cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Processing of a directionally dependent reward signal in motor and somatosensory units

Improving the control of neuroprosthetics to achieve biomimetic movements would significantly increase their utility and greatly improve the quality of life of their users. One potential addition to today's neuroprosthetics control systems would be an inclusion of the reward-based signal from motor or somatosensory cortex. The reward signal present in these cortices could indicate if a movement goal, such as reaching to and grasping a cup of coffee, was successful or not. Such a signal could be used as a component in reinforcement learning algorithms employed in brain-machine interfaces. This study seeks to determine the movement direction dependence of the reward signal. To accomplish this goal, we examined data recorded from the units of one bonnet macaque as it performed a center-out reaching task that has a fixed-probability reward assignment at the completion of a successful trial. By comparing the spiking neural activity with the actual receipt of reward, we examined if the change in firing activity can be attributed to the reward signal, and if this signal is also tied to the directionality of the movement. Including this information for reinforcement learning in brain-machine interfaces would bolster current efforts and lead to more realistic movement of neuroprosthetics.
Improving Warfarin Management Within the Medical Home: A Health-System Approach

Abstract Background Anticoagulation clinics have been considered the optimal strategy for warfarin management with demonstrated improved patient outcomes through increased time in therapeutic international normalized ratio (INR) range, decreased critical INR values, and decreased anticoagulation-related adverse events. However, not all health systems are able to support a specialized anticoagulation clinic or may see patient volume exceed available anticoagulation clinic resources. The purpose of this study was to utilize an anticoagulation clinic model to standardize warfarin management in a primary care clinic setting. Methods A warfarin management program was developed that included standardized patient assessment, protocolized warfarin-dosing algorithm, and electronic documentation and reporting tools. Primary care clinics were targeted for training and implementation of this program. Results The warfarin management program was applied to over 2000 patients and implemented at 39 clinic sites. A total of 160 nurses and 15 pharmacists were trained on the program. Documentation of warfarin dose and date of the next INR increased from 70% to 90% ( P P P Conclusion Incorporating a standardized approach to warfarin management in the primary care setting significantly improves warfarin-related documentation and time in therapeutic INR range.
Ultrawideband time-delay steered UHF dipole linear array antenna

An ultrawideband fixed time-delay steered UHF dipole array antenna has been developed for coverage in the 300 to 450 MHz frequency range for communications or radar applications. The antenna utilizes a parasitically-tuned dipole array for linear polarization and is mounted over a ground plane. Numerical electromagnetic simulations were used to analyze and optimize the antenna parameters prior to fabrication. Measurements of the prototype antenna in an anechoic chamber demonstrate the antenna's reflection coefficient and radiation gain pattern performance.
N-Arylsulfonyl Indolines as Retinoic Acid Receptor-Related Orphan Receptor γ (RORγ) Agonists.

The nuclear retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor γ (RORγ; NR1F3) is a key regulator of inflammatory gene programs involved in T helper 17 (TH17) cell proliferation. As such, synthetic small-molecule repressors (inverse agonists) targeting RORγ have been extensively studied for their potential as therapeutic agents for various autoimmune diseases. Alternatively, enhancing TH17 cell proliferation through activation (agonism) of RORγ may boost an immune response, thereby offering a potentially new approach in cancer immunotherapy. Herein we describe the development of N-arylsulfonyl indolines as RORγ agonists. Structure–activity studies reveal a critical linker region in these molecules as the major determinant for agonism. Hydrogen/deuterium exchange coupled to mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) analysis of RORγ–ligand complexes help rationalize the observed results.
A longitudinal analysis of methicillin-resistant and sensitive Staphylococcus aureus incidence in respect to specimen source, patient location, and temperature variation

Summary Objective Seasonal variations in temperature exert strong selective pressure on microorganism population dynamics and should be taken into account in epidemiological studies. The objective of the present study was to characterize the seasonal variation of staphylococcal infections in respect to patient location, specimen source, month of year, and temperature variation. Methods A retrospective longitudinal time-series analysis of methicillin-resistant and methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA and MSSA) was conducted in northeastern Ohio over a 5-year period. Multivariable time-series analyses were performed to detect the variations in the monthly incidence based on location of patients (inpatient, outpatient, and nursing homes), source of specimen (wound, respiratory tract, and urine), time of year (January–December), and temperature variation (average monthly over 5 years). Results The results indicated a gradual increase in both MRSA and MSSA infections, with outpatient cases representing the majority of cases. If present, the seasonal nature of MRSA infections varied based on specimen source and patient location, with wound infections from outpatients more prevalent in warmer months, and respiratory infections among inpatients more prevalent during colder months. Conclusions The current report provides a longitudinal analysis of staphylococcal epidemiology, and in the process, identifies the seasonal nature of infections to be multifactorial, depending on such variables as specimen source and patient location. The seasonal nature of staphylococcal infections appears to be the product of a complex interaction among host, pathogen, and environment.
Numerical modelling of fluid flow and desulphurisation kinetics in an argon-stirred ladle furnace

A full-scale, three-dimensional, transient CFD modelling approach capable of predicting the three-phase fluid-flow characteristics and desulphurisation behaviour in an argon-stirred ladle was developed. The model can accurately predict the molten steel flow and slag eye behaviour. The predicted sulphur content in ladle as a function of time agrees well with the experimental data. The effects of the initial sulphur content, the gas flow rate and the slag layer thickness on the desulphurisation efficiency were also investigated. The predicted results show that the desulphurisation efficiency improves with the increase of the initial sulphur content, the gas flow rate and the slag layer thickness. Higher gas flow rate can improve the slag–steel interaction, which, in turn, helps improving the desulphurisation rate. The thinner the slag layer, the larger the slag eyes and the smaller the interfacial area between the slag and steel phases. The consequence is the decrease in the desulphurisation rate.
Gender and the Tournament: Reinventing Antidiscrimination Law in an Age of Inequality

Since the 1970’s, antidiscrimination advocates have approached Title VII as though the impact of the law on minorities and women could be considered in isolation. This article argues that this is a mistake. Instead, Reinventing Antidiscrimination Law attempts to reclaim Title VII’s original approach, which justified efforts to dismantle segregated workplaces as necessary to both eliminate discrimination and promote economic growth. Using that approach, this Article is the first to consider how widespread corporate tournaments and growing gender disparities in the upper echelons of the economy are intrinsically intertwined, and how they undermine the core promises of antidiscrimination law. The Article draws on a pending case challenging the “rank and yank” evaluation system at Microsoft, as well as social science literature regarding narcissism and stereotype expectations, to illustrate how consideration of the legitimacy of competitive pay for performance schemes is essential to combating the intrinsically gendered nature of advancement in the new economy.
The effect of digital diagnostic setups on orthodontic treatment planning.

Introduction This study aimed to evaluate whether viewing digital treatment simulations influenced orthodontic treatment planning decisions or practitioners' confidence in their selected plans. Methods Records of 6 patients representing different case types (eg, missing teeth, crowding, sagittal discrepancies) were collected. A total of 22 orthodontists and 7 orthodontic residents viewed these records and formulated treatment plans for each case, indicating their most recommended plan and up to 2 alternative plans. After treatment planning each case, digital setups of each treatment plan indicated by the practitioner were shown. The practitioners were then asked if they still recommended their original plan, or if they would now recommend a different plan. Their confidence levels in the success of their plans were recorded before and after viewing the setups. Results After viewing the digital setups, there was a significant change in the treatment plan for 9.2% of the cases. These included modifications like changing the extraction pattern or proposing space closure rather than opening space for an implant. In an additional 14.4% of the cases, treatment plans underwent partial changes, like adding interproximal reduction or temporary anchorage devices. Practitioner confidence levels increased after viewing the setups. In cases where the treatment plan changed, the practitioner's confidence level in the plan increased the most, and the final confidence level was uniformly high among all practitioners. Practitioners reported the most helpful features of digital setups were the ability to superimpose the setup with the original model, determine the amount of tooth movement needed, check the final incisal relationship (overjet and overbite), and establish the amount of interproximal reduction required. Conclusions Viewing digital setups resulted in changes to the treatment plans in about 24% of the cases. The use of digital setups was associated with higher levels of confidence in the selected plans.
Indirect Effects of Global Change: From Physiological and Behavioral Mechanisms to Ecological Consequences.

SYNOPSIS A major focus of current ecological research is to understand how global change makes species vulnerable to extirpation. To date, mechanistic ecophysiological analyses of global change vulnerability have focused primarily on the direct effects of changing abiotic conditions on whole-organism physiological traits, such as metabolic rate, locomotor performance, cardiac function, and critical thermal limits. However, species do not live in isolation within their physical environments, and direct effects of climate change are likely to be compounded by indirect effects that result from altered interactions with other species, such as competitors and predators. The Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology 2017 Symposium "Indirect Effects of Global Change: From Physiological and Behavioral Mechanisms to Ecological Consequences" was designed to synthesize multiple approaches to investigating the indirect effects of global change by bringing together researchers that study the indirect effects of global change from multiple perspectives across habitat, type of anthropogenic change, and level of biological organization. Our goal in bringing together researchers from different backgrounds was to foster cross-disciplinary insights into the mechanistic bases and higher-order ecological consequences of indirect effects of global change, and to promote collaboration among fields.
Characteristics of pediatric recurrent erythema multiforme

Background Erythema multiforme (EM) is an acute condition characterized by distinctive target lesions of the skin often accompanied by mucosal ulcers. A subset of individuals experience frequent episodes of recurrent EM, which is rare and poorly understood, especially in children. Objective To characterize clinical features, laboratory findings, and treatment responses of pediatric recurrent EM. Methods A retrospective chart review was conducted at the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (2000-2015) and the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota (1990-2015). Inclusion criterion was a diagnosis before age 18 years with recurrent EM, defined as a symmetrically distributed, fixed eruption, including target lesions, with or without mucous membrane involvement, occurring on at least three occasions. A literature review was conducted to include individuals who met the inclusion criterion. Results Twenty-six patients were included, of whom 16 (62%) were male. The median age of onset was 9.1 years (range 0-15.7 years). Nine patients (35%) required hospitalization. Herpes simplex virus testing was positive in 9 of 17 (65%) patients. Remission was achieved in 5 of 16 (31%) patients while taking suppressive antivirals. Eight patients received continuous anti-inflammatory treatment, two (25%) of whom experienced remission. Conclusion This study of pediatric recurrent EM found a greater male predominance, more hospitalizations, fewer cases caused by herpes simplex virus, and a lower response to immunosuppression in children than in the general population.
“There’s money to be made in community”: Real estate developers, community organizing, and profit-making in a shrinking city

Ethnographic studies of neighborhood change have painted vivid portraits of the conflicts between new and legacy residents over norms, power, and resources. These findings, however, are out of sync...
Social Organization, Reproductive Systems, and Mediation of Baboon Endogenous Virus (BaEV) Copy Number in Gelada, Hamadryas, and Other Papio Baboons

The social system of geladas (Theropithecus gelada) and hamadryas baboons (Papio hamadryas hamadryas), characterized by a multilevel structure based upon one-male reproductive units, is unique among primates. Population genetic theory predicts that the semiclosed, substructured social groupings exhibited by these taxa should result in increased relatedness among group members, possibly facilitating relatively rapid rates of evolution when compared to taxa without similarly subdivided populations. In this chapter, we test these predictions by quantifying a mobile genetic element known as baboon endogenous virus (BaEV). Quantitative real-time PCR methods were used to assess relative BaEV copy numbers in captive and wild-caught baboons, including samples from geladas, Guinea (P. h. papio), olive (P. h. anubis), and hamadryas baboons, as well as in individuals with varying degrees of olive and hamadryas ancestry. Results show that geladas possess significantly higher BaEV copy numbers when compared to Papio baboons, and that African hamadryas show a trend toward higher BaEV copy numbers within Papio baboons. These findings illustrate the impact of social organization and reproductive systems on genome evolution, suggesting that hierarchically organized gelada and hamadryas societies (i) promote relatively greater degrees of inbreeding than in their close papionin relatives and (ii) provide conditions under which maintaining an increased BaEV element number confers a selective advantage.
Integrative Learning in Award-Winning Student Writing: A Grounded Theory Analysis:

Integrative learning is a cognitive outcome that reveals students making intellectual connections, bringing sources together, and integrating them into one. What are the kinds of sources integrated...
What Makes a Judgment "Liberal"? Coding Bias in the United States Supreme Court Judicial Database

This paper analyzes the validity of the widely used liberal/conservative judgment and vote "direction" variables reported in the United States Supreme Court Judicial Database (USSCJD). Leveraging information about a subset of cases in the USSCJD, namely those involving the constitutional review of congressional statutes, the paper shows that the USSCJD judgment variable is significantly more responsive to information highlighted in the Court's opinion, such as the identity of the majority opinion author, and significantly less responsive to factors not as conspicuously featured in the Court's opinion, such as the identity of the median Justice, or the composition of congressional preferences, relative to a broad range of alternative measures of the ideology of the Court's judgments. These findings are consistent with the presence of significant measurement bias in the USSCJD.
Kamishibai cards to sustain evidence-based practices to reduce healthcare-associated infections.

Background Sustaining healthcare-associated infection (HAI) prevention practices is complex. We examined the use of Kamishibai Cards (K Cards) as a tool to encourage compliance interactions between leaders and staff. Methods We explored one unit of a children's hospital to assess acceptability of K Cards. Interactions were recorded (n = 14), and interviews were conducted (n = 22). We used the Health Belief Model (HBM) for analyses. Central line utilization, bundle compliance and rates of HAIs were also examined. Results Staff members consider K Card interactions reminders of bundle elements and acceptable for creating positive interactions. Although no causal inference can be made, during K Card implementation, CLABSI rates dropped from 1.83 in 2015 to 0.0 through June 2018. Central line utilization decreased by 3%. Discussion Moving beyond theory to providing practical sustainability tools is an important implementation step. Although our findings are not generalizable, capturing what occurred on one unit provides opportunity to discover how key leadership factors (communication and leadership style) influence the uptake, acceptability and sustained adoption of evidence-based practices. Conclusions K Cards are a practical tool to sustain evidence-based practices and promote communication between leadership and staff - keeping compliance on the minds of frontline workers.
Fluoroscopically guided neocanalization for treatment of nasolacrimal atresia in two horses

Case description A yearling Thoroughbred stallion and an 8-year-old Saddlebred mare were evaluated for persistent mucoid ocular discharge. Clinical findings Examination of both horses revealed copious yellow-tan mucoid ocular discharge with a negative Jones I test, absent nasal punctum, and unsuccessful anterograde nasolacrimal duct (NLD) irrigation. Clinical abnormalities were present on the right side only in one horse and bilaterally in the other. Computed tomography (CT) with contrast confirmed nasolacrimal duct atresia in both horses. Treatment and outcome Under general anesthesia, the affected NLD was catheterized anterograde and contrast injected. Using fluoroscopic guidance, retrograde access to the distal NLD was obtained for through-and-through wire access. Over the wire, the stoma was dilated and a temporary stent placed for 4-8 weeks. After the procedure, both horses were comfortable and free of ocular discharge at the minimum time of last follow-up, 9 months postoperatively. Clinical relevance Fluoroscopically guided neocanalization is a viable alternative to traditional surgical approaches for NLD atresia, especially when access to the site of obstruction is limited.
Nonpharmacological Relaxation Technology for Office-Based Rhinologic Procedures.

Background Office-based rhinologic procedures are increasingly performed to control costs and enhance patient convenience. Adequate management of pain and anxiety is essential for the technical performance of these procedures, in addition to ensuring patient comfort. Pharmacologic agents are often used to manage anxiety and pain. Nonpharmacological adjuncts may be useful for achieving these effects without oral opioids and benzodiazepines. Methods Charts of patients who underwent office-based rhinologic procedures with the NuCalm system (Solace Lifesciences, Inc., Wilmonton, DE, USA) in combination with local anesthesia were reviewed. NuCalm is a proprietary system that combines cranial electrotherapy stimulation, neuroacoustic software, light-blocking lenses, and topical γ--aminobutyric acid. Patients rated their pain and anxiety before, during, and after the procedure. Results Twenty-five patients underwent office procedures using the NuCalm system. Preoperative anxiety (2.00) was significantly higher than postoperative anxiety (1.25) according to patient reporting on a 5-point scale (p = 0.005). Preoperative pain (1.83) was not significantly different from intraoperative (2.54) and postoperative pain (2.04, p = 0.054). Conclusions A variety of office-based rhinologic procedures are technically feasible and can be performed with adequate patient comfort without the use of oral drugs. Adjuncts to pharmacologic agents may enhance pain control and anxiety management and improve patient tolerance of these procedures.
Measuring quality of care for all women and newborns: how do we know if we are doing it right? A review of facility assessment tools

Summary Background Ensuring quality of care during pregnancy and childbirth is crucial to improving health outcomes and reducing preventable mortality and morbidity among women and their newborns. In this pursuit, WHO developed a framework and standards, defining 31 quality statements and 352 quality measures to assess and improve quality of maternal and newborn care in health-care facilities. We aimed to assess the capacity of globally used, large-scale facility assessment tools to measure quality of maternal and newborn care as per the WHO framework. Methods We identified assessment tools through a purposive sample that met the following inclusion criteria: multicountry, facility-level, major focus on maternal and newborn health, data on input and process indicators, used between 2007 and 2017, and currently in use. We matched questions in the tools with 274 quality measures associated with inputs and processes within the WHO standards. We excluded quality measures relating to outcomes because these are not routinely measured by many assessment tools. We used descriptive statistics to calculate how many quality measures could be assessed using each of the tools under review. Each tool was assigned a 1 for fulfilling a quality measure based on the presence of any or all components as indicated in the standards. Findings Five surveys met our inclusion criteria: the Service Provision Assessment (SPA), developed for the Demographic and Health Surveys programme; the Service Availability and Readiness Assessment, developed by WHO; the Needs Assessment of Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care developed by the Averting Maternal Death and Disability programme at Columbia University; and the World Bank's Service Delivery Indicator (SDI) and Impact Evaluation Toolkit for Results Based Financing in Health. The proportion of quality measures covered ranged from 62% for the SPA to 12% for the SDI. Although the broadest tool addressed parts of each of the 31 quality statements, 68 (25%) of 274 input and process quality measures were not measured at all. Measures of health information systems and patient experience of care were least likely to be included. Interpretation Existing facility assessment tools provide a valuable way to assess quality of maternal and newborn care as one element within the national measurement toolkit. Guidance is clearly needed on priority measures and for better harmonisation across tools to reduce measurement burden and increase data use for quality improvement. Targeted development of measurement modules to address important gaps is a key priority for research. Funding None.
Testosterone replacement in men with age-related low testosterone: what did we learn from The Testosterone Trials?

The T Trials were a coordinated set of seven double-blind, placebo-controlled trials to assess efficacy and safety of testosterone versus placebo gel treatment for one year in 788 older men 65 years or older with hypogonadism who had self-reported and objective impairment of sexual and physical function and/or vitality and an average of two morning serum testosterone concentrations < 275 ng/dL. Testosterone dose was adjusted to the mid-normal range for young men. Compared to placebo, testosterone treatment moderately improved sexual function, hemoglobin concentration and corrected anemia, and slightly improved walking distance, vitality, mood and depressive symptoms and bone density and strength, but did not improve cognitive function. Testosterone treatment slightly increased non-calcified and total plaque volume; while concerning, the clinical significance of this finding is not clear. Testosterone treatment also increased PSA levels and referral for urological evaluation, and caused erythrocytosis in some men. The T Trials provided definitive evidence for short-term clinically meaningful, albeit modest benefits and risks of testosterone treatment in older men with unequivocal age-related hypogonadism. Larger and longer-term placebo-controlled clinical trials are needed to assess the long-term benefits and risks of testosterone treatment on clinical outcomes such as frailty, depression, fractures, prostate cancer and cardiovascular events.
From “About Me” to “About We”: Therapeutic Intentions of Black American Women’s Natural Hair Blogs

Psychological support is not confined to therapists’ offices, but also transfers to social media forums for Black American women. Black American women bloggers with natural hair care practices have participated in asynchronous computer-mediated communication, where discussion is based around caring for oneself and one’s hair. There is a dearth of research about the role of the Black American female hair bloggers in setting out therapeutic intentions for their online community. Through investigating the theory of PsychoHairapy (Author, year; Author, year) that argues that hair can be an entry point into psychological interventions, this study investigated therapeutic intentions represented by Black American women on their natural hair blogs. Through a content analysis of the “About me” section of the top 40 visited natural hair blogs, 4 independent raters identified that 93% of the bloggers represented at least one therapeutic intention. The results suggest that the blogs serve as a forum for informal support group work derived from the bloggers own lived experiences, fulfilling dual roles of peer and expert. This study provides evidence that natural hair blogging can integrate formal and informal techniques of health promotion, resulting in promoting psychological support for a population otherwise marginalized.
Modeling the coupled dynamics of an asteroid with surface boulder motion

Abstract A new model is presented to investigate the interaction between the asteroid's 6-degrees-of-freedom dynamics and the state of boulders on its surface. The model considers boulder motion on the surface of the asteroid as well as boulder launch, orbit, crash and escape in two ways. There are two mechanisms that change the angular velocity of the asteroid. First, there can be a momentum transfer during launch and crash of boulders, and second when a boulder moves the inertia tensor of the combined system changes. If a boulder launches and escapes the system, an effective ΔV is applied to the asteroid inertial velocity. By using defined polyhedral asteroid geometries and a given boulder distribution this hybrid model provides insight into the behavior of a specific asteroid while only accounting for tens or hundreds of bodies in the simulated system. This approach gives the model an advantage in detail in comparison to simpler analytical investigations, while also providing a computational advantage in comparison to a full N-body simulation. Surface moving boulders tend to reach the equator and launch from it or rest near it. The resulting orbits are of low inclination and follow chaotic trajectories leading to crash events. This model indicates that motion of several meter-sized boulders on the surface of a Bennu-like top-shaped asteroid can induce wobble in the spin axis on the order of 0.01° and a change of asteroid period on the order of several seconds. This phenomena, if it happens repeatedly, can alter the YORP and Yarkovsky evolution of small asteroids.
The quasi-longitudinal and quasi-transverse approximations

Besides the radio and hydromagnetic approximations there is another type of approximation to the general dispersion relation for a magnetoplasma. This depends on whether propagation in the direction of interest is roughly like that along the imposed magnetic field or roughly like that transverse to the imposed magnetic field [1, 2]. The concepts of quasi-longitudinal and quasi-transverse propagation apply at both high and low frequencies. They are therefore applicable, not only to the general dispersion relation, but also to the radio and hydromagnetic approximations [3,4].
Growth of carbon dioxide whiskers

We report the growth of carbon dioxide (CO2) whiskers at low temperatures (−70 °C to −65 °C) and moderate pressure (4.4 to 1.0 bar). Their axial growth was assessed by optical video analysis. The identities of these whiskers were confirmed as CO2 solids by Raman spectroscopy. A vapor–solid growth mechanism was proposed based on the influence of the relative humidity on the growth.
Italian Holocaust Literature and the Paradox of Affect

This article traces the evolution of the affect of pudore (a sense of modesty, restraint, and privacy) in the literary production of Primo Levi, with references to the works of other Italian Holoca...
An initiative to improve advanced notification of inter-hospital transfers

Poor communication during inter-hospital transfer (IHT, the transfer of patients between acute care hospitals) is common. Clinicians often report feeling unprepared to care for IHT patients due to inadequate advance notification. The aim of this project was to improve advance notification of general medicine service patient transfers to a tertiary care referral hospital. We used quality improvement principles to design and implement two interventions: (1) Use of a checklist; (2) Redesign role/responsibilities within the Access Center and Bed Control Department. Data on frequency of advance notification was collected over 9 months and plotted on a statistical process control chart with evaluation for special cause variation. We also evaluated barriers/facilitators to implementation and surveyed clinicians on information received with the advance notification. 103 patients underwent IHT during the study. Frequency of advance notification increased from a baseline of 63.6%-85.4% post-intervention. Several contributors to successful implementation were identified, including ensuring key stakeholder input and leveraging existing systems structure, among others. Survey results highlighted potential targets for future IHT improvements such as improved clinical information available to admitting clinicians in advance of patient transfer. In conclusion, we successfully improved advance notification of IHT, an essential step to improve communication. Next steps include sustainment and automation of these efforts and ongoing targeted process improvement efforts with an ultimate goal of improving patient outcomes during IHT.
F-actin-bundling sites are conserved in proteins with villin-type headpiece domains.

Villin is a major actin bundling protein that assembles the brush border of intestinal and renal epithelial cells. The villin 'headpiece' domain and the actin binding residues within it regulate its actin bundling function. Substantial experimental and theoretical information about the three-dimensional structure of the isolated villin headpiece, including a description of the actin binding residues within the headpiece, is available. Despite that, the actin bundling site in the full-length villin protein remains unidentified. We used this existing villin headpiece NMR data and performed mutational analysis and functional assays, to identify the actin bundling site in full-length human villin protein. By careful evaluation of these conserved actin binding residues in human advillin protein, we demonstrate their functional significance in the over 30 proteins that contain a villin type headpiece domain. Our study is the first that combines the available structural data on villin headpiece with functional assays to identify the actin binding residues in full-length villin that regulate its filament bundling activity. Our findings could have wider implications for other actin bundling proteins that contain a villin type headpiece domain.
Pilot Use of the Adapted Fresno Test for Evaluating Evidence-Based Practice Knowledge in Occupational Therapy Students.

Importance: A core tenet of occupational therapy is that practitioners should use evidence in their practice. Nevertheless, many occupational therapy practitioners feel limited in their evidence-based practice (EBP) knowledge. Conceivably, improving EBP knowledge in students would facilitate their greater knowledge as practitioners. Other researchers have modified teaching methods and content to enhance knowledge in students but did not empirically evaluate the acquisition of knowledge. Objective: To empirically evaluate EBP knowledge acquisition. Design: Descriptive, mixed-methods pilot study. Setting: A graduate occupational therapy program. Participants: Fifty-one second-year occupational therapy students. Outcomes and Measures: We used the Adapted Fresno Test of Competence in Evidence-Based Practice to measure evidence-based practice knowledge. We also qualitatively assessed students’ perceptions of what influenced their development of EBP knowledge and how they felt after completing the posttest. Results: We found significant improvements in EBP knowledge. We also found the following qualitative themes regarding influences on students’ EPB knowledge development: helpful supports, learning activities, and the context of doing with others. Conclusions and Relevance: We observed significant gains in EBP knowledge, as measured by the Adapted Fresno Test, after occupational therapy students completed an EBP course. We theorize that students’ gains in EBP knowledge will support their ability to successfully use evidence in their future occupational therapy practice. What This Article Adds: Our findings on the Adapted Fresno Test indicate that our course successfully promoted acquisition of EBP knowledge. We theorize that students’ gains in evidence-based practice knowledge will support their ability to successfully use evidence in their future occupational therapy practice.
Relationship between Insurance Type and Delays in Tympanostomy Tube Placement.

Objective:To investigate the role of insurance carriers and changes in insurance on rates of cancelation and rescheduling of tympanostomy tube surgery.Methods:Retrospective cohort study between Jan...
Complications: Early Anastomotic Complications—Leak, Abscess, and Bleeding

Colorectal surgery has experienced significant improvements in surgical techniques, minimally invasive approaches, antibiotic prophylaxis, and perioperative care. In spite of these advancements, anastomotic complications continue to occur and often contribute substantially to postoperative morbidity and mortality. Surgeons must be prepared to identify anastomotic complications early in order to manage them thoughtfully. Infectious complications related to an anastomotic leak may lead to local or generalized peritonitis. Management options range from observation and antibiotic treatment, to image guided drainage and reoperation, based on the location of the leak and the patient’s clinical condition. Hemorrhage from the anastomosis will often resolve without intervention, but in situations where there is a major bleed, management strategies should follow the same principles as any other patient presenting with a lower gastrointestinal bleed.
Two Cases of Isolated Ureteral Injury Secondary to Blunt Force Trauma.

Ureteral injuries although rare can cause serious issues. The mechanism of injury is most commonly penetrating but in some rare cases blunt forces can contribute. It is important to diagnose ureteral injuries as soon as possible because they can have significant morbidity and mortality. Here we present two cases of isolated ureteral injury secondary to blunt force trauma. Both patients had the ureteral injury diagnosed by computed tomography (CT) scan and confirmed by a ureterogram with extravasation of contrast. Both patients also had peripelvic cyst, which could have been a contributing risk factor for injury. In both cases, the ureteral injury was repaired using a stent and both patients had no complications. We present these cases along with presentation, diagnostic work-up, and treatment.
Second primary thyroid cancer after a first childhood malignancy: A report from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study.

3113 Survivors of a childhood malignancy have a greater than 10-fold increased risk of developing a second primary thyroid cancer. While radiation treatment is the single most dominant risk factor, the magnitude of risk over the range of therapeutic doses has not been well established. Studies with wide dose ranges and large sample sizes are required to describe the shape of the dose-response curve, specifically for risks above 10 Gy, where the effect of cell killing may become important. We conducted the largest study of second thyroid cancer to date using the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS). The CCSS cohort is comprised of over 14,000 five-year survivors of a childhood leukemia, lymphoma, central nervous system tumor, soft tissue and bone sarcoma, neuroblastoma, and kidney cancer diagnosed between January 1, 1970 and December 31, 1986. A nested case-control study was conducted that included 69 cases with a pathologically confirmed subsequent thyroid cancer and 277 controls without thyroid cancer. Controls were matched to cases on age at diagnosis, gender and follow-up time. For each patient, cumulative radiation doses to the right and left lobes of the thyroid gland were calculated based on individual treatment records. Conditional logistic regression was used to compute odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). The ORs peaked at 11-fold (95% CI, 3.1-38.0) for radiation doses between 20-29 Gy. At thyroid gland radiation doses above 30 Gy, a downturn in the dose-response relation, consistent with a cell-killing effect, was present. Chemotherapy for the first cancer was not associated with risk of subsequent thyroid cancer, nor did chemotherapy modify the effect of radiation treatment on thyroid cancer risk. No effect of radiation dose to the pituitary gland on the risk of thyroid cancer was observed. Among cases, 42% had a first diagnosis of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) compared to 19% of controls. After adjusting for radiation dose and radiation sensitivity by age at diagnosis, the risk by type of first cancer remained elevated for HL and thyroid cancer (OR = 3.4; 95% CI, 0.9-12.4). Possibly due to close surveillance of HL patients, the proportion of second thyroid cancers that were less than 1 cm among HL survivors was 42%, compared to 17% among persons who had other types of childhood cancer (p
Cardiovascular Risk Factor and Disease Measures from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study.

Background: Cardiovascular disease is a key health condition associated with tobacco use; however, clinical measures are not typically possible in population-based studies. In this paper, we assess the reliability and validity of self-reported cardiovascular risk factors and diseases in a large nationally representative study of tobacco use and health outcomes. Methods: This paper analyzes self-reported cardiovascular risk factors and disease among adults age 40 years and older based on U.S. nationally representative data from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study. Prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors (self-reported high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and family history of premature heart disease, BMI ≥ 35, and tobacco use) and cardiovascular disease (self-reported heart attack, stroke and/or congestive heart failure (CHF)) were considered along with ratings of physical functioning, fatigue, and general health. Results: Self-reported cardiovascular disease was found to be associated with functional health measures (walking up a flight of stairs) and general ratings of health. Prospective analyses found strong correlations between sequential data collection waves for history of hypertension, elevated cholesterol and CHF, while more modest correlations were noted for stroke and heart attack. The overall prevalence of cardiovascular disease and hypertension was comparable to those from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Conclusions: These analyses suggest reliability and concurrent validity regarding self-reported cardiovascular risk factors and disease assessed in the PATH Study.
The Penalty in Novel and Film: Grieving with the Vengeful Amputee

This chapter compares Gouverneur Morris’s 1913 novel The Penalty and its subsequent 1920 filmic adaptation by director Wallace Worsley starring Lon Chaney. The chapter argues that, in contrast to the novel’s construction of the amputee as monstrous, the film’s structure situates the amputated protagonist Blizzard as a sympathetic main character and his amputation as a tragedy worth avenging. It discusses the characterizations in both novel and film while examining how alterations in narrative structure and other formal changes (written to visual, chapter breaks to editing, etc.) invoke alternative audience engagement resulting in an empathic relationship with a complex protagonist unable to reconcile his grief, thereby unsettling simplistic ideas about audience relationships to onscreen disability.
Factors Associated with Underestimation of Weight Status among Caucasian, Latino, Filipino, and Korean Americans--DiLH Survey.

Objective : To describe weight misperception and to examine the influence of sociodemographic factors on underestimation of weight status in Caucasian, Latino, Filipino, and Korean Americans. Design : Data from 886 non-pregnant adults who participated in a cross-sectional survey administered in English, Spanish, and Korean were analyzed. The actual weight status derived from the participants’ body mass index (BMI) categories and their perceived weight status were compared. A multiple logistic regression model was used to explore if underestimation of weight status was associated with ethnicity, sex, and education level. Results : Caucasians, Latinos, Filipinos, and Koreans represented 19.4%, 26.8%, 27.4%, and 26.4%, respectively, of the total sample of 886. Overall, two in three participants correctly perceived their weight status, but 42% of Latinos underestimated their weight status and 22% of Koreans overestimated their weight status. Latino ethnicity, male, and low education (<high school) were related to greater underestimation of weight status ( P <.05). In contrast, Korean ethnicity was related to less underestimation of weight status ( P <.05). Conclusions : Misperception of weight status should be counted in any efforts to develop a weight management intervention for Latino and Korean Americans. ( Ethn Dis . 2015;25[2]:200–207)
Visualizing what people are doing on the Web

What are people currently looking at in their Web browser? Do the patterns of pages change over time? Are changes periodic or just related to current events or other factors? We are developing a tool that attempts to provide insight into these and other questions. The tool sits on top of an Internet-scale programming backbone supports large numbers of simultaneous users. The tool itself provides a unique category-based visualization of browsing history and includes the necessary code to obtain the raw data.
Fatty acids, hyperglycemia, and glycosylated hemoglobin in the United States (369.7)

Background: Insulin regulates fatty acid (FA) levels in the blood; on the other hand, FAs are known to affect insulin sensitivity and resistance and may represent modifiable risk factors for type 2...
The role of antibody to human beta4 integrin in conjunctival basement membrane separation: possible in vitro model for ocular cicatricial pemphigoid

Purpose To demonstrate the specific binding of autoantibodies present in the sera of patients with ocular cicatricial pemphigoid (OCP) to human beta4 integrin present in the normal human conjunctiva (NHC) and to study the role of OCP autoantibodies and antibody to human beta4 integrin in the pathogenesis of subepithelial lesion formation in OCP. Methods Indirect immunofluorescence assay and in vitro organ culture method using NHC were used. Sera and IgG fractions from 10 patients with OCP; immunoaffinity-purified OCP autoantibody; antibodies to human beta4, beta1, alpha6, and alpha5 integrins; and sera from patients with pemphigus vulgaris, bullous pemphigoid (BP), and chronic atopic and chronic ocular rosacea cicatrizing conjunctivitis; and normal human serum (NHS) were used. Results Nine of 10 OCP sera or IgG fractions, immunoaffinity-purified OCP autoantibody, antibodies to human beta4 and alpha6 integrins, and sera from patients with BP showed homogenous, smooth linear binding along the basement membrane zone (BMZ) of the NHC. NHS, antibodies to other integrins, and sera from patients with chronic cicatrizing conjunctivitis from other causes showed no such binding. When NHC was first absorbed with OCP sera and then reacted with anti-beta4 antibodies or vice versa, the intensity of the BMZ binding was dramatically reduced or completely eliminated, indicating that there were autoantibodies in OCP sera specific for the beta4 integrin. BMZ separation developed 48 to 72 hours after addition of total OCP sera, IgG fractions from OCP sera, immunoaffinity-purified autoantibodies from sera of patients with OCP, or anti-beta4 antibodies to the NHC cultures, but not after addition of normal control sera, sera from patients with chronic cicatrizing conjunctivitis from causes other than OCP, or sera from patients with OCP in clinical remission. Conclusion Circulating anti-beta4 integrin antibody may have an important role in the pathogenesis of OCP.
Does Miranda Diminish Police Effectiveness

The question of whether the Supreme Court's 1966 Miranda' decision has significantly hampered law enforcement is fascinating from both a substantive and a methodological perspective. On the substantive front, Professors Paul Cassell and Richard Fowles observe that Justice John Harlan's Miranda dissent insightfully warned that the majority decision could hamper law enforcement in a way that imposed large social costs.2 How large these costs might be, Harlan admonished, "only time can tell."3 In a remarkable series of papers, Professors Paul Cassell and Steve Schulhofer debate the effect of Miranda, with Cassell articulating the case for the prosecution, both literally and figuratively, and Schulhofer mounting a spirited defense.4 As part of this exchange, Cassell published a simple graph of national arrest rates for violent and property crimes, which showed a sharp reduction in
The third horseman takes wing.

The identification of a Drosophila homologue of the nematode cell-death protein CED-4 indicates a role for the apoptosome — a complex consisting of CED-4, CED-3 and CED-9 — in developmental cell deaths in Drosophila.
Inter quark mass split and a proposed possible 5 quark state

The calculation of the meson masses based on the 5D homogeneous space-time quantum projection was shown explicitly. There are no adjustable parameters, except the rest quark mass. The discovered p-p 125 GeV resonance was proposed by us as a six quark state. Thus in this article, we like to propose a 5 quarks yet unreported baryon based on a uudu*d state, which should have a mass of approximately 33.6 GeV.