cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 115: Snapshot MR-OEF for Simultaneous Imaging of Tissue Oxygenation and CVR in 90 Seconds

Introduction: Asymmetric hemispheric cerebral Oxygen Extraction Fraction (OEF) has been shown to be an independent predictor of stroke risk. Furthermore, the NIH/NINDS Progress Review Group has recently named tissue oxygenation imaging as a primary research goal in its August 2013 review. We have developed a novel method of imaging OEF with MRI. We present an analysis of MR-OEF images using breath-hold and cardiac-gating as inducers of physiologic stress. Methods: We acquire a 2D k-space volume using a novel rosette trajectory in 65 ms for simultaneous imaging of OEF and vascular reserve. Subjects were tested under 2 transient stress conditions: breath-hold and cardiac-gated. Breath-hold: 20 susceptibility weighted measurements were taken (Δt = 3 secs) with an induced 15 second breath-hold. Cardiac-gated: Because of the speed of PARSE (65 ms) we are able to see the transient hemodynamic fluctuations induced from the cardiac cycle. Images were acquired in 25 ms intervals from the R-wave trigger. Results: Measured mean OEF in normal brain parenchyma of 36.87 ± 6.6% and regions in symptomatic patients reaching 84.05 ± 4.54% correlate well with literature. OEF images taken during the first 125 ms of the cardiac cycle in a symptomatic patient with a right ICA stenosis are shown in Figure 1. Asymmetric hemispheric OEF (right hemispheric 13.06% elevation) is clearly visible. We also see a non-uniform flush in of de-oxygenated hemoglobin with a subsequent uneven outflow, unseen in healthy volunteers, suggesting regions of compromised cerebral vascular reserve. Discussion/Conclusion: Our novel acquisition allows us to simultaneously image single slice OEF and vascular reserve in 65 ms (with total scan time less than 90 seconds). Move over, because of its unprecedented speed, we for the first time, have the temporal resolution to examine the cerebral hemodynamic fluctuations caused by the pressure waveforms induced by the cardiac cycle.
Low Boiling Compounds in Cellulose Cigarette Smoke

(1978). Low Boiling Compounds in Cellulose Cigarette Smoke. Agricultural and Biological Chemistry: Vol. 42, No. 2, pp. 479-481.
A Study on Economic Consequence of the Fair Value Application of Listed Companies——Theoretical and Empirical Analysis Under the New Fair Value

The paper first lists some empirical researches on the application of fair value by Chinese and foreign scholars.These researches mainly focus on the correlation between the fair value and the stock price.Based on these researches,the paper analyzes the influence of fair value measurement in the content of a public listed company's accounting information.It uses the annual reports of public listed companies in Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchange within the period of 2007-2009 for its research in order to find out the economic consequence of fair value application.It also forecasts the development prospects of fair value accounting.
Abstract B22: Screening and validation of combination therapy in T cell leukemia

Oncogenic Ras mutations occur in more than 30% of metastatic cancers. There are no effective inhibitors to block oncogenic K- or N-RAS, however, blockade of Ras’ downstream RAF-MEK-ERK and PI3K-Akt-mTOR-S6 signaling cascades is currently being explored as therapy in clinical trials through the use of potent kinase inhibitors. Nonetheless, many cancers have a complex make-up of cooperating oncogenic lesions and it is therefore questionable if inhibition of single molecules in pathways will provide sufficient, long-term efficacy. To explore effective combination therapies to treat Ras-driven cancers we chose synthetic lethal screens (SLS), focusing on PI3K due to its frequent involvement in oncogenic signaling. We performed a set of SLS on T cell leukemia (T-ALL) cell lines combining specific PI3K inhibitors with high coverage shRNA libraries, initially aiming at kinases. We employed the UCSF EXPANDed RNAi library resource, which dramatically improves RNAi screening compared to commercial resources. This ultra-complex shRNA library targets each gene with >25 independent shRNAs, thus drastically minimizing experimental noise and allowing us to overcome both the common problems of high false-negative rates and high false-positive rates. Using deep sequencing of shRNAs recovered from our screening samples, we identified shRNAs that synergize with inhibitors in these drop-out SLS conditions and which represent key molecules for the survival of T-ALL lines. In addition, we also identified enriched shRNAs that confer inhibitor resistance or enhanced proliferation. To verify our screening results we used combinations of chemical inhibitors, targeting PI3K and molecules identified by our screens. To date, all inhibitor combinations tested caused strong synthetic lethality in T-ALL cells, confirming the robustness of the ultra-complex shRNA libraries used for SLS. The most promising results will be further verified in vivo, and we will expand our efforts to different leukemia and also solid cancer lines. Altogether, our high-troughput platform is a promising approach to identify effective partners for already established inhibitors, leading to novel combination therapies for the treatment of cancer. Citation Format: Marsilius Mues, Marthe F. Lindenbergh, Michael T. McManus, Jeroen P. Roose. Screening and validation of combination therapy in T cell leukemia. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Fourth AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Basic Cancer Research; 2015 Oct 23-26; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(3 Suppl):Abstract nr B22.
Craniofacial growth from infancy through adulthood. Background and clinical implications.

This article describes the basic biology that underlines craniofacial growth and the common dentofacial growth problems with which children present. A simple method for clinical evaluation of facial skeletal relationships for children and adolescents is described as well as a method of confirmation. Contemporary treatment methods using growth modification, camouflage, and combined surgery and orthodontics are described.
Right atrial isolation: A new surgical treatment for supraventricular tachycardia. II. Hemodynamic effects

Surgical isolation of the body of the right atrium presents a unique hemodynamic situation in which the synchronous right atrial contraction (kick) is lost but the synchronous left atrial contraction is preserved. The hemodynamic effects of this procedure were evaluated by pacing at selected atrial sites postoperatively to simulate (1) sinus rhythm with a synchronous right atrial kick, (2) sinus rhythm without a synchronous right atrial kick, (3) right atrial tachycardia propagated to the entire heart (propagated right atrial tachycardia), and (4) right atrial tachycardia confined to the isolated right atrium with sinus rhythm in the rest of the heart (confined right atrial tachycardia). Hemodynamic data recorded under these four conditions showed that (1) during sinus rhythm, synchrony of right atrial contraction had no significant effect on any of the hemodynamic parameters studied and (2) conversion from propagated right atrial tachycardia to confined right atrial tachycardia resulted in an increase in mean arterial pressure (65 +/- 5 to 78 +/- 3 mm Hg, p less than 0.005) and stroke volume index (9 +/- 1 to 19 +/- 3 ml/beat/m2, p less than 0.005) with a decrease in left atrial pressure (9 +/- 2 to 5 +/- 1 mm Hg, p less than 0.05) and right atrial pressure (6 +/- 1 to 5 +/- 1 mm Hg, p less than 0.05). Moreover, cardiac hemodynamic performance remained within normal limits for up to 14 weeks. Thus the right atrial isolation procedure does not adversely affect cardiac hemodynamics despite the loss of synchronous right atrial contraction during sinus rhythm, and the procedure prevents hemodynamic deterioration during right atrial tachycardia.
Variations in hospitals costs for surgical procedures: inefficient care or sick patients?

Abstract Background Reducing unwanted variations has been identified as an avenue for cost containment. We sought to characterize variations in hospital costs after major surgery and quantitate the variability attributable to the patient, procedure, and provider. Methods A total of 22,559 patients undergoing major surgical procedure at a tertiary-care center between 2009 and 2013 were identified. Hierarchical linear regression analysis was performed to calculate risk-adjusted fixed, variable and total costs. Results The median cost of surgery was $23,845 (interquartile ranges, 13,353 to 43,083). Factors associated with increased costs included insurance status (Medicare vs private; coefficient: 14,934; 95% CI=12,445.7 to 17,422.5, P P P Conclusions Although inpatient costs varied markedly between procedures and providers, the majority of variation in costs was due to patient-level factors and should be targeted by future cost containment strategies.
Serum Potassium, Mortality, and Kidney Outcomes in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study.

Abstract Objectives To investigate the association between serum potassium, mortality, and kidney outcomes in the general population and whether potassium-altering medications modify these associations. Patients and Methods We studied 15,539 adults in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study. Cox proportional hazard regression was used to investigate the association of serum potassium at baseline (1987-1989), evaluated categorically (hypokalemia, Results Overall, 413 (2.7%) of the participants had hypokalemia and 321 (2.1%) had hyperkalemia. In a fully adjusted model, hyperkalemia was significantly associated with mortality (hazard ratio, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.04-1.49) but not sudden cardiac death, chronic kidney disease, or end-stage renal disease. Hypokalemia as a categorical variable was not associated with any outcome; however, associations of hypokalemia with all-cause mortality and kidney outcomes were observed among those who were not taking potassium-wasting diuretics (all P for interaction, Conclusions Higher values of serum potassium were associated with a higher risk of mortality in the general population. Lower levels of potassium were associated with adverse kidney outcomes and mortality among participants not taking potassium-wasting diuretics.
Split-Brain, Split-Mind

The corpus callosum anatomically and functionally connects the two cerebral hemispheres. Despite its important role in interhemispheric communication however, severing the corpus callosum produces few—if any—noticeable cognitive or behavioral abnormalities. Incredibly, split-brain patients do not report any drastic changes in their conscious experience even though nearly all interhemispheric communication ceases after surgery. Extensive research has shown that both hemispheres remain conscious following disconnection and the conscious experience of each hemisphere is private and independent of the other. Additionally, the conscious experiences of the hemispheres appear to be qualitatively different, such that the consciousness of the left hemisphere is more enriched than the right. In this chapter, we offer explanations as to why split-brain patients feel unified despite possessing dual conscious experiences and discuss how the divided consciousness of split-brain patients can inform current theories of consciousness.
Historical Background: March 1970–April 1975

The overthrow of Prince Norodom Sihanouk on 18 March 1970 marked a watershed in Cambodian history. Under Sihanouk’s 16 years of effectively dominating the newly independent Cambodian state, the small Southeast Asian nation had struggled to maintain its neutrality amidst the growing pressure of war in neighbouring Vietnam. While Sihanouk had wavered in his loyalties to the Americans on the one hand and the Vietnamese communists on the other, his successor, General Lon Nol, clearly placed himself in the American camp.
Abstract 254: Impact of Medical Study Publication on Cholesterol Medication Prescriptions

Background: While research publication is associated with changes in clinical practice to varying degrees, it is unknown what spillover effects may change prescriptions of medications that are similar to, but different from, study medications. In 2008, the ENHANCE trial showed no benefit of simvastatin/ezetimibe over simvastatin alone, calling into question the benefit of ezetimibe. We hypothesize that this new ezetimibe information would have a negative impact by decreasing statin prescriptions. Methods: In the Source Healthcare Analytics ProMetis database, we performed a pre/post analysis of prescriptions rates for cholesterol-lowering medicines surrounding the January 14, 2008, release of the ENHANCE study results. We quantified prescription rates of the ENHANCE study medication simvastatin/ezetimibe, as well as ezetimibe alone and other cholesterol-lowering medications by class. This allowed us to assess the direct effect of the trial results on the affected drug, as well as potential spillovers to non-trial similar drugs. Results: From December 2007 to September 2008, simvastatin/ezetimibe prescriptions decreased nationally by averages of 70,594, 25,480, and 45,114 per month, for total, new, and refill prescriptions respectively. Ezetimibe total, new, and refill prescriptions decreased nationally by averages of 44,760, 16,141, and 28,618 per month, respectively. Conversely, total, new, and refill prescriptions for statins as a class increased by averages of 151,221, 43,599, and 107,621 per month, respectively. When examining the time immediately after the ENHANCE trial result release, simvastatin/ezetimibe and ezetimibe prescriptions decreased and at a steeper rate. Statin total, new, and refill prescriptions also decreased by 836,608, 208,114, and 628,494 from January to February 2008, respectively (Figure). Conclusions: These data suggest that the ENHANCE trial had spillover effects with a transient decrease in statin prescriptions. In light of the deleterious effects of acute statin discontinuation, this finding necessitates further exploration to understand the factors driving these health care decisions, and approaches to disseminating research findings that result in more targeted and appropriate changes in clinical practice. ![Graphic][1] [1]: /embed/inline-graphic-1.gif
Rotational convolution and SPECT post processing

In many imaging systems, the point spread function (PSF) is non-stationary. Usually a computation-intensive iterative algorithm is used to de-blur the non-stationary PSF. This paper presents a new idea of using a non-iterative method to compensate for the spatially variant PSF. This method first further blurs the image with a non-stationary kernel so that the resultant image has a stationary PSF, then deblurs the resultant image using an efficient decovolution technique. The proposed method is illustrated and implemented by SPECT (single photon emission computed tomography) applications.
Encounters and Close Fly-Bys of Galactic Clusters and Associations in the Past 50 Myr

Collisions and close fly-bys of molecular clouds and associations may be an important mechanism of star formation in the solar neighborhood. A giant molecular cloud may be directly impacted by the gas in another cloud upon a cloud-cloud collision (Lepine & Duvert 1994) or it may be shocked by bubbles blown up by stellar winds and supernova explosions in a chance fly-by OB association (de Geus 1991). Clues of such events during the last 50 Myr are sought for ∼ 80 nearby open clusters, OB associations and star forming regions using the epicycle approximation of the Galactic orbital motion. Several possible events are identified, and their times, relative velocities and impact distances are estimated. In some cases, the events are more recent than the assumed age of one of the parties involved, e.g., the possible encounter of the Coma cluster with the Taurus-Auriga star forming region 10 Myr ago. In other cases, the estimated time of the event matches fairly well the isochrone ages of both parties, e.g., the encounter of the LCC and IC 2602, 36 Myr ago. Relative velocities found thus far are between 5 and 20 km s −1.
A marriage matching mechanism menagerie

For each of several measures of social welfare we present a marriage matching mechanism that produces a welfare maximizing matching, and our basic approach generalizes to many other welfare measures.
Content Evaluation of a Neuroscience Course in an Integrated System-Based Curriculum

Basic medical education in the USA must prepare students for two tasks: performing well in clerkships and taking the United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1. Ideally, both objectives would be in perfect alignment, with content and resources shared by both. In reality, there is agreement that this alignment is not perfect; but an objective description of the difference has not been systematically carried out for specific disciplines. The objective of the current study is to quantify the content differences between a Neuroscience organ system course at our institution and the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1, with respect to the coverage of content deemed critical to adequately prepare students for their clerkships. Based on curriculum design theory, a master list of basic science content was chosen as the tool to carry out such quantification; and the neuroscience content of the First Aid series for the USMLE Step 1 book was used as a proxy for the content of the Step 1. While both resources covered a majority of the content in the list, the Step 1 preparatory materials covered a smaller fraction of those critical concepts than the course material. In conclusion, the results support a content difference between institutional courses and Step 1, with the latter not including material deemed important for adequate preparation of the students for the clerkships. Our methods also demonstrate the use of a master list to evaluate and compare content coverage within a course.
Facing up to the Eurocentrism and Racism of Academic Philosophy in the West: A Response to Davis, Direk, and Mills

In this paper I address the questions posed to me by Bret Davis, Zeynep Direk, and Charles Mills, by focusing on, first, the eurocentrism of academic philosophy in the West and strategies to overco...
Meeting Structure Annotation

We describe a generic set of tools for representing, annotating, and analysing multi-party discourse, including: an ontology of multimodal discourse, a programming interface for that ontology, and NOMOS – a flexible and extensible toolkit for browsing and annotating discourse. We describe applications built using the NOMOS framework to facilitate a real annotation task, as well as for visualising and adjusting features for machine learning tasks. We then present a set of hierarchical topic segmentations and action item subdialogues collected over 56 meetings from the ICSI and ISL meeting corpora using our tools. These annotations are designed to support research towards automatic meeting understanding.
Distance Education in Dietetics

Abstract LEARNING OUTCOME: To understand the opportunities in undergraduate, graduate and continuing education which will be possible with the use of distance education technologies. The advent of a wide variety of distance education technologies is revolutionizing the delivery of courses and continuing education opportunities. Teaching via the Internet, use of listservs, chat rooms, CD-ROMS, audio- and video-conferencing are all ways in which individuals can take advantage of educational opportunities. The authors have been involved in a groundbreaking effort to deliver a complete undergraduate dietetics program by distance education. This venture has yielded many rewards as well as challenges. This presentation will enumerate these rewards and challenges and discuss ways in which both providers and participants in distance education can make the most of technology. Providers of educational opportunities must be sensitive to participants and their level of comfort with technology. Techniques which are effective in the face-to-face classroom can not necessarily be transferred intact to the "cyber-classroom". Participants must be willing to try out new and different technologies and interact with their instructor in ways other than in-person. Issues of copyright, intellectual property, and security of tests are examples of other issues which must be addressed. Dietetics professionals must work to enhance their computer literacy and level of comfort with technology to fully take advantage of the opportunities that lie ahead.
The Rise of Classical Descriptive Embryology

The chick egg is an enticing object for study. Nineteenth-century microscopists accepted the challenge with enthusiasm and exquisite results. They were, however, not the first. Aristotle, Fabricius of Aquapendente, and William Harvey had all immersed themselves in similar activities. Their investigations led them back to the very beginnings of an individual life. Harvey, for example, in the mid-seventeenth century spoke of the primordial heart as the punctam saliens, that is, the first leaping point of life, but years later he recognized blood islands in the area opaca at the periphery of the early embryo as living antecedents to the heart itself. With the advent of the early compound microscope, Marcello Malpighi charted a more exacting course through the early stages of development, which can still be traced easily through his incomparable illustrations. Eighteenth-century successors, Albrecht Von Haller, Lazzaro Spallanzani, and Caspar Friedrich Wolff, added further refinements in observations.
Fluorescence in situ hybridization of thyroid fine-needle aspiration biopsy distinguishes between neoplastic and non-neoplastic Hürthle cell lesions.

Introduction Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy of Hurthle cell proliferations can be difficult to characterize based purely on morphologic features. Studies have shown Hurthle cell neoplasms often demonstrate gains in chromosomes 5, 7, and 12. This study examined fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) performance characteristics in non-neoplastic and neoplastic Hurthle cell proliferations sampled by FNA biopsy in order to assess chromosome patterns. Materials and methods FNA biopsies of Hurthle cell proliferations, including nodular hyperplasia (NH), Hurthle cell adenoma (HCA), and Hurthle cell carcinoma (HCC), that had subsequent surgical excision were selected. FISH was performed on an air-dried, modified Wright-Giemsa–stained, aspirate smear slide from each case using a 3-color panel consisting of 1 subtelomeric and 2 centromeric probes for chromosomes 5, 7, and 12. Chromosomal probe patterns were recorded in up to 50 cells. A positive result was considered when >15% of cells showed a polysomy in 2 or more chromosomes. Results A total of 25 cases were included in the study. All cases of NH were negative, and 7 of 9 (78%) HCAs and 8 of 12 (67%) HCCs were positive. Of the positive cases, 2 of the 7 (29%) HCAs showed >50% of cells with polysomy, and 5 of the 8 (63%) HCCs showed >50% of the cells with polysomy. Conclusion Thyroid FNA biopsy can identify Hurthle cell proliferations; risk stratification based on morphology is difficult, however. FISH chromosomal evaluation of thyroid FNA biopsies is useful to distinguish neoplastic from non-neoplastic Hurthle cell proliferation.
Can socially irresponsible firms benefit from corporate advertising

Can corporate advertising improve firm performance following a brand crisis borne out of corporate social irresponsibility (CSI)? This article investigates socially irresponsible firms and their co...
Modulation of Endothelial Cell Coagulant Properties

Endothelium has traditionally been thought of as an inert container responsible for confining the blood to the intravascular space. Recent studies, however, have indicated an active role for endothelium in the regulation of procoagulant and anticoagulant reactions. These hemostatic properties are mediated by specific receptors on the cell surface and released products.
High-Resolution Spectroscopy of Chromium-Doped Forsterite

We have measured high resolution emission and absorption spectra of the near infrared center in Chromium doped Forsterite. These results are compared to previous interpretations of this optical center. In addition, fluorescence line narrowing of the zero phonon lines has also been measured. To our knowledge this is the first line narrowing experiment performed on a d2 ion. The splittings in the ground and first excited state of the infrared center have been determined. Furthermore, the temperature dependence of the integrated absorbance has been measured and explained using a simple thermodynamic model.
How often parents make decisions with their children is associated with obesity.

Evidence supports that better parental involvement and communication are related to reduced obesity in children. Parent-child collaborative decision-making is associated with lower BMI among children; while child-unilateral and parent-unilateral decision-making are associated with overweight children. However, little is known about associations between joint decision-making and obesity among Hispanic youth. The purpose of this analysis was to determine the relationship between parent-child decision making and obesity in a sample of predominantly Hispanic adolescents. Data from two studies focused on risk for type II diabetes were analyzed. A total of 298 adolescents 10–14 years of age and their parent/legal guardian were included. Parents completed questionnaires related to psychosocial, family functioning, and environmental factors. Multiple logistic regression was used to determine the association between obesity (≥ 95th percentile for age and gender), the dependent variable, and how often the parent felt they made decisions together with their child (rarely/never, sometimes, usually, always), the primary independent variable. Covariates included gender, age, ethnicity, total family income, and days participated in a physical activity for at least 20 min. ORs and 95% CIs were calculated. Adolescent participants were predominantly Hispanic n = 233 (78.2%), and approximately half n = 150 (50.3%) were female. In multivariate analyses, adolescents who rarely/never made decisions together with their family had significantly higher odds (OR = 3.50; 95% CI [1.25–9.83]) of being obese than those who always did. No association was observed between either those who sometimes make decisions together or those who usually did and those that always did. Parents and children not making decisions together, an essential aspect of parent-child communication, is associated with increased childhood obesity. The results of our study contribute to evidence of parental involvement in decision-making as an important determinant of adolescent health. Further studies should explore temporal relationships between parenting or communication style and obesity.
Metagenome-wide measurement of protein synthesis in the human fecal microbiota using MetaRibo-Seq

The healthy human fecal microbiota is too diverse to comprehensively study with the current throughput of proteomic methods. Shotgun sequencing technologies allow for much more comprehensive profiling. Here, we develop and apply MetaRibo-Seq, a method for simultaneous ribosome profiling of multiple taxa within a complex bacterial community. This approach captures taxonomic diversity in fecal samples. As expected, the detected ribosome-bound transcripts are relatively enriched within coding regions and significantly correlate to detectable protein abundances. In a low diversity fecal sample, we show that MetaRibo-Seq is more strongly correlated than metatranscriptomic data to protein abundance. This significant correlation of metatranscriptomics and MetaRibo-Seq with protein levels is maintained, though with decreased strength as taxonomic diversity increases. Finally, we identify genes that are consistently regulated at the translational level across bacterial taxa within fecal communities. In conclusion, MetaRibo-Seq enables comprehensive translational profiling in complex bacterial communities for the first time.
An imaging method to measure conformational changes of voltage sensors of endogenous ion channels in tissue

Abstract A primary goal of molecular physiology is to understand the coupling between protein conformational change and systemic function. To see the conformational changes of a voltage-sensing protein within tissue, we synthesized a fluorescent molecular probe compatible with two-photon microscopy and developed a method to deconvolve conformational changes from fluorescence images. The probe was a fluorescently-tagged variant of a tarantula venom peptide that binds Kv2-type voltage gated K+ channel proteins when their voltage-sensing domains are in a resting conformation. Kv2 proteins in cell membranes were labeled by the probe, and the intensity of labeling responded to voltage changes. Voltage-response characteristics were used to calibrate a statistical thermodynamic model relating labeling intensity to the conformations adopted by unlabeled voltage sensors. Two-photon imaging of rat brain slices revealed fluorescence consistent with conformation-selective labeling of endogenous neuronal Kv2 proteins. In principle, this method of deconvolving images into measures of protein conformational change is generalizable to other proteins labeled with conformation-selective probes.
Giants in Obstetrics and Gynecology Series: A profile of James M. Roberts, MD.

Dr. James Roberts has made seminal contributions to the understanding of the physiology of pregnancy, and, in particular, to the mechanisms of disease responsible for preeclampsia. His research includes endothelial cell dysfunction, oxidative stress, and other factors that play a role in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia; the use of antioxidant therapy to prevent the syndrome; identification of clinical subtypes of preeclampsia; and assessment of the long-term cardiovascular risk of the disorder. Dr. Roberts is currently an investigator at the Magee-Womens Research Institute and a Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Endocrinology, and Clinical and Translational Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. He was the founding Director of the Magee-Womens Research Institute, and formerly the Elsie Hilliard Hillman Chair in Women’s and Infants’ Health Research at the University of Pittsburgh. For his many original contributions to the understanding of preeclampsia and other obstetrical syndromes, Dr. Roberts is herein recognized as a “Giant in Obstetrics and Gynecology.”
Time-controlled adaptive ventilation (TCAV) accelerates simulated mucus clearance via increased expiratory flow rate

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is the most common nosocomial infection in intensive care units. Distal airway mucus clearance has been shown to reduce VAP incidence. Studies suggest that mucus clearance is enhanced when the rate of expiratory flow is greater than inspiratory flow. The time-controlled adaptive ventilation (TCAV) protocol using the airway pressure release ventilation (APRV) mode has a significantly increased expiratory relative to inspiratory flow rate, as compared with the Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Network (ARDSnet) protocol using the conventional ventilation mode of volume assist control (VAC). We hypothesized the TCAV protocol would be superior to the ARDSnet protocol at clearing mucus by a mechanism of net flow in the expiratory direction. Preserved pig lungs fitted with an endotracheal tube (ETT) were used as a model to study the effect of multiple combinations of peak inspiratory (IPF) and peak expiratory flow rate (EPF) on simulated mucus movement within the ETT. Mechanical ventilation was randomized into 6 groups (n = 10 runs/group): group 1—TCAV protocol settings with an end-expiratory pressure (PLow) of 0 cmH2O and PHigh 25 cmH2O, group 2—modified TCAV protocol with increased PLow 5 cmH2O and PHigh 25 cmH2O, group 3—modified TCAV with PLow 10 cmH2O and PHigh 25 cmH2O, group 4—ARDSnet protocol using low tidal volume (LTV) and PEEP 0 cmH2O, group 5—ARDSnet protocol using LTV and PEEP 10 cmH2O, and group 6—ARDSnet protocol using LTV and PEEP 20 cmH2O. PEEP of ARDSnet is analogous to PLow of TCAV. Proximal (towards the ventilator) mucus movement distance was recorded after 1 min of ventilation in each group. The TCAV protocol groups 1, 2, and 3 generated significantly greater peak expiratory flow (EPF 51.3 L/min, 46.8 L/min, 36.8 L/min, respectively) as compared to the ARDSnet protocol groups 4, 5, and 6 (32.9 L/min, 23.5 L/min, and 23.2 L/min, respectively) (p < 0.001). The TCAV groups also demonstrated the greatest proximal mucus movement (7.95 cm/min, 5.8 cm/min, 1.9 cm/min) (p < 0.01). All ARDSnet protocol groups (4–6) had zero proximal mucus movement (0 cm/min). The TCAV protocol groups promoted the greatest proximal movement of simulated mucus as compared to the ARDSnet protocol groups in this excised lung model. The TCAV protocol settings resulted in the highest EPF and the greatest proximal movement of mucus. Increasing PLow reduced proximal mucus movement. We speculate that proximal mucus movement is driven by EPF when EPF is greater than IPF, creating a net force in the proximal direction.
Montesquieu and the European Tradition

I consider myself a fortunate author indeed to have such careful, thoughtful, and constructive readers as these four commentators. I am immensely grateful that they have applied their learning and ...
What is the frequency of pressure injury in vascular patients undergoing major amputations

Individuals with peripheral arterial disease who have undergone below or above knee amputations have limited mobility and may sit for long periods of time in a wheelchair, increasing their risk for pressure injury. The aim of this descriptive cross-sectional research study was to retrospectively review the charts of those patients with peripheral arterial disease undergoing lower limb amputations from 2016 to 2017 at a major academic medical center to determine the frequency of pressure injury. Hospital data were used to identify patients discharged from 2016 to 2017 with primary International Classification of Diseases (10th Revision) codes for below knee amputations/above knee amputations and pressure injury (ulcer). From 2016 to 2017, 46 patients were admitted to the inpatient vascular surgery service for a below or above knee amputation. Seventeen of those patients had documented pressure injuries at hospital discharge for a frequency of 37%. There were 11 males and 6 females with age range of 44 to 82 years with a mean age of 66 years. There was a total of 19 pressure injuries (2 patients had 2 pressure injuries). Ten of those 19 pressure injuries were present on admission to the hospital and 9 pressure injuries were hospital-acquired pressure injuries. Thirteen of the 19 pressure injuries (68%) were on the sacrum. Three of the pressure injuries (16%) were on the heel. Two (11%) were ischial pressure injuries with one knee (5%) pressure injury. Risk assessment is an essential part of vascular nursing practice that aims to identify individuals at risk for pressure injury with appropriate interventions to prevent their occurrence. Vascular nurses should be encouraged to educate patients/family members on the increased risk of pressure injuries in those undergoing amputation during hospitalization and after discharge to prevent them from occurring.
Crack growth and fracture toughness in bio-inspired design of dental multilayers (Conference Presentation)

The ceramic dental crowns subjected to occlusal contact forces are often idealized as flat multilayers that are deformed by Hertzian contact loading. These multilayer structures consist of a crown-like ceramic layer on the top, an adhesive layer in the middle and the dentin-like substrate. This study examines the crack growth in the bio-inspired dental multilayers and the fracture toughness for the materials used in the functionally graded materials. A layered structure is fabricated by the sequential depositing of nanocomposite materials with filler fraction and type that changes from the side near the soft composite foundation to the side near the hard ceramic top layer to mimic the dentin–enamel junction in natural teeth. The critical load to failure in these bio-inspired structures are shown to be ~30% greater than those in the conventional layered structures with commercially available dental adhesive materials. The effects of FGM layer thickness and architecture on the contact-induced deformation of bio-inspired dental multilayers are investigated. The combined effects of creep in the adhesive and substrate layers and creep-assisted slow crack growth in the ceramic layer are also studied. The fracture toughness of the polymer-ceramic composites that are relevant to the bio-inspired functionally graded multilayers are measured. The critical loads to failure at various clinically relevant loading rates are shown to be well predicted by a creep-assisted slow crack growth model, which integrates the actual mechanical properties that are obtained from nanoindentation experiments and creep tests and the stress predicted by finite element method and Prony series model. The implications of the results are then discussed for the design of robust dental multilayers.
Carisoprodol pharmacokinetics and distribution in the nucleus accumbens correlates with behavioral effects in rats independent from its metabolism to meprobamate.

Abstract Carisoprodol (Soma®) is a centrally-acting skeletal-muscle relaxant frequently prescribed for treatment of acute musculoskeletal conditions. Carisoprodol's mechanism of action is unclear and is often ascribed to that of its active metabolite, meprobamate. The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether carisoprodol directly produces behavioral effects, or whether metabolism to meprobamate via cytochrome P450 (CYP450) enzymatic reaction is necessary. Rats were trained to discriminate carisoprodol (100 mg/kg) to assess time course and whether a CYP450 inhibitor (cimetidine) administered for 4 days would alter the discriminative effects of carisoprodol. Additionally, pharmacokinetics of carisoprodol and meprobamate with and without co-administration of cimetidine were assessed via in vivo microdialysis combined with liquid-chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry from blood and nucleus accumbens (NAc). The time course of the discriminative-stimulus effects of carisoprodol closely matched the time course of the levels of carisoprodol in blood and NAc, but did not match the time course of meprobamate. Administration of cimetidine increased levels of carisoprodol and decreased levels of meprobamate consistent with its interfering with metabolism of carisoprodol to meprobamate. However, cimetidine failed to alter the discriminative-stimulus effects of carisoprodol. Carisoprodol penetrated into brain tissue and directly produced behavioral effects without being metabolized to meprobamate. These findings indicate that understanding the mechanism of action of carisoprodol independently of meprobamate will be necessary to determine the validity of its clinical uses.
Spatiotemporal parallelization of an analytical heat conduction model for additive manufacturing via a hybrid OpenMP + MPI approach

Abstract The ability to do thermal simulations for entire additive manufacturing builds is a key computational problem facing the additive manufacturing community; however, complex numerical models considering multiple physical phenomena currently do not have the capacity for simulations at this scale. To this end, conduction only analytic models offer a viable approach due to the massive drop in computational expense. Here, we extend an existing implementation which uses a governing equation which can be evaluated at any point in space and time. This implementation already utilizes OpenMP with a spatial decompositions scheme stemming from a melt pool tracking algorithm. We then combine this with a parallel in time (PinT) approach to make the problem highly parallelizable. The new scheme, which uses MPI for internode communication and OpenMP for intranode communication, is shown to scale very well across multiple computational nodes. This approach results in the ability to simulate the 3D solidification conditions for entire layers of additively manufactured parts in minutes making part scale thermal simulations more practical.
Nordihydroguaiaretic acid reduces secondary organ injury in septic rats after cecal ligation and puncture.

Background Nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA) is a plant extract that has been shown to act as a free radical scavenger and pluripotent inhibitor of pro-inflammatory cytokines, two major cellular processes involved in the pathophysiology of sepsis. We investigated whether NDGA would improve markers of organ injury as well as survival in a rodent model of sepsis. Methods Abdominal sepsis was induced by cecal ligation and double puncture (CLP) in male Sprague-Dawley rats. NDGA was administered either at the time of injury (pre-) or 6 hours later (post-treatment). A sham surgery group and a vehicle only group were also followed as controls. Blood and lung tissue were collected 24 h after CLP. Lung tissue was used for histopathologic analysis and to measure pulmonary edema. Arterial oxygenation was measured directly to generate PaO2/FiO2, and markers of renal injury (blood urea nitrogen), liver injury (alanine aminotransferase), and tissue hypoxia (lactate) were measured. In a separate set of animals consisting of the same treatment groups, animals were followed for up to 36 hours for survival. Results NDGA pre-treatment resulted in improved oxygenation, less lung edema, lower lactate, lower BUN, and reduced histologic lung injury. NDGA post-treatment resulted in less lung edema, lower lactate, lower BUN, and less histologic lung injury, but did not significantly change oxygenation. None of the NDGA treatment groups statistically affected ALT or creatinine. NDGA pre-treatment showed improved survival compared with control CLP animals at 36 hours, while post-treatment did not. Conclusions NDGA represents a novel pleiotropic anti-inflammatory agent with potential clinical utility for modulation of organ injury secondary to sepsis.
Place or Channels in Insurance 4.0

Traditionally, insurance has considered a few channels, mainly intermediaries like agencies and banks. Insurance 4.0 requires the company to have a multi-channel strategy, always considering also the possibility of direct contact with the end customers. New online channels, websites, and mobile apps seem attractive to digital insurance customers. The Capgemini World Insurance Report 2020 reminds that less than 30 percent of companies consider online channels to be valid sales drivers, while more than 60 percent said agent/broker channels sell policies (worldinsurancereport.com. Accessed 39 May 2020). In this multichannel strategy, the omnichannel approach becomes essential since it is critical to allow the customers to change channels, get the same image, and reuse data already introduced.
A three-dimensional thermal model of the human cochlea for magnetic cochlear implant surgery

Abstract In traditional cochlear implant surgery, physical trauma may occur during electrode array insertion. Magnetic guidance of the electrode array has been proposed to mitigate this medical complication. After insertion, the guiding magnet attached to the tip of the electrode array must be detached via a heating process and removed. This heating process may, however, cause thermal trauma within the cochlea. In this study, a validated three-dimensional finite element heat transfer model of the human cochlea is applied to perform an intracochlear thermal analysis necessary to ensure the safety of the magnet removal phase. Specifically, the maximum safe input power density to detach the magnet is determined as a function of the boundary conditions, heating duration, cochlea size, implant electrode array radius and insertion depth, magnet size, and cochlear fluid. A dimensional analysis and numerical simulations reveal that the maximum safe input power density increases with increasing cochlea size and the radius of the electrode array, whereas it decreases with increasing electrode array insertion depth and magnet size. The best cochlear fluids from the thermal perspective are perilymph and a soap solution. Even for the worst case scenario in which the cochlear walls are assumed to be adiabatic except at the round window, the maximum safe input power density is larger than that required to melt 1 mm 3 of paraffin bonding the magnet to the implant electrode array. By combining the outcome of this work with other aspects of the design of the magnetic insertion process, namely the magnetic guidance procedure and medical requirements, it will be possible to implement a thermally safe patient-specific surgical procedure.
Exploring the impact of connected and autonomous vehicles on mobility and environment at signalized intersections through vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) and infrastructure-to-vehicle (I2V) communications

Connected and autonomous vehicle (CAV) technologies are expected to improve the quality of intersection operations through Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) and Infrastructure-to-Vehicle (I2V) commun...
Improved Performance Tradeoffs in Harmonic Injection-Locked ULP TX for Sub-GHz Radios

This article presents a digital-intensive transmitter (TX) architecture for ultralow-power (ULP) wireless communication telemetry applications. A Type-I correction loop is proposed to adjust the frequency of the voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) and enable the use of harmonically injection-locked (IL) technique without significant spurious tones. Two TXs implementations with different loop filters in the Type-I phase-locked loop (PLL) are demonstrated to suppress the voltage ripple at the VCO input. The proposed implementation not only minimizes the spurs from the correction loop but also overcomes the performance tradeoff between spur suppression, phase margin, and maximum achievable bandwidth. Prototyped in the standard 180-nm CMOS process, the two proposed TXs achieve an energy efficiency of 66.97 and 12.5 pJ/bit, respectively, and occupy an active silicon area of 0.0413 and 0.0435 mm2, respectively, while delivering the same output power of −14 dBm with >60-dB in-band spur suppression.
Inpatient Food Insecurity in Caregivers of Hospitalized Pediatric Patients: A Mixed Methods Study.

Abstract Background and Objective Among US households with children, 14% are food insecure. Household food insecurity (FI) is associated with poorer health outcomes and increased hospital admissions. There is less known about caregivers’ ability to obtain adequate food during hospitalization (inpatient FI). Methods We conducted a mixed methods study of primary caregivers of hospitalized children 0 to 18 years. A modified US Household Food Security Survey was used to identify inpatient FI. Associated factors were identified using logistic regression adjusted for covariables. Caregiver semistructured interviews were conducted to elicit perceptions on food accessibility and effects of and solutions for inpatient FI. Results The prevalence of inpatient FI was 43%. Household FI was present in 38% of families. Inpatient FI was associated with household FI (P 30 miles from the hospital (aOR 2.80), self-rated fair/poor health (aOR 3.31), maternity leave (aOR 4.75), and past/current Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefit utilization (aOR 2.52). Qualitative analysis identified barriers to food access, such as lack of affordable options, and found that caregivers made sacrifices for their hospitalized child, including skipping meals. Caregivers viewed their presence at their child's bedside and personal nourishment as important factors affecting their child's care. Conclusions Inpatient FI may affect a significant proportion of hospitalized children's caregivers. Pediatric hospitals should ensure that caregivers have access to food in order to fully engage in their child's care.
Robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty improves accuracy and precision compared to conventional techniques

Aims Robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty (RA-TKA) is theoretically more accurate for component positioning than TKA performed with mechanical instruments (M-TKA). Furthermore, the ability to i...