cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Generalization of optimal Hankel-norm and balanced model reduction by bilinear mapping

Abstract In this paper the standard optimal Hankel-norm model reduction and balanced model reduction are generalized to optimal Hankel-norm model reduction and balanced model reduction over a disc in the complex plane. Important properties of the new model-reduction concept such as the monotone property of the generalized Hankel norm with respect to the domain, and the L ∞ error bound over a disc D are given. Applications like the approximation of unstable systems and model reduction for specific working signals are discussed.
Expanding Dental Hygiene to Include Dental Therapy: Improving Access to Care for Children

Oral Health in America: A Report of the Surgeon General , and the subsequent National Call to Action to Promote Oral Health contributed significantly to raising the awareness of the American public and the dental profession regarding the lack of access to oral health care by many Americans, especially minorities and low income populations, with resulting disparities in oral health. The problem is particularly acute among children. The current workforce of dentists in the United States is inadequate to meet the oral health care needs of children in terms of numbers of dentists, as well as their distribution, ethnicity, education, and practice orientation. Dental hygienists trained in an expanded scope of practice, can help address the workforce inadequacy. Dental therapists, educated in 2-year programs of postsecondary education, comparable to America9s associate degree dental hygiene programs, have been used throughout the world to provide basic, primary oral health care for children. Research has documented that utilizing dental therapists is a cost effective method of improving access to care for children. Countries that have led the way in introducing dental therapists to care for their children are now integrating their separate 2-year curriculum in dental therapy and dental hygiene into a 3-year curriculum to prepare a clinician dually trained in both dental therapy and dental hygiene. This clinician is being designated an oral health therapist. Expanding the education of dental hygienists in the United States to include skills of the internationally acclaimed dental therapist can produce oral health therapists, individuals capable of addressing the basic preventive, restorative, and minor surgical needs of children, but also able to continue to address the preventive and periodontal needs of adults.
Internuclear exchange of an inner nuclear membrane protein (p55) in heterokaryons : in vivo evidence for the interaction of p55 with the nuclear lamina

The movement between nuclei of an integral protein of the inner nuclear membrane has been studied in rat/mouse and rat/hamster heterokaryons. This protein, p55, was found to equilibrate between nuclei over a period of approximately 6 h in the absence of new protein synthesis. When rat/mouse heterokaryons were constructed using an undifferentiated murine embryonal carcinoma (P19), which lacks lamins A and C, no accumulation of p55 in the mouse cell nucleus was observed. However, P19 nuclei could be rendered competent to accumulate p55 by transfecting the parent cells with human lamin A before cell fusion, supporting the notion that p55 may interact with the nuclear lamina. Since p55 does not appear to be able to dissociate from the nuclear membrane, it is concluded that this exchange between nuclei does not occur in the aqueous phase and instead is probably membrane mediated. It is proposed that this protein may be free to move between the inner and outer nuclear membranes via the continuities at the nuclear pore complexes and that transfer between nuclei occurs via lateral diffusion through the peripheral ER, which appears to form a single continuous membrane system in these heterokaryons. One implication of these observations is that accumulation of at least some integral proteins in the inner nuclear membrane may be mediated by interactions with other nuclear components and may not require a single defined targeting sequence.
Executive Information Systems: Development and Communication Issues:

This article discusses two communication issues associated with the development of an Executive Information System. The first issue examines the natural communication between systems designers and the executive end-user. The second issue addresses the human-computer interaction between the computer and the executive. Top executives constitute a unique group of end-users, and systems designers should exercise a wide range of skills in the process of identifying needs and presenting information to them.
Modeling the impact of shared visual information on collaborative reference

A number of recent studies have demonstrated that groups benefit considerably from access to shared visual information. This is due, in part, to the communicative efficiencies provided by the shared visual context. However, a large gap exists between our current theoretical understanding and our existing models. We address this gap by developing a computational model that integrates linguistic cues with visual cues in a way that effectively models reference during tightly-coupled, task-oriented interactions. The results demonstrate that an integrated model significantly outperforms existing language-only and visual-only models. The findings can be used to inform and augment the development of conversational agents, applications that dynamically track discourse and collaborative interactions, and dialogue managers for natural language interfaces.
The biochemistry of vanadium

Vanadium is an essential element. It is found widely distributed in minor and trace amounts throughout the lithosphere and biosphere. Vanadium is present in all mammalian tissues at concentrations of about 10 µM or less. Numerous physiological effects of this element are known at both the organismic and cellular levels, and in some instances these effects can be explained in terms of its biochemistry. Vanadate(V) and/or vanadyl(IV) ions are very potent inhibitors (K1 ≲ 10−6 M) of certain phosphatases, ATPases, phosphotransferases, nucleases, and kinases, among others. Vanadate(V) activates adenylate kinase. These ions have been quite useful as kinetic and spectroscopic (EPR) probes of complex cellular processes. Vanadium is an insulin mimetic agent. The ability of vanadium at low concentrations to influence enzymes is probably important to its function in vivo. Much of the biochemistry of vanadium is intricately related to the redox and coordination chemistry of this element. In particular, the parallel between the chemistries of vanadates and phosphates can account for the observed inhibition of various phosphohydrolases. However, there is ample evidence that vanadium in the body exists primarily as the vanadyl(IV) ion, VO2+, complexed to proteins and other cellular components; several biological reducing agents can convert vanadium(V) to this form. Serum transferrin appears to be involved in the metabolism of vanadium, perhaps as the transport protein for VO2+. Despite recent major advances in our understanding of the biochemistry of vanadium, the delineation of the physiological function(s) of this important element has remained an elusive goal.
Vaccine Safety: Medical Contraindications, Myths, and Risk Communication

1. Michael Smith, MD, MSCE* 1. *Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY. Some parents are more concerned about the safety of vaccines than the diseases they are designed to prevent. To maintain high levels of immunization, pediatricians must be familiar with vaccine safety and vaccine risk communication. Formal training in these areas is lacking (Williams SE, Swain R. Formal training in vaccine safety to address parental concerns not routinely conducted in US pediatric residency program. Vaccine . 2014;32(26):3175–3178). After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Recognize adverse reactions to various vaccine constituents and manage them appropriately. 2. Plan an immunization regimen for a patient with egg allergy. 3. Plan an immunization regimen for a patient with an immune deficiency, including an immune deficiency that results from chemotherapy. 4. Understand the basic mechanisms for assessing vaccine safety in the United States. 5. Plan an appropriate approach to addressing the needs of the vaccine-hesitant family. Vaccines are one of the most successful public health interventions of all time. Diseases that once caused significant morbidity and mortality in children are at all-time lows in the United States. Although many parents and physicians no longer have personal experiences with vaccine-preventable diseases, they remain a short plane flight away. The largest measles outbreak in the United States in more than 20 years occurred in 2014, and most cases occurred in unvaccinated individuals.* Some were unvaccinated because they were not eligible for vaccination, either due to age or an underlying medical condition. However, many of these individuals remained unvaccinated by personal choice. The first section of this article reviews medical contraindications and precautions for childhood immunizations. This is followed by a discussion of current processes to ensure vaccine …
Analysis of the Involvement of Different Ceramide Variants in the Response to Hydroxyurea Stress in Baker's Yeast

Sphingolipids have been identified as important signaling compounds in stress responses. However, it is not always clear how different sphingolipid profiles are achieved in a particular stress situation. Here we propose a detailed mass action model, containing 42 dependent variables and 137 reactions, that offers explanations of the roles of variant ceramides species, which differ in the lengths of their fatty acyl chains and their saturation state, in the response to hydroxyurea stress. The simulations demonstrate that the cells manage to achieve hydroxyurea tolerance through a well-coordinated, differential usage of the variant ceramide species. Moreover, the results suggest that key enzymes have different affinities toward saturated and unsaturated fatty acyl chains, which implies that the saturation state affords the cells with an additional mode of regulation that had not been recognized so far. These conclusions from our computational analysis are yet to be validated experimentally.
Orai1 promotes tumor progression by enhancing cancer stemness via NFAT signaling in oral/oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma

Emerging evidence indicates that Orai1, a key calcium channel for store-operated Ca2+ entry, is associated with human cancer. However, the underlying mechanism by which Orai1 regulates cancer progression remains unknown. Here we report that intracellular level of Orai1 is increased in a stepwise manner during oral/oropharyngeal carcinogenesis and highly expressed in cancer stem-like cell (CSC)-enriched populations of human oral/oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Ectopic Orai1 expression converted non-tumorigenic immortalized oral epithelial cells to malignant cells that showed CSC properties, e.g., self-renewal capacity, increased ALDH1HIGH cell population, increased key stemness transcription factors, and enhanced mobility. Conversely, inhibition of Orai1 suppressed tumorigenicity and CSC phenotype of OSCC, indicating that Orai1 could be an important element for tumorigenicity and stemness of OSCC. Mechanistically, Orai1 activates its major downstream effector molecule, NFATc3. Knockdown of NFATc3 in the Orai1-overexpressing oral epithelial cells abrogates the effect of Orai1 on CSC phenotype. Moreover, antagonist of NFAT signaling also decreases CSC phenotype, implying the functional importance of Orai1/NFAT axis in OSCC CSC regulation. Our study identifies Orai1 as a novel molecular determinant for OSCC progression by enhancing cancer stemness, suggesting that inhibition of Orai1 signaling may offer an effective therapeutic modality against OSCC.
Adolescent and Young Adult Perceptions of Hookah and Little Cigars/Cigarillos: Implications for Risk Messages.

Use of hookah and little cigars/cigarillos (LCCs) is high among adolescents and young adults. Although these products have health effects similar to cigarettes, adolescents and young adults believe them to be safer. This study examined adolescent and young adult perceptions of hookah and LCCs to develop risk messages aimed at discouraging use among users and at-risk nonusers. Ten focus groups with 77 adolescents and young adults were conducted to explore their perceptions about the perceived risks and benefits of hookah and LCC use. Participants were users of other (non-cigarette) tobacco products (n = 47) and susceptible nonusers (n = 30). Transcripts were coded for emergent themes on participants’ perceptions of hookah and LCCs. Participants did not perceive health effects associated with hookah and LCC use to be serious or likely to happen given their infrequency of use and perceptions that they are less harmful than cigarettes. Participants generally had positive associations with smoking hookah and L...
Production planning using evolving demand forecasts in the automotive industry

This paper considers an auto parts supplier who receives order release updates from its customers and revises its production plan for future periods on a weekly basis. The inaccuracy of the order releases causes significant costs in the form of premium expedited transportation, production overtime, and excess inventory. This setting provides a rich context for studying order release variance, because the supply chain has adopted a just-in-time (JIT) approach where ideal inventory levels are kept at zero. This leads to a high reliance on order release accuracy in order to manage production quantities. This paper presents an optimization model that extends previous approaches focused on optimizing production plans to the JIT setting. Furthermore, based on real order release information provided to the supplier, two simple adjustment heuristic methods are developed. The performances of these approaches are compared with relying solely on order releases received from the customers. The simple median-based adjustment heuristic performs the best of all the approaches. Implications of the analysis are also discussed.
Investigation of in-flame soot optical properties in laminar coflow diffusion flames using thermophoretic particle sampling and spectral light extinction

Soot optical properties are essential to the noninvasive study of the in-flame evolution of soot particles since they allow quantitative interpretation of optical diagnostics. Such experimental data are critical for comparison to results from computational models and soot sub-models. In this study, the thermophoretic sampling particle diagnostic (TSPD) technique is applied along with data from a previous spectrally resolved line-of-sight light attenuation experiment to determine the soot volume fraction and absorption function. The TSPD technique is applied in a flame stabilized on the Yale burner, and the soot scattering-to-absorption ratio is calculated using the Rayleigh–Debye–Gans theory for fractal aggregates and morphology information from a previous sampling experiment. The soot absorption function is determined as a function of wavelength and found to be in excellent agreement with previous in-flame measurements of the soot absorption function in coflow laminar diffusion flames. Two-dimensional maps of the soot dispersion exponent are calculated and show that the soot absorption function may have a positive or negative exponential wavelength dependence depending on the in-flame location. Finally, the wavelength dependence of the soot absorption function is related to the ratio of soot absorption functions, as would be found using two-excitation-wavelength laser-induced incandescence.
The Effects of Virtual Reality on the Upper Extremity Skills of Girls with Rett Syndrome: A Single Case Study

Introduction : Rett Syndrome (RTT) is a genetic disorder primarily seen in females that inhibits the use of a girl’s hands in everyday activities. A girl with RTT spends the majority of her day engaged in stereotypical hand wringing/mouthing movements at midline of the body. The probable cause behind the neurological effects of RTT is a mutation in the gene that encodes for methyl-CpG protein 2 (MeCP2). The hand wringing/mouthing behaviors preclude a girl with RTT from using the upper extremities in purposeful tasks such as school work, play skills, and other activities of daily living. Objectives : To develop a virtual reality (VR)-based therapeutic intervention that 1) decreases upper extremity stereotypies (repetitive movements that serve no function) that interfere with purposeful arm and hand use and 2) promotes purposeful, goal-directed arm function; improve upper extremity motor skills in girls with RTT. Materials and Methods : Using FAAST Software and Microsoft Kinect sensor, one girl with RTT participated in a 12-week IVR intervention (1 hour/session, 3 sessions/week, 36 total hours). Pre- and post-assessments were administered to examine any changes in upper extremity function. Results : The VR intervention led to improvements in use of the upper extremities to complete self-care activities, an increased number of reaches completed in a 15-minute period, and decreased time engaged in stereotypical hand movements. Conclusion : Future work will add additional support to determine the effectiveness of virtual reality as an intervention for girls with RTT.
Payette Russet: a Dual-Purpose Potato Cultivar with Cold-Sweetening Resistance, Low Acrylamide Formation, and Resistance to Late Blight and Potato Virus Y

Payette Russet is a full season, russet-skinned potato cultivar notable for its cold-sweetening resistance and associated low acrylamide formation, making it ideally suited for processing into French fries and other potato products. Low asparagine and reducing sugar concentrations in Payette Russet tubers contribute to an 81 % reduction in acrylamide content in French fries relative to cultivars Ranger Russet and Russet Burbank following eight months storage at 9 °C. In three years of evaluations in the Western Regional Potato Variety Trials, average yield of Payette Russet was intermediate between Ranger Russet and Russet Burbank, but Payette Russet had the highest U.S. No. 1 yield when averaged across all eight trial locations. Acceptably low tuber glucose concentrations (<0.10 % glucose FWB) were maintained in Payette Russet following up to nine months storage at temperatures as low as 5.6 °C with consistently acceptable French fry color scores obtained (USDA value ≤2.0). Reducing sugars are also maintained uniformly throughout Payette Russet tubers, resulting in a low incidence of sugar ends and reduced mottling in French fries relative to standard processing cultivars. Long tuber dormancy also benefits long-term storage for processing. With its russet skin, Payette Russet could also be used for fresh-pack, and its assemblage of disease resistances makes it especially suitable for organic production, or for use by growers and companies seeking greater sustainability in their production. Payette Russet is resistant to foliar and tuber late blight, common scab, and has extreme resistance to PVY conferred by the presence of the Rysto resistance gene. Payette Russet also has a moderate level of resistance to Verticillium wilt, early blight, and corky ringspot. It is susceptible to Fusarium dry rot (F. sambucinum), therefore production and storage management guidelines are provided to minimize tuber infection. Payette Russet displays a low incidence of second growth and growth cracks, especially relative to Russet Burbank, and is intermediate between Ranger Russet and Russet Burbank for incidence of hollow heart/brown center. Blackspot bruise expression for Payette Russet is similar to Russet Burbank and reduced relative to Ranger Russet. Payette Russet was more susceptible to shatter bruise, internal brown spot, and tuber weight loss in storage relative to the industry standard cultivars. Payette Russet was released in 2015 by the USDA-ARS and the Agricultural Experiment Stations of Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, and is a product of the Northwest (Tri-State) Potato Variety Development Program.
Policing a Negotiated World: A Partial Test of Klinger’s Ecological Theory of Policing

Klinger’s (Criminology 35(2): 277–306, 1997) ecological theory of policing addresses the intersection of environment and police organizational structure on police patrol practices. The current study addresses the following question: ‘Is police response to calls for service influenced by the level of serious violent crime or the level of officer staffing?’ This question was addressed using crime, incident, and staffing data supplied by the Philadelphia Police Department. The dependent variable was the number of unfounded events per month, per police district, from 2004 to 2008. Analysis controlled for linear and non-linear trends, average monthly temperature, month length, and spatial effects. Data were analyzed using repeated measures multilevel modeling. Findings suggested that the quantity of unfounded events was associated with both workload and officer staffing levels. Consistent with theoretical predictions, higher workload was associated with more unfounded incidents while higher levels of officer staffing was associated with fewer unfounded incidents, net of ongoing trends and spatial effects. These findings are consistent with the Ecological Theory of Policing and suggest that officers may shed workload in response to higher demands for service or lower levels of officer availability.
Design and analysis of novel Ge-GeTe PN junction for photovoltaics

The continuing rise in demand for energy places a similarly increasing demand to improve power production methods and efficiency. In regards to solar power generation, one major limiting factor with existing photovoltaic (PV) systems is the management of heat produced and photon interactions with the PV device. Typical devices operate within the 300–1000 nm range of the solar spectrum, greatly limiting the range of photons used for power generation. Furthermore, since infrared light (<1200nm) incident upon Silicon PV devices are not utilized in electron-hole pair creation, the device temperature immediately increases during operation. Due to these factors, a novel approach was pursued to develop a more efficient single crystalline PV cell. Fabrication of the device began with an antimony (Sb) doped germanium (Ge) wafer, followed by a thin film (i.e. 200nm) of amorphous germanium telluride (a-GeTe) deposited using RF sputtering. Utilizing the chalcogenide phase change (PC) characteristics of a-GeTe, the wafer was transitioned at 400°C for the 200nm deposited film, crystallizing the a-GeTe forming crystalline germanium telluride (c-GeTe). The device was annealed at 650°C activating the junction. Initial results show promise and indicate methods in which improvements can be made. The goal of this study was to identify materials and processes available to develop a low band gap PV cell responsive light ranging from blue to near infra-red (NIR) region.
Physiological Stress Response of the Neuroendocrine System During Outdoor Adventure Tasks

Outdoor adventure tasks involve a composite stress of both physical and psychosocial demands. Such compound stressors are not often studied, yet this is the type of stress most often associated wit...
Examining Moral Disengagement as a Threat to Professional Skepticism

Professional skepticism is an essential component of effective auditing, yet in recent years regulators have faulted auditors for insufficient skepticism. To examine what might lead to insufficient skepticism, I explore professional skepticism as a function of moral agency using the theory of moral disengagement (Bandura 1999). The results of two experiments, examining two different causes of moral disengagement—moral justifications and dehumanization—are consistent with predictions from the theory. In the first experiment, I find that creativity, a characteristic desired by audit firms, results in higher levels of professional skepticism. However, in the presence of time pressure, individuals with a creative mindset engage in less professional skepticism as a result of a more creative moral justification process. Experiment 2 examines a second type of moral disengagement, dehumanization. The results suggest that dehumanization increases when firms frame their public interest responsibilities as protecting the ‘capital markets.’ This increased dehumanization ultimately decreases professional skepticism. Alternatively, framing the audit firm’s public interest responsibilities as protecting individuals, specifically the individuals auditors may be more familiar with, increases humanization and professional skepticism. Overall, the results are consistent with the theory of moral disengagement. This study provides a new theoretical framework for understanding potential threats to professional skepticism and the role of moral agency in the execution of the audit.
Counting Walks and Graph Homomorphisms via Markov Chains and Importance Sampling

Hoffman [7] proved a matrix inequality that yields a useful upper bound on the number of walks in a graph. Sidorenko [14] extended the bound on the number of walks to a bound on the number of homom...
Bile Acids and the Intestinal Absorption of Fat and Electrolytes in Health and Disease

Publication of a book devoted entirely to the chemistry, physiology, and metabolism of bile acids indicates a renascence in interest in these poly-functional detergents. Here we will summarize present views on the physical and physiological properties of bile acids in relation to their chemical structure which bear on their participation in the intestinal absorption of fat, their enterohepatic circulation, and their influence on electrolyte and water absorption by the colon. Several of these topics are considered in detail elsewhere in this book, as well as in recent reviews (1–4). This chapter will focus on our own studies but will also emphasize areas in which information is needed.
Painlevé analysis for a new integrable equation combining the modified Calogero–Bogoyavlenskii–Schiff (MCBS) equation with its negative-order form

A new integrable equation is constructed by combining the recursion operator of the modified Calogero–Bogoyavlenskii–Schiff equation and its inverse recursion operator. The Painleve is performed to demonstrate the complete integrability of the newly developed equation. Multiple-soliton solutions are depicted as manifestation of the integrability. We further show that this equation enjoys a variety of soliton solutions that include kinks, peakon, cuspon.
The first image reversed: IGO signals and mass political attitudes

This paper considers the argument that intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) send signals to the mass public, legitimizing certain policy options, and/or helping assure voters about the competence of the elected government. It discusses why the reception of IGO signals may be problematic within the mass public: many individuals lack the attention and knowledge to process them. And among those who are attentive and knowledgeable, pre-existing negative attitudes about IGOs may lead them to process the signal differently than intended. Using an experimental research design, it presents evidence consistent with an IGO signaling effect from two different scenarios. In an economic scenario, a negative signal from the World Trade Organization reduces support for the government’s economic policy. In a security scenario, a positive signal from the United Nations Security Council increases support for the government’s military policy. However, both IGO signals are conditional on certain individual-level attributes, and the IGO signal in the security scenario is generally stronger than in the economic scenario.
Single-Polarization, Optically Pre-Amplified Receiver With Gated, Burst-Mode Clock Recovery

We report a receiver using a single-polarization optical low-noise pre-amplifier and a burst-mode, time-gated clock recovery unit (CRU). Timing jitter and bit-error-ratio (BER) measurements are presented for data rates from 72 Mb/s to 2.880 Gb/s, both with and without atmospheric fading. At the lowest burst-mode data rate of 72 Mb/s, temporal gating improves the recovered clock’s timing jitter below receive power levels of −65 dBm, enabling comm-limited performance as opposed to CRU-limited performance. Gating extends the CRU and receiver range down to −88 dBm, a 3-dB sensitivity improvement over the non-gated case. For all data rates and channels measured, jitter values remain below 9 ps (3% of the clock period) with gating enabled. The BER performance is <2.5 dB from the theoretical limit across all data rates, both with and without atmospheric fading.
Accurate nucleon electromagnetic form factors from dispersively improved chiral effective field theory

Abstract We present a theoretical parametrization of the nucleon electromagnetic form factors (FFs) based on a combination of chiral effective field theory and dispersion analysis. The isovector spectral functions on the two-pion cut are computed using elastic unitarity, chiral pion–nucleon amplitudes, and timelike pion FF data. Higher-mass isovector and isoscalar t-channel states are described by effective poles, whose strength is fixed by sum rules (charges, radii). Excellent agreement with the spacelike proton and neutron FF data is achieved up to Q 2 ∼ 1 GeV2. Our parametrization provides proper analyticity and theoretical uncertainty estimates and can be used for low- Q 2 FF studies and proton radius extraction.
Eliminating the Age Cutoff in Staging of Differentiated Thyroid Cancer: The Safest Road?

Background Unlike virtually all other cancer types, thyroid cancer is unique in that patient age is a key component in its staging. Pathologists and clinicians worldwide have accepted an age cutoff of 45 years for staging; in 2018, this advances to age 55 years in the eighth edition of the American Joint Commission on Cancer staging system. Evidence acquisition Clinical and basic research studies, reviews, and previous editions of consensus statements regarding thyroid cancer staging were reviewed, with particular focus on the influence of age in thyroid cancer prognosis. Purpose This perspective briefly reviews the basis for this practice and challenges it as no more appropriate than for other malignancies. Evidence synthesis The majority of findings report an association of age with thyroid cancer survival but do not support a specific age cutoff; rather, they suggest that outcome is affected by age as a continuous variable. Conceivably, other factors interact with age on a continuous basis over time, affecting prognosis. When identified, these factors could alter our current concept of the importance of an age cutoff in staging. Conclusions Among all cancers, age has an important role in only thyroid cancer staging. The consideration of age as a continuous variable and the search for age-associated prognostic variables could elucidate a more accurate staging system.
African horse sickness.

African horse sickness is a peracute, acute, subacute, or mild (horse-sickness fever) disease of Equidae that causes mortality by inducing pathologic changes in the circulatory and respiratory systems. African horse sickness viruses, of which there are nine serotypes, are biologically transmitted in nature by Culicoides spp and, perhaps, by mosquitoes.
Reconfiguration of the Central Respiratory Network Under Normoxic and Hypdxic Conditions

Apart from the obvious medical interest in understanding breathing, the respiratory rhythm is ideally suited for the study of state dependence and modifiability in central pattern generators (CPGs) in general. The list of variables with dramatic effects on breathing is impressive, including temperature, sleep/wake state, 02 and CO2 concentrations, airway irritation, conscious control, and a variety of pathological conditions. The ongoing breathing rhythm can be interrupted by coughing, sneezing, hiccoughing, swallowing, or vomiting; it can also be suspended in the post-inspiratory phase by vocalization. The pattern of breathing itself can take on several qualitatively distinct patterns, including eupneic (“normal”) breathing, panting, sighing, periodic breathing (during sleep), and gasping (in hypoxia).
Kindheit und Jugend

Ich bin am 7. Juni 1922 als altester Sohn von Ignac (Ignatius) Blatt und Boriska (Barbara) Blatt, geb. Hirsch, auf die Welt gekommen; geboren wurde ich in eine Mittelstandsfamilie ungarischer Juden in Siebenburgen (Transsilvanien), das 1918 die nordwestliche Provinz Rumaniens wurde. Die ersten zwei Jahrzehnte meines Lebens verbrachte ich in der Provinzhauptstadt, die auf Rumanisch Cluj, aufUngarisch Kolozsvar und auf Deutsch Klausenburg heist.
Longitudinal Strain Imaging in Light-Chain Cardiac Amyloidosis: Can it Help to Refine the Approach to Treatment?⁎

The systemic amyloidoses are a group of uncommon diseases characterized by extracellular accumulation of fibrillar proteins, leading to loss of normal tissue architecture and function ([1][1]). Light-chain (AL) amyloidosis, which is probably the most frequent form, can potentially involve any organ
Mark Twain's life‐long fascination with phrenology

Samuel Langhorne Clemens (Mark Twain; 1835-1910), American humorist and writer, followed scientific and medical developments, and relished exposing questionable practices and ideas. In his youth, he pondered how phrenologists were assessing character, and in 1855 he copied sections of a phrenology book and a skull diagram into a notebook. Later, in London, he had two phrenological examinations by Lorenzo Fowler-one without and the other after identifying himself. Following his "test," which produced contrasting results, he began to ridicule phrenologists and phrenology in Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn, and other works. He underwent at least two more head readings in the United States, and in Eddypus, an unfinished work from 1901 to 1902, he maintained that phrenologists base their insights primarily on how people dress and answer questions. Although now lampooning the craniological tenets of phrenology, Twain never seemed to reject the idea of distinct faculties of mind associated with specialized brain organs.
Sleep disturbances in Wolfram syndrome.

Wolfram syndrome is a rare disorder associated with diabetes mellitus, diabetes insipidus, optic nerve atrophy, hearing and vision loss, and neurodegeneration. Sleep complaints are common but have not been studied with objective measures. Our goal was to assess rates of sleep apnea and objective and self-reported measures of sleep quality, and to determine the relationship of sleep pathology to other clinical variables in Wolfram syndrome patients. Genetically confirmed Wolfram syndrome patients were evaluated at the 2015 and 2016 Washington University Wolfram Syndrome Research Clinics. Patients wore an actigraphy device and a type III ambulatory sleep study device and completed the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and/or the Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire (PSQ). PSQI and PSQ questionnaire data were compared to a previously collected group of controls. Patients were characterized clinically with the Wolfram Unified Rating Scale (WURS) and a subset underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for brain volume measurements. Twenty-one patients were evaluated ranging from age 8.9–29.7 years. Five of 17 (29%) adult patients fit the criteria for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA; apnea-hypopnea index [AHI] ≥ 5) and all 4 of 4 (100%) children aged 12 years or younger fit the criteria for obstructive sleep apnea (AHI’s ≥ 1). Higher AHI was related to greater disease severity (higher WURS Physical scores). Higher mixed apnea scores were related to lower brainstem and cerebellar volumes. Patients’ scores on the PSQ were higher than those of controls, indicating greater severity of childhood obstructive sleep-related breathing disorders. Wolfram syndrome patients had a high rate of OSA. Further study would be needed to assess how these symptoms change over time. Addressing sleep disorders in Wolfram syndrome patients would likely improve their overall health and quality of life.
Examining changes in interprofessional attitudes associated with virtual interprofessional training

ABSTRACTInterprofessional care is essential in healthcare, but prior work has shown that physicians and nurses tend to have different perceptions about working interprofessionally (interprofessiona...
A qualitative investigation of peer advice in the context of diabetes management

Background: Existing research has revealed diabetes patients often talk to one another regarding disease management. However, previous studies have not fully examined the content of advice provided...
Replacement Heifer Development

Effective replacement heifer development is a critical segment of the integrated management program in an efficient beef cow production system. The main objective should be to develop an adequate number of heifers to a point where they reach puberty and are cycling regularly at the start of the breeding season. However, many associated considerations in a successful development program will be discussed in this fact sheet. In addition, one might consider the first-calf heifer as part of replacement heifer development until she breeds back and weans her first calf. Indeed, she should continue to be managed separately as she has increased nutritional demands through this period.
Race/Ethnicity Among Children With COVID-19-Associated Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome.

This cohort study describes the distribution of race/ethnicity among cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)–associated multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children reported to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
Emergency Medicine Residents Experience Acute Stress While Working in the Emergency Department.

Author(s): Janicki, Adam J.; Frisch, Stephanie O.; Patterson, P. Daniel; Brown, Aaron; Frisch, Adam | Abstract: Introduction: Acute stress may impair cognitive performance and multitasking, both vital in the practice of emergency medicine (EM). Previous research has demonstrated that board-certified emergency physicians experience physiologic stress while working clinically. We sought to determine whether EM residents have a similar stress response, and hypothesized that residents experience acute stress while working clinically.Methods: We performed a prospective observational study of physiologic stress including heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV), and subjective stress in EM residents during clinical shifts in the emergency department. HR and HRV were measured via 3-lead Holter monitors and compared to baseline data obtained during weekly educational didactics. Subjective stress was assessed before and after clinical shifts via a Likert-scale questionnaire and written comments.Results: We enrolled 21 residents and acquired data from 40 shifts. Residents experienced an increase in mean HR of eight beats per minute (P l 0.001) and decrease in HRV of 53.9 milliseconds (P = 0.005) while working clinically. Subjective stress increased during clinical work(P l0.001). HRV was negatively correlated with subjective stress, but this did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.09).Conclusion: EM residents experience acute subjective and physiologic stress while working clinically. HR, HRV, and self-reported stress are feasible indicators to assess the acute stress response during residency training. These findings should be studied in a larger, more diverse cohort of residents and efforts made to identify characteristics that contribute to acute stress and to elicit targeted educational interventions to mitigate the acute stress response.
Crystallographic texture dependent bulk anisotropic elastic response of additively manufactured Ti6Al4V.

Rapid thermokinetics associated with laser-based additive manufacturing produces strong bulk crystallographic texture in the printed component. The present study identifies such a bulk texture effect on elastic anisotropy in laser powder bed fused Ti6Al4V by employing an effective bulk modulus elastography technique coupled with ultrasound shear wave velocity measurement at a frequency of 20 MHz inside the material. The combined technique identified significant attenuation of shear velocity from 3322 ± 20.12 to 3240 ± 21.01 m/s at 45 $$^\circ$$ and 90 $$^\circ$$ orientations of shear wave plane with respect to the build plane of printed block of Ti6Al4V. Correspondingly, the reduction in shear modulus from 48.46 ± 0.82 to 46.40 ± 0.88 GPa was obtained at these orientations. Such attenuation is rationalized based on the orientations of $$\alpha ^\prime$$ crystallographic variants within prior columnar $$\beta$$ grains in additively manufactured Ti6Al4V.
Measuring the Success of the US COVID-19 Vaccine Campaign-It's Time to Invest in and Strengthen Immunization Information Systems.

With the recent US Food and Drug Administration approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, the United States has begun COVID-19 vaccine dissemination. The vaccination program is historic in its massive scope and complexity. It requires accurate, real-time estimates of vaccine coverage to assess progress toward achieving herd immunity. Under Operation Warp Speed, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has constructed a federal database, or "data lake," to monitor vaccine coverage nationwide and ensure that recipients receive both of the necessary doses. The data lake will be managed separately from existing state and local immunization information systems (IISs), which house vaccine data in all 50 states, five cities, the District of Columbia, and eight territories. In an open letter to the Director of the CDC in late 2020, four organizations representing immunization managers and public health officials expressed concerns about the plan to include vaccine recipients' personal identifier information in the data lake.1 They also urged stronger coordination with IISs. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print Feburary 18, 2021: e1-e3. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2021.306177).
Creating Highly Reliable Health Care: How Reliability-Enhancing Work Practices Affect Patient Safety in Hospitals

Hospitals are increasingly looking to new work practices and processes to reduce the epidemic of medical errors. The authors examine one such innovative approach emulating high-reliability organizations (e.g., nuclear power plants) that use a combination of specific work practices and behavioral processes to detect and adapt to unexpected events to operate in a nearly error-free manner. They explore whether and how reliability-enhancing work practices (REWPs) help enable such processes and improve performance (i.e., reduce errors). Using survey and archival data from 1,685 registered nurses and 95 nurse managers in 95 hospital nursing units, the authors examine how REWPs affect a set of attitudinal (affective commitment and organizational citizenship behavior) and discursive (respectful interaction and mindful organizing) processes and, in turn, patient safety. They find the greater use of REWPs are directly and indirectly (through respectful interaction and mindful organizing) associated with fewer medication errors and patient falls. In contrast, organizational citizenship behavior was associated with more medication errors and patient falls.
Meet your meat: The effect of imagined intergroup contact on wanting and liking of meat.

Abstract Increased global meat consumption has negative impacts on animal welfare, the environment, as well as health. The current study is the first to investigate whether imagined intergroup contact with a farmed animal changes wanting and liking of beef and reduces willingness to consume meat. Collegians [N = 100, 67% female] imagined having a positive experience with either a calf (n = 36), kitten (n = 33), or child (n = 31). Following the imagined interaction, they completed the Leeds Food Preference Questionnaire to measure implicit and explicit wanting and explicit liking of beef and other types of meat relative to other food categories. Participants also indicated their willingness to reduce meat consumption. Results revealed that there were no significant differences between groups in explicit wanting or liking of beef or meat, nor in willingness to reduce future meat consumption. Nevertheless, compared to the kitten and child conditions, participants who imagined interacting with a calf experienced lower levels of implicit wanting and relative preference for beef and other meat products. Our findings suggest that imagined intergroup contact may be an effective manipulation to reduce meat consumption as a part of a broader intervention program.
A Rare Case of Vaping-Induced Spontaneous Pneumomediastinum.

Vaping is the process of inhaling an aerosol produced by heating a liquid or wax containing substances such as nicotine, cannabinoids (e.g., tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabidiol), flavoring, and additives (e.g., glycerol, propylene glycol). The presence of air or gas in the mediastinum is pneumomediastinum. We present a rare case of vaping-induced spontaneous pneumomediastinum. A young 20-year-old female patient with a history of vaping and no past medical history presented with acute chest pain to an emergency room. The urine drug screen was positive for cannabinoids. Imaging studies - chest x-ray and computed tomography of the chest - showed pneumomediastinum. The patient was discharged after a day of observation and counseling to quit vaping.
How cells use proteolysis to control their growth.

Protein destruction may seem like a strange way for a cell to control its growth. The entire process by which cells multiply is based on synthesisthe duplication of almost every molecule in the cell. If protein synthesis is one of the foundations of growth, then why are so many proteins destroyed as one cell becomes two? The answer to this question is control. The process of cell duplication is, of course, more complicated than simply replicating the cellular contents and dividing. Survival of all eukaryotic cells depends on their ability to regulate how and when they grow. To persist, cells must multiply only in response to specific signals, they must have mechanisms to detect errors in the duplication process, and they must establish a defined sequence for the events of duplication, so that DNA replication, for example, always precedes cell division. In addition to synthesis, therefore, an important part of growth is maintaining tight control over all of the proteins needed to make a new cell. Protein destruction-proteolysisplays a pivotal role in controlling the activity of these proteins.
States and Nationalism

Nationalism, especially in the form that links national identity and statehood, is in its present form a relatively recent but highly successful and pervasive invention. Grounded in metaphors of shared blood and collective inheritance (including the idea of national culture as patrimony or heritage), it still displays unexpected staying power despite concern over its negative history as “ethnonationalism” and as the translation of superficially benign ideologies into doctrines of violent exclusion and genocide. Modern nation-states, also unexpectedly, often encapsulate segmentary models of collective identity; nationalism may appear in everyday (“banal”) activities, the less respectable of which—as intimate zones of sociability—it may seek to hide behind official images of cultural and genetic homogeneity. Current research focuses on the practices that link idealized national identity to their realization and subversion in social and bodily experience and performance. Keywords: nationalism; press; university; nation; state; culture; identity; social; heritage; modern; power; inheritance; religion; politics