cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Progressive solitary sclerosis Gradual motor impairment from a single CNS demyelinating lesion

Objective: To report patients with progressive motor impairment resulting from an isolated CNS demyelinating lesion in cerebral, brainstem, or spinal cord white matter that we call progressive solitary sclerosis. Methods: Thirty patients were identified with (1) progressive motor impairment for over 1 year with a single radiologically identified CNS demyelinating lesion along corticospinal tracts, (2) absence of other demyelinating CNS lesions, and (3) no history of relapses affecting other CNS pathways. Twenty-five were followed prospectively in our multiple sclerosis (MS) clinic and 5 were identified retrospectively from our progressive MS database. Patients were excluded if an alternative etiology for progressive motor impairment was found. Multiple brain and spinal cord MRI were reviewed by a neuroradiologist blinded to the clinical details. Results: The patients9 median age was 48.5 years (range 23–71) and 15 (50%) were women. The median follow-up from symptom onset was 100 months (range 15–343 months). All had insidiously progressive upper motor neuron weakness attributable to the solitary demyelinating lesion found on MRI. Clinical presentations were hemiparesis/monoparesis (n = 24), quadriparesis (n = 5), and paraparesis (n = 1). Solitary MRI lesions involved cervical spinal cord (n = 18), cervico-medullary/brainstem region (n = 6), thoracic spinal cord (n = 4), and subcortical white matter (n = 2). CSF abnormalities consistent with MS were found in 13 of 26 (50%). Demyelinating disease was confirmed pathologically in 2 (biopsy, 1; autopsy, 1). Conclusions: Progressive solitary sclerosis results from an isolated CNS demyelinating lesion. Future revisions to MS diagnostic criteria could incorporate this presentation of demyelinating disease.
Anesthesia for Electroconvulsive Therapy

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is commonly used to treat major depression and other psychiatric disorders. Although the mechanism of action is not clear, ECT is safe and effective, if managed appropriately. A sufficient long seizure induced by lowest possible amplitude of current is most likely to produce optimal effect, yet with fewer side effects. ECT elicits significant physiological responses, including cardiovascular (e.g. hypertension and tachycardia) and central nervous system (e.g. increase of intracranial pressure and cerebral blood flow). Thus anesthesia preoperative evaluation should identify patients with higher risks, who should be consulted beforehand with proper plan of care. General anesthesia is usually planned for ECT procedure. Although different anesthetic regimens can be used, the goal is to minimize the anesthetic factors on the efficacy of ECT treatment, while maintaining adequate depth of anesthesia and ensuring patient’s safety. In many hospitals, ECT is often performed at remote sites; anesthesiologist should be aware and well prepared for escalation of care if emergency occurs.
Diálogos transatlânticos: africanidade, negritude e construção da identidade

The article explores the aesthetic and ideological dialogs between Pan­-African movements, such as the Harlem Renaissance, the French Negri­tude movement, and the artistic, particularly the literary production of the student of the Casa do Imperio in general and that of Francisco Jose Ten­reiro in particular.
Effects of Kisspeptin on Hormone Secretion in Humans

Studies of the actions of kisspeptin in human subjects have examined the effects of different kisspeptin isoforms, doses, and routes of administration on LH secretion, a surrogate measure of GnRH release. These studies, in addition to detailing how these different variables affect LH secretion in response to kisspeptin, have produced new insights into kisspeptin physiology: (1) Brief exposure to kisspeptin results in sustained GnRH release lasting ~17 min in men. (2) Women in different phases of the menstrual cycle have differences in their response to kisspeptin, suggesting that endogenous kisspeptin secretion and GnRH neuronal responsiveness vary in response to the changing sex-steroid environment across the menstrual cycle. (3) Kisspeptin resets the GnRH pulse generator in men, but does not appear to do so in women. (4) Continuous exposure to kisspeptin results in desensitization to kisspeptin, and thus kisspeptin has the potential to either stimulate or suppress reproductive endocrine activity depending on the mode of administration. These findings pave the way for future studies using kisspeptin as a physiologic, diagnostic, and therapeutic tool in both healthy adults and in patients with reproductive disorders.
Astro: Auto-Generation of Synthetic Traces Using Scaling Pattern Recognition for MPI Workloads

Performance modeling of scale-out MPI workloads is critical in assessing trade-offs for high-performance system designs. Traces and workload skeletons are the two main vehicles used to date to accomplish this task. However, the ever-increasing scale and complexity of MPI workloads makes it difficult, sometimes infeasible, to collect the traces and/or skeletonize the workloads, dueto the constraints of computing resources or the unavailability of workload source code. This paper presents Astro , a framework that leverages machine learning techniques to automatically recognize the scaling patterns from training traces, and generate high-quality synthetic traces which mimic original trace behavior and extrapolate it to arbitrary scale. Experimental results show that compared with original traces, the synthetic traces yield less than 15 percent error against a range of metrics for up to 8 K MPI ranks. This framework enables large-scale performance modeling with limited computing resources, and allows modeling proprietary workloads in a portable and secure way. Author: There was a discrepancy in Bibliography in the PDF and the source file. We have followed the source file. ?>
The Differential Diagnosis and Initial Management of Pediatric Transverse Myelitis

This review provides a guide to the basic differential considerations, diagnostic testing, and initial treatment of transverse myelitis, as well as complications to watch for and a discussion of recent data on outcomes of transverse myelitis (TM) in children. We continue to learn about the underlying causes of transverse myelitis. Neuroinflammation associated with anti-myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) antibodies is a recent addition to the list. Plasma exchange should be considered for patients with myelitis related to antibody-medicated conditions, particularly if unresponsive to steroids. While outcomes following treatment may be better and more prolonged than previously thought, children with transverse myelitis may have residual neurological deficits. Children with acute flaccid myelitis, an infectious myelopathy similar to polio, are at particularly high risk for deficits. Transverse myelitis is an inflammatory disorder that may be associated with a prolonged recovery period and persistent disability. Additional areas of opportunity for research include optimizing acute treatment and predicting outcomes, as well as diagnosis and management of infections such as acute flaccid myelitis.
Resonance Neutron Capture by Manganese Below 2.5 keV

Radiation widths Γγ of (310 ± 20), (312 ± 12), and (340 ± 130) meV were found for 55Mn(n, γ) resonances at 337, 1099, and 2327 eV, respectively. A fourth resonance was found at 1658 eV, with gΓnΓγ/...
I Ain't No Fortunate One: On the Motivated Denial of Class and Race Privilege

Invisibility makes privilege powerful. Hard to notice and easy to deny, privilege perpetuates intergroup inequality by giving unearned advantages to certain groups. However, recent social movements...
Maximal clique method for the automated analysis of NMR TOCSY spectra of complex mixtures

Characterization of the chemical components of complex mixtures in solution is important in many areas of biochemistry and chemical biology, including metabolomics. The use of 2D NMR total correlation spectroscopy (TOCSY) experiments has proven very useful for the identification of known metabolites as well as for the characterization of metabolites that are unknown by taking advantage of the good resolution and high sensitivity of this homonuclear experiment. Due to the complexity of the resulting spectra, automation is critical to facilitate and speed-up their analysis and enable high-throughput applications. To better meet these emerging needs, an automated spin-system identification algorithm of TOCSY spectra is introduced that represents the cross-peaks and their connectivities as a mathematical graph, for which all subgraphs are determined that are maximal cliques. Each maximal clique can be assigned to an individual spin system thereby providing a robust deconvolution of the original spectrum for the easy extraction of critical spin system information. The approach is demonstrated for a complex metabolite mixture consisting of 20 compounds and for E. coli cell lysate.
Automatic acoustic segmentation for speech recognition on broadcast recordings

This paper investigates the issue of automatic segmentation of speech recordings for Broadcast News (BN) and Broadcast Conversation (BC) speech recognition. Our previous segmentation algorithm often exhibited high deletion errors, where some speech segments were misclassified as noises and thus were never passed on to the recognizer. In contrast with our previous segmentation models, which only differentiated between speech and non-speech segments, phonetic knowledge is applied to elaborate speech segments by using multiple models for different types of speech segments. Moreover, the “pronunciation” of the speech segment has been modified to loosen the minimum duration constraint of 540ms long. This method makes use of language specific knowledge, while keeping the number of models low to achieve fast segmentation. Experimental results show that the new segmenter outperforms our previous segmenter significantly, particularly in reducing deletion errors.
Complications After Rectal Cancer Surgery

The surgical management of rectal cancer involves a unique set of challenges due to pelvic anatomy, locally advanced tumor growth, pelvic radiation therapy, the potential for contamination, and proximity to the anal sphincter complex. There are a multitude of potential complications that can occur despite the best efforts of experienced rectal cancer surgeons. Types of complications include infections, hemorrhage, iatrogenic injuries, and bowel and bladder dysfunction. Surgeons who perform these operations must be familiar with the diagnosis and management of these complications in order to mitigate the potential consequences. Consequences of postoperative complications after rectal cancer operations may lead to poor functional outcomes leading to worse quality of life, as well as increased mortality.
Measures of browse damage and indexes of ungulate abundance to quantify their impacts on aspen forest regeneration

Abstract Ungulate communities are changing at a global scale, which is increasing the need for landscape scale quantification of ungulate impacts on plant communities. To achieve robust monitoring across variable landscapes, managers need quick and reliable indicators for assessing ungulate impacts. Our goal was to evaluate two direct (meristem removal, defoliation) and two indirect methods (fecal counts, camera counts) for evaluating ungulate activity on forest regeneration after fire. We examined the relationships between measures of browse activity (meristem removal, defoliation) of aspen with ungulate community estimates (fecal and camera counts) as a function of variation in physiographic conditions across the study sites. Measurements were made in belt transects at 28 sites across three fires that burned in National Forests in Utah in 2012. Aspen height was best predicted by a model with meristem removal, terrain ruggedness, aspect, and year. Mean aspen height was 5 cm lower for every 10% increase in meristem removal an effect that increased over time. We found moderate correlation between the year and percent defoliation interaction and aspen density. Percent defoliation was related to reduced aspen density in the 2nd and 3rd years but not in the 1st year. Results demonstrated that meristem removal is correlated closely with ocular estimates of defoliation (r2 = 0.83), ungulate abundance using fecal counts (r2 = 0.65) and camera counts (r2 = 0.63). Fecal counts and camera counts also correlated well with each other (r2 = 0.74). Estimates of meristem removal in our study suggest that 75% browse of apical meristems is an important threshold for successful aspen height growth and 50% defoliation for aspen regeneration density. Our study highlights the strengths of measurements of meristem removal and defoliation to predict ungulate effects on forest recruitment potential.
Rapid Classification and Identification of Multiple Microorganisms with Accurate Statistical Significance via High-Resolution Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Rapid and accurate identification and classification of microorganisms is of paramount importance to public health and safety. With the advance of mass spectrometry (MS) technology, the speed of identification can be greatly improved. However, the increasing number of microbes sequenced is complicating correct microbial identification even in a simple sample due to the large number of candidates present. To properly untwine candidate microbes in samples containing one or more microbes, one needs to go beyond apparent morphology or simple “fingerprinting”; to correctly prioritize the candidate microbes, one needs to have accurate statistical significance in microbial identification. We meet these challenges by using peptide-centric representations of microbes to better separate them and by augmenting our earlier analysis method that yields accurate statistical significance. Here, we present an updated analysis workflow that uses tandem MS (MS/MS) spectra for microbial identification or classification. We have demonstrated, using 226 MS/MS publicly available data files (each containing from 2500 to nearly 100,000 MS/MS spectra) and 4000 additional MS/MS data files, that the updated workflow can correctly identify multiple microbes at the genus and often the species level for samples containing more than one microbe. We have also shown that the proposed workflow computes accurate statistical significances, i.e., E values for identified peptides and unified E values for identified microbes. Our updated analysis workflow MiCId, a freely available software for Microorganism Classification and Identification, is available for download at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/CBBresearch/Yu/downloads.html .
Accreditation council for graduate medical education (ACGME) competencies in neuropathology training

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) has defined 6 core competencies for all physicians: patient care; medical knowledge; practice-based learning and improvement; interpersonal and communication skills; professionalism; and systems-based practice. However, the specific wording of the descriptions often assumes that the physician is a clinician rather than a pathologist. Therefore, the American Association of Neuropathologists, Inc. asked its Professional Affairs Committee to examine the core competencies and determine how they relate to training in neuropathology. The Committee's report is presented here in 6 sections, corresponding to the 6 competencies. In each section, the ACGME definition of that particular competency is either quoted directly or, more often, modified slightly to clarify how the competency applies to neuropathology. Each of the defined competencies is then followed by possible assessment tools, selected from those recommended in the ACGME's "toolbox." Specific suggestions are given for designing tools that apply to neuropathology. Many of the suggested activities and documentation methods can be combined into efficient, carefully formulated training/evaluation exercises. Different tools may be more applicable in some training programs.
Design and Simulation of Fractional-N Frequency Synthesizers

Design and simulation techniques are presented for fractional-N frequency synthesizers that allow fast and straightforward assessment of these systems at the transfer function and behavior levels, respectively. The design approach uses a freely available software tool to perform the loop filter design and allow assessment of the impact of parasitic poles/zeros, gain and pole/zero variations, and detector and VCO noise. The simulation techniques, which are also embedded in a freely available software tool, allow fast and accurate simulation of fractional-N synthesizers by leveraging an area conservation approach and by combining the VCO and divider blocks. The simulation approach is verified by comparison to measured results from a custom fractional-N frequency synthesizer IC.
A Vertical Grid Module for Baroclinic Models of the Atmosphere

The vertical grid of an atmospheric model assigns dynamic and thermo- dynamic variables to grid locations. The vertical coordinate is typically not height but one of a class of meteorological variables that vary with atmo- spheric conditions. The grid system is chosen to further numerical approx- imations of the boundary conditions so that the system is terrain following at the surface. Lagrangian vertical coordinates are useful in reducing the numerical errors from advection processes. That the choices will effect the numercial properties and accuracy is explored in this report. A MATLAB class for Lorentz vertical grids is described and applied to the vertical struc- ture equation and baroclinic atmospheric circulation. A generalized meteo- rolgoical coordinate system is developed which can support σ, isentropic θ vertical coordinate, or Lagrangian vertical coordinates. The vertical atmo- spheric column is a MATLAB class that includes the kinematic and ther- modynamic variables along with methods for computing geopoentials and terms relevant to a 3D baroclinc atmospheric model.
Weight-Related Terms Differentially Affect Self-Efficacy and Perception of Obesity.

Objective Little work has explored the effect of weight-related terms on treatment initiation; only one study has investigated weight-related terms and the psychological constructs associated with treatment uptake. The present study examines the effects of four common weight-related terms on treatment initiation and the moderating effect of weight bias internalization. Methods Adult participants with overweight and obesity (n = 436) were recruited online and asked to read three vignettes describing clinical encounters; the weight-related term (i.e., "weight," "BMI," "obesity," or "fat") was varied randomly. Participants then reported self-efficacy, cognitive and emotional illness beliefs about obesity (i.e., illness perception), and interest in a weight loss program. Results The term "obesity" resulted in the greatest self-efficacy and perceived control over obesity. "Fat" resulted in the least illness coherence (i.e., understanding of obesity). Weight bias internalization did not moderate the effect of term on self-efficacy, nor did it moderate illness perception. No differences in weight loss program enrollment were observed. Conclusions Use of the term "obesity" may promote patients' perceived control and self-efficacy. Use of "fat" should be avoided. Results suggest that, despite patient and clinician preference for euphemistic weight terms, use of clinical language such as "obesity" may perform better in provider intervention.
Strong Interspecific Differences in Foraging Activity Observed Between Honey Bees and Bumble Bees Using Miniaturized Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)

Central place foragers depart from and return to a central location with enough resources for themselves, and in many cases, for the group. Honey bees and bumble bees are eusocial central place foragers. Honey bees use their unique dance language to recruit foragers to the most profitable patches. Bumble bees, on the other hand, exploit patches individually and develop trapline foraging patterns. Given the greater efficiency of the honey bee dance language for communicating the location of profitable resources to other foragers, based on optimal foraging theory, we predicted that bumble bees would put forth greater foraging effort than honey bees. We further hypothesized that both honey bees and bumble bees would respond to local resource availability, and that the foraging effort would reflect temporal fluctuations in colony needs. Using miniaturized radio frequency identification (RFID), we tracked the foraging patterns of individual bees to and from hives at three sites and over five time periods during the 2016 flowering season in south-central Wisconsin. Pollen pellets were also collected from bees returning to the hive. We compared the European honey bee, Apis mellifera, and the common eastern bumble bee, Bombus impatiens. Linear mixed effect models determined the impact of bee species, time of season (period) and site, and their interactions, on multiple foraging effort metrics and on pollen dry weight. Relative to honey bees, individual bumble bees made more foraging trips each day, resulting in a greater time spent foraging. A greater proportion of RFID tagged bumble bees foraged each day and bumble bees brought heavier pollen sacs to the hive compared to honey bees. Foraging bout duration did not vary between bee species and none of the foraging effort metrics varied among time periods or among sites. Both bee species, however, brought heavier pollen sacs back to the hive at the beginning and the end of the flowering season. These results are discussed in terms of the different foraging strategies of the two bee species, temporal and spatial variation in resource availability, and with reference to future research using miniaturized animal tracking technologies in the context of optimal foraging theory.
STEM Imaging with Beam-Induced Hole and Secondary Electron Currents

Transmission electron microscopy excels at determining a sample's physical structure---the locations and identities of its constituent atoms---, but is typically blind to electronic structure. A combination of electron-beam-induced current (EBIC) imaging with scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), however, does reveal electronic properties by detecting the emission of both secondary electrons and the corresponding holes, for differential contrast that is otherwise inaccessible. Thus STEM EBIC can provide high-resolution images of the properties that govern the function of nanoelectronic devices.
Helping Makes a Difference: Employee Volunteering, Identity and the Meaning of Work

As employees express a broad and persistent desire for work that makes a positive impact on others and on society, organizations are increasingly implementing employee volunteer programs to make su...
On the Occurrence of Nonlinear Dynamic Phenomena in the Hysteresis-Controlled Switched Reluctance Motor Drive

This paper explores the nonlinear phenomena (bifurcation and chaos) exhibited in the hysteresis-controlled switched reluctance motor (SRM) drive, under light load torque and low speed condition. The magnetization characteristics of the machine, modelling of the drive system, and analysis of subharmonic and chaotic behaviors, are presented. The simulation results of the time-domain waveforms, FFT analysis, phase portraits, and bifurcation diagrams are also demonstrated and discussed, which reveal strange nonlinear behaviors within this type of motor drive system.
Experimental Evaluation of Redundancy in Android Mutation Testing

Because of the widespread usage of Android devices, the Android ecosystem has the highest numbers of users, developers, and app downloads. Researchers find that many Android apps are not sufficient...
PERICARDITIS PRESENTING AS TYPE-1 BRUGADA PATTERN, A POTENTIAL FIRST

The clinical and electrocardiogram (ECG) findings of Brugada Syndrome was first described in 1992. In the absence of personal or family history of sudden cardiac death or tachyarrhythmia, the ECG finding is the so-called Brugada Pattern. Our case presents such a scenario in a patient with
THE MOST TERRIBLE POVERTY: ADDRESSING AND TREATING THE EPIDEMIC OF LONELINESS IN OLDER ADULTS: Session 319

Abstract Loneliness is a major public health issue in older adults, one that is recognized but not widely discussed by geriatric mental health providers. Anyone who has worked with older adults has experienced the pervasiveness of this issue and the impact loneliness can have on the emotional wellbeing of our patients. One recent study showed that 43% of older adults surveyed endorsed being lonely. In addition to psychological suffering, loneliness has been linked to higher rates of depression, dementia, alcohol dependence, and suicidal ideation. Further, loneliness has been shown to be an independent predictor of frailty, functional decline and death. In this session, the speakers will provide an overview of the existing research into loneliness, including its causes and sequelae. We will also review assessment tools that providers can incorporate into routine assessments. Next, the speakers will present data from original research conducted in the VA Home Based Primary Care program in which they work. This will include information about the prevalence of loneliness in our population of home bound veterans and its physical and mental health correlates. Finally, the speakers will discuss interventions to address loneliness among older adults that have been tried at a local and national level, including implications for public health policy.
Idiopathic Interstitial Pneumonias Medical Image Detection Using Deep Learning Techniques: A Survey

Idiopathic Interstitial Pneumonias (IIP) causes pulmonary fibrosis. How to detect lung nodule from Computerized Tomography (CT) images plays a crucial role in the diagnosis and treatment process. In this paper, we review the CT images recognition algorithm with deep learning methods for the detection of lung nodule patterns. We will compare convolutional neural networks (CNNs) performance for lung nodule image recognition and introduce deep learning methods, including utilization Fast-RCNN and Faster-RCNN, residual learning neural network (ResNet), transfer learning etc.
from the society: Update on the 6th Biennial Conference of the International Biogeography Society

membership corner from the society Update on the 6 th Biennial Conference of the International Biogeography Society Planning is well underway for the Sixth Biennial Conference of the International Biogeography Society, which will be held at the Kovens Convention Center located on Biscayne Bay campus of Florida International University in Miami Florida on January 9 th to 13 th , 2012. January climate in South Florida is mild, with temperatures ranging from 17 to 26 °C and only a small chance of rain. The main conference hotel is located directly on the beach. The preliminary program includes four plenary symposia: (1) Predicting species and biodi- versity in a warmer world: are we doing a good job? (2) Beyond Bergmann: new perspectives on the biogeography of traits, (3) Island biogeography: new syntheses, and Convergence of conservation paleontology and biogeography. Plenary speakers will include, among others, James Brown (University of New Mexico), Jonathan Losos (Harvard University), Elizabeth Hadley (Stanford University), Antoine Guisan (University of Lausanne), and Lauren Buckley (University of North Carolina). Over 70 contributed talks will address a variety of biogeographic themes, from marine biogeography to phylogeography. The spacious conference center will accommodate 300 posters. Graduate students will be able to engage senior scientists during specially organized lunch-time sessions. Pre-conference workshops (Jan 9 th ) in development include half-day sessions on the topics of (1) merging ecophysiological data into species distribution models, (2) popular science writing, (3) advice for early-career and non-native English speakers on preparing work for publication, (4) Bayesian modeling, and a full-day session on (5) biodiversity informatics. Field trips are being planned for the beginning (Jan 9 th ) and end (Jan 13 th ) of the conference. These tours, mostly for small groups of less than 20 people, may range from airboat rides, hikes in Everglades National Park, canoeing the historic Oleta River, birding tour of south Florida, sea kayaking, snorkeling, and tours of the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden. Abstract submission and registration will open mid-2012 1 . Daniel Gavin Vice President for Conferences, International Biogeog- raphy Society. dgavin@uoregon.edu Edited by Matthew Heard 1. Further details are posted at http://www.biogeography.org/html/Meetings/2013/index.html. frontiers of biogeography 4.1, 2012 — © 2012 the authors; journal compilation © 2012 The International Biogeography Society
Practical Guidance for Evaluating Calibrated Trust

As automation, autonomy, and AI become more prevalent, human factors engineers are called to evaluate whether users trust that automation. We argue that the true question is whether users trust the...
Effect of blending protocol on the performance of SBS/sulfur/soybean-derived additive composite modified hard asphalt

This paper explores the feasibility of using SBS/sulfur/soybean-additive in combination in a hard asphalt binder to produce a composite modified asphalt binder. The modification effects of the addi...
Formulae to correct sodium concentrations for serum water fraction in cases of hypo- and hyperproteinemia in cats.

BACKGROUND Biochemistry analyzers in many high-throughput laboratories use indirect potentiometry to determine serum electrolyte concentrations, which involves a pre-analytical dilution step that may be associated with artifactual increases or decreases in electrolyte concentrations under circumstances of altered serum water fraction (SWF). Severe hypo- and hyperproteinemia, conditions that cause altered SWF, are recognized but under-emphasized causes of falsely measured serum sodium concentrations. OBJECTIVES The goals of this study were to determine the average actual SWF (SWFA ) and establish formulae to correct serum sodium concentration measured by indirect potentiometry in hypo- and hyperproteinemic cats. METHODS Serum samples from 112 feline patients were analyzed for electrolytes (measured by both indirect and direct potentiometry), total protein, albumin, triglycerides, and cholesterol. Each serum sample was also lyophilized to determine the SWFA . A feline-specific formula to estimate SWF (SWFE-FEL ) was developed and evaluated with a multivariable linear model. RESULTS The mean SWFA in this population of cats was 91.2%, which was significantly different (P < .0001) than the mean (93.9%) calculated using the human estimated formula (SWFE-HUM ). The formula devised for the SWFE-FEL better recapitulated the SWFA than did the SWFE-HUM , and the corrected sodium concentrations calculated using the feline formula were better correlated with serum sodium measured by direct potentiometry than those determined using the human formula. CONCLUSIONS Application of feline-specific formulae is expected to limit the misinterpretation of electrolyte data from indirect potentiometry when altered SWF occurs. To demonstrate this, a case example of a hypoproteinemic cat is provided.
CHAPTER 2 – THE ASSESSMENT

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the assessment in the DP security game. The first step in the DP security game is an assessment or self-evaluation of the DP environment. “Assessment” involves: (1) determining the acceptability of existing safeguards that are provided by hardware systems, and (2) examining other facets of the security program, such as personnel measures, physical measures, emanation, and communication security.” The objective is to determine the major security strengths and weaknesses in the environment. The DP security assessment can be accomplished in a multitude of ways. It is conducted in two phases: the first—at a gross level—to determine the major strengths and weaknesses and this followed by a second phase, which is to determine the remaining significant strengths and weaknesses. There are also many tools that can be used to obtain the assessment results.
A Risk Stratification Algorithm for Asthma Identification and Prioritization in a Low-Income Urban School.

BACKGROUND Asthma can interfere with school attendance and engagement. School health programs are central to asthma management. Case identification is limited by reliance on parent-completed forms, which are often missing. This project tested a low-burden screening algorithm to stratify students based on priority for nurse outreach at 2 large, urban schools with high asthma prevalence. METHODS Students in grades 1-8 completed a 4-item asthma screener. Two-stage stratification incorporated screener responses, school nurse records, and absenteeism. Students were assigned low, medium, or high priority for follow up. Asthma prevalence in the high priority group was calculated for substantiated asthma. Whether stratification was more likely than chance to identify new cases of asthma in the high-priority group was evaluated using chi-square tests. RESULTS Of 1397 students, 69.7% were screened. Secondary stratification decreased the number of students in the high and medium priority groups. New asthma cases were identified in 46.4% of high-priority families reached for follow up. High-priority students were more likely to be identified as having asthma than chance alone (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS A low-burden screening algorithm appropriately placed students with asthma in the high priority group. This approach may allow efficient, targeted follow up of the highest need students in high prevalence populations.
Targeting Cognition and Motivation in Coordinated Specialty Care for Early Psychosis: A Grant Report.

In this grant report, we describe our project to expand measurement-based psychiatric care across 6 early psychosis treatment teams in Minnesota, and to provide a neuroscience-informed cognitive training and motivation enhancement program for individuals with early psychosis. This project is part of the NIMH Early Psychosis Intervention Network (EPINET) initiative which seeks to link data from treatment centers nationally that offer evidence-based specialty care to persons experiencing early psychosis. Systematic analyses of pooled data collected in EPINET will help inform methods for early psychosis care, psychosis risk factors, and pre-emptive interventions. As part of the national EPINET, our hub (Early Psychosis Intervention-Minnesota, EPI-MINN), will: (1) provide measurement-based care in coordinated specialty care programs for early psychosis, (2) determine whether a structured feedback report provides benefit to stakeholders—service users, family members, and primary clinicians, and (3) explore whether deficits in cognition and motivated behavior—two domains that significantly impact functioning and overall quality of life in early psychosis—can be addressed as key treatment goals by implementing a 12-week mobile intervention. Using a regression discontinuity design, participants will be randomized to the cognitive training and motivational enhancement intervention or to treatment as usual. The intervention consists of neuroscience-informed, computerized auditory and social cognitive training exercises, as well as a mobile app where participants interact with each other and with a motivational coach. Participants will complete assessments at 4 time points: baseline and post-intervention (i.e., at 6 months), and again at 12 and 18 months to test the long-term effects of the intervention. All assessments and interventions in this project can be completed entirely remotely.
On the Risk–Downside Risk Tradeoff

In the last decade the literature has established the empirical importance of the tradeoff between risk and downside risk in a variety of economic settings. While the notions of risk and downside risk have been generalized in the theoretical literature, the literature has yet to provide a choice-theoretic characterization of their tradeoff. This paper provides an analytical characterization of the risk–downside risk tradeoff and shows its relevance in the analysis of optimal decisions under uncertainty, such as the precautionary savings decision.
Perceived Discrimination, Nativity, and Cognitive Performance in a Multi-ethnic Study of Older Adults: Findings from the Kaiser Healthy Aging and Diverse Life Experiences (KHANDLE) Study.

Background Despite growing research on the association between discrimination and disparities in cognitive aging, an evidence gap remains on how the association varies by racial/ethnic group. This study evaluates the associations of experiences of discrimination with cognitive function and whether these associations varied by race/ethnicity and nativity. Methods Using the Kaiser Healthy Aging and Diverse Life Experiences (KHANDLE) cohort (N=1,712) with approximately equal groups of Black, White, Latino, and Asian community-dwelling older adults aged 65 years and older, we evaluated the associations between self-reported experiences of everyday and major lifetime discrimination with overall cognitive performance and domain-specific cognition (verbal episodic memory, semantic memory and executive functioning) across race/ethnicity and nativity. Linear regression models examined the cross-sectional association between self-reported experiences of everyday and major lifetime discrimination with z-standardized coefficients for cognition. We tested for effect modification by race and nativity. All models controlled for age, sex and education. Results Among KHANDLE participants (mean age: 76 years; standard deviation: 6.8), everyday discrimination was not associated with cognitive scores. Major lifetime discrimination was associated with better average cognitive scores among Black participants but not among other racial/ethnic groups. Major lifetime discrimination was associated with better average cognitive scores among US-born but not among non-US born individuals. Conclusion Our findings do not imply that discrimination improves cognition, but rather suggest that future research should include more detailed measures on discrimination and unfair treatment that could help disentangle the extent to which relationships are causal or reflect some other underlying factor.
Metagenomes of polyamine-transforming bacterioplankton along a nearshore–open ocean transect

Short-chained aliphatic polyamines (PAs) have recently been recognized as an important carbon, nitrogen, and/or energy source for marine bacterioplankton. To study the genes and taxa involved in the transformations of different PA compounds and their potential variations among marine systems, we collected surface bacterioplankton from nearshore, offshore, and open ocean stations in the Gulf of Mexico and examined their metagenomic responses to additions of single PA model compounds (putrescine, spermidine, or spermine). Genes affiliated with PA uptake and all three known PA degradation pathways, i.e., transamination, γ-glutamylation, and spermidine cleavage, were significantly enriched in most PA-treated metagenomes. In addition, identified PA-transforming taxa were mostly the alpha and gamma classes of Proteobacteria, with less important contributions from members of Betaproteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Cyanobacteria, Firmicutes, and Planctomycetes. These findings suggest that PA transformations are ubiquitous, have diverse pathways, and are carried out by a broad range of the bacterioplankton taxa in the Gulf of Mexico. Identified PA-transforming bacterial genes and taxa were different among nearshore, offshore, and open ocean sites, but were little different among individual compound-amended metagenomes at any specific site. These observations further indicate that PA-transforming taxa and genes are site-specific and with high similarities among PA compounds.
Uncovering immune and senescent cell interactions in disease

In this backstory, Anil Bhushan explains how recent work from his group investigating the immune-mediated clearance of senescent cells may offer a unique route to the development of senolytic therapies. These findings appeared in the May 2021 issue of Med ( https://www.cell.com/med/fulltext/S2666-6340(21)00163-X ).
Nutrition in old age

Abstract Nutrition in old age seems to have a constantly higher meaning due to the changes in the age structure of the population. Considering nutrition, seniors form a relatively large risk group of the population. In old age, many factors affect both the supply of nutrients and their absorption and usage. The aim of nutrition in old age seems to be the maintenance of the optimal health condition and prevention of nutrient deficiency. In old age, nutrient demand is not decreased; considering lower energy demand, increased morbidity and absorption disorders, it is thus necessary to be aware of the supply of food with an increased concentration of nutrients. Special attention should be paid to the supply of calcium, zinc, vitamin D, folate and B 12 vitamin. A routine area supplementation cannot be recommended first of all because the lowered capacity of the storage of water soluble vitamins into storage organs and for the decreased tolerance limit of a higher dosage.
D1-D2 dopamine receptor interaction within the nucleus accumbens mediates long-loop negative feedback to the ventral tegmental area (VTA).

The objective of the present study was to examine the effects of perfusion of dopamine (DA) D1- and D2-like receptor agonists in the nucleus accumbens (ACB) on the long-loop negative feedback regulation of mesolimbic somatodendritic DA release in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) of Wistar rats employing ipsilateral dual probe in vivo microdialysis. Perfusion of the ACB for 60 min with the D1-like receptor agonist SKF 38393 (SKF, 1–100 µm) dose-dependently reduced the extracellular levels of DA in the ACB, whereas the extracellular levels of DA in the VTA were not changed. Similarly, application of the D2-like receptor agonist quinpirole (Quin, 1–100 µm) through the microdialysis probe in the ACB reduced the extracellular levels of DA in the ACB in a concentration-dependent manner, whereas extracellular levels of DA in the VTA were not altered. Co-application of SKF (100 µm) and Quin (100 µm) produced concomitant reductions in the extracellular levels of DA in the ACB and VTA. The reduction in extracellular levels of DA in the ACB and VTA produced by co-infusion of SKF and Quin was reversed in the presence of either 100 µm SCH 23390 (D1-like antagonist) or 100 µm sulpiride (D2-like antagonist). Overall, the results suggest that (a) activation of dopamine D1- or D2-like receptors can independently regulate local terminal DA release in the ACB, whereas stimulation of both subtypes is required for activation of the negative feedback pathway to the VTA.
Antimicrobial activity against strains of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp. with resistance phenotypes consistent with an extended-spectrum β-lactamase in Europe

Extended-spectrum β -lactamases (ESBLs) have continued to evolve after their initial detection in Europe nearly two decades ago. The summary results from the MYSTIC Program (31 medical centers) were utilized to assess the extent of ESBL occurrence in Europe from 1997 to 2000. ESBL phenotype rates in Klebsiella spp. (32.8%) and Escherichia coli (14.4%) were generally stable, but extensive hospital-to-hospital and unit-to-unit variations were noted. The highest ESBL rates were found in eastern Europe (including Turkey) and in intensive care unit patient populations. Carbapenems remained active against the ESBL-producing strains (meropenem MIC 90 ,0.25–1 mg/L), while some other agents, such as aminoglycosides, fluoroquinolones, and piperacillin–tazobactam, were significantly less effective. International surveillance initiatives should be maintained to monitor future progression of this important resistance.
12 Measuring the Proximity of Proteins in Living Cells by Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer between CFP and YFP

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the complete process of a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based analysis of the organization of a protein complex. It also compares the properties of the two versions of yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) for their value as FRET donors in yeast. Protocols for tagging proteins are also presented in the chapter. FRET is measured by digital epifluorescence microscopy. The chapter demonstrates the use of FRET R to measure sensitized emission. FRET R is both intuitive, easy to implement, and simplifies comparisons across projects and labs. Fluorescence microscopy can determine whether two tagged proteins localize to the same compartment, but because of the limit of the resolution of light microscopy, it cannot demonstrate interactions between a protein pair. FRET overcomes this limitation because typically FRET can only occur if two fluorophores are at least within 7nm. FRET is the transfer of excitation energy from one fluorophore, referred to as “the donor,” to a second fluorophore, the “acceptor.” It can occur when the wave properties of the electrons in the excited state of the donor overlap the wave properties of the ground state electrons of the acceptor.
Reducing False Causality in Causal Message Ordering

A significant shortcoming of causal message ordering systems is their inefficiency because of false causality. False causality is the result of the inability of the "happens before" relation to model true causal relationships among events. The inefficiency of causal message ordering algorithms takes the form of additional delays in message delivery and requirements for large message buffers. This paper gives a lightweight causal message ordering algorithm based on a modified "happens before" relation. This lightweight algorithm greatly reduces the inefficiencies that traditional causal message ordering algorithms suffer from, by reducing the problem of false causality.
Studies with a New Colorimetric Test for Proteinuria

A color reaction of protein has been formulated into two simple colorimetric tests for protein in urine; one is a tablet test, consisting of a salicylate buffer and bromphenol blue, and the other is a strip test, consisting of a paper strip impregnated with a citrate buffer and tetrabromphenol blue. The basic principle in both tests is that of "protein error of indicators." Experiments with approximately 5000 urines, taken from both hospital patients and normal subjects, reveal that these tests are simple, rapid, accurate, sensitive, specific, and capable of being used with turbid urines.
FRAMING OF JACOB ZUMA AND POLYGAMY IN DIE BURGER (2008–2013)

ABSTRACTThe traditional practice of polygamy, whereby a person is married to more than one spouse at the same time, entered the public discourse in South Africa primarily through President Jacob Zuma's weddings in 2008, 2010 and 2012. This article aims to reflect the discussion of Zuma's polygamy in particularly the Afrikaans communities of South Africa from 2008 to 2013, as the Afrikaans language newspaper Die Burger targets this segment of the broader society. Drawing on framing theory, three major themes emerged from this analysis. First, writers in Die Burger want Jacob Zuma to be a modern head of state instead of a traditional man. Second, they believe that the particular cultural right to practise polygamy violates women's human rights. Third, they see Jacob Zuma and polygamy not as a private but as a public issue, since taxpayers are supporting his family financially.