cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Identifying a potential lion Panthera leo stronghold in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda, and Parc National des Virunga, Democratic Republic of Congo

Conservationists are raising concerns over high lion Panthera leo mortality and prey population declines in the area at the frontier between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. Confirming if threats to lions are severe or lion populations are disappearing requires ex- tensive surveys on the ground because aerial detection of lions is inaccurate. Yet, ground surveys over large areas are unsafe or infeasible in the war-torn study area. We used aerial surveys of medium- to large-bodied ungulate prey to estimate lion abundance in two adjoining parks: Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda, and Parc National des Virunga, Democratic Republic of Congo. We validated two approaches to predict lion abundance using total counts of lions from Uganda. From this, we predict the two national parks together could have held 221 lions in 2004 and they have the potential to hold 905 lions if prey recover and lion-specific mortality is curbed. This makes the region a potential stronghold for the species in central Africa. How- ever, a recent one third decline in lion numbers in the Ugandan Park and pervasive threats to the Congolese Park lead us to recommend immediate conservation interven- tion for lions and their prey. In Uganda, we recommend focused action to protect lions from poaching and re- taliation, whereas in Congo, general enforcement of wildlife protection and a ground-based survey for lions are needed.
Effect of heterogeneous ventilation and nitric oxide production on exhaled nitric oxide profiles

Elevated exhaled nitric oxide (NO) in the breath of asthmatic subjects is thought to be a noninvasive marker of lung inflammation. Asthma is also characterized by heterogeneous bronchoconstriction and inflammation, which impact the spatial distribution of ventilation in the lungs. Since exhaled NO arises from both airway and alveolar regions, and its level in exhaled breath depends strongly on flow, spatial heterogeneity in flow patterns and NO production may significantly affect the exhaled NO signal. To investigate the effect of these factors on exhaled NO profiles, we developed a multicompartment mathematical model of NO exchange using a trumpet-shaped central airway segment that bifurcates into two similarly shaped peripheral airway segments, each of which empties into an alveolar compartment. Heterogeneity in flow alone has only a minimal impact on the exhaled NO profile. In contrast, placing 70% of the total airway NO production in the central compartment or the distal poorly ventilated compartment can significantly increase (35%) or decrease (-10%) the plateau concentration, respectively. Reduced ventilation of the peripheral and acinar regions of the lungs with concomitant elevated NO production delays the rise of NO during exhalation, resulting in a positive phase III slope and reduced plateau concentration (-11%). These features compare favorably with experimentally observed profiles in exercise-induced asthma and cannot be simulated with single-path models. We conclude that variability in ventilation and NO production in asthmatic subjects impacts the shape of the exhaled NO profile and thus impacts the physiological interpretation.
A Randomized, Double-Blind Comparative Trial Evaluating the Safety of Liposomal Amphotericin B versus Amphotericin B Lipid Complex in the Empirical Treatment of Febrile Neutropenia

In this double-blind study to compare safety of 2 lipid formulations of amphotericin B, neutropenic patients with unresolved fever after 3 days of antibacterial therapy were randomized (1:1:1) to receive amphotericin B lipid complex (ABLC) at a dose of 5 mg/kg/d (n=78), liposomal amphotericin B (L Amph) at a dose of 3 mg/kg/d (n=85), or L Amph at a dose of 5 mg/kg/d (n=81). L Amph (3 mg/kg/d and 5 mg/kg/d) had lower rates of fever (23.5% and 19.8% vs. 57.7% on day 1; P<.001), chills/rigors (18.8% and 23.5% vs. 79.5% on day 1; P<.001), nephrotoxicity (14.1% and 14.8% vs. 42.3%; P<.01), and toxicity-related discontinuations of therapy (12.9% and 12.3% vs. 32.1%; P=.004). After day 1, infusional reactions were less frequent with ABLC, but chills/rigors were still higher (21.0% and 24.3% vs. 50.7%; P<.001). Therapeutic success was similar in all 3 groups.
Work in progress - Learning Enabled Social Network

The learning enabled social network seeks to discover how to harness the power of social networking to enhance learning and promote the science, technology, engineering, and math disciplines. Through student-driven, communities of learning, we hope to engage students in authentic problem solving and be accountable to each other for their work. Teachers will participate in the community as equal partners with the students. Assessments will be performance based and post facto using traditional methods, like written exams, outside the environment. Log data will be examined in an effort to link student paths with performance. A pilot study conducted this fall with communities of professional engineers, teachers, college engineering students, and high school science students will investigate how sustainable energy can be provided to various regions of the world. The outcomes of this study will inform future designs with the ultimate goal of creating an online environment capable mediating the formation of learning communities based solely on studentpsilas interest and need.
Simulated motion enhances neuronal selectivity for a sound localization cue in background noise

In nature, sound sources move and signals are accompanied by background noise. Noting that motion helps the perception of visual stimuli, we tested whether motion similarly facilitates the detection of acoustic targets, at the neuronal level. Auditory neurons in the central nucleus of the barn owl's inferior colliculus (ICc), due to their selectivity for interaural phase difference (delta phi), are sharply tuned to the azimuth of sound sources and are arrayed to form a topographic map of delta phi. While recording from single ICc neurons, we presented tones that simulated either moving or stationary sound sources with and without background noise. We found that the tuning of cells in the ICc for delta phi was sharper for stimuli that simulated motion than for those that simulated stationary targets. The neurons signaled the presence of a tone obscured by noise better if the tone moved than if the tone remained stationary. The resistance to noise observed with moving stimuli could not be reproduced with the temporal modulation of the stimulus amplitude, suggesting that a change of position over time was required.
Spherical and Vickers Indentation Damage in Yttria-Stabilized Tetragonal Zirconia Polycrystals

Damage induced in an yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystal by spherical and Vickers indentations was investigated. Scanning acoustic microscopy revealed that, as indentation stress increased, the spherical indentation gradually developed subsurface damage, until it experienced a transition to a fully plastic state, characterized by a highly anisotropic variation in the leaky Rayleigh wave velocity, vR, and very similar to that for Vickers indentation. The transition was a result of the formation of a microcracked core beneath the contact. Indenter geometry had an appreciable effect only within the core; the distribution of microcracks differed depending on the indenter used, as confirmed by direct observations using a scanning electron microscope. In contrast, the residual stresses in the elastic-plastic zone were insensitive to indenter geometry. The resulting plastic zone was not hemispherical but rather cylindrical, irrespective of indenter geometry.
Dating Violence and Sexually Transmitted Disease/HIV Testing and Diagnosis Among Adolescent Females

Objective.Previous studies demonstrate significant associations between dating-violence victimization and sexual risk behaviors among adolescent girls; however, a relationship between dating violence and actual sexually transmitted disease (STD)/HIV testing and diagnosis has yet to be investigated among a representative sample. The present study assesses associations between dating violence and STD/HIV testing and diagnosis among a representative sample of sexually active adolescent girls. Methods.Data from 9th- to 12th-grade female students completing the 1999 and 2001 Massachusetts Youth Risk Behavior Surveys and reporting having ever had sexual intercourse (N = 1641) were examined. Odds ratios for STD/HIV testing and diagnosis that were based on experiences of dating violence and adjusted for STD/HIV risk behaviors and demographics were calculated. Results.More than one third (38.8%) of adolescent girls tested for STD or HIV and more than half (51.6%) of girls diagnosed with STD/HIV reported experiencing dating violence. Compared with nonabused girls, girls who experienced both physical and sexual dating violence were 3.0 times more likely to have been tested for STD and HIV, and 2.6 times more likely to report an STD diagnosis. Conclusions.After adjusting for STD/HIV risk behaviors, dating violence remains significantly associated with STD/HIV testing and diagnosis among sexually active adolescent girls.
The Emotionally Battered Child

One of the core insights of an ecological perspective is that child development does not take place universally. It takes place in the very specific contexts of a child’s life. We understand this in the political realm when we say “all politics are local,” or “think globally but act locally.” Human ecology builds upon the scientific fact that rarely does child development work exactly the same way for everyone in every situation. Rather, it occurs as a complex interaction of a child’s biology and psychology with the influences of family, neighborhood, school, community, culture, and society. All these elements combine to produce the context (“ecological niche”) within which development takes place. As a result, when we ask the developmental question, “does X cause Y?” the best scientific answer is “it depends.” It depends upon who and where the child is. Every feature of context matters. And yet, in understanding and promoting child well-being, we must attempt to set within this contextual approach the developmental and philosophical insights of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child as a way of asserting universal values.
System-Independent Characterization of Materials Using Dual-Energy Computed Tomography

We present a new decomposition approach for dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) called SIRZ that provides precise and accurate material description, independent of the scanner, over diagnostic energy ranges (30 to 200 keV). System independence is achieved by explicitly including a scanner-specific spectral description in the decomposition method, and a new X-ray-relevant feature space. The feature space consists of electron density, ${\rho _{\rm e}}$ , and a new effective atomic number, ${{\rm Z}_{\rm e}}$ , which is based on published X-ray cross sections. Reference materials are used in conjunction with the system spectral response so that additional beam-hardening correction is not necessary. The technique is tested against other methods on DECT data of known specimens scanned by diverse spectra and systems. Uncertainties in accuracy and precision are less than 3% and 2% respectively for the ( ${\rho _{\rm e}}$ , ${{\rm Z}_{\rm e}}$ ) results compared to prior methods that are inaccurate and imprecise (over 9%).
Controlling Particle Location with Mixed Surface Functionalities in Block Copolymer Thin Films

The controlled placement of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in poly(styrene-b-isoprene-b-styrene) [SIS] triblock copolymer thin films was achieved by tuning the surface chemistry of the AuNPs. Facile th...
Mating Behavior of the Big-Headed Grasshopper, Aulocara elliotti(Orthoptera: Acrididae), under Caged Conditions in the Greenhouse and Outdoors

Daily observations of marked Aulocara elliotti (Thomas) at various sex ratios in cages in the greenhouse and outdoors were conducted over a 10-week period. The general mating habits of the species are described. A test for independence in mating preference in each cage revealed evidence that only 3 of the 20 cages were nonindependent at the 5% level of significance. In both study groups, the copulation frequency per male increased as the ratio of males to females decreased, possibly because of reduced competition among the males and/or to the increased availability of females which afforded greater opportunity for mating. High sexual activity by females at certain sex ratios caused reduced egg production in both groups. Males isolated from females exhibited homosexuality accompanied by occasional aggressiveness.
A Hierarchical Classification and Segmentation Scheme for Processing Sensor Data

Detecting short-duration events from continuous sensor signals is a significant challenge in the domain of wearable devices and health monitoring systems. Time-series segmentation refers to the challenge of subdividing a continuous stream of data into discrete windows, which can be individually processed using statistical classifiers or other algorithms. In this paper, we propose an algorithm for segmenting time-series signals and detecting short-duration data in the domain of lightweight embedded systems with real-time constraints. First, we demonstrate an approach for signal segmentation using a simple binary classifier. Next, we show how a novel two-stage classification algorithm can reduce computational overhead compared to a single-stage approach. Our proposed scheme is benchmarked using an audio-based nutrition-monitoring case study.
On the Interpretation of "Liberal Education" from a Multi-dimensional Perspective

The research of liberal education,or general education,is enjoying great popularity in China,and it consists mainly of there aspects: Ontological research,localization research and social practice research.Of the three,the first is the root of liberal education,for it studies its basic ideas,on the basis of which the other two researches can be dealt with in comprehensive ways.The research of the definition of liberal education is the most fundamental one.The vagueness of its denotation,the diversification of its connotation,the openness of its interpretation,the flexibility of its practice and the historical variation in its definition all produce inconvenience in its research,and the limitedness of the researching methods also affects the process and result of the research.In this thesis,a multi-dimensional discussion of liberal education is presented,i.e.from the perspectives of the morpheme constitution in the definition,the generation of context,connotation and the denotation.
The Natural History of Multiple Sclerosis

The natural history of multiple sclerosis is highly variable. There is substantial heterogeneity in the clinical manifestations but at this point it is reasonable to consider all idiopathic inflammatory demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system as representing a spectrum of the same disease. The short- and long-term course of multiple sclerosis may be determined by different biologic variables. Short-term benefit in clinical trials should not be assumed to indicate long-term reduction in the risk of permanent disability.
The variation of climate change impact on building energy consumption to building type and spatiotemporal scale

Abstract Building energy consumption is vulnerable to climate change due to the direct relationship between outside temperature and space cooling/heating. This work quantifies how the relationship between climate change and building energy consumption varies across a range of building types at different spatiotemporal scales based on estimates in 925 U.S. locations. Large increases in building energy consumption are found in the summer (e.g., 39% increase in August for the secondary school building), especially during the daytime (e.g., >100% increase for the warehouse building, 5–6 p.m.), while decreases are found in the winter. At the spatial scale of climate-zones, annual energy consumption changes range from −17% to +21%, while at the local scale, changes range from −20% to +24%. Buildings in the warm-humid (Southeast) climate zones show larger changes than those in other regions. The variation of impact within climate zones can be larger than the variation between climate zones, suggesting a potential bias when estimating climate-zone scale changes with a small number of representative locations. The large variations found in the relationship between climate change and building energy consumption highlight the importance of assessing climate change impacts at local scales, and the need for adaptation/mitigation strategies tailored to different building types.
Gramsci as Theory, Pedagogy, and Strategy: Educational Lessons from the Brazilian Landless Workers Movement

In this chapter, I analyze the educational initiatives of the Brazilian Landless Workers Movement (MST), one of the largest social movements in Latin America. Over the past three decades, MST leaders have developed a set of pedagogical and organizational proposals for education, which local activists attempt to implement in public schools across the country. I argue that the MST’s attempt to enter the state and govern public schools is not a form of cooptation but, rather, a strategic attempt to transform the civil society terrain, what Antonio Gramsci referred to as a “war of position.” This often leads to contradictions, tensions, and defeats, but these educational interventions are critical to the MST’s larger political struggle: garnering the moral and intellectual leadership of civil society for an alternative hegemonic project. In this chapter, I use the case of the MST to highlight what I see as Gramsci’s three educational contributions: (1) his deeply educational theory of the process of social change, (2) his analysis of the pedagogical process through which learning and education should take place, and (3) his suggestions about appropriate strategy when attempting to engage the state and transform public institutions, including school systems. I illustrate these three contributions through an analysis of Gramsci’s writings, returning continually to the case of the MST to show how Gramsci’s educational proposals are being implemented in the twenty-first century.
Soil biogeochemical responses to the deposition of anadromous fish carcasses in inland riparian forests of the Pacific Northwest, USA

The historic abundance of salmonids returning to natal streams of the inland Pacific Northwest, USA may have constituted a major nutrient influx into these commonly oligotrophic ecosystems. Inland ecosystems tend to be warmer and dryer as well as more nutrient limited than coastal ecosystems. Therefore, understanding how these inland conditions influence the soil biogeochemical responses to salmon carcass deposition in riparian forests is a vital step in appropriately mitigating for the loss of this nutrient subsidy. Deposition of salmon carcasses in central Idaho riparian forests resulted in a 480-fold increase in soil nitrogen, a seven-fold increase in dissolved organic carbon, and a four-fold increase in soil respired CO 2 , with significant biogeochemical responses persisting at one year post amendment. Despite these the large increases in soil N and C, estimates of soil nitrogen and carbon loading only accounted for 31% and 16% of the fish carcass nitrogen and carbon, respectively. However, ...
Ablation of an Ovarian Tumor Family Deubiquitinase Exposes the Underlying Regulation Governing the Plasticity of Cell Cycle Progression in Toxoplasma gondii .

ABSTRACT The Toxoplasma genome encodes the capacity for distinct architectures underlying cell cycle progression in a life cycle stage-dependent manner. Replication in intermediate hosts occurs by endodyogeny, whereas a hybrid of schizogony and endopolygeny occurs in the gut of the definitive feline host. Here, we characterize the consequence of the loss of a cell cycle-regulated ovarian tumor (OTU family) deubiquitinase, OTUD3A of Toxoplasma gondii (TgOTUD3A; TGGT1_258780), in T. gondii tachyzoites. Rather than the mutation being detrimental, mutant parasites exhibited a fitness advantage, outcompeting the wild type. This phenotype was due to roughly one-third of TgOTUD3A-knockout (TgOTUD3A-KO) tachyzoites exhibiting deviations from endodyogeny by employing replication strategies that produced 3, 4, or 5 viable progeny within a gravid mother instead of the usual 2. We established the mechanistic basis underlying these altered replication strategies to be a dysregulation of centrosome duplication, causing a transient loss of stoichiometry between the inner and outer cores that resulted in a failure to terminate S phase at the attainment of 2N ploidy and/or the decoupling of mitosis and cytokinesis. The resulting dysregulation manifested as deviations in the normal transitions from S phase to mitosis (S/M) (endopolygeny-like) or M phase to cytokinesis (M/C) (schizogony-like). Notably, these imbalances are corrected prior to cytokinesis, resulting in the generation of normal progeny. Our findings suggest that decisions regarding the utilization of specific cell cycle architectures are controlled by a ubiquitin-mediated mechanism that is dependent on the absolute threshold levels of an as-yet-unknown target(s). Analysis of the TgOTUD3A-KO mutant provides new insights into mechanisms underlying the plasticity of apicomplexan cell cycle architecture. IMPORTANCE Replication by Toxoplasma gondii can occur by 3 distinct cell cycle architectures. Endodyogeny is used by asexual stages, while a hybrid of schizogony and endopolygeny is used by merozoites in the definitive feline host. Here, we establish that the disruption of an ovarian-tumor (OTU) family deubiquitinase, TgOTUD3A, in tachyzoites results in dysregulation of the mechanism controlling the selection of replication strategy in a subset of parasites. The mechanistic basis for these altered cell cycles lies in the unique biology of the bipartite centrosome that is associated with the transient loss of stoichiometry between the inner and outer centrosome cores in the TgOTUD3A-KO mutant. This highlights the importance of ubiquitin-mediated regulation in the transition from the nuclear to the budding phases of the cell cycle and provides new mechanistic insights into the regulation of the organization of the apicomplexan cell cycle.
Urothelial neoplasms in pediatric and young adult patients: A large single-center series.

Abstract Purpose Bladder cancer is the sixth most common cancer in the United States, but is exceedingly rare in young patients, leading to a lack of accepted standards for diagnosis, treatment, and surveillance. We review our institutional experience with bladder urothelial neoplasms in pediatric and young adult patients summarizing presentation, treatment, and outcomes. Methods Surgical pathology records at our institution were searched for cases of urothelial neoplasms among patients ≤25 years of age treated between January 1997 and September 2016. Cases submitted exclusively for pathology review were excluded. Diagnoses were confirmed based on pathologic examination using the 2004 World Health Organization classification system. Results Thirty-four patients were identified with a mean age of 21.1 years (range 8–25 years), and median follow-up was 25.1 months (1–187 months). The male to female ratio was 1.83:1. The most common presenting symptom was hematuria (n=26; 76%). Diagnoses were invasive urothelial carcinoma (n=3), noninvasive urothelial carcinoma (n=24), PUNLMP (n=6), and urothelial papilloma (n=1). Noninvasive lesions were resected by cystoscopy, after which 12% (n=4) experienced complications (grade II or greater). One patient with stage IV invasive disease at diagnosis died, and 2 patients developed recurrences. Of those with noninvasive carcinoma, 29% (n=7) required repeat cystoscopy soon after initial TURBT at outside institutions, and 17% (n=4) had tumors downgraded from high-grade to low-grade after pathology review. Conclusion Hematuria is the most common sign of bladder neoplasia in children and young adults and should be investigated by cystoscopy. The majority of urothelial neoplasms in these patients are noninvasive and can be successfully treated with transurethral resection. Level of evidence Level IV (Retrospective study with no comparison group).
Correlates to Problem Behaviors in Pediatric Narcolepsy: A Pilot Study.

Study Objective:Excessive daytime sleepiness, the hallmark of narcolepsy, predisposes patients to serious performance decrements in multiple areas of function. Psychosocial dysfunction has been dem...
Noise Reduction Techniques for Electronic Speckle Interferometry

Video-based speckle interferometric methods such as electronic speckle pattern interferometry (ESPI) allow us to measure full-field surface deformation of a diffuse object. In this paper we show, in a first step, that the susceptibility of ESPI to noise can be substantially reduced [1] by synchronizing the optical interferometer and the object stressing system with the CCD image acquisition and processing system, and by performing what amounts to a repetitive sequence of rapid ESPI tests. In this manner, a stable fringe pattern can be obtained as long as the ambient noise is of sufficiently lower frequency than the video acquisition rate (typically 30 Hz). This scheme will be referred in this paper as reference-updating subtractive correlated ESPI to distinguish it from classical ESPI. We then take this issue further with a hybrid additive-subtractive decollated ESPI technique that will freeze out unwanted environmental noise of frequencies much higher than video rates [2], The basic principle of this proposed technique can be summed up as follows: (i) acquire speckle images containing information about the same two deformed object states in every frame of the image acquisition sequence, (ii) decorrelate the speckles between every frame, and (iii) compare every consecutive pair of speckle images to extract visible fringes corresponding to the two deformed states of the test object.
No Time Like the Present: Creating Landscapes for an Era of Global Change

For millennia humans have interacted with the physical environment and other living organisms to shape ecosystems and landscapes. As our population has skyrocketed, our development of land accelerated, our consumption of energy, fresh water, and other resources risen, and our production of toxic chemicals, synthetic fixation of nitrogen, and release of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere surged, we have become more and more entangled in the workings of the biogeochemical system that is the planet Earth.
The Counselor Rating Form—Short Version: A Factor Analysis

A principal components analysis with direct oblimin rotation of the Counselor Rating Form—Short Version (CRF-S) yielded two factors. The first is composed of attractiveness and trustworthiness item...
Uses of oral health related quality of life measures in Public Health.

Objective The purpose of this paper was to review the current status of oral health related quality of life (OHRQoL) measures from a dental public health perspective. Method Three questions are posed. (1) What additional work is needed in the development or application of quality of life measures? (2) How can existing quality of life measures be used most effectively now? (3) Can existing data be used for secondary analyses of 'generic questions' concerning the relationships between oral health care and quality of life outcomes? In answering these questions, methodological issues are discussed, existing sources of data are described, and recommendations are suggested for future directions. Conclusions Current measures can be used for assessment of oral health impacts in adults, and to a lesser extent, for policy development. Other measures need to be developed that are relevant for children and their families, and for disease prevention and health promotion programmes. Continued psychometric analyses are needed to provide short, valid and reliable instruments that can be easily administered in public health settings. Longitudinal studies are needed to determine if the OHRQoL measures are responsive to access to dental care, different types of care including early diagnosis and treatment, and completion of care. The extensive array of existing measures need to be compared, equivalency of scores determined, and recommendations made for the appropriateness of their use in different circumstances and for different purposes.
Synchronous Signals: An Abstraction for Interleaving Sequential and Parallel Code

In Ada 2012, the language expanded its support for concurrency with the addition of the Synchronous Barriers library package to the Real-Time Systems annex[1]. This package provides a mechanism to synchronize a group of tasks after the number of blocked tasks reaches a specified count value. One use for this feature is to interleave sequential processing with concurrent or parallel processing. For this usage, two syncrhonous barrier objects can be utilized where one barrier manages the transition from parallel to sequential code, and the other barrier manages the transition back from sequential to parallel code. In general, performance can be improved by minimizing the amount of synchronization in an application. The more that threads of execution can proceed independentally without interference with other threads, the more likely that the available CPUs can focus on completing the independent tasks rather than spending time synchronizing with the other threads. A Synchronous Signal is a synchronization primitive that provides a similar abstraction as a Synchronous Barrier, except it can reduce the amount of synchronization needed by a factor of two. In addition, only one object is needed, to manage both transitions instead of two. In this paper, the abstraction is explored and an interface to use the abstraction is presented. Two forms of the abstraction are considered; a blocking form and a non-blocking form, and the performance measurements are reported and compared against Synchronous Barriers usage. Finally, these examples are also compared and considered for use in a Ravenscar environment.
The projected burden of complex surgical site infections following hip and knee arthroplasties in adults in the United States, 2020 through 2030.

Background As the US population ages, the number of hip and knee arthroplasties is expected to increase. Because surgical site infections (SSIs) following these procedures contribute substantial morbidity, mortality, and costs, we projected SSIs expected to occur from 2020 through 2030. Methods We used a stochastic Poisson process to project the number of primary and revision arthroplasties and SSIs. Primary arthroplasty rates were calculated using annual estimates of hip and knee arthroplasty stratified by age and gender from the 2012-2014 Nationwide Inpatient Sample and standardized by census population data. Revision rates, dependent on time from primary procedure, were obtained from published literature and were uniformly applied for all ages and genders. Stratified complex SSI rates for arthroplasties were obtained from 2012-2015 National Healthcare Safety Network data. To evaluate the possible impact of prevention measures, we recalculated the projections with an SSI rate reduced by 30%, the national target established by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Results Without a reduction in SSI rates, we projected an increase in complex SSIs following hip and knee arthroplasty of 14% between 2020 and 2030. We projected a total burden of 77,653 SSIs; however, meeting the 30% rate reduction could prevent 23,297 of these SSIs. Conclusions Given current SSI rates, we project that complex SSI burden for primary and revision arthroplasty may increase due to an aging population. Reducing the SSI rate to the national HHS target could prevent 23,000 SSIs and reduce subsequent morbidity, mortality, and Medicare costs.
A Comparison of Group Contingencies on Academic Compliance.

We used a reversal design with an embedded multielement design to compare the effects of an independent group contingency and a randomized dependent group contingency on compliance with assigned literacy worksheets in a first-grade general education classroom. Nine participants were selected based on low levels of compliance in baseline or by teacher identification. Results indicated that both group contingencies increased compliance relative to baseline for the majority of participants. The independent condition produced higher levels of compliance for four students and the randomized dependent condition produced higher levels of compliance for one student. For four students, the two group contingencies were equally effective. A preference assessment indicated that the majority of target students preferred the randomized dependent condition and the majority of nontarget students preferred the independent condition. A number of potential explanations for our preference findings, including the possible role of obtained reinforcement, are discussed.
Picture of glioma stem cells has become a Notch brighter

Solid tumors often behave like an organ system, comprised of rapidly proliferating cancer cells and a variety of stromal components, including endothelial cells (ECs), fibroblasts, and immune cells. Similar to an organ system, all tumors, including malignant gliomas, also contain a small population of cancer stem cells (CSCs) with adult stem cell-like characteristics, namely, pluripotency and capacity for self-renewal. CSCs are quiescent and have low immunogenicity—features that help them evade destruction by chemotherapy and immunotherapy, respectively. Identification of novel molecular cues that regulate maintenance (self-renewal) of CSCs could help develop new therapeutic interventions for complete eradication of cancer and avoid recurrence.
Reward Ameliorates Posttraumatic Stress Disorder-Related Impairment in Sustained Attention.

BackgroundPosttraumatic stress disorder is associated with impairments in sustained attention, a fundamental cognitive process important for a variety of social and occupational tasks. To date, how...
Reproductive history and risk of depressive symptoms in postmenopausal women: A cross-sectional study in eastern China.

Abstract Background Although there are potential mechanisms of female hormones in depression, conflicting results still exist in epidemiological studies. This study aimed to determine whether reproductive history, an important indicator of estrogen exposure across the lifetime, is associated with risk of depressive symptoms in postmenopausal women. Methods We analyzed the baseline data from Zhejiang Ageing and Health Cohort Study including 5537 postmenopausal women. Depressive symptoms were assessed through the application of Patient Health Questionnaire-9 scale (PHQ-9). Logistic regression models, controlling for an extensive range of potential confounders, were generated to examine the association between reproductive history and risk of depressive symptoms in later life. Results Longer reproductive period (Odds Ratio (OR) = 0.972, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.955–0.989), regular menstrual cycle (OR = 0.723, 95% CI 0.525–0.995), later age at first gave birth (OR = 0.953, 95% CI 0.919–0.988) were significantly associated with a reduced risk of late-life depressive symptoms. Among women with regular menstrual cycle, longer cycle length increased the risk (OR = 1.050, 95% CI 1.016–1.085). Meanwhile, more full-term pregnancies and more incomplete pregnancies were related to higher prevalence of depressive symptoms. Women who underwent tubal sterilization as only type of contraceptive surgery were found less likely to suffer depressive symptoms in later life (OR = 0.433, 95% CI 0.348–0.538). Limitations Cross-sectional data could not make a causation conclusion. Conclusions Our results indicated that reproductive factors were significantly associated with risk of depressive symptoms in postmenopausal women. Further longitudinal studies are needed.
The Significance of an MBA Degree for a Podiatric Physician-Is It Worth It? A Survey Study.

Background: The Kent State University College of Podiatric Medicine is negotiating with the College of Business Administration at Kent State University to establish a dual Doctor of Podiatric Medic...
Potassium(I) Amidotrihydroborate: Structure and Hydrogen Release.

KNH2BH3 is prepared by reaction of NH3BH3 with KH in THF (4 h, 95% yield) and characterized by single crystal XRD.
[Artigo retratado] Criminal liability and compulsory in international criminal justice

The Editorial Team of the Guanambi Faculty of Law (RDFG) retracted the research because of (i) the scientific paper was previously published by another Brazilian journal, and (ii) we were informed by Tufts University, which the author claims to be bound, that he never composed the teaching staff of the higher education institution.
Redesigning the Assessment Experience with Design Thinking: Using the Creative Process to Break Assessment Barriers

This article describes the five stages of the design thinking model used to engage students in a creative-thinking process to solve assessment barriers.
Sleep and stress before and after duty across residency years under 2017 ACGME hours.

Abstract Introduction Residents may differentially experience high stress and poor sleep across multiple post-graduate years (PGYs), negatively affecting safety. This study characterized sleep and stress among medical and surgical residents across multiple PGYs and at specific times surrounding duty. Method Thirty-two medical and surgical residents (Mage = 28.6 years; 56% male) across PGYs 1–5 participated in 3 appointments (immediately before duty, after duty, and on an off day) providing 96 data points. Sleep, stress, and occupational fatigue were measured by both self-report and objectively (actigraphy, salivary coritsol). Results Residents averaged 7 h of actigraphy-estimated sleep per night but varied ±3 h day-to-day. Residents reported clinically poor sleep quality. Life stress decreased by PGY-2. All residents averaged elevated life stress values. Poor sleep quality did not differ among PGY cohorts. Discussion Poor sleep quality is similar between early residency cohorts (PGY-1) and later residency cohorts (PGY-3+). Persistent fatigue is highest in later residency cohorts. Even the most experienced residents may struggle with persisting fatigue. Current hour policies may have shortcomings in addressing this risk.
The case for an adverse interaction between aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: is it time to believe the hype?

“Doctor, is my Motrin killing me?” Twice in the past year, headlines across the nation have highlighted the publication of studies suggesting that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) inhibit the cardioprotective effects of aspirin [(1,2)][1]. Based on these results, some experts
Study on mother to child blocking of hepatitis B virus and serum analysis for infants after immunization in different areas of Qinghai province

Objective To evaluate the status of mother to child blocking of hepatitis B virus and to understand post-vaccination serological status among infants of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive mothers in multi-ethnic areas of Qinghai province. Methods From May 1, 2016 to April 30, 2017, all pregnant women who delivered newborns in hospitals within Qinghai province were screened for HBsAg. Free injections of hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG, 100 units) were provided for newborns of HBsAg positive mothers within 12 hours after birth. Three doses of hepatitis B vaccine (10 μg recombinant Hanson yeast) were inoculated according to the immunization procedure of 0, 1 and 6 months. After the whole course of immunization, fingertip blood samples were collected monthly (1-3 months) for rapid screening of HBsAg. Venous blood samples were collected from patient with positive results for quantitative detection of hepatitis B antigen. Results A total of 60 027 pregnant women in Qinghai province participated in the screening test, and 1 912 pregnant women were HBsAg positive. The positive rate was 3.19%. A total of 57 557 liveborn infants were surveyed. The vaccination rate of hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours was 97.11%. Among liveborn infants of HBsAg positive mothers, the vaccination rate of hepatitis B vaccine and injection rate of HBIG within 12 hours after delivery were 94.78% and 97.15%, respectively. For 864 newborns who finished follow-up survey, 45 were HBsAg positve and the positive rate was 5.21%. Conclusions A certain proportion of women of childbearing age were infected with hepatitis B in Qinghai province. Statisfactory results of blocking by hepatitis B vaccine and HBIG were obtaiend. Injection of hepatitis B vaccine and HBIG for HBsAg positive mothers and children should be strengthened. Key words: Hepatitis B; Mother to child blocking; Effectiveness assessment
Effect of Muscle Activation on the Gravity Stress View in Unstable Weber B Ankle Fractures.

Background:In the setting of apparently isolated distal fibula fractures, the gravity stress view (GSV) is a validated method to determine mortise stability. There is currently no published data ev...
The Role of Pediatric Hospitalists in Pediatric Inter-Facility Transport Medicine

Background: Many children needing specialty or critical care are initially seen in facilities without these services and require inter-facility transfer. Over the years, inter-facility transport (IFT) medicine programs have developed specialized teams, with physician roles filled by intensivists or emergency medicine physicians. While pediatric hospitalists often serve as referring or accepting physicians, reports are emerging that pediatric hospitalists may have a greater role in transport including serving as Medical Control Physician (MCP). Objective: To examine current roles and perceptions around pediatric hospitalist involvement in …
Development of Human Host Defense Antimicrobial Peptide-Conjugated Biochar Nanocomposites for Combating Broad-Spectrum Superbugs

Infectious diseases by multidrug-resistant superbugs, which cannot be cured using commercially available antibiotics, are the biggest threat for our society. Due to the lack of discovery of effecti...
Completing the Lienard-Wiechert potentials: The origin of the delta function fields for a charged particle in hyperbolic motion

Calculating the electromagnetic fields of a uniformly accelerated charged particle is a surprisingly subtle problem that has been long discussed in the literature. In particular, the fields calculated from the Lienard-Wiechert potentials fail to satisfy Maxwell's equations. While the correct fields have been obtained many times and through various means, it has remained unclear why the standard approach fails. We identify and amend the faulty step in the Lienard-Wiechert construction and provide a new direct calculation of the fields and potentials for a charge in hyperbolic motion.
Metformin treatment in late middle age improves cognitive function with alleviation of microglial activation and enhancement of autophagy in the hippocampus.

Metformin, a drug widely used for treating diabetes, can prolong the lifespan in several species. Metformin also has the promise to slow down age-related cognitive impairment. However, metformin's therapeutic use as an anti-aging drug is yet to be accepted because of conflicting animal and human studies results. We examined the effects of metformin treatment in late middle age on cognitive function in old age. Eighteen-month-old male C57BL6/J mice received metformin or no treatment for 10 weeks. A series of behavioral tests revealed improved cognitive function in animals that received metformin. Such findings were evident from a better ability for pattern separation, object location, and recognition memory function. Quantification of microglia revealed that metformin treatment reduced the incidence of pathological microglial clusters with alternative activation of microglia into an M2 phenotype, displaying highly ramified processes in the hippocampus. Metformin treatment also seemed to reduce astrocyte hypertrophy. Additional analysis demonstrated that metformin treatment in late middle age increased adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase activation, reduced proinflammatory cytokine levels, and the mammalian target of rapamycin signaling, and enhanced autophagy in the hippocampus. However, metformin treatment did not alter neurogenesis or synapses in the hippocampus, implying that improved cognitive function with metformin did not involve enhanced neurogenesis or neosynaptogenesis. The results provide new evidence that metformin treatment commencing in late middle age has promise for improving cognitive function in old age. Modulation of microglia, proinflammatory cytokines, and autophagy appear to be the mechanisms by which metformin facilitated functional benefits in the aged brain.
Malignancies diagnosed before and after anal squamous cell carcinomas: A SEER registry analysis

Background Increased risk of a second primary malignancy (SPM) before or after diagnosis of anal squamous cell carcinoma (ASCC) has been reported in a previous single-institution study. We hypothesize that patients diagnosed with ASCC are at increased risk for developing SPMs before or after the diagnosis of ASCC. The primary objective of this study was to identify the diagnoses of cancer most likely to occur as SPMs before or after ASCC. Methods This work employs the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program registry data to conduct a US-population-based study of patients diagnosed with ASCC between 1975 and 2016. In patients diagnosed with ASCC, we evaluated the risk of SPMs and the risk of developing ASCC as an SPM after another cancer using standardized incidence ratios (SIR) for all SPMs by calculating the ratio of observed events in the ASCC cohort compared to expected (O/E) events in a matched reference cohort of the general population. Results A total of 7,594 patients with primary ASCC were included. Patients with ASCC were at increased risk of the diagnosis of an SPM (SIR = 1.45), particularly cancers of the lung, vulva, oropharynx, or colon. Patients with ASCC had an increased rate of previous malignancy (SIR = 1.23), especially Kaposi sarcoma or vulvar cancer. Overall elevated incidence of SPMs was unrelated to prior radiation treatment. Radiation treatment was associated with increased risk for SPMs in the female genital system but appeared protective against prostate cancer as SPMs. Conclusions Our findings support increased surveillance and screening for second malignancies in patients with these diagnoses, as patients with ASCC are often either survivors of a prior cancer diagnosis or are at increased risk of developing later malignancies.
Techniques of corrosion monitoring of steel rebar in reinforced concrete structures: A review:

Reinforcement corrosion is a major culprit that undermines the service life of reinforced concrete (RC) structures. It costs billions of dollars each year in the US alone and negatively impacts saf...