cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Penile Prosthesis Infections—A Review of Risk Factors, Prevention, and Treatment

Abstract Introduction Inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP) surgery has been performed for more than 40 years. IPP infection rates have decreased owing to advances in manufacturing and surgical technique but have remained a devastating complication. Aims To describe the pathophysiology of infections, examine evidence associating clinical risk factors with IPP infection, assess the benefit of techniques aimed at preventing and managing infection, and discuss future directions. Methods PubMed and Google Scholar were searched for studies relating to IPP infections. Main Outcome Measures A comprehensive review of the literature on IPP infections focusing on predisposing factors and ways to prevent and treat. Results There are two types of IPP infections: those caused by coagulase-negative Staphylococcus species, which present mildly, and those caused by organisms that are more virulent and systemically toxic. Biofilm on devices protects bacteria from immunologic responses and antibiotics. Much research has targeted biofilm. Spinal cord injury, IPP revision, and longer operative times predispose to IPP infection. Other factors, such as diabetes, immunosuppression, and concomitant surgeries, lack sufficient evidence to determine conclusively. Methods that decrease infections include using infused prostheses and adhering to surgical techniques that avoid prolonged wound exposure. Techniques that might prevent IPP infection but lack definitive evidence are using postoperative antibiotics past 24 hours, shaving with clippers, and prepping with chlorhexidine-alcohol. Different treatments for IPP infections exist. Antibiotics should be followed by explantation if no improvement occurs. Device replacement can be immediate or delayed depending on infection severity and other variables such as erosion. Various techniques are proposed to prevent corporal fibrosis after IPP removal. Conclusion We reviewed studies to determine true risk factors and the techniques that have true impact on infection prevention. Newer studies focusing on prevention and disruption of biofilm will be key in advancing the best outcomes.
Rheology control for liner alpha olefin synthetic drilling fluid

In view of transient rheology of conventional oil base drilling fluid at high temperature, the liner alpha olefin fluid was studied and the influential factors and methods of control on its rheology were discussed. At the same time, the effect of rheology improving agent on rheology was also examined which can enhance the viscosity of liner alpha olefin fluid at high temperature. Results showed that preferable rheology of this drilling fluid could be obtained by adjusting oil/water ratio and the organic clay content. The organic clay content of 3%～4% is appropriate to unweighted drilling fluid, while 1%～3% content is appropriate to the density of 1.5 g/cm~3 and 0.5%～1% to 2.04 g/cm~3. The plastic viscosity and yield of this drilling fluid can be liner increase with increase of water content. The emulsifier can keep the rheology, but overmuch can decrease the plastic viscosity. The rheology improving agents of OCPA and T612 have little effects on atmospheric temperature rheology of the drilling fluid, while enhance viscosity at high temperature. Moreover, 1.5%OCPA coupled with 0.5%T612 have a better effect.
Digital nerve compression.

SUMMARY A review of the relatively small body of literature about digital nerve compression injuries has been supplemented by the author’s experience and interest of over 40 years. The principal lesions involved are of two types: (1) fibrosis about, around, and in the nerve; and (2) reactive hyperplasia of the nerve support elements and sometimes of special end organs, Pacinian corpuscles, and even of the nerve fibers themselves. Nerve signs and symptoms often accompanied by a mass in chronic cases are diagnostic. The most important features of the topic are the recognition by all of the risk elements, embodied in many personal and professional devices and techniques. These risk elements are present in all parts of our society, including home and occupational, avocational, and medical situations. Treatment is best provided by awareness of risk and avoidance of risk activities, particularly repetitive risk activities. Surgery is preferably avoided, but when indicated it is effective. It consists principally of lysis and protective positioning of the damaged nerve or, on occasion, of excision of terminal or end-organ lesions. More information must be gathered about these exceedingly common but notably under-reported problems.
Organelles in health and diseases.

Cellular organelles have their own critical functions. For example, mitochondria are a power source to maintain cellular and tissue energy demand. However, recent expansion of pharmacological, molecular and genetic tools have allowed us to observe that these organelles have active intracellular as well as extracellular communications important for cell and organ homoeostasis. Disruption, chronic activation or de-compensation of such communication has been associated with a variety of pathophysiological conditions such as those seen in metabolic diseases, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Several recent articles have demonstrated that pharmacological as well as genetic intervention to alter specific organelle communication/signal transduction could be useful to prevent pathology in experimental models of human diseases …
On the Distribution of Photon Counts with Censoring in Two-Photon Laser Scanning Microscopy

We address the problem of counting emitted photons in two-photon laser scanning microscopy. Following a laser pulse, photons are emitted after exponentially distributed waiting times. Modeling the counting process is of interest because photon detectors have a dead period after a photon is detected that leads to an underestimate of the count of emitted photons. We describe a model which has a Poisson $$(\alpha )$$ number N of photons emitted, and a dead period $$\Delta $$ that is standardized by the fluorescence time constant $$\tau (\delta = \Delta /\tau )$$ , and an observed count D. The estimate of $$\alpha $$ determines the intensity of a single pixel in an image. We first derive the distribution of D and study its properties. We then use it to estimate $$\alpha $$ and $$\delta $$ simultaneously by maximum likelihood. We show that our results improve the signal-to-noise ratio, hence the quality of actual images.
Global Trends of Steel and Long-Term Equilibrium Hypothesis across Leading Countries

The aim of this study is twofold – on the one hand, to report a flow analysis based on historical trends of steel, from 1997 to 2008, across some leading geo-economic players; on the other, the analysis of long-term relationship between steel consumption and economic growth by the sensitivity of the demand of steel consumption to a change in the national income. Results show that steel production and consumption have different economic behaviour across some countries: in particular, China and Italy have higher average annual growth of the production of crude (CHN 9.75%; ITA 0.83%), steel crude use equivalent (CHN 8.37%; ITA 1.95%) and steel use finished products (CHN 9.38%; ITA 1.65%), whereas the US have higher average annual growth of imports (13.23%) and China of exports of semi-finished/finished steel products (20.38%). In addition, the estimated average elasticity of the consumption of steel on national income per countries, based on unidirectional causality that runs from national income to steel consumption, shows de facto positive values, except in UK economy. The analysis here provides main information on the industrial structure of countries and for designing policies aimed to support patterns of economic growth in current turbulent and fast-changing markets.
Modal logic S4F and the minimal knowledge paradigm

In this paper, we propose a new semantic model and the corresponding syntactic characterization for autoepistemic reasoning. In contrast with the well-known work of Moore [Moo85], who proposed an autoepistemic logic of self-belief, our goal is to propose an autoepistemic logic of self-knowledge.
Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems

This chapter gives an elementary account of hybrid renewable energy systems (HRES). This type of system according to today’s demand on providing new source of electricity On-pick and storage of energy as a source of such demandable energy of electricity Off-pick. Hybrid renewable energy systems (HRES) are becoming popular as stand-alone power systems for providing electricity in remote areas due to advances in renewable energy technologies and subsequent rise in prices of petroleum products. A hybrid energy system, or hybrid power, usually consists of two or more renewable energy sources used together to provide increased system efficiency as well as greater balance in energy supply [1]. A renewable energy is energy that is collected from renewable resources, which are naturally replenished on a human timescale, such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, waves, and geothermal heat. Renewable energy often provides energy in four important areas: electricity generation, air and water heating/cooling, transportation, and rural (off-grid) energy services.
Sex differences after chronic stress in the expression of opioid-, stress- and neuroplasticity-related genes in the rat hippocampus.

Abstract Opioid peptides and their receptors re-organize within hippocampal neurons of female, but not male, rats following chronic immobilization stress (CIS) in a manner that promotes drug-related learning. This study was conducted to determine if there are also sex differences in gene expression in the hippocampus following CIS. Adult female and male rats were subjected to CIS (30 min/day) for 10 days. Twenty-four hours after the last stressor, the rats were euthanized, the brains were harvested and the medial (dentate gyrus/CA1) and lateral (CA2/CA3) dorsal hippocampus were isolated. Following total RNA isolation, cDNA was prepared for gene expression analysis using a RT2 Profiler PCR expression array. This custom designed qPCR expression array contained genes for opioid peptides and receptors, as well as genes involved in stress-responses and candidate genes involved in synaptic plasticity, including those upregulated following oxycodone self-administration in mice. Few sex differences are seen in hippocampal gene expression in control (unstressed) rats. In response to CIS, gene expression in the hippocampus was altered in males but not females. In males, opioid, stress, plasticity and kinase/signaling genes were all down-regulated following CIS, except for the gene that codes for corticotropin releasing hormone, which was upregulated. Changes in opioid gene expression following chronic stress were limited to the CA2 and CA3 regions (lateral sample). In conclusion, modest sex- and regional-differences are seen in expression of the opioid receptor genes, as well as genes involved in stress and plasticity responses in the hippocampus following CIS.
A novel t-stage classification system for adrenocortical carcinoma: Proposal from the U.S. Adrenocortical Carcinoma Study Group.

266Background: The 7th AJCC T-stage classification system for adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC), based on size and extra-adrenal invasion, does not adequately stratify patients by survival. Lymphovasc...
A set of experimentally validated, mutually orthogonal primers for combinatorially specifying genetic components.

The design and synthesis of novel genes and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequences is a central technique in synthetic biology. Current methods of high throughput gene synthesis use pooled oligonucleotides obtained from custom-designed DNA microarray chips, and rely on orthogonal (non-interacting) polymerase chain reaction primers to specifically de-multiplex, by amplification, the precise subset of oligonucleotides necessary to assemble a full length gene. The availability of a large validated set of mutually orthogonal primers is therefore a crucial reagent for high-throughput gene synthesis. Here, we present a set of 166 20-nucleotide primers that are experimentally verified to be non-interacting, capable of specifying 13 695 unique genes. These primers represent a valuable resource to the synthetic biology community for specifying genetic components that can be assembled through a scalable and modular architecture.
Technical Nuances of Exposing Rat Common Carotid Arteries for Practicing Microsurgical Anastomosis.

Background Animal models are commonly used in training protocols for microsurgical vascular anastomosis. Rat common carotid arteries (CCAs) are frequently used for this purpose. Much attention has been paid to the technical details of various anastomosis configurations using these arteries. However, technical nuances of exposing rat CCAs have been understudied. The purpose of this study is to describe nuances of technique for safely and efficiently exposing rat CCAs in preparation for a vascular anastomosis. Methods Bilateral CCAs were exposed and prepared for anastomosis in 10 anesthetized Sprague-Dawley rats through a midline cervical incision. The exposed length of the CCA was measured. Additionally, technical nuances of exposure and surgically relevant anatomic details were recorded. Results The CCAs were exposed from the sternoclavicular joint to their bifurcation (average length, 19.1 ± 2.8 mm). Tenets important for a safe and efficient exposure of the CCAs included 1) generous subcutaneous dissection to expose the external jugular veins (EJVs), 2) avoiding injury to or compression of the EJVs, 3) superior mobilization of the salivary glands, 4) division of internal jugular veins, 5) opening the carotid sheath at its midlevel and from medial to lateral, and 6) avoiding injury to the vagus nerve or sympathetic trunk. Conclusions Using the principles introduced in this study, trainees may safely and efficiently expose rat CCAs in preparation for a bypass.
Selective Disclosure by Issuers, Its Legality and Ex Ante Harm

Selective disclosure by issuers may sometimes violate rule 10b-5 if the issuer, as an entity, obtains an improper "personal benefit." Uncertain is the stock price accuracy benefit of the insider trading resulting from selective disclosure. The interval between the trading and public disclosure may be too short to produce a significant economic benefit. Furthermore, if share prices are already quite far from their fundamental value, insider trading may sometimes move prices farther away from accuracy. Are investors injured when an issuer engages in selective disclosure that results in insider trading? The answer may be yes, both ex post and ex ante. Ex post, the insider trading injures preempted and/or induced traders. Some commentators argue that, ex ante, induced or preempted traders are not injured because share prices will discount both the risk of becoming a victim of an insider trade and any loss of liquidity caused by a widening of bid-ask spreads by market-makers and specialists. Presumably, this discount will harm issuers by lowering the price at which they issue shares. Nevertheless, ex ante, insider trading may still harm preempted and/or induced traders if the market is unable to determine an appropriate discount for the risk of becoming a victim. Assume arguendo that the market is able to determine this discount. If the SEC forbids selective disclosure by issuers, the discount will decline. The prohibition transfers wealth from insider trading tippees to all shareholders. Even if some investors receive a windfall because they originally bought at a discount, the SEC may decide that insider trading profits are an even less deserved benefit. Additionally, even if stock prices discount the risk of harm from insider trading, investors would benefit from the decline in the uncertainty of injury that would result from a broad SEC prohibition of selective disclosure. Because the risk is associated with trading, not holding stocks, a diversified portfolio does not eliminate the risk (even assuming investors are diversified). Furthermore, even ex ante, frequent traders are disproportionately harmed by insider trading, again because the risk is associated with trading. One might argue that, because of the deterrence of excessive stock trading and speculation, the nation might actually benefit from an increase in bid-ask spreads and disproportionate harm to frequent traders. Nevertheless, the SEC may disagree. It may view its mission as encouraging securities trading in this country to improve the liquidity of the American stock market. If so, the Commission may wish to forbid selective disclosure by issuers, as it has done partly with Regulation FD. Such a prohibition would reduce both bid-ask spreads in the United States and the uncertainty investors face in becoming victims of a stock market insider trade. As a result, the liquidity of U.S. markets would increase. In short, selective disclosure by issuers harms investors, both ex post and ex ante.
Assessing Geographical Clustering of Outpatient Psychiatric: Service Utilization in Philadelphia

This study explores a local K-function estimation as a method to identify the spatial clusters of service users of outpatient psychiatric programs in Philadelphia. GIS maps were created to visualize and evaluate the results of K-function analysis. The Medicaid eligible population was used as the control group. The study validated factual information provided in a recent policy brief that reports lower service utilization among African Americans. The subsequent map analysis also indicated that the proximity to service providers and racial composition of the census tract that an eligible individual lives could also affect the decision to be a service user. Specifically, the study found that African Americans living in Caucasian neighborhoods were more likely to be service users while African Americans living in African American neighborhoods were less likely to use services.
Singled Out: Scaling Violence and Social Groups as Legal Borderwork in U.S. Asylum Law

Through legal interpretation of immigration categories, such as the refugee definition, signatories to the UN Refugee Convention restrict access to political asylum. This paper examines how scalar ...
CDH1 Gene and Hereditary Diffuse Gastric Cancer Syndrome: Molecular and Histological Alterations and Implications for Diagnosis And Treatment.

Gastric cancer, a group of common malignancies, results in the most cancer mortality worldwide after only lung and colorectal cancer. Although familial gastric cancers have long been recognized, it was not until recently that they were discovered to be associated with mutations of specific genes. Mutations of CDH1, the gene encoding E-cadherin, are the most common germline mutations detected in gastric cancer and underlie hereditary diffuse gastric cancer (HDGC) syndrome. All reported HDGCs are the pure diffuse type by Lauren classification and are associated with dismal prognosis once the tumor invades the submucosa. Because CDH1 germline mutations are inherited in an autosomal-dominant fashion and have high penetrance, the International Gastric Cancer Linkage Consortium (IGCLC) developed criteria to facilitate the screening of CDH1 mutation carriers; these criteria have been proven to have excellent sensitivity and specificity. Recent histologic studies suggest that HDGC progresses through several stages. Even when the tumor becomes “invasive” in lamina propria, it may stay indolent for a long time. However, the molecular mechanisms that induce the transitions between stages and determine the length of the indolent phase remain to be determined. Although the standard management for CDH1 mutation carriers is prophylactic total gastrectomy, many questions must be answered before the surgery can be done. These include the optimal surveillance strategy, the best strategy to choose surgical candidates, and the ideal time to perform surgery. In addition to increasing the risk of gastric cancer, CDH1 germline mutations also increase the risk of invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast, and possibly colorectal adenocarcinoma, and are associated with blepharocheilodontic syndrome (a congenital development disorder). However, the optimal management of these conditions is less established owing to insufficient data regarding the risk of cancer development. This review focuses on molecular and histological findings in HDGC, as opposed to sporadic diffuse gastric cancer, and their implications for the management of CDH1 mutation carriers and the diagnosis and treatment of HDGC. Other conditions associated with CDH1 germline mutations and future research directions are also discussed.
The Meaning of October Tenth

First of all, I want to express the appreciation of the Chinese Community to the New York World’s Fair authorities for their gracious act of designating this day as “China Day” at the Fair. This act is all the more generous because China, as you all know, withdrew last year from her original plans of participating in the national exhibits at the Fair. By this kind invitation today, the Fair authorities have shown us that they have forgiven China’s desertion in a worthy cause,—a desertion which was forced upon her by the necessities of a protracted war of aggression on her own soil.
Risk Factors for Complications and Nondiagnostic Results following 1,155 Consecutive Percutaneous Core Renal Mass Biopsies.

Purpose:The purpose of this study was to evaluate patient, tumor and technical factors associated with procedural complications and nondiagnostic findings following percutaneous core renal mass bio...
When Words Fail: Providing Effective Psychological Treatment for Depression in Persons with Aphasia.

More than 2 million people in the United States are living with some form of aphasia, a communication disorder that has been associated with high incidence of clinical depression. Despite their large numbers, persons with aphasia have received little clinical attention from psychologists and other mental health providers. The life participation interventions and supported communication methods developed and routinely employed by speech–language pathologists could assist mental health professionals in addressing the needs of this underserved population. This paper examines the psychological challenges facing individuals living with aphasia and the factors contributing to depressive symptoms among those with significant communication loss. In addition, it explores the potential compatibility between life participation interventions developed by speech–language pathologists and evidence-based cognitive–behavioral interventions for depression, such as behavioral activation. Specific adaptations to behavioral activation for individuals experiencing aphasia-related depressive symptoms are explored, along with strategies for integrating supported communication in the provision of mental health treatment.
Revisiting Clarence King’s "Catastrophism and Evolution" (1877)

Published comments by American scientists on Darwin’s evolutionary theory are rather rare in the latter half of the 19th century. Clarence King, the founding director of the U.S. Geological Survey in 1879, and an experienced field geologist, focused on the relation between Darwin’s evolutionary concepts and the larger context of Hutton/Lyell’s uniformitarianism versus Cuvier’s catastrophism in his 1877 paper, “Catastrophism and Evolution.” King knew that the fossil record contains little or no data supporting Darwin’s vision of gradual evolutionary change (indeed, Darwin himself was also painfully aware of that fact). Instead, using horse evolution seen in the rocks of the American West, the very example that by the 1920s had become the shining exemplar of gradual evolutionary change, King argued for catastrophic extinction and evolutionary replacement by “plastic” species that were able to survive in modified form as components of the succeeding biota. Though he could not see such change as involving natural selection, in this novel (for the times, whether in Europe or elsewhere, insofar as I am aware) use of the term “plasticity,” there may well be adumbrations of modern evolutionary biology. King’s themes became muted as Americans began to embrace more fully Darwin’s work. But his version of catastrophism never entirely disappeared, especially in paleobiological circles. And it came back in more fully modern form with force beginning with the work of Norman D. Newell on mass extinctions in the mid-20th century—and with that of two of his students: Eldredge and Gould’s (1972) “Punctuated Equilibria.” This essay introduces King’s “Catastrophism and Evolution” (published in The American Naturalist, vol. 11, no. 8, August 1877, pp. 449–470) for the journal’s “Classics in Biological Theory” collection; King’s article is available as supplementary material in the online version of this introduction.
2612 Tumors of the Appendix: Prevalence in Patients with Chronic Pelvic Pain Undergoing Minimally Invasive Excision Surgery with Concomitant Appendectomy for Suspected Endometriosis

Study Objective To determine the prevalence of appendiceal tumors in patients with chronic pelvic pain undergoing excisional surgery. Design Retrospective chart review. Setting Two Large Metropolitan Academic Hospitals. Patients or Participants 135 patients between the ages of 16 to 52 with chronic pelvic pain undergoing minimally invasive excision surgery with concomitant appendectomy for suspected endometriosis from January 2012 to June 2017. Interventions Medical records and postoperative pathology reports were analyzed for all 135 patients for the presence of appendiceal tumors, presence of endometriosis, and age. Measurements and Main Results The prevalence of appendiceal tumors in patients with chronic pelvic pain was 3% (95% CI:0.1-5.8%). Of these cases, three were neuroendocrine carcinoid tumors (0.5 cm, 0.6 cm, and 1.1 cm respectively) and one was a low grade appendiceal mucinous neoplasm (LAMN). Two of the patients had biopsy confirmed endometriosis. The biopsy confirmed endometriosis patients had the 0.6 cm neuroendocrine carcinoid tumor and the LAMN, respectively. Patients with and without appendiceal tumors had mean ages of 26.8±7.1 and 32.6±7.6 years, respectively. Conclusion The 3% prevalence of appendiceal tumors in our sample and the young age of the patients with appendiceal tumors is at odds with the much lower prevalence of appendiceal tumors and much older patient population reported in the literature. This highlights the increased need for research to establish predictive diagnostic criteria for appendiceal tumors and suggests that surgeons consider concomitant appendectomies in patients with chronic pelvic pain.
Cleveland Clinic Foundation Internal Medicine Residency Program.

Quality Improvement Success Stories are published by the American Diabetes Association in collaboration with the American College of Physicians, Inc. (ACP), and the National Diabetes Education Program. This series is intended to highlight best practices and strategies from programs and clinics that have successfully improved the quality of care for people with diabetes or related conditions. Each article in the series is reviewed and follows a standard format developed by the editors of Clinical Diabetes. The following article describes an initiative of the Cleveland Clinic’s internal medicine residents to improve diabetes care and outcomes within an underserved patient population at an East Cleveland, OH, health center.
Variability and Misclassification of Sleep Apnea Severity Based on Multi-Night Testing

Background Portable monitoring is a convenient means for diagnosing sleep apnea. However, data on whether one night of monitoring is sufficiently precise for the diagnosis of sleep apnea are limited. Research Question The current study sought to determine the variability and misclassification in disease severity over three consecutive nights in a large sample of patients referred for sleep apnea. Methods A sample of 10,340 adults referred for sleep apnea testing was assessed. A self-applied type III monitor was used for three consecutive nights. The apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) was determined for each night, and a reference AHI was computed by using data from all 3 nights. Pairwise correlations and the proportion misclassified regarding disease severity were computed for each of the three AHI values against the reference AHI. Results Strong correlations were observed between the AHI from each of the 3 nights (r = 0.87-0.89). However, substantial within-patient variability in the AHI and significant misclassification in sleep apnea severity were observed based on any 1 night of monitoring. Approximately 93% of the patients with a normal study on the first night and 87% of those with severe sleep apnea on the first night were correctly classified compared with the reference derived from all three nights. However, approximately 20% of the patients with mild and moderate sleep apnea on the first night were misdiagnosed either as not having sleep apnea or as having mild disease, respectively. Conclusions In patients with mild to moderate sleep apnea, one night of portable testing can lead to misclassification of disease severity given the substantial night-to-night variability in the AHI.
The view from the streets

This article offers a view of the impact of Dr. James Cone’s Black liberation theology on faith-based social action from an orientation of front-line activism of people of faith. The significance o...
Outcomes from an Expanded Targeted Early Cytomegalovirus Testing Program

Objective This study aimed to determine the outcomes from an expanded targeted early congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) testing program. Study Design A retrospective analysis of data was collected from June 2016 to April 2018 of patients who underwent expanded targeted early cCMV testing during the peri-implementation phase. Information regarding patient presentation, test type/result, and audiologic outcomes were collected. Chi-square and two-sample t-tests were performed. Results A total of 754 patients underwent cCMV testing; during that period there were 56,947 births at 20 different hospitals. Reasons for completing cCMV testing included the following: (1) failed hearing screening (35.8%), (2) intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) or small for gestational age (SGA) (29.1%), (3) sepsis (10.7%), (4) other/unknown (8.7%), (5) elevated liver enzymes or bilirubin (5.1%), (6) thrombocytopenia (5.1%), (7) central nervous system abnormalities (3.3%), and (8) mother with suspected cCMV infection (2.2%). The most frequent type of cCMV test performed was urine polymerase chain reaction (75.8%). A total of 21 (2.8%) patients tested positive for cCMV, of which 12 (57%) were symptomatic. This value represents a prevalence of 36.9 cCMV cases and 21.1 symptomatic cCMV cases diagnosed per 100,000 live births. Criteria most commonly associated with a positive testing were failed hearing screening (33.3%), IUGR/SGA (28.6%), and a mother with suspected cCMV infection (19.0%). Conclusion Implementation of an expanded targeted early CMV testing program has the potential to identify symptomatic cCMV infants who would not be identified otherwise.
Biomarkers for ADHD: the Present and Future Directions

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by inattention, impulsivity, diminished executive functions, and hyperactivity. Objective criteria can be used to assess the diagnosis and response of the disease to medications. Several biomarkers belonging to electrophysiological, genetic, peripheral, and miRNA-based biomarkers have shown promise in studies to be an objective aid to clinical diagnostic criteria for the diagnosis of ADHD. This review article focuses on summarizing the existing evidence for different biomarkers that have been studied in the past for diagnosing ADHD.
Separation of underdeveloped from developed cotton fibers by attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

Abstract Cotton is an important natural textile commodity and consists of mostly cellulose in developed fibers. Underdeveloped fibers with fewer cellulose were found to cause fiber entanglement and to downgrade the fabric color appearance. Rapid and non-destructive attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR FT-IR) technique was examined to discriminate underdeveloped from developed Upland fibers, which were represented by two cotton near isogenic lines (NILs), Texas Marker-1 (TM-1) and immature fiber (im) mutant that differ in fiber cellulose biosynthesis. Developed NIL fibers were harvested from naturally open bolls in the cotton plant, whereas underdeveloped fibers were collected from unopened bolls in which fibers were still growing at various developmental stages. The spectra of both underdeveloped and developed fibers were analyzed by three algorithms for assessing infrared maturity (MIR), infrared crystallinity (CIIR), and R values, and also by conventional principal component analysis (PCA). Both the first principal component (PC1) score and R values discriminated underdeveloped from developed fibers, but could not differentiate NILs further. Although a single use of MIR or CIIR index could not classify underdeveloped from developed fibers effectively, their combination improved a separation of NILs within underdeveloped or developed fibers. The results suggested that ATR FT-IR spectroscopy with algorithm approach enables the separation of underdeveloped from developed fibers and potentially can be used as fiber phenotype screening method.
We’re Here for You: The Unsolicited Covid-19 Email

Although companies have long used email to correspond directly with consumers in times of crisis (George & Pratt, 2012), the Covid-19 pandemic has incited an unprecedented flood of emails to our in...
Long-term outcomes in patients with normal coronary arteries, nonobstructive, or obstructive coronary artery disease on invasive coronary angiography.

BACKGROUND Normal or near normal coronary arteries (NNCA) or nonobstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) are commonly found on invasive coronary angiography (ICA). HYPOTHESIS We aimed to determine long-term outcomes by severity of CAD in a contemporary cohort of patients undergoing ICA for evaluation for ischemic heart disease. METHODS We assessed a consecutive cohort of 925 patients who underwent non-emergent ICA over 24 months. Cardiac death (CD), nonfatal myocardial infarction (NFMI), late revascularization, and medication use were assessed. RESULTS Follow-up data was available in 850 patients. Of patients without heart failure, at a median of 6.0 years, there was a significant decrease in survival free from CD or NFMI, and from all cardiac events, for those with obstructive CAD compared with patients with NNCAs or nonobstructive CAD (p < .001 for both). No differences between NNCA and nonobstructive CAD patients in rates of CD or NFMI (2.0% vs. 2.1%/year, p = .58) or all cardiac events (2.4% vs. 2.9%/year, p = .84) were observed. CONCLUSION Long-term follow-up in a contemporary cohort of consecutive patients undergoing non-emergent ICA for detection of CAD showed no difference in annual rates of CD or NFMI, or total cardiac events, in patients with NNCAs versus those with nonobstructive CAD, whereas patients with obstructive CAD had significantly more events. Event rates were low and similar by gender. Use of aspirin, lipid lowering therapy, and beta-blockers increased in all subgroups after ICA. We speculate this may explain the low incidence of subsequent cardiac events, and similar event rates in patients with NNCA and nonobstructive CAD, even in patients presenting with non-ST-elevation MI.
Influence of intramolecular electron transfer mechanism in biological nitration, nitrosation, and oxidation of redox-sensitive amino acids.

Abstract Using both high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and electron spin resonance (ESR) spin‐trappng techniques, we developed an analytical methodology for investigating intramolecular electron transfer‐mediated tyrosyl nitration and cysteine nitrosation in model peptides. Peptides N ‐acetyl‐TyrCys‐amide (YC), N ‐acetyl‐TyrAlaCys‐amide, N ‐acetyl‐TyrAlaAlaCys‐amide, and N ‐acetyl‐TyrAlaAlaAlaAlaCys‐amide were used as models. Product analysis showed that nitration and oxidation products derived from YC and related peptides in the presence of myeloperoxidase (MPO)/H 2 O 2 /NO 2 − were not detectable. The major product was determined to be the corresponding disulfide (e.g., YCysCysY), suggestive of a rapid electron transfer from the tyrosyl radical to the cysteinyl residue. ESR spin‐trapping experiments with 5,5′‐dimethyl‐1‐pyrroline N ‐oxide (DMPO) demonstrated that thiyl radical intermediates were formed from peptides (e.g., YC) treated with MPO/H 2 O 2 and MPO/H 2 O 2 /NO 2 − . Blocking the thiol group in YC totally abrogated thiyl radical formation. Under similar conditions, we were, however, able to trap the tyrosyl radical using the spin trap dibromonitrosobenzene sulfonic acid (DBNBS). Competition spin‐trapping experiments revealed that intramolecular electron transfer is the dominant mechanism for thiyl radical formation in YC peptides. We conclude that a rapid intramolecular electron transfer mechanism between redox‐sensitive amino acids could influence both protein nitration and nitrosation reactions. This mechanism brings together nitrative, nitrosative, and oxidative mechanisms in free radical biology.
Three Stages of Evolutions of Spacetime/intrinsic Spacetime and Parameters/intrinsic Parameters and the Associated Hierarchies of Spacetimes/intrinsic Spacetimes and Parameters/intrinsic Parameters in a Universe. Part II.

The hierarchy of masses/intrinsic masses of a particle or body in a hierarchy of spacetimes /intrinsic spacetimes in a universe, isolated in the first part of this paper, is extended to the hierarchies of other physical parameters/intrinsic parameters. Spacetime and intrinsic spacetime are proposed to be composed of the ponderable (or metric) gravitational components and the non-ponderable (or affine) dynamical components, and the mass and intrinsic mass of a particle or body as composed of the ponderable (or metric) gravitational components and non-ponderable (or affine) dynamical components. The constant speed of �signals�, c = 300,000 Km/s, is separated into the constant dynamical speed of electromagnetic waves, c = 300,000 Km/s in vacuo and the constant static (or gravitational) speed of gravitational waves cg = 300,000 Km/s, where cg being a static (or gravitational) speed, is not made manifest in actual translation through space of the massless graviton. The time dimension ct is likewise split into the metric static (or gravitational) component cg t and the affine dynamical component c t. The static (or gravitational) speed of gravitational waves cg is incorporated into the gravitational local Lorentz transformation (GLLT)in the context of the theory of gravitational relativity (TGR) on flat spacetime and the absolute intrinsic line element, absolute intrinsic metric tensor and absolute intrinsic Ricci tensor of the metric theory of absolute intrinsic gravity (MAIG) on curved �two-dimensional� absolute intrinsic spacetime in every gravitational field of the present theory, developed in a previous paper, while the dynamical speed c of electromagnetic waves should appear in local Lorentz transformation (LLT) of the special theory of relativity (SR), derived on flat spacetime in an external gravitational field in the present theory.
'Non-Scientific' Experts: What Degree of Judicial Scrutiny Should They Face?

This Working Paper discusses the appropriate distinction between scientific and non-scientific evidence. The author concludes that scientific expert evidence is based on theories and/or data that can be subjected to objective rational criticism, while non-scientific expert evidence is based on an expert's experience and/or training. Next, the Working Paper discusses the appropriate interpretation of Federal Rule of Evidence 702 in the context of non-scientific expert testimony. Rule 702 requires that such testimony be based on expert "knowledge" and be helpful to the jury. To meet the knowledge requirement, trial courts must ensure that a proffered non-scientific expert is either testifying from within a legitimate, recognized field of expertise, or is otherwise able to prove to the court that his testimony is based on true expertise. With regard to the helpfulness requirement, this paper argues that because non-scientific testimony is, by definition, not objectively refutable, attorneys will have strong incentives to hire venal experts or "outliers," those whose views are outside the mainstream. Adversarial non-scientific expert testimony is therefore unlikely to be helpful to the jury. The only way to ensure that non-scientific expert testimony represents mainstream expert opinion, and not the idiosyncratic results of expert-shopping by a party, is for courts to appoint their own experts, either in place of or in addition to the parties' experts.
Harmonic Functions on Subregion of a Riemannian Manifold

THE MAIN purpose of the present paper is to show that certain classes of harmonic functions on a subregion 0 of a Riemannian manifold R can be characterized by corresponding function spaces on the boundary σ G = (G∩ Δ R ) ∪ ϑG of G in the Royden compactification R* of R.
The Relationship Between Repeated Unintended Pregnancies and Current Contraceptive Use: National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) 2006–2008 data

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between the number of unintended pregnancies and current contraceptive use. This is a secondary analysis of a cross-sectional survey, the 2006–2008 National Survey of Family Growth, which included 4,052 women between the ages of 15 and 44 years. A statistically significant association was found between the nonuse of contraceptives and repeated unintended pregnancies, as well as among those who used an effective contraceptive method and repeated unintended pregnancies. Nurses are encouraged to ask questions about intendedness of pregnancies during women's visits and help women choose appropriate contraceptive methods.
Characteristics of concentrated flow hydraulics for rangeland ecosystems: implications for hydrologic modeling

Concentrated flow is often the dominant source of water erosion following disturbance on rangelands. Because of the lack of studies that explain the hydraulics of concentrated flow on rangelands, cropland-based equations have typically been used for rangeland hydrology and erosion modeling, leading to less accurate predictions due to different soil and vegetation cover characteristics. This study investigates the hydraulics of concentrated flow using unconfined field experimental data over diverse rangeland landscapes within the Great Basin Region, United States. The results imply that the overall hydraulics of concentrated flow on rangelands differ significantly from those of cropland rills. Concentrated flow hydraulics on rangelands are largely controlled by the amount of cover or bare soil and hillslope angle. New predictive equations for concentrated flow velocity (R2 = 0·47), hydraulic friction (R2 = 0·52), and width (R2 = 0·4) representing a diverse set of rangeland environments were developed. The resulting equations are applicable across a wide span of ecological sites, soils, slopes, and vegetation and ground cover conditions and can be used by physically-based rangeland hydrology and erosion models to estimate rangeland concentrated flow hydraulic parameters. Published in 2011. This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
The Biology and Pathogenicity of Vibrio anguillarum and Vibrio ordalii

Vibriosis is one of the most prevalent fish diseases caused by bacteria belonging to the genus Vibrio. Vibriosis caused by Vibrio anguillarum has been particularly devastating in the marine culture of salmonid fish. The correlation between serotype and virulence may reflect the ability of the bacterial surface antigens to interact with the host tissues. The ferric-anguibactin receptor FatA is an 86-kDa protein that is essential for anguibactin transport. The FatA amino acid sequence is similar to other receptors involved in iron transport, e.g., FhuA and FepA of Escherichia coli, and a TonB box can be identified at its amino-terminal end. V. ordalii causes vibriosis in wild and cultured marine salmonids in the Pacific Northwest of the United States and Japan. The determination and analysis of the complete nucleotide sequence could provide information about the role of pMJ101 in the pathobiology of this fish pathogen. Juvenile salmon exposed to V. ordalii by parenteral challenge developed a systemic infection, and the bacterium was recovered from liver, kidneys, spleen, and blood immediately after the infection. However, the number of bacteria in the liver declined after 1 h and then increased 22 h after infection; bacterial numbers were high in all the organs, and 100% mortality occurred 6 days after infection. The latter observations demonstrate that artificial infection of juvenile salmon is a valid experimental model to study the mechanisms and the bacterial virulence factors involved in the pathogenesis of the infections caused by V. ordalii.
Differential Function of Arabidopsis SERK Family Receptor-like Kinases in Stomatal Patterning.

Plants use cell-surface-resident receptor-like kinases (RLKs) to sense diverse extrinsic and intrinsic cues and elicit distinct biological responses. In Arabidopsis, ERECTA family RLKs recognize EPIDERMAL PATTERNING FACTORS (EPFs) to specify stomatal patterning. However, little is known about the molecular link between ERECTA activation and intracellular signaling. We report here that the SOMATIC EMBRYOGENESIS RECEPTOR KINASE (SERK) family RLKs regulate stomatal patterning downstream of EPF ligands and upstream of a MAP kinase cascade. EPF ligands induce the heteromerization of ERECTA and SERK family RLKs. SERK and ERECTA family RLKs transphosphorylate each other. In addition, SERKs associate with the receptor-like protein (RLP) TMM, a signal modulator of stomata development, in a ligand-independent manner, suggesting that ERECTA, SERKs, and TMM form a multiprotein receptorsome consisting of different RLKs and RLP perceiving peptide ligands to regulate stomatal patterning. In contrast to the differential requirement of individual SERK members in plant immunity, cell-death control, and brassinosteroid (BR) signaling, all four functional SERKs are essential but have unequal genetic contributions to stomatal patterning, with descending order of importance from SERK3/BAK1 to SERK2 to SERK1 to SERK4. Although BR signaling connects stomatal development via multiple components, the function of SERKs in stomatal patterning is uncoupled from their involvement in BR signaling. Our results reveal that the SERK family is a shared key module in diverse Arabidopsis signaling receptorsomes and that different combinatorial codes of individual SERK members regulate distinct functions.
The Linguistic Cycle and the Language Faculty

Because there has been a recent surge of interest in the linguistic cycle, this article presents a survey of cyclical change and shows how that change provides a unique perspective on the language faculty. The article provides a general background to the linguistic cycle and cyclical change. It reviews some of the cycles that we know and provides a possible account for them. © 2013 The Author. Language and Linguistics Compass © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd
Exact Moment Dynamics for Feedforward Nonlinear Chemical Reaction Networks

We introduce a class of chemical reaction networks for which all moments can be computed by finite-dimensional linear differential equations. This class allows second and higher order reactions, subject to certain assumptions on structure and/or conservation laws.
Moire pattern resulting from superposition of two zone plates.

The moire pattern resulting from superposition of two zone plates is analyzed in a general manner. Characteristics of the moire pattern and hence its reconstructed ghost images are so tabulated that visualization is made easier. Experiments are performed to substantiate the theoretical predictions, and their results show perfect agreement.