cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Social Capital and Self-Rated Health among Ageing People in Urban and Rural Locations in Finland and in Europe

The main interest in this chapter concerns the associations between social capital and self-rated health in different living environments (urban, suburban and rural) among ageing people aged 65–84 years. Two social capital components used were a cognitive dimension (trust) and a structural dimension (social participation and voluntary work). The results are based on data from the nationwide survey from Finland (The Health Behaviour and Health among the Finnish Elderly) and the fourth wave of the European Social Survey. The findings show that high trust indicated better self-rated health in Finland, particularly among rural residents. High social participation indicated better self-rated health in all three areas. Without area selection, high social participation and high trust was associated with good self-rated health. Area differences were not found in self-rated health. Among older Europeans, voluntary work and high trust indicated better self-rated health consistently, regardless of the living area. As a whole, those living in urban areas were less healthy, suggesting health challenges related to urban contexts. Enhancing trust, but also voluntary work particularly among the urban Europeans may significantly contribute to social capital and may have health promotion effects. Thus, investing in a trustful environment and influencing social participation can play a significant part in health promotion.
Metal organic frameworks with immobilized nanoparticles: Synthesis and applications in photocatalytic hydrogen generation and energy storage

Abstract Composite materials consisting of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and immobilized nanoparticles (NP @ MOFs) are in a burgeoning area of materials research. The blend of high porosity, modifiability, and surface area of MOFs integrated with catalytically active nanoparticles offers unique functionality and versatility. This short review offers a concise overview associated with NP @ MOFs. Introduction to NP @ MOFs include comment and exemplification of two categories of synthetic strategies, i.e. , “ship-in-a-bottle” strategy and “bottle-around-the-ship” strategy. Applications correlated to photocatalytic hydrogen generation, hydrogen gas storage, as well as lithium-ion battery electrodes have also been reviewed. At last, the current challenges and opportunities involving synthesis protocols and energy-related applications are given.
SmartCare: An introduction

This paper introduces SmartCare, a project revolving around a smart environment especially built to enable aging in place. The paper describes the vision behind SmartCare as well as its translation into a deployed system. The physical incarnation of SmartCare is the SmartCare apartment, an actual apartment in a retirement community. We provide a description the technologies that are deployed in the SmartCare apartment. This paper does not introduce novel algorithms for smart environments, rather it provides an architectural system description of a real smart environment that was designed to enable aging in place.
Infectious Agents Trigger Trophic Cascades.

Most demonstrated trophic cascades originate with predators, but infectious agents can also cause top-down indirect effects in ecosystems. Here we synthesize the literature on trophic cascades initiated by infectious agents including parasitoids, pathogens, parasitic castrators, macroparasites, and trophically transmitted parasites. Like predators, infectious agents can cause density-mediated and trait-mediated indirect effects through their direct consumptive and nonconsumptive effects respectively. Unlike most predators, however, infectious agents are not fully and immediately lethal to their victims, so their consumptive effects can also trigger trait-mediated indirect effects. We find that the frequency of trophic cascades reported for different consumer types scales with consumer lethality. Furthermore, we emphasize the value of uniting predator–prey and parasite–host theory under a general consumer–resource framework.
Friends, the Club, and the Housing Authority: How Youth Define Their Community Through Auto-driven Photo Elicitation

The author was a volunteer at a national youth organization located in a low-income housing community, and was given the opportunity to work with the Torch Club, a youth civic engagement club made up of youth members from the Coventry Square club, age 12 or older. At the time, members of the Torch Club were not involved in a service project and they were open to suggestions. The purpose of this action research study was to enable participants to study and define their community through auto-driven photo elicitation. Opportunities to serve one’s community are important factors in helping youth develop the capacity to see themselves as civic actors. Service-learning that is meaningful and action oriented is well suited for work with youth from low-income communities. The benefits and challenges of using auto-driven photo elicitation along with the limitations of this study are also examined. Twelve youth were given disposable cameras and eight participated in the photo elicitation interviews. Through an analysis of the interviews and photos, three themes emerged: friends, the club, and the housing authority. This chapter explores these themes and how they relate to promoting youth civic engagement through community and social justice oriented service-learning.
Background, current role, and potential applications of radiogenomics.

With the genomic revolution in the early 1990s, medical research has been driven to study the basis of human disease on a genomic level and to devise precise cancer therapies tailored to the specific genetic makeup of a tumor. To match novel therapeutic concepts conceived in the era of precision medicine, diagnostic tests must be equally sufficient, multilayered, and complex to identify the relevant genetic alterations that render cancers susceptible to treatment. With significant advances in training and medical imaging techniques, image analysis and the development of high-throughput methods to extract and correlate multiple imaging parameters with genomic data, a new direction in medical research has emerged. This novel approach has been termed radiogenomics. Radiogenomics aims to correlate imaging characteristics (ie, the imaging phenotype) with gene expression patterns, gene mutations, and other genome-related characteristics and is designed to facilitate a deeper understanding of tumor biology and capture the intrinsic tumor heterogeneity. Ultimately, the goal of radiogenomics is to develop imaging biomarkers for outcome that incorporate both phenotypic and genotypic metrics. Due to the noninvasive nature of medical imaging and its ubiquitous use in clinical practice, the field of radiogenomics is rapidly evolving and initial results are encouraging. In this article, we briefly discuss the background and then summarize the current role and the potential of radiogenomics in brain, liver, prostate, gynecological, and breast tumors. Level of evidence 5 Technical Efficacy: Stage 2 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2017;47:604-620.
Enduring Association Between Parenting and Cortisol: A Meta-analysis

Warm caregiving is associated with concurrent hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis function, although the persistence of this association over time is less established. Using longitudinal and intervention studies, this meta-analysis examined the enduring association of parental warmth (measured when children were ages < 1 through 15 years) with basal cortisol, reactivity and recovery (measured when children were ages < 1 through 25 years; k = 38; N = 6,608). These studies demonstrate no overall associations between parenting and children's HPA axis; instead there are small associations that vary based on moderators such as socioeconomic status, developmental stage, study design and stressor type, though many moderators are confounded. This first wave of studies indicates that the enduring association between parenting and cortisol is small and only understood in the context of other factors, and directly informs four sets of methodological and theoretical recommendations to strengthen this literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Neutrality as Obstructionist in Academic Activism: Calling Bullshit.

In this essay, the author uses experiences as a teacher educator and learning from a historically significant activism movement to (a) compare values in activism-centered and education-centered organizations, (b) posit ways that the concept of neutrality weakens academic activism, and (c) call for teacher education curricula and practices that empower preservice teachers to “call bullshit” on educational inequities.
Compliance als persönliche Führungsaufgabe

Wie stehen die Worte Compliance und Fuhrung zueinander? Wenn wir uns dem Thema annahern, ergibt sich daraus vielleicht so etwas wie eine Aufgabenbeschreibung. Vorwegzuschalten ist, dass es Compliance als Aufgabenbereich bekanntlich noch gar nicht so lange gibt, jedenfalls, wenn man den englischen Titel nimmt: Compliance. To comply with bedeutet sinngemas, den Anforderungen gerecht zu werden. Bleiben wir bei dieser sinngemasen Ubersetzung, dann ist diese Aufgabe eigentlich doch gar nicht so neu. Und das ist auch die Herausforderung, der die Compliance als Fuhrungsaufgabe begegnet. Wie und welchen Anforderungen soll sie selbst gerecht werden? Betritt sie die Buhne, dann ist ein haufiger Reflex „Das machen wir doch sowieso.“ Compliance wird also, wenn wir sie hier als Fuhrungsaufgabe betrachten, ihr Heil im Spannungsfeld zwischen Akzeptanz und Vorurteil suchen mussen.
Analysis of 5G LDPC Codes Rate-Matching Design

This paper analyzes the rate-matching algorithms for LDPC codes in 5G New Radio (NR) framework. Key features of NR LDPC rate-matching design includes flexible bit-selection based on circular buffer operation, enhanced decoding latency via code construction based on a single-parity-check extension from a high rate code, systematic bit puncturing, and support for limited buffer rate-matching (LBRM). IR-HARQ is supported via several redundancy versions (RVs) defined non-uniformly over the transmit circular buffer, enabling possibility of multiple self-decodable RVs. This paper, discusses NR LDPC structure, design, and its key features, followed by an in-depth investigation of IR-HARQ functionality, rate-matching, and (re-)transmissions via different RV ordering selections. Performance of single transmissions, as well as re-transmissions using different schemes are studied and evaluated using throughput and BLER metrics. This study attests the flexibility and robustness of NR LDPC design in addition to efficient support of IR-HARQ operation.
Clinical validation of automated hippocampal segmentation in temporal lobe epilepsy

Abstract Objective To provide a multi-atlas framework for automated hippocampus segmentation in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and clinically validate the results with respect to surgical lateralization and post-surgical outcome. Methods We retrospectively identified 47 TLE patients who underwent surgical resection and 12 healthy controls. T1-weighted 3 T MRI scans were acquired for all subjects, and patients were identified by a neuroradiologist with regards to lateralization and degree of hippocampal sclerosis (HS). Automated segmentation was implemented through the Joint Label Fusion/Corrective Learning (JLF/CL) method. Gold standard lateralization was determined from the surgically resected side in Engel I (seizure-free) patients at the two-year timepoint. ROC curves were used to identify appropriate thresholds for hippocampal asymmetry ratios, which were then used to analyze JLF/CL lateralization. Results The optimal template atlas based on subject images with varying appearances, from normal-appearing to severe HS, was demonstrated to be composed entirely of normal-appearing subjects, with good agreement between automated and manual segmentations. In applying this atlas to 26 surgically resected seizure-free patients at a two-year timepoint, JLF/CL lateralized seizure onset 92% of the time. In comparison, neuroradiology reads lateralized 65% of patients, but correctly lateralized seizure onset in these patients 100% of the time. When compared to lateralized neuroradiology reads, JLF/CL was in agreement and correctly lateralized all 17 patients. When compared to nonlateralized radiology reads, JLF/CL correctly lateralized 78% of the nine patients. Significance While a neuroradiologist's interpretation of MR imaging is a key, albeit imperfect, diagnostic tool for seizure localization in medically-refractory TLE patients, automated hippocampal segmentation may provide more efficient and accurate epileptic foci localization. These promising findings demonstrate the clinical utility of automated segmentation in the TLE MR imaging pipeline prior to surgical resection, and suggest that further investigation into JLF/CL-assisted MRI reading could improve clinical outcomes. Our JLF/CL software is publicly available at https://www.nitrc.org/projects/ashs/ .
Transscleral Drug Delivery to Retina and Posterior Segment Disease

The complexities of the anatomical and physiological barriers pose a challenge for the treatment of posterior segment eye disease. Ineffective delivery of the drug to the posterior site is regarded a major contributing factor for treatment failure. Transscleral drug delivery aims the large surface area of the sclera for increased drug absorption when compared to the intravitreal injections. This chapter addresses posterior segment diseases, treatment approaches and routes of drug administration, with emphasis on transscleral drug delivery. Application of novel strategies such as iontophoresis have been useful for improved permeability and drug delivery of ionized drugs. Further, newer techniques such as, polymeric colloids, implants, and thermoresponsive gels are currently investigated for efficiency.
Sleep Disturbances and Inflammatory Biomarkers in Schizophrenia: Focus on Sex Differences.

Objectives Persons with schizophrenia, and women in particular, are at high risk for sleep disturbances and inflammatory activation. The sleep-inflammation link has been reported to be stronger in women within the general population. This study sought to examine the sleep-inflammation link in persons with schizophrenia and its relationship with demographic, clinical and cognitive variables. Design Cross-sectional case-control study. Participants Community-dwelling outpatients with schizophrenia (N=144, 46% women) and non-psychiatric comparison (NC) participants (N=134, 52% women), age 26-65 years. Measurements Reported sleep disturbances (sleep quality and duration), and mental and physical health were assessed. Cognitive assessments included executive functioning (Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System) and global cognitive functioning (Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status - modified.) Inflammatory biomarkers included pro-inflammatory cytokines [high sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (hs-CRP), Interleukin (IL)-6, Tumor Necrosis Factor-α (TNF-α)] and an anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-10). Results The schizophrenia group had longer sleep duration, worse sleep quality, and increased levels of hs-CRP, IL-6, and TNF-α compared to NCs. Women with schizophrenia were less likely to have good sleep quality and had elevated levels of hs-CRP and IL-6 compared to men with schizophrenia. In the schizophrenia group, worse sleep quality and global cognitive functioning were associated with higher hs-CRP and IL-6 levels. Female sex and younger age were also associated with higher hs-CRP levels. Conclusions Sleep disturbances and increased inflammation, which were common in schizophrenia, were associated in persons with schizophrenia. Moreover, women with schizophrenia had worse sleep quality and inflammation than men. Further examination of the sleep-inflammation links, their contribution to clinical outcomes, and sex-specific factors is warranted.
Gaps in the interpretation of pronouns

Donkey sentences receive either existential or universal truth-conditions. This paper presents two new data points going against standard dynamic approaches to this ambiguity: first, I show that the ambiguity extends beyond quantified environments, to cross-clausal anaphora. Second, I show that donkey sentences can give rise to narrow pseudo-scope readings, where the pronoun's implicit quantification takes scope below some operator in the sentence. Neither of these facts is predicted by standard dynamic accounts. Together, they suggest a different analysis in which the ambiguity arises when the pronoun has multiple referents to pick from. Inspired by Champollion (2017), I propose that when such circumstances arise, the pronoun receives vague reference. Using standard rules of projection is then sufficient to derive the existential/universal ambiguity as well as the two problematic data points.
“Nonsense, wherein there is Method”: Wittgenstein on Music and Language

According to Ludwig Wittgenstein’s Tractatus logico-philosophicus, the form shared by language and the world cannot be said through language, but rather shows itself in language. This statement has...
How Toxic is Milkweed when Harvested and Cooked according to Myaamia Tradition

Asclepias syriaca L. (common milkweed) is known to contain sufficient amounts of cardiac glycosides, which are known to be toxic to humans. Nonetheless, it is traditionally used for food by Native Americans, including the Myaamia people of Indiana and Oklahoma. In order to test the hypothesis that traditional horticultural and culinary practices prevent the Myaamia from ingesting toxic levels of cardiac glycosides, we have determined the level of glycosides (digitoxin equivalent) in A. syriaca 1) in various parts of the plant, 2) at various heights for pre-reproductive plants, and 3) before and after cooking according to traditional Myaamia procedures. Plants were grown, harvested, dried, ground, and extracted twice with ethanol. The amount of digitoxin-equivalent glycoside in plant extract was determined spectrophotometrically using 2,2’,4,4’-tetranitrodiphenyl, a selective derivatizing agent. We find that all parts of the plant contain significant levels of cardiac glycosides at all stages of growth. Plants harvested as young shoots for food, the common practice of the Myaamia, contain slightly lower levels of cardiac glycosides when compared to the leaves and stems of older, taller plants. Moreover, the toxicity is significantly reduced by the traditional Myaamia cooking procedure—a repeated boiling with several changes of water. Therefore, it appears as though the risk of glycoside poisoning from traditional Myaamia use of milkweed for food is moderated by their harvesting practice and traditional cooking procedure.
p38 MAPK Inhibition Prevents TACE-Mediated Receptor Shedding and Improves the Hemostatic Function of Stored Platelets.

Platelet transfusion is a lifesaving procedure widely used during surgery and chemotherapy. During storage platelets undergo several modifications that reduce their postransfusion survival and functionality. One important feature of this platelet storage lesion (PSL) is the shedding of surface glycoproteins such as GPIbα and GPV. We have recently demonstaretd that metalloproteinase inhibitors prevent storage-induced shedding of adhesion receptors, resulting in markedly improved postransfusion recovery and hemostatic function of platelets in mice. We now demonstrate that TNF-alpha converting enzyme (TACE/ADAM17) mediates receptor shedding from platelet stored for 18 hours at 37oC or 22oC. Using pharmacological inhibitors, we show that TACE -dependent shedding of GPIbα and GPV from both mouse and human platelets during storage required p38 MAP kinase signaling. In contrast, protein kinase C, Erk MAPK, and caspases were not involved. Inhibition of p38 MAPK during the storage of mouse platelets also markedly improved their posttransfusion recovery and hemostatic function in vivo. Moreover, p38 MAPK inhibition during storage of human platelets improved their adhesion to collagen under flow. Inhibition of p38 MAPK also prevented TACE-dependent shedding of GPIbα from platelets undergoing mitochondrial injury, a model for PSL. Phosphorylation of p38 MAPK was observed after platelet storage and mitochondrial injury. In summary, our data suggest that inhibition of p38 MAPK or TACE during storage may significantly improve the quality of stored platelets.
Midcingulate somatomotor and autonomic functions

The midcingulate cortex (MCC) is viewed as a central node within a large-scale system devoted to adjusting behavior in the face of changing environments. Whereas the role of the MCC in interfacing action and cognition is well established, its role in regulating the autonomic nervous system is poorly understood. Yet, adaptive reactions to novel or threatening situations induce coordinated changes in the sympathetic and the parasympathetic systems. The somatomotor maps in the MCC are organized dorsoventrally. A meta-analysis of the literature reveals that the dorsoventral organization might also concern connections with the autonomic nervous system. Activation of the dorsal and ventral parts of the MCC correlate with recruitments of the sympathetic and the parasympathetic systems, respectively. Data also suggest that, in the MCC, projections toward the sympathetic system are mapped along the sensory-motor system following the same cervico-sacral organization as projections on the spinal cord for skeletal motor control.
Encounters in Theory and History of Education/Encuentros en Teoría e Historia de la Educación/Rencontres en Théorie et Histoire de l’Éducation

Rosa Bruno-Jofre (Queen’s University, Canada) and Gonzalo Jover Olmeda (Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain) co-founded Encounters in Theory and History of Education in 2000. Encounters was created to support scholarly work on the theory and history of education and disseminate it to the widest audience possible. With this goal in mind, Encounters has always been completely open access, and publishes articles in English, French, and Spanish. This article explains the history, publication process, and future of Encounters. Resume Rosa Bruno-Jofre (Queen’s University, Canada) et Gonzalo Jover Olmeda (Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain) ont co-fonde Rencontres en theorie et histoire de l’educationen l’an 2000. Ils ont cree Rencontresafin d’appuyer la recherche sur la theorie et l’histoire de l’education et la disseminer au plus vaste public possible. Afin d’atteindre ce but, Rencontresa toujours ete disponible en libre acces et publie des articles en anglais, francais et espagnol. Cet article explique l’histoire, le processus editorial et l’avenir de Rencontres.
Suspected peripheral neuropathy secondary to lead intoxication in three psittacine birds

ABSTRACT Background: Lead intoxication is common in companion birds and frequently associated clinical signs include weakness, regurgitation, and central nervous system signs including seizures and tremors. Motor neuropathies and conduction disturbances are more commonly described in humans with lead intoxication, but are uncommon sequelae in psittacine birds. Case Description: Three pet psittacine birds were presented for acute-onset of distal pelvic limb abnormalities. Clinical Findings: An adult, female peach-faced lovebird (Agapornis roseicollis) was presented with acute, bilateral, distal pelvic limb paralysis and an adult, male peach-faced lovebird was presented with an acute inability to extend the digits of the feet bilaterally. An adult blue-streaked lorikeet (Eos reticulata) was presented for acute onset, bilateral pelvic limb weakness, and inability to rise from the bottom of the cage. All three birds had increased blood lead levels (30–110 μg/dL), but none exhibited overt central nervous, gastrointestinal, or other common clinical signs consistent with lead intoxication in birds. A potential source of lead could not be identified in two of the three cases. Conclusion and Case Relevance: Despite achieving persistent reduction of blood lead levels following parenteral chelation therapy using calcium disodium EDTA, all three birds had continued neurological deficits in both pelvic limbs. Birds were considered to maintain a good quality of life after husbandry changes were implemented to assist in ambulation. Lead intoxication should be considered a differential for acute-onset paralysis of the distal pelvic limbs in psittacine birds.
One Size Does Not Fit All: Marked Heterogeneity in Incidence of and Survival from Gastric Cancer among Asian American Subgroups

Background: Asian Americans are at higher risk for non-cardia gastric cancers (NCGCs) relative to non-Hispanic Whites (NHWs). Asian Americans are genetically, linguistically, and culturally heterogeneous, yet have mostly been treated as a single population in prior studies. This aggregation may obscure important subgroup-specific cancer patterns. Methods: We utilized data from 13 regional United States cancer registries from 1990-2014 to determine secular trends in incidence and survivorship from NCGC. Data were analyzed for NHWs and the six largest Asian American subgroups: Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Korean, Vietnamese, and South Asian (Indian/Pakistani). Results: There exists substantial heterogeneity in NCGC incidence between Asian subgroups, with Koreans (48.6 per 100,000 person-years) having seven-fold higher age-adjusted incidence than South Asians (7.4 per 100,000 person-years). Asians had generally earlier stages of diagnosis and higher rates of surgical resection compared to NHWs. All Asian subgroups also demonstrated higher five-year observed survival compared to NHWs, with Koreans (41.3%) and South Asians (42.8%) having survival double that of NHWs (20.1%, p<0.001). In multivariable regression, differences in stage of diagnosis and rates of resection partially explained the difference in survivorship between Asian subgroups. Conclusions: We find substantial differences in incidence, staging, histology, treatment, and survivorship from NCGC between Asian subgroups, data which challenge our traditional perceptions about gastric cancer in Asians. Both biological heterogeneity and cultural/environmental differences may underlie these findings. Impact: These data are relevant to the national discourse regarding the appropriate role of gastric cancer screening, and identifies high-risk racial/ethnic subgroups who many benefit from customized risk attenuation programs.
Abstract PD3-09: Sulindac reduces breast density and alters collagen alignment in patients on aromatase inhibitors

Background. Preclinical and observational evidence supports cancer prevention activity of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in the breast via suppression of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) synthesis by cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2). Evidence includes linking of PGE2 to aromatase activity and estrogen synthesis in breast adipose tissue, as well as effects on collagen and breast density (BD). Methods. In an open-label trial, we evaluated the effect of the non-selective NSAID sulindac at 150 mg bid for 12 months on BD in 52 postmenopausal women taking adjuvant aromatase inhibitors (AIs) for breast cancer. BD was measured using a fat-water decomposition MRI based BD measure (MRD) previously shown to be more quantitative than mammographic density. A non-randomized observation cohort of 46 postmenopausal women on AI without NSAID use was conducted in parallel to assess the effect of AI on MRD over 12 months. Eligible participants were recruited at two study sites and included women with an intact, unaffected contralateral breast and BI-RADS ≥ 2. Each subject’s MRI_BD measures at baseline and at 6 and 12 months were included in linear mixed models for longitudinal data. Log-transformation was applied to the outcome of BD. Covariates included log-transformed baseline BD, time on AI, and baseline body mass index (BMI) and change in BMI. Breast tissue collagen fiber alignment for 30 women with paired breast biopsies, before and after 6 months on sulindac, was examined using Second-Harmonic Generation (SHG) microscopy and analysis of the distribution (histogram) of ‘straight’ fibers in three randomly selected areas of breast tissue. Straightness of individual fibers was calculated as the linear length of a fiber divided by the distance along the fiber. Results. Participants on sulindac intervention had a significant change in BD relative to baseline BD at 6 (p=0.05) and 12 months (p Citation Format: Patricia Thompson, Chuan Huang, Betsy Wertheim, Christina Preece, Jie Yang, Jessica Martinez, Denise Roe, Pavani Chalasani, Alison Stopeck. Sulindac reduces breast density and alters collagen alignment in patients on aromatase inhibitors [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2019 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2019 Dec 10-14; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(4 Suppl):Abstract nr PD3-09.
Does 24-h Activity Cycle Influence Plasma PCSK9 Concentration? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Purpose of review Higher plasma proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) concentration has been associated with a higher risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Animal and human studies have examined the relationship between 24-h activity cycles (24-HAC) and PCSK9, but conflicting results exist. Therefore, this review aimed to examine the relationship between 24-HAC and plasma PCSK9 concentration in animals and humans.Three databases (PubMed, CINAHL, and Web of Science) were searched for eligible articles. Descriptive data were summarized using network meta-analysis. The effect size was estimated using pairwise meta-analysis. Recent findings The interventions designed to increase moderate to vigorous physical activities (MVPA) did not significantly change plasma PCSK9 concentration (Hedges' g = 0.137; p = 0.337). However, the effect was influenced by statin therapy and intervention delivery mode. Specifically, physical activity interventions in conjunction with statin therapy significantly increased plasma PCSK9 concentration (Hedges' g = 0.275; p = 0.007). Supervised exercise training significantly increased plasma PCSK9 concentration (Hedges' g = 0.630; p = 0.001), but physical activity counseling did not (p = 0.845). The effects of MVPA on plasma PCSK9 may be moderated by statin therapy, intervention delivery mode, or other potential unknown mechanistic factors. Thus, caution should be taken when using plasma PCSK9 as an outcome indicator for physical activity interventions aimed at decreasing the risk of ASCVD. Graphical abstract.
Development of aqueous size exclusion chromatography conditions to characterize polyzwitterion-block-N-isopropyl acrylamide copolymers.

Abstract Block copolymers that exhibit both an upper critical solution temperature and a lower critical solution temperature are difficult to characterize due to inherent solubility difference between the two blocks. For example, accurate determination of both the molar mass and molar mass distribution is challenging for polyzwitterion-block-N-isopropyl acrylamide (NIPAM) copolymers in aqueous solutions due to self-assembly. However, there are a few examples of using size exclusion chromatography (SEC) for characterization, in which hexafluoro isopropanol (HFIP) is used in all cases. Yet, researchers are hesitant to use this solvent due to how expensive and hazardous HFIP is. Therefore, alternatives to HFIP for SEC analysis would be desirable. Here, a systematic methodology featuring aqueous SEC is demonstrated using several solvent conditions to enable the elution of polyzwitterion-block-NIPAM copolymers on Agilent PolarGel† and Tosoh TSKgel† column sets. These SEC conditions include 0.2 M KI in water on the PolarGel columns and 0.2 M KI/ 30 % DMF in water on the PolarGel and TSKgel columns. These aqueous systems can be utilized for the characterization of similar water-soluble block copolymers that are relevant for drug delivery and other biomedical applications.
The potential role of cocaine and heroin co-use in the opioid epidemic in the United States

Abstract Introduction Opioid/heroin use is an epidemic in the United States (US). Polysubstance use dramatically increases risk of adverse overdose outcomes, versus use of a single substance. Co-use of heroin and cocaine, known as “speedballing,” is associated with higher risk of overdose than use of either alone. It is not known whether co-use relative to use of either alone has increased in the US in recent years at a national level. If so, this may be one contributing factor to the increasing fatality rate associated with the US opioid epidemic. This study investigated the prevalence of use of each and co-use of heroin and cocaine from 2002 to 2017 in the US. Methods Data were drawn from the 2002 to 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) to estimate prevalence of past-month heroin use, cocaine use, and co-use of heroin and cocaine among Americans ages 12 and older. Results From 2002 to 2017, cocaine use (without heroin) (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.971, 95% confidence interval (0.963, 0.979)) declined overall, though a subsequent quadratic analysis suggested that it began increasing in 2011. In contrast, heroin and cocaine co-use (AOR = 1.062 (1.027, 1.099)) and heroin use (without cocaine) (AOR = 1.101 (1.070, 1.133)) linearly increased from 2002 to 2017. Conclusions Screening, outreach, clinical treatment, and first responders should be aware of increasing patterns of polysubstance use and the potential implications of co-use of heroin and cocaine on first responders’ intervention and the potential role of increasing exposure to multiple substances on overdose outcomes in the US.
The impact of national culture on corporate social responsibility: evidence from cross-regional comparison

The objective of this paper is to empirically examine the impact of national culture on firm’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) across geographical regions. Empirical tests are based on CSR performance of 3055 corporations from 28 countries located in Eastern Asia and Europe. The findings suggest that the Hofstede’s cultural dimensions have significant impacts on CSR performance, both positively and negatively depending on a given dimension of CSR. In addition, corporations located in European countries tend to effectively outperform those in Eastern Asian countries in every facet of socially responsible practice.
The mouse dorsal raphe nucleus as understood by temporal Fgf8 lineage analysis

Fgf8 is expressed transiently during embryogenesis at the midbrain-hindbrain border, an area that gives rise to a variety of neuronal populations including the dorsal raphe (DR) nucleus. Using an inducible Fgf8-cre allele, we identified the populations of neurons defined by Fgf8 lineage at different stages of development. When Fgf8-cre expression is induced at embryonic day 7.5 (T-E7.5), in the adult the entire DR and part of the median raphe (MnR) have Fgf8 lineage. When induced at later timepoints, Fgf8 lineage progressively ebbs from the caudal and ventral aspect of this domain, particularly on the midline. Successively excluded from Fgf8- lineage at T-E9.5 are serotonin neurons in the MnR and caudal-intrafascicular DR, followed at T-E11.5 by ventral-middle and caudal-dorsal DR. The last to show Fgf8 lineage are those serotonin neurons in the lateral wings and those at the rostral-dorsal pole of DR nucleus. Thus, the temporal succession of Fgf8 lineage correlates with organizational features of serotonin neurons in these nuclei.
Racial Misdirection: How Anti-Affirmative Action Crusaders Use Distraction and Spectacle to Promote Incomplete Conceptions of Merit and Perpetuate Racial Inequality.

Despite the marginal success that anti-affirmative action groups have had at paring back the use of race in college admissions practices, affirmative action has remained largely in-tact as a tool t...
"Free-Hand" Transperineal Prostate Biopsy Under Local Anesthesia: Review of the Literature.

Background: The recent plethora of reports of “free-hand” transperineal prostate biopsy (fTP-Bx) under local anesthesia (LA) demonstrate that many centers consider this technique to be a safer and ...
A Path Forward: Florida’s Efforts to Combat Human Trafficking

The National Human Trafficking Hotline ranks Florida as third in the United States in human trafficking cases. Because Florida has several major international airports, many ports of entry, a thriving agricultural industry, and is a destination for tourists, retirees, and immigrants alike, it is an ideal location for human trafficking. This article will discuss the different types of human trafficking, as well as the various impacts human trafficking takes on the victim. This article will explore human trafficking briefly at the global level before looking at efforts made in the United States. Florida first created statutes to define and criminalize human trafficking in 2004. Florida has since amended these statutes to further criminalize behaviors related to trafficking. Following national trends in providing criminal record relief, the Florida legislature passed legislation allowing individuals to expunge various criminal offenses should the convictions have occurred while the individual was a victim of human trafficking. In June 2019, Florida’s governor signed legislation into law in an attempt to toughen human trafficking laws in Florida. The new legislation requires additional training for healthcare and law enforcement personnel and mandates a public registry be kept of those individuals soliciting prostitutes. Though Florida has continued to amend its statutes, this article will look forward to other efforts that could be made to help survivors and prosecute perpetrators. Multi-disciplinary collaboration that is intentional and trauma-informed is critical in breaking up human trafficking rings. This article will highlight effective collaborations between law enforcement, legislators, prosecutors, and non-governmental organizations to identify survivors, and perpetrators, of human trafficking. Strategies leading to evidence-based best practices to curb human trafficking will be explored.
Favorite Sites of a Persistent Random Walk.

Abstract We consider favorite (i.e., most visited) sites of a symmetric persistent random walk on Z , a discrete-time process typified by the correlation of its directional history. We show that the cardinality of the set of favorite sites is eventually at most three. This is a generalization of a result by Toth for a simple random walk, used to partially prove a longstanding conjecture by Erdős and Revesz. The original conjecture asserting that for the simple random walk on integers the cardinality of the set of favorite sites is eventually at most two was recently disproved by Ding and Shen.
0057 Evaluation of trauma informed care training at a level I pediatric trauma center (PTC)

Statement of purpose To evaluate baseline attitudes and confidence related to providing Trauma Informed Care (TIC) and quality of professional life of Emergency Department (ED) Staff at a Level I PTC, and to examine pre-post changes after a training session. We hypothesize that TIC training will improve attitudes and confidence in delivering TIC. Methods/Approach A total of 76 healthcare professionals completed a pre-post survey as part of a TIC training at an urban, midwestern Level I PTC. The training consisted of one 3-hour session covering the impact and pervasive nature of trauma, recognizing traumatic stress, and benefits of providing a healing environment. The survey included demographic questions, the Attitudes Related to Trauma- Informed Care Scale (ARTIC) measuring trauma-informed knowledge and attitudes, and the Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL) measuring burnout and secondary trauma. Results Overall, participants demonstrated relatively high compassion levels, and over half of the participants indicated low levels of burnout and secondary trauma. Compared with pre-training (n=76), participants demonstrated a statistically significant increase (p Conclusions Though ED staff began with relatively high levels of trauma-informed attitudes and beliefs, the training yielded a positive increase in those attitudes. Given the small sample size and the fact that less than half of all participants who received training completed the survey, the attitudes captured may be skewed towards participants who had higher baseline attitudes and were more motivated to deliver TIC. This provides an opportunity to adjust the training to improve engagement. Significance Applying TIC has the potential to benefit patients who experience traumatic injuries as well as healthcare professionals who may experience secondary traumatic stress through providing care. Improvement in staff attitudes after the training session suggests possible benefits of continued TIC training.
T Cell Positive B Cell Negative Flow Cytometry Crossmatch (FCXM): Frequency, HLA-Locus Specificity, and Mechanisms Among 3073 Clinical FCXM Tests

ABSTRACT Background A T cell positive and B cell negative (T+B-) flow cytometry crossmatch (FCXM) result remains a conundrum since HLA-class I antigens are expressed on both T and B cells. We investigated the frequency, HLA specificity of the antibodies and mechanisms for the T+B- FCXM result. Methods We analyzed 3073 clinical FCXM tests performed in an American Society of Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics accredited histocompatibility laboratory. The sera associated with the T+B- FCXM were also tested for donor HLA IgG antibodies using LABScreen™ single antigen assays. Results Among the 3073 FCXM tests, 1963 were T-B-, 811 were T-B+, 274 were T+B+, and 25 were T+B-. IgG antibodies directed at donor HLA-A, B, or Cw locus determined antigens (DSA) were identified in all 25 sera and the summed mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) of DSA ranged from 212 to 53,187. Correlational analyses identified a significant association between the summed MFI of class I DSA, and the median channel fluorescence (MCF) of T cells treated with the recipient serum (Spearman rank correlation, rs=0.34, P=0.05) but not with the MCF of B cells (rs=0.23, P=0.24). We identified that differential binding of anti-HLA antibodies to T cells and B cells and the B cell channel shift threshold used to classify a B cell FCXM are potential contributors to a T+B- FCXM result. Conclusions Our analysis of 3073 FCXM, in addition to demonstrating that HLA antibodies directed at HLA-A, B or Cw locus are associated with a T+B- result, identified mechanisms for the surprising T+B- FCXM result.
Detecting MPI Zero Buffer Incompatibility by SMT Encoding

A prevalent asynchronous message passing standard is the Message Passing Interface (MPI). There are two runtime semantics for MPI: zero buffer (messages have no buffering) and infinite buffer (messages are copied into a runtime buffer on the API call). A problem in any MPI program, intended or otherwise, is zero buffer incompatibility. A zero buffer incompatible MPI program deadlocks. This problem is difficult to predict because a developer does not know if the deadlock is based on the buffering semantics or a bad program. This paper presents an algorithm that encodes a single-path MPI program as a Satisfiability Modulo Theories (SMT) problem, which if satisfiable, yields a feasible schedule, such that it proves the program is zero buffer compatible. This encoding is also adaptable to checking assertion violation for correct computation. To support MPI semantics, this algorithm correctly defines the point-to-point communication and collective communication with respective rules for both infinite buffer semantics and zero buffer semantics. The novelty in this paper is considering only the schedules that strictly alternate sends and receives leading to an intuitive zero buffer encoding. This paper proves that the set of all the strictly alternating schedules is capable of covering all the message communication that may occur in any execution under zero buffer semantics. Experiments demonstrate that the SMT encoding is correct and highly efficient for a set of benchmarks compared with two state-of-art MPI verifiers.
God in Postliberal Perspective: Between Realism and Non-Realism

(2010). God in Postliberal Perspective: Between Realism and Non-Realism. Ars Disputandi: Vol. 10, No. 1, pp. 154-157.
Transition of respiratory technology dependent patients from pediatric to adult pulmonology care

SummaryObjective Recent advances in medicine have allowed children with chronic life-threatening disorders to survive longer than ever before with the use of complex medical device technology (e.g., mechanical ventilation, dialysis, etc.). The care of children with chronic pulmonary disorders and respiratory-technology dependence is often complex, involving a high level of ongoing interaction between caregivers and the health care team. Unmanaged, non-standardized transition of respiratory technology dependent (RTD) patients to adult care potentially increases the risk of adverse outcomes. Pediatric Pulmonary programs at US children's hospitals were surveyed to ascertain whether a standardized process is utilized for transitioning RTD patients from pediatric to adult subspecialty pulmonology care. Methodology Pediatric pulmonology programs with Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education certification were invited to participate in an electronic survey inquiring about practices and processes used to transition RTD patients from pediatric to adult pulmonology. Results The majority of respondents, 78.1% (25/32), reported that they do not utilize a standard protocol for transition while 41.4% (12/29) have no process in place. No program surveyed uses a designated transition leader. Referral to an adult pulmonologist within the same health system occurs more frequently than referral to private practice. Forty-three percent are not satisfied with involvement from the adult pulmonology care team. Coordination of care with other specialty services such as adult otolaryngology is provided by 31% of respondents. Of respondents, 13.8% assessed “readiness to transition” to adult pulmonary for RTD patients. Pediatric pulmonary providers are not satisfied with their current practices or involvement from the adult team, and only 24% track the transition process until the first visit with the adult pulmonologist. Conclusion The survey results highlight a lack of standardized transition programs at US children's hospitals for the transfer of RTD patients from a pediatric to an adult care setting. Improvement in the standardized management of transitions of complex RTD patients from pediatric to adult care may decrease the risk for adverse health outcomes and the stresses associated with changing the health care setting. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2015; 50:1294–1300. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Suppressor cell influence in selected strains of inbred rats: III. Evidence for nonspecific suppression by a lymphocyte-macrophage cooperation

Abstract Lewis (LE) and Brown-Norway (BN) rats treated in vivo with rabbit anti rat thymocyte serum demonstrate a reversal in relative responsiveness when assayed to mitogens and antigens via lymphocyte transformation, i.e., the BN rat now responds to a greater magnitude than the LE rats. Spleen cells, from both strains, that have been eluted from glass wool columns, demonstrate elevated responses to mitogens and antigens when compared to unfractionated spleen cells. The responses by these unfractionated and nonadherent populations can 1) be further enhanced subsequent to the treatment with anti-thymocyte serum and 2) suppressed after addition of macrophages from either strain, but especially by BN derived macrophages. The adherent cells from LE spleens respond to the above treatments in a similar fashion as the other populations. The responsiveness of adherent BN cells is only partially restored following treatment with anti-thymocyte serum, and is not further suppressed upon the addition of macrophages. These data are indicative of a lymphocyte-macrophage cooperation in this mechanism of suppression.