cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Langfristige Sicherstellung der Feldgeräteintegration

Feldgerateintegration wird zunehmend integraler und unverzichtbarer Bestandteil der Basisautomation. Daher muss die Betriebsfahigkeit der Systeme zur Feldgerateintegration uber das gesamte Anlagenleben sichergestellt werden. Aufgrund der unterschiedlichen Lebenszyklen der Feldgerate und der IT-basierten Systeme zur Feldgerateintegration sind dazu gezielte Vorkehrungen erforderlich. Der erforderliche Investitionsschutz kann nur durch eine langfristig sichergestellte Interoperabilitat verschiedener Gerategenerationen erreicht werden. Die Entwicklung geeigneter Standards erfordert die Zusammenarbeit und den Dialog zwischen allen Beteiligten. Dazu sind Veranderungen auf Anwenderseite und bei den Herstellern erforderlich.
Serum Levels of Erythropoietin and Selected Other Cytokines in Patients with Anemia of Chronic Disease

Serum levels of erythropoietin and five other cytokines potentially operational in erythropoiesis were determined in patients with anemia of chronic disease. No correlation between erythropoietin levels and severity of anemia was found. A spectrum of abnormality was encountered among patients in whom there was less than expected erythropoietin response to increased levels of erythropoietin and among others in whom the erythropoietin levels were subnormal for their degree of anemia. Increased serum levels of interleukin-3, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor were encountered in limited numbers of patients, especially those with increased erythropoietin levels. Deficient erythropoietin production is concluded to be the major cause of anemia of chronic disease.
Microwave spectroscopy of high- L , n = 9 Rydberg levels of nickel: Polarizabilities and moments of the Ni + ion

The complete pattern of Rydberg binding energies of the 18 $n=9$ levels of nickel with $L=6$, 7, and 8 was measured using microwave plus resonant-excitation Stark-ionization spectroscopy. The measured pattern is consistent with the form predicted with the effective potential model, showing significant structure proportional to scalar products of tensor operators of order 0--4. The variation of the structure with $L$ separates the various contributing terms and provides determinations of several properties of the Ni${}^{+}$ core ion. These include the quadrupole moment, $Q$ $=$ \ensuremath{-}0.469 78(9) a.u., the hexadecapole moment, \ensuremath{\Pi} $=$ 0.36(5) a.u., the scalar and tensor dipole polarizabilities, ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{D,0}=$ 7.949(2) a.u., ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{D,2}=0.905$(12) a.u., the scalar quadrupole polarizability, ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{Q,0}=55$(8) a.u., the $g$ value, ${g}_{J}=1.257$(14), and the vector hyperpolarizability, ${\ensuremath{\beta}}_{D,1}=0.454$(24) a.u.
The Simian Virus 40 Agnoprotein

The 61 amino acid agnoprotein of simian virus 40 (SV40) is encoded between nucleotides 335 and 523 within the leader region of late RNAs. A variety of evidence has suggested that agnoprotein may function in the viral assembly process or the control of late gene expression. We review evidence which suggests that the agnoprotein facilitates the perinuclear/nuclear localization of the major virion structural protein, VPl.
Video Review: “Overview of Senate Procedure”

C-SPAN's mission is to present as complete and unfiltered a view of the policy process as possible. The organization prides itself on providing “the whole story without editing and without commentary.” The Purdue Public Affairs Video Archives tapes and catalogs all of C-SPAN's 24-hour daily coverage of the policy process, thus facilitating the use of C-SPAN for teaching and research. For professors reluctant to adopt the added burden of using C-SPAN in the classroom, Purdue Archives significantly reduces that burden.C-SPAN viewing is not meant to replace lectures and classroom discussions. Rather C-SPAN viewing is meant to enrich a course curriculum. Ideally, the use of tapes should complement class lectures and discussions. C-SPAN allows students in an American Government or Congress course to observe directly the House and Senate in action. Viewing can incite student interest, reinforce class materials, and enable students to experience the drama of the legislative process. C-SPAN viewing will instigate class discussions, though professors must provide the context for student viewing by introducing the tape and directing discussion afterwards. These tapes are not filmstrips.
Advances in Basal Insulin Therapy

Objective: To review 2 new basal insulin analogs that have been approved in the United States for use in type 1 and type 2 diabetes—insulin glargine 300 units/mL and insulin degludec 100 units/mL and 200 units/mL. Data Sources: PubMed was searched using the terms “insulin glargine 300 units/mL,” “Gla-300,” “insulin degludec,” “IDeg,” “insulin degludec 200 units/mL,” and “insulin degludec 100 units/mL” for articles published between 1995 and May 2016. Study Selection and Data Extraction: Clinical trials, meta-analyses and subanalyses were identified; review articles were excluded. Relevant citations from identified articles were also reviewed. Data Synthesis: The new basal insulins, insulin glargine 300 units/mL and insulin degludec 100 units/mL and 200 units/mL, have improved pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles compared to insulin glargine 100 units/mL. All demonstrate longer durations of action, beyond 24 hours, and less variability. These improved profiles translate into comparable A1C reductio...
Standards of Comparison and Discordance in Rheumatoid Arthritis Global Assessments Between Patients and Clinicians

Objective: Patient-physician discordance in health status ratings may arise because patients use temporal comparisons (comparing their current status with their previous status), while clinicians use social comparisons (comparing this patient's status to that of other patients, or to the full range of disease severity possible) to guide their assessments. We compared discordance between patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and clinicians using either the conventional patient global assessment (PGA) or a rating scale with five anchors describing different health states. We hypothesized that discordance would be smaller with the rating scale because clinicians likely used similar social comparisons when making global assessments. Methods: We prospectively studied 206 patients with active RA, and assessed the PGA (0 – 100), rating scale (0 – 100), and evaluator global assessment (EGA; 0 – 100)) on each of two visits (total 401 visits). We compared the PGA/EGA discordance and the rating scale/EGA discordance at each visit. Results: The mean (± standard deviation) PGA/EGA discordance was 8.5 ± 22.4, and the mean rating scale/EGA discordance was 2.3 ± 24.0. The intraclass correlation, measuring agreement, was higher between the rating scale and EGA than between the PGA and EGA (0.39 versus 0.31). Agreement was larger at low levels of RA activity on both pairs of measures. Conclusion: Discordance between patients' global assessments and evaluators' global assessments was smaller when patients used a social standard of comparison than when they marked the PGA, suggesting that differences in standards of comparison contribute to patient-clinician discordance when the PGA is used. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Effect of Microwave Treatments on Antioxidant Activity and Antigenicity of Fish Frame Protein Hydrolysates

Protein solubility, protein recovery, antioxidant activity, and antigenicity of microwave pretreatment and/or microwave-assisted hydrolysis of trout frame protein hydrolysates was investigated. Treatments consisted of (1) microwave pretreatment at low temperature (55 °C) followed by conventional enzymatic hydrolysis or (2) high temperature (90 °C) followed by conventional enzymatic hydrolysis; (3) microwave pretreatment at high temperature (90 °C) followed by microwave-assisted enzymatic hydrolysis, and (4) no microwave pretreatment followed by microwave-assisted enzymatic hydrolysis. Compared to controls, microwave treatments significantly improved (P < 0.05) protein solubility, protein recovery, degree of hydrolysis, and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) free radical scavenging radical scavenging activity. Decrease of antigenicity (55–93 %) was obtained in all microwave-treated samples. Based on the results of this study, the use of microwave pretreatment for 5 min at 90 °C, followed by conventional enzymatic hydrolysis with alcalase for 2–10 min was the best treatment condition to produce fish peptides with antioxidant activity and the lowest immunoreactivity. These peptides have potential to be applied as hypoallergenic ingredients in food formulations and nutraceuticals.
From Novel to Extreme: Contemporary Environments and Physiologic Dysfunction

This chapter presents a new conceptual framework to characterize the interactions between modern environments and ancestral physiology that can influence health over the life course. Although the human body was not designed by natural selection to maximize health, it was nonetheless designed to function within certain environmental parameters. Physiology serves as the essential interface between genes and environment not only during life history transitions but also during short-term responses needed to regulate the impact of environmental variation on the internal state. Here, I argue that the contemporary habitat has become an “extreme environment” in the sense that, much like climbing Mount Everest, it requires the human body (and psyche) to function beyond the limits of its adaptive capacity, with potential dire consequences to health. Adaptive mechanisms that have become dysfunctional in an extreme environment show three distinct features: (1) gradient effects, often without overt signs of dysfunction, whereby (2) compensatory mechanisms themselves become the source of illness, and (3) involve systemic repercussions. I present an analysis of altitude hypoxia to illustrate an extreme environmental condition and then apply the same framework to a consideration of metabolic disorders. A conceptual framework that identifies lifestyle factors as being equivalent to entering an extreme environment conveys an immediate, intuitive sense of urgency and an implicit recognition that the human organism has strayed into a habitat for which it is ill equipped.
A Whole Genome Analysis Identifies SLCO1B1 as a Determinant of Methotrexate Pharmacokinetics and Adverse Effects

Abstract Methotrexate is a major component in every treatment protocol for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Both beneficial and detrimental effects of methotrexate in ALL have been clearly related to methotrexate plasma pharmacokinetics, which vary substantially among patients. However the genetic basis of such variability remains largely unknown. Herein, we surveyed 600,000 germline single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to determine how inherited genetic variation affects the disposition of methotrexate among 434 children with ALL who received 3014 courses of methotrexate at 2 to 5 g/m2. Adjusting for age, race, gender and methotrexate regimen, the most significant SNPs associated with methotrexate clearance were annotated to a plausible gene, the organic anion transporter polypeptide, SLCO1B1. The three top SNPs included rs11045879 (P = 1.7 × 10−10), rs4149081 (P = 1.7 × 10−9), and rs2900478 (P = 2.8 × 10−8). Linkage disequilibrium (LD) was observed among these three SLCO1B1 SNPs (r2=1) and with a known functional polymorphism in SLCO1B1, T521C (rs4149056, r2 = 0.86). The top two SLCO1B1 SNPs rs11045879 and rs4149081 were further validated (P = 0.018 and P = 0.017) in an independent cohort of 206 patients with ALL. Additional SNPs annotated to SLCO1B1 were identified and further validated. In a stepwise multiple linear regression analysis, SLCO1B1 genetic variation remained significant and explained clearance variability comparable to that of other non-genetic factors including treatment regimen. SNPs in SLCO1B1 were also associated with methotrexate-related gastrointestinal toxicity (P= 0.03 to 0.0005, odds ratio 8.3 to 16.4). In summary, we have identified a candidate gene, SLCO1B1, which is strongly associated with the pharmacokinetics of methotrexate, an anticancer drug with a low therapeutic index in multiple treatment regimens. Although SLCO1B1 is widely recognized as having a strong impact on the disposition of many drugs in clinical use, based on in vitro data, it was not thought to have a major role in methotrexate transport or disposition. Our study demonstrates proof of principle that genome-wide tools in clinical pharmacologic problems can lead to the discovery of important and novel pharmacogenetic links between inherited genomic variation and drug response in humans.
Acute Clinical Predictors of Symptom Recovery in Emergency Department Patients with Uncomplicated Mild Traumatic Brain Injury or Non-Traumatic Brain Injuries

Abstract There is a subset of patients with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) who report persistent symptoms that impair their functioning and quality of life. Being able to predict which patients will experience prolonged symptom recovery would help clinicians target resources for clinical follow-up to those most in need, and would facilitate research to develop precision medicine treatments for mTBI. The purpose of this study was to investigate the predictors of symptom recovery in a prospective sample of emergency department trauma patients with either mTBI or non-mTBI injuries. Subjects were examined at several time points from within 72 h to 45 days post-injury. We quantified and compared the value of a variety of demographic, injury, and clinical assessment (symptom, neurocognitive) variables for predicting self-reported symptom duration in both mTBI (n = 89) and trauma control (n = 73) patients. Several injury-related and neuropsychological variables assessed acutely (< 72 h) post-injury predicted...
The p53 gain of function mutation p53 R172H accelerates oral tumor growth, centrosome amplification and aneuploidy

4330 Oral cancer results from the accumulation of genetic alterations. More than 50% of the squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) that develop in the oral cavity carry mutations in the p53 gene. Most of these mutations are missense mutations that result in expression of altered forms of p53, some of which may acquire oncogenic properties. To determine the role of p53 mutations in oral cancer development we generated mice in which the p53 gain of function mutation p53 R172H (equivalent to human p53 R175H ) or loss of p53 can be induced in the oral cavity. Tumor initiation in these mice was achieved by co-activation of the K-ras G12D allele. Using this system we compared the consequences of activating p53 gain and loss of function mutations during oral tumor development. We found that activation of the p53 R172H allele, but not the p53 loss of function mutation, contributes to oral tumor initiation and accelerates oral tumor growth. To identify molecular mechanisms involved in the oncogenic function of p53 R172H we compared the expression profiles of oral tumors that developed in mice that carry the p53 R172H mutation with tumors in which the p53 gene was deleted. Detailed analysis of the expression levels of genes involved in cell cycle determined that cyclin B1 was overexpressed in the p53 R172H tumors, suggesting that p53 R172H may accelerate oral tumor growth, at least in part, by inducing the expression of cyclin B1. To characterize in more detail the functional role of mutant p53, we derived cell lines from the mouse oral tumors. Using these cells we demonstrated that p53 R172H can activate the cyclinB1 promoter and modulate cyclin B1 expression. In addition, we found that oral tumor cells that express p53 R172H exhibited increased centrosome amplification and aneuploidy compared to cells that do not express p53, suggesting that mutant p53 may accelerate oral tumor progression by promoting genetic instability. These observations support a gain-of-function role for p53 R172H in oral cancer development and suggest that mutations in p53 contribute to oral tumor progression by modulating the expression of genes involved in centrosome duplication and genomic instability. We are currently investigating the role of cyclinB1 in p53 R172H -mediated centrosome amplification and genomic instability during oral cancer development.
Biomonitoring to Assess Exposures to Mixtures of Environmental Chemicals

In modern societies, humans may be exposed to a wide spectrum of environmental stressors, including mixtures of anthropogenic chemicals. Furthermore, because human exposure does not occur under controlled conditions of dose-response evaluations in animal studies, exposure assessment is complex. Three main tools have been used to assess human exposures: history/questionnaire information, environmental monitoring, and biomonitoring (i.e., measuring concentrations of the chemicals or their metabolites or adducts in human specimens). In this chapter, we will discuss the suitability of biomonitoring data for evaluating exposures to mixtures of environmental chemicals.
CALCULATION OF OIL TANK VOLUME AND REPORT GENERATION SYSTEM WITH TRIM AND LIST CORRECTIONS

The capacity of ship’s oil tanks is usually designed as a tabled form in order to obtain oil volumes by using the measured ullage heights. However, the tank walls easily deform or distort due to lo...
Permafrost: changes and impacts

Industrial activities and those of stakeholders in northern regions occur in close relationship with permafrost and periglacial processes. The significant role of permafrost relates to the dependence of its mechanical and physical properties on the temperature (especially if the temperature is close to 0 °C). These properties change dramatically if permafrost becomes unstable and starts to melt. All kinds of engineering constructions in Arctic regions are effected by cold climate and permafrost. The permafrost conditions determine the principles of design, construction and use of the engineering works. Permafrost also has direct impacts on the subsistence activities of local residents and their food sources.
Reactive Metabolites of Organohalogen Compounds

As pointed out by Williams (1959), the reactions by which most foreign compounds, including organohalogen compounds, are metabolized by vertebrate animals can be classified according to two phases. Phase I reactions includes those that either convert one functional group into another (as in the oxidation of alcohol to acetaldehyde and acetic acid) or introduce polar groups into non-polar compounds (as in the hydroxylation of aromatic compounds, the reduction of nitro compounds, and the hydrolysis of esters). Phase II reactions includes those that conjugate polar groups with glucuronate, sulfate, glycine, glutamine, glutathione, or methyl groups.
Systematic review with meta-analysis: mycophenolate mofetil as a second-line therapy for autoimmune hepatitis.

Background First-line treatment for autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) typically includes corticosteroids in combination with azathioprine. Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) is often used as a rescue therapy in patients who are intolerant of, or nonresponsive to, standard therapy. Aim To systematically review studies and perform a meta-analysis on the efficacy and safety of MMF as a second-line therapy for AIH patients. Methods MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane Central were searched for studies that reported data on efficacy and safety of MMF as a second-line therapy in AIH. We calculated the pooled response rate, adverse events rate and discontinuation rate due to side effects, with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals. Results Twelve studies comprising 397 patients, followed for a median of 34 months (range, 12-47 months), were included. MMF doses ranged from 0.5-4.0 g/d. Pooled response rate was 0.58 (95% CI 0.54-0.63). Pooled adverse events rate was 0.14 (95% CI 0.11-0.17), and pooled discontinuation rate due to side effects was 0.08 (95% CI 0.06-0.11). Five studies (n = 309) specified response rates according to reason for using MMF. Pooled response rate in the subgroup with intolerance to standard therapy was 0.82 (95% CI 0.77-0.87) and pooled response rate among nonresponders was 0.32 (95% CI 0.24-0.39). Conclusions The overall efficacy of MMF as second-line therapy in AIH was high. Response rate was greater in patients who started the medication due to intolerance to standard therapy as opposed to nonresponse. Overall, MMF was well tolerated, with a low discontinuation rate due to side effects.
Yes, Mr. President: A Free Market Can Fix Health Care

In March 2009, President Barack Obama said, "If there is a way of getting this done where we're driving down costs and people are getting health insurance at an affordable rate, and have choice of doctor, have flexibility in terms of their plans, and we could do that entirely through the market, I'd be happy to do it that way." This paper explains how letting workers control their health care dollars and tearing down regulatory barriers to competition would control costs, expand choice, improve health care quality, and make health coverage more secure.First, Congress should give Medicare enrollees a voucher and the freedom to choose any health plan on the market. Vouchers would be means-tested, would contain Medicare spending, and are the only way to protect seniors from government rationing.Second, to give workers control over their health care dollars, Congress should reform the tax treatment of health care with "large" health savings accounts. Large HSAs would reduce the number of uninsured Americans, would free workers to purchase secure health coverage from any source, and would effectively give workers a $9.7 trillion tax cut without increasing the federal budget deficit.Third, Congress should break up state monopolies on insurance and clinician licensing. Allowing consumers to purchase health insurance licensed by other states could cover one-third of the uninsured without any new taxes or government subsidies.Finally, Congress should reform Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program the way it reformed welfare in 1996. Block-granting those programs would reduce the deficit and encourage states to target resources to the truly needy. The great advantage of a free market is that innovation and more prudent decision-making means that fewer patients will fall through the cracks.
Mouse Models as a Tool for Understanding Progression in Braf V600E-Driven Thyroid Cancers

The development of next generation sequencing (NGS) has led to marked advancement of our understanding of genetic events mediating the initiation and progression of thyroid cancers. The NGS studies have confirmed the previously reported high frequency of mutually-exclusive oncogenic alterations affecting BRAF and RAS proto-oncogenes in all stages of thyroid cancer. Initially identified by traditional sequencing approaches, the NGS studies also confirmed the acquisition of alterations that inactivate tumor protein p53 (TP53) and activate phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit alpha (PIK3CA) in advanced thyroid cancers. Novel alterations, such as those in telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) promoter and mating-type switching/sucrose non-fermenting (SWI/SNF) complex, are also likely to promote progression of the BRAFV600E-driven thyroid cancers. A number of genetically engineered mouse models (GEMM) of BRAFV600E-driven thyroid cancer have been developed to investigate thyroid tumorigenesis mediated by oncogenic BRAF and to explore the role of genetic alterations identified in the genomic analyses of advanced thyroid cancer to promote tumor progression. This review will discuss the various GEMMs that have been developed to investigate oncogenic BRAFV600E-driven thyroid cancers.
Implementation of a Clostridioides difficile prevention bundle: Understanding common, unique, and conflicting work system barriers and facilitators for subprocess design.

Objective:Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) poses a major challenge to the healthcare system. We assessed factors that should be considered when designing subprocesses of a C. difficile infection (CDI) prevention bundle.Design:Phenomenological qualitative study.Methods:We conducted 3 focus groups of environmental services (EVS) staff, physicians, and nurses to assess their perspectives on a CDI prevention bundle. We used the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) model to examine 5 subprocesses of the CDI bundle: diagnostic testing, empiric isolation, contact isolation, hand hygiene, and environmental disinfection. We coded transcripts to the 5 SEIPS elements and ensured scientific rigor. We sought to determine common, unique, and conflicting factors across stakeholder groups and subprocesses of the CDI bundle.Results:Each focus group lasted 1.5 hours on average. Common work-system barriers included inconsistencies in knowledge and practice of CDI management procedures; increased workload; poor setup of aspects of the physical environment (eg, inconvenient location of sinks); and inconsistencies in CDI documentation. Unique barriers and facilitators were related to specific activities performed by the stakeholder group. For instance, algorithmic approaches used by physicians facilitated timely diagnosis of CDI. Conflicting barriers or facilitators were related to opposing objectives; for example, clinicians needed rapid placement of a patient in a room while EVS staff needed time to disinfect the room.Conclusions:A systems engineering approach can help to holistically identify factors that influence successful implementation of subprocesses of infection prevention bundles.
The Influence of Visual and Olfactory Cues in Host Selection for Bemisia tabaci Biotype B in the Presence or Absence of Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus

The silverleaf whitefly, Bemisia tabaci, is one of the most destructive agricultural pests in the world, vectoring a large number of devastating viruses, including Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus (TYLCV). When selecting a host, B. tabaci is primarily influenced by a range of visual and olfactory cues. Therefore, elucidating how such cues become modified in the presence of whitefly-vectored begomoviruses is critical to better understanding the epidemiology of many economically important diseases. The goal of this study was to determine how both visual and odor cues interact in the presence of TYLCV. In Y-tube olfactometer assays, whiteflies were submitted to a range of isolated visual and olfactory cues to determine behavioral changes. B. tabaci choices were then compared to both stimuli combined in the presence or absence of TYLCV. Under visual stimuli only, B. tabaci exhibited a visual attraction to the color yellow, TYLCV-infected tomato leaves, and TYLCV-infected tomato volatiles. Attraction was the strongest overall when both visual and olfactory cues from TYLCV-symptomatic tomato plants were combined, as opposed to a single isolated cue. These results highlight the importance of both sensory stimuli during B. tabaci host selection in the presence of an associated begomovirus.
Gait speed is associated with death or readmission among patients surviving acute hypercapnic respiratory failure.

Objectives Death or hospital readmission are frequent among patients surviving acute hypercapnic respiratory failure (AHRF). Severity scores are not valid to predict death or readmission after AHRF. Gait speed, a simple functional parameter, has been associated with hospital admission and death in the general population. The purpose of this study is to highlight an association between gait speed at hospital discharge and death or readmission among AHRF survivors. Design Secondary analysis of a prospective cohort study. Settings Single Swiss tertiary hospital, pulmonary division. Participants Patients were prospectively recruited to form a cohort of patients surviving AHRF in the intensive care unit between January 2012 and May 2015. Outcome measure Gait speed was derived from a 6 min walking test (6MWT) before hospital discharge. All predictive variables were prospectively collected. Death or hospital readmission were recorded for 6 months. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate the association between predictive variables and death or hospital readmission. Results 71 patients performed a 6MWT. 34/71 (48%) patients died or were readmitted to the hospital during the observation period. Median gait speed was 0.7 (IQR 0.3–1.0) m/s. At 6 months, 66% (25/38) of slow walkers (gait speed Conclusion This study suggests that a simple functional parameter such as gait speed is associated with death or hospital readmission in patients surviving AHRF. Trial registration number NCT02111876.
The Evolution of Human Vocal Emotion

Vocal affect is a subcomponent of emotion programs that coordinate a variety of physiological and psychological systems. Emotional vocalizations comprise a suite of vocal behaviors shaped by evolut...
Finite Source Sizes and the Information Content of MACHO-Type Lens Search Light Curves

If the dark halo matter is primarily composed of MACHOs toward the lower end of the possible detection range ($ < 10^{-3}$ $M_{\odot}$) a fraction of the lens detection events should involve the lens crossing directly in front of the disk of the background star. Previously, Nemiroff (1987) has shown that each crossing would create an inflection point in the light curve of the MACHO event. Such inflection points would allow a measure of the time it took for the gravitational lens to cross the stellar disk. Given an independent estimate of the stellar radius by other methods, one could then obtain a more accurate estimate of the velocity of the lens. This velocity could then, in turn, be used to obtain a more accurate estimate of the mass range for the MACHO or disk star doing the lensing.
Iterated nearest neighbors and finding minimal polytopes

We introduce a new method for finding several types of optimalk-point sets, minimizing perimeter, diameter, circumradius, and related measures, by testing sets of theO(k) nearest neighbors to each point. We argue that this is better in a number of ways than previous algorithms, which were based on high-order Voronoi diagrams. Our technique allows us for the first time to maintain minimal sets efficiently as new points are inserted, to generalize our algorithms to higher dimensions, to find minimal convexk-vertex polygons and polytopes, and to improve many previous results. We achieve many of our results via a new algorithm for finding rectilinear nearest neighbors in the plane in timeO(n logn+kn). We also demonstrate a related technique for finding minimum areak-point sets in the plane, based on testing sets of nearest vertical neighbors to each line segment determined by a pair of points. A generalization of this technique also allows us to find minimum volume and boundary measure sets in arbitrary dimensions.
Outcomes of infratentorial cranial surgery for tumor resection in older patients: An analysis of the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program.

Background Poorer outcomes for infratentorial tumor resection have been reported. There is a lack of large multicenter analyses describing infratentorial surgery outcomes in older patients. We characterized outcomes in patients aged ≥65 years undergoing infratentorial cranial surgery. Methods The National Surgical Quality Improvement Project database was queried from 2012 to 2018 for patients ≥18 years undergoing elective infratentorial cranial surgery for tumor resection. Patients were grouped into 65-74 years, ≥75 years, and 18-64 years cohorts. Multivariable regressions compared outcome measures. Results Of 2212 patients, 28.3% were ≥65 years, of whom 24.8% were ≥75 years. Both older subpopulations had worse American Society of Anesthesiologists classification compared to controls (P < 0.01) and more comorbidities. Patients 65-74 and ≥75 years had higher rates of major complication (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.77, 95% CI = 1.13-2.79 and aOR = 3.44, 95% CI = 1.96-6.02, respectively), prolonged length of stay (LOS) (aOR = 1.89, 95% CI = 1.15-3.12 and aOR = 3.00, 95% CI = 1.65-5.44, respectively), and were more likely to be discharged to a location other than home (aOR = 2.43, 95% CI =1.73-3.4 and aOR = 3.41, 95% CI = 2.18-5.33, respectively) relative to controls. Patients ≥75 had higher rates of readmission (aOR = 1.86, 95% CI = 1.13-3.08) and mortality (aOR = 3.28, 95% CI = 1.21-8.89) at 30 days. Conclusion Patients ≥65 years experienced more complications, prolonged LOS, and were less often discharged home than adults <65 years. Patients ≥75 years had higher rates of 30-day readmission and mortality. There is a need for careful preoperative optimization in older patients undergoing infratentorial tumor cranial surgery.
Comparison of oral, nebulized and combination antibiotic treatment of Bordetella bronchiseptica in baboons (Papio spp.).

Incidence of Bordetella pertussis, the causative agent of whooping cough, is rising in some global human populations despite high vaccination rates, and significant research is underway to address the issue. Baboons are an established model for pertussis research, but like many mammals, they can be naturally infected with Bordetella bronchiseptica. Because B. bronchiseptica interferes with B. pertussis research, it must be excluded from baboons under consideration for enrollment in pertussis studies. In addition to research-related concerns, B. bronchiseptica can sometimes cause clinical disease in baboons and other nonhuman primates. This study examined the use of antibiotics to clear B. bronchiseptica in naturally infected baboons. Thirty-five juvenile baboons were divided into five treatment groups: oral sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (TMS), nebulized gentamicin (gentamicin), combination (TMS + gentamicin) in positive animals, combination (TMS + gentamicin) as a prophylactic in exposed animals and no treatment (control). Combination of oral TMS and nebulized gentamicin given to positive animals was most effective, producing long-term clearance in 11 out of 12 treated animals. To avoid unnecessary use of antibiotics, our primary management strategy is screening and separating to allow natural clearance and limiting exposure to non-infected animals, but this study investigates an antibiotic regimen that could be used in special circumstances.
In the Eye of the Storm? Societal Aging and the Future of Public‐Service Reform

One of the principal motivations for the reinvention of many central governments over the last two decades is the need to deal with chronic budget deficits. As budget surpluses reappeared at the end of the 1990s, the pressure to restructure seemed to ease in some countries. However, observers suggested the relief was only temporary, and aging populations would soon put more stress on government budgets, creating a need for further retrenchment. This article assesses the vulnerability of three central governments—the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States—to aging-related fiscal stress. Because of institutional differences, the U.S. government is likely to be hit hardest by this demographic change. This may imply that public-sector reform will take a different path in the United States than it will in the United Kingdom or Canada.
What Should Restatement (Fourth) Say About Treaty Interpretation

Restatement (Second) and Restatement (Third) of Foreign Relations Law took notably different approaches to treaty interpretation, reflecting intervening changes in the legal landscape. This symposium contribution identifies five developments in international and domestic law since Restatement (Third). It then considers their import for the forthcoming Restatement (Fourth). Most importantly, it argues that Restatement (Fourth) should fully incorporate two articles on treaty interpretation from the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties into its black-letter provisions. Since the time of Restatement (Third), these articles have become central to international practice on treaty interpretation, and the principles they set forth are broadly consistent with how the U.S. Supreme Court approaches treaty interpretation. This contribution also suggests that Restatement (Fourth) soften Restatement (Third)’s provisions on deference to the executive branch in treaty interpretation. Finally, this contribution notes the rising importance in foreign relations law of the interpretation of legislation related to treaty implementation.
Identification and Characterization of Proximal 6q Deletions in Prostate Cancer

Allelic loss of 8p, 10q, 13q, 16q, and 18q has been frequently demonstrated in prostate cancer, implying the existence of putative tumor suppressor genes in these regions. However, there are likely a number of additional genetic events that define the progression from normal prostatic epithelium to prostate cancer that have yet to be identified. To characterize a novel region of deletion in sporadic prostate cancers, 52 tumors obtained from radical prostatectomy cases were analyzed for loss of heterozygosity (LOH) using 10 polymorphic markers spanning chromosome 6 including one marker on 6p and nine markers on 6q. Markers were selected from available databases, and a comprehensive linkage map was constructed. By this analysis, LOH for one or more polymorphic markers was detected in 17 of 52 sporadic prostate cancer cases (33%). Thirteen of 17 tumors were shown to have a common region of allelic loss extending from D6S286 to D6S283 or 6q14-21, with a minimum region of loss containing markers D6S1082 and D6S501. A second separate region of deletion centered around marker D6S404. LOH of one or more 6q markers did not correlate with Gleason grade or pathological stage of the cancer. In summary, this is the first comprehensive analysis of 6q deletions in prostate cancer, and we conclude that 6q14-21 may harbor a tumor suppressor gene important in prostate carcinogenesis.
THE IMPACT OF MONETARY POLICY ON THE ECONOMY OF THE UNITED KINGDOM: A VECTOR ERROR CORRECTION MODEL (VECM)

The paper investigatesempirically the impact of monetary policy on economic growth in the United Kingdom. The study uses time-series data over a study period spanning from 1940-2012. The impacts of each of the endogenous variables are investigated using the Vector Error Correction Model (VECM). The study shows that a long run relationship exists among the monetary variables. Specifically, it finds that the inflationary rate and money supply are significant monetary policy instruments that drive growth in the United Kingdom. It therefore recommends that the UK policy makers focus on boosting macroeconomic performance by ensuring that growth in money supply is proportional to the growth in real Gross Domestic Product.
A methodology for intelligent sensor validation and fusion used in tracking and avoidance of objects for automated vehicles

For longitudinal control the automated vehicles in intelligent vehicle highway system (IVHS) require sensors to estimate the relative distance and velocity between vehicles. High data fidelity of these sensors is required to maintain the reliability and safety of the IVHS. In this paper, the authors develop a methodology for validation and fusion of sensory readings obtained from multiple sensors used for tracking automated vehicles and for avoiding objects in its path. The authors introduce tracking models for the various operating states of the automated vehicle, namely vehicle following, maneuvering, i.e. split, merge, lane change, emergencies, and for the lead vehicle in a platoon. The Kalman filtering approach is proposed for the formation of real time validation gates. This along with the algorithmic sensor validation filter is used for sensory data validation. The validated data are then fused by using a Bayesian method called the probabilistic data association filter. The procedure is demonstrated by two examples using simulated data, data obtained from a platooning test set-up.
Diversification of U.S. Medical Schools via Affirmative Action Implementation

The diversification of medical school student and faculty bodies via race-conscious affirmative action policy is a societal and legal option for the U.S. Supreme Court has recently ruled its use constitutional. This paper investigates the implications of affirmative action, particularly race-conscious compared to race-blind admissions policy; explains how alternative programs are generally impractical; and provides a brief review of the history and legality of affirmative action in the United States. Selection based solely on academic qualifications such as GPA and MCAT scores does not achieve racial and ethnic diversity in medical school, nor does it adequately predict success as practicing physicians. However, race-conscious preference yields greater practice in underserved and often minority populations, furthers our biomedical research progression, augments health care for minority patients, and fosters an exceptional medical school environment where students are better able to serve an increasingly multicultural society. The implementation of race-conscious affirmative action results in diversity in medicine. Such diversity has shown increased medical practice in underserved areas, thereby providing better health care for the American people.
Synthesis of Viral-Specific Ribonucleic Acid in Rubella Virus-Infected Cells

Monolayers of BHK-21/W1-2 cells were pulsed with (3)H-uridine at different times after infection with rubella virus, and viral-specific cytoplasmic ribonucleic acid species were demonstrated.
The Effect of Raffle Odds on Signing In at a Treatment Center for Adults with Mental Illness

Abstract This case study describes the use of a daily raffle to increase attendance in a socialization center for approximately 75 adults diagnosed with mental illness. Specifically, the relationship between signing in, which was a measure of attendance, and the odds of winning points which could be exchanged for tangible and edible items was examined. An ABACADABACAD reversal design was used to evaluate the effects of three levels of odds (25%, 50%, 75%) on signing in to the center. Results indicated that signing in increased by 14% over baseline when the raffle was in place. However, no difference between the odds conditions was evident. A cost-benefit analysis showed that the raffle was cost effective for the center.
Aflibercept in the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in the US. In recent decades, an improved understanding of the role of the angiogenesis pathway in colorectal cancer has led to advancements in treatment. Bevacizumab has been shown to improve the progression-free survival and overall survival when combined with cytotoxic chemotherapy in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer, and at present is the only antiangiogenesis agent approved for the treatment of this cancer. Aflibercept is a novel angiogenesis-targeting agent, and has demonstrated efficacy in treating metastatic colorectal cancer in a recent randomized Phase III trial. Here we review the role of angiogenesis in the tumorigenesis of colorectal cancer, strategies for targeting angiogenesis, and the clinical development of aflibercept.
Graphical data mining of human cortical surface morphometry

This paper illustrates a novel visualization technique for the graphical exploration of large feature-rich brain imaging datasets. An interactive and dynamic OpenGL/Qt-built user interface has been designed for domain experts and students who are non-specialists in informatics, analytics, or data mining. Multi-dimensional scaling projects a full collection of cortical surface representations into three-dimensions, where surface location proximity is proportional to mutual information-based feature similarity. Users can also search over subject meta-data and navigate in the 3D space to group clusters to explore possible trends across data types. This enables users to easily and rapidly generate hypotheses relating cortical surface features and meta-data values. We showcase the usefulness of this novel neuroimaging data-mining approach with an application to data drawn from large-scale MRI archives.
Landing Zones: Southern Veterans Remember Vietnam

Landing Zones brings to life the dramatic, gripping, and often painful stories of twenty-four Vietnam Veterans from the American South. The men and women interviewed here represent a remarkable range of experience, including a marine rifleman, a helicopter pilot, an army nurse, a prisoner of war, a riverboat gunner, and the commanding general William Westmoreland. Skillfully interviewed by James R. Wilson, a journalist and Army press officer in Vietnam, each narrative explores and describes the war's events before following the veterans home and carrying them to the present. These stories focus on a uniquely southern view of Vietnam. In terms of numbers the South shouldered more than its share of human cost-31 percent of Americans who served came from one of the eleven states of the old Confederacy, and 28 percent of the dead were southerners. Southerners also brought to Vietnam certain shared cultural tastes and a particularly southern heritage of honor in military service stemming from the Civil War. For many, as their testimony reveals, a sense of patriotism was tested and questioned by the horrors of war, and for others that patriotism was a continued source of strength. Individually and collectively, however, these oral histories make up a picture of war that prevents us from forgetting the truth as one veteran put it: "Vietnam was not one war, but a thousand little nasty wars."
Identification of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) polymorphism as a mutation in prostate cancer that prevents normoxia-induced degradation

BACKGROUND Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) regulates cellular responses to hypoxia and is rapidly degraded under normoxia through von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) mediated ubiquitination. Although HIF-1α stabilization appears to be the molecular basis for VHL-associated cancers, stabilizing mutations in HIF-1α have not been reported. METHODS A series of 15 metastatic androgen independent prostate cancers were examined for mutations in the oxygen-dependent domain (ODD) of HIF-1α by PCR amplification and DNA sequencing. RESULTS A somatic proline to serine mutation in codon 582 (P582S) was identified in one sample. Transfection studies with a HIF-1α regulated reporter gene showed increased transcriptional activity that correlated with higher mutant HIF-1α protein expression. Increased expression of the P582S mutant induced by iron chelation, which blocks proline hydroxylation of wild-type HIF-1α, was markedly attenuated. The mutant also showed increased stability under normoxic versus hypoxic conditions. CONCLUSION The P582S HIF-1α is a stable variant and HIF-1α mutation is a mechanism for enhancing HIF-1α activity in human cancer. The recent identification of the identical P582S HIF-1α as a polymorphism suggests that this variant may increase tumor susceptibility or cause more aggressive biological behavior. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.