cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Age-adjusted rates of suicide and homicide and fluoride.

Summary.-Using state data from 1992 and 2000 instead of 1975, the author both confirmed and extended Lester's 1987 study. Like Lester's study, the present replication showed for 1992 (but not 2000) that the more people drinking fluoridated water, the lower the rates of crude and age-adjusted suicide (partial YS: -.25 and -.25, respectively). Crude and age-adjusted rates of homicide in 1992 and 2000 did not change with the fluoridation of public water. Effective interpretation requires more study. Lester (1987) correlated the percentages of each state's population drinking fluoridated water in 1975 with rates of suicide and homicide for each of the 48 contiguous states of America. Inspection of Lester's raw data showed he used crude, but not age-adjusted, rates of suicide and homicide for all 48 states so the present study was done to confirm Lester's findings (1987) by using 1992 and 2000 crude rates of suicide and homicide, with controls for the longitude of the state capital and to extend his study by also using age-adjusted rates. Several studies have reported adverse health effects other than dental fluorosis from water fluoridation. For example, Kuznetsova (1969) reported a correlation between occupational exposure to fluoride and menstrual problems. Also, Freni (1994) reported in an ecological study that exposure to high fluoride concentrations in drinking water, using county means, was associated with lower mean fertility rates for women across U.S. counties in selected states. Lastly, Grandjean, Juel, and Jensen reported that workers receiving high doses of fluoride had a higher rate of suicide in a follow-up study which was completed in 1981 but reported in 1985. Like Lester (1987) using 1975 data, the present ecological study explored the effect of exposure to optimally fluoridated drinking water through public water systems on the crude and age-adjusted suicide and homicide rates in 1992 and 2000. Previous U.S. research has shown a variation of rates of suicide and homicide by longitude and latitude of the state capital (Lester, 1980, 1994). Among the 48 continental states, suicides were much higher in western states than in eastern states (Lester, 1980, 1994), and homicide rates had a tenden
Case Study: Scrotal Circumference in Beef Bulls—Prediction of Measures at 365 Days of Age from Measures at 240 Days of Age with Data from the Tucumcari Bull Test

Measurement of scrotal circumference (SC) is included in a breeding soundness exam for for bovine bulls. A minimum of 30 cm of SC is recommended for yearling bulls (Kennedy et al., 2002). Objectives were to evaluate the association of SC adjusted to 240 d of age with SC adjusted to 365 d of age using data from the Tucumcari Bull Test (n = 2,514). Scrotal circumference adjusted to 240 d of age was also used to assess its effectiveness to predict 365-d SC of at least 30 cm. Bulls with 365-d SC greater than or equal to 30 cm (n = 2,418) had 240-d SC of 26.9 ± 0.1 cm, and bulls with 365-d SC less than 30 cm (n = 96) had 240-d SC of 22.1 ± 0.5 cm. Correlation of 0.7 (P < 0.01) was detected between adjusted 240- and 365-d SC, and phenotypic trend slightly increased (linear; P < 0.01) from 1982 to 2006 for these traits. Initial SC was a significant (P < 0.01) effect in prediction of 365-d SC. Plotting of the lower 95% confidence limit of the predicted 365-d SC regression line suggested a 240-d SC of 22.5 cm as a culling level to achieve SC of at least 30 cm. Probability estimated (P < 0.01) by standard-normal distribution revealed that a minimum of 22 cm was needed at 240 d of age to achieve 365-d SC of at least 30 cm. Nonetheless, yearling bull breeding soundness exam failure rate due to insufficient SC was less than 4% in these data.
Intellectual, behavioral, and personality correlates of violent vs. non‐violent juvenile offenders

The overall aim of this study was to examine the relationship between offender status (violent vs. nonviolent) and selected predictor variables from personality, behavioral, and intellectual domains. The two main sub goals were (a) to determine which variables from these domains were most closely associated with offender status, and (b) to construct a stepwise logistic regression model that could help identify which juveniles were more likely to be incarcerated for violent vs. nonviolent offenses. The participants for this investigation were juvenile offenders referred to the Juvenile Court Assessment Center by the Juvenile Justice Division of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit. The court-ordered assessment included the following measures: (a) The Millon Adolescent Clinical Inventory (MACI), (b) the Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC), (c) the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Third Edition (PPVT-III), (d) the Wide Range Achievement Test-Third Edition (WRAT-III), (e) the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test (K-BIT), and (f) records of school achievement. The ten variables that had the strongest association with offender status were entered into the stepwise logistic regression analysis; five of these strategically chosen predictor variables accurately differentiated violent from nonviolent offenders 86.3% of the time. Reading Percentile (β=-.051), PPVT-III (β=-.059), MACI-Inhibition (β=-.033), MACI-Eating Dysfunction (β=.051), and BASC-Sense of Inadequacy (β=-.072). Gender differences were explored.
Assessing remote polarimetric measurement sensitivities to aerosol emissions using the geos-chem adjoint model

Abstract. Uncertainties in aerosol sources, microphysical properties, and global distributions undermine efforts to evaluate the radiative impacts of atmospheric aerosols. In this work, we investigate the feasibility of using remote polarimetric measurements for constraining aerosol and aerosol precursor emissions in light of these uncertainties. A model that incorporates a radiative transfer model with forward and adjoint chemical transport models has been applied to quantify the sensitivity of the reflectance at the top of atmosphere over land to aerosol emissions and microphysical properties. A set of simulated satellite observations, one intensity based and one capable of polarimetric measurements, are used to illustrate differences in the assimilation potential between the two. It is found that the sensitivity of the polarized reflectance to aerosol and aerosol precursor emissions tends to be significantly higher than that of the intensity for cases of non-absorbing aerosols. This is true even when the polarimetric sampling scheme is spatially sparser than that of the intensity sampling. This framework allows us to quantify upper limits on the uncertainties in the aerosol microphysical properties for which a 50% change in aerosol emissions is detectable using these simulated observations. It was found that although typical current remote sensing instrumentation provides retrievals of the refractive index and effective radius with accuracies within acceptable limits to detect a 50% change in emissions, retrievals of the effective variance contain uncertainties too large to detect these changes in emissions. These results may guide new applications of polarimetric measurements to constrain aerosol sources, and thus reduce uncertainty in our broader understanding of the impacts of aerosols on climate.
Network control by Bayesian broadcast

A transmission control strategy is described for slotted-ALOHA-type broadcast channels with ternary feedback. At each time slot, each station estimates the probability that n stations are ready to transmit a packet for each n , using Bayes' rule and the observed history of collisions, successful transmissions, and holes (empty slots). A station transmits a packet in a probabilistic manner based on these estimates. This strategy is called Bayesian broadcast. An elegant and very practical strategy--pseudo-Bayesian broadcast--is then derived by approximating the probability estimates with a Poisson distribution with mean \nu and further simplifying. Each station keeps a copy of \nu , transmits a packet with probability 1/\nu , and then updates \nu in two steps: For collisions, increment \nu by (e-2)^{-l}=1.39221 \cdots . For successes and holes, decrement \nu by 1 . Set \nu to \max (\nu + \hat{\lambda}, 1) , where \hat{\lambda} is an estimate of the arrival rate \lambda of new packets into the system. Simulation results are presented showing that pseudo-Bayesian broadcast performs well in practice, and methods that can be used to prove that certain versions of pseudo-Bayesian broadcast are stable for \lambda are discussed.
A clinical study of the efficacy of gold-tite square abutment screws in cement-retained implant restorations.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to record the effectiveness of Gold-Tite square abutment screws, tightened to 35 Ncm with a torque indicator, in maintaining a clinically stable implant/abutment connection. Materials and Methods: The study consisted of 73 patients who were treated with 110 Osseotite implants. All patients were restored with either pre-machined titanium or customized UCLA hexed abutments. All abutments were fabricated per the Gold Standard ZR abutment design of Implant Innovations. All of the abutment screws were Gold-Tite square abutment screws. They were torqued to 35 Ncm with a torque indicator at the time of abutment connection. All crown restorations were cemented to the abutments. Patients were followed for at least 1 year post-occlusal loading. Results: Four patients with 6 implants were lost between the 6- and 12-month recall appointments. Clinical assessments of implant/restoration mobility were made by the author. One abutment screw was found to be loose at the 12-month recall appointment, representing a 99% survival rate. Discussion: These results add to the growing evidence that abutment screws with enhanced surfaces may provide increased screw/implant contact, higher rotational values, and calculated preload values. Conclusion: The use of the Gold-Tite square abutment screws, torqued to 35 Ncm, maintained a stable implant/abutment connection that was successful in clinical practice for this minimal evaluation period. (INT J ORAL MAXILLOFAC IMPLANTS 2003;18:273‐278)
Diseases With Signaling and Transcriptional Abnormalities

Tuberous sclerosis, neurofibromatosis 1 and 2, hereditary hem-orrhagic telangiectasia, anhidrotic ectodermal dysplasia, and icon-tinentia pigmenti are pathological processes that affect signal transduction and transcriptional regulation. Elucidation of the molecular defects underlying these disorders has led to a better understanding of the mechanisms by which the skin and other organ systems develop and regulate cell growth and differentiation.
DAVID-WS

Summary: The database for annotation, visualization and integrated discovery (DAVID), which can be freely accessed at http://david.abcc.ncifcrf.gov/, is a web-based online bioinformatics resource that aims to provide tools for the functional interpretation of large lists of genes/proteins. It has been used by researchers from more than 5000 institutes worldwide, with a daily submission rate of ~1200 gene lists from ~400 unique researchers, and has been cited by more than 6000 scientific publications. However, the current web interface does not support programmatic access to DAVID, and the uniform resource locator (URL)-based application programming interface (API) has a limit on URL size and is stateless in nature as it uses URL request and response messages to communicate with the server, without keeping any state-related details. DAVID-WS (web service) has been developed to automate user tasks by providing stateful web services to access DAVID programmatically without the need for human interactions. Availability: The web service and sample clients (written in Java, Perl, Python and Matlab) are made freely available under the DAVID License at http://david.abcc.ncifcrf.gov/content.jsp?file=WS.html. Contact:xiaoli.jiao@nih.gov; rlempicki@nih.gov
On loss functions which minimize to conditional expected values and posterior probabilities

A loss function, or objective function, is a function used to compare parameters when fitting a model to data. The loss function gives a distance between the model output and the desired output. Two common examples are the squared-error loss function and the cross entropy loss function. Minimizing the mean-square error loss function is equivalent to minimizing the mean square difference between the model output and the expected value of the output given a particular input. This property of minimization to the expected value is formalized as P-admissibility. The necessary and sufficient conditions for P-admissibility, leading to a parametric description of all P-admissible loss functions, are found. In particular, it is shown that two of the simplest members of this class of functions are the squared error and the cross entropy loss functions. One application of this work is in the choice of a loss function for training neural networks to provide probability estimates. >
A new data reduction method for pulse diffusivity measurements on coated samples

Abstract A new method, based on numerical solutions of the heat conduction equation, is presented for reducing flash diffusivity data to determine the diffusivity of a coating on a substrate of known thermal properties. Measurements are performed with a conventional thermal flash apparatus and the calculated curve from the numerical simulations is fitted to the measured temperature–time curve, the “thermogram”. The current work is a natural extension of previous work on single layer, homogeneous samples [1] . The main advantage of this new data reduction method, which incorporates nonlinear least-squares regression, is that both the thermal diffusivity of the coating and the thermal contact resistance can be determined. When the thermal contact resistance is small, the solution automatically converges to the perfect thermal contact case. To demonstrate its efficacy, the method is first implemented by analyzing a group of simulated data and then applied to a set of experimental data obtained from three different bilayer samples.
Cusp catastrophe models for cognitive workload and fatigue in a verbally cued pictorial memory task.

Objective:The aim of this study was to evaluate two cusp catastrophe models for cognitive workload and fatigue. They share similar cubic polynomial structures but derive from different underlying processes and contain variables that contribute to flexibility with respect to load and the ability to compensate for fatigue.Background:Cognitive workload and fatigue both have a negative impact on performance and have been difficult to separate. Extended time on task can produce fatigue, but it can also produce a positive effect from learning or automaticity.Method:In this two-part experiment, 129 under-graduates performed tasks involving spelling, arithmetic, memory, and visual search.Results:The fatigue cusp for the central memory task was supported with the quantity of work performed and performance on an episodic memory task acting as the control parameters. There was a strong linear effect, however. The load manipulations for the central task were competition with another participant for rewards, incentive...
A technique to measure the intracuff pressure continuously: an in vivo demonstration of its accuracy

Summary Objective A major concern with the use of cuffed endotracheal tubes (cETT) in children is hyperinflation of the cuff which may compromise tracheal mucosal perfusion. To measure the intracuff pressure (CP), we devised a method using the transducer of an invasive pressure monitoring device. The objective of the study was to test the accuracy and validity of this device for instantaneous and continuous CP monitoring. Methods The study was conducted in 2 phases. In Phase 1 (200 pediatric patients), after inflation of the cuff, the CP was measured using the standard manometer and the transducer simultaneously. In Phase 2 (20 pediatric patients), the transducer was left connected to the pilot balloon of the ETT to obtain a continuous CP reading and the standard manometer was used to measure the CP at 5-min intervals. Statistical analysis included a Bland–Altman comparison and linear regression analysis. Results In Phase 1, linear regression analysis demonstrated an R2 value of 0.9956. The bias was 0.30 cmH2O, the precision was 0.75 cmH2O, and the 95% level of agreement (LOA) ranged from −1.16 to 1.77 cmH2O. In Phase 2, the linear regression analysis revealed an R2 value of 0.9846. The bias was 0.28 cmH2O, the precision was 0.7 cmH2O, and the 95% LOA ranged from −1.1 to 1.66 cmH2O. Conclusion Our study demonstrates that when cETTs are used in the pediatric population, the transducer of the invasive pressure monitoring device can be used reliably to measure the CP at the time of inflation and continuously thereafter.
Disparate Hemoglobin Results

A 60-year-old woman, a Jehovah's Witness, presented with an abdominal wall hematoma at the injection site of low molecular weight heparin. The hematoma was accompanied by a decrease in the hemoglobin concentration from 11.1 g/dL (6.9 mmol/L) [reference interval, 11.4–14.4 g/dL (7.1–9.2 mmol/L)] on the previous day to 7.8 g/dL (4.8 mmol/L). The patient rapidly destabilized and refused any human-derived blood products because of her religious beliefs. The clinicians …
Immunoblot Analysis of Exospore Polypeptides from Some Entomophilic Microsporidia

. Immunological relationships between genera and species of microsporidia were examined by immunoblot analysis. Exospore polypeptides from two Nosema spp., three Vairimorpha spp., and two undescribed Vairimorpha-like isolates were analyzed. Gel electrophoresis and immunoblot analysis revealed that a variety of polypeptides, mostly between 15,000 and 90,000 molecular weight, are present on the exospore. The three Vairimorpha spp. are closely related immunologically to each other, but less so to the two undescribed Vairimorpha-like isolates. The two Nosema spp. are immunologically distant from each other and from the Vairimorpha spp. Indirect evidence, however, indicated that many internal spore polypeptides present in both genera are similar. Cross-reactivity between exospore polypeptides from entomophilic microsporidia and antisera to a mammalian microsporidium, Encephalitozoon cuniculi, was very limited. These results indicate that immunoblot analysis of exospore polypeptides may be employed to investigate the interrelatedness of microsporidian species, and that exospore polypeptides of some microsporidia are sufficiently diverse to be of immunodiagnostic value.
An emerging role of cGMP in the treatment of schizophrenia: A review

Schizophrenia is a progressive psychotic disorder with devastating effects on the broad aspects of human emotion, perception, thought, and psychosocial interactions. Although treatment with antipsychotic drugs, the mainstay in the treatment of schizophrenia, the large number of patients with schizophrenia respond poorly to the pharmacological and, the large number of patients with schizophrenia poorly respond to the pharmacological treatment. Although a variety of novel therapeutics have long been tested, to date, no drugs clinically efficacious for schizophrenia are available. The multiple lines of evidence strongly suggest that the modulation of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) is a promising target in promoting the novel therapeutic strategies of schizophrenia beyond the "receptor-dependent" psychopharmacology. cGMP is modulated via regulating its synthesis by N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) and nitric oxide (NO), which regulate guannylyl cyclase (GC), the enzyme producing cGMP. cGMP is also regulated by phosphodiesterase (PDE), the enzyme hydrolyzing cGMP. In this review, we critically evaluate the therapeutic potential of agents modulating cGMP activity by regulating cGMP synthesis including NMDAR enhancers, NO enhancers, NO inhibitors including minocycline with anti-inflammatory properties and PDE inhibitors in improving the negative, cognitive and positive symptoms of schizophrenia. We also discuss the possible mechanisms by which these agents produce therapeutic effects on schizophrenia including cGMP signaling pathways, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation.
Proximity to Blackness: American Empire, the After-Life of Slavery, and 'Immigrants'

A prominent straw man in arguments about the impact of non-white immigrants on poor black people argues that the former are the reason why the latter are not given reparations for being made into permanent chattel. However, if we account for a few key facts we may begin to think more critically. Firstly most non-white immigrants are not actually a post-civil rights era demographic. Secondly, the racialized status of non-white immigrants is contemporaneous with slavery, American expansionism, and the various phases of the second life of slavery and the after-life of slavery. Finally, this argument relies on the premise that black economic development and political autonomy has been met with open arms. In this paper, I explore the stakes of this argument and the cultural work that is being done by it.
Occupational Structure, Dissent and Educational Commitment, Lancashire, 1841

This paper examines the relationships between occupational structure, dissent, and educational commitment in a sample of seventeen commercial and manufacturing localities in Lancashire in 1841. In this sample the structure of educational systems as measured by the mix of Sunday and day schooling varies systematically with differences in occupational structure, independently of differences in rates of population increase (which do not have a statistically significant effect on such structures) and measures of religious dissent (which do). This statistical evidence in conjunction with documentary evidence (also discussed) leads to the rejection of a class of hypotheses based on the proposition that Sunday schools were primarily an imperfect substitute for day schools, relied on in certain areas because of (1) high foregone earnings associated with day schooling, or (2) inelastic supply curves for day schools in the face of rapidly growing populations, or (3) relatively low income levels. Rather, it is argued that Sunday schools specialized in religious instruction and moral regeneration, day schools in writing and arithmetic as well as reading, and that different occupational clusters had different relative demands for these two types of outputs. The paper includes a discussion of how these results modify the conclusions of previous research in this area, as well as a brief comparative discussion of educational development in Lancashire and Massachusetts, in the light of a comparison of the occupational structure of the two regions.
A practical guide for sports eye protection.

IN BRIEF: Sports eye injuries can be serious but are preventable. Any sport that involves a stick or racket, a ball or other projectile, or body contact presents a risk of serious eye injury. Physicians have an obligation to warn players of potential risk and to recommend appropriate eye protection. Sports eye protection should be designed specifically for the activity or sport. Eye protection that bears the seal of sanctioned organizations should be mandated for high-risk sports.
Multifunctional and Recollectable Carbon Nanotube Ponytails for Water Purification

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are promising nanomaterials that have the potential to revolutionize water treatment practices in the future. The direct use of unbounded CNTs, however, poses health risks to humans and ecosystems because they are difficult to separate from treated water. Here, we report the design and synthesis of carbon nanotube ponytails (CNPs) by integrating CNTs into micrometer-sized colloidal particles, which greatly improves the effectiveness of post-treatment separation using gravitational sedimentation, magnetic attraction, and membrane filtration. We further demonstrate that CNPs can effectively perform major treatment tasks including adsorption, disinfection, and catalysis. Using model pollutants such as methylene blue, Escherichia coli, and p-nitrophenol, we show that all the surfaces of individual CNTs in CNPs are accessible during water treatment. Our results suggest that the rational design of hierarchical structures represents a feasible approach to develop nanomaterials for enginee...
Theory of Bureaucratic Error

The goal of this paper is put forth a theory of bureaucratic errors that is encompassing enough to correctly identify the major variables that contribute to bureaucrat errors in government programs...
Treatment of Fistulizing Crohn's Disease in Children.

Patients with Crohn’s disease are at risk for developing both internal and external fistulae. These can be asymptomatic incidental radiologic findings or causes of incontinence, chronic pain, abscesses, and sepsis. They can have a devastating impact on quality of life. Careful prospective studies of therapy are few in adult medicine and entirely lacking in the pediatric age group. Assessment and management require a coordinated effort between gastroenterologist, radiologist, and surgeon. Principles of management include surgical drainage of infection combined with medical therapy. Only infliximab has been studied in prospective, double-blinded fashion and clearly shown to be of use in the short term. There is good evidence that metronidazole may be useful acutely and that 6-mercaptopurine azathioprine may help to maintain closure. Diverting ostomies are of very limited value and corticosteroids seem to make matters worse. There are many other therapies that have been reported to be helpful in small, uncontrolled studies.
The Appropriate Use of Liquid Nitrogen

SUMMARY Cryosurgery, from the Greek word “kyros” meaning icy cold, is 80 years old and has become firmly established in medicine as a modality for the destruction of superficial benign and malignant lesions. Its advantages include simplicity of use, few complications, use where radiotherapy would destroy tissue such as cartilaginous structures, little bleeding, only occasional need for anesthesia, and no need for hospitalization. Patients with pacemakers and elderly patients can be treated. A good cosmetic result is obtained and multiple lesions can be treated at one sitting. It is the treatment of choice for many basal cell epitheliomas on the eyelid, and in patients with multiple cancers, those allergic to local anesthesia, those on anticoagulants, and those patients with a history of hepatitis or other serologically transmitted diseases.6 Cryosurgery is not a panacea for the treatment of benign or malignant skin lesions. The physician must be knowledgeable about the clinical nature of the lesion being treated and must foster a degree of skill using cryosurgical techniques in order to avoid pitfalls and to obtain satisfactory results. There is no substitute for experience.
Incidence and mechanism of failure of cemented acetabular component in total hip arthroplasty.

Summary Clinical results today seem to suggest that acrylic cement is crucial in producing immediate and reproducible results of pain-free joints following total hip replacement. Proper application by the use of contemporary techniques may be suitable in most conditions requiring hip replacement. The incidence of acetabular failure in a specific group of patients at risk may warrant experimentation by the use of a noncemented system. The mechanism of failure of low-friction arthroplasty may be multifaceted, but our experience indicates that the mechanisms of failure of the acetabulum have been due to excessive deepening and expansion of the acetabulum, once thought to be fundamental to the procedure. A rudimentary technique of cement pres-surization, both in the femur and in the acetabulum, also may have played a part in late failures of this procedure. Early demarcation at the cement-bone interface was prevalent in young and active or heavy individuals. Demarcation and loosening were time-dependent phenomena. Demarcation and loosening also appeared with the aging process and increased osteopenia. A higher incidence of loosening also was observed in young and lightweight individuals, with presumably increased elasticity of the pelvic bone.
The amyloid-beta forming tripeptide cleavage mechanism of γ-secretase.

Individuals with Alzheimer’s disease generally have deposits known as “amyloid plaques” in the brain. These plaques are made up of a mixture of molecules called amyloid beta peptides that clump together and are thought to be a key cause of the disease. The amyloid beta peptides vary in size; the larger peptides tend to be more prone to forming clumps than the smaller ones and are thus more toxic to the brain. An enzyme called gamma-secretase makes amyloid beta peptides by cutting up a protein called APP. Proteins are made of chains of building blocks called amino acids and studies using a technique called mass spectrometry show that gamma-secretase cuts APP in segments of three amino acids at a time. The size of the amyloid beta peptides produced is determined by the positions in APP that gamma-secretase selects to cut. Therefore, understanding how the enzyme works could provide new opportunities for developing drugs to treat Alzheimer’s disease. Here, Bolduc et al. found that the human gamma-secretase enzyme has sites that amino acids in APP can bind to that help to guide the enzyme to cut APP by three amino acids at a time. These binding sites control where the enzyme cuts APP and therefore determines which amyloid peptides are produced. Previous studies have linked several naturally occurring mutations in the gene encoding APP to inherited forms of Alzheimer’s disease. Bolduc et al. now reveal that several of these mutations affect the places that gamma-secretase cuts APP to produce amyloid peptides. These findings may be helpful for developing drugs that could manipulate gamma-secretase to produce smaller, less harmful amyloid peptides. Gamma-secretase can cut many other proteins, and so a future challenge will be to find out if the enzyme cuts these other proteins in the same way that it cuts APP.
Innate Immune Responses to Fungal Allergens

Purpose of Review In this review, we describe innate immunity to fungi and the ability of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) to recognize fungal-associated molecular patterns (FAMPs) and danger-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs).
Vitamin C and Heart Health: A Review Based on Findings from Epidemiologic Studies.

Vitamin C is a powerful dietary antioxidant that has received considerable attention in the literature related to its possible role in heart health. Although classical vitamin C deficiency, marked by scurvy, is rare in most parts of the world, some research has shown variable heart disease risks depending on plasma vitamin C concentration, even within the normal range. Furthermore, other studies have suggested possible heart-related benefits to vitamin C taken in doses beyond the minimal amounts required to prevent classically defined deficiency. The objective of this review is to systematically review the findings of existing epidemiologic research on vitamin C and its potential role in cardiovascular disease (CVD). It is well established that vitamin C inhibits oxidation of LDL-protein, thereby reducing atherosclerosis, but the cardiovascular outcomes related to this action and other actions of vitamin C are not fully understood. Randomized controlled trials as well as observational cohort studies have investigated this topic with varying results. Vitamin C has been linked in some work to improvements in lipid profiles, arterial stiffness, and endothelial function. However, other studies have failed to confirm these results, and observational cohort studies are varied in their findings on the vitamin’s effect on CVD risk and mortality. Overall, current research suggests that vitamin C deficiency is associated with a higher risk of mortality from CVD and that vitamin C may slightly improve endothelial function and lipid profiles in some groups, especially those with low plasma vitamin C levels. However, the current literature provides little support for the widespread use of vitamin C supplementation to reduce CVD risk or mortality.
The mutational spectrum of breast and ovarian tumors from BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers.

1510 Background: Individuals who carry one mutated copy of the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes have elevated lifetime risks of breast and ovarian cancer. A number of studies have investigated the somatic muta...
Multiscale mechanics of the lateral pressure effect on enhancing the load transfer between polymer coated CNTs

While individual carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are known as one of the strongest fibers ever known, even the strongest fabricated macroscale CNT yarns and fibers are still significantly weaker than individual nanotubes. The loss in mechanical properties is mainly because the deformation mechanism of CNT fibers is highly governed by the weak shear strength corresponding to sliding of nanotubes on each other. Adding polymer coating to the bundles, and twisting the CNT yarns to enhance the intertube interactions are both efficient methods to improve the mechanical properties of macroscale yarns. Here, we perform molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to unravel the unknown deformation mechanism in the intertube polymer chains and also local deformations of the CNTs at the atomistic scale. Our results show that the lateral pressure can have both beneficial and adverse effects on shear strength of polymer coated CNTs, depending on the local deformations at the atomistic scale. In this paper we also introduce a bottom-up bridging strategy between a full atomistic model and a coarse-grained (CG) model. Our trained CG model is capable of incorporating the atomistic scale local deformations of each CNT to the larger scale collect behavior of bundles, which enables the model to accurately predict the effect of lateral pressure on larger CNT bundles and yarns. The developed multiscale CG model is implemented to study the effect of lateral pressure on the shear strength of straight polymer coated CNT yarns, and also the effect of twisting on the pull-out force of bundles in spun CNT yarns.
Sentinel lymph node biopsy in periocular merkel cell carcinoma: a case report

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines for Merkel cell carcinoma recommend performance of the sentinel lymph node biopsy in all patients with clinically negative nodal disease for staging and treatment. Nevertheless, sentinel lymph node biopsy in the periocular region is debated as tumors are typically smaller and lymphatic variability can make performance procedurally problematic. We present a case of a Caucasian patient in their seventies who presented with a 1.0 cm periocular Merkel cell carcinoma, who underwent Mohs surgery with a Tenzel flap repair, that was found to have a positive sentinel lymph node biopsy, but who, despite parotidectomy, selective neck dissection, and radiation, succumbed to the disease. Evidence in both the site-specific and non-specific literature demonstrates: (1) Worsening prognosis with extent of lymph node burden, (2) improvements in our abilities to perform lymphoscintigraphy, (3) locoregional and distant metastatic disease in patients with tumor sizes ≤1 cm, and (4) significant rates of sentinel lymph node positivity in patients with tumor sizes ≤1 cm. Our case supports that sentinel lymph node biopsy should be considered in all clinically nodal negative periocular Merkel cell carcinoma, regardless of size, and despite limited site-specific studies on the subject.
Attention patterns for code animations: using eye trackers to evaluate dynamic code presentation techniques

Programming instructors seek new ways to present code to novice programmers. It is important to understand how these new presentation methods affect students. We prototyped three different ways to animate the presentation of code. We used eye-tracking technology to observe participants as they were presented with animations and completed three activities: code summarization, syntax error correction, and logic error correction. The prototypes, our method for observation, and our analysis methods were each informed by previous research. We observed variation in how participants consumed animations. Our initial results indicate that viewing animations of a single textual representation of source code may affect the attentional processes of novice programmers during subsequent tasks.
Ponderal Growth in Colony- and Nursery-Reared Pigtail Macaques (Macaca nemestrina)

Computerized weight records are available for about 1,500 mother-reared pigtail macaques (Macaca nemestrina) born at the Primate Field Station located at Medical Lake, Washington. In addition, weights are available on over 150 hand-reared monkeys who were separated from their mothers at birth and housed in the Infant Primate Research Laboratory nursery. This data bank is a major source of normative growth information. It also may play an important role in general health care practices with infant and older animals.
The Search for Light in the Dark Ages

One of the characters in the 1950s British comedy radio series, The Goon Show, once remarked that “Everybody’s got to be somewhere.” The answer to the question of where we are in the universe and how we got there has changed dramatically over the centuries. It is a question that all cultures try to answer in one way or another. We begin with a Native American myth and then discuss Greek thought and the idea of rational inquiry. The development of theories of planetary motion are discussed leading to the work of Isaac Newton. The implications of Newton’s theory for the idea of an infinite universe are presented. The telescope enters the stage, and we discuss its use in changing our view of the solar system. The discovery of nebulae by telescopic observations leads us to the story of how the nature of galaxies was revealed. We end with the discovery of the expanding universe and the idea of the Big Bang.
Still Human: A Thomistic Analysis of ‘Persistent Vegetative State’:

Would Aquinas hold the view that a patient in a persistent vegetative state (PVS) is something other than a human being? Some recent interpreters have argued for this position. I contend that this ...
Photoemission of Iodide from Aqueous Aerosol Particle Surfaces

The photoemission of iodide from aqueous aerosol particle surfaces measures the surface concentration of iodide in predominantly supersaturated NaCl aerosol particles. Using the Langmuir model to describe the adsorption to the surface of aqueous iodide anions, the standard Gibbs free energy of adsorption is -15 kJ/mol in these systems. The presence of charged surfactants on the particle surfaces changes the adsorption behavior of iodide. The addition of sodium docecylsulfate (SDS) reduces the coverage of iodide, consistent with a competitive adsorption scenario. For surfaces coated with C12-, C14-, or C16-trimethylammonium chloride, the addition of iodide results in the formation of iodide-surfactant ion pairs at the surface with enhanced photoemission. The adsorption free energy for iodide in these systems is -21 kJ/mol. The results demonstrate the surface enhancement of iodide in supersaturated, atmospherically relevant conditions and demonstrate important differences between single-salt solutions and mixtures in the limit of high concentration.
Retooling Nephrology with Ultrasound

Reductions in the size and cost of ultrasound equipment have transformed sonography from a referral procedure into an examination that can be performed by clinicians and it has been argued that ultrasound should become the fifth pillar of the physical examination ([1][1]). Many specialties have
mSphere of Influence: Clearing a Path for High-Resolution Visualization of Host-Pathogen Interactions In Vivo.

ABSTRACT Shumin Tan works in the field of Mycobacterium tuberculosis-host interactions. In this mSphere of Influence article, she reflects on how the paper “Single-cell phenotyping within transparent intact tissue through whole-body clearing” by B. Yang et al. (Cell 158:945–958, 2014, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2014.07.017) impacted her ideas on approaches to visualize and understand heterogeneous host-pathogen interactions in vivo in 3-dimensional space at the single-cell level, through the tractable and broadly compatible tissue optical clearing methods developed.
Does Narrative Identity Enhance Medical Decision Making

Influenced by a growing number of seminal works on the subject (MacIntyre 1984; Charon 2008; Schechtman 1996), the bioethical literature has increasingly come to recognize the importance of narrati...
Reading French in Early Nineteenth-Century New York: The New York Society Library as Agent of Cultural Exchange

The circulation records of the New York Society Library contextualize late eighteenth-century New Yorkers’ engagement with French-language books and authors. Founded in 1754, the Society Library holds extant circulation records that date from 1789–1792 and 1799–1806. These records reveal what eighteenth-century readers were checking out of the library and presumably reading. The paper analyzes both quantitative and qualitative data related to readers’ borrowing practices and examines which French works were most often borrowed. This, in turn, allows us to speculate on what might have been the appeal of these works in the complex cultural environment of the early American republic. Finally, this paper seeks to understand why Anglophone readers chose to read in French, particularly when English-language titles were available, what they gained from this practice, and how these works supported the intellectual aspirations of a new nation.
Graphical Models in Meshed Distribution Grids: Topology Estimation, Change Detection & Limitations

Graphical models is a succinct way to represent the structure of a probability distributions. This article analyzes the graphical model of nodal voltages in non-radial power distribution grids. Using algebraic and structural properties of graphical models, algorithms exactly determining topology and detecting line changes for distribution grids are presented along with their theoretical limitations. We show that if distribution grids have cycles/loops of size greater than three, then nodal voltages are sufficient for efficient topology estimation without additional assumptions on system parameters. In contrast, line failure or change detection using nodal voltages does not require any structural assumption. Under noisy measurements, we provide the first non-trivial bounds on the maximum noise that the system can tolerate for asymptotically correct topology recovery. The performance of the designed algorithms is validated with non-linear AC power flow samples generated by Matpower on test grids, including scenarios with injection correlations and system noise.
Teaching Database Querying in the Cloud

[Innovative Practice; Full Paper] Cloud-based resources for students to create and query databases can be leveraged in a traditional database curriculum as well as in updated curriculum to support data science. This paper describes processes to apply for a Google Cloud Platform grant for educators, to establish student accounts, build a SQL database in the cloud and connect to it, and also use SQL to query a big data platform for millions of records in open source data sets. These freely available, industrial strength resources can be used for teaching SQL and database creation, as well as for introducing more advanced topics such as physical design, performance comparison, and data warehouse creation and population. Associated learning objectives, assignments, and assessment of student learning and perspectives are presented.
Cadmium Exposure and Ovarian Reserve in Women Aged 35-49 Years: The Impact on Results From the Creatinine Adjustment Approach Used to Correct for Urinary Dilution.

Cadmium is toxic to the ovaries in animal studies, but its association with diminished ovarian reserve in women is not established. We investigated urinary cadmium, a biomarker of long-term exposure, in relation to diminished ovarian reserve, as indicated by elevated serum follicle-stimulating hormone concentrations (≥10 IU/L), in women aged 35-49 years (unweighted n = 1,681). Using data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1988-1994), we conducted Poisson regression to estimate adjusted relative risks and 95% confidence intervals. Because the best approach to correcting for urinary dilution in spot samples with creatinine remains controversial, we employed 3 approaches: standardization, covariate adjustment, and covariate-adjusted standardization. Our data suggested a modest association with standardization (highest quartile vs. lowest: relative risk (RR) = 1.3, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.8, 1.9; P for trend = 0.06) and covariate-adjusted standardization (highest quartile vs. lowest: RR = 1.3, 95% CI: 0.9, 1.9; P for trend = 0.05) and a stronger association with covariate adjustment (highest quartile vs. lowest: RR = 1.8, 95% CI: 1.2, 2.9; P for trend = 0.01). The stronger association with covariate adjustment may reflect bias from conditioning on urinary creatinine, a collider in the hypothesized causal pathway. We conclude that cadmium may contribute to ovarian aging in women and that careful consideration of the creatinine adjustment approach is needed to minimize bias.
Burnout and Fatigue

Burnout is a common term that has been used in the healthcare world, where professionals express their exhaustion around work demands and challenges. While much is known about how burnout and compassion fatigue affect physicians in their work environment, little has been covered how these stresses affect behavioral health providers and new mental health professionals entering medical settings. In this chapter, the author presents a new framework for identifying burnout, outlining a scale of burnout levels that behavioral health providers might experience. This framework moves beyond burnout as a binary construct and instead involves several personal, familial, and professional factors that may impact the trainee at certain points of their work. Two case vignettes highlight some of the cultural issues that might impact burnout of new providers in medical context. Suggestions for giving support for those experiencing burnout are provided at different clinical and administrative levels.
Margin Positivity and Survival Outcomes: A Review of 14,471 Patients with 1-cm to 4-cm Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma

Background Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) comprises the majority of thyroid malignancy, but it is associated with excellent long-term survival. Highly prevalent, with increasing incidence, the optimal operative management for patients with 1- to 4-cm PTC remains unclear. This study determined factors that affect clinical outcomes, including survival, in this patient population. Study Design Patients with 1- to 4-cm PTC, who underwent thyroidectomy between 2004 and 2016, were identified in the National Cancer Database (NCDB). Factors affecting survival, including margin status, extent of resection, operative volume, and institution type, were studied. Outcomes were estimated by Kaplan-Meier and log rank tests. Cox proportional hazard and binary logistic regression analyses identified factors affecting survival as well as margin positivity. Results Of 14,471 patients with 1- to 4-cm PTC, 2,269 (15.7%) exhibited lymphovascular invasion, 6,925 (47.9%) had multifocality, 14,235 (98.3%) underwent total thyroidectomy, and 2,212 (15.3%) had microscopic margin positivity, which conferred lower survival (hazard ratio [HR] 1.464, p Conclusions In patients with 1- to 4-cm PTC, margin positivity confers lower survival. Factors associated with lower rate of margin positivity are higher operative volume and referral for treatment at academic center. Because margin positivity is a modifiable risk factor, referral of patients with aggressive features of PTC to high volume academic centers may improve survival.