cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ryanodine receptor sensitivity governs the stability and synchrony of local calcium release during cardiac excitation-contraction coupling.

Abstract Calcium-induced calcium release is the principal mechanism that triggers the cell-wide [Ca2 +]i transient that activates muscle contraction during cardiac excitation-contraction coupling (ECC). Here, we characterize this process in mouse cardiac myocytes with a novel mathematical action potential (AP) model that incorporates realistic stochastic gating of voltage-dependent L-type calcium (Ca2 +) channels (LCCs) and sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2 + release channels (the ryanodine receptors, RyR2s). Depolarization of the sarcolemma during an AP stochastically activates the LCCs elevating subspace [Ca2 +] within each of the cell's 20,000 independent calcium release units (CRUs) to trigger local RyR2 opening and initiate Ca2 + sparks, the fundamental unit of triggered Ca2 + release. Synchronization of Ca2 + sparks during systole depends on the nearly uniform cellular activation of LCCs and the likelihood of local LCC openings triggering local Ca2 + sparks (ECC fidelity). The detailed design and true SR Ca2 + pump/leak balance displayed by our model permits investigation of ECC fidelity and Ca2 + spark fidelity, the balance between visible (Ca2 + spark) and invisible (Ca2 + quark/sub-spark) SR Ca2 + release events. Excess SR Ca2 + leak is examined as a disease mechanism in the context of “catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT)”, a Ca2 +-dependent arrhythmia. We find that that RyR2s (and therefore Ca2 + sparks) are relatively insensitive to LCC openings across a wide range of membrane potentials; and that key differences exist between Ca2 + sparks evoked during quiescence, diastole, and systole. The enhanced RyR2 [Ca2 +]i sensitivity during CPVT leads to increased Ca2 + spark fidelity resulting in asynchronous systolic Ca2 + spark activity. It also produces increased diastolic SR Ca2 + leak with some prolonged Ca2 + sparks that at times become “metastable” and fail to efficiently terminate. There is a huge margin of safety for stable Ca2 + handling within the cell and this novel mechanistic model provides insight into the molecular signaling characteristics that help maintain overall Ca2 + stability even under the conditions of high SR Ca2 + leak during CPVT. Finally, this model should provide tools for investigators to examine normal and pathological Ca2 + signaling characteristics in the heart.
Initiating Narrow-band UVB for the Treatment of Psoriasis

Narrow-band UVB is effective for the treatment of psoriasis. 3,8,10 The numerous protocols available in the literature may make it challenging for a practitioner, wishing to initiate narrow-band therapy, to choose the appropriate protocol. This article is a review of the literature on narrow-band UVB protocols and a guide to initiate therapy. To commence therapy, a protocol that best suits the practi- tioner's expertise level and the type of staff the practitioner has is chosen. The two main types of narrow-band protocols presented in this review are the Skin Type and MED (minimal erythema dose) protocols. MED and skin type testing to determine the dose of narrow-band UVB to begin treatment are detailed in a step-by-step process. Subsequent treatment doses are based on the skin's response to the previous treatment. 11 Further adjustments in light dose can accommodate missed treatments. Narrow-band light treatments are continued until psoriasis clears or almost clears, followed by tapering maintenance treatments. The goals of therapy are to establish and maintain control over psoriatic flares, and to balance the risks and benefits of narrow-band treatment. Narrow-band ultraviolet B (NB-UVB) was introduced in 1976 and has been widely used for psoriasis, especially in Europe and Australia. It became available in the United States in 1996. NB- UVB emits a wavelength between 311-313 nm, which is most phototherapeutic for the clearance of psoriasis. NB-UVB has been shown to be more effective than broad-band ultraviolet B (BB-UVB) 1,2,3 and almost as effective as PUVA for the treatment of psoriasis, but with a shorter remission time, and possibly with a lower risk of skin cancer. 4,5,6 No standardized protocol has yet
Manipulation of microorganisms with optically induced gratings and photovoltaic pulses

We will describe two different methods of optical manipulation of biological organisms, which are based on photoinduced phenomena, developed and originally tested in unanimated photosensitive materials [1].
A Parallel Object-Oriented DSMC Method for Blast Impact Simulations

A parallel, object oriented Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) solver is developed to study the impact of blast waves on arbitrary-shaped bodies. A very natural choice of classes is adopted to design the solver. A 3-D domain decomposition is used to parallalise the code. The Message Passing Interface (MPI) library is used to perform interprocessor communications. Preliminary results of two simulations using the parallel solver are presented. A test case to validate the solid boundary condition on the solid bodies is successfuly tested. A significant speedup is observed for three sample problems tested for parallel performance.
Some Aspects of the Arguments against Grade Labeling

G RADE labeling is not particularly new. It dates back at least to the 1920's. Moreover, it has had increasing acceptance. It made headlines in 1943 when OPA proposed to require it as a means of facilitating price control. In the discussion which followed, however, the fundamental nature and purpose of grade labeling have, it seems to us, all but disappeared in a fog of misunderstanding. We make the following statements in an attempt to set forth the reasoning of at least two persons long familiar with many aspects of marketing, intimately in touch with the operations of numerous marketing agencies, and familiar with consumer problems. We are assuming that adoption of compulsory grade labeling as a wartime measure has been set aside and that the points we are making will merely help clarify the thinking on this controversial subject. Although much of the controversy has centered about canned foods, and although many of our examples are drawn from this field, we believe that the following explanation is applicable to other consumer goods as well. We think of grade labeling as a system of labeling consumers' goods according to grade. By grade we mean broad quality groups based on definite standards. These groups should be named in terms which give consumers a clear idea of their relative desirability. The letters
Creative Solutions to Cassini's Testing Challenges

*The Cassini-Huygens Program is a joint effort between European Space Agency (ESA), which delivered the Huygens probe, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), which delivered the Cassini spacecraft. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) manages the Cassini spacecraft for NASA. Cassini’s primary mission is to survey the complex Saturnian system and release the ESA-Huygens probe at Titan. The Cassini Integrated Test Lab (ITL) at JPL is a high-fidelity hardware in the loop simulation. It uses Attitude and Articulation Control Subsystem (AACS) and Command and Data Subsystem (CDS) flight hardware, as well as high-fidelity simulations of the other spacecraft subsystems and signals. Used for a variety of purposes, including training the flight crew, the ITL's main objective is to validate and verify sequences, Flight Software, and mission critical events. With flight AACS hardware and software, crafty solutions to vector propagation and time jumping were necessary. During Cassini's seven-year cruise, innovative solutions were also found to standardize fault testing of critical sequences. This paper will highlight those solutions.
Analysis of Dietary Habits of Adolescents Living in City of Anhui Province

Objective To understand the dietary habits of Adolescents in Anhui Province and provide a scientific basis for the development of interventions.MethodsThree cities at high,moderate and low economic level were selected in Anhui and 10840 students from the cities were randomly interviewed by the "Chinese youth health-related behavior questionnaire".Their dietary behavior(have soft drinks,dessert,fried food,street vendors,fast-food restaurants,fresh fruits,monophagia,and so on) were asked,descriptive analysis and significant chi-square test were conducted.ResultsThe report rates of unhealthy diet behavior included having soft drinks(13.7%),dessert(24.0%),fried food(13.8%),and eating at street vendors frequently(three times or more every week)(16.1%) were higher than others.Monophagia happened on 40.4% of the respondents.Low report rates was found in the behavior included having fresh fuirts(43.4%),vegetables(71.1%),breakfast(64.5%),milk(38.8%) everyday.The report rates of never had the fresh fuirts,vegetables,breakfast,milk in the past seven days were 24.1%,6.3% and 16.4% respectively.6.9% of the respondents ate very little breakfast or not everyday.The report rates of unhealthy diet behavior belonged to students in single-parent families,inter-generational families and lodged were higher than those in nuclear family,extended family and non-lodged.Only 53.0% of the respondents took exercise approach to weight loss or weight control.ConclusionUnhealthy dietary behavior prevailed among youngsters in Anhui cities,health educations should be carried out for young people according to "China's food guide" recommended by Chinese nutrtion society and rational nutrition from balanced diets deserves recommendation.
Aorto-iliac reconstruction.

Chronic aorto-iliac disease is manifested by progressive claudication, ischemic pain, ulceration, or gangrene. In properly selected patients good results have been obtained with aorto-iliac reconstruction by endarterectomy or bypass grafting with Dacron prostheses.
Effect of phenotypic expression of Brahman breeding on marbling and tenderness traits.

Steers with known proportions of Brahman and Hereford breeding (80 quarter-bloods, 25% Brahman x 75% Hereford and 79 half-bloods, 50% Brahman x 50% Hereford) were used to determine the effect of phenotype on marbling and beef tenderness characteristics. Three experienced evaluators independently classified each live steer according to estimated proportion of Brahman breeding based on phenotypic evidence of Brahman breed characteristics. The steers were slaughtered, their carcasses were graded, and a carcass. Samples of longissimus muscle were obtained for measurement of 24-h calpastatin activity, sensory panel evaluation, and Warner-Bratzler shear (WBS) force measurements. Paired steaks were aged (6 and 18 d postmortem) and palatability determinations were completed. Estimates of live animal phenotype ranged from 0/16 to 9/16 for quarter-blood Brahman steers and from 1/14 to 13/16 for half-blood Brahman steers. Neither live animal phenotype nor carcass hump height was correlated with marbling score. Live animal phenotype was correlated (P < .01) with taste panel tenderness ratings (rd6 = -.36; rd18 = .36) and shear force values (rd6 = .36; rd18 = .30). Moreover, carcass hump height exhibited low, negative correlations (P < .05) with panel tenderness scores (rd6 = -.16; rd18 = -.28) and low, positive correlations (P < .10) with shear force (rd6 = .13; rd18 = .16). Steaks from steers classified as more than 3/8 Brahman were tougher (P < .05) than steaks from steers classified as 3/8 or less Brahman. Steaks from carcasses with hump height measurements of 7.60 cm or greater had lower panel tenderness ratings and higher WBS values (P < .05) than steaks from carcasses with hump heights less than 6.35 cm. Quarter-blood and half-blood Brahman steers that were similar in phenotype produced steaks that were similar in tenderness. Results of this study suggest that as phenotypic evidence of Brahman breeding increases the tenderness of cooked steaks from Brahman crossbred steers decreases.
The origin of fuels in nature

This chapter introduces the concept that the principal hydrocarbon fuels are are materials which originated in nature from once-living organisms. The accumulation of organic matter in the natural environment and the types of compounds which are the precursors to fuels are discussed.
Measuring Generation Y Consumers’ Perceptions of Green Practices at Starbucks: An IPA analysis

Following the trend of sustainability, many organizations in the restaurant industry have considered this movement as an opportunity and have started to “go green.” In this study, we analyzed Starbucks, the American global coffeehouse chain. Through an importance-performance analysis, we investigated the gap between the importance assigned by customers to a set of green practices that can be implemented by restaurants and their perception of Starbucks’ performance. The results suggest that, by making some green practices visible to their customers, Starbucks is creating the perception that the company is performing well in several other “green” areas.
Racial and gender differences in susceptibility to tobacco smoke among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Respir Med 2005; published online ahead of print on 15 October 2005 as doi:10.1016/j.rmed.2005.09.019

Background Although chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has been considered a disease of Caucasian men, recent data show mortality rising faster among women and African-Americans. Some have suggested these groups are more susceptible to tobacco smoke. We examined this issue in our own population of COPD patients. Methods Beginning in March 2003 we prospectively developed a COPD research database to facilitate recruitment for clinical trials. Enrollees are recruited from clinics and paid advertising and their demographics, medical/smoking histories, and spirometric data are recorded. We examined the smoking histories and pulmonary function of enrollees over 45, with ⩾20 pack-years of smoking, FEV1/FVC (forced expiratory volume forced vital capacity) <0.70, and a race-adjusted post-bronchodilator FEV1<80%. The primary outcome was the loss of lung function per pack-year smoked, or Susceptibility Index (SI), calculated using the formula: (% predicted FEV1−100)/pack-years. Results A total of 585 patients enrolled during the study period and 330 met our inclusion criteria. Caucasians were older than African-Americans (63 vs. 58, P=0.0003P=0.0003) and had more pack-years of smoking (57 vs. 43, P=0.0003P=0.0003). There were no differences in lung function or bronchodilator reversibility among the racial or gender subgroups. Caucasians had less loss of lung function per pack-year smoked than African-Americans (SI=−1.02% vs. −1.34%, P=0.007P=0.007) and men less than women (SI=−0.98% vs. −1.21%, P=0.001P=0.001). Caucasian males appeared relatively protected from tobacco smoke (SI=−0.93%), while African-American women appeared most susceptible (SI=−1.42%). Conclusions There are important differences in racial and gender susceptibility to tobacco smoke among patients with COPD. African-American females appear to be at highest risk and may benefit most from smoking cessation.
IGO Relations in the Anti-corruption Realm and in Promoting Integrity in Public Procurement

This chapter focuses on relations among international governmental organizations (IGOs) involved in fighting corruption and promoting integrity in public procurement. It shows, first, why this topic is particularly relevant for understanding relations among IGOs. It then discusses the five approaches taken by approximately three dozen IGOs involved in the anti-corruption realm: adopting conventions, raising awareness, promoting domestic anti-corruption policies, investigating cases of corruption, and promoting integrity in public procurement. The chapter maps out the network of relations among IGOs combatting corruption. It concludes with a series of observations that are relevant for the broader study of relations among IGOs and offers some suggestions for future research on the topic.
Improved intra prediction method based on arbitrary reference tier coding schemes

This paper proposes arbitrary reference tier coding (ARTC) schemes to allow the intra directional modes to exploit farther reference tiers for intra prediction. The proposed ARTCs with four reference tiers are applied to a developing future video codec, Joint Exploration Test Model (JEM), under quad-tree (QT) and QT plus binary tree (QTBT) split structures respectively. A joint intra mode and reference tier decision (JMTD) encoding algorithm exclusive to the QTBT is further proposed to efficiently select the intra mode and reference tier. The simulation results show that the ARTC can improve up to 1.2% coding gain compared to the JEM, and the JMTD-based ARTC can reduce 40% encoding time without any coding gain drop compared to the ARTC under QTBT structure. Several analyses are also provided to show that 40–60% encoding time of the ARTC can be further saved with 0.28–0.31% BD-rate increase by disabling some new technologies.
Genetic testing impacts the utility of prospective familial screening in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy through identification of a nonfamilial subgroup.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is considered a hereditary autosomal dominant condition, but genetic testing is positive in only half of patients. In patients with negative genetic tests, the inheritance pattern and utility of family screening are unclear. Subjects with HCM were prospectively enrolled in a registry. A survey at a median follow-up of 4 years determined the yield of family screening. The outcome of cardiac screening on 267 family members was reported by 120 survey respondents. Subjects with positive genetic test or family history (n=74, 62%) reported an HCM diagnosis in 34 of 203 first-degree relatives who were screened (17%). Affected family members were diagnosed at a mean age of 30–39 years, and 22 of 34 experienced HCM-related adverse events (65%). Gene test–negative subjects with no prior family history of HCM (n=46, 38%) reported an HCM diagnosis in only 2 of 64 first-degree relatives who were screened (3%, p 40 years without HCM-related adverse events. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a heterogeneous disorder, only half of which tracks with a Mendelian inheritance pattern. Negative genetic testing and family history indicates a more complex genetic basis corresponding to low risk for family members.
Contraceptive Sterilization: Introducing A Couple Perspective to Examine Sociodemographic Differences in Use.

CONTEXT Most studies of contraceptive use have relied solely on the woman's perspective, but because men's attitudes and preferences are also important, analytic approaches based on couples should also be explored. METHODS Data from the 2006–2010 and 2011–2013 rounds of the National Survey of Family Growth yielded a sample of 4,591 men and women who were married or cohabiting with an opposite-sex partner and who had completed their intended childbearing. Respondents’ reports of both their own and their partners’ characteristics and behaviors were employed in two sets of analyses examining educational and racial and ethnic differences in contraceptive use: an individualistic approach (using multinomial logistic regression) and a couple approach (using multinomial logistic diagonal reference models). RESULTS In the full model using the individualistic approach, respondents with less than a high school education were less likely than those with at least a college degree to rely on male sterilization (odds ratios, 0.1–0.2) or a reversible method (0.4–0.5), as opposed to female sterilization. Parallel analyses limited to couples in which partners had the same educational levels (i.e., educationally homogamous couples) showed an even greater difference between those with the least and those with the most schooling (0.03 for male sterilization and 0.2 for a reversible method). When race and ethnicity, which had a much higher level of homogamy, were examined, the approaches yielded more similar results. CONCLUSIONS Research on contraceptive use can benefit from a couple approach, particularly when focusing on partners’ characteristics for which homogamy is relatively low.
Environmental and Economic Implications of Distributed Additive Manufacturing: The Case of Injection Mold Tooling

Summary Additive manufacturing (AM) holds great potentials in enabling superior engineering functionality, streamlining supply chains, and reducing life cycle impacts compared to conventional manufacturing (CM). This study estimates the net changes in supply-chain lead time, life cycle primary energy consumption, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and life cycle costs (LCC) associated with AM technologies for the case of injection molding, to shed light on the environmental and economic advantages of a shift from international or onshore CM to AM in the United States. A systems modeling framework is developed, with integrations of lead-time analysis, life cycle inventory analysis, LCC model, and scenarios considering design differences, supply-chain options, productions, maintenance, and AM technological developments. AM yields a reduction potential of 3% to 5% primary energy, 4% to 7% GHG emissions, 12% to 60% lead time, and 15% to 35% cost over 1 million cycles of the injection molding production depending on the AM technology advancement in future. The economic advantages indicate the significant role of AM technology in raising global manufacturing competitiveness of local producers, while the relatively small environmental benefits highlight the necessity of considering trade-offs and balance techniques between environmental and economic performances when AM is adopted in the tooling industry. The results also help pinpoint the technological innovations in AM that could lead to broader benefits in future.
First Wave Genome Wide Study In Ptsd: Genetic Overlap And Sex Differences In Heritability

Abstract The Psychiatric Genomics Consortium-Posttraumatic Stress Disorder group (PGC-PTSD) combined genome-wide case-control molecular genetic data across 11 multi-ethnic studies (19 GWAS - tiered meta analyses) to quantify PTSD heritability, to examine potential shared genetic risk with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder, and to identify risk loci for PTSD. In the first wave analysis we examined 20 730 individuals, and found a molecular genetics-based heritability estimate (h2SNP) for European American females of 29%, which is similar to h2SNP for schizophrenia and is substantially higher than h2SNP in European American males (estimate not distinguishable from zero). There was also strong evidence of overlapping genetic risk between PTSD and schizophrenia along with more modest evidence of overlap with bipolar and major depressive disorder. No SNPs exceeded genome-wide significance in the trans-ethnic (overall) meta-analysis, nor did we replicate previously reported associations from individual cohorts. However, SNP-level summary statistics afford the best-available molecular genetic index of PTSD – for both European and African American individuals – and can be used in polygenic risk prediction and genetic correlation studies of diverse phenotypes. Furthermore, unique data for approximately ten thousand African Americans contributes to the broader goal of increased ancestral diversity in genomic data resources. In sum, results demonstrate marked heritability for the development of PTSD in the aftermath of trauma exposure in women, shared genetic risk between PTSD and other psychiatric disorders, and highlight the importance of multi-ethnic/racial samples. As has been the case with schizophrenia and other complex genetic disorders, larger sample sizes are needed to identify specific risk loci.
Automated Lecture Services

Increasingly popular, lectures are given before a live audience, while simultaneously being viewed remotely and recorded for subsequent on-demand viewing over the Internet. Traditionally, it is very expensive to offer such services due to the high labor cost involved. In this chapter, we survey existing approaches for providing automated lecture services. In particular, we examine two major challenges in providing such services, namely, how to capture, analyze and render the lecture content automatically, and how to provide live/on-demand lecture viewing/browsing experience with an automated end-to-end system. The chapter is concluded by a list of future research directions, hoping to inspire even more work on this interesting and highly useful topic.
Individuals with Psychopathic Traits view Distracting Neutral Information as Negatively Valenced

Research has shown that psychopathic individuals ignore information that is outside their goal-directed focus of attention. When affective information is goal-irrelevant, ignoring it results in a blunted affective response for psychopathic individuals. In cognitive science, though, an interesting phenomenon named inhibitory devaluation occurs in the context of neutral information. When neutral information is not relevant to a goal, ignoring it actually results in individuals' evaluating the neutral information as negatively valenced. In a sample of adult male offenders (N = 82), we used a pattern localizer task to examine the relationship between inhibitory devaluation and psychopathy (using scores on the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised). Results indicated that individuals high on the interpersonal-affective traits of psychopathy displayed significantly greater inhibitory devaluation, meaning that they ascribed more affective valence to goal-irrelevant neutral information. This finding provides furt...
FDG-PET/CT for Assessing the Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Bladder Cancer Patients.

Abstract Purpose To determine the accuracy of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose with positron emission tomography and computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) scans in assessing the response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in patients with bladder cancer scheduled to undergo radical cystectomy (RC). Patients and Methods All patients treated at our center for muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) were counseled and offered NAC before RC. FDG-PET/CT scans were performed before the initiation of chemotherapy and after completion of the regimen. Patients with disease with complete response to NAC were those who had (pT0) or residual carcinoma-in-situ (pTis) on final pathology. Those who were downstaged from MIBC to non-MIBC were considered to have a chemosensitive tumor. We used percentage reduction in standardized maximum uptake value (SUVmax) from PET/CT scans as our measure to correlate with the final pathology after cystectomy. Results Thirty-seven patients with MIBC who underwent NAC followed by RC were included in the final analysis. FDG-PET/CT had 75% sensitivity (89.66% specificity) in identifying those with complete pathologic response with a 100% change in SUVmax, and 83% sensitivity (94% specificity) for the detection of chemosensitive tumors. Conclusion FDG-PET/CT can help determine the response of primary tumor to NAC in patients with MIBC and thus can more accurately predict the prognosis of the patients, or potentially the appropriate time for cystectomy.
Life Histories: Individual Case Studies

The previous chapter discussed many of the important life history traits within a general conceptual framework. These traits impact reproduction and survival directly and include such parameters as number of offspring and size at birth, rate of development, age and size at maturity, etc. Furthermore, there are often many trade-offs which can determine the relative importance of one trait versus another in a particular environment. There are trade-offs between the number, size, and sex of offspring, as well as between current reproduction and future reproduction. All of these factors are related to the particular life cycle of any species. In this chapter I will discuss various aspects of the life histories of representative desert arthropods which have been studied in some detail. The specific life history traits that have been investigated are not necessarily the same for each species, nor have they been studied to the same depth. Nonetheless, I have chosen examples from various taxa that I believe will acquaint the reader not only with the diversity that exists in the life cycles of desert arthropods but also with some of the attributes that they share in common which enable them to survive in the harsh reality of the desert environment.
Abstract 17760: Predictors of Mortality in Patients With Prior Orthotopic Cardiac Transplantation Undergoing Dobutamine Stress Echocardiography

Background: Mortality remains high following orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT), despite improvement in therapies. Cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) is a cause of death beyond first year after OHT. Dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) is performed to evaluate for CAV. We sought to determine predictors of long-term mortality in OHT patients undergoing DSE. Methods: We studied 391 patients (62±11 years, 75% male) with a prior history of OHT (performed between 1984-2011, mean duration 7.2±3.3 years), who underwent DSE between 1998-2012. Patient with submaximal heart rate response & prior revascularization (following OHT) were excluded. Baseline clinical, demographic parameters including all-cause mortality were collected. Conventional echocardiographic & DSE data were recorded. Hard events included death or re-transplantation. Results: Mean left ventricular ejection fraction & end-systolic dimension were 57±6% and 2.8±0.6 cm, respectively. At rest, 3% patients had ≥2+ mitral regurgitation, 29% ≥2+ tricuspid regurgitation & 10% right ventricular dysfunction, with a mean right ventricular systolic pressure of 31±8 mm Hg. On DSE, predicted maximal heart rate was 89±5%, while only 19 patients (5%) were positive for ischemia. Mean glomerular filtration rate was 62±32 mL/min. There were 36% diabetics, 82% hypertensives & 5% dyslipidemics. 23% patients had cytomegalovirus infection, 19% with persistent grade ≥ 2 cellular rejection, 3% with antibody mediated infection & 9% had non-dermatologic cancer during follow-up. During a mean follow-up of 4.7 years (interquartile range 2-8 years), 109 patients (28%) had an event (4 had a re-transplant). Results of Cox survival analysis are shown in Figure 1. Ischemia on DSE did not independently predict events. Conclusions: In OHT patients undergoing follow-up DSE, only GFR & appearance of non-dermatologic cancer predicted long-term events. No DSE parameters independently predicted long-term outcomes.
Prices That Suit the Times: Shopping For Ceramics at the Five Points

Throughout the 19th century, the area east of the Collect Pond was home to the immigrant poor. Primary documents offer one view of the crowded and dilapidated living conditions, which characterized the district known as “Five Points.” The ceramic assemblage excavated at the Foley Square Courthouse site in 1991 sheds a different light on the people and their way of life in New York’s most notorious slum. Sets of Staffordshire tea and tableware, as well as Chinese porcelain, are present in the assemblage. Issues relating to the procurement and availability of seemingly fancy ceramics and their meaning to the mid-century Irish tenants who used them are explained. Meaning is considered in terms of Irish cultural traditions and middle-class Victorian values. The CC index value of the large ceramic assemblage is also compared to CC values for other assemblages from New York City and elsewhere and the implications of the differences are considered.
Regenerative Prophylaxis In Utero

Technology advances have raised the outlook for regenerative solutions aimed at restoring organ health. Fetal surgery, implemented to reinstate early organ growth and restitute function in select congenital conditions, is increasingly considered with the prospect of improved postnatal outcomes. Herein, we highlight clinical prenatal interventions for rescue of fetal lung development in congenital diaphragmatic hernia and fetal neurological regeneration for spina bifida. Regenerative therapeutic care in utero is poised to transform management algorithms.
Modeling and Control of a 2-DOF Dielectric Elastomer Diaphragm Actuator

In optical systems, reflectors are commonly used for directing light beams to desired directions. In this paper, a dielectric elastomer (DE) based optical manipulator is developed for two degrees-of-freedom (2-DOF) manipulation. The DE manipulator consists of a diaphragm with four segments that are controlled in two pairs, thus generating 2-DOF tilting motions. Due to its soft and gear-less moving structure, the DE manipulator is lightweight and naturally resistant to mechanical vibrations. Moreover, its nonelectromagnetic-driven mechanism allows it to work under the environments that are exposed to strong magnetic fields. To design a robust control strategy for the actuator, a physics-based and control-oriented nonlinear model is then developed and linearized around the equilibrium point. A feedback control system, which consists of two H-infinity controls, is developed to track two tilting angles along two axes. Experimental results have shown that this manipulator is able to track 0.3° 2-DOF tilting angle with 0.03° accuracy.
A feasibility study of a risk-based stochastic optimization approach for radiation treatment planning under setup uncertainty

Abstract This article introduces a planner-driven flexible stochastic decision making model to develop radiation treatment plans for cancer patients under patient-setup uncertainty. The clinical goal is to deliver the prescribed amount of radiation dose to the target tissue(s) while sparing the organs nearby. However, it is difficult to achieve the goal because organs are often closely located in the body. Therefore, some tissues may receive a higher radiation dose than desired. To minimize such violations and allow to make a trade-off between tumor coverage and healthy tissue sparing, we present a chance constrained programming (CCP) optimization method. A planner can use the CCP approach to specify how much clinical violation can be allowed for a specific patient. Assuming that the uncertain dose distribution follows a known (or estimated) probability distribution function, the CCP model was tested using five clinical cases. The resulting treatment plans were compared with the plans generated by the conventional robust worst-case optimization method using dose-volume histograms. Our results support the CCP approach over the robust optimization method in terms of healthy tissues sparing and the clinical target dose requirements. Overall, the risk-based CCP model is not only flexible to accommodate the planner’s risk profile and to meet patient specific treatment goals, but has potential to compromise for overly-conservative treatment plans generated by robust optimization methods.
Validating machine vision MRT performance against trained observer performance for linear shift invariant sensors

Researchers at the US Army Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate have added the functionality of Machine Vision MRT (MV-MRT) to the NVLabCap software package. While the original calculations of MV-MRT were compared to human observers performance using digital imagery in a previous effort,1 the technical approach was not tested on 8-bit imagery using a variety of sensors in a variety of gain and level settings. Now that it is more simple to determine the MV-MRT for a sensor in multiple gain settings, it is prudent to compare the results of MV-MRT in multiple gain settings to the performance of human observers for thermal imaging systems that are linear and shift invariant. Here, a comparison of the results for a LWIR system to trained human observers is presented.
Impact of Larval Competition on Life-History Traits of the Black Soldier Fly (Diptera: Stratiomyidae)

The black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens (L.), is economically important due to its use in waste management and as an alternative protein source for livestock, poultry, and aquaculture. While industry promotes mass production of the black soldier fly, little is known about the impact of larval competition on development time, resulting immature and adult weight, or adult longevity. The goal of this research was to examine the life-history traits of black soldier flies when reared at four densities (500, 1,000, 1,500, and 2,000 larvae/4-liter container) provided 54-g Gainesville diet at 70% moisture (feed rates of 0.027, 0.036, 0.054, and 0.108 g) every other day. Results were as expected with the lowest larval density (500) producing heavier individuals (by 26%) than the greatest larval density (2,000) across all life stages. In addition to weights, larvae reared at the lowest density developed 63% faster than those reared at the greatest density. In regard to pupal development time, those reared at the lowest larval density developed 3% slower than the greatest density. A 21% difference between the two extreme densities was found in survivorship to prepupal stage, with the lowest larval density having the greatest survivorship (92%) compared with the greatest larval density (70%). All densities displayed over 90% adult emergence rates. Such information is vital for optimization of the process of converting waste products to protein at an industrial scale with the black soldier fly.
Seeing in Slow Motion: Manipulating Arousal in Virtual Reality:

The only evidence that seeing in slow-motion exists comes from retrospective interviews. An ongoing debate is whether this phenomenon exists as a figment of memory or a true function of visual perc...
Redistribution of joint moments and work in older women with and without hallux valgus at two walking speeds

Abstract Background Hallux valgus (HV) is a highly prevalent foot deformity in older women. Differences in lower extremity joint function of older women with and without HV during walking at slower and faster speeds are unknown. Research question Does walking speed affect lower extremity joint range of motion (ROM) and net extensor joint moment and associated work in older women with and without HV? Methods Thirteen older women with HV and 13 controls completed five walking trials at 1.1 and 1.3 m·s−1 as kinematic marker position and ground reaction force data were collected. Net ankle, knee, and hip joint moments were computed using inverse dynamics during the stance phase. Positive joint work was calculated by integrating hip power in early stance, knee power in mid stance, and ankle power in late stance. Results Average ankle ROM and plantarflexor moment did not increase with walking speed in the HV group, while in the control group these variables were greater for the faster compared to the slower speed (p Significance Older women with HV compared to older women without HV demonstrate a distal-to-proximal redistribution by increasing hip motion and effort to compensate for reduced ankle contribution during walking.
Examining Land Use Changes to Evaluate the Effects of Land Management in a Complex, Dynamic Landscape

Anthropogenic alterations to landscapes have increased as the human population continues to rise, leading to detrimental changes in natural habitats. Ecological restoration assists in recovery by altering habitats to improve conditions and foster biodiversity. We examined land cover changes over time within a complex, dynamic region in the Midwest to assess the long-term effects of conservation. We used Landsat 8 bands for a 15-class land cover map of Oak Openings Region using supervised classification. We validated our map and achieved an overall accuracy of 71.2% from correctly classified points out of total visited points. Change over 10 years, from 2006 to 2016, was explored by comparing class statistics from FRAGSTATS between our map and original land cover map. We found that natural land, i.e., forest and early successional, covered 33%, with 10% permanently protected, while human-modified land, i.e., agricultural and developed, covered 67% of the region. Over 10 years, natural classes increased, and cultural classes decreased by 5.8%. There were decreases for the three forest communities and increases for the two early successional communities. These changes are likely the result of natural recovery and disturbance, and conservation efforts by the Green Ribbon Initiative. Changes in habitat also came with distribution changes, e.g., increased fragmentation for some classes, which was readily visible. Our useful method measured functionality by emphasizing changes in composition and configuration. Our approach provides a tool for assessing cumulative regional-scale effects from site-level management and conservation. This large-scale view for conservation is needed to effectively mitigate future changes.
11. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE: ONE RESIDENCY PROGRAMS APPROACH TO BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS TO ACCESSING MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES

Background Physician burnout is a serious, well-documented phenomenon that occurs at all levels of medical training that contributes to a higher incidence of suicide compared to age-matched peers. Surveyed students and residents ranked barriers to accessing care, which showed that time constraints (52%) were the primary barrier, followed by fear of retribution, and the stigma associated with mental illness. Aim The aims of the project are three-fold. 1. To decrease barriers and stigma preventing residents from obtaining mental healthcare; 2. Expose training physicians to the system of mental health resources prior to need; 3. Improve long term wellbeing through dedicated time and support for accessing mental health resources. Intervention A 5 question survey was administered to assess baseline attitudes toward counseling and knowledge about the Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Beginning January 2019, residents were provided at least 3 opportunities to schedule a “wellness check-in” with a counselor or psychologist during designated rotations throughout each training level. Time was free from clinical obligations and flexible for scheduling with advanced notice (2-3 weeks). A map of vetted providers in close proximity to the institution and detailed instructions EAP system access were provided prior to each rotation. Post surveys were distributed monthly. Results Baseline data revealed 49% of respondents knew where to find EAP resources compared to 62% post intervention. Over the 12-month pilot phase, 30% of eligible residents utilized the program. Of those who did not, three major barriers were noted: EAP system navigation (26%), provider availability (26%) and awareness of the program/time to schedule (22%). In addition, 5% more respondents rated counseling favorably compared to prior to the intervention. Of the respondents, 35% reported not feeling the need for an appointment. Conclusion and Next Steps As a result of the pilot phase, we have automated the notification system to send reminders 3, 2, and 1 month prior to an eligible rotation to increase awareness and time for scheduling. As a result of these interventions, we hope to increase utilization of the program, normalize counseling and decrease barriers to seeking mental health resources. Next steps also include expanding the vetted counselor map including reviews to increase the ease of making the first appointment.
Does application of hydrogen peroxide to the dermis reduce incidence of Cutibacterium acnes during shoulder arthroplasty: a randomized controlled trial.

Introduction Prosthetic joint infections (PJIs) following shoulder arthroplasty are a major source of morbidity and are most commonly caused by Cutibacterium acnes, a bacteria found concentrated in the dermis. Skin preparation using hydrogen peroxide has been shown to reduce positive cultures; however, direct application to the dermis has not been investigated. The purpose of this study is to determine whether the application of hydrogen peroxide to the dermis affects the incidence of positive C acnes cultures. Methods A prospective, randomized controlled trial of patients undergoing primary shoulder arthroplasty by a single fellowship-trained surgeon was performed between February and November 2020. Enrolled patients were randomized to either receive standard skin preparation and antibiotic prophylaxis with or without an additional application of hydrogen peroxide to the dermis following incision. Culture samples were taken from the skin, dermis, glenohumeral joint, and air. Laboratory personnel and patients were blinded to randomization, and all cultures were held for 14 days. Culture positivity rate along with culture site, day of culture positivity, and bacterial abundance of positive cultures were analyzed. Stratified analysis by gender and age of ≤69 years was also performed. Results Sixty patients undergoing primary arthroplasty were randomized. The group receiving hydrogen peroxide (n = 30) and the control group (n = 30) were similar in age (71.1 ± 7.1 vs. 73.4 ± 9.8; P = .30), body mass index (29.4 ± 5.7 vs. 28.5 ± 6.0; P = .57), gender (P = .64), hand dominance (P = .65), and surgery type (P = .90). The overall rate of at least 1 positive culture was 18%. All positive cultures were C acnes. The positive culture rate in the hydrogen peroxide (20%) and control group were similar (16%; P > .99). There were no positive glenohumeral joint cultures and no wound complications. There was no significance difference in the culture site, day of culture positivity, and bacterial abundance. Stratification analysis by gender and age also demonstrated similar rates of C acnes between study groups. Conclusion Standard skin preparation and antibiotic prophylaxis results in an overall low rate of skin and dermis culture positivity. The use of hydrogen peroxide after initial incision did not significantly alter the rate of positive C acnes cultures during shoulder arthroplasty and did not increase wound complications.
The Political Context and Infant Health in the United States

Most social determinants of health are shaped by political decisions. However, beyond specific policies, there is limited empirical investigation into the consequences of the changing political con...
Tourism and prosperity in Miao land: power and inequality in rural ethnic China

Xianghong Feng’s book packs a sprawling, ethnographically-rich view of a complex tourism landscape in a compact volume. In less than 200 pages, Feng makes the case that the well-meaning use of tour...
An Axiomatization of Stochastic Utility

I provide an axiomatization of stochastic utility over two periods, stating testable necessary and sufficient conditions under which an agent's choice behavior under exogenous menu selection can be modeled by a pair of random utility functions. Although static random utility is characterized by a single axiom, Block-Marschak nonnegativity, I demonstrate that an additional notion of marginal consistency is needed for the two-period axiomatization. In particular, when each period's choice set has size three, I restate the characterization using the simpler axiom of stochastic regularity. I conclude by stating several corollaries, including an axiomatization of stochastic utility with full support and an axiomatization of n-period stochastic utility.