cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Spiral bacteria in the human stomach: the gastric helicobacters.

During the past decade, Helicobacter pylori has become recognized as one of the most common human pathogens, colonizing the gastric mucosa of almost all persons exposed to poor hygienic conditions from childhood. It also is often found, albeit with a lower frequency, in groups of high socioeconomic status. H. pylori causes chronic active gastritis and is a major factor in the pathogenesis of duodenal ulcers and, to a lesser extent, gastric ulcers. In addition, the presence of this bacterium is now recognized as a risk factor for gastric adenocarcinoma and lymphoma. Nevertheless, most infections appear without clinical consequences. In this second decade of intensive research, it is important to understand why H. pylori is sometimes a dangerous pathogen, and to determine how it can be eradicated in those at highest risk for severe disease. At the end of the 19th century, several types of spirochetes and spirilla were observed for the first time in the stomach of animals (1,2). Beginning at the turn of the 20th century, similar spiral bacteria were found in gastrectomy specimens from patients with gastric cancer and peptic ulcer disease (3,4). In addition, gastroenterologists and surgeons noted— but could not explain—the almost universal presence of antral gastritis in patients with duodenal ulcers and the frequent presence of atrophic gastritis in patients with gastric ulcer and cancer. Nevertheless, the possibility that peptic ulcer disease or gastric cancer might be caused by an infectious agent was generally discounted. The observation made in 1975 that gram-negative bacteria were present in 80% of patients with gastric ulcer (5) was largely ignored by the scientific community which, at the time, was busily developing potent antiulcer agents (6). Skepticism remained the overwhelming reaction to the 1983 reports describing the frequent association between antral gastritis and the presence of Campylobacter-like bacteria (7), as well as of their culture and isolation from patients with gastritis (8). A similar reaction followed the subsequent demonstration that these Campylobacter-like bacteria were present in almost all patients with gastric and duodenal ulcers, and were generally associated with antral gastritis (9). In the past decade, however, a number of studies have confirmed and extended these early observations. A consensus regarding the major role of this bacterium, now named Helicobacter pylori, in causing gastroduodenal ulceration was formally presented in 1994 (10).
Neurologic Factors in Female Sexual Function and Dysfunction

Sexual dysfunction affects both men and women, involving organic disorders, psychological problems, or both. Overall, the state of our knowledge is less advanced regarding female sexual physiology in comparison with male sexual function. Female sexual dysfunction has received little clinical and basic research attention and remains a largely untapped field in medicine. The epidemiology of female sexual dysfunction is poorly understood because relatively few studies have been done in community settings. In the United States, female sexual dysfunction has been estimated to affect 40% of women in the general population. Among the elderly, however, it has been reported that up to 87% of women complain of sexual dissatisfaction. Several studies have shown that the prevalence of female sexual arousal disorders correlates significantly with increasing age. These studies have shown that sexual arousal and frequency of coitus in the female decreases with increasing age. The pathophysiology of female sexual dysfunction appears more complex than that of males, involving multidimensional hormonal, neurological, vascular, psychological, and interpersonal aspects. Organic female sexual disorders may include a wide variety of vascular, neural, or neurovascular factors that lead to problems with libido, lubrication, and orgasm. However, the precise etiology and mechanistic pathways of age-related female sexual arousal disorders are yet to be determined. In the past two decades, some advances have been made in exploring the basic hemodynamics and neuroregulation of female sexual function and dysfunction in both animal models and in human studies. In this review, we summarize neural regulation of sexual function and neurological causes of sexual dysfunction in women.
Heuristic Prescreening Switchable Branches in Optimal Transmission Switching

This letter describes the development of a pre-screening method to select a few switchable line candidates, effectively reducing the number of integer variables in transmission switching problems. The numerical studies show that the proposed prescreening strategies accelerate identification of high-quality feasible solutions in optimal transmission switching problems.
Virulence of Recent Isolates of Mycoplasma synoviae in Turkeys

SUMMARY. Systemic Mycoplasma synoviae (MS) infection was induced experimentally in commercial turkeys with recent MS isolates (K4822D and K4774J) from turkey breeder flocks that exhibited no clinical signs typical of MS infection except for a low incidence of swollen footpads. The virulence of each strain was compared by evaluating gross and microscopic lesions, serologic responses, and MS isolation rates at 10 and 21 days postchallenge and by comparing these results with those obtained from a known virulent isolate (K1968), another previously characterized field isolate (K4463B), and unchallenged controls. All strains induced lesions typical of infectious synovitis but showed distinct differences in the extent of the gross and microscopic lesions and in the isolation rates from the tissues in turkeys. K1968 induced the most extensive lesions in hock and stifle joints and footpads, but strains K4822D, K4774J, and K4463B all induced synovitis and were similar in virulence for synovial tissues. Very mild re...
PCSK9 Inhibitors: A Technology Worth Paying For?

Food and Drug Administration in the United States has approved the (PCSK9) inhibitors alirocumab and evolocumab as an adjunct to diet and maximally tolerated statin therapy for adults with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) or clinical atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease requiring additional lowering of LDL-C. Evolocumab has also been approved for homozygous FH. Long-term outcomes studies are pending. The drugs are expensive, costing over $12,000 a year. There is concern that these drugs may not provide good value. While this can be studied with cost-effectiveness analysis, this will be challenging to do, especially when considered for therapy in young people which may be life-long. While inexpensive preventative therapies are cost-effective in the young, expensive therapies may not meet a societal willingness-to-pay threshold as the costs are high and accrue immediately, while the benefits may be decades in the future.
Electronic Cigarette Trial and Use among Young Adults: Reasons for Trial and Cessation of Vaping

This paper identifies predictors of trial and current use, and reasons for trying and ceasing use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) among young adults, with particular attention to former and never smokers. Data are from a mail survey of a population-based sample of adults aged 18 to 35 (N = 4740) in three U.S. metropolitan areas. Survey items assessed trial and use of e-cigarettes, cigarette smoking status, and reasons for trial and for ceasing use of e-cigarettes. Almost 23% reported trial of e-cigarettes, and 8.4% reported using them in the past month. Current smokers were much more likely to have tried e-cigarettes (70.2%) than both former (32.3%) and never smokers (7.6%; p < 0.001) and to have used them in the past month (30.8%, 10.1%, 2.0% respectively; p < 0.001). Smoking status and scores on sensation seeking were significant independent predictors of both trial and current use of e-cigarettes. Never-smokers cite curiosity as the reason for trying e-cigarettes and also that their friends used them. The most frequent reason for ceasing use among never and former smokers was health concerns. For virtually none of them were e-cigarettes their first exposure to nicotine.
Nanoscale Imaging Mass Spectrometry using Cluster Ion Beams

Imaging mass spectrometry has emerged, in recent years, to allow chemical composition to be elucidated with impressive spatial resolution and sensitivity. Many different approaches have been developed, each with specific attributes. Techniques employing soft ionization schemes such as MALDI and desorption electrospray ionization (DESI) have been successful particularly for biological samples since the target molecule is generally detected without fragmentation. Spatial resolution is generally limited to ~100 μm, although better resolution has been reported in special cases. Here, we focus on molecular secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) using focused cluster ion beams to stimulate the desorption of molecular ions [1]. Since desorption results from energetic collisions between the primary cluster and the target molecule, significant fragmentation of molecular ions is usually observed. Despite this problem, there are several unique operational modes of the SIMS approach that present a unique space for materials characterization. These modes include the ability to acquire surface-specific chemical information and to perform 3dimensional imaging with sub-micron spatial resolution and nanometer-scale depth resolution. This approach is distinct from nanoSIMS where the energetic ion beam intentionally fragments the molecules to small fragments which are distinguished using stable isotope labeling.
Thermoregulatory disorders and illness related to heat and cold stress.

Thermoregulation is a vital function of the autonomic nervous system in response to cold and heat stress. Thermoregulatory physiology sustains health by keeping body core temperature within a degree or two of 37°C, which enables normal cellular function. Heat production and dissipation are dependent on a coordinated set of autonomic responses. The clinical detection of thermoregulatory impairment provides important diagnostic and localizing information in the evaluation of disorders that impair thermoregulatory pathways, including autonomic neuropathies and ganglionopathies. Failure of neural thermoregulatory mechanisms or exposure to extreme or sustained temperatures that overwhelm the body's thermoregulatory capacity can also result in potentially life-threatening departures from normothermia. Hypothermia, defined as a core temperature of 40.5°C, may present with sweating, flushing, tachycardia, fatigue, lightheadedness, headache, and paresthesia, progressing to weakness, muscle cramps, oliguria, nausea, agitation, hypotension, syncope, confusion, delirium, seizures, and coma. Mental status changes and core temperature distinguish potentially fatal heat stroke from heat exhaustion. Management requires the immediate reduction of core temperature. Ice water immersion has been shown to be superior to alternative cooling measures. Avoidance of thermal risk and early recognition of cold or heat stress are the cornerstones of preventive therapy.
Knowledge Management in Public Administration Institutions

Abstract Nowadays knowledge management has emerged as one of the most important area in management practices and is established as a basic resource for profit and also non-profit firms and economies. Any organization that wishes to acquire sustainable competitive advantages must make the most of all the knowledge it possesses and put it to good use. The need for the introduction of knowledge management in the public administration is the result of not only the pressure of the European Union, as well as current global trends and constantly growing demands of citizens on the quantity and quality of information. This article aims to highlight the most significant factors influencing the building of knowledge management in the specific field of public administration.
From Storefronts to Servers to Service Providers: Stretching the Permanent Establishment Definition to Accommodate New Business Models

Multinational corporations are increasingly using business structures that allow them to shift manufacturing and sales profit away from the countries in which they manufacture and sell products ("the source country") to a low-taxed affiliate. They are doing this by changing their business structures in a way that avoids creating a permanent establishment (PE) for the low-taxed affiliate but without materially changing the level of activities the multinational group conducts in the source country. Foreign countries are reacting to these income shifting business structures unilaterally by interpreting the PE provision of bilateral treaties broadly to tax profits that they believe should properly be taxable in their country. As a result, there is increasing uncertainty concerning how PE provisions will be interpreted and applied by different countries to structures which may be viewed as income shifting. This article first discusses the history of the PE provision and the current PE thresholds set forth in the Organisation For Economic Co-Operation And Development (OECD) Model Treaty. Next it describes traditional manufacturing and sales business models which result in full source country tax on profits and compares these traditional business models to new manufacturing and sales business models which result in shifting income away from the source country under the PE rules. This article then briefly discusses how the OECD has proposed to apply the current PE definition to e-commerce and how countries have reacted to this proposal. Finally, this article describes alternative ways in which foreign countries have attacked income-shifting structures through an expansive interpretation of the PE rules, concluding that reconsideration of the PE definition may be necessary in this context to prevent erosion of the essential purpose of tax treaties to provide uniformity in taxation of cross-border income.
Observations on Immature Oak Leafroller, Archips semiferanus

The egg, larval, and pupal stages of the tortricid, Archips semiferanus (Walker), were studied in 1972, 1973, and 1974 at 3 sites in central Pennsylvania. Eclosion of the larvae occurred in late Apr.–early May. Pupation occurs in mid-June after 5 larval instars. Adults emerge in early July. Egg masses averaged 33.17 eggs/mass (range 8–66). Head capsule measurements of the larvae were determined and the development of each instar was followed. Female pupae were larger than male pupae and the ratio of pupal width to weight was linear.
Arrhythmias and Electrocardiographic Changes in Systolic Heart Failure.

Background: Heart failure is a common condition that that leads to hospitalization. It is associated with various atrial and ventricular arrhythmias. Aim: The aim of this study is to find common arrhythmias and electrocardiographic changes in hospitalized patients who have systolic heart failure. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective study of medical records, and electrocardiograms (EKGs) of 157 patients admitted to our hospital who had systolic heart failure with ejection fraction (EF) 35%. Twelve-lead EKG of these patients was studied to identify common arrhythmia and demographic variables; laboratory results were compared to identify the differences. Results: A total of 157 patients with systolic heart failure, 63.7% had an EF ≤ 35%. Hypertension 82.8%, diabetes 49%, coronary artery disease 40.8%, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or bronchial asthma 22.3%, and stroke 12.1% were common associated co-morbidities. On analysis of EKG, 28.6% had tachycardia, 21.9% had prolonged PR > 200 ms, 16.3% had wide QRS > 120 ms, 70.7% had prolonged corrected QT (QTc), and 42.2% had left axis deviation. The most common arrhythmias were sinus tachycardia and atrial fibrillation/flutter which were found in 14.6% and 13.4%, respectively. The left ventricular hypertrophy was a common abnormality found in 22.4% followed by ventricular premature contractions 18.4%, atrial premature contractions 9.5%, and left bundle branch block 6.1%. Patients with severe systolic heart failure had prolonged QRS ( P = 0.02) and prolonged QTc ( P = 0.01) as compared to the other group. Conclusions: Sinus tachycardia and atrial fibrillation/flutter were common arrhythmias in patients with systolic heart failure. Patients with severe systolic heart failure had statistically significant prolongation of the QRS duration and QTc interval.
Germs and the out-group: Chronic and situational disease concerns affect intergroup categorization.

Throughout human evolutionary history, members of unfamiliar out-groups are likely to have posed significant disease threats. The current studies assessed whether concerns about disease would bias people toward categorizing social targets as members of an unfamiliar out-group. Using a minimal group paradigm, 2 experiments assessed the extent to which perceivers categorized neutral targets and those displaying heuristic disease cues as members of the in-group versus the out-group. A bias toward categorizing targets with heuristic disease cues (but not neutral targets) as members of the novel out-group was observed among people high in chronic germ aversion and among those for whom disease threat had been experimentally primed. Consistent with theories emphasizing the pernicious dangers potentially posed by out-group pathogens, this bias was strongest if the targets were also a part of a racial out-group. Findings suggest a fundamental link between disease avoidance processes and biases in intergroup cognition.
Technical challenges of upset recovery training : simulating the element of surprise

This invited paper is written in the context of a concerted effort by the aviation industry and regulators to reduce the occurrence of Loss of Control (LOC) accidents. LOC accidents have taken the lead among fatal airplane accidents, recently outpacing Controlled Flight into Terrain. The community is pursuing different avenues that all have potential for leading towards that goal. These include technical solutions such as preventing or automatically correcting uncontrollable airplane states or providing pilots with flight deck warnings and advisories; managerial solutions such as optimizing procedures and checklists to prevent narrowing of attention and reversal to primal responses; or instructional solutions enhancing pilots’ knowledge, skills, and aptitudes via academics, ground-based procedure and flight training, and in-flight demonstrations and practice. This paper addresses ground-based training in a Flight Simulation Training Device (FSTD). In particular, it examines whether an FSTD is an adequate tool to first simulate a situation where flight crews may be too distracted to become aware of the danger of losing control of the airplane and to subsequently stimulate the confusion and panic that would be triggered during an actual LOC, where the crew’s and passengers’ lives are at stake. It first discusses the psychological obstacles interfering with anticipation, recognition, and appropriate responses to LOC. It then lays out the training goals that need to be reached in successful upset recovery training, and briefly discusses the training strategies that might be applicable to different types of training goals. Finally, it examines the different methods that may be applied to overcome a potential drawback, but also a major advantage of training appropriate responses to LOC in an FSTD: that it is safe.
Effect of Annealing Temperature on TiO2−ZnO Core−Shell Aggregate Photoelectrodes of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Photoelectrodes made of submicrometer-sized aggregates of ZnO nanocrystallites coated with TiO2 layer by atomic layer deposition with different annealing temperatures were investigated for dye-sensitized solar cells. Although the annealing at 350 °C is commonly used for the ZnO aggregates in order to preserve the desired large surface area and mesoporous structure, the presence of ALD-TiO2 layer on the ZnO aggregates would enable to increase the annealing temperature up to 450 °C without a loss of surface area by suppressing surface diffusion of the ZnO atoms. The morphology and crystal size of the aggregates and BET results supported the fact that ALD-TiO2 layer coated on the ZnO aggregates is effective in preventing the surface diffusion of the ZnO atom at elevated annealing temperature. Electrochemical property of the photoelectrodes including the charge transfer resistance was significantly affected by the annealing temperature. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy revealed that the charge transfer ...
Reality of zeros of derivatives of meromorphic functions

Let f be a meromorphic non-entire function in the plane, and suppose that for every n ≥ 0, the derivative f (n) has only real zeros. We have proved that then there are real numbers a and b where a 6 0, such that f is of the form f(az+b) = P (z)/Q(z) where Q(z) = z n or Q(z) = (z 2 + 1) n for some positive integer n, and P is a polynomial with only real zeros such that degP ≤ degQ + 1; or f(az +b) = C(z −i) −n or f(az +b) = C(z −�)/(z −i) whereis real and C is a non-zero complex constant. In this paper we explain the structure of the proof (which is divided into several cases), and give the proof in those cases that can be dealt with by reasonably elementary methods.
Epidemiology of Hepatitis A in Guangyuan,1997-2008

Objective To understand the incidence trend of hepatitis A in Guangyuan and provide evidence for prevention and control.Methods The descriptive analysis was conducted on the incidence data of hepatitis A in Guangyuan from 1997 to 2008.Results A total of 8867 hepatitis A cases were reported during this period,the average annual incidence rate was 24.33/105.The male to female ratio of the cases was 152:100.The average age of the cases was 25.9 years old.Farmer was the mostly affected population(42.9%),followed by student(26.42%) and worker(8.39%),the cases among them accounted for 76.9% of the total.The case was reported all the year round,but more cases were reported during April August,accounting for 51.28% of the total.Conclusion Hepatitis A occurred more frequently from April to August in Guangyuan.Farmers,students and workers were the major populations to be affected.It is necessary to strengthen health education,promote health lifestyle and conduct vaccination to prevent hepatitis A.
Study on the Coordination Control Between under Excitation Limiter and PSS Control

The coordination control of generator excitation limiters has an important impact on the power grid when the power grid breaks down. The paper designs the excitation system control model of master and additional limiter. According to simulation result,the paper analyses the coordination control between under excitation limiter and PSS. In the meantime,the paper provides the reference for typical parameter of excitation limiter.
Prevalence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in the American bison (Bison bison).

Bison is becoming a popular meat source for consumers, but very little is known about the bison's status with respect to Escherichia coli O157:H7. We conducted a study to determine the prevalence and identify virulence genes and pulsed-field genetic types of E. coli O157:H7 in bison. Rectal contents and rectoanal mucosal swab (RAMS) samples were collected from a total of 342 bison at slaughter on seven different dates. Isolation of E. coli O157:H7 was by enrichment, immunomagnetic separation, and plating on selective medium, and identification was based on sorbitol fermentation reaction, indole production, and O157 agglutination test. An overall E. coli O157:H7 prevalence of 47.4% was observed. Fecal prevalence across sampling days ranged from 17 to 83%, with an average of 42.1%. The prevalence in the rectoanal mucosal region ranged from 2.2 to 50%, with an average of 19.9%. All E. coli O157:H7 isolates (n = 212) possessed eae, hlyA, fliC, and stx2 genes. The antiterminator Q gene, Q933, was present in 50...
Doubly robust empirical likelihood inference in covariate-missing data problems

Missing covariate data occurs often in regression analysis. We study methods for estimating the regression coefficients in an assumed conditional mean function when some covariates are completely observed but other covariates are missing for some subjects. We adopt the semiparametric perspective of Robins et al. [Estimation of regression coefficients when some regressors are not always observed. J Amer Statist Assoc. 1994;89:846–866] on regression analyses with missing covariates, in which they pioneered the use of two working models, the working propensity score model and the working conditional score model. A recent approach to missing covariate data analysis is the empirical likelihood method of Qin et al. [Empirical likelihood in missing data problems. J Amer Statist Assoc. 2009;104:1492–1503], which effectively combines unbiased estimating equations. In this paper, we consider an alternative likelihood approach based on the full likelihood of the observed data. This full likelihood-based method enabl...
The role of wildlife-associated recreation in private land use and conservation: Providing the missing baseline

Abstract Successfully integrating human activities with ecosystem conservation forms the foundation of sustainability and is key to maintaining biological diversity. This is especially important in privately-owned lands in the U.S., which harbor high levels of biodiversity yet are often vulnerable to habitat degradation and loss. This study analyzes recreation as a sustainable use on private property, focusing on wildlife-associated recreation, defined here as fishing, hunting and wildlife watching. Eighteen national surveys implemented by three U.S. government agencies spanning 1999–2013 were analyzed to provide baseline information and an assessment of the conservation impact of recreation. Results show that approximately 440.1 million acres of private land, ∼22% of the contiguous land area of the U.S., are either leased or owned for wildlife-associated recreation. Land utilized for hunting accounts for 81% of that total. Approximately 33% of private forestland, 18% of private grazing land and 4% of private cropland is used to earn revenue from recreational activities. Annual spending for wildlife-associated recreation on private land is estimated at $814 million in day-use fees, $1.48 billion for long-term leases, and $14.8 billion to own land primarily for recreation (2011 dollars). Hunters own or lease properties of larger size classes than anglers or wildlife-watchers, indicating that hunting may provide a greater economic incentive for maintaining large unfragmented properties that provide a variety of conservation benefits. On grazing and cropland, landowners who earn income from recreation are significantly more likely to participate in government conservation programs (p
Two Principles of Contradiction

The work accomplished in the first part of this volume was largely a work of destruction: the destruction, namely, of the historicist model of Marx’s ‘dialectics’. We saw there, however, at least in a preliminary way, that the historicist model is as misleading with regard to the character of the ‘dialectical method’ in its archetypal (at any rate, for the purposes of Marxist discussions ‘archetypal’) Hegelian context as it is with regard to the actual norms governing the conduct of Marx’s mature economic analyses. The mere destruction of the historicist model does not, then, per se exclude the possibility that the former might still be relevant to understanding the latter, albeit in some other manner than that suggested by historicism. So the question remains: just what, if anything, is ‘Hegelian’ in the discourse of Capital! As already indicated, if, having once cleared away the obstacles presented by the historicist model, we are now going to be able to resolve this question, we will have first to examine just what in general is distinctive about a Hegelian mode of argumentation as opposed to any other. We will need to know, in effect, just what is distinctively ‘Hegelian’ in Hegel before we can say what is ‘Hegelian’ in Marx.
Power Bipolar Transistors

Publisher Summary Power semiconductors switches constitute the heart of modern power electronics. The high input impedance of the IGBT is an advantage over the bipolar counterpart. However, the input capacitance is also high. As a result, the drive circuitry must rapidly charge and discharge the input capacitor of the IGBT during the transition time. The MOSFET gate and IGBT are similar in many areas of operation. For instance, both devices have high input impedance, are voltage-driven, and use less silicon than the bipolar power transistor to achieve the same drive performance. It is very clear that a categorization based on voltage and switching frequency are two key parameters for determining whether a MOSFET or IGBT is the better device in an application. Device static ratings determine the maximum allowable limits of current, voltage, and power dissipation. The absolute voltage limit mechanism is concerned to the avalanche such that thermal runaway does not occur. At high collector currents beta gain decreases with increased temperature and with quasi-saturation operation such negative feedback allows careful device paralleling.
Queueing network modeling of visual search

Queueing network mental architecture represents the human cognitive process in the form of a queueing network with multiple servers, entities, and routes. Servers represent functional units in the human brain; entities represent pieces of information to be processed by the servers; and routes represent flows of information between the servers in the system. The Queueing Network - Model Human Processor (QN-MHP) is a computational model of the queueing network mental architecture, and the basis of the computational cognitive models developed in this dissertation. Two problems were studied in this dissertation: (1) the nature of the underlying mechanism to develop eye movement strategies in visual search and (2) the minimization of task-dependent properties in the model. A series of computational cognitive models were developed and examined by comparing their performances with the human experimental data of random menu search, picture viewing, color-shape conjunction visual search, and pedestrian detection task. This dissertation consists of five studies. In the first study, a visual stimulus conversion system which transfers a digitized natural scene to data arrays representing attributes of a visual stimulus in the scene was developed. The second study presents the QN-MHP model of random menu search. The third study introduces the reinforcement learning process to explain human eye movements. The fourth and fifth studies explore the effects of a concurrent task on visual search. The experimental results of pedestrian detection using night vision enhancement systems while driving were analyzed in the fourth study. In the fifth study, the dual tasks of pedestrian detection and driving were modeled based on the QN-MHP. To obtain eye movement strategies for visual search, the reinforcement learning process was integrated into the QN-MHP model. To minimize task-dependent properties in the model, the number of task-specific production rules to reproduce human-like behaviors was minimized by using a structural characteristic of the queueing network architecture. Further, simulation of the pedestrian detection task in driving, demonstrated that the QN-MHP can be used to study complex visual tasks in a real world setting as well as simplified controlled laboratory tasks.
Evaluating the iPad Mini® as a Speech-Generating Device in the Acquisition of a Discriminative Mand Repertoire for Young Children With Autism

There has been an increased interest in research evaluating the use of handheld computing technology as speech-generating devices (SGD) for children with autism. However, given the reliance on sing...
Microbiota of wild-caught Red Snapper Lutjanus campechanus

The microbiota plays an essential role in host health, particularly through competition with opportunistic pathogens. Changes in total bacterial load and microbiota structure can indicate early stages of disease, and information on the composition of bacterial communities is essential to understanding fish health. Although Red Snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) is an economically important species in recreational fisheries and a primary aquaculture candidate, no information is available on the microbial communities of this species. The aim of this study was to survey the microbiota of apparently healthy, wild-caught Red Snapper from the Gulf of Mexico. Sampled Red Snapper showed no physical signs of disease. Tissues that are either primary entry routes for pathogens (feces, gill) or essential to disease diagnosis (blood) were sampled. Bacteria were enumerated using culture-based techniques and characterized by pyrosequencing. Aerobic counts of feces and gill samples were 107 and 104 CFU g-1, respectively. All individuals had positive blood cultures with counts up to 23 CFU g-1. Gammaproteobacteria dominated the microbiota of all sample types, including the genera Pseudoalteromonas and Photobacterium in feces and Pseudomonas in blood and gill. Gill samples were also dominated by Vibrio while blood samples had high abundances of Nevskia. High variability in microbiota composition was observed between individuals, with percent differences in community composition ranging from 6 to 76 % in feces, 10 to 58 % in gill, and 52 to 64 % in blood. This study provides the first characterization of the microbiota of the economically significant Red Snapper via pyrosequencing. Its role in fish health highlights the importance of understanding microbiota composition for future work on disease prevention using microbial manipulation.
National institute of environmental health sciences: 50 years of advancing science and improving lung health

The American Thoracic Society celebrates the 50th anniversary of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). The NIEHS has had enormous impact through its focus on research, training, and translational science on lung health. It has been an advocate for clean air both in the United States and across the world. The cutting-edge science funded by the NIEHS has led to major discoveries that have broadened our understanding of the pathogenesis and treatment for lung disease. Importantly, the NIEHS has developed and fostered mechanisms that require cross-cutting science across the spectrum of areas of inquiry, bringing together environmental and social scientists with clinicians to bring their expertise on specific areas of investigation. The intramural program of the NIEHS nurtures cutting-edge science, and the extramural program encourages investigator-initiated research while at the same time providing broader direction through important initiatives. Under the umbrella of the NIEHS and ...
Swaddled Bathing in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Replacing sponge and tub bathing with swaddled bathing can reduce stress and heat loss during the procedure of bathing. After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Identify everyday NICU care that can cause stress in preterm infants. 2. Define sponge, tub, and swaddled bathing. 3. Compare the effects of swaddled bathing and other bathing methods on infant stress and heat loss. Preterm infants in the NICU are subject to many stressors that can affect their development and may have a negative impact on long-term outcomes. (1)(2) Routine handling and typical care in the NICU can be stressful for infants. (3) Sponge bathing in the NICU is one stressor that can cause physiologic and behavioral stress, manifested by signs and behaviors such as hypothermia and crying (1). Hypothermia in infants can lead to negative effects such as hypoxemia and hypoglycemia. (1) Although bathing is a nursing procedure, physicians need to be aware that different types of bathing are available for preterm infants. Three main types of bathing are available for infants. Sponge bathing is the act of bathing with a cloth or sponge without being immersed in a tub of water. Tub bathing is the act of bathing with the infant immersed in a tub of water. …
Engaging patients in complex clinical decision-making: Successes, pitfalls, and future directions.

Abstract Background By 2022, there will be 18 million predicted cancer survivors, which is an estimated 30% more than the number of survivors in 2012. In prostate cancer alone, the most common cancer in American men other than skin cancer, 1 in 7 men will be diagnosed during their lifetime. Nevertheless, only approximately 1 in 39 will actually die of the disease. Although life expectancy is often good, these men have multiple treatment management options to choose from, including active surveillance, surgery, or radiotherapy, each of which carries its own array of long-term adverse effects. The same applies to renal cancer where patient have to sift through information to decide among active surveillance, partial nephrectomy, racial nephrectomy, robotic vs. open surgery, and ablation. Basic procedures Ultimately, patient, providers, and stakeholders lack high-quality evidence to effectively guide treatment decisions, and these decisions become even harder to discern when considering end-of-life care, palliative care, and the ethics regarding the new End of Life Option Act. As of November 1, 2016, the number of open urologic cancer clinical trials listed on ClinicalTrials.gov was 843. Main findings Although we continue to make tremendous strides in urologic cancer care, our options for choosing the best treatment from a patient and provider standpoint are seemingly growing murkier. We need to continue to understand how health-related quality of life varies from patient to patient, and ultimately, incorporate patient preferences and values into the treatment decision in order to make high-quality treatment decisions. Conclusions The remained of this articles will focus on the significant strides made in urologic oncology regarding these difficult decisions from localized disease to end-of-life care and also will detail what needs to be done as we continue to pivot forward.
Differentiation of human glioblastoma U87MG cells with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) or 13-cis retinoic acid (13-CRA) down regulated telomerase activity and enhanced sensitivity to interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) or taxol (TXL) for apoptosis

5098 Glioblastoma is the most common and highly malignant brain tumor, which is characterized by the poorly differentiated astroglial cells and their uncontrolled proliferation in the brain. It is not yet significantly amenable to any conventional chemotherapeutic regimen and thus remains a big challenge to both the basic scientists and clinicians. In the current investigation, we used an innovative combination therapeutic approach for controlling the growth of human malignant glioblastoma U87MG cells. We tested the hypothesis that treatment of human malignant glioblastoma cells with a retinoid would induce astrocytic differentiation and down regulate telomerase activity and thereby enhance sensitivity to apoptosis inducing agents. Treatment of U87MG cells with 1 μM all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) or 1 μM 13-cis-retinoic acid (13-CRA) for 7 days induced astrocytic differentiation morphologically as determined by methylene blue staining, and biochemically as evidenced by overexpression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) at the mRNA and protein levels. The telomerase repeat amplification protocol (TRAP) applied to ATRA and 13-CRA treated glioblastoma cells detected a decrease in the activity of telomerase, an enzyme responsible for lending the unlimited capability of proliferation to many cancers including glioblastomas. Cells pretreated with ATRA or 13-CRA were then exposed to 500 units/ml interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) for 48 h or 0.5 μM taxol (TXL) for 24 h for determination of the extent of apoptotic death. Wright staining and light microscopy identified the morphological features of mostly apoptosis in human glioblastoma cells. Apoptosis was associated with an increase in intracellular free Ca2+, as determined by fura-2 assay. Western blot analyses showed alterations in levels of Bax and Bcl-2 resulting in an increase in Bax:Bcl-2 ratio, and overexpression and activation of calpain and caspase-3 to cleave 270 kD α-spectrin at specific sites for generation of 145 kD and 120 kD spectrin break down products (SBDPs), repectively, during apoptosis. Phospholylation of Bcl-2 indicated inactivation of its anti-apoptotic property after treatment with TXL. Activation of caspase-3 was further confirmed by a colorimetric assay using a caspase-3-specific synthetic peptide substrate. Proteolytic activities of both calpain and caspase-3 appeared to contribute significantly to apoptotic death glioblastoma cells. The results from this investigation suggested that a treatment strategy with a combination of retinoic acid (RA) and IFN-γ, or RA and TXL could be highly effective for controlling the malignant growth of glioblastoma. This investigation was supported in part by the R01 grants from the NCI and NINDS of the NIH (Bethesda, MD), and also a grant from the State of SC.
Low Inherent Sensitivity to the Intoxicating Effects of Ethanol in Rhesus Monkeys with Low CSF Concentrations of the Serotonin Metabolite 5-Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid.

BACKGROUND Type 2 alcoholism is characterized by low serotonin system functioning and has a high degree of heritability, with offspring of alcoholics often showing a reduced response to the intoxicating effects of ethanol (EtOH), which is thought to be marker for future alcohol use disorders (AUDs). As such, an important aim of studies investigating the origins of AUDs is to understand the relationship between serotonin system functioning and level of intoxication. A nonhuman primate model was used to evaluate observational ratings of sensitivity to EtOH and to further investigate the relationship between central serotonin activity and behavioral response to EtOH. METHODS Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) were obtained from 4 cohorts of alcohol-naive, adolescent rhesus macaques (N = 82, 45 females, 37 males). One to 3 months after the CSF sample, subjects were administered a standardized intravenous EtOH bolus (males: 2.1 g/kg body weight, females: 2.0 g/kg body weight), placed into an open-top, clear plexiglass chamber suspended from the ceiling, and their latency to escape was recorded as a measure of the degree of intoxication. Thereafter, subjects were rated using a Likert scale for the degree of intoxication during a 30-minute observation period. RESULTS Our results indicate that latency to escape from the chamber was associated with intoxication ratings (p = 0.0009) following the standardized intravenous administration of EtOH. Low CSF 5-HIAA concentrations predicted short escape latency (p = 0.007) and were associated with low intoxication ratings (p = 0.02), indicating that low central nervous system (CNS) serotonin functioning is related to relative insensitivity to the intoxicating effects of alcohol. CONCLUSIONS Our study shows that, in monkeys exposed to alcohol for the first time, objective measures of intoxication are associated with subjective ratings for intoxication, and both were associated with CSF 5-HIAA concentrations. Our data confirm and extend the finding that low CNS serotonin functioning is predictive of intrinsic low sensitivity to the intoxicating effects of EtOH.
Special Population: Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) encompass individuals who have a range of diagnoses (e.g., autism spectrum disorder) and designations (e.g., mental retardation), and most receive care through primary care providers in their communities. An interdisciplinary approach that incorporates home and community-based services is effective and can be facilitated by care managers in a medical home model. Preventive services should follow established guidelines as in the general population with some modifications, including regular monitoring of weight and height. Swallowing difficulties and gastroesophageal reflux disease are not uncommon which increases the risk for respiratory disorders. A medication review should be conducted at regular intervals to check for polypharmacy, and antipsychotic drugs should no longer be routinely used to treat problem behaviors. Pain and other physical symptoms are often unrecognized and can present atypically in acute situations.
Optimal path planning based on visibility

Various problems associated with optimal path planning for mobile observers such as mobile robots equipped with cameras to obtain maximum visual coverage of a surface in the three-dimensional Euclidean space are considered. The existence of solutions to these problems is discussed first. Then, optimality conditions are derived by considering local path perturbations. Numerical algorithms for solving the corresponding approximate problems are proposed. Detailed solutions to the optimal path planning problems for a few examples are given.
1019-LB: Comparison of the Performance Characteristics of Commercially Available Solid Phase Single Antigen Reagents

Aim Single antigen reagent panels differ in the makeup of HLA alleles offered for testing. Additional alleles (2 HLADR, 7 HLA-DQ) were added for the newest lot of Gen-Probe MHC Class II reagents in an effort to improve diversity of the panel and increase the ability to interchange between commercial products. However, an analysis of the correlation between single antigen reagents is necessary before results may be compared. Methods Twenty-two sera samples were tested in parallel with Gen-Probe (GP; Lot 03022V) and One Lambda (OL; Lot 9) single antigen MHC Class II reagents. GP assay requires addition of 40 μl bead mix + 10 μl sera, and the OL assay requires 5 μl bead mix + 20 μl sera, while the absolute number of beads is similar between assays. Murine monoclonal antibodies against HLA-DR, -DQ, and -DP with a concentration capable of saturating reagents were used to compare antigen density of GP and OL reagents. GP Background Corrected Mean (BCM) value and OL Normalized value in mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) from antigen density experiments were analyzed by paired student’s t-test. Correlation analysis (Pearson r) was performed on GP BCM and OL Normalized values between beads with equivalent molecular antigens (50 total, 27 HLA-DR, 13 HLA-DQ, and 10 HLA-DP) as well as on titer analysis (neat, 1:16, 1:256, and 1:1024) of 5 sera samples. Results Antigen density was significantly greater on GP reagents versus OL reagents with mean strength of saturating murine monoclonal antibodies being 8,080 ± 2,257 MFI versus 2,150 ± 516 MFI for HLA-DR, 9,955 ± 2,866 MFI versus 5,175 ± 1,256 MFI for HLA- DQ, and 11,084 ± 1,615 MFI versus 3,291 ± 553 MMF for HLA-DP (p Conclusions Both the significantly higher density of HLA antigens on the GP beads and a dilution effect introduced by the difference in serum to bead-volume ratio may contribute to the lower correlation observed in this study. This is supported in part by the higher prozone effect observed with OL HLA-DQ specificities but not in GP, and the improved correlation observed with titers. Further investigation is warranted to determine correlation between GP and OL reagents.
Cubital Tunnel Syndrome

Entrapment of the ulnar nerve is most frequently observed in the cubital tunnel, and is observed more frequently in males and most often on the right side. It may occur bilaterally, at times associated with diabetes or alcoholism, and in some instances may occur years after any precipitating trauma. This has been referred to as a “tardy ulnar paralysis.” Whereas direct trauma to the nerve will result in the neuropathy, stretching and compression with subsequent changes in the nerve will result in dysfunction.