cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multicenter Evaluation of the Antimicrobial Activity for Six Broad-Spectrum β-Lactams in Venezuela Using the Etest Method

Abstract From March through July 1997, a nine laboratory surveillance project was initiated in Turkey to monitor the potency and spectrum of seven broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents (cefepime, ceftazidime, cefotaxime, imipenem, aztreonam, cefoperazone/sulbactam, and ticarcillin/clavulanate) tested against approximately 100 organisms (average 82; range 70 to 95 isolates) per participant center (736 strains). Eleven groups of organisms were tested by the Etest method (AB BIODISK, Solna, Sweden) with results validated by concurrent quality control strain analysis. Results from all centers were tabulated and 91.1% of quality assurance tests were within ranges recommended by the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards. Among the seven β-lactam–class drugs tested, imipenem and cefepime were the most active β-lactams tested against all isolates. Overall, the rank order of susceptibility of the seven agents was imipenem > cefepime > cefoperazone/sulbactam > ceftazidime > cefotaxime > aztreonam > ticarcillin/clavulanate. Both cefepime and imipenem were active against ceftazidime-resistant strains of Enterobacteriaceae as well as against Streptococcus spp. and oxacillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus . Resistance phenotypes consistent with extended spectrum β-lactamases were documented among Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp., and profiles consistent with stably derepressed Bush–Jacoby–Mederios group 1 (Amp C) cephalosporinases were common among Enterobacter spp., Citrobacter spp., and Serratia spp. These data should be used to guide empiric therapy with β-lactams in Turkey, and additionally will provide a reference statistical baseline to which future national studies of drugs in this class can be compared.
Open-system approaches to gene expression in the CNS.

In the present era of the nearing completion of the nucleotide sequences of the human genome and of several model organisms, it is easy to overlook the common viewpoint of 20 years ago, especially among neuroscientists. It was clear at that time intellectually that the genome encoded the protein set
Analysis of shielded and open microstrip lines of double negative metamaterials using spectral domain approach (SDA)

Double-negative (DNG) metamaterials, refer to artificially created materials both having negative permittivity and effective permeability at a given frequency. In the last several years, double negative metamaterials attract a great deal of attention from scientists. In the area of high frequency application, transmission line serves as the fundamental building blocks. Due to the different application purposes, two kinds of microstrip are widely studied, shielded and open. In 2003, Krowne published his numerical results for shielded microstrip line with double negative metamaterials. In this research, Chebyshev polynomials are chosen for the current basis functions and diverse model structures are analyzed. Spectral domain approach (SDA) is used to explore the electric guiding-wave properties of specific structures with DNG metamaterials, containing dispersion curves, field distributions, power flow, and characteristic impedance. Convergence test of the dispersion constant over different sizes of current basis is analyzed for the open microstrip. The numerical results show that propagating mode or complex mode is found at different frequencies and geometric setups. Field distributions show the significant difference from that of double positive (DPS) materials. To improve the calculation efficiency, numerical acceleration techniques are included and implemented. The numerical analysis implies that the shielding walls have great impact on the propagating properties in the shielded microstrip line. The open microstrip line filled with DNG metamaterials exhibits significant loss in its fundamental mode, indicating that it is not a good candidate for transmission line.
AI and augmentative communication: where are we and where to go?

The author discusses the motivations behind the application of artificial intelligence (AI) techniques in augmentative communication, describes the representative research activities in augmentative communication, and explores the potential research areas which merge AI and augmentative communication. Current research on augmentative communication consists of three areas of concentration: clinical study, device assessment, and design methodologies. Clinical study focuses on identifying the types and levels of dysarthria that can be matched to the use of certain 'assistive' technologies, for example, use of speech synthesis and recognition to assist voice communication. The other two areas focus on the assessment of existing augmentative communication devices and design methodologies for new augmentative communication devices, respectively. >
Carbapenems and Monobactams: Imipenem, Meropenem, and Aztreonam

Imipenem and meropenem, members of the carbapenem class of β-lactam antibiotics, are among the most broadly active antibiotics available for systemic use in humans. They are active against streptococci, methicillin-sensitive staphylococci, Neisseria, Haemophilus, anaerobes, and the common aerobic gram-negative nosocomial pathogens including Pseudomonas. Resistance to imipenem and meropenem may emerge during treatment of P. aeruginosa infections, as has occurred with other β-lactam agents; Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is typically resistant to both imipenem and meropenem. Like the penicillins, the carbapenems have inhibitory activity against enterococci. In general, the in vitro activity of imipenem against aerobic gram-positive cocci is somewhat greater than that of meropenem, whereas the in vitro activity of meropenem against aerobic gram-negative bacilli is somewhat greater than that of imipenem. Daily dosages may range from 0.5 to 1 g every 6 to 8 hours in patients with normal renal function; the daily dose of meropenem, however, can be safely increased to 6 g. Infusion-related nausea and vomiting, as well as seizures, which have been the main toxic effects of imipenem, occur no more frequently during treatment with meropenem than during treatment with other β-lactam antibiotics. The carbapenems should be considered for treatment of mixed bacterial infections and aerobic gram-negative bacteria that are not susceptible to other β-lactam agents. Indiscriminate use of these drugs will promote resistance to them. Aztreonam, the first marketed monobactam, has activity against most aerobic gram-negative bacilli including P. aeruginosa. The drug is not nephrotoxic, is weakly immunogenic, and has not been associated with disorders of coagulation. Aztreonam may be administered intramuscularly or intravenously; the primary route of elimination is urinary excretion. In patients with normal renal function, the recommended dosing interval is every 8 hours. Patients with renal impairment require dosage adjustment. Aztreonam is used primarily as an alternative to aminoglycosides and for the treatment of aerobic gram-negative infections. It is often used in combination therapy for mixed aerobic and anaerobic infections. Approved indications for its use include infections of the urinary tract or lower respiratory tract, intra-abdominal and gynecologic infections, septicemia, and cutaneous infections caused by susceptible organisms. Concurrent initial therapy with other antimicrobial agents is recommended before the causative organism has been determined in patients who are seriously ill or at risk for gram-positive or anaerobic infection.
Vibrio fischeri LuxS and AinS: Comparative Study of Two Signal Synthases

Vibrio fischeri possesses two acyl-homoserine lactone quorum-sensing systems, ain and lux, both of which are involved in the regulation of luminescence gene expression and are required for persistent colonization of the squid host, Euprymna scolopes. We have previously demonstrated that the ain system induces luminescence at cell densities that precede lux system activation. Our data suggested that the ain system both relieves repression and initially induces the lux system, thereby achieving sequential induction of gene expression by these two systems. Analysis of the V. fischeri genome revealed the presence of a putative third system based on the enzyme LuxS, which catalyzes the synthesis of the Vibrio harveyi autoinducer 2 (AI-2). In this study, we investigated the impact of V. fischeri LuxS on luminescence and colonization competence in comparison to that of the ain system. Similar to the ain system, inactivation of the AI-2 system decreased light production in culture, but not in the squid host. However, while an ainS mutant produces no detectable light in culture, a luxS mutant expressed approximately 70% of wild-type luminescence levels. A mutation in luxS alone did not compromise symbiotic competence of V. fischeri; however, levels of colonization of an ainS luxS double mutant were reduced to 50% of the already diminished level of ainS mutant colonization, suggesting that these two systems regulate colonization gene expression synergistically through a common pathway. Introduction of a luxO mutation into the luxS and ainS luxS background could relieve both luminescence and colonization defects, consistent with a model in which LuxS, like AinS, regulates gene expression through LuxO. Furthermore, while luxS transcription appeared to be constitutive and the AI-2 signal concentration did not change dramatically, our data suggest that ainS transcription is autoregulated, resulting in an over 2,000-fold increase in signal concentration as culture density increased. Taken together, these data indicate that V. fischeri LuxS affects both luminescence regulation and colonization competence; however, its quantitative contribution is small when compared to that of the AinS signal.
Neointimal Formation After Endovascular Arterial Injury Is Markedly Attenuated in db/db Mice

Objective— A diabetic mouse model of accelerated neointimal formation would be a useful tool to understand the increased incidence of restenosis in patients with diabetes. Methods and Results— Femoral artery endoluminal wire injury was performed in diabetic insulin 2 Akita ( ins2 Akita ) and leptin receptor db/db ( lepr db/db ) mutant mice. Neointima size in ins2 Akita mouse arteries was unchanged compared with nondiabetic wild-type littermates. Although Ki67 labeling demonstrated similar rates of replication in the neointima of lepr db/db mouse arteries, neointimal formation in lepr db/db mice was surprisingly reduced by ≈90% compared with nondiabetic lepr +/+ mice. Four hours after arterial injury, medial smooth muscle cell death was diminished in lepr db/db arteries, suggesting that the initial response to arterial injury was altered in lepr db/db mice. Conclusions— These studies highlight a differential response to arterial injury in lepr db/db mice and suggest a potential role for leptin in the regulation of neointimal formation in response to arterial injury.
Evolution and Conservation on Top of the World: Phylogeography of the Marbled Water Frog (Telmatobius marmoratus Species Complex; Anura, Telmatobiidae) in Protected Areas of Chile

The Andean Altiplano has served as a complex setting throughout its history, driving dynamic processes of diversification in several taxa. We investigated phylogeographic processes in the Telmatobius marmoratus species complex occurring in this region by studying the geographic patterns of genetic variability, genealogies, and historical migration, using the cytochrome b (cyt-b) gene as a marker. DNA sequences from Telmatobius gigas and Telmatobius culeus, Bolivian species with an uncertain taxonomic status, were also included. Additionally, we evaluated the phylogenetic diversity (PD) represented within Chilean protected areas and the complementary contribution from unprotected populations. Phylogenetic reconstructions from 148 cyt-b sequences revealed 4 main clades, one of which corresponded to T. culeus. T. gigas was part of T. marmoratus clade indicating paraphyletic relationships. Haplotypes from Chilean and Bolivian sites were not reciprocally monophyletic. Geographic distribution of lineages, spatial Bayesian analysis, and migration patterns indicated that T. marmoratus displays a weaker geographic structure than expected based on habitat distribution and physiological requirements. Demographic and statistical phylogeography analyses pointed out to a scenario of recent population expansion and high connectivity events of a more recent age than the post Last Glacial Maximum, probably associated to more humid events in Altiplano. PD of T. marmoratus populations within protected areas represents 55.6% of the total estimated PD. The unprotected populations that would contribute the most to PD are Caquena and Quebe (21%). Recent evolutionary processes and paleoclimatic changes, potentially driving shifts in habitat connectivity levels and population sizes, could explain the phylogeographic patterns recovered herein.
Acute hemichorea in a 14-year-old boy

The differential diagnosis of chorea or hemichorea in an adolescent boy is discussed. Sydenham's chorea, still the most common cause of chorea in childhood, is only one of many important diseases in the differential diagnosis in this clinical situation.
Why Don't Dogs Bark (or Bomb) in the Night? Explaining the Non-Development of Political Violence or Terrorism: The Case of Quebec Separatism

Studies of individuals or groups that use violence or terrorism in the pursuit of political goals typically focus on the specific actions that these individuals or groups have taken, or may take, a...
Analysis of high-precision vanadium isotope ratios by medium resolution MC-ICP-MS

We present and verify a new method to measure vanadium isotope ratios using a Thermo Scientific Neptune multi-collector inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometer (MC-ICP-MS) operated in medium mass resolution mode. We collect masses 48 through 53 simultaneously using the L2, L1, Center, H1, H2 and H3 collectors. The Center cup is equipped with a 1012 Ω resistor, H1 is equipped with a 1010 Ω resistor, while the rest of the collectors have standard 1011 Ω resistors. Unlike previous low-resolution methods, the use of medium mass resolution (ΔM/M ∼ 4000) permits separation of V, Ti and Cr isotopes from all interfering molecular species representing combinations of C, N, O, S, Cl, and Ar. We show that the external reproducibility follows a power law function with respect to the number of V+ ions collected and achieve an external reproducibility of ±0.15‰ with total V+ ion beam intensities of ∼1 nA. The separation of interfering molecular species from the V mass spectrum reduces the V requirement for precise isotope data to as little as 200–300 ng V per analysis—a reduction of ∼90% compared with previous methods—making several low-V matrices amenable to V isotope analysis.
Hormonal regulation of albumin gene expression in primary cultures of rat hepatocytes

When primary cultures of rat hepatocytes were placed in a chemically defined serum-free medium containing a combination of insulin, glucagon, and dexamethasone, the synthesis of albumin and total p...
From Antiquity to the N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor: A History of Delirium Tremens

Delirium associated with excessive alcohol consumption has been known since antiquity. This condition became more common as the supply of distilled fermented liquors increased. Delirium, including delirium associated with excessive alcohol consumption, was for many centuries regarded as a form of brain inflammation - "phrenitis" - and was treated with depletion. At the end of the eighteenth century treatment by depletion of alcohol-related delirium began to be replaced by sedation and led to significantly better outcomes. Thomas Sutton established that alcohol-related delirium was a disease sui generis, distinct from phrenitis, and he named it delirium tremens. Because historical accounts of this disease are rare, brief, and not easily accessible, we offer this account of events that culminated in the discovery of the molecular basis of delirium tremens.
A friendly face for Eclipse

Eclipse is a powerful integrated development environment (IDE) for Java1 targeted at professional software developers. However, Eclipse is poorly suited for use in introductory computing education because the complexity of its interface and the associated computing environment can overwhelm beginners. In contrast, DrJava is a friendly, highly interactive IDE targeted at teaching Java to beginners. DrJava has a simple interface consisting of a Definitions pane for entering and editing program text and an Interactions pane for evaluating arbitrary Java statements and expressions given the program in the Definitions pane. This interface frees students from the complication of defining main methods for their programs and encourages them to explore the Java language by conducting simple experiments.We have developed a plug-in for Eclipse, based largely on the existing DrJava code base, that provides an Interactions pane to Eclipse with precisely the same capabilities as the Interactions pane in DrJava, along with a simplified user interface. With this plug-in, Eclipse becomes a suitable vehicle for teaching introductory programming, enabling instructional programs to use the same IDE for all levels of the programming curriculum. In addition, it provides professional developers with a convenient mechanism for interactively evaluating arbitrary program text during program development --- a common feature of programming interfaces for functional languages like Scheme and ML.
ACTH releasing activity in vivo of a CRF preparation and lysine vasopressin.

SummaryThe CRF preparation fraction D stimulates release of ACTH in animals with hypothalamic lesion or pharmacological blockade, at doses where pressor equivalents as pure lysine vasopressin are inactive. Hypophysiotropic activity of fraction D observed in vitro is therefore confirmed in vivo and should be attributed to a substance different from vasopressin.
Role of the Tubular Basement Membrane in the Pathogenesis of Polycystic Kidney Disease

Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is due to multiple, segmental distentions, often enormous in degree, of the nephron (1). Its pathogenesis is unknown, but tubular cell growth (2), basement membrane alterations with loss of normal tubular conformation (3), tubular solute and fluid secretion and environmental factors have been implicated in its development.
Optimizing the Number of Collectors in Machine-to-Machine Advanced Metering Infrastructure Architecture for Internet of Things-Based Smart Grid

Internet of Things connects people and things at any time and in any place. Smart grid is one of the promising applications of Internet of Things. Advanced metering infrastructure is one of the most significant components in smart grid which collects data from smart meters and sends the collected data to the utility center to be analyzed and stored. To implement two-way communication between smart grid components, machine-to-machine communications has a great potential. In this paper, we propose a machine-to-machine architecture for advanced metering infrastructure in Internet of Things-based smart grid and focus on finding the optimum number of collectors based on two metrics: collectors' cost and packet delay. We model advanced metering infrastructure as a queuing system and derive an expression for packet delay. We also propose a newperformance metric, the product of cost and delay (CD), so that by minimizing it, we can find the optimum number of collectors. The simulation results indicate correctness of our theoretical model and show that we can achieve a balance between cost and delay.
Twenty-Four Cases of Benign Infantile Convulsions Associated with Mild Gastroenteritis

Objective To investigate clinical course of benign infantile convulsions associated with mild gastroenteritis(BICE).Methods Long-term follow-up for 24-40 months and assessments were carried out for 24 patients with BICE,admitted to our hospital between Dec.2002 to Feb.2004.The recurrence rate and prognosis were determined by including the cases with tendency of cluster seizures on clinical episodes and excluding those with electrolyte disorder,febrile seizures,epilepsy and epileptic syndrome,symptomatic epilepsy and abnormality of neuromotor development.Results Of the 24 patients,4 patients showed small spike sharp in centric area on electroencephalogram,and 1 patient external hydrocephalus on CT.During the 2 years follow-up,2 cases were found to experience another episode due to gastroenteritis,and 1 case to recure twice due to fever.Antiepiceptic drugs were not administered and their intelligence developed normally.Conclusions Infants with BICE may occure seldomly,and cluster seizures may occure in some cases,but the prognosis is well for all the infants.
Citizens without property: Informality and political agency in a Seattle, Washington homeless encampment:

Often referred to as “tent cities”, tent encampments have, in the last 10 years, proliferated within and around US cities on a scale unprecedented since the Great Depression. Accounts of these info...
Reward-Induced Eating: Therapeutic Approaches to Addressing Food Cravings

The homeostatic controls over eating are inextricably linked to the reward aspects of eating. The result is an integrated response that coordinates the internal milieu with the prevailing environment. Thus, appetite, which reflects a complex interaction among the external environment, behavioral profile, and subjective states as well as the storage and metabolism of energy, has an important role in the regulation of energy balance. In the prevailing food environment which offers an abundance of food choices it is likely that the motivation to consume from a wide range of delectable foods plays a greater role in contributing to overeating than in the past when the motivation to eat was largely governed by metabolic need. The response to food-related cues can promote strong desires to eat known as cravings by activating the mesocorticolimbic dopamine neurocircuitry. Cravings are associated with subsequent eating and weight-related outcomes. Being able to control food cravings is a determinant of success at adhering to an energy-restricted diet regimen. Increased understanding of the neurocircuitry of appetite regulation, especially reward-related eating behavior, has provided potential targets for therapeutic anti-obesity agents specifically directed at reward mechanisms. The naltrexone–bupropion combination and lorcaserin, which are both approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for long-term weight management, have shown promise in addressing craving-related eating behavior. Phentermine and liraglutide are approved as monotherapies for weight management. Preliminary research suggests that liraglutide, as well as phentermine alone or in combination with lorcaserin, may be effective in targeting food cravings. Food components such as thylakoid membranes have also been shown to influence food cravings. This review explores the concepts related to appetite and reward-induced eating behavior, as well as the pharmacological options and food-derived components that may be used to address food cravings.
Can a Commercially Available Auditory Training Program Improve Audiovisual Speech Performance

Purpose The goal of this study was to determine whether hearing aids in combination with computer-based auditory training improve audiovisual (AV) performance compared with the use of hearing aids ...
Address to the Incoming US President

Dear President-Elect Trump, Welcome to the White House and one of the most powerful seats in the world. As our next president, your focus will be on many important issues and goals, including—most importantly—how to ensure that all Americans have equal opportunity to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness by safeguarding against the greatest threats to our well-being. Unfortunately, too many American lives are cut short by our nation’s number 1 and number 5 killers: cardiovascular disease and stroke. As we face the mounting devastation caused by rising rates of obesity, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and physical inactivity, I strongly urge you to put our nation’s health at the top of your list of priorities. The burden of cardiovascular disease is growing faster than our ability to ease it.1 Distressingly, the rate of declines in death rates from heart disease and stroke has flattened and even worsened for our most vulnerable populations.2 To shift us from this destructive course, we hope you will join us in focusing on the following critical priorities. A one-size-fits-all approach to improving America’s health challenges won’t improve the lives of all Americans, because each community and population faces specific challenges and risk factors. Treating these communities with the same, traditional health interventions is akin to giving everyone the same prescription for eyeglasses and expecting 20/20 vision. In fact, recent research by the Centers …
The Unplanned Journey of a Requirements Engineer in Industry: An Introduction

New department editor Sarah Gregory tells how her professional introduction to requirements engineering both informs the work she does now and drives questions about the discipline that future installments of the Requirements department will explore.
A simple and accurate rule-based modeling framework for simulation of autocrine/paracrine stimulation of glioblastoma cell motility and proliferation by L1CAM in 2-D culture

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a devastating brain cancer for which there is no known cure. Its malignancy is due to rapid cell division along with high motility and invasiveness of cells into the brain tissue. Simple 2-dimensional laboratory assays (e.g., a scratch assay) commonly are used to measure the effects of various experimental perturbations, such as treatment with chemical inhibitors. Several mathematical models have been developed to aid the understanding of the motile behavior and proliferation of GBM cells. However, many are mathematically complicated, look at multiple interdependent phenomena, and/or use modeling software not freely available to the research community. These attributes make the adoption of models and simulations of even simple 2-dimensional cell behavior an uncommon practice by cancer cell biologists. Herein, we developed an accurate, yet simple, rule-based modeling framework to describe the in vitro behavior of GBM cells that are stimulated by the L1CAM protein using freely available NetLogo software. In our model L1CAM is released by cells to act through two cell surface receptors and a point of signaling convergence to increase cell motility and proliferation. A simple graphical interface is provided so that changes can be made easily to several parameters controlling cell behavior, and behavior of the cells is viewed both pictorially and with dedicated graphs. We fully describe the hierarchical rule-based modeling framework, show simulation results under several settings, describe the accuracy compared to experimental data, and discuss the potential usefulness for predicting future experimental outcomes and for use as a teaching tool for cell biology students. It is concluded that this simple modeling framework and its simulations accurately reflect much of the GBM cell motility behavior observed experimentally in vitro in the laboratory. Our framework can be modified easily to suit the needs of investigators interested in other similar intrinsic or extrinsic stimuli that influence cancer or other cell behavior. This modeling framework of a commonly used experimental motility assay (scratch assay) should be useful to both researchers of cell motility and students in a cell biology teaching laboratory.
Memory Deficit in an Object Location Task after Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Is Associated with Impaired Early Object Exploration and Both Are Restored by Branched Chain Amino Acid Dietary Therapy.

Abstract The relation between traumatic brain injury (TBI) and memory dysfunction is well established, yet imprecise. Here, we investigate whether mild TBI causes a specific deficit in spatial epis...
The US academic profession: Key policy challenges

The US academic profession is currently under considerable pressure due to a complex array of demographic, economic, social, and technological developments. The profession has recently witnessed major shifts in the areas of assessment and accountability, governance and power, faculty roles and functions, and recruitment patterns. This article examines a number of key policy dilemmas and challenges taking place in the profession owing to these developments.
HAPPY AND MAD FAMILIES IN L (ℝ)

We prove that, in the choiceless Solovay model, every set of reals is H -Ramsey for every happy family H that also belongs to the Solovay model. This gives a new proof of Tornquist’s recent theorem that there are no infinite mad families in the Solovay model. We also investigate happy families and mad families under determinacy, applying a generic absoluteness result to prove that there are no infinite mad families under $A{D^ + }$ .
Unintended pregnancy, prenatal care, newborn outcomes, and breastfeeding in women with epilepsy.

Objective To compare the proportions of unintended pregnancies, prenatal vitamin or folic acid (PNVF) use, adequate prenatal care visits, and breastfeeding among women with epilepsy (WWE) to women without epilepsy (WWoE). Methods The Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) is an annual survey of randomly sampled postpartum women administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We used PRAMS data from 13 states from 2009 to 2014 to compare the primary outcomes in WWE and WWoE, as well as our secondary outcomes of contraception practices, newborn outcomes, and time to recognition of pregnancy. We adjusted for maternal age, race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status (SES), and we calculated odds ratios for these outcomes using logistic regression. Results This analysis included 73,619 women, of whom 541 (0.7%) reported epilepsy, representing 3,442,128 WWoE and 26,635 WWE through weighted sampling. In WWE, 55% of pregnancies were unintended compared to 48% in WWoE. After adjustment for covariates, epilepsy was not associated with unintended pregnancy or with inadequate prenatal care. WWE were less likely to report breastfeeding but more likely to report daily PNVF use. Newborns of WWE had higher rates of prematurity. Conclusions Although planning for pregnancy is of utmost importance for WWE, more than half the pregnancies in WWE were unintended. Maternal age and SES differences likely contribute to the higher rates in WWE compared to WWoE. The proportion of women reporting breastfeeding is lower in WWE despite studies indicating the safety of breastfeeding in WWE.
Informing Design through Sociocultural Values: Co-Creation with Low-Income African-American Older Adults

Researchers in HCI and health informatics are often tasked with identifying criteria and content for health technologies based on user demographics, medical conditions, and context of system use. Little work has examined the intersectionality of sociocultural factors (age, ethnicity, socioeconomic status) and whether these factors influence health technologies as a viable or appropriate solution for certain populations based on their perceptions of health. Our work focuses on developing a better understanding of the health-related perceptions and behaviors of low-income African American older adults, as this population often sees a higher incidence of chronic illnesses and disease. Our approach builds off of semi-structured interviews as a way of informing a series of co-creation workshops, which aim to identify this population's concepts of healthy aging and the role of technology in health maintenance.
Impact of practice change on intestinal perforation risk for pediatric gastrojejunostomy tube placement

Abstract Background Gastrojejunostomy tubes (GJTs) have been associated with intestinal perforation in children Methods We performed a single-center review of GJT placements among children 30 days, and GJT replacement were assessed. Results Sixty GJTs were placed in 35 children (54% male; 17.2 ± 9.0 months old) after compared to 147 GJTs in 77 children (44% male, p = 0.32; 14.1 ± 11.8 months, p = 0.08) before the practice change. Use of soft tip GJT was adhered to in 19 placements (32%). There were no intestinal perforations after the practice change (before: 6 (4.1%); p = 0.11). NJT remained > 30 days in 15 patients (65%) after the practice change (before: 13 (35%); p = 0.02). Replacement was required for 53% with soft tip GJT and 18% with standard GJT (p = 0.006). Discussion A reduction in intestinal perforation with an institutional practice change may be explained by fewer GJT placements in high-risk children and longer length of NJT placement. Future protocols may consider age and size restrictions rather than alternative tube types. Type of study Treatment study. Level of evidence Level III.
Possible clinical implications of peripheral zone changes depending on prostate size

Although numerous studies have observed an inverse relationship between the size of benign prostate hypertrophy (BPH) and the incidence of prostate cancer (PCa), few studies have explored specific mechanisms by which BPH and PCa may influence one another. In a recent study, one possibility has been brought up that growth in the transition zone due to BPH may cause pressure-induced fibrotic changes in the peripheral zone, an area where 80% of cancer occurs, leading to gland atrophy and the thickening of the prostatic capsule. To shed more light on this phenomenon, we conducted a pilot study examining the quantitative and qualitative histo-anatomical changes that occur in the peripheral zone associated with BPH. Thirty-nine prostate specimens of various sizes were selected from patients who had undergone radical prostatectomies. Each prostate was evaluated in six different locations along the dorsal aspect of the peripheral zone by measuring the thickness of the peripheral fibrotic zone (prostate capsule) and its association with gland atrophy. Multiple regression analysis was performed to determine the relationship between prostate size and the average thickness of the prostate capsule. Multiple regression analysis revealed a strong, positive relationship between prostate size and average capsule thickness with a Pearson coefficient of 0.707 (p < 0.05). Fibrotic histo-anatomical changes were spatially associated with gland atrophy: glands found within the peripheral fibrotic zone appeared elongated and atrophic. The results suggest that BPH may be associated with the development of fibrotic material and atrophy of glands within the peripheral zone. Because this atrophy involves glands where 80% of prostate cancer originates, this potentially explains the inverse relationship between PCa and BPH.
Utility of p16-Ki-67-HMB45 score in sorting benign from malignant Spitz tumors.

Abstract When Spitz nevi have increased vertical thickness (>1.0 mm), show ulceration and deep seated mitoses, the differential diagnostic considerations of atypical Spitz tumor (AST) or a Spitzoid melanoma (SM) enter into consideration. While molecular genetic testing could be employed in the work up of atypical melanocytic proliferations, they are expensive and not available at all institutions. Recently, one study employed the combination of p16, Ki-67 and HMB45 (PKH) immunohistochemistry on adult melanomas and proposed a combination of the three markers with scoring of their result to support a diagnosis of melanoma. We report the utility of this antibody combination scoring in discriminating SM and AST in children. We retrospectively reviewed 30 Spitzoid lesions (7 SM, 9 AST and 14 Spitz nevi) from children. Slides from HE Ki-67 scored as 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and HMB45 scored as 0, 1 and 2. Thus, the total PKH score for the combination of the 3 antibodies for any case could vary from 0 to 9. The result of the immunohistochemical analysis of cases in our study revealed that the PKH score of Spitz nevus and AST was below 4 for each of the case and that of SM was > 4 for each of the case. These results are significant as the previously published study found that the PKH score of equal/or >4 correlated with melanoma and less Our study replicates the findings of the published study of adult melanomas and nevi that showed a total PKH score of equal/or>4 is seen in melanoma. Although, the number of SM cases in our study are few, the PKH scoring pattern of malignant and benign cases was congruent with the adult study. We suggest routine use of PKH immunohistochemistry in the work up of atypical Spitzoid lesions in children.
Robust Output Feedback Depth Control Design for a Class of AUVs in Diving Plane

This paper presents a robust depth control design for a class of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs). We consider a SISO system by extracting 3 DOF decoupled equations of motion from a nonlinear mathematical model. This system is then bifurcated into internal and external subsystems by transforming it into a normal form. For state-feedback design, where all external states are considered to be measurable, a robust control scheme based on Sliding Mode Control (SMC) is proposed. The proposed controller achieves semi-global asymptotic stability in the presence of AUV model uncertainties and/or parametric variations. The work is then extended to output feedback design by using observer design approach of Boker & Khalil of combining an Extended High-Gain Observer and an Extended Kalman Filter so as to estimate the whole state vector. Mathematical analysis shows that, under output feedback controller, trajectories of the closed-loop system approach the invariant manifold in finite time and stay there then after. A simulation example is included to show the efficacy of the proposed controller.
Embryonic stem cell research: a decade of debate from Bush to Obama.

On August 9, 2001, U.S. President George W. Bush introduced a ban on federal funding for research on newly created human embryonic stem (ES†) cell lines. The policy was intended as a compromise and specified that research on lines created prior to that date would still be eligible for funding. Seventy-one lines from 14 laboratories [1] across the globe met Bush’s eligibility criteria, and scientists who wished to investigate these lines could still receive grants through the National Institutes of Health (NIH). In practice, however, only 21 lines proved to be of any use to investigators [2].
Maturity-dependent cartilage cell plasticity and sensitivity to external perturbation.

Abstract Objective Articular cartilage undergoes biological and morphological changes throughout maturation. The prevalence of osteoarthritis in the aged population suggests that maturation predisposes cartilage to degradation and/or impaired regeneration, but this process is not fully understood. Therefore, the objective of this study was to characterize the cellular and genetic profile of cartilage, as well as biological plasticity in response to mechanical and culture time stimuli, as a function of animal maturity. Methods/design Porcine articular cartilage explants were harvested from stifle joints of immature (2–4 weeks), adolescent (5–6 months), and mature (1–5 years) animals. Half of all samples were subjected to a single compressive mechanical load. Loaded samples were paired with unloaded controls for downstream analyses. Expression of cartilage progenitor cell markers CD105, CD44, and CD29 were determined via flow cytometry. Expression of matrix synthesis genes Col1, Col2, Col10, ACAN, and SOX9 were determined via qPCR. Tissue morphology and matrix content were examined histologically. Post-loading assays were performed immediately and following 7 days in culture. Results CD105 and CD29 expression decreased with maturity, while CD44 expression was upregulated in cartilage from mature animals. Expression of matrix synthesis genes were generally upregulated in cartilage from mature animals, and adolescent animals showed the lowest expression of several matrix synthesizing genes. Culture time and mechanical loading analyses revealed greater plasticity to mechanical loading and culture time in cartilage from younger animals. Histology confirmed distinct structural and biochemical profiles across maturity. Conclusion This study demonstrates differential, nonlinear expression of chondroprogenitor markers and matrix synthesis genes as a function of cartilage maturity, as well as loss of biological plasticity in aged tissue. These findings have likely implications for age-related loss of regeneration and osteoarthritis progression.
Baseline Cardiometabolic Profiles and SARS-CoV-2 Risk in the UK Biobank

Abstract Background SARS-CoV-2 is a rapidly spreading coronavirus with a high incidence of severe upper respiratory infection that first presented in Wuhan, China in December 2019. Many factors have been identified as risk factors for SARS-CoV-2, with much attention being paid to body mass index (BMI), but little investigation has been done to investigate dysregulation of lipid profiles and diabetes, which are often comorbid in high BMI patients. Objective This study seeks to describe the impact of BMI, HDL, LDL, ApoA, ApoB, triglycerides, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), diabetes, alcohol and red wine intake on SARS-CoV-2 risk in UK Biobank (UKB) study participants. Methods We examined the effect of BMI, lipid profiles, diabetes and alcohol intake on the risk of testing positive for SARS-Cov-2 among 9,005 UKB participants tested for SARS-CoV-2 from March 16 through June 29, 2020. Logistic regression was performed on the target variables controlling for age, sex and ancestry. Results BMI, Type II diabetes and HbA1c were associated with increased SARS-CoV-2 risk (p Conclusion Elevated HDL and ApoA levels and alcohol intake, specifically red wine intake, were associated with reduced risk of testing positive for SARS-CoV-2, while type II diabetes and HbA1c were associated with increased risk. The effects of alcohol, type II diabetes and HbA1c levels may be indirect, mediated in part through regulation of HDL levels. In summary, our study corroborates the emerging picture that high HDL levels may confer protection against SARS-CoV-2. Highlights Increases in HDL is associated with reduced risk of testing positive for SARS-CoV-2. Type II diabetes and hemoglobin A1C levels were associated with elevated risk of testing positive for SARS-CoV-2, but this effect was abrogated when controlling for HDL. Alcohol intake, specifically red wine intake, is associated with reduced risk of testing positive for SARS-CoV-2, though this effect may in part be moderated by HDL. LDL and Triglycerides were not associated with increased risk of testing positive for SARS-CoV-2.
Investigating the Impact of Using an Alternate Classification Method for Race and Hispanic Ethnicity on Rates of Reported Gonorrhea.

BACKGROUND We aimed to examine how the classification of gonorrhea cases by race and Hispanic ethnicity (HE) affects the measurement of racial/HE disparities in the rates of reported gonorrhea. METHODS We examined gonorrhea cases reported through the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2017, and assigned race and HE using (1) "current classification," where cases with HE are classified as Hispanic regardless of race (e.g., Hispanic, non-Hispanic White, and non-Hispanic Black), and 2) "alternate classification," which separates each race category by HE (e.g., Hispanic White and non-Hispanic White). We estimated annual gonorrhea rates during 2010 to 2017 by race/HE category and calculated disparity measures (index of disparity, population-attributable proportion, and Gini coefficient) for gonorrhea rates under each classification strategy. RESULTS All disparity measures revealed decreases in racial/HE disparities in the rates of reported gonorrhea during 2010 to 2017, regardless of classification strategy; however, the magnitude of the disparity and the percent change in the disparity over time varied across disparity measures. CONCLUSIONS Understanding how classification of race/HE affects observed disparities is critical when monitoring interventions to reduce disparities and improve health equity.
Aqueous Polymer Modification of Cellulose Nanofibrils by Grafting-Through a Reactive Methacrylate Group.

Modifying the surface of cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) produced by mechanical refinement with a variety of polymer functional groups in an entirely water-based system is challenging because only surface hydroxyl groups are accessible. To address this limitation, an entirely water-based, polymer modification scheme is developed. CNFs are functionalized with a reactive methacrylate functional group followed by subsequent grafting-through polymerization. This modification worked with a variety of water-soluble and water-insoluble (meth)acrylates and (meth)acrylamides, grafting up to 45 wt% polymer on to the CNFs. The reaction conditions introducing the methacrylate functional group are adjusted to vary the degree of functionality. Soxhlet extraction of modified samples demonstrates that the reactive methacrylate group is necessary to facilitate polymer grafting. The degree of functionalization of the polymers is studied via quantitative transmission IR spectroscopy and the morphology of the resulting cellulose nanofibrils is studied via a combination of optical, scanning electron, and atomic force microscopy. High levels of polymer modification do not significantly affect the micrometer-scale fibril morphology.
Current approaches to genetic testing in pediatric disease

Abstract Genetic disorders account for more than 30% of infant deaths and more than 11% of pediatric hospital admissions in the United States and Canada. The development of genetic testing has enabled the diagnosis of genetic syndromes and the discovery of new rare diseases that particularly affect the pediatric population. The technical improvement and falling costs of genetic tests have allowed a radical change in the genetic practice, transitioning from conventional karyotyping and single-gene analysis to whole-genome approaches. This chapter provides an overview of the currently available clinical genetic and genomic testing, such as chromosomal microarray, conventional karyotype, FISH, single-gene sequencing, disease-targeted gene panels, whole-exome sequencing, whole-genome sequencing, and methylation analysis, among others. We describe their advantages and limitations and focus on their role in the medical care of pediatric patients.
Banditry or business? Rebel labor markets and state economic intervention

Stationary banditry is ubiquitous in civil war, with some rebel groups even investing in and profiting from primary commodities for years or decades. But for many of these groups, labor is a necess...
Reviewer Essay: What Makes for a High Quality SoTL Research Article?

Excerpt: In reviewing submissions for this and other journals, the most common problems I see flow from writers wearing blinders, focusing only on what is immediately in front of them rather than the big picture. They know better, but for the moment forget what they know. Dr. Johnson’s dictum is exactly to the point: we 'more frequently require to be reminded than informed.