cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Statins are independently associated with reduced mortality in patients undergoing infrainguinal bypass graft surgery for critical limb ischemia

Objective Evidence suggesting a beneficial effect of cardioprotective medications in patients with lower extremity atherosclerosis derives largely from secondary prevention studies of heterogeneous populations. Patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI) have a large atherosclerotic burden with related high mortality. The effect of such therapies in this population is largely inferred and unproven. Methods The Project of Ex-Vivo vein graft Engineering via Transfection III (PREVENT III) cohort comprised 1404 patients with CLI who underwent lower extremity bypass grafting in a multicenter, randomized prospective trial testing the efficacy of edifoligide for the prevention of graft failure. Propensity scores were used to evaluate the influence of statins, β-blockers, and antiplatelet agents on outcomes while adjusting for demographics, comorbidities, medications, and surgical variables that may influence drug use. Primary outcomes were major adverse cardiovascular events ≤30 days, vein graft patency, and 1-year survival assessed by Kaplan-Meier method. Potential determinants of 1-year survival were modeled using a multivariate Cox regression. Results In this cohort, 636 patients (45%) were taking statins, 835 (59%) were taking β-blockers, and 1121 (80%) were taking antiplatelet drugs. Perioperative major adverse cardiovascular events (7.8%) and early mortality (2.7%) were not measurably affected by the use of any drug class. Statin use was associated with a significant survival advantage at 1 year of 86% vs 81% (hazard ratio [HR], 0.71; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.52-0.98; P = .03) by analysis of both unweighted and propensity score-weighted data. Use of β-blockers and antiplatelet drugs had no appreciable impact on survival. None of the drug classes were associated with graft patency measures at 1 year. Significant predictors of 1-year mortality by Cox regression modeling were statin use (HR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.51-0.90; P = .001), age >75 (HR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.60-2.82; P = .001), coronary artery disease (HR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.15-2.01; P = .001), chronic kidney disease stages 4 (HR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.17-3.55; P = .001) and 5 (HR, 3.4; 95% CI, 2.39-4.73; P P = .003). Conclusions Statin use is associated with improved survival in CLI patients 1 year after surgical revascularization. Further studies are indicated to determine optimal dosing in this population and to definitively address the question of relationship to graft patency. These data add to the growing literature supporting statin use in patients with advanced peripheral arterial disease.
On defining aspirin resistance.

Aspirin resistance is an increasingly common topic of research and clinical discussion. From a clinical perspective, patients who suffer a thrombotic event while taking aspirin are considered by some to exhibit aspirin resistance. In this issue of the Journal , Tantry et al. ([1][1]) employ rigorous
Monte Carlo Investigation of Hot Carriers Generated by Subpicosecond Laser Pulses in Schottky Barrier Diodes

The self-consistent Ensemble Monte Carlo (E.M.C.) method is used to study the dynamics of carriers generated by subpicosecond laser pulses in a Silicon n+/n/metal submicron Schottky diode. The E.M.C. model for the Schottky diode is the same presented in [1], with the inclusion of hole dynamics. In this model the Poisson’s equation is solved using an accurate collocation method [2], which gives a very precise solution for the electric field E(0) on the ohmic contact boundary. This allows us to determine the current injected through the ohmic contact using the relation J=n+μ o E(0), where μo is the low field mobility in an n+ contact region. This is justified if the width of the region is at least a few Debye lengths, so that we consider the carriers at the ohmic contact boundary to be in equilibrium with the lattice. In this way we can model the depletion of carriers and fully account for the non-charge-neutral behavior of the Schottky barrier diode, keeping track of the carriers exiting the device and allocating on the metal side the ones which are not reinjected. Tunnelling current from the semiconductor to the metal is included by a WKB approach as in [1], with an improved formulation of the tunnelling probability, which takes into account nonparabolicity and the effect of finite bandgap [3].
The Many Dimensions of Diet Breadth: Phytochemical, Genetic, Behavioral, and Physiological Perspectives on the Interaction between a Native Herbivore and an Exotic Host

From the perspective of an herbivorous insect, conspecific host plants are not identical, and intraspecific variation in host nutritional quality or defensive capacity might mediate spatially variable outcomes in plant-insect interactions. Here we explore this possibility in the context of an ongoing host breadth expansion of a native butterfly (the Melissa blue, Lycaeides melissa) onto an exotic host plant (alfalfa, Medicago sativa). We examine variation among seven alfalfa populations that differed in terms of colonization by L. melissa; specifically, we examined variation in phytochemistry, foliar protein, and plant population genetic structure, as well as responses of caterpillars and adult butterflies to foliage from the same populations. Regional patterns of alfalfa colonization by L. melissa were well predicted by phytochemical variation, and colonized patches of alfalfa showed a similar level of inter-individual phytochemical diversity. However, phytochemical variation was a poor predictor of larval performance, despite the fact that survival and weight gain differed dramatically among caterpillars reared on plants from different alfalfa populations. Moreover, we observed a mismatch between alfalfa supporting the best larval performance and alfalfa favored by ovipositing females. Thus, the axes of plant variation that mediate interactions with L. melissa depend upon herbivore life history stage, which raises important issues for our understanding of adaptation to novel resources by an organism with a complex life history.
Managing geologic CO2 storage with pre-injection brine production: a strategy evaluated with a model of CO2 injection at Snøhvit

CO2 capture and storage (CCS) in saline reservoirs can play a key role in curbing CO2 emissions. Buildup of pressure due to CO2 injection, however, can create hazards (wellbore leakage, caprock fracturing, and induced seismicity) to safe storage that must be carefully addressed. Reservoir pressure management by producing brine to minimize pressure buildup is a potential tool to manage these risks. To date, research studies on the effectiveness of brine production have largely focused on generic, hypothetical systems. In this paper, we use data from the Snohvit CCS project to perform a data-constrained analysis of its effectiveness under realistic geologic conditions. During the first phase of the Snohvit project, CO2 was injected into the compartmentalized Tubaen Fm. with lower-than-expected injectivity and capacity, which resulted in pressure buildup sooner than was expected. Using a reservoir model calibrated to this observed behavior, we analyze an alternative scenario in which brine is produced from the storage unit prior to injection. The results suggest that pre-injection brine production in this particular formation would be 94% efficient on a volume-per-volume basis – i.e. for each cubic meter of brine removed, an additional 0.94 cubic meters of CO2 could have been injected while maintaining the same peak reservoir pressure. Further, pressure drawdown observed during brine production is a mirror image of pressure buildup during CO2 injection, providing necessary data to estimate reservoir capacity before CO2 is injected. These observations suggest that this approach can be valuable for site selection and characterization, risk management, and increasing public acceptance.
LES of Laminar Flow in the PBL: A Potential Problem for Convective Storm Simulations

AbstractIn idealized simulations of convective storms, which are almost always run as large-eddy simulations (LES), the planetary boundary layers (PBLs) are typically laminar (i.e., they lack turbulent eddies). When compared with turbulent simulations, theory, or simulations with PBL schemes, the typically laminar LES used in the severe-storms community produce unrealistic near-surface vertical wind profiles containing excessive vertical wind shear when the lower boundary condition is nonfree slip. Such simulations are potentially problematic given the recent interest within the severe storms community in the influence of friction on vorticity generation within tornadic storms. Simulations run as LES that include surface friction but lack well-resolved turbulent eddies thus probably overestimate friction’s effects on storms.
A PLAQUE REDUCTION NEUTRALIZATION TEST FOR HUMAN CYTOMEGALOVIRUS.

SummaryA plaque technique for human cytomegaloviruses has been developed employing human embryonic lung fibroblast cultures and an overlay containing 2% methyl cellulose. Neutralization tests employing the 80% plaque reduction endpoint were found to give reproducible results. Human adult sera exhibited titers of 1:8 to 1:64. Typing antisera were successfully prepared in monkeys, yielding titers of 1:32 to 1:256.The technical assistance of Mrs. Catherine Green is gratefully acknowledged.
Abstract 1177: Genomic abnormality and genetic alterations of a novel ZMIZ1 gene at human chromosome 10q22.3 in oncogenesis and prognosis

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC Chromosomal abnormalities and genomic instability in 10q22.3 region have been associated with lung cancer development, histopathological staging, and poor prognosis. Genetic mapping identified several genes including ZMIZ1, SFTPA1 and SFTPA2 in this critical region. Loss, interruption or gain of function of these genes in association with 10q22.3 deletions, translocations, or amplifications that were frequently detected in human primary lung cancer and cancer cell lines may promote oncogenesis. Human ZMIZ1, also named hZimp10, is a novel PIAS (protein inhibitor of activated STAT)-like protein that shares a zing finger domain, MIZ (MSX-interacting zinc finger), with other PIAS proteins. Fusion of ZMIZ1 to ABL1 with a t(9;10)(q34;q22.3) translocation was identified in a B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia patient. In this study, we performed fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) using genomic DNA probes covering ZMIZ1 and SFTPA gene loci at 10q22.3 to determine chromosomal aberrations involving the ZMIZ1 gene in primary lung tumor samples and lung cancer cell lines. Chromosomal abnormalities at 10q22.3 loci, including deletions, polysomy, and translocations were frequently detected in tumors and tumor-derived cell lines. We analyzed copy number variations specifically linked to ZMIZ1 gene loci by mining the published genome-wide SNP dataset from 370 NSCLC tumor samples and confirmed a significant copy number gain with average copy numbers (CN) > 5 or loss with CN 7) in breast and prostate cancer cell lines were also detected in Sanger SNP and CGP databases, respectively. We performed Spectral karyotyping (SKY) analysis to identify chromosomal abnormalities and potential translocations involved in the 10q region in lung cancer cell lines. We found that the 10q region was translocated and fused with other chromosomes extensively in H1819 cells. This result was consistent with the high frequency 10q chromosomal abnormalities detected in human lung and other cancer cell lines in the NCI/NCBI SKY/M-FISH & CGH database. Furthermore, we developed and performed a high-throughput RACE-PCR-based gene-specific RNA sequencing analysis using next-generation parallel sequencing technology (454 Life Sciences, Inc.) to search for potential transcriptional variants and fusion partners of the ZMIZ1 gene in lung cancer cell lines which has revealed potential fusion mRNA. These results suggest that ZMIZ1 may play an important role in lung cancer development and serve as a useful biomarker for lung cancer molecular staging and prognosis. (Supported by NIH/NCI grants SPORE P50CA70907 and RO1CA116322) Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1177.
Reduction of Inrush Currents in Toroidal Transformers by Sector Winding Design

In this letter, the principles for controlling the saturation inductance of toroidal transformers by leaving unwound sectors are presented. It is shown that inrush currents can be reduced substantially with this technique. This concept is supported by finite-element simulations, transient analyses, and laboratory experiments.
Kinetics of asymmetric mycelial growth and control by dikaryosis and light in Schizophyllum commune

An asymmetric form of mycelial growth is described for isolates of Schizophyllum commune. This growth form is limited to dikaryons and is character- ized by a decreasing rate of hyphal extension fol- lowed by the development of a chaotic mycelial form when grown on semisolid media. The component homokaryons of these dikaryons do not display this growth form but grow in a circularly symmetrical pat- tern. The chaotic growth of these dikaryons is in- duced by light. Dikaryons grown in total darkness had rates of growth and mycelial pattern similar to that of homokaryons. Chaotic growth is also associ- ated with an inability of dikaryotic mycelia to fuse. Mycelia with a uniform growth habit will always fuse, while chaotic mycelia fuse only with difficulty on fresh medium when inoculated less than 10 mm apart. The kinetics of dikaryotic growth and the re- sults of the fusion tests suggest the presence of an auto-inhibitor of growth regulated by light and di- karyosis.
Biatorella Resinae: The Perfect Stage of Zythia Resinae

The examination of numerous cankers, both of known and undetermined origin, showed that Biatorella resinae (Fries) Mudd, a small orange discomycete, was associated frequently with the light yellow pycnidial form, Zythia resilae (Ehrenb.) Karst., growing on excreted resin. The frequent association and the growth of these fructifications on the same unusual medium suggested that they were different stages in the life cycle of the same organism, instead of separate species. As far as could be determined from available literature on
Increased Detection of Acid-Injured Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Autoclaved Apple Cider by Using Nonselective Repair on Trypticase Soy Agar

Three different acid-resistant strains of Escherichia coli O157:H7 were inoculated individually and as a cocktail into sterile apple cider (pH 3.2) at a level of approximately 105 cells per ml and incubated at 2°C. Samples were plated on Trypticase soy agar (TSA), violet red bile agar (VRBA), sorbitol MacConkey agar (SMA), and Petrifilm E. coli count plates (Petrifilm) at 24-h intervals. Repair of acid-injured cells was assessed by surface plating cider samples on TSA and allowing a 2-h room-temperature incubation period followed by overlaying with double-strength VRBA or SMA. Since SMA is a surface plate medium, the repair procedure was modified by overlaying SMA with Trypticase soy broth after 2 h of room-temperature incubation. Populations of all three strains and the cocktail of strains decreased rapidly in apple cider and approached undetectable levels within 72 h. At 24 and 48 h, 98.4% and >99% of the E. coli populations were injured, respectively. Repair procedures significantly (α = 0.05) increase...
Dragons, Ladybugs, and Softballs: Girls’ STEM Engagement with Human-Centered Robotics

Early experiences in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) are important for getting youth interested in STEM fields, particularly for girls. Here, we explore how an after-school robotics club can provide informal STEM experiences that inspire students to engage with STEM in the future. Human-centered robotics, with its emphasis on the social aspects of science and technology, may be especially important for bringing girls into the STEM pipeline. Using a problem-based approach, we designed two robotics challenges. We focus here on the more extended second challenge, in which participants were asked to imagine and build a telepresence robot that would allow others to explore their space from a distance. This research follows four girls as they engage with human-centered telepresence robotics design. We constructed case studies of these target participants to explore their different forms of engagement and phases of interest development—considering facets of behavioral, social, cognitive, and conceptual-to-consequential engagement as well as stages of interest ranging from triggered interest to well-developed individual interest. The results demonstrated that opportunities to personalize their robots and feedback from peers and facilitators were important motivators. We found both explicit and vicarious engagement and varied interest phases in our group of four focus participants. This first iteration of our project demonstrated that human-centered robotics is a promising approach to getting girls interested and engaged in STEM practices. As we design future iterations of our robotics club environment, we must consider how to harness multiple forms of leadership and engagement without marginalizing students with different working preferences.
The effect of different sets of critical values on type I error rates in tiled regression for genome-wide association studies

The effects of different sets of critical values on type I error rates in tiled regression were investigated using genome-wide association data from the Trinity Student Study. 200 simulated null traits from the standard normal distribution were analysed using four different sets of critical values for stepwise regression within tiled regression. We observed that 1 the multicollinearity among SNPs considered and the aggregate type I error rates decreased through three levels of tiled regression; 2 the region-specific type I error rates were slightly lower than the 'nominal' critical values at the tile level; and 3 the critical value at the tile level is between the two aggregate type I error rates defined under two different assumptions about the number of tests the number of SNPs and the number of tiles. The choice of critical value at each stage of tiled regression affects the overall type I error rate.
Prediction of Massive Transfusion in Trauma

Hemorrhage is the leading cause of preventable death in trauma. Damage control resuscitation relies on permissive hypotension, minimizing crystalloid use, and early implementation of massive transfusion protocols with established blood component ratios. These protocols improve the survival of the severely injured patient. Trauma physicians must quickly and accurately predict when a massive transfusion protocol should be activated. Several validated transfusion scores have been developed for this purpose. Many of these scores are useful for resuscitation research. One option, the ABC score, is an accurate, validated, and clinically useful score that is simple to calculate and rapidly obtained.
Reactivity of tetrahydrochromeno[2,3-b]indoles: chromic indicators of cyanide

The synthesis and reactivity of a tetrahydrochromeno[2,3-b]indoles are reported. Evidence for reversible ring-opening is based on H/D exchange and trapping experiments. These compounds readily undergo reaction with tetra-n-butylammonium cyanide. The cyanide reaction is 10–100× faster when the solution is irradiated with 350 nm light. Reaction with trimethylsilyl cyanide occurs only with UV irradiation demonstrating photoreactivity. The rate of tetrahydrochromeno[2,3-b]indole ring-opening is greater for (i) Me substitution at the hemiaminal carbon (compared to Ph), and (ii) substitution of fluorine at the 9-position of the indole. Under acidic conditions, the ring-opened indolium ion is observed. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Cerebral Cortex Regions Selectively Vulnerable to Radiation Dose-Dependent Atrophy

Purpose and Objectives Neurologic deficits after brain radiation therapy (RT) typically involve decline in higher-order cognitive functions such as attention and memory rather than sensory defects or paralysis. We sought to determine whether areas of the cortex critical to cognition are selectively vulnerable to radiation dose-dependent atrophy. Methods and Materials We measured change in cortical thickness in 54 primary brain tumor patients who underwent fractionated, partial brain RT. The study patients underwent high-resolution, volumetric magnetic resonance imaging (T1-weighted; T2 fluid-attenuated inversion recovery, FLAIR) before RT and 1 year afterward. Semiautomated software was used to segment anatomic regions of the cerebral cortex for each patient. Cortical thickness was measured for each region before RT and 1 year afterward. Two higher-order cortical regions of interest (ROIs) were tested for association between radiation dose and cortical thinning: entorhinal (memory) and inferior parietal (attention/memory). For comparison, 2 primary cortex ROIs were also tested: pericalcarine (vision) and paracentral lobule (somatosensory/motor). Linear mixed-effects analyses were used to test all other cortical regions for significant radiation dose-dependent thickness change. Statistical significance was set at α = 0.05 using 2-tailed tests. Results Cortical atrophy was significantly associated with radiation dose in the entorhinal ( P =.01) and inferior parietal ROIs ( P =.02). By contrast, no significant radiation dose-dependent effect was found in the primary cortex ROIs (pericalcarine and paracentral lobule). In the whole-cortex analysis, 9 regions showed significant radiation dose-dependent atrophy, including areas responsible for memory, attention, and executive function ( P ≤.002). Conclusions Areas of cerebral cortex important for higher-order cognition may be most vulnerable to radiation-related atrophy. This is consistent with clinical observations that brain radiation patients experience deficits in domains of memory, executive function, and attention. Correlations of regional cortical atrophy with domain-specific cognitive functioning in prospective trials are warranted.
Converging on the Self: Western Philosophy, Eastern Meditation and Scientific Research

Descartes, Hume and Kant all emphasized knowledge of self, holding it to be the “Archimedes point” of knowledge, the “capital or centre” of science and the “supreme principle” of employment of the understanding, respectively. Their analyses of what the self is, however, conflict strongly. Descartes held it to be single, simple, unimaginable and continuing. Hume argued we have no experience of anything corresponding to this idea. Kant supported Descartes by arguing that self as single, simple, unimaginable and continuing is absolutely necessary. But, strengthening Hume, he also argued that this idea of self is necessarily vacuous. For to accompany every possible experience, the self would have to be devoid of empirical properties of its own. And such a qualityless “pure consciousness” cannot even be coherently conceived, much less experienced. The topic remains problematic for Western philosophy.
Relationship between EASI and SCORAD severity assessments for atopic dermatitis

The present study shows a complex relationship between EASI and SCORAD. The results provide support for inclusion of objective-SCORAD and/or SCORAD in addition to EASI in clinical trials.
Metallic coil and N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate for closure of pancreatic duct leak (with video)

Background and Aims Pancreatic fistula is a challenging yet common adverse event of partial pancreatectomy. Our objective is to determine the feasibility of endoscopic closure of a pancreatic fistula using a combination of a metallic coil and N -butyl-2-cyanoacrylate (NBCA) glue. Methods A patient with a postoperative pancreatic stump leak recalcitrant to conservative management and pancreatic duct stent placement underwent endoscopic/fluoroscopic placement of a metallic coil in the pancreatic duct followed by injection of .5 mL NBCA and lipiodol mixture directed at the coil. The patient's clinical condition, Jackson-Pratt (JP) drain output, and pancreatic enzyme content were monitored daily after the procedure. Results The patient's clinical condition improved. JP drain output and amylase/lipase levels progressively decreased to resolution within 7 days of the procedure. No adverse events occurred as a result of the procedure. Conclusions Endoscopic closure of pancreatic fistula with a metallic coil and NBCA glue is feasible and may be a useful modality for treatment of refractory postpancreatectomy-related fistula.
Disparities in Preventive Dental Care Among Children in Georgia.

Introduction We compared access to preventive dental care among low-income children eligible for public dental insurance to access among children with private dental insurance and/or high family income (>400% of the federal poverty level) in Georgia, and the effect of policies toward increasing access to dental care for low-income children. Methods We used multiple sources of data (eg, US Census, Georgia Board of Dentistry) to estimate, by census tract, measures of preventive dental care access in 2015 for children aged 0 to 18 years. Measures were percentage of met need, 1-way travel distance to a dentist, and scarcity of dentists. We used an optimization model to estimate access, quantify disparities, and evaluate policies. Results About 1.5 million children were eligible for public insurance; 600,000 had private insurance and/or high family income. Across census tracts, average met need was 59% for low-income children and 96% for high-income children; for rural census tracts, these values were 33% and 84%, respectively. The average 1-way travel distance for all census tracts was 3.7 miles for high-income and/or privately insured children and 17.2 miles for low-income children; for rural census tracts, these values were 11.6 and 32.9 miles, respectively. Increasing dentists' acceptance of public insurance-eligible children increased met need more in rural areas than in urban areas. To achieve 100% met need in rural tracts, however, an 80% participation rate among dentists would be required. Conclusion Across census tracts, high-income children had better access to preventive dental care than low-income children had. Identifying tracts with disparities in access could result in more efficient allocation of public health dental resources.
Primary mammary analogue secretory carcinoma of the lung: a case report

Mammary analogue secretory carcinoma (MASC) is a recently discovered salivary gland tumor described mostly in the major salivary glands and occasionally in the skin. We report a primary endobronchial tumor with histology, immunophenotype, and ETV6 rearrangement characteristic of MASC in a 62-year-old woman. The diagnosis was initially made on a transbronchial biopsy with fluorescence in situ hybridization confirmation of ETV6 rearrangement. The patient underwent lobectomy demonstrating a large endobronchial mass. To our knowledge, this is the first report of MASC arising as a primary pulmonary tumor. This tumor was unusual in that it is the largest (8.5 cm) MASC ever reported, showed an increased mitotic count (6/10 high-power fields) without high-grade cytology, and presented with advanced-stage disease that included visceral pleural invasion and lymph node metastasis.
Can community policing increase residents’ informal social control? Testing the impact of the Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy

AbstractThis study examines whether community policing can build informal social control. Specifically, this paper assesses the impact of the Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy (CAPS) in Chicago...
Sympathectomy for Stabilization of Heart Failure Due to Drug-Refractory Ventricular Tachycardia

We describe the novel use of bilateral cardiac sympathectomy in a woman with end-stage heart failure caused by ventricular tachycardia refractory to standard medical therapy who was under consideration for heart transplantation. Postoperatively, our patient has not experienced any symptoms of ventricular tachycardia, has returned to normal physical activity, and is no longer under consideration for transplantation as a result of the improvement in her cardiac function. Bilateral sympathectomy can be more effective than unilateral sympathectomy or percutaneous stellate ganglion blockade in patients with refractory ventricular tachycardia. Careful patient selection is necessary to identify patients who will benefit most from the procedure.
A Waitlist-Controlled Trial of Behavioral Parent Training for Fathers of Preschool Children

ABSTRACTPositive father involvement is an express goal of early childhood programs, including Head Start, because fathers can develop positive parenting strategies that may help improve child and family functioning. The goal for this study was to adapt a clinic-based, behavioral parent training program previously used for fathers of children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder to be used in an after-school format for young children at risk for academic or behavioral challenges. In a pilot study, 67 fathers were randomly assigned to the behavioral parent training program, or a waitlist, and at the end of the initial 6 weeks of the program all fathers participated in a parent–child interaction to evaluate parenting behavior. Results indicated that fathers who received the behavioral parenting program were less negative in their interactions with their child, in spite of inconsistent attendance at the program overall. Fathers did not evidence improved rates of praise or modify their rates of using ...
Amicus Brief of Professor Orin Kerr on Standards for Compelled Decryption Under the Fifth Amendment

In Commonwealth v. Jones, No. SJC-12564, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court will become the first state supreme court or federal circuit to identify the government's burden of proof for establishing a "foregone conclusion" that permits compelled decryption under the Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination. Professor Kerr's amicus brief argues that the government's burden should be to prove by clear and convincing evidence, based on a totality of the circumstances, that the subject of the order knows the password.
Nursing Care for Patients with CHD in the Operating Theater

Congenital heart surgical care has a unique spectrum of patient population ranging from neonatal primary sternotomy to adult re-sternotomy. Surgical goals can range from palliative techniques to corrective techniques depending on disease complexity. The historical complexities in the evolution of surgical techniques add an additional layer of intrigue. Nursing roles within the operating theater are autonomous and diverse and require highly specialized knowledge and skill set. Nursing care must be adaptable and involve high level of critical thinking to ensure patient safety and positive patient outcomes.
Key Studies in Medical Education from 2017: A Narrative Review

Education, like clinical medicine, should be based on the most current evidence in the field. Despite the overwhelming breadth of literature in medical education, pediatric educators desire and need to incorporate best practices into their educational approaches. This article provides an overview of 18 articles from the literature in 2017 that the authors consider to be key articles in the field of pediatric medical education. The 7 authors, all medical educators with combined leadership experience and expertise across the continuum of pediatric medical education, used an iterative, staged process to review more than 1682 abstracts published in 2017. This process aimed to identify a subset of articles that were most relevant to educational practice and most applicable to pediatric medical education. In the process, pairs of authors independently reviewed and scored abstracts in 13 medical education-related journals and reached consensus to identify the abstracts that best met these criteria. Selected abstracts were discussed using different pairs to select the final articles included in this review. This paper presents summaries of the 18 articles that were selected. The results revealed a cluster of studies related to feedback, coaching, and observation; trainee progression, educator development, trainee entrustment, culture, and climate; and the medical student experience. This narrative review offers a useful tool for educators interested in keeping informed about the most relevant and valuable information in the field of medical education.
A panel data set of cryptocurrency development activity on GitHub

Cryptocurrencies are a significant development in recent years, featuring in global news, the financial sector, and academic research. They also hold a significant presence in open source development, comprising some of the most popular repositories on GitHub. Their openly developed software artifacts thus present a unique and exclusive avenue to quantitatively observe human activity, effort, and software growth for cryptocurrencies. Our data set marks the first concentrated effort toward high-fidelity panel data of cryptocurrency development for a wide range of metrics. The data set is foremost a quantitative measure of developer activity for budding open source cryptocurrency development. We collect metrics like daily commits, contributors, lines of code changes, stars, forks, and subscribers. We also include financial data for each cryptocurrency: the daily price and market capitalization. The data set includes data for 236 cryptocurrencies for 380 days (roughly January 2018 to January 2019). We discuss particularly interesting research opportunities for this combination of data, and release new tooling to enable continuing data collection for future research opportunities as development and application of cryptocurrencies mature.
Effect of Maternal Distress on Perceptions of Infant Behavior May Differ in Chinese-American and European-American Mothers and Infants.

Objective This study examined the associations between maternal distress (symptoms of depression and anxiety) and observer and maternal ratings of infant temperament in Chinese-American (CA) and European-American (EA) 4-month-old infants (N = 114 dyads). Methods Maternal distress was obtained through self-reported symptoms of depression and anxiety. Mothers reported infant temperament (distress at limitations, soothability, and fear) through the short form of the Infant Behavior Questionnaire-Revised. To obtain observer-rated infant reactivity, infants were administered a battery of visual and auditory stimuli in the laboratory, in which infant behaviors (fret/cry, limb activity, and arching of the back) were coded. Results Maternal distress accounted more for the maternal perception of her infant among EA mothers than among CA mothers, but the relation was only observed for soothability. Higher maternal distress was associated with maternal report of lower soothability for EA mothers. Observer-rated infant reactivity, but not maternal distress, was positively associated with EA and CA maternal report of distress at limitations. Observer-rated infant negativity was associated with somewhat higher ratings of infant fear for EA mothers, although this association for EA mothers was not significantly different from CA mothers. Conclusions Potential biases in maternal report of infant behavior due to effects from maternal distress may not be generalizable across cultures but may vary because of cultural norms for emotional experience and expectations for infant behavior. EA mothers' ratings of infant distress and soothability, but not fear, may be influenced by maternal distress.
Risk Factors Associated with Surgical Site Infection in Pediatric Patients Undergoing Spinal Deformity Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background Considerable variation exists in surgical site infection (SSI) prevention practices for pediatric patients undergoing spinal deformity surgery, but the incidence of SSI has been reported to remain high in the United States. The literature reports various risk factors associated with SSI but findings are inconsistent. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the published literature investigating associations between various risk factors and SSI in pediatric patients undergoing spinal surgery. Methods The systematic review and the meta-analysis were conducted according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) guidelines among peer-reviewed journals published in English between January 2000 and April 2019. Studies that involved pediatric patients with spinal deformity undergoing surgical procedures in North America and assessed risk factors for SSI were included. The quality of individual studies was assessed, and weighted risk ratios and mean differences were calculated for each risk factor. Results Of 763 potential articles identified, 13 met inclusion criteria; 7 studies were rated as average and 6, as poor quality based on the quality checklist. The meta-analysis demonstrated that the SSI risk increased by the following factors: 2.53 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.26 to 5.10) for overweight to obese patients compared with patients with normal weight, 2.84 (95% CI, 1.67 to 4.81) for patients with a neuromuscular etiology compared with non-neuromuscular etiology, 1.69 (95% CI, 1.41 to 2.02) for patients with a gastrostomy tube (G-tube) compared with those without, 3.45 (95% CI, 2.08 to 5.72) for nonambulatory patients compared with ambulators, and 3.39 (95% CI, 2.38 to 4.83) for patients with pelvic instrumentation compared with those without. Patients who developed SSI also had 158.38 mL (95% CI, 46.78 to 269.97 mL) greater estimated blood loss compared with those who did not. Conclusions Despite the limited quality of the available studies and wide variety of populations and outcome definitions, evidence suggests that overweight to obese status, neuromuscular etiology, use of a G-tube, nonambulatory status, instrumentation to the pelvis, and greater estimated blood loss are risk factors for SSI. The use of a common SSI definition and strong methodology are warranted for future studies. Level of evidence Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete list of levels of evidence.
Predictors and Characteristics of Opioid Utilization >15 Days Following Total Knee Arthroplasty.

Abstract Background America is amid an opioid epidemic, best characterized by liberal prescribing practices; widespread opioid misuse, abuse, and diversion; and rising rates of prescription-related opioid overdose. While many contributors to opioid overprescribing exist, orthopedic surgery is identified as a key driver. The purpose of this study is to determine predictors of ongoing opioid use >15 days post-total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and those patients prescribed >1350 morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs) in the 15 days following surgery. Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted in patients undergoing TKA (January 2016-December 2017) in an integrated healthcare system. Outcomes of interest were patient and clinical characteristics. Results A total of 621 patients were included in the study. The majority were female (57.6%), were non-Hispanic/Latino white (92.3%), and from metropolitan areas (64.3%) with fewer than 110,000 population. Mean age was 66.3. Being female (odds ratio [OR] = 1.547, P = .092), having a higher body mass index (OR = 1.043, P = .036), and receipt of more postdischarge prescriptions in the 60-day follow-up period (OR = 8.815, P 1350 MME; longer length of stay (OR = 1.447, P = .013) was more likely in those prescribed >1350 MMEs. Conclusion Several predictors were associated with longer duration and higher doses of opioid prescriptions post-TKA. Further research is needed to ascertain the challenges of opioid prescribing from both the metropolitan surgical team and rural healthcare provider perspective.
The Long Road to Sainthood: Indian Christians, the Doctrine of Preparation, and the Halfway Covenant of 1662

This essay explores the origins and expansion of New England Praying Towns in the context of the ongoing theological and religious debates of 1646–1674. This period spawned significant debates regarding the extent of the Abrahamic covenant, the requirements for church membership, and the nature of conversion. The ministers present at the Synod of 1662 gathered to settle the question of “extended baptism,” an issue where Indian and English concerns intersected. Reformers who promoted a generational vision of church membership emphasized the efficacy of spiritual preparation for younger generations and the power of a broader and more inclusive church covenant. This development benefitted Algonquians living in Praying Towns because theological preparation validated efforts to catechize and instruct Praying Indians in religious matters. Likewise, a broadening vision of church membership enabled some colonists to consider the possibility that Indians might be included within their religious communities. These projects, launched before the formalization of the Halfway Covenant in 1662, presented a tangible example of spiritual preparation in practice and served to validate the conversionary process within the colony at large. English observers found Indian conversion impressive (or reacted with intense skepticism) because most theologians considered Indians unlikely converts, especially in larger numbers. For Algonquians demonstrating an interest in English spirituality, church membership represented a degree of parity with their New England brethren. Tracing the development of New England missions, the pathway to church membership, and the debates on both missions and extended baptism reveals both the possibilities and limits to the inclusion of Indian Christians within New England's religious institutions.
A sequential calibration and validation framework for model uncertainty quantification and reduction

Abstract This paper aims to provide new insights into model calibration, which plays an essential role in improving the validity of Modeling and Simulation (M&S) in engineering design and analysis. Various existing model calibration approaches including the direct Bayesian calibration method, the well-known Kennedy and O’Hagan (KOH) framework and its variants, and the optimization-based calibration method, are first investigated. It is observed that the direct Bayesian calibration and optimization-based calibration may be misled by potentially wrong information if the computer model cannot adequately capture the underlying true physics, while the effectiveness of the KOH framework and its variants is significantly affected by the prior distributions of the unknown model parameters. Based on this observation, a sequential model calibration and validation (SeCAV) framework is proposed to improve the efficacy of both model parameter calibration and bias correction for the purpose of uncertainty quantification and reduction. In the proposed method, the model validation and Bayesian calibration are implemented in a sequential manner, where the former serves as a filter to select the best experimental data for the latter, and provides the latter with a confidence probability as a weight factor for updating the uncertain model parameters. The parameter calibration result is then integrated with model bias correction to improve the prediction accuracy of the M&S. A mathematical example and an engineering example are employed to demonstrate the advantages and disadvantages of different approaches. The results show that the SeCAV framework, in general, performs better than the existing methods.
Effects of Multi-ingredient Preworkout Supplements on Physical Performance, Cognitive Performance, Mood State, and Hormone Concentrations in Recreationally Active Men and Women.

Beckner, ME, Pihoker, AA, Darnell, ME, Beals, K, Lovalekar, M, Proessl, F, Flanagan, SD, Arciero, PJ, Nindl, BC, and Martin, BJ. Effects of multi-ingredient preworkout supplements on physical performance, cognitive performance, mood state, and hormone concentrations in recreationally active men and women. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2020-Performance enhancement supplement research has primarily focused on the effectiveness of individual ingredients, rather than the combination. This study investigated the acute effects of 2 multi-ingredient preworkout supplements (MIPS), with beta-alanine and caffeine (BAC) and without (NBAC), compared with placebo (PLA) on anaerobic performance, endurance capacity, mood state, cognitive function, vascular function, and anabolic hormones. Thirty exercise-trained individuals (24.4 ± 4.9 years, 15 men and 15 women) completed a fatiguing exercise protocol on 3 separate occasions, 30 minutes after ingestion of BAC, NBAC, or PLA. Outcomes were analyzed using one-way or two-way repeated-measures analysis of variance, as appropriate (alpha = 0.05). Anaerobic power was greater when supplementing with NBAC (10.7 ± 1.2 W·kg) and BAC (10.8 ± 1.4 W·kg) compared with PLA (10.4 ± 1.2 W·kg) (p = 0.014 and p = 0.022, respectively). BAC improved V[Combining Dot Above]O2peak time to exhaustion (p = 0.006), accompanied by an increase in blood lactate accumulation (p < 0.001), compared with PLA. Both NBAC and BAC demonstrated improved brachial artery diameter after workout (p = 0.041 and p = 0.005, respectively), but PLA did not. L-arginine concentrations increased from baseline to postsupplement consumption of BAC (p = 0.017). Reaction time significantly decreased after exercise for all supplements. There was no effect of supplement on mood states. Exercise-trained individuals looking to achieve modest improvements in power and endurance may benefit from consuming MIPS before exercise.
Phenotyping severity of patient-centered outcomes using clinical notes: A prostate cancer use case

Introduction A learning health system (LHS) must improve care in ways that are meaningful to patients, integrating patient-centered outcomes (PCOs) into core infrastructure. PCOs are common following cancer treatment, such as urinary incontinence (UI) following prostatectomy. However, PCOs are not systematically recorded because they can only be described by the patient, are subjective and captured as unstructured text in the electronic health record (EHR). Therefore, PCOs pose significant challenges for phenotyping patients. Here, we present a natural language processing (NLP) approach for phenotyping patients with UI to classify their disease into severity subtypes, which can increase opportunities to provide precision-based therapy and promote a value-based delivery system. Methods Patients undergoing prostate cancer treatment from 2008 to 2018 were identified at an academic medical center. Using a hybrid NLP pipeline that combines rule-based and deep learning methodologies, we classified positive UI cases as mild, moderate, and severe by mining clinical notes. Results The rule-based model accurately classified UI into disease severity categories (accuracy: 0.86), which outperformed the deep learning model (accuracy: 0.73). In the deep learning model, the recall rates for mild and moderate group were higher than the precision rate (0.78 and 0.79, respectively). A hybrid model that combined both methods did not improve the accuracy of the rule-based model but did outperform the deep learning model (accuracy: 0.75). Conclusion Phenotyping patients based on indication and severity of PCOs is essential to advance a patient centered LHS. EHRs contain valuable information on PCOs and by using NLP methods, it is feasible to accurately and efficiently phenotype PCO severity. Phenotyping must extend beyond the identification of disease to provide classification of disease severity that can be used to guide treatment and inform shared decision-making. Our methods demonstrate a path to a patient centered LHS that could advance precision medicine.