cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evolution of the Patient-Physician Relationship: Antiquity Through the Renaissance

Etymologically, ‘patients’ are simply those who suffer or endure something. In common usage, they are those who suffer or experience some perceived ill or dysfunction or injury that causes them to seek help, succor, or relief. It is only when help, succor, or relief is sought and the sufferers enter into a relationship with those whose aid they have requested that they can properly be called ‘patients’, for the term suggests those who are in a state of need vis-a-vis others who are in a position to render assistance addressed to that need. The word ‘patient’ is not properly applied to one who has a perceived need in the realm of ill or dysfunction or injury until one enters into a relationship with another to whom one turns for aid. Until then one can only be described as a potential ‘patient’ by virtue of one’s need. Nevertheless one can properly be termed a ‘patient’, even though one suffers or endures nothing for which aid is sought, if one places oneself in a relationship with another who seeks to determine whether an unperceived need exists or who gives advice or assistance that is prophylactic of some potential ill or dysfunction. By convention, the need, whether real, imaginary, or potential, must be physical or (at least in more recent times) psychological, although the term ‘patient’ may be applied metaphorically to one experiencing a need other than physical or psychological. In the latter sense the one to whom one turns for aid may also metaphorically be called one’s ‘doctor’, ‘physician’, ‘surgeon’, or, perhaps, ‘therapist’.
Lactobacillus wasatchensis sp. nov., a non-starter lactic acid bacteria isolated from aged Cheddar cheese

A Gram-stain positive, rod-shaped, non-spore-forming strain (WDC04T), which may be associated with late gas production in cheese, was isolated from aged Cheddar cheese following incubation on MRS agar (pH 5.2) at 6 °C for 35 days. Strain WDC04T had 97 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with Lactobacillus hokkaidonensis DSM 26202T, Lactobacillus oligofermentans 533, ‘Lactobacillus danicus’ 9M3, Lactobacillus suebicus CCUG 32233T and Lactobacillus vaccinostercus DSM 20634T. API 50 CH carbohydrate fermentation panels indicated strain WDC04T could only utilize one of the 50 substrates tested, ribose, although it does slowly utilize galactose. In the API ZYM system, strain WDC04T was positive for leucine arylamidase, valine arylamidase, cysteine arylamidase (weakly), naphthol-AS-BI-phosphohydrolase and β-galactosidase activities. Total genomic DNA was sequenced from strain WDC04T using a whole-genome shotgun strategy on a 454 GS Titanium pyrosequencer. The sequence was assembled into a 1.90 Mbp draft genome consisting of 105 contigs with preliminary genome annotation performed using the RAST algorithm (rast.nmpdr.org). Genome analysis confirmed the pentose phosphate pathway for ribose metabolism as well as galactose, N-acetylglucosamine, and glycerol fermentation pathways. Genomic analysis places strain WDC04T in the obligately heterofermentative group of lactobacilli and metabolic results confirm this conclusion. The result of genome sequencing, along with 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, indicates WDC04T represents a novel species of the genus Lactobacillus, for which the name Lactobacillus wasatchensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is WDC04T ( = DSM 29958T = LMG 28678T).
Effect on bone grafts of radio-active isotopes of phosphorus.

Fourteen dogs were used to measure the relative rates of phosphorus-ion exchange from autogenous, boiled, frozen, and merthiolate bank bone. Comparing the rate of uptake of P32 by boiled and frozen inlay grafts in the tibia to that of autogenous inlay grafts at one, two, three, and four weeks, three days after subcutaneous injection of radio-active phosphorus, the authors have shown that autogenous bone becomes more radio-active than the other varieties. The same has been found true for autogenous, boiled, frozen, and merthiolate hone when placed intramuscularly for two, three, and four weeks. We do not believe that this is evidence of the viability of autogenous bone as compared to types of preserved bone. Neither do we feel that this is proof that all free grafts are dead. It corroborates the clinical impression that autogenous bone best serves the purpose of a free graft. We feel that the increased uptake of P32 by autogenous over other types of free grafts indicates that the recesses of these grafts are more easily reached by the perfusing solutions, due perhaps to the lesser alteration of the protein matrix.
RER1: A Novel Regulator of Alpha-Synuclein (1II-2.001)

OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the role of retention in endoplasmic reticulum protein 1 (Rer1) in regulating α-synuclein levels. BACKGROUND: Alpha-synuclein (αSyn) is a principle component of Lewy bodies found pathologically in Parkinson disease (PD) and related synucleinopathies. Recent studies suggest that abnormal accumulation of αSyn disrupts intracellular protein/vesicular trafficking and impairs endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation (ERAD) leading to ER stress and toxicity. Rer1 has recently been identified as an ER retrieval/retention factor that may play a critical role in regulating protein transport (between the ER and golgi) and homeostasis. In Alzheimer’s disease Rer1 has been shown to negatively regulate Amyloid beta peptide levels by modulating gamma-secretase and APP trafficking (Park HJ, et al. JBC 2012). We hypothesized that Rer1 expression may also help to regulate αSyn trafficking, levels, and mediate toxicity in Parkinson models. DESIGN/METHODS: The levels of αSyn wild type, A30P, A53T, or E46K mutant were assessed following Rer1 co-expression in human cell lines. Several Rer1 mutants (such as Rer1Δ25, Y174A, or KRSS) were also utilized to verify the functional domain of αSyn regulation. The effects of proteasome or autophagy inhibitors on αSyn levels were also assessed to determine which protein degradation mechanism is involved in Rer1-related αSyn regulation RESULTS: Rer1 expression significantly decreased both αSyn wild type and mutants levels. The Rer1Δ25 mutant, which lacks the C-terminus that appears important for substrate localization, had a significantly attenuated effect on αSyn, indicating that Rer1-mediated ER recycling may be important for regulating αSyn levels. Interestingly, proteasome inhibition rescued the Rer1-mediated decrease in αSyn levels suggesting that Rer1 facilitates αSyn degradation through the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS), likely via the ERAD. CONCLUSIONS: These data provide preliminary evidence that Rer1 may play an important role in protein trafficking and regulation of αSyn levels and associated toxicity in PD and related disorders. Study Supported by: NIH K08NS067024 Disclosure: Dr. McFarland has nothing to disclose. Dr. Park has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ricchiuti has nothing to disclose.
Cure and Mechanical Behavior of Rubber Compounds Containing Ground Vulcanizates. Part I—Cure Behavior

Abstract SBR compounds containing ground vulcanizates of known composition and cure state were prepared and the cure behavior studied. Decreases in scorch times and maximum rheometer torques were observed when ground vulcanizates were added to the SBR compounds. Two primary phenomena are proposed to explain these findings: (1) migration of sulfur from the matrix rubber to the ground vulcanizate (causing torque reduction) and (2) migration of accelerator fragments from the ground vulcanizate to the matrix (causing decreased scorch time). The first proposal is based on direct measurement of sulfur concentrations in both ground particles and the matrix. The second is based on the detection, by high performance liquid chromatography, of mercaptobenzothiazole in the extract from ground vulcanizates. The second also is inferred from the fact that ground vulcanizate particles cured with peroxide do not alter scorch time. Moreover, a compound containing sulfur and ground (accelerated-sulfur vulcanized) rubber, bu...
[Etiologic characteristics of food-borne Vibrio parahaemolyticus strains isolated in Guangdong, 2014].

Objective To investigate the serotypes, antimicrobial resistance, virulence genes and molecular characteristics of food-borne Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolated in Guangdong province in 2014. Methods Sixty V. parahaemolyticus strains were tested in this study. The serotyping and antibiotic resistance test were conducted, while the tdh and trh gens of the strains were detected with conventional PCR, and pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and multiple locus sequence typing (MLST) were conducted too. Results The 60 strains belonged to 13 serotypes, the major serotypes included O3: K6, O4: K8, O1: K36 and O4: KUT. The antibiotic resistance test indicated the isolates were highly resistant to ampicillin (100.0%), sulfonamides (43.3%) and cefalotin (28.3%). Up to 56.7%(34/60) of the strains were resistant to two or more antibiotics, and 2 strains showed resistance to three antibiotics. The virulence gene detection indicated that 63.3% (38/60) of the strains carried tdh+trh-, while only 1 strain carried tdh+trh+. The 60 strains digested by NotⅠ belonged to 48 different PFGE patterns and 3 clusters. The cluster B included the strains isolated from sporadic food borne cases with serotype of O3: K6 and similarity of 62.6%-100.0%. The cluster C included O4: K8 strains with the PFGE pattern similarity of 56.7%-62.5%. The MLST indicated that the 60 strains had 26 sequence types (STs). The ST-3 was predominant, including 33 strains (serotypes O3: K6 and O1 :K36). The four O4: K8 strains formed another predominant colony, which was different from ST-3. Conclusion The etiologic characteristics of V. parahaemolyticus varied, which might be one of the reasons for high incidence of food-borne V. parahaemolyticus infection in Guangdong. The molecular characteristics of O4: K8 strain were different from the other predominant serotypes. Close attention should be paid to the possible outbreak caused by O4: K8 strain in this area. Key words: Vibrio parahaemolyticus; Etiologic characteristic; Pulsed field gel electrophoresis; Multi locus sequence typing
Disentangling the influences of mean body size and size structure on ecosystem functioning: an example of nutrient recycling by a non‐native crayfish

Body size is a fundamental functional trait that can be used to forecast individuals' responses to environmental change and their contribution to ecosystem functioning. However, information on the mean and variation of size distributions often confound one another when relating body size to aggregate functioning. Given that size‐based metrics are used as indicators of ecosystem status, it is important to identify the specific aspects of size distributions that mediate ecosystem functioning. Our goal was to simultaneously account for the mean, variance, and shape of size distributions when relating body size to aggregate ecosystem functioning. We take advantage of habitat‐specific differences in size distributions to estimate nutrient recycling by a non‐native crayfish using mean‐field and variance‐incorporating approaches. Crayfishes often substantially influence ecosystem functioning through their omnivorous role in aquatic food webs. As predicted from Jensen's inequality, considering only the mean body size of crayfish overestimated aggregate effects on ecosystem functioning. This bias declined with mean body size such that mean‐field and variance‐incorporating estimates of ecosystem functioning were similar for samples at mean body sizes >7.5 g. At low mean body size, mean‐field bias in ecosystem functioning mismatch predictions from Jensen's inequality, likely because of the increasing skewness of the size distribution. Our findings support the prediction that variance around the mean can alter the relationship between body size and ecosystem functioning, especially at low mean body size. However, methods to account for mean‐field bias performed poorly in samples with highly skewed distributions, indicating that changes in the shape of the distribution, in addition to the variance, may confound mean‐based estimates of ecosystem functioning. Given that many biological functions scale allometrically, explicitly defining and experimentally or statistically isolating the effects of the mean, variance, and shape of size distributions is necessary to begin generalizing relationships between animal body size and ecosystem functioning.
Complex ratio masking for monaural speech separation

Speech separation systems usually operate on the short-time Fourier transform (STFT) of noisy speech, and enhance only the magnitude spectrum while leaving the phase spectrum unchanged. This is done because there was a belief that the phase spectrum is unimportant for speech enhancement. Recent studies, however, suggest that phase is important for perceptual quality, leading some researchers to consider magnitude and phase spectrum enhancements. We present a supervised monaural speech separation approach that simultaneously enhances the magnitude and phase spectra by operating in the complex domain. Our approach uses a deep neural network to estimate the real and imaginary components of the ideal ratio mask defined in the complex domain. We report separation results for the proposed method and compare them to related systems. The proposed approach improves over other methods when evaluated with several objective metrics, including the perceptual evaluation of speech quality (PESQ), and a listening test where subjects prefer the proposed approach with at least a 69% rate.
Effects of Precursor Type on the CVD Growth of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) can be grown using chemical vapor deposition methods consisting of the catalyzed decomposition of a precursor gas on the surface of (usually) metal nanocatalysts. Among the many variables affecting the process, the nature of the precursor gas is particularly interesting because nanotube growth mechanism may be closely dependent on the specific decomposition products. Here we investigate and compare simulated SWCNT growth under two precursor decomposition products: single carbon atoms and dimers. Specifically we evaluate the effect of the precursor type on carbon association within the nanoparticle, nanotube quality, and nanotube chirality. Compared to a synthesis based on carbon atoms as the main dominant species, it is found that when carbon dimers are the main precursor decomposition products, carbon dissolution as well as carbon association inside the nanoparticle are slowed down, and nucleation is accelerated, increasing the risk of carbon encapsulation. In the ...
Causes of chronic diarrhea in infants and children.

The problem of diarrhea in an infant or a child can be and often is frustrating for all concerned. Without a reliable feeding history the physician will be hard pressed to know where to begin a search for the cause. With this information he will be able to put the newer diagnostic tests to their best use.
Presynaptic partner selection during retinal circuit reassembly varies with timing of neuronal regeneration in vivo

Whether neurons can restore their original connectivity patterns during circuit repair is unclear. Taking advantage of the regenerative capacity of zebrafish retina, we show here the remarkable specificity by which surviving neurons reassemble their connectivity upon regeneration of their major input. H3 horizontal cells (HCs) normally avoid red and green cones, and prefer ultraviolet over blue cones. Upon ablation of the major (ultraviolet) input, H3 HCs do not immediately increase connectivity with other cone types. Instead, H3 dendrites retract and re-extend to contact new ultraviolet cones. But, if regeneration is delayed or absent, blue-cone synaptogenesis increases and ectopic synapses are made with red and green cones. Thus, cues directing synapse specificity can be maintained following input loss, but only within a limited time period. Further, we postulate that signals from the major input that shape the H3 HC's wiring pattern during development persist to restrict miswiring after damage.
Stimulation of uric acid release from the perfused rat liver by platelet activating factor or potassium.

The stimulation of hepatic glycogenolysis by platelet activating factor (AGEPC) or increased perfusate potassium concentration ([K+]o), but not phenylephrine, causes a transient increase in uric acid release into the effluent perfusate of perfused rat livers. Uric acid was identified in chromatograms of perfusate samples using reversed-phase h.p.l.c., which show a peak which co-elutes with authentic uric acid, and by the fact that the A293 of perfusate samples decreases in the presence of uricase. Uric acid release is dose-dependent with respect to both AGEPC and [K+]o, and is blocked completely by prior exposure of the perfused liver to 5 mM-allopurinol, a specific inhibitor of xanthine oxidase (XOD). Allopurinol inhibits the increase in portal vein pressure induced by AGEPC, increased [K+]o or phenylephrine; the inhibitory effect increases with increasing concentrations of the agents. Also, allopurinol inhibits the second phase of O2 uptake and glucose release characteristic of concentrations of AGEPC or increased [K+]o equal to or greater than their reported half-maximal concentration for glucose release. The ratio of xanthine dehydrogenase (XDH) to XOD activity in extracts of freeze-clamped perfused livers is not affected by treatment of the livers with AGEPC or increased [K+]o. The results suggest that uric acid production may be an indicator of ischaemia within localized hepatic sinusoids, and that allopurinol partially protects the hepatocyte from the effects of AGEPC or increased [K+]o by inhibiting XOD-dependent superoxide production. We propose that the second phase of the glycogenolytic response to these agents results from ischaemia and subsequent reperfusion. Activation of XOD in vivo and hence O2-derived free radical production may be involved in the response of the liver to vasoactive agonists under a variety of pathophysiological conditions.
Long-Term Efficacy of Combination Therapy for Struvite Staghorn Calculi

AbstractA total of 28 patients with extensive struvite staghorn calculi underwent endourological sandwich therapy consisting of primary percutaneous debulking followed by extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL⁎⁎Dornier Medical Systems, Inc., Marietta, Georgia.) of residual stone fragments. Secondary percutaneous procedures, ESWL treatments and 10% hemiacidrin irrigations were used as necessary specifically to achieve a stone-free renal unit. With 12 to 55 months (mean 31 months) of followup, during which time regular surveillance was done and antibiotic prophylaxis was used routinely, renal function remained stable or improved in 93% of the patients, including 4 with a solitary kidney. Infection has recurred or persisted in 30% of the patients, while stones recurred in 22%. We conclude that an aggressive, combined endourological approach to the management of struvite staghorn calculi can achieve longterm results comparable to standard operative intervention.
Introduction: the Terrific Sign

The plot and theme of Macbeth turns upon the slight and sight of images from the mind. Although Macbeth’s ambition shapes his hearing of the witches, and even though it is his ‘deed of dreadful note’ that disrupts his mind, his Lady’s sanity and Scotland’s state, the drama is a repertoire of feints and deceptions, mysteries and murders, false hearts and false faces, unnatural signs and ghostly remembrances and terror-torn sleep and bloody instructions that inform the action. ‘By the strength of their illusion’, the signs of the times ‘draw him on to his confusion’, and Macbeth is left with nothing but fantasies of fear, courage and destinies — promised signs half-hid in the shadows of his (and our) darker side. The ‘scorpions of his mind’ turn and sting him into damnation and death, stripped of all, like a Job who either never knew righteousness or only remembered innocence from a long ago time.
Use of the Response Function in the Analysis of Complex Neutron Spectra

Neutron time-of-flight spectra with overlapping peaks must be unfolded to yield contributions of individual neutron groups. This requires an accurate knowledge of the resolution profile of each group. It is also desirable to know the shape of the spectra of neutrons which were scattered more than once in the scatterer, so that corrections for multiple interactions can be made. These resolution profiles and spectra shapes are not readily available. We have developed a series of measures to account for these effects in our work. We monitor the neutron target thickness during target preparation with a separate time-of-flight spectrometer; we measure detector and accelerator time resolutions for different neutron energies using a thin target and we use computer codes to simulate those factors not amenable to direct measurement.
Health information delivery outside the clinic in a developing nation: The Qatar Cancer Society in the State of Qatar

No reliable research is currently available on consumer health information seekers in Qatar, their reasons for seeking it, or the quality and extent of this information. Thus very basic questions about health information delivery outside of the clinical setting need to be answered, such as the role that libraries and health associations can play in educating the public about health issues. This chapter provides a case study of one of the largest and most active nonclinical health associations in Qatar, The Qatar Cancer Society (QCS), a charitable nongovernmental organization established in 1997. Specialized librarians and libraries can potentially play an important role in information provision on health matters outside of the clinical setting and in collaboration with health organizations such as QCS.
Near field imaging of subsurface targets using active arrays and elastic waves

This paper presents a time-reversal based approach for detecting the positions of subsurface passive targets like landmines. The measurements are made by using sources and sensors placed on the surface. The imaging algorithm uses the seismic waves reflected from the targets, and measured on the surface. A time-reversal based algorithm is used, which utilizes the possible link between the time-reversal matrix and the covariance matrix used in standard array processing. It is shown that the time-reversal matrix can be used to estimate the near field DOA and range parameters using a 2D MUSIC approach.
Grit as a predictor of risk of attrition in surgical residency.

Abstract Background Grit, a measure of perseverance, has been shown to predict resident well-being. In this study we assess the relationship between grit and attrition. Methods We collected survey data from residents in a single institution over two consecutive years. All residents in general surgery were invited to participate (N = 115). Grit and psychological well-being were assessed using validated measures. Risk of attrition was measured using survey items. Results 73 residents participated (63% response rate). Grit was positively correlated with general psychological well-being ( r = 0.30, p r = −0.25, p r = −0.37, p B = 0.77, t = 2.96, p t = −2.74, p B = −0.99, t = −2.53, p Conclusions Attrition is a costly and disruptive problem in residency. Grit is a quick, reliable measure which appears to be predictive of attrition risk in this single-institution study.
The political economy of judicial corruption in China: a spatial relationship

Like other developing countries, China has been struggling with corruption. Judicial corruption, in particular, damages the rule of law and presents a market disruption as an outcome of a lack of commitment by the government regarding property rights. This article seeks to explain the variations in judicial corruption within China, and it develops a theory of city-level corruption of judges. The theory is tested by an empirical study with data from the World Bank corruption survey using a Bayesian spatial linear model. While wealth appears to diminish corruption, there is also a strong spatial relationship with regard to the level of judicial corruption in China, indicating that as some regions become less corrupt, surrounding areas also experience a diminution in corruption. Thus, through a process organic to the current regime, China could experience an increase in judicial trustworthiness.
Nasal Base Retraction: A Treatment Algorithm.

Background Nasal base retraction results from cephalic malposition of the alar base in the vertical plane, which causes disharmony of the alar base with the rest of the nose structures. Correcting nasal base retraction is very important for improved aesthetic outcomes; however, there is a limited body of literature about this deformity and its treatment. Objectives Create a nasal base retraction treatment algorithm based on a severity classification system. Methods This is a retrospective case review study of 53 patients who underwent rhinoplasty with correction of alar base retraction by the senior author (S.T.). The minimum follow-up time was 6 months. Levator labii alaque nasi muscle dissection or alar base release with or without a rim graft on the effected side were performed based on the severity of the alar base retraction. Aesthetic results were assessed with objective grading of preoperative and postoperative patient photographs by two independent plastic surgeons. Functional improvement was assessed with patient self-evaluations of nasal patency. Also, a rhinoplasty outcomes evaluation (ROE) questionnaire was distributed to patients. Results Comparison of preoperative and postoperative photographs demonstrated that nasal base asymmetry was significantly improved in all cases, and 85% of the patients had complete symmetry. Nasal obstruction was also significantly reduced after surgery (P < 0.001). The majority of patients reported satisfaction (92.5%), with an ROE total score greater than or equal to 20. Conclusions New techniques and a treatment algorithm for correcting nasal base retraction deformities that will help rhinoplasty surgeons obtain aesthetically and functionally pleasing outcomes for patients. Level of Evidence 4
Phenome‐wide association studies: a new method for functional genomics in humans

In experimental physiological research, a common study design for examining the functional role of a gene or a genetic variant is to introduce that genetic variant into a model organism (such as yeast or mouse) and then to search for phenotypic consequences. The development of DNA biobanks linked to dense phenotypic information enables such an experiment to be applied to human subjects in the form of a phenome-wide association study (PheWAS). The PheWAS paradigm takes advantage of a curated medical phenome, often derived from electronic health records, to search for associations between 'input functions' and phenotypes in an unbiased fashion. The most commonly studied input function to date has been single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), but other inputs, such as sets of SNPs or a disease or drug exposure, are now being explored to probe the genetic and phenotypic architecture of human traits. Potential outcomes of these approaches include defining subsets of complex diseases (that can then be targeted by specific therapies) and drug repurposing.
One-pot integrated biofuel production using low-cost biocompatible protic ionic liquids

The transformation of biomass into liquid fuels is of great importance. Previous work has demonstrated the capability of specific ionic liquids (ILs), such as 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([C2C1Im][OAc]) and cholinium lysinate ([Ch][Lys]), to be effective biomass pretreatment solvents. Using these ILs for an integrated biomass-to-biofuel configuration is still challenging due to a significant water-wash related to the high toxicity of [C2C1Im][OAc] and pH adjustment prior to saccharification for the highly basic [Ch][Lys]. In this work, we demonstrate, for the first time, that a one-pot integrated biofuel production is enabled by a low cost (∼$1 per kg) and biocompatible protic IL (PIL), ethanolamine acetate, without pH adjustments, water-wash and solid–liquid separations. After pretreatment, the whole slurry is directly used for simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) with commercial enzyme cocktails and wild type yeast strains, generating 70% of the theoretical ethanol yield (based on switchgrass). The structure–performance relationships of PILs in terms of lignin removal, net basicity, and pH value are systematically studied. A technoeconomic analysis (TEA) revealed that an integrated biorefinery concept based on this PIL process could potentially reduce the minimum ethanol selling price by more than 40% compared to scenarios that require pH adjustment prior to SSF. Improvement of the economic performance will be made by reducing the dilution and enzyme loading during SSF as identified by TEA. This study demonstrates the impact of a biocompatible IL in terms of process optimization and conversion efficiency, and opens up avenues for realizing an IL based efficiently integrated biomass conversion technology.
Optimum length of a heavy cable with a concentrated load

AbstractA cable with nonnegligible self-weight carries a point load on its span. The objective is to determine the optimum cable length such that the maximum tension of the cable is minimal. This i...
Five years post-DORA: promoting best practices for research assessment

The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA) was penned 5 years ago to articulate best practices for how we communicate and judge our scientific contributions. In particular, it adamantly declared that Journal Impact Factor (JIF) should never be used as a surrogate measure of the quality of individual research contributions, or for hiring, promotion, or funding decisions. Since then, a heightened awareness of the damaging practice of using JIFs as a proxy for the quality of individual papers, and to assess an individual's or institution's accomplishments has led to changes in policy and the design and application of best practices to more accurately assess the quality and impact of our research. Herein I summarize the considerable progress made and remaining challenges that must be met to ensure a fair and meritocratic approach to research assessment and the advancement of research.
Genomic signals of selection predict climate-driven population declines in a migratory bird

The ongoing loss of biodiversity caused by rapid climatic shifts requires accurate models for predicting species’ responses. Despite evidence that evolutionary adaptation could mitigate climate change impacts, evolution is rarely integrated into predictive models. Integrating population genomics and environmental data, we identified genomic variation associated with climate across the breeding range of the migratory songbird, yellow warbler ( Setophaga petechia ). Populations requiring the greatest shifts in allele frequencies to keep pace with future climate change have experienced the largest population declines, suggesting that failure to adapt may have already negatively affected populations. Broadly, our study suggests that the integration of genomic adaptation can increase the accuracy of future species distribution models and ultimately guide more effective mitigation efforts.
Curricular Innovation in the Surgery Clerkship: Can Assessment Methods Influence Development of Critical Thinking and Clinical Skills?

Objective Although key clinical skills have been defined in the Core Entrustable Professional Activities, there is a need to improve medical school curricula with standardized training opportunities and assessments of these skills. Thus, we aimed to develop an innovative curriculum that emphasized critical thinking and clinical skills. We hypothesized that we would be able to observe measurable improvement on assessments of students’ critical thinking and clinical skills after the implementation of the new curriculum. Design Prospective, Quasi-Experimental study with the use of historical controls. Setting This study took place through the third-year surgical clerkship at the University of Texas Medical Branch at the Galveston, Houston, and Austin, Texas, locations. Participants A total of 214 students taking the third-year surgical clerkship for the first time during the periods of interest were included. Results Although the students with traditional curriculum improved 9.5% on a short answer exam from preclerkship to postclerkship completion, the students with new curriculum improved by 40%. Students under the new curriculum performed significantly better on the Objective Structured Clinical Exam; however, their shelf scores were lower. Conclusions Under this new curriculum and grading system, we demonstrated that students can be incentivized to improve critical thinking and clinical skills, but this needs to be balanced with knowledge-based incentives.
Best Practice for Home Physical Therapy for Older Adults with Heart Failure

This review elucidates the key considerations applicable to the physical therapist in effectively managing patients with heart failure in the home health setting. The paper accentuates various examination strategies that support an appreciation for patient stability prior to exercise. Additionally, organized clinical decision-making and effective treatment techniques including aerobic exercise, strength training, interval training, energy conservation techniques, inspiratory muscle training, and positioning are reviewed in an effort to improve the activity and participation of patients with heart failure. Evidence-based research will be used to support the efficacy of outcome measures and exercise for use in home care. The evidence supports the use of specific examination and treatment interventions in maximizing activity, participation, and reducing readmissions in patients with heart failure in home health. The paper enhances the reader’s appreciation for meaningful outcomes and appropriate service delivery techniques for patients with heart failure in the home health setting.
How Do We Encourage Gifted Girls to Pursue and Succeed in Science and Engineering

Despite having the raw ability to pursue careers in science and engineering, gifted girls often shy away from such careers. Here, the authors explore two explanations for this puzzling phenomenon. ...
Running does not increase symptoms or structural progression in people with knee osteoarthritis: data from the osteoarthritis initiative.

Higher levels of moderate to vigorous physical activity improve all-cause mortality and cardiovascular events. However, the effect of running, a moderate to vigorous activity, in those with knee osteoarthritis (OA), a common arthritis that occurs with aging, a high-risk group for mortality and cardiovascular events, is unclear. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the association of self-selected running on OA symptom and structure progression in people with knee OA. This nested cohort study within the Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI) (2004–2014) included those at least 50 years old with OA in at least one knee. Runners were defined using a self-administered questionnaire at the 96-month visit. At baseline and 48-months, symptoms were assessed and radiographs were scored for Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) grade (2–4) and medial Joint Space Narrowing (JSN) score (0–3). We evaluated the association of self-selected running with outcomes: KL worsening, medial JSN worsening, new knee pain, and improved knee pain over 48 months, adjusting for baseline age, sex, body mass index (BMI), KL score, contralateral KL score, contralateral knee pain, and injury. If data were not available at the 48-month visit, then they were imputed from the 36-month visit. One thousand two hundred three participants had a mean age of 63.2 (7.9) years, BMI of 29.5 (4.6) kg/m2, 45.3% male, and 11.5% runners. Data from 8% of participants required imputation. Adjusted odds ratios for KL grade worsening and new frequent knee pain were 0.9 (0.6–1.3) and 0.9 (0.6–1.6) respectively. Adjusted odds ratio for frequent knee pain resolution was 1.7 (1.0–2.8). Among individuals 50 years old and older with knee OA, self-selected running is associated with improved knee pain and not with worsening knee pain or radiographically defined structural progression. Therefore, self-selected running, which is likely influenced by knee symptoms and may result in lower intensity and shorter duration sessions of exercise, need not be discouraged in people with knee OA.
Artificial neural network algorithms for pulse shape discrimination and recovery of piled-up pulses in organic scintillators

Abstract We developed two neural-network (NN)-based algorithms (fully-connected neural network (Fc-NN) and recurrent neural network (RNN)) to perform pulse shape discrimination (PSD) and identification of piled-up pulses produced by organic scintillators, upon interaction with neutrons and gamma rays. We tested the algorithms on measured and verification sets of data and compared their classification performances to standard approaches. At a high acquisition count rate (100,000 counts per second, cps), in the presence of a gamma-to-neutron ratio of approximately 400–1, the proposed NN-based algorithm achieves a fraction of misclassified neutron, gamma, and piled-up pulses of approximately 1%, 1.8%, and 0.6%, respectively. Compared to the traditional approach, it exhibits 3×, 14×, and 11× improved (lower) miscalculation rates for neutron, gamma, and piled-up pulses, respectively. We also demonstrate the capability of NN-based algorithms of successfully recovering and identifying neutron and gamma ray compositions from piled-up pulses in challenging, high pulse count rate conditions.
Transforming Non-Normal Data to Normality in Statistical Process Control

Quality characteristics analyzed in statistical process control (SPC) often are required to be normally distributed. This is true in many types of control charts and acceptance sampling plans, as well as in process capability studies. If a characteristi..
The Pediatric Examination Assessment Rubric (PEAR): A Pilot Project

Purpose The pediatric ophthalmic examination is often considered a challenge to ophthalmologists at any level of training. New tools need to be developed and tested to enhance resident and fellow training in pediatric ophthalmology. To our knowledge, this pilot project introduces the first educational rubric designed specifically for a pediatric ophthalmic examination. Methods Preliminary surveys were completed by 11 ophthalmic residents, of all three postgraduate years (PGY), to gauge comfort level with the pediatric ophthalmic examination. A one-page Pediatric Examination Assessment Rubric (PEAR) was developed and reviewed by 13 content experts (12 pediatric ophthalmologists and a lead developer of the Ophthalmic Clinical Exercise Examination [OCEX] tool) at eight academic institutions. A total of five educators from three academic institutions used the rubric to evaluate a total of six residents during a new strabismus evaluation. Postevaluation surveys were completed by both the five educators and the six residents. Results Preliminary surveys showed that only 18.2% of residents felt their pediatric examination skills were good. Residents noted higher levels of frustration and less comfort with the pediatric examination when compared with an adult examination. Thirteen experts' comments were incorporated into the rubric to establish content validity. Postevaluation surveys showed that 60% of faculty and 100% of residents found the rubric to be very effective in providing feedback. Conclusion In this pilot project, we established the need for more concrete educational tools in pediatric ophthalmology, created an educational tool, established content validity, and demonstrated feasibility. The PEAR helps residents identify skills to target for improvement based on the quality of their pediatric ophthalmic examinations. At three academic institutions, the PEAR was shown to be easy to use and a useful tool for training residents to perform the pediatric ophthalmic examination.
Hundred-fold enhancement in far-field radiative heat transfer over the blackbody limit

Radiative heat transfer (RHT) has a central role in entropy generation and energy transfer at length scales ranging from nanometres to light years1. The blackbody limit2, as established in Max Planck's theory of RHT, provides a convenient metric for quantifying rates of RHT because it represents the maximum possible rate of RHT between macroscopic objects in the far field-that is, at separations greater than Wien's wavelength3. Recent experimental work has verified the feasibility of overcoming the blackbody limit in the near field4-7, but heat-transfer rates exceeding the blackbody limit have not previously been demonstrated in the far field. Here we use custom-fabricated calorimetric nanostructures with embedded thermometers to show that RHT between planar membranes with sub-wavelength dimensions can exceed the blackbody limit in the far field by more than two orders of magnitude. The heat-transfer rates that we observe are in good agreement with calculations based on fluctuational electrodynamics. These findings may be directly relevant to various fields, such as energy conversion, atmospheric sciences and astrophysics, in which RHT is important.
“Anything Goes”: Regulating the Conduct of Money-Bundling Broadway Co-Producers

This Note will analyze industry concerns relating to the practice of granting above-the-title producer credit to individuals solely for contributing or bundling a share of a production’s capitalization, specifically by asking whether money-bundling Broadway co-producers are acting as unregistered broker-dealers in violation of applicable Security Exchange Commission (“SEC”) registration requirements. In Section I of this Note, I provide a history of Broadway producing models, so as to understand how today’s dominant model developed. In Section II, I unpack that model by describing the structure of theatrical investment vehicles and identifying the different types of Broadway producers. In Sections III and IV, I outline the applicable provisions of the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Securities Act”) and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”), and in Section V, I apply the SEC’s four-factor “broker-dealer” test to the conduct of money-bundling Broadway co-producers, thereby isolating industry practices that might trigger registration requirements. Finally, in Sections VI through VII, I identify the potential consequences of using unregistered brokers and develop a list of recommendations that production companies can follow to avoid violating SEC registration requirements.
Perfectionism and the Place of the Interior Life in Business: Toward an Ethics of Personal Growth

Stanley Cavell’s moral perfectionism places the task of cultivating richer self-understanding and self-expression at the center of corporate life. We show how his approach reframes business as an opportunity for moral soul-craft, achieved through the articulation of increasingly reflective inner life in organizational culture. Instead of norming constraints on business activity, perfectionism opens new possibilities for conducting commercial exchange as a form of conversation, leading to personal growth. This approach guides executives in designing businesses that foster genius and channel creativity, while giving all stakeholders a meaningful voice within a culture of trust. We first give an account of Cavellian perfectionism. Then, we explain how this underrepresented strand of moral reflection challenges and enriches, but does not supplant, prevailing ethical theories—including other versions of perfectionism. We then demonstrate the salience of Cavellian perfectionism to business ethics through examples from marketing, human resources, and executive organizational design and development.
Healthy diet reduces markers of cardiac injury and inflammation regardless of macronutrients: Results from the OmniHeart trial.

Abstract Background Despite diet being a first-line strategy for preventing cardiovascular disease, the optimal macronutrient profile remains unclear. We studied the effects of macronutrient profile on subclinical cardiovascular injury and inflammation. Methods OmniHeart was a randomized 3-period, crossover feeding study in 164 adults with high blood pressure or hypertension (SBP 120–159 or DBP 80–99 mm Hg). Participants were fed each of 3 diets (emphasizing carbohydrate (CARB), protein (PROT), or unsaturated fat (UNSAT)) for 6-weeks, with feeding periods separated by a washout period. Weight was held constant. Fasting serum was collected at baseline while participants ate their own diets and after each feeding period. High-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) were measured in stored specimens. Results The average age was 53.6 years, 55% were African American, and 45% were women. At baseline, the median (25th-percentile, 75th-percentile) hs-cTnI was 3.3 ng/L (1.9, 5.6) and hs-CRP was 2.2 mg/L (1.1, 5.2). Compared to baseline, all 3 diets reduced hs-cTnI: CARB –8.6% (95%CI: −16.1, −0.4), PROT –10.8% (−18.4, −2.5), and UNSAT −9.4% (−17.4, −0.5). Hs-CRP was similarly changed by −13.9 to −17.0%. Hs-cTnI and hs-CRP reductions were of similar magnitudes as SBP and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLc) but were not associated with these risk-factor reductions (P-values = 0.09). There were no between-diet differences in hs-cTnI and hs-CRP reductions. Conclusions Healthy diet, regardless of macronutrient emphasis, directly mitigated subclinical cardiac injury and inflammation in a population at risk for cardiovascular disease. These findings support dietary recommendations emphasizing healthy foods rather than any one macronutrient. Trial Registration: This trial is registered at clinicaltrials.gov, number: NCT00051350; URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00051350.
Adapting the Resilience Framework for Family Caregivers of Hospice Patients With Dementia

Family caregivers face ongoing, formidable stress and burden. Caregivers need sustainable support to maintain resilience. We aim to identify challenges, possible solutions that are resources for resilience, and expected consequences from the perspective of 39 family caregivers of hospice patients with dementia. The resilience framework was used to guide the coding and synthesis of the qualitative data. Identified challenges included difficulties in communication, providing care and decision-making, lack of knowledge, emotional challenges, concern about care facility selection, death with dignity, and lack of public awareness. Resilience resources for caregiving challenges were identified at the individual, community, and societal levels. Anticipated benefits of using these resources included the ability to provide better care and have a better quality of life for both patients and caregivers. The findings of this study can guide the design and implementation of supportive interventions designed for family caregivers of hospice patients with dementia to bolster available resilience resources.
Corporatist coalitions as agents of civil society: The politics of student and labour unions in Iran

ABSTRACTAuthoritarian states often establish membership-based associations to channel popular grievances and to engage in mass mobilization. Across the MENA, state-controlled, ‘corporatist’ associa...