cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Interpretive Process in the Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy of Borderline Personality Pathology

While all patients become more concrete in their psychological functioning in areas of conflict, especially in the setting of transference regression, in the treatment of patients with severe personality pathology this process poses a particular clinical challenge. In the psychoanalytic psychotherapy of patients with severe personality pathology in general, and borderline personality disorder in particular, the interpretive process serves multiple functions. This process comprises a series of steps or phases that can be viewed as moving the patient further away from a single, poorly elaborated, and concrete experience in the transference, which dominates and floods subjectivity, and toward more fully elaborated, complex, stable, and integrated representations of the analyst and of what he or she evokes in the patient's internal world.
Approaches to Calculation of Average Exposure in Analysis of Epidemiologic Cohorts Using Large Arylonitrile Cohort As An Example

ȠObjectives: To explore two different approaches to calculate average exposure in occupational cohorts using a large occupational cohort as an example. The data for occupational cohort exposed to acrylonitrile was collected and analyzed previously by NCI; outcome was lung cancer. Methods: Both approaches use cumulative exposure as the numerator. As the denominator, one uses the duration of exposure, while the other uses the length of employment. The former approach is used when detailed exposure history is available, and the latter is used when exposure history is less detailed. The differences are investigated for a large occupational cohort. Results: With restricting the cohort to only those with enough latency for lung cancer, the cumulative exposure divided by the length of employment is a significant predictor of the lung cancer mortality, while cumulative exposure divided by the duration of exposure (average intensity) is not. Analysis is shown not to be positively confounded by smoking.
Re-engineering and you: the new kids on the block are the hourly workers and they're writing your documents

With such changes in the workplace as teaming, downsizing, and flattening of the management hierarchy, workers have acquired new responsibilities, including those involving written communication. Hourly workers are now writing job procedures, training manuals and tapes, incident reports, observation reports, and change proposals. Workers' assumption of the responsibility for these documents provides new opportunities for professional technical writers, including editing the documents these workers write, training these employees to write effectively, interpreting for nontechnical readers the documents written by these workers, and writing and designing a broad range of documents in a wide variety of genres and media.
Empirical Removal of Artifacts from the ISCCP and PATMOS-x Satellite Cloud Records

AbstractThe International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) dataset and the Pathfinder Atmospheres–Extended (PATMOS-x) dataset are two commonly used multidecadal satellite cloud records. Because they are constructed from weather satellite measurements lacking long-term stability, ISCCP and PATMOS-x suffer from artifacts that inhibit their use for investigating cloud changes over recent decades. The present study describes and applies a post hoc method to empirically remove spurious variability from anomalies in total cloud fraction at each grid box. Spurious variability removed includes that associated with systematic changes in satellite zenith angle, drifts in satellite equatorial crossing time, and unrealistic large-scale spatially coherent anomalies associated with known and unidentified problems in instrument calibration and ancillary data. The basic method is to calculate for each grid box the least squares best-fit line between cloud anomalies and artifact factor anomalies, and to let the...
Cardiac magnetic resonance evidence of diffuse myocardial fibrosis in patients with mitral valve prolapse

Background Diffuse myocardial fibrosis can be assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) using the myocardial longitudinal relaxation time constant (T1). Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is a common valvulopathy with known arrhythmic complications and in-vitro evidence of overexpression of pro-fibrotic TGF-beta. Papillary muscle fibrosis has been described in MVP, but the potential association of MVP with diffuse myocardial fibrosis is unknown. This association is important as it may increase our future understanding of ventricular arrhythmias in MVP.
Stratigraphic and micropaleontological constraints on the middle Eocene age of the mammal-bearing Kuldana Formation of Pakistan

Abstract The Kuldana Formation of Pakistan is best known for its fossil mammals, including primitive cetaceans such as Pakicetus and its close relatives. Kuldana mammals have been regarded in different studies as early Lutetian in age (early middle Eocene), late Ypresian (late early Eocene), or, recently, to span much of Ypresian through early Lutetian time (early part of the early Eocene through the early middle Eocene). The Kuldana Formation is a relatively thin, 20–120 m thick low-sea-stand tongue of continental red beds lying within a much thicker sequence of foraminifera-rich marine formations. Planktonic and shallow benthic forams constrain the age of the Kuldana Formation to the late early Eocene or the early middle Eocene, and current interpretation of global sea level stratigraphy favors the latter. The short duration of the low-sea-stand interval when Kuldana mammals are found means that differences between samples recovered to date probably represent differences in local living environments, si...
Motion detection and tracking using deformable templates

We propose an object-based framework for detection and tracking of moving objects in a sequence of images. Two key ingredients of the approach are appropriate object models based on Grenander's (see General Pattern Theory, 1993) deformable templates and spatio-temporal data models. Detection and tracking problems are formulated as optimization problems. Detection employs a Metropolis-type procedure starting from a random initial configuration, while tracking involves a deterministic nonlinear Gauss-Seidel algorithm. We present experimental results with real data on a highway traffic sequence. >
Atomistic Theory of the Optical Properties

In the preceding chapter, the optical constants and their relationship to electrical constants were introduced by employing the “continuum theory.” The continuum theory considers only macroscopic quantities and interrelates experimental data. No assumptions are made about the structure of matter when formulating equations. Thus, the conclusions which have been drawn from the empirical laws in Chapter 10 should have general validity as long as nothing is neglected in a given calculation. The derivation of the Hagen-Rubens equation has served as an illustrative example for this.
Estradiol-17β Inhibits Nitric Oxide Synthase (NOS)-II and Stimulates NOS-III Gene Expression in the Rat Uterus

Abstract Nitric oxide (NO) is synthesized by NO synthases (NOS) from l-arginine in a variety of tissues, including rat uterus. Progesterone was shown to be required for maintaining elevated NOS II expression in pregnant rat uterus. However, effects of estrogens on uterine NOS II expression remains unclear. In the present study, we examined whether 17β-estradiol regulates NO production and NOS II expression in the rat uterus during pregnancy and in nonpregnant rats treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Rats on Day 18 of pregnancy received 17β-estradiol (0.5 or 5 μg/rat). Groups of ovariectomized (ovx) rats received 17β-estradiol (5 μg/rat) or LPS (1 mg/rat) or a combination of the two or received vehicle only. All rats were sacrificed 24 h after treatments. Nitrite concentrations in uterine cultures were measured by Greiss reaction. Uterine NOS II and NOS III proteins and mRNA levels were determined by Western blotting and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, respectively. In the pregnant rat,...
Synthesis and Reactivity of 23‐tert‐Butyl‐ and 23‐Phenyltetraarylazuliporphyrins: an Analysis of the Effect of Bulky Substituents on Oxidative Ring Contractions to Benzocarbaporphyrins

6-tert-Butyl- and 6-phenylazulene reacted with pyrrole and benzaldehyde in a molar ratio of 1:3:4 in the presence of BF3·Et2O in chloroform, followed by oxidation with DDQ, to give 23-substituted tetraphenylazuliporphyrins in 15–20 % yield. Slightly higher yields of the related meso-tetrakis(4-chlorophenyl)azuliporphyrins were obtained using 4-chlorobenzaldehyde. The presence of an electron-donating tert-butyl substituent increased the diatropic character of the azuliporphyrin system as determined by the proton NMR chemical shifts for the internal CH resonance, while intermediary results were noted for 23-phenylazuliporphyrins. Addition of TFA afforded dications with increased aromatic ring currents, but electron-donating substituents (tBu > Ph) again produced a larger upfield shift for the internal CH signal due to stabilization of the tropylium character that is required so that the system can attain carbaporphyrin-type aromaticity. The substituted azuliporphyrins reacted with nickel(II) acetate or palladium(II) acetate to give the corresponding organometallic derivatives. In addition, oxidations with tBuOOH and KOH afforded benzocarbaporphyrin products in approximately 50 % yield. The presence of tert-butyl or phenyl substituents did not block these oxidative ring contraction processes, and the rate of reaction was slightly increased compared to 23-unsubstituted azuliporphyrins. The major products were 22-tert-butyl or phenyl-substituted benzocarbaporphyrins and minor products with an additional formyl substituent were also isolated. These products are consistent with an initial nucleophilic addition occurring at the position adjacent to the R group on the azulene ring. Detailed mechanisms are proposed to explain these observations. (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2007)
Angiographic and intravascular ultrasound study of the effects of overlapping sirolimus- and paclitaxel-eluting stents: comparison with same drug-eluting overlapping stents.

Abstract Background Although complete coverage of diffuse long coronary lesions has warranted the use of overlapping drug-eluting stents (DESs), the effect of stent overlap with different DESs on the neointimal hyperplasia and whether it would result in dose-related side effects are unknown. Methods and results Forty-seven consecutive patients, from June 2003 to August 2004, underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with 2 of the same or different overlapping DESs for diffuse long lesions. Out of the total of 47 patients, a nine-month angiographic examination and IVUS were performed in 40 (85.1%) patients. Of the 47 overlapping DESs utilized, 14 were overlapped using sirolimus- and paclitaxel-eluting stents (S–P group), 13 using two sirolimus-eluting stents (S–S group) and 20 using two paclitaxel-eluting stents (P–P group). In the follow-up, there was no difference between the three groups in the late loss or area of neointimal hyperplasia. All restenoses were noted at non-overlapping sites (2 at the proximal edge of the proximal stent, and 3 at the distal in-stent). There were no stent thromboses documented or aneurysmal formations at the overlapping site in any of the three groups. One late stent malapposition was observed not at an overlapping site, but in the distal single stent area. Conclusions In conclusion, compared with using the same overlapping DESs, PCI with different overlapping DESs exhibited similar effects on the suppression of neointimal hyperplasia and did not increase the side effects of the DES.
Ribosome binding model using a codebook and exponential metric

A model based on a variable length codebook and a metric is used to model the process of translation in gene expression. In this model it is assumed the ribosome decodes the mRNA sequence by using the 3'end of the 16SrRNA molecule as an embedded codebook. The metric uses an exponential algorithm to recognize the Shine Dalgarno (SD) sequence that allows detecting this sequence in each gene without the averaging used by Dawy et al. (2005). The E.Coli 0157:H7 Sakai sequence data is used in this model and the validity of the results is proved by the ability of detecting the Shine Dalgarno in translation. The initiation codon still can be found by averaging using the method used by Dawy et al. (2005). Mutations are also studied for Jacob, Hui and De Boer cases. Results are compared to biological data and prove to be consistent.
Influence of sulfur dioxide on soot formation in diffusion flames

Abstract An overventilated coflowing axisymmetric laminar ethylene diffusion flame was used to study the influence of sulfur dioxide addition to both the fuel and oxidizer on soot formation. The experiments were designed such that the relative influences of temperature, fuel concentration, and direct chemical interaction can be isolated when sulfur dioxide is added to the fuel side in varying quantities. A quantitative assessment of these three effects was made using an Arrhenius type expression that makes allowance for changes in flame profiles and flame residence times. It was shown that the reduced soot resulting from adding sulfur dioxide to the fuel side is due to a reduction in flame temperature and a reduction in the fuel concentration. No indication of a chemical effect was observed up to 35%–40% sulfur dioxide in ethylene. However, when sulfur dioxide mole fraction exceeds 40%, the effect of the direct chemical interaction becomes important in addition to thermal and dilution effects. The influence of sulfur dioxide on the air side was found to be a purely thermal effect when allowance was made for the altered oxidant concentration.
Do Gasoline Prices Respond Asymmetrically to Crude Oil Price Changes

The authors test and confirm that retail gasoline prices respond more quickly to increases than to decreases in crude oil prices. Among the possible sources of this asymmetry are production/inventory adjustment lags and market power of some sellers. By analyzing price transmission at different points in the distribution chain, the authors attempt to shed light on these theories. Spot prices for generic gasoline show asymmetry in responding to crude oil price changes, which may reflect inventory adjustment effects. Asymmetry also appears in the response of retail prices to wholesale price changes, possibly indicating short-run market power among retailers.
Influence of resource level on maternal investment in a leaf-cutter bee (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae)

Fisher’s (1930) prediction of equal investment for each sex in a panmictic population is influenced by a number of ecological factors, among which resource availability plays a major role, particularly when the population exists under changing resource availability. Rosenheim et al. proposed a multifaceted parental investment model based on the underlying assumption that individual females determine their sex investment according to resource availability and oocyte availability to maximize reproductive success. The model predicts that greater availability of resources used for provisions will lead to (1) an increase in the proportion of females produced (when the female is the larger sex) and (2) an increase in the amount of provisions per offspring and thus an increase in offspring size. I tested these predictions by a controlled experiment using a leaf-cutter bee, Megachile apicalis. I presented two levels of food resources to the nesting females, which were allowed to forage and nest in cages. The experimental results supported these parental investment model’s predictions. Key words: Hymenoptera, investment ratios, leaf-cutter bee, Megachile apicalis, Megachilidae, parental investment, resource levels, sex allocation. [Behav Ecol 10:552‐ 556 (1999)]
Applying HCI Principles in Designing Usable Systems for Dentistry

Dentistry and medicine both demand that their practice teams perform technical procedures in dynamic environments, and both have been thrust in to the electronic world after centuries of relying upon paper documentation and communication. Unlike medicine, though, dentistry’s ability to document and communicate has been hampered by the lack of an adequate and available diagnostic terminology. While the International Classification of Disease (ICD) has long been part and parcel of medical practice, dentists have only had access to standardized terms to describe procedures. This documentation gap has been thrown into stark relief in the era of electronic health records, in which structured data is most directly useful for secondary analysis. In this chapter, we describe an application of HCI principles to our effort to bring a newly developed dental diagnostic terminology into dental clinics through implementation in a dental EHR. Because we had an adequate budget, time, and access to a broad spectrum of committed stakeholders, including the EHR vendor, practicing dentists, epidemiologist, informaticians, we were able to follow an iterative participatory design approach to refine both the terminology and the interface to the terminology. A leaner approach, such as heuristic evaluation alone, would have been more appropriate had we not had access to such a wealth of resources, though such scaling-back would, of course, have impacted our ability to identify and address usability challenges. This highly collaborative work was undertaken in an effort to enhance the profession of dentistry by narrowing the gap between what is useful to secondary users of data and what is usable from the perspective of primary users.
Computational fluid dynamics modeling of hydrogen-oxygen flame

Abstract A non-premixed hydrogen-oxygen flame is modeled, incorporating the reactions of intermediate radical species, by the use of a computational fluid dynamic modeling technique. The computed and experimentally measured mass fractions are shown to agree well overall.
Auger-intercoulombic hybridized decay resonances in Kr@C60

We predict resonant hybridization of Auger and intercoulombic decay (ICD) processes in the photoionization of Kr@C60 using the time-dependent local density approximation (TDLDA) for the calculation.
Future of the PCI Readmission Metric

Between 2013 and 2014, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the National Cardiovascular Data Registry publically reported risk-adjusted 30-day readmission rates after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) as a pilot project. A key strength of this public reporting effort included risk adjustment with clinical rather than administrative data. Furthermore, because readmission after PCI is common, expensive, and preventable, this metric has substantial potential to improve quality and value in American cardiology care. Despite this, concerns about the metric exist. For example, few PCI readmissions are caused by procedural complications, limiting the extent to which improved procedural technique can reduce readmissions. Also, similar to other readmission measures, PCI readmission is associated with socioeconomic status and race. Accordingly, the metric may unfairly penalize hospitals that care for underserved patients. Perhaps in the context of these limitations, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has not yet included PCI readmission among metrics that determine Medicare financial penalties. Nevertheless, provider organizations may still wish to focus on this metric to improve value for cardiology patients. PCI readmission is associated with low-risk chest discomfort and patient anxiety. Therefore, patient education, improved triage mechanisms, and improved care coordination offer opportunities to minimize PCI readmissions. Because PCI readmission is common and costly, reducing PCI readmission offers provider organizations a compelling target to improve the quality of care, and also performance in contracts involve shared financial risk.
Secondary amyloidosis of human colonic mucosa. Light and electron microscopic findings.

Histochemical and electron microscopic studies were performed on colonic mucosa obtained by biopsy from a patient with severe diarrhea as the initial symptom of secondary amyloidosis. Congo red-positive amorphous material which showed dichroic birefringence when examined under the polarizing microscope was found in perivascular areas, among muscle bundles of the muscularis mucosae, and in large amounts beneath the surface epithelium. Amyloid deposits surrounding small blood vessels and intermixed with the muscularis mucosae contained typical fibrils as well as membrane-bound amorphous material suggestive of sacs of rough-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum. In some areas amyloid fibrils appeared to be continuous with the limiting membranes of vascular smooth-muscle cells and fibroblasts.
Comparison of Left Ventricular Contractile Abnormalities in Stress-Induced Cardiomyopathy versus Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease Using Two-Dimensional Strain Imaging.

Background Data on left ventricular (LV) strain profiles in patients with takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TC) in comparison with obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) are limited. We sought to investigate regional and global LV longitudinal strain in a cohort of patients with known TC using two-dimensional strain imaging (2DS) in comparison with patients with acute cardiomyopathy (ACM) due to severe obstructive left anterior descending arterial disease or triple-vessel disease and healthy controls. Methods Transthoracic echocardiography was performed in 34 patients with established TC, 24 patients with ACM, and 30 healthy subjects. We measured the segmental longitudinal strain in apical views by the use of EchoInsight Epsilon software. Left ventricular global longitudinal strain (GLS) was calculated by averaging segmental wall strains. Results The TC and ACM groups were comparable for age and demographic characteristics. Systolic and diastolic function were significantly impaired in both groups compared to controls. LV global and segmental systolic strain was also significantly attenuated in patients with TC and ACM compared to controls (P < 0.001). Moreover, LV basal segmental longitudinal strain was higher in the patients with TC compared to ACM (P = 0.02). Global and apical segmental strain appear to be higher in patients with mid-ventricular variant compared to those with apical variant of TC with apical strain cutoff value of −7.85%, offering the best discriminatory value for differentiating these two patterns (P = 0.001). Conclusions The results of this hypothesis-generating study indicate that longitudinal LV strain parameters are similarly impaired in patients with TC and ACM due to severe obstructive left anterior descending arterial disease or triple-vessel disease. Assessment of two-dimensional LV strain parameters could help differentiate between different TC patterns.
Rhodospirillum centenum Survives a Taxonomic Misnomer

Sequencing and analysis of the genome of Rhodospirillum centenum are now in progress. It is timely to remind microbiologists of the identity of this unique anoxygenic photosynthetic bacterium, especially because a misguided attempt to rename it has introduced some confusion in the literature.
Mechanisms of Hormone Regulation for Drought Tolerance in Plants

Drought stress limits the growth and productivity of plants through significant changes at the physiological, cellular, biochemical, and molecular levels. Considerable progress has been made elucidating on how plant hormones contribute to or influence whole-plant drought responses. Advancements in transcriptomics coinciding with mutant analysis have suggested that specific hormones regulate processes such as leaf senescence, antioxidant metabolism, carbon balance, and gas exchange during periods of drought stress. Hormones including abscisic acid, auxins, cytokinins, gibberellins, ethylene, salicylates, and jasmonates may independently regulate these plant responses through regulation of transcription factors and subsequent downstream induction or repression of stress-responsive genes. Alternatively, hormone-to-hormone or hormone-to-sugar cross talk may facilitate the drought responses. This chapter provides an overview of the major physiological processes regulated by plant hormones and the roles that different hormones serve during physiological responses to drought stress. Current knowledge of hormone-to-hormone or hormone-to-sugar cross talk regulating physiological responses to drought stress is also discussed. Suggestions for ongoing and future research are provided, such as which molecules perceive a specific hormone to then initiate signal transduction cascades during drought stress. Cross talk signals derived from hormone-to-hormone or hormone-to-sugar or secondary messengers (i.e., calcium or ROS) are not yet clear and also need to be investigated further. Research addressing the unanswered questions of hormone-signaling perception and cross talk among hormones and other metabolites will provide further insights into molecular factors controlling hormone regulation of plant tolerance to drought stress.
Adaptation of the Retinal Code: What the Eye Does Not Tell the Brain

The optic nerve is a bottleneck for visual information: Nowhere else along the visual pathway is the entire scene represented by such a small number of neurons. Correspondingly, the retina can transmit to the brain only a tiny fraction of the raw visual information that reaches the photoreceptors, and discards the rest. Many aspects of retinal processing can be understood as clever strategies for extracting visual features that are novel and not already available to the brain, either based on earlier transmissions, or based on other parts of the image. “Center-surround” spatial processing, and “high-pass” temporal processing are both adaptations to the average statistical structure of natural scenes and suppress the redundant components of the image. Light adaptation and contrast adaptation serve to match retinal function to changing conditions of illumination, and, again, this entails a rejection of redundant information. Recent work shows that the retina can adapt dynamically to the spatial and temporal statistics of the visual environment, even under conditions of constant mean intensity and contrast. Under many different stimulus environments, this has the effect of enhancing novel stimulus features over predictable ones. Finally, I will speculate how this general strategy of novelty detection could be implemented by modifiable circuits in the inner retina.
Estimating Premium and Out-of-Pocket Outlays Under All Child Dental Coverage Options in the Federally Facilitated Marketplace

Objective To estimate premium and out-of-pocket costs for child dental care services under various dental coverage options offered within the federally facilitated marketplace. Study design We estimated premium and out-of-pocket costs for child dental care services for 12 patient profiles, which vary by dental care use and spending. We did this for 1039 medical plans that include child dental coverage, 2703 medical plans that do not include child dental coverage, and 583 stand-alone dental plans for the 2015 plan year. Our analysis is based on plan data from the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight and Data.HealthCare.Gov . Results On average, expected total financial outlays for child dental care services were lower when dental coverage was embedded within a medical plan compared with the alternative of a stand-alone dental plan. The difference, however, in average expected out-of-pocket spending varied significantly for our 12 patient profiles. Older children who are very high users of dental care, for example, have lower expected out-of-pocket costs under a stand-alone dental plan. For the vast majority of other age groups and dental care use profiles, the reverse holds. Conclusions Our results show that embedding dental coverage within medical plans, on average, results in lower total financial outlays for child beneficiaries. Although our results are specific to the federally facilitated marketplace, they hold lessons for both state-based marketplaces and the general private health insurance and dental benefits market, as well.
Assessing the heterogeneity and persistence of farmers’ maize yield performance across the North China Plain

Abstract The gap between yield potential and average farmers’ yield measures the capacity for yield improvement with current technology. The North China Plain (NCP) is a major maize producing region of China, and improving maize yield of NCP is essential to food security of the country. Some previous studies have found a substantial maize yield gap in this region (∼100% of average yields), whereas others have reported much smaller gaps. This study used remote sensing estimated yield at 30-m resolution to quantify county level yield distributions, and then used these distributions to calculate yield gaps and the persistence level of yield for 76 counties in NCP. The average yield was 8.66 t/ha across county years, and the averaged county-level yield gap, as measured by the difference between the top 10 percentile of yields and the average yield of each county, was 0.76 t/ha, or 8.7% of the average yield. When measured as the difference between maximum and average yields in each county, the estimated gap increased to an average of 31%. We also evaluated the persistence level of farmers’ yield performance, as an indicator of how much gap might be reduced by propagating agronomic practices of the highest yielding farmers. The average of yield gap persistence was 25.9% of the average yield gap, or 2.3% of average yield with a range from 0.4% to 5.3% across counties. The distance to major rivers was identified as one factor with a significant effect on yield. Nevertheless, there was tremendous spatial heterogeneity in yield persistence level across NCP, and further analysis within individual counties is required to better prioritize means to shrink the yield gap.
Risk of Salmonellosis from Chicken Parts Prepared from Whole Chickens Sold in Flow Pack Wrappers and Subjected to Temperature Abuse.

ABSTRACT The flow pack wrapper is a popular packaging choice for retail sale of whole chickens. However, it may provide a favorable environment for growth and spread of Salmonella within the package, leading to an outbreak of salmonellosis. To investigate this possibility, a process risk model was developed that predicted the risk of salmonellosis from chicken parts prepared from whole chickens sold in flow pack wrappers and subjected to proper storage (6 h at 4°C) or improper storage (72 h at 15°C) before preparation. The model had four unit operations (pathogen events): (i) preparation (contamination), (ii) cooking (death), (iii) serving (cross-contamination), and (iv) consumption (dose-response). Data for prevalence, number, and serotype of Salmonella on chicken parts were obtained by whole sample enrichment, real-time PCR. Improper storage increased (P < 0.05) prevalence of Salmonella on raw chicken parts from 10.6% (17 of 160) to 41.2% (66 of 160) and incidence of cross-contamination of cooked chicke...
Exposure to organophosphate flame retardant chemicals in the U.S. general population: Data from the 2013-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Abstract Background Use of organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) including tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate, triphenyl phosphate, tris(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate, and tris-2-chloroethyl phosphate, in consumer products is on the rise because of the recent phase out of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants. Some of these chemicals are also used as plasticizers or lubricants in many consumer products. Objectives To assess human exposure to these chlorinated and non-chlorinated organophosphates, and non-PBDE brominated chemicals in a representative sample of the U.S. general population 6 years and older from the 2013–2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Methods We used solid-phase extraction coupled to isotope dilution high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry after enzymatic hydrolysis of conjugates to analyze 2666 NHANES urine samples for nine biomarkers: diphenyl phosphate (DPHP), bis(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (BDCIPP), bis-(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (BCIPP), bis-2-chloroethyl phosphate (BCEP), di- n -butyl phosphate (DNBP), di- p -cresylphosphate (DpCP), di- o -cresylphosphate (DoCP), dibenzyl phosphate (DBzP), and 2,3,4,5-tetrabromobenzoic acid (TBBA). We calculated the geometric mean (GM) and distribution percentiles for the urinary concentrations (both in micrograms per liter [μg/L] and in micrograms per gram of creatinine). We only calculated GMs for analytes with an overall weighted frequency of detection > 60%. For those analytes, we also a) determined weighted Pearson correlations among the log10-transformed concentrations, and b) used regression models to evaluate associations of various demographic parameters with urinary concentrations of these biomarkers. Results We detected BDCIPP and DPHP in approximately 92% of study participants, BCEP in 89%, DNBP in 81%, and BCIPP in 61%. By contrast, we detected the other biomarkers much less frequently: DpCP (13%), DoCP (0.1%), TBBA (5%), and did not detect DBzP in any of the participants. Concentration ranges were highest for DPHP ( Conclusions Our results confirm findings from previous studies suggesting human exposure to OPFRs, and demonstrate, for the first time, widespread exposure to several OPFRs among a representative sample of the U.S. general population 6 years of age and older. The observed differences in concentrations of certain OPFRs biomarkers by race/ethnicity, in children compared to other age groups, and in females compared to males may reflect differences in lifestyle and exposure patterns. These NHANES data can be used to stablish a nationally representative baseline of exposures to OPFRs and when combined with future 2-year survey data, to evaluate exposure trends.
Vaping medical marijuana.

Marijuana is currently a prevalent recreational drug with millions of consumers throughout the world [1]. In the United States, around 20 million people acknowledged using marijuana during 2015 [2]...
Bicarbonate refractory QRS prolongation and left bundle-branch block following escitalopram and lamotrigine overdose: A case report and literature review of toxic left bundle-branch block.

What is known and objective Toxic prolongation of the QRS interval most often results from blockade of cardiac voltage-gated sodium channels and manifests on electrocardiogram with a right bundle-branch block-like morphology. Rarely, a left bundle-branch block (LBBB) morphology has been reported. Case report We report a case of transient LBBB resultant from ingestion of lamotrigine and citalopram which was refractory to sodium bicarbonate therapy and eventually resolved spontaneously. What is new and conclusion Cases of toxic LBBB are less likely to respond to bicarbonate therapy, suggesting that this finding is due to a mechanism other than sodium channel blockade.
Local, Traditional, and Accidental Ecological Observers and Observations

One of the most notable features of an observation-driven approach to ecology is that data can come from anywhere. There are virtually no limits on the types of observations that might become part of a scientific study of changing ecological systems. Old photographs, a naturalist’s field notebook, seafood-restaurant menus from a bygone era, long-forgotten scientific papers, a gambling contest, feathers of a bird preserved in a museum, stories passed down from generation to generation, and even a centuriesold pack-rat midden preserved by generations of pack-rat urine have all been used recently in ecological studies. This openness is both a benefit — it creates limitless opportunity for ecological studies and also invites all sorts of people to become part of a new ecological understanding, regardless of their scientific training, means, or geographic location — and also a curse — how do we sift through it all to find out what is useful, and once we find what we are looking for, how much can we trust all these uncontrolled observers?
Analysis of Hepatic Transport Proteins

The liver is the major organ responsible for the elimination of endogenous and exogenous compounds via metabolism and/or excretion. Hepatocytes, the predominant cell type in the liver, are polarized cells with discrete basolateral and apical membranes. In this chapter, localization and function of hepatic transport proteins responsible for hepatobiliary drug disposition in humans are introduced. Hepatic transport proteins on the basolateral membrane mediate influx of compounds from sinusoidal blood into hepatocytes (i.e., NTCP, OATPs, OATs, OCTs) or efflux from hepatocytes back to sinusoidal blood (i.e., MRP3-6, OSTα/β). Canalicular transport proteins such as BSEP, MDR3, P-gp, BCRP, MRP2, and MATE1 are responsible for biliary excretion of compounds. Furthermore, in vitro (i.e., membrane vesicles, transfected cell systems, hepatocytes, isolated perfused liver) and in vivo (i.e., biliary excretion studies, hepatobiliary imaging techniques) model systems and methods that are used to investigate hepatic transport proteins are discussed, and their applications, advantages, and disadvantages are considered.
Cultural Evolution: Overview

Cultural evolution is one of the most hotly debated of all concepts in the social and behavioral sciences. There are many reasons for the debate, but some of the most important issues stem from the divergent answers of scholars to three basic questions. These are: what is cultural evolution, in what sense do cultural systems evolve, and what causes cultural microrevolution?
Religion and Healing

Religion influences values, moral experience, and social organization, as well as concepts of health, illness, dying, and death. Medical and public health models often indirectly export a Western cultural model that misrepresents both religious traditions and practical health orientations. This article considers distinctions between religion and spirituality, and between mechanistic and social determinant approaches to religion and healing. Building on the meaning-centered model of patient care proposed by medical anthropologists, the challenge remains to integrate religiously informed healthworlds with models and practices of public health and medicine in ways that do justice to all.
Lung cancer patients have the highest malignancy-associated suicide rate in USA: a population-based analysis.

Purpose Previous studies have reported that psychological and social distresses associated with a cancer diagnosis have led to an increase in suicides compared to the general population. We sought to explore lung cancer-associated suicide rates in a large national database compared to the general population, and to the three most prevalent non-skin cancers [breast, prostate and colorectal cancer (CRC)]. Methods The Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database (1973-2013) was retrospectively reviewed to identify cancer-associated suicide deaths in all cancers combined, as well as for each of lung, prostate, breast or CRCs. Suicide incidence and standardised mortality ratio (SMR) were estimated using SEER*Stat-8.3.2 program. Suicidal trends over time and timing from cancer diagnosis to suicide were estimated for each cancer type. Results Among 3,640,229 cancer patients, 6,661 committed suicide. The cancer-associated suicide rate was 27.5/100,000 person years (SMR = 1.57). The highest suicide risk was observed in patients with lung cancer (SMR = 4.17) followed by CRC (SMR = 1.41), breast cancer (SMR = 1.40) and prostate cancer (SMR = 1.18).Median time to suicide was 7 months in lung cancer, 56 months in prostate cancer, 52 months in breast cancer and 37 months in CRC (p < 0.001).We noticed a decreasing trend in suicide SMR over time, which is most notable for lung cancer compared to the other three cancers. In lung cancer, suicide SMR was higher in elderly patients (70-75 years; SMR = 12), males (SMR = 8.8), Asians (SMR = 13.7), widowed patients (SMR = 11.6), undifferentiated tumours (SMR = 8.6), small-cell lung cancer (SMR = 11.2) or metastatic disease (SMR = 13.9) and in patients who refused surgery (SMR = 13). Conclusion The cancer-associated suicide rate is nearly twice that of the general population of the United States of America. The suicide risk is highest among the patients with lung cancer, particularly elderly, widowed, male patients and patients with unfavourable tumour characteristics. The identification of high-risk patients is of extreme importance to provide proper psychological assessment, support and counselling to reduce these rates.
Psychiatry might need some psychedelic therapy

In historical and modern-day studies, psychedelic drugs have shown promise in managing a variety of psychiatric disorders, but their medical use has often raised controversies. The controversies ha...
Nanoparticle core size optimization for magnetic particle imaging

In magnetic particle imaging (MPI), the changing magnetization of magnetic nanoparticle (MNP) tracers subjected to an alternating magnetic field is detected. The physical properties of the MNP tracers have a direct effect on the quality of the resulting signal. In order to improve MPI image resolution and sensitivity, optimizing these properties, in particular the MNP core size, is essential. In this work, we investigate the existence of an optimal MNP core size for MPI using stochastic simulations of Langevin equations, supported by magnetic particle spectroscopy (MPS) measurements of highly monodisperse single-core nanoparticles with carefully tailored core sizes. We demonstrate that once the MNP core diameter exceeds around 28 nm (with the exact value depending on applied field properties and non-magnetic nanoparticle coating), relaxation effects will begin to dominate. Furthermore, as nanoparticle size is increased, interparticle interactions make it difficult to stabilize the particles in water and maintain their monodispersity. Taken together, we conclude that 28 nm in core diameter is an optimal size for single-core, monodisperse, magnetite particles used in MPI.
Thirty-Year Trends in Nursing Home Composition and Quality Since the Passage of the Omnibus Reconciliation Act.

Abstract Objective In 1987, the Omnibus Reconciliation Act (OBRA) called for a dramatic overhaul of the nursing home (NH) quality assurance system. This study examines trends in facility, resident, and quality characteristics since passage of that legislation. Methods We conducted univariate analyses of national data on US NHs from 3 sources: (1) the 1985 National Nursing Home Survey (NNHS), (2) the 1992-2015 Online Survey Certification and Reporting (OSCAR) Data, and (3) LTCfocUS data for 2000-2015. We examined changes in NH characteristics, resident composition, and quality. Setting and participants US NH facilities and residents between 1985 and 2015. Results The proportion of NHs that are Medicare and Medicaid certified, members of chains, and operating not-for-profit has increased over the past 30 years. There have also been reductions in occupancy and increases in the share of residents who are racial or ethnic minorities, admitted for post-acute care, in need of physical assistance with daily activities, primarily supported by Medicare, and diagnosed with a psychiatric condition such as schizophrenia. With regard to NH quality, direct care staffing levels have increased. The proportion of residents physically restrained has decreased dramatically, coupled with changes in inappropriate antipsychotic (chemical restraint) use. Conclusions and implications Together with changes in the long-term care market, the NHs of today look very different from NHs 30 years ago. The 30th anniversary of OBRA provides a unique opportunity to reflect, consider what we have learned, and think about the future of this and other sectors of long-term care.
Virtual Reality as Distraction Analgesia and Anxiolysis for Pediatric Otolaryngology Procedures

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS While virtual reality (VR) has been used as analgesia and anxiolysis for invasive procedures, no literature exists on the use of VR in the pediatric otolaryngology setting. The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of VR in reducing pain and anxiety for pediatric otolaryngology patients. STUDY DESIGN Randomized controlled trial. METHODS A total of 53 patients aged 7-17 undergoing in-office nasal endoscopies were included. Patients were randomized to receive VR or standard of care. Procedural pain, anxiety, and satisfaction scores were recorded from patients and caregivers. The physician filled out a childhood emotional manifestation scale (CEMS). RESULTS Patients in VR group reported a significant decrease in pain (0.80 ± 1.06 vs. 2.26 ± 2.38, P = .018) and anxiety (9.50 ± 12.48 vs. 38.48 ± 29.83, P = .0002) and increase in procedural satisfaction (6.40 ± 0.77 vs. 4.74 ± 1.74, P = .0002) compared to patients in control group. CEMS scores were significantly reduced in VR group (5.15 ± 0.46 vs. 9.64 ± 5.66, P = .0001) and caregiver anxiety levels were significantly reduced in VR group (11.50 ± 17.67 vs. 27.39 ± 30.48, P = .041) compared to control group. There were no reported side effects. Procedural time did not significantly differ between groups. CONCLUSIONS For pediatric otolaryngology patients undergoing in-office nasal endoscopies, VR is a safe and effective form of distraction analgesia and anxiolysis, significantly reducing pain and increasing procedural satisfaction for patients. In addition, VR significantly reduces anxiety for both patients and caregivers without disrupting procedural efficiency and workflow. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 2. Laryngoscope, 131:E1714-E1721, 2021.
Sex differences in the expression of the endocannabinoid system within V1M cortex and PAG of Sprague Dawley rats.

Background Several chronic pain disorders, such as migraine and fibromyalgia, have an increased prevalence in the female population. The underlying mechanisms of this sex-biased prevalence have yet to be thoroughly documented, but could be related to endogenous differences in neuromodulators in pain networks, including the endocannabinoid system. The cellular endocannabinoid system comprises the endogenous lipid signals 2-AG (2-arachidonoylglycerol) and AEA (anandamide); the enzymes that synthesize and degrade them; and the cannabinoid receptors. The relative prevalence of different components of the endocannabinoid system in specific brain regions may alter responses to endogenous and exogenous ligands. Methods Brain tissue from naive male and estrous staged female Sprague Dawley rats was harvested from V1M cortex, periaqueductal gray, trigeminal nerve, and trigeminal nucleus caudalis. Tissue was analyzed for relative levels of endocannabinoid enzymes, ligands, and receptors via mass spectrometry, unlabeled quantitative proteomic analysis, and immunohistochemistry. Results Mass spectrometry revealed significant differences in 2-AG and AEA concentrations between males and females, as well as between female estrous cycle stages. Specifically, 2-AG concentration was lower within female PAG as compared to male PAG (*p = 0.0077); female 2-AG concentration within the PAG did not demonstrate estrous stage dependence. Immunohistochemistry followed by proteomics confirmed the prevalence of 2-AG-endocannabinoid system enzymes in the female PAG. Conclusions Our results suggest that sex differences exist in the endocannabinoid system in two CNS regions relevant to cortical spreading depression (V1M cortex) and descending modulatory networks in pain/anxiety (PAG). These basal differences in endogenous endocannabinoid mechanisms may facilitate the development of chronic pain conditions and may also underlie sex differences in response to therapeutic intervention.