cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Response of accessions within tomato wild species, Solanum pimpinellifolium to late blight

Late blight (LB), caused by the oomycete Phytophthora infestans, is one of the most devastating diseases of the cultivated tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) worldwide. Most commercial cultivars of tomato are susceptible to LB. Previously, three major LB resistance genes (Ph-1, Ph-2, Ph-3) were identified and incorporated into a few commercial cultivars of tomato. Reduced effectiveness and potential breakdown of the resistance genes has necessitated identification, characterization and utilization of new sources of resistance. We evaluated the response of 67 accessions of the wild tomato species, S. pimpinellifolium to LB, under multiple field and greenhouse (GH) conditions and compared them with six control genotypes. Sixteen accessions were identified with strong LB resistance in both field and GH experiments. However, 12 accessions exhibited resistance similar to a control line which was homozygous for Ph-2 + Ph-3. Genotyping accessions with molecular markers for Ph-2 and Ph-3 were not conclusive, indicating that resistance in these accessions could be due to these or other resistance genes. Strong correlations were observed between field and GH disease response and between foliar and stem infection.
Use of remote monitoring to improve outcomes in patients with heart failure: a pilot trial

Remote monitoring (RM) of homebound heart failure (HF) patients has previously been shown to reduce hospital admissions. We conducted a pilot trial of ambulatory, non-homebound patients recently hospitalized for HF to determine whether RM could be successfully implemented in the ambulatory setting. Eligible patients from Massachusetts General Hospital (n = 150) were randomized to a control group (n = 68) or to a group that was offered RM (n = 82). The participants transmitted vital signs data to a nurse who coordinated care with the physician over the course of the 6-month study. Participants in the RM program had a lower all-cause per person readmission rate (mean = 0.64, SD ± 0.87) compared to the usual care group (mean = 0.73, SD ± 1.51; P-value = .75) although the difference was not statistically significant. HF-related readmission rate was similarly reduced in participants. This pilot study demonstrates that RM can be successfully implemented in non-homebound HF patients and may reduce readmission rates.
The Effect of Model Misspecification on Semi-Supervised Classification

Semi-supervised classification-training both on labeled and unlabeled observations-can yield improved performance compared to the classifier based on only the labeled observations. Unlabeled observations are always beneficial to classification if the model we assume is correct. However, they may degrade the classifier performance when the model is misspecified. In the classical classification problem setting, many factors affect the semi-supervised performance, including training data, model specification, estimation method, and the classifier itself. For concreteness, we consider maximum likelihood estimation in finite mixture models and the Bayes plug-in classifier, due to their ubiquitousness and tractability. In this specific setting, we examine the effect of model misspecification on semi-supervised classification performance and shed some light on when and why performance degradation occurs.
Salmonella Type III Secretion-Associated Protein InvE Controls Translocation of Effector Proteins into Host Cells

Salmonella enterica encodes a type III secretion system (TTSS) within a pathogenicity island located at centisome 63 (SPI-1), which is essential for its pathogenicity. This system mediates the transfer of a battery of bacterial proteins into the host cell with the capacity to modulate cellular functions. The transfer process is dependent on the function of protein translocases SipB, SipC, and SipD. We report here that Salmonella protein InvE, which is also encoded within SPI-1, is essential for the translocation of bacterial proteins into host cells. An S. enterica serovar Typhimurium mutant carrying a loss-of-function mutation in invE shows reduced secretion of SipB, SipC, and SipD while exhibiting increased secretion of other TTSS effector proteins. We also demonstrate that InvE interacts with a protein complex formed by SipB, SipC, and their cognate chaperone, SicA. We propose that InvE controls protein translocation by regulating the function of the Sip protein translocases.
Utility from anticipation and personal equilibrium

I develop a dynamic model of individual decisionmaking in which the agent derives utility from physical outcomes as well as from rational beliefs about physical outcomes (“anticipation”), and these two payoff components can interact. Beliefs and behavior are jointly determined in a personal equilibrium by the requirement that behavior given past beliefs must be consistent with those beliefs. I explore three phenomena made possible by utility from anticipation, and prove that if the decisionmaker’s behavior is distinguishable from a person’s who cares only about physical outcomes, she must exhibit at least one of these phenomena. First, the decisionmaker can be prone to self-fulfilling expectations. Second, she might be time-inconsistent even if her preferences in all periods are identical. Third, she might exhibit informational preferences, where these preferences are intimately connected to her attitudes toward disappointments. Applications of the framework to reference-dependent preferences, impulsive behaviors, and emotionally difficult choices are discussed.
Levels of DNA topoisomerases, single-stranded-DNA-binding protein, and DNA polymerase I in rho+ and rho-15 strains of Escherichia coli.

Abstract The Escherichia coli rho-15 mutant, which is highly defective in transcription termination, was examined to see whether its reduced DNA superhelicity could be explained by altered expression of proteins that may affect DNA structure. Levels of DNA gyrase and topoisomerase I were normal; levels of single-stranded-DNA-binding protein, DNA polymerase I, and a protein tentatively identified as Lon were significantly altered.
A MapReduce-Enabled Scientific Workflow Composition Framework

MapReduce has recently gained a lot of attention as a parallel programming model for scalable data-intensive business and scientific analysis. In order to benefit from this powerful programming model in a scientific workflow environment, we propose a MapReduce-enabled scientific workflow composition framework consisting of: i) a dataflow based scientific workflow model that separates the declaration of the workflow interface from the definition of its functional body; ii) a set of dataflow constructs, including Map, Reduce, Loop, and Conditional, and their composition semantics to enable MapReduce-style scientific workflows; iii) an XML-based scientific workflow specification language, called WSL, in which both Map and Reduce are fully composable with other dataflow constructs in both flat and hierarchical manners. Besides leveraging the power of MapReduce to the workflow level, our workflow composition framework is unique in that workflows are the only operands for composition; in this way, our approach elegantly solves the two-world problem of existing composition frameworks, in which composition needs to deal with both the world of tasks and the world of workflows. The proposed framework is implemented and a case study is conducted to validate our techniques.
STUDIES ON THE MECHANISM OF ACTION OF IONIZING RADIATIONS I. INHIBITION OF ENZYMES BY X-RAYS

Dilute solutions of sulfhydryl enzymes (phosphoglyceraldehyde dehydrogenase, adenosinetriphosphatase, succinoxidase) showed reduced activity on irradiation by small amounts of x-rays. When the inhibition was partial the enzyme was reactivated on addition of glutathione. When the inhibition was more complete, reactivation was only partial. These observations are interpreted as being due to oxidation of the -SH groups of the protein by the products of water irradiation, the radicals OH and O(2)H, and H(2)O(2) and atomic oxygen. The irreversible inhibition which occurs when the dose of x-rays is increased is attributed to protein denaturation. Inhibition of the non-sulfhydryl enzymes trypsin, catalase, and ribonuclease, which required larger amounts of x-rays, is attributed to protein denaturation. These experiments are further evidence that inhibition of enzymes by ionizing radiations is due to the indirect action of the products of irradiated water rather than to direct ionization of the enzyme through collision with the ionizing radiation.
Optimal Local Propensities for Model Proteins

Lattice models of proteins were used to examine the role of local propen- sities in stabilizing the native state of a protein, using techniques drawn from spin-glass theory to characterize the free-energy landscapes. In the strong evolutionary limit, optimal condi- tions for folding are achieved when the contri- butions from local interactions to the stability of the native state is small. Further increasing the local interactions rapidly decreases the foldability. o 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Managing Food Production Systems for Resilience

Managing food production systems on a sustainable basis is one of the most critical challenges for the future of humanity, for the obvious reason that people cannot survive without food. Ecosystem health is both a “means” and an “end” to resilient crop and animal production. Being fundamentally dependent on the world’s atmosphere, soils, freshwater, and genetic resources, these systems generate some of the most essential ecosystem services on the planet. They are also the largest global consumers of land and water, the greatest threats to biodiversity through habitat change and invasive species, significant sources of air and water pollution in many locations, and major determinants of biogeochemical change from local to global scales (Matson et al. 1997, Vitousek et al. 1997, Naylor 2000, Smil 2000). The inherent interplay between human welfare, food production, and the state of the world’s natural resources underscores the need to manage these systems for resilience—to anticipate change and shape it in ways that lead to the long-run health of human populations, ecosystems, and environmental quality.
Psychosocial Contributions to Psychopathy and Violence

Many, perhaps most, psychopaths are sometimes violent. Psychopaths also count heavily among criminally violent populations (Hare & McPherson, 1984). Because of this strong overlap between psychopathy and violent criminals, research regarding the contributions that psychological and social conditions make to the one are confounded by their contributions to the other. Nevertheless, it is well to attempt identification of the psychopaths among those who are violent. Failure to make such identification confounds disease with its symptoms. Imagine, as a parallel, attempting to find the causes and cures for fevers without looking for underlying differentiation based on clusters of concomitant symptoms. One ought not expect the same correlates or causes for violence among psychopaths and violence among others. Nor is it likely that the means for preventing violence will be the same for people motivated in different ways. Therefore, the identification of psychopaths among those who are violent is likely to contribute to a clearer understanding of the causes of violence and to its control.
Alcohol consumption and cognitive impairment among Korean older adults: does gender matter?

Background:This study investigated gender differences in the relationship between alcohol consumption and cognitive impairment among older adults in South Korea.Methods:Using data from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing, 2,471 females and 1,657 males were analyzed separately. Cognitive impairment was measured based on the Korean version of the Mini-Mental State Exam score. Logistic regression was conducted to examine the relationship between alcohol consumption and cognitive impairment among Korean older adults.Results:Multivariate analysis showed that compared to moderate drinkers, past drinkers were more likely to be cognitively impaired for women, while heavy drinkers were more likely to be cognitively impaired for men.Conclusions:Findings suggest that the relationship between alcohol consumption and cognition varies with gender. Clinicians and service providers should consider gender differences when developing strategies for the prevention and treatment of alcohol-related cognitive decline among older adults.
A Review of “Ronald Reagan”

Ronald Reagan left the White House in 1989 with the highest approval rating of any president in the last half of the twentieth century. In 2007, three years after his death, a Gallup poll named him...
Developing a trauma curriculum for anesthesiology residents and fellows.

Purpose of review The board certification process for qualification by the American Board of Anesthesiology is undergoing significant review. A basic sciences examination has been added to the process and the traditional oral examination is evolving into a combined oral interview and practical skills assessment. These recent developments, as well as the growing body of evidence regarding the resuscitation of trauma patients, call for a revision in the curriculum beyond the documentation of participation in the anesthetics of 20 trauma patients. Recent findings The implications of the 80-h work week are beginning to be appreciated. The development of a new trauma curriculum must take this significant change in residency training into account while incorporating modern educational theory (e.g. simulation) and new data on the resuscitation of trauma patients. Summary Currently, the curriculum for trauma anesthesia requires only that residents participate in the anesthetics of 20 trauma patients. There is no plan for, and little literature regarding, a more extensive educational program. This offers a unique opportunity to innovate a novel curriculum in the anesthesiology residency. The American Society of Anesthesiologists Committee on Trauma and Emergency Preparedness has designed a curriculum that can serve as a template for this important step forward in anesthesiology education.
The Unrepentant Fire: Tragic Limitations in Hisaye Yamamoto's "Seventeen Syllables"

"Seventeen Syllables," perhaps the most anthologized, acclaimed and analyzed short story by Hisaye Yamamoto, epitomizes the com- plex rendering of characters within an intricately drawn plot charac- teristic of her larger body of works. Yamamoto masks a secondary, deeper plot concerning the relationship between Mr. and Mrs. Hayashi in an ostensibly larger, primary plot relating a stage in the maturation of their daughter Rosie, narrated from her limited point of view.' In analyzing the dynamics of the husband-wife relationship within this "subplot," critical commentary is aligned on the discus- sion of the role of the male. McDonald and Newman state that "the wife (Mrs. Hayashi) seeks release (from an unhappy marriage) through the writing of haiku," and as a result begs her daughter nev- er to marry (28). The cause of her unhappiness is revealed by Stan Yogi in his description of the actions of the male, "who becomes in- creasingly intolerant of his wife's literary preoccupation, erupts in anger and violently destroys the prize she wins, a Hiroshiges print" (170). The negative assessment of the male's role in the tragic end of "Seventeen Syllables" is further developed in King-Kok Cheung's in- troduction to the 1982 volume entitled Seventeen Syllables and Other Stories: "But her husband, a farmer who is indifferent to her creative endeavors, expresses disapproval and resentment whenever she en- gages in long discussions of poetry with people who share her inter- ests. Mr. Hayashi becomes increasingly impatient while his wife dis- cusses poetry with the editor in the main house, and finally stalks in- side in anger and emerges with the prize picture" (xviii). Cheung describes the father's final act as "cruelty," an "outrage," and "a jeal- ous husband's fury" while remarking upon the wife's "anguish" as a direct result (xix). Charles Crow clearly perceives the female as the victim, murdered by "the ineptitude and brutality of the men she has known" ("Issei Father" 35). In an unusually accusatory critique of the author, he blames Yamamoto for his perception of her negative de-
Study on processing technology of pressure vessels of hybrid fiber composite

Strength and strain of Φ 150mm pressure vessels made of hybrid fiber composite in differemt intraply and interlaminar forms are studied.The results show that the strength of all the hybrid reinforced pressure vessels in either intraply or interlaminar form are similar but lower than that of the vessels made of pure carben fiber or pure F12 fiber composite.However,hybrid fiber composite vessels have higher stiffness and the axial strain is lower than that of pure F12 reinforced vessels.
Research on Attract High Quality Students in College Enrollment Work

The quality of the resources of students has a direct impact on the level of running a high school.Striving for the resources of students,high school should pay more attention to the comprehensive strength,make scientific and reasonable enrollment plans,adopt effective propaganda methods,establish the bases of the resources of students actively,well arrange the employment work of the graduate students,and regulate the enrollment work and so on.Only in this way the quality of the resources of students can be improved and more qualified talents can be cultivated.
SURGICAL TREATMENT OF SIGMOID DIVERTICULITIS

The diagnosis and treatment of sigmoid diverticulitis presents several challenges to gastroenterologists and colorectal surgeons, challenges both logistical and technical. An algorithm is presented that may assist in the process of diagnosis and treatment. Young patients may be offered elective surgery after one proven severe attack of diverticulitis, but the timing of surgery in older patients with recurrent disease is more dependent on individual case-by-case decisions than a general rule. Important surgical principles are (1.) to resect all disease at the first operation; (2.) to avoid a primary anastomosis in the urgent situation unless all factors are favorable; (3.) to perform a minimal resection in the urgent case; (4.) to resect all distal disgmoid when operating definitively.
Development and Validation of a Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry Method for the Quantitation of Microcystins in Blue-Green Algal Dietary Supplements

A liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed for the simultaneous detection and quantitation of seven microcystin congeners (1-7) and nodularin-R (8) in blue-green algal dietary supplements. Single-laboratory method validation data were collected in four supplement matrices (capsule, liquid, powder, and tablet) fortified at toxin concentrations from 0.25-2.00 μg/g (ppm). Average recoveries and relative standard deviations (RSD) using matrix-corrected solvent calibration curves were 101% (6% RSD) for all congeners and supplements investigated. Limits of detection (0.006-0.028 μg/g) and quantitation (0.018-0.084 μg/g) were sufficient to confirm the presence of microcystin contamination at the Oregon-mandated guidance concentration of 1.0 μg of microcystin-LReq/g. Quantitated concentrations of microcystin contamination in market-available Aphanizomenon flos-aquae blue-green algal supplements ranged from 0.18-1.87 μg of microcystin-LReq/g for detected congeners microcystin-LR, microcystin-LA, and microcystin-LY (3-5). Microcystin-RR, -YR, -LW, and -LF and nodularin-R (1, 2, and 6-8) were not detected in the supplements examined.
Annotating Location Semantic Tags in LBSN Using Extreme Learning Machine

In recent years, location-based social networks have become very popular. However, it is difficult to extract proper location features from constrained users’ check-in activities datasets. In this paper, by capturing the check-in activities of similar users, we propose a new extracting location feature method similar user pattern (SUP) to automatically annotate category tags for all locations lacking semantic tags. Extreme learning machine (ELM) is well-known for having a faster learning speed and good generalization performance, so we apply a binary ELM to train extracting location features for each tag in the tag space in order to support multi-label classification. We also combined with other existing feature extraction methods to train ELM aimed for finding the most effective feature combinations for annotating semantic tags. Finally, to verify the effectiveness and efficiency, we conduct experimental study based on a real dataset collected from Foursquare, which is popular LBSN service. The results show that our proposed method SUP is effective in annotating semantic tag for locations.
Boundaries of Loyalty: Testimony against Fellow Jews in Non-Jewish Courts

Talmudic legislation prescribed penalty for a Jew to testify in a non-Jewish court, against a fellow Jew, to benefit a gentile - for breach of a duty of loyalty to a fellow Jew. Through close textual analysis, Saul Berman explores how Jewish jurists responded when this virtue of loyalty conflicted with values such as Justice, avoidance of desecration of God's Name, deterrence of crime, defence of self, protection of Jewish community, and the duty to adhere to Law of the Land. Essential for scholars and graduate students in Talmud, Jewish law and comparative law, this key volume details the nature of these loyalties as values within the Jewish legal system, and how the resolution of these conflicts was handled. Berman additionally explores why this issue has intensified in contemporary times and how the related area of 'Mesirah' has wrongfully come to be prominently associated with this law regulating testimony.
Mother-Child Communication: The Function of Maternal-Language Input

The function of maternal-language input in a female child's initial language acquisition (from birth to twenty months) was studied to determine in what ways maternal behavior and language might be ...
The Deterrent Effect of Employee Whistleblowing on Firms' Financial Misreporting and Tax Aggressiveness

ABSTRACT: U.S. laws provide explicit whistleblower protections and direct regulators to adopt ambitious programs to reward whistleblowing. However, there is limited evidence on whether employee whistleblowing deters financial misreporting and tax aggressiveness. Using a sample of employee whistleblower cases obtained from the U.S. government, I provide evidence that firms subject to whistleblowing allegations exhibit significant decreases in financial misreporting and tax aggressiveness, compared with control firms. I find that this deterrent effect persists for at least two years beyond the year of the allegation. JEL Classifications: H25; M41; M48. Data Availability: All data are available from public sources identified in the paper.
Gene Signature of Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare deadly disease with limited therapeutic options. The application of tailored treatments may increase the efficacy of therapies. The promise of precision medicine is to improve human health by combining biomarkers with clinical data. Therefore, the discovery of gene signatures correlated to clinical characteristics is fundamental to identify patients that can benefit from a specific treatment. Although the “omics”-based analyses have become affordable and enabled a rapid identification of potential biomarkers, the application of gene signatures to personalized clinical decisions in order to improve patient outcome has not been delivered yet. Several attempts have been made using many different technologies such as sequencing, expression, and methylation arrays, and different signatures potentially specific to MPM have been generated. However, the lack of statistical power due to the absence of validation in large cohorts of samples has limited the implementation of these gene signatures in clinical practice. Large-scale validations in prospective cohorts are needed to bring the most promising gene signatures into the clinic.
Citybook Services, Ltd

One of Israel's most important assets was its relatively highly educated population, which included many native English speakers. The founders of CityBook Services, Ltd., determined that one of the greatest untapped sources of potential workers was the female population of the ultra-Orthodox Haredi community, most of whom did not hold jobs outside the home. By structuring a work environment that met this labor market's unique needs and providing extensive training specific to each task and client, CityBook cultivated the work force necessary to grow rapidly, while retaining those employees. Its main challenge was balancing the needs of its workers and those of its existing and potential clients: Could CityBook continue to expand and still maintain its reputation as a singular employer of Haredim? Excerpt UVA-om-1508 Rev. Mar. 24, 2014 CITYBOOK SERVICES, LTD. CityBook Services, Ltd. (CityBook), was founded in Israel in 2003 by three real estate professionals who owned a title agency in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Founders Joseph I. Rosenbaum, Abish Brodt, and Elliot S. Zaks were looking to outsource title searches and other paralegal work from their agency, and they knew that these specialized tasks necessitated a work force that was highly educated and had a strong facility with the English language. For these and other reasons, they determined that Israel, which had a large population of professionally educated U.S. expatriates and other native English speakers, would be a perfect location for their new venture. The time zone difference between the United States and Israel was also beneficial: attorneys and other clients could place orders during the U.S. workday or evening, Israeli workers could complete the requests while the clients slept, and the finished work could be virtually placed on clients' desks by morning. Founders Rosenbaum, Brodt, and Zaks determined that one of the greatest untapped sources of these educated, English-speaking workers in Israel was the female population of the ultra-Orthodox Jewish Haredi community (plural Haredim). All three founders were themselves Haredi. Male members of the Haredi community were, according to religious custom, charged with intense, daily religious study of Jewish texts. Haredi women typically took care of the household and children and also earned the family income, meaning they had to successfully balance their job hours with significant primary parenting and household-management responsibilities, on top of adhering to other important religious lifestyle customs. By structuring a work environment in accordance with this labor market's unique needs and providing extensive training specific to each task and client, CityBook cultivated the work force necessary to grow rapidly from its initial 8 employees to more than 350 workers in 2013. An astronomical 95% employee retention rate meant that CityBook's significant investment in training and customized client solutions did not walk out the door along with an employee who was moving on, but rather stayed with the company as it grew. Israel and the Haredi Population . . .
Diagnostic Accuracy of Ultrasound for Identifying Shoulder Dislocations and Reductions: A Systematic Review of the Literature.

Introduction Patients with shoulder dislocations commonly present to the Emergency Department. Ultrasound has the potential to save time, radiation exposure, healthcare costs, and potential need for re-sedation. This systematic review was conducted to compare the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound compared with plain radiography in the assessment of shoulder dislocations. Methods PubMed, Scopus, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched for relevant trials. Primary data and test characteristics were obtained for all included studies. QUADAS-2 was utilized to assess study quality. Meta-analysis was not performed due to significant heterogeneity. Results Five studies met our inclusion criteria, comprising 541 assessments with 204 dislocations. Most studies had a sensitivity of 100% for identifying dislocations except for two studies. One study demonstrated a sensitivity of 54% and the other study had only one dislocation that was misidentified. All studies were 100% specific for detecting dislocation. Discussion Ultrasound may be considered as an alternative diagnostic method for the detection of shoulder dislocation and reduction, but further studies are necessary before routine use.
Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of nicotine-induced dopamine release in squirrel monkeys using [18F]Fallypride

Abstract Background Nicotine, the principal psychoactive tobacco constituent, is thought to produce its reinforcing effects via actions within the mesolimbic dopamine (DA) system. The objective of the current study was to examine the effect of nicotine on DA D2/D3 receptor availability in the nonhuman primate brain with the use of the radioligand [18F]fallypride and positron emission tomography (PET). Methods Ten adult male squirrel monkeys were used in the current study. Each subject underwent two PET scans, one with an injection (IV) of saline and subsequently one with an injection of nicotine (0.032 mg/kg). The DA D2/D3 antagonist, [18F]fallypride, was delivered IV at the beginning of each scan, and nicotine or saline was delivered at 45 min into the scan. Regions of interest (ROI) were drawn on specific brain regions and these were used to quantify standard uptake values (SUVs). The SUV is defined as the average concentration of radioactivity in the ROI x body weight/injected dose. Using the cerebellum as a reference region, SUV ratios (SUVROI/SUVcerebellum) were calculated to compare saline and nicotine effects in each ROI. Results Two-way repeated ANOVA revealed a significant decrease of SUV ratios in both striatal and extrastriatal regions following an injection of nicotine during the PET scans. Conclusions Like other drugs of abuse, these results indicate that nicotine administration may produce DA release, as suggested by the decrease in [18F]fallypride signal in striatal regions. These findings from a nonhuman primate model provide further evidence that the mesolimbic DA system is affected by the use of products that contain nicotine.
From Job Passion to Work Engagement: The Mediating Role of Fit and the Moderating Role of Trust

We examine how employees’ job passion, either harmonious (HJP) or obsessive (OJP), can determine the extent of their job and organizational engagement. Using a person-environment fit framework, we ...
Titrating Oxygen Requirements During Exercise: Evaluation of a Standardized Single Walk Test Protocol

Background Oxygen supplementation for exercise-induced hypoxemia is a common clinical practice that improves exercise tolerance. However, we know of no standardized exercise oxygen titration protocol using a single walk test. We report our experience with a protocol developed in our laboratory. Methods Our protocol is based on the 6-min walk test (6MWT). Pulse oximetry readings (oxygen saturation [Spo 2 ]) are monitored, and supplemental oxygen is added in 2 L/min increments to keep Spo 2 > 88%. This continues for at least 6 min of walking with the Spo 2 remaining > 88% for at least 3 min. The records of consecutive patients over 4 months undergoing this procedure were reviewed for test performance, oxygen titration results, and adverse events. Results Two hundred twenty-two patients were tested; only two prematurely terminated the protocol because of intractable dyspnea. One hundred fifty-six patients (38%) required oxygen supplementation, with the first titration most commonly occurring between 1 and 2 min of walking. Nine of the patients had the first titration after 5 min of walking. The average test duration was 7 min (maximum, 15 min). The average number of titrations was 2.2 (maximum six). Sixteen patients could not maintain Spo 2 > 88% for 3 min despite administration of 15 L/min of supplemental oxygen (maximal dose). Conclusions Our protocol was easily performed as a modification of a standard 6MWT with no serious adverse events. Because it is based on a widely accepted measurement of functional capabilities, and because it determined a stable final oxygen dose for ≥ 3 min of walking in most patients, we believe this protocol can be easily adapted for clinical use.
Implementation of vaginal cleansing prior to cesarean delivery to decrease endometritis rates.

Background: Endometritis is a postpartum complication that is more common after cesarean delivery. It frequently requires intravenous antibiotic administration, prolonged hospital stays, and carrie...
Predicting disk scheduling performance with virtual machines

A method for predicting the performance of disk scheduling algorithms on real machines using only their performance on virtual machines is suggested. The method uses a dynamically loaded kernel intercept probe (iprobe ) to adjust low-level virtual device timing to match that of a simple model derived from the real device. An example is provided in which the performance of a newly proposed disk scheduling algorithm is compared with that of standard Linux algorithms. The advantage of the proposed method is that reasonable performance predictions may be made without dedicated measurement platforms and with only relatively limited knowledge of the performance characteristics of the targeted devices.
Beyond amyloid: the future of therapeutics for Alzheimer's disease.

Abstract Currently, the field is awaiting the results of several pivotal Phase III clinical Alzheimer’s disease (AD) trials that target amyloid-β (Aβ). In light of the recent biomarker studies that indicate Aβ levels are at their most dynamic 5–10 years before the onset of clinical symptoms, it is becoming uncertain whether direct approaches to target Aβ will achieve desired clinical efficacy. AD is a complex neurodegenerative disease caused by dysregulation of numerous neurobiological networks and cellular functions, resulting in synaptic loss, neuronal loss, and ultimately impaired memory. While it is clear that Aβ plays a key role in the pathogenesis of AD, it may be a challenging and inefficient target for mid-to-late stage AD intervention. Throughout the course of AD, multiple pathways become perturbed, presenting a multitude of possible therapeutic avenues for design of AD intervention and prophylactic therapies. In this chapter, we sought to first provide an overview of Aβ-directed strategies that are currently in development, and the pivotal Aβ-targeted trials that are currently underway. Next, we delve into the biology and therapeutic designs associated with other key areas of research in the field including tau, protein trafficking and degradation pathways, ApoE, synaptic function, neurotrophic/neuroprotective strategies, and inflammation and energy utilization. For each area we have provided a comprehensive and balanced overview of the therapeutic strategies currently in preclinical and clinical development, which will shape the future therapeutic landscape of AD.
Empire, Enlightenment, and Regalism: New Directions in Eighteenth-Century Spanish History

‘It is supposed’, Julian Marias once observed, that eighteenth-century Spanish history ‘is little more than a desert, where a few modest plants flower, all of little beauty and without scent’. The publication of the books reviewed here indicates not merely a haphazard revival of interest, but draws attention to persistent, and still unresolved, scholarly debates concerning eighteenth-century Spanish intellectual and imperial history. The Spanish Bourbons inaugurated reforms of their peninsular and overseas kingdoms and sought to replace the diffuse and unwieldy structures of governance inherited from their Habsburg predecessors. They strove to create a central bureaucracy, based on Madrid, and equipped with the revenue-generating devices necessary to restore the monarchy’s prestige, to re-insert Spain as a military force in European politics, and to defend its sovereignty over a far-flung empire against the relentless encroachments of non-Spanish commercial agents european history quarterly 
Cyclosporin protects the eyelid skin from injury after injection of doxorubicin.

Purpose. The myotoxic drug doxorubicin can treat blepharospasm and hemifacial spasm permanently when injected directly into the eyelid of patients. One side effect of this treatment is the dose-related occurrence of injury to the skin overlying the injection site. The purpose of this study was to determine if injection of the immunosuppressive agent cyclosporin into rabbit eyelids before doxorubicin treatment could reduce the occurrence of injury to the overlying skin and to determine the effect of cyclosporin pretreatment on doxorubicin-induced muscle fiber loss. Methods. Anesthetized rabbits received injections of varying doses of cyclosporin 20 minutes before injection of either 0.5, 1, or 2 mg doxorubicin. The rabbits were examined daily, and epithelial changes were recorded as to duration, time of onset, and healing. When the skin was completely healed, the animals were killed and eyelid tissue was prepared for morphometric determination of muscle fiber number. Acute inflammation was quantitatively assessed using an Evans blue assay. Results. At specified doses, cyclosporin improved the doxorubicin chemomyectomy protocol in three ways. It delayed the onset of skin injury at the higher doses of doxorubicin, and it markedly decreased the duration of skin injury. At some doses, cyclosporin completely prevented the formation of epithelial defects. The combination, however, did not increase muscle loss compared to doxorubicin alone ; in fact, it had a slightly myoprotective effect. A dose range for cyclosporin administration was determined that resulted in a quantitative and dose-dependent reduction in inflammation at the injection site. Conclusions. The injection of cyclosporin into the eyelids before doxorubicin treatment delayed the onset, reduced the duration, and limited the extent of development of eyelid skin injury. Perhaps by limiting cytokine release, cyclosporin decreased the inflammatory reaction compared to that seen with doxorubicin alone. This combination has the potential to improve patient acceptance of doxorubicin chemomyectomy for the treatment of blepharospasm and hemifacial spasm. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1995 ;36 :1433-1440.
Germ Shed Management in the United States

The US Medicare program reimburses only for discrete treatments of individuals with infections, but fails to pay for infection control or antibiotic stewardship more generally. By focusing solely on discrete hospitals and patients, Medicare ignores the larger epidemiological reality—that hospitals, nursing homes and other institutions operate within a germ shed. Under current Medicare rules, institutions that invest in infection control or antibiotic stewardship may actually lose money and benefit rival firms in the market. In effect, current Medicare rules subsidize MRSA pollution.
Neglected Questions at the Interface of Psychology and Religion

Critical questions basic to all research at the interface of psychology and religion are customarily neglected: what does it mean to regard and/or interpret any experience, event, or phenomenon as religious or psychological? Through what kinds of processes does one make these judgments and assign these descriptions? Can an experience, event, or phenomenon be both religious and psychological? Are these interpretations mutually exclusive of one another? May they be mutually enhancing? Could they compete and conflict? The essay addresses these questions in two parts. The first part presents an account of an event that may be regarded as religious and/or psychological. With reference to this account, it argues on behalf of approaching language as a tool, and in that context discusses processes termed “articulating,” “experiencing as,” and “illusion-processing.” The second part introduces a series of contemporary psychoanalytic concepts which refer to phenomena bearing an unusual resemblance to certain kinds of religious and/or spiritual phenomena. It demonstrates that the event presented at the outset of the first part may be “articulated,” “experienced,” and “processed” via these psychological concepts as well as via traditional religious-spiritual terms. It considers how one may regard such concepts as “secular analogues” and/or “metaphoric redescriptions” of traditional religious-spiritual terms.
Balanced approach of γδ T cells to type 2 immunity

Substantial evidence has been accumulated to indicate that gammadelta T cells take part in type 2 immune responses. It is not yet clear, however, in what capacity. Apparently, gammadelta T cells themselves can not only take the function of follicular T helper (T(H)) cells in certain responses, but also can support responses that are dependent on classical help provided by alphabeta T cells. Furthermore, the gammadelta T cells engage as regulators of T(H2) immunity. Here, we consider two mouse models that depend on type 2 immunity, non-specific airway hyperresponsiveness to methacholine after allergen inhalation challenge and the primary IgE response induced by alum-aided immunization, and examine the function of gammadelta T cells. In either case, gammadelta T cells regulate type 2 immunity through balanced enhancing and inhibitory influences. However, after airway allergen exposure, suppressive gammadelta T cells become dominant. The underlying mechanisms are discussed.
Radiosurgery for Arteriovenous Malformations

Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is an important therapeutic option for the care of patients with an intracranial arteriovenous malformation (AVM). It can achieve complete obliteration of blood flow within the AVM, thereby eliminating the risk of future intracranial hemorrhage. The overall morbidity of SRS in AVMs is relatively low. However, complications can arise subsequent to SRS of AVMs and include most commonly delayed hemorrhage, hemodynamic effects on the regional brain from AVM vessel closure, radiation injury to the adjacent brain, and delayed cyst formation. This chapter reviews the principles of complication avoidance and management in the radiosurgical management of AVMs.
The Effect of Pharmacist Refusal Clauses on Contraception, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, and Birthrates

Emergency contraceptive drugs like Plan B are controversial, and there have been cases within at least 25 states of pharmacists refusing to provide the drug to patients. In response to pressure from activist groups on both sides of the debate, some states passed "Patients' Rights Laws" and other states passed "Pharmacist Rights Laws" dictating pharmacists' legal ability to refuse to fill emergency contraceptive prescriptions. Patients Rights Laws expand access to emergency contraception and protect patients' rights to receive prescribed drugs regardless of pharmacists' personal beliefs. Pharmacist Rights Laws restrict access to emergency contraception and favor pharmacists' rights of refusal. This paper studies substitution behavior among contraception spurred by both policies. I find that both types of laws cause a 7-18\% increase in the prescribing rate of regular birth control pills, and both laws cause decreases in purchases of condoms as well as over-the-counter Plan B. There is not evidence that the policies have effects on rates of sexually transmitted diseases or birthrates on aggregate, however the states that pass the Pharmacist Rights Laws may experience decreases in birthrates for some groups. I find that policies that would be thought to either increase or decrease access to emergency contraception both cause substitution onto the birth control pill, which suggests that the policies may work through an information channel rather than by directly impacting rates of pharmacist refusal.
Schooling with learning: The effect of free primary education and mother tongue instruction reforms in Ethiopia

Abstract In developing regions, significant increases in primary school enrollment are often generated by large national level programs, which could simultaneously promote overcrowding and reductions in education quality. In a difference-in-differences framework, this paper exploits geographic variation in pre-reform levels of schooling and the timing of the policy changes in Ethiopia to examine the impact of both removing school fees and introducing mother tongue instruction in the early 1990s. The two reforms lead to a net increase of approximately 0.7 years of school. Further evidence suggests that the additional enrollment also led to an increase in literacy, knowledge of family planning material from newspapers and magazines, knowledge of HIV, and the likelihood of knowing a location for HIV testing. These increases occur without a concurrent increase in reading, suggesting an improved ability to identify and retain information. However, the positive returns were generated by the removal of school fees. The introduction of mother tongue instruction led to a reduction in schooling and had no impact on literacy; consequences that were most severe in regions that introduced the new language of instruction in a script that was rarely used prior to the reform.
Differential Diagnosis of Perifollicular Accentuation

Some cutaneous lymphoid infiltrates may exhibit perifollicular accentuation. Cutaneous marginal zone B-cell lymphoma often demonstrates vertical orientation of the infiltrate adjacent to hair follicles. Folliculotropic mycosis fungoides is a variant of mycosis fungoides showing tropism for hair follicles. In addition, a follicular variant of lymphomatoid papulosis has been described. A few benign dermatoses may also demonstrate perifollicular accentuation, including lymphomatoid drug eruption, pseudolymphomatous folliculitis, arthropod bite reactions, and herpes folliculitis.
Acute Shame Predicts Urges for Suicide but not for Substance Use in a Veteran Population

Objective There is an urgent need to identify ways to reduce rates of suicide among Veterans with a substance use disorder. Since co-occurring disorders can make diagnosis and treatment complex, it is useful for the mental health field to examine common factors that may underlie both problems. One common factor that underlies both substance use and suicidal behavior is shame. This brief report presents data collected in an experimental study examining shame as an acute risk factor for suicide and substance use in Veterans. Method Thirty-eight Veterans admitted to an inpatient Veterans Affairs Medical Center unit with suicidal ideation completed measures on depression, hopelessness, addiction, and suicidality. Participants were randomized to either a shame mood induction group or a control group, and completed pre- and postexperiment measures on urges for suicide, urges for substance use, and level of shame. Results Results indicate that an acute increase in shame resulted in an increase in an urge for suicide, but was not associated with changes in urges for substance use. Conclusions Acute feelings of shame may be a risk factor for increases in suicidal ideation. Limitations and suggestions for future directions are discussed.
Harnessing emerging technologies to reduce Gulf hypoxia

Precision farming enabled by big data and gene-editing technologies are accelerating progress toward increasing nitrogen-use efficiency. However, farmer engagement, public–private partnerships and sound public policies are critical to harness the potential of such technologies to reduce hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico.
Posterior Component Separation

Anatomic restoration of the abdominal wall midline can improve functionality after a hernia repair. When the gap is too wide, a component separation of the lateral abdominal wall can help slide its components and achieve primary closure. Understanding of these procedures requires an intimate knowledge of the anatomy of the abdominal wall. A posterior component separation, also known as trasnversus abdominus release (TAR) offers the advantage of avoiding the creation of large cutaneous flaps. The present chapter describes a posterior component separation.