cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Discordant aPTT and Anti-Xa Values and Outcomes in Hospitalized Patients Treated with Intravenous Unfractionated Heparin

BACKGROUND:Both the activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) and anti-Xa assay can be used to monitor unfractionated heparin (UFH). Following implementation of an anti-Xa method for heparin dosing protocols in our hospital, we became aware of many patients with discordant aPTT and anti-Xa values.OBJECTIVE:To determine the frequency of discordant aPTT and anti-Xa values in a large cohort of hospitalized patients treated with UFH, as well as the demographics, coagulation status, indication for UFH, and clinical outcomes in this population.METHODS:All aPTT and anti-Xa values from adults hospitalized between February and August 2009 at Stanford Hospital who were treated with UFH were analyzed. All samples were drawn simultaneously. A polynomial fit correlating aPTT and anti-Xa with a 99% confidence limit was designed. Paired aPTT/anti-Xa values were grouped according to whether the paired values fell within or outside of the concordant area. Patients were placed into groups based on concordance status, an...
Anticarsia gemmatalis multicapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus v-trex gene encodes a functional 3' to 5' exonuclease.

The viral three-prime repair exonuclease (v-trex) gene of the Anticarsia gemmatalis multicapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus (AgMNPV) is the first baculovirus gene to be described with significant homology to a 3′ exonuclease. v-trex is an early gene that is expressed by AgMNPV from 3 h post-infection. In the present study, the AgMNPV v-trex ORF was cloned into the baculovirus Autographa californica multicapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) under the control of a polyhedrin promoter. The resulting virus produced an abundant, soluble protein that migrated with an apparent size of 23·7 kDa. The 3′ to 5′ exonuclease activity associated with this v-trex-expressing recombinant AcMNPV was 2000-fold above that of wild-type AcMNPV. This exonuclease activity was inhibited by EDTA and was activated in the presence of Mg2+ and, to a lesser extent, Mn2+. From these results, the AgMNPV v-trex gene is concluded to encode an independently active 3′ to 5′ exonuclease.
How technical writers write: a survey of strategies and attitudes

To investigate a number of questions connected with how technical writers write, the authors conducted a survey of professional technical writers. The questions asked include the following: Will the same strategies and attitudes that will produce, for example, a good term paper produce a good technical manual? Is advice to the academic writer applicable to the writer in the industrial forum? Results indicate that most of the respondents feel they use powerful strategies rather than weak. >
The avian malaria Plasmodium lophurae has a small number of heterogeneous ribosomal RNA genes

Abstract The structure and number of the ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes of the avian malaria parasite Plasmodium lophurae has been examined using Southern blot analysis and recombinant DNA techniques. The ribosomal DNA (rDNA) of P. lophurae has been cloned into the plasmid pBR322, beginning with size-selected populations of Cla I- and Hind III-restricted parasite DNA. The structure of two clones (CL-1 and HA-2) is presented in detail. These two clones together probably represent the entire 17s and 25s coding regions of P. lophurae. Analysis of quantitative genomic Southern blots reveals that there are approximately six rRNA genes per haploid genome, and that the rRNA genes may be divided into four distinct classes by restriction analysis. Examination of the flanking regions of these genes indicates that they are not organized into easily recognizable tandem repeats.
Studies on the Adsomtion of Odorous Materials I: Surface Potential Changes of Solid and Liquid Adsorbing Surfaces

The measurement and classification of odors has been greatly handicapped by the lack of an objective instrument for the measurement of odor. This paper describes experiments in which the detection of odorous material in low concentrations in an air stream was made by measuring the change in surface potential of an adsorbing surface in contact with the air stream. Various solid and liquid surfaces were used including water. The effect of the presence of water vapor in the air stream on the changes in the surface potential of various surfaces was studied as well as the effect of increasing the temperature of the adsorbing surface. These tests indicate the possible use of surface phenomena for the detection of odorous material in the atmosphere.
Appendix C: Integral Theorems

Unmatched in its coverage of the topic, the first edition of GENERALIZED VECTOR AND DYADIC ANALYSIS helped revolutionize the treatment of boundary-value problems, establishing itself as a classic in the field. This expanded, revised edition is the most comprehensive book available on vector analysis founded upon the new method symbolic vector. GENERALIZED VECTOR AND DYADIC ANALYSIS presents a copious list of vector and dyadic identities, along with various forms of Green's theorems with derivations. In addition, this edition presents an historical study of the past mis-understandings and contradictions that have occurred in vector analysis presentations, furthering the reader's understanding of the subject. Sponsored by: IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society.
On the Electrochemistry of Ion‐Exchange Resins: A Review of Recent Work

Electrochemical properties of ion‐exchange resins such as specific conductances, ionic mobilities in the resins, and potentials across resinous membranes have been measured recently. A review of these measurements and their correlation to the general thermodynamic treatment of ion‐exchange resins is presented. Applications such as the use of resinous membranes as ionic sieves, electrolytic regeneration of ion‐exchange resins, and the use of ion‐exchange resins as media for electrophoretic separations are discussed.
Where were the lawyers? The ethical implications of the General Motors recall scandal in the United States

A corporate culture of secrecy and lack of communication results in illegal activity, harms the public, and ultimately culminates in a deluge of investigations, lawsuits, and government fines. For ...
Anal Neoplasia in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Is Associated With HPV and Perianal Disease

OBJECTIVES: Literature describing the risk factors predisposing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients to anal squamous neoplasia is very scarce. Case reports and small case series have implicated perianal Crohn's disease (CD), long-standing IBD, human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, and immunosuppressive treatment. In this study, we retrospectively examined the association between HPV infection and anal squamous neoplastic lesions among IBD patients from our center.
Phenotypic and Genetic Analyses of a Novel Adaxially-Rolled Leaf Mutant in Rice

Leaf is an important organ for photosynthesis.Moderate rolling of leaves can facilitate the improvement of plant's population structure and enhance light-use efficiency,which is very important in ideotype breeding of rice.In the present study,in order to systematically dissect the molecular mechanism of leaf morphogenesis and development,one ethyl methylsulfone(EMS)-induced rice(Oryza sativa L.)mutant with adaxially-rolled leaf,namely s1-145,was characterized.This mutant exhibited higher chlorophyll content,normal plant height and fertility.Genetic analysis indicated that the mutant was controlled by a single recessive gene.The mutated gene of s1-145 was fine mapped within a 90 kb interval between two InDel markers R2-34.70 and R2-34.79 on the long arm of chromosome 2 in rice.These results provide a basis for the final cloning and functional analysis of the leaf-rolling gene,as well as gene resource and plant material for rice ideotype breeding.
Effect of Framework Charge Density on the Ion Exchange Properties of Zeolites

Members of a group of zeolites such as X and Y differ from each other only in the degree to which aluminium has isomorphously replaced silicon within the framework. As far as ion exchange propertie...
Time Propagation of Partial Differential Equations Using the Short Iterative Lanczos Method and Finite-Element Discrete Variable Representation

Abstract The short iterative Lanczos method has been combined with the finite-element discrete variable representation to yield a powerful approach to solving the time-dependent Schrodinger equation. It has been applied to the interaction of short, intense laser radiation (attosecond pulses) to describe the single and double ionization of atoms and molecules, but the approach is not limited to this particular application. This chapter describes the algorithms in some detail and how they have been successfully ported to the Intel Phi coprocessors. While further experimentation is needed, the current results provide reasonable evidence that by suitably modifying the code to combine MPI, OpenMP, and compiler offload directives, one can achieve significant improvement in performance from these coprocessors for problems such as the above.
Ordering, Preferences and Fuzzy Optimization

We shall extend in this paper the class of all fuzzy subsets of a set, in such a way that they will correspond to some preference relations. This procedure is used to generate fuzzy sets from orderings. Then applications of this idea to fuzzy optimization are given. These problems are also related to multiobjective decision-making.
Multi-pass microscopy for quantum state engineering.

Multi-pass microscopy has recently been demonstrated as a tool for low damage, high-sensitivity microscopy [1]. We discuss these findings and show preliminary results on creating high orbital angular momentum states using a multi-pass microscope.
Is Evidence-Based Orthopedic Traumatology Possible in the Low-Resource Environment?

Orthopedic practice is challenged by lower levels of evidence to support clinical decision-making. In austere environments, the generalizability of published research findings may be inappropriate. Surgeons and clinical investigators in low- and middle-income countries as well as those practicing orthopedics in austere environments should be familiar with the concept of evidence-based medicine in order to better understand which evidence should guide their clinical practice. Clinical expertise, an appreciation of the hierarchy of evidence, as well as patient preferences all play crucial roles in evidence-based practice. In this chapter, these principles will be highlighted as well as their application to the implementation of clinical research in austere environments.
Plastic Work to Heat Conversion During High-Strain Rate Deformation of Mg and Mg Alloy

Magnesium and magnesium alloy were investigated for plastic work to heat conversion (β). Thermomechanical response was measured employing the shear-compression specimen geometry, a split-Hopkinson pressure bar, and an infra-red detector. β of both materials measured to be less than the common assumption of 0.9; however, heat conversion was observed to be greater for magnesium alloy. Thus, results suggest that alloying and grain size refinement not only improved yield strength but also affected the thermomechanical response.
A New Distributed Optimization for Community Microgrids Scheduling

This paper proposes a distributed optimization model for community microgrids considering the building thermal dynamics and customer comfort preference. The microgrid central controller (MCC) minimizes the total cost of operating the community microgrid, including fuel cost, purchasing cost, battery degradation cost and voluntary load shedding cost based on the customers' consumption, while the building energy management systems (BEMS) minimize their electricity bills as well as the cost associated with customer discomfort due to room temperature deviation from the set point. The BEMSs and the MCC exchange information on energy consumption and prices. When the optimization converges, the distributed generation scheduling, energy storage charging/discharging and customers' consumption as well as the energy prices are determined. In particular, we integrate the detailed thermal dynamic characteristics of buildings into the proposed model. The heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems can be scheduled intelligently to reduce the electricity cost while maintaining the indoor temperature in the comfort range set by customers. Numerical simulation results show the effectiveness of proposed model.
Photothermoelectric Effects and Large Photovoltages in Plasmonic Au Nanowires with Nanogaps.

Nanostructured metals subject to local optical interrogation can generate open-circuit photovoltages potentially useful for energy conversion and photodetection. We report a study of the photovoltage as a function of illumination position in single-metal Au nanowires and nanowires with nanogaps formed by electromigration. We use a laser scanning microscope to locally heat the metal nanostructures via excitation of a local plasmon resonance and direct absorption. In nanowires without nanogaps, where charge transport is diffusive, we observe voltage distributions consistent with thermoelectricity, with the local Seebeck coefficient depending on the width of the nanowire. In the nanowires with nanogaps, where charge transport is by tunneling, we observe large photovoltages up to tens of mV, with magnitude, polarization dependence, and spatial localization that follow the plasmon resonance in the nanogap. This is consistent with a model of photocurrent across the nanogap carried by the nonequilibrium, “hot” c...
An Overview of Performance Metrics: Current Issues and Future Directions

Despite the extensive research on the relationship between human resource management (HRM) practices and performance outcomes, we lack clear and consistent guidelines about how to conceptualize and...
Renal Artery Stenosis: New Findings from the CORAL Trial

The goal of this review is to summarize recent advances in the field and highlight important new insights from the Cardiovascular Outcomes in Renal Atherosclerotic Lesions (CORAL) trial regarding the optimal management of patients with renal artery stenosis (RAS). The CORAL trial demonstrated that subjects with RAS had similar outcomes whether randomized to optimal medical therapy alone or optimal medical therapy plus renal artery stenting. Subgroup analyses have failed to demonstrate that baseline blood pressure or lesion gradients can predict which subjects may have improved response after stent intervention. Importantly, urine albumin to creatinine ratio appears to different subjects that may benefit from stent intervention versus subjects that are unlikely to achieve any benefit. In addition, there was a trend toward increase benefit in subjects with greater percent stenosis. Atherosclerotic RAS is a frequent finding and is often seen in patients with resistant hypertension, congestive heart failure, chronic kidney disease, and rarely those who need renal replacement therapy. Risk factors for RAS overlap with those of generalized atherosclerosis including hyperlipidemia, smoking, hypertension, and diabetes. Patients with CAD or PVD frequently have co-existing RAS. The management of RAS has been controversial for many years. The CORAL trial provides important insights into the optimal management of subjects with RAS.
Numerical study of the effect of nanoparticles on thermoeconomic improvement of a solar flat plate collector

Abstract The influence of the nanoparticle Al2O3 on the thermo-economic optimization of a solar flat plate collector system at different mass flow rates of the working fluid is studied. In particular, the effects of the nanoparticle on the simultaneous optimization of the total annual cost (TAC) and the collector efficiency are investigated. In order to perform multi-objective optimization with the TAC and efficiency as the two objective functions with seven decision variables, including various collector design parameters, mass flow rate and the nanoparticls volumetric concentration, a Particle Swarm Optimization algorithm (PSO) is used. The sensitivity of the various design parameters on the collector efficiency is determined and investigated. Analysis of results reveal that the Pareto front for the case with a mass flow rate of 0.2 kg/s dominates over the case with a mass flow rate of, and the differences are found to become more pronounced with the addition of the nanoparticle, especially at higher efficiencies. It is also observed that the collector system efficiency increases further with the nanoparticle concentration. It is found that for the optimal performance of the system that simultaneously optimizes TAC and efficiency, all the collector design parameters, except for the number of tubes, can be selected at lower magnitudes when the nanoparticle additive is introduced into the working fluid. Overall, parameter optimization with the use of nanoparticle results in a decreases in the TAC and increase in the efficiency of the flat plate collector.
Clinical Features of β-Thalassemia and Sickle Cell Disease

Sickle cell disease (SCD) and β-thalassemia are among the most common inherited diseases, affecting millions of persons globally. It is estimated that 5–7% of the world’s population is a carrier of a significant hemoglobin variant. Without early diagnosis followed by initiation of preventative and therapeutic care, both SCD and β-thalassemia result in significant morbidity and early mortality. Despite great strides in the understanding of the molecular basis and pathophysiology of these conditions, the burden of disease remains high, particularly in limited resource settings. Current therapy relies heavily upon the availability and safety of erythrocyte transfusions to treat acute and chronic complications of these conditions, but frequent transfusions results in significant iron overload, as well as challenges from acquired infections and alloimmunization. Hydroxyurea is a highly effective treatment for SCD but less so for β-thalassemia, and does not represent curative therapy. As technology and use of cellular and gene therapies expand, SCD and thalassemia should be among the highest disease priorities.
Listeria monocytogenes Adaptation and Growth at Low Temperatures: Mechanisms and Implications for Foodborne Disease

Abstract Listeria monocytogenes continues to be one of the more lethal foodborne pathogens. Primary food products including ready-to-eat meats, dairy products, and fresh produce have all been associated with L. monocytogenes and in some cases been responsible for major listeriosis outbreaks. A key environmental aspect of these types of foods is the use of refrigeration for storage as L. monocytogenes can withstand and survive cold temperatures encountered during refrigeration. Therefore, understanding the biology of foodborne pathogenic L. monocytogenes when exposed to cold temperatures is a critical research area. Uncovering the mechanisms that L. monocytogenes uses to tolerate cold temperatures and withstand cold shock has been the subject of several studies. More is becoming known about the events that occur at the molecular level as techniques become more refined. In this chapter, progress toward gaining a better understanding of L. monocytogenes responses when exposed to cold temperatures and implications for future research efforts are discussed.
Optimal design of energy systems using constrained grey-box multi-objective optimization

Abstract The (global) optimization of energy systems, commonly characterized by high-fidelity and large-scale complex models, poses a formidable challenge partially due to the high noise and/or computational expense associated with the calculation of derivatives. This complexity is further amplified in the presence of multiple conflicting objectives, for which the goal is to generate trade-off compromise solutions, commonly known as Pareto-optimal solutions. We have previously introduced the p-ARGONAUT system, parallel AlgoRithms for Global Optimization of coNstrAined grey-box compUTational problems, which is designed to optimize general constrained single-objective grey-box problems by postulating accurate and tractable surrogate formulations for all unknown equations in a computationally efficient manner. In this work, we extend p-ARGONAUT towards multi-objective optimization problems and test the performance of the framework, both in terms of accuracy and consistency, under many equality constraints. Computational results are reported for a number of benchmark multi-objective problems and a case study of an energy market design problem for a commercial building, while the performance of the framework is compared with other derivative-free optimization solvers.
Solubilities in aqueous solutions of the sodium salts of succinic and glutaric acid with and without ammonium sulfate

Abstract The aqueous solubility of the least soluble salts in mixtures of sodium hydrogen succinate, sodium succinate, sodium hydrogen glutarate, and sodium glutarate with and without ammonium sulfate present has been studied. Solubility temperatures were determined in solutions of known concentration using Differential Scanning Calorimetry. The identity of the least soluble solid was determined by a combination of X-ray crystallography and infrared spectroscopy. The identified solids included ammonium sulfate, sodium sulfate, sodium ammonium sulfate dihydrate (lecontite), sodium hydrogen succinate, sodium succinate hexahydrate, sodium hydrogen glutarate dihydrate, and ammonium hydrogen glutarate. Of the 16 series of solutions studied, lecontite was most frequently the least soluble solid.
Neocons in Exile

For more than twenty-five years, starting in 1980, neoconservatives stood at the intellectual forefront of a conservative coalition that controlled the national government. Drawing inspiration from Leo Strauss’s political philosophy, neocons earned their prominent position by leading an assault on the hegemonic pluralist democratic regime. Pluralist democracy accepts ethical relativism: individuals and interest groups press their own interests and values in the democratic arena, without any interests and values being deemed inherently superior. From the array of competing interests and values, the government chooses to pursue those goals that emerge through certain established processes. While attacking pluralist democracy, neocons simultaneously advocated for a return to republican democracy, which had predominated before the 1930s. According to republican democratic theory, virtuous citizens and officials pursue the common good rather than their private interests. Thus, neocons rejected the ethical relativism that supports the pluralist democratic regime and instead championed traditional American virtues that were to direct us toward the common good. But given the election results of 2008, neoconservatives find themselves shorn of power in Congress and the executive branch. Yet, they are not completely impotent: exiled neoconservative justices will continue to control the Supreme Court for years to come. This Article explores how these justices have shaped constitutional adjudication over the previous years, and how they will do so in the future. The Article concludes by examining how progressives might confront the challenge of a largely neoconservative Court.
α-Adrenergic Regulation of Myocardial Performance in the Exercising Dog: Evidence for Both Presynaptic α1- and α2-Adrenoceptors

New evidence supporting both presynaptic α1- and α2-adrenoceptors playing a role in the regulation of myocardial contractile performance in the exercising dog is reviewed. Studies utilized chronically instrumented dogs having sonomicrometers for the measurement of regional wall thickening and transducers for the measurement of left ventricular and systemic hemodynamics. During steady state exercise, either the selective α1-adrenoceptor blocker prazosin (80μg/kg) or the selective α2-adrenoceptor blocker idazoxan (80μg/kg) was infused into the left atrium while exercise continued. Immediately following the administration of either α-adrenoceptor blocking agent, there were substantial increases in heart rate, left ventricular dP/dt and regional contractile function as assessed using sonomicrometers, and norepinephrine release by the myocardium increased substantially. β-adrenergic blockade prevented the heart rate and contractile effects of either α1 - or α2-adrenoceptor blocker whereas norepinephrine release was further enhanced. These effects could not be attributed to baroreceptor unloading. In dogs studied under resting conditions with norepinephrine infusion to produce an increase in dP/dt similar to that observed during treadmill exercise, no sympathetic augmentation was observed following either α-blocker. Together, these studies provide evidence that both α1- and α2-adrenoceptors participate in the modulation of sympathetic neuronal norepinephrine release in the canine myocardium.
THE NATURE OF ANAPLASMA MARGINALE

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the nature of Anaplasma marginale . A small, punctiform body appearing in the erythrocytes of cattle was identified as the causative agent of anaplasmosis more than half a century ago. The agent was named Anaplasma marginale . Studies of the morphology of Anaplasma have shown that the marginal body is composed of one to eight initial bodies. The ability of the initial Anaplasma body to transgress the erythrocytic membrane indicates that this body is the means and affords a modus operandi for theinitiation and perpetuation of infection. Long tail-like appendages attached to some of the marginal Anaplasma bodies have been reported to occur in certain isolates of Anaplasma . The susceptibility of Anaplasma , rickettsiae, and bacteria to destruction by tetracycline compounds strongly indicates fundamental differences between the metabolism of these agents and the viruses and the blood protozoan parasites, which are generally known not to be susceptible to these chemotherapeutic agents.
Change in Insurance Status and Cost-related Medication Non-adherence among Older U.S. Adults with Diabetes from 2010 to 2014.

Objective: Cost-related medication non-adherence (CRN) is a persistent challenge in health care in the U.S. Insurance coverage is a key determinant of access to medical care. We seek to examine the CRN rates among the older diabetes adult population in the U.S. from 2010 to 2014 when the major provisions of the Affordable Care Act came into force. Research design and method: Data from the 2010 and 2014 Health and Retirement Study (HRS) were used for this study. CRN is identified if a respondent indicated taking less medication than was prescribed because of the cost, while diabetes is self-reported. We assessed the change in CRN rates by insurance status using multivariable logistic regression analysis. Results: A total of 4,741 and 4,505 diabetes adults aged 50 or older in 2010 and 2014 were included in the analyses, representing 18.8 million and 19.1 million older adults with diabetes respectively. Overall, the percentage of dual-eligible diabetes patients increased from 8% to 10% and the uninsured decreased from 6% to 4% based on weighted population estimates. The CRN rates decreased from 27% to 21% and from 12% to 10% for those between 50 and 64, and 65 or older, respectively from 2010 to 2014. Race (African American) became a less significant factor for variations in CRN rates in 2014 (p=0.24). Conclusions: There is an encouraging reduction in CRN rates after implementation of the ACA. However, CRN rates among diabetes patients between 50 and 65 of age remained high.
Arabidopsis thaliana contains a large family of germin-like proteins: characterization of cDNA and genomic sequences encoding 12 unique family members

We have identified 39 Arabidopsis thaliana ESTs encoding germin-like proteins (GLPs) and have completely sequenced 25 of these cDNAs. Our analysis demonstrates that the Arabidopsis genome contains a gene family with at least 12 GLP genes. Comparisons with other known germins and germin-like proteins indicate that these Arabidopsis GLP subfamilies are unique from wheat germin. All other known GLPs fall into one of these subfamilies. The translated GLPs show approximately 35% amino acid identity with other GLPs outside of their subfamily and significantly higher levels of identity within their respective subfamily. The 3′ ends of many of the GLP cDNAs are heterogeneous and several sites of polyadenylation are used. Ten of the GLPs have N-terminal signal sequences and most appear to be exported from the cell. Structurally, the GLPs are predicted to have a high content of β-pleated sheet. Seven conserved regions of β-sheet were found in each of the GLP proteins along with α-helices located at both N- and C-termini. These same structural elements are also conserved in wheat germin. With one exception, all GLP family members contain at least one N-glycosylation site. All of these sites are conserved in an unstructured loop between β-1 and β-2. Genes for two of these GLPs were identified in genomic sequences previously deposited in the GenBank. The GLP3b gene is physically linked to the polyubiquitin 4 gene. The 3′ end of the GLP3b mRNA is only 0.5 kb from the ubq4 start of transcription. Analysis of the GLP3b promoter shows the presence of a single putative auxin-response sequence located at −124 to −111 upstream from the 5′ end of the GLP3b mRNA. The GLP9 gene was identified in an Arabidopsis contig from Chromosome 4.p>
A ~1000-year 13C Suess correction model for the study of past ecosystems:

Inferences about how an ecosystem has changed through time often rely on longitudinal records of species characteristics or niche parameters, and stable isotope analysis is a common tool employed t...
Lysosomal storage disorders

Lysosomes are cytoplasmic organelles that play a major role in cellular metabolic salvage, necessary for cellular homeostasis. Besides, degrading several macromolecules in metabolic salvage process, lysosomes also involve in several cellular processes e.g. cell apoptosis and intracellular signaling. Lysosomal storage disorder (LSD) is a group of inherited metabolic disorders, which can present at any age from prenatal to adult. Pathology/pathophysiology usually engages several organ systems. Majority of diseases in this group involve neurological system causing neurodegenerative manifestation. Biomarkers are not only available but also useful for disease screening and monitoring. Diagnosis should be confirmed by enzyme analysis and/or molecular analysis. Although treatment is available in some diseases, the outcomes are not favorable in selected patients, especially when present with neurological symptoms. Understanding the complexity of LSD is important for patients' care and development of new treatment. Appropriate genetic counseling should be provided to every patient.
Z hu Xi on Self-Focused vs. Other-Focused Empathy

This chapter is about issues in ethics and moral psychology that have been little explored by contemporary philosophers, ones that concern the advantages and disadvantages of two different kinds of empathy. Roughly, first type is what is sometimes called “other-focused” empathy, in which one reconstructs the thoughts and feelings that someone else has or would have. The second type, “self-focused” empathy, is the sort of emotional attitude someone adopts when she imagines how she would think or feel were she in the other person’s place. Both are variants of empathy, for both have to do with having thoughts and feelings that are more apt, in the relevant senses, for someone else’s circumstances than one’s own. But they differ with respect to how much one makes substantial reference to oneself in order to elicit those thoughts and feelings. In cases of self-focused empathy, we imagine ourselves facing predicaments relevantly similar to those of the person with whom we sympathize, and we achieve our empathetic response by doing things like recalling equivalent experiences or noting similar interests and desires that may bear on the situation. A little reflection on this distinction shows that it can in fact have profound implications for care, compassion, love, human motivation, and the sense of oneness or unity with others that matters so much for ethics and the well-rounded human life, but there is not yet a body of literature in contemporary moral psychology or western philosophy that really wrestles with these implications. Some influential philosophers and psychologists have taken note of the distinction, but none have engaged the issues as thoroughly as did Zhu Xi and his students in twelfth century, largely in a series of commentaries and conversations that have yet to be translated into Western languages.
ATRIAL FIBRILLATION OR UNSTABLE ANGINA? UTILIZATION OF A NOVEL AMBULATORY RHYTHM MONITOR TO DIAGNOSE ACS

Ambulatory cardiac monitoring has been used in the management of patients with arrhythmias, however the utility of a novel mobile ECG (mECG) device for the purpose of diagnosing ischemia has not been studied. A 59 year-old woman with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) presented with decreased
SMFM Special Statement: Who's who in patient safety and quality for maternal healthcare in the United States.

There are many organizations in the United States concerned with the improvement of patient safety and healthcare quality. In this overview, we provide a synopsis of the major entities whose work is relevant to maternal healthcare. For each organization, we summarize its mission, vision, major programs, and relationships with other entities. We include 13 entities with broad scope covering all types of healthcare; 9 organizations whose focus is maternal–child health; 6 women’s health professional organizations with committees on patient safety, quality, or both; 12 organizations that offer accreditation, certification, or special distinction based on quality; and 5 organizations that rate, rank, or report quality metrics.
Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth: Comprehensive Review of Diagnosis, Prevention, and Treatment Methods.

Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is a commonly diagnosed gastrointestinal disorder affecting millions of individuals throughout the United States. It refers to a condition in which there is an excess and imbalance of small intestinal bacteria. Despite its prevalence, it remains underdiagnosed due to the invasive nature of diagnostic testing. Symptoms observed in SIBO, including abdominal distension, bloating, diarrhea, and gas formation, are nonspecific and can overlap with other gastrointestinal disorders. Frequently cited predisposing factors include gastric acid suppression, dysmotility, gastric bypass, and opioids. The diagnostic gold standard remains small bowel aspirate and culture. However, due to its invasive nature, it remains an unpopular method among patients and clinicians alike. Glucose and lactulose breath testing have become the go-to diagnostic method in clinical practice due to its noninvasive nature and low cost. Treatment is guided towards the eradication of bacteria in the small bowel and usually consists of a prolonged course of oral antibiotics. Due to recent advances in our understanding of the human microbiome, we are surely poised for a transformation in our approach to diagnosing and treating this condition.
The Effect of Home Foreclosures on Child Maltreatment Rates: A Longitudinal Examination of Neighborhoods in Cleveland, Ohio:

Foreclosure rates have been linked to increased levels of neighborhood stress. Neighborhood stressors can impact a number of interpersonal and familial dynamics, including child maltreatment. Despite this, little research has examined the relationship between neighborhood foreclosure rates and aggregate trends in child maltreatment. Using substantiated child maltreatment cases, foreclosure, and census data at the neighborhood level in Cleveland, Ohio we find that home foreclosures are a significant predictor of neighborhood rates of child maltreatment. Importantly, this effect is durable and is not impacted by the housing crisis. Furthermore, this is a direct effect and is not shaped by other neighborhood conditions like poverty, as found in prior research. From a policy perspective, this suggests that policy makers need to be cognizant of the effect of foreclosures on child maltreatment regardless of the historical and economic contexts of the neighborhood.
Structuring First-Year Retention at a Regional Public Institution: Validating and Refining the Structure of Bowman’s SEM Analysis

Structural equation modeling (SEM) considering how students’ non-cognitive attributes influence first-year college student persistence remain extraordinarily rare—as are studies that test and expand upon published structural models or studies that include college student food security. This study addresses each. We surveyed “Beginner” Freshmen, capturing eight non-cognitive measurements and ussing institutional data on performance and fall-to-fall persistence measures, we then tested the structure of Bowman et al.’s (Res High Educ 60:135–152, 2019) SEM model. In Model 1, we mimic the Bowman model’s financial variable by only including financial stress. We confirm that Bowman is a good structural model of student persistence, although our data were collected for another purpose, using different scales for non-cognitive elements and even one different non-cognitive measurement. We found students’ non-cognitive attributes remain importantly influential to social adjustment (r = .65), commitment to persist (r = .40), college GPA (r = .25), and fall-to-fall persistence (r = .30). In Model 2, we generated a latent financial security variable incorporating financial stress and food security. Including food security generated a direct influence from the financial security variable to high-school GPA (r = .25), not found in the Bowman model or Model 1, and a direct significant relationship from financial security to social adjustment (r = .11)—not found in Model 1. Further changes are observed in the indirect relationship from financial security to college GPA from Model 1 (r = .29) to Model 2 (r = .51). We highlight the robustness of the Bowman model and that the inclusion of food security brings increased strength to several relationships without sacrificing optimal fit.
A Grand Tour of Nuclear Fission Physics

This lecture on the physics of nuclear fission is aimed at advanced undergraduate and graduate students. The purpose is not to provide a comprehensive exposition of the subject, but rather an overview of a selected set of relevant topics. The interested reader can then follow up with the references in the bibliography. The topics covered in the lecture include the history of the discovery of fission, general properties of fission gleaned from experiments, fission theory and modeling, fission data evaluations, and general directions in fission research.
Medullary thyroid cancer: What is the optimal management of the lateral neck in a node negative patient at index operation?

Abstract Background Medullary thyroid cancer is a neuroendocrine malignancy that can occur sporadically or as the result of genomic rearranged during transfection mutations. Medullary thyroid cancer has a higher rate of metastasis than well-differentiated thyroid cancer. Lateral neck dissection is often performed, and its prophylactic use is controversial. Methods Single-center, retrospective review (2000–2017) of patients undergoing primary surgical treatment for medullary thyroid cancer who had negative lateral neck imaging preoperatively. Demographics, genetic associations, clinical, and imaging findings were analyzed. Locoregional recurrence, overall recurrence, and overall survival were examined. Results A total of 110 patients were identified, of which 18 underwent prophylactic lateral neck dissection and 92 did not. Age, sex distribution, preoperative calcitonin levels, and follow-up were similar among groups. Overall recurrence was 20% for no prophylactic lateral neck dissection and 39% for prophylactic lateral neck dissection (P = .46). Most recurrences were locoregional recurrence, 7.6% for no prophylactic lateral neck dissection versus 22% for prophylactic lateral neck dissection (P = .08), half of it being to the lateral neck in both groups. A total of 7 patients from the no prophylactic lateral neck dissection group required treatment for recurrences versus 4 patients in prophylactic lateral neck dissection group (P = .57). Overall survival at 5 years was similar, 43% the no prophylactic lateral neck dissection group and 31% for prophylactic lateral neck dissection group (P = .52). Conclusion Lateral neck dissection has no effect in decreasing locoregional or overall recurrences in medullary thyroid cancer and has no effect in overall survival when performed prophylactically at index surgical intervention.
Training for Professional Uncertainty: Socialization of Medical Students Through the Residency Application Process.

Purpose Uncertainty in medical decision making is a well-described phenomenon, and numerous scholars have acknowledged and illustrated the process of training medical students to grapple with this aspect of medical practice. While clinical uncertainty has been defined previously, medical trainees face additional forms of uncertainty beyond the clinical setting that have not, as yet, been investigated empirically. One area in which uncertainty can manifest outside of the clinical setting is during professional development. Medical students face substantial stress and ambiguity throughout their training, with the residency application period representing a culmination of these pressures. Here, the authors examined medical students' experiences during the residency application period and used these findings to define training for professional uncertainty. Method In 2018-2019, 6 focus groups of fourth-year medical students were conducted exploring students' experiences during the residency application period, including but not limited to Step 2 Clinical Knowledge, away rotations, and securing letters of recommendation. The authors then used constructivist, phenomenological methods to analyze participant responses. Results Students frequently discussed challenges they faced during the residency application period. From these conversations, 2 themes were identified: (1) professional uncertainty related to career-based advice, which resulted from mixed messaging and inadequate information and (2) professional uncertainty related to competing responsibilities, which students experienced when determining how to allocate a limited amount of time to multiple conflicting forces. Conclusions These results were used to define a novel concept-training for professional uncertainty. By navigating the residency application process, students learned to face various facets of professional uncertainty that they will continue to face throughout their careers. Since uncertainty can have many negative effects, including declining performance and burnout, defining professional uncertainty and training students to grapple with it is necessary to maximize their success throughout their careers.
Effects of brief substance use interventions delivered in general medical settings: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Aims To estimate effects of brief substance use interventions delivered in general medical settings. Methods A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials conducted since 1990 of brief substance use interventions in patients of any age or severity level recruited in general medical settings. Primary outcomes were any measure of substance use or substance-related consequences (indexed with Hedges' g and risk ratios). Mixed-effects meta-regressions were used to estimate overall effects and predictors of effect variability. Analyses were conducted separately by brief intervention (BI) target substance: alcohol only or drugs. Findings A total of 116 trials (64 439 participants) were identified; 111 (62 263 participants) provided effect size data and were included in the meta-analysis. Drug-targeted BIs yielded significant small improvements in multiple drug/mixed substance use (Hedges' g ( g ¯ ) = 0.08; 95% CI = 0.002, 0.15), but after adjusting for multiple comparisons, they did not produce significant effects on cannabis use ( g ¯ = 0.06; 95% CI = 0.001, 0.12), alcohol use ( g ¯ = 0.08; 95% CI = -0.0003, 0.17), or consequences ( g ¯ = 0.05; 95% CI = 0.01, 0.10). Drug-targeted BIs yielded larger improvements in multiple drug/mixed substance use when delivered by a general practitioner ( g ¯ = 0.19; 95% CI = 0.187, 0.193). Alcohol-targeted BIs yielded small beneficial effects on alcohol use ( g ¯ = 0.12; 95% CI 0.08, 0.16), but no evidence of an effect on consequences ( g ¯ = 0.05; 95% CI = -0.04, 0.13). However, alcohol-targeted BIs only had beneficial effects on alcohol use when delivered in general medical settings ( g ¯ = 0.17; 95% CI = 0.10, 0.24); the findings were inconclusive for those delivered in emergency department/trauma centers ( g ¯ = 0.05; 95% CI = 0.00, 0.10). Conclusions When delivered in general medical settings, alcohol-targeted brief interventions may produce small beneficial reductions in drinking (equivalent to a reduction in 1 drinking day per month). There is limited evidence regarding the effects of drug-targeted brief interventions on drug use.
A Prevalidation of the Product-Process Matrix.

A major challenge for instructors of supply chain and operations management (SCOM) courses is to help students who have never seen a production floor visualize concepts, such as the product-process matrix from standard introductory SCOM texts. This article presents a classroom exercise, which “prevalidates” the product-process matrix. Student groups are given a product description and tasked to build the factory to make it using classroom furniture. Even with no prior knowledge, those tasked to make high-volume standardized products will create simple assembly lines, while those tasked with customized products will create simple work center layouts. A description of how to run this exercise is provided, as well as key takeaways and evidence of effectiveness.