cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Plasma protein. VII. Site of degradation of serum albumin.

Summary1. Experiments have been carried out to show that serum albumin labeled with I131 passes from the circulation of rabbits into the duodenum. 2. Following injection of albumin-I131 the presence of TCA-in-soluble activity in a solution passed through the lumen of isolated section of intestine can be shown. 3. In other experiments of a somewhat different type, the same transfer has been shown. 4. Material transported appears to be albumin since it is precipitated with TCA, the precipitate is soluble in 95% alcohol (like similar precipitate of pure serum albumin), and the soluble material possesses the same electrophoretic mobility as albumin in experiments carried out on paper. 5. Approximate calculations indicate that if this type of transfer occurs in a considerable part of the gastro-intestinal tract, then the enzymatic breakdown of serum albumin so transferred could account for most of the serum albumin breakdown which occurs in vivo.
Immunologic factors in pernicious anemia.

Pernicious anemia may be congenital or acquired. The congenital form is rare. The acquired form usually occurs in persons over 50 years of age. Autoantibody directed against intrinsic factor is present in the majority of patients and is considered to be diagnostic of pernicious anemia. Photomicrograph shows typical megaloblastic bone marrow as seen in pernicious anemia, with megaloblasts in various stages of development.
Infectious Diseases (ID) Learning Unit: How Rapidly to Evaluate for Active Tuberculosis Disease in Low-Prevalence Settings

With declining tuberculosis (TB) incidence in low-prevalence settings, many clinicians are likely unaware that the approach to diagnosing active TB is evolving with newer technologies. Rapid molecular assays are commercially available, and more are likely to enter the market in the coming years. These tests, such as the Xpert MTB/RIF, which can detect TB and drug-resistance in 2 hours, are increasingly used in settings with higher TB prevalence; however, uptake has been slower in low-prevalence settings. Newer algorithms incorporating rapid TB diagnostics have the ability to alter current clinical and infection control practice patterns. In this learning unit, we review current and newly available tests for the detection of active TB disease and their usage in low-prevalence settings.
Stream productivity analysis with DORM. III: productivity of experimental streams

Abstract Thirty-two two-station diel dissolved oxygen surveys were made in the experimental streams of the U.S. EPA Monticello Ecological Research Station. The data were analyzed by a numerical Dissolved Oxygen Routing Model (DORM) to determine total community respiratory and photosynthetic rates. The artificial channels consisted of pools and riffles and had pH of 8.0, 6.3 and 5.4. Community photosynthetic production and respiration ranged from highs of 14.8 and 10.7gm −2 day −1 to lows of 1.5 and 2.6gm −2 day −1 between June and September 1979. P/R ratios varied from 2.1 in May to 0.6 in August. Seasonal trends were affected by pH and/or age of the channel. The channels also exhibited large diel variations in photosynthetic efficiency, where dependence of photosynthetic production upon light was nonlinear and had a strong hysteresis. This hysteresis cannot be explained by physical processes and is attributed to several biological processes.
Patient Perception of Value in Bundled Payments for Total Joint Arthroplasty

Abstract Background A central concern for providers in a bundled payment model is determining how the bundle is distributed. Prior studies have shown that current reimbursement rates are often not aligned with patients' values. While willingness-to-pay (WTP) surveys are perhaps useful in a fee-for-service arrangement to determine overall reimbursement, the percentage of payment distribution might be as or more important in a bundled payment model. Methods All patients undergoing primary total joint arthroplasty by a single surgeon were offered participation in a preoperative WTP survey. At a minimum 3 months postoperatively, patients were mailed instructions for an online follow-up survey asking how they would allocate a hypothetical bonus payment. Results From January through December 2014, 45 patients agreed to participate in the preoperative WTP survey. Twenty patients who were minimum 3 months postoperative also completed the follow-up survey. Patients valued total knee and hip arthroplasty at $28,438 (95% confidence interval [CI]: $20,551-36,324) and $39,479 (95% CI: $27,848-$51,112), respectively. At 3 months postoperatively, patients distributed a hypothetical bonus payment 55.5% to the surgeon (95% CI: 47.8%-63.1%), 38% to the hospital (95% CI: 30.3%-45.7%), and 6.5% (95% CI: −1.2% to 14.2%) to the implant manufacturer ( P Conclusion The data suggest that total joint arthroplasty patients have vastly different perceptions of payment distributions than what actually exists. In contrast to the findings of this study, the true distribution of payments for an episode of care averages 65% to the hospital, 27% to the implant manufacturer, and 8% to the surgeon. While many drivers of payment distribution exist, this study suggests that patients would allocate a larger proportion of a bundled payment to surgeons than is currently disbursed. This finding may also provide a plausible explanation for patients' consistent overestimation of surgeon reimbursements.
Intrinsic survival mechanisms for retinal ganglion cells.

Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) undergo programmed cell death (apoptosis) after axonal injury. This cell death is mediated by several mechanisms, including deprivation of neurotrophic factors, alterations in gene expression, and production of reactive oxygen species. However, death of RGCs is delayed after axonal injury, and a significant number survive even after several days. This suggests that RGC death is not an immediate result of axonal injury, and that other pro-survival factors may play a role. While we and other researchers have focused on the mechanisms of cell death after axonal injury, it may be that determining the regulation of cell survival mechanisms may lead to innovative methods for neuroprotection. The final common pathway of glaucomatous optic neuropathy is RGC death, probably via damage to their axons occurring at or near the lamina cribrosa. Axonal injury leads directly (1) or indirectly (2) to the death of retinal ganglion cells. We and others have demonstrated that axotomy is associated with RGC apoptosis (3- 7) as well as specific changes in expression of certain genes at the mRNA and protein level (8, 9). Reactive oxygen species may also be part of the pathway for RGC death (10, 11). We therefore hypothesize that axotomy leads to molecular events that are potentially destructive to RGCs, but also induces changes that are potentially protective against cellular injury. If this is the case, then RGC death from axonal injury would result not only from initiation of apoptosis, but also from failure of intrinsic neuroprotective mechanisms. It should therefore be theoretically possible to modulate these two classes of responses, and thus improve RGC cell survival after axotomy.
Structure of the N=Z+1 nucleus 69Se.

Charged-particle-\ensuremath{\gamma} and charged-particle-neutron-\ensuremath{\gamma} coincidences have been used to identify in-beam \ensuremath{\gamma}-ray transitions in $^{69}\mathrm{Se}$ produced in the reaction $^{40}\mathrm{Ca}$${(}^{32}$S,2pn${)}^{69}$Se. Charged-particle-\ensuremath{\gamma}-\ensuremath{\gamma} coincidences, neutron-\ensuremath{\gamma}-\ensuremath{\gamma} coincidences, and neutron-gated \ensuremath{\gamma}-ray angular distributions were used to deduce the level scheme. A long-lived isomer attributed to the ${g}_{9/2}$ state was found; its half-life was measured with charged-particle-\ensuremath{\gamma} timing as 1023\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}110 ns. The presence of strong \ensuremath{\Delta}J=1 and \ensuremath{\Delta}J=2 transitions in the band built on the \ensuremath{\nu}${g}_{9/2}$ neutron single-particle state and the measured sign of the E2/M1 mixing ratio for the ${(11/2}^{+}$\ensuremath{\rightarrow}${(9/2}^{+}$ transition are consistent with a theoretically predicted oblate shape for this nucleus.
A New Algorithm for the Decentralized Aggregation Problem

This paper describes a new algorithm for solving the distributed aggregation problem in which individual values from N nodes have to be aggregated in an associative and commutative manner, and the final result must be either computed at all sites or communicated to them. Our algorithm has a message-delay product of Θ(dN(N^)) where N is the number of nodes, and d is a parameter that corresponds to the number of dimensions of the hypercube into which the nodes are logically organized. This reflects an improvement upon existing algorithms by a factor of d. The algorithm can be initiated by any node, and works by creating multiple parallel streams that collect partial aggregates and finally converge at a node to compute the final result.
Anion Dependent Dynamics and Water Solubility Explained by Hydrogen Bonding Interactions in Mixtures of Water and Aprotic Heterocyclic Anion Ionic Liquids

Molecular dynamics simulations were used to compare water solubilities and the effects of water on the structure and dynamics of ionic liquids (ILs) composed of phosphonium cations paired with azolide and phenolate anions. The addition of water decreases ordering of the ions compared to the dry ILs with the exception of anion–anion ordering in the phenolate IL. The result is that the dynamics of the azolide ionic liquids increase significantly upon addition of water, whereas the phenolate IL dynamics show little change. The relative water solubilities were compared through calculation of Henry’s law constants. Water is much more soluble in the phenolate IL due to strong hydrogen bonding interactions between water and the phenolate oxygen atom. Anions can therefore be selected to control IL–water hydrogen bonding for optimal performance in applications such as CO2 separation.
CC-005 A confusing case of colitis

Introduction The common causes of acute bloody diarrhoea include infective gastroenteritis, inflammatory bowel disease, pseudomembranous colitis and ischaemic colitis. We present a case of refractory colitis in an elderly patient who did not respond to conventional treatment. Methods 75-year-old male patient presented with 2-day h/o bloody diarrhoea, vomiting and fever. Past medical history included diabetes and hypertension. Physical examination revealed mildly distended, non-tender, soft abdomen. Blood tests showed leucocytosis with neutrophilia and CRP 223. Stool culture was negative for clostridium toxin. Colonic obstruction and ischaemia were ruled out by CT scan. Sigmoidoscopy showed marked ulceration and cobblestone appearance with mucoid exudates in sigmoid colon suggesting IBD. Patient was commenced on corticosteroids. Histology showed crypt distortion and inflammatory changes, but H&E staining showed characteristic owls-eye inclusion bodies. Immunohistochemistry confirmed owls eye inclusion bodies suggesting acute CMV colitis. CMV IgG antibodies were positive and CMV viralload PCR was 60×100 000 indicating acute viraemia. Patient was treated with IV Ganciclovir for 2 weeks and corticosteroids were stopped. Repeat colonic biopsies were negative for CMV inclusion bodies, but endoscopic appearances remain unchanged. Patient developed toxic megacolon, peritonitis and died as patient was unfit for surgery. Results In our patient, both serology and histology initially suggested a diagnosis of CMV colitis, although endoscopic appearances and histological features were indistinguishable from ulcerative colitis. Corticosteroids were stopped, as there was a risk of worsening CMV colitis due to immunosuppression by steroids. IV Ganciclovir did not improve symptoms suggesting ulcerative colitis as the cause of diarrhoea and CMV as an innocent bystander. Conclusion Primary CMV colitis is rare in immunocompetent patients. Most cases of CMV colitis have been reported in refractory, steroid resistant ulcerative colitis or HIV patients.1 Treatment with IV Ganciclovir results in improvement of ulcerative colitis.2 Our case demonstrates that distinguishing primary CMV colitis from ulcerative colitis with latent CMV infection can be difficult in immunocompetent patients and initiating right treatment can be challenging.
Management of Osteoporosis in Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Survivors

A 55-year-old Caucasian postmenopausal woman with BMI of 22.5 kg/m2 presents to the clinic for follow-up to discuss the results of her recent dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) bone mineral density (BMD) scan. She has a personal history of premenopausal early-stage hormone receptor-positive breast cancer at age 47 and a family history of parental hip fracture. Following her initial breast cancer treatment, she received tamoxifen for 5 years (Age 47–52) followed by anastrozole (an aromatase inhibitor) until the current time. The DXA scan reports T-scores of −1.8 at the total hip and −1.6 at the lumbar spine. What would be your preferred management?
The Utility of Geopotential Field Data in Seismotectonic Studies in the Eastern United States

The deterministic approach to seismic hazard evaluation utilizes all available geologic/geophysical information to map the structure and nature of the crust in three dimensions that may relate to earthquake activity. However, information on the crystalline crust of the eastern United States from direct observations, drilling and sparse crustal seismic studies is limited. In contrast, regional gravity and magnetic anomaly data exist over the entire eastern United States and are available in a digital grid to facilitate processing and analysis. Although these data have serious limitations for detailed interpretation, they can be used to estimate the strength of the crust and the lithosphere and to map and characterize (1) zones of weakness such as paleorifts, sutures, and faults; (2) regions of potential stress amplifications such as plutons and irregularities in fault zones; and (3) basement terranes of generally consistent structural pattern that may delimit coherent regional seismic zones. Free-air, Bouguer, and isostatic gravity anomalies have different applications in the characterization of the crust for seismogenic purposes and complement magnetic anomaly maps which focus on upper crustal features. In concert, these data have provided the insight to interpret the host structures that together with related seismic and geoscience data, suggest causative mechanisms of the New Madrid seismic zone and other seismogenic regions of the eastern United States. As a result, we conclude that interpretations of geopotential anomalies are an essential ingredient in seismotectonic studies in the eastern United States, but they are only one of several tools required in the concerted effort of assessing seismic hazards. The presence of anomalies with a particular set of attributes neither confirms nor denies the possible spatial relationship to seismicity.
Redundancy Removal during High-Level Synthesis Using Scheduling Don‘t-Cares

Previous work in automata theory has shown how to eliminate sequential redundancy from networks of FSMs by finding sequences of inputs and outputs which are never communicated between components of the network. This paper shows that behavior automata—finite-state machines whose inputs and outputs are incompletely scheduled—exhibit similar properties. Using the behavior FSM (BFSM) as a model for scheduling, we show how to identify and eliminate both input and output scheduling don‘t-cares. When a scheduling don‘t-care is eliminated from a network of BFSMs, the register-transfer implementation is guaranteed not to suffer from the corresponding don‘t-care sequence. A definition of scheduling don‘t-cares improves our understanding of the foundations of high-level synthesis and the relationship between high-level and sequential optimization. In practice, scheduling don‘t-care elimination is a powerful tool for eliminating redundancy early in the design process.
Designing Targeted Therapies for Lymphomas and Leukemias

This chapter gathers together many of the major themes of this textbook to identify shared and unique features of myeloid, T-cell, and B-cell malignancies. Therapeutic strategies that link basic immune function and cell signaling with oncogenesis are beginning to emerge and are discussed here. Considered are strategies to manipulate the microenvironment, alter tumor localization, target tumor-specific metabolic responses, and eliminate residual disease before tumor progression can occur.
Improving Optimization of Convolutional Neural Networks through Parameter Fine-tuning

In recent years, convolutional neural networks have achieved state-of-the-art performance in a number of computer vision problems such as image classification. Prior research has shown that a transfer learning technique known as parameter fine-tuning wherein a network is pre-trained on a different dataset can boost the performance of these networks. However, the topic of identifying the best source dataset and learning strategy for a given target domain is largely unexplored. Thus, this research presents and evaluates various transfer learning methods for fine-grained image classification as well as the effect on ensemble networks. The results clearly demonstrate the effectiveness of parameter fine-tuning over random initialization. We find that training should not be reduced after transferring weights, larger, more similar networks tend to be the best source task, and parameter fine-tuning can often outperform randomly initialized ensembles. The experimental framework and findings will help to train models with improved accuracy.
Risk factors for Clostridium difficile infection in intestinal transplant recipients during the first year post-transplant.

BACKGROUND Clostridium difficile is the most common cause of healthcare-associated infectious diarrhea. Risk factors for C. difficile infections (CDI) in intestinal transplant recipients (ITR) are not well-defined. The aim of our study was to assess specific risk factors for CDI in ITR. METHODS This is a 1:3 case-control study that included 29 ITR who developed CDI (cases) and 87 ITR without CDI (controls) observed during the first year post-transplantation. Wilcoxon rank sum and Fisher's exact tests were used to compare variables. Univariate and multivariable conditional logistic regressions analysis were performed to identify risk factors for CDI. RESULTS The multivariable conditional logistic regression analysis showed that proton pump inhibitors (PPI) administration (odds ratio [OR] = 0.06; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.007-0.52; P = .01) was the only factor associated with lower rates of CDI. Outcomes for cases vs controls: rejection episodes 24.14% vs 20.69% (P = .7), graft loss 0% vs 2.3% (P = .99), and survival rate 1 year post-transplantation 79.3% (59.6-90.1%) vs 87.2% (78.1-92.7%) (P = .38). CONCLUSIONS Proton pump inhibitor administration might be protective for CDI in ITR. Risks factors for CDI might be different in ITR compared to other populations; anatomical differences and medications administered in the post-transplantation period may affect intestinal microbiota.
Repeated treatment in a GOTV field experiment: Distinguishing between intensive and extensive margin effects

Abstract Technological advancements and the increasingly large amounts spent for elections have made it easier for get-out-the-vote (GOTV) campaigns to contact potential voters many times prior to elections. However, the effects of repeated exposure to GOTV treatment have received little attention in the academic literature. Multiple treatments can increase the intensive margin of treatment—by increasing the number of times that treated individuals are exposed to the treatment—or the extensive margin of treatment—by increasing the number of people who are exposed to at least one treatment attempt. We analyze the differences between a treatment with one automated GOTV call and a treatment with three GOTV calls to isolate the effect of changes in the extensive and intensive margins of treatment on voting rates. On the intensive margin, we find that answering one additional call is associated with an approximately 0.6% point increased probability to vote. On the extensive margin, we find that answering one additional call is associated with an approximately one percentage point increased probability to vote. This evidence is consistent with the academic literature on commercial advertising, which finds that repeated exposures to commercial advertisements have diminishing marginal effects.
Medicinal Chemistry of Kappa Opioid Receptor Antagonists

The kappa opioid receptor (KOR), a member of the opioid receptor family, was initially studied for its involvement in the mediation of pain. More recently, there has been growing interest in selective KOR agents for their potential effects on mood and reward. In particular, selective KOR antagonists may offer a novel approach to relieve symptoms of depression. In this chapter, we describe the structure–activity relationships (SAR) of nonpeptidic KOR antagonists. Specifically, we review the SAR of norbinaltorphimine (norBNI) and its structur ally simplified derivative GNTI. We present the SAR of JDTic and the recently developed MTHQ. The SAR patterns of norBNI have been extensively studied, but there have been relatively fewer studies on the SAR of JDTic and MTHQ. While the overall SAR trends of these structurally distinct agents differ, there appears to be a common requirement for KOR inhibition: the presence of a phenol unit and a basic nitrogen. In the second part of this chapter, we discuss the unusually long duration of action of the available KOR antagonists and make suggestions on pos sibilities for the design of additional KOR antagonists.
Monitoring Food Company Marketing to Children to Spotlight Best and Worst Practices

In 2006, the Council of Better Business Bureaus and ten of the largest children’s food marketers launched the Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative (CFBAI), an industry self-regulatory program for the purpose of “Changing the nutritional profile of food and beverage products in child-directed advertising” (BBB, 2009). These companies’ pledges were fully implemented by 2008, and as of August, 2011, 17 companies had joined the CFBAI. The food industry has declared the CFBAI a success, with companies exhibiting excellent compliance with their pledges and the number of food and beverage advertisements on children’s television programming falling by 50 % from 2004 to 2010 (BBB, 2010).
Performance optimization of pipeline circuits with latches and wave pipelining

The use of level-sensitive latches and wave-pipelining techniques are two aggressive methods to increase the performance of pipelined circuits. However, they do present difficult analysis and design problems that heretofore have prevented active use and full exploration of these techniques. To tackle these barriers, this dissertation solves three related problems: finding the optimal single-phase clock schedule for latch-based closed pipelines, designing stopping and restarting mechanisms for wave-pipelined circuits, and achieving a desired clock rate by inserting latches to balance the delays of a wave-pipelined circuit. The optimal single-phase clocking problem for latch-based closed pipelines has been difficult to solve because the general latch timing model generates a nonconvex solution space. The best prior approach uses a linear program to solve an overconstrained problem. We present an efficient (cubic complexity) algorithm, Gpipe, that solves the general problem by exploiting the geometric characteristics of the full nonconvex solution space to determine the maximum single-phase clocking rate for a closed pipeline with a specified degree of wave-pipelining. The Long path and Short path timing constraints are examined to prove that a further clock speedup may be obtained by permanently enabling some latches and increasing the degree of wave pipelining. Sufficient conditions are also found to identify which latches can be removed in this fashion while guaranteeing no decrease and permitting a possible increase in the clock rate. Wave pipelining is often avoided in design due, in part, to the difficulty of stopping and restarting a wave-pipelined circuit without losing data. The ability to stop and start a circuit is essential for pipeline stalls and reduced rate testing; however, this problem had not previously been addressed. We have solved this problem by developing a redundant latch mechanism to store the wave-pipelined data. A formal characterization of stoppability and startability indicates where these redundant latches may be inserted within the pipeline and how to sequence the shut down and restart of the clock. Two improved stopping and restarting mechanisms, Pitcher and Catcher, have been developed which place a FIFO queue alongside the beginning or end of each wave-pipelined stage. Chains of delay elements are typically used to increase performance by balancing the min/max path difference of wave-pipelined stages. However, better performance and cost economy can be achieved by inserting latches instead, resulting in an efficient blend of physical stages and wave pipelining to achieve the desired clock rate. A mathematical programming model and efficient heuristics are developed to insert latches with single phase, two phase, or random phase clocks. Experimental results clearly show the performance and cost advantages of using latches.
MEDICAL THERAPY OF CHRONIC HEART FAILURE: ROLE OF ACE-INHIBITORS AND BETA-BLOCKERS

Heart failure has long been considered to have a progressive downhill course leading inexorably to an early demise. This course often occurs silently, in the absence of any obvious cardiac insults. The reason for this is a combination of cell loss, myocyte dysfunction, impaired energetics, and pathologic remodeling of the chamber. Improved clinical outcome should result from strategies that reduce the biologic signals responsible for myocyte growth, dysfunction, and loss and chamber remodeling. Clinicians should no longer attempt to treat chronic heart failure with pharmacologic growth and remodeling process. In time, it may be possible for the clinician to view the treatment of heart failure largely as a matter of improving the biologic function of the myocardium.
Reasoning about state from causation and time in a medical domain

The reasoning needed for diagnosis and patient management in a medical domain requires the ability to determine both the aspects of the patient state that are definitely known and those that are possible given what is known about the patient. This paper discusses a mechanism for including the time constraints of causal relationships in the representation and the increased discriminatory power of the reasoning mechanisms when the time relationships are used appropriately. It is further argued that in such a domain where time bounds are weak there is often more information in the relationships between times than in the time values themselves. Thus, it is often necessary to reason from the relationships rather than by comparing time values. A program utilizing the mechanisms outlined is currently under development.
The effect of a single music therapy session on hospitalized children as measured by salivary immunoglobulin A, speech pause time, and a Patient Opinion Likert Scale

The purpose of this study was to determine whether a single 30-minute music therapy session significantly affected the mood of hospitalized children, as measured by Salivary Immunoglobulin A (IgA), Speech Pause Time, and a Patient Opinion Likert Scale. A pretest/posttest design was used. Subjects were 40 pediatric in-patients between the ages of 6 and 12 at Rainbow Babies and Childrens Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio. Each child was randomly assigned to the experimental (N = 20) or control group (N = 20). Intervention consisted of a hello song, passing, playing and identifying instruments, singing, imitation and listening games and a closure song. Subjects in the control group were allowed to continue for 30 minutes in whatever activity they were engaged at the time (reading, playing video games, talking on the phone). Each child was tested individually before and after the 30 minutes and care was taken to prevent aversive medical interruptions during the intervention treatment group showed a significant increase in IgA (p {dollar}{bsol}le{dollar}.01) from pretest to posttest while the control group did not. Data showed no significant difference between the pretest and posttest for either group s Speech Pause Time or Patient Opinion Likert scores. The Wilcoxon ranked-sum test revealed no significant difference between groups in the mean change in IgA, SPT, or Likert scores. Data suggest that a 30-minute music therapy session can have a significant effect in increasing IgA of hospitalized children.
The Neglect of Service Science in the Operations Management Field

Services have dominated Western economies for over half a century. Worldwide, services are now the largest economic sector, recently replacing agriculture. Services are now a larger portion of the economy than manufacturing for every nation on Earth. Yet, much of the scholarly work in Operations Management (OM) still addresses manufacturing issues. While Western economies are 70%–85% services, less than 10% of OM research done by Western academics is dedicated to services. Here, we examine some causes for this state of affairs: The attitude that “service = servile”, the rise of supply chain as an organizing paradigm, and the research methods needed for services.
Health Care Decisions and Delay of Treatment in Companion Animal Owners.

Previous research has indicated that companion animal ownership may confer health benefits; however, no studies have considered how companion animal ownership impacts key health decisions. The purpose of the current studies was to examine the extent to which animal-related factors influence health care decision making, specifically, owners’ willingness to proceed with necessary medical treatments. In Study 1, a sample of 162 companion animal owners was recruited via Amazon Mechanical Turk to complete an online survey which included measures of social support, quality of relationship with the companion animal and two vignettes describing needed hospitalization. Results suggest that nearly half of companion animal owners would consider delaying a hospitalization due to reasons related to ownership. Similarly, in Study 2, dog owners were compared to a group of non-pet owners. Dog owners were more likely to report willingness to delay medical procedures due to their pets than non-pet owners were to consider delay due to friends or family members. Owners’ health care decisions may be influenced by their relationship with their companion animal. Particularly at risk for delaying health procedures are those with lower levels of social support. While further study is needed, opportunities for intervention are considered.
Everybody’s Publishing but Me! How a Writing Group Can Help Actualize Your Publishing Dreams

On any given day, one can go to the Chronicle of Higher Education and see a new article on the trials and tribulations of publishing and seeking tenure in academia. Anxiety inducing titles such as “Measuring Up” and “The Stress of Academic Publishing” reaffirm the notion that one must publish, or perish. While this type of pressure pushes some to success, for others, it makes it harder to write. However, you don’t have to travel this writing and publishing road alone. Inspired by the book Every Other Thursday: Stories and Strategies from Successful Women Scientists by Ellen Daniell, a small group of women academics and professionals in Logan, Utah found their support team through the creation of a writing group in Spring 2009.
Atherosclerosis characterization using lipid-specific photoacoustic imaging and 4D ultrasound strain mapping in mice

Dual-modality photoacoustic tomography (PAT) and four-dimensional ultrasound (4DUS) imaging have recently been used study atherosclerosis progression in small animals. PAT uses pulsed laser light to induce acoustic waves and reconstruct lipid-specific compositional images of tissue. 4DUS captures dynamic volumetric information and can be used to estimate three-dimensional (3D) Green-Lagrange strain using a direct deformation estimation method. Here, we hypothesized that PAT/4DUS can be used to correlate changes in arterial strain and hemodynamics with lipid localization and density in animals that have undergone partial carotid ligation (PCL) induced-atherosclerosis. A 40 MHz transducer (Vevo2100, VisualSonics) and a ND:YAG pulsed laser (Surelite EX, Continuum) were used to image five apolipoprotein-E deficient mice that underwent PCL of the left carotid artery while being fed a Western diet. Animals were imaged using 4DUS at days 0, 1, 4, 7, 10, and 14 to obtain pulsed-wave Doppler for hemodynamic characterization and 4DUS images for strain mapping. At day 14 all animals were euthanized and 3D in situ PAT images of the left carotid artery were acquired using 1210 nm light. The results show that atherosclerotic lesions can be characterized via PAT to localize both lipid accumulation and density and 4DUS to identify regions of low strain.
Destructive Leadership, Ineffective Leadership, and Interpersonal Mistreatment Constructs: A Review

In recent years, there has been considerable interest in destructive leadership research. We review extant destructive leadership research and advocate applying the leader-member social exchange th...
The Claustrum in the Squirrel Monkey

The claustrum (CLA) is a subcortical structure that is reciprocally and topographically connected with the cerebral cortex. The complexity of the cerebral cortex varies dramatically across mammals, raising the question of whether there might also be differences in CLA organization, circuitry, and function. Species variations in the shape of the CLA are well documented. Studies in multiple species have identified subsets of neurochemically distinct interneurons; some data suggest species variations in the nature, distribution, and numbers of different neurochemically identified neuronal types. We have studied the CLA in a smooth-brained primate, the squirrel monkey, using Nissl-stained sections and immunohistochemistry. We found that the shape of the CLA is different from that in other primates. We found several different neurochemically defined populations of neurons equally distributed throughout the CLA. Immunoreactivity to GAD65/67 and GABAA receptors suggest that GABAergic interneurons provide widespread inhibitory input to CLA neurons. Immunoreactivity to glutamate transporters suggests widespread and overlapping excitatory input from cortical and possibly subcortical sources. Comparison of CLA organization in different species suggests that there may be major species differences both in the organization and in the functions of the CLA. Anat Rec, 303:1439-1454, 2020. © 2019 American Association for Anatomy.
Duration Matters: Separating the Impact of Depth and Duration in Study Abroad Programs:

Study abroad participation has increased dramatically over the past two decades, primarily through the growth of short-term study abroad experiences. Given this, it is logical to ask whether short-...
Microwave Single Pixel Imager (MSPI) Antenna Assembly

The antenna assembly concept for the MSPI system is presented. The unique antenna assembly is a metasurface-based center-fed parabolic reflector and traditional feed horn that supports the compressive sensing that will be performed by MSPI. Quantified performance simulations are included, with discussion of how these results align with the needs of the algorithm (presented in a companion paper, [2] ).
A dynamic multi-objective location-allocation model for search and rescue assets

Abstract This paper presents a dynamic multi-objective mixed integer linear programming model to optimize the location and allocation of search and rescue (SAR) boats and helicopters to enhance the performance of maritime SAR missions. Our model incorporates simulated incident scenarios to account for demand uncertainty and allows relocation of vessels seasonally. We define three objectives as responding to incidents within a critical time, generating a balanced workload distribution among vessels of various types, and minimizing costs associated with operations and vessel relocations. Implementing a goal programming approach, we solve the problem for various objective function term weights and compare the performance of each solution with respect to 10 different metrics. Using historical incident datasets for the Aegean Sea, we show that the proposed model and solution approach can significantly improve the SAR performance and provide decision support for planners in developing effective and efficient resource location-allocation schemes.
Intimate Partner Violence: The Law

Historically women have been legally disenfranchised in matters involving domestic abuse. Intimate partner violence is more complex than just men victimizing women. Intimate partner violence can involve women victimizing men. Abuse occurs in gay and lesbian relationships as well. Do the laws in place today take into account all of the complex and diverse facets of intimate partner violence? This is an examination of federal and state law pertaining to intimate partner violence. Noteworthy cases and circumstances are highlighted in this work.
Clinical Outcomes With the Use of Prophylactic Versus Therapeutic Anticoagulation in Coronavirus Disease 2019

Objectives To determine the impact of anticoagulation on inhospital mortality among coronavirus disease 2019-positive patients with the a priori hypothesis that there would be a lower risk of inhospital mortality with use of preemptive therapeutic over prophylactic dose enoxaparin or heparin. Design setting Retrospective cohort study from April 1, 2020, to April 25, 2020. The date of final follow-up was June 12, 2020 Two large, acute-care hospitals in Western Connecticut. Patients Five hundred and one inpatients were identified after discharge as 18 years or older and positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. The final sample size included 374 patients after applying exclusion criteria. Demographic variables were collected via hospital billing inquiries, whereas the clinical variables were abstracted from patients' medical records. Exposure Preemptive enoxaparin or heparin at a therapeutic or prophylactic dose. Main results When comparing treatments through multivariable analysis, risk of inhospital mortality was 2.3 times greater in patients receiving preemptive therapeutic anticoagulation (95% CI = 1.0-4.9; p = 0.04). Additionally, the average treatment effects were higher (β = 0.11, p = 0.01) in the therapeutic group. Conclusions An increase in inhospital mortality was observed among patients on preemptive therapeutic anticoagulation. Thus, in the management of coronavirus disease 2019 and its complications, we recommend further research and cautious use of preemptive therapeutic over prophylactic anticoagulation.
Esophageal Physiologic Testing of Obese Subjects as a Part of Bariatric Surgery Planning

Background:Choice of bariatric procedure may be impacted by esophageal motor disorders and reflux disease, which are not routinely evaluated in obese subjects.Methods:Clinical characteristics on va...
Mouse Model of Tuberculosis

This chapter describes how the mouse model has evolved over the past century from the simple but beautiful experiments of Koch to present-day models based on sophisticated gene targeting. In the process, the authors describe the course of the infection in the mouse after inoculation by various routes and their growing picture of how the host immune response is mobilized against the infecting organism. They also describe various mouse models that involve immunodeficiency; these may prove useful not only in the further dissection of the cellular immune response but also in applied strategies of chemotherapy and immunotherapy. The growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in mice has been extremely well characterized, with the organism giving rise to highly characteristic distribution patterns in target organs after inoculation. A week or so after inoculation of mice with a sublethal intravenous dose of M. tuberculosis, a population of CD4 cells that are capable of adoptively transferring protective immunity emerges in the spleen. In the mouse model of tuberculosis, enriched populations of immune CD8 T cells transferred some degree of resistance, albeit rather weakly, and in vivo depletion of CD8 T cells by intravenous administration of monoclonal antibody was shown to diminish resistance to some extent. The cytokine response to M. tuberculosis probably begins almost immediately after infection of host macrophages, as these cells begin to transcribe message from a number of early response genes.
Jefferson B. Fordham: His Contribution to Local Government Law

The study of local government has not, by and large, attracted and held the interest of the ablest minds in the legal profession. Much of the same has been true within economics and political science, the social sciences from which lawyers might have anticipated most assistance in designing legal institutions to cope with the problems of an urban nation. Lawyers who have come to the area during the past decade have not, in consequence, had the advantages of a strong intellectual tradition upon which to build in the effort to understand and to come to grips with current problems. For nearly four decades, the work of Jeff Fordham has been the most significant exception to this otherwise generally bleak picture. His perceptive and imaginative contributions during these years have left a significant imprint upon local government law, both by their influence upon teaching and scholarship and, more directly, by their impact upon constitutional draftsmen. To select the most significant from among these varied contributions is difficult, for the dean's career as a local government scholar has been long and fruitful. Nevertheless, two of his efforts stand out in my mind as especially noteworthy: the Model Constitutiotal Provisions for Municipal Home Rule, which he drafted for the American Municipal Association, and his pioneering casebook, Local Government Law. To appreciate fully the contribution made by Dean Fordham's Model Constitutional Provisions, it is necessary to understand something of the chaotic condition of home rule doctrine. A constitutional grant of home rule is now generally understood to serve potentially two distinct functions: a grant of lawmaking power to local governments and a restriction upon the power of the legislature to enact legislation affecting local governments. Constitutional provisions which had been adopted prior to Dean Fordham's model failed, however, to separate these functions clearly or to define either the limits of the power conferred upon local governments or the extent of the restrictions placed upon legislatures. The consequence in most states was a confused body of decisional law, a confusion compounded by the failure of courts and commentators to distinguish adequately the two
Amoxicillin Use during Early Childhood and Fluorosis of Later Developing Tooth Zones

Objectives: Amoxicillin use has been reported to be associated with developmental defects on enamel surfaces. This analysis assessed the association between amoxicillin use and fluorosis on late-erupting permanent teeth. Methods: As part of the Iowa Fluoride Study, subjects were followed from birth to 32 months with questionnaires every 3-4 months to gather information on fluoride intake and amoxicillin use (n = 357 subjects for this analysis). Permanent tooth fluorosis on late-erupting zones was assessed by three trained dentists using the fluorosis risk index (FRI) at approximately age 13. A case was defined as fluorosis if a subject had at least two FRI classification II zone scores of 2 or 3. Chi-square tests and logistic regression were used, and relative risks (RRs) and odds ratios (ORs) were calculated. Results: There were 113 cases and 244 controls. In bivariate analyses, amoxicillin use from 20 to 24 months significantly increased the risk of fluorosis on FRI classification II zones [44.2 percent versus 30.4 percent, [RR = 1.45, 95 percent confidence interval (CI) 1.05-2.04], but other individual time periods did not. Multivariable logistic regression confirmed the increased risk of fluorosis for amoxicillin use from 20 to 24 months (OR = 2.92, 95 percent CI = 1.34-6.40), after controlling for otitis media, breast-feeding, and fluoride intake. Conclusions: Amoxicillin use during early childhood could be a risk factor in the etiology of fluorosis on late-erupting permanent tooth zones, but further research is needed.
Evaluation of Techniques for Classifying Biological Sequences

In recent years we have witnessed an exponential increase in the amount of biological information, either DNA or protein sequences, that has become available in public databases. This has been followed by an increased interest in developingcomp utational techniques to automatically classify these large volumes of sequence data into various categories corresponding to either their role in the chromosomes, their structure, and/or their function. In this paper we evaluate some of the widely-used sequence classification algorithms and develop a framework for modeling sequences in a fashion so that traditional machine learning algorithms, such as support vector machines, can be applied easily. Our detailed experimental evaluation shows that the SVM-based approaches are able to achieve higher classification accuracy compared to the more traditional sequence classification algorithms such as Markov model based techniques and K-nearest neighbor based approaches.
BMPs inhibit neurogenesis by a mechanism involving degradation of a transcription factor

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), negative regulators of neural determination in the early embryo, were found to be potent inhibitors of neurogenesis in olfactory epithelium (OE) cultures. BMPs 2, 4 or 7 decreased the number of proliferating progenitor cells and blocked production of olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs). Experiments suggested that this effect was due to an action of BMPs on an early-stage progenitor in the ORN lineage. Further analysis revealed that progenitors exposed to BMPs rapidly (< 2 h) lost MASH1, a transcription factor known to be required for the production of ORNs. This disappearance was due to proteolysis of existing MASH1 protein, but new gene expression was required to trigger it. The data suggest a novel mechanism of BMP action, whereby the induced degradation of an essential transcription factor results in premature termination of a neuronal lineage.
Stabilization of the Ras oncoprotein by the insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor during anchorage-independent growth.

R− cells are 3T3 cells derived from mouse embryos with a targeted disruption of the type 1 insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF-IR) genes. R− cells are refractory to transformation by a variety of viral and cellular oncogenes, including an activated Ras. R− cells stably transfected with an activated Ha-Ras (R−Ras cells) fail to form colonies in soft agar. An IGF-IR truncated at residue 1245 cannot transform R− cells, even when strongly overexpressed. However, the combination of the truncated IGF-IR and an activated Ras induces transformation of R− cells. We show here that the Ras oncoprotein is rapidly degraded when R−Ras cells are grown under anchorage-independent conditions and that signaling from the truncated IGF-IR stabilizes Ras. In monolayer cultures, Ras levels remain constant regardless of the presence or absence of IGF-IR signaling. These results directly explain why Ras cannot transform mouse embryo fibroblasts devoid of IGF-IR. They also suggest a more generalized, alternative mechanism for transformation by Ras and, implicitly, another possible way for targeting Ras in tumor cells.