cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Introduction and North American Establishment of Coccygomimus disparis (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), a Polyphagous Pupal Parasite of Lepidoptera, Including Gypsy Moth

Recoveries of Coccygomimus disparis (Viereck) from pupae of gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (L.), in Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Virginia, Vermont, New York, Nebraska, and Ontario, Canada, indicate that this Palearctic species is now well established in North America. This represents the first successful establishment of a natural enemy of gypsy moth in North America in nearly 50 yr. Levels of pupal parasitism in gypsy moth average 1.9% (maximum 13%). Historical records indicate C. disparis was intentionally imported from India (1972), Japan (1976), and Korea (1984). Laboratory rearing resulted in the eventual release of more than 819,012 individuals liberated in 16 states. Details on the biology of this wasp, its foreign collection, introduction, release, and recovery (first in North America in 1978) are documented. Recovery from Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis (Haworth) (Psychidae) and Malacosoma americanum (F.) (Lasiocampidae) in New Jersey and Dioryctria auranticella (Grote) (Pyralidae) from Nebraska, as well as host data from outside the United States, indicates that C. disparis is not specific to gypsy moth and should be searched for in other forest or shade tree Lepidoptera. Recent collections of M. americanum in New Jersey showed 20.6% parasitism. Overall effectiveness as a biological control agent against the gypsy moth or other hosts remains uncertain but promising.
Effects of Chemicals on European Corn Borer Eggs

The toxic effects of chemicals on the eggs of the European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis ((Hubner)) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) were studied. The organic-phosphate insecticides Diazinon® ( O,O- diethyl O -(2-isopropyl-4-methyl-6-pyrimidinyl) phosphorothioate), Dibrom® (1,2-dibromo-2,2-dichloroethyl dimethyl phosphate), Dylox® ( O,O -dimethyl 2,2,2-trichloro-1-hydroxyethyl phosphonate), ethion, Guthion® ( O,O -dimethyl S-(4-oxo-1,2,3 -benzotriazin-3-( 4H)-ylmethyl) phosphorodithioate), parathion, Phosdrin® (a mixture of the alpha isomer of 2-carbomethoxy-1-methylvinyl dimethyl phosphate (not less than (60%) and related compounds (not more than 40%)), and oil, when used at various rates were found to affect hatching of the eggs under laboratory conditions. When Diazinon, Dibrom, and Guthion were later used alone and in various combinations with DDT, Sevin® (1-naphthyl N -methylcarbamate) and Thiodan® (6,7,8,9,10,10-hexachloro-1 , 5,5a , 6,9, 9a-hexahydro-6, 9-methano-2, 4,3-benzodioxathiepin-3-oxide) on green peppers in the field, DDT, Guthion, and Sevin significantly reduced the corn borer infestation.
STUDY ON SERVICE LIFE OF X20CrMoWV121 MAIN STEM PIPE AFTER LONG-TERM OPERATION

Through creep rupture test and endurance strength test,the creep deformation equation and creep curve of X20CrMoWV121 steel main steam pipe for a 125 MW unit after long-term operation have been studied,and the residual service life being evaluated on the basis of persistent strength extrapolation method and zero function method.Results show that the main steam pipe can satisfy the requirements of continuous safe operation for 100 000 h under condition of taking creep as the main failure mode.
High-dose cyclophosphamide, carmustine, and etoposide followed by autologous peripheral stem cell transplantation for patients with relapsed Hodgkin's disease.

Between February 1986 and March 1990, 56 patients with relapsed Hodgkin's disease treated with high-dose cyclophosphamide, carmustine, and etoposide (CBV) received an autologous peripheral stem cell transplantation (PSCT) rather than an autologous bone marrow transplantation (ABMT) because each patient had a marrow abnormality, either hypocellularity or tumor involvement. At least 6.5 x 10(8) [corrected] mononuclear cells/kg patient weight were collected from the peripheral blood of each patient, cyropreserved, and returned intravenously following CBV administration. Three patients had an early death 2, 22, and 25 days after PSCT. The actuarial event-free survival for these 56 patients at 3 years was 37% and was at least as good as that reported for relapsed Hodgkin's disease patients treated with CBV and ABMT. The 30 patients who had no marrow metastases at the time of PSC harvesting had an actuarial event-free survival of 47%, while those 26 patients with marrow metastases had a significantly different actuarial event-free survival of 27% (P = .02). CBV and PSCT for patients with relapsed Hodgkin's diseases who have marrow hypocellularity in traditional harvest sites or histopathologic evidence of BM metastases can result in long-term event-free survival.
A Crystallographic Examination of Predisposition versus Preorganization in de Novo Designed Metalloproteins

Preorganization and predisposition are important molecular recognition concepts exploited by nature to obtain site-specific and selective metal binding to proteins. While native structures containing an MS3 core are often unavailable in both apo- and holo-forms, one can use designed three-stranded coiled coils (3SCCs) containing tris-thiolate sites to evaluate these concepts. We show that the preferred metal geometry dictates the degree to which the cysteine rotamers change upon metal complexation. The Cys ligands in the apo-form are preorganized for binding trigonal pyramidal species (Pb(II)S3 and As(III)S3) in an endo conformation oriented toward the 3SCC C-termini, whereas the cysteines are predisposed for trigonal planar Hg(II)S3 and 4-coordinate Zn(II)S3O structures, requiring significant thiol rotation for metal binding. This study allows assessment of the importance of protein fold and side-chain reorientation for achieving metal selectivity in human retrotransposons and metalloregulatory proteins.
The global epidemiology of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae

Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) are an important and increasing threat to global health. Both clonal spread and plasmid-mediated transmission contribute to the ongoing rise in inci...
Two-dimensional error correcting codes using finite-field wavelets

This paper introduces two-dimensional wavelet codes (TDWC). First, we study the encoder of half-rate TDWC. We show that these linear codes are lattice-cyclic. We prove that any two-dimensional lattice-cyclic code can also be generated by a two-dimensional wavelet transform. Second, we introduce a methodology to design TDWC over binary erasure channels. We show that the half-rate TDWC of dimensions N/sub 1/ /spl times/ N/sub 2/ can recover burst erasures of size up to N/sub 1/ /spl times/ N/sub 2//2 and N/sub 1//2 /spl times/ N/sub 2/, and N/sub 2//2 /spl times/ N/sub 2/. Finally, we present examples of TDWC that satisfy the Reiger bound with equality (capable of correcting any burst of size (N/sub 1/N/sub 2/)/2). Since these codes are lattice-cyclic, their erasure decoding can be simplified.
A sub-50 ps single poly planar bipolar technology

The authors present a single-poly bipolar technology using an advanced transistor with an LDD (lightly doped drain)-like self-aligned lateral profile. The device is isolated by a silicon-filled deep trench with a collector-to-collector breakdown voltage of 33 V, and the field oxide is provided by a low-temperature breakless process. The integrated process yields a structure with minimal topography, thereby avoiding several serious concerns associated with the conventional double-poly structures. Using this technology, sub-50-ps ECL (emitter coupled logic) circuits have been realized, demonstrating for the first time the potential of the single-poly device. >
Psychophysics to Biophysics: How a Perception Depends on Circuits, Synapses, and Vesicles

One stimulus that we detect very efficiently is a small square that just covers the dendritic field of a brisk-transient ganglion cell. Since this cell type is the most sensitive of the geniculo-striate projecting ganglion cells, it may largely mediate this behavior. To compare the neuron’s sensitivity to that of psychophysical detection, we measured its visual threshold with a method borrowed from psychophysics. Recordings were extracellular from a mammalian brisk-transient ganglion cell (guinea pig), whose impulse response was nearly identical to that of the primate brisk-transient cell. The stimulus, a 100-ms spot covering the receptive field center, was detected by an “ideal observer” with knowledge of the spike patterns from 100 trials at each contrast. Based on this knowledge, the ideal observer used a single-interval, forced-choice procedure to predict the stimulus contrast on 100 additional trials. Brisk-transient cells at 37°C detected contrasts as low as 0.8% (mean ± SEM = 2.8% ± 0.2) and discriminated between contrast increments with about 40% greater sensitivity. These thresholds are the same as human psychophysical thresholds for comparable stimuli, suggesting that across many levels of noisy central synapses, little or no information is lost. Recording intracellularly, we found the detection threshold of the ganglion cell’s graded potential to be about half that of the spike response, implying a considerable loss in converting the signals from analog to digital. To reach detection threshold, the ganglion cell needed ~1000 quanta, and to respond at full contrast, it needed ~2000 quanta. Since the ribbon synapses that contact this cell contain an aggregate of ~105 releasable vesicles, the safety factor for this circuit seems to be about 5.
Classification of rank 5 premodular categories

We survey a number of classification tools developed in recent years and employ them to classify pseudo-unitary rank 5 premodular categories up to Grothendieck equivalence.
Expanding the toolkit for membrane protein modeling in Rosetta.

Motivation A range of membrane protein modeling tools has been developed in the past 5-10 years, yet few of these tools are integrated and make use of existing functionality for soluble proteins. To extend existing methods in the Rosetta biomolecular modeling suite for membrane proteins, we recently implemented RosettaMP, a general framework for membrane protein modeling. While RosettaMP facilitates implementation of new methods, addressing real-world biological problems also requires a set of accessory tools that are used to carry out standard modeling tasks. Results Here, we present six modeling tools, including de novo prediction of single trans-membrane helices, making mutations and refining the structure with different amounts of flexibility, transforming a protein into membrane coordinates and optimizing its embedding, computing a Rosetta energy score, and visualizing the protein in the membrane bilayer. We present these methods with complete protocol captures that allow non-expert modelers to carry out the computations. Availability and implementation The presented tools are part of the Rosetta software suite, available at www.rosettacommons.org . Contact julia.koehler.leman@gmail.com. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Monitoring bacterial biofilms with a microfluidic flow chip designed for imaging with white-light interferometry.

There is a need for imaging and sensing instrumentation that can monitor transitions in a biofilm structure in order to better understand biofilm development and emergent properties such as anti-microbial resistance. Herein, we describe the design, manufacture, and use of a microfluidic flow cell to visualize the surface structure of bacterial biofilms with white-light interferometry (WLI). The novel imaging chip enabled the use of this non-disruptive imaging method for the capture of high resolution three-dimensional profile images of biofilm growth over time. The fine axial resolution (3 nm) and the wide field of view (>1 mm by 1 mm) enabled the detection of biofilm formation as early as 3 h after inoculation of the flow cell with a live bacterial culture (Pseudomonas fluorescens). WLI imaging facilitated the monitoring of the early stages of biofilm development and subtle variations in the structure of mature biofilms. Minimally-invasive imaging enabled the monitoring of biofilm structure with surface metrology metrics (e.g., surface roughness). The system was used to observe a transition in the biofilm structure that occurred in response to exposure to a common antiseptic. In the future, WLI and the biofilm imaging cell described herein may be used to test the effectiveness of biofilm-specific therapies to combat common diseases associated with biofilm formation such as cystic fibrosis and periodontitis.
Alpha-Band Activity Reveals Spontaneous Representations of Spatial Position in Visual Working Memory.

Summary An emerging view suggests that spatial position is an integral component of working memory (WM), such that non-spatial features are bound to locations regardless of whether space is relevant [1, 2]. For instance, past work has shown that stimulus position is spontaneously remembered when non-spatial features are stored. Item recognition is enhanced when memoranda appear at the same location where they were encoded [3–5], and accessing non-spatial information elicits shifts of spatial attention to the original position of the stimulus [6, 7]. However, these findings do not establish that a persistent, active representation of stimulus position is maintained in WM because similar effects have also been documented following storage in long-term memory [8, 9]. Here we show that the spatial position of the memorandum is actively coded by persistent neural activity during a non-spatial WM task. We used a spatial encoding model in conjunction with electroencephalogram (EEG) measurements of oscillatory alpha-band (8–12 Hz) activity to track active representations of spatial position. The position of the stimulus varied trial to trial but was wholly irrelevant to the tasks. We nevertheless observed active neural representations of the original stimulus position that persisted throughout the retention interval. Further experiments established that these spatial representations are dependent on the volitional storage of non-spatial features rather than being a lingering effect of sensory energy or initial encoding demands. These findings provide strong evidence that online spatial representations are spontaneously maintained in WM—regardless of task relevance—during the storage of non-spatial features.
Monogenetic origin of Ubehebe Crater maar volcano, Death Valley, California: Paleomagnetic and stratigraphic evidence

Abstract Paleomagnetic data for samples collected from outcrops of basaltic spatter at the Ubehebe Crater cluster, Death Valley National Park, California, record a single direction of remanent magnetization indicating that these materials were emplaced during a short duration, monogenetic eruption sequence ~ 2100 years ago. This conclusion is supported by geochemical data encompassing a narrow range of oxide variation, by detailed stratigraphic studies of conformable phreatomagmatic tephra deposits showing no evidence of erosion between layers, by draping of sharp rimmed craters by later tephra falls, and by oxidation of later tephra layers by the remaining heat of earlier spatter. This model is also supported through a reinterpretation and recalculation of the published 10Be age results (Sasnett et al., 2012) from an innovative and bold exposure-age study on very young materials. Their conclusion of multiple and protracted eruptions at Ubehebe Crater cluster is here modified through the understanding that some of their quartz-bearing clasts inherited 10Be from previous exposure on the fan surface (too old), and that other clasts were only exposed at the surface by wind and/or water erosion centuries after their eruption (too young). Ubehebe Crater cluster is a well preserved example of young monogenetic maar type volcanism protected within a National Park, and it represents neither a protracted eruption sequence as previously thought, nor a continuing volcanic hazard near its location.
The Effect of Attachment Theory in the Development of Eating Disorders: Can Symptoms Be Proximity-Seeking?

The relationship between attachment theory, proximity seeking behaviors and the development of eating disorders was investigated in three groups of adolescent females from various settings; 44 individuals with eating disorders, 28 clinical controls, and 36 non-clinical controls. The Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment and the Parental Attachment Questionnaire were both used in this study and both found that the clinical groups demonstrated a weaker sense of attachment quality compared to their non-clinical counterparts. This study also expands upon John Bowlby's concept of proximity seeking, to offer a possible explanation of the function for eating disorder symptomatology. A new measure, the Proximity-Seeking Scale, found that self-reported changes in both the physical and psychological proximity needs of those with eating disorders had transpired since the clinical diagnosis of the disorder.
Organization and management of a pediatric dialysis program

The organization and management of pediatric dialysis facilities has undergone many changes over the past decade. We continue to be in a rapidly changing environment with continual technological and treatment advancements. At the same time, we are experiencing new challenges with staffing shortages and government/economical restraints. Despite our rapidly changing environment, the goal of meeting patient and family needs and promoting the quality of care necessary to maintain optimal patient outcomes remains unchallenged and is universal. The development of a dialysis facility program must be carefully planned and organized to meet this goal. Essential program elements discussed in this chapter include unit culture and organization, physical design, and facility operations, which includes patient care services, and material management.
Special Study on the Sea Disposal of Chemical Munitions by the United States

SAIC undertook a special study on the sea disposal of chemical weapons at the bequest of the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency. This study was commissioned for the purpose of obtaining the most comprehensive and authoritative historical account possible regarding U.S. sea disposal of chemical weapons. What follows is a summary of the report with special emphasis on the dumping that took place in the North Sea and Skagerrak Strait.
A System of User-Guided Biological Literature Search Engine.

Efficiently finding most relevant publications in large corpora is an important research topic in information retrieval. The number of biological literatures grows exponentially in various publication databases. The objective of the study in this paper is to fast locate useful publications from large biomedical document collections based on users’ preferences. In this paper, a new iterative search paradigm is introduced which integrates biological background knowledge in organizing the results returned by search engines, and utilizes user feedbacks to filter irrelevant documents. A term weighting scheme based on Gene Ontology is introduced to improve similarity measurement of documents in biomedical domain. A prototype text retrieval system has been built based on this iterative search approach. Experimental results show that the system can filter a large number of irrelevant documents while keep most of the relevant documents with limited user interactions.
MONOAMINE OXIDASE AND SCHIZOPHRENIA

ABSTRACT The extensive literature published over the past decade on monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity in schizophrenia is reviewed with specific examination of the evidence for an effect of neuroleptic medication on MAO activity. The significance of decreased MAO activity to schizophrenia and directions for future research are discussed.
Theoretical considerations on two equations for estimating the extent of absorption after oral administration of drugs.

Purpose. The amount of drug absorbed into portal blood after oral dosing (Dp.o,g) has been estimated using Fick’s principle (Q-method), i.e., Dp.o,g = Qh · (AUCp.o,g − AUCp.o,c), where Qh is the portal blood flow rate, and AUCp.o,g and AUCp.o,c are the areas under the concentration-time curves of portal vein and systemic blood after oral dosing, respectively. However, this method may underestimate Dp.o,g, when the drug is subject to systemic intestinal elimination. An alternate equation (CL-method; Dp.o,g = CLS · AUCp.o,g) is described using a simple pharmacokinetic model, to estimate Dp.o,g in the presence of systemic intestinal elimination, where CLS is systemic clearance. Methods. The model is composed of central, intestine and liver compartments, assuming that drug is eliminated by intestinal and/or hepatic pathways only. A comparison of both methods for estimating Dp.o,g was made using computer-simulation or experimental data of phenacetin from the literature. Results. The simulation study demonstrated that the Q-method underestimated Dp.o,g in the presence of significant intrinsic intestinal clearance, compared to the CL-method,. The similar results were observed using the experimental data of phenacetin. Conclusions. The CL-method can provide a better estimate of Dp.o,g, while the Q-method may underestimate Dp.o,g, when there is significant systemic intestinal elimination of drugs after oral administration. In addition, useful information for understanding the relationship between the extent of absorption and the first-pass effect by intestine and/or liver after oral dosing of drugs can be obtained from the present approach.
Statistical Model Selection in Operational Risk

While substantial amount of work in operational risk has been dedicated to fitting distributions to the loss data, comparatively little was written about model selection. Arguably, a good selection procedure is more important than fitting one since it can rectify a failure of fitting methodology by rejecting a bad model. This presentation applies the work of K.P. Burnham and D.R. Anderson, 2002 in the context of the operational risk capital modeling, including the use of information criteria and model averaging.
Effects of In-Feed Chlortetracycline Prophylaxis in Beef Cattle on Antimicrobial Resistance Genes

Abstract Approximately 20% of U.S. beef cattle receive prophylactic in-feed administration of chlortetracycline (CTC) to reduce bovine respiratory disease (BRD) incidence during the transition into...
Dark-field hyperspectral imaging of single plasmonic gold nanorods and their scattering characteristics in complex biological environments

Adipose tissue derived stem cells (ASCs) has applications in soft tissue replacement-based tissue engineering. ASCs can potentially reduce many of the disadvantages of autologous fat transplantation such as donor-site morbidity and immune system rejection. Although, ASCs hold clinical relevance as a potential cell therapy candidate, widespread use of them is hampered due to inadequate data on the fate of stem cells after transplant. Hence a method to facilitate long term tracking of the cells will enable better understanding of stem cell fate in stem cell-based therapeutics. Here, we employ biocompatible surface functionalized nanorods for tracking the adipogenesis and osteogenesis differentiation of ASCs. Anisotropic plasmonic nanostructures based on silver (Ag) and gold (Au) have received much attention owing to their tunable size and shape dependent localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) with multiple applications such as biological contrast agents, photothermal conversion, plasmon-enhanced spectroscopies, optical sensors and in catalysis. Hyperspectral microscopy combining both nanoscale imaging and spectral characteristics from plasmonic nanostructures provides a powerful tool for their identification and quantitative spectral analysis of plasmonic nanostructures with unprecedented level of details. Here, we present the analysis of single particle spectroscopy of gold nanorods and their orientation dependent scattering properties using hyperspectral microscopy and validated with correlated high-resolution electron microscopy. Fairly monodisperse gold nanorods with bright longitudinal SPR centered at about 663 nm were synthesized using bromide-free surfactant mixture consisting of cetyltrimethylammonium chloride and sodium oleate. The nanorods were successfully characterized by UV-Visible spectroscopy, DLS, XPS, and TEM results. Dark-field hyperspectral and second harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy were performed on individual gold nanorods and their optical scattering spectra were analyzed for imaging orientation of single nanorods. The initial results revealed scattering spectra from individual gold nanorods displayed measurable spectral-shifts from their collective LSPR spectrum from bulk measurements performed using UV-Visible spectroscopy. The analysis and utility of gold nanorods for labeling stem cells and the orientation dependent spectral features of nanorods inside the cells will be characterized and discussed in detail. The cell viability, differentiation capacity, gene expression, potential cytotoxicity due to nanorods such as inflammatory molecule and reactive oxygen species production, adipogenic and osteogenic potential will be evaluated using histochemical staining and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The study has implications towards tracking individual nanorods in complex biological systems and beyond.
Microbiome, Breastfeeding and Public Health Policy in the United States: The Case for Dietary Fiber

An emerging body of literature has highlighted the significance of breastmilk oligosaccharides and dietary fibers in complementary weaning foods for the development of the infant's microbiome that has both short- and long-term health implications. This review highlights the newborns' consumption of fiber and oligosaccharides as directly linked to the mother's diet, and that current dietary recommendations for pregnant mothers in the United States and globally fall short in both addressing the importance of dietary fiber intake for enhancing mother's health and establishing the developing infant microbiome. Although limited in data, there is suggestion for maternal dietary interventions to include healthy fibers as an effective means of promoting infant health via modification of breast milk composition. This paper argues that there is an urgent need for a two-fold national policy that addresses the significance of fiber in breastfeeding mothers' diets and modifies the dietary recommendations accordingly, and provides a paid parental leave, which would enable mothers to not only breastfeed for at least six months, but to also effectively follow the dietary recommendations needed to support breast milk quality that is linked to their infants' health.
Simple maintenance of Beowulf clusters in an academic environment

We present our experiences with an evolving installation system for small- to medium-sized clusters which are typically used in academic settings to support a combination of teaching and research. All of the software developed by us for this system can be stored on a single floppy disk. This is due to the fact that we assume that the user already has an open-source operating system available on CD or other such media. In order to provide a reliable, cost-effective, accessible teaching/research environment, where students are given totally free rein, including root access, this system requires the ability to be rapidly restored.
Study on Segmented Pricing Method of Electric Vehicles Charging Service fee Based on Clustering Algorithms

Based on the development of electric vehicle charging service market and the present situation of charging operation charge, this paper proposes a pricing time division method of EV charging service fee based on improved AP clustering algorithm. The clustering results of AP algorithms on data sets with chronological characteristics usually require late manual correction, so adding a Modified process on the basis of AP to improve the AP algorithm to Modi-AP algorithm can effectively solve this problem. By comparing the cluster performance indicators of Modi-AP algorithm and kmeans algorithm, the feasibility of the algorithm and the rationality of segmentation are verified. This method provides a reference for electric vehicle charging station operators to set the service fee price independently.
Sex Differences in Pediatric Poisonings by Age Group: a Toxicology Investigators’ Consortium (ToxIC) Analysis (2010–2016)

To review pediatric poisonings evaluated at the bedside by medical toxicologists and reported in the ToxIC registry, by sex and age group. Pediatric poisoning cases age ≤18 years, reported between January 2010 and December 2016, were reviewed. Descriptive statistics were used to describe study variables by age group and sex. A total of 12,699 cases were analyzed. There were 7517 females and 5182 males. Those < 2 years old represented 12.5% of the study group (n = 1584), 17.2% were 2–6 years old (n = 2178), 8.6% were 7–12 years old (n = 1097), and 61.7% were 13–18 years old (n = 7840). The most common primary reasons for encounter were intentional pharmaceutical with 4900 females and 1836 males; intentional non-pharmaceutical with 952 females and 1213 males; unintentional pharmaceutical with 539 females and 644 males; and unintentional non-pharmaceutical with 435 females and 593 males. Overall, pharmaceuticals were the most commonly involved agents, including analgesics (20.9% of cases) and antidepressants (11% of cases): 27.8% of females and 10.7% of males were reportedly exposed to an analgesic.13.7% of females and 7.0% of males were reportedly exposed to an antidepressant. Among 1584 cases under 2 years, there were 747 females and 837 males; among 2178 cases aged 2–6 years, there were 954 females and 1224 males; among 1097 cases aged 7–12 years, there were 555 females and 542 males; and among 7840 cases aged 13–18 years, there were 5261 females and 2579 males. Death was reported in 0.7% of the cases: 20 females and 18 males. 6.1% of cases were managed with intubation: 421 females and 351 males. Sex-based characteristics of poisonings varied by age group among pediatric poisoning presentations reported to the ToxIC registry and further research is needed to determine implications for education and prevention efforts.
Endocrine surgery is at the forefront of gender diversity

Abstract Background The purpose of this study is to assess gender diversity across surgical subspecialties, with a focus on endocrine surgery. Methods We collected publicly-reported data from Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and American Association of Endocrine Surgeons (AAES) during the 2017 data period. Student’s t-test and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were used to compare percentages of female surgeons. We analyzed data by geographical regions, excluding states where data was unreported/unavailable. Results During this period, there were 25,022 general surgeons. Of these, 5157 (20.6%) were female. There were 513 endocrine surgeons, of which 179 (34.8%) were female (p Conclusions Endocrine surgery has the most gender diversity of all studied surgical subspecialties. The Southern US has the greatest proportion of female endocrine surgeons.
Does Intravenous Acetaminophen Reduce Opioid Requirement in Pediatric Emergency Department Patients With Acute Sickle Cell Crises

Objective We evaluated the ability of intravenous (IV) acetaminophen to reduce the amount of opioid medication administered in pediatric patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) having vasoocclusive crisis (VOC) in an emergency department (ED) setting. Methods This was a prospective, randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial at an academic urban pediatric ED. Participants included patients with SCD, aged 4 to 16 years, with VOC pain. All patients received a 0.1 mg/kg dose of IV morphine, 0.5 mg/kg ketorolac, or both. Patients were randomized to receive either 15 mg/kg IV acetaminophen or placebo. Patients were reassessed every 30 minutes to see whether additional opioid doses were indicated to a maximum of three doses. The total morphine given, pain scores, rates of admissions, 72-hour return visits, and adverse events were assessed for each group. Results Of 71 subjects randomized, 35 patients in the acetaminophen group and 36 patients in the control group were analyzed. Baseline characteristics and initial pain scores were similar in both groups. The mean total amount of morphine given was 8.6 mg (95% confidence interval [CI] = 6.5 to 10.8) in the acetaminophen group and 8.0 mg (95% CI = 5.9 to 10.2) in the placebo group. The mean total cumulative morphine dosing was 0.2 mg/kg (95% CI = 0.1 to 0.2 mg/kg) in the acetaminophen group and 0.2 mg/kg (95% CI = 0.1 to 0.2 mg/kg) in the control group. The mean pain score at time of disposition was 5.5 (95% CI = 4.3 to 6.6) in the acetaminophen group and 5.2 (95% CI = 4.2 to 6.3) in the placebo group. There were no clinical or statistically significant differences between the rates of admission, 72-hour return visits, or adverse events. Conclusion In this study, patients who received IV acetaminophen did not receive less morphine than patients in the placebo group. Disposition pain scores for the two groups were also equivalent. We conclude that IV acetaminophen, when used in addition to morphine for pediatric sickle cell VOC pain, does not provide an opioid-sparing effect. Further searches for adjunctive nonaddictive pain medicines are indicated.
Using quality improvement to implement the CNS/AAN quality measure on rescue medication for seizures

Objective A multidisciplinary quality improvement (QI) team was established to conduct analysis of data for prescribed seizure rescue medication doses from January 2013 to December 2015 to identify and improve inappropriately low dose prescriptions. The QI team identified areas of focus for improvement opportunities and developed the project objective based on the 2017 American Academy of Neurology (AAN) and Child Neurology Society (CNS) quality measure. Methods Within a freestanding children's hospital, the QI team developed key drivers and implemented interventions, such as the midazolam prefilled syringe program with use of standardized dosing, electronic chart tools, monthly pharmacy review of all underdosed prescriptions, and provider and nursing education. The team created an automated monthly report to monitor prescribed seizure rescue medication dosing compliance. The year 2015 was used as the preliminary data baseline period with an average noncompliance rate of 3.5%. Results From January 2016 to December 2019, the team has decreased and sustained the noncompliance rate to an average of 0.38%. The data for the project included 12,975 seizure rescue medication prescribed by a neurology provider from January 2015 to December 2019. Compliance with properly dosed diazepam orders continues to be the largest area of opportunity. The data demonstrated a centerline shift in January 2019, moving the baseline average of 7.2% noncompliance to the current average rate of 0.22%. In comparison, underdosed midazolam orders occurred at an average rate of 0.037% in the same timeframe. Significance Using quality improvement methodologies, the team successfully and substantially decreased provider prescribed and signed underdosed rescue medication orders by an average of 89%. This QI project demonstrates successful implementation and improvement addressing the AAN/CNS quality measure of proper rescue seizure treatment dosing.
Interleukin-17 induces hypertension but does not impair cerebrovascular function in pregnant rats.

Abstract Preeclampsia affects 5–8% of pregnancies and is characterized by hypertension, placental ischemia, neurological impairment, and an increase in circulating inflammatory cytokines, including Interleukin-17 (IL17). While placental ischemia has also been shown to impair cerebrovascular function, it is not known which placental-associated factor(s) drive this effect. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of IL17 on cerebrovascular function during pregnancy. To achieve this goal, pregnant rats were infused with either IL17 (150 pg/day, 5 days, osmotic minipump), or vehicle (saline/0.7% BSA osmotic minipump) starting at gestational day (GD) 14. On GD 19, the cerebral blood flow (CBF) response to increases in mean arterial pressure (MAP) was measured in vivo, and myogenic constrictor responses of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) were assessed ex vivo. IL17 increased MAP but impaired CBF responses only at the highest arterial pressure measured (190 mmHg). Myogenic constrictor responses overall were mostly unaffected by IL17 infusion; however, the intraluminal pressure at which peak myogenic tone was generated was lower in the IL17 infused group (120 vs 165 mm Hg), suggesting maximal tone is exerted at lower intraluminal pressures in IL17-treated pregnant rats. Consistent with the lack of substantial change in overall myogenic responsiveness, there was no difference in cerebral vessel expression of putative mechanosensitive protein βENaC, but a tendency towards a decrease in ASIC2 (p = 0.067) in IL17 rats. This study suggests that infusion of IL17 independent of other placental ischemia-associated factors is insufficient to recapitulate the features of impaired cerebrovascular function during placental ischemia. Further studies to examine of the role of other pro-inflammatory cytokines, individually or a combination, are necessary to determine mechanisms of cerebral vascular dysfunction during preeclampsia.
The Electoral Costs and Benefits of Feminism in Contemporary American Politics

Sexism and feminism are often seen as opposing belief systems on a single dimension in American politics. Gender scholars, however, have noticed that these forces are not equal and opposite. The 2016 election represents a critical case for examining how gender-related attitudes and identities push and pull voters. Hillary Clinton was the first female presidential nominee of a major party and a self-proclaimed feminist facing an opponent considered by many to be hostile to women. As such, many observers predicted a substantial increase in the gender gap. However, the gap did not widen much compared to previous races, and nearly half of women chose Trump. Why? We argue that sexism – as commonly measured – mixes attitudes about women in general with those about feminists in particular. When feminism becomes salient, as in 2016, attitudes about this subgroup become more relevant to the vote. Relying on three studies – a 2016 survey on SSI, the 2018 CCES, and the 2016 ANES, we assess the role of anti-feminist attitudes and feminist identity across gender, race, and party. We find that sexism directed against feminists powerfully dampened support for Clinton across genders. However, feminist identity was much less common in the electorate, and had little effect on men’s votes. Thus, although countervailing, these two forces are not equivalent. In 2016, the benefit of appealing to feminists was overwhelmed by the cost of activating voters who intensely dislike the group. These results reveal a consequential imbalance in the power of sexism and feminism in U.S. politics.
A Blueprint for Reforming US Treasury Markets

The U.S. Treasury market is foundational for the economic health of the nation and its ability to weather crises like Covid-19. Since the 2008 Financial Crisis, the U.S. has deployed its unparalleled borrowing power to raise around $15 trillion in tradable government bond debt at record-low rates. As of end-October 2020, outstanding marketable Treasury debt stood at around $20.1 trillion. The strength of the Treasury market rests on two defining features: (i) that claims against the credit of the U.S. are risk-free, meaning that they will never be in default; and (ii) that these claims can be easily and cheaply traded in a deeply liquid market. Owing to these characteristics, the U.S. Treasury market represents a safe-haven for investors that promises to remain resilient at all times. Yet, as my research argues, the structure of the Treasury market and its system of oversight rests on fragile foundations. Events in March 2020 – when investors struggled to buy and sell Treasuries in the midst of widespread panic about Covid-19’s economic effects – showed that the Treasury market is vulnerable to serious structural breakdown. While March 2020 represented a particular low-point, trading in Treasuries has been vulnerable to various types of disruption. These events point to fundamental dislocations in the regulatory framework for overseeing Treasuries as well as in the mechanisms by which risk and liquidity are managed within the market’s trading structure. This policy note provides a short blueprint to progress thoroughgoing reform of U.S. Treasury market structure and its regulation. It summarizes and builds on my existing research to propose a series of recommendations that can address the multiple and serious weaknesses within this market. The costs of neglecting reform in this area are incalculable. If the Treasury market becomes systematically vulnerable to failure, it is unlikely to retain its status as the premier safe haven that can anchor financial stability in good times and bad. As a result, the U.S. will likely have to pay more to borrow and will consequently face constraints on its ability to fund expansive and ambitious national policies.
New roles for dopamine in motor skill acquisition: lessons from primates, rodents, and songbirds.

Motor learning is a core aspect of human life and appears to be ubiquitous throughout the animal kingdom. Dopamine, a neuromodulator with a multifaceted role in synaptic plasticity, may be a key si...
Increasing Frequency of Interpreting Services is Associated With Shorter Peri-operative Length of Stay.

ABSTRACT Background Patients with limited English proficiency have barriers to accessing care. Rather than a binary use or no use, this study uses granular data on frequency of interpreting services to determine if this frequency is associated with differences in peri-operative length of stay for patients with limited English proficiency. Materials and Methods This is a cross sectional study on length of stay for peri-operative admissions of at least one night during 2018, for patients who used medical interpreting services in an academic medical center in Boston, Massachusetts. The participants are split into quartiles of ascending number of interpreting events per day. The exposure for the primary outcome is the frequency of interpreting events per day during peri-operative admission. The primary study outcome measurement is peri-operative length of stay in days. Results There was a statistically significant decrease in length of stay for patients in the highest two quartiles of interpreting service frequency, compared to the lowest quartile: quartile 2 trended shorter by 1.4 d (95% CI -4.5 to 1.7, P = 0.37), quartile 3 was 4.2 d shorter (95% CI -7.6 to -0.7, P = 0.02), and quartile 4 was 4.6 d shorter (95% CI -8.1 to -1.1, P = 0.01). Conclusions More frequent interpreting services per day during peri-operative admission are associated with shorter length of stay in adjusted analysis. The findings merit further study in an intervention to increase use of interpreting services for surgical patients with limited English proficiency to study the impact of increased frequency of culturally competent care.
Olefination via Cu-Mediated Dehydroacylation of Unstrained Ketones

The dehydroacylation of ketones to olefins is realized under mild conditions, which exhibits a unique reaction pathway involving aromatization-driven C-C cleavage to remove the acyl moiety, followed by Cu-mediated oxidative elimination to form an alkene between the α and β carbons. The newly adopted N'-methylpicolinohydrazonamide (MPHA) reagent is key to enable efficient cleavage of ketone C-C bonds at room temperature. Diverse alkyl- and aryl-substituted olefins, dienes, and special alkenes are generated with broad functional group tolerance. Strategic applications of this method are also demonstrated.
VoIP Adoption: Issues & Concerns

VoIP is a relatively new technology. Current research suggests that firms are using VoIP technology to cut costs, to improve productivity, and the firm’s strategic position. The literature is rich with “how to” articles and a discussion of possible benefits, costs, and implementation barriers. But, very few academic studies exist. The purpose of this study is to identify and present the issues related to VoIP adoption and implementation.
Long-Range Dependence

The models considered so far in this book dealt with the case where the data can be modeled as realizations of a weakly dependent process. In this chapter, we consider a class of random processes that exhibit long-range dependence. The condition of long-range dependence in the data may be described in more than one way (cf. Beran (1994), Hall (1997)). For this book, an operational definition of long-range dependence for a second-order stationary process is that the sum of the (lag) autocovariances of process diverges. In particular, this implies that the variance of the sample mean based on a sample of size n from a long-range dependent process decays at a rate slower than O(n −1) as n → ∞. As a result, the scaling factor for the centered sample mean under long-range dependence is of smaller order than the usual scaling factor n 1/2 used in the independent or weakly dependent cases. Furthermore, the limit distribution of the normalized sample mean can be nonnormal. In Section 10.2, we describe the basic framework and review some relevant properties of the sample mean under long-range dependence. In Section 10.3, we investigate properties of the MBB approximation. Here the MBB provides a valid approximation if and only if the limit law of the normalized sample mean is normal. In Section 10.4, we consider properties of the subsampling method under long-range dependence. We show that unlike the MBB, the subsampling method provides valid approximations to the distributions of normalized and studentized versions of the sample mean for both normal and nonnormal limit cases. In Section 10.5, we report the results from a small simulation study on finite sample performance of the subsampling method.
The outlook for future pregnancies in women immunized to Rh

Abstract The outlook for a successful pregnancy in a woman immunized to Rh is never hopeless, and the outcome of a subsequent pregnancy can never be predicted with certainty. An analysis of the histories of 241 women delivered of 302 infants at the Chicago Lying-in Hospital after they became immunized shows that the outcome of any given pregnancy is related to the outcome of the pregnancy immediately preceding it. Following the birth of a surviving erythroblastotic infant, the next child survived approximately 50 per cent of the time. After the birth of a child who died, the next child survived 20 per cent of the time. After a still-birth, the survival was only 10 per cent. With the improvement in treatment that is currently taking place, a somewhat larger percentage of infants should survive in the future. Women who have had stillborn erythroblastotic infants have had more total pregnancies following immunization than those whose erythroblastotic infants were born alive; before immunization they had about the same number. Those who had a surviving erythroblastotic infant born at the Chicago Lying-in Hospital had an average of 1.9 pregnancies before immunization and 1.8 subsequently. Those with an infant who died had an average before immunization of 1.8 pregnancies and after immunization of 2.3. Those with a stillborn fetus had 2.1 pregnancies before immunization and 2.6 subsequently. The first group averaged 2.7 total surviving infants, 1.0 not surviving; the second group averaged 1.6 surviving, 2.5 not surviving; the third group averaged 1.7 surviving. 3.0 not surviving. The variability in the outcome of pregnancy in which immunization is present must be taken into account in the attempt to evaluate any method of prevention or treatment of erythroblastosis.