cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neutral Lipids, their Fatty Acids, and the Sterols of the Marine Ciliated Protozoon, Parauronema acutum

Abstract The neutral lipids and their fatty acids and the sterol fractions of the marine ciliated protozoon, Parauronema acutum, were characterized. The neutral lipids consisted of triglycerides (30%), sterols (29%), free fatty acids (24%), steryl esters (9%), and diglycerides (8%) and small amounts of fatty alcohols. The fatty acid profiles of these lipids were very similar although quantitative differences were detected. Saturated fatty acids, primarily 14:0, 16:0, and 18:0 constituted 20–30% of the total. Unsaturated fatty acids containing one to three double bonds, primarily 18:1(9), 18:2 (9,12), 18:3 (9, 12, 15) and 20:3 (11, 14, 17), constituted 35–50% of the total. Highly unsaturated fatty acids, 18:4 (6, 9, 12, 15), 20:5 (5, 8, 11, 14, 17) and 22:6 (4, 7, 10, 16, 19), constituted 16–25% of the total. The fatty alcohols consisted of 14:0 (2%), 16:0 (66%), 18:0 (3%), 20:0 (8%), and 22:0 (21%). The sterols of Parauronema acutum consisted of cholesterol (53%), campesterol (32%), desmosterol (7%), and ...
Generalized low-density parity-check codes for optical communication systems

This paper is concerned with investigating the performance of regular and irregular, randomlike and structured generalized low-density parity-check (GLDPC) codes for long-haul transmission. The proposed GLDPC codes outperform currently known turbo and low-density parity-check (LDPC) coding schemes with comparable parameters utilized in optical communication systems. For a GLDPC coding scheme with 23.6% redundancy, the largest so far reported coding gain of at least 11dB (at 40 Gb/s) is demonstrated.
Manual and automatic indexing of the medical record: categorized nomenclature (SNOP) versus classification (ICD)

This paper contains a re-evaluation of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) and the Systematized Nomenclature of Pathology (SNOP). Both dictionaries are used in organizing the content...
Andrew Jackson, Southerner. By Mark R. Cheathem. (Baton Rouge, LA: Louisiana State University Press, 2013. Pp. xiii, 306. $39.95.)

In this interesting book, the author contends that since the days of Frederick Jackson Turner historians have tended to picture Andrew Jackson as a Westerner—a product of the frontier—and to explai...
Water-Hammer Design Criteria

Design criteria for including effects of water hammer in turbine penstock and pump discharge line installations; possible conditions of operation and suitable factors of safety assigned to each contingency.
Overview of Class I Device Recalls in Diagnostic Radiology, 2002-2015.

Abstract Purpose To assess class I radiological device recalls using the FDA medical device recall database and provide a detailed analysis, including recall trends, regulatory changes, and policy implications for the future. Methods This institutional review board-exempt study utilized the FDA Center for Devices and Radiological Health database for class I diagnostic radiological device recalls from November 1, 2002 to July 12, 2015. Recall characteristics, as well as market entry data, were collected for each device. Results Thirteen class I radiological device recalls were identified, with 12 of them occurring after 2011. SPECT nuclear medicine systems were the most common, followed by fluoroscopic x-ray and MRI systems. Eleven of the recalls were attributed to premarket-related issues. One recall event occurred in response to the death of a patient during a nuclear scan. Twelve of the devices were cleared under the 510(k) pathway. A median of 213 devices (range: 2 to 12,968) were recalled per event, and all but two devices had a worldwide distribution at the time of recall. Conclusions We found that policy changes to the FDA were temporally related to class I radiological recall events. Additionally, class I radiological device recalls share characteristics: device modality, reason for recall, market entry, and product distribution. These recalls have broad implications and highlight the need for continued regulatory oversight as imaging technologies continue to advance.
Bioinspired design and fabrication principles of reliable fluidic soft actuation modules

A large percentage of the field of robotics is devoted to catching up to what nature can already do. Taking inspiration from the snake and the jumping spider, we describe advances towards standardized design and fabrication of modular multi-material composite soft pneumatic actuators. Previous pneumatic bi-directional bending actuators used in our soft robotic snake suffered from repeatability challenges and were prone to bursting in the seams. Here, we present a standardized fabrication method of soft pneumatic actuators to reduce the seams and incorporate a more reliable port for the input pressure. In addition, we explore the integration of our flexible curvature sensor, allowing for less invasive proprioceptive sensing of the actuator state. Finally, taking inspiration from jumping spider legs, we propose a plastic exoskeleton system, which can guide soft actuators to form complex shapes when pressurized. We show that all of these actuators were consistent and reliable over numerous trials. The next step is to combine these individual actuators into their respective bioinspired robotic systems: a soft modular snake and a soft jumping spider.
Buchenwald and Modern Prisoner-of-War Detention Policy

A MERICAN sociologists have moved through the last quarter of a century largely as if Nazi concentration camps were never there. Aside from a few early papers about the camps, the major articles to appear in our journals have, in the main, been research promotion surveys.' Major commentaries and survivor accounts have escaped review in these journals.2 Few students have used concentration camp materials for theses or dissertations.3 Little can be gained from editorializing about these facts. Much more can be obtained from demonstrating that concentration camp materials can be used to open critical questions about contemporary issues; for example, prisoner-of-war detention policy. As this interest is approached in this paper, three guiding observations can be put down: First, patent reporting errors and vulnerable theorizing in early American discussions about the camps are conforming and tend to seal off major sociological interests. Second, American policy for counteraction of terror and oppression among captive' peoples, particularly prisoners-of-war, tends to follow the implications of these early papers. Third, failure to re-examine these early accounts and to test the implications of evident decisions in prisoner-of-war policy in light of concentration camp experiences may mean that American sociologists have let an opportunity for most significant and practical contributions to public policy pass by. This paper will document the first two of these points and attempt to phrase the third in such a way that sociologists and other social scientists might be encouraged to make further studies.
Notes on growth-patterns and shell-utilization of the hermit crab Pagurus bernhardus (L.)

Abstract Studies made of specimens of Pagurus bernhardus kept for six months in shells of different sizes showed that they grew appreciably faster in shells which were large relative to their body size than they did in shells which were too small. This difference was especially marked in the increase per molt but less so in the number of days per molt. A new standard of measurement, the length of the front (hard) portion of the carapace, is proposed for these crabs. The reasons for this choice and a conversion factor between the new standard and that frequently used, the whole carapace, are presented. A formula relating size to instar number is derived for this species, but the molt frequency was too variable to permit a determination of an age-size relationship. Finally, observations were made on the weight-to-volume ratios of some of the gastropod shells inhabited by this species in the Oresund and on the ratios of the weights and volumes of the shells to the crabs which bear them.
Computed Tomography of the Sacrum: 2. Pathology

Fifteen cases of primary sacral pathology were analyzed. High-resolution computed tomography was found to be the most accurate means of studying these cases. Certain anatomic changes involving the central canal and sacral foramina were found to be helpful in determining the type of pathology. Although conventional plain films, radionuclide bone scans, and myelography were useful in certain cases, computed tomography was found to be the procedure of choice in the workup of sacral problems
Abstract 3710: Individual and combined effects of Tamoxifen and fish oil on mammary carcinogenesis in polyoma middle T transgenic mice

Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FL There are currently no known effective regiments able to prevent the development of estrogen-receptor (ER) negative breast cancer in humans. We hypothesize that ER, frequently upregulated in preneoplastic mammary lesions, may contribute to the development of hormone-independent tumors through crosstalk with multiple cellular oncogenic pathways. Therefore, a multi-targeted approach is likely to be necessary to prevent ER negative tumors. In our previous study, we tested this hypothesis in CD rats and we showed that omega-3 rich fish oil (FO) potentiated the suppressive effect of Tamoxifen (Tam) on mammary carcinogenesis (A. Manni, et al. Cancer Prev Res 3:322, 2010). In the present investigations, we tested this hypothesis in polyoma middle T transgenic mice, since in this experimental system the development of ER negative tumors is preceded by preneoplastic lesions overexpressing functional ER, as evidenced by the concomitant upregulation of progesterone receptors which are products of estrogen action. Administration of increasing concentrations of Tam (1 ppm, 10 ppm, and 100 ppm) admixed with 20% corn oil (CO) modified AIN-76A diet, starting at 3 weeks of age, significantly delayed mammary carcinogenesis, inhibited tumor multiplicity by ∼50%, tumor volume by ∼90%, and tumor weight by ∼70% in a dose dependent fashion. At termination (week 12), however, tumor incidence was nearly 100% in all experimental groups. When Tam treatment was started after tumors had developed, no inhibition of tumor growth was observed, a finding consistent with the absence of ER in invasive adenocarcinomas in this experimental model. Administration of increasing concentrations of FO in the diet (5% FO + 15% CO; 10% FO + 10% CO, 17% FO + 3% CO) started at 3 weeks of age did not affect any of the tumor parameters compared to the control 20% CO diet. Combined administration of suboptimal (1 ppm) and optimal (100 ppm) doses of Tam with 17% FO and 10% FO respectively, delayed carcinogenesis and suppressed tumor multiplicity and volume to the same extent as observed with Tam alone. Therefore, the results indicate that, under these experimental conditions, FO failed to potentiate the chemopreventive action of Tam. Our results, however, provide support for the role of ER expression by the preneoplastic lesions in the development of hormone independent tumors and, consequently, for the importance of including ER targeting in combined chemoprevention strategies. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3710. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-3710
Atomic Interactions in a Boron-Rich Carbon-Containing Icosahedron: Para-Carborane

Boron carbides contain carbon atoms as substituents for boron in icosahedra. The B-C interaction is different in icosahedra from that in other geometric forms. Para-carborane, P-C2B10H12, offers an excellent system for the study of structure and interactions in boron-rich, carbon-containing icosahedra; its structure is well-characterized experimentally, and the infrared and Raman spectra have been observed and are relatively simple. Here we present an analysis of p-carborane by classical force field methods supplemented by quantum mechanical calculations. Complexity in the model cluster is introduced step-by-step beginning with B12 (Ih symmetry). The principal interaction constants extracted through interpretation of p-C2B10H12 spectra are kCB −2.0 × 105 dyne/cm, kBB (intrapentagon) −1.3 × 105 dyne/cm, and kBB (interpentagon) −1.55 × 105 dyne/cm.
Tumor necrosis factor α: a multifaceted peptide hormone

Homeostasis at the cellular level appears to be a complex state of equilibrium derived, in part, from multiple interactions among lymphokines, cytokines, growth factors, and hormones. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha) secreted by mitogen-stimulated macrophages and lymphotoxin (LT, TNF-beta) produced by mitogen-stimulated lymphocytes are two peptide hormones that share considerable homology in amino acid sequence and biological action. It has become increasingly evident that these factors, primarily involved in host defense, also mediate some responses to inflammatory, infectious, and neoplastic disease states. TNF-alpha is a low molecular weight (17,000-kdalton) peptide which seems to have a remarkably broad range of biological and immunologic effects, including antiviral action, growth regulation, and immunomodulation. These effects are shared by other lymphokines and cytokines such as interleukin 1 (IL-1), interferon alpha (IFN-alpha), interferon gamma (IFN-gamma), and TNF-beta. TNF-alpha also demonstrates both positive and negative cooperative growth-regulatory effects alone and in combination with antitumor drugs as well as with other bioactive peptides. Clinical trials are currently under way to determine the effectiveness of TNF-alpha as a single agent and in combination with biologic and chemotherapeutic agents against a variety of neoplastic diseases in man.
Medical evaluation of the reproductive system relevant to purchase.

The medical examination of the equine reproductive system relevant to purchase should be an attempt to predict the fertility potential of mares and stallions. The examination techniques employed include general physical examination, inspection of the external genitalia, and, where possible, palpation of the internal reproductive organs. In mares, the key procedures also include ultrasonographic scanning of the uterus, endometrial cytology, and, frequently, endometrial biopsy. In stallions, one important criterion is a semen evaluation to calculate the total motile and morphologically normal sperm cells in the total ejaculate. All examinations of this type are less reliable than evaluation by actually breeding the animals. Practical techniques that minimize this difference are presented.
Language Matters in China: An Anthropological Postscript

“The great cultural barrier imposed by a separate language is perhaps the most effective guarantee that a social world, easily accessible to insiders, will remain opaque to outsiders, a unique language represents a formidable obstacle to state knowledge, let alone colonization, control, manipulation, instruction or propaganda” (Scott, 1998, p. 72)
Data and knowledge in database systems: deductive databases

The objective of deductive databases is to provide efficient support for sophisticated queries and reasoning on large databases; toward this goal, they combine the technology of logic programming with that of relational databases. Deductive database research has produced methods and techniques for implementing the declarative semantics of logical rules via efficient computation of fixpoints. Also, advances in language design and nonmonotonic semantics were made to allow the use of negation and set-aggregates in recursive programs; these yield greater expressive power while retaining polynomial data complexity and semantic well-formedness. Deductive database systems have been used in data mining and other advanced applications, and their techniques have been incorporated into a new generation of commercial databases.
Trajectory-dependent safe distances in human-robot interaction

In the domain of human-robot cooperation for robot-assisted manufacturing, the worker protection is always imperative using both intrinsically-safe and standard industrial manipulators. Collaborative workspaces very often involve cluttered layouts and flexible workflows that may require frequent relocation of operators and the concurrent access to resources in close-quarter cooperation. With the objective of maximizing the productivity of workcells, preserving the safety of the cooperation, an optimization of safeguarded workspaces is introduced under the approach of ISO/TS 15066 Speed and Separation Monitoring (SSM) modality. A trajectory-dependent dynamic SSM is considered for establishing the minimum safety area, changing at runtime, in order to avoid overconservative restrictions in nonfunctional volumes. The effects of robot dynamics and distributed robot control are discussed and evaluated.
The research on three-phase PWM rectifier at low switching frequency under disturbance

The traditional three-phase PWM rectifier at the relatively high switch frequency can obtain good dynamic performance, such as good dynamics of DC bus voltage under disturbance, using the control strategy of load current feed-forward. However, the traditional form of load current feed-forward controller should be modified when switching frequency is relatively low, because complex state variables controller take place the PI controller in this circumstance. To deal with this problem, this paper, first, use mathematical modeling to describe PWM rectifier, and then analyze the reasons of utilizing complex state variables current controller at low switching frequency instead of PI controller. On this basis, a novel scheme is proposed to inhibit DC bus voltage disturbance for PWM rectifier.
Structural cerebellar correlates of cognitive and motor dysfunctions in cerebellar degeneration.

Detailed mapping of clinical dysfunctions to the cerebellar lobules in disease populations is necessary to establish the functional significance of lobules implicated in cognitive and motor functions in normal subjects. This study constitutes the first quantitative examination of the lobular correlates of a broad range of cognitive and motor phenomena in cerebellar disease. We analysed cross-sectional data from 72 cases with cerebellar disease and 36 controls without cerebellar disease. Cerebellar lobule volumes were derived from a graph-cut based segmentation algorithm. Sparse partial least squares, a variable selection approach, was used to identify lobules associated with motor function, language, executive function, memory, verbal learning, perceptual organization and visuomotor coordination. Motor dysfunctions were chiefly associated with the anterior lobe and posterior lobule HVI. Confrontation naming, noun fluency, recognition, and perceptual organization did not have cerebellar associations. Verb and phonemic fluency, working memory, cognitive flexibility, immediate and delayed recall, verbal learning, and visuomotor coordination were variably associated with HVI, Crus I, Crus II, HVII B and/or HIX. Immediate and delayed recall also showed associations with the anterior lobe. These findings provide preliminary anatomical evidence for a functional topography of the cerebellum first defined in task-based functional magnetic resonance imaging studies of normal subjects and support the hypotheses that (i) cerebellar efferents target frontal lobe neurons involved in forming action representations and new search strategies; (ii) there is greater involvement of the cerebellum when immediate recall tasks involve more complex verbal stimuli (e.g. longer words versus digits); and (iii) it is involved in spontaneous retrieval of long-term memory. More generally, they provide an anatomical background for studies that seek the mechanisms by which cognitive and motor dysfunctions arise from cerebellar degeneration. Beyond replicating these findings, future research should employ experimental tasks to probe the integrity of specific functions in cerebellar disease, and new imaging methods to quantitatively map atrophy across the cerebellum. * Abbreviations : ICARS : International Cooperative Ataxia Rating Scale SCA : spinocerebellar ataxia SPLS : Sparse Partial Least Squares
Comparison of equine platelet function and survival in whole blood collected in acid-citrate-dextrose solution or citrate-phosphate-dextrose-adenine solution.

Author(s): Bozorgmanesh, Rana; Sutton-Burges, Julie W; Tablin, Fern | Abstract: BackgroundEquine whole blood collection and storage methods have been evaluated to assess red blood cell viability; however, platelet (PLT) viability has not been comprehensively assessed.ObjectivesThe purpose of the study was to compare viability of PLTs collected in whole blood into 2 different anticoagulants.MethodsWhole blood from 6 healthy adult Thoroughbred horses was collected into citrate-phosphate-dextrose-adenine (CPDA) or acid-citrate-dextrose (ACD). Platelet count, pH, and concentrations of glucose, lactate, carbon dioxide, oxygen, bicarbonate, sodium, potassium, and chloride were measured within 10 minutes of collection and then again one hour later at which time PLT aggregometry was performed to assess PLT function.ResultsAggregometry mean amplitudes were significantly higher in CPDA compared to ACD. Blood glucose, pH, bicarbonate, sodium, and lactate concentrations were significantly higher in CPDA compared to ACD. Lactate concentration was higher following one hour in either anticoagulant. Potassium, oxygen, and carbon dioxide concentrations were significantly higher in ACD compared to CPDA at collection.ConclusionsPlatelet aggregometry results suggest that CPDA is superior to ACD for maintaining PLT viability following whole blood collection. This may be associated with the higher, more neutral pH as well as an increase in glucose available for metabolism. Although lactate was increased in the CPDA samples it was not high enough to decrease pH and therefore may not have been high enough to cause morphologic lesions and loss of PLT viability.
Designing Dynamic and Adaptive MPI Point-to-Point Communication Protocols for Efficient Overlap of Computation and Communication

Broadly, there exist two protocols for point-to-point data transfer in the Message Passing Interface (MPI) programming model - Eager and Rendezvous. State-of-the-art MPI libraries decide the switch point between these protocols based on the trade-off between memory footprint of the MPI library and communication performance without considering the overlap potential of these communication protocols. This results in sub-par overlap of communication and computation at the application level. While application developers can manually tune this threshold to achieve better overlap, it involves significant effort. Further, the communication pattern may change based on the size of the job and the input requiring constant re-tuning making such a solution impractical. In this paper, we take up this challenge and propose designs for point-to-point data transfer in MPI which accounts for overlap in addition to performance and memory footprint. The proposed designs dynamically adapt to the communication characteristic of each communicating pair of processes at runtime. Our proposed full in-band design is able to transition from one eager-threshold to another without impacting the communication throughput of the application. The proposed enhancements to limit the memory footprint by dynamically freeing unused internal communication buffer is able to significantly cut down on memory footprint of the MPI library without affecting the communication performance.
ENTROPY: THE GREAT ILLUSION.

The concept of entropy has been particularly fascinating to biological theorists, for reasons which are unclear. Even R. A. Fisher was moved to draw a comparison between his Fundamental Theorem of natural selection (according to which mean fitness increases or is constant) and the corresponding property of entropy in physical systems, although he was careful to list a number of important differences between the two. It is now apparent that the validity of the Fundamental Theorem is dependent on so many restrictive assumptions that it cannot be regarded as a useful unifying evolutionary principle, although it does have considerable technical utility. Other attempts to apply thermodynamic concepts to biology have, outside of biochemical energetics and purely descriptive measures of genetic and ecological diversity, been even less productive, if not downright silly. The reason is fairly obvious: the distinctive features of biological systems have little to do with the statistical properties of energy distributions which are the subject of thermodynamics. While the structural complexity of living organisms as little violates the second law of thermodynamics (or any other law of physics) as does that of a television set or a jet engine, we need to look elsewhere for a detailed understanding of the origin of this complexity during development and evolution. Most evolutionists believe that natural selection provides a satisfying answer to the last point. Brooks and Wiley dissent strongly from this view. They assert that neo-Darwinian concepts provide only a set of proximate causes of evolution, whereas they can offer ultimate causes: "Darwin referred to his theory as a theory of natural selection. In claiming that neo-Darwinism is a complete theory of evolution, neo-Darwinists have unjustifiably extended proximal causes to the level of ultimate causes. This has produced an incomplete and relatively weak theory" (p. 302). They claim to show that ". . . the expected outcome of historical constraints on the action of the second law in biological systems is self-organization. The axiomatic behavior of living systems should be increasing complexity and self-organization as a result of, not at the expense of, increasing entropy" (pp. xi-xii). Entropy here is not to be equated with the entropy of thermodynamics, which is of course associated with a tendency towards increased disorder in the distribution of energy states of molecules. Rather, Brooks and Wiley use the information theory analog of entropy in calculations of the complexity and organization of living systems, and do not claim to derive their results from energetic considerations. Their work suffers, however, from the usual faults
Service‐Learning in the Second Language Writing Classroom: Future Directions for Research

This article reviews the current literature on second language writing and service-learning. Service-learning has grown in popularity in higher education over the past two decades, but comparatively little research has been done on the learning experiences of second language writers in service-learning courses. This article outlines the major contexts in which service-learning has been discussed and notes gaps in the current research, such as limited studies on which type of service-learning best supports learners of English as a second language (ESL) in writing courses and on undergraduate ESL students in mainstream writing courses that employ service-learning. The article concludes by offering teachers and curriculum developers practical recommendations, based on the reviewed literature, for how to implement service-learning in writing courses.
Neuroprotective Strategies in Hemorrhagic Stroke

Hemorrhagic stroke is a devastating disease that represents 10–15% of all strokes in the United States, with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Primary injury to the brain is caused by disruption of the neuronal network, while secondary injury correlates with neuroinflammation, cellular lysis, and perihematomal edema. An approach targeting primary injury involves the evacuation of the intraparenchymal hematoma, which has shown mixed results depending on the invasiveness of the approach. Various neuroprotective strategies have been employed to prevent neuronal damage. Both intraparenchymal and subarachnoid hemorrhages are associated with significant neuroinflammation. Anti-inflammatory pharmacological interventions, such as heparin and glyburide, show significant promise in decreasing the extent of the delayed neurological damage. Other strategies have focused on targeting mitochondria and the final steps of neuronal apoptosis with minocycline, which has showed significant promise in all stroke types. Hemorrhagic stroke remains a devastating disease, and more neuroprotective strategies are needed to maximize the available therapeutic interventions and their effectiveness.
Student engagement and comfort during a web-based personalized feedback intervention for alcohol and sexual assault.

Abstract Introduction The purpose of this study was to investigate individual engagement and comfort during a web-based intervention for alcohol and sexual assault risk reduction. Methods Participants were 264 college women (aged 18–20) who reported engaging in heavy episodic drinking in the past month. Participants were randomized to either an intervention condition (alcohol, sexual assault risk reduction, or combined) or a control condition (full or minimal assessment). Participants rated their experiences during the procedures following the assessment or receipt of the intervention depending on condition. Survey usage information (e.g., time data, completion of intervention) was automatically recorded. Results Most participants completed the intervention as intended (in a reasonable amount of time, in private, without consuming substances). Women with a sexual assault history were most comfortable in the sexual assault risk reduction intervention, whereas women who frequently engaged in heavy episodic drinking were least comfortable in the alcohol intervention condition. Self-reported distraction was not impacted by personal relevance of the intervention, but was associated with setting of participation. Conclusions Results suggest that most college women completed web-based personalized feedback interventions as designed, despite minimal discomfort.
Retracted: Importance of teamwork for the satisfaction of managers in small and medium-sized enterprises in the Czech Republic

Teamwork is the backbone of all modern organizations seen as an effective form of human labour organization. Teamwork uses the creativity of people, their different abilities and enabling performances that such individuals would not able to handle. Mutual cooperation improves communication; it can strengthen confidence and provides mutual support in the accomplishment of a task. Management of an organization should try to equal business objectives with employees' goals. If all of the above mentioned is met, the management will reach required work performance increasing the efficiency of the entire organization. The article deals with the influence of teamwork to satisfaction of 290 managers in SMEs in Czech Republic. Based on statistics analysis, the authors proved a weak relation between teamwork and satisfaction of managers.
Characterizing the optical memory effect using quantum illumination

We introduce a general adaptive quantum optics approach to control spatial entanglement and use it to characterize the optical memory effect of a thin scattering medium.
Medical Therapy Alone for the Treatment of Gas Forming Intrarenal Abscess

AbstractGas forming renal infections are severe, potentially lethal conditions. Gas formation in an intrarenal abscess is extremely rare. Formerly, these patients were uniformly treated by a combined medical and surgical approach. We describe 2 patients with intrarenal gas abscess who were successfully treated with antibiotics alone. We review the literature concerning intrarenal gas abscess and propose a pathophysiological mechanism for its formation as well as a treatment schema.
Childhood obesity, weight loss and developmental trajectories predict the persistence and remission of childhood sleep-disordered breathing.

Background Obesity has been recognized as a risk factor for childhood sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), yet it remains unclear how obesity and weight change predict the course of childhood SDB. Objective The objective of the study is to investigate the role of body weight, upper airway abnormalities and developmental trajectories on the persistence and remission of childhood SDB in the transition to adolescence. Methods The Penn State Child Cohort is a representative population sample of 700 children (5-12 years), of whom 421 were followed up as adolescents (12-23 years). Participants underwent a clinical history, physical examination and polysomnography at both time points. Results Obesity and enlarged tonsils were cross-sectionally associated with childhood SDB. Longitudinally, baseline obesity predicted the persistence of childhood SDB (OR = 3.75, 95% CI = 2.00-7.05), while weight loss predicted its remission (OR = 1.67, 95% CI = 1.11-2.50). Children with enlarged tonsils who remitted from SDB had not experienced significant weight loss and only 4.4% had undergone adeno/tonsillectomy. Body fat distribution/composition at follow-up was similar in those who had remitted from childhood SDB as compared with those who had never experienced SDB, while those who persisted with childhood SDB showed significant android distribution and visceral adiposity at follow-up. Conclusions Our data support a causal role for obesity and weight loss in the chronicity and remission, respectively, of childhood SDB in the transition to adolescence and suggest that remission of SDB is related to developmental trajectories of the upper airway in a significant proportion of children. Thus, targeting childhood obesity and weight gain should be a priority in the prevention and treatment of SDB during this critical developmental period.
Evaluation of posterior sclera viscoelasticity in eyes with papilledema by using ultrasound vibro-elastography

Papilledema is optic nerve swelling caused by increased intracranial pressure, which has the potential to cause significant vision loss. Papilledema is typically bilateral and symmetric but can sometimes be asymmetric and even unilateral. The cause for this asymmetry is unknown. The purpose of this study was to utilize ultrasound vibro-elastography (UVE) to assess for biomechanical differences in eyes with papilledema. Nine patients with papilledema and 9 age-matched controls were enrolled. An external harmonic vibration was used to generate wave propagation through the eyelid with three excitation frequencies of 100, 150, and 200 Hz. A 6.4 MHz ultrasound probe was used to noninvasively measure the wave propagation in the posterior sclera to provide shear wave speeds and viscoelasticity (fit with Voigt model). The magnitudes of the shear wave speed and viscoelasticity of the idiopathic intracranial hypertension patients’ posterior sclera were significantly higher than those of healthy subjects. Moreover, for patients with unilateral papilledema, the magnitudes of wave speed and viscoelasticity of the posterior sclera were statistically higher in eyes with papilledema than in the contralateral eyes without papilledema. UVE provides a noninvasive technique to measure the viscoelastic properties of the posterior sclera, which is stiffer in eyes with papilledema.Papilledema is optic nerve swelling caused by increased intracranial pressure, which has the potential to cause significant vision loss. Papilledema is typically bilateral and symmetric but can sometimes be asymmetric and even unilateral. The cause for this asymmetry is unknown. The purpose of this study was to utilize ultrasound vibro-elastography (UVE) to assess for biomechanical differences in eyes with papilledema. Nine patients with papilledema and 9 age-matched controls were enrolled. An external harmonic vibration was used to generate wave propagation through the eyelid with three excitation frequencies of 100, 150, and 200 Hz. A 6.4 MHz ultrasound probe was used to noninvasively measure the wave propagation in the posterior sclera to provide shear wave speeds and viscoelasticity (fit with Voigt model). The magnitudes of the shear wave speed and viscoelasticity of the idiopathic intracranial hypertension patients’ posterior sclera were significantly higher than those of healthy subjects. Moreover, ...
Impact of facility patient volume on overall survival in patients with muscle invasive bladder cancer undergoing trimodality bladder preservation therapy.

e16039Background: There is an association between higher hospital and urologist case volume and improved survival outcomes for patients with bladder cancer. Limited data on facility volume and outc...
Sequential Occurrence of Positive and Negative Selection during T Lymphocyte Maturation

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses sequential occurrence of positive and negative selection during T lymphocyte maturation. Genes controlling the immune functions of mature T lymphocytes are regulated by signaling through clonally diverse T-cell antigen receptors (TCRs) on binding cell surface complexes of foreign antigenic peptides and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) proteins. In addition, TCR-mediated signals specify cell fates during T-cell maturation in the thymus. Precursors bearing αβ TCR have three possible developmental fates: some mature into TCRhi cells that express either the CD4 or CD8 MHC co-receptor molecules, but the majority fail to complete the maturation process and die in situ. However, precursors bearing TCRs that could potentially mediate effective T-cell responses to self-peptide/self-MHC complexes are clonally deleted by a process called negative selection. To survive this intrathymic selection process, precursors apparently must bear TCRs specific for nonself-peptides bound to self-MHC molecules, resulting in a mature T-cell repertoire that is maximally diverse but minimally autoreactive.
Integrating nanomedicine into clinical radiotherapy regimens

While the advancement of clinical radiotherapy was driven by technological innovations throughout the 20th century, continued improvement relies on rational combination therapies derived from biological insights. In this review, we highlight the importance of combination radiotherapy in the era of precision medicine. Specifically, we survey and summarize the areas of research where improved understanding in cancer biology will propel the field of radiotherapy forward by allowing integration of novel nanotechnology-based treatments.
Current Aspects of Education for Administration of Regional Anesthesia by CRNAs

The author conducted a survey, which included every school of nurse anesthesia in the United States, to identify the types of programs teaching the actual administration of regional anesthetic techniques, and to specify the types of blocks being taught. With a 91.7% usable return, the results indicate that nurse anesthesia students are learning the actual administration of regional anesthetic techniques, with IV regional and spinal anesthesia leading the list. Even though the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists does not require the nurse anesthesia student to learn the actual administration of regional techniques, it is apparent that regional anesthesia is now being included in the curriculum at many schools of nurse anesthesia.
Modeling multiscalar influences on natural hazards vulnerability: a proof of concept using coastal hazards in Sarasota County, Florida

Quantitative vulnerability modeling provides local decision makers and planners with tangible scores that they can utilize to develop and implement effective mitigation strategies. Considering appropriate scale and quantitative methods in vulnerability assessments can help decision makers develop hazard mitigation policies that are effective at the jurisdictional level at which they are implemented. Several types of statistical approaches such as principal component analysis, classical regression and simultaneous autoregressive models have been used to measure vulnerability at various scales (e.g. state or county), but these approaches have limitations for measuring sub-county vulnerability. This paper discusses existing statistical methods utilized in vulnerability assessments and presents a hierarchical generalized linear regression model (Hierarchical GLM) with multiscalar indicators and spatial components. Our model results illustrate that certain indicators are spatially and scalar dependent, providing evidence that examining vulnerability at a sub-county scale while also maintaining a multiscalar perspective offers additional information about social-environmental vulnerability than provided by typical approaches.
Interrelations of religiousness/spirituality, meaning in life, and mental health

Drawing on Erikson’s and Marcia’s identity development theories, this study examined (a) the interrelations of religious/spiritual identity formation and meaning in life (MIL) and (b) their relatio...
Comparison of Hydromorphone versus Fentanyl-based Sedation in Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: A Propensity-Matched Analysis.

Introduction Data comparing sedatives in patients receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) are sparse. However, it is known that the ECMO circuit alters the pharmacokinetic properties of medications via drug sequestration of lipophilic agents and increased volume of distribution. Objectives This study evaluated the difference in days alive without delirium or coma and the sedative requirements in patients receiving fentanyl versus hydromorphone in ECMO patients. Methods This single-center retrospective observational study evaluated adults receiving ECMO for more than 48 hours and continuous infusion of either fentanyl or hydromorphone for at least 6 hours. Of 148 patients evaluated, 88 received fentanyl and 60 received hydromorphone continuous infusion sedation. Outcomes included delirium-free and coma-free (DFCF) days, narcotic use, and sedative use. Main results There was an increase in the number of DFCF days in the hydromorphone group at day 7 (p=0.07) and day 14 (p=0.08) and a significant reduction in daily fentanyl equivalent exposure. Propensity score matching yielded 54 matched pairs. An 11.1% increase was observed in the proportion of ECMO days alive without delirium or coma in the hydromorphone group at 7 days (53.2% vs 42.1%, p=0.006). Patients in the hydromorphone group received significantly fewer narcotics with a median of 555 µg (interquartile range [IQR] 287-905 µg) of fentanyl equivalents per day compared with 2291 µg (IQR 1053-4023 µg) in the fentanyl group (p Conclusion The use of hydromorphone-based sedation in ECMO patients resulted in more days alive without delirium or coma while significantly reducing narcotic requirements.
Effect of direct “seeding” binders and embryonic sporophyte sizes on the development of the sugar kelp, Saccharina latissima

The overall objective of this study is to present an assessment of embryonic sporophyte development directly “seeded” on growing substrates using the proprietary binder AtSea and three formulations of calcium alginate. We conducted two independent experiments under controlled conditions in a laboratory setup. First, we compared the effect of salinity (0 ppt, 29 ppt, and 35 ppt) on the performance of the calcium alginate formulations. Second, we assessed the effect of direct seeding with binders on the development of sporophytes of four different size classes (i.e., 83.7, 183.1, 345.2, and 522.0 μm in length). Our results show that salinity affects the performance of calcium alginate with 0 ppt media allowing the formation of a thicker hydrogel than that formulated with 29 and 35 ppt. Results also show that AtSea retained more sporophytes than any formulations of calcium alginate. Although effective when cultures were maintained in complete stillness (i.e., no water motion), we detected 70–80% detachment when aeration was added. We also observed what appeared to be delayed sporophyte development compared with sporophytes growing as free floaters.
Academic Success and Stories of Resiliency: African American Female Students Navigating the College Terrain

Many educators have become accustomed to using the deficit model of thinking to illustrate the challenges faced by African American students, frequently interpreting their academic struggles as personal failures and lack of resilience. In 2007, a public university in Southern California established the Learning Habits Project (LHP), a study designed to assess the ongoing efforts of university academic programs and to provide data on fostering student success through successful learning habits. This study documented the strategic approaches that foster academic success and resilience employed by 19 African American female college students. Viewed through the lens of Black Feminist Standpoint and Resiliency theories, the results of this study can be used to guide students and educators seeking to improve academic success and resiliency in higher education.
Making the Jump: Understanding the Associativity Between Perceived Job Performance and Turnover Intention of IT Professionals in Higher Education

As higher education institutions continue to operationally mature, there is an inherent need to adopt new technology to maintain relevancy and efficiency. To meet the demand and expectation of modern society, information technology (IT) departments have seen rapid growth in higher education. However, similar growth trends within many industries have warranted these technical capabilities, which places these positions in high demand. A challenged faced by higher education institutions is the capability to attract, cultivate, and retain IT professionals based on the competitiveness of the market. Previous research has demonstrated that job performance has been found as an antecedent for turnover intention within the overall industry and IT occupations. The purpose of this study is to determine if similar associativity exists between perceived job performance and turnover intention within IT professionals in higher education. The results of the research can provide relevant information for institutions seeking to develop employee retention plans with IT departments.
Iron parameters in patients with partial lipodystrophy and impact of exogenous leptin therapy.

Provocative rodent studies taken together with cross-sectional human epidemiological data have shown that there may be a cross-talk between circulating leptin levels and whole-body iron metabolism.1 2 In this study, we aim to discover the effects of recombinant leptin administration on iron parameters in patients with partial lipodystrophy. We studied serum samples from 19 patients with partial lipodystrophy (median age: 42 years, IQR: 34–57, male/female: 3/16) gathered from an open-label study previously performed at the University of Michigan (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01679197; article in press). All patients included in this analysis had familial partial lipodystrophy. We measured iron (assay range: 5–1000 µg/dL), soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR; assay range: 3.0–80.0 nmol/L), hepcidin (assay range: 2.5–1000 ng/mL), and high-sensitive C reactive protein (hs-CRP; assay range 0.1–80 mg/L) levels using commercially available assays. We integrated the results into an existing database of metabolic parameters. Repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to compare multiple time points. Paired t-test was used to compare month 6 values to baseline (a prespecified endpoint). Otherwise, multiplicity correction was performed. Normality was assessed by the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and the Shapiro-Wilk’s W test and also by plotting a histogram of the variable of interest. Log transformation was used for skewed data. Data are presented as median, IQR. At baseline, ferritin levels were positively correlated with fasting glucose (r=0.533; p=0.023; figure 1A) and HbA1c (r=0.510; p=0.031; figure 1B). We …