cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Diagnostic Yield of a Standardized Approach to Idiopathic Sensory-Predominant Neuropathy

Background Peripheral neuropathy is a common problem that often prompts a lengthy and expensive diagnostic evaluation. A rational, evidence-based diagnostic approach to peripheral neuropathy is desirable. Prior studies have focused on all patients presenting to a tertiary referral center with a diagnosis of unclassified neuropathy. However, most patients with peripheral neuropathy have primarily sensory symptoms. This study focuses on patients with sensory-predominant neuropathy. The goal was to develop a focused diagnostic algorithm that can be easily applied in a general medical setting. Methods Patients referred with predominantly sensory symptoms and no previously defined cause were included and evaluated using a standard diagnostic approach. Results Among 138 patients, 25% had at least 1 first-degree relative with symptoms suggestive of neuropathy. Among laboratory studies, a 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test had the highest diagnostic yield (61%) and was more sensitive than other measures of glucose metabolism. Vitamin B 12 deficiency was identified in 2 patients. Results of serum protein electrophoresis, immunofixation, and antinuclear antibody testing were abnormal in less than 5% of patients, and these rates are similar to those found in the general population. Using this approach, only 31% of patients completing the recommended evaluation were found to have an idiopathic neuropathy. Conclusions Patients with sensory-predominant neuropathy should be tested for glucose tolerance and vitamin B 12 concentration. The significance of abnormalities of serum protein electrophoresis and antinuclear antibodies is uncertain. Other tests should be performed only when the clinical scenario is suggestive. Patients with atypical features may benefit from referral to a peripheral neuropathy center.
Cooperative control and modeling for narrow passage traversal with an ornithopter MAV and lightweight ground station

The power, size, and weight constraints of micro air vehicles (MAVs) limit their on-board sensing and computational resources. Ground vehicles have less mobility than MAVs, but relaxed size constraints, and typically more computing power. These specializations present many opportunities for robot-robot cooperation. In this work, we demonstrate cooperative target-seeking between a 13 gram ornithopter MAV and a lightweight ground station using computer vision. We develop models for the ornithopter, ground station, and cooperative system dynamics. We determine model parameters of the real systems through experimental system identification. Finally, we verify those models using experiments on narrow passage traversal, and arrive at a cooperative system model which accurately predicts the backwards-reachable region for successfully negotiating ornithopter flight through narrow passages.We also introduce a new ornithopter MAV, the 13 gram H2Bird. It features clap and fling wings, improves upon previous designs by utilizing a carbon fiber airframe, tail rotor, and elevator, and carries a 2.8 gram payload. We augment the ornithopter's built-in gyroscope-based control with a lightweight ground station, which has power and weight requirements appropriate for deployment on ground vehicles with 10 gram payloads. The ground station provides heading estimates to the ornithopter by running a real-time motion tracking algorithm over a live video stream.
Managerial attitudes and perceived contingencies between performance and organizational response.

This study has found that among several levels of managers in a particular financial institution, the perceived contingencies between performance and organizational responses were factorable into t...
Nuclear Gene Dosage Effects Upon the Expression of Maize Mitochondrial Genes

Each mitochondrion possesses a genome that encodes some of its own components. The nucleus encodes most of the mitochondrial proteins, including the polymerases and factors that regulate the expression of mitochondrial genes. Little is known about the number or location of these nuclear factors. B-A translocations were used to create dosage series for 14 different chromosome arms in maize plants with normal cytoplasm. The presence of one or more regulatory factors on a chromosome arm was indicated when variation of its dosage resulted in the alteration in the amount of a mitochondrial transcript. We used quantitative Northern analysis to assay the transcript levels of three mitochondrially encoded components of the cytochrome c oxidase complex (cox1, cox2, and cox3). Data for a nuclearly encoded component (cox5b) and for two mitochondrial genes that are unrelated to cytochrome c oxidase, ATP synthase a-subunit and 18S rRNA, were also determined. Two tissues, embryo and endosperm, were compared and most effects were found to be tissue specific. Significantly, the array of dosage effects upon mitochondrial genes was similar to what had been previously found for nuclear genes. These results support the concept that although mitochondrial genes are prokaryotic in origin, their regulation has been extensively integrated into the eukaryotic cell.
Energy balance and the accuracy of reported energy intake in preadolescent children with cystic fibrosis

BACKGROUND Suboptimal growth and nutritional status are common among children with cystic fibrosis (CF) and pancreatic insufficiency (PI). A better understanding of energy balance is required to improve prevention and treatment of malnutrition. OBJECTIVE Our objective was to characterize energy balance and the reporting accuracy of dietary intake in children with CF by evaluating the relations between energy intake (EI), energy expenditure (EE), fecal energy loss, nutritional status, and growth. DESIGN The subjects were participants of a 24-mo prospective study of children 6-10 y of age with CF and PI. EE, EI, fecal energy loss, and anthropometric measures were obtained at baseline and at 24 mo. RESULTS The children (n = 69) had suboptimal growth at baseline (x +/- SD: weight-for-age z score, -0.53 +/- 1.19; adjusted height-for-age z score, -0.67 +/- 1.06; body mass index z score, -0.29 +/- 1.12), and these variables remained suboptimal at 24 mo. The median ratios of EI to EE at baseline and 24 mo were 1.15 and 1.18, respectively, which decreased to 1.09 and 1.10, respectively, when adjusted for fecal energy loss (EI(-FL):EE). At baseline, 7% of subjects were underreporters, 64% were accurate reporters, and 23% were overreporters of energy intake; the percentages were similar at 24 mo. CONCLUSIONS Although EI(-FL):EE ratios were higher than expected at both baseline and 24 mo, this cohort showed only age-appropriate weight gain. Self-reported dietary intake data at the individual level should be interpreted with caution, and weight gain velocity may serve as an objective measure of long-term energy balance.
Gender Ideology and Motherhood: The Consequences of Race on Earnings

Using a nationally representative US sample, this study explores the relationship between gender ideology and the earnings of African American and white mothers over a 10-year period (1988–1998). We further investigate how factors related to fertility (i.e., age at first birth and the number of children) impact earnings for these mothers. Findings show, that regardless of race, a conservative gender ideology reduces women’s earnings but less so for African Americans compared to whites. With regard to fertility, the number of children is detrimental to the earnings of white mothers, but has no effect on the African American mothers in our sample. However, early childbearing does depress the earnings of African American women more so than for their white counterparts.
The Effect of Full-Spectrum Fluorescent Lighting on Reproductive Traits of Caged Turkey Hens,

Large White turkey breeder hens were exposed to either incandescent or full-spectrum (FS) fluorescent lighting during two 20-week reproductive cycles in closed confinement. Data were recorded for body weights, feed intake, and reproductive traits. Body weights and feed intake were similar between treatments in both egg laying cycles. In addition, there were no significant differences in egg production, fertility, hatchability, or poult weight between the incandescent and FS fluorescent light treatment in either the first or second year egg laying cycle. It was concluded that exposure of breeder turkey hens to FS fluorescent light in closed confinement results in reproductive performance similar to that obtained with incandescent lighting.
Tropical Sprue and Subclinical Enteropathy: A Vision for the Nineties

AbstractAside from infectious intestinal diseases with known etiology, there is a group of gastrointestinal disorders mainly affecting the small intestine of individuals predominantly living in and less often visiting or returning from the Third World, usually the tropics, and ranging from asymptomatic structural and/or functional abnormalities of the gastrointestinal mucosa (subclinical enteropathy, SE) to a fully symptomatic condition highlighted by malabsorption of nutrients with associated nutritional deficiencies responsive to folate and broad spectrum antibiotic treatment (tropical sprue, TS). Mounting evidence supports an infectious cause in many instances. The exact nature of the infection, whether initiated and/or perpetuated by enterotoxigenic coli-form bacteria, virus(es) or a combination of these, is not clear. Further studies, including those using molecular techniques, are needed in order to clarify various aspects of these widely prevalent disorders.
Wide Swath Ocean Topography Mapping With Interferometric Altimeters

An interferometric radar altimeter is proposed to provide wide-swath high-resolution ocean topography. Several system design issues of such an interferometric altimeter are presented. Tradeoffs between processing of the interferometric signal using the so-called amplitude approach and the so-called phase approach are shown. The systematic errors associated with uncertainties in the interferometer baseline and the attitude of interferometer orientation are also discussed. Described is an approach using the measurements at orbit cross-over regions, together with the topography measurements from a traditional nadir-looking altimeter that are not contaminated by the baseline and attitude noises. Preliminary simulation results show that such an approach can generate an acceptable error level if the ocean surface does not change appreciably between the observations.
MASTITIS PATHOGENS | Contagious Pathogens

Contagious pathogens include Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae, Mycoplasma bovis, and Corynebacterium bovis, which are spread from infected to uninfected quarters during milking. Streptococcus agalactiae are spherical Gram-positive bacteria that grow in chains and are shed in very high numbers in milk from infected quarters. This microorganism is sensitive to penicillin and can be eradicated from dairy herds. Staphylococcus aureus are Gram-positive bacteria that grow in grape-like clusters. Once S. aureus establishes an infection, a chronic inflammation results along with elevated somatic cell counts (SCCs); infections are extremely difficult to cure with antibiotics because of the development of scar tissue. Mycoplasma species do not stain with Gram stain and are intermediate in size between bacteria and viruses; mastitis caused by Mycoplasma should be suspected when milk samples from cows with clinical symptoms (often in multiple quarters) are negative after repeated culture. Corynebacterium bovis are Gram-positive, club-shaped bacteria; the resulting infections with these bacteria are usually mild with a slight elevation in SCC. All contagious organisms, with the exception of Mycoplasma, are prevented by proper udder hygiene, correct use of milking machines, teat dipping after milking, and use of nonlactating cow therapy. Control of Mycoplasma is achieved through the prevention of new infections based on screening, herd replacements, and use of rigid milking hygiene, because treatment is ineffective.
Calcineurin Modulates G Protein-Mediated Inhibition of N-Type Calcium Channels in Rat Sympathetic Neurons

Zhu, Yu and Jerrel L. Yakel. Calcineurin modulates G protein-mediated inhibition of N-type calcium channels in rat sympathetic neurons. J. Neurophysiol. 78: 1161–1169, 1997. The modulation of N-typ...
Epidemiological features of chickenpox outbreaks at schools in Shijingshan District of Beijing during 2007 to 2008

Objective To understand epidemiological characteristics of chickenpox outbreaks at schools in Shijingshan District of Beijing to provide scientific evidence for formulating strategies to its prevent and control. Methods Descriptive epidemiology method was used to describe and analyze outbreaks of chickenpox at schools in Shijingshan during 2007 to 2008. Results Eleven outbreaks of chickenpox occurred at schools from 2007 to 2008 in Shijingshan,which affected both physical and psychological health of the students. Conclusion It is very important that center for disease control and prevention (CDC) and educational sector to keep close attention to strengthening management of communicable diseases in order to prevent their outbreaks at schools.
A Study of Sinogen on Clinical in Children Acute Upper Respiratory Tract Infection

Aim To evaluate the clinical effectiveness of interferon therapy for children with acute upper respiratory tract infection. Methods 124 children who suffered from acute upper respiratory tract infection had been randomly allocated into two groups: Sinogen treatment group and control group, results Efficacy was evaluated by resolution of fever, catarrh, and orophanyngeal congestion and the number of patients recovered and discharged from hospital three days later. Comparison with the group 2 showed statistically significant. Conclusion Sinogen is an effective treatment for acute upper respiratory tract infection in children, it possesses the advantage of short time producing desired result, certainly couative effect, few side - effect and suitable for clinical spreading and application.
Expression of beta-catenin, alpha-catenin, and E-cadherin in Barrett's esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinomas.

Loss of expression and function of the E-cadherin/catenin membrane complex can result in loss of cell adhesion and contribute to invasive or metastatic potential in carcinomas. The aim of this study was to examine the expression of alpha- and beta-catenin and E-cadherin in Barrett's esophagus with and without dysplasia and in esophageal adenocarcinomas and to identify any relationship with tumor growth pattern and clinical outcome. Immunoperoxidase staining for alpha- and beta-catenin and E-cadherin was performed on specimens of Barrett's esophagus with and without dysplasia and on 54 esophageal adenocarcinoma specimens. Membranous staining for all of the components was seen in normal gastric and esophageal mucosa. Abnormal expression of beta-catenin, alpha-catenin, and E-cadherin was significantly associated with higher degrees of dysplasia in Barrett's esophagus. Fourteen of 16 cases of high grade dysplasia and 7 of 7 cases of intramucosal carcinoma showed abnormal expression of beta-catenin, compared with 3 of 6 cases indefinite for dysplasia and 11 of 17 cases with low grade dysplasia (P = 0.022). Similar results were seen for expression of alpha-catenin (P < .01) and E-cadherin (P = .049). In esophageal adenocarcinomas, preserved expression of these proteins occurred more frequently in well-differentiated tumors; abnormal expression was more common in diffusely infiltrative poorly differentiated tumors that did not form glands. Focal nuclear staining for beta-catenin was present in two high-grade dysplasias, two intramucosal carcinomas, and five adenocarcinomas. No survival advantage was demonstrated for patients whose tumors retained expression of these cell adhesion components. In conclusion, abnormal expression of the E-cadherin/catenin membrane complex is common in esophageal adenocarcinoma and occurs early in the dysplasia/carcinoma sequence in Barrett's esophagus, indicating that disturbances in this cell adhesion complex might be important in tumorigenesis and tumor progression in this disorder.
Being Good by Doing Good: Goodness and the Evaluation of Persons

Does doing good in itself make one a better person? This idea is intuitive yet its precise formulation underexplored. This article first shows that it is not the case that a person is good to the extent that her existence brings about good or to the extent that her actions do good. A proportional principle that evaluates a person according to the expected goodness of her actual course of action relative to the expected goodness of other available courses is shown to be the most plausible candidate. However, such a principle can only be a pro tanto principle of what makes persons good. To account for other relevant intuitions – such as that a person's motives matter for how good she is – we need further principles. This article ends with a few practical implications about how to be a better person according to the principle defended here.
Genetic Modifiers of Patent Ductus Arteriosus in Term Infants

Objective To identify single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in specific candidate genes associated with patent ductus arteriosus in term infants. Study design We conducted an initial family-based, candidate gene study to analyze genotype data from DNA samples obtained from 171 term infants and their parents enrolled in the National Birth Defects Prevention Study (NBDPS). We performed transmission disequilibrium testing (TDT) using a panel of 55 SNPs in 17 genes. Replication of SNPs with P Results TDT analysis of the NBDPS trios resulted in 6 SNPs reaching the predetermined cutoff ( P TGFBR2 was found to be associated with term patent ductus arteriosus in both populations after we corrected for multiple comparisons. (rs934328, TDT P = 2 × 10 −4 , case-control P = 6.6 × 10 −5 ). Conclusions These findings confirm the importance of the transforming growth factor-beta pathway in the closure of the term ductus arteriosus and may suggest new therapeutic targets.
Evidence-Based Abdominal Wall Reconstruction: The Maxi-Mini Approach

Complex abdominal wall reconstruction is a high-risk procedure, but it can be performed safely if a systematic approach is followed. In this article, the authors present their evidence-based technique for abdominal wall reconstruction. This approach aims at reducing rates of complications and hernia recurrence, starting with critical patient selection; preoperative patient optimization; adherence to intraoperative principles including preservation of vascular perforators through maintenance of composite tissue with limited undermining; direct supported mesh reinforcement of midline musculofascial reapproximation; use of percutaneous transfascial suture mesh fixation; careful attention to dead space obliteration in any plane; and aggressive soft-tissue resection of marginal, undermined, or tenuous skin and subcutaneous tissue. Postoperative strategies to decrease complications are also used. The authors' surgical technique is described in detail, and pilot data are presented to support the authors' approach.
“Do You Need an Appointment” Using a Computerized System to Match Patient Needs With Provider Resources

At present, 1.85 million members in our Northern California Region receive their medical care at Kaiser-Permanente, making 8 million provider visits a year. The amount of paperwork and recordkeeping necessary to process so many visits is immense.
Management of Patient Samples and Specimens

Since the initial efforts began to perform medical research using human specimens, value has been placed on the ability to have access to specimens to better understand the nature of disease. Over time, research protocols have been devised to increase consistency in how specimens are handled in order to improve the quality of the results obtained. It has only been in recent years that scientists have begun to appreciate how the condition of the patient at the time the biological specimen is obtained and even subtle differences in how a specimen is handled may significantly impact the molecular profile of that specimen, and consequently the outcomes from assays in which the specimen, or extracts from the specimen are used. The purpose of this chapter is to review critical considerations that should be made when performing research using patient samples, to provide guidance on how those samples most effectively can be collected and processed, and finally, how processing procedures can be documented effectively and reported to allow for scientific review of findings and support the reproducibility of the research outcomes in subsequent studies.
With a Wink and a Nod: Settlement Growth Through Construction as Commemoration in the Occupied West Bank

ABSTRACTConstruction as commemoration refers to the construction of new settlement outposts and the expansion of existing settlements to commemorate the loss of Israeli life in the occupied West Bank. Popular discourse surrounding this commemorative construction maintains that these acts are aimed at “sending a message” to Palestinian terrorists, asserting that Israeli settlers will stand fast in the face of violence. Settlements, however, grow regardless of what Palestinians do or do not do. In this paper, I argue that when viewed through the lens of settler colonial theory, construction as commemoration is revealed to not be aimed at sending a message to Palestinians, but rather at appealing to the hearts and minds of the Israeli public, and at providing cover for the Israeli government to openly support settlement growth regardless of international pressure. In contrast to commemorative acts like monuments and memorials which are aimed at symbolically controlling space, construction as commemoration re...
Iterative learning control of perspective dynamic systems

This paper introduces the problem of iterative learning control (ILC) for perspective dynamic systems (PDS), referred to as ILC-PDS, where the task is to track a 3-D desired trajectory from information observed on the image plane of an imaging system, such as a camera. Unlike many ILC implementations in motion control applications, which use feedback from encoders, we assume measurements from the image plane are used as feedback to the ILC system. We focus our analysis on 2-D motion with a 1-D perspective measurement. It is shown analytically and via simulation that under the standard ILC assumption of identical initial conditions from trial-to-trial, tracking in the 2-D space can be achieved using the 1-D PDS image feedback.
Cyclosporine Versus Cyclosporine/Mycophenolate Mofetil for GVHD Prophylaxis after Matched Related and Unrelated Minimal Intensity Allotransplantation.

The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of cyclosporine (CsA) alone versus CsA/mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) as GVHD prophylaxis in older patients who received a minimally-intensive allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (MIHCT) for the treatment of hematological malignancies (AML=26, MDS=15, NHL=8, CLL=5, MM=3, HD=4, CML=1, ALL=1). Patients (median age, 55 years; 41 males, 22 females) received HLA-matched related (n=33) or unrelated (n=30) peripheral blood hematopoietic cell infusions following immunosuppressive dosages of cyclophosphamide and fludarabine (Childs R, et al. Blood 94; 1999). The initial 28 consecutive patients received monitored CsA from day −1 through day +180 (if no GVHD). The next 35 subjects received CsA/MMF: CsA, day −1 through day +180 and MMF, 1000 mg twice daily, day +1 through day +60 (if no GVHD, then a taper). Patients were followed until death or at least 7 months. There were no differences between recipients of MRD and MUD transplants with respect to sex, age of the recipient, disease status, ABO matching, recipient CMV status or number of CMV-negative donor/recipient pairs. MUD donors were significantly younger and more likely to be CMV-negative. There was no difference in disease distribution between those who recieved CsA and those who recieved CsA/MMF prophylaxis. Follow-up ranged from 25–2241 days (median, 461 days for the CSA group; 449 days for the CSA/MMF group, 1290 days for survivors). All patients engrafted without growth factor support and no subjects experienced sinusoidal obstruction syndrome, mucositis or post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease. Thirty and 100-day transplant-related mortality for the cohort was 1.6% and 15.9% respectively. The incidence of Grade 2–4 aGVHD (n=63) was 49.2% (CsA, 57.1%, CsA/MMF, 42.9%, p=0.315). Grade 3 or 4 aGVHD occurred in 30% (CsA, 32.1%, CsA/MMF, 28.6%, p=0.788). Chronic extensive GVHD occurred in 53.8% (CsA, 61.5%, CsA/MMF, 46.2%, p=0.404) of at risk (survival greater than 100 days) recipients. The incidence of acute or chronic GVHD was not statistically different for MRD versus MUD recipients for either prophylaxis group (p=0.32 and 0.23, respectively). One-year, two-year and three-year overall Kaplan-Meier survival analyses were estimated to be 60.7%, 42.9% (CsA group) and 42.9%and 60%, 45.2% and 32.8% (CsA/MMF group, 0.708). Twenty-seven (42.9%) of the entire cohort are alive at a median of 1290 days post-transplant [CSA, 12/28, (42.9%); CsA/MMF, 15/35, (42.9%)]. Grade 3 or 4 aGVHD was associated with poor overall survival (p=0.0001) for the cohort. These findings provide evidence that MMF does not seem to provide substantial GVHD preventive or overall survival benefit when added to CsA after matched related/unrelated cyclophosphamide/fludarabine MIHCT in older patients with hematological malignancies.
Anonymity and Interaction in an Online Breast Cancer Social Support Group

Despite the benefits of using online social support groups, prior research does not provide a solid understanding of the online factors related to an individual’s supportive interaction. Accordingl...
International Contagion 1618–1930

The first question suggested by the review of the historical record that banking crises occur in waves is the source of the shocks that led to the surges in indebtedness and the prices of securities in the boom that precedes each of these crises. The second is the connection that links the crises that occur at about the same time in different countries — why did Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina have banking crises in the summer of 1982 and why did Iceland and Britain have a crisis at about same time as the one in the United States in 2008.
Response surface modeling for parasitic extraction for multi-objective optimization of multi-chip power modules (MCPMs)

In our tool, PowerSynth, fast calculation of electrical parasitics is of paramount concern when evaluating the layout of an MCPM during multi-objective optimization. To this end, this work extends the current capabilities of PowerSynth to quickly and more accurately extract lumped RLC parameters by utilizing a response surface model. An MCPM is represented as a series of layers forming a stack corresponding to their physical dimensions and material properties. FastHenry is employed to run frequency sweep simulations on this layer stack with both rectangular traces and 90-degree corners with varying sizes, spacing, and positioning. The results of these simulations are then used to build a response surface model accounting for frequency dependence and current crowding effects. This model is then used in the MCPM optimization engine to evaluate loop parasitics for a given layout. The results of this model are then compared with FastHenry simulations and measurements using an LCR meter and Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR) of a fabricated prototype.
Functions of the Triceps Brachii in Humans: A Review

The triceps brachii (TB) is the only muscle that lies along the posterior humerus, and its role in elbow extension has been the topic of investigation for many decades. The TB research has also included subjects such as strength training, effects of aging, training adaptions, etc. The purpose of this paper was to review some of the more unique investigations regarding the functions of the human TB. Specifically, this paper discusses articles that have explored the actions of the TB when manipulating the angles of the joints it crosses, the elbow and shoulder.
TEG Lysis Shutdown Represents Coagulopathy in Bleeding Trauma Patients: Analysis of the PROPPR Cohort.

ABSTRACTBackground:Thrombelastography (TEG) fibrinolysis shutdown after trauma is associated with increased mortality due to hypercoagulability-associated organ failure. However, a lack of mechanistic data has precluded the development of novel interventions to treat shutdown.Objectives:To define th
Social Networks and Health

The aim of this chapter is to provide an overview of the evidence linking social networks to health outcomes. Evidence on the link between social support and health outcomes is dealt with separately in Chapter 17. In the first section we discuss the definition and measurement of social networks. In the second section, we describe theoretical mechanisms linking social networks to health. The third section provides an overview of the prospective epidemiological evidence linking social networks to major health outcomes (all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease incidence and survival, cancer incidence/survival, and cognitive decline). Our intent is not to provide an exhaustive review. For example, studies have linked social networks to infectious diseases (e.g., HIV/AIDS prognosis) as well as mental health outcomes. The reader is referred to other reviews dealing with these other health endpoints (e.g., see Kawachi and Berkman, 2001 for a summary of social ties and mental health). The concluding section lays out promising future directions for research.
Neuronal Protection and Recanalization Strategies: Is More Better?

The very title of this section of the symposium, i.e., “Ancillary Therapy for Cerebrovascular Reperfusion,” underscores the prominent hopes and expectations that the stroke community has invested in thrombolytic therapy. Thrombolysis makes intuitive sense, is effective in other circulatory beds, and may result in dramatic clinical changes. Furthermore, it requires mobilization of emergency personnel which requires neurologists to depart from their traditional passive therapeutic attitude towards stroke.
Surgeon influence on receipt of contralateral prophylactic mastectomy for breast cancer.

e18145Background: Rates of contralateral prophylactic mastectomy (CPM) have markedly increased but virtually nothing is known about the influence of surgeons on variability of the procedure in the ...
Surgical septal myectomy for relief of dynamic obstruction in Anderson-Fabry Disease.

Abstract Patients with Anderson-Fabry Disease (AFD) and severe left ventricular hypertrophy complicated by left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction may benefit from surgical septal myectomy (SSM). Mid- and late outcomes following surgery have not been established, and we sought to better characterize postoperative outcomes following septal myectomy. Between January 2011 and June 2017, 7 patients (6 females) with AFD underwent SSM. The median (range) age at the time of surgery was 53 (37–72) years; 4 patients had a positive family history of AFD and a preoperative diagnosis of AFD. Extracardiac features suggestive of AFD were present in 3 patients and all but 1 (female) had reduced α-galactosidase A activity. All patients had severe left ventricular hypertrophy and LVOT obstruction on transthoracic echocardiography. Preoperatively, all patients were severely symptomatic with New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III symptoms. There was no early mortality following surgery. The median in-hospital length of stay was 5 (4–7) days with 6 patients reporting NYHA class II or less symptoms at 3 month follow-up. Long-term outcomes were favorable with 4 patients reporting sustained NYHA class II or less symptoms, but 2 patients had recurrence of NYHA class III symptoms without evidence of recurrent LVOT obstruction. In conclusion, SSM appears to provide favorable short- and long-term relief of severe, symptomatic LVOT obstruction but may not alter progression of Fabry cardiomyopathy.
Flexible resource use strategies of a central-place forager experiencing dynamic risk and opportunity

Movement decisions made in space and time define how wildlife meet competing extrinsic and intrinsic demands to maximize fitness. Differential selection of resource patches provides one example of how to measure how animals balance conflicting demands. We hypothesized that individual spatial selection of patch types between dynamic seasons would signify flexible strategies used to minimize risk and optimize foraging efforts. We used data collected from GPS loggers on golden-mantled ground squirrels (Callospermophilus lateralis) to model selection or avoidance of resources in two seasons of seed availability and one season in which no seeds were available. Movement decisions were measured in short-term discrete time intervals using high resolution location data. Selection or avoidance of specific resource features that entail fitness consequences were then assessed using resource selection functions. Seasonality of food availability, food type, and spatial distribution of food largely influenced how individuals selected resources within their home ranges. Overall, when seeds were available, individuals mediated risks of predation and loss of food by using patches closer to refuge and selected intermediate distances to the burrow. When food was not available, individuals minimized exposure to heightened risk by staying close to the burrow and avoiding riskier patch types. Results indicate that individuals used flexible, dynamic strategies to select habitat patches which may allow them to balance conflicting seasonal demands. Advances in GPS technology for research of small mammals provide greater insight into how prey species in high risk environments differentially use resources to minimize risk and maintain fitness.
Respiratory Therapist-Led COPD Education and the Impact on 30-day Readmission Rates

Background: How can COPD patients be more empowered and become more proactive in maintaining their COPD treatment/medication compliance, reduce 30-day readmissions and help improve quality of life by avoiding hospitalization due to COPD exacerbations? Can pre-discharge COPD education led by a respiratory therapist (RT) help reduce 30-day readmission rates? We hypothesized 1) that with one-on-one COPD education, provided by RTs, there will not be a significant change in 30-day readmission rates, and 2) there will be no significant difference between three RT educators and the effect on 30-day readmission rates among COPD patients. Methods: IRB approval was received (CPS18-03-09). This is a retrospective study of patients who received COPD education from October 2016 to September 2017. Three RTs performed pre-discharge COPD education on a total of 927 patients. For each patient educated, the patient9s electronic chart in Meditech and COPD assessment spreadsheet were evaluated for inclusion. Demographics, smoking history, completion of post-discharge follow-up phone call and readmission rates 60 days prior and 60 days post COPD education was collected. Data was listed under the educating RT, for included subjects. A three-way ANOVA with a post hoc Tukey9s HSD and Bonferroni test was used to compare the three RT educators. A t-test was performed for the pooled data, from all three RT educators, for pre- and post-education readmission rates. An alpha of Results: Of the 927 patients educated 593 where included in the study. Table 1 provides overall pre- and post-Results: and Table 2 compares the three educating RTs. Therefore, rejecting the first hypothesis. However, when comparing each COPD RT educator there was no significant difference between them and the second hypothesis was accepted. Conclusions: Patients who received pre-discharge COPD education provided by a RT demonstrated an increase in 30-day readmission rates. Further research is needed on this subject, including how a more thorough follow-up post discharge can affect readmission rates.
Mathematical Modeling of Copying Control by a Robotic Unit with a Linear Electric Drive with an Elastic Link

This article is about developing the mathematical model and studying the copying control system of a robotic unit with a linear electric drive with an elastic link. Particular emphasis is placed on modeling the nonlinear electric drive and measurement system devices. A comprehensive criterion is elaborated for evaluating the quality indicators of the control system. Opportunities for minimizing the influence of nonlinearities on the stability of the copying control system by optimization of parameters are studied.
Change in larval fish assemblage in a USA east coast estuary estimated from twenty-six years of fixed weekly sampling

Climate change is leading to significant alterations to ecosystems all over the world and some of the resulting impacts on fish and fisheries are now becoming apparent. Estuaries, which are highly susceptible to climate change because they are relatively shallow and in close proximity to anthropogenic stressors, provide habitat to many fish species at a critical time in the life history, after transport and just prior to settlement in nurseries. Despite this, the long-term impacts of climate change on larval fish at this critical location/stage in the life history are not well documented. The larval fish assemblage of a coastal estuary was sampled once per week for twenty-six years at a fixed location in southern New Jersey, USA. We used ordination and regression analysis to evaluate the whole assemblage, individual species/family occurrence, and trends in total density and diversity over that time. The larval fish assemblage changed significantly in response to warming water temperatures. In addition, approximately one quarter of the species/families in the assemblage exhibited a statistically significant trend in individual occurrence over time. Of these, all five of the five northern-affiliated species decreased in occurrence while 18 of 21 southern-affiliated species increased in occurrence. Finally, total fish density and species diversity increased over the course of the study. The non-uniform response of the species/families in this larval assemblage is similar to what has been documented in other studies that evaluated the temporal trend of open ocean juvenile and adult fish assemblages.
How to Conduct a Faculty Search

Serving on the search committee for a faculty hire is an opportunity to shape the future direction of a department. However, there are legal, institutional, and ethical considerations that must be kept in mind during the process. An academic search committee typically includes both junior and senior faculty members; it may also include graduate students or postdocs from the home department, as well as faculty from neighboring departments. The committee chair is responsible for maintaining adherence to institutional, state, and federal policy, as well as for managing group dynamics, including potential power imbalances among committee members. A key principle of effective recruitment is proactive outreach. Increasing diversity of the faculty body benefits the department as a whole, but efforts must be made early in the search process to actively recruit eligible candidates from underrepresented groups. Early data provide guidance for effective methods for reducing implicit bias and increasing the diversity of the applicant pool.
TLR4 Stimulation Promotes Human AVIC Fibrogenic Activity through Upregulation of Neurotrophin 3 Production.

Background: Calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) is a chronic inflammatory disease that manifests as progressive valvular fibrosis and calcification. An inflammatory milieu in valvular tissue promotes fibrosis and calcification. Aortic valve interstitial cell (AVIC) proliferation and the over-production of the extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins contribute to valvular thickening. However, the mechanism underlying elevated AVIC fibrogenic activity remains unclear. Recently, we observed that AVICs from diseased aortic valves express higher levels of neurotrophin 3 (NT3) and that NT3 exerts pro-osteogenic and pro-fibrogenic effects on human AVICs. Hypothesis: Pro-inflammatory stimuli upregulate NT3 production in AVICs to promote fibrogenic activity in human aortic valves. Methods and Results: AVICs were isolated from normal human aortic valves and were treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 0.20 µg/mL). LPS induced TLR4-dependent NT3 production. This effect of LPS was abolished by inhibition of the Akt and extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) pathways. The stimulation of TLR4 in human AVICs with LPS resulted in a greater proliferation rate and an upregulated production of matrix metallopeptidases-9 (MMP-9) and collagen III, as well as augmented collagen deposition. Recombinant NT3 promoted AVIC proliferation in a tropomyosin receptor kinase (Trk)-dependent fashion. The neutralization of NT3 or the inhibition of Trk suppressed LPS-induced AVIC fibrogenic activity. Conclusions: The stimulation of TLR4 in human AVICs upregulates NT3 expression and promotes cell proliferation and collagen deposition. The NT3-Trk cascade plays a critical role in the TLR4-mediated elevation of fibrogenic activity in human AVICs. Upregulated NT3 production by endogenous TLR4 activators may contribute to aortic valve fibrosis associated with CAVD progression.
Trends, Epidemiology, and Management of Multi-Drug Resistant Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections in the Hospitalized Setting

The increasing prevalence of antibiotic resistance is a threat to human health, particularly within vulnerable populations in the hospital and acute care settings. This leads to increasing healthcare costs, morbidity, and mortality. Bacteria rapidly evolve novel mechanisms of resistance and methods of antimicrobial evasion. Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Acinetobacter baumannii have all been identified as pathogens with particularly high rates of resistance to antibiotics, resulting in a reducing pool of available treatments for these organisms. Effectively combating this issue requires both preventative and reactive measures. Reducing the spread of resistant pathogens, as well as reducing the rate of evolution of resistance is complex. Such a task requires a more judicious use of antibiotics through a better understanding of infection epidemiology, resistance patterns, and guidelines for treatment. These goals can best be achieved through the implementation of antimicrobial stewardship programs and the development and introduction of new drugs capable of eradicating multi-drug resistant Gram-negative pathogens (MDR GNB). The purpose of this article is to review current trends in MDR Gram-negative bacterial infections in the hospitalized setting, as well as current guidelines for management. Finally, new and emerging antimicrobials, as well as future considerations for combating antibiotic resistance on a global scale are discussed.
Impact on rats from acute intratracheal inhalation exposures to WTC dusts.

Background: Studies have revealed the increased incidence of health disorders in First Responders (FR) who were at Ground Zero over the initial 72 hr after the World Trade Center (WTC) collapses. Previous studies in rats exposed to WTC dusts using exposure scenarios that mimicked FR mouthbreathing showed exposure led to altered expression of genes whose products could be involved in lung ailments. Nevertheless, it was uncertain if repeated exposures (as occurred in earliest days post-disaster) might have given rise to long-term changes in the lungs/other organs, in white blood cell (WBC) profiles, and/or systemic expression of select (mostly immune-related) proteins.Methods: To examine this, rats were exposed on 2 consecutive days (2 hr/d, intratracheal inhalation) to WTC dusts and then examined over a 1-yr period thereafter. At select times post-exposure, organ (lung, heart, liver, kidney, spleen) weights, WBC profiles, and blood levels of a variety of proteins were evaluated.Results: The study showed that over the 1-yr period, there were nominal effects on organ weights (absolute, index) as a result of the dust exposures. There were significant changes (relative to in naive rats) in WBC profiles, with exposed rats having increased monocyte-macrophage and decreased lymphocyte percentages. The study also found that dust exposure led to significant systemic increases in many proteins, including MCP-1, RANTES, MMP-9, RAGE, and Galectin-3.Conclusions: These results provide further support for our longstanding hypothesis that the WTC dusts could potentially have acted as direct inducers of many of the health effects that have been seen in the exposed FR.
Discovery of Novel Gain-of-Function Mutations Guided by Structure-Based Deep Learning.

Despite the promise of deep learning accelerated protein engineering, examples of such improved proteins are scarce. Here we report that a 3D convolutional neural network trained to associate amino...
Do White People See Variation in Black Skin Tones? Reexamining a Purported Outgroup Homogeneity Effect:

Previous research has reported that white survey interviewers remember black respondents’ skin tones in a much narrower range than recollections by black interviewers. This finding has been used to...
Resilient plant monitoring systems: Techniques, analysis, design, and performance evaluation

Abstract Resilient monitoring systems (RMS) are sensor networks that degrade gracefully under malicious attacks on their sensors, causing them to project misleading information. This paper develops techniques to ensure resiliency, namely: active data quality acquisition, process variable and plant condition assessments, sensor network adaptation, and plant decomposition with knowledge fusion. Based on these techniques, we design a RMS for power plants and investigate its performance under various cyber-physical attacks. In all scenarios considered, the system offers effective protection against misleading information and identifies the plant condition – normal or anomalous – in a reliable and timely manner.
A Model of the Macroeconomic Effect of Privatization on Employment in Transition and Developing Countries with an Application to China

It is generally agreed that privatization of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) improves economic efficiency, but it is also widely feared that it exacerbates unemployment especially in transition and development economies. This paper proposes a theoretical model of the macroeconomic relationships between privatization, efficiency, output, and employment. The model explains how privatization affects employment in transition and developing economies through different, and often opposing, channels. As a result, job losses at firms being privatized may result in overall job gains or losses in the economy, depending on the macroeconomic conditions. We apply this model to the Chinese case and find that the model provides an intuitively appealing explanation for the job gains and losses caused by privatization in China during its transition. The model further suggests policies to maximize the gains and minimize the costs of privatization.