cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Specialized Ambulatory Anesthesia Teams Contribute to Decreased Ambulatory Surgery Recovery Room Length of Stay

Background: Many institutions have organized specialized groups of ambulatory surgery anesthesiologists with the aim of improving ambulatory surgery patient care and efficiency. We hypothesized that specialized ambulatory anesthesia teams produce better patient outcomes such as lower postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) rates, lower postoperative pain scores, and shorter postanesthesia care unit (PACU) lengths of stay (LOS). Methods: In this prospective observational study, we collected outcomes data on 1,299 patients including incidence of PONV, PACU LOS, maximum and average pain scores, amount of postoperative opioid use, and rescue antiemetic use. Results: Ambulatory anesthesiologists had statistically shorter phase 2 PACU LOS times (P < .05) and overall recovery times (P < .01). The PONV incidence odds ratio for ambulatory versus nonambulatory anesthesiologists was 1.31 (95% CI 1.01-1.72). We found no significant difference in the amount of postoperative opioid use, maximum postoperative pain scores, or PACU phase 1 LOS time. Conclusions: The decreased PACU LOS for the study group’s patients occurred despite the increased incidence of PONV. Ambulatory anesthesiologists contributed to decreased PACU LOS while practicing evidence-based anesthesia with regard to PONV and pain control. Ambulatory subspecialization may benefit institutions as a way to increase perioperative efficiency and improve surgeon and patient satisfaction.
High proportions of nonpathogenic Streptomyces are associated with common scab-resistant potato lines and less severe disease.

Streptomyces isolates were obtained from potato tubers with common scab lesions from 2 fields over a 3 year period in Minnesota and a 5 year period in Maine. Isolates were obtained from different p...
Crystal structure of a hypothetical protein, TM841 of Thermotoga maritima, reveals its function as a fatty acid–binding protein

We determined the three-dimensional (3D) crystal structure of protein TM841, a protein product from a hypothetical open-reading frame in the genome of the hyperthermophile bacterium Thermotoga maritima, to 2.0 A resolution. The protein belongs to a large protein family, DegV or COG1307 of unknown function. The 35 kDa protein consists of two separate domains, with low-level structural resemblance to domains from other proteins with known 3D structures. These structural homologies, however, provided no clues for the function of TM841. But the electron density maps revealed clear density for a bound fatty-acid molecule in a pocket between the two protein domains. The structure indicates that TM841 has the molecular function of fatty-acid binding and may play a role in the cellular functions of fatty acid transport or metabolism.
Draft Whole-Genome Sequences of Three Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli O91:H21 Isolates, Two from Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome Patients and One of Porcine Origin

This study presents three genomes of O91:H21 isolates, two from hemolytic uremic syndrome patients and one of porcine origin. Genome analyses reveal that one of the human isolates contains both Shiga toxin-encoding genes (stx1 and stx2), and all three isolates contain putative adhesin (iha and eaeH) and antibiotic resistance (ampC) genes.
Comparison of clonidine and methyldopa on blood pressure and side effects in hypertensive patients

Abstract Clonidine hydrochloride (Catapres) represents a new type of antihypertensive agent which acts to reduce blood pressure by central inhibition of sympathetic vasomotor and cardioexcitatory stimuli. 1,2 We have previously demonstrated its antihypertensive effectiveness particularly when combined with a diuretic. 3 The drug has been shown to have long-term effectiveness in the treatment of severe hypertension and sufficient potency to replace guanethidine. Sedation, constipation, and dry mouth are its chief side effects; they tend to decrease with the passage of time and are less objectionable than the fatigue and postural syncope frequently seen with guanethidine. 4 Clonidine is also useful in smaller doses in the treatment of less severe forms of hypertension, where other antihypertensive drugs such as alpha methyldopa may also be effective. The purpose of the present study is to compare these two drugs at a fixed dosage, both concerning their hypotensive effectiveness in patients with moderately severe hypertension and also concerning side effects produced by each agent when the blood pressure is lowered to a comparable degree.
Loratadine dysregulates cell cycle progression and enhances the effect of radiation in human tumor cell lines

Background: The histamine receptor-1 (H1)-antagonist, loratadine has been shown to inhibit growth of human colon cancer xenografts in part due to cell cycle arrest in G2/M. Since this is a radiation sensitive phase of the cell cycle, we sought to determine if loratadine modifies radiosensitivity in several human tumor cell lines with emphasis on human colon carcinoma (HT29). Methods: Cells were treated with several doses of loratadine at several time points before and after exposure to radiation. Radiation dose modifying factors (DMF) were determined using full radiation dose response survival curves. Cell cycle phase was determined by flow cytometry and the expression of the cell cycle-associated proteins Chk1, pChk1 ser345 , and Cyclin B was analyzed by western blot. Results: Loratadine pre-treatment of exponentially growing cells (75 μM, 24 hours) increased radiation-induced cytotoxicity yielding a radiation DMF of 1.95. However, treatment of plateau phase cells also yielded a DMF of 1.3 suggesting that mechanisms other than cell cycle arrest also contribute to loratadine-mediated radiation modification. Like irradiation, loratadine initially induced G2/M arrest and activation of the cell-cycle associated protein Chk1 to pChk1 ser345 , however a subsequent decrease in expression of total Chk1 and Cyclin B correlated with abrogation of the G2/M checkpoint. Analysis of DNA repair enzyme expression and DNA fragmentation revealed a distinct pattern of DNA damage in loratadine-treated cells in addition to enhanced radiation-induced damage. Taken together, these data suggest that the observed effects of loratadine are multifactorial in that loratadine 1) directly damages DNA, 2) activates Chk1 thereby promoting G2/M arrest making cells more susceptible to radiation-induced DNA damage and, 3) downregulates total Chk1 and Cyclin B abrogating the radiation-induced G2/M checkpoint and allowing cells to re-enter the cell cycle despite the persistence of damaged DNA. Conclusions: Given this unique possible mechanism of action, loratadine has potential as a chemotherapeutic agent and as a modifier of radiation responsiveness in the treatment of cancer and, as such, may warrant further clinical evaluation.
Adenylyl cyclase P-site ligands accelerate differentiation in Ob1771 preadipocytes

Differentiation of Ob1771 preadipocytes to adipocytes was characterized by morphological changes and elevated expression of the specific marker enzyme, glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. A differe...
A Case for Automated Debugging Using Data Structure Repair

Automated debugging is becoming increasingly important as the size and complexity of software increases. This paper makes a case for using constraint-based data structure repair, a recently developed technique for fault recovery, as a basis for automated debugging. Data structure repair uses given structural integrity constraints for key data structures to monitor their correctness during the execution of a program. If a constraint violation is detected, repair performs mutations on the data structures, i.e., corrupt program state, and transforms it into another state, which satisfies the desired constraints. The primary goal of data structure repair is to transform an erroneous state into an acceptable state. Therefore, the mutations performed by repair actions provide a basis of debugging faults in code (assuming the errors are due to bugs). A key challenge to embodying this insight into a mechanical technique arises due to the difference in the concrete level of the program states and the abstract level of the program code: repair actions apply to concrete data structures that exist at runtime, whereas debugging applies to code. We observe that static structures (program variables) hold handles to dynamic structures (heap-allocated data), which allows bridging the gap between the abstract and concrete levels. We envision a tool-chain where a data structure repair tool generates repair logs that are used by a fault localization tool and a repair abstraction tool that apply in synergy to not only identify the location of fault(s) in code but also to synthesize debugging suggestions. An embodiment of our vision can significantly reduce the cost of developing reliable software.
Glycogen synthase activation in the epididymal adipose tissue from chronic hyperinsulinemic/obese rats

Abstract Rat pups that received a high carbohydrate (HC) milk formula in their neonatal period became chronically hyperinsulinemic and obese in their adulthood. Pups born to HC female rats spontaneously became chronically hyperinsulinemic and obese. Basal activities of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), 90-kD ribosomal S6 kinase (pp90 rsk ), protein phosphatase-1 (PP-1), glycogen synthase, and protein kinase A (PKA) were measured in the epididymal adipose tissue of 100-day-old male HC rats (born to HC females) and compared with the activities in the epididymal adipose tissue of rats born to mother-fed females (MF). Basal activities of MAPK, pp90 rsk , PP-1, and glycogen synthase were increased in the epididymal adipose of HC rats while the basal activity of PKA was reduced. Insulin-stimulated activities of MAPK and PP-1 and glucose uptake were also studied in adipocytes from these HC and MF rats. Although the basal activities of MAPK and PP-1 and glucose uptake were higher in adipocytes of HC rats, the ability of insulin to stimulate these processes in vitro above basal levels was less in these adipocytes compared with adipocytes from MF rats. It is possible that circulating higher levels of insulin in HC rats sustain the increased activities of MAPK, pp90 rsk , PP-1, and glycogen synthase in the epididymal adipose tissue of HC rats and the reduced ability of insulin to further activate MAPK, PP-1, and glucose uptake above basal levels in adipocytes in HC rats may be a compensatory mechanism for the observed effects of chronic hyperinsulinemia in HC rats.
Evaluations of Validity and Reliability of a Transtheoretical Model for Sedentary Behavior among College Students.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the measurement properties of the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) questionnaire for sedentary behaviors among college students and to examine the validity and reliability of the developed TTM questionnaire. METHODS Overall, 225 college students were recruited. For the 2-week test-retest reliability, a random sub-sample (N = 108) of the participants was used. RESULTS Statistically significant differences were found across the stages on the tests of concurrent (χ(2) = 25.0, p < .001) and construct (p < .01) validity. In addition, the internal consistency reliability (Cronbach alphas from .73 to .88) and test-retest reliability (intra-class correlation coefficients ranging from .80 to .94) were high for the questionnaires. CONCLUSIONS These results demonstrate high validity and reliability of the TTM questionnaire when applied to sedentary behavior.
Log Analysis of Cyber Security Training Exercises

Abstract Cyber security is a pervasive issue that impacts public and private organizations. While several published accounts describe the task demands of cyber security analysts, it is only recently that research has begun to investigate the cognitive and performance factors that distinguish novice from expert cyber security analysts. Research in this area is motivated by the need to understand how to better structure the education and training of cyber security professionals, a desire to identify selection factors that are predictive of professional success in cyber security and questions related to the development of software tools to augment human performance of cyber security tasks. However, a common hurdle faced by researchers involves gaining access to cyber security professionals for data collection activities, whether controlled experiments or semi-naturalistic observations. An often readily available and potentially valuable source of data may be found in the records generated through cyber security training exercises. These events frequently entail semi-realistic challenges that may be modeled on real-world occurrences, and occur outside normal operational settings, freeing participants from the sensitivities regarding information disclosure within operational environments. This paper describes an infrastructure tailored for the collection of human performance data within the context of cyber security training exercises. Techniques are described for mining the resulting data logs for relevant human performance variables. The results provide insights that go beyond current descriptive accounts of the cognitive processes and demands associated with cyber security job performance, providing quantitative characterizations of the activities undertaken in solving problems within this domain.
Effect of actinomycin D and halogenated deoxyuridines on the replication of simian virus 5.

SummaryThe replication of simian virus 5 in rhesus monkey kidney cells was not inhibited by 5-fluoro-2′-deoxyuridine, 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine, or 5-iodo-2′-deoxyuridine. Actinomycin D did not inhibit viral replication during the first 10 hours of viral growth, and the addition of the drug to cells which were already producing virus did not inhibit continuing virus production until after 10 hours. However, concentrations of actinomycin as low as 0.1 μg/ml significantly reduced the virus yield obtained at 22 hours or later. The results suggest that neither DNA synthesis nor DNA-dependent RNA synthesis is required for the synthesis of the virus, and that the inhibition of the continued production of virus is secondary to effects on the host cell.
The Supreme Court, Abortion Policy, and State Response: A Preliminary Analysis

Abortion controversy marks a newly emerging field of civil rights in the American federal system. In the history of abortion cases, of civil rights cases generally, and of federalism, the Supreme Court's decisions of summer 1977 convey a clear-and perhaps unusualsignal for the federal system: by shifting from the moral and legal questions of abortion to its financing and by, in effect, placing part of the burden of decision-making on the states, the Court has narrowed the scope of abortion funding and significantly broadened the scope of state action.
Lack of interaction between glucocorticoids and the kallikrein-kinin system.

SummaryWe found no significant modifying action of acute administration of pharmacological doses (5 × 10-5-1 × 10-3M) of either methylprednisolone, cortisol, or dexamethasone on the kallikrein-kinin system. Thus, there was no modifying effect of these glucocorticoids on (a) bradykinin action, (b) formation, or (c) kininase activity as determined by the rate of inactivation of the kinin response in the bioassay system. A similar lack of response occurred in jejunal strips isolated from control cats or in cats in hemorrhagic shock. These results argue against a direct inhibitory action of the glucocorticoids on the kallikrein-kinin system as the major mechanism of their anti-inflammatory or antishock properties.We thank Dr. A. Scriabine of the Merck Institute for Therapeutic Research, West Point, PA, for the dexamethasone (Decadron), Dr. S. S. Stubbs of the Upjohn Company, Kalamazoo, Ml, for the supply of methylprednisolone (Solu-Medrol), Dr. G. Haberland of Bayer A G, Wuppertal, Germany, for the supply of ...
Regulation of the selective uptake of high density lipoprotein-associated cholesteryl esters.

We have previously shown in rats that the cholesteryl ester component of high density lipoproteins (HDL) is taken up at a greater fractional rate than is the apolipoprotein A-I component (selective uptake) by liver and steroidogenic tissues. Selective uptake was also exhibited by cultured cells from these organs as well as by a wider range of cells in vitro (e.g., rat and human fibroblasts). We report here regulation of this pathway according to the cholesterol status of cells. Uptake of HDL cholesteryl esters by rat fibroblasts was decreased by prior loading of the cells with cholesterol, even while uptake of HDL-associated apoA-I actually increased. At high levels of cholesterol, the two were taken up about in parallel, i.e., selective uptake was suppressed. A similar regulation of selective uptake in primary rat hepatocytes in culture was not observed. To examine regulation of selective uptake in vivo, hypocholesterolemia was induced in rats using either 4-aminopyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine or 17 alpha-ethinyl estradiol. Rat HDL, doubly labeled in both the apoprotein A-I and cholesteryl ester moieties with intracellularly trapped tracers, were injected into untreated and treated rats. The plasma decay kinetics and the tissue sites of uptake were then determined. Hypocholesterolemia increased the plasma fractional catabolic rates of both tracers. Selective uptake was observed in tissues of treated rats that did not exhibit selective uptake in untreated rats (muscle, adipose tissue, and skin). Similarly, hypocholesterolemia increased the contribution of selective uptake to total HDL cholesteryl ester uptake by adrenal and ovary. In contrast, regulation of selective uptake by liver could not be demonstrated under these conditions. Thus, selective uptake of HDL cholesteryl esters can be regulated in extrahepatic tissues of rats in vivo and in vitro, suggesting a role for selective uptake in the maintenance of cholesterol homeostasis in these tissues.
Reliability and Cost Performance Ratio Analysis on EPON Protection Networking of Power Distribution Communication Network Access Layer

Based on the reliability theory of power communication network,reliability analytic methods are proposed for Ethernet passive optical network(EPON) protection networking of the power distribution communication access layer.By using the system availability theory,the reliability and cost of EPON protection networking are quantitatively analyzed for the access layer of four kinds of power distribution communication network,i.e.,tree-type network of single power supply redundancy protection,hand-in-hand network of whole chain protection,dual-power dual-T network of full link protection,and ring-type protection network.The optimal networking solutions are discussed and summed up for the EPON protection networking schemes of power distribution communication network in current operation.
265 : Cooperative activation of innate lymphoid type 2 cells (ILC2) by epithelial cytokines in response to chitin

Chitin, a polysaccharide component of several allergenic and parasitic organisms, initiates type 2 lung inflammation characterized by eosinophils and alternatively activated macrophages (AAMs) but the contribution of signals generated at epithelial barriers is unclear. Using genetic approaches for in vivo tracking and deletion, we show that chitin induces interleukin (IL)-5 and IL-13 secretion from innate lymphoid type 2 cells (ILC2) in a manner dependent on combined expression of a trio of epithelial cytokines, IL-25, IL-33 and thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP). These epithelial cytokines are all required for optimal ILC2-derived cytokine expression, which differentially mediate downstream cell accumulation, as both IL-5 and IL-13 contribute to eosinophilia, while IL-13 alone controls AAM induction. Specific cytokine-mediated deletion of ILC2 by either IL-5 or IL-13 expression ablates the chitin-induced lung accumulation of both eosinophils and AAM, and intact chitin is required for ILC2 function as cytokine expression is abrogated by transgenic overexpression of acidic mammalian chitinase. Further, in the combined genetic absence of IL-25, TSLP-R, and the IL-33 receptor subunit T1/ST2, we find that ILC2 develop and populate the lung normally; however, upon innate stimulation with chitin these cells fail to produce critical levels of IL-5 and IL-13 necessary to sustain both eosinophils and AAMs, even while induction of other inflammatory cytokines and cell types are unaffected. Thus, lung ILC2 comprise a cellular conduit that integrates multiple epithelial inputs required for the recruitment and maintenance of specific innate myeloid effector cells upon sensing a widespread environmental polysaccharide.
A Structured Approach Using the Systematic Review Data Repository (SRDR): Building the Evidence for Oral Health Interventions in the Population With Intellectual and Developmental Disability

Background:This review describes the methods used for a systematic review of oral health intervention literature in a target population (people with intellectual and developmental disability (I/DD)...
Modeling Tri-Directional Reflectance Distribution Funtions (TRDF) with application to subpixel target detection

Spatially unresolved targets, such as vehicles, reflect a radiance spectrum that is more complicated than the simple linear mixing of target and background material spectra. Although different materials in the target and background classes have Bi-Directional Reflectance Function (BRDF) dependent spectra, the unique geometry and orientation of a target object, in addition to the solar illumination and observation angles, define a more complex Tri-Directional Reflectance Function (TRDF) in which glints and shadows are important spectral contributors. For different observation scenarios, the apparent spectra of an unresolved target may vary significantly. However, since solar and observation angles are often known to operators of remote sensing instruments, well characterized TRDFs for specific targets allow for refinement in the estimation of the expected spectra of different unresolved targets. More accurately defined target classes may lead to improved performance in established subpixel target detection algorithms for remote sensing.
Addressing limits of operability of the scramjet engine in adaptive control of a generic hypersonic vehicle

This paper considers the incorporation of limits of operability of the scramjet engine in a previously developed adaptive guidance and flight control architecture for the 6-DOF model of a generic hypersonic air-breathing vehicle. Lower bounds on the throttle setting arise from the necessity of maintaining a minimal fuel rate due to thermal management considerations, whereas an upper bound must also be imposed to avoid the occurrence of inlet unstart. A dynamic reference management is presented for the adaptive inner-loop module of the flight control architecture that provides tracking of airspeed reference trajectories. A feasible input reference trajectory (which depends on the parameter estimates) is provided to the adaptive controller so that convergence to a feasible setpoint for the throttle setting is attained. A simulation study is presented to validate the proposed methodology.
A review of conventional techniques for subsurface characterization of landslides

Naturally occurring landslides can be difficult to characterize and often exhibit anomalies in controlling geometry and consistency. The characterization of landslides in engineering geology practice is usually based on program of subsurface exploration; focused on identifying subsurface materials, structure and stratigraphy, hydrologic conditions, and appropriate strength parameters. On native slopes bereft of anthropogenic modification (excavation), geomorphic evidence of previous movement and its relative depth and scale are often discernible to the experienced eye. This paper seeks to describe the various techniques that have been successfully employed in site-specific subsurface investigations of prehistoric landslides. These include considerations of limiting geometry (for planning subsurface exploration and sampling), overcoming problems with site access, exploratory trenches, small diameter borings, downhole logging of large diameter borings, and geophysical techniques. These procedures can be combined to develop more realistic cross sections along the vector of maximum landslide movement, so the displaced mass can be realistically analyzed. The respective advantages and disadvantages of these techniques are discussed, with baseline references on subsurface exploration.
David Oliver: Are hospitals heading the same way as prisons?

In 2016 England’s jails faced riots,1 damning inspection reports on conditions,2 and tales of ready access to drugs.3 The latest and largest riot was at HMP Birmingham, where officers lost control for 48 hours.4 Widespread coverage has been given to prison overcrowding,56 superannuated buildings,78 and prison officers’ numbers, workload, and morale.9 Unions, campaigning charities, and the inspectorate have flagged concerns repeatedly.10 We in NHS hospitals can empathise. Overcrowding, short staffing, and low morale put patients and organisations at risk. Acute activity, overcrowding, and delayed transfers are at unprecedented levels: we’re …
Natural and artificial cold acclimatization in man.

Abstract The effect of natural or artificial chronic cold exposure on the response of human subjects to a standardized acute exposure was used as the criterion of cold acclimatization. During the standard exposure of 12–14°C for 2 hr, shivering, oxygen consumption, rectal temperature and skin temperature were measured. Seasonal acclimatization was studied by determining the monthly response of fourteen subjects to the standard test for year. During the winter, shivering was 90 per cent less, cold-induced oxygen consumption 50 per cent less, and rectal and skin temperatures remained unchanged. The effect of a sub-arctic climate was studied on ten Kentucky soldiers: After 52 days in Alaska, shivering was 50 per cent less and oxygen consumption 25 per cent less while rectal and skin temperature responses were unchanged. The rate of change between the group in Alaska and the seasonally studied group was the same. Ten subjects were artificially acclimatized by nude exposure for a period of 8 hr daily for 30 days in a chamber at 12°C. Shivering in this group decreased 90 per cent, cold-induced oxygen consumption was unchanged, rectal temperature was depressed significantly after the tenth day but skin temperature was unchanged. Monthly retesting of the chamber acclimatized group for 11 months showed no change in their cold test response. The seasonally acclimatized group lost their winter response to the cold test. While maximally cold acclimatized, both seasonal and chamber groups did not lose their cold-acclimatization as a result of a 3-week period of heat acclimatization.
Žumberak: A Sixteenth-Century Refugee Settlement Zone

AbstractThis article examines the movement of Orthodox Christian refugees from Bosnia to the Habsburg Monarchy in the 1530s and their settlement in a district called Žumberak. The movement of these Uskoks has never been examined in the context of refugee studies. This study of a refugee movement and settlement over a five-century period offers the possibility of reaching a better understanding of the long-term outcome of refugee movements. Ultimately, this article suggests that the refugees affected the land they settled as much as the settlement zone affected them, and that, in this case, the refugees were able to define their own outcome.
Model for the lattice vibrations of a crystal of diatomic molecules—II. Quasiharmonic equation of state*

Abstract The equation of state of the diatomic solids oxygen, nitrogen, fluorine, and carbon monoxide is presented for a calculation based upon a homogeneous deformation description of the crystal Hamiltonian and a Lennard-Jones[6–12] type phenomenological description of the interaction between non-bonded atoms in the solid. The zero-pressure specific heats, thermal expansivities and compressibilities of our model calculation describe most satisfactorily the low-temperature-phase thermal data of O2, N2, F2, and CO. The predictions of our model are in good agreement with the existing (albeit limited) experimental non-zero pressure data.
Methods for Characterizing Disease-Associated ATP-Sensitive Potassium Channel Mutations

The ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channel formed by the inwardly rectifying potassium channel Kir6.2 and the sulfonylurea receptor 1 (SUR1) plays a key role in regulating insulin secretion. Genetic mutations in KCNJ11 or ABCC8 which encode Kir6.2 and SUR1 respectively are major causes of insulin secretion disorders: those causing loss of channel function lead to congenital hyperinsulinism, whereas those causing gain of channel function result in neonatal diabetes and in some cases developmental delay, epilepsy, and neonatal diabetes, referred to as the DEND syndrome. Understanding how disease mutations disrupt channel expression and function is important for disease diagnosis and for devising effective therapeutic strategies. Here, we describe a workflow including several biochemical and functional assays to assess the effects of mutations on channel expression and function.
Radial Head and Neck Fractures

Radial head and neck fractures can be associated with significant elbow and forearm injuries, including terrible triad and trans-olecranon fracture dislocations. Isolated minimally displaced fractures may be treated non-operatively with early range of motion to minimize contractures. Open reduction and internal fixation and replacement arthroplasty will be presented.
Solution of Hadwiger-Levi's Covering Problem for Duals of Cyclic 2k-Polytopes

For a collection C of convex bodies let h(C) be the minimum number m with the property that every element K of C can be covered by m or fewer smaller homothetic copies of K. Denote by Cd* the collection of all duals of cyclic d-polytopes, d≥ 2. We show that h(C2k*)=(k +1)2 for any k ≥ 2. We also prove the inequalities (d+1) (d+3)/4 ≤ h(Cd*)≤ (d+1) 2/2$ for any d≥ 2.
Prevalence and outcomes of unoperated patients with severe symptomatic mitral regurgitation and heart failure: comprehensive analysis to determine the potential role of MitraClip for this unmet need

To the Editor: Mitral valve (MV) surgery is recommended in patients with severe symptomatic mitral regurgitation (MR) [(1)][1]. The role of MV surgery is unclear in patients with severe MR secondary to left ventricular (LV) dysfunction [(1)][1]. Many patients with severe MR are at high surgical
Marine Sponge Derived Eribulin in Preclinical and Clinical Studies for Cancer

Eribulin mesylate is a completely synthetic, structurally simplified, macrocyclic ketone analogue of Halichondrin B. Halichondrin B is complex, natural, macrocyclic polyether derived from marine sponges. Eribulin has been approved by United States Food and Drug Administration in 2010 as a third line therapy for metastatic breast cancer patients, who have previously been treated with an anthracycline and a taxane. It has a microtubule dynamics inhibitory action. Preclinical studies have demonstrated a broad spectrum of anti-tumor activity in various cancer cell lines and synergistic action with multiple anticancer agents. It has also undergone clinical trials in non-small cell lung cancer, pancreatic, prostate, bladder, head and neck cancers, sarcomas and ovarian and other gynecological tumors. Various combination trials are currently ongoing. The predominant side effects are neutropenia and fatigue, which are manageable. This article reviews the available information on eribulin with respect to its clinical pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, mechanism of action, metabolism, preclinical studies and clinical trials.
Evaluation of different methods for isolating Phytophthora spp. from a Canterbury waterway

Phytophthora spp. pose a risk to New Zealand’s managed and natural ecosystems. As Phytophthora spp. are well adapted to aquatic environments, water surveillance can be used to identify their distribution. Seven bait species (Rhododendron arborescens, Pittosporum undulatum, Banksia attenuata, Camellia japonica, Pittosporum eugenioides, Pinus radiata, and Cedrus deodara) were evaluated for Phytophthora spp. isolation. Water was collected from 2 sites in the Suckling river (Tai Tapu) and half was membrane-filtered (3-I¼m pore size) to capture spores. Leaf baits were floated directly on unfiltered water at room temperature in the laboratory for 7 days. Baits were also placed in nylon-mesh bags and floated in the Suckling river sites (in situ) for 7 days. Leaf lesions and membrane filters were cultured on Phytophthora spp. selective media. Eighty-six Phytophthora spp. isolates representing 5 colony morphotypes were recovered, 6 (3 morphotypes) from membrane filters, 25 (4 morphotypes) from baits on collected river water, and 55 (5 morphotypes) from in situ baits. The highest numbers of isolates were recovered from R. arborescens (50.6%; 4 morphotypes), Pinus radiata (17.2%; 3 morphotypes) and Pittosporum undulatum (12.6%; 2 morphotypes). In situ baiting using Rhododendron arborescens and Pinus radiata was the most effective method of isolating Phytophthora species.
Regional socio-demographic determinants of breast cancer incidence in the United States.

e13550Background: Epidemiological studies on breast cancer incidence have focused on age, race and poverty level as major factors impacting the incidence, but few have looked at body mass index (BM...
Multi-scale Simulation of the Interaction of a Shock Wave and a Cloud of Particles

A multi-scale method is proposed in which resolved mesoscale simulations of the interaction of a normal moving shock with a rectangular cloud of particles yield a parametric representation of the drag due to these particles. This establishes a link between the meso- and macroscale through metamodels, which provide closure terms for a macroscale model. The latter is used to simulate a process-scale problem via an Eulerian-Lagrangian approach, assuming a point-particle representation of the particle phase. Results obtained using a traditional cloud-in-cell method with first-order particle-to-grid weighing are compared to those of the novel “SPARSE” algorithm which represents the entire particle cloud with a single macro-particle and approximates the actual cloud shape with a bivariate Gaussian distribution for the purpose of weighing the particle momentum and energy contribution to the carrier flow onto the Eulerian fluid grid. The resulting multi-scale approach has the potential to improve the accuracy and efficiency of shocked particle-laden flow simulations and enable simulation of realistic scales.
Predicting the Simulation Budget in Ranking and Selection Procedures

The goal of ranking and selection (R8S) procedures is to identify the best among a finite set of alternative systems evaluated by stochastic simulation, providing a probability guarantee on the quality of the solution. To solve large-scale R8S problems, especially in parallel computing platforms where variable numbers of cores might be used, it is helpful to be able to predict the simulation budget, which is almost always the dominant portion of the running time of a given procedure for a given problem. Non-trivial issues arise due to the need to estimate the system configuration. We propose a set of methods for predicting the simulation budget. Numerical results compare our predictions for several leading R8S procedures.
Luminescence and thermal lensing in micellar and related media

The two fundamentally different techniques, fluorescence and thermal lens, can be simultaneously enhanced by normal as well as reversed micelles. The fluorescence is enhanced because the micelles isolate and protect the substrate from quencher molecules whereas the thermal lens enhancement is due to the modification of the thermo-optical properties of the solvent by micelles, that is, increase the temperature coefficient of the index of refraction, dn/dT, and decrease thermal conductivity values. Normal micelles provide the most effective means for the thermal lens enhancement of hydrophobic compounds while the reversed micelles are most suitable for hydrophilic compounds. This is because the normal micellar effects such as providing a nonpolar medium for the analyte and changing the structure of water from the compact, well hydrogen bonded structure to a relatively loose one are the main mechanism for the modification of the thermo-optical properties. On the other hand, reversed micelles improve the thermo-optical properties of the environment around the hydrophilic compounds by solubilizing them as very small water droplets in a better thermo-optical nonpolar solvent.
Toy Guns, Real Danger: An Update on Pediatric Injury Patterns Related to Nonpowder Weapons.

Abstract Background Design changes of nonpowder guns, including BB and air guns, have significantly increased their potential to injure. We sought to characterize the demographics of children injured with nonpowder weapons and the specific injuries suffered. Methods A cross-sectional analysis of the study years 2006, 2009, and 2012 was performed by combining the Kids' Inpatient Database into a single dataset. We identified cases (age Results There were 1028 pediatric admissions for nonpowder weapon related injuries. The victims were predominately male (87.0%), non-Hispanic white (52.3%), resided in the South (47.3%), and in the lowest income quartile (39.2%). Half required a major surgical procedure. The predominant injuries were open wounds to the head, neck, or trunk (40.3%), and contusion (22.5%). Notable other injuries were intracranial injury (9.1%) and blindness or vision defects (3.3%). Conclusions The nonpowder weapons available to this generation can paralyze, blind, and cause lasting injury to children. Injuries frequently require surgical intervention, and these weapons should no longer be considered toys. Further research and legislation should be aimed at limiting children's access to these weapons. Level of evidence III.
1859 And in the beginning

Abstract There can be no serious discussion of evolutionary ecology without a reference to Charles Darwin and his revolutionary theory of evolution by natural selection. These ideas were originally laid out in his book “On the origin of species” (Darwin, 1859). Darwin insightfully recognized how the physical and biological environment will interact with variation within species to produce adaptations that permit organismal survival in those environments. Indeed, much of the focus of evolutionary ecology has been the detailing of how those interactions have proceeded and molded important physiological, morphological, and life historical traits of organisms.
Optimization of autogenerated chest-wall radiation treatment plans developed for postmastectomy breast cancer patients in underserved clinics.

Abstract Over the past decade, several strides have been made to improve the management of breast cancer in developing countries; however, there are still obstacles present. In the area of radiation therapy, these hurdles include limited access to radiotherapy treatment and scarcity of oncology specialists. In an effort to reduce inequities in cancer care while improving patient outcomes, our research is focused on developing automated postmastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT) plans for breast cancer patients in these underserved communities that can be further improved upon through treatment planning system (TPS) specific optimization guidelines. The automated planning tool utilized algorithms integrated with Varian's Eclipse TPS. The tool created PMRT plans that used monoisocentric tangents and supraclavicular (SCV) fields with a mix of high and low energy photon beams along with field-in-field (FIF) segments. The completed autogenerated PMRT plans were imported into Phillip's Pinnacle 9.10 and Varian's Eclipse 13.6 TPSs to be further improved through manual optimization; the time required to complete this step was measured and assessed. A senior dosimetrist, physicist, and physician evaluated the optimized plans for clinical acceptability. Guidelines were developed for the planning systems that can be implemented by personnel with either limited experience in radiation treatment planning or those with limited time to produce treatment plans. The autogenerated plans in conjunction with our guidelines have shown to significantly reduce the time required to produce a clinically acceptable PMRT plan from approximately 120 ± 60 minutes to just 13 ± 11 (Pinnacle) and 12 ± 7 (Eclipse) minutes, reducing the total uninterrupted treatment planning time by an average of 108 ± 51 minutes. The results from this research indicate that the autogenerated PMRT plans along with the optimization guidelines are a viable option to provide quality and clinically acceptable PMRT plans that are more efficient and consistent for postmastectomy breast cancer patients in severely underserved communities.
Robotic/Laparoscopic Sacrocolpopexy

The demand for surgical correction of pelvic organ prolapse is expected to grow as the population ages yet remains active and focused on quality of life. Definitive correction of pelvic organ prolapse can be accomplished through both vaginal and abdominal approaches. Patient factors and preferences as well as surgeon experience and comfort often dictate the nature and extent of the repair. While there is no universally accepted “ideal” approach, the preponderance of data cites the superiority of abdominal sacrocolpopexy (ASC) in the durable correction of apical and multicompartment prolapse. Unfortunately, the “gold standard” open ASC is comparatively morbid and both patients and providers have trended toward transvaginal reconstruction, particularly during the era of seemingly simplistic “mesh-based kits.” The application of robotics and the pervasive concern regarding the transvaginal placement of synthetic mesh have revitalized and emboldened sacrocolpopexy. This chapter serves as a contemporary reference that specifically addresses the rationale, diagnostic algorithm, and therapeutic options for the treatment of female pelvic organ prolapse. Emphasis will be placed on the role and technique of abdominal-based reconstruction using a minimally invasive approach.
Comprehensive kinetic study of thermal degradation of polyvinylchloride (PVC)

Abstract The plastic waste accumulation has been increasing and a solution other than landfilling is required. Due to the high cost of recycling, thermal treatment could be an option. However, the existence of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) would release hydrochloric acid which would cause emission problems as well as damage to the reactor systems. The thermal degradation of PVC has been studied over the years. However, the mechanism of the PVC thermal degradation is not fully developed. Specifically, the mechanism of the PVC thermal degradation at medium temperatures, which is more practical for industries, is still lacking. A degradation temperature of 300 °C was used to study the dehydrochlorination behavior of PVC. A rather comprehensive mechanism with four consecutive reactions has been developed based on the micro-pyrolysis experiments and has been validated and proved by predicting the mass loss, chlorine content, heat content and elemental composition with high precision experimental data in different reactors with/without heat transfer coupling.
Abnormal development of cerebellar-striatal circuitry in Huntington disease

Objective To test the hypothesis that the trajectory of functional connections over time of the striatum and the cerebellum differs between presymptomatic patients with the Huntington disease (HD) gene expansion (GE) and patients with a family history of HD but without the GE (GNE), we evaluated functional MRI data from the Kids-HD study. Methods We utilized resting-state, functional MRI data from participants in the Kids-HD study between 6 and 18 years old. Participants were divided into GE (CAG 36–59) and GNE (CAG Results Four of the six striatal–cerebellum correlations showed significantly different trajectories between groups. All showed a pattern where in the early age ranges (6–12 years) there was hyperconnectivity in the GE compared to the GNE, with those trajectories showing linear decline in the latter half of the age range. Conclusion These results parallel previous findings showing striatal hypertrophy in children with GE as early as age 6. These findings support the notion of developmentally higher connectivity between the striatum and cerebellum early in the life of the child with HD GE, possibly setting the stage for cerebellar compensatory mechanisms.
Re-Addressing Phenomenology: Heidegger’s Thinking Through the Middle Voice

The main focus of this essay will be the phenomenological method that Heidegger explicates in section 7 of Sein and Zeit.1 Its aim is to address those interpretations of Sein and Zeit that arise from inadequate attentiveness to section 7. These interpretations mistake Heidegger’s phenomenological method for a method in which dasein is to be thought as a subject by whose agency things in the world are disclosed. The terminology that Heidegger himself employs, coupled with the English terminology employed by standard translations of Sein and Zeit, contribute to the interpretations that I wish to address. However, if a reader gives careful attention to how Heidegger specifies phenomenology, s/he is not mislead (at least not as readily) by the circumlocutions of German and English grammar and syntax that suggest that dasein is to be interpreted within the tradition that gives priority to subjectivity.
Activation Energy for End-of-Life Solder Bond Degradation: Thermal Cycling of Field-Aged PV Modules

The longevity of solar photovoltaic modules depends on the durability and reliability of their components, one of which is the solder bonds in interconnect ribbons. The solder joints experience stresses from thermal cycling and constant elevated temperatures (40 °C–70 °C) in regular field operation leading to thermo-mechanical fatigue and intermetallic compound formation. To study the end-of-life wear-out mechanisms and to obtain activation energy of solder bond degradation, two field-aged modules from Arizona—a 21-year-old Solarex MSX60 module (with Sn62Pb36Ag2 at the solder joints) and an 18-year-old Siemens M55 module (with Sn60Pb40 at the solder joints)—underwent 800 and 400 modified thermal cycles, respectively. Using three heating blankets, each module had three temperature zones maintained at 85, 95, and 105 °C during the 15-min hot dwell time of the thermal cycle. Cell-level series resistance data obtained from three temperature zones enabled the calculation of activation energy for solder bond degradation for the MSX60 and the M55 modules to be 0.12 eV and 0.35 eV, respectively. From each temperature zone in both modules, busbar-solder samples were obtained, imaged through SEM, and analyzed with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. In the MSX60 module with traces of Ag in the solder material, phase segregation and growth were primarily observed at high temperatures. For M55 modules without Ag in the solder material, major phase segregation was observed in all temperature zones. The IMC thickness for both modules increased with increasing module temperature. The beneficial effect of Ag in solder material on mitigating solder bond degradation is presented.
The topologically twisted index of \( \mathcal{N} \) = 4 super-Yang-Mills on T 2 × S2 and the elliptic genus

We examine the topologically twisted index of $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = 4 super-Yang-Mills with gauge group SU(N ) on T 2×S2, and demonstrate that it receives contributions from multiple sectors corresponding to the freely acting orbifolds T2/ℤm × ℤn where N = mn. After summing over these sectors, the index can be expressed as the elliptic genus of a twodimensional $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = (0, 2) theory resulting from Kaluza-Klein reduction on S2. This provides an alternate path to the ‘high-temperature’ limit of the index, and confirms the connection to the right-moving central charge of the $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = (0, 2) theory.