cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Increasing Documentation and Referral for Youth at Risk for Violence Through the Primary Health Care Setting

Objective. Evaluate the use of a previsit violence risk screen to determine whether screening during routine care increases health care practitioner’s (HCP’s) documentation of violence risk. Methods. Once consented, adolescents filled out the Violence Injury, Protection and Risk Screen Tool (VIPRS). For usual care screen results were not viewed by the HCP. For the intervention screen results were imbedded in the electronic medical record and viewed by the HCP. The primary outcome—documented reference to violence risk—was determined by chart review. Results. Three hundred and fifty-six youth participated. Age was 14.5 years (SD 0.3); 65% female, 45% Hispanic, 38% black. Odds of violence related documentation was 47.4 (P < .001) in the intervention compared with usual care. Those who were positive on the VIPRS had a 10 times greater odds of receiving a violence intervention compared with controls. Conclusions. Previsit screening for violence risk significantly increases HCP’s documentation of violent behavi...
Buzzing the plaque: Coronary rotational atherectomy in its third decade

Rotational atherectomy enhances successful stenting in high risk, limited option PCI. Independent risk factors for mortality, not surprisingly, include older age, reduced LVEF, renal insufficiency and diabetes. These results support the continued importance of rotational atherectomy to support the growing frequency of high risk, no option PCI patients often with complex calcified lesions.
Investigation of the utility of an in vitro release test for optimizing semisolid dosage forms.

Current literature indicates that an in vitro release test (IVRT) can serve as a research tool during the course of developing topical formulations. The purpose of this study was therefore to investigate the ability of an IVRT to select the topical semisolid formulations with the most rapid release rate of the model drug ketoprofen from two closely related hydrogels in a simulated product development process. Two glycols with distinct differences in their physical-chemical properties, Transcutol P (ethoxydiglycol) and propylene glycol, were incorporated into Carbopol 980 and Poloxamer 407 formulations. The release rate of ketoprofen was determined utilizing different receptor media and conditions, i.e., phosphate buffer pH 7.4, isopropyl myristate (IPM), and a combination of an IPM soaked membrane and phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) as receptor fluid. The results indicated that the conditions chosen could affect greatly the conclusions concerning the formulations. The only observable trend was that Transcutol P-containing formulations tended to permit a faster ketoprofen release than propylene glycol-containing formulations when utilizing IPM as a receptor component. This was attributed to the mutual miscibility of Transcutol P in IPM. It can be concluded that, for the purpose of formulation screening in the early phases of product development, an IVRT will only be useful for predicting the amount of drug available for absorption if the receptor medium has properties that closely mimic human skin. These results illustrate the importance of selecting suitable receptor components and indicate that it may be necessary to consider alternatives to the commonly used synthetic membranes.
Comparative aspects of amygdala connectivity.

Abstract: The connections of the amygdala in rats, cats, and monkeys can be divided into three systems: (1) A largely forebrn system provides sensory information to the amygdala from the olfactory cortex, ascending taste/visceral pathways, posterior thalamus and sensory association cortex. Most of these connections are reciprocal and also support amygdaloid modulation of sensory processing. (2) A set of projections extends from the amygdala to the hypothalamus and brain stem, which appears to modulate visceral function in relation to emotional stimuli. (3) A forebrain circuit involves the amygdala with the ventromedial frontal, rostral insular, and rostral temporal cortical areas, the medial thalamus and ventromedial basal ganglia, and seems to be directly involved in emotional behavior and mood. All of these systems are present in all mammals studied; the major differences lie in the greater elaboration of the cerebral cortex in primates.
Head and Neck Rhabdomyosarcoma: A Critical Analysis of Population-Based Incidence and Survival Data

Objective. To evaluate trends in incidence, survival, and treatment of rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) of the head and neck.Study Design. Retrospective review of a national database.Setting. Tertiary medica...
Understanding the conceptual development phase of applied theory-building research: A grounded approach

This article presents a provisional grounded theory of conceptual development for applied theory-building research. The theory described here extends the understanding of the components of conceptual development and provides generalized relations among the components. The conceptual development phase of theory-building research has been widely debated and discussed in a variety of disciplines, most notably in sociology and management theory. The breadth and number of these contributions makes it difficult for many human resource development (HRD) theorists to select the most appropriate process or framework to follow, and guidelines or a framework are needed to further the development of HRD theory. This grounded study contributes toward that gap. The study found that a five-component framework of conceptual development emerged from creating an HRD theory on human capital transformation.
An unusual source of abdominal pain after adjustable gastric banding

An unusual source of abdominal pain after adjustable gastric banding Evelyn Mok, B.S., Hernan A. Bazan, M.D., Daniel M. Herron, M.D.* Department of Surgery, Division of Laparoscopic Surgery, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York Department of Surgery, Division of Vascular Surgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut Manuscript received July 6, 2005; revised August 11, 2005; accepted August 18, 2005
Toward an Anthropology of Democracy

▪ Abstract Anthropologists, through their ethnographic method, relationships with people outside of formal and elite political institutions, and attention to alternative worldviews, bring to the study of democracy an examination of local meanings, circulating discourses, multiple contestations, and changing forms of power that is rare in the scholarly literature on democratic transitions, which has largely focused on political institutions and formal regime shifts. This review brings together the writings of ethnographers working in a wide variety of settings to generate lines of inquiry and analysis for developing an anthropology of democracy.
Polysiloxane-Epoxide as Cross-Linkable Binders for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Cross-linkable polysiloxane-epoxides were synthesized and investigated as new electrode binders for lithium-ion batteries. Mesocarbon microbead (MCMB) electrodes were prepared with a series of polysiloxane-epoxides precursors thermally cross-linked by polyamines and evaluated electrochemically in MCMB/Li cells. We demonstrated that the composition and functionality of the new cross-linked binders play a significant role in the lithium-ion cell performance.
Using message semantics to reduce rollback in optimistic message logging recovery schemes

Recovery from failures can be achieved through asynchronous checkpointing and optimistic message logging. These schemes have low overheads during failure-free operations. Central to these protocols is the determination of a maximal consistent global state, which is recoverable. Message semantics is not exploited in most existing recovery protocols to determine the recoverable state. We propose to identify messages that are not influential in a computation through message semantics. These messages can be logically removed from the computation without changing its meaning or result. We show that considering these messages in the recoverable state computation gives rise to recoverable states that dominate the recoverable state defined under conventional model. We then develop an algorithm for identifying these messages. This technique can also be applied to ensure a more timely commitment for output in a distributed computation. >
Transcriptional Regulation of Renin: An Update

Renin, as a component of the renin-angiotensin system, plays important roles in the regulation of blood pressure, electrolyte homeostasis, and mammalian renal development. Transcription of renin ge...
c-N-ras is activated infrequently in canine malignant lymphoma

Activated c-N-ras alleles have been detected in human lymphoma specimens. The aim of the present study was to determine the frequency of c-N-ras mutational activation in canine malignant lymphoma. DNA was isolated from 28 canine malignant lymphoma specimens collected from 28 separate dogs and examined for c-N-ras mutations by polymerase chain reaction amplification and direct sequencing. The tumors were naturally occurring and derived from 20 dogs with known exposures to the phenoxy herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and from 8 dogs with no known exposure to the herbicide. An oncogenically activating mutation was found in 1 dog without known 2,4-D exposure. The mutation was a 13th codon, second position transition that would result in a glycine-to-aspartate amino acid substitution. The results of this study demonstrate that, similar to the human, c-N-ras mutations are uncommon in dogs with malignant lymphoma and that there is no association between 2,4-D exposure and activation of c-N-ras in the dog.
Strategies for targeting HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein gp120 in the development of new antivirals

The efficacy of highly active antiretroviral therapy for the treatment of HIV-1/AIDS is continuously threatened by viral mutations that lower the potency of one or more of its components and by the occurrence of severe side effects that lead to poor patient compliance. There is an urgent need for the development of drugs against new viral targets. Among the most attractive targets for drug development is the viral envelope glycoprotein gp120, responsible for the initial step in viral infection. gp120 binds to the cell surface receptor CD4 and initiates the cascade of events that culminates with the entry of the virus into the cell. Two classes of drugs are being developed against gp120, drugs that block the attachment of the virus and drugs that inhibit the subsequent activation mechanism. Both approaches are discussed in this article.
Simulation and Game-Theoretic Analysis of an Attacker-Defender Game

This paper uses agent-based simulation to determine appropriate strategies for attackers and defenders in a simple network security game, using a method which is generalizable to many other security games. In this game, both sides are modeled as strategic entities. The attacker is trying to maximize the amount of damage he causes, and the defender is trying to minimize her loss subject to cost constraints. Through simulation, we derive Nash equilibrium strategies for each side under a variety of cost conditions in order to better inform network administrators about attacker behaviors and possible mitigations.
A reciprocal identity method for large silencer analysis

Abstract Conventional techniques used in the boundary element method for evaluating muffler transmission loss have been limited by the cutoff frequency of the inlet and outlet ducts. Even though the boundary element method itself is a truly three-dimensional analysis tool, it has not been effectively used on large silencers due to the large inlet and outlet cross sections. In this paper, a numerical technique based on the reciprocal identity and the boundary element impedance matrix is proposed as a post-processing filter to extract the transmission loss of large silencers at all frequencies. Each reciprocal identity couples two different sound fields on the same silencer geometry. The first sound field has the analytical modal expansion in the inlet and outlet ducts, while the second sound field is the boundary element solution associated with a random boundary condition set. Depending on how many modes exist in the inlet and outlet ducts at a certain frequency, a minimum number of random boundary condition sets must be applied to the boundary element model. The boundary element impedance matrix provides more than enough such solution sets for the reciprocal identity coupling. The overdetermined system is then solved by a least-squares procedure. The proposed method is verified by comparing to the analytical solutions of a simple expansion chamber and a round bar silencer.
Surgical Management of Chronic Pancreatitis

Advances over the past decade have indicated that a complex interplay between environmental factors, genetic predisposition, alcohol abuse, and smoking lead towards the development of chronic pancreatitis. Chronic pancreatitis is a complex disorder that causes significant and chronic incapacity in patients and a substantial burden on the society. Major advances have been made in the etiology and pathogenesis of this disease and the role of genetic predisposition is increasingly coming to the fore. Advances in noninvasive diagnostic modalities now allow for better diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis at an early stage of the disease. The impact of these advances on surgical treatment is beginning to emerge, for example, patients with certain genetic predispositions may be better treated with total pancreatectomy versus lesser procedures. Considerable controversy remains with respect to the surgical management of chronic pancreatitis. Modern understanding of the neurobiology of pain in chronic pancreatitis suggests that a window of opportunity exists for effective treatment of the intractable pain after which central sensitization can lead to an irreversible pain syndrome in patients with chronic pancreatitis. Effective surgical procedures exist for chronic pancreatitis; however, the timing of surgery is unclear. For optimal treatment of patients with chronic pancreatitis, close collaboration between a multidisciplinary team including gastroenterologists, surgeons, and pain management physicians is needed.
Identifying the broken heart: predictors of mortality and morbidity in suspected blunt cardiac injury

Abstract Background Blunt cardiac injury (BCI) is an infrequent but potentially fatal finding in thoracic trauma. Its clinical presentation is highly variable and patient characteristics and injury pattern have never been described in trauma patients. The aim of this study was to identify predictors of mortality in BCI patients. Methods We performed an 8-year retrospective analysis of all trauma patients diagnosed with BCI at our Level 1 trauma center. Patients older than 18 years, blunt chest trauma, and a suspected diagnosis of BCI were included. BCI was diagnosed based on the presence of electrocardiography (EKG), echocardiography, biochemical cardiac markers, and/or radionuclide imaging studies. Elevated troponin I was defined as more than 2 recordings of greater than or equal to .2. Abnormal EKG findings were defined as the presence of bundle branch block, ST segment, and t-wave abnormalities. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed. Results A total of 117 patients with BCI were identified. The mean age was 51 ± 22 years, 65% were male, mean systolic blood pressure was 93 ± 65, and overall mortality rate was 44%. Patients who died were more likely to have a lactate greater than 2.5 (68% vs 31%, P = .02), hypotension (systolic blood pressure Conclusions BCI remains an important diagnostic and management challenge. However, once diagnosed resuscitative therapy focused on correction of hypotension and lactate may prove beneficial. Although the role of troponin in diagnosing BCI remains controversial, elevated troponin may have prognostic significance.
Racial disparities in patient activation: Evaluating the mediating role of health literacy with path analyses.

Abstract Objective The aim of this study was to use path analysis methods to determine if health literacy mediates the relationship between race and patient activation. Methods We performed a secondary analysis of data from a randomized controlled trial in elderly, urban, minority patients using path analysis. Path analysis was used to evaluate the mediation of race on patient activation through different variables. Several models were tested for best fit for their effects on patient activation. Results Across all models, significant mediation paths were identified from race to lower patient activation through health literacy. This relationship remained significant throughout alternative model testing for covariate combinations. The best-fit model included an indirect effect of sex on patient activation through health literacy indicating that the mediation effect of health literacy on patient activation was most profound for African American males. Health literacy had a bigger influence on patient activation for participants with a greater comorbidity than for those with fewer conditions. No significant direct effect was shown between race and patient activation in any of the models. Conclusion Racial disparities in patient activation were fully mediated by health literacy skills. Practice implications Future interventions to improve racial disparities in patient activation need to be targeted at improving health literacy.
Comparative Analysis of Milk Quality Collected from Holstein Cows and Sicilo-Sarde Sheep Breed in Tunisia

The objective of this study was to compare the quality of milk produced from Tunisian Holstein cows and SiciloSarde ewes during their milking period. The experience concerned 80 Holstein (means age 5.2 years; mean weight = 530 kg) and 54 of Sicilo-Sarde ewes (mean age = 6 years; mean weight = 45 kg). The milk samples was taken from the morning and the afternoon milking and added with potassium dichromate. Refrigerated samples were used to determine milk content in fat (MG) and protein (MP) using Milkoscan 4000 after 24 hours of conservation for both cows and ewes. ANOVA was carried using SAS software (version 1997). The results showed that for cows the mean rate of fat (MG) and protein (MP) was respectively 3.3 ± 0.5 % and 3.4 ± 0.5 %. However, for ewe MG and MP were respectively 7.3 ± 0.7 % and 6.3 ± 1.1 %. We found also that the milk component in MG and MP cow’s varied during the milking period (p <0.05) compared to the milk ewe’s which present only a variation in MG component during the milking period (p <0.05). Besides, the total milk production for ewes was affected by the sex of foetus and the rank of milking (p <0.05). We conclude that the milk quality of Tunisian Sicilo-Sarde ewe contains rates of fat and protein greater than those in Tunisian Holstein cows. The chemical quality of the two kinds of milks is also affected by the stage of lactation. Moreover, milk ewe production is also affected by the sex of fœtus and the rank of milking.
Intranets and Extranets

This chapter introduces intranets and extranets as two of the growing applications of Internet and Web technology used in support of e-commerce. The excitement created by the Internet has been transferred to another growing application called intranets, which are private and are not necessarily connected to the World Wide Web. Intranets are connected to a specific company network, and the users are usually the company's employees. An intranet is separated from the Internet through a firewall (or several firewalls). Intranets usually have higher throughput and performance than the Internet and are generally more secure. Some organizations allow customers and business partners to access their intranets for specific business purposes. For example, a supplier may want to check inventory status or account balances. These networks are referred to as extranets. It should be noted that an organization usually makes only a portion of its intranet accessible to these external parties. Also, comprehensive security measures must ensure that access is given only to authorized users and trusted business partners.
Bithionol blocks pathogenicity of bacterial toxins, ricin, and Zika virus.

Diverse pathogenic agents often utilize overlapping host networks and hub proteins within these networks represent attractive targets for broad-spectrum drugs. Using bacterial toxins, we describe a new approach for discovering broad-spectrum therapies capable of inhibiting host proteins that mediate multiple pathogenic pathways. This approach can be widely used, as it combines genetic-based target identification with cell survival-based and protein function-based multiplex drug screens and concurrently discovers therapeutic compounds and their protein targets. Using B-lymphoblastoid cells derived from the HapMap Project cohort of persons of African, European and Asian ancestry we identified host caspases as hub proteins that mediate the lethality of multiple pathogenic agents. We discovered that an approved drug, Bithionol, inhibits host caspases and also reduces the detrimental effects of anthrax lethal toxin, diphtheria toxin, cholera toxin, Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A, Botulinum neurotoxin, ricin and Zika virus. Our study reveals the practicality of identifying host proteins that mediate multiple disease pathways and discovering broad-spectrum therapies that target these hub proteins.
Incorporating Persistent Pain in Phenotypic Frailty Measurement and Prediction of Adverse Health Outcomes

Background Frailty, a syndrome of physiological deficits, is prevalent among older adults and predicts elevated risk of adverse health outcomes. Although persistent pain predicts similar risk, it is seldom considered in frailty measurement. This article evaluated the construct and predictive validity of including persistent pain in phenotypic frailty measurement. Methods Frailty and persistent pain were operationalized using data from the Health and Retirement Study (2006-2012 waves). Among a subset of adults aged 65 and older (n = 3,652), we used latent class analysis to categorize frailty status and to evaluate construct validity. Using Cox proportional hazards models, we compared time to incident adverse outcomes (death, fall, hospitalization, institutionalization, and functional disability) between frailty classes determined by either including or excluding persistent pain as a frailty component. Results In latent class models, persistent pain occurred with other frailty components in patterns consistent with a medical syndrome. Frail and intermediately frail classes determined by including persistent pain were more strongly associated with all adverse outcomes compared with frail and intermediately frail classes determined excluding persistent pain. Frail respondents had significantly greater risk of death compared with nonfrail respondents when frailty models included rather than excluded persistent pain (respectively, hazard ratio [HR] = 3.87, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.99-5.00 (including pain); HR = 2.10, 95% CI = 1.71-2.59 (excluding pain). Conclusions Findings support consideration of persistent pain as a component of the frailty phenotype. Persistent pain assessment may provide an expedient method to enhance frailty measurement and improve prediction of adverse outcomes.
Note: A single specimen channel crack growth technique applied to brittle thin films on polymer substrates

We introduce an external-load-assisted thin film channel crack growth technique to measure the subcritical crack growth properties of thin films (i.e., crack velocity, v, versus the strain energy release rate, G), and demonstrate it using 250-nm-thick SiNx films on poly(ethylene terephthalate) substrates. The main particularity of this technique is that it requires a polymer substrate to allow loading to large strains (in order to induce channel cracking) without substrate fracture. Its main advantages are to provide a full v-G curve with a single specimen while relying on a simple specimen preparation and straightforward crack growth characterization. Importantly, the technique can be employed for a much larger range of thin films compared to the residual-stress-driven, thin film channel crack growth tests, including ultrathin films and thin film with residual compressive stresses. The restrictions to a proper use of this technique, related to the (visco)plastic deformation of the substrate, are discussed.
Transmission fitness of drug-resistant HIV revealed in a surveillance system transmission network.

Test-and-treat programs are central to the global control of HIV, but transmitted drug resistance threatens the effectiveness of these programs. HIV mutations conferring resistance to antiretroviral drugs reduce replicative fitness in vitro, but their effect on propagation in vivo is less understood. Here, we estimate transmission fitness of these mutations in antiretroviral-naive populations in the U.S. National HIV Surveillance System by comparing their frequency of clustering in a genetic transmission network relative with wild-type viruses. The large dataset (66,221 persons), comprising 30,196 antiretroviral-naive persons, permitted the evaluation of sixty-nine resistance mutations. Decreased transmission fitness was demonstrated for twenty-three mutations, including M184V. In contrast, many high prevalence mutations (e.g. K103N, Y181C, and L90M) had transmission fitness that was indistinguishable from or exceeded wild-type fitness, permitting the establishment of large, self-sustaining drug resistance reservoirs. We highlight implications of these findings on strategies to preserve global treatment effectiveness.
Parameter selection for optimized non-local means filtering of task fMRI

Non-local means (NLM) filtering of fMRI can reduce noise while preserving spatial structure. We have developed a variant called temporal-NLM (tNLM) which uses similarity in time-series between voxels as the basis for computing the weights in the filter. Using tNLM, dynamic fMRI data can be denoised while spatial boundaries between functionally distinct areas in the brain tend to be preserved. The degree of smoothing in tNLM is determined by a parameter h. Here we describe a procedure for selection of h to optimize our ability to differentiate functionally discrete brain regions. We demonstrate the method in application to optimized filtering of task fMRI data.
Factors Influencing Food Consumption in Rural and Urban Areas of Latur District

Multistage sampling design was adopted for selection of district, tahsils, villages and households. In first stage Latur district was selected purposively from Marathwada region of Maharashtra state. In the second stage Latur, Ausa and Renapur tahsils from Latur district was selected purposively. In third stage, three tahsils headquarters were purposively selected and one village from each tahsil was selected randomly. In fourth stage, ten households from headquarters and ten households from villages were selected randomly. Thus, a total of 30 households from urban area and 30 households from rural area were selected. To study the influence of different factors on food consumption, a multiple linear regression analysis was carried out. The coefficient of multiple determination (R2) was 0.82 in the case of rural and 0.84 in the case of urban area.
Resource Generation in a Virtual World: Practices, Culture and Workspace

Communication technologies allow organizations to increasingly rely on distributed work arrangements and are changing the nature of workspaces and practices within them. It is thus imperative to un...
Reproductive Socioecology of Tufted Capuchins (Cebus apella nigritus) in Northeastern Argentina

We describe the reproductive parameters of tufted capuchins (Cebus apella nigritus) in the Iguazu National Park, NE Argentina. We obtained data on six different groups (33 individually recognized adult females) studied for periods of 2–9 years. Estimated birthrate is 0.59 infants per female per year in unprovisioned groups. A group that was provisioned for 6 years during the winter period of low fruit availability (May–August), showed a similar birth rate of 0.61, but a lower infant mortality rate than unprovisioned groups. The birthrate estimated for this population is higher than the one reported for white-faced and wedge-capped capuchins. The mean interbirth interval is 19.35 months, but a female can have infants in successive years, even when her previous infant has survived. The modal age at first delivery is 7 years, which is similar to the one observed in wedge-capped capuchins. When young adult females come into estrous they avoid copulating with the alpha male that sired them, thus providing evidence for a behavioral mechanism of inbreeding avoidance. Births are very seasonal at Iguazu, occurring during the spring and summer months (October–February) when food availability is at its peak. Tufted capuchins at Iguazu are more seasonal breeders than other capuchin populations, probably as a result of their more seasonal environment. The secondary sex ratio does not deviate significantly from 1:1, despite the known ability of capuchins to adjust secondary sex ratio to local conditions.
EFFECTS OF TRANSFER FACTOR IN WALDENSTROM'S MACROGLOBULINEMIA AND MULTIPLE MYELOMA*

Publisher Summary This chapter outlines the results of experiments conducted to demonstrate effects of transfer factor (TF) in Waldenstrom‘s macroglobulinemia and multiple myeloma. The chapter outlines that TF has been shown to enhance T cell function and recent studies by Kirkpatrick indicate that it can suppress T cell function as well. The tests also highlight that positive skin test reactivity to candida was transferred in the patient with Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia. No effects of TF on IgG synthesis to multiple myeloma were observed during tests, thus the data demonstrates diminished T cell activity in the patients with multiple myeloma that was partially correctable by adjunct transfer factor therapy. The study results suggested that some aspects of Waldenstrom‘s macroglobulinemia and multiple myeloma may result from faulty T–B cell interactions and that TF may affect this interaction. The team feels that there is a need for further investigations of cell-mediated mechanisms in these disorders and their potential correction by transfer factor.
International Victim of War

This chapter contains a case study of a woman who presents to the emergency department with a man who identifies himself as her husband. As the encounter continues, the care team discovers that the patient is a victim of human trafficking.
Flaviviruses have imperfect icosahedral symmetry

Flaviviruses assemble initially in an immature, noninfectious state and undergo extensive conformational rearrangements to generate mature virus. Previous cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structural studies of flaviviruses assumed icosahedral symmetry and showed the concentric organization of the external glycoprotein shell, the lipid membrane, and the internal nucleocapsid core. We show here that when icosahedral symmetry constraints were excluded in calculating the cryo-EM reconstruction of an immature flavivirus, the nucleocapsid core was positioned asymmetrically with respect to the glycoprotein shell. The core was positioned closer to the lipid membrane at the proximal pole, and at the distal pole, the outer glycoprotein spikes and inner membrane leaflet were either perturbed or missing. In contrast, in the asymmetric reconstruction of a mature flavivirus, the core was positioned concentric with the glycoprotein shell. The deviations from icosahedral symmetry demonstrated that the core and glycoproteins have varied interactions, which likely promotes viral assembly and budding.
Older Parents' and Middle-Aged Children's Communication as Predictors of Children's Successful Aging

The communicative ecology model of successful aging (CEMSA) examines how people’s language and communication surrounding the aging process (e.g., making age-related excuses) predicts successful agi...
Prevalence, Patterns, and Predictors: A Statewide Longitudinal Study of Childhood Obesity.

Background We examined prevalence, incidence, and trajectory of obesity from kindergarten through grade 8 in one of the first states to implement annual surveillance. Methods Participants included 16,414 children enrolled in kindergarten in Arkansas in 2004 with complete body mass index (BMI) measurements in kindergarten and eighth grade. Repeated measures of weight status were entered in multiple linear and logistic regression models with demographics and family poverty status. Results The prevalence of obesity (BMI ≥ 95th percentile) was lowest in kindergarten (14.9%), with subsequent incidence rates consistent at 4%. Prevalence and incidence peaked in eighth grade (24.5% and 4.9%, respectively), with 33.8% of children measuring obese at least once by eighth grade. Kindergarten obesity was a significant predictor of eighth grade obesity (odds ratio, 17.5; 95% confidence interval, 15.8-19.3). We found statistically significant 3-way interactions for sex, race, and time, suggesting unique patterns for Hispanic boys and black girls. Conclusions Our study documents unique longitudinal patterns of obesity from kindergarten through eighth grade that expand our understanding of risk. It demonstrates the value of public school health systems that collect routine administrative data about student BMI that is integrated with education records to foster program and policy discussions.
Advances in upper airway diseases and allergen immunotherapy in 2007

The purpose of this review is to highlight important articles on upper airway diseases and immunotherapy that appeared in 2007. Advances in rhinitis include the realization that allergic rhinitis might be caused by local nasal IgE sensitization to aeroallergens in the absence of systemic evidence of IgE sensitization. After inhalation, allergens might reach systemic circulation. Epidemiologic studies continue to show that allergic rhinitis impairs school performance and is a risk factor for future asthma. New pathways are being identified in chronic sinusitis, as well as in different types of allergic ocular diseases. New treatments for patients with allergic rhinitis include use of β-1,3-glucan, a mushroom product that can reduce allergic symptoms by inducing T H 1 response, and olopatadine nasal spray. Studies on immunotherapy in 2007 suggest that sublingual immunotherapy induces similar immunologic alterations as those induced by subcutaneous immunotherapy, although to a lesser degree. Among allergists in the United States, there is a sizable variation in clinical practice, particularly related to concomitant administration of immunotherapy and β-blockers, to administration of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, and to patients with HIV or autoimmune diseases. The combination of omalizumab with allergen subcutaneous immunotherapy can enhance clinical efficacy. Recombinant technology can modify allergen structure to prevent binding to IgE (allergenicity) while enhancing immunogenicity (stimulation of T cells), which might improve the safety and efficacy of immunotherapy.
Climatic and Ontological Change in the Anthropocene among the Makushi in Guyana

This essay examines climatic and ontological change within the Anthropocene among the Makushi in Guyana. During fieldwork in the Makushi village of Surama, the author was frequently told how the we...
Role of lipid rafts in virus replication.

Publisher Summary This chapter illustrates the current knowledge on lipid rafts and describes the most recent findings on the relationship between lipid rafts and virus replication.It also discusses possible models to explain the evolution of virus–raft association. It has been suggested that for the association of signal transduction molecules with rafts, one of the possible benefits for viruses of raft binding during assembly is that various viral components can be efficiently concentrated to a confined area of the plasma membrane, thereby facilitating multimerization. Rafts may provide a common destination for multiple envelope glycoproteins or for envelope glycoproteins and inner structural proteins and thereby promote the incorporation of glycoproteins into virus particles. As proposed for the oligomerization of bacterial toxins in detergent-resistant membrane, rafts may also serve as concentration platforms that increase the multimerization efficiency of raft-associated internal structural proteins. For viral structural proteins peripherally associated with the lipid bilayer, ensuring stable binding to the cytoplasmic leaflet of the plasma membrane is essential for efficient virus assembly. Rafts may facilitate this process directly by providing essential cellular components or a suitable lipid bilayer microenvironment for membrane binding.
Dynamic Evolution of Distributional Ambiguity Sets and Precision Tradeoffs in Data Assimilation

This paper studies the evolution of ambiguity sets employed in distributionally robust optimization problems. We assume the unknown distribution of the random variable evolves according to a known deterministic dynamics. Assuming that the initial distribution of the data is compactly supported, we study how the assimilation of samples collected during some time interval evolution can be leveraged to make inferences about the unknown distribution of the process at the sampling horizon end. Under perfect knowledge of the dynamics' flow map, we provide sufficient conditions relating the solutions' growth and the sampling rate, which establish reduction of the ambiguity set size as the horizon increases. In the case where numerical errors are modeled during the computation of the flow, or the dynamics are subject to an unknown bounded disturbance, we also characterize the exploitable sample history that results in the guaranteed reduction of the ambiguity set.
Die Silberpappel und Brechts Sorge um die Kunst im Totalitarismus. Drei Gedichte aus den Buckower Elegien

Neben den dramatischen Werken und der Theaterarbeit wird auch Bertolt Brechts Lyrik immer haufiger und zu gutem Recht Gegenstand der literaturwissenschaftlichen Forschung. Viele renommierte Autoren und Literaturwissenschaftler unterstreichen die Bedeutung des Dichters Bertolt Brecht. Den Forschungsgegenstand dieses Beitrags stellen die 3 Gedichte aus den Buckower Elegien dar, die im Sommer 1953 entstanden sind, in den letzten Jahrzehnten von vielen Literaturwissenschaftlern interpretiert wurden und als der Hohepunkt der spaten Lyrik Brechts gelten. Diese Gedichte: Der Blumengarten, Die Tannen und Boser Morgen bieten eine hochst asthetische Natur- und Menschenanalyse an, wobei die Baummetaphorik eine entscheidende Rolle spielt. Im Beitrag wird die Vielschichtigkeit der Symbolik von „Tanne“ und „Silberappel“ behandelt. Die Buckower Elegien zahlen zweifellos zur herausragenden Lyrik Brechts. Ihre einmaligen asthetischen Qualitaten sind an sich schon Analyse und Anklage der DDR-Kultur, der Brecht mit den Elegien ein Werk entgegensetzt, das selbst silbern und kupfern ist, gros, erhaben, herausragend in seinem Diffusen, Indirekten, Vielschichtigen. Ohne Brechts ausergewohnliche Arbeit als einer der bedeutendsten Theaterregisseure schmalern zu wollen: als Dramatiker war er in der DDR-Zeit am Ende. Seine grosen Stucke entstanden wahrend der Weimarer Republik und im Exil. Um es uberspitzt auszudrucken: Jetzt blieben ihm nur noch seine Modellinszenierungen des Grosen von ehemals und Klassikerbearbeitungen. Und zu Taktieren hatte Brecht immer noch. Seine Baume und ihre Farbgebung machen es deutlich: „Schlechte Zeit fur Lyrik“, fur die Kunst uberhaupt; nicht nur 1939, als das gleichnamige Gedicht entstand, sondern auch 1953. Und die Buckower Elegien bieten viele Moglichkeiten fur weitere Untersuchungen der Ideen von Bertolt Brecht in den letzten Lebensjahren an.
Cardiac sympathetic nerve transdifferentiation reduces action potential heterogeneity after myocardial infarction.

Cardiac sympathetic neurons undergo cholinergic transdifferentiation following myocardial infarction; however, the electrophysiological effects of corelease of norepinephrine and acetylcholine (ACh...
Moving FOCUS – The Fire Service Organizational Culture of Safety survey – From research to practice

Abstract Introduction: FOCUS, the Fire Service Organizational Culture of Safety survey, has evolved from a research to practice enterprise within the United States fire and rescue service. The FOCUS tool was developed through a FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Research & Development grant. Then it moved to practice in the field. To date over 35,000 firefighters have participated. A current FEMA Fire Prevention & Safety grant can support FOCUS assessment in up to 1,000 fire departments, with the potential of nearly 120,000 respondents. With each funding cycle, the goal of the FOCUS program is to grow and measure its research to practice impact. Methods: We describe how FOCUS safety culture results are disseminated to fire service stakeholders. By utilizing customized reports and a training curriculum we demonstrate how FOCUS is moving research to practice by: (1) illustrating how survey results can be delivered effectively to practitioners, (2) providing examples of how fire departments are using results, and (3) sharing the reactions of the fire service to the FOCUS instrument, reports, and our flagship data training curriculum – Culture Camp. Results' Conclusions: Qualitative and quantitative data are analyzed to demonstrate the impact and acceptance of the FOCUS report and Culture Camps. Stakeholders reflect on the report and the experience of having quantitative safety culture data. Culture Camps are evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively using a matching game exercise, pre/post-test, a fire department teach back, and a Qualtrics evaluation. Practical Applications: Traditionally, the fire service has focused on reducing negative safety outcomes. FOCUS is helping shift their attention further upstream in the prevention pathway through the measurement of important organizational outcomes. The research to practice evolution of the FOCUS program may hold utility for other occupational groups when considering how to steadily move occupational health and safety research to practice in the field for measurable impact.
Failure of Erythrocyte Production

Disorders resulting in failure of erythrocyte production can be broadly divided into (a) decreased rate of erythrocyte production in the bone marrow and (b) defects in erythrocyte maturation and subsequent ineffective erythropoiesis.
The role of overseas genetic surveys to potentially accelerate biological control development for a new Hydrilla verticillata introduction in the USA

Documentation of fine-scale plant genetic identity in order to match weed genotypes between native and invasive ranges can be used to identify potential biological control agents from target genotypes in the hopes that they will be better adapted and thus more effective once introduced into the exotic range. However, the utility of this information for directing future exploration, for example upon introduction of a new weed genotype, is rarely considered. A cryptic introduction of the submersed aquatic weed, Hydrilla verticillata (L.f.) Royle (Alismatales: Hydrocharitaceae), was recently identified in the Connecticut River, which represents a new hydrilla haplotype not previously recorded in the USA. Because we have instituted concurrent plant genetic studies and biological control agent surveys during overseas exploration, potential herbivores of the cryptic introduction may already be known, requiring less resources if a biological control program of this haplotype is instigated. For the newly introduced haplotype and its closest relatives, we identified 22 herbivore taxa from China and Korea, including Bagous spp., Hydrellia spp., and a number of chironomids. This information may now be used to pursue agent development on the cryptic introduction without additional years and resources required to survey native hydrilla populations for new potential agents.
Single-Cell Manifold Preserving Feature Selection (SCMER)

1 Abstract A key challenge in studying organisms and diseases is to detect rare molecular programs and rare cell populations (RCPs) that drive development, differentiation, and transformation. Molecular features such as genes and proteins defining RCPs are often unknown and difficult to detect from unenriched single-cell data, using conventional dimensionality reduction and clustering-based approaches. Here, we propose a novel unsupervised approach, named SCMER, which performs UMAP style dimensionality reduction via selecting a compact set of molecular features with definitive meanings. We applied SCMER in the context of hematopoiesis, lymphogenesis, tumorigenesis, and drug resistance and response. We found that SCMER can identify non-redundant features that sensitively delineate both common cell lineages and rare cellular states ignored by current approaches. SCMER can be widely used for discovering novel molecular features in a high dimensional dataset, designing targeted, cost-effective assays for clinical applications, and facilitating multi-modality integration.
Efficacy of the combined excimer light and topical calcipotriol for acral vitiligo: A randomized double-blind comparative study.

Excimer light, topical vitamin D analogues, and topical steroids have been reported to be effective treatments for vitiligo. However, monotherapy often demonstrates unfavorable results for acral vitiligo. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of combination treatment with 308-nm excimer light and topical calcipotriol or topical clobetasol ointment for acral vitiligo. A prospective, randomized, double-blind, and intraindividual study was conducted. Combination treatment (excimer light and topical medication) was applied in the first 12 weeks, and monotherapy (topical medication alone) was used in the later 12 weeks. Both hands were irradiated with excimer light three times a week for 12 weeks. Calcipotriol ointment was randomly assigned to one hand, whereas clobetasol ointment was assigned to the other hand. The ointments were applied twice daily for a total of 24 weeks. Repigmentation, clinical improvement, and adverse reactions were assessed. A total of 26 hands completed the study. Of the hands treated with excimer light and calcipotriol, approximately 8% achieved excellent repigmentation at the end of the combination treatment period and 23% achieved good to excellent improvement after 12 weeks of calcipotriol monotherapy. More than 85% and 77% of the hands treated with calcipotriol-based and clobetasol-based regimens showed some repigmentation at the end of the study, respectively (P < .05). Nevertheless, no significant difference was found between the treatments. No serious adverse reactions were observed. In conclusion, the combination of excimer light and topical calcipotriol followed by topical calcipotriol alone is effective and might be a promising treatment regimen for acral vitiligo.
Synchronous coherent population trapping for remote magnetic field measurement

We demonstrate a new mechanism, suitable for performing remote earth field measurement using synchronous modulation of two laser fields, which are two-photon resonant with the sodium atom’s hyperfine ground states. This mechanism relies on coherent population trapping (CPT), and thus, called the synchronous CPT scheme. We have measured the magnetic resonances in fluorescence from a sodium cell to demonstrate suitability of this scheme for remote magnetometry. A strong magnetic resonance with its dip corresponding to the Larmor frequency is produced in the presence of a transverse magnetic field. To estimate the optimal duty cycle of light modulation for attaining high performance, we measured the amplitudes and linewidths of the magnetic resonance as a function of the duty cycle, by keeping the peak intensity in CPT fields constant.