cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The HOSPITAL score as a predictor of 30 day readmission in a university affiliated community hospital

During the study period, 998 discharges were recorded for the SIU-SOM Hospitalist service. The analysis includes data for the 963 patients who were discharged alive. Of these patients, 118 (12%) were readmitted to the same hospital within 30 days. The patients who were readmitted were less likely to have a length of stay greater than or equal to 5 days (45% vs. 59%, p = 0.003) but were more likely to have been admitted to the hospital within the last year. A receiver operating characteristic evaluation of the HOSPITAL score for this patient population shows a C statistic of 0.762 (95% CI 0.720 - 0.805), indicating good discrimination for hospital readmission. Kaplan-Meier analysis of 30-day readmission free survival showed a significant (p < 0.001) increase in the risk of readmission in patients with a HOSPITAL score of 5 or more. Discussion
Someone to count on: social support as an effect modifier of viral load suppression in a prospective cohort study

ABSTRACTThough functional social support has been shown to serve as a protective factor for HIV viral load suppression in other populations, scant research has examined this relationship among men who have sex with men (MSM) in the United States. We assessed characteristics of social support, effects of social support on HIV viral load, and moderation by social support of the relationship between psychosocial indicators of a synergistic epidemic (syndemic) and HIV viral load. We analyzed longitudinal data from HIV-positive MSM using antiretroviral therapy who were enrolled in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study between 2002 and 2009 (n = 712). First, we conducted reliability assessments of a one-item social support measure. Then, we conducted a series of generalized longitudinal mixed models to assess our research questions. Moderation was assessed using an interaction term. A three-level (low/medium/high) social support variable demonstrated high reliability (intraclass correlation coefficients = 0.72; 95...
EDTA Treatment of Serum Unmasks Complement-Mediated Prozone Inhibition in Human Leukocyte Antigen Antibody Testing

Objectives: Luminex-based single-antigen bead human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibody testing is widely used to define HLA antibodies for transplant compatibility. False-negative results can occur with complement-mediated prozone inhibition. This study assessed the effect of EDTA on the assay background reactivity and fluctuations in antibody mean fluorescent intensity. Methods: Serum specimens were retrospectively tested using Luminex-based single-antigen beads with and without EDTA. Treated and untreated serum samples were compared by two measures: changes in background reactivity and changes in HLA antibody strength after EDTA treatment. Results: Ten pretransplant and 48 posttransplant specimens were identified: lung (22), heart (10), kidney (21), heart/lung (two), pancreas (one), small bowel (one), and liver (one). After EDTA treatment, weak antibodies (below 2,000 mean florescent intensity) demonstrated the largest fluctuations. Newly identified HLA antibodies were seen in 16% (8/49) of class I and 26% (15/57) of class II beads. EDTA treatment did not result in false-negative reactions compared with untreated serum. Conclusions: EDTA serum pretreatment mitigated complement-mediated prozone inhibition and improved accurate HLA antibody detection. The background reactivity and the false-negative rate of the assay appear unchanged.
Farm Journal: First person, four voices

I weave together evidence archaeological, documentary, pictorial, and imagined to create first-person stories of the men and women who lived at the Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm, Newbury, Massachusetts, ca. 1780–1820. These are the stories of two merchants, Nathaniel Tracy, Esquire, and Captain Offin Boardman, and of their wives, Mary Lee Tracy, “the great beauty of her day,” and Sarah Tappan Boardman, ill and confined to her bed for much of the year. The sources uncover a mosaic of business success and business failure, of fortunes lost and social position scrupulously maintained.
Gamete Intrafallopian Transfer

GIFT involves placement of a donor's oocyte into a surrogate's oviduct. Fertilization and embryo development occur within the recipient's reproductive tract. GIFT provides a viable method to obtain pregnancies from subfertile mares for which embryo transfer has been nonproductive. Currently, pregnancy rates after GIFT have been variable, although high success rates have been reported recently. Further refinement of techniques should allow GIFT to be used in research and commercial programs.
As-Deposited Superconducting Y-Ba-Cu-O Thin Films on Si, SiO2, GaAs and Ni/Cu Substrates by High Pressure DC Sputtering Process

The superconducting Y-Ba-Cu-O thin films on Si, SiO 2 , GaAs and Ni/Cu substrates have been reproducibly prepared by high pressure DC sputtering process without further annealing treatment. The superconductivity of the films is Tc(onset)=95K and Tc(zero)=70K. The targets were Y-Ba-Cu-O compounds made by solid state reaction. The substrate temperature is lower than 450°C. X-ray analysis indicates that the 0.6~2μm films consist of predomintly the orthorhombic superconducting phase of YBa 2 Cu 3 Ox with traces of CuO. The effect of processing parameters on the superconductivity of the films will be discussed.
Review: Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture by Robert Venturi: Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture

Robert Venturi Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture New York: Museum of Modern Art, 1966, 144 pp., 350 illus. Library of Congress Catalogue No. 66–30001 (no ISBN); 2nd ed., 1977. $24.95, ISBN 9780870702822 The first edition of Venturi's explosive little book, written in the period 1962–64, appeared in a new series called Papers on Modern Architecture published under the imprimatur of the Museum of Modern Art in 1966. It was preceded by a lengthy excerpt in Yale's journal of architecture, Perspecta , the year before.1 In an introduction written for the MoMA book, Yale architectural historian Vincent Scully hailed it as the most important writing on the making of architecture since Le Corbusier's Vers une architecture , “one of the few basic texts of our time—one which, despite its antiheroic lack of pretension and its shift of perspective from the Champs-Elysees to Main Street, still picks up a fundamental dialogue begun in the twenties, and so connects us with the heroic generation of modern architecture once more” (16).2 Most of the initial reviewers confirmed Scully's opinion of the book's import, although they voiced reservations about Venturi's methodology, above all his neglect of questions of function and technology and his skirting of social issues. For some, precisely these omissions, along with the author's explicitly subjective point of view (“I like complexity and contradiction in architecture”), were what made his “gentle manifesto” so radical. Peter Blake, whose image of Main Street Venturi had appropriated from his own book God's Own Junkyard of two years earlier to make the opposite point, deemed Complexity and Contradiction less original. Writing in Architectural Forum , he allowed that “The history of art is bound to be retold in every generation,” but he found Venturi's notion of complexity superficial and his formal contradictions to be contrived: “‘accidentalism’ has been raised to a discipline.’”3 Among other early responses, Colin Rowe, reviewing the book in the New York Times Book Review together with Reyner Banham's The New Brutalism: Ethic …
Serum Ferritin and Bone Marrow Iron Stores: I. Correlation with Absence of Iron in Biopsy Specimens

Serum iron, total iron-binding capacity, and percentage saturation of transferrin have classically been used to demonstrate a hypoferremic state; however, these tests may not discriminate between depleted iron stores and conditions associated with defective reticuloendothelial release of iron. Estimation of stainable iron in the bone marrow biopsy specimen is then the most practical way to assess body iron stores. With the availability of a radioimmunoassay procedure for serum ferritin, we undertook a prospective study to determine whether serum ferritin concentrations might replace assessment of the marrow biopsy iron stores as an indicator of hypoferremia. Iron stores were absent from bone marrow biopsy specimens from 104 patients. A good correlation between low serum ferritin levels and absence of iron stores in biopsy specimens was found for 91 patients (87.5%). Thirteen (12.5%) had normal serum ferritin concentrations with absence of biopsy iron. These individuals had hematopoietic malignancies or active hepatic disease, or were receiving iron therapy. In this group, a bone marrow biopsy would still be necessary for evaluation of a hypoferremic state, even though the serum ferritin concentration might be normal.
High Risk of Readmission in Octogenarians Undergoing Primary Hip Arthroplasty.

Background As life expectancy increases, more elderly patients with end-stage hip arthritis are electing to undergo primary THA. Octogenarians undergoing THA have more comorbidities than younger patients, but this is not reflected in risk adjustment models for bundled care programs. The burden of care associated with THA in octogenarians has not been well characterized, and doing so may help these value-based programs make adjustments so that this vulnerable patient population does not risk losing access under accountable care models.
Clinical transition to model-based dose calculation algorithm: A retrospective analysis of high-dose-rate tandem and ring brachytherapy of the cervix.

Purpose To retrospectively compare clinical dosimetry of CT-based tandem–ring treatment plans using a model-based dose calculation algorithm (MBDCA) with the standard TG-43–based dose formalism. Methods and Materials A cohort of 10 cervical cancer cohorts treated using the tandem and ring high-dose-rate applicators were evaluated. The original treatment plans were created using the department CT-based volume optimization clinical standards. All plans originally calculated with TG-43 dose calculation formalism were recalculated using the MBDCA algorithm. The gross target volume and organs at risk (OARs) were contoured on each data set along with significant heterogeneities like air in cavity and high-density plastic tandem and ring components. The patient tissue was modeled as homogenous liquid water. D90, D95, and D100 for gross target volume, D0.1cm3, D1.0cm3, and D2.0cm3 for bladder, rectum, and sigmoid were extracted from dose–volume histograms for TG-43 and MBDCA calculated plans. Mean absolute difference ± 2σ in the above metrics was calculated for each plan. Results Using the manual applicator contouring method, MBDCA plans (n = 10) showed 2.1 ± 1.1% reduction in dose to Point A average, 2.6 ± 0.9% reduction in Target D90 dose, and 2.1 ± 0.3% dose reduction to OARs. Results from plans using vendor supplied solid applicator models (n = 5) showed 2.2 ± 1.10% reduction in dose to Point A average, 2.7 ± 0.2% reduction in Target D90 dose, and 2.7 ± 1.0% dose reduction on average to OARs. Conclusion For unshielded plastic gynecologic applicators, minimal dosimetric changes (<5%) were found using MBDCA relative to standard TG-43. Use of solid applicator model is more efficient than manual applicator contouring and also yielded similar MBDCA dosimetric results. Currently, TG-186 dose calculations should be reported along TG-43 until we obtain studies with larger cohorts to fully realize the potential of MBDCA dosimetry.
Getting slapped: Defamation and your blog

I’m sure everyone’s mother, like mine, at some point said, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.” No doubt this was sound advice when you are 12, but as an adult and an information professional, it takes on a whole new meaning for those who blog, tweet, and otherwise comment on critical issues impacting their work and workplace communities. You have opinions, and potentially concerns about issues that you want to share with others who might be dealing with similar issues. Sometimes as part of those commentaries, it becomes necessary to not restrict yourself to remaining “nice” in order to communicate your thoughts, beliefs and perspectives about the practices or actions of others Two librarians who blog about publisher’s issues recently learned about the potential costs that are associated with not necessarily remaining “nice.” Dale Askey, a librarian at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada was sued by the Edwin Mellen Press and its founder, Herbert Richardson for a 2010 blog entry that was critical of the Press. The suits included both Mr. Askey and McMaster University and claimed that the blog entry defamed the Press and its founder. The lawsuits sought damages of over $4 million for the defamation. More recently, Jeffrey Beall, a librarian at the Auraria Library at the University of Colorado Denver received a letter from lawyers representing the Canadian Center for Science and Education, claiming that a series of blog entries posted by Mr. Beall defamed the Center and some of its related publications. The letter demanded that Mr. Beall “immediately remove” the offending posts and demanded an immediate payment of $10,000 for “attorneys fees and damages.” Failing to comply, the letter implied, would result in a lawsuit.
Assessing Goodness of Fit for Logistic Regression

Regression diagnostics are techniques for the detection and assessment of potential problems resulting from a fitted regression model that might either support, compromise, or negate the assumptions made about the regression model and/or the conclusions drawn from the analysis of one’s data.
The choice architecture of privacy decision-making

‘Choice architects’ are responsible for designing environments that guide decision-making, and thus must consider the inherent tradeoffs that accompany every choice. This examination of privacy decision-making places privacy considerations into context, and accordingly recommends a method (signal detection theory) for choice architects to define and weigh the tradeoffs ingrained in private and public situations in order to design decision environments that are reflective of their respective costs and benefits.
Relative role of transport and source-limited controls for estrogen, TDP, and DOC export for two manure application methods

Abstract Developing successful mitigation strategies for emerging contaminants can be difficult due to incomplete understanding of factors controlling their fate and transport. A variety of data analysis techniques can be used to assess the fate and transport behavior of pollutants in runoff water. Here, we use concentration-discharge, load-discharge, and coefficient of variation relationships to examine how two methods of dairy manure application (surface broadcast and shallow disk injection) affect the transport dynamics of estrogens, total dissolved phosphorus (TDP), and dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Nine surface runoff events were sampled from Oct 2014–June 2015 from 12 research plots (six with each application method) in Central Pennsylvania after fall application. The plots received inorganic fertilizer for 15 years, but only four manure applications since 2012. Both TDP and DOC exhibited similar transport behavior under both manure application methods that indicate transport-limited control of export, potentially due to legacy sources in soils. However, estrogen loads exhibited dilution responses, a sign of source-limited controls. The strength of the dilution response for estrogens was greater for surface applied manure relative to the injected manure, suggesting that manure application methods can be used to control the mobilization potential of estrogens. Additionally, results suggest the longer-term application history of inorganic fertilizer led to the transport-limited dynamics exhibited by TDP, while the short-term application history of manure caused estrogen transport to be source-limited. Our findings provide insight into how anthropogenic drivers (application type, method, and history) and natural drivers (hydrology, biogeochemistry) are interconnected in agricultural fields, and point to opportunities for protecting downstream water quality.
Correlation of Mechanical Properties with Diameter and Cooling Rate of 1080 Wire-Rod

More than 540 heats of 1080 wire-rod were statistically analyzed by regression analyses to see whether tensile strength and percent reduction in area (%RA) relate to wire-rod diameter and composition. As diameter increases from 5.6 to 12.7 mm, the trend in %RA shows a decrease with negligible effect on the trend of the tensile strength. It was found that the estimated cooling rate at 700 °C during controlled cooling is responsible for the “diameter effect.” The effect of composition on %RA is minor when contrasted to the “diameter effect.” In particular, the effect of the concentrations of the residual elements on %RA within the compositional range studied is negligible.
Demographics and outcomes of stage I and II Merkel cell carcinoma treated with Mohs micrographic surgery compared with wide local excision in the National Cancer Database.

Background The optimal surgical approach (wide local excision [WLE] vs Mohs micrographic surgery [MMS]) for treating Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is yet to be determined. Objective To compare survival outcomes in patients with early-stage MCC treated with MMS versus with WLE. Methods A retrospective review of all cases in the National Cancer Database (NCDB) of MCC of clinical stage I or II MCC treated with WLE or MMS was performed. Results A total of 1795 cases of stage I or II MCC who underwent WLE (n = 1685) or MMS (n = 110) were identified. There was no difference in residual tumor on surgical margins between the 2 treatment groups (P = .588). On multivariate analysis, there was no difference in overall survival between the treatment modalities (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.02; 95% confidence interval, 0.72-1.45; P = .897). There was no difference in overall survival between the 2 groups on propensity score–matched analysis. Limitations Disease-specific survival was not reported, as these data are not available in the National Cancer Database. Conclusions MMS appears to be as effective as WLE in treating early-stage MCC.
Understanding Health-Related Quality of Life in Caregivers of Civilians and Service Members/Veterans With Traumatic Brain Injury: Reliability and Validity Data for the TBI-CareQOL Measurement System.

Abstract Objectives To establish the reliability and validity of the newly developed TBI-CareQOL patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures in caregivers of civilians and service members/veterans (SMVs) with traumatic brain injury (TBI) so that they can be used with confidence in clinical research and practice. Design Computer-based surveys delivered through an on-line data capture platform. Setting Three TBI Model Systems rehabilitation hospitals, an academic medical center, and a military medical treatment facility. Participants Caregivers (N=560) of individuals with TBI; this included 2 different study samples: 344 caregivers of civilians with TBI and 216 caregivers of SMVs with TBI. Intervention Not Applicable. Main Outcome Measures Five Traumatic Brain Injury Caregiver Quality of Life (TBI-CareQOL) item banks. Results Reliabilities for the TBI-CareQOL measures were excellent (all Cronbach’s α >.88); 3-week test-retest reliability ranged from .75 to .90 across the 2 samples. Convergent validity was supported by moderate to high associations among the TBI-CareQOL measures and moderate correlations between the TBI-CareQOL measures and other measures of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and caregiver burden. Discriminant validity was supported by low correlations between the TBI-CareQOL measures and less-related constructs (eg, caregiver satisfaction). Known-groups validity was supported: caregivers of individuals that were low functioning had worse HRQOL than caregivers of high-functioning individuals. Conclusions Results provide psychometric support for the new TBI-CareQOL item banks. As such, these measures fill a significant gap in the caregiver literature where sensitive PRO measures that capture changes in HRQOL are needed to detect improvements for interventions designed to assist family caregivers.
Ethics in Salesperson Decision Making: A Synthesis of Research Approaches and an Extension of the Scenario Method

An overview and synthesis of sales force ethics research approaches is presented. Existing approaches are extended by the use of sequenced scenarios which require respondents to multiple scenarios concerning the same ethics issues. Use of scenario sequences allows for changes in “significant others” and in information related to ethics issues. Examination of changes in salesperson decision making can be undertaken with this approach. Suggestions for research using sequenced scenarios and possible covariates are presented.
In Situ Hydrothermal Synthesis of LiFePO4 Studied by Synchrotron X-ray Diffraction

The development of high capacity, safe lithium battery materials requires new tools to better understand how reaction conditions affect nucleation and crystallization, particle size, morphology, and defects. We present a general approach for studying the synthesis of Li battery electrode materials in real time. The formation of LiFePO4 was investigated by time-resolved in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction under hydrothermal conditions, and the reaction kinetics were determined by changes of the Bragg reflections. We provide the first evidence in support of a dissolution–reprecipitation process for the formation of LiFePO4, which occurs at temperatures as low as 105 °C and appears to be a three-dimensional diffusion-controlled process. Lattice parameters and their evolution were monitored in situ, as well as the formation of antisite defects and their subsequent elimination under various synthesis conditions. The ability to characterize and tailor synthesis reactions in situ is essential for rapid optimiz...
Easy Preparation for Online Courses: Why Professors as Educators Should be Anxious About Becoming Non-Essential

• There is a growing and inexplicable trend among professors to voluntarily fade into the online pedagogical background and allow someone—or something—to do the teaching for them.• The professoriat...
Navy Medicine Introduces Value-Based Health Care.

In 2016 the newly appointed surgeon general of the Navy launched a value-based health care pilot project at Naval Hospital Jacksonville to explore whether multidisciplinary care teams (known as int...
Which patients do not seek additional medical care after a self-management class for low back pain? An observational cohort:

Objectives:(1) To identify baseline variables associated with patients that sought no additional care during the 12 months following a single self-management education session for low back pain (LB...
Spatially resolved indirect imaging of objects beyond the line of sight

The nascent field of indirect imaging is concerned with the recovery of information pertaining to objects that are beyond the line-of-sight (LoS) and hidden from view. Current approaches to indirect imaging are either limited in their ability to recover spatially resolved imagery (resolution of few centimeters at 1-meter standoff) or impose severe restrictions on the imaging geometry. The present work examines two approaches that recover spatial detail on hidden objects by exploiting spatial and spectral correlation in the light scattered by the objects. Experiments have demonstrated the ability to discern sub-millimeter spatial detail, on centimeter sized objects positioned 1-meter behind a wall.
Development of a multigenerational digital lifestyle intervention for women cancer survivors and their families

Objectives This paper presents the results of a study developed to inform the design of a multigenerational digital lifestyle intervention for overweight/obese women cancer survivors and their families. We followed the first six phases of the Integrate, Design, Assess, and Share (IDEAS) framework. Methods Grandmothers with breast, endometrial, or ovarian cancers (n = 46; 66.1 ± 0.9 years old; 34% Hispanic, 33% non-Hispanic black, 33% non-Hispanic white) self-reported their lifestyle behaviors, family structure, mobile device use, and interest in a family-based lifestyle intervention. A randomly selected subset of 21 participants subsequently completed qualitative interviews to understand their family relationships, weight-related challenges, and feedback on intervention prototypes. Results Participants reported low fruit intake (0.9 ± 0.1 servings/day), moderate vegetable intake (3.0 ± 0.2 servings/day), and high levels of moderate physical activity (990 ± 234 MET-minutes/week). The majority owned a smartphone (93%) and expressed interest in family-based programs (80%) that focused on weight management (91%). Qualitative data were collapsed into seven intervention considerations, including: capitalizing on existing familial support, involving local family who need lifestyle change, tapping into survivors' internal strengths, validating prior weight loss, overcoming barriers to sustained lifestyle change, providing information on cancer risk, and motivating families through reinforcing activities. Conclusions Following the IDEAS framework, our next steps are to develop a fully-functioning prototype and conduct a randomized pilot trial to test the feasibility and effects of a digital intervention that empowers racially/ethnically diverse overweight/obese women cancer survivors to improve their physical activity and dietary intake and to lose weight by encouraging healthy lifestyle behaviors in their children and grandchildren.
Effect of Processing Conditions, Biochemical Properties, and Microstructure on Tofu Production from Yellow Field Peas (Pisum sativum).

Tofu, made by coagulating soy milk, is a nutritious food originating in China and is widely consumed globally. Due to allergenicity and consumer perceptions of genetically modified organisms, consumer demand for soy alternatives is increasing. In this study, tofu was made from yellow split peas (Pisum sativum). Effects of pasteurization, fat addition, and curd disruption followed by repressing were studied. Here, disruption was not a chemical disruption, rather a physical disruption of protein curds. Pasteurization alone led to increased uptake of water and nonviable tofus. Disrupted samples became firmer with pasteurization. Texture profile analysis indicated that disruption followed by pasteurization improved hardness from approximately 175 g force from the control, to approximately 325 g force for disrupted + pasteurizated samples without fat addition. A similar trend was observed for samples with fat added, where hardness increased from approximately 50 g force to approximately 75 g force. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy of the amide I region showed that an increase of β-sheet structures led to increased hardness. The shifts in β-sheet structures followed the same trends as surface hydrophobicity. Surface hydrophobicity decreased with pasteurization and increased with disruption. Molecular weight analysis showed that shear (from disruption) and heat separately degraded the proteins into smaller polypeptides exposing hydrophobic interiors. Changes to biochemical parameters, such as protein secondary structure and exposure of protein hydrophobic regions, allowed for tofu to be made from yellow field peas. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This study provides critical information and a means to produce pea-based soy-free tofu.
Open ankle fractures are associated with complications and reoperations.

Objectives To assess clinical and functional outcomes after open versus closed ankle fracture. Design Retrospective comparative study. Location Level 1 Trauma Center. Patients/Participants 1303 patients treated for ankle fractures (Weber B and C) between 2003 and 2015. One hundred sixty-five patients (12.7%) presented with open fracture and 1138 (87.3%) with closed fracture. Intervention Surgical or conservative management of ankle fracture. Main Outcome Measure Rates of complications and reoperations. Patient-reported functional outcomes were assessed with the Foot Function Index (FFI) and Short Musculoskeletal Function Assessment (SMFA), after a minimum of 12 months. Results Mean age was 46 years and 49% of patients were male. Higher mean age was associated with open injuries (51 vs 45 years, P 65 years occurred after ground-level fall. Complications occurred more often after open fracture (33% vs 11%) and necessitated more secondary procedures (19% vs. 7%), both P < 0.001. Multivariate regression analysis identified open fracture as a predictor of complications and of worse scores on the activity categories of both the FFI and SMFA. Conclusion Open fractures occurred more often after high energy mechanisms, and were generally more complex than closed fractures. Advanced age was common among open fracture patients, likely contributing to higher complication and secondary procedure rates. Greater morbidity after open ankle fractures was associated with minor differences on activity functions of the FFI and SMFA.Level of Evidence: Level 3, prognostic.
Konrad Lorenz on human degeneration and social decline: a chronic preoccupation

Throughout his career, Konrad Lorenz, co-founder of ethology, extrapolated from animal behaviour to humans – especially concerning degeneration as a result of domestication – and then prescribed for the allegedly resulting ills of society. The descriptions were constant. Lorenz had observed that wild animals subjected to and bred in captivity often underwent various abnormal physical and behavioural changes, such as changes in stature and coloration, and also in instinctive behaviour patterns – mating, eating, raising young, and so on. He went on to posit that the same sorts of ‘degeneration’ of human individuals were due to overcrowding, race mixing, poor nutrition, overbreeding, etc. – any kind of human society being equated with captivity – and claimed that faults in human society arose from these sorts of individual degeneration effects. Then, of course, as a physician, he prescribed for how society might be cured. Since he came to scientific prominence during the Nazi era, there have been constant criticisms and accusations that Lorenz must have been a Nazi and that Nazi ideology underlay many of his ideas about humanity and ethology. The thesis of this paper is that Lorenz had accepted the truth of human degeneration and social decline before the rise of Nazism. While he adopted Nazi-type terminology, prescriptions and arguments during the early stages of his career (which coincided with the rise and fall of the Third Reich), he dropped them as soon as the end of World War II rendered them unacceptable. Thereafter Lorenz retained the belief in human degeneration and social decline, but chose other arguments and prescriptions based in part on popular theories of the day, e.g. capitalism, and later ecology.
Nanoparticles as sources of inorganic water pollutants

Abstract The occurrence and fate of synthetic and natural inorganic nanoparticles in surface and groundwater water are virtually unknown. Initially viewed as a means for remediation of water contamination, engineered nanoparticles are detected in the aquatic environment in an increasing number of settings, with only a handful of studies focusing on their chemical and physical transformation. Little research has been directed at nanoparticle toxicity to nontarget organisms as well as more subtle human health effects from exposure. Because metal nanoparticles have significantly different chemical properties from dissolved and microcrystalline analogs, they often have different biological effects than dissolved and mineral forms of the same element. With a growing list of sources and uses for engineered nanoparticles comes a growing level of uncertainty about environmental risks from their release into the environment. For example, exposure to cerium-oxide nanoparticles can impart measurable toxicological effects to fish and plants, while gold and silver nanoparticles have little effect on the same organisms. The ubiquitous occurrence of natural inorganic nanoparticles indicates that there is an urgent need for new methods to characterize their occurrence as inorganic pollutants so that we have a better understanding of their fate and potential human health effects.
Gender differences in the 3-month utilization of nonoperative therapies prior to primary lumbar microdiscectomy.

Abstract Patients with lumbar intervertebral disc herniation classically trial a brief course of conservative management prior to microdiscectomy surgery. Gender differences have previously been identified in the selection and symptomatic response to commonly-utilized nonoperative treatments. However, whether gender differences exist in the degree and cost of nonoperative therapy in this cohort remains unknown. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess for gender differences in the utilization and costs of nonoperative therapy in patients diagnosed with symptomatic lumbar intervertebral disc herniation 3-months prior to undergoing microdiscectomy. Medical records from adult patients diagnosed with a lumbar intervertebral disc herniation undergoing index microdiscectomy procedures from 2007 to 2017 were collected retrospectively from a large insurance database. The utilization of nonoperative therapy within 3-months after initial lumbar herniation diagnosis was determined. A total of 13,106 patients (55.4% Males) underwent index microdiscectomy. Male patients were more likely to fail conservative management and opt for surgery (Males: 2.9% vs. Females: 1.8%, p
Myomegalin regulates Hedgehog pathway by controlling PDE4D at the centrosome

Abstract Mutations in the Hedgehog (Hh) signaling are implicated in birth defects and cancers, including medulloblastoma, one of the most malignant pediatric brain tumors. Current Hh inhibitors face the challenge of drug resistance and tumor relapse, urging new insights in the Hh pathway regulation. Our previous study revealed how PDE4D controls global levels of cAMP in the cytoplasm to positively regulate Hh signaling; in the present study we found that a specific isoform PDE4D3 is tethered to the centrosome by myomegalin, a centrosome/Golgi associated protein. Myomegalin loss dislocates PDE4D3 from the centrosome, leading to local PKA over-activation and inhibition of the Hh signaling, leaving other PKA-related pathways unaffected. Myomegalin loss suppresses the proliferation of granule neuron precursors, and blocks the growth of medulloblastoma in mouse model. Our findings specify a new regulatory mechanism of the Hh pathway, and highlight an exciting therapeutic avenue for Hh-related cancers with reduced side effects.
Derivation operators on generalized algebras of BCK logic

Abstract In this paper we define two types of implicative derivations on pseudo-BCK algebras, we investigate their properties and we give a characterization of isotone implicative derivations. The multiplicative derivations on BCK-algebras with product are introduced and investigated as well. At the same time, particular cases of multiplicative derivations are defined and their properties are investigated. Moreover, we prove that two good ideal multiplicative derivations coincide if and only if their corresponding sets of fixed points coincide. We also define the translation and scaling derivation operators, we study their properties and we show that these operators form a residuated pair. Finally, we prove that there exists an order preserving bijection between the fixed points sets of the two operators.
Synthesis and recent applications of MXenes with Mo, V or Nb transition metals: a review

Discovered in 2011, MXene becomes a most recent and active member of two-dimensional materials. Since then, the landscape of MXene grows significantly and now more than 30 different MXenes were obtained experimentally. Though most of the efforts are contributed to Ti-MXenes which have the highest level of maturity of the synthetic technology and productivity, in recent years, new-MXene systems with Molybdenum (Mo), Vanadium (V), and Niobium (Nb) as the transition metals demonstrated their unique properties and applications. The development of new-MXenes not only expands the synthetic methods and applications of MXenes but also faces new challenges. Therefore, a timely summary of Mo-, V- and Nb-MXenes will be extremely beneficial. Here, the synthetic methods of the selected new-MXenes are summarized and their most recent applications are highlighted to provide an outlook for the future development of MXenes.
Increased Incidence of Acute Pulmonary Embolism in Emergency Department Patients During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Early detection of acute pulmonary embolism (PE) in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection is integral to the clinical management of these patients Many recently published studies have evaluated incidence of PE in hospitalized patients with COVID-19(1-9) , however there is relatively limited data describing patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection and concomitant diagnosis of acute PE upon initial presentation Therefore, the purpose of this study is to (i) evaluate the incidence of acute pulmonary embolism (PE) in patients undergoing computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) in the emergency department (ED) across six hospitals in New York City during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic compared to a non-pandemic period, and (ii) compare the characteristics and early outcomes of patients presenting with PE during the pandemic (n=87) to patients presenting with PE during a non-pandemic period (n=34)
Patient care, not the marketplace, should guide stroke center certification standards.

In 1895 a promising young surgeon graduated from Harvard Medical School. An iconoclast with strong opinions, he would end up “one of the most important surgeons of the twentieth century.1” His name was Ernest A Codman. Dr Codman had a career to which almost any physician, at the dawn of the 20th century or otherwise, would aspire. He trained at a famous medical school; became a faculty member at a premier medical institution (Massachusetts General Hospital); and participated in founding the American College of Surgeons (ACS). However, academic pedigree did not matter to him. In fact, he eventually left Massachusetts General Hospital in disgust at its leadership’s lack of commitment to honestly and transparently evaluating patient outcomes.2 Dr Codman spent his life advocating something called the ‘End Results System’ (ERS). At its core, the ERS proposed an honest reckoning of every patient’s outcome, with frank recording of complications, commitment to long-term follow-up, and, perhaps most importantly, clear and transparent communication of those data to the public. How else was the public to choose where to get its care, unless each and every hospital published a clear account of complications and long-term outcomes? After leaving the Massachusetts General Hospital, Dr Codman founded the End Results Hospital and published the hospital’s data annually, using his own money. He felt that hospitals’ obligations were “for the interest of no one—except for the patients and for the community.2” Dr Codman was not afraid of controversy. He is reported as having said that most clinical research …
Autonomy and Personal History

(1991). Autonomy and Personal History. Canadian Journal of Philosophy: Vol. 21, No. 1, pp. 1-24.
Commentary: In Response to the Paper by Oran R. Young, How Can International Regimes Solve Environmental Problems? (see pp. 9–29)

The terrain, wonderfully covered by Oran Young, is a dichotomized world consisting of stories wishing to be theories. On the one side we find the economizers – disembedded consequentialists acting according to something called ‘collective action theory.’ On the other side we have the socially embedded citizens of the world intent on practicing what is good (or right). Young helps us to see that both ‘theories’ (and I use that term with great resistance) are ample enough to accommodate almost anything that might appear threatening. We have, in other words, accommodating metaphors whose adherents can pick and choose among confirming signals (assiduously watched for), and can fail to notice disconfirming signals with alacrity. Philosophers would mumble something about verificationist tendencies. As Shackle would put it, ‘what is seen is built upon what is thought (Shackle 1992, p. 66).’ To be fair here, economists have perfected the craft of seeing only what is thought so my comment should not be considered a criticism of political scientists and others who worry about international regimes.
The Role of Language in Memory for Actions

Languages differ with respect to how aspects of motion events tend to be lexicalized. English typically conflates MOTION with MANNER, but Japanese and Spanish typically do not. We report a set of experiments that assessed the effect of this cross-linguistic difference on participants' decisions in a similarity-judgment task about scenes containing novel animations as stimuli. In Experiment 1, which required participants to encode the stimuli briefly into memory, we observed a language effect; in Experiment 2, which required participants to analyze the same stimuli, but not remember them, the language effect disappeared. Hence, these experiments reveal a task-dependent effect, which, we argue, points to working memory as the source of the language effect observed in Experiment 1 and, potentially, other experiments that have shown a linguistic relativity effect.
Assessing RLUIPA's Application to Building Codes and Aesthetic Land Use Regulation

This article presents the author’s argument that building codes and aesthetic or historical land use regulations should be subject to scrutiny under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA). This scrutiny would serve to further the intent of RLUIPA to protect the religious exercise of churches and synagogues against government discrimination in zoning codes and land use regulation, both for established and non-established religious denominations. This scrutiny also ensures that RLUIPA is construed broadly, as was Congress’s intent, to maximize federal constitutional protection of the free exercise of religion. Judicial application of RLUIPA has been varied: while some courts have applied RLUIPA to any local land use regulation impacting religious exercise, others have applied RLUIPA only if there appears to be actual discrimination occurring in the land use regulations scheme. Building codes, as well as aesthetic and historical regulations, are generally designed to ensure that buildings are safe, habitable and appropriate for the community environment, and they may be facially neutral. However, the author argues that they should be closely scrutinized under constitutional principles or RLUIPA guidelines when they are individually applied to burden the fundamental right of free exercise of religion, because arbitrary or discriminatory decision-making cannot be allowed to hide behind the facial neutrality of these codes and regulations.
Feasibility of EMG-based control of arm movements via FNS

This project is exploring methods that would allow an individual with complete C5-C6 tetraplegia to simultaneously, automatically, and naturally control many different movements of the arm that have been restored by an advanced upper extremity neuroprosthesis. This will be accomplished by exploiting the retained voluntary control of muscles scattered throughout the upper extremity of these individuals. In particular, our goal is to simultaneously restore hand grasp, wrist extension, forearm pronosupination, elbow extension, and shoulder adduction and horizontal flexion by recording EMG signals from several muscles, detecting appropriate temporal-spatial patterns across the EMG signals, and then using these patterns to control the stimulation of key paralyzed muscles in a task-appropriate manner. Our results indicate that five upper extremity joint angles can be predicted from EMG signals with RMS errors of 10-20 degrees. The cumulative information transfer rate of approximately 3 bits/s is much greater than that achieved via scalp EEG recordings and compares favorably with that obtained using more invasive methods.
Plasminogen Activators Potentiate Thrombin-Induced Brain Injury

Background and Purpose—Evidence suggests that cerebral edema following intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) results from a mass effect in combination with neurotoxic injury from clot-derived substrates such as thrombin. Thrombolytics can compete for thrombin inhibitors endogenous to the brain. This study examines the effect of intracerebral infusion of thrombolytics, tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), and urokinase (uPA), individually and in combination with thrombin. Methods—Various 100 μL solutions were stereotactically infused into the right basal ganglia of adult male rats. Animals were euthanized 24 hours later, and brain sections were taken for measurement of water, sodium, and potassium content. Results—Regardless of dose, when infused independently tPA (2 μg) and uPA (2000 and 5000 Plough units) failed to produce any significant tissue edema compared with vehicle control tissues. However, when either thrombolytic was infused concomitantly with thrombin (1 or 5 U), brain water, sodium, and potassium con...
HST Imaging of the Dust in Kinematically Distinct Core Ellipticals

About one third of nearby elliptical galaxies have central regions that are decoupled kinematically from the outer parts of the galaxy (e.g. Illingworth & Franx 1989). In some cases the core rotates in an opposite direction to the stars in the outer regions. Such galaxies with peculiar kinematics are called kinematically distinct core (KDC) ellipticals. Their origin remains somewhat of a mystery.
Operating Room Blood Delivery Turnaround Time

Abstract Objectives.—To determine the normative distribution of time elapsed for blood bank personnel to fill nonscheduled operating room (OR) blood component orders in hospital communities throughout the United States, and to examine hospital blood bank practices associated with faster blood component delivery times. Design.—Participants in the College of American Pathologists Q-Probes laboratory quality improvement program collected data prospectively on the times elapsed for blood bank personnel to fill nonscheduled emergent orders from hospital ORs for red blood cell (RBC) products, fresh frozen plasma (FFP), and platelets (PLTs). Participants also completed questionnaires describing their hospitals' and blood banks' laboratory and transfusion practices. Setting and Participants.—Four hundred sixty-six public and private institutions located in 48 states in the United States (n = 444), Canada (n = 9), Australia (n = 8), the United Kingdom (n = 4), and Spain (n = 1). Main Outcome Measures.—The median t...
What makes a RAG regeneration associated

Regenerative failure remains a significant barrier for functional recovery after central nervous system (CNS) injury. As such, understanding the physiological processes that regulate axon regeneration is a central focus of regenerative medicine. Studying the gene transcription responses to axon injury of regeneration competent neurons, such as those of the peripheral nervous system (PNS), has provided insight into the genes associated with regeneration. Though several individual "regeneration-associated genes" (RAGs) have been identified from these studies, the response to injury likely regulates the expression of functionally coordinated and complementary gene groups. For instance, successful regeneration would require the induction of genes that drive the intrinsic growth capacity of neurons, while simultaneously downregulating the genes that convey environmental inhibitory cues. Thus, this view emphasizes the transcriptional regulation of gene "programs" that contribute to the overall goal of axonal regeneration. Here, we review the known RAGs, focusing on how their transcriptional regulation can reveal the underlying gene programs that drive a regenerative phenotype. Finally, we will discuss paradigms under which we can determine whether these genes are injury-associated, or indeed necessary for regeneration.