cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Genetic Evidence for an Alternative Citrate-Dependent Biofilm Formation Pathway in Staphylococcus aureus That Is Dependent on Fibronectin Binding Proteins and the GraRS Two-Component Regulatory System

We reported previously that low concentrations of sodium citrate strongly promote biofilm formation by Staphylococcus aureus laboratory strains and clinical isolates. Here, we show that citrate promotes biofilm formation via stimulating both cell-to-surface and cell-to-cell interactions. Citrate-stimulated biofilm formation is independent of the ica locus, and in fact, citrate represses polysaccharide adhesin production. We show that fibronectin binding proteins FnbA and FnbB and the global regulator SarA, which positively regulates fnbA and fnbB gene expression, are required for citrate's positive effects on biofilm formation, and citrate also stimulates fnbA and fnbB gene expression. Biofilm formation is also stimulated by several other tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle intermediates in an FnbA-dependent fashion. While aconitase contributes to biofilm formation in the absence of TCA cycle intermediates, it is not required for biofilm stimulation by these compounds. Furthermore, the GraRS two-component regulator and the GraRS-regulated efflux pump VraFG, identified for their roles in intermediate vancomycin resistance, are required for citrate-stimulated cell-to-cell interactions, but the GraRS regulatory system does not impact the expression of the fnbA and fnbB genes. Our data suggest that distinct genetic factors are required for the early steps in citrate-stimulated biofilm formation. Given the role of FnbA/FnbB and SarA in virulence in vivo and the lack of a role for ica-mediated biofilm formation in S. aureus catheter models of infection, we propose that the citrate-stimulated biofilm formation pathway may represent a clinically relevant pathway for the formation of these bacterial communities on medical implants.
Partial profile alignment kernels for protein classification

Remote homology detection and fold recognition are the central problems in protein classification. In real applications, kernel algorithms that are both accurate and efficient are required for classification of large databases. We explore a class of partial profile alignment kernels to be used with support vector machines (SVMs) for remote homology detection and fold recognition. While existing profile-based kernels use the whole profiles to determine the similarity between pairs of proteins, the partial profile alignment kernels are derived from part of the position specific scoring matrices (PSSMs) in the profiles for alignment. Specifically, at each position in the PSSM, only amino acids in the mutation neighborhood of the corresponding amino acid in the original protein sequence are considered for alignment to remove noise and improve computing efficiency. Our experiments on SCOP bench datasets show that the partial profile alignment kernels achieved overall better classification results for both fold recognition and remote homology detection than profile kernels and profile-alignment kernels. In addition, our algorithm using only a fraction of the profiles saves the cost of computing the kernels significantly, compared to the full-profile alignment methods.
Potential role for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ in regulating luteal lifespan in the rat

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) has been shown to stimulate progesterone production by bovine luteal cells. We previously reported higher expression of PPARgamma in old compared with new luteal tissue in the rat. The following studies were conducted to determine the role of PPARgamma in rat corpora lutea (CL) and test the hypothesis that PPARgamma plays a role in the metabolism of progesterone and/or luteal lifespan. Ovaries were removed from naturally cycling rats throughout the estrous cycle, and pseudopregnant rats. mRNA for PPARgamma and P450 side-chain cleavage (SCC) was localized in luteal tissue by in situ hybridization, and protein corresponding to PPARgamma and macrophages identified by immunohistochemistry. Luteal tissue was cultured with agonists (ciglitazone, prostaglandin J2) or an antagonist (GW-9662) of PPARgamma. Progesterone was measured in media by RIA and levels of mRNA for 20alpha-hydroxysteriod dehydrogenase (HSD) and bcl-2 were measured in luteal tissue after culture by RT-PCR. An inverse relationship existed between the expression of mRNA for SCC and PPARgamma. There was no effect of PPARgamma agonists or the antagonist on luteal progesterone production in vitro, or levels of mRNA for 20alpha-HSD. PPARgamma protein was localized to the nuclei of luteal cells and did not correspond with the presence of macrophages. In new CL, ciglitazone decreased mRNA for bcl-2 on proestrus, estrus, and metestrus. Interestingly, GW-9662 also decreased mRNA for bcl-2 on proestrus and diestrus in old and new CL, and on metestrus in new CL. These data indicate that PPARgamma is not a major player in luteal progesterone production or metabolism but may be involved in regulating luteal lifespan.
Ventilation Increases with Lower Extremity Venous Occlusion in Young Adults.

Introduction: Venous distention via infsystolic occlusion of the lower limbs may augment ventilation via stimulation of group III/IV afferent neurons. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the ventilatory response to graded lower extremity venous occlusion during exercise in healthy adults. Methods: Nineteen adults (9 men, 25 ± 5 yr) completed two visits. Visit 1 included a maximal cycle ergometry exercise test. Visit 2 included a 30% peak workload cycle exercise with randomized inflations of bilateral thigh pressure tourniquets to 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100 mm Hg for 2 min each, separated by 2 min of deflation. Three minutes of cycling occurred before cuffing (control [CTL]). Expired minute ventilation (VE), whole body gas exchange, rating of perceived exertion, and dyspnea were measured during each session. Results: VE increased significantly from the control condition (exercise only, CTL) to each occlusion pressure (P 0.05). Tidal volume to inspiratory time (VT/TI) increased significantly from the CTL condition to each occlusion pressure (CTL to 100 mm Hg: 1.5 ± 0.3 to 1.8 ± 0.4 L·min-1, P < 0.05, all pressures). Dyspnea and RPE increased with all occlusion pressures from CTL exercise (P < 0.05, all pressures). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that mild-to-moderate venous occlusion of the lower extremity evokes a tachypneic breathing pattern which, in turn, augments VE and perceived breathing effort during exercise.
Life Insurance in a 412(e)(3) Plan

What are the results of using life insurance products in retirement plans since the year 2000. Certain myths surrounding life insurance products are challenged in this paper. For example, a simple annuity had returns better then the S+ P 500 since 2000. Buying term and investing the difference may not be the best long term plan. How does whole life today work as an investment.
Reactivity of a Pd(I)-Pd(I) dimer with O2: monohapto Pd superoxide and dipalladium peroxide in equilibrium.

The Pd(I)−Pd(I) dimer [(FPNP)Pd−]2 reacts with O2 upon exposure to light to produce either the superoxide (FPNP)PdO2 or the peroxide [(FPNP)PdO−]2, which exist in equilibrium with free O2. Both complexes contain square-planar Pd(II) centers. The unpaired electron density in (FPNP)PdO2 is localized on the superoxide ligand.
Plasmodial incompatibility reactions in the true slime mold Physarum cinereum.

Plasmodial (somatic) incompatibility reactions in the Ven 1 isolate of ;the myxomycete Physarum cinereum are controlled by two unlinked loci displaying simple dominance. Phenotypically dissimilar plasmodia undergo temporary fusions which are quickly terminated by a cytotoxic reaction, whereas phenotypically similar ones undergo fusions which are not followed by such reactions. Each locus allows a killed zone (area of cytotoxicity) of characteristic size when acting alone, but when the two loci act together they may reduce the size of the zone with a genetically additive effect. These reactions are generally unidirectional for each locus, with killing taking place in the recessive phenotype.
Equipping Civil Procedure Students to Protect Clients in Discovery

This paper selects amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure that bear promise for cutting the costs of civil litigation. It suggests how to teach students (and lawyers) to take advantage of the amendments to protect one's client from overly costly or abusive discovery. It also includes an exercise designed to help law students cultivate a view of discovery that is less adversarial and more focused on productively using the Rules. It is an example of the kind of professional identity formation to which the Carnegie Report (2007) suggested law schools pally too little attention.
High Voltage Functional Safety Concept about Battery System Based on ISO26262 Perspective

The ISO26262 structure was described. The two key components: safety lifecycle and Automotive Safety Integrity Levels( ASIL) were analyzed. The activities in concept phase were introduced. Then the item definition,safety hazard analysis and technical safety concept were analyzed by utilizing high voltage function of battery system as an object.
Comparative Study and Analysis on Nutrients of Cassava Products

The nutritional ingredients,including crude protein(CP),ether extract(EE),crude fiber(CF),crude ash,nitrogen free extract(NFE),total starch,amylopectine,amylase,amino acid(AA),non-starch polosaccharides(NSP)and minerals content of three kinds of cassava products(CPS)and corn control,and in vitro dry matter(DM)and starch digestibility,and starch profiles were studied.The results showed that CP and AA of the CPS were lower than that of corn,and the quality of its CP was poor.Cassava pellets(CE)had higher EE,crude ash and CF(P0.05).Cassava residue(CR)was lower at NFE than that of cassava chips(CC)(P0.05),but the CF and crude ash of it were higher than those of CC and corn(P0.05).The total starch content was similar among CC,CE and corn,and the amylose/amylopectin of CPS was lower than that of corn(P0.05).The resistant starch of CR was higher than that of others(P0.05).The starch granule shape of corn was irregular polyhedron and cassava starch granule shape was a ball.The Ca,K,Fe and Mn of CPS was higher than those of corn,and reverse case for the P and Zn(P0.05).Corn was lower at SNSP than that of CPS,and SNSP of CR was higher than that of CC and CE(P0.05).Insoluble NSP of CR was higher than that of CC and CE(P0.05),and insoluble galactose was higher than that of others(P0.05).DM and starch digestibility of CE was higher than that of others(P0.05),and DM and starch digestibility of CR was lower than that of CC and corn(P0.05).The evaluation results have certain guiding significance for the future application of cassava products in feed industry.
Limited brain magnetic resonance imaging for evaluation of non-traumatic pediatric head emergencies

Limited brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) consisting of axial fluid attenuated inversion recovery, axial diffusion weighted imaging, coronal single shot fast spin echo (SSFSE) and sagittal SSFSE can be performed in under 5 min of scan time. This approach may provide more information than a non-contrast head computed tomography (CT) in non-traumatic pediatric head emergency, avoid ionizing radiation from CT scan and stratify patients who need more detailed brain MRI. Research studies are required to provide evidence for feasibility of such an approach.
Training new mental health personnel in group methods. I. Education and work performance of associate degree mental health workers as related to group therapy.

(1974). I. Education and Work Performance of Associate Degree Mental Health Workers as Related to Group Therapy. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy: Vol. 24, No. 4, pp. 383-392.
Emergency department visits by pediatric patients for poisoning by prescription opioids

ABSTRACTBackground: Prescription medication abuse is an increasingly recognized problem in the United States. As more opioids are being prescribed and abused by adults, there is an increased risk of both accidental and intentional exposure to children and adolescents. The impact of pediatric exposures to prescription pain pills has not been well studied. Objectives: We sought to evaluate emergency department (ED) visits for poisoning by prescription opioids in pediatric patients. Methods: This retrospective study looked at clinical and demographic data from the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample (NEDS) from 2006 to 2012. Results: There were 21,928 pediatric ED visits for prescription opioid poisonings and more than half were unintentional. There was a bimodal age distribution of patients, with slightly more than half occurring in females. The majority of patients were discharged from the ED. More visits in the younger age group (0–5 years) were unintentional, while the majority of visits in the adoles...
Treatment of dialysis patients with chronic hepatitis C using pegylated interferon and low-dose ribavirin

Background No safe and effective therapy exists for chronic hepatitis C in dialysis patients. Available data on the antiviral treatment of hepatitis C in dialysis population is mostly based on standard interferon monotherapy. Objectives We conducted a prospective, cohort trial with combined therapy (pegylated-interferonalpha-2a (135 mcg/week) plus low dose ribavirin (200 mg/day)) for chronic hepatitis C in 15 patients undergoing long-term dialysis. Twelve patients had HCV genotype 1a/1b, three were co-infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and two had compensated cirrhosis. End-points were sustained viral response and adverse effects. Results Sustained virological response was obtained in four patients (including two with HCV genotype 1); the SVR rate was 28.6% (4/14), on an intention-to-treat analysis. One subject with SVR had compensated cirrhosis. All HIV co-infected patients had well controlled HIV and one of them (33%) reached SVR. Seven (50%) of the 14 patients were non-responders, two of which relapsed after discontinuation of therapy. Drop-out rate was 71.4% (10/14). The most frequent side-effect was anemia, which required ribavirin discontinuation in three patients; seven (47%) patients received blood transfusions. Two patients died (week 4 and 14) of causes related to cardiovascular disease, which was frequent in our cohort. Two subjects were hospitalized and discontinued therapy (week 1, and 27). Conclusions Results from this study showed that about one-third of HD patients achieved sustained virological response with pegylated-interferon-alpha-2a plus low-dose ribavirin; however, tolerance to antiviral treatment was unsatisfactory. Well- controlled HIV infection should not be a contraindication to HCV therapy in dialysis patients. Prospective, controlled clinical trials of combined antiviral therapy targeted at HCV in chronic kidney disease population are indicated.
Myelinating glia differentiation is regulated by extracellular matrix elasticity

The mechanical properties of living tissues have a significant impact on cell differentiation, but remain unexplored in the context of myelin formation and repair. In the PNS, the extracellular matrix (ECM) incorporates a basal lamina significantly denser than the loosely organized CNS matrix. Inhibition of non-muscle myosin II (NMII) enhances central but impairs peripheral myelination and NMII has been implicated in cellular responses to changes in the elasticity of the ECM. To directly evaluate whether mechanotransduction plays a role in glial cell differentiation, we cultured Schwann cells (SC) and oligodendrocytes (OL) on matrices of variable elastic modulus, mimicking either their native environment or conditions found in injured tissue. We found that a rigid, lesion-like matrix inhibited branching and differentiation of OL in NMII-dependent manner. By contrast, SC developed normally in both soft and stiffer matrices. Although SC differentiation was not significantly affected by changes in matrix stiffness alone, we found that expression of Krox-20 was potentiated on rigid matrices at high laminin concentration. These findings are relevant to the design of biomaterials to promote healing and regeneration in both CNS and PNS, via transplantation of glial progenitors or the implantation of tissue scaffolds.
Noninvasive Ventilation in the Perioperative Period

Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) refers to the delivery of positive airway pressure in a spontaneously breathing patient without the use of endotracheal intubation. Many ventilation modes can be used for NIV, but the two most common modes include continuous positive airway pressure ventilation (CPAP) and bilevel positive airway pressure ventilation (BPAP). NIV has been shown to clearly benefit several acute medical conditions, but its role in the perioperative patient is less well defined and requires individual consideration of comorbidities and surgical anatomy. In select surgical populations, the use of NIV may preclude the need for endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation, thus reducing nosocomial infections and ICU length of stay while preserving mobility, speech, and cough. When considering NIV, appropriate patient selection and early recognition of NIV failure are integral to its success. Heightened recognition of postoperative vulnerability to hypercapnia, atelectasis, and undiagnosed sleep apnea, combined with accumulating data demonstrating safety and efficacy in multiple subsets of surgical patients, has contributed to the increasing use of NIV in the perioperative period. While further evidence is needed, current data suggests that NIV is safe in patients with proximal foregut anastomoses, without increasing the risk of an anastomotic leak.
Inner Product of Vectors. Norm

The incorporation of a metric into the axiomatic system of affine spaces depends on the method chosen for evaluating the magnitude of arbitrarily directed vectors. The procedure universally adopted was probably suggested by Grassman and Gibbs. It consists of deriving the notion of length, or norm, of vectors from the concept of the inner (also called scalar, or dot) product of vectors. We shall subsequently denote the inner product of two vectors, x and y say, by the symbol (x, y) instead of the usual notation x · y. As we shall see later, this convention makes the transition from Euclidean to abstract spaces simpler and more natural.
Material Learning in Action: Building an Arts-Based Research Community

On completing our digital methods course in 2016, a student told me that he did not know what to make of the class. He said this after presenting his final project: an imaginarium assembled from st...
Institutions, Networks, and Organizational Growth

We examine the institutions that facilitate the growth of organizations. Following a Weberian approach, we argue that organizations prefer institutions that create an environment rich in technological opportunities, legally secure, financially vibrant and politically predictable, and that they rely on social networks in order to identify opportunities and reduce uncertainty. We report results using information on 1,010 American venture capital firms potentially investing in 95 countries during the 1990-2002 period. Countries with more opportunities, as measured by the level of scientific knowledge and technology, and those with more developed financial and political institutions receive more investments. We also find strong evidence for the effects of transnational communities and syndication networks.
HAR Inference: Recommendations for Practice

The classic papers by Newey and West (1987) and Andrews (1991) spurred a large body of work on how to improve heteroscedasticity- and autocorrelation-robust (HAR) inference in time series regressio...
The Spheromak path to fusion

Options for a spheromak fusion-energy reactor are described and provide examples of the attractive opportunities which this magnetic configuration offers. However, the ability of the spheromak to confine plasma energy has not yet been demonstrated. The physics issues, including confinement in the presence of current drive by a magnetic dynamo driven by helicity injection, are summarized. These are being studied in the Sustained Spheromak Physics Experiment at LLNL.
The Polynucleotide Binding Sites of Estradiol Receptor Complexes

As a model for interaction of steroid receptors with DNA, the binding of estradiol receptor complexes (E2R) to oligodeoxynucleotides, covalently linked to cellulose, was studied in detail. Binding was optimal at concentrations of monovalent cationic salts at, or near, isotonic levels and was selective for intracellular receptors in contrast to extracellular steroid binding proteins. Among the oligomers, the order of affinity was oligo dG> oligo dT≥ oligo dC≫oligo dA≫oligo dI. The binding to oligo dG was stable to 37° C exposure and the processes of adsorption and desorption, while reactivity with oligo dT, oligo dC and oligo dA was labile. The decrease in binding following purification was restored by histone 2B. Oligo dG binding was the most resistant to inhibition by cibacron blue F3GA (CB) and pyridoxal-5-phosphate. On the basis of these data, a hypothesis is proposed for the interaction of mouse uterine cytosol E2R with prevalent nonspecific and putative specific sequences of DNA.
Neuroleptics and Prolactin

In 1955, shortly after its introduction as an antipsychotic, clinicians noted that chlorpromazine occasionally induced galactorrhea (Hooper et al., 1961). It was not until 1971, however, that chlorpromazine, and other neuroleptics as well, were found to regularly elevate serum prolactin (PRL) (Beumont et al., 1974). This observation and our current understanding of its mechanism awaited a series of conceptual and methodological advances.
Widening the K-12 pipeline at a critical juncture with Flash™

Students at a young age acquire many negative stereotypes regarding computer programming and computer science in general. These stereotypes discourage students, especially young women and minorities, from pursuing an education in computer science. Using an innovative curriculum focused on Adobe Flash™ we try to dispel these stereotypes and encourage students to pursue a computer science education. Adobe Flash provides a platform to demonstrate that computer science can be a fun and interesting topic that provides many unique and engaging challenges. This allows us to bring these students back into the pipeline of potential computer scientists.
Direct cellular reprogramming and inner ear regeneration.

Introduction: Sound is integral to communication and connects us to the world through speech and music. Cochlear hair cells are essential for converting sounds into neural impulses. However, these ...
Optimization of Intrinsic Auger-Assisted Tunneling for TFETs with Steep Subthreshold Slopes

Auger-assisted tunneling imposes an intrinsic limit on the off-state current in tunneling field-effect transistors. Auger-assisted tunneling must be included in device simulations in order to properly model the subthreshold characteristics of devices.
Visual Analysis of Photo Policy Misconfigurations Using Treemaps.

Online photo privacy is a major concern for social media users. Numerous visualization tools have been proposed to help the users easily compose and understand policies on social networks. However, these tools do not incorporate the ability to quickly identify and fix unintended photo sharing. We propose a tool that displays the photo albums w.r.t their policy misconfigurations using a Treemap visualization.
Analysis of the relationship between patients’ fear of falling and prescriber acceptance of community pharmacists’ recommendations

AbstractBackground: Certain medications place older adults at higher risk for experiencing falls. This is a modifiable risk factor that may be managed by community pharmacists, but requires prescriber acceptance of recommendations. Previous studies indicate that prescriber acceptance of pharmacist recommendations may be impacted by patient-reported concerns. Objective: To examine the relationship between patient-reported fear of falling and prescriber acceptance of pharmacist recommendations. Methods: A prospective, observational study design was used. Eligible patients were age 65 and older and received care at one of 31 participating pharmacies. Patients were screened for falls risk using three evidence-based questions; patients screening positive were eligible for a comprehensive medication review. Data were collected via a prescriber response form. The primary outcome was the prescriber acceptance of pharmacist recommendations. Results: Pharmacists communicated 562 recommendations to prescribers, with...
Reflex Circuitry Supporting Higher Functions

The forms of learning that support higher functions emerge as the sums of properties of neuronal systems at the subcellular, cellular, and network levels. We have already seen how the cellular and subcellular properties influence neural adaptation and thereby the operations of neural networks that support learned behavior. But what of the reflex circuitry? How does the architecture of the reflex circuitry influence memory, learning, and higher function? In engineering, the design of electrical circuitry is important since each design has its own consequences on information processing. Some logic circuits, for example, may be distinguished by whether they operate serially or in parallel. Two all-or-none elements (a and b) placed in series have the logical effect on message transmission of “if both a and b are true, then …”, whereas the same two elements placed in parallel have the effect of “if either a or b is true, then …” (see Fig. 7.4). Parallel circuits may be more redundant and less than serial circuits, but may also be more resistant to disruption (see Fig. 7.5) and may invite use by multiple, differently labeled lines.
Student Evaluation of Teaching in Higher Education: Evidence from Hong Kong

This paper examines empirically the determinants of student evaluation of teaching (SET). An empirical model was specified and estimated using the SET data collected in Hong Kong over six academic years. A key finding is that three different origins of students had a differentiated impact on teaching evaluation. In particular, students from mainland China appreciated and rated teaching favorably, and hence the more mainland talents in the class, the higher the class-average SET scores. However, local Hong Kong students valued teaching and learning effectiveness unfavorably. Exchange students from abroad also dropped the class-average SET scores, as well as class-average exam scores. The results suggest that raw SET scores should be used with care if classes are unbalanced with a large group of atypical students who work less but blame instructors for everything.
Vocational Evaluation of Blind and Visually Impaired Persons for Technical, Professional, and Managerial Positions:

This survey presents a broad overview of the vocational assessment environment citing problems such as using “trait” oriented approaches rather than more specific “real-work” task techniques for th...
A Siamese Neural Network with Modified Distance Loss For Transfer Learning in Speech Emotion Recognition Kexin Feng.

Automatic emotion recognition plays a significant role in the process of human computer interaction and the design of Internet of Things (IOT) technologies. Yet, a common problem in emotion recognition systems lies in the scarcity of reliable labels. By modeling pairwise differences between samples of interest, a Siamese network can help to mitigate this challenge since it requires fewer samples than traditional deep learning methods. In this paper, we propose a distance loss, which can be applied on the Siamese network fine-tuning, by optimizing the model based on the relevant distance between same and difference class pairs. Our system use samples from the source data to pre-train the weights of proposed Siamese neural network, which are fine-tuned based on the target data. We present an emotion recognition task that uses speech, since it is one of the most ubiquitous and frequently used bio-behavioral signals. Our target data comes from the RAVDESS dataset, while the CREMA-D and eNTERFACE'05 are used as source data, respectively. Our results indicate that the proposed distance loss is able to greatly benefit the fine-tuning process of Siamese network. Also, the selection of source data has more effect on the Siamese network performance compared to the number of frozen layers. These suggest the great potential of applying the Siamese network and modelling pairwise differences in the field of transfer learning for automatic emotion recognition.
Evidence-Based Quality and Accuracy of YouTube Videos about Nephrolithiasis.

OBJECTIVE To assess the quality and accuracy of online videos about the medical management of nephrolithiasis. MATERIALS AND METHODS To evaluate trends in online interest, we first examined the frequency of worldwide YouTube searches for 'kidney stones' from 2015 to 2020. We then queried YouTube with terms related to symptoms and treatment of kidney stones and analysed English-language videos with >5000 views. Quality was assessed using the validated DISCERN instrument. Evidence-based content analysis of video content and viewer comments was performed. RESULTS Online searches for videos about kidney stones doubled between 2015 and 2019 (P < 0.001). We analysed 102 videos with a median (range) number of views of 46 539 (5024-3 631 322). The mean (sd) DISCERN score was 3.0 (1.4) out of 5, indicating 'moderate' quality; scores were significantly higher for the 21 videos (21%) authored by academic hospitals (mean 3.7 vs 2.8, P = 0.02). Inaccurate or non-evidence-based claims were identified in 23 videos (23%); none of the videos authored by academic institutions contained inaccurate claims. Videos with inaccurate statements had more than double the viewer engagement (viewer-generated comments, 'thumbs up' and 'thumbs down' ratings) compared to videos without inaccuracies (P < 0.001). Among viewer comments, 43 videos (43%) included comments with inaccurate or non-evidence-based claims, and a large majority (82 videos, 80%) had 'chatbot' recommendations. CONCLUSIONS Interest in YouTube videos about nephrolithiasis has doubled since 2015. While highly viewed videos vary widely in quality and accuracy, videos produced by academic hospitals have significantly fewer inaccurate claims. Given the high prevalence of stone disease and poor-quality videos, patients should be directed to evidence-based content online.
The First of its Kind: A

The Village Negre, one of the largest exhibitsin the 1889 World’s Fair, was home to over fourhundred indigenous people from various Frenchcolonies. Throughout this paper, the authorsdiscuss how the Village Negre was used by theFrench to draw a line between the “civilized” andthe “savage.” The Village also served as a form ofcolonialist propaganda while further establishingEuropean dominance.
Impact of assisted reproduction techniques on subsequent reproductive performance of dairy heifers and lactating cows.

Abstract Use of assisted reproduction techniques (ART) such as ovum pick-up for in vitro embryo production (OPU-IVP) and multiple ovulation for embryo transfer (MOET) in livestock has increased in recent years. Objectives of this retrospective cohort study were to evaluate the association between ART and reproductive performance of donor dairy heifers and cows until third lactation. Holsteins donors subjected to MOET (n = 1087) or OPU-IVP (n = 551) were matched with non-donor females (n = 4112) based on date of birth allowing for a maximal difference of 10 days. Binary variables were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression whereas time to first breeding and time to pregnancy were analyzed using multivariable Cox’s proportional hazard models and Kaplan-Meier survival curves. Contrasts were built to assess the association between donor status (non-donor vs. MOET + OPU-IVP), type of ART (MOET vs. OPU-IVP) and number of OPU-IVP procedures. Non-donor heifers had greater hazards of first breeding, pregnancy, and first calving compared with donor counterparts. Proportion of pregnant heifers after first breeding was reduced for donors compared with non-donors, which was primarily explained by a reduced proportion of OPU-IVP donors that became pregnant. Although proportion of pregnant cows after first breeding was not associated with ART group during first lactation, hazards of first breeding and pregnancy relative to the end of voluntary wait period were reduced for OPU-IVP donors. During second and third lactations, hazard of first breeding was greater for non-donors compared with donor counterparts. However, proportion of pregnant cows after first breeding and pregnancy hazard were not associated with ART groups. Culling was greater for non-donors compared with donors across all lactations. However, proportion cows culled during first lactation that was attributed to reproductive causes tended to be greater for donor compared with non-donor cows. Assisted reproduction techniques were associated with reduced reproductive performance in dairy heifers and cows but did not increase overall culling.
Scanning Capacitance Microscopy

Though most widely used as a two-dimensional (2D) dopant-profiling tool, scanning capacitance microscopy (SCM) has a diverse array of applications in the semiconductor industry. This chapter highlights three emerging applications of SCM: failure analysis of semiconductor devices, imaging of device operation, and the visualization of radiation effects. Each application is described in detail, providing practical experimental details and a number of examples.
Team Interaction Strategies for Human–Autonomy Teaming in Next Generation Combat Vehicles:

The current study focuses on improving team effectiveness in Next Generation Combat Vehicles (NGCVs) that combine humans, intelligent agents, and unmanned assets working together toward common goal...
What It Takes to Compute Highly Accurate Rovibrational Line Lists for Use in Astrochemistry.

ConspectusWe review the Best Theory + Reliable High-Resolution Experiment (BTRHE) strategy for obtaining highly accurate molecular rovibrational line lists with InfraRed (IR) intensities. The need ...
Inpatient outcomes of posterior fossa decompression with or without duraplasty for Chiari malformation type I.

Abstract Objective Chiari malformation type 1 (CM-1) is a congenital neurologic condition in which the cerebellar tonsils herniate below the foramen magnum, resulting in symptoms such as headache and neck pain. Two common surgical treatment approaches are posterior fossa decompression with (PFDD) and without duraplasty (PFD). Previous single-center studies have demonstrated increased neurologic complications after PFDD compared to PFD. The goal of this study is to determine differences in inpatient complications and hospitalization data among patients treated with these surgical techniques using a nationwide sample. Methods The National Inpatient Sample (NIS) was queried for years 2012–2015 for all patients with a primary diagnosis of CM-1 who underwent PFD or PFDD. Differences in baseline demographics and comorbidities were accounted for in subsequent analysis using propensity score matching. Hospitalization measures and inpatient complications of the two cohorts were compared using Chi-squared tests and t-tests when appropriate. Results A total of 2395 patients with CM-1 were included in this study, with 750 (31.3%) undergoing PFD and 1645 (68.7%) undergoing PFDD. PFDD was associated with higher total hospital costs than PFD. There were no significant differences in other hospitalization or discharge data, non-neurologic complications, or CNS complications (CSF leak, pseudomeningocele, abscess, meningitis, stroke) between the two surgical groups. Conclusions This study represents the largest national analysis to date of adult CM-1 patients undergoing PFD or PFDD. Our findings suggest that whether the decision is made to perform the less invasive PFD or more invasive PFDD, inpatient complications and hospitalization data will not significantly differ.
An approximate loop transfer recovery method for designing fixed-order compensators

A method for designing fixed-order dynamic compensators for multivariable time invariant linear systems is presented which is based on the minimization of a linear quadratic performance index. The present formulation is performed in an output feedback setting which uses an observer cononical form to represent the compensator dynamics. Techniques for penalizing the plant and compensator states and for selecting the distribution on initial conditions such that the loop transfer matrix approximates that of a full-state feedback design have been developed. The effectiveness of the method is demonstrated using the examples of the pointing of a flexible structure and a helicopter flight control problem.
Features of "ET plus" correlate with age and tremor duration: "ET plus" may be a disease stage rather than a subtype of essential tremor.

Abstract Background Essential tremor (ET) is characterized by considerable clinical heterogeneity. In 2018, the term “ET plus” was introduced to mark a potential stratification point for dividing ET into subtypes – ET vs ET plus (i.e., ET cases with neurological features other than action tremor). However, as ET progresses, patients often develop increasingly severe tremor, spread of tremor, tremor under different activation conditions, and other features. Given this situation, ET plus may represent a disease stage rather than a disease classification or subtype. In theory, if the defining characteristics of a disease subtype fluctuate with age or disease duration, it raises the distinct possibility the “subtype” is a disease stage. Methods A cohort of 241 prospectively enrolled ET cases underwent a detailed motor and cognitive assessment in which the features of ET plus including cerebellar signs (intention tremor, tandem gait difficulty), rest tremor, dystonia, and cognitive performance were evaluated. We determined whether these features of ET plus correlated with action tremor duration and age. Results We demonstrated that numerous ET plus features were significantly correlated with both age and action tremor duration (numerous p values Conclusion We observed that the component parts of ET plus are highly age- and stage-dependent. These features are yearly-changing features conditional on a demographic and disease stage variable. These data support the notion that ET plus may represent a disease stage rather than a distinct disease subtype or disease classification.
The Family as a Unit of Care in End-of-Life Conversations

End-of-life conversations with family members are frequently emotionally fraught and place physicians in situations they might not know how to handle. The conversation about dying from Koutsouras e...
Theoretical Basis of Measures of Natural Fertility

In his remarks on Gini, Henry notes that the mean fecundability of women who conceive in the first month of marriage (in Gini's notation, paper 40 above: \(\Sigma p^2_{i}n_{i1}\left./ \Sigma p_in_{i1}\right)\)may also be written \(\bar{p}(1+c^{2})\), with \(\bar{p}\) the arithmetic mean fecundability of the non-sterile population and c the coefficient of variation.
Calcium regulation in the embryonic chick. I. Effect of parathyroidectomy and ultimobranchialectomy during late embryogenesis.

Abstract Parathyroidectomy (PTX), ultimobranchialectomy (UBX), both operations (PTX-UBX), or sham surgery was performed on chick embryos at 18 days of incubation. Blood samples were taken from 1 to 20 hr after the operations and analyzed for calcium and phosphate concentrations. Serum calcium values decreased approximately 10% in PTX animals 5 hr after surgery and remained at this level for the duration of the experiment. Calcium values of the PTX-UBX group dropped significantly below those of shams 7 hr after the operation; these values continued to drop and stabilized at approximately 25% below control by 15 hr. UBX and sham-operated animals had no significant change in serum calcium values. Serum phosphate values rose following PTX and were significantly higher than control at 5, 7, and 10 hr post-PTX before returning to normal. The serum phosphate values of the PTX-UBX group were significantly higher than control 10 hr after the operation. Neither UBX nor the sham operation significantly altered serum phosphate values. Removal of parathyroid tissue thus results in a gradual decline in serum calcium and a rise in serum phosphate concentrations in 18-day chick embryos. The more striking drop in serum calcium seen in the PTX-UBX group is attributed to the loss of accessory parathyroid tissue within ultimobranchial glands. These experiments indicate that the parathyroid gland does play a role in maintenance of plasma calcium and phosphate values in chicks during late embryogenesis.
Taking a chance on epigenetics.

Epigenetics has become the indispensable science for understanding the gene-environment relationships that control risk exposure, therapeutic response, and disease progression. Despite the importance of the field, not all scientists agree on how even to define epigenetics (Dupont et al., 2009); some, like me, restrict epigenetics to events that happen at the gene level, such as DNA methylation and histone modifications that constitute epigenetic marks, and the binding of proteins and RNAs involved in transcription control. Others also include miRNAs that interact with messenger RNAs. My purpose here is not to discuss semantics, but rather to consider the enormous expectations that we have placed upon epigenetics for its potential to provide quantifiable markers of risk. The notion of risk itself is a matter of significant debate in public health. It relies on our capacity to determine when a cell or tissue has become altered to the point where a disease might have a chance of onset, recurrence, progression or resistance to treatment. Risk is also linked to statistics; individuals who display a known marker of risk are placed in an “at risk” group from which, usually, only some people will actually develop the disorder. Therefore, to address uncertainty associated with risk assessment, the individual “at risk” should be monitored, and we should prioritize the search for underlying mechanisms in order to develop prevention strategies. Next-generation sequencing is currently the basis for large scale epigenetic analyses. But the balance between the investment of large amounts of funds in genetic sequencing and the paucity of resulting new information for cancer knowledge has raised doubt about the overall efficiency of this approach (Yaffe, 2013). With the epigenetic code consisting of more than two-dozen different epigenetic marks, the gathering of data for risk assessment would require an exponential use of such costly technologies. Nonetheless, in my opinion, epigenetics is likely to enable great strides in risk assessment because epigenetic marks are rapidly, and sometimes sustainably, modified in response to risk variations. The highly specific nature of the mechanisms that control epigenetic marks might even provide targets for strategies designed to reduce individual risk. Indeed, our query should not be merely whether epigenetics can contribute to risk assessment, but how the information that we learn can and will be used to provide meaningful measures of risk. However, as developed in the next paragraphs, epigenetic information is unlikely to function as a sufficient single factor in risk assessment. Moreover, the epigenome that comprises epigenetic marks for all genes is development-dependent as well as tissue-dependent. Thus, a sound experimental approach is necessary to identify suitable sources of tissue for epigenetic analysis and to better understand how the epigenome would respond depending on the time period of risk exposure.
Gene Expression of Atrial Natriuretic Factor in Ovine Fetal Heart During Development

Objective The present study quantified the abundance of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) messenger RNA (mRNA) and determined the developmental pattern of ANF gene expression in the four cardiac chambers of the ovine fetus during the last two-thirds of gestation. Methods Twenty-one fetuses from 13 time-dated pregnant ewes at gestational ages of 60-145 days were used for this study. Total RNA from fetal atria and ventricles was extracted and ANF mRNA was analyzed by Northern blotting. The ANF mRNA signal was quantified by light densitometry. The abundance of ANF mRNA in the cardiac chambers across gestational ages was analyzed by linear regression analysis and one-way analysis of variance. Results Atrial natriuretic factor mRNA was much more abundant in the atria than in the ventricles of all fetuses at each gestational age studied. Atrial ANF mRNA levels were lowest in the younger fetuses at 60 days and increased with advancing gestation. Ventricular ANF mRNA levels were highest in fetuses at 60 days and decreased to almost nondetectable levels near term. No difference in ANF mRNA abundance was noted between the right and left atria or the right and left ventricles at each gestational age. Conclusion A developmental pattern of ANF gene expression is demonstrated in the ovine fetal heart during the last two-thirds of gestation. This pattern shows that atrial ANF mRNA abundance increases while ventricular abundance decreases as the fetus matures. Expression of the ANF gene in the fetal period may be regulated developmentally or induced by cardiovascular changes in utero.
Graph-Theoretical Analysis of a Subclass of Petri Nets

In this paper, an informal description of a Petri Net subclass is given, which is described in more detail in /HE79/. A diagram will be presented describing the relationship of that subclass to other well-known subclasses. A slightly different notion of liveness (compared to other approaches) is explained by an example, which is related to an interpretion in the area of concurrent programs. Finally, the same example /LAT/ of a non-live Petri Net is analysed as in /MEM/ (contained in these proceedings). The most important steps of the graphtheoretical analysis are shown.
Model-based analysis of oligonucleotide arrays: model validation, design issues and standard error application

A model-based analysis of oligonucleotide expression arrays we developed previously uses a probe-sensitivity index to capture the response characteristic of a specific probe pair and calculates model-based expression indexes (MBEI). MBEI has standard error attached to it as a measure of accuracy. Here we investigate the stability of the probe-sensitivity index across different tissue types, the reproducibility of results in replicate experiments, and the use of MBEI in perfect match (PM)-only arrays. Probe-sensitivity indexes are stable across tissue types. The target gene's presence in many arrays of an array set allows the probe-sensitivity index to be estimated accurately. We extended the model to obtain expression values for PM-only arrays, and found that the 20-probe PM-only model is comparable to the 10-probe PM/MM difference model, in terms of the expression correlations with the original 20-probe PM/MM difference model. MBEI method is able to extend the reliable detection limit of expression to a lower mRNA concentration. The standard errors of MBEI can be used to construct confidence intervals of fold changes, and the lower confidence bound of fold change is a better ranking statistic for filtering genes. We can assign reliability indexes for genes in a specific cluster of interest in hierarchical clustering by resampling clustering trees. A software dChip implementing many of these analysis methods is made available. The model-based approach reduces the variability of low expression estimates, and provides a natural method of calculating expression values for PM-only arrays. The standard errors attached to expression values can be used to assess the reliability of downstream analysis.