cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
PLATELETS AND VON WILLEBRAND FACTOR INTERACTIONS AFTER TRANSCATHETER AORTIC VALVE REPLACEMENT (TAVR): ASSOCIATION WITH THROMBOCYTOPENIA AND THROMBOSIS

Introduction: Thrombocytopenia and thrombotic events are common after TAVR. Changes in shear forces during TAVR and the subsequent platelet activation may explain these phenomena Methods: Flow cytometry with dual staining (PE-anti-CD41 and FITC-anti-vWF) was used to assess vWF binding to platelets
The politics of heteronormativity for Indonesian waria in YouTube videos

Through the lenses of structuration and gender performativity, this article investigates how select YouTube videos speak to the complexities of waria identities and the politics of heteronormativity. Waria are male-to-female transgendered individuals in Indonesia. Although the YouTube videos often try to ‘humanise’ and ‘normalise’ waria to non-waria viewers with the hope that such exposure can lead to greater tolerance and support, the videos present particular images and messages that, at times, reinforce a heterosexist gender binary framework, while on other occasions resisting that system or duality. Using an interpretative approach, the analysis treats the videos as data and texts. The general orientation of this type of content analysis is to uncover patterns of actions and meanings. This article pays special attention to the ways in which identity is socially constructed, and how the YouTube videos both support and challenge current dominant discourses about gender in Indonesia.
Designing Patient-Centered Text Messaging Interventions for Increasing Physical Activity Among Participants With Type 2 Diabetes: Qualitative Results From the Text to Move Intervention.

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a disease affecting approximately 29.1 million people in the United States, and an additional 86 million adults have prediabetes. Diabetes self-management education, a complex health intervention composed of 7 behaviors, is effective at improving self-care behaviors and glycemic control. Studies have employed text messages for education, reminders, and motivational messaging that can serve as “cues to action,” aiming to improve glucose monitoring, self-care behaviors, appointment attendance, and medication adherence. Objectives: The Text to Move (TTM) study was a 6-month 2-parallel group randomized controlled trial of individuals with T2DM to increase physical activity, measured by a pedometer. The intervention arm received text messages twice daily for 6 months that were tailored to the participant’s stage of behavior change as defined by the transtheoretical model of behavior change. Methods: We assessed participants’ attitudes regarding their experience with text messaging, focusing on perceived barriers and facilitators, through two focus groups and telephone interviews. All interviews were audiorecorded, transcribed verbatim, coded, and analyzed using a grounded theory approach. Results: The response rate was 67% (31/46 participants). The average age was 51.4 years and 61% (19/31 participants) were male. The majority of individuals were English speakers and married, had completed at least 12th grade and approximately half of the participants were employed full-time. Overall, participants were satisfied with the TTM program and recalled the text messages as educational, informational, and motivational. Program involvement increased the sense of connection with their health care center. The wearing of pedometers and daily step count information served as motivational reminders and created a sense of accountability through the sentinel effect. However, there was frustration concerning the automation of the text message program, including the repetitiveness, predictability of text time delivery, and lack of customization and interactivity of text message content. Participants recommended personalization of texting frequency as well as more contact time with personnel for a stronger sense of support, including greater surveillance and feedback based on their own results and comparison to other participants. Conclusions: Participants in a theory-based text messaging intervention identified key facilitators and barriers to program efficacy that should be incorporated into future texting interventions to optimize participant satisfaction and outcomes. Trial Registration: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01569243; http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01569243 (Archived by Webcite at http://www.webcitation.org/6pfH6yXag) [JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2017;5(4):e54]
Metabolic rift or metabolic shift? dialectics, nature, and the world-historical method

In the flowering of Red-Green Thought over the past two decades, metabolic rift thinking is surely one of its most colorful varieties. The metabolic rift has captured the imagination of critical environmental scholars, becoming a shorthand for capitalism’s troubled relations in the web of life. This article pursues an entwined critique and reconstruction: of metabolic rift thinking and the possibilities for a post-Cartesian perspective on historical change, the world-ecology conversation. Far from dismissing metabolic rift thinking, my intention is to affirm its dialectical core. At stake is not merely the mode of explanation within environmental sociology. The impasse of metabolic rift thinking is suggestive of wider problems across the environmental social sciences, now confronted by a double challenge. One of course is the widespread—and reasonable—sense of urgency to evolve modes of thought appropriate to an era of deepening biospheric instability. The second is the widely recognized—but inadequately internalized—understanding that humans are part of nature.
Current treatment guidelines of chronic hepatitis B: The role of nucleos(t)ide analogues and peginterferon

Chronic hepatitis B is prevalent worldwide and is a major contributor to death from cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Thus, the goals of therapy are to prevent the development of cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma and liver-related death. Safe and effective therapy is available but complete cure is not yet possible. The decision to treat is complex and must be individualized. Each of the three major liver societies, the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) and the Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver (APASL) have developed treatment guidelines to provide healthcare professionals guidance on management of chronic HBV infection. This review will cover the specific, evidence-based or expert opinion guideline recommendations on who should be treated, what to treat with, how to monitor, when to stop therapy and management of treatment failure.
Progress Evaluation for the Restaurant Industry Assessed by a Voluntary Marketing-Mix and Choice-Architecture Framework That Offers Strategies to Nudge American Customers toward Healthy Food Environments, 2006–2017

Consumption of restaurant food and beverage products high in fat, sugar and sodium contribute to obesity and non-communicable diseases. We evaluated restaurant-sector progress to promote healthy food environments for Americans. We conducted a desk review of seven electronic databases (January 2006–January 2017) to examine restaurant strategies used to promote healthful options in the United States (U.S.). Evidence selection (n = 84) was guided by the LEAD principles (i.e., locate, evaluate, and assemble evidence to inform decisions) and verified by data and investigator triangulation. A marketing-mix and choice-architecture framework was used to examine eight voluntary strategies (i.e., place, profile, portion, pricing, promotion, healthy default picks, priming or prompting and proximity) to evaluate progress (i.e., no, limited, some or extensive) toward 12 performance metrics based on available published evidence. The U.S. restaurant sector has made limited progress to use pricing, profile (reformulation), healthy default picks (choices), promotion (responsible marketing) and priming and prompting (information and labeling); and some progress to reduce portions. No evidence was available to assess progress for place (ambience) and proximity (positioning) to promote healthy choices during the 10-year review period. Chain and non-chain restaurants can apply comprehensive marketing-mix and nudge strategies to promote healthy food environments for customers.
Family and Community Intervention in Suicide Prevention and Management

Suicide is a challenge for every community since it is a social problem and not just a mental health issue. Thus, successful suicide prevention and intervention programs must involve the family and community, specifically when concerned with youth of various races, ethnicities, sexual orientation, and non-binary genders. These programs need to be attuned to the community’s financial and social needs, expressions of distress, unique risk factors for suicide, and preference of language. Such knowledge about the community allows programs to anticipate barriers in prevention and intervention models and to develop plans to overcome those barriers. This chapter reviews suicide prevention programs that used education to pediatricians, families, and communities to destigmatize mental health disorders while encouraging the use of appropriate resources and community protective factors. Additionally, the authors discuss interventions that target cultural and social factors of acute instances of suicide. Interventions like cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, attachment-based family therapy, and strategic structural-systems engagement were noted to be particularly effective for high-risk individuals. To further increase the effectiveness of these interventions, programs need political and financial support to allow adequate capacity in order to engage as many individuals as possible. More research focused on suicide prevention and interventions specific to minority youths is necessary for highlighting areas that are yet to be addressed.
"Double-duty" conventional dendritic cells in the amphibian Xenopus as the prototype for antigen presentation to B cells.

Two populations of dendritic cells (DCs) are found in mammals, one derived from hematopoietic precursors (conventional/cDC), and another derived from mesenchymal precursors, the follicular DC (FDC); the latter is specialized for antigen presentation to B cells, and has only been definitively demonstrated in mammals. Both cDC and FDC are necessary for induction of germinal centers (GC) and GC-dependent class switch recombination (CSR) and somatic hypermutation (SHM). We demonstrate that in Xenopus, an amphibian in which immunoglobulin CSR and SHM occur without GC formation, a single type of DC has properties of both cDC and FDC, including high expression of MHC class II for the former and display of native antigen at the cell surface for the latter. Our data confirm that the advent of FDC functionality preceded emergence of bona fide FDC, which was in turn crucial for the development of GC formation and efficient affinity maturation in mammals.
The effects of procedural injustice on the use of violence against police by Occupy Wall Street protesters

While a large, cross-disciplinary literature exists on crowd dynamics and protester behavior, few studies have tested the effects of perceived injustice on protester behavior. Based on data from a ...
Findings in exudates can help distinguish benign gastric ulcers from ulcerated adenocarcinomas.

AIMS Most gastric carcinomas develop in association with mucosal atrophy and hypochlorhydria, whereas benign peptic ulcers are acid-related. Given that acid sterilises the gastric contents, we hypothesised that ulcerated gastric cancers may be associated with increased numbers of luminal microorganisms as compared with peptic ulcers, and that this feature may represent a helpful diagnostic clue to the presence of malignancy. We performed this study to determine whether the features of luminal debris, including microorganisms, from ulcerated gastric cancers were significantly different from those of debris associated with benign ulcers. METHODS AND RESULTS We retrospectively identified 50 ulcerated adenocarcinomas and 50 site-matched peptic ulcers. Luminal debris was evaluated for the nature of inflammation, necrosis, and the presence of mixed bacterial colonies or yeasts. Non-lesional mucosa was assessed for chronic gastritis, Helicobacter pylori, chemical gastropathy, and intestinal metaplasia. Patients in both groups were adults (mean age: 69 years and 62 years, respectively) with similar amounts of inflammation and cellular necrosis in biopsy material. However, 76% of ulcerated cancers harboured non-H. pylori bacterial colonies, as compared with only 22% of peptic ulcers (P < 0.01). Filamentous bacteria and fungi were highly specific for carcinoma (98% and P = 0.02 for both comparisons). Background intestinal metaplasia was more common among gastric cancers than among peptic ulcers (50% versus 26%, P = 0.02), whereas chemical gastropathy was more commonly associated with the latter (50% versus 10%, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION Gastric cancers may be colonised by non-H. pylori microorganisms. Detection of numerous bacterial colonies, filamentous bacteria or fungi in biopsy material obtained from ulcerated gastric lesions should raise suspicion for underlying malignancy.
Using Analgesics for Emotional Modulation is Associated With Increased Distress, Depression, and Risk of Opioid and Alcohol Misuse: Initial Evaluation and Component Analysis of the Reasons for Analgesic Use Measure (RAUM).

OBJECTIVES It is important to identify aspects of analgesic use that are associated with harm in chronic pain. Historically, the focus has been patterns of use (eg, overuse). This study evaluated another aspect of use-rather than evaluating how analgesics were being used, the primary interest was in why they were being used. METHODS In total, 334 analgesic using individuals with chronic pain responded to a pool of items assessing reasons for analgesic use. Measures of pain intensity, distress, depression, and opioid and alcohol misuse were also completed. RESULTS Exploratory factor analyses indicated 3 overarching reasons for use, including taking analgesics: (1) for pain reduction/functional improvement; (2) for emotional modulation/sedation; and (3) to be compliant with prescriber instructions. Correlation and regression analyses indicated that the second factor had the strongest relations with the other measures used, such that greater endorsement of analgesic use for emotional modulation was associated with greater distress, depression, and opioid and alcohol misuse. Using analgesics for pain reduction/functional improvement was associated with greater pain-related distress and depression. Using analgesics to be compliant was not associated with any measure. This pattern of results was generally replicated when a subsample of 131 individuals taking opioids was examined. DISCUSSION Results support the utility of examining reasons for analgesic use; use to achieve emotional modulation/sedation may be particularly associated with risk. The data also provide support for the questionnaire developed, the Reasons for Analgesic Use Measure.
Distribution planning for products with varying life cycles

Distribution planning becomes increasingly complex when warehouses handle products with varying life cycles; long (basic) and short (fashion). The varying demand patterns and life-cycles associated with each product class require different planning decisions possibly with different objectives; cost-efficiency for basic products and time-responsiveness for fashion products. Although it may appear that such products may be handled separately from inventory and transportation perspectives, they certainly are inseparable at the warehouse as they often get handled simultaneously by the same warehouse resources (i.e., workers and technology). To address this challenge, we introduce a novel problem to the literature, the two-product class, multi-product quantities, multi-echelon, multi-period, distribution planning problem. The uniqueness of this problem is in jointly deriving optimal distribution plans for both product classes, combined with optimal warehouse design decisions (e.g., technology and workforce), in order to minimize the total cost. We model this problem as a mixed-integer bilinear optimization problem, which turns out to be computationally challenging when dealing with industry-size instances (e.g., 200 stores, 1000 products, and 28 time-periods). We, therefore, propose a heuristic based on the iterative local search framework and conduct a comprehensive experimental study. Results suggest that with an increase in the proportion of fashion products, there is a substantial increase in warehouse workload variation, and subsequently total cost. An increase in fashion window tends to mitigate the variation and so do situations where the warehouse is located in regions with higher worker costs.
Issues in Assessment in Research Proposals

A “successful” medical research grant proposal can be defined in two ways: (1) one to which reviewers assign a high enough priority score to attract funding to do the project, (2) one that results in study conclusions that benefit clinical decision making for the population sampled and/or moves research in that field a little forward. This discussion focuses on the issue of assessment and its effect on the success of a proposal. The quality of data (reliability, validity, sensitivity, level) is briefly reviewed. Questions are addressed related to how much data is too little, and how much data is too much, which data are necessary and/or desirable, and which might actually undermine the goals of the study, concluding with a few comments on issues related to data acquisition, cleaning, storing, monitoring and access. The connection between the data one intends to collect and the wisdom one hopes to gain from that data is fragile. Thus it is essential to structure proposals that will pass muster with review committees and that will contribute both to clinical decision making and scientific progress.
The Dark Side of Adaptation

The plot of Highsmith’s novel The Blunderer (1954) offers a model of adaptation as compelling as it is perverse: adaptation as copycat murder. Beginning with an analysis of the way this analogy is developed in The Blunderer and its subsequent adaptations (Le meurtrier [Enough Rope] and A Kind of Murder), this chapter makes a case for maladaptation—criminal adaptation, unsuccessful adaptation, the calamitous refusal to adapt, and a fatal facility for adaptation—as the central subject of Highsmith’s fiction and traces some of the leading implications of the position that just as crime and love are metaphors for the adaptive impulse that runs throughout Highsmith’s fiction, adaptation itself may be considered both an act of love and a criminal act.
Images: A Case of EEG Artifact By Proxy.

In this manuscript we describe a case of electroencephalography artifact during polysomnography that occurred in the context of mother co-sleeping with her child. The potential interference from a ...
Do companies pay the price for environmental crimes? Consequences of criminal penalties on corporate offenders

This paper is concerned with the negative collateral consequences monetary sanctions may have on companies that are prosecuted for violating federal environmental laws such as the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act. Companies often claim fines for law violations will force them to lay off employees and possibly go bankrupt. Using the treadmill of crime theoretical lens, we employ a multivariate analysis on a unique data set of 169 companies to determine if their federal prosecutions are associated with negative collateral consequences. We find that some companies, upon being fined, are more likely to experience negative collateral consequences than others.
Mitochondrial respiration contributes to the interferon gamma response in antigen presenting cells

Abstract The immunological synapse allows antigen presenting cells (APC) to convey a wide array of functionally distinct signals to T cells, which ultimately shape the immune response. The relative effect of stimulatory and inhibitory signals is influenced by the activation state of the APC, which is determined by an interplay between signal transduction and metabolic pathways. While toll-like receptor ligation relies on glycolytic metabolism for the proper expression of inflammatory mediators, little is known about the metabolic dependencies of other critical signals such as interferon gamma (IFNγ). Using CRISPR-Cas9, we performed a series of genome-wide knockout screens in macrophages to identify the regulators of IFNγ-inducible T cell stimulatory or inhibitory proteins MHCII, CD40, and PD-L1. Our multi-screen approach enabled us to identify novel pathways that control these functionally distinct markers. Further integration of these screening data implicated complex I of the mitochondrial respiratory chain in the expression of all three markers, and by extension the IFNγ signaling pathway. We report that the IFNγ response requires mitochondrial respiration, and APCs are unable to activate T cells upon genetic or chemical inhibition of complex I. These findings suggest a dichotomous metabolic dependency between IFNγ and toll-like receptor signaling, implicating mitochondrial function as a fulcrum of innate immunity.
The 4Ms of my Geri journey

As someone who cares for older adults, you know that the 4Ms has come to represent a strategic framework for exceptional geriatric care. Here’s my tribute to the 4Ms (mentors) that shaped my geriat...
The Nastiest Question: Does Population Mobility Vary by State Political Ideology during the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic?

We consider the association between state political ideology and population mobility during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. We use first-party geo-behavioral data to estimate the average dista...
The Use and Misuse of Proton Pump Inhibitors: An Opportunity for Deprescribing.

Abstract Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are proven medications of choice for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), acid-related disorders, erosive esophagitis, Barrett esophagus, prevention of gastrointestinal bleeding while on nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, eosinophilic esophagitis, peptic ulcer disease, stress ulcer prophylaxis in critically ill patients, and other indications. Best practice guidelines from several sources on the appropriate indications and duration of PPI therapy have been summarized for easy assimilation. Individualized decision with regard to PPI use is illustrated by case vignettes; best approaches are provided. The significant increase in use of PPIs for ill-defined indications over the years, associated adverse outcomes with long-term use, and consequent increase in health care costs have drawn much attention. Adverse outcomes due to PPI therapy may be categorized as unrelated or related to gastric acid inhibition. Examples of outcomes unrelated to acid inhibition include allergic reactions, acute interstitial nephritis, chronic kidney disease, poor cardiovascular outcomes, dementia, and drug interactions; consequences of acid inhibition include gastrointestinal infections, pneumonia, nutrient deficiencies, fractures, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. Provider awareness regarding best practice guidelines on PPI use and imparting pertinent education to patients may be the rational approach to safe and effective PPI therapy. In individuals in whom the drug is not indicated, efforts at deprescribing the PPI may be attempted following discussion with the patient. Approaches include stopping the drug, reducing the dose or using “on-demand” therapy after completing the course of treatment for the specific indication. Barriers to successful deprescribing exist. Follow-up is recommended for recurrence of manifestations; in the event of recurrence, the PPI may need to be re-instituted. PPIs are valuable, irreplaceable drugs in the prevention and treatment of certain disorders for specific durations of time. Evidence nevertheless suggests that excessive and inappropriately prolonged use of PPIs is associated with a broad range of adverse effects. Education of provider and patient, stewardship, and motivation are key to appropriate use of PPIs for the right indications. Key implications for practice are offered.
VICTORS: A Conceptual Framework for Implementing and Measuring Military Spiritual Fitness

Spiritual Fitness is one of eight components of the Department of Defense’s Total Force Fitness (TFF) model of warfighter health, readiness, and performance. To date, the lack of a shared framework...
3D printed architected conducting polymer hydrogels

Conducting polymer hydrogels combine electrical conductivity and tunable water content, rendering them strong candidates for a range of applications including biosensors, cell culture platforms, and energy storage devices. However, these hydrogels are mechanically brittle and prone to damage, prohibiting their use in emerging applications involving dynamic movement and large mechanical deformation. Here, we demonstrate that applying the concept of architecture to conducting polymer hydrogels can circumvent these impediments. A stereolithography 3D printing method is developed to successfully fabricate such hydrogels in complex lattice structures. The resulting hydrogels exhibit elastic compressibility, high fracture strain, enhanced cycling stability, and damage-tolerant properties despite their chemical composition being identical to their brittle, solid counterparts. Furthermore, concentrating the deformation to the 3D geometry, rather than polymer microstructure, effectively decouples the mechanical and electrical properties of the hydrogel lattices from their intrinsic properties associated with their chemical composition. The confluence of these new physical properties for conducting polymer hydrogels opens broad opportunities for a myriad of dynamic applications.
Use of Machine Learning for Deception Detection From Spectral and Cepstral Features of Speech Signals

In this research, four unique nonlinear speech features are extracted and analyzed to study the dissimilarity pattern between when the speaker is being deceitful and truthful based on how human speech is perceived. The speaker was under stress in a police interrogation where two ground truth and two deceitful responses were recorded during three different times of the day. Using the audio recordings from all three sessions, the cepstral features and spectral energy features are extracted. Cepstral features are the Mel frequency cepstrum coefficient, from where the delta cepstrum and the time-difference cepstrum features are developed. On the other hand, the spectral energy features are the energy of Bark band energy from where the delta energy and the time-difference energy features are developed. The Levenberg-Marquardt classification method and the long short-term memory classification method are then applied to evaluate the accuracy of detecting deception based on the nine unique training and testing combinations of the three different sessions and their extracted cepstrum and spectral energy features. In addition, the principal component analysis is applied to reduce the dimensionality from the extracted features for further improvement. The projected principal components of the four types of features showed improved accuracy in order to distinguish between truthful and deceptive speech pattern. After incorporating with principal component analysis, the long short-term memory classification method with time-difference spectral energy feature shows the highest recognition rate compared to Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm with other cepstral and spectral features.
Who Suffers from Indoor Air Pollution? Evidence from Bangladesh

In this paper the authors investigate individuals' exposure to indoor air pollution. Using new survey data from Bangladesh, they analyze exposure at two levels - differences within households attributable to family roles, and differences across households attributable to income and education. Within households, they relate individuals' exposure to pollution in different locations during their daily round of activity. The authors find high levels of exposure for children and adolescents of both sexes, with particularly serious exposure for children under 5. Among prime-age adults, they find that men have half the exposure of women (whose exposure is similar to that of children and adolescents). They also find that elderly men have significantly lower exposure than elderly women. Across households, they draw on results from their previous paper (Dasgupta and others, 2004), which relate pollution variation across households to choices of cooking fuel, cooking locations, construction materials, and ventilation practices. They find that these choices are significantly affected by family income and adult education levels (particularly for women). Overall, the authors find that the poorest, least-educated households have twice the pollution levels of relatively high-income households with highly-educated adults. For children in a typical household, pollution exposure can be halved by adopting two simple measures - increasing their outdoor time from 3 to 5 or 6 hours a day, and concentrating outdoor time during peak cooking periods. The authors recognize that weather and other factors may intervene occasionally, and that child supervision outdoors may be difficult for some households. However, the potential benefits are so great that neighbors might well agree to pool outdoor supervision once they became aware of the implications for their children's health. This paper - a product of the Infrastructure and Environment Team, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to study environmental health issues in developing countries.
Toward subject-specific evaluation: methods of evaluating finite element brain models using experimental high-rate rotational brain motion

Computational models of the brain have become the gold standard in biomechanics to understand, predict, and mitigate traumatic brain injuries. Many models have been created and evaluated with limited experimental data and without accounting for subject-specific morphometry of the specimens in the dataset. Recent advancements in the measurement of brain motion using sonomicrometry allow for a comprehensive evaluation of brain model biofidelity using a high-rate, rotational brain motion dataset. In this study, four methods were used to determine the best technique to compare nodal displacement to experimental brain motion, including a new morphing method to match subject-specific inner skull geometry. Three finite element brain models were evaluated in this study: the isotropic GHBMC and SIMon models, as well as an anisotropic model with explicitly embedded axons (UVA-EAM). Using a weighted cross-correlation score (between 0 and 1), the anisotropic model yielded the highest average scores across specimens and loading conditions ranging from 0.53 to 0.63, followed by the isotropic GHBMC with average scores ranging from 0.46 to 0.58, and then the SIMon model with average scores ranging from 0.36 to 0.51. The choice of comparison method did not significantly affect the cross-correlation score, and differences of global strain up to 0.1 were found for the morphed geometry relative to baseline models. The morphed or scaled geometry is recommended when evaluating computational brain models to capture the subject-specific skull geometry of the experimental specimens.
Sulfamethoxazole-induced sulfamethoxazole urolithiasis: a case report.

Background Drug-induced urolithiasis falls into two categories: drug-induced and metabolically-induced. Certain antimicrobials are associated with each; sulfonamides are associated with drug- or metabolite-containing calculi when taken in large doses over a long period of time. Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, a member of the sulfonamide family, is a rare cause of drug-induced calculi. Cases of sulfonamide urolithiasis occurring in patients with known stone disease have rarely been reported. Case presentation We report a case of a patient with a brief history of recurrent calcium oxalate nephrolithiasis requiring 2 ureteroscopic procedures whose existing 6 mm lower pole renal stone more than quadrupled in size to form a 4 cm renal staghorn after 4 months of high-dose treatment for Nocardia pneumonia with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. After ureteroscopy with laser lithotripsy and basketing of fragments, the stone was found to be predominantly composed of N4-acetyl-sulfamethoxazole, a metabolite of sulfamethoxazole. Conclusion Stones composed of sulfamethoxazole or its metabolites are rare but have known associated risk factors that should be considered when prescribing this antibiotic. This case report illustrates additional risk factors for consideration, including pre-existing urinary calculi that may serve as a nidus for sulfamethoxazole deposition, and reviews treatment and prevention methods.
Transcription factor FOXF1 identifies compartmentally distinct mesenchymal cells with a role in lung allograft fibrogenesis

In this study, we demonstrate that forkhead box F1 (FOXF1), a mesenchymal transcriptional factor essential for lung development, was retained in a topographically distinct mesenchymal stromal cell population along the bronchovascular space in an adult lung and identify this distinct subset of collagen-expressing cells as key players in lung allograft remodeling and fibrosis. Using Foxf1-tdTomato BAC (Foxf1-tdTomato) and Foxf1-tdTomato Col1a1-GFP mice, we show that Lin-Foxf1+ cells encompassed the stem cell antigen 1+CD34+ (Sca1+CD34+) subset of collagen 1-expressing mesenchymal cells (MCs) with a capacity to generate CFU and lung epithelial organoids. Histologically, FOXF1-expressing MCs formed a 3D network along the conducting airways; FOXF1 was noted to be conspicuously absent in MCs in the alveolar compartment. Bulk and single-cell RNA-Seq confirmed distinct transcriptional signatures of Foxf1+ and Foxf1- MCs, with Foxf1-expressing cells delineated by their high expression of the transcription factor glioma-associated oncogene 1 (Gli1) and low expression of integrin α8 (Itga), versus other collagen-expressing MCs. FOXF1+Gli1+ MCs showed proximity to Sonic hedgehog-expressing (Shh-expressing) bronchial epithelium, and mesenchymal expression of Foxf1 and Gli1 was found to be dependent on paracrine Shh signaling in epithelial organoids. Using a murine lung transplant model, we show dysregulation of epithelial-mesenchymal SHH/GLI1/FOXF1 crosstalk and expansion of this specific peribronchial MC population in chronically rejecting fibrotic lung allografts.
A new velocity estimator for cellular systems based on higher order crossings

Velocity estimation is of great importance in mobile cellular systems and is essential for satisfactory handoff performance, effective dynamic channel assignment, etc. In this article, the rate of maxima of the received signal envelope is proposed as a new velocity estimator. Required formulas are derived analytically, and the performance of this estimator in the presence of Gaussian noise, nonisotropic scattering, Rayleigh fading, and lognormal shadowing is compared with the conventional zero crossing rate estimator. This new estimator has much superior robustness against variations of SNR and scattering density, and similar to the zero crossing rate estimator, its quality deteriorates in the presence of shadowing.
A comprehensive packaging solution for next generation IC substrates

The requirements for reduction of line and space dimensions in IC substrates are driving developments to improve both production yield and capability. In particular the production of substrates with line and space dimension at or below 10 µm is required for the next level of integration. However traditional production techniques using dry film image transfer are already reaching capability limits and are unlikely to achieve satisfactory future production requirements especially considering the production process yield. This paper presents the latest developments in a system for the production of structures based on the copper filling of trenches on a dielectric substrate. The system is being targeted for the manufacture of IC package substrates with capability for sub 8 µm lines and spaces. The resulting package may be characterized by padless vias and shows significant electrical performance improvements in comparison to substrates produced using standard production methods. The trenches are produced by laser ablation of the dielectric which is subsequently metalized, this method of track embedding gives an improved circuit adhesion due to the three point contact to the substrate in comparison to the standard method of production, typically using the semi-additives process (SAP) where tracks are produced with contact only at the base. Recent optimization of the electrolytic copper plating process has resulted in an improved metal distribution and more uniform copper filling of the ablated trenches. The latest results in circuitisation are shown together with data on substrate capability using the trench filling technology.
Abstract NS18: Objective Fall Risk Detection in Stroke Survivors

Background: Stroke survivors fall up to 7 times more annually than healthy adults. Clinical and laboratory-based measures have failed to accurately predict falls/fall risk. A wearable mobile device for objectively detecting falls/fall risk in stroke survivors has recently been developed. Purpose: Determine the feasibility of monitoring falls, fall risk and gait in naturalistic environments using a kinematic motion sensor (PAMSys™) in stroke survivors. Methods: Feasibility study using PAMSys™ worn in a comfortable t-shirt to detect falls, identify posture (gait, sitting, standing, lying), postural transitions (fall risk indicators: duration in seconds, and number of unsuccessful attempts) and gait (steps, speed, duration). A questionnaire assessed acceptability of the PAMSys™. Stroke survivors (n=10) wore the PAMSys™ for 48 hours during usual daily activities, and were age-matched with controls (n=10). Results: Stroke survivors were on average 70±8 years old and 42±25 months post-stroke. The majority were 60% Caucasian, 70% women, 70% college-educated, and 80% retired; reporting 60% ischemic stroke, 40% hemorrhagic stroke, 70% hemiparesis, and 70% 1st stroke. Stroke survivors (100%) reported that the PAMSys™ was comfortable to wear for the full 48 hours, did not interfere with normal everyday activities and were willing to wear it for another 48 hours. None reported any difficulty with the PAMSys™ while sleeping, removing/putting back on for showering/changing clothes or that it became wet/dirty. Although there were no falls during the study, when compared to age-matched controls, stroke survivors had significantly worse fall risk indicators and decreased gait duration (see Table). Conclusion: Since the majority of fall-related events occur at home, the use of wearable mobile technology in stroke survivors may be essential to enhance recovery and prevent injuries. This device could be of use as an outcome measure in certain types of clinical trials.
Further evidence that BAT thermogenesis modulates cardiac rate in infant rats

Previous research in infant rats suggested that brown adipose tissue (BAT), by providing warm blood to the heart during moderate cold exposure, protects cardiac rate. This protective role for BAT t...
Isolation of a Rhodobacter capsulatus mutant that lacks c-type cytochromes and excretes porphyrins.

A Rhodobacter capsulatus mutant lacking cytochrome oxidase activity was isolated by Tn5 mutagenesis. Difference spectroscopy of crude extracts and extracted c-type cytochromes demonstrated that this mutant completely lacked all c-type cytochromes. The strain did, however, synthesize normal amounts of b-type cytochromes and nonheme iron. This mutant also excreted large amounts of coproporphyrin and protoporphyrin and synthesized reduced amounts of bacteriochlorophyll, suggesting a link between the synthesis of c-type cytochromes and the expression of the tetrapyrrole biosynthetic pathway. Images
Characterization of two cDNA clones for pyruvate dehydrogenase E1 beta subunit and its regulation in tricarboxylic acid cycle-deficient fibroblast.

Two distinct types of cDNA clones encoding for the pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) E1 beta subunit were isolated from a human liver lambda gt11 cDNA library and characterized. These cDNA clones have identical nucleotide sequences for PDH E1 beta protein coding region but differ in their lengths and in the sequences of their 3'-untranslated regions. The smaller cDNA had an unusual polyadenylation signal within its protein coding region. The cDNA-deduced protein of PDH E1 beta subunit revealed a precursor protein of 359 amino acid residues (Mr 39,223) and a mature protein of 329 residues (Mr 35,894), respectively. Both cDNAs shared high amino acid sequence similarity with that isolated from human foreskin (Koike, K.K., Ohta, S., Urata, Y., Kagawa, Y., and Koike, M. (1988) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 85, 41-45) except for three regions of frameshift mutation. These changes led to dramatic alterations in the local net charges and predicted protein conformation. One of the different sequences in the protein coding region of liver cDNA (nucleotide position 452-752) reported here was confirmed by sequencing the region after amplification of cDNA prepared from human skin fibroblasts by the polymerase chain reaction. Southern blot analysis verified simple patterns of hybridization with E1 beta cDNA, indicating that the PDH E1 beta subunit gene is not a member of a multigene family. The mechanisms of differential expression of the PDH E1 alpha and E1 beta subunits were also studied in established fibroblast cell lines obtained from patients with Leigh's syndrome and other forms of congenital lactic acidosis. In Northern blot analyses for PDH E1 alpha and E1 beta subunits, no apparent differences were observed between two Leigh's syndrome and the control fibroblasts studied: one species of PDH E1 alpha mRNA and three species of E1 beta mRNA were observed in all the cell lines examined. However, in one tricarboxylic acid cycle deficient fibroblast cell line, which has one-tenth of the normal enzyme activity, the levels of immunoreactive PDH E1 alpha and E1 beta subunits were markedly decreased as assessed by immunoblot analyses. These data indicated a regulatory mutation caused by either inefficient translation of E1 alpha and E1 beta mRNAs into protein or rapid degradation of both subunits upon translation. In contrast, the PDH E1 alpha and E1 beta subunits in two fibroblast cell lines from Leigh's syndrome patients appeared to be normal as judged by 1) enzyme activity, 2) mRNA Northern blot, 3) genomic DNA Southern blot, and 4) immunoblot analyses indicating that the lactic acidosis seen in these patients did not result from a single defect in either of these E1 alpha and E1 beta subunits of the PDH complex.
Hectometer and kilometer solar observations

Three dimensional 'snapshots' of the large scale solar magnetic field topology as well as the solar wind electron density distribution from about 0.1 to 1 AU are obtained by tracking traveling solar radio bursts at the hectometer and kilometer wavelengths with instruments aboard the ISEE-3 satellite and the HELIOS-2 solar probe. Both instruments observe in the frequency range from 30 kHz to a 1 MHz and both are equipped with dipole antennas located in the vehicle spin plane. ISEE-3 also has a dipole along the spin axis and the signals from the two ISEE-3 antennas are combined to give the aximuth and elevation angles of the radio source. Triangulation between HELIOS-2 and ISEE-3 provides the additional observation necessary to determine uniquely the position of the radio source in space at each observing frequency.
The black bourgeoisie and reference group change: A content analysis ofEbony

This study is an analysis of the racial group identification pattern among the black bourgeoisie for the years 1950 through 1979. It is argued that the militant ideology of the 1960's that espoused race pride and common identity affected a shift from a negative out-group orientation to a positive in-group orientation among the black bourgeoisie. To investigate racial group identification, a sample of 525 articles from 108 issues ofEbony magazine were analyzed. The articles were divided into four categories: history/culture, status/wealth, welfare of all, and concern for the poor. These categories were designed to illuminate three types of racial group identification: commonality, individualism, and altruism. Commonality (history/culture and welfare of all) stresses collective heritage and group survival. Individualism (status/wealth) deals exclusively with the influential positions and successes of the black bourgeoisie. Altruism (concern for the poor) stresses awareness of the plight of the poor or collective responsibility for improving their condition. Commonality and altruism are defined as expressing positive racial group identification; individualism as negative identification. The major finding was that racial group identification among the black bourgeoisie, as reflected in changing themes in these articles, has shifted over time. The frequency of positive (commonality and altruism) racial group identification articles increased during the 1960's and 1970's. By contrast, negative (individualism) racial group identification articles decreased. Thus, the post-1965 era black bourgeoisie were significantly more in-group oriented than their pre-1965 counterparts.
Are We Getting the Health Information We Need from the Mass Media? An Assessment of Consumers' Perceptions of Health and Medical News

This study examined consumers' perceptions about health information in the mass media, specifically local television news and news web sites. Seventeen women and fifteen men participated in interviews or focus groups. Recurrent themes within and across groups were examined. Consumers' understanding of online health news was assessed using modified Cloze tests and the Shortened Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (S-TOFHLA). Findings revealed that participants perceived that the media sensationalized traditional and online health news, although they often relied on the news media for information. Participants demonstrated adequate comprehension of health news as evidenced by Cloze and S-TOFHLA scores.
Learner Interaction in a Computer-Based Instructional Lesson

While interaction has consistently been described as an important instructional variable, there is little research to support how it is specifically used by various learners within a computer-based lesson. Based on this lack of research, this exploratory study attempts to quantify some of the interactions that take place between learners and a computer-based instructional lesson teaching basic memory skills. Statistically significant results from this study indicate that subjects aged thirty to thirty-nine had a tendency to repeat computer screens in some instructional modules while students with lower undergraduate grade point averages tended to skip some computer screens altogether.