cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Combined treatment of heat shock and low temperature conditioning reduces chilling injury in zucchini squash

The severity of chilling injury in zucchini squash stored at 5°C and then transferred to 20°C was reduced by a prestorage treatment with hot water of 42°C for 30 min. The chilling injury was further reduced when zucchini squash were preconditioned at 15°C for 2 days after hot water treatment but before the 5°C storage. Zucchini squash stored at 15°C did not develop any symptoms of chilling injury. However, weight loss was most severe in zucchini squash stored at 15°C. Squash kept at 5°C had the least weight loss during the 2-week storage. Weight losses were comparable in squash treated and not treated with hot water. Analysis of polyamines in zucchini squash showed that putrescine increased with time during storage at 5°C. The putrescine level in hot water treated samples was low initially but increased rapidly during storage at 50C. Temperature conditioned squash showed a similar rate of increase in putrescine as those treated with hot water. Spermidine and spermine levels decreased in all samples during storage at 5°C. However, temperature conditioning as well as hot water treatments maintained higher levels of spermidine and spermine in the skin of zucchini squash.
The Ideal MIMO Channel: Maximizing Capacity in Sparse Multipath with Reconfigurable Arrays

While the intense research on multi-antenna (MIMO) wireless communication channels was pioneered by results based on an i.i.d. channel model representing a rich multipath environment, there is growing experimental evidence that physical wireless channels exhibit a sparse multipath structure, even at relatively low antenna dimensions. In this paper, we propose a model for sparse multipath channels and study coherent MIMO capacity as a function of SNR for a fixed number of antennas. In a recent work, we had shown that the spatial distribution of the sparse multipath has a significant impact on capacity and had also characterized the optimal distribution (the Ideal MIMO Channel) that maximizes capacity at any operating SNR. In this paper, we refine these results and develop a framework for maximizing MIMO capacity at any SNR by systematically adapting the array configurations (antenna spacings) at the transmitter and receiver to the level of sparsity. Surprisingly, three canonical array configurations are sufficient for near-optimum performance over the entire SNR range. In a scattering environment with randomly distributed paths, the capacity gain due to optimal configuration is directly proportional to the number of antennas at low SNR's. Numerical results based on a realistic physical model are presented to illustrate capacity gains with reconfigurable antenna arrays.
Parallel performance characteristics of ICEPIC

Fast, efficient results from the ICEPIC (improved concurrent electromagnetic particle in cell) code are key to the Air Force Research Laboratory's efforts to design high power microwave sources for electronic warfare and nonlethal weaponry. Parallelization of ICEPIC allows the use of DoD supercomputer assets to perform device simulations which would previously have been impossible, and also to obtain these results quickly, with little waste of expensive CPU resources. We explain the parallel design and implementation of ICEPIC. Its parallel PIC loop exploits the possibility of computing and communicating between CPUs concurrently, reducing the waste and overhead inherent to parallel computing. ICEPIC's static and dynamic load balancing features ensure that computation is divided evenly among the CPUs, a necessary condition for efficient operation. We show scalability results from both test simulations and actual device simulations, illustrating the effectiveness of ICEPIC's parallel design and implementation.
Comparison of methods for assessing body-composition changes over 1 y in postmenopausal women

BACKGROUND Advances in dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) software algorithms have improved the accuracy of this method for body-composition measurement. OBJECTIVE Our objective was to compare the utility of DXA, underwater weighing (UWW), and a multicomponent model (MC) for assessing changes in body composition. DESIGN : Previously sedentary women aged 40-66 y were randomly assigned to exercise training (ET; n = 36) and no exercise training (NT; n = 40). ET subjects exercised 3 d/wk; NT subjects remained sedentary. Changes in body mass, fat mass, and fat-free mass over 1 y were assessed by the 3 methods. RESULTS Correlations among methods were significant and large (0.73-0.97). Body weight did not change significantly in either group. In the ET group, fat-free mass increased significantly as assessed by DXA (0.7 +/- 1.0 kg) but changes assessed by MC and UWW were not significant. Changes in fat mass and percentage body fat in the ET group were not significant. SDs for changes in fat mass and percentage body fat, respectively, from DXA were 2.5 kg and 2.7%; for MC, 5.5 kg and 7.1%; and for UWW, 4.4 kg and 5.8%. In the NT group, changes in fat-free mass, fat mass, and percentage body fat were significant (P </= 0.02) as assessed by MC (fat-free mass, -1.5 +/- 3.7 kg; fat mass, 2.3 +/- 4.1 kg; percentage body fat, 2.8 +/- 4.7%) and UWW (fat-free mass, -1.1 +/- 2.5 kg; fat mass, 2.1 +/- 3.6 kg; percentage body fat, 2.5 +/- 3.5%), but changes by DXA were not significant (fat-free mass, 0.2 +/- 1.2 kg; fat mass, 1.0 +/- 3.9 kg; percentage body fat, 0.6 +/- 3.2%). CONCLUSION DXA was the most sensitive method for assessing small changes in body composition of postmenopausal women.
Tetrabutylammonium isobutyl silsesquioxane monochloroferrate(III)

The title compound, tetra­butyl­ammonium chloro­hepta­iso­butyl­dodeca-μ-oxo-hepta­siliconiron, [(C4H9)4N][FeSi7ClO12(C4H9)7], is an ionic species consisting of a tetra­butyl­ammonium cation and an isobutyl silsesquioxane monochloro­ferrate(III) anion. The FeIII atom in the anion is tetra­hedrally coordinated by a single Cl atom and three silanoxides from the tridentate isobutyl silsesquioxane ligand, while the cation exists also in a tetra­hedral arrangement.
INTRAVITREAL SULFUR HEXAFLUORIDE INJECTION FOR THE TREATMENT OF VITREOMACULAR TRACTION SYNDROME.

Purpose Vitreomacular traction (VMT) syndrome can cause symptomatic metamorphopsia and decreased visual acuity. Although it is typically treated with vitrectomy or intravitreal ocriplasmin injection, these procedures can be invasive and costly. The purpose of this retrospective, consecutive case series was to evaluate the efficacy of intravitreal expansile sulfur hexafluoride gas injection for the treatment of symptomatic VMT syndrome. Methods Nine eyes of 9 patients with symptomatic VMT syndrome on spectral domain optical coherence tomography received an intravitreal injection of 0.3 mL of 100% sulfur hexafluoride. The primary outcome was the number of eyes with release of VMT on spectral domain optical coherence tomography at 1 month after treatment. Secondary outcomes included change in visual acuity and central subfield thickness 1 month after treatment. Results Five patients (55.6%) had release of VMT on spectral domain optical coherence tomography by 1 month after injection. Two patients who had Stage I macular holes before injection had closure of the macular holes. Mean visual acuity at 1 month improved slightly after injection by 0.09 logMAR units, although this change was not statistically significant (P = 0.15). Central subfield thickness on spectral domain optical coherence tomography decreased by an average of 35.3 microns after injection (P = 0.004). All eyes with release of VMT had pretreatment vitreomacular adhesion of less than 521 microns and none had epiretinal membranes. One patient (11.1%) developed a peripheral retinal hole at 1 month after injection. Conclusion Intravitreal injection of expansile sulfur hexafluoride gas is a low-cost and minimally invasive alternative for the treatment of symptomatic VMT syndrome. Further study is warranted.
Metal-to-Ligand Charge Transfer Excited States in π-Conjugated Systems

This paper overviews recent work that examined the optical properties of mono-disperse, PPE-based π-conjugated oligomers that contain a 2,2-bipyridine-5,5'-diyl metal coordinating unit. The photophysical properties of the free oligomers and metallated oligomers that contain the -Ru(bpy)2 2+ and -Re(CO)3Cl transition metal complexes coordinated to the bpy-diyl unit have been characterized by absorption, photoluminescence and transient absorption spectroscopy. In addition, we report the photophysics of a novel organometallic “square” that features “sides” consisting of a PPE-type π-conjugated oligomer and “corners” that consist of (dbubpy)PtII(acetylide)2 units (where dbubpy = 4,4'-di-tert-butyl-2,2'-bipyridine).
Investigation on the Current Health Conditions of the 150,000 Farmers

Objective:To research the current health conditions of the country dwellers and to intervene the occurrence and development of the chronic noninfectious diseases in the village.Methods:The data of the health examination of 151530 farmers were statistically analysed.Results:The result showed a prevalence of 147.96‰.Dysarteriotony,chronic bronchitis,ocu- lopathy,disease of the nose and nasal sinus,emphysema of lungs,arthritis,otopathy,masculine urine glucose,pneumocardial dis- ease and chronic hepatitis were ranked first ten diseases respectively.It also showed different structures of spectrum of disease in different small towns and obvious effect of smoking,drinking and reception of education in the prevalence of certain diseases.Con- clusion:The investigation suggests that the group of people aged over 60 is the key point of the prevention and control of chronic noninfectious diseases in the country;the group with the lower reception of education yet has the higher morbidity rate;it is good for health to drink to a proper degree,but the sufferers with a disease like high blood pressure,diabetes,chronic hepatitis and arthritis should have a drinking limitation;sufferers with a disease like chronic bronchitis,pneumocardial disease,chronic hepatitis, coronary heart disease and arthritis should hold a smoking control;and the relationship between tobacco and high blood pressure, emphysema of lungs,disease of the nose and nasal sinus or otopathy is under further research.Thus,the prevention and control strategy,providing scientific materials for decision makers,is proposed to advance the control of the occurrence and development of chronic noninfectious diseases in the village.
Evaluation and Treatment of Survivors of Sudden Cardiac Death or Non-bradycardic Syncope Unrelated to Coronary Artery Disease

The authors describe their clinical strategy and experience with electrophysiologic testing in a group of patients who have had at least one episode of sudden cardiac death or nonbradycardic syncope in the absence of coronary artery disease. Their study shows that for this population programmed stimulation commonly induces ventricular tachycardia, which can then be suppressed by drug therapy.
Control of renal function during intrarenal infusion of endothelin.

It has been demonstrated that bolus injections of a vasoconstrictor derived from endothelial cells, endothelin 1 (ET-1), constricts isolated arteries and increases blood pressure in animals when infused intravenously. The purpose of this study was to examine the direct effects of intrarenal infusions of ET-1 on renal function at doses that do not alter systemic arterial pressure. The effects of ET-1 on renal hemodynamics and electrolyte excretion were examined during 40 min of intrarenal infusions of ET-1 at rates of 1.15 and 5 ng.kg-1.min-1. Infusion of ET-1 (1.15 ng.kg-1.min-1) resulted in a transient increase in renal blood flow (RBF) followed by a progressive vasoconstriction, which reduced RBF by 23%. ET-1 decreased glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and had no significant effect on filtration fraction. Intrarenal infusion of ET-1 (1.15 ng.kg-1.min-1) had no effect on fractional excretion of sodium (FENa) or potassium. Infusion of ET-1 at a higher dose (5 ng.kg-1.min-1) produced further reductions in RBF, GFR, and FENa. These data indicate that ET-1 is a potent renal vasoconstrictor that could play a role in controlling renal hemodynamics.
Virtual individuals, virtual groups : human dimensions of groupware and computer networking

1. Introduction 2. Virtual individuals and virtual groups 3. The shape of groups to come: Efforts to define, label, explain, and model collaborative activity 4. Shared resources and spaces in CSCW applications: lessons from the uses of desks, tables, whiteboards, office settings, and video 5. Cultural objects, technological dreams, and CSCW applications: Dependence, autonomy, and intellectual augmentation 6. Privacy, anonymity, agency: applications of computer networking and the development of social analogues 7. Toward a genre-responsive design approach for computing applications.
Transport Analysis of Ignited and Current-Driven ITER Designs

The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) design is intended to provide an engineering test of both ignited and current-driven operation. Both modes have been modeled using the WHIST transport code. Simulations indicate that tangential neutral beam injection inclined at a small angle to the horizontal midplane provides a means of controlling the heating and current drive profiles over a greater density range than near-normal injection, that a long current ramp of approx.100 s is needed to avoid skin currents during inductive startup, and that sawtooth activity is important in assessing volt-second consumption.
Reduced Order Modeling of Nonlinear Control Systems

Summary. We consider the problem of model reduction for nonlinear control systems. We introduce the concept of input normal form of degree d and show that a sufficiently smooth nonlinear control system can always be brought to this form by local changes of state coordinates. The changes of coordinates are not uniquely defined but the resulting normal form of the controllability and observability functions are if d ≤ 6. The parameters in this normal form indicates the relative importance of the state coordinates to the input output map of the control system. Then we offer a new interpretation of linear balanced truncation and show how it can be extended to nonlinear system. Finally we offer new estimates of error between the full and reduced Hankel maps.
I don't want to seem trashy: exploring context and self-presentation through young gay and bisexual males' attitudes toward shirtless selfies on instagram

Mobile devices and social media have made it possible to share photos, often selfies, nearly instantaneously with potentially large networks of contacts and followers. Selfies have become a frequent component of young people's online self-presentations and shirtless male selfies, a common trope among some gay Instagram users, present an interesting self-presentation dilemma. Images of shirtless males, normatively appropriate, attractive and innocuous in some contexts, can also be vulnerable to misinterpretation or unintended sexualization in ways that can negatively impact others' impressions. This paper reports on an interview study of 15-24 year-old gay and bisexual Instagram users' attitudes toward and experiences with shirtless selfies. Results suggest that they see a clear tension between these images conveying attractiveness and possible negative connotations such as promiscuity, and have different strategies for navigating this tension. The results have implications for consideration of the contexts in which mobile social media content is produced and consumed.
Consumer Perceptions of Health IT Utilization and Benefits

Objectives The objective of this article is to examine consumer perceptions of health information technology (health IT) utilization and benefits through an integrated conceptual framework. Materials and methods This article employs an integrated conceptual framework to examine consumer perceptions of health IT. A consumer survey yielded 1125 completed responses. A factor-based scale was developed for each sub-construct. Bivariate analysis using χ2 tests was performed to determine differences in the percentage of respondents who agreed with each sub-construct based on whether their physician used an electronic health record (EHR) system. Multivariable logistic regression that controlled for demographic characteristics of respondents was performed to determine adjusted odds of agreeing with selected opinions of health information exchange (HIE). Results Results indicate that respondents whose physicians used an EHR system were significantly more likely to agree that there was a perceived benefit with HIE and to care provided; that the patient should have control over the record; that they trust the physician and security of the medical information; that they understand the need for HIE, and that HIE must be easy to use. Discussion The results suggest that consumers who have experienced the use of one technology in the healthcare setting can recognize the potential benefit of another technology. Race/ethnicity, gender, and education played some role in respondents' views of EHRs and HIE, more specifically, non-Hispanic African American participants indicated lower levels of trust in HIE when compared with non-Hispanic Whites. Conclusion This cross-sectional survey indicated that physician use of EHRs significantly increases the odds of consumers' seeing perceived benefits of HIE and understanding the need for HIE.
Using GIS to Address Epidemiologic Research Questions

GIS provide us with a view of human health that cannot be obtained by other methods. The review considers recent uses of GIS to address epidemiologic questions by taking into account their spatial dimensions, highlighting the most commonly adopted methods and current trends. Methods for geocoding individual health data vary by place depending on the databases available and are not always described in sufficient detail. Open and proprietary online geocoding services are becoming more widely used, but they pose issues for health research. Spatial scan statistics have been joined by statistics measuring spatial autocorrelation as key methods for detecting clusters. Numerous studies revealing significant global and local patterns in health conditions are leading to increased interest in methods, such as geographically weighted regression, to explore spatially varying relationships between factors and outcomes. The software packages for clustering and geographically weighted regression analyses are generally available in free downloadable packages. Health research using these methods is now being conducted in every region of the world, but much of this work appears outside mainstream epidemiology journals. The spatial data handling capabilities of GIS have made it possible to manage and analyze health data in new ways. Technological change affecting how health researchers acquire and process the digital spatial data required to use GIS to answer epidemiologic questions presents challenges for the future.
Organic dust induces inflammatory gene expression in lung epithelial cells via ROS-dependent STAT-3 activation.

Exposure to dust in agricultural and animal environments, known as organic dust, is associated with the development of respiratory symptoms and respiratory diseases. Inflammation is a key feature o...
A nanoelectronics-blood-based diagnostic biomarker for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS)

There is not currently a well-established, if any, biological test to diagnose myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). The molecular aberrations observed in numerous studies of ME/CFS blood cells offer the opportunity to develop a diagnostic assay from blood samples. Here we developed a nanoelectronics assay designed as an ultrasensitive assay capable of directly measuring biomolecular interactions in real time, at low cost, and in a multiplex format. To pursue the goal of developing a reliable biomarker for ME/CFS and to demonstrate the utility of our platform for point-of-care diagnostics, we validated the array by testing patients with moderate to severe ME/CFS patients and healthy controls. The ME/CFS samples’ response to the hyperosmotic stressor observed as a unique characteristic of the impedance pattern and dramatically different from the response observed among the control samples. We believe the observed robust impedance modulation difference of the samples in response to hyperosmotic stress can potentially provide us with a unique indicator of ME/CFS. Moreover, using supervised machine learning algorithms, we developed a classifier for ME/CFS patients capable of identifying new patients, required for a robust diagnostic tool.
Therapeutic Effects of Endogenous Incretin Hormones and Exogenous Incretin-Based Medications in Sepsis

Background Sepsis, a complex disorder characterized by a dysregulated immune response to an inciting infection, affects over one million Americans annually. Dysglycemia during sepsis hospitalization confers increased risk of organ dysfunction and death, and novel targets for the treatment of sepsis and maintenance of glucose homeostasis are needed. Incretin hormones are secreted by enteroendocrine cells in response to enteral nutrients and potentiate insulin release from pancreatic β cells in a glucose-dependent manner, thereby reducing the risk of insulin-induced hypoglycemia. Incretin hormones also reduce systemic inflammation in preclinical studies, but studies of incretins in the setting of sepsis are limited. Methods In this bench-to-bedside mini-review, we detail the evidence to support incretin hormones as a therapeutic target in patients with sepsis. We performed a PubMed search using the medical subject headings "incretins," "glucagon-like peptide-1," "gastric inhibitory peptide," "inflammation," and "sepsis." Results Incretin-based therapies decrease immune cell activation, inhibit proinflammatory cytokine release, and reduce organ dysfunction and mortality in preclinical models of sepsis. Several small clinical trials in critically ill patients have suggested potential benefit in glycemic control using exogenous incretin infusions, but these studies had limited power and were performed in mixed populations. Further clinical studies examining incretins specifically in septic populations are needed. Conclusions Targeting the incretin hormone axis in sepsis may provide a means of not only promoting euglycemia in sepsis but also attenuating the proinflammatory response and improving clinical outcomes.
Silicon Geiger-mode avalanche photodiode arrays for photon-starved imaging

Geiger-mode avalanche photodiodes (GMAPDs) are capable of detecting single photons. They can be operated to directly trigger all-digital circuits, so that detection events are digitally counted or time stamped in each pixel. An imager based on an array of GMAPDs therefore has zero readout noise, enabling quantum-limited sensitivity for photon-starved imaging applications. In this review, we discuss devices developed for 3D imaging, wavefront sensing, and passive imaging.
Early Health System Experiences with Collaborative Care (CoCM) Billing Codes: a Qualitative Study of Leadership and Support Staff

Although collaborative care (CoCM) is an evidence-based and widely adopted model, reimbursement challenges have limited implementation efforts nationwide. In recent years, Medicare and other payers have activated CoCM-specific codes with the primary aim of facilitating financial sustainability. To investigate and describe the experiences of early adopters and explorers of Medicare’s CoCM codes. Fifteen interviews were conducted between October 2017 and May 2018 with 25 respondents representing 12 health care organizations and 2 payers. Respondents included dually boarded medicine/psychiatry physicians, psychiatrists, primary care physicians (PCPs), psychologists, a registered nurse, administrative staff, and billing staff. A semi-structured interview guide was used to address health care organization characteristics, CoCM services, patient consent, CoCM operational components, and CoCM billing processes. All interviews were recorded, transcribed, coded, and analyzed using a content analysis approach conducted jointly by the research team. Successful billing required buy-in from key, interdisciplinary stakeholders. In planning for CoCM billing implementation, several organizations hired licensed clinical social workers (LICSWs) as behavioral health care managers to maximize billing flexibility. Respondents reported a number of consent-related difficulties, but these were not primary barriers. Workflow changes required for billing the CoCM codes (e.g., tracking cumulative treatment minutes, once-monthly code entry) were described as arduous, but also stimulated creative solutions. Since CoCM codes incorporate the work of the psychiatric consultant into one payment to primary care, organizations employed strategies such as inter-departmental ledger transfers. When challenges arose from variations in the local payer mix, some organizations billed CoCM codes exclusively, while others elected to use a mixture of CoCM and traditional fee-for-service (FFS) codes. For most organizations, it was important to demonstrate financial sustainability from the CoCM codes. With deliberate planning, persistence, and widespread organizational buy-in, successful utilization of newly available FFS CoCM billing codes is achievable.
Interneuron Types as Attractors and Controllers

Cortical interneurons display striking differences in shape, physiology, and other attributes, challenging us to appropriately classify them. We previously suggested that interneuron types should b...
Biomimetic nanosensors for measuring pathogenic bacteria in complex food matrices (Conference Presentation)

Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella spp. are among the most common cause of foodborne illnesses that negatively affect consumers’ health and food producers’ finances and credibility. Techniques used to detect pathogens (e.g., total viable counts, polymerase chain reaction, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays) are time consuming and costly as they require laboratory conditions with trained personnel. To meet this demand without compromising public health concerns, highly sensitive and rapid sensors are needed in food processing facilities for pathogen detection to reduce cost and holding time for food products. Ideally, these sensors should be small, label-free, low cost, portable, and highly sensitive/selective. This study describes some recent approaches for creating biomimetic sensors by optimizing the bacteria capture efficiency without the need for pre-concentration and pre-labeling steps. Two in-field biosensors were developed for measuring pathogenic bacteria in food matrices. The first example consists of pH-responsive polymer nanobrushes embedded with platinum nanoparticles platform with enhanced limit of detection and sensitivity for quantification of Listeria monocytogenes in fresh vegetables. A new approach using a one-step metal and polymer simultaneous deposition was tested using two pH-sensitive polymers and a thiol-terminated DNA aptamer selective to surface protein internalin A of Listeria monocytogenes. The second example demonstrates development of pathogenic biosensors for chicken broth using antibodies and DNA aptamers selective to Salmonella Typhimurium adsorbed to aerosolized graphene interdigitated electrodes (IDEs). Devices were printed in polyimide tape and aerosolized graphene was thermally annealed. The integrity of the substrate was analyzed and the nano-biosensors were characterized for topography, pH-actuation, graphene content, and electroactivity using electron microscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and multiple spectroscopy techniques (Raman, Fourier-transform infrared, and electrochemical impedance). Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was used to evaluate the signal and determine the limit of detection by evaluating the change in charge transfer resistance. The nano-biosensors have a detection limit of approximately 5 CFU.mL-1, and a response time of approximately 17 minutes (15 minutes incubation period). The pH-sensitive nanobrushes and graphene-based biosensors have a selectivity for the target pathogen of approximately 95% in vegetable and chicken broth, respectively. The designed biosensor platform showed great potential to replace current standard methods used by the food industry for rapid foodborne pathogenic bacteria detection.
Chomsky's I-languages: Rethinking catastrophic changes

Languages sometimes undergo major shifts, when multiple phenomena change together, often called catastrophes, phase transitions, or saltations. Recently Emonds and Faarlund (2014) argued for a majo...
Are Your Products Arranged in a Good Shape? The Effect of Entitativity on the Attitudes toward Family Brands

Recently, an advertising campaign of the Vio brand (beverages) attained attention in Germany. The brand decided to focus on communicating its products as a real family consisting of Mum and Dad (Vio sparkling and Vio still mineral water), the children/siblings (three kinds of organic Vio lemonade), and the relatives from the countryside (three kinds of organic Vio juice drinks). The commercials of the TV campaign showed the brand’s products in typical family situations: conversations while lunch (“Mum, where do we actually coming from?”) or walks with the children in their stroller.
Reducing Stigma Surrounding Mental Health: Diverse Undergraduate Students Speak Out

Given the growing rates of psychological disorders in college settings, the current study investigated student perspectives about how to end mental health stigma, a hindrance to help seeking. Parti...
Stool cultures show a lack of impact in the management of acute gastroenteritis for hospitalized patients in the Bronx, New York

Acute gastroenteritis (AGE) is diagnosed with a presentation of > 1 episode of vomiting and > 3 episodes of diarrhea in a 24-h period. Treatment is supportive, however, in severe cases antibacterial treatment may be indicated. Stool cultures can detect the responsible pathogenic bacteria and can guide antibiotic treatment, however, the indication for and efficacy of stool cultures is debatable. This study aimed to address the clinical utility of stool cultures in patients diagnosed with AGE. A retrospective, multicenter study was performed in patients admitted for AGE from 2012 to 2014. Patient charts were obtained through hospital software using ICD-9 codes for AGE. Inclusion criteria was a documented diagnosis of AGE, age of 18 years or older, symptoms of both upper GI symptoms of abdominal pain and/or nausea and lower GI symptoms of diarrhea. Patients were classified into two main groups, those in whom (1) stool culture was obtained and (2) those in whom stool culture was not performed. Clinical features and outcomes were compared between groups. The diagnostic yield of stool cultures was assessed. All analysis were conducted using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS). Of 2479 patient charts reviewed, 342 met the above criteria for AGE. 119 patients (34.8%) had stool cultures collected and 223 (65.2%) did not. Demographics, clinical features and serologic lab values are shown in Table 1. Of the 119 stool cultures performed, only 4% (n = 5) yielded growth of pathogenic bacteria (2 Pseudomonas spp, 2 Campylobacter spp, 1 Salmonella spp). The group who underwent stool culture had a higher percentage of patients with fevers (26% vs 13%,p < 0.003) and longer hospital length of stay (3.15 vs 2.28 days, p < 0.001) compared to the group that did not undergo stool cultures. Stool cultures are commonly ordered when AGE is suspected. In our cohort, stool culture had a very low yield of detecting an underlying pathogen. Although patients who had stool cultures obtained were more likely to be febrile and to have a longer length of hospital stay than were those who did not have stool cultures, for the vast majority of patients, stool culture played little to no role in patient management. Further studies are needed to which patients benefit most from undergoing stool culture.
The Logic of the In-Visible: Decolonial Reflections on the Change of Epoch

I argue that the lived experience we, the human species, are going through in 2020 is no longer an epoch of changes but a change of epoch. Post-pandemic (and any other areas of experience you could...
Translocation and Reproductive Benefits to a Highly Endemic and Endangered Species, the Banbury Springs Limpet, Idaholanx fresti (Mollusca: Gastropoda)

We have monitored four isolated populations of the endangered freshwater Banbury Springs limpet for eight or more years. One of these populations consistently exhibited low numbers and very limited recruitment. In an effort to increase its size and reproductive vigor, we translocated 19 limpets from a large, robust population to the smaller, declining one (focal population). This translocation effort was carried out along with a small-scale habitat management effort. Post-translocation monitoring has seen the focal population increase by up to 900%, with an increase in reproduction from 6% to 33–55% annually. Limpet densities in the focal population also have increased from 5.5 m–2 to 43 m –2 post-translocation, reaching densities seen in more stable populations. The augmentation of additional individuals, in addition to ongoing habitat management efforts, likely played an important role in the observed increases. The observed recruitment also suggests some level of increased genetic vigor following the translocation, but we lack the data to fully support a genetic rescue effect. Although translocation and augmentation of isolated and declining populations should be approached cautiously, our results support a growing body of literature that suggests the shortcomings associated with these techniques may have been overstated in the earlier literature. If done properly, their use can provide important conservation gains for small and isolated populations of sensitive species.
A Multiple Goals Approach to Exploring Social Worker Conversational Plans for Advance Care Treatment with Terminally Ill Patients.

Social workers play an integral role in end-of-life planning and patient outcomes, and yet how social workers approach such conversations with patients is not well understood. The current study emp...
Complement as a powerful “influencer” in the brain during development, adulthood and neurological disorders

The complement system was long considered as only a powerful effector arm of the immune system that, while critically protective, could lead to inflammation and cell death if overactivated, even in the central nervous system (CNS). However, in the past decade it has been recognized as playing critical roles in key physiological processes in the CNS, including neurogenesis and synaptic remodeling in the developing and adult brain. Inherent in these processes are the interactions with cells in the brain, and the cascade of interactions and functional consequences that ensue. As a result, investigations of therapeutic approaches for both suppressing excessive complement driven neurotoxicity and aberrant sculpting of neuronal circuits, require broad (and deep) knowledge of the functional activities of multiple components of this highly evolved and regulated system to avoid unintended negative consequences in the clinic. Advances in basic science are beginning to provide a roadmap for translation to therapeutics, with both small molecule and biologics. Here, we present examples of the critical roles of proper complement function in the development and sculpting of the nervous system, and in enabling rapid protection from infection and clearance of dying cells. Microglia are highlighted as important command centers that integrate signals from the complement system and other innate sensors that are programed to provide support and protection, but that direct detrimental responses to aberrant activation and/or regulation of the system. Finally, we present promising research areas that may lead to effective and precision strategies for complement targeted interventions to promote neurological health.
Introduction to Growth Oscillations

Recent developments in the study of growth and aggregation have underscored the incredibly rich and varied properties that can be obtained from very simple dynamical algorithms. One such remarkable aspect of non-equilibrium growth is the existence of oscillatory behavior in a variety of physical properties of a growing cluster [1]. These oscillations, which should occur in a wide range of growth models, arise as the result of an induced incommensuration between two length scales. One length scale is a statically defined length corresponding to the size of the accreting particles, or if the model is defined on a lattice, to the lattice spacing. The second length scale is dynamical in origin. In the simplest models, in which growth events occur at discrete times, this second length scale can be thought of as the average distance which the growing interface moves per time step. (Generalizations to growth systems for which time is not discrete will be discussed below.) It is the beating between these two length scales that causes the oscillations.
Non-Linear Delay Differential Equations and Function Algebras

Publisher Summary This chapter describes some results concerning the qualitative properties of bounded solutions of the nonlinear (scalar) delay differential equation. The chapter extends these results and places them in a general framework by considering certain subalgebras of the algebra of bounded continuous functions on the line.
Asset securitisation as a risk management and funding tool

Purpose – The paper surveys the risks and rewards of asset securitisation and illustrates how this structured finance technique can lift credit constraints to small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) as banks to turn more conservative in their lending in response to more risk‐sensitive capital requirements for credit risk.Design/methodology/approach – The mechanics of securitisation provide an analytical framework and perspective for our analysis of conditions for sustainable SME securitisation and its potential contribution to greater risk diversification of both issuers and investors. The paper also elicits lessons to be learned for essential regulatory and policy measures to guide a sound development of securitisation markets from an empirical review of SME securitisation in Germany.Findings – The paper finds that the structural versatility of securitisation offers economic benefits irrespective of the configuration of the financial system. The development of a viable securitisation market for SME‐re...
Affinity Labeling of Steroid Binding Sites SYNTHESIS OF CORTISONE 21-IODOACETATE AND STUDY OF 20β-HYDROXYSTEROID DEHYDROGENASE

Abstract To extend the application of affinity labeling for the characterization of macromolecular steroid binding sites, we synthesized two cortisone derivatives (cortisone 21-iodoacetate and 21-iododeoxycortisone) and studied their reactions with the use of 20β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase from Streptomyces hydrogenans in 0.05 m phosphate buffer, pH 7.0, as the model protein. Both derivatives are capable of the reversible binding step at the active site, as both serve as substrates. Cortisone 21-iodoacetate inactivates the enzyme in a time-dependent and irreversible manner, cortisone slows the rate of this inactivation, and excess 2-mercaptoethanol stops it. Iodoacetic acid did not inactivate the enzyme (with or without added cortisone), nor did 21-iododeoxycortisone. Nevertheless, both steroid derivatives easily react with model sulfhydryl compounds. Radioactive cortisone 21-iodoacetate was then synthesized with 2-3H-iodoacetic acid. Inactivation of the enzyme by this steroid was accompanied by radiolabeling; neither was seen with 2-3H-iodoacetic acid alone. After inactivation and acid hydrolysis, a single major fraction of radioactivity was seen on paper chromatography. Amino acid analysis of the hydrolysate revealed a major radioactive peak (containing 86% of total radioactivity) with mobility identical with standard 1,3-dicarboxymethyl histidine and a minor peak (containing 5% of total radioactivity) with mobility identical with standard 3-carboxymethyl histidine. These observations are compatible with a mechanism whereby the steroid moiety of cortisone 21-iodoacetate delivers the reagent group to the binding site of 20β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, where it reacts with a histidine residue at that site. These derivatives are offered as compounds which may possibly be used to study certain steroid binding sites of high affinity present in receptor proteins of target organs.
Evaluation of candidate genes for DYX1 and DYX2 in families with dyslexia

Dyslexia is a common heterogeneous disorder with a significant genetic component. Multiple studies have replicated the evidence for linkage between variously defined phenotypes of dyslexia and chromosomal regions on 15q21 (DYX1) and 6p22.2 (DYX2). Based on association studies and the possibility for functional significance of several polymorphisms, candidate genes responsible for the observed linkage signal have been proposed-DYX1C1 for 15q21, and KIAA0319 and DCDC2 for 6p22.2. We investigated the evidence for contribution of these candidate genes to dyslexia in our sample of multigenerational families. Our previous quantitative linkage analyses in this dataset provided supportive evidence for linkage of dyslexia to the locus on chromosome 15, but not to the locus on chromosome 6. In the current study, we used probands from 191 families for a case control analysis, and proband-parent trios for family-based TDT analyses. The observation of weak evidence for transmission disequilibrium for one of the two studied polymorphisms in DYX1C1 suggests involvement of this gene in dyslexia in our dataset. We did not find evidence for the association of KIAA0319 or DCDC2 alleles to dyslexia in our sample. We observed a slight tendency for an intronic deletion in DCDC2 to be associated with worse performance on some quantitative measures of dyslexia in the probands in our sample, but not in their parents.
XPSim: a MOS VLSI simulator

XPSim (formerly known as SuperCrystal), a multirate, event-driven circuit simulator suitable for large MOS VLSI circuits, is described. XPSim incorporates both static and dynamic partitioning of the circuit. Each partitioned subcircuit is numerically solved with a new integration method-the exponential function method. The voltage waveforms produced by this method are piecewise exponentials. Currently, XPSim supports up to a third-order explicit method. Preliminary tests indicate that XPSim exhibits a significant speedup over SPICE while retaining similar accuracy and is able to handle large circuits. >
State Space and Input-Output Linear Systems

I Mathematical Preliminaries.- 1. Some Linear Algebra.- 2. Linear Differential Equations: Existence and Uniqueness Theorems.- 3. Linear Difference Equations.- 4. Some More Linear Algebra.- 5. Dual Spaces, Norms, and Inner Products.- II State Space Linear Systems.- 6. State Space Linear Systems: Formal Definitions and General Properties.- 7. Realizations.- 8. Eigenvectors, Eigenvalues, and Normal Modes.- 9. The M + N Decomposition for Matrices Which are Not Semi-Simple.- 10. Complex Matrices and the Unitary Diagonalizability of Hermitian Matrices.- 11. The Jordan Canonical Form.- 12. Positive Definiteness, Matrix Factorization, and an Imperfect Analogy.- 13. Reachability and Controllability for Time-Invariant Continuous-Time Systems.- 14. Reachability and Controllability for Time-Invariant Discrete-Time Systems.- 15. Observability for Time-Invariant Continuous-Time Systems.- 16. Observability and Constructibility for Time-Invariant Discrete-Time Systems.- 17. The Canonical Structure Theorem.- III Input-Output Linear Systems.- 18. Formal Definitions and General Properties.- 19. Frequency Responses and Transfer Functions of Time Invariant Continuous-Time Systems.- 20. Frequency Responses and Transfer Functions of Time-Invariant Discrete-Time Systems.- 21. Realizations and McMillan Degree.- 22. Polynomial Matrices and Matrix Fraction Descriptions.- IV Stability and Feedback.- 23. Stability of State Space Linear Systems.- 24. Stability of Input-Output Linear Systems.- 25. Feedback, Observers, and Canonical Forms.- 26. The Discrete-Time Linear Quadratic Regulator Problem.- 27. The Continuous-Time Linear Quadratic Regulator Problem.- References.
Quirky case in creoles: Or, creolization as a quirky case

This paper investigates the fact that quirky case is rare in creole languages. It is more common in languages in general than the literature, focusing on its manifestations in a few Germanic languages, suggests. It is found even in analytic languages, as well, and therefore, analyticity cannot be the reason quirky case is rare in creoles. In creoles, when quirky case does appear, it is either 1) as an inheritance from the lexifier when lexifier influence is heavy or 2) from the substrate only with inherent rather than contextual inflection. Both observations are predictable of languages born recently from pidgins, in which the absence of case makes quirky case, of course, impossible, and inherent inflection is much more common than contextual.
Catchment hydrologic response with a fully distributed triangulated irregular network model

[1] This study explores various aspects of catchment hydrology based on a mechanistic modeling of distributed watershed processes. A new physics-based, distributed-parameter hydrological model that uses an irregular spatial discretization is introduced. The model accounts, on a continuous basis, for the processes of rainfall interception, evapotranspiration, moisture dynamics in the unsaturated and saturated zones, and runoff routing. Simulations of several mid- to large-sized watersheds (∼103 km2) highlight various dynamic relationships between the vadose zone–groundwater processes and their dependence on the land surface characteristics. It is argued that the model inferences can be used for interpretation of distributed relationships in a catchment. By exploiting a multiple-resolution representation, the hydrologic features of the watershed terrain are captured with only 5–10% of the original grid nodes. This computational efficiency suggests the feasibility of the operational use of fully distributed, physics-based models for large watersheds.
Family Values and the Law of Inheritance

This review essay examines Jens Beckert's new book, Inherited Wealth, which shows how values of liberty, equality, family, and economic prosperity recurred in debates conducted across three countries and three centuries. The review essay suggests that modern-day Washington lobbyists are not alone in invoking family values to oppose limitations on inheritance. The historical debates are full of claims about how different inheritance law regimes support or undermine the family - even as conceptions of the family and its personal and political meanings have changed. The essay offers three examples: the abolition of entails, the evolution of testamentary freedom, and the law of intestacy.
Are Welfare Employment Programs Effective

Employment programs meant to place welfare adults in work or training became an important part of Aid to Families with Dependent Children starting in the 1980s. These programs are effective if one means that they have positive impacts in evaluations, less so if one expects them to make a large and visible change in the welfare problem. In programs evaluated by the Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation, impacts on employment, earnings and dependency are small in absolute terms but somewhat larger as a percentage of the control group mean. Impacts are understated in some studies because randomization occurred only after enrollment in the work program or because control group members had access to equivalent services. Results are also depressed by the failure of many experimentals to participate in the tested program. Programs raise the activity of experimentals in work-related activities much more than they raise earnings or employment. Effects on dependency are understated because evaluations do not capture deterrence effects. The sharp decline in AFDC in Wisconsin in recent years suggests the power of work requirements to drive the rolls down.