cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Opportunisitic Pathogens of Humans

Opportunistic pathogens (OP) pose a serious threat to human health, and the frequency of opportunistic infections (OI) is increasing worldwide. Rising rates of human OI are attributed to the emergence of antimicrobial-resistant or more virulent microbes, as well as advances in medical technology that have led to the extended lifespan of individuals suffering from chronic diseases and living in an immunocompromised state. This chapter highlights the populations at greatest risk for OI, as well as the major bacterial and fungal OPs that threaten human health and burden modern healthcare systems. We emphasize here characteristics of infection, epidemiology, microbial pathogenesis, and antimicrobial resistance.
Scaling Theory for the Frictionless Unjamming Transition

We develop a scaling theory of the unjamming transition of soft frictionless disks in two dimensions by defining local areas, which can be uniquely assigned to each contact. These serve to define local order parameters, whose distribution exhibits divergences as the unjamming transition is approached. We derive scaling forms for these divergences from a mean-field approach that treats the local areas as noninteracting entities, and demonstrate that these results agree remarkably well with numerical simulations. We find that the asymptotic behavior of the scaling functions arises from the geometrical structure of the packing while the overall scaling with the compression energy depends on the force law. We use the scaling forms of the distributions to determine the scaling of the total grain area A_{G} and the total number of contacts N_{C}.
On the consistency of the biometric menagerie for irises and iris matchers

The biometric menagerie is useful in identifying the troublesome users within a biometric recognition system. In order to maximize the benefits of the menagerie classifications, it is imperative that the classifications remain constant for each subject. Irises present one of the unique scenarios for classification since each iris represents the same subject but the two irises are independent of each other. We have taken the ICE 2005 iris image dataset [8] and applied three different iris recognition algorithms to it. For each algorithm, we classified the subjects within the biometric menagerie and studied the consistency of the classifications across algorithms. We also broke the dataset into subsets by left and right iris and studied the consistency of the classifications between irises. Our results have shown that the biometric menagerie classifications are algorithm dependent and dependent on which iris is chosen. One-third of the population was classified as a weak user by only a single algorithm and a quarter of the population had irises with non-matching classifications, one of which was a weak user classification. These two subsets of the population represent all the potentially weak users in the population but the subjects cannot be considered weak due to the disagreement between the algorithms and the mismatched classifications of the two irises. In order to use the biometric menagerie effectively, one algorithm must always be used for all recognitions and modalities must be kept in disjoint datasets to reliably label weak users.
Altered hippocampal arteriole structure and function in a rat model of preeclampsia: Potential role in impaired seizure-induced hyperemia.

We investigated the effect of experimental preeclampsia on hyperemia during seizure in the hippocampus and vascular function and structure of hippocampal arterioles using Sprague Dawley rats (n = 14/group) that were nonpregnant, pregnant (d20), or had experimental preeclampsia (induced by a high cholesterol diet d7-20). Hyperemia was measured via hydrogen clearance basally and during pentylenetetrazol-induced seizure (40-130 mg/kg i.v.). Reactivity of isolated and pressurized hippocampal arterioles to KCl, nitric oxide synthase inhibition with NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester and the nitric oxide donor sodium nitroprusside were investigated. Capillary density was quantified via immunohistochemistry. Cerebral blood flow increased during seizure vs. baseline in pregnant (118 ± 14 vs. 87 ± 9 mL/100 g/min; p 0.05), suggesting impaired seizure-induced hyperemia in preeclampsia. Hippocampal arterioles from preeclamptic rats had less basal tone, and dilated less to 15 mM KCl (9 ± 8%) vs. pregnant (61 ± 27%) and nonpregnant rats (20 ± 11%). L-NAME had no effect on hippocampal arterioles in any group, but dilation to sodium nitroprusside was similar. Structurally, hippocampal arterioles from preeclamptic rats underwent inward hypotrophic remodeling and capillary rarefaction. Impaired seizure-induced hyperemia, vascular dysfunction, and limited vasodilatory reserve of hippocampal arterioles could potentiate hippocampal injury in preeclampsia especially during eclampsia.
Sex Education, Youth, and Advocacy: Sexual Literacy, Critical Media, and Intergenerational Sex Education(s)

Youth get many competing messages about sexuality, often steeped in tacit messages about unequal gendered power relations. However, social networking revolutions have created unprecedented opportunities for students to access information and create representations of information about sexuality that challenges normative gender identities. This chapter reviews some diverse sex education occurring among young people, focusing on feminist and peer-led intergenerational sex education. We explore the intersections of sex education and media and discuss activist strategies for bringing relevant sex education into young people’s lives in and out of classrooms. We include an original workshop to help young people develop skills to become critical consumers and producers of media, and to mobilize them to be both sexually educated and proactive sexuality educators themselves through engagement in activism.
Effects of Cannabinoid Agonists and Antagonists on Sleep and Breathing in Sprague-Dawley Rats

Study objectives There are no pharmacological treatments for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, but dronabinol showed promise in a small pilot study. In anesthetized rats, dronabinol attenuates reflex apnea via activation of cannabinoid (CB) receptors located on vagal afferents; an effect blocked by cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) and/or type 2 (CB2) receptor antagonists. Here, using a natural model of central sleep apnea, we examine the effects of dronabinol, alone and in combination with selective antagonists in conscious rats chronically instrumented to stage sleep and measure cessation of breathing. Methods Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were anesthetized and implanted with bilateral stainless steel screws into the skull for electroencephalogram recording and bilateral wire electrodes into the nuchal muscles for electromyogram recording. Each animal was recorded by polysomnography on multiple occasions separated by at least 3 days. The study was a fully nested, repeated measures crossover design, such that each rat was recorded following each of 8 intraperitoneal injections: vehicle; vehicle and CB1 antagonist (AM 251); vehicle and CB2 antagonist (AM 630); vehicle and CB1/CB2 antagonist; dronabinol; dronabinol and CB1 antagonist; dronabinol and CB2 antagonist; and dronabinol and CB1/CB2 antagonist. Results Dronabinol decreased the percent time spent in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. CB receptor antagonists did not reverse this effect. Dronabinol also decreased apneas during sleep, and this apnea suppression was reversed by CB1 or CB1/CB2 receptor antagonism. Conclusions Dronabinol's effects on apneas were dependent on CB1 receptor activation, while dronabinol's effects on REM sleep were CB receptor-independent.
Simulation of the effect of bubble defect on the distribution of electric field in epoxy resin pouring type insulated tubular bus-bar

Insulated tubular bus-bar, functioning as the current — carrier, is widely used in electric generator. Once the bus-bar malfunctions, the generator could not be working properly which would lead to serious economic loss. Therefore, a three dimensional simulation model of 35kV/4000A epoxy resin pouring type insulated tubular bus-bar was established based on the principle of finite element simulation to study the variation law of the electric field with bubble defect in insulation in this paper. The electric field distribution of insulated tubular bus with or without bubble defect in insulation was simulated, and influence of the bubble size and position on the electric field in the insulation structure was analyzed systematically. The simulation results showed that the existence of bubble defect could easily lead to the partial discharge, or even worse, the breakthrough of the insulation finally since the electric filed of the bubble surrounding was serious distortion. The result has important implications for promoting the operation reliability of the generator.
ffwd: delegation is (much) faster than you think

We revisit the question of delegation vs. synchronized access to shared memory, and show through analysis and demonstration that delegation can be much faster than locking under a range of common circumstances. Starting from first principles, we propose fast, fly-weight delegation (ffwd). The highly optimized design of ffwd allows it to significantly outperform prior work on delegation, while retaining the scalability advantage. In experiments with 6 benchmark applications, and 6 shared data structures, running on four different multi-socket systems with up to 128 hardware threads, we compare ffwd to a selection of lock, combining, lock-free, software transactional memory and delegation designs. Overall, we find that ffwd often offers a simple and highly competitive alternative to existing work. By definition, the performance of a fully delegated data structure is limited by the single-thread throughput of said data structure. However, due to cache effects, many data structures offer their best performance when confined to a single thread. With an efficient delegation mechanism, we approach this single-threaded performance in a multi-threaded setting. In application-level benchmarks, we see improvements up to 100% over the next best solution tested (RCL), and multiple micro-benchmarks show improvements in the 5-10x range.
The Influential Role of Sociocultural Feedbacks on Community-Managed Irrigation System Behaviors During Times of Water Stress

Sociohydrological studies use interdisciplinary approaches to explore the complex interactions between physical and social water systems and increase our understanding of emergent and paradoxical system behaviors. The dynamics of community values and social cohesion, however, have received little attention in modeling studies due to quantification challenges. Social structures associated with community-managed irrigation systems around the world, in particular, reflect these communities' experiences with a multitude of natural and social shocks. Using the Valdez acequia (a communally-managed irrigation community in northern New Mexico) as a simulation case study, we evaluate the impact of that community's social structure in governing its responses to water availability stresses posed by climate change. Specifically, a system dynamics model (developed using insights from community stakeholders and multiple disciplines that captures biophysical, socioeconomic, and sociocultural dynamics of acequia systems) was used to generate counterfactual trajectories to explore how the community would behave with streamflow conditions expected under climate change. We found that earlier peak flows, combined with adaptive measures of shifting crop selection, allowed for greater production of higher value crops and fewer people leaving the acequia. The economic benefits were lost, however, if downstream water pressures increased. Even with significant reductions in agricultural profitability, feedbacks associated with community cohesion buffered the community's population and land parcel sizes from more detrimental impacts, indicating the community's resilience under natural and social stresses. Continued exploration of social structures is warranted to better understand these systems' responses to stress and identify possible leverage points for strengthening community resilience.
Opioid Prescribing Patterns among Otolaryngologists

Objectives To evaluate national trends in opioid prescribing patterns by otolaryngologists for postoperative pain control after common otolaryngologic procedures. Study Design Cross-sectional; survey. Subjects and Methods A survey to determine opioid prescribing patterns for the treatment of postoperative pain following common otolaryngologic procedures was distributed to all members of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. Results The most common pain medication prescribed for adults postoperatively was hydrocodone-acetaminophen (73%), followed by oxycodone-acetaminophen (39%). The most common pain medication prescribed postoperatively for children was acetaminophen (67%), followed by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (65%). Overall, there was a wide variation in quantity of opioids prescribed for each surgery, ranging from 0 to more than 60 doses. Mean opioid prescriptions were greatest for tonsillectomy (37 tablets) and least for direct laryngoscopy (5.3 tablets). Conclusion This study identifies nationwide variations in opioid prescribing patterns among otolaryngologists. While otolaryngology is a relatively small specialty, we still have an obligation to work with all physicians to help combat the current opioid epidemic. By evaluating nationwide postoperative pain regimens, we are moving closer toward understanding how to reduce the opioid burden.
Recurrent Oral Ulcers in a Refugee.

A refugee from Africa presented with seven months of recurrent painful oral ulcers that began before arriving in the United States.
Trait related sensorimotor deficits in people who stutter: An EEG investigation of μ rhythm dynamics during spontaneous fluency.

Stuttering is associated with compromised sensorimotor control (i.e., internal modeling) across the dorsal stream and oscillations of EEG mu (μ) rhythms have been proposed as reliable indices of anterior dorsal stream processing. The purpose of this study was to compare μ rhythm oscillatory activity between (PWS) and matched typically fluent speakers (TFS) during spontaneously fluent overt and covert speech production tasks. Independent component analysis identified bilateral μ components from 24/27 PWS and matched TFS that localized over premotor cortex. Time-frequency analysis of the left hemisphere μ clusters demonstrated significantly reduced μ-α and μ-β ERD (pCLUSTER < 0.05) in PWS across the time course of overt and covert speech production, while no group differences were found in the right hemisphere in any condition. Results were interpreted through the framework of State Feedback Control. They suggest that weak forward modeling and evaluation of sensory feedback across the time course of speech production characterizes the trait related sensorimotor impairment in PWS. This weakness is proposed to represent an underlying sensorimotor instability that may predispose the speech of PWS to breakdown.
The Grammar of Social Justice: Gender Non-Binary Pronouns and the Writing Centre

This paper discusses our writing centre’s outreach to trans and gender non-conforming students on our campus and the subsequent responses to this. Specifically, our writing centre embarked on an outreach campaign through promotional materials and sponsored events. During and following the 2016 U.S. presidential election, we found our outreach posters repeatedly defaced. We present a case study of this situation, beginning with background information about our campus and a review of events. In order to think through the potential for a transformative response to these events, we explore the history and reasoning behind the use of gender non-binary pronouns; Michel Foucault’s theory of discourse and power; and Jose Esteban Munoz’s theory of disidentification. Lastly, we present what we have done since late 2016 and what we recommend as further steps towards a transformative response.
Mining Relations from Unstructured Content

Extracting relations from unstructured Web content is a challenging task and for any new relation a significant effort is required to design, train and tune the extraction models. In this work, we investigate how to obtain suitable results for relation extraction with modest human efforts, relying on a dynamic active learning approach. We propose a method to reliably generate high quality training/test data for relation extraction - for any generic user-demonstrated relation, starting from a few user provided examples and extracting valuable samples from unstructured and unlabeled Web content. To this extent we propose a strategy which learns how to identify the best order to human-annotate data, maximizing learning performance early in the process. We demonstrate the viability of the approach (i) against state of the art datasets for relation extraction as well as (ii) a real case study identifying text expressing a causal relation between a drug and an adverse reaction from user generated Web content.
Interactive Brain Maps and Atlases

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the brain maps and atlases for summarizing the results of experimental neuroanatomy. The most far-reaching consequence of electronic or digital brain maps is their use in databases of graphically presented structural information that may be queried via the World Wide Web. The design of such databases is a major goal of the University of Southern California Brain Project (USCBP), and they would be most powerful if the results were systematically presented or indexed to the standard or reference atlases of the brain. Computer graphics applications are also used to create three-dimensional models of the brain and two-dimensional flat maps, and they also serve as templates for electronic databases. From a topological perspective, the vertebrate Central Nervous System (CNS) has a rather simple shape and location, as a dorsal midline tube that is closed at both ends and that starts in the head and ends in the abdomen. This chapter reviews the structural complexity that has forced neuroscientists to develop, over the past century, experimental methods for dissecting and characterizing the structural organization and chemical content of neural networks.
Enhancing Wi-Fi Signal Strength of a Dynamic Heterogeneous System Using a Mobile Robot Provider

Heterogeneous networks of humans, robots, and agents are becoming increasingly common. Clients of wireless networks have continuously changing requirements for providers. In this project, a system to provide a sufficient signal for clients of a network as conditions change is proposed and validated. The system is comprised of hardware features such as a mobile access point and three heterogeneous client devices, and a movement algorithm. The mobile provider’s autonomy is verified by the independence of initial position or orientation from success of the system. The system is designed for ease of reconfiguration; modularity in system design allows for advancements to be implemented simply and effectively.
Whole Child Approach in a Physical Education Program.

A high school in the northwestern United States has a student population composed primarily of low income and minority students. Yet something that sets the school apart is a four-year graduation rate of 95%. While it is difficult to determine all of the factors that contribute to this academic success, this article explains students' perceptions of how they have reached success through a physical education performance-training program. This program is widely recognized across the state as a top program for students' physical and academic achievement. Current and past students from this program describe the positive effect it has had on their lives, in more than just the physical realm. The students take pride in their health, take on challenges, and support one another in a caring, supportive environment that helps them develop into leaders and future graduates. The emergent themes align with those of the Whole Child approach, which aims for students to be healthy, safe, engaged, supported and challenged...
Principal transformative learning through mentoring aspiring administrators

Few researchers have explicitly examined the benefits to practicing principals engaged in mentoring aspiring principals. Through the lens of transformative learning, the purpose of our study was to...
Smart Rural Framework Using IoT Devices and Cloud Computing

Increased energy consumption and Carbon Dioxide levels have led to climate change, which has a wide variety of adverse effects on human health. The effects are apparent in the gaseous concentrations within the air that we breathe, rapidly changing weather conditions, and declining quality of agriculture. These effects are evident in the state of Louisiana, where agricultural concerns are paramount and natural disasters including flooding are consistently of concern. In this paper, we propose a Smart Rural Framework to mitigate the effects of climate change using Internet of Things and the Cloud, building a prototype on Louisiana Tech University campus. Our design combines sensor nodes, that uses low-power microprocessors, with the Cloud, on which higher processing power and larger storage capability are available, to envision an informative and reliable web dashboard to visualize the information collected from the sensor nodes. Smart Rural Framework uses Libelium Waspmote as sensor nodes, Meshlium as a Fog server, and Amazon Web Services as the preferred cloud service and DynamoDB as a cloud datastore. The use of low-power idling mode in the sensor nodes, the low-energy 802.15.4 wireless protocol, and cloud computing have proved to make the Smart Rural Framework a green technology. Our results show that the Smart Rural Framework can monitor and regulate battery power usage and the readings can be expressed to users in an intuitive fashion.
Penicillin Allergy Skin Testing in the Inpatient Setting.

The consequences of a documented penicillin allergy in the medical record are especially troublesome in acutely ill, hospitalized patients. A penicillin allergy label may lead to alternative or second line therapies resulting in adverse drug events, negative clinical outcomes and increased costs. Reconciling penicillin allergies is a necessity to facilitate early, optimal therapy and is a shared responsibility among the healthcare team. Penicillin skin testing (PST) has been utilized successfully in hospitalized patients to de-label erroneous penicillin allergies and optimize antibiotic therapy. This targeted review aims to discuss the practical development and implementation of PST in the inpatient setting. This includes a needs assessment checklist with common considerations allowing for customization to one’s institution based on available personnel, time, and technological resources.
Medical treatment of male infertility.

SUMMARY After an appropriate clinical and laboratory assessment of a patient's fertility status, the clinician must often decide whether specific and empiric treatment is indicated. Specific treatment may take the form of replacement therapy (exogenous gonadotropins or GnRH) for pituitary or hypothalamic failure, inhibition of prolactin secretion, antimicrobial therapy, or immunosuppressive therapy for demonstrable immunologic infertility. Finally, ejaculatory dysfunction often requires sympathomimetic agents. Alternatively, in the normogonadotropic oligospermic patient, the major form of empiric therapy relies on the enhancement of physiologic hormone levels that influence spermatogenesis. Such “stimulation” therapy may be achieved by GnRH analogues, antiestrogens, exogenous gonadotropins, or androgens.
Virtual (freedom from) reality: Evaluation apprehension and leaders’ preference for communicating through avatars

Abstract Virtual reality is spreading rapidly as an emerging communication tool in organizations. The present research examines when and why leaders might prefer interacting with their subordinates virtually, via computer avatars (graphical computer representations of humans), rather than through face-to-face interactions. We examine this question in the context of monitoring and seek to understand the underlying psychology that drives leaders’ preference for interacting via avatars. Across two experiments, we tested our predictions that (1) contexts that require frequent monitoring increase leaders' preference for interacting via avatars, and (2) this preference is driven by concerns about negative social evaluation. Results supported our predictions, indicating that contexts requiring frequent monitoring increase leaders' preference for interacting via avatars (Experiment 1), and this effect was due to increased concerns about negative social evaluation (Experiment2). We also explored the role of personality on this effect (Experiment 2). Theoretical implications for the psychology of leadership in the digital era and the adoption of novel technologies are discussed.
2-D Ultrasonic Array-Based Optical Coherence Elastography

Acoustic radiation force optical coherence elastography (ARF-OCE) has been successfully implemented to characterize the biomechanical properties of soft tissues, such as the cornea and the retina, with high resolution using single-element ultrasonic transducers for ARF excitation. Most currently proposed OCE techniques, such as air puff and ARF, have less capability to control the spatiotemporal information of the induced region of deformation, resulting in limited accuracy and low temporal resolution of the shear wave elasticity imaging. In this study, we propose a new method called 2-D ultrasonic array-based OCE imaging, which combines the advantages of 3-D dynamic electronic steering of the 2-D ultrasonic array and high-resolution optical coherence tomography (OCT). The 3-D steering capability of the 2-D array was first validated using a hydrophone. Then, the combined 2-D ultrasonic array OCE system was calibrated using a homogenous phantom, followed by an experiment on ex vivo rabbit corneal tissue. The results demonstrate that our newly developed 2-D ultrasonic array-based OCE system has the capability to map tissue biomechanical properties accurately, and therefore, has the potential to be a vital diagnostic tool in ophthalmology.
TCL-302: Immunohistochemical Characterization of Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma Using Tissue Microarray

Context: Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (ALCL) is a type of mature T-cell lymphomas with systemic and primary cutaneous (PCALCL) subtypes. Systemic ALCL includes anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)+ and ALK-. ALK+ usually has the NPM/ALK gene, which has favorable prognosis compared to ALK-. PCALCL is usually indolent. DUSP22 rearrangement in ALK-ALCL has a favorable outcome like ALK+, indicating alternate pathways of ALCL. Objective: Our primary aim was to compare protein expression levels of selected signaling molecules in oncogenic pathways of ALCL (JAK1, STAT3, DUSP22, ERB4, BLIMP1, SOCS3) among the three subtypes. We also correlated expression levels to ORR, PFS, DFS, and OS. Design: This is a retrospective study correlating protein expression levels of various antibodies across 27 patient tissue samples. Setting: The study was set at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, an academic referral center. Patients or other participants: We identified 50 ALCL patients from 2000–2019. Twenty-seven tissue samples (6 ALK+, 10 ALK-, 8 PCALCL, 3 controls) met eligibility criteria, which included pathologist-reviewed diagnosis of ALCL subtypes (ALK+, ALK-, PCALCL) and consent to the Tissue Core database. Interventions: Replicate cores were taken and TMAs were constructed from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded lymph node or skin biopsies. IHC was performed with Abs to selected proteins. Stained TMA was scanned using Aperio™ ScanScope XT2 with a 200×/0.8NA objective lens at 5 min/slide via Basler tri-linear array detection. TMAs were analyzed using Aperio Nuclear V9 Default algorithm with thresholds for stain intensity: Strong = 130, Moderate = 188, Weak = 162 to determine the % positive biomarker stain within each core. Main outcome measures: The primary study outcome measurement was comparison of protein expression levels based on specific pathways known or hypothesized to be involved in ALCL pathogenesis. We hypothesized that these protein expression levels would correlate to time to event outcomes Results: PCALCL, ALK+, and ALK- subgroups demonstrated a significant difference in SOCS3 expression with mean and std respectively: 42.4% (0.153), 17.4% (0.089), and 21.0% (0.155);p=0.008. Among all pairs, ALK+ and PCALCL were statistically different (p=0.011). Patients with high BLIMP1 expression (% larger than median, 28.5%) regardless of ALCL subtype were associated with better mOS (not reached) compared to patients with low ( Conclusions: We identified a significant difference in expression of two Abs among three subtypes of ALCL. Increased BLIMP1 was associated with favorable prognosis and could potentially be a positive prognostic marker. Increased SOCS3 appears more prevalent in PCALCL than systemic ALCL, suggesting a potential utility in DDx. We plan to validate our results in a larger sample. Adding secondary markers like Bcl-2 can be used in the future to correlate expression levels and response to targeted agents, such as venetoclax. Funding: University of South Florida Graduate Medical Education Grant ($7500).
Electronic health record adoption among US substance use disorder and other mental health treatment facilities

Abstract Objective This study examined Electronic Health Record (EHR) utilization among US substance use disorder (SUD) versus mental health (MH) treatment facilities. Methods Data from the National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services and the National Mental Health Services Survey were used to examine differences in clinical and administrative utilization of EHR. Results EHR use was significantly less common among SUD facilities compared to MH facilities for both non-exclusive (mixed computer and paper) and exclusive (paper-free) use. Fewer than 25 % of facilities of either type reported exclusive EHR use for core clinical activities (progress notes, laboratory monitoring, and prescriptions) with wide variability among states. Being an inpatient facility, having Joint Commission accreditation, being a private-for-profit, or a public facility were significantly positively associated with exclusive EHR use for core clinical activities; these associations were stronger among SUD facilities than MH facilities. Accepting Medicare was associated with exclusive EHR use for core clinical activities in both facility types, while accepting private insurance was associated with such use only among SUD treatment facilities. Conclusions EHR adoption among SUD facilities lags behind MH facilities. However, exclusive EHR use for clinical purposes remains elusive for both types of facilities with no more than a quarter of facilities in any state reporting such use. Some of the factors associated with exclusive EHR use for clinical purposes among SUD treatment facilities—such as Joint Commission accreditation—may be policy leverage points to expedite EHR adoption in these facilities.
Perioperative Individualized Goal Directed Therapy for Cardiac Surgery: A Historical-Prospective, Comparative Effectiveness Study.

Introduction: Cardiac surgery patients are at increased risk for post-operative complications and prolonged length of stay. Perioperative goal directed therapy (GDT) has demonstrated utility for non-cardiac surgery, however, GDT is not common for cardiac surgery. We initiated a quality improvement (QI) project focusing on the implementation of a GDT protocol, which was applied from the immediate post-bypass period into the intensive care unit (ICU). Our hypothesis was that this novel GDT protocol would decrease ICU length of stay and possibly improve postoperative outcomes. Methods: This was a historical prospective, QI study for patients undergoing cardiac surgery requiring cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Integral to the QI project was education towards all associated providers on the concepts related to GDT. The protocol involved identifying patient specific targets for cardiac index and mean arterial pressure. These targets were maintained from the post-CPB period to the first 12 h in the ICU. Statistical comparisons were performed between the year after GDT therapy was launched to the last two years prior to protocol implementation. The primary outcome was ICU length of stay. Results: There was a significant decrease in ICU length of stay when comparing the year after the protocol initiation to years prior, from a median of 6.19 days to 4 days (2017 vs. 2019, p < 0.0001), and a median of 5.88 days to 4 days (2018 vs. 2019, p < 0.0001). Secondary outcomes demonstrated a significant reduction in total administered volumes of inotropic medication(milrinone). All other vasopressors demonstrated no differences across years. Hospital length of stay comparisons did not demonstrate a significant reduction. Conclusion: These results suggest that an individualized goal directed therapy for cardiac surgery patients can reduce ICU length of stay and decrease amount of inotropic therapy.
Development of a conformal woven fabric antenna for wearable breast hyperthermia

Breast hyperthermia is a non-invasive cancer treatment, where breast temperature is mildly elevated by a localized electromagnetic (EM) irradiation to deactivate and damage cancer cells. The emerging needs associated with this medical modality include the development of a highly wearable microwave applicator with a low power requirement to enable a more patient-friendly and continuous hyperthermia therapy. As a potential solution, we propose a textile antenna that consists of a copper-plated woven polyester fabric as a radiating patch and a ground plane and a woven polyester fabric as a dielectric substrate and a padding layer. The porous nature of these textile materials enables construction of a lightweight and flexible antenna with a low dielectric loss for a more comfortable hyperthermia treatment. By incorporating a synthetic breast tissue for a model study, the temperature rises were measured to be 3.3 °C and 1.9 °C at 5 mm and 15 mm depths, respectively, after 15 min of heating (input power of 1 W). This suggests that the textile-based approach could be an effective solution for comfortable and long-term applications of breast hyperthermia therapy.
The carceral production of transgender poverty: How racialized gender policing deprives transgender women of housing and safety:

Based on interviews and ethnography, this article analyzes how racialized gender policing in public space and service organizations deprives transgender women of survival resources. Although transg...
WIDENING THE CIRCLE OF SECURITY: A QUASI‐EXPERIMENTAL EVALUATION OF ATTACHMENT‐BASED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR FAMILY CHILD CARE PROVIDERS

This pilot program evaluation was undertaken to examine the effectiveness of an attachment-based, group professional-development experience, Circle of Security-Parenting, on family childcare (FCC) providers' psychological resources and self-efficacy in managing children's challenging behaviors and supporting children's socioemotional development. Licensed FCC providers with children actively in their care (n = 34) self-selected into the program, offered in English and Spanish through a regional support network for FCC providers; a comparison group of providers was recruited from the state database of licensed providers (n = 17). A significant Time × Group interaction was observed for self-efficacy in managing challenging behaviors, F(1, 46) = 30.59, p = .000, partial η(2) = .40, with participating providers' mean self-efficacy scores increasing, p = .000, d = .78, while comparison providers' decreased, p = .003, d = 1.40. Mean depressive symptoms decreased over time for both groups whereas job stress-related resources were stable over time in both groups. Patterns of association were found between providers' self-report of difficulties considering children's mental states and depressive symptoms, job stress resources, and self-efficacy. Limitations and implications for future research are reviewed, including the impact of conducting this work within an organized support network for FCC providers.
Transcription regulation coupled to calcium and protein kinase signaling systems through TRE- and CRE-like sequences in neuropeptide genes.

Publisher Summary Depolarization and calcium influx stimulates the secretion of catecholamines, neuropeptides, and secretory proteins such as chromogranin A from chromaffin cells. Calcium entry during enhanced secretory activity also triggers biosynthesis of neuropeptides, or ‘stimulus-secretion-synthesis coupling’. Neuropeptide secretion and biosynthesis in chromaffin cells is modulated by second messengers in addition to calcium. Adenylate cyclase stimulation increases long-term but not acute secretion and also upregulates neuropeptide biosynthesis. Stimulation of protein kinase C, after a latency period, causes an augmentation of potassium-induced secretion, followed by inhibition at longer times of exposure. Phorbol esters cause a profound increase in biosynthesis of the neuropeptides (VIP) and a modest increase in enkephalin biosynthesis in acutely cultured chromaffin cells galanin and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide. The effects of second-messenger stimulation on biosynthesis of different neuropeptide genes can also be distinguished on the basis of requirement for new protein synthesis. Several of the cis-active elements on the enkephalin, galanin, and VIP genes responsible for basal and regulated expression in chromaffin and neuroblastoma cells have been characterized. The fos-like protein-containing complex is present in nuclear extracts from quiescent chromaffin cells. Therefore, it, along with CREB, is a candidate for the preexisting trans-acting protein(s) that mediate stimulus-secretion-synthesis coupling in chromaffin cells. VIP gene regulation by protein kinases A and C depends on two separate cis-active elements in the VIP gene. The VIP proximal CRE mediates only the effects of cAMP and is required for basal gene expression in neuroblastoma cells. An upstream consensus TRE mediates the effects of protein kinase C on VIP gene transcription. The chromogranin A CRE element is required for neuroendocrine-specific regulation of chromogranin A gene. Mechanisms of differential regulation of neuroepeptide genes within catecholamine-storing tissues may serve to tailor the mixture of neuropeptides cosecreted with catecholamines and other classical neurotransmitters from neuroendocrine cells to diverse physiological conditions.
Flexibility coefficients for bending of a disk under sinusoidal edgeloading.

method of equivalent cones, is used. Twenty and twenty-five degree cones are used to simulate the 5° and 10° angle of attack cases, respectively. Figure 3 shows the results of these calculations. All three theories and experimental data predict the same general trends; however, the experimental data lies lower than all theories. The experimental results show 50% and 95% increases in heat-transfer rates at angles of attack of 5° and 10°, respectively. The equivalent cone method results in only half that gain. The present method and the Reshotko model give results which predict 40% and 75% increases in heat-transfer rates for angles of attack of 5° and 10°. These trends follow more closely the experimental prediction. In addition, the present calculation gives absolute values of heat transfer which are in better agreement with the experimental results than the Reshotko method. In summary, the viscous shock layer technique developed here for three-dimensional flow in the windward plane of sharp cones at angle of attack gives results which agree well with other theories and experimental data. The method is easy to use and requires a minimum amount of computer time.
Machine science: automated modeling of deterministic and stochastic dynamical systems

The work presented here advances the technology to analyze experimental data and automatically hypothesize about explanatory models and physical laws that help explain observations. Automated Modeling, sometimes referred to as Symbolic Regression or System Identification, is the process of searching a possibly infinite space of mathematical expressions in order to optimize various objectives—for example, identifying the simplest possible nonlinear equation that captures the observed dynamics of a system. Traditionally, the task of formulating analytical models and theory has remained entirely within the purview of human expertise, and also human limitation. However, the development of Evolutionary Algorithms, and more recently Genetic Programming, has made searching for analytical models automatically a possibility. The work presented here focuses on advancing the algorithms and techniques for Automated Modeling to shrink this “reality gap,” and applies these advances to various real and experimental systems for the first time. The specific contributions of this work fall into four categories: search methods and algorithms, model representations and the types of systems that can be analyzed, techniques for interpreting solutions and results, and applications in science and engineering fields. The most important contribution in the search methods is the Fitness and Rank Prediction algorithm, which enables utilizing exceedingly large data sets with low computational effort. This algorithm is based on the idea that, at any given time, only a small number of carefully selected data points are necessary to discriminate among candidate models, allowing large reductions in computational effort. In model representations, the most important contribution is the principle for identifying meaningful invariant quantities amongst the infinite number of trivial invariant expressions. This principle enables searching for physical laws and conservations directly from experimental measurements. In the interpretation of results, the most important contribution is Parameter Mapping technique, which relates an automatically inferred model to a previous model through repeated regressions. Finally, the most important contribution in applications is the analysis of yeast Glycolytic oscillations, which demonstrates and compares several techniques in order to identify a complete nonlinear ordinary differential equation model directly from data.
A capacitance minimization control strategy for single-phase PV quasi-Z-source inverter

In single-phase photovoltaic (PV) system, there is double-frequency power mismatch existed between the dc input and ac output. The double-frequency ripple power needs to be buffered by passive network. In a conventional PV system, electrolytic capacitor is usually used for this purpose due to its high capacitance. However, electrolytic capacitor is considered to be one of the most failure prone components in a PV inverter. In this paper, a capacitance minimization control strategy is proposed to buffer the double-frequency ripple energy in single-phase Z-source /quasi-Z-source inverter application. Consequently, highly reliable film capacitor can be used. Without using any extra hardware components, the proposed control strategy can minimize the capacitance requirement and achieve low input voltage double-frequency ripple. A 1kW quasi-Z-source PV inverter using GaN devices is built in the lab. Simulation and experimental results are provided to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.
The Effects of HIV Infection on Endothelial Function

Endothelial dysfunction and/or injury is pivotal to the development of cardiovascular and inflammatory pathology. Endothelial dysfunction and/or injury has been described in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection. Elaboration of circulating markers of endothelial activation, such as soluble adhesion molecules and procoagulant proteins, occurs in HIV infection. Certain endothelial cells, such as those lining liver sinusoids, human umbilical vein endothelial cells, bone marrow stromal endothelial cells or brain microvascular endothelial cells, have been shown to be variably permissive for HIV infection. Entry of virus into endothelial cells may occur via CD4 antigen or galactosyl-ceramide receptors. Other mechanisms of entry including chemokine receptors have been proposed. Nevertheless, endothelial activation may also occur in HIV infection either by cytokines secreted in response to mononuclear or adventitial cell activation by virus or else by the effects of the secreted HIV-associated proteins, gp 120 (envelope glycoprotein) and Tat (transactivator of viral replication) on endothelium. Enhanced adhesiveness of endothelial cells, endothelial cell proliferation and apoptosis as well as activation of cytokine secretion have all been demonstrated. Synergy between select inflammatory cytokines and viral proteins in inducing endothelial injury has been shown. In HIV infection, dysfunctional or injured endothelial cells potentiate tissue injury, inflammation and remodeling, and accelerate the development of cardiovascular disease.
Regional precipitation simulations for the mid-1970s shift and early-2000s hiatus

It has been demonstrated that climate models initialized with observations produce better simulations of Pacific sea surface temperature (SST) patterns than uninitialized simulations for the two major climate regime changes of the last 40 years, the mid-1970s climate shift and early-2000s hiatus. A fundamental feature of these hindcasts is the simulation of the SST anomalies associated with the phase of the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation (IPO). Since regional precipitation patterns over selected land areas in south Asia, Australia, and North America are known to be affected by SST patterns over the Pacific, it is shown that the initialized climate model simulations produce qualitatively better agreement with observations for regional precipitation anomalies in those regions compared to uninitialized climate models. Though the signals are small, the anomalies are consistent with our physical process-based understanding of precipitation responses over certain land areas during different IPO phases.
Honoring our donors: A survey of memorial ceremonies in united states anatomy programs

Many anatomy programs that incorporate dissection of donated human bodies hold memorial ceremonies of gratitude towards body donors. The content of these ceremonies may include learners’ reflections on mortality, respect, altruism, and personal growth told through various humanities modalities. The task of planning is usually student- and faculty-led with participation from other health care students. Objective information on current memorial ceremonies for body donors in anatomy programs in the United States appears to be lacking. The number of programs in the United States that currently plan these memorial ceremonies and information on trends in programs undertaking such ceremonies remain unknown. Gross anatomy program directors throughout the United States were contacted and asked to respond to a voluntary questionnaire on memorial ceremonies held at their institution. The results (response rate 68.2%) indicated that a majority of human anatomy programs (95.5%) hold memorial ceremonies. These ceremonies are, for the most part, student-driven and nondenominational or secular in nature. Participants heavily rely upon speech, music, poetry, and written essays, with a small inclusion of other humanities modalities, such as dance or visual art, to explore a variety of themes during these ceremonies. Anat Sci Educ 7: 219–223. V C 2013 American Association of Anatomists.