cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effect of an oral probiotic containing lactobacillus, bifidobacterium, and bacillus species on the vaginal microbiota of spayed female dogs.

Background Recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) are often difficult to treat. Vaginal colonization with lactic acid-producing bacteria (LAB) is associated with reduced frequency of recurrent UTIs in women. Oral probiotics might help increase the prevalence of vaginal LAB and decrease the frequency of recurrent UTIs in dogs. Hypothesis Administration of an oral probiotic supplement containing Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Bacillus species will increase the prevalence of LAB in the vagina of dogs. Animals Thirty-five healthy, spayed female dogs without history of recurrent UTIs. Methods Prospective, controlled study. Enrolled dogs received an oral probiotic supplement for 14 or 28 days. A vaginal tract culture was obtained from each dog before and after oral probiotic administration. Twenty-three dogs received the oral probiotic supplement daily for a period of 14 days and 12 dogs received the oral probiotic supplement daily for a period of 28 days. Results Lactic acid-producing bacteria were isolated from 7 of 35 dogs prior to probiotic administration. After the treatment course, 6 of 35 dogs had LAB isolated. Only one of these dogs had LAB (Enterococcus canintestini) isolated for the first time. Enterococcus canintestini was the most common LAB isolated from all dogs in this study, although it was not included in the probiotic supplement. Conclusions and Clinical Importance Lactic acid-producing bacteria are not a common isolate from the vaginal vault of dogs. Administration of this oral probiotic supplement for a 2- or 4-week period did not increase the prevalence of vaginal LAB in dogs.
Genetic, physiological and biochemical characterization of multiple methanol methyltransferase isozymes in Methanosarcina acetivorans C2A.

Summary Biochemical evidence suggests that methanol catabolism in Methanosarcina species requires the concerted effort of methanol:5-hydroxybenzimidazolylcobamide methyltransferase (MtaB), a corrinoid-containing methyl-accepting protein (MtaC) and Co-methyl-5-hydroxybenzimidazolylcobamide:2-mercapto-ethanesulphonic acid methyltransferase (MtaA). Here we show that Methanosarcina acetivorans possesses three operons encoding putative methanol-specific MtaB and corrinoid proteins: mtaCB1, mtaCB2 and mtaCB3. Deletion mutants lacking the three operons, in all possible combinations, were constructed and characterized. Strains deleted for any two of the operons grew on methanol, whereas strains lacking all three did not. Therefore, each operon encodes a bona fide methanol-utilizing MtaB/corrinoid protein pair. Most of the mutants were similar to the wild-type strain, with the exception of the ΔmtaCB1 ΔmtaCB2 double mutant, which grew more slowly and had reduced cell yields on methanol medium. However, all mutants displayed significantly longer lag times when switching from growth on trimethylamine to growth on methanol. This indicates that all three operons are required for wild-type growth on methanol and suggests that each operon has a distinct role in the metabolism of this substrate. The combined methanol:CoM methyltransferase activity of strains carrying only mtaCB1 was twofold higher than strains carrying only mtaCB2 and fourfold higher than strains carrying only mtaCB3. Interestingly, the presence of the mtaCB2 and mtaCB3 operons, in addition to the mtaCB1 operon, did not increase the overall methyltransferase activity, suggesting that these strains may be limited by MtaA availability. All deletion mutants were unaffected with respect to growth on trimethylamine and acetate corroborating biochemical evidence indicating that each methanogenic substrate has specific methyltransfer enzymes.
A PENNSYLVANIAN (MORROWAN) OSTRACODE FAUNA FROM TEXAS

A Lower Pennsylvanian (Morrowan) silicified ostracode fauna occurs just above the conformable Mississippian-Pennsylvanian boundary within the Barnett Formation in Texas. The fauna contains several taxa that were previously restricted to the Upper Mississippian and numerous taxa only known from the Lower Pennsylvanian. New taxa proposed include Amphissites (Amphissites) morrowanensis n. sp., Polytylites subrectus n. sp., Kirkbyella (Berdanella) delicata n. sp., Kindlella proscillata n. sp., Libumella walkerorum n. sp., Moorites tumidus n. sp., Leptoderos arytaina n. gen. and sp., and Cribroconcha prolixa n. sp.
The scaling of geographic ranges: implications for species distribution models

The geographic ranges of many species are responding to ongoing environmental change. Processes operating at different levels of biological organization, with corresponding spatial extents and grains and temporal rates, interact with the evolving configuration of environmental conditions to determine range dynamics. To synthesize understanding of scales and scaling, including relevant biological levels of organization, focusing on the processes that mediate species-environment relationships and the models used to make inferences about species distributions. We review concepts related to the scaling of geographic ranges and implications for the most commonly used analytic methods, using simple simulations to illustrate important issues. Many processes lead to species distributions being dependent on environmental conditions within sites and within a neighborhood. Studies with large extents and fine grains can cut across several levels of biological organization (individual, within-population, and metapopulation processes) complicating interpretation. Many geographic ranges are not in dynamic equilibrium, but common models used for inference assume equilibrium. Interspecific interactions shape species distributions at multiple scales, and arguments for ignoring species interactions also assume equilibrium. There is a need for timely science to inform policy and management decisions; however, we must also strive to provide predictions that best reflect our understanding of ecological systems. Species distributions evolve through time and reflect responses to environmental conditions that are mediated through individual and population processes. Species distribution models that reflect this understanding, and explicitly model dynamics, are likely to give more accurate predictions.
Infection and mortality of Microtheca ochroloma (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) by Isaria fumosorosea (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae) under laboratory conditions

ABSTRACTMicrotheca ochroloma Stal, the yellowmargined leaf beetle, is a pest in crucifer crops during the late fall and winter months in Florida. On organic farms, it is difficult to control due to the restricted use of insecticides, in addition to the lack of specific natural enemies. The objective of this study was to evaluate a blastospore-formulated product of Isaria fumosorosea (PFR-97TM 20% WDG) against this beetle. In the first experiment, four of the beetle's life stages were treated with a suspension of 3 × 107 blastospores/ml. Mean corrected mortality of treated insects was significantly higher in 1st and 3rd instars than in the egg, pupal, and adult stages. Larvae infected by I. fumosorosea exhibited reduced growth and unsuccessful molting. The second experiment quantified mortality of first instars of M. ochroloma by four concentrations of PFR-97TM. Mean corrected larval infection/treatment was significantly (2.6 times) higher with a concentration of 4 g of product per 100 ml of water compared...
On surface stress and surface tension: I. Theoretical considerations

The physical significance of the difference between surface tension, σ, and surface stress, fij = δijσ + ∂σ∂eij, with δij the Kronecker delta, is investigated. It is concluded that the strain eij concerned is not the total strain, which may be composed of elastic and plastic contributions, but only the elastic component of the strain. It follows that the value of the surface stress depends on experimental conditions and it is concluded that measurements of surface stress are possible from the effect of the hydrostatic pressure due to all curved surfaces as well as from the mechanical forces exerted by planar surfaces of crystals, amorphous substances and liquids when the strain rates are sufficiently large so as to inhibit plastic deformation, causing the strains to be elastic. Conversely measurements of surface tension via mechanical forces exerted by surfaces require sufficiently slow strain rates so that all strains utilized in the experiment be fully plastic.
The importance of including imperfect detection models in eDNA experimental design

Environmental DNA (eDNA) is DNA that has been isolated from field samples, and it is increasingly used to infer the presence or absence of particular species in an ecosystem. However, the combination of sampling procedures and subsequent molecular amplification of eDNA can lead to spurious results. As such, it is imperative that eDNA studies include a statistical framework for interpreting eDNA presence/absence data. We reviewed published literature for studies that utilized eDNA where the species density was known and compared the probability of detecting the focal species to the sampling and analysis protocols. Although biomass of the target species and the volume per sample did not impact detectability, the number of field replicates and number of samples from each replicate were positively related to detection. Additionally, increased number of PCR replicates and increased primer specificity significantly increased detectability. Accordingly, we advocate for increased use of occupancy modelling as a method to incorporate effects of sampling effort and PCR sensitivity in eDNA study design. Based on simulation results and the hierarchical nature of occupancy models, we suggest that field replicates, as opposed to molecular replicates, result in better detection probabilities of target species.
Reducing Water Vapor Intrusion in Pressure Sense Line of an Upper-Stage Rocket Engine

A transient airflow rig was used to simulate the behavior of pressure-sensing tubing in a rocket engine during the engine’s spool-up to full power. The purpose of the rig was to determine whether the engine’s pressurizing gas (water vapor) could be significantly diluted with gaseous hydrogen, thereby preventing water-vapor condensation in the pressuresensing tubing. Initial tests confirmed that the rig’s time constant was nearly identical to that of the engine. Then, the rig’s internal geometry was modified to include an ejector that promoted the introduction of a secondary gas into the pressure-sensing tubing. Subsequent testing proved that the ejector scheme diluted the primary pressurizing gas by 40 % without increasing the response time of the pressure sensing tubing. These results were confirmed analytically by a time-stepping 1-D flow simulation that was developed in parallel with the transient rig.
Flow and Thermal Properties Induced by Electric Arc Plasma Actuators

Recently renewed interest in flow control devices using various forms of plasmas has motivated the design and systematic investigation of a localized arc filament plasma actuator, or LAFPA-type devices. The newly constructed system creates electric arcs by generating electric fields in the range of 20 kV/cm between two pin-type electrodes. The flow actuation then occurs due to volumetric gas (Joule) heating, synthetic jet production, blast wave creation (dilatation effects), and electro-magnetic (electrostatic and Lorentz2 effects. The potential of the actuator to influence surrounding quiescent flow was investigated using emission imaging, schlieren imaging, current and voltage probes, particle image velocimetry (PIV), and emission spectroscopy. The schlieren imaging revealed a potential to cause blast “Mach” waves and a synthetic jet with controllable directionality dependent on cavity orientation. The electric measurements revealed that, in order to increase the power discharged by the plasma, the electrode separation will only aid mildly and that an optimum plasma current exists (between 300-400 mA for the tested parameter space). The PIV data were acquired for various actuation frequencies and showed a negative trend between discharge frequency and maximum induced jet velocity. Finally, the emission spectroscopy data were acquired for four different cases: two electrode separations and two plasma currents. For each of the four conditions tested, the spectrum fit very well to a thermal distribution for early times in the emission. However, at later times in the emission, the spectrum no longer matched that of the second positive system under optically thick conditions for any combination of rotational and vibrational temperatures.
IOT technology based on the safety monitoring and information collection and utilization of traditional wooden construction

This article begins with the introduction of IOT concept and technology,analyses the relationship of each element in the IOT environment,and gets the deduction of application fields of IOT based on analysis.Meanwhile,according to the standards and limitations of this new technology,the advantages gained by IOT technologies which can benefit for Chinese ancient wooden architectures in conservation and restoration aspects are discussed.It also discusses the improvements of current status,the demands of customers,and the forms and methods of obtaining the products under these technologies of IOT.At last,the article summarizes the demands of IOT technology.
An analysis of developmental fields

Abstract Critical examination of variation of appropriate adult structures can give information on their ontogeny. In a Cretaceous insectivore, the patterns of serial variation of cheek tooth structures exhibit many kinds of morphological gradients. All these observed gradients can be explained by a minimum of two or three embryological gradients acting on a prepattern that is common to each tooth primordium. Three dichotomous signals are necessary for other features. Thus the simplest program of dental ontogeny can be derived. Extensions, tests, and other matters are discussed.
DOES MORE SPECIALIST PHARMACIST TIME IN A CLINICAL AREA EQUAL MORE ACTIVITY

Background Following a medication safety initiative proposed by the PICU Safety Strategy group a pilot was set up to extend the presence of a PICU trained pharmacist in the clinical area. One of the main safety initiatives was to assess whether increased pharmacist exposure decreased drug omission of time critical medicines, which was highlighted from incident reporting patterns on PICU. Aim To assess what impact extending a pharmacist with specific PICU training would have on the medicines management of the PICU patients. Method The pilot involved attendance on the afternoon ward round, review of all new admissions and follow up of priority patients as highlighted by the “day” PICU pharmacists. The pilot “late” PICU pharmacist was resident in the hospital, on PICU, for an hour longer than the pharmacy opening hours. A rota of A basic data collection form was set up on Microsoft Excel. Data collected included start and finish times of the ward round, time leaving PICU, clinical interventions made, queries by staff on PICU and outside of PICU, supplies made, drug omissions prevented, number of times the presence on the unit prevented need to call in the on call pharmacist and interpretation of drug assays reported after pharmacy hours. Follow up of specific medicines management issues highlighted by the “day” pharmacists as requiring action prior to following day pharmacy visit were recorded. Results During the 74 days data were collected there was 395 drug related queries by PICU staff (252 by nursing staff, 143 by prescribers). The “late” PICU pharmacist was contacted for advice regarding non-PICU patients by the on call or dispensary pharmacist on 7 occasions and 11 times from clinical staff outside of PICU. The “late” pharmacist intervened on 412 prescriptions, some of the interventions arose from the 260 follow up reviews requested by the “day” pharmacists. Of the 236 drug assays reported after pharmacy hours, 126 required intervention by pharmacist. Omission of time critical medicines was prevented on 17 occasions following 79 supplies of non-stock medicines. Calling out the on-call pharmacist was circumvented 11 times. Conclusion The Safety Strategy teams’ request for increased access to a “late” PICU pharmacist resulted in a number of clinical interventions, appropriate dosing advice on late-in-day reported drugs assays and prevention of delays in medicines, including time critical drugs. Benefits of the specialist pharmacist being on-site to the pharmacy service included less need to access the on call pharmacist for either advice or supplies of medicines. During a pharmacy 7 day working review these data were used to secure the increased clinical pharmacy service to PICU.
SEMIFLUIDIZED BED BIOREACTOR

ABSTRACT A novel biochemical reactor design based on the concept of semifluidization is introduced. Semifluidization was discovered in 1958, and semifluidized beds for mass-transfer operations and chemical reaction were eventually patented in 1968. A semi-fluidized bed is formed when a fully fluidized bed is compressed from above by a porous plate which retains the bed of solids but allows the fluid to pass through. The result of the compression is the formation of a packed (fixed) section on top of the fluidized section. The phenomenon is called semifluidization. Successful application of semifluidized beds as bioreactors seems assured in view of the recent advances in the field of biological waste treatment. Studies have shown that when microorganisms are attached to inert supports, their effectiveness is drastically improved in the reduction of TOC, BOD and TSS, in the degradation of hazardous organic contaminants and nitrogen compounds, and in the conversion of volatile solids to methane gas. In addition to the intrinsic advantages of a fluidized bed-fixed bed in-series design over both the fluidized bed and the fixed bed, the use of a semifluidized bed bioreactor eliminates elutriation of bacteria-coated bed particles and unstable bed expansion commonly encountered in fluidized bed bioreactors. The semifluidized bed bioreactor also reduces or eliminates plugging of the bed by suspended solids experienced in fixed bed operations.
Android mobile development with Xamarin and Visual Studio: tutorial presentation

The introduction to programming course in most institutions usually focuses on either console program development or forms based development using a rapid development environment like Visual Studio.
The KMT Rebuilds the ROC: Useful Foreign Foes and Enemies from Within

This chapter delves into the cross-strait policy of President Ma Ying-jeou between 2008 and 2016. In essence, its emphasis is on the KMT’s efforts to rehabilitate the ROC’s centrality and ruling legitimacy after years of de-Sinification campaigns pushed by Lee Teng-hui and Chen Shui-bian. From this author’s interviews with officials from the KMT, DPP, the Mainland Affairs Council, scholars, and think-tank analysts, this chapter aims to demonstrate that the Ma administration was engaging in a nation-(re)building project to integrate Taiwan and the mainland economically, politically, culturally, and historically. The president had initiated several name rectification policies, including addressing the PRC as “mainland China” instead of “China” or the “PRC”. Strictly following the ROC Constitution promulgated on the Chinese mainland in 1948, Ma further underscored that the relations between both sides are, in fact, not state-to-state since both Taiwan and the mainland are merely two regions, though separate currently due to the Chinese Civil War, that are waiting for reunification under the democratic ROC government. Such an assertion is identical to the reunification position of Chiang Kai-shek and Chiang Ching-kuo. The KMT leader stressed not only on the importance of upholding the “1992 consensus” as the bedrock for cross-strait peace but also of focusing on connecting the Chinese national, historical, and cultural bonds between the compatriots on both sides of the strait. Between 2013 and 2015, Taipei held a high-profile commemoration of the ROC’s struggle against imperialism and fascism in WWII and the KMT’s strenuous efforts to defeat Japan and recover Taiwan back to the embrace of China. The Ma government’s pro-China endeavors, however, led to growing discontent from the Taiwanese people, galvanizing mass demonstrations and ultimately leading to the KMT’s declining electoral fortunes in 2014 and 2016.
Prothrombotic aspects of sickle cell disease

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a hematologic disorder caused by a well-characterized point mutation in the β-globin gene. Abnormal polymerization of hemoglobin tetramers results in the formation of sickle red blood cells that leads to vascular occlusions, hemolytic anemia, vascular inflammation and cumulative, multiple organ damage. Ongoing activation of coagulation is another hallmark of SCD. Recent studies strongly suggested that hypercoagulation in SCD is not just a secondary event but contributes directly to the disease pathophysiology. In this article we summarize mechanisms leading to the activation of coagulation, review data indicating direct contribution of coagulation to the pathology of SCD and, we discuss the anticoagulation as a possible treatment strategy to attenuate the disease progression.
Geographic and racial patterns of preventable hospitalizations for hypertension: Medicare beneficiaries, 2004-2009.

OBJECTIVES Hypertension as the primary reason for hospitalization is often used to indicate failure of the outpatient health-care system to prevent and control high blood pressure. Investigators have reported increased rates of these preventable hospitalizations for black people compared with white people; however, none have mapped them nationally by race. METHODS We used Medicare Part A data to estimate preventable hypertension hospitalizations from 2004-2009 using technical specifications published by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Rates per 100,000 beneficiaries were age- and sex-standardized to 2000 U.S. Census data. We mapped county-level rates by race and identified clusters of counties with extreme rates. RESULTS Black people had higher crude rates of these hospitalizations than white people for every year studied, and the test for an increasing linear time trend for the standardized rates was significant for both black and white people; that is, the gap between the races increased over time. For both races, clusters of high-rate counties occurred primarily in parts of Oklahoma, Texas, Southern Alabama, and Louisiana. High rates for white people were also found in parts of Appalachia. Large differences in rates among black and white people were found in a number of large urban areas and in parts of Florida and Alabama. CONCLUSIONS Racial disparities in preventable hospitalizations for hypertension persisted through 2009. The gap between black and white people is increasing, and these inequities exist unevenly across the country. Although this study was intended to be purely descriptive, future studies should use multivariate analyses to examine reasons for these unequal distributions.
Information about the US racial demographic shift triggers concerns about anti-White discrimination among the prospective White “minority”

The United States is undergoing a demographic shift in which White Americans are predicted to comprise less than 50% of the US population by mid-century. The present research examines how exposure to information about this racial shift affects perceptions of the extent to which different racial groups face discrimination. In four experiments, making the growing national racial diversity salient led White Americans to predict that Whites will face increasing discrimination in the future, compared with control information. Conversely, regardless of experimental condition, Whites estimated that discrimination against various racial minority groups will decline. Explorations of several psychological mechanisms potentially underlying the effect of the racial shift information on perceived anti-White discrimination suggested a mediating role of concerns about American culture fundamentally changing. Taken together, these findings suggest that reports about the changing national demographics enhance concerns among Whites that they will be the victims of racial discrimination in the future.
Assessment of Knee Cartilage

The evaluation of articular cartilage has gained increasing attention in the scientific community as injuries and degenerative changes in the articular cartilage are a significant cause of morbidity and impaired quality of life (Yelin and Callahan 1995), with an increasing impact in our aging society. The fundamental component of osteoarthritis is degradation and subsequent loss of articular cartilage.
Elastic scattering of fast electrons by H2( 1 Sigma g+) and N2(X 1 Sigma g+).

The differential cross section (DCS) d${\ensuremath{\sigma}}^{\mathrm{el}}$/d\ensuremath{\Omega} for the elastic scattering of electrons by homonuclear diatomic molecules in the first Born approximation at scattering angles equal or near zero is derived here by an expansion method. This method gives d${\ensuremath{\sigma}}^{\mathrm{el}}$/d\ensuremath{\Omega}=\ensuremath{\alpha}+\ensuremath{\beta}${K}^{2}$+\ensuremath{\gamma}${K}^{4}$+.. ., where \ensuremath{\alpha},\ensuremath{\beta},\ensuremath{\gamma} are constants, and K is the momentum transfer. For ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$, the value \ensuremath{\alpha} with vibrational corrections is calculated with use of the most accurate wave function given by Kolos and Wolniewicz (KW) and the values for the constants \ensuremath{\beta} and \ensuremath{\gamma} are evaluated from the Davidson and Jones (DJ) wave function. The resulting DCS's at small scattering angles are given for comparison with experiment. The disagreement between theory and experiment for ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ is found when the scattering angle is less than 15 mrad at 25 keV (i.e., K=0.6 a.u.). The disagreement is very similar to the ones reported in the studies of Compton scattering and (e,2e) reaction spectroscopy. The disagreement between theory and experiment at scattering angles near zero for ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$ are also reported. New experimental data for ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ and ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$ at very small scattering angles may be needed in order to establish the disagreements reported here. The DCS for ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$ at large scattering angles is also calculated using an accurate multiconfiguration self-consistent-field first-order configuration-interaction (MCSCF-FOCI) wave function. Good agreement within experimental resolution at large scattering angles is found for ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$ for the difference function \ensuremath{\Delta}N(K) and for the DCS. This is contrary to the recent study of ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ where discrepancies were reported at large scattering angles. The calculated total cross sections for ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$ are in good agreement with the experimental data at low incident energies is the hundred-electron-volt range.
Child Neurology Residency Program Directors and Program Coordinators 2016 Workforce Survey

Abstract Background Responsibilities of Program Directors' (PDs) and Program Coordinators' (PCs) roles continue to evolve within Graduate Medical Education (GME). Methods In 2016, the authors conducted an anonymous electronic survey of Child Neurology and Neurodevelopmental Disabilities PDs (n = 76) and PCs (n = 68) to address workforce characteristics, challenges related to implementing Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) requirements, and institutional support. Responses were characterized with descriptive statistics. Results Response rate was 72% (46 of 76 PDs, 57 of 68 PCs). PD median clinical workloads were five half-day clinics weekly plus three months as hospital attending yearly. Most PDs (61%) reported having less, and many (43%) believed requirements were less, protected time than the ACGME requires. Most PCs have clerical titles (58%), no designated GME career path (79%), inaccurate job descriptions (86%), little to no formal GME training (61%), work-hours exceeding those scheduled (68%), and time allocation below ACGME recommendations (69%). More than half (54%) of hourly PCs reported responding to communications after hours, with nearly all (92%) unpaid for such work. Shared PD-PC concerns include faculty completion of resident evaluations (80%), inadequate protected time (71%), and low PC salary (70%). For both PDs and PCs, median time in the job was four years. Conclusions Child neurology and neurodevelopmental disability residency PDs and PCs report problems that likely increase turnover and interfere with training. The ACGME should consider revising, formalizing, and disseminating requirements for protected time for PDs and PCs, based on realistic assessments of current administrative requirements, and monitoring compliance as part of program evaluations.
Burden of preoperative atrial fibrillation in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting

Abstract Background This study compares early and late outcomes in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting with and without preoperative atrial fibrillation in a contemporary, nationally representative Medicare cohort. Methods In the Medicare-Linked Society of Thoracic Surgeons database, 361,138 patients underwent isolated coronary artery bypass from 2006 to 2013, of whom 37,220 (10.3%) had preoperative atrial fibrillation; 13,161 (35.4%) were treated with surgical ablation and were excluded. Generalized estimating equations were used to compare 30-day mortality and morbidity. Long-term survival was summarized using Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression models. Stroke and systemic embolism incidence was modeled using the Fine-Gray model and the CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc score was used to analyze stroke risk. Median follow-up was 4 years. Results Preoperative atrial fibrillation was associated with a higher adjusted 30-day mortality (odds ratio [OR], 1.5; P P 2 DS 2 -VASc scores was 74.8% versus 86.3% (score 1-3), 56.5% versus 73.2% (score 4-6), and 41.2% versus 57.2% (score 7-9; all P Conclusions Preoperative atrial fibrillation is independently associated with worse early and late postoperative outcomes. CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc stratifies risk, even in those without preoperative atrial fibrillation.
Fabrication of custom PCL scaffold for nasal septal perforation repair

Nasal septal perforations (NSPs) are relatively common. They can be problematic for both patients and head and neck reconstructive surgeons who attempt to repair them. Often, this repair is made using an interpositional graft sandwiched between bilateral mucoperichondrial advancement flaps. The ideal graft is nasal septal cartilage. However, many patients with NSP lack sufficient septal cartilage to harvest. Harvesting other sources of autologous cartilage grafts, such as auricular cartilage, adds morbidity to the surgical case and results in a graft that lacks the ideal qualities required to repair the nasal septum. Tissue engineering has allowed for new reconstructive protocols to be developed. Currently, the authors are unaware of any new literature that looks to improve repair of NSP using custom tissue-engineered cartilage grafts. The first step of this process involves developing a protocol to print the graft from a patient's pre-operative CT. In this study, CT scans were converted into STereoLithography (STL) file format. The subsequent STL files were transformed into 3D printable G-Code using the Slic3r software. This allowed us to customize the parameters of our print and we were able to choose a layer thickness of 0.1mm. A desktop 3D bioprinter (BioBot 1) was then used to construct the scaffold. This method resulted in the production of a PCL scaffold that precisely matched the patient’s nasal septal defect, in both size and shape. This serves as the first step in our goal to create patient-specific tissue engineered nasal septal cartilage grafts for NSP repair.
Spatial Organization and Molecular Correlation of Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes Using Deep Learning on Pathology Images.

Beyond sample curation and basic pathologic characterization, the digitized H&E-stained images of TCGA samples remain underutilized. To highlight this resource, we present mappings of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) based on H&E images from 13 TCGA tumor types. These TIL maps are derived through computational staining using a convolutional neural network trained to classify patches of images. Affinity propagation revealed local spatial structure in TIL patterns and correlation with overall survival. TIL map structural patterns were grouped using standard histopathological parameters. These patterns are enriched in particular T cell subpopulations derived from molecular measures. TIL densities and spatial structure were differentially enriched among tumor types, immune subtypes, and tumor molecular subtypes, implying that spatial infiltrate state could reflect particular tumor cell aberration states. Obtaining spatial lymphocytic patterns linked to the rich genomic characterization of TCGA samples demonstrates one use for the TCGA image archives with insights into the tumor-immune microenvironment.
Is Sexual Objectification and Victimization of Females in Video Games Associated With Victim Blaming or Victim Empathy

The goal of this study was to investigate whether the sexual objectification and virtual violence against females in video games increases negative attitudes toward females, when addressing a variety of noted methodological issues. Study participants were randomly assigned to a control group, where participants played Madden NFL 12, or an experimental group, where participants played Grand Theft Auto. In the experimental group, participants played the game with a confederate, who exposed participants to sexual objectification and violence against females. Study results indicated that both the experimental and control groups had equivalently low levels of rape myth acceptance prior to game play. Immediately after game play, there still was no statistically significant difference in rape myth acceptance between groups; however, there was a decrease in rape myth acceptance for the experimental group. The decrease in rape myth acceptance continued and magnified for the experimental group, over time, to the point of creating a statistically significant difference between the two groups for the follow-up measure at the end of the study.
Spectroscopic Methods for Understanding Metals in Proteins

Spectroscopy has played a major role in bioinorganic chemistry in defining both structure/function correlations and reaction coordinates in catalysis. This chapter presents a series of spectroscopic methods that covers more than ten orders of magnitude in photon energy including recent advances in synchrotron-based bioinorganic spectroscopy. The information content of each method is developed in terms of geometric and electronic structure and the covalency of ligand–metal bonds.
Hypoxia and Retinal Neovascularization

For over 50 years, retinal hypoxia has been considered to be a major causative factor in the development of retinal neovascularization (NV), a condition associated with blindness and vision loss in a variety of retinopathies. Review of the existing literature and results of new experiments from our laboratory strongly suggest that the oxygen-based pathophysiology stimulating retinal NV is more complicated than previously thought. Our evidence identifies at least two independent conditions involved in the pathogenesis of retinal NV: hypoxia measured under steady-state conditions (i.e., static hypoxia) and found at the border of vascular and avascular retina, and subnormal oxygenation response measured during a provocation and found over both vascular and avascular retina. In practical terms, the identification of links between static hypoxia, oxygen supply dysfunction and NV may lead to improved therapeutic strategies for preventing vision loss and blindness from retinal NV.
Maternal depression and antidepressant use during pregnancy and the risk of autism spectrum disorder in offspring.

Background Results of some studies suggest that prenatal antidepressant exposure increases the risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in offspring, while other studies suggest that depression independently increases the risk of having a child with ASD. Thus, confounding by indication is a concern. Objective The aim of this study was to estimate the risk of ASD in offspring of women who were exposed to antidepressants and/or had depression during pregnancy compared to unexposed women. Materials and methods We conducted a cohort study with nested sibling case-control analysis. Using the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD), we identified mother- baby pairs where the mother had ≥12 months of history before the delivery date and the child had ≥3 years of follow-up. Exposures during pregnancy were classified as 1) depression treated with antidepressants, 2) untreated depression, 3) other indications for antidepressant use, and 4) 4:1 match of unexposed women with no history of depression or antidepressant use. We calculated the prevalence of ASD and relative risk (RR) with 95% CI. In the sibling analysis, we compared exposure among ASD cases to that of non-ASD siblings born to the same mother. We calculated ORs and 95% CIs for women with treated and untreated depression, compared to unexposed. Results We identified 2,154 offspring with ASD among 194,494 mother-baby pairs. Compared to unexposed, the RR of ASD was 1.72 (95% CI 1.54-1.93) for treated depression and 1.50 (95% CI 1.28-1.75) for untreated depression, while the RR was not elevated in women who received antidepressants for other indications (RR =0.73, 95% CI 0.41-1.29). Additional analyses to assess the effects of severity of depression suggest that the risk of ASD in offspring increases with increasing severity, not with the antidepressant treatment. The results of the sibling analysis were similar to the main analysis. Conclusion Women with depression during pregnancy have an increased risk of having a child with ASD, regardless of antidepressant use.
Evidence, Determination, and Implications of Membrane-Independent Limiting Flux in Forward Osmosis Systems

A stepwise method for determining limiting flux and limiting osmotic pressure and a constant osmotic pressure method to validate the limiting flux were developed. First, five of the most commonly used FO membranes were characterized for water permeability ( A), solute permeability ( B), and structural parameter ( S). During both stepwise and constant osmotic pressure fouling experiments, membrane fouling constrained water flux to a singular, common upper limit, the limiting flux, for all membranes despite very different A and A/ B values for the membranes. Conversely, there was not an upper limit to reverse salt flux. It was observed that reverse salt flux increases as S decreases; however, this does not mean that higher S values are desirable. Higher S values (> ∼600 μm) also increase dilutive internal concentration polarization, which is recognized as the major impediment to achieving high FO water flux. For osmotic processes where membrane fouling occurs, membrane transport parameters A and B may not be useful performance indicators, and the goal of improving water flux by developing highly permeable, highly selective membranes may not be realistic. Instead, optimizing fouling mitigation strategies, hydrodynamics at the membrane surface, and membrane module configuration may be more promising alternatives for improving performance.
Limited utility of detailed e-cigarette use measures: An analysis of NESARC-III

Abstract Introduction The heterogeneity of e-cigarette products and e-liquids pose challenges to surveillance of e-cigarette exposure. The goal of this study was to evaluate the internal consistency of e-cigarette use frequency, quantity, and duration measures in a national population-based survey. Methods Data were drawn from the 2012–2013 for the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III (n = 36,309; NESARC-III). Adults who used e-cigarettes/e-liquid during the past year (≤18 years old; n = 1,229) were asked about their age of first use, recency of use, quantity (i.e., cartridges, drops), nicotine concentration, and duration (hours). Several internal consistency parameters were compared for e-cigarette measures in past-year (n = 750) and past 30-day e-cigarette users (n = 472) overall, and by frequency of use (i.e., infrequent [≤3 days/month], non-daily [1–6 days/week], daily). Results There were no significant differences in quantity, nicotine concentration, or duration by frequency of use in past 30-day e-cigarette users. One-third of past 30-day and almost half of past-year users did not know the nicotine concentration of their cartridge or e-liquid. Correlations between all e-cigarette use measures were low, with the highest correlations seen between e-liquid quantity and cartridge quantity in all past 30-day users (r = 0.28) and those reporting any e-liquid use (r = 0.40). Cronbach's alpha and mean interitem correlations were low across all user groups. Conclusions Low to moderate correlation across e-cigarette measures in e-cigarette users implies low internal consistency of these measures in a population survey. Findings suggest measures such as quantity and nicotine concentration might more appropriate in samples of recent experienced e-cigarette users than in general population samples.
Viruses on the Move in the Extracellular Space.

Positive-strand (+) RNA viruses act as their own messengers, encoding an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase that can replicate their sense RNA genome. This allows (+) RNA viruses to replicate outside the nucleus, within replication complexes formed from host organelle membranes often called “replication
Body-Prop Interaction: Evaluation of Augmented Open Discs and Egocentric Body-Based Interaction

This paper presents a novel interaction technique to combine multiple inputs and output modalities with a 3D printed open disc which is tracked and augmented with a virtual information. Props have been used in virtual and augmented environments to provide tangible associations to virtual elements. When used in a larger immersive environment or where a user is walking around, users may not have the capability to set these objects/props down or are limited to the number of hands, so users are reduced to the capability of using only two props or controllers. In our technique, users can instead use their body to store and organize the virtual objects associated with tangible props by physically hanging them on or attaching them to the body. This type of interaction is well-suited for both immersive visualizations and immersive virtual environments. In this paper, we present the results of an experimental evaluation of our Body Prop Interaction technique for each type of immersive environment and corresponding task type, demonstrating more effective usage in each scenario than a joystick or gesture-based interaction.
Breeding animals to feed people: The many roles of animal reproduction in ensuring global food security.

Abstract As the population grows and shifts demographically, the resulting increase in demand for beef and milk necessitates improvements in the sustainability of ruminant livestock production systems. Ruminant livestock contribute to ensuring global food security because they have the ability to up-cycle non-human-edible products into meat and milk products with notable nutritional value. However, ruminant livestock also pose a challenge to global food sustainability because they are resource-intensive to produce and contribute substantially to agricultural greenhouse gas emissions. As such, improving environmental impacts of ruminant livestock production globally is an essential goal. There are a number of strategies that can be employed to enhance sustainability of ruminant production systems; however, improving reproductive efficiency is among the more efficient, because an increase in reproductive success will reduce the number of cows needed to produce a target quantity of beef. This reduction in the cow herd size helps limit the number of unproductive animals retained in the herd, thereby reducing the environmental maintenance cost of livestock production. Additionally, proper application of reproductive technologies enables faster and more targeted advances in genetic gains, which can be leveraged to produce phenotypes that are resource-use-efficient and well-adapted to their production environment. Optimizing reproductive efficiency can be accomplished through improved genetic selection for fertility and fecundity; applying more effective use of assisted reproductive technologies; and coupling reproductive and nutritional management to optimize likelihood of reproductive success. Collectively, applying these approaches will be essential when working to ensure ruminant livestock’s contribution to global food security.
The Incidence and Severity of Hypocarbia in Neonates Undergoing General Anesthesia.

BACKGROUND: Extended periods of hypocarbia in preterm infants may be associated with intraventricular hemorrhage, periventricular leukomalacia, and bronchopulmonary dysplasia. To evaluate the current anesthetic practice in preterm neonates, we retrospectively reviewed the intraoperative course with regard to PaCO2 and ventilation during non-cardiac surgical procedures in infants METHODS: This was a single-center, retrospective study during non-cardiac surgical procedures in neonates. Hyperventilation was defined as a PaCO2 ≤ 35 mm Hg, significant hyperventilation as a PaCO2 ≤ 30 mm Hg, and extreme hyperventilation as a PaCO2 ≤ 25 mm Hg. RESULTS: The study cohort included 112 neonates, with a median postnatal age of 40 weeks, median gestational age of 38 weeks, and median weight of 5 kg. Thirty-seven subjects (33%) had at least one arterial blood gas value that demonstrated hyperventilation. Thirteen (12%) were noted to have significant hyperventilation (PaCO2 ≤ 30 mm Hg) and 2 had extreme hyperventilation (PaCO2 ≤ 25 mm Hg). CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of at least one arterial blood gas that demonstrated inadvertent hyperventilation in neonates was high during intraoperative care. These data may provide the baseline for future studies that address more rigorous monitoring and control of PaCO2 during intraoperative care. Although the duration of the anesthetic care and surgical procedure is brief compared with the neonatal ICU length of stay because there is no demonstrated benefit of hypocapnia and, in fact, well-documented harm associated with hyperventilation in neonates, care should be directed at limiting inadvertent hyperventilation.
Gabriel Marcel: Mystery in an Age of Problems

This chapter surveys Gabriel Marcel’s critique of technocratic rationalism. An important figure in French existentialism, Marcel (1889–1973) did not deny the benefits of technological progress. He did worry, though, that a technical ethos was reshaping how we see the world and ourselves. He especially worried about a tendency to reduce mysteries to problems. A problem, for Marcel, is something external to us that can be determinatively understood and solved with a generalizable technique. A mystery, on the other hand, is something in which we are inextricably involved. It has roots deep within us, but it also reaches beyond us. While a problem can be definitively solved, a mystery can only be navigated in light of the concrete situation and the people involved. He worried about the reduction of humans to their “functions,” and he worried about an increasing tendency to treat the central mysteries of human existence—namely love and death—as problems.