cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Addressing Summer Reading Setback Among Economically Disadvantaged Elementary Students

Much research has established the contribution of summer reading setback to the reading achievement gap that is present between children from more and less economically advantaged families. Likewise, summer reading activity, or the lack of it, has been linked to summer setback. Finally, family socioeconomic status has been linked to the access children have to books in their homes and neighborhoods. Thus, in this longitudinal experimental study we tested the hypothesis that providing elementary school students from low-income families with a supply of self-selected trade books would ameliorate summer reading setback. Thus, 852 students from 17 high-poverty schools were randomly selected to receive a supply of self-selected trade books on the final day of school over a 3-year period, and 478 randomly selected students from these same schools received no books and served as the control group. No further effort was provided in this intervention study. Outcomes on the state reading assessment indicated a stat...
Animal model of depression: Pharmacological sensitivity of a hedonic deficit

A reduction in sucrose and saccharine consumption following chronic stress is reported for the rat. This deficit may be related to consummatory deficits seen in endogenous depression. To further examine this state pharmacologically, stressed rats were treated with the antidepressant imipramine. Despite a general absence of appetitive effects (or in some cases mild anorexia) imipramine significantly restored saccharine consumption in a variety of tests. The pharmacological similarity of the deficit to the changes accompanying affective disorders further supports the potential applicability of the chronic stress model.
The Second Main Theorem via Logarithmic Derivatives

In this chapter we give a logarithmic derivative based proof of the Second Main Theorem. R. Nevanlinna’s original proof of this theorem was along these lines, and the proof we give here is generally speaking similar to the proof given in Hayman’s book [Hay 1964]. Neither Nevanlinna nor Hayman were interested in the precise structure of the error term, and they did not use the refined logarithmic derivative estimates of Gol’dberg and Grinshtein, as we shall here. A sharp error term in the Second Main Theorem using this type of method was first obtained by Hinkkanen [Hink 1992]. The exact method of proof given here makes use of ideas from Ye’s refinement of Cartan’s method [Cart 1933], as in [Ye 1995].
The association of presurgery psychological symptoms with postsurgery pain among cancer patients receiving implantable devices for pain management

Psychological symptoms are a common part of the cancer pain experience, yet little is known about how these factors relate to implantable device outcomes in patients with cancer pain. The purpose of this study was to examine how psychological symptoms relate to implantable device outcomes in cancer pain management. We retrospectively examined the medical records of 79 cancer patients, collecting information on psychological symptoms and pain, as assessed on the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System. Data were collected prior to and at three points following the implantation of either a spinal cord stimulator or an intrathecal pump. Pain was correlated with both anxiety, r = 0.39 (n = 74, p < 0.01), and depression, r = 0.38, (n = 75, p < 0.01), at the presurgery baseline. Results of linear mixed model (LMM) analysis indicated that neither baseline anxiety nor baseline depression main effects were significantly associated with pain at postimplant assessments, when adjusting for baseline pain, demographics, and clinical factors. However, the group-by-time interaction was significant for anxiety (beta = 0.223, p value = 0.037). The trajectory of pain scores over time differed by baseline anxiety scores, with pain scores increasing over time at a higher rate for those with a high baseline anxiety score, compared to those with low baseline anxiety scores. Presurgery psychological symptoms should be considered, along with other medical, psychosocial, and individual characteristics in multidisciplinary treatment planning. Multidisciplinary care which includes aspects of mood management or supportive psychotherapy would likely be beneficial to cancer patients presenting with high psychological symptoms.
Iterative inversion method for eddy current profiling of near-surface residual stress in surface-treated metals

Abstract Because of their frequency-dependent penetration depth, eddy current measurements are capable of mapping the near-surface depth profile of the electric conductivity. This technique can be used to nondestructively characterize the subsurface residual stress distribution in certain types of shot-peened metals, e.g., in nickel-base superalloys. In this paper, a highly convergent iterative inversion procedure is presented to predict the frequency-independent intrinsic electric conductivity depth profile from the frequency-dependent apparent eddy current conductivity (AECC) spectrum. The proposed technique exploits three specific features of the subsurface electric conductivity variation caused by near-surface residual stresses in shot-peened metals. First, compressive residual stresses are limited to a shallow surface region of depth much less than typical probe coil diameters. Second, the change in electric conductivity due to residual stresses is always very small, typically less than 1%. Third, the electric conductivity depth profile is continuous and fairly smooth. The accuracy of the proposed iterative inversion procedure is one order of magnitude better than that of the previously developed simpler method (J Appl Phys 2004;96:1257).
Aneuploidy Drives a Mutator Phenotype in Cancer

The association of chromosomal abnormalities with cancer—including chromosome translocations, deletions, amplifications, and inappropriate numbers of chromosomes (aneuploidy)—has been known for more than a century. Even karyotypically stable cancers are genetically abnormal because of high frequencies of point mutations. Despite our current understanding of cancer genomes, it has been difficult to determine whether many genetic abnormalities are a cause or consequence of carcinogenesis. Increased missegregation of whole chromosomes prior to the final steps of cell division (mitosis) generates aneuploidy and can promote tumorigenesis in some genetic contexts in mice ( 1 ), as the German biologist Theodor Boveri initially proposed more than 100 years ago. Two papers in this issue, by Sheltzer et al. ( 2 ) on page 1026 and Solomon et al. ( 3 ) on page 1039, show that aneuploidy enhances genetic recombination and defective DNA damage repair, thereby providing a mechanistic link between aneuploidy and genomic instability.
Gender Disparities in Medical Expenditures Attributable to Hypertension in the United States

Objective We sought to examine and attempt to explain gender disparities in hypertension-attributable expenditure among noninstitutionalized individuals in the United States. Methods Using the 2001–2004 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey and the Aday and Andersen health care use model, we estimated hypertension-attributable health care expenditures for inpatient stay, outpatient visits, prescription drugs, office visits, and emergency room (ER) visits among men and women by applying the method of recycled prediction. Hypertensive individuals were identified using International Classification of Diseases , 9th edition, codes or self-report of a diagnosis of hypertension. Results The adjusted mean hypertension-attributable expenditure per individual was significantly higher for women than for men for prescription drugs, inpatient stays, office visits, outpatient visits and ER visits expenditures. However, as age increased, the gender difference in adjusted mean expenditures became smaller and eventually reversed. This reversal occurred at different ages for different expenditures. For prescription drugs, office visits and outpatient expenditures, the reversal in expenditures occurred around age 50 to 59. The maximum difference was observed in outpatient expenditures, where women's average expenditure was $102 more than men's below age 45 but $103 less than men's above age 75. These differences remained significant even after controlling for predisposing, enabling, and need predictors of health care use. Conclusion Our findings imply that there are gender disparities in hypertension-related expenditures, but that this disparity depends on age. These findings support recent findings on gender disparities in heart diseases and raise the question of physicians' bias in their diagnostic or prognostic approaches to hypertension in men and women.
Bio-Ontology and text: bridging the modeling gap

Motivation: Natural language processing (NLP) techniques are increasingly being used in biology to automate the capture of new biological discoveries in text, which are being reported at a rapid rate. Yet, information represented in NLP data structures is classically very different from information organized with ontologies as found in model organisms or genetic databases. To facilitate the computational reuse and integration of information buried in unstructured text with that of genetic databases, we propose and evaluate a translational schema that represents a comprehensive set of phenotypic and genetic entities, as well as their closely related biomedical entities and relations as expressed in natural language. In addition, the schema connects different scales of biological information, and provides mappings from the textual information to existing ontologies, which are essential in biology for integration, organization, dissemination and knowledge management of heterogeneous phenotypic information. A common comprehensive representation for otherwise heterogeneous phenotypic and genetic datasets, such as the one proposed, is critical for advancing systems biology because it enables acquisition and reuse of unprecedented volumes of diverse types of knowledge and information from text. Results: A novel representational schema, PGschema, was developed that enables translation of phenotypic, genetic and their closely related information found in textual narratives to a well-defined data structure comprising phenotypic and genetic concepts from established ontologies along with modifiers and relationships. Evaluation for coverage of a selected set of entities showed that 90% of the information could be represented (95% confidence interval: 86--93%; n = 268). Moreover, PGschema can be expressed automatically in an XML format using natural language techniques to process the text. To our knowledge, we are providing the first evaluation of a translational schema for NLP that contains declarative knowledge about genes and their associated biomedical data (e.g. phenotypes). Availability: http://zellig.cpmc.columbia.edu/PGschema Contact:Friedman@dbmi.columbia.edu or Lussier@uchicago.edu
Conjunctival Resection for the Treatment of the Rheumatoid Corneal Ulceration

Conjunctival resection is an effective therapeutic modality for the treatment of a marginal furrow associated with rheumatoid arthritis. Rapid reepithelialization was observed following this procedure for the treatment of five such stromal ulcers that occurred in three rheumatoid patients. Keratoconjunctivitis sicca was diagnosed in two of these patients. In four of five ulcers, minimal healing resulted from a prior trial of patching. Conjunctival resection was performed as the primary therapeutic procedure in one case in which perforation seemed possible. A literature review uncovered an additional nine such ulcers in six rheumatoid patients treated by conjunctival resection. In each case corneal healing was observed soon after the procedure. No recurrences were reported on 4- to 24-month follow-ups. This procedure has proven to be effective in each of our rheumatoid corneal ulcers and in each of the case reports in the literature. It would appear to work more reliably than subconjunctival heparin, topical anticollagenases, or immunosuppression. Conjunctival resection is a simple minor room procedure performed under topical anesthesia. It carries minimal risk for the patient. The early use of this technique for rheumatoid stromal ulcers is advocated, especially when the area of ulceration is extensive, when the stromal loss is progressive, and when stromal reserve is minimal. Early conjunctival resection can shorten the hospital stay, and in more severe cases could prevent perforation. Based on successful treatment in a combined total of 14 peripheral rheumatoid corneal ulcerations, the authors believe conjunctival resection should have a more prominent place in the treatment of this condition.
Inducing models less greedily

Most algorithms which induce model structure from sample data proceed "greedily" to varying degrees. That is, they sequentially add to the current model the candidate component which works best with the existing structure. This greedy search procedure is relatively fast, but is not optimal, as there can exist models within the "reachable" space which have less complexity and/or greater accuracy on the training data. Indeed, this difference in training performance between optimal and greedy models can be large. We review example effects of greediness in regression to motivate study of the issue with another popular model form: decision trees. A new tree algorithm, "Texas Two-Step", is introduced which looks ahead one more generation than standard procedures. In other words, it judges a potential split not by how the resulting child nodes turn out, but by how the grandchildren do. Preliminary results are compared on a recent field application: identifying a bat's species by its chirps. >
Boussinesq problem of plane micropolar elasticity

This paper deals with a finite element formulation and solution of the boundary value problem of a concentrated force acting on a semi-infinite micropolar solid. A stiffness matrix is derived for a flat micropolar rectangular element in a plane state and use is made of this element to solve the case of the semi-infinite micropolar solid both in a state of plane stress and plane strain. An immediate application of the plane strain case is the important practical problem of a long line load acting on a soil mass which may be simulated as a micropolar body.
Minimal Residual Disease in Myeloma: Are We There Yet?

Measurement of minimal residual disease is routine in diseases such as chronic myelogenous leukemia, precursor B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and acute promyelocytic leukemia because it provides important prognostic information. However, the role of minimal residual disease testing has not been widely adopted in multiple myeloma (MM), with other parameters such as the International Staging System (ISS) and cytogenetic analysis primarily guiding therapy and determination of prognosis. Until recently, achieving a complete response (CR), as defined by the International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) criteria, was rare in patients with MM. The use of novel agents with or without autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (auto-PBSCT) has significantly increased CR rates, thus increasing overall survival (OS) rates. The majority of patients with MM have persistent levels of residual disease that are below the sensitivity of bone marrow (BM) morphology, protein electrophoresis with immunofixation, and light chain quantitation even after attaining CR and will eventually relapse. Measurement of minimal residual disease by more sensitive methods, and the use of these methods as a tool for predicting patient outcomes and guiding therapeutic decisions, has thus become more relevant. Methods available for monitoring minimal residual disease in MM include PCR and multiparameter flow cytometry (MFC), both of which have been shown to be valuable in other hematologic malignancies; however, neither has become a standard of care in MM. Here, we review current evidence for using minimal residual disease measurement for risk assessment in MM as well as incorporating pretreatment factors and posttreatment minimal residual disease monitoring as a prognostic tool for therapeutic decisions, and we outline challenges to developing uniform criteria for minimal residual disease monitoring.
Near-Surface Air Temperature Retrieval Derived from AMSU-A and Sea Surface Temperature Observations

Abstract A 10-m air temperature (Ta) retrieval using Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit A (AMSU-A) and satellite-derived sea surface temperature (Ts) observations is presented. The multivariable linear regression retrieval uses AMSU-A brightness temperatures from the 52.8- and 53.6-GHz channels and satellite-derived daily sea surface temperatures to determine Ta. A regression error of 0.83°C using 841 matched satellite and ship observations demonstrates a high-quality fit of the satellite observations with in situ Ta. Validation of the retrieval using independent International Comprehensive Ocean–Atmosphere Dataset (ICOADS) ship and buoy observations results in a bias of −0.21°C and root-mean-square (RMS) differences of 1.55°C. A comparison with previous satellite-based Ta retrievals indicates less bias and significantly smaller RMS differences for the new retrieval. Regional biases inherent to previous retrievals are reduced in several oceanic regions using the new Ta retrieval. Satellite-derived Ts–Ta dat...
Probability learning with words

In two experiments in multiple probability learning, Ss were trained with conditional probabilities (πi) of outcomes associated with two or three stimulus adjectives. After training, they predicted the same outcomes without feedback, but stimuli now included synonyms and antonyms of the original stimulus words. Responses to antonyms were reliably different from synonyms in the direction of complementarity (1 - πi), even when associative values of antonyms were considerably higher than synonyms. By allowing for complementary responses, this paradigm provides a particularly useful tool for the examination of semantic and associative properties of words.
How to Update Dependable Secure Computing Systems from a Survivability Assessment Perspective

All practical applications contain some degree of non- determinism. When such applications are replicated to achieve Byzantine fault tolerance (BFT), their nondeterministic operations must be controlled to ensure replica consistency. To the best of our knowledge, only the most simplistic types of replica nondeterminism have been dealt with. Furthermore, there lacks a systematic approach to handling common types of nondeterminism. In this paper, we propose a classification of common types of replica nondeterminism with respect to the requirement of achieving Byzantine fault tolerance, and describe the design and implementation of the core mechanisms necessary to handle such nondeterminism within a Byzantine fault tolerance framework.
Differential metabolism of deoxyribonucleosides by leukaemic T cells of immature and mature phenotype.

SIJMMARY. Experimental evidence has indicated that T lymphoblasts are more sensitive to deoxynucleoside toxicity than are B lymphoblasts. These data have led to the use of purine enzyme inhibitors as selective chemotherapeutic drugs in the treatment of T cell malignancies ranging from T cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia to cutaneous T cell lymphomas. We have compared the toxicities of 2’-deoxyadenosine, 2’-deoxyguanosine, and thymidine for T cell lines derived from patients with T cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia with those for mature T cell lines derived from patients with cutaneous T cell leukaemia/lymphoma. We have found that both deoxynucleosides are far less toxic to the mature T cell lies than to T lymphoblasts and that the mature cells accumulate much lower amounts of dATP and dGTP when exposed to deoxyadenosine and deoxyguanosine, respectively. Similar studies performed on peripheral blood cells from patients with T cell leukaemias of mature phenotype and on peripheral blood T cells demonstrate similar low amounts of deoxynucleotide accumulation. Measurements of the activities of several purine metabolizing enzymes that participate in deoxynucleoside phosphorylation or degradation do not reveal differences which would explain the toxicity of deoxynucleosides for immature, as compared to mature, T cells. We conclude that deoxynucleoside metabolism in leukaemic T cells varies with their degree of differentiation. These observations may be relevant to the design of chemotherapeutic regimes for T cell malignancies.
Acidosis Mediates the Upregulation of UT-A Protein in Livers from Uremic Rats

Liver expresses a 49-kD UT-A protein whose abundance is increased by uremia. Chronic renal failure causes acidosis; therefore, the role of acidosis in increasing UT-A abundance was tested. Rats underwent 5/6 nephrectomy, and half were given bicarbonate mixed in their food. Bicarbonate administration significantly increased blood pH. Compared with sham-operated rats, UT-A protein abundance was significantly increased by 50% in livers from uremic, acidotic rats; bicarbonate administration prevented the increase in UT-A protein. To determine whether acidosis alone would increase UT-A protein in liver, rats were made acidotic, but not uremic, by feeding them HCl. HCl-feeding significantly lowered blood pH, increased urea excretion, and increased the abundance of the 49-kD liver UT-A protein by 36% compared with pair-fed nonacidotic rats. HCl-feeding significantly increased the abundance of the 117-kD UT-A1 protein in kidney inner medulla but did not change aquaporin-2 protein. Next, rats were fed urea to determine whether elevated blood urea would increase UT-A protein. However, urea feeding had no effect on UT-A in liver or kidney inner medulla. It was, therefore, concluded that acidosis, either directly or through a change in ammonium concentration, rather than other dietary components, stimulates the upregulation of UT-A protein in liver and kidney inner medulla.
Caveolin-1 modulates TGF-β1 signaling in cardiac remodeling

The cardiac response to myocardial injury includes fibrotic and hypertrophic processes and a key mediator in this response is transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1). Caveolin-1 (cav1), the main structural protein of caveolae, is an inhibitor of the TGF-β1 signaling pathway. To examine the role of cav1 in cardiac repair, cav1 deficient (Cav1(-/-)) and wild type (WT) mice were subjected to cryoinjury of the left ventricle (LV). At baseline the two groups exhibited no inflammation, similar collagen content, and similar cardiac function. After injury, Cav1(-/-) animals displayed enhanced TGF-β1 signaling, as reflected by a 3-fold increase in the activation of the Smad2-dependent pathway and more widespread collagen deposition in the heart. Qualitative and quantitative analyses indicated that collagen deposition peaked in the WT LV 14days after injury, accompanied by increased mRNA abundance for procol1a2 (2-fold) and procol3a1 (3-fold). Collagen deposition was further enhanced in Cav1(-/-) mice, which was accompanied by reduced expression of matrix metalloproteinases MMP-8 (3-fold) and -13 mRNA (2-fold). The levels of expression of inflammatory markers of acute phase were similar between the strains However, macrophage clearance in the damaged region was delayed in Cav1(-/-) mice. We observed a 4-fold decrease in collagen deposition in Cav1(-/-) mice injected with a cav1 scaffolding domain peptide (CSD) and a 2-fold decrease in WT mice treated with the CSD. We conclude that cav1 has a direct role in reducing TGF-β1 signaling and as such might be an appropriate target for therapies to influence cardiac remodeling.
Cytoplasmic pH recovery in acid-loaded haemocytes of squid (Sepioteuthis lessoniana)

Cytoplasmic pH (pHi) of haemocytes of bigfin reef squid (Sepioteuthis lessoniana Lesson) was determined with the fluorescent probe, 2′,7′-biscarboxyethyl-5,6-carboxyfluorescein (BCECF). The pHi of haemocytes suspended in nominally HCO3(−)-free medium (extracellular pH 7.4) averaged (+/− S.E.) 7.32 +/− 0.02. Intracellular pH was independent of external Na+ concentration and varied only slightly with changes in extracellular pH (pHe) (delta pHi/delta pHe = 0.16 over the pHe range 6.8-7.8). Addition of weak acids (sodium propionate, potassium acetate) to haemocyte suspensions resulted in a rapid decrease in pHi. Haemocyte pHi then recovered with an average half-time of 3–4 min. Recovery of pHi was independent of external Na+ concentration and insensitive to amiloride, but was abolished by N-ethylmaleimide (NEM). These results argue against the involvement of plasma membrane Na+/H+ exchange or other Na(+)-dependent transport mechanisms in the pHi recovery of acid-loaded haemocytes. The results suggest that there is an NEM-sensitive proton extrusion mechanism in the plasma membrane of squid haemocytes.
The effects of split Injection and swirl on a HSDI diesel engine equipped with a common rail injection system

To overcome the trade-off between NOx and particulate emissions for future diesel vehicles and engines it is necessary to seek methods to lower pollutant emissions. The desired simultaneous improvement in fuel efficiency for future Dl (Direct Injection) diesels is also a difficult challenge due to the combustion modifications that will be required to meet the exhaust emission mandates. This study demonstrates the emission reduction capability of split injections, EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation), and other parameters on a High Speed Direct Injection (HSDI) diesel engine equipped with a common rail injection system using an RSM (Response Surface Method) optimization method. The optimizations were conducted at 1757 rev/min, 45% load. Six factors were considered for the optimization, namely the EGR rate, SOI (Start of Injection), intake boost pressure, and injection pressure, the percentage of fuel in the first injection, and the dwell between injections. In addition, the effects of swirl were investigated. The benefit of the combined effects of EGR with supercharging was well realized by the RSM optimization, which resulted in simultaneous reductions in both NOx and PM emissions, while even improving BSFC (Brake Specific Fuel Consumption). Through the present optimization process, it was shown that RSM optimization is an effective and powerful tool for realizing the full advantages of the combined effects of combustion control techniques. In addition, observation of the optimization process provides a more thorough understanding of HSDI diesel combustion since the observed trends can be explained by monitoring the effects of the operating parameters.
Picturing Public Health Law Research: Using Causal Diagrams to Model and Test Theory

Given the multidisciplinary perspectives of Public Health Law Research (PHLR) and the wide range of topics included in PHLR, the use of commonly-understood pictures to illustrate the ways in which law and health interact can be invaluable (Burris et al., 2010). Ranging from laws that prohibit individual behaviors, to laws that provide authority to act, to laws that regulate organizational practices, PHLR seeks to understand the mechanisms by which laws can improve health; visualizing these mechanisms in diagrams is an important tool for achieving such an understanding. The purpose of this monograph is to review some basic conventions used to create visual models, evaluate relevant examples of models in published PHLR studies, and offer recommendations for constructing clear and informative models.Causal diagrams can do important work in PHLR, insofar as they answer several kinds of questions. They can help to describe ('how things are now'), classify ('why things go together'), explain ('how things really work'), predict ('what will happen if'), and decide ('what you should do now') As conceptual models, CDs not only map the steps by which law may impact health, but also allow a researcher to more carefully consider the set of measures to be used in developing a methodologically rigorous study. Models that exhibit valid correspondence and are appropriately complex yet clear will help PHLR researchers plan and carry out their work. Images that accurately represent the topic at hand may also be useful for policymakers in understanding new evidence for the many ways that laws may improve population health.
Capillary pressure-saturation relations for supercritical CO2 and brine in limestone/dolomite sands: implications for geologic carbon sequestration in carbonate reservoirs.

In geologic carbon sequestration, capillary pressure (Pc)–saturation (Sw) relations are needed to predict reservoir processes. Capillarity and its hysteresis have been extensively studied in oil–water and gas–water systems, but few measurements have been reported for supercritical (sc) CO2–water. Here, Pc–Sw relations of scCO2 displacing brine (drainage), and brine rewetting (imbibition) were studied to understand CO2 transport and trapping behavior under reservoir conditions. Hysteretic drainage and imbibition Pc–Sw curves were measured in limestone sands at 45 °C under elevated pressures (8.5 and 12.0 MPa) for scCO2–brine, and in limestone and dolomite sands at 23 °C (0.1 MPa) for air–brine using a new computer programmed porous plate apparatus. scCO2–brine drainage and imbibition curves shifted to lower Pc relative to predictions based on interfacial tension, and therefore deviated from capillary scaling predictions for hydrophilic interactions. Fitting universal scaled drainage and imbibition curves s...
Sixth BHD Symposium and First International Upstate Kidney Cancer Symposium: latest scientific and clinical discoveries

// Gennady Bratslavsky 1,2 , Mark R. Woodford 1,2,3 , Michael Daneshvar 1,2 , Mehdi Mollapour 1,2,3 1 Department of Urology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA 2 Cancer Research Institute, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA 3 Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA Correspondence to: Mehdi Mollapour, email: // Gennady Bratslavsky, email: // Keywords : FLCN, Birt-Hogg-Dube syndrome, renal cell carcinoma, clear cell renal cell carcinoma Received : November 25, 2015 Accepted : January 29, 2016 Published : February 25, 2016 Abstract The Sixth BHD Symposium and First International Upstate Kidney Cancer Symposium concluded in September 2015, in Syracuse, NY, USA. The program highlighted recent findings in a variety of areas, including drug development, therapeutics and surgical management of patients with BHD and multi-focal renal tumors, as well as multidisciplinary approaches for patients with localized, locally advanced and metastatic renal cell carcinoma.
Water-related disaster risk reduction (DRR) management in the United States: floods and storm surges

Water resources planning and management has evolved in the United States through several distinct stages over the past two centuries, transitioning from a concern for inland waterways transportation to single purpose flood control and finally to multiple purpose large reservoirs. Disaster risk reduction (DRR) was always considered to be one of the main goals of these strategies. Reviewing history, this paper describes a US federal system that presents major challenges to coordinating water resources development and DRR, at both the watershed and metropolitan area scales. The paper reviews the performance of existing flood protection systems of three recent disasters. Federal, state and local responses to these major events have been mixed, as regulatory and management agencies with different evaluation frameworks and decision rules attempt to coordinate their respective responses. The cases revealed new vulnerabilities and weaknesses in the US DRR responses and planning, while contrasting the relative successes of long-term, strategic DRR planning and investments in the case of the Mississippi River and Tributaries (MR&T) system. The paper analyzes this history and recent cases primarily from the perspective of the US Army Corps of Engineers.
Microtubules in prolactin cells of the rat anterior pituitary gland.

SummaryAn improved formula for a cacodylate-buffered glutaraldehyde and osmium tetroxide fixative which contains sucrose and magnesium sulfate is described; it provides excellent preservation and visualization of cytoplasmic microtubules in cells of the anterior pituitary gland. The extensive distribution of microtubules in prolactin cells of the rats killed during lactation is illustrated. They occur in close association with mitochondria, secretory granules, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi lamellae, nuclear envelopes and plasma membranes. Although marked alterations in the number or distribution of the microtubules were not seen in relation to alterations in prolactin secretion, it is suggested that quantitative morphometric procedures may be necessary for a reliable evaluation of changes in microtubules.
Water Behavior in Bacterial Spores by Deuterium NMR Spectroscopy

Dormant bacterial spores are able to survive long periods of time without nutrients, withstand harsh environmental conditions, and germinate into metabolically active bacteria when conditions are favorable. Numerous factors influence this hardiness, including the spore structure and the presence of compounds to protect DNA from damage. It is known that the water content of the spore core plays a role in resistance to degradation, but the exact state of water inside the core is a subject of discussion. Two main theories present themselves: either the water in the spore core is mostly immobile and the core and its components are in a glassy state, or the core is a gel with mobile water around components which themselves have limited mobility. Using deuterium solid-state NMR experiments, we examine the nature of the water in the spore core. Our data show the presence of unbound water, bound water, and deuterated biomolecules that also contain labile deuterons. Deuterium–hydrogen exchange experiments show tha...
Javier Cercas y Benjamín Prado: dos acercamientos a la Guerra Civil

AbstractEn Mala gente que camina (2006) Benjamin Prado hace uso de la estructura de la novela sobre la Guerra Civil espanola sugerida por Javier Cercas en Soldados de Salamina (2001) pero, a la vez, rechaza la postura ideologica de Cercas. Mientras que Cercas intenta quitarle a la Guerra Civil su dimension ideologica y busca una manera de reconciliar las divisiones creadas por el conflicto, Prado insiste en un ajuste de cuentas donde es imprescindible hablar de quienes fueron las victimas y quienes los verdugos durante y despues de la guerra. Los dos escritores plantean la necesidad de mantener abierta la discusion acerca del legado de la Guerra Civil para resolver los problemas con los que se enfrenta la sociedad espanola. No obstante, Cercas y Prado tienen ideas bien distintas acerca de cuales son estos problemas y cual es la mejor manera de resolverlos a traves de la recuperacion de la memoria de la Guerra Civil. La novela de Cercas ofrece a los lectores una experiencia catartica que trasciende el aisl...
Physiological Response to Water Deficit during Different Stage of Photosynthetic Pigments in Super Hybrid Rice Leaves

With experiment cultivated in pots and contrived simulation of water deficit,method to determine soil moisture by electronic balance and W.E.T Sensor,the response to water deficit of photosynthetic pigments in leaves of different type hybrid rice varieties was studied.The results showed that under middle water deficit at different growth stage during panicle initiation to 30 days after flowering,the content of chlorophyll(Chla,Chlb, Chla+b) and carotenoid(CAR) in rice leaf reduced obviously,moreover,the influencing degree was changed with growing course and process of leaf function and growth stage of water controlled,the physiological response of different varieties to water deficit is different at a certain extent.The effect of water deficit on chlorophyll and carotenoid in different rice varieties showed difference because of different sensitivity to water stress,the influence of Shanyou 63 was greater,followed by Liangyoupeijiu,Ⅱyou 602 and Guodao 6.Not only the relationship of stress degree and effect but also growing course and effect existed in the response to water deficit.
Effect of Hydrogen on Fracture Toughness and Fracture Behavior of GH690 Alloy

The fracture toughness and fracture behavior of GH690 alloy with different hydrogen (H) content were investigated.The results showed that the fracture toughness decreased with the increasing of H content,while the fracture morphology changed from predominantly ductile fracture to intergranular fracture.It was proposed that the formation of voids induced by H enrichment at the interface between the grain boundary carbides and the matrix was the main reason for the decreasing of fracture toughness.Moreover,the tendency of voids growth was obviously enhanced with increasing of H content,which reduced the resistance to crack propagation of GH690 alloy and decreases the fracture toughness.
Euler's parallel oblique-angled diameters

In the paper [1], Euler was examining properties of the conic sections that could be shared by more general curves. Most of the paper is concerned with ‘oblique-angle diameters’, a concept that seems to have been familiar to his readers in the eighteenth century, but has been ignored today. In this paper we will explain this concept and, led by Euler, develop some of its consequences.
Water Excretion in the Elderly

Osmoreceptor sensitivity is enhanced in healthy elderly subjects and AVP secretion is increased, relative to that of younger subjects, when plasma osmolality rises. Increased AVP secretion/unit increase in plasma tonicity reflects a decrease in collecting tubule sensitivity to AVP by an as yet unknown mechanism in the aged kidney. This change in sensitivity is not completely offset by increased ADH release, so that maximum Uosm achievable under hydropenic conditions (concentrating ability) is reduced in the elderly. CH2O in older subjects decreases in proportion to the fall in GFR; thus, CH2O is intact in older subjects with preserved GFR. In subjects with age-related reductions in GFR, minimal Uosm achievable is usually less than 100 mOsm per kg H2O and thus usually sufficient to meet the demands of solute-free water intake so that plasma hypo-osmolarity does not result. Increasing exposure of the elderly to pharmacologic agents that reduce CH2O is primarily responsible for the impression that aged patients are at increased risk for hyponatremia.
Coding the Crisis of Masculinity

We seek to accomplish four goals: first, we situate the way that scholars have treated the crisis of masculinity and argue for the topic as one worthy of (critical) engagement in the undergraduate classroom; second, we reflect on the pedagogical strengths and challenges of this topic; third, we argue for the value of semiotic and discursive coding of commercials as a vehicle for prompting discussion of masculinity in contemporary America. Finally, we offer the reader a teaching activity based on our publication “‘We Wear No Pants’: Selling the Crisis of Masculinity in the 2010 Super Bowl Commercials” (Green K, Van Oort M, Signs J Women Cult Soc 38(3):695–719, 2013), in which students are given the opportunity to code the crisis presented in popular commercials first aired during the Super Bowl. We conclude the article using reflections on our own experiences teaching the activity in Introduction to Sociology; Research Methods; and Race, Class, and Gender courses to make a call for embracing complexity and uncertainty in the classroom.
Effects of Concurrent Depressive Symptoms and Perceived Stress on Cardiovascular Risk in Low‐ and High‐Income Participants: Findings From the Reasons for Geographical and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) Study

Background Psychosocial risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) may be especially deleterious in persons with low socioeconomic status. Most work has focused on psychosocial factors individually, but emerging research suggests that the confluence of psychosocial risk may be particularly harmful. Using data from the Reasons for Geographical and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study, we examined associations among depressive symptoms and stress, alone and in combination, and incident CVD and all‐cause mortality as a function of socioeconomic status. Methods and Results At baseline, 22 658 participants without a history of CVD (58.8% female, 41.7% black, mean age 63.9±9.3 years) reported on depressive symptoms, stress, annual household income, and education. Participants were classified into 1 of 3 psychosocial risk groups at baseline: (1) neither depressive symptoms nor stress, (2) either depressive symptoms or stress, or (3) both depressive symptoms and stress. Cox proportional hazards models were used to predict physician‐adjudicated incident total CVD events (nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, and cardiovascular death) and all‐cause mortality over a median of 7.0 years (interquartile range 5.4–8.3 years) of follow‐up. In fully adjusted models, participants with both depressive symptoms and stress had the greatest elevation in risk of developing total CVD (hazard ratio 1.48, 95% CI 1.21–1.81) and all‐cause mortality (hazard ratio 1.33, 95% CI 1.13–1.56) but only for those with low income (<$35 000) and not high (≥$35 000) income. This pattern of results was not observed in models stratified by education. Conclusions Findings suggest that screening for a combination of elevated depressive symptoms and stress in low‐income persons may help identify those at increased risk of incident CVD and mortality.
A Parenting and Self-Care Intervention for Substance-Using Mothers: Promoting Resilience Among Israeli and Palestinian People

This chapter addresses the important and overlooked issue of parenting skills among adults with serious illness often brought on by unsafe drug injection and sexual activity. The problem exists in the Middle East region and served as a focal point for Israeli Regional Alcohol and Drug Abuse Research (RADAR) Center—Ben-Gurion University and Substance Abuse Research Center (SARC) Palestinian leadership to promote a common response to the condition. The regional intervention strategy is derived from a pilot study to assess the effects of a new intervention for mothers living with HIV/AIDS (MLH) entitled “IMAGE” (Improving Mothers’ parenting Abilities, Growth, and Effectiveness). The intervention, based on Fisher and Fisher’s IMB Model (Psychological Bulletin 111(3), 455–474, 1992), focuses on improving parenting behaviors and self-care skills of MLH and thus having an impact on child outcomes including depression, self-concept, and the parent–child relationship. It showed significant effects of the intervention for improving parenting practices for mothers. The intervention also improved, to a lesser extent, self-care skills of the mothers. Child behavior problems were reduced, and child self-concept was improved. Regarding family outcomes, the intervention showed improvements in the parent–child relationship and parent–child communication. Based on the model reported in this chapter, the model was deemed highly valuable to the prevailing conditions in the region—specially, among Israeli and Palestinian mothers with chronic illnesses such as diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and other infectious diseases living with conditions resulting from ongoing conflict.
Strengthening Causal Inference

In Chaps. 4–8, we showed how multi-predictor regression can be used to control for confounding in observational data, with the purpose of estimating the independent association of an exposure with an outcome. The cautious language of associations notwithstanding, the underlying purpose is often to quantify causal relationships. In this chapter, we explain what is meant by the average causal effect of an exposure, and discuss the conditions under which regression might be able to estimate it. We also show the extra steps that are needed to estimate marginal effects, which sometimes differ from the conditional effects that regression models estimate by default.
A new maximum power point tracking method for photovoltaic applications based on finite control set model predictive control

This paper proposes a new Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) method based on the concept of Finite Control Set Model Predictive Control (FCS-MPC) for Photovoltaic (PV) applications. The proposed method uses the measured PV current and power data from previous steps to predict the power in the next step correspondent to various possible switching configurations of the power converter. Then it applies the switching configuration which results in increase in the produced power by the PV array. Simulation results are provided to verify operation of the proposed method and compare it with the traditional Perturb and Observe (P&O) method.
Comparing Single-Site and Multiport Robotic Hysterectomy with Sentinel Lymph Node Mapping for Endometrial Cancer: Surgical Outcomes and Cost Analysis.

Abstract Study Objective To compare operative times, surgical outcomes, and costs of robotic laparoendoscopic single-site (R-LESS) vs multiport robotic (MPR) total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH) with sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping for low-risk endometrial cancer. Design Retrospective cohort study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). Setting Academic university hospital. Patients Patients with a biopsy-proven diagnosis of complex atypical hyperplasia (CAH) or low-grade (1 or 2) endometrial cancer with body mass index 2 and undergoing robotic TLH and SLN mapping between 2012 and 2016 were included. Interventions Surgical outcomes and cost data were collected retrospectively and analyzed based on the surgical approach with R-LESS vs MPR assistance. Measurements and Main Results Twenty-seven patients who met the inclusion criteria were identified, including 14 patients who underwent R-LESS TLH with SLN mapping and 13 patients who underwent MPR TLH with SLN mapping. Median uterine weight was comparable in the 2 cohorts (111.3 g vs 83.8 g; p = .33). Operative and console times were equivalent with the R-LESS and MPR approaches (median, 175 minutes vs 184 minutes, p = .61 and 136 vs 140 minutes, p = .12, respectively). Median estimated blood loss was 50 mL in both cohorts. Successful bilateral SLN mapping occurred in 85.7% of the R-LESS procedures and 76.9% of MPR procedures. No intraoperative or 30-day complications were encountered, and all patients were discharged within 23 hours of surgery. MPR was associated with additional disposable instrument and drape costs of $460 to $660 compared with R-LESS, depending on the surgeon's instrument selection. Average total hospital charges were lower for R-LESS procedures ($13,410 vs $15,952; p Conclusion In highly selected patients with CAH or low-grade endometrial cancer undergoing TLH and SLN mapping, R-LESS appears to result in equivalent perioperative outcomes as a MPR approach while offering a more cost-effective option. Further research is needed to determine the benefits of R-LESS procedures in the gynecologic oncology setting.
Who Sees What? Сorporate Deposit Flows During a Banking Crisis

We utilize high-frequency data to study heterogeneity in access to bank-level information by corporate depositors during a banking crisis. We examine a bank panic episode in Russia during Summer-2004 triggered by the Central Bank announcement to liquidate banks for suspicious operations. Our results support the presence of sophisticated market monitoring and discipline. Private information about bank risk is available to depositors with a strong business connection to the bank. Other depositors make withdrawals based on publicly-observable bank characteristics. All corporate depositors are susceptible to rumors floating around the banking community. However, those rumors reflect bank-risk fundamentals. Contagion effects seem to be limited.
Asking ‘Third World questions’ of First World informality: Using Southern theory to parse needs from desires in an analysis of informal urbanism of the global North:

Long a subject of study in the global South, the topic of citizen-driven, bottom-up, non-professionally produced urbanism has received increasing attention in professional and academic planning cir...