of academic life. This paper explores the research that shows that there is a correlation among African American male college students' perceptions of intelligence, motivation, and academic achievement. When African American male students believe that their intelligence is malleable and adopt a "growth mindset," they are more likely to persist when faced with setbacks, to welcome challenges, and to understand that effort, strategy and help from others is the path to mastery. This paper is meant to provide Political Scientist and other educators with practical tools to help them nurture and promote African American male college success through fostering growth mindset strategies in the classroom. The chief aim is to help educators build resiliency in their African American male students.
The still-enigmatic solar wind

It is 33 years since Eugene Parker of the University of Chicago predicted the existence of the solar wind – the continual outflow of the outer solar atmosphere at highly supersonic speeds. A few years later, Parker's prediction was verified by direct measurement using plasma detectors aboard Soviet and American spacecraft. The solar wind was immediately recognised as being a major player in a wide variety of solar system phenomena, such as the propagation of cosmic rays and the dynamics of planetary magnetospheres, and it is now believed that similar stellar winds play important roles in the evolution of many classes of stars.
Sharing Tort Liability in the New Sharing Economy

The new sharing economy is forcing policymakers to reexamine current legal structures for several highly regulated industries, including taxi services. But in addition to regulation, tort law’s ability to adapt to the new sharing economy is an equally important concern, and one that few scholars have examined to date. Although many sharing-economy companies, like ridesharing service Uber, merely purport to connect individuals to each other for the purposes of exchanging specific services, many of these companies are monetized, for-profit businesses that exert some level of control over the underlying commercial transaction. When an individual service provider, like an Uber driver, commits a tort, the victim may be under-compensated if that individual provider alone is liable. Holding the sharing-economy company vicariously liable may be appropriate for ensuring fairness for tort victims. Fortunately, pre-existing tort principles — particularly vicarious liability concepts of respondeat superior, liability for independent contractors, and joint enterprise liability — already provide the framework for applying retrospective common law remedies in the sharing-economy context. Even though sharing-economy companies challenge the status quo with their innovative and non-traditional business approaches, pre-existing principles suffice to clarify tort liability in this new context. By liberally using the basic analysis and underlying policy rationales of existing vicarious liability concepts in particular, courts can ensure fairness under modern tort law, and policymakers can proceed with a holistic understanding of how retrospective remedies are well-poised to address some of the unique issues raised by the new sharing economy.
Applying Organizational Change to Promote Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Inclusion and Reduce Health Disparities

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) populations face numerous barriers when accessing and receiving healthcare, which amplify specific LGBT health disparities. An effective strategic approach is necessary for academic health centers to meet the growing needs of LGBT populations. Although effective organizational change models have been proposed for other minority populations, the authors are not aware of any organizational change models that specifically promote LGBT inclusion and mitigate access barriers to reduce LGBT health disparities. With decades of combined experience, we identify elements and processes necessary to accelerate LGBT organizational change and reduce LGBT health disparities. This framework may assist health organizations in initiating and sustaining meaningful organizational change to improve the health and healthcare of the LGBT communities.
Cleaner Production of Ti Powder by a Two-Stage Aluminothermic Reduction Process

A two-stage aluminothermic reduction process for preparing Ti powder under vacuum conditions using Na2TiF6 was investigated. An Al-Ti master alloy and a clean cryolite were simultaneously obtained as co-products. The first-stage reduction was an exothermic process that occurred at approximately 660°C. The Al and O contents of the Ti powder product were 0.18 wt.% and 0.35 wt.%, respectively, with an average particle size <74 μm. Ti(IV), Ti(III), and metallic Ti were present in the Ti-containing cryolite produced by the first-stage reduction, at a total content of approximately 3.13 wt.%. After second-stage reduction, the Ti elemental contents of the clean cryolite were reduced to 0.002 wt.%. The Al-Ti master alloy obtained by second-stage reduction was composed of Al and TiAl3. The mechanisms involved in these reduction processes were also examined.
Seeking Habitable Environments in Our Solar System: Curiosity on Mars

Exploring space is one of humankind’s great endeavors, leading to technological innovation and discoveries that have the potential to answer the most fundamental human questions such as: Are We Alo...
Investigating the dynamics of nation-building through a system of differential equations

Nation-building modeling is an important field given the increasing number of candidate nations and the limited resources available. In this paper, we present a modeling methodology and a system of differential equations model to investigate the dynamics of nation-building. The methodology is based on solving inverse problems, much like Lanchester equations, and provides measures of merit to evaluate nation-building operations. An application is derived for Operation Iraqi Freedom to demonstrate the utility as well as effects of various alternate strategies, using differing applications of national power. This modeling approach is data driven and offers a significant, novel capability when analyzing and planning for future nation-building scenarios.
Modeling the evolution of SIV sooty mangabey progenitor virus towards HIV-2 using humanized mice

HIV-2 is thought to have originated from an SIV progenitor native to sooty mangabeys. To model the initial human transmission and understand the sequential viral evolution, humanized mice were infected with SIVsm and serially passaged for five generations. Productive infection was seen by week 3 during the initial challenge followed by chronic viremia and gradual CD4+ T cell decline. Viral loads increased by the 5th generation resulting in more rapid CD4+ T cell decline. Genetic analysis revealed several amino acid substitutions that were nonsynonymous and fixed in multiple hu-mice across each of the 5 generations in the nef, env and rev regions. The highest rate of substitution occurred in the nef and env regions and most were observed within the first two generations. These data demonstrated the utility of hu-mice in modeling the SIVsm transmission to the human and to evaluate its potential sequential evolution into a human pathogen of HIV-2 lineage.
The Right to the World

The global number of refugees, asylum seekers, and those displaced within their countries are at record levels in the post-World War II era. Meanwhile, efforts by relatively wealthy and powerful nation-states to exclude unwanted migrants through enhanced territorial control have reached unprecedented heights, producing great harm–most notably premature death–for many. The factors driving out-migration from homelands made unviable, coupled with multiple forms of violence experienced by migrants, demonstrate the need for an expansion of rights–conceived of as both entitlements and sites of struggle. So, herein, I assert the need for “the right to the world”–specifically a right to mobility and a just share of the Earth's resources–to help realize the promise of a dignified life for all. In making the case for such, the article offers a critical analysis of the contemporary human rights regime and of the “right to the city”.
Adrienne Rich’s Persistent Survival

(2017). Adrienne Rich’s Persistent Survival. Women's Studies: Vol. 46, Adrienne Rich, pp. 610-627.
Outpatient Treatment of Deep Vein Thrombosis in the United States: The Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke Study.

Objective To describe the uptake of outpatient DVT treatment in the United States and understand how comorbidities and socioeconomic conditions impact the decision to treat as an outpatient. Design/setting The Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke cohort study recruited 30,329 participants between 2003 and 2007. DVT events were ascertained through 2011. Measurements Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine the correlates of outpatient treatment of DVT accounting for age, sex, race, education, income, urban or rural residence, and region of residence. Results Of 379 venous thromboembolism events, 141 participants had a DVT without diagnosed pulmonary embolism and that did not occur during hospitalization. Overall, 28% (39 of 141) of participants with DVT were treated as outpatients. In a multivariable model, the odds ratio for outpatient versus inpatient DVT treatment was 4.16 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.25-13.79) for urban versus rural dwellers, 3.29 (95% CI, 1.30-8.30) for white versus black patients, 2.41 (95% CI, 1.06-5.47) for women versus men, and 1.90 (95% CI, 1.19-3.02) for every 10 years younger in age. Living outside the southeastern United States and having higher education and income were not statistically significantly associated with outpatient treatment. Conclusions Despite known safety and efficacy, only 28% of participants with DVT received outpatient treatment. This study highlights populations in which efforts could be made to reduce hospital admissions.
Novel Methods for Environmental Assessment of Pedestrian Injury: Creation and Validation of the Inventory for Pedestrian Safety Infrastructure

Nationally, 80% of pedestrian fatalities occur in urban environments, yet the distribution of injuries across urban areas is not uniform. Identifying street-level risk factors for pedestrian injury is essential for urban planning and improvement projects, as well as targeted injury prevention efforts. However, creating and maintaining a comprehensive database of a city’s traffic safety infrastructure can be cumbersome and costly. The purpose of this study was to create and validate a neighborhood environmental observational assessment tool to capture evidence-based pedestrian safety infrastructure using Google Street View (GSV)—The Inventory for Pedestrian Safety Infrastructure (IPSI). We collected measures in-person at 172 liquor stores in Baltimore City from June to August 2015 to assess the tool’s reliability; we then collected IPSI measures at the same 172 locations using GSV from February to March 2016 to assess IPSI reliability using GSV. The majority of items had good or excellent levels of inter-rater reliability (ICC ≥ 0.8), with intersection features showing the highest agreement across raters. Two scales were also developed using exploratory factor analysis, and both showed strong internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha ≥ 0.6). The IPSI provides a valid, economically efficient tool for assessing pedestrian safety infrastructure that can be employed for a variety of research and urban planning needs. It can also be used for in-person or GSV observation. Reliable and valid measurement of pedestrian safety infrastructure is essential to effectively prevent future pedestrian injuries.
Quantum Transport in Solids: The Density Matrix

During the past decade, as microelectronics technology has continued to pursue the scaling down of IC device dimensions into the submicron and ultrasubmicron regions, many new and interesting questions have emerged(1) concerning the solid state dynamics and quantum transport of carriers in semiconductors subjected to rapidly varying, spatially inhomogeneous electric fields, and non-steady-state temporal conditions.
Myocardial and Pancreatic Damage in Selenium Vitamin E Deficient Mice

Selenium-vitamin E (Se-E) deficiency in animals produces a wide spectrum of target organ lesions including involvement of the heart, skeletal muscles, smooth muscle, liver, pancreas, stomach, adipose tissue, skin, brain, spinal cord, testicle, embryo, bone marrow and blood, eye, lung, kidney, and teeth (Van Vleet and Ferrans 1986). Cardiac lesions are a major finding in calves, lambs, pigs, turkey poults, and ducklings with Se-E deficiency (Hadlow 1973; Robinson and Maxie 1985; Scott et al. 1967; Van Vleet et al. 1970). In many other species, myocardial necrosis is inconsistently observed with Se-E deficiency. In most cases the lesions are detected microscopically but are not apparent grossly. Affected species include mice, rats, dogs, foals, mink, goats, guinea pigs, rabbits, rottnest quokka, and monkeys (DeWitt and Schwartz 1958; Lin and Chen 1982; Mason 1973; Mason and Horwitt 1972; Shakibi and Stone 1987).
Polymers in Biomedical Devices: Materials for Artificial Heart and Circulatory Assist Devices

Using currently available techniques, the cardiovascular surgeon is capable of correcting a wide variety of congenital heart defects, replacing damaged cardiac valves and blood vessels, and restoring blood flow to ischemic heart muscle. The next major frontier to be crossed concerns the replacement or substitution of damaged heart muscle, most commonly required in the patient who has sustained a major myocardial infarction. It is now recognized that if 30–40% of the left ventricular muscle is damaged, the cardiac chamber will be unable to generate power sufficient for patient survival in spite of the best forms of drug therapy currently available [1]. In some of these patients, there is reason to believe that temporary, i.e. weeks, mechanical cardiac assistance, possibly in the form of left atrial or left ventricle to aortic pumping, may be associated with improvement in existing left ventricular function, permitting the cardiac assist to be discontinued [2]. In patients with more severe forms of left ventricular failure, cardiac transplantation or heart replacement with a prosthetic device would appear to offer the only hope for patient survival.
Pediatric smoking prevention interventions delivered by care providers: A systematic review

Abstract Objective To conduct a systematic review of randomized controlled trials of smoking prevention interventions for youth delivered via medical or dental providers' offices. Methods Online bibliographic databases were searched as of July 2002, and reference lists from review articles and the selected articles were also reviewed for potential studies. The methodology and findings of all retrieved articles were critically evaluated. Data were extracted from each article regarding study methods, intervention studied, outcomes measured, and results. Results The literature search returned 81 abstracts from MEDLINE and 49 from Cochrane Clinical Trials Registry (CCTR); of these, four articles met the inclusion criteria. Included were two studies conducted in primary care, and one each in dental and orthodontic offices. Only one study demonstrated a significant effect on smoking initiation; in that study, 5.1% of the intervention group and 7.8% of the control group reported smoking at 12-month follow-up (odds ratio= 0.63; 95% confidence interval, 0.44–0.91). None of the studies had follow-up times greater than 3 years. Conclusions There is very limited available evidence demonstrating efficacy of smoking prevention interventions in adolescents conducted in providers' offices and no evidence for long-term effectiveness of such interventions.
Preoperative Opioid Use in Knee Surgery Patients.

A cross-sectional analysis of data derived from patients undergoing knee surgery at a single institution was conducted. The objectives of the study were to determine the demographic, diagnostic, and psychologic factors associated with opioid use; and to determine the clinical correlates of opioid use. We hypothesized that preoperative opioid use would be associated with worse patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures. The sample consisted of 383 patients undergoing knee surgery. The patients were classified as either opioid or nonopioid users on the basis of medical record review. All participants completed a battery of clinical assessments, including the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System computer adaptive testing in six domains: Physical Function, Pain Interference, Fatigue, Social Satisfaction, Anxiety, and Depression. Analyses were conducted to examine clinical variables as a function of opioid use. The results indicated that opioid use was associated with female gender, unemployment, smoking, higher American Society of Anesthesiologists scores, greater number of previous surgeries, depression or anxiety, and worse expectation of surgery (p
Liberatory Public Education: A Framework for Centering Community and Democracy in Public Education.

In this conceptual article, the authors argue that diversity is an invitation to educators, youth, families, and community members to work together—a goal accomplished only by centering the local community rather than the local school—to educate youth and create a more just society. Based upon liberatory and emancipatory education, liberatory public education, an intersectional conceptual framework, brings together recent and current justice-oriented scholarship focused on youth development, curriculum and pedagogy, schooling, and community liberation, making a parallel case for justice-oriented family engagement in public schooling. The authors conclude with implications for teacher education, education policy, and family engagement scholarship.
COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS AND SERVICES: Raising The Market Research Bar Or Much Ado About Nothing?

This short piece discusses the Federal Circuit's recent decision in Palantir USG, Inc. v. United States, No. 17-1465 (Fed. Cir. September, 2018), affirming that “the Army failed to determine whether commercial items meet or could be modified to meet the agency’s needs and that, by failing to do so, the Army acted in an arbitrary and capricious manner in violation of 10 U.S.C. § 2377.” The decision appears to tilt the balance towards “commercial products” and “commercial services” (recently redefined in the 2019 NDAA § 836; 41 U.S.C. §§ 103, 103a), in effect, mandating that procuring agencies use Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 12 commercial item procedures despite the (very real) possibility that the Government’s needs might not be met by a solution from the commercial marketplace. As the essay notes, such a standard seems inordinately, arguably inappropriately, low. The most obvious takeaway from Palantir derives from one of the most basic tenets of statutory interpretation: when Congress uses the word “shall,” rather than, for example, “may” or “should,” its direction is mandatory (rather than discretionary). Less obvious, but potentially more important, is the reminder that that contracting agencies get no credit for conducting market research if they do not subsequently consider or rely upon that market research.
Cardiovascular disease in racial/ethnic minority populations: illness burden and overview of community-based interventions

Cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in the USA, poses a unique and multilateral burden to racial/ethnic minorities. The admixture of comorbid conditions, structural barriers, and psychosocial standing complicates the prevention, diagnosis, and management of cardiovascular disease in racial/ethnic minority populations and requires newer approaches to reduce existing disparities. A discussion of the cardiovascular disease risk burden is presented, along with an overview of multi-stratified considerations for improving racial/ethnic minority cardiovascular health via community engagement.
Miniscule differences between sex chromosomes in the giant genome of a salamander

In the Mexican axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum), sex is determined by a single Mendelian factor, yet its sex chromosomes do not exhibit morphological differentiation typical of many vertebrate taxa that possess a single sex-determining locus. As sex chromosomes are theorized to differentiate rapidly, species with undifferentiated sex chromosomes provide the opportunity to reconstruct early events in sex chromosome evolution. Whole genome sequencing of 48 salamanders, targeted chromosome sequencing and in situ hybridization were used to identify the homomorphic sex chromosome that carries an A. mexicanum sex-determining factor and sequences that are present only on the W chromosome. Altogether, these sequences cover ~300 kb of validated female-specific (W chromosome) sequence, representing ~1/100,000th of the 32 Gb genome. Notably, a recent duplication of ATRX, a gene associated with mammalian sex-determining pathways, is one of few functional (non-repetitive) genes identified among these W-specific sequences. This duplicated gene (ATRW) was used to develop highly predictive markers for diagnosing sex and represents a strong candidate for a recently-acquired sex determining locus (or sexually antagonistic gene) in A. mexicanum.
Persistent organic pollutants and gestational diabetes: A multi-center prospective cohort study of healthy US women.

Abstract Background Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are linked with insulin resistance and type-2 diabetes (T2D) in the general population. However, their associations with gestational diabetes (GDM) are inconsistent. Objective We prospectively evaluated the associations of POPs measured in early pregnancy with GDM risk. We also assessed whether pre-pregnancy BMI (ppBMI) and family history of T2D modify this risk. Methods In NICHD Fetal Growth Study, Singletons, we measured plasma concentration of 76 POPs, including 11 organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), 9 polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs), 44 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and 11 per -and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) among 2334 healthy non-obese women at 8–13 weeks of gestation. GDM was diagnosed by Carpenter and Coustan criteria. We constructed chemical networks using a weighted-correlation algorithm and examined the associations of individual chemical and chemical networks with GDM using multivariate Poisson regression with robust variance. Results Higher concentrations of PCBs with six or more chlorine atoms were associated with increased risk of GDM in the overall cohort (risk ratios [RRs] range: 1.08–1.13 per 1-standard deviation [SD] increment) and among women with a family history of T2D (RRs range: 1.08–1.48 per 1-SD increment) or normal ppBMI (RRs range: 1.08–1.22 per 1-SD increment). Similar associations were observed for the chemical network comprised of PCBs with ≥6 chlorine atoms and the summary measure of total PCBs and non-dioxin like PCBs (138, 153, 170, 180). Furthermore, four PFAS congeners - perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA), and perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoDA) - showed significant positive associations with GDM among women with a family history of T2D (RRs range:1.22–3.18 per 1-SD increment), whereas BDE47 and BDE153 showed significant positive associations among women without a family history of T2D. Conclusions Environmentally relevant levels of heavily chlorinated PCBs and some PFAS and PBDEs were positively associated with GDM with suggestive effect modifications by family history of T2D and body adiposity status.
Compositional analysis of the human microbiome in cancer research

Gut microbial composition has shown to be associated with obesity, diabetes mellitus, inflammatory bowel disease, colitis, autoimmune disorders, and cancer, among other diseases. Microbiome research has significantly evolved through the years and continues to advance as we develop new and better strategies to more accurately measure its composition and function. Careful selection of study design, inclusion and exclusion criteria of participants, and methodology are paramount to accurately analyze microbial structure. Here we present the most up-to-date available information on methods for gut microbial collection and analysis.
No Reduction in Delirium with the Use of Haloperidol or Ziprasidone in Critically Ill Patients.

For patients with acute respiratory failure or shock who develop delirium in the intensive care unit (ICU), the use of haloperidol or ziprasidone (Geodon) does not reduce the duration of delirium. This trial was powered to detect at least a two-day difference in the duration of delirium, so a smaller difference cannot be excluded.
The elastic ballistic pendulum

The inelastic ballistic pendulum can be analysed by a two-step momentum and energy conservation procedure often presented in introductory physics courses. Here we extend the analysis to a hypothetical case in which the bullet collides elastically with the pendulum block. The main result is that the block rises four times as high.
Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol and Risk of Hemorrhagic Stroke: a Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-analysis of Prospective Studies

To systematically examine the association between low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and risk of hemorrhagic stroke. A previous meta-analysis of prospective studies published in 2013 showed that higher concentrations of LDL-C were associated with lower risk of hemorrhagic stroke. Recently, seven large cohort studies were published examining LDL-C and risk of hemorrhagic stroke in different populations. Twelve prospective studies with 476,173 participants and 7587 hemorrhagic stroke cases were included in the current meta-analysis. The results showed that a 10 mg/dL increase in LDL-C was associated with 3% lower risk of hemorrhagic stroke (pooled relative risk [RR] 0.97, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.95–0.98). The association appeared to be more pronounced in Asians (pooled RR 0.95, 95% CI 0.92–0.98), relative to Caucasians (pooled RR 0.98, 95% CI 0.97–1.00), with a p heterogeneity of 0.05 between two ethnic groups. Further genetic studies and clinical trials with a stricter safety monitoring strategy are warranted to understand the underlying pathogenesis and determine the treatment target of LDL-C range with the lowest risk of hemorrhagic stroke in different population groups.
One-Dimensional Line SIAC Filtering for Multi-Dimensions: Applications to Streamline Visualization

Smoothness-Increasing Accuracy-Conserving (SIAC) filters for Discontinuous Galerkin (DG) methods are designed to increase the smoothness and improve the convergence rate of the DG solution through post-processing. These advantages can be exploited during flow visualization, for example by applying the SIAC filter to DG data before streamline computations. However, introducing these filters in engineering applications can be challenging since the filter is based on a convolution over an area of [(r + l + 1)h]d, where d is the dimension, h is the uniform element length, and r and l depend on the construction of the filter. This can become computationally prohibitive as the dimension increases. However, by exploiting the underlying mathematical framework, this problem can be overcome in order to realize a technique that allows for appropriate filtering along a streamline curve. Numerical experiments of such an idea were proposed in Walfisch et al. (J Sci Comput 38(2):164–184, 2009). Here, we review the introduction of the Line SIAC post-processing filter by Docampo et al. (SIAM J Sci Comput 39(5):A2179–A2200, 2017), which showed how the underlying mathematics can be exploited to make the SIAC filter more tractable and illustrate the promise of LSIAC in assisting in streamline visualization.
Role of RB1 in human embryonic stem cell-derived retinal organoids

Three-dimensional (3D) organoid models derived from human pluripotent stem cells provide a platform for studying human development and understanding disease mechanisms. Most studies that examine biallelic inactivation of the cell cycle regulator Retinoblastoma 1 (RB1) and the link to retinoblastoma is in mice, however, less is known regarding the pathophysiological role of RB1 during human retinal development. To study the role of RB1 in early human retinal development and tumor formation, we generated retinal organoids from CRISPR/Cas9-derived RB1-null human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). We showed that RB is abundantly expressed in retinal progenitor cells in retinal organoids and loss of RB1 promotes S-phase entry. Furthermore, loss of RB1 resulted in widespread apoptosis and reduced the number of photoreceptor, ganglion, and bipolar cells. Interestingly, RB1 mutation in retinal organoids did not result in retinoblastoma formation in vitro or in the vitreous body of NOD/SCID immunodeficient mice. Together, our work identifies a crucial function for RB1 in human retinal development and suggests that RB1 deletion alone is not sufficient for tumor development, at least in human retinal organoids.
[Etiologic diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of bacterial meningitis from the clinical features].

随着细菌疫苗接种的开展以及颅脑危重症抢救成功率的提高，相应的院内耐药菌感染增多，细菌性脑膜炎（BM）的病原及药敏情况近年来变化较大，增加了BM治疗难度，减低了BM的疗效，也与传统观念不够重视病原特征性的BM临床表现与预后有关。本专论从病原的角度，就BM诊疗方面较共性的问题进行阐述。