cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Post-fire epicormic branching in Sierra Nevada Abies concolor (white fir)

In California's mixed-conifer forest, which historically had a regime of frequent fires, two conifers, Sequoiadendron giganteum and Pseudotsuga menziesii, were previously known to produce epicormic sprouts from branches. We found epicormic branching in a third mixed-conifer species, Abies concolor, 3 and 4 years after a wildfire in the central Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. Sprouting occurred only from the boles. We investigated (1) whether the degree of crown loss and the extent of epicormic branching were independent; and (2) whether epicormic branching differed by tree size. The vertical extent of epicormic foliage increased with increasing severity of crown loss. There was a significantly greater proportion of large diameter-class (>50 cm diameter at breast height (dbh)) trees with epicormic branching than small/medium diameter-class (25-50 cm dbh) trees. These results suggest large diameter Abies concolor may survive high levels of crown loss, aided by crown replacement through epicormic branching, but that reiterative green foliage may not appear for up to 3 years after fire damage. If this response is widespread, it would suggest some 'dying' trees logged under current salvage guidelines could survive, and that higher-intensity fire may substantially reduce the density of small post-fire suppression white fir, while retaining many larger overstory trees.
Report on an alternative measure of affective disposition.

Researchers investigating the dispositional source of job satisfaction often have used negative or positive affectivity to measure affective disposition. The present study tested the validity of an alternative measure of affective disposition which consists of an assessment of affective reactions to neutral stimuli common to everyday life. Results indicated that the measure, termed the Neutral Objects Satisfaction Questionnaire (NOSQ), displayed favorable psychometric properties. Furthermore, the NOSQ may be a better assessment of affective disposition than positive or negative affectivity because it had greater stability over time than one of the most common measures of positive and negative affectivity.
Data-centric automated data mining

Data mining is a difficult task. It requires complex methodologies, including problem definition, data preparation, model selection, and model evaluation. This has limited the adoption of data mining at large and in the database and business intelligence (BI) communities more specifically. The concepts and methodologies used in data mining are foreign to database and BI users in general. This paper proposes a new approach to the design of data mining applications targeted at these user groups. This approach uses a data-centric focus and automated methodologies to make data mining accessible to nonexperts. The automated methodologies are exposed through high-level interfaces. This hides the data mining concepts away from the users thus helping to bridge the conceptual gap usually associated with data mining. We illustrate the approach with two applications: the new Oracle Predictive Analytics feature of Oracle Database 10g Release 2 and the Oracle Spreadsheet Add-In for Predictive Analytics.
A summary of results of the Dietary Intervention Study in Children (DISC): lessons learned.

Prevention of cardiovascular disease must begin in childhood, preferably before risk factors develop. Elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in children are likely to track over time and become high-risk levels in adults. The Dietary Intervention Study in Children (DISC) was a multicenter, collaborative randomized trial in pre-adolescent children designed to test the efficacy and safety of a dietary intervention to lower saturated fat and cholesterol intake among growing children with elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Numerous DISC results, which include findings on lipids-lipoproteins, genetics, and nutrient adequacy, as well as descriptions of the behavioral intervention strategies, have been reported. A summary of practical findings and their potential clinical applications have not previously been published. Highlights of key lessons learned from DISC and translational applications of potential interest to nurses and other health care providers are presented.
Drug-Induced Liver Disease and Drug Use Considerations in Liver Disease:

Chronic liver disease encompasses a large number of hepatic disorders. One of the most important etiologies of liver disease is drug-induced liver disease, which is the leading cause of liver failu...
Pulmonary Lobectomy (Thoracotomy and VATS)

This chapter reviews the various approaches that may be used to perform anatomic pulmonary lobectomy, including thoracotomy and video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS). The specific steps of each type of lobectomy are demonstrated, from both thoracotomy and VATS perspectives. Extended resections, including chest wall, bronchial, and vascular sleeve resections, are covered elsewhere.
Capacity of Asynchronous Single-Piece Flow Lines: A Quiz

This brief note consists of a problem set concerning the capacity of asynchronous single-piece flow lines.
Resistance of Bacteria to Erythromycin.

Summary and Conclusions1. Variants with high degrees of resistance to erythromycin were not isolated from small volumes of cultures of erythromycin-sensitive bacteria which had not previously been ...
Kirchhoff Modeling for Attenuative Anisotropic Media

Seismic wave propagation in attenuative media can be efficiently modeled with ray-based methods. Here, we present a methodology to generate reflection data from attenuative anisotropic media using the Kirchhoff scattering integral and summation of Gaussian beams. Green’s functions are computed in the reference elastic model by Gaussian-beam summation, and the influence of attenuation is incorporated as a perturbation along the central ray. The reflected wavefield is obtained by substituting the approximate Green’s functions into the Kirchhoff scattering integral. Numerical examples for P-waves in transversely isotropic (TI) media with a horizontal reflector demonstrate the accuracy of the method.
Coulomb explosions of molecules in intense laser radiation

The H2 molecule has recently been studied by a number of groups using resonantly enhanced multiphoton ionization by multicolor narrowband tunable radiation. Early studies measured the yield of various ion species. Current studies monitor the ion fragments and analyze their kinetic energies. Our results show a tall in the kinetic energy distribution of H+ fragments with energies in the 9.8–12.5-eV range and an abundance of ~2% of the total yield. These ions were not observed in experiments using shorter laser pulses and time-of-flight detection systems.
Assay for cellobiose dehydrogenase in the presence of laccase

The currently used assay for cellobiose dehydrogenase (CDH), an enzyme produced by many wood degrading fungi, lacks specificity and can give false results. The presence of laccase interferes with the standard assay. We have developed an assay for CDH that is insensitive to the presence of both laccase and other phenoloxidases. The method is based on the decrease of reducing end groups in lactose determined by the DNS method. Ferricyanide is present as electron acceptor. Advantages and drawbacks of CDH assay methods are discussed
Myelopathy due to Cervical Spine Flexion for Pediatric Tracheal Resection

This is a paraplegic condition resulting from cervical spine flexion after tracheal resection for tracheal stenosis.
Chronic Tobacco-Smoking on Psychopathological Symptoms, Impulsivity and Cognitive Deficits in HIV-Infected Individuals

HIV-infected individuals (HIV+) has 2-3 times the rate of tobacco smoking than the general population, and whether smoking may lead to greater psychiatric symptoms or cognitive deficits remains unclear. We evaluated the independent and combined effects of being HIV+ and chronic tobacco-smoking on impulsivity, psychopathological symptoms and cognition. 104 participants [27 seronegative (SN)-non-Smokers, 26 SN-Smokers, 29 HIV+ non-Smokers, 22 HIV+ Smokers] were assessed for psychopathology symptoms (Symptom Checklist-90, SCL-90), depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale, CES-D), impulsivity (Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, BIS), decision-making (The Iowa Gambling Task, IGT, and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, WCST), and cognition (seven neurocognitive domains). Both HIV+ and Smoker groups had higher SCL-90 and CES-D scores, with highest scores in HIV+ Smokers. On BIS, both HIV+ and Smokers had higher Total Impulsiveness scores, with higher behavioral impulsivity in Smokers, highest in HIV+ Smokers. Furthermore, across the four groups, HIV+ Smokers lost most money and made fewest advantageous choices on the IGT, and had highest percent errors on WCST. Lastly, HIV+ had lower z-scores on all cognitive domains, with the lowest scores in HIV+ Smokers. These findings suggest that HIV-infection and chronic tobacco smoking may lead to additive deleterious effects on impulsivity, psychopathological (especially depressive) symptoms and cognitive dysfunction. Although greater impulsivity may be premorbid in HIV+ and Smokers, the lack of benefits of nicotine in chronic Smokers on attention and psychopathology, especially those with HIV-infection, may be due to the negative effects of chronic smoking on dopaminergic and cardio-neurovascular systems. Tobacco smoking may contribute to psychopathology and neurocognitive disorders in HIV+ individuals.
A novel dual voltage source converter for magnetic material characterization with trapezoidal excitation

A magnetic core testbed is intended to provide a variety of induction curves to fully characterize a magnetic material. Off the shelf solutions are prohibitively expensive and limited in testing range for research purposes. Mainly, high voltages and/ or currents and the ability to create a variety of induction profiles, beyond sinusoidal, is needed for full core characterization. This paper establishes the need for a novel magnetic core testing apparatus to explore high frequency trapezoidal excitation. Then a solution is presented using a novel dual voltage source converter circuit. The authors validate the topology in simulation and present a laboratory prototype. Specifically, the induction profile seen in many dual active bridges is of immediate interest and generated with this approach.
Social Structures and Venue Shopping in Patent Infringement Litigation

In this study, we explore how organizations can exercise a significant degree of agency when interacting with the law rather than merely complying with the law. Specifically, we investigate how soc...
Elbasvir/Grazoprevir (Zepatier) for Hepatitis C Virus Infection.

Elbasvir/grazoprevir is a safe and effective treatment for HCV genotypes 1 and 4, with or without compensated cirrhosis or HIV-1 coinfection. Patients with renal impairment, including those on hemodialysis, can use the medication.
A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Parent Training for Disruptive Behavior in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Parent training (PT) has emerged as a promising treatment for disruptive behavior in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This review summarizes the essential elements of PT for disruptive behavior in children with ASD and evaluates the available evidence for PT using both descriptive and meta-analytic procedures. We searched Medline, PsycINFO, and PubMed databases (1980–2016) in peer-reviewed journals for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of PT for disruptive behavior in children with ASD. The systematic search of 2023 publications yielded eight RCTs involving a total of 653 participants. We calculated effect sizes using either raw post-treatment means and standard deviations for each treatment group (PT and control) or group mean differences with associated 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Differences in post-treatment means were converted to a standardized difference in means (SMD) for each primary outcome. Results support the efficacy of PT for disruptive behavior in children with ASD, with a SMD of −0.59 [95% CI (−0.88, −0.30); p < 0.001]. Across these eight studies, there was significant heterogeneity in the effect of PT on disruptive behavior. This variability is likely due to differences in sample size, number of treatment sessions, study duration, and control condition employed. Current findings provide solid support for the efficacy of PT for disruptive behavior in children with ASD. Future studies should focus on effectiveness trials to promote wider implementation of PT in clinical settings.
Biomechanical Comparison of a First- and a Second-Generation All-Soft Suture Glenoid Anchor.

Background:All–soft tissue suture anchors provide advantages of decreased removal of bone and decreased glenoid volume occupied compared with traditional tap or screw-in suture anchors. Previous pu...
Nocturia: consequences, classification, and management

Nocturia is a widespread condition that can negatively impact quality of sleep and overall health. This condition is multifactorial in nature and is best approached through the analysis of frequency volume charts. Through these charts, clinicians may classify each individual case of nocturia into one of four distinct categories: global polyuria, nocturnal polyuria, reduced bladder capacity, and mixed. Treatments should then be tailored to each individual based upon the category of their nocturia. In some cases, appropriate therapy will consist of behavioral modification techniques or addressing underlying systemic diseases. In other cases, medical therapy may be necessary, but, to date, medications have shown limited efficacy at treating nocturia.
Abstract TP396: Strategies for Successful Stroke Survey

Background: Comprehensive Stroke Center (CSC) certification has been available since 2012. Over 100 hospitals have completed this rigorous advanced disease specific certification. Stroke certificat...
Gasdermin D Flashes an Exit Signal for IL-1

The IL-1 family of cytokines follows an unconventional pathway of secretion mostly associated with inflammatory cell death. In this issue of Immunity, (Evavold et al., 2017) report gasdermin D pores as channels for active IL-1 release in live phagocytic cells.
Aging alters the immunological response to ischemic stroke

The peripheral immune system plays a critical role in aging and in the response to brain injury. Emerging data suggest inflammatory responses are exacerbated in older animals following ischemic stroke; however, our understanding of these age-related changes is poor. In this work, we demonstrate marked differences in the composition of circulating and infiltrating leukocytes recruited to the ischemic brain of old male mice after stroke compared to young male mice. Blood neutrophilia and neutrophil invasion into the brain were increased in aged animals. Relative to infiltrating monocyte populations, brain-invading neutrophils had reduced phagocytic potential, and produced higher levels of reactive oxygen species and extracellular matrix-degrading enzymes (i.e., MMP-9), which were further exacerbated with age. Hemorrhagic transformation was more pronounced in aged versus young mice relative to infarct size. High numbers of myeloperoxidase-positive neutrophils were found in postmortem human brain samples of old (> 71 years) acute ischemic stroke subjects compared to non-ischemic controls. Many of these neutrophils were found in the brain parenchyma. A large proportion of these neutrophils expressed MMP-9 and positively correlated with hemorrhage and hyperemia. MMP-9 expression and hemorrhagic transformation after stroke increased with age. These changes in the myeloid response to stroke with age led us to hypothesize that the bone marrow response to stroke is altered with age, which could be important for the development of effective therapies targeting the immune response. We generated heterochronic bone marrow chimeras as a tool to determine the contribution of peripheral immune senescence to age- and stroke-induced inflammation. Old hosts that received young bone marrow (i.e., Young → Old) had attenuation of age-related reductions in bFGF and VEGF and showed improved locomotor activity and gait dynamics compared to isochronic (Old → Old) controls. Microglia in young heterochronic mice (Old → Young) developed a senescent-like phenotype. After stroke, aged animals reconstituted with young marrow had reduced behavioral deficits compared to isochronic controls, and had significantly fewer brain-infiltrating neutrophils. Increased rates of hemorrhagic transformation were seen in young mice reconstituted with aged bone marrow. This work suggests that age alters the immunological response to stroke, and that this can be reversed by manipulation of the peripheral immune cells in the bone marrow.
Accuracy of Pupil Assessment for the Detection of Glaucoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Objective To assess the accuracy of using pupillary light reflex (PLR) in detecting glaucoma. Clinical Relevance Glaucoma is a specific disease of the optic nerve and is often more severe in 1 eye. When large enough, this asymmetry in disease severity can cause a relative afferent pupillary defect (RAPD). Better detection of RAPDs may be one way to identify persons with glaucoma. Methods We searched Medline and Embase through June 2012 and searched bibliographies for relevant studies for additional references. Two authors independently reviewed all articles and selected studies that assessed PLRs in patients with glaucoma. We analyzed data using mixed-effect bivariate summary receiver operating characteristic meta-analysis models. Results A total of 30 studies were included in this review. An RAPD was observed in 9% to 82% of patients with glaucoma. Eleven studies with a total of 7271 participants were included in the analysis, and the pooled estimate corresponded to a sensitivity of 0.63 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.43–0.80) and a specificity of 0.93 (95% CI, 0.85–0.97). After excluding 2 studies that used the swinging flashlight test, the sensitivity increased to 0.74 (95% CI, 0.59–0.85) with a specificity of 0.85 (95% CI, 0.77–0.90). Study designs and different pupil measurement techniques explained part of the heterogeneity between studies. Conclusions Patients with glaucoma frequently have an abnormal PLR and comparing the responses between the 2 eyes can in part distinguish between those with glaucoma and those without the disease. Newer instruments and analytic approaches to assess pupil function may improve the performance of pupil screening. Financial Disclosure(s) The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.
Effect of vanadate on amylase secretion and protein tyrosine phosphatase activity in the rat parotid gland.

Treatment of rat parotid acinar cells with sodium orthovanadate (an inhibitor of protein tyrosine phosphatase) caused a dose-dependent inhibition of phosphatase activity as measured by the hydrolysis of para nitrophenylphosphate (pNPP). Inclusion of 50 μM sodium orthovanadate inin vitro gland cultures prevented the amylase secretion from both untreated control and isoproterenol-stimulated parotid acinar cells. Four different tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins with Mr 40, 45, 70 and 95 kDa, respectively, were identified in secretory granule preparations from rat parotid glands by immunoblot using a monospecific antibody for phosphotyrosine. An increase in the phosphorylation levels of these phosphoproteins was noted in the presence of 50 μM sodium orthovanadate, suggesting that a protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTPase) is involved in parotid gland protein dephosphorylation reactions. Using antibody to Syp (a PTPase belonging to class 1D), a major fraction of subcellular activity was found to be associated with secretory granule membranes. These results suggest the possible involvement of a PTPase (Syp) in parotid gland secretory mechanisms.
Different Methods for Culturing Biofilms In Vitro

The field of biofilm microbiology, while by no means new, has been experiencing significant “growing pains” as more and more researchers become involved. One of the underlying reasons is the lack of standardized methods for culturing biofilm communities. Many times, the culturing format will be unique to the study in question, resulting in difficulties when other labs attempt to confirm results produced by another lab. Another issue has been the limited utility of different culturing methods for the specific research questions being asked. For example, culturing formats designed to be accessible to microscopy are not always suited for other types of analyses, such as harvesting biofilm biomass for biochemical measurements.
DYNAMICS OF GAS FLOW AND PRESSURE–FLOW RELATIONSHIPS

Airflow in the lungs results from an imposed pressure difference between the mouth and the alveoli, both for inspiration and expiration. The airways conducting the flow are a branching network of tubes which makes the relationship between pressure and flow complicated. This article covers the basic information known about these flows and how they relate to engineering principles of fluid mechanics. These features include the effects of Poiseuille flow, boundary layer flow, converging/diverging flow, flow in curved tubes and turbulent flow. Different aspects of these flows tend to dominate depending on the flow speed or Reynolds number. The concepts are integrated into a discussion of the overall flow versus pressure relationship over a wide range of Reynolds numbers. In addition, during forced expiration the outflow can become limited as a result of partial collapse of the flexible airways. The basis for this phenomenon is also presented.
Finite element modeling of 3D-printed part with cellular internal structure using homogenized properties

The purpose of this research is to create a homogenized linearly elastic continuum finite element model of a 3D-printed cellular structure. This article attempts to answer the following research question: can the homogenization technique based on using virtual experiments, commonly employed in micromechanics solid modeling, be used for homogenization of 3D-printed cellular structure to generate orthotropic material properties? Virtual experiments were carried out for homogenization of cellular structure. These virtual experiments generated homogenized material properties for the continuum finite element model. Physical experimentation was carried out to validate the accuracy of results obtained from the continuum finite element model. Results show that the outlined procedure can be used to generate a fast, yet reasonably accurate, continuum finite element model for predicting the linearly elastic structural response of 3D-printed cellular structure. This study extends the micromechanics homogenization approach to homogenize the 3D-printed partial infill cellular structure to create input material properties for a continuum finite element model. The outlined procedure would enable faster iterative design of 3D-printed cellular parts. The continuum model generated is valid only for a linearly elastic structural response. This framework, however, has potential for extending the analysis to the inelastic range.
300.08 Safety of Optical Coherence Tomography: Insights from the Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience (MAUDE) Database

Overall, the rate of complications and adverse events related to intravascular imaging are rare. Limited data exist on the most commonly reported complications and modes of failure related to the use of optical coherence tomography (OCT). We analyzed the post-marketing surveillance data from the
Surgical site infections and the microbiome: An updated perspective.

Objective:To address 3 questions: What are the origins of bacteria causing surgical site infections (SSIs)? Is there evidence that the offending bacteria are present at the incision site when surgery begins? What are the estimates of the proportion of SSIs that can be prevented with perioperative control of the microbiome?Design:Review of the literature, examining recognized sources of bacteria causing surgical site infections.Methods:Specifically, I examined the impact of improved control of the microbiome of the skin and nares on reducing SSIs. The initial effort was to examine the reduction of SSIs linked solely to preoperative skin preparation regimens and to either topical nasal antibiotics or pre- and postoperative nasal antiseptic regimens. To corroborate the concept of the importance of the microbiome, a review of studies showing the relationship of SSIs and marker organisms (eg, Propionobacterium acnes) present at the incision sites was performed. The relationships of SSIs to the microbiome of the skin and nares were summarized.Results:Depending on key assumptions, ∼70%–95% of all SSIs arise from the microbiome of the patients’ skin or nares. Data from the studies of marker organisms suggest that the infecting bacteria are present at the incision site at the time of surgery.Conclusions:Almost all SSIs arise from the patient’s microbiome. The occurrence of SSIs can be viewed as a perioperative failure to control the microbiome.
393 CLINICIAN MEDICATION PREFERENCES IN A COMPLEX PATIENT.

Background Because clinical practice guidelines have been developed for many chronic diseases in isolation, practicing guideline-based medicine may be difficult for the complex patient. Quality measures based on guidelines for single conditions do not capture the complexity of clinical decision making for many patients with multiple comorbidities. We used the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to examine how clinicians prioritized treatment for a hypothetical 69-year-old woman with hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and osteoporosis. Methods Clinicians were medical students, residents, and attending faculty from two academic internal medicine and family medicine programs. Based on a patient vignette, clinicians estimated the value of treatment with alendronate, glyburide, simvastatin, and hydrochlorothiazide. AHP decomposed complex medical decision making into a series of pairwise comparisons and then produced a set of medication preference ratings for each clinician. Latent class analysis (LCA) then assigned clinicians to distinct clusters based on their medication preferences. We examined the mean preference ratings and distribution of clinician type within each cluster. Results From the LCA, a three-cluster structure produced the best fit. The mean medication preference ratings differed significantly between the three clusters (p Conclusions Clinician medication preference ratings for a hypothetical, complex patient fell into one of three distinct clusters, each prioritizing treatment for a different condition. These findings demonstrate variability in physician preferences for guideline-recommended medications and suggest a lack of supporting evidence to guide clinical decision making for complex patients. Guidelines, quality measures, and future research should more explicitly consider patient complexity.
Teaching questioning fosters adolescent curiosity: Analyzing impact through multiple-group structural equation modeling

Research has found that directly teaching students to question positively affects academic outcomes. Although theoretically questioning is believed to foster numerous “noncognitive” outcomes, relat...
Learning How to Generalize

Generalization is a fundamental problem solved by every cognitive system in essentially every domain. Although it is known that how people generalize varies in complex ways depending on the context or domain, it is an open question how people learn the appropriate way to generalize for a new context. To understand this capability, we cast the problem of learning how to generalize as a problem of learning the appropriate hypothesis space for generalization. We propose a normative mathematical framework for learning how to generalize by learning inductive biases for which properties are relevant for generalization in a domain from the statistical structure of features and concepts observed in that domain. More formally, the framework predicts that an ideal learner should learn to generalize by either taking the weighted average of the results of generalizing according to each hypothesis space, with weights given by how well each hypothesis space fits the previously observed concepts, or by using the most likely hypothesis space. We compare the predictions of this framework to human generalization behavior with three experiments in one perceptual (rectangles) and two conceptual (animals and numbers) domains. Across all three studies we find support for the framework's predictions, including individual-level support for averaging in the third study.
Comparison of immediate versus delayed streak plate inoculation on urine bacterial culture and susceptibility testing in dogs and cats

Background Quantitative bacterial culture and susceptibility testing is the gold standard diagnostic for determining bacterial urinary tract infection. Transport of samples to external reference laboratories is common practice in veterinary medicine. Objective To compare bacterial culture and susceptibility results from clinical urine samples when streak plate inoculation is performed immediately after sample collection versus after transport to a reference laboratory. To determine the clinical implications of discrepant culture results. Animals One hundred and ninety-four canine and 45 feline urine samples that were submitted for urinalysis and urine culture and susceptibility testing. Methods This was a prospective, cross-sectional study. Streak plate inoculations were performed on urine samples immediately after collection and also after transport to a reference laboratory. Samples were stored in plain sterile tubes and refrigerated up to 24 hours before transport. Culture results were compared, and discordant results were evaluated for clinical relevance. Signalment, comorbidities, lower urinary tract signs, and antimicrobial history were recorded. Results Kappa coefficient for agreement between plating methods was 0.884. Twenty-two (71%) of 31 discrepant results were determined to have no clinical impact. Though 35% of clean midstream samples had discrepant culture results, only 8% of these had clinical impact. Conversely, 8.6% from cystocentesis were discrepant, but 41% of these had clinical impact. Conclusions and clinical importance Provided urine samples are stored and transported appropriately, the immediate preplating of urine for culture and susceptibility testing is unnecessary in the majority of cases. Despite more discrepancies in plating methods for midstream samples, the minority were of clinical importance.
Risk Factors for Unplanned Admission to the Intensive Care Unit After Elective Total Joint Arthroplasty

Abstract Background Despite improved surgical and anesthesia techniques, as well as advances in perioperative protocols, a number of patients undergoing total joint arthroplasty (TJA) are at risk of serious medical complications that require intensive care unit (ICU) admission. With the recent move toward performing TJA in ambulatory surgical centers and on an outpatient basis, it is important to recognize patients that may require intensive care in the postoperative period. This study aimed to identify risk factors for ICU admission following elective total hip (THA) and knee (TKA) arthroplasty. Methods We evaluated 12,342 THA procedures, with 132 ICU admissions, and 10,976 TKA procedures, with 114 ICU admissions from 2005 to 2017. Demographic, preoperative, and surgical variables were collected and compared between cohorts using both univariate and logistic regression analysis. Results For THA, logistic regression analysis demonstrated older age, bilateral procedure, revision surgery, increased Charlson comorbidity index, general anesthesia, increased estimated blood loss, decreased preoperative hemoglobin, and increased preoperative glucose level were independently associated factors for increased risk of ICU admission. For TKA, increased age, increased body mass index, bilateral procedure, revision surgery, increased Charlson comorbidity index, increased estimated blood loss, general anesthesia, and increased preoperative glucose were independently significantly associated with ICU admission. Conclusion In this study, we identify a number of critical independent risk factors which may place patients at increased risk of ICU admission following THA and TKA. Identification of these risk factors may help surgeons safely select those TJA candidates appropriate for surgery at facilities that do not have ICUs readily available.
Cholesterol Interaction with the Trimeric HIV Fusion Protein gp41 in Lipid Bilayers Investigated by Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy and Molecular Dynamics Simulations.

HIV-1 entry into cells is mediated by the fusion protein gp41. Cholesterol plays an important role in this virus-cell fusion, but molecular structural information about cholesterol-gp41 interaction is so far absent. Here, we present experimental and computational data about cholesterol complexation with gp41 in lipid bilayers. We focus on the C-terminal region of the protein, which comprises a membrane-proximal external region (MPER) and the transmembrane domain (TMD). We measured peptide-cholesterol contacts in virus-mimetic lipid bilayers using solid-state NMR spectroscopy, and augmented these experimental data with all-atom molecular dynamics simulations. 2D 19F NMR spectra show correlation peaks between MPER residues and the cholesterol isooctyl tail, indicating that cholesterol is in molecular contact with the MPER-TMD trimer. 19F-13C distance measurements between the peptide and 13C-labeled cholesterol show that C17 on the D ring and C9 at the intersection of B and C rings are ~7.0 A from the F673 side-chain 4-19F. At high peptide concentrations in the membrane, the 19F-13C distance data indicate three cholesterol molecules bound near F673 in each trimer. Mutation of a cholesterol recognition amino acid consensus motif did not change these distances, indicating that cholesterol binding does not require this sequence motif. Molecular dynamics simulations further identify two hotspots for cholesterol interactions. Taken together, these experimental data and simulations indicate that the helix-turn-helix conformation of the MPER-TMD is responsible for sequestering cholesterol. We propose that this gp41-cholesterol interaction mediates virus-cell fusion by recruiting gp41 to the boundary of the liquid-disordered and liquid-ordered phases to incur membrane curvature.
Parents as Screeners for Strabismus in Their Children.

The purpose of the study described in this article was to determine the accuracy of parents in identifying strabismus (disorder of eye in which optic axis cannot be directed to same object) in thei...
Doping in garnet-type electrolytes: Kinetic and thermodynamic effects from molecular dynamics simulations

To shed light on the impact of doping on the conductivity of garnet-type electrolytes, we use molecular dynamics with an ab initio designed force-field to investigate the complex interplay between the carrier concentration and the kinetic and thermodynamic changes induced by the addition of hypervalent dopants. We focus in particular on the effect of the distribution of the doping agents, and we find that there is a need to perform a proper average over the frozen disorder introduced by the doping in order to achieved converged properties. We observe the competing effects induced by the decrease in concentration of the conducting ions (${\mathrm{Li}}^{+}$) and by the perturbation of the energy landscape resulting from the insertion of hypervalent dopants. These two phenomena give rise to an intricate balance between thermodynamic and kinetic properties, which make the interpretation of the experiments very challenging. In particular, while the increase in the dopant concentration stabilizes the conductive cubic phase of these garnet-type materials, the kinetic effects have two distinct components, one promoting and one hindering diffusion.
The impact of data selection and fitting on SAR estimation for magnetic nanoparticle heating

Magnetic fluid heating has great potential in the fields of thermal medicine and cryopreservation. However, variations among experimental parameters, analysis methods and experimental uncertainty m...
The Valuation of Non-Systematic Risks and the Pricing of Swedish Lottery Bonds

Swedish government lottery bonds have coupon payments determined by lottery. They offer a unique opportunity to study a security with uncertain payoffs having a known, observable distribution. The risk associated with the lotteries is by construction idiosyncratic, and should not command a risk premium in equilibrium. The bonds are traded in two forms, allowing us to evaluate the rewards to bearing extra lottery risk. Despite its idiosyncratic nature, we find prices appear to reflect aversion to this risk. We evaluate the empirical determinants of this differential pricing and possible explanations for it.
Pediatric acute demyelinating syndromes: identification and management in the emergency department.

Acute demyelinating disorders can present with vague complaints and subtle abnormalities of the neurological examination. A thorough history and physical examination are important for narrowing the differential diagnosis and determining which diagnostic studies are indicated. This issue focuses on the most common acute demyelinating disorders in children: Guillain-Barre syndrome and acute transverse myelitis. Common presenting signs and symptoms of these conditions are reviewed, and evidence-based recommendations are provided for the initial assessment and management of Guillain-Barre syndrome and acute transverse myelitis in the emergency department.
Prospects for Salmonella Control in Cattle

Salmonella infections appear to be increasing in animals and humans at a time in history when many other infectious diseases are being satisfactorily controlled (I). There have been large and well publicized outbreaks of human salmonellosis (2-5), and an increase in the number of isolations reported from both animals (6) and humans (7). While there are over 2200 serotypes of Salmonella recognized, the good news is that 5 or 6 serotypes consistently cause most of the problem in cattle. These serotypes are S. typhimurium, ,S. dublin, S. newport, S. montevideo, and S. anatum. A recent survey employing serologic methods found that over 70% of dairies in California had evidence of Salmonella infection (8). In order to examine the prospects for control of Salmonella in cattle, one must try to understand why this high prevalence rate of Salmonella infection exists
Real-time Demonstration of 5G MMW Beamforming and Tracking Using Integrated Visible Light Positioning System

A real-time millimeter wave beamforming and tracking technique is developed and experimentally demonstrated to achieve fast connection and agile tracking within 2 ms to different directions through an integrated machine-learning based visible light positioning system.
‘The Sacredness of Private Property:’ State Constitutional Law and the Protection of Economic Rights Before the Civil War

This essay explores state constitutional law before the Civil War pertaining to economic rights. It argues that antebellum state courts played a crucial and underappreciated role in defending property and contractual rights from legislative assault. Before the adoption of the Fourteenth Amendment most constitutional questions relating to property were handled in state courts and implicated state constitutional law. The essay considers how state courts shaped takings and due process jurisprudence, often anticipating subsequent decisions by the Supreme Court of the United States. They were the first, for example, to consider the scope of “public use” and the amount of “just compensation” when government sought to acquire property. Moreover, they grappled with the extent to which the due process guarantee in state constitutions conferred substantive protection to the rights of property owners. Despite the pivotal role of the Supreme Court in fashioning contract clause jurisprudence, state courts heard far more contract clause cases and significantly impacted the formation of law in this field as well. State constitutionalism was vitally important to the development of property owners.
WE-E-304-02: Implementing SBRT Protocols: A NRG CIRO Perspective

SBRT is having a dramatic impact on radiation therapy of early-stage, locally advanced cancers. A number of national protocols have been and are being developed to assess the clinical efficacy of SBRT for various anatomical sites, such as lung and spine. Physics credentialing for participating and implementation of trial protocols involve a broad spectrum of requirements from image guidance, motion management, to planning technology and dosimetric constrains. For radiation facilities that do not have extensive experiences in SBRT treatment and protocol credentialing, these complex processes of credentialing and implementation could be very challenging and, sometimes, may lead to ineffective even unsuccessful execution of these processes. In this proposal, we will provide comprehensive review of some current SBRT protocols, explain the requirements and their underline rationales, illustrate representative failed and successful experiences, related to SBRT credentialing, and discuss strategies for effective SBRT credentialing and implementation. Learning Objectives: 1. Understand requirements and challenges of SBRT credentailing and implentation 2. Discuss processes and strategies of effective SBRT credentailing 3. Discuss practical considerations, potential pitfalls and solutions of SBRT implentation
A review of local journal use studies: an investigation of possible broader applications

Journal use studies from 15 libraries are compared. The size of the collections of these libraries ranges from 185 to 48,000 periodical titles, and the duration of the studies ranges from 3 to 48 months. The mean number of recorded uses per month per title is 3.65 (standard deviation = 4.13). Studies are grouped according to size of the library (less than 4,000 or greater than or equal to 4,000) and percent use (less than 50% and greater than or equal to 50%). There is a significant inverse relationship between the size of the library and the percent use.
Interaction Between Surface Waves and Muddy Bottom Sediments

Surface wave-induced bottom pressure fluctuations produce shear stresses in soft muddy bottom sediments that cause the sediments to undergo oscillatory motion. This motion can be described as a “mud-wave” and causes surface wave properties to vary from those that occur over a rigid bottom. Theoretical studies have attempted to describe this interaction using a variety of soil models, i.e., viscous fluid, elastic solid, viscoelastic material and nonlinear viscoelastic. Although the experimental basis for evaluating the validity of these assumptions is incomplete, it appears that a nonlinear viscoelastic soil model is required to describe the observed behavior. An example of the interaction of hurricane waves and soils found offshore of the Mississippi Delta is considered in detail. The soil is described using a model which is nonlinear in relating shear strain to shear stress and damping ratio. The surface wave-mud wave interaction for hurricane waves is significant and causes wave heights of 70 ft (21.3 m) and 80 ft (24.4 m) in deep water to decrease to values of from 10 ft (3.0 m) to 25 ft (7.6 m) at a water depth of 50 ft (15 m). Soil response during this wave-mud interaction is greatest at water depths of between 150 ft (45.7 m) and 250 ft (76.2 m). Maximum soil movements of 1.5 ft (.46 m) are predicted to occur under hurricane waves. As a means for making rough calculations of the wave-mud interaction a simplified technique for making engineering predictions is presented. The technique is based upon a nonlinear stress-strain and damping-strain soil model and predicts surface wave attenuation, soil shear stress and shear strain profiles.
A temperature-sensitive mutation in a herpes simplex virus type 1 gene required for viral DNA synthesis maps to coordinates 0.609 through 0.614 in UL.

Abstract ts701 is a temperature-sensitive mutant of herpes simplex virus type 1 strain KOS induced by hydroxylamine mutagenesis (C.T. Chu, D. S. Parris, R. A. F. Dixon, F. E. Farber, and P. A. Schaffer, Virology 98:168-181, 1979). In the present study, the mutation rendering ts701 temperature sensitive was mapped to coordinates 0.609 through 0.614 in the UL region of the genome. At the nonpermissive temperature, ts701 (i) failed to induce the synthesis of viral DNA, (ii) exhibited a dramatically reduced ability to drive replication of a plasmid containing the herpes simplex virus origin of viral DNA synthesis, oriS, (iii) generated no viral polypeptides of the late (gamma 2) kinetic class, and (iv) produced virions with electron-translucent cores. Northern (RNA) blot hybridization demonstrated that two mRNAs--one of the beta kinetic class and one of the gamma kinetic class--hybridized to a 1.3-kilobase viral DNA fragment that rescued the mutation in ts701. Based on the phenotype and mapping of ts701, it is likely that its mutation lies in the gene specifying the 65,000-Mr DNA-binding protein (65KDBP) recently described by Marsden et al. (H.S. Marsden, M.E.M. Campbell, L. Haarr, M. C. Frame, D. S. Parris, M. Murphy, R. G. Hope, M. T. Muller, and C. M. Preston, J. Virol. 61:2428-2437, 1987).
CHFR silencing or microsatellite instability is associated with increased antitumor activity of docetaxel or gemcitabine in colorectal cancer

Phenotypic differences among cancers with the same origin may be associated with chemotherapy response. CHFR silencing associated with DNA methylation has been suggested to be predictive of taxane sensitivity in diverse tumor types. However, the use of microsatellite instability (MSI:unstable-MSS:stable) as a predictive marker for therapeutic effect has had conflicting results. We examined these molecular alterations as predictors of chemotherapy sensitivity in colorectal cancer (CRC). Differential sensitivity to docetaxel and gemcitabine was compared to potential predictive biomarkers CHFR methylation and MSI status. Cell lines that were MSI-H/CHFR-methylated, MSS/CHFR-methylated and MSS/CHFR-unmethylated were assessed for in vivo sensitivity of CRC cell line xenografts to docetaxel and/or gemcitabine. We observed increased sensitivity in vitro to gemcitabine in cell lines with MSI and docetaxel in cell lines with CHFR inactivation via DNA methylation. In vivo treatment of human xenografts confirmed differential sensitivity, with the MSI-H/CHFR-methylated line RKO having tumor growth inhibition to each agent, and at least additive tumor growth inhibition with combination therapy. The MSS-CHFR-unmethylated line, CACO2 , was resistant to single and combination therapy, while COLO205, the MSS/CHFR-methylated line, showed tumor growth inhibition with docetaxel, but not gemcitabine, therapy. CHFR methylation in CRC cell lines predicted for sensitivity in vitro and in vivo to docetaxel, while MSI-H cell lines were more sensitive to gemcitabine. These data suggest that a subset of CRC patients would be selectively sensitive to a novel combination of gemcitabine and docetaxel, and are the basis for an ongoing clinical trial of this combination in a biomarker-selected patient population.