cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Investigation of Resident Nutrition and Related Knowledge in Luyang District,Hefei City

Objective To understand the dietetic habits, the knowledge level of nutrition and food hygiene, the understanding of the relationship between food and disease, demands for nutrition and food hygiene in the residents of Luyang district in Hefei.Method 731 subjects were selected by random sampling and investigated with the questionnaire. Results most respondents had some knowledge about food hygiene and nutrition, the situation of awareness varied with education background and living area. News media was the main resource of knowledge.Conclusions The understand rate of the knowledge of nutrition and food hygiene was low, especially those respondents with less education and in remote towns, so we should give priority to strengthening the propaganda and education of the nutrition and food hygiene and behavior intervention.
Mechanical Properties, Cytocompatibility and Manufacturability of Chitosan:PEGDA Hybrid-Gel Scaffolds by Stereolithography

Extracellular matrix mimetic hydrogels which hybridize synthetic and natural polymers offer molecularly-tailored, bioactive properties and tunable mechanical strength. In addition, 3D bioprinting by stereolithography allows fabrication of internal pores and defined macroscopic shapes. In this study, we formulated a hybrid biocompatible resin using natural and synthetic polymers (chitosan and polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA), respectively) by controlling molecular weight of chitosan, feed-ratios, and photo-initiator concentration. Ear-shaped, hybrid scaffolds were fabricated by a stereolithographic method using a 405 nm laser. Hybrid hydrogel scaffolds of chitosan (50–190 kDa) and PEGDA (575 Da) were mixed at varying feed-ratios. Some of the cationic, amino groups of chitosan were neutralized by dialysis in acidic solution containing chitosan in excess of sodium acetate solution to inhibit quenching of newly formed photoradicals. A feed-ratio of 1:7.5 was found to be the most appropriate of the formulations considered in this study in terms of mechanical properties, cell adhesion, and printability. The biofabricated hybrid scaffold showed interconnected, homogeneous pores with a nominal pore size of 50 µm and an elastic modulus of ~400 kPa. Moreover, long-term cell viability and cell spreading was observed via actin filament staining. Printability of the biocompatible resin was confirmed by printing thresholded MR images of an ear and the feed ratio of 1:7.5 provided the most faithful reproduction of the shape. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of stereolithographic printing hybridizing cell-adhesive properties of chitosan with mechanical robustness of PEG in scaffolds suitable for repair of complex tissue geometries, such as those of the human ear.
Effects of whole body vibration on dorsal root ganglion neurons. Changes in neuronal nuclei.

STUDY DESIGN This blinded, histomorphometric analysis compared neuronal nuclei from lumbar dorsal root ganglia from three groups of rabbits: normal controls, immobilized controls, and an experimental group exposed to daily, whole body vibration. OBJECTIVES To identify ultrastructural changes in dorsal root ganglion neurons consistent with, and capable of producing, neuropeptide changes previously documented in vibration-exposed animals. METHODS Normal adult rabbits were exposed to modulated whole body vibration at a frequency and amplitude previously shown to produce changes in dorsal root ganglion neuropeptides. Lumbar ganglia from control and vibrated rabbits were fixed, stained, and studied under transmission electron microscopy. One-thousand-two-hundred cells were sampled, and 190 appropriately sectioned cells were analyzed. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Epidemiologic studies have suggested a strong correlation between vibration and back pain. Previous studies have shown that short-term exposure to whole body vibration alters the normal neuropeptide profile seen in dorsal root ganglion neurons. RESULTS Nuclear clefting was increased 39% in vibrated nuclei relative to controls, and nuclear pores were increased 46% in areas of clefting compared with adjacent nonclefted segments and controls (P < .001). Mitochondria, rough endoplasmic reticulum, and free ribosomes crowded the cleft spaces of vibrated cells, and the normal perinuclear clear space was lost. Mitochondrial and lysosomal volumes were significantly increased in vibrated cells. CONCLUSIONS These ultrastructural changes, generated by a physiologically valid vibration stimulus, provide an anatomic link between the clinical observation of increased back pain and the biochemical alterations involving pain-related neuropeptides.
Isolating Retrograde and Prograde Rayleigh-Wave Modes Using a Polarity Mute

ABSTRACTEstimates of S-wave velocity with depth from Rayleigh-wave dispersion data are limited by the accuracy of fundamental and/or higher mode signal identification. In many scenarios, the fundamental mode propagates in retrograde motion, whereas higher modes propagate in prograde motion. This difference in particle motion (or polarity) can be used by joint analysis of vertical and horizontal inline recordings. We have developed a novel method that isolates modes by separating prograde and retrograde motions; we call this a polarity mute. Applying this polarity mute prior to traditional multichannel analysis of surface wave (MASW) analysis improves phase velocity estimation for fundamental and higher mode dispersion. This approach, in turn, should lead to improvement of S-wave velocity estimates with depth. With two simple models and a field example, we have highlighted the complexity of the Rayleigh-wave particle motions and determined improved MASW dispersion images using the polarity mute. Our result...
Feasibility and validity of a statistical adjustment to reduce self-report bias of height and weight in wave 1 of the Add Health study.

Bias in adolescent self-reported height and weight is well documented. Given the importance and widespread use of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health) data for obesity research, we developed and tested the feasibility and validity of an empirically derived statistical correction for self-report bias in wave 1 (W1) of Add Health, a large panel study in the United States. Participants in grades 7–12 with complete height and weight data at W1 were included (n = 20,175). We used measured and self-reported (SR) height and weight and relevant biopsychosocial factors from wave 2 (W2) of Add Health (n = 14,190) to identify sources of bias and derive the most efficient sex-specific estimates of corrected height and weight. Measured, SR, and corrected W2 BMI values were calculated and compared, including sensitivity and specificity. Final correction equations were applied to W1. After correction, weight status misclassification rates among those who underestimated their weight status were reduced from 6.6 to 5.7 % for males and from 8.0 to 5.6 % for females compared to self-report; and the correlation between SR and measured BMI in W2 increased slightly from 0.92 to 0.93. Among females, correction procedures resulted in a 3.4 % increase in sensitivity to detect overweight/obesity (BMI ≥ 25) and 5.9 % increase in sensitivity for obesity (BMI ≥ 30). Findings suggest that application of the proposed statistical corrections can reduce bias of self-report height and weight in W1 of the Add Health data and may be useful in some analyses. In particular, the corrected BMI values improve sensitivity --the ability to detect a true positive—for overweight/obesity among females, which addresses a major concern about self-report bias in obesity research. However, the correction does not improve sensitivity to identify underweight or healthy weight adolescents and so should be applied selectively based on research questions.
Effects of electrode material on charge injection and transport in highly purified water

Extensive Kerr electro-optic field mapping and voltage/current measurements have been taken with highly purified water over the temperature range of T=0−30°C using parallel plane electrodes with average field strengths up to 160kV/cm. The Kerr constant of water B was measured to be B≃3.4 – 3.6×10−14m/V2 for free space light wavelength of 590nm and only slightly varies with temperature over the measurement range. For a step high voltage, there is no volume space charge at t=0 + . For times greater than 500µs, stainless steel and copper electrodes generally inject positive charge, although under some conditions with mixed electrodes they injected negative charge; aluminum electrodes only inject negative charge; while brass electrodes can inject either positive or negative charge. Thus, by appropriate choice of electrode material combinations and voltage polarity, it is possible to have uncharged water, unipolar charged negative or positive, or bipolar charged water. Generally, the bipolar case allows a higher applied voltage without breakdown, presumably due to the lower electric field strengths at the electrodes due to the space charge shielding. Although injected space charge increases the stored electric energy over the capacitive space charge free energy, (1/2)Cv2, for unipolar drift dominated conduction the energy delivered to a resistive load is reduced because of internal dissipation as the charge migrates to the electrodes.
Melanoma and Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Associated with Angiotensin-Converting-Enzyme Inhibitors, Angiotensin-Receptor Blockers and Thiazides: A Matched Cohort Study

Controversy exists about an association between angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs), angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs), and thiazides (TZs) and the risk of malignant melanoma (MM), and non-melanoma skin cancer—basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). The aim of this study was to determine if an association exists for ACEI, ARB, or TZ exposure and skin cancers. This was a matched cohort study using a large electronic medical records repository, the Northwestern Medicine Enterprise Data Warehouse (NMEDW). The exposed population consisted of patients with a documented order for an ACEI, ARB, or TZ with no prior history of skin cancer. The control population consisted of matched patients without documented exposure to ACEI, ARB, or TZ and no previous skin cancer. Incident MM, BCC, or SCC diagnosis by ICD-9 codes was recorded. Odds ratios (ORs) were obtained by using logistic regression analyses. Among the 27,134 patients exposed to an ACEI, 87 MM, 533 BCC, and 182 SCC were detected. Among the 13,818 patients exposed to an ARB, 96 MM, 283 BCC, and 106 SCC were detected. Among the 15,166 patients exposed to a TZ, 99 MM, 262 BCC, and 130 SCC were detected. Significant associations using ORs from logistic regression were found for MM and TZs (OR 1.82; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01–3.82); BCC and ARBs (OR 2.86; 95% CI 2.13–3.83), ACEIs (OR 2.23; 95% CI 1.78–2.81) and TZs (OR 2.11; 95% CI 1.60–2.79); SCC and ARBs (OR 2.22; 95% CI 1.37–3.61), ACEIs (OR 1.94; 95% CI 1.37–2.76), and TZs (OR 4.11; 95% CI 2.66–6.35). A safety signal for ACEIs, ARBs, and TZs and BCC and SCC, as well as for TZs and MM, was detected. An increased awareness and education, especially for those who are at high risk for skin cancer, are warranted for patients and healthcare providers. Further exploration of such associations for these commonly used drug classes is warranted.
Observation and Identification of an Atomic Oxygen Structure on Catalytic Gold Nanoparticles

Interactions between oxygen and gold surfaces are fundamentally important in diverse areas of science and technology. In this work, an oxygen dimer structure was observed and identified on gold nanoparticles in catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide to oxygen and water. This structure, which is different from isolated atomic or molecular oxygen surface structures, was observed with in situ surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopic measurements and identified with density functional theory calculations. The experimental measurements were performed using monodisperse 5, 50 and 400 nm gold particles supported on silica with liquid-phase hydrogen and deuterium peroxides at multiple pH values. The calculations show that on surfaces with coordinatively unsaturated gold atoms, two oxygen atoms preferentially share a gold atom with a bond distance of 0.194–0.196 nm and additionally bind to two other surface gold atoms with a larger bond distance of 0.203–0.213 nm, forming an Au-O-Au-O-Au structure. The formation of this structure depends on reaction rates and conditions.
Immigration: Becoming “Us” Versus Remaining “Them”

This chapter is the analysis of the concept of citizenship through the evolution of immigration legislation and the subsequent implications of various pieces of legislation. Historically, naturalization laws in America have tended to be racist, while immigration more or less allowed people to come in when their labor was being sought. The immigrant’s rites of passage to American society have always been fraught with discrimination, the immigrant having to suffer many ironies before receiving ultimate social approval. Such paradoxes of citizenship continue amid present challenges of terrorism, muddying concerns about who is entitled to the privileges of citizenship. The use of immigration policy as a political tool has always dominated real policy over ideology or economic interests.
Playing “Whack-a-Mole” With Pneumococcal Serotype Eradication

* Abbreviations: AOM — : acute otitis media IPD — : invasive pneumococcal disease PCV — : pneumococcal conjugate vaccine PCV7 — : 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine PCV13 — : 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine NP — : nasopharyngeal SPN — : Streptococcus pneumoniae In this issue of Pediatrics , Lee et al1 report surveillance data from Massachusetts communities regarding Streptococcus pneumoniae (SPN) colonization during the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) era. Nasopharyngeal (NP) colonization is thought to precede SPN disease, so it is a reasonable measure of circulating (and potentially disease-producing) pneumococcal strains. Three aspects are notable: (1) shifting serotypes of known invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) producers; (2) risk factors for colonization; and (3) evolving antibiotic resistance. Excluding HIV-associated pneumococcal deaths, global estimates attribute ∼11% of all deaths in children 1 to 59 months of age to SPN disease.2 SPN remains a concern for US practitioners, causing both IPD (eg, meningitis, pneumonia, and bacteremia) and noninvasive disease (eg, acute otitis media [AOM] and sinusitis). Practitioners likely see at least 1 child per week for whom SPN bacteremia, pneumonia, or meningitis is a concern. A preventive vaccine targeting the most common IPD strains seemed a reasonable strategy to reduce disease burden and ease providers’ fears of missing an impending severe IPD case. Introduced in 2000, 7-valent PCV (PCV7) markedly decreased IPD among PCV7 recipients,3–6 and also among non-PCV7 … Address correspondence to Douglas S. Swanson, MD, Infectious Diseases, Children’s Mercy Kansas City, 2401 Gillham Rd, Kanas City, MO 64108. E-mail: dswasnon{at}cmh.edu
Theorizing visibility and vulnerability in Black Europe and the African diaspora

ABSTRACTEurope is comprised of at least 46 nations with an estimated population of at least 770 million, a black population of more than 7 million, over 90% of whom live in just 12 nations. The black population in each nation reveals distinct differences, including national, religious and ethnic origins and gender dynamics. They also have striking similarities in their ambiguous visibility and endemic vulnerability; in political and scholarly explanations; and in black people’s expressed racial identity and social mobilization. I explore the research implications of centering these similarities in our analysis; and suggest several insights from thinking about these striking similarities in Black Europe as a whole, rather than focusing primarily on individual nations.
the sharp smog bank and California fog development

Meteorological conditions associated with the observance of a sharp smog bank near Riverside, Calif., are compared with those previously shown to be related to the development of winter fogs in California. The conditions are similar. Thus, it is proposed that three simple indices found useful in the prediction of west coast fog be used also to predict situations favorable to the shallow, sharp-banked smogs which have been observed. The indices measure the influence of the sea surface temperature field upon air warmed in downslope flow associated with easterly winds in the area.
Rational choice and moral intent in the responsible conduct of research

Academic misconduct among students has been the focus of a tremendous amount of literature for a number of decades (Crown & Spiller, 1998). However, academic misconduct among faculty has received much less empirical attention (Steneck, 2006). This research was designed to contribute to the literature by empirically examining the possible effects of rational and moral judgments on faculty research misconduct, with a focus on the social sciences. The purpose of the study was to explore the application of a particular theory of human behavior - Rational Choice Theory - to the phenomenon of misconduct in research and to do so in the context of the James Rest, et al., moral decision-making framework. A national survey was conducted involving 2,070 faculty members in sociology and psychology departments from a random sample of research-intensive universities, which resulted in a survey sample of 581 respondents. The relationship between moral assessments and rational choice measures of the perceived likelihood of detection and sanctions was explored using scenarios involving clear or ambiguous research misconduct. Participants rated the likelihood they themselves would take the action described in the scenario under the same circumstances while also rating the moral and rational choice features of the situation. Multiple regression was used to predict the effect of moral and rational choice assessments on the probability of engaging in misconduct. Results showed significant effects for moral judgment as well as potential shame and embarrassment on reducing misconduct, but not for likelihood of detection or external sanctions.
Peptidergic innervation of the primate meibomian gland.

Purpose To localize and characterize nerves in primate meibomian glands using immunohistochemical staining for neuropeptides and neuronal enzymes. Methods Upper eyelids were obtained from seven rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) and one cynomolgous monkey (Macaca fascicularis). The tissues were fixed either by immersion in Zamboni's fixative or by transcardiac perfusion with paraformaldehyde and glutaraldehyde and were then postfixed. Cryostat tissue sections of the lids were stained by immunohistochemistry using rabbit antisera to neuron-specific enolase (NSE), tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), neuropeptide Y (NPY), vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), and substance P (SP), followed by a fluorescence visualization system. Results Used as a marker for the overall nerve distribution, NSE antibodies revealed abundant smooth and varicose nerve fibers closely apposed to the basement membranes of acini of the meibomian glands. Numerous nerve fibers near the meibomian gland acini were immunoreactive for NPY and VIP, but nerve fibers containing TH, CGRP, and SP were more sparse in the meibomian glands. Nerve fibers also were visualized in other eyelid structures, including conjunctiva, epidermis, hair follicles, and subconjunctival lymphoid follicles. Conclusions The meibomian glands of rhesus and cynomolgous monkeys are richly innervated by diverse nerve fiber types. The immunohistochemical staining suggests a largely parasympathetic origin for this innervation, with relatively smaller contributions from sympathetic and sensory sources. These findings also suggest that meibomian gland secretion is under the control of diverse neurotransmitter-neuromodulator mechanisms.
Agrobacterium inoculation techniques for plant tissues

Agrobacterium-mcdiatcd transformation of plants has been adapted to many dicotyledonous plant species. The wide applicability of this transformation method is a result of several factors: the broad host range of Agrobacterium [2, 6], the regeneration responsiveness of many different expiant tissues [2, 5], and the utility of a wide range of selectable marker genes [1]. Tobacco (Nicotiana tobacum) is easily transformed using Agrobacterium, and the basic procedures used with tobacco are similar to those used for many other species [2, 3]. For this reason, tobacco is an excellent illustration of the steps used in Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Although the techniques used for transforming tobacco can be directly applied to other species, it is sometimes necessary to modify the basic procedure for successful transformation.
The Digital Revolution

In the last chapter, I described a 1995 settlement negotiated between a powerful corporation (an insurance company) and relatively powerless homeowners. In this classic David vs. Goliath scenario, against all odds, the homeowners emerged victorious. Digital technologies, data, and information, anchored by sustained community activism influenced settlement negotiations. In this chapter, I propose that the roots of this particular type of digitally mediated community advocacy were established a long time ago – in the late 1960s in fact. In this chapter, I trace the history of the digital revolution that occurred in parallel with the more prominent civil rights revolution in the United States.
A study on developer perception of transformation languages for refactoring

Although there is much research advancing state-of-art of program transformation tools, their application in industry source code change problems has not yet been gauged. In this context, the purpose of this paper is to better understand developer familiarity and comfort with these languages by conducting a survey. It poses, and answers, four research questions to understand how frequently source code transformation languages are applied to refactoring tasks, how well-known these languages are in industry, what developers think are obstacles to adoption, and what developer refactoring habits tell us about their current use, or underuse, of transformation languages. The results show that while source code transformation languages can fill a needed niche in refactoring, research must motivate their application. We provide explanations and insights based on data, aimed at the program transformation and refactoring communities, with a goal to motivate future research and ultimately improve industry adoption of transformation languages for refactoring tasks.
Predictive ZVS Control With Improved ZVS Time Margin and Limited Variable Frequency Range for a 99% Efficient, 130-W/in 3 MHz GaN Totem-Pole PFC Rectifier

This paper proposes a predictive zero-voltage-switching (ZVS) control with improved ZVS time margin and limited variable switching frequency range for a 99% efficient megahertz (MHz) GaN totem-pole power-factor-correction (PFC) rectifier. The conventional ZVS control methods for totem-pole PFC may lead to zero ZVS time margin and ultra-wide switching frequency range. This paper proposes that the synchronous rectifier (SR) turn- off current is a new degree of freedom for the ZVS control. Thus, the proposed cycle-by-cycle predictive ZVS control method controls the SR turn- off currents to extend the ZVS time margin and to reduce the maximum switching frequency. With the proposed ZVS control, the minimum ZVS time margin and a limited maximum switching frequency can be realized in a MHz GaN-based totem-pole PFC. With the improved ZVS time margin, the reliability for realizing ZVS is significantly improved. With the limited maximum frequency and the limited frequency range, the difficulty in high-speed current sensing and digital control is reduced, and the frequency-related loss is also reduced, which is important for improving the light-load efficiency. To accurately extract the current and timing parameters for the proposed ZVS control, an analytical model for the ZVS totem-pole PFC is proposed. The proposed ZVS control and analytical model are applicable over the full input and output voltage range, and over the full load range. In addition, a hybrid current control is proposed and implemented based on the proposed ZVS control. Finally, a 3.2-kW MHz GaN totem-pole PFC prototype is developed and tested with full-range ZVS, minimum ZVS time margin, limited switching frequency range, 99% peak efficiency, and 130-W/in3 power density based on the proposed ZVS control and system control strategy. The realized efficiency, power level, and power density are among the best ever reported for the GaN-based totem-pole PFC.
Abstract 061: Mitochondrial Fission Mediates Hypertensive Vascular Remodeling and Aneurysm Development

The prevalence of hypertension is growing steadily with mortality reaching 30,221. While effective blood pressure reduction therapy exists, the underlying pathophysiology leading to vascular remode...
Shaping the Closed-Loop Behavior of Nonlinear Systems Under Probabilistic Uncertainty Using Arbitrary Polynomial Chaos

This paper presents a computationally efficient method for performance verification and tuning of model-based controllers in constrained nonlinear systems subject to probabilistic uncertainties with arbitrary distributions. The proposed method is based on an extension of generalized polynomial chaos, an asymptotically convergent spectral method for uncertainty propagation, to directly handle arbitrary uncertainty distributions. The proposed arbitrary polynomial chaos (aPC) method only requires knowledge of the statistical moments of the distribution, and is capable of estimating the aPC expansion coefficients using a minimal number of closed-loop simulations. Advantages of the proposed aPC method are demonstrated on a benchmark continuous reactor problem controlled by a scenario-based nonlinear model predictive controller.
Two-loop Z4 Dirac neutrino masses and mixing, with self-interacting dark matter

Abstract Choosing how gauge U ( 1 ) χ breaks in the context of S O ( 10 ) → S U ( 5 ) × U ( 1 ) χ , Z 4 lepton number may be obtained which maintains neutrinos as Dirac fermions. Choosing Δ ( 27 ) as the family symmetry of leptons, tree-level Dirac neutrino masses may be forbidden. Choosing a specific set of self-interacting dark-matter particles, Dirac neutrino masses and mixing may then be generated in two loops. This framework allows the realization of cobimaximal neutrino mixing, i.e. θ 13 ≠ 0 , θ 23 = π / 4 , δ C P = ± π / 2 , as well as the desirable feature that the light scalar mediator of dark-matter interactions decays only to neutrinos, thereby not disrupting the cosmic microwave background (CMB).
Getting Less: When Negotiating Harms Post-Agreement Performance

In contrast to prior work that has assumed that negotiated agreements represent the economic value of negotiation outcomes, we demonstrate that the negotiation process can influence post-agreement behavior in a way that changes the economic value of the agreement. Our findings have particular relevance for negotiations for services, and fill a critical gap in our understanding of how negotiations influence performance. Across four studies, we demonstrate that negotiations can harm post-agreement behavior on both effortful and creative tasks. Specifically, we find that wage negotiations can harm productivity. Perceptions of conflict mediate the relationship between engaging in a negotiation and diminished motivation. Compared to not negotiating, individuals who negotiate may secure favorable deal terms, but risk incurring affective, relational, and economic costs. We call for future work to explore negotiations across a broader context of domains (e.g., negotiations for services in addition to goods) and to investigate how the negotiation process affects subsequent behavior (e.g., the provision of services). Our findings suggest that individuals should enter negotiations with caution.
Gravitational waves affect vacuum entanglement

The entanglement harvesting protocol is an operational way to probe vacuum entanglement. This protocol relies on two atoms, modelled by Unruh-DeWitt detectors, that are initially unentangled. These atoms then interact locally with the field and become entangled. If the atoms remain spacelike separated, any entanglement between them is a result of entanglement that is ``harvested'' from the field. Thus, quantifying this entanglement serves as a proxy for how entangled the field is across the regions in which the atoms interacted. Using this protocol, it is demonstrated that while the transition probability of an individual inertial atom is unaffected by the presence of a gravitational wave, the entanglement harvested by two atoms depends sensitively on the frequency of the gravitational wave, exhibiting novel resonance effects when the energy gap of the detectors is tuned to the frequency of the gravitational wave. This suggests that the entanglement signature left by a gravitational wave may be useful in characterizing its properties, and potentially useful in exploring the gravitational-wave memory effect and gravitational-wave induced decoherence.
Comparative Effectiveness and Safety of Direct-acting Oral Anticoagulants and Warfarin in Patients with Venous Thromboembolism and Active Cancer: An Observational Analysis.

Abstract Purpose There is limited evidence to support the use of direct-acting oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in patients with venous thromboembolism (VTE) and active cancer. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of DOACs versus warfarin for the prevention of recurrent VTE and major bleeding events in patients with VTE and active cancer. Methods We identified patients with incident VTE and active cancer who newly initiated treatment with DOACs or warfarin from Truven Health MarketScan Commercial Claims and Medicare supplemental databases. Patients were followed up from treatment initiation (index date) until the occurrence of >7-day gap in treatment, the start of the study comparator, an outcome of interest (recurrent VTE or major bleeding), inpatient death, disenrollment, or end of the study period, whichever occurred first. We controlled for confounders via propensity score matching and estimated the hazard ratios (HRs) using Cox proportional hazards regression models. Findings A total of 9952 patients were included in the matched cohort (4976 DOACs users and 4976 warfarin users). Patient characteristics were well balanced after matching. We observed a lower incidence of recurrent VTE (3 vs 5 per 100 person-years) and major bleeding events (2 vs 3 per 100 person-years) in the DOAC group compared to warfarin group, respectively. In Cox regression models, use of DOACs (vs warfarin) was associated with a lower risk of recurrent VTE (hazard ratio (HR), 0.59; 95% CI, 0.42–0.82) and major bleeding events (HR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.44–0.94). Implications On the basis of our findings, among patients with VTE and active cancer, DOACs offer superior effectiveness with a lower risk of bleeding when compared with warfarin for the secondary prevention of VTE.
Elucidation of the Active Sites in Single-Atom Pd1/CeO2 Catalysts for Low-Temperature CO Oxidation

Supported precious metals with atomic dispersion are of great interest in catalysis due to their potentials in achieving maximum atom efficiency and unique reactivities. Herein, the active sites fo...
Disparities in Rates of Fusions in Lumbar Disc Pathologies

Study Design:Retrospective cohort study.Objective:To identify disparities in surgical decision making for lumbar disc pathologies based on patient demographics, hospital characteristics, and tempor...
Inferring brain-wide interactions using data-constrained recurrent neural network models

Behavior arises from the coordinated activity of numerous anatomically and functionally distinct brain regions. Modern experimental tools allow unprecedented access to large neural populations spanning many interacting regions brain-wide. Yet, understanding such large-scale datasets necessitates both scalable computational models to extract meaningful features of inter-region communication and principled theories to interpret those features. Here, we introduce Current-Based Decomposition (CURBD), an approach for inferring brain-wide interactions using data-constrained recurrent neural network models that directly reproduce experimentally-obtained neural data. CURBD leverages the functional interactions inferred by such models to reveal directional currents between multiple brain regions. We first show that CURBD accurately isolates inter-region currents in simulated networks with known dynamics. We then apply CURBD to multi-region neural recordings obtained from mice during running, macaques during Pavlovian conditioning, and humans during memory retrieval to demonstrate the widespread applicability of CURBD to untangle brain-wide interactions underlying behavior from a variety of neural datasets.
Differences in microbial community response to nitrogen fertilization result in unique enzyme shifts between arbuscular and ectomycorrhizal‐dominated soils

While the effect of nitrogen (N) deposition on belowground carbon (C) cycling varies, emerging evidence shows that forest soils dominated by trees that associate with ectomycorrhizal fungi (ECM) store more C than soils dominated by trees that associate with arbuscular mycorrhizae (AM) with increasing N deposition. We hypothesized that this is due to unique nutrient cycling responses to N between AM and ECM-dominated soils. ECM trees primarily obtain N through fungal mining of soil organic matter subsidized by root-C. As such, we expected the largest N-induced responses of C and N cycling to occur in ECM rhizospheres and be driven by fungi. Conversely, as AM trees rely on bacterial scavengers in bulk soils to cycle N, we predicted the largest AM responses to be driven by shifts in bacteria and occur in bulk soils. To test this hypothesis, we measured microbial community composition, metatranscriptome profiles, and extracellular enzyme activity in bulk, rhizosphere, and organic horizon (OH) soils in AM and ECM-dominated soils at Bear Brook Watershed in Maine, USA. After 27 years of N fertilization, fungal community composition shifted across ECM soils, but bacterial communities shifted across AM soils. These shifts were mirrored by enhanced C relative to N mining enzyme activities in both mycorrhizal types, but this occurred in different soil fractions. In ECM stands these shifts occurred in rhizosphere soils, but in AM stands they occurred in bulk soils. Additionally, ECM OH soils exhibited the opposite response with declines in C relative to N mining. As rhizosphere soils account for only a small portion of total soil volume relative to bulk soils, coupled with declines in C to N enzyme activity in ECM OH soils, we posit that this may partly explain why ECM soils store more C than AM soils as N inputs increase.
Unplanned Hospital Readmissions after Discharge as a Failure of Care in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit: Myth or Reality?

Background: Unplanned hospital readmission (UHR) is largely viewed as a sign of failure of care delivery. UHR is associated with increased cost, utilization and potential harm. The Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) uses measures of UHR within 30 days of discharge as a national hospital quality metric for adult care. For children’s hospitals, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s (AHRQ) and CMS’ Pediatric Quality Measures Program (PQMP) has a 30-day All Conditions Readmission Measure. there have not been any pediatric studies that reviewed unplanned readmissions following PICU discharge. …
Exercise Intervention: A Pilot Study to Assess the Feasibility and Impact on Cancer-Related Fatigue and Quality of Life Among Patients With High-Grade Glioma.

Background Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is a challenging symptom, often compromising quality of life (QOL) and hindering physical activity among patients with cancer. Objectives This 18-month pilot study assessed the feasibility to recruit and retain participants with high-grade glioma into a 10-week exercise intervention and evaluated the effects on CRF and QOL. Methods Participants were enrolled into the usual care, education, or exercise group based on time of enrollment and radiation treatment location. Feasibility was determined by accrual and retention rates. Fatigue and QOL were assessed at weeks 0, 3, and 10. Descriptive statistics and percentage change were used for pre-/post-test differences. Findings Exercise participants experienced less fatigue and improved QOL as compared to the usual care and education groups, suggesting that exercise favorably affects clinical outcomes and is feasible among patients with high-grade glioma.
Ossification of the Posterior Longitudinal Ligament in the Cervical, Thoracic, and Lumbar Spine.

Ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) is a relatively rare disorder characterized by elongation of the posterior longitudinal ligament followed by the progressive development of ectopic osseous tissue along the ligament. OPLL is most commonly reported in the cervical spine, with fewer reported cases of thoracic or lumbar OPLL. The incidence of OPLL is high in east Asian populations with a much lower incidence in the United States. In this case report and review, we present the case of a 44-year-old female who was admitted to the hospital with a one-year history of progressive bilateral lower extremity weakness. Her lower extremity weakness had worsened over months and precipitated a gait disturbance that left her wheelchair-bound at the time of presentation. Additional presenting symptoms included lower back pain, stool incontinence, neck pain, and upper extremity paresthesias. Computed tomography of the spine revealed multiple areas of osteophyte formation and OPLL in the cervical spine from C2-5, thoracic spine from T6-10, and in the lumbar and sacral spine from L1-S1. There were notable areas of accompanying neural foraminal stenosis and central canal stenosis with visible spinal cord compression present in various locations. The patient did not undergo surgical intervention given the significant risk of multilevel surgery, and her symptoms were managed with medication. OPLL, particularly when not considered in lower-risk populations, can be a significant cause for progressive debilitating neurological abnormality. We report a rare case of OPLL occurring throughout the cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and sacral spine.
Racial and ethnic disparities in the management and outcomes of cardiogenic shock complicating acute myocardial infarction

Abstract Background It remains unclear if there remain racial/ethnic differences in the management and in-hospital outcomes of acute myocardial infarction-cardiogenic shock (AMI-CS) in contemporary practice. Methods We used the National inpatient Sample (2012–2017) to identify a cohort of adult AMI-CS hospitalizations. Race was classified as White, Black and Others (Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander, Native Americans). Primary outcome of interest was in-hospital mortality, and secondary outcomes included use of invasive cardiac procedures, length of hospital stay and discharge disposition. Results Among 203,905 AMI-CS admissions, 70.4% were White, 8.1% were Black and 15.7% belonged to Other races. Black AMI-CS admissions were more often female, with lower socio-economic status, greater comorbidity, and higher rates of non-ST-segment-elevation AMI-CS, cardiac arrest, and multi-organ failure. Compared to White AMI-CS admissions, Black and Other races had lower rates of coronary angiography (75.3% vs 69.3% vs 73.6%), percutaneous coronary intervention (52.7% vs 48.6% vs 54.8%), and mechanical circulatory devices (48.3% vs 42.8% vs 43.7%) (all p Conclusions Contrary to previous studies, we identified Black and Other race AMI-CS admissions had lower in-hospital mortality despite lower rates of cardiac procedures when compared to White admissions.
Editorial Comment: 2014 Annual Meeting of the Limb Lengthening and Reconstruction Society.

I t is often debated whether certain medical specialty organizations, such as the Limb Lengthening and Reconstruction Society (LLRS), are too narrow in their clinical focus to thrive and engage a large audience. Others feel that the problem may be excessive overlap with orthopedic specialties, such as adult reconstruction, trauma, pediatrics, and foot and ankle. I think this is more of an issue of perception than reality; in fact, this little society brings big ideas together, and rather than overlapping with those other specialty areas, the LLRS connects them—and so the work of the LLRS should be of interest to many, including many surgeons who are not LLRS members. While lengthening limbs is a small part of what most members of LLRS do, the cross-pollination amongst various subspecialties brings the multinational members together, fostering a growth mindset and generating new ideas for addressing old problems related to limb deformities. Topics like osteomyelitis, reconstruction for various congenital and acquired deformities, including those following trauma are all are within the purview of the LLRS, but are important elements of the practices of many surgeons outside it. It is for this reason that we partner with Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research—to get selected papers presented at our meetings in front of as many readers beyond our small society as we can. Even the more narrowly construed topics that come up at LLRS (like limb deformity) should be of interest in mainstream orthopaedics since they raise key principles that apply to practices of many different disciplines within the specialty. Is it not true that we all assess the patient presenting with an angular limb deformity prior to recommending treatment? Is it not imperative for the surgeon to identify the origin (bone and/or soft tissue), plane, and magnitude of each deformity, irrespective of the patient’s age and underlying etiology, before a customized treatment plan is executed? Surgeons who fail to do so, risk creating iatrogenic deformities. Furthermore, with evolving technology, The author certifies that he, or any members of his immediate family, has no commercial associations (eg, consultancies, stock ownership, equity interest, patent/licensing arrangements, etc) that might pose a conflict of interest in connection with the submitted article. All ICMJE Conflict of Interest Forms for authors and Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research editors and board members are on file with the publication and can be viewed on request. The opinions expressed are those of the writers, and do not reflect the opinion or policy of CORR or The Association of Bone and Joint Surgeons.
Impact of Revaccinating Children Who Initially Received Measles Vaccine Before 10 Months of Age

Two hundred fifty-four infants who had received measles vaccine at less than 10 months of age were revaccinated at greater than or equal to 15 months of age, and their immune responses were compared with 129 control infants who received their first doses of measles vaccine at greater than or equal to 15 months of age. Sera were collected at the time of revaccination (study infants) or primary vaccination (control infants), 3 weeks, and 8 months later and tested for antibody by hemagglutination inhibition (HI), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and cytopathic effect neutralization (CPEN). Of the 121 study infants who were initially HI negative, 116 (95.9%) made HI antibody 3 weeks postrevaccination compared with 126 (99.2%) of 127 control infants (P = 0.19). Of the 63 study infants with no initial detectable antibody by any of the three tests, 14 (22.2%) had a measles-specific IgM response 3 weeks postrevaccination compared with 37 of 50 (74.0%) randomly chosen control infants. By 8 months after revaccination, the 121 initially HI-negative study infants were significantly less likely to have detectable HI antibodies than control infants (52.1% v 97.6%) (P less than .001). However, 96.7% of these 121 study infants had detectable neutralizing antibody 8 months postrevaccination, an antibody thought to correlate best with protection. This study confirms the altered immune response to revaccination in infants first vaccinated prior to 10 months of age; however, the data suggest that most of these infants were successfully primed and are probably protected after revaccination.
Chapter 7 The Economic Analysis of Art Law

Abstract This paper surveys from an economic standpoint a number of important legal issues that influence the market for art, which include the creation, sale, valuation, maintenance and, in some instances, the destruction of works of art. We show that the important legal doctrines that bear on the visual arts can best be understood as rough efforts to promote efficiency in the art market. The paper focuses on U.S. legal doctrines and only occasionally mentions foreign law. Among the legal topics we consider are the following: copyright and trademark issues; moral rights which cover the right of an artist to prevent the mutilation and destruction of his work: resale royalties; rules governing ownership disputes between innocent parties such as a good faith purchaser and an earlier owner of the work of art; disputes over the authenticity of a work of art which cause material changes in the market value of the work; and the valuation of art-rich estates.
Pediatric clinical ethics consultations at an academic medical center: does one size fit all?

We applaud the efforts of Johnson and colleagues (2015) in summarizing their experience with pediatric ethics consultation (PEC) and in contributing to the scarce literature characterizing PEC. We ...
Association between postprandial changes in colonic intraluminal pressure and transit

The aim of this study was to correlate the movement of colonic luminal contents with the changes in intraluminal pressure. Studies were performed in 9 healthy volunteers. Intraluminal pressure was measured with perfused catheter ports in the transverse, splenic flexure, descending, and sigmoid colon. Movement of the luminal contents was measured by following the movement of technetium 99m-ethylenetriamine-pentaacetic acid that was instilled as a bolus in the splenic flexure. During fasting there was very little change in pressure or in the movement of intraluminal contents. After eating a 1000-kcal meal, the tracer moved from the splenic flexure into the transverse colon and the sigmoid colon. Nonpropagating colonic motor activity increased in all colonic segments immediately after eating the meal (p
Predicting distributions of Mexican birds using ecological niche modelling methods

We tested the utility of the modelling program Genetic Algorithm for Rule-set Prediction (GARP) for modelling ecological niches to make accurate predictions of geographical distributions for 25 bird species across Mexico. Specimen-based point-occurrence data were entered into the algorithm in the form of geographical coordinates, and related to digitized maps of environmental variables, including mean annual precipitation, elevation, mean annual temperature, and potential vegetation. Two Mexican states were used as test areas by withholding their points from model construction; these points were later overlaid on predictions to measure model performance. Statistically, most models (78‐90%) were significantly more powerful than random models in predicting occurrences in test states; model failures were most often due to low sample size for testing, rather than an inability to model distributions of particular species. The success of this test indicates that ecological niche modelling approaches such as GARP provide a promising tool for exploring a broad range of questions in ecology, biogeography and conservation.
The Epoch of Galaxy Formation

I present a biased review of when the epoch of formation of galaxies (both disks and ellipticals) maybe took place. I base my arguments in simple (mostly) analytic models that have been recently developed to reproduce most of the observed photometric, chemical and dynamical properties of galaxies both at low and high redshift.