cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Electrophysiological Correlates of Stimulus Equivalence Processes

Research reported here concerns neural processes relating to stimulus equivalence class formation. In Experiment 1, two types of word pairs were presented successively to normally capable adults. In one type, the words had related usage in English (e.g., uncle, aunt). In the other, the two words were not typically related in their usage (e.g., wrist, corn). For pairs of both types, event-related cortical potentials were recorded during and immediately after the presentation of the second word. The obtained waveforms differentiated these two types of pairs. For the unrelated pairs, the waveforms were significantly more negative about 400 ms after the second word was presented, thus replicating the “N400” phenomenon of the cognitive neuroscience literature. In addition, there was a strong positive-tending wave form difference post-stimulus presentation (peaked at about 500 ms) that also differentiated the unrelated from related stimulus pairs. In Experiment 2, the procedures were extended to study arbitrary stimulus–stimulus relations established via matching-to-sample training. Participants were experimentally naive adults. Sample stimuli (Set A) were trigrams, and comparison stimuli (Sets B, C, D, E, and F) were nonrepresentative forms. Behavioral tests evaluated potentially emergent equivalence relations (i.e., BD, DF, CE, etc.). All participants exhibited classes consistent with the arbitrary matching training. They were also exposed also to an event-related potential procedure like that used in Experiment 1. Some received the ERP procedure before equivalence tests and some after. Only those participants who received ERP procedures after equivalence tests exhibited robust N400 differentiation initially. The positivity observed in Experiment 1 was absent for all participants. These results support speculations that equivalence tests may provide contextual support for the formation of equivalence classes including those that emerge gradually during testing.
659: VBAC success in low risk women

Jodi Regan, Katherine Wolfe, Candice Snyder, Amy Thompson, Emily DeFranco University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cincinnati, OH OBJECTIVE: The NIH Consensus Development Conference Statement from March of 2010 on Vaginal Birth after Cesarean identified several critical knowledge gaps in clinical decision making regarding trial of labor versus repeat cesarean in women with a prior cesarean delivery. One of the critical gaps identified was insufficient information regarding factors increasing VBAC success among low risk women. The aim of this study is to address this critical gap. STUDY DESIGN: We performed a population-based retrospective cohort study of all births in the state of Ohio in 2006 and 2007 to evaluate factors associated with an increased likelihood of successful VBAC in low risk women. We defined the low risk population as singleton gestations in women with BMI 30 without hypertension or diabetes who had one previous cesarean delivery and underwent a trial of labor with the current birth. We stratified factors into 4 groups: demographic, social, medical, and prenatal care, and compared them between low risk women with failed VBAC attempt vs those with successful VBAC. Multivariate logistic regression estimated the relative influence of each factor on successful VBAC. RESULTS: There were 291,782 births in Ohio during the time period. Of those, 186,719 were in low risk women. 13,639 women had one previous cesarean; 3,261 (23.9%) had a trial of labor after cesarean. Of those 2534 (77.7%) were successful in their VBAC attempt, whereas 727 (22.3%) were not. The following factors were found to be significantly associated with VBAC success in low risk women: prior vaginal delivery, delivery at term, pregnancy weight gain 30 lbs, Caucasian race, labor augmentation, limited prenatal care ( 5 visits), and midwife delivery attendant (see table). These factors were NOT associated with whether a low risk woman had a successful or failed VBAC attempt: maternal age, marital status, educational status, medical insurance type, cigarette use or birth weight. CONCLUSION: Low risk women with one prior cesarean can be counseled regarding increased likelihood of VBAC success in the presence of these demographic characteristics.
Delay optimization of combinational logic circuits by clustering and partial collapsing

The authors propose a novel technology-independent algorithm to minimize circuit delay. The algorithm works in two steps. The first step performs a partial collapse of the circuit based on a delay-driven clustering. The second step factorizes and simplifies the circuit without increasing the number of levels of logic. The computational cost of the algorithm is dominated by the simplification step. To estimate circuit delay, a state-of-the-art technology mapper is used, incorporating fanout optimization and tree covering for delay minimization. On average over a representative set of benchmarks, a delay reduction of 18% is obtained for an area increase of 11%. >
Mandibular Tissue Engineering: Past, Present, Future.

Almost 2 decades ago, the senior author's (M.T.J.) first article was with our mentor, Dr Leonard B. Kaban, a review article titled "Distraction Osteogenesis: Past, Present, Future." In 1998, many thought it would be impossible to have a remotely activated, small, curvilinear distractor that could be placed using endoscopic techniques. Currently, a U.S. patent for a curvilinear automated device and endoscopic techniques for minimally invasive access for jaw reconstruction exist. With minimally invasive access for jaw reconstruction, the burden to decrease donor site morbidity has increased. Distraction osteogenesis (DO) is an in vivo form of tissue engineering. The DO technique eliminates a donor site, is less invasive, requires a shorter operative time than usual procedures, and can be used for multiple reconstruction applications. Tissue engineering could further reduce morbidity and cost and increase treatment availability. The purpose of the present report was to review our experience with tissue engineering of bone: the past, present, and our vision for the future. The present report serves as a tribute to our mentor and acknowledges Dr Kaban for his incessant tutelage, guidance, wisdom, and boundless vision.
Placental localization. A comparative evaluation of isotopic placentography and amniography.

Abstract Both RISA placentography and amniography were done for placental localization in an unselected series of 28 patients with third-trimester vaginal bleeding. Radiation to the fetus in isotopic placentography is considerably less than that required for placental localization by amniography. In addition, results indicate that isotopic placentography is more accurate, simpler and avoids the potential hazards of amniocentesis. We believe that isotopic placentography is preferable for placental localization and that amniography should be used only when isotopic placentography is not available.
Association between Genetic Variants in DNA Double-Strand Break Repair Pathways and Risk of Radiation Therapy-Induced Pneumonitis and Esophagitis in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Radiation therapy (RT)-induced pneumonitis and esophagitis are commonly developed side effects in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated with definitive RT. Identifying patients who are at increased risk for these toxicities would help to maximize treatment efficacy while minimizing toxicities. Here, we systematically investigated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within double-strand break (DSB) repair pathway as potential predictive markers for radiation-induced esophagitis and pneumonitis. We genotyped 440 SNPs from 45 genes in DSB repair pathways in 250 stage I–III NSCLC patients who received definitive radiation or chemoradiation therapy, followed by internal validation in 170 additional patients. We found that 11 SNPs for esophagitis and 8 SNPs for pneumonitis showed consistent effects between discovery and validation populations (same direction of OR and reached significance in meta-analysis). Among them, rs7165790 in the BLM gene was significantly associated with decreased risk of esophagitis in both discovery (OR = 0.59, 95% CI: 0.37–0.97, p = 0.037) and validation subgroups (OR = 0.45, 95% CI: 0.22–0.94, p = 0.032). A strong cumulative effect was observed for the top SNPs, and gene-based tests revealed 12 genes significantly associated with esophagitis or pneumonitis. Our results support the notion that genetic variations within DSB repair pathway could influence the risk of developing toxicities following definitive RT in NSCLC.
Lichen growth rates for the northwest coast of Spitsbergen, Svalbard

Growth curves for Rhizocarpon subgenus Rhizocarpon and Pseudephebe minuscula have been developed for the northwest coast of Spitsbergen. The curves were constructed by measuring lichens on deposits of known age (natural and anthropogenic) spanning the last 350 yr. The Rhizocarpon curve is comprised of two growth segments: a fast-growing great growth period (21 mm 100 yr-') lasting ca. 100 yr and a slower-growing phase (4.5 mm 100 yr-') between 100 and 350 yr. Growth rates beyond 350 yr are not known, and the curves should be extrapolated with caution. Rhizocarpon growth rates on Spitsbergen are similar to those in the eastern Canadian Arctic, greater than those in the Brooks Range of Alaska, and less than those in adjacent areas. The P. minuscula curve is constrained for the last 80 yr but senescence and rejuvenation of P. minuscula thalli on whaling features of the 17th century preclude firm control beyond 80 yr.
Design and Sampling of the Cross-Cultural Study

The customary practice would be for Chapter 2 to deal with methods and procedures and Chapter 3 to present the results and conclusions. However, the legitimacy of this study depends on establishing the quality of the questionnaire responses, and the best evidence for their reliability and validity comes from an analysis of the responses from all ten countries combined.
Spontaneous thrombosis of a direct carotid cavernous sinus fistula: confirmation by Gd-DTPA-enhanced MR.

A 38-year-old man was admitted for possible embolization of a left carotid cavernous sinus fistula. Two months previously, the patient had been admitted to the hospital after a motorcycle accident. Twenty-four hours later, he was noted to have left proptosis, chemosis, and a third-nerve palsy
Relationship of temporal lobe seizures to sleep and arousal : A combined scalp-intracranial electrode study

Study Objectives: The role of arousal from sleep in promoting epileptic seizures is controversial. To examine the question of whether seizures precede or follow arousals from sleep, we defined the timing of temporal lobe seizures in relation to sleep and arousal using combined scalp-intracranial electrodes. Design: Retrospective review of 67 sleep-related mesial temporal lobe seizures in 14 subjects. Setting: Inpatient epilepsy monitoring laboratory. Patients: Subjects with medically refractory mesial temporal lobe seizures undergoing epilepsy surgery evaluations. Interventions: None Measurements and Results: Electroencephalographic (EEG) and/or polygraphic recordings and videotapes were independently reviewed to determine intracranial electrode seizure onset times and time of initial arousal from sleep. In 60 seizures in 13 subjects, intracranial ictal onsets always preceded clinical arousals from sleep. Electrographic signs of arousal in the scalp EEG, defined by the presence of sustained alpha or theta activity, either coincided with or followed, but never preceded, intracranial ictal onsets. In seven seizures in one subject with known seizures upon awakening, intracranial ictal onsets always followed clinical arousals and electrographic signs of arousal from sleep. Seven of the 14 subjects had electrooculogram and chin electromyogram monitoring; in these subjects, no seizures occurred during REM sleep with the majority occurring during NREM stage 2 sleep. Conclusions: Most sleep-related temporal lobe seizures occurred during NREM sleep and preceded arousals, supporting the premise that processes involved in the initiation and maintenance of NREM sleep play a greater role in facilitating temporal seizures than those involved in promoting REM sleep and arousal. However, arousal from sleep may provoke seizures in exceptional cases.
“No Remorse, No Repent”: Linking Lack of Remorse to Criminal Offending in a Sample of Serious Adolescent Offenders

Linking emotions to offender decision-making has only recently become of theoretical interest to criminologists, but empirical work in this area has not kept pace nor has such research examined the role of emotions to offending in offender-based samples. Recently, Warr outlined regret as one such emotion that may be useful in thinking about offending. Specifically, he argued that regret may be related to discontinuity in offending, or conversely that a lack of remorse may be related to continuity in offending. This paper uses data from a sample of serious adolescent offenders followed for seven years to investigate this hypothesis. Results provide support for Warr’s hypothesis that remorse-resistant adolescents incur a higher number of re-arrests, while remorse-prone adolescents incur fewer re-arrests, even after controlling for other relevant risk factors.
Stability of Aflatoxin M1 During Manufacture and Storage of a Butter-like Spread, Non-fat Dried Milk and Dried Buttermilk.

Butter-like spread, non-fat dried milk and dried buttermilk were prepared from cream, skim milk and buttermilk that were naturally contaminated with aflatoxin M1 (AFM1). Four batches of butter-like spread were prepared from pasteurized cream in a home-style chum. Cream, buttermilk, spread and water from two rinses were monitored for weight and AFM1 content. Most of the AFM1 appeared in buttermilk or water from the first rinse. Butter-like spread and water from the second rinse had only small quantities of AFM1. During refrigerated storage for 1 month and frozen storage for up to 2 months, the AFM1 content was variable but toxin remained in the butter-like spread. Variability probably resulted from the analytical procedure rather than from actual changes in content of AFM1. Four batches of skim milk and three of buttermilk were freeze-dried and then stored at 22°C for up to 4 months. Both non-fat dried milk and buttermilk were reconstituted with water and were then extracted to recover AFM1. The AFM1 content remained stable in both products through drying and 4 months of storage.
Suicidal ideation in military veterans with alcohol dependence and PTSD: The role of hostility.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Suicide is a significant public health problem among US military Veterans with rates exceeding civilian samples. Alcohol dependence (AD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are both associated with increases in suicidality. Given that risk of suicide is higher among those with both disorders, the study of relevant risk factors among those in this group is important. The current investigation focused on one such factor, hostility, and examined both overt hostility (ie, hostility that is more behavioral in nature and directed outwardly) and covert hostility (ie, hostility that is cognitive in nature and introspective) and their relationships to suicidal ideation. METHODS Ninety-three Veterans participating in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled treatment study evaluating the efficacy of the alpha-adrenergic agonist prazosin completed measures assessing overt hostility, covert hostility, and suicidal ideation at baseline. Depression symptoms and PTSD symptom severity also were assessed. RESULTS Of the total sample, 60 participants (63.8%) indicated that they experienced suicidal ideation at some point in their lives. Covert hostility, in addition to PTSD symptom severity were found to be associated with the presence of lifetime suicidal ideation. Furthermore, depression symptoms were found to be associated with greater intensity of that ideation. CONCLUSION AND SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE Findings highlight the importance of covert hostility as it relates to suicidal ideation among those with comorbid PTSD and AD and provides information which may help inform treatment approaches for high-risk military Veterans. (Am J Addict 2018;27:124-130).
Safety of cerebral angiography and neuroendovascular therapy in patients with chronic kidney disease.

Contrast-induced nephropathy is a common clinical concern in patients undergoing neuroendovascular procedures, especially in those with pre-existent kidney disease. We aimed to define the incidence of contrast-induced nephropathy in these high-risk patients in our practice. We analyzed data retrospectively from patients undergoing neuroendovascular procedures at two academic medical centers over a 4-year period. Contrast-induced nephropathy was determined by an absolute increase in serum creatinine of 0.5 mg/dL or a rise from its baseline value by ≥ 25%, at 48–72 h after exposure to contrast agent after excluding other causes of renal impairment. High-risk patients were identified as those with pre-procedural estimated glomerular filtration rate < 60 mL/min irrespective of creatinine level, corresponding to stages 3–5 of chronic kidney disease. One hundred eighty-five high-risk patients undergoing conventional cerebral angiography and neuroendovascular interventions were identified. Only 1 out of 184 (0.54%) high-risk patients developed contrast-induced nephropathy. That one patient had stage 5 chronic kidney disease and multiple other risk factors. We have observed a very low rate of renal injury in patients with chronic kidney disease, traditionally considered high risk for neuroendovascular procedures. Multiple factors may be responsible in the risk reduction of contrast-induced nephropathy in this patient population.
Feasibility of using commercial reagent test strips for estimation of blood urea nitrogen concentrations in captive black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus).

Abstract The black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) is a squirrel-like rodent (Sciuridae) that is used as an animal model for human gallbladder disease, as well as research on several viral and bacterial diseases. Prairie dogs are also prone to develop hepatobiliary diseases that can impair liver function. As a result, monitoring blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentration or azotemia via low-volume blood samples with immediate test results can be clinically beneficial. In this study, blood samples were collected from captive black-tailed prairie dogs. The BUN analysis was performed in duplicate using a veterinary biochemistry analyzer and commercial reagent test strips. The indication of azotemia by the reagent test strips, when compared to plasma BUN results of prairie dogs with and without confirmed azotemia, had a sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of 100%, 95%, 71%, and 100%, respectively. Based on the results of this study, the reagent test strips provided a moderately accurate method of estimating the BUN concentration and high accuracy reporting both normal and azotemic black-tailed prairie dogs. Continued investigation into alternative point-of-care testing for prairie dogs is warranted, but standard blood chemistry analyzers should still be considered the most accurate method of BUN testing and azotemia determination for this species.
Simulation of alternatives for transmission plant assembly line

Discrete-event process simulation has long been an analytical tool of primary importance aiding the design of production systems; the historically earliest and still perhaps the most common applications of simulation are in the manufacturing sector of the economy. Economic and competitive pressures, already of conspicuously world-wide extent, are vigorously exerting themselves toward the achievement of strong performance metrics (e. g., high throughput, high reliability, low inventory, low cost) throughout even long and complex manufacturing supply chains. In the study documented here, discrete-event process simulation was applied to a portion of an automotive-transmission assembly line and its accompanying conveyor (i. e., material-handling) system current under construction in the Great Lakes area of the United States.
The Development and Validation of the Multicomponent AIDS Phobia Scale

The development, reliability, and validity of a new instrument, the Multicomponent AIDS Phobia Scale (MAPS), is described. Based on a sample of 181 university students, the results indicate that the MAPS has strong internal consistency and moderate test-retest reliability. In addition, an assessment of concurrent and discriminant validity indicates statistically significant correlations with other self-report measures of anxiety, hypochondriasis, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and fear of AIDS. The results of a factor analysis indicate that the scale consists of two factors: Fear of Infection and Fear of Others/Avoidance. Although further research with the MAPS in a clinical population is warranted to investigate the generalizability of this study's results, the instrument appears to be a reliable and valid measure of AIDS Phobia and may prove useful for improving clinical assessment and documenting treatment outcome.
Abstract 4051: Different immune signatures in advanced lung tumors of Nrf2 wildtype vs. knockout mice

Activation of Nrf2 and its downstream target genes serves as a master defense mechanism, protecting cells against oxidative and electrophilic stress. Numerous activators of Nrf2 inhibit carcinogenesis. However, genetic alterations resulting in constitutive Nrf2 activation in human lung tumors promotes tumor growth and chemoresistance. The dual role of Nrf2 in cancer has generated a high level of interest, but little is known regarding the effect of Nrf2 on immune cells during lung carcinogenesis. In this study, we used the potent carcinogen vinyl carbamate to induce lung tumors in mice. Tumor burden, the immunophenotype, and genetic signatures were compared in the lungs of Nrf2 knockout (-/-, KO) vs. wildtype (+/+, WT) mice. Nrf2 KO mice were more susceptible to vinyl carbamate; these mice developed tumors earlier than the WT mice and exhibited more and larger tumors over times ranging from 20-32 weeks after initiation. By 32 weeks, WT mice have an average of 6.5 ± 0.95 tumors per lung compared to 12.25 ± 2.6 tumors in the KO mice. Immune cell populations including T cells (CD4+ and CD8+), B cells, macrophages and myeloid derived suppressor cells were investigated in the lungs and spleens of Nrf2 WT and KO mice challenged with vinyl carbamate. T cell populations were significantly (P Citation Format: Di Zhang, Jonathan Rennhack, Eran Andrechek, Cheryl Rockwell, Karen Liby. Different immune signatures in advanced lung tumors of Nrf2 wildtype vs. knockout mice [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 4051.
Creep behavior analysis of additively manufactured fiber-reinforced components

This research study reports the creep behavior analysis of the new composite materials manufactured by 3D printing technology. Nylon was used as a polymer matrix, and carbon fiber, Kevlar, and fiberglass were used as reinforcing agents. Since the properties of 3D-printed components are usually insufficient for robust engineering applications, adding reinforcing fibers improves the performance of these components for several engineering applications. Fiber-reinforced additive manufacturing (FRAM) is an almost 4-year-old technology. Additionally, there is not sufficient research on the behavior of FRAM components specifically at high temperatures. Therefore, the investigation of the high-temperature behavioral analysis of FRAM components was focused on in this study. Creep properties of the composite specimens reinforced by different fibers were measured by the dynamic mechanical thermal analysis system. The statistical analyses were conducted to analyze the experimental data using mathematical models. The microstructural analysis was performed to further investigate parts’ morphology, 3D printing quality, and fracture mechanisms. The results indicated that the creep compliance of reinforced composite specimens was significantly improved in comparison with pure nylon. Overall, this paper presents quantitative creep analysis results demonstrating the capabilities of FRAM components to be used for several engineering applications.
Stage III pulmonary large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LNEC).

8536Background: Pulmonary large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LNEC) is an uncommon lung cancer subtype, initially described in 1991 and classified as a high grade neuroendocrine tumor. Since the d...
Correlates and Predictors of Virginity Among Heterosexual African American Young Adults

Research documents that African American adolescents and young adults engage in more sexual activity than other racial/ethnic groups, yet little is known about individuals who remain virgins into adulthood. Using data from the Family and Community Health Study of 554 African American young adults, we examined the individual, familial, interpersonal, and community-level correlates and predictors associated with their virginity status. A total of 82 (14.8%) reported never having had sex. Hence, sexual activity among African American young adulthood is not a universal experience. Multivariable analysis showed that, for males, virginity was associated with BMI, physical attractiveness, educational attainment, anxiety, self-esteem, religious salience, residing in a two-parent household, and neighborhood social disorder. Lower odds of virginity were associated with being in a relationship, higher cognitive performance, and more antisocial friends. Among females, higher odds of virginity were associated with educational attainment and parental quality while lower odds were associated with higher cognitive performance and cigarette use. Results demonstrate that some characteristics associated with virginity were not necessarily the converse of previously identified factors linked to sexual activity. It is important to consider multiple correlates of virginity and their implications for sexuality development of African Americans across the life course.
The Problem of Old Debts: Jewish Moneylenders in Northern Castile (Belorado and Miranda de Ebro, ca. 1300)

Focusing especially on Jewish moneylending, the article explores economic relations between Jews and Christians in Northern Castile at the turn of the fourteenth century. During interfaith economic transactions, Jews and Christians followed the procedures established by customary law, and engaged in negotiations to resolve conflicts and generate inter-communal consensus. As more and more Christians defaulted on their loans, however, such negotiations often collapsed due to a combination of internal and external pressures. In Belorado and Miranda de Ebro, royal assistance with debt collections elicited strong protests from town officials, who accused Jewish moneylenders of violating local privileges and impoverishing Christian debtors. Tensions developed between Jewish and Christian residents of these towns when the traditional mechanisms of conflict resolution were upended, and the enforcement of loan repayment was taken away from local control.
Ocean acidification reduces net calcification and wound healing in the tropical crustose coralline alga, Porolithon onkodes (Corallinales, Rhodophyta)

Abstract Reef dwelling algae employ a variety of physical and chemical defenses against herbivory, and the response to wounding is extremely important in algal communities. Wound healing mechanisms in crustose coralline algae (CCA) are related to skeletal growth and net calcification rate. Ocean acidification (OA) is known to affect rates of net calcification in a number of calcifying organisms, including CCA. Reduced rates of net calcification in CCA are likely to alter wound healing, and thus affect the consequences of herbivore-CCA interactions on coral reefs. The response of the tropical CCA Porolithon onkodes to OA and artificial wounding was quantified in a 51-day laboratory experiment. Eight artificially wounded (cut to a mean depth of 182 μm) and eight non-wounded samples of P. onkodes were randomly placed into each of four treatments (n = 64 samples total). Each treatment was maintained at a different pCO2 level representative of either ambient conditions or end-of-the-century, predicted conditions (IPCC, 2014); 429.31 ± 20.84 (ambient), 636.54 ± 27.29 (RCP4.5), 827.33 ± 38.51 (RCP6.0), and 1179.39 ± 88.85 μatm (RCP8.5; mean ± standard error). Elevated pCO2 significantly reduced rates of net calcification in both wounded and non-wounded samples of P. onkodes (slopes = −6.4 × 10−4 and −5.5 × 10−4 mg cm−2 d−1 per μatm pCO2, respectively over 51 days). There also was a significant reduction in the rate of vertical regeneration of thallus tissue within the wounds as pCO2 increased (slope = −1.5 × 10−3 μm d−1 per μatm pCO2 over 51 days). This study provides evidence that elevated pCO2 could reduce the ability of this important alga to recover from wounding. Because wounding by herbivores plays an important role in determining CCA community structure, we propose reduced wound healing as a mechanism by which OA might affect the structure and functional roles of CCA communities on coral reefs.
Sox6 as a new modulator of renin expression in the kidney

Juxtaglomerular (JG) cells, major sources of renin, differentiate from metanephric mesenchymal cells that give rise to JG cells or a subset of smooth muscle cells of the renal afferent arteriole. D...
Greater variability in chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) brain structure among males

Across the animal kingdom, males tend to exhibit more behavioural and morphological variability than females, consistent with the 'greater male variability hypothesis'. This may reflect multiple mechanisms operating at different levels, including selective mechanisms that produce and maintain variation, extended male development, and X chromosome effects. Interestingly, human neuroanatomy shows greater male variability, but this pattern has not been demonstrated in any other species. To address this issue, we investigated sex-specific neuroanatomical variability in chimpanzees by examining relative and absolute surface areas of 23 cortical sulci across 226 individuals (135F/91M), using permutation tests of the male-to-female variance ratio of residuals from MCMC generalized linear mixed models controlling for relatedness. We used these models to estimate sulcal size heritability, simulations to assess the significance of heritability, and Pearson correlations to examine inter-sulcal correlations. Our results show that: (i) male brain structure is relatively more variable; (ii) sulcal surface areas are heritable and therefore potentially subject to selection; (iii) males exhibit lower heritability values, possibly reflecting longer development; and (iv) males exhibit stronger inter-sulcal correlations, providing indirect support for sex chromosome effects. These results provide evidence that greater male neuroanatomical variability extends beyond humans, and suggest both evolutionary and developmental explanations for this phenomenon.
Asymptomatic Transmission, the Achilles' Heel of Current Strategies to Control Covid-19.

Traditional infection-control and public health strategies rely heavily on early detection of disease to contain spread. When Covid-19 burst onto the global scene, public health officials initially...
Multidisciplinary approach to maximise continuity in an academic internal medicine resident clinic.

Ensuring patient–physician continuity in an academic internal medicine resident clinic is essential in providing a longitudinal clinic experience as required by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education(ACGME).1 Efforts to improve continuity in longitudinal clinics are important to patients and physicians and improve patient outcomes.2 Concern for declining patient continuity identified by subjective patient and resident complaints prompted investigating enterprise metrics to better understand continuity within resident clinics. These metrics, as well as ACGME requirements for longitudinal continuity clinic, drove improvement efforts to increase continuity. Our aim was to increase patient continuity in all resident clinics to ≥75% in 4 months. The 69 categorical residents and 10 internal medicine-psychiatry residents at The University of Kansas Internal Medicine Residency Programme rotate on a 3+1 week block scheduling system for inpatient and ambulatory care. During their ambulatory week, 18–20 residents have four half-days dedicated to seeing patients in their longitudinal clinic. To improve patient continuity, a multidisciplinary team formulated a stepwise, monitored, series of schedule template changes implemented in two Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles (table 1). View this table: Table 1 PDSA cycle interventions The multidisciplinary team included programme leadership, practice manager, chief residents, residents, …
Chapter 6 – The Emergence of Masers and Lasers

The idea that a microscopic system can be stimulated to emit radiation was originally due to Einstein. After Einstein’s prediction, more than a decade passed before, the occurrence of stimulated emission was confirmed by the research of A. Ladenburg and his collaborators in Berlin. Twenty more years passed before stimulated emission was used in practical devices to amplify beams of electromagnetic radiation. The first device using stimulated emission, which operated in the microwave region of the spectrum, was built by a research group at Columbia University under the direction of Charles Townes. The use of stimulated emission to amplify a beam of radiation depends upon creating a population inversion in which more atoms are in a higher-lying level than in a lower level. Population inversions have been created in a number of innovative ways. In the first laser developed by Theodore Maiman, the population inversion was created by pulses of light from a xenon flashlamp. The population inversion in the popular helium-neon laser is created by collisions between neon and helium atoms. Modern experiments in which clouds of alkali atoms are cooled by laser beams with a frequency slightly below an absorption maximum now routinely achieve temperatures in the milliKelvin range. At these temperatures, the atoms can be trapped in a magnetic or optical field where they can be further cooled by evaporative cooling.
Improving Access for Mental Health in Primary Care using Virtual Technology (A Quality Improvment Project for ADHD)

Background: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is one of the most common chronic conditions in childhood. It is estimated that the prevalence of ADHD in school age children in the U S is 12%. ADHD is the most frequent mental health disorder that is seen in the pediatric primary care office. The economic cost of ADHD is very high in the United States. In 2000 the estimated cost of ADHD was $31.6 billion. This figure does not include the economic impact of lost work for families of children diagnosed with ADHD. By 2010 …
Invasion of the Nervous System

In vertebrates, the nervous system (NS) is composed of a peripheral collection of neurons (the peripheral nervous system, PNS), a central set found in the brain and spinal cord (the central nervous system, CNS). The NS is protected by rather complicated multi-layer barriers that allow access to nutrients and facilitate contact with the peripheral tissues, but block entry of pathogens and toxins. Virus infections usually begin in peripheral tissues and if these barriers are weakened, they can spread into the PNS and more rarely into the CNS. Most viral infections of the NS are opportunistic or accidental pathogens that gain access via the bloodstream (e.g., HIV and various arboviruses). But a few have evolved to enter the NS efficiently by invading neurons directly and by exploiting neuronal cell biology (e.g., rhabdoviruses and alphaherpesviruses). Most NS infections are devastating and difficult to manage. Remarkably, the alphaherpesviruses establish life-long quiescent infections in the PNS, with rare but often serious CNS pathology. In this review, we will focus on how alphaherpesviruses gain access to and spread in the NS, with particular emphasis on bidirectional transport and spread within and between neurons and neural circuits, which is regulated by complex viral-host protein interactions. Finally, we will describe the wide use of alphaherpesviruses as tools to study nerve connectivity and function in animal models.
Drain Placement During Bariatric Surgery, Helpful or Harmful?

IntroductionRoutine drain placement is still widely used in both sleeve gastrectomy (SG) and Roux en Y gastric bypass (REYGB). There is mounting evidence that drains may increase complication risk ...
Norm-Based Cutoffs as Predictors of Prolonged Recovery After Adolescent Sport-Related Concussion.

Objectives To identify predictors of prolonged recovery (ie, >28 days) using patient demographic factors and healthy, norm-based cutoffs on a multimodal test battery in adolescents after sport-related concussions (SRCs). Design Retrospective cohort. Patients were deemed recovered after successful completion of return-to-play/school protocols and received medical clearance. Setting Community concussion clinic. Patients Male and female adolescent student athletes diagnosed with a SRC and evaluated within 1 week of injury. Independent variables Patient demographics, medical history, injury description, computerized neurocognitive testing, vestibular/ocular testing, and symptoms at initial clinical visit. Main outcome measures Performance on clinical testing to predict recovery duration, classified as normal ( 28 days). Results A total of 201 adolescent student athletes (age = 15.3 ± 1.4 years) were included (female 35%). Average recovery duration for the entire cohort was 22.3 ± 13.3 days, with 22% (n = 45) of adolescent student athletes taking >28 days to recover. The final model was 88.3% accurate in classifying normal and prolonged recovery. Predictor variables included sex, loss of consciousness, history of ocular disorder, history of concussion, performance on visual motor speed composite, visual motion sensitivity symptom provocation and near point of convergence distance, number-naming total time, and symptom count. Conclusions These findings suggest that using norm-based cutoffs from cognitive, oculomotor, and vestibulo-ocular testing and symptom reporting, clinicians can accurately predict a prolonged recovery (sensitivity = 81%) and normal recovery (specificity = 83%) in an adolescent, SRC cohort.
Estimating Physical Work-Load on ED Clinicians and Staff Using Real-Time Location Systems

Clinicians’ work pressure and burnout turned out as an important factor in modern hospitals which urges us to search for rapid and accurate methods to proxy the workload. By using RFID technology, we hope to monitor the physical pressure on the clinical staff of the emergency department (ED) at the Mayo Clinic Saint Mary’s Hospital. The data collected will be used to determine the workload and pressure put on various staff members. A real-time location system (RTLS) has been used to monitor and track the movements of the hospital team and compute active vs. sedentary time for staff. Risk thresholds for the sedentary time from a previous study were utilized to visualize trends in staff sedentary time. Members of the ED team are under great stress at all times; we use RFID technology to get a better understanding of how much their work environment contributes to the pressure of their jobs.
Long-term functional and psychosocial outcome in adolescents and young adults treated for lower urinary tract dysfunction in childhood.

BACKGROUND Lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD) in childhood might affect lower urinary tract function and psychological wellbeing later in life. This study presents long-term functional outcome, psychological outcome and quality of life (QOL) of adolescents and young adults treated for childhood LUTD compared to healthy age-matched controls. In addition, association with past treatment outcomes is evaluated. STUDY DESIGN A single-centre cross-sectional study of former patients treated in childhood (currently 16-26 years old) was conducted. Participants completed a survey composed from validated questionnaires: the Overactive Bladder Questionnaire, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory and the Short Form 36 Health Survey. RESULTS Fifty-two former patients (out of 133) agreed to participate and returned the survey (mean age 21 ± 4.1 years). Sixty-nine control subjects were included (mean age 21 ± 2.9 years). Urinary tract symptoms were more common in former patients than controls. Storage symptoms more frequently reported were (urge) urinary incontinence, stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and nocturia. Voiding symptoms more frequently reported were intermittency and feeling of incomplete emptying, Fig. 1. There were no differences in urinary tract symptoms or urinary incontinence subdivided by childhood treatment outcome (complete response, partial response or no response), respectively p = 0.17 and p = 0.58. Results of the overactive bladder questionnaire revealed higher urinary symptom bother scores (score 14 versus 5 p < 0.01) and lower disease-specific QOL (score 95 versus 98 p = 0.02) in former patients compared to controls. General QOL and psychosocial wellbeing were not significantly different between the two groups. A childhood treatment duration extending 2,5 years was an independent prognostic factor for subsequent urinary tract symptoms later in life (OR = 1.5, 95% CI 1.1-2.0). Psychological comorbidity was more often present in former patients (35%) versus controls (10%), p < 0.01. CONCLUSION Adolescents and young adults treated for childhood LUTD are more prone to report urinary tract symptoms later in life, especially if treatment duration was extensive. However general QOL and psychosocial wellbeing later in life are not or only mildly affected.
Video Capsule Endoscopy in the Emergency Department

Video capsule endoscopy (VCE) has been used extensively and effectively to detect the source of obscure gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding [1]. The possible role of capsule endoscopy in the setting of the emergency department (ED) has received scant attention, but emerging data have demonstrated that the early use of VCE in patients with obscure GI bleeding improves diagnostic and therapeutic outcomes and shortens the length of hospital stay. Studies have also demonstrated that capsule endoscopy may be useful for diagnosis of erosive esophagitis in patients with noncardiac chest pain.
Biosynthesis of arginine in L cells infected with chlamydiae.

Three members of the genus Chlamydia were examined for their ability to synthesize arginine, an ability their L cell (mouse fibroblasts) hosts lacked. C. psittaci (strain 6BC) multiplied in arginine-free medium 199 without significant decrease in titer and incroporated 14 C-glutamate and 14 C-ornithine into the arginine fraction of its protein. In arginine-free media, C. trachomatis (strain mouse pneumonitis) and C. psittaci (strain meningopneumonitis) grew to only 1 to 10% of the titer obtained in arginine-containing media. The decreased ability of these two strains to multiply in arginine-free media was paralleled by a decreased ability of infected host cells to incorporate 14 C-glutamate into protein arginine. These results suggest that chlamydiae either synthesize arginine themselves, or, in some unknown manner, cause their host cells to do so. Images
CO2 DIAL Sensitivity Studies for Measurements of Atmospheric Trace Gases

There is great need for atmospheric trace constituent measurements with higher resolution than attainable with passive radiometers. Infrared (IR) differential absorption lidar (DIAL), which depends on Mie scattering from aerosols, has special advantages for tropospheric and lower stratospheric applications and has great potential importance for measurements from Shuttle and aircraft (refs. 1, 2, 3, 4). DIAL data reduction involves comparing large amplitude signals which have small differences. The accuracy of the trace constituent concentration inferred from DIAL measurements depends strongly on the errors in determining the amplitude of the signals. Thus, the commonly used SNR expression (signal divided by noise in the absence of signal) is not adequate to describe DIAL-measurement accuracy and must be replaced by an expression which includes the random coherent (speckle) noise within the signal (refs. 5, 6). A comprehensive DIAL computer algorithm (ref. 7) is modified to include heterodyne and direct detection with speckle noise. Results of studies for monitoring vertical distribution of O3, H2O, and NH3 from ground aircraft and Shuttle platforms are extended to include measurements of ground level plumes with larger than ambient densities, from ground and aircraft platforms. Results are shown for plumes of NH3 but these results can be generalized in terms of the plume optical depth.
A Hospital- and Home-Based Behavioral Intervention for a Child with Chronic Food Refusal and Gastrostomy Tube Dependence

There is a growing body of evidence supporting the efficacy of behavioral interventions for increasing oral consumption in individuals with chronic food refusal. Although several studies have reported on interventions carried out in hospital or clinic settings, few investigations have described the long-term effects of treatment in the individual's natural environment. In this case study, we developed a treatment package for increasing oral intake of a child with chronic food refusal during her admission to an inpatient behavioral unit. After discharge, a home-based intervention was continued for 18 months during which time oral intake was further increased while gastrostomy tube feedings were decreased and eventually eliminated. Results suggest that a combination of hospital- and home-based interventions may be beneficial for some patients with chronic food refusal.
Shape and size-dependent immune response to antigen-carrying nanoparticles

The immune system has evolved to recognize and respond to a wide variety of pathogens and produce distinct immune responses against diverse pathogenic structures. Despite remarkable advances, the general mechanisms by which the immune system differentiates the structure of antigen presenting particulates have yet to be elucidated. Using particles of various sizes and shapes, we assessed the role of morphological features of particles in antigen presentation and subsequent processing by the immune cells. Ovalbumin was used as a model antigen. Spherical polystyrene particles of 193 nm and 521 nm diameters were successfully stretched to form rod-shaped particles of 376 nm and 1530 nm in length, respectively. Ovalbumin conjugation to these different particle types was optimized to achieve ~50 μg of ovalbumin conjugation per mg of particle. In vivo immunization study results revealed that small spherical particles (193 nm in diameter) produced a Th1-biased response whereas rod-shaped particles (1530 nm in length) produced a Th2-biased response against ovalbumin. Among different particle types, smaller spherical (193 nm) particles generated stronger Th1 and Th2 immune responses compared to the other particle types. In vitro studies with dendritic cells indicated that spherical (193 nm) and rod (1530 nm) shaped particles were internalized by dendritic cells and delivered ovalbumin. These results provide evidence for size- and shape-dependent modulation of immune responses and this knowledge can be leveraged to rationally design and develop next generation vaccines against a wide range of pathogens.