cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ambient Air Pollution and Type 2 Diabetes: Do the Metabolic Effects of Air Pollution Start Early in Life?

The adverse health effects of ambient (outdoor) air pollution have been recognized since increased mortality due to smog was reported in London in 1952 (1). Suspended particles (particulate matters) from soot were associated with increased mortality and morbidity related to both respiratory and cardiovascular disorders (1). Since then, great efforts have been made to control ambient air pollution on a national level. For example, the Clean Air Act in the U.S. resulted in improvements in ambient air quality. Between 1990 and 2015, annual concentrations of particulate matter <10 µm in aerodynamic diameter (PM10) dropped by 39% in the U.S. (2). Nonetheless, ambient air pollution is still one of the leading causes of global disease burden (3,4). In fact, the World Health Organization has estimated that ambient air pollution is responsible for more than 3 million deaths, representing 5.4% of total deaths in 2012 (5). Recently, scientific communities have suggested that ambient air pollution may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. Animal models have provided convincing evidence and suggested potential mechanisms including particle-mediated alterations in glucose homeostasis, inflammation in visceral adipose tissue, endoplasmic reticulum stress in liver and lung, mitochondrial dysfunction and brown adipose tissue dysfunction, inflammation mediated through Toll-like receptors and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptors, and inflammatory signaling in key regions of the hypothalamus (6). Although the evidence is still limited, epidemiological studies have also supported the hypothesis that ambient air pollution exposure is associated with elevated risk for type …
Cancer Risk Post 9/11

The presence of carcinogens in materials released from fires and collapse of the World Trade Center (WTC) raises the possibility that WTC exposures could lead to an increased risk of cancer. Early assessments of cancer incidence have been published in four WTC-exposed populations to date: firefighters employed by the Fire Department of New York (FDNY), rescue and recovery workers enrolled in the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP) health monitoring program, WTC registry enrollees (rescue and recovery workers and community survivors), and police officers employed by the New York City Police Department. Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) for cancers of all sites combined are modestly elevated in all studies, although excesses in cancers that can be detected by screening or increased medical scrutiny, such as melanoma, prostate, and thyroid cancer, predominate. Although there are few statistically significant SIRs apart from these highly detectable cancers, SIRs > 1.00 for certain cancers are elevated in several cohorts, including the esophagus, stomach, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, multiple myeloma, leukemia, urinary bladder, and kidney. Continued follow-up of these cohorts will be needed to more fully characterize potential cancer risks.
Abstract 12228: Understanding the Gender Gap in Patients Undergoing Atrial Fibrillation Ablation: Women Delay Ablation Until Functionally Limited and Symptoms Are Severe

Introduction: The incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF) is nearly equivalent in men and women. Yet, existing literature indicates a gender gap in patients with atrial fibrillation presenting for ablation. We examine this discrepancy among patients undergoing AF ablation at The University of North Carolina hospital. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that gender differences in AF symptoms and functional capacity could account for the gender gap in patients undergoing AF ablation. Methods: A study of 178 consecutive patients presenting for AF ablation was conducted between October 2014 and May 2015. Prior to undergoing ablation, consenting patients completed the Duke Activity Status Index (DASI) evaluating functional capacity and the Atrial Fibrillation Effect on Quality-of-Life Questionnaire Tool (AFEQT) assessing AF-specific quality of life, symptom severity, treatment concern, and daily activities. Questionnaire data was analyzed with baseline demographics and comorbidities for gender differences. Results: Of 178 patients completing the baseline questionnaire, the proportion of men pursuing ablation (n=129, 72.5%) largely outweighed that of women (n=49, 27.5%). There were no gender differences in baseline demographics with the exception of significantly higher prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea (p Conclusions: Our findings suggest that women do not present for AF ablation until symptoms are severe and functional capacity is low, likely contributing to the gender gap in AF ablation referrals. Whether this disparity is due to patient or provider factors requires further evaluation. Education of patients and providers regarding the potential efficacy and risks of ablation may help to bridge this gender gap.
Family firm R&D investments in the 2007–2009 Great Recession

Abstract Investments in research and development (R&D) are essential to innovation, long-term value creation, and wealth accumulation. Since family wealth and firm performance are tightly coupled in family firms, how they invest during times of economic distress matters to their wealth accumulation over the generations. In this study, we examined the impact of the 2007 Great Recession on the R&D decisions of publicly-listed family firms in the United States. We compared family and non-family U.S. firms, excluding those in the financial sector, with total assets greater than $1 million for the period 1992 to 2015. Using the behavioral agency model, we hypothesized that among firms that were not financially constrained during the economic crisis, family firms were more likely than non-family firms to invest in R&D. The results support this hypothesis, lending credence to the notion that family firms undertook more risks when performance is below their long-term aspirations during economic downturns.
Recent Works in Jesuit Philosophy: Vicissitudes of Rhetorical Accommodation

The works considered in this review essay trace the vicissitudes of Jesuit particularism and reflect broader changes in intellectual and cultural history over the past twenty years. Reevaluations of “scientific revolution,” “Enlightenment(s),” and “modernity” itself have provided the preconditions for the possible reframing of Jesuit “philosophical” practices (including “natural philosophy”). Five of these books treat the work of Francisco Suarez in the late-sixteenth and early-seventeenth centuries, a test-case for the problem of periodizing the “modern.” Three other works provide snapshots over the next 150 years: (1) seventeenth-century German-speaking Jesuit natural philosophers embracing experimental science; (2) a late-seventeenth-century superior general of the Society who embraced rigorism to a degree considered unacceptable by other Jesuits; and (3) in the early-eighteenth century, French Jesuit syntheses accommodating “Enlightenment” thought. Taken as a whole, these works demonstrate that, as binary oppositions between “Jesuits” and “moderns” continue to dissolve, Jesuit practices (sometimes in contrast to theories or principles) increasingly appear as accommodating, syncretizing, and hybridizing.
Cefotaxime in the treatment of female pelvic soft tissue infections.

Forty-six females with pelvic soft tissue infections (recurrent salpingitis [n=14], salpingitis with intrauterine contraceptive device [IUD] [n=9], salpingitis with adnexal mass [n=14], post-partum endomyoparametritis [n=9]) were randomized for three antibiotic treatment regimens: cefotaxime (CTX) (n=23), clindamycin and gentamicin (C+Gen) (n=13), and clindamycin, gentamicin and penicillin (C+Gen+P) (n=10). Patients were evaluated by diagnosis for clinical response to the three regimens and by pre-treatment bacterial susceptibility to the individual as well as the combination antibiotics. All 14 recurrent salpingitis patients responded satisfactorily to the assigned antibiotic regimen (CTX, n=8; C+Gen, n=3; C+Gen+P, n=3). One of four patients with the diagnosis of salpingitis/IUD treated with CTX was a treatment failure, while three of three patients treated with C+Gen and two of two patients with C+Gen+P responded satisfactorily. Two of three patients with the diagnosis of salpingitis/adnexal mass failed therapy with C+Gen while the seven patients treated with CTX and the four patients with C+Gen+P responded satisfactorily. All nine patients with endomyoparametritis responded to their treatment regimen. Overall, there were no statistically significant differences in the responses by diagnosis and regimen, with the exception that C+Gen was significantly different (p<0.05) from CTX and C+Gen+P for the treatment of salpingitis with mass. Of the 141 bacterial isolates in all groups, 57 were aerobic or anaerobic gram-positive organisms. Of these 57 isolates, seven (12.3%) were resistant byin vitro testing to cefotaxime, 11 (19.3%) to clindamycin, three (5.3%) to penicillin and 20 of 34 (58.8%) to gentamicin.Chlamydia trachomatis was isolated from a single patient,Mycoplasma hominis from 16 patients andUreaplasma urealyticum from 14 patients. The results of our study indicate that the cefotaxime regimen was as effective as the combination regimens in the treatment of female soft tissue infection.
The Ohio Scales: Practical Outcome Assessment

The development and initial psychometric studies for the Ohio Youth Problems, Functioning, and Satisfaction Scales (Ohio Scales) are described. The Ohio Scales were developed to be practical yet rigorous, multi-content, multi-source measures of outcome for children and adolescents receiving mental health services. Initial studies suggest that the Ohio Scales are promising (reliable, valid, and sensitive to change) measures that can be used to track the effectiveness of mental health interventions for youth with serious emotional disorders. Additional studies are warranted to expand the situations and populations within which the scales are valid.
Enterprise Scale Privacy Aware Occupancy Sensing

Location based services inside smart buildings are dependent on scalable localization methods. However, for enterprises, privacy of individual employees is a major concern. In this paper, we present a privacy aware occupancy sensing mechanism for large scale enterprises with multiple floors in multiple buildings of multiple cities. This is achieved through Wi-Fi fingerprint based localization methods implemented on edge devices. We present some preliminary results on occupancy sensing from our pilot study inside the office spaces of IBM India.
Relay for Data: An Underwater Race

We show that unlike radio frequency channels, amplify-and-forward relaying can increase the data rate in non-fading underwater acoustic channels. For frequency-selective Rayleigh fading underwater acoustic channels, we focus on QPSK modulation and show that the data rate can be increased by using either decode-and-forward or amplify-and-forward relaying, with the former having a significantly higher performance. This fact indicates that rather than increase the transmit power to increase the data rate, a more power-efficient method involves increasing the number of relays and decreasing the path length between them. We also investigate power allocation methods and analyze their effect on the achievable rate. We show that distributing the power uniformly across a frequency band can match the performance of the rate-maximizing power allocation for QPSK modulation.
Election Behavior with High-Female Representation: A Regression Discontinuity Analysis

How gender influences voters in the public arena or hiring managers in the private sector is complex. Recent studies of elections in India and Italy find that affirmative action policies, by offering voters exposure to females, can increase long-term female representation by reducing voter ignorance about how females govern. These studies however consider environments with very low-female representation where voters may have inaccurate expectations of how a typical female will lead due to lack of exposure. I consider a situation - California school boards - where females hold 45% of elected seats. Here voters should be much more familiar with female officeholders so additional exposure to female leadership is unlikely to change voters' expectations. I show it is possible that the effect of additional female representation is opposite that found in low-female representation scenarios, or possibly zero. I then estimate the effect increasing the fraction of female board members has on the genders of winners in the next election. When an additional female (male) is added to the board, the likelihood a male (female) wins the next election increases. In response to this shift in the electorate's demand, more males (females) and fewer females (males) enter the race. In equilibrium, candidate entry arbitrages to zero any electoral opportunities created. These findings show that high-female and low-female environments are substantially different and care should be taken when considering affirmative action policies for each.
Natural Beatitude and Religious Reform

In this chapter, I illuminate a pragmatic and social aspect of Descartes’s account of virtuous belief formation, namely, its significance for traditional religion. My explanation proceeds in two stages. First, I review some of the standard objections against Descartes’s philosophical program. I then suggest that even if these objections show that his project fails to establish a new and lasting foundation in the sciences, it would be premature to conclude that it fails to have any enduring social significance. Second, I argue that although Descartes’s account of virtuous belief formation is ultimately unsuccessful with respect to his aim to reform science, it is significant with respect to his aim to reform both traditional Christianity, in particular, and traditional religion, in general.
Seizure classification, etiology, and management

The first weeks of life are a time of heightened risk for seizures due to age-dependent physiologic features of the developing brain that lead to increased neuronal excitation and decreased inhibition. Usually, seizures in neonates are a symptom of an acute brain injury; seizures are only rarely due to neonatal-onset epilepsy syndromes. Neonatal seizures are harmful to the developing brain; early and accurate diagnosis is critical. For suspected seizures, EEG monitoring should be initiated as soon as is feasible, in order to evaluate for events of concern, screen for subclinical seizures, and assess the EEG background. Amplitude-integrated EEG can provide excellent complementary data, particularly with regard to evolution of background patterns, but has limited sensitivity to detect individual neonatal seizures. An urgent and systematic approach to precise etiologic diagnosis is key for optimal management and estimates of prognosis. Evaluation of the seizure etiology must occur in parallel with initiation of appropriate treatment. It is critical that neonatologists and neurologists develop hospital-specific, consensus-based practice pathways for neonatal seizure evaluation and treatment. Such practice pathways can streamline medical decision making, facilitate rapid medication administration, and potentially decrease seizure burden and optimize outcomes. Herein, the pathophysiology, epidemiology, treatment, and long-term management considerations for neonatal seizures are presented.
The role of infant socialization and self-control in understanding reactive-overt and relational aggression: A 15-year study

Abstract The present study employed parallel analyses to develop a greater understanding of the relationships between infant socialization (maternal sensitivity and home quality), early childhood self-control (attentional focusing, inhibitory control, gratification delay, and self-control), and measures of reactive-overt and relational aggression, assessed from ages 8.5 to 15 years. Self-reported, mother reported, and observational data were employed from a national sample of N = 1364 children (the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Early Child Care and Youth Development Study). Findings provided evidence that positive infant socialization during the first two years of life positively predicted self-control that in turn negatively predicted both reactive-overt and relational aggression at age 8.5 years. In addition, socialization factors maintained direct effects on developmental changes in both measures of aggression at age 10.5 years (relational), 11.5 years (reactive-overt and relational), and 15 years (reactive-overt and relational). Self-control also negatively predicted developmental changes in both measures of aggression at 11.5 years. These findings highlight the long-term developmental effects of positive infant socialization experiences on the developmental course of reactive-overt and relational aggression, but also the salience of self-regulatory capacities in understanding the etiology of and ongoing developmental changes in aggressive behaviors.
Decision Support Strategies for Hip and Knee Osteoarthritis: Less Is More: A Randomized Comparative Effectiveness Trial (DECIDE-OA Study).

BACKGROUND As guidelines and payers increasingly recommend use of patient decision aids (DAs), evidence about the comparative effectiveness of available DAs is critical for organizations interested in implementing them. The primary purpose of this study was to compare 2 DAs with regard to their ability to help patients become informed and receive their preferred treatment (that is, make an informed patient-centered decision), shared decision-making, surgical rates, and surgeon satisfaction. METHODS We performed a multisite factorial randomized trial enrolling patients with hip or knee osteoarthritis. Patients were randomly assigned to use a long, detailed DA (long DA) or short, interactive DA (short DA). Eight surgeons were randomly assigned to receive a patient preference report detailing the patient's goals and treatment preferences or to administer usual care. RESULTS We distributed 1,636 pre-visit surveys, 1,220 of which were returned (75% response rate), and 1,124 post-visit surveys, 967 of which were returned (86% response rate). The patients in the sample had a mean age (and standard deviation) of 65 ± 10 years, 57% were female, 89% were white non-Hispanic, and 67% had knee osteoarthritis. The majority (67.2%) made informed patient-centered decisions, and the rate did not vary significantly between the DA groups (p = 0.97) or between the surgeon groups (p = 0.23). Knowledge scores were higher for the short-DA group (mean difference = 9%; p < 0.001). More than half of the sample (60.5%) had surgery within 6 months after the visit, and rates did not differ significantly by DA or surgeon group. Overall, the surgeons were highly satisfied and reported that the majority (88.7%) of the visits were of normal duration or shorter. CONCLUSIONS The DECIDE-OA study is, to our knowledge, the first randomized comparative effectiveness study of 2 orthopaedic DAs. The short DA outperformed the long DA with regard to knowledge scores and was comparable with respect to other outcomes. The surgeons reported high satisfaction and normal visit duration with both DAs. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Surgeons need to ensure that patients with osteoarthritis are well-informed and have a clear preference regarding whether to undergo hip or knee replacement surgery. The DAs used in this study may help surgeons involve patients in elective surgery decisions and meet the requirements of informed consent.
Constraints on contrast motivate nasal cluster dissimilation

Many languages exhibit nasal cluster dissimilation, in which an illicit sequence of nasal–stop clusters is modified in some way (e.g. NC1VNC2 → N1VNC2). This article discusses generalisations in the typology of nasal cluster dissimilation, and claims that nasal cluster dissimilation is driven by constraints on contrast distinctiveness: it occurs preferentially in those environments where the first NC is most confusable with a plain nasal consonant. I propose an analysis that appeals to auditory factors, and provide acoustic and perceptual evidence that is consistent with it.
Review of talimogene laherparepvec: A first-in-class oncolytic viral treatment of advanced melanoma.

Talimogene laherparepvec (T-VEC) is an oncolytic virus based on herpes simplex virus type 1 approved for intralesional treatment of advanced melanoma. In this article, we review the clinical literature on T-VEC for advanced melanoma and provide a practical approach to using T-VEC in the dermatologic surgery and oncology clinic. PubMed was used to conduct a systematic literature review of articles describing the structure, basic science, and clinical and therapeutic properties of T-VEC. The national clinical trials database was also searched for T-VEC clinical trials. Phase I to III clinical trials and early real-world experience have shown the efficacy of T-VEC in advanced melanoma as single or combination therapy with tolerable adverse effects. We conclude that with a standardized clinical approach and training, dermatologists can pave the way in using T-VEC and future oncolytic virus therapies in appropriate clinical scenarios.
Association between weather and Dall's sheep Ovis dalli dalli harvest success in Alaska

Although extensive research has been conducted on a variety of factors that influence wildlife harvest rates, few studies have quantified the impact of weather on harvest success. As global warming continues to contribute to unprecedented changes in local weather regimes, particularly in arctic and alpine ecosystems, understanding how these changes impact human–wildlife interactions will become increasingly important and relevant for wildlife managers. Therefore, we used a long-term dataset (1999–2015) on Dall's sheep Ovis dalli dalli, an alpine species in Alaska, USA, as a case study to explore how changes in local daily weather has affected hunter harvest success. We used generalized linear mixed models to estimate relationships between daily harvest count and weather variables using three separate models; all hunters, resident hunters and non-resident hunters. Weather variables included daily mean relative humidity, precipitation, air temperature and wind speed. For our model including all hunters, which excluded wind, we estimated that a mean increase in relative humidity, precipitation and temperature from one day to the next resulted in an 11.7, 4.3 and 2.9% decrease in daily harvest, respectively. The effect of relative humidity influenced harvest count two to three times more than all other weather variables across models. This study contributes to a limited body of knowledge on quantifying the impact of weather on harvest success and about how changes in weather affect hunter and wildlife behavior. Advancing knowledge on how weather influences variation in harvest may facilitate effective strategies for adapting hunting regulations to meet harvest and population goals.
Cooperative Output Regulation of Heterogeneous Multiagent Systems: A Global Distributed Control Synthesis Approach

Agent-wise local design methods to synthesize distributed control gains focus on the individual dynamics of each agent to guarantee the overall stability of the system. They are powerful tools due to their scalability. However, the agent-wise local design methods are incapable of maximizing the overall system performance through, for example, decay rate assignment. On the other hand, design methods, which are predicated on a global condition, leads to nonconvex optimization problems. This article considers a global design of an internal model-based distributed dynamic state feedback control law for the linear cooperative output regulation problem. We present a convex formulation of this global design problem based on a structured Lyapunov inequality. Then, the existence of solutions to the structured Lyapunov inequality is investigated. Specifically, we analytically show that the solutions exist for the systems satisfying the agent-wise local sufficient condition. Finally, we compare the proposed method with the agent-wise local design method through numerical examples in terms of conservatism, performance maximization, graph dependency, and scalability.
Magnetic phase dependence of the anomalous Hall effect in Mn3Sn single crystals

Thermodynamic and transport properties are reported on single crystals of the hexagonal antiferromagnet Mn3Sn grown by the Sn flux technique. Magnetization measurements reveal two magnetic phase transitions at T1 = 275 K and T2 = 200 K, below the antiferromagnetic phase transition at TN ≈ 420 K. The Hall conductivity in zero magnetic field is suppressed dramatically from 4.7 Ω−1 cm−1 to near zero below T1, coincident with the vanishing of the weak ferromagnetic moment. This illustrates that the large anomalous Hall effect arising from the Berry curvature can be switched on and off by a subtle change in the symmetry of the magnetic structure near room temperature.
Renal Cystic Disease

Cystic lesions are one of the most common abnormalities of the kidneys and are the most common asymptomatic space-occupying lesions (Lang 1973, 1980, 1986). While the vast majority of renal cysts are of the uncomplicated simple cyst variety, renal cystic disease comprises a heterogeneous group of developmental, acquired, and hereditary entities. A number of classifications based on appearance, location, associated disease, and hereditary factors have been proposed. Those that take into consideration radiographic findings have been found most useful for categorizing renal cystic disease for the radiologist’s use (Elkin and Bernstein 1969; Gleason et al. 1967; Grossman et al. 1968) (Table 9.1). Other classifications that have contributed greatly to our understanding of the disease have been based upon microdissection studies clarifying the morphology of different renal cystic disease entities (Osathanondh and Potter 1964).
Predicting initial electricity demand in off-grid Tanzanian communities using customer survey data and machine learning models

Abstract Mini-grids are the lowest-cost solutions for electrifying many homes and businesses in rural communities with low energy access. Estimates of the electricity demand of unelectrified customers are a crucial input to selecting mini-grid sites, projecting revenue, and sizing system components to provide adequate capacity while minimizing capital costs. Typical customer survey-based demand estimates for these communities — where there are no historical data — are not reliable, typically overpredicting demand. Here, we test a data-driven approach to demand prediction using survey and smart meter data from 1378 Tanzanian mini-grid customers. We found that models incorporating customer survey data into their predictions consistently out-performed a baseline model that did not. Our best-performing model, the LASSO, predicted daily electricity demand with a median absolute error of 66% and 37% for individual connections and mini-grid sites, respectively. Quantitative measures of variable importance show that most survey data are not useful for estimating demand. These results suggest that surveys should prioritize thorough inventories of prospective customers' currently-owned appliances instead of detailed demographic information or self-reported habits and plans. Pairing shortened questionnaires with smart meter data from preexisting mini-grids can improve estimates of initial customer electricity demand significantly compared to standard field practices.
Friendship and Cognitive Functioning among Married and Widowed Chinese Older Adults.

Objectives Guided by the social convoy model, this study investigated the association between friendship and cognitive functioning among older Chinese adults, as well as the moderating effect of marital status (married vs. widowed). We also explored whether depression might account for the link between friendship and cognitive functioning. Method We used data from the China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey in 2014 (N = 8,482). Cognitive functioning was measured with the Mini-Mental State Examination instrument and friendship was assessed with a three-item Lubben Social Network Scale. Linear regression and path analyses within a structural equation modeling framework were performed to examine the hypotheses. Results Results indicated that friendship was significantly related to better cognitive functioning among older Chinese adults (β = 0.083, p Discussion The results implied that friendship is important for maintaining cognitive functioning in later life and widowed older Chinese adults may benefit more from friendship in its relationship to cognitive functioning than married older Chinese adults. Further, one potential pathway linking friendship to cognitive functioning may be through depression; however, more research is needed to support this finding. Intervention programs aimed at building friendship opportunities may be one way to achieve better cognitive aging.
Optimal design of feedback control by inhibition

The local stability of unbranched biosynthetic pathways is examined by mathematical analysis and computer simulation using a novel nonlinear formalism that appears to accurately describe biochemical systems. Four factors affecting the stability are examined: strength of feedback inhibition, equalization of the values among the corresponding kinetic parameters for the reactions of the pathway, pathway length, and alternative patterns of feedback interaction. The strength of inhibition and the pattern of feedback interactions are important determinants of steady-state behavior. The simple pattern of end-product inhibition in unbranched pathways may have evolved because it optimizes the steady-state behavior and is temporally most responsive to change. Stability in these simple systems is achieved by shortening pathway length either physically or, in the case of necessarily long pathways, kinetically by a wide divergence in the values of the corresponding kinetic parameters for the reactions of the pathway. These conclusions are discussed in the light of available experimental evidence.
Glucagon like peptide-1 augments cardiac output during regional myocardial ischemia via increases in ventricular preload, independent of changes in cardiac inotropy (1150.6)

This study examined the cardiovascular effects of GLP-1 (7-36) vs. (9-36) in normal and ischemic hearts. Swine received systemic infusions of GLP-1 (7-36 or 9-36) at 1.5, 3.0, and 10.0 pmol/kg/min in sequence for 30 min at each dose. Subsequent to this dose response, vehicle or GLP-1 infusions were maintained at 10.0 pmol/kg/min and the left circumflex artery was ligated to induce regional ischemia. GLP-1 (9-36) had no effect on coronary flow, blood pressure, heart rate or indices of cardiac function before or during regional myocardial ischemia. GLP-1 (7-36) dose-dependently increased myocardial glucose uptake (1.3 + 0.8 to 5.5 + 1.9 μmol/min/g; p=0.05), but exerted no other cardiovascular effects prior to ischemia. During ischemia, GLP-1 (7-36) increased cardiac output by 2.4 L/min relative to vehicle-controls (p=0.003). Left ventricular pressure-volume loops measured during graded IVC occlusion revealed marked increases in end diastolic volume (74 + 1 to 92 + 5 mL;p=0.03) and calculated ventricular vol...
Changes in Plasma Apolipoproteins A-I, A-II, and B, and Lipoprotein Cholesterol After Jejunoileal Bypass

Abstract In view of the role of the small intestine in lipoprotein synthesis and bile salt reabsorption, we have determined plasma lipid fractions and apolipoproteins A-I, A-II, and B at regular intervals in 26 patients who underwent jejunoileal bypass surgery for morbid obesity. After surgery, no change in plasma triglycerides was noted, but there was a prompt and significant fall in total plasma cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol, which persisted beyond 2 yr. Plasma apolipoprotein B levels did not fall concurrently, and hence the protein/lipid composition of low density lipoprotein was permanently altered by the surgery. Levels of high density Jipoprotein cholesterol were low before bypass surgery, decreased after surgery, and rose thereafter toward the normal range. Similar changes in apolipoprotein A-I and A-II values were noted. These postoperative alterations in plasma lipid and apoprotein levels demonstrate the importance of intestinal absorptive integrity in the regulation of lipoprotein metabolism.
Diverticctlosis of the Small Intestine and Macrocytic Anemia with Report of Two Cases and Studies on Absorption of Radioactive Vitamis B12

The syndrome of diverticulosis of the small intestine associated with macrocytic anemia, with or without steatorrhea and other malabsorptive defects, is apparently rather rare since reports of only 19 cases could be found in the literature.1-17 Jejunal diverticulosis also may be used in defining this syndrome since all patients had diverticula of the jejunum although, in addition, some had diverticula in the duodenum, ileum, esophagus, stomach, colon or urinary bladder. In 5 cases complications or previous operative procedures might have contributed toward the production of the macrocytic anemia and steatorrhea. These included partial gastrectomy,!5 regional enteritis with ileal stenosis,!1 ileocolic fistula,14 resection of 2 feet of terminal ileum and anastomosis leaving a blind pouch of ascending colon,12. 13 and intermittent obstructive jaundice, apparently owing to pressure on the common bile duct by one of the diverticula. 17 The bone marrow ,vas studied in 16 patients and was found to be megaloblastic in 15. Subacute combined degeneration of the spinal cord, peripheral neuropathy, glossitis, histamine-fast achlorhydria, and icterus have been reported in some of the patients with this syndrome. Liver extract or vitamin B12 administered parenterally has been found effective in the treatment of the anemia. The similarity between the anemia associated with jejunal diverticulosis and pernicious anemia raises the question of coincident pernicious anemia. Such a coincidence can be excluded in most instances by the presence of free hydrochloric acid in the gastric secretion (in 10 of 16 tested) and the presence of steatorrhea (noted in 12 cases recorded). Badenoch, Bedford and Evans6 reported also that at necropsy the gastric mucosa was not characteristic of that usually seen in pernicious anemia in 2 cases. Pernicious anemia could not be excluded positively in 2 of the cases.1, 10 The chance association of jejunal diverticulosis and nontropical sprue must be considered in the cases with associated steatorrhea. However, this association seems unlikely since the steatorrhea in the reported cases was mild, the onset of diarrhea was usually sudden, it occurred when the patient was elderly and was accompanied by symptoms of partial intestinal obstruction, a deficiency pattern
An introduction to the mathematics of end-to-end quality of service in complex distributed information systems (DIS)

End-to-end quality of service (QoS/sub ete/) in large scale distributed information systems is the basis for intelligent system acquisition and design. Without the engineering capability to design systems that efficiently match resources to pre-defined user requirements, users either receive unacceptably low levels of service or expend unnecessary capital. The current barriers to achieving QoS/sub ete/ include a lack of understanding of user requirements, the lack of a practical interface between the users and system designers, the lack of a common framework for integration of concepts between the various areas of expertise within the system, and the lack of a mature composability theory that allows such systems to be designed in a modular sense. This paper assumes solutions to the first of these two barriers, adopts as its common framework for integration the Lawrence QoS model, and presents an introduction to the formalization of the mathematical foundation required to address the final barrier. After identifying the necessary mappings between the QoS model and both the user and the system, a rudimentary composability theory is presented for special cases within the model.
Physiology of human cortical neurons adjacent to cavernous malformations and tumors.

Summary: Purpose: Focal neocortical seizures can be associated with a number of specific pathologies including supratentorial tumors and cavernous malformations (CMs), both of which are highly epileptogenic. Methods: To begin to address the question of whether these lesions have different mechanisms of epileptogenesis, we used intracellular recordings from neurons adjacent to intracerebral neoplasms and cerebral CMs. Developmental anomalies were not included in this study. Results: Neurons adjacent to CMs had a greater propensity to show large (>5 mV), complex spontaneous synaptic events than did neurons neighboring neoplastic substrates (50 vs. 4.7% of cells and 75 and 8% of patients, respectively; p < 0.004; p < 0.05). Both spontaneous excitatory and inhibitory events were noted. In contrast, in tissue adjacent to tumors, low-amplitude (<3 mV) spontaneous excitatory activity predominated. Neurons neighboring CMs also exhibited more excitable responses to synaptic stimulation, with multiple action potentials riding on prolonged excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) being evoked in 71% of these cells, versus 32% of cells from the tumor group; p < 0.05. In studies using hippocampal tissue, we noted a similar pattern of spontaneous activity in tissue adjacent to CMs. Conclusions: These data suggest that CMs may induce seizure activity via a different pathophysiologic mechanism(s) than glial tumors.
A SOCIOLOGICAL LOOK AT CARITAS: A DIALOGUE WITH DURKHEIM

In one of his later works, Professional Ethics and Civic Morals, Durkheim makes a distinction between the concept of equality based on merit and equality based on charity. He proposed that the concept of merit is implied in the ethical justification of a fair contract and involves both distributive and commutative justice.
Complex Type III‐like radio emissions observed from 1 to 14 MHz

We present a morphological description of intense, complex type III-like radio emissions in the frequency range from 1 to 14 MHz. This previously unexplored frequency range, between ground-based and space-based observations, corresponds to the transition region (heliocentric distances from ∼2 to 10 R⊙) between the solar corona and interplanetary medium. The complex type III-like radio emissions, some of which are SA events [Cane et al., 1981], are found to have distinctly different radio signatures above and below ∼7 MHz. Above ∼7 MHz, the radio emissions consists of very rapid frequency-drifting structures with time scales of <16 seconds. Below ∼7 MHz, the radio emissions generally blend into slower frequency-drifting type III-like substructures, with the addition of short-duration very narrowband features that are either very slowly frequency drifting or nondrifting. In addition, there is generally a clear diminution in the radio intensity near 7 MHz.
Registration of ‘Mattern’ Waxy (Amylose-free) Winter Wheat

‘Mattern’ (Reg. No. CV-1092, PI 665947) hard winter waxy wheat (L.) was developed cooperatively by the USDA–ARS and the Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station and released in 2012. Mattern has red grain color and waxy (amylose-free) endosperm starch. It was released primarily for its unique end-use quality attributes and for grain yield competitive with currently grown Nebraska-adapted cultivars. The waxy starch is conditioned by the presence of three naturally occurring mutations that eliminate production of the enzyme granule-bound starch synthase. Granule-bound starch synthase synthesizes amylose in typical wheats and other cereal crops. Mattern was tested experimentally as NX04Y2107 and was selected from the cross NW98S061/99Y1442.
The second-order elastic constants of AgBrAgCl mixed crystals from 77 to 300 K

Abstract The three independent second-order elastic constants of four mixed AgBrAgCl single crystals have been measured from room temperature down to liquid nitrogen temperature. The single crystals, with 19.5, 39.1, 56.6 and 78.7 mol % AgCl, had (110) axes. The increase in each elastic constant over this temperature range is almost identical in each mixed crystal. The measured longitudinal constant C ' 11 = ( C 11 + C 12 + 2 C 44 )/2 increases by about 17%, the shear constant C 44 increases by about 10%, and the shear constant C 11 = ( C 11 − C 12 )/2 increases by about 48%. The measured bulk modulus B = ( C 11 +2 C 12 )/3 increases by about 15% as the lattice becomes stiffer. The changes in the elastic constants are basically linear down to approx. 150 K, where the temperature derivatives begin to decrease in magnitude. The deviation from the Cauchy relation, C 12 = C 44 , remains constant in each mixed crystal as the temperature decreases. The anisotropy, C ' C 44 , however, increases by about 33% in each crystal as the temperature decreases.
Expression of caveolin-3 in skeletal, cardiac, and smooth muscle cells. Caveolin-3 is a component of the sarcolemma and co-fractionates with dystrophin and dystrophin-associated glycoproteins.

Caveolae are microdomains of the plasma membrane that have been implicated in signal transduction. Caveolin, a 21–24-kDa integral membrane protein, is a principal component of the caveolae membrane. Recently, we and others have identified a family of caveolin-related proteins; caveolin has been retermed caveolin-1. Caveolin-3 is most closely related to caveolin-1, but caveolin-3 mRNA is expressed only in muscle tissue types. Here, we examine (i) the expression of caveolin-3 protein in muscle tissue types and (ii) its localization within skeletal muscle fibers by immunofluorescence microscopy and subcellular fractionation. For this purpose, we generated a novel monoclonal antibody (mAb) probe that recognizes the unique N-terminal region of caveolin-3, but not other members of the caveolin gene family. A survey of tissues and muscle cell types by Western blot analysis reveals that the caveolin-3 protein is selectively expressed only in heart and skeletal muscle tissues, cardiac myocytes, and smooth muscle cells. Immunolocalization of caveolin-3 in skeletal muscle fibers demonstrates that caveolin-3 is localized to the sarcolemma (muscle cell plasma membrane) and coincides with the distribution of another muscle-specific plasma membrane marker protein, dystrophin. In addition, caveolin-3 protein expression is dramatically induced during the differentiation of C2C12 skeletal myoblasts in culture. Using differentiated C2C12 skeletal myoblasts as a model system, we observe that caveolin-3 co-fractionates with cytoplasmic signaling molecules (G-proteins and Src-like kinases) and members of the dystrophin complex (dystrophin, α-sarcoglycan, and β-dystroglycan), but is clearly separated from the bulk of cellular proteins. Caveolin-3 co-immunoprecipitates with antibodies directed against dystrophin, suggesting that they are physically associated as a discrete complex. These results are consistent with previous immunoelectron microscopic studies demonstrating that dystrophin is localized to plasma membrane caveolae in smooth muscle cells.
A Velocity k-Space Analysis of Flow Effects in Echo-Planar and Spiral Imaging

A velocity k-space formalism facilitates the analysis of flow effects for imaging sequences involving time-varying gradients such as echo-planar and spiral. For each sequence, the velocity k-space trajectory can be represented by k v (k r ); that is, its velocity-frequency (k v ) position as a function of spatial-frequency (k r ) position. In an echo-planar sequence, k v is discontinuous and asymmetric. However, in a spiral sequence, k v is smoothly varying, circularly symmetric, and small near the k r origin. To compare the effects of these trajectory differences, simulated images were generated by computing the k-space values for an in-plane vessel with parabolic flow. Whereas the resulting echo-planar images demonstrate distortions and ghosting that depend on the vessel orientation, the spiral images exhibit minimal artifacts
Protecting and Enhancing Health: Community Engagement, Collaborations, and Incentives for Prevention

The US health care system and its reform has become a focal point of public debate, engaging many who traditionally have not participated in the dialogue around population health needs and resources. In this essay, we discuss aspects of a transformed health care system that addresses major health needs of Americans through health promotion, disease prevention, and personal health care (i.e., diagnosis and treatment). We bring attention to the role of communities and patients on the health issues with a focus on public (population) health practice, emphasizing collaboration among government health agencies at all levels and other health-related public and private organizations. This discussion is necessary, relevant, and timely because it is occurring concurrently with the emerging national, state, and local discourse on health reform. Significant funding targeting health system changes are already unfolding with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. (Steinbrook 2009; Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality 2009; US Department of Health & Human Services 2009). Given the context described, this commentary will specifically discuss recent health trends and systemic approaches that:
Shock Tube Study of Syngas Ignition in Rich CO2 Mixtures and Determination of the Rate of H + O2 + CO2 → HO2 + CO2

Ignition delay times for stoichiometric syngas mixtures with a large excess of CO2 were measured behind reflected shock waves in the following range: temperatures of 974−1160 K, pressures of 1.1−2.6 atm, and a syngas/air mixture of H2 = 8.91%, O2 = 10.25%, CO = 11.58%, CO2 = 24.44%, and N2 = 44.83%. Comparisons with the predictions of recent syngas kinetic mechanisms show that well-validated mechanisms are able to capture the trends in data. Sensitivity analyses indicate the importance of the chain branching H + O2 = O + OH (R1) reaction along with the termination H + O2 + CO2 = HO2 + CO2 (R2) reaction for the entire experimental range. Measurement of k2 was then carried out near 1300 K and 8 atm in separate experiments using narrow-line-width OH laser absorption. Current k2 data along with a previous low-temperature study are in good agreement with the widely used GRI-Mech v3.0 natural gas mechanism. Hence we recommend the low-pressure limiting expression provided by GRI-Mech v3.0 mechanism, k0(CO2) = 4....
Novel coatings from soybean oil phosphate ester polyols

Novel coatings with excellent properties have been formulated from polyols derived from the renewable resource soybean oil. Partially and fully epoxidized soybean oils (ESBO) were converted to novel soybean oil phosphate ester polyols (SOPEP) which were successfully incorporated into solventborne and waterborne bake coatings. Thermally cured waterborne alkyd coatings were produced with improved coating adhesion, low volatile organic compounds (VOC), excellent impact resistance, good hardness, less severe curing conditions, and lower cost. Solventborne alkyd coatings gave similar results. Soybean oil phosphate ester polyols appear to offer the coatings industry a low cost route to tough, durable, environmentally compliant, high performance coatings.
The reactivity of his-57 in chymotrypsin to alkylation

Variations in the structure of TPCK, the chloromethylketone derived from tosylphenylalanine have been examined as inactivators of chymotrypsin. An N α -acyl group is not essential for the exclusive alkylation of His-57 in chymotrypsin, but elimination of the α-amino group has been shown to favor methionine modification. The nature of the N α -acyl substituent has a considerable effect on the rate of inactivation which, in the case of the benzyloxycarbonyl derivatives ZPCK and ZPBK, is about 10 6 -fold greater with His-57 in chymotrypsin than with acetyl histidine as a model.
New Aquatic Activities and Games for Secondary Physical Education

(2012). New Aquatic Activities and Games for Secondary Physical Education. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance: Vol. 83, No. 2, pp. 13-34.