cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Autonomous drone hunter operating by deep learning and all-onboard computations in GPS-denied environments

This paper proposes a UAV platform that autonomously detects, hunts, and takes down other small UAVs in GPS-denied environments. The platform detects, tracks, and follows another drone within its sensor range using a pre-trained machine learning model. We collect and generate a 58,647-image dataset and use it to train a Tiny YOLO detection algorithm. This algorithm combined with a simple visual-servoing approach was validated on a physical platform. Our platform was able to successfully track and follow a target drone at an estimated speed of 1.5 m/s. Performance was limited by the detection algorithm’s 77% accuracy in cluttered environments and the frame rate of eight frames per second along with the field of view of the camera.
Association of serum magnesium level change with in-hospital mortality.

The objective of this study was to assess the association of in-hospital mortality risk based on change in serum magnesium levels in hospitalised patients. All adult patients admitted to our hospital from years 2009 to 2013 with at least two serum magnesium measurements during hospitalisation were included. Serum magnesium change, defined as the absolute difference between the highest and lowest serum magnesium, was categorised into six groups: 0–0.2, 0.3–0.4, 0.5–0.6, 0.7–0.8, 0.9–1.0, ≥1.1 mg/dL. In-hospital mortality was the outcome of interest. Logistic regression was used to assess the association between serum magnesium change and in-hospital mortality, using serum magnesium change of 0.0–0.2 mg/dL as the reference group. A total of 42 141 patients, with the median serum magnesium change during hospital stay of 0.3 (IQR 0.2–0.6) mg/dL, were studied. In-hospital mortality based on serum magnesium change of 0–0.2, 0.3–0.4, 0.5–0.6, 0.7–0.8, 0.9–1.0, ≥1.1 mg/dL was 1.3%, 2.3%, 3.1%, 5.0%, 6.5%, and 8.8%, respectively (p
The multiple facets of the SMC1A gene

Abstract Structural Maintenance of Chromosomes (SMCs) are part of a large family of ring complexes that participates in a number of DNA transactions. Among SMCs, SMC1A gene is unique. It encodes a subunit of the cohesin-core complex that tethers sister chromatids together to ensure correct chromosome segregation in both mitosis and meiosis. As a member of the cohesin ring, SMC1A takes part in gene transcription regulation and genome organization; and it participates in the DNA Damage Repair (DDR) pathway, being phosphorylated by Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM) and Ataxia Telangiectasia and Rad3 Related (ATR) threonine/serine kinases. It is also a component of the Recombination protein complex (RC-1) involved in DNA repair by recombination. SMC1A pathogenic variants have been described in Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS), a human rare disease, and recently SMC1A variants have been associated with epilepsy or resembling Rett syndrome phenotype. Finally, SMC1A variants have been identified in several human cancers. In this review, our current knowledge of the SMC1A gene has been summarized.
Ethnic variability in newborn metabolic screening markers associated with false-positive outcomes.

Newborn screening (NBS) programmes utilise information on a variety of clinical variables such as gestational age, sex, and birth weight to reduce false-positive screens for inborn metabolic disorders. Here we study the influence of ethnicity on metabolic marker levels in a diverse newborn population. NBS data from screen-negative singleton babies (n = 100 000) were analysed, which included blood metabolic markers measured by tandem mass spectrometry and ethnicity status reported by the parents. Metabolic marker levels were compared between major ethnic groups (Asian, Black, Hispanic, White) using effect size analysis, which controlled for group size differences and influence from clinical variables. Marker level differences found between ethnic groups were correlated to NBS data from 2532 false-positive cases for four metabolic diseases: glutaric acidemia type 1 (GA-1), methylmalonic acidemia (MMA), ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency (OTCD), and very long-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (VLCADD). In the result, 79% of the metabolic markers (34 of 43) had ethnicity-related differences. Compared to the other groups, Black infants had elevated GA-1 markers (C5DC, Cohen's d = .37, P < .001), Hispanics had elevated MMA markers (C3, Cohen's d = .13, P < .001, and C3/C2, Cohen's d = .27, P < .001); and Whites had elevated VLCADD markers (C14, Cohen's d = .28, P < .001, and C14:1, Cohen's d = .22, P < .001) and decreased OTCD markers (citrulline, Cohen's d = -.26, P < .001). These findings correlated with the higher false-positive rates in Black infants for GA-1, in Hispanics for MMA, and in Whites for OTCD and for VLCADD. Web-based tools are available to analyse ethnicity-related changes in newborn metabolism and to support developing methods to identify false-positives in metabolic screening.
David Oliver: What the pandemic measures reveal about ageism.

Older age and a range of underlying medical conditions mean a higher risk of serious illness, admission, and death from covid-19 than in younger or fitter groups. Over 70s have been advised to avoid unnecessary social contact, remain largely indoors, and to do any outdoor exercise at a safe distance from others. The reaction of some older citizens to this announcement shone a light on some wider attitudes towards ageing—not least from older people themselves. The Times letters page on 17 March had several contributions from older people arguing against the advice.1 Their arguments boiled down to some older people being far fitter and more active than other older people (or …
Topological quantum switch and controllable one-dimensional conducting paths in antimonene facilitated by breaking the inversion symmetry

Based on the nontrivial topology of buckled antimonene, we propose two conceptual device designs based on breaking the inversion symmetry which can be achieved by gating. The first one is a quantized topological switch obtained by breaking the degeneracy of the fractionalized charge conducting edge states, inducing a metal-insulator transition. In the second one, using local gating with different polarity in different areas, a domain wall is created at their interface, which hosts a soliton type electronic gap state in which transport could be accessed by doping and shown to be robust over a wide range of disorder.
Insights into variation in meiosis from 31,228 human sperm genomes

Meiosis, although essential for reproduction, is also variable and error-prone: rates of chromosome crossover vary among gametes, between the sexes, and among humans of the same sex, and chromosome missegregation leads to abnormal chromosome numbers (aneuploidy)1–8. To study diverse meiotic outcomes and how they covary across chromosomes, gametes and humans, we developed Sperm-seq, a way of simultaneously analysing the genomes of thousands of individual sperm. Here we analyse the genomes of 31,228 human gametes from 20 sperm donors, identifying 813,122 crossovers and 787 aneuploid chromosomes. Sperm donors had aneuploidy rates ranging from 0.01 to 0.05 aneuploidies per gamete; crossovers partially protected chromosomes from nondisjunction at the meiosis I cell division. Some chromosomes and donors underwent more-frequent nondisjunction during meiosis I, and others showed more meiosis II segregation failures. Sperm genomes also manifested many genomic anomalies that could not be explained by simple nondisjunction. Diverse recombination phenotypes—from crossover rates to crossover location and separation, a measure of crossover interference—covaried strongly across individuals and cells. Our results can be incorporated with earlier observations into a unified model in which a core mechanism, the variable physical compaction of meiotic chromosomes, generates interindividual and cell-to-cell variation in diverse meiotic phenotypes. Thousands of sperm genomes have been analysed with a new method called Sperm-seq, revealing interconnected meiotic variation at the single-cell and person-to-person levels, and suggesting chromosome compaction as a way to explain the relationships between diverse recombination phenotypes.
Intracellular amyloid toxicity induces oxytosis/ferroptosis regulated cell death.

Amyloid beta (Aβ) accumulates within neurons in the brains of early stage Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients. However, the mechanism underlying its toxicity remains unclear. Here, a triple omics approach was used to integrate transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic data collected from a nerve cell model of the toxic intracellular aggregation of Aβ. It was found that intracellular Aβ induces profound changes in the omics landscape of nerve cells that are associated with a pro-inflammatory, metabolic reprogramming that predisposes cells to die via the oxytosis/ferroptosis regulated cell death pathway. Notably, the degenerative process included substantial alterations in glucose metabolism and mitochondrial bioenergetics. Our findings have implications for the understanding of the basic biology of proteotoxicity, aging, and AD as well as for the development of future therapeutic interventions designed to target the oxytosis/ferroptosis regulated cell death pathway in the AD brain.
Buffer gas cooling for sensitive rotational spectroscopy of ice chemistry: A proposal

Abstract High temperatures and associated poor rotational partition functions have hindered the application of high-resolution rotational spectroscopy for detection of molecules desorbing from an ice substrate. Here, an experimental approach is presented which will enable such investigations through incorporation of a buffer gas cooling cell. We discuss design considerations for this apparatus and the expected performance based upon OC34S measurements made with a related spectrometer in a 14.7 K sampled uniform flow. We highlight specific applications of this technique including chiral sensing of molecules generated in an interstellar ice, and the synthesis of exotic species not amenable to generation in the gas-phase.
Micelle-in-Liposomes for Sustained Delivery of Anticancer Agents That Promote Potent TRAIL-Induced Cancer Cell Apoptosis

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) induces cancer cell-specific apoptosis and has garnered intense interest as a promising agent for cancer treatment. However, the development of TRAIL has been hampered in part because most human cancer cells are resistant to TRAIL. A few small molecules including natural compounds such as piperlongumine (PL) have been reported to sensitize cancer cells to TRAIL. We prepared a novel type of nanomaterial, micelle-in-liposomes (MILs) for solubilization and delivery of PL. PL-loaded MILs were used to sensitize cancer cells to TRAIL. As visualized by cryo-TEM, micelles were successfully loaded inside the aqueous core of liposomes. The MILs increased the water solubility of PL by ~20 fold. A sustained PL release from MILs in physiologically relevant buffer over 7 days was achieved, indicating that the liposomes prevented premature drug release from the micelles in the MILs. Also demonstrated is a potent synergistic apoptotic effect in cancer cells by PL MILs in conjunction with liposomal TRAIL. MILs provide a new formulation and delivery vehicle for hydrophobic anticancer agents, which can be used alone or in combination with TRAIL to promote cancer cell death.
Is It Liquidity or Quality That Matters in Foreign Exchange Market

This paper examines whether currency traders care most about liquidity or credit concerns, using two baskets of currencies – developed and emerging currencies. My central finding is that currency investors care about both liquidity and credit quality concerns, but the relative impact of these concerns is different when they invest in currencies from developed currencies as compared to currencies from emerging countries. More specifically, I find that investors in currencies from developed countries are concerned more about liquidity, while investors in currencies from emerging countries are concerned more about credit quality risk.
Estimating "Outbreak"-Level Tornado Counts and Casualties from Environmental Variables

Environmental variables are used routinely in forecasting when and where an outbreak of tornadoes are likely to occur, but more work is needed to understand how characteristics of severe weather outbreaks vary with the larger scale environmental factors. Here the authors demonstrate a method to quantify `outbreak-level tornado and casualty counts with respect to variations in large-scale environmental factors. They do this by fitting negative binomial regression models to cluster-level data to estimate the number of tornadoes and the number of casualties on days with at least ten tornadoes. Results show that a 1000 J/kg increase in CAPE corresponds to a 5% increase in the number of tornadoes and a 28% increase in the number of casualties, conditional on at least ten tornadoes, and holding the other variables constant. Further, results show that a 10 m/s increase in deep-layer bulk shear corresponds to a 13% increase in tornadoes and a 98% increase in casualties, conditional on at least ten tornadoes, and holding the other variables constant. The casualty-count model quantifies the decline in the number of casualties per year and indicates that outbreaks have a larger impact in the Southeast than elsewhere after controlling for population and geographic area.
Walking the talk? A multiple-case study of quality management implementation in China

Focussing on the manufacturing industry in China, the study explores factors that contribute to possible implementation gaps between companies’ actual practices and the commonly recognized core qua...
Damned if You Buy, Damned if You Wait: An Empirical Investigation of Customer Regret Under Markdown Pricing and Its Implications to Retailing

We study and quantify how much, in a markdown pricing situation, customers anticipate regret of paying a high price during the regular season or facing the possibility of a stockout during markdown season. In addition, we provide a framework to quantify the impact of customer regret on retailer’s optimal markdown pricing strategy and resulting revenues across various product categories. We model a regret-prone customer’s purchase decision using a utility based economic model, and estimate the parameters of this model with data obtained from the online channel of a luxury fashion retailer. We consider two types of anticipated regret, which are both incurred when a customer engages in counterfactual thinking at the beginning of a product’s selling season. If customers buy the product at a regular price, they anticipate high-price regret and hence incur the mental cost of knowing that the product may be available later at a discounted price. However, if customers wait for the discounted price, they anticipate stockout regret and hence incur the mental cost of possibly facing a stockout during the markdown season. We show that retailers only need to know the ratio between the two types of anticipated regret to account for their impact on customer purchase decisions and optimize pricing decisions accordingly. We develop an empirical strategy to jointly estimate this regret ratio and customers’ reservation price distribution parameters for each product. We find significant heterogeneity in regret characteristics across product categories. We show that stockout regret generally dominates high-price regret in magnitude. This dominance is even stronger for products that attract more high-spending customers and/or more frequent website visitors. Our counterfactual analysis shows that the luxury fashion retailer could have increased its revenues by up to 11.64% if it were to account for the anticipated customer regret in its pricing strategy. We also propose a method to disentangle the high-price and stockout regrets from the estimated regret ratio and show, for example, that stockout regret in a womenswear category is significantly larger than that of a similar menswear category.
Outcomes of cardiac diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in the rituximab era.

Abstract Background Cardiac diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (cDLBCL) is an extremely rare disease. Introduction of rituximab has significantly improved survival in non-cardiac DLBCL, but there is limited data regarding the effects on outcomes in cDLBCL. We sought to evaluate the outcomes of cDLBCL in both pre- and rituximab eras. Methods We identified all cDLBCL cases in the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) registry from 1975 to 2016. We compared survival (overall and lymphoma-specific) of patients diagnosed prior to versus after rituximab approval in 2006. Results A total of 106 patients were included in the final analysis. Median age was 69.5 years, 67% of the patients were white and 64% had local stage I/II disease. 67% of the patients were diagnosed after 2006 and thus belonged to the rituximab era group. Overall, 77% received chemotherapy, 24% had surgery and 15% had radiotherapy. Median overall survival (OS) for the entire cohort was 22 months. Median OS was 16 months (95% CI, 0.55–31) for the pre-rituximab group, versus 26 months (95% CI, 7.5–45) for the rituximab group (p = 0.34). Median lymphoma-specific survival (LSS) was 30 months (95% CI, 8.0–52) for the pre-rituximab group versus 36 months (95% CI, 16–158) for the rituximab group (p = 0.30). OS and LSS were also not significantly different between the two era groups when stratified by chemotherapy. In multivariable analysis, both OS and LSS were associated with lymphoma stage, insurance status and age but not with diagnosis era or chemotherapy. Conclusions Cardiac DLBCLs are rare and affecting mostly the elderly. Younger age, limited disease stage, and having health insurance but not lymphoma diagnosis era were associated with better outcomes.
Democratic Progress and Retreat in Africa: The State and Institutions of Good Governance

Current debates on democratization are overshadowed by the possible retreat of democracy and causes for the democratic backslide worldwide. This paper seeks to shed some light on these issues in the African context. Is democracy on a retreat in the region? It seeks to assess the general trends of democracy and its major challenges in Africa. First, I draw a picture of democracy in the region during the last decades since when the slowdown began in the second half of the 2000s, by looking at variations in performance across major domains of democracy as well as in performance across regions. Second, I examine deeper challenges to democracy that have received marginal attention in democratization studies. I argue that (i) an effective state able to claim a monopoly on legitimate violence, secure the rule of law, and provide basic public services as well as (ii) a “good” government relatively clean from widespread corruption, accountable to the public, and promote economic growth and social welfare are critical to the deepening of democracy over the long-run. I draw data from Freedom House, the Mo Ibrahim Index on Governance in Africa, and the Afrobarometer to measure several of these indicators across countries. At the end, through a short survey of Kenya and Botswana I show how success and failure to achieve effective states and good governance institutions are critical requisites in the consolidation of democracy.
"ADPKD-omics": determinants of cyclic AMP levels in renal epithelial cells.

The regulation of cyclic AMP (cAMP) levels in kidney epithelial cells is important in at least two groups of disorders, namely water balance disorders and autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). Focussing on the latter, we review genes that code for proteins that are determinants of cAMP levels in cells. We identify which of these determinants are expressed in the 14 kidney tubule segments using recently published RNA-seq and protein mass spectrometry data ("ADPKD-omics"). This includes G protein-coupled receptors, adenylyl cyclases, cyclic nucleotide phosphodieterases, cAMP transporters, cAMP binding proteins, regulator of G protein signaling (RGS) proteins, G protein-coupled receptor kinases, arrestins, calcium transporters, and calcium binding proteins. In addition, compartmentalized cAMP signaling in the primary cilium is discussed and a specialized database of the proteome of the primary cilium of cultured "IMCD3" cells is provided as an online resource (https://esbl.nhlbi.nih.gov/Databases/CiliumProteome/). Overall, this paper provides a general resource in the form of a curated list of proteins likely to play roles in determination of cAMP levels in kidney epithelial cells and, therefore likely to be determinants of progression of ADPKD.
Physician Executive Leadership Plus: An Approach to Business and Management Education for Medical Students.

INTRODUCTIONPhysicians are looked upon to lead the healthcare team, a task that has grown increasingly complex and interdisciplinary, requiring a diverse extra-clinical skillset. Physician Executiv...
Studies of Behavior in Children with Down’s Syndrome

My interest in mental retardation goes back to the years of my pediatric training. My chief at the time was Harry Gordon, one of the country’s outstanding pediatric teachers, who later became the director of the Rose Kennedy Research Institute at the Einstein Medical School. Gordon inculcated in all of us a basic respect for the mentally retarded and their families both as patients and as subjects of scientific investigation. Continuing on my professional journey I came into the orbit of Leo Kanner and Leon Eisenberg at Johns Hopkins. There my interest in mental retardation deepened and I first began to be concerned with the personality development of the mentally retarded, their emotional vulnerability, and the link between mental retardation and mental illness, particularly the childhood psychoses. Kanner introduced me to his pioneering thoughts on early infantile autism and pseudofeeblemindedness, as well as to his historical perspective of mental retardation. Eisenberg added to this his profound interest in the social forces that shape human behavior and the basic defects in our social and value system responsible in large measure for the existing psychopathology in our society. From there, I went to Children’s Hospital in Washington, D.C., to complete my training under Reginald S. Lourie. Lourie’s interest in the mentally retarded and dedication to their rehabilitation was a source of inspiration to me. He contended that the mentally retarded are capable of attaining optimal personality development under favorable circumstances.
Nutrient Signaling – Protein Kinase to Transcriptional Activation

1. The widespread opinion today is that cancer may be prevented or treated by targeting specific cancer genes, signaling proteins, and transcription factors. Transcriptions factors are comprised of one or more proteins that bind to a specific DNA gene sequence and act to initiate transcription.
Creeley's "I Know a Man": A Metaphysical Conceit

AT FIRST INSPECTION, Robert Creeley's "I Know a Man" prob ably does not provoke associations with the metaphysical poets of the sev enteenth century, who bring together ideas that few readers expect to be joined. Mysterious in its brevity, obscure in its references, and vulgar in its language, the poem seems like a joke; however, Creeley's humor is actu ally yoked to serious spiritual concerns. In "I Know a Man," the joining of the antithetical forces of humor and seriousness, vulgarity and piety, and confusion and conviction creates a metaphysical energy that places Creeley in the company of Donne, Herbert, Crashaw, and other metaphysical poets of the seventeenth century. In the first stanzas of "I Know a Man," a confused speaker reveals his spiritual weakness. He admits that he is "always talking," which indicates that he merely babbles. Apparently, the speaker tries to mask his bewilder ment with drinking, but he only makes his confusion more evident, for he slurs his speech with words like "sd" and "yr," and he talks to his friend, calling him "John" although the speaker is certain that his friend's name is really something else. Moreover, while addressing "John," the speaker fumbles for words. He tries to raise questions about the lack of direction in his spiritual life, but he can only form his questions in halting, uncertain language; he asks, "what/can we do" and then slips into vagueries such as "or else, shall we &/why not." The speaker's confusion is clearest in his admission that "the darkness sur/ rounds" him and his friend. This hapless fellow wonders what alternatives exist, but the only option that occurs to him is the vulgar and materialistic suggestion to "buy a god damn big car." Despite such base and confused behavior, the poem takes a decisive and clearly spiritual turn in the final stanza. The setting for the dialogue is a car that the speaker is driving, and the speaker's erratic behavior worries his companion, who orders the speaker to "drive" and urges him to "look out where" he is going. The companion's recommended solution for a lack of direction on a dark road is to stop floundering with words and to keep an eye on the road. That such advice should come from a man addressed as
Reactions of coordinated molecules: XLIX. Carboncarbond bond formation between the donor atoms of adjacent acyl and alkenyl ligands☆

Abstract When the ferraenolate anion, (η-C 5 H 5 )(CO) 2 FeC(O)CH 2 − , is treated sequentially with methyllithium/TMEDA and benzoyl chloride, the known η 3 -allyl complex, (η-C 5 H 5 )(OC)Fe{η 3 -CH 2 C[OC(O)Ph]C[OC(O)Ph](CH 3 }, is isolated in 36% yield. When the neutral alkenyl complexes, (η-C 5 H 5 )(CO) 2 Fe[C(Me)CH 2 ] and (η-C 5 H 5 )(OC) 2 Fe{C(OMe)CH 2 ], were treated sequentially with methyllithium and benzoyl chloride, the η 3 -allyl complexes, (η-C 5 H 5 )(OC)Fe{η 3 -CH 2 C(Me)C[OC(O)Ph](Me) and (η-C 5 H 5 )(OC)Fe{η 3 -CH 2 C(OMe)C[OC(O)Ph](Me) are isolated in 8 and 11% yield, respectively. These η 3 -allyl ligands are presumably formed via CC coupling of the donor atoms of the formal acyl and alkenyl ligands in the intermediate complexes.
Historically Low Teen Employment: The Case for a New Youth Jobs Program

One of the important building blocks of a workforce development system has long been the ability of teenagers to get jobs while on summer vacation. But the employment rate of teens in the summer has fallen dramatically in recent years. In fact, the decline is unprecedented, the authors find, and represents a "massive" underutilization of the country's capacities.
Elective Mutism in Children

Over the past 100 years mental health professionals have been involved in treatment and research on a childhood behavior problem that has come to be labeled “elective mutism.” Although Tramer (1934) is commonly attributed with launching this descriptive label in the clinical treatment literature, it was the German physician Kussmaul who in 1877 described “voluntary mutism” (cf. Von Misch, 1952). Subsequently, a number of other terms have been introduced to describe this behavioral pattern, such as speech inhibition (Truper, 1897), speech shyness (Na-doleczng, 1926; Rothe, 1928; Spieler, 1941), speech phobia (Mora, De-Vault, & Schopler, 1962), thymogenic mutism (Waterink & Vedder, 1936), functional mutism (Amman, 1958), selective mutism (Kass, Gillman, Mattis, Klugman, & Jacobson, 1967), reluctant speech (Williamson, Sewell, Sanders, Haney, & White, 1977), and speech avoidance (Lerea & Ward, 1965). 1 Following Tramer’s (1934) portrayal, these children are typically described as exhibiting abnormally silent behavior outside all but a small group of intimate relatives and certain peers.
Inflammation, infection, and aortic valve sclerosis; Insights from the Olmsted County (Minnesota) population.

Abstract Atherosclerosis-related mechanisms, including inflammation and possibly infection, are likely to be involved in the pathogenesis of calcific aortic valve disease. The purpose of this study was to examine whether systemic inflammatory markers and Chlamydia pneumoniae seropositivity are associated with aortic valve sclerosis (AVS) in a sample of the general population. Transesophageal echocardiography was performed in 381 subjects (median age: 67 years, range: 51–101; 52% men), a sample of the adult population in Olmsted County, Minnesota. The associations between systemic inflammatory markers (blood counts, including white blood cells differential counts, fibrinogen, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein [hs-CRP]), C. pneumoniae immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody titers, and AVS were examined. AVS was present in 140 subjects (37% of the population). After adjustment for age, sex, and smoking status: (1) hs-CRP was associated with AVS (odds ratio: 1.20 per two-fold increase in hs-CRP; 95% confidence interval: 1.01–1.43; P =0.04), but this association was not significant after adjustment for additional risk factors for AVS, including body mass index ( P =0.52). (2) Blood counts and fibrinogen were not associated with AVS ( P -values >0.30). (3) C. pneumoniae IgG antibody titers (low [1:16–1:32], intermediate [1:64–1:128], or high [≥1:256] titers, compared with titers P =0.21). In conclusion, hs-CRP is weakly associated with AVS, an association that is not independent of other AVS risk factors. Blood counts, fibrinogen, and C. pneumoniae seropositivity are not associated with AVS. These findings suggest that other non-inflammatory non-infectious mechanisms are likely to have a role in the pathogenesis of calcific aortic valve disease.
A possible cause of death in Whipple's disease.

Summary A case with the clinical and pathological features of Whipple's disease is presented with emphasis on the role of potassium therapy. Respiratory or cardiac muscle paralysis due to hypokalemia is offered as a possible explanation for sudden death in some cases previously reported.
Fast iterative algorithm for the reconstruction of multishot non‐cartesian diffusion data

Purpose To accelerate the motion-compensated iterative reconstruction of multishot non-Cartesian diffusion data. Method The motion-compensated recovery of multishot non-Cartesian diffusion data is often performed using a modified iterative sensitivity-encoded algorithm. Specifically, the encoding matrix is replaced with a combination of nonuniform Fourier transforms and composite sensitivity functions, which account for the motion-induced phase errors. The main challenge with this scheme is the significantly increased computational complexity, which is directly related to the total number of composite sensitivity functions (number of shots × number of coils). The dimensionality of the composite sensitivity functions and hence the number of Fourier transforms within each iteration is reduced using a principal component analysis-based scheme. Using a Toeplitz-based conjugate gradient approach in combination with an augmented Lagrangian optimization scheme, a fast algorithm is proposed for the sparse recovery of diffusion data. Results The proposed simplifications considerably reduce the computation time, especially in the recovery of diffusion data from under-sampled reconstructions using sparse optimization. By choosing appropriate number of basis functions to approximate the composite sensitivities, faster reconstruction (close to 9 times) with effective motion compensation is achieved. Conclusion The proposed enhancements can offer fast motion-compensated reconstruction of multishot diffusion data for arbitrary k-space trajectories. Magn Reson Med 74:1086–1094, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Impaired bladder contractility in association with detrusor instability: Underestimated occurrence in benign prostatic hyperplasia

The hyperactive bladder does not always completely empty. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of detrusor instability and impaired contractility in 45 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia. The evaluation consisted of uroflowmetry, residual urine determination, cystometrogram (CMG), and micturition study with stop-flow technique. Detrusor instability is diagnosed urodynamically with the appearance of abnormal contractions either on medium filling CMG and/or on a provocative rapid injection CMG. Impaired bladder contractility was diagnosed by the presence of significant residual urine (≥50% of capacity) and unsustained bladder contraction with no or little detrusor reserve power. Urodynamic evaluation showed that 21 out of 45 patients had detrusor instability. Seven of these patients showed also impaired contractility. The mean residual urine was 380 ml in this subgroup. On micturition studies five of these patients showed low pressure, low uroflow pattern. Stop-flow technique revealed absence of detrusor reserve power in five patients, while two patients showed little detrusor reserve power. Out of the 24 patients with stable bladders, four showed impaired contractility. Indeed, detrusor instability is not associated exclusively with low residual urine values. The importance of recognizing detrusor instability in combination with poor contractility in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia is that one can anticipate incomplete bladder emptying even after protstate surgery and consider other forms of therapy. Our approach to this specific problem is presented.
Chapter 5: Network Biology Approach to Complex Diseases

Complex diseases are caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Uncovering the molecular pathways through which genetic factors affect a phenotype is always difficult, but in the case of complex diseases this is further complicated since genetic factors in affected individuals might be different. In recent years, systems biology approaches and, more specifically, network based approaches emerged as powerful tools for studying complex diseases. These approaches are often built on the knowledge of physical or functional interactions between molecules which are usually represented as an interaction network. An interaction network not only reports the binary relationships between individual nodes but also encodes hidden higher level organization of cellular communication. Computational biologists were challenged with the task of uncovering this organization and utilizing it for the understanding of disease complexity, which prompted rich and diverse algorithmic approaches to be proposed. We start this chapter with a description of the general characteristics of complex diseases followed by a brief introduction to physical and functional networks. Next we will show how these networks are used to leverage genotype, gene expression, and other types of data to identify dysregulated pathways, infer the relationships between genotype and phenotype, and explain disease heterogeneity. We group the methods by common underlying principles and first provide a high level description of the principles followed by more specific examples. We hope that this chapter will give readers an appreciation for the wealth of algorithmic techniques that have been developed for the purpose of studying complex diseases as well as insight into their strengths and limitations.
Inhaled dry powder insulin for the treatment of diabetes mellitus.

Background: Inhaled dry powder insulin (IDPI) is the first inhaled insulin approved for the treatment of type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM).
Impacting Space Station Freedom design with operations and safety requirements - An availability process

The unusually long mission duration of Space Station Freedom leads to operations costs that have significant impacts on life-cycle cost relative to previous manned space programs. Maintaining an affordable program requires that operations costs be considered throughout the design process. An appropriate means of impacting the design with operations concerns is to specify requirements that ensure operational effectiveness when implemented. The Space Station Freedom Program has developed a process defining such requirements. It focuses on specifying functional profiles and allocating resources such that designers gain a better understanding of the operational envelope in which their systems must perform. This paper examines the details of the process, where it came from, and why it is effective.
Intrauterine fetal demise can be remote from the inciting insult in an animal model of hypoxia-ischemia

Intrauterine fetal demise can be remote from the inciting insult in an animal model of hypoxia–ischemia
Effects of irradiance and spot size on pulsed holmium laser ablation of tissue

Threshold radiant exposures for pulsed holmium laser ablation of tissue were measured with a high-speed framing camera. The effects of laser irradiance and beam size on ablation threshold were investigated. Threshold radiant exposure decreased with increasing laser irradiance over the range of 10(5)-10(7) W/cm(2). Over the range of spot sizes examined (243-970 microm) an increase in the laser beam diameter reduced the laser irradiance required for ablation. At larger spot sizes the ablation event was occasionally initiated from multiple sites. These results suggest that the rate of energy deposition and laser-beam geometry affect the events preceding the onset of ablation and should be considered when pulsed laser ablation of tissue is modeled or quantified.
Social and economic factors associated with parents' decisions about after-school child care: An exploratory study in a medium-sized community

This exploratory study examined social and economic factors associated with the after-school child care decisions of parents (n=41) of elementary school children in a medium-sized community. Self-care (latchkey), family day care, and center arrangements were represented in the sample. Differences in type of arrangement were found to be related to marital status, city vs. rural residence, parental preferences for characteristics of after-school arrangements, and child's gender, age, and arrangement preferences. There were no differences across arrangement types regarding the perceived safety, informal resources, and age of the neighborhood. Cost was not a significant variable, although lower-income parents showed greater sensitivity to costs of after-school care. Directions for future research are discussed.
Light control of peroxisome proliferation during Arabidopsis photomorphogenesis

Peroxisomes are multifunctional organelles whose abundance and metabolic activities differ depending on the species, cell type, developmental stage and prevailing environmental conditions.1 However, little is known about the signaling pathways that control these variations, especially in plants. Our laboratory recently investigated the regulatory role of light in changes in peroxisome abundance and identified a phytochrome A-dependent pathway responsible for the proliferation of peroxisomes during dark-to-light transition in Arabidopsis seedlings. Light induces peroxisome proliferation at least in part through upregulating the PEX11b gene, which encodes a peroxisomal membrane protein that mediates the early stages of peroxisome multiplication. Activation of PEX11b requires the far-red light receptor phyA, as well as the bZIP transcription factor HYH, which binds directly to the promoter of PEX11b. We conclude that during photomorphogenesis, both the import of leaf-peroxisome enzymes from the cytosol and the induction of peroxisome proliferation take place to prepare seedlings for photosynthesis and photorespiration. In addition to light, other plant peroxisome proliferators may also exert their functions by targeting members of the PEX11 gene family for transcriptional activation.
Angle-resolved photoemission, valence-band dispersions E ( k → ) , and electron and hole lifetimes for GaAs

Accurate valence-band dispersions $E(\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{k}})$ along the major symmetry directions $\ensuremath{\Gamma}\ensuremath{-}K\ensuremath{-}X$, $\ensuremath{\Gamma}\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{-}X$, and $\ensuremath{\Gamma}\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\Lambda}\ensuremath{-}L$ have been determined for GaAs using simple angle-resolved photoemission techniques of general utility with synchrotron radiation for $25\ensuremath{\le}h\ensuremath{\nu}\ensuremath{\le}100$ eV. At these photon energies, emission features can be understood within the direct-transition model, and spectral peaks can be classified roughly into two categories: one being those associated with primary cone emission with a lifetime-broadened free-electron-like final-state dispersion, and the other (usually weaker) being those associated with secondary cone-surface umklapp emission which emphasizes valence-band critical points with high state densities. Valence-band dispersions $E(\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{k}})$ along the $\ensuremath{\Gamma}\ensuremath{-}K\ensuremath{-}X$ symmetry line perpendicular to the surface are determined using normal-emission spectra (primary cone peaks) from the (110) surface at various photon energies. Valence-band dispersions $E(\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{k}})$ along $\ensuremath{\Gamma}\ensuremath{-}K\ensuremath{-}X$, $\ensuremath{\Gamma}\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{-}X$, and $\ensuremath{\Gamma}\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\Lambda}\ensuremath{-}L$ symmetry lines parallel to the surface are determined using off-normal emission spectra (primary cone peaks) from the same (110) surface with fixed perpendicular component of the electron momentum $\ensuremath{\hbar}{\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{k}}}_{\ensuremath{\perp}}$ at a zone center (extended-zone scheme) and varying parallel component of the electron momentum $\ensuremath{\hbar}{\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{k}}}_{\ensuremath{\parallel}}$, which are obtained by suitably varying $h\ensuremath{\nu}$ and emission angles. Experimental valence-band dispersions and critical points are compared with other theoretical and experimental results. Simple formulas are derived to relate the widths of spectral peaks to electron and hole lifetimes. Initial hole lifetimes at valence critical points and typical final electron lifetimes are obtained. The latter yields final-state momentum broadenings (typically \ensuremath{\lesssim} 10% of the Brillouin-zone size) which are consistent with the direct-transition model.
Fertilization of rabbiteye blueberries grown on a typic paleudult soil

Abstract A 6 year field study comparing the effects of 5 fertilizer sources applied at 4 levels to 3 rabbiteye blueberry (Vaccinium ashei Reade) cultivars was established on a Typic paleudult soil in southern Misssssippi. Fertilizer sources had little influence on plant height, vigor, chlorosis, or fruit yield. The first year, ‘Tifblue’ was lowest in vigor and fruit yield, but after 4 growing seasons, had the highest plant height and fruit yields. Chlorosis symptoms were more prevalent at the highest fertilization rate, in the cultivar ‘Woodard’, and with Ca(NO3)2 fertilizer. During the first 5 years, fruit yields increased as fertilization levels increased from 0 to 5.9 g N/plant but additional fertilization did not influence yields There were no differences in plant vigor due to cultivars but the highest rate of fertilization decreased vigor. The cultivar X fertilization rate interaction was significant for plant height in 1983 and for fruit yields in 1984 and 1985. ‘Delite’ and ‘Woodard’ plant height i...
Biodeterioration of concrete by the fungus Fusarium

The bacterial genus Thiobacillus is known for its ability to degrade concrete. A fungus was isolated from concrete samples and identified as a Fusarium species. Our data indicate that fungi also play an important role in the deterioration of concrete. We observed both weight loss and release of calcium when concrete was exposed to our isolate. Fungal degradation proceeded more rapidly than Thiobacillus-mediated degradation. Our study suggests that interaction between fungal metabolites and calcium in the concrete results in the formation of soluble calcium organic complexes.
High predictive accuracy for detection of left main coronary artery disease by antilog signal processing of two-dimensional echocardiographic images

Abstract Two-dimensional echocardiography has been used to image the left main coronary artery. We have successfully imaged the left main coronary artery in 16 of 19 patients with left main coronary artery disease (LMCAD) and in 14 of 18 control patients using a dynamically focused 3- 1 2 MHz experimental phased array sector scanner. Images were displayed with standard logarithmic compression grey scale allocation and with a modified antilog curve which enhances high intensity echoes. All of the 16 patients with LMCAD were identified from the antilog processed image. Only 1 of the 18 control patients had a faise positive study. Modified antilog processed images provide high sensitivity (100%) and specificity (93%) for detecting LMCAD. This noninvasive technique could be used to screen patients for the presence or absence of LMCAD.
Do Jumbo Cups Cause Hip Center Elevation in Revision THA? A Radiographic Evaluation

Background Acetabular revision THA with use of a large (jumbo) cup is an effective treatment for many cavitary and segmental peripheral bone defects. However, hip center elevation may occur with use of a jumbo cup owing to reaming superiorly and/or because of the increased diameter of the jumbo cup compared with the native acetabulum.
Offshore Wind Resource Potential of the United States

Offshore wind resources have the potential to be a significant domestic energy source. Many coastal areas have large electricity demand but have limited access to high-quality, land-based wind resource. The U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory has developed a baseline offshore wind resource database that incorporates physical parameters that impact development. These characteristics include wind power class, water depth (U.S. Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's [NOAA] Coastal Relief Model), distance from shore (shoreline delineation by NOAA), and administrative jurisdiction (U.S. Department of the Interior's Minerals Management Service). The database does not consider the impact of other factors on offshore wind resource, particularly environmental exclusions such as protected marine habitats, waterfowl breeding areas, and fisheries. The impact of these exclusions on offshore wind resource potential is explored using Geographic Information Systems techniques, which allow for spatial correlation of these locations. Future investigations of offshore wind resource exclusions may include high traffic seaways, underwater infrastructure, and other factors.
Reconstructing the evolutionary history of natural languages

In this paper we present a new methodology for determining the evolutionary history of related languages. Our methodology uses linguistic information encoded as qualitative characters, and provides much greater precision than previous methods. Our analysis of Indo-European (IE) languages resolves questions that have troubled scholars for over a century.