cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Location, Location, Location: Five Facts about Tissue Tropism and Pathogenesis.

Infectious disease burden remains high [1]. An improved knowledge of host–microorganism interactions is key to delineating disease progression and developing new control and treatment modalities. Microorganisms may be pathogenic (able to cause disease) or non-pathogenic (unable to cause disease). Disease severity is influenced by host and pathogen factors; in particular, pathogens may express different virulence factors that modulate disease severity and progression. Within this context, the interaction of the pathogen with organ and tissue niches is especially important. Tropism refers to the ability of a given pathogen to infect a specific location. Organ or tissue tropism reflects the ability of a given pathogen to infect a specific organ or sets of organs. Some pathogens are broadly tropic, infecting all or most organs, while others are restricted to a given tissue or even to certain tissue niches. From this point of view, the ability of a pathogen to infect specific organs may vary over the course of the disease and could be active, pathogen-mediated, or passive, requiring, for example, a prior skin break or vector bite. Within tissue niches, intracellular pathogens may also preferentially infect specific organelles or intracellular sites. This article will focus on tissue tropism and its relationship to pathogenesis with examples from Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, Trypanosoma brucei protozoan parasites, and the influenza virus.
Life after death: an introduction to the criminal body in the West

This volume explores the cultural meanings of the criminal body in the West through interdisciplinary frameworks. Authors situate the criminal body at different historical junctures to examine its ...
Capture γ-Rays and Reaction Mechanism in 100Mo + N

Capture γ-ray spectra from 11 resolved resonances in Mo-100 + n have been measured at a 10 m flight path of the Oak Ridge electron linear accelerator time-of-flight facility. Contrary to neighbouring nuclei, partial radiative widths of strong p-wave resonances are not in agreement with valence model predictions.
Mechanisms and time course for the disappearance of thallium-201 defects at rest in dogs. Relation of time to peak activity to myocardial blood flow.

Abstract The kinetics of thallium (Tl)-201 in ischemic myocardium was studied with a balloon constrictor to create a fixed reduction in distal left anterior descending coronary arterial pressure in 19 dogs. After 30 to 60 minutes of partial occlusion, Tl-201 was administered intravenously. Tracer activity was monitored continuously for 4 hours in both the normal and reduced flow zones using implanted miniature cadmium telluride radiation detectors. Microsphere-determined regional myocardial blood flow, heart rate, mean arterial pressure, mean left atrial pressure, mean distal left anterior descending coronary arterial pressure and sonomicrometer-determined myocardial wall thickness did not change significantly during each study. Thallium-201 time-activity curves for the normal zones (flow 1.00 ml/min per g or more) demonstrated an initial rapid increase to 80 to 90 percent of peak, an early peak (mean 20 minutes) and then a monoexponential decrease in activity (decay constant λ = 0.0013 min−1). Thallium-201 time-activity curves for mildly and moderately ischemic zones (flow = 0.40 to 0.99 ml/min per g) demonstrated a progressive delay in the time to peak activity with progressive reductions in flow (r = 0.84). Thallium-201 time-activity curves for severely ischemic zones (flow less than 0.40 ml/min per g) demonstrated a rapid initial increase, and then no further increase in activity, probably because of cell death with a resultant decreased ability to accumulate Tl-201. When the Tl-201 activity ratio (reduced/normal flow zone) was calculated as a function of time for each dog, there was a progressive increase in this ratio over time for all dogs, although the rate of increase was slower for dogs with increasing degrees of flow reduction. This increasing ratio over time would correspond to disappearance of an initial Tl-201 resting scintiscan defect over time. The mechanism for the increasing ratio in dogs with mild or moderate flow reduction was both clearance of Tl-201 from normal zones and accumulation of Tl-201 by ischemic zones. However, the mechanism for the increasing ratio in dogs with severe flow reductions was a faster rate of Tl-201 loss from the normal compared with the reduced flow zone.
Nonlinear Change Processes During Psychotherapy Characterize Patients Who Have Made Multiple Suicide Attempts

Research suggests that multiple suicide attempters experience considerable variability in suicide ideation and longer-duration suicidal crises, which suggests the possibility of two states of stability (one low risk and one high risk). To date, however, few studies have examined nonlinear change processes in suicide ideation among patients. In a sample of 76 active duty U.S. Army soldiers receiving brief cognitive behavioral therapy for acute suicide risk, we examined differences in the ebb and flow of suicide ideation among multiple attempters, first-time attempters, and ideators. Results indicated that multiple attempters were characterized by two states of stability corresponding to low and high intensity suicide ideation; these states were separated by a region of instability corresponding to moderate intensity suicide ideation. In contrast, ideators and first-time attempters were characterized by only a single state of stability corresponding to low intensity suicide ideation. Among patients who have made multiple suicide attempts, suicide ideation may function as a bimodal rather than a continuous construct.
Modelling radicalization: how small violent fringe sects develop into large indoctrinated societies.

We model radicalization in a society consisting of two competing religious, ethnic or political groups. Each of the ‘sects’ is divided into moderate and radical factions, with intra-group transitions occurring either spontaneously or through indoctrination. We also include the possibility of one group violently attacking the other. The intra-group transition rates of one group are modelled to explicitly depend on the actions and characteristics of the other, including violent episodes, effectively coupling the dynamics of the two sects. We use a game theoretic framework and assume that radical factions may tune ‘strategic’ parameters to optimize given utility functions aimed at maximizing their ranks while minimizing the damage inflicted by their rivals. Constraints include limited overall resources that must be optimally allocated between indoctrination and external attacks on the other group. Various scenarios are considered, from symmetric sects whose behaviours mirror each other, to totally asymmetric ones where one sect may have a larger population or a superior resource availability. We discuss under what conditions sects preferentially employ indoctrination or violence, and how allowing sects to readjust their strategies allows for small, violent sects to grow into large, indoctrinated communities.
Are You What You Eat or What Your Mother Ate or Both

A high-fat high-sugar (HF-HS) diet promotes cancer development and progression. However, does the timing of diet matter? This is an important question with profound public health relevance. By exposing mice to a HF-HS diet either through feeding to a pregnant mother or nursing mother or after weaning and then chemically inducing breast cancer, the authors found the most crucial time for breast cancer risk was after weaning, while a HF-HS in utero diet actually slowed tumor development. Understanding early-life events provides valuable insight for later life events and proves it is never too early to start preventing disease. Cancer Prev Res; 10(10); 1–2. ©2017 AACR. See related article by Lambertz, p. 553-62.
Chapter 15 – Fire Refining and Casting of Anodes: Sulfur and Oxygen Removal

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the final step in pyrometallurgical processing, which is casting of thin flat anodes for electrorefining. The anodes must be strong and smooth-surfaced for efficient electrorefining; bubbles or blisters of sulfur dioxide need to be avoided. Blister formation is prevented by removing sulfur and oxygen from the smelter's molten copper by air oxidation, followed by hydrocarbon reduction. The final product of fire refining is molten copper, which is ready for casting as anodes. Most copper anodes are cast in open molds on a large rotating wheel. The cast anodes are often straightened and flattened in automated anode preparation machines. Continuous casting of anodes in Hazelett twin belt casting machines is adopted by six smelters or refineries. The machine makes anodes of uniform size, shape, and surface quality. Fire refining is carried out in rotary refining furnaces, which resemble Peirce-Smith converters in hearth furnaces. Two chemical systems are involved in fire refining: sulfur removal and oxygen removal. The universal choice for removing sulfur from copper is air. Many different hydrocarbons are used for oxygen removal, but natural gas, liquid petroleum gas, and oil are favored.
HF-free synthesis of Si/C yolk/shell anodes for lithium-ion batteries

A HF-free approach was designed for synthesizing Si@C@void@C as an anode for Li-ion batteries, in which two layers of polymers with various C yield upon calcination were chemically grown on Si particles, followed by carbonization to remove the inner polymer, leaving void spaces and coating a thin inner layer of C, while forming an exterior C shell from the outer polymer layer.
Stealth reactions driving carbon fixation

Organisms live in an interconnected dynamic web in which they make, degrade, and interconvert compounds containing carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, and sulfur. The carbon cycle involves the oxidation of organic compounds to produce CO2 by heterotrophic organisms and the incorporation (“fixation”) of CO2 from the environment into living tissue by autotrophic organisms. Heterotrophic organisms (most animals) obtain the energy for life by conserving the energy obtained by oxidizing organic molecules to CO2 in the form of reducing equivalents (electrons) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Autotrophic plants, bacteria, and archaea fix CO2 by a process in which the energy of electrons and ATP is used to produce biomolecules, such as sugars, amino acids, and lipids, thereby replenishing these essential organic molecules in the ecosystem. Cumulatively, autotrophy occurs on the huge scale of 7 × 1016 g of carbon fixed annually ( 1 ). Six CO2 fixation pathways differing in their ATP requirements are known to exist. Fixing CO2 using the least ATP possible is key for anaerobes because their metabolism generates much less ATP than does growth on oxygen. The reductive tricarboxylic acid (rTCA) cycle is one of the most evolutionarily ancient and least ATP-demanding autotrophic pathways. On pages 563 and 559 of this issue, Mall et al. ( 2 ) and Nunoura et al. ( 3 ), respectively, uncover an unexpected ATP-conserving mechanism, and Pachiadaki et al. ( 4 ) report a surprising source of reducing equivalents in the rTCA cycle.
Information Retrieval and Search Engines

Information retrieval is the process of satisfying user information needs that are expressed as textual queries. Search engines represent a Web-specific example of the information retrieval paradigm. The problem of Web search has many additional challenges, such as the collection of Web resources, the organization of these resources, and the use of hyperlinks to aid the search. Whereas traditional information retrieval only uses the content of documents to retrieve results of queries, the Web requires stronger mechanisms for quality control because of its open nature. Furthermore, Web documents contain significant meta-information and zoned text, such as title, author, or anchor text, which can be leveraged to improve retrieval accuracy.
Nanoscopic Resolution of the Glass Transition within Spatially Inhomogeneous Polymer Mixtures.

Christie, Register, and Priestley report the first direct measurement of the glass transition temperature as a function of location within a bulk nanostructured polymer material.
Evaluating glycemic control for patient-aligned care team clinical pharmacy specialists at a large Veterans Affairs medical center.

Background: Management of diabetes mellitus (DM) remains a challenge in the US, as almost half of patients with diabetes are uncontrolled with a hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) >7%. Over the last decade there has been increasing evidence supporting the integration of Clinical Pharmacy Specialists (CPSs) to multidisciplinary medical teams which have demonstrated improved glycemic control and better clinical outcomes in the primary care setting. Objectives: The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the change in HbA1c levels in patients with diabetes followed by a CPS. The secondary objectives of this study were to evaluate the percent of patients who reached American Diabetes Association (ADA) goal HbA1c (<7%) by study conclusion and evaluate documentation of hypoglycemic events in progress notes. Methods: A retrospective chart review evaluating glycemic control was conducted on patients with DM managed by a CPS at a large Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Patients with a diagnosis of Type 1 or Type 2 DM with a baseline HbA1c ≥9% and at least three CPS visits over twelve months were included in this study. Patients with cognitive impairment as documented by ICD-9 codes or with less than three CPS visits over twelve months were excluded. Results: A sample of 79 patients was identified. The mean HbA1c declined by 1.5 percentage points (from 10.6%, SD=1.4 to 9.1%, SD=1.5) after one year. No patients reached ADA goal of HbA1c <7% at study conclusion, however 23% of patients reached a less stringent goal of <8%. All CPS progress notes assessed episodes of hypoglycemia and provided education, and no hospitalizations were related to hypoglycemic events. Conclusions: Integration of a CPS into a veteran’s diabetes care was associated with improved outcomes and enhanced hypoglycemic education. Our results advance the existing literature by demonstrating a positive association between CPS intervention and improved glycemic control in a complex veteran population.
DNA methylation of imprinted genes at birth is associated with child weight status at birth, 1 year, and 3 years.

This study assessed the associations between nine differentially methylated regions (DMRs) of imprinted genes in DNA derived from umbilical cord blood leukocytes in males and females and (1) birth weight for gestational age z score, (2) weight-for-length (WFL) z score at 1 year, and (3) body mass index (BMI) z score at 3 years. We conducted multiple linear regression in n = 567 infants at birth, n = 288 children at 1 year, and n = 294 children at 3 years from the Newborn Epigenetics Study (NEST). We stratified by sex and adjusted for race/ethnicity, maternal education, maternal pre-pregnancy BMI, prenatal smoking, maternal age, gestational age, and paternal race. We also conducted analysis restricting to infants not born small for gestational age. We found an association between higher methylation of the sequences regulating paternally expressed gene 10 (PEG10) and anthropometric z scores at 1 year (β = 0.84; 95% CI = 0.34, 1.33; p = 0.001) and 3 years (β = 1.03; 95% CI = 0.37, 1.69; p value = 0.003) in males only. Higher methylation of the DMR regulating mesoderm-specific transcript (MEST) was associated with lower anthropometric z scores in females at 1 year (β = − 1.03; 95% CI − 1.60, − 0.45; p value = 0.001) and 3 years (β = − 1.11; 95% CI − 1.98, − 0.24; p value = 0.01). These associations persisted when we restricted to infants not born small for gestational age. Our data support a sex-specific association between altered methylation and weight status in early life. These methylation marks can contribute to the compendium of epigenetically regulated regions detectable at birth, influencing obesity in childhood. Larger studies are required to confirm these findings.
Comparative pathogenetic patterns in atherosclerosis.

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews some evidence that is pertinent to the understanding of the pathogenesis of the atherosclerotic lesion in the relatively small number of species that have been used commonly in the past two decades. The chapter also focuses on the mechanisms by which the artery accumulates lipid and develops sclerosis of its intima and media by means of proliferation of connective tissue cells and by excess production of connective tissue fibers in man, the nonhuman primate, the rabbit, the rat, the fowl, and the pig. The chapter also discusses evidence that supports the concept that lipid accumulates in preexisting medial cells and in proliferating and migrating medial cells, which thicken the intima. The evidence that indicates that the smooth muscle cell is capable of proliferating, migrating, and contracting is also discussed in the chapter.
Crop response to climate: ecophysiological models

To predict the possible impacts of global warming and increased CO2 on agriculture, scientists use computer-based models that attempt to quantify the best-available knowledge on plant physiology, agronomy, soil science and meteorology in order to predict how a plant will grow under specific environmental conditions. The chapter reviews the basic features of crop models with emphasis on physiological responses to temperature and CO2 and explains how models are used to predict potential impacts of climate change, including options for adaptation. The closing section reviews major issues affecting the reliability of model-based predictions. These include the need for accurate inputs, the challenges of improving the underlying physiological knowledge, and the need to improve representations of genetic variation that likely will affect adaptation to climate change.
Taurine alleviates repression of betaine-homocysteine S-methyltransferase and significantly improves the efficacy of long-term betaine treatment in a mouse model of cystathionine β-synthase-deficient homocystinuria

Classical cystathionine β-synthase-deficient homocystinuria (HCU) is a life-threatening inborn error of sulfur metabolism. Treatment for pyridoxine-nonresponsive HCU involves lowering homocysteine (Hcy) with a methionine (Met)-restricted diet and betaine supplementation. Betaine treatment efficacy diminishes significantly over time due to impairment of betaine-Hcy S-methyltransferase (BHMT) function. Little is known regarding the regulation of BHMT in HCU. Using a betaine-responsive preclinical mouse model of HCU, we observed that this condition induces a 75% repression of BHMT mRNA, protein and enzyme activity, and significant depletion of hepatic betaine levels. BHMT repression was proportional to plasma Hcy levels but was not observed in mouse models of homocystinuria due to either methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase or Met synthase deficiency. Both Met supplementation and chemically induced glutathione depletion exacerbated hepatic BHMT repression in HCU mice but not wild-type (WT) controls. Conversely, cysteine treatment normalized hepatic BHMT expression in HCU mice but had no effect in WT control animals. Taurine treatment induced BHMT expression in HCU mice by 5-fold and restored maximal lowering of Hcy levels during long-term betaine treatment with a concomitant normalization of inflammatory cytokine expression and a significantly improved coagulative phenotype. Collectively, our findings indicate that adjuvantial taurine treatment has the potential to significantly improve clinical outcomes in HCU.-Maclean, K. N., Jiang, H, Phinney, W. N., Keating, A. K., Hurt, K. J., Stabler, S. P. Taurine alleviates repression of betaine-homocysteine S-methyltransferase and significantly improves the efficacy of long-term betaine treatment in a mouse model of cystathionine β-synthase-deficient homocystinuria.
Organizational and activational androgens, lemur social play, and the ontogeny of female dominance

Abstract The role of androgens in shaping “masculine” traits in males is a core focus in behavioral endocrinology, but relatively little is known about an androgenic role in female aggression and social dominance. In mammalian models of female dominance, including the ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta), links to androgens in adulthood are variable. We studied the development of ring-tailed lemurs to address the behavioral basis and ontogenetic mechanisms of female dominance. We measured behavior and serum androgen concentrations in 24 lemurs (8 males, 16 females) from infancy to early adulthood, and assessed their ‘prenatal’ androgen milieu using serum samples obtained from their mothers during gestation. Because logistical constraints limited the frequency of infant blood sampling, we accounted for asynchrony between behavioral and postnatal hormone measurements via imputation procedures. Imputation was unnecessary for prenatal hormone measurements. The typical sex difference in androgen concentrations in young lemurs was consistent with adult conspecifics and most other mammals; however, we found no significant sex differences in rough-and-tumble play. Female (but not male) aggression increased beginning at approximately 15 months, coincident with female puberty. In our analyses relating sexually differentiated behavior to androgens, we found no relationship with activational hormones, but several significant relationships with organizational hormones. Notably, associations of prenatal androstenedione and testosterone with behavior were differentiated, both by offspring sex and by type of behavior within offspring sexes. We discuss the importance of considering (1) missing data in behavioral endocrinology research, and (2) organizational androgens other than testosterone in studies of female dominance.
Preparation of bis-Benzyne Precursor 2,5-bis(Trimethylsilyl)-1,4-Phenylene bis(Trifluoromethanesulfonate)

Benzyne precursors are rapidly becoming well-used building-blocks for organic materials.1 Our synthesis of conjugated oligoacene precursors by benzyne Diels-Alder reactions created a need for a rel...
Socioeconomic And Survival Differences Among Minorities With Hepatocellular Carcinoma In Florida

Background Disparities in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have been partly attributed to low socioeconomic status among minorities. We investigated associations between race, socioeconomic characteristics, geographic characteristics and survival in HCC patients in Florida. Methods Using the Florida Cancer Data System (FCDS), we analyzed HCC cases diagnosed between 1/1/2004 and 12/31/2013. To ascertain population-level socioeconomic characteristics, we linked FCDS to the 2010-2014 US Census American Community Survey and the 2013 Florida Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. We also estimated patient distance to liver transplant and academic cancer centers. Using Cox proportional hazards, we modeled the association between race and survival. Results Of 10,852 patients, 13.1% were Black, 67.1% White, 15.7% Hispanic, and 3.2% Asian. At diagnosis, Blacks were younger with more extensive disease, p <0.001. Transplants were performed in 9.3% of Hispanics, 7.5% of Whites, 5.8% of Asians and 4.2% of Blacks, p <0.001. Median survival was longest in Hispanics and shortest in Blacks, p<0.001 When adjusted for gender, age, payer, SEER stage, surgery type, and receipt of treatment, Blacks had a 17% increased risk of death [hazard ratio (HR) 1.17, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.07-1.29] and Whites a 9% increased risk of death [HR 1.09, 95% CI 1.02-1.17] compared to Hispanics. As a group, Hispanics lived closest to any transplant or academic cancer center, p <0.001. Neighborhood poverty level was highest where Hispanic patients lived, p <0.001. Conclusion Though socioeconomic differences may contribute to disparities, Hispanics survived longer than Blacks and Whites in Florida despite living in the most socioeconomically depressed neighborhoods. Increased access to transplant likely contributed to improved survival. Additional research is needed to identify which individual socioeconomic and geographic determinants contribute most to disparities.
Sex and Gender Differences in Esteem Support: Examining Main and Interaction Effects

ABSTRACTResearch suggests that sex and gender differences in self-esteem, emotional reactions to esteem threats, and ways of coping with esteem threats may impact the likelihood of using esteem sup...
Platelet-Rich Plasma is Equal to Saline for Patients with Patellar Tendinopathy

In this study, platelet-rich plasma injections were no better than saline injections in improving pain or activity in patients with patellar tendinopathy. It did not matter whether the plasma was leukocyte rich or leukocyte poor.
Contributions to Speech-Cue Weighting in Older Adults With Impaired Hearing

Purpose In a previous paper (Souza, Wright, Blackburn, Tatman, & Gallun, 2015), we explored the extent to which individuals with sensorineural hearing loss used different cues for speech identification when multiple cues were available. Specifically, some listeners placed the greatest weight on spectral cues (spectral shape and/or formant transition), whereas others relied on the temporal envelope. In the current study, we aimed to determine whether listeners who relied on temporal envelope did so because they were unable to discriminate the formant information at a level sufficient to use it for identification and the extent to which a brief discrimination test could predict cue weighting patterns. Method Participants were 30 older adults with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. The first task was to label synthetic speech tokens based on the combined percept of temporal envelope rise time and formant transitions. An individual profile was derived from linear discriminant analysis of the identification responses. The second task was to discriminate differences in either temporal envelope rise time or formant transitions. The third task was to discriminate spectrotemporal modulation in a nonspeech stimulus. Results All listeners were able to discriminate temporal envelope rise time at levels sufficient for the identification task. There was wide variability in the ability to discriminate formant transitions, and that ability predicted approximately one third of the variance in the identification task. There was no relationship between performance in the identification task and either amount of hearing loss or ability to discriminate nonspeech spectrotemporal modulation. Conclusions The data suggest that listeners who rely to a greater extent on temporal cues lack the ability to discriminate fine-grained spectral information. The fact that the amount of hearing loss was not associated with the cue profile underscores the need to characterize individual abilities in a more nuanced way than can be captured by the pure-tone audiogram.
When a romantic partner has a spinal cord injury: Caregiving tasks and resilience as moderators of support quality on psychosocial distress and relational closeness:

Using a sample of 312 people in a romantic relationship with a partner who has a spinal cord injury (SCI), this study examined the separate and combined effects of caregiving tasks, resilience, and...
Leveraging the Combined Predictive Value of Ultrasound and Laboratory Data to Reduce Radiation Exposure and Resource Utilization in Children with Suspected Appendicitis.

Abstract Background Previous investigation has shown that the combined predictive value of white blood cell count and ultrasound (US) findings to be superior to either alone in children with suspected appendicitis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a diagnostic clinical pathway (DCP) leveraging the combined predictive value of these tests on computed tomography (CT) utilization and resource utilization. Methods Retrospective cohort study comparing 8 mo of data before DCP implementation to 18 mo of data following implementation. The pathway incorporated decision-support for disposition (operative intervention, observation, or further cross-sectional imaging) based on the combined predictive value of laboratory and US data (stratifying patients into low, moderate, and high-risk groups). Study measures included CT and magnetic resonance imaging utilization, imaging-related cost, time to appendectomy, and negative appendectomy rate. Results Ninety-seven patients in the preintervention period were compared with 319 patients in the postintervention period. Following DCP implementation, CT utilization decreased by 86% (21% versus 3%, P Conclusions In children with suspected appendicitis, implementation of a DCP leveraging the combined predictive value of white blood cell and US data was associated with a reduction in CT utilization, time to appendectomy, and imaging-related cost.
Erratum to “Mitigation of Subsynchronous Resonance Induced by a Type III Wind System”

There was a typo in the name of the primary author in the above named paper. It should have appeared as Hooman Ghaffarzadeh.
Live hospice discharge: Experiences of families, and hospice staff.

Abstract Objective To examine live hospice discharge prevalence and experiences of families and hospice staff. Hospice eligibility is based on a cancer model where decline and death are predicable. Decline is less predictable for diagnoses such as dementia, frequently resulting in involuntary live hospice discharge. Methods A mixed-method integration of hospice 2013–17 admission/discharge data, 5 family interviews, hospice discipline-specific focus groups (3 aides, 2 nurses, 1 administrator interview) and a discipline-combined focus group (all 6 staff; each staff participant engaged in two data collection experiences). Results 5648 hospice admissions occurred between 2013–17; 795 patients experienced live discharge. The most prevalent admitting diagnosis was cancer, the most prevalent live discharge diagnosis was dementia. Family caregiver themes were Attitude and experience with hospice, Discharge experience, and Continued need/desire for hospice following discharge. Staff themes were Discharge circumstances, Regulatory guidelines, and Changing practice to meet regulatory guidelines. Conclusion Involuntary live hospice discharge precludes patient-centered care due to policy constraints, especially for those with noncancer diagnoses. Families and staff noted the paradox of beneficial hospice care, yet this care resulted in ineligibility for continued hospice services. Practice Implications Transparent, patient-family-staff communication (including CNAs) facilitates hospice live discharge planning. Hospice service eligibility policy changes are needed.
MS Excel Functions and Formulae

There are many functions and formulae that can be used to make tasks simpler in MS Excel. This chapter introduces Excel functions and formulae and explains their usage. The basic Excel functions, such as Logical functions and Date and Time functions, are described in this chapter. Next, some applications of Excel functions in electrical engineering are included here. Ohm’s law and power calculation, as well as power factor problems, are addressed in MS Excel. Exercises follow the topics, and the topics are presented in a manner most suitable for easy comprehension. This is an intermediate level chapter and will ease the task of electrical engineers to carry out calculations in Excel.
Nicotine induces morphological and functional changes in astrocytes via nicotinic receptor activity

Nicotine is a highly addictive compound present in tobacco, which causes the release of dopamine in different regions of the brain. Recent studies have shown that astrocytes express nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) and mediate calcium signaling. In this study, we examine the morphological and functional adaptations of astrocytes due to nicotine exposure. Utilizing a combination of fluorescence and atomic force microscopy, we show that nicotine-treated astrocytes exhibit time-dependent remodeling in the number and length of both proximal and fine processes. Blocking nAChR activity with an antagonist completely abolishes nicotine's influence on astrocyte morphology indicating that nicotine's action is mediated by these receptors. Functional studies show that 24-hr nicotine treatment induces higher levels of calcium activity in both the cell soma and the processes with a more substantial change observed in the processes. Nicotine does not induce reactive astrocytosis even at high concentrations (10 μM) as determined by cytokine release and glial fibrillary acidic protein expression. We designed tissue clearing experiments to test whether morphological changes occur in vivo using astrocyte specific Aldh1l1-tdTomato knock in mice. We find that nicotine induces a change in the volume of astrocytes in the prefrontal cortex, CA1 of the hippocampus, and the substantia nigra. These results indicate that nicotine directly alters the functional and morphological properties of astrocytes potentially contributing to the underlying mechanism of nicotine abuse.
Nativity, Immigrant Home Countries, and Multidimensional Poverty

We offer a detailed descriptive portrait of multidimensional poverty among native- and foreign-born residents of the U.S. Examining data from the American Community Surveys for the 2008–2018 period, we consider variation in the determinants of multidimensional poverty across native- and foreign-born cohorts. We find that, even after controlling for cohort-specific variation in all determinants, the estimated probability that the typical foreign-born individual in the U.S. will be multidimensionally poor is significantly higher than that of a comparable native-born individual. We extend our analysis to estimate Multidimensional Poverty Index, headcount ratios, and average deprivation intensity values for each home country of America’s foreign-born population. Still further, we extend our analysis to consider variation in the determinants of multidimensional deprivation across groupings of immigrants’ home countries that are based on relative headcount ratio and average deprivation intensity values.
Neonatal morbidity and mortality by mode of delivery in very preterm neonates.

Background The safest mode of delivery to use for very preterm infants is an ongoing topic of debate. There are many reasons to perform a cesarean delivery in cases of extremely preterm and very preterm infants, including indication for labor, fetal distress, maternal indications, and malpresentation. Objective This study aimed to determine whether cesarean delivery is associated with a considerable improvement in neonatal morbidity. Study Design This study is a retrospective cohort study of all singleton pregnancies, delivered from 22 to 29 weeks’ gestation between 2010 and 2015, admitted for preterm labor or preterm premature rupture of membranes and excluded neonates with a delivery weight ≤500 g, multiple gestations, cases with intrauterine fetal demise, and induced terminations. The primary outcome for the study was a neonatal morbidity composite (Apgar score of 28 days), intraventricular hemorrhage, necrotizing enterocolitis, coagulopathy, discharged on home ventilator support, or discharged with enteric feeding tube). Cesarean deliveries were performed for standard obstetrical indications. Regression models were used and adjusted for nulliparity, delivery year, and presentation at the time of delivery to determine whether cesarean delivery is associated with neonatal morbidity or neonatal death. Results There were 271 eligible deliveries, which included 128 cesarean deliveries and 143 vaginal deliveries. The cesarean delivery group had fewer nulliparous patients and more fetuses presenting in breech position at the time of delivery. The overall composite neonatal morbidity occurred in 202 of the 271 (74.5%) deliveries and mortality occurred in 26 of the 271 (9.59%) deliveries. When adjusting for nulliparity, delivery year, and fetal presentation at the time of delivery, cesarean delivery was associated with a decreased risk for death in the delivery room or within 24 hours after delivery (adjusted risk ratio, 0.18; 95% confidence interval, 0.05–0.63; P=.03). Cesarean delivery was associated with an increased use of exogenous surfactant (adjusted risk ratio, 1.20; 95% confidence interval, 1.05–1.38; P=.01) and bag mask ventilation (adjusted risk ratio, 1.17; 95% confidence interval, 1.01–1.37; P=.03). In a secondary analysis that included only patients who received a complete course of steroids, there were no differences in the composite morbidity or mortality. Conclusion Cesarean delivery performed for standard obstetrical indications in cases of very preterm neonates is associated with a decreased risk for death in the delivery room or within 24 hours of delivery but is not associated with an improvement in the overall morbidity or mortality.
A two-fluid arrangement with bounded van der Waals body forces. Part 1. The Young-Laplace equilibria. Differences from comparable gravity systems

We study a conceivable two-fluid system with a layer of one fluid between a solid support and a semi-infinite layer of the other fluid in which the molecular van der Waals (vdW) forces act like gravity in well-studied cases with similar spatial arrangements. The solid support consists of two layers so that vdW forces are, similar to the gravity systems (GS), finite at the solid–fluid interface. In this Part 1, we focus on the Young–Laplace (YL) equilibrium drops of the “light” liquid with a zero angle between the solid–fluid and fluid–fluid interfaces and compare them with the YL drops in the analogous GS. We point out that there is essentially just a single GS, in contrast to a continuum of vdW systems corresponding to different values of a dimensionless Hamaker constant (DHC). We find that when the latter is above a certain threshold value, the YL drop volume cannot exceed a certain terminal value, just as it is known to be the case for GS. In contrast, in vdW systems with the smaller DHC, the YL drops may have arbitrarily large volumes, which is a major difference from GS. We introduce a certain “non-classical particle” kinetic energy and a corresponding generalized phase plane. These “energy” considerations predict interfaces with vertical tangents, which are in an excellent agreement with equilibrium drop interfaces found by numerical continuation methods. For small DHC, numerical simulations on a neutral-wave-long interval confirm the lubrication-approximation evolutions from initially flat films toward the—perpetually approached—equilibrium YL drops of the same volume. We point out that the evolution for larger DHC may be approached by the boundary integral methods suitable for the Stokes flows, which we will further investigate in the future Part 2 of this work.
Mindset and team communication in pharmacists: Examination of pharmacist's self-views.

Abstract Objectives Pharmacists provide care in a complex adaptive system, which requires action and teamwork to address unexpected outcomes. We assessed practicing pharmacists’ self-views of growth mindset and team communication across multiple practice settings. Design The validated Growth Mindset and Team Communication (GMTC) tool, a multicomponent quantitative and qualitative survey instrument was used to conduct a descriptive study of pharmacist self views. Setting and participants Survey instrument was distributed electronically to all licensed North Carolina pharmacists. Outcome Measures The survey consisted of 4 sections: (1) growth mindset self-evaluation (14 questions), (2) team communication self-evaluation (13 questions), (3) description of previous teamwork experience (1 question), and (4) demographics (8 questions). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and responses to the open-ended question were assessed using qualitative content analysis. Results A total of 507 pharmacists participated in the survey. Participants reported primary practice settings, 42.1% in community, 38.9% in health system, and 17.3% in other settings, and 52.1% reported more than 20 years’ total pharmacy experience. The total GMTC scale average score was 81.9 ± 7.9 out of 108 possible points. The growth mindset subscale indicated an overall average score of 43.5 ± 4.4 out of 56 possible points The team communication subscale indicated an overall average score of 38.3 ± 5.2 out of 52 possible points. The self-view of a growth mindset was not affected by years of pharmacy experience or primary practice site, but additional teamwork credentials were positively correlated with the overall GMTC score driven by the team communication subscale. Conclusions A growth mindset is prevalent among experienced pharmacists from multiple practice settings. Pharmacists recognize teamwork as an essential work element and rate their team communication skills highly.
Observation of rectified forces in a three level cascade system

Rectified dipole forces1 offer the possibility of providing deep potential wells for neutral atoms. In the intense standing wave, a two-level atom can experience a large dipole force due to the large intensity gradient. However, this force changes sign on the optical wavelength scale, preventing the formation of deep potential wells. If a second, nearly commensurate, standing wave is added, its ac Stark shift causes the effective detuning of the first field to vary on the optical wavelength scale. The resulting change in sign of the detuning can counteract the change in sign of the intensity gradient, causing the force to maintain its sign over many wavelengths (i.e., the force becomes rectified), thereby forming a deep potential well. This rectified force is periodic with the beat wavelength between the two laser fields. In a three-level atom the same basic mechanism applies, but with the advantage that the two frequencies of the bichromatic standing wave can now be tuned dose to resonance with the two transitions of the atom.
Abstract 271: Rising rates of acute lymphocytic leukemia in Hispanic children: A review of trends in childhood leukemia incidence from 1973-2010

Background: Childhood leukemia is the most common cancer in children under 20 years of age in the United States, and incidence rates have increased over the last few decades. The incidence rate for all childhood leukemia is higher among Hispanic children [2006-2010 age-adjusted incidence rate (AAIR)= 5.71; 95%CI: 5.47, 5.97] than among non-Hispanic White children (2006-2010 AAIR=3.95; 95%CI: 3.81, 4.09). This analysis aims to describe secular trends from 1992-2010 in the incidence of childhood leukemia, independently for Hispanic and non-Hispanic children. Methods: Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) data were used to evaluate trends in the incidence of childhood leukemia diagnosed in children less than 20 years of age between 1992-2010 by ethnicity. Trends among Hispanic and non-Hispanic children were examined overall and by age, gender, and histologic subtype. AAIRs, annual percent change (APC) estimates, and 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs) were calculated using SEER*stat v.8.0.4. Results: Hispanic children were more likely than non-Hispanic children to be diagnosed with leukemia (all subtypes combined), and with acute lymphocytic leukemia when examined by gender and by age (0-4, 5-9, 10-14, 15-19 years at diagnosis). A greater increase in AAIRs was observed for Hispanic children as compared to non-Hispanic children for all types of leukemia from 1992-2010 (APCHispanic=1.16; 95%CI: 0.55, 1.76; APCnon-Hispanic=0.52; 95%CI: 0.01, 1.03). When restricting to acute lymphocytic leukemias (ALL), statistically significant increases were observed for Hispanic children (APC=1.31; 95%CI:0.68, 1.94), but not for non-Hispanic children (APC=0.50; 95%CI: -0.19, 1.19). Among Hispanic children, the strongest increase was found among children diagnosed from 10-19 years of age. Incidence rates were higher for Hispanic males (AAIR=5.26; 95%CI: 4.93, 5.60;) than for Hispanic females (AAIR=4.07; 95%CI: 3.78, 4.39). Conclusion: Incidence rates of childhood leukemia rose from 1992-2010, with the greatest increase for ALL among older Hispanic children (aged 10-19 years). In future studies aimed at evaluating exposures responsible for increasing incidence rates of childhood ALL, researchers should consider risk factors that may explain the rising rates among Hispanic children. Citation Format: Jessica Barrington-Trimis, Myles Cockburn, Catherine Metayer, W. James Gauderman, Joseph Wiemels, Roberta McKean-Cowdin. Rising rates of acute lymphocytic leukemia in Hispanic children: A review of trends in childhood leukemia incidence from 1973-2010. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 271. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-271
Calculation of the Equilibrium Evolution of the ZaP Flow $Z$ -Pinch Using a Four-Chord Interferometer

A four-chord interferometer and measurements from an array of surface-mounted magnetic probes were used in conjunction with equations of radial heat conduction and radial force balance to calculate the equilibrium evolution of a pinch plasma in the ZaP flow $Z$ -pinch. A multiple shooting method was used to solve the nonlinear coupled differential equation system, with ohmic heating and bremsstrahlung radiation as sources and sinks, respectively. Data from a single ZaP pulse are reported including profiles of magnetic field and temperature and their evolution. Profiles are dominated by high thermal conductivity near the axis which quickly decreases with radius. This is due to the plasma being weakly magnetized near the axis which increases thermal conductivity and flattens the temperature profile, but strongly magnetized near the characteristic radius, significantly reducing thermal conductivity and resulting in a large temperature gradient. The equilibrium evolution indicates that plasmas in ZaP heat and compress with increasing current as a result of magnetic compression during the quiescent period.
Defeasibility in answer set programs with defaults and argumentation rules

Defeasible reasoning has been studied extensively in the last two decades and many different and dissimilar approaches are currently on the table. This multitude of ideas has made the field hard to navigate and the different techniques hard to compare. Our earlier work on Logic Programming with Defaults and Argumentation Theories (LPDA) introduced a degree of unification into the approaches that rely on the well-founded semantics. The present work takes this idea further and introduces ASPDA (Answer Set Programs via Argumentation Rules) - a unifying framework for defeasibility of disjunctive logic programs under the Answer Set Programming (ASP). Since the well-founded and the answer set semantics underlie almost all existing approaches to defeasible reasoning in Logic Programming, LPDA and ASPDA together can be seen as an attempt to unify most of those approaches. In addition to ASPDA, we obtained a number of interesting and non-trivial results. First, we show that ASPDA is reducible to ordinary ASP programs. Second, we study reducibility of ASPDA to the non-disjunctive case and show that head-cycle-free ASPDA programs reduce to the non-disjunctive case - similarly to head-cycle-free ASP programs, but through a more complex transformation. We also shed light on the relationship between ASPDA and some of the earlier theories such as Defeasible Logic and LPDA.
Discrete-Time Sliding-Mode in Stochastic Systems

In this paper, we study the discrete-time sliding mode control for continuous-time linear systems with stationary stochastic disturbances. We study both cases of disturbances with bounded and unbounded power spectra. In the first case, the disturbance is assumed to satisfy an Ito type stochastic differential equation. The optimal filtering problem is solved to minimize the deviation from the sliding manifold in the mean square sense. Since the system under control is continuous with a sampled controller, the corresponding filtering problem is of mixed continuous-discrete type. Its solution provides optimal estimates as conditional expectation of the discrete-time disturbances, given the ?-algebra generated by the continuous-time random process.