cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quantifying the Association between Campylobacter Infection and Guillain-Barré Syndrome: A Systematic Review

Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) is a neurologic disease that causes ascending paralysis and is triggered by a preceding bacterial or viral infection. Several studies have shown that patients with GBS have a recent history of infection due to Campylobacter jejuni. A literature review of published studies that reported rates of Campylobacter infection before or in conjunction with GBS was done. These reported data were used for calculating the proportion of GBS cases who tested positive for Campylobacter compared to the control population and the incidence of GBS among patients infected with Campylobacter. Results of the analysis suggest that 31% of 2,502 GBS cases included in these papers are attributable to Campylobacter infection.
A randomized trial of a self-regulation intervention for women with asthma.

Background: Women with asthma have greater mortality and morbidity than men in the United States. To date, there has been no rigorous evaluation of an intervention focused on the particular problems in asthma management faced by women. This study was a randomized clinical trial of a self-regulation, telephone counseling intervention emphasizing women's concerns, and sex and gender role factors in their management of asthma. Methods: A total of 808 women with diagnosed asthma were randomly assigned to the intervention group or a usual-care control group, including conventional asthma education. Interviews and medical record data were collected to assess psychosocial factors, and the behavioral factors of functioning, quality of life, symptoms, and health-care use at baseline and the subsequent 1 year. Generalized estimating equations, identity link, logit link, and log link were employed to analyze the data. Results: Compared to control subjects, the women receiving treatment had greater annual reductions in the average number of nights with asthma symptoms (p = 0.04), days of missed work/school (p = 0.03), emergency department visits (p = 0.04), unscheduled office visits (p = 0.01), and scheduled office visits (p = 0.04). They had greater recognition of asthma symptoms during the menstrual cycle (p = 0.0003), had decreased asthma symptoms with sexual activity (p = 0.008), and had greater improvement in quality of life (p = 0.0005), self-regulation (p = 0.03), and self-confidence to manage asthma (p = 0.001). Conclusion: The intervention improved women's clinical status, functioning, quality of life, and health-care use. A program with a focus on asthma management problems particular to women can significantly assist female asthma patients.
A framework for an integrative freight market simulation

This paper discusses a framework for comprehensive modeling of freight movements that presents opportunities for the development of models able to: (a) jointly consider the flow of both commodities and commercial vehicles; (b) consider commercial vehicles trip chaining, or alternatively trip length distributions (TLD); (c) use logistic information in freight demand modeling; (d) estimate freight origin destination matrices, on the basis of secondary information, such as traffic data from intelligent transportation systems (ITS); (e) enable the study of the impact of real-time traffic control upon commercial vehicle traffic. The concept discussed here entails a bi-level approach in which the top level correspond to the estimation of the provision of service consistent with a Cournot equilibrium, while the bottom level focuses on the construction of tours that satisfy the Cournot solution and the remaining system constraints, in a context of a large scale simulation optimization problem.
Solid-state NMR study of MCM-41-type mesoporous silica nanoparticles.

A systematic study of the surface of MCM-41-type mesoporous silica nanoparticles prepared under low surfactant concentration was carried out using high-resolution solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The structures and concentrations of various species present during dehydration and rehydration of mesoporous silicas between −25 and 500 °C were detailed by employing one-dimensional and two-dimensional 1H, 13C, and 29Si NMR, including 1H signal intensity measurements, 1H−1H homonuclear correlation experiments (double quantum, exchange, and RFDR), and 1H−29Si heteronuclear correlation NMR. These experiments employed high MAS rates of up to 45 kHz. The study shows that the surfactant (CTAB) was almost completely removed by acid extraction. The residual molecules assumed prone positions along the pores, with the tailgroup being most mobile. The weakly adsorbed water was hydrogen bonded to the silanol groups, all of which were involved in such bonds under ambient humidity. Specific structures in...
Hybrid analog-digital MEMS fiber-optic variable attenuator

To the best of our knowledge, this letter demonstrates the first hybrid analog-digital design fiber-optic variable optical attenuator (VOA) that can simultaneously provide high dynamic range as well as super resolution attenuation controls. The demonstrated VOA shows an 81-dB controlled dynamic range, a <0.1-dB resolution, a 2.25-dB optical loss, a <0.05-dB polarization-dependant loss, and C-band operations. The VOA is suited for optical test and instrument applications.
Food Security Strategies Under Extremely Adverse Conditions: The Determinants of Household Income and Consumption in Rural Mozambique

Abstract This paper uses household survey data from war-torn northern Mozambique to examine the factors associated with higher incomes and improved rural household food security. Incomes and calorie consumption were found to be low and variable in each district, and both are highly correlated with land holdings. The central role of land holdings is largely a result of serious market failure. Food market participation rates and the proportion of net buyers are lower than in other sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) research. Purchased food as a percentage of total caloric intake and off-farm income as a percentage of total income are both very low by SSA standards. In short, surveyed smallholders have adopted a strategy of marked reliance on farm-based own production to ensure their survival. It is suggested that land holdings will continue to be key determinants of household income and consumption for the foreseeable future. Broad-based rural development efforts, possibly organized around existing cotton-growing enterprises, may offer one way out of the poverty trap for smallholders.
OX40 ligand expression abrogates the immunosuppressive function of retinal pigment epithelium

This study aims to investigate the role of OX40 ligand (OX40L) in ocular inflammation via abrogation of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE)-mediated immunosuppression using an in vitro expression approach. OX40L cDNA was polymerase chain reaction-amplified and cloned into an eYFP fusion vector. Cultured retinal pigment epithelial cells (ARPE-19) were transfected with the vector. Total RNA from unstimulated or inflammatory cytokine-stimulated ARPE cells were isolated and analyzed for OX40L expression by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated from healthy human donors. Human ARPE cells (±OX40L ± GITR ligand (GITRL) expression) and PBMCs were co-cultured for in vitro proliferation studies. Polymerase chain reaction confirmed the insertion of the OX40L gene into the fusion vector. Flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy further confirmed surface expression of OX40L on ARPE cells after transfection. OX40L expression was induced in the RPE cells stimulated with pro-inflammatory cytokines. In the co-culture studies, there was a significant reversal (20% to 30%) of the RPE-induced suppression of activated PBMCs when the ARPE cells were transfected with OX40L. When both OX40L and GITRL were concomitantly transfected into ARPE cells, there was an additive reversal of RPE-mediated T cell suppression, when compared to the reversal caused by RPE cells expressing either OX40L alone or GITRL alone. Using an in vitro approach, we found that OX40L causes an abrogation of the RPE-mediated immunosuppression. OX40L appears to be regulated in the ARPE-19 cell line and may play an important role in the pathogenesis of various ocular inflammatory conditions.
Increased Risk for Vitamin D Deficiency in Obese Children with Both Celiac Disease and Type 1 Diabetes

Background. It is unknown whether the coexistence of type 1 diabetes (T1D) and celiac disease (CD) increases the risk for vitamin D deficiency. Aims. To determine the vitamin D status and the risk for vitamin D deficiency in prepubertal children with both T1D and CD compared to controls, TID, and CD. Subjects and Methods. Characteristics of 62 prepubertal children of age 2–13 y with either CD
The Endless Fields of Pierre Bourdieu

Laying out the logic of Bourdieu’s approach to institutional fields, this essay argues that Bourdieu’s theorization of the logic of practice is a generic contest for domination in a plurality of ho...
Advance Care Planning in the Delivery of Adult Protective Services

In ensuring the safety and protection of older adults from abuse and exploitation, adult protective services (APS) workers face a variety of situations involving serious illness and end-of-life conditions. Many older adults encountered in APS will present with one or more chronic conditions that may warrant discussion of advance care planning with clients and their families. This study surveyed APS workers (n = 508) in 21 states regarding encounters with end-of-life situations and the practice of future care planning. Results revealed that three-fourths of APS workers encounter clients with serious illnesses and about two-thirds do discuss planning in advance for care. More than one-half of the respondents indicated client incapacity and refusal to address future care needs as barriers to discussing planning in advance for care. Recommendations to enhance advance care planning among APS workers are discussed.
Attenuation of cAMP accumulation in adult rat cardiac fibroblasts by IL-1β and NO: role of cGMP-stimulated PDE2

Treatment of cultured adult rat cardiac fibroblasts with interleukin-1β (IL-1β) induces the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression, increases nitric oxide (NO) and cGMP production, and a...
Guidelines for using antiretroviral agents among HIV-infected adults and adolescents: The Panel on Clinical Practices for Treatment of HIV

Summary The availability of an increasing number of antiretroviral agents and the rapid evolution of new information have introduced substantial complexity into treatment regimens for persons infec...
A positive role for thymus-derived steroids in formation of the T-cell repertoire.

: T cells undergo rigorous selection processes in the thymus that are necessary to prevent T cells with either autoreactive or nonfunctional T-cell receptors (TCRs) from entering the periphery. Although both positive and negative selection depend on TCR-mediated signals, the means by which a thymocyte interprets these signals to result in survival or death is not understood. Glucocorticoids are known to induce thymocyte apoptosis at high concentrations, but at lower concentrations glucocorticoids can antagonize TCR-mediated deletional signals and allow survival of thymocytes and T cell hybridomas. Interestingly, transgenic mice in which the expression of the glucocorticoid receptor has been downmodulated specifically in thymocytes have abnormal thymocyte differentiation, indicating that glucocorticoids play a significant role in T-cell development. Furthermore, we have demonstrated the presence of steroidogenic enzymes in the thymic epithelium and can show that, in vitro, these cells readily synthesize pregnenolone, the first product in the steroidogenic pathway, and deoxycorticosterone. Inhibition of local glucocorticoid biosynthesis in thymi from TCR transgenic mice during fetal thymic organ culture (FTOC) revealed significant alterations in the process of thymocyte selection. These data suggest that glucocorticoids do not simply suppress the immune system but rather are necessary for thymocyte survival and differentiation.
Influence of Stabilizers on the Physicochemical Characteristics of Inhaled Insulin Powders Produced by Supercritical Antisolvent Process

To examine the effect of stabilizers on aerosol physicochemical characteristics of inhaled insulin particles produced using a supercritical fluid technology. Insulin with stabilizers such as mannitol and trehalose was micronized by aerosol solvent extraction system (ASES). The supercritically-micronized insulin particles were characterized for size, shape, aerosol behavior, crystallinity and secondary structure. Experimental results indicated that when insulin was incorporated with the most commonly used stabilizer mannitol (insulin/mannitol: 15/85 wt.%, designated IM), the particles formed were irregular and needle-shaped and had a tendency to agglomerate. With the incorporation of a second stabilizer trehalose (insulin/mannitol/trehalose: 15/70/15 wt.%, designated IMT), the particles were relatively uniform, more spherical, less cohesive, and less agglomerated in an air flow, when compared to IM particles. The mass median aerodynamic diameter of the IMT particles was 2.32 μm which is suitable for use in inhalation therapy. In vitro deposition test using micro-orifice uniform deposit impactor showed 69 ± 7 wt.% of the IMT particles was deposited in stage 3, 4, 5 and 6 while 41 ± 15 wt.% of the IM particles was deposited in the same stages. In terms of insulin stability, secondary structures of insulin particles were not adversely affected by the ASES processing studied here. When properly formulated (as in IMT particles), ASES process can produce particles with appropriate size and size distribution suitable for pulmonary insulin delivery.
African American Men and Self-Efficacy in Preventing Prostate Cancer

African American men in the U.S. have a higher incidence of prostate cancer compared to white American men. When diagnosed with prostate cancer, African American men are noted to experience a much ...
Viscous flow features in scaled-up physical models of normal and pathological vocal phonation

Unilateral vocal fold paralysis results when the recurrent laryngeal nerve, which innervates the muscles of the vocal folds becomes damaged. The loss of muscle and tension control to the damaged vocal fold renders it ineffectual. The mucosal wave disappears during phonation, and the vocal fold becomes largely immobile. The influence of unilateral vocal fold paralysis on the viscous flow development, which impacts speech quality within the glottis during phonation was investigated. Driven, scaled-up vocal fold models were employed to replicate both normal and pathological patterns of vocal fold motion. Spatial and temporal velocity fields were captured using particle image velocimetry, and laser Doppler velocimetry. Flow parameters were scaled to match the physiological values associated with human speech. Loss of motion in one vocal fold resulted in a suppression of typical glottal flow fields, including decreased spatial variability in the location of the flow separation point throughout the phonatory cycle, as well as a decrease in the vorticity magnitude.
Management of Malignant Pleural Effusion: Sclerosis or Chronic Tube Drainage

The optimal palliative management for patients with symptomatic malignant pleural effusion (MPE) is not well understood. This is largely because of the difficulty in studying heterogeneous, advanced diseases in individuals with little remaining quality life. Because the benefits of thoracentesis are short-lived, these patients often proceed to more durable forms of palliative therapy, primarily obliteration of the pleural space by irritant chemicals or intermittent external drainage by a chronic indwelling pleural catheter. The indwelling catheter method is gaining popularity because it has the advantage of not requiring inpatient hospitalization and avoids the pain and inflammatory complications caused by pleurodesis.1 Its downsides include fewer data regarding its effectiveness, longer time until pleurodesis occurs, possible increased nutritional loss that can occur with ongoing pleural fluid drainage, and increased risk of pleural infection from prolonged pleural drainage. Furthermore, patients may be displeased by the inconvenience caused to them or their caregivers by taking responsibility for drainage as well as any discomfort or impaired body image caused by an indwelling device.
Organic versus Conventionally Grown Produce: Quality Differences, and Guidelines for Comparison Studies

Organic and conventional fruits and vegetables contain compounds with important human health promoting effects. Whether fruits and vegetables grown via organic versus conventional production systems are superior in taste and nutrition, at present, is difficult to say with complete certainty. To ascertain possible quality differences and develop a definitive data base, direct comparative studies of organic vs. conventional produce requires following rigorous guidelines which includes 1) appropriate study approaches (retail market vs. farm vs. research center studies), and 2) standardized preharvest production site, harvest procedural, postharvest handling, and analytical methodology constraints.
Abstract 19601: Differential Patient Perceptions of Limitations to Quality of Life in a Large Ambulatory Heart Failure Population

Introduction: Clinical assessment of quality of life (QOL) is being increasingly adopted in the ambulatory management of heart failure (HF). Little is known about the impact of other conditions on QOL in clinical practice. Methods: Patients routinely presenting to the HF clinic completed a self-administered 1-page questionnaire prior to the visit that assessed QOL, functional status, and degree to which their HF, as well as other conditions, affected their QOL. Visual analog scales (VAS) were used to assess a) overall QOL, b) ease of breathing, and c) energy > fatigue. Scores ranged from 0 to 100 (higher scores representing better health status). Patients were asked if their QOL was affected more, equally, or less by their HF compared to other medical conditions. Data was analyzed with Pearson’s correlation coefficients, ANOVA and Chi-square tests. Results: A total of 1069 patients completed baseline QOL (mean age 57±16 years, 56% left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF] ≥40%, 41% female). Mean QOL score...
Clostridium septicum aortitis and colon carcinoma

Abstract Background Clostridium septicum ( C. septicum ) aortitis is a rare but highly fatal infection that has a strong association with occult malignancy. Aneurysmal transformation of C. septicum aortitis is common and has been reported to occur in as little as 1 to 3 weeks. We report a case of C. septicum Aortitis with concomitant adenocarcinoma of the ascending colon detected via CT scan. Imaging findings of colonic malignancy with aortitis are highly suggestive of infection with C. septicum . Given the high associated mortality and rapid progression, early recognition on imaging could have life saving implications. Additionally, imaging findings of aortitis in conjunction with C. septicum bacteremia should prompt the careful evaluation for malignancy, most notably colonic or hematologic.
Geographic Variations of Colorectal and Breast Cancer Late-Stage Diagnosis and the Effects of Neighborhood-Level Factors

Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine the geographic variations of late-stage diagnosis in colorectal cancer (CRC) and breast cancer as well as to investigate the effects of 3 neighborhood-level factors—socioeconomic deprivation, urban/rural residence, and spatial accessibility to health care—on the late-stage risks. Methods This study used population-based South Dakota cancer registry data from 2001 to 2012. A total of 4,878 CRC cases and 6,418 breast cancer cases were included in the analyses. Two-level logistic regression models were used to analyze the risk of late-stage CRC and breast cancer. Findings For CRC, there was a small geographic variation across census tracts in late-stage diagnosis, and residing in isolated small rural areas was significantly associated with late-stage risk. However, this association became nonsignificant after adjusting for census-tract level socioeconomic deprivation. Socioeconomic deprivation was an independent predictor of CRC late-stage risk, and it explained the elevated risk among American Indians. No relationship was found between spatial accessibility and CRC late-stage risk. For breast cancer, no geographic variation in the late-stage diagnosis was observed across census tracts, and none of the 3 neighborhood-level factors was significantly associated with late-stage risk. Conclusions Results suggested that socioeconomic deprivation, rather than spatial accessibility, contributed to CRC late-stage risks in South Dakota as a rural state. CRC intervention programs could be developed to target isolated small rural areas, socioeconomically disadvantaged areas, as well as American Indians residing in these areas.
Accelerated growth without prepubertal obesity in nutritionally programmed microswine offspring.

Poor fetal growth and associated prepubertal growth acceleration are linked to increased risk of cardiometabolic dysfunction in later life, but whether obesity is integral to ‘catch-up’ growth and its ensuing risks are unknown. In microswine offspring exposed to perinatal maternal protein restriction (MPR), we measured body and organ sizes (during MPR); linear growth and weight gain (birth to 5 months of age); feed intake and utilization efficiency (5–14 weeks); and body composition at 6 and 11 weeks of age (by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, DEXA). During MPR, low protein offspring (LPO) showed asymmetric growth restriction with reduced body weight (Wt):length (Lth) at birth and elevated heart Wt:liver Wt ratio by 2 weeks of age. In LPO, after slow early postnatal growth (0–5 weeks), subsequent linear growth on ad libitum normal feed was absolutely accelerated (cm/week; P < 0.001) over 6–11 weeks but normal thereafter, whereas absolute weight gain (kg/week) was similar to controls but accelerated relative to lower LPO nadir weights. Concurrently, rates of fat and lean tissue accrual in LPO over 6–11 weeks were similar to normal protein offspring in absolute terms (g/5 weeks) but increased relative to lower mass at 6 weeks, yielding normal lean:Lth but reduced fat:Lth ratios at 11 weeks. LPO had higher relative feed intake (g/kg/meal) in both sexes and higher feed efficiency in females over 5–11 weeks of age. Findings suggest that postnatal linear growth acceleration preserved thinness in juvenile LPO. Given separately reported abnormalities of vascular (Bagby et al., 2011) and adipocyte function in juvenile LPO, (DuPriest et al., 2011) findings demonstrate that perinatal MPR programs catch-up growth and cardiovascular abnormalities independently of obesity.
Reply to Gove and Swafford

Gove and Swafford claim that neither the data reported in our paper nor the more general literature supports the view that women have a greater likelihood of seeking psychiatric help than men when self-defined degree of impairment is controlled. Although they have done us a service by uncovering errors in our original analysis, this main contention is incorrect. I will document this assertion first by discussing our data and then by discussing the more general literature.
Management of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC)

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common malignancy worldwide and the third leading cause of cancer-related death. Historically, HCC has been a problem mostly faced by patients from Asian countries due to the high prevalence of hepatitis B (HBV). Increasing global rates of HBV, hepatitis C, and obesity-related non-alcoholic steatohepatitis has caused a global increased incidence in HCC. Potentially curative therapies for HCC include liver resection, liver transplant, and radiofrequency ablation. More advanced HCC may be palliated with transarterial chemoembolization, transcatheter radioembolization, and sorafenib. Appropriate surveillance for those at risk and accurate clinical staging allows for earlier diagnosis and improved chance for cure. Hepatic resection remains the preferred primary therapy for HCC in the setting of relatively preserved liver function, while liver transplantation is the preferred curative therapy in the setting of small tumor burden with underlying liver disease. The application of locoregional therapies can also cure small lesions and maximize the utility of the limited donor pool by temporizing HCC and reserving livers for those who succumb to their underlying chronic liver disease.
Toward a Predictive Understanding of Earth’s Microbiomes to Address 21st Century Challenges

Microorganisms have shaped our planet and its inhabitants for over 3.5 billion years. Humankind has had a profound influence on the biosphere, manifested as global climate and land use changes, and extensive urbanization in response to a growing population. The challenges we face to supply food, energy, and clean water while maintaining and improving the health of our population and ecosystems are significant. Given the extensive influence of microorganisms across our biosphere, we propose that a coordinated, cross-disciplinary effort is required to understand, predict, and harness microbiome function. From the parallelization of gene function testing to precision manipulation of genes, communities, and model ecosystems and development of novel analytical and simulation approaches, we outline strategies to move microbiome research into an era of causality. These efforts will improve prediction of ecosystem response and enable the development of new, responsible, microbiome-based solutions to significant challenges of our time.
Short-Chain Alcohols

Widespread utilization of short-chain alcohols in solvents and alcoholic beverages provides small animals with numerous opportunities for exposure. Toxicosis most commonly occurs following ingestion but may also arise from inhalation and/or dermal absorption. The actions of short-chain alcohols are believed to result from nonspecific interactions with biomembranes altering the function of membrane-bound proteins, including the GABAA receptor. Mortality in alcohol toxicosis typically occurs because of respiratory and cardiac arrest as a result of profound CNS depression; therefore, general measures for resuscitation prevail in the initial treatment of severe alcohol toxicosis. Metabolism of alcohols alters the redox state in the liver, leading to hypoglycemia and lactic acidosis in some cases. In primates, treatment for methanol toxicosis is aimed at reducing accumulation of formate, thereby diminishing the metabolic acidosis and ocular damage characteristic in these species.
Bone Disease Following Kidney–Pancreas and Pancreas Transplantation

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses various bone diseases in patients undergoing kidney–pancreas and pancreas transplantation. Bone and mineral disorders are common in patients with diabetes and a universal complication in those with chronic kidney disease prior to transplantation. Pre-transplantation bone disease and post-transplantation immunosuppressive regimens interact to produce a variety of bone and mineral disorders, which result in rapid bone loss and increased fracture rates. Several different pathogenetic mechanisms may be involved and may ultimately lead to one or more types of bone disease, including osteitis fibrosa cystica as a result of secondary hyperparathyroidism, some form of low-turnover bone disease, osteoporosis, and osteosclerosis. Low-turnover bone disease is, especially prevalent in diabetic patients. Hypogonadism, metabolic acidosis, and certain medications may also affect bone health. The disorders of mineral metabolism and the associated bone disease lead to the development of fractures following transplantation. Management of these patients should combine assessment and treatment of pre-transplantation bone disease with preventive therapy in the immediate post-transplantation period. Bone mass measurement and therapy of bone loss should be addressed in the long-term organ transplant recipient. There are no pre-transplantation variables that reliably predict post-transplantation bone loss and fracture risk in the individual patient. Therefore, all transplant recipients should be considered at risk. Therapeutic trials have shown promise to decrease bone loss, but no trial has demonstrated an effect on preventing fractures.
Homogenization method for the two-dimensional low-order quasi-diffusion equations for reactor core calculations

AbstractIn this paper, we develop a homogenization methodology for the two-dimensional low-order quasi-diffusion equations for full-core reactor calculations that is based on a family of spatially consistent coarse-mesh discretization methods. The coarse-mesh solution generated by these methods preserves a number of spatial moments of the fine-mesh transport solution over each assembly. The proposed method reproduces accurately the complicated large-scale behavior of the transport solution within assemblies. To demonstrate the performance of the developed methodology, we present the numerical results of several test problems that simulate mixed-oxide-uranium and assembly-reflector interfacial effects.
Phase transition oxide neuron for spiking neural networks

Spiking neural networks are expected to play a vital role in realizing ultra-low power hardware for computer vision applications [1]. While the algorithmic efficiency is promising, their solid-state implementation with traditional CMOS transistors lead to area expensive solutions. Transistors are typically designed and optimized to perform as switches and do not naturally exhibit the dynamical properties of neurons. In this work, we harness the abrupt insulator-to-metal transition (IMT) in a prototypical IMT material, vanadium dioxide (VO 2 ) [2], to experimentally demonstrate a compact integrate and fire spiking neuron [3]. Further, we show multiple spiking dynamics of the neuron relevant to implementing ‘winner take all’ max pooling layers employed in image processing pipelines.
Micro- and nano-fillers used in the rubber industry

Abstract In the rubber industry, multiscale fillers have been extensively used for improving mechanical, thermal, electrical performance, extending the desirable properties, and reducing the cost. The fillers used in rubber can be categorized as carbon fillers, inorganic fillers, and biofillers. Besides the traditionally used microscale particles, nanoscale fillers have been gaining more and more attentions, in both academia and industry. This chapter starts from the polymer rubber matrices, following an overview on micro- and nanofillers. The particle characteristic features and their impact on rubber properties are also discussed from the perspective of industrial progress as well as academia research focus.
Clinical Significance of Circulating Ki-67 Protein and Caspase-3 Activity Levels in Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

Abstract Abstract 3104 Poster Board III-41 Ki-67 and caspase-3 are widely accepted as proliferation and apoptosis markers in human tumors. We recently reported that Ki-67 can be detected as a circulating protein (cKi-67) in the plasma of patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and that higher levels in plasma correlated with more aggressive disease. Here we investigated the levels of cKI-67 in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Since both apoptosis and proliferation are interconnected in defining the biology of a cancer, we also evaluated the level of apoptosis in AML as determined by caspase-3 activity in plasma. The study included a group of 106 newly diagnosed AML patients and 98 normal control subjects. We used the Meso Scale Discovery system for determining the levels of cKi-67. Apoptosis was determined by measuring caspase-3 activity (DEVD) in the plasma using a standard enzymatic fluorogenic assay. Median (range) levels of cKi-67 were significantly higher in patients with AML than in control subjects (1301 [0-6789] ng/mL vs 339 [35.76-2830.65] ng/mL; P 70 years of age (n=84; P=0.02) and those with unfavorable cytogenetics (n=38; P=0.006). On the other hand, high levels of caspase-3 activity (above upper quartile of 14 pmol/min) were associated with shorter survival (P=0.02) irrespective of age or cytogenetic grouping. In conclusion, proliferation and apoptosis as determined by plasma cKi-67 level and caspase-3 activity are unusual in AML. In that, higher proliferation and lower apoptosis are associated with better survival, most likely reflecting that cells progressing through the cell cycle may respond better to chemotherapy. These measurements should be considered in new therapeutic approaches that target cell cycle. Download : Download high-res image (81KB) Download : Download full-size image Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Suicide Risk Assessment by Residents: Deficiencies of Documentation.

The authors sought to assess the documentation of suicide risk assessments performed by psychiatry residents in a psychiatric emergency service (PES) and to identify differences in documentation between previously used paper charts and a new electronic medical record (EMR) system based on the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS)—risk assessment version. This study is a retrospective chart review of psychiatric evaluations performed by psychiatry residents during a 1-year period in the PES of a large, urban, academic medical center. The sample was selected by a systematic random sampling technique from a total of 3931 evaluations performed on adult patients during the study period. The suicide risk assessments were evaluated using data regarding demographics, process indicators identified from the C-SSRS, and diagnoses. A total of 300 charts were reviewed. Only 91% of the evaluations contained documentation of suicidal ideations (either admitted or denied); 5 other variables were documented in more than 50% of the evaluations: treatment status (95.3%), presence/absence of previous suicide attempts (84.6%), recent event-denies (56%), history of recent negative events (55%), and suicidal behavior-denies (53%). Additionally, 2 risk factors and 3 protective factors were documented in over 25% of the evaluations. Documentation was deficient in multiple areas, with even the presence/absence of suicidal ideations not being documented in all evaluations. Use of an EMR with built-in “clickable” options selectively improved documentation especially regarding risk and protective factors adapted from the C-SSRS. Emphasis on documentation of assessments is paramount while training residents in suicide risk assessment.
Effects of Citrus tristeza closterovirus infection on phloem sap and released volatile organic compounds in Citrus macrophylla

Abstract Severe Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) infection can induce change in patterns of growth and cellular differentiation in citrus spp. On the other hand, mild CTV strains do not produce any visible symptom in some citrus species. However, it is not clear whether this asymptomatic infection affects the primary and secondary metabolites of citrus plants. In this study, we investigated the effects of CTV-36 (mild stain) on the phloem sap and released volatiles of Citrus macrophylla . The phloem sap was collected by centrifugation and dried under a nitrogen stream. The dried phloem sap was then derivatized with methoxamine hydrochloride in pyridine (MOX) followed by N -methyl- N -trimethylsilyl-trifluoroacetamide (MSTFA), and was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Volatiles released from intact young leaves were collected using a solid phase micro extraction (SPME) fiber and were analyzed using GC-MS. Although no visible symptoms were observed on the infected plants, many changes in the phloem sap and released volatile composition were observed. The levels of many amino acids ( l -valine, l -threonine, l -lysine, l -asparagine, and γ-aminobutyric acid) and organic acids (oxalic, malic, and citric acid) were higher in CTV-infected plants. Sugar acids were increased, while glucose and sugar alcohols were decreased as a result of CTV infection. Similarly, CTV infection increased some volatiles and decreased others. Interestingly, most of the aldehyde volatiles were affected in CTV-infected plants; decanal and menthadienal were increased, whereas citronellal and isogeranial were decreased. Understanding the interactions between CTV and citrus is of particular interest for the development of this virus as a vector to express antimicrobial peptides or for virus-induced gene silencing.
The Dysphagia Plan of Care: Returning to Our Roots

In this brief article, some pitfalls and recommendations for writing functional plans of care specific to identifiable physiologic and behavioral deficits associated with oropharyngeal dysphagia wi...
Talking About the Weather in Chiapas, Mexico: Rural Women's Approaches to Climate Change Adaptation

Climate change is a global phenomenon with effects that reverberate throughout the world at individual, local, and national scales. Individuals, communities, organizations, states, nations, and regions often have different capacities and strategies to adapt to changing environmental realities, and those nuanced experiences can contribute to a global conversation about climate change. Through semi-structured interviews with women in 2 local development organizations, La Red de Productores y Cosumidores Responsables Comida Sana y Cercana and Mujeres y Maiz, in San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico, this paper analyzes local development programs and their contribution to climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies for members. I argue that the missions, visions, and practices of each organization are rooted in experience and knowledge of the past and present and alternative visions for the future. Specifically, the paper situates pathways to development created by local organizations into their socioeconomic context, discussing niche markets created by EZLN solidarity tourism, the implementation of NAFTA, and the cultural significance of both maize and the milpa.
Building Energy Modeling Using Artificial Neural Networks

Accurate modeling of total building energy is now vital to reduce energy consumption. This is especially true for buildings since they are considered as the largest energy consumer in the United States. This paper investigates modeling methods for building energy-systems using non-linear auto-regression artificial neural networks. The proposed model can forecast the whole building energy consumptions given the four input variables: Dry-bulb and wet-bulb outdoor air temperatures, hours of day and type of days. In addition, the paper presents optimization process that uses genetic algorithm to determine the best model structure by minimizing the model errors. Statistical indexes such as the root mean-square error RMSE and the coefficient of variance CV of RMSE are used to measure the model accuracy. The data was collected from existing buildings and from simulations. The collected data was used to test and train the proposed models as well as in the optimization process. Various neural network structures were tested using different inputs and feedback delays. The results show that the proposed model can accurately predict the energy consumptions. The CV values were within a range of 1.7 and 7.7%. It also proves that the model can be used for saving estimation applications and different energy efficiency.
Activation of Mouse Tcrb: Uncoupling RUNX1 Function from Its Cooperative Binding with ETS1.

T lineage commitment requires the coordination of key transcription factors (TFs) in multipotent progenitors that transition them away from other lineages and cement T cell identity. Two important TFs for the multipotent progenitors to T lineage transition are RUNX1 and ETS1, which bind cooperatively to composite sites throughout the genome, especially in regulatory elements for genes involved in T lymphopoiesis. Activation of the TCR β ( Tcrb ) locus in committed thymocytes is a critical process for continued development of these cells, and is mediated by an enhancer, Eβ, which harbors two RUNX-ETS composite sites. An outstanding issue in understanding T cell gene expression programs is whether RUNX1 and ETS1 have independent functions in enhancer activation that can be dissected from cooperative binding. We now show that RUNX1 is sufficient to activate the endogenous mouse Eβ element and its neighboring 25 kb region by independently tethering this TF without coincidental ETS1 binding. Moreover, RUNX1 is sufficient for long-range promoter-Eβ looping, nucleosome clearance, and robust transcription throughout the Tcrb recombination center, spanning both DβJβ clusters. We also find that a RUNX1 domain, termed the negative regulatory domain for DNA binding, can compensate for the loss of ETS1 binding at adjacent sites. Thus, we have defined independent roles for RUNX1 in the activation of a T cell developmental enhancer, as well as its ability to mediate specific changes in chromatin landscapes that accompany long-range induction of recombination center promoters.
Significant reduction in notification and seroprevalence rates of hepatitis B virus infection among the population of Zhejiang Province, China, aged between 1 and 29years from 2006 to 2014.

Abstract Background and objective The Chinese government integrated hepatitis B vaccination into the national immunization program in 1992, when the hepatitis B birth dose was introduced in China. Zhejiang province is a relatively developed area in eastern China and was an area with high endemicity for hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection via mother-to-child transmission. The hepatitis B vaccine vaccination rates for the birth dose and 3- dose schedule in Zhejiang Province since 1992 have both remained above 90% [1] . The results of two hepatitis B seroepidemiological surveys conducted in 2006 and 2014, respectively, to evaluate the rates of notification and seroprevalence of HBV infection among the population of Zhejiang Province, China, aged between 1 and 29 years. Methods Data on the notification rates of HBV infection in Zhejiang province from 2006 to 2014 were obtained from the National Notifiable Disease Reporting System (NNDRS). The prevalence rate of HBV serological markers and the rate of immunization coverage were compared between surveys. Results The reported notification rates in people aged between 1 and 29 years according to the NNDRS decreased approximately 4.88 times from 2006 to 2014. The prevalence of HBsAg decreased from 2.16% in 2006 to 1.05% in 2014, while the prevalence of anti-HBc decreased from 7.13% to 5.49%. The anti-HBc seroprevalence in the 15–29-year-old age group was significantly higher than that in all the other age groups both in the 2006 and 2014 serosurveys. The rate of anti-HBs seroprevalence in those aged between 1 and 14 years was maintained at a high level between 2006 and 2014. Conclusions The rate of hepatitis B reported and the rate of HBsAg positivity decreased significantly in Zhejiang province by maintaining the high-level coverage rate of the hepatitis B timely birth dose and three-dose schedule. While additional efforts are needed to achieve the goal of elimination.
Single stage conversion from adjustable gastric banding to sleeve gastrectomy or Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: an analysis of 4875 patients.

Abstract Background The previous popularity of adjustable gastric banding (AGB), along with inconsistent long-term results, has resulted in the need for conversion to other procedures. The perioperative safety of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (SG) and gastric bypass (RYGB) as single-stage conversion procedures is unclear. Objectives To compare the early safety of SG and RYGB when performed as single-stage conversion procedures at the time of AGB removal. Setting Nationwide analysis of accredited centers. Methods The Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation Quality and Improvement Program public use file for 2015 was queried for all patients who underwent single-stage conversion to SG or RYGB. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to control for baseline differences, and odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals are reported. Results There were 4865 patients who underwent a single-stage AGB conversion. SG was performed in 3364 (69.1%). The 30-day reoperation (1.6% versus 2.7%, P = .008), readmission (4% versus 5.7%, P = .006), reintervention (1.7% versus 2.7%, P = .024), and overall morbidity (2.9% versus 6.5%, P Conclusions AGB conversions are associated with low overall 30-day event rates. Patients undergoing RYGB as a single-stage conversion experience higher complication rates and the need for additional early procedures compared with SG.
IEEE Access Special Section Editorial: Innovations in Electrical and Computer Engineering Education

The past two decades have seen significant advances in learning-related technologies, with the attendant recognition (and expectation) of their impact on the higher education system. Many new teaching methods can now be employed and their efficacy and scalability studied. In parallel, the demand for Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) education continues to grow world-wide, as an increasing world population seeks educational opportunities. There is now a growing acknowledgement that technical education must be complemented with skills for professional success such as design, leadership, communication, understanding historical and contemporary social contexts, lifelong learning, creativity, entrepreneurship, and teamwork. It is also widely accepted that solving today’s major challenges requires a multidisciplinary approach. The time is ripe for large-scale experimentation and adoption of possibly revolutionary changes in ECE education.
Electroless Formation of Hybrid Lithium Anodes for Fast Interfacial Ion Transport

Rechargeable batteries based on metallic anodes are of interest for fundamental and application-focused studies of chemical and physical kinetics of liquids at solid interfaces. Approaches that allow facile creation of uniform coatings on these metals to prevent physical contact with liquid electrolytes, while enabling fast ion transport, are essential to address chemical instability of the anodes. Here, we report a simple electroless ion-exchange chemistry for creating coatings of indium on lithium. By means of joint density functional theory and interfacial characterization experiments, we show that In coatings stabilize Li by multiple processes, including exceptionally fast surface diffusion of lithium ions and high chemical resistance to liquid electrolytes. Indium coatings also undergo reversible alloying reactions with lithium ions, facilitating design of high-capacity hybrid In-Li anodes that use both alloying and plating approaches for charge storage. By means of direct visualization, we further show that the coatings enable remarkably compact and uniform electrodeposition. The resultant In-Li anodes are shown to exhibit minimal capacity fade in extended galvanostatic cycling when paired with commercial-grade cathodes.
Shock Tube and Laser Absorption Study of CH2O Oxidation via Simultaneous Measurements of OH and CO.

The oxidation of Ar-diluted stoichiometric CH2O–O2 mixtures was studied behind reflected shock waves over temperatures of 1332–1685 K, at pressures of about 1.5 atm and initial CH2O mole fractions of 500, 1500, and 5000 ppm. Quantitative and time-resolved concentration histories of OH and CO (at both v″ = 0 and v″ = 1) were measured by narrow-linewidth laser absorption at 306.7 and 4854 nm, respectively. A time delay was observed between the formation of v″ = 0 and v″ = 1 states of CO, suggesting that CO was kinetically generated primarily in the ground state and then collisionally relaxed toward vibrational equilibrium. The measured CO and OH time-histories were used to evaluate the performance of four detailed reaction mechanisms regarding the oxidation chemistry of CH2O. Further analyses of these time-history data have also led to improved determination for the rate constants of two key reactions, namely H + O2 = O + OH (R1) and OH + CO = CO2 + H (R2), as follows: k1 = 8.04 × 1013 exp(−7370 K/T) cm3 mo...