cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Toxicity of Tetrafluoroethylene and S-(1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethyl)-L-cysteine in Rats and Mice

Groups of 25 female F344 rats and 25 female B6C3F1 mice were exposed to 0, 30, 300, 600, or 1200 ppm tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) by inhalation for up to 12 days. Another set of 25 female rats and 25 female mice of the same strains were given 0, 5, 20, or 50 mg/kg of S-(1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethyl)-L-cysteine (TFE-CYS) by oral gavage for 12 days. Both 12-day exposure regimens consisted of exposures for 5 consecutive days, a weekend with no exposures, and 4 consecutive daily exposures following the weekend. Five animals per group were sacrificed after the first exposure, the fifth exposure, and the ninth exposure for evaluation of cell proliferation in the liver and kidney. The remaining animals in each group (up to 10) were sacrificed after the ninth exposure (test day 12) for pathological evaluation of the liver, kidney, and spleen. Clinical pathology evaluations were performed on test day 11 or 12. Inhalation of TFE by rats and mice caused slight microscopic changes in the kidneys of rats and mice, but no histopathological changes in the liver. In the kidney, administration of TFE-CYS by gavage caused severe microscopic changes in rats, moderate-to-severe changes in mice, and no microscopic changes in the liver. Cell proliferation was increased in the kidneys of rats and mice given TFE by inhalation and TFE-CYS by gavage. TFE-CYS also caused increased liver weights and cell proliferation in the liver of rats and mice at the high doses. The cell proliferation response in the kidney and liver was transient in both species, being most pronounced after 5 days of exposure, and less evident or absent after 12 days of exposure. In the kidney, the cell proliferation and histopathologic response in rats was generally more pronounced than in mice. Kidney damage and cell proliferation were confined to the pars recta (P3) of the outer stripe of the outer medulla and medullary rays. Tubules in mice exposed to TFE and TFE-CYS had mostly regenerating cells by test day 12, while in rats the tubules still showed marked degeneration along with regeneration by the end of the study. The cortical labyrinth (P1 and P2 segments) was also affected at the 50 mg/kg dose of TFE-CYS in rats. Rats exposed to 50 mg/kg TFE-CYS had a mild anemia, and rats exposed to 1200 ppm TFE had slight, biologically inconsequential decreases in erythrocyte mass that may have been compound-related. In spite of the rather pronounced histopathologic changes in the kidneys of rats exposed to TFE-CYS, there was no clinical chemistry evidence for decreased kidney function. Increased levels of urinary fluoride were present in rats exposed to 300 ppm and greater of TFE, and in rats exposed to 20 and 50 mg/kg TFE-CYS. The spleen was not affected in this study. Overall, the results of this study suggest that effects of TFE could be attributed to the toxicity of TFE-CYS over the course of a 2-week exposure, as all effects that were seen with TFE were also seen with TFE-CYS.
Human Rev1 polymerase disrupts G-quadruplex DNA

The Y-family DNA polymerase Rev1 is required for successful replication of G-quadruplex DNA (G4 DNA) in higher eukaryotes. Here we show that human Rev1 (hRev1) disrupts G4 DNA structures and prevents refolding in vitro. Nucleotidyl transfer by hRev1 is not necessary for mechanical unfolding to occur. hRev1 binds G4 DNA substrates with Kd,DNA values that are 4-15-fold lower than those of non-G4 DNA substrates. The pre-steady-state rate constant of deoxycytidine monophosphate (dCMP) insertion opposite the first tetrad-guanine by hRev1 is ∼56% as fast as that observed for non-G4 DNA substrates. Thus, hRev1 can promote fork progression by either dislodging tetrad guanines to unfold the G4 DNA, which could assist in extension by other DNA polymerases, or hRev1 can prevent refolding of G4 DNA structures. The hRev1 mechanism of action against G-quadruplexes helps explain why replication progress is impeded at G4 DNA sites in Rev1-deficient cells and illustrates another unique feature of this enzyme with important implications for genome maintenance.
Pyromechanische Aktuatoren für höhere Sicherheit von Insassen und Passanten

Vom Autofahrer weitgehend unbemerkt vollzieht sich gegenwartig die dritte Ausrustungswelle von pyrotechnischen Sicherheitssystemen im Automobil. Der Einzug der Pyrotechnik ins Fahrzeug erfolgte Anfang der 80er Jahre zunachst als Anzund- und Treibmittel in Gasgeneratoren fur Airbags. In den Folgejahren wurde die Insassensicherheit durch Einfuhrung von Mikrogasgeneratoren angetriebenen Gurtstraffersystemen verbessert. Neue Sicherheitsanforderungen, sowie Kosten- und Funktionsvorteile fuhren zu einer steigenden Nachfrage nach pyrotechnischen Sicherheitssystemen. Nach der erfolgreichen Markteinfuhrung einer pyrotechnischen Batterieabschaltung im Jahr 2004 stellt Delphi nun pyromechanische Aktuatoren als innovative Losungen bei der Entriegelung von Uberrollbugeln fur Cabrios, aktiven Kopfstutzen und Aufstellung der Motorhaube fur den Passantenschutz vor.
TOA/FOA GEOLOCATION SOLUTIONS USING MULTIVARIATE RESULTANTS

This paper gives an algorithmic procedure for solving any system of n polynomials in n variables as long as one of the variables is second degree or less in each polynomial. We show that the time-of-arrival (TOA) and frequency-of-arrival (FOA) navigation equations are easily put into this form. The solution procedure is applied to five specific positioning problems, only one of which has been solved previously. First we give an improved solution of the two-satellite problem in which both TOA and FOA measurements are used to localize an emitter on an ellipsoidal earth. Algebraic solutions are then given for the 3-satellite localization problems using either TOA or FOA measurements, where the emitter is assumed to be on the surface of an ellipsoidal earth. Next an algebraic solution is given for the location of a radio frequency (RF) emitter using 4 FOA measurements. Finally, the 4 -TOA problem, although previously solved, is covered for the sake of completeness.
Ascending projections of the mammillary region in the pigeon: emphasis on telencephalic connections.

The ascending projections of the mammillary region of the hypothalamus and adjacent posterolateral hypothalamus were investigated by autoradiographic and horseradish peroxidase histochemical techniques. Analysis of the anterograde data revealed that the main contingent of mammillary fibers ascends in the medial forebrain bundle (MFB) in the lateral hypothalamic area. These fibers distribute to a number of telencephalic regions via three pathways. (1) Fibers course dorsomedially into the medial and lateral parts of the septum and continue into the hippocampus with a dense terminal field in the parahippocampal area. (2) Laterally coursing fibers project to area corticoidea dorsolateralis, area temporo%parieto%occipitalis, cortex piriformis, and the posterior part of archistriatum. (3) The fibers remaining in the MFB ascend into the “ventral paleostriatum,” olfactory tubercle, and into the lateral and ventral borders of the rostral portion of lobus parolfactorius (LPO). Numerous fibers leave the LPO region and course dorsally into the deep layer of the Wulst, hyperstriatum dorsale (HD). Many fibers continue dorsolaterally through the HD and enter an unnamed region of the dorsolateral telencephalon (lateral to the vallecula) at the level of the olfactory bulb. Retrograde transport experiments revealed that the perikarya of origin-of-fiber projections to the parahippocampal area and to the rostral, dorsolateral telencephalon reside not only in nucleus mammillaris lateralis but also in posterolateral hypothalamic cells rostral and dorsal to this nucleus. The projection of these hypothalamic cells to the hippocampal formation and many other telencephalic regions in birds suggests that these cells are similar to the mammalian supramammillary nucleus and posterolateral hypothalamus rather than the mammillary nuclei.
Courtship Behavior and Reproductive Isolation between Western Grebe Color Morphs

In a study of behavioral isolating mechanisms existing between light- and dark- phase Western Grebes (Aechmophorus occidentalis) in two sympatric populations near the Oregon- California border, opposite-sexed birds nearly always chose to display with members of their own color phase. Males of opposite phase, however, frequently engaged in mutual display sequences to attract females. Film analysis revealed no color-phase divergences in form, duration, or se- quential ordering of the many visual courtship displays. There were differences, however, in "Advertising," a call used to attract potential mates prior to the pair formation sequences. Dark- phase birds had calls with two notes ("cree-creet"), while light-phase birds had one-noted calls ("creeet"). In playback experiments, courting males of the two color phases readily distinguished the two call-types and only approached or answered female calls of their own phase. This response reversed when an artificial gap was spliced into the light-phase stimulus calls. Films of feeding dives by birds of each color phase also suggested differences that may relate to mean diving depth and hence ecological segregation of the two morphs. When the same playback experiments were repeated in a region of dark-phase allopatry (Manitoba), however, courting males showed very poor discrimination. This suggests that the high degree of segregation in sympatry possibly results from a learning process, whereby individuals rapidly sharpen their discriminative abilities by
Windspeeds Analyses of April 3-4, 1974 Tornadoes

Comprehensive documentation damage has made it possible to estimate tornadic windspeeds from the analyses of structural failures, based on the damage of eight specific structural components. The reliability of the windspeed estimates depend on the complexity of the structural system involved. The more complex the structural system, the less reliable are the windspeed estimates. A free standing structure such as a light standard or chimney gives the best windspeed estimates whereas commercial buildings and residences give the least reliable values. Windspeed analyses of the tornadoes combined with evaluations of several previous windstorm incidents leads to: (1)Ground level windspeeds in most tornadoes are considerably less than 275 mph; (2)the appearance of damage does not correlate well with estimates of windspeeds that cause the damage; (3)wind rather than atmospheric pressure change is the principal damaging mechanism for conventional buildings; and (4)properly designed roof anchorages reduce damage to structures in tornadic winds.
Polarized emission spectroscopy of molecular dissociation dynamics

We describe recent experiments which investigate nuclear and electronic dynamics during molecular dissociation on excited electronic potential energy surfaces by the technique of polarized emission spectroscopy. The studies provide a dynamic link to what can be learned from measurements of the final product quantum states; they also investigate the critical role played by nonadiabatic interactions in molecular dissociation.
Mechanism for the ω pe Radiation in Tokamaks

The emission of a narrow line of electromagnetic radiation at the central plasma frequency, observed on several Tokamaks, is explained in terms of the scattering of enhanced plasma oscillations from thermal ion acoustic fluctuations. The emission and induced absorption rates calculated for the plasma fluctuation levels expected are considerable and the radiation is self-absorbed to an effective black-body level. The frequency, power, and polarization then predicted are in agreement with the experiment.
On the wedge dispiration in an inhomogeneous isotropic nonlinear elastic solid

Abstract In this short note we find the stress field of a wedge dispiration (a combination of a screw dislocation and a wedge dislocation along the same line) in an inhomogeneous incompressible isotropic nonlinear solid. We discuss the effect of the radial inhomogeneity of energy function on both the stress field and the energy per unit length of the dispiration and compare with those in an isotropic linear elastic solid.
A Balanced Budget Amendment: What Can We Learn From State Experience?

On its current course, United States fiscal policy threatens to hobble the nation's prospects for economic growth. Economic theory suggests that an important source of the problem is the government's ability to purchase services for current voters with taxes levied on future generations. A balanced budget requirement, by internalizing both the costs and benefits of government services, would therefore seem to be a natural solution. In this testimony, I summarize the scope of the fiscal problem and then review state-level evidence to consider the ways that a federal balanced budget amendment might impact the nation's fiscal and economic future.
Prostatic Type of Paraurethral Glands Induced in Female Rats by Administration of Male Sex Hormone.

Summary1. Skene's ducts in the female rat are usually rudimentary. Male hormone substance stimulates growth of these glands to a condition which resembles grossly and histologically the prostate of the male rat. 2. In the present series the incidence of these glands in 35 normal animals is 9.4%, in 13 oestrone-injected animals 0%, in 48 male hormone-injected animals 58.3%. 3. The state of Skene's ducts may be utilized as an indicator of the presence of male hormone. 4. In view of the growth response to male but not to female hormones, the occasional finding of Skene's ducts in an uninjected female rat suggests the presence of male hormone in the normal female. 5. The growth response of the female prostatic glands to the male hormone is further evidence of the masculinizing effect of male hormone substance of the female animal.
Energy loss management system of distribution network based on integrative graphic model library

A visual energy loss management system adapted to modern distribution network is developed based on the integrative graphic model library,which combines theoretical and statistical loss calculations,log management and targets management and energy loss analysis together.The overall system design is provided.The structural data,operating data and electrical data are involved in the energy loss management.When the loss is calculated with the electrical data,the loads should be classified and the loss calculated for each load types respectively to reduce the effect of average power.There are seven functional modules in the system:database,interface,graphic system,network topology,loss calculation,loss analysis and report.The system can off-line or on-line calculate the energy loss of different devices in distribution network with better data accuracy and work efficiency.
Aeliavuori linnacostatus, a new genus and species of Pentatomidae from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomidae: Pentatominae: Carpocorini)

Abstract Aeliavuori linnacostatus gen. and sp. nov. is described from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. A brief discussion of its tribal placement is provided.
Encircling endocardial ventriculotomy for refractory ischemic ventricular tachycardia: II. Effects on regional myocardial blood flow

Previous experimental studies of the encircling endocardial ventriculotomy (EEV) have shown a significant alteration of normal local electrical activity within the encompassed region. Although this procedure may result in isolation of ventricular arrhythmias, the data are more suggestive of a less specific effect on regional myocardial blood flow. This study examines the effect of EEV on local myocardial blood flow using the radioactive tracer microsphere technique in 10 dogs. Flows were determined before and after an EEV with the animals on cardiopulmonary bypass at controlled perfusion pressures, temperatures, and heart rates. Blood flow was studied at subepicardial and subendocardial levels inside, outside, and bordering the EEV. Prior to performance of the EEV, subepicardial blood flow in the left ventricular myocardium ranged from 0.81 +/- 0.07 to 0.89 +/- 0.08 ml/gm/min. Subendocardial flows ranged from 0.80 +/- 0.07 to 0.91 +/- 0.09 ml/gm/min. There was no significant difference between any of the flows across each respective layer of myocardium. Following the EEV procedure, blood flow to the subendocardium within the EEV fell to 0.33 +/- 0.07 ml/gm/min, while flow to the subendocardium of the normal regions of the same hearts actually increased to 1.21 +/- 0.23 ml/gm/min. Similar changes occurred at subepicardial levels, with flow at the center of the EEV falling to 0.66 +/- 0.10 ml/gm/min despite a tendency for normal subepicardial flow to increase to 1.78 +/- 0.24 ml/gm/min. Superimposed ischemia to the EEV-encompassed myocardium, created by occlusion of the distal left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD), accentuated this abnormality by demonstrating that the region continues to receive some flow from epicardially based coronary vessels. The data from this study show that the EEV decreased regional blood flow to the encompassed myocardium and suggests that myocardial ischemia may be responsible for ablation of the delicate re-entrant mechanisms that sustain ventricular tachyarrhythmias.
Non-traditional inspection strategy for inline monitoring in excursion scenarios: Defect inspection

Different tool platforms are used in conjunction for patterned wafer inspection like 9xxx & 29xx provided by KLA Tencor. Depending on the sensitivity & throughput requirements, a chip fabrication plant mixes and matches the inline inspection strategies to ensure early detection of defects on the chip, which could cause yield loss or reliability problems. This paper discusses the use of a novel concept of high sensitivity & high throughput inspection strategy using the 29xx tool. This is achieved by using a unique combination of Broad-Band light with Dark Field Apertures. This application can be used to monitor and screen a large number of wafers affected by out of control situations. A use-case is also discussed where optically strong defect locations uniquely seen on 29xx tool were found to be invisible after SEM review. After analyzing defects using see-through imaging on Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), along with Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) of the defect locations, those defects were confirmed to be buried defects inside the current layer. Due to low sampling on inspection tools, it was difficult to determine the quantity of wafers affected by the issue. By using high throughput (TPT) 29xx features, a methodology to screen out a high volume of wafers at high throughput was implemented & used to monitor the variability in the process and identify wafers at risk. This methodology enabled inspection of ∼15 wafers per hour. The same methodology was subsequently successfully implemented to verify/monitor multiple excursion scenarios at different process steps.
Measurement of Thermal Lensing in Cr3+ doped Colquiriites

Thermal lensing of end-pumped Cr3+ LiSAF, LiSGAF, LiSCAF, and LiCAF is reported. Lensing is reduced by compensation of dddt by the stresses inside the crystal.
The Influence of Competitive Personality Orientation on Adolescent Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence (EI) is related to life success and everyday social interactions. The extent to which competitive personality orientation (CPO) may influence emotional intelligence among adolescents is unknown. The objective of this investigation was to determine the relationship between adolescent competitive personality orientation and emotional intelligence and if competitive personality orientation predicts emotional intelligence while controlling for demographic variables. Participants were 200 students (91 females, 109 males, M age=17.24 years) from three Midwestern high schools. An inverse relationship was discovered between competitive personality orientation and emotional intelligence. Higher competitiveness was associated with lower levels of EI and this relationship was maintained when demographic variables were statistically controlled. As well, females scored significantly higher for EI and lower for competitive orientation than males. The findings potentially have implications for youth organizations to consider the level of emphasis placed on competitive programming and for including activities whereby youth work cooperatively with each other for promoting EI development.
They Can’t Breathe: Why Neighborhoods Matter for the Health of African American Men and Boys

Family influences on the health of African American men and boys must be considered in tandem with those produced by broader social ecologic exposures. The purpose of this chapter is to make the case for exploring the impact of neighborhoods on health risk-taking (e.g., substance abuse) among African American males during emerging adulthood, when substance use escalates. The central hypothesis, grounded in the Phenomenological Variant of Ecological Systems Theory (PVEST), and psychobiological models of stress, coping, and risk-taking, is that neighborhoods with high violence, alcohol, and drug activity instigate substance use through increased daily stress experiences, leading in turn to higher negative affect, emotion suppression, and dysregulated cortisol and testosterone. We place our arguments in the context of recent high profile deaths of African American males (e.g., Eric Garner) and discuss ways to advance future neighborhoods-level research with African American males as they transition to adulthood.
Closed-loop feedback sparsification under parametric uncertainties

We consider the problem of output feedback controller sparsification for systems with parametric uncertainties. We develop an optimization scheme that minimizes the performance deterioration from that of a well-performing pre-designed centralized controller, while enhancing sparsity pattern of the feedback gain. In order to improve temporal proximity of the pre-designed control system and its sparsified counterpart, we also incorporate an additional constraint into the problem formulation such that the output of the controlled system is enforced to stay in the vicinity of the output of the pre-designed system. It is shown that the resulting non-convex optimization problem can be equivalently reformulated into a rank-constrained problem. We then formulate a bi-linear minimization problem to obtain a sub-optimal solution which satisfies the rank constraint with arbitrary tolerance. Finally, a sub-optimal sparse controller synthesis for IEEE 39-bus New England power network is used to showcase the effectiveness of our proposed method.
3D Printed Real-Time PCR Machine for Infectious Disease Diagnostics

Diagnosing infectious diseases is a complex task with many different techniques to obtain the results. According to the World Health Organization some diseases such as Malaria and HIV, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) must be used to obtain results and to determine the proper treatment. Ideally, PCR would be used as often as possible because it gives increased reliability and accuracy, but the cost and the difficulty to obtain equipment used for PCR diagnostics outside of a lab environment effectively forces the use of an inferior method of a more accessible nature or treatment without proper diagnosis. The main goal of this research is to develop a system to perform PCR diagnostics that can be manufactured using simple tools, off-the-shelf parts, and a 3D printer. Using a 3D printer allowed for the manufacture of complex parts that would otherwise have to be machined or injection molded, both processes that are out of reach for many. In keeping with this theme, the printed circuit boards were also routed and drilled using the milling tool head of the 3D printer. This was to avoid the complexity of a photochemical process or the poor reliability of a heat transfer method. Few challenges, including difficulty decreasing cycle times, which required designing a heating block that satisfied light-path and thermal requirements, and reading of real-time fluorescence data, were addressed. The resulting device is battery-operated and can perform a complete 40-cycle PCR with real-time fluorescence reading of intercalating dyes. Ultimately, the files for the 3D printed parts can be published and printed out on any 3D printer. This will enable the construction and use of this device in all corners of the globe and without the need for a complex manufacturing process and only standard tools.
The Engineer's Role

This chapter discusses the engineering profession and the role of engineers in society. Traditionally, engineering activities have been grouped into certain areas of specialization. These originated as civil and military engineering, catering to man's early needs. Scientific discoveries and their development gave birth to a variety of fields of application such as mechanical, chemical, and electrical engineering. At present, the rapid rise of technology is bringing the adequacy of even these widely accepted designations into question in describing specialist areas within engineering. In any one area of engineering, there is a wide range of functions that the engineer may participate in. The spectrum includes research and development, design, production and construction, installation, operation and maintenance, and sales and management. Many engineers, after several years in one or more of the above areas, eventually move into managerial positions.
Selection of Minimal Variable Subsets with the help of Genetic Algorithms in Economic Analysis

In this paper we demonstrate the use of Genetic Algorithms in the selection of significant variables from a large set of available variables used to explain the observed behavior of subjects in an economic experiment. Standard regression analysis requires assumptions on a functional form and may thus prevent us from finding all relevant relationships. When using a more flexible functional form the number of coefficients (corresponding to different variables and their interactions) grows exponentially. Hence, our goal in this paper is to select the smallest set of variables with the largest â€œexplanatoryâ€ value. We use a variation of a non-traditional type of Genetic Algorithm, CHC, to â€œevolveâ€ this preferred minimal set of relevant variables. We compare this approach with estimation based on basic linear (least squares) regression models and regression models chosen by using the stepwise regression method. Additionally, we also evaluate the effectiveness of various fitness criteria in our genetic algorithmâ€™s fitness function. We believe that an evolutionary computation approach provides a useful alternative and supplementary method to more traditional methods by offering potentially new useful subsets of significant variables warranting further exploration and a limit to the number of coefficients in outputs.
Internal Migration (Further Types): Industrialized Countries

Internal migration is defined and is distinguished as to its caused and its consequences. Most migration research deals with causes. Migration rates are compared across industrialized countries (with Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the USA shown to have high rates), and various migration patterns are described, especilally with respect to age and education. Migration rates are shown to fall with age after the early twenties and to rise sharply with education. Different theoretical perspectives on migration are discussed (namely, the disequilibrium perspective and the equilibrium perspective). Morover, various theories of migration are noted, with the human capital model singled out for special attention. Empirical findings consistent with and incosistent with this model are discussed. Several pressing questions regarding internal migration are offered, and the state of knowledge regarding the asnwers to these questions is discussed. The article concludes with a discussion of internal migration policies in Europe and in the USA and notes some critical issues concerning these policies.
A lexicon for biology and bioinformatics: the BOOTStrep experience.

This paper describes the design, implementation and population of a lexical resource for biology and bioinformatics (the BioLexicon) developed within an ongoing European project. The aim of this project is text-based knowledge harvesting for support to information extraction and text mining in the biomedical domain. The BioLexicon is a large-scale lexical-terminological resource encoding different information types in one single integrated resource. In the design of the resource we follow the ISO/DIS 24613 Lexical Mark-up Framework standard, which ensures reusability of the information encoded and easy exchange of both data and architecture. The design of the resource also takes into account the needs of our text mining partners who automatically extract syntactic and semantic information from texts and feed it to the lexicon. The present contribution first describes in detail the model of the BioLexicon along its three main layers: morphology, syntax and semantics; then, it briefly describes the database implementation of the model and the population strategy followed within the project, together with an example. The BioLexicon database in fact comes equipped with automatic uploading procedures based on a common exchange XML format, which guarantees that the lexicon can be properly populated with data coming from different sources.
Do Urinary Cystine Parameters Predict Clinical Stone Activity

Purpose: An accurate urinary predictor of stone recurrence would be clinically advantageous for patients with cystinuria. A proprietary assay (Litholink, Chicago, Illinois) measures cystine capacity as a potentially more reliable estimate of stone forming propensity. The recommended capacity level to prevent stone formation, which is greater than 150 mg/l, has not been directly correlated with clinical stone activity. We investigated the relationship between urinary cystine parameters and clinical stone activity.Materials and Methods: We prospectively followed 48 patients with cystinuria using 24-hour urine collections and serial imaging, and recorded stone activity. We compared cystine urinary parameters at times of stone activity with those obtained during periods of stone quiescence. We then performed correlation and ROC analysis to evaluate the performance of cystine parameters to predict stone activity.Results: During a median followup of 70.6 months (range 2.2 to 274.6) 85 stone events occurred whic...
Quality of Life, Chronic Pain, and Issues for Healthcare Professionals in Rural Communities

The purpose of this pilot study was to examine differences that existed in the perception of individuals with chronic pain concerning quality of life in two groups: (1) a group who had an intervention for chronic pain (2) and a group who had not had any intervention. No existing literature was found that compared any difference in perceptions of quality of life in individuals who had an intervention for chronic pain and those who had not had an intervention for chronic pain. Thirty-six individuals' scores on the Ferrans and Power's Quality of Life Index were analyzed. Data analysis revealed that both groups in this pilot study perceived their quality of life as decreased, but no statistically significant differences were found in the perception of either group (t = -1.65, p= .108). Although not statistically significant in this sample, the group (n=16) who had received an intervention program reported less perceived quality of life. Issues of concern for healthcare professionals in rural communities and ideas for further research are presented. Keywords: chronic pain, quality of life, rural healthcare http://dx.doi.org/10.14574/ojrnhc.v1i2.488
An Electronic Medical Record Alert Intervention to Improve HPV Vaccination Among Eligible Male College Students at a University Student Health Center.

This pilot study aims to improve HPV vaccination for college aged males at a student health center. The first part of the study consisted of a focus group that assessed the barriers and facilitators of HPV vaccination among healthcare providers and clinic staff (N = 16). Providers reported missed opportunities for HPV vaccination. For the second part of the study, providers and staff reviewed medical records of patients ages 18–26 with student health insurance and with < 3 doses of the HPV vaccine at baseline (12/1/2014 to 7/31/2015) and follow-up (12/1/2015 to 7/31/2016). A computer-automated EMR alert was generated in the medical record of eligible male patients (N = 386). Z-scores were estimated for two-sample proportions to measure change in HPV vaccine rates at baseline and follow-up for males and females. HPV vaccine initiation rates increased among males (baseline: 5.2% follow-up: 25.1%, p < 0.001). This study shows that EMR alerts improved HPV vaccine initiation rates among insured college-aged males.
Magnetic targeting of smooth muscle cells in vitro using a magnetic bacterial cellulose to improve cell retention in tissue-engineering vascular grafts.

Abstract Tissue-engineered vascular grafts (TEVG) use biologically-active cells with or without supporting scaffolds to achieve tissue remodeling and regrowth of injured blood vessels. However, this process may take several weeks because the high hemodynamic shear stress at the damaged site causes cellular denudation and impairs tissue regrowth. We hypothesize that a material with magnetic properties can provide the force required to speed up re-endothelization at the vascular defect by facilitating high cell density coverage, especially during the first 24 h after implantation. To test our hypothesis, we designed a magnetic bacterial cellulose (MBC) to locally target cells in vitro under a pulsatile fluid flow (0.514 dynes cm−2). This strategy can potentially increase cell homing at TEVG, without the need of blood cessation. The MBC was synthesized by an in situ precipitation method of Fe3+ and Fe2+ iron salts into bacterial cellulose (BC) pellicles to form Fe3O4 nanoparticles along the BC’s fibrils, followed by the application of dextran coating to protect the embedded nanoparticles from oxidation. The iron salt concentration used in the synthesis of the MBC was tuned to balance the magnetic properties and cytocompatibility of the magnetic hydrogel. Our results showed a satisfactory MBC magnetization of up to 10 emu/g, which is above the value considered relevant for tissue engineering applications (0.05 emu/g). The MBC captured magnetically-functionalized cells under dynamic flow conditions in vitro. MBC magnetic properties and cytocompatibility indicated a dependence on the initial iron oxide nanoparticle concentration. Statement of Significance Magnetic hydrogels represent a new class of functional materials with great potential in TVEG because they offer a platform to (1) release drugs on demand, (2) speed up tissue regrowth, and (3) provide mechanical cues to cells by its deformability capabilities. Here, we showed that a magnetic hydrogel, the MBC, was able to capture and retain magnetically-functionalized smooth muscle cells under pulsatile flow conditions in vitro. A magnetic hydrogel with this feature can be used to obtain high-density cell coverage on sites that are aggressive for cell survival such as the luminal face of vascular grafts, whereas simultaneously can support the formation of a biologically-active cell layer that protects the material from restenosis and inflammation.
Abstract 6198: Gender and Ethnic Differences in Arterial Aging Are Partly Accounted by Body Size and Blood Pressure

Purpose: Aging is associated with an overall increase in stiffness and the loss of compliance and distensibility of the arterial system. Gender and ethnic differences in arterial stiffness may be due to anthropometric differences between ethnic groups. Materials and Methods: We studied participants of the MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis), an NHLBI sponsored study of individuals aged 45 to 84 years free of cardiovascular disease and including African, Hispanic, Chinese and White Americans. Local distensibility (distensibility coefficient; DC) and stiffness (Young’s modulus; YM) were measured in the right common carotid artery. Global large (LAE; C1) and small artery elasticity (SAE; C2) measures were derived from radial artery pressure waveforms. Anthropometric variables (height and weight) and age, gender, pulse pressure and mean blood pressure were used in multiple linear regression models to study their associations with measures of stiffness. Results: We studied 3207 women (mean age 62.0 ± 10.3 years) and 2937 men (mean age 62.2 ± 10.2 years). Ethnic differences were apparent in all measures of arterial compliance but decreased after adjustment for anthropometric measurements. Carotid artery DC and YM maintained ethnic differences with whites having less stiff arteries than other groups. Men had more compliant and less stiff vessels than women. Age was positively and consistently associated with arterial stiffening and loss of compliance while the importance of anthropometric measures varied. In women, multivariable models including anthropometric variables accounted for 36.2% of the variability of DC, 15.1% of YM, 26.5% of C1 and 28.6% of C2. Results were similar for men. Conclusion: Women have stiffer and less compliant arteries than men. Arterial distensibility and compliance decrease with age in all ethnic groups. Studies on global and local measures of arterial function should assess basic anthropometric factors in their analytical approaches. However, anthropometric measures do not completely account for observed differences in arterial aging among ethnic groups.
Matching into an Orthopedic Residency: Which Application Components Correlate with Final Rank List Order?

Objective To determine if any of the unique elements of the applications of medical students who were granted interviews to an orthopedic residency program correlate to the program's final rank order list of candidate residents. Design Eight domains of the standard residency application were considered as independent variables for 36 applicants. Personal, identifying information was removed from the application material within each domain, thus blinding the application domains for 5 core faculty members from the program to review and rank independently. These 8 domain rank lists were then compared to the program's final rank list order to determine the correlation of each domain with the final rank list order. Setting Academic medical center. Participants Applicants to a university-based orthopedic surgery residency program who were granted interviews in the 2016 academic year. Results Two domains of the application correlated with the final rank list order: interview and personal statement. None of the other domains had a significant correlation with the final rank list order. Interobserver variability among the faculty members was high for the rankings of the different domains. Conclusions Interview and personal statement were the only domains within the application that had correlation with the final rank list for an orthopedic residency program. A better understanding of how these 2 components affect the rank list may provide opportunity for process improvements.
Endovascular Management of Nonvariceal Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding

Nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality among hospitalized patients and thus presents a treatment challenge for the interventional radiologist. Common causes of nonvariceal UGIB include peptic ulcer disease, Mallory–Weiss tear, erosive inflammatory changes, ulcer disease, malignancy, and vascular malformations. Noninvasive imaging workup for this condition may include computed tomography angiography and tagged red blood cell scan. Invasive angiography allows for both the diagnosis and endovascular treatment of nonvariceal UGIB. Transcatheter embolization can be performed using a variety of embolic agents, such as coils, vascular plugs, and Gelfoam. For patients with negative angiography results despite the presence of clinically and endoscopically significant UGIB from a known source such as gastric ulcer or duodenal ulcer, the left gastric or gastroduodenal artery can be empirically embolized. In high-risk patients with multiple comorbidities who have failed endoscopic therapy, endovascular embolization is associated with lower complication rates compared with open surgery. In this review, we discuss current management strategy and endovascular techniques for the management of the nonvariceal upper GI hemorrhage.
The Spence Shale Lagerstätte: an important window into Cambrian biodiversity

The Spence Shale Member of the Langston Formation is a Cambrian (Miaolingian: Wuliuan) Lagerstatte in northeastern Utah and southeastern Idaho. It is older than the more well-known Wheeler and Marjum Lagerstatten from western Utah, and the Burgess Shale from Canada. The Spence Shale shares several species with these younger deposits, yet it also contains a remarkable number of unique species. Because of its relatively broad geographical distribution, and the variety of palaeoenvironments and taphonomy, the fossil composition and likelihood of recovering weakly skeletonized (or soft-bodied) taxa varies across localities. The Spence Shale is widely acknowledged not only for its soft-bodied taxa, but also for its abundant trilobites and hyoliths. Recent discoveries from the Spence Shale include problematic taxa and provide insights about the nature of palaeoenvironmental and taphonomic variation between different localities. Supplementary material: A generic presence–absence matrix of the Spence Shale fauna and a list of the Spence Shale localities are available at: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.4423145
3D CT cinematic rendering of the spleen: Potential role in problem solving

Cinematic rendering (CR) is a new 3D visualization methodology for volumetric diagnostic imaging including computed tomography (CT) datasets composed of isotropic voxels. CR produces photorealistic images with enhanced detail relative to other 3D visualization methods and realistic shadowing. In this review, we provide a number of examples of splenic pathology visualized with CR including conditions affecting the splenic vasculature, neoplasms, and accessory spleens. These examples are compared to 2D CT and traditional 3D CT techniques and the potential advantages of CR are highlighted. CR displays textural changes in the splenic parenchyma to particular advantage, and a portion of this review will be devoted to examples of how textural features can help distinguish intrapancreatic accessory spleens from neuroendocrine tumors.
Offers of Cigarettes and E-Cigarettes Among High School Students: A Population Study from California

Receiving offers of cigarettes or e-cigarettes can contribute to the progression from intention to actual use. However, there is a lack of data about the prevalence or characteristics of youth being offered cigarettes or e-cigarettes. A random sample of 91 high schools in the state of California (with 40,137 students) participated in the 2015⁻16 California Student Tobacco Survey. Offers of cigarettes and e-cigarettes in the last 30 days were assessed. Separate multilevel logistical regression models identified student characteristics associated with being offered cigarettes and e-cigarettes. On average, 11.1% and 16.1% of all students reported being offered cigarettes and e-cigarettes in the last 30 days, respectively. Among those who received offers of cigarettes, 45.5% were never smokers. Among those who received offers of e-cigarettes, 29.6% were never vapers. Male students were more likely to report being offered an e-cigarette than female students (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) 1.13), as were students with friends that used e-cigarettes (AOR 5.14⁻23.31) and those with high sensation seeking tendencies (AOR 1.33). Similar characteristics were associated with offers of cigarettes. Including measures of offers of cigarettes and e-cigarettes in surveillance systems could help identify those at risk of future cigarette and e-cigarette use.
Lipids in Women: Management in Cardiovascular Disease Prevention and Special Subgroups

As the adverse impact of cardiovascular disease continues to afflict women around the world, the identification and treatment of risk factors to reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality continue to rise in priority. Dyslipidemia is a significant risk factor for coronary heart disease and should serve as a strong focus point in both primary and secondary prevention. However, women remain undertreated compared with men and receive less evidence-based therapies including cholesterol management. Some of the unique risk factors in women that contribute to cardiovascular disease have been incorporated in the current cholesterol management guidelines. The medical community and international organizations have helped reduce the annual cardiovascular mortality rates for women since 1984. However, more work remains to be completed as heart disease in women remains inadequately researched, underdiagnosed, and poorly managed. This review discusses contemporary management of dyslipidemia in women, with additional focus on special risk subgroups and integration of the new 2018 American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology Guidelines on the Management of Blood Cholesterol. Dyslipidemia management in women constitutes a substantial portion of the foundation of both primary and secondary prevention and is essential to reducing cardiovascular events in women. The current cholesterol guidelines focus on some of the risk factors for cardiovascular disease that are unique or more common in women. This is a review of how the current cholesterol management guidelines pertain to women specifically and address sex-specific cardiovascular risk factors in women.
The name game: The importance of resourcefulness, ruses, and recall in stock ticker symbols

Abstract A BABY, a GEEK, and a COW all walk into a bar looking for some BEER and VINO. What happens next? They all beat the market. Head, Smith, and Wilson (2009) (the “2009 Study”) found that a portfolio of stocks with clever ticker symbols beat the market by a substantial margin during the years 1984–2005. In recent years, the credibility of scientific research has been damaged by the reproducibility crisis—the failure of attempts to replicate published, peer-review studies. Two important examples are Herndon, Ash, and Pollin (2014) and Shanks et al. (2013) . We re-examine the 2009 study’s surprising conclusion by updating the analysis for the subsequent years 2006 through 2018. In addition, we replicate its methodology with a new list of NASDAQ clever-ticker stocks.
Evaluating the relationship between acidogenicity and acid tolerance for oral streptococci from children with or without a history of caries

Background: Dental caries etiology is attributed to a dysbiotic imbalance within the plaque microbiome leading to a dominance of strong acidogens. Some studies that investigate the link between aci...