cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Study on the distribution of CTX-M gene in the multidrug resistant Shigella in Fujian

Objective To understand the distribution characteristics of CTX-M genes of multi-drug resistant Shigella in Fujian province,then analyze the relationship between these genes and multi-drug resistant phenomenon.Methods One hundred and three strains of Shigella collected from the monitoring program during 2005-2010 in Fujian province were boiled to extract DNA,and CTX-M genes and sub-group genomes(CTX-M-I,II,III,IV,V) were detected by polymerase chain reaction.Results The positive rates of CTX-M,CTX-M-I,II,III,IV,V were 33.98%,6.8%,20.39%,0%,20.39%,0%,respectively.There were no statistical differences of CTX-M and subgroup genome positive rates between Shigella flexneri and Shigella sonnei.There were statistical differences between drug-resistant group and non-resistant group classified by the drug resistant results of Ampicillin,Amoxicillin,Cefalotin,Cefaclor and Cefotaxime,P0.05.The gene pattern of the strains carrying CTX-M-Ⅱ and CTX-M-Ⅳ was the prevalent pattern.Conclusion There were relationship between CTX-M gene and drug resistance of β-lactam antibiotics.CTX-M genes were common genes of the multi-drugss resistant Shigella in Fujian province,and Shigella strains carrying CTX-M-Ⅱ and CTX-M-Ⅳ simultaneously may be the prevalent gene pattern of β-lactam drug resistance.
Right miniparasternotomy may be a good minimally invasive alternative to full sternotomy for cardiac valve operations: A propensity-Adjusted analysis

BACKGROUND Limited real-world data existed for mini-parasternotomy approach with good sample size in Asian cohorts and most previous studies were eclipsed by case heterogeneity. The goal of this study was to compare safety and quality outcomes of cardiac non-coronary valve operations by mini-parasternotomy and full sternotomy approaches on risk-adjusted basis. METHODS From our hospital database, we retrieved the cases of non-coronary valve operations from 1 January 2005 to 31 December 2012, including re-do, emergent, and combined procedures. Estimated EuroScore-II and propensity score for choosing mini-parasternotomy were adjusted for in the regression models on hospital mortality, complications (pneumonia, stroke, sepsis, etc.), and quality parameters (length of stay, ICU time, ventilator time, etc.). Non-complicated cases, defined as survival to discharge, ventilator use not over one week, and intensive care unit stay not over two weeks, were used for quality parameters. RESULTS There were 283 mini-parasternotomy and 177 full sternotomy cases. EuroScore-II differed significantly (medians 2.1 vs. 4.7, P<0.001). Propensity scores for choosing mini-parasternotomy were higher with lower EuroScore-II (OR=0.91 per 1%, P<0.001), aortic regurgitation (OR=2.3, P=0.005), and aortic non-mitral valve disease (OR=3.9, P<0.001). Adjusted for propensity score and EuroScore-II, mini-parasternotomy group had less pneumonia (OR=0.32, P=0.043), less sepsis (OR=0.31, P=0.045), and shorter non-complicated length of stay (coefficient=-7.2 (day), P<0.001) than full sternotomy group, whereas Kaplan-Meier survival, non-complicated ICU time, non-complicated ventilator time, and 30-day mortality did not differ significantly. CONCLUSION The propensity-adjusted analysis demonstrated encouraging safety and quality outcomes for mini-parasternotomy valve operation in carefully selected patients.
Tolerance of the isolated perfused lung to hyperthermia.

With the use of in vivo isolated lung perfusion for targeting antitumor therapy in the treatment of lung cancer, tolerance of normal lung tissue to the tumoricidal conditions becomes the limiting factor. This study was performed to determine the short-term tolerance of the lung to hyperthermia. Isolated dog lung lobes were perfused with autologous blood or an artificial salt solution at constant flow. Measurements of lung weight, extravascular water, vascular volume, serotonin uptake, urea permeability surface area product, perfusion pressure, and lung compliance were made with the temperature at about 37° C. The temperature was then set at between 37° and 45° C, and at the end of the subsequent 2 hours the measurements were repeated. When the temperature was less than about 44.4° C, hyperthermia had no detectable influence on the measured variables. Thus on the time frame consistent with in vivo perfusion therapy the normal lung appears to tolerate a fairly severe hyperthermia.
Peripheral and central catecholaminergic neurons in genetic and experimental hypertension in rats.

1. Activity of peripheral and central catecholaminergic neurons was studied in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and deoxycorticosterone (DOCA)—salt hypertensive rats. 2. In young SHR (4 weeks) the plasma values of both noradrenaline and dopamine-β-hydroxylase activity were increased compared with those of normotensive rats of the Wistar/Kyoto strain. Total catecholamines (mostly adrenaline) were not significantly different. 3. In the adrenal glands of 2-weeks-old and 4-weeks-old SHR activities of tyrosine hydroxylase, dopamine-β-hydroxylase, phenylethanolamine- N -methyl transferase were decreased, compared to Wistar/Kyoto rats. 4. The adrenaline-forming enzyme was elevated in the A 1 and A 2 regions of the brain stem of 4-weeks-old SHR and in the A 1 region of adult DOCA—salt hypertensive rats. 5. In the adrenal glands of adult DOCA—salt hypertensive rats tyrosine hydroxylase activity was increased. 6. These results implicate peripheral noradrenaline-containing neurons and central adrenaline-containing neurons in the development of genetic and experimental hypertension in rats.
Management of the postchemotherapy residual mass.

SUMMARY The role of surgery in patients with advanced germ-cell tumors after chemotherapy has evolved substantially in the era of combined modality therapy. In evaluating patients for surgery after chemotherapy, the clinician must consider carefully the histologic type (seminoma versus nonseminomatous germ-cell tumors) of the primary tumor as well as the extent of the residual disease. Criteria designed to select patients with nonseminomatous tumors in whom the surgical histologic findings are negative are associated with substantial error. A normal radiographic evaluation in patients with nonseminomatous germ-cell tumors is not entirely predictive of negative pathology findings, and the treating physician must consider the risk of residual tumor despite a radiographic complete remission. In contrast, patients with seminoma have less potential for residual tumor, and the size of the residual disease permits more accurate selection of patients who still have malignancy. Continued research is needed to improve the sensitivity and specificity of patient selection for surgery after chemotherapy in order to limit the toxicity of curative therapy.
Variables that Influence Retention in RN-BS Students

Abstract Facilitating RN-BS educational mobility is a priority for nurse educators as is fostering incentives and inhibiting barriers. This study evaluates how restrictive or supportive select academic, environmental, professional integration, and socialization variables are in influencing retention. Analysis of the data revealed that students perceived faculty advisement and helpfulness and encouragement from friends, within classes, and those outside of school as most supportive of completing their first semester of study in a baccalaureate program.
Milieu Training for Adults With Severe Intellectual Disability: A Clinical Illustration:

This brief clinical exchange article supports the use of milieu training (MT) as a communication treatment option for adults with severe intellectual disabilities (SID). It examines aspects of MT t...
Problem-Based Learning: An Experiential Strategy for English Language Teacher Education in Chile

The Chilean education system requires English language teachers to be equipped with non-conventional teaching strategies that can foster meaningful learning and assure successful learners’ performances in diverse and complex settings. This exploratory, descriptive, research study aimed at discovering the perceptions of 54 pre-service teachers about the impact of a problem-based learning activity in the development of key competencies, including higher order thinking skills and reflective, research, knowledge transfer/integration, social, and self-management skills. Groups of participants chose a made-up, ill-structured problem which combined language teaching and socio-cultural issues, and devised holistic solutions. Findings suggest a comprehensive impact on the first four skills, but a limited impact on social and self-management skills.
Addiction Severity Index (ASI) Findings: Implications for Counseling South Texas Homeless Persons

The Addiction Severity Index (ASI) was administered to 214 homeless persons who received counseling and counseling-related services from a large community counseling agency located in a major metro...
Development of mathematical models of digital protection devices from a single phase earth faults in networks with voltage 6–10 kV

The paper proposes an algorithm of a mathematical model of devices for digital protection from single-phase earth faults in 6–10 kV networks with automatic change of setpoint. It is achieved using the Mealy machine (Moore machine) for formalization and automatization of designing digital logic devices to determine a value of current single-phase earth fault and insulation conditions of 6–10 kV production networks at mining enterprises. The obtained flow-graph of the algorithm and the graph of the Mealy machine for digital devices are the basis for development of the control program, which defines the order for device operation. The developed algorithm for automatic determining the single-phase earth fault current in the 6–10 kV network provides the basis for developing a method and the device for automatic determining the single-phase earth fault current in the 6–10 kV network with an unambiguous definition of the necessary functional elements and their relationships.
Development of a Low-Cost Internet-of-Things (IoT) System for Monitoring Soil Water Potential Using Watermark 200SS Sensors

Soil moisture monitoring is one of the methods that farmers can use for irrigation scheduling. Many sensor types and data logging systems have been developed for this purpose over the years, but their widespread adoption in practical irrigation scheduling is still limited due to a variety of factors. Important factors limiting adoption of soil moisture sensing technology by farmers include high cost and difficulties in timely data collection and interpretation. Recent developments in open source microcontrollers (such as Arduino), wireless communication, and Internet-of-Things (IoT) technologies offer opportunities for reducing cost and facilitating timely data collection, visualization, and interpretation for farmers. Therefore, the objective of this study was to develop and test a low-cost IoT system for soil moisture monitoring using Watermark 200SS sensors. The system uses Arduino-based microcontrollers and data from the field sensors (End Nodes) are communicated wirelessly using LoRa radios to a receiver (Coordinator), which connects to the Internet via WiFi and sends the data to an open-source website (ThingSpeak.com) where the data can be visualized and further analyzed using Matlab. The system was successfully tested under field conditions by installing Watermark sensors at four depths in a wheat field. The system described here could contribute to widespread adoption of easy-to-use and affordable moisture sensing technologies among farmers.
Strapped for Time or Stressed Out? Predictors of Work Interruption and Unmet Need for Workplace Support Among Informal Elder Caregivers.

Objective: We evaluate whether strong associations between unmet need and work interruption observed among informal elder caregivers are explained by caregiver personal characteristics, caregiving ...
Experimental study of a broadband millimeter-wave gyrotron traveling wave amplifier

A wideband low voltage millimeter wave gyrotron traveling wave amplifier (Gyro-TWT) is under investigation at NRL. The device incorporates precise axial tapering of both the magnetic field and the interaction circuit for broadband low voltage operation. The amplifier is a single-stage reflection-type device operating in the TE10 rectangular waveguide mode at the fundamental cyclotron frequency with a 33 kV, 1.6 A beam. By employing an electron beam with α of near 0.6, stable operation is observed at full beam current. Small signal gain in excess of 20 dB is observed over a wide (33p) instantaneous frequency range (27-38 GHz). Using a high power narrowband driver at 35 GHz, saturated efficiencies of about 10p (Pout>5 kW) have been obtained, in good agreement with theory. Attempts to increase the efficiency have been hampered by the onset of in-band oscillations. An experimental study investigating the dependence of the start oscillation current threshold on the relevant experimental parameters (α, magnetic field, reflection coefficient) has been performed.
Building a Simulator with Life-like Realism for Teaching Abdominal Operations

Objective The objective of this communication is to provide an evolutionary description of an attempt to replicate the success of the Rampahl Cardiac Simulator using perfused abdominal organ blocks the way that the Rampahl Simulator uses ex vivo porcine hearts. Design This descriptive paper makes no attempt to prove the effectiveness of the described educational tool, but rather, outlines the successes and failures in development. The proven value of a perfused organ teaching tool, as the Rampahl Simulator, suggests that others can build upon the work described in this paper so that, in the future, perfused abdominal organs will be available to students of general surgery as a routine part of their pre-operative preparation. Setting The Animal Resource Facility of the University of Utah, under the oversight of the University Institutional Animal Use and Care Committee (IACUC), provided the animals, operating suites and technical support. Participants During each development phase, General Surgery Residents and Medical Students from all levels participated. In addition, operating room staff with an interest in either medical school or perfusion were invited to participate. Results The efforts described in this paper eventually resulted in a reliable teaching tool for abdominal procedures in that viability of the porcine abdominal organs for up to three hours after euthanasia was regularly achieved. Conclusions General Surgery Teaching Programs of a size similar to the University of Utah may have access to the resources necessary to replicate this teaching tool in a cost-effective manner. However smaller teaching programs, such as those without a research facility, may not be able to adapt the procedures described in this paper.
Disparity between Preoperative and Pre-Excisional Intraoperative Parathyroid Hormone in Parathyroid Surgery.

Introduction Intraoperative parathyroid hormone (ioPTH) testing is a widely accepted standard for assessing the parathyroid gland function. A decline of preoperative parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels by more than 50% is one accepted measure of parathyroid surgery adequacy. However, there may be a variation between preoperative PTH levels obtained at a clinic visit and pre-excisional ioPTH. Objective Our study explores the differences between preoperative PTH and pre-excisional ioPTH levels, and the potential impact this difference has on determining the adequacy of parathyroid surgery. Methods A retrospective study that consisted of 33 patients that had undergone parathyroid resection between September 2009 and March 2016 at a tertiary academic center was performed. Each subject's preoperative PTH levels were obtained from clinic visits and pre-excisional ioPTH levels were recorded along with the time interval between the measurements. Results There was a significant difference between the mean preoperative PTH and the pre-excisional ioPTH levels of 147 pg/mL (95% confidence interval [CI] 11.43 to 284.47; p = 0.0396). The exclusion of four outliers revealed a further significant difference with a mean of 35.09 pg/mL (95% CI 20.27 to 49.92; p Conclusion Our study reveals a significant difference between the preoperative PTH levels obtained at clinic visits and the pre-excisional intraoperative PTH levels. We recommend routine pre-excisional intraoperative PTH levels, despite evidence of elevated preoperative PTH levels, in order to more accurately assess the adequacy of surgical resection.
No Responsibility (Responsibility and Foundationalism)

In the second part of the book, I begin by arguing that individuals are not morally responsible. If an individual is morally responsible, then there is a responsibility-foundation that makes him morally responsible, but there is no such foundation. A responsibility-foundation is a basic responsibility-making fact that does not depend on a person being responsible for something else. This rests on the notion that if there were a responsibility-foundation, it would be either an ungrounded choice or an ungrounded character state and that neither is true. The chapter then considers three types of objections. First, moral responsibility does not require a responsibility-foundation. Second, a character state can serve as the foundation. Third, we know people are responsible even if we don’t know what the foundation is. These objections fail. The appendices complement the part of the book that focuses on responsibility. In the first appendix, I set out a theory of what responsibility is. The purpose of this appendix is that it clarifies what I am denying when I argue that people are not morally responsible. In the second appendix, I argue that God is also not morally responsible. This appendix aims to show that the absence of a responsibility is a conceptual truth and not one that depends on the finite or flawed nature of human beings.
Gender (Non) Conformity in the Family

This chapter surveys the empirical research on gender (non) conformity in the family with an emphasis on work that provides an intersectional analysis or centers the experiences of marginalized social groups. We offer that masculinities and femininities are performed in culturally specific ways and survey research that illustrates some of these differences. We look at research on men redefining hegemonic masculinity, parent’s gender socialization of their children, intimate partners navigating gender in their relationships and sexually nonconforming individuals doing gender within families of choice.
Assessing the Association between Environmental Exposures and Human Health

In environmental health studies, health effects, environmental exposures, and potential confounders are seldom collected during the study on the same set of units. Some, if not all of the variables, are often obtained from existing programs and databases. Suppose environmental exposure is measured at points, but health effects are recorded on areal units. Further assume that a regression analysis the explores the association between health and environmental exposure is to be conducted at the areal level. Prior to analysis, the information collected on exposure at points is used to predict exposure at the areal level, introducing uncertainty in exposure for the analysis units. Estimation of the regression coefficient associated with exposure and its standard error is considered here. A simulation study is used to provide insight into the effects of predicting exposure. Open issues are discussed.
Tone 3 in Pekinese

This article treats the problem of tone sandhi in Pekinese phonology in terms of a perception experiment. The various shapes of tone 3 in different environments are illustrated by the use of spectrograms. The issue is whether the tone sequence 3–3 is homophonous with the sequence 2–3. There were 130 pairs of test items. The two members of each pair share the same phonological features except that of pitch contour. In other words, one member carries the tone sequence 2–3 while the other carries 3–3. Each test item was given twice, thus yielding a total of 520 items arranged in random order on a reading list from which tape recordings were made. Upon hearing an item on the tape, a subject is required to identify from each pair of 2–3 and 3–3 test items the member he hears. Should there be a phonemic distinction between the two types of tone sequences, a native speaker should have no difficulty in perceiving them as distinct. Then, it would be expected that the subjects could identify correctly in most cases...
Healing and Psychosocial Issues Surrounding Surgery

Recent psychosocial advances in colorectal surgery have greatly reduced hospital stay and anxiety and improved postsurgical recovery. The advances have put together education, preoperative care, postoperative care, pain control, mobility, and postsurgical attitude education. This chapter addresses the psychosocial aspects of colorectal surgery care to optimize the experience and healing of patients.
Fuel considerations and burner design for ultra-supercritical power plants

Abstract: This chapter discusses fuel quality and its influence on utility boiler design and impact on performance, with the emphasis on coal and biomass as fuels. Performance issues addressed include system capacity, heat rate, availability, and maintenance, and how they are affected by fuel quality. The effect of fuel quality on handling, storage, processing, and preparation is discussed. In addition, the effect of fuel quality on burner design and ignition stability is presented. Future trends are discussed, specifically focusing on continued use of biomass as a means to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the utility sector.
Radiation Therapy in the Horse

This article covers the principles and applications of radiation therapy in horses. The goal in treating tumors by irradiation is tumor control with minimum treatment complications. Various treatment techniques are available to achieve this goal. The prognosis depends on many factors such as the extent and location of the tumor, tumor type and tumor cell proliferation. Radiation therapy is a very effective treatment modality for equine tumors but logistical reasons limit its impact in equine oncology.
Hankel Operators in Control Theory

This chapter is a brief introduction to control theory written for mathematicians. To be more precise, we consider here several problems in control theory that involve Hankel operators. For readers interested in a more detailed study we recommend the books Doyle [1], Francis [1], Fuhrmann [4], Helton [3], Doyle, Francis, and Tannnenbaum [1], Dahleh and Diaz-Bobillo [1], and Chui and Chen [1].
Biodiesel investment in a disruptive tax-credit policy environment

Abstract An investigation of Poisson type policy jumps on biodiesel investment considers the theory of investment under uncertainty. The analysis studies the probability of implementing a policy if it is not in effect and the probability of withdrawal if it is in effect. An application models the policy-switching regime of the discontinuous U.S. federal tax credit of $1.00 per gallon on biodiesel. Results support that time inconsistent government policies do lead to market uncertainty. The analysis reveals a pronounced negative impact on decisions to invest in a biodiesel refinery. Results do indicate a consistent policy-switching regime may not be that disruptive to the emerging biodiesel industry. It is policy uncertainty that drives the option-pricing thresholds and a consistent policy switching does not increase the uncertainty.
OR9 HLA-C targeted crossmatches are serum-dependent, and transplants with strong pre-formed donor-specific HLA-C antibodies but negative crossmatches do not experience antibody-mediated rejection

Aim To analyze the impact of donor-specific HLA-C antibodies (DSA) on crossmatch (XM) and transplant (tx) outcome. Methods HLA antibodies (Ab) were analyzed using One Lambda (OL) single antigen beads (SAB). 334 T-cell flow XMs targeting a single HLA-A, B or C allotype were performed. Relationships between the strengths of XM (MCS) and DSA (MFI) were assessed by Pearson’s correlations. Outcomes of 3 organ txs performed with strong (MFI > )10 K) pre-formed HLA-C DSAs were assessed. Results Strong and linear positive-correlations were observed between MCS and MFI of single HLA-A (R2 = 0.88) or HLA-B (R2 = 0.71) targeted XMs [Fig. A]. Conversely, a poor correlation (R2 = 0.19) was obtained with HLA-C targeted XMs. To avoid multi-epitope targeting, we focused our analyses on 66 T cell XMs that were performed using sera with strong Abs (MFI > 10 K) targeting only a single C1 (Cw1,7,8,9,10,12,14,16, B46 and B73) or C2 (Cw2,4,5,6,15,17 and 18), the dimorphic epitopes of HLA-C that bind different isoforms of KIR2D receptors [Fig. B & C]. Two sera with anti-C1 reactivity showed distinct T cell-binding patterns – 1 caused +ve XMs and another caused −ve XMs [Fig.D] when targets express C1-containing HLA-C allotypes. Another 2 sera with anti-C2 reactivity showed distinct bindings – 1 caused +ve XMs and another caused −ve XMs when targets express C2-containing HLA-C allotypes. One of the patients displaying anti-C2 reactivity received a kidney tx with pre-formed Cw6 DSA (MFI = 20 K) but −ve XM, and no rejection was observed in 1 year post-tx. Some patients display strong (MFI > 10 K) reactivity to subsets of Cw-beads: Cw1,12,15 (Fig. E) or Cw2,4,5,6,8,9,10,14,16,17,18 (Fig. F). These Abs neither cause +ve XM nor harm the allograft, and are self-decayed post-tx. Conclusions Not all HLA-C Abs detected by OL SAB assay bind to cells. Despite high MFI, the no-binding HLA-C DSAs do not harm the allograft. The clinical impact of HLA-C Abs must be judged by their cell binding.
The roller coaster ride: Our music teacher educator identity development:

In transitioning from the K–12 classroom to higher education, teacher educators often experience tensions and challenges, which may be due to a misalignment between their situational and substantia...
Therapeutic advances in anaplastic thyroid cancer: a current perspective

Thyroid cancer incidence is increasing at an alarming rate, almost tripling every decade. In 2017, it was the fifth most common cancer in women. Although the majority of thyroid tumors are curable, about 2–3% of thyroid cancers are refractory to standard treatments. These undifferentiated, highly aggressive and mostly chemo-resistant tumors are phenotypically-termed anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC). ATCs are resistant to standard therapies and are extremely difficult to manage. In this review, we provide the information related to current and recently emerged first-line systemic therapy (Dabrafenib and Trametinib) along with promising therapeutics which are in clinical trials and may be incorporated into clinical practice in the future. Different categories of promising therapeutics such as Aurora kinase inhibitors, multi-kinase inhibitors, epigenetic modulators, gene therapy using oncolytic viruses, apoptosis-inducing agents, and immunotherapy are reviewed. Combination treatment options that showed synergistic and antagonistic effects are also discussed. We highlight ongoing clinical trials in ATC and discuss how personalized medicine is crucial to design the second line of treatment. Besides using conventional combination therapy, embracing a personalized approach based on advanced genomics and proteomics assessment will be crucial to developing a tailored treatment plan to improve the chances of clinical success.
Enhancement of Time-of-Flight PET Image Reconstruction for Long-lived Positron Emitters Using Information from a Prompt Gamma Ray

Isotopes such as I-124 emit a prompt gamma photon along with a positron leading to a triple coincidence of a 603 keV photon along with a pair of 511 keV annihilation photons. In conventional PET, this third photon degrades image quality and accuracy by creating multiple and random coincidences. Consequently, such prompt gamma emitting isotopes are not desirable. However, we hypothesize that using time-of-flight measurements from all three photons, the event can be more accurately positioned along the line of response between the two 511 keV photons compared to conventional TOF PET that uses the timing information from only the two 511 keV photons. In this work, we present a formulation for positioning positron-gamma TOF-PET events by employing weighted least squares estimation along with numerical simulation results of the positioning accuracy compared to conventional TOF-PET. Our numerical simulation shows that the detection of the third gamma can improve the event localization in positron-gamma (three photon coincidence) TOF-PET from 1% to 20% compared to conventional coincidence depending on the position of the detected prompt gamma ray relative to the detected annihilation photons.
Evidence-Based Reasoning in Intelligence Analysis: Structured Methodology and System

This paper presents a scientific method-based approach and system that helps intelligence analysts and others to reason better when addressing issues involving incomplete, contradictory, ambiguous, and missing information, by synergistically integrating the analyst's imagination and expertise with the computer's knowledge and critical reasoning.
Strategies to augment adherence in the management of sleep-disordered breathing

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is highly effective in treating sleep-disordered breathing (SDB). However, unlike surgical interventions, this treatment modality relies heavily on patient acceptance and adherence. The current definition of adherence is largely arbitrary and is mainly used by third-party payers to determine CPAP reimbursement but CPAP adherence remains sub-optimal. Strategies to augment adherence, especially early in the course of a CPAP trial, are needed in the management of SDB. An understanding of the basis for observed differences in CPAP and oral appliance (OA) use is necessary in developing these strategies, but to date no single factor has been consistently identified. Consequently, a multidimensional approach using educational, behavioural, technological and potentially pharmacological strategies to target (i) disease characteristics, (ii) patient characteristics including psychosocial factors, (iii) treatment protocols and (iv) technological devices and side effects that may influence adherence, is likely required to augment the complex behaviour of CPAP and OA use. In the near future, we envision a personalized medicine approach to determine the risk of non-adherence and set individualized adherence goals aimed at treating specific symptoms (e.g. excessive daytime sleepiness) and reducing the risk of patient-specific SDB consequences (e.g. atherosclerosis). Resources for interventions to improve adherence such as educational programmes and telemedicine encounters could then be more efficiently allocated.
Financial toxicity among veterans with cancer.

103Background: Financial toxicity of cancer care has not previously been studied within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). The VHA provides health care for veterans in VA hospitals across th...
Chapter 176 – Phosphodiesterase-5

Publisher Summary This chapter gives an overview on cyclic GMP-specific cGMP-binding phosphodiesterase (PDE5), a class I mammalian PDE with a catalytic site that specifically hydrolyzes the phosphodiester bond of cGMP and an allosteric site that binds cGMP with high specificity. The single human PDE5 gene is located on chromosome 4q26, contains 23 exons, and encodes mRNA for three variants, PDE5A1, -A2, and -A3. The protein products, 100 kDa, 95 kDa, and 95 kDa, respectively, share similar properties and have different amino-termini, a result of alternative mRNA splicing. Phosphorylation of Ser-102 (human PDE5) by PKG or PKA is enhanced by cGMP binding to the regulatory region or ligand (cGMP or PDE5 inhibitors) occupation of the catalytic site. PDE5 is phosphorylated in intact cells in response to stimuli that elevate cGMP, but elevation of cAMP does not mimic this. Cloning of PDE5 cDNA led to identification of two conserved Zn2+ binding motifs in catalytic domains of all mammalian PDEs. Zinc that binds to PDE5 with high stoichiometry is effective at a far lower concentration than either Mn2+ or Mg2+ in supporting catalytic activity. An allosteric site in unphosphorylated PDE5 binds cGMP with a KD ∼0.2-1.5 μM; affinity varies depending on conditions. Cyclic GMP in the anti conformation binds to GAF-A, which is composed of ∼110 residues. A recombinant protein containing only GAF-A binds cGMP with high affinity, and cGMP binding causes a large conformational change. GAF-A also provides high-affinity dimerization contacts between PDE5 monomers. GAF-B provides high-affinity dimerization contacts between PDE5 monomers and reduces affinity of the GAF-A subdomain for cGMP.
The Effects of Mastery Criteria on Maintenance: A Replication With Most-to-Least Prompting

Previous research has suggested that skills taught with a least-to-most prompting procedure to 80% and 90% accuracy did not always maintain high levels of performance maintenance. The present study replicates and extends previous research by evaluating the effects of various mastery criteria (i.e., 80%, 90%, and 100% accuracy across three consecutive sessions) on the maintenance of tacting skills taught with a most-to-least prompting procedure combined with a progressive time delay. Results of this study support previous research and further demonstrate that the highest levels of maintenance are achieved with 100% and 90% accuracy criteria for up to a month. For the 80% criterion, performance deteriorated during follow-up probes. Contrary to previous research suggesting a 90% criterion combined with least-to-most prompting procedures was not always sufficient for producing skill maintenance, the current study may provide preliminary support for the use of a 90% accuracy mastery criterion when combined with a most-to-least prompting procedure with a progressive time delay.
Abstract 15214: Food Insecurity and Cardiovascular Disease in NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) 2011-2016

Background: Adherence to a heart-healthy diet is foundational for the prevention, management, and treatment of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Despite the fact that adhering to dietary guidelines may...
A Serine Protease Inhibitor Domain Encoded Within the Alzheimer Disease-Associated Amyloid ß-Protein Precursor Gene

A crucial event in the pathogenesis of AD involves the aggregation of a 4.2 kiloDalton (kd) hydrophobic peptide referred to as the amyloid s- protein (ABP) into insoluble extracellular proteinaceous fibers. These aggregates take the form of both senile (neuritic) plaques (SP) and cerebrovascular amyloid (CVA) deposits.1 Besides AD, amyloid deposits also occur in Dutch cerebral amyloidosis,2 older patients with Down syndrome (DS; trisomy 21), and to a limited extent in normal aged individuals. The formation of amyloid plaques and blood vessel CVA deposits appears to correlate well, although not perfectly, with the degree of dementia in AD patients.3 Whether amyloidogenesis is a primary or secondary event in AD-related neuropathology is not known. However, given the association between neuronal cell death and the presence of amyloid in AD and DS, multiple laboratories have focused their efforts on delineating the mechanism by which the 40 amino acid peptide, ABP, is generated and subsequently aggregated into insoluble amyloid fibrils. ABP is derived from a much larger precursor protein (APP) encoded by a gene located on chromosome 21.4–7 This precursor protein may consist of 695, 751, or 770 amino acids depending on the alternate splicing of two exons of 168 and 57 basepairs.5’8–10 The larger exon encodes a functional serine protease inhibitor domain in the Kunitz family. The effect of this inhibitor on the proteolytic processing of APP and the generation of amyloid is not yet known.
Temperature Dependence of the Extraordinary Hall Effect in Amorphous Co-Gd-Mo Thin Films

The temperature dependence of the extraordinary Hall resistivity and the ordinary resistivity of amorphous Co-Gd-Mo-Ar thin films have been investigated from 4.2°K to the ferrimagnetic Curie temperature; the nominal composition of these films was Co65Gd10Mo15Ar10. The extraordinary Hall resistivity reverses sign at the compensation temperature and reflects the paramagnetic susceptibility above the Curie temperature. The temperature dependence of the Hall resistivity can be adequately expressed as R1(Co)MCo + R1(Gd)MGd, where MCo, and MGd are the subnetwork magnetizations determined from a mean field fitting procedure. This fit emphasizes the inappropriateness of spin fluctuation scattering models which are relevant to the crystalline phases. Such models predict a minimum in Hall resistivity at low temperatures which is not observed experimentally.
Soluble ST2 and galectin-3 in pediatric patients without heart failure.

Abstract Objectives Soluble ST2 (ST2) and galectin-3 (Gal3) are biomarkers of myocardial fibrosis and remodeling. This study provides a foundation for the use of ST2 and Gal3 in pediatric patients by assessing values of these biomarkers among children without heart failure. Design and methods Sera from 240 children, 40 males and 40 females from each of three age groups, (2–6 years, 7–11 years, and 12–17 years) without heart failure were identified from residual clinical testing. Serum ST2 and Gal3 were measured by ELISA. Results Serum ST2 increased with age among males, but not females. However, the difference was not statistically significant at the 95th or 97.5th percentiles. No relationship was found between serum Gal3 concentrations and age or gender. Central 95th percentiles (2.5th to 97.5th) were 9–50 ng/mL for ST2 and 7–33 ng/mL for Gal3. Conclusions We have presented baseline, normative data for ST2 and Gal3 in children. This will allow for study of the utility of these biomarkers in children with heart disease.
A Multimedia Data Mining Framework: Mining Information from Traffic Video Sequences

The analysis and mining of traffic video sequences to discover important but previously unknown knowledge such as vehicle identification, traffic flow, queue detection, incident detection, and the spatio-temporal relations of the vehicles at intersections, provide an economic approach for daily traffic monitoring operations. To meet such demands, a multimedia data mining framework is proposed in this paper. The proposed multimedia data mining framework analyzes the traffic video sequences using background subtraction, image/video segmentation, vehicle tracking, and modeling with the multimedia augmented transition network (MATN) model and multimedia input strings, in the domain of traffic monitoring over traffic intersections. The spatio-temporal relationships of the vehicle objects in each frame are discovered and accurately captured and modeled. Such an additional level of sophistication enabled by the proposed multimedia data mining framework in terms of spatio-temporal tracking generates a capability for automation. This capability alone can significantly influence and enhance current data processing and implementation strategies for several problems vis-a-vis traffic operations. Three real-life traffic video sequences obtained from different sources and with different weather conditions are used to illustrate the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed multimedia data mining framework by demonstrating how the proposed framework can be applied to traffic applications to answer the spatio-temporal queries.
Detección y control de discrepancias fiscales por la autoridad administrativa

The tax discrepancy was introduced for the first time in our legal system when the country was already committed to an external public debt substantial, probably in compliance to “recommendations” of our international creditors. The tax gap is the difference that originates when a taxpayer during a calendar year expenses e investment higher compared with the income declared for the purposes of the payment of its taxes; it constitutes the main axis for which the authorities shall carry out inspection actions to various sectors of contributors and non-contributors, applying the procedure laid down in article 107 of the income tax act. This precept is located within Title IV of physical persons in the “General provisions”, since moral people will never have problems of fiscal discrepancy since those who spend the money are shareholders (physical persons) of the societies, who incur tax discrepancy.
Shareholder Democracy on Trial: International Perspective on the Effectiveness of Increased Shareholder Power

Shareholder democracy - efforts to increase shareholder power within the corporation - appears to have come of age, both within the United States and abroad. In the past few years, U.S. shareholders have worked to strengthen their voice within the corporation by seeking to remove perceived impediments to their voting authority. These impediments include classified boards, the plurality standard for board elections, and the inability to nominate directors on the corporation's ballot. Shareholders' efforts have also extended to seeking a voice on the compensation of corporate officers and directors. Advocates of shareholder democracy believe that such efforts are critical to buttressing shareholder value and curbing managerial abuses of authority. However, there are many who criticize shareholder democracy, claiming that it will undermine firm value and corporate governance. Opponents also insist that shareholder democracy will undermine corporate efforts to focus on non-shareholder constituents such as employees, customers, and communities. This Article examines these and other criticisms in the context of international efforts to increase shareholder democracy, and argues that the international experience with shareholder democracy undercuts the force of such critiques. Indeed, experiences in other countries suggest that shareholder democracy can achieve its desired result of enhancing financial returns and reducing corporate misconduct. In this way, the Article relies on international corporate governance trends to provide a novel, significant perspective to the ongoing debate over the propriety of shareholder democracy in the United States.
ScanScribe: Perceptually Supported Diagram Image Editing

We have implemented a prototype document image editor that incorporates principles and algorithms for Perceptual Organization in order to facilitate selection and manipulation of visually salient image objects. Called ScanScribe, the program serves two purposes. First, it offers an illustration of the advantageous use of Gestalt principles of segmentation and grouping of text and line-art found in diagrams. Second, it is a practical tool for modifying existing diagrams and composing new diagrams from mixed source material. ScanScribe’s user interface design and foundational representations are designed to scale to support recognition of domain objects found by structural matching through subgraph correspondence or other techniques.
GHz filters with third harmonic unidirectional transducers

High insertion loss is a major disadvantage of harmonic SAW (surface acoustic wave) and STW (surface transverse wave) filters. It is shown that harmonic unidirectional transducers can considerably improve the filter performance. Two harmonic GHz filters with remarkably low insertion loss have been demonstrated. Rayleigh wave filters on a high coupling material tend to have lower insertion loss than STW filters on quartz, but are limited to somewhat lower frequencies. The insertion loss of the Rayleigh wave filter is about 5 dB higher than the insertion loss of the best fundamental device reported so far, but the production of a harmonic filter is easier, resulting in better yield and lower cost. A simple model for calculating the input impedance of an STW transducer is presented. In many cases it predicts the impedance curve accurately enough. >
Cognitive models of user behavior in social information systems

The widespread popularity and adoption of social information systems ranging from social networking systems to social book marking systems has resulted in an increased research focus on studying user interactions in such systems. Recent research literature has reported on analysis of large datasets of logs of social interactions as a way to describe the structure of these systems and to characterize individual behavior. There is significantly limited research on cognitive behavior of individual users in social information systems. Research on individual behavior can help us develop nuanced perspectives of social information use and can provide insights for developing more effective systems for users.
Jacobi Elliptic Functions from a Dynamical Systems Point of View

(2001). Jacobi Elliptic Functions from a Dynamical Systems Point of View. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 108, No. 8, pp. 729-737.
The human pluripotent stem cell: impact on medicine and society.

Abstract Objective: To discuss the current state of the science surrounding human pluripotent stem cells and to show that the derivation of such cells from donated preimplantation human embryos should be eligible for federal funding provided that certain protections are met. Design: A literature search focusing on the scientific aspects of pluripotent stem-cell research and analyses of current and past legislation and federal panel recommendations. Conclusion(s): The current federal laws regulating the permissions necessary to obtain fetal tissue from elective pregnancy terminations are intended to insulate the decision to terminate a pregnancy from the potential positive influence of fetal tissue transplantation. A similar situation can be created for the derivation of cells from excess preimplantation human embryos produced by IVF programs. If, as in fetal tissue research, assurances can be made that the research will have no influence on the decision to dispose of the embryo, the derivation of pluripotent stem cells from embryo should proceed with federal funding.
The challenge of placing in situ magnetotail observations into global context

Abstract The last 4 years have seen an explosion of studies of magnetotail structure and dynamics. Growth in our understanding of the coupling of the magnetotail to the inner magnetosphere and ionosphere and the response of the magnetotail to solar wind dynamics has been made possible because of the International Solar Terrestrial Physics (ISTP) program. In addition, the sophistication of global modeling techniques and algorithms have allowed direct comparison of in situ data with realistic global models to understand better not only the general structure of the magnetosphere but also its dynamics. This brief review will discuss in situ observations made during the ISTP era and attempt to place them into a global context. Magnetotail structure and its dynamics due to external and internal drivers will be the main focus.
Global structure of the mod two symmetric algebra, H(BO;F2), over the Steenrod Algebra

The algebra S of symmetric invariants over the eld with two elements is an unstable algebra over the Steenrod algebraA, and is isomor- phic to the mod two cohomology of BO, the classifying space for vector bundles. We provide a minimal presentation for S in the category of un- stable A-algebras, i.e., minimal generators and minimal relations. From this we produce minimal presentations for various unstableA-algebras associated with the cohomology of related spaces, such as the BO(2 m 1) that classify nite dimensional vector bundles, and the connected covers of BO. The presentations then show that certain of these unstableA-algebras coalesce to produce the Dickson algebras of general linear group invariants, and we speculate about possible related topological realizability. Our methods also produce a related simple minimal A-module presenta- tion of the cohomology of innite dimensional real projective space, with ltered quotients the unstable modulesF (2 p 1)=AAp 2 , as described in