cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prevalence and Prognostic Significance of Long QT Interval among Patients with Chest Pain: Selecting an Optimum QT Rate Correction Formula

Abstract Background Little is known about the prevalence and prognostic significance of long QT interval among patients with chest pain during the acute phase of suspected cardiovascular injury. Objectives Our aim was to investigate the prevalence and prognostic significance of long QT interval among patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with chest pain using an optimum QT rate correction formula. Methods We performed secondary analysis on data obtained from the IMMEDIATE AIM trial (N, 145). Data included 24-hour 12-lead Holter electrocardiographic recordings that were stored for offline computer analysis. The QT interval was measured automatically and rate corrected using seven QTc formulas including subject specific correction. The formula with the closer to zero absolute mean QTc/RR correlation was considered the most accurate. Results Linear and logarithmic subject specific QT rate correction outperformed other QTc formulas and resulted in the closest to zero absolute mean QTc/RR correlations (mean ± SD: 0.003 ± 0.002 and 0.017 ± 0.016, respectively). These two formulas produced adequate correction in 100% of study participants. Other formulas (Bazett’s, Fridericia’s, Framingham's, and study specific) resulted in inadequate correction in 47.6 to 95.2% of study participants. Using the optimum QTc formula, linear subject specific, the prevalence of long QTc interval was 14.5%. The QTc interval did not predict mortality or hospital admission at short and long term follow-up. Only the QT/RR slope predicted mortality at 7 year follow-up (odds ratio, 2.01; 95% CI, 1.02–3.96; p Conclusions Adequate QT rate correction can only be performed using subject specific correction. Long QT interval is not uncommon among patients presenting to the ED with chest pain.
No Free Lunch for Noise Prediction

No-free-lunch theorems have shown that learning algorithms cannot be universally good. We show that no free funch exists for noise prediction as well. We show that when the noise is additive and the prior over target functions is uniform, a prior on the noise distribution cannot be updated, in the Bayesian sense, from any finite data set. We emphasize the importance of a prior over the target function in order to justify superior performance for learning systems.
The influence of dexamethasone on attempts to transmit Eimeria meleagrimitis to chickens and E. tenella to turkeys.

SYNOPSIS. Eimeria meleagrimitis completed development in chickens given daily intramuscular injections of dexamethasone, but not in chickens fed mash containing dexamethasone, or in unmedicated chickens. Eimeria tenella did not develop in dexamethasone-medicated turkeys, or in unmedicated turkeys.
Diaphragm remodeling and compensatory respiratory mechanics in a canine model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Ventilatory insufficiency remains the leading cause of death and late stage morbidity in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). To address critical gaps in our knowledge of the pathobiology of respirat...
Comment on ‘On hot tenuous plasmas, fireballs, and boundary layers in the Earth's magnetotail’ by L. A. Frank, K. L. Ackerson, and R. P. Lepping

It is shown that there is a marked disagreement between some of the flow measurements in a recent paper on kinetics of the earth's magnetotail and measurements made by another detector on the same satellite, Imp 8. It is suggested that a possible source of disagreement might be inadequate compensation for the sunward background. 4 references. (JFP)
From Synthetic Bioethics to One Bioethics: A Reply to Critics

Replies to commentaries on my 2012 article ‘Synthetic Biology Needs a Synthetic Bioethics,’ note that I do not, in fact, call for some ‘new’ kind of ethics. The focus then and now is on integrating questions that relate to distributive justice and environmental quality more faithfully into the topics that have come to preoccupy mainstream bioethics as institutionalized in medical schools and medical research institutions.
Parameterization in finite precision

Certain classes of algebraic curves and surfaces admit both parametric and implicit representations. Such dual forms are highly useful in geometric modeling since they combine the strengths of the two representations. We consider the problem of computing the rational parameterization of an implicit curve or surface in a finite precision domain. Known algorithms for this problem are based on classical algebraic geometry, and assume exact arithmetic involving algebraic numbers. In this work we investigate the behavior of published parameterization algorithms in a finite precision domain and derive succinct algebraic and geometric error characterizations. We then indicate numerically robust methods for parameterizing curves and surfaces which yield no error in extended finite precision arithmetic and, alternatively, minimize the output error under fixed finite precision calculations.
Phenology, dichogamy, and floral synchronization in a northern red oak (Quercus rubra) seed orchard

We developed a novel scoring system to assess spring phenology in a northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.) clonal seed orchard. The system was used to score from 304 to 364 ramets for three reproductive seasons and to place clones into early, intermediate, and late phenology classes. Although the absolute number of clones in each phenological class changed from year to year, the overall order of clonal flowering was highly stable (rs = 0.67, p < 0.001). Early-flowering clones flowered significantly longer than later flowering clones in all 3 years. Dichogamy was present in the orchard, with male flowers of a clone emerging from 1.4 to 3.0 d sooner than its female flowers. Mean dichogamy values for individual clones ranged from 0.0 to 4.9 (± 1.3) d. Year strongly influenced a clone’s dichogamy value (F = 6.0, p = 0.004), whereas genotype had no influence. The mean overall phenological synchronicity for the 3 years of observations was 0.30 ± 0.01 or about 30% overlap between the time when females were receptiv...
Sub-second oscillations of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate during platelet activation by ADP and thrombin: lack of correlation with calcium kinetics

The hypothesis that ADP and thrombin liberate Ins(1,4,5)P3 in blood platelets, with kinetics consistent for releasing Ca2+ within 2s, was tested by quenched-flow techniques. Both agonists stimulated transient and equal synthesis of Ins(1,4,5)P3 and Ins(1,3,4,5)P4 near 200 ms and later short-lived peaks, which were not correlated with the slower steady increase in intracellular [Ca2+] between 0.5 to 2 s detected by Indo-1. Shear forces alone caused transient liberation of these inositol phosphates within 0.5 s and up to 4 s, yet failed to increase intracellular [Ca2+].
Investment in Faculty as Educational Scholars: Outcomes from the National Educational Scholars Program.

From the Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center/ University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH; Department of Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY; Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX; Department of Pediatrics, Stony Brook University School of Medicine, Stony Brook, NY; and Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester Medical Center, A cademic institutions have strong incentives to develop faculty who are productive researchers, master clinicians, and educators. Forward-thinking institutions are encouraging their educators to become not only stellar teachers, but also productive scholars through peerreviewed dissemination of rigorously developed and evaluated curricular innovations, evaluation tools, and teaching methodologies. This emphasis on evaluation is imperative to ensure that educational programs effectively and efficiently meet the needs of the learners and the healthcare system. Even though many educator development programs train faculty to be good teachers, relatively few emphasize educational scholarship and research. Moreover, few of these are national programs offering participants the benefits of national mentoring and networking. The Educational Scholars Program (ESP) is a competitive national faculty development program created by the Academic Pediatric Association in 2006. The ESP is designed to cultivate skills in developing and evaluating curricula, conducting methodologically sound educational research, and effectively disseminating scholarly work. Mentorship and networking are key components of the ESP; each scholar is paired with a local project mentor and a national advisor with proven educational scholarship skills. Cohorts of scholars complete a 3-year longitudinal curriculum, including day-long sessions at 3 Pediatric Academic Society meetings and 6 online learning modules, each focused on specific educational scholarship skills. The cohorts form learning communities and serve as peer mentors. Scholars create an educator portfolio documenting their teaching activities and scholarly accomplishments. They also complete an educational project that they disseminate via peerreviewed publication or national presentation. The goal of this study was to describe the professional impact and value of the ESP on graduates and their institutions.
A UNIQUE LOOK AT OREGON INLET, NC USA

Oregon Inlet (01) in North Carolina (NC), the only inlet along a 170 km stretch of coast, supports an active commercial fishing and recreational boating industry. Severe erosion, because of the ongoing migration of 01, resulted in NC constructing a terminal groin to prevent the highway from being severed from the south side of the OI bridge. Construction of this structure provided a unique opportunity to monitor and assess project impacts which could be directly related to the twin jetties which are proposed for this site. The monitoring program included a directional wave gauge, aerial photography, and semi-annual sled-surveys extending 6 km north and south of the inlet. The terminal groin returned the shoreline to its pre-1986 position and has successfully protected the highway abutment to the bridge through many severe storms. This paper presents the results of 6 years of monitoring the morphologic changes. The results document how the coast has adjusted to the construction, a multi-year wave climate reversal, and placement of 1.5 million m3 of dredged material on the beach. The surveyed area generally lost material both on the up and downdrift sides, much of which apparently has been deposited in the inlet. The effect of these changes on the coast and the inlet's stability are discussed.
Effect of Tetraethylammonium Bromide on Adrenal Medulla

Summary1. Tetraethylammonium bromide blocks the release of epinephrine from the adrenal medulla.
Restoration of the primary immune response and prevention of wasting by pregnancy in neonatally thymectomized female rats.

Pregnancy restored the impaired immune capacity of neonatally thymectomized rats towards normalcy, as measured by the serum haemolysin response to sheep red blood cells (SRBC). Pregnancy also prevented the development of the wasting syndrome in these animals. The beneficial effect of one pregnancy lasted at least five months.
Pilot testing a predoctoral dental public health curriculum: reporting process and outcomes.

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to pilot test the predoctoral dental public health (DPH) curriculum developed by the American Association of Public Health Dentistry (AAPHD) in various US dental schools and dental hygiene programs. METHODS Following the Lewy's theoretical framework, we used all three curriculum tryout methods (laboratory tryout, pilot tryout, and field tryout) for the pilot testing process. Open-ended questions on the structure, presentation, and content of the curriculum were sent to faculty pilot testing the DPH curriculum to obtain critical feedback and comments. RESULTS Between Summer 2013 and Spring 2015, the curriculum was pilot tested in nine dental schools and seven dental hygiene programs with over 1,300 students. The majority of the comments from the faculty were favorable. Positive comments about the structure of the curriculum focused on the well-organized nature of the curriculum, the value of the instructor guide and speaker notes, rubrics, and the flow of the presentations. In terms of the content, faculty commented on the wide range of public health issues covered and the clarity of course and lecture objectives. Negative comments dealt with the level of detail, some confusing assignments, and outdated data. Problems identified in pilot testing were corrected in the final DPH curriculum. CONCLUSIONS The curriculum was successfully utilized in varied formats and well received. Through AAPHD, this standardized DPH core curriculum is now available for widespread use at dental schools and dental hygiene programs.
List-coloring and sum-list-coloring problems on graphs

Graph coloring is a well-known and well-studied area of graph theory that has many applications. In this dissertation, we look at two generalizations of graph coloring known as list-coloring and sum-list-coloring. In both of these types of colorings, one seeks to first assign palettes of colors to vertices and then choose a color from the corresponding palette for each vertex so that a proper coloring is obtained. A celebrated result of Thomassen states that every planar graph can be properly colored from any arbitrarily assigned palettes of five colors. This result is known as 5-list-colorability of planar graphs. Albertson asked whether Thomassen’s theorem can be extended by precoloring some vertices which are at a large enough distance apart. Hutchinson asked whether Thomassen’s theorem can be extended by allowing certain vertices to have palettes of size less than five assigned to them. In this dissertation, we explore both of these questions and answer them in the affirmative for various classes of graphs. We also provide a catalog of small configurations with palettes of different prescribed sizes and determine whether or not they can always be colored from palettes of such sizes. These small configurations can be useful in reducing certain planar graphs to obtain more information about their structure. Additionally, we look at the newer notion of sum-list-coloring where the sum choice number χSC is the parameter of interest. In sum-list-coloring, we seek to minimize the sum of varying sizes of palettes of colors assigned the vertices of a graph. We compute χSC for all graphs on at most five vertices, present some general results about sum-list-coloring, and determine χSC for certain graphs made up of cycles.
Lysis of Intraventricular Blood Clot with Urokinase in a Canine Model: Part 2

It was determined from in vitro experiments that the minimal dose of urokinase required to lyse 10 ml of clotted canine blood within a closed space must exceed 10,000 IU. We empirically doubled this minimum effective dose and tested the in vivo safety of injecting 20,000 IU of urokinase every 12 hours for 4 days into the ventricles of six adult mongrel dogs through an implanted catheter-reservoir system. The animals were monitored carefully for local and systemic bleeding by neurological and clinical examination, hematological tests reflecting systemic fibrinolytic status, serial computed tomography, and postmortem histological examinations of the brain, meninges, and peripheral organs. It was found that this intraventricular dose regimen of urokinase did not cause intracranial hemorrhage even though the dogs had recent brain wounds related to transcerebral ventricular catheterization. Mild activation of systemic fibrinolysis, implying passage of the enzyme from ventricle to blood, occurred 4 to 6 hours after each intraventricular injection, but no systemic hemorrhages were seen. This dose regimen also did not cause acute or chronic inflammatory changes in the brain or meninges and did not disturb cerebrospinal fluid circulation.
Data mining differential clinical outcomes associated with drug regimens using adverse event reporting data

Data mining differential clinical outcomes associated with drug regimens using adverse event reporting data
Vesicle Docking Is a Key Target of Local PI(4,5)P2 Metabolism in the Secretory Pathway of INS-1 Cells

Summary Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PI(4,5)P 2 ) signaling is transient and spatially confined in live cells. How this pattern of signaling regulates transmitter release and hormone secretion has not been addressed. We devised an optogenetic approach to control PI(4,5)P 2 levels in time and space in insulin-secreting cells. Combining this approach with total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy, we examined individual vesicle-trafficking steps. Unlike long-term PI(4,5)P 2 perturbations, rapid and cell-wide PI(4,5)P 2 reduction in the plasma membrane (PM) strongly inhibits secretion and intracellular Ca 2+ concentration ([Ca 2+ ] i ) responses, but not sytaxin1a clustering. Interestingly, local PI(4,5)P 2 reduction selectively at vesicle docking sites causes remarkable vesicle undocking from the PM without affecting [Ca 2+ ] i . These results highlight a key role of local PI(4,5)P 2 in vesicle tethering and docking, coordinated with its role in priming and fusion. Thus, different spatiotemporal PI(4,5)P 2 signaling regulates distinct steps of vesicle trafficking, and vesicle docking may be a key target of local PI(4,5)P 2 signaling in vivo.
Producing a Global Elite? The Endurance of the National in Elite American and British Universities

This chapter compares the views of personnel at two elite global universities in America and Britain concerning student admissions, educational aims, and their institutions’ linkages with national society. Although these elite universities have together been seen as a breeding ground for the new global elite class, cultural and organizational differences between them suggest that they cannot be treated as forming a single, undifferentiated global elite educational pathway. Instead, the national endures in them as both a source of cultural variation and a political tether, which likely shapes the way that students move through and experience them. This has implications for whether the emerging global elite class can accurately be conceived as a denationalized social formation.
Psycognia: The Development of a Passive Gaming Environment for Use in Undergraduate Psychology Classes:

Research has shown that games are able to engender educational settings that better the process of learning and enhance the execution and achievement of tasks. These studies, however, have only used games with automatic, responsive interfaces, or active games. Although effective, these video games necessitate the expenditure of human, physical, and monetary resources, and are, therefore, not inclusive of all populations. Alternatively, passive games are structured around the same principles as active games, but do not require programmed platforms. This study presents the theoretical design, development and implications of a passive game that is to be used in undergraduate psychology classes.
THE KINETICS OF PENETRATION : I. EQUATIONS FOR THE ENTRANCE OF ELECTROLYTES

On page 267, Vol. 13, No. 2, November 20, 1929, the bottom line should read See PDF for Equation On page 275, the fifth line should read where PM + PAK = 1 this becomes See PDF for Equation
Improving diagnosis in healthcare: Local versus national adoption of recommended guidelines for the clinical breast examination.

Abstract Background This study explores the long-term effectiveness of a newly developed clinical skills curriculum. Methods Students (N = 40) were exposed to a newly developed, simulation-based, clinical breast exam (CBE) curriculum. The same students returned one year later to perform the CBE and were compared to a convenience sample of medical students (N = 15) attending a national conferences. All students were given a clinical vignette and performed the CBE. CBE techniques were video recorded. Chi-squared tests were used to assess differences in CBE technique. Results Students exposed to a structured curriculum performed physical examination techniques more consistent with national guidelines than the random, national student sample. Structured curriculum students were more organized, likely to use two hands, a linear search pattern, and include the nipple-areolar complex during the CBE compared to national sample (p Conclusions Students exposed to a structured skills curriculum more consistently performed the CBE according to national guidelines. The variability in technique compared with the national sample of students calls for major improvements in adoption and implementation of structured skills curricula.
An online spatio-temporal model for inference and predictions of taxi demand

Rapid urbanization process has worsened the urban transportation problems such as severe traffic congestion and accidents, and caused significant public safety concerns. The analysis of massive traffic trajectory data is imperative in public transportation surveillance and intelligent transportation. In this work, we analyze taxi calls using the New York City Yellow Cab taxi data in 2015 and propose a Bayesian hierarchical semiparametric model to predict future demands based on the current data. In our hierarchical model, we combine the Dirichlet process and particle filters for the spatio-temporal data analysis. We first partition the region and then employ the space-time model using a stick-breaking construction of the Dirichlet process. Prediction of future demands is carried out using both linear and nonlinear filters. We utilize the cloud computing environment and implement our statistical analysis on a c3.8xlarge Ubuntu Amazon EC2 instance. Finally, we compare the prediction results with those from a Dirichlet process mixture model for the New York City taxi dataset. Our models show advantages in prediction accuracy and computational performance.
"Left of Splash" Legal Issues Related to the Use of Force to Counter Mining in the Strait of Hormuz

Since late 2011, Iranian officials on more than one occasion have suggested that Iran would consider “closing” the Strait of Hormuz (SOH) in response to economic sanctions or an attack on its nuclear facilities. Moreover, many experts believe that in the event of an armed conflict, naval mining would likely be part of an Iranian anti-access, area denial (A2AD) strategy. As a result, policy makers and military commanders must consider options required to maintain freedom of navigation (FON) through this vital chokepoint. A thorough understanding of the legal issues related to mining is essential to formulating courses of action that will be perceived as legitimate. This article addresses the most significant legal issues and reaches three conclusions for consideration by decision makers during course of action development. Firstly, nations can lawfully conduct intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR); maintain a “fires” presence; and conduct mine warfare information-gathering activities in the SOH during peacetime. Secondly, nations may use proportionate force against assets about to mine, or in the act of mining, the SOH either in self-defense or to ensure the freedom of maritime commerce depending on the circumstances. Lastly, nations may use proportionate force in self-defense to protect assets engaged in mine hunting and sweeping, to possibly include attacking targets ashore that represent an imminent threat to the MCM forces.
ANALYSIS OF HEXAMER AND PENTAMER MOTIFS WITHIN A MAIZE DATABASE : THE PRESENCE OF MOTIF 'SIGNATURES' IN FUNCTIONAL GENE CATEGORIES

Several transposable elements (TEs) have been reported in association with genes in maize and other plants. In this study we found, based on statistical analyses of 951 DNA sequences within a maize computer database, that short hexamer and pentamer DNA motifs from the Activator (Ac) and from the Tourist TEs, respectively, were also associated with maize genes. Moreover, these two short hexamer and pentamer TE motifs were nonrandomly and nearly nonrandomly distributed, respectively, with respect to particular biochemical functions of those maize genes. To determine whether this distribution may be unique to TE motifs, or may be more widespread among hexamers/pentamers in general, we similarly studied six additional hexamer or pentamer sequences not derived from TEs. These also showed nonrandom distribution with respect to functional gene categories in the maize database. However, each of the total of eight short sequence motifs we studied differed in its pattern of association with distinct sets of functional gene categories; that is, there was a unique ‘signature’ for each of the hexamers and pentameters tested. Potential biological hypotheses to explain these findings are discussed.
Areal Variation and Statistical Correlation

Correlations introduced between pairs of otherwise statistically independent and uncorrelated variates by similarity in their areal map patterns can be evaluated by partitioning the observed variance-covariance matrices into a trend component and a residual. If the original variates are correlated and have areal trends as well, the problem becomes complicated for sedimentological studies in which only one sample can be taken at any given map point. The situation becomes even more complicated when initially open data are closed, as by taking percentages.
Effectiveness of Natuphos phytase in improving the bioavailabilities of phosphorus and other nutrients in soybean meal-based semipurified diets for young pigs.

Crossbred pigs (n = 96, BW = 7.5 kg) were used in a 5-wk trial to determine the effective- ness of supplemental Natuphos ® phytase in improving the bioavailabilities of P and other nutrients in a semipurified diet with soybean meal as the only P source in the basal diet. Two available P (aP) levels (.05 and .16%) and five phytase levels (0, 350, 700, 1,050, and 1,400 units/kg of diet) were used in a 2 × 5 factorial arrangement of treatments. In addition to the 10 diets, two extra diets were formulated to supply the recommended level of aP (.32%) with 0 and 1,400 units ( U ) of phytase/kg of diet. Graded levels of phytase resulted in linear increases in ADG ( P < .02), ADFI ( P < .01 at .16% aP only), and gain:feed ratio ( P < .03). Effects of adding phytase to the diet with .32% aP were observed only in the first 14 d of the study with increases in ADG ( P < .06) and gain:feed ( P < .02) for added phytase. Apparent digestibility (or absorption) coefficients (ADC) of DM, P, Ca, and N were estimated using chromic oxide as an indicator during wk 4 and 5. When phytase and P were added to the low P diet, the ADC of P was increased ( P < .01), but only small and variable changes in the ADC of DM, Ca, and N were observed. Fecal P excretion (grams per day) decreased as microbial phytase was added ( P < .01) and increased with added P ( P < .01). In comparison to the results with the .32% aP diet, fecal P excretion decreased 25 to 50% by the addition of phytase. The addition of phytase to the diet with .32% aP further improved ( P < .01) the ADC of P (54.5 vs 61.8%) and decreased ( P < .01) fecal P excretion (1.62 vs 1.38 g/d). Characteristics of 4th metacarpals and 10th ribs were consistently improved by increasing dietary levels of both phytase and P. On the basis of an assessment of R 2 values from second- order translog equations, ADG, ADFI, P apparent absorption, bone ash percentage, and bone shear force were sensitive indicators to evaluate phytase efficacy of P availability in diets. Phosphorus equivalency of microbial phytase was calculated by using response equations for ADG and apparent P absorption. The average function of the release of P (Y, grams per kilograms) by microbial phytase (X, units per kilo- gram of diet) was developed with aP levels of .05 and .16%: Y = 1.546 - 1.504e -.0015X. The replacement of 1 g of inorganic P would require about 676 U of microbial phytase. This represents 77% of released P from phytate.
Early maternal-newborn contact and positive birth experience

BACKGROUND In recent years, there has been increasing recognition of the importance of early maternal-newborn contact for the health and well-being of the newborn and promotion of breastfeeding. However, little research has investigated the association between early maternal-newborn contact and the mother's birth experience. METHODS As part of a large-scale prospective, cohort study (the First Baby Study [FBS]), nearly 3000 women who delivered in Pennsylvania (2009-2011) reported how soon after delivery they first saw, held, and fed their newborns. Birth experience was measured via telephone interview 1 month postpartum, using the FBS Birth Experience Scale, a 16-item scale which addresses women's feelings about the delivery. General linear models were used to measure associations between time to first maternal-newborn contact and birth experience, controlling for relevant confounders, including maternal age, race/ethnicity, insurance coverage, delivery mode, gestational age, and pregnancy and delivery complications. RESULTS The sooner that new mothers first saw, held, and fed their newborns after delivery the more positive their childbirth experiences (all P-values < 0.001). Women who delivered by cesarean were less likely to see, hold and feed their newborns shortly after delivery than those who delivered vaginally (all P-values < 0.001), and reported less positive birth experiences (P < 0.001). However, if they first saw, held, and fed their newborns shortly after delivery, they reported more positive birth experiences than those who delivered vaginally (P = 0.010). DISCUSSION Early maternal-newborn contact after delivery was associated with positive birth experiences for new mothers, particularly those who delivered by cesarean.
Long-term results of atrial maze surgery in patients with congenital heart disease.

Aims Recurrent atrial tachycardia is common after repair of many types of congenital heart disease, and surgical ablation with a maze procedure represents a potential treatment strategy. The objective of this study is to report a single-centre 19 years' experience with maze surgery in congenital heart patients. Methods and results Patients undergoing maze procedure concomitantly with cardiac surgical procedures were retrospectively analysed. The maze procedure was classified as therapeutic if the patient demonstrated preoperative atrial arrhythmias, or as prophylactic if done because the patient was considered high risk for post-operative arrhythmias. Acute outcomes and longer-term freedom from atrial arrhythmias were analysed. Maze surgery was performed in 166 patients: 137 in the therapeutic group, and 29 in the prophylactic group. The most common congenital heart lesion was single ventricle for the therapeutic group (27%) and Ebstein's anomaly for the prophylactic group (76%). Surgery consisted of a right atrial maze in 63%, left atrial maze in 4%, and bilateral maze in 33%. There were no direct complications or mortality related to the maze procedure itself. For the therapeutic group, freedom from arrhythmias was 82% and 67% at 1 and 5 years post-maze. Younger age at the time of surgery correlated with a lower long-term recurrence risk. Conclusion Maze procedure at the time of an elective anatomic surgery is reasonably effective to prevent and treat atrial arrhythmias in patients with congenital heart disease at short- and mid-term, with low morbidity and mortality.
The Dynamics of Chinese Expansion in the South China Sea

China is trying to increase its sphere of influence in the South China Sea. Expanded trade with countries in the region through special trade agreements helps China secure sources of commodities and supplies. China has established financial institutions, such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and opened the way for greater use of the yuan in settlement of trade. Claims on certain islands in the South China Sea have other countries on high alert and work counter to trade offensive. Diplomatic solutions are called for to keep the area stable. Suggestions of conflict resolution are part of a possible settlement.
Psychotropic-Induced Priapism in a Treatment-Refractory Patient: A Case Report:

Purpose:A case report of multiple episodes of priapism associated with the use of 4 different psychotropic medications.Summary:A 34-year-old African American male with treatment-refractory schizoaf...
Beliefs-dependent utilities do influence firm-specific wealth (executives’ inside equity holdings)

Abstract This paper studies how beliefs-dependent risk aversion and information align with firm-specific wealth, “executives’ inside equity holdings.” It primarily uses the information risk premium (IRP), defined as the product of the volatility component, which is calculated by the information factor (e.g. consumption, dividends, and macroeconomic variables) and the market price of risk. The results conclude that IRP is 76 % inversely correlated with firm-specific wealth that explains how individuals govern their investment decisions based on beliefs beyond company and market investment analysis reports, explicitly, both during and after the 2007–2009 financial crisis. The results suggest that the financial market must recognize the importance of psychological forces in financial evaluations.
Core Elements of Shared Decision-making for Women Considering Breast Cancer Screening: Results of a Modified Delphi Survey

The United States Preventive Services Task Force recommends individualized breast cancer screening for average-risk women before age 50, advised by risk assessment and shared decision-making (SDM). However, the foundational principles of this recommendation that would inform decision support tools for patients and primary care physicians at the point of care have not been codified. Determining the core elements of SDM for breast cancer screening as valued by patients and primary care providers (PCPs) is necessary for implementing effective SDM tools. The aim of this study is to affirm core elements of SDM in the context of clinical interactions, through a Delphi consensus process. A Delphi was conducted with 30 participants (10 women aged 40–49, 10 PCPs, and 10 healthcare decision scientists), to codify core elements of breast cancer screening SDM. The criterion for establishing consensus was a threshold of 80% agreement. The Delphi concluded with an 83% response rate. Of 48 items fielded, 44 met the threshold on the high-importance end of the response scale and were accepted as core elements. Core elements across three thematic categories—information delivery and patient education, interpersonal clinician-patient communication, and framework of the decision—received panelists’ support in nearly equal measure. Panelists unanimously agreed that SDM should include provision of clearly understandable information, including that of personal breast cancer risk factors, and benefits and harms of mammography screening, and that PCPs should convey they are listening, knowledgeable, and demonstrate cultural sensitivity. This research codifies the core elements of SDM for mammography in women 40–49, augmenting the evidence to inform discussions between patients and physicians. These core elements of SDM have the potential to operationalize SDM for breast cancer screening in an effort to improve public health outcomes.
From "Coffin Dodger" to "Boomer Remover:" Outbreaks of Ageism in Three Countries with Divergent Approaches to Coronavirus Control.

Objectives This article compares responses to coronavirus control in Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, 3 countries in which public ageism erupted over the social and economic costs of protecting older adults from Covid-19. Methods Thirty-five (35) newspapers, media websites, and current affairs magazines were sourced for the study: 8 for Australia, 12 for the United Kingdom, and 15 for the United States. Searches were conducted daily from April to June 2020, using key words to identify age-related themes on pandemic control. Results Despite divergent policies in the 3 countries, ageism took similar forms. Public responses to lockdowns and other measures cast older adults as a problem to be ignored or solved through segregation. Name-calling, blame, and "so-be-it" reactions toward age vulnerability were commonplace. Policies banning visits to aged care homes angered many relatives and older adults. Indefinite isolation for older adults was widely accepted, especially as a vehicle to end public lockdowns and economic crises. Discussion Older adults have and will continue to bear the brunt of Covid-19 in terms of social burdens and body counts as the pandemic continues to affect people around the globe. The rhetoric of disposability underscores age discrimination on a broader scale, with blame toward an age cohort considered to have lived past its usefulness for society and to have enriched itself at the expense of future generations.
The Stanford acute heart failure symptom score for patients hospitalized with heart failure.

BACKGROUND Currently, there are no simple tools to evaluate the acute heart failure (HF) symptom severity in children hospitalized with acute decompensated HF (ADHF). We sought to develop an inpatient HF score (HFS) that could be used as a clinical tool and for clinical trials. METHODS Pediatric HF clinicians at Stanford reviewed the limitations of existing HFSs, which include lack of calibration to the inpatient setting, omission of gastrointestinal symptoms, need for multiple age-based tools, and scores that prioritize treatment intensity over patient symptoms. To address these, we developed an acute HFS corresponding to the 3 cardinal symptoms of HF: difficulty with breathing, feeding, and activity. The score was iteratively improved over a 3-year pilot phase until no further changes were made. The inter-rater reliability (IRR) across a range of providers was assessed using the final version. Peak HFSs were analyzed against mortality and length of stay (LOS) for all pediatric HF discharges between July and October 2019. RESULTS The final HFS was a 4-point ordinal severity score for each of the 3 symptom domains (total score 0-12). Among clinicians who scored 12 inpatients with ADHF simultaneously, the intraclass correlation (ICC) was 0.94 (respiratory ICC = 0.89, feeding ICC = 0.85, and activity ICC = 0.80). Score trajectory reflected our clinical impression of patient response to HF therapies across a range of HF syndromes including 1- and 2-ventricle heart disease and reduced or preserved ejection fraction. Among the 28 patients hospitalized during a 3-months period (N = 28), quartiles of peak score were associated with LOS (p < 0.01) and in-hospital mortality (p < 0.01): HFS 0 to 3 (median LOS of 5 days and mortality of 0%), HFS 4 to 6 (median LOS of 18 days and mortality of 0%), HFS 5 to 9 (median LOS of 29 days and mortality of 23%), and HFS 10 to 12 (median LOS of 121 days and mortality of 50%). CONCLUSION This simple acute HFS may be a useful tool to quantify and monitor day-to-day HF symptoms in children hospitalized with ADHF regardless of etiology or age group. The score has excellent IRR across provider levels and is associated with major hospital outcomes supporting its clinical validity. Validation in a multicenter cohort is warranted.
Community-Engaged Approaches for Minority Recruitment Into Clinical Research: A Scoping Review of the Literature

Underrepresentation of racial and ethnic minority populations in clinical research persists in the United States, highlighting the unmet ideals of generalizability and equity of research findings and products. Previous systematic reviews exploring various facets of this phenomenon concluded that community engagement with minority groups may effectively promote recruitment and retention, but the ways in which community-engaged approaches have been used for recruitment have not been examined. We performed a scoping review of the literature to identify studies of community-engaged recruitment processes. The search resulted in 2842 articles, of which 66 met inclusion criteria. These articles demonstrated a relatively large literature base of descriptive studies conveying details of community engagement approaches to enhance recruitment of minority research participants. We summarize key aspects of current practices across the spectrum of community engagement. A gap in the literature is the relative lack of the comparative studies among different engagement strategies.
Do paleontologists dream of electric dinosaurs? Investigating the presumed inefficiency of dinosaurs contact incubating partially buried eggs

Troodon formosus, a theropod from the Late Cretaceous, is one of the few species of dinosaurs with multiple nest sites uncovered. It has been consistently demonstrated that eggs within these nests would have been partially buried in life—an exceedingly rare state in modern vertebrates. There has been debate over Troodon's capacity to engage in thermoregulatory contact incubation, especially regarding an adult's ability to efficiently supply partially buried eggs with energy. An actualistic investigation was undertaken to determine the thermodynamic efficiency of contact incubating partially buried eggs. An efficient system would keep eggs at temperatures closer to the surrogate parent than the ambient, without prohibitively high energy input. For the experiment, a surrogate dinosaur was created and used in both indoor controlled ambient temperature trials and in an outdoor variant. Even with ambient temperatures that were likely cooler than Cretaceous averages, the results showed that contact incubating partially buried eggs did seem to confer an energetic advantage; egg temperatures remained closer to the surrogate than ambient in both indoor and outdoor tests. Still, critics of contact incubating partially buried eggs are correct in that there is a depth at which adult energy would fail to make much of an impact—perhaps more relevant to buried eggs, as partially buried eggs would be in contact with an adult and likely above the thermal input threshold. Additionally, results from this experiment provide evidence for a possible evolutionary path from guarding behavior to thermoregulatory contact incubation.
No Good Deed Goes Unpunished: Charitable Contributions and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act

The area of charitable contributions under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act ('FCPA') is an ambiguous area of law where liability for companies can be enormous. This article examines the challenges companies face under the FCPA when making charitable contributions. It provides an in-depth analysis of the Schering-Plough case, which illustrates how the Securities and Exchange Commission ('SEC') applies the record-keeping provisions of the FCPA in a situation of charitable giving; it examines Department of Justice ('DOJ') FCPA Review Opinion Procedure Releases that provide guidance on when companies’ charitable contributions will violate the anti-bribery provisions of the FCPA; it discusses the effect of 'compelled giving' laws, which require that foreign companies must agree to invest an established percentage of the profits from each contract into the community in which it operates; and it provides hypothetical situations illustrating the broad array of problems arising under the FCPA for companies making charitable contributions.The article also looks at corporate social responsibility ('CSR') in the context of FCPA enforcement. It provides hypothetical situations illustrating companies’ use of CSR to disguise acts of bribery and examines any 'chilling effect' that the FCPA has on companies’ charitable giving. This discussion is especially timely in light of the natural disasters in Haiti in 2010 and Japan in 2011. Most companies do not view charitable contributions as an area of risk in their respective FCPA and anti-corruption compliance programs. The article proposes a model FCPA compliance program for charitable contributions, including the creation of a Charitable Contributions Compliance Committee, and presents a roadmap for the due diligence required to minimize liability under the FCPA when making charitable contributions.
Incidence of Electrographic Seizures in Patients With COVID-19

Critical illness and sepsis are commonly associated with subclinical seizures. COVID-19 frequently causes severe critical illness, but the incidence of electrographic seizures in patients with COVID-19 has been reported to be low. This retrospective case series assessed the incidence of and risks for electrographic seizures in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 who underwent continuous video electroencephalography monitoring (cvEEG) between March 1st, 2020 and June 30th, 2020. One hundred and twenty-two patients were initially identified who resulted SARS-CoV-2 nasopharyngeal RT-PCR swab positivity with any electroencephalography order placed in the EMR. Seventy-nine patients met study inclusion criteria: age ≥18 years, >1 h of cvEEG monitoring, and positive SARS-CoV-2 nasopharyngeal swab PCR. Six (8%) of the 79 patients suffered electrographic seizures (ES), three of whom suffered non-convulsive status epilepticus. Acute hyperkinetic movements were the most common reason for cvEEG in patients with ES (84%). None of the patients undergoing cvEEG for persistent coma (29% of all patients) had ES. Focal slowing (67 vs. 10%), sporadic interictal epileptiform discharges (EDs; 33 vs. 6%), and periodic/rhythmic EDs (67 vs. 1%) were proportionally more frequent among patients with electrographic seizures than those without these seizures. While 15% of patients without ES had generalized periodic discharges (GPDs) with triphasic morphology on EEG, none of the patients with ES had this pattern. Further study is required to assess the predictive values of these risk factors on electrographic seizure incidence and subsequent outcomes.
Infinite server queues in a random fast oscillatory environment

In this paper, we consider a $$\text {Cox}/G_t/\infty $$ infinite server queueing model in a random environment. More specifically, the arrival rate in our server is modeled as a highly fluctuating stochastic process, which arguably takes into account some small timescale variations often observed in practice. We prove a homogenization property for this system, which yields an approximation by an $$M_t/G_t/\infty $$ queue with some effective parameters. Our limiting results include the description of the number of active servers, the total accumulated input and the solution of the storage equation. Hence, in the fast oscillatory context under consideration, we show how the queuing system in a random environment can be approximated by a more classical Markovian system.
Complications of the Transmasseteric Anteroparotid Approach for Subcondylar Fractures: A Retrospective Study:

Study Design:A retrospective analysis of patients with subcondylar fractures treated via a transmasseteric anteroparotid approach by the Oral and Maxillofacial Department at the University of Oklah...
Sparse Recovery Of Imaging Transcriptomics Data

Imaging transcriptomics (IT) techniques enable characterization of gene expression in cells in their native context by imaging barcoded mRNA probes with single molecule resolution. However, the need to acquire many rounds of high-magnification imaging data limits the throughput and impact of existing methods. We propose an algorithm for decoding lower magnification IT data than that used in standard experimental workflows. Our approach, Joint Sparse method for Imaging Transcriptomics (JSIT), incorporates codebook knowledge and sparsity assumptions into an optimization problem. Using simulated low-magnification data, we demonstrate that JSIT enables improved throughput and recovery performance over standard decoding methods.