cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Non-coding RNA: Antibiotic tricks a switch

A screen for compounds that block a bacterial biosynthetic pathway has uncovered an antibiotic lead that shuts off pathogen growth by targeting a molecular switch in a regulatory RNA structure. See Article p.672 The urgent need for new antibiotics is well recognized. Terry Roemer and colleagues at Merck now describe a new synthetic antibiotic, directed against a bacterial riboswitch. Riboswitches are stretches of non-coding RNA whose structure is affected by a ligand — usually one related to the function of the protein encoded by the riboswitch-containing gene. The new drug, ribocil, blocks the flavin mononucleotide riboswitch-mediated expression of the ribB gene required for riboflavin biosynthesis. Ribocil inhibits bacterial cell growth and is effective in treating a bacterial infection in a mouse model.
Career Advice

In this difficult job environment, you need to have an edge over your competitors. This department provides several recommendations, along with real-world examples, related to finding a job and advancing your career.
Nutritional Ecology of Microtine Rodents: Food Habits of Lemmings near Barrow, Alaska

Analyses of stomach contents and feces showed striking differences in the diets of the brown lemming ( Lemmus sibiricus ) and the collared lemming ( Dicrostonyx groenlandicus ) near Barrow, Alaska. Brown lemmings ate primarily grasses, sedges, and mosses, whereas collared lemmings ate primarily willow leaves and forbs. Brown lemming diets changed markedly with season and with habitat. Monocotyledons were always the most important food items; in winter and in drier habitats mosses became a more important component of the diet (up to 40%). Among the monocotyledons, brown lemmings consistently preferred tundra grass ( Dupontia fisheri ), consistently avoided a sedge ( Carex aquatilis ), and took a relatively constant amount of cottongrass sedge ( Eriophorum spp.) no matter what its availability. Differing food habits of lemmings in different habitats may have important consequences for their growth, reproductive performance, and population dynamics.
The effect of muscular work on the amounts of alcohol in urine, expired air, and blood, after its ingestion by man

The rate of disappearance of alcohol from the human body was studied during 3 hours immediately following ingestion of 30 and 50 cc. of alcohol, with the subject (a man) at rest during the entire time or working and resting for different lengths of time. The work lasted 1/2 hour, 1 hour, or 2 hours, and immediately followed the ingestion of alcohol or was preceded by a 1-hour rest period. The rates of work (performed on a bicycle ergometer) were 275, 415, and 550 kg./m. per minute.
Not Going Pro: On Seeking Lasting Returns from College Sports

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) clearly states there are many favorable qualities derived from participation that benefit those “who go pro in something other than sports.” However, the ability of collegiate athletics to deliver on the promise of attributable long-term vocational value is rarely questioned. Instead, student-athletes are encouraged to think of their participation as a personal investment with enduring rewards for the investor. In this study involving former NCAA Division I student-athletes, the authors examined whether participation can be regarded as an investment and how student-athletes perceive the returns thus derived. Extending Becker’s (1962) theory of human capital investment to sport participation, the authors probed participants’ experiences for evidence of investment thinking and lasting benefits in corporeal, economic, social, and cultural varieties. The findings support the notion that participation in collegiate athletics can be broadly defined as an investment, but not in accordance with the long-term utility maximizing rationale described by neoclassical economists. Furthermore, the high cost of participation, inherent uncertainty, and unreliable information confound the athlete’s decision-making and blur the distinction between consumption in the present and investing for the future.
Endoscopic Fluorescein Angiography

. BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To assess features of various retinal and choroidal disorders by endoscopic fluorescein angiograms (EFAs) obtained intraoperatively. . PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred patients undergoing vitrectomy were studied intraoperatively by injecting 5 ml of 10% fluorescein intravenously. Up to 110° field of view high-resolution angiograms were obtained endoscopically. Characteristics of diabetic retinopathy, retinal vein occlusion, retinal vasculitis, exudative macular degeneration, and neovascular glaucoma were recorded. . RESULTS: Capillary nonperfusion, retinal vascular occlusion or incompetence, and neovascularization of the disc, retina, subretinal space, and posterior iris could be delineated. . CONCLUSION: EFA defines pathologic retinal/ choroidal areas intraoperatively, which may permit more selective surgical management during vitrectomy.
Complexities of Critical Practice: The Conflict Between the Teacher’s Ideological Stance and the Students’ Critical Stance

The purpose of this chapter is to show complexities in implementing critical practices when the teacher’s ideological stance and the students’ critical stance on social issues conflict with each other. Through a qualitative case-study method in a middle school setting, the chapter describes both possibilities and challenges of critical practice. In an English as a second language (ESL) classroom, where the ESL teacher attempts to create a safe place, English language learners (ELLs) talk freely and bring social issues into classroom discussion. However, the teacher’s assimilation ideology that focuses on dominant cultural norms and “standard American English” tends to limit ELLs’ opportunities to be further engaged in critical literacy practice. The findings provide an important implication that the teacher’s ideological stance might be an important factor for the consideration of teacher education programs.
Heat, Power and Combined Heat and Power

Publisher Summary Biomass combustion such as burning fuel wood to provide heat, power, or combined heat and power (CHP) is a link in the energy chain from producing renewable biomass resources to providing sustainable services in the form of heat (or refrigeration), shaft power and electricity. Combustion is in fact the most common application of biomass energy with the heat produced in a combustor or furnace being used in a manufacturing process, or to raise steam in a boiler which can be expanded through a steam turbine in the so called Rankine cycle. Other prime movers include the Brayton cycle of gas turbines, Stirling engines, as well as thermo-electric and thermo-volatic possibilities. Shaft power from these cycles can be used directly to drive a mill or other machine, or to turn an alternator to produce electricity. In combined heat and power the most common variant is when the electricity is generated first and the heat is taken from the exhaust of the electricity cycle (topping cycle). The benefits of combustion are unfortunately accompanied by a number of environmental costs which require innovation and significant investment for their mitigation. These costs include both direct human health impacts as well as environmental damage to the Earth's productive ecosystems. However, biomass has one clear advantage over fossil fuels in that the emissions of carbon dioxide derived from biomass combustion to the atmosphere are essentially in equilibrium with the uptake of carbon dioxide by the biosphere through photosynthesis.
Do Conversion Total Hip Arthroplasty Yield Comparable Results to Primary Total Hip Arthroplasty

Abstract Background The incidence of hip fractures is growing with the increasing elderly population. Typically, hip fractures are treated with open reduction internal fixation, hemiarthroplasty, or total hip arthroplasty (THA). Failed hip fracture fixation is often salvaged by conversion THA. The total number of conversion THA procedures is also supplemented by its use in treating different failed surgical hip treatments such as acetabular fracture fixation, Perthes disease, slipped capital femoral epiphysis, and developmental dysplasia of the hip. As the incidence of conversion THA rises, it is important to understand the perioperative characteristics of conversion THA. Some studies have demonstrated higher complication rates in conversion THAs than primary THAs, but research distinguishing the 2 groups is still limited. Methods Perioperative data for 119 conversion THAs and 251 primary THAs were collected at 2 centers. Multivariable linear regression was performed for continuous variables, multivariable logistic regression for dichotomous variables, and chi-square test for categorical variables. Results Outcomes for conversion THAs were significantly different ( P Conclusion Our findings suggest that conversion THAs require more resources than primary THAs, as well as advanced revision type components. Based on these findings, conversion THAs should be reclassified to reflect the greater burden borne by treatment centers.
Exploring physician responsibilities to the global community.

Introduction to the July issue of Virtual Mentor on the theme of medicine in the era of globalization. Virtual Mentor is a monthly bioethics journal published by the American Medical Association.
Perceived social support in adults with autism spectrum disorder and attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Perceived social support (PSS) has been related to physical and mental well-being in typically developing individuals, but systematic characterizations of PSS in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are limited. We compared self-report ratings of the multidimensional scale of PSS (MSPSS) among age- and IQ-matched groups of adults (18-58 years) with cognitively high-functioning ASD (N = 41), or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD; N = 69), and neurotypical controls (NC; N = 69). Accompanying group comparisons, we used machine learning random forest (RF) analyses to explore predictors among a range of psychopathological and socio-emotional variables. Relative to both ADHD and NC, adults with ASD showed lower MSPSS ratings, specifically for the friends subscale (MSPSS-f). Across ASD and ADHD, interindividual differences in autism severity, affective empathy, symptoms of anxiety related to social interactions, hyperactivity/impulsivity, and somatization best predicted MSPSS-f. These relationships did not differ between clinical groups. While group comparisons demonstrated greater impairment in individuals with ASD, analyzing individuals' characteristics revealed cross-diagnoses similarities in regard to their MSPSS-f relationships. This is consistent with the Research Domain Criteria framework, supporting a trans-diagnostic approach as on the path toward "precision medicine." Autism Res 2017, 10: 866-877. © 2017 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Preparing for the afterlife: death, dying, and religious practice in eighteenth-century Puerto Rico

Every society possesses deeply rooted attitudes about death, yet much of what we know about the religious practices of ordinary people in colonial Latin America overlooks the way(s) in which people prepared for death and the afterlife. Sacramental records from eighteenth-century Puerto Rican communities provide insights into both religious elements and social aspects of death. The time period selected is important because new sensibilities toward death emerged in the late eighteenth century, with a movement away from elaborate status-affirming funerals toward the embracing of interiorized piety. This article uses sacramental records to examine reception of the last rites, funerary practices, and burial customs in eighteenth-century Puerto Rico. Three questions guide my inquiry: first, did reception of the last rites (penance, Eucharist, and anointing of the sick) decline in Puerto Rico and, if so, was this related to religious factors or demographic and socioeconomic ones as well; second, how successful w...
Digital correction of aberrations introduced by tilted plane-parallel plates in convergent beams

Compact multispectral imagers often require lightweight, inexpensive, flat beamsplitters working in convergent light. Unfortunately, the use of tilted plane parallel plates (PPPs) as an optomechanical design technique is severely restricted due to the aberrations that PPPs generate in non-collimated spaces. We propose a digital correction method of the image blur introduced by tilted flat beamsplitters working in convergent light. The deconvolution-based results are compared against some known non-symmetric aberration correctors advocated by classic, optical hardware based solutions. This method offers a promising solution for reduction of size, weight and cost of high-performance compact multispectral imaging systems.
National Unity and Potlatch: Genealogical Observations Pertaining to North America’s Accursed Share

ABSTRACTThis paper offers a genealogy of national unity in the United States approached through practices of consumption and punishment. Drawing on the work of Foucault, Mauss, and Bataille, the analysis shows how these practices are mutually determining, how they demonstrate an economy of excess as opposed to one of utility or conservation, and how they depend on and reinforce specific patterns of discursive and emotional coding. The Thanksgiving holiday serves as a privileged site for locating the elements of an apparatus that stretches from the earliest days of colonization to the present, and that operates across diverse political, religious, and ethnic lines.
Dicalcium Phosphate Dihydrate Crystal Growth in the pH Region of 4.5 to 6.2

The Dual Constant Composition (DCC) method was used to study the crystal growth rates of dicalcium phosphate dihydrate (DCPD) in the pH range of 4.5 to 6.2 at 37.0°C with ionic strength, I = 0.15 mol l−1. DCPD crystal growth was retarded at pH values of 5.5 or lower, when Reagent grade chemicals were used in place of Ultrapure reagents, presumably due to chemical impurities. At constant relative supersaturation with respect to DCPD, σDCPD = 0.294, growth was pH dependent following the order 4.5 ≫ 5.0 > 6.2 ≈ 5.3 > 5.5. A minimum rate of 4.6 × 10−5 mol m−2 min−1 was found at pH 5.5, in agreement with previous DCPD growth and dissolution experiments. This pH value was near the point of zero charge (PZC) of DCPD, suggesting the participation of surface complexation in controlling the growth rate. The crystal growth rate could be expressed as a first order dependence on the pH with slopes of −0.61 and 0.16 on the acidic and basic sides of the PZC, respectively. Mostly rectangularly shaped crystals with well defined edges were grown at a pH of 6.2, in contrast to lower pH values of 5.0 and 4.5 where the grown phase had more irregular morphology.
Impact of Age, Caloric Restriction, and Influenza Infection on Mouse Gut Microbiome: An Exploratory Study of the Role of Age-Related Microbiome Changes on Influenza Responses.

Immunosenescence refers to age-related declines in the capacity to respond to infections such as influenza (flu). Caloric restriction represents a known strategy to slow many aging processes, including those involving the immune system. More recently, some changes in the microbiome have been described with aging, while the gut microbiome appears to influence responses to flu vaccination and infection. With these considerations in mind, we used a well-established mouse model of flu infection to explore the impact of flu infection, aging and caloric restriction on the gut microbiome. Young, middle-aged and aged caloric restricted (CR) and ad lib fed (AL) mice were examined after a sublethal flu infection. All mice lost 10-20% body weight and, as expected for these early time points, losses were similar at different ages and between diet groups. Cytokine and chemokine levels were also similar with the notable exception of IL-1 which rose more than 5-fold in aged AL mouse serum, while it remained unchanged in aged CR serum. Fecal microbiome phyla abundance profiles were similar in young, middle-aged and aged AL mice at baseline and at 4 days post flu infection, while increases in Proteobacteria were evident at 7 days post flu infection in all three age groups. CR mice, compared to AL mice in each age group, had increased abundance of Proteobacteria and Verrucomicrobia at all time points. Interestingly, principal coordinate analysis determined that diet exerts a greater effect on the microbiome than age or flu infection. Percentage body weight loss correlated with the relative abundance of Proteobacteria regardless of age, suggesting flu pathogenicity is related to Proteobacteria abundance. Further, several microbial OTUs from the Bacteroidetes phyla correlated with serum chemokine/cytokines regardless of both diet and age suggesting an interplay between flu-induced systemic inflammation and gut microbiota. These exploratory studies highlight the impact of caloric restriction on fecal microbiome in both young and aged animals, as well as the many complex relationships between flu responses and gut microbiota. Thus, these preliminary studies provide the necessary groundwork to examine how gut microbiota alterations may be leveraged to influence declining immune responses with aging.
Predictability and Prediction of Southern California Rains during Strong El Niño Events: A Focus on the Failed 2016 Winter Rains

AbstractThe failed Southern California (SCAL) winter rains during the 2015/16 strong El Nino came as a surprise and a disappointment. Similarities were drawn to very wet winters during several historical strong El Nino events, leading to heightened expectations that SCAL’s multiyear drought would abate in 2016. Ensembles of atmospheric model simulations and coupled model seasonal forecasts are diagnosed to determine both the potential predictability and actual prediction skill of the failed rains, with a focus on understanding the striking contrast of SCAL precipitation between the 2016 and 1998 strong El Nino events. The ensemble mean of simulations indicates that the December–February 2016 winter dryness was not a response to global boundary forcings, which instead generated a wet SCAL signal. Nor was the extreme magnitude of observed 1998 wetness entirely reconcilable with a boundary-forced signal, indicating it was not a particularly precise analog for 2016. Furthermore, model simulations indicate the...
Book Review: How to use emotional, cultural, and spiritual intelligence to mentor doctoral learners: Best practices and tools to help mentors and doctoral learners navigate the dissertation process by McCollum, W. R.

McCollum, W. R. (2014). How to use emotional, cultural, and spiritual intelligence to mentor doctoral learners: Best practices and tools to help mentors and doctoral learners navigate the dissertation process. Fort Washington, MD: McCollum Enterprises. 439 pp. ISBN: 978-0-9791406-5-5 (paperback, large print) Graduate school attrition rates of 40% to 50% raise concern for mentors and mentees struggling to beat these odds. Poor self-esteem, inadequate preparation, limited finances, and dysfunctional social supports are common barriers, especially for underserved, nontraditional graduate students. In How to Use Emotional, Cultural, and Spiritual Intelligence, Walter McCollum (2014) contends that emotional, cultural, and spiritual intelligence facilitates the successful navigation through the dissertation process. Combining theory, practice, and experience, McCollum defines successful mentoring as the ability to create opportunities and environments that provide clear expectations, tools, and support for graduate students. Relying on his experience with underserved, nontraditional online doctoral students, he offers mentors and mentees best practices for reducing the attrition rates. The first chapter, "Emotional Intelligence is the Heart of Mentoring Doctoral Learners," briefly summarizes the literature on emotional intelligence. Preferring Goleman's (2000) emotional intelligence model because it measures the personal competence, empathy, and social skills of the mentor and mentee, McCollum (2014) uses his personal assessment scores to illustrate the development of his mentoring practices. He suggests that mentors with high emotional intelligence possess competencies to create the opportunities mentees need to succeed. In the second chapter, "Using Cultural Intelligence as a Critical Success Factor to Mentor Doctoral Learners," McCollum (2014) defines cultural intelligence as the ability to grasp what makes all people human and different at the same time. Acknowledging the changing global demographic in traditional and nontraditional doctoral programs, he asserts that cultural intelligence is a vital component for a successful mentoring relationship. He views mentoring as the bridge between interpersonal differences and cultural intelligence as the key to avoiding misunderstanding and conflict within a mentoring relationship. In Chapter 3, "Aligning Spiritual Intelligence Principles With the Dissertation Process," McCollum (2014) admits that research is sparse and finding a definition for spiritual intelligence is difficult. Settling on Sisk and Torrance's (2001) definition of spiritual intelligence as a sensory approach to problem-solving and learning that listens to one's inner voice, McCollum presents qualities evident in those with spiritual intelligence. …
Alternatives in Implementing Noncommutative Grobner Basis Systems

Alternatives in implementing systems for computing Grobner bases in path algebras (noncommutative polynomial rings) are considered and compared. Adapted forms of the standard variations to the Buchberger''s algorithm (for commutative polynomial rings) are discussed, as is a pattern matching approach that finds the divisors and common multiples among the leading terms of a set of polynomials. Results from preliminary experimentation with a prototype system are used to compare the different configurations of two variations (triple elimination and basis reduction). Eight problem instances split between two classes of problems (one over free algebras, the other over mesh algebras) are used to compare the configurations. An informal analysis suggests that order plays a larger role in determining the execution time for a problem instance that the algorithm. However, by comparing configurations for each of the admissible orders, some observations can be made about the algorithms.
Combination Loading of Doxorubicin and Resveratrol in Polymeric Micelles for Increased Loading Efficiency and Efficacy

Combined loading of doxorubicin (DOX) and resveratrol (RSV) in polymeric micelles enabled an increased loading of DOX into a micellar drug delivery system. Herein, we report the coloading of DOX and RSV in amphiphilic diblock copolymer micelles of poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(e-caprolactone) (PEG-b-PCL) and poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(γ-benzyl-e-caprolactone) (PEG-b-PBCL) for which an increase in the loading efficiency and increased in vitro cytotoxicity was observed. The increased loading was attributed to the favorable interactions of DOX and RSV as well as to the interaction with benzyl substituents of PEG-b-PBCL diblock copolymer micelles. Combination loaded micelles made of PEG-b-PBCL diblock copolymer showed a dramatic improvement in DOX loading in comparison to DOX-only loaded PEG-b-PBCL with an increase in encapsulation efficiency of DOX from 31.0 to 87.7%. Combination loaded micelles also showed increased cytotoxicity to HeLa cells as compared to that of DOX-only loaded micelles. Optimization of...
Development of a new TLC method for quality control of [11C]acetate

1916 Objectives: A popular published method for quality control of [11C]acetate is thin layer chromatography on NaOH-treated silica gel plates. However, in our hands this method gave inconsistent results. Thus the objective of this study was to develop a more reliable TLC method for QC of [11C]acetate Methods: Four TLC systems were studied: (1) silica gel plates dipped in saturated NaOH/MeOH and air dried, eluted with MeOH; (2) untreated SiO2, MeOH eluent; (3) SiO2, acetone/H2O/CHCl3/EtOH/NH4OH (60/2/6/10/22); and (4) SiO2, acetone/EtOH/NH4OH (65/10/25). [11C]Acetate was synthesized by reaction of cyclotron generated [11C]CO2 with 100 umol MeMgCl in THF and purified by sequential cation exchange, halide exchange and anion exchange cartridges. [11C]Carbonate was made by bubbling [11C]CO2 into dilute NaOH. Radioactive sample chromatograms were quantitated on a Bioscan AR-2000 TLC scanner. Carrier acetic acid and sodium acetate were applied to separate plates and visualized with methyl red-bromophenol blue spray + heat. Results: The NaOH-treated plates gave variable results (Rf 0.58-0.84) in different experiments. Storing the plates in a desiccator or oven drying did not improve their performance. In contrast, the three other systems gave reproducible results both with carrier acetic acid and with [11C]acetate. System 2 (the only one without base) also resolved ionic acetate from acetic acid. [11C]Carbonate did not migrate (Rf 0.0) on any system. Conclusions: System 4, silica gel eluted with acetone/ethanol/ammonium hydroxide, was the simplest system giving reproducible results in an ideal Rf range (Rf 0.5) and was selected for routine QC. Research Support (if any): Supported by NIH/NCI # R25T-CA092043 and Vanderbilt Department of Radiology.
Genetic parameter estimates for carcass and yearling ultrasound measurements in Brangus cattle.

Carcass measurements of 12th-rib fat thickness (CARCFAT), longissimus muscle area (CARCLMA), and weight (CARCWT) on 2,028 Brangus and Brangus-sired fed steers and heifers, as well as yearling weights (YWT) and ultrasound measures of 12th-rib fat thickness (USFAT) and longissimus muscle area (USLMA) on 3,583 Brangus bulls and heifers were analyzed to estimate genetic parameters. Data were analyzed using a six-trait animal model and an average information REML algorithm. The model included fixed effects for contemporary group and breed of dam, covariates for age at slaughter or measurement, and random animal and residual effects. Heritabilities for CARCFAT, CARCLMA, CARCWT, USFAT, USLMA, and YWT were .27+/-.05, .39+/-.05, .59+/-.06, .11+/-.03, .29+/-.04, and .40+/-.04, respectively. Genetic correlations between CARCFAT and USFAT, CARCLMA and USLMA, and CARCWT and YWT were .69+/-.18, .66+/-.14, and .61+/-.11, respectively. The favorable and moderately strong genetic correlations between carcass measurements and similar yearling breeding-animal ultrasound measurements indicate that such measurements of 12th-rib fat and longissimus muscle area are useful in predicting genetic values for carcass leanness and longissimus muscle area. Selection using yearling ultrasound measurements of breeding cattle should result in predictable genetic improvement for carcass characteristics. Inclusion of yearling ultrasound measurements for fat thickness and longissimus muscle area should enhance national cattle evaluation programs.
Trunnion corrosion in metal-on-polyethylene hip arthroplasty: a simple diagnosis and treatment?

Aims To report our experience with trunnion corrosion following metal-on-polyethylene total hip arthroplasty, in particular to report the spectrum of presentation and determine the mean time to pre...
The Bumpy Road to a Tobacco-Free Community: Lessons from Well City

Over 880 communities have put regulations in place to reduce or eliminate tobacco use in buildings used by the public. This study examines the experience of one such community—Well City, Ohio. The nonsmoker protection efforts in Well City help us identify and discuss eight important considerations affecting policy development and implementation: (1) anticipate community opposition, (2) identify and collaborate with a support network, (3) control the community hearing process, (4) anticipate outside interests, (5) recognize the potential for legal challenges, (6) address life with legal limbo, (7) start strong, and (8) watch the mix of politics and public health. Current clean indoor air efforts seem to focus on establishing coalitions and encouraging employers to voluntarily establish tobacco-free workplaces and restaurants. These efforts certainly need to continue but as a basic part of a comprehensive program which recognizes the importance and fosters the development of strong nonsmoker protection regulations developed at the local level by health boards, county boards of supervisors, and/or city councils.
Robotics and Autonomous Robots

Autonomous robots are rapidly changing manufacturing processes and industrial production systems. It is now an integral component essential for improved productivity and efficiency in industrial mechanized plants. In most modern large scale production facilities, tasks such as welding, forming, drilling, milling, and locating are completely performed by robots and the degree of autonomy will vary by industry. The emerging trend is to improve the robots' perceptual ability and cognition, thereby making them less reliant on an external controller and human intervention. This process is called autonomy, hence the name autonomous robots.
Intra-Ethnic Racial Differences in Waterpipe Tobacco Smoking among Latinos?

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES This study examined differences in waterpipe smoking (both lifetime and current) by race and ethnicity. More specifically, we evaluated intra-ethnic racial differences among Latinos using a nationally representative sample. METHODS Pooled data from the National Adult Tobacco Survey (NATS) [2012-2014] was used, in which Log-Poisson multivariable regression models were deployed to determine the prevalence of waterpipe smoking behavior. Models were stratified by gender and we further investigated acculturation, controlling for relevant sociodemographic characteristics. RESULTS In fully-adjusted models assessing lifetime WTS, Black Latinos and White Latinos exhibited an increase prevalence of lifetime WTS compared to their non-Hispanic white counterparts. Once stratifying by gender, Black Latino men (PR = 1.49; 95% CI = 1.16, 1.90) exhibited increased prevalence of lifetime WTS compared to their non-Hispanic white men counterparts; although white Latino men (PR = 0.88; 95% CI = 0.80, 0.98) exhibited decreased prevalence compared to their non-Hispanic white male counterparts. Similar trends were found for current WTS among men. In fully adjusted models assessing lifetime WTS, among women, only white Latina's (PR = 1.23; 95% CI = 1.04, 1.46) exhibited increased prevalence compared to their non-Hispanic white women counterparts. When evaluating current WTS, Black Latina's (PR = 2.19; 95% CI = 1.32, 3.65) and white Latinas (PR = 1.28; 95% CI = 1.00, 1.63) exhibited increased prevalence of WTS compared to their non-Hispanic white women counterparts. Conclusions/Importance: Among the U.S. general adult population, intra-ethnic racial differences in WTS behaviors exist among Latinos; and is shaped by gender. Future efforts to eliminate racial disparities in WTS should be attentive intra-ethnic racial differences among Latinos.
Advances in age-dating of individual uranium particles by large geometry secondary ion mass spectrometry

We present the ability to conduct single micrometer-sized uranium particle age-dating measurements on particles that are younger, smaller, and less enriched in 235U content than previously reported. Specifically, we use large geometry secondary ion mass spectrometry (LG-SIMS) to precisely measure the 230Th/234U radiochronometer, combined with a systematic treatment of relevant parameters such as particle size, enrichment, and age, to achieve this development. We describe the necessary requirements for instrument background, interference rejection, abundance sensitivity, and other instrumental conditions that allow for this advance in single-particle uranium age-dating. We introduce the use of statistics developed by Feldman and Cousins to generate 95% confidence intervals in particle age, even when 230Th daughter ions are not detected. For particles where counts are limited and are of identical isotopic signatures, we provide an option for aggregating individual measurements of single particles to reduce measurement uncertainty, as if the measurement had been performed on one larger particle. The methodology is validated on a range of certified reference materials and ‘real-world’ samples, ranging in age from 15 to 60 years, and on individual particles ranging in equivalent size from 0.6 to 6.8 micrometers. Additionally, we provide model age calculations for particles ranging in size from 1.0 to 3.0 micrometers across enrichments ranging from natural uranium to highly-enriched uranium and on ages ranging from 0 to 60 years. Experimental results compare well with the predicted model ages, providing realistic guidance for expectations of single micrometer-sized uranium particle age-dating measurements. The age-dating capabilities described herein are directly relevant to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and its mission to safeguard nuclear materials and monitor member state nuclear programs.
Outcomes of Surgery for Brainstem Cavernous Malformations: A Systematic Review.

Background and Purpose— The goal of this study was to systematically review the outcomes and complications after surgical resection of brain stem cavernous malformations (BCMs). Methods— A systemat...
The effects of ankle stiffness on mechanics and energetics of walking with added loads: a prosthetic emulator study.

The human ankle joint has an influential role in the regulation of the mechanics and energetics of gait. The human ankle can modulate its joint ‘quasi-stiffness’ (ratio of plantarflexion moment to dorsiflexion displacement) in response to various locomotor tasks (e.g., load carriage). However, the direct effect of ankle stiffness on metabolic energy cost during various tasks is not fully understood. The purpose of this study was to determine how net metabolic energy cost was affected by ankle stiffness while walking under different force demands (i.e., with and without additional load). Individuals simulated an amputation by using an immobilizer boot with a robotic ankle-foot prosthesis emulator. The prosthetic emulator was controlled to follow five ankle stiffness conditions, based on literature values of human ankle quasi-stiffness. Individuals walked with these five ankle stiffness settings, with and without carrying additional load of approximately 30% of body mass (i.e., ten total trials). Within the range of stiffness we tested, the highest stiffness minimized metabolic cost for both load conditions, including a ~ 3% decrease in metabolic cost for an increase in stiffness of about 0.0480 Nm/deg/kg during normal (no load) walking. Furthermore, the highest stiffness produced the least amount of prosthetic ankle-foot positive work, with a difference of ~ 0.04 J/kg from the highest to lowest stiffness condition. Ipsilateral hip positive work did not significantly change across the no load condition but was minimized at the highest stiffness for the additional load conditions. For the additional load conditions, the hip work followed a similar trend as the metabolic cost, suggesting that reducing positive hip work can lower metabolic cost. While ankle stiffness affected the metabolic cost for both load conditions, we found no significant interaction effect between stiffness and load. This may suggest that the importance of the human ankle’s ability to change stiffness during different load carrying tasks may not be driven to minimize metabolic cost. A prosthetic design that can modulate ankle stiffness when transitioning from one locomotor task to another could be valuable, but its importance likely involves factors beyond optimizing metabolic cost.
Comparing rates of statin therapy in eligible patients living with HIV versus uninfected patients.

OBJECTIVES Despite an increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) in people living with HIV (PLWH), a gap in statin prescribing practices has been described for statin-eligble PLWH and uninfected patients. Few data have become available characterizing this gap since the publication of the 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association lipid guidelines. The objective of this study was to characterize statin prescribing rates for eligible PLWH compared to uninfected adults. METHODS This was a retrospective, comparative analysis of patients seen at two clinics in an urban, academic medical system between February 2017 and September 2017. Patients who qualified for one of the statin benefit groups were included: those with a history of clinical ASCVD, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ≥ 190 mg/dL, diabetes mellitus, or 10-year ASCVD risk score ≥ 7.5%. Patients < 21 years old or without a lipid panel within 3 years were excluded. The primary outcome was the percentage of PLWH prescribed a statin compared to uninfected patients. Predictors associated with receiving a statin were analysed using a logistic regression model. RESULTS Nine hundred and eight PLWH and 2239 uninfected patients met the study criteria. A difference in statin prescribing rates was observed between PLWH and uninfected patients (44% versus 56%, respectively; adjusted odds ratio (OR) 0.79; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.66-0.94). However, only in the 10-year ASCVD risk group were the rates significantly different (24% for PLWH versus 36% for uninfected patients; adjusted OR 0.68; 95% CI 0.5-0.92). PLWH more often received a medium-intensity statin and uninfected patients more often received a high-intensity statin. CONCLUSIONS PLWH with ASCVD risk were less likely to be prescribed a statin compared to uninfected patients. Additional analyses are needed to investigate reasons for the statin prescribing gap and appropriateness of lipid agent selection in both study populations.
Laws and Accidental Generalities

From the beginning of philosophical interest in laws and explanation, the emphasis was on laws as playing a fundamental role in explanations. This was evident in Aristotle (if one understands that his reference to four kinds of causes should be understood as his interest in four kinds of explanations.) In our time, the emphasis was very clear in C. Hempel and P. Oppenheim’s seminal essay (Cf. Chap. 1).
Preadmission predictors for first semester course success in a baccalaureate nursing program.

Abstract Background Identifying students' who are able to complete a rigorous course of study, graduate on time, and pass the NCLEX-RN© is a principle role of nursing program admissions teams. Purpose To examine which preadmission factors predict students' success in the first semester of a baccalaureate nursing program. Methods Undergraduate students' data from the academic years 2013 to 2017 were analyzed (N = 927). Bivariate and multiple regression analyses were used to examine potential predictors of first semester course success, and scores on standardized NCLEX preparation exams. Results Preadmission cumulative GPA (OR = 3.82, 95% CI = 1.43–10.16) and prerequisite science GPA (OR = 2.57, 95% CI = 1.14–5.78) predicted success in the pathopharmacology course. Preadmission cumulative GPA (OR = 6.53, 95% CI = 1.59–26.85) and TEAS composite score (OR = 1.15, 95% CI = 1.09–1.22) predicted success in the health assessment course. Preadmission cumulative GPA (OR = 3.42, 95% CI = 1.18–9.92) and TEAS composite score (OR = 1.05, 95% CI = 1.01–1.10) predicted success in the foundations course. Higher preadmission cumulative GPA (B = 14.19, p Conclusions Preadmission cumulative GPA, prerequisite science GPA, and TEAS composite score were significant predictors of success in first semester courses and performance on standardized tests.
Ophthalmologists in the First Year of the Merit-based Incentive Payment System.

Abstract Older and solo practice ophthalmologists were less likely to fully participate in the 2017 Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and typically performed below their younger peers. Larger practices and healthcare systems bolstered overall MIPS performance.
The effect of sexual victimization on attachment in emerging adulthood: An analysis of an African-American sample:

Research has consistently shown that sexual victimization during childhood and adolescence can lead to negative outcomes. However, little research to date has sought to test whether these experienc...
Finding the missing Einsteins: Expanding the breadth of cognitive and noncognitive measures used in academic services

Abstract Education researchers, policymakers, and practitioners are concerned with identifying and developing talent for students with fewer opportunities, especially students from historically marginalized groups. An emerging body of research suggests “universally screening” or testing all students, then matching those students with appropriate educational challenges, is effective in helping marginalized students. However, most tests have focused on two areas: math and verbal reasoning. We leverage three nationally representative samples of the U.S. population at different time points that include both novel cognitive measures (e.g., spatial, mechanical, and abstract reasoning) and non-cognitive measures (e.g., conscientiousness, creativity or word fluency, leadership skill, and artistic skill) to uncover which measures would improve proportional representation of marginalized groups in talent identification procedures. We find that adding spatial reasoning measures in particular—as well as other non-cognitive measures such as conscientiousness, leadership, and creativity—are worthwhile to consider for universal screening procedures for students to narrow achievement gaps at every level of education, including for gifted students. By showing that these nontraditional measures both improve proportional representation of underrepresented groups and have reasonable predictive validity, we also broaden the definition of what it means to be “gifted” and expand opportunities for students from historically marginalized groups.
The medial entorhinal cortex mediates basolateral amygdala effects on spatial memory and downstream activity-regulated cytoskeletal-associated protein expression.

The basolateral amygdala (BLA) modulates the consolidation of dorsal hippocampus (DH)-dependent spatial and dorsolateral striatum (DLS)-dependent cued-response memories, often in competition with one another. Evidence suggests that a critical mechanism for BLA influences on memory consolidation is via effects on activity-regulated cytoskeletal-associated protein (ARC) in downstream brain regions. However, the circuitry by which the BLA modulates ARC in multiple competing memory systems remains unclear. Prior evidence indicates that optogenetic stimulation of BLA projections to the medial entorhinal cortex (mEC) enhances the consolidation of spatial learning and impairs the consolidation of cued-response learning, suggesting this pathway provides a circuit for favoring one system over another. Therefore, we hypothesized the BLA-mEC pathway mediates effects on downstream ARC-based synaptic plasticity related to these competing memory systems. To address this, male and female Sprague–Dawley rats underwent spatial or cued-response Barnes maze training and, 45 min later, were sacrificed for ARC analysis in synaptoneurosomes from the DH and DLS. Initial experiments found that spatial training alone increased ARC levels in the DH above those observed in control rats and rats that underwent a cued-response version of the task. Postspatial training optogenetic stimulation of the BLA–mEC pathway altered the balance of ARC expression in the DH vs. DLS, specifically shifting the balance in favor of the DH-based spatial memory system, although the precise region of ARC changes differed by sex. These findings suggest that BLA–mEC pathway influences on ARC in downstream regions are a mechanism by which the BLA can favor one memory system over another.
Pharmacokinetics and biodistribution of a collagen-targeted peptide amphiphile for cardiovascular applications

Atherosclerosis remains a leading cause of death and disability around the world and a major driver of health care spending. Nanomaterials have gained widespread attention due to their promising potential for clinical translation and use. We have developed a collagen-targeted peptide amphiphile (PA)-based nanofiber for the prevention of neointimal hyperplasia after arterial injury. Our goal was to characterize the pharmacokinetics and biodistribution of the collagen-targeted PA to further its advancement into clinical trials. Collagen-targeted PA was injected into the internal jugular vein of Sprague Dawley rats. PA concentrations in plasma collected at various times after injection (0 to 72 hours) were measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Pharmacokinetics of the collagen-targeted PA were characterized by a three-compartment model, with an extremely rapid apparent elimination clearance resulting in a plasma concentration decrease of more than two orders of magnitude within the first hour after injection. This rapid initial decline in plasma concentration was not due to degradation by plasma components, as collagen-targeted PA was stable in plasma ex vivo for up to 3 hours. Indeed, cellular blood components appear to be partly responsible, as only 15% of collagen-targeted PA were recovered following incubation with whole blood. Nanofibers in whole blood also adhered to red blood cells (RBCs) and were engulfed by mononuclear cells. This work highlights the unique pharmacokinetics of our collagen-targeted PA, which differ from pharmacokinetics of small molecules. Because of their targeted nature, these nanomaterials should not require sustained elevated plasma concentrations to achieve a therapeutic effect the way small molecules typically do.
Building a Culture of Respect for People

At Virginia Mason Medical Center, a multiyear, organization-wide strategy to define and adopt foundational behaviors of respect resulted in significant improvements in respectful interactions and e...
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Sudden Unexpected Infant Death and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Rates in the USA: a Complex Problem Mired in a Deeply Entangled Web

In this review, we examine the slow decline in the US infant mortality rate by evaluating disparate racial and ethnic improvements in sudden unexpected infant death/sudden infant death syndrome rates. The US infant mortality rate continues to be higher in minority groups. Limited data associates specific genetic variations with increased risk of SIDS in African Americans. Public health campaigns to reduce SIDS risks have focused on vulnerable groups and used messaging that can be perceived as guilt/blame based. Qualitative studies have found that many Black mothers view SUIDS/SIDS as a random, unpreventable event. Consequently, cultural beliefs and traditions may override healthcare advice for safe infant sleeping. Analysis of SIDS rates in other countries shows that some behaviors considered SIDS risks are common in countries with low SIDS rates. Studies show that social forces perpetuating racial inequity contribute to disparate racial/ethnic improvements in mortality rates. Approaching healthcare campaigns for safe infant sleeping from a culturally sensitive perspective may improve individual risks, but large impacts on infant mortality and SUID/SIDS rates will require changes that decrease racial inequities in the US society.