cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An optimal-path approach for neural circuit reconstruction

Neurobiologists are collecting large amounts of electron microscopy image data to gain a better understanding of neuron organization in the central nervous system. Image analysis plays an important role in extracting the connectivity present in these images; however, due to the large size of these datasets, manual analysis is essentially impractical. Automated analysis, however, is challenging because of the difficulty in reliably segmenting individual neurons in 3D. In this paper, we describe an automatic method for finding neurons in sequences of 2D sections. The proposed method formulates the problem of finding paths through sets of sections as an optimal path computation, which applies a cost function to the identification of a cell from one section to the next and solves this optimization problem using Dijkstra's algorithm. This basic formulation allows us to account for variability or inconsistencies between sections and to prioritize cells based on the evidence of their connectivity.
IFC-Based Construction Industry Ontology and Semantic Web Services Framework

A construction project is a multi-disciplinary team effort combining inputs from various domains, for which interoperability is of great importance. Currently existing data exchange problems between different software applications is adversely impacting the overall productivity of the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry. The use of Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) has been proposed to help address the lack of interoperability throughout construction industry. But the IFC specification itself is too complicated for normal users without special training. This paper proposes a semantic Web Services framework utilizing IFC-based industry ontology to address the interoperability problem. First, the possibility of building an IFC-based construction industry ontology is reviewed. Then, a framework to build semantic Web Services on this ontology is suggested. Both a core service and an assistant service is included. The framework could be easily expanded as long as the same Web Services model and the common ontology is observed. Once implemented, the framework could be utilized by any IFC-supported BIM applications, as well as personnel without extensive knowledge of IFC specifications, for more precise, consistent and up-to-date project information retrieval. This approach is expected to further the effort of IFC and enhance and improve interoperability in the AEC industry without requiring extremely technologically savvy users.
Mental retardation and hypotonia seen in the knock out mouse for Canavan disease is not due to succinate semialdehyde dehydrogenase deficiency

Canavan disease (CD) is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by aspartoacylase deficiency leading to accumulation of N-acetylaspartic acid and spongy degeneration of the brain. The mouse model for CD showed low levels of glutamate and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the brain. Whether the low levels of glutamate and GABA observed in the CD mouse brain lead to abnormal production of glutamate-GABA associated enzymes and resulting succinate production is not obvious. While glutamate dehydrogenase and α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complex activities are lower in the cerebellum and brain stem of the CD mouse, alanine aminotransferase and succinate semialdehyde dehydrogenase (SSADH) activities and succinate level are similar to the levels observed in the wild type. Deficiency of SSADH has been suggested to be associated with mental retardation and hypotonia, similar to the clinical features of CD. The normal SSADH activity in the CD mouse brain suggests that mental retardation and hypotonia seen in the CD mouse is not due to SSADH activity and if documented also in patients with CD.
Refining therapy for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive breast cancer: T stands for trastuzumab, tumor size, and treatment strategy.

The clinical importance of breast cancer subsets is now well established; we know that one size won’t fit all. In fact, we are well into the era of parsing subsets of subsets, and the major challenges are to refine therapies within each tumor subtype to tailor treatments based on tumor risk, treatment benefit, and likely adverse effects of therapy. For patients with estrogen receptor (ER) –positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) –negative breast cancers, the current challenge centers on defining which patients benefit from the addition of chemotherapy to endocrine therapy. For those with triple-negative (or basaloid) tumors, the challenge is to optimize our chemotherapy regimens while searching for targeted drugs that might dramatically improve outcomes. Finally, for the 15% to 20% of patients with HER2-overexpressing tumors, the success of trastuzumab has fastforwarded our efforts and has led to a dramatic improvement in clinical outcomes. The thoughtful and thorough review by Spector and Blackwell outlines several important ongoing areas of investigation that should better elucidate the precise mechanisms of action for trastuzumab and clarify which tumors markers besides HER2 overexpression most clearly predict benefit from trastuzumab; it also suggests related signaling pathways, such as PI3K and hsp90, that may account for trastuzumab resistance in both the adjuvant and metastatic settings and that can be targeted with newly available pharmacologic agents. Meanwhile, clinicians wrestle with practical day-to-day questions of how best to use trastuzumab, questions that remain unanswered from the landmark clinical trials of adjuvant trastuzumab therapy. The pivotal studies generally concentrated on patients with relatively high-risk, HER2-positive breast cancers and node-positive tumors. There has been only limited information on node-negative cancer outcomes, although the results have suggested comparable proportionate risk reduction as in node-positive patients. The randomized trials provided no data on small tumors (ie, cancers 1 cm) with negative lymph nodes. Although almost all of the data reported are with 1 year of trastuzumab administration, one study (Finland Herceptin [FinHER] study) delivered only 9 weeks of treatment, whereas another study (Herceptin Adjuvant Trial [HERA]) studied up to 2 years of trastuzumab. Three reports in this issue of Journal of Clinical Oncology raise questions about who should receive trastuzumab and how best to administer this drug. SMALL, NODE-NEGATIVE, HER2-POSITIVE TUMORS
Mesh Generation With a Standardized Headform for CFD Simulations of Particle Aspiration

The aspiration of contaminated airborne particles is a big concern for healthcare workers. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) method has been widely used to simulate breathing airflow and particle aspiration. In CFD simulations of particle aspiration, digital human heads have been integrated into chamber models for mesh generation. Facial dimensions influence the breathing flow pattern and the particle aspiration in the literature; however the existing CFD studies have never included standardized headforms developed from an anthropometric survey of a large American worker population. This study proposed a CFD mesh generation method for particle aspiration simulations based on a medium size standardized headform. The medium headform is one of five National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) standardized headforms that represent U.S. healthcare workers. To simulate a headform sitting in the middle of a chamber, the volume between the headform and the chamber was meshed. A boundary layer of prism elements covered the headform surface, and a tetrahedral mesh filled the rest of the volume. As an application of the CFD meshes, CFD simulations for particle aspiration were conducted. Velocity fields in the chamber, inhalation flow patterns, and aspiration efficiencies were determined. Further, a grid independency study verified the simulation results and the quality of the CFD meshes.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Absorption and lymphatic transport of peroxidized lipids by rat small intestine in vivo: role of mucosal GSH

The absorption and lymphatic transport of peroxidized MaxEPA fish oil was studied using the lymph fistula rat to determine the role of mucosal glutathione (GSH) in intestinal metabolism of luminal lipid hydroperoxides. Decreasing intestinal GSH concentrations with buthionine sulfoximine (BSO, 1.15 +/- 0.20 nmol/g), diethyl maleate (DEM, 0.93 +/- 0.26 nmol/g), phorone (1.46 +/- 0.14 nmol/g), or 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (BCNU, 1.54 +/- 0.18 nmol/g) compared with control (2.60 +/- 0.38 nmol/g) resulted in higher luminal recovery of the infused lipid hydroperoxide (% of infused dose): BSO (87.8 +/- 4.8%), DEM (86.1 +/- 1.3%), phorone (78.1 +/- 2.1%), and BCNU (71.7 +/- 4.8%) compared with control (52.8 +/- 4.3%). These results suggest that decreased elimination of luminal peroxidized lipids is associated with decreased tissue GSH. Treatment of rats with BSO, DEM, phorone, or BCNU resulted in dramatic increases in appearance of peroxidized lipids in lymph over 6-h lipid infusion (54.7 +/- 3.7, 57.7 +/- 4.6, 46.4 +/- 2.7, and 42.1 +/- 3.9 nmol, respectively) compared with control (20.5 +/- 3.4 nmol). The results are consistent with decreased intracellular metabolism of absorbed hydroperoxides and enhanced transport into lymph under GSH-deficient conditions. The current findings suggest that the function of the mucosal GSH peroxidase/oxidized glutathione (GSSG) reductase system may play an important role in intestinal handling of luminal lipid hydroperoxides. A compromised function of this detoxication mechanism in GSH-deficient states can significantly alter the metabolic fate of dietary peroxidized lipids.
Abstract P218: Identification of One Retinoic Acid Responsive Element in Glucokinase Gene Promoter

Introduction: Studies have shown that vitamin A (VA) status affected hepatic glycogen content and body lipid levels in rats. The active metabolite of VA, retinoic acid (RA), regulates gene expression via activation of both retinoic acid receptor (RAR) and retinoid X receptor (RXR) bound to retinoic acid responsive element (RARE). We have reported that retinoids synergized with insulin to induce glucokinase gene ( Gck ) in primary rat hepatocyes. Hypothesis: We hypothesize that the rat promoter of Gck contains RARE(s). Methods: To identify the RARE(s) in the Gck promoter, we have made (1) a series of luciferase reporter gene constructs containing shortened DNA fragments of Gck promoter; (2) expression vectors containing cDNAs of rat RARα, RXRα and RXRγ; (3) linker-scan mutant reporter constructs covering 0.2 kb of the proximal Gck promoter region and a 20 bp region which disrupt the RA response. The responses of these reporter constructs to RA and the effects of the co-transfection of RAR and RXR on their activation were analyzed in primary hepatocytes and INS-1 insulinoma cells using dual luciferase assay. Results: (1) RA and RA + insulin, not insulin, activated the reporter gene constructs containing 1, 0.8, 0.6, 0.4, and 0.2 kb of Gck promoter in primary hepatocytes (from 1.7- to 2.6-fold). (2) RA alone did not activate Gck promoter constructs in INS-1 cells. However, co-transfection of RAR with reporter gene constructs restored and improved RA response of them in INS-1 cells and primary hepatocytes, respectively. (3) Two consecutive linker-scan mutant reporter constructs covering about 20 bp of the proximal region of Gck promoter, but not the adjacent ones, completely lost the response to RA. (4) One of the five linker-scan mutant reporter constructs covering this 20 bp region completed disrupted the RA response, demonstrating the identification of a RARE. Conclusions: RA induces the activation of Gck promoter constructs in primary hepatocytes. INS-1 cells are a useful tool for analyzing liver Gck promoter activation by RA with co-transfection of RAR/RXR. For the first time, one RARE is identified in the proximal region of rat Gck promoter. Further studies are needed to determine the roles of this identified RARE in mediating Gck expression in responses to hormonal and nutritional stimuli. Funding(This research has received full or partial funding support from the American Heart Association, National Center)
After the Revolution: Long-Term Effects of Electoral Revolutions

Although none of the color revolutions has proved to be completely successful in bringing about long-term democratic change, differences in outcomes among them cast light on both the possibilities and the limitations that countries face when liberalization opportunities present themselves. Comparison of Serbia, Georgia, Ukraine, and Kyrgyzstan is instructive.
A Review of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome for Health Educators

Abstract The consumption of alcohol during pregnancy is the cause of physical and behavioral defects known as fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). The diagnosis of FAS is determined by the following three criteria: (1) growth retardation, (2) central nervous system involvement (i.e., mental retardation), and (3) facial abnormalities. FAS is a long-term disability that requires appropriate educational interventions for high-risk women and expectant mothers. This article reviews the issues of cause, incidence/prevalence, comorbidity, educational implications for the child with FAS, those at-risk for FAS, prevention strategies, and concludes with the role health educators can play in FAS prevention.
Use of Bacteriostatic Drugs in Preservation of Blood for Transfusion

The increasing use of blood “banks” and “stored” blood for transfusion has repeatedly brought up the problem of a suitable substance for the preservation of human blood under such conditions. Since blood is an excellent menstruum for bacteria, growth of these organisms takes place in blood even at refrigerator temperatures. That bacterial contamination occasionally occurs during the taking of blood from donors is not denied, yet the seriousness of the use of grossly contaminated blood has not been sufficiently emphasized.Following the finding of a considerable amount of contamination among stored blood samples by routine cultural methods, it became obvious that the problem was being neglected. The risk of contamination in the periodic removal of samples for culturing purposes is too great to warrant it as a routine procedure. The possible use of a bacteriostatic substance which would be harmless by intravenous administration suggested itself.The “selective bacteriostasis” of acridine and triphenylmethane ...
Serial learning without primacy or recency effects

Data from learning by the anticipation method 10 homogeneous nonsense syllables, presented without an intertriai gap, show that temporal primacy and recency per se are not involved in the production of the classical serial-position curve of rote learning. Only negligible differences among item-positions appeared early in learning, when differential effects of proactive inhibition among the individual items should have been maximal, but a primacy effect did appear later. This primacy effect was attributed to S’s strategy in selecting a syllable, differentiated on the basis of being temporally first, as a reference point around which the complete list was finally learned.
AphasiaBank as BigData

AphasiaBank has used a standardized protocol to collect narrative, procedural, personal, and descriptive discourse from 290 persons with aphasia, as well as 190 control participants. These data have been transcribed in the Codes for the Human Analysis of Transcripts (CHAT) format for analysis by the Computerized Language Analysis (CLAN) programs. Here, we review results from 45 studies based on these data that investigate aphasic productions in terms of these eight areas: discourse, grammar, lexicon, gesture, fluency, syndrome classification, social factors, and treatment effects. For each area, we also indicate how use of the CLAN programs has facilitated the analysis. We conclude with an examination of ways in which the size of the database could be increased through on-site recordings and data from teletherapy.
Analysis of superheater tubes burst

This report gives comprehensive analyses on the superheater tube-exploration at some power station by means of mechanical testing,macrofractographic and metallographic examination.The results show that the microstructure was serious ageing and tensile properties are deteriorated near the brittle fracture zone.The tube-bursting is caused by long-time overheating.
Analysis the Variety Trend of the Death Reason in Xiangtan City from 1988 to 2008

Objective To analysis the causes of death resident in Xiangtan city from 1988 to 2008. Methods Utilize the total surveillance data about the residents death from 1988 to 2008,adopt the index of mortality rate,the reason of the death and the disability-adjusted life expectancy to evaluate the health status of the residents. Results The total death rate of the residents was 4.7‰ to 5.3‰ since 1988,the infant death rate was 25.24‰ in 1988 and descent to 1.6‰ in 2008.The main causes of the death were heart disease,cancer,cerebrovascular disease,respiratory disease and toxication,which was account for 78.15% in 1988,80.66% in 1998 and 86.40% in 2008.Infectious diseases was descent from the seven place to the nine place of all disease and was account for 3.30% in 1988,2.10% in 1998 and 1.51% in 2008.the endocrine disease was risen to the six place from the nine place and was account for 1.22% in 1988,1.51% in 1998 and 3.47% in 2008.the disability-adjusted life expectancy was 79.30 years. Conclusion The hazard of the infectious disease,non-communicable diseases and intoxication are main public health problems.
Coagulation responses to heparin in the ischemic limb: assessment of thrombin and platelet activation during vascular surgery.

In 11 men undergoing infrainguinal bypass surgery, simultaneous blood samples were analyzed by use of sensitive markers of thrombin activity (fibrinopeptide A, FPA) and platelet behavior (beta-thromboglobulin, beta-TG), as well as conventional clotting times. FPA levels were consistently higher in the venous outflow from the ischemic limb compared with the arterial inflow (p less than .01), while no venoarterial difference was noted for beta-TG. This suggests that there is increased thrombin generation, but not platelet activation localized to the ischemic limb. After a mean dose of 6800 units of heparin given during surgery, FPA levels fell significantly (p less than .03), and the activated clotting time (ACT) was prolonged to 230 to 260 sec, but beta-TG levels did not change. Anticoagulation during lower extremity vascular surgery may be usefully monitored by the activated clotting time because an ACT longer than 250 sec is correlated with lower FPA levels (less than 10 ng/ml), reflecting significant inhibition of coagulation.
p15s (15-kD Antimicrobial Proteins) Are Stored in the Secondary Granules of Rabbit Granulocytes: Implications for Antibacterial Synergy With the Bactericidal/Permeability-Increasing Protein in Inflammatory Fluids

The bactericidal potency toward complement-resistant Escherichia coli of bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein (BPI) released from polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) in glycogen-induced inflammatory peritoneal exudates of rabbits is dependent on synergy with extracellular p15s. This synergy depends on the high molar ratio of p15s to BPI in the extracellular fluid (∼50:1), which greatly exceeds the intracellular ratio (∼5:1). To explore the possible basis of the greater accumulation of p15s in inflammatory fluid, we examined the subcellular localization of BPI and p15 in PMNs. Immunogold electron microscopy confirmed the storage of BPI in primary granules and showed that p15s are stored in secondary granules. Reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction of density-fractionated rabbit bone marrow cells verified that p15s are expressed later than BPI during myeloid differentiation. As the inflammatory response evolves, p15 mRNA appears earlier in blood and exudate cells than mRNA for BPI, consistent with release of progressively less mature precursors from bone marrow. Finally, Ca2+-ionophore–mediated exocytosis of p15s occurs more readily than release of BPI. We therefore propose that localization of a synergistic partner of BPI (p15s) in more readily released secondary granules allows the neutrophil to mobilize potent BPI-dependent antibacterial activity extracellularly without significant depletion of intracellular BPI stores.
Structure and Function of Cholinesterases

Publisher Summary Two structurally and functionally very similar, yet distinct enzymes form the family of cholinesterases (ChEs). Acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase both catalyze acetylcholine (ACh) hydrolysis with similarly high efficiency, and only differ in efficiency to catalyze the hydrolysis of carboxylic acid esters of larger acyl group size, such as butyrylcholine or benzoylcholine. Larger substrates are hydrolyzed much better by BuChE because of small but significant differences in their structure that also allows BuChE to bind generally bulky ligands much better, including covalent inhibitors iso-OMPA and bambuterol, and reversible inhibitor ethopropazine, all well-known specific inhibitors of ChEs. The chapter summarizes the latest structural information on the cholinesterase family of enzymes and discusses their catalytic properties. Alignment of 125 full-length or nearly full-length ChE sequences demonstrates a high degree of similarity conserved in the family from fungal and viral enzymes to man. Sixty-one reported three-dimensional structures are analyzed, illustrating the high degree of similarity in protein-fold conformation, irrespective of the presence of bound ligands, and this argues for the absence of large conformational changes in the protein interaction with both inhibitors and substrates. At the same time, a plentitude of small-amplitude backbone and selected side chain movements illustrate that rapid fluctuations in conformational states of ChEs prevail in solution, and ligands have the capacity to select those conferring higher affinity and lower energy of the respective complex.
The β Lyrae Puzzle

Accurate simulation of optical wavelength CCD spectra is possible by adopting a black-body representation for the radiation characteristics of the β Lyrae accretion disk rim. Application of this model to IUE spectra shows that the anomalous system light curves, in the satellite UV, arise from a source of radiation, not included in the current model, which is visible during the phase 0.0 eclipse.
Hydrogen storage characteristics of ball-milled magnesium-nickel and magnesium-iron alloys

Of potential hydrogen storage materials, pure magnesium would be best from the standpoint of hydrogen capacity per unit mass. However, pure magnesium has poor hydriding kinetics. Alloying magnesium with nickel and other transition metals aids catalysis of the hydrogen dissociative chemisorption and yields other benefits by lowering the dehydrogenation temperature, although at the expense of decreased storage capacity. Magnesium-nickel alloys with about one percent nickel prepared by ball-milling yield the most significant improvements in hydrogen storage behavior relative to pure magnesium.
Left Atrial Remodeling: More Than Just Left Atrial Enlargement.

> Form follows function—this has been misunderstood. Form and function should be one, joined in a spiritual union. > > —Frank Lloyd Wright Left atrial (LA) remodeling refers to the spectrum of pathophysiological changes in atrial structure and mechanical function and the electric, ionic, and molecular milieu of the LA that most often occurs in response to stresses imposed by conditions such as hypertension, heart failure, diabetes mellitus, and obesity. Remodeling is initially adaptive, but when it occurs in response to a chronic pathological stimulus (as opposed to remodeling of the athlete’s heart), it often becomes maladaptive and associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events and mortality.1 Remodeling forms the basis of atrial cardiomyopathy, defined recently by a multisociety, expert consensus statement as any complex of structural, architectural, contractile, or electrophysiological changes affecting the atria with the potential to produce clinically relevant manifestations.2 See Article by Oliver et al LA structural remodeling is the complex phenotypic expression that results from changes in LA size, shape,3 and architecture and alterations in the cardiomyocyte, fibroblast, and noncollagen infiltrative compartments of the atrium.2 LA enlargement, which is simple to measure, is the default clinical hallmark of structural remodeling that occurs most often in response to LA pressure and volume overload; in the absence of atrial fibrillation, mitral valvular disease, and high cardiac output states, it is an excellent biomarker for the presence and severity of left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction.4 Moreover, LA enlargement portends a poor prognosis in a variety of cardiovascular diseases.1 Indices of LA size are also markers of cardiovascular risk in the general population.5,6 The strength of the association between atrial remodeling as determined by increased maximal indexed LA volume (LAVi) and cardiovascular risk reported in the literature is influenced by the nature …
Polymer Chromophore-Catalyst Assembly for Solar Fuel Generation

A polystyrene-based chromophore-catalyst assembly (poly-2) has been synthesized and assembled at a mesoporous metal oxide photoanode. The assembly contains water oxidation catalyst centers based on [Ru(trpy) (phenq)]2+ (Ru-Cat) and [Ru(bpy)3]2+ derivatives (Ru-C) as chromophores (trpy= 2,2′;6,2″- terpyridine, phenq = 2-(quinol-8′-yl)-1,10-phenanthroline and bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine). The photophysical and electrochemical properties of the polychromophore-oxidation catalyst assembly were investigated in solution and at the surface of mesoporous metal oxide films. The layer-by-layer (LbL) method was utilized to construct multilayer films with cationic poly-2 and anionic poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) for light-driven photochemical oxidations. Photocurrent measurements of (PAA/poly-2)10 LbL films on mesoporous TiO2 demonstrate light-driven oxidation of phenol and benzyl alcohol in aqueous solution. Interestingly, illumination of (PAA/poly-2)5 LbL films on a fluorine doped SnO2/TiO2 core/shell photoanode in aqueous so...
Intensive care: because we can or because we should?

The case mix of our paediatric intensive care units (PICU) is changing and not by design or commissioned intention. The results are presented of a data linkage between the Paediatric Intensive Care Audit Network (PICANET), Hospital Episode Statistics and the Office for National Statistics.1 By applying a customised coding framework taken from the International Classification of Diseases, the researchers identified that 57.6% of PICU admissions and 72.9% of deaths were for children with a life-limiting condition; proportions that have been increasing over the 11 years studied. This would be consistent with a trend identified in Australian data where over time children who would not have been admitted to intensive care in the past are now routinely offered intensive care.2 The life-limiting conditions defined by the authors are a broad list of diagnoses including congenital heart disease, cancers, genetic/metabolic diseases and others, and the increase in their proportion among intensive care admissions implies that the case mix of admission to UK PICUs is increasing in complexity. This is occurring alongside the already reported increase in prevalence of the same conditions in the population at large.3 The paper goes further in helping to characterise the case mix of modern PICU. Of the 89 000 patients with life-limiting conditions in the study, over 40 000 were admitted as part of a ‘planned’ admission, …
The Bondage and Subsequent Agency of Violet in Toni Morrison’s Jazz

In Jazz Toni Morrison’s character, Violet Trace, has difficulty adapting to her life in Harlem (the City) after she moves north from the south. The examination is as follows: the influence of the city on the female community and both entities onto Violet permit her to transform her identity, therefore having three specific stages. themselves. Violet experiences a transformation in her identity and her environment, particularly the City, aids in her changes. The first stage of Violet’s life occurs in the South, during her journey to Harlem, and subsequently to the death of Dorcas Manfred, her husband’s lover. Violet is influenced by Joe, True Belle, who is her grandmother, and the City during this period. Here, Violet’s identity gives way to Joe’s projection of masculinity, to the desires of True Belle, who repeatedly relives her past caring for Golden Gray, and to the accelerated pace of the City. In her second life, the next stage of identity transformation, Violet meets Alice Manfred, Dorcas’s aunt, who subsequently aids Violet in finding and releasing her pain and reforming her identity. Violet’s third life occurs under the influence of Felice, Dorcas’s friend. Once the duo meets, Violet is able to release Dorcas and to pass on her knowledge to Felice regarding stagnation. It is these women, Alice and Dorcas, who become Violet’s community and who aid Violet’s transformation of her identity.
The effect of lower socioeconomic status insurance on outcomes after primary shoulder arthroplasty

Background Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are becoming increasingly important to define successful outcomes. With the potential transition toward quality-based reimbursement, identifying risk factors for poor surgical outcomes becomes increasingly important. This study compared functional and PROs of primary shoulder arthroplasty in patients aged younger than 65 years with lower socioeconomic insurance compared with those with private insurance. Methods A retrospective review of all primary shoulder arthroplasties in patients aged younger than 65 was performed at a single institution. Patients were stratified according to insurance type (private vs. Medicare/Medicaid) with 2-year minimum follow-up. Preoperative, postoperative, and improvements in range of motion, visual analog scale (VAS) pain, and PROs were compared. Results We evaluated 143 shoulders (64 Medicare/Medicaid, 79 private insurance). Age, race, diagnosis, and type of arthroplasty were similar between groups. Patients with Medicare/Medicaid insurance demonstrated worse PROs before and after surgery, despite similar range of motion at both assessments. Despite poorer PROs postoperatively, both groups demonstrated similar improvements after surgery. Complications and reoperation were more common in the socioeconomically disadvantaged group (14% vs. 9%, P = .3; 11% vs. 6%, P = .2, respectively). Discussion Medicaid and Medicare patients aged younger than 65 years undergoing shoulder arthroplasty demonstrate poorer preoperative and postoperative PRO measures compared with similar patients with private insurance. However, both groups demonstrate similar improvements in scores from baseline.
Cell Interactions and the Cytoskeleton

The cytoskeleton is traditionally identified as the organelle of cellular motility. A long list of experiments suggests that that function is in part performed by a transmembrane connection, linking the cell surface and the cytoskeleton. The structural and molecular bases for that connection are not known. Recent studies of the cytoskeleton itself, concentrating on in situ analysis, have provided new approaches to this problem. They have altered our view of cytoskeletal organization and expanded the possible functions of the transmembrane connection.
Mathematics Skills of 17-Year-Olds in the United States: 1978 to 2004.

Overall scale scores from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) indicate that there was only minimal improvement in the mathematics performance of high school students between 1 978 and 2004. Using recently released data from the Long-Term Trend (LTT) NAEP, this study describes the content covered on the LTT NAEP and the performance of 17-year-old students on that content. In addition, it demonstrates that although overall gains in performance were small, there were areas within mathematics in which performance improved substantially and others in which students in 2004 did not do as well as their counterparts of the 1970s and 1980s. Specifically, performance on 3 items involving multiplication of whole numbers by fractions deteriorated but performance improved on most tasks involving percents and geometry. Performance was stable on most items assessing algebraic reasoning and logical reasoning and was stable or improved modestly on items assessing estimation, interpretation of tables and graphs, and understanding of integers.
Effect of diltiazem on lid tension during light-flash-induced eye blinks in the rabbit.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of the Ca blocker diltiazem in combination with the Ca chelator EGTA (ethyleneglycol-bis-ta-amino-ethyl ether]N,N'-tetraacetic acid) on eyelid tension generated during the light-induced eyeblink reflex in the adult rabbit. The goal is to develop nontoxic, nonsurgical therapies for blepharospasm. Methods Blinks were triggered in the alert rabbit, and tension was measured with a strain gauge attached to the eyelid. Strain gauge output was amplified, digitized, and stored on computer for later analysis. Experiments consisted of a set of trials in which identical light stimuli were delivered at 0.1 Hz for 5 min. Results In control trials, blink tensions decreased dramatically for the first seven to nine blinks and then levelled off, indicating that with respect to muscle tension output, blinks contained both rapidly habituating and nonhabituating components. After diltiazem and EGTA were injected in the lid, blinks were reduced 30% to 90% over those in control trials. Reductions could not be explained by injection trauma or irritation due to fluid volume, because injections of saline alone did not produce such tension depression. Conclusions Diltiazem-EGTA produces a transient reduction in blink tension. A clinical application will depend on developing methods for the sustained release of these drugs in the eyelid.
Archival arrangement and description: analog to digital

The author defines the aim of the book clearly in the preface:This volume is for new archivists in training, for new archivists who may be the only professional in their archives, and for those exp...
Staphylococci in dairy goats and human milkers, and the relationship with herd management practices

Abstract Staphylococci are the most common bacteria isolated from goat milk. This includes Staphylococcus aureus, an important animal and human pathogen, and various coagulase negative staphylococci or CNS. In this study, we identified S. aureus isolates from goat milk samples and nares and from the hands and noses of people milking the goats, as well as CNS from goat milk. A total of 497 milk samples, 502 goat nasal swabs and 97 human swabs were collected on 30 North Carolina goat dairies. A survey was used to elicit information on herd management practices for each dairy and to aid in the assessment of the association between those practices and the presence of staphylococci. We found a very low prevalence of 1.4% (6/497) of S. aureus in milk, but a considerably higher prevalence of 46.2% (232/502) S. aureus in goat nasal swabs. Nearly one-third (32.6%; 162/497) of goat milk samples were CNS-culture-positive, with S. simulans, S. caprae, S. xylosus and S. chromogenes commonly isolated. Milkers’ hands and nasal swab samples were more frequently positive (25.8%; 25/97) for S. aureus than were goat milk samples (1.4%; 6/497). A wide range of milking routines was found, and gloves were not commonly worn by milkers (only 10% of farms milkers always wore gloves). The most common use of milk was home consumption and 28 of the 30 goat dairies reported the consumption of unpasteurized milk.
Rotating detonation combustors and their similarities to rocket instabilities

Abstract Rotating detonation combustors (RDC) are at the forefront of pressure gain combustion (PGC) research, utilizing one or more azimuthally spinning detonation waves, an intrinsically unsteady process, to effect a stagnation pressure rise across the device. The prospective step-increase in efficiency, simplicity of design without the requirement for mechanical actuations and the ease of assembly make it an especially promising technology that could be integrated into existing propulsion and power generation architectures. This is coupled with the significant complexity of the detonation-based multi-axis flow field and the associated combustion modes and coupling mechanisms. The current paper is an overview of the research done worldwide to address some of the challenges and questions pertaining to the physics of RDC operation. When appropriate, notable parallels are drawn to the phenomena of low and high frequency instabilities in solid and liquid rockets that have been recognized as the most severe hindrance to their operation.
Contemplative Teaching and Learning: Opportunities for Asian Studies

Keynote Address, 2018 ASIANetwork Conference Contemplative education is a contemporary movement in higher education that builds upon the epistemological work of cognitive scientists in conversation with contemplative traditions of Asia, integrating critical subjectivity into the classroom. This article traces the development of this movement, identifying key innovators who are from the field of Asian Studies, and outlining the theoretical basis of first-person inquiry in learning. Sample findings of meditation science support the impact of these innovations, showing why contemplative pedagogy is beneficial for students. In addition, the author surveys pedagogies for introducing mindfulness, contemplation, and compassion practices into the curriculum in rudimentary and more complex ways, giving examples of best practices for the undergraduate professor. A bibliography of additional readings and sources is included, for further information.
P115 Eating Regulation, Diet-Related Autonomy and Competence, and Body Image Among African American Women

Background African Americans experience cardiovascular disease at a higher rate than other racial groups due to co-morbid conditions. Eating regulation has been shown to influence cardiovascular disease risk factors; however, this has not been adequately explored in African American female caretakers with young children. Objective Identify eating regulation behaviors among African American female caretakers with young children at risk for cardiovascular disease. Study Design, Settings, Participants This cross-sectional research surveyed individuals that identified as low-income, African American, adult females, and primary caretaker of young children in Central North Carolina. Five nutrition professionals and two community members content and face validated the survey. Measurable Outcome/Analysis Utilizing constructs from the Social Cognitive Theory and Self-Determination Theory, eating self-efficacy, dietary autonomy and competence, overeating, dietary intake, concepts related to body image (Western “thin” beauty standard), food security and sociodemographic characteristics were assessed. Autonomy describes the degree of internalization of dietary behaviors. Competence is the perceived ability to perform personally relevant dietary behaviors. Descriptive analyses included means and frequencies. Results The sample (n = 81) had a mean age of 36 years with an average BMI of 32 kg/m2. Reported cardiovascular disease risk factors included hypertension (48%), obesity (29%) and diabetes (12%). Well above 60% of participants reported frequent intake of high-energy foods. Overeating and eating self-efficacy were not perceived to impact dietary behaviors (96%). Diet-related autonomy ranged from extrinsic to intrinsic motivation (97%). Competence in performing routine tasks was reported by 99% of the participants. Acceptance of the Western beauty standard was reported by 18% of participants. Conclusion Despite being largely overweight or obese, results suggest this group does not believe they overeat and eating behaviors are intrinsically motivated. Discrepancies in weight status, dietary intake, and perceptions of eating behaviors highlight the need to target nutrition education interventions in ways that address specific beliefs about diet and overall health. Funding None.
A 2 M: Approximate Algebraic Memory Using Polynomials Rings

Emerging applications today operate on increasingly larger data sets, and as a result, the memory subsystem is prone to be a bottleneck in bandwidth and capacity. Many of these applications store data based on real world phenomena which often have continuity properties and can be approximated by mathematical functions. In this work, we view computer memory abstractly as a set of functions that map each address input to a data output. We propose Approximate Algebraic Memory (A2M), a specialized memory model that uses finite degree polynomials to approximate ranges of memory content with the desired properties. Specifically, A2M uses dedicated hardware to derive and store polynomial coefficients rather than memory data. In error resilient workloads, the benefits of this design is threefold: (1) high ratio memory compression, (2) high bandwidth accesses, and (3) direct computation on memory. We evaluate A2M’s potential as an on-chip structure for general-purpose processors, and as a specialized read-only memory for neural network accelerators. Our results show that for CPU workloads, A2M yields minimal error (< 1%) at a fixed compression ratio of 16, and improves performance by 11.3% on average.
Factors associated with medication persistence among ischemic stroke patients: a systematic review

An investigation of the prevalence of medication persistence and associated factors in order to inform effective strategies for improving medication persistence. A systematic review of the literatu...
The Spatial Cognition of Blind Pedestrians.

An experiment was conducted to determine what blind pedestrians learn and remember about a space as their experience with it accumulates. Two independent variables, practice and visual status, were...
Occupational Therapists’ Implementation of Evidence-Based Practice: A Cross Sectional Survey

Evidence-based practice (EBP) implementation has been associated with quality health care outcomes, yet only a small proportion of occupational therapists implement EBP. We conducted a cross-sectio...
Online Signal Monitoring With Bounded Lag

An essential approach for guaranteeing the safety of a cyber-physical system is to monitor its execution in real time. The execution trace of such a system typically consists of one or more signals, and a key computational task for safety monitoring is the online processing of these signals in order to identify events that need to be acted upon in a timely manner. There are several existing proposals for the specification of signal monitors: temporal logics, reactive languages, and dataflow formalisms. A shared feature of most of these proposals is that they describe online signal transformations that are causal. The causality requirement enables a real-time implementation, where the input and output signals are perfectly synchronized. We propose a new specification formalism for signal monitors that relaxes the causality restriction and allows the output to depend on a bounded amount of future input. It follows that an online implementation of such a monitor must have a certain amount of lag in the computation. We introduce a formal framework for signal transformations that allow bounded lag (the output has fallen behind the input) and bounded lead (the output is running ahead of the input), and we propose a type discipline for classifying these transformations according to their lead/lag. We show that this typed framework provides a modular approach for succinctly specifying: 1) monitors for temporal properties that involve both past and bounded-future connectives and 2) complex signal processing computations, such as those arising in the monitoring of physiological signals in medical devices. We have implemented the proposed specification formalism and we have compared it against state-of-the-art tools for the online monitoring of temporal properties: MonPoly, StreamLAB, Aerial, and Reelay.
Association of Graduate Medical Education With Hospital Performance and Patient Outcomes.

Importance Graduate medical education (GME) funding consists of more than $10 billion annual subsidies awarded to academic hospitals to offset the cost of resident training. Critics have questioned the utility of these subsidies and accountability of recipient hospitals. Objective To determine the association of GME funding with hospital performance by examining 3 domains of hospital operations: financial standing, clinical outcomes, and resident academic performance. Design, Setting, and Participants This study is an economic evaluation of all academic centers that received GME funding in 2017. GME funding data were acquired from the Hospital Compare Database. Statistical analysis was performed from May 2016 to April 2020. Exposures GME funding. Main Outcomes and Measures This study assessed the association between GME funding and each aspect of hospital operations. Publicly available hospital financial data were used to calculate a financial performance score from 0 to 100 for each hospital. Clinical outcomes were defined as 30-day mortality, readmission, and complication rates for a set of predefined conditions. Resident academic performance was determined by Board Certification Examination (BCE) pass rates at 0, 2, and 5 years after GME funding was awarded. Confounder-adjusted linear regression models were used to test association between GME funding data and a hospital’s financial standing, clinical outcomes, and resident academic performance. Results The sample consisted of 1298 GME-funded hospitals, with a median (IQR) of 265 (168-415) beds and 32 (10-101) residents per training site. GME funding was negatively correlated with hospitals’ financial scores (β = –7.9; 95% CI, –10.9 to –4.8,P = .001). Each additional $1 million in GME funding was associated with lower 30-day mortality from myocardial infarction (–2.34%; 95% CI, –3.59% to –1.08%,P Conclusions and Relevance This study found a negative linear correlation between GME funding and patient mortality and a positive correlation between GME funding and resident BCE pass rates in adjusted regression models. The findings also suggest that hospitals that receive more GME funding are not more financially stable.
Noninvasive assessment of myocardial energy metabolism and dynamics using in vivo deuterium MRS imaging.

Purpose The assessment of cellular energy metabolism is crucial for understanding myocardial physiopathology. Here, we conducted a pilot study to develop an alternative imaging approach for the assessment of myocardial energy metabolism. Methods We developed a deuterium MRSI method to noninvasively monitor the accumulation of deuterated downstream metabolites and deuterated water in rat hearts infused with deuterated glucose or acetate substrate on a 16.4 Tesla animal scanner. Results We found that the deuterated water accumulation rate and isotopic turnover rate of deuterated glutamate/glutamine via the tricarboxylic acid cycle and exchange in rat hearts were much higher when infused with acetate compared to that with glucose, demonstrating the myocardium substrate preference for acetate over glucose. Conclusion We demonstrated the feasibility of deuterium MRSI for noninvasive imaging and assessment of myocardial energy metabolism in vivo. Although the strong signal and large dynamics of myocardial deuterated water may provide a sensitive imaging biomarker, quantifying the metabolic rates still poses a challenge due to the confounding effects of blood recirculation, perfusion, and multiple deuterated water production pathways. In contrast, the deuterated glutamate/glutamine signal and change should directly reflect the metabolic activity of the myocardial tricarboxylic acid cycle, which can be used to study the metabolic shift in substance preference between acetate and glucose in the diseased state. Deuterium MRSI is noninvasive and robust and may have the potential to assess myocardial energy metabolism in human patients.