cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Shallow water station keeping of AUVs using multi-sensor fusion for wave disturbance prediction and compensation

An important capability for autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) is station keeping. Station keeping is the ability of a vehicle to maintain position and orientation with regard to a reference object. In shallow water this mission most likely will be disrupted by the large wave induced hydrodynamic forces acting on the vehicle. To counter this problem, knowledge of these wave induced disturbances is critical to allow for the design of a control system that will enable the vehicle to accurately navigate and position itself. The ability to develop a so called "predictive" control strategy for underwater vehicles is limited by the methods available to measure and predict the wave induced disturbances. Surface vessels may employ remote sensors such as acoustic probes, lasers or short wavelength radar to determine future disturbances, but this remote sensing is not feasible in a low cost underwater vehicle. AUV control system design is limited to the use of on-board sensors for disturbance prediction. We present the design of a sliding mode controller (SMC) that employs multi-sensor data fusion for wave disturbance prediction/estimation. Using data obtained from the vehicle's Doppler, acoustic Doppler velocimeter (ADV) and motion package, a dynamic filter is developed that will fuse the information from the various sensors and provide the controller with an estimate of the wave induced disturbance, thus allowing the vehicle to station keep in both heading and position with far greater accuracy.
An HD domain phosphohydrolase active site tailored for oxetanocin-A biosynthesis

HD domain phosphohydrolase enzymes are characterized by a conserved set of histidine and aspartate residues that coordinate an active site metallocenter. Despite the important roles these enzymes play in nucleotide metabolism and signal transduction, few have been both biochemically and structurally characterized. Here, we present X-ray crystal structures and biochemical characterization of the Bacillus megaterium HD domain phosphohydrolase OxsA, involved in the biosynthesis of the antitumor, antiviral, and antibacterial compound oxetanocin-A. These studies reveal a previously uncharacterized reaction for this family; OxsA catalyzes the conversion of a triphosphorylated compound into a nucleoside, releasing one molecule of inorganic phosphate at a time. Remarkably, this functionality is a result of the OxsA active site, which based on structural and kinetic analyses has been tailored to bind the small, four-membered ring of oxetanocin-A over larger substrates. Furthermore, our OxsA structures show an active site that switches from a dinuclear to a mononuclear metal center as phosphates are eliminated from substrate.
Forest edges in western Uganda: From refuge for the poor to zone of investment

Abstract Western Uganda is home to growing populations of smallholder agriculturalists, expanding commodity plantations, and protected forests. In this setting, we document a shift in who uses forest edge land and how it is used. In developing countries, protected forest edges are traditionally sites where marginalized people can subsist, but increasing land competition has the potential to change this scenario. We used longitudinal field data spanning two decades to characterize the evolution of landownership and land use neighboring Kibale National Park. The number of households has more than doubled since 1993. Land values are rising, and people buying land near the park in recent years are significantly wealthier and have more off-farm income than those who acquired land there in earlier periods. The reverse is true of renters. More people are growing inedible perennial cash crops like eucalyptus, tea, and coffee, especially those with larger amounts of land and capital. Some long-term residents are prospering, while others are squeezed onto ever smaller pieces of land and opting for precarious rental arrangements as land competition increases. We discuss the implications of this transitioning park neighborhood, both for conservation and local livelihoods.
In vitro–ex vivo correlations between a cell-laden hydrogel and mucosal tissue for screening composite delivery systems

Composite delivery systems where drugs are electrospun in different layers and vary the drug stacking-order are posited to affect bioavailability. We evaluated how the formulation characteristics of both burst- and sustained-release electrospun fibers containing three physicochemically diverse drugs: dapivirine (DPV), maraviroc (MVC) and tenofovir (TFV) affect in vitro and ex vivo release. We developed a poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (pHEMA) hydrogel release platform for the rapid, inexpensive in vitro evaluation of burst- and sustained-release topical or dermal drug delivery systems with varying microarchitecture. We investigated properties of the hydrogel that could recapitulate ex vivo release into nonhuman primate vaginal tissue. Using a dimethyl sulfoxide extraction protocol and high-performance liquid chromatography analysis, we achieved >93% recovery from the hydrogels and >88% recovery from tissue explants for all three drugs. We found that DPV loading, but not stacking order (layers of fiber containing a single drug) or microarchitecture (layers with isolated drug compared to all drugs in the same layer) impacted the burst release in vitro and ex vivo. Our burst-release formulations showed a correlation for DPV accumulation between the hydrogel and tissue (R2= 0.80), but the correlation was not significant for MVC or TFV. For the sustained-release formulations, the PLGA/PCL content did not affect TFV release in vitro or ex vivo. Incorporation of cells into the hydrogel matrix improved the correlation between hydrogel and tissue explant release for TFV. We expect that this hydrogel-tissue mimic may be a promising preclinical model to evaluate topical or transdermal drug delivery systems with complex microarchitectures.
Introducing InterSECT: The International Stroke Early Career and Training Section.

See related article, p e155 Just over 2 decades ago, the US Food and Drug Administration approved intravenous recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke based on the results of the NINDS trial (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke), published in December 1995.1 Since then, the field of stroke has matured rapidly. Ten years after the publication of the NINDS recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator trial, the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology began to award certificates in the subspecialty of Vascular Neurology; ≈38 graduates of Vascular Neurology fellowships are certified annually.2 Primary stroke centers have been certified by The Joint Commission since 2004, and comprehensive stroke centers have been approved more recently, beginning in 2012. The American Stroke Association has become an increasingly independent component of the American Heart Association, and the International Stroke Conference has continued to grow in size and international scope. Abroad, the European Stroke Organization and other societies dedicated to stroke care and research have begun to hold their own independent meetings. In 2015, the results of 5 independent clinical trials of second-generation stent-retriever devices for middle cerebral artery occlusion were simultaneously presented at the International Stroke Conference, leading to the era of mechanical thrombectomy and necessitating improved systems of care to enable patients to …
Using Assessment for Learning in Sport Education

This article provides practical strategies for performingstudent assessments for learning in the context of sport education. Sport education is the focus because it represents a models-based approach that presents opportunities for a wide variety of assessments.
Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Atrial Tissue of Patients Developing Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation

Background Mitochondria are the major site of cellular oxidation. Metabolism and oxidative stress have been implicated as possible mechanisms for postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) after cardiac operations. Establishing the precise nature of mitochondrial dysfunction as an etiologic factor for oxidative stress–related cell death and apoptosis could further the understanding of POAF. To establish this relationship, mitochondrial function was studied in patients undergoing cardiac operations that developed POAF and compared it with patients without POAF. Methods Right atrial tissue and serum samples were collected from 85 patients before and after cardiopulmonary bypass. Microarray analysis (36 patients) and RNA sequencing (5 patients) were performed on serum and atrial tissues, respectively, for identifying significantly altered genes in patients who developed POAF. On the basis of these results, Western blot was performed in 52 patients for the genes that were most altered, and functional pathways were established. Results POAF developed in 30.6% (n = 26) of patients. Serum microarray showed significant fold changes in the expression of 49 genes involved in inflammatory response, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and amyloidosis ( p 0.05). Immunoblotting showed a significant increase in TNFAIP6 (tumor necrosis factor, α-induced protein 6; p = 0.02) and transforming growth factor-β ( p = 0.04) after cardiopulmonary bypass in the POAF group. There was a significant decrease in PGC-1α (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α; p = 0.002) and CPT1 (carnitine palmitoyltransferase I; p Conclusions Compared with patients without POAF, those with POAF demonstrated mitochondrial dysfunction at various levels that are suitable for potential pharmacotherapy.
Religion and Human Rights: The Case of Ukraine

After the collapse of Communism a good majority of post-Soviet societies perceived Churches as a ‘natural’ defender of human rights and human dignity. Opinion polls suggest that Ukrainians considered Churches as a bulwark of ‘poor and hapless’.
Tunable gold nano-disks array on flexible substrates

Low cost nanosphere lithography is used to fabricate polycrystalline nanodisk array of gold on flexible PDMS substrates. Extinction measurements reveal tunable plasmonic resonance under the influence of substrate strain. Excellent reproducibility has been demonstrated by repeated stretch and release tests.
Bronchoscopy and Interventional Pulmonology

The clinical application of bronchoscopy has been available for over a century (Jackson, N Engl J Med 199:758–763, 1928). In its infancy at the tail end of nineteenth century, the technique was used on an infrequent basis. As it has matured over the years, bronchoscopy is now frequently utilized to diagnose and treat a vast range of pulmonary disorders. Significant advances in the instrumentation, techniques, and ever-increasing indications over the past century have established bronchoscopy as an essential tool not only in the practice of pulmonary medicine but also in critical care medicine, thoracic surgery, rhinolaryngology, and pediatric pulmonology. Currently, bronchoscopy is perhaps the most commonly employed minimally invasive diagnostic procedure in pulmonary diseases.
How Much Data are Good Enough? Using Simulation to Determine the Reliability of Estimating POMR for Resource-Constrained Settings

Perioperative mortality rate (POMR) is a suggested indicator for surgical quality worldwide. Currently, POMR is often sampled by convenience; a data-driven approach for calculating sample size has not previously been attempted. We proposed a novel application of a bootstrapping sampling technique to estimate how much data are needed to be collected to reasonably estimate POMR in low-resource countries where 100% data capture is not possible. Six common procedures in low- and middle-income countries were analysed by using population database in New York and California. Relative margin of error by dividing the absolute margin of error by the true population rate was calculated. Target margin of error was ±50%, because this level of precision would allow us to detect a moderate-to-large effect size. Target margin of error was achieved at 0.3% sampling size for abdominal surgery, 7% for fracture, 10% for craniotomy, 16% for pneumonectomy, 26% for hysterectomy and 60% for C-section. POMR may be estimated with fairly good reliability with small data sampling. This method demonstrates that it is possible to use a data-driven approach to determine the necessary sampling size to accurately collect POMR worldwide.
LTBP3 Pathogenic Variants Predispose Individuals to Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms and Dissections

The major diseases affecting the thoracic aorta are aneurysms and acute dissections, and pathogenic variants in 11 genes are confirmed to lead to heritable thoracic aortic disease. However, many families in which multiple members have thoracic aortic disease do not have alterations in the known aortopathy genes. Genes highly expressed in the aorta were assessed for rare variants in exome sequencing data from such families, and compound rare heterozygous variants (p.Pro45Argfs∗25 and p.Glu750∗) in LTBP3 were identified in affected members of one family. A homozygous variant (p.Asn678_Gly681delinsThrCys) that introduces an additional cysteine into an epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like domain in the corresponding protein, latent TGF-β binding protein (LTBP-3), was identified in a second family. Individuals with compound heterozygous or homozygous variants in these families have aneurysms and dissections of the thoracic aorta, as well as aneurysms of the abdominal aorta and other arteries, along with dental abnormalities and short stature. Heterozygous carriers of the p.Asn678_Gly681delinsThrCys variant have later onset of thoracic aortic disease, as well as dental abnormalities. In these families, LTBP3 variants segregated with thoracic aortic disease with a combined LOD score of 3.9. Additionally, heterozygous rare LTBP3 variants were found in individuals with early onset of acute aortic dissections, and some of these variants disrupted LTBP-3 levels or EGF-like domains. When compared to wild-type mice, Ltbp3−/− mice have enlarged aortic roots and ascending aortas. In summary, homozygous LTBP3 pathogenic variants predispose individuals to thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections, along with the previously described skeletal and dental abnormalities.
Country and Industry-Level Performance of NASDAQ-Listed European and Asia Pacific ADRs

This study examines the 3-year performance of NASDAQ-Listed Asia Pacific and European ADRs versus the NASDAQ Index and their respective regional indexes from 1990-2010. Country specific performance results show ADRs from China, Japan and Ireland performed best versus the US and regional benchmarks. Industry-level results show the best industry performers were in the Technology Hardware & Services industry and in Energy companies.
Statin exposure during first trimester of pregnancy is associated with fetal ventricular septal defect

Abstract Background A growing number of young women are exposed to statins during their first trimester of pregnancy. The goal of this study is to examine if first trimester statin exposure is associated with an increase in risk of fetal congenital cardiac anomalies. Methods In a cohort of 379,238 pregnancies, we examined the risk of fetal congenital cardiac anomalies in association with maternal exposure to statin therapy during the first trimester of pregnancy using logistic regression models and propensity score matching methods. Results 280 women were exposed to statins. Congenital cardiac anomalies were present in 14 (5.0%) of pregnancies exposed to statin and 5282 (1.4%) of non-exposed pregnancies. First-trimester statin exposure was associated with an increased risk of ventricular septal defect (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 3.3, 95% confidence interval [CI]l 1.8–6.0, p Conclusions Exposure to statins during the first trimester of pregnancy is associated with fetal ventricular septal defect.
Cavity ripple dynamics after pinch-off

During water entry, a projectile can entrain an air cavity that trails behind it. Most previous studies focus on the formation and pinch-off dynamics of the air cavity, but only a few have investigated the long-term cavity dynamics after pinch-off. In this study, we examine the ripple formation following the pinch-off of an air cavity generated by a cone, with different cone angles and impact velocities. The amplitude and wavelength of these ripples are measured, and the force on the cone is experimentally determined. It was observed that the ripple amplitude and wavelength increase linearly with the cone impact velocity, which is predicted by our acoustic model of the compressible air cavity. In addition, the measured force exhibits distinct amplitudes and wavelengths. By measuring the length of the cavity, the resulting pressure variation was averaged inside the air cavity leading to a theoretical force amplitude, which matched our observations. We noted that the force wavelength also follows the same acoustic model, which agrees very well with the wavelength of the ripples.
Intermittent employment among married women: a comparative study of Buenos Aires and Mexico City.

This comparative study examines how individual family gender relations and job characteristics affect womens patterns of participation in the labor force and how the effect of these characteristics differ in Buenos Aires and Mexico City. Using panel data and retrospective life histories the analysis emphasizes the determinants of short-term movements into and out of the labor force. It is noted that intermittent employment is very common among married women and is not necessarily determined by changes in the life cycle. Nevertheless intermittent employment arises from the conflict in combining paid and domestic work and from the nature of the labor opportunities available to women. In both cities labor force stability appeared to be positively associated with womens level of education the employment stability of husbands the presence of another woman in the household who can help with domestic chores the types of jobs women have access to and to a lesser extent having young children at home. The study suggests that womens welfare would improve with the enforcement of the existing labor legislation.
Role of autocrine motility factor in a 12-lipoxygenase dependent anti-apoptotic pathway.

Apoptosis or programmed cell death, plays an indispensable role in embryonic development, maturation of the immune system and maintenance of tissue and organ homeostasis (1–2). A wide spectrum of molecular entities including oncogenes, tumor suppressor genes, signal transducers, cell cycle proteins, free radicals, cations and proteases have been implicated in apoptosis. Recent work from our laboratory (3) demonstrated that 12-lipoxygenase (12-LOX) may play an essential role in regulating apoptosis in rat Walker carcinosarcoma (W256) cells. Down regulation of 12-LOX gene expression by antisense oligonucleotides triggered time and dose dependent apoptosis. The W256 cell death, triggered by antisense oligos could be partially blocked by exogenous 12(S)-HETE. The antisense oligo treatment also resulted in a significant decrease in the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax proteins which are critical determinants of apoptosis. As expected, over expression of Bcl-2 protein provided partial death sparing effects (3). It also was demonstrated that exogenous arachidonic acid (AA) protected against apoptosis (4). Exogenous AA in a time and dose dependent fashion suppressed NDGA induced W256 apoptosis as well as DNA fragmentation. Serum withdrawal also caused W256 cells to undergo typical apoptosis which was not rescued by several growth factors commonly found in serum. However, exogenous AA suppressed serum starvation induced W256 cell apoptosis (4). Further studies demonstrated that the factor responsible for AA induced protection against apoptosis was the 12-LOX metabolite of AA 12(S)-HETE. 12-LOX has been demonstrated by our laboratory to be expressed in numerous tumor cells from human, rat and mouse (5). Factors controlling the regulation of 12-LOX are largely unknown. Several growth factors have been shown to stimulate 12-LOX activity in tumor cells. For example, in A431, human epidermoid carcinoma cells platelet type 12-LOX is expressed (6). Serum starvation induces a time and dose dependent reduction in the expression of 12-LOX protein (8). Another cytokine which has been demonstrated to regulate 12-LOX levels in tumor cells is autocrine motility factor (AMF). AMF stimulates cell motility and invasion via receptor mediated signaling pathways. AMF is also a potent growth factor. Our laboratory demonstrated that AMF induced cell motility was mediated by the lipoxygenase generation of 12(S)-HETE (7). In a subsequent report, we also demonstrated that AMF was able to increase the cellular protein levels of 12-LOX in high but not in low metastatic clones (8).
Massively Parallel Computation of Dynamic Traffic Networks Modeled as Projected Dynamical Systems

In this paper we consider the solution of a dynamic traffic network model with elastic demands modeled as a projected dynamical system in which the demand functions are assumed to be given. The proposed discrete time algorithm, the Euler method, resolves the problem at each step into subproblems in path flow and travel disutility variables, all of which can be solved simultaneously and in closed form. Convergence results that depend crucially on stability analysis are also presented. We then discuss the implementation of the algorithm on the massively parallel architecture, the Thinking Machine’s CM-5. We conclude with the presentation of numerical results for the parallel implementation of the Euler method in CM Fortran on the CM-5 and for a serial implementation in Fortran on the IBM SP2 for several traffic network examples.
Events in the Semantics of Collectivizing Adverbials

Sentences containing plural or conjoined noun phrases often display an ambiguity between so-called collective and distributive readings. For example, sentence (1) can mean either than John and Mary each bought a house, which is the distributive reading, or that they bought one jointly, which is the collective reading.
Invitro and invivo studies with adriamycin liposomes

Abstract Liposome entrapped adriamycin retains its full cytotoxic potential when tested under in vitro conditions against murine leukemia L-1210 cells. In vivo drug distribution studies indicate that, relative to the free drug, a lower proportion of adriamycin administered in the liposome form is delivered to the heart and kidneys at one and four hours after injection. When administered to normal mice in high doses, anionic adriamycin liposomes appear less harmful than equal doses of the free drug as judged by alterations in animal weight gain. In these studies, a noval double packing procedure has been used for the entrapment of adriamycin in phospholipid vesicles.
A Preliminary Randomized Controlled Trial of Game Plan, A Web Application to Help Men Who Have Sex with Men Reduce Their HIV Risk and Alcohol Use

Alcohol use is a key risk factor for HIV infection among men who have sex with men (MSM). Past studies show that brief motivational interventions (BMI) can increase the use of prevention methods (e.g., condoms), reduce alcohol use, and can be adapted for web-based delivery. However, few studies have explored these interventions' effects in MSM. Forty high-risk, heavy drinking MSM who sought rapid HIV testing were randomly assigned to receive either (1) standard post-test counseling (SPC) alone, or (2) SPC plus Game Plan (GP), a tablet tablet-based BMI for alcohol use and HIV risk. Over three months of follow-up, GP participants reported 24% fewer heavy drinking days, 17% fewer alcohol problems, and 50% fewer new anal sex partners than controls. GP participants also reported fewer high-risk condomless anal sex events than controls, but these differences were not significant. These initial results suggest that web-based BMIs may be promising tools to help MSM reduce health risk behaviors.
The Mediterranean Diet and 2-Year Change in Cognitive Function by Status of Type 2 Diabetes and Glycemic Control

OBJECTIVE To determine associations of a Mediterranean diet score (MeDS) with 2-year change in cognitive function by type 2 diabetes and glycemic control status and contrast it against other diet quality scores. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We used data from the longitudinal Boston Puerto Rican Health Study ( n = 913; 42.6% with type 2 diabetes at 2 years). Glycemic control at baseline was categorized as uncontrolled (hemoglobin A 1c ≥7% [53 mmol/mol]) versus controlled. Two-year change in glycemic control was defined as stable/improved versus poor/declined. We defined MeDS, Healthy Eating Index, Alternate Healthy Eating Index, and Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension scores. Adjusted mixed linear models assessed 2-year change in global cognitive function z score, executive and memory function, and nine individual cognitive tests. RESULTS Higher MeDS, but no other diet quality score, was associated with higher 2-year change in global cognitive function in adults with type 2 diabetes (β ± SE = 0.027 ± 0.011; P = 0.016) but not without ( P = 0.80). Similar results were noted for Mini-Mental State Examination, word recognition, digit span, and clock drawing tests. Results remained consistent for individuals under glycemic control at baseline (0.062 ± 0.020; P = 0.004) and stable/improved over 2 years (0.053 ± 0.019; P = 0.007), but not for uncontrolled or poor/declined glycemic control. All diet quality scores were associated with higher 2-year memory function in adults without type 2 diabetes. CONCLUSIONS Both adhering to a Mediterranean diet and effectively managing type 2 diabetes may support optimal cognitive function. Healthy diets, in general, can help improve memory function among adults without type 2 diabetes.
Improving ROSE: Discrepant touch preparation and histology findings in cytology of renal masses: A 10-year retrospective review.

BACKGROUND The number of "renal incidentalomas" is on the rise due to increasing use of radiologic studies. Image-guided core needle biopsies (CNB) with touch preparations are performed to guide specimen collection and triage of sample for additional studies. Results allow the clinical team to make appropriate treatment decisions. DESIGN Our electronic database was searched for a 10-year period to identify 180 image-guided biopsies of renal masses with rapid on-site evaluations (ROSE) and corresponding biopsy/resection specimens. Touch preparations were classified as non-diagnostic, negative/benign, adequate/positive for malignancy/oncocytic predominance, or atypical. These results were compared to the final diagnosis on the biopsy or resection specimen (if available). Diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were determined. Non-diagnostic cases and cases in which ROSE and final diagnosis were discordant were reviewed by cytopathologists blinded to the original interpretation to reconcile discrepancies and highlight interpretation pitfalls. RESULTS A ROSE diagnosis was rendered in 133 of 180 cases; 47 cases were non-diagnostic. Of the 133 diagnostic cases, the ROSE diagnosis was concordant with the core biopsy final diagnosis in 125 cases, yielding a diagnostic accuracy of 94%. The overall sensitivity was calculated to be 80.1%; specificity 72.4%; positive predictive value 94%; and negative predictive value 41.2%. CONCLUSIONS Touch preparation slides are vital but imperfect tools in evaluating renal masses. In our study, distinction between malignant and benign samples was accomplished in most cases (94% accuracy), but there are limitations. Awareness of interpretation pitfalls allows informed decisions to be made regarding specimen collection and patient management.
Relating the Learning Styles, Dependency, and Working Memory Capacity to Performance Effectiveness in Collaborative Problem Solving

Although much research has concentrated on the forecast of efficient team performance and the variables that might detract or promote team efficiency, little research reviewed has assessed the multitude of individual characteristics their impact on collaborative problem solving (CPS). Much of the research investigates only a single individual characteristic and its effect on group performance. This research proposes to explore three individual attributes (interpersonal dependency, individual working memory capacity, and preferred learning style) on performance effectiveness in CPS. A wide range of fields including healthcare and the military has explored CPS; however, the bulk of teamwork research to date has dealt with behavioral coordination on a single feature. This study will explore the association between team-member attributes and CPS skills. Noteworthy interactions might be observed to demonstrate that there are mixtures of traits more (or less) productive than anticipated, indicating further evidence of how group composition influences group performance.
Bladder attack: transient bladder ischemia leads to a reversible decrease in detrusor compliance.

Background: The deleterious effects of chronic ischemia on bladder function have been extensively studied; however, evaluation and characterization of the effects of acute ischemia and hypoxia are lacking. The present study examined pig and human detrusor smooth muscle (DSM) strips, in combination with an isolated perfused working pig bladder model to evaluate the relationship between transient ischemia and bladder function. Methods: Organ bath and myographic studies were performed using pig and human DSM strips exposed to starvation/hypoxia conditions. Analogous conditions were then recreated in the ex vivo bladder preparation. Filled bladders were then treated with intravascular carbachol to induce contraction and subsequent void. An intravesical transducer continuously monitored changes in bladder pressure, while a tissue pO 2 monitor analyzed changes in oxygenation. Results: After 120 min in starved/hypoxic conditions, both pig and human DSM strips demonstrated significantly increased resting tone, with a greater than two-fold increase in force over control. This was effectively blocked with atropine. DSM strips also demonstrated significantly weaker contractions; however, contractile force was nearly recovered following 15-min exposure to replete/oxygenated buffer. In the ex vivo bladder preparation, filling under ischemic conditions yielded a 225% increase in end-fill vesical pressures (P ves ) compared to controls. End-fill P ves returned to baseline with reperfusion during a subsequent filling cycle. Conclusions: Transient ischemia/hypoxia leads to an acute increase in tone in both DSM strips and ex vivo pig bladder. Remarkably, the effect is reversible with re-perfusion and may be blocked with anticholinergics, suggesting a relationship between acute ischemia and increased local acetylcholine release.
Hydroxocobalamin Versus Methylene Blue for Vasoplegic Syndrome in Cardiothoracic Surgery: A Retrospective Cohort

Objective To compare methylene blue with hydroxocobalamin as a rescue therapy for vasoplegic syndrome. Design Retrospective cohort. Setting Academic medical center. Participants Patients undergoing cardiothoracic surgery treated for vasoplegic syndrome. Interventions Thirty-five patients were treated with methylene blue (n = 16) or hydroxocobalamin (n = 19). Measurements and Main Results Mean arterial pressure, systemic vascular resistance, and vasopressor exposures were recorded before and after medication administration. Change in time-averaged norepinephrine equivalents in the hour after administration was the primary outcome. The average norepinephrine equivalent observed at baseline in this cohort was 0.347 µg/kg/min. Methylene blue patients had greater Acute Physiological Assessment and Chronic Health Evaluation II scores (29.8 v 22.2; p = 0.01) and trended toward greater European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation II values (26.8% v 15.1%; p = 0.07). Methylene blue and hydroxocobalamin were associated with increased mean arterial pressure and systemic vascular resistance 1 hour after administration (10.6 mmHg and 192 dyn*sec/cm5; p = 0.01 and p = 0.01, respectively; 11.8 mmHg and 254 dyn*sec/cm5; p = 0.002 and p = 0.015, respectively). Hemodynamic changes were not different between the rescue therapy groups (p = 0.79 and p = 0.53, respectively). No significant differences were observed within the 1-hour change in time-averaged norepinephrine equivalents for either agent or when methylene blue and hydroxocobalamin were compared (0.012 ± 0.218 µg/kg/min v –0.037 ± 0.027 µg/kg/min; p = 0.46, respectively). When compared with baseline time-averaged norepinephrine equivalent (0.326 ± 0.106 µg/kg/min), only hydroxocobalamin was associated with decreased vasopressor requirements at the 1-hour (0.255 ± 0.129 µg/kg/min; p = 0.03) and 4-hour time points (0.247 ± 0.180 µg/kg/min; p = 0.04) post-administration. Conclusion Methylene blue and hydroxocobalamin increased mean arterial pressures and systemic vascular resistance without significantly decreasing time-averaged norepinephrine exposure in the hour after administration.
The Traditional Lack of Distinction between UF and UO

The present chapter is devoted to a consideration of Frege’s (or modern logic’s) accusation that traditional logic has not distinguished das Fallen eines Einzelnen unter einem Begriff from Unterordnung of concepts. After formulating the problem (4.1), the previous exposition of the traditional predication theory is completed (4.2). I next try to show that traditional predication theory cannot be viewed as a less fortunate presentation of the Fregean approach, as if it belonged to the same line of development. Indeed traditional predication theory is of another kind (4.3). The most important systematic reason responsible for this is next examined (4.4). Finally, some examples are given in which the distinction UF and UO is shown to be intrinsically required by the very traditional doctrines (and not only by our retrospective projections) (4.5). A brief remark on unit-classes in traditional philosophy is added (4.6).
Machine Vision Analysis of Plant Cells and Somatic Embryos

Machine vision (video image analysis) is a strategy for collecting visual information (with a camera) from a specimen, and allowing the visible (appearance) characteristics of the specimen to be rigorously, numerically interpreted with the aid of computer. The image, stored in the memory of a computer, provides an extremely detailed representation of a specimen. Consequently, the image, rather than the live specimen, can be subjected to rigorous examination, measurement, and manipulation. For these reasons, image analysis advances a very useful tactic for analyzing characteristics of a biological/in vitro specimen in detail, without invading the environment of the actual specimen itself, except for the brief moment of image capture (acquisition of an image with a camera).
Retinal lesions and potential confounders in mouse models

During the application of spontaneous or genetically engineered mouse models for retinal diseases,some phenotypes of the models might not be related to the gene (s) of interest or intentional manipulation.This problem often arises from founder effect of inbreed mouse strains.The most impact experiences in vision research community are mouse models incorporated with mutations in Crb1 (rd8),phosphodiesterase 6 beta (Pde6b) (rd1),Gnat2 and RPE65 genes.This paper reviewed the most relevant articles on this matter.We encourage that vision researchers who apply or develop mouse lines to study retinal diseases should carefully track and check the genetic background of their stains and/or choose proper controls in the study design. Key words: Model, animal; Mouse, mutant strain; Retina disease; Retinal degeneration/genetics; Phenotype
Efficiency and safety of Aripiprazole in the treatment of children with Tourette's syndrome: a Meta-analysis

Objective To compare the efficiency and safety between Aripiprazole and other traditional drugs for Tourette's syndrome treatment. Methods Databases such as China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, VIP, China Biology Medicine Disc, PubMed and Web of Science were electronically searched for studies on Aripiprazole for Tourette's syndrome treatment.According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, studies, extracted data, and assessed quality were screened.Meta-analysis was performed by using Stata 11.0 software. Results Four studies about Aripiprazole for Tourette's syndrome treatment with 396 patients (Aripiprazole group: 201 cases; control group: 195 cases) were synthetically and quantitatively analyzed.Meta-analysis results showed that Aripiprazole was better than other traditional agents (placebo, Tiapride, Haloperidol)[standardized mean difference (SMD)=0.21, 95%CI: 0.10-0.32]. The subgroup by time of treatment analysis results indicated that Aripiprazole was superior to other drugs in 2 weeks (SMD=0.28, 95%CI: 0.06-0.50). There was no significant difference in the efficacy between Aripiprazole and other drugs for treatment of Tourette's syndrome in 4 weeks and 8 weeks after treatment(SMD=0.16, 0.28; 95%CI: -0.05-0.38、-0.20-0.76). The subgroup by matched drugs results suggested that Aripiprazole was better than Tiapride (SMD=0.29, 95%CI: 0.15-0.43), but was not significantly different from Haloperidol (SMD=-0.03, 95%CI: -0.28 -0.22). There was no significant difference in side effects incidence between Aripiprazole and traditional drugs for treatment of Tourette's syndrome (RR=0.83, 95%CI: 0.36-1.89). Conclusions Compared with the conventional drugs, Aripiprazole has better therapeutic efficacy in the treatment of Tourette's syndrome in children in 2 weeks.Aripiprazole is better than Tiapride, but equal to Haloperidol in the treatment of Tourette's syndrome.The safety of Aripiprazole needs to be further verified. Key words: Aripiprazole; Tourette's syndrome; Meta-analysis; Child
Teaching the Calendar Application on a Mobile Device to Young Adults With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) often have difficulties with self-management skills such as scheduling daily tasks for educational, vocational, and leisure purpos...
Nurse bias and nursing care disparities related to patient characteristics: A scoping review of the quantitative and qualitative evidence.

Introduction Investigations of healthcare workers' implicit attitudes about patient characteristics and differences in delivery of healthcare due to bias are increasingly common. However, there is a gap in our understanding of nurse-specific bias and care disparities. Aims To identify (a) the types of available evidence, (b) key factors and relationships identified in the evidence and (c) knowledge gaps related to nurse bias (nurse attitudes or beliefs towards a patient characteristic) and nursing care disparities (healthcare disparities related specifically to nursing care). Methods Authors completed a scoping review using the Joanne Briggs Institute method and PRISMA-SCR checklist. Five databases were searched. After screening, 215 research reports were included and examined. Data were extracted from research reports and assessed for thematic patterns and trends across multiple characteristics. Results Nurse bias and/or care disparity investigations have become increasingly common over the 38-year span of included reports. Multiple patient characteristics have been investigated, with the most common being race and/or ethnicity, gender and age. Twenty-nine of 215 studies identified a potential relationship between nurse bias regarding a characteristic and nursing care of individuals with that characteristic. Of these studies, 27 suggested the bias was associated with a negative disparate impact on nursing care. Only 12 reports included evaluating an intervention designed to reduce nurse bias or nursing care-related healthcare disparities. Conclusions Despite increasing research focus on individual bias and disparities in healthcare, the accumulated knowledge regarding nurses has not significantly advanced past a descriptive, exploratory level. Nor has there been a consistent focus on the role of nurses, who represent the largest component of the professional healthcare workforce. Relevance to clinical practice National and international codes of ethics for nurses require provision of care according to individual, unique patient need, disregarding bias and incorporating patient characteristics into their plan of care.
Surgical sterilization impacts on behavior of coyote pairs

Abstract Coyotes (Canis latrans) involved in depredation of livestock, an act frequently resulting in human-wildlife conflict, often do so out of necessity for provisioning pups. Surgical sterilization methods such as vasectomy that preserve gonadal hormones have been successful in reducing depredation by free-ranging coyotes while allowing individuals to maintain territoriality and mate fidelity. However, use of these methods remain costly and ineffective for wide-scale use. Given the alternative proposal of using chemical sterilization techniques, we investigated whether the use of hormone-altering sterilization methods impacted behavior of captive coyote pairs (i.e., male-female pair bonds). Our objective was to evaluate behavior and reproductive hormones of mated coyote pairs that had received different surgical sterilization treatments. We assigned mated pairs of captive coyotes to different sterilization treatment groups (vasectomy, spay, neuter, ovary-sparing spay, and intact) and coded their behavior as the time spent in resting versus active (i.e., walking, running, scent communication, and aggressive interactions) behaviors. Additionally, hormone concentrations were analyzed to determine effectiveness of hormone-altering treatment, given the potential role of gonadal hormones in regulating behavior. The study was repeated across three breeding seasons. The top model comparing time spent active versus resting was the null model, although the model that included whether sterilization type altered hormones and year also had a ΔAIC of
Does caloric restriction prime the microbiome for pathogenic bacteria

A recent study in Nature finds significant shifts in the gut microbiome of post-menopausal women on severe calorie restriction concomitant with weight loss. Microbiota transplantation to germ-free mice display a similar weight loss, along with a bloom in C. difficile, unlocking clues to microbial metabolic alteration in weight loss.
The Long-Run Dynamics of Fundamental Tax Reform

In this paper we analyze the impact of fundamental tax reform on the dynamics of U.S. economic growth over the next quarter century. We consider two alternative approaches to tax reform. The first is a flat-rate consumption tax, similar to the one introduced by Majority Leader Dick Armey and Senator Richard Shelby in the 104th Congress. The second is an income-base value-added tax, also with a flat rate. These taxes would be substituted for existing individual and corporate income taxes at federal, state, and local levels. A full description of the two proposals is given by the Joint Committee on Taxation ( 1996). Our simulations of U.S. economic growth under alternative tax policies are based on an intertemporal equilibrium model of the U.S. economy. We have continuously revised and updated this model since it was first published in 1990. Version 9 incorporates the detailed representation of the U.S. tax structure presented by Jorgenson and Kun-Young Yun ( 1991 ) in Tax Reform and the Cost of Capital. We present a detailed description of the model and summarize more than a dozen applications in Jorgenson and Wilcoxen (1993). Our model of U.S. economic growth is disaggregated to the 35 industries listed below. In addition, the model distinguishes among 1,344 types of households, disaggregated by family size, age and gender of household head, region of residence, race, and urban versus rural location. The model is built around submodels of investment and saving based on rational expectations. The price of investment goods in every period is based on expectations of future capital service prices and discount rates that are fulfilled by the solution of the model. In order to analyze the economic impact of changes in tax policy, we simulate the growth of the U.S. economy with and without changes
Ceruloplasmin-Anion Interactions: INDUCED SPECTRAL TRANSITIONS IN THE VISIBLE RANGE

Changes in the visible spectrum of human ceruloplasmin resulting from the interaction of the protein-copper chromophore with azide, cyanide, thiocyanate, and cyanate have been examined. Absorption maxima determined for the various protein-anion complexes were the following: N3−, 375 mµ with a shoulder at 435 mµ; CN−, 378 mµ; NCS−, 375 mµ and 435 mµ; NCO−, 395 mµ. The spectral transitions induced by N3−, NCS−, and NCO− produced reductions in the absorption of the protein-copper chromophore of 75, 62, and 65%, respectively. Complex formation in the case of azide and cyanate was reversible, as indicated by a quantitative recovery of both chromophore absorption (610 mµ) and oxidase activity upon removal of the anion. Ceruloplasmin regenerated from the thiocyanate complex exhibited a 10% reduction in these two properties. Protein-bound copper was not removed by either azide, thiocyanate, or cyanate treatment. In the presence of 0.01 M CN− at pH 5.5, ceruloplasmin rapidly lost 1 g atom of copper per 160,000 g of protein. This resulted in the permanent loss of approximately one-third of the absorption at 610 mµ and 54% of the initial oxidase activity. Additional copper was slowly lost upon long term incubation with cyanide. The results of this investigation indicate that predominantly 1 chromophoric cupric copper atom interacts in a reversible manner with N3−, NCS−, and NCO− under the conditions studied. Furthermore, this cupric atom appears to be located on the surface of the molecule exposed to the external environment of the protein and is probably the copper atom readily removed by cyanide.
Do Racists Speak Truly? On the Truth‐Conditional Content of Slurs

Slurs denigrate individuals qua members of certain groups, such as race or sexual orientation. Most theorists hold that each slur has a neutral counterpart, i.e., a term that references the slur's target group without denigrating them. According to a widely accepted view, which I call ‘Neutral Counterpart Theory’, the truth-conditional content of a slur is identical to the truth-conditional content of its neutral counterpart (so, e.g., ‘Jew’ and ‘kike’ are truth-conditionally the same, yet the latter is an objectionable or derogatory way of referring to a person's ethnic background). My aim is to challenge this view. I argue that the view fails with respect to slurs that encode truth-conditional content which does more than merely classify someone as a member of the target group (such as ‘slanty-eyed’, ‘curry muncher’, ‘camel jockey’, and ‘Jewish American Princess’), as well as slurs that denigrate by virtue of their iconicity (‘ching chong’).