cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Identifying Opportunities for Advancing Weight Management in Primary Care

Objective: Much has been written about the patients' perspective concerning weight management in health care. The purpose of this survey study was to assess perspectives of primary care providers (PCPs) and nurses toward patient weight management and identify possible areas of growth. Patients and Methods: We emailed a weight management-focused survey to 674 eligible participants (437 [64.8%] nurses and 237 [35.2%] PCPs) located in 5 outpatient primary care clinics. The survey focused on opportunities, practices, knowledge, confidence, attitudes, and beliefs. A total of 219 surveys were returned (137 [62.6%] from nurses and 82 [34.4%] from PCPs). Results: Among 219 responders, 85.8% were female and 93.6% were white non-Hispanic. In this study, PCPs and nurses believed obesity to be a major health problem. While PCPs felt more equipped than nurses to address weight management (P < .001) and reported receiving more training than nurses (50.0% vs 17.6%, respectively), both felt the need for more training on obesity (73.8% and 79.4%, respectively). Although, PCPs also spent more patient contact time providing weight management services versus nurses (P < .001), the opportunity/practices score was lower for PCPs than nurses (-0.35 ± 0.44 vs -0.17 ± 0.41, P < .001) with PCPs more likely to say they lacked the time to discuss weight and they worried it would cause a poor patient-PCP relationship. The knowledge/confidence score also differed significantly between the groups, with nurses feeling less equipped to deal with weight management issues than PCPs (-0.42 ± 0.43 vs -0.03 ± 0.55, P < .001). Neither group seemed very confident, with those in the PCP group only answering with an average score of neutral. Conclusion: By asking nurses and PCP general questions about experiences, attitudes, knowledge, and opinions concerning weight management in clinical care, this survey has identified areas for growth in obesity management. Both PCPs and nurses would benefit from additional educational training on weight management.
A Contemporary Portrait of Black Women Student Affairs Administrators in the United States

Although Black women are the most represented minoritized group among U.S. higher education administrators, they continue to lag behind White women and men in terms of leadership in the student aff...
Meta-analysis of Noninsertional Achilles Tendinopathy:

Background:Achilles tendinopathy is a common clinical problem that can be either insertional or noninsertional. A variety of treatment methods have been described, although little consensus exists ...
Self‐healing biomaterials: The next generation is nano

The U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality estimates that there are over 1 million total hip and total knee replacements each year in the U.S. alone. Twenty five percent of those implants will experience aseptic loosening, and bone cement failure is an important part of this. Bone cements are based on poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) systems that are strong but brittle polymers. PMMA-based materials are also essential to modern dental fillings, and likewise, the failure rates are high with lifetimes of 3-10 years. These brittle polymers are an obvious target for self-healing systems which could reduce revision surgeries and visits to dentist. Self-healing polymers have been described in the literature since 1996 and examples from Roman times are known, but their application in medicine has been challenging. This review looks at the development of self-healing biomaterials for these applications and the challenges that lie between development and the clinic. Many of the most promising formulations involve introducing nanoscale components which offer substantial potential benefits over their microscale counterparts especially in composite systems. There is substantial promise for translation, but issues with toxicity, robustness, and reproducibility of these materials in the complex environment of the body must be addressed. This article is categorized under: Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Emerging Technologies Nanotechnology Approaches to Biology > Nanoscale Systems in Biology Implantable Materials and Surgical Technologies > Nanomaterials and Implants.
Effect of arthroscopy to diagnose and treat adolescent knee joint tuberculosis

Objective To evaluate the role of knee arthroscopy in diagnosis and treatment in knee joint synovial and total joint tuberculosis of adolescence. Methods 41 adolescent knee tuberculosis patients with the age of 7 to 16 years old were treated with knee arthroscopy from June 2002 to December 2006. All patients suffered knee joint swelling, mild pain, and knee dysfunction. The history of the disease was 3 to 14 months, with the mean of 4.8 months. The clinical data were reviewed when patients were followed-up and evaluated by Lysholm score. Results In 41 patients, there were 36 patients diagnosed as tuberculosis on the basis of clinical manifestations and laboratory results before operation, 5 cases were diagnosed as synovitis preoperatively and tuberculosis postoperatively confirmed by arthroscopy and pathologic examination. Specimens from 37 patients were confirmed as tuberculosis by pathologic examination and the other 4 were regarded as chronic synovitis and necrotic tissues. Patients were followed up for 6-58 months postoperatively (43.5 months on average). All patients were treated with knee arthroscopy surgery postoperative medicine with no relapses at the time of follow-up. Mean Lysholm score was 91.4 points. 6 patients remained incomplete range of motion of knee from 70 degree to 110 degree. 2 patients remained extension lag of 10 degree and 25 degree respectively. Conclusion Diagnosis and treatment of adolescent tuberculosis is different from the other tuberculosis patients. Arthroscopically assisted treatment of adolescent knee joint tuberculosis has the advantages of early diagnosis, minimized trauma, through clearance and rapid recovery. Early treatment with arthroscopically assisted debridement, early rehabilitation and postoperative medication can preserve maximal function of knee joint and avoid knee arthrodesis. This is an ideal method in treatment of adolescence knee tuberculosis. Key words: Knee joint; Arthroscopy; Adolescent; Tuberculosis, osteoarticular
(Z)-Trifluoromethyl-Trisubstituted Alkenes or Isoxazolines: Divergent Pathways from the Same Allene

Because of a charge-dipole interaction involving nonbonding electron pairs on fluorine, protonation of trifluoromethyl allenes leads to tri- or tetrasubstituted alkenes with high (Z)-selectivity. T...
An Outsider's Perspective on Istanbul's Emergency Planning

Istanbul, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Tokyo are the major cities most at risk of a catastophic earthquake. Past earthquakes have been devastating to Istanbul and other Turkish cities. Istanbul has engaged in extensive emergency planning, preparedness, implementation, and urban renewal with the goal of minimnizing the impacts when the earthquake comes. This article in assesing the city's efforts is from the perspective of one who is uninvolved in the Turkish planning efforts.
Dry Reactive H2O2-Polymer Complexes for the Degradation of Mustard Gas

We report an all solid dry complex oxidizing agent against sulfur mustard (HD) and its simulant 2-Chloroethyl ethyl sulfide (2-CEES). Polymer complexes of poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) with hydrog...
A compact low-cost low-maintenance open architecture mask aligner for fabrication of multilayer microfluidics devices.

A custom-built mask aligner (CBMA), which fundamentally covers all the key features of a commercial mask aligner, while being low cost and light weight and having low power consumption and high accuracy, is constructed. The CBMA is composed of a custom high fidelity light emitting diode light source, a vacuum chuck, a mask holder, high-precision translation and rotation stages, and high resolution digital microscopes. The total cost of the system is under $7500, which is over ten times cheaper than a comparable commercial system. It produces a collimated ultraviolet illumination of 1.8–2.0 mW cm−2 over an area of a standard 4-in. wafer, at the plane of photoresist exposure, and the alignment accuracy is characterized to be <3 μm, which is sufficient for most microfluidic applications. Moreover, this manuscript provides detailed descriptions of the procedures needed to fabricate multilayered master molds using our CBMA. Finally, the capabilities of the CBMA are demonstrated by fabricating two- and three-la...
Right to Food Not Arms: Beefing to Update Second Amendment Interpretation

Food supply, available through the government or nonprofit organizations, is believed by many people throughout the world to be an innate right guaranteed to all, including non-human life. In order to address the need for food and reestablish certainty of survival once guaranteed by the Second Amendment, which is now being used to promote unnecessary ownership of deadly weapons, this Article presents Constitutional jurisprudence and builds a new analysis. Section II of this Article revisits the framers’ original concerns about violent systemic failure. Rather than dismiss that history, it takes Justice Antonin Scalia’s tack by delving into the Second Amendment’s grammar. Then, it argues against interpretations extending the Second Amendment to include an individual right publicly to carry an arm or privately possess a gun. To fortify values undergirding the Second Amendment and modernize its effectiveness, Section II argues in favor of a collective right and an individual right to food. This section discusses stare decisis to persuade the United States Supreme Court to renegotiate its position in District of Columbia v. Heller. Section III discusses the innate right to food, including care of pets and working animals. It argues the need for plant-based, vegan, and healthy food and fresh drinking water for all creatures as well as appropriate living conditions for plants. Section IV discusses philosophy, economics, and politics regarding cultivation of healthy plants, climate change, accords with humans in other countries and animals, supplemental assistance and pet food, and armed conflict. Section IV discusses ethical treatment of animals by grocery stores, owners, and the government. It explains why hunting is not only unprotected by the United States Constitution, it is an indication of mental illness and unconducive to proliferation of rights and stability. It offers suggestions to the government about how to generate charitable donations and save money to provide food for needy individuals. Section V concludes.
Association between e-cigarette use and parents' report of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder among US youth

INTRODUCTION There is paucity of literature that evaluates e-cigarette use rates among the youth with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The aim of this study is to compare the rates of cigarette only, e-cigarette only, dual use, and initiation age of regular use and trying to quit cigarettes or e-cigarettes among the youth with and without ADHD. METHODS We used Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) study Wave 3 (2015-2016) youth data, a nationally representative cross-sectional study in the US. The main outcome was tobacco use status of youth and ADHD diagnosis was based on parent report. RESULTS The survey included 11801 youth (50%, 12-14 years; 49% female). Compared to youth without ADHD, the relative risk ratio (RRR) was 1.79 (95% CI: 1.02-3.21) for cigarette only use, 1.41 (95% CI: 1.01-2.21) for e-cigarette only use, 3.40 (95% CI: 1.69-6.84) for dual use, 1.75 (95% CI: 0.92-3.35) for cigarette and other product(s) use, 1.48 (95% CI: 0.58-3.77) for e-cigarette and other product(s) use, and 3.37 (95% CI: 1.88-6.17) for poly use among youth with ADHD, after adjusting for age group, sex, and race/ethnicity. CONCLUSIONS Cigarette only use, e-cigarette only use, dual use of cigarettes and e-cigarettes, and poly use of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and other product(s) were significantly associated with parent report of an ADHD diagnosis. It is critical for healthcare providers to be screening youth for e-cigarette use, especially youth who are diagnosed with ADHD.
HLock: Locking IPs at the High-Level Language

The introduction of the horizontal business model for the semiconductor industry has introduced trust issues for the integrated circuit supply chain. The most common vulnerabilities related to intellectual properties can be caused by untrusted third-party vendors and malicious foundries. Various techniques have been proposed to lock the design at the gate-level or RTL before sending it to the untrusted foundry for fabrication. However, such techniques have been proven to be easily broken using SAT attacks and machine learning-based attacks. In this paper, we propose HLock, a framework for ensuring hardware protection in the form of locking at the high-level description of the design. Our approach includes a formal analysis of design specifications, assets, and critical operations to determine points in which locking keys are inserted. The locked design is then synthesized using high-level synthesis, which has become an integral part of modern IP design due to its advantages on lesser development and verification efforts. The locking at the higher abstraction with the combination of multiple syntheses shows that HLock delivers superior performance considering attack resiliency (i.e., SAT attack, removal attacks, machine learning-based attacks) and overheads compared to conventional locking techniques. Additionally, HLock provides a dynamic/automatic locking solution for any high-level abstraction design based on performance constraints, attack resiliency, power, and area overheads as well as locking key size, and it is well suited for large-scale designs.
Securing Social Media

This slide presentation reviews some issues regarding the use of social media (e.g., Facebook, and Twitter) and security
The Life Cycle Of Trypanosoma Cruzi

Since the discovery of Trypanosoma cruzi as the parasite that causes Chagas disease, nearly a century ago, the details of the organism’s life cycle have fascinated scientists. T. cruzi is a single-celled eukaryote with a complex life cycle alternating between reduviid bug vectors and vertebrate hosts. It is able to adapt via the process of cellular differentiation to replicate within the diverse environments represented of the insect’s gut and host cell cytoplasm. These adaptive transformations take the form of coordinated changes in morphology, metabolism and cell cycle regulation. Different life cycle stages of T. cruzi show dramatically different protein and RNA profiles, which are the end result of unusual mechanisms for regulating gene expression. In recent years, new molecular techniques have been brought to bear on the life cycle dramatically increasing our knowledge of the strategies employed by the parasite to ensure its continued survival.
Effects of forskolin on bone: Stimulation of cyclic amp accumulation and calcium efflux from chick embryo tibiae in organ culture

Abstract Forskolin (FSK), an activator of adenylate cyclase in many tissues, was investigated to determine its potential for studying cyclic AMP-mediated, physiological events in bone. Tibiae from 14-day chick embryos were cultured in modified Eagle's medium for up to 8 hr, and the cyclic AMP and Ca 2+ efflux responses to parathyroid hormone (PTH) and FSK were observed. FSK caused a concentration-related increase in tissue cyclic AMP, with 10 −6 M FSK producing a cyclic AMP response of similar magnitude to that elicited by 10 −6 M PTH (1–34). However, while 10 −6 M PTH was the maximally-activating PTH concentration, a further elevation was produced by 10 −5 M FSK. Chick embryo tibiae cultured for 8 hr in the presence of PTH exhibited a concentration-related stimulation of Ca 2+ efflux up to 10 −6 M PTH. When this physiological effect was examined in bones cultured in the presence of FSK, a biphasic response to increasing FSK concentrations was found; Ca 2+ efflux was stimulated by 10 −6 M and 3 × 10 −6 M FSK, but not by 10 −7 M or 10 −5 M FSK. In summary, concentrations of FSK, which produced tissue cyclic AMP accumulation similar to that produced by physiologically effective PTH concentrations, also resulted in net Ca 2+ efflux from bone. These results indicate that FSK may be a useful agent for studying the role of cyclic AMP in the response of bone to hormones.
Comparison of different modulation techniques for free space laser communication

Free Space Optical (FSO) communication is the system of transmission of data using a wireless medium, which uses modulated near infrared light beams as carrier wave. Free-space optical communication has gained a lot of popularity as an alternative to radio frequency (RF) communication over the last two decades. Most of the time Optical communication has the edge over baseband or RF transmission systems whenever it is involved with high aggregate bit rates and/ or very long transmission distances. This paper intends to give an overview of Amplitude Modulation (AM), Frequency Modulation (FM), Phase Modulation (PM) and Frequency Shift Keying (FSK) modulation techniques and compares their characteristics over a diode laser in free space using a carrier signal having a frequency no more than 5 KHz.
Designing a Flexible Framework for a Table Abstraction

In a provocative essay from the mid-1980s, Brooks asserts that “building software will always be hard” because software systems are inherently complex, must conform to all sorts of physical, human, and software interfaces, must change as the system requirements evolve, and are inherently invisible entities (Brooks 1986). A decade later Brooks again observes, “The best way to attack the essence of building software is not to build it at all” (Brooks 1995). That is, software engineers should reuse both software and, more importantly, software designs.
Direct numerical simulation of moderate-Reynolds-number flow past arrays of rotating spheres

Direct numerical simulations with an immersed boundary-lattice Boltzmann method are used to investigate the effects of particle rotation on flows past random arrays of mono-disperse spheres at moderate particle Reynolds numbers. This study is an extension of a previous study of the authors [Q. Zhou and L.-S. Fan, “Direct numerical simulation of low-Reynolds-number flow past arrays of rotating spheres,” J. Fluid Mech. 765, 396–423 (2015)] that explored the effects of particle rotation at low particle Reynolds numbers. The results of this study indicate that as the particle Reynolds number increases, the normalized Magnus lift force decreases rapidly when the particle Reynolds number is in the range lower than 50. For the particle Reynolds number greater than 50, the normalized Magnus lift force approaches a constant value that is invariant with solid volume fractions. The proportional dependence of the Magnus lift force on the rotational Reynolds number (based on the angular velocity and the diameter of the spheres) observed at low particle Reynolds numbers does not change in the present study, making the Magnus lift force another possible factor that can significantly affect the overall dynamics of fluid-particle flows other than the drag force. Moreover, it is found that both the normalized drag force and the normalized torque increase with the increase of the particle Reynolds number and the solid volume fraction. Finally, correlations for the drag force, the Magnus lift force, and the torque in random arrays of rotating spheres at arbitrary solids volume fractions, rotational Reynolds numbers, and particle Reynolds numbers are formulated.
Experiments with UAS Imagery for Automatic Modeling of Power Line 3D Geometry

Abstract. The ideal mapping technology for transmission line inspection is the airborne LiDAR executed from helicopter platforms. It allows for full 3D geometry extraction in highly automated manner. Large scale aerial images can be also used for this purpose, however, automation is possible only for finding transmission line positions (2D geometry), and the sag needs to be estimated manually. For longer lines, these techniques are less expensive than ground surveys, yet they are still expensive. UAS technology has the potential to reduce these costs, especially if using inexpensive platforms with consumer grade cameras. This study investigates the potential of using high resolution UAS imagery for automatic modeling of transmission line 3D geometry. The key point of this experiment was to employ dense matching algorithms to appropriately acquired UAS images to have points created also on wires. This allowed to model the 3D geometry of transmission lines similarly to LiDAR acquired point clouds. Results showed that the transmission line modeling is possible with a high internal accuracy for both, horizontal and vertical directions, even when wires were represented by a partial (sparse) point cloud.
Overproduction of Rb protein after the G1/S boundary causes G2 arrest.

Abstract The Rb protein is known to exert its activity at decision points in the G1 phase of the cell cycle. To investigate whether it may also play some role(s) at later points in the cell cycle, we used a system of rapid inducible gene amplification to conditionally overexpress Rb protein during G2 phase. A cell line expressing a temperature-sensitive simian virus 40 large T antigen (T-Ag) was stably transfected with plasmids containing the Rb cDNA linked to the simian virus 40 origin of replication: pRB-wt, pRB-fs, and pRB-Dra, carrying wild-type murine Rb cDNA, a frameshift mutation close to the beginning of the Rb coding region, and a single-amino-acid deletion in the E1A/T-Ag binding pocket, respectively. Numerous independent cell lines were isolated at the nonpermissive temperature; cell lines displaying a high level of episomal amplification of an intact Rb expression cassette following shiftdown to the permissive temperature were chosen for further analysis. Plasmid pRB-fs did not express detectable Rb antigen, while pRB-Dra expressed full-length Rb protein. The Dra mutation has previously been shown to abrogate phosphorylation as well as T-Ag binding. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis revealed that cultures induced to overexpress either wild-type or Dra mutant Rb proteins were significantly enriched for cells with a G2 DNA content. Cultures that amplified pRB-fs or rearranged pRB-wt and did not express Rb protein had normal cell cycle profiles. Double-label FACS analysis showed that cells overexpressing Rb or Rb-Dra proteins were uniformly accumulating in G2, whereas cells expressing endogenous levels of Rb were found throughout the cell cycle. These results indicate that Rb protein is interacting with some component(s) of the cell cycle-regulatory machinery during G2 phase.
Rethinking algorithmic regulation

Purpose – The history of cybernetics holds important lessons for how we approach present-day problems in such areas as algorithmic regulation and big data. The purpose of this paper is to position Project Cybersyn as a historical form of algorithmic regulation and use this historical case study as a thought experiment for thinking about ways to improve discussions of algorithmic regulation and big data today. Design/methodology/approach – The paper draws from the author’s extensive research on Cybersyn’s history to build an argument for how cybernetic history can enrich current discussions on algorithmic regulation and the use of big data for governance. Findings – The paper identifies five lessons from the Cybersyn history that point to current data challenges and suggests a way forward. These lessons are: first, the state matters; second, older technologies have value; third, privacy protection prevents abuse and preserves human freedom; fourth, algorithmic transparency is important; and finally, thinki...
Determination of Surfactants Using Ion Pair Extraction of Near-infrared Laser Dyes

Abstract Ionic surfactants and near-infrared laser dyes formed complexes which were extracted into organic solvents as ion pairs. Surfactants were determined spectrophotometrically by measuring the near-infrared absorbance and fluorescence of the ion pair in the organic solvent. Several of the commercially available near infrared dyes have been found suitable for surfactant determination in water using this technique. The excess near-infrared dye coextracted into the organic solvent was determined by blank extractions. The calibration curves were linear within two orders of magnitude of surfactant concentrations. Non-linear calibration curves are obtained for wider concentration range of surfactants. This method using the recently developed near-infrared laser diode intracavity technique was applied to the determination of SDS in water. Lower detection limits and ease of operation are the major advantages of using this new laser diode technique. The extraction efficiency of different solvent systems was e...
Inhibition of phage infection by pneumococcus capsule

Abstract Fifty-two strains of pneumococci were tested for sensitivity to lysis by pneumococcus phages ω2, ω3, and ω8. Nine noncapsulated strains derived from seven different wildtype strains were all lysed by the three phages. Two strains carrying the Cs capsule were as sensitive as their parent noncapsulated strains. Forty-one other capsulated strains were insensitive to lysis by any of the phages. Although capsulation apparently severely limits adsorption of phage, capsulated cells can release phage; infection by ω3 of a type 3 pneumococcus temporarily denuded of its capsule by enzymatic action resulted in a burst of progeny phage at a time when the host cell had regained full capsulation.
An ice-free Arctic Ocean: history, science, and scepticism

Over the last three centuries, geographers, oceanographers, geophysicists, glaciologists, climatologists, and geoengineers have shown great interest in Arctic Ocean sea ice extent. Many of these experts envisaged an ice-free Arctic Ocean. This article studies three stages of that narrative: the belief in an ice-free Arctic Ocean, the potential for one, and the threat of one. Eighteenth and nineteenth century interest in accessing navigable polar sea routes energised the belief in an iceless polar sea; an early twentieth century North Hemispheric warm spell combined with mid-century cold war geostrategy to open the potential for drastic sea ice loss; and, most recently, climate models have illuminated the threat of a seasonally ice-free future, igniting widespread concerns about the impact this might have on Earth's natural and physical systems. This long narrative of an ice-free Arctic Ocean can help to explain modern-day scepticism of human-induced environmental change in the far north.
Note on thermal properties of Mars

Abstract As measured by Sinton and Strong, the variation of infrared emission from the surface of Mars with local time on Mars is here interpreted in terms of a simplified theory of diurnal temperature variations, in which the effect of the atmosphere is included. The results suggest a very low thermal conductivity for the upper few centimeters of the Martian ground. Such low conductivities appear to be possible only if the material composing these layers is very fine powder having a characteristic size of not more than a few microns. If a linear relationship is assumed between convective heat transfer and surface temperature, the appropriate constant of proportionality is on the order of 10 −4 cal/cm 2 sec deg.
How to show something is not: Proofs in formal language and computability theory

Most introductory courses in theoretical computer science (formal language theory or computability theory) start with a seemingly endless series of definitions, including what it means for a grammar or language to be regular, context-free, etc., or what it means for a function to be recursive, primitive recursive, or partial recursive. Bright students immediately ask two questions. First, what are examples of languages or functions that belong to one class but not the other? Second, is some particular language context-free, or is a particular function recursive?We must develop new techniques which allow us to give a negative answer to question two (and thus to answer question one as well). In this note we will discuss some of the methods that are often used in elementary proofs in formal language theory and computability theory.
Histone modification profiles are predictive for tissue/cell-type specific expression of both protein-coding and microRNA genes

Gene expression is regulated at both the DNA sequence level and through modification of chromatin. However, the effect of chromatin on tissue/cell-type specific gene regulation (TCSR) is largely unknown. In this paper, we present a method to elucidate the relationship between histone modification/variation (HMV) and TCSR. A classifier for differentiating CD4+ T cell-specific genes from housekeeping genes using HMV data was built. We found HMV in both promoter and gene body regions to be predictive of genes which are targets of TCSR. For example, the histone modification types H3K4me3 and H3K27ac were identified as the most predictive for CpG-related promoters, whereas H3K4me3 and H3K79me3 were the most predictive for nonCpG-related promoters. However, genes targeted by TCSR can be predicted using other type of HMVs as well. Such redundancy implies that multiple type of underlying regulatory elements, such as enhancers or intragenic alternative promoters, which can regulate gene expression in a tissue/cell-type specific fashion, may be marked by the HMVs. Finally, we show that the predictive power of HMV for TCSR is not limited to protein-coding genes in CD4+ T cells, as we successfully predicted TCSR targeted genes in muscle cells, as well as microRNA genes with expression specific to CD4+ T cells, by the same classifier which was trained on HMV data of protein-coding genes in CD4+ T cells. We have begun to understand the HMV patterns that guide gene expression in both tissue/cell-type specific and ubiquitous manner.
Systematic review of risk factors for surgical site infection in pediatric scoliosis surgery

Abstract Background context Risk factors for surgical site infection (SSI) in children derived from the studies in the adult population are potentially misleading because of differences in pathophysiology and management. Purpose This systematic review addresses the key question: What are the risk factors for SSI in pediatric patients undergoing scoliosis surgery? Study design This is a qualitative systematic literature review. Patient sample Retrospective and observational trials of children undergoing scoliosis surgery reported on the occurrence of risk factors for SSI and the occurrence of SSI. Methods Pubmed (Medline), Ovid Evidence-Based Medicine Reviews (EBMR), Scopus, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health (CINAHL) were searched electronically for relevant articles in all the languages between January 1, 1991 and August 27, 2012, and cross-references were checked. Two independent reviewers identified articles and appraised quality with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) criteria based on a weighted scoring of 0 to 100. Results Our search identified 135 abstracts and 14 studies meeting the inclusion criteria. The AHRQ grading showed that five articles were high quality with a score of greater than 67, and five articles were moderate quality with a score between 50 and 67. The percent agreement between the two independent reviewers was 84%, and kappa agreement score was 0.91 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.78–1.03). There were 76 risk factors identified, of which 22 factors were reported in more than one study. Odds ratios and 95% CIs were reported inconsistently. Pooled p analysis of high- and moderate-quality articles identified five risk factors predictive of SSI: inappropriate antibiotic use (p=.001), neuromuscular scoliosis (p=.014), instrumentation (p=.023), increased hospital stay days (p=.003), and residual postoperative curve (p=.003). Conclusions The systematic review identified inappropriate antibiotic use, neuromuscular scoliosis, instrumentation, increased hospital stay days, and residual postoperative curve as risk factors for SSI after pediatric scoliosis surgery.
The C-3 epimer of 25-hydroxyvitamin D(3) is present in adult serum.

Context: Epimers have identical molecular structure but differ in stereochemical configuration. It is widely believed that the C-3 epimer of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 [3-epi-25(OH)D3] is found only in neonates. However, this epimer was recently detected in a limited number of adults. The physiological importance of 3-epi-25(OH)D3 is uncertain but might affect 25-hydroxyvitamin D test results and thereby reliability of the 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 [25(OH)D3] measurement. Objective: This project describes development of a highly sensitive method for 3-epi-25(OH)D3 measurement and establishes the prevalence of this epimer in adult clinical serum specimens. Design, Setting, Participants, and Main Outcome Measure: Serum 25(OH)D3, 3-epi-25(OH)D3, and 25(OH)D2 concentrations were determined in a cohort of patients (n = 214; age neonate to 80+ yr). High-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection and high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry with atmospheric pressure chemical ionizat...
Quality improvement projects for residents

The ACGME requires that residents enrolled in diagnostic radiology residencies participate in quality improvement projects as part of their training in systems-based practice [1]. Specifically, section IV.A.5.c.(4) of the ACGME program requirements states that residents are expected to “systematically analyze practice using quality improvement methods, and implement changes with the goal of practice improvement” [1]. It is important o recognize that a solely didacticased quality education program is ot effective. To learn about qualty improvement, trainees must be ngaged in quality projects and exrcise the fundamentals of quality nd performance improvement. While immersed in a highly conensed, intense 4-year residency, it an be challenging for residents to mbrace this relatively new requireent imposed by the ACGME. owever, learning how to carry out uality projects that improve patient are and departmental performance an provide benefit on an individual evel as well. By learning how to lead a uality improvement project team nd drive change within a departent, a graduating resident with hese accomplishments will be pereived as a value innovator who has dopted a broader scope of radioloy’s role within the entire health care nterprise. By learning these skills, esidents engaged in quality improveent are also embracing the need to earn value-added skills to avoid comoditization of our specialty. Admittedly, there are challenges for esidents regarding quality projects. ost notably, trainees are often changngrotationsonamonth-to-monthbais, sometimes even changing hospitals t a similar frequency. Establishing the ontinuity of a quality improvement
Receding horizons of health: biocultural approaches to public health paradoxes

Abstract Worldwide challenges to health reflect a “paradox of success,” whereby both the strengths and the weaknesses of current approaches in public health, epidemiology, and biomedicine have determined the nature of the health problems we now face. In detail, we analyze and illustrate five constituent paradoxes that fuel continued health risk even in the face of success, including: (1) unmasking, (2) local biology, (3) socialization, (4) emerging and reemerging disease, and (5) savage inequity. We trace the pathways behind the paradoxes and their effects on health, and demonstrate that biocultural dynamics are involved in each. Furthermore, we track the roots of health paradox to changes that divert or disrupt pathways for production of health. These analyses contribute to an emerging literature of research and praxis on integrative biocultural models of health.
Rpe-Based Zone of Normality for Use in Evaluating Graded Exercise Test Responses in Women

Summary The purposes of this study were to identify a zone of normality based upon ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) and compare the RPE of women with coronary artery disease to this zone. 45 healthy women (34.8 ± 9.1 yr.) completed a Bruce treadmill test. RPE were estimated during the last minute of each workload. The zone of normality was established as the 95% confidence interval spanning the average line when RPE was regressed against MET. 51 women (66.6 ± 9.3 yr.) with coronary artery disease completed a symptom-limited treadmill test. 31 of the women with coronary artery disease were taking beta blockers. RPE were compared to the RPE/MET relation of the zone. 57% of the women with coronary artery disease estimated RPE above the zone during the treadmill test. RPE responses above the zone of normality indicate an elevated perceptual strain for a given energy expenditure (i.e., MET). The zone of normality might be used as an aid in discriminating between normal and abnormal RPE responses during grad...
LevelSpaceGUI: scaffolding novice modelers' inter-model explorations

We present an interface for programming relationships between two or more NetLogo [18] models running concurrently. The interface is designed specifically to help high school aged novices explore and define computational relationships between agent-based models, and to investigate how prompting learners to reason about the relationships between complex systems may change how they reason about the systems individually.
The Evolution of Cooperation in the Centipede Game with Finite Populations

The partial cooperation displayed by subjects in the Centipede Game deviates radically from the predictions of traditional game theory. Even standard, infinite population, evolutionary settings have failed to provide an explanation for this behavior. However, recent work in finite population evolutionary models has shown that such settings can produce radically different results from the standard models. This paper examines the evolution of partial cooperation in finite populations. The results reveal a new possible explanation that is not open to the standard models and gives us reason to be cautious when employing these otherwise helpful idealizations.
SOME DETERMINANTS OF WORD-FREQUENCY ESTIMATES

Summary.-Subjects saw Turkish nonsense words and estimated their frequency of occurrence (72 subjects, 12 words, Exp. 1; 33 subjects, 16 words, Exp. 11). Results indicated that: (a) low-frequency stimuli were overestimated while high-frequency stimuli were underestimated; (b) stimuli were judged more frequent when they were positively evaluated than when they were negatively evaluated; (c) stimuli were judged more frequent in a distributed presentation than in a massed presentation; (d) stimuli were judged more frequent when they were rated after a 2-wk. delay than when they were rated immediately; (e) a 2-wk. delay enhanced the interaction between true frequency and judged frequency; (f) stimuli were judged more frequent when they appeared at the beginning or end of the presentation period rather than in the middle.
Utility of tibial tubercle osteotomy in the setting of periprosthetic infection after total knee arthroplasty

Purpose This study reports radiographic and clinical treatment outcomes of tibial tubercle osteotomy (TTO) used for two-stage revision total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in the setting of periprosthetic infection.
Syringe size and flow rate affect drug delivery from syringe pumps.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of syringe size and infusion rate on drug delivery after vertical displacement of syringe pumps.
Ethanol metabolism and liver enzyme activity.

SummaryThe rate of disappearance of ethanol from the blood has been correlated with liver weight, hepatic catalase activity, and ethanol oxidative capacity of liver, with the latter showing the highest degree of correlation. A method for the determination of the ethanol oxidizing capacity of hepatic tissue has been described.
Growth-limiting proteins in maize coleoptiles and the auxin-brassinosteroid hypothesis of mesocotyl elongation

The shoot of grass coleoptiles consists of the mesocotyl, the node, and the coleoptile (with enclosed primary leaf). Since the 1930s, it is known that auxin (indole-3-acetic acid, IAA), produced in the tip of the coleoptile, is the central regulator of turgor-driven organ growth. Fifty years ago, it was discovered that antibiotics that suppress protein biosynthesis, such as cycloheximide, inhibit auxin (IAA)-induced cell elongation in excised sections of coleoptiles and stems. Based on such inhibitor studies, the concept of “growth-limiting proteins (GLPs)” emerged that was subsequently elaborated and modified. Here, we summarize the history of this idea with reference to IAA-mediated shoot elongation in maize (Zea mays) seedlings and recent studies on the molecular mechanism underlying auxin action in Arabidopsis thaliana. In addition, the analysis of light-induced inhibition of shoot elongation in intact corn seedlings is discussed. We propose a concept to account for the GLP-mediated epidermal wall-loosening process in coleoptile segments and present a more general model of growth regulation in intact maize seedlings. Quantitative proteomic and genomic studies led to a refinement of the classic “GLP concept” to explain phytohormone-mediated cell elongation at the molecular level (i.e., the recently proposed theory of a “central growth regulation network,” CGRN). Novel data show that mesocotyl elongation not only depends on auxin but also on brassinosteroids (BRs). However, the biochemical key processes that regulate the IAA/BR-mediated loosening of the expansion-limiting epidermal wall(s) have not yet been elucidated.
Functional localization of mu and delta enkephalin-mediated inhibition of GABA release to nerve terminals in the hippocampus

Opioid peptides are known to increase the state of excitability of the principal neurons of the hippocampus, the pyramidal cells 1 . This increase in excitability has been shown to result secondarily from the inhibition of the release of the inhibitory neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) following the hyperpolarization of local interneurons 2,3 . The opioid-mediated inhibition of GABA release has been observed, electrophysiologically, as a decrease in the amplikde of stimulus-evoked inhibitory postsynaptic potentials/currents (IPSPs\IPSCs), or as a decrease in the frequency of spontaneous IPSPs (sIPSP) reflecting quantal GABA release
Coherence length of a normal metal in a proximity system

The Eilenberger equations are solved to find the correlation length in the normal ($N$) part of a proximity system at a temperature $T$ which is well above the critical temperature ${T}_{\mathrm{cN}}$ and is not too far below ${T}_{\mathrm{cS}}$ (${T}_{\mathrm{cN}}lT\ensuremath{\lesssim}{T}_{\mathrm{cS}}$). The result is valid for any concentration of nonmagnetic impurities.
Effect of the floury-2 locus on protein body formation during maize endosperm development

The seed storage proteins of maize (Zea mays L.) are synthesized during endosperm development on membrane-bound polyribosomes. These proteins, collectively called zeins, are translocated into the lumen of the rough endoplasmic reticulum, where they assemble into protein bodies. Protein body formation in normal genotypes occurs via an ordered deposition of the various types of zeins, and leads to the formation of spherical structures with a diameter of about 1 μm. These structures consist of a central core that contains predominantly α-zein; this central region is surrounded by a peripheral layer of β- and γ-zeins, and the entire structure is bounded by rough endoplasmic reticulum.
Narcissistic traits in psychiatric patients

This paper reports a first step towards identifying the descriptive characteristics of what is called pathological narcissism by clinicians. Twenty-three patients with various forms of narcissistic disturbances were evaluated with a semistructured interview for the presence of 27 putative signs of pathological narcissism. They were compared with patients with other psychiatric disorders (n = 28) to determine what features characterize and discriminate them. Fifteen statements proved to be useful in identifying patients with narcissistic disturbances. An additional two discriminate certain narcissistic patients. Implications for differential diagnosis and future research are noted.
Sterile pyuria in patients admitted to the hospital with infections outside of the urinary tract.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine the incidence, associations, evaluation, and management of pyuria in patients admitted to the hospital with nonurinary infections. Methods: This study abstracted inpatient records of consecutive patients hospitalized for pneumonia, intra-abdominal infections, female genital tract infections (GYN infections), bacterial septicemia, and enteritis in the pediatric and adult medical and surgical units at an academic medical center. Results: The study population included 210 patients (66 children; 144 adults). Nearly one-third had ≥5 white blood cells (WBCs) per high-power field (pyuria). Pyuria was more common in women (P Conclusions: Sterile pyuria of uncertain cause is common in patients admitted to the hospital with acute nonurinary infections.
Metabolomics-edited transcriptomics analysis of Se anticancer action in human lung cancer cells

Transcriptomic analysis is an essential tool for systems biology but it has been stymied by a lack of global understanding of genomic functions, resulting in the inability to link functionally disparate gene expression events. Using the anticancer agent selenite and human lung cancer A549 cells as a model system, we demonstrate that these difficulties can be overcome by a progressive approach which harnesses the emerging power of metabolomics for transcriptomic analysis. We have named the approach Metabolomics-edited transcriptomic analysis (META). The main analytical engine was 13C isotopomer profiling using a combination of multi-nuclear 2-D NMR and GC-MS techniques. Using 13C-glucose as a tracer, multiple disruptions to the central metabolic network in A549 cells induced by selenite were defined. META was then achieved by coupling the metabolic dysfunctions to altered gene expression profiles to: (1) provide new insights into the regulatory network underlying the metabolic dysfunctions; (2) enable the assembly of disparate gene expression events into functional pathways that was not feasible by transcriptomic analysis alone. This was illustrated in particular by the connection of mitochondrial dysfunctions to perturbed lipid metabolism via the AMP-AMPK pathway. Thus, META generated both extensive and highly specific working hypotheses for further validation, thereby accelerating the resolution of complex biological problems such as the anticancer mechanism of selenite.
Change detection using down-looking ground-penetrating radar

Down-looking ground-penetrating radar (DLGPR) has been used extensively for buried target detection. For operational implementations, the sensor is used in direct-detection mode, where algorithms process data while the system moves down roadways. Decisions are made before a system passes over the target. Change detection works by passing over an area before and after targets are buried. By comparing before-and-after data, change detection can improve DLGPR performance, but it also has inherent operational limitations. Performance enhancements include mitigating the effects of anomalies not associated with targets and increasing the detection probabilities of deeper targets through indirect means. In the latter case, deeply buried targets that do not appear in the GPR data can be indirectly detected using change detection methods if the patch of ground where the target is buried has been significantly modified from its original undisturbed state. In this paper, we explore decision-based change-detection approaches for enhancing the performance of a DLGPR system and enumerate the limitations of the approach.