cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Listening to hypochondriasis and hearing health anxiety

Although hypochondriasis is categorized as a somatoform disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition--Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) due to excessive focus on bodily symptoms for at least 6 months, a contemporary conceptualization suggests that hypochondriasis represents an intense form of health anxiety. This article discusses the clinical presentation of hypochondriasis, etiological underpinnings and multiple maintaining factors, including physiological, cognitive and behavioral components. A cognitive-behavioral model of hypochondriasis as health anxiety and the empirically supported treatment based on the model are articulated. Future directions and informational resources are provided for both clinicians and patients.
Is there a Global Liquidity Factor

This paper investigates country, industry, and global commonalities in liquidity of individual stocks, and analyzes their implications for the pricing of financial assets in an international framework for a sample from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan covering the period from 1980 to 2001. The results for three dierent monthly liquidity measures — based on daily return and trading volume data — suggest that individual stock liquidity exhibits commonalities within countries and industries and co-moves globally. Furthermore, global and country-specific commonalities dominate industry eects as the source of common variation in liquidity. The asset pricing analysis suggests that expected stock returns are cross-sectionally related to the sensitivity of returns to shocks in global liquidity, and that global liquidity is a priced risk factor. The hypotheses that the liquidity risk premiums are equal across countries and industries cannot be rejected. Moreover, the results are neither driven by time-varying levels of asset-specific liquidity, nor by observations from recently listed firms, for which liquidity and return processes are likely dierent.
Vascular Lesions in Nine Göttingen Minipigs with Thrombocytopenic Purpura Syndrome

Tissues from 9 Gottingen minipigs, aged 7 weeks to 1 year, with clinically diagnosed thrombocytopenic purpura syndrome were examined microscopically. All pigs had a history of spontaneous cutaneous purpura that was generally accompanied by disseminated visceral hemorrhages. Hematologic abnormalities included anemia (8 out of 9 pigs) and thrombocytopenia (7 out of 9 pigs), with platelet counts consistently below 20,000/microl. Microscopically, degenerative vascular lesions with morphologic features of arteriosclerosis were present in all 9 pigs. Vascular lesions affected small- to medium-sized muscular arteries and arterioles in various organs and extraparenchymal tissues; vessels of the renal pelvis and coronary arteries were consistently involved. Microscopic lesions in small- to medium-sized muscular arteries consisted of neointimal proliferation, medial thickening, luminal stenosis, thrombosis, disruption and fragmentation of the internal elastic lamina, necrosis of the tunica media, and medial deposits of myxoid matrix material. Microscopic lesions in arterioles included concentric laminar thickening of vessel walls (onion-skin pattern), endothelial cell hypertrophy, smooth muscle cell vacuolation, necrosis of the tunica media, thrombosis, and partial to complete luminal stenosis. Arteritis and/or periarteritis were also noted in 4 out of 9 pigs. Additional microscopic lesions included membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (3 out of 9), myocardial microinfarcts (4 out of 7), renal interstitial fibrosis (2 out of 9), extramedullary hematopoiesis (6 out of 9), and intracapillary hyaline thrombi (2 out of 9). Degenerative vascular lesions have not been previously described in Gottingen minipigs with thrombocytopenic purpura syndrome. The etiopathogenesis of both the vascular lesions and thrombocytopenic purpura syndrome is currently unknown.
Improving Program Efficiency by Packing Instructions into Registers

New processors, both embedded and general purpose, often have conflicting design requirements involving space, power, and performance. Architectural features and compiler optimizations often target one or more design goals at the expense of the others. This paper presents a novel architectural and compiler approach to simultaneously reduce power requirements, decrease code size, and improve performance by integrating an instruction register file (IRF) into the architecture. Frequently occurring instructions are placed in the IRF. Multiple entries in the IRF can be referenced by a single packed instruction in ROM or L1 instruction cache. Unlike conventional code compression, our approach allows the frequent instructions to be referenced in arbitrary combinations. The experimental results show significant improvements in space and power, as well as some improvement in execution time when using only 32 entries. These advantages make packing instructions into registers an effective approach for improving overall efficiency.
Climate Change in the U.S. Atlantic Affecting Recreational Fisheries

This review provides an examination of the consequences of climate change in the coming century to saltwater sport fishing. We emphasized recreational fisheries in the U.S. Atlantic, but draw from the broader national and international literature where appropriate. Three themes were addressed: (1) climate change in the U.S. Atlantic, with a focus on increases in temperature, precipitation, sea level, the frequency and intensity of storms, and changes in ocean circulation; (2) the response of marine and estuarine fishes to climate change on an individual, population, and community-level; and (3) the response of marine and estuarine recreational fisheries to climate change. In addition, we provide strategies for the future of fisheries assessment and management in response to climate change.
Dynamics of wall and Bloch line motion using 3D simulations

Three-dimensional numerical experiments have been performed on a stripe domain in a magnetic bubble garnet material to study the dynamics of vertical Bloch lines (VBLs). The authors have modeled a stripe with two domain walls at equilibrium, one wall containing a winding VBL pair and the other structureless. When a bias field pulse with 10 ns risetime is applied, the walls move together at 77 m/s and 33 m/s, with the VBLs moving at 178 m/s. Overshoot in the wall motion was observed and attributed to the relaxation of the horizontal Bloch lines (HBLs) formed in the structureless wall. Contours of the in-plane angle of the magnetization in the wall with the VBL pair distort during wall motion; however, it was possible to see some influence of HBL formation on VBL motion. >
Optimal Control of Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles with Market Impact and Risk Attitude

In this paper, we develop optimal electricity storage control policies to manage charging and discharging activities for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles for the benefit of an energy market participant. We first develop models for both risk-neutral and risk-averse aggregators to participate only in a real-time market. The proposed models capture the impact of the charging and discharging activities on real-time electricity prices. Next, we extend our study to the case in which aggregators participate in both the real-time and day-ahead markets. For each developed model, we analyze the properties of the optimal objective value function, prove the existence and uniqueness of the optimal policy, and explore the corresponding optimal policy structure. Moreover, through numerical studies, we explore insights into how electricity prices are influenced by charging and discharging activities. In particular, we observe that aggregated charging/discharging activities with market-impact consideration could reduce the variance of the real-time electricity prices more efficiently, as compared to individual activities. In addition, considering market impact, an aggregator tends to use less electricity storage. Finally, it is beneficial to let an aggregator control the electricity storage and participate in both the real-time and day-ahead markets, instead of participating only in the real-time market.
Orientation of adsorbed polymer in response to shear flow

Abstract We report preliminary evidence of shear-induced alignment of polyisoprene adsorbed from CCl4 solution on to a single solid surface. The experimental technique was Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, in the mode of attenuated total reflection. The selective augmentation of vibrational modes oriented preferentially along the chain backbone implied chain orientation in the direction of flow. This occurred at low shear rates (about 1 s−1). The extent of orientation increased with increasing molecular weight, and did not depend on shear rate within the narrow range (0.4–1.6 s−1) available to us. After cessation of flow, relaxation toward the conformation in the quiescent state was slow.
An essay on becoming a school psychologist when school psychology was becoming

Abstract The perceptions of one of the few midwestern school psychologists in the 1950s is presented as another in a series of autobiographical histories of the specialty. After stumbling into school psychology, the author traced his professional growth and identified individuals who influenced him as school psychology was becoming a respected member of the psychology family. In the 1950s there were many roles for school psychologists. Their sphere of influence was wide. The career ladder was long. In the 1960s, with increasingly narrow preparation and role, school psychologists touched fewer professionals but more children. As the focus of school psychology narrowed, some of its leaders moved into other specialties; their place taken by energetic psychologists who earned parity with the leading specialties providing health services in psychology.
Imatinib mesylate (Gleevec) in the treatment of diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis: results of a 1-year, phase IIa, single-arm, open-label clinical trial

Objective To assess the safety and effectiveness of imatinib mesylate in the treatment of diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis (dcSSc). Methods In this phase IIa, open-label, single-arm clinical trial, 30 patients with dcSSc were treated with imatinib 400 mg daily. Patients were monitored monthly for safety assessments. Modified Rodnan skin scores (MRSS) were assessed every 3 months. Pulmonary function testing, chest radiography, echocardiography and skin biopsies were performed at baseline and after 12 months of treatment. Results Twenty-four patients completed 12 months of therapy. 171 adverse events (AE) with possible relation to imatinib were identified; 97.6% were grade 1 or 2. Twenty-four serious AE were identified, two of which were attributed to study medication. MRSS decreased by 6.6 points or 22.4% at 12 months (p=0.001). This change was evident starting at the 6-month time point (Δ=−4.5; p Conclusions Treatment with imatinib was tolerated by most patients in this cohort. Although AE were common, most were mild to moderate. In this open-label experience, improvements in skin thickening and FVC were observed. Further investigation of tyrosine kinase inhibition for dcSSc in a double-blind randomised placebo controlled trial is warranted. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT00555581
A novel genetic framework for studying response to artificial selection

Response to selection is fundamental to plant breeding. To gain insight into the genetic basis of response to selection, we propose a new experimental genetic framework allowing for the identification of trait-specific genomic loci underlying population improvement and the characterization of allelic frequency responses at those loci. This is achieved by employing a sampling scheme for recurrently selected populations that allows for the simultaneous application of genetic association mapping and analysis of allelic frequency change across generations of selection. The combined method unites advantages of the two approaches, permitting the estimation of trait-specific allelic effects by association mapping and the detection of rare favourable alleles by their significant enrichment over generations of selection. Our aim is to develop a framework applicable for many crop species in order to gain a broader and deeper understanding of the genetic architecture of response to artificial selection.
Error exponents for bayesian detection with randomly spaced sensors

We study the detection of Gauss-Markov signals using randomly spaced sensors. We derive a lower bound on the Bayesian detection error based on the Kullback-Leibler divergence, and from this, define an error exponent. We then evaluate the error exponent for stationary and non-stationary Gauss-Markov models where the sensor spacings, di, di,..., are drawn independently from a common distribution Fd. In both models, error exponents take on simple forms involving the parameters of the Markov process and expectations over Fd of certain functions of di. These expressions are evaluated explicitly when Fd corresponds to (i) exponentially distributed sensors with placement density lambda (ii) equally spaced sensors, and (iii) the proceeding cases when sensors also fail with probability Q. Many insights follow. For example, in the non-stationary case, we determine the optimal lambda as a function of q. Numerical simulations show that the error exponent, based on an asymptotic analysis of the lower bound, predicts trends of the actual error rate accurately, even for small data sizes.
Task Based Dialog For Service Mobile Robot

CoBot is a service mobile robot that has been continuously deployed for extended periods of time in a multi-floor office-style building. While moving in the building CoBot, is able to perform multiple tasks for its users; the robot is able to autonomously navigate to any of the rooms in the building, to deliver objects and messages and to escort visitors to their destination. While apparently very different, all the tasks CoBot is able to perform require the robot to move from one location to another. In our effort to make CoBot increasingly available to users in the building, we recently enabled it to understand spoken commands, an approach for Learning and using task-relevant Knowledge from human-robot Dialog and access to the Web.
Amphoteric behavior of complex systems. II. Titration of sulfanilic acid-glycine mixtures

It is the purpose of this and the following paper to test portions of the theory in a more quantitative manner, and in this paper the mutual action of two ampholytes, glycine and sulfanilic acid, is studied by means of titration over a wide pH range. The latter substance was chosen to correspond to the strongly acid nucleic acid in living matter. That it is amphoteric, with a measurable basic ionization constant, is shown in the fourth paper of the series. In fact it has an isoelectric point at a distinctly higher pH, 1.25, than that (0.7) of nucleic acid (2). The glycine used was a preparation from the Eastman Kodak Company; and the sulfanilic acid was a Merck C.P. grade, which was reprecipitated from alkaline solution by hydrochloric acid, washed, and dried.
Exploring Behavior Representation for Learning Analytics

Multimodal analysis has long been an integral part of studying learning. Historically multimodal analyses of learning have been extremely laborious and time intensive. However, researchers have recently been exploring ways to use multimodal computational analysis in the service of studying how people learn in complex learning environments. In an effort to advance this research agenda, we present a comparative analysis of four different data segmentation techniques. In particular, we propose affect- and pose-based data segmentation, as alternatives to human-based segmentation, and fixed-window segmentation. In a study of ten dyads working on an open-ended engineering design task, we find that affect- and pose-based segmentation are more effective, than traditional approaches, for drawing correlations between learning-relevant constructs, and multimodal behaviors. We also find that pose-based segmentation outperforms the two more traditional segmentation strategies for predicting student success on the hands-on task. In this paper we discuss the algorithms used, our results, and the implications that this work may have in non-education-related contexts.
Photophysical characterization of a benzo-fused analogue of Brooker's merocyanine: solvent polarity and pH effects.

The photophysical properties of 4-[2-(6-hydroxy-2-naphthalenyl)-ethenyl]-1-methyl-pyridinium (HNEP+) and its deprotonated form (NEP), a benzofused derivative of Brooker’s merocyanine (BM), were investigated through a combined spectroscopic and computational approach. Despite their structural similarities and similar pKa values, HNEP+/NEP and BMH+/BM differ in the extent of charge delocalization in the ground and excited states. NEP exhibits the spectral characteristics of a charge transfer species in solvents in which BM exists in a charge-delocalized quinoid; however, quantum chemical calculations show that the CT absorption of NEP is not necessarily a consequence of the zwitterionic character. HNEP+ displays larger Stokes shifts than BMH+, and NEP demonstrates enhanced solvatochromism relative to BM as a consequence of benzofusion.
Hidden Barriers to Delivery of Pharmacological Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis: The Role of Nursing Beliefs and Practices.

Background: Standardized electronic order sets for venous thromboembolism prophylaxis have increased the proportion of patients receiving venous thromboembolism prophylaxis. However, ordering venous thromboembolism prophylaxis does not ensure consistent administration. Objective: To explore causes of variability in the rate of administration of ordered doses of pharmacological venous thromboembolism prophylaxis among hospital units. Design: Mixed methods study, including qualitative observation and quantitative nursing survey administration. Subjects: Nurses included in observations were practicing on an inpatient unit, caring for patients with orders to receive venous thromboembolism prophylaxis consisting of low-dose unfractionated heparin or lowYmolecular weight heparin. Nurses on 12 inpatient units with disparate rates of administration were included in the survey. Measures: Qualitative observation data were collected until thematic saturation was achieved. Survey was conducted to identify beliefs and practices surrounding nursing administration of venous thromboembolism prophylaxis. Results: During observations, some nurses presented pharmacological venous thromboembolism prophylaxis to their patients as an optional therapy. Nurses on low-performing units are more likely to believe that pharmacological venous thromboembolism prophylaxis is ordered for patients who do not require it. More often, they also acknowledge that nurses use their clinical decision-making skills to determine when to omit unnecessary doses of prescribed venous thromboembolism prophylaxis. Conclusions: Nurses on units with low administration rates often believe they have the skills to determine which patients require pharmacological venous thromboembolism prophylaxis. They are also more likely to believe that ordered doses are discretionary and offer the medication as optional to patients.
Studies on the Poison System of the Honeybee

Our usual interest in the poison system of the honeybee, Apis mellifica Linn, lies generally in the cause and effect of the sting rather than in any possible relationship between this complicated system and the general physiology of the organism to which it belongs. The severe and sometimes fatal aftereffects of the sting of the bee is a matter of rather commonplace record. Considerable information is also available on the beneficial effects produced by a controlled application of the venom on certain organic disorders of man. In these investigations no exact chemical analysis of the poison synthesized by the honeybee seems to have been made and even less information is available on the possible relationship of the substance itself to the insect other than its protective role.
Combined Spectroscopic/Computational Studies of Vitamin B12 Precursors: Geometric and Electronic Structures of Cobinamides

Vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin) and its biologically active derivatives, methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin, are members of the family of corrinoids, which also includes cobinamides. As biological precursors to cobalamins, cobinamides possess the same structural core, consisting of a low-spin Co3+ ion that is ligated equatorially by the four nitrogens of a highly substituted tetrapyrrole macrocycle (the corrin ring), but differ with respect to the lower axial ligation. Specifically, cobinamides possess a water molecule instead of the nucleotide loop that coordinates axially to Co3+cobalamins via its dimethylbenzimidazole (DMB) base. Compared to the cobalamin species, cobinamides have proven much more difficult to study experimentally, thus far eluding characterization by X-ray crystallography. In this study, we have utilized combined quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) computations to generate complete structural models of a representative set of cobinamide species with varying upper axial ligan...
Cost accounting and reimbursement of tuberculosis control services at county level designated TB hospitals

Objectives: To describe cost of Tuberculosis(TB) care and control incurred by designated TB hospitals,and the reimbursement of that cost.Methods: 2 designated TB hospitals at county level in 2 provinces from eastern and western China were selected for the study.Structured questionnaires were completed by the two hospitals.The whole cost and ladder apportionment of expenses methods were employed to account cost of TB care and control incurred by these hospitals.Data on income charged from TB patients was collected from Health Information System of designated hospitals.Results: In 2008,the whole cost per outpatient visit of TB diagnosis and treatment service of the 2 designated TB hospital was 185.85 and 257.48 RMB respectively,while the hospitals' income from each outpatient visit was 155.00 and 161.07 RMB.This resulted in a deficit of 30.58 and 96.41 RMB.The whole cost per TB patient of TB management service was 360.70 and 271.23 RMB with no income to cover the cost.Therefore the deficit was the same as the whole cost.Conclusions: To maintain the success of PPM DOTS,the deficit of TB control services incurred by hospitals should be reimbursed by two ways based on the whole cost.The deficit of TB management service should be reimbursed by government budget,and the deficit of TB outpatient visit might be reimbursed by social medical insurance with a higher reimbursement rate.
Reflections on Countermeasures for Improving Comprehensive Capacity of Agricultural Production in Hebei Province

In 2004, with the emerging tendency of bright future, sector of agriculture in Hebei Province has shaken out the continuous shadow of waver which lasts 5 years. But due to some of very projecting problems, such as weak of fundamental installation, reducing cultivated land, worsening of the ecological environment, low level of the mechanize, increasing use of land to expend production, imperfect service system for development and popularization of technology, less educated peasant and so on, the obstructions of above, they do not only hinder the improvement of comprehensive capacity of agricultural production, but also endanger the continuous and steady development of the sector in whole province. This article puts forward countermeasures against the existing problems for improving the ability of comprehensive capacity of agricultural production in Hebei Province.
Theophylline treatment in the neonate with apnea: Effect on growth hormone, thyroid hormone and TRH induced TSH secretion

Caffeine has been shown to markedly alter growth hormone (GH), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), and thyroid hormones in animal studies. Similar studies in the human are lacking. To determine the effect of theophylline treatment on endocrine function in neonates with apnea, 10 infants were studied prospectively pretreatment, immediately following therapeutic blood levels of theophylline, at 2, 4, and 6 weeks thereafter and finally 2 weeks after discontinuation of theophylline. T4, free T4, T3, GH, and basal and stimulated TSH were measured at each study period. Results show no significant difference consequent to theophylline therapy on basal thyroid or GH secretion and thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) induced TSH response at any study interval. We conclude there is no evidence to suspect abnormality occurring in growth, thyroid function and GH secretion in neonates receiving theophylline for breathing disorders.
Impairment of energy metabolism and excitotoxic cell death in Huntington disease.

Le gene de la maladie de Huntington est exprime dans de nombreux types cellulaires alors que la maladie se caracterise par la mort de groupes de neurones distincts au plan neuropathologique. De nombreuses theories ont ete proposees pour rendre compte de cette atteinte selective, en particulier celle d'une anomalie du metabolisme energetique. Ces questions sont passees en revue.
Random Processes and Spectral Analysis

In Sections 2.22 and 2.23, a finite collection of random variables has been called a vector random variable or random vector and has been denoted by X where $$X = \left[ {\begin{array}{*{20}{c}} {{{X}_{1}}} \hfill\\ {{{X}_{2}}} \hfill\\ {\cdot } \hfill\\ {\cdot } \hfill\\ {\cdot } \hfill\\ {{{X}_{n}}} \hfill\\\end{array} } \right]$$ (3.1-1) (Sometimes, when it is necessary to denote explicitly that X has n components, it will be convenient to use the notation Xn). Such a random vector X is described by the joint distribution function $${{F}_{n}}(x) = P\left\{ {{{X}_{1}} \leqslant {{x}_{1}},{{X}_{2}} \leqslant {{x}_{2}}, \ldots ,{{X}_{n}} \leqslant {{x}_{n}}} \right\}$$ (3.1-2) where x is the real vector.
Are Functional and Activity Limitations Becoming More Prevalent among 55 to 69-Year-Olds in the United States?

Objectives This study examines changes in functional and activity limitations 1998–2012 for individuals 55–69. Methods Logistic models are used to estimate trends in limitations in vision, hearing, physical and cognitive functioning, IADLs, and ADLs. Additional models assess the extent to which trends are associated with and differ by education, smoking, and BMI. Results Changes in prevalence of limitations in vision, hearing, cognitive functioning, and ADLs are not statistically significant. Limitations in physical functioning declined by 0.37% per year. IADL limitations increased by 1.33% per year, but most of the increase occurred between 2008 and 2010/2012, and are associated with economic hardship during the Great Recession. Increases in education are especially beneficially associated with trends in limitations, but reductions in smoking also appear to be advantageous for some outcomes. Increases in BMI are associated with trends in physical functioning, IADL, and ADL limitation. Discussion For Americans 55–69, functional and activity limitations were largely unchanged 1998–2012. Our results suggest that if educational attainment had not increased, most functional and activity limitations potentially could have worsened substantially. Future change in educational attainment is not expected to be so positive. Continued monitoring of trends in activity limitations might well include greater focus on the explanatory roles of environmental factors, including economic circumstances.
High Precision 3D Point Cloud with Modulated Pulses for LiDAR System

The LiDAR system uses laser pulses to delineate the 3D point cloud. Conventional LiDAR equipment is bulky and expensive because it contains multiple sets of laser guns and photo diodes with mechanical motors. If there are multiple LiDAR devices in the same filed or other laser beams that are of the same wavelength, the measurements can be interfered by one another. In this paper, we proposed the architecture to differentiate the desired signal from the ambient interference. The detecting laser pulses are encoded while the reflected laser pulses are analysed in both time and frequency domain. Additionally, the accuracy is further improved by phase equalization of the reflected laser pulses. The FPGA platform with MEMs mirror was built to validate the pro-posed architecture, and the dimension of the platform is greatly reduced so that the prototype is portable.
Exploiting deployment information for social-aware contact prediction at the tactical edge

In the practical Disconnected, Intermittent, and Limited-bandwidth (DIL) network environment at the tactical edge, warfighters have to be able to efficiently transmit data between each other to ensure rapid situational response to the surrounding environment. To tackle with the intermittent wireless network connectivity in the DIL environment, the “carry-and-forward” approach has been adopted to exploit warfighters' mobility and physically relay the data upon contacts with each other, but its performance relies on accurate prediction of warfighters' contacts with each other. In this paper, we present a novel probabilistic framework that is able to ensure accurate prediction of warfighters' contacts by considering both initial deployment information and in-situ contact patterns of warfighters at the tactical edge. Analytically models are developed to depict the characteristics of both aspects and are then integrated towards a Bayesian-based probabilistic inference framework. Evaluation results over practical DIL network traces show that our approach can dramatically increase the accuracy of contact prediction and further improve the performance of data forwarding in the DIL network environment at the tactical edge.
Using a Real-Time Cybersecurity Exercise Case Study to Understand Temporal Characteristics of Cyberattacks

Anticipatory cyber defense requires understanding of how cyber adversaries make decisions and adapt as cyberattacks unfold. This paper uses a dataset of qualitative observations conducted at a force on force (“paintball”) exercise held at the 2015 North American International Cyber Summit (NAICS). By creating time series representations of the observed data, a broad range of data mining tools can be utilized to discover valuable verifiable knowledge about adversarial behavior. Two types of such analysis discussed in this work include clustering, which aims to find out what stages show similar temporal patterns, and peak detection for adaptation analysis. Collectively, this mixed methods approach contributes to understanding how adversaries progress through cyberattacks and adapt to any disruptions they encounter.
Quantification of Murine AAT by Direct ELISA

This methods chapter elaborates on how a direct enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is used to specifically detect and quantify murine alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT). As a direct ELISA, it lacks some sensitivity as compared to the "sandwich" ELISA method; however, it does reliably differentiate between samples with varying amounts of the mouse AAT protein. This protocol relies on the principle of adsorption to coat each well with sera proteins, whereas detection occurs specifically using a two-step antibody combination. This procedure effectively identifies and quantifies murine AAT from a wide variety of samples including mouse serum, cell culture medium, and cell or tissue lysate.
Digitally controlled voltage regulator using oscillator-based ADC with fast-transient-response and wide dropout range in 14nm CMOS

In this paper, we propose a digitally controlled voltage regulator with fast-transient-response using an oscillator based ADC implemented in 14nm CMOS technology. The transient response is critical to mitigate droop for large di/dt seen in cores and wide dropout range helps enable DVFS to improve power/performance ratio. In this work, we target 1-1.15V input voltage with output voltage range of 0.5–1.12 V with minimum 30mV dropout, and load current range of >22× with 0.1A–2.2A at 50mV dropout with <0.006mV/mA load regulation using 10-bit power-stage binary control and characterized using a slew-rate programmable synthetic resistive load on-die to mimic core with 18nF load capacitance implemented on-die using area over load.
Sellar plasmacytomas masquerading as pituitary adenomas: A systematic review

Given the rarity of intracranial plasmacytomas, these lesions are frequently misdiagnosed as pituitary adenomas. We report on the distinguishing characteristics of sellar plasmacytomas from cases in the literature and our experience. A literature search was conducted to collect all documented cases of a plasmacytoma originating in the sellar region. Patient characteristics, medical history, presentation, tumor characteristics, and survival data were collected. An additional case from our institution not previously reported was included. Thirty-one patients with sellar plasmacytomas were studied. Presenting symptoms were most commonly headache (68%), diplopia (65%) and visual field disturbances (10%). Fifteen patients (48%) were initially suspected of having a pituitary adenoma. Pathologic diagnosis of plasmacytoma preceded a finding of multiple myeloma in 14 cases (45%). Thirty patients (90%) had surgical intervention. Adjuvant therapy consisted of radiotherapy for twenty-five patients (81%) and chemotherapy for sixteen (52%). Tumor recurrence was reported for 7 cases (23%). Nine deaths were reported (23%). We demonstrate that cranial nerve involvement is far more common in sellar plasmacytomas than conventional pituitary adenomas. Given the successful management of these tumors with radiotherapy, such deficits, particularly in patients with known multiple myeloma, should impact the diagnostic workup and treatment considerations.
Vitamin D is associated with bioavailability of androgens in eumenorrheic women with prior pregnancy loss.

Background Prior studies have reported mixed results regarding relationships between vitamin D, androgens, and sex hormone–binding globulin in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome. However, less is known regarding these associations in eumenorrheic, premenopausal women. Objective Our objective was to study the relationships between serum vitamin D and androgen biomarkers in eumenorrheic women with a history of pregnancy loss who were attempting pregnancy. Study Design This was an analysis of a cohort of 1191 participants from the Effects of Aspirin in Gestation and Reproduction trial (2006–2012). Participants were attempting to conceive, aged 18–40 years, with 1–2 documented prior pregnancy losses and no history of infertility, and recruited from 4 academic medical centers in the United States. Serum vitamin D (25-hydroxyvitamin D) and hormone concentrations were measured at baseline. Results Vitamin D concentration was negatively associated with free androgen index (percentage change [95% confidence interval, –5% (–8% to –2%)] per 10 ng/mL increase) and positively associated with sex hormone–binding globulin (95% confidence interval, 4% [2–7%]), although not with total testosterone, free testosterone, or dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate after adjusting for age, body mass index, smoking status, race, income, education, physical activity, and season of blood draw. Conclusion Overall, vitamin D was associated with sex hormone–binding globulin and free androgen index in eumenorrheic women with prior pregnancy loss, suggesting that vitamin D may play a role in the bioavailability of androgens in eumenorrheic women. We are limited in making assessments regarding directionality, given the cross-sectional nature of our study.
High Prevalence of Renal Salt Wasting Without Cerebral Disease as Cause of Hyponatremia in General Medical Wards.

Abstract Background The approach to hyponatremia is in a state of flux, especially in differentiating syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH) from cerebral-renal salt wasting (RSW) because of diametrically opposite therapeutic goals. Considering RSW can occur without cerebral disease, we determined the prevalence of RSW in the general hospital wards. Methods To differentiate SIADH from RSW, we used an algorithm based on fractional excretion (FE) of urate and nonresponse to saline infusions in SIADH as compared to excretion of dilute urines and prompt increase in serum sodium in RSW. Results Of 62 hyponatremic patients, (A) 17 patients (27%) had SIADH, 11 were nonresponsive to isotonic saline, and 5 normalized a previously high FEurate after correction of hyponatremia; (B) 19 patients (31%) had a reset osmostat based on normal FEurates and spontaneously excreted dilute urines; (C) 24 patients (38%) had RSW, 21 had no clinical evidence of cerebral disease, 19 had saline-induced dilute urines; 2 had undetectable plasma ADH levels when urine was dilute, 10 required 5% dextrose in water to prevent rapid increase in serum sodium, 11 had persistently increased FEurate after correction of hyponatremia and 10 had baseline urinary sodium Conclusions Of the 24 patients with RSW, 21 had no cerebral disease, supporting our proposal to change cerebral-renal salt wasting to renal salt wasting. Application of established pathophysiological standards and a new algorithm based on determination of FEurate were superior to the volume approach for determination of urinary sodium when identifying the cause of hyponatremia.
The rising tide of opioid use and abuse: the role of the anesthesiologist

Opioid use has risen dramatically in the past three decades. In the USA, opioid overdose has become a leading cause of unintentional death, surpassing motor vehicle accidents. A patient’s first exposure to opioids may be during the perioperative period, a time where anesthesiologists have a significant role in pain management. Almost all patients in the USA receive opioids during a surgical encounter. Opioids have many undesirable side effects, including potential for misuse, or opioid use disorder. Anesthesiologists and surgeons employ several methods to decrease unnecessary opioid use, opioid-related adverse events, and side effects in the perioperative period. Multimodal analgesia, enhanced recovery pathways, and regional anesthesia are key tools as we work towards optimal opioid stewardship and the ideal of effective analgesia without undesirable sequelae.
THE WATER QUALITY PLANNING MODEL

ABSTRACT There are three water conservation areas in the south Florida Everglades which are ecologically active water storage areas providing flood control and water supply benefits. In the development of the water use and supply plan for the region, a water management alternative called “backpumping” is considered as one of several water management schemes. In the backpumping schemes, normal eastward flow of excess water to the Atlantic Ocean is reversed by pumping it westward to the conservation areas in the wet period (May through October) to increase the water supply capability for the region of south Florida during the dry period (November through April). The topic of this paper centers around a method for assessing the water quality impact of various water management related backpumping schemes in one of these water conservation areas. Since water quality planning models are relatively recent, an effort was made to first examine the existing models (such as QUAL I, QUAL II, STORM, Statistical Models, Agricultural Runoff Quality-Quantity Models {known as ARM Models} and the United States Environmental Protection Agency's Storm Water Management Model) in terms of what they are designed for; what kind of information they need, etc., etc. In light of such review information, a recently developed modeling procedure for simulating spatial and time distribution of the chemical parameters in the marsh-channel system of the conservation area is presented as a case study of the water quality models. The water quality planning model with its specific set of assumptions, simplifications and input data was calibrated for the available limited chloride field data of 1974. After satisfactory calibration results, the model was then used to estimate possible
Metabolic sequestration of putrescine in Neurosporacrassa

Abstract The metabolic fate of putrescine labelled in vivo was investigated after administration of a trace (10−7 M) of L-[14C]ornithine to exponentially growing mycelia of Neurospora crassa , followed by a large chase (2 mM) of L-[12C]ornithine. The specific radioactivities of putrescine and spermidine were determined during the chase period by reaction with [3H]dansyl chloride of known specific radioactivity and isolation of the dansyl-derivatives by thin-layer chromatography. Radioactivity remained in the putrescine pool for over 2 h during the chase period. This suggests that putrescine is largely sequestered (80% or more) in vivo . The metabolic sequestration of polyamines may be a significant factor in the regulation of polyamine synthesis.
Pilot Randomized Trial of a Pharmacy Intervention for Older Adults with Cancer

Background Oncology clinicians often struggle with managing medications and vaccinations in older adults with cancer. We sought to demonstrate the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of integrating pharmacists into the care of older adults with cancer to enhance medication management and vaccination administration. Methods We randomly assigned patients aged ≥65 years with breast, gastrointestinal, or lung cancer receiving first-line chemotherapy to the pharmacy intervention or usual care. Patients assigned to the intervention met with a pharmacist once during their second or third chemotherapy infusion. We obtained information about patients' medications and vaccinations via patient report and from the electronic health record (EHR) at baseline and week 4. We determined the number of discrepant (difference between patient report and EHR) and potentially inappropriate (Beers Criteria assessed by nonintervention pharmacists blinded to group assignment) medications. We defined the intervention as feasible if >75% of patients enrolled in the study and received the pharmacist visit. Results From January 17, 2017, to October 27, 2017, we enrolled and randomized 60 patients (80.1% of patients approached). Among those assigned to the intervention, 96.6% received the pharmacist visit. At week 4, intervention patients had higher rates of acquiring vaccinations for pneumonia (27.6% vs. 0.0%, p = .002) and influenza (27.6% vs. 0.0%, p = .002) compared with usual care. Intervention patients had fewer discrepant (5.82 vs. 8.07, p = .094) and potentially inappropriate (3.46 vs. 4.80, p = .069) medications at week 4, although differences were not significant. Conclusion Integrating pharmacists into the care of older adults with cancer is feasible with encouraging preliminary efficacy for enhancing medication management and improving vaccination rates. Implications for practice Results of this study showed the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of an intervention integrating pharmacists into the care of older adults with cancer. Notably, patients assigned to the intervention had fewer discrepant medications and were more likely to acquire vaccinations for pneumonia and influenza. Importantly, this work represents the first randomized controlled trial involving the integration of pharmacists into the outpatient oncologic care of older adults with cancer. In the future, a larger randomized trial is needed to demonstrate the efficacy of this care model to enhance medication management and improve vaccination outcomes for older patients with cancer.
Effects of imidacloprid seed treatments on crop yields and economic returns of cereal crops

Abstract In the Pacific Northwest United States, cereal crops (barley, oats, wheat) are the foundation of most dryland crop rotations. Nearly 100% of cereal producers use neonicotinoid seed treatments to manage wireworms, regardless of crop and pest density. However, wireworms cause variable damage to different crops, and whether neonicotinoids boost yield and economic returns across crops remains largely unknown. In a field experiment conducted on one commercial farm over two years, we examined effects of imidacloprid seed treatments on wireworm density, yield, and economic returns for barley, oat, and wheat crops. Wheat plots with imidacloprid seed treatments produced greater yields and economic returns over costs than untreated plots, even though wireworm densities were largely unaffected by treatments. However, no differences in yield and economic returns were observed between treatments in barley or oats. Wireworm densities were markedly lower in oats compared to barley and wheat, indicating not all crops provided a permissive environment for wireworms. Our results support the hypothesis that growers may benefit from moving away from applying seed treatments in all cereal crops, but rather targeting management to specific crops, although research at more commercial farm sites remains needed to test the generality of this conclusion. Our results also support the hypothesis that incorporating more tolerant cereal crops (barley and oats) into rotations to replace spring wheat may be a promising option for growers in areas with high wireworm pressure.
Differential Diagnosis of CD56 Expression

CD56 expression may occur in a variety of aggressive and indolent conditions. Mycosis fungoides (MF) is the most common type of skin lymphoma and classically demonstrates a CD4-positive phenotype. However, some MF cases may be CD56-positive. Several aggressive cutaneous lymphomas are CD56-positive and must be differentiated from indolent processes.
For International Cap-and-Trade in Carbon Permits, Price Stabilization Introduces Secondary Free-Rider-Type Problems

In this brief note (Without holding them responsible for errors, omissions, or interpretations, I am grateful for constructive comments on an earlier version of this note by Joseph Aldy, Severin Borenstein, Maureen Cropper, Carolyn Fischer, Meredith Fowlie, Lawrence Goulder, Geoffrey Heal, N. Gregory Mankiw, Michael Mehling, Gilbert Metcalf, Adele Morris, Ian Parry, William Pizer, Simon Quemin, Andrew Schein, Richard Schmalensee, E. Somanathan, Robert Stavins, David Victor, and Gernot Wagner.), I take the initial allocation of carbon emissions as a prototype international public goods problem. Overcoming the free-rider problem in carbon emissions is central to a successful comprehensive international climate-change agreement. Volunteerism alone may go part way, but is unlikely to fully adequately overcome this free-rider problem. (The numerical values of the pledged “Nationally Determined Contributions” under the Paris Agreement are voluntary, although the Paris Agreement itself may help constructively by laying a legal foundation for participation, reporting, verification, transparency, and trust.)