cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quality improvement in neurology: AAN Parkinson disease quality measures Report of the Quality Measurement and Reporting Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology

Background: Measuring the quality of health care is a fundamental step toward improving health care and is increasingly used in pay-for-performance initiatives and maintenance of certification requirements. Measure development to date has focused on primary care and common conditions such as diabetes; thus, the number of measures that apply to neurologic care is limited. The American Academy of Neurology (AAN) identified the need for neurologists to develop measures of neurologic care and to establish a process to accomplish this. Objective: To adapt and test the feasibility of a process for independent development by the AAN of measures for neurologic conditions for national measurement programs. Methods: A process that has been used nationally for measure development was adapted for use by the AAN. Topics for measure development are chosen based upon national priorities, available evidence base from a systematic literature search, gaps in care, and the potential impact for quality improvement. A panel composed of subject matter and measure development methodology experts oversees the development of the measures. Recommendation statements and their corresponding level of evidence are reviewed and considered for development into draft candidate measures. The candidate measures are refined by the expert panel during a 30-day public comment period and by review by the American Medical Association for Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) II codes. All final AAN measures are approved by the AAN Board of Directors. Results: Parkinson disease (PD) was chosen for measure development. A review of the medical literature identified 258 relevant recommendation statements. A 28-member panel approved 10 quality measures for PD that included full specifications and CPT II codes. Conclusion: The AAN has adapted a measure development process that is suitable for national measurement programs and has demonstrated its capability to independently develop quality measures. Neurology ® 2010;75:2021–2027
Impact of Nonischemic Scar Features on Local Ventricular Electrograms and Scar-Related Ventricular Tachycardia Circuits in Patients With Nonischemic Cardiomyopathy

Background— The association of local electrogram features with scar morphology and distribution in nonischemic cardiomyopathy has not been investigated. We aimed to quantify the association of scar on late gadolinium-enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance with local electrograms and ventricular tachycardia circuit sites in patients with nonischemic cardiomyopathy. Methods and Results— Fifteen patients with nonischemic cardiomyopathy underwent late gadolinium-enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance before ventricular tachycardia ablation. The transmural extent and intramural types (endocardial, midwall, epicardial, patchy, transmural) of scar were measured in late gadolinium-enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance short-axis planes. Electroanatomic map points were registered to late gadolinium-enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance images. Myocardial wall thickness, scar transmurality, and intramural scar types were independently associated with electrogram amplitude, duration, and deflections in linear mixed-effects multivariable models, clustered by patient. Fractionated and isolated potentials were more likely to be observed in regions with higher scar transmurality ( P P 25% scar transmurality. Conclusions— Electrogram features are associated with scar morphology and distribution in patients with nonischemic cardiomyopathy. Previous knowledge of electrogram image associations may optimize procedural strategies including the decision to obtain epicardial access.
Air pollution and chest disease.

SUMMARY Acute smog disasters have made it clear that air pollution can cause disease and death. The subtle effects of everyday air pollution are, however, less well known, and present a formidable challenge to medical researchers. Statistical correlations based on morbidity and mortality and laboratory studies, constitute the two main directions taken to determine long-term health effects. Neither approach yields results comparable to those which might be expected from long-term, well-controlled, prospective epidemiologic studies from which all variables except the air breathed would be eliminated. A large-scale community health study in Nashville, Tennessee, by the Public Health Service represents the first venture in this field. Morbidity and mortality findings will be correlated with information from an elaborate air sampling network, while other environmental and cultural factors are standardized. But studies much more elaborate than the Nashville study are needed. In the meantime, the need for refined portable pulmonary function instrumentation and for more accurate definition of the disease spectrum under question (asthma—chronic bronchitis—emphysema) are so crucial as to threaten serious delays.
Development of a new automated clean-up system for the simultaneous analysis of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and ‘dioxin-like’ polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCB) in flue gas emissions by GPC-SPE

A comprehensive clean-up method for quantitative analysis of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzo-furans (PCDD/Fs) in one single extract of environmental samples was developed. Since the chemical nature and toxicity of planar PCBs are similar to those of PCDD/Fs, dioxin-like PCBs and PCDD/Fs are often surveyed together in their exposure assessments. The development of a method for the simultaneous analysis of PCBs and PCDD/Fs in environmental samples is invaluable. The automated clean-up system evaluated in this work consists of three additional steps after traditional extraction: the chromatography on gel permeation (GPC), the concentration of the solvent through the use of an in-line evaporation module and the further purification and separation of PCDDs/Fs and dl-PCBs on an alumina cartridge in the ‘SPE module’. In this work, three fly ash samples from an interlaboratory study with different PCDD/F and PCB levels were Soxhlet-extracted and then cleaned up using an automated system. PCDD/Fs and PCBs were determined using isotope dilution and high resolution gas chromatography/high resolution mass spectrometry. The determined values of 17 PCDD/Fs were consistent with the certified values and the relative standard deviations (RSDs) of the determined values were less than 20%. The recoveries of 13C labeled PCDD/Fs and planar PCBs, and their RSDs were within the ranges specified in EPA1613 and 1668a methods, respectively. An accurate and reliable method was successfully developed and can be used in the simultaneous analysis of PCDD/Fs and planar PCBs in environmental samples.
Gossypol inhibition of acrosin and proacrosin, and oocyte penetration by human spermatozoa.

Gosspyol a known antispermatogenic agent was found to effectively inhibit the highly purified boar sperm proacrosin-acrosin proteinase enzyme system by irreversibly preventing the autoproteolytic conversion of proacrosin to acrosin and reversibly inhibiting acrosin activity. The agent appears to prevent the self-catalyzed by not the acrosin catalyzed activation of proacrosin. In additional experiments brief exposure of human semen to concentrations of gossypol which did not visibly alter spermatozoal motility of forward progression was found to irreversibly inhibit the conversion of proacrosin to acrosin although the activity of the nonzymogen acrosin was not decreased and also to prevent the human spermatozoa from penetrating denuded hamster oocytes. Gossypol inhibition of proacrosin conversion to acrosin closely paralleled the decline in oocyte penetration. Racemic (+or-) gossypol was equally as effective as the enantiomer (+) gossypol. The results suggest that the inhibition of proacrosin conversion to acrosin is a mechanism by which gossypol exerts its antifertility effect at nonspermicidal concentrations and that low levels of gossypol should be tested for their contraceptive action when placed vaginally. (authors)
A Framework for Urban Environmental Planning in Brazil

Brazil faces numerous environmental challenges despite having many laws and policies in place. The implementation process of such laws and policies does not exist a majority of the time, affecting the quality of environmental governance in the country. Within the urban planning context, the City Statute law enacted in 2001 included the environmental dimension of urbanization; however, the wording of this inclusion was vague and broad. For instance, two environmental assessment planning tools of the law are not mandatory at the federal level and are without a defined scope. In this Exploration, a new framework focusing on the environmental dimension of urbanization is proposed. These two planning tools can be developed using the framework, which is based on the concept of carrying capacity and geographical information systems; it includes a combination of participatory mapping (i.e., increasing knowledge) and tactical urbanism (i.e., increasing awareness) to enhance public participation, targeting low-income populations. This combination was chosen because by increasing the knowledge and awareness of the poor who will participate in environmental-related projects, it will empower and allow them to exert their influence as citizens more fully. Resumen: Un marco para la planificacion ambiental urbana en Brasil Resumen: Brasil afronta numerosos retos ambientales a pesar de contar con muchas leyes y politicas. El proceso de aplicacion de dichas leyes y politicas no se lleva a cabo la mayoria de las veces, lo cual afecta a la calidad de la gobernanza ambiental en este pais. Dentro del contexto de planificacion urbana, la ley denominada Estatuto de la Ciudad y promulgada en 2001 incluyo la dimension ambiental de la urbanizacion; sin embargo, la formulacion de dicha inclusion era vaga y amplia. Por ejemplo, dos herramientas de la ley para la planificacion ambiental no son obligatorias a nivel federal y no disponen de un campo de aplicacion definido. En esta Exploracion, se propone un nuevo marco que se enfoque en la dimension ambiental de la urbanizacion. Esas dos herramientas de planificacion se pueden desarrollar utilizando el marco que se basa en el concepto de la capacidad de carga y en los sistemas de informacion geografica; lo anterior implica una combinacion del mapeo participativo (aumentar los conocimientos) y del urbanismo tactico (aumentar la concienciacion) para reforzar la participacion publica, dirigiendose especialmente a la poblacion con bajos ingresos. Esta combinacion se eligio porque al aumentar los conocimientos y la concienciacion de los pobres que participaran en los proyectos relacionados con el medio ambiente, les empoderara y les permitira ejercer su influencia como ciudadanos con mayor plenitud.
The Rayleigh Centrifugal Instability for Vortex Rings with Swirl

In a recent paper Lifschitz and Hameiri (1991) demonstrated how to analyze the stability of general three-dimensional flows of an ideal incompressible fluid via the geometrical optics method. In the present paper we solve the geometrical optics equations for vortex rings (without and with swirl) and prove that all of them are unstable with respect to short wavelength perturbations.
Practical confidentiality preserving big data analysis

The "pay-as-you-go" cloud computing model has strong potential for efficiently supporting big data analysis jobs expressed via data-flow languages such as Pig Latin. Due to security concerns--in particular leakage of data -- government and enterprise institutions are however reluctant to moving data and corresponding computations to public clouds. We present Crypsis, a system that allows execution of MapReduce-style data analysis jobs directly on encrypted data. Crypsis transforms data analysis scripts written in Pig Latin so that they can be executed on encrypted data. Crypsis to that end employs existing practical partially homomorphic encryption schemes, and adopts a global perspective in that it can perform partial computations on the client side when PHE alone would fail. We outline the original program transformations underlying Crypsis for reducing the cost of data analysis computations in this larger perspective. We show the practicality of our approach by evaluating Crypsis on standard benchmarks.
Introducing Generation R

Coming of age after the Vietnam War, Generation X represents individuals born between 1961 and 1981. They are popularized as the 13th generation to be familiar with the United States flag. Their experiences are shaped by the cold war, the fall of the Berlin wall, a span of political peace for the USA, the rise of the home computer, Atari and Nintendo, the Internet, dot-com businesses, a teacher lost on the Space Shuttle Challenger, Desert Storm, and the emergence of grunge, hip-hop, and punk rock. Generation Y is known as the Millennial Generation or Net Generation. Their birthdates range from 1970 to 2000s. This group is marked by a rapid acceptance of digital technologies, communications, and familiarity with home computers. Generation Y also carries the dogma of MTV Generation, which includes most youth of the late twentieth century. MTV youth are popularized as being politically liberal, culturally and radically tolerant of same-sex marriage, and concomitantly protective of their status as youth; many are living with parents longer than previous generations. Gen Y’s experiences are shaped by decreasing economic prosperity and greater unemployment; worse, they are considered a generation of “trophy kids”—reflecting a sense of entitlement for their participation in competitive activities. They telecommute and strive to fit employment into their lives rather than adapting their lives to the needs of society. However, there is a trend for Millennials towards greater access to feedback, responsibility, and involvement in the decision-making and advocacy processes of the community. This chapter discusses the emergence of the generation of children whose parents are from MTV: Generation R. Most members of generation R are not yet born; they will deal with a large number of different community and environmental problems, which their parents and teachers did not face. Generation R (for responsibility) will need to become equipped to deal with these challenges.
Abstract 112: Unsustainable Hospital Costs in the treatment of Medicare Beneficiaries admitted with Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Background: Rising medical expenditures and the discrepancies in Medicare reimbursements have placed restraints on the health care delivery system. The goal of this study is to quantify these diffe...
Biology and equality: challenge for feminism in the socialist and the liberal state

This article examines recent Chinese laws on the issue of women and work. While Chinese regulations regarding women and work can be viewed as simply a reflection of the latest state policy on economic development, these regulations can also be viewed as an example of the familiar tension between standards that protect women and those that promote equality of opportunity. More importantly, these regulations reveal a philosophical change in the attitude towards Chinese women. In both tone and focus, the new Chinese regulations have origins in socialist ideals and Confucian traditions. They are Confucian in their focus on the importance of the collective community and socialists in the domineering role they assign to the state in defining the role of women in the workforce. The latest reality in China is that women’s problems are no longer discussed as social problems but rather as a matter of biology.
Tissue Engineering of the Liver

Approximately 30,000 people a year in the United States alone die from end-stage liver disease, and many others suffer debilitating illness (American Liver Foundation, 1988). The only accepted current treatment is liver transplantation, which, while effective, has many drawbacks, including the need for life-long immunosuppression, the possibility of rejection, and long hospital stays. The most significant problem with liver transplantation is the lack of donor organs.
Management of Calcinosis Associated with Systemic Sclerosis

Calcinosis is a common and debilitating manifestation of systemic sclerosis (SSc). It most commonly involves the hands, particularly the fingers, and it is often associated with pain, recurrent episodes of local inflammation, and functional impairment. We recommend preventative measures such as smoking cessation, avoidance of cold, stress, and trauma in all patients, along with aggressive treatment of Raynaud phenomenon and digital ulcers. If pain and inflammation are present, we recommend acetaminophen and/or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents; however, narcotics may be necessary in some cases. Corticosteroid injections with 20 mg/mL of triamcinolone acetonide suspension may also be effective in reducing secondary inflammation from calcinosis, as well as minocycline 50 or 100 mg/day in cyclic long-term use, and colchicine 1 mg/day orally. In case of infection, we add antibiotics with appropriate coverage for streptococci and staphylococci, such as cephalexin, dicloxacillin or clindamycin. The pharmacological treatment aimed to reduce calcinosis is challenging given that no therapies have consistently been found to be effective and no randomized controlled trials have been completed to date. We refer a significant proportion of patients with large, localized, and symptomatic lesions for surgical excision. Randomized controlled trials using novel outcome measures are necessary to evaluate the efficacy of proposed and emerging therapies.
Transfer of experimental auto-immune nephrosis in rats.

Summary1. Fourteen pairs of parabiosed litter mates were used. In 9 of these autoimmune nephrosis was produced in one of the paired rats by repeated i.p. injection of rat kidney suspensions incorporated in Freund's complete adjuvants. Nephrotic renal disease was noted in all 9 non-injected parabionts, simultaneously with or shortly after onset of proteinuria in the injected rat. In the 5 parabiosed pairs in which the injected rat failed to develop renal disease, the parabiont that had not been treated did not develop nephrotic renal injury. 2. The same antigenic material was given 3–9 times at 2-week intervals by i.v. injection to 12 rats. Slight and inconsistent proteinuria was noted in 5 and histological alterations of glomerular structures were observed in 2. A nephrotic syndrome of comparable severity was not noted in any of these animals. 3. Suspensions of lymphocytes obtained from the spleens of rats with incipient autoimmune renal disease were given by i.v. injection to 9 litter mates in which immu...
The Brazilian Black Guard Racial Conflict in Post-Abolition Brazil

The existence of racial democracy in Brazil has long since come into serious question. The work of sociologists like Florestan Fernandes and historians like Carl Degler has demonstrated the fact of racial discrimination in Brazil, yet the history of race relations in Brazil still seems to stand in contrast to that of the United States. Occurrences of widespread racial violence and the organization of militant movements for social, economic, and political equality take up little space in the historical literature dealing with Brazil. The apparent lack of endemic racial conflict in Brazil has been explained as the result of the marginalization of black people in Brazilian capitalism or as the result of a social mechanism like Degler's “mulatto escape hatch,” which separates the mass of black people from their natural leaders. Consequently, a consciousness of racial solidarity did not develop as the basis for political organization. Without such organization, black people could not effectively confront the white power structure on the issues of race, and, ultimately, class discrimination.
A Structural Equation Modeling Based Approach for Identifying Key Descriptors in Microstructural Materials Design

In design of advanced heterogeneous materials system, microstructures play an important role as a link between processing and material properties. An accurate and efficient representation of material microstructures is necessary. Our prior work applied a supervised ranking algorithm to identify key microstructure descriptors, however the approach falls short in identifying redundancy in descriptors and is not reliable when the training sample size is small. In this paper, we propose a Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) based approach to identify significant microstructure descriptors based on either correlation functions (CF) or material properties, or both. By building a reflective structural model, we are able to deal with high correlations among all candidate descriptors, gain more insights into their relations, and identify latent factors for categorizing microstructure features. The proposed approach begins with an Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) for grouping and reducing descriptors to determine the proper structure of microstructure descriptors as indicators of latent factors. The SEM analysis is then applied to identify the key descriptors using the Partial Least Squares (PLS) algorithm. The nanodielectric system with epoxy-nanosilica is used as an example to illustrate and validate the proposed approach. The potential use of identified key microstructure descriptors for optimal design of microstructural materials is discussed.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Power Quality Management of Special Loads in Power Grid

With the increasing applications of electrical and electronic equipments,there are more and more power quality problems due to the special loads,such as nonlinear,impact loads etc.Therefore,it is of great significance to establish an effective power quality management system for the special loads to ensure power quality of power grid.Based on this,the power quality management for special loads is discussed.It is found that the key elements during the management should include two factors,the management rules and the management procedure.In addtion,three core parts of monitoring,assessment and control of power quality are discussed and analyzed.The results can provide references for power supply companies to make power quality management regulations of special loads.
Central Nervous System: Notable Developments in the Management of Primary and Recurrent Gliomas

Over the past 30 years, the incidence of primary brain tumors has been increasing. Primary brain tumors are a heterogeneous group of central nervous system cancers with a wide range of outcomes and therapeutic strategies. As a result, prognostic features and molecular markers play a critical role in selecting treatment options for patients with brain tumors. At the NCCN 21st Annual Conference, Louis Burt Nabors, MD, reviewed the most appropriate adjuvant therapy for 3 types of brain tumors-primary low-grade gliomas, anaplastic oligodendrogliomas, and malignant gliomas-and shared supportive clinical trial data and NCCN recommendations.
Richter's transformation presenting as splenic rupture after 6 years of complete remission of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia

Richter9s transformation is a rare clinical condition occurring in about 5–10% of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). Patients usually present with lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly and elevated serum lactate dehydrogenase levels. These patients have a very poor prognosis with a median survival of about 10 months. We present a patient, with a history of CLL in complete remission, who presented with splenic rupture requiring splenectomy. She was eventually diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma with Richter9s transformation.
Sulfate conjugates of iodothyronines in developing sheep: effect of fetal hypothyroidism

We recently showed that thyroxine sulfate (T4S) and 3,3',5-triiodothyronine sulfate (T3S) were major thyroid hormone metabolites in ovine fetuses and neonates. To further characterize the sulfation...
Helmets: A Threat to the Preservation of Women's Lacrosse

A recent debate has raised controversy over the implementation of helmets in the game of women's lacrosse. Women have been participating in this game of finesse and skill without the need for safety equipment, yet in the past decade goggles have been mandated to compensate for the technological advancements in equipment that has increased the speed and intensity of the game. Safety advocates argue that helmets would result in a safer, more controlled atmosphere. However, those who are directly involved with women's lacrosse as a player, coach, board member or even a spectator, can all attest to the fact that helmets would promote a more physical game, destroying the poise and composure that it exhibits. To keep the integrity of the game, U.S. Lacrosse values the emphasis of education and rule enforcement in order to keep the game unchanged.
Using an Autonomous Humanoid Robot as a Pedagogical Platform in the Business Classroom

Experience using an autonomous humanoid robot as a pedagogical platform in the business classroom at a liberal arts university sheds light on ways to engage learning in the digital age when student attention is easily diverted. Measurable outcomes include: stimulating raw critical thinking, readily applying theory to practice, facilitating non-digital communication, and mediating relationships. Moreover, the robot helps directly engage students in analytical problem solving, structured v. unstructured decision making, and exploring the core functional areas of the firm – all critical to understanding the modern world of business.
B-Type Natriuretic Peptide (BNP) and Mitral Velocity E/A Ratio (MV E/A) Are Two Important Noninvasive Functional Indices of Cardiac AL Amyloidosis.

Cardiac AL amyloidosis is characterized as global myocardial dysfunction, oftentimes complicated by pulmonary events during stem cell mobilization and autotransplant. Although BNP or N terminal proBNP has been shown to be prognostically significant for survival following autotransplant, pathophysiologic processes of the heart for elevated levels of these molecules are unclear. In the current study, we sought to evaluate functional cardiac indices assessed by two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography and to correlate to BNP and clinical events. Evaluations were done on 39 serial echocardiogrmas obtained between July 2006 and July 2007 from 5 patients with established cardiac AL amyloidosis as a part of systemic amyloidosis (3 primary; 2 secondary to free kappa light chain multiple myeloma). Their median age was 78 years (range 48 to 80). One patient presented with pulmonary edema initially and three others developed pulmonary edema (n = 2) or congestion with pleural effusion (n = 1) during the course of therapy. Two patients underwent melphalan-based autotransplant, and three received melphalan 50 mg/m 2 up to 2 cycles every 3 months without stem cell infusion. The median BNP at diagnosis was 1110 pg/mL (range, 115 to 2540); right ventricular diastolic diameter (RVDd) 3.8 cm (2.9 to 4.0); left ventricular end diastolic volume (LVEDV) 88 mL (50 to 125); ejection fraction 60% (53 to 77); MV E/A 2 (1.3 to 2.9); right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) 48 mmHg (40 to 68). In multiple regression analyses, BNP levels were most significantly correlated to the RVDd, β = 0.58, p
The Antileukemic Effect of NK and NK-T Cells Against Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia Is Dominated by Interactions between Activating Molecules and Their Ligands Which Overcome Inhibitory KIR-MHC Class I Interaction.

Abstract We compared the interactions of autologous, HLA-identical and mismatched CD56+ cells with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) CD34+ cells. In 14 donor-recipient pairs, HLA-matched donor CD56+ cells inhibited CML CFU-GM at an E/T ratio of 10:1 (mean inhibition 42±9%). This was comparable to the 39.5±7% inhibition observed with 14 HLA-mismatched unrelated CD56+ cell donors, indicating that KIR incompatibility was not required for the antileukemic effect. Both CD56+CD3- (NK) and CD56+CD3+(NK-T) subsets inhibited colony formation of CD34+ CML cells but not normal CD34+ cells from the stem cell donor, suggesting that CD56+ cells recognized surface molecules specific to CML cells. Using indirect immunofluorescence to detect NKG2D ligands, 11/12 CML CD34+ samples were found to be MICA/B+ positive, while normal CD34 cells were uniformly negative. Five of six MICA/B+ CML samples bound a NKG2D/FC+ chimeric molecule indicating the presence of functional ligands. CML CFU-GM inhibition was partially blocked by anti-NKG2D suggesting that NKG2D-MICA/B interactions contributed to the antileukemic activity of NK and NK-T cells. Colony formation of MICA/B+ CML cells was also inhibited by caspase-blocked HLA matched donor CD56+ NK cells indicating that the effect was not FAS-dependent. However, soluble MICA/B was detected in patient serum by immunoprecipitation and CML patient serum blocked anti-MICA/B binding to CML cells, suggesting that in vivo anti-leukemic activity of CD56+ cells is diminished. Furthermore NKG2D expression on CD3+ cells was found to be low in 3 of 4 CML patients, which was accompanied by a reduced IL-10 production upon NKG2D ligation by an anti-NKG2D moAb. These studies confirm early observations of KIR-independent antileukemic cytotoxicity by autologous and HLA matched NK cells, implicating pro-cytotoxic signaling via NKG2D and its ligand MICA/B. They also reveal mechanisms whereby CML cells may escape from NK regulation in vivo.
The Transition to “Orthogonal” VB Theory and Its Approximate Variants

In the HL and \(\overline {{\text{HL}}}\) theories discussed above, all expressions are functions of AO overlap. The reader who is not very familiar with VB formalism may be inclined to think that neglect of overlap in any shape or form would be catastrophic. That this is not the case and that VB theory can be developed starting with an orthogonal AO basis are well known facts to theoretical chemists94 but not to practicing experimentalists. Hence, in the space below, we provide a discussion of these matters for the purpose of maintaining continuity as well as generating a comprehensive overview of VB and MO theories and their interrelationships. On this basis, one can finally understand the fallacies which have come to being from inappropriate utilization of computational methods and incorrect interpretation of computational results. We shall illustrate the salient points by reference to the simple two electron-two orbital diatomic H-H.
3D printing scaffold coupled with low level light therapy for neural tissue regeneration

3D printing has shown promise for neural regeneration by providing customized nerve scaffolds to structurally support and bridge the defect gap as well as deliver cells or various bioactive substances. Low-level light therapy (LLLT) exhibits positive effects on rehabiliation of degenerative nerves and neural disorders. With this in mind, we postulate that 3D printed neural scaffold coupling with LLLT will generate a new strategy to repair neural degeneration. To achieve this goal, we applied red laser light to stimualte neural stem cells on 3D printed scaffolds and investigated the subsequent cell response with respect to cell proliferation and differentiation. Here we show that cell prolifeartion rate and intracellular reactive oxgen species synthesis were significantly increased after 15 s laser stimulation follwed by 1 d culture. Over culturing time of 14 d in vitro, the laser stimulation promoted neuronal differentiation of neural stem cells, while the glial differentiation was suppressed based on results of both immunocytochemistry studies and real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction testing. These findings suggest that integration of 3D printing and LLLT might provide a powerful methodology for neural tissue engineering.
A First Laboratory Utilizing NMR for Undergraduate Education: Characterization of Edible Fats and Oils by Quantitative 13C NMR

Quantitative 13C NMR provides a straightforward method of analyzing edible oils in undergraduate chemistry laboratories. 13C spectra are relatively easy to understand, and are much simpler to analyze and workup than corresponding 1H spectra. Average chain length, degree of saturation, and average polyunsaturated fatty acid content of common edible oils are obtained directly using integrals of the proper regions in the 13C 1D spectra. These spectra segue to 2D 1H–13C HSQC experiments that provide an excellent path for students to verify assignments, in particular those associated with polyunsaturated fatty acids. Data acquisition and analysis can be completed in one to two lab sections, although spectrometer scheduling may be necessary for groups of students greater than six. 13C relaxation measurements of common oils are presented that enable accurate quantitative 13C data to be obtained in reasonable amounts of time (30–40 min per sample) on modern 400 MHz NMR spectrometers.
Recent Studies on the Care of First Febrile Urinary Tract Infection in Infants and Children for the Pediatric Hospitalist.

Background Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) is a common cause of bacterial infection in young children, and accounts for a significant number of pediatric hospitalizations. Objective To review recent publications focusing on the care of children hospitalized with their first febrile UTI. Methods A PubMed search was performed including publications from 2011-2016 on first febrile UTI in childhood. Abstracts were reviewed for being relevant to the care of hospitalized children and their follow-up. Relevant articles underwent full review by all authors and articles excluded from results included those without novel data analysis, primary improvement-based reports and studies with poor design or analysis. Included articles were categorized as "diagnosis", "management", "imaging" or "follow-up". Results Of 406 articles initially identified, 40 studies were included. One technical report with a systematic review was also included. Major topics addressed included the role of urinalysis in screening for UTI, use of parenteral antimicrobial therapy, the role of antimicrobial prophylaxis in prevention of recurrent UTI, and ideal follow-up and imaging approach following diagnosis of febrile UTI. Conclusion Recent literature on first febrile UTI addresses a broad range of areas regarding the care of hospitalized children, though some questions remain unanswered. Overall, studies support increased attention to the potential risks, expense and invasiveness of various approaches for evaluation. Proposed updates to practice included: utilization of urinalysis for screening and diagnosis, transitioning to oral antimicrobials based on clinical improvement and limiting the routine use of voiding cystourethrogram and antimicrobial prophylaxis.
Impact of Canopy Destruction from Simulated Hail on Potato Yield and Economic Return

Insurance against hailstorm-inflicted losses to potato crops is crucial for producer risk management. Insurance providers need regionally specific information on which to base estimates of hail damage. The objective of the research reported here was to determine the effects of a range of simulated hail defoliation treatments, low (33%), medium (66%), and high (99%), relative to an untreated control (0%) on yield and grower economic returns from one medium- and one late-maturing potato variety (‘Russet Norkotah TX278’ and ‘Ranger Russet,’ respectively) at three growth stages (tuber initiation, early bulking, and late bulking) in the Columbia Basin of Washington. Plants within the 33% and 66% treatments were defoliated by sweeping a garden rake with 16 solid, curved tines through the canopy of each treatment row several times until plants exhibited the desired defoliation level. Tuber initiation and early bulk plants within the 99% treatment were essentially mowed to ground level. Intensity of defoliation and stage of growth had significant, interacting effects on grower returns. Gross return and yield for both varieties at each growth stage were significantly reduced by 99% defoliation; these effects were mediated by the effects of defoliation on tuber size distribution. Total yield and gross return experienced the largest declines at early bulk compared with tuber initiation and late bulk defoliation in both varieties. When 99% of the early bulk foliage was removed, Russet Norkotah TX278 gross return and yield were reduced to 14% and 38%, respectively, of the values for the non-treated control, and Ranger Russet gross return and yield were reduced to 30% and 51% of control values, respectively. Defoliation of 99% at all growth stages significantly reduced overall market yield compared to controls for both varieties. However, tuber size distribution was most affected by 99% defoliation at early bulk. Severe defoliation (99%) at tuber initiation significantly delayed vine senescence in both varieties. The results of this study suggest that insurance adjusters should take into account the combined influence of growth stage and defoliation level when hail damage occurs.
Editorial on the role of emotions in B2B marketing

Purpose This special issue focuses on the influence that affect and emotions have in organizational, or B2B, buying behavior. Design/methodology/approach N/A Findings N/A Originality/value This special issue is valuable to both buyer and seller organizations as it explores the complex cadre of emotions and rationalizations in a B2B decision-making process.
Prophylactic antibiotics following radical cystectomy reduces urinary tract infections and readmission for sepsis from a urinary source

Abstract Introduction Urinary tract infections (UTI) and sepsis contribute significantly to the morbidity associated with cystectomy and urinary diversion in the first 30 days. We hypothesized that continuous antibiotic prophylaxis decreased UTIs in the first 30 days following radical cystectomy. Methods Patients with urothelial carcinoma of the bladder who underwent a radical cystectomy with urinary diversion for bladder cancer at Oregon Health and Science University from January 2014 to May 2015 were included in the study. The ureteral stents were kept for 3 weeks in both groups. In October 2014, we enacted a Department Quality Initiative to reduce UTIs. Following the initiative, all radical cystectomy patients were discharged home on antibiotic prophylaxis following a postoperative urine culture obtained during hospitalization. To evaluate the effectiveness of the initiative, the last 42 patients before the initiative were compared to the first 42 patients after the initiative with regard to the rate of UTI in the first 30 days following surgery. We used a combination of comprehensive chart review and the American College of Surgeons′ National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) to determine UTI and readmission for urosepsis in the first 30 days following surgery. This ensured accurate capture of all patients developing a UTI. Results A total of 12% in the prophylactic antibiotic group had a documented UTI, whereas 36% in the no antibiotic group had a urinary tract infection (P Conclusion Prophylactic antibiotics in the 30 days following radical cystectomy is associated with a significant decrease in urinary tract infections and readmission from urosepsis after surgery.
Flow-mediated effects on travel time, routing, and survival of juvenile Chinook salmon in a spatially complex, tidally forced river delta

We evaluated the interacting influences of river flows and tides on travel time, routing, and survival of juvenile late-fall Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) migrating through the Sacramen...
Self-Efficacy as a Mediator of Caregiver Coping: Development and Testing of an Assessment Model

Development and utilization of two self-efficacy measures thought to be relevant to stressed family caregivers, Caregiver Self-Care Self-Efficacy and Caregiver Problem-Solving Self-Efficacy, are described. Data obtained in the context of a psychoeducational intervention program are available for 217 caregivers of frail and/or cognitively impaired elders. Analyses of psychometric properties of the efficacy measures demonstrate good internal consistency and test-retest reliability for both measures. In addition, both measures of self-efficacy are related to depression as measured by the Beck Depression Inventory and caregiver distress as measured by the Zarit Burden Scale. Problem-Solving Self-efficacy also is related to subjective caregiver burden as measured by Zarit's Memory and Behavior Problem Checklist. Results are promising in terms of the utility of the measure and the application of self-efficacy theory to the caregiving situation. Limitations of these measures are discussed and suggestions made for improved second-generation self-efficacy scales.
Characterization of Carboxylic Acid Reductases for Biocatalytic Synthesis of Industrial Chemicals

Carboxylic acid reductases (CARs) catalyze the reduction of a broad range of carboxylic acids into aldehydes, which can serve as common biosynthetic precursors to many industrial chemicals. This work presents the systematic biochemical characterization of five carboxylic acid reductases from different microorganisms, including two known and three new ones, by using a panel of short-chain dicarboxylic acids and hydroxy acids, which are common cellular metabolites. All enzymes displayed broad substrate specificities. Higher catalytic efficiencies were observed when the carbon chain length, either of the dicarboxylates or of the terminal hydroxy acids, was increased from C2 to C6 . In addition, when substrates of the same carbon chain length are compared, carboxylic acid reductases favor hydroxy acids over dicarboxylates as their substrates. Whole-cell bioconversions of eleven carboxylic acid substrates into the corresponding alcohols were investigated by coupling the CAR activity with that of an aldehyde reductase in Escherichia coli hosts. Alcohol products were obtained in yields ranging from 0.5 % to 71 %. The de novo stereospecific biosynthesis of propane-1,2-diol enantiomer was successfully demonstrated with use of CARs as the key pathway enzymes. E. coli strains accumulated 7.0 mm (R)-1,2-PDO (1.0 % yield) or 9.6 mm (S)-1,2-PDO (1.4 % yield) from glucose. This study consolidates carboxylic acid reductases as promising enzymes for sustainable synthesis of industrial chemicals.
ACUTE MYELOGENOUS LEUKEMIA AND AGING: Clinical Interactions

Effective treatment of the elderly patient with AML remains a challenging task. Acute myelogenous leukemia is clearly a different disease in the elderly than in the young, for many reasons, both clinical and biologic, which contribute to the worse prognosis in the elderly. The elderly, as a group, have been underrepresented in clinical trials. Several important prognostic variables have been identified and described, however, that can help the physician select the appropriate treatment for any individual patient. Age itself should not preclude an attempt at therapy, especially for AML, which progresses very rapidly in the absence of treatment. After careful analysis of prognostic factors, in any individual patient, however, the outlook may be so poor that it may be desirable to withhold treatment. With a better understanding of the pathophysiology of AML in the elderly, more targeted and less toxic treatment regimens will become available. At present, however, clinicians must use an improved understanding of the disease to predict its behavior in an individual patient, so that the currently available treatment modalities are used most prudently.
Differentiation of active oxygen species for butane oxidation on vanadyl pyrophosphate

The contributions of lattice oxygen and adsorbed oxygen to the oxidation of butane by VPO catalysts were quantitatively determined by measurement of the reaction kinetics with a novel oscillating microbalance reactor. At 674 K, with the gas composition of butane/oxygen/Ar/He = 1.75/2.1/1.6/balance (vol%), and a gas hourly space velocity (GHSV) of 30000 h-1, oxidation of butane by lattice oxygen accounts for only about 5% of the butane oxidation rate, with the remainder carried out by adsorbed oxygen, most likely O-. Thus under steady state reaction conditions, the traditional Mars-van Krevelen mechanism is a minor contributor to the rate.
The Spread of Technological Innovations

Economists and sociologists have long been concerned with how a technological change or innovation spreads in an industry. Once an innovation is introduced by one firm, how soon do others in the industry come to adopt it, and what factors determine how rapidly they follow? In this chapter we construct a model of the spread of innovations among farmers, and then show that this same model describes the spread of innovations in such diverse industries as bituminous coal, iron, and steel, brewing, and railroads.
Assessing Drugs for Abuse Liability and Dependence Potential in Laboratory Primates

Distinctions between abuse liability and dependence potential are developed within the context of an assessment approach focusing upon the reinforcing, discriminative, and eliciting properties of drugs as the basis for an effective technology to evaluate a broad range of pharmacological agents. Procedures and outcomes from extensive studies with primates assessing drug self-administration, drug discrimination, physiological dependence, and behavioral toxicity are described and discussed.
Morphological Size of Asphaltene Micelles in Asphalt and Heavy Residue

Several techniques have been used to measure the morphological sizes of asphaltene micelles. Among these, the Guinier method for small angle x-ray scattering of both asphalt and heavy oils has been found to be especially useful. From radii of gyration determinations, the morphological diameters of asphaltene micelles are known to be ca. 10 nm. This can be supported by data from dynamic nuclear polarizations as well as from small angle neutron scattering work. Association and clustering of these basic micelles can be chemically or physically initiated by dipole-dipole interactions. The metal shadowing transmittance electron microscopy has been used to demonstrate these phenomena.
How Size and Setting Impact Education in Rural Schools

School variables, such as school size and school location, matter. School size and location impact many areas of education, including the characteristics of the school, curriculum, and post-school outcomes. Research reveals that students in rural schools face many personal and education hardships – from living in poverty to having less opportunity and sophistication in technology. Rural schools also have fewer course offerings. While rural schools are a unique, urban and rural schools may be more similar than expected, particularly as compared to more affluent suburban districts. Rural and urban schools have larger rates of poverty and more dire financial situations, which do impact the educational offerings, experiences, and outcomes of their students.