cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bacterial and Fungal Microbiota Changes Distinguish C. difficile Infection from Other Forms of Diarrhea: Results of a Prospective Inpatient Study

This study sought to characterize the bacterial and fungal microbiota changes associated with Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) among inpatients with diarrhea, in order to further explain the pathogenesis of this infection as well as to potentially guide new CDI therapies. Twenty-four inpatients with diarrhea were enrolled, 12 of whom had CDI. Each patient underwent stool testing for CDI prior to being treated with difficile-directed antibiotics, when appropriate. Clinical data was obtained from the medical record, while each stool sample underwent 16S rRNA and ITS sequencing for bacterial and fungal elements. An analysis of microbial community structures distinct to the CDI population was also performed. The results demonstrated no difference between the CDI and non-CDI cohorts with respect to any previously reported CDI risk factors. Butyrogenic bacteria were enriched in both CDI and non-CDI patients. A previously unreported finding of increased numbers of Akkermansia muciniphila in CDI patients was observed, an organism which degrades mucin and which therefore may provide a selective advantage toward CDI. Fungal elements of the genus Penicillium were predominant in CDI; these organisms produce antibacterial chemicals which may resist recovery of healthy microbiota. The most frequent CDI microbial community networks involved Peptostreptococcaceae and Enterococcus, with decreased population density of Bacteroides. These results suggest that the development of CDI is associated with microbiota changes which are consistently associated with CDI in human subjects. These gut taxa contribute to the intestinal dysbiosis associated with C. difficile infection.
Neonatal hypertension. Incidence and risk factors.

To determine the incidence and risk factors for neonatal hypertension we studied the entire population of 3179 infants admitted to our neonatal intensive care unit over a 6-year period. We report a 0.81% (26/3179) incidence of hypertension in this population. In 13 patients (50%) the hypertension was renal in origin. In four patients (15.4%), the etiology of hypertension could not be determined. Significant risk factors for neonatal hypertension included: bronchopulmonary dysplasia (5.9% in affected infants v 0.5% in unaffected infants, P less than .001); patent ductus arteriosus (3.07% in affected v 0.5% in unaffected infants, P less than .001); intraventricular hemorrhage (2.89% in affected infants v 0.56% in unaffected infants, P less than .001); and umbilical arterial catheterization (8.8% v 0.2% in infants with and without catheterization, respectively, P less than .001).
Diagnosis and management of generalized anxiety disorder.

Objective: To review the epidemiology, etiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, clinical course, and treatment of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Data Sources: Controlled studies conducted in humans and published in English as identified through a MEDLINE search of the years 1975-1999 using the search terms generalized anxiety disorder, treatment, epidemiology, outcomes. Study Selection: Not applicable. Data Extraction: By the author. Data Synthesis: GAD is now a clearly identified psychiatric illness. Patients often suffer from this disorder from childhood into adult years. Treatment includes benzodiazepines, buspirone, and extended-release venlafaxine. The nonbenzodiazepines have a longer time to onset of therapeutic effects but are equivalent to benzodiazepines by the third or fourth week of treatment. All agents have a favorable side effect profile with cautions exercised in the use of benzodiazepines and chemical dependency. Long-term outcome may be better with nonbenzodiazepine agents. Buspirone efficacy studies have not been performed in patients diagnosed with GAD using current criteria. The most extensively studied antidepressant is extended-release venlafaxine, which has been effective in acute and long-term studies. In comparison with buspirone and placebo, extended-release venlafaxine demonstrated equal to greater efficacy. Conclusion: Antidepressants, especially extended-release venlafaxine, may be considered first-line therapy for GAD. Buspirone may be indicated in individuals with histories of chemical dependency who have failed or could not tolerate antidepressants. While benzodiazepines have faster onset of effect, their use should be limited to short-term situations because of the possibility of dependence.
Methodological challenges in participatory action research with undocumented Central American migrants

An interdisciplinary participatory action research (PAR) project was designed in collaboration with local immigrant organizations to document the impact of deportation policy on Central American immigrant families living in the northeastern U.S. This paper reports on selected methodological challenges of university-based co-researchers in this community-university PAR process which is currently concluding its fourth year. The paper discusses the iterative action-reflection processes focusing on: (1) an overview of the PAR project and its multiple phases within the U.S. and in Guatemala; (2) select challenges and contributions of the PAR approach for participating immigrant families “living in the shadows” and, (3) methodological concerns from the three coauthors, who include a graduate student who joined the early stages of partnership-building; an assistant professor in the early stages of her career; and a senior scholar with many years of experience in activist scholarship. We conclude with thoughts on why, despite these challenges, PAR is “worth the trouble”.
Interest in Collaborative, Practice-Based Research Networks in Pediatric Refugee Health Care.

Over the last decade, approximately 200,000 refugee children have resettled across the United States. This population is dispersed, resulting in limited data. Collaborative research networks, where clinicians across distinct practice sites work together to answer research questions, can improve the evidence base regarding clinical care. We distributed a web-based survey to pediatric refugee providers around North America to assess priorities, perceived barriers and benefits to collaborative research. We recruited 57 participants. Of respondents, 89 % were interested in collaborative research, prioritizing: (1) access to health care (33 %), (2) mental health (24 %) and (3) nutrition/growth (24 %). Perceived benefits were “improving clinical practice” (98 %) and “raising awareness about the needs of pediatric refugees” (94 %). Perceived barriers were “too many other priorities” (89 %) and “lack of funding for data entry” (78 %). There is widespread interest in collaborative networks around pediatric refugee healthcare. A successful network will address barriers and emphasize priorities.
INSTRUMENTATION FOR IMPROVED SANITATION IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY: PRESENT AND FUTURE

The evolution of traditional sanitary temperature and pressure measuring elements is discussed as well as how these devices will change in the future to utilize standard CIP connection techniques. The concept of mounting these measuring elements in a “short-legged” tee to minimize the “dead pocket” is described in some detail. Other more sophisticated measurements such as liquid level, flow and density which are now being used more widely in the industry are mentioned. It is shown how instruments measuring these variables have been adapted for or designed to meet sanitary requirements of the industry. Because of the damage which often results from frequent disassembly and hand cleaning, particular emphasis is placed on the importance of evaluating how well these instruments clean-in-place rather than evaluating them on the basis of ease of disassembly and hand cleaning.
Transmission, Sharing, and Variation of Medicinal Plant Knowledge and Implications for Health

Variation in medicinal plant knowledge is a complex issue that directly relates to how such knowledge is both transmitted and shared. Increased attention to variation could lead to significant methodological and theoretical payoffs. Long-term fieldwork on illness and healing with the Highland Maya in Chiapas, Mexico is analyzed to explore how knowledge varies within and between communities. The Shannon–Wiener Index is presented as one measure to look at variation. Despite having widespread generalized medicinal plant knowledge, there remains some differences between communities. A number of explanatory factors are presented to explain this variation.
Koenig and schultz's disaster medicine: comprehensive principles and practices 2nd ed. Edited by Kristi L. Koenig, Carl H. Schultz. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2016; 736 pp + index; $205.00 (hardcover).

Disaster medicine has emerged as a critical discipline within emergency medicine in recent years. Mass casualty incidents and large{\hyphen}scale environmental events have shed light on the need for more formalized disaster medicine curricula and structured response plans. Koenig and Schultz’ Disaster Medicine: Comprehensive Principles and Practices, 2nd edition lives up to its title yet again and delivers in{\hyphen}depth, evidence{\hyphen}based recommendations for healthcare providers, educators, and administrators working in disaster management. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Practices of Metadata Use in Research Information Management Systems

This research is supported by an OCLC/ALISE Library and Information Research Grant for 2016 and a National Leadership Grant from the IMLS of the U.S. Government (grant # LG-73-16-0006-16).
Usefulness of Achieving ≥10 METs With a Negative Stress Electrocardiogram to Screen for High-Risk Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease in Patients Referred for Coronary Angiography After Exercise Stress Testing.

Functional capacity in exercise stress testing is an independent predictor of cardiac events. Routine use of nuclear perfusion imaging increases radiation burden and cost. Our goal was to assess the clinical utility of exercise functional capacity with stress electrocardiogram (ECG) as an adjunct in predicting the presence of high-risk obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) on diagnostic coronary angiography. We performed a retrospective study of patients who underwent exercise stress testing for the evaluation of chest pain and underwent diagnostic coronary angiography within the subsequent 3 months. High-risk CAD was defined as coronary artery diameter stenosis of ≥70% in the proximal left anterior descending artery, ≥70% diameter stenosis in 3 major epicardial arteries, or ≥50% diameter stenosis in the left main artery. Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed to identify predictors of high-risk CAD. Of the 412 patients, 105 (25%) had high-risk CAD on coronary angiography. On multivariate logistic regression, we found that positive stress ECG, abnormal stress imaging, left ventricular ejection fraction, and male gender were independent predictors of high-risk CAD. The strongest predictor was positive stress ECG (hazard ratio 3.16, 95% confidence interval 1.90 to 5.27, p
Induction and Maintenance of Amenorrhea in Transmasculine and Nonbinary Adolescents.

Abstract The treatment of persistent uterine bleeding in those patients who identify as transmasculine or nonbinary is often straightforward, but can be difficult in a subset of patients. This article reviews the physiology of the normal menstrual cycle and the hormonal influences on the endometrium, and then explores options for the treatment of persistent bleeding for people both already on testosterone and for those who are either not ready for or who do not desire testosterone.
Feasibility of Laser Induced Plasma Micro-machining (LIP-MM)

The paper offers evidence on the feasibility of a newly proposed micro-machining process, which is motivated by the need to overcome the various limitations associated with μ-EDM and conventional ultra-short laser micro-machining processes. The limitations in μ-EDM and laser micro-machining processes are mainly due to the requirement of a conductive electrode and workpiece, electrode wear and compensation strategies, and complex process control mechanisms respectively. The new process uses a laser beam to generate plasma in a dielectric near the workpiece surface whose explosive expansion results in material removal by mechanisms similar to those that occur in μ-EDM.
Assuwa and the Achaeans: the 'Mycenaean' sword at Hattusas and its possible implications

It has been suggested that the inscribed bronze sword found at Hattusas in 1991 is a Mycenaean type B sword which may be used as evidence for Hittites fighting in the Trojan war against the Mycenaeans and for a historical background to the Trojan war. The present independent investigation of the sword indicates that it may well be a variant of an Aegean type B sword, but might reflect Mycenaean influence rather than outright manufacture. Moreover, a variety of evidence suggests that the sword must be interpreted in the light of events occurring not during the Trojan war, but some two hundred years prior to that war. It is possible that Mycenaean involvement in the Assuwa rebellion c.1430 BC was recorded in contemporary Hittite documents and remembered in later Greek tradition as the legendary pre-Trojan war exploits of Achilles and other Achaean heroes in NW Anatolia.
An Approach to Electrodiagnostic Medicine: The Power of Needle Electromyography

Needle electromyography (EMG) is a very powerful electrodiagnostic tool. It can provide the electromyographer with information about the severity, duration, and prognosis of a nerve lesion. Performing an EMG first is very time- and cost-effective and can tell the electromyographer the types of motor nerve conduction study results to expect. Considering the wealth of information it can provide in a relatively short period of time, needle EMG is a powerful part of the electrodiagnostic study.
Nonlinear Modelling and Control of PWM DC-DC Buck-Boost Converter for CCM

In this paper, a nonlinear model of inverting pulse-width-modulated buck-boost converter for continuous conduction mode is introduced based on the large-signal averaging technique. The simulation of the nonlinear buck-boost model is performed in MATLAB/SIMULINK and compared with the corresponding circuit in SaberRD simulator for validation purpose. Additionally, a nonlinear control scheme of cascaded proportional-integral sliding-mode current controller is designed. The equivalent control law, existence, and stability conditions are introduced. The simulation results show that the proposed control system enhances the regulation performance, removes the steady-state error, and provides robust tracking against large disturbances.
Political News Interviews: From a Conversation Analytic and Critical Discourse Analytic Perspective

This paper employs Conversation Analysis and Critical Discourse Analysis to examine institutionalized interaction. The majority of the data is taken from American and British political news interviews. The focus is on the found similarities between the two approaches in regard to institutional discourse, viz. the formalistic features which both conversation analysts and critical discourse analysts investigate. It should be noticed, however, that there are still remaining differences between the two approaches, since critical discourse analysts, compared to conversation analysts, also focus on broader discursive issues of talk.
Hereditary myeloid malignancies

Myelodysplastic syndromes and acute myeloid leukemia are sporadic for the majority of cases affecting the elderly population. Inherited cases, however, do occur. Genetic predispositions to myeloid malignancies can be classified into three categories: familial cancer syndromes associated with increased risk of various malignancies including myelodysplasia and acute myeloid leukemia such as Li-Fraumeni syndrome and constitutional mismatch repair deficiency (CMMRD); germline mutations conferring a specific increased risk of myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia such as mutations in ANKRD26, CEBPA, DDX41, ETV6, GATA2, RUNX1, SRP72 genes; and finally primarily pediatric inherited bone marrow failure syndromes such as Fanconi anemia, dyskeratosis congenita, severe congenital neutropenia, Shwachman-Diamond syndrome and Diamond Blackfan anemia. The recognition of these germline syndromes is essential in the management and follow-up of patients. Herein, we review the conditions associated with hereditary myeloid leukemia with a special clinical focus on management and monitoring.
Personal responsibility for health: conceptual clarity, and fairness in policy and practice

Rebecca Brown and Julian Savulescu1 focus on individuals’ responsibility regarding health-related behaviours. They rightly argue that paying attention to diachronic and dyadic aspects of responsibility can further illuminate the highly multifaceted concept of personal responsibility for health. Their point of departure is a pragmatic one. They note that personal responsibility ‘is highly intuitive, [that] responsibility practices are a commonplace feature of almost all areas of human life and interpersonal relationship [and that] the pervasiveness of this concept [suggest] the improbability of banishing it entirely’. Indeed, despite—or perhaps even quite independent of—decades of mostly sceptical conceptual analysis of the concept of personal responsibility by philosophers and others, it endures, if not flourishes. These separate dynamics raise the question of how, in years ahead, the debate on responsibility can be furthered most effectively, and how nuanced conceptual distinctions can effectively inform policy and practice. The authors’ table 1 matrix illustrates how different levels of control and knowledge people had at different timepoints might be grouped in categories of low, moderate or high demandingness: for policy makers sympathetic to the authors’ proposal that high levels of demandingness should undermine responsibility attributions, or for advocacy groups seeking to lobby on their behalf, several questions likely arise, including: How should …
Bovine Lactogenic Immunity Against Pediatric Enteropathogens

Diarrheal diseases affect over 1.5 billion and kill more than 4 million children less than 5 years of age each year in the lesser developed countries (LDCs) of the world’. Surveys of 60 LDCs revealed an average incidence of about 4 bouts of diarrheal disease/child/year1 whereas some countries, Peru, for example2, have an incidence of nearly 10 bouts annually in children under 5 years of age. If these children survive, they fail to thrive unless they are properly nourished and treated during their illness.
Regenerative potential of prostate luminal cells revealed by single-cell analysis.

Androgen deprivation is the cornerstone of prostate cancer treatment. It results in involution of the normal gland to ~90% of its original size because of the loss of luminal cells. The prostate regenerates when androgen is restored, a process postulated to involve stem cells. Using single-cell RNA sequencing, we identified a rare luminal population in the mouse prostate that expresses stemlike genes (Sca1+ and Psca+) and a large population of differentiated cells (Nkx3.1+, Pbsn+). In organoids and in mice, both populations contribute equally to prostate regeneration, partly through androgen-driven expression of growth factors (Nrg2, Rspo3) by mesenchymal cells acting in a paracrine fashion on luminal cells. Analysis of human prostate tissue revealed similar differentiated and stemlike luminal subpopulations that likewise acquire enhanced regenerative potential after androgen ablation. We propose that prostate regeneration is driven by nearly all persisting luminal cells, not just by rare stem cells.
A scoping review of surgical masks and N95 filtering facepiece respirators: Learning from the past to guide the future of dentistry

With the 2019 emergence of coronavirus disease 19 (colloquially called COVID-19) came renewed public concern about airborne and aerosolized virus transmission. Accompanying this concern were many conflicting dialogues about which forms of personal protective equipment best protect dental health care practitioners and their patients from viral exposure. In this comprehensive review we provide a thorough and critical assessment of face masks and face shields, some of the most frequently recommended personal safeguards against viral infection. We begin by describing the function and practicality of the most common mask types used in dentistry: procedural masks, surgical masks, and filtering respirator facemasks (also called N95s). This is followed by a critical assessment of mask use based on a review of published evidence in three key domains: the degree to which each mask type is shown to protect against airborne and aerosolized disease, the reported likelihood for non-compliance among mask users, and risk factors associated with both proper and improper mask use. We use this information to conclude our review with several practical, evidence-based recommendations for mask use in dental and dental educational clinics.
Treatment facility volume and patient outcomes in Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia

Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia (WM) has an annual incidence of 3–3.2 cases per million-person/year. National Cancer Data Base was used to identify newly diagnosed WM cases requiring initiation of th...
A Performance Comparison of Commonly Used Assays to Detect RET Fusions

Purpose: Selpercatinib and pralsetinib induce deep and durable responses in patients with advanced RET fusion–positive lung and thyroid cancer. RET fusion testing strategies with rapid and reliable results are critical given recent FDA approval. Here, we assess various clinical assays in a large pan-cancer cohort. Experimental Design: Tumors underwent DNA-based next-generation sequencing (NGS) with reflex to RNA-based NGS if no mitogenic driver or if a RET structural variant of unknown significance (SVUS) were present. Canonical DNA-level RET fusions and RNA-confirmed RET fusions were considered true fusions. Break-apart FISH and IHC performance were assessed in subgroups. Results: A total of 171 of 41,869 patients with DNA NGS harbored RET structural variants, including 139 canonical fusions and 32 SVUS. Twelve of 32 (37.5%) SVUS were transcribed into RNA-level fusions, resulting in 151 oncogenic RET fusions. The most common RET fusion–positive tumor types were lung (65.6%) and thyroid (23.2%). The most common partners were KIF5B (45%), CCDC6 (29.1%), and NCOA4 (13.3%). DNA NGS showed 100% (46/46) sensitivity and 99.6% (4,459/4,479) specificity. FISH showed 91.7% (44/48) sensitivity, with lower sensitivity for NCOA4-RET (66.7%, 8/12). A total of 87.5% (7/8) of RET SVUS negative for RNA-level fusions demonstrated rearrangement by FISH. The sensitivity of IHC varied by fusion partner: KIF5B sensitivity was highest (100%, 31/31), followed by CCDC6 (88.9%, 16/18) and NCOA4 (50%, 6/12). Specificity of RET IHC was 82% (73/89). Conclusions: Although DNA sequencing has high sensitivity and specificity, RNA sequencing of RET SVUS is necessary. Both FISH and IHC demonstrated lower sensitivity for NCOA4-RET fusions.
Sustainable Metrics: Using Measurement-Based Quality Improvement to Improve Maternity Practice While Avoiding Frustration and Pitfalls

The recent focus on measurement-based quality improvement to assess and improve maternity care has yielded important gains. However, to make quality measurement more sustainable, measure users must avoid or solve several common pitfalls, and measures must be carefully designed to maximize success. In this chapter, we describe the background and history of maternal care quality measurement in the United States (including some key measurement successes such as reducing early elective deliveries), discuss key design considerations for quality measurements, and detail some of the most common pitfalls of quality measurement initiatives. Carefully designing and selecting quality measures with attention to local practices and contexts of use can help lead to successful and sustainable quality measurement programs.
Greening and Cleaning World Football: The Environment, Clientelism, and Media Failure

Using a blend of political economy and case studies, this chapter signals the importance of an environmental and transformational approach to sports. I indicate that the current state of mainstream media coverage is ill suited to the historic tasks of greening and cleaning sports, due to its dependent, clientelist relationship with sporting authorities, be they private clubs or governing associations. There are valuable exceptions and a vibrant third sector of research and activism.
DCCD Inhibition of Cation Binding in the Gastric H,K-ATPase

The H,K-ATPase (EC 3.6.1.3) is the plasma membrane ATPase dedicated to the active transport of H+ across the gastric secretory epithelium (14,33,36). The H+ pump functions as an H+ for K+ exchanger with lumenal K+ actively exchanged for cytoplasmic H+ (16,35,37). While the primary sequence of this enzyme and its structural organization within an a,s-heterodimer have been elucidated, structural detail sufficient to identify residues involved in ligand binding sites within various domains is not presently available (17,22,28,40).
Response of closed basin lakes to interannual climate variability

Lakes are key indicators of a region’s hydrological cycle, directly reflecting the basin-wide balance between precipitation and evaporation. Lake-level records are therefore valuable repositories of climate history. However, the interpretation of such records is not necessarily straightforward. Lakes act as integrators of the year-to-year fluctuations in precipitation and evaporation that occur even in a constant climate. Therefore lake levels can exhibit natural, unforced fluctuations that persist on timescales of decades or more. This behavior is important to account for when distinguishing between true climate change and interannual variability as the cause of past lake-level fluctuations. We demonstrate the operation of this general principle for the particular case-study of the Great Salt Lake, which has long historical lake-level and climatological records. We employ both full water-balance and linear models. Both models capture the timing and size of the lake’s historical variations. We then model the lake’s response to much longer synthetic time series of precipitation and evaporation calibrated to the observations, and compare the magnitude and frequency of the modeled response to the Great Salt Lake’s historical record. We find that interannual climate variability alone can explain much of the decadal-to-centennial variations in the lake-level record. Further, analytic solutions to the linear model capture much of the full model’s behavior, but fail to predict the most extreme lake-level variations. We then apply the models to other lake geometries, and evaluate how the timing and amplitude of a lake-level response differs with climatic and geometric setting. A lake’s response to a true climatic shift can only be understood in the context of these expected persistent lake-level variations. On the basis of these results, we speculate that lake response to interannual climate variability may play an important part in explaining much of Holocene lake-level fluctuations.
Socioeconomic status may impact functional outcome of deep brain stimulation surgery in Parkinson's disease

Objectives To investigate the association between socioeconomic status and deep brain stimulation (DBS) outcomes in Parkinson's disease (PD). Materials and Methods We analyzed a cohort of PD patients who underwent DBS from 2007 to 2011, who had Clinical Global Impression Scale-Improvement subscale (CGI-I) scores at approximately one year postsurgery. We also analyzed a subgroup of patients who had pre and postoperative Movement Disorders Society-Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) Part II (functional subscale) and European Quality of Life Scale (EQ5D) scores. We performed regression analyses to determine the association between their median household income and their improvement in the MDS-UPDRS Part II, EQ-5D, and CGI-I post-DBS surgery. Results We analyzed 125 PD patients with CGI-I at one year post-DBS, including a subset of 43 patients who had pre- and post-DBS MDS-UPDRS Part II and EQ5D scores at 6 and 12 months. Median income was not significantly associated with the one-year CGI-I, the six-month MDS-UPDRS II, and the six-month and one-year EQ5D score. However, after adjusting for preoperative MDS-UPDRS II score, for every $10,000 increase in household median income, there was a 2.15-point improvement on the MDS-UPDRS II score after one year (95% confidence interval = −3.63 to −0.66, p = 0.0060). Conclusions PD patients with higher household incomes had better functional improvement at one year. However, this did not necessarily translate to better quality of life or overall clinical improvement when compared with PD patients with lower household incomes. The influence of household income on DBS and other advanced therapies for PD will need further investigation.
Prey capture kinematics in batoids using different prey types: investigating the role of the cephalic lobes.

Cephalic lobes are novel structures found in some myliobatid stingrays. While undulatory batoids utilize the pectoral fins for prey capture and locomotion, lobed species partition locomotion to the pectoral fins, utilizing the lobes exclusively for prey capture. We investigated the use of the anterior pectoral fins and cephalic lobes in prey capture in five batoid species. The purpose of this study was to investigate the: (1) prey capture kinematics and use of the cephalic lobes in lobed and lobeless batoids; (2) role of the cephalic lobes in modulating capture behavior based on prey type. It was hypothesized that lobed species would display unique capture behaviors resulting in faster and more successful capture of prey, and display greater modulation in capture behavior. Findings showed that lobed species used only the head region for capture, were faster at pouncing and tenting, but slower at mouth opening. The cephalic lobes were more movable than the anterior pectoral fins of lobeless species. Modulation occurred in all species. Elusive prey increased tent duration for the lobeless species, increased mouth opening duration in the lobed Aetobatus narinari, and were farther away from the mouth than non-elusive prey during biting for all species. All species had few prey escapes. Overall, species with cephalic lobes captured prey faster but did not display increased modulatory ability or feeding success. The cephalic lobes help localize prey capture to the head region, speeding up the prey capture event and maintaining an efficient capture rate despite having less flexible pectoral fins. J. Exp. Zool. 321A: 515–530, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Directed graph learning via high-order co-linkage analysis

Many real world applications can be naturally formulated as a directed graph learning problem. How to extract the directed link structures of a graph and use labeled vertices are the key issues to infer labels of the remaining unlabeled vertices. However, directed graph learning is not well studied in data mining and machine learning areas. In this paper, we propose a novel Co-linkage Analysis (CA) method to process directed graphs in an undirected way with the directional information preserved. On the induced undirected graph, we use a Green's function approach to solve the semi-supervised learning problem. We present a new zero-mode free Laplacian which is invertible. This leads to an Improved Green's Function (IGF) method to solve the classification problem, which is also extended to deal with multi-label classification problems. Promising results in extensive experimental evaluations on real data sets have demonstrated the effectiveness of our approach.
The Term Securities Lending Facility: Origin, Design, and Effects

The Federal Reserve launched the Term Securities Lending Facility (TSLF) in 2008 to promote liquidity in the funding markets and improve the operation of the broader financial markets. The facility increases the ability of dealers to obtain cash in the private market by enabling them to pledge securities temporarily as collateral for Treasuries, which are relatively easy to finance. The TSLF thus reduces the need for dealers to sell assets into illiquid markets as well as lessens the likelihood of a loss of confidence among lenders.
'Smart Cities' Meet 'Anchor Institutions': The Case of Broadband and the Public Library

The concepts “smart city” and “anchor institution” – both popular in policy circles – intersect at broadband infrastructure in ways that highlight the importance of civil society institutions to digital networks. This essay shows, through the example of public libraries, how anchor institutions can extend connectivity and the fruits of robust broadband. More broadly, there are lessons here about the meaning of “public-private partnerships,” often at the heart of smart city plans, and the virtues of strengthening the public side of that relationship. Buzz around smart cities has been building as policymakers seek to harness information technology to improve the delivery of city services and the welfare of urban residents. Whether the focus is on the Internet of Things or the delivery of educational services, strong telecommunications infrastructure is a necessary component. Enter the concept of “anchor institution” (e.g., university, library, hospital). It was not until 2009 that the term made its first appearance in United States law, and this was in the context of broadband policy. The public policy goals that anchor institutions are supposed to advance in the broadband context almost perfectly coincide with smart city goals: networking individuals and entities in ways that optimize the flow of information for social and economic advancement. The last few years have shown that the achievement of smart city and broadband policy goals in ways that are inclusive, democratic, and otherwise in the public interest will require the meaningful involvement of civil society institutions, like the public library. These institutions will have to share in, and contribute to, the intelligence that connectivity enables. The successes and failures thus far of broadband policy to engage anchor institutions may presage other smart city threats and promises. This essay explores these issues in four parts. Part I describes the smart city and anchor institution concepts. Part II identifies broadband policy goals and market gaps in their fulfillment. Part III shows how anchor institutions and public libraries in particular are important partners in reaching broadband infrastructure goals. Part IV then concludes with some observations for smart city initiatives in general.
Bench-to-Bedside Review: Ventilator Strategies to Reduce Lung Injury – Lessons from Pediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care

As in the adult with acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome, the use of lung-protective ventilation has improved outcomes for neonatal lung diseases. Animal models of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome and congenital diaphragmatic hernia have provided evidence that 'gentle ventilation' with low tidal volumes and 'open-lung' strategies of using positive end-expiratory pressure or high-frequency oscillatory ventilation result in less lung injury than do the traditional modes of mechanical ventilation with high inflating pressures and volumes. Although findings of retrospective studies in infants with respiratory distress syndrome, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, and persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn have been similar to those of the animal studies, prospective, randomized, controlled trials have yielded conflicting results. Successful clinical trial design in these infants and in children with acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome will require an appreciation of the data supporting the modern ventilator management strategies for infants with lung disease.
Behavioral rehearsal, self-instructions, and homework practice in developing assertiveness *

The present study evaluated the effects of self-instructions and overt practice on behavioral rehearsal treatment of social skills. Nonassertive clients (n=90) received one of four variations of behavioral rehearsal derived from the 2×2 combination of Self-instructions and Homework Practice. Clients who received self-instructions training engaged in self-statements designed to promote assertive behavior; clients who received homework assignments engaged in extratreatment practice activities to develop social skills. A delayed-treatment control group served as a no-treatment condition over the course of treatment of other clients; control clients were eventually assigned randomly to treatment. Rehearsal improved social skills as reflected on self-report inventories, global ratings, and measures of overt behavior. Clients who engaged in self-instructions or homework practice made greater improvements at posttreatment than those who received rehearsal alone. However, at a 6-month follow-up, only the effects of homework practice continued as a significant determinant of outcome. Treatment effects at posttreatment and follow-up brought clients to the level of other persons who regarded themselves as skilled in social situations.
Postoperative Pain Patterns in Chronic Pain Patients: A Pilot Study

Objective. This exploratory investigation compared patterns of postoperative pain over 6 days in normal patients recovering from surgery with those of patients using opioid medications for chronic pain. It tested the following hypotheses: 1) Chronic pain patients have a different pattern of postoperative pain than normals; 2) Women have a different pattern of postoperative pain resolution than men. Patients. Normal (N = 96) and chronic pain (N = 42) patients undergoing surgery served as subjects. Design. The study employed a linear mixed effects model to compare repeated measures of pain in the two patient groups. Outcome Measures. Patients rated pain daily following surgery over 6 days. Each patient's pain pattern is a linear trend having an intercept (initial pain level) and a slope (rate of pain change over days). Results. The chronic pain patients initially reported a higher mean pain level, and they differed from normal patients in their average postoperative pain patterns ( P < 0.001), as did men and women ( P = 0.039). Whereas normals decreased in pain report over the 6 days of recovery at an average rate of −0.35 units per day, chronic pain patients changed at an average rate of only −0.06 units per day ( P < 0.001). Women began at day 0 with greater average pain than men (6.15 vs 5.16, P = 0.029) but resolved their pain more rapidly (−0.291 points per day vs −0.118 points per day, P = 0.017). Conclusions. Surgical patients who have chronic pain and use opioid medications for that pain have more postoperative pain than normals and resolve that pain more slowly.
DC and microwave characteristics of sub-0.1- mu m gate-length planar-doped pseudomorphic HEMTs

Analytical modeling of these very-short-channel HEMTs (high-electron-mobility transistors) using the charge-control model is given. The calculations performed using this model indicate a very high electron velocity in the device channel (3.2+or-0.2*10/sup 7/ cm/s) and clearly demonstrate the advantages of the planar-doped devices as compared to the conventional uniformly doped HEMTs. Devices with different air-bridged geometries have been fabricated to study the effect of the gate resistance on the sub-0.1- mu m HEMT performance. With reduced gate resistance in the air-bridge-drain device, noise figures as low as 0.7 and 1.9 dB were measured at 18 and 60 GHz, respectively. Maximum available gains as high as 13.0 dB at 60 GHz and 9.2 dB at 92 GHz, corresponding to an f/sub max/ of 270 GHz, have also been measured in the device. Using the planar-doped pseudomorphic structure with a high gate aspect-ratio design, a noise figure of less than 2.0 dB at 94 GHz is projected based on expected further reduction in the parasitic gate and source resistances. >
Anesthesiologists in North Carolina: A survey reflecting emerging subspecialization

Abstract This North Carolina case study addresses the migration of anesthesiologists into subspecialty, clinical areas of anesthesiology over a 4 year period (1984 to 1987). Three hundred fourteen members of the North Carolina Society of Anesthesiologists (NCSA) were surveyed using a one-page questionnaire. The response rate was 93.6%. The questionnaire elicited data to characterize the magnitude of change in anesthesiologist manpower, to assess emerging subspecialization, to describe the flux of anesthesiologists entering and leaving practice, and to detail evolving modes of practice. Results indicated a net increase in manpower averaging 8.8% per year in academic programs, whereas clinical community practitioners increased physician positions at a rate three times the former (27% increase per year). Of 184 anesthesiologists recruited to North Carolina over 4 years, 75 different residency programs were represented; 48% of new anesthesiologists were from southern educational programs and 44% entered practice with fellowships (i.e., postgraduate year 4 to 5). The principal fellowship was cardiac (33%). Subspecialty areas were represented in all 53 reporting clinical practices. The principal practice mode emerging was hospital-based, same day surgery (85%) followed by pediatric anesthesia (81 %), perioperative pain management (68%), obstetric anesthesia (63%), and an anesthesia “clinic” (54%). Respondents expected additional practice options over the next 3 years with anesthesia for ambulatory diagnostic and therapeutic modalities projected to emerge at the fastest rate. In conclusion, anesthesiologists in North Carolina seem to be filling unmet needs in obstetric and cardiac anesthesia, critical care, ambulatory surgery, and pain therapy units. These observations may represent a vignette of the national scene.
Surface electronic states and stability of the H-terminated Si(100) 1×1 surface produced by low-temperature H-plasma exposure

The electronic states and surface structure of H-terminated Si(100) produced by low-temperature (\ensuremath{\le}150 \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C) H-plasma exposure was studied by angle-resolved ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy (ARUPS). After H-plasma exposure at 100 \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C and 150 \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C, the surface exhibited a 1\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}1 low-energy-electron-diffraction (LEED) pattern. The ARUPS spectrum of the 1\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}1 H-terminated phase showed a broad feature at \ensuremath{\sim}6 eV below ${\mathit{E}}_{\mathit{F}}$, and its angle dependence exhibited a nondispersive character. This feature was attributed to electronic states of the dihydride bonding configuration. The surface/resonance states of the Si-Si dimer bond were also identified in the ARUPS spectra, and the relative amount of monohydride structures was correlated with this feature. Surfaces prepared at 100 \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C and 150 \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C exhibited different relative amounts of monohydride and dihydride surface configurations. As the surface was annealed to 400 \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C the LEED transformed to a 2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}1 structure, and the transition from predominantly dihydride configurations to monohydride bonding was identified. The monohydride Si-H surface bond was stable up to 460 \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C, and the dangling-bond surface states were identified after annealing at 500 \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C.
Transient photoconductivity in polyacetylene and polydiacetylene

Abstract We present a short survey of our results for a few interesting polymer systems. We begin with trans -(CH)x grown by the Shirakawa method, and we compare the transient photoconductivity (TP) results to those obtained from PDA-TS which currently is the only conjugated polymer in single crystal form. From this comparison, we are able to gauge the improvements in the material quality as was demonstrated by recent TP in trans-(CH)x grown by the Naarmann/Theophilou method. The direct measurement of the mobility in PDA-TS using the sweep-out method is described as well.
Combinatorial epitope search: Pitfalls of library design

Abstract Borrelia burgodorferi flagellin epitopes of various formats were presented on a TentaGel support. ELISA binding assays of these epitopes showed that a flexible linker, β-Ala-β-Ala, was better than a rigid linker, Pro-Pro, for peptide-antibody recognition. The previously reported 12-mer epitope was optimally minimized to a hexamer. Borrelia burgodorferi flagellin epitopes of various formats were presented on a TentaGel support. ELISA binding assays of these epitopes showed that a flexible linker, β-Ala-β-Ala, was better than a rigid linker, Pro-Pro, for peptide-antibody recognition. The previously reported 12-mer epitope was optimally minimized to a hexamer.
Design of sensing and power allocation strategies for energy-aware multi-channel cognitive radio networks

Frequency spectrum and energy are two key resources of green cognitive radio networks with battery-powered wireless terminals. The issues of how to utilize sparse frequency spectrum and limited energy resource pose challenges to the design of sensing and power allocation strategies that affect both throughput and energy consumption. In this paper, we first construct an utility function that incorporates throughput as reward and energy consumption as cost for a time slotted multi-channel cognitive radio network. An optimization problem to maximize the utility function is formulated involving optimization of both sensing parameters (sensing duration and local test threshold) and power allocation strategy. The problem is non-convex, however, we decouple it into two separate convex problems and propose an iterative algorithm to obtain a suboptimal solution. The simulation results show that our iterative algorithm converges fast and performs better than an “only power allocation optimization” approach and an existing approach that ignores energy efficiency.
Effect of a Practice Guideline on the Process of Emergency Department Care of Falls in Elder Patients

Objective: To determine the effect of a practice guideline on the process of ED care in a health maintenance organization. Methods: A pre—post-intervention comparison with a one-year pre-intervention phase followed by a one-year post-educational intervention phase was used to study the effect of the guideline on ED care. Emergency physicians and nurses were provided the details of the guideline during a two-week interval between the two periods. Results: During the two years of the study, 1,140 preintervention and 759 post-intervention patients met study eligibility criteria. More patients were diagnosed as having had falls due to loss of consciousness, stroke, and seizures during the post-intervention period (pre-intervention 3.8% vs post-intervention 8.4%, p < 0.001). There was a significant improvement in documentation of six of ten history items: cause of fall (64.5% vs 72.9%), location of fall (54.7% vs 60.5%), ability to get up unassisted (5.4% vs 12.5%), long lie after fall (1.5% vs 10.1%), prescription medications (79.0% vs 92.2%), and Pneumovax immunization status (20.8% vs 43.0%); and two of the four physical examination items: visual acuity (1.5% vs 3.2%) and the “get up and go test” (1.3% vs 11.2%). Prescribing of calcium and vitamin D increased from 0% to 6.6%. Conclusions: The educational intervention to the practice guideline for the ED management of falls in elders led to small but significant improvements in the documentation of selected history and physical examination items and the prescribing of calcium and vitamin D, and to a greater consideration of the causes of falls.