cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Myocardial motion computation in 4D ultrasound

This paper presents a method for the computation of 3D flow in 4D (3D spatial+time) Transesophageal Echocardiography (4D TEE). 4D echocardiography is the only modality that allows real-time 3D imaging of the heart, at rates that are sufficiently high to characterize the very fast motion of key anatomical structures, such as the mitral and aortic valves or the left ventricle. The method described in this paper relies on a recently introduced variational optical flow approach. We applied the method to estimate the velocity field of myocardium in the left heart. Real intraoperative 4D TEE data was used and the method yielded good quantitative and qualitative preliminary results. This method has many applications, including elastography, biomechanical modeling, and automated diagnostics.
Recognition and Hydrologic Significance of Passive-Margin Updip Sequences: An Example from Eocene Coastal-Plain Deposits, U.S.A.

ABSTRACT Sequence-stratigraphic interpretations are extended to a passive-margin updip setting using sedimentological observations from cores and well-to-well correlations in Eocene coastal-plain strata of South Carolina. In the succession studied, formation contacts tend to follow sequence boundaries even as lithologies vary within individual sequences. Sequence boundaries at the base of the Congaree Formation and near the top of the Tinker Formation formed during relative sea-level fall associated with second-order global cycles. These boundaries can be recognized clearly in both downdip and updip areas of the passive margin. Three other sequence boundaries, which occur at the base and top of the Warley Hill Formation and within the Tinker Formation, are interpreted as formed during relative sea-level fall associated with third-order global cycles. Hydrostratigraphic units in the strata studied conform to depositional patterns that were controlled by changes in sea level and sediment influx. Sand of the Gordon aquifer comprises a thick aggradational succession deposited predominantly in the nearshore-shelf environment as accommodation increased during relative rise in sea level. Because of high rates of sedimentation in the proximal setting, aggradational stacking of nearshore sands may be common to other updip marine strata in accommodation-dominated regimes. The overlying Gordon confining unit consists of marine-shelf clay and carbonate sediment deposited in response to maximum transgression. During subsequent relative sea-level fall, accumulation of shoreface deposits produced a progradational succession that is represented by the lower part of the Upper Three Runs aquifer. Unlike formation contacts, boundaries between the clastic aquifers and confining units do not follow the third-order sequence boundaries because of lithologic variations within the sequences. An increasing degree of breaching through the Gordon confining unit, which results in downward contaminant migration into the Gordon aquifer, occurs in the updip direction because of nearly continuous sand deposition. Near the base of the interval studied, contaminants migrate locally through the Crouch Branch confining unit because of erosional breaches formed by scour during sea-level lowstand. In this example and in other strata deposited in an updip passive-margin setting, the extent to which confining units are breached at sequence boundaries decreases in the downdip direction, resulting in better protection of the adjacent aquifer.
3-D image reconstruction from near-field coherently scattered waves

This work presents a rigorous mathematical derivation of an effective approximate solution to the near-field 3-D inverse scattering/imaging problem for a system where the coherent signals are transmitted, and the scattered signals are subsequently received at individual transmitters and receivers. Potential applications of this technology include a variety of sub-surface imaging modalities such as: UHF foliage penetrating SAR, ground penetrating radar for land mine detection, and electromagnetic millimeter-wave scanning for concealed weapon detection.
Threshold decomposition of gray-scale morphology into binary morphology

Recently, a superposition property called threshold decomposition and another property called stacking were introduced and shown to apply successfully to gray-scale morphological operations. This property allows gray-scale signals to be decomposed into multiple binary signals. The signals are processed in parallel, and the results are combined to produce the desired gray-scale result. The authors present the threshold decomposition architecture and the stacking property that allows the implementation of this architecture. Gray-scale operations are decomposed into binary operations. This decomposition allows gray-scale morphological operations to be implemented using only logic gates in VLSI architectures that can significantly improve speed as well as give theoretical insight into the operations. >
Diffusion-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging and the Evaluation of Cortical Blindness in Preeclampsia

Cortical blindness is an uncommon, but dramatic, complication of preeclampsia. We present a case in which diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging played a critical role in determining the etiology of the cortical blindness and its subsequent management.
Microstructural study of EuBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7/ films by high resolution X-ray diffraction

Recent studies have shown that EuBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7/ (Eu123) films exhibit excellent surface morphology, high transition temperature, and interesting field-dependent critical current density, which are important for thin film devices and coated conductor applications. In this paper, we report our detailed studies of the microstructures of the Eu123 films deposited under different conditions. We have used high-resolution x-ray diffraction (HRXRD) to investigate the texture evolution and micro-domains of the films. Reciprocal space maps (RSMs) show that the a-axis growth of Eu123 films on SrTiO/sub 3/ substrates at a given deposition temperature is directly related to the deposition rate. On the other hand, by inserting a DyBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7/ (Dy123) seed layer, the a-axis growth can be totally eliminated. HRXRD study further reveals that micro-domains with different c-axis lattice parameters are often formed in the Eu123/Dy123, which may result from different oxygen content.
Error amplification for pairwise spanner lower bounds

A pairwise spanner of a graph G = (V, E) and a "pair set" P ⊆ V × V is a subgraph H that preserves all pairwise distances in P, up to some additive error term +β. When β = 0 the object is called a pairwise distance preserver.A large and growing body of work has considered upper bounds for these objects, but lower bounds have been elusive. The only known lower bound results are (1) Coppersmith and Elkin (SODA'05) against preservers, and (2) considerably weaker bounds by Woodruff (FOCS'06) against spanners.Our main result is an amplification theorem: we prove that lower bounds against pairwise distance preservers imply lower bounds against pairwise spanners. In other words, to prove lower bounds against any constant error spanners, it is enough to consider only subgraphs that are not allowed any error at all!We apply this theorem to obtain drastically improved lower bounds. Some of these include:• Linear size pairwise spanners with up to +(2k -- 1) error cannot span |P| = ω(n(1+k)/(3+k)) pairs. This is a large improvement over Woodruff's |P| = ω(n2--2/k) (|P| is now linear, rather than quadratic, as k gets large).• |E(H)| = Ω(n1+1/k) edges are required for a +(2k -- 1) spanner of |P| = Ω(n1+1/k) pairs - this is another large improvement over Woodruff's |P| = Ω(n2).• The first tight bounds for pairwise spanners: for +2 error and P = Θ(n3/2) we show that Θ(n3/2) edges are necessary and sufficient (this also reflects a new upper bound: we construct +2 pairwise spanners on O(n|P|1/3) edges, removing a log factor from a prior algorithm).We also show analogous improved lower bounds against subset spanners (where P = S × S for some node subset S), and the first lower bounds against D threshold spanners (where P is the set of node pairs at distance at least D).
Toward a Theory of Virtual Identity Communication

Identity communication is an important communication process in organizations. While the management literature has extensively explored the implications of identity communication in offline setting...
Small Hidden Object Identification through Bridge Weigh-in-motion Data for Security Purposes

In this paper, a framework is developed for the purpose of detecting small hidden objects through weigh-inmotion data for security purposes. The 3 statistical principle is used to separate the outlier events and noises with normal traffic flow and the collected wheel loads are further used to identify the possible locations and weights of hidden objects. Correspondingly, an in-lab experiment has been conducted to validate the algorithm and excellent results have been reached. The system can be implemented at any security port and help to increase the security screening efficiencies at these locations.
Application of thermospray liquid chromatography- mass spectrometry for the analysis of chloramphenicol and three related compounds

The thermospray (TS) liquid chromatographic-mass spectrometric analysis of the antibiotic chloramphenicol and three related compounds is presented. The three additional compounds are dehydrochloramphenicol, aminodehydrochloramphenicol, and nitrophenylaminopropanediol. Baseline separation of the four compounds is achieved. The TS mass spectrum of each of the four compounds includes a prominent [MH]+ ion plus some fragment ion peaks.
Parent Psychological Control and Responses to Interpersonal Stress in Emerging Adulthood Moderating Effects of Behavioral Inhibition and Behavioral Activation

This study examined links between parent psychological control and responses to interpersonal stress in emerging adulthood and whether temperament (i.e., behavioral inhibition [BI] and behavioral a...
Outreach Evaluation: The International Criminal Court in the Central African Republic

1 Public information and outreach have emerged as one of the fundamental activities of transitional justice mechanisms. Their objective is to raise public awareness, knowledge and participation among affected communities. Despite this increased focus, understanding of the role, impact and effectiveness of various outreach strategies remains limited, as is understanding of communities’ knowledge, perceptions and attitudes about transitional justice mechanisms, including their expectations. The study discussed in this article was designed to evaluate International Criminal Court (ICC) outreach programs in the Central African Republic. Specifically, the article examines how the public gathers information about the ICC and what factors influence knowledge levels and perceptions in relation to the Court. The findings show that mass media and informational meetings are effective at raising awareness and knowledge, but that the lack of access to formal media and reliance on informal channels of communication create a group of ‘information poor’ individuals. The authors suggest that outreach must be local in order to respond to individuals’ needs and expectations and to ensure their access to information. Evaluation research must be implemented systematically and on a continuing basis to assess how best to reach various target groups and develop innovative, responsive and flexible communication strategies.
Electrochemical Carbon Nanotube Filter Oxidative Performance as a Function of Surface Chemistry

An electrochemical carbon nanotube filter has been reported to be effective for the removal and electrooxidation of aqueous chemicals and microorganisms. Here, we investigate how carbon nanotube (CNT) chemical surface treatments including calcination to remove amorphous carbon, acid treatment to remove internal residual metal oxide, formation of surficial oxy-functional groups, and addition of Sb-doped SnO2 particles affect the electrooxidative filter performance. The various CNT samples are characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and electrochemically evaluated by cyclic voltammetry, open circuit potential versus time analysis, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Voltammetry results indicate that the near CNT surface pH is at least two units lower than the bulk pH. The electrooxidative performance of the various CNT samples is evaluated with 1 mM of methyl orange (MO) in 100 mM sodium sulfate at a flow rate ...
DIETARY FACTORS IN THE EPIDEMIOLOGY OF CANCER OF THE LARYNX

Interviews were carried out with 374 male patients at Roswell Park Memorial Institute with cancer of the larynx and 381 controls with diseases other than of the digestive or respiratory system and other than neoplasms. As have other investigators, the authors found a high risk associated with smoking as well as a risk associated with alcohol ingestion. In addition, the study found that males ingesting low amounts of vitamin A in their diet had approximately twice the risk of those ingesting large amounts. The same was true for vitamin C. All of these relationships were significant, and risk increased in dose-response fashion with decreases in ingestion of the above-mentioned dietary constituents. When the risks associated with vitamins A and C were examined controlling for smoking and drinking, the risk enhancement associated with low ingestion persisted. The findings on nutrients are consistent with results of studies on animals and tissue cultures. Nevertheless, the sparse epidemiologic replication, the difficulties with the methods, and the complexity of the field demand substantial further inquiry on these relationships.
Utilization of a New Intracranial Support Catheter as an Intermediate Aspiration Catheter in the Treatment of Acute Ischemic Stroke: Technical Report on Initial Experience

The endovascular management of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) due to emergency large vessel occlusion (ELVO) has become the standard of care after the recent publication of landmark randomized, controlled trials. Mechanical thrombectomy, in addition to intravenous thrombolysis (within 4.5 hours when eligible), is now part of the algorithm of the standard of care when treating AIS in patients with ELVO in the anterior circulation up to six hours after symptom onset. A newly introduced device, the Arc™ intracranial support catheter (Medtronic, Irvine, USA), is specifically designed for the introduction of neurointerventional devices into the cerebral vasculature and facilitates the delivery of microcatheters into smaller, more distal intracranial vessels. This technical report describes the use of the Arc™ intracranial support catheter in the setting of AIS.
Conversion of Available Energy Forms into Desired Forms by a Biologically Accessible Mechanism

The energy conversions considered here are achieved by the appropriate design of polypeptides or what may also be called protein-based polymers or model proteins. As these involve biomolecular compositions derivable from biological production, the energy conversions are accessible to living organisms. In spite of this, it is not correct to assume that the mechanism was discovered by studying some biological energy conversion process. Quite the contrary, it is yet necessary to demonstrate that the discovered mechanism of energy conversion is utilized in any biological process. Because of the efficiency and versatility of the mechanism and because the mechanism shows great parallelity with what is known about biological energy conversion processes, it is anticipated to be a dominant mechanism in biological processes, but this has yet to be shown.
Chemotherapy and its Effect on Testicular Morphology in Children

AbstractBilateral testicular biopsies were performed on 25 boys between 4 and 16 years old with the diagnosis of acute lymphocytic leukemia after the induction of regression with vincristine and prednisone, followed by cyclic maintenance therapy with a combination of 6-mercaptopurine, methotrexate, L-asparaginase, cyclophosphamide and doxorubicin for 2 years. These drugs were given in accordance with children’s cancer study group protocols. Only 3 boys had positive biopsies (12 per cent), although post-treatment testicular morphology was abnormal in the overwhelming majority. Interstitial fibrosis was present in 16 children (70 per cent), basement membrane thickening in 12 (50 per cent) and, most importantly, a reduction in the tubular fertility index of greater than 50 per cent in 20 (80 per cent). There was no relationship between the abnormal morphology encountered and the age of the patient when treated. Most of these changes may be reversible with time but only a biopsy at a later date can establish ...
Regulation of virulence genes in Shigella

Shigella pathogenicity is a multi-genic phenomenon involving the participation of genes on both the 230 kilobase virulence plasmid and the chromosome. A key feature of the regulation of Shigella virulence is its response to growth temperature. Genes in the virulence regulon are fully expressed at 37 degrees C, the normal temperature of Shigella's mammalian host, and the regulon is repressed at lower temperatures. Virulence gene expression is regulated in both a positive and a negative fashion by several plasmid-encoded activators and at least one chromosomally encoded repressor. The use of a variety of molecular tools including gene fusions, cloning, complementation, DNA sequencing and mRNA analysis, has provided a more complete understanding of how various, unlinked genetic loci contribute in a co-ordinated fashion to the pathogenic phenotype expressed by Shigella.
Rasmussen's Syndrome

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses various aspects of Rasmussen's syndrome (RS). RS was associated with an appropriate contralateral hemispheric atrophy. The pathologic footprints of a virus led Rasmussen to speculate that perhaps a viral agent might cause a very localized reaction producing a febrile seizure or isolated nonfebrile seizure. The syndrome characteristically begins with the sudden onset of seizures in a previously healthy and normally developing child. The seizures remain unilateral, but appear to spread to involve other areas of cortex on the affected side. The partial seizures are unusual and clinically do not spread in the classical Jacksonian fashion with a march through contiguous regions. The spike activity may be confined to a very small area, with unusual dipoles, suggesting that the focus may be buried within a gyrus. Some children will display extensive atrophy at the onset of seizures, whereas others will demonstrate none even when seizures and hemiparesis are apparent. The observations confirm the superior efficacy of removing or eliminating the function of the complete hemisphere in order to achieve optimal seizure control.
Commentary: Epigenetic Regulation of Phosphodiesterases 2A and 3A Underlies Compromised β-Adrenergic Signaling in an iPSC Model of Dilated Cardiomyopathy

Wu et al. (2015) describe pioneering work that utilizes patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) patients (Sun et al., 2012) and matched non-DCM relatives to study cellular mechanisms of DCM pathogenesis. They find that iPSC cardiomyocytes have proper β-adrenergic signaling while iPSCs from DCM patients exhibit impaired response to β-adrenergic agonist isoproterenol (ISO), which, physiologically, would be expected to compound the mechanical deficit associated with a mutation in troponin T (TnT). Surprisingly, Wu et al. (2015) find that the mechanisms of altered β-adrenergic signaling involve a direct role for TnT in epigenetic control of phosphodiesterase (PDE) expression, and that the mutation affects TnT function not only in the myofilament lattice, but also in the nucleus. This foundational work demonstrates the utility of iPSC-CMs for direct comparison of healthy vs. diseased tissues by providing a platform for identifying previously unrecognized molecular and cellular mechanisms in the progression of DCM.
TCT-681 Aggressive oversizing of balloon-expandable transcatheter aortic valve replacement: predictor of para valvular leak with severe aortic valvar complex calcification

Higher calcification of the aortic valve complex increases the risk of post-dilatation and paravalvular leak (PVL) after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). The role of aggressive oversizing as a predictor of PVL post TAVR is not well understood. The aim of this study was to evaluate the
A Process Chart to Design Experiential Learning Projects

A high-impact practice is to incorporate experiential learning projects when teaching difficulty subject matters so as to enhance students’ understanding and interest in the course content. But, th...
Teaching about World War I during Its Centennial

Review of the book: ΓC£World War I for Kids: A History with 21 Activities.ΓC¥ ┬a By R. Kent Rasmussen. Chicago: Chicago Review Press, 2014. ISBN: 978-1613745564
Manganese Oxidation by Spores of the Marine Bacillus sp. Strain SG-1

Microbial oxidation of soluble Mn(II) and the subsequent precipitation of insoluble Mn(III) and (IV) oxides and oxyhydroxides are key controls on Mn cycling in natural waters and are primary sources of these reactive solid phases in natural environments. Mn oxides often have high surface-area tunneled or layered structures, high sorptive capacities for metal ions, and are strong oxidants capable of non-specifically oxidizing a number of toxic aromatic and other organic compounds, as well as inorganic compounds such as reduced metals, hydrogen peroxide, and hydrogen sulfide. Thus, Mn(II)-oxidizing bacteria indirectly catalyze a variety of different reactions and impact the biogeochemical cycling of many elements. These bacteria may have useful biotechnological applications for metal recovery or the bioremediation of metal pollution.
Catalytic, Asymmetric Alkylation via Excited-State Iminium Ions

The catalytic, enantioselective β-alkylation of unsaturated carbonyls is a powerful strategy for selectively installing stereocenters vicinal to carbonyls, yet it remains surprisingly elusive. In a recent publication in Nature Chemistry , Melchiorre and co-workers have introduced an elegantly simple solution that addresses this challenge by developing a new mode of reactivity combining organocatalysis and photoredox activation.
Impact of body mass index on ovarian cancer survival varies by stage

Research on the effect of body mass index (BMI) on ovarian cancer survival is inconsistent, but previous studies did not consider the possible impact of ascites, bowel obstruction, or cachexia, which commonly occur in late-stage disease. We evaluated the association of BMI, before and around the time of diagnosis, with overall and disease-specific survival in a cohort study of primary invasive epithelial ovarian cancers diagnosed from 2000 to 2013 in Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC) (n=1184). Deaths were identified through December 2014, with a median follow-up of 37 months. Proportional hazards regression was used to estimate overall and ovarian cancer-specific mortality, accounting for prognostic variables including age at diagnosis, race, stage, grade, histology, comorbidities, treatment, post-treatment CA125 levels, ascites, and bowel obstruction. There was no evidence of an association between BMI and overall or ovarian cancer-specific survival. However, we found strong effect modification by stage (Pinteraction<0.01). Compared with normal prediagnosis BMI (18.5–24.9 kg m−2), for women who were obese before diagnosis (BMI⩾35 kg m−2) ovarian cancer-specific survival was lower among those diagnosed at stages I/II (hazard ratio (HR): 3.40; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.16–9.99), but increased among those diagnosed with stage IV disease (HR: 0.58; 95% CI: 0.35–0.96). Associations were attenuated after excluding those diagnosed with cachexia (n=82) and further adjustment for ascites and bowel obstruction, with no evidence of effect modification by these factors. Associations of obesity with ovarian cancer survival may differ by stage, with decreased survival among those with localised disease and increased survival among those with late-stage disease. Stage-specific effects of obesity on survival suggest a tailored approach to improve prognosis may be appropriate.
Sodium Cellulose Glycolate as a Thickening Agent for Liquid Auxin Formulations can Enhance Rooting of Stem Cuttings

Abstract Stem cuttings of Abelia ‘Edward Goucher’, Buxus sinica var. insularis ‘Wintergreen’, Hedera helix, Hibiscus syriacus ‘Collie Mullens’, Ilex vomitoria ‘Nana’, Juniperus conferta ‘Blue Pacific’, and Rosa ‘Red Cascade’ received a basal quick-dip in solutions of Dip ‘N Grow at concentrations of 0 + 0, 50 + 25, 250 + 125, 500 + 250, 750 + 375, and 1000 + 500 ppm IBA + NAA prepared with and without 13.5 g/liter sodium cellulose glycolate (SCG) as a thickening agent. Cuttings of Ilex vomitoria ‘Nana’ exhibited increased rooting with increasing auxin concentration with inclusion of SCG. The other six taxa exhibited similar rooting percentages among all treatments, but exhibited an increase in root number and/or total root length with inclusion of SCG. Initial shoot growth on rooted cuttings of Abelia ‘Edward Goucher’ showed some reduction with increasing auxin concentration with inclusion of SCG, suggesting cuttings absorbed more auxin from solutions containing SCG owing to their extended period of expos...
Informed Decision-Making through Forecasting: A Practitioner’s Guide to Government Revenue Analysis by Shayne C. Kavanagh and Daniel W. Williams

Kavanagh, S. C., & Williams, D. W. (2017). Informed Decision-Making through Forecasting: A Practitioner’s Guide to Government Revenue Analysis . Chicago, IL: Government Finance Officers Association. $90.00 (paperback), ISBN: 978-0-89125-002-9.
Luxury, Vice, and Health: Changing Perspectives on Baths and Bathing in Late Antique Antioch

In Antioch and its hinterland during late antiquity, Christian leaders frequently attacked baths and the activities that took place within them. Despite efforts to anathematize their use and to discourage their construction, baths remained important social and civic fixtures in both large cities and in semi-rural settlements continuously into the Islamic period. This survival, documented in archaeological and literary sources, offers a means to trace divergent attitudes towards their roles against their changing physical forms. Baths could be understood as places of luxury, yet also in early Christian perspectives understood by the evils produced by their excesses, while their construction could commemorate local civic patronage. Yet it is the notion of bathing as a means to promote hygiene and healing that survived to become dominant, adopted as the primary feature of baths in hagiographic texts in the fifth and sixth centuries, and further echoed in the physical transition into new smaller, more austere forms.
Punishment, Religion, and the Shrinking Welfare State for the Very Poor in the United States, 1970–2010

The U.S. social safety net for the very poor has been shrinking for several decades. Two factors stand out as potential drivers of this transformation: a neoliberal turn in poverty governance that ...
“Digital Lifestyle” – Future Employees and Customers

Digitisation will penetrate the society and businesses extensively and will deeply change processes and organisations. More and more customers and all of today’s career starters in the companies belong to the so-called digital natives generation. In addition, so-called digital immigrants work in the companies; many of them only learned how to use the new technologies in the adult age long after they have completed their training or studies. The chapter explains the expectations of natives as car customers and how they act as employees in the companies and which new forms of work develop from them, such as Sharing, Crowdsourcing and also Wikinomic. Companies should take action to leverage these models and thus make digitisation efforts successful, including both digital natives and digital immigrants.
Characterizing JUUL-related posts on Twitter

Abstract Background As vaping rapidly becomes more prevalent, social media data can be harnessed to capture individuals’ discussions of e-cigarette products quickly. The JUUL vaporizer is the latest advancement in e-cigarette technology, which delivers nicotine to the user from a device that is the size and shape of a thumb drive. Despite JUUL’s growing popularity, little research has been conducted on JUUL. Here we utilized Twitter data to determine the public’s early experiences with JUUL describing topics of posts. Methods Twitter posts containing the term “JUUL” were obtained for 1 April 2107 to 14 December 2017. Text classifiers were used to identify topics in posts (n = 81,689). Results The most prevalent topic wasPerson Tagging (use of @username to tag someone in a post) at 20.48% followed by Pods (mentions of JUUL’s refill cartridge) at 14.72% and Buying (mentions of purchases) at 10.49%. The topic School (posts indicative of using JUUL or seeing someone use JUUL while at elementary, middle, or high school) comprised 3.66% of posts. The topic of Quit Smoking was rare at 0.29%. Conclusions Data from social media may be used to extend the surveillance of newly introduced vaping products. Findings suggest Twitter users are bonding around, and inquiring about, JUUL on social media. JUUL’s discreetness may facilitate its use in places where vaping is prohibited. Educators may be in need of training on how to identify JUUL in the classroom. Despite JUUL’s branding as a smoking alternative, very few Twitter users mentioned smoking cessation with JUUL.
Immunopathology of pineal glands from horses with uveitis.

Purpose Pinealitis accompanying uveitis is well established in laboratory models of experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis. In naturally occurring uveitis, pinealitis has been demonstrated in the pineal gland from a mare with active uveitis and is suspected in some human uveitides. We have evaluated pineal glands from horses with various stages of uveitis for signs of immunopathology accompanying spontaneous uveitis. Methods Pineal glands from 10 horses with uveitis and from 13 horses without uveitis were evaluated for histochemical (H&E, collagen) and immunohistochemical (MHC class II antigen expression, infiltration of T and B lymphocytes, and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and vimentin upregulation) evidence of inflammation. Results Septal areas of pineal glands from horses with uveitis had clusters of MHC class II antigen-expressing cells, T lymphocytes, and enhanced collagen deposition. These changes were not as readily observed in pineal glands from horses without uveitis. B lymphocytes were detected only in the pineal gland from the one mare with active uveitis in which T and B lymphocytes were organized into follicles. No differences in GFAP or vimentin immunoreactivity were noted in pineal glands from horses with or without uveitis. Conclusions These pineal gland changes suggest that the pinealitis associated with equine uveitis is transient just as the uveitis of these horses is recurrent. Study of pineal glands from horses with clinically documented uveitis allows demonstration of subtle pineal changes associated with natural uveitis. Similar changes would be difficult to document in human patient populations.
Complex Event Recognition Using Constrained Rank Optimization

Complex event recognition is the problem of recognizing events in long and unconstrained videos. Examples of such events are birthday party, changing a tire, making a fire …etc. In this extremely challenging task, concepts have recently shown a promising direction, where core low-level events referred to as concepts are annotated and modelled using a portion of the training data, then each complex event is described using concept scores, which are features representing the occurrence confidence for the concepts in the event. However, because of the complex nature of the videos, both the concept models and the corresponding concept scores are significantly noisy. In order to address this problem, we discuss a low-rank formulation, which combines the precisely annotated videos used to train the concepts, with the rich concept scores. The approach presented in this chapter finds a new representation for each event, which is not only low-rank, but also constrained to adhere to the concept annotation, thus suppressing the noise, and maintaining a consistent occurrence of the concepts in each event. Extensive experiments on large scale real world dataset TRECVID Multimedia Event Detection 2011 and 2012 demonstrate that the approach consistently improves the discriminativity of the concept scores by a significant margin.
The reemergence of pertussis in immunized populations: a case study.

OBJECTIVE: To present a case of classical pertussis occurring in previously vaccinated male siblings, 11 and 13 years of age, living in El Paso TX; also to present an overview and update of the changing epidemiology of pertussis including pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment. DESIGN: Nasopharyngeal swabs and blood samples were collected from two male siblings, 11 and 13 years of age, presenting with cold-like symptoms and persistent cough during the second week of infection. Nasopharyngeal swabs were plated onto Bordet-Gengou agar plates and incubated for 48 hours. Blood samples were analyzed for the presence of antibodies (IgM and IgA) against Bordetella pertussis antigens using indirect enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). SETTING: Cultures and serological analysis was conducted at the University of Texas at El Paso, Clinical Laboratory Science Program Research facility. RESULTS: Bacterial cultures of both children were positive for Bordetella pertussis and the sera revealed positive IgM and IgA antibodies (>11 PANBIO UNITS) against a mixture of antigens including: pertussis toxin, filamentous hemagglutinin, pertactin, and fimbriae. CONCLUSIONS: Pertussis immunity wanes overtime, leaving most adolescents and adults susceptible to infection. Physicians must be prepared to diagnose and treat pertussis in any age group regardless of vaccination status. ABBREVIATIONS:AC = adenylate cyclase; DaTP = acellular DTP; DFA = direct fluorescent antibody; FHA = filamentous hemaglutinin; PCR = polymerase chain reaction; PRN = pertactin; UTEP = University of Texas at El Paso.
Limited gut cell repertoire for multiple hormones.

Enteroendocrine (EE) cells secrete diverse peptide hormones, regulating food intake, digestion and metabolism. A study now challenges the traditional view that each hormone is the dominant product of a distinct EE cell type, showing that in response to local cues the same cell produces different hormones in different tissue compartments.
Investigation of the Development of Pre-Academic Skills for Preschoolers in Head Start

This study modeled the time-dependent nature of pre-academic skills development for a multi-lingual sample of 382 preschoolers attending Head Start. A two-slope latent variable model accurately des...
Life, Movement, and Thought: Directions for Performance Philosophy and Practice as Research

This essay addresses the common goals of but also the practical differences between the emerging fields of Performance Philosophy (PP) and Practice as Research (PaR). It does so by describing them both as interposing effective and affective action into the process of thinking and knowing, thereby resisting what Gilles Deleuze calls the Dogmatic Image of Thought. The dogmatic image is described as a directional movement based on Plato’s allegory of the cave, where those who would learn turn away from phenomenal becoming and move upward and outward towards eternal Truth. This movement travels from a static unknowing to a static knowledge. Both PP and PaR resist such movement by employing techniques which forestall arriving at either stasis. Through their developments, PP and PaR have come to concentrate on resisting one of these points of stasis or the other – with PP concentrating on avoiding static knowing, and PaR concentrating on finding the proper expression to avoid static unknowing, even while presenting its findings in forms that may appear ephemeral.
Assessment of a Deep Learning Model Based on Electronic Health Record Data to Forecast Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Importance Knowing the future condition of a patient would enable a physician to customize current therapeutic options to prevent disease worsening, but predicting that future condition requires sophisticated modeling and information. If artificial intelligence models were capable of forecasting future patient outcomes, they could be used to aid practitioners and patients in prognosticating outcomes or simulating potential outcomes under different treatment scenarios. Objective To assess the ability of an artificial intelligence system to prognosticate the state of disease activity of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) at their next clinical visit. Design, Setting, and Participants This prognostic study included 820 patients with RA from rheumatology clinics at 2 distinct health care systems with different electronic health record platforms: a university hospital (UH) and a public safety-net hospital (SNH). The UH and SNH had substantially different patient populations and treatment patterns. The UH has records on approximately 1 million total patients starting in January 2012. The UH data for this study were accessed on July 1, 2017. The SNH has records on 65 000 unique individuals starting in January 2013. The SNH data for the study were collected on February 27, 2018. Exposures Structured data were extracted from the electronic health record, including exposures (medications), patient demographics, laboratories, and prior measures of disease activity. A longitudinal deep learning model was used to predict disease activity for patients with RA at their next rheumatology clinic visit and to evaluate interhospital performance and model interoperability strategies. Main Outcomes and Measures Model performance was quantified using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC). Disease activity in RA was measured using a composite index score. Results A total of 578 UH patients (mean [SD] age, 57 [15] years; 477 [82.5%] female; 296 [51.2%] white) and 242 SNH patients (mean [SD] age, 60 [15] years; 195 [80.6%] female; 30 [12.4%] white) were included in the study. Patients at the UH compared with those at the SNH were seen more frequently (median time between visits, 100 vs 180 days) and were more frequently prescribed higher-class medications (biologics) (364 [63.0%] vs 70 [28.9%]). At the UH, the model reached an AUROC of 0.91 (95% CI, 0.86-0.96) in a test cohort of 116 patients. The UH-trained model had an AUROC of 0.74 (95% CI, 0.65-0.83) in the SNH test cohort (n = 117) despite marked differences in the patient populations. In both settings, baseline prediction using each patients’ most recent disease activity score had statistically random performance. Conclusions and Relevance The findings suggest that building accurate models to forecast complex disease outcomes using electronic health record data is possible and these models can be shared across hospitals with diverse patient populations.
Anxiety and executive functions in mid-to-late life: the moderating role of sleep

Objectives: The goal of the study was to examine the influence of sleep efficiency on the relationship between anxiety and executive functions.Method: Secondary data analyses of 82 community-dwelli...
Multidisciplinary Engagement Increases Medications in-Hand for Patients Hospitalized With Asthma

BACKGROUND: Asthma exacerbations in children are a leading cause of missed school days and health care use. Patients discharged from the hospital often do not fill discharge prescriptions and are at risk for future exacerbations. METHODS: A multidisciplinary team aimed to increase the percentage of patients discharged from the hospital after an asthma exacerbation with their medications in-hand from 15% to 80%. Tools from the model of improvement were used to establish a process map, key driver diagram, and iterative plan-do-study-act cycles. Statistical process control charts were used to track the proportion of patients discharged with their medications in-hand as the primary outcome. Initiating multidisciplinary daily discharge huddles on the unit was the key intervention that facilitated change in the system. RESULTS: During the study period, the percentage of patients with asthma who received their medications in-hand increased from 15% to >80% for all eligible children and >90% for children with public insurance. Children had a median age of 6.7 years, 47% were female, and 83.8% identified as non-Hispanic African American. Through iterative meetings and mapping with the multidisciplinary team, a process map for bedside delivery and a key driver diagram were created. Balancing measures, specifically length of stay and discharge medications forgotten at the hospital, remained constant. CONCLUSIONS: Improvements in increasing medication possession at the time of discharge for children hospitalized with asthma were facilitated by multidisciplinary engagement. Standardizing discharge initiatives may play a key role in improving discharge transitions for children with asthma.
Transparency of sustainability disclosures among luxury and mass-market fashion brands

The study explores the transparency status of sustainability disclosures among luxury and mass-market fashion brands, examining the possibilities that the type of information disclosed is selective...
Meta-analysis of biological variables' impact on spinal motoneuron electrophysiology data

Experimental, methodological, and biological variables must be accounted for statistically to maximize accuracy and comparability of published neuroscience data. However, accounting for all variables is nigh impossible. Thus we aimed to identify particularly influential variables within published neurological data, from cat, rat, and mouse studies, via a robust statistical process. Our goal was to develop tools to improve rigor in the collection and analysis of data. We strictly constrained experimental and methodological variables and then assessed four key biological variables within motoneuron research: species, age, sex, and cell type. We quantified intraexperimental and interexperimental variances in 11 commonly reported electrophysiological properties of spinal motoneurons. We first assessed variances without accounting for biological variables and then reassessed them while accounting for all four variables. We next assessed variances with all possible combinations of these four variables. We concluded that some motoneuron properties have low intraexperimental, but high interexperimental, variance; that individual motoneuron properties are impacted differently by biological variables; and that some unexplained variances still remain. We report here the optimal combinations of biological variables to reduce interexperimental variance for all 11 parameters. We also rank each parameter by intra- and interexperimental consistency. We expect these results to assist with design of experimental and analytical methods, and to support accuracy in simulations. Furthermore, although demonstrated on spinal motoneuron electrophysiology literature, our approach is applicable to biological data from all fields of neuroscience. This approach represents an important aid to experimental design, comparison of reported data, and reduction of unexplained variance in neuroscience data.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Our meta-analysis shows the impact of species, age, sex, and cell type on lumbosacral motoneuron electrophysiological properties by thoroughly quantifying variances across literature for the first time. We quantify the variances of 11 motoneuron properties with consideration of biological variables, thus providing specific insights for motoneuron modelers and experimenters, and providing a general methodological template for the quantification of variance in neurological data with the consideration of any experimental, methodological, or biological variables of interest.
Comparison of Postoperative Opioid Utilization in an ACDF Cohort: Narcotic Naive Patients Versus Preoperative Opioid Users.

STUDY DESIGN A retrospective cohort study. OBJECTIVE To compare the postoperative opioid utilization rates and costs after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) procedures between groups of patients who were preoperative opioid users versus opioid naive. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Opioid medications are frequently prescribed after ACDF procedures. Given the current opioid epidemic, there is increased emphasis on early identification of patients at risk for prolonged postoperative opioid use. METHODS Records from patients diagnosed with cervical stenosis who underwent a ≤3-level index ACDF surgery between 2007 and 2017 were collected from a large insurance database. International Classification of Diseases diagnosis/procedure codes, Current Procedural Terminology codes, and generic drug codes were used to search clinical records. Two cohorts were established: a group of patients who utilized opioids preoperatively and a group of patients who were opioid naive at the time of surgery. The 1-year utilization and costs of postoperative therapies were documented for each group. RESULTS The preoperative opioid use cohort contained 4485 patients (61.6%), whereas the opioid-naive cohort included 2799 patients (38.4%). Postoperatively, 86.6% of the preoperative opioid use group continued to use opioids, whereas 59.0% of the opioid-naive group began using opioids. Patients who utilized opioids preoperatively were 4.48 times more likely (95% confidence interval, 3.99-5.02, P<0.001) to use opioids postoperatively and 4.30 times more likely (95% confidence interval, 3.10-5.94, P<0.001) to become opioid dependent compared with opioid-naive patients. In addition, after normalization, patients in the preoperative opioid use group utilized 3.7 times more opioid units/patient and billed for 5.3 times more dollars/patient than opioid-naive patients. CONCLUSIONS In patients with cervical stenosis who undergo an ACDF procedure, the postoperative utilization and costs of opioids seem to be substantially higher in patients with preoperative opioid use compared with opioid-naive patients. Efforts should be made to avoid opioid use as a component of conservative management before surgery. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level III.