cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Peak VO2 and VE/VCO2 slope in patients with heart failure: a prognostic comparison

Background Exercise testing with ventilatory expired gas analysis has proven to be a valuable tool for assessing patients with heart failure (HF). Peak oxygen consumption (peak VO2) continues to be considered the gold standard for assessing prognosis in HF. The minute ventilation--carbon dioxide production relationship (VE/VCO2 slope) has recently demonstrated prognostic significance in patients with HF, and in some studies, it has outperformed peak VO2. Methods Two hundred thirteen subjects, in whom HF was diagnosed, underwent exercise testing between April 1, 1993, and October 19, 2001. The ability of peak VO2 and VE/VCO2 slope to predict cardiac-related mortality and hospitalization was examined. Results Peak VO2 and VE/VCO2 slope were demonstrated with univariate Cox regression analysis both to be significant predictors of cardiac-related mortality and hospitalization (P Conclusions These results add to the present body of knowledge supporting the use of cardiopulmonary exercise testing in HF. Consideration should be given to revising clinical guidelines to reflect the prognostic importance of the VE/VCO2 slope in addition to peak VO2.
Molecular biology of gastric cancer.

Gastric cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer mortality in the world. Gastric adenocarcinomas account for more than 95% of gastric tumors, whereas gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common neoplasms of the rare gastric mesenchymal tumors. Although the incidence of mid-distal gastric adenocarcinomas is decreasing, the incidence of gastroesophageal junctional tumors and Barrett's adenocarcinomas is increasing for unknown reasons. The majority of gastric tumors are sporadic in nature. However, there are rare, inherited gastric cancer predisposition traits, such as germline p53 (Li-Fraumeni syndrome) as well as E-cadherin (CDH1) alterations in familial diffuse gastric cancers. Gastric cancer has been observed to be part of the spectrum of neoplasms associated with germline mismatch repair gene (MMR) alterations that give rise to the hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) entity. Comparative genomic hybridization analyses have identified several amplifications and losses of DNA copy numbers in gastric cancers. Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) studies have shown several chromosomal loci with significant allelic loss, thus indicating the possibility of harboring a tumor suppressor gene important in gastric tumorigenesis. Microsatellite instability (MIS) and associated alteration of the TGF-bIIR, IGFRII, BAX, E2F-4, hMSH3, and hMSH6 genes are found in a subset of gastric carcinomas. Cell adhesion molecule abnormalities such as those involving CDH1 may play an important role in diffuse-type gastric cancer development. Although, multiple somatic alterations have been described in gastric carcinomas at the molecular level, the significance of these changes in gastric tumorigenesis remains to be established in most instances. The critical molecular alterations in gastric cancers that may lead to advances in our armamentarium to combat this lethal disease remain to be fully characterized.
Analytical calculation of the switched reluctance motor's unaligned inductance

This paper develops an analytical model for the unaligned inductance of the switched reluctance motor. The analytical model is useful as long as the machine's stator and rotor poles do not overlap and its iron does not saturate. Iron saturation is almost never experienced when the rotor is in the unaligned position for practical winding currents. This paper expands on results presented previously to include the contribution to the unaligned inductance of the flux in both the stator slot and the rotor slot. The approximations that are inherent to the analytical model are stated, and a detailed development of the model is provided. Finally, the paper compares predictions of the unaligned inductance computed by the analytical model to those obtained by finite-element analysis for three different machines with different pole counts and rotor diameters.
Competing Risk Analysis of Neurologic versus Nonneurologic Death in Patients Undergoing Radiosurgical Salvage After Whole-Brain Radiation Therapy Failure: Who Actually Dies of Their Brain Metastases?

Purpose To estimate the hazard for neurologic (central nervous system, CNS) and nonneurologic (non-CNS) death associated with patient, treatment, and systemic disease status in patients receiving stereotactic radiosurgery after whole-brain radiation therapy (WBRT) failure, using a competing risk model. Patients and Methods Of 757 patients, 293 experienced recurrence or new metastasis following WBRT. Univariate Cox proportional hazards regression identified covariates for consideration in the multivariate model. Competing risks multivariable regression was performed to estimate the adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for both CNS and non-CNS death after adjusting for patient, disease, and treatment factors. The resultant model was converted into an online calculator for ease of clinical use. Results The cumulative incidence of CNS and non-CNS death at 6 and 12 months was 20.6% and 21.6%, and 34.4% and 35%, respectively. Patients with melanoma histology (relative to breast) (aHR 2.7, 95% CI 1.5-5.0), brainstem location (aHR 2.1, 95% CI 1.3-3.5), and number of metastases (aHR 1.09, 95% CI 1.04-1.2) had increased aHR for CNS death. Progressive systemic disease (aHR 0.55, 95% CI 0.4-0.8) and increasing lowest margin dose (aHR 0.97, 95% CI 0.9-0.99) were protective against CNS death. Patients with lung histology (aHR 1.3, 95% CI 1.1-1.9) and progressive systemic disease (aHR 2.14, 95% CI 1.5-3.0) had increased aHR for non-CNS death. Conclusion Our nomogram provides individual estimates of neurologic death after salvage stereotactic radiosurgery for patients who have failed prior WBRT, based on histology, neuroanatomical location, age, lowest margin dose, and number of metastases after adjusting for their competing risk of death from other causes.
ProveIt: a C program correctness prover

This paper describes a program known as ProveIt, which proves the correctness of C programs. Input to ProveIt consists of a C program with comments of a specific kind, which tell ProveIt what to prove (a single program can have several different proofs). Verification conditions are then generated and proved by using a knowledge base. Any programs for which the knowledge base is insufficient give rise, in the usual ways, to augmentation of the knowledge base. ProveIt is itself written in C++ and was debugged using CodeWarrior on the Macintosh.
Abstract CN07-03: IL6 and AKT as targets for chemoprevention

Background: Currently we lack adequate prevention strategies for triple-negative breast cancer; progress in designing targeted strategies is limited by a lack of knowledge of the biology of cancer initiation. The origins of triple-negative breast cancer in premenopausal women are poorly understood. Importantly, we do not understand whether the molecular pathways that underlie the aggressive behavior of triple-negative breast cancer can be detected in premalignant breast lesions. Growing evidence indicates that early mammary carcinogenesis is regulated by integrated signaling networks and not by isolated genes. Interleukin-6 (IL6) plays a role in stem cell regeneration, promotes epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), and high IL6 serum levels predict a poor outcome in premenopausal women with triple-negative breast cancer. Methods and Results: We used Reverse-Phase Protein Microarray (RPPM) profiling to test for activation of phosphoprotein signaling in premalignant Random Periareolar Fine Needle Aspiration (RPFNA) mammary epithelial cytology from 65 high-risk African American women. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering of RPPM proteomic analysis RPFNA aspirates identified three activated ER− signaling pathways including co-activation of Akt/mTOR/PI3K and IL6/pStat3/vimentin. Analysis of interstitial breast tissue demonstrated that high interstitial IL6/VEGF cytokine production predicted high epithelial expression of pStat3/vimentin. Based on these observations we are currently launching a prevention trial to target Akt/mTor using metformin 500 mg bid. Conclusion: This is the first demonstration that Akt/mTor and IL6/Stat3/vimentin signaling is activated in pre-cancerous mammary epithelial cells from high-risk premenopausal women. Currently we are testing whether trials are on-going to test whether metformin can inhibit activation of mammary epithelial Akt/mTor and perhaps IL6/Stat3/vimentin signaling. Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2011;4(10 Suppl):CN07-03.
Evaluation of preoperative risk factors for converting laparoscopic to open cholecystectomy.

Performing laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) always carries the risk of having to convert from laparoscopic to open cholecystectomy (LOC). Being able to identify these patients preoperatively may a...
The Greatest Priority for Genetic Counseling: Effectively Meeting Our Clients’ Needs 2014 NSGC Natalie Weissberger Paul National Achievement Award

Receipt of the 2014 Natalie Weissberger Paul (NWP) National Achievement Award was a highlight of my career. Thank you to all who nominated me for this prestigious NSGC recognition. I am humbled to join past NWP award winners many of whom are admired mentors, treasured colleagues and friends. I would like to express what a privilege it is to honor Natalie Weissberger Paul for whom this award is named. Twenty-nine years ago I co-edited a volume of the Birth Defects Original Article Series with Natalie summarizing a conference co-funded by the March of Dimes and NSGC (Biesecker et al., 1987). Natalie demonstrated her devotion to children with special needs through her work at the March of Dimes. As such I believe she would concur with the focus of my remarks on the partners in our work: our clients.
Wyoming Revisited: Rephotographing the Scenes of Joseph E. Stimson. By Michael A. Amundson.

Wyoming Revisited: Rephotographing the Scenes of Joseph E. Stimson . By Michael A. Amundson. (Boulder: University Press of Colorado, 2014. xiv + 386 pp. Illustrations, map, table, appendix, notes, bibliography, index. $29.95.) Unquestionably, Joseph Elam Stimson (1870–1952) delighted in photography. Over the span of sixty years, Stimson took over 7,500 photographs of Wyoming. He was a promotional photographer for his state, as evidenced by his Catalogue of Wyoming Views (1903), a portfolio of 500 prints prepared for the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. He also worked for the Union Pacific Railroad, promoting it as he had his home state. He processed most of his photographs on 8-x-10-inch glass plates, which rendered beautifully detailed prints. A … jsherow{at}ksu.edu
Dose reduction methods for molecular breast imaging

1526 Objectives In women with dense breasts on mammography (MG) and increased risk for breast cancer, we have demonstrated dual-head MBI with a CZT-based gamma camera to have 3x the sensitivity and equivalent specificity to MG. Currently, the effective dose of MBI from a standard 20 mCi injection of 99mTc-sestamibi is 6.7 mSv, which is ~7-10x that of screening MG. Our objective was to develop tools for MBI which increase count sensitivity and reduce image noise, allowing reductions in the necessary administered dose, and thereby permitting its use as a regular screening test. Methods Three approaches were used: 1) Collimation for the dual-head MBI system was optimized through Monte Carlo simulations of various designs, 2) views from opposing dual-head detectors were combined using an adaptive geometric mean algorithm and 3) a non-local means denoising algorithm was applied to the resulting image. Dynamic patient MBI exams and Monte Carlo data of tumors 4-12 mm in size were used to test these methods. Results An optimized tungsten collimator with holes matched to detector pixels improved count sensitivity by 1.6x and eliminated aliasing from previous hexagonal hole collimation, thereby improving tumor SNR. Spatial resolution was also improved to ≤ 5 mm throughout a 6 cm-thick breast. Combination of dual-head images and image denoising significantly reduced image percent noise. Overall, tumor SNR was improved by 2-4x. With these dose reduction methods, the image quality of a 2-min MBI image was equal to or better than that of the original single-head MBI acquired for 10 min. Conclusions With these methods, administered dose for MBI can be reduced by as much as 80% to ~4 mCi without reducing sensitivity for detecting small lesions. Further reductions are expected with technical improvements to the CZT modules.
Measurement of Elastic Modulus of Collagen Type I Single Fiber.

Collagen fibers are the main components of the extra cellular matrix and the primary contributors to the mechanical properties of tissues. Here we report a novel approach to measure the longitudinal component of the elastic moduli of biological fibers under conditions close to those found in vivo and apply it to type I collagen from rat tail tendon. This approach combines optical tweezers, atomic force microscopy, and exploits Euler-Bernoulli elasticity theory for data analysis. This approach also avoids drying for measurements or visualization, since samples are freshly extracted. Importantly, strains are kept below 0.5%, which appear consistent with the linear elastic regime. We find, surprisingly, that the longitudinal elastic modulus of type I collagen cannot be represented by a single quantity but rather is a distribution that is broader than the uncertainty of our experimental technique. The longitudinal component of the single-fiber elastic modulus is between 100 MPa and 360 MPa for samples extracted from different rats and/or different parts of a single tail. Variations are also observed in the fibril-bundle / fibril diameter with an average of 325±40 nm. Since bending forces depend on the diameter to the fourth power, this variation in diameter is important for estimating the range of elastic moduli. The remaining variations in the modulus may be due to differences in composition of the fibril-bundles, or the extent of the proteoglycans constituting fibril-bundles, or that some single fibrils may be of fibril-bundle size.
Morphology of the Models: Where is the Pacemaker?

In formulating the behavior of the individual pacer elements of the pacemaker ensemble, several concepts were incorporated which have their origin in the behavior of high-frequency neurons. The recovery phase of the pacer, with its associated stochastic variability, is in some senses related to the idea of neuronal “refractory time”, and even more closely related to the “recovery” process which is envisioned in several formal models proposed for the behavior of spontaneously firing neurons in the high-frequency domain (cf. Figs. 4.1 and 4.2). Furthermore, the idea that excitatory discriminator input does not affect the rate of the pacer recovery process, but only alters the excitatory state associated with onset of discharge (cf. Figs. 4.4, 4.5, and 4.6) is also closely related to concepts of formal models which have been developed to describe the influence of tonic stimuli on high-frequency neurons. Now that we have explored in some detail the performance of a particular sort of hypothetical network consisting of such elements, the question naturally arises, “To what extent can these models be extrapolated back into a neurophysiological context, as guidelines for the experimentalist in his search for the biological clock? ” More explicitly, what clues do the models provide which might facilitate the identification of structures within the organism which could correspond directly to elements of the hypothetical pacemaker?
Symbolic Interests and the Intensity of Inter-Group Conflict: Revised Version

The purpose of this paper is to develop a theory to help understand variations in the intensity of conflict between groups. The conflict involving some groups is intense while among others much less so. Moreover, conflicts among some groups tend to escalate while among others it abates. Further, conflict among other groups is latent because one group succeeds in suppressing the interests of another group for its purposes. Important to the theory is the concept of symbolic interest which is extensively developed. At the core of the theory is the idea that conflict between groups causes cognitive conflict involving what are termed patterns of symbolic interests held by the members of groups involved in intergroup conflict. The nature of these patterns and how they resolve provide the basis for predictions regarding the intensity of group conflict and whether it will tend to escalate or abate. Abelson’s theory of the resolution of belief dilemmas is employed to generate these predictions. A number of scenarios are developed which illustrate representative intergroup conflicts. The outcomes of such conflicts are predicted and explained in the light of the theory spelled out in the paper. The paper closes with suggestions for future research.
A Posteriori Error Estimates for Finite Volume Element Approximations of Convection–Diffusion–Reaction Equations

We present the results of a study on a posteriori error control strategies for finite volume element approximations of second order elliptic differential equations. Finite volume methods ensure local mass conservation and, combined with some up-wind strategies, give monotone solutions. We adapt the local refinement techniques known from the finite element method to the finite volume discretizations of various boundary value problems for steady-state convection–diffusion–reaction equations. In this paper we derive and study a residual type error estimator and illustrate its practical performance on a series of computational tests in 2 and 3 dimensions. Our tests show that the discussed locally conservative approximation methods with a posteriori error control can be used successfully in numerical simulation of fluid flow and transport in porous media.
Quantum Dot Solar Cell Fabrication Protocols

Colloidally synthesized quantum-confined semiconducting spherical nanocrystals, often referred to as quantum dots (QDs), offer a high degree of chemical, optical, and electronic tunability. As a result, there is an increasing interest in employing colloidal QDs for electronic and optical applications that is reflected in a growing number of publications. In this protocol we provide detailed procedures for the fabrication of QD solar cells specifically employing PbSe and PbS QDs. We include details that are learned through experience, beyond those in typical methodology sections, and include example pictures and videos to aid in fabricating QD solar cells. Although successful solar cell fabrication is ultimately learned through experience, this protocol is intended to accelerate that process. The protocol developed here is intended to be a general starting point for developing PbS and PbSe QD test bed solar cells. We include steps for forming conductive QD films via dip coating as well as spin coating. Fin...
Parallel genetic-based algorithm on multiple embedded graphic processing units for brain magnetic resonance imaging segmentation

Abstract Medical imaging has played an important role in helping physicians to make clinical diagnoses. Magnetic resonance imaging technology has been used to image the anatomy of the brain. Typically, image segmentation is utilized to observe the brain's anatomical structures and its changes, and to identify pathological regions. In this paper, we propose an efficient parallel fuzzy c-means clustering algorithm for segmenting images on multiple embedded graphic processing unit systems, NVIDIA TK1. The experimental results demonstrate that the maximum speedups of the proposed algorithm on 15 TK1s greater than 12 times and 7 times than that of fuzzy c-means algorithm with single ARM and Intel Xeon CPUs, respectively. These experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can significantly address the complexity and challenges of the brain magnetic resonance imaging segmentation problem.
Opportunistic Scheduling for Multiantenna Cellular: Interference Limited Regime

Modern cellular networks employ high frequency reuse and smaller cell sizes. In such a situation, the interference to a user from an adjacent cell can dominate the power of the thermal noise experienced at the user's receiver. For a K user SISO system with interference insignificant compared to the noise, the optimal throughput scaling is log log K [P. Viswanath et al., 2002], Treating interference as noise, we show that SISO opportunistic scheduling to a single user within a particular cell yields log K throughput scaling while the interference dominates and then transitions to the more familiar log log K regime as the number of users increases and the interference can be opportunistically selected away. For MISO and SIMO systems, opportunistically selecting the best user results in a log K scaling in the interference limited regime. The parameter a varies depending on the number of transmit and receive antennas and the number of interfering cells.
Trends in Food Packaging for Foodservice.

Forces shaping the food package of the future include convenience, economy and energy conservation. Three new packages are particularly interesting, viz., retort pouch, hermetically-sealed trays and semi-rigid retortable trays. The retort pouch has been widely researched and is making inroads on the market. Applications should increase when materials used in the adhesive system are approved as meeting U.S. extractives standards. Foods can be thermally-processed and stored ambiently in shallow, hermetically-sealed trays. Processing is accomplished rapidly with improved quality and energy savings. Semi-rigid retortable containers range in size from single-serving to half-size steam-table trays.
Improved identification of primary biological aerosol particles using single-particle mass spectrometry

Abstract. Measurements of primary biological aerosol particles (PBAP), especially at altitudes relevant to cloud formation, are scarce. Single-particle mass spectrometry (SPMS) has been used to probe aerosol chemical composition from ground and aircraft for over 20 years. Here we develop a method for identifying bioaerosols (PBAP and particles containing fragments of PBAP as part of an internal mixture) using SPMS. We show that identification of bioaerosol using SPMS is complicated because phosphorus-bearing mineral dust and phosphorus-rich combustion by-products such as fly ash produce mass spectra with peaks similar to those typically used as markers for bioaerosol. We have developed a methodology to differentiate and identify bioaerosol using machine learning statistical techniques applied to mass spectra of known particle types. This improved method provides far fewer false positives compared to approaches reported in the literature. The new method was then applied to two sets of ambient data collected at Storm Peak Laboratory and a forested site in Central Valley, California to show that 0.04–2 % of particles in the 200–3000 nm aerodynamic diameter range were identified as bioaerosol. In addition, 36–56 % of particles identified as biological also contained spectral features consistent with mineral dust, suggesting internal dust–biological mixtures.
Frequent misdirected courtship in a natural community of colorful Habronattus jumping spiders

Male courtship display is common in many animals; in some cases, males engage in courtship indiscriminately, spending significant time and energy courting heterospecifics with whom they have no chance of mating or producing viable offspring. Due to high costs and few if any benefits, we might expect mechanisms to evolve to reduce such misdirected courtship (or ‘reproductive interference’). In Habronattus jumping spiders, males frequently court heterospecifics with whom they do not mate or hybridize; females are larger and are voracious predators, posing a severe risk to males who court indiscriminately. In this study, we examined patterns of misdirected courtship in a natural community of four sympatric Habronattus species (H. clypeatus, H. hallani, H. hirsutus, and H. pyrrithrix). We used direct field observations to weigh support for two hypotheses (differential microhabitat use and species recognition signaling) to explain how these species reduce the costs associated with misdirected courtship. We show that, while the four species of Habronattus do show some differences in microhabitat use, all four species still overlap substantially, and in three of the four species individuals equally encountered heterospecifics and conspecifics. Males courted females at every opportunity, regardless of species, and in some cases, this led to aggression and predation by the female. These results suggest that, while differences in microhabitat use might reduce misdirected courtship to some extent, co-existence of these four species may be possible due to complex communication (i.e. species-specific elements of a male’s courtship display). This study is the first to examine misdirected courtship in jumping spiders. Studies of misdirected courtship and its consequences in the field are limited and may broaden our understanding of how biodiversity is maintained within a community.
Turning Gold to Lead: How Patent Eligibility Doctrine is Undermining U.S. Leadership in Innovation

Compared to other countries, the United States has long had a “gold standard” patent system. The U.S. has led the world in securing stable and effective property rights in cutting-edge innovation; most recently, in protecting biotech and computer software inventions. Presenting information from a database of 17,743 patent applications recently filed in the U.S., China, and Europe, this Essay explains how this “gold standard” designation is now in serious doubt. Many of these applications represent pioneering, life-saving inventions, such as treatments for cancer and diabetes. Although all 17,743 patent applications were rejected in the U.S. as ineligible for patent protection, 1,694 of them were granted by the European Patent Office, by China, or both. The cause of the U.S. rejections is the Supreme Court’s recent spate of decisions that upended patent eligibility doctrine, especially as it has been applied to high-tech and biotech innovation. The U.S. patent system is increasingly mired in legal uncertainty, except for the firm knowledge derived from data on the massive numbers of invalidations of issued patents and of rejections of patent applications. In addition to highlighting some of the 1,694 inventions that were denied patent protection in the U.S., this Essay discusses this new legal uncertainty in the U.S. patent system, how this is a key change from the innovation-spurring approach of the U.S. patent system in the past, and what this means for the U.S. as other jurisdictions like China and the European Union become forerunners in securing the new innovation that drives economic growth and flourishing societies. Update to Essay, dated June 28, 2018, posted here: https://cpip.gmu.edu/2018/06/28/the-value-of-public-data-update-to-turning-gold-to-lead/
Estimating Random Uncertainty in Airborne Flux Measurements over Alaskan Tundra: Update on the Flux Fragment Method

AbstractAirborne turbulence measurement gives a spatial distribution of air–surface fluxes that networks of fixed surface sites typically cannot capture. Much work has improved the accuracy of such measurements and the estimation of the uncertainty peculiar to streams of turbulence data measured from the air. A particularly significant challenge and opportunity is to distinguish fluxes from different surface types, especially those occurring in patches smaller than the necessary averaging length. The flux fragment method (FFM), a conditional-sampling variant of eddy covariance in the space–time domain, was presented in 2008. It was shown capable of segregating the mean flux density (CO2, H2O, sensible heat) in maize from that in soybeans over the patchwork farmlands of Illinois. This was, however, an ideal surface for the method, and the random-error estimate used a relatively rudimentary bootstrap resampling. The present paper describes an upgraded random-error estimate that accounts for the serial corre...
The End of Metaphysics, the Uses and Abuses of Philosophy, and Understanding Just a Little Better: On Gianni Vattimo and Santiago Zabala’s Hermeneutic Communism

This chapter engages Vattimo and Zabala’s Hermeneutic Communism from the standpoint of how it relates to a venerable tradition of ‘manifestos’. A typology of manifestos is offered and then the question is raised, to what extent we can fit Hermeneutic Communism within this tradition. The chapter also engages a questionable assumption of Hermeneutic Communism, namely the metaphysics of the end, which is announced as the end of metaphysics. This last point is elaborated vis-a-vis a reading of Rorty, which challenged the usefulness of philosophical manifestos for practical politics.
Abolishing Consideration: An Argument from Coherence

MWB v Rock Advertising has given the Supreme Court the opportunity to revisit the ever-topical question of abolishing consideration. This paper traces the history of consideration from the 1500s and develops a new framework for understanding the doctrine and the different roles it plays in our contract law, utilizing the distinct ideas of the concept, theory and rules of consideration. Ultimately, it aims to show how the Supreme Court could interpret the various strands of case-law to avoid the distinction between increasing pacts and decreasing pacts altogether. And so, this paper argues for a reconsideration of the doctrine in so far as it suggests making the three aspects of consideration coherent vis-a-vis one another, firstly by making sense of the theory of consideration within our modern legal framework, and secondly by abolishing any rules that undermine either the theory or the concept of consideration. In light of MWB v Rock Advertising therefore, this paper serves as a call to the Supreme Court to radically reinterpret consideration and pave the path for the evolution of English contractual principles
Gait and Quiet-Stance Performance Among Adolescents After Concussion-Symptom Resolution

Context: Concussions affect a large number of US athletes each year. Returning an athlete to activity once self-reported symptoms have resolved can be problematic if unrecognized neurocognitive an...
Hyperoxaluric Calcium Urolithiasis

Hyperoxaluria may be either primary, consequent to an accelerated in vivo synthesis of oxalate, or secondary, associated particularly with certain gastrointestinal diseases. Since primary hyperoxaluria 1–4 is rare, this chapter will deal principally with the more common enteric hyperoxaluria.
The intersection of state corporation law and employee compensation programs : is it curtains for veil piercing?

This manuscript addresses the intersection of the corporate law doctrine of piercing the corporate veil and federal regulation of the employment relationship. Unlike any other published work, this manuscript focuses upon the issues in the context of non-cash and deferred compensation programs. While the relevant federal regulation subjects individuals to personal liability in a plethora of contexts, the regulation does not explicitly address the viability of a state law action for piercing the corporate veil. Attention to this issue has increased since the United States Supreme Court left open the question in its February 1996 decision in Peacock v. Thomas, 64 U.S.L.W. 4095 (U.S. Feb. 21, 1996). The manuscript begins its approach to this issue by examining the structure of the relevant federal law and undertaking a detailed analysis of the litigation that ultimately culminated in the Peacock decision. It examines the theory undergirding the corporate law doctrine of piercing the corporate veil and evaluates the application of the doctrine to a variety of federal regulatory schemes. Finally, the manuscript analyzes the unique barriers which arguably prevent the joining of a state law claim to pierce the corporate veil with a cause of action alleging a substantive ERISA violation. While the authors recognize the breadth of federal pre-emption in this context, they argue that the existing pre-emption jurisprudence does not and should not prevent utilization of state law veil piercing doctrine.
Resident Employment and Contract Information

These sections contain multiple examples of documents relating to resident acceptance, resident contracts, and resident responsibilities. These prototypes have been adopted by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and have been providing a template function since 1996. These documents were written based on the Essentials of Accredited Residencies and the Johns Hopkins Model for resident contract organization.
Venous congestion and pulmonary vascular function in Fontan circulation: Implications for prognosis and treatment

Abstract Background Elevation in central venous pressure (CVP) plays a fundamental pathophysiologic role in Fontan circulation. Because there is no sub-pulmonary ventricle in this system, CVP also provides the driving force for pulmonary blood flow. We hypothesized that this would make Fontan patients more susceptible to even low-level elevation in pulmonary vascular resistance index (PVRI), resulting in greater systemic venous congestion and adverse outcomes. Methods Adult Fontan patients and controls without congenital heart disease undergoing clinical evaluation that included cardiac catheterization and echocardiography were examined retrospectively. Outcomes including all-cause mortality and the development of Fontan associated diseases (FAD, defined as protein losing enteropathy, cirrhosis, heart failure hospitalization, arrhythmia, or thromboembolism) were assessed from longitudinal assessment. Results As compared to controls (n = 82), Fontan patients (n = 164) were younger (36 vs 45 years, p Conclusions Systemic venous congestion, which is the primary factor in the pathogenesis of FAD and death, is related to even low-level abnormalities in pulmonary vascular function. Multicenter studies are needed to determine whether interventions targeting pulmonary vascular structure and function can improve outcomes in the Fontan population.
A typology of job search sources: Exploring the changing nature of job search networks:

This study explored American job seekers’ network of information sources using a random sample. Results revealed a pattern that job seekers segmented information sources by social (i.e. personal an...
Short-term RANKL exposure initiates a neoplastic transcriptional program in the basal epithelium of the murine salivary gland.

Abstract Although salivary gland cancers comprise only ∼3–6% of head and neck cancers, treatment options for patients with advanced-stage disease are limited. Because of their rarity, salivary gland malignancies are understudied compared to other exocrine tissue cancers. The comparative lack of progress in this cancer field is particularly evident when it comes to our incomplete understanding of the key molecular signals that are causal for the development and/or progression of salivary gland cancers. Using a novel conditional transgenic mouse ( K5:RANKL ), we demonstrate that Receptor Activator of NFkB Ligand (RANKL) targeted to cytokeratin 5-positive basal epithelial cells of the salivary gland causes aggressive tumorigenesis within a short period of RANKL exposure. Genome-wide transcriptomic analysis reveals that RANKL markedly increases the expression levels of numerous gene families involved in cellular proliferation, migration, and intra- and extra-tumoral communication. Importantly, cross-species comparison of the K5:RANKL transcriptomic dataset with The Cancer Genome Atlas cancer signatures reveals the strongest molecular similarity with cancer subtypes of the human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. These studies not only provide a much needed transcriptomic resource to mine for novel molecular targets for therapy and/or diagnosis but validates the K5:RANKL transgenic as a preclinical model to further investigate the in vivo oncogenic role of RANKL signaling in salivary gland tumorigenesis.
Traffic emission impacts on child health and well-being

Abstract The global disease burden resulting from exposure to traffic emissions is a growing worldwide public health threat. Children—from infancy to the age of 14—are especially susceptible to the health effects of traffic emissions due to their rapidly developing immune, neurologic, and lung systems and high ventilation rates. Physiologically vulnerable children in disadvantaged neighborhoods are potentially disproportionately exposed to traffic emissions due to close residential proximity to highways and other high-volume roadways. Traffic-related primary pollutants known to impact health include highly respirable fine and ultrafine particles, diesel exhaust particles and gases, particle-bound metals and carcinogens including volatile organic compounds like benzene and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Consistent and compelling scientific evidence suggests prenatal and childhood exposures to primary traffic emissions can cause onset and exacerbation of asthma, delayed lung function development, and childhood leukemia. Emerging suggestive evidence links traffic emission exposures to autism spectrum disorder, delayed cognitive development, and childhood obesity. Health risks can accumulate over the life course and lead to development of adult chronic disease, disability, and premature death. Currently, the specific traffic emission constituents responsible for observed adverse effects are unknown. In light of this uncertainty, multi-sector, systems-based community design approaches towards less car-dependent, greener urban cities with affordable, quality housing and well-designed, mass transportation and active transport options will likely result in the most successful, sustainable, and cost-effective strategies for improving child wellbeing. Effective evidence-based single sector strategies for reducing child total exposures include indoor air treatment, noise and vegetation roadside barriers, and strategies for reducing urban diesel emissions. Where resources are strictly constrained, validated data-driven planning models can bring together key stakeholders including community members, government agencies, and public- and private-sector organizations and guide prioritization and implementation of evidence-based, mutually reinforcing single sector interventions that can most effectively promote child health and well-being.
Bioenergy, Consumer Decision-Making and Shaping the River Flow

All of us are consumers of energy. Even utility companies consume some form of energy to produce power and energy. Businesses are consumers of energy as are homes and individuals. In this chapter, we take the perspective of demand for energy. We explore theories of consumption, demand and consumer behavior that provide insights on how consumers make decisions regarding new forms of energy such as renewable energy. We look for explanations that may help consumers reduce or relinquish their fossil fuels-based energy consumption habits and why this has not occurred at this time. While examining the consumption side of the economic equation, we acknowledge that there are major issues in moving from a resource-based energy paradigm to a knowledge-based energy paradigm. The data on consumption is heartening as there are lead consumers such as institutions and major corporations that are adopting renewable forms of energy. Some countries have explicit goals to adopt renewable sources of energy. All these examples demonstrate that we are reaching critical mass regarding problematic awareness of the issues related to fossil fuel consumption. The next steps are cognitive awareness, affective sentience, consumer preference formation and evolution, belief shifting, adoption and advocacy. If history is plausible, this is the most likely path or model of adoption and diffusion of renewable forms of energy.
Does Human Amnion Membrane Prevent Postoperative Abdominal Adhesions

BackgroundAdhesions are bands of tissue that form postoperatively after intra-abdominal surgery. Adhesions cause significant morbidity and despite ongoing research no agent or method has been shown...
Bileaflet augmentation for repair of rheumatic mitral valve disease in Egyptian patients

Objectives Mitral valve (MV) repair in rheumatic patients is a challenging procedure and carries high incidence of early and late failure. We aimed in this study to evaluate the mid-term results of MV bileaflet augmentation to increase the depth of coaptation and achieve satisfactory results of repair. Patients and methods Between January 2015 and December 2018 at the National Heart Institute of Egypt, 24 rheumatic patients had leaflet augmentation with glutaraldehydetreated autologous pericardium as part of their mitral repair procedure. Their clinical and echocardiographic data were prospectively analyzed. Results The mean age of the rheumatic patients was 34.2 ± 14.7 years, range 20–50 years. Overall, 72.4% patients had predominant mitral regurgitation (MR), whereas 27.6% had mixed mitral stenosis and MR. Leaflet augmentation was performed in the posterior, anterior, and both leaflets in 5, 3, and 16 of patients, respectively. Additional repair procedures included commissurotomy and papillary muscle splitting. All repairs were stabilized with annuloplasty rings. The follow-up was complete in all patients with a mean follow-up of 22.4 ± 13.6 months. There was no mortality in this series. At the latest follow-up, the MR grade was none/trivial in eight of patients, mild in four, moderate in six, moderately severe in three, and severe in three patients. Two patients had redo mitral surgery. At 3 years postoperatively, the estimated rates of freedom from reoperation and valve failure were 95.8 and 90.6%, respectively. Conclusion Repair with leaflet augmentation in rheumatic disease resulted in good early and mid-term outcomes. A wider use of this technique may improve the success rate and prognosis of repair in complex rheumatic MV disease.
Adaptive servo control of vibration induced error

Vibration degrades the effective data rate of a disk drive. Any imbalance of a rotating disk platter can produce periodic vibration. Multiple disk drives cumulatively emit a mixture of periodic and random vibration. Track-following precision of a drive therefore becomes impaired. The frequency of the external vibration pattern is not always known a priori. An adaptive algorithm to determine the periodicity and strength of a cross vibration component is developed and demonstrated. A second order digital peak filter, driven by vibration afflicted position error signal (V-PES), in an open loop configuration forms the basis for detection method. Filter coefficients expressed as a function of a frequency dependent parameter selectively amplifies the V-PES signal. By sweeping through an anticipated frequency range, critical vibration components are first identified. Subsequently V-PES components with rich spectral contribution are compensated by the corresponding filter bank in feedback configuration. The demonstrated algorithm circumvents a need for Fourier analysis to identify V-PES frequency components, facilitating ease of implementation in cost-sensitive products.
The Determinants of Bank Interest Margins when Deposit Insurance Tied to Interest Rates: Evidence from Azerbaijan

This paper studies the determinants of bank interest margins in an environment when government insurance on deposits is tied to the refinancing rate set by the Central Bank. We use the most recent data on the banks in Azerbaijan during the period 2006-2009. By extending Ho and Saunders model, we find that when refinancing rates are increased by one percent, the banks increase their interest margins by 0.4 percent in order to eliminate additional interest rate risk caused by increase in supply of deposits. We also find that oil prices are negatively related with margins. An increase in oil prices makes banks less risk averse, there for lower interest margins. Further impact of other bank-related and macroeconomic variables is presented. We also study the determinants of interest margins for various bank sizes separately.
Channel-shuttle mechanism for the regulation of phenylalanine and tyrosine synthesis at a metabolic branch point in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

A bifunctional protein complex was partially purified from Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Catalytic activities for chorismate mutase and prephenate dehydratase coeluted from gel filtration and DEAE-cellulose chromatography columns. The protein complex had a molecular weight of approximately 134,000, as determined by gel filtration. In crude extracts or in partially purified preparations about one-half of the chorismate utilized by the complex is converted to phenylpyruvate, and the other half accumulates as prephenate. The chorismate mutase activity is strongly product-inhibited by prephenate, competitively with chorismate. Accordingly, the first reaction of the complex can be sufficiently retarded by prephenate so that all of the reaction product is phenylpyruvate. Chorismate mutase activity is also competitively inhibited by phenylalanine. Although phenylalanine is effective at low concentrations, maximal inhibition is only 50 to 60%. Inhibition of chorismate mutase by phenylalanine was completely lost after gel filtration. The prephenate dehydratase activity of the protein complex is nearly completely inhibited by 0.1 mm phenylalanine in either crude extracts or partially purified preparations. A second species of prephenate dehydratase was separated from the prephenate dehydratase-chorismate mutase aggregate by gel filtration or anion exchange chromatography. The second prephenate dehydratase had an estimated molecular weight of 76,000, a high affinity for prephenate, and was insensitive to feedback inhibition by phenylalanine. The physiological role of the latter enzyme is uncertain. The other regulatory enzymes of tyrosine and phenylalanine biosynthesis, prephenate mutase aggregate by gel filtration or anion exchange chromatography. The other regulatory enzymes of tyrosine and phenylalanine biosynthesis, prephenate dehydrogenase (molecular weight of 120,000) and 3-deoxy-d-arabino-heptulosonate-7-phosphate synthetase (molecular weight of 52,000), elute from Sephadex G-100 columns as fractions which are distinct from both the chorismate mutase-prephenate dehydratase complex and from the low-molecular-weight species of prephenate dehydratase. A shuttle mechanism governing the metabolic fate of prephenate (to phenylalanine or to tyrosine) is proposed in the context of a model which also accommodates several previously puzzling findings: (i) the dominating role of tyrosine in the control of 3-deoxy-d-arabino-heptulosonate-7-phosphate synthetase and (ii) the lack of feedback control of prephenate dehydrogenase by tyrosine.