cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reproductive Success and Habitat Selection in Black-crowned Night-Herons (Nycticorax nycticorax) in a City Park

Abstract Black-crowned Night-Herons (BCNH; Nycticorax nycticorax) increasingly colonize urban areas, demonstrating they consider the value of such habitat to outweigh the risks. However it is unclear if cities support reproductively successful populations of BCNH. To begin to address this question, I evaluated if a park in Chicago, Illinois, provided suitable breeding habitat or was an ecological trap for a colony of approximately 400 BCNH. Nest densities were 217 nests/ha in 2010 and 315 nests/ha in 2011, which were higher than nest densities observed in North American BCNH colonies in natural habitats. Ratios of young to active nests were 1.22 in 2010 and 0.76 in 2011, similar to ratios observed in nearby BCNH colonies. Within the park BCNH selected between two neighboring habitat patches. Logistic regression was used to predict habitat patch selection as a function of colony size and year. In the model the probability of selecting a larger, more exposed habitat patch versus a smaller, more secluded hab...
Perioperative antibiotics in our hospital and monitoring the use of before and after situation analysis

Objective To analyze the hospital perioperative use of antimicrobial agents and assess their reasonableness.Methods The clinical application of antibiotics of 140 surgical patients f were analyzed.Results The ratio of reasonable application of antibiotics before and after regulation were 21.3% and 76.7%.The ratio of reasonable time application of antibiotics before and after regulation were 4.3% and 100%..Conclusion Through the perioperative monitoring antimicrobial application,the rationality application of antibiotics in our hospital has been greatly improved.
Assessing student written problem solutions: A problem-solving rubric with application to introductory physics

A rubric allows enables researchers, curriculum developers, and teachers to evaluate students' problem solutions.
Combining Fast-Walking Training and a Step Activity Monitoring Program to Improve Daily Walking Activity After Stroke: A Preliminary Study

Abstract Objectives To determine preliminary efficacy and to identify baseline characteristics predicting who would benefit most from fast walking training plus a step activity monitoring program (FAST+SAM) compared with fast walking training (FAST) alone in persons with chronic stroke. Design Randomized controlled trial with blinded assessors. Setting Outpatient clinical research laboratory. Participants Individuals (N=37) >6 months poststroke. Interventions Subjects were assigned to either FAST, which was walking training at their fastest possible speed on the treadmill (30min) and overground 3 times per week for 12 weeks, or FAST+SAM. The step activity monitoring program consisted of daily step monitoring with an activity monitor, goal setting, and identification of barriers to activity and strategies to overcome barriers. Main Outcome Measures Daily step activity metrics (steps/day [SPD], time walking per day), walking speed, and 6-minute walk test (6MWT) distance. Results There was a significant effect of time for both groups, with all outcomes improving from pre- to posttraining (all P values P =.018), with a larger increase in the FAST+SAM group. The interventions had differential effectiveness based on baseline step activity. Sequential moderated regression models demonstrated that for subjects with baseline levels of step activity and 6MWT distances that were below the mean, the FAST+SAM intervention was more effective than FAST (1715±1584 vs 254±933 SPD; P R 2 for SPD and 6MWT). Conclusions The addition of a step activity monitoring program to a fast walking training intervention may be most effective in persons with chronic stroke who have initial low levels of walking endurance and activity. Regardless of baseline performance, the FAST+SAM intervention was more effective for improving walking endurance.
National comparison of oncologic quality indicators between open and robotic-assisted radical cystectomy.

Abstract Introduction Despite increased adoption of robotic-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC), no national data have validated its oncologic efficacy compared to the “standard” open radical cystectomy (ORC). Positive surgical margins (PSM) and lymph node (LN) yield during radical cystectomy (RC) have an established relationship with bladder cancer outcomes. Here, we propose these 2 as quality indicators for RC and assess their differences to compare the oncologic efficacy between RARC and ORC. Methods Using the National Cancer Data Base for the years 2010 to 2012, all patients who underwent ORC or RARC were analyzed. Baseline demographic and cancer stage information were compared as well as unadjusted rates of PSM and LN yield. Survival effect of each indicator was assessed. Using propensity score adjustment, rates of PSM and LN yield were compared between RARC and ORC. Results A total of 12,036 patients are included who underwent RC, 20% (2,397) of which were performed robotically. Percentage RARC of total RC increased from 16.2% to 23.3% over the 3 study years. Compared to ORC, patients who underwent RARC were no different in age but were more often men (78.4% vs. 73.6%, P Conclusion The RARC is becoming more prevalent. In a national cohort, RARC was performed more often on men, with lower stage cancer, who were more likely to receive neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Controlling for these factors, RARC had comparable PSM rates but slightly higher LN yield than ORC.
Using Contour Plots to Assess the Sensitivity of Clinical Trial Design Assumptions

Sample size calculations are an important part of the design of any clinical trial. These calculations ensure a sufficient number of patients to detect a clinically meaningful difference between 2 treatments with high probability (ie, power). Perhaps less-often discussed, the sample size exercise is important so that resources are not wasted studying too many observations to test a particular hypothesis. Since patients may be randomized to doses of a novel treatment with a limited safety profile, or a placebo which provides no therapeutic benefit, sample size calculations in clinical trials come with an ethical burden not experienced in many subject-matter areas. The sample size of a clinical trial should be determined using as much data as is available, over a range of assumptions, and with input from clinical colleagues. Graphical techniques are often utilized to summarize power and sample size calculations. In this manuscript, we propose the use of contour plots to better assess, report, and communicate the sensitivity of clinical trial design assumptions. Through several examples, we illustrate that contour plots are applicable to binary, continuous, and time-to-event endpoints for a variety of study design scenarios. Contour plots are a useful tool for the study team in designing clinical trials, and they can be included in study documents to better communicate the rationale for sample size for clinicians and regulators. Contour plots provide greater transparency as to the uncertainty of the currently available information, and can be useful in deciding whether to consider adaptive designs.
The Ideologies of Nuclear Deterrence

The development of the ideas of nuclear deterrence has reached an impasse, one that almost replicates, intellectually, the stalemate that has been thought to persist strategically. Two views, locked in dialectic since the beginning of the thermonuclear age, appear at present as if imprisoned in amber. Neither offers independent criteria for choosing between them. Taking these two views together, we are unable to predict the future conditions of deterrence. And finally, they do not enable us to decide whether effective deterrence is eroding or simply recurring in a cyclical pattern of anxiety and reassurance.
An efficient router for 2-D field programmable gate array

In this paper, we analyze the traditional 2-step global/detailed routing scheme. We propose a bin-packing heuristic based greedy 2-D router that can effectively and stably produce good results in both minimizing routing length and number of tracks needed to complete routing. On the tested MCNC benchmarks, our router resulted 17% less total tracks compared to the best known results of 2-step routers. Our one-step router is linear in both CPU time and run-time memory which suggests its particular suitability for very large circuits. >
Viral-derived Serp-1 as an adjunctive therapy for percutaneous coronary intervention: another not ready for prime time player?

The story of Serp-1 began in 1859 when Thomas Austin imported 24 European rabbits to Australia and released them into the wild for sport. Within 30 years, the rabbits had multiplied exponentially until the population reached into the millions and they had decimated the landscape. Nearly a century later, when other methods of population control had failed, the Australians acquired the myxoma virus from South America and introduced it into the rabbit population. This species-specific virus, which is harmless to humans, infected the rabbits and decreased their numbers by ≈99.9%.1 The key to the success of the myxoma virus in eradicating the rabbit population was its ability to downregulate the rabbit host's immune and inflammatory responses to infection, in part, by synthesizing and secreting Serp-1.2, 3 Years later, it was recognized that the same properties that made Serp-1 devastating for the rabbits could also have therapeutic benefits in human inflammatory disorders. Consequently, viral-derived Serp-1 was purified for experimental testing and, ultimately, clinical use. Article see p 543 Serine protease inhibitors, also known as serpins, comprise up to 10% of plasma proteins and act as regulators of coagulation cascades, fibrinolysis, complement activation, and inflammation.4 Serp-1 is a myxoma virus–derived serpin that regulates endogenous thrombolysis by binding to and inhibiting urokinase- and tissue-type plasminogen activators and plasmin.2, 3, 5, 6 Serp-1 decreases inflammation indirectly by preventing activation of the urokinase-plasminogen activator receptor. This, in turn, inhibits inflammatory cell migration, adhesion to the endothelium, matrix metalloproteinase–mediated invasion of the vessel wall, and proliferation at sites of injury.3, 5, 6 Serp-1 also limits inflammation directly by decreasing monocyte and T-lymphocyte expression of β-integrins, which are necessary for cell-cell and cell–extracellular matrix contact, as well as increasing filamin expression to prevent cell adhesion and …
Smooth Muscle Cell Proangiogenic Phenotype Induced by Cyclopentenyl Cytosine Promotes Endothelial Cell Proliferation and Migration

Vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and endothelial cells (ECs) are in close contact with blood vessels. SMC phenotypes can be altered during pathological vascular remodeling. However, how SMC phenotypes affect EC properties remains largely unknown. In this study, we found that PDGF-BB-induced synthetic SMCs suppressed EC proliferation and migration while exhibiting increased expression of anti-angiogenic factors, such as endostatin, and decreased pro-angiogenic factors, including CXC motif ligand 1 (CXCL1). Cyclopentenyl cytosine (CPEC), a CTP synthase inhibitor that has been reported previously to inhibit SMC proliferation and injury-induced neointima formation, induced SMC redifferentiation. Interestingly, CPEC-conditioned SMC culture medium promoted EC proliferation and migration because of an increase in CXCL1 along with decreased endostatin production in SMCs. Addition of recombinant endostatin protein or blockade of CXCL1 with a neutralizing antibody suppressed the EC proliferation and migration induced by CPEC-conditioned SMC medium. Mechanistically, CPEC functions as a cytosine derivate to stimulate adenosine receptors A1 and A2a, which further activate downstream cAMP and Akt signaling, leading to the phosphorylation of cAMP response element binding protein and, consequently, SMC redifferentiation. These data provided proof of a novel concept that synthetic SMC exhibits an anti-angiogenic SMC phenotype, whereas contractile SMC shows a pro-angiogenic phenotype. CPEC appears to be a potent stimulator for switching the anti-angiogenic SMC phenotype to the pro-angiogenic phenotype, which may be essential for CPEC to accelerate re-endothelialization for vascular repair during injury-induced vascular wall remodeling.
Effect of high-flux, low-energy He + ion irradiation on Ta as a plasma-facing material

The goal of this work is to assess Ta as a potential plasma-facing material for future fusion reactors in terms of its response to high-flux, low-energy He+ ion irradiation. Ta samples were irradiated with 100 eV He+ ions at various fluences up to 3.5 × 1025 ions m−2 while simultaneously heated at constant temperatures in the range 823–1223 K. SEM studies show that irradiated Ta surfaces undergo significant morphology changes that have a strong dependence on both ion fluence and sample temperature. Optical reflectivity complements SEM and demonstrates a vertical growth of surface structures with increasing fluence. Ex situ XPS and XRD both show significant oxidation of the irradiated Ta surfaces, giving further qualitative information on the extent of surface modification. Overall, these irradiation-induced structures on Ta are similar to early-stage “fuzz” structures observed in W. However, Ta exhibits a higher fluence threshold for structure formation. While Ta may have less desirable bulk properties (e.g., thermal conductivity) when compared to W, its higher resilience to He+ ion-induced surface modification suggests that surface thermal and mechanical properties may not degrade as quickly in extreme fusion environments; this quality may be a redeeming factor for Ta as a plasma-facing material.
Prevalence of and outcomes from Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia among hospitalized patients in the United States, 2009-2012

Background The burden of Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia is unknown despite being a major cause of mortality. We investigated national estimates of methicillin-resistant S aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-susceptible S aureus (MSSA) pneumonias and predictors of in-hospital mortality and hospital length of stay (LOS). Methods This was a retrospective analysis of the National Inpatient Sample from 2009-2012. Adult patients with an ICD-9-CM primary diagnosis code for MRSA or MSSA pneumonia were included. Data weights were used to derive national estimates. Prevalence rates were reported per 100,000 hospital discharges, with trends presented descriptively. Results There were 104,562 patients who had a primary diagnosis of S aureus pneumonia, with 81,275 from MRSA. MRSA pneumonia prevalence decreased steadily from 2009 (75.6 cases per 100,000 discharges) to 2012 (56.6 cases per 100,000 discharges), with MSSA pneumonia experiencing a slight decrease. Mortality rates decreased between 2009 and 2012 for MRSA pneumonia (7.9% to 6.4%) and MSSA pneumonia (6.9% to 4.7%; P = .008). LOS was higher for MRSA (6.9-7.8 days) compared with MSSA (6.1-6.4 days). Conclusions The prevalence of MRSA pneumonia has decreased among hospitalized adults in the United States in recent years accompanied by improvements in mortality and LOS. Although the prevalence of MRSA pneumonia is declining, national vigilance is still warranted.
Oxygenate-Induced Tuning of Aldehyde-Amine Reactivity and Its Atmospheric Implications

Atmospheric aerosols often contain a significant fraction of carbon–nitrogen functionality, which makes gas-phase aldehyde-amine chemistries an important source of nitrogen containing compounds in aerosols. Here we use high-level ab initio calculations to examine the key determinants of amine (ammonia, methylamine, and dimethylamine) addition onto three different aldehydes (acetaldehyde, glycolaldehyde, and 2-hydroperoxy acetaldehyde), with each reaction being catalyzed by a single water molecule. The model aldehydes reflect different degrees of oxygenation at a site adjacent to the carbonyl moiety, the α-site, and represent typical oxygenates that can arise from atmospheric oxidation especially under conditions where the concentration of NO is low. Our results show that the reaction barrier is influenced not only by the nature of the amine but also by the nature of the aldehyde. We find that, for a given amine, the reaction barrier decreases with increasing oxygenation of the aldehyde. This observed tren...
Cortical Thickness and Local Gyrification in Children with Developmental Dyslexia

Developmental dyslexia is frequently associated with atypical brain structure and function within regions of the left hemisphere reading network. To date, few studies have employed surface-based techniques to evaluate cortical thickness and local gyrification in dyslexia. Of the existing cortical thickness studies in children, many are limited by small sample size, variability in dyslexia identification, and the recruitment of prereaders who may or may not develop reading impairment. Further, no known study has assessed local gyrification index (LGI) in dyslexia, which may serve as a sensitive indicator of atypical neurodevelopment. In this study, children with dyslexia (n = 31) and typically decoding peers (n = 45) underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging to assess whole-brain vertex-wise cortical thickness and LGI. Children with dyslexia demonstrated reduced cortical thickness compared with controls within previously identified reading areas including bilateral occipitotemporal and occipitoparietal regions. Compared with controls, children with dyslexia also showed increased gyrification in left occipitotemporal and right superior frontal cortices. The convergence of thinner and more gyrified cortex within the left occipitotemporal region among children with dyslexia may reflect its early temporal role in processing word forms, and highlights the importance of the ventral stream for successful word reading.
Bulk production and evaluation of high specific activity 186gRe for cancer therapy using enriched 186WO3 targets in a proton beam

Abstract Introduction Rhenium-186g ( t 1/2 = 3.72 d) is a β − emitting isotope suitable for theranostic applications. Current production methods rely on reactor production by way of the reaction 185 Re(n,γ) 186g Re, which results in low specific activities limiting its use for cancer therapy. Production via charged particle activation of enriched 186 W results in a 186g Re product with a higher specific activity, allowing it to be used more broadly for targeted radiotherapy applications. This targets the unmet clinical need for more efficient radiotherapeutics. Methods A target consisting of highly enriched, pressed 186 WO 3 was irradiated with protons at the Los Alamos National Laboratory Isotope Production Facility (LANL-IPF) to evaluate 186g Re product yield and quality. LANL-IPF was operated in a dedicated nominal 40 MeV mode. Alkaline dissolution followed by anion exchange chromatography was used to isolate 186g Re from the target material. Phantom and radiolabeling studies were conducted with the produced 186g Re activity. Results A 186g Re batch yield of 1.38 ± 0.09 MBq/μAh or 384.9 ± 27.3 MBq/C was obtained after 16.5 h in a 205 μA average/230μA maximum current proton beam. The chemical recovery yield was 93% and radiolabeling was achieved with efficiencies ranging from 60–80%. True specific activity of 186g Re at EOB was determined via ICP-AES and amounted to 0.788 ± 0.089 GBq/μg (0.146 ± 0.017 GBq/nmol), which is approximately seven times higher than the product obtained from neutron capture in a reactor. Phantom studies show similar imaging quality to the gold standard 99m Tc. Conclusions We report a preliminary study of the large-scale production and novel anion exchange based chemical recovery of high specific activity 186g Re from enriched 186 WO 3 targets in a high-intensity proton beam with exceptional chemical recovery and radiochemical purity.
Biomimetic Mineralization of Biomaterials Using Simulated Body Fluids for Bone Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine .

Development of synthetic biomaterials imbued with inorganic and organic characteristics of natural bone that are capable of promoting effective bone tissue regeneration is an ongoing goal of regenerative medicine. Calcium phosphate (CaP) has been predominantly utilized to mimic the inorganic components of bone, such as calcium hydroxyapatite, due to its intrinsic bioactivity and osteoconductivity. CaP-based materials can be further engineered to promote osteoinductivity through the incorporation of osteogenic biomolecules. In this study, we briefly describe the microstructure and the process of natural bone mineralization and introduce various methods for coating CaP onto biomaterial surfaces. In particular, we summarize the advantages and current progress of biomimetic surface-mineralizing processes using simulated body fluids for coating bone-like carbonated apatite onto various material surfaces such as metals, ceramics, and polymers. The osteoinductive effects of integrating biomolecules such as prote...
The general form of Hamilton’s rule makes no predictions and cannot be tested empirically

Hamilton's rule asserts that a trait is favored by natural selection if the benefit to others, [Formula: see text], multiplied by relatedness, [Formula: see text], exceeds the cost to self, [Formula: see text] Specifically, Hamilton's rule states that the change in average trait value in a population is proportional to [Formula: see text] This rule is commonly believed to be a natural law making important predictions in biology, and its influence has spread from evolutionary biology to other fields including the social sciences. Whereas many feel that Hamilton's rule provides valuable intuition, there is disagreement even among experts as to how the quantities [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text] should be defined for a given system. Here, we investigate a widely endorsed formulation of Hamilton's rule, which is said to be as general as natural selection itself. We show that, in this formulation, Hamilton's rule does not make predictions and cannot be tested empirically. It turns out that the parameters [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] depend on the change in average trait value and therefore cannot predict that change. In this formulation, which has been called "exact and general" by its proponents, Hamilton's rule can "predict" only the data that have already been given.
The minor intimacies of race: Asian publics in North America

Christine Kim’s The Minor Intimacies of Race is a necessary and insightful look into the process of defining race and the experience of prejudice. Her primary focus is the Asian Canadian experience...
Open-loop testing results for the pacific DC intertie wide area damping controller

This paper describes the initial open-loop operation of a prototype control system aimed at mitigating inter-area oscillations through active DC power modulation. The control system uses real-time synchrophasor feedback to construct a commanded power signal added to the scheduled power on the Pacific DC Intertie (PDCI) within the western North American power system (wNAPS). The control strategy is based upon nearly a decade of simulation, linear analysis, and actual system tests. The control system must add damping to all modes which are controllable and “do no harm” to the AC grid. Tests were conducted in which the damping controller injected live probing signals into the PDCI controls to change the power flow on the PDCI by up to ±125 MW. While the probing tests are taking place, the damping controller recorded what it would have done if it were providing active damping. The tests demonstrate that the dynamic response of the DC system is highly desirable with a response time of 11 ms which is well within the desired range. The tests also verify that the overall transfer functions are consistent with past studies and tests. Finally, the tests show that the prototype controller behaves as expected and will improve damping in closed-loop operation.
A contribution of FcγRIIIa cosignaling in TFH subset development in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Abstract Background Expansion of follicular helper T cells (TFH) population occurs in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and their numbers correlate with autoantibody titers. In this study, we sought to examine the role of ICs (FcγRIIIa costimulation) play in TFH cells development. Methods We examined the presence of blood TFH cells using multicolor flow analysis in SLE patients in vivo. We then examined the development of these cells in vitro using plate-bound ICs. Performed differential expression analysis in cells activated via FcγRIIIa and compared to CD28 cosignaling. Results In SLE patients PBMCs, CD4+ gated T cells show IC binding and phosphorylated spleen tyrosine kinase (pSyk). These pSyk+ cells express PD1, ICOS, IL-21, and Bcl6, the TFH population markers. In vitro activation from plate-bound ICs of human naive CD4+ T cells results in the differentiation of TFH like cells phenotype. We show that FcγRIIIa-pSyk cosignaling in Bcl6+IL-21+ cells drives the production of both IFN-γ (TFH1) and IL-17A (TFH17) production. TLR9 engagement by CpG ODN 2006 combined with FcγRIIIa costimulation of CD4+ T cells augments, IL-17A, IL-21 production in Bcl6+ T cells. FcγRIIIa cosignaling induced the overexpression of microRNAs that participate in TLR signaling and are associated with TFH cell differentiation. RNA-seq data reveal pathways that may contribute to the development of TFH cells and nucleic acid sensing. Conclusion Our results suggest a role for FcγRIIIa receptors in TFH development and a role for nucleic acid sensing in the expansion of TFH cells.
Economic Community of West African States Disaster Preparedness Tabletop Exercise: Building Regional Capacity to Enhance Health Security.

Objective The West African Disaster Preparedness Initiative held a disaster preparedness tabletop exercise with representatives from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in November 2015. The tabletop exercise was hosted by the Republic of Ghana's National Disaster Management Organization and partners in Accra, Ghana. Methods ECOWAS Commission delegates and representatives from 10 member states were confronted with a series of simulated crises. Participants utilized existing national preparedness plans and web-based information technologies to research and communicate about internal disaster threats and those from neighboring countries. After each of the exercise's three phases, facilitators distributed participant surveys. Results A total of 106 individuals participated in the tabletop exercise. During the exercise, national teams utilizing well-developed disaster contingency plans and emergency operations center (EOC) standard operating procedures (SOPs) reached out to help less-prepared national teams. Key issues identified in the survey were language and cultural issues as barriers, effectiveness of disaster management agencies linked to heads of state, and the need for data sharing and real-time communication for situational awareness and multisector coordination. Conclusion This tabletop exercise helped improve and refine the ECOWAS regional and member states' national SOPs that teams will employ to prepare for, respond to, and recover from future disasters. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2019;13:400-404).
Modified Objective Function Algorithms

In this chapter we discuss three modifications of previous algorithms which have been proposed in an attempt to compensate for the difficulties caused by variations in cluster shape. The basic dilemma is that “clusters” defined by criterion functions usually take mathematical substance via metrical distances in data space. Each metric induces its own unseen but quite pervasive topological structure on ℝ p due to the geometric shape of the open balls it defines. This often forces the criterion function employing d to unwittingly favor clusters in X having this basic shape—even when none are present! In S21, we discuss a novel approach due to Backer which “inverts” several previous strategies. S22 considers an interesting modification of the FCM functional J m due to Gustafson and Kessel,(54) which uses a different norm for each cluster! S23 and S24 discuss generalization of the fuzzy c-means algorithms (A11.1) in a different way—the prototypes v i for J m (U, v) become r-dimensional linear varieties in ℝ p , 0 ≤ r ≤ p − 1.
Radio Communication with the Brain

Many human beings are alive today because of recently developed electronic technology which has replaced the activity of defective biologic mechanisms. It is well known that a variety of organs, including the bladder, intestinal tract, stomach, muscles, and heart, can be driven by electrical stimulation provided by suitable instruments. It should be clarified, however, that this type of pacemaking is relatively simple in spite of its transcendental importance in saving the life of a patient with respiratory or cardiac arrest. When driving the contractions of the heart, we are providing a nonspecific trigger to an organ with functional consequences rigidly preestablished: the heart has only one response, the cardiac systole. Stimulation of the intestine produces the single-effect of peristaltic contractions. In contrast, the functional manifestations of the central nervous system have extraordinary multiplicity, and the brain holds the master control of most autonomic, somatic, behavioral, and psychic activities.
Spread of Excitation and Injected Current in the Tunicate Myocardium

The structure of tunicate hearts is apparently simple when compared to higher chordate hearts because these simple tubes have no structural valves and are only one cell layer thick. Yet action potentials recorded from single cells in the tunicate heart are very similar to those of mammalian heart cells and there appears to be only one electrophysiological cell type1–3*. Pacemaker regions at the ends of the tunicate heart have not yet been investigated with microelectrodes but since most cells can develop pacemaker properties when isolated from the primary pacemakers there may be only a quantitative difference between all cells4.
Fueling and delinking from energy coloniality in Puerto Rico

In September 2017, Hurricane Maria rattled Puerto Rico and its Caribbean neighbors. To study this US colony’s post-hurricane crises, long-time histories and present experiences with what I call ‘en...
Peripheral and central viewpoints of chronic pain, and translational implications

This overview covers advances in mechanisms of chronic pain and their consequent clinical opportunities. Our research field is fractured into two separate camps: "peripheralists" and "centralists". While the strong position of the first group is the contention that mechanisms of chronic pain can be understood within the limits of afferent inputs and spinal cord circuitry, the second group insists that the rest of the brain plays a critical role. Here we attempt to conjoin these positions, across clinical pain conditions and animal studies, and demonstrate that the effort can lead to novel translational concepts.
Celestial dynamics and astrometry in an expanding universe

The mathematical concept of the Newtonian limit of Einstein's equations in an expanding universe is formulated. The equations of motion of planets and light are compared.
The "Real" Chechen Man: Conceptions of Religion, Nature, and Gender and the Persecution of Sexual Minorities in Postwar Chechnya.

In March of 2017, the Russian LGBT Network received their first reports of police violence against individuals in Chechnya because of their perceived sexual orientation. In the following months, ne...
Aptamer-functionalized Hybrid Nanoparticles to Enhance the Delivery of Doxorubicin into Breast Cancer Cells by Silencing P-glycoprotein.

Objective The MDR of metastatic breast cancer cells is accompanied by the overexpression of P-gp transporter. This study has been focused to determine whether silencing the expression of P-gp by aptamer-labeled siRNA nanoparticles could enhance the delivery of doxorubicin into breast cancer cells in culture. Methodology The nanoparticle F-31 was prepared using DOTAP, cholesterol, and PLGA, and then incorporating Mal-PEG to facilitate aptamer-binding. The nanoparticles were surface-functionalized with aptamer A6, which targets Her-2 receptors overexpressed on the surface of breast cancer cells. Results This study has shown that the uptake of Dox by Dox-resistant 4T1-R is significantly less than Dox-sensitive 4T1-S which is partly attributed to the higher expression of drug-efflux pump P-gp on the surface of the resistant cells. The targeted knockdown of P-gp has been enhanced when the particles carrying P-gp siRNA was labeled with aptamer. Concurrently, the uptake of Dox into the Dox-resistant 4T1-R breast cancer cells has increased significantly when the P-gp was silenced by P-gp siRNA-encapsulated aptamer-labeled nanoparticles. Conclusions This preliminary study concludes that downregulating P-gp expression by targeted delivery of P-gp siRNA using aptamer-labeled lipid-based hybrid nanoparticles could effectively increase the intracellular trafficking of doxorubicin in Dox-resistant mouse breast cancer cells.
A Cross-sectional Study of Hospital Performance on ICU Utilization Practices for Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Intensive care unit (ICU) resources are a costly but effective commodity used in the management of critically ill patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). ICU admission decisions are determined by patient diagnosis and severity of illness, but also may be affected by hospital differences in quality and performance. We investigate the variability in ICU utilization for patients with COPD and its association with hospital characteristics. Using a 3M administrative dataset spanning 2008–2013, we conducted a retrospective cohort study of adult patients discharged with COPD at hospitals in three state to determine variability in ICU utilization. Quality metrics were calculated for each hospital using observed-to-expected (O/E) ratios for overall mortality and length of stay. Logistic and multilevel multivariate regression models were constructed, estimating the association between hospital quality metrics on ICU utilization, after adjustment for available clinical factors and hospital characteristics. In 434 hospitals with 570,517 COPD patient visits, overall ICU admission rate was 33.1% [range 0–89%; median (IQR) 24% (8, 54)]. The addition of patient, hospital, and quality characteristics decreased the overall variability attributable to individual hospital differences seen within our cohort from 40.9 to 33%. Odds of ICU utilization were increased for larger hospitals and those seeing lower pulmonary case volume. Hospitals with better overall O/E ratios for length of stay or mortality had lower ICU utilization. Hospital characteristics, including quality metrics, are associated with variability in ICU utilization for COPD patients, with higher ICU utilization seen for lower performing hospitals.
MobiEye: turning your smartphones into a ubiquitous unobtrusive vital sign monitoring system

Recent advances in mobile and wearable technologies have stimulated significantly growing demands for more affordable, user-friendly, pervasive healthcare solutions that can be adopted by the public to proactively manage their health conditions and alleviate the burdens of hospitalization. This study seeks to propose a personalized ubiquitous health monitoring system that can unobtrusively monitor individuals’ vital signs, anywhere at any time. The proposed MobiEye framework makes use of the regular camera available on any smartphones or tablets to record various most important physiological signals without the need for acquiring extra specialized medical devices or attaching any sensor to the body. Through recording the reflected light intensities corresponding to the subtle blood flow changes with blood volume pulses, the proposed technique accurately extracts blood volume pulses from the facial videos recorded in real-world scenarios with the designed protocol. Experiments show that the proposed system achieved $$96 \, \% \,$$ accuracy on average (with the standard deviations of $$\pm 1.2$$ ) for the heart rate estimation and higher correlations between the pulse transit time and the reference systolic blood pressure $$(mean \, r = 0.89,\, SE= 0.05)$$ .
The Dietitian Role in Celiac Disease

The chapter presents the management of a young adult male with non-responsive celiac disease (NRCD). The dietitian assesses possible sources of gluten intake including accurate and routine reading of food labels, medications and supplements, type and frequency of oat ingestion, and cross-contact with gluten both at home and when dining outside the home. The patient improved dietary compliance via the education on routinely reading food labels and supplements and temporarily avoiding oats and dining outside. His autoantibodies successfully normalized and remained normal as gluten-free oats and dining out were reintegrated utilizing safe recommendations from the dietitian, without symptom recurrence.
Vertical Farming Economics in 10 Minutes

This paper seeks to provide an in depth understanding of pursuing vertical farming as a business practice in an approximately ten minute read. In this article, I discuss the issues with our current state of agriculture and follow it up with the tangible advantages that might justify a need for vertical farming from a macro perspective. Then I go on to discuss the problems of vertical farming from a business economic perspective, and finally provide a thorough discussion about what the future could hold for this young industry.
IMPACT OF PHYSICIAN COMMUNICATION ON DIABETIC EYE EXAMINATION ADHERENCE: Results From a Retrospective Cohort Analysis.

Purpose To evaluate the effect of written communication between an ophthalmologist and a primary care physician (PCP) on patient adherence to diabetic eye examination recommendations. Methods In a retrospective cohort study of a multiethnic population at an urban ophthalmology center, records of all patients with diabetes and clinic visits between 2007 and 2010 were reviewed. Data collected included patient demographics, insurance status, hemoglobin A1C, severity of diabetic retinopathy, follow-up examinations, and written communication between a patient's ophthalmologist and PCP. Statistical analyses were performed to examine the relationship between physician communication and adherence to diabetic eye examination based on the American Academy of Ophthalmology-published recommendations. Results A total of 1,968 people with diabetes were included. Written communication from an ophthalmologist to a PCP was associated with increased adherence to follow-up eye examination recommendations (Odds Ratio: 1.49; 95% Confidence Interval: 1.16-1.92; P = 0.0018). Communication from a PCP to an ophthalmologist was also associated with increased adherence (Odds Ratio: 1.94; 95% Confidence Interval: 1.37-2.77; P = 0.0002). Multivariable analysis controlling for other factors associated with examination adherence confirmed that communication both to and from an ophthalmologist was independently and significantly associated with increased follow-up adherence. Conclusion Patients with communication between ophthalmologists and PCPs are more likely to adhere to diabetic eye examinations.
AND/OR cutset conditioning

Cutset conditioning is one of the methods of solving reasoning tasks for graphical models, especially when space restrictions make inference (e.g., jointree-clustering) algorithms infeasible. The w-cutset is a natural extension of the method to a hybrid algorithm that performs search on the conditioning variables and inference on the remaining problems of induced width bounded by w. This paper takes a fresh look at these methods through the spectrum of AND/OR search spaces for graphical models. The resulting AND/OR cutset method is a strict improvement over the traditional one, often by exponential amounts.
Discontented miracle : growth, conflict, and institutional adaptations in China

Cornering the Market: State Strategies for Controlling China's Commercial Media (A Esarey) Brewing Tensions while Maintaining Stabilities: The Dual Role of the Hukou System in Contemporary China (F-L Wang) Resources and Strategies: Conflicts and Their Consequences in the Chinese Real Estate Market (T Wang & B Li) Multifaceted State and Fragmented Society: Dynamics of Environmental Movement in China (Y Sun & D Zhao) Food Safety and the Development of Regulatory Institutions in China (W Tam & D L Yang) Poverty Reduction, Decentralization, and Local Governance in China (R Tao & M Liu) Grain for Green or Grain for Gain: An Empirical Evaluation of the Sloping Land Conversion Program in China (J Xu & R Tao) Elections, Governance, and Accountability in Rural China (F Su & D L Yang).
Photodynamic therapy-induced death of HCT 116 cells: Apoptosis with or without Bax expression.

Cell death following photodynamic therapy (PDT) with the photosensitizer Pc 4 involves the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis. To evaluate the importance of Bax in apoptosis after PDT, we compared the PDT responses of Bax-proficient (Bax+/−) and Bax knock-out (BaxKO) HCT116 human colon cancer cells. PDT induced a slow apoptotic process in HCT Bax+/− cells following a long delay in the activation of Bax and release of cytochrome c from mitochondria. Although cytochrome c was not released from mitochondria following PDT in BaxKO cells, an alternative mechanism of caspase-dependent apoptosis with extensive chromatin and DNA degradation was found in these cells. This alternative process was less efficient and slower than the normal apoptotic process observed in Bax+/− cells. Early events upon PDT, such as the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, photodamage to Bcl-2, and activation of p38 MAP kinase, were observed in both HCT116 cell lines. In spite of differences in the efficiency and mode of apoptosis induced by PDT in the Bax+/− and BaxKO cells, they were found to be equally sensitive to killing by PDT, as determined by loss of clonogenicity. Thus, for Pc 4-PDT, the commitment to cell death occurs prior to and independent of Bax activation, but the process of cellular disassembly differs in Bax-expressing vs. non-expressing cells.
Interaction of Supernova Remnants with Interstellar Clouds: From the Nova Laser to the Galaxy

The interaction of strong shock waves, such as those generated by the explosion of supernovae with interstellar clouds, is a problem of fundamental importance in understanding the evolution and the dynamics of the interstellar medium (ISM) as it is disrupted by shock waves. The physics of this essential interaction sheds light on several key questions: (1) What is the rate and total amount of gas stripped from the cloud, and what are the mechanisms responsible? (2) What is the rate of momentum transfer to the cloud? (3) What is the appearance of the shocked cloud, its morphology and velocity dispersion? (4) What is the role of vortex dynamics on the evolution of the cloud? (5) Can the interaction result in the formation of a new generation of stars? To address these questions, one of us has embarked on a comprehensive multidimensional numerical study of the shock cloud problem using high-resolution adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) hydrodynamics. Here we present the results of a series of Nova laser experiments investigating the evolution of a high-density sphere embedded in a low-density medium after the passage of a strong shock wave, thereby emulating the supernova shock-cloud interaction. The Nova laser was utilized to generate a strong (~Mach 10) shock wave which traveled along a miniature beryllium shock tube, 750 μm in diameter, filled with a low-density plastic emulating the ISM. Embedded in the plastic was a copper microsphere (100 μm in diameter) emulating the interstellar cloud. Its morphology and evolution as well as the shock wave trajectory were diagnosed via side-on radiography. We describe here experimental results of this interaction for the first time out to several cloud crushing times and compare them to detailed two- and three-dimensional radiation hydrodynamic simulations using both arbitrary Lagrangian and Eulerian hydrodynamics (ALE) as well as high-resolution AMR hydrodynamics. We briefly discuss the key hydrodynamic instabilities instrumental in destroying the cloud and show the importance of inherently three-dimensional instabilities and their role in cloud evolution. We describe the relationship of these new experiments and calculations to recent ROSAT X-ray observations in the Cygnus Loop.
Infrared Hyperspectral Sensor Radiance Performance Validation

Advanced satellite sensors are tasked with improving measurements of the Earth’s atmosphere. Measurement system validation is critical to achieving this goal and maximizing research and operational utility of resultant data.
Syntheses and crystal structures of [BpBut,Me]ZnX, [BpBut,Pri]ZnX (X=Me, I) and {[BpBut,Me]Cd(μ-I)}2: mononuclear versus dinuclear bis(pyrazolyl)hydroborato zinc and cadmium complexes

Abstract The bis(pyrazolyl)hydroborato zinc and cadmium complexes, [BpBut,R]ZnX (R=Me, Pri; X=Me, I) and {[BpBut,Me]Cd(μ-I)}2 are obtained readily by reaction of the respective thallium reagents Tl[BpBut,R] with MX2. The molecular structures of [BpBut,Pri]ZnX (X=Me, I) and {[BpBut,Me]Cd(μ-I)}2 have been determined by X-ray diffraction, demonstrating that the zinc complexes are mononuclear with a trigonal planar coordination geometry, whereas the cadmium complex is dinuclear. As such, the observation demonstrates that cadmium shows less of a preference to form trigonal planar three-coordinate complexes than does zinc.
A Matrix-analog for Viennot's construction of the Robinson correspondence†

The notion of Viennot matrix which is here introduced provides a convenient combinatorial set-up to describe the Robinson correspondence between permutations and pairs of Young tableaux. By means of that set-up a Simon-Newcomb property is reproved in a simple manner.
Lessons we have learned from our children: cancer risks from diagnostic radiology

The A-bomb survivors represent the best source of data for risk estimates of radiation-induced cancer. It is clear that children are ten times more sensitive than adults to the induction of cancer. The introduction of helical CT has transformed diagnostic radiology, especially in pediatric patients. The undoubted benefits carry the price tag of much higher doses, and in children, even higher effective doses. The A-bomb data have "matured" and we now have cancer risk estimates for a dose range which coincides with the organ doses from pediatric CT. Individuals exposed 50 years ago to doses comparable to those associated with helical CT today, show a small but statistically significant excess incidence of cancer. There are no assumptions, and no extrapolations involved. An abdominal helical CT scan in a young girl results in a risk of fatal cancer later in life that amounts to about one in a thousand. The risk to the individual is small, and readily balanced by the medical benefits. The public health problem is, however, significant when the small individual risk is multiplied by the 2.7 million of such procedures performed annually. Every effort is needed to minimize doses by an appropriate choice of peak kilovoltage (kVp) and milliampere-seconds (mAs), and at the same time to urge a more selective use of pediatric CT.
Linear stability of perturbed Hamiltonian systems: theory and a case example

In this paper we present a general theory, based on a Lyapunov?Schmidt reduction, for the linearized stability of a perturbed Hamiltonian system with a number of symmetries. The reduction leads to an eigenvalue problem in a small subspace of the original system, whose eigenvalues and eigenvectors can be used to derive the ones of the perturbed original system. The Krein signature of the eigenvalues can also be obtained in this framework. The method is applied to the case example of the coupled nonlinear Schr?dinger equations giving excellent agreement with the full numerical linear stability results.