cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
American Diabetes Association Annual Meeting, June 2003 Gastrointestinal and dietary aspects of diabetes

At the 63rd annual scientific session of the American Diabetes Association (ADA), held in New Orleans, Louisiana, June 2003, a number of fascinating topics were discussed. This is the first of approximately six articles reviewing presentations at this meeting. Mark Burge, Albuquerque, New Mexico, introduced the topic of diabetic gastroparesis. The role of the stomach is to mix, pulverize, and deliver food to the duodenum. Gastric motor activity is controlled by many factors, including extrinsic parasympathetic and sympathetic and intrinsic enteric nerves and hormones such as gastrin, motilin, glucagon-like peptide-1, neuropeptide-Y, and nitric oxide. The glucagon-like peptide-1 agonist NN-211 delays gastric emptying in people with diabetes and may be beneficial for the overly rapid gastric emptying, which appears to worsen postprandial glycemia, of many individuals with type 1 diabetes. Gastric peristalsis is controlled by electrical impulses originating from gastric pacemaker cells, depolarizing three times per minute, with the fundus exhibiting receptive relaxation, while the antrum has regular contractions leading to vigorous mixing and grinding. Gastroparesis is potentiated by a number of factors, including gastric dysrhythmia, discoordination of antral contractions, failure of the fundus to relax, and hypomotility or inappropriate dilation of the antrum. Nausea, particularly following meals, vomiting, abdominal pain, bloating with malodorous eructation, early satiety, and anorexia are usual symptoms, although not typically with weight loss, which may indicate an eating disorder or additional gastrointestinal illness. There is poor relationship between the severity of gastropathy and the symptoms exhibited by a given person. For many patients, erratic glycemia, Burge noted, are “the only clue.” This is complicated, however, as hyperglycemia delays gastric emptying of solids and liquids in individuals without diabetes; therefore, those with poorly controlled diabetes may only appear to have gastroparesis, showing the importance of achieving glycemic control. As symptoms alone are insufficient, it is important to …
Memory Efficient Protocols for Detecting Node replication attacks in wireless sensor networks

Sensor networks deployed in hostile areas are subject to node replication attacks, in which an adversary compromises a few sensors, extracts the security keys, and clones them in a large number of replicas, which are introduced into the network to perform insider attacks. Memory overhead, energy efficiency and detection probability are the main technical concerns for any replication detection protocol. The previous distributed solutions either require network-wide spontaneous change of pseudo-random numbers or incur significant memory and energy overhead to the sensors, especially in the central area of the deployment. In this paper, we propose four replication detection protocols that have high detection probability, low memory requirement, and balanced energy consumption. The new protocols use Bloom filters to compress the information stored at the sensors, and use two new techniques, called cell forwarding and cross forwarding, to improve detection probability, further reduce memory consumption, and in the mean time distribute the memory and energy overhead evenly across the whole network. Simulations show that the protocols can achieve nearly 100% detection probability with average memory reduction up to 91%.
Hiring for attitude and training for skill in the library

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to emphasize that hiring a library employee in possession of a positive and winning attitude can pay enormous benefits for the organization far into the future. Design/methodology/approach – Literature review and commentary on this topic has been addressed by professionals, researchers and practitioners. Findings – While it can be difficult to completely be certain that one has made the right choice with every hire, at least by developing a set of effective interview questions, listening closely to the candidate’s responses and appraising any negative bent in mood or language with the objective of assessing attitude at the outset of the interview can lead to a more successful hiring experience. Originality/value – The value in addressing this issue is to submit that hiring employees for their attitude and training them for their skills can result in a workplace where the positive benefits of such hires can be realized daily.
The effect of concealed handgun laws on crime: beyond the dummy variables

So far 33 states have adopted right-to-carry concealed handgun laws. The advocates argue these laws have a deterrent effect on crime, while the opponents believe they facilitate crime by increasing gun availability. Although both sides assume that these laws affect behavior, no attempt has yet been made to model such effects using crime theory. Consequently, the empirical evidence on such effects lack a theoretical basis; for example, a highly publicized study by Lott and Mustard (1997) inappropriately models the effect of the law through a dummy variable (a binary-valued regressor). We extend the economic model of crime to formulate a theoretical basis for empirical examination of the issue. We show that using a dummy variable leads to misspecification, and use an alternative procedure to estimate the effect of concealed handgun laws in 1992 for states which had not yet adopted such laws. Our results show that the expected effect of the law on crime varies across the counties and states and depends on county-specific characteristics in a meaningful way. Such effects appear to be much smaller and more mixed than Lott and Mustard suggest, and are not crime-reducing in most cases.
A Flexible Real-Time Locking Protocol for Multiprocessors

Real-time scheduling algorithms for multiprocessor systems have been the subject of considerable recent interest. For such an algorithm to be truly useful in practice, support for semaphore-based locking must be provided. However, for many global scheduling algorithms, no such mechanisms have been proposed. Furthermore, in the partitioned case, most prior semaphore schemes are either inefficient or restrict critical sections considerably. In this paper, a new flexible multiprocessor locking scheme is presented that can be applied under both partitioning and global scheduling. This scheme allows unrestricted critical-section nesting, but has been designed to deal with the common case of short non-nested accesses efficiently.
Minocycline-Induced Lupus

OBJECTIVE:To report a case of drug-induced lupus occurring 5 months after the initiation of minocycline therapy for acne.DATA SOURCE:Case report information was obtained from the physician, patient's family, and the medical record. MEDLINE and Index Medicus were searched to obtain relevant published literature from 1966 to 1996.CASE SUMMARY:A 14-year-old white girl developed symptoms of myalgias, arthralgias, polyarthritis, and flushed face. The antinuclear antibody test was positive. Minocycline was discontinued and the patient's condition dramatically improved within 7 days.CONCLUSIONS:Healthcare providers should recognize early common and unusual symptoms of minocycline-induced lupus in adolescents being treated for acne.
Localization of the Two Tropomyosin-Binding Sites of Troponin T

Troponin T (TnT) binds to tropomyosin (Tm) to anchor the troponin complex in the thin filament, and it thus serves as a vital link in the Ca(2+) regulation of striated muscle contraction. Pioneer work three decades ago determined that the T1 and T2 chymotryptic fragments of TnT each contains a Tm-binding site. A more precise localization of the two Tm-binding sites of TnT remains to be determined. In the present study, we tested serial deletion constructs of TnT and carried out monoclonal antibody competition experiments to show that the T1 region Tm-binding site involves mainly a 39 amino acids segment in the N-terminal portion of the conserved middle region of TnT. We further employed another set of TnT fragments to locate the T2 region Tm-binding site to a segment of 25 amino acids near the beginning of the T2 fragment. The localization of the two Tm-binding sites of TnT provided new information for the structure-function relationship of TnT and the anchoring of troponin complex on muscle thin filament.
Image fusion using fuzzy logic and applications

Image fusion deals with integrating data obtained from different sources of information for intelligent systems. Image fusion provides output as a single image from a set of input images. The fusion should provide a human/machine perceivable result with more useful complete information. A great deal of interest has recently been shown in literature in image fusion because of its application in automotive, medical and other areas. Some techniques are currently available for image fusion. Some new approaches have been suggested in this work in particular, fuzzy and neuro-fuzzy. Algorithms are also proposed for the above said techniques for image fusion process. The work is also supplemented by algorithms, which help us analyze the output qualitatively on attributes like entropy, statistical moments, uniformity etc.
A probabilistic scheme for hierarchical QoS routing

Quality of service (QoS) routing consists of two parts: (a) collecting network QoS resource availability information using topology aggregation schemes and (b) computing-feasible paths using this information. This paper firstly proposes a probabilistic scheme for topology aggregation in large networks which are QoS sensitive. Our goal is to account for the inherent dynamic nature of the QoS resources by using probabilistic measures as opposed to the existing deterministic ones. Additionally, this paper also proposes a modification to an existing probabilistic QoS routing algorithm for concave QoS parameters. The proposed heuristic algorithm increases the global network resource utilization.
Primary Macrophages Rely on Histone Deacetylase 1 and 2 Expression To Induce Type I Interferon in Response to Gammaherpesvirus Infection

Type I interferon is induced shortly following viral infection and represents a first line of host defense against a majority of viral pathogens. Not surprisingly, both replication and latency of gammaherpesviruses, ubiquitous cancer-associated pathogens, are attenuated by type I interferon, although the mechanism of attenuation remains poorly characterized. Gammaherpesviruses also target histone deacetylases (HDACs), a family of pleiotropic enzymes that modify gene expression and several cell signaling pathways. Specifically, we have previously shown that a conserved gammaherpesvirus protein kinase interacts with HDAC1 and -2 to promote gammaherpesvirus replication in primary macrophages. In the current study, we have used genetic approaches to show that expression of HDAC1 and -2 is critical for induction of a type I interferon response following gammaherpesvirus infection of primary macrophages. Specifically, expression of HDAC1 and -2 was required for phosphorylation of interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) and accumulation of IRF3 at the beta interferon promoter in gammaherpesvirus-infected primary macrophages. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of a specific role for HDAC1 and -2 in the induction of type I interferon responses in primary immune cells following virus infection. Furthermore, because HDAC1 and -2 are overexpressed in several types of cancer, our findings illuminate potential side effects of HDAC1- and -2-specific inhibitors that are currently under development as cancer therapy agents. IMPORTANCE
A non-bayesian approach to estimation using tested priors

A two stage sampling scheme for estimating the mean of a distribution, proposed by Katti (1962), is investigated and some of its properties are generalized. The method utilizes subjective information in the analysis, but is still within the classical framework. The generalized mean square error of the estimator is computed as the loss function and is compared with that of the usual classical approach. Modifications are suggested to improve the efficiency of the estimator by incorporating the uncertainty of the subjective information. The procedure, which is referred to as "the Method of Tested Priors" is an alternate way of using subjective information without necessarily agreeing with the philosophical aspect of the Bayesian approach.
Quantifying Legislative Uncertainty: A Case Study in Tax Policy

Whether a legislature will or will not enact law is often uncertain. This Article offers an empirical model for quantifying that uncertainty, and it develops this argument in the context of federal income tax rates. Specifically, we estimate a model of legislator preferences on tax rates and show that the political process can be well understood in terms of the preferences of key legislators. We use our statistical model to quantify the uncertainty of tax rates and forecast the direction of likely rate changes in the future. This argument has several implications for policymaking and the analysis of legislative uncertainty more generally. First, quantifying legislative uncertainty offers insight into the behavioral effects of the law. How people respond to the law depends on their perception of the law’s future trajectory. Second, our analysis allows us to explore the stability of major legislative reform. Our methodology allows us to demonstrate that reforms are sometimes predictably unstable. Such reforms can have the perverse result of increasing future legislative uncertainty.
Viscous Behavior of Different Concentrations of Bovine Calf Serum Used to Lubricate the Micro-textured CoCrMo Alloy Material before and after Wear Testing

Bovine calf serum is a common lubricant used to test the rheological properties of synovial fluid; however the rheological properties of the serum and their effect on testing the wear behavior of artificial joints are not fully understood. Bovine calf serum (BCS) is used as a model lubricant for testing artificial joints because the natural human synovial fluid is not readily available. Synovial fluid is the lubricant for joints and the source of nutrition for articular cartilage. The purpose of the present paper is to provide a comprehensive examination of the flow properties of bovine calf serum, with and without antibacterial agents, to determine whether it can be used as appropriate model for synovial fluid when testing the wear of artificial joint materials. We hypothesized that the viscosity of a mixture of bovine calf serum and water changes as the concentration of bovine calf serum changes before and after wear testing the lubricants. The steady-shear viscosity and storage and loss moduli were evaluated in BCS from fifteen lubricant compositions, with and without antibacterial agents, before and after wear testing the lubricant. The steady-shear viscosity varied over two orders of magnitude for both lubricants samples with and without antibacterial agent, with a greater variation for the samples with antibacterial agents. Bovine calf serum without antibacterial agents was more likely to exhibit normal viscous properties than bovine calf serum with antibacterial agents (p <0.001). The non-worn “before wear” BCS lubricants were less viscous than the worn “after wear” lubricants. Other parameters distinguished the two groups, and showed statistical significance. Both groups exhibited degenerate flow properties when compared to the synovial fluid from healthy individuals. Further examination of the connection between flow properties of BCS, other joint fluids commonly used to test artificial joints and the tribology of joint replacement prostheses should be studied.
Interviewer Bias Revisited

➤Ten years ago the authors surveyed the problem of interviewer bias and concluded that it was one of the major sources of error in survey research. A recent survey of the subject confirms the conti...
Factors influencing renin diuresis and proteinuria.

Summary1. Administration of renin elicits increases in urine flow and urine protein in rats; these phenomena are closely associated; both are impaired by adrenalectomy or hypophysectomy and restored, after adrenalectomy, by replacement therapy; under the experimental conditions neither somatotrophin nor ACTH could be shown to restore the impaired renin responses of hypophysectomized rats. 2. The two different renin preparations used were more effective in stimulating urine flow and proteinuria when given subcutaneous-ly than when given intraperitoneally. 3. Subtotal hepatectomy impaired these responses to injected renin. 4. The administration of sodium potentiates the diuretic and proteinuric effects of injected renin. 5. These responses can be paralleled by appropriate intraperitoneal administration of angiotonin.
Novel Models for Delivering Mental Health Services and Reducing the Burdens of Mental Illness

Most individuals in both developing and developed countries who experience mental illness do not receive psychological services. The dominant model of delivering services used in developed countries (individual therapy by a highly trained mental health professional) can provide effective (i.e., evidence-based) treatments but is greatly limited as a means of reaching the large swath of individuals in need. We highlight several models outside the mental health professions (e.g., public health, medicine, business) that are more affordable and accessible and can be scaled up to reach many individuals in need. These models include task shifting, disruptive innovations, interventions in everyday settings, best-buy interventions, lifestyle changes, and social media. We convey their key characteristics and how they have been or can be applied to mental health. We end by discussing challenges in applying the models, critical issues on which effective treatment delivery depends, and paths to make progress.
Hamster Ascitic Fluids Containing Complement-Fixing Antibody Against Virus-Induced Tumor Antigens:

SummaryA procedure has been described for the production of large volumes of CF antibody to antigens in hamster tumors induced by SV 40, polyoma, and adeno-18 viruses. Antibody titers in ascitic fluids were as high as those found in serum. Optimal titers of SV 40 antibody were obtained in animals which had growing tumors and were given a series of intraperitoneal inoculations of a combination of complete Freund's adjuvant mixed with tumor homogenate.
Surgery for Primary Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma

In summary, we believe that in the following situations elective regional lymph node dissection should not usually be performed: Patients whose primary malignant melanomas are in situ or have a maximal thickness of less than 1.0 mm. The incidence of regional node metastases in the latter group is so low that regional lymph node dissection is not justified. Patients whose primary malignant melanomas are in the midline of the head and neck or the trunk. Bilateral nodal dissections in these two regions of the body in the absence of a clearly demonstrable therapeutic advantage are not justified. Whether radioisotopic localizing studies will add greater definition to this group remains to be seen. Elderly patients or those with serious intercurrent disease. They should not undergo elective nodal dissection unless the primary malignant melanoma is very thick and lies directly over its nodal group. Patients with systemic metastases. For all remaining patients, the therapeutic or at very least prognostic advantages of elective regional lymph node dissections have been outlined. Conversely, an adverse effect on the course of the disease has never been demonstrated. We adhere to a policy that includes these procedures as primary therapy, provided they are performed with minimal morbidity. Should a surgeon elect not to perform such a procedure in the absence of clinically suspicious lymphadenopathy, careful clinical evaluation at 2-month intervals for the first 2 to 3 years following primary excision, with more prolonged intervals thereafter, would appear prudent. Until such time as effective means of eradicating systemic metastatic malignant melanoma exist, surgery remains the treatment of choice for this potentially fatal neoplasm. Efforts to develop effective adjuvant treatment based on the precise means of delineating prognosis that have thus far been developed has eluded investigators. A reasoned surgical approach is still required in our judgment until the identification and treatment of premalignant precursor lesions are universal or effective systemic therapy is available.
Assessment and Surgical Treatment of Basal Cell Skin Cancer

The conspicuously high rate of BCC in the population mandates that clinicians have a clear understanding of the tumor's patterns of presentation and behavior. Goals of any form of treatment include establishment of the proper diagnosis and eradication of the lesion with a reasonable aesthetic result.
Intravenous Administration of Medication in Pediatric Patients: Problems and Solutions

The method of administration of a drug must reliably and reproducibly yield the desired quantity of drug at the site of effect. Problems with the administration of intravenous drugs are identified, and certain protocols are suggested to avoid these difficulties.
L'académie tahitienne et la renaissance culturelle en Polynésie francophone

Evolution de la langue tahitienne a travers l'implantation britannique et la colonisation francaise. La prise de conscience nationale et le mouvement pour la promotion de la culture tahitienne aboutit a la creation du 2juillet1974 d'une Academie pour la defense et l'illustration de la langue tahitienne.
Preoperative urinary tract infection increases postoperative morbidity.

Abstract Background Preoperative urinary tract infection (UTI) may be associated with surgical site infections secondary to hematogenous spread of bacteria. The association between preoperative UTI and postoperative complications has not been evaluated in general surgery populations. Materials and methods Patients undergoing elective general surgery procedures from 2011 to 2013 were selected from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. Patients with UTI present at the time of surgery (PATOS) were identified as cases. Patients without UTI PATOS were selected and matched 2:1 on age, American Society of Anesthesiologists class, and Current Procedural Terminology code with identified cases. Univariate and multivariate analyses compared postoperative outcomes between the two groups. Results A total of 434,802 patients were identified for inclusion in the study, with an overall preoperative UTI rate of 0.1% ( n = 363). On univariate analysis, the UTI group had a significantly higher incidence of overall complications, infectious complications, and noninfectious complications. Multivariate analysis confirmed that patients with UTI had a higher risk of postoperative complications compared with those without preoperative UTI (odds ratio [OR] 1.551, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.071-2.247). This relationship persisted for both infectious (OR 1.515, 95% CI 1.000-2.296) and noninfectious (OR 1.683, 95% CI 1.012-2.799) complications. Conclusions We demonstrated an increased rate of 30-d complications in elective general surgery patients with UTI PATOS. These findings suggest that diligent efforts to diagnose and treat UTI before surgery may result in improved outcomes. Furthermore, surgeons should consider postponing elective procedures to allow for the complete resolution of preoperative UTI.
Quantitation of antibody to Candida mannan by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Abstract Early clinical diagnosis of invasive candidiasis is difficult. To facilitate rapid diagnosis of Candida infections, we developed an ELISA to quantitate levels of antibody to Candida mannan. The test was standardized by analysis of a nonselected inpatient population to determine a cutoff point defining the upper 5% of such a population as test-positive. Passively acquired sera from patients in intensive care units, patients with neoplastic disease or recent renal allografts, and other patients were analyzed. There was no significant difference between the number of positive tests obtained from patients in whom candidiasis was considered but cultures were negative and from the nonselected inpatient population. Positive tests were obtained from 18.5% of patients with Candida mucocutaneous colonization or infection and 40% and 63.6% of patients with probable and proven invasive candidiasis, respectively. Patients with neoplastic disease had lower test sensitivity than patients in other test categories. These results demonstrate the usefulness of a simple, rapid, standardized test for quantitation of levels of antibody activity to Candida mannan in the serodiagnosis of candidiasis.
Human Genetics and HIV-1 Infection

Even before the human genome was sequenced, there has been increasing evidence that human genetics influences infectious diseases. This review will discuss the key role of a number of genetic factors that have been shown to exert such influence, particularly in the context of HIV/AIDS.
Measurement approach and design of the CubeSat Infrared Atmospheric Sounder (CIRAS)

The CubeSat Infrared Atmospheric Sounder (CIRAS) will measure upwelling infrared radiation of the Earth in the MWIR region of the spectrum from space on a CubeSat. The observed radiances have information of potential value to weather forecasting agencies and can be used to retrieve lower tropospheric temperature and water vapor globally for weather and climate science investigations. Multiple units can be flown to improve temporal coverage or in formation to provide new data products including 3D atmospheric motion vector winds. CIRAS incorporates key new instrument technologies including a 2D array of High Operating Temperature Barrier Infrared Detector (HOT-BIRD) material, selected for its high uniformity, low cost, low noise and higher operating temperatures than traditional materials. The detectors are hybridized to a commercial ROIC and commercial camera electronics. The second key technology is an MWIR Grating Spectrometer (MGS) designed to provide imaging spectroscopy for atmospheric sounding in a CubeSat volume. The MGS has no moving parts and includes an immersion grating to reduce the volume and reduce distortion. The third key technology is an infrared blackbody fabricated with black silicon to have very high emissivity in a flat plate construction. JPL will also develop the mechanical, electronic and thermal subsystems for CIRAS, while the spacecraft will be a commercially available CubeSat. The integrated system will be a complete 6U CubeSat capable of measuring temperature and water vapor profiles with good lower tropospheric sensitivity. The CIRAS is the first step towards the development of an Earth Observation Nanosatellite Infrared (EON-IR) capable of operational readiness to mitigate a potential loss of CrIS on JPSS or complement the current observing system with different orbit crossing times.
Arctosaurus osborni, a Late Triassic archosauromorph reptile from the Canadian Arctic Archipelago

Arctosaurus osborni is known only from an incomplete cervical vertebra from the Upper Triassic Heiberg Formation of Cameron Island, Nunavut, Canada. Re-examination of the unique specimen indicates that it represents an archosauromorph reptile, possibly from the clade Allokotosauria. To date, Arctosaurus osborni represents the sole record of Late Triassic continental tetrapods from Nunavut and the northernmost record of such animals anywhere in the world.
Compressed and raw video steganography techniques: a comprehensive survey and analysis

In the last two decades, the science of covertly concealing and communicating data has acquired tremendous significance due to the technological advancement in communication and digital content. Steganography is the art of concealing secret data in a particular interactive media transporter, e.g., text, audio, image, and video data in order to build a covert communication between authorized parties. Nowadays, video steganography techniques have become important in many video-sharing and social networking applications such as Livestreaming, YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook because of the noteworthy development of advanced video over the Internet. The performance of any steganographic method ultimately relies on the imperceptibility, hiding capacity, and robustness. In the past decade, many video steganography methods have been proposed; however, the literature lacks of sufficient survey articles that discuss all techniques. This paper presents a comprehensive study and analysis of numerous cutting edge video steganography methods and their performance evaluations from literature. Both compressed and raw video steganography methods are surveyed. In the compressed domain, video steganography techniques are categorized according to the video compression stages as venues for data hiding such as intra frame prediction, inter frame prediction, motion vectors, transformed and quantized coefficients, and entropy coding. On the other hand, raw video steganography methods are classified into spatial and transform domains. This survey suggests current research directions and recommendations to improve on existing video steganography techniques.
Reducing Bullying Through Leadership Skills Development

The heart wrenching and disturbing statistics regarding bullying in the schools is a reason for concern. Looking at a popular definition of bullying: aggressive intentional behavior involving an imbalance of power or strength (Stop Bullying.gov), one can see a lack of caring and compassion for others. The 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development (Lerner, et al., 2008) indicates the 4-H Youth Development Program is successfully guiding youth onto the best trajectory for positive youth development. As a result of the Lerner PYD study, one rural school in Oregon invited an Extension 4-H Educator to teach leadership skills to children in grades 4-8. The goal of the training was to increase caring and compassion through interactive, teambuilding activities thereby reducing bullying. Evaluation results indicated a significant impact by the program on youth defining their ability to positively work with others.
Advancing system and policy changes for social and racial justice: comparing a Rural and Urban Community-Based Participatory Research Partnership in the U.S.

The paper examines the role of community-based participatory research (CBPR) within the context of social justice literature and practice. Two CBPR case studies addressing health inequities related to Type 2 Diabetes and Cardiovascular disease were selected from a national cross-site study assessing effective academic-community research partnerships. One CBPR partnership works with African Americans in rural Pemiscot County, Missouri and the other CBPR partnership works with African American and Latinos in urban South Bronx, New York City. Data collection included semi-structured key informant interviews and focus groups. Analysis focused on partnerships’ context/history and their use of multiple justice-oriented strategies to achieve systemic and policy changes in order to address social determinants of health in their communities. Community context and history shaped each partnership’s strategies to address social determinants. Four social justice approaches (identity/recognition, procedural, distributive, and structural justice) used by both partnerships were identified. These social justice approaches were employed to address underlying causes of inequitable distribution of resources and power structures, while remaining within a scientific research framework. CBPR can bridge the role of science with civic engagement and political participation, empowering community members to become political agents who integrate evidence into their social justice organizing strategies.
Burden of disease associated with lower levels of income among US adults aged 65 and older

Background Persons aged 65 years and older represent a heterogeneous group whose prevalence in the USA is expected to markedly increase. Few investigations have examined the total burden of disease attributable to lower levels of income in a single number that accounts for morbidity and mortality. Methods We ascertained respondents9 health-related quality of life (HRQOL) scores and mortality status from the 2003 to 2004, 2005 to 2006, 2007 to 2008 and 2009 to 2010 cohorts of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) with mortality follow-up through 31 December 2011. A mapping algorithm based on respondents9 age and answers to the 4 core Healthy Days questions was used to obtain values of a preference-based measure of HRQOL, the EuroQol five dimensions questionnaire (EQ-5D) index, which enables quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) to be calculated. We included only respondents aged 65 years and older at the baseline, yielding a total sample size of 4952. We estimated mean QALYs according to different categories of income based on the percentage of Federal Poverty Level (FPL). Results After adjusting for age, gender and education, the remaining QALYs decreased with each successive decrement of category of income, ranging from 18.4 QALY (≥500% FPL) to 8.6 QALY ( Conclusions This study confirmed the association between lower income category and greater burden of disease, as measured by QALYs lost, among the US population aged 65 years and older. Our findings provide additional evidence of the role played by other key determinants of health and how factors not traditionally addressed by the healthcare system impact the life cycle of individuals and communities.
Community-Based Interventions

National programs create materials for and interest in health and development, but the benefits of such programs are not equally distributed across geographic territories or across sub-populations. The poor, minorities, women and those living in rural areas tend to receive fewer benefits and experience large differentials in terms of overall development and health outcomes. Non-governmental organizations , civil society, and parastatal organizations can address the gaps in services and resources. They do this through small-scale enterprises and locally-based investment in individuals and households. One such community-based program is the Grameen Bank , an NGO that provides microcredit to poor, rural, women. It has been successful in raising household income and improving human capital in Bangladesh , but it has had mixed results in terms of scaling up for broader-scale poverty alleviation and social impact. Gonoshasthaya Kendra is an NGO that provides community-based health care in Bangladesh using allopathic and traditional means. It has been successful in reducing maternal mortality in the regions it serves by understanding and using resources at the local level. Although this NGO provides evidence that community-based health programs can be successful in delivering appropriate and acceptable health care to select communities, difficulty remains in scaling to national levels. A final example of community development is found in the Millennium Villages Project which addresses multi-faceted poverty through coordinated efforts by local, national and international actors to address development across economic, health and social sectors. The Project proved successful in improving livelihoods and health at the community level but has yet to prove either scalable or sustainable.
Conformation of Methylcellulose as a Function of Poly(ethylene glycol) Graft Density

Low molecular weight thiol-terminated poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) (M ≈ 800) has been grafted onto a high molecular weight methylcellulose (MC, Mw ≈ 150000) by a facile thiol–ene click reaction; graft densities varied from 0.7% to 33% (grafts per anhydroglucose unit). Static and dynamic light scattering reveals that the overall radius of the chain increases systematically with graft density, in a manner in excellent agreement with theory. As the contour length remains unchanged, it is apparent that grafting leads to an increase in the persistence length of this semiflexible copolymer, by as much as a factor of 4. These results represent the first experimental verification of the excluded volume theory at low grafting densities, and demonstrate a promising synthetic platform for systematically increasing the persistence length of a model semiflexible, water-soluble polymer.
Oxygen Diffusion, Conductivity and Solubility Coefficients in the Microarea of the Brain

Oxygen transport to the cells occurs in three major steps: Oxygen uptake in the lungs, oxygen transport via the blood and oxygen diffusion from blood to tissue. So far, oxygen diffusion in tissue could only be determined indirectly by using slices of tissue on thin layers of medium taken out of their context. It had been assumed that these tissues had the same characteristics for oxygen diffusion as normal tissue. It had not been taken into account that the diffusion coefficient of oxygen very much depends on the constitution of the medium, the protein concentration, the size of intercellular space and the density of cellular net work.
Do ornithologists flock together? Examining the homogeneity of interests in occupations

Abstract Theory and research on person-environment fit suggest that people in the same environment should share homogeneous patterns of individual characteristics. The concept of homogeneity is central to the notion that individuals can be matched to occupations or academic fields of study and will be satisfied with and successful in environments in which they fit. This idea has been particularly influential in research on vocational interests where interest scores are used for career planning and employee selection. Nevertheless, if interests are to be useful for these purposes, it is important to verify the degree to which employees in occupations have homogeneous interest profiles. The current study addresses this question by looking at homogeneity from two different perspectives: examination of the Strong Interest Inventory manual data and a quantitative review of congruence indices. Taken together, these findings contradict the foundational assumption of interest homogeneity by demonstrating considerable heterogeneity of interests in a range of occupations. These results suggest that a continuum of homogeneity exists and prompt a further look into the homogeneity assumption of interests within occupations.
Vascularized Bone Grafting for Reconstruction of Oncologic Defects in the Spine: A Systematic Review and Pooled Analysis of the Literature.

Background Resection of primary spinal tumors requires reconstruction for restoration of spinal column stability. Traditionally, some combination of bone grafting and instrumentation is implemented. However, delayed healing environments are associated with pseudoarthrodesis and failure. Implementation of vascularized bone grafting (VBG) to complement hardware may present a solution. We evaluated the use of VBG in oncologic spinal reconstruction via systematic review and pooled analysis of literature. Methods We searched PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane, and Scopus for studies published through September 2017 according to the PRISMA guidelines and performed a pooled analysis of studies with n > 5. Additionally, we performed retrospective review of patients at the Johns Hopkins Hospital that received spinal reconstruction with VBG. Results We identified 21 eligible studies and executed a pooled analysis of 12. Analysis indicated an 89% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.75–1.03) rate of successful union when VBG is employed after primary tumor resection. The overall complication rate was 42% (95% CI: 0.23–0.61) and reoperation rate was 27% (95% CI: 0.12–0.41) in the pooled cohort. Wound complication rate was 18% (95% CI: 0.11–0.26). Fifteen out of 209 patients (7.2%) had instrumentation failure and mean time-to-union was 6 months. Consensus in the literature and in the patients reviewed is that introduction of VBG into irradiated or infected tissue beds proves advantageous given decreased resorption, increased load bearing, and faster consolidation. Downsides to this technique included longer operations, donor-site morbidity, and difficulty in coordinating care. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that complication rates using VBG are similar to those reported in studies using non-VBG for similar spinal reconstructions; however, fusion rates are better. Given rapid fusion and possible hardware independence, VBG may be useful in reconstructing defects in patients with longer life expectancies and/or with a history of chemoradiation and/or infection at the site of tumor resection.
Complexity Issues in Automata Theoretic Verification

We discuss the complexity theoretic issues that arise in the automata theoretic approach to linear time based verification methodology. In this paradigm, computations of a system are viewed as a set of linear sequences of events. Hence, we refer to the ensuing models as linear time in contrast with branching time models. The COSPAN1 tool has been developed specifically to cope with the computational complexity associated with the algorithmic analysis of finite-state linear time models. Various refinement and abstraction techniques as well as heuristics for decomposition and algorithms for localizations have been essential parts of the COSPAN verification tool. As a result, to appreciate the problems related to the computational complexity in automated verification and methods to circumvent them, it will be a great exercise to understand the methodologies and background of this specific tool.
Early Development of the Muscle Spindle and its Dependence on Neurotrophic Factors

Formation of muscle spindles in hindlimbs of rodents is dependent on contact between a sensory neurone and a developing muscle fibre (Zelena, 1957). This type of contact not only induces the formation of intrafusal fibres, but may also mediate the support of proprioceptive neurones in the dorsal root ganglia (DRGs) by muscle-derived trophic factors. Neurotrophins such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) or neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) support the survival of developing muscle sensory neurones in-vitro and can be retrogradely transported to DRGs from muscles (DiStephano, Friedman, Radziejewski, Alexander, Boland, Schick, Lindsay & Wiegand, 1992; Hory-Lee, Russell, Lindsay & Frank, 1993). Subpopulations of DRG neurones express the BDNF and NT-3 receptors, trkB and trkC (Mu, Silos-Santiago, Carroll & Snider, 1993).
Airborne Toxic Chemicals

“Air toxics” is a term that is often used colloquially, but for the purposes of this article it will be used following the specific definition set forth by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Toxic (or Hazardous) air pollutants are those pollutants that are known or suspected of causing cancer or other serious health effects [1]. Air toxics are defined by the Clean Air Act, which explains what pollutants qualify, how different sources are categorized, and how they are to be regulated [2].
Antibody-Based Therapies for Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma.

Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCLs) are a group of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas that present in the skin. In early-stage disease, the course is generally chronic and indolent; however, in advanced stages of disease, therapies rarely provide long-lasting responses, and the only potential curative therapy is allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation. This has led to the search for novel targeted therapies to better treat more advanced stages of CTCLs that cannot be controlled by typical treatment regimens. One area of advancement has been the development of antibodies specifically targeted to cell types that are known to be involved in CTCL. At present, brentuximab vedotin, an antibody-drug conjugate composed of an anti-cluster of differentiation (CD)-30 antibody covalently linked to monomethyl auristatin E, is approved for the treatment of CD30+ lymphoproliferative disorders [lymphomatoid papulosis (LyP) and primary cutaneous-anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (pc-ALCL)] as well as transformed CD30+ mycosis fungoides (MF). Additionally, mogamulizumab, an anti-chemokine receptor 4 (CCR4) monoclonal antibody, is approved for patients with MF or Sezary syndrome (SS) for whom one prior systemic therapy has failed. Trials are underway looking into the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors in the treatment of CTCLs. As we continue to research CTCL, and as antibody-based therapies continue to advance, more antibody-specific targeted therapy could provide alternative treatment regimens for patients with advanced CTCL.
Extended field of view magnetic resonance imaging for suspected osteomyelitis in very young children: is it useful?

Osteomyelitis is a challenging diagnosis for clinicians, particularly in very young children. At our institution, the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocol in suspected osteomyelitis for children 5 years of age or younger includes a large field of imaging regardless of the clinical site of concern. To determine if extended field of view (FOV) MRI contributes important information in young children with suspected osteomyelitis. A retrospective study was performed including children 5 years of age or younger with suspected osteomyelitis from January 2011 to September 2015. All children underwent coronal fluid-sensitive MRI from neck to feet. Focused imaging was performed as necessary on abnormal sites depicted on survey imaging. Two radiologists reviewed the imaging findings, which were compared to the clinical outcome. We studied 51 children with a mean age of 2.2 years (range: 21 days-5.5 years); 53% were boys. Osteomyelitis was depicted by MRI in 20 subjects (39.2%). Survey coronal fluid-sensitive imaging was accomplished by adding a single fluid-sensitive series in 1 child, 2 series in 31 children, 3 series in 16 children and 4 series in 3 children. Survey imaging added a median total time of 6:51 min to the examination (range: 2.29–20.54 min). Extended FOV imaging added important information in 11/51 subjects (21.6%), in 6 cases (11.8%) of infection and in 5 cases (9.8%) by suggesting alternative diagnoses. The addition of extended FOV MRI in young children with suspected osteomyelitis added important clinical information in 21.6% of patients while only adding a median of 6:51 min to the examination. It is our experience that in children ≤5 years of age with suspected osteomyelitis, extended FOV imaging adds important information and may result in changes in management.
Next-Generation Sequencing and CRISPR/Cas13 Editing in Viroid Research and Molecular Diagnostics.

Viroid discovery as well as the economic significance of viroids and biological properties are presented. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies combined with informatics have been applied to viroid research and diagnostics for almost a decade. NGS provides highly efficient, rapid, low-cost high-throughput sequencing of viroid genomes and of the 21–24 nt vd-sRNAs generated by the RNA silencing defense of the host. NGS has been utilized in various viroid studies which are presented. The discovery during the last few years that prokaryotes have heritable adaptive immunity mediated through clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated Cas proteins, have led to transformative advances in molecular biology, notably genome engineering and most recently molecular diagnostics. The potential application of the CRISPR-Cas13a system for engineering viroid interference in plants is suggested by targeting specific motifs of three economically important viroids. The CRISPR-Cas13 system has been utilized recently for the accurate detection of human RNA viruses by visual read out in 90 min or less and by paper-based assay. Multitarget RNA tests by this technology have a good potential for application as a rapid and accurate diagnostic assay for known viroids. The CRISPR/Cas system will work only for known viroids in contrast to NGS, but it should be much faster.