cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Communicating the Health Effects of Climate Change.

varying preexisting health risks; behavioral health risks; and access to local, state, and federal social services, Burgard said. In addition,more studies areneeded to explorehowrecessionsaffect small andmedium-sized groups, such as families and neighborhoods, noted Burgard. Holmes expectsBrenner’s studywill beacatalyst for more research on the link between health spending and disease mortality. “It was an interesting study. People can easily understand it. I predict it will be influential, and there will bemuchmore to study in the future looking at slightly different approaches on the main idea,” Holmes said. Such research, he explained, might address the types of health care spending, causes of mortality,andpopulations—suchaspeople in certain incomebrackets, age ranges,or racial orethnicgroups—thataremostresponsiveto the protective effects of health spending.
The role of rigid bronchoscope in the diagnosis and treatment of plastic bronchitis

Objective To explore the role of rigid bronchoscope in the diagnosis and treatment of plastic bronchitis. Methods Various clinical parameters, the key points of operation and postoperative recovery were analyzed in 8 patients with plastic bronchitis treated in Department and ICU using retrospective analysis. Results All cases demonstrated bronchial lumen stenosis, mucous membraneare coarse, congestion, edema in the affected side. 2 cases had follicular hyperplasia, 1 case had a few ooze after taking out the plastic type. All cases had endogenous foreign bodies, taking the shape of the bronchial tree or a funicular. Block shape and sites were as follows: right main bronchus 2 cases, superior lobe of right lung 1 case, right middle bronchial 1 case, left main bronchus 2 cases, 1 case with left lower lobe, right main bronchus and left lower lobe bronchus 1 case. The breath sounds of the affected side become more enhanced after operation, with the alliviation of dyspnea. All cases recovered after ICU treatment. The pathologic examination were all typeⅠ plastic bronchitis. Conclusions Removement of the endogenous foreign body via rigid bronchoscopy is the effective method in the treatment of plastic bronchitis. Plastic bronchitis is a rapid-developing critical, urgent disease.In order to reduce the mortality, early diagnosis and timely surgery are necessary. Key words: Bronchitis; Bronchoscopy; Child
A systematic review of psychometric properties of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ 4.0 generic core scales: in pediatric cancer patients and survivors

ABSTRACTBackground: The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ (PedsQL) Measurement Model was developed to assess generic and disease-specific health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in pediatric populations. To our knowledge, there are currently no systematic reviews of studies that have examined the psychometric properties of the PedsQL 4.0 Generic Core Scales in pediatric patients with cancer and survivors. We sought to answer the question, ‘What is the reliability, validity, feasibility, range of measurement, and responsiveness of the PedsQL 4.0 Generic Core Scales in pediatric cancer patients and survivors?’Method: Full-text articles published between 2001 and February 2016 were included in the review if they assessed reliability, validity, feasibility, range of measurement, and/or the responsiveness of the PedsQL 4.0 Generic Core Scales in a pediatric oncology sample or sample of survivors. Two independent reviewers conducted the search in the databases PsycINFO and PubMed which resulted in 16 studies ...
Influence Strategies in Marketing Channels: Measures and Use in Different Relationship Structures:

The authors develop new measures of influence strategies in marketing channels (i.e., the means by which a firm's personnel communicate with its partners to affect their behavior) in order to exami...
Current Status of Occupational Hazard of High Toxic Substances and Its Intervention Strategies

Objective To investigate the types of high toxic substances and the current status of occupational hazard in Changsha,and to provide the evidence for making preventive measures against the occupational diseases.Methods Occupational hygiene investigation,monitoring of occupational hazard factors in the workplace,and occupational health examination were applied in this study,and then a synthetical evaluation was conducted through the relevant information.ResultsThere were 32 kinds of high toxic substances in the workplace,including manganese,benzene,lead,mercury,nickel,cadmium,chromium,arsenic,compounds,phosphine,hydrogen sulfide,cyanide,formaldehyde,arsenic hydrogen,carbon monoxide and so on.The annual percent of heavy metal and metalloid in the monitoring sites was 77.3%,which met the "Occupational Exposure Limits for Hazard Factors in the Workplace" GBZ2.1-2007[1].The main items of occupational health examination were manganese,lead,benzene and so on,including 11 types.The annual average rate of health examination was 60.82%.The annual average rate of contraindication detection was 2.71%.The detection rate of occupational diseases was 0.034%.There were 43 cases of acute occupational poisoning occurred since 1986,of which 29(67.44%) cases resulted from benzene,carbon monoxide,hydrogen arsenide,hydrogen sulfide,chlorine,etc.Conclusions The occupational hazard of high toxic substances in Changsha should not to be neglected.Setting up the occupational hazard warning mechanism and enhancing occupational monitoring and occupational health examination are the focal point of prevention work.
Application of energy potential vorticity to diagnosis of thunder wind

The conservative physical quantities,dry energy potential vorticity(DEPV) and wet energy vorticity(WEPV),which combine the energy synoptic meteorology with dynamics of the atmosphere,are derived from the basic atmospheric motion equation and the concept of total atmospheric energy.It is found that the energy potential vorticity(EPV) expressed by the static temperature is easier in mathematical computation with clearer physical meaning.DEPV and WEPV are applied to diagnose a typical thunder wind case in Hubei in 2007.It shows that both DEPV and WEPV could forebode the thunder wind weather.The enhancing and descending of DEPV in the upper troposphere increase unstable energy in the middle and lower troposphere,which promotes the thunder wind.It indicates that the thunder wind will occur in the superposition between the high WEPV region in the lower troposphere and the baroclinic system.
Institutional participation and social transformation: considering the goals and tensions of university-initiated YPAR projects with K-12 youth

In today’s educational context, characterized by growing inequality and the rise of neoliberal ideology, universities are dealing with pressures to contribute to the global workforce and partner with private interests rather than educating citizens and serving the public good. This article presents youth participatory action research (YPAR) as a practice that can encourage reflection about the complex purposes of higher education and the politics of knowledge production in this moment. The authors explore how 26 university faculty members who engage in YPAR conceptualize the purposes of this practice and consider the role of the university in this work. Findings indicate that YPAR promotes both participation in existing educational structures and transformation of those structures in pursuit of social improvement and offers opportunities to push back against the hardening of neoliberal pressures on universities towards democratic and collaborative research.
INTRAVESICAL CHEMOTHERAPY: Treatment Selection, Techniques, and Results

SUMMARY A variety of chemotherapeutic agents are available for the patient with rapidly recurring superficial bladder cancer. Management should have two therapeutic goals—ablation of existing tumors and prevention of tumor recurrence. Stage, grade, and multicentricity are all important factors in the decision for therapeutic intervention. Intravesical instillation of chemotherapeutic agents can reduce the rate of recurrence of superficial tumors but has not yet been proved to lower the incidence of later muscle-invasive tumors. Different dosage schedules and methods require further study. Empiric dose schedules may not provide optimal therapeutic effects. The question of timing of instillation of agents after definitive resection needs clarification as well. Questions that remain can be answered only through appropriately designed studies encompassing large numbers of patients with treatments assigned in a randomized fashion.
Studies on the Mechanical Fragility of Erythrocytes

1. The mechanical fragilities of incubated and nonincubated erythrocytes of normal newborn infants, children and adults have been determined through the use of a simplified rotator. 2. The mean mechanical fragility of nonincubated erythrocytes was 7.1 per cent for newborns, 4.0 per cent for children and adults; the mean mechanical fragility of incubated erythrocytes was 13.4 per cent for newborns, 10.5 per cent for children and 10.8 per cent for adults. 3. The possible relationship of increased mechanical fragility of erythrocytes in the newborn to increased hemolysis in the neonatal period is suggested. 4. Possible causes of variation in the determination of mechanical fragility of incubated erythrocytes are discussed.
A Cache of Papago Miniature Pottery from Kitt Peak, South-Central Arizona

ABSTRACTThe Kitt Peak cache is composed of a number of miniature pottery vessels, found in a rock crevice near the summit of Kitt Peak in southern Arizona. Such caches are widespread phenomena in the southwestern United States. Practically anything may be included in them, from projectile points to village fetishes. The cache may have been a personal offering to Ee-e-toy (Nature personified). Such gifts were given by the individual in order to replace objects taken from the natural environment. This idea of reciprocation is widespread among the Papago. The cache was probably deposited during the period A.D. 1725 to 1860.
Nanoscale electropolishing of high-purity silver with a deep eutectic solvent

Abstract Samples of high-purity (>99.9% composition) silver metal were used in electropolishing treatments with an acid-free ionic liquid deep eutectic solvent prepared from quaternary ammonium salts as an eco-friendly electrochemical polishing solution. Linear sweep voltammetry tests were utilized to determine the optimum conditions for electrochemical polishing, which exposed that relatively stable electropolishing for pure silver metals can achieved at 3.75 V with a current density of 0.064 A/cm 2 . Atomic force microscopy was used for surface morphology comparisons while summarizing electrochemical polishing efficiency by providing root mean square roughness averages before and after electrochemical polishing to reveal an average decrease of 150.433 nm in RMS surface roughness, resulting in a surface eight times smoother than the original unpolished silver specimens. Digital microscopy provided an overall observation of the material interface between the treated and unpolished regions, and indicated that the high and electrical conductivity in silver specimens at conditions above steady state current densities could result in vigorous pitting on the silver anode surface, and result in a less smooth surface.
Commentary on “solubility and solution thermodynamics of cetilistat in water and (acetone, isopropyl alcohol, acetonitrile) binary solvent mixtures”

Abstract Experimental solubility data reported in the recent paper by Ji and coworkers [J. Mol. Liq., 224 (2016) 1380-1387] has been reanalyzed. Several sets of calculated equation coefficients given in the manuscript for the polynomial version of the Combined Nearly Ideal Binary Solvent/Redlich-Kister model and the polynomial version of the van't Hoff-Jouyban-Acree model predict mole fraction solubilities of cetilistat that exceed unity.
Longitudinal peripheral blood transcriptional analysis of a patient with severe Ebola virus disease

The 2013-2015 outbreak of Ebola virus disease in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone was unprecedented in the number of documented cases, but there have been few published reports on immune responses in clinical cases and their relationships with the course of illness and severity of Ebola virus disease. Symptoms of Ebola virus disease can include severe headache, myalgia, asthenia, fever, fatigue, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and hemorrhage. Although experimental treatments are in development, there are no current U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved vaccines or therapies. We report a detailed study of host gene expression as measured by microarray in daily peripheral blood samples collected from a patient with severe Ebola virus disease. This individual was provided with supportive care without experimental therapies at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center from before onset of critical illness to recovery. Pearson analysis of daily gene expression signatures revealed marked gene expression changes in peripheral blood leukocytes that correlated with changes in serum and peripheral blood leukocytes, viral load, antibody responses, coagulopathy, multiple organ dysfunction, and then recovery. This study revealed marked shifts in immune and antiviral responses that preceded changes in medical condition, indicating that clearance of replicating Ebola virus from peripheral blood leukocytes is likely important for systemic viral clearance.
Correlation of carbon dots' light-activated antimicrobial activities and fluorescence quantum yield

This study investigated the photo-activated antibacterial function of a series of specifically prepared carbon dots with 2,2'-(ethylenedioxy)bis(ethylamine) as the surface functionalization molecule (EDA-CDots), whose fluorescence quantum yields (ΦF) ranged from 7.5% to 27%. The results revealed that the effectiveness of CDots' photo-activated bactericidal function was correlated with their observed ΦF values. The antimicrobial activities of these EDA-CDots against both Gram negative and Gram positive model bacterial species (E. coli and Bacillus subtilis, respectively) were also evaluated under conditions of varying other experimental parameters including dot concentrations and treatment times. Optimization of the bactericidal effect of the EDA-CDots by a combination of the selected ΦF, concentration and treatment time was explored, and mechanistic implications of the results are discussed.
The ad wars: retrospective measurement and analysis of anti-adblock filter lists

The increasing popularity of adblockers has prompted online publishers to retaliate against adblock users by deploying anti-adblock scripts, which detect adblock users and bar them from accessing content unless they disable their adblocker. To circumvent anti-adblockers, adblockers rely on manually curated anti-adblock filter lists for removing anti-adblock scripts. Anti-adblock filter lists currently rely on informal crowdsourced feedback from users to add/remove filter list rules. In this paper, we present the first comprehensive study of anti-adblock filter lists to analyze their effectiveness against anti-adblockers. Specifically, we compare and contrast the evolution of two popular anti-adblock filter lists. We show that these filter lists are implemented very differently even though they currently have a comparable number of filter list rules. We then use the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine to conduct a retrospective coverage analysis of these filter lists on Alexa top-5K websites over the span of last five years. We find that the coverage of these filter lists has considerably improved since 2014 and they detect anti-adblockers on about 9% of Alexa top-5K websites. To improve filter list coverage and speedup addition of new filter rules, we also design and implement a machine learning based method to automatically detect anti-adblock scripts using static JavaScript code analysis.
Weighted $p$ -Bits for FPGA Implementation of Probabilistic Circuits

Probabilistic spin logic is a recently proposed computing paradigm based on unstable stochastic units called probabilistic bits ( $p$ -bits) that can be correlated to form probabilistic circuits (p-circuits). These p-circuits can be used to solve the problems of optimization, inference, and implement precise Boolean functions in an “inverted” mode, where a given Boolean circuit can operate in reverse to find the input combinations that are consistent with a given output. In this brief, we present a scalable field-programmable gate array implementation of such invertible p-circuits. We implement a “weighted” $p$ -bit that combines stochastic units with localized memory structures. We also present a generalized tile of weighted $p$ -bits to which a large class of problems beyond invertible Boolean logic can be mapped and how invertibility can be applied to interesting problems such as the NP-complete subset sum problem by solving a small instance of this problem in hardware.
Validating IS Success Factors: An Empirical Study on Webbased State or Local E-government Systems

While Various research has been done about IS success factors such as system quality, information quality, and service quality in the private sector, little attention has been paid to those in the public sector, especially state or local web-based e-government systems. Meanwhile, the current practice of e-government assessments has mainly focused on system and information quality and paid little attention to service quality. This study aims to fill this gap; it validates the relationships between IS success factors and IT effectiveness, based on the case of web-based metropolitan city or provincial (state or local) e-government systems in South Korea. The result shows that not only system and information quality but also service quality have strongly significant relationships with IS effectiveness. It has practical implications for effective e-government policy development and implementation; this study suggests that current constructs of e-government assessments need to be remodeled in a way that includes service quality factor. The key contribution of this study is a theoretical and empirical foundation on which any attempt to initiate or reinforce e-government customer services can be based; this is the first empirical study to validate the influence of the service quality factor on a state or local e-government level.
Thermal Offset Viscosities of Liquid H2O, D2O, and T2O

As suggested in a previous study under the title “Simple Relationship Between the Properties of Isotopic Water”, viscosity results verify the fact that the structural properties of liquid H2O and D2O are nearly identical once a zero-point-energy-induced thermal offset effect is taken into account. This means that the viscosities of these two isotopic forms must be compared at different temperatures, rather than at the same temperature. Only in this way can the expected (MD2O/MH2O)1/2 viscosity ratio be retrieved. Application of this most simple idea, with no additional parameter adjustment, to H2O viscosity data, or equivalently to any of the existing empirical viscosity equations for H2O, leads to D2O viscosities having better than 1% accuracy over a wide temperature range. This isotopic correlation concept has also been used here to predict viscosities of liquid T2O, no viscosity data apparently being available for this substance.
An Experimental Model for Measuring Middle Ear Antimicrobial Drug Penetration in Otitis Media

Bacteria are an important cause of acute otitis media and successful treatment depends on achieving inhibitory or bacteriacidal antimicrobial drug concentrations in the middle ear. To evaluate further otitis media treatment success and failure, we developed a chinchilla model to study antimicrobial drug penetration through the middle ear mucosa. Using quantitative histomorphometry, we measured the middle ear space in 10 chinchillas and found a mean ±SD volume of 2.09 ± 0.08 ml and a mean SD surface area of 14.41 ± 1.48 cm2. To measure the apparent rate constant (K e) of antibiotic elimination from the middle ear, through the middle ear mucosa, an antibiotic solution was inoculated into the middle ear cavity, and samples were aspirated between 1 and 8 hr later. In normal ears, the mean K e ±SD for amoxicillin was 0.118 ± 0.013 hr−1, that for a trimethoprim 0.461 ± 0.090 hr−1, and that for sulfamethoxazole 0.265 ± 0.062 hr−1. In ears inoculated with type 7F Streptococcus pneumoniae to induce acute otitis media, the K e ±SD increased for all three drugs (P < 0.05): amoxicillin to 0.286 ± 0.089 hr−1, trimethoprim to 0.662 ± 0.118 hr−1, and sulfamethoxazole to 0.411 ± 0.056 hr−1. These values demonstrate that amoxicillin had the lowest apparent penetration rate constant of the three antibiotics but the greatest increase from normal to infected mucosa (142%). Trimethoprim had the highest apparent penetration rate constant of the three antibiotics but the smallest increase from normal to infected mucosa (44%), while the sulfamethoxazone apparent penetration rate constant increased from normal to infected mucosa by 55%. The K e for amoxicillin was the same for inoculation volumes of 0.8 and 1.6 ml (P = 0.557) and the same for sampling intervals of 4 and 8 hr (P = 0.054). All three antimicrobial drug concentration–time curves were log-linear, as predicted by Fick's first law of diffusion. In conclusion, this model overcomes the technical limitations of previous models and permits investigation of the many factors that can influence antibiotic penetration into the middle ear and reduce otitis media treatment efficacy.
Antibacterial Effects of Moxifloxacin and Levofloxacin Simulating Epithelial Lining Fluid Concentrations against Community-acquired Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Background and objective: Current North American guidelines advocate the use of respiratory fluoroquinolones for the empirical management of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). While community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) has emerged as a pathogen frequently encountered in skin and skin structure infections, it has also now been recognised as a causative pathogen in CAP. Since fluoroquinolones may be used empirically to treat unsuspected CA-MRSA pneumonia, the objective of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial properties of levofloxacin and moxifloxacin using human simulated drug exposures in epithelial lining fluid (ELF). Methods: An in vitro model was used to simulate the ELF concentrations, previously determined in older adults receiving multiple doses, of levofloxacin 500mg once daily and moxifloxacin 400mg once daily. Four CA-MRSA isolates were studied at a starting inoculum of 106 colony-forming units (CFU)/mL; selected isolates were also studied at 108 CFU/mL. Bacterial density and resistance were quantitatively assessed over 48 hours. Drug exposure (area under the concentration-time curve [AUC]) was confirmed using validated drug assays. Results: At a standard 106 starting inoculum, sustained bacterial kill (3.6–4.5 log) with both fluoroquinolones was noted for CA-MRSA isolates 27 and 44 (AUC/minimum inhibitory concentration [MIC] = 383–3923). Despite an MIC of 8 μg/ mL (AUC/MIC = 25) for isolate 3, levofloxacin displayed a 2.8 log kill, while moxifloxacin (MIC 1 μg/mL) sustained a 4.5 log kill (AUC/MIC = 207) over 48 hours. Against isolate 59, levofloxacin displayed no antibacterial effect (AUC/MIC = 3), while moxifloxacin with an MIC of 8 μg/mL (AUC/MIC = 31) killed 4.6 log. At a high inoculum (108), both fluoroquinolones showed 5.2–5.6 log kill for the susceptible isolate (44), while moxifloxacin showed no antibacterial activity against isolate 59. Drug exposure (AUC/MIC) appeared to correlate well (r2 = 0.99) with the change in log CFU/mL. Maximal activity was observed for both drugs at an AUC/MIC of approximately 30. Conclusion: When evaluated at human simulated ELF concentrations, both levofloxacin and moxifloxacin appeared to demonstrate sustained antibacterial activity for CA-MRSA isolates with MICs ≤ 8 μg/mL at a starting inoculum of 106. Use of a high inoculum (108) appeared to compromise the antimicrobial activity of the fluoroquinolones when the MIC was 8 μg/mL, but did not mitigate antibacterial kill for susceptible isolates.
Cost-Benefit Analysis, Monetary Value, and Medical Decision

Medical decisions commonly have economic as well as moral importance. This holds whether they are about an individual or represent determinations of social policy. The moral issues surrounding medical decisions are complex and controversial, and in the past two decades they have been studied at great length by philosophers and others. The economic ramifications of these issues are also problematic and contentious, though on one thing there is wide agreement and some alarm: medical costs have been substantially increasing. The economic aspects of medical decisions raise a number of questions, and the pressures of rising costs, among other factors, have brought some of these questions to great prominence in philosophical discussions. Some of this discussion explores the applications of cost-benefit analysis to medical decisions. That cost-benefit analysis might be applied here is not surprising, given its apparent value in economics. There are, however, other reasons for its appeal. One major factor is the support such analysis apparently receives from decision-theoretic models as strategies for problem solving and rational choice. Another factor is the possibility of using data gained by cost-benefit analysis to ascertain individuals’ values and thereby reflect them in medical decisions about those individuals.
The design and characterization of a 300 channel, optimized full-band millimeter filterbank for science with SuperSpec

SuperSpec is an integrated, on-chip spectrometer for millimeter and sub-millimeter astronomy. We report the approach, design optimization, and partial characterization of a 300 channel filterbank covering the 185 to 315 GHz frequency band that targets a resolving power R ~ 310, and fits on a 3.5×5.5 cm chip. SuperSpec uses a lens and broadband antenna to couple radiation into a niobium microstrip that feeds a bank of niobium microstrip half-wave resonators for frequency selectivity. Each half-wave resonator is coupled to the inductor of a titanium nitride lumped-element kinetic inductance detector (LEKID) that detects the incident radiation. The device was designed for use in a demonstration instrument at the Large Millimeter Telescope (LMT).
Silicon Neural Networks

In this Chapter the human brain is first discussed which is largely based on the MS thesis published by Y. Wang in 1991 and analog/digital circuitries for implementing the proposed artificial neural networks are based on two papers published in Electronics Letters in 1990 and published in IEEE Circuits and Devices in 1990.
Intensity-based edge classification

A new intensity-based approach to the classification of edges was developed and implemented. Using basic continuity and independence properties of scenes and images, signatures were deduced for each of several edge types expressed in terms of correlational properties of the image intensities in the neighborhood of the edge. This procedure's ability to discriminate occluding contours from cast shadow boundaries was demonstrated for cases where line junction cues are absent from the image.
The Christmas-Present Principle

WHEN teaching algebra or trigonometry courses to students, I have often been dis mayed by the fact that although my classes could easily solve equations like 3x + 2 = 5, even the better students could not begin to solve equations like + log (x 5) + 2 = 6. Yet the principles involved in the latter are exactly those involved in simple linear equations. Then it occurred to me that the fault may lie in the traditional division of equations into these types:
Ex vivo thermal ablation monitoring using three-dimensional ultrasound echo decorrelation imaging

Echo decorrelation imaging is a method for quantitatively mapping transient heat-induced changes in pulse-echo ultrasound images. For clinical thermal ablation of liver cancer using radiofrequency or microwave ablation (RFA or MWA), real-time three-dimensional (3D) echo decorrelation imaging is necessary because the entire tumor, with typical diameter 2–5 cm, is ablated at once. We present a method for constructing 3D echo decorrelation maps during radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in ex vivo bovine liver using beamformed in-phase and quadrature (IQ) echo acquired from a Siemens Acuson SC2000 scanner and 4Z1c matrix array. To directly compare echo decorrelation images to the desired outcome of tissue ablation, 3D echo decorrelation images are compared to volumetric reconstructions of the thermal ablation zone, obtained from optical scans of regularly spaced tissue sections. Capability of echo decorrelation as a predictor of local ablation is assessed using receiver operator characteristic curve analysis. Similar to previous studies of two-dimensional echo decorrelation imaging, good correspondence is seen between 3D echo decorrelation images and ablated tissue histology.
Experimental aspects of jet physics at a future EIC

In this work, we present an overview of experimental considerations relevant to the utilization of jets at a future electron-ion collider, a subject which has been largely overlooked up to this point. A comparison of jet-finding algorithms and resolution parameters is presented along with a detailed analysis of basic jet quantities, such as multiplicities and kinematic distributions. A characterization of the energy in the event not associated with a jet is also made. In addition, detector requirements and the effects of realistic detector resolutions are discussed. Finally, an example analysis is presented in which dijets are used to access the gluon helicity contribution to the spin of the proton.
Using Aspiration-Based Tricuspid Valve Endocarditis Debridement: Highlighting Imaging-Based Modification in a High-Risk Clinical Scenario

AbstractThis report describes a high-risk case of tricuspid valve endocarditis secondary to intravenous drug abuse. Information gleaned from intraoperative transesophageal echocardiographic imaging...
Limited Input Benzeggagh and Kenane delamination failure criterion for mixed-mode loaded fiber reinforced composite laminates

Bilinear delamination failure criteria proposed by Reeder for mixed-mode (I–II) fracture of composite laminates has four limitations: require mixed-mode (I–II) fracture data by the more complex MMB test; determination of bilinear constants by two independent curve fits; failure of bilinear equations to intersect at $$\hbox {G}_{\mathrm{I}}^{\mathrm{m}}/\hbox {G}_{\mathrm{II}}^{\mathrm{m}}=1$$; and the data representation by $$\hbox {G}_{\mathrm{I}}^{\mathrm{m}}$$ versus $$\hbox {G}_{\mathrm{II}}^{\mathrm{m}}$$ instead of the conventional $$\hbox {G}_{\mathrm{c}}^{\mathrm{m}}$$ versus $$\hbox {G}_{\mathrm{II}}^{\mathrm{m}}/\hbox {G}_{\mathrm{T}}$$. Some of these limitations were overcome by limited input bilinear criteria (LIBC) proposed by Davidson and Zhao by replacing the MMB test data by DCB, ENF, and SLB (single leg beam) test data. But the LIBC retained the two discontinuous forms of the equations for no specific reason in a continuous material system. This paper eliminates the two equations by a single power law equation that covers the whole domain of fracture as in Benzeggagh and Kenane’s empirical equation. This simplified mixed-mode delamination fracture criterion we call “Limited Input B–K (LIBK) criterion in recognition of the works of Davidson and Zhao, and Benzeggagh and Kenane. The criterion was validated by a large number of test data in the literature.
Negative Behavior Among Healthcare Professionals: Integrative Review of Instruments.

Background Behaviors that undermine a culture of safety pose a serious threat to the overall wellbeing of healthcare workers as well as to patient outcomes. Purpose The purpose of this integrative review is to compare reported psychometrics, feasibility, and identify commonalities among available instruments measuring negative behaviors among healthcare professionals. Methods Whittemore and Knafl's integrative review methods were used to analyze pertinent instruments designed to measure negative behaviors among healthcare professionals. Multiple computerized databases including CINAHL, MEDLINE, and Scopus databases were searched in the fall of 2017 without date restrictions. Results Violence, incivility, and bullying are the most frequently measured behaviors in healthcare workers, and a robust number of valid and reliable instruments are available. Conclusions To date a comprehensive review of psychometric properties and feasibility of administration is lacking. This review synthesizes the instruments measuring these behaviors, providing a resource for future research focused on mitigation and intervention strategies.
Proteomics Illuminates Fat as Key Tissue in Aging

Proteomics, defined broadly as the large-scale study of genes at the level of proteins, has entirely revolutionized our understanding of the chemical composition and organization of biological systems. Over the past two decades, mass spectrometry-based proteomics has emerged as the dominant technique owing to its quantitative measurements in even highly complex biological samples (1, 2). However, nearly all proteomics experiments balance a critical trade-off between breadth of proteome coverage and sensitivity in detection (3, 4). In PNAS, Yu et al. (5) present an alternative proteomics workflow termed “Tomahto,” which enables discovery-mode proteomics experiments with the speed and sensitivity afforded by targeted approaches. By applying Tomahto to a diverse panel of young versus old murine tissues, Yu et al. uncover white fat as a unique tissue that is especially sensitive to age-associated changes. Proteomics workflows are typically classified into untargeted and targeted approaches. Untargeted approaches maximize proteome coverage and are typically used for hypothesis-generating experiments but lack the sensitivity required for detecting low-abundance proteins (3, 4). Targeted proteomic strategies exhibit dramatically improved sensitivity … [↵][1]1Email: jzlong{at}stanford.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Explanation and modality: on why the Swampman is still worrisome to teleosemanticists

In a series of papers, Papineau argues that the Swampman scenario is not even the start of an objection to teleosemantics as a scientific reduction of belief. It is against this claim that I want to argue here. I shall argue that our intuition about the scenario questions the adequacy of the conceptual foundations of teleosemantics, namely, success semantics and the etiological conception of biological function, on which the explanatory power of the theory rests. In the course of argument, some general connections between explanation and modality will be developed that shed a new light on Kripke’s analysis of necessary a posteriori propositions. The upshot will be that teleosemanticists should tackle the Swampman objection head-on.
Muscle-Liver Trafficking of BCAA-Derived Nitrogen Underlies Obesity-Related Glycine Depletion

Glycine levels are inversely associated with branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) and cardiometabolic disease phenotypes, but biochemical mechanisms that explain these relationships remain uncharted. Metabolites and genes related to BCAA metabolism and nitrogen handling were strongly associated with glycine in correlation analyses. Stable isotope labeling in Zucker fatty rats (ZFRs) shows that glycine acts as a carbon donor for the pyruvate-alanine cycle in a BCAA-regulated manner. Inhibition of the BCAA transaminase (BCAT) enzymes depletes plasma pools of alanine and raises glycine levels. In high-fat-fed ZFRs, dietary glycine supplementation raises urinary acyl-glycine content and lowers circulating triglycerides but also results in accumulation of long-chain acyl-coenzyme As (acyl-CoAs), lower 5' adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation in muscle, and no improvement in glucose tolerance. Collectively, these studies frame a mechanism for explaining obesity-related glycine depletion and also provide insight into the impact of glycine supplementation on systemic glucose, lipid, and amino acid metabolism.
Second Stem Cell Transplantation for Relapsed Refractory Light Chain (AL) Amyloidosis

Abstract Autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is an effective treatment modality in light chain (AL) amyloidosis but can be offered only to a subset of patients. The feasibility, benefit, and risks of second ASCT (ASCT2) have been rarely reported. The objective of this study was to assess the utility of ASCT2 in AL amyloidosis and to identify the target population with the greatest benefit. This retrospective study examined all AL patients who underwent ASCT2 for relapsed refractory disease between 2003 and 2020. Twenty-six patients were included. The use of ASCT2 has increased over time, from 2.5% of all ASCTs from 2003 to 2011 to 5% from 2012 to 2020 (P = .056). The median time between the first ASCT (ASCT1) and ASCT2 was 7.2 years (range, 0.6 to 17.7). Fifty-four percent of patients received at least one line of therapy between ASCTs. Second stem cell mobilization prior to ASCT2 was required in 42% of patients. Full-dose melphalan (200 mg/m2) was given to 73% of patients. Two patients had failed to engraft by day 100 but eventually recovered to normal blood counts. Both had second stem cell mobilization prior to ASCT2 with prior melphalan exposure. Four patients (15%) died before day 100. Progression-free and overall survival were significantly longer from ASCT2 for those who had durable remission after ASCT1 (≥5 years) and for those who did not receive therapy between ASCTs. ASCT2 is feasible and can produce favorable outcomes, especially among those with durable response to ASCT1. ASCT2, if chosen, should preferably be performed after durable response to ASCT1 and at first progression.
Slavery in Secondary History Textbooks from the United States and Brazil

The United States and Brazil were the two largest slave societies in the history of New World slavery, and the legacies of that history remain salient in both nations. Slavery and the slave trade a...
Efferocytosis of vascular cells in cardiovascular disease.

Abstract Cell death and the clearance of apoptotic cells are tightly regulated by various signaling molecules in order to maintain physiological tissue function and homeostasis. The phagocytic removal of apoptotic cells is known as the process of efferocytosis, and abnormal efferocytosis is linked to various health complications and diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, inflammatory diseases, and autoimmune diseases. During efferocytosis, phagocytic cells and/or apoptotic cells release signals, such as “find me” and “eat me” signals, to stimulate the phagocytic engulfment of apoptotic cells. Primary phagocytic cells are macrophages and dendritic cells; however, more recently, other neighboring cell types have also been shown to exhibit phagocytic character, including endothelial cells and fibroblasts, although they are comparatively slower in clearing dead cells. In this review, we focus on macrophage efferocytosis of vascular cells, such as endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, fibroblasts, and pericytes, and its relation to the progression and development of cardiovascular disease. We also highlight the role of efferocytosis-related molecules and their contribution to the maintenance of vascular homeostasis.
The clinical application of frailty in nephrology and transplantation.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW Clinicians treating end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) and kidney transplant patients face unique challenges in their care because of the high burden of frailty in these patients. Frailty has gained significant attention by medical and surgical specialties for risk stratification in the past decades. This review highlights the importance of measuring frailty in kidney transplant candidates and recipients. RECENT FINDINGS Emerging data support that frailty is present even at younger ages among patients undergoing dialysis, transplant evaluation, or transplantation. It is estimated that 18.8% of younger (18-64 years) candidates, 25.2% of older (≥65 years) candidates, 14.3% of younger recipients, and 20.8% of older recipients are frail. Additionally, frailty is dynamic and subject to change pretransplantation and posttransplantation. Although many patients and clinicians are aware of the importance of measuring frailty, further studies addressing the need for interventions to reduce frailty burden are needed. SUMMARY Frailty is independently associated with many adverse outcomes in ESKD and kidney transplant populations. Given the growing number of ESKD and kidney transplant patients, it is pivotal to expand the utility of frailty measurement in clinical practice, recognize the burden of frailty, and identify appropriate interventions to mitigate the adverse effects of frailty.
Utilization of Health Resources and Disease Modifying Therapy Use in a High Risk, Underserved Multiple Sclerosis Patient Population and Associated Impact on Disease Progression and Disability (1950)

Objective: To analyze health care utilization among a high risk, underserved, and socioeconomically challenged population. To quantify patterns of disease modifying therapy utilization and association with disability, hospitalizations, and resource utilization. Background: Most of the current population health data regarding Multiple Sclerosis is based on patients with commercial health insurance. Our county hospital serves as a safety net for patients who are socioeconomically challenged and those who have poor access to care. These patients are a high risk population for disability due to limited access to care and socioeconomic challenges. Access to disease modifying therapy is a crucial intervention in preventing disability accrual. The 2018 AAN Summary of Practice Guidelines provided level B evidence for the use of alemtuzumab, fingolimod or natalizumab for patients with highly active MS. With the most recent approval of B-cell targeted therapies we would add ocrelizumab or rituximab to this group. Design/Methods: This is a retrospective chart review. Results: Analysis of 6 months of visit data (April 2019 to October 2019) demonstrate that there were 449 patients on disease modifying therapy. Of these only 22% (n=97) were on alemtuzumab, fingolimod or natalizumab. This number increased to 38% (n=171) when including B-cell targeted therapies. Conclusions: Initial results show that the majority of our high risk patients are not on highly efficacious medications. We will present data relative to race, gender, and access to care encounters. We will present outcome data relative to therapy prescribed. Disclosure: Dr. Tardo has nothing to disclose. Dr. Greenberg has received personal compensation for consulting, serving on a scientific advisory board, speaking, or other activities with Alexion, Roche/Genentech, Celgene, EMD Serono, Novartis. Dr. Greenberg has received research support from CLENE Nanomedicine, Chugai, Medimmune.Dr. Horton has nothing to disclose.
Navigating the Light-Sheet Image Analysis Software Landscape: Concepts for Driving Cohesion From Data Acquisition to Analysis.

From the combined perspective of biologists, microscope instrumentation developers, imaging core facility scientists, and high performance computing experts, we discuss the challenges faced when selecting imaging and analysis tools in the field of light-sheet microscopy. Our goal is to provide a contextual framework of basic computing concepts that cell and developmental biologists can refer to when mapping the peculiarities of different light-sheet data to specific existing computing environments and image analysis pipelines. We provide our perspective on efficient processes for tool selection and review of the current hardware and software commonly used in light-sheet image analysis, as well as discuss what ideal tools for the future may look like.
Is Formal Faculty Assessment of Bedside Skills Feasible for 3rd Year Medical Students on the Neurology Clerkship? (P1.333)

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility of instituting a formalized bedside skills examination (BSE) for third year medical students on the neurology clerkship, and to study its effect on the final clerkship grade. BACKGROUND: The current LCME education requirements mandate that faculty directly observe medical student clinical skills and provide timely feedback. How frequently this occurs in practice is uncertain. DESIGN/METHODS: A neurologic BSE was developed for 3 rd year neurology clerks at the University of Rochester for the 2012-2013 academic year. It consisted of a faculty-observed complete history and neurological examination on an inpatient on the neurology service. Faculty were asked to complete a checklist that included 27 items, and an assessment. An anonymous survey was administered to students to determine exposure to clinical observation prior to the BSE, and perceived usefulness of the exercise. The students were assigned “mock” final grades (65% narrative evaluation, 20% NBME subject test score, 15% BSE score), and these were compared to their true final grades (80% narrative evaluation, 20% NBME subject test score). The percentage of students with a final grade change (e.g. High Pass to Honors) was calculated. RESULTS: Faculty completed and submitted a BSE form for 78% of students (84/108). There was a “mock” final grade change for 13% (11/84) of students. 46% of students had a grade increase, and 54% had a grade decrease. 54% of students reported that they were not observed doing a complete history and examination by either an attending or resident prior to the BSE. 91% of students found the BSE useful for their education. CONCLUSIONS: Incorporating a faculty-observed BSE into a neurology clerkship is feasible and may result in a final grade change for some students. Student feedback concerning the addition of a BSE was overwhelmingly positive. Disclosure: Dr. Thompson-Stone has nothing to disclose. Dr. Wexler has nothing to disclose. Dr. Mink has received personal compensation for activities with Edison Pharmaceuticals and Medtronic, Inc. Dr. Mink has received personal compensation in an editorial capacity for Neurology. Dr. Jozefowicz has received personal compensation in an editorial capacity for The Neurologist.
Assessment of the Effect of Acidic Deposition on Canadian Lakes: Determination of Critical Loads for Sulphate Deposition

The operational definition of the “critical” load for wet SO4 deposition is that which does not increase the regional percent of lakes having pH≤6 for the portion of the population that historically had pH>6. Reviews of the effects of acidic deposition on aquatic biota show that the pH=6 threshold used to determine the critical load is sufficient to protect most organisms. It is inappropriate to specify a single critical load for the whole of eastern Canada due to variability in terrain sensitivity. The Atlantic provinces and easterr Quebec generally have very low critical loads ( 20 kg.ha−1.yr−1 reflecting the wide range in terrain sensitivities that exist in each province.