cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An Investigation of Burnout Assessment and Potential Job Related Variables among Public School Music Educators

The purpose of this study was to investigate burnout symptoms among public school music educators (N = 101) using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and to determine potential demographic and job related factors that may be associated with burnout using the Demographic and Data Sheet (DDS) questionnaire. Based on multiple regression analyses it was found that the DDS variables; work load and time to complete the work, desire to change professional careers, contentment with job, unclear goals from administration, and lack of personnel goals in career plans, lack of recognition by students, and lack of cooperation among teachers in the district outside the area of music, significantly contributed to the variance in the regression models and were determined to be reliable predictors of burnout as measured by the MBI.
Pathologic Variables Predictive of Breast Events in Patients With Ductal Carcinoma In Situ

Central pathology review of ductal carcinoma in situ from 1,456 patients enrolled in National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP) protocol B-24 was performed to determine predictors for ipsilateral breast tumor recurrences and contralateral breast cancers. Findings after a median follow-up time of 10.5 years revealed ductal comedo necrosis, micropapillary histologic tumor type, and multifocality to be independent high risk factors for ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence. Risk increased for slight comedo necrosis vs absent and for moderate to marked comedo necrosis vs slight. The presence of a micropapillary tumor type and gross tumor size (> or = 1.0 cm) were independently found as risk factors for contralateral breast cancers. Although 47% of ipsilateral and 66% of contralateral events were invasive carcinomas, overall mortality was only 2.3%, a conundrum possibly related to the small size of the latter. The similar predictive role of comedo necrosis in this study and that reported previously from NSABP B-17 (total of 2,079 patients) strongly supports its role as a simple high-risk predictor for ipsilateral breast tumor recurrences.
Genomic Profiling of HMGN1 Reveals an Association with Chromatin at Regulatory Regions

The interaction of architectural proteins such as the linker histone H1 and high-mobility-group (HMG) proteins with nucleosomes leads to changes in chromatin structure and histone modifications and alters the cellular transcription profile. The interaction of HMG proteins with chromatin is dynamic. However, it is not clear whether the proteins are constantly and randomly redistributed among all the nucleosomes or whether they preferentially associate with, and turn over at, specific regions in chromatin. To address this question, we examined the genome-wide distribution of the nucleosome binding protein HMGN1 and compared it to that of regulatory chromatin marks. We find that HMGN1 is not randomly distributed throughout the genome. Instead, the protein preferentially localizes to DNase I hypersensitive (HS) sites, promoters, functional enhancers, and transcription factor binding sites. Our results suggest that HMGN1 is part of the cellular machinery that modulates transcriptional fidelity by generating, maintaining, or preferentially interacting with specific sites in chromatin.
Clinical Reasoning: A 58-year-old man with right facial numbness.

A 58-year-old man with a history of uncontrolled hypertension presented to the emergency department for evaluation of right facial numbness. He went to bed feeling normal and woke up with numbness and tingling in the right face limited to the right perioral area. He denied any associated neurologic symptoms or having similar experiences in the past. His medical history was significant for uncontrolled hypertension; surgical history was negative. Social history was pertinent for occasional alcohol use, but no smoking or drug use. Family history was significant for hypertension in both parents and essential tremor in his sister. His only home medication was oral lisinopril (10 mg daily).
The Molecular Biology of Hepatitis Delta Virus: Recent Advances

Hepatitis delta virus is a novel human pathogen that depends on hepatitis B virus for its transmission and causes a severe liver disease. The recent application of molecular techniques has defined many aspects of the virus life cycle and offers opportunities for understanding fundamental aspects of its pathogenesis and the development of control strategies.
Restorative Justice for Trayvon Martin

Two cities. Two people of color fatally shot by those charged with security and law enforcement. Two communities torn apart across racial lines. One city reacts conventionally with criminal charges and court proceedings. The other similarly engages the legal system but additionally engages in a Restorative Circle, a restorative process designed to create conditions for mutual understanding and repair of harm. In this article, the case of Trayvon Martin is juxtaposed with a less well-known case in Seattle involving the death of Native American woodcarver, John T. Williams. The two cases are summarized and examined in terms of their racial dynamics and the subsequent differential impact of the restorative response on the Seattle community.
Exploiting Egocentric Object Prior for 3D Saliency Detection

On a minute-to-minute basis people undergo numerous fluid interactions with objects that barely register on a conscious level. Recent neuroscientific research demonstrates that humans have a fixed size prior for salient objects. This suggests that a salient object in 3D undergoes a consistent transformation such that people's visual system perceives it with an approximately fixed size. This finding indicates that there exists a consistent egocentric object prior that can be characterized by shape, size, depth, and location in the first person view. In this paper, we develop an EgoObject Representation, which encodes these characteristics by incorporating shape, location, size and depth features from an egocentric RGBD image. We empirically show that this representation can accurately characterize the egocentric object prior by testing it on an egocentric RGBD dataset for three tasks: the 3D saliency detection, future saliency prediction, and interaction classification. This representation is evaluated on our new Egocentric RGBD Saliency dataset that includes various activities such as cooking, dining, and shopping. By using our EgoObject representation, we outperform previously proposed models for saliency detection (relative 30% improvement for 3D saliency detection task) on our dataset. Additionally, we demonstrate that this representation allows us to predict future salient objects based on the gaze cue and classify people's interactions with objects.
The Global Community's Role in Promoting the Right to Democratic Governance and Free Choice in the Third World

This inquiry seeks to provide answers to two nagging questions on the responsibility of the community of nations in the promotion and defense of the universalist aspirations of the International Bill of Rights. When, it asks, is it right for the global community to intervene in the internal affairs of sovereign states to stop human rights abuses? And, as a follow up, should such intervention have as its ultimate goal that of replacing the government responsible for these violations? These questions have been provoked in part by the current debate over the legality and legitimacy of the use of force to effect a change in regime. But they are also in response to a perceived reluctance by the community of nations to intervene in the internal affairs of states to halt domestic violations of the right to democratic governance. Both the legal and normative factors that have contributed to this perceived unwillingness to take affirmative steps to expand the values of democratic governance beyond their Euro-American confines will be explored in this essay.
Abstract 4887: Curcuminoid CLEFMA induces autophagy-associated apoptosis in lung cancer

CLEFMA (4-[3,5-bis(2-chlorobenzylidene-4-oxo-piperidine-1-yl)-4-oxo-2-butenoic acid) is a novel curcuminoid discovered in our laboratory. Earlier we showed that CLEFMA induces oxidative stress-dependent cell death in lung adenocarcinoma H441 cells. Although apoptosis is the desired mechanism for chemotherapy-induced cell death, the associated pathways are often defective in lung cancers resulting in high levels of chemoresistance. Therefore, drugs that induce alternate modes of cell death, such as autophagy, may be beneficial. Drug-induced hyperinduction of autophagy is classified as type 2 programmed cell death. In most circumstances, autophagy parallels apoptosis, and such composite cell death is described as “autophagy-associated apoptosis”. Whether autophagy plays a synergistic or antagonistic role in overall cell death response to anticancer drugs is an important focus in cancer research. In this study, we have investigated the interaction between autophagy and apoptosis in CLEFMA mediated cell death. Methods: The human non-small cell lung carcinoma (H441) cell line was treated with CLEFMA (10 µM) and the molecular mechanisms of cell death were investigated. Growth inhibition was assessed by MTT or hexosaminidase assay. Apoptosis was measured by flow cytometry of annexin V-stained cells, RT-PCR and immunoblotting for apoptosis-related biomarkers. Induction of autophagy was established by electron microscopy and immunobloting for LC3B, ATG, beclin1, AKT and mTOR. Autophagy was inhibited by 3-methyladenine (3-MA 1 mM) as well as chloroquine and E64D+pepstatin combination. The tumor suppressive efficacy of CLEFMA was demonstrated in H441 xenograft mice intraperitoneally receiving 0, 5 and 10 µg/day of CLEFMA for 32 days. The mice were imaged for F-18-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in tumor tissue. Results: CLEFMA suppressed the viability of H441 cell line in a dose-dependent manner (IC50 = 6.25 µM). It induced cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase with accompanying accumulation of p21 protein. Caspase 3/7 immunoblotting and annexin V flow cytometry confirmed the induction of apoptosis. At the same time, we observed induction of LC3BII and suppression of AKT/mTOR phosphorylation. The suppression of autophagy significantly increased CLEFMA-induced cell death and increased caspase cleavage. In the xenograft model, 5 and 10 µg CLEFMA significantly reduced the tumor volume by 72% and 96.2%, respectively; the tumor uptake of F-18-fluorodeoxyglucose was also reduced. Conclusions: We demonstrate the efficacy of CLEFMA as a potent tumor suppressive agent. The mechanistic results suggest that autophagy is a survival mechanism in CLEFMA-treated lung cancer cells and it antagonizes apoptosis. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4887. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-4887
Spatial Emission Profiles for Flagging Matrix Interferences in Axial-Viewing Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectrometry: 1. Profile Characteristics and Flagging Efficiency

Spatially resolved measurements of analyte emission along the cross-sectional axis of an axially viewed inductively coupled plasma (ICP) are utilized to indicate the presence of any of the three major categories of matrix interferences (i.e., plasma-related, sample introduction-related, and spectral interferences). Barium at concentrations of 0.05 or 0.1 M was chosen as a prototype element for plasma-related matrix effects, whereas common mineral acids (nitric, hydrochloric, sulfuric, and phosphoric) at volumetric concentrations from 1% to 20% were used to simulate sample introduction-related matrix effects. Three spectrally interfering line pairs (As and Cd at 228.81 nm, Er and Co at 239.73 nm, and Er and Ce at 302.27 nm) were selected for the study of spectral interferences. Due to dependence on the nature of the interference, the analytical bias at the center of the cross-sectional profile varied between −40% and +50%. In all matrix-interference categories, because plasma characteristics and excitation...
Spiritual struggles and resting pulse rates: Does strong distress tolerance promote more effective coping?

Abstract Research indicates that spiritual struggles (i.e., tensions and strains associated with sacred issues) are associated with greater psychological distress and diminished levels of well-being. However, fewer studies have assessed the relationship between spiritual struggles and indicators of physical health. The purpose of the current study is to see whether spiritual struggles are associated with clinically higher levels of resting pulse rates. In addition, an effort is made to see if the effects of spiritual struggles on resting pulse rates are offset for individuals with a strong sense of distress tolerance. Data from a recent nationwide survey suggest that spiritual struggles are associated with higher resting pulse rates, but only among individuals who do not have a strong sense of distress tolerance.
Analysis of meiotic segregation in a man heterozygous for two reciprocal translocations using the hamster in vitro penetration system.

Abstract Sperm chromosomal complements of a man heterozygous for two reciprocal translocations and exhibiting the karyotype 46,XY,t(5;11) (p13;q23.2),t(7;14)(q11;q24.1) were analyzed following in vitro fusion with golden hamster zona-free eggs (the hamster in vitro penetration [HIP] system). Products of alternate, adjacent 1, and 3:1 segregation at meiosis I of both translocation quadrivalents were recovered, and the analysis of their output, which was dissimilar between the two translocations, permitted prediction of probable sites of chiasma formation in the chromosomes involved in the translocation. These data, which comprise the first reported analysis of the products of two translocations in a single individual (hence, in a common genetic background), emphasize the uniqueness in genetic behavior of individual translocations; they further demonstrate the usefulness of the HIP system to carry out such studies.
The Clinical Effectiveness of Extubation under Light General Anesthesia with Continuous Infusion of Propofol and Remifentanil

Objective: To evaluate the clinical effectiveness of extubation under light general anesthesia with continuous infusion of propofol and remifentanil.Methods: Two hundred ASAI-II patients scheduled for cholecystectomy were randomized into control group and experimental group,each group for one hundred patients.After operation,patients in the control group were extubated when they were consciousness fully to draw the endotracheal tube.While in the experimental group,patients were maintained in light anesthe-sia by continuous infusion of propofol and remifentanil,until the spontaneous breath recovered,the tidal volume up to 6～8ml/kg,the res-piratory rate more than 12times/min,SpO295% after deoxidation for 10 minutes and PetCO2 in the normal range,then stopped infusion and drew the endotracheal tube.Mean arterial pressure(MAP),heart rate(HR) at each time point,inclueded the end of surgery,extubation,and 1min,2min,5min after extubation,and the condition of patient's recovery were recorded.Results: Comparison in groups,there were no significant differences in MAP and HR at T2,T3,T4,compared with T1,in the experimental group;MAP and HR at T2,T3,T4 were higher than those at T1 in the control group(P0.05).Comparison between groups,there was no significant difference at T1 between two groups.MAP and HR at T2,T3,T4 in the control group were higher than those in the experimental group(P0.05).The occurrences of bad memories in the experimental group were less than those in the control group(P0.05).There were no significant differences in the occurrences of patients with SpO296%,the time of the spontaneous breath recovered and the time of extubation.Conclusion: Extubated under light general anesthesia with continuous infusion of propofol and remifentanil,patients had stable hemodynamics and no bad mem-ories.
Laboratory experiment study of CO_2 enhanced recovery in Wellblock WC54

The drive mechanism of CO_2 huff-and-puff is defined based on the geologic exploitation characteristics of Wellblock WC54,PVT analysis on current formation fluid,and swelling experiment of CO_2/reservior fluid.Furthermore,through CO_2 huff-and-puff long core test,the oil increasing extent and expiry of the method are given.The result is compared with well WC211,and the impact of oil property and injection time on the experiment result is analyzed.
Spectral reflectance and communication in the wolf spider, Schizocosa ocreata (Hentz): simultaneous crypsis and background contrast in visual signals

Animal color patterns often reflect a compromise between natural selection for crypsis or inconspicuousness to predators and sexual selection for conspicuousness to potential mates. In leaf litter-dwelling wolf spider species like Schizocosa ocreata, body coloration often closely matches the background coloration of a generally brown environment. However, body parts used in communication should exhibit high contrast against background coloration. We used spectral analysis to examine male and female S. ocreata for matching and contrasting coloration against leaf litter. Values were plotted in multivariate color space, based on reflectivity in different frequency ranges. When viewed from above, colors of both males and females overlap with values for dead brown leaf litter and soil, suggesting cryptic coloration when viewed by potential predators. However, when viewed from a lateral perspective, both males and females show color values that are polar opposites of litter backgrounds, suggesting higher contrast when viewed by other spiders. Moreover, male secondary characters used in visual signaling by S. ocreata (tibia brushes) show the highest level of background contrast. These findings suggest that S. ocreata wolf spiders have color patterns that provide both crypsis and background contrast at the same time, depending on receiver viewing perspective.
Discursive Practice and Legitimation of the Polymorphous Self

(1994). Discursive Practice and Legitimation of the Polymorphous Self. Annals of the International Communication Association: Vol. 17, Communication Yearbook 17, pp. 92-103.
Personal informatics weave your numbers

There are often several interconnected complex factors affecting one's healthy behavior. Visualization of a single factor, as current tools provide, is limited and makes overall analysis difficult. We describe a system that supports both the self-monitoring of vital statistics as well as the collaborative exploratory analysis of multivariate contextual and behavioral information with respective domain experts. These analyses, data and visualizations are automatically shared through the use Google Drive.
Direct Transmission Electron Microscope Observation of Electrotransport in Aluminum Thin Films

The process of electrotransport in Al thin films was directly observed by transmission electron microscopy. As expected, it was seen that hole formation occured in regions where the electron flow was in the direction of increasing temperature. Hillocks and whiskers were seen to form where the electron flow was in the direction of decreasing temperature. Cine films taken of the process show the holes to grow predominately by a transverse movement of narrow fingers which ultimately coalesce and lead to a catastrophic strip burn out.
Protective, technological, and functional properties of select autochthonous lactic acid bacteria from goat dairy products

Goat milk and its derived products have high nutritional value. To increase their production, it is necessary to increase food safety, to improve their flavor, and to potentiate their functional value. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) can help in the development of products with these characteristics. LAB have a long history of use in fermented foods, improving their protective, technological, and functional properties. Protective properties refer to the production of organic acids, diacetyl, hydrogen peroxide, and bacteriocins. Acidifying activity and diacetyl, exopolysaccharide (EPS), and enzyme production are desirable technological properties. In terms of functional properties, LAB can contribute to the release and/or production of compounds such as EPS, vitamins, bioactive peptides, bioactive lipids, and enzymes in food. To obtain all these benefits, the choice of LAB strain is crucial, as select autochthonous LAB have all of these properties. Generally, fermented foods elaborated with autochthonous LAB have better sensorial acceptance. These cultures might consolidate typical products, differentiate and influence the region’s economy, and assist small producers and cooperatives that do not have access to industrial processing. This review aims to explore the protective, technological, and functional properties of select autochthonous LAB from goat dairy products.
Experiences in Teaching to Help Retain Historically Disadvantaged Groups of STEM Students

This paper describes one professor's positive experience with the AACU-TIDES STEM initiative to increase student retention with populations of historically disadvantaged groups within computer science. The paper will also discuss the use of Bitpim, Human Computer Interaction (HCI), Virtualization, Virtual Reality, and the Cyberlink Brain Body Interface as tools to increase student interest in the computer science curriculum.
Sensitivity evaluation and selective plane imaging geometry for x-ray-induced luminescence imaging.

Purpose X-ray induced luminescence (XIL) is a hybrid X-ray/optical imaging modality that employs nanophosphors that luminescence in response to X-ray irradiation. X-ray-activated phosphorescent nanoparticles have potential applications in radiation therapy as theranostics, nanodosimeters, or radiosensitizers. Extracting clinically relevant information from the luminescent signal requires the development of a robust imaging model that can determine nanophosphor distributions at depth in an optically scattering environment from surface radiance measurements. The applications of XIL in radiotherapy will be limited by the dose-dependent sensitivity at depth in tissue. We propose a novel geometry called selective plane XIL (SPXIL), and apply it to experimental measurements in optical gel phantoms and sensitivity simulations. Methods An imaging model is presented based on the selective plane geometry which can determine the detected diffuse optical signal for a given X-ray dose and nanophosphor distribution at depth in a semi-infinite, optically homogenous material. The surface radiance in the model is calculated using an analytical solution to the extrapolated boundary condition. Y2O3:Eu3+ nanoparticles are synthesized and inserted into various optical phantom in order to measure the luminescent output per unit dose for a given concentration of nanophosphors and calibrate an imaging model for XIL sensitivity simulations. SPXIL imaging with a dual-source optical gel phantom is performed, and an iterative Richardson-Lucy deconvolution using a shifted Poisson noise model is applied to the measurements in order to reconstruct the nanophosphor distribution. Results Nanophosphor characterizations showed a peak emission at 611 nm, a linear luminescent response to tube current and nanoparticle concentration, and a quadratic luminescent response to tube voltage. The luminescent efficiency calculation accomplished with calibrated bioluminescence mouse phantoms determines 1.06 photons were emitted per keV of X-ray radiation absorbed per g/mL of nanophosphor concentration. Sensitivity simulations determined XIL could detect a concentration of 1 mg/mL of nanophosphors with a dose of 1 cGy at a depth ranging from 2 to 4 cm, depending on the optical parameters of the homogeneous diffuse optical environment. The deconvolution applied to the SPXIL measurements could resolve two sources 1 cm apart up to a depth of 1.75 cm in the diffuse phantom. Conclusions We present a novel imaging geometry for XIL in a homogenous, diffuse optical environment. Basic characterization of Y2O3:Eu3+ nanophosphors are presented along with XIL/SPXIL measurements in optical gel phantoms. The diffuse optical imaging model is validated using these measurements and then calibrated in order to execute initial sensitivity simulations for the dose-depth limitations of XIL imaging. The SPXIL imaging model is used to perform a deconvolution on a dual-source phantom, which successfully reconstructs the nanophosphor distributions. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Serial functional communication training: Extending serial DRA to mands and problem behavior

Functional communication training (FCT) is commonly used to eliminate problem behavior. Not surprisingly, the efficacy of the intervention depends on fidelity to programmed procedures. For instance, problem behavior is likely to resurge if caregivers fail to reinforce mands during the maintenance stages of FCT. Despite this, recent translational work on arbitrary human responses suggests that incorporating multiple-mand instruction into a serial-training format may increase the probability of a recency effect, and a reversion of response resurgence (both desirable outcomes when mands are the most recently reinforced responses prior to extinction). Although promising, this effect has not been replicated with socially significant human behavior. Thus, we compared the relative effect of traditional FCT with that of serial FCT on the resurgence of the problem behavior, and mands, of 2 children. In contrast to previous research, we observed primacy effects for both subjects (i.e., the magnitude of the resurgence of problem behavior was greater than it was for any subsequently trained mand), and mand resurgence never occurred for one subject. Notwithstanding these limitations, the percentage of total responding allocated toward the resurgence of problem behavior was less in the serial FCT component relative to the traditional FCT component, and we observed a reversion of response resurgence for one subject.
Multimodal language processing.

Multimodal interfaces enable more natural and effective humancomputer interaction by providing multiple channels through which input or output may pass. In order to realize their full potential, they need to support not just input from multiple modes, but synchronized integration of semantic content from different modes. This paper describes a multimodal language processing architecture which allows for declarative statement of multimodal integration strategies in a unification-based grammar formalism. The architecture is currently deployed in a working system enabling interaction with dynamic maps using speech and pen, but the approach is more general and supports a wide variety of other potential multimodal interfaces.
Pronoun Use in Finnish Reported Speech and Free Indirect Discourse: Effects of Logophoricity

Many languages have logophoric pronouns which refer to the person whose speech, thoughts or feelings are being reported, and some languages also have antilogophoric pronouns. This paper investigates (anti)logophoricity in the pronominal system of Finnish, in particular in reported speech and free indirect discourse (FID). I first show that the referential patterns exhibited of two types of third person pronouns in Finnish – the human third-person pronoun han (he/she) and the non-human third person pronoun se (it), which can also be used for human antecedents in certain contexts – seem to be very different in reported speech vs. FID contexts. However, I argue that the han/se variation can be derived from a basic generalization – namely that han refers to SELF (see also Laitinen L, From logophoric pronoun to discourse particle. A case study of Finnish and Saami. In: I Wischer & G Diewald (ed) New reflections on grammaticalization. John Benjamins, Amsterdam/Philadelphia, pp 327–344, 2002) – as long as we take into account (i) the size of the logophoric domain and (ii) the different defaults of standard Finnish and colloquial Finnish. Furthermore, I suggest that we do not need to posit an additional association between se and NON-SELF, because the referential behavior of se can be derived from the size of the logophoric domain and the register defaults. In addition, once we look at how these two pronominal forms interact with the demonstrative pronoun tama (this) in Finnish, it becomes clear that theories of reference resolution need to consider both logophoricity and salience.
Epidemiology of Hepatitis C Virus Among People Who Inject Drugs: Protocol for a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a persistent epidemic among people who inject drugs (PWID), and PWID remain as the population experiencing the most significant impact of HCV-related morbidity and mortality worldwide. Objective: The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to synthesize data on the epidemiology of HCV infection among PWID. Our main objectives are to characterize the global and regional distribution and determinants of HCV infection among PWID. Methods: A search strategy is conducted that involves both the electronic and manual retrievals of literature. Reports are included in this review if they present data published between 2006 and 2015 on prevalent or incident HCV infection among current or former PWID. Standard meta-analytic techniques are performed to synthesize the pooled data and identify correlates of HCV infection. Results: The search strategy has been performed, and data collection is in progress. Data analysis will follow, and the final results of this systematic review/meta-analysis are expected by December 2017. Conclusions: This article describes the protocol for the systematic review and meta-analysis of epidemiology of HCV among PWID. We aim to provide synthesized data on HCV incidence and prevalence as well as to identify factors associated with HCV transmission. Our research contributes empirical evidence that informs scholarly, medical, and policy discussions concerning HCV. Trial Registration: PROSPERO CRD42016035687; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.asp? ID=CRD42016035687 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6ttYLn65N) [JMIR Res Protoc 2017;6(10):e201]
A Pragmatic Preoperative Prediction Score for Nonhome Discharge After Cardiac Operations

Background Targeted rehabilitation of patients at risk for nonhome discharge (NHD) after an operation is an appealing area for quality improvement. We sought to identify the primary predictors of NHD after cardiac operations to generate a robust preoperative prediction tool for those at greatest risk. Methods The medical records of 5,253 patients undergoing cardiac operations between January 1, 2012, and March 31, 2016, were reviewed. Two models of NHD were created: a preoperative model using only preoperative predictors and a postoperative model using the same preoperative predictors and including postoperative adverse outcomes and hospital length of stay. We also determined whether NHD also reduced 30-day hospital readmission. Results A multivariable logistic regression model allowed robust identification of NHD using only preoperative variables of age, sex, marital status, obesity, comorbidities, addictions, psychiatric disease, and planned operation (area under the curve = 0.820, r 2 = 0.349). Postoperative factors associated with NHD, including hospital length of stay and the occurrence of a neurologic event, were included and improved model performance (area under the curve = 0.860, r 2 = 0.439), with integrated discrimination improvement of 7.5%. We observed an overall all-cause readmission rate of 12%. Patients with NHD had a higher readmission rate (16% vs 11%; p p Conclusions We identified preoperative risk factors for NHD after cardiac operations and developed a pragmatic NHD prediction score with high accuracy. Addition of postoperative risk factors for NHD only modestly improved prediction. NHD does not decrease the readmission rate after cardiac operations.
Why Is Working Memory Performance Unstable? A Review of 21 Factors

In this paper, we systematically reviewed twenty-one factors that have been shown to either vary with or influence performance on working memory (WM) tasks. Specifically, we review previous work on the influence of intelligence, gender, age, personality, mental illnesses/medical conditions, dieting, craving, stress/anxiety, emotion/motivation, stereotype threat, temperature, mindfulness training, practice, bilingualism, musical training, altitude/hypoxia, sleep, exercise, diet, psychoactive substances, and brain stimulation on WM performance. In addition to a review of the literature, we suggest several frameworks for classifying these factors, identify shared mechanisms between several variables, and suggest areas requiring further investigation. This review critically examines the breadth of research investigating WM while synthesizing the results across related subfields in psychology.
The secular development of accretionary orogens: linking the Gondwana magmatic arc record of West Antarctica, Australia and South America

Abstract Combined zircon geochronology and Hf isotopes of plutonic rocks from eastern Marie Byrd Land and Thurston Island, Antarctica, provide a detailed record of Phanerzoic arc magmatism along the paleo-Pacific margin of Gondwana. Magmatism along the Antarctic margin initiated in a dominantly contractional arc setting with an isotopically enriched lithospheric mantle source during the Ross Orogeny (c. 540–485 Ma). After termination of the Ross Orogeny through the Cretaceous, detrital zircon and zircon from igneous rocks record relative increases in zircon eHfi inferred to represent episodes of lithospheric-scale extension and relative decreases during inferred contractional episodes along the Antarctic margin. Comparison of this secular isotopic evolutionary trend with similar data from along the paleo-Pacific margin of Gondwana demonstrates a shared history among Marie Byrd Land, Australia, and Zealandia that contrasts with the shared record of Thurston Island, Antarctic Peninsula, and South America. These two contrasting histories highlight an early Permian along arc geochemical and inferred geodynamic switch from an isotopically enriched contractional arc system in South America, Antarctic Peninsula, and Thurston Island to an isotopically depleted extensional arc system in Marie Byrd Land, Zealandia, and Australia. Despite differences in timing, all segments of the paleo-Pacific margin underwent a similar secular isotopic evolution with dramatic shifts from enriched to juvenile isotopic compositions during extensional collapse.
Structures and Mechanisms of Mispairing in a Helical Environment Including Sequence Effect

The structure and energetics of mutagenic mispairs in a helical environment are studied. All the energy components involved in substituting a normal pair with a mispair are calculated. Both alternative types of mispair, the wobble and the tautomeric one are treated. The study is comprehensive involving some of the possible mispairs which can be involved in known spontaneous transitions, transversions and 2-aminopurine (APur) induced mutations.
The Nature of ACTH-Related Peptides in Cushing’s Disease and Syndrome

The nature of ACTH and related peptides present in and secreted from normal anterior pituitary has been discussed in Chap. 1. As noted, the 1–39 form of ACTH is the predominant form identified in the pituitary, except for a variable fraction (previously termed big ACTH) eluting in the void volume, which represents approximately 15 %–25 % of the total ACTH content (Gewirtz and Yalow 1974; Orth and Nicholson 1977). Since at the time of these studies the extent of cross-reactivity of available antibodies with pro-opiocortin was not known, the actual amount of precursor present cannot be definitively stated.
Detecting and Measuring Shifts in the Demand for Direct Mail

This chapter evaluates the forecast accuracy of a structural econometric demand model for direct mail in Canada. Direct mail also known as advertised admail is used to provide advertising to consumers through the mail system. My original model was developed in March 1986 and was based on the period ending January 1996 using twelve years of historical monthly data. A complete discussion of the original regression model “original” is provided in Dubin (1998). In this chapter, I update the regression results for the April 1989 through January 1996 period “revised” and provide new results from twenty additional monthly observations for the period of February 1996 through September 1997 “updated”.
From Toy System to Real System Development: Improvements in Software Engineering Education

We identify four problems that must be addressed to improve the quality of teaching a Software engineering course that mirrors the real world: We have to Start teaching iterative and incremental design, we need to introduce students to the problems of negotiation, co-ordination and team-work, we have to learn how to re-use large complex systems across project courses and we must overcome the inadequacy of traditional means of dissemination of course materials. We identify the pedagogical implications of these problems that have to be addressed before we can hope to improve Software engineering education. The ideas presented in this paper are currently investigated in the framework of a senior undergraduate course at Carnegie Mellon University.
Range of Motion Adaptations in Powerlifters

Gadomski, SJ, Ratamess, NA, and Cutrufello, PT. Range of motion adaptations in powerlifters. J Strength Cond Res 32(11): 3020-3028, 2018-The aim of this study was to investigate range of motion (ROM) and training patterns in powerlifters. Upper- and lower-extremity passive ROMs were assessed through goniometry in 15 male powerlifters (35.3 ± 13.7 years) and 15 age-matched controls (34.9 ± 14.6 years). The Apley scratch test and modified Thomas test were used to assess ROM across multiple joints. Training frequency, stretching frequency, and exercise selection were recorded using questionnaires. Passive glenohumeral (GH) extension, internal rotation, and external rotation ROM were significantly decreased in powerlifters (p 500 (high). GH ROM limitations were more pronounced in elite powerlifters (Wilks >500), who had more powerlifting experience (p = 0.048) and greater lean body mass (p = 0.040). Overall, powerlifters displayed decreased GH ROM, but increased hamstring ROM, after training programs that were heavily focused on the bench press, back squat, and deadlift.
Flow limitation/obstruction with recovery breath (FLOW) event for improved scoring of mild obstructive sleep apnea without electroencephalography.

Abstract Objective Apnea/hypopnea index (AHI), especially without arousal criteria, does not adequately risk stratify patients with mild obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). We describe and test scoring reliability of an event, Flow Limitation/Obstruction With recovery breath (FLOW), representing obstructive airflow disruptions using only pressure transducer and snore signals available without electroencephalography. Methods The following process was used (i) Development of FLOW event definition, (ii) Training period and definition refinement, and (iii) Reliability testing on 10 100-epoch polysomnography (PSG) samples and two 100-sample tests. Twenty full-night in-laboratory baseline PSGs in OSA patients with AHI with ≥4% desaturations Results Scoring of FLOW events in 100-epoch samples had good reliability with intraclass correlation (ICC) of 0.91. The overall kappa for presence of events on two sets of 100 sample events was 0.84 and 0.87 demonstrating good agreement. Moreover, 80% of RRA and 8% of NRA were concurrent with FLOW events. Furthermore, 56% of FLOW events were independent of RRA events. FLOW stratifies patients in traditional AHI categories with 50%/8% of AHI with ≥3% desaturations (AHI3) 5 in lowest/highest tertiles of AHI3 plus FLOW index. Conclusions Scoring of FLOW after training is reliable. FLOW scores a high proportion of RRA and many currently unrepresented obstructive airflow disruptions. FLOW allows for stratification within the current normal-mild OSA category, which may better identify patients who will benefit from treatment.
Transport of extremely low birth weight neonates for persistent ductus arteriosus closure in the catheterization lab

OBJECTIVE The objective of this article is to describe the elements involved with transporting extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants from referring centers to our center's neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and then from the NICU to the catheterization lab for transcatheter closure of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). SETTING Several referring centers are over 300 miles away. ELBW infants are transferred in to our NICU safely for the procedure and transferred back following the procedure. A multidisciplinary team approach is necessary in order to achieve a safe transport of these fragile patients. PATIENTS To date, we have over 12 centers referring patients that weigh <1000 g for transcatheter PDA closure (TCPC). Three of these centers are over 300 miles away. Five other centers are between 100 and 300 miles from the hospital in which we perform TCPC. INTERVENTIONS Fixed-wing aircrafts are necessary for long-distance transfers. Various modes of mechanical ventilators including transport oscillators are built into temperature- and humidity-controlled incubators in which these infants are transported. Ambulances are used to take the patient between the airport and the hospital. Shorter distance transports are accomplished via helicopters or ambulances. Transfer from the NICU to the catheterization lab to perform TCPC is a relatively easier endeavor. OUTCOME MEASURES Patients' body temperature, fluid balance, and hemodynamics have to be maintained throughout the transport and the procedure for best outcomes. RESULTS There has been 100% procedural success of performing TCPC in ELBW infants with no hemodynamic compromise during transport. CONCLUSIONS TCPC has shown promise in improving overall patient outcomes that the potential hazards associated with complex transport measures are worth it. Successful transfer to and from referring centers and to and from the catheterization lab can be accomplished safely with increasing institutional experience.
The challenges of purely mechanistic models in biology and the minimum need for a 'mechanism-plus-X' framework

Ever since the advent of molecular biology in the 1970s, mechanical models have become the dogma in the field, where a "true" understanding of any subject is equated to a mechanistic description. This has been to the detriment of the biomedical sciences, where, barring some exceptions, notable new feats of understanding have arguably not been achieved in normal and disease biology, including neurodegenerative disease and cancer pathobiology. I argue for a "mechanism-plus-X" paradigm, where mainstay elements of mechanistic models such as hierarchy and correlation are combined with nomological principles such as general operative rules and generative principles. Depending on the question at hand and the nature of the inquiry, X could range from proven physical laws to speculative biological generalizations, such as the notional principle of cellular synchrony. I argue that the "mechanism-plus-X" approach should ultimately aim to move biological inquiries out of the deadlock of oft-encountered mechanistic pitfalls and reposition biology to its former capacity of illuminating fundamental truths about the world.
Disc-Loaded, Vertical Top-Hat Monopole Antenna at 225 GHz for On-Chip Wireless Communications

The challenges of intra- and inter-chip wireless communication arise from the very small electrical thickness of the silicon dioxide and from the direction of the main beam of the antenna. In most of these cases the antennas are placed horizontally on the substrate with the radiation orthogonal to the plane of the chip which results in low transmission in the plane of the chip. A vertical monopole has the desired radiation pattern but becomes electrically small which, in turn, makes the input impedance highly capacitive. Furthermore the silicon substrate reduces the radiation resistance. To address these issues, the present work presents a vertical top-hat monopole placed in silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ) as the wireless interconnect. It has a ground plane in the shape of a disc to improve the radiation resistance. Matching is achieved by the top-hat that provides a capacitance and a shorting post connecting the top-hat to the grounded disc which provides an inductance. The results for impedance matching and the radiation pattern obtained through simulations are encouraging. To increase the radiation efficiency, it is design trade–off with the silicon dioxide substrate thickness.
The Potential Economic Value of a Zika Vaccine for a Woman of Childbearing Age

Introduction With Zika vaccine candidates under development and women of childbearing age being the primary target population, now is the time to map the vaccine (e.g., efficacy and duration of protection) and vaccination (e.g., cost) characteristic thresholds at which vaccination becomes cost effective, highly cost effective, and cost saving. Methods A Markov model was developed (to represent 2019 circumstances, US$ and INT$, Region of the Americas) to simulate a woman of childbearing age and the potential risk and clinical course of a Zika infection. Results Compared with no vaccination, vaccination was cost effective (incremental cost–effectiveness ratio: US$1,254–$82,900/disability-adjusted life years averted) when the risk of infection was ≥0.05%–0.08% (varying with country income), vaccine efficacy was ≥25%, and vaccination cost was US$1–$7,500 (INT$5–$10,000 depending on country income level). Vaccination was dominant (i.e., saved costs and provided beneficial health effects) when the infection risk was ≥0.1% for a vaccine efficacy ≥75% and when the infection risk was ≥0.5% for a vaccine efficacy ≥25%, for scenarios where vaccination conferred a 1-year duration of protection and cost ≤$200. In some cases, the vaccine was cost effective when the risk was as low as 0.015%, the cost was as high as $7,500 (INT$10,000), the efficacy was as low as 25%, and the duration of protection was 1 year. Conclusions The thresholds at which vaccination becomes cost effective and cost saving can provide targets for Zika vaccine development and implementation.
Short Methionine Synthases

Abstract Although most organisms synthesize methionine from homocysteine and 5-methyltetrahydrofolate, we propose that many bacteria and archaea use alternative enzymes that rely on other methyl donors. These methionine synthases are homologous to MetE, which uses 5-methyltetrahydrofolate, but they lack the N-terminal folate-binding domain of MetE. We describe four families of short MetE-like methionine synthases that are distantly related to each other (under 30% amino acid identity). The first family, MesA, is found only in methanogens, and was previously shown to be a methionine synthase in vitro. It is thought to obtain methyl groups from corrinoid (vitamin B12-binding) proteins. We describe two additional families, MesB and MesC, that are found only in anaerobic organisms that have the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway. We propose that most of these proteins obtain methyl groups from that pathway. The final family, MesD, is found only in aerobic bacteria and genetic data suggests that it does not use 5-methyltetrahydrofolate as a methyl donor. We propose that MesD obtains its methyl groups from an uncharacterized protein family (DUF1852).
Single-field α-attractors

I describe a simple class of α-attractors, generalizing the single-field GL model of inflation in supergravity. The new class of models is defined for 0<α 1, providing a good match to the present cosmological data. I also present a generalized version of these models which can describe not only inflation but also dark energy and supersymmetry breaking.