cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Developing Duplex Ultrasound Criteria for Diagnosis of Arteriovenous Fistula Stenosis

Background The purpose of this study was to determine the best color-flow duplex ultrasound (US) criteria for the detection of significant stenoses in arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) by comparing US with the angiographic gold standard. Methods Included in this retrospective study were all patients who had both US scans and angiograms of their AVFs performed from December 2008 to July 2015. Comparisons were made between the preoperative US peak systolic velocity (PSV) measurements and the angiographic images looking at the percent diameter reduction in the stenosis. The PSV ratio between the area of stenosis and the normal segment on the inflow side of the stenosis (systolic velocity ratio [SVR]) was also compared with the angiograms. Sensitivity and positive predictive values (PPV) with 95% confidence intervals were calculated. Results This study included 780 cases of stenotic accesses (47 brachiobasilic, 361 brachiocephalic, and 372 radiocephalic). PSVs of ≥500 cm/s predicted a 50% or greater stenosis with a sensitivity of 89% (95% confidence interval 87–91) and PPV of 99% (99–100). At lower PSVs, sensitivity and PPV remained high; however, there were an increased number of false positive cases compared with those at 500 cm/sec or greater. The SVR was unreliable in predicting the degree of stenosis in AVF. Conclusion PSVs of ≥500 cm/sec are generally reliable in predicting stenosis of 50% or greater in AVFs.
The mutual diffusion coefficients of Na2SO4−H2O and MgSO4−H2O at 25°C from Rayleigh interferometry

The volume-fixed mutual diffusion coefficients of Na2SO4−H2O and MgSO4−H2O have been measured, from dilute solutions to near saturation, to an accuracy of 0.1–0.2% by free-diffusion Rayleigh interferometry. These results are compared to other available diffusion data for these salts. The diffusion coefficients of Na2SO4−H2O and MgSO4−H2O decrease regularly with increasing concentration, while those of many other salts exhibit both a maximum and a minimum as a function of concentration. A few diffusion coefficients have also been measured for KCl−H2O.
Mass Flowering Crops as a Conservation Resource for Wild Pollinators (Hymenoptera: Apoidea)

ABSTRACT: Habitat management within agroecosystems can conserve wild pollinator communities by providing nesting and floral resources. However, demarcating arable land for conservation may reduce farm income. A conciliatory habitat management plan thus consists of planting harvestable commodities which offer pollinator resources. This study’s goal was to determine whether a single species annual flowering crop could support an abundant and diverse wild pollinator community despite its own uniformity. Local bee communities were sampled using pan traps and hand collection within sixty 10 m2 plots of a sunflower, Helianthus annuus L., field and thirty 10 m2 plots within a meadow three times throughout August, 2012. In total, 2316 bees were collected with Bombus impatiens Cresson constituting 81.5% of sampled bees. Examined collectively, hand collections yielded significantly higher bee abundances in the sunflower field (P < 0.01) across every sampling date. Conversely, an equivalent number of pan-trapped be...
Cramer–Rao Bound for Frequency Estimation of Spectral Interference and Its Shot Noise-Limited Behavior

Interference frequency estimation is essential in spectral-domain interferometric sensing and imaging, and its performance determines system sensitivity. To date, an objective and practical criterion is still absent for the proper evaluation of fundamental sensitivity limit in a given system. Here, we report the derivation of Cramer–Rao bound (CRB) for unbiased estimators of spectral interference frequency, which imposes a theoretical limit on measurement sensitivity. Results based on a shot noise-limited model are presented. A more complete model, including dark and read noises, is also discussed and its approximate CRB is obtained. Poisson statistics were used in both cases. Asymptotic behaviors and simplified forms of CRB are studied for fringe visibility approaching 0 or 1. Further, we show that the current Fourier transform-based estimation algorithm achieves CRB only for low visibility, but is inferior by as much as $\sqrt 2 $ times for high visibility. This performance gap may potentially permit a sensitivity gain if better algorithms can be devised. Finally, we introduce a practical means to accurately estimate CRB from experimentally acquired spectral data. The results are verified in both simulation and experiments. Although spectral interference is discussed here, the same derivation can be applied to spatial or temporal interference as well, provided they can be similarly modelled.
Interstage Survival for Patients with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome After ECMO.

There is a reported 5–20 % incidence of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) following stage I palliation for hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). This study compares the interstage mortality of HLHS patients supported with ECMO (HLHS-ECMO) to those who were not supported with ECMO (HLHS-nECMO) using the National Pediatric Cardiology Quality Improvement Initiative database. Patients with HLHS who survived to hospital discharge after stage I palliation were analyzed. HLHS-ECMO patients were compared to HLHS-non-ECMO patients with respect to demographics, surgical variables, and interstage survival. A total of 931 patients were identified in the database. Sixty-six (7.1 %) patients were supported with ECMO during their stage I palliation admission. There were no statistically significant differences between the groups with respect to demographics or anatomic subtype. HLHS-ECMO patients were more likely to have a preoperative risk factor identified (62 vs. 48 %, p = 0.03) or require ECMO prior to stage I palliation (3 vs. 0.5 %, p = 0.03). HLHS-ECMO patients had a significantly higher incidence of death or transplant versus the HLHS-nECMO group (18 vs. 9 %, p = 0.03). Despite survival to discharge, patients with HLHS requiring ECMO after their palliation continue to have an increased risk of death/cardiac transplant versus patients that do not require ECMO. ECMO use is likely a marker for a high-risk patient group. These patients may benefit from closer follow-up during the interstage period.
Studies of Introital Colonization in Women with Recurrent Urinary Infections. II. A Comparison of Growth in Normal Vaginal Fluid of Common versus Uncommon Serogroups of Escherichia Coli

AbstractVaginal fluid collected from volunteers who denied a history of urinary infections was bactericidal to Escherichia coli at pH 4.0. When the pH was increased to 6.5 with sodium hydroxide, the same vaginal fluids supported bacterial growth. If vaginal fluid was adjusted at pH increments between 4.0 and 5.0, and inoculated with common and uncommon serogroups of Escherichia coli, the uncommon 0-groups that never cause urinary infections were significantly (p less than 0.005) more inhibited by the lower vaginal pH than were the common 0-groups of Escherichia coli.
Using Mobile Sensing to Test Clinical Models of Depression, Social Anxiety, State Affect, and Social Isolation Among College Students

Background: Research in psychology demonstrates a strong link between state affect (moment-to-moment experiences of positive or negative emotionality) and trait affect (eg, relatively enduring depression and social anxiety symptoms), and a tendency to withdraw (eg, spending time at home). However, existing work is based almost exclusively on static, self-reported descriptions of emotions and behavior that limit generalizability. Despite adoption of increasingly sophisticated research designs and technology (eg, mobile sensing using a global positioning system [GPS]), little research has integrated these seemingly disparate forms of data to improve understanding of how emotional experiences in everyday life are associated with time spent at home, and whether this is influenced by depression or social anxiety symptoms. Objective: We hypothesized that more time spent at home would be associated with more negative and less positive affect. Methods: We recruited 72 undergraduate participants from a southeast university in the United States. We assessed depression and social anxiety symptoms using self-report instruments at baseline. An app (Sensus) installed on participants’ personal mobile phones repeatedly collected in situ self-reported state affect and GPS location data for up to 2 weeks. Time spent at home was a proxy for social isolation. Results: We tested separate models examining the relations between state affect and time spent at home, with levels of depression and social anxiety as moderators. Models differed only in the temporal links examined. One model focused on associations between changes in affect and time spent at home within short, 4-hour time windows. The other 3 models focused on associations between mean-level affect within a day and time spent at home (1) the same day, (2) the following day, and (3) the previous day. Overall, we obtained many of the expected main effects (although there were some null effects), in which higher social anxiety was associated with more time or greater likelihood of spending time at home, and more negative or less positive affect was linked to longer homestay. Interactions indicated that, among individuals higher in social anxiety, higher negative affect and lower positive affect within a day was associated with greater likelihood of spending time at home the following day. Conclusions: Results demonstrate the feasibility and utility of modeling the relationship between affect and homestay using fine-grained GPS data. Although these findings must be replicated in a larger study and with clinical samples, they suggest that integrating repeated state affect assessments in situ with continuous GPS data can increase understanding of how actual homestay is related to affect in everyday life and to symptoms of anxiety and depression. [J Med Internet Res 2017;19(3):e62]
Lumbar Spine Imaging: Myelography

Myelography previously served as the primary diagnostic imaging evaluation and gold standard for disc herniations and spinal stenosis, but has now been replaced by the advent of MRI and CT imaging;
The Properties of Deep-Sea Piezophilic Bacteria and Their Possible Uses in Biotechnology

Bacteria inhabit virtually all of Earth’s high pressure oceanic environments. The deep oceanic habitats are at pressures as high as ~109 MPa and at temperatures between -0.5 and ~113°C. The study of bacteria from these environments gives an idea of how pressure, p, and temperature, T, as coordinate variables affect bacterial adaptation and evolution. The comparison of the growth kinetics of bacteria from the cold deep sea (2°C), from the abyssal Sulu Sea (9.8 °c), and from the abyssal Mediterranean Sea (13.5 °c) shows the interplay of habitat temperature and pressure to set the response of an organism. The traditional definition of barophily is profitably replaced with one of piezophily which is operationally defined with the aid of a plot of the growth rate constant, k, as a function of T and p. Such a plot, called a pTk diagram, also provides quantitative relationships between growth characteristics of an organism and its habitat. The relationships, furthermore, allow for an otherwise difficult comparison of organisms from different pT habitats. These diagrams may also help in the selection of bacteria with properties appropriate for particular biotechnological applications.
Chronic Locked Anterior and Posterior Dislocations

Dislocation of the glenohumeral joint is a painful injury that requires immediate management. Failure to relocate the joint in a timely fashion usually results in significant destruction of the bone and cartilage of the joint, as well as severe contracture and scar formation in the soft tissues. The incidence of chronic dislocation is unknown, with most reports in the literature citing a limited number of cases. The management of these injuries may vary considerably based on the severity of the destruction. Management options include open relocation with restoration of bone, ligament and tendon, hemiarthroplasty with glenoid bone graft and reverse shoulder replacement. Results are limited and complication rates high regardless of method chosen.
FTC and Apple Sue Qualcomm for Cell Phone Standardization Skullduggery: Part 1

This column, the first in a multipart series, discusses the FTC's accusations of standardization skullduggery against Qualcomm.
Regulatory controls for direct-to-consumer genetic tests: a case study on how the FDA exercised its authority

In February 2015, 23andMe received clearance from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a carrier status test for a gene linked to Bloom syndrome. This was the first FDA authorization to market a direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic test. Then, in April 2017, 23andMe obtained marketing clearance for an additional 10 tests that communicate information about individual disease risk. For roughly a decade it had been unclear whether FDA would regulate health-related DTC genetic tests. The recent approvals now provide an opportunity to examine how the Agency, in practice, has exercised its regulatory authority. This paper is the first case study to examine in detail how FDA has set standards for the marketing approval of DTC genetic tests.
Evolving Concepts in Life Cycle Analyses

Many environmental professionals, policy scientists, and government representatives are widely familiar with the concept of life cycle analysis (LCA). Most individuals know of the existence of the basic LCA concept of cradle-to-grave concerns and appreciate some of the common applications (such as paper versus plastic, aluminum versus tin versus plastic, etc). To some extent the history of life cycle analysis, stretching over thirty years in Europe and twenty five years in the U.S., gives it a mature characteristic as an environmental technique.
Durable solutions and potential protraction: the syrian refugee case

This paper presents a model of refugee movement at the nation-state level and how it captures the protraction of forced migration of refugees. The model provides a high-level abstraction based on the United Nations' proposed durable solutions to refugee crises: repatriation to home country, integration to host country, or resettlement to another country. Dynamics were captured from an existing protracted situation of a Congolese refugee camp in Rwanda. We apply the model to the case of Syrian refugees in Turkey to provide a baseline and preliminary validation. The goal of the study is to construct simulation artifacts that facilitate the discussion about refugees and the identification of challenges of implementing durable solutions. Further, the study provides the basis to explore potential new solutions that theoretically may overcome current limitations of existing solutions to prolonged status as a refugee.
Spirituality and religiosity of non-directed (altruistic) living kidney donors

Author(s): Maghen, Ariella; Vargas, Grecia B; Connor, Sarah E; Nassiri, Sima; Hicks, Elisabeth M; Kwan, Lorna; Waterman, Amy D; Maliski, Sally L; Veale, Jeffrey L | Abstract: Aims and objectivesTo describe the spirituality and religiosity of 30 non-directed (altruistic) living kidney donors in the USA and explore how they may have affected their motivations to donate and donation process experiences.BackgroundThe rise in non-directed donors and their ability to initiate kidney chains offer a novel approach to help alleviate the overextended kidney transplant wait list in the USA. However, little is known about the non-directed donors' motivations, characteristics and experiences.DesignWe conducted a qualitative-dominant study and used a grounded theory approach to analyse data.MethodsThirty participants completed in-depth interviews between April 2013-April 2015. Three analysts independently read and coded interview transcripts. Grounded theory techniques were used to develop descriptive categories and identify topics related to the non-directed donors donation experience.ResultsSixteen of the 30 non-directed donorss discussed the topic of spirituality and religiosity when describing their donation experiences, regardless of whether they were actively practising a religion at the time of donation. Specifically, three themes were identified within spirituality and religiosity: motivation to donate, support in the process, and justification of their donation decisions postdonation.ConclusionsFindings from this study are the first to describe how spirituality and religiosity influenced the experiences of U.S. non-directed donorss and may help improve non-directed donors educational resources for future spiritual or religious non-directed donors, and the overall non-directed donors donation experience in efforts to increase the living donor pool.Relevance to clinical practiceSpirituality and religiosity are often overlooked yet potentially influential factors in Western medicine, as demonstrated through the experiences of Jehovah's Witnesses and their religious restrictions while undergoing surgery and the beliefs of Christian Scientists against taking medications and receiving medical procedures. Understanding needs of non-directed donors specifically with spirituality and religiosity can better position kidney transplant centres and teams to improve predonation screening of non-directed donor candidates and provide support services during the donation process.
Reliability and relationship of the fear-avoidance beliefs questionnaire with the shoulder pain and disability index and numeric pain rating scale in patients with shoulder pain.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine: 1) the test–retest reliability of Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire (FABQ) Work (FABQW) subscale, FABQ Physical Activity (FABQPA) subscale, S...
DNA methylation in the APOE genomic region is associated with cognitive function in African Americans

Genetic variations in apolipoprotein E (APOE) and proximal genes (PVRL2, TOMM40, and APOC1) are associated with cognitive function and dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s disease. Epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation play a central role in the regulation of gene expression. Recent studies have found evidence that DNA methylation may contribute to the pathogenesis of dementia, but its association with cognitive function in populations without dementia remains unclear. We assessed DNA methylation levels of 48 CpG sites in the APOE genomic region in peripheral blood leukocytes collected from 289 African Americans (mean age = 67 years) from the Genetic Epidemiology Network of Arteriopathy (GENOA) study. Using linear regression, we examined the relationship between methylation in the APOE genomic region and multiple cognitive measures including learning, memory, processing speed, concentration, language and global cognitive function. We identified eight CpG sites in three genes (PVRL2, TOMM40, and APOE) that showed an inverse association between methylation level and delayed recall, a measure of memory, after adjusting for age and sex (False Discovery Rate q-value < 0.1). All eight CpGs are located in either CpG islands (CGIs) or CGI shelves, and six of them are in promoter regions. Education and APOE e4 carrier status significantly modified the effect of methylation in cg08583001 (PVRL2) and cg22024783 (TOMM40), respectively. Together, methylation of the eight CpGs explained an additional 8.7% of the variance in delayed recall, after adjustment for age, sex, education, and APOE e4 carrier status. Methylation was not significantly associated with any other cognitive measures. Our results suggest that methylation levels at multiple CpGs in the APOE genomic region are inversely associated with delayed recall during normal cognitive aging, even after accounting for known genetic predictors for cognition. Our findings highlight the important role of epigenetic mechanisms in influencing cognitive performance, and suggest that changes in blood methylation may be an early indicator of individuals at risk for dementia as well as potential targets for intervention in asymptomatic populations.
Schizophrenia: vulnerability versus disease.

One of the most important trends in the treatment of schizophrenia involves its early diagnosis and intervention. The ultimate goal of research is the prevention of the disorder, A major impediment to the development of prevention strategies, however, is that we do not yet know what the liability for schizophrenia is before the onset of psychosis. Consequently, early treatment attempts are focused on the “prodrome,” which involves the early symptoms of psychosis. In a companion paper, we recently suggested that prevention work should focus not only on the prodrome, but also on “schizotaxia,” which is a clinically meaningful condition that may reflect the vulnerability to schizophrenia in the absence of psychosis. Because schizotaxia can be assessed prior to the prodrome, studies of schizotaxia might lead to more effective prevention programs. We continue the characterization of schizotaxia in this paper by focusing on the etiological roots of schizotaxia, plus its likely neurodevelopmental course, clinical expression, and treatment. Finally, the importance of including neurobiological variables in the conceptualization and eventual diagnosis of schizotaxia is reviewed.
Polymer conjugation reduces deferoxamine induced retinopathy in an albino rat model.

Purpose The iron chelating agent deferoxamine mesylate USP (Desferal, Ciba, Summit, NJ) is commonly used in the treatment of acute iron intoxication and chronic iron overload (associated with the transfusion-dependent anemias). When used for prolonged periods of time or in high doses deferoxamine is attended by a range of ocular toxicities. The visual symptoms associated with deferoxamine administration often limit effective iron chelation therapy and can result in permanent vision loss. Deferoxamine has recently been conjugated to certain high molecular weight biocompatible polymers without altering its iron-binding properties. Here the effect of conjugation of deferoxamine to hydroxyethyl starch on retinal toxicity is examined. Methods An albino rat model of electroretinographically determined, deferoxamine-induced retinal toxicity has been previously described. We use this model to evaluate and compare both native deferoxamine and hydroxyethyl starch conjugated deferoxamine. Results Our data show that retinal function, as assessed by the electroretinogram b-wave, is significantly depressed 1 day after a single dose of native deferoxamine, while the b-waves of rats receiving a single dose of hydroxyethyl starch-deferoxamine, are not significantly depressed at any time during the study. In addition, the administered dose of hydroxyethyl starch-deferoxamine resulted in plasma deferoxamine concentrations up to five times greater than those achieved with native deferoxamine. Conclusion These results suggest that hydroxyethyl starch conjugated deferoxamine is associated with less retinal toxicity than native deferoxamine and that it may be a safer alternative for iron chelation therapy.
Internationale Diffusion von Innovationen

Wachsender Wettbewerb in gesattigten Markten in Kombination mit einem sich immer schneller vollziehenden Bedurfniswandel rucken die Innovationspolitik immer mehr in den Mittelpunkt unternehmerischen Handelns. Allerdings bedingt nicht jede Neuheit zwingend Markterfolg. Die Moglichkeit, Ausbreitungsverlaufe von Innovationen prognostizieren und erklaren zu konnen, ist fur Unternehmen entsprechend von hohem Interesse.
Corrosion of metal fasteners embedded in acetylated and untreated wood at different moisture contents

Acetylated wood is now commercially available and designed to be used in certain outdoor applications as an alternative to preservative-treated wood. Fastener corrosion can be a concern in preserva...
Donald Trump as Authoritarian Populist: A Frommian Analysis

In this article, the author discusses in detail how Erich Fromm’s categories can help describe Trump’s character, or ‘temperament’, a word used to characterize a major flaw in Trump during the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign and his rule as president. In The Anatomy of Human Destructiveness (1973), Fromm engages in a detailed analysis of the authoritarian character as sadistic, excessively narcissistic, malignantly aggressive, vengeably destructive, and necrophiliac, personality traits arguably applicable to Trump. In the following analysis, the author systematically deploys key Frommian socio-psychoanalytic categories to Trump and his followers to show how they can illuminate Trump and authoritarian populism. Kellner argues that while Trump does not have a full-fledged fascist ideology, or fascist party apparatus, he possesses an authoritarian personality and has a mass authoritarian movement that represents a form of rightwing populism. This analysis illustrates the continuing relevance of the Frankfurt school analysis of the authoritarian personality and Erich Fromm’s work in analyzing authoritarian personalities and movements.
Fenestrated-branched endovascular aortic repair in patients with chronic kidney disease

Abstract Objective Renal function impairment is a common complication after open repair of complex abdominal aortic aneurysms and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (TAAAs). The purpose of this study was to assess renal perioperative outcomes and renal function deterioration after fenestrated-branched endovascular aneurysm repair (F/BEVAR) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Methods The study included 186 patients who underwent F/BEVAR between 2013 and 2018 for suprarenal, juxtarenal, and type I to type IV TAAAs. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was calculated using the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) study equation. Postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) and CKD were defined using RIFLE criteria (Risk, Injury, Failure, Loss, and End-stage renal disease) and CKD staging system (stage ≥3, GFR Results CKD was present in 83 patients (44.6%). Postoperative AKI was diagnosed in 27 patients (14.5%); 13 (48.1%) had history of CKD and 14 (51.9%) had adequate renal function preoperatively (P = .8). None of these patients required permanent renal replacement therapy. Intraoperative technical success was 100%. Overall 30-day mortality was 1.1%. There was no difference in 30-day mortality in patients with (1.2%) and without (1.0%) CKD (P = .5). During a median follow-up time of 12 months (interquartile range, 6-23 months), renal decline was observed in 21 patients (25.3%) with previous CKD and in 11 patients (10.6%) without CKD (P = .01). Among patients with previous CKD, 18 patients (9%) progressed from stage 3 CKD to stage 4. In patients with progression in CKD stage, two (5%) had renal stent stenosis requiring restenting. Among patients with renal decline, 13 had juxtarenal aneurysms (21.3%), 27 had suprarenal aneurysms (44.3%), and 21 had TAAAs (34.3%; P = .4). Subset analysis of patients who developed AKI in the immediate postoperative period found that patients with a history of CKD were less likely to experience freedom from renal decline. Conclusions F/BEVAR is an effective and safe procedure for patients with complex abdominal aortic aneurysms and TAAAs, even among patients with CKD. The frequency of AKI was not affected by pre-existing CKD. Midterm outcomes demonstrated that progression of CKD was more frequent among patients with pre-existing CKD, but permanent renal replacement therapy was not required. Anatomic extent of aneurysms did not affect CKD progression. CKD patients are susceptible to renal decline over time if they experience AKI in the postoperative period. Therefore, preventing AKI in the postoperative period should be regarded as a priority. Long-term effects of CKD after F/BEVAR remain to be elucidated.
Human Norovirus: Experimental Models of Infection

Human noroviruses (HuNoVs) are a leading cause of acute gastroenteritis worldwide. HuNoV infections lead to substantial societal and economic burdens. There are currently no licensed vaccines or therapeutics for the prevention or treatment of HuNoVs. A lack of well-characterized in vitro and in vivo infection models has limited the development of HuNoV countermeasures. Experimental infection of human volunteers and the use of related viruses such as murine NoV have provided helpful insights into HuNoV biology and vaccine and therapeutic development. There remains a need for robust animal models and reverse genetic systems to further HuNoV research. This review summarizes available HuNoV animal models and reverse genetic systems, while providing insight into their usefulness for vaccine and therapeutic development.
Indoor Wireless Localization Using Consumer-Grade 60 GHz Equipment with Machine Learning for Intelligent Material Handling

Wireless indoor localization is critical for autonomous agents in modern and future smart warehouses. Millimeter-wave (mmWave) frequencies have been investigated for high-precision localization in recent years for indoor as well as outdoor positioning. We propose machine learning (ML) techniques over a radio map to estimate the location of an autonomous material handling agent used in warehouses. Based on our experimental results we demonstrate that a Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) based positioning achieves centimeter level accuracy with Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 0.84m. The proposed localization technique achieves up to 80% lower positioning error compared to state-of-the-art mmWave wireless localization techniques.
State Dependency and the Limits of Middle Class Support for Democracy

Scholars have long viewed the middle class as an agent of democratization. This article provides the first rigorous cross-national analysis of middle class regime preferences, systematically invest...
Social dynamics of a population-level dashboard for antimicrobial stewardship: A qualitative analysis.

Objective To evaluate antimicrobial stewards’ experiences of using a dashboard display integrating local and national antibiotic use data implemented in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). This paper reports early formative evaluation. Design Qualitative interviewing. Setting Eight VA hospitals participated with established antimicrobial stewardship (AS) programs participated in the pilot. Participants Six infectious disease physicians and eight clinical pharmacists agreed to be interviewed (n = 14). Methods A 3-part qualitative interview script was used involving a description of local stewardship activities, a Critical Incident description of dashboard use, and general questions regarding attitudes towards the tool. An inductive open coding approach was used for analysis. Results We found 4 themes showing the complexities of using stewardship tools: (1) Data validity is socially negotiated; (2) Performance feedback motivates and persuades social goals when situated in an empirical distribution; (3) Shared problem awareness is aided by authoritative data; and (4) The AS dashboard encourages connections with local quality improvement culture. Conclusions Social dimensions of AS tool use emerged as distinct from, and equally important as decision support provided by the dashboard. Successful stewardship tools should be designed to support both the social and cognitive needs of users.
Exposure to heavy metals and trace minerals in first trimester and maternal blood pressure change over gestation.

Abstract Background While several heavy metals and trace minerals have been linked with hypertensive disorders during pregnancy (HDP) in women, no studies have estimated the relationship of exposure to these chemicals, both independently and as a mixture, with systolic blood pressure (SBP) or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) over gestation. Objectives We examined individual and joint effects of 1st trimester chemicals with SBP and DBP over gestation, and whether those chemicals were associated with HDP. Methods We used data from 1832 non-obese pregnant women with low-risk antenatal profiles from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Fetal Growth Studies - Singleton cohort (2009–2013). In plasma collected from women at 8–13 weeks’ gestation (baseline enrollment), we measured heavy metals, barium (Ba), cesium (Cs), antimony (Sb), as well as trace minerals, cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), molybdenum (Mo), selenium (Se), and zinc (Zn). We obtained BP at baseline and throughout gestation until delivery and diagnosis of HDP from medical records. We used Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR) as well as traditional linear and logistic regressions to examine the cross-sectional associations of chemicals with baseline BP and HDP. We used linear mixed effect regression to examine longitudinal associations between chemicals and rate of weekly change in BP in each trimester. We adjusted for sociodemographic and lifestyle factors and pre-pregnancy body mass index in all models. Results BKMR revealed that comparing the entire chemical mixture at the 90th percentile vs. the 50th percentile was associated with a 1.61 mmHg (95% CI: 0.41, 2.81) higher SBP and a 1.09 mmHg (0.10, 2.09) higher DBP. No interactions were observed between chemicals. Accounting for chemical co-exposure in BKMR, each interquartile range (IQR) increment in Cu was associated with a 0.67 mmHg (0.02, 1.32) higher SBP and a 0.60 mmHg (0.08, 1.12) higher DBP at baseline; each IQR increment in Se was associated with a 0.67 mmHg (0.05, 1.29) higher SBP but not DBP. In longitudinal analyses, women with higher (i.e., above median concentration) baseline Cu had a 0.09 mmHg (0.01, 0.17) and 0.06 mmHg (0.001, 0.12) larger weekly decrease in SBP and DBP in 2nd trimester, respectively. Women with higher baseline Ba had a 0.12 mmHg (0.04, 0.20) larger weekly increase in SBP in 2nd trimester, while women with higher Cs had a 0.05 mmHg (0.01, 0.10) larger weekly increase in DBP in 3rd trimester. None of the chemicals examined were significantly associated with HDP. Conclusions In this multi-ethnic cohort of women with low antenatal risk, plasma metals and trace minerals in early pregnancy, both individually and as a mixture, were statistically significantly associated with BP during gestation in small magnitude and in different directions, but not with HDP. The implications of these findings for women’s postpartum BP and future cardiovascular health remains to be investigated.
Altered cellular localisation and expression, together with unconventional protein trafficking, of prion protein, PrPC, in type 1 diabetes.

Normal cellular prion protein (PrPC) is a conserved mammalian glycoprotein found on the outer plasma membrane leaflet through a glycophosphatidylinositol anchor. Although PrPC is expressed by a wide range of tissues throughout the body, the complete repertoire of its functions has not been fully determined. The misfolded pathogenic isoform PrPSc (the scrapie form of PrP) is a causative agent of neurodegenerative prion diseases. The aim of this study is to evaluate PrPC localisation, expression and trafficking in pancreases from organ donors with and without type 1 diabetes and to infer PrPC function through studies on interacting protein partners. In order to evaluate localisation and trafficking of PrPC in the human pancreas, 12 non-diabetic, 12 type 1 diabetic and 12 autoantibody-positive organ donor tissue samples were analysed using immunofluorescence analysis. Furthermore, total RNA was isolated from 29 non-diabetic, 29 type 1 diabetic and 24 autoantibody-positive donors to estimate PrPC expression in the human pancreas. Additionally, we performed PrPC-specific immunoblot analysis on total pancreatic protein from non-diabetic and type 1 diabetic organ donors to test whether changes in PrPC mRNA levels leads to a concomitant increase in PrPC protein levels in human pancreases. In non-diabetic and type 1 diabetic pancreases (the latter displaying both insulin-positive [INS(+)] and -negative [INS(−)] islets), we found PrPC in islets co-registering with beta cells in all INS(+) islets and, strikingly, unexpected activation of PrPC in alpha cells within diabetic INS(−) islets. We found PrPC localised to the plasma membrane and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) but not the Golgi, defining two cellular pools and an unconventional protein trafficking mechanism bypassing the Golgi. We demonstrate PrPC co-registration with established protein partners, neural cell adhesion molecule 1 (NCAM1) and stress-inducible phosphoprotein 1 (STI1; encoded by STIP1) on the plasma membrane and ER, respectively, linking PrPC function with cyto-protection, signalling, differentiation and morphogenesis. We demonstrate that both PRNP (encoding PrPC) and STIP1 gene expression are dramatically altered in type 1 diabetic and autoantibody-positive pancreases. As the first study to address PrPC expression in non-diabetic and type 1 diabetic human pancreas, we provide new insights for PrPC in the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes. We evaluated the cell-type specific expression of PrPC in the human pancreas and discovered possible connections with potential interacting proteins that we speculate might address mechanisms relevant to the role of PrPC in the human pancreas.
Perspectives on Drought Preconditioning Treatments With a Case Study Using Western Larch.

As the demand for drought hardy tree seedlings rises alongside global temperatures, there is a need to optimize nursery drought preconditioning methods to improve field performance of planted seedlings. This perspective article advocates for a more holistic approach to drought preconditioning research that considers the moderating role of plant developmental stage on the effects of drought preconditioning. We identify discrepancies in past studies of root growth potential responses to drought preconditioning and highlight studies that suggest such discrepancies may result from inconsistencies among studies in the timing of drought preconditioning implementation. We then illustrate our perspective by presenting original research from an aeroponic root growth potential trial of first-year western larch (Larix occidentalis Nutt.) seedlings exposed to three soil moisture contents for six months. We evaluated whether drought preconditioning could be used to increase the ratio of root : foliar tissue mass or enhance seedling physiological vigor during a subsequent growth period. Drought preconditioning was found to increase the ratio of root : foliar tissue mass and enhance seedling physiological vigor. Specifically, soil moisture content related negatively with new root biomass, positively with new foliar biomass, and negatively with the length and number of new roots (P < 0.001). Meanwhile, the mass of lateral root production following drought preconditioning, but prior to aeroponic growth, correlated weakly to the mass, count, and length of new roots produced during aeroponic growth. We propose that evaluating the importance of the timing of drought preconditioning treatments constitutes an important research frontier in plant science.
Evaluation of a challenge-derived social life cycle assessment (S-LCA) framework

Sustainability assessments provide methodologies to assess the environmental, economic, and social impacts of products along their life cycle. The purpose of this research is to develop a social li...
2-oxypurine dehydrogenase from Micrococcus aerogenes. I. Isolation, specificity, and some chemical and physical properties.

Abstract Extracts of Micrococcus aerogenes, an anaerobe capable of fermenting purines, contain two enzymes which catalyze the oxidation of 2-oxypurine. These have been purified and separated from one another. One has the broad substrate specificity typical of xanthine dehydrogenase; the other is very specific with regard to the substrates oxidized and will only oxidize 2-oxypurine and closely related compounds. This new enzyme, 2-oxypurine dehydrogenase, catalyzes the oxidation of purines exclusively at position 6; other compounds are oxidized at the equivalent position. The following compounds, listed in order of decreasing reactivity when tested at 1 mm concentration, have been shown to serve as substrates: 2-oxypurine, 2-oxy-8-azaxanthine, 2,8-dioxypurine, 2-oxypyrimidine, and 2-oxypteridine. Compounds which are methylated at either of the nitrogen atoms adjacent to the required oxy group will neither serve as substrates nor inhibit the action of the enzyme. These and other results have been invoked to relate the activities observed with 2-oxypurine dehydrogenase to indices of chemical reactivity and to mechanisms proposed from studies of the substrate specificity of xanthine oxidase. In contrast to the marked specificity observed with electron donors, the enzyme uses a wide variety of artificial electron acceptors. However, molecular oxygen is very poorly utilized. The enzyme contains iron but not flavin or molybdenum. The protein has a visible absorption spectrum characteristic of certain non-heme iron proteins; the absorbance in the visible regions is decreased by incubation of the enzyme with 2-oxypurine. The enzyme displays cooperative saturation curves with substrates, suggesting the possibility of an allosteric response. The presence of a number of subunits in the protein is indicated by the observation that in acidic sucrose gradients the enzyme sediments at approximately one-fifth the rate found under alkaline conditions. Addition of substrate to the gradient specifically reverses the effect of an acid pH. Kinetic experiments suggest that the disaggregated enzyme is inactive but is capable of being activated by the substrate.
Governance in the Executive Suite and Board Independence

The overall independence of a firm’s governance system depends not only on the independence of its board of directors but also on CEO influence over the other top executives. We find that board independence and independence from CEO influence in the executive suite are inversely related. Difference-in-difference estimates using a regulatory shock reveal that strengthening board independence weakens executive suite independence, which is proxied by (the inverse of) the fraction of top executives appointed by a current CEO. We also find that the greater the increase in the fraction of the current CEO’s appointees in the executive suite, the lesser the improvement in monitoring CEO compensation and the lower the shareholder value enhancement in the aftermath of the regulation. These findings imply that one cannot infer overall independence based on board independence alone and that strengthening a specific governance mechanism by regulation can have undesirable spillover effects to a seemingly unrelated governing body.
ON -NONSINGULAR MODULES AND APPLICATIONS

We introduce the notion of &#x1d4a6;-nonsingularity of a module and show that the class of &#x1d4a6;-nonsingular modules properly contains the classes of nonsingular modules and of polyform modules. A necessary and sufficient condition is provided to ensure that this property is preserved under direct sums. Connections of &#x1d4a6;-nonsingular modules to their endomorphism rings are investigated. Rings for which all modules are &#x1d4a6;-nonsingular are precisely determined. Applications include a type theory decomposition for &#x1d4a6;-nonsingular extending modules and internal characterizations for &#x1d4a6;-nonsingular continuous modules which are of type I, type II, and type III, respectively.
The Role of Prior Message Context in Evaluative Judgments of High- and Low-Diversity Messages

Two studies are reported. The first explored the possibility of contrast effects in judgments of messages exhibiting high or low lexical and syntactic diversity. Listeners heard an initial message and then a subsequent message which differed in diversity level. Results indicated that contrast effects were obtained, though these effects were facilitated or inhibited by other aspects of message quality. In light of a previous negative result, the second study examined the effects of nearly immediate comparisons of messages exhibiting high or low syntactic diversity, with lexical diversity held constant. No significant main effects or interractions were obtained. This led to the inference that listeners are sensitive to variations in lexical, as opposed to syntactic, diversity.
Slow-wave phase shifter model and applications

A true time delay multi-bit MEMS phase shifter topology based on impedance-matched slow-wave CPW sections on a 500 /spl mu/m, thick quartz substrate is presented. A semi-lumped model for the unit cell is derived and used in predicting the 4-bit phase shifter performance by cascading N-sections. Experimental data for a 4.6 mm long 4-bit device shows a maximum phase error of 5.5/spl deg/ and S/sub 11/ less than -21 dB from 1-50 GHz. This multi-bit phase shifter is used in an electronically tunable TRL calibration set. It is shown via calibration comparison method that the accuracy of the tunable TRL is close to a conventional multi-line TRL calibration. A maximum error bound of 0.14 at 50 GHz is validated using a 0.3 pF capacitor on CS-5 substrate and a 100 /spl Omega/ load on GaAs substrate.
Dose‐dependent reduction of replication elongation rate by (p)ppGpp in Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis

Summary DNA replication is regulated in response to environmental constraints such as nutrient availability. While much is known about regulation of replication during initiation, little is known about regulation of replication during elongation. In the bacterium Bacillus subtilis, replication elongation is paused upon sudden amino acid starvation by the starvation-inducible nucleotide (p)ppGpp. However, in many bacteria including Escherichia coli, replication elongation is thought to be unregulated by nutritional availability. Here we reveal that the replication elongation rate in E. coli is modestly but significantly reduced upon strong amino acid starvation. This reduction requires (p)ppGpp and is exacerbated in a gppA mutant with increased pppGpp levels. Importantly, high levels of (p)ppGpp, independent of amino acid starvation, are sufficient to inhibit replication elongation even in the absence of transcription. Finally, in both E. coli and B. subtilis, (p)ppGpp inhibits replication elongation in a dose-dependent manner rather than via a switch-like mechanism, although this inhibition is much stronger in B. subtilis. This supports a model where replication elongation rates are regulated by (p)ppGpp to allow rapid and tunable response to multiple abrupt stresses in evolutionarily diverse bacteria.
The impact of surplus sharing on the portfolio mix of public sector defined benefit pension plans: a public choice approach

The riskiness of state employee pension plan portfolios varies across states. We investigate whether this variation is related to how public employees and taxpayers share actuarial surpluses of pension accounts. We focus on two determinants of a plan’s asset mix: the relative influence of public employees to taxpayers; and whether a surplus-sharing contract is specified. Our theoretical model demonstrates that the effect of public employee influence on the asset mix is ambiguous. Our empirical results corroborate this complex theoretical result. In our theoretical and empirical analyses, if a surplus sharing rule is specified, plans adopt a more aggressive investment allocation.
Decay rate and substrate quality of fine roots and foliage of two tropical tree species in the Luquillo Experimental Forest, Puerto Rico

Decomposition rates, initial chemical composition, and the relationship between initial chemistry and mass loss of fine roots and foliage were determined for two woody tropical species, Prestoea montana and Dacryodes excelsa, over a gradient of sites in two watersheds in the Luquillo Experimental Forest, Puerto Rico. At all locations, fine roots decayed significantly more slowly than foliage during the initial 6 months.
14N and 45Sc NMR study of trimetallic nitride cluster (M3N)6+ dynamics inside a icosahedral C80 cage

The dynamics of the trimetallic nitride (M3N)6+ (M = Sc, Y and Lu) clusters in the Ih-(C80)6− cage have been studied by 14N and 45Sc nuclear magnetic resonance. These NMR studies suggest that the motional barrier of (M3N)6+ is related to the cluster size and increases in the series (Sc, Y, and Lu).