cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Long-Acting Reversible Contraception: A Review in Special Populations

Almost half of the pregnancies in the United States are unintended. Currently available contraceptive methods are highly efficacious but the most commonly used methods rely on patients for appropriate use. There has been a push to advocate for long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) as first-line methods because they are placed by medical professionals and are the most effective form of reversible contraception available. There are four LARCs currently available in the United States: the Copper T intrauterine device two forms of the levonorgestrel intrauterine system and the etonogestrel subdermal implant. Once inserted they can be left in place for 3-10 years depending on the device. Some of these devices have been available for a number of years but their use is limited in the United States due to controversies and misconceptions. A MEDLINE search from 1990-2012 was conducted to identify articles describing the use of LARCs in populations with limited data including postpartum women adolescents and nulliparous women and women with sexually transmitted infections including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Health care provider safety concerns surrounding intrauterine device (IUD) expulsions and infection are issues for use in adolescents and nulliparous women. Concern regarding IUD expulsion in the postpartum population questions the benefit of immediate versus delayed insertion and the progestin effect in the levonorgestrel IUD and etonogestrel implant is of theoretic concern for breastfeeding women. In women with HIV concerns have been raised about increased viral shedding with the IUD and drug interactions with the progestin methods. Many misconceptions surrounding LARCs are unfounded but individual risk factors may leave LARC users at risk of unintended pregnancy if not addressed properly. (c) 2013 Pharmacotherapy Publications Inc.
Begin with the children: What research on Sesame Street's international coproductions reveals about using media to promote a new more peaceful world

For nearly four decades, Sesame Workshop 1 has brought the joy of learning to the world's youngest citizens through the introduction of locally-produced coproductions of the preschool television series, Sesame Street. Many of these television shows have been specifically designed to forward important prosocial messages directly linked to the complex socio-political backdrop in which they are created. Focusing on recent projects in Israel, Palestine, Jordan, and Kosovo, this article reviews research on the educational effectiveness of these initiatives and highlights the ways in which study results provide information on best practices for media projects designed for children living in regions of conflict. The paper also reviews the strengths and weaknesses of various approaches and provides practical information on how difficult issues have been presented in an age-appropriate and culturally-relevant manner. By acknowledging the challenges inherent to producing media designed to effect attitudinal and behavior changes in places mired in ongoing conflict, these studies, when examined as a group, provide emerging evidence of the need for increasingly direct and specific media intervention efforts. Presenting these studies in light of the projects that they evaluate and the related socio-political circumstances offers a body of evidence suggesting the educational value of these media efforts and indicating a need for further study in this field.
Consequences of Error Production in a Perceptual-Motor Task

Abstract In 2 experiments, U.S. college students engaged in a computerized version of a tracing task in which a cursor on a monitor screen could be guided through 16 segments of an 8-pointed, star-shaped track into targets at the vertices of the track by moving a joystick handle. The presence or absence of consequences for errors was manipulated. With restricted consequences, the cursor was confined to the track, freezing in position if the joystick handle was moved to an unsuitable position. With unrestricted consequences, the cursor always moved corresponding to the position of the joystick handle, even through and beyond the borders of the track. Time to reach each of the 16 successive targets was recorded on each of 4 training trials, as well as on 2 transfer trials in which consequences were unrestricted, but only the cursor and next target were visible (the contextual cue of the star-shaped track was absent). Times were longer on diagonal segments and when consequences were unrestricted, but there w...
Euler's concordant forms

This is known as Euler’s concordant forms problem, and when M = N Euler’s problem is the congruent number problem. Tunnell gave a conditional solution to the congruent number problem using elliptic curves and modular forms. Using these ideas, we consider Euler’s problem which reduces to a study of the elliptic curve over Q : EQ(M,N) : y 2 = x 3 + (M +N)x 2 +MNx. If EQ(M,N) has positive rank, then there are infinitely many primitive integer solutions to (1); but if EQ(M,N) has rank 0, then there may be a non-trivial solution. Such a solution exists if and only if the torsion group is Z2◊Z8 or Z2◊Z6. We classify all such cases, thereby reducing Euler’s problem to a question of ranks. In some cases, the ranks of quadratic twists of EQ(M,N) are described by the representations of integers by ternary quadratic forms. Consequently, we obtain results regarding Euler’s problem, and the existence of solutions to a pair of Pell’s equations. Moreover, we give a new and elementary method, using the theory of lacunary modular forms, which establishes that there are infinitely many rank 0 quadratic twists of EQ(M,N) by discriminants in arithmetic progressions.
On Cell Layout-Performance Relationships in VeSFET-Based, High-Density Regular Circuits

In this paper, we study circuits implemented using high-density arrays composed of vertical slit field effect transistors. This layout style could dramatically increase transistor density and, therefore, reduce fabrication cost. However, its geometrical restrictions, imposed by the super-regular transistor arrangement and strictly parallel metal tracks, pose new design challenges. Our experiments reveal that very dense cell-level interconnect pattern may be responsible for unnecessary 15% increase of the circuit level, critical path delays. We demonstrate that these extra delays can be avoided by constructing appropriate cell interconnect layouts and by more flexible usage of available metal layers for intra-cell routing. To balance the performance and metal layer usage, we propose a linear programming-based technique for critical net re-routing.
Ultrasound elasticity measurements of beef muscle

The goal of this work is to provide a quantitative comparison between ultrasound and mechanical techniques for measuring tissue elasticity. The biomechanical response of beef muscle and tissue mimicking gel to uniaxial compression are characterized with ultrasound derived stress-strain curves. Ultrasound estimates of the Young's modulus of elasticity for samples are computed from the slope of the initial linear region of sample stress-strain curves. Elasticity of tissue samples was independently determined from force-deformation measurements made with an Instron universal testing load cell device. Results from in vitro ultrasound elasticity measurements of beef muscle are presented. Ultrasonic elasticity measurements showed an overall 0.72 correlation with load cell measurements for tissue strains less than 2%. To our knowledge, these are the first reported comparisons between ultrasound tissue elasticity measurements and independent mechanical elasticity measurements
Constraints on the cutoff frequencies of Mth-band linear-phase FIR filters

Constraints are derived for the cutoff frequencies of linear-phase FIR Mth-band filters such that the filters have good passband and stopband characteristics, i.e. ones that very closely approximate an ordinary (non Mth-band) filter designed using some optimal method. Constraints on lowpass filters are first considered, and the results are extended to multiband filters. >
Maxillofacial injuries caused by all-terrain vehicle accidents

With the rise in popularity of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), especially in rural America, injuries associated with their use are becoming more commonplace. A retrospective review was conducted of 153 patients with ATV-related injuries seen at West Virginia University Hospitals between January 1990 and June 1996. Of these patients, 33 had maxillofacial injuries. Only 2 of 21 (9.5%) patients noted to be wearing helmets had facial injuries, whereas 17 of 19 (89.5%) patients who had facial injuries were not wearing helmets. Most patients with maxillofacial injuries occurring at night had been drinking alcohol. Injury Severity Scores were worse for those patients with maxillofacial injuries, as well as for those patients who had been drinking alcohol. Patients with maxillofacial injuries were more likely to require a stay in the intensive care unit. Furthermore, children with facial injuries had higher Injury Severity Scores and longer hospital stays than the adults. To reduce these accidents and related injuries, the industry, local and federal governments, and ultimately individuals must change their attitudes regarding these potentially dangerous vehicles.
Application of Vibrational Spectroscopy to the Determination of Viscosity and Aniline Value of Hexanol Blended Diesel

Presently there is a great interest in the development of green fuels capable of producing reduced emissions. The two parameters, among many others, that determine the efficiency of the fuel are the viscosity and aniline point of the fuel. The authors present a vibrational spectroscopy-based analytical method for the estimation of viscosity and aniline value of the 5–45% hexanol blended diesel. The infrared (IR) and near infrared (NIR) spectra of the blended diesel were recorded in the range of 4000–700 cm−1 and 9000–5000 cm−1. The major peaks in both spectra were assigned to the fundamental and overtone vibrations of the CH and OH functional groups. The PLS (partial least square) analysis of the spectra showed that both IR and NIR spectra can be successfully used as alternative tools for the determination of the viscosity and aniline value of the hexanol blended diesel fuel. The high correlation coefficients (R2) for the viscosity and aniline values in the IR (0.994, 0.996) and NIR (0.995, 0.996) indicat...
Effects of Interviewer Gender on Attitudes toward Women in Politics:Findings from a Nationally-Representative Survey in Morocco

Despite the recent expansion of surveys in the Muslim world, no published studies examine interviewer gender effects. Research on the interaction of interviewer and respondent gender, largely from US samples, finds contradictory evidence. Using data from a nationally-representative survey of 400 Moroccans conducted in 2007, this study investigates whether interviewer gender affects responses and non-response on items relating to women and politics and whether the effect depends on respondent sex. The study finds that males report more egalitarian views when interviewed by females, while females have higher rates of item non-response when interviewed by females. Implications for theories of gender relations and strategies for addressing bias are discussed.
The Benefits of a Philanthropic-University-School Community Partnership: The Cambridge “Say Yes to Education” Story

This chapter describes a philanthropic-university-school partnership, Cambridge “Say Yes to Education” (SYTE), that was established with a goal of supporting a group of students developing towards educational success. While the charter of the partnership was (and is) to support a group of disadvantaged students developing towards the attainment of a post-high school education, the collaboration, and the program, has become much more. It has been a conduit for positive, sustainable, systemic change.
Thin Oxide Defects Resulting from Plasma Induced Wafer Charging

EEPROM charge monitors reveal that an O 2 plasma induces a negative charge which peaks at the wafer center for the asher used. The charge damage to small gate area MOS capacitors is investigated by using “antenna” structure. The post plasma interface state density increases with increasing antenna size and varies by two orders of magnitude. A hole trapping induced breakdown mechanism during plasma charging is supported by new experimental evidence such as the annealing and polarity effects of charge-to-breakdown and tunneling currents. Where stressing has not being severe, these hole traps are annealable at T > 650°C, while in severely stressed areas early breakdown occurs which is not annealable.
Hybrid Integrated Chip-scale Interconnects - Overcoming the Packaging and Density Challenges

A chip-scale waveguide fabric exploits novel lithographically-defined vertical couplers to link low-capacitance modulators area-bonded to a Silicon chip. The hybrid concept scales favorably in energy/bit and packaging density, and is compatible with conventional pick-and-place technology.
High-fat diet, obesity and prostate disease: the ATX-LPA axis?

The incidence of obesity, a potential risk factor for prostate disease, is rising sharply in the western world, as is the incidence of prostate tumors. In this extended Viewpoint, Kulkarni and Getzenberg propose that the relationship between obesity and prostate disease might be mediated by the autotaxin–lysophosphatidic acid (ATX–LPA) axis.
ATS software design patterns

Design Patterns provide success solutions and experience in order to solve repeated problem in given conditions. Through the using of Simple Factory Pattern to implement instrument interchange, this article describes the effect of design patterns in ATS software.
Study of Qianlong Health Preserving Exercises' Effect on the Elderly's Morphological,Physiological,and Life Skills Indicators

As society advances,the world faces an increasingly serious problem of aging.China is no exception.The problem will bring burden to individuals,families,communities and countries,and influence the happiness of peoples'living.Therefore it is great significance to study on how to improve the health of the elderly,and to improve their life skills.This thesis adopted an experimental method and used the Qianlong Health Preserving Exercises as an intervention.Thirty senior citizens between the ages of 60 to 80 from the senior citizen department of Minzu University of China who volunteered as subjects were tested and analyzed for their morphological,physiological,lipid and life skills before and after the four months session.Post session analysis found that practicing the Qianlong Health Preserving Exercises could not only significantly improve their physical function,but the circulatory system and life skills of the elderly within the tested group,thereby improve their quality of life.Neither negative side effects nor physical injury were observable.The study indicates the relevancy of using the Qianlong Health Preserving Exercises to promote health.Consequently,we strongly recommend the use of Qianlong Health Preserving Exercises as an alternative method to promote the physical well being of senior citizens.
Activation of tyrosine kinases in H2O2-induced contraction in pulmonary artery

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is an important reactive oxygen species implicated in lung vascular constriction and injury. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of tyrosine kinases in H2O2-induced vascular contraction and dysfunction. In our study, H2O2 (200 microM) caused an initial transient contraction followed by a strong, sustained contraction in isolated rat pulmonary arteries. Genistein, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, attenuated both the initial and the sustained contractions. Aminogenistein and tyrphostin 51, specific inhibitors of tyrosine kinases, had the same effects as genistein. Exposure of pulmonary arteries to H2O2 for 1 h caused a significant reduction in the contractile response to KCl or phenylephrine and in the vasodilatory response to acetylcholine (smooth muscle dysfunction). Although tyrosine kinase inhibitors significantly blocked contractions induced by H2O2, pretreatment of pulmonary arteries with these inhibitors before H2O2 exposure did not prevent the decreases in responses to KCl, phenylephrine, or acetylcholine. Removal of extracellular Ca2+ and depletion of intracellular Ca2+ pools by ryanodine or thapsigargin did not inhibit the initial and sustained contractions in response to H2O2. W-7, a calmodulin antagonist, or ML-9, a myosin light chain kinase inhibitor, significantly inhibited the sustained contractions but did not prevent smooth muscle dysfunction induced by H2O2. These data show that 1) exposure to H2O2 causes smooth muscle contractions and dysfunction in isolated pulmonary arteries and 2) activation of tyrosine kinases mediates H2O2-induced contractions; however, tyrosine kinases do not appear to be involved in H2O2-induced inhibition of arterial responses to vasoactive substances. These data suggest that different signaling pathways and mechanisms are involved in H2O2-induced smooth muscle contraction and dysfunction.
Effect of Merocel vaginal sponge on growth of Staphylococcus aureus and production of toxic shock syndrome-associated toxins.

BACKGROUND Staphylococcus aureus toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 and enterotoxin B are the major causes of toxic shock syndrome. These toxins are produced in sufficient concentrations to produce illness in the presence of certain tampons. This necessitates evaluating tampons, as well as wound dressings for their effects on S. aureus growth and toxin production. STUDY DESIGN In this study, the Merocel vaginal sponge was evaluated both in vitro and in vivo in a rabbit model for effect on S. aureus. The Merocel sponge was tested in Erlenmeyer shake flasks containing growth media and in dialysis tubing immersed in agar growth media for both effect on S. aureus plate counts compared to media alone and effect on production of toxic shock syndrome toxins. The in vivo test included placement of Merocel sponges subcutaneously along the flanks of rabbits with subsequent inoculation with toxic shock syndrome bacteria and evaluation for development of illness and death. RESULTS In the two standard in vitro tests, the shake flask and tampon sac, the Merocel sponge inhibited both growth of toxic shock syndrome S. aureus and production of toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 and enterotoxin B. The Merocel sponge also prevented development of toxic shock syndrome in a rabbit model. CONCLUSIONS The data suggest the Merocel sponge may reduce the risk of development of toxic shock syndrome in association with its use. These studies may serve as models for evaluation of other products that are intended to be used on mucosal and skin surfaces, for their effect on toxic shock syndrome toxins.
Analysis of K+ transport by rabbit CCD: conductive pathways and K(+)-K+ exchange by Na(+)-K+ pump

We studied the cellular pathways of K+ transport by the rabbit cortical collecting duct that was stimulated to absorb Na+ and to secrete K+. The vast majority of K+ secretion (into the lumen) was inhibited by benzamil, a blocker of epithelial Na+ channels. The residual K+ secretion was completely inhibited by ouabain. Thus all active K+ secretion was dependent on Na+ transport by the Na(+)-K+ pump. The passive pathways of K+ transport were further examined using tracer and electrophysiological measurements. K+ transfer across the apical membrane was predominantly or exclusively conductive; the apical K+ conductance was 31 mS/cm2. The basolateral membrane contained two pathways for K+ tracer translocation. The (barium-sensitive) conductive pathway accounted for a relatively small (12-20%) portion of the tracer permeation. A larger pathway appeared to be via K(+)-K+ exchange on the Na(+)-K+ pump. The magnitude of the Ba2(+)-sensitive (basolateral) K+ conductance predicted a substantially larger tracer flux than was actually measured. The best explanation for this difference is the presence of single-file diffusion through K+ channels on the apical and basolateral membranes. An analysis of the electrically silent K+ transport from lumen to bath suggests that the Na(+)-K+ pump can vary the ratio of its Na(+)-K+ and K(+)-K+ modes of operation. When the tubule is actively transporting Na+ and K+, the Na(+)-K+/K(+)-K+ turnover ratio is greater than 7. When Na+ transport is limited by inhibiting Na+ entry across the apical membrane, the ratio falls to less than 1. A major factor determining this ratio is probably the availability of Na+ to the cytoplasmic side of the pump.
The Feasibility of Monetary and Financial Integration in ASEAN: Policy Considerations for Enhancing Integration Feasibility

ASEAN leaders approved the ASEAN Vision 2020 plan which attempts to turn ASEAN into a more competitive region within the world economy. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the feasibility of monetary and financial integration among ASEAN member countries. Monetary and financial integration are two strategies for promoting economic expansion in ASEAN. Some scholars suggest that integration is feasible as ASEAN countries are primed for integration as they share the need to grow economically and protect themselves from a future economic shock. In contrast, some scholars argue that integration is not feasible due to the high degree of economic, political, and socio-cultural diversity among ASEAN countries. ASEAN must develop a plan that accounts for the diverse levels of development and different levels of economic stability. ASEAN must resolve member policy ineffectiveness and incentivize member countries to address bad incentive structures and moral hazard. ASEAN must also device methods and strategies that enable and support policymakers to collaborate effectively while being incentivized to pursue ASEAN region’s best interests. If ASEAN leaders are able to design appropriate frameworks, strategies, and plans that reconcile the items mentioned throughout this paper, we believe ASEAN economic integration to be feasible in the long-run.
Discovering Communities in Social Networks Using Topology and Attributes

Many online social networks such as Face book, Linked In and My Space have become increasingly important. These social networks are rich in information about entities like hobbies, demographic information, friendship, and other attributes. This information can be used extensively for network analysis. One of the most important problems in social network analysis is community detection. The community detection problem is closely related to graph clustering. Most of the existing graph clustering algorithms employ only the structure of a graph to find highly connected components. These algorithms ignore nodes' attributes that can help in improving the quality of the clustering. In this paper, we propose a clustering algorithm which clusters a graph by incorporating both the topological structure of the graph as well as attribute information. The aim is to find clusters such that the nodes in each cluster are similar in the attribute space. In terms of social networks, we are looking to find communities where the members of the same community have similar profiles. The method was evaluated using real and synthetic graph datasets. The experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Designing an Agile Game for Technical Communication Classrooms

This technical paper details the development of a board game designed to help technical communication students understand scrum-based agile project management, as well as assist practitioners in introducing scrum management to a team unfamiliar with the process. I ground the development and design of the game with a literature review of scholarship on agile project management, games in education and business, and collaboration. I present my methodology in the form of a game design document (GDD), while at the same time also interrogating its usefulness, and implement Jesse Schell's game design methodologies to frame the rules, mechanics, goals, and experience intended by my design decisions. I conclude by turning to a series of critical game design lenses Schell provides to discuss the intents and purposes of the game at its current prototypical stage.
Abstract 3190: Mortality in Diabetic Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients is Associated with a Novel Variant in the PPAR alpha Gene Promoter that Confers Differential ERR Binding

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with increased adverse cardiovascular events in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPAR α ) may contribute to metabolic derangements in DM and exacerbate pathological responses to myocardial ischemia. We hypothesized that polymorphisms of the PPAR> gene ( PPARA ) would be associated with variability in outcome following ACS in patients with DM. Methods and Results: 735 patients hospitalized with ACS were genotyped at a polymorphic site that altered a putative nuclear receptor consensus half-site within the promoter of PPARA ( PPARA −54,642 G>A). 3-year mortality was analyzed in relation to PPARA genotype and DM status. A novel polymorphism ( PPARA −54,645 C>T) was identified adjacent to, and in complete LD with, PPARA −54,642 G>A. PPARA genotype was associated with mortality in a gene dose-dependent manner (15% TT/AA vs. 37% TC/AG vs. 48% CC/GG; p=0.005) in diabetic, but not in non-diabetic ACS patients. In addition, there was a significant genotype by diabetes interaction (p=0.008). After multivariable adjustment, PPARA genotype remained an independent predictor of 3-year mortality. Diabetic ACS patients homozygous for the PPARA −54,645/−54,642 CC/GG genotype had a greater than 5-fold relative increase in 3-year mortality (HR 5.25, 95% CI 1.09–39.79) compared with PPARA -54,645/−54,642 TT/AA homozygotes (heterozygote HR =1.35, 95% CI 0.28–9.89, compared with PPARA −54,645/−54,642 TT/AA homozygotes). Electromobility shift assays performed to investigate binding of estrogen-related receptor (ERR) orphan nuclear receptors, known activators of PPARαgene expression, demonstrated increased binding of ERR agr; and γ to a nucleotide probe containing the variant CG sequence compared with a probe containing the variant TA sequence. Conclusions: We have identified a novel polymorphism within the PPARA promoter that is strongly associated with 3-year mortality in diabetic ACS patients. This association may result from differential binding of ERR agr; and γ to the PPARA promoter causing altered expression of PPAR agr; during myocardial ischemia. These findings suggest a novel potential therapeutic target for diabetic ACS patients.
Response: Investigating Susceptibility to Diabetes Using Features of the Adipose Tissue in Response to In Utero Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Exposure ( Diabetes Metab J 2016;40:494-508)

We appreciate your interest and comments on our article entitled “Investigating susceptibility to diabetes using features of the adipose tissue in response to in utero polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons exposure” that was published in Diabetes & Metabolism Journal [1].
Did Nixon quit before he resigned

On August 9, 1974, Richard M. Nixon formally resigned the presidency; however, folklore hints Nixon informally quit fulfilling his duties well before then. As Watergate became less “a third rate burglary” than “high crimes and misdemeanors,” rumors of President Nixon’s wallowing, wandering, drinking, and mumbling swirled. Yet evidence for such assertions has been thin, and prevailing scholarship offers compelling reasons to believe Nixon’s institutional protocols overrode his individual proclivities. This study offers a new, systematic look at Nixon’s presidency by coding his public events and private interactions with top government officials during every day of his presidency. Contrary to our expectations, the results corroborate the rumors: Richard Nixon effectively quit being president well before he resigned the presidency. In fact, it turns out there was a defining moment when Nixon disengaged from his administration: on December 6, 1973, the day Gerald Ford was confirmed as Vice President.
Optimizing Sensitivity of Ultrasound Contrast-Enhanced Super-Resolution Imaging by Tailoring Size Distribution of Microbubble Contrast Agent

Ultrasound contrast-enhanced super-resolution imaging has recently attracted attention because of its extraordinary ability to image vascular features much smaller than the ultrasound diffraction limit. This method requires sensitive detection of separable microbubble events despite a noisy tissue background to indicate the microvasculature, and any approach that could improve the sensitivity of the ultrasound system to individual microbubbles would be highly beneficial. In this study, we evaluated the effect of varying microbubble size on super-resolution imaging sensitivity. Microbubble preparations were size sorted into different mean diameters and then were imaged at equal concentrations. Commercially manufactured Definity and Optison were also imaged for comparison. Both in vitro experiments in phantom vessels and in vivo experiments imaging rat tumors revealed that the sensitivity of contrast-enhanced super-resolution imaging can be improved by using microbubbles with a larger diameter.
Do patient perceptions of provider communication relate to experiences of physical pain

Abstract Objectives Patient-provider communication is an important component of the medical interaction yet little research has examined the relationships between perceptions of communication and health outcomes or the mechanisms by which communication may ameliorate the pain experience. This is the first study to examine the relationships between patients’ perceptions of provider communication, pain intensity and self-efficacy for managing chronic disease. Methods The total sample contained 1027 (85.8% male) Veteran patients. Patients responded to surveys about their experiences and outcomes of care, including measures of patient-provider communication, self-efficacy and pain outcomes including pain intensity and pain interference. Results Results showed more positive perceptions of provider communication were related to lower levels of pain intensity and pain interference and that this relationship was significantly mediated by higher levels of self-efficacy for managing chronic disease. Conclusion More positive provider communication was related to higher levels of self-efficacy, which in turn was related to lower levels of pain intensity and pain interference. Findings suggest that providers may be able to elicit higher levels of self-efficacy in their patients by providing patient-centered communication, which in turn will reduce pain intensity and interference in their patient’s lives.
Validation of a three-dimensional body scanner for body composition measures.

The accuracy of an infrared three-dimensional (3D) body scanner in determining body composition was compared against hydrostatic weighing (HW), bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), and anthropometry. A total of 265 adults (119 males; age = 22.1 ± 2.5 years; body mass index = 24.5 ± 3.9 kg/m2) had their body fat percent (BF%) estimated from 3D scanning, HW, BIA, skinfolds, and girths. A repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated significant differences among methods (p < 0.001). Multivariate ANOVA indicated a significant main effect of sex and method (p < 0.001), with a non-significant interaction (p = 0.101). Bonferroni post-hoc comparisons identified that BF% from 3D scanning (18.1 ± 7.8%) was significantly less than HW (22.8 ± 8.5%, p < 0.001), BIA (20.1 ± 9.1%, p < 0.001), skinfolds (19.7 ± 9.7%, p < 0.001), and girths (21.2 ± 10.4%, p < 0.001). The 3D scanner decreased in precision with increasing adiposity, potentially resulting from inconsistences in the 3D scanner’s analysis algorithm. A correction factor within the algorithm is required before infrared 3D scanning can be considered valid in measuring BF%.
Phenomenology, the Question of Rationality and the Basic Grammar of Intercultural Texts

This essay is an adventure in, and a critical exploration of, the postmodern condition. As a “postparadigm”, postmodernism is a critical response to the disenchanted spectre of modernity — philosophical, scientific, cultural, and above all life-worldly. It is concerned particularly with the translation of Western rationality into the reading of the non-Western world, i.e., the modernist prejudices in the production of intercultural texts on the “politics of modernization”.
Confocal microscopy of human lens membranes in aged normal and nuclear cataracts.

Purpose. To visualize the structure and determine the continuity of lipid membranes in lens fiber cells (LFCs) from human aged normal and cataractous lenses. Methods. Thick sections from human nuclear cataracts and aged normal lenses were stained with the lipophilic probe DiI, and then analyzed by confocal microscopy. Staining patterns of membranes were observed in individual optical sections or three-dimensional projections of z-series taken in longitudinal section and cross-section of LFCs from different regions within the lens nucleus. Results. DiI bound to and delineated the plasma membrane of LFCs from all regions of the lens nucleus. Three-dimensional projections of z-series from aged normal and cataractous lenses suggested that some of the stained lipid membranes were not continuous with LFC plasma membrane of cataractous lenses. Conclusions. The results obtained using these methods demonstrated that lipid membranes, discontinuous with the plasma membrane of LFCs, were indicative of a novel process occurring predominately in cataractous human lenses.
The Supervisor’s Perceived Role in Employee Well-Being: Results From Mayo Clinic:

Purpose:Novel approaches are needed to enhance employee well-being and perhaps supervisors can be an effective agent for worksite health promotion. The aim of this study was to examine the supervis...
Applying for Privileges and Licensure

Applying for state licensure, hospital privileges, and insurance enrollment is time-consuming process that will be helped by your organizational skills. Starting the paperwork as early as possible and employing the help of your hospital administrative staff will be the key.
Is the kinetics of crosslinking polymerization the same on heating and cooling

Abstract Following our previous short communication, this study continues to explore the intriguing phenomenon of thermally initiated crosslinking polymerization (or curing) during continuous cooling. It is demonstrated that the polymerization on cooling can be successfully studied by using differential scanning calorimetry. Nonstoichiometric and stoichiometric reactions of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A epoxy and m-phenylenediamine are chosen as examples of single- and multi-step kinetics. The differences in the kinetics are investigated by analyzing the activation energy, the preexponential factor, and the reaction model along with the glass transition temperatures. The analysis reveals that for the reaction in the nonstoichiometric system the kinetic parameters remain the same for heating and cooling as hypothesized for a single-step process. The multi-step stoichiometric polymerization demonstrates significantly different kinetic behavior for heating and cooling experiments. The obtained results accentuate the need of further kinetic studies of multi-step processes on cooling for the benefit of scientific and engineering communities.
The Impact of Influenza Vaccination on Antibiotic Use in the United States, 2010-2017.

Background Influenza, which peaks seasonally, is an important driver for antibiotic prescribing. Although influenza vaccination has been shown to reduce severe illness, evidence of the population-level effects of vaccination coverage on rates of antibiotic prescribing in the United States is lacking. Methods We conducted a retrospective analysis of influenza vaccination coverage and antibiotic prescribing rates from 2010 to 2017 across states in the United States, controlling for differences in health infrastructure and yearly vaccine effectiveness. Using data from IQVIA's Xponent database and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's FluVaxView, we employed fixed-effects regression analysis to analyze the relationship between influenza vaccine coverage rates and the number of antibiotic prescriptions per 1000 residents from January to March of each year. Results We observed that, controlling for socioeconomic differences, access to health care, childcare centers, climate, vaccine effectiveness, and state-level differences, a 10-percentage point increase in the influenza vaccination rate was associated with a 6.5% decrease in antibiotic use, equivalent to 14.2 (95% CI, 6.0-22.4; P = .001) fewer antibiotic prescriptions per 1000 individuals. Increased vaccination coverage reduced prescribing rates the most in the pediatric population (0-18 years), by 15.2 (95% CI, 9.0-21.3; P < .001) or 6.0%, and the elderly (aged 65+), by 12.8 (95% CI, 6.5-19.2; P < .001) or 5.2%. Conclusions Increased influenza vaccination uptake at the population level is associated with state-level reductions in antibiotic use. Expanding influenza vaccination could be an important intervention to reduce unnecessary antibiotic prescribing.
Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery improves hepatic glucose metabolism and reduces plasma kisspeptin levels in morbidly obese patients with type 2 diabetes.

Our manuscript is the first, to the best of our knowledge, to present data showing that Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery (RYGB) lowers fasting kisspeptin levels in patients who are obese with type ...
Investigation of an Addtively-Manufactured Modular Permanent Magnet Machine for High Specific Power Design

Additive manufacturing (AM) can open up the design space for tight integration of electrical machines, thermal management systems as well as power electronics. It can be adopted in integrated modular machines and drives (IMMD) to improve the system integration and performance. This paper investigates an additively-manufactured permanent magnet (PM) machine with modular stator and tooth winding design. Leveraging the capability of AM in terms of building complex 3D structure, two design approaches are explored separately: (i) Encapsulated end winding with stator and rotor overhang, in which the end windings of the stator are encapsulated by soft magnetic material (SMC) cores to improve stator heat dissipation in the end region while keeping core loss due to end leakage flux at a low level; (ii) Direct cooling through heat pipes integrated with conductors, in which the cross section of the conductors is customized to increase slot fill factor as well as minimize AC losses. The results show that both approaches can benefit thermal management of the PM machine, which is promising for the pursuit of high specific power.
Annexin A3 is necessary for parallel artery-vein alignment in the mouse retina.

Background Annexin A3 (Anxa3) is a member of the calcium-regulated, cell membrane-binding family of annexin proteins. We previously confirmed that Anxa3 is expressed in the endothelial lineage in vertebrates and that loss of anxa3 in Xenopus laevis leads to embryonic blood vessel defects. However, the biological function of Anxa3 in mammals is completely unknown. In order to investigate Anxa3 vascular function in mammals, we generated an endothelial cell-specific Anxa3 conditional knockout mouse model (Anxa3f/f ;Tie2-Cre). Results Anxa3f/f ;Tie2-Cre mice are born at Mendelian ratios and display morphologically normal blood vessels during development. However, loss of Anxa3 leads to artery-vein (AV) misalignment characterized by atypical AV crossovers in the postnatal and adult retina. Conclusions Anxa3 is not essential for embryonic blood vessel formation but is required for proper parallel AV alignment in the murine retina. AV crossovers associated with Anxa3f/f ;Tie2-Cre mice are similar to AV intersections observed in patients with branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO), although we did not observe occluded vessels. This new Anxa3 mouse model may provide a basis for understanding AV crossover formation associated with BRVO.
Pedogenic carbonate nodules from a forested region of humid climate in central Tennessee, USA, and their implications for interpretation of C3-C4 relationships and seasonality of meteoric precipitation from carbon isotope (δ13C) data

Abstract Pedogenic carbonate materials are found most commonly in regions of dry climate, and rarely in forested humid regions. This paper nonetheless reports pedogenic carbonate nodules from central Tennessee in eastern North America, a forested region with average atmospheric precipitation exceeding 1300 mm/yr. Values of δ13C from these calcitic nodules range from −11.6 to −9.6‰ relative to VPDB, consistent with values from other continental carbonates (stalagmites) in eastern Tennessee and consistent with an origin under the region’s C3 vegetation. These low values of δ13C from a region of exceptionally great precipitation provide an uncommon input for understanding environmental controls on isotopic compositions of pedogenic carbonates. In that regard, comparison of values of δ13C from the Tennessee nodules with those of pedogenic carbonates across the continental United States supports the view that seasonality, rather than amount, of atmospheric precipitation is the principal determinant of δ13C of pedogenic carbonates and thus presumably of the photosynthetic pathway of the vegetation under which they form.
Listening to Zenani’s food voice: recovering contemporary Black foodways in southern food studies

Drawing on 13 months of ethnographic fieldwork in Jackson, Mississippi, this paper uses the food voice of Zenani, a working poor Black mother, as a case study to explore how structural inequalities...
Chiropractic Practice in the Continent of Africa: A Structured Online Survey of 608 Chiropractors.

Abstract Objectives The purpose of this study was to assess the status, supply, demographics, and characteristics of chiropractic practice in the continent of Africa. Methods A survey consisting of questions on demographics, clinical practice, and patient profile was administered to 608 chiropractors practicing in the different countries of the African continent. Chiropractic association officers of each country were contacted via e-mail for assistance in the distribution of the survey link to chiropractors in their country. The initial questionnaire was pretested with a small group of chiropractors from 2 African countries—4 from Ethiopia and 6 from Botswana—to assess the validity of the questions. The legal status of the chiropractic practice was obtained from online resources. Descriptive statistics were conducted in Microsoft Excel. Results Of the 54 countries in the continent of Africa, 23 countries were identified to have chiropractors. One hundred twenty-four surveys were returned from 15 countries with an overall response rate of 20.3% by clinicians with varying years in clinical practice. Nearly 84% of the chiropractors were between ages 26 and 50. More than 69% reported being a graduate of 1 of the 2 academic institutions located in Africa. Most chiropractors practice in South Africa. Most chiropractors practice in privately owned clinics, and 38% practice in multidisciplinary clinics. Nearly 92% reported using diversified technique and 27% used McKenzie exercises for treatment. Patients presented with a variety of conditions, predominantly chronic pain (59%). Conclusions This study provides a general overview on the status, supply, demographics, and characteristics of chiropractic practice in the continent of Africa. The supply of chiropractors in Africa is scarce and unevenly distributed. Although in the early stages of recognition, chiropractors in Africa are contributing to the care of people with musculoskeletal and spine-related disorders. Considering the high burden of spine pain, there appears to be potential for growth for chiropractic in the continent of Africa.
The Good Kill: Just War and Moral Injury

Marc LiVecche concludes this important book thus, My hope is that we may begin to unburden warfighters from unnecessary burdens of guilt. At the very least, in distinguishing actions that issue in ...
Antisense suppression of violaxanthin de-epoxidase in tobacco does not affect plant performance in controlled growth conditions.

Violaxanthin de-epoxidase (VDE) catalyzes the de-epoxidation of violaxanthin to antheraxanthin and zeaxanthin in the xanthophyll cycle. Tobacco was transformed with an antisense VDE construct under control of the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter to determine the effect of reduced levels of VDE on plant growth. Screening of 40 independent transformants revealed 18 antisense lines with reduced levels of VDE activity with two in particular (TAS32 and TAS39) having greater than 95% reduction in VDE activity. Northern analysis demonstrated that these transformants had greatly suppressed levels of VDE mRNA. De-epoxidation of violaxanthin was inhibited to such an extent that no zeaxanthin and only very low levels of antheraxanthin could be detected after exposure of leaves to high light (2000 μmol m−2 s−1 for 20 min) with no observable effect on levels of other carotenoids and chlorophyll. Non-photochemical quenching was greatly reduced in the antisense VDE tobacco, demonstrating that a significant level of the non-photochemical quenching in tobacco requires de-epoxidation of violaxanthin. Although the antisense plants demonstrated a greatly impaired de-epoxidation of violaxanthin, no effect on plant growth or photosynthetic rate was found when plants were grown at a photon flux density of 500 or 1000 μmol m−2 s−1 under controlled growth conditions as compared to wild-type tobacco.
Dendritic cell immunotherapy

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's approval of the first cell-based immunotherapy has rejuvenated interest in the field. Early clinical trials have established the ability of dendritic cell (DC) immunotherapy to exploit a patient's own immune system to induce antitumor immune responses. However, suboptimal conditions for generating potent immunostimulatory DCs, in addition to the suppression mediated by the tumor microenvironment, have contributed to limited clinical success in vivo. Therefore, combining DC vaccines with new approaches that enhance immunogenicity and overcome the regulatory mechanisms underlying peripheral tolerance may be key to achieving effective, durable, antitumor immune responses that translate to better clinical outcomes.
Search for the Higgs Boson in the ZH → vvbb̄ Channel at CDF Run II

This analysis focuses on a low mass Higgs boson search with 1.7 fb{sup -1} of data. The focus is on Higgs events in which it is produced in association with a W or Z boson. Such events are expected to leave a distinct signature of large missing transverse energy for either a Z {yields} {nu}{nu} decay or a leptonic W decay in which the lepton goes undetected, as well as jets with taggable secondary vertices from the H {yields} b{bar B} decay. Utilizing a new track based technique for removing QCD multi-jet processes as well as a neural network discriminant, an expected limit of 8.3 times the Standard Model prediction at the 95% CL for a Higgs boson mass of 115 GeV/c{sup 2} is calculated, with an observed limit of 8.0*SM.
Where is the heavy molecule heimat in Sgr B2

We review some of the early history of molecular radio detections and show how the Sgr B2 region came to be recognized as an important molecular source. We show the usefulness of millimeter array maps in distinguishing the various chemical processes in the different regions of Sgr B2. We suggest that the differing chemical processes may be indicators of different evolutionary states in the Sgr B2 clouds, which may explain why we have found Sgr B2(N) to be the heavy molecule heimat.