cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of the Story Production of LD, Normal-Achieving, and Low-Achieving Children under Two Modes of Production:

Using two modes of production, writing and dictation, this study compared the story production, coherence, and fluency of learning disabled (LD) children with that of normal-achieving and low-achieving subjects across three grade levels. Results indicated that: (a) mode of production had no effect upon story production or fluency for any of the subjects; (b) all children made more errors in coherence using dictation; (c) LD children produced fewer stories, were less fluent than the other subjects regardless of mode, and did not improve greatly with maturation; (d) third-grade children of all ability levels produced few stories; (e) there were few differences between the performance of the fifth- and seventh-grade students on all variables; and (6) story producers were more fluent than producers of other types of compositions.
Understanding Ageing: Further Commentary on the Limitations of Cross-Sectional Designs for Ageing Research

Critical issues regarding the utility of age-heterogeneous cross-sectional samples for estimating associations among rates of change are briefly reviewed and further examined in response to the four i
Epidemiologic Patterns of Injuries Treated in Ambulatory Care Settings

Study objective Epidemiologic studies of injury morbidity have relied primarily on data from emergency departments (EDs) and hospital admissions. We seek to assess the incidences and characteristics of acute injuries treated at EDs and other ambulatory care settings. Methods Using data from the 2002 National Health Care Survey on initial visits for acute injuries to EDs, physician offices, and hospital outpatient departments, we estimated the frequencies and incidence rates of medically attended injury by patient characteristics and care setting. Results In the United States in 2002, 76 million nonfatal acute injuries received initial medical attention at EDs (46.2%), physician offices (47.8%), and outpatient departments (6.0%). The overall annual incidence rate of medically attended injury was 26.8 per 100 population (95% confidence interval 24.4 to 29.7). Falls accounted for 16.7% of all medically attended injuries. Injury patients who were black or uninsured were significantly more likely to visit EDs than other care settings for treatment. More than 2.4 million (3.2%) injury patients were admitted to hospitals, 96.6% of them through EDs. Conclusion Fewer than half of all medically attended acute injuries in the United States receive initial treatment in EDs. Injury severity and characteristics vary among care settings.
Double blind comparison of the efficacy of tioconazole and miconazole for the treatment of fungal infection of the skin or erythrasma

Summary A total of ninety-nine patients, of whom eighty-six had fungal infections of the skin and thirteen erythrasma, took part in a double blind comparison of the efficacy and acceptability of tioconazole and miconazole creams applied twice daily. The duration of treatment was 4 weeks. Of the patients available for review upon completion of treatment, twenty-three of thirty-four patients (68%) treated with tioconazole and twenty-one of thirty-eight patients (55%) treated with miconazole were cured clinically and mycologically. Of the patients available for follow-up 4 weeks later, nineteen of twenty-one patients (90·5%) treated with tioconazole and twelve of fifteen patients (80%) treated with miconazole remained free from infection. Statistical analysis showed that tioconazole achieved a significantly higher mycological cure rate than miconazole. There was no significant difference between the two creams in clinical or overall cure rates.
Scattering by a multilayer chiral cylinder

An efficient recursive eigenfunction solution for the problem of scattering by a multilayer chiral circular cylinder, with or without a surface impedance center cylinder, is presented. For an M layer cylinder, the solution requires the multiplication of M4*4 matrices, versus the solution of a 4M*4M matrix equation in a standard approach. The problem of a transverse electric (TE) incident plane wave differs from that of a transverse magnetic (TM) wave only by a plus/minus sign at one step in the solution. The addition of the surface impedance center cylinder requires only one additional matrix multiplication. Numerical results, including echo width and internal fields, are presented for several sample cylinders. >
The use of psychological state words by late talkers at ages 3, 4, and 5 years

The use of four types of psychological state words (physiological, emotional, desire, and cognitive) during mother–child play sessions at ages 3, 4, and 5 years was examined in 30 children diagnosed with delayed expressive language at 24–31 months and 15 age-matched comparison children with typical development. The children's mean length of utterance, total words uttered, lexical diversity, and use of propositional complements were assessed. The late talkers used significantly more physiological state words at ages 3 and 4, but the two groups did not differ in their use of physiological state terms at age 5. The late talkers used significantly fewer cognitive words than the comparison children at each age. The mothers of the late talkers made significantly fewer references to cognitive states than the mothers of the comparison children at each age. The delay in the emergence of cognitive state words in the preschool years may affect other aspects of late talkers’ cognitive and social development.
DendroPy: a Python library for phylogenetic computing

Summary: DendroPy is a cross-platform library for the Python programming language that provides for object-oriented reading, writing, simulation and manipulation of phylogenetic data, with an emphasis on phylogenetic tree operations. DendroPy uses a splits-hash mapping to perform rapid calculations of tree distances, similarities and shape under various metrics. It contains rich simulation routines to generate trees under a number of different phylogenetic and coalescent models. DendroPy’s data simulation and manipulation facilities, in conjunction with its support of a broad range of phylogenetic data formats (NEXUS, Newick, PHYLIP, FASTA, NeXML, etc.), allow it to serve a useful role in various phyloinformatics and phylogeographic pipelines. Availability: The stable release of the library is available for download and automated installation through the Python Package Index site (http://pypi.python.org/pypi/DendroPy), while the active development source code repository is available to the public from GitHub (http://github.com/jeetsukumaran/DendroPy).
MM5 Contrail Forecasting in Alaska

Abstract The fifth-generation Pennsylvania State University–National Center for Atmospheric Research (PSU–NCAR) Mesoscale Model (MM5) is being used for forecasting the atmospheric layers of aircraft condensation trail (contrail) formation. Contrail forecasts are based on a conventional algorithm describing the adiabatic mixing of aircraft exhaust with environmental air. Algorithm input data are MM5-forecasted temperature and humidity values at defined pressure or sigma levels, and an aircraft-relevant contrail factor that is derived statistically from a contrail observation database. For comparison purposes a mean overlap (MO), which is a parameter quantifying the overlap between forecasted contrail layers and contrail layers derived from radiosonde measurements, is introduced. Mean overlap values are used to test for the altitude and thickness of forecasted contrail layers. Contrail layers from Arctic MM5 and Air Force Weather Agency (AFWA) MM5 models agree well with contrail layers derived from correspo...
Stress, social status, and psychological distress.

social causation influence; and (2) a component due to the differential impact of comparable stresses on people in different categories of various status dimensions. The analysis shows that differential impact is the more important determinant in relationships between social class, sex, and marital status and self-reported distress. Only in the comparison of whites to nonwhites is differential exposure the key determinant. The implications of these findings for our understanding of the social status-psychological distress relationship are discussed. A central problem to emerge from the study of sociodemographic correlates of mental disorder has been to explain why persons in certain disadvantaged social statuses have the
Performance variability of highly parallel architectures

The design and evaluation of high performance computers has concentrated on increasing computational speed for applications. This performance is often measured on a well configured dedicated system to show the best case. In the real environment, resources are not always dedicated to a single task, and systems run tasks that may influence each other, so run times vary, sometimes to an unreasonably large extent. This paper explores the amount of variation seen across four large distributed memory systems in a systematic manner. It then analyzes the causes for the variations seen and discusses what can be done to decrease the variation without impacting performance.
Overweight and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) progression in women: associations HIV disease progression and changes in body mass index in women in the HIV epidemiology research study cohort.

An association of increased weight with a slower progression of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease has been reported in studies that have not included large numbers of women. We evaluated the association of HIV disease progression with body mass index (BMI) in 871 women and present cross-sectional, survival, and longitudinal analyses. A higher baseline BMI was associated with a lower rate of occurrence of the first CD4 cell count !200 cells/mm 3 . In analyses that incorporated time-varying BMI, underweight and normal women had an increased risk of clinical acquired immune deficiency syndrome, and underweight women had increased risk of HIV-related death, compared with obese women. The association between change in BMI and CD4 cell count was estimated; increases in BMI were associated with slight increases in CD4 cell counts, even after controlling for prior values of CD4 cell count, viral load, and treatment. Higher BMI and increases in BMI are associated with a decreased risk of HIV progression. The adverse effects of being overweight or obese in the general population in terms of mortality and risks of specific diseases are well known. In some situations, excess weight may be beneficial. Several published studFinancial support: National Institutes of Health (supplemental grant 2P01-DK45734-06 and grants R01-AI50505 P30-AI42853, and 1P01-DK-45734-01A2); Lifespan/Tufts/Brown Center for AIDS Research; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (cooperative agreements U64/CCU106795, U64/CCU206798, U64/ CCU306802, and U64/CCU506831). a
Sequential Radionuclide Imaging During Paracorporeal Left Ventricular Support

A paracorporeal left ventricular to ascending aorta assist device (LVAD) was utilized in four patients with refractory cardiogenic shock following cardiac surgery. Hemodynamic stabilization was achieved in all four patients, two of whom were subsequently discharged from the hospital and continue to do well one year later. A technique is described for obtaining radionuclide ejection fractions (EFs) during temporary LVAD interruption. The EFs appeared to be predictive of eventual unassisted ventricular function and possibly of patient survival.
A Social Economist Examines the Moral Poverty of Twentieth Century Europe

The belief in the endless progress of men materially and morally has not stood the test of time. The wars and atrocities of the twentieth century have shown that evil resides within man himself. Discusses the role of Darwinism and science; despite much criticism, the evolutionists continue to ride high in the fields of education and science. The gradual displacement of religion as a subject worthy of study has now reached its zenith. Discusses the Nazi Holocaust and the Gulag Obletion. Solzhenitsyn attributed all the evils of Soviet Communism to Marxist‐Leninist ideology and the rejection of traditional religion and moral values. Concludes that Western society is like a ship without a rudder.
Buchanan and the Austrians: A tale of two bridges

This article explores certain aspects of James Buchanan’s struggles, over a period of years, to come to grips with Austrian subjectivism in economic theory.
Noteworthy Additions to the Vascular Flora of Rockingham County, Virginia

Abstract Rockingham County, located in northwestern Virginia, is the third largest county in the state and is botanically rich and diverse. Over the past few decades, it has experienced unprecedented population growth and the loss of undisturbed habitat that accompanies such growth. This study updates the documented flora of Rockingham County, so that it may serve as a baseline for future studies, as well as provide new plant distribution information for the Flora of Virginia Project. During the course of this study, 425 numbers representing 316 species, subspecies, and varieties were collected. Fifty-two county records are reported. Five of these, Abies balsamea, Alnus incana ssp. rugosa, Calycanthus floridus var. glaucus, Scutellaria incana, and Penstemon hirsutus, are listed on the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation's (Division of Natural Heritage) Rare Vascular Plant List. Two others, Sanicula trifoliata and Helianthus hirsutus, are currently listed on the Virginia Vascular Plant Watch...
A Story of No Self: Literary and Philosophical Observations on Aśvaghoṣa’s Life of the Buddha

Responding to Galen Strawson’s skepticism about narrative “selves” and also to Nussbaum’s claims that literary form may be inseparable from philosophical content, the author considers the role of selfhood in the context of the set of narrative cultural traditions which arguably have pursued the notion of “no-self” to its greatest extent: the various forms of Buddhist narrative. The essay begins with a peculiar (and to contemporary ears, somewhat difficult-to-appropriate) scene from Aśvaghoṣa’s Life of the Buddha which, he argues, gives insight into how Buddhism’s famous “middle way” avoids claims both of permanence of self that would allow no change and annihilation of the self that would allow no responsibility.
Outer Retinal (Choroidal) Vasculature Structure and Choroidopathies

The outer retinal vasculature is actually the choroidal vasculature. Its capillary system is the choriocapillaris (CC), which is lobular and fenestrated. The CC is immediately under the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) supplying nutrients and removing waste from the RPE, the outermost cell in the retina.
Dynamic Decentralized Cooperative Control of Multiple Autonomous Vehicles with Multiple Tasks for Urban Operations

This research is concerned with dynamically determining appropriate flight patterns for a set of autonomous UAVs in an urban environment, with multiple mission goals. The UAVs are tasked with searching the urban region for targets of interest, and tracking those targets t hat have been detected. We assume that there are limited communication capabilities between the UAVs, and that there exist possible line of sight constraints between the UAVs and the targets. Each UAV (i) operates its own dynamic feedback loop, in a receding horizon framework, incorporating local information (from UAV i perspective) as well as remote information (from the perspective of the ‘neighbor’ UAVs) to determine the tas k to perform and the optimal flight path of UAV i over the planning horizon. This results in a decentralized and more realistic model of the real-world situation. As the coupled task assignment and flight route optimization formulation is NP-hard, a hybrid heuristic for continuous global optimization is developed to solve for the flight plan and tasking over the planning horizon.
One-Pot Aqueous Synthesis of Fe and Ag Core/Shell Nanoparticles

This article investigates a facile one-pot method for the synthesis of Fe and Ag core/shell nanoparticles by aqueous reduction under ambient conditions. We have shown that the injection time of silver nitrate into a reaction vessel containing aqueous ferrous salt, sodium borohydride, and sodium citrate is a vital parameter for the precise control of a desired core/shell structure. For example, if silver nitrate is injected one minute after sodium borohydride is added to the reaction vessel, Ag will nucleate first followed by Fe, creating monodisperse Ag/Fe core/shell nanoparticles. In contrast, if the introduction time is prolonged to 5 min, Fe nanoparticles will nucleate followed by Ag producing Fe/Ag nanoparticles. The composition, morphology, and magnetic behavior were investigated by X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and room-temperature vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). Fe/Ag core/shell nano...
Numerical modeling of light propagation in biological tissue with a turbulent, fractal refractive index model

A novel simulation method for light scattering in heterogeneous biological tissue based on the beam propagation method (BPM) in a fractal continuous medium is presented, with implications for a variety of biophotonics applications.
Aplastic anemia following chloramphenicol therapy in chronic ulcerative colitis: report of a case.

The case of an 18-year-old white man, suffering from chronic ulcerative colitis, is presented. Chloromycetin was one of the drugs used during the early part of the illness and is presumably the cause of aplastic anemia which was discovered postoperatively. Massive hemorrhage was the most prominent complication and apparently it was caused by the blood dyscrasia. Rectal bleeding occurs commonly in ulcerative colitis, but massive and fatal hemorrhage is rare, occurring in 0.4 to 1.1 per cent of cases. Chloromycetin therapy has been known to cause blood dyscrasias. In the management of chronic ulcerative colitis, where therapy is prolonged, the use of other chemotherapeutic agents, which have been proved to be more efficacious and safe, is recommended.
The acquisition of differential object marking in Spanish by Romanian speakers

Abstract The obligatory use of the preposition ‘a’ with animate, specific direct objects in Spanish (Juan conoce a Maria “Juan knows Maria”) is a well-known instance of Differential Object Marking (dom). This study investigates the acquisition of dom by native speakers of Romanian learning Spanish. Spanish and Romanian have dom lexicalized in the prepositions ‘a’ (Spanish) and in ‘pe’ (Romanian). In the two languages dom is regulated by animacy and specificity. Thirty-two native speakers of Spanish and 36 Romanian-speaking learners of Spanish with advanced proficiency completed a written production, a written comprehension, and an acceptability judgment task. The results show that, in general, and unlike what has been found for English-speaking learners of Spanish, advanced Romanian learners of Spanish are successful at acquiring the feature specification and distribution of dom in Spanish. The findings are discussed with respect to the nature of ultimate attainment as a function of language transfer.
From Stadium to Bars: Transnational Media and African Fan Identity

The history of African football begins with Europe. As Paul Darby (2002) points out, football in Africa is undeniably a legacy of colonialism. When football was initially introduced in Africa, the sport was played only by the colonists. Slowly, the game diffused among the local populations. From a historical perspective, Alegi (2010: 3) states that football in Africa started in 1862, and that the first recorded football game was played in South Africa between whites in the Cape and Natal provinces. By the early twentieth century, football was played in Algeria, Egypt, and the Belgian Congo (Leopoldville).
Primary graft dysfunction: Long-term physical function outcomes among lung transplant recipients.

Abstract Background Adults with primary graft dysfunction (PGD) after lung transplantation are at increased risk for pulmonary and functional impairment. No prior studies have described the long-term (within 1.5 years of transplant) cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) results in adults with grade 3 PGD. The objective of this study was to compare the functional outcomes of lung transplant patients with and without grade 3 PGD via CPET and six-minute talk tests (6MWD). Methods 243 adults underwent lung transplantation between 2003 and 2010, 128 (53%) of whom underwent CPET and 6MWD within 12–18 months of transplantation. The primary measure of exposure was grade 3 PGD at 72 h, however grade 3 PGD within 72 h was also assessed. In addition, the impact of potential confounding variables was explored. Results Approximately one-third (32%) of the 243 patients experienced grade 3 PGD within 72 h; among these, 15 (6%) had grade 3 PGD at the 72 h time point. There were no differences in CPET or 6MWD between those with and without grade 3 PGD at 72 h despite a longer length of hospital stay and lower pulmonary function. Similar results were seen for patients with and without grade 3 PGD within 72 h, with the exception of a lower heart rate on CPET. Conclusions Participants with grade 3 PGD are able to achieve functional outcomes comparable to those without PGD.
Image segmentation with a bounding box prior

User-provided object bounding box is a simple and popular interaction paradigm considered by many existing interactive image segmentation frameworks. However, these frameworks tend to exploit the provided bounding box merely to exclude its exterior from consideration and sometimes to initialize the energy minimization. In this paper, we discuss how the bounding box can be further used to impose a powerful topological prior, which prevents the solution from excessive shrinking and ensures that the user-provided box bounds the segmentation in a sufficiently tight way. The prior is expressed using hard constraints incorporated into the global energy minimization framework leading to an NP-hard integer program. We then investigate the possible optimization strategies including linear relaxation as well as a new graph cut algorithm called pinpointing. The latter can be used either as a rounding method for the fractional LP solution, which is provably better than thresholding-based rounding, or as a fast standalone heuristic. We evaluate the proposed algorithms on a publicly available dataset, and demonstrate the practical benefits of the new prior both qualitatively and quantitatively.
A mitochondrial HSP70 (HSPA9B) is linked to miltefosine resistance and stress response in Leishmania donovani

Protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania are responsible for leishmaniasis, a neglected tropical disease affecting millions worldwide. Visceral leishmaniasis (VL), caused by Leishmania donovani, is the most severe form of leishmaniasis with high rates of mortality if left untreated. Current treatments include pentavalent antimonials and amphotericin B. However, high toxicity and emergence of resistance hinder the success of these options. Miltefosine (HePC) is the first oral treatment available for leishmaniasis. While treatment with HePC has proven effective, higher tolerance to the drug has been observed, and experimental resistance is easily developed in an in vitro environment. Several studies, including ours, have revealed that HePC resistance has a multi-factorial origin and this work aims to shed light on this complex mechanism. 2D-DIGE quantitative proteomics comparing the soluble proteomes of sensitive and HePC resistant L. donovani lines identified a protein of interest tentatively involved in drug resistance. To test this link, we employed a gain-of-function approach followed by mutagenesis analysis. Functional studies were complemented with flow cytometry to measure HePC incorporation and cell death. We identified a mitochondrial HSP70 (HSPA9B) downregulated in HePC-resistant L. donovani promastigotes. The overexpression of HSPA9B in WT lines confers an increased sensitivity to HePC, regardless of whether the expression is ectopic or integrative. Moreover, the increased sensitivity to HePC is specific to the HSPA9B overexpression since dominant negative mutant lines were able to restore HePC susceptibility to WT values. Interestingly, the augmented susceptibility to HePC did not correlate with an increased HePC uptake. Leishmania donovani promastigotes overexpressing HSPA9B were subjected to different environmental stimuli. Our data suggest that HSPA9B is capable of protecting cells from stressful conditions such as low pH and high temperature. This phenotype was further corroborated in axenic amastigotes overexpressing HSPA9B. The results from this study provide evidence to support the involvement of a mitochondrial HSP70 (HSPA9B) in experimental HePC resistance, a mechanism that is not yet fully understood, and reveal potential fundamental roles of HSPA9B in the biology of Leishmania. Overall, our findings are relevant for current and future antileishmanial chemotherapy strategies.
Acquired uniparental disomy in chromosome 6p as a feature of relapse after T-cell replete haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation using cyclophosphamide tolerization.

Acquired uniparental disomy in chromosome 6p as a feature of relapse after T-cell replete haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation using cyclophosphamide tolerization
Radiative charge transfer between H and C + + , C + + + , and N + +

This research was supported, in part, by the Energy Research and Development Administration under Contract EY-76-S-02-2887.
Viktor Frankl and Interactional Group Therapy

Although Viktor Frankl's Logotherapy concepts have been described as a basis for support groups and for small sharing groups, they have seldom been reported in the literature as a basis for the practice of interpersonal group psychotherapy. In this article the author overviews and outlines the treatment elements and dynamics of a Logotherapy approach to interpersonal group therapy. Clinical material is provided to give a flavor of the described treatment approach.
Multicolor protein FRET with tryptophan, selective coumarin-cysteine labeling, and genetic acridonylalanine encoding.

Site-specific fluorescence probes can be used to measure distances within proteins when used as part of a Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) pair. Here we report the synthesis of a coumarin maleimide (Mcm-Mal) that is fluorogenic upon reaction with cysteine. We demonstrate that cysteine, acridonylalanine (Acd) double mutant proteins can be produced by unnatural amino acid mutagenesis and reacted with Mcm-Mal to generate Mcm/Acd labeled proteins for FRET studies. The Mcm/Acd FRET pair is minimally-perturbing, easy to install, and well-suited to studying protein distances in the 15-40 A range. Furthermore, Mcm/Acd labeling can be combined with tryptophan fluorescence in three color FRET to monitor multiple interactions in one experiment.
Two Meisterlieder on the Seven Liberal Arts in MS Berlin germ. quart. 414

Hans Sachs, the prolific and popular poet and dramatist, began his first anthology of Meisterlieder (MS Berlin 414), as he says in his preface, als man zalt Anno Salutis 1517 Jar an Dem dag Sancte Margarete der Heiligen Junckfrawen. This anthology, a thick volume of 479 leaves, contains 399 Meisterlieder without musical notation, and the compiling and copying were probably completed by the end of 1518, when Sachs was 24 years old. No poem in the MS bears a later date. Thirty-one Meistersinger of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries are represented by a total of 165 texts. There are 234 Meisterlieder sine nomine, and the poems presented below are among them.1
Structural and Functional Associations of Macular Microcirculation in the Ganglion Cell-Inner Plexiform Layer in Glaucoma Using Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography.

PURPOSE To quantify retinal microvasculature within the macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) in primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and normal eyes, determine association of vessel parameters with structural and functional measures, and report diagnostic accuracy of vessel parameters. METHODS POAG and normal patients underwent 6×6 mm macula scans [Angioplex optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA); Cirrus HD-OCT 5000]; and Humphrey Field Analyzer II-i 24-2 visual field (VF). Prototype software performed semiautomatic segmentation to create GCIPL en face images, and quantified vessel area density (VAD), vessel skeleton density (VSD), and vessel complexity index (VCI) for the macula (globally, hemifields, and 6 focal sectors). Linear regression assessed association of OCTA parameters with VF mean deviation (MD) and GCIPL thickness globally and focally. RESULTS A total of 34 POAG and 21 normal eyes were studied. VAD, VSD, and VCI were reduced in POAG versus normal (0.463 vs. 0.486, P=0.00029; 0.230 vs. 0.219, P=0.0014; 1.15 vs. 1.09, P=0.0044, respectively), with a trend of worsening with increased POAG severity. Reduced global VF MD was associated with reduced VAD and VCI, controlling for age and intereye correlation (P=0.0060, 0.0080; R=0.205, 0.211). Both superior and inferior hemifield MD were associated with corresponding VAD, VSD, and VCI (all P<0.007; R ranged from 0.12 to 0.29). Global GCIPL thickness was not associated with global OCTA parameters, and only inferior sector GCIPL thickness was associated with corresponding VAD, VSD, and VCI (P<0.05; R ranged from 0.15 to 0.16). Area under curves for VAD, VSD, and VCI were fair to good (0.83, 0.79, 0.82; respectively; P<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS Glaucomatous eyes had reduced GCIPL microcirculation. OCTA parameters had stronger associations with functional rather than structural measures of glaucoma. This observation deserves further study.
Potential of Double-crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus), American White Pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos), and Wood Storks (Mycteria americana) to Transmit a Hypervirulent Strain of Aeromonas hydrophila between Channel Catfish Culture Ponds

Abstract: Aeromonas hydrophila is a Gram-negative bacterium ubiquitous to freshwater and brackish aquatic environments that can cause disease in fish, humans, reptiles, and birds. Recent severe outbreaks of disease in commercial channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) aquaculture ponds have been associated with a hypervirulent Aeromonas hydrophila strain (VAH) that is genetically distinct from less virulent strains. The epidemiology of this disease has not been determined. Given that research has shown that Great Egrets (Ardea alba) can shed viable hypervirulent A. hydrophila after consuming diseased fish, we hypothesized that Double-crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus), American White Pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos), and Wood Storks (Mycteria americana) could also serve as a reservoir for VAH and spread the pathogen during predation of fish in uninfected catfish ponds. All three species, when fed VAH-infected catfish, shed viable VAH in their feces, demonstrating their potential to spread VAH.
Customer Management as the Origin of Collaborative Customer Relationship Management

The marketing departments of retailers and manufacturers speak more often in their analyses about “hybrid” consumers — customers who do not demonstrate behavior consistent with simple categories. The smart shopper, one with a Jaguar in the parking lot of a discount hypermarket, is a reality, just as is the college student in a boutique wine shop. Because of this seemingly paradoxical customer behavior, it is becoming more and more difficult for retailers and manufacturers to identify and retain valuable customers.
The Relationship Between Selected Immediacy Behaviors and Cognitive Learning

(1987). The Relationship Between Selected Immediacy Behaviors and Cognitive Learning. Annals of the International Communication Association: Vol. 10, Communication Yearbook 10, pp. 574-590.
Probing Membrane Hydration at the Interface of Self-Assembled Peptide Amphiphiles Using Electron Paramagnetic Resonance

The relative hydrophilicity at the interface of a nanoparticle was measured utilizing electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. The supramolecular structure was assembled from spin-labeled peptide amphiphiles (PA) derived from N-carboxy anhydrides (NCA). Cyanuric chloride, or 2,4,6-trichloro-1,3,5-triazine (TCT), was used as a modular platform to synthesize the spin-labeled, lipid-mimetic macroinitiator used for the ring-opening polymerization of γ-benzyl-l-glutamic acid NCA to produce polyglutamate-b-dodecanethiol2. Through static and dynamic light scattering, as well as transmission electron microscopy, PAs with DP of 50 and 17 were shown to assemble into stable nanoparticles with an average hydrodynamic radius of 117 and 84 nm, respectively. Continuous wave EPR spectroscopy revealed that the mobility parameter (h–1/h0) and 2Aiso of the nitroxide radical increased with increasing pH, in concert with the deprotonation of the PE side chains and associated helix–coil transition. These results are...
Large Genomic Aberrations in Corticotropinomas Are Associated With Greater Aggressiveness.

Context Genomic losses/gains are associated with cancer progression and prognosis. In pituitary adenomas, analyses of copy number variations (CNVs) have shown that a subset of adenomas have higher genomic variability. However, whether CNVs are associated with tumor aggressiveness and prognosis has not been determined. Objective We hypothesized that somatic CNVs of pituitary tumors may play a role in the progression and aggressiveness of pituitary corticotropinomas in children and adolescents. Samples and design Paired germline and tumor DNA samples from 27 pediatric patients with Cushing disease (CD), were subjected to whole exome sequencing. Somatic CNVs were identified using the ExomeDepth tool. Clinical, histological, and biochemical data from the patients were collected and correlated with the results of the CNV analysis. Results Chromosomal instability, involving 23% to 59% of the tumor genome, was noted in 5 of the 27 samples (18.5%). The patients with tumors showing chromosomal instability had similar clinical and biochemical characteristics to the remaining patients, except for tumor size, which was larger (median size 18 mm vs 5.5 mm, P = 0.005). Tumors with chromosomal instability were also associated with a higher rate of invasion of the cavernous sinus (P = 0.029). There was insufficient information on persistence or recurrence of CD to determine whether the risk was higher in those with chromosomal instability. Conclusions A subgroup of corticotropinomas demonstrates chromosomal instability that is associated with markers of aggressiveness of these adenomas. It appears that more genomic gains/losses in a few, rare corticotropinomas may predict poorer prognosis for pediatric patients with CD.
Interaction between hydrogen sulfide, nitric oxide, and carbon monoxide pathways in the bovine isolated retina.

Purpose: Nitric oxide (NO), carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) are physiologically relevant gaseous neurotransmitters that are endogenously produced in mammalian tissues. In the present study, we investigated the possibility that NO and CO can regulate the endogenous levels of H2S in bovine isolated neural retina. Methods: Isolated bovine neural retina were homogenized and tissue homogenates were treated with a NO synthase inhibitor, NO donor, heme oxygenase-1 inhibitor, and/donor. H2S concentrations in bovine retinal homogenates were measured using a well-established colorimetric assay. Results: L-NAME (300 nM–500 μM) caused a concentration-dependent decrease in basal endogenous levels of H2S by 86.2%. On the other hand, SNP (10–300 μM) elicited a concentration-related increase in H2S levels from 18.3 nM/mg of protein to 65.7 nM/mg of protein. ZnPP-IX (300 nM–10 μM) caused a concentration-dependent increase in the endogenous production of H2S whereas hemin (300 nM–20 μM) attenuated the basal levels of H2S. Conclusion: We conclude that changes in the biosynthesis and availability of both NO and CO can interfere with the pathway/s involved in the production of H2S in the retina. The demonstrated ability of NO, CO and H2S to interact in the mammalian retina affirms a physiological/pharmacological role for these gaseous mediators in the eye.
Investigation of focused cardiac ultrasound in the emergency room for differentiation of respiratory and cardiac causes of respiratory distress in dogs

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether focused cardiac ultrasound (FOCUS) performed by emergency and critical care (ECC) specialists or residents in training improves differentiation of cardiac (C) versus non‐cardiac (NC) causes of respiratory distress in dogs compared to medical history and physical examination alone. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study (May 2014 to February 2016). SETTING: University hospital. ANIMALS: Thirty‐eight dogs presenting with respiratory distress. INTERVENTIONS: FOCUS. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Medical history, physical examination, and FOCUS were obtained at presentation. Emergency and critical care clinicians, blinded to any radiographic or echocardiographic data, categorized each patient (C vs NC) before and after FOCUS. Thoracic radiography (within 3 h) and echocardiography (within 24 h) were performed. Percent agreement was calculated against a reference diagnosis that relied on agreement of a board‐certified cardiologist and ECC specialist with access to all diagnostic test results. Reference diagnosis included 22 dogs with cardiac and 13 dogs with noncardiac causes of respiratory distress. In 3 dogs a reference diagnosis was not established. Prior to FOCUS, positive and negative percent agreement to detect cardiac causes was 90.9% (95% CI, 70.8–98.9) and 53.9% (25.1–80.8), respectively. Overall agreement occurred in 27 of 35 dogs (77.1%). Two C and 6 NC cases were incorrectly categorized. Following FOCUS, positive and negative percent agreement to detect cardiac causes was 95.5% (77.2–99.9) and 69.2% (38.6–90.9), respectively. Overall agreement occurred in 30 of 35 dogs (85.7%). Three dogs with discrepant pre‐FOCUS diagnoses were correctly re‐categorized post‐FOCUS. One C and 4 NC cases remained incorrectly categorized. No correctly categorized dogs were incorrectly re‐categorized following FOCUS. The proportions of dogs correctly classified pre‐ versus post‐FOCUS were not significantly different (P = 0.25). CONCLUSIONS: FOCUS did not significantly improve differentiation of C vs NC causes of respiratory distress compared to medical history and physical examination alone.
2197 Strategies for Laparoscopic Entry in Complex Patients

Video Objective There are three general techniques for laparoscopic entry, all of which are considered safe and effective. These include the use of a veress needle, an optical trocar, and an open approach. Twenty-five percent of all injuries during laparoscopic surgery occur with initial entry. Therefore, a thoughtful approach to port placement is critical to ensure optimal performance and patient safety with entry. Certain patient factors that may increase the rate of injury or complicate entry include obesity, prior abdominal surgeries, large uterine size, and the small stature and short torso of the pediatric patient. We created a video to describe laparoscopic entry techniques in patients with co-morbid conditions in order to improve surgical planning and decrease the rate of injury. Setting We selected six patient scenarios that posed various challenges to safe laparoscopic entry at our large academic institution nested in an underserved urban environment. These scenarios included: morbid obesity, a large bulky uterus, previous abdominal surgeries, umbilical mesh from a herniorrhaphy, prior abdominoplasty, and the pediatric patient. Interventions We identified complexities of laparoscopic entry in surgical patients and then reviewed the literature to devise techniques to address these challenges. We present techniques for entry from an evidence-based literature review and expert opinion from minimally invasive gynecologic surgeons and general surgeons, for patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery in the aforementioned scenarios. Conclusion This video uses audio and visual components to review safe and effective strategies for laparoscopic entry. Through illustrations and surgical cases we offer tips in complex scenarios. We hope this video can serve as a resource to surgeons, particularly trainees, and improve confidence and surgical planning to ultimately decrease injury.
Overexpression of Raf Kinase Inhibitor Protein (RKIP) in Multiple Myeloma and Its Molecular Signature

Abstract Multiple myeloma (MM) is a clonal plasma-cell neoplastic disorder arising from an indolent premalignant disease known as monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) that can evolve to asymptomatic pre-MM and later to symptomatic MM. MM is a biologically complex heterogeneous disease reflected by its variable clinical responses of patients receiving the same treatment. Therefore, a molecular identification of stage-specific biomarkers will support a more individualized precise diagnostic/prognostic approach, an effective therapeutic regime, and will assist in the identification of novel therapeutic molecular targets. The metastatic suppressor/anti-resistance factor Raf-1 kinase inhibitor protein (RKIP) inhibits the Raf/MEK/ERK1/2 and NF-κB pathways and sensitizes resistant tumors to drug-induced apoptosis. Whereby all tumors examined exhibited low levels of RKIP, in contrast, our prior findings demonstrated that RKIP is overexpressed (primarily in its inactive phosphorylated form) in MM cell lines and patients-derived tumor tissues (Baritaki et. al, FIDT 2:1-13, 2011). We examined transcriptomic datasets on Oncomine platform (Life Technologies) for the expression of RKIP and several-associated gene products in both pre-MM and MM. Several gene products were found to be overexpressed such as RKIP, Bcl-2, and DR5 and underexpressed such as Bcl-6 and TNFR2 in both pre-MM and MM. A differentially expressed pro-apoptotic genes were observed in pre-MM versus expression of anti-apoptotic genes in MM. Based on these analyses on mRNA levels and on protein levels in published studies of the above differentially expressed genes, we have found a molecular signature each for pre-MM and MM. Once the molecular signatures are validated experimentally, they will be useful for a more precise diagnosis/prognosis of the disease stages and will also identify novel molecular therapeutic targets. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Age-related differences to neck range of motion and muscle strength: potential risk factors to fall-related traumatic brain injuries

Fall-related traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are a serious health concern for adults over the age of 75 years, yet there is limited knowledge on possible modifiable risk factors. The neck is responsible for supporting the head during falls and age-related differences to the neck muscular could provide modifiable risk factors. However, there is limited empirical data pertaining to age-related differences in neck range of motion (ROM) and muscle strength in adults over the age of 75 years. To understand the age-related differences in neck muscle ROM and strength, we quantified neck active and passive ROM and isometric strength in four directions in young (18–30 years), young-old (60–74 years) and old-old (75–89 years) groups. 57 participants were divided into groups based on age. Participants underwent testing of neck active and passive ROM and neck isometric strength in flexion, extension, and lateral flexion. One-way ANOVAs revealed a significant effect of group on active and passive ROM in flexion, extension, and right and left lateral flexion (p < 0.001). Moreover, one-way ANOVAs revealed a significant group difference in only left lateral flexion strength (p < 0.030), yet there were large effect sizes observed between the young and old-old groups. These findings suggest there are some age-related differences to the neck ROM and strength, which may be placing older adults at a greater risk for fall-related TBIs. Future research should investigate the association between neck ROM and strength and head impact during falls in older adults.
Sample Tube pH Monitoring via Passive Powering and Communication

This paper presents the application of a simple, inductively-coupled potentiometric pH measurement system into the cap of standard laboratory sample tubes, thus enabling continuous, wireless monitoring of a bevy of samples. The system is powered by a compact Class E amplifier using inductive coupling via a designed resonance frequency of 1 MHz. Signals are transmitted back via load modulation at frequencies a fraction of the power carrier frequency, thus allowing for extraction of the signal frequency. Results are demonstrated which clearly show that modulation frequency tracks closely with open circuit potential, and the system as a whole features good sensitivity and linearity. This system holds promise for a host of applications.
Learning from disaster: patient safety and the role of oncology nurses.

When the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) was almost exactly half its present age, in November 1994, a Boston Globe health columnist named Betsy Lehman was admitted to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Massachusetts, to receive an investigational regimen for breast cancer. Her treatment ended in disaster. In one of the most notorious patient safety failures of modern times, Lehman was given severe overdoses of cyclophosphamide during a four-day period. On each of those four days, nurses, physicians, and pharmacists at Dana-Farber failed to notice that Lehman was receiving doses four times greater than the intended amount (Aspden, Wolcott, Bootman, & Cronenwett, 2007). Lehman died of cyclophosphamide toxicity on December 3, 1994. .
Expanding the Methodological Approach to the Social Servicescape: Moving From Measurement to Manipulation:

Recently, research of the servicescape has expanded to include a social element in addition to the traditionally identified physical/tangible element. Typically, this social servicescape construct ...
MAPS IN HISTORY: Mental maps of East Africa

Everybody is a map maker, but most people do not realize that ability. Each and all of us would be lost without naturally being able to constantly keep current in our mind a selective relational ‘m...
On the Impact of Income, Age, and Travel Distance on the Value of Time:

The value of time (VOT) is a fundamental component used in transportation modeling, policy analysis, and economic appraisal. Decades of research and practice have empirically estimated the VOT acro...