cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tracking Active Learning in the Medical School Curriculum: A Learning-Centered Approach

Background:Medical education is moving toward active learning during large group lecture sessions. This study investigated the saturation and breadth of active learning techniques implemented in fi...
Tympanostomy tube placement and ear drops: Evidence-based cost saving models.

Abstract Objectives/Introduction Tympanostomy tube placement is the most common surgical procedure in the pediatric population with important financial implications to our healthcare institutions. The purpose of this study is to apply various cost models in different clinical environments to determine the most cost effective way to prescribe ear drops after tympanostomy tube insertion. Methods Two distinct practice models were designed: a Uniform Treatment Model and a Disease Specific Model. Different cost simulations were run based on which medication(s) was chosen for all tympanostomy tube cases performed over the course of 1 year in a practice composed of four pediatric otolaryngologist. Two categories of ear drop medications were seen: high cost and low cost. The cost associated with initiation of drops in the operating room versus initiation as an outpatient via a prescription was evaluated. Results In both Uniform Treatment and Disease Specific Models, the most expensive simulations included antibiotic/steroid combination drop use intraoperatively. The treatment with an antibiotic/steroid combination drop was lower when delayed until the post-operative period. The hospital cost for ear drops increased by as much as 478% when dispensed within the operating room rather than from the hospital's outpatient pharmacy. Conclusions Otolaryngologists should make an effort to become familiar with the cost of ototopical medications and the significant variability between inpatient and outpatient settings. Cost of ototopical agents should be shifted to the institution's outpatient pharmacy whenever possible especially for branded, higher cost combination drops. Patients should be treated based on the status of their ear disease at time of middle tube insertion.
Effects of the Duration of Early Strabismus on the Binocular Responses of Neurons in the Monkey Visual Cortex (V1)

PURPOSE. To determine how the duration of early strabismus influences the severity of loss of disparity sensitivity in V1 neurons and the effects of extensive poststrabismus visual experience on the maintenance of functional binocular connections. METHODS. Concomitant strabismus was optically simulated in 10 rhesus monkeys using a prism-rearing procedure. The onset of strabismus was kept constant at 4 weeks of age and the duration was maintained for 2, 4, or 8 weeks. In one group of monkeys (infants), the neurophysiological experiments were conducted immediately after the period of rearing with prisms. In another group (adults), after the termination of the prismrearing regimen at either 8 or 12 weeks of age, the monkeys were kept in a normal housing environment until maturity and behavioral testing was conducted before the recording experiments to determine the animal’s monocular and binocular visual capacities. To assess the effects of the period of early strabismus on binocular interactions in V1, extracellular singleunit recording methods were used in anesthetized and paralyzed monkeys, and dichoptic sine-wave gratings were used as stimuli. RESULTS. In all strabismic monkeys, the sensitivity of V1 units to interocular spatial phase disparity (disparity sensitivity) was significantly reduced, and the prevalence of binocular suppression was higher than that found in age-matched control animals. Although 8 weeks of strabismus resulted in a slightly larger loss of disparity sensitivity, the overall effects of the duration of strabismus were surprisingly small in infant strabismic monkeys. After poststrabismus visual experience, a small but significantly higher degree of disparity sensitivity was noted in V1 if prism-rearing was terminated after 4 weeks of strabismus (i.e., at 8 weeks of age), but not after 8 weeks of strabismus (i.e., at 12 weeks of age). CONCLUSIONS. A brief period (2 weeks) of misalignment after the emergence of stereopsis is sufficient to drastically reduce the functional binocular connections in V1, and longer periods of strabismus result in little additional loss in disparity sensitivity. Clinically, these results suggest that taking corrective measures for infantile esotropes before the known onset age for stereopsis may be important for maintaining better binocular sensory function and better interocular alignment at later stages of development. (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2002;43: 1262‐1269)
The Effects of Random Undersampling with Simulated Class Imbalance for Big Data

With the recent explosion of big data, real-world data are increasingly being affected by larger degrees of class imbalance, likely hindering Machine Learning algorithm performance. The contribution of our work is to show that good classification performance on big data, across different application domains, can be achieved without too much alteration to the original dataset. In order to demonstrate good classification performance with big data, we process four datasets, from different domains, generating several imbalanced variants. Five new imbalanced big datasets, with target positive classes of 10%, 1%, 0.1%, 0.01%, and 0.001%, were created from each original full dataset to study information loss introduced in traditional random undersampling. Random undersampling is applied to balance the binary class in each of the created imbalance datasets generating 50:50 class ratios. All models were built using the Random Forest classifier, using the Spark and H2O machine learning libraries, and performance was recorded to find good ratios for undersampling big data without discarding too much of the majority class. We provide a comparison of all models created from the prepared datasets, generating 4,488 models. We conclude that, in terms of imbalanced data, from 0.1% to 1.0% of the minority class, adequate performance is obtained even when compared to 10% or even 100% of the full balanced data set. Moreover, when random undersampling the negative class to 50:50, there are similarities regarding the average performance compared to that of using the entire big dataset.
Dynamics of collective performance in collaboration networks.

Today, many complex tasks are assigned to teams, rather than individuals. One reason for teaming up is expansion of the skill coverage of each individual to the joint team skill set. However, numerous empirical studies of human groups suggest that the performance of equally skilled teams can widely differ. Two natural question arise: What are the factors defining team performance? and How can we best predict the performance of a given team on a specific task? While the team members’ task-related capabilities constrain the potential for the team’s success, the key to understanding team performance is in the analysis of the team process, encompassing the behaviors of the team members during task completion. In this study, we extend the existing body of research on team process and prediction models of team performance. Specifically, we analyze the dynamics of historical team performance over a series of tasks as well as the fine-grained patterns of collaboration between team members, and formally connect these dynamics to the team performance in the predictive models. Our major qualitative finding is that higher performing teams have well-connected collaboration networks—as indicated by the topological and spectral properties of the latter—which are more robust to perturbations, and where network processes spread more efficiently. Our major quantitative finding is that our predictive models deliver accurate team performance predictions—with a prediction error of 15-25%—on a variety of simple tasks, outperforming baseline models that do not capture the micro-level dynamics of team member behaviors. We also show how to use our models in an application, for optimal online planning of workload distribution in an organization. Our findings emphasize the importance of studying the dynamics of team collaboration as the major driver of high performance in teams.
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Carbon monoxide poisoning is a serious and life-threatening event. Educating workers and communities on exposure sources, symptoms, and prevention is an important role for occupational health nurses.
Telehealth in Home‐Based Primary Care: Factors and Challenges Associated With Integration Into Veteran Care

Objectives To describe the structural characteristics and challenges associated with home telehealth (HT) use in the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Home-Based Primary Care (HBPC) program. Design We designed a national survey to collect information about HBPC program structural characteristics. The survey included eight organizational and service domains, one of which was HT. HBPC program directors were surveyed online using REDCap. Participants We received 232 surveys from 394 HBPC sites (59% response rate). Methods HBPC structural domains were compared between sites using and not using HT technology. Open-ended responses were analyzed using content analysis. Results A total of 127 sites (76%) used HT, which was more likely when HBPC sites were aligned organizationally with the VA's Geriatrics and Extended Care Services division, when there were more disciplines on the HBPC team, and when primary care providers made home visits. Program directors overwhelmingly viewed HT as contributing to managing veterans' complex chronic conditions (81%), yet HT data were not readily integrated into care planning (24%). Challenges to HT use included veterans' acceptance and adherence, device issues, and collaboration between HBPC teams and HT staff. Conclusion Corresponding to HBPC's complexity, HT use is primarily a self-organizing process that shapes the patterns of integration at each site. Although HT technology is compatible with core structures of the HBPC model, usability varies, and overall is low. To optimize HT use in HBPC, there are opportunities to redesign systems to mitigate challenges to adoption. As the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' strives to increase access to both HBPC and telehealth benefits, evidenced by the continuation of its successful Independence at Home demonstration and the final changes in the proposed rule in April 2019 incorporating additional telehealth benefits for beneficiaries, this information will be relevant to VA and non-VA alike. J Am Geriatr Soc 67:1928-1933, 2019.
Experimental Demonstration of Avalanche Noise in GaN PN Junctions Grown on Native GaN Substrates

GaN pn junction diodes grown on native GaN substrates have been fabricated and characterized. The temperature-dependent current-voltage characteristics exhibit a positive temperature coefficient of breakdown as expected from impact ionization avalanche. However, for IMPATT and avalanche photodiode applications, device noise is very important. The low frequency noise characteristics of these devices have been measured under forward and reverse bias conditions. The forward noise spectra is dominated by 1/f noise, and the current spectral density is proportional to I1.6. Under reverse bias, the noise spectra show 1/f noise at reverse biases below the avalanche threshold. However, at reverse biases in the avalanche regime, the multiplication noise overwhelms the 1/f noise, resulting in a white noise spectrum. The measured results are consistent with expectations from avalanche noise theory.
Abstract 511: Regulation of p53 Protein Levels Drives Activation of Cardiac Fibroblasts in Response to Pressure Overload

Heart disease is accompanied by the accumulation of resident cardiac fibroblasts (CF) that subsequently become myofibroblasts and secrete copious amounts of extracellular matrix (ECM), impeding car...
Birdsong as a window into language origins and evolutionary neuroscience

Humans and songbirds share the key trait of vocal learning, manifested in speech and song, respectively. Striking analogies between these behaviours include that both are acquired during developmental critical periods when the brain's ability for vocal learning peaks. Both behaviours show similarities in the overall architecture of their underlying brain areas, characterized by cortico-striato-thalamic loops and direct projections from cortical neurons onto brainstem motor neurons that control the vocal organs. These neural analogies extend to the molecular level, with certain song control regions sharing convergent transcriptional profiles with speech-related regions in the human brain. This evolutionary convergence offers an unprecedented opportunity to decipher the shared neurogenetic underpinnings of vocal learning. A key strength of the songbird model is that it allows for the delineation of activity-dependent transcriptional changes in the brain that are driven by learned vocal behaviour. To capitalize on this advantage, we used previously published datasets from our laboratory that correlate gene co-expression networks to features of learned vocalization within and after critical period closure to probe the functional relevance of genes implicated in language. We interrogate specific genes and cellular processes through converging lines of evidence: human-specific evolutionary changes, intelligence-related phenotypes and relevance to vocal learning gene co-expression in songbirds. This article is part of the theme issue 'What can animal communication teach us about human language?'
Hereditary, socio-behavioural, and immuno-hormonal predictors of incident rheumatoid arthritis and therapy response influences on survival versus matched control subjects using a generalised structural equation model.

OBJECTIVES Incident onset and survival outcomes involve multiple risk factors and complex interactions preferably investigated in a single study. A generalized structural equation model (GSEM) was used to build an integrative framework to analyse multiple risk factors for incident rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and factors affecting long-term survival outcome. METHODS Incident RA cases (n=54) had onsets between 1977 and 1994, after cohort entry in 1974. Four cohort control (CN) subjects (n=216) were matched on entry to each case in the community-based CLUE cohort and 270 subjects were followed from 1995 through 2017. Baseline variables included demographic, RA family history, behavioural factors and z-score levels of serum immunological, cytokine, isotype rheumatoid factors (RFs), adrenal steroids, luteinising hormone, prolactin and sex steroids. Four numerical integration methods of GSEM were performed in Stata 15. RESULTS Cohort entry factors predicting RA onset included family history of RA, cigarette smoking and IgM RF. Total survival time from cohort entry was associated with incident RA and baseline variables of age, years of completed education, cigarette smoking, immunoreactive proteins and androgenic-anabolic steroids. Mortality of RA was significantly greater than CN subjects for cases having less than good therapy responses in 1995 and only for RA onset before age 60 years. Androgenic-anabolic steroid z-scores significantly correlated with improved survival only in CN subjects with assigned onset before the age of 60. CONCLUSIONS Successful use of GSEM is feasible in analyses of prospective incident and subsequent survival data and promises to advance understanding of risk factors, survival, and casual pathways.
Proton Pump Inhibitors in Children: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.

Purpose of review The evidence supporting or contesting the prescription of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) for children and updates on side effects are reviewed. Recent findings PPIs remain an important therapeutic option for esophagitis and gastritis. However, recent studies demonstrate no benefit when prescribing PPIs for chronic cough, infantile reflux, asthma, or functional gastrointestinal disorders. Recent studies suggest adverse effects on microbiome diversity and immune function, resulting in increased rates of gastrointestinal infections, bone fractures, and atopic disorders. PPIs influence a variety of cell types within the in the innate and adaptive immune systems. PPI prescriptions in children may be indicated for select conditions; however, multiple side effects and immune effects have been described. While most of these side effects are rare and mild, some studies suggest enduring adverse effects. Future studies to elucidate the mechanism behind some of these immune and infectious complications will be beneficial.
The criticality of social and behavioral science in the development and execution of autonomous systems

Abstract Advances in the capabilities of autonomous systems are rapidly emerging as a result of pathbreaking successes in developing innovations in artificial intelligence (AI). Most notably, new discoveries from AI scientists on a number of fronts are enabling advances in the creation of self-learning autonomous systems—systems that not only can perceive and think but also can update themselves without a human-in-the-loop. That is, we are moving closer to systems that not only can ingest information from their environment and act on it but also can autonomously learn and adjust their actions, independent of human operators. Yet, only recently has attention begun to be paid to the many dimensions of what it means to “learn.” Furthermore, little attention has focused on the interdependencies that these systems will confront between natural (i.e., environment), physical (i.e., human-built), and social (i.e., spaces through which humans move and act) systems, which are constantly changing themselves. Social and behavioral scientists offer extensive theories on cognition, learning, decision-making, legitimacy, morality, conflict (de)escalation, and system interdependencies that can be harnessed to generate critical insight on (1) the design of systems; (2) their implementation with the aim of improving human benefits; and (3) how interdependencies between natural, physical, and social systems can generate unforeseen risks of catastrophic outcomes, including both intentional and nonintentional accidents. Additionally, grappling with the opportunities and dilemmas that self-learning autonomous systems may pose offers new directions for research in the social and behavioral sciences to advance theory and research on the sciences of learning, cognition, decision-making, and systems analytics. This chapter will discuss research from the social and behavioral sciences relevant to the development of autonomous systems, with particular attention to sociotechnical systems theory and a focus on gaps that have yet to be addressed. It emphasizes the value of advancing research that moves AI forward alongside of research in the social and behavioral sciences.
Deeply disagreeing with myself: synchronic intrapersonal deep disagreements

Interpersonal disagreement happens all the time. How to properly characterize interpersonal disagreement and how to respond to it are important problems, but the existence of such disagreements at least is obvious. The existence of intrapersonal disagreement, however, is another matter. On the one hand, we do change our minds sometimes, especially when new evidence comes in, and so there is a clear enough sense in which we can be characterized as having disagreements with our past selves. But what about synchronic disagreements with ourselves? Are such cases possible, or is there something about the nature of belief that rules out the possibility of knowingly holding beliefs which cannot be rationally held at the same time? In this paper, I argue that there can be cases of intrapersonal synchronic disagreement, and that such disagreements can be deep, in the same way that interpersonal disagreements can be deep. For intrapersonal disagreements, just like interpersonal disagreements, can be grounded in conflicting frameworks for interpreting and reasoning about the world. I also argue that synchronic intrapersonal disagreements are peer disagreements. The paper ends with a discussion of four possible responses to interpersonal deep disagreements, concluding that if those responses are sometimes rational responses in the interpersonal case, then they are also sometimes rational responses in the intrapersonal case.
Producing white comfort through “corporate cool”: Linguistic appropriation, social media, and @BrandsSayingBae

Drawing on branded tweets that linguistically appropriate slang, African American Language, and hip hop lyrics, this article examines how corporations rework black culture to create “corporate cool” as part of their advertising strategy on social media. We examine three processes that corporations engage in to associate themselves with “coolness” while managing levels of racial contact and proximity for their audience: 1) racially ambiguous voicing, 2) “bleaching” black bodies out of images, and 3) the forging of “racially tinged” intertextual connections. While previous scholarship has analyzed how acts of cultural and linguistic appropriation reap profit for white people and continue to stigmatize already racially marginalized groups, we describe how these seemingly innocent cultural and linguistic references harness a corporately constructed black cool to produce a sense of white comfort. We argue that white comfort is generated not only through the avoidance of overt references to racial conflict, as the term “white fragility” suggests, but also through well-worn, familiar, and comfortable reminders of racial difference and domination that are offered at a safe distance from actual black people and contexts of racial violence.
Food insecurity: Comparing odds between working-age veterans and nonveterans with children

Abstract Background Low-income, working-age Veterans with children have risk for food insecurity. Less known is extent to which their risk compares to nonveterans. Purpose To evaluate odds of food insecurity for working-age Veterans with children compared to socioeconomically-matched nonveterans with children. Method We constructed a propensity score-matched cohort using 2011–2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data. Covariate-adjusted logistic regressions estimated Veterans’ odds for overall food insecurity and for each level of severity compared to nonveterans. Findings We matched 155 Veterans to 310 nonveterans on gender, race/ethnicity, education, income. Models were adjusted for age, marital-status, depression, and listed matched variables. Although Veteran-status had no effect on overall food insecurity (odds ratio = 1.09, 95% confidence interval [0.62,1.93]), Veteran-status increased odds for very low food security (odds ratio = 2.71, 95% confidence interval [1.21, 6.07]). Discussion Veterans do not have higher odds of food insecurity than non-veterans, but they are more likely to have the more severe very low food security (often associated with hunger) than non-veterans. Investigation of food insecurity's impact on Veteran health/well-being is needed.
Uncertainty Quantification of Machine Learning Predicted Creep Property of Alumina-Forming Austenitic Alloys

The development of machine learning (ML) approaches in materials science offers the opportunity to exploit existing engineering and developmental alloy datasets, such as Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)’s consistently measured creep-rupture dataset for alumina-forming austenitic (AFA) alloys, to accelerate their further development. As a first step toward achieving ML insights for improved alloy design, the potential sources of uncertainty and their impacts on ML output are examined. It is observed that the selection of algorithms and features as well as data sampling significantly affects the performance of ML models, either positively or negatively. The performance of various ML models in predicting the creep properties of AFA alloys is compared, with further evaluation by assessment of a small set of new developmental AFA alloys that were not part of the training dataset. The present study demonstrates that uncertainty quantification (UQ) is essential in materials science for evaluating the performance of ML algorithms with specifically selected feature sets and obtaining a comprehensive understanding of their limitations and the resultant capability of effective prediction in complex materials systems.
Using Social Networks to Supplement RDD Telephone Surveys to Oversample Hard-to-Reach Populations: A New RDD+RDS Approach:

Random digit dialing (RDD) telephone sampling, although experiencing declining response rates, remains one of the most accurate and cost-effective data collection methods for generating national po...
Estimating The Appropriate Size Of Global Pull Incentives For Antibacterial Medicines.

Antibacterial medicines should be foundational for modern medicine—a key part of the infrastructure of contemporary practice. Recently, however, antibacterials have struggled commercially. Even wit...
ONTOGENETIC ADAPTATIONS IN GROWTH AND RESPIRATION OF EUPHAUSIA SUPERBA IN RELATION TO TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE

ABSTRACT The krill egg development rate is measured in relation to temperature. The duration from spawning to hatching is about 5-6 days at -0.5°C. The embryological growth is somewhat faster at 2°C. The development of krill eggs, cultured at 20 atm, showed progression through the various cleavage stages to the formation of the blastula. However, abrupt exposure of newly spawned krill eggs to 100 and 200 atm interfered with normal development and, therefore, high pressure (200 atm) inhibited embryogenesis. The pressure acclimation potential of the various ontogenetic stages of krill exhibited a definite trend in relation to the pattern of developmental ascent of krill larval and adult stages. Nauplii were successfully acclimated in the laboratory from 100-200 atm. Advanced adult stages exhibited the least level of pressure acclimation. Gravid females showed a maximum level of acclimation at 25 atm, suggesting that spawning can occur only at depths less than 250 m. The active metabolic rate of E. superba was also investigated in this study with particular emphasis on ontogenetic differences. Postspawned female krill revealed the lowest rate of oxygen consumption. Metabolic scope of Euphausia superba is discussed in relation to ontogenetic stages and in comparison with other euphausiid species in the Antarctic Ocean.
Reactivity and Specificity of Trichinella spiralis Fractions in Cutaneous and Serological Tests

Six diethylaminoethyl-cellulose fractions of a larval Trichinella spiralis extract, an Ascaris suum extract, and a nonrelated protein were used for cutaneous tests in guinea pigs with 8-, 14-, and 73-day-old T. spiralis infections, in guinea pigs with 13-day-old A. suum infections, and in normal guinea pigs. A selected T. spiralis fraction was used in hemagglutination (HA) tests with sera of 8 T. spiralis-infected rabbits, 41 sera of trichinellosis patients positive by bentonite agglutination tests, and 50 sera of clinically healthy persons. Immediate-type cutaneous reactions revealed extensive cross-reactivity between both parasites, although the establishment of conventional limits for considering a reaction positive allowed the specific diagnosis of acute or chronic trichinellosis with different fractions. Delayed-type reactions were specific with all fractions except one, and different fractions reacted during either the acute or the chronic phase of trichinellosis. HA detected anti-Trichinella antibodies in all the rabbits 9 to 10 days postinfection, in all trichinellosis patients, and in none of the healthy people. Correlation between HA and bentonite agglutination titers and other considerations suggest that HA with the selected fraction detects early antibodies. HA inhibition tests with A. suum extract suggest lack of HA cross-reactivity between the A. suum- and T. spiralis-selected fractions. The use of different fractions in diverse tests for clinical or epidemiological studies is suggested.
The Supernova Origin of Interstellar Dust

Interstellar dust grains are prevalent in the universe, but their origin is unclear. Massive stellar explosions may be the most important source of such dust grains.
Medium Access Control Modeling and Simulation

This chapter contains sections titled: Modeling and Simulation of Wired MACs Wireless Network MAC Simulation Practical MAC Model Implementations Network Simulation Lessons Learned and Common Pitfalls??-??MAC Layer
Global mapping of the uppermantle by surface wave tomography

Surface wave tomography compliments detailed body wave studies by providing a global framework for the lateral variability of the uppermantle. In particular the method allows one to map the mantle beneath the lithosphere and to discuss the fate of overridden oceanic plates. Midocean ridges appear to extend to at least 400 km. By contrast, the very high velocities associated with shields are primarily much shallower. The Red Sea-Afar region is a pronounced and deep low-velocity anomaly. A significant uppermantle anomaly has been found in the central Pacific. This "Polynesian Anomaly" is surrounded by hotspots; Hawaii, Tahiti, Samoa and the Caroline Islands. This may be the site of the extensive Cretaceous volanism which generated the plateaus and seamounts in the western Pacific. Anisotropy indicates deep upwellings, >300 km depth, under midocean ridges, the Afar and the Polynesian Anomaly and downwelling under the western Pacific and the northeastern Indian Ocean. The large fast anomaly under the south Atlantic may represent overridden Pacific plate.
Motivational Conflict and the Self: The Double-Bind of Low Self-Esteem

Students of the self have long recognized two motives that influence self-processes. On the one hand, people want to feel good about themselves. They want to believe that they are competent, worthy, and loved by others. This desire for self-enhancement is regarded as so fundamental to human functioning that it was dubbed the “master sentiment” by William McDougall (1932) and “the basic law of human life” by the renowned anthropologist Ernest Becker (1971). Many other figures of historical (e.g., Allport, 1943; Cooley, 1902; Mead, 1934) and contemporary (e.g., Baumeister, 1991; Greenwald, 1980; Schlenker, 1985; Steele, 1988; Tesser, 1988) prominence have endorsed the belief that a drive to achieve a positive self-image is, in the words of William James (1890), a direct and elementary endowment of human nature.
Hep G2 cells: a model for studies on regulation of human cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase at the molecular level

The present study examines the feedback control governing human cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase mRNA expression in the human hepatoblastoma cell line, Hep G2. Glycochenodeoxycholate (GCDC) and glyco...
Plant H+-PPases: Reversible Enzymes with Contrasting Functions Dependent on Membrane Environment

Plant proton-translocating pyrophosphatases (H+-PPases) are generally thought of as tonoplast-localized proton pumps that utilize the energy released by hydrolysis of the phosphoanhydride bond of pyrophosphate (PPi) to assist in the acidification of the vacuole. It has been suggested that H+-PPases function as an additional acidification mechanism to complement the ubiquitous V-ATPase, especially in young, growing tissues where PPi is abundant and ATP is depleted (Shiratake et al., 1997). Prototypical plant H+-PPases are highly conserved, with overall sequence identities >85%.
Autologous fascia pubovaginal slings after prior synthetic anti-incontinence procedures for recurrent incontinence: A multi-institutional prospective comparative analysis to de novo autologous slings assessing objective and subjective cure.

Aims Given the paucity of prospective data on the treatment of incontinent women with prior synthetic mid-urethral sling (MUS), we sought to report our prospective experience with autologous fascia pubovaginal sling placement (AF-PVS) after prior synthetic mid-urethral sling (MUS). Methods An IRB-approved, multi-institutional, prospective cohort of patients from 2010 to 2013 undergoing AF-PVS for urinary incontinence was evaluated and stratified for the presence of a prior MUS. Pre-operative characteristics and validated quality of life questionnaires (IIQ-7 and UDI-6) were compared to post-operative pad usage, scores on the IIQ-7 and UDI-6, complications, and visual analog scale assessment of improvement. Results 288 patients met inclusion criteria, 59 (20.4%) of whom had undergone a prior MUS before AF-PVS placement. Of these 59 patients, 20 (33.9%) had a prior vaginal extrusion and 5 (8.5%) had suffered from obstruction requiring sling lysis or excision. With a median of 14 months follow-up, prior MUS placement was not associated with a significant difference in objective (55.9% vs. 62.4%, P = 0.37) or subjective cure (66.1% vs. 69.0%, P = 0.75) when compared to patients undergoing placement of an initial AF-PVS. Patients undergoing AF-PVS after prior MUS did have a significantly higher rate of urinary retention requiring intermittent catheterization (8.5% vs. 3.1%, P < 0.001) and re-operation (13.6% vs. 3.5%, P = 0.01) for persistent incontinence. Conclusions Despite higher rates of retention and need for repeat operation, AF-PVS after failed MUS is an acceptable treatment option with no difference in success as compared to patients undergoing initial AF-PVS placement. Neurourol. Urodynam. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Heterosexual Masculinities, Anti‐homophobias, and Shifts in Hegemonic Masculinity: The Identity Practices of Black and White Heterosexual Men

In this study, I use in-depth interview data with black and white heterosexual men to explore shifts in the role of homophobia in the social construction of heterosexual masculinities. A continuum is introduced to map a range of interactional practices through which these men enact heterosexual masculinities. Heterosexual men who, on one end of the continuum, construct their heterosexual masculinities through homophobic practices establish strong boundaries of social distance from gays. The other end documents heterosexual men's anti-homophobias, moving from men who establish weak boundaries to those who blur them. These heterosexual men's anti-homophobic stances trade on the prestige of being tolerant of gays, with black men's anti-homophobias drawing on their experiences with racism.
Millimeterwave Space Power Grid architecture development 2012

This is an update of the Space Power Grid architecture for space-based solar power with an improved design of the collector/converter link, the primary heater and the radiator of the active thermal control system. The Space Power Grid offers an evolutionary approach towards TeraWatt-level Space-based solar power. The use of millimeter wave frequencies (around 220GHz) and Low-Mid Earth Orbits shrinks the size of the space and ground infrastructure to manageable levels. In prior work we showed that using Brayton cycle conversion of solar power allows large economies of scale compared to the linear mass-power relationship of photovoltaic conversion. With high-temperature materials permitting 3600 K temperature in the primary heater, over 80 percent cycle efficiency was shown with a closed helium cycle for the 1GW converter satellite which formed the core element of the architecture. Work done since the last IEEE conference has shown that the use of waveguides incorporated into lighter-than-air antenna platforms, can overcome the difficulties in transmitting millimeter wave power through the moist, dense lower atmosphere. A graphene-based radiator design conservatively meets the mass budget for the waste heat rejection system needed for the compressor inlet temperature. Placing the ultralight Mirasol collectors in lower orbits overcomes the solar beam spot size problem of high-orbit collection. The architecture begins by establishing a power exchange with terrestrial renewable energy plants, creating an early revenue generation approach with low investment. The approach allows for technology development and demonstration of high power millimeter wave technology. A multinational experiment using the International Space Station and another power exchange satellite is proposed to gather required data and experience, thus reducing the technical and policy risks. The full-scale architecture deploys pairs of Mirasol sunlight collectors and Girasol 1 GW converter satellites to ramp up space solar power level to over 5.6 TeraWatts by year 50 from project start. Runway-based launch and landing are required to achieve the launch productivity as well as the cost reductions to enable such a large deployment on schedule. Advancements in the certainty of millimeter wave conversion technology and runway-based space access, are seen to be the outstanding issues in proceeding to full-scale Space Solar Power.
Relationship between sexual abuse, gender, and sexually inappropriate behaviors in seriously mentally ill youths

ABSTRACT Objective To examine gender differences in sexual abuse histories and in the development of inappropriate sexual behaviors in a sample of seriously mentally ill youths. Method A retrospective chart review was completed for all patients from 1987 through 1992 at a tertiary care public sector psychiatric hospital for youths ( N = 499). Subjects were categorized by gender, sexual abuse status, and whether they had sexually reactive or victimizing behaviors. Results Girls were more likely to have been sexually abused, and their abuse histories were more severe. Sexual behavior problems in girls were almost exclusively associated with sexual abuse, whereas 29% of boys with victimizing behaviors had no sexual abuse hostory. Among sexually abused youths, boys were more likely to display victimizing behaviors, whereas both genders displayed similar rates of sexually reactive behaviors. Of the 19 girls who displayed victimizing behaviors, 95% were chronically sexually abused and one third had also received a major injury due to physical abuse. Conclusions Boys appear to have a lower threshold of abuse exposure required to develop sexually inappropriate behaviors and are significantly more likely to display victimizing behaviors. Conversely, victimizing behaviors in girls may require a catastrophic maltreatment history. These gender differences should be incorporated into treatment interventions directed at sexual abuse victims. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry, 1997, 36(7):959–965.
Glutathione depletion in rats impairs T-cell and macrophage immune function.

• Critical illness is associated with both immunosuppression and glutathione deficiency. We determined if in vivo depletion of glutathione would adversely affect immune status. Rats with normal glutathione levels and those with glutathione stores depleted by diethyl maleate underwent analysis of splenocyte function and mesenteric lymph node lymphocyte function. Lymphocytes of the spleen and mesenteric lymph nodes were tested for concanavalin A proliferative response and interleukin 2 production. Tumor necrosis factor and interleukin 6 secretion by splenic adherent cells was also measured. Glutathione-depleted animals had significantly decreased lymphocyte proliferation and decreased production of tumor necrosis factor and interleukin 6 but unaltered interleukin 2 production. These findings indicate that in vivo glutathione deficiency impairs macrophage and T-cell function. Because glutathione depletion may occur in sepsis, trauma, and shock, treatments that help maintain glutathione levels may enhance immunocompetence and thus improve the ability of patients to recover from critical illness. (Arch Surg.1993;128:29-35)
Kinetics of hydrodesulfurization of benzothiophene catalyzed by sulfided CoMo/Al2O3

Abstract Kinetics of the hydrodesulfurization of benzothiophene (BT) to give ethylbenzene was measured with a steady-state differential flow microreactor containing particles of sulfided CoMo/Al2O3 catalyst at 252–332 °C. Partial pressures of reactant species were varied in the following ranges: BT, 0.015–0.23; H2, 0.20–2.0; and H2S, 0.02–0.14 atm. Catalyst deactivation was negligible over hundreds of hours of operation. Rate equations of the Langmuir-Hinshelwood type were compared with the rate data using a nonlinear least-squares regression technique. No single equation with a prudent number of parameters gave a good fit at all three temperatures. The kinetics results demonstrate the competitive adsorption of BT and H2S on one kind of catalytic site and of hydrogen on another. The literature indicates that thiophene is about half as reactive as BT under these conditions, and a comparison of the kinetics results for the two reactants suggests a similarity in the mechanisms of their reactions.
Doppler instrumentation for measuring blood velocity and flow

Blood flow is one of the most important physiological parameters, and also one of the most difficult to measure accurately. This is especially so when the flow through a particular vessel or organ is required, either on a chronic basis in experimental animals, or non-invasively in the clinical environment. It now appears that the use of Doppler ultrasound can solve such a measurement problem in a wide variety of cases.© (1976) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Guided-Inquiry Experiments for Physical Chemistry: The POGIL-PCL Model

The POGIL-PCL project implements the principles of process-oriented, guided-inquiry learning (POGIL) in order to improve student learning in the physical chemistry laboratory (PCL) course. The inquiry-based physical chemistry experiments being developed emphasize modeling of chemical phenomena. In each experiment, students work through at least two learning cycles in which they make predictions, collect data, model the data, and discuss its meaning. The design of the student laboratory experiences resembles the apprenticeship model of research because students carry out an experiment with faculty guidance to determine which parameters are best modified in subsequent trials of the same experiment. The POGIL-PCL model is illustrated using the example: “What are the kinetic parameters of a heterogeneous reaction?” Typical student results and responses are discussed.
Ethics seminars: beyond authorship requirements-ethical considerations in writing letters of recommendation.

. Letters of recommendation may serve a number of vital functions related to the evaluation, selection, and promotion of candidates. The lure of academic celebrity or the desire of an individual candidate for a flattering letter must not threaten the veracity of the content. Letters of recommendation should be appropriately authored to meet the needs of the institution or individual requesting the letter, while keeping authenticity paramount. Length and content should be complete but not overly verbose. Relevant elements suggested by standardized formats should typically be included, such as nature of contact with the applicant, commitment to emergency medicine, work ethic, ability to develop a differential and treatment plan, personality, interpersonal interactions, and an overall comparative ranking. The seven cardinal elements of an exemplary letter of recommendation are that it should be: 1) authentic (based on adequate first-hand knowledge of the candidate's skills); 2) honest (accurate; avoiding exaggeration or hyperbole); 3) explicit (avoidance of veiled omissions); 4) balanced (taking care to incorporate both strengths and weaknesses); 5) confidential (avoiding unnecessary or unanticipated disclosure); 6) of appropriate detail and length (content relevant to the institutional or individual requests); and 7) technically clear (avoidance of unnecessary abbreviations and jargon). The implied duty to future students, colleagues, researchers, and patients who might come in contact with the applicant should motivate authors to write honest, explicit, appropriate, and complete letters.
Feeding mechanism of Epibulus insidiator (Labridae; Teleostei): Evolution of a novel functional system

The feeding mechanism of Epibulus insidiator is unique among fishes, exhibiting the highest degree of jaw protrusion ever described (65% of head length). The functional morphology of the jaw mechanism in Epibulus is analyzed as a case study in the evolution of novel functional systems. The feeding mechanism appears to be driven by unspecialized muscle activity patterns and input forces, that combine with drastically changed bone and ligament morphology to produce extreme jaw protrusion. The primary derived osteological features are the form of the quadrate, interopercle, and elongate premaxilla and lower jaw. Epibulus has a unique vomero-interopercular ligament and enlarged interoperculo-mandibular and pre- maxilla-maxilla ligaments. The structures of the opercle, maxilla, and much of the neurocranium retain a primitive labrid condition. Many cranial muscles in Epibulus also retain a primitive structural condition, including the levator operculi, expaxialis, sternohyoideus, and adductor mandibulae. The generalized perciform suction feed- ing pattern of simultaneous peak cranial elevation, gape, and jaw protrusion followed by hyoid depression is retained in Epibulus. Electromyography and high-speed cinematography indicate that patterns of muscle activity during feeding and the kinematic movements of opercular rotation and cranial elevation produce a primitive pattern of force and motion input. Extreme jaw protrusion is produced from this primitive input pattern by several derived kinematic patterns of modified bones and ligaments. The interopercle, quadrate, and maxilla rotate through angles of about 100 degrees, pushing the lower jaw into a protruded position. Analysis of primitive and derived characters at multide levels of structural and functional organization allows conclusions about the level of design at functional novelties. Epibulus insidiator (Pallas), the sling-jaw wrasse, exhibits an extraordinary ability to pro- trude its jaws during feeding. Epibulus is a monotypic genus in the family Labridae and is widely distributed on coral reefs throughout the tropical Pacific, Indian Ocean, and Red Sea. The extreme protrusion of the mouth of this fish was noted by several early ichthyologists. Renard (1719) refers to Epibulus as Bedreiger (the de- ceiver) and Passer (the thief) and states that this fish "has a long snout hidden in the mouth that it throws out with great agility to capture any prey that comes too close." Bleeker (1862) refers to Epibulus as "ikan kakatua sumpit" (the par- rot wrasse with the pea shooter), and Delsman ('25) cites a Malayan name "tagi utang" (the dunning creditor). These early references reflect interest in the feeding mechanism of Epibulus, which is unique among described fishes. Recent
Correlation Between pH and Composition of Foods Comprising Mixtures of Tomatoes and Low‐Acid Ingredients

Acidity and pH data for more than 100 products comprising mixtures of tomatoes and low-acid ingredienis were compared to develop a generalized method of pH prediction. Products and their major ingredients were titrated with NaOH or acetic acid to pH 4.6 and 8.1 endpoints. Two indices of acidity, developed from these data, were correlated with product pH values, and regression equations for pH prediction were obtained. The accuracy of prediction was improved by correlating the data for related products such as soups, sauces, and simple tomato-vegetable mixtures. Correlation coefficients as high as 0.9 were obtained with the last category. These results demonstrate the feasibility of pH prediction from recipe data.
Behavior of the Pyroelectric Coefficient at Low Temperatures

The third law of thermodynamics is used to show that the primary pyroelectric coefficient as $T\ensuremath{\rightarrow}0$ K cannot have a linear temperature dependence when the coefficient is negative and when the specific heat is proportional to ${T}^{3}$. The argument is consistent with previous microscopic theories that predict a cubic temperature dependence for the pyroelectric coefficient but not with those that predict a linear temperature dependence. Electrocaloric cooling effects in lithium sulfate monohydrate below 1 K must then be smaller than predicted earlier.