cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Relaxation of the public symphysis in guinea pigs following injections of desoxycorticosterone acetate.

SummaryIn oophorectomized guinea pigs primed with estrogens, desoxycorticosterone acetate can substitue for progesterone in bringing about relaxation of the pubic symphysis. Only a few animals showed a degree of relaxation comparable to that obtained in advanced pregnacey, Milk secretion was obtained in many of these guinea pigs.
Analysis of key problems on synthesis of synthetic peptide drugs

Based on Guidance on Chemistry,Manufacturing and Controls Studies for Synthetic Peptide Drugs and the common issues about drug registration,this paper summarized and analyzed key problems on synthesis of peptide drugs.A number of technical requirements,such as the requirements for starting materials and synthesis information,were deeply clarified,and controversial issues in the process of drafting the guidance were described.
Prevalence of Alcoholism Among Methadone Patients

A recent prevalence-of-alcoholism study carried out at a New York City hospital-based methadone maintenance program provided data concerning the number of patients addicted to ethanol and an opportunity to test different intervention strategies for polydrug users. There has been, over the past decade, increasing interest in the phenomenon of polydrug use/abuse among methadone maintained patients. Alcoholism has become especially prevalent and given rise to a number of studies attempting to determine both the number with and etiology of this disorder. Current theories range from the use of alcohol to supplement methadone (suggesting that this practice begins after entry in a methadone program) to alcoholism preceding methadone treatment (suggesting that the patient was alcoholic prior to program participation.) The estimated prevalence of alcoholism has ranged from less than 1% to greater than 70% among this patient population.
Laparoscopic Cholangiography: The Case for a Selective Approach

Intraoperative cholangiography has proved to be a significant benefit for the biliary surgeon by alleviating the morbidity of unnecessary common duct exploration in patients with suspected but unproved choledocholithiasis and by clarifying biliary anatomy in patients when dissection proves difficult. Laparoscopic surgeons should be capable of performing the procedure when indicated and should be comfortable interpreting the images obtained. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy with selective application of cholangiography can be performed with little or no effect on the incidence of retained calculi, with no impact on the incidence of common bile duct injury, and with diminished operative time and expense. The experienced laparoscopic surgeon can become facile with the procedure quickly and easily and does not require routine performance of the study to maintain these skills. Reduction of the incidence of biliary injury during laparoscopic cholecystectomy can be achieved by early meticulous dissection at the infundibular-cystic duct junction, with limited use of laser or electrocautery in this region rather than by reliance on intraoperative cholangiography.
PRESERVATION, MODES OF

The most important component in the preservation of biological remains is the presence of saprophytic organisms which feed on organics. Saprophytes thrive in alkaline, aerobic, humid environments; therefore, biological remains tend not to preserve in these same environments. They cannot survive in acidic, anaerobic, dry, cold environments; therefore, biological remains tend to preserve in these environments. Other factors which influence biological preservation are durability of materials and whether they can withstand mechanical and weathering destruction, as well as whether material has been carbonized or calcined, both of which increase their durability in all environments, particularly ones in which saprophytic organisms are present. Understanding preservation factors influencing biological remains can be straightforward, as in the relationship between the presence of saprophytic organisms and lack of biological remains; but is more likely to be complex, as presented here with the more disparate factors influencing biological preservation in areas such as Maine and the southwestern United States. The biological, environmental, and cultural factors influencing each region and assemblage need to be understood before factors influencing biological preservation can be elucidated.
Abstract 4510: KIT melanomas are developmentally racially biased

KIT is a critical pathway for melanocytic homeostasis and it is often down-regulated in cutaneous melanoma. However, KIT activation plays a critical role in a subpopulation of melanomas especially those in acral locations and melanomas on chronically sun damaged skin. We analyzed exome and RNAseq data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Network (321 cutaneous melanomas in the data set) to identify patterns unique to KIT activation. The melanomas were divided based on known mutually exclusive mutations (BRAF, NRAS and KIT) vs those without (WT). We compared RNA data between each group. KIT group had significantly higher expression of KIT than BRAF, NRAS and WT (p TT for UV, (G/A)C(G)>(G/A)T(G) for deamination, and G>T for oxidative damage. UV and deamination appeared inversely proportional, while oxidative damage appeared to be independent of those other two features. KIT and WT had a greater% of non UV high deamination tumoral environments. A fraction of these tumors also had very high oxidative signatures. We then compared 2 KIT subgroups UV vs non UV (absence of CC>TT mutations) for germline ethnicity differences. Asian SNPs were highly increased in non UV subgroup whereas Caucasian SNPs were in UV subgroup. Further, we divided KIT non UV subgroup into deamination and oxidative damage subgroups and compared ethnicity differences. Deamination was significantly higher in Asians whereas oxidative damage was higher in Caucasians. A similar analysis was done to the WT group, where African SNPs were significantly increased in the non UV subgroup and were primarily associated with oxidative damage. This data implies that KIT mutant melanomas develop in a unique genetic and mutational environments and makes this an ideal system to in which study racial disparities at the molecular level. Citation Format: Margaret I. Sanchez, James M. Grichnik. KIT melanomas are developmentally racially biased. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 4510.
Treatment of Fractures and Non-Unions in Children with Osteogenesis Imperfecta

The current management of children who have osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) includes bisphosphonate therapy, rehabilitation, correction of long bone deformity and acute fracture management. Treatment of fractures in these patients can involve use of lightweight splints for non-displaced, stable fractures in non-weight-bearing bones. Many acute fractures have intrinsic stability owing to the intact periosteum surrounding the fracture. Displaced, unstable fractures in weight-bearing bones often require surgery. Surgical devices that are load sharing (intramedullary rods) are preferred. At surgery, pre-existing angular deformity should be corrected at the same time to decrease the fracture risk at the deformity apex. Less-invasive surgical techniques that decrease periosteal stripping, coupled with newer self-elongating surgical implants, may decrease the morbidity and reoperation rate in these patients. More severely involved patients may develop non-unions after fractures or osteotomies. Resections of the non-union, acute bone shortening and intramedullary fixation with autogenous bone grafting is the treatment of choice.
Teaching multiply controlled intraverbals to children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders

Reciprocal conversations, instructional activities, and other social interactions are replete with multiply controlled intraverbals, examples of which have been conceptualized in terms of conditional discriminations. Although the acquisition of conditional discriminations has been examined extensively in the behavior-analytic literature, little research has evaluated procedures to establish multiply controlled intraverbals. Thus, the purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the effects of procedures based on conditional discrimination training on the acquisition of multiply controlled intraverbals with 7 participants who had been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders. We evaluated the effects of prompt delay with error correction, a differential observing response (DOR), and a DOR plus blocked trials on the acquisition of intraverbals using a multiple baseline design. Accuracy of intraverbal performance increased for at least 1 set of stimuli for all participants under prompt delay with error correction conditions; however, 4 participants required additional teaching (i.e., DOR, modified DOR, modified prompt delay with error correction). Based on these findings, when prompt delay with error correction is not sufficient to establish multiply controlled intraverbals, prompted DORs may be an effective alternative.
Safety and Clinical Outcomes of Catheter Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease.

Introduction Data regarding catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is limited. We therefore assessed the association of CKD with common safety and clinical outcomes in a nationwide sample of ablation recipients. Methods Using MarketScan® Commercial Claims and Medicare Supplemental Databases, we evaluated 30-day safety and 1-year clinical outcomes in patients who underwent a first AF ablation procedure between 2007–2011. We calculated frequency of common 30-day complications and calculated frequencies, incidence rates, and Cox proportional hazards for outcomes at 1-year post-ablation. Results Of 21,091 patients included, 1,593 (7.6%) had CKD. Patients with CKD were older (64 vs 59 years, p<0.001) with higher CHA2DS2-VASc scores (3.2 vs 1.8, p<0.001). At 30 days post-ablation, patients with CKD had similar rates of stroke/TIA (0.13% vs 0.13%, p = 0.99), perforation/tamponade (3.2% vs 3.1%, p = 0.83), and vascular complications (2.4% vs 2.2%, p = 0.59) as patients without CKD, but were more likely to be hospitalized for heart failure (2.1% vs. 0.4%, p<0.001). In multivariate analysis, there were no significant differences in hazards of AF hospitalization (adjusted HR: 1.02, 95%CI: 0.87-1.20), cardioversion (adjusted HR: 0.99, 95%CI: 0.87-1.12), or repeat AF ablation (adjusted HR: 0.89, 95%CI: 0.76-1.06) at one year. Conclusions Among patients selected for AF ablation, those with and without CKD had similar rates of post-procedural complications although they were more likely to be re-admitted for heart failure. CKD was not independently associated with AF hospitalization, cardioversion, and repeat ablation. These findings can inform clinical decision-making in patients with AF and CKD. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved
Sub-surface laser damage in sapphire and silicon: A path towards laser wafering

A variable wavelength nanosecond pulsed laser is used to create and characterize the subsurface damage in Sapphire and Silicon. The high intensity laser light of wavelengths that are transparent to crystalline Sapphire and silicon is used. The depth and size of the damage spots are compared with a ray-optics model and electron plasma breakdown model. The effect of focusing optics, number of shots, numerical aperture (NA) of the focusing optic on the experimentally measured subsurface damage spot size is presented. A range of spot sizes were formed from 100–300 μm in the bulk of sapphire without damaging the surface. Preferential chemical etchants and or cleaving methods will be implemented to peel thin wafers from the thicker ones. These results and the understanding in the fields of bulk material modification and internal laser micromachining of semiconductors will be implemented towards the laser wafering.
Agua y guerra en la Castilla de los Reyes Católicos a través de las crónicas: las guerras de Portugal y Granada (1475-1492)

La tesis doctoral Agua y guerra en la Castilla de los Reyes Catolicos a traves de las cronicas: Las guerras de Portugal y Granada (1475-1492) se centra en dos ejes principales: ?Hasta que punto el agua estuvo presente e influyo en el desenlace militar de los conflictos estudiados? Y ?Puede ser considerado el control del agua como recurso economico un casus belli de las guerras presentadas? La exposicion se divide en nueve capitulos. El primero, Estrategia militar y recursos hidricos en las cronicas, estudia la influencia de los elementos hidricos en los planteamientos previos a un conflicto armado, tales como la definicion sobre plano de los movimientos, o los objetivos de las acciones armadas. El segundo, Papel defensivo del agua, ahonda en los aspectos estrategicos especificos de las acciones defensivas y demuestra la preponderancia de su uso como elemento estrategico de defensa pasiva. De forma similar, el tercero, Agua y ofensivas militares, establece la relacion de los mismos con las tacticas de ataque y establece la estrecha relacion entre la presencia de agua y los desarrollos tacticos en el combate. El cuarto, El agua en campana. La logistica del Real, estudia la creciente tendencia a establecer los campamentos militares en las riveras de los rios, a medida que la convocatoria aumenta el volumen de efectivos convocados y el numero de bestias utilizadas. Asi mismo, valora su evolucion hacia formas mas permanentes y seguras, menos expuestas a las precipitaciones. El capitulo numero cinco, El agua y el desplazamiento de las tropas, se hace eco de la importancia creciente de las riveras de los cursos fluviales en el desplazamiento de la hueste, a medida que esta crece e incorpora mas artilleria de polvora y las necesidades de transporte de carga. En el sexto, Combates en escenarios hidricos, nos hacemos eco del elevado numero de enfrentamientos que tienen lugar en torno a rios arroyos y otras fuentes, y estudiamos las razones para ello. El septimo, Consideraciones politicas y simbolicas del agua, analiza la especial consideracion politico-administrativa que se aplica a los cursos fluviales y la su influencia en un entorno belico. Asi mismo, exponemos el reflejo en las cronicas de la percepcion simbolica y religiosa del agua. En el octavo, El agua como recurso economico. Una aproximacion diferente a las causas de los conflictos, buscamos evidencias de que pudiera constituir un motivo para el estallido de los conflictos, o al menos de la participacion a titulo individual en los mismos, especialmente en la guerra de Granada. El noveno y ultimo capitulo, Evolucion y continuidad en la guerra segun las cronicas, estudia la percepcion de los cronistas de los cambios que el ejercito y los enfrentamientos militares estan experimentando, diferenciando entre aquellos aspectos propios de la guerra medieval que aun se manifiestan y aquellos novedosos que sientan las bases de la guerra en epoca moderna.
Controlling nanoscale optical transmission with dielectric metasurfaces at visible wavelengths

Recently, metasurfaces and metalenses have become an important subject in the domain of novel optical devices. Numerous nanostructures, with different fundamental principles, materials, and topologies, have been proposed, but general design rules for optimization of their efficiency are not well established yet. Particularly attractive are metasurfaces consisting of Huygens resonators since they offer precise control of the intensity and phase of the transmitted light. In this paper, we demonstrate a Huygens metasurface capable of focusing visible light. We study the impact of the layout of the lens on their efficiency by comparing two metalenses designs: concentric annular regions of equal width and constant phase, with concentric rings defined by individual nano-resonators. The latter provides a better approximation to the ideal phase profile and as a consequence, a high-efficiency lens. Metalenses with both designs were fabricated by e-beam lithography and characterized with a custom-built setup. Experimental results demonstrate that the design with fine discretization improves the lens efficiency by a factor of 2.6.
Corticosteroids: Targeting Multiple Cytokines and Chemokines

Drugs that inhibit vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) are effective for center-involving diabetic macular edema (DME) since most eyes respond well to regimens that include repeated intravitreal injections. A significant minority of patients (approximately 40%), however, exhibit an inadequate response and require additional or alternate therapy. In the phase III anti-VEGF registration trials, laser photocoagulation served as secondary therapy for patients with inadequate responses after 3–6 months of monthly anti-VEGF injections [52, 66]. Supplemental laser usually resolves persistent edema slowly, but it has not been shown to incrementally improve VA in most cases [26, 62].
Successional dynamics of a semiarid grassland: effects of soil texture and disturbance size

We evaluated effects of soil texture and disturbance size on the successional dynamics of a semiarid grassland dominated by the perennial bunchgrass, Bouteloua gracilis (H.B.K.) Lag. ex Griffiths. A spatially-explicit gap dynamics simulation model was used to evaluate recovery patterns. The model simulates establishment, growth, and mortality of individual plants on an array of small plots through time at an annual time step. Each simulated disturbance consisted of a grid of plots of the same soil texture interconnected by processes associated with dispersal of B. gracilis seeds. Soil texture was incorporated into the model as effects on seed germination, seedling establishment, and subsequent growth of B. gracilis. Five soil texture classes and five disturbance sizes were simulated. Soil texture was more important to recovery of B. gracilis than either size of a disturbance or location of plots within a disturbance. Constraints on recruitment of seedlings had a greater effect on recovery than constraints associated with plant growth. Fastest recovery occurred on soils with the largest silt content, the variable that affects seedling establishment. Disturbances with slowest recovery were on soils with low silt contents, and either high or low water-holding capacity, the variable that affects plant growth. Biomass and recovery decreased as disturbance size increased, and as distance from a disturbed plot to the edge of the disturbance increased. In most cases, important interactions between soil texture and disturbance size on recovery were not found.
Proton radiation effects of conjugated polymer thin films

ABSTRACTPolymeric-thin-film-based electronic and optoelectronic materials and devices are attractive for potential space and certain radiation-related applications due to their inherent features such as lightweight, flexible, biocompatible, etc. Proton radiation is a major form of ionizing radiation in space, particularly in the so-called inner Van Allen belt region where most near-earth satellites are orbiting, yet very few literature and data are available on proton radiation effects on conjugated polymer systems. In this report, the proton radiation effects on potential electronic/optoelectronic properties of several conjugated polymers and their composites are briefly evaluated. Specifically, UV–VIS absorption spectra of several conjugated polymers and/or their composite thin films were measured and compared right before and after the proton radiations at different dosages. The results revealed that proton radiation has very little or insignificant impact up to 800 rad on the optoelectronic properties...
Vegetation Loss Decreases Salt Marsh Denitrification Capacity: Implications for Marsh Erosion

Salt marshes play a key role in removing excess anthropogenic nitrogen (N) loads to nearshore marine ecosystems through sediment microbial processes such as denitrification. However, in the Gulf of Mexico, the loss of marsh vegetation because of human-driven disturbances such as sea level rise and oil spills can potentially reduce marsh capacity for N removal. To investigate the effect of vegetation loss on ecosystem N removal, we contrasted denitrification capacity in marsh and subtidal sediments impacted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill using a combination of 29N2 and 30N2 production (isotope pairing), denitrification potential measurements (acetylene block), and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) of functional genes in the denitrification pathway. We found that, on average, denitrification capacity was 4 times higher in vegetated sediments because of a combination of enhanced nitrification and higher organic carbon availability. The abundance of nirS-type denitrifers indicated that marsh v...
Effects of Temperature and Shear on the Adsorption of Surfactants on Carbon Nanotubes

Carbon nanotube suspensions in water can be stabilized with the use of surfactants. However, when a suspension is exposed to harsh conditions, the surfactants might detach from the carbon nanotube (CNT) surface leading to CNT agglomeration and precipitation. In order to explore temperature effects on the suspension, the surfactant adsorption isotherms of an ionic surfactant (alkylpropoxy sulfate, alfoterra 123-8s) and a nonionic surfactant (secondary alcohol ethoxylate, tergitol 15-s-40) on a CNT are obtained at various temperatures using dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) simulations. The effects of shear stresses, such as those experienced by the CNT–surfactant suspension when it passes through pumps, are also explored by applying different levels of constant shear on the suspension. It is seen that there is good agreement between the DPD results and the Langmuir model for the adsorption of both alfoterra and tergitol on CNTs. The detachment of the surfactant from the nanotubes occurs with the detachme...
Cardiac Amyloidosis: A Zebra Hiding in Plain Sight?

Although amyloid cardiomyopathy can be thought of as a zebra hiding in plain sight, that it truly is a zebra is perhaps a misconception. AL or light-chain cardiac amyloidosis is indeed a rare disease, with annual incidence estimated at 1 in 100 000 or ≈3000 to 4000 new cases identified each year in the United States,1 but transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR), owing to misfolding and deposition of TTR (transthyretin protein), is likely much more common. Autopsy studies demonstrate that ≈25% of all adults >85 years of age have histologically demonstrable wild-type TTR cardiac amyloid deposits,2 with a smaller percentage, perhaps ≈5% to 10%, manifesting the clinical phenotype of ATTR wild-type cardiac amyloidosis.3 The disease has been implicated as an unrecognized cause of congestive heart failure in older patients with preserved ejection fraction4 and also in patients with severe aortic stenosis.5 Further, the most common TTR genetic mutation that causes the inherited form of cardiac amyloidosis, Val122Ile, has been reproducibly demonstrated in 3.4% of people of African origin6 and is a disease that manifests an age-dependent clinical penetrance causing heart failure in as many as 8% of Afro-Caribbeans.7 In short, cardiac amyloidosis is likely much more common than presently appreciated, but remains concealed and unrecognized, camouflaged by the background of more common wall thickening processes, such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, aortic stenosis, and hypertensive remodeling.8 See Article by Pagourelias et al Diagnosis of cardiac amyloidosis in 2017 still requires integration of different clinical inputs, including history, physical findings, and imaging, such as echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), and most recently, the highly ATTR-specific bone avid nuclear tracers 99mTc-PYP (pyrophosphate) and 99mTc-DPD (3,3-diphosphono-1,2-propanodicarboxylic acid).9 Other than cardiac biopsy, there is no one test that alone confirms the diagnosis. A high degree of clinical suspicion …
“Seniors only want respect”: designing an oral health program for older adults

Aim Persistent socioeconomic disparities in the oral disease burden contribute to pain and suffering among vulnerable and underserved populations who face systemic barriers to access oral health care, including older adults living in disadvantaged urban neighborhoods. The aim of this study is to gain the views of racial/ethnic minority older adults regarding what they believe would support them and their peers in visiting the dentist regularly. Methods and results Focus groups were conducted and digitally audio-recorded from 2013 to 2015 with 194 racial/ethnic minority women and men aged 50 years and older living in northern Manhattan who participated in one of 24 focus group sessions about improving oral health for older adults. Analysis of the transcripts was conducted using thematic content analysis. The majority of recommendations from racial/ethnic minority older adults to help older adults go to the dentist regularly were centered at the organization and provider level. The preeminence of respectful treatment to racial/ethnic minority older adults may be useful to underscore in oral health programs and settings. Conclusion There is a need for greater engagement of and attention to patients and other stakeholders in developing, testing, and disseminating interventions to close the gaps in oral health care disparities.
Telemetry techniques for continuous monitoring of partially submerged large civil infrastructure

Inland navigation infrastructure is critical to local and global economies, and unplanned or extended down time for maintenance and repairs can have significant social and economic consequences. The extensive collection of navigation related infrastructure maintained by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is in a state of degraded performance, with some components presently being used well beyond their design life. To provide data-driven decision-support for operation, maintenance, and repair/replacement of these components, the Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) is developing structural health monitoring (SHM) and damage prognosis (DP) tools and techniques. ERDC has deployed the Structural Monitoring and Analysis in Real-Time of lock Gates (SMART Gate) program at several sites for long-term monitoring of hydraulic steel navigation and flood control gates. When SMART Gate systems are deployed, a significant effort and percentage of the cost is spent installing conduit to protect wires that extend from the sensors, which are typically underwater during operation, to the data logger. To reduce installation time and cost, the ERDC developed a system for energy efficient sensor data transmission underwater. The system was successfully field tested, sending data the height of the lock chamber using low nominal power, with a relatively low data loss. This paper will describe the SHM framework developed by ERDC and the development and deployment of the wireless data transmission system.
High-Risk Coronary Atheroma: The Interplay Between Ischemia, Plaque Burden, and Disease Progression

Necropsy studies have outlined the morphological characteristics of high-risk, or “vulnerable,” coronary plaque segments, demonstrating the presence of inflammatory infiltrate and various compositional elements in patients who succumbed to fatal intracoronary thrombosis. However, accumulating evidence in vivo relates the overall burden of atherosclerosis, its rate of progression, and its subsequent ischemic potential with the risk for incident clinical events. These observations, coupled with the efficacy of contemporary medical therapies in reducing clinical event rates, have important implications for trial design of future human in vivo evaluations of vulnerable coronary plaque.
Recent Developments of Speckle Pattern Interferometer for Bone Strain Measurement

For over 100 years load-driven bone remodeling has been investigated [1]. Many animal and clinical studies support that mechanical loads strengthen bone and reduction in loading due to long-term bed rest, cast immobilization or microgravity in space induces bone loss and mineral changes [2, 3]. Despite these outcomes, the mechanisms underlying load-induced bone remodeling are not well understood. The current hypothesis is that bone remodeling is mediated by interstitial fluid flow in porous bone matrix, and load-driven strain stimulates fluid flow [4]. In order to examine the quantitative relationship between bone deformation and interstitial fluid flow, the precise strain measurement is indispensable.
Theorie der Informationsbereiche

Um die Grundlagen fur eine quantitative Informationstheorie bereitzustellen, wird eine formale Theorie benotigt. Wie in den vorangehenden Kapiteln bereits erwahnt, soll die Theorie der semantischen Bereiche (engl, domain theory) dazu als Ausgangspunkt dienen, da diese auf Uberlegungen zu Informationsinhalten von semantischen Objekten basiert. Sie liefert auch die theoretische Basis fur die denotationelle Semantik von Programmiersprachen.
A Multiscale Triphasic Biomechanical Model for Tumors’ Classification

The aim of this paper is to formulate a novel mathematical model that will be able to differentiate not only between normal and abnormal tissues, but, more importantly, between benign and malignant tumors. We present some very promising preliminary results of a multiscale triphasic model for biological tissues that couple the electro-chemical processes that take place in tissue’s microstructure and tissue’s biomechanics. The multiscaling is based on a recently developed homogenization technique for materials with evolving microstructure.
Eccentric cross-exercise after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: Novel case series to enhance neuroplasticity.

Abstract Objectives Substantial changes in neural function are historically present after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR), and are not rectified with traditional rehabilitation. Cross-exercise is a potential means to enhance neural excitability and improve recovery after ACLR. Hence our purpose, was to detail changes in brain activation, neural excitability and patient-reported outcomes in a cohort that completed an 8-week quadriceps-focused eccentric cross-exercise training program immediately following ACLR. Design Case series. Setting University. Particpants Five patients participated in an 8-week (24-session) eccentric cross-exercise intervention after ACLR. Main outcome measures Brain activation, neural activity and patient-reported outcomes were evaluated within 2 weeks post-ACLR and again at 10-weeks post-ACLR after the intervention. Each cross-exercise session consisted of 4 sets of 10 isokinetic eccentric contractions at 60 deg/sec with the noninvolved limb. Results Following the intervention, patients demonstrated a facilitated spinal reflexive and muscle activity response from the motor cortex during a time when these measures are known to be depressed. Patients also demonstrated a reduce dependence on frontal cortex activity to generate quadriceps contractions. Further patients reported significant reductions in pain and symptoms and greater knee function. Conclusions Eccentric cross-exercise after ACLR helps to facilitate positive adaptations in neural function and patient reported outcomes.
Substance Use Outcomes for Hispanic Emerging Adults Exposed to Incarceration of a Household Member during Childhood.

This study investigates whether Hispanic emerging adults exposed to household incarceration before age 18 report higher rates of past 30-day cigarette, alcohol, binge drinking, marijuana use, and n...
Control Logic Injection Attacks on Industrial Control Systems

Remote control-logic injection attacks on programmable logic controllers (PLCs) impose critical threats to industrial control system (ICS) environments. For instance, Stuxnet infects the control logic of a Siemens S7-300 PLC to sabotage nuclear plants. Several control logic injection attacks have been studied in the past. However, they focus on the development and infection of PLC control logic and do not consider the stealthy methods of transferring the logic to a PLC over the network. This paper is the first effort to explore the packet manipulation of control logic to achieve stealthiness without modifying PLC firmware to support new (obfuscation) functionality. It presents two new control logic injection attacks: (1) Data Execution and (2) Fragmentation and Noise Padding. Data Execution attack subverts signatures (based-on packet-header fields) by transferring control logic to the data blocks of a PLC and then, changes the PLC’s system control flow to execute the attacker’s logic. Fragmentation and Noise Padding attack subverts deep packet inspection (DPI) by appending a sequence of padding bytes in control logic packets while keeping the size of the attacker’s logic in packet payloads significantly small. We implement the attacks on two industry-scale PLCs of different vendors and demonstrate that these attacks can subvert intrusion detection methods successfully, such as signature-based intrusion detection and Anagram-based DPI. We also release the training and attack datasets to facilitate research in this direction.
A Meta-analysis of Comparative Outcome and Cost-Effectiveness of Internal Iliac Artery Embolization with Vascular Plug Versus Coil.

To evaluate the comparative outcome and cost of vascular plugs versus coils for internal iliac artery embolization prior to endovascular aortic aneurysm repair. A search was performed for internal iliac artery embolization studies in adult patients from January 2005 to July 2018. Inclusion criteria included embolization of unilateral or bilateral IIAs with either coils or plug(s) prior to endovascular aortic repair. Meta-analysis was performed using a fixed effects model with the inverse variance-weighted average method to determine pooled differences in surgical time, fluoroscopy time, radiation exposure, number of devices used, cost of devices, and post-embolization buttock claudication. Heterogeneity was assessed using the Chi-square statistic. Pooled outcomes were compared, and quality assessments were evaluated using the Newcastle–Ottawa scale. Six studies met inclusion criteria. One hundred and eighty-one patients were included in the study, of which 87 were in the plug group and 94 in the coil group. Vascular plug use led to 35.32 min shorter surgery time (p < 0.001), 15.64 min less fluoroscopy time (p < 0.001), 157,599 mGy/cm2 less radiation (p < 0.001), and 5.88 fewer occlusive devices (p < 0.001) than the use of coils alone. The estimated total cost of occlusion devices was $575.45 USD lower in the plug cohort (p < 0.001). The development of buttock claudication 12 months after EVAR was 11% less likely in the plug cohort but was not statistically significant (p = 0.71). The vascular plug appears to be superior to coils in embolization of the internal iliac artery due to shorter surgical time, fluoroscopy time, radiation exposure, and total cost of occlusive devices.
CORONARY COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY ANGIOGRAPHY VERSUS STRESS ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY FOR ACUTE CHEST PAIN: A BAYESIAN META-ANALYSIS OF RANDOMIZED TRIALS

There is ongoing debate regarding the use of coronary computed tomography angiography (CT) versus stress echocardiography (SE) in triaging patients with acute chest pain presenting to the emergency department (ED). We explored the advanced property of Bayesian theorem to compare the use of both
Chapter 9 – Thin metal-dielectric nanocomposites with a negative index of refraction

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on simple and intuitive ways of designing negative index metamaterials (NIMs). The chapter discusses the way in which one can unambiguously retrieve the effective refractive index of a given thin nanostructured layer from data accessible to measurements, and reveals difficulties in cascading individual layers in a bulk material. Various approaches to new design outlines, which are making active use of localized plasmonic effects, are also presented in the chapter. It also demonstrates an impedance-matched design to suppress reflection. It shows intuitive ways of designing NIMs where efficient magnetic resonators, which are used to provide the required negative permeability, are combined with bulk or semicontinuous metal elements to provide the necessary permittivity. The combined multilayered structure requires additional optimization due to the interaction of the elementary layers of periodic metal–dielectric composite with metallic strips. Numerical simulations show that a composite material comprising silver strips and a gain providing material can simultaneously have a negative refractive index and a 100% transmission.
Voltage-gated Ca2+ and K+ channel coupling regulates CA1 hippocampal synaptic filtering and spine excitability

The transient voltage-gated K+ current (IA) mediated by Kv4.2 in CA1 hippocampal pyramidal neurons regulates dendritic excitability, synaptic plasticity, and learning. Here we report that Ca2+ entry mediated by the voltage-gated Ca2+ channel subunit Cav2.3 regulates Kv4.2 function in CA1 pyramidal neurons through Ca2+ binding auxiliary subunits known as K+ channel interacting proteins (KChIPs). We characterized an interaction between Cav2.3 and Kv4.2 using immunofluorescence colocalization, coimmunoprecipitation, electron microscopy, FRAP, and FRET. We found that Ca2+-entry via Cav2.3 increases Kv4.2-mediated whole-cell current due in part to an increase in Kv4.2 surface expression. In hippocampal neurons, pharmacological block of Cav2.3 reduced whole-cell IA. We also found reduced IA in Cav2.3 knockout mouse neurons with a loss of the dendritic IA gradient. Furthermore, the Cav2.3-Kv4.2 complex was found to regulate the size of synaptic currents and spine Ca2+ transients. These results reveal an intermolecular Cav2.3-Kv4.2 complex impacting synaptic integration in CA1 hippocampal neurons.
Utilizing a Respiratory Care Department Research Task Force to Increase Involvement in Respiratory-Driven Research Projects

Background: Evidenced-based medicine is imperative to improving patient outcomes throughout the field of medicine. With respiratory care (RC) being such a technology-driven profession, advancing provider knowledge related to research skills is paramount.1,2 Our Respiratory Care Department (RCD) aimed to increase respiratory therapist (RT) involvement in research by creating an RC Research Task Force (RTF). Methods: Bylaws were written for an RC RTF in November 2018, and an interest meeting was held in December 2018. Twenty-two RTs (department total 107 RTs) attended the interest meeting. Seventeen RTs joined the RTF in January 2019 and meetings began. All members were required to complete CITI Program training (for patient and animal research) and IRBNet training offered through our organization and become an American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) and Delaware Society for Respiratory Care (DSRC) member. Initially, meetings were once monthly (for three months) and then transitioned to quarterly meetings. The first three months focused on education and included CITI training, IRB applications, literature searches, and research basics. Subsequent meetings were used to brainstorm research ideas, remove barriers, and continue education. Results: By using an RC RTF, our department was able to increase publications from four in 2018 to nine in 2019. The effect from these publications within our department resulted in two changes to patient care practices in 2018 and six changes in 2019. CITI Training increased from six RTs in 2018 to 19 in 2019. Additionally, the RCD RTF increased involvement in animal studies from zero to one in 2018 to 2019, respectively (Fig. 1). These results stemmed from the addition of approximately 250 hours of nonproductive time within our RCD in 2019. Conclusions: Many RTs who study at an undergraduate level do not receive extensive research training even though the impact of such training is necessary to contribute to research within the field of RC. By creating and implementing an RC RTF within our RCD, we were able to increase research contributions, increase practice changes driven by original research, and capture RT staff interested in research to increase research engagement.
An Educational Experiment Resulting from COVID-19: The Use of At-Home Waxing and Webinars for Teaching a 3-Week Intensive Course in Tooth Morphology to First Year Dental Students.

Purpose To report the outcomes of presenting a 3 week intensive course in tooth morphology to first year dental students using 'at-home' waxing projects and webinars. Materials and methods Students were provided with the instrumentation and materials required to complete 5 waxing projects at home during the 3 week course. In the same time period, the didactic content was presented via 11 webinar sessions. A post-course survey provided student perspectives regarding this new experience. Results Students were able to effectively complete high quality waxing projects at home by using step-by-step images and videos but the survey indicated an overwhelming preference for in-person faculty feedback. Webinars based on the students having studied the 3D Tooth Atlas and an instructor reviewing content in the Atlas was effective in teaching the didactic aspect of tooth morphology as evidenced by the student grades and survey results. However, most of the students indicated a preference for physically going to class and being able to interact with faculty and classmates as opposed to online webinars. The condensed 3-week version of the course was part of an expanded 4 week student orientation and worked well, allowing other clinical precursor courses to occur before their usual time in the curriculum, thereby allowing students to begin earlier patient treatment. Conclusions The at-home waxing exercises produced very good results by having the students use step-by-step images and videos in the 3D Tooth Atlas. However, the students indicated a strong preference for personal faculty feedback that was not available at home. Students effectively learned the didactic aspects of tooth morphology through the webinars with accompanying use of the 3D Tooth Atlas but again most students prefer physically going to class and being able to interact with faculty and classmates. These preferences for contact with classmates and faculty supports the natural human desire for personal interactions with other human beings. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Eilenberg–Mac Lane spectra as equivariant Thom spectra

We prove that the G–equivariant mod p Eilenberg–Mac Lane spectrum arises as an equivariant Thom spectrum for any finite, p–power cyclic group G, generalizing a result of Behrens and the second author in the case of the group C2. We also establish a construction of Hℤ¯(p), and prove intermediate results that may be of independent interest. Highlights include constraints on the Hurewicz images of equivariant spectra that admit norms, and an analysis of the extent to which the nonequivariant H𝔽p arises as the Thom spectrum of a more than double loop map.
Medical Education in Pathology: General Concepts and Strategies for Implementation.

Context.— athology education must evolve as medical knowledge expands and disruptive technologies emerge. The evolution in pathology teaching practices accelerated as traditional teaching modalities were suspended in March 2020 during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Objectives.— To provide pathologists an overview of established teaching paradigms and practical examples of how these paradigms may be applied to pathology education, emphasizing differences in graduate and undergraduate medical education as well as the challenges and promises of remote learning, as revealed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Data sources.— Selected peer-reviewed publications representing the field of educational social science. Conclusions.— Evidence-based methods described in education and social sciences can be effectively deployed in pathology education and especially remote learning, as necessitated by the current COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding established principles, such as cognitive load, competency-based learning, peer-assisted learning, and flipped classrooms may prove useful in developing effective, learner-centric content for pathology education.
Association Between Kidney Dysfunction Types and Mortality Among Hospitalized Patients with Cirrhosis

Kidney dysfunction is associated with increased mortality among patients with cirrhosis. We investigated whether kidney dysfunction types [e.g., acute kidney injury (AKI), chronic kidney disease (CKD), and AKI on CKD] were differentially associated with inpatient mortality. We utilized the nationwide inpatient sample, a nationally representative database, from 2007 to 2014. We included all hospitalizations with previously validated codes for cirrhosis or associated decompensated cirrhosis diagnoses. We defined kidney dysfunction types also from previously validated codes, and we grouped hospitalizations into the following diagnoses: normal, AKI, CKD, and AKI on CKD. Our primary outcome was inpatient mortality. There were 1,293,779 hospitalizations with cirrhosis sampled in this study. Of these hospitalizations, 849,193 (66%) had normal kidney function, 176,418 (14%) had AKI, 157,600 (12%) had CKD, and 110,568 (9%) had AKI on CKD. We found that the proportion of hospitalizations with AKI, CKD, and AKI on CKD increased significantly throughout the study period (p < 0.001, test for trend for all). Kidney dysfunction type was differentially associated with inpatient mortality, even after adjustment: as compared to those with CKD, normal kidney function: OR 0.75 [95 CI 0.73–0.78], AKI: OR 2.40 [95 CI 2.32–2.48], and AKI on CKD: OR 1.66 [95 CI 1.60–1.72]. Using a nationally representative cohort of all hospitalizations with cirrhosis, our study highlights that the burden of kidney dysfunction, especially AKI, among hospitalizations with cirrhosis is rising, and the inclusion of kidney dysfunction type may be an opportunity to improve prognostication.
Geographic-Region Monitoring by Drones in Adversarial Environments

We consider surveillance of a geographic region by a collaborative system of drones. The drones assist each other in identifying and managing activities of interest on the ground. We also consider an adversary who can create both genuine and fake activities on the ground. The objective of the adversary is to use fake activities, in order to maximize the response time to genuine activities. We present two collaboration algorithms and analyze their response times, as well as the adversary's efforts in terms of the number of fake activities required to achieve a certain response time.
Cumulus Effects on Vorticity

Parameterization of the effects of cumulus convection on the vorticity fields of a large-scale dynamical model is a practical problem requiring knowledge of the physical mechanisms of interaction and their cumulative effects. Although the ultimate test of any cumulus parameterization scheme is the validity of the large-scale fields produced by the model, simple empiricism is not a satisfying or efficient approach. In practice, the modeler not only is unsure of the parameterization scheme but has difficulty quantifying the extent of the agreement between the model and the real world. Physically based and internally consistent schemes provide a rational basis for evaluation and model improvement.