cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The role of gene analysis for species determination of viridans streptococci

Abstract Species identification of viridans streptococci has often been a difficult task in clinical laboratories. A battery of biochemical tests performed in most laboratories may categorize the organism into a group, but it has not proven to be satisfactory for differentiating among species within a group. The incidence of infection caused by viridans streptococci has been increasing, and thus methods for accurate species identification of these streptococci are needed. Molecular or nucleic acid-based approaches have become an important component of organism identification, in which the 16S rDNA sequencing is commonly used for identification of bacteria. Unfortunately, 16S rDNA sequencing cannot differentiate among some closely related species of viridans streptococci. Other genes have been investigated for use in species determination, and the applicability of some of these targets in clinical laboratories will be discussed.
Increased Superoxide anion production in polymorphonuclear leucocytes on exposure to isobutyl-2-cyanoacrylate

Alkyl-2-cyanoacrylates have been employed in a variety of surgical procedures, although the pathophysiological basis for their cytotoxicity has not been resolved. Previous reports indicated that leucocytes infiltrate the site of cyanoacrylate application in situ. Consequently, human polymorphonuclear leucocytes were treated with 0–200 mM cyanoacrylate isobutyl-2- and Superoxide anion radical production, lactate dehydrogenase release, and intracellular reduced glutathione content were quantitated following this treatment. In addition, some cells were also treated with 0–20 mM ascorbic acid before exposure to the adhesive. Pretreatment with ascorbic acid resulted in a statistically significant decrease in Superoxide production (up to 111%), decrease in lactate dehydrogenase release (up to 26.4%) and a like increase in glutathione content (up to 26.6%). These results indicated that the cytotoxic properties of isobutyl-2-cyanoacrylate were diminished in a dose-dependent manner with addition of ascorbic acid, a free radical trapping agent. Moreover, isobutyl-2-cyanoacrylate appeared to increase specifically the production of Superoxide anion. These findings suggested that the cytotoxicity of this class of adhesives may be associated with the formation of reactive oxygen intermediates.
Mental health referral patterns by family medicine educators.

Abstract Directors of Family Medicine residency programs were surveyed to ascertain which mental health professionals are utilized to deliver psychosocial treatments. Family practitioners themselves are frequent providers for a wide variety of psychosocial treatments. Psychiatrists are referred patients for activites that are traditionally within the realm of psychiatric treatments such as management of chronically psychotic patients, inpatient hospitalization, and utilitization of antidepressant medication. These patterns are important as they may reflect future clinical behavior of Family Medicine residents.
Efectos de control en la informatización de la sociedad

This paper suggests a reconsideration of the effects of social control, as a result on one hand, of the new techniques which are used for its practice exercice i.e. technological and ecotechnical dispositives, and, on the other hand, as a result of its relations with social change. The experimental study of some of the theoretical questions in centred aroud the process of submission and its production by automatized systems and computers.
Early Tibiotalocalcaneal Arthrodesis Intramedullary Nail for Treatment of a Complex Tibial Pilon Fracture (AO/OTA 43-C)

Management of severely comminuted, complete articular tibial pilon fractures (AO/OTA 43- C) remains a challenge, with few treatment options providing good clinical outcomes. Open reduction and internal fixation of the tibial plafond, tibiotalar arthrodesis, and salvage hindfoot reconstruction procedures are all associated with surgical complications and functional limitations. In this report, we present a case of a complex pilon fracture in a patient with multiple medical comorbidities and socioeconomic disadvantages that was successfully and acutely treated with a retrograde tibiotalocalcaneal hindfoot arthrodesis nail. At final follow-up examination, the patient had decreased pain, a stable plantigrade foot, and could ambulate with normal shoes without any assistive devices.
Superconducting phases of heavy fermion superconductors

Abstract Recent experiments, particularly ultrasonic absorption, specific heat, and upper critical field measurements, have gone a long way toward identifying the superconducting phases of UPt3 and URu2Si2. There is now no doubt that these are unconventional superconductors, and very strong evidence that they belong to the E1 representation. The Ginzburg-Landau theory of these exotic phases in the presence of a magnetic field is discussed, and compared with experiment.
SLAC's polarized electron source laser system and minimization of electron beam helicity correlations for the E-158 parity violation experiment

Abstract SLAC E-158 is an experiment designed to make the first measurement of parity violation in Moller scattering. E-158 will measure the right-left cross-section asymmetry, ALRMoller, in the elastic scattering of a 45-GeV polarized electron beam from unpolarized electrons in a liquid hydrogen target. E-158 plans to measure the expected Standard Model asymmetry of ∼10−7 to an accuracy of better than 10−8. To make this measurement, the photoemission-based polarized electron source requires an intense circularly polarized laser beam and the ability to quickly switch between right- and left-helicity polarization states with minimal right-left helicity-correlated asymmetries in the resulting beam parameters (intensity, position, angle, spot size, and energy), beamALR's. This laser beam is produced by a unique SLAC-designed flashlamp-pumped Ti:Sapphire laser and is directed through a carefully designed set of polarization optics. We analyze the transport of nearly circularly polarized light through the optical system and identify several mechanisms that generate beamALR's. We show that the dominant effects depend linearly on particular polarization phase shifts in the optical system. We present the laser system design and a discussion of the suppression and control of beamALR's. We also present results on beam performance from engineering and physics runs for E-158.
Ab Initio Calculations of Vibronic Spectra and Dynamics for Small Polyatomic Molecules: Role of Duschinsky Effect

The Duschinsky effect has been shown to be significant in spectroscopy and dynamics of molecules that involve the π−π* transitions. In this paper, we present a derivation of exact expressions for optical absorption and radiationless transitions in polyatomic molecules with displaced−distorted−rotated harmonic potential surfaces. In the formulation, we take into account the temperature effect exactly. The application of this new formulation is demonstrated for ethylene and allene, where the Duschinsky effect in the first singlet excited electronic state is very strong.
Improving the buildup and depth-dose characteristics of high energy photon beams by using electron filters

The attributes of high energy photon beams, i.e., low surface dose, large d/sub max/ and improved %DD, are compromised with increase in field size. This is due to the relative increase with field size of the electron component in the beam, as shown by recent experiments done here using a sweeping magnet. The present study shows that the advantages can be partially regained with the use of foils to remove electrons. Various thicknesses of Al, Cu, Sn, and Pb were placed in a 25-MV linac x-ray beam at several sites in the treatment head. Buildup curves were measured with a ''pancake'' chamber for various SSD and field sizes. The magnitude of improvement achieved is dependent upon field size, SSD, the atomic number of the foil material, and foil thickness. Pb foil (0.55 g cm/sup -2/) provided the best overall improvement. Surface dose reduction of 10%--20% can be achieved along with significant increase in d/sub max/ and %DD. These findings suggest a new design feature for the next generation of high energy linacs.
Channel-Aware Peer Selection in Multi-View Peer-to-Peer Multimedia Streaming

Motivated by the success of the Picture in Picture feature of the traditional TV, several commercial Peer-to-Peer MultiMedia Streaming (P2PMMS) applications now support the multi-view feature, with which a user can simultaneously watch multiple channels on its screen. This paper considers the peer selection problem in multi-view P2PMMS. This problem has been well studied in the traditional single-view P2PMMS; however, it becomes more complicated in multi-view P2PMMS, mainly due to the fact that a peer watching multiple channels joins multiple corresponding overlays. In this paper, we propose a novel peer selection algorithm, called Channel-Aware Peer Selection (CAPS), where a peer selects its neighboring peers based on the channel subscription of the system, in order to efficiently utilize the bandwidth of all peers in the system, especially those peers watching multiple channels. The results of a large-scale simulation with 10,000 peers and 4 channels shows that CAPS can significantly improve the system performance over the straightforward Random Peer Selection (RPS), which is widely used in single-view P2PMMS networks.
Electrochemical-Mechanical Analysis of Printed Silver Electrodes in a Microfluidic Device

Nanoparticulate printed silver is a core material to flexible, printed circuits. Some commercial silvers are of a sufficient purity that one may consider their use in electrochemical power sources and sensors. We establish an iterative rapid prototyping and measuring method, printing electrodes, annealing them under temperature conditions from 210 to 280°C, and cycling them in a microfluidic cell such that the electrolyte becomes the shearing medium. Electrode strength is quantified by the breakage due to generation of gas-phase oxygen at the electrode. This oxygen generation assisted breaking is found to be a function of the amount of oxygen generation only, independent of current density and electrolyte flow rate. Silver cured at 280°C for 60 min had highest strength and required an average of 241.8 mC/mm 2 at electrode rupture; curing at 280°C for 20 min required only 203.8 mC/mm 2 for failure. Silver strength is quantified as an oxidant storage medium in the forms Ag 2 0 and AgO and as a printed reference electrode. Ag and AgO have higher shear strength compared to Ag 2 O. Thus, shear strength of silver oxide electrodes at potentials of 0.15-0.55 V against a printed silver reference depends on the oxidation state.
COLORING SPATIAL GRAPHS

Coloring invariants for spatial graphs are defined, inspired by Fox colorings of knots and links. A new proof of a the nontriviality of Suzuki's n-theta curves is given. Necessary and sufficient conditions for colorings of θn-curves are described in terms of an Alexander polynomial defined by Litherland.
Genistein at a Concentration Present in Soy Infant Formula Inhibits Caco-2BBe Cell Proliferation by Causing G2/M Cell Cycle Arrest

Fifteen percent of all U.S. infants are fed soy formulas containing up to 47 mg/L of isoflavones (>65% as genistin + genistein); thus, these infants' intestines are exposed to a high dose of genistein, a phytoestrogen and tyrosine kinase inhibitor. Little attention has been focused on genistein's impact on the developing intestine. We hypothesized that a high dose of genistein would inhibit intestinal cell growth. Caco-2BBe human intestinal cells were exposed to 0, 3.7, and 111 micro mol/L (0, 1, and 30 mg/L) genistein in DMEM + 0.5% fetal bovine serum for 24-48 h. Cell number, thymidine incorporation, apoptosis, and cell cycle analyses were performed. The low genistein concentration increased intestinal cell proliferation by 28% (P = 0.001), but did not affect cell number or caspase-3 activity compared to the control. Furthermore, the addition of ICI, an estrogen receptor antagonist, negated the proliferative effect of the low genistein. In contrast, the high genistein concentration reduced cell number by 40%, proliferation by 94%, and caspase-3 activity by 50% compared to the control (P < 0.05). Cell cycle analysis after 48 h exposure to high genistein revealed 37% of cells in G0/G1 and 35% in G2/M vs. 71% in G0/G1 and 17% in G2/M for the control and low genistein groups. Thus, a biphasic effect of genistein was seen with a low dose stimulating intestinal cell proliferation through the estrogen receptor, whereas a high dose of genistein inhibited intestinal cell proliferation and altered cell cycle dynamics. A high dose of genistein may potentially compromise intestinal growth.
The National Library of Medicine and Drug Information. Part 1: Present Resources*

The National Library of Medicine began in 1836 as a small collection of books in the office of the Army Surgeon General. Today, the National Library of Medicine is the world's largest medical library, providing access to its vast collection of seven million items onsite and through the World Wide Web. Historical interest in drug information dates to 1967, when Congress provided funds for a Drug Literature Program at the National Library of Medicine. Drug information is now dispersed among a number of National Library of Medicine bibliographic and factual databases that offer an array of clinical, research, and toxicological drug data. Target audiences for drug information include consumers, patients, healthcare practitioners, clinical researchers, and scientists. Drug development and medical publishing have both accelerated to such an extent that it is virtually impossible for healthcare practitioners and researchers to keep apprised of current information. Due to wide utilization for posting medically-re...
Are estrogens protective or risk factors in brain injury and neurodegeneration? Reevaluation after the women's health initiative

Estrogens are essential for normal reproductive function. In addition, they exert important, complex, and diverse nonreproductive actions on multiple tissues. Although accumulating evidence from basic science studies using animal models suggests that estradiol plays a critical neuroprotective role against multiple types of neurodegenerative diseases and injuries, recent clinical studies have reported either inconclusive or untoward effects of hormone therapy on the brain. We focus herein on the work that we have done during the past 6 yr that strongly suggests that low levels of estradiol therapy exert dramatic protective actions in the adult injured brain. Our results reveal that 17beta-estradiol slows the progression of this injury and diminishes the extent of cell death by suppressing apoptotic cell death pathways and enhancing expression of genes that optimize cell survival. Furthermore, we have found that estrogen receptors play a pivotal functional role in neuroprotection. Together, these results carry broad implications for the selective targeting of estrogen receptors in the treatment of neurodegenerative conditions resulting from disease or injury, particularly for aging, postmenopausal women.
Negotiating the conflicts: Reexamining the structure and function of reflection in science teacher learning

Many researchers and teacher educators propose that reflection is an important way teachers can think about changing their views and practices. The hierarchical constructs used to describe reflection, however, are often interpreted in ways that promote reflection as a toolteachers use to elevate their views and practices toward ideal “end goals” rather than as a more complex intellectual act that could help them learn how to shape their own goals. This research explores how four early career science teachers learned to negotiate the conflicts between their own goals and actual practices by situating their reflections in multiple contexts. They were invited to become aware of those conflicts through interviews and discussions of classroom observations and then to address them by actually teaching toward their own unrealized goals. The data generated from these activities were described with a rubric based on M. van Manen's reflection construct (1977) but were framed with certain perceptions each teacher had about her or his own science teaching. Several patterns emerged across the four teachers' cases that challenge the use of reflection as a tool and suggest how science teachers can reflect as a way to take greater ownership over and responsibility for their own lifelong learning. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed91:629–663, 2007
When the goal gets in the way: The interaction of goal specificity and task difficulty

In three experiments we tested hypotheses derived from the goal specificity literature using a real-world physics task. In the balance-scale paradigm participants predict the state of the apparatus based on a configuration of weights at various distances from the fulcrum. Non-specific goals (NSG) have been shown to encourage hypothesis testing, which facilitates rule discovery, whereas specific goals (SG) do not. We showed that this goal specificity effect depends on task difficulty. The NSG strategy led to rule induction among some participants. Among non-discoverers, SG participants were faster and more accurate on difficult problems than NSG participants. The use of misleading exemplars (scale configurations that obscured the rule governing outcomes) led to fixation on inappropriate hypotheses for NSG but not SG participants. When more diagnostic learning exemplars were used, NSG non-discoverers still performed worse than SG participants on difficult problems. SG participants also outperformed NSG part...
Neonatally androgenized females' responsiveness to estrogen and progesterone.

Behavioral receptivity induced byβ3-estradiol benzoate (EB) and progesterone was evaluated in female rats which had been injected when 5 days old with either oil or 10, 50 or 1250 µg testosterone propionate (TP). Degree of postgonadectomy receptivity as determined in mating tests was found to be inversely proportional to amount of neonatally administered TP and directly proportional to dosage level of EB injected prior to progesterone to induce estrus in the adult. Percentage of gonadectomized subjects having estrous vaginal smears was also found to vary directly with adult priming EB dosage and, to some extent, inversely with neonatal androgen. Increasing amount of progesterone injected subsequent to EB did not systematically increase receptivity. The results are interpreted as demonstrating that neonatal androgen systematically decreases female rats'behavioral and vaginal responsiveness to estrogen, particularly when followed by progesterone. (Endocrinology 87: 560, 1970)
The Genealogy of Samples in Models With Selection

We introduce the genealogy of a random sample of genes taken from a large haploid population that evolves according to random reproduction with selection and mutation. Without selection, the genealogy is described by Kingman's well-known coalescent process. In the selective case, the genealogy of the sample is embedded in a graph with a coalescing and branching structure. We describe this graph, called the ancestral selection graph, and point out differences and similarities with Kingman's coalescent. We present simulations for a two-allele model with symmetric mutation in which one of the alleles has a selective advantage over the other. We find that when the allele frequencies in the population are already in equilibrium, then the genealogy does not differ much from the neutral case. This is supported by rigorous results. Furthermore, we describe the ancestral selection graph for other selective models with finitely many selection classes, such as the K-allele models, infinitely-many-alleles models, DNA sequence models, and infinitely-many-sites models, and briefly discuss the diploid case.
Post-silicon calibration of analog CMOS using phase-change memory cells

This paper describes the design of an offset-minimized CMOS comparator with post-manufacturing calibration using non-volatile phase-change random access memory (PCRAM) cells. The digital calibration technique exploits combinatorial redundancy to reduce overall mismatch by selecting an optimal subset from a population of nominally identical elements. PCRAM cells provide switchable resistances that are employed to configure selection. Fabricated in IBM 90 nm CMOS technology with embedded GST (Ge 2 Sb 2 Te 5 )-based PCRAM mushroom cells, a comparator operating at 1V with total power of 55.42μW and input capacitance of 4.41fF achieve 0.5mV input offset voltage with reconfiguration while the corresponding input offset voltage with traditional random offset sizing is 28.5mV.
Magnetic anneal anisotropy in amorphous alloys

The uniaxial magnetic anisotropy K u induced by a magnetic anneal has been determined, after stress relief, for a series of alloys given by (Fe y Ni 1-y ) 80 B 20 . For all of these alloys K u depends on anneal temperature as predicted by directional order theory. The concentration dependence of K u in these alloys is also consistent with directional order theory. The maximum K u , corrected for its temperature dependence, occurs at the composition y = 0.5 . However, K u does not fall to zero at y = 1 as predicted if directional order is assumed to arise only from Fe-Ni pair ordering. These results are interpreted as suggesting a role of the glass former, boron, in the directional ordering, perhaps as an "interstitial." The interaction energy derived from the results is negative as expected for interactions leading to precipitation. Its large value of \approx -7.5 \times 10^{-14} ergs corresponds to a critical temperature for precipitation of 3000 K.
Functional genomics as a window on radiation stress signaling

Exposure to ionizing radiation, as well as other stresses, results in the activation of complex signal transduction pathways, which eventually shape the response of cells and organisms. Some of the important pathways responding to radiation include the ATM/P53 pathway, MAPK cascades and NF-κB activation, as well as signaling events initiated at the cell membrane and within the cytoplasm. Alterations in gene expression play roles both as intermediaries in signaling and as downstream effector genes. Differences in cell type, interindividual genetic differences and crosstalk occurring between signaling pathways may help to channel radiation stress signals between cell cycle delay, enhanced DNA repair, and apoptosis. These differences may in turn help determine the likelihood of late effects of radiation exposure, including carcinogenesis and fibrosis. The tools of the postgenomic era enable high-throughput studies of the multiple changes resulting from the interplay of radiation signaling pathways. Gene expression profiling, in particular shows great promise, both in terms of insight into basic molecular mechanisms and for the future hope of biomarker development and individual tailoring of cancer therapy.
Ballistic-protection performance of carbon-nanotube-doped poly-vinyl-ester-epoxy matrix composite armor reinforced with E-glass fiber mats

Abstract In the present work, a material model development approach and transient non-linear dynamics simulations of the projectile/armor interactions are employed to explore the role of multi-walled carbon-nanotube (MWCNT) reinforcements in improving the ballistic-protection performance of poly-vinyl-ester-epoxy matrix (PVEE)/E-glass fiber matrix reinforced laminate armor. Two different architectures of the composite-laminate armor are considered: (a) a hybrid armor consisting of a 100 μm-thick high MWCNT-content PVEE-matrix MWCNT-reinforced lamina sandwiched between two PVEE-matrix/E-glass mat reinforced laminas and (b) a monolithic E-glass mat reinforced composite laminate with a low MWCNT-content MWCNT-doped PVEE-matrix. The projectile/armor interaction simulation results show that both armor architectures yield a minimal (∼6%) increase in the ballistic-protection as measured by the armor V50, a velocity at which the probability of armor penetration by a given fragment is 50%. The results obtained are rationalized using a simple analysis of the effect of MWCNTs on the in-plane and the through-the-thickness properties of the armor.
A Pan-Africanist Interpretation of Recolonization

Africa’s development has always been challenging and complex. Much has been said about the political frustrations of the post-colonial African state and economic stewardship of the Continent’s neo-colonial leaders. In the first decade of the 21st Century, these older matters have been joined by a host of newer challenges and complexities that orbit around the persistent and increasingly urgent question of the impediments to Africa’s political governance and economic independence. Indeed, important contemporary perspectives have reframed questions of the colonial legacy and neo-colonial leadership in terms of a broader recolonization of the African continent. Connecting these political and economic frustrations to recolonization is critical and timely. However, the framing of the recolonization concept itself has lagged behind its more frequent application to Africa’s crises. Accordingly, this essay aims at outlining a frame-of-reference in the case for the recolonization of the African continent. First, the essay seeks a footing with the assumption that the case for recolonization must be rooted in a critical reassessment of the broad contradictions of the decolonization process. While the formal commencement of colonialism was a tremendous chapter in the history of modern Africa, recolonization comes into focus at those points where decolonization intersected with efforts to sustain foreign interests in Africa. A second component is the reframing of the recolonization concept within a Pan-Africanists context. That is, the argument is made here that recolonization can best be understood, and critiqued, using a perspective that transcends the African continent and that utilizes a broader Diasporic lens.
Evaluating 3D Vision for Command and Control Applications

3D stereoscopic vision is used in many applications, but the level of benefit to the user differs depending on the particular application. We studied its benefits for command and control applications such as battlefield visualization or disaster response. We conducted experiments where the subjects completed some simple military planning exercises both with and without 3D vision. 3D users had lower error when judging line of sight between two points. Furthermore, survey results show that subjects preferred 3D. We also compared two ways of rendering symbols in the environment. Billboard symbols were more efficient than draping the symbol on the terrain.
Smoking-Cessation Treatment: Use Trends Among Non-Hispanic White and English-Speaking Hispanic/Latino Smokers, Colorado 2001−2012

Introduction Most smokers who try to quit do not use an evidence-based treatment (EBT), and in 2001, Hispanic/Latino quit-attempters were about half as likely as non-Hispanic white (NHW) quit-attempters to use one. This study analyzed the patterns of EBT use in Colorado across a recent decade, 2001−2012. Methods Data were from The Attitudes and Behaviors Survey, a random cross-sectional population-level telephone survey. Data included NHW and English-speaking Hispanic/Latino respondents from 2001 ( n =11,872), 2005 ( n =10,952), 2008 ( n =12,323), and 2012 ( n =13,265). Statistical analyses were conducted in 2014−2015. EBT measures included nicotine-replacement therapy, prescription cessation medication, telephone quit-line coaching, and other counseling. Bivariate and multiple logistic regression analyses evaluated associations across years between EBT use and ethnicity, adjusting for covariates. Results Any EBT use increased with each successive survey year, and the relative increase from 2001 to 2012 was greater among Hispanic/Latino than NHW quit-attempters (75.7% vs 38.7%). However, adjusted for covariates, Hispanic/Latino quit-attempters in 2012 were still 54% less likely to use any EBT (AOR=0.46, 95% CI=0.34, 0.63), 45% less likely to use nicotine-replacement therapy (AOR=0.55, 95% CI=0.39, 0.77), and 50% less likely to use a prescription cessation medication (AOR=0.50, 95% CI=0.30, 0.85). Ethnicity was unrelated to use of a quit-line or other counseling service. Conclusions EBT use for smoking cessation has increased over the past decade, with more rapid increase among English-speaking Hispanics/Latinos compared with NHWs, but a large use gap remains. Healthcare and public health efforts are needed to clarify and overcome factors contributing to this ongoing disparity.
The Psychoactive Designer Drug and Bath Salt Constituent MDPV Causes Widespread Disruption of Brain Functional Connectivity

The abuse of 'bath salts' has raised concerns because of their adverse effects, which include delirium, violent behavior, and suicide ideation in severe cases. The bath salt constituent 3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) has been closely linked to these and other adverse effects. The abnormal behavioral pattern produced by acute high-dose MDPV intake suggests possible disruptions of neural communication between brain regions. Therefore, we determined if MDPV exerts disruptive effects on brain functional connectivity, particularly in areas of the prefrontal cortex. Male rats were imaged following administration of a single dose of MDPV (0.3, 1.0, or 3.0 mg/kg) or saline. Resting state brain blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) images were acquired at 4.7 T. To determine the role of dopamine transmission in MDPV-induced changes in functional connectivity, a group of rats received the dopamine D1/D2 receptor antagonist cis-flupenthixol (0.5 mg/kg) 30 min before MDPV. MDPV dose-dependently reduced functional connectivity. Detailed analysis of its effects revealed that connectivity between frontal cortical and striatal areas was reduced. This included connectivity between the prelimbic prefrontal cortex and other areas of the frontal cortex and the insular cortex with hypothalamic, ventral, and dorsal striatal areas. Although the reduced connectivity appeared widespread, connectivity between these regions and somatosensory cortex was not as severely affected. Dopamine receptor blockade did not prevent the MDPV-induced decrease in functional connectivity. The results provide a novel signature of MDPV's in vivo mechanism of action. Reduced brain functional connectivity has been reported in patients suffering from psychosis and has been linked to cognitive dysfunction, audiovisual hallucinations, and negative affective states akin to those reported for MDPV-induced intoxication. The present results suggest that disruption of functional connectivity networks involving frontal cortical and striatal regions could contribute to the adverse effects of MDPV.
O2-S3.04 Web-based sex diaries and young men who have sex with men: assessing feasibility, reactivity, and data agreement

Background Web-based diaries are a promising means for collecting detailed sexual behaviour and substance use data. Few studies have evaluated the feasibility and reliability of collecting these data among men who have sex with men (MSM). We compared quantitative diary data with retrospective survey data collected over 1-year in a cohort of young MSM in Seattle, WA. Methods Ninety-five MSM, age 16–30, completed web-based surveys every 3 months and were randomised to 1 of 4 diary submission schedules: every 2 weeks, once a week, twice a week, or never. The diaries asked questions about daily sexual behaviour and substance use. We assessed the agreement between diary and survey data using κ statistics for dichotomous variables and concordance correlation coefficients (CCC) for continuous variables. We used generalised estimating equations to assess for differences in survey data over time between those assigned an active diary schedule to those assigned no diary. Results During the first 6 months, 78% of participants assigned to an active diary schedule completed at least 80% of their diary days, and the 2-week schedule had the highest and most consistent completion rate. Completion rates dropped to Conclusions This study suggests that sexual behaviour and substance use data collected from young MSM during 3-month retrospective surveys—an interval commonly used in sexual behaviour research—are largely adequate. Web-based diaries can be used for up to 6 months to gather detailed behavioural data, and may be more appropriate than retrospective surveys for counts of anal sex acts. Furthermore, our finding that diaries may be associated with lower levels of reported sexual behaviour suggests that web-based diaries may be useful as a behavioural intervention to prevent HIV/STI among young MSM.
Risk assessment and management for older adults with hypertension in dental settings

Hypertension(HTN)is commonly seen in geriatric patients. Uncontrolled HTN,HTN related complications and antihyperntentive medications may affect patient'oral health and dental treatment. Epinephrine overdoes,poor stress management and inadequate perioperative pain control can also elevate blood pressure and heart rate,increase cardiac load,interrupt homeostasis and raise the risk of stroke, myocardial infarction,acute congestive heart failure and other cardiovascular complications during dental treatment. This article reviewed HTN and its impacts on dental management and discussed the treatment planning issues for older adults in dental offices. It aims to help dental professionals better manage hypertensive patients and minimize the risk of systemic complications during dental treatment.
Further Experience with the Young-dees Procedure for Urinary Incontinence in Selected Cases

Abstract Experience with the Young-Dees procedure confirms that this is a useful operation for restoring urinary continence, particularly in selected female patients with non-neurogenic incontinence. Of 21 incontinent patients 15 have achieved good to excellent postoperative urinary control.
An analysis of the adaptive behavior of piriform cortex pyramidal cells

Cortical pyramidal neurons respond to a depolarizing current pulse with a train of action potentials [4, 2]. These action potentials occur at a higher frequency during the initial stages of the current injection with a decreased firing rate or a cessation of firing at later stages of a sustained injection. This spike frequency adaptation can be mostly suppressed by local application of norepinephrine or acetylcholine [6, 7] which block a slow calcium-dependent potassium current.
Providential Endings: Martineau, Dickens, and the Didactic Task of Political Economy

In the previous chapter, I showed how Austen and Dickens responded to political economy’s ambiguous moral heritage through formal arrangements of visibility and obscurity, their shared ambition to map whole societies, and their recognition of partial, fragmented, and composite points of view. The industrial novels discussed in this chapter — Harriet Martineau’s Illustrations of Political Economy (1832–34) and Charles Dickens’s Hard Times (1854) — are in contrast more literally engaged with economic issues and take open polemical stances for or against its ways of knowing. They also share a confidence that realist novels can have a political impact — a confidence that tended to ebb away from novels during the rest of the nineteenth century, as fiction either accepted its role as entertainment (as with sensation and mass-market fiction) or aspired to the status of an amoral chronicle of consciousness (as may be said about the works of Flaubert, James, and Conrad). But in addition to their thematic discussion of industrial economics, these industrial novels also display some of the formal traces of engagement with the moral ambiguities of complex capitalist society — a tortured irony that is visible less in the composition of complex points of view than in the contortions of their plots as they reconcile the providential and sentimental demand for a happy ending with their didactic critiques of existing society.
The FDA is prohibited from going germline

A potentially renewable provision of the Consolidated Appropriation Act of 2016 forestalling the prospect of human germline modification was signed into law on 18 December 2015 ( 1 ). The provision, also known as a rider (an amendment extraneous to the main purpose of the bill to which it is attached), stipulates that “none of the funds made available by this Act [to the FDA] may be used to review or approve an application for an exemption for investigational use of a drug or biological product… in which a human embryo is intentionally created or modified to include a heritable genetic modification” ( 1 ). Destined to expire at the conclusion of this fiscal year (30 September 2016), the rider has since been incorporated yet again into the House and Senate appropriation bills for the fiscal year ending 30 September 2017 ( 2 , 3 ). Subject to ongoing annual renewal, this congressionally legislated ban undermines ongoing conversations on the possibility of human germline modification, its likely distant time horizon notwithstanding ( 4 ). Also affected are ongoing efforts of the FDA to review the prevention of mitochondrial DNA diseases through germline modification of human zygotes or oocytes at risk ( 5 ).
Does Perceived Insincerity Influence Managerial Ratings of Performance and Promotability

The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the moderating effect of the supervisor's perceived insincerity of their subordinate's influence attempts on the relationship between supervisor perceptions of supervisor-subordinate similarity, liking, and influence, and the outcomes of performance and promotability. Data on 203 subordinates from 59 managers of a state agency were used to test the study hypotheses. The results indicate that the relationships between promotability and similarity and liking, and between performance and liking were attenuated by supervisor perceptions that the subordinates were insincere in their influence attempts. Implications for the importance of sincerity in interactions with others and directions for future research are offered.
Development of Preclinical Biomarkers Predictive of Safety of Vaginal Microbicides for the Prevention of HIV

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is transmitted predominantly through sexual intercourse. Research suggests that the vaginal epithelium acts as a barrier to HIV transmission, but this epithelium can be disrupted, leading to HIV infection and other sexually transmitted infections. Topical microbicides are considered an effective strategy for HIV prevention, and several candidate drugs are currently in clinical trials. However, significant concerns about drug adherence, efficacy, and safety must be addressed in order to develop a safe and effective microbicide. This paper will provide an overview of the field and strategies to overcome some of the obstacles facing microbicide development, and briefly discuss a research project that focused on one aspect of preclinical microbicide safety testing.
Using boundary objects to stimulate transformational thinking: storm resilience for the Port of Providence, Rhode Island (USA)

Like many coastal ports around the world, Rhode Island’s Port of Providence in USA is at risk for climate-related natural hazards, such as catastrophic storm surges and significant sea level rise (0.5–2.0 m), over the next century. To combat such events, communities may eventually adopt so-called “transformational adaptation” strategies, like the construction of major new infrastructure, the reorganization of vulnerable systems, or changes in their locations. Such strategies can take decades or more to plan, design, find consensus around, fund, and ultimately implement. Before any meaningful decisions can be made, however, a shared understanding of risks, consequences, and options must be generated and allowed to percolate through the decision-making systems. This paper presents results from a pre-planning exercise that utilized “boundary objects” to engage the Port of Providence's stakeholders in an early dialogue about the transformational approaches to hazard–risk mitigation. The research team piloted the following three boundary objects as a means to initiate meaningful dialogue about long-term storm resilience challenges amongst key stakeholders of this exposed seaport system: (1) a storm scenario with local-scale visualizations, (2) three long-term transformational resilience concepts, and (3) a decision support tool called Wecision. The team tested these boundary objects in a workshop setting with 30 port business owners and policy makers, and found them to be an effective catalyst to generate a robust dialogue around a very challenging topic.
Manuka honey sinus irrigation for the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis: a randomized controlled trial

Background Manuka honey (MH) has been shown in vitro to be effective against biofilm-producing bacteria. This study assessed the effectiveness of MH for patients with active chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and prior sinus surgery. Methods This prospective single-blinded (clinician only) randomized controlled trial recruited patients with active CRS and prior sinus surgery. Patients received either MH or saline (SAL) sinus irrigations twice daily for 30 days and were offered oral antibiotics and/or oral/topical steroids as indicated. Outcomes were 22-item Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22) change score (primary), culture negativity, and Lund-Kennedy endoscopic change score. Results Forty-two patients were analyzed (MH, n = 20; SAL, n = 22). The SNOT-22 change score achieved a clinically significant improvement in both groups but was similar between MH (median [interquartile range]: −12 [−20, −1]) and SAL (−12.5 [−22, −6]) (p = 0.57). Culture negativity was better on MH (8/19, 42%) compared to SAL (4/21, 19%), nearing statistical significance (p = 0.11). Lund-Kennedy endoscopic change score improved in both groups but was not statistically better on MH (−3 [−5, 0]) compared to SAL (−1 [−2, 0]) (p = 0.20). For patients not receiving oral antibiotics/steroids, culture negativity was statistically better on MH (5/10, 50%) compared to SAL (0/6, 0%) (p = 0.04). MH was well-tolerated. No adverse events were reported. Conclusion In patients with active CRS and prior sinus surgery, both MH and SAL improved outcomes, but there was no statistically significant difference between these groups. However, in the subset that did not receive oral antibiotics/steroids, culture negativity was statistically better on MH, suggesting that MH alone may be effective for acute exacerbations of CRS.
Functional proteomic analysis of corticosteroid pharmacodynamics in rat liver: Relationship to hepatic stress, signaling, energy regulation, and drug metabolism.

Corticosteroids (CS) are anti-inflammatory agents that cause extensive pharmacogenomic and proteomic changes in multiple tissues. An understanding of the proteome-wide effects of CS in liver and its relationships to altered hepatic and systemic physiology remains incomplete. Here, we report the application of a functional pharmacoproteomic approach to gain integrated insight into the complex nature of CS responses in liver in vivo. An in-depth functional analysis was performed using rich pharmacodynamic (temporal-based) proteomic data measured over 66h in rat liver following a single dose of methylprednisolone (MPL). Data mining identified 451 differentially regulated proteins. These proteins were analyzed on the basis of temporal regulation, cellular localization, and literature-mined functional information. Of the 451 proteins, 378 were clustered into six functional groups based on major clinically-relevant effects of CS in liver. MPL-responsive proteins were highly localized in the mitochondria (20%) and cytosol (24%). Interestingly, several proteins were related to hepatic stress and signaling processes, which appear to be involved in secondary signaling cascades and in protecting the liver from CS-induced oxidative damage. Consistent with known adverse metabolic effects of CS, several rate-controlling enzymes involved in amino acid metabolism, gluconeogenesis, and fatty-acid metabolism were altered by MPL. In addition, proteins involved in the metabolism of endogenous compounds, xenobiotics, and therapeutic drugs including cytochrome P450 and Phase-II enzymes were differentially regulated. Proteins related to the inflammatory acute-phase response were up-regulated in response to MPL. Functionally-similar proteins showed large diversity in their temporal profiles, indicating complex mechanisms of regulation by CS.Clinical use of corticosteroid (CS) therapy is frequent and chronic. However, current knowledge on the proteome-level effects of CS in liver and other tissues is sparse. While transcriptomic regulation following methylprednisolone (MPL) dosing has been temporally examined in rat liver, proteomic assessments are needed to better characterize the tissue-specific functional aspects of MPL actions. This study describes a functional pharmacoproteomic analysis of dynamic changes in MPL-regulated proteins in liver and provides biological insight into how steroid-induced perturbations on a molecular level may relate to both adverse and therapeutic responses presented clinically.
Integrating Poison Center Data into Oregon ESSENCE using a Low-Cost Solution

Objective To enhance Oregon ESSENCE’s surveillance capabilities by incorporating data from the Oregon Poison Center using limited resources. Introduction Oregon Public Health Division (OPHD), in collaboration with the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, implemented Oregon ESSENCE in 2012. Oregon ESSENCE is an automated, electronic syndromic surveillance system that captures emergency department data. To strengthen the capabilities of Oregon ESSENCE, OPHD sought other sources of health-outcome information, including Oregon Poison Center (OPC). In the past, Oregon’s surveillance staff manually monitored OPC data on the National Poison Data Service (NPDS) website. Although functional, it was not integrated into Oregon’s syndromic surveillance system and required epidemiologists to assess alerts on individual calls. To achieve data integration, OPHD pursued an automated solution to deliver OPC data into Oregon ESSENCE. OPHD’s growing interoperability infrastructure fostered development of a low-cost, reliable solution to automate the integration of these data sources. Methods OPC facilitated OPHD’s access to the free-of-charge NPDS web service with an approval request and a data use agreement. OPHD uses the Rhapsody Integration Engine 6.2.1 (Orion Health, Auckland, NZ) as its primary data transfer and translation mechanism. OPHD leveraged its existing Rhapsody installation to automatically request data from the NPDS web service daily. Each request contains custom search parameters that query calls from the previous day (24 hours). The service returns an XML file containing poison center call data with multiple nodes of related data. Rhapsody uses a JavaScript ‘filter’ to parse each call and its related data. The Oregon ESSENCE backend SQL database contains a parent table for the call and child tables for the related data (Clinical Effects, Routes, Scenarios, Therapies, and Generic Codes). Rhapsody inserts data into each of these backend SQL tables. Results Oregon ESSENCE displays OPC data through its web interface for interpretation by OPHD’s syndromic surveillance epidemiologists. Integrating NPDS data into Oregon ESSENCE allows OPHD staff to timely monitor data in an automated, routine manner. Syndromic surveillance staff first assess alerts generated by Oregon ESSENCE. Alerts that require follow-up trigger a call between OPHD epidemiologists and OPC. Oregon is the first state to use the NPDS web service to upload poison center data into Oregon ESSENCE. Conclusions Oregon’s successful integration of the NPDS web service data into Oregon ESSENCE is the first known of its kind. It leverages OPHD’s growing infrastructure of interoperability software applications and staff expertise to create a cost-effective and sustainable solution that can be easily adapted by other public health agencies.