cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Increased Risk of Type 2 Diabetes From a Family History of Coronary Heart Disease and Type 2 Diabetes

The “common soil” hypothesis (1) suggests that a family history of cardiovascular disease (CVD) increases the risk of type 2 diabetes through the common predispositions of obesity (2–7), hypertension (8), metabolic syndrome (9), and other pathways. While several studies (10–12) have shown that a family history of diabetes can increase cardiovascular risk, including subclinical atherosclerosis (11), no study has examined the converse, which is that familial risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) could influence the risk of type 2 diabetes. To test this hypothesis, we measured the association between the familial risk of CHD using the CHD family risk score (CHD-FRS) and incident type 2 diabetes in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study. The ARIC Study is a community-based study, which recruited individuals aged 45–64 years from four sites around the U.S. between 1987 and 1989 (13). Participants without diabetes were followed with three exams at ∼3-year intervals. Data collection methods have been previously recorded (14,15). This study analyzed data for 11,297 participants. Family history of CHD was analyzed by the CHD-FRS. The CHD-FRS quantifies the composite risk for each participant based on observations of CHD in each family (excluding the participant) adjusted for the risk expected based on each family member’s age and sex with incidences found by the Framingham Heart Study (16). The CHD-FRS was analyzed both as a continuous and as a categorical variable with levels previously defined (14,15) as low (<0.5), moderate (−0.5 to 0.5), and high (≥0.5). A low CHD-FRS translates to having very few occurrences in older age or no occurrences of heart attacks at any age among the parents or siblings of the participant. A moderate CHD-FRS corresponds to a few occurrences of heart attacks among immediate family members. A …
Skin Disorders Associated with Obesity in Children and Adolescents: A Population‐Based Study

Obesity in children is a major public health concern in the United States. The objectives of the current study were to determine the prevalence of various groups of cutaneous disorders in obese children and adolescents and to compare the use of dermatology services in obese subjects with that those with a normal body mass index (BMI). This was a retrospective, population-based study at the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Managed Healthcare System. The main outcome measures were the relative risk of cutaneous disorders associated with insulin resistance, androgen excess, bacterial infection, fungal infection, viral infection, inflammation, mechanical changes, and other skin conditions (hidradenitis, hyperhidrosis) in three weight groups (normal, overweight, obese) and the number of dermatology visits. A total of 248,775 subjects were included. Bivariate analyses showed a higher proportion of insulin resistance disorders, bacterial infection, fungal infection, inflammatory disorders, mechanical changes, and other skin conditions in obese subjects than in subjects with a normal BMI (p < 0.001). Disorders of androgen excess and viral infection were significantly less common in obese subjects (p < 0.001). Obese subjects had significantly lower odds of having at least one dermatology encounter than subjects with a normal BMI (odds ratio = 0.92, 95% confidence interval 0.88, 0.96, p = 0.003). Early onset obesity is associated with cutaneous disorders characterized by hyperproliferation, inflammation, bacterial and fungal infection, and mechanical changes but lower rates of disorders of androgen excess and viral infection. The use of dermatology services was not greater in obese patients. Heightened recognition and further analysis of adipose tissue as an endocrine organ that is capable of affecting the skin is warranted.
Reconstruction of early nineteenth‐century vegetation and fire regimes in the Missouri Ozarks

Aim The purpose of this study was to reconstruct early nineteenth-century vegetation and fire regimes to examine the role of fire, topography, and substrate interactions in shaping landscape and regional vegetation patterns. Location Our study area was the Current River watershed of the Ozark Highlands in south-central Missouri, USA. Methods We combined analysis of early nineteenth-century Public Land Survey (PLS) notes and dendrochronology-based fire histories to reconstruct vegetation and disturbance regimes of pine-oak (Pinus-Quercus) woodlands. Three methods were used to display and analyse PLS data within a Geographic Information System (GIS): (1) simple point distributions for each tree species; (2) section line descriptions of each tree species and other coded features (e.g. 'prairie'); and (3) spatial interpolation of the point-tree data. Vegetation patterns were then related to geological parent material, topography, and mean fire-return intervals from 23 sites using correlation and Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA). Results The most striking patterns in the early 1800 s were extensive stands of shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata Mill.) and oak-dominated 'barrens' (savanna) in the frequently burned areas south-west of the Current River, and more mesophytic, fire-sensitive species (red oaks (Quercus rubra L., Q. coccinea Muenchh.), maples (Acer rubrum L., Acer saccharum Marsh), eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana L.) in a fire shadow north-east of the river. Several kilometre-wide ecotones of pine-mixed hardwood encompassed the major pineries and barrens. Fire-return intervals and relative dominance of several tree species were strongly correlated at both fine (3-64 kiM2) and coarse (> 100 kiM2) spatial scales. At fine scales, relative dominance of shortleaf pine increased with increasing fire frequency during 1701-1820. Relative dominance of black oak (Q. velutina Lam.), and to a lesser extent post oak (Q. stellata Wang.), decreased with increasing fire frequency. Shortleaf pine and these xerophytic oak species occurred on similar bedrock types but were strongly differentiated by fire regimes. Main conclusions Fires exerted strong constraints on vegetation composition and patterns. Historical patterns of Native American occupancy in the region are consistent with the reconstructed vegetation and fire histories and suggest that anthropogenic fire regimes played an overriding role in the development of Ozark vegetation in the 1800s.
On the safety of conceptual fusion-fission hybrid reactors

Abstract A preliminary examination of some potential safety questions for conceptual fusion-fission hybrid reactors is presented in this paper. The study and subsequent analysis was largely based upon one design, a conceptual mirror fusion-fission reactor, operating on the deuterium-tritium plasma fusion fuel cycle and the uranium-plutonium fission fuel cycle. The major potential hazards were found to be: (a) fission products, (b) actinide elements, (c) induced radioactivity, and (d) tritium. As a result of these studies, it appears that highly reliable and even redundant decay heat removal must be provided. Loss of the ability to remove decay heat results in melting of fuel, with ultimate release of fission products and actinides to the containment. In addition, the studies indicate that blankets can be designed which will remain subcritical under extensive changes in both composition and geometry. Magnet safety and the effects of magnetic fields on thermal parameters were also considered.
Performance of disk arrays in transaction processing environments

Analytical models for evaluating the performance of arrayed disk subsystems in normal, degraded, and rebuild mode are developed. Models for estimating rebuild time under the assumption that user requests get priority and can preempt rebuild activity are also developed. It is found that uncached disk arrays perform much worse than uncached nonarrays. It is determined that caches are necessary in arrayed subsystems. Furthermore, in degraded and rebuild modes, large building blocks minimize the worst response time seen by any user, whereas small building blocks minimize the average response time. >
Modeling of free dendritic growth of succinonitrile-acetone alloys with thermosolutal melt convection

Abstract A stagnant film model of the effects of thermosolutal convection on free dendritic growth of alloys is developed, and its predictions are compared to available earth-based experimental data for succinonitrile–acetone alloys. It is found that the convection model gives excellent agreement with the measured dendrite tip velocities and radii for low solute concentrations. However, at higher solute concentrations the present predictions show some deviations from the measured data, and the measured (thermal) Peclet numbers tend to fall even below the predictions from diffusion theory. Furthermore, the measured selection parameter σ* is significantly above the expected value of 0.02 and exhibits strong scatter. It is shown that convection is not responsible for these discrepancies. Some of the deviations between the predicted and measured data at higher supercoolings could be caused by measurement difficulties. The systematic disagreement in the selection parameter for higher solute concentrations and all supercoolings examined, indicate that the theory for the selection of the dendrite tip operating state in alloys may need to be reexamined.
Maturational differences between vascular and bladder smooth muscle during ovine development

Maturation rates of vascular and visceral smooth muscle (SM) during ovine development were compared by quantifying contractile protein, myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoform contents, and contractile properties of aortas and bladders from female fetal (n = 19) and postnatal (n = 21) sheep. Actin, myosin, and protein contents rose progressively throughout development in both tissues (P </= 0.003); however, expression patterns differed. During the last trimester, i. e., 101-130 days (term approximately 145 days), bladder actin and MHC contents were approximately twofold greater (P < 0.04) than those in the aorta. Although the fractional content of 204-kDa SM1 MHC in the bladder decreased from 74 +/- 3% at midgestation to 48 +/- 2% 3 mo postnatal, the aorta exhibited an increase from 30 +/- 2% to 65 +/- 2%. Bladder MHC (MHC-B) migrating at 200 kDa contained only SM2 throughout development. In contrast, 200-kDa MHC in the aorta was predominantly nonmuscle MHC-B at midgestation, which was gradually replaced by SM2 as development progressed. Along with its early expression of SM2, bladder muscle obtained maximal stress generating capacity (1.7 x 10(5) N/m(2)) by term gestation, whereas the aorta exhibited no contractions until after birth. We conclude that whereas aortic SM maturation is delayed until after birth, bladder SM matures biochemically and functionally during prenatal development, thus supporting early requirements for micturition.
Receipt of pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy among a nationally representative US sample of privately insured adults with depression: associations with insurance plan arrangements and provider specialty

Objectives The use of combination therapy (psychotherapy + pharmacotherapy) to treat depression still offers fewer relapse episodes and higher odds of adherence to proper treatment. Little is known however, about the utilization rates of the various pharmacologic options available for depression across physician specialties and insurance arrangements in the private sector. The purpose of this study was to quantify provider, patient, insurance and geographic factors associated with the use of pharmacologic options. Methods A 2010–2011 retrospective cohort of new antidepressant users aged from 18 to 64 were included and using data from medical and pharmacy commercial claims from Health Analytics Marketscan Database, a nationally representative sample of privately insured individuals with depression, adjusted multiple logistic regression models calculated individual estimates. Key findings Fourteen per cent of adults with depression received at least one monotherapy medication; only 1.1% received combination therapy (medication + psychotherapy). Almost 80% of patients were treated by generalists. Adjusted estimates reported that being treated by a primary care provider, having a fee-for-service insurance arrangement, living in the South and younger age (18–44) were associated factors with lower utilization rates of combination therapy. Bupropion, second-generation antipsychotics and tricyclic antidepressants were more often used by mental health specialists. Conclusions Less than one-fifth of patients received pharmacotherapy or psychotherapy regimes. After controlling for severity and complexity of depression, data suggest large differences about treatment choices among specialists and generalists, even though the latter remains as ‘de facto mental health service system’ in the USA. Recommendations to increase consistent evidence-based practice are discussed.
The Economic Impact and Civic Pride Effects of Sports Teams and Mega-Events: Do The Public and the Professionals Agree?

Often sports leagues, organising committees, and team owners justify the use of public funds to build sports stadiums by the perceived economic impacts and civic pride generated by the teams or mega-events. Since the 1980s many economic studies have examined the economic impact and civic pride created by professional sports teams. Most of the economic literature finds sports teams or mega-events have little or no economic impact, but there are mixed findings on the magnitude of civic pride. Overall, most of the economic literature suggests that the benefits created by sports teams or events do not outweigh the cost of public subsidies provided. We conduct a survey of public opinion on US residents’ perceptions of economic impacts and civic pride benefits from mega-events such as the Super Bowl and the Winter Olympics. Our study asks the question: Do residents believe that mega-events and sports teams generate positive economic impacts and civic pride or not? We find that, like economists, the public doubts that public funding of mega-events is a good idea.
Endogenous Nutritive Support after Traumatic Brain Injury: Peripheral Lactate Production for Glucose Supply via Gluconeogenesis

We evaluated the hypothesis that nutritive needs of injured brains are supported by large and coordinated increases in lactate shuttling throughout the body. To that end, we used dual isotope tracer ([6,6-(2)H2]glucose, i.e., D2-glucose, and [3-(13)C]lactate) techniques involving central venous tracer infusion along with cerebral (arterial [art] and jugular bulb [JB]) blood sampling. Patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) who had nonpenetrating head injuries (n=12, all male) were entered into the study after consent of patients' legal representatives. Written and informed consent was obtained from healthy controls (n=6, including one female). As in previous investigations, the cerebral metabolic rate (CMR) for glucose was suppressed after TBI. Near normal arterial glucose and lactate levels in patients studied 5.7±2.2 days (range of days 2-10) post-injury, however, belied a 71% increase in systemic lactate production, compared with control, that was largely cleared by greater (hepatic+renal) glucose production. After TBI, gluconeogenesis from lactate clearance accounted for 67.1% of glucose rate of appearance (Ra), which was compared with 15.2% in healthy controls. We conclude that elevations in blood glucose concentration after TBI result from a massive mobilization of lactate from corporeal glycogen reserves. This previously unrecognized mobilization of lactate subserves hepatic and renal gluconeogenesis. As such, a lactate shuttle mechanism indirectly makes substrate available for the body and its essential organs, including the brain, after trauma. In addition, when elevations in arterial lactate concentration occur after TBI, lactate shuttling may provide substrate directly to vital organs of the body, including the injured brain.
Children's derivation of scalar implicatures: Alternatives and relevance.

Abstract Utterances such as “Megan ate some of the cupcakes” are often interpreted as “Megan ate some but not all of the cupcakes”. Such an interpretation is thought to arise from a pragmatic inference called scalar implicature (SI). Preschoolers typically fail to spontaneously generate SIs without the assistance of training or context that make the stronger alternative salient. However, the exact role of alternatives in generating SIs remains contested. Specifically, it is not clear whether children have difficulty with spontaneously generating possible informationally stronger scalemates, or with considering how alternatives might be relevant. We present three studies with English-speaking 5-year-olds and adults designed to address these questions. We show that (a) the accessibility of the stronger alternative is important for children’s SI generation (Experiment 1); (b) the explicit presence of the stronger alternative leads children to generate SIs only when the stronger scalar term can easily be seen as relevant (Experiment 2); and (c) in contexts that establish relevant alternatives, the explicit presence of the stronger alternative is not necessary (Experiment 3). We conclude that children’s considerations of lexical alternatives during SI-computation include an important role for conversational relevance. We also show that this more nuanced approach to the role of lexical alternatives in pragmatic inference unifies previously unconnected findings about children’s early pragmatic development and bears on major accounts proposed to date for children’s problems with SIs.
Treatment of Recurrent Disc Herniation: A Systematic Review

Intervertebral disc herniation is one of the most common causes of back and extremity pain. The most commonly used surgical treatment is lumbar discectomy. About 0.5-25% go on to develop recurrent disc herniation (rDH) after a successful first discectomy. Currently, there aren't any guidelines to assist surgeons in determining which approach is most appropriate to treat rDH. A recent survey showed significant heterogeneity among surgeons regarding treatment options for rDH. It remains unclear which methods lead to better outcomes, as there are no comparative studies with a sufficient level of evidence. In this study, we aimed to perform a systematic review to compare treatment options for rDH and determine if one intervention provides better outcomes than the other; more specifically, whether outcome differences exist between discectomy alone and discectomy with fusion. We applied the PICOS (participants, intervention, comparison, outcome, study design) format to develop this systematic review through PubMed. Twenty-seven papers from 1978-2014 met our inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis. Nine papers reported outcomes after discectomy and seven of them showed good or excellent outcomes (70.60%-89%). Ten papers reported on minimally invasive discectomy. The percent change in visual analog scale (VAS) ranged from -50.77% to -86.57%, indicating an overall pain reduction. Four studies out of the ten reported good or excellent outcomes (81% to 90.2%). Three studies looked at posterolateral fusion. Three studies analyzed posterior lumbar interbody fusion. For one study, we found the VAS percentage change to be -46.02%. All reported good to excellent outcomes. Six studies evaluated the transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion. All reported improvement in pain. Four used VAS, and we found the percent change to be -54% to -86.5%. The other two used the Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score, and we found the percent change to be 68.3% to 93.3%. We did not find enough evidence to support any significant difference in outcomes between discectomy alone and discectomy with fusion. The limitation of our study includes the lack of standardized outcomes reporting in the literature. However, reviewing the selected articles shows that fusion may have a greater improvement in pain compared to reoperation without fusion. Nonetheless, our study shows that further and more in-depth investigation is needed on the of treatment of rDH.
Categorical representation of North American precipitation projections

We explore use of the familiar tercile framework of seasonal forecasting for the characterization of 21st-century precipitation projections over North America. Consistent with direct analyses of modeled precipitation change, in a superensemble of CMIP5 simulations an unambiguous pattern of shifted tercile population statistics develops as the globe warms. Expressed categorically, frequencies for the low (i.e., dry) tercile increase in the southwestern United States and southward into Mexico and decrease across the northern tier of North America, while counts for the high tercile shift in the opposite sense. We show that as the 21st-century proceeds, changes become statistically significant over wide regions in the pointwise sense, and also when considered as projections on model-specific climate change "fingerprints". Background noise in the superensemble, against which significance is established, comprises both structural model uncertainty and natural climate variability. The robustness of these findings makes a compelling case for long-range planning for a dryer future in the American Southwest and southward, and wetter one to the north and especially northeast, while communication is facilitated by widespread user familiarity with the tercile format.
The Barcat balanic groove technique for the repair of distal hypospadias

The Barcat balanic groove technique for the repair of distal hypospadias creates a neourethra with a ventral penile skin flap and a ventral glandular flap, both of which are based at the meatus. A series of 105 consecutive patients with distal hypospadias operated on by the same surgeon is presented. The primary complication was fistula formation in 15 per cent of the patients.
CHAPTER 48 – Fractalkine

This chapter deals with the discovery of fractalkine (CX3CL1) as a new class of chemokine that has reshaped the thinking of the field of chemokine biology along multiple fronts. Fractalkine represents the sole member of the CX3C chemokine subfamily, and its unique structural, functional, and localization pattern suggests interesting new roles for chemokines. A primary structural hallmark of the chemokine family includes the presence of conserved cysteine residues, the first two of which are separated by a variable number of amino acids. The prominent expression of fractalkine and its receptor CX3CR1 in normal CNS provides a new ligand–receptor pair to consider in unraveling the complexities of nervous system cell–cell communication. The chapter summarize this information with the intention to understand the function(s) of chemokine. The dual nature of the fractalkine protein itself, existing as a soluble chemo-attractant molecule, and as a membrane attached pro-adhesive substance, issues relevant to the function of this molecule in the periphery, and CNS beg discussion of whether this chemokine serves similar or diverse functions in these two distinct areas of the body. The dual properties of these chemokines include attributes related to both their physical and functional properties.
Design Examples Using Linearization

This chapter has been heavily based on the research work and joint papers with John Hauser, of the University of Colorado, George Meyer, of NASA Ames, Petar Kokotovic of the University of California, Santa Barbara, and Claire Tomlin, of Stanford University.
Eugenics, crime and ideology: the case of progressive Pennsylvania.

IN the first quarter of this century, the science of eugenics enjoyed a very considerable vogue in most Western countries. It was widely accepted among people of all political persuasions that the quality of a particular race or nation could be profoundly affected by government neglect or intervention. Most governments were seen to have neglected their duties in this area, with grave consequences in the form of a rapid increase of racial degeneracy. This was manifested in crime, alcoholism, mental deficiency, epilepsy and insanity, which were all believed to represent points at the low end of one continuous spectrum of human types. In reaction to fears of impending decline, eugenic reformers called for measures to prevent the reproduction of the unfit, while encouraging the increase of worthwhile and intelligent members of society. With the collapse of Naziism, such ideas fell into deep disfavor. They also tended to be neglected by historians. In recent years however, scholars have begun to rediscover eugenics as an important science in itself, and also as a major factor in motivating other (seemingly unconnected) reforms?in health, welfare, housing, education, or penol ogy. This eugenic context has been argued forcefully by Professors Haller, Gould and Pickens in the United States,1 by Professors Searle and MacKenzie in Britain.2 Many would argue that an understanding of the eugenic movement is essential to an appreciation of the real nature of reform in the Progressive Era. In particular, there is considerable debate about the social roots of eugenics. Why should a relatively new scientific fad so rapidly gain enormous popularity?especially when it required extensive legislation, the building of institutions and the spending of a great deal of government money? MacKenzie has tried to explain this by citing the
Transmyocardial Laser Revascularization: Current Experience and Future Direction

ABSTRACT Transmyocardial laser revascularization (TMR) with the CO2 laser (PLC Medical Systems, Inc., Franklin, MA) appears to improve the quality of life and event-free survival of end-stage coronary artery disease patients. Application of this technology prior to clinical instability, along with diligent anesthetic support, careful patient selection, and perioperative management, are essential to a successful outcome. Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center became the fifth clinical site to investigate TMR under Phase II and Phase III U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) protocols. This clinical experience includes a total of seventy-nine patients, of whom sixty-three had sole TMR utilizing a minimally invasive approach on the beating heart. Lessons learned, to optimize patient selection and operative- and postoperative management, will be delineated and the future direction of TMR will be discussed.
Longing for Recognition

Jessica Benjamin’s recent work seeks to establish the possibility for inter subjective recognition, thereby setting a philosophical norm for a therapeutic discourse. Her work has always been distinctively defined by its groundedness in critical social theory and clinical practice.1 Whereas the Frankfurt School maintained a strong theoretical interest in psychoanalysis and spawned the important work of Alexander and Margarete Mitscherlich, The Inability to Mourn, 2 among other texts, it has been rare since that time to find a critical theorist trained in that venue who actively practices psychoanalysis, and whose theoretical contributions combine critical reflection and clinical insight in the way that Benjamin’s does. Central to her philosophical inheritance is the notion of recognition itself, a key concept that was developed in Hegel’s Phenomenology of Spirit and which has assumed new meanings in the work of Jurgen Habermas and Axel Honneth.3 In some ways, Benjamin’s work relies on the presumption that recognition is possible, and that it is the condition under which the human subject achieves psychic self-understanding and acceptance.
Measurement of the Cross Section of Four-Jet Events

This chapter presents a measurement of the cross section of four-jet events produced in 8 TeV collisions. The opening sections contain all the studies performed to define the analysis strategy, including the trigger criteria, kinematic selection, and the variables used to study the cross section differentially across multiple regions of phase space. The following sections focus on some of the most important steps of the analysis procedure, namely the determination of the bin widths for each variable, the unfolding process, and the calculation of the uncertainties. Finally, the results are discussed and compared to a variety of theoretical predictions.
Tightening the connection between transposable element mobilization and aging

The process of senescence is typically accompanied by a gradual (or not so gradual) loss of the capacity to maintain homeostasis that, in turn, is thought to underlie the promotion of the reduced function and disease states that typically accompany old age. Although there are multiple factors that likely contribute to this process, a relatively recent observation has been the association of a decline in maintenance of repressive heterochromatin and aging. Studies in organisms as diverse as yeast, worms, flies, mice, and human cell culture have documented a decline in repressive heterochromatin with senescence, and genetic interventions have indicated that maintaining repressive heterochromatin might be beneficial for increasing healthy life span (1, 2).
The co-evolution of microstructure features in self-ion irradiated HT9 at very high damage levels

Abstract Understanding the void swelling and phase evolution of reactor structural materials at very high damage levels is essential to maintaining safety and longevity of components in Gen IV fast reactors. A combination of ion irradiation and modeling was utilized to understand the microstructure evolution of ferritic-martensitic alloy HT9 at high dpa. Self-ion irradiation experiments were performed on alloy HT9 to determine the co-evolution of voids, dislocations and precipitates up to 650 dpa at 460 °C. Modeling of microstructure evolution was conducted using the modified Radiation Induced Microstructure Evolution (RIME) model, which utilizes a mean field rate theory approach with grouped cluster dynamics. Irradiations were performed with 5 MeV raster-scanned Fe 2+ ions on samples pre-implanted with 10 atom parts per million He. The swelling, dislocation and precipitate evolution at very high dpa was determined using Analytical Electron Microscopy in Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM) mode. Experimental results were then interpreted using the RIME model. A microstructure consisting only of dislocations and voids is insufficient to account for the swelling evolution observed experimentally at high damage levels in a complicated microstructure such as irradiated alloy HT9. G phase was found to have a minimal effect on either void or dislocation evolution. M 2 X played two roles; a variable biased sink for defects, and as a vehicle for removal of carbon from solution, thus promoting void growth. When accounting for all microstructure interactions, swelling at high damage levels is a dynamic process that continues to respond to other changes in the microstructure as long as they occur.
A pole placement control by states feedback based on State Variable Filter

This article presents a performance comparison between two state observers in a pole placement control (PPC). The first is a classical full order states observer and the second observer is proposed in this work, which is based on a State Variable Filter (SVF). A inverted pendulum on movable base was the system chosen to accomplish performance comparison of the state observers. Simulation results are presented and results are detailed.
Clinical presentation, karyotypic characterization, and treatment outcome of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia with a near-haploid or hypodiploid less than 45 line

Cytogenetic and DNA flow cytometric analyses of leukemic cells from 2,184 children with newly diagnosed acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) identified 27 cases (1.2%) that had a hypodiploid line with fewer than 45 chromosomes per cell. Had cytogenetic techniques been used alone, seven cases would have been missed, compared with five if only flow cytometry had been used. For comparative purposes, the 27 cases were divided into three groups: near-haploid (n = 10), hypodiploid 30-40 (n = 9), and hypodiploid 41-44 (n = 8). Blast cells from patients with near-haploid ALL lacked structural chromosomal abnormalities; showed nonrandom retention of two copies of chromosomes 8, 10, 14, 18, 21, and the sex chromosomes; and had a second leukemic line with exactly twice the number of chromosomes or DNA content. Karyotypic analysis of the hypodiploid 30-40 and hypodiploid 41-44 groups disclosed structural abnormalities in the stemline or sideline of most of the well-banded cases; those in the latter group were similar to findings in cases with 45 chromosomes. As in the near-haploid group, chromosome 21 and the sex chromosomes were preferentially retained in the hypodiploid 30-40 and 41-44 cases. Except for a slight excess of female patients in the near-haploid group and an older age at diagnosis in the hypodiploid 30-40 cases, there were no initial clinical features that distinguished these patients from the general ALL population. Despite intensive treatment and short follow-up, 17 of the 27 patients have relapsed. This study suggests that the poor treatment responsiveness of hypodiploid ALL is not limited to the more than 80% of the patients who have 45 chromosomes per leukemic cell and demonstrates that cytogenetic and flow cytometric analyses are complementary in the evaluation of children with ALL.
Strategies to overcome therapeutic resistance in renal cell carcinoma.

Abstract Background Renal cell cancer (RCC) is a prevalent and lethal disease. At time of diagnosis, most patients present with localized disease. For these patients, the standard of care includes nephrectomy with close monitoring thereafter. While many patients will be cured, 5-year recurrence rates range from 30% to 60%. Furthermore, nearly one-third of patients present with metastatic disease at time of diagnosis. Metastatic disease is rarely curable and typically lethal. Cytotoxic chemotherapy and radiation alone are incapable of controlling the disease. Extensive effort was expended in the development of cytokine therapies but response rates remain low. Newer agents targeting angiogenesis and mTOR signaling emerged in the 2000s and revolutionized patient care. While these agents improve progression free survival, the development of resistance is nearly universal. A new era of immunotherapy is now emerging, led by the checkpoint inhibitors. However, therapeutic resistance remains a complex issue that is likely to persist. Methods and Purpose In this review, we systematically evaluate preclinical research and clinical trials that address resistance to the primary RCC therapies, including anti-angiogenesis agents, mTOR inhibitors, and immunotherapies. As clear cell RCC is the most common adult kidney cancer and has been the focus of most studies, it will be the focus of this review.
Circulation Response to Fast and Slow MJO Episodes

AbstractFast and slow Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) episodes have been identified from 850- and 200-hPa zonal wind and outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) for 32 winters (16 October–17 March) 1980/81–2011/12. For 26 fast cases the OLR took no more than 10 days to propagate from phase 3 (convection over the Indian Ocean) to phase 6 (convection over the western Pacific). For 8 slow cases the propagation took at least 20 days. Fast episode composite anomalies of 500-hPa height (Z500) show a developing Rossby wave in the mid-Pacific with downstream propagation through MJO phases 2–4. Changes in the frequency of occurrence of the NAO+ weather regime are modest. This Rossby wave is forced by anomalous cooling over the Maritime Continent during phases 2 and 3 (seen in phase-independent wave activity flux). The upper-level anticyclonic response to phase-3 heating is a secondary source of wave activity. The Z500 slow episode composite response to MJO phases 1 and 2 is an enhanced Aleutian low followed by a North A...
Newly Diagnosed Colonic Adenocarcinoma: The Presenting Sign in a Young Woman with Undiagnosed Crohn’s Disease in the Absence of Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis and a Normal Microsatellite Instability Profile

Ulcerative colitis has long been linked with an increased risk for colonic adenocarcinoma, whereas Crohn’s disease (CD) has recently been reported to pose a similar increased risk. We report a 33-year-old healthy female with no family history who presented with abdominal pain and a colon mass. Histopathology revealed a moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma extending through the muscularis propria with metastatic lymph nodes and intact mismatch repair proteins by immunohistochemical expression and gene sequencing. The nonneoplastic grossly uninvolved background mucosa showed marked crypt distortion, crypt abscesses, CD-like lymphoid hyperplasia, transmural inflammation, and reactive epithelial atypia. Additional patient questioning revealed frequent loose stools since she was a teenager leading to diagnosis of a previously undiagnosed CD without primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). The adenocarcinoma is suspected to be related to the underlying CD. Newly diagnosed adenocarcinoma in a young female as the presenting sign for CD in the absence of PSC is extremely rare.
Image Segmentation via Weighted Carving Decompositions

In this paper we propose a graph-theoretic method of image segmentation, borrowing ideas from finding community structure in social networks using edge betweenness. This method constructs a weighted carving decomposition, or a partial carving decomposition to some resolution, of the image. From this structure image segments can be obtained in a hierarchical manner. We apply this method to multiple generated images with well defined image segments of varying complexity. Additionally, we apply this method to the Mona Lisa, an image without such well defined partitions. Results suggest that the method provides a hierarchical segmentation framework that is well suited for finding features in images.
Development of novel behavioral interventions in an experimental therapeutics world: Challenges, and directions for the future

Abstract Recently, the focus of funding mechanisms associated with clinical trials has changed to be consistent with an experimental therapeutics approach. While this approach holds considerable promise, the paradigm shift has presented challenges for behavioral trials in complex psychiatric illness such as schizophrenia, as molecular targets – the classic focus in experimental therapeutics paradigms – may not represent logical targets for many psychosocial interventions designed to treat multifaceted, multiply determined symptoms. Clear guidelines for alternate models have not been offered, leaving large numbers of clinical trials researchers unclear about how to frame their work. We address some of the challenges for behavioral interventions research, and offer guidance for the development of novel approaches to the application of a target engagement framework to behavioral clinical trials.
Kevin Coleman, A camera in the Garden of Eden: the self-forging of a banana republic

Central American historiography has progressed significantly in recent years. Moving beyond top-down narratives of conquest and empire, scholars have explored themes related to race, identity, and ...
Assessment of unilateral ureter obstruction with multi-parametric MRI.

PURPOSE Quantitative multi-parametric MRI (mpMRI) methods may allow the assessment of renal injury and function in a sensitive and objective manner. This study aimed to evaluate an array of MRI methods that exploit endogenous contrasts including relaxation rates, pool size ratio (PSR) derived from quantitative magnetization transfer (qMT), chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST), nuclear Overhauser enhancement (NOE), and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) for their sensitivity and specificity in detecting abnormal features associated with kidney disease in a murine model of unilateral ureter obstruction (UUO). METHODS MRI scans were performed in anesthetized C57BL/6N mice 1, 3, or 6 days after UUO at 7T. Paraffin tissue sections were stained with Masson trichrome following MRI. RESULTS Compared to contralateral kidneys, the cortices of UUO kidneys showed decreases of relaxation rates R1 and R2 , PSR, NOE, and ADC. No significant changes in CEST effects were observed for the cortical region of UUO kidneys. The MRI parametric changes in renal cortex are related to tubular cell death, tubular atrophy, tubular dilation, urine retention, and interstitial fibrosis in the cortex of UUO kidneys. CONCLUSION Measurements of multiple MRI parameters provide comprehensive information about the molecular and cellular changes produced by UUO. Magn Reson Med 79:2216-2227, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
Portfolio Risk Management Using Six Sigma Quality Principles

The authors discuss the underlying deficiencies of the VaR model when applied to asset returns, and propose an approach using the Six Sigma quality methodology. They show how the basic philosophy of Six Sigma is applicable to portfolio risk management.
T cell optimization for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

Introduction: Pancreatic cancer remains a deadly disease despite advances in surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. Treatment failure is likely due to intense chemoresistance and immunosuppr...
Diversity and Workplace Spirituality

The relatively recent emergence of spirituality in the workplace suggests an innovative alternative to understanding and managing diversity in Corporate America. On the one hand, research has demonstrated that business corporations have served as effective agents of positive social change. On the other hand, many of the social ideals emerging from religious and spiritual movements have historically managed to unmask institutional abuses and reclaim the value, wholeness, and dignity of the human person. This chapter discusses the many performance indicators influenced by the voices of spiritual communities living within the organization capable of identifying structural biases and promoting a more balanced view of corporate performance, both relational and operational.
Malignant Self-Regard in clinical outpatient samples.

Abstract While the malignant self-regard construct and a corresponding questionnaire, the Malignant Self-Regard Questionnaire (MSRQ; Huprich, 2011) have been empirically evaluated in several non-clinical samples, it has yet to be evaluated in a clinical population. In this study, 139 outpatients in the Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (n = 83) and Internal Medicine (n = 57) were administered the MSRQ and a number other measures to assess its construct and incremental validity. The MSRQ was internally consistent in both samples, and was positively correlated with four dimensions of levels of personality functioning, DSM-5 personality trait domains, overdependence, detachment, insecure attachment, and general perceptions of physical and mental well-being. Furthermore, the MSRQ incrementally predicated variance in levels of personality functioning, interpersonal dependency, and general perceptions of physical and mental well-being above and beyond DSM-5 traits and (where appropriate) levels of personality functioning. These findings converge with studies of the MSRQ in nonclinical samples and support the clinical utility and validity of the MSRQ for further use.
The hidden dynamics of low coral cover communities

The coral reef crisis has resulted in many reefs stabilizing in a low coral cover state, and this condition is exemplified by the fringing reefs of St. John, US Virgin Islands, where coral cover has remained low for decades. To evaluate the demographic features maintaining this condition, a decade of coral abundance was examined in three domains: recruits, small colonies (≤ 40-mm diameter), and cover. While cover was stable from 2007 to 2016, other aspects of coral community structure changed in taxonomically unique ways differing among domains. Most changes occurred gradually, although the warm year of 2010 was associated with perturbations in growth, mortality, and density that differed among domains and taxa, and summed to a weak signal distinguishing communities before and after ~ 2011/2012. As a result, coral community structure was taxonomically shuffled within each domain, while low cover was maintained. These low coral cover communities may be characterized by functional redundancy among taxa and a weakening of interactions among them that traditionally have supported emergent properties like community calcification. With persistent failure of recruitment to augment coral cover, some corals may already occur at such low abundances that they cannot perform the ecological services with which they were once associated.
Nascent energy distribution of the Criegee intermediate CH2OO from direct dynamics calculations of primary ozonide dissociation.

Ozonolysis produces chemically activated carbonyl oxides (Criegee intermediates, CIs) that are either stabilized or decompose directly. This branching has an important impact on atmospheric chemistry. Prior theoretical studies have employed statistical models for energy partitioning to the CI arising from dissociation of the initially formed primary ozonide (POZ). Here, we used direct dynamics simulations to explore this partitioning for decomposition of c–C2H4O3, the POZ in ethylene ozonolysis. A priori estimates for the overall stabilization probability were then obtained by coupling the direct dynamics results with master equation simulations. Trajectories were initiated at the concerted cycloreversion transition state, as well as the second transition state of a stepwise dissociation pathway, both leading to a CI (H2COO) and formaldehyde (H2CO). The resulting CI energy distributions were incorporated in master equation simulations of CI decomposition to obtain channel-specific stabilized CI (sCI) yields. Master equation simulations of POZ formation and decomposition, based on new high-level electronic structure calculations, were used to predict yields for the different POZ decomposition channels. A non-negligible contribution of stepwise POZ dissociation was found, and new mechanistic aspects of this pathway were elucidated. By combining the trajectory-based channel-specific sCI yields with the channel branching fractions, an overall sCI yield of (48 ± 5)% was obtained. Non-statistical energy release was shown to measurably affect sCI formation, with statistical models predicting significantly lower overall sCI yields (∼30%). Within the range of experimental literature values (35%-54%), our trajectory-based calculations favor those clustered at the upper end of the spectrum.
Estimating the overlap between two malaria parasites’ var repertoires

Measuring the overlap between the var gene repertoires of two Plasmodium falciparum parasites is, in principle, easy. Each parasite genome contains a repertoire of approximately 60 var genes, so upon fully sequencing both parasites' genomes, the number of shared var sequences can be directly counted. In practice, however, only a fraction of each parasite's var repertoire is likely to be sampled due to the difficulties of whole-genome sequencing for var genes and the stochastic sample provided by PCR techniques. Although a method exists for quantifying repertoire overlap under these subsampled conditions, its bias is well documented and the uncertainty of its estimates cannot be quantified. Here we derive and validate a method to rigorously estimate the repertoire overlap between two parasites from the overlap of their subsampled repertoires. By solving a Bayesian inference problem, this method takes into account the rates of subsampling and produces unbiased and Bayes-optimal estimates of overlap. In addition, it provides a natural framework for computing the uncertainty of its estimates, and can be used in laboratory planning by quantifying the tradeoff between sequencing effort and uncertainty.