cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Central projections of auditory nerve fibers of differing spontaneous rate, II: Posteroventral and dorsal cochlear nuclei

Response properties of auditory nerve fibers (ANFs), including threshold sensitivity, vary systematically with spontaneous discharge rate (SR) (Liberman, M.C.: J. Acoust. Soc Amer. 63:442-455, 1978). Thus, an understanding of the mechanisms underlying signal transformation in the cochlear nucleus (CN) must include a description of any SR-based difference in ANF projections. This study is the second of a pair describing the CN projections of intracellularly labeled ANFs of known SR, the first of which summarized projection to the anteroventral CN (Liberman, M.C.: J. Comp. Neurol. 313:240-258, 1991). For each swelling from each labeled fiber, the position (within CN subdivisions), the size, and the type of cell contacted (if determinable) was noted: roughly one in four labeled swellings appeared in intimate contact with the soma or proximal dendrites of a CN cell. In all such cases, cell size and swelling size were measured. As reported for auteroventral cochlear nucleus, the ANF innervation of the small-cell regions of posteroventral CN (PVCN) was almost exclusively by low- and medium-SR fibers. Other significant SR-based trends in ANF projections included 1) a tendency for high-SR fibers to contact larger cells in PVCN, 2) a meager projection of low- and medium-SR fibers to octopus cells, and 3) a tendency in the dorsal CN (DCN) for low-SR terminals to end closer to the fusiform cell layer than high-SR terminals. There were no significant SR-based difference in ANF swelling sizes in any subdivision. A consideration of the average cell sizes, ANF swelling sizes and estimated numbers of ANFs of different CF and SR converging on each CN cell help explain some of the differences in response transformation associated with different cell types in the CN.
Function-blocking Integrin αvβ6 Monoclonal Antibodies DISTINCT LIGAND-MIMETIC AND NONLIGAND-MIMETIC CLASSES

We have generated a panel of potent, selective monoclonal antibodies that bind human and mouse alpha(v)beta(6) integrin with high affinity (up to 15 pm). A subset of these antibodies blocked the binding of alpha(v)beta(6) to the transforming growth factor-beta1 latency-associated peptide with IC(50) values as low as 18 pm, and prevented the subsequent alpha(v)beta(6)-mediated activation of transforming growth factor-beta1. The antibodies also inhibited alpha(v)beta(6) binding to fibronectin. The blocking antibodies form two biochemical classes. One class, exemplified by the ligand-mimetic antibody 6.8G6, bound to the integrin in a divalent cation-dependent manner, contained an RGD motif or a related sequence in CDR3 of the heavy chain, was blocked by RGD-containing peptides, and was internalized by alpha(v)beta(6)-expressing cells. Despite containing an RGD sequence, 6.8G6 was specific for alpha(v)beta(6) and showed no cross-reactivity with the RGD-binding integrins alpha(v)beta(3), alpha(v)beta(8),or alpha(IIb)beta(3). The nonligand-mimetic blocking antibodies, exemplified by 6.3G9, were cation-independent, were not blocked by RGD-containing peptides, were not internalized, and did not contain RGD or related sequences. These two classes of antibody were unable to bind simultaneously to alpha(v)beta(6), suggesting that they may bind overlapping epitopes. The "ligand-mimetic" antibodies are the first to be described for alpha(v)beta(6) and resemble those described for alpha(IIb)beta(3). We also report for the first time the relative abilities of divalent cations to promote alpha(v)beta(6) binding to latency-associated peptide and to the ligand-mimetic antibodies. These antibodies should provide valuable tools to study the ligand-receptor interactions of alpha(v)beta(6) as well as the role of alpha(v)beta(6) in vivo.
Classroom influences on first-grade students’ oral narratives

As a part of a longitudinal project examining first-grade reading instruction in 4 districts across the state of Texas, this study explored the nature of students' oral narratives and the connections between teachers' instructional practices and students'narratives. Using an adaptation of Hudson & Shapiro's (1991) narrative categories, we examined 166 narratives generated by first-grade students, categorizing each as an event-script, a less-developed narrative, a well-developed narrative, or an “other.” An exemplar narrative from each of the 4 categories and 2 other narratives that represented the diversity of student responses and the complexity of the relationships between student performance and teacher practices were selected for further analysis. Six case studies were developed to describe students' school achievement, their oral narratives, and teachers' practices. Our findings suggest that certain classroom practices, which either support or narrow opportunities for engagement with oral and written...
Christian Democracy in Venezuela

Herman analyzes the evolution, history, ideological development, and internal structure of the Christian Democratic party of Venezuela from the end of the Gomez dictatorship (1935) to the present. This is also the first in-depth study of the government of former President Caldera--a time in which Venezuela's primary natural resource, petroleum, began to play the enormous economic, industrial, and political role that it continues to play today.Originally published 1980.A UNC Press Enduring Edition -- UNC Press Enduring Editions use the latest in digital technology to make available again books from our distinguished backlist that were previously out of print. These editions are published unaltered from the original, and are presented in affordable paperback formats, bringing readers both historical and cultural value.
Kidneys for Sale: Who Disapproves, and Why?

The shortage of transplant kidneys has spurred debate about legalizing monetary payments to donors to increase the number of available kidneys. However, buying and selling organs faces widespread disapproval. We survey a representative sample of Americans to assess disapproval for several forms of kidney market, and to understand why individuals disapprove by identifying factors that predict disapproval, including disapproval of markets for other body parts, dislike of increased scope for markets and distrust of markets generally. Our results suggest that while the public is potentially receptive to compensating kidney donors, among those who oppose it, general disapproval toward certain kinds of transactions is at least as important as concern about specific policy details. Between 51% and 63% of respondents approve of the various potential kidney markets we investigate, and between 42% and 58% want such markets to be legal. A total of 38% of respondents disapprove of at least one market. Respondents who distrust markets generally are not more disapproving of kidney markets; however we find significant correlations between kidney market disapproval and attitudes reflecting disapproval toward certain transactions-including both other body markets and market encroachment into traditionally nonmarket exchanges, such as food preparation.
Education, health and family size as determinants of labor market activity for the poor and nonpoor.

The effect of head’s and wife’s educational attainment, health and the number of the head’s dependents under 18 on the amount of time spent in the labor force by white and black male heads of both poor and nonpoor families is investigated in this paper. The technique employed is multivariate regression analysis using disaggregated data from the 1967 Survey of Economic Opportunity. While educational attainment has a positive effect on the supply of labor of nonpoor heads, it has an insignificant effect on the black poor and a nonlinear effect on white poor heads. The health of head and wife has a very important effect on the ability of the poor to supply labor services while for the nonpoor the health effect is insignificant. For both the poor and nonpoor, there is a positive relationship between family size and the supply of labor. Evidence is also presented to indicate that the black husband’s and wife’s labor market activity are substitutes while they are complementary within white families.
20. ICD: Primary Prevention, Utilization & Costs

Introduction We evaluated the use of implantable defibrillators (ICDs) in the octogenarian population to analyze the complications associated with ICD implantation; the incidence of appropriate and inappropriate discharges; as well as survival following ICD implantation. Methods We retrospectively evaluated the utilization of ICDs implanted and followed at our institution from 1998 to 2004 in the octogenarian population with systolic dysfunction. A control group was comprised of similar patients under the age of 80. Patients with preserved ventricular function were excluded. Results Two hundred twenty-six patients with systolic dysfunction were evaluated following ICD implantation. There were 51 patients over 80 years of age (mean age: 84 ± 4). A control group of 175 patients less than age 80 (mean age: 66 ± 10) was utilized for comparison. The baseline characteristics, including ejection fraction (25 ± 7%), presence of coronary disease (90%), as well as the incidence of symptomatic arrhythmias (33%) were similar in both groups. The octogenarian population did have a higher percentage of women (31% v. 18% ( p = 0.04)). The long-term device related complication rate in the older age group was low (1.9%) and did not differ between groups. Thirty-two percent of the octogenarian group received appropriate ICD therapy over a mean follow-up period of 15 ± 16 months. The older group had fewer inappropriate discharges (6.8% v. 12.6%; p = NS) in comparison to the younger patient group. Although 78.4% of the octogenarian group survived during the follow-up period, there was a significant decrease in survival in this group as evaluated by the Kaplan Meier method ( p =0.0003). In multivariate analysis, the only significant predictor of survival was age less than 80. Conclusion The octogenarian population can safely be treated with ICD therapy and in appropriately selected patients; they can be expected to have a high rate of therapeutic ICD utilization. Patients should be carefully selected for ICD implantation as mortality is higher in the octogenarian population and co-morbid conditions may limit the potential survival benefit offered by the ICD.
Clinical implications of antiretroviral drug interactions with warfarin: a case–control study

Conclusions: The required WMD was significantly higher in patients receiving ART. Prompt dose titration to achieve a higher WMD with vigilant monitoring may be required due to these drug– drug interactions.
Image compression with fully-decomposed wavelet transform

The authors propose a novel transform which recursively applies the two-scale wavelet decomposition to all subimages. It is called the full wavelet transform (FWT). The authors use the FWT to transform an image into blocks of the same size, and show that these blocks have strong space-frequency correlation which can be effectively utilized to achieve high image compression ratio while preserving good image quality. The proposed method can be related to several other popular image compression schemes such as the DCT (discrete cosine transform), PWT (pyramidal wavelength transform), and SCB (subband coding) methods. >
Drosophila puckered regulates Fos/Jun levels during follicle cell morphogenesis.

puckered (puc) encodes a VH1-like phosphatase that down-regulates Jun kinase (JNK) activity during dorsal closure of the Drosophila embryo. We report a role for puc in follicle cell morphogenesis during oogenesis. puc mRNA accumulates preferentially in the centripetally migrating follicle cells and cells of the elongating dorsal appendages. Proper levels of Puc activity in the follicle cells are critical for the production of a normal egg: either reduced or increased Puc activity result in incomplete nurse cell dumping and aberrant dorsal appendages. Phenotypes associated with puc mutant follicle cells include altered DE-cadherin expression in the follicle cells and a failure of nurse cell dumping to coordinate with dorsal appendage elongation, leading to the formation of cup-shaped egg chambers. The JNK pathway target A251-lacZ showed cell-type-specific differences in its regulation by puc and by the small GTPase DRac1. puc mutant cells displayed region-specific ectopic expression of the A251-lacZ enhancer trap whereas overexpression of a transgene encoding Puc was sufficient to suppress lacZ expression in a cell autonomous fashion. Strikingly, decreased or increased puc function leads to a corresponding increase or decrease, respectively, of Fos and Jun protein levels. Taken together, these data indicate that puc modulates gene expression responses by antagonizing a Ρ GTPase signal transduction pathway that stabilizes the AP-1 transcription factor. Consistent with this, overexpression of a dominant negative DRac1 resulted in lower levels of Fos/Jun.
Interaction between chemoreceptor and stretch receptor inputs at medullary respiratory neurons

The interaction between afferent inputs from carotid body chemoreceptors (CCRs) and from slowly adapting pulmonary stretch receptors (PSRs) on the discharge patterns of medullary inspiratory (I) and expiratory (E) neurons was characterized in thiopental sodium-anesthetized, paralyzed, ventilated dogs. A cycle-triggered ventilator was used to produce control and test pulmonary afferent input patterns. The CCRs were stimulated by phase-synchronized bolus injections of CO2-saturated saline into the common carotid arteries. Only those neurons whose discharge time course was altered by both inflation and CCR activation were studied. The dorsal respiratory group (DRG) I inflation-insensitive neurons were also included. Cycle-triggered histograms of unit activity were obtained for the neuronal responses to inflation, CO2 bolus, and their combination, as well as for the spontaneous control condition. Linearity of the interaction was tested by comparing the sum of the net individual responses to the net response of the combined afferent inputs. The results suggest that a linear (additive) interaction between CCR and PSR inputs exists for the DRG I inflation-sensitive neurons, the ventral respiratory group (VRG) I decrementing, and caudal VRG E augmenting neurons, while a nonadditive interaction exists for caudal VRG E decrementing bulbospinal neurons. The implications of these findings are discussed.
Dynamic time warping: A single dry electrode EEG study in a self-paced learning task

This study investigates dynamic time warping (DTW) as a possible analysis method for EEG-based affective computing in a self-paced learning task in which inter- and intra-personal differences are large. In one experiment, participants (N=200) carried out an implicit category learning task where their frontal EEG signals were collected throughout the experiment. Using DTW, we measured the dissimilarity distances of EEG signals between participants and examined the extent to which a k-Nearest Neighbors algorithm could predict self-rated feelings of a participant from signals taken from other participants (between-participants prediction). Results showed that DTW provides potentially useful characteristics for EEG data analysis in a heterogeneous setting. In particular, theory-based segmentation of time-series data were particularly useful for DTW analysis while smoothing and standardization were detrimental when applied in a self-paced learning task.
Topology in Normed Spaces

Continuity is the central concept of our study, and we have built up to it by defining numerous ideas in terms of distance. It is natural to describe constructs that depend on distance by the adjective metric. Our definitions of bounded set and uniformly continuous function are examples of metric constructs; they are inseparable from distance.
Vehicle routing with stochastic demands: Models & computational methods

In this paper we provide an overview and modeling details regarding vehicle routing in situations in which customer demand is revealed only when the vehicle arrives at the customer’s location. Given a fixed capacity vehicle, this setting gives rise to the possibility that the vehicle on arrival does not have sufficient inventory to completely supply a given customer’s demand. Such an occurrence is called a route failure and it requires additional vehicle trips to fully replenish such a customer. Given a set of customers, the objective is to design vehicle routes and response policies which minimize the expected delivery cost by a fleet of fixed capacity vehicles. We survey the different problem statements and formulations. In addition, we describe a number of the algorithmic developments for constructing routing solutions. Primarily we focus on stochastic programming models with different recourse options. We also present a Markov decision approach for this problem and conclude with a cha llenging conjecture regarding finite sums of random variables.
Effects of plant density and late-season defoliation on yield of field beans

Effects of stand density and late-season defoliation by Mexican bean beetles, Epilachna varivestis Mulsant, on three yield components of beans were estimated from field studies conducted during 1983 and 1984 in four fields of pinto beans in northeastern Colorado. Number of beans per plant, mean weight of a bean, and mean weight of beans per plant were calculated for 100 samples per field, and regressed against three independent variables: plant density, percentage of defoliation, and density × defoliation interaction. Results of the analyses showed that plant density negatively affected number of beans per plant and weight of beans per plant, but not average weight of a bean. Responses were not linear; slope decreased at higher densities. Defoliation negatively affected all three yield variables. Average weight of a bean was linearly related to defoliation. Number of beans per plant and weight of beans per plant showed linear responses above a threshold level of defoliation. A piecewise regression model indicated that yields were not affected by defoliation until levels reached approximately 19% foliage loss. Laboratory consumption studies were conducted to determine age-specific damage potential for Mexican bean beetles and two occasional defoliators of pinto beans, saltmarsh caterpillars, Estigmene acrea (Drury), and yellow woollybears, Spilosoma virginica (F.). Insect consumption potentials and field studies of yield responses to defoliation were used to estimate threshold densities.
Quantitation of Cytomegalovirus DNA and Characterization of Viral Gene Expression in Bronchoalveolar Cells of Infected Patients with and without Pneumonitis

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is often present in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid of immunosuppressed patients without CMV pneumonitis. The amount of viral DNA within BAL cells of patients with definite CMV pneumonitis and of viral shedders was quantitated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and the extent of CMV gene expression within BAL cells was defined by reverse transcription - PCR. No viral DNA was detected in 6 viral shedders, and 12 had low copy numbers (mean, 72 copies/10(5) BAL cells; median, 20) compared with numbers in pneumonitis patients (267,580 and 57,000, respectively). When CMV intranuclear inclusions were absent within BAL cells of patients with pneumonitis, copy numbers (mean, 9362; median, 7110) were still significantly higher than among shedders. Expression of viral glycoprotein H mRNA was detected in BAL cells of all 11 pneumonitis patients tested but in 0 of 18 viral shedders. Thus, high-grade infection and viral replication within BAL cells are integral features of CMV pneumonitis but not viral shedding.
Cultures of trauma: anthropological views of posttraumatic stress disorder in international health.

The psychiatric diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) stands out in the official diagnostic system of American psychiatry, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), by virtue of the direct connection it involves between a particular type of experience, traumatic experience, and psychiatric symptoms. In 1980, when PTSD first entered the DSM, researchers, clinicians, and activists who worked with the disorder had a particular traumatic experience in mind: the combat experience of American soldiers in the Vietnam War. Advocacy for the diagnosis at that time was an integral part of advocacy for Vietnam era veterans (Young 1995).1 During the 1980s and 90s, however, the range of contexts in which this clinical concept was applied expanded dramatically. Indeed, PTSD developed into a prominent cultural model for understanding the suffering that can be caused by a wide variety of traumatic experiences, from automobile accidents to childhood sexual abuse. In medical clinics, courtrooms, and the popular press, the clinical syndrome of PTSD is invoked to identify victims, explain their actions, and justify official responses. Following the terror attacks of September 11, 2001, for instance, several groups of researchers quickly responded with studies of PTSD, and reports from these studies were given expedited review and prominent placement in major medical journals (Galea et al. 2002; Schlenger et al. 2002; Schuster et al. 2001; Yehuda 2002). Along with this expansion of PTSD within American culture, there has been an accompanying expansion of the disorder into the global arena. PTSD emerged in the global arena within humanitarian and medical institutions. Early researchers focused on populations that had experienced particular violent events or displacement and had already become recipients of humanitarian relief, such as refugees from South East Asia (Mollica et al. 1987a,b). At the same time, PTSD also provided a model for understanding mental health problems experienced by providers of relief assistance, raising the profile of the disorder among U.S. and international relief agencies (Morgan 1994). Psychological interventions, focused on PTSD, came to play an increasingly prominent role in the response to political violence in the former Yugoslavia (Weine et al. 1995), in disaster relief following Hurricane Mitch in Central America in 1998 (Caldera et al. 2001; Goenjian et al. 2001) and the Kobe Earthquake in Japan (Breslau 2000), and in
Anal squamous cell cancer nodal metastases: prognostic significance and therapeutic considerations.

Anal squamous cell carcinoma has three primary nodal drainage patterns: the mesorectal nodes, the lateral hypogastric artery nodes, and the inguinal nodes. The initial treatment of anal cancer using chemoradiation should include all these areas within the radiation portals. Metachronous inguinal nodal metastases should be resected because as many as one third of all patients with such metastases can be salvaged.
Intravenous immunoglobulin-associated renal failure in a patient with post-transfusion purpura

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), initially developed for immunodeficiency disorders, has now been used for multiple autoimmune diseases and infections. These are generally well tolerated, with fe...
The Shock Heard round the Suburbs: Assessing the Vulnerability, Resilience, and Transportation Affordability of Higher Fuel Price Scenarios:

With transportation the second highest household expenditure, understanding the disproportionate impact that a drastic increase in the gas price might have on a major city and region is vital. This study sought to increase the understanding of resiliency, vulnerability, and transportation affordability issues by asking the following questions: What would happen if the cost to drive suddenly doubled or tripled? Who would be better off and why? How much would residency near downtown or near one’s job make a difference? What would matter in terms of transit infrastructure? How much of a role would current travel behavior play? This study derived resiliency scenarios in which the cost to drive increased one and one-half, two, and three times with the use of a multinomial logistic regression mode choice model developed with major travel surveys conducted in 1997 and 2008, a time period during which gas prices more than tripled. The focus of this study was on work trips, which were those trips most likely to be...
China: Learning to Cooperate

Since the late 1960s, advocates of a ‘Pacific community’ have engaged in forging a regionally based international regime, namely a set of norms, principles, rules and multilateral arrangements to facilitate economic cooperation in the Pacific region. The common assumption regarding China’s role and perspective is that since the late 1970s China has been seeking integration into the capitalist economic system. It follows that China’s stance on regional economic cooperation should be both passive and reactive. Studies informed by purely economic rationalist explanations tend to suggest a nice, linear and progressive ‘learning’ process in China’s seeking cooperative relations in the Asia-Pacific region. As a result the ‘China factor’ in Asia-Pacific regionalism is more often assumed than explained.
A New Technology

Insecticides are the foundations of most insect control strategies in agriculture, particularly in the industrialized countries. Their present status as an integral part of agricultural technology reflects many successes in the invention and development of particular compounds for use by the farming industries. Moreover, reliance on insecticides presupposes a stable chemical industry to manufacture, formulate, and market the toxic materials. This chapter outlines the major events in the invention of insecticides and the development of the insecticide industry.
Climate and Sustainability| The Consumer as Climate Activist

Consumption of green products is growing rapidly in the United States. We assessed the extent to which this consumption is motivated by a desire to promote societal-level change in corporate practices that affect the climate, and posit a social–cognitive model in which people’s global warming beliefs and consumer activism beliefs predict their green purchasing goals, behavior, and opinion leadership. Using nationally representative survey data, we tested the model and found a good fit: Global warming and consumer activism beliefs predict people’s green purchasing goals, which in turn predict green purchases and opinion leadership. These results suggest that communication that creates concern about global warming and enhances beliefs about the power of consumer action is likely to stimulate green consumption.
Thermoregulatory Considerations for the Performance of Exercise in SCI

Spinal cord injury (SCI) results in thermoregulatory impairment related to the disruption in autonomic function. As a result, body core temperature generally increases at a greater rate during exercise in individuals with SCI compared to their able-bodied counterparts, placing them at elevated risk for heat-related illnesses. These effects are exacerbated during exercise in the heat. Conversely, body core temperature may decrease at a greater rate during exercise in cold environments. In this chapter, we first briefly describe the anatomy and physiology of normal (non-disrupted) thermoregulation. Next, we present evidence demonstrating that SCI results in impaired thermoregulation both at rest and during exercise. We then discuss the mechanisms behind why these impairments occur, particularly in terms of how disruptions in the sympathetic nervous system affect the various arms of the thermoregulatory negative feedback loop. Next, we discuss how the types of exercise available to individuals with SCI may present additional challenges to thermoregulation, and finally, we present strategies currently in use or under investigation for combatting these thermoregulatory challenges.
Cybersecurity in the US: Major Trends and Challenges

Cybersecurity is one of the most pressing issues on the US national security agenda. The chapter begins with an examination of the impact of globalization, which has made the world more interconnected. The chapter then analyzes the evolution of cyberterrorism and cyber-attacks on businesses. This work also explores the policy responses of the US government with regard to cybersecurity. It concludes with a framework for combatting cybersecurity.
Regulation of early growth response 2 expression by secreted frizzled related protein 1

Secreted frizzled-related protein 1 (SFRP1) expression is down-regulated in a multitude of cancers, including breast cancer. Loss of Sfrp1 also exacerbates weight gain as well as inflammation. Additionally, loss of SFRP1 enhances TGF-β signaling and the downstream MAPK pathway. TGF-β has been shown to increase the expression of Early Growth Response 2 (EGR2), a transcription factor implicated in immune function in a wide variety of cell types. The work described here was initiated to determine whether SFRP1 modulation affects TGF-β mediated EGR2 expression in mammary tissues as well as macrophage polarization. Real-time PCR analysis was performed to examine EGR2 expression in human and murine mammary epithelial cells and tissues in response to SFRP1 modulation. Chemical inhibition was employed to investigate the roles TGF-β and MAPK signaling play in the control of EGR2 expression in response to SFRP1 loss. Primary murine macrophages were isolated from Sfrp1−/− mice and stimulated to become either M1 or M2 macrophages, treated with recombinant SFRP1, and real-time PCR was used to measure the expression of murine specific M1/M2 markers [Egr2 (M2) and Gpr18 (M1)]. Immunohistochemical analysis was used to measure the expression of human specific M1/M2 markers [CD163 (M2) and HLA-DRA (M2)] in response to rSFRP1 treatment in human mammary explant tissue. Knockdown of SFRP1 expression increases the expression of EGR2 mRNA in human mammary epithelial cells and addition of rSFRP1 decreases the expression of EGR2 when added to explant mammary gland tissues. Chemical inhibition of both TGF-β and MAPK signaling in Sfrp1−/− or knockdown mammary epithelial cells results in decreased expression of EGR2. Stimulated murine macrophages obtained from Sfrp1−/− mice and treated with rSFRP1 exhibit a reduction in Egr2 expression and an increase in Gpr18 mRNA expression. Human mammary explant tissue treated with rSFRP1 decreases CD163 protein expression whereas there was no effect on the expression of HLA-DRA. Loss of SFRP1 likely contributes to tumor progression by altering the expression of a critical transcription factor in both the epithelium and the immune system.
Clinical Overview of REM Sleep Behavior Disorder.

Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is a parasomnia characterized by loss of muscle atonia during REM sleep that allows motor responses to dream content. Patients display patterns of unusual, complex, and even violent motor activities. There is a high risk for harm to the patients or their bedpartners. REM sleep behavior disorder is more likely to occur in synucleinopathies such as Parkinson's disease, Lewy body dementia, and multiple system atrophy and may precede clinical manifestations by decades. In secondary RBD, brainstem centers involved in muscle atonia during REM are disrupted. These conditions include multiple sclerosis, cerebral vascular accidents, and brainstem tumors. The acute onset of RBD may associate with the use of antidepressants and acute withdrawal from alcohol. The diagnosis of RBD should be confirmed by polysomnography utilizing multiple-limb electromyography and synchronized digital video monitoring and demonstrate elevation of muscle tone during REM sleep along with dream enactment behavior. The differential diagnosis includes sleepwalking, nocturnal seizures, sleep apnea, and periodic limb movement disorder. Management focuses on maximizing safety, use of clonazepam/melatonin, and discussion of prognosis with patients.
Total dose testing of advanced mixed signal ADC/DAC microcircuits

Total dose test results are presented for the Maxim 1257/1258 multi-channel ADC/DAC, and the Linear Technology LTC2378-20 low power SAR ADC. The paper discusses radiation testing challenges of complex mixed signal circuits.
The influence of human capital and perceived university support on patent applications of biomedical investigators

The Bayh–Doyle Act of 1980 accelerated academic entrepreneurship in universities. However, not all qualified researchers sought to be involved in patenting. We compared researchers’ human capital and their perceptions of resource availability on patent applications. We collected primary data from biomedical principal investigators from 15 universities using a validated questionnaire. Our results from logistic regression strongly suggest that human capital had a stronger influence than perceptions of resource availability for commercialization activities on patent applications. The policy implications are that universities should seek to enhance the stock of human capital most associated with patenting behaviors to improve academic entrepreneurial outcomes.
Reproduction in the Green Anole, Anolis carolinensis (Squamata: Dactyloidae), from Hawaii

Reproduction was studied in an invasive population of Anolis carolinensis in the Hawaiian Islands, USA. Timing of events in the reproductive cycle was similar between A. carolinensis populations in Hawaii and native populations of the species in the southeastern United States. In Hawaii, males of A. carolinensis undergo a prolonged period of spermiogenesis (sperm formation) starting in November (n=1) and December (n=1) and continuing into August. Gravid A. carolinensis females in Hawaii (n=40) produce one egg in continuous succession from March into August. Reproductive activity in A. carolinensis in Hawaii ceased prior to the colder, wetter, winter months.
Unsupervised Named Entity Normalization for Supporting Information Fusion for Big Bridge Data Analytics

The large amount of multi-type and multi-source bridge data open unprecedented opportunities to big data analytics for better bridge deterioration prediction. Information fusion is needed prior to the analytics to transform the heterogeneous data from different sources into a unified representation. Resolving the ambiguities in the named entities extracted from bridge inspection reports is one of the most important fusion tasks. The ambiguity stems from the use of different and ambiguous surface forms to the same target named entity. There is, thus, a need for named entity normalization (NEN) methods that can map these ambiguous surface forms into their canonical form – an identifier concept. However, existing NEN methods are limited in this regard. This is because they mostly require pre-established knowledge (e.g., dictionaries or Wikipedia) and/or training data, and mostly ignore the impact of the normalization on data analytics. To address this need, this paper proposes an unsupervised NEN method. It includes two main components: candidate identifier concept generation based on multi-grams of each named entity set, and candidate identifier concept ranking based on a proposed ranking function. The function uses the TF-IDF (term frequency–inverse document frequency) weight and is further improved by considering the impacts of gram lengths and positions on the ranking. It aims to balance the abstractness and detailedness of the identifier concepts, so as to ensure that the resulting data are neither too dense nor too sparse for the analytics. A set of experiments were conducted to evaluate the performance of the proposed method. It achieved an accuracy of 84.5%.
Explanations for regular expressions

Regular expressions are widely used, but they are inherently hard to understand and (re)use, which is primarily due to the lack of abstraction mechanisms that causes regular expressions to grow large very quickly. The problems with understandability and usability are further compounded by the viscosity, redundancy, and terseness of the notation. As a consequence, many different regular expressions for the same problem are floating around, many of them erroneous, making it quite difficult to find and use the right regular expression for a particular problem. Due to the ubiquitous use of regular expressions, the lack of understandability and usability becomes a serious software engineering problem. In this paper we present a range of independent, complementary representations that can serve as explanations of regular expressions. We provide methods to compute those representations, and we describe how these methods and the constructed explanations can be employed in a variety of usage scenarios. In addition to aiding understanding, some of the representations can also help identify faults in regular expressions. Our evaluation shows that our methods are widely applicable and can thus have a significant impact in improving the practice of software engineering.
Interest Groups and Bank Regulation

It is clear that the organization and operation of political and institutional systems shape bank regulations. Political and institutional systems are also important because they can limit the degree to which narrowly-focused interest groups can unduly influence policy choices. This paper presents illustrative results supporting this position. Specifically, evidence is provided indicating that political and institutional characteristics exist in countries that will determine the degree to which special interest groups will be able to exert undue influence on government leaders and regulatory officials to favor narrow special interests rather than the broader public interests.
AIDS-Related Biliary Tract Disease

Increasingly, specialists caring for patients with AIDS have reported relatively small numbers of patients with biliary tract disease. These conditions fall into three general categories: (1) non-HIV-associated conditions of the bile duct, (2) acalculous cholecystitis, and (3) AIDS cholangiopathy. Whatever the cause, a sizable percentage of patients with AIDS are found to have abnormal biliary tract morphology. It is essential for the clinician first to exclude biliary tract conditions such as gallstone disease and then to clearly investigate those patients with clinical, biochemical, or radiographic features suggestive of papillary stenosis. Patients with AIDS-associated papillary stenosis do respond symptomatically to ERCP sphincterotomy.
Limited interleukin-18 response in Salmonella-infected murine macrophages and in Salmonella-infected mice.

Optimal immune responses against an intracellular bacterial pathogen, such as Salmonella, involve the production of gamma interferon (IFN-γ), which activates macrophages. It has recently been suggested that, interleukin-18 (IL-18), in addition to IL-12, contributes to the induction of IFN-γ following infection. Given this hypothesis, an optimal host immune response against intracellular bacterial pathogens would include the induction of IL-18 secretion by macrophages due to Salmonella infection. We questioned whether Salmonella could induce macrophages to upregulate their expression of IL-18 mRNA and secretion of IL-18. With cultures of murine macrophages, we were surprised to find that infection by wild-type Salmonella dublin resulted in decreased expression of IL-18 mRNA and IL-18 secretion rather than an increase. Reduction of macrophage-derived IL-18 expression by wild-type Salmonella occurred early in the response, suggesting a direct effect. Furthermore, mice orally inoculated with wild-type Salmonella were shown to have reduced IL-18 mRNA expression at mucosal sites within hours postinoculation. Together these studies demonstrate Salmonella-induced reductions in IL-18 expression, suggesting that this intracellular pathogen may be capable of limiting a potentially protective immune response.
Association of Low Nodal Positivity Rate Among Patients With ERBB2-Positive or Triple-Negative Breast Cancer and Breast Pathologic Complete Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy.

Importance A recent publication reported that of 527 patients with clinically node-negative (cN0) cT1/cT2 triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) orERBB2-positive disease treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC), 100% of those who achieved a breast pathologic complete response (pCR) had pathologic node negativity (pN0). Eliminating axillary surgery in these patients has been suggested as safe based on these results. Objective To evaluate nodal positivity rates in patients with cT1/cT2 N0ERBB2-positive disease and TNBC with a breast pCR after NAC using the National Cancer Database (NCDB), which included academic and community settings. Design, Setting, and Participants This retrospective study reviewed data from the NCDB from January 1, 2010, through December 31, 2015. Participants included patients with cN0/cN1 cT1/cT2 breast cancer who received NAC followed by surgery. Pathologic nodal positivity rates by breast pCR were compared in cN0 and cN1 disease, within each tumor subtype (ERBB2-positive, TNBC, and hormone receptor–positive/ERBB2-negative). Data were analyzed from September 13, 2017, through January 30, 2018. Exposures Neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery. Main Outcomes and Measures The pathologic nodal positivity rate after NAC (ypN) specifically in patients with cT1/cT2 cN0ERBB2-positive disease or TNBC who achieve a breast pCR after NAC. Results A total of 30 821 patients with cT1/cT2 cN0/cN1 breast cancer treated with NAC and surgical resection (99.6% female; mean [SD] age, 52.0 [11.5] years) were identified. Of 6802 patients with cN0ERBB2-positive disease, 3062 (45.0%) achieved breast pCR and of those, 49 (1.6%; 95% CI, 1.2%-2.1%) were ypN positive. In 6222 patients with cN0 TNBC, 2315 (37.2%) achieved breast pCR, and of those, 36 (1.6%; 95% CI, 1.1%-2.1%) were pathologic node positive after NAC. Rates of ypN positivity were higher in patients with cN0 and residual disease in the breast; 632 of 3740 (16.9%) withERBB2-positive disease and 492 of 3907 (12.6%) with TNBC with residual disease in the breast were node positive (P Conclusions and Relevance In this study, the highest rates of breast pCR were seen inERBB2-positive disease and TNBC. In patients with cN0ERBB2-positive disease or TNBC with breast pCR, the nodal positivity rate was less than 2%, which supports consideration of omission of axillary surgery in this subset of patients.
SELF EXPANDABLE VALVES HAVE LOWER PARAVALVULAR LEAK TWO YEARS AFTER TRANSCATHETER AORTIC VALVE REPLACEMENT COMPARED WITH BALLOON VALVES: RESULTS FROM THE MARSHFIELD AORTIC VALVE EXPERIENCE PILOT SUBSTUDY

There are few studies comparing paravalvular leak (PVL) rates by valve types in patients with severe aortic stenosis following Transcatheter Aortic Valve Repair (TAVR); and none over the years. We hypothesized that self-expandable valves (SEV) were associated with a lower PVL over the years than
Sex Determination and the Y Chromosome

The Y chromosome is a small acrocentric chromosome whose chromatids tend to adhere in metaphase spreads because of the presence of a large block of heterochromatin. This makes up the distal half or so of the long arm and is visible by most C-banding procedures. It is especially bright by Q-banding, due to the AT-richness of its satellite DNA (Fig. 17.1). The Y chromosome contains some DNA sequences that are found only on the Y It is therefore possible to look for Y-DNA in maternal blood during and after pregnancy. Y-DNA is detectable as early as 5–7 weeks of gestation and disappears by 2 months post partum (Thomas et al., 1995). There is, on average, only about one fetal cell per ml of blood in pregnancies with a normal fetus. However, the number is more than five times as high, on average, in pregnancies with a 21-trisomic fetus (Bianchi et al., 1997). Fetal DNA appears to enter the maternal circulation in the form of viable cells. A number of groups have used powerful fluorescence-activated flow sorting to isolate the fetal cells, but the cells’ rarity has limited the development of this approach for early prenatal diagnosis. However, it has been used to diagnose trisomy 21 (Elias et al., 1992).
An empirical investigation of the determinants of student success in online ERP courses

The purpose of this research is to understand the factors that impact students' perceived learning outcomes, satisfaction, and the intention to continue using an online learning platform in enterprise resource planning (ERP)-enabled online courses. The factors considered are online learning platform quality, ERP system quality, information quality, instructor support, and student motivation. We selected SAP as the ERP system that students learn online via any online learning platform, such as Blackboard. We surveyed business students from four mid-sized state universities in the USA. Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to empirically test the model. The findings indicated that all factors, except instructor support, were significant determinants of learning outcomes. All factors, except information quality, were significant determinants of student satisfaction. Online learning platform quality and SAP quality were significant determinants of students' intention to continue to take online SAP-enabled courses using the current learning platform.
Semantics Without Epistemology

Contemporary analytic philosophers generally subscribe to Freges critique of psychologism, but reject his interpretation of the ontological status of senses. They focus upon what they take to be the weakest point in his theory, its vague account of the relationship between timeless thoughts and the time-bound utterances that express them. Their strategy is always to detach senses from things and wed them to words. Michael Dummett contends, for example, that the only faculty we possess for grasping senses is the capacity for learning how to use words. This interpretation of Frege’s “power of thinking” entails a reappraisal of the notion of objectivity. Dummett observes that there is no reason why logic should be committed to a Platonic realism, or indeed to any other type of realism. It is surely enough to claim more modestly that to grasp the sense of a sentence is to know how to participate in some language-game whose rules are contingently dertermined by a linguistic community. The resultant theory might be at odds with the requirements of realism, but it would remain perfectly logical.1
Multibranch Inductance Extraction Procedure for Multichip Power Modules

This article presents a measurement-based technique for estimating the parasitic inductances associated with the interconnection structures of a multichip power module (MCPM) at a finer granularity than has been previously demonstrated. The technique introduced here makes it possible to determine an estimate of the interconnect inductances at each individual die position within the module geometry. For this purpose, this technique leverages the measured input impedance of an MCPM in the frequency domain, which has been carefully shaped by employing discrete capacitors in place of a semiconductor die. An example of the proposed technique is provided for an MCPM with four die positions per switch position. The provided theoretical formulation is verified by its application to a physical test subject, which is designed to represent a generic MCPM. Owing to the efficiency of this extraction technique and the possibility of providing direct empirical validation for FEA-obtained estimates, the proposed approach is expected to be of particular interest to MCPM designers for use in design optimization.