cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
View sampling requirements for cardiac SPECT

The new generation of dedicated cardiac SPECT systems achieve high detection efficiency by focusing onto a small field of view (FOV) that encloses a patient's heart. They also generally use a relatively small number of views for angular sampling. The objective of this study is to use simulations to investigate the relationship between number of views and image quality when iterative reconstruction is used for cardiac SPECT. In our simulations, sinograms, with number of views from 6 to 60 evenly spaced over an appropriate angular range, were generated from a digital heart phantom. A depth-dependent Gaussian PSF was modeled for a SPECT system with an inverse-fanbeam geometry. We varied the system resolution at the center of the FOV from 9 mm to 18 mm FWHM in 3 mm steps. We performed reconstructions using conventional FBP, and OS-EM with and without PSF modeling. We compared the reconstructed images with different number of views and different system resolutions qualitatively and quantitatively. Normalized root mean squared error (NRMSE) and recovery coefficient (RC) were calculated as indices of image quality. Noise performance was also analyzed as a function of number of iteration. Our results indicate that, NRMSE decreases and RC increases initially as the number of views increases then flatten out around 18–24 views. For a 9–15 mm system resolution, 15–24 views are optimal for a 16 cm FOV since further increase of the number of views only improves image quality marginally. Similar to FBP, OS-EM shows the same trend that the number of views required is inversely proportional to the system resolution. Under the same system resolution and number of views, OS-EM achieves better image quality than FBP does, especially when PSF is modeled in the reconstruction. The simulations demonstrate that modern cardiac SPECT using iterative reconstruction with PSF modeling allows the use of reduced number of views compared to conventional SPECT using FBP.
Tag-Count Analysis of Large-Scale Proteomic Data

Label-free quantitative methods are advantageous in bottom-up (shotgun) proteomics because they are robust and can easily be applied to different workflows without additional cost. Both label-based and label-free approaches are routinely applied to discovery-based proteomics experiments and are widely accepted as semiquantitative. Label-free quantitation approaches are segregated into two distinct approaches: peak-abundance-based approaches and spectral counting (SpC). Peak abundance approaches like MaxLFQ, which is integrated into the MaxQuant environment, require precursor peak alignment that is computationally intensive and cannot be routinely applied to low-resolution data. Not limited by these constraints, SpC approaches simply use the number of peptide identifications corresponding to a given protein as a measurement of protein abundance. We show here that spectral counts from multidimensional proteomic data sets have a mean-dispersion relationship that can be modeled in edgeR. Furthermore, by simul...
Identification of a Plasmid-Mediated Quinolone Resistance Gene in Salmonella Isolates from Texas Dairy Farm Environmental Samples.

Summary A recent increase in plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) has been detected among Salmonella isolated from humans in the United States, and it is necessary to determine the sources of human infection. We had previously isolated Salmonella from dairy farm environmental samples collected in Texas, and isolates were tested for anti-microbial susceptibility. Two isolates, serotyped as Salmonella Muenster, showed the discordant pattern of nalidixic acid susceptibility and intermediate susceptibility to ciprofloxacin. For this project, whole-genome sequencing of both isolates was performed to detect genes associated with quinolone resistance. The plasmid-mediated qnrB19 gene and IncR plasmid type were identified in both isolates. To our knowledge, this is the first report of PMQR in Salmonella isolated from food animals or agricultural environments in the United States.
Health status assessment in the occupational health setting

This article discusses the conceptual roots of measuring health- related outcomes based on a biopsychosocial model of health. The selection and applicability of instruments for measurement of health status are discussed and suggestions are made concerning how health-status instruments may be used in the occupational- health setting. The potential value of measuring health status in the occupation-health setting is explored with a brief review of current literature and an example from one investigation in which measurements of health status were used to examine outcomes of common musculoskeletal impairments.
Sharing notes with patients: A review of current practice and considerations for neurologistsAuthors Respond:

I read with interest the Yu et al.1 commentary on sharing office visit notes with patients. I often read aloud the last office visit notes to my patient at the time of the follow-up visit. I begin this by saying “this is what I documented when I last saw you. Please correct me if I got anything wrong in your history.” I have found this helpful in 2 ways. One, it helps to refresh the history, assessment, and plan in my own mind; and second, it helps engage the patient and accompanying caregiver in his or her care. My experience with this exercise has been a …
Natural-Product Antibiotics: Cues for Modulating Bacterial Biofilm Formation

Cell–cell communication enables bacteria to coordinate their behavior through the production, recognition, and response to chemical signals produced by their microbial neighbors. An important example of coordinated behavior in bacteria is biofilm formation, where individual cells organize into highly complex, matrix-encased communities that differentiate into distinct cell types and divide labor among individual cells. Bacteria rely on environmental cues to influence biofilm development, including chemical cues produced by other microbes. A multitude of recent studies have demonstrated that natural-product antibiotics at subinhibitory concentrations can impact biofilm formation in neighboring microbes, supporting the hypothesis that these compounds may have evolved as signaling molecules that mediate cell–cell interactions. In this review we discuss the role of antibiotics in modulating biofilm formation and interspecies communication in bacteria.
The comorbidity burden of patients with cluster headache: a population-based study.

Evidence is limited regarding the comorbidity burden of patients with cluster headache (CH). We aimed to characterize comorbid conditions in a cohort of CH patients diagnosed by headache experts, using electronic health record information from the Partners Research Patient Data Registry (RPDR). We identified and reviewed the charts of unique patients diagnosed by headache specialists over an 11-year period, and a set of matched controls. Patients were categorized as having Definite, Unconfirmed or no CH. We calculated the prevalence of and tested for statistically significant differences of selected comorbid conditions in these populations. An RPDR query identified 170 patients with a free text or ICD diagnosis of cluster headache. 15 records belonging to Partners employees were excluded. 75 patients met diagnostic criteria for CH (Definite CH). 22 had headaches with some features of CH but the diagnosis was uncertain (Unconfirmed CH). In 58 the diagnosis was determined to be inaccurate due to data entry errors. Patients with Definite CH had an average age of 43.4 years; 80% were male. The average time from CH onset to diagnosis was 12.7 years (range 1–51). The average number of yearly emergency department and outpatient visits for the group of Definite CH patients was 4.5 and 25.4, respectively, compared with 1.1 and 6.9 in controls. Of the 55 examined conditions, four were statistically significantly less common in patients with definite CH compared with controls (diabetes, musculoskeletal/orthopaedic problems, “other gastrointestinal diagnoses” and skin conditions) and four were statistically significantly more common (smoking, depression, dental disorders and deviated septum). In this large population-based study, we identified a surprisingly small number of patients who met strict diagnostic criteria for CH. In these patients, however, we identified a distinct pattern of selected comorbidities. The pattern is somewhat but not entirely consistent with that of the “classic” CH patient depicted in the medical literature. CH patients are frequently diagnosed with sinus or dental problems. Many experience substantial delay in receiving a diagnosis. These things may in part explain the high frequency of medical visits in this population. It is difficult to distinguish conditions that are genuinely comorbid with CH from those that reflect misdiagnoses or medical scrutiny of patients in frequent contact with the healthcare system.
The Man Who Wasn’t There: Cordell Hull, Bretton Woods, and the Creation of the GATT

This chapter argues that there were important antecedents to the Bretton Woods accords that were developed by individuals who, although they did not take part in the conference directly, were nevertheless of vital importance in making the Bretton Woods accords—and system—possible. The most important figure here was US Secretary of State Cordell Hull, whose commitment to the creation of a multilateral system of freer trade helped create the political and economic conditions needed to make the Bretton Woods Accords possible. Moreover, contrary to previous scholarship, this chapter argues that in spite of the much-publicized rivalry between Hull and Treasury Secretary Morgenthau, there was in fact a high level of cooperation between the two men and their respective departments leading up to the talks.
Positing a New Social Theory for Social Studies Education

Attwood posits a new social theory called archeophisomorphic theory based on his analysis of data collected from preservice K-8 teachers, Gestalt psychology, and Gadamer’s philosophy. This theory provides a framework to explain why ostensibly anachronistic social values can persist throughout and across time and place.
Dissemination of Minimally Invasive Liver Resection for Primary Malignancy: Reevaluating Effectiveness.

Experiences at specialized hepatobiliary centers have demonstrated efficacy of minimally invasive liver resection, but concerns exist regarding whether these procedures would remain effective once disseminated to a broad range of clinical practices. We sought to present the first comparison of MILR and open liver resection (OLR) for primary liver malignancy from a nationally representative cancer registry. Cases of liver and intrahepatic bile duct cancer were identified from the National Cancer Data Base Participant Use File. Mixed effects logistic regression and stratified Cox proportional hazards regression were used for analysis. A propensity score matched cohort was used as an alternative form of analysis to evaluate the robustness of results. A total of 3236 cases were analyzed from 2010 to 2011 with 2581 OLR (80%) and 655 MILR (20%). Of the variation in patient selection for MILR 28.5% was related to treatment at a specific treatment center; however, the proportion of MILR was similar among low-, medium-, and high-volume centers. Overall 90-day mortality was lower at high-volume centers (odds ratio [OR] 0.58; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.40–0.85) compared with low-volume centers. MILR was similar to OLR in both 90-day mortality and overall survival (OR 0.9; 95% CI 0.62–1.10) and hazard ratio [HR] 0.88 (95% CI 0.72–1.07), regardless of treatment center volume. MILR for primary liver malignancy is used across a variety of practice settings, with similar outcomes to OLR. While volume is associated with short-term outcomes of liver resection as a whole, this relationship is not explained by adoption of MILR at low-volume centers.
Highlights from PHENIX at RHIC

Hadrons conveying strange quarks or heavy quarks are essential probes of the hot and dense medium created in relativistic heavy-ion collisions. With hidden strangeness, ϕ meson production and its transport in the nuclear medium have attracted high interest since its discovery. Heavy quark-antiquark pairs, like charmonium and bottomonium mesons, are mainly produced in initial hard scattering processes of partons. While some of the produced pairs form bound quarkonia, the vast majority hadronize into particles carrying open heavy flavor. In this context, the PHENIX collaboration carries out a comprehensive physics program which studies the ϕ meson production, and heavy flavor production in relativistic heavy-ion collisions at RHIC. In recent years, the PHENIX experiment upgraded the detector in installing silicon vertex tracker (VTX) at mid-rapidity region and forward silicon vertex tracker (FVTX) at the forward rapidity region. With these new upgrades, the experiment has collected large data samples, and enhanced the capability of heavy flavor measurements via precision tracking. This paper summarizes the latest PHENIX results concerning ϕ meson, open and closed charm and beauty heavy quark production in relativistic heavy-ion collisions. These results are presented as a function of rapidity, energy and system size, and their interpretation with respect to the current theoretical understanding.
Charting the Future of Cancer Health Disparities Research-Letter.

A recent special report proposed a road map for cancer health disparities research ([1][1]). Research on integrated strategies to address multi-cancer health disparities might also be added to this road map. Recently published data highlight large U.S. county-to-county variability in the mortality
Normalized modes at selected points without normalization

Abstract As every textbook on linear algebra demonstrates, the eigenvectors for the general eigenvalue problem | K − λ M | = 0 involving two real, symmetric, positive definite matrices K , M satisfy some well-defined orthogonality conditions. Equally well-known is the fact that those eigenvectors can be normalized so that their modal mass μ = ϕ T M ϕ is unity: it suffices to divide each unscaled mode by the square root of the modal mass. Thus, the normalization is the result of an explicit calculation applied to the modes after they were obtained by some means. However, we show herein that the normalized modes are not merely convenient forms of scaling, but that they are actually intrinsic properties of the pair of matrices K , M , that is, the matrices already “know” about normalization even before the modes have been obtained. This means that we can obtain individual components of the normalized modes directly from the eigenvalue problem, and without needing to obtain either all of the modes or for that matter, any one complete mode. These results are achieved by means of the residue theorem of operational calculus, a finding that is rather remarkable inasmuch as the residues themselves do not make use of any orthogonality conditions or normalization in the first place. It appears that this obscure property connecting the general eigenvalue problem of modal analysis with the residue theorem of operational calculus may have been overlooked up until now, but which has in turn interesting theoretical implications.A
Impacts of Mobility Management and Human Service Transportation Coordination Efforts and End-User Quality of Life

This study developed an evaluation method to examine the effectiveness of mobility management and coordination programs in a community. A series of surveys were conducted of both transit users and stakeholders in communities across the country. Results from these surveys suggest improvements have occurred in efficiencies, ease of access, and quality of service. Most respondents to the stakeholder survey reported benefits that have been realized. Results from an ordered probit model demonstrate the positive impacts that improved mobility has on life satisfaction.
TIGER:: AN UNSUPERVISED MACHINE LEARNING TACTICAL INFERENCE GENERATOR

We present here TIGER, a Tactical Inference Generator computer program that was designed as a test-bed program for our research, and the results of a series of surveys of Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) testing the following hypotheses: Hypothesis 1. There is agreement among military experts that tactical situations exhibit certain features (or attributes) and that these features can be used by SMEs to group tactical situations by similarity. Hypothesis 2. The best match (by TIGER of a new scenario to a scenario from its historical database) predicts what the experts would choose. We have conducted three surveys of SMEs and have concluded that there is, indeed, a statistically significant confirmation of Hypothesis 1, that there is agreement among military SMEs that tactical situations exhibit certain features (or attributes) and, that these features can be used to group, or identify, similar tactical situations. The statistical confidence level for this confirmation of Hypothesis 1 is greater than twice the prior probability. In order to test Hypothesis 2 we constructed, after SME survey analysis, a series of algorithms, which we present here, for the analysis of SME identified tactical features (or attributes) including: interior lines, restricted avenues of approach, restricted avenues of attack, slope of attack, weighted force relationships and anchored or unanchored flanks. Furthermore, the construction, and implementation, of these algorithms, required the design and implementation of certain ‘building block’ algorithms including: range of influence, optimal FindPath, ComputeGroupsByThreshold and ComputeGroupsByNumber . We further present an overview of TIGER, itself, and the built-in utilities necessary for creating three-dimensional tactical situations, complete with terrain, elevation and unit types as well as our implementation of Gennari, Fisher and Langley’s CLASSIT classification system. Lastly, we present TIGER’s classification of twenty historical tactical situations and five hypothetical tactical situations and the SME survey results of TIGER’s classification that resulted in TIGER correctly predicting what the SMEs would choose in four out of five tests (using a one sided Wald test resulted in p = 0.0001 which is statistically significant).
Manipulating the Chloroplast Genome of Chlamydomonas — Molecular Genetics and Transformation

In photosynthetic eukaryotes, genes encoding chloroplast proteins of multimeric complexes involved in photosynthesis and protein synthesis are partitioned between the cell’s nuclear and chloroplast genomes. The chloroplast genome’s relatively small size, high copy number and great evolutionary conservation have led to rapid progress in identifying and characterizing chloroplast genes. In fact, the entire chloroplast genomes of tobacco, liverwort and rice have been sequenced within the last three years (1–3). Somewhat less progress has been made in identifying the nuclear genes for the remainder of the chloroplast polypeptides, due to the larger number of genes and the much larger size and evolutionary diversity of the nuclear genomes themselves. However in many plant species, nuclear genes can be engineered in vitro, the constructs introduced by transformation, and their function studied in vivo.
Permanent Magnet Vernier Machines: A Review

Permanent-magnet Vernier machines (PMVMs) gained a lot of interest over the past couple of decades. This is mainly due to their high torque density enabled by magnetic gearing effect. This paper will provide a thorough review of recent advances in PMVMs. This review will cover principle of operation and nature of magnetic gearing in PMVMs, and better understanding of novel PMVMs topologies using different winding configuration as well as different modulation poles and rotor structures. Detailed discussions on choice of gear ratio/slot-pole combinations, design optimization and role of advanced materials in PMVMs will be presented. This will provide an update on the current state of the art as well as future areas of research. Furthermore, design issues, fault tolerance as well as cost reduction will be discussed highlighting the gap between the current state of the art and what is needed in practical applications.
Listening to Patients

This chapter examines “the unsaid” that readers and healthcare providers regularly encounter. It provides training in attention to the implicit meanings. It does so by presenting a vignette of a physician’s follow-up interview of patient presenting vague symptoms, in which he discovers what his patient leaves out of the interview. It also presents a similar short story by James Joyce, “Araby,” where it is left to the reader to discover what is unsaid by the protagonist. Finally, it presents Dr. William Carlos Williams’s poem “The Red Wheelbarrow,” which enjoins its readers to discover what is important about the poem. This chapter is related to Appendix 6, which examines strategies of teaching Ernest Hemingway’s story, “Indian Camp,” to medical students.
Effects of Bovine Serum Albumin and Hyaluronic Acid on the Electrochemical Response of a CoCrMo Alloy to Cathodic and Anodic Excursions

The problem of wear and corrosion of CoCrMo-implant surfaces in the human body following total joint replacement has been commonly investigated with tribocorrosion tests, using different lubricants meant to simulate the pseudo-synovial fluid. While results considering the synovial fluid components separately have highlighted their individual influence on the tribological performance of CoCrMo-alloy, an understanding about the influence of the synovial fluid components under the electrochemical point of view is missing. This work aims to investigate the effect of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and hyaluronic acid (HA) on electrochemical potential variations of CoCrMo alloys tested in a model synovial fluid. To simulate the environment inside the synovial capsule, the tests were performed inside a CO2 incubator at 37°C. Open circuit potential, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, cathodic and anodic potentiodynamic measurements were performed with different electrolytes, prepared with cell culture medium (RMPI-1640), BSA and HA. The final CoCrMo-surface was analyzed by SEM/EDS and infrared spectroscopy. The influence of HA on the corrosion of the CoCrMo-alloy depended on the presence of BSA proteins adsorbed on the CoCrMo-surface: EIS and anodic polarization results showed a corrosive action of HA in the absence of adsorbed proteins. In the presence of both BSA and HA, organometallic precipitates were found on the CoCrMo surface following reverse anodic polarization, which remind of corrosion products found in-vivo. These results indicate that HA affects the interaction of CoCrMo implant alloys with protein-containing model synovial fluids, and suggest that HA needs to be considered in tribocorrosion studies for more clinically relevant outcomes.
Efficient Optical Coupling to Ultra-Low Mode Area Silicon V-Groove Waveguides

We investigate the coupling performance between conventional silicon strip (A eff ∼ 0.06 μm2) and novel ultra-low mode area V-groove waveguides (A eff ∼ 0.005 μm2) in a directional coupler configuration. We find high peak coupling efficiencies and examine fabrication tolerances and operating bandwidth.
The Role of Attitudes, Social Norms, and Perceived Behavioral Control as Factors Influencing Urban and Suburban Residential Adoption of Stormwater Best Management Practices.

Nonpoint source pollution conveyed by stormwater in urban areas poses a significant threat to quality of waterbodies in the US. In the absence of systematic regulations on household stormwater management, municipalities rely largely on educational programs to encourage voluntary adoption of lawncare best management practices (BMPs) by residents who slow down and temporarily capture excess stormwater and filter out pollutants entering waterways. The current literature on factors influencing urban dwellers’ adoption of lawncare BMPs mostly focuses on demographics, barriers to adoption, and effectiveness of education and outreach programs. This study applies the reasoned action approach (RAA) behavioral theory to investigate how the combination of individuals’ attitudes, social norms, and perceived behavioral control may affect their decision to adopt three lawncare BMPs, including mulching and fertilizer/pesticide avoidance, and support a municipal ban on lawncare chemicals. We use survey data (n = 235) from residents in two neighboring cities in central Maine, USA. We found that perceived behavioral control predicted fertilizer/pesticide avoidance and mulching, and that beliefs and attitudes toward the outcomes of adopting lawncare BMPS were positively associated with mulching and support for a municipal ban on lawncare chemicals. We observed statistically significant but inconsistent associations between several independent variables—including descriptive and injunctive social norms, gender, level of education, age, and home ownership status—and our dependent variables of interest. The findings provide insights into an underexplored set of factors and confirmatory evidence for previously tested factors influencing urban residents’ BMP adoption, and suggest new strategies and communication frames for environmental managers and researchers.
Diffusion of Polymethylene Chain Molecules in Nonpolar Solvents.

The translational diffusion constants, D, for solutes with polymethylene chains are compared with the predictions of a hydrodynamic bead model based on Kirkwood–Riseman theory. The solute–solvent c...
Classification of vocal tremor using updated consensus-based tremor classification criteria.

Objectives This study characterized the clinical phenotypes of individuals with vocal tremor (VT) using tremor classification criteria published by the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society (IPMDS) including laryngeal features from the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS). Methods VT phenotypic descriptors were extracted from participant medical records from 2017 to 2019. Clinical phenotype descriptors included the: (a) chief complaint and discipline for the first appointment, (b) demographics, (c) tremor body distribution, condition, frequency, and progression, (d) exacerbating/alleviating factors, (e) treatment approaches, and (g) neurologic comorbidities. Descriptive statistics were conducted. Results Of 179 meeting inclusion criteria, 2/3 were female; tremor onset affected voice (43%) or extremity (32%) and 2/3 were documented with tremor duration of 3 years or more. Those with primary VT first saw otolaryngology or speech language pathology (59%), whereas those with primary extremity/head tremor first saw neurology (36%). Documentation commonly omitted tremor clinical features such as (a) observed conditions of tremor (64%), (b) laryngeal features (64%), and (c) tremor frequency (92%). Thus, VT classification was based on comorbidity in 49% of patients (ie, essential tremor (48%), dystonia (72%), and Parkinson's disease (100%)) and 32% had inadequate documentation to classify. Conclusion The majority of individuals with VT were unable to be classified based on documented clinical features highlighting the need for consistent multidisciplinary assessment of tremor affecting speech structures. The primary site of tremor determined the first discipline seen. Most commonly classified VT categories included essential tremor (47%), dystonia (28%), Parkinsonism (7%), and isolated VT (19%). Level of evidence 4.
Clinical Evaluation of Crestal Bone Levels, Peri-Implant Indices, and Mucosal Margin Position of Immediately Impressed Posterior Dental Implants: A Cross-Sectional Study

Purpose This is a cross-sectional clinical study to evaluate crestal bone levels, mucosal margin position, probing depths, bleeding on probing, and plaque and bleeding indices of implants restored with an immediate impression workflow compared to implants restored with a delayed impression workflow. Materials and methods Patients who had received a posterior single implant crown in the premolar and molar regions were identified and scheduled for a single-visit study appointment. Outcome measurements included soft tissues peri-implant indices, peri-implant mucosal margin position, and crestal bone levels. Several systemic-, local-, and prosthesis-related factors were recorded. Bitewing radiographs were used to assess crestal bone levels. Wilcoxon rank sum test was used to compare the medians of continuous measurements and Pearson chi-sqaure test (or Fisher's exact test) was used to compare the distributions of categorical variables between the two groups. Results Twenty eight patients were included. Crestal bone levels, peri-implant mucosal margin position and peri-implant soft tissue parameters for immediately impressed group were not statistically different from the delayed impressed group, except for probing depth for the immediately impressed buccal site, which was less than that of the delayed group. Mesial bone level for cement-retained crowns was significantly more coronal than for screw-retained prostheses. Conclusions While an isolated statistical difference was found in probing depth, the current study suggests that there is no clinically significant difference between implants impressed with immediate and delayed implant workflows when considering crestal bone levels, peri-implant mucosal margin position, and most peri-implant indices. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Trade policy uncertainty and stock returns

We examine how trade policy uncertainty is reflected in stock returns. Our identification strategy exploits quasi-experimental variation in exposure to trade policy uncertainty arising from Congressional votes to revoke China's preferential tariff treatment between 1990 and 2001. More exposed industries commanded a risk premium of 6% per year. The risk premium was larger in sectors less protected from globalization, and more reliant on inputs from China. More exposed industries also had a larger drop in stock prices when the uncertainty began, and more volatile returns around key policy dates. Moreover, the effects of policy uncertainty on expected cash-flows, investors' forecast errors, and import competition from China cannot explain our results.
Outreach Method Predicts Patient Re-engagement in Diabetes Care During Sustained Care Disruption.

OBJECTIVE During the COVID-19 pandemic, visits for diabetes care were abruptly canceled without predefined procedures to re-engage patients. This study was designed to determine how outreach influences patients to maintain diabetes care and identify factors that might impact the intervention's efficacy. METHODS A diabetes nursing team attempted outreach for patients who had a canceled appointment for diabetes between March 16, 2020, and June 19, 2020. Outreach status was defined as reached, message left, or no contact. Outcomes were defined as follows: (1) booking and (2) keeping a follow-up appointment. RESULTS Seven hundred eighty-seven patients were included (384 [49%] were reached, 152 (19%) were left a message, and 251 (32%) had no contact). Reached patients were more likely to book [odds ratio (OR) = 2.43, P < .001] and keep an appointment (OR = 2.39, P < .001) than no-contact patients. Leaving a message did not increase the odds of booking (OR = 1.05, P = .84) or keeping (OR = 1.17, P = .568) an appointment compared with no contact. Older age was a significant predictor of booking an appointment (OR = 1.014 for each year of age, P = .037). Patients on insulin were more likely to keep their appointment (OR = 1.70, P = .008). Patients with a higher hemoglobin A1C level were less likely to keep their appointment (OR = 0.87 for each 1.0% increase in the hemoglobin A1C level, P = .011). CONCLUSION These findings suggest that to optimize re-engagement during care disruption, 1-way communication is no better than no contact and that 2-way communication increases the likelihood that patients will maintain access to care. In addition, although higher-risk patients (eg, patients with older age or those on insulin) may be more incentivized to stay engaged, targeted outreach is needed for those with chronically poor glycemic control.
The Portrait of the King's Minister and the State of Collaboration

AbstractThe essay examines The Allegorical Portrait of Minister Colbert, engraved by Van Schuppen after Le Brun’s design, in 1664, the year of Colbert’s appointment as the Chief Administrator of Buildings, Arts, and Manufactures in France. It locates the print’s programme within the context of the new administrative system for the arts in France implemented by the Minister and interprets it as an inventive conjuncture of pictorial genres. Either as a frontispiece or as an impresa, Le Brun’s design for the print linked Colbert’s political virtues with the new, collective forms of artistic enterprises. The theme of the collaborative relationship among the arts exemplified by Colbert’s institutional reforms calls attention to the emerging variance between the individual and the institutional in the creation of the national style urged by Colbert’s administration. The print demonstrates how the distillation of collective authorship can be achieved through the remediation of the specific arts — painting and ta...
A Toolbox for Microbiome Engineering

Genetic tools to engineer a prominent member of the human gut microbiome represent initial steps toward cell-based diagnostics and therapeutics.
The Persuasive Power of Campaign Advertising, by Travis N. Ridout and Michael M. Franz

In 2008, candidates for political office and interest groups in the United States spent more than $2 billion on television commercials. What else might that kind of outlay get you? A couple of B-2 ...
On The Evolution of Damped Lyα Systems to Galactic Disks

The mean metallicity of the thick disk of the Galaxy is 0.5 dex higher than that of the damped Lyα systems. This has been interpreted to argue that stars in the former do not arise out of gas in the latter. Using new metallicity and H I column density data, we show that metal-rich damped systems do contain sufficient baryons at the thick-disk metallicity to account for the stellar masses of thick disks. Comparing our kinematic data with the metallicities, we show that damped Lyα systems exhibiting the largest profile velocity widths, Δv, span a narrow range of high metallicities, while systems with small Δv span a wider range of metallicities. This is naturally explained by the passage of the damped Lyα sight lines through rapidly rotating disks with negative radial gradients in metallicity. The systematically lower N(H I) of systems with high Δv indicates (1) that the gaseous disks have centrally located holes and (2) an apparent inconsistency with the protogalactic clump model for damped Lyα systems. The higher metallicity of systems with low N(H I) further implies that stars rather than gas dominate the baryonic content of the most metal-rich damped systems.
Preparation of Aromatic Fluorine Compounds from Diazonium Fluoborates

An excellent method for the introduction of fluorine into the aromatic nucleus, described by Balz and Schiemann, has been extensively extended. The method involves two steps, first, the preparation and solution of a dry diazonium fluoborate, and second, the controlled decomposition of this salt by heat to yield an aromatic fluoride, nitrogen, and boron trifluoride. This phenomenon which makes possible, the Schiemann reaction is the remarkable stability of the dry diazonium borofluoride. The overall yields are satisfactory and no special apparatus is necessary. The reaction may be carried out on a wide variety of amines. The effect of the Schiemann reaction on other groups present in the ring is discussed in detail. Keywords: Schiemann reaction; aromatic fluorine compounds; diazonium fluoborates; decomposition; diazotization; fluoborate ion; side reactions; experimental procedures
Synchronous circuit optimization via multidimensional retiming

Time-critical sections of multidimensional applications, such as image processing and computational fluid dynamics are in general iterative or recursive. Most of these applications require each iteration to be executed under a specific time constraint associated with the data input rate. The design of circuits dedicated to perform such repetitive tasks depend on optimization techniques to achieve the desired execution time. The retiming technique is one of these optimization tools; however the traditional retiming deals only with one dimension of the problem and has lower bound constraints in the execution time due to characteristics of the initial design. This paper presents a novel optimization technique based on the application of a multidimensional retiming. Multidimensional retiming improves the circuitry performance by inserting a fixed number of registers, which is independent of the size of the problem, into the circuit paths, and restructuring the memory elements in a legal way. This technique guarantees that all functional elements can be executed simultaneously on circuits designed to solve problems involving more than one dimension. Experiments show that the additional elements required for the performance improvement have, a small impact on the circuit area.
Biology, life table and mating behavior of Oligonychus perseae (Acari: Tetranychidae)

Abstact The biology of Oligonychus perseae Turtle, Baker and Abbatiello was studied at four different temperatures on excised Hass avocado leaves (Persea americana Mill). The time required for development from egg hatch to adult was: 34.89, 16.90, 13.87 and 9.81 days, at 15, 20, 25 and 30°C, respectively. The highest fecundity (45.80 eggs/female), occurred at 25°C, and the highest oviposition rate (1.84 eggs/female/day) was at 30°C. The highest mortality during development was 36.92% for the combined stages at 30°C. The theoretical lower threshold temperature for development was 7.80 and 9.00°C, for the combined stages of female and male, respectively. The thermal constant for completion of development was 200 and 166 day-degrees for the female and male, respectively. The sex ratio ranged from 1.82:1 to 2.39:1. The calculated intrinsic rate of increase was highest (0.1440) at 30 °C.The net reproductive rate was highest (25.80) at 25°C. The shortest mean generation time (18.38) occurred at 30°C.
Dynamic twinning processes in crystals

This paper describes recent work by the authors on a continuum model for crystal twinning. Twinning is described as an anti-plane shear deformation with discontinuous strains, governed by an elastic potential with multiple wells. Possible shapes of twin lamellae and twinning steps and various regimes of their steady dynamic growth are studied. The model includes a kinetic relation governing anisotropic twin boundary motion in two dimensions under applied stress.
Clinical Signs and Concurrent Diseases of Hypothyroidism in Dogs and Cats

Canine hypothyroidism may present with a wide range of clinical signs. The most common clinical signs are those of a decreased metabolic rate and dermatologic manifestations; however, many other clinical signs have been associated with hypothyroidism. There is strong evidence for a causal relation between hypothyroidism and a variety of neurologic abnormalities; however, the association between hypothyroidism and other manifestations, such as reproductive dysfunction, clinical heart disease, and behavioral abnormalities, is less compelling. Further studies are necessary to determine the full spectrum of disorders caused by hypothyroidism.
The racial state: Germany, 1933–1945

(1992). The racial state: Germany, 1933–1945. History of European Ideas: Vol. 14, No. 6, pp. 879-879.
Lying as standard operating procedure: Deception in the weapons testing process

Abstract The Supreme Court, in Boyle vs. United Technology (1988), limited the ability of citizens to sue private defense contractors. The core reasoning assumed a high degree of honesty in the procurement process, and in particular in the weapons testing program. The extent to which we should expect such candor is examined, from the perspective of neoclassical economics and from the broader views derived from social-science and philosophical literature. The neoclassical view that honesty should be treated within the narrow context of profit-maximizing behavior seems most suited to an analysis of the joint contractor-DOD relationship. That such an approach is warranted is born out by the long history of distorted testing procedures and the repeated recognition of such dissembling. Data supporting this conclusion is analyzed.
Effects of Walleye Stocking on Population Abundance and Fish Size

Abstract Data from Minnesota Department of Natural Resources lake surveys and stocking records were used to examine the effects of stocking programs involving walleye Stizostedion vitreum on the abundance and size of fish in walleye populations and to determine to what extent and under what conditions these effects occurred. We used data from 4,470 surveys in 1,924 lakes and from 20,634 walleye stocking records in 1,716 lakes. The analyses were conducted for various sizes of stocked fish and stocking frequencies and for lake groups with different walleye reproductive status. We reached the following conclusions. (1) Stocking in lakes without natural walleye reproduction increased walleye population abundance, but stocking in lakes where reproduction occurred had no effect on population abundance, (2) In lakes without walleye reproduction, walleye mean weight was reduced by stocking. In lakes with walleye reproduction, fry stocking decreased the mean weight of fish, but fingerling stocking had no effect on...
Anticipated Regret Associated With Treatment Decisions for Agitated Dementia Patients

Anticipation of regret for choosing the wrong option may directly affect physicians' choice of treatment. As part of a pilot survey of physician practices for agitated dementia patients, we asked geriatric psychiatrists, primary care physicians, and neurologists to estimate the degree of anticipated regret that they might experience in response to a series of brief case vignettes describing typical treatments and outcomes for agitated dementia patients. Eight written vignettes described physician action (ordering vs. not ordering), type of intervention (haloperidol vs. physical restraints), and outcome of the intervention (adverse patient outcome vs. adverse staff outcome). Regret was measured by using a five-point Likert scale. A full factorial regression model found that "not ordering" actions were associated with more regret than "ordering" actions, regardless of specialty, intervention, or outcome. Also, geriatric psychiatrists, compared with the other physician groups, expressed the least regret for ordering (and the most for not ordering) haloperidol.
WE-C-WAB-08: Measurements and Quantifications for the Lung Nodule Motion Using 4DCBCT Scans Prior to Each SBRT Treatment

Purpose: To measure the lung nodule motion using 4D CBCT, to quantify any potential influences on the motion trajectory, and to derive an analytical approximation for motion trajectory in order to synchronize with external real‐time respiratory motion tracking. Methods: GTV from fast CT and ITV from CT‐PET obtained from rigid or deformable co‐registration with simulation CT are used for SBRT planning. Pretreatment 4D CBCT with ten phases are automatically registered according to the GTV mask. The nodule motion trajectory is quantified by the center, amplitudes, swiping area, major and minor axes in the principal plane (PP), and the PP normal vector. The setup errors and motion margins are assessed by the trajectory center and amplitude, respectively. Detected motion in the PP is analytically approximated by an ellipse with time parameter and the trajactory shape or axes and orentation may be correlated with the lung volume, nodule location, abdominal compression, and restriction force from the neighboring chest wall or other rigid tissue. Those variables in seventy‐two 4D CBCT scans from 34 patients are retrospectively analyzed. Results: After 4D CBCT‐guided setup adjustments of 10±8 mm, the remaining setup errors in any directions increase from 1±1 mm for upper and middle lobes to 1± 2 mm for the lower lobes while the average motion margins in the lateral, longitudinal, and posterior‐anterior directions increase from (1, 2, 1) to (1, 6, 1) mm. No significant difference is observed between the left and right lungs and between the groups with and without abdominal compression. Importantly, most motion trajectories can be analytically approximated and its PP is predicable with the local force. Conclusion: The clinical measurements and detail analysis validate the geometric accuracy and precision of current SBRT and our analytical approximation is potentially useful for synchronization with real‐time respiratory motion tracking for future gated SBRT.
Oral Effectiveness of l-Thyroxine, l-Triiodothyronine, and Thyroprotein as Compared to Injections of l-Thyroxine and Thyroprotein,

Abstract The thyroid hormone secretion rate (TSR) of ten nonlactating dairy cows was determined using l-thyroxine (L-T 4 ) and thyroprotein by injection. The equivalent biological effectiveness of L-T 4 , l-triiodothyronine (L-T 3 ), and thyroprotein by oral administration was then determined. When L-T 4 was injected, the mean TSR was found to be 0.17 mg/100lb bw, with a range from 0.15 to 0.25 mg/100lb bw. When L-T 4 was administered orally, it was found to be only 9.4% as effective as by subcutaneous injection. The doses that inhibited thyroidal I 131 release ranged from 1.5 to 2.0 mg/100lb bw, with a mean of 1.83mg/100lb bw. L-T 3 given orally was 21.4% as effective as injected L-T 4 , requiring a mean of only 0.8mg/100lb bw, with a range of 0.7 to 1.0 mg/100lb bw. Thyroprotein given orally was as effective as L-T 4 given orally. Doses of thyroprotein were given to contain from 1.25 to 2.25mg L-T 4 /100lb bw, with a mean of 1.78 mg/100lb bw. The biological effectiveness was 9.9%, very close to the 9.4% observed for l-thyroxine. When injected subcutaneously, thyroprotein was found to be only 84.4% as effective as injected L-T 4 . Thyroprotein was given to equal 0.15 to 0.25mg L-T 4 /100lb bw, with a mean of 0.21mg L-T 4 /100lb bw.
Selective neuronal vulnerability to hypoxia in vitro

Hippocampal slices were subjected to a sequence of hypoxic periods of progressively increasing duration. In all slices, synaptic transmission returned during reoxygenation in the fascia dentata, but not in CA1. Thus, the relative vulnerability of CA1 and the fascia dentata to ischemia in situ can be replicated by a purely hypoxic insult in vitro.
Analysis of Surface Enhancement by a Porous Substrate

Convective flow and heat transfer through a composite porous/fluid system have been studied numerically. The composite medium consists of a fluid layer overlaying a porous substrate, which is attached to the surface of the plate. The numerical simulations focus primarily on flows that have the boundary layer characteristics. However, the boundary layer approximation was not used. A general flow model that accounts for the effects of the impermeable boundary and inertia is used to describe the flow inside the porous region. Several important characteristics of the flow and temperature fields in the composite layer are reported. The dependence of these characteristics on the governing parameters such as the Darcy number, the inertia parameter, the Prandtl number, and the ratio of the conductivity of the porous material to that of the fluid is also documented. The results of this investigation point out a number of interesting practical applications such as in frictional drag reduction, and heat transfer retardation or enhancement of an external boundary.