cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rheumatic Complications of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection in the Era of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy: Emergence of a New Syndrome of Immune Reconstitution and Changing Patterns of Disease

OBJECTIVE To describe the impact of the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) on the nature and frequency of rheumatic complications in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients. METHODS Case report and systematic review of a newly described syndrome of rheumatic immune reconstitution syndrome and prospective longitudinal cohort study analyzing the frequency and nature of rheumatic complications in the setting of HIV infection from 1989 through 2000. RESULTS A newly described syndrome of either the de novo appearance or the exacerbation of clinically occult autoimmunity following immune reconstitution from HAART is described. Including the present case report, 32 cases have been individually described with sarcoidosis and autoimmune thyroid disease being most common with arthritis and various forms of connective tissue disease making up the rest. The mean onset to their appearance following HAART was nearly 9 months and most resolved with little or no therapy. In addition, a longitudinal analysis of 395 HIV-infected patients from 1989 to 2000 designed to detect the appearance of rheumatic complications has revealed a dramatic decline in certain problems such as reactive arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and various forms of connective tissue disease. New rheumatic complications possibly due to the effects of longer survival and metabolic derangements associated with this form of therapy are now being described and may become more formidable problems in this population in the future. CONCLUSIONS HAART has had a profound beneficial effect on survival in HIV-infected patients but has also contributed to both an altered frequency and a different nature of rheumatic complications now being observed in this population. Rheumatologists need to be aware of these changes to provide optimal diagnosis and treatment for this group.
Psychology of Physical Activity: What Should Students Know?.

The assignment for the 76th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Kinesiology and Physical Education was to define the psychology subdiscipline of kinesiology. Ten undergraduate sport and exercise psychology textbooks, 27 undergraduate course syllabi, and three articles which examined the most popular contents of prominent journals were analyzed. Similar topics were found across all avenues of research, and are deemed important. Throughout our investigation we noted a lack of cross-disciplinary integration. We review the issue of separatism across subdisciplines of kinesiology, and suggest a cross-disciplinary focus in the texts, research, and the classroom. Finally, we discuss the issue of choosing appropriate names to represent our field, and propose that the name physical activity should be adopted.
A New Approach for Active Stereo Camera Calibration

By active stereo we mean a stereo vision system that allows for independent panning and tilting for each of the two cameras. One advantage of active stereo in relation to regular stereo is the former's wider effective field of view; if an object is too close to the camera baseline, the depth to the object can still be estimated accurately by panning the cameras appropriately. Another advantage of active stereo is that it can yield a larger number of depth measurements simultaneously for each position of the platform on which the camera system is mounted. Panning and tilting over a large angular range, while being the main reason for the advantages of active stereo, also make it more challenging to calibrate such systems. For a calibration procedure to be effective for active stereo, the estimated parameters must be valid over the entire range of the pan and tilt angles. This paper presents a new approach to the calibration of such vision systems. Our method is based on the rationale that an active stereo calibration procedure must explicitly estimate the locations and the orientations of the pan and tilt rotating axes for the cameras through a closed-form solution. When these estimates for the axes are combined with the homogeneous transform relationships that link the various coordinate frames, we end with a calibration that is valid over a large variation in the pan and tilt angles.
LiPaR: A light-weight parallel router for FPGA-based networks-on-chip

Present day technology for ASICs supports Networks-on-Chip designs which can have 100 million gates on a single chip. The latest FPGAs can support only about 10 million gates to accomodate all logic and the associated routing. In order to implement a competitive NoC architecture in FP-GAs, the area occupied by the network should be kept to a minimum. This ensures that the maximum area can be utilized by the logic while maintaining the performance of the router network. Reducing area also reduces the power consumption. In this paper, we implement a parallel router which can support five simultaneous routing requests at the same time with an area overhead of only 352 Xilinx Virtex-II Pro FPGA slices (2. 57% of XC2VP30). We introduce optimizations in XY routing and decoding logic thereby gaining in area and performance. The header overhead is 8 bits per packet and the packet size can vary between 16 and 128 bits. We also implement a 3 x 3 mesh network with a total area overhead of 28% leaving 72% of the area available for the logic in a Virtex-II Pro XC2VP30 device. We characterize the router and several mesh networks for power and performance parameters.
The Social life of the Clinical Trial

Taking pills is perhaps our most habitualized routine for engaging with medicine’s institutions. Our interpretations of this act are filtered through experiences. We may base our evaluation of these drugs on test results, seeing that one raises our “good” cholesterol and another lowers the “bad” version. Or we may warily credit a drug for sensations also felt and reported by others in the echo chamber of an Internet bulletin board. Finally, we may treat drugs with suspicion—for example, after having switched doctors and been asked to triple the number of pills to ingest for a chronic condition. When Experiments Travel focuses on the apparatus that crafts our scientific knowledge about these pills. In the process, Adriana Petryna provides a glimpse of recent research in the anthropology of science and medicine, describing and analyzing the contract research organizations (CROs) that develop randomized clinical trials. Her goal is to examine the relationship between these CROs and local health systems in the United States, Poland, and Brazil. Her claim is that CROs influence patients according to a logic of “experimentality,” a concept probably based upon but curiously not referencing Foucault’s “governmentality.” The argument is that international legal mandates, national regulatory agencies, and pharmaceutical companies are implicated in the development of both academic medical expertise and a citizenry dependent on trials for health care. Chapter 2 describes several challenges that CROs face in locating patients and the factors moving their search abroad, a process in which the state plays a primary role. The US Food and Drug Administration will not allow the pharmaceutical industry to conduct placebo-controlled trials when a similar drug is available. The industry is also forbidden from using prisoners as subjects—a common practice through the ’50s and ’60s, first considered unethical amidst scandals such as the Tuskegee syphilis experiment, and ultimately abandoned after the release of the treatise on medical ethics eventually known as The Belmont Report. The resulting Qual Sociol (2010) 33:591–593 DOI 10.1007/s11133-010-9174-9
The use and abuse of pets

Animals commonly influence children's behavior and development. Children involve animals in their use of such defense mechanisms as displacement, projection, splitting, and identification. These same mechanisms may also be used to deal with their experiences with animals. Therapists are encouraged to inquire into children's associations with animals as a means of more thoroughly understanding their patients.
The Importation Model Perspective on Inmate Social Roles: an Empirical Test*

Two theoretical models have emerged to account for variations in the response to imprisonment among inmate populations. One, the “deprivation model,” focuses attention on the pressures and deprivat...
Probabilistic Inference of Multijoint Movements, Skeletal Parameters and Marker Attachments From Diverse Motion Capture Data

This paper describes a comprehensive solution to the problem of reconstructing the multijoint movement trajectories of the human body from diverse motion capture data. The problem is formulated in a probabilistic framework so as to handle multiple and unavoidable sources of uncertainty: sensor noise, soft tissue deformation and marker slip, inaccurate marker placement and limb measurement, and missing data due to occlusions. All unknown quantities are treated as state variables even though some of them are constant. In this way, state estimation and system identification can be performed simultaneously, obtaining not only the most likely values but also the confidence intervals of the joint angles, skeletal parameters, and marker positions and orientations relative to the limb segments. The inference method is a Gauss-Newton generalization of the extended Kalman filter. It is adapted to the kinematic domain by expressing spatial rotations via quaternions and computing the sensor residuals and their Jacobians analytically. The ultimate goal of this project is to provide a reliable data analysis tool used in practice. The software implementation is available online.
Alternative Acetate Production Pathways in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii during Dark Anoxia and the Dominant Role of Chloroplasts in Fermentative Acetate Production

Chlamydomonas reinhardtii insertion mutants disrupted for genes encoding acetate kinases (EC 2.7.2.1) (ACK1 and ACK2) and a phosphate acetyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.8) (PAT2, but not PAT1) were isolated to characterize fermentative acetate production. ACK1 and PAT2 were localized to chloroplasts, while ACK2 and PAT1 were shown to be in mitochondria. Characterization of the mutants showed that PAT2 and ACK1 activity in chloroplasts plays a dominant role (relative to ACK2 and PAT1 in mitochondria) in producing acetate under dark, anoxic conditions and, surprisingly, also suggested that Chlamydomonas has other pathways that generate acetate in the absence of ACK activity. We identified a number of proteins associated with alternative pathways for acetate production that are encoded on the Chlamydomonas genome. Furthermore, we observed that only modest alterations in the accumulation of fermentative products occurred in the ack1, ack2, and ack1 ack2 mutants, which contrasts with the substantial metabolite alterations described in strains devoid of other key fermentation enzymes.
What is the carbon market: Is there a final answer?

T he potential for sequestering carbon in agricultural and forestry sinks to generate carbon credits has received increased attention by legislative bodies, government and nongovernment organizations, private firms, farm managers, and universities over the last few years. This increased interest is primarily due to international regulation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions under the Kyoto Protocol. Although the United States has not ratified the Kyoto Protocol, a voluntary market and many state and regional initiatives have been developed to reduce atmospheric concentrations of GHGs. In addition, recent legislation proposed within the United States promotes a cap-and-trade system for reducing GHGs (Pew Center 2008; RFF 2008). Since our first examination of fledging carbon credit markets and factors affecting them (Williams et al. 2005), many new markets have developed, as well as new opportunities to reduce GHG emissions. Several countries have developed GHG markets to help meet their mandatory GHG reductions under the Kyoto Protocol or other regulations. In addition, voluntary markets have formed outside the regulatory constraints to serve businesses interested in trading carbon credits, and there are a number of carbon offset providers that sell offsets to consumers and businesses. Table 1 summarizes the main market types that exist at present. The…
An Approach to Evaluating Competence in Assessing and Managing Violence Risk

Objective:The authors developed and evaluated a tool for assessing competency in violence risk assessment and management. Methods:The Competency Assessment Instrument for Violence Risk (CAI-V) was based on the literature on violence risk assessment, which was complemented by feedback from faculty focus groups. In an objective structured clinical examination, 31 faculty observers used the CAI-V to rate the performance of 31 learners' (26 psychiatry residents and five psychology interns) risk assessments of standardized (simulated) patients. In an interrater reliability study, six faculty members rated video-recorded risk assessments. Results:The CAI-V had good internal consistency reliability (α=.93). Senior learners performed better on the CAI-V than junior learners, supporting the instrument's concurrent validity. Interrater reliability was good (intraclass correlation coefficient=.93). Participants reported that the CAI-V provided a helpful structure for feedback and supervision. Conclusions:The results...
Two methods for the measurement of antenna efficiency

Two methods for measuring antenna efficiency are described. The two methods, referred to as the Wheeler method and the Q method, are used to find the efficiency of electrically small multiturn loop antennas. The principal advantage of both methods is that they can be quickly and easily applied. Further, both methods relate the antenna efficiency to the input impedance rather than a far-field pattern integration. Thus, the methods are applicable at VHF and frequencies below where the design of an antenna range or anechoic chamber becomes increasingly difficult and expensive.
Measuring laparoscopic operative skill in a video trainer.

Background Laparoscopic surgery requires a unique set of technical skills. More experienced laparoscopic surgeons perform certain tasks more efficiently in a video trainer than less experienced laparoscopic surgeons. The presumption is that the experienced surgeon possesses more of the skill required to complete the task. This study sought to determine the degree to which previous laparoscopic operative experience influenced the performance of selected video trainer tasks of varying complexity.
Pattern of association over time of side-effects burden, self-help, and self-care in women with breast cancer.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES To describe the side-effects burden experienced over time by 53 women who were receiving treatment for breast cancer, and to describe the association of side-effects burden with self-help and self-care. DESIGN Data were drawn from the Self-Help Intervention Project (SHIP), an intervention study designed to test the effectiveness of nursing interventions for women who were receiving treatment for breast cancer. SETTING Subjects were interviewed in their homes or treatment locations three times over a period of four to five months. SAMPLE 53 women randomly assigned to the SHIP control group. METHODS The researchers collected data at a designated period of time after treatment was initiated (Time 1), six to eight weeks later (Time 2), and three months after that (Time 3). MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES Side-effects burden, as measured by items from the Symptom Transition Scale and the Side Effects Checklist; self-help, as measured by the Inventory of Adult Role Behavior; and self-care, as measured by the Inventory of Adult Self-Care Behaviors and the Self-Care Inventory-Wellness Promotion subscale. FINDINGS Fatigue was the most frequent and problematic side effect over time. Other frequent and problematic side effects over time included sore arm(s), difficulty sleeping, and skin irritation. Significant correlations were evident for self-help with symptom extension, number of side effects, depression, difficulty concentrating, and pain. No significant relationships were evident between self-care and an increase in side effects. Small relationships existed for self-care between symptom extension at Time 2 and Time 3. CONCLUSIONS Over time, side effects interfered with patients' ability to perform adult role activities. For the most part, problematic side-effects burden was not associated with self-care at any point in time. The scattered associations that did exist were in the negative direction. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE A need exists for clinically individualized nursing interventions to reduce the side-effects burden of women receiving treatment for breast cancer. Interventions can do much to reduce the perception of illness severity so that self-help and self-care can be maintained.
Analytical and Experimental Learning in a Vibrations Course at the University of Massachusetts Lowell

At the University of Massachusetts Lowell, Vibrations 22.550 is taught in a slightly different manner than traditional courses in other universities. The traditional single and multiple Degree of Freedom (DOF) systems are addressed along with transmissibility, isolation and related topics in the first half of the course. However, in the second half of the course, rather than explore continuous solutions, the course is focused on development of simplistic beam finite element discrete models along with experimental modal testing coupled with tuned absorber applications to detune critical modes of the structure. The structures studied have ranged from simplistic beams, tennis rackets, snowboards and similar equipment to wind turbine blades.
Parental Expenditures on Children's Education

This study examined selected factors related to parents' allocation of money for children's primary and secondary education and, if money was spent on education, the variation in the amount spent. Cragg's double-hurdle model was utilized to analyze data from the 1996 Consumer Expenditure Survey on 331 families that spent money on their children's primary and secondary education and 827 families where parents reported no such expenditures. Factors that were significantly related to spending money on children's primary and secondary education, included after-tax income, parent's education, region, and season of the year. Variables significantly related how much was allocated to children's primary and secondary education, included after-tax income, parent's education, age, and race.
Smoking and other personal characteristics as potential predictors for fecal bacteria populations in humans

BACKGROUND Intestinal microbes have been postulated to play an important role in the development of colorectal cancer. Recently developed methods for preserving and delivering fecal samples at ambient temperature to the laboratory for molecular analysis of bacterial constituents were used to test associations of bacterial populations with epidemiologic risk factors for colorectal cancer. MATERIAL/METHODS Real-time PCR targeting 16S rRNA gene sequences was used to quantify three intestinal bacterial groups relative to total DNA in stool samples preserved with RNAlater from 62 subjects. Subjects' medical and family history, race, diet, weight, height, and personal habits including smoking were obtained through structured questionnaires. RESULTS Bacteroides DNA proportions were relatively stable among individuals and relatively independent of dietary intake or other personal factors. Clostridium (coccoides group) DNA was positively associated with total fat and vitamin C intake. Desulfovibrio DNA amount tended to be higher in African Americans than in other races. Furthermore, Desulfovibrio DNA increased progressively with pack-years of cigarette smoking. The relative DNA quantity (%) was more than 17 times higher in the subjects who smoked at least 15 pack-years compared with never-smokers (P-value for a linear trend =0.001). In addition, Desulfovibrio DNA (%) decreased with increased calcium, vitamin E, and dietary fiber intake. However, only smoking remained significant in multivariable analysis. CONCLUSIONS Although the study was limited by its sample size, these results suggest that smoking (or possibly unmeasured dietary confounders) may exert modulatory effects on the bacterial populations of the gastrointestinal tract. The study also demonstrates collection, preservation, and sample delivery procedures suitable for large epidemiological studies.
Moderate and Vigorous Intensity Exercise During Pregnancy and Gestational Weight Gain in Women with Gestational Diabetes

Objectives To estimate the associations of moderate and vigorous intensity exercise during pregnancy with the rate of gestational weight gain (GWG) from gestational diabetes (GDM) diagnosis to delivery, overall and stratified by prepregnancy overweight/obesity. Methods Prospective cohort study with physical activity reported shortly after the GDM diagnosis and prepregnancy weight and post-diagnosis GWG obtained from electronic health records (n = 1055). Multinomial logistic regression models in the full cohort and stratified by prepregnancy overweight/obesity estimated associations of moderate and vigorous intensity exercise with GWG below and above the Institute of Medicine's (IOM) prepregnancy BMI-specific recommended ranges for weekly rate of GWG in the second and third trimesters. Results In the full cohort, any participation in vigorous intensity exercise was associated with decreased odds of GWG above recommended ranges as compared to no participation [odds ratio (95 % confidence interval): 0.63 (0.40, 0.99)], with a significant trend for decreasing odds of excess GWG with increasing level of vigorous intensity exercise. Upon stratification by prepregnancy overweight/obesity, significant associations were only observed for BMI ≥ 25.0 kg/m(2): any vigorous intensity exercise, as compared to none, was associated with 54 % decreased odds of excess GWG [0.46 (0.27, 0.79)] and significant trends were detected for decreasing odds of GWG both below and above the IOM's recommended ranges with increasing level of vigorous exercise (both P ≤ 0.03). No associations were observed for moderate intensity exercise. Conclusions for Practice In women with GDM, particularly overweight and obese women, vigorous intensity exercise during pregnancy may reduce the odds of excess GWG.
W2Cl4(NR2)2(PR‘3)2 Molecules. 4. A New Synthetic Route to Products with a Staggered Conformation. Preparations and Characterizations of W2Cl4(NR2)2(PR‘3)2 (R = Et, Bu, Hex; R‘3 = Me3, Et2H) and an Intermediate Complex W2Cl4(NEt2)2(NHEt2)2

A new and convenient synthetic route to a series of W⋮W compounds with the general formula W2Cl4(NR2)2(PR‘3)2 has been developed. The method has been used in the preparation of W2Cl4(NR2)2(PMe3)2 (R = Et (2), Bu (3), Hex (4)) and W2Cl4(NR2)2(PEt2H)2 (R = Et (5), Bu (6), Hex (7)). Treatment of W2Cl6(THF)4 with the appropriate dialkylamine NHR2 (R = Et, Bu, Hex) affords an intermediate species having the stoichiometry W2Cl4(NR2)2(NHR2)2. This has been verified by single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies for W2Cl4(NEt2)2(NHEt2)2 (1) with the following crystallographic parameters: orthorhombic space group Iba2, a = 11.6704(9) A, b = 13.336(1) A, c = 17.321(2) A, Z = 4. The structure of 1 reveals that the molecule itself deviates from an eclipsed conformation with retention of a strong intramolecular N−H···Cl hydrogen bonding and the torsion angle involving the hydrogen bonded N and Cl atoms is 27.0°. Each W atom is coordinated by a cis set of two Cl and two N atoms with a W−W distance of 2.3084(5) A. There i...
Analysis of Influencing Factors of Multi-Infeed HVDC System Interaction Factor

Multi-feed interaction factor(MIIF) is an effective index of measuring interactions between DC systems in multi-infeed AC/DC system.The impact of the electrical distance between DC placements and the equivalent impedance of receiving-end AC system to MIIF are analyzed respectively.The relationship between MIIF and multi-infeed short circuit ratio(MISCR) which is an effective indicator evaluating the strength of receiving-end AC system is studied.The results show that,MIIFs increase with the decrease of the electrical distances between DC placements;MIIFs of other DCs to a certain DC increase with the growth of the DC’s equivalent impedance of receiving-end AC system.With the electrical distance between DC placements unchanged,MIIF and MISCR is an inversely proportional relationship.If the equivalent impedances of receiving-end AC systems are unchanged,MIIF between DC i and j is inversely proportional to the MISCR of DC i,and proportional to the MISCR of DC j.The analysis results of two-infeed DC test system have verified the correctness of the conclusions.
The Chemotactic Peptide Receptor: A Model for Future Understanding of Chemotactic Disorders

The biochemistry and cell biology of the chemotactic peptide receptor is summarized from the viewpoint of its role in the regulation of human neutrophil chemotaxis. Discussed are the molecular properties of the receptor, its regulation in the plasma membrane, its participation in signal transduction, and the role of cytoskeleton, phospholipids, Ca++, and extrinsic factors in its control. Clinical disorders of phagocyte chemotaxis have heterogeneous etiologies. The physiologic defect can involve adherence, the cytoskeleton, deformability, granule dysfunction, regulation of receptors, or a variety of soluble mediators. At present, successful clinical management depends on early and compulsive attention to infectious complications. A host of new immunomodulators (GM-CSF, gamma interferon, tumor necrosis factor, etc.), made available through recombinant gene technology, are now under study and may provide new and more effective means of treatment for these life-threatehing disorders.
On-the-Fly Kinetic Monte Carlo Simulation of Aqueous Phase Advanced Oxidation Processes

We have developed an on-the-fly kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) model to predict the degradation mechanisms and fates of intermediates and byproducts that are produced during aqueous-phase advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). The on-the-fly KMC model is composed of a reaction pathway generator, a reaction rate constant estimator, a mechanistic reduction module, and a KMC solver. The novelty of this work is that we develop the pathway as we march forward in time rather than developing the pathway before we use the KMC method to solve the equations. As a result, we have fewer reactions to consider, and we have greater computational efficiency. We have verified this on-the-fly KMC model for the degradation of polyacrylamide (PAM) using UV light and titanium dioxide (i.e., UV/TiO2). Using the on-the-fly KMC model, we were able to predict the time-dependent profiles of the average molecular weight for PAM. The model provided detailed and quantitative insights into the time evolution of the molecular weight distribut...
Augmentation of Nutritional Intakes in Children Receiving Long-Term Hemodialysis Treatment

AbstractOne of the major problems confronting children on long-term hemodialysis treatment is an inadequate intake of nutrients. The intake of calories, protein and minerals in children dialyzed for up to 3 years was documented in this study to be low. A simple method of augmenting the nutritional intake that has wide patient acceptability is presented.
TYPE VI COLLAGEN IN THE CARDIAC VALVES AND CONNECTIVE TISSUE SEPTA DURING HEART DEVELOPMENT

A variety of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins have been shown to be present in the embryonic heart during the morphogenesis of the valves and membranous septa. It is not known if any specific ECM protein is required for the normal morphogenesis of these tissues, but this is of great interest since there is a high incidence of congenital malformations which affect valvular and septal tissues. Interestingly, the alpha 1 and alpha 2 genes of type VI collagen are located within the region of human chromosome 21 thought to be involved in the congenital heart defect phenotype associated with trisomy 21 (Down's syndrome). In this study we examined the distribution and investigated the function of type VI collagen in the cardiac valves and septa of chicken and mouse embryos during various stages of development. Immunohistochemical and in situ hybridization studies revealed a pattern of cardiac expression of type VI collagen which is present from the earliest stages of valve and septum development through the neonatal period. Results from an in vitro bioassay suggest that type VI collagen may play a role in the formation and migration of specific cells in the forming valves and septa. These data support molecular genetic studies which have indicated that type VI collagen is involved in the heart defect phenotype seen in trisomy 21.
Parallel and Convergent Molecular Evolution

Convergence is a central concept for phylogenetic inference because it can occur when two lineages respond in the same way to similar adaptive pressure. Convergence may thus serve as a signal of adaptive response, and when it occurs it provides information on the replicability of particular adaptive responses. Comparative genomics approaches have begun to allow the analysis of convergence at all levels from the phenotype to physiological systems to proteins and other functional macromolecules, thus allowing researchers to dissect the molecular mechanisms that give rise to phenotypic convergence. In turn, this allows study of the replicability of convergence at all levels, from repeated modifications of the same genes to repeated modifications of the same protein positions to the same amino acids. It is particularly important to understand how species divergence leads to altered constraints affecting convergence at the molecular and various systems levels. These altered constraints may affect the probabilities of adaptive as well as nonadaptive convergence. A major focus of research on molecular convergence concerns model-building and empirical techniques to distinguish ubiquitous but variable levels of nonadaptive convergence from more rare but interesting adaptive convergence events. ‘Parallelism’ is often used to discretely categorize different types of convergent events, but its use is controversial and often contradictory among different authors. Because of this, we suggest that its use be discontinued in favor of focusing on the various evolutionary issues it is intended to embody.
Vapor Liquid Equilibria of Hydrofluorocarbons Using Dispersion-Corrected and Nonlocal Density Functionals

Recent developments in dispersion corrected and nonlocal density functionals are aimed at accurately capturing dispersion interactions, a key shortcoming of local and semilocal approximations of density functional theory. These functionals have shown significant promise for dimers and small clusters of molecules as well as crystalline materials. However, their efficacy for predicting vapor liquid equilibria is largely unexplored. In this work, we examine the accuracy of dispersion-corrected and nonlocal van der Waals functionals by computing the vapor liquid coexistence curves (VLCCs) of hydrofluoromethanes. Our results indicate that the PBE-D3 functional performs significantly better in predicting saturated liquid densities than the rVV10 functional. With the PBE-D3 functional, we also find that as the number of fluorine atoms increase in the molecule, the accuracy of saturated liquid density prediction improves as well. All the functionals significantly underpredict the saturated vapor densities, which ...
49 – Portal Hypertension and Portacaval Shunt*

Portal hypertension (PH) is the complication of liver disease that most frequently involves the surgeon. The hepatic circulation is altered in all forms of liver disease. Hepatic arterial flow is regulated by an adenosine washout mechanism in order to maintain total hepatic blood flow at relatively constant levels. This hepatic arterial buffer response, which involves dilatation in response to reduced portal flow, also plays a role in regulation of intrahepatic and portal pressure and may be a major factor in determining the viability of diseased livers in which portal blood flow is diverted through the portal-systemic collaterals or surgically created shunts. Total venous flow is not directly controlled by the liver, and changes in hepatic vascular resistance lead only to changes in portal pressure. In alcoholic cirrhosis, most of the elevated vascular resistance appears to be localized to the hepatic veins, particularly to the hepatic vein sphincters. Except for the rare splanchnic arteriovenous fistulas, obstruction to portal blood flow is the main mechanism by which all of the conditions produce PH. The various diseases may be divided into two broad categories: those that originate in the blood vessels outside the liver and those that stem from within the liver.
Advances and research in congenital heart disease

The fate of babies born with congenital heart disease (CHD) has dramatically changed in the last 4–5 decades, going from a universally fatal condition in the vast majority of patients in the absence of diagnosis or intervention, to an entity whose outcome, at least in terms of peri-operative/hospital stay, has improved to an expected survival of about 96%. Indeed, since the first surgical solution for any type of congenital heart defect in 1938, ligation of a patent ductus arteriosus by Dr. Robert Gross at Boston Children’s Hospital (1), followed by the pioneering work of Alfred Blalock and Helen Taussig in the palliation of “blue babies” with tetralogy of Fallot in 1944 (2), to the critical breakthrough of open heart surgery with inflow occlusion and repair of an atrial septal defect by F. John Lewis in 1952 (3), then the first operation done with the support of extracorporeal pump oxygenation by John Gibbon in 1953 (4), and cross-circulation championed by Walt C. Lillehei in 1954 (5), the field of surgical and interventional treatment and palliation for CHD has exploded into the success story we know today.
New developments in uveitis associated with HLA B27.

Purpose of reviewUveitis is the most common, clinically apparent, extra-articular manifestation of axial spondyloarthritis. This review summarizes recent publications related to this form of uveitis.Recent findingsStudies published since the start of 2015 address the worldwide prevalence of human le
Classroom teachers’ experiences implementing a movement integration program: Barriers, facilitators, and continuance

Abstract This study was designed to qualitatively examine fifteen classroom teachers' experiences in implementing a movement integration (MI) program, TAKE 10! ® , using the comprehensive school physical activity program framework. Data were collected through observations, semi-structured interviews, and questionnaires. Barriers to MI implementation included time and space constraints, whilst facilitators were gaining knowledge during training and developing competencies through experience. Reasons for program continuance included scheduling MI into weekly routines, children's request for the program, and collaboration among teachers. Suggestions for teachers' professional development related to MI are provided in view of the study's findings.
Suprachoroidal hemorrhage. Clinical features and results of secondary surgical management.

Purpose: The purposes of this study are to identify clinical features in eyes with suprachoroidal hemorrhage which portend a poor visual prognosis and to determine visual outcome in these eyes after secondary surgical management of suprachoroidal hemorrhage. Methods: This was a retrospective study of 106 patients with suprachoroidal hemorrhages occurring in association with trauma (35), cataract surgery (30), glaucoma surgery (17), penetrating keratoplasty (6), corneal perforation (5), secondary lens implantation (3), pars plana vitrectomy (3), and other causes (7). Results: Five (10%) of 49 eyes with a suprachoroidal hemorrhage and an initial retinal detachment had a visual outcome of 20/200 or better compared with 21 (43%) of 49 eyes without a retinal detachment. The presence or absence of a retinal detachment could not be determined in eight patients and all eight of these patients had a poor visual outcome. Sixteen (20%) of 82 eyes with a 360° suprachoroidal hemorrhage had a visual outcome of 20/200 or better compared with 10 (47%) of 21 for those with suprachoroidal hemorrhage limited to one or two quadrants. The extent of the hemorrhage could not be determined in three eyes. Overall, 34% (14/41) of the patients with suprachoroidal hemorrhage who had a secondary surgical procedure achieved a visual outcome of 20/200 or better. Forty-three percent (6/14) who had a suprachoroidal hemorrhage during or after cataract surgery and who were treated with secondary surgical management achieved a visual outcome of 20/200 or greater. Conclusion: Clinical features associated with a poorer visual outcome included initial or indeterminate retinal detachment and 360° suprachoroidal hemorrhage. Limited suprachoroidal hemorrhage without initial retinal detachment usually has a good visual prognosis and does not usually require secondary surgical intervention. However, if the former complication is present, secondary surgical intervention should be considered.
General and Abdominal Obesity as Risk Factors for Late-Life Mobility Limitation After Total Knee or Hip Replacement for Osteoarthritis Among Women.

Objective To investigate associations of body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and waist-hip ratio (WHR) with survival to age 85 with mobility limitation or death before age 85 among older women with total knee (TKR) or total hip (THR) replacement for osteoarthritis. Methods This was a prospective study of women (aged 65-79 years at baseline) from the Women's Health Initiative recruited during 1993-1998 and followed through 2012. Women's Health Initiative data were linked to Medicare claims data to determine TKR (n=1,867) and THR (n=944) for osteoarthritis. Women were followed for up to 18 years after undergoing THR or TKR to determine mobility status at age 85. Results Compared with normal-weight women, overweight, obese I, and obese II women with THR had significantly increased risk of survival to age 85 with mobility limitation (P for linear trend 88 cm relative to ≤88 cm had increased risk of survival to age 85 with mobility limitation (OR = 1.65; 95% CI = 1.17-2.33) but not death before age 85. High BMI, WC, and WHR were associated with significantly increased risk of late-life mobility limitation and death among women with TKR for osteoarthritis. Conclusion Among older women who underwent THR or TKR for osteoarthritis, baseline general and abdominal obesity were associated with increased risk of late-life mobility limitation. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Variants with a low allele frequency detected in genomic DNA affect the accuracy of mutation detection in cell‐free DNA by next‐generation sequencing

Background Next-generation sequencing of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) has been shown to be a useful noninvasive test for detecting mutations in solid tumors. Methods Targeted gene sequencing was performed with a panel of 263 cancer-related genes for cfDNA and genomic DNA of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) obtained from presurgical specimens of 6 lung cancer patients, and mutation calls in these samples were compared with those of primary tumors and corresponding patient-derived xenografts (PDXs). Results Approximately 67% of the mutations detected in the tumor samples (primary tumors and/or PDXs) were also detected in genomic DNA from PBMCs as background mutations. These background mutations consisted of germline polymorphisms and a group of mutations with low allele frequencies, mostly 10% or >3-fold increase) in primary tumors and further enrichment in PDXs and 2) similar allele frequencies across samples. Conclusions Because only a small fraction of total cfDNA might be derived from tumor cells, only mutations with the first allele frequency pattern may be regarded as tumor-specific mutations in cfDNA. Effective filtering of background mutations will be required to improve the accuracy of mutation calls in cfDNA. Cancer 2018;124:1061-9. © 2017 American Cancer Society.
Europe and the people without history

What is the scale of the Mediterranean? It is the scale of history … -Fernand Braudel ([1949] 1996)The impact of Eric Wolf's work is so extensive, and has been so naturalized in critical studies o...
The Gauging and Breaking of Simple Supersymmetries

It is widely believed that the strong, electromagnetic, weak, and maybe even gravitational interactions can all be described by one unified gauge theory with spontaneous symmetry breaking. Although no such unified theory has been fully constructed as yet, it is clear that among its ingredients there must be i) spin 1/2 Fermi fields ii) spin 1 and 2 gauge fields iii) spin 0 Nambu-Goldstone and Higgs fields.
About face: Memory for transgender versus cisgender targets' facial appearance

Abstract In five studies, we explored how expectations and memory for a target's facial appearance vary as a function of whether that face is said to belong to a transgender or cisgender (i.e., non-transgender) individual. Participants in each study were randomly assigned to either a transgender or a cisgender target. In Study 1, participants indicated how feminine and masculine they expected the target to look. In Study 2, participants were shown an image of the target's face (which was androgynous in all conditions) and asked to rate how feminine and masculine the face appeared. In Studies 3, 4, and 5, participants were shown the same image of the target's face and later instructed to identify it from an array of faces. Results from these studies revealed that supposedly cisgender targets' faces are expected to look, evaluated, and remembered as more gender congruent than supposedly transgender targets' faces. Potential implications of these findings are discussed.
THE OXIDATION OF THE SULFUR OF HOMOCYSTINE, METHIONINE, AND S-METHYLCYSTEINE IN THE ANIMAL BODY

Since it had been found that homocystine could support growth on a cystine-deficient diet in lieu of cystine (l), the oxidative fate of the sulfur of this compound was of interest to us. Furthermore, the possible relationship of this compound to the intermediary metabolism of methionine made such a study desirable. The surprising observation that the feeding of methionine to rats on a cystine-deficient diet results in a marked stimulation of growth was first made by Jackson and Block (2) and has been verified in other laboratories (3, 1). As pointed out by Butz and du Vigneaud (4), one might expect that homocystine would likewise support growth under these conditions if in the metabolism of methionine demethylation took place. The study of the substitution in the diet of methionine and cystine by homocystine was therefore undertaken with the results mentioned above (I), which we feel are in harmony with the idea just expressed in regard to the intermediary metabolism of methionine. It should be recalled that the lack of the growth-promoting powers of other disulfide acids such as @-dithiodipropionic, dithiodiglycolic, and a-dihydroxy-&dithiodipropionic acids has already been shown by Westerman and Rose (5), and therefore the behavior of the disulfide amino acid, homocystine, is all the more significant. The same view-point of the metabolism of methionine on the basis of evidence of an even more direct nature was independently arrived at by Virtue and Lewis (6, 7). These investigators made the interesting observation that after the feeding of methionine to rats and rabbits a positive test for the disulfide linkage was obtained
Symmetry and Incrementality in Conditionals

A central debate in presupposition theory concerns the nature of presuppositions introduced by triggers in conditional sentences. While it is commonly assumed that triggers in the consequent of conditionals give rise (or at least can give rise) to conditional inferences, most traditional accounts assume that triggers in antecedents introduce a non-conditional presupposition. This view has been challenged by recent modular accounts, which argue that the basic projection pattern involves conditional inferences across the board, but that non-conditional inferences can come about due to a processing bias towards at al incrementality. This paper presents an experimental investigation using the covered box paradigm that further assesses the availability of conditional presuppositions for conditional sentences containing a trigger in their antecedent. The results are in line with symmetric account, but are challenging for classic dynamic accounts. However, it may be possible to reconcile the latter with the data by tying together linear order and incremental context update.
Operating Islamic jurisprudence in non-Muslim jurisdictions: traditional Islamic precepts and contemporary controversies in the United States

With the recent public furor in the United States regarding “Shari‘a,” studies into the content of Islamic jurisprudence concerning Muslims living under non-Muslim jurisdiction are more pertinent than ever in the U.S. context. As “anti-Shari‘a” rhetoric has increased in fervency, informed input into the debates could go some way in correcting the peddled misconceptions. The paper begins by assessing how Muslim scholars viewed a Muslim’s travel to and residence in non-Muslim lands, and the obligation to abide by the laws of the land. It will focus on the jihad (siyar) section in Islamic jurisprudence and the section on judiciary (qaḍā’/adab al-qāḍī), and overlapping discussions of relevance pertaining to criminal law and financial law. The section on jihad assesses the issue of jurisdiction in terms of whether Islamic law can be applied to crimes committed in non-Muslim lands. A study of the section on judiciary will show how Islamic jurisprudence provides a means for Muslims to adjudicate among themselves in a non-Muslim polity. While much of the focus is on the Ḥanafī School of jurisprudence, comparisons will be made to other schools where possible, discerning areas of convergence and points of departure. Once this has been discovered, the actual intersection of Shari‘a and the American legal system will identify the fallacy of anti-Shari‘a propaganda. In doing so, I argue that a common sense approach is required that recognizes the accommodating principles in both legal traditions.
The pathway of myo-inositol degradation in Aerobacter aerogenes. Ring scission.

The product of the first two reactions in the enzymatic degradation of myo-inositol by extracts of Aerobacter aerogenes, d -2,3-diketo-4-deoxy-epi-inositol, serves as the substrate for another enzyme also present in these extracts. The enzyme was partly purified and could be shown to catalyze, presumably after a preliminary isomerization, the hydrolytic cleavage of the inositol ring. The product of the reaction was isolated and identified by the study of its chemical and physical properties as a 4-deoxy-5-ketohexonic acid.
The control of cell division in the ocular lens.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the control of cell division in the ocular lens and primarily deals with the nature of the effects of environmental factors on the control of cell division. In certain very important related areas, such as differentiation, regeneration, and aging, the lens has proved to be the most valuable model system for analysis. These active areas of investigation, including studies on cataract formation are addressed in the chapter. Moreover, emphasis is placed on concepts of the mechanisms that underlie the control of cell division, particularly as they apply to the ocular lens. It is assumed that the knowledge gained for one tissue on a fundamental mechanism such as the control of cell division, may apply, at least in part, to control mechanisms in other tissues.