cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Distribution of Emergency Department Costs

Abstract Study objective: To report the distribution of emergency department costs by category of expense and level of patient urgency. Methods: Cost-to-charge and relative-value methods were used to determine direct and indirect physician, facility, supply, pharmacy, laboratory, radiology, and miscellaneous costs for 24,010 ED patients. Explicit criteria were used to classify patient visits as nonurgent, semiurgent, or urgent. Results: For all patients, the average costs were physician, $64; facility, $84; laboratory, $21; radiology, $24, and total, $209. Laboratory and radiology costs accounted for 5% of the total costs for nonurgent visits and 23% of the total costs for urgent visits. Conclusion: The distribution of ED costs varies significantly according to the urgency of the medical condition. For nonurgent patient visits, most costs are represented by the hospital facility and ED physicians' costs. Ancillary services represent a much greater proportion of costs for patients with urgent conditions. Although reduced test-ordering might result in some savings among patients with urgent conditions, overall improved cost efficiency can be achieved only through reductions in the fixed costs of operation of hospital EDs. [Williams RM: Distribution of emergency department costs. Ann Emerg Med December 1996;28:671-676.]
EVOLUTIONARY PERSPECTIVES ON STRATEGY

We advocate studying strategic management from an evolutionary perspective: using dynamic, path-dependent models that allow for possibly random variation and selection within and among organizations. We argue that this perspective directs our attention to some of the most interesting problems in strategic management. The papers in this special issue are summarized, along with some of their implications for the advancement of an evolutionary perspective on strategy. Collectively, the papers draw on various theoretical rationales, illustrating how an evolutionary perspective can help to integrate the diverse and otherwise separate theoretical traditions that meet within the field of strategic management.
International Peacekeeping and Conflict Resolution A Taxonomic Analysis with Implications

International peacekeeping has undergone some dramatic changes in the past decade. This study represents what is one of the few systematic attempts to classify peacekeeping missions according to function. Yet the authors do not stop their investigation at this juncture. Using a theoretical framework derived from the scholarly literature on conflict management and resolution, the authors are able to scale different peacekeeping functions along two dimensions (primary vs. third-party roles and integrative vs. distributive processes) and understand their interrelationships. For example, how compatible might be the functions of traditional peacekeeping with newer roles such as nation building? From these results, implications for building theory in peacekeeping studies as well as more practical concerns, such as how peacekeeping soldiers might be trained for different missions, are discussed.
Beam-width control using a cavity-backed elliptical Archimedean spiral antenna

this paper presents the radiation characteristics and beam-width control features of a 2–18 GHz, cavity-backed, two-arm, elliptical Archimedean spiral antenna. 12We first discuss a precise microwave instrumentation and measurement technique to accurately characterize the frequency dependent complex permittivity and permeability of a wide variety of microwave materials. Using the method, we have designed a lightweight, multi-layer absorbing structure to be inserted in the cavity. For optimum performance, we have used a genetic algorithm approach to derive the optimal thickness of each layer. We then varied the ratio of the major axis to the minor axis of the spiral antenna to create an elliptical structure and observed changes in the radiation pattern. Our results show that by using an elliptical configuration, it is possible to regulate the beam-width in the two orthogonal planes by compromising to some extent the purity of the circular polarization.
Rhodococcus spp. utilize taurine (2‐aminoethanesulfonate) as sole source of carbon, energy, nitrogen and sulfur for aerobic respiratory growth

The organosulfur compound taurine (2-aminoethanesulfonate), but no other sulfonates tested, served as the sole carbon, sulfur and energy source for the growth of eight Rhodococcus strains examined, taurine's nitrogen was utilized as well. Several sulfonates that were not used as sole sources of carbon, sulfur and energy were nevertheless able to serve as the sole sulfur source for growth when succinate or acetate were carbon and energy sources. Taurine consumption resulted in release of sulfite and ammonium ion into growth medium. Taurine utilization appeared to be an inducible trait. The sulfonate utilization ability appears to be a heretofore unrecognized trait of rhodococci.
Generation of matrices for determining minimum distance and decoding of cyclic codes

A simple method based on Newton's identities and their extensions is presented for determining the actual minimum distance of cyclic codes. More significantly, it is shown that this method also provides a mechanism for generating the type of syndrome matrices needed by Feng and Tzeng's (see ibid., vol.40, p.1364-1374, Sept. 1994) new procedure for decoding cyclic and BCH codes up to their actual minimum distance. Two procedures for generating such matrices are given. With these procedures, we have generated syndrome matrices having only one class of conjugate syndromes on the minor diagonal for all binary cyclic codes of length n<63 and many codes of length 63/spl les/n/spl les/99. A listing of such syndrome matrices for selected codes of length n<63 is included. An interesting connection of the method presented to the shifting technique of van Lint (1986) and Wilson is also noted.
Characterization of a chlorella virus PBCV-1 encoded ribonuclease III ☆

Sequence analysis of the 330-kb genome of chlorella virus PBCV-1 revealed an open reading frame, A464R, which encodes a protein with 30-35% amino acid identity to ribonuclease III (RNase III) from many bacteria. The a464r gene was cloned and the protein was expressed in Escherichia coli using the chitin-binding intein system. The recombinant PBCV-1 RNase III cleaves model dsRNA substrates, in a Mg(2+)-dependent manner, into a defined set of products. The substrate cleavage specificity overlaps, but is nonidentical to that of E. coli RNase III. The a464r gene is expressed very early during PBCV-1 infection, within 5-10 min p.i. The RNase III protein appears at 15 min p.i. and disappears by 120 min p.i. The a464r gene is highly conserved among the chlorella viruses. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that the PBCV enzyme is most closely related to Mycoplasma pneumoniae RNase III.
Understanding the Physical-Symptom Experience: The Distinctive Contributions of Anxiety and Depression

Individuals tend to believe that the somatic sensations they are currently experiencing or have experienced accurately reflect their physical functioning; however, the experience of somatic symptoms is also affected by psychological and social factors. For two decades, the dominant perspective has been that the general tendency to experience negative emotions—negative affectivity (NA; also known as neuroticism or negative emotionality)—inflates physical-symptom reporting because persons high in NA are more likely to notice somatic changes and to label even minor or benign somatic changes as signs of illness. We review recent research suggesting that two components of NA—anxiety and depression, which are associated with distinctive cognitive-affective biases related to attention/encoding and recall, respectively—are more critical for the cognitive processing of somatic changes than is global NA per se. Specifically, anxiety is responsible for elevated reports of momentary symptoms, whereas depression is re...
Differential heterotrophic utilization of organic compounds by diatoms and bacteria under light and dark conditions

The heterotrophic utilization of organic substrates by diatoms is likely an important survival strategy when light levels are too low for photosynthesis. The objectives of this study were: (1) to determine if heterotrophic utilization of a large array of organic compounds by eight common freshwater benthic diatom taxa was light-dependent, and (2) to determine if organic substrate utilization patterns differed between darkgrown diatoms and bacteria as a possible means of reducing competition by niche separation. Eight lightand dark-grown diatom taxa and five bacterial species were incubated in 96-well Biolog® Microtiter plates with each well containing 1 of 95 different organic substrates. Oxidation rates of each organic substrate were measured through time. There was a substantial increase in the number of organic substrates oxidized by diatoms grown in the dark compared to their light-grown counterparts, indicating that the transport systems for these molecules may be light activated. Therefore, diatoms likely only utilize these metabolically expensive uptake mechanisms when they are necessary for survival, or when substrates are plentiful. A principal components analysis indicated discernible differences in the types of organic-C substrates utilized by dark-grown diatoms and bacteria. Although bacteria were able to oxidize a more diverse array of organic substrates including carboxylic acids and large polymers, diatoms appeared to more readily utilize the complex carbohydrates. By oxidizing different organic substrates than bacteria, heterotrophically metabolizing diatoms may be reducing direct competition and enhancing coexistence with bacteria.
Quadratic forms representing all primes

Building on the method used by Bhargava to prove “the fifteen theorem”, we show that every integer-valued positive definite quadratic form which represents all prime numbers must also represent 205. We further this result by proving that 205 is the smallest nontrivial composite number which must be represented by all such quadratic forms.
Dietary Protein Restriction and the Progression of Chronic Renal Disease What Have All of the Results of the MDRD Study Shown

The Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) Study was the largest randomized clinical trial to test the hypothesis that protein restriction slows the progression of chronic renal disease. However, the primary results published in 1994 were not conclusive with regard to the efficacy of this intervention. Many physicians interpreted the failure of the MDRD Study to demonstrate a beneficial effect of protein restriction over a 2- to 3-yr period as proving that this therapy does not slow disease progression. The authors believe that this viewpoint is incorrect, and is the result of misinterpretation of inconclusive evidence as evidence in favor of the null hypothesis. Since then, numerous secondary analyses of the MDRD Study have been undertaken to clarify the effect of protein restriction on the rate of decline in GFR, urine protein excretion, and onset of end-stage renal disease. This review describes some of the principles of secondary analyses of randomized clinical trials, presents the results of these analyses from the MDRD Study, and compares them with results from other randomized clinical trials. Although these secondary results cannot be regarded as definitive, the authors conclude that the balance of evidence is more consistent with the hypothesis of a beneficial effect of protein restriction than with the contrary hypothesis of no beneficial effect. Until additional data become available, physicians must continue to make recommendations in the absence of conclusive results. The authors suggest that physicians incorporate the results of these secondary analyses into their interpretation of the findings of the MDRD Study.
Tracing Hybrid Incompatibilities to Single Amino Acid Substitutions

Deleterious interactions among genes cause reductions in fitness of interpopulation hybrids (hybrid breakdown). Identifying genes involved in hybrid breakdown has proven difficult, and few studies have addressed the molecular basis of this widespread phenomenon. Because proper function of the mitochondrial electron transport system (ETS) requires a co-adapted set of nuclear and mitochondrial gene products, ETS genes present an attractive system for studying the evolution of coadapted gene complexes within isolated populations and the loss of fitness in interpopulation hybrids. Here we show the effects of single amino acid substitutions in cytochrome c (CYC) on its functional interaction with another ETS protein, cytochrome c oxidase (COX) in the intertidal copepod Tigriopus californicus. The individual and pairwise consequences of three naturally occurring amino acid substitutions in CYC are examined by site-directed mutagenesis and found to differentially effect the rates of CYC oxidation by COX variants from different source populations. In one case, we show that interpopulation hybrid breakdown in COX activity can be attributed to a single naturally occurring amino acid substitution in CYC.
Fault diagnosis in a class of nonlinear systems using identification and GLR testing

In a class of nonlinear systems, additive faults act as changes in the state-transition matrix. Each fault can be characterized by a trajectory in the parameter space. Identifying the parameters online and comparing them to pre-computed trajectories offers an approach to fault isolation. The distance between the trajectories and the observations is subjected to generalized likelihood ratio (GLR) testing. As a key element in this procedure, the best parameter estimation technique has been selected by comparing some typical estimation methods. Simulation studies are included to support the theoretical conclusions.
System-Level Security for Network Processors with Hardware Monitors

New attacks are emerging that target the Internet infrastructure. Modern routers use programmable network processors that may be exploited by merely sending suitably crafted data packets into a network. Hardware monitors that are co-located with processor cores can detect attacks that change processor behavior with high probability. In this paper, we present a solution to the problem of secure, dynamic installation of hardware monitoring graphs on these devices. We also address the problem of how to overcome the homogeneity of a network with many identical devices, where a successful attack, albeit possible only with small probability, may have devastating effects.
Higher-order probabilistic sensitivity calculations using the multicomplex score function method

Abstract The score function method used to compute first order probabilistic sensitivities is extended in this work to arbitrary-order derivatives included mixed partial derivatives through the use of multicomplex mathematics. Multicomplex mathematics provides an effective and convenient numerical means to compute the high-order kernel functions with respect to natural parameters or moments (mean and standard deviation) obviating the need to analytically determine the kernel functions. Using these numerical kernel functions, high-order derivatives of the response moments or the probability-of-failure with respect to the parameters of the input distributions can be obtained. Numerical results indicate that the high-order probabilistic sensitivities converge with respect to the number of samples at the same rate as standard Monte Carlo estimates. Implementation of multicomplex mathematics is facilitated through the use of the Cauchy–Riemann matrices; therefore, the extension of common engineering probability distributions to matrix form is presented.
A Demographic Study of African Attitudes on Bribery

This paper examines ethical opinion on bribe taking in four African countries – South Africa, Ghana, Ethiopia and Rwanda. Nineteen demographic variables (gender, age, marital status, etc.) are also examined. Although all countries expressed a strong opposition to bribe taking, opposition was stronger in some countries than others. Most of the demographic variables proved to be significant.
Safety, codes and standards for hydrogen installations. Metrics development and benchmarking

Automakers and fuel providers have made public commitments to commercialize light duty fuel cell electric vehicles and fueling infrastructure in select US regions beginning in 2014. The development, implementation, and advancement of meaningful codes and standards is critical to enable the effective deployment of clean and efficient fuel cell and hydrogen solutions in the energy technology marketplace. Metrics pertaining to the development and implementation of safety knowledge, codes, and standards are important to communicate progress and inform future R&D investments. This document describes the development and benchmarking of metrics specific to the development of hydrogen specific codes relevant for hydrogen refueling stations. These metrics will be most useful as the hydrogen fuel market transitions from pre-commercial to early-commercial phases. The target regions in California will serve as benchmarking case studies to quantify the success of past investments in research and development supporting safety codes and standards R&D.
Separation of Subspaces by Volume

During the 1995 Christmas break I read the article "The Angle Between Complementary Subspaces" by Ilse Ipsen and Carl Meyer in this MONTHLY [12]. Since I was scheduled to teach a course in matrix analysis the following semester, I made myself some notes, intending to incorporate the ideas of the article into the classroom discussion. But after spending several weeks on such topics as eigenspaces, unitary similarity, vector and matrix norms, and singular values, I found myself short of classroom time. I decided to use the notes to design some take-home questions, and started off with the following problem. (1) Let P be a real, n-by-n idempotent matrix and let U be the image of P and V the image of I, P. Show that R8n = U E V. The students easily handled this problem; but I hoped the exercise reminded them that P is geometrically a projection of Rn onto U along V. I then asked a follow-up question. (2) Assume that n = 2 and that 0 0 P 0 I2. Let 0 be the acute angle between the lines described by the subspaces U and V, and let III P III be the matrix 2-norm of P. Conjecture~ the relationship between 0 and III P 111 A picture of U, V, and 0 was included as part of the question. In class we had previously discussed operator norms and had sketched pictures of unit balls with respect to various vector norms. I hoped the students would recall from a problem in our text [10, p. 312] the meaning of the matrix 2-norm (also called the spectral norm):
Refractory sideroblastic anemia (chronic erythremic myelosis).

The bone marrows of two patients wth refractory sideroblastic anemia (chronic erythremic myelosis) were studied by light and electron microscopy. The two marrows were characterized by erythroid hyperplasia with megaloblastoid nuclear changes, abnormally-shaped nuclei, numerous sideroblasts, PAS-positivity in the cytoplasm of some erythroid precursors, and a shift toward immaturity of the developing granulocytes. Ultrastructurally, ferritin particles were present in mitochondria of early normoblasts, and large masses of iron were present in mitochondria of intermediate and late normoblasts and reticulocytes. Iron was also seen in membrane-bound structures, and ferritin particles were scattered throughout the cytoplasm of erythroid precursors. There was evidence of continued uptake of ferritin by the iron-overloaded, developing erythrocytes. Ferritin particles were present, with an electron-dense material between and on the surface of adjacent erythroid precursors, and within micropinocytotic vesicles or erythrocytes. Evidence of ineffective erythropoiesis in the form of erythrophagocytosis of developing erythrocytes was a prominent feature of this disorder.
Improved method based on Apriori-based frequent sub-graph mining algorithm

AGM(Apriori-based Graph Mining) algorithm is the first one to put the Apriori idea into the use of frequent sub-graph mining.This algorithm is simple and based on recursion statistics.But graph data set is very large and sub-graph isomorphism problem is available,when candidate subgraphs are generated and so many redundant sub-graphs would be generated,which makes the high cost in computing time.An improved method based on AGM is proposed to get the reduction of redundant sub-graphs and make the new algorithm more efficient in computing time,compared to AGM algorithm.This paper examines the computing time for various minimum support,the result of which proves that the improved algorithm cuts down the computing time,compared to AGM algorithm,improving the efficiency of frequent sub-graph mining.
The epidemic survey of Endemic Fluorosis in Liang He

Objective To ascertain the range and harm degree of the area of Endemic Fluorosis in liang he and provide scientific basic to enact countermeasure of prevention and cure.Methods The ion selectivity electrode was used to measure the amount of fluorine in water and urine;know about the prevelance rate of Dental Fluorosis and Skeletal Fluorosis in the area of Endemic Fluorosis.Results Examine 71 drinking waters、344 people suspected Dental Fluorosis and 301people suspected Skeletal Fluorosis,nine of these waters are high fluorine;Dental Fluorosis and Skeletal Fluorosis sufferer have respectively 238 and 100 people,the prevelance rate is respectively 69.19% and 33.22%,the Dental defect ratio is 25.25%.Conclusion Three towns(mang dong、meng yang、he xi)and four countries are the area of Endemic Fluorosis in liang he,the prevelance rate of Dental Fluorosis and Skeletal Fluorosis and the high fluorine water pertain to the standard of severe area,the people are still drinking the high fluorine water,we should transform water and bring down the fluorine amount to dispel the harm of fluorine for people.
The Evolution of Computing: AlphaGo

By discussing the board game (Go) and the recent successful computer system (AlphaGo), associate EIC Jim X. Chen presents an overview of the evolution of computing and hardware efficiency. The emphasis is on sharing information about the evolution of computing, which has a significant impact on artificial intelligence.
Red blood cell distribution width: can it be a predictive marker for long-term valvular involvement in children with acute rheumatic carditis?

Summary Introduction In this study, we aimed to evaluate Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) in patients with acute rheumatic carditis during the acute phase and after anti-inflammatory therapy. Methods Pediatric patients diagnosed with acute rheumatic carditis (ARC) between 2006 and 2014 and age- and sex-matched controls were retrospectively analyzed. At the time of diagnosis and after 2 months of medical therapy, we reviewed the obtained demographic features; echocardiographic data; complete blood count reports, including RDW; acute phase reactants, including C-reactive protein; and erythrocyte sedimentation rate values. Results The number of the cases with ARC and age- and sex-matched controls were 100 and 110, respectively. The mean age of patients was 11.6 ± 2.5 years. WBC and platelet counts, RDW were found to be significantly higher in patient group compared with controls at the time of diagnosis, prior to the onset of treatment. RDW, platelet count, CRP, and ESR levels significantly decreased after an 8 weeks of medical treatment. RDW values after the medical treatment were still significantly higher compared with controls. RDW values were significantly higher in patients with multiple valvular involvement both prior to and after the treatment. Moreover, we found a significant and positive correlation between the RDW and the severity of mitral regurgitation in our patients (r: 0.46, P < 0.001). Conclusions High levels of RDW after initial medical treatment may indicate an ongoing subtle inflammatory process that leads to future stenotic valvular lesions. However, long-term follow-up studies are needed involving adulthood period to support this hypothesis.
An algorithm for array variable clustering

During synthesis of behavioral descriptions array variables are implemented with memory modules. In this paper we show that simple one-to-one mapping between the array variables and the memory modules lead to inefficient designs. We propose a new algorithm, MeSA, which computes for a given set of array variables, (a) the number of memory modules, (b) the size of each module (c) the number of ports on each module and (d) and the grouping of array variables assigned to each memory module. The effects of address translations are incorporated into the algorithm. While most previous research efforts have concentrated on scalar variables, the primary focus in this paper is deriving efficient storage assignment for array variables. >
Operational Strategies for Increasing Secondary Materials in Metals Production Under Uncertainty

Increased use of secondary raw materials in metal production offers several benefits including reduced cost and lowered energy burden. The lower cost of secondary or scrap materials is accompanied by an increased uncertainty in elemental composition. This increased uncertainty for different scraps, if not managed well, results in an increased risk that the elemental concentrations in the final products fall outside customer specifications. Previous results show that incorporating this uncertainty explicitly into batch planning can modify the potential use of scrap materials while managing risk. Chance-constrained formulations provide one approach to uncertainty-aware batch planning; however, typical formulations assume normal distributions to represent the compositional uncertainty of the materials. Compositional variation in scrap materials has been shown to have a skewed distribution, and therefore, the performance of these models, in terms of their ability to provide effective planning, it may then be heavily influenced by the structure of the compositional data used. To address this issue, this work developed several approximations for skewed distributional forms within chance-constrained formulations. We explored a lognormal approximation based on Fenton’s method; a convex approximation based on Bernstein inequalities; and a linear approximation using fuzzy set theory. Each of these methods was formulated and case studies executed using compositional data from an aluminum remelter. Results indicate that the relationship between the underlying structure/distribution of the compositional data and how these distributions are formulated in batch planning can modify the use of secondary raw materials.
Characterizing and Functionally Defining the Gut Microbiota: Methodology and Implications

Abstract The human gastrointestinal tract contains an abundant and diverse microbial community, which has been shown to significantly impact both homeostasis and multiple disease states. While significant progress has been made in identifying the microbial populations residing in discrete locations from mouth to anus, conventional culturing techniques have been limiting because many of these microbes cannot be cultured. In the last 20 years, however, multiple advanced techniques have emerged to improve efficiency and efficacy in defining these populations. Additionally, these techniques have allowed elucidation of the functional properties of distinct populations. In this chapter, we review the microbial compartments of the gastrointestinal tract, the role of the microbiota in human health and disease, and the advancements in 16S rRNA sequencing, metagenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and gnotobiotics that have improved our understanding of the composition and function of gastrointestinal microbial communities. Finally, we briefly discuss the impact of these innovations on our capacity to develop novel pre- and probiotic therapies to modulate human health and treat human disease.
The Impact of a Rating Agency's Private Information and Disclosed Causes of Rating Downgrades on Insurer Stock Returns

Existing studies document that bond and insurer rating downgrades are associated with negative abnormal returns but generally do not consider the reasons for the downgrade disclosed or implied in the downgrade announcement. Using hand-collected press releases (downgrade announcements) of A.M. Best Company (Best) for a sample of publicly traded insurance firms during the period 1996–2012, we classify and analyze downgrades based on the disclosed causes of the downgrades and whether the rating agency has implied reliance upon unfavorable private information or opinion. We find that during the three-day event window (−1, +1), rating downgrades overall generate a statistically significant cumulative average abnormal return (CAAR) of negative 7.76%. A significantly more negative CAAR of negative 11.46% is found for “financial-prospects-deterioration” downgrades with the perceived presence of Best's private information or opinion. For downgrades without any indication of Best's private information or opinion, t...
Static model simulation for routine mumps vaccination in Japan: with a result of mumps-related complications in a Japanese community hospital

Purpose Mumps vaccine has not been included in the routine national immunization program in Japan, leading to low vaccine coverage rates and periodic epidemics approximately every 5 years. Our hospital (a secondary community hospital in Japan) experienced an increased number of mumps-related complications with a nationwide epidemic in 2016. Using previously reported data and mumps-related cases in our hospital, we estimated the cost-effectiveness of routine mumps vaccination in Japan with a static model using current epidemiologic data. Materials and methods With a decision tree flowchart of mumps infection and adverse events, we estimated the burden of mumps-related complications in our hospital for 5 years, and calculated the current annual national burden. Finally, we compared the current burden and assumptive burden of the stable state after routine vaccination in Japan using a static model. Results The cost-benefit ratios with sensitivity analysis were 3.69 (1.08-9.52) and 6.84 (1.51-23.73) in independent inoculation and simultaneous inoculation, respectively, from a social perspective in addition to an annual gain of 9,487 (3,227-14,659) quality adjusted life years. Conclusion We contributed additional evidence in terms of cost-effectiveness that routine mumps vaccination should be introduced in Japan with simultaneous inoculation.
Capacitive Detection of Low-Enthalpy, Higher Order Phase Transitions in Synthetic and Natural Composition Lipid Membranes

In-plane lipid organization and phase separation in natural membranes play key roles in regulating many cellular processes. Highly cooperative, first-order phase transitions in model membranes consisting of few lipid components are well understood and readily detectable via calorimetry, densitometry, and fluorescence. However, far less is known about natural membranes containing numerous lipid species and high concentrations of cholesterol, for which thermotropic transitions are undetectable by the above-mentioned techniques. We demonstrate that membrane capacitance is highly sensitive to low-enthalpy thermotropic transitions taking place in complex lipid membranes. Specifically, we measured the electrical capacitance as a function of temperature for droplet interface bilayer model membranes of increasing compositional complexity, namely, (a) a single lipid species, (b) domain-forming ternary mixtures, and (c) natural brain total lipid extract (bTLE). We observed that, for single-species lipid bilayers and some ternary compositions, capacitance exhibited an abrupt, temperature-dependent change that coincided with the transition detected by other techniques. In addition, capacitance measurements revealed transitions in mixed-lipid membranes that were not detected by the other techniques. Most notably, capacitance measurements of bTLE bilayers indicated a transition at ∼38 °C not seen with any other method. Likewise, capacitance measurements detected transitions in some well-studied ternary mixtures that, while known to yield coexisting lipid phases, are not detected with calorimetry or densitometry. These results indicate that capacitance is exquisitely sensitive to low-enthalpy membrane transitions because of its sensitivity to changes in bilayer thickness that occur when lipids and excess solvent undergo subtle rearrangements near a phase transition. Our findings also suggest that heterogeneity confers stability to natural membranes that function near transition temperatures by preventing unwanted defects and macroscopic demixing associated with high-enthalpy transitions commonly found in simpler mixtures.
Orthopoxviruses and Human Disease

Orthopoxvirus is a genus belonging to the family of Poxviridae. There are four species, within this genus, which are most known to cause human disease: variola virus (smallpox) and zoonotic species that include monkeypox virus, cowpox virus, and vaccinia virus. The clinical manifestations of orthopoxvirus-related disease fall within a spectrum from localized to systemic disease. Orthopoxviruses are most prominent due to smallpox and the burden of illness it has placed on human beings throughout history. The declaration of the eradication of smallpox in 1980 is considered one of the greatest triumphs in public health history. With smallpox now eradicated, the lesser-known orthopoxviruses are being given more attention with well-publicized outbreaks including human monkeypox and bovine vaccinia (vaccinia virus-related disease). The advent of nucleic acid amplification tests has improved our ability to differentiate among species and has helped identify novel pathogenic orthopoxviruses in recent years. The persistent pathogenicity of the lesser-known orthopoxviruses and the advent of novel species demonstrate that orthopoxviruses will likely continue to play a future role in human disease.
Preventive Dental Care: An Educational Program to Integrate Oral Care Into Pediatric Oncology .

Background Early childhood dental caries (dental cavities) is an infectious process. The development of oral problems during cancer care results in pain, fever, and delay in treatment. . Objectives The objective of this project was to integrate preventive oral care into pediatric oncology care. . Methods This project consisted of an educational program for pediatric oncology providers who completed pre- and postprogram surveys assessing oral health knowledge, attitudes, and practice; attended an oral health education session; and performed oral assessment and fluoride varnish application on children during cancer treatment. . Findings Three major outcomes resulted from this project.
Organic horizon and mineral soil mercury along three clear-cut forest chronosequences across the northeastern USA

Mercury (Hg) is a globally distributed pollutant trace metal that has been increasing in terrestrial environments due to rising anthropogenic emissions. Vegetation plays an important role in Hg sequestration in forested environments, but increasing tree removal for biofuels and wood products may affect this process. The long-term effect of clear-cutting on forest soil Hg remains uncertain, since most studies are limited to measuring changes for < 10 years following a single harvest event. The chronosequence approach, which substitutes space for time using forest stands of different ages since clear-cutting, allows for investigation of processes occurring over decades to centuries. Here, we utilized three clear-cut forest soil chronosequences across the northeastern USA to understand Hg accumulation and retention over several decades. Total Hg concentrations and pools were quantified for five soil depth increments along three chronosequences. Our results showed Hg concentrations and pools decreased in the initial 20 years following clear-cutting. Mineral soil Hg pools decreased 21–53% (7–14 mg m−2) between 1–5-year-old stands and 15–25-year-old stands but mineral soil Hg pools recovered in 55–140-year-old stands to similar values as measured in 1–5-year-old stands. Our study is one of the first to demonstrate a decrease and recovery in Hg pool size. These changes in Hg did not correspond with changes in bulk density, soil C, or pH. We utilized a simple two-box model to determine how different Hg fluxes affected organic and mineral soil horizon Hg pools. Our simple model suggests that changes in litterfall and volatilization rates could have caused the observed changes in organic horizon Hg pools. However, only increases in leaching could reproduce observed decreases to mineral soil Hg pools. Further studies are needed to determine the mechanism of Hg loss from forest soils following clear-cutting.
Triphala, an Ayuervedic Herbal Medicine inhibits in vitro and in vivo growth of pancreatic cancer cells

LB-142 Triphala (TPL) is one of the most popular Ayurvedic medicines, generally used as an antioxidant as well as for the treatment of various intestinal-related disorders. This herbal drug consists of the dried and powdered fruits of three plants, Terminalia chebula, Emblica officinalis, and Terminalia bellerica in equal proportions. Here we report for the first time the anti-cancer effects of the aqueous extract of TPL on pancreatic cancer cells in vitro and in vivo and further evaluated the molecular mechanisms of TPL-induced apoptosis. TPL suppressed the growth of capan-2 pancreatic cancer cells, but not normal immortal human pancreatic ductal epithelial (HPDE) cells, via induction of apoptosis. TPL-induced apoptosis was associated with elevated reactive oxygen species production. Interestingly, TPL treatment caused phosphorylation of p53 at Ser-15 and ERK at Thr-202/Tyr-204 in capan-2 cells having wild type p53. Pretreatment of cells with pifithrin-α (specific inhibitor of p53) or U0126 (specific MEK/ERK inhibitor), significantly attenuated TPL-induced apoptosis. Similarly, pretreatment of capan-2 cells with N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), a general antioxidant, inhibited TPL-induced apoptosis by inhibiting the phosphorylation of p53 and ERK. Moreover, orally feeding 50mg/kg 5 days/week significantly suppressed the growth of capan-2 pancreatic tumor xenograft in vivo in athymic nude mice, without any toxic effects. Reduced tumor growth in TPL fed mice was due to increased apoptosis in the tumors cells as revealed by TUNEL staining. Taken together, our results strongly suggest that TPL has a potential to be used as novel therapeutic agent for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. [Supported in part by RO1 grant CA 106953 (to S.K.S.) awarded by the National Cancer Institute].
Caloric restriction improves glucose homeostasis, yet increases cardiometabolic risk in caveolin-1-deficient mice.

Abstract Background and Purpose The plasma membrane protein caveolin-1 (CAV-1) has been shown to be involved in modulating glucose homeostasis and the actions of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS). Caloric restriction (CR) is widely accepted as an effective therapeutic approach to improve insulin sensitivity and reduce the severity of diabetes. Recent data indicate that polymorphisms of the CAV-1 gene are strongly associated with insulin resistance, hypertension and metabolic abnormalities in non-obese individuals. Therefore, we sought to determine whether CR improves the metabolic and cardiovascular (CV) risk factors in the lean CAV-1 KO mice. Materials/Methods Twelve- to fourteen-week-old CAV-1 knockout (KO) and genetically matched wild-type (WT) male mice were randomized by genotype to one of two dietary regimens: ad libitum (ad lib) food intake or 40% CR for 4 weeks. Three weeks following the onset of dietary restriction, all groups were assessed for insulin sensitivity. At the end of the study, all groups were assessed for fasting glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR, lipids, corticosterone levels and blood pressure (BP). Aldosterone secretion was determined from acutely isolated Zona Glomerulosa cells. Results We confirmed that the CAV-1 KO mice on the ad lib diet display a phenotype consistent with the cardiometabolic syndrome, as shown by higher systolic BP (SBP), plasma glucose, HOMA-IR and aldosterone levels despite lower body weight compared with WT mice on the ad lib diet. CAV-1 KO mice maintained their body weight on the ad lib diet, but had substantially greater weight loss with CR, as compared to caloric restricted WT mice. CR-mediated changes in weight were associated with dramatic improvements in glucose and insulin tolerance in both genotypes. These responses to CR, however, were more robust in CAV-1KO vs. WT mice and were accompanied by reductions in plasma glucose, insulin and HOMA-IR in CAV-1KO but not WT mice. Surprisingly, in the CAV-1 KO, but not in WT mice, CR was associated with increased SBP and aldosterone levels, suggesting that in CAV-1 KO mice CR induced an increase in some CV risk factors. Conclusions CR improved the metabolic phenotype in CAV-1 KO mice by increasing insulin sensitivity; nevertheless, this intervention also increased CV risk by inappropriate adaptive responses in the RAAS and BP.
American Revolutions: A Continental History, 1750–1804. By Alan Taylor. (New York, NY: W. W. Norton, 2016. Pp. xi, 681. $37.50.)

This author's influential survey of early American history, American Colonies [2002], was continental in scope, privileging the cultures and experiences of the peoples of North America over explica...
Effects of Cochlear Synaptopathy on Middle-Ear Muscle Reflexes in Unanesthetized Mice

Abstract Cochlear synaptopathy, i.e. the loss of auditory-nerve connections with cochlear hair cells, is seen in aging, noise damage, and other types of acquired sensorineural hearing loss. Because the subset of auditory-nerve fibers with high thresholds and low spontaneous rates (SRs) is disproportionately affected, audiometric thresholds are relatively insensitive to this primary neural degeneration. Although suprathreshold amplitudes of wave I of the auditory brainstem response (ABR) are attenuated in synaptopathic mice, there is not yet a robust diagnostic in humans. The middle-ear muscle reflex (MEMR) might be a sensitive metric (Valero et al., 2016), because low-SR fibers may be important drivers of the MEMR (Liberman and Kiang, 1984; Kobler et al., 1992). Here, to test the hypothesis that narrowband reflex elicitors can identify synaptopathic cochlear regions, we measured reflex growth functions in unanesthetized mice with varying degrees of noise-induced synaptopathy and in unexposed controls. To separate effects of the MEMR from those of the medial olivocochlear reflex, the other sound-evoked cochlear feedback loop, we used a mutant mouse strain with deletion of the acetylcholine receptor required for olivocochlear function. We demonstrate that the MEMR is normal when activated from non-synaptopathic cochlear regions, is greatly weakened in synaptopathic regions, and is a more sensitive indicator of moderate synaptopathy than the suprathreshold amplitude of ABR wave I.
Transatlantic Voyages: Then and Now

Atlantic world scholars often write about Africans voyaging between the United Kingdom and the Americas as if it were a thing of the past, yet performance Diasporas continue to invigorate professional dance practice. Gonzalez discusses the phenomena of artist’s transatlantic journeying. Dancers cross the Atlantic and other waters as they learn techniques, make acquaintances and experience the cultural currency that will activate their careers. Transatlantic journeys serve multiple purposes. Many Black British artists hail from Afro-Caribbean or African lineages so ‘venturing out’ may actually be ‘traveling back’ to reconnect with family. While nineteenth-century voyagers followed maritime currents from Africa to the Caribbean to New York to the United Kingdom, contemporary British citizens reverse the journey.
Evidence-Based Financial Planning: To Learn . . . Like a CFP

• The financial planning profession’s body of knowledge consists of a mix of consensus-based best practices and research-based findings founded upon formal standards of evidence. Even a cursory examination of that body of writing and codified practice, however, reveals the former to vastly dominate the latter. • The scientific method provides a framework for validating the profession’s best practices, so that practitioners can have confidence that their “best” practices are based on the “best” evidence. • If financial planning is to leave its adolescent stage of development and achieve its full potential as a learned profession, three requirements must be met: - It will require a commitment by all practitioners to stay abreast of new research, without regard to whether or not it qualifies for CE credit. - It will require practitioners to possess or acquire the ability to read and critically evaluate that research and a commitment by financial planning educational programs to impart those skills to students. - It will require a commitment on the part of practitioners to partner with academics in identifying the profession’s most important questions and designing research initiatives to answer them.
Diatom Mitosis : Implications of a Model System

Pennate diatoms have mitotic spindles whose unusually high degree of structural organization allows the changes that accompany mitosis to be analysed in more detail than has been possible with other organisms. The spindles in large organisms are beautiful objects for following mitosis in vivo, while those in smaller species have allowed accurate ultrastructral analysis, for example, by serial section reconstruction. However, these very features render the spindles unusual in appearence while they also display certain other apparently unusual traits (e.g. kinetochore function - see below). As a consequence, objections have been raised that observations on diatom spindles are not representative of the structure and function of more conventional spindles. In this paper, I will outline the major features of the diatom spindle and discuss briefly the extent to which these might be characteristic of all spindles. Wherever possible, reviews will be cited as references.
Phantom and Preclinical Studies for Image Improvement in Clinical CT

A rapidly converging, iterative deconvolution algorithm with a novel resolution subsets-based approach RSEMD that operates on digital imaging and communications in medicine images to improve the quality of clinical CT images is presented. The RSEMD method was tested on Catphan 500 and anthropomorphic 4-D XCAT phantoms to determine the improvements in signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR). The method was applied to preclinical CT images previously reconstructed by conventional software. To test the potential improvement in clinically relevant CT images we employed the 4-D XCAT phantom to simulate a small, low contrast lesion placed in the liver. In all of the phantom studies, the images proved to have higher resolution and lower noise as compared with filtered back projection. In general, the iterative deblurring restoration reaches the highest SNR and CNR values after approximately 20 iterations with an improvement factor of about 1.5 for both CNR and SNR in noisy CT images. We also found improvements in preclinical and clinical CT images after the application of RSEMD. The results obtained with the RSEMD method are in agreement with other iterative algorithms employed either in image space or with hybrid reconstruction algorithms which start in projection space and then follow in image domain. The RSEMD method can be applied to suboptimal routine-dose clinical CT images to improve the image quality to diagnostically acceptable levels.