cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of induction of labor methods for unfavorable cervices in trial of labor after cesarean delivery

AbstractObjective: To compare induction of labor methods in patients attempting a trial of labor after cesarean (TOLAC) with an unfavorable cervix.Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study from patients attempting TOLAC from 2009 to 2013. Patients with a simplified Bishop score of three or less where labor was initiated with either a Cook balloon or oxytocin were included. Our primary outcome was mode of delivery. Our secondary outcomes included duration of labor and multiple maternal and neonatal morbidities.Results: Two-hundred and fourteen women met inclusion criteria: 150 received oxytocin and 64 had the Cook balloon placed. The vaginal birth after cesarean delivery rate was significantly higher in the oxytocin group at 70.7% versus 50.0% in the Cook balloon group (p = 0.004). In the multivariable analysis, odds for cesarean delivery were two times higher with the Cook balloon than with oxytocin (Adjusted OR = 2.09, 95% CI = 1.05-4.18, p = 0.036). The duration of labor was longer with the Cook bal...
Bacteria and Viruses in Aerobically Digested Sludge: Influence of Physical and Chemical Treatments on Survival and Association with Flocs under Laboratory Conditions

The effect of chemical (NaF, NaN 3 ) and physical (heating, autoclaving) treatments of sludge flocs on bacteria and viruses in sludge undergoing aerobic digestion was studied as part of studies on the mechanisms of removal of these agents by aerobic waste treatment. Following either chemical or physical treatments, aerobically digested sludge flocs adsorbed only a small portion of added or indigenous bacteria. These treatments also reduced inactivation of bacteria as compared with untreated sludge flocs. In contrast, these treatments had relatively little effect on either adsorption of enteroviruses to sludge flocs or on inactivation of viruses. The treatments that decreased bacterial association with sludge flocs and decreased the inactivation rate of bacteria also reduced the number of active protozoans and other predators. It is concluded that enteric viruses and bacteria have different affinities for sludge flocs and are inactivated by different mechanisms during aerobic digestion of sludge.
Eye Fixation Metrics for Large Scale Evaluation and Comparison of Information Visualizations

An observer’s eye movements are often informative about how the observer interacts with and processes a visual stimulus. Here, we are specifically interested in what eye movements reveal about how the content of information visualizations is processed. Conversely, by pooling over many observers’ worth of eye movements, what can we learn about the general effectiveness of different visualizations and the underlying design principles employed? The contribution of this manuscript is to consider these questions at a large data scale, with thousands of eye fixations on hundreds of diverse information visualizations. We survey existing methods and metrics for collective eye movement analysis, and consider what each can tell us about the overall effectiveness of different information visualizations and designs at this large data scale.
Development of a preoperative predictive model for major complications following adult spinal deformity surgery

OBJECTIVE The operative management of patients with adult spinal deformity (ASD) has a high complication rate and it remains unknown whether baseline patient characteristics and surgical variables can predict early complications (intraoperative and perioperative [within 6 weeks]). The development of an accurate preoperative predictive model can aid in patient counseling, shared decision making, and improved surgical planning. The purpose of this study was to develop a model based on baseline demographic, radiographic, and surgical factors that can predict if patients will sustain an intraoperative or perioperative major complication. METHODS This study was a retrospective analysis of a prospective, multicenter ASD database. The inclusion criteria were age ≥ 18 years and the presence of ASD. In total, 45 variables were used in the initial training of the model including demographic data, comorbidities, modifiable surgical variables, baseline health-related quality of life, and coronal and sagittal radiographic parameters. Patients were grouped as either having at least 1 major intraoperative or perioperative complication (COMP group) or not (NOCOMP group). An ensemble of decision trees was constructed utilizing the C5.0 algorithm with 5 different bootstrapped models. Internal validation was accomplished via a 70/30 data split for training and testing each model, respectively. Overall accuracy, the area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve, and predictor importance were calculated. RESULTS Five hundred fifty-seven patients were included: 409 (73.4%) in the NOCOMP group, and 148 (26.6%) in the COMP group. The overall model accuracy was 87.6% correct with an AUROC curve of 0.89 indicating a very good model fit. Twenty variables were determined to be the top predictors (importance ≥ 0.90 as determined by the model) and included (in decreasing importance): age, leg pain, Oswestry Disability Index, number of decompression levels, number of interbody fusion levels, Physical Component Summary of the SF-36, Scoliosis Research Society (SRS)-Schwab coronal curve type, Charlson Comorbidity Index, SRS activity, T-1 pelvic angle, American Society of Anesthesiologists grade, presence of osteoporosis, pelvic tilt, sagittal vertical axis, primary versus revision surgery, SRS pain, SRS total, use of bone morphogenetic protein, use of iliac crest graft, and pelvic incidence-lumbar lordosis mismatch. CONCLUSIONS A successful model (87% accuracy, 0.89 AUROC curve) was built predicting major intraoperative or perioperative complications following ASD surgery. This model can provide the foundation toward improved education and point-of-care decision making for patients undergoing ASD surgery.
“It could turn ugly”: Selective disclosure of attitudes in political discussion networks

Abstract This article documents individuals selectively disclosing their political attitudes and discusses the consequences of these communication patterns for social influence and the democratic process. Using a large, diverse sample of U.S. resident adults, we ask under which conditions do people reveal their political preferences versus keeping them close to the vest. We find Americans are more likely to share their opinions with friends and family rather than co-workers and they are more likely to share their opinions on more salient topics. More importantly, they withhold their political attitudes specifically from those with whom they disagree in an attempt to avoid conflict. This produces the experience of highly homogeneous social contexts, in which only liberal or conservative views are voiced, while dissent remains silent, and oftentimes goes unacknowledged. This experience is not the result of homogeneous social contexts but the appearance of them. Paradoxically, the mechanism of selective disclosure, whose goal is to prevent conflict at the micro-level, might lead to the perception of greater division in the larger society.
Pediatric Inguinal Hernia Repair

Pediatric inguinal hernia repair is performed for patent processus vaginalis with hydrocele or hernia. This chapter lists the indications, essential steps, common technical variations, and complications of the procedure. A detailed template operative dictation note is included.
Homes for Children in a Changing Society

This chapter reviews research and design advances in housing for chil dren and adolescents in developed nations. The places it focuses upon are the dwelling and the housing site—the places which form the primary matrix of their lives. Even when parents of infants and preschoolers seek child care, prevalent arrangements are in-home care and family day care. Across the span of a year, school-age children and adolescents spend more than four-fifths of their time out of school, which means primarily in or near the home. At its best, housing lends itself to the creation of settings where families can thrive. This chapter reviews recent attempts to define housing at its best.
Falling into Silence: or, The Reach and Limits of Reporting Horror in Patricia Nieto’s Work

Based on a case study of Colombian journalist Patricia Nieto, who has written extensively about Colombia’s armed conflict, this article offers a new approach to understanding demands on journalists and challenges that face them when covering the effects of violence and trauma. The analysis focuses on the prologues Nieto wrote for the edited volumes of testimonies that she and her students put together. The books were product of a collective endeavor by which Nieto and her students guided and helped victims and survivors of violence to write their own stories. In the prologues to these volumes, Nieto’s reflections place politics and aesthetics close together in discussing the act of writing as the search for an inner voice to reconstruct the events that transformed someone into a victim. To understand the process of working with the victims, the article combines textual analysis and ethnographic fieldwork. It analyzes Nieto’s professional trajectory and her position in the local field of journalistic production, considering her emotional and ethical quest when covering her country’s armed conflict. Resumen Con el analisis del trabajo de Patricia Nieto, quien ha escrito profusamente sobre el conflicto armado en Colombia, este articulo procura entender las demandas y los retos que enfrentan los periodistas que escriben sobre los efectos de la violencia y el trauma. El analisis se centra en los prologos que Nieto escribio para tres antologias de testimonios de las victimas que ella y sus estudiantes editaron. Las antologias son fruto de un emprendimiento colectivo en el que Nieto y sus estudiantes sirvieron de guias y ayudaron a las victimas y sobrevivientes de la violencia a escribir sus historias. En los prologos a estos volumenes, Nieto vincula la politica con la indagacion estetica y habla de la escritura como la busqueda de una voz personal, con la que el narrador cuenta el evento que lo transformo en victima del conflicto. Para entender este proceso, este ensayo combina el analisis textual con observaciones etnograficas sobre el trabajo de Nieto, incorpora, datos de su trayectoria profesional y su posicion en el campo cultural local. Asi mismo, ofrece observaciones sobre las demandas emocionales y eticas que definen el trabajo de la cronista.
Transcatheter aortic valve replacement: current state of development

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement is a transformative technology for the treatment of severe aortic stenosis. It has allowed for the treatment of high-risk and inoperable aortic stenosis patients that would previously have not been able to undergo surgical aortic valve replacement. The safety and efficacy of transcatheter aortic valve replacement has been evaluated rigorously in multiple pivotal randomized clinical trials. Advancements in the technology with significant improvement in clinical outcomes and safety of the procedure have allowed for the extension to lower-risk groups. Future development will focus on continued refinement in the device and technique with expansion to low-risk patients and other clinical indications.
Support for contracting-out and public-private partnership: exploring citizens’ perspectives

ABSTRACTMany studies have evaluated the merits and challenges of contracting-out and public-private partnership (PPP). However, few studies have examined citizens’ views of these alternative servic...
In vivo and in vitro metabolism in hypothalamic obesity.

U-14C-Glucose was injected into weanling rats two weeks after electrolytic destruction of the ventromedial hypothalamic nuclei. Incorporation of radio-activity into plasma lipids as well as liver, adipose tissue, diaphragm and carcass glycogen, total lipid and saponifiable fatty acids was measured. On a fat free as well as on a chow diet, rats with lesions incorporated more radioativity into all adipose tissue components and into liver fatty acids but not into liver glycogen. On the fat containing diet (chow) radioactivity of plasma lipid was increased and that of liver total lipid unchanged, whereas on a fat-free diet incorporation into plasma lipid was not increased while that into liver lipid was. Diaphragm total lipid and fatty acid radioactivity was increased while that of diaphragm glycogen was not. Carcass lipid, fatty acid and glycogen radioactivity were increased. — Diaphragm was also incubatedin vitro with U-14C-Glucose or 1-14C-Palmitate. Glucose incorporation into total lipid and fatty acid was increased whereas oxidation and incorporation into glycogen were not. Palmitate oxidation and incorporation into phospholipid were decreased while incorporation into triglyceride was increased. - Results have been discussed in the light of similar changes previously noted with adipose tissuein vitro.
T CELL ACTIVATION INDUCED BY CROSS-LINKING OF ANTI-T CELL DIRECTED ANTIBODIES WITH ANTI-IMMUNOGLOBULIN

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on T-cell activation induced by cross-linking of anti-T cell directed antibodies with anti-immunoglobulin. Studies with avian lymphocytes have clearly demonstrated that anti-immunoglobulin (anti-CIg) selectively triggers bursa-derived (B2) cells. In a recent series of experiments described in the chapter, it was observed that normal spleen cells, previously pulse-exposed in vitro to anti-chicken thymus sera (ATS), demonstrated a greatly enhanced proliferative response upon subsequent exposure to appropriate anti-Ig, as compared to cells not previously coated with ATS. ATS was raised in rabbits and turkeys by repeated injections of thymus cells of B-cell depleted, agammaglobulinemic (Ag) SC chickens. Thymus cells or splenic T cells of Ag SC chickens were pulse-exposed for 1 h to ATS or to appropriate control normal turkey serum (NTS) or rabbit serum (NRS) at 4°C or at 37°C in the absence of GPC. The model of T-cell proliferation may be useful in elucidating the development of specific receptors on avian T-cell subpopulations during T-cell ontogeny.
Comparison of agar gel (CLOtest) or reagent strip (PyloriTek) rapid urease tests for detection of Helicobacter pylori infection.

Objective: Rapid urease tests (RUTs) are used commonly as a convenient method to detect Helicobacter pylori infection. New rapid tests have been commercially available with promotional literature suggesting enhanced utility. We compared CLOtest to a new reagent strip RUT, PyloriTek. Methods: Gastric antral mucosal biopsy specimens were obtained from 102 patients for comparison between CLOtest and PyloriTek (204 specimens). Biopsy specimens obtained from a nearby area were stained using the Genta stain for determination of H. pylori status. The RUT to be used first was selected randomly. Results: Sixty-five of the 102 patients had peptic ulcer disease, two had gastric cancer, and 35 had dyspepsia; 61 patients had active H. pylori infection. There were one false-negative and three false-positive CLOtest results, compared with one false-negative and 13 false-positive PyloriTek results (p < 0.02 for incorrect categorization with PyloriTek). Sensitivity and specificity were 98 and 92% compared with 98 and 68% for CLOtest and PyloriTek, respectively. An erroneous categorization of H. pylori status occurred in 3.9% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1-9.7%) with CLOtest compared with 13.7% (95% CI: 7.7-22%) with PyloriTek. When the PyloriTek was scored at 1 h (0-1 h) after obtaining the specimen, the accuracy improved; erroneous categorization of H. pylori status occurred in only 2.9% (95% CI: 0.6-8.3%). Conclusion: Used according to manufacturer instructions, the new reagent strip RUT PyloriTek has too many false-positive results for use in a clinical situation. In contrast, when the test was interpreted within 1 h, accuracy was comparable to that of CLOtest.
A Proof and Generalizations of the Erdős-Ko-Rado Theorem Using the Method of Linearly Independent Polynomials

Our aim is to exhibit a short algebraic proof for the Erdos-Ko-Rado theorem. First, we summarize the method of linearly independent polynomials showing that if X 1,..., X m ⊂ [n] are sets such that X i does not satisfy any of the set of s intersection conditions R i but X i satisfies at least one condition in Rj for all j > i then \( m \leqslant \left( {\begin{array}{*{20}c} n \\ s \\ \end{array} } \right) + \left( {\begin{array}{*{20}c} n \\ {s - 1} \\ \end{array} } \right) + \cdot \cdot \cdot + \left( {\begin{array}{*{20}c} n \\ 0 \\ \end{array} } \right) \). The EKR theorem is follows by carefully choosing the intersection properties and adding extra polynomials. We also prove generalizations for non-uniform families with various intersection conditions.
Effects of basic fibroblast growth factor in retinal ischemia.

Purpose. Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), a 17- to 24-kDa protein known to be essential for the survival of neurons, induced fiber outgrowth of ganglion cells in cultures of rat retina and rescued photoreceptor cell loss in the retina of Royal College of Surgeon rats. The authors evaluated the efficacy of bFGF in rescuing the neuronal loss in rat retina after retinal ischemia. Methods. Retinal ischemia was induced in 29 eyes of 17 albino Lewis rats by increasing the intraocular pressure to 110 mm Hg for 45 minutes via an intracameral catheter. A total of 800 ng of bFGF was delivered into the anterior chamber at the time of induction of ischemia. Sixteen eyes of nine rats received bFGF, and 13 eyes of eight rats received heparin in phosphate-buffered saline as vehicle control. The animals were euthanized 7 or 14 days after reperfusion. Results. Morphologic examination of the retinas at both time points showed that necrosis of the retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and thinning of the inner plexiform and inner nuclear layers were less severe in the bFGF-treated eyes than in the vehicle-treated eyes. On morphometric examination, 7 days after reperfusion, the mean thickness of the inner retinal layers and the RGC counts on flat preparations of retina in both the posterior and the peripheral portions of the retina were significantly higher in the bFGF-treated eyes than in the vehicle-treated eyes (P < .02). At 14 days, similar beneficial effects were noted in all morphometric parameters, except RGC counts in the posterior pole. Conclusions. These results demonstrate that bFGF partially protects the RGCs and other inner retinal elements from ischemic injury. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1994; 35:3163-3168.
The future of neuroimaging in witness testimony.

Our ability to infer mental states from fMRI scans is still rudimentary, but the time may be approaching when neuroimaging can be used to indicate witnesses’ reliability in court proceedings. Virtual Mentor is a monthly bioethics journal published by the American Medical Association.
Measurement of Central Aortic Blood Pressure in Youth: Role of Obesity and Sex.

BACKGROUND The relationship between pediatric severe obesity (SO) and central aortic blood pressure (BP) has yet to be established. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional study of 348 youth (48.5% male, age 12.7 ± 0.1 years) with a wide range of body mass index (BMI) values: normal weight (NW; ≥5th and <85th BMI percentiles), overweight/obesity (OW/OB; 85th to <120% of the 95th BMI percentile), and SO (≥120% of the 95th BMI percentile). Measures of central aortic BP were obtained via applanation tonometry with SphygmoCor MM3 software. RESULTS After adjustment for covariates, no significant sex differences were observed for radial-aortic systolic blood pressure (SBP) (P = 0.39), carotid-aortic SBP (P = 0.99), radial-aortic diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (P = 0.44), and carotid-aortic DBP (P = 0.53). Compared to youth with NW, youth with SO exhibited higher radial-aortic SBP (SO vs. NW: 102 ± 1 mm Hg vs. 90 ± 1 mm Hg, P<0.001), carotid-aortic SBP (SO vs. NW: 121 ± 1 mm Hg vs. 109 ± 1 mm Hg, P<0.001), and carotid-aortic DBP (SO vs. NW: 60 ± 1 mm Hg vs. 56 ± 1 mm Hg, P = 0.04). Compared to youth with OW/OB, youth with SO had higher radial-aortic SBP (OW/OB: 97 ± 1 mm Hg, P = 0.002) and carotid-aortic SBP (OW/OB: 114 ± 1 mm Hg, P = 0.007). After adjusting for either total-body percent fat mass or visceral adipose tissue, BMI was still a significant predictor of both radial-aortic and carotid-aortic SBP and DBP (P<0.001, all). CONCLUSIONS In a cohort of youth with a wide range of adiposity levels, central aortic BP was elevated among individuals with SO and associated with BMI but not body fatness.
Poly(ADP-Ribose) Prevents Pathological Phase Separation of TDP-43 by Promoting Liquid Demixing and Stress Granule Localization

Summary In amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal degeneration (FTD), cytoplasmic aggregates of hyperphosphorylated TDP-43 accumulate and colocalize with some stress granule components, but how pathological TDP-43 aggregation is nucleated remains unknown. In Drosophila, we establish that downregulation of tankyrase, a poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR) polymerase, reduces TDP-43 accumulation in the cytoplasm and potently mitigates neurodegeneration. We establish that TDP-43 non-covalently binds to PAR via PAR-binding motifs embedded within its nuclear localization sequence. PAR binding promotes liquid-liquid phase separation of TDP-43 in vitro and is required for TDP-43 accumulation in stress granules in mammalian cells and neurons. Stress granule localization initially protects TDP-43 from disease-associated phosphorylation, but upon long-term stress, stress granules resolve, leaving behind aggregates of phosphorylated TDP-43. Finally, small-molecule inhibition of Tankyrase-1/2 in mammalian cells inhibits formation of cytoplasmic TDP-43 foci without affecting stress granule assembly. Thus, Tankyrase inhibition antagonizes TDP-43-associated pathology and neurodegeneration and could have therapeutic utility for ALS and FTD.
The birth, growth, death and rejuvenation of software maintenance communities

Background: Though much research has been conducted to investigate software maintenance activities, there has been little work charactering maintenance files as a community and exploring the evolution of this community. Aims: The goal of our research is to identify maintenance communities and monitor their evolution-birth, growth, death and rejuvenation. Method: In this paper, we leveraged a social community detection algorithm---clique prelocation method (CPM)---to identify file communities. Then we implemented an algorithm to detect new communities, active communities, inactive communities and reactivated communities by cumulatively detecting and constantly comparing communities in time sequences. Results: Based on our analysis of 14 open-source projects, we found that new communities are mostly caused by bug and improvement issues. An active community can be vigorous, on and off, through the entire life of a system, and so does an inactive community. In addition, an inactive community can be reactivated again, mostly through bug issues. Conclusions: These findings add to our understanding of software maintenance communities and help us identify the most expensive maintenance spots by identifying constantly active communities.
"DeMOOCing Society": Convivial Tools to Systems and Back Again in the Information Age.

Since early development of information technologies, in particular computers and the Internet, there has been tension between those who believe these new technologies and their applications they ha...
Rising and falling trends in the use of chemotherapy and targeted therapy near the end of life in older patients with cancer

PURPOSEEnd-of-life (EOL) chemotherapy has been described as the most widespread, wasteful, and unnecessary practice in oncology, with benchmarking aimed to reduce physician use of chemotherapy with...
The Associations Between Instagram Use, Selfie Activities, Appearance Comparison, and Body Dissatisfaction in Adult Men.

This study investigated whether appearance comparison on Instagram mediated the association between Instagram use and body dissatisfaction among adult men. In addition, this study investigated whet...
Design and testing of a mobile health application rating tool.

Mobile health applications (“apps”) have rapidly proliferated, yet their ability to improve outcomes for patients remains unclear. A validated tool that addresses apps’ potentially important dimensions has not been available to patients and clinicians. The objective of this study was to develop and preliminarily assess a usable, valid, and open-source rating tool to objectively measure the risks and benefits of health apps. We accomplished this by using a Delphi process, where we constructed an app rating tool called THESIS that could promote informed app selection. We used a systematic process to select chronic disease apps with ≥4 stars and <4-stars and then rated them with THESIS to examine the tool’s interrater reliability and internal consistency. We rated 211 apps, finding they performed fair overall (3.02 out of 5 [95% CI, 2.96–3.09]), but especially poorly for privacy/security (2.21 out of 5 [95% CI, 2.11–2.32]), interoperability (1.75 [95% CI, 1.59–1.91]), and availability in multiple languages (1.43 out of 5 [95% CI, 1.30–1.56]). Ratings using THESIS had fair interrater reliability (κ = 0.3–0.6) and excellent scale reliability (ɑ = 0.85). Correlation with traditional star ratings was low (r = 0.24), suggesting THESIS captures issues beyond general user acceptance. Preliminary testing of THESIS suggests apps that serve patients with chronic disease could perform much better, particularly in privacy/security and interoperability. THESIS warrants further testing and may guide software and policymakers to further improve app performance, so apps can more consistently improve patient outcomes.
Ice-flow and mass changes of Lewis Glacier, Mount Kenya, East Africa, 1986-90 : observations and modeling

The long-term monitoring of Lewis Glacier on Mount Kenya serves as a basis for the study of glacier evolution in response to climatic forcing through modeling of its ice flow and mass budget. Following up on an earlier modeling and prediction study to 1990, this paper examines the ice-mass and flow changes in relation to the net-balance conditions over 1986–90. A model experiment using as climatic forcing the observed 1978–86 vertical net-balance profile yielded a volume loss and slow down of ice flow more drastic than observed during 1986–90. The causes of this discrepancy were examined in successive model experiments. Realistic simulations of mass-budget and thickness changes over 1986–90 are obtained using as input the net-balance forcing for the same period rather than for the preceding 1978–86 interval, and approximate flow velocities. With the same net-balance forcing and a completely stagnant Lewis Glacier, the elimination of mass redistribution by ice flow acts to mitigate the loss of volume and thickness in the upper glacier, and to accentuate it in the lower glacier. Accordingly, the observed 1986–90 net-balance profile along with the 1990 ice-flow velocities provide suitable input for the modeling of Lewis Glacier changes to 1994. Under continuation of the 1986–90 climatic forcing, ice thinning ranging from less than 1 m in the upper glacier to more than 7 m in the lower glacier, and a total volume loss of order 57 × 104 m3, are anticipated over the 1990–94 time interval.
Finding Performance Patterns from Logs with High Confidence

Performance logs contain rich information about a system’s state. Large-scale web service infrastructures deployed in the cloud are notoriously difficult to troubleshoot, especially performance bugs. Detecting, isolating and diagnosing fine-grained performance anomalies requires integrating system performance measures across space and time. To achieve scale, we present our megatables approach, which automatically interprets performance log data and outputs millibottleneck predictions along with supporting visualizations. We evaluate our method with three illustrative scenarios, and we assess its predictive ability. We also evaluate its ability to extract meaningful information from many log samples drawn from the wild.
Highlighting Heritage:: Promoting Collections through Pop-Up Libraries at the Multicultural Center

In an effort to reach students in a new way and increase the visibility of library resources and services, a pop-up library program was piloted at the University of Arkansas in collaboration with the University of Arkansas’ Multicultural Center. This article discusses the planning, implementation, and outcomes of the program. The authors also offer changes they would pursue in future pop-up libraries to further enhance student engagement and relationship-building with both student groups and campus organizations.
Early Expander-to-Implant Exchange after Postmastectomy Reconstruction Reduces Rates of Subsequent Major Infectious Complications.

Major infectious complications after implant-based postmastectomy reconstruction commonly occur late (>30 days postoperative). We set out to determine if early expander-to-implant exchange (3-6 weeks after tissue expander placement) reduced rates of subsequent major infectious complications. Methods We retrospectively examined patients after mastectomy and tissue expander reconstruction followed by early expander-to-implant exchange versus exchange at least 6 months after initial tissue expander placement (the control group). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to determine whether the timing of implant exchange independently predicted major infectious complications occurring more than 30 days after initial tissue expander placement after adjusting for differences in patient variables between groups. Results In total, 252 consecutive patients (430 breasts) between August 2014 and October 2019 were included. While the rates of major early infectious complications after mastectomy and tissue expander placement were similar between the groups, the control group had more subsequent major infectious complications during the reconstructive process [9.8% (n = 22) versus 1.9% (n = 4), P < 0.001]. Conclusions Early implant exchange results in a reduced subsequent rate of major infectious complications. This protocol reduces the window of time for late infectious complications to develop by proceeding with exchange within 6 weeks of tissue expander placement instead of the standard 6 months, which is common practice. We hypothesize that early exchange allows for washout of the mastectomy cavity, eliminating indolent bacterial contamination that could have subsequently manifested as a late infection. This protocol also obviates the need to operate on patients that undergo post-mastectomy radiotherapy, which also reduces reconstructive failure rates.
Healthy Hip Joints Have Different Macroscopic and Microscopic Capsular Nerve Architecture Compared With Hips With Osteoarthritis, Femoroacetabular Impingement Syndrome, and Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip: A Systematic Review

Purpose To perform a systematic review to identify macroscopic and microscopic patterns and differences in hip capsule innervation between normal hips and hips with osteoarthritis (OA), femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) syndrome, and developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH). Methods A systematic review was performed using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Multiple databases were searched for both clinical and basic science laboratory studies on hip capsule innervation. Non-innervation capsule and non-human animal studies were excluded. Macroscopic and microscopic differences in capsular innervation between normal hips, and hips with OA, FAI, and DDH were analyzed. Methodological quality assessment of all studies included in this review was completed using the Methodological Index for Non-randomized Studies. Results Ten articles were analyzed (263 specimens; 211 patients, 52 cadavers; mean Methodological Index for Non-randomized Studies 10/16). The hip capsule is innervated by the sciatic and superior gluteal nerves posterosuperiorly, nerve to quadratus femoris and inferior gluteal nerve posteroinferiorly, and femoral and obturator nerves anteriorly. The anterior-superior capsule between 1:00 and 2:30 o’clock on a right hip is a safe internervous zone. The superolateral capsule has the greatest density of mechanoreceptors and sensory fibers. OA is associated with a greater expression of nerve fibers compared with normal hips but does not correlate with pain or disability. No significant differences were found in nerve fiber expression among patients with DDH, FAI, or normal hips. A negative correlation is seen with aging and pain fiber expression. Conclusions The hip capsule has a complex macroscopic and microscopic innervation pattern with varying nerve fiber expression from at least 6 separate peripheral nerves. OA is associated with a greater expression of nerve fibers, although nerve fiber expression does not correlate with painful pathology. Level of Evidence IV, Systematic review of level I-IV studies.
Applying the Toxicity Index to Patient-Reported Symptom Data: An Example Using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Colorectal Cancer-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire

Author(s): Hays, Ron D; Ganz, Patricia A; Spritzer, Karen L; Rogatko, Andre | Abstract: PurposeThe toxicity index (TI) is a summary index that accounts for toxicity grades associated with cancer symptoms that is more sensitive than other toxicity systems to treatment differences. The TI can be used with patient-reported symptoms but requires that scores for different items represent equivalent severity. The purpose of this article is to provide an example of scoring patient-reported symptoms that satisfies the requirement of equivalent symptom severity.MethodsA sample of 1232 adults with rectal cancer from a Phase III clinical trial self-reported 18 symptoms on the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer colorectal cancer measure using a 4-category response scale (not at all, a little bit, quite a bit, or very much). The participants were 22 to 85 years of age (mean age, 57 years), 30% were female, 85% were non-Hispanic white, 59% had stage II cancer, and 41% had stage III cancer. A recoded TI was created using item response theory category thresholds.FindingsThe recoded TI had larger rank-order correlations than the original TI with Karnofsky performance status index, hemoglobin level, symptom bother, and other aspects of health-related quality of life.ImplicationsRecoding items based on category thresholds yielded a more valid TI score that can be used to summarize adverse events. (Clin Ther. 2021;XX:XXX-XXX) © 2021 Elsevier HS Journals, Inc.
Takeover Laws and Implications: A Comparison Between the United States and Singapore

This paper presents a comparative analysis of takeovers, and the development and use of takeover defenses in the United States and Singapore. It examines the legal framework that has evolved in these jurisdictions, and analyzes the impact of market practices on the market for corporate control, shareholder activism, and corporate governance.
Non-Operating Room Anesthesia for Pediatric Surgical Procedures

As advances in imaging techniques and interventional procedures are expanding across all hospital specialties, pediatric hospitals in particular are finding an exponential increase in the need for nonoperating room anesthesia (NORA) to help children receive the studies, scans, and procedures required for best care practices. NORA is now an established service in most hospitals and has its own unique practice requirements and guidelines, medications, challenges, and complications. As the service continues to grow in scope, it is imperative that organizations follow all protocols and standards set forward by governing bodies and that NORA personnel are well versed in the sedation continuum, methods of monitoring, and sedation scales. Due to its complexity, variability, and multiple venues, it requires such a different skill set that the American Board of Anesthesiologists (ABA) is now mandating education and experience in and testing of NORA for all anesthesia residency programs. NORA is such a fast-growing field that the next decade may find up to 50% of all anesthetics are done at NORA sites (Curr Opin Anaesthesiol 30:644–651, 2017 and 19:430-435). As a shift to nonoperating room locations continues and more widespread use of sedation by other practitioners follows, anesthesiologists should continue to be at the forefront in representing and advocating for the highest quality of care for all children receiving sedation. They should also champion accreditation of institutions and credentialing of practitioners, as well as support new and innovative technology which will make NORA even safer in the future.
Psychodynamics of Abortion Regression or Rebirth

To date, epidemiological and sociodemographic research characterize much of the literature on abortion. Psychological research is typically of a social-personality nature where psychological factors or attitudes toward abortion are articulated and related as correlates of the abortion experience. Research methodology of this type tends to compromise the multidimensionality and mutual interaction between the social, psychological, and physiological matrix of abortion decision-making and sequelae. Due to the lack of longitudinal studies and other methodological shortcomings in the abortion literature, there is little empirical evidence concerning the psychological aspects of abortion.
Regulatory Gene Variation in Higher Plants

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews a number of genetic systems in higher plants, for which regulatory genes are identified and shown to affect the expression of specific structural gene products (that is, proteins). The chapter also discusses some experimental approaches that are applicable for studying the gene–enzyme systems in higher plants. Several of the genetic systems to be considered involve the regulation of storage proteins associated with the developing and mature seed of crop plants. In addition to these, a number of gene–enzyme systems in maize (Zea mays L.) are studied, in which the regulatory loci appear to function in controlling the level of enzyme protein or activity. Several novel approaches are used to isolate presumed regulatory mutations. One of the promising approaches is to select for temperature-sensitive or nitrate reductase-deficient mutants using plant tissue culture techniques. In tobacco, a temperature-sensitive mutant (ts4) is regenerated from tissue culture. This mutation has a pleiotropic effect on the activities of phenylalanine ammonia lyase, nitrate reductase (NR), ornithine decarboxylase, and S-adenosyl methionine decarboxylase but does not have an effect on a number of other enzymes involved in nitrate assimilation.
Model-Based development of automotive electronic climate control software

With increasing complexity of software in today’s products, writing and maintaining thousands of lines of code is a tedious task. Instead, an alternative methodology must be employed. Model-based development is one candidate that offers several benefits and allows engineers to focus on the domain of their expertise than writing huge codes. In this paper, we discuss the application of model-based development to the electronic climate control software of vehicles. The back-to-back testing approach is presented that ensures flawless and smooth transition from legacy designs to the model-based development. Simulink report generator to create design documents from the models is presented along with its usage to run the simulation model and capture the results into the test report. Test automation using model-based development tool that support the use of unique set of test cases for several testing levels and the test procedure that is independent of software and hardware platform is also presented.
Incidence of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in U.S. coastal waters and oysters.

Oyster and seawater samples were collected seasonally from May 1984 through April 1985 from shellfish-growing areas in Washington, California, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, South Carolina, Virginia, and Rhode Island which had been designated as approved or prohibited by the National Shellfish Sanitation Program. Fecal coliforms counts, aerobic plate counts, and Vibrio parahaemolyticus densities were determined for the samples. Mean V. parahaemolyticus density was more than 100 times greater in oysters than in water, whereas density of fecal coliforms was approximately 10 times higher in oysters. Seasonal and geographical distributions of V. parahaemolyticus were related to water temperature, with highest densities in samples collected in the spring and the summer along the Gulf coast. The synthetic DNA probe for thermostable direct hemolysin hybridized with 2 of 50 isolates, 1 of which was positive by the Kanagawa test.
Cerivastatin and endothelial function in elderly patients with diabetes mellitus

To the Editor: In the recent article by Tsunekawa et al,1 3 days of therapy with the HMG Co-A reductase inhibitor cerivastatin improved flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) of the brachial artery in a cohort of 27 older patients with diabetes mellitus (mean age 69.3±3.4 years). We found the results of this investigation puzzling for two reasons. First, we were surprised by the magnitude of the benefit of statin therapy, which in this study led to nearly a doubling in FMD and an absolute increase of approximately 4% after 3 days of therapy. The magnitude of the improvement in FMD is much higher than previously reported in larger studies with other statins using similar techniques over longer periods of time.2,3⇓ We have demonstrated that two other statins, alone and in combination with antioxidant vitamins, did not improve brachial artery FMD after 1 year of therapy in twice as …
Signaling pathways in eosinophils that regulate allergic asthma and inflammation (HYP7P.304)

Allergic asthma and inflammation is a disease of the airways. The prevalence of allergic responses and asthma are increasing worldwide, but it is still unclear why some predisposed individuals develop disease. Eosinophils and T helper 2 cells (TH2) and eosinophils are critical cellular mediators in asthma. The signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)-6 is a crucial mediator of TH2 cytokine responses, acting downstream of interleukin -4 and -13 (IL-4 and IL-13). We have previously shown that eosinophil derived IL-13 plays an important role in the recruitment of T cells to the lung, and subsequent development of allergic asthma. However whether eosinophils respond to TH2 signals to control allergic airway inflammation is unclear. The objective of this study is to understand the role of STAT6 in eosinophil-dependent regulation of allergic asthma and inflammation. Using ΔdblGATA mice lacking eosinophils and transfer of STAT6-/- eosinophils, we found that compared to ΔdblGATA reconstituted with WT eosinophils, eosinophils lacking STAT6 were unable to rescue recruitment of CD4+ T cells and eosinophils into the lungs compared to WT eosinophils. These data indicates that STAT6 is important in the recruitment of both T cells and eosinophils to the lung during the development of allergic airway inflammation. Ultimately, deciphering the mechanisms of intracellular and cytokine signals will afford us improved insights on developing therapeutic strategies in asthma.
Continuous chromatography apparatus : III. Application

Abstract A description is given of the use of the continuous chromatography apparatus for the purification of cow heart myoglobin and the separation of skim milk proteins from lactose and salt.
Laws of the Postcolonial

Laws of the Postcolonial. Eve Darian-Smith and Peter Fitzpatrick. eds. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1999. 309 pp.
Effects of symmetry on circular and linear magnetic dichroism in angle-resolved photoemission spectra of Gd/Y (0001) and Fe-Ni//Cu (001)

We have observed circular and linear magnetic dichroism in angle- resolved photoemission spectra of 50-monolayer Gd film grown on Y(0001) and 6-monolayer Fe-Ni alloy films grown on Cu(001). The 4f level of Gd and the Fe 3p level of the Fe-Ni alloy were measured. A different geometry was used for the magnetic circular dichroism than was used to measure the magnetic linear dichroism. The geometries were chosen so that the shape of the magnetic circular dichroism is predicted to be equal to the shape of the magnetic linear dichroism for four-fold symmetric Fe-Ni/Cu(001) but not for three-fold symmetric Gd/Y(0001). Experimental results are presented. In this paper we examine the effect of symmetry (experimental geometry and sample geometry) on magnetic linear and circular dichroism in angle- resolved photoemission. In particular we chose separate geometries for measuring magnetic circular and magnetic linear dichroism. The geometries were chosen such that samples with four-fold symmetry about the sample normal may have magnetic circular and magnetic linear dichroism of the same shape. But samples with three-fold symmetry should not exhibit circular and magnetic linear dichroism of the same shape. The samples studied are three-fold symmetric Gd films grown on Y(0001) and four-fold symmetric Fe-Ni alloy grown on Cu(001). After presenting the methods of the experiment, we briefly review parts of a model of magnetic dichroism developed by Venus and coworkers and our specialization and extension of it, particularly for FeNi/Cu(001). We then show the results of our measurements.
Remarks Concerning the Kerman-Klein Theory of Collective Motion

On the example of rotations in a plane, a concise form of expansion for the density matrix of this theory is presented and applied. It is emphasized again that the method is more general than the usual form of time-dependent Hartree-Fock approximation (or self-consistent cranking method) but contains the latter as a well-defined limiting case.
Thought, feeling and form: The dual meaning of ‘Gerontion’

(1978). Thought, feeling and form: The dual meaning of ‘Gerontion’. English Studies: Vol. 59, No. 3, pp. 237-247.
Preference for fixed over variable access to food

Three pigeons pecked for food in a concurrent chain schedule. Pecks in one link of the concurrent chain resulted in a fixed duration of access to food, while pecks in the other link resulted in either no access to food or 8 sec of access to food. All three pigeons pecked more often in the initial link which resulted in the fixed duration of access to food, indicating preference for fixed over variable access to food. This result does not seem consistent with previous results showing preference for variable- over fixed-interval schedules. However, the results are consistent if preference is determined by differential weighting of reward values, and preference is independent of whether a reward is fixed or variable. This analysis suggests that previous results of fixed- vs. variable-reward studies cannot be used to argue that animals do not prefer information over uncertainty.
Serum levels of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in pulp and paper mill workers

Serum levels of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) among 46 long-term workers at a pulp and paper mill were compared to the levels in 16 community residents who never worked at the mill. Overall, there were no appreciable differences among the three exposure groups (community resident, low-exposure-potential worker, high-exposure-potential worker) for specific PCDDs or PCDFs. Neither exposure group nor duration in high-exposure-potential-jobs was related to total toxic equivalents (I-TEQ). Serum levels of PCDDs and PCDFs in this study generally were within the range previously reported for persons with no known occupational exposure.