cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comorbid Illnesses and Chest Radiographic Severity in African-American Sarcoidosis Patients

Sarcoidosis disease expression differs along racial/ethnic lines and black race has been cited as a poor prognostic factor. Besides genetic, healthcare, and socioeconomic factors, comorbid illnesses may influence sarcoidosis disease expression. We set out to investigate the association between comorbid illnesses and chest radiographic severity in a population of African-American sarcoidosis patients. The study was designed as a retrospective database analysis. The hospital and outpatient databases of the Grady Health System were searched to capture adult patients between November 1999 and December 2003 with the ICD-9 codes of 135 or 519.8, along with all associated secondary and tertiary diagnostic codes. Patient electronic pathology and radiographic reports were reviewed for tissue biopsies showing noncaseating granulomas and for chest radiographic Scadding stage. A total of 165 African-American patients were identified (64% female, 43 ± 10 years old). Ninety percent (149/165) had comorbid illnesses. The most frequent chronic comorbid illnesses were hypertension (39%), diabetes mellitus (19%), anemia (19%), asthma (15%), gastroesophageal reflux disease (15%), depression (13%), and heart failure (10%). Females had increased frequency and clustering of chronic illnesses. Chest radiographic stages were more severe in patients with anemia, depression, and those less than 40 years old. Males, within each chronic illnesses category, had more severe CXR stages compared to females; however, significance was not achieved. We concluded that most adult patients with sarcoidosis have comorbid illnesses and these, in addition to gender differences, may influence sarcoidosis disease expression. Screening for comorbid illnesses should be an important aspect of sarcoidosis patient management.
Stress Relief during Host Infection: The Phage Shock Protein Response Supports Bacterial Virulence in Various Ways

Inducible extracytoplasmic stress responses (ESRs) help to maintain the integrity and function of the bacterial cell envelope in unfavorable conditions. ESRs can also have highly specialized functions linked to virulence-associated systems directly. One of the most intriguing and yet enigmatic examples is the widely conserved phage shock protein (Psp) response [1]–[4]. This article outlines the significance of envelope stress and the roles of the Psp response in supporting bacterial virulence. This particular ESR might be critical for different reasons in different bacteria, with implications for both extracellular and intracellular pathogenesis, as well as processes that include antibiotic resistance and biofilm formation.
Reported incidence of occupational asthma in the United Kingdom, 1989-90.

STUDY OBJECTIVE--To estimate the incidence of occupational asthma seen by respiratory and occupational physicians in the UK in 1989 and 1990. DESIGN--New cases of occupational asthma were taken from a national reporting scheme, the Surveillance of Work-related and Occupational Respiratory Disease Project (SWORD). Estimates of the working population from the Labour Force Survey were used to calculate reported incidence by age group, sex, occupation, and region. SETTING--The SWORD project is a scheme for the reporting of new cases of work-related respiratory disease by thoracic and occupational physicians from throughout the UK which began in 1989. PATIENTS--In 1989 and 1990, of 4229 cases reported, 1085 (26%) were in patients with occupational asthma. MAIN RESULTS--Only half the reported cases were attributed to agents prescribed under the Industrial Injuries Scheme. There was considerable diversity in risk by occupation, with highest annual rates in welders, solderers, and electronic assemblers (175/million), laboratory workers (188/million), metal treaters (267/million), bakers (334/million), plastics workers (337/million), chemical processors (364/million), and spray painters (658/million). Crude rates in men were higher than in women, but rates within occupations were similar in both sexes. Rates of disease rose with age; adjustment for occupation increased the gradient. Regional differences were only partly explained by diversity of industry and were probably mainly due to variation in levels of ascertainment and reporting. CONCLUSIONS--Asthma is the most commonly reported occupational lung disease in the UK. The incidence in the general population is unknown, but it was estimated that the incidence of new cases seen by respiratory and occupational physicians was about three times that reported. High relative risks were found in a number of occupations in which effective control of the work environment is urgently required.
Personalized Communication Avoiding Node Contention on Distributed Memory Systems

In this paper, we present several algorithms for per forming all-to-many personalized communication on distributed memory parallel machines. Each proces sor sends a different message (of potentially different size) to a subset of all the processors involved in the collective communication. The algorithms are based on decomposing the communication matrix into a set of partial permutations. We study the effectiveness of our algorithms both from the view of static scheduling as well as runtime scheduling.
Self-Control, Opportunity, and Substance Use

We examine the effect of self-control and opportunity on adolescent substance use. When theorizing about the role of opportunity, we believe the “sanction potential” of a given situation should be considered. Our results suggest the effect of self-control on substance use does not depend on the availability of substances in the home (high sanction potential), but friends’ substance use (low sanction potential) conditions the effect of self-control on adolescents’ smoking, drinking, and marijuana use. Therefore, adolescents with low self-control are more likely to use substances only when they are presented with attractive opportunities that are unlikely to lead to sanctions.
Mechanism of Reactive Ion Etching of Polymeric Films in Oxygen-Based Plasmas

The etching of polymeric films in O2 plasmas containing small amounts of CF4 has been studied at low pressures (10-60 mtorr) in an RIE reactor. The relationship between etch rate, ion flux, and O atom concentration is investigated for photoresist, polyimide, and amorphous carbon. The applicability of a surface-chemical model proposed by Joubert, et al. (J. Appl. Phys. 65(12) 1989, 5096) is explored. Modifications to the model are made to include physical sputtering and direct reactive ion etching. The modified model provides an improved description of the process, showing the various contributions of the ions and O atoms to the overall etching.
Hypertrophy changes the muscarinic receptor subtype mediating bladder contraction from M3 toward M2

Major pelvic ganglion electrocautery (MPGE) and spinal cord injury in the rat induce bladder hypertrophy and a change in muscarinic receptor subtypes mediating bladder contraction from predominantly M3 to a combination of M2 and M3. To determine whether this is a result of bladder hypertrophy or denervation, we studied the following groups: sham-operated controls, urinary diversion (DIV), MPGE together with urinary diversion (DIV-DEN), bilateral MPGE (DEN), bladder outlet obstruction (BOO), and MPG decentralization (MPGDEC). The degree of bladder denervation was determined by the maximal carbachol response normalized to the response to electric field stimulation. Receptor subtype density was determined by immunoprecipitation. The affinity of subtype-selective muscarinic antagonists for inhibition of carbachol-induced contractions was used to determine the subtype-mediating contraction. DEN, MPG-DEC, and BOO bladders were hypertrophic whereas DIV bladders were atrophic compared with sham operated. Bladder contraction in sham-operated, DIV, and DIV-DEN was mediated by the M3 receptor subtype, whereas the M2 subtype participated in contraction in the DEN, MPG-DEC, and BOO groups. The hypertrophied bladders had an increase in total and M2 receptor density while all experimental groups showed a reduction in M3 receptor density. Thus bladder hypertrophy, independent from bladder denervation, causes a shift in the muscarinic receptor subtype mediating bladder contraction from M3 toward M2.
Why does the somatosensory homunculus have hands next to face and feet next to genitals? A hypothesis

The somatotopic mapping of the body surface onto its cortical representation is a paradigm case of topographic mapping in the nervous system. It has functioned as the model case for physiological studies of plasticity in cortical maps (Kaas, 1991; Ramachandran, Stewart, & Rogers-Ramachandran, 1992a, 1992b) and computational studies of self-organization (Pearson, Finkel, & Edelman, 1987; Merzenich, 1987; Willshaw & von der Malsburg, 1976). However, the map is not perfect. There are two major discontinuities: the hands and face of the homunculus are adjacent to one another, as are the genitals and feet (Penfield & Rasmussen, 1950; Ramachandran, Stewart, & Rogers-Ramachandran, 1992b). Why is this? I have been unable to find any explanations of this curious feature of somatosensory cortical organization in the literature. Here I point out that mechanisms of self-organization, in combination with the normal position of the fetus in the womb, will incline the map toward just this organization. In self-organizing systems, adjacent neurons come to represent coincident sources of activation, and the somatotopic map results from the greater likelihood of coincident stimulation to adjacent body surfaces than nonadjacent. The role of prenatal self-organization was demonstrated in a recent experiment by Florence et al. (1996). They cut the median nerve to the hand in fetal monkeys and demonstrated that after repair, the pattern of nerve termination was grossly disordered. Nevertheless, microelectrode mapping of the primary somatosensory cortex revealed a normal, orderly topography. The surprising implication of this finding is that cortical somatotopy does not reflect the organization of peripheral inputs; that is, the cortical homunculus is not simply the result of more peripheral somatotopic organizations being conserved through orderly ascending inputs. Rather, the statistics of prenatal sensory experience is the predominant factor in the genesis of the somatosensory homunculus. One way in which prenatal sensory experience differs markedly from postnatal experience is in the frequency with which hands touch face and feet touch genitals, and this can explain the discontinuities in the homunculus. The flexed posture of the limbs in the fetal position places hands near face and feet near genitals, as shown in Figure 1. Normal fetal movement
On the type-2 fuzzy thresholding protocol for event-driven wireless sensor networks

Network lifetime is one of the most vital issues in wireless sensor network and is fundamental to any design and development effort. Extending the life time requires energy efficiency in every aspect. Besides, fuzziness, a feature of imperfect information was used to measure the distances between the sensed values. Involved with type-2 fuzzy sets, an effectively thresholding method is proposed and discussed in this study. Given an adaptive threshold value, the membership function of a sensed value is implemented, and the potential improvement gained by using our method is demonstrated by the simulated results presented.
Is a “Special Psychology” of Practice Possible?: From Values and Attitudes to Embodied Dispositions

Traditional theories of culture and socialization in the social and behavioral sciences have concentrated on how attitudes and values come to be "internalized" and thus shared by members of a collectivity. The emergence of practice theory challenges the classical theory of socialization and accul - turation by shifting the focus of analysis away from explicit symbolic repre - sentations and towards tacit, motor-schematic procedures. In this paper I argue that even as they reject the traditional object of older socialization -based accounts, most practice theorists continue to operate with the same outmoded theory of socialization and acculturation inherited from classical sociology. I use Wacquant's (2004) "carnal ethnography" of becoming a boxer to outline an alternative approach —grounded in recent research in cognitive neuro - science —which provides a more adequate explanation of how practices come to be acquired and transmitted from person to person.
Square-Wave and Staircase Voltammetry at Small Electrodes

Square-wave and staircase voltammetry at small electrodes constitute dynamic experiments in which a train of pulses is applied at a stationary electrode. The response thus depends in a complex way on the size and shape of the electrode as well on the parameters of the excitation. The most striking feature of the response is that in square-wave voltammetry the peak shape and position are largely independent of the size and shape of the electrode for reversible systems. Attributes of square-wave and staircase voltammetry are illustrated for embedded circular and for cylindrical electrodes, and for arrays. Applications in which nonplanar diffusion is an important aspect include anodic stripping voltammetry and mechanistic studies.
Adherence to Medication Regimens and Participation in Dual-Focus Self-Help Groups

OBJECTIVE: The authors examined the associations between attendance at self-help meetings, adherence to psychiatric medication regimens, and mental health outcomes among members of a 12-step self-help organization specifically designed for persons with both chronic mental illness and a substance use disorder. METHODS: A sample of members of Double Trouble in Recovery (DTR) was interviewed at baseline and one year later. Correlates of adherence to psychiatric medication regimens at the follow-up interview were identified for 240 attendees who had received a prescription for a psychiatric medication. RESULTS: Consistent attendance at DTR meetings was associated with better adherence to medication regimens after baseline variables that were independently associated with adherence were controlled for. Three baseline variables were associated with adherence: living in supported housing, having fewer stressful life events, and having a lower severity of psychiatric symptoms. In addition, better adherence was as...
Rho-Associated Kinase Activity Is Required for Proper Morphogenesis of the Inner Cell Mass in the Mouse Blastocyst

The blastocyst consists of the outer layer of trophectoderm and pluripotent inner cell mass (ICM), the precursor of the placenta and fetus, respectively. During blastocyst expansion, the ICM adopts a compact, ovoidal shape, whose proper morphology is crucial for normal embryogenesis. Rho-associated kinase (ROCK), an effector of small GTPase RHO signaling, mediates the diverse cellular processes of morphogenesis, but its role in ICM morphogenesis is unclear. Here, we demonstrate that ROCK is required for cohesion of ICM cells and formation of segregated tissues called primitive endoderm (PrE) and epiblast (Epi) in the ICM of the mouse blastocyst. Blastocyst treatment with ROCK inhibitors Y-27632 and Fasudil caused widening or spreading of the ICM, and intermingling of PrE and Epi. Widening of ICM was independent of trophectoderm because isolated ICMs as well as colonies of mouse embryonic stem cells (mESC) also spread upon Y-27632 treatment. PrE, Epi, and trophectoderm cell numbers were similar between control and treated blastocysts, suggesting that ROCK inhibition affected ICM morphology but not lineage differentiation. Rock1 and Rock2 knockdown via RNA interference in mESC also induced spreading, supporting the conclusion that morphological defects caused by the pharmacological inhibitors were due to ROCK inactivation. When blastocysts were transferred into surrogates, implantation efficiencies were unaffected by ROCK inhibition, but treated blastocysts yielded greater fetal loss. These results show that proper ICM morphology is dependent on ROCK activity and is crucial for fetal development. Our studies have wider implication for improving efficiencies of human assisted reproductive technologies that diminish pregnancy loss and promote successful births.
Water use and conservation for inland aquaculture ponds.

The general hydrological equation, inflow = outflow ± change in storage, can be used to make accurate estimates of water use by ponds for inland aquaculture projects. The primary inflows are precipitation, runoff and regulated water additions. The main outflows are evaporation, seepage, overflow after storms and intentional discharge. Water conservation measures such as maintaining storage capacity in ponds equal to the normal, maximum daily precipitation, reduction in seepage beneath dams and through pond bottoms, fish harvest without draining ponds, and water re-use are discussed. Even with the implementation of water conservation measures, pond aquaculture is a water- intensive endeavour which consumes more water per unit of area than irrigated agriculture. However, the value of aquacultural production per unit of water used greatly exceeds that of irrigated agriculture. Reduction in effluent volume is the most effective water saving means, and not only reduces water consumption but also reduces the pollution potential of pond aquaculture.
The Emerging Morphology of the World's Legislatures

In recent years there has been quite a growth in the corpus of research on legislatures, so that today studies of the legislature are extant for about two dozen countries. Studies of Third-World representative assemblies have demonstrated a remarkable degree of “linkage” between legislators and constituents. Alongside research on European and Asian legislatures, these inquiries make possible a better understanding of the contributions of legislative institutions to political integration. More generally, the accumulating literature on legislatures permits the construction of functional typologies which are more empirically adequate than earlier ones.
Analyzing Workflows in Business Processes for Obstructions due to Authorization Policies

It is well-known that aligning security policies with business objectives is a difficult task. To address this, we present a new approach to analyze work-flow instances for obstructions due to static and dynamic authorization policies. We give a new algorithm that allows organizations to properly assign users to tasks without the policies causing obstructions (e.g. deadlocks). Our work is novel since we consider loops, conditions and parallelism in workflows, through a new concept called "release" events. We illustrate our approach on some real-world workflows in healthcare and financial industries.
Acute and chronic toxicity of atrazine and its metabolites deethylatrazine and deisopropylatrazine on aquatic organisms.

Little is known about the toxicity of the atrazine (ATRZ) metabolites desethylatrazine (DEA) and deisopropylatrazine (DIA). We evaluated the acute and chronic toxicity of ATRZ, DEA, and DIA on the amphipods Hyalella azteca and Diporeia spp., and the unicellular algae Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata. In general, acute and chronic toxicity was ranked ATRZ > DEA > DIA. All 96-h median inhibition concentrations (IC50) were above concentrations found in the environment (>1,500 μg/L), and sensitivity was highest for the algae. When amphipods were exposed chronically (21 days), Diporeia was several orders of magnitude more sensitive compared to H. azteca. Neither ATRZ nor DEA altered H. azteca sex ratios. In conclusion, our results suggest that short-term exposures of these chemicals to algae and amphipods to concentrations routinely detected in surface waters are unlikely to be a cause of concern. However, the unexpected high sensitivity of Diporeia spp. to these herbicides deserves further attention considering the declining status of this amphipod in the Great Lakes basin.
Corporate Bond Returns And Weekday Seasonality

This study examines trading day and calendar day returns-generating processes and tests the weekend effect in the corporate bond market. We reject the calendar day hypothesis while the trading day hypothesis cannot be rejected as the corporate bonds returns-generating process. Furthermore, we find a reverse weekend effect in the corporate bond market in that Monday returns are on-average positive and statistically significant in this sample.
An exploratory spatial analysis of projected hotspots of population growth, natural land loss, and climate change in the conterminous United States

Considering expected population growth and changes in landuse and climate, it is important to understand whether and where the relative change in one or more of these stressors will most likely impact natural and human systems. This study employed exploratory spatial data analysis of population growth, loss of natural land, and climate change data, all projected at county level for the conterminous United States as part of the USDA Forest Service's 2010 RPA Assessment. Location and geographical extent of projected significant “hotspots” of individual and multiple stressors were analyzed with respect to the location of at-risk natural ecosystems (protected lands, imperiled species) and the social and economic characteristics of human population within and outside the hotspots. While hotspots of projected climate change are broadly distributed across the Southwest, Northern Midwest, and Northeast, hotspots of projected natural land loss clustered in the Southeast and Pacific Northwest, and the primary area of overlap for multiple changes was the Southwest. Most counties in hotspots are currently home to higher numbers of at-risk or listed threatened and endangered (T&E) species than those outside. Also, up to three-quarters of the lands stringently managed to preserve their unique natural and scientific values are projected to be in hotspots of one or more stressors. Findings will be useful in identifying areas in which the greatest emerging land use management challenges will likely be concentrated due to change in one or more stressors. Findings will also inform land use planning decisions, and most importantly, provide information that will prioritize limited resources for mitigation, restoration, and management in areas of highest need. While our analysis shows notable differences in social and economic characteristics of counties projected to be in and outside hotspots, it also suggests the need for an in-depth study to compare sensitivity and adaptive capacity at community scale to compare the vulnerability of communities.
A Two-Parameter Fatigue Crack Growth Correlation Using ΔK and KMAX Parameters

The paper presents a correlation of fatigue crack growth rate (FCGR) behavior for different load ratios R (= min load/max load). The proposed method of correlation is explained in detail using comprehensive experimental FCGR data from 2524 aluminum alloy. The consistency of the proposed method has been verified using test data taken from literature for more than 10 different materials including aluminum, steel, titanium and other alloys. For all the materials studied, a transition load ratio Rt was found, which marks the transition between a dominant influence of ΔK or Kmax on FCGR behavior. For R>Rt the FCGR is dominated by ΔK. On the other hand, for R Rt and Kmax driving for R<Rt. The study reveals that the FCGR curves for different R-ratios can be collapsed into two narrow scatter bands, where each band is influence by either ΔK or Kmax. The final correlation was further simplified to a single equation, which represents “the master curve” corresponding to the transition load ratio, Rt. Thus by knowing FCGR data for one load ratio and using the proposed method, FCGR curves for any other load ratio may be predicted within a narrow scatter band.© 2014 ASME
Cotton Cleanability: Part I: Modeling Fiber Breakage

Cotton's ability to open and release its foreign matter in response to mechanical cleaning treatments is a crucial concern for the textile processing industries. This work is part of a series in which a comprehensive approach to cotton quality in textile processing is developed. The theme is that processing quality is expressed in terms of a trade-off between reduction in foreign matter on the one hand and accumulation of fiber damage on the other. This trade-off between cleaning and damage governs the efficiency of manufacture as well as the quality of the textile product. In order to optimize the processing, it is necessary to be able to measure and interpret this tradeoff; this requires practical methods for quantifying both cleaning and damage. Since the principal overt manifestation of processing damage to cotton is fiber breakage, it is essential to have a methodology for measuring and interpreting incremental amounts of fiber breakage. This study presents a model of fiber breakage that relates the fundamental nature of breakage processes to the observable differences between the length distribution of fibers going into and coming out of a specific processing stage, such as a single machine. This technique is demonstrated with length data derived from the Peyer TexLab instrument system.
Neuregulin Signaling in Pieces-Evolution of the Gene Family

Paracrine and juxtacrine signaling via proteins expressed on the cell surface are an integral part of metazoan biology. More than one-half billion years ago epidermal growth factor (EGF) and its cognate receptor formed a functional binding partnership, which has been conserved through evolution in essentially all eubilaterate members of the animal kingdom. Early chordates spawned offspring of these seminal genes to begin the creation of new gene families and an expanded cell-cell signaling network, which included the Neuregulin (NRG) ligands and the erbB receptors. First appearance of ancestral NRG, represented in a NRG4-like gene in the lancelet Branchiostoma floridae, appears to have: 1) occurred in the common chordate ancestor prior to the divergence of lancelets (amphioxus), and; 2) antedated the formation of the receptor gene family. Orthologues of NRG1 and multiple erbB receptors found in the sea lamprey Petromyzon marinus suggest that several key events, which were required to expand and diversify these gene families, occurred in the common ancestor of agnathostomes and jawed vertebrates. These important inventions surely played major roles in the acquisition of multiple apomorphic features of the emerging vertebrate lineage.
One Size Does Not Fit All: A Case Study of an Alternative Intimate Partner Violence Court

Many scholars argue that intimate partner violence is too complex to address through the “one-size-fits-all” approaches that are common in most criminal justice venues. Instead, they advocate for c...
Pre-main-sequence Binaries

In this final chapter we focus on binary populations amongst pre-main-sequence stars, namely the evolutionary phase between protostars and the main-sequence which includes both classical and weak-lined T Tauri stars. Our discussion begins by looking at the frequency of pre-main-sequence binaries as a function of environment as well as orbital period. There are brief discussions on higher-order multiple pre-main-sequence binaries, in addition to protostellar binaries, before we move onto the effects of young binary objects with regard to the evolution of circumstellar (and circumbinary) discs.
Genetically linking chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease: Barrett’s esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma

Esophageal adenocarcinoma remains a devastating disease with incidence and mortality rates that are nearly equivalent. The most well known risk factor is gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) (1). Recent guidelines from multiple gastroenterology societies (American College of Gastroenterology, American Gastroenterology Association and British Society of Gastroenterology) now recommend selected screening primarily based on symptomatic GERD in patients with other known risk factors such as obesity, age, and Caucasian race. About 10–15% of those with GERD develop Barrett’s esophagus (BE) or intestinal metaplasia of the esophageal mucosa (2). Those with BE then undergo regular surveillance endoscopy. The hope is this will result in early detection and treatment of EA to improve outcomes.
A Method of Moral Progress

After a discussion about Perkins’s social work in Philadelphia, this chapter focuses on Simon Pattens influence on Perkins. Like Patten, Perkins does not view labor as a mere commodity or expense; she believes all work can promote dignity. This chapter discusses Perkins’s experience with the Consumers League in addition to the League’s history of influencing policy by working within government itself.
Imaging Genomics and ENIGMA

Abstract We review efforts worldwide to discover differences in genomic and medical imaging data that offer new insights into psychiatric and neurological illnesses in human populations. The vast cost to society of mental illness from depression, posttraumatic stress, the dementias, and disorders of childhood development and old age have led many geneticists to seek treatable causal mechanisms that affect our risk and prognosis in these disorders. Imaging data can help us discover and understand both genetic and nongenetic risk factors for brain diseases, revealing what brain systems they affect. However, the vast diversity of mental illness and the complexity of the factors that affect it require large-scale studies to avoid making premature conclusions that generalize poorly individuals and new populations. We show how Enhancing Neuro Imaging Genetics through Meta-Analysis (ENIGMA), a worldwide alliance studying 12 brain diseases in 35 countries, has merged neuroimaging and genetic data from over 30,000 people to yield new insights into a variety of brain diseases and conditions, and the factors that affect them.
Emergy evaluation of food production in urban residential landscapes

To transform cities from heterotrophic into sustainable ecosystems many authors have called for increased food production, including home gardening, in urban areas. We conducted an emergy analysis of four model backyard landscape plots—a conventional ornamental landscape, an intensive organic garden, an edible landscape, and a forest garden—to assess the yield and sustainability of these systems. Data were collected during the 2001 growing season and extrapolated to make a five year projection. In the 2001 season, all plots had low Emergy Yield Ratios (EYR) of between 0.0003 and 0.17 and extremely low Emergy Sustainability Indices (SI). In the five year projection, all plots still had low EYRs of between 0.0008 and 0.33 and very low SIs. These low indices are due primarily to the high levels of economic inputs required for the installation and maintenance of these plots in an urban context. Analyses performed on larger systems (households, neighborhoods and cities) containing productive landscapes such as those studied here may produce different results. Installing food-producing landscapes in urban areas without altering the networks by which such landscapes are supplied, however, may not substantially alter the heterotrophic nature of cities.
Information Considerations in Multi-Person Cooperative Control/Decision Problems: Information Sets, Sufficient Information Flows, and Risk-Averse Decision Rules for Performance Robustness

The purpose of this research investigation is to describe the main concepts, ideas, and operating principles of stochastic multi-agent control or decision problems. In such problems, there may be more than one controller/agent not only trying to influence the continuous-time evolution of the overall process of the system, but also being coupled through the cooperative goal for collective performance. The mathematical treatment is rather fundamental; the emphasis of the article is on motivation for using the common knowledge of a process and goal information. The article then starts with a discussion of sufficient information flows with a feedforward structure providing coupling information about the control/decision rules to all agents in the cooperative system. Some attention has been paid to the design of decentralized filtering via constrained filters for the multi-agent dynamic control/decision problem considered herein. The main focus is on the synthesis of decision strategies for reliable performance. That is on mathematical statistics associated with an integral-quadratic performance measure of the generalized chi-squared type, which can later be exploited as the essential commodity to ensure much of the design-in reliability incorporated in the development phase. The last part of the article gives a comprehensive presentation of the broad and still developing area of risk-averse controls. It is possible to show that each agent with risk-averse attitudes not only adopts the use of a full-state dimension and linear dynamic compensator driven by local measurements, but also generates cooperative control signals and coordinated decisions.
Regulation of renal Na-K-ATPase: effects of aldosterone in phosphate depletion.

Phosphate depletion is associated with multiple abnormalities in renal metabolism particularly the induction of depletion of intracellular adenine triphosphate nucleotides (ATP) (1–3). These nucleotides play a key role in renal transport since they are the substrates for multiple transport enzymes crucial to renal function, namely the transport ATPases: Na-K-ATPase, Ca-ATPase and H+-ATPase. Of these Na-K-ATPase consumes most of the energy required during renal transport operation and the activity of the enzyme is dependent on the intracellular level of the high energy nucleotide (4). Thus, a decrease in intracellular ATP, if critical, may lead to a reduction in the activity of the enzyme.
Lobar lung transplantation from deceased donors: A systematic review

Author(s): Eberlein, Michael; Reed, Robert M; Chahla, Mayy; Bolukbas, Servet; Blevins, Amy; Van Raemdonck, Dirk; Stanzi, Alessia; Inci, Ilhan; Marasco, Silvana; Shigemura, Norihisa; Aigner, Clemens; Deuse, Tobias | Abstract: AimTo systematically review reports on deceased-donor-lobar lung transplantation (ddLLTx) and uniformly describe size matching using the donor-to-recipient predicted-total lung-capacity (pTLC) ratio.MethodsWe set out to systematically review reports on ddLLTx and uniformly describe size matching using the donor-to-recipient pTLC ratio and to summarize reported one-year survival data of ddLLTx and conventional-LTx. We searched in PubMed, CINAHL via EBSCO, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews via Wiley (CDSR), Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects via Wiley (DARE), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials via Wiley (CENTRAL), Scopus (which includes EMBASE abstracts), and Web of Science for original reports on ddLLTx.ResultsNine observational cohort studies reporting on 301 ddLLTx met our inclusion criteria for systematic review of size matching, and eight for describing one-year-survival. The ddLLTx-group was often characterized by high acuity; however there was heterogeneity in transplant indications and pre-operative characteristics between studies. Data to calculate the pTLC ratio was available for 242 ddLLTx (80%). The mean pTLCratio before lobar resection was 1.25 ± 0.3 and the transplanted pTLCratio after lobar resection was 0.76 ± 0.2. One-year survival in the ddLLTx-group ranged from 50%-100%, compared to 72%-88% in the conventional-LTx group. In the largest study ddLLTx (n = 138) was associated with a lower one-year-survival compared to conventional-LTx (n = 539) (65.1% vs 84.1%, P l 0.001).ConclusionFurther investigations of optimal donor-to-recipient size matching parameters for ddLLTx could improve outcomes of this important surgical option.
Literatura heterónoma a la salida del franquismo: el caso del primer nacionalismo marxista gallego

RESUMENCentrandose en el final del franquismo y el primer post-franquismo, este articulo estudia la teoria literaria articulada en un momento de inflexion, tambien para Galicia, como fue la consolidacion de lo que se hizo llamar el “Nacionalismo Popular” gallego. El estudio se centrara en los anos inmediatamente posteriores al cambio en la direccion del partido Union do Povo Galego (UPG) producido en noviembre de 1976, momento desde el cual la cultura pasa a convertirse en piedra angular del discurso de esta organizacion. Se trata de un proceso resultado de dos dinamicas entrecruzadas, como son la utilizacion de herramientas de la critica cultural para una teoria politica formulada al tiempo que se sistematizaba una valoracion de la literatura en funcion, primeramente, de su orientacion ideologica. En este proceso tiene un papel fundamental el filologo Francisco Rodriguez, miembro de la renovada direccion de la UPG y principal responsable de la aplicacion a la literatura gallega de herramientas tomadas de...
Evaluation of the well mixed room and near-field far-field models in occupational settings

ABSTRACTDrawing appropriate conclusions about a scenario for which the exposure is truly unacceptable drives appropriate exposure and risk management, and protects the health and safety of those individuals. To ensure the vast majority of these decisions are accurate, these decisions must be based upon proven approaches and tools. When these decisions are based solely on professional judgment guided by subjective inputs, however, they are more than likely wrong, and biased, underestimating the true exposure.Models have been shown anecdotally to be useful in accurately predicting exposure but their use in occupational hygiene has been limited. Possible reasons are a general lack of guidance on model selection and use and scant model input data. The lack of systematic evaluation of the models is also an important factor.This research is the second phase of work building upon the robust evaluation of the Well Mixed Room (WMR) and Near Field Far Field (NF-FF) models under controlled conditions in an exposure ...
Toward generally accepted forensic assessment practices among clinical neuropsychologists: a survey of professional practice and common test use.

AbstractObjective: This study investigated professional practice and common test use among clinical neuropsychologists engaging in forensic assessment. Method: Doctorate-level psychologists active in the practice of neuropsychology and on the INS and NAN membership listings (n = 502) were surveyed about their demographics, professional practice, and common test use. Participants who reported engaging in forensic practice (n = 255) were further surveyed about their forensic practice. Results: Forensic participants were more likely to be male and Caucasian, and reported higher ages, more years of professional experience, and a higher prevalence of board certification. While characteristics of their professional and forensic practice varied, forensic participants reported spending most of their professional time conducting neuropsychological assessments with adult clients in a private or group practice setting, focusing on civil referrals and civil legal questions involving older adult issues, developmental ...
Two-Dimensional Galerkin Magnetostatic Method of Moments

In this paper, method of moments (MoM) solutions for 2-D magnetostatic problems are considered. An initial focus is on the detailed derivations for point matching and Galerkin formulations. As part of its derivation, it is shown that analytical solutions exist for all of the integrals; one must evaluate. This eliminates differences in the computational requirements between the two formulations. A second focus is to compare the accuracy of the methods. To do so, the solutions obtained in modeling an E-I core are compared with a finite-element solution. It is shown that the point matching solution is prone to significant error as the permeability of the core increases. In contrast, it is shown that the error for a Galerkin formulation remains small for arbitrary permeability and a surprisingly low number of elements.
The Uneven Geographies of America's Hidden Rape Crisis: A District-Level Analysis of Underpolicing in St. Louis

The article uses ratios of rape and homicide to explore the underpolicing of rape in U.S. cities. In doing so, I build on Yung's (2014) rate-based model and identify a statistic (the c-value) that ...
Arrhythmia after cone repair for Ebstein anomaly: The Mayo Clinic experience in 143 young patients

BACKGROUND The increased incidence of preoperative and postoperative arrhythmia in Ebstein anomaly (EA) prompted some clinicians to perform an electrophysiology study (EPS) in all patients prior to surgery for EA. The cone repair (CR) is the current surgical option of choice for most young patients with EA but the effect of the CR on arrhythmia is not well established. OBJECTIVES To assess the burden of arrhythmia in young patients after CR and to assess the utility of selective preoperative EPS. MATERIALS AND METHODS A retrospective review of all patients <21 years of age with EA who had a CR at Mayo Clinic from June 2007 to December 2015 was performed. Surveys were mailed and telephone calls were made to all individuals to assess antiarrhythmic medication use and EP/device procedures performed after CR. RESULTS There were 143 patients; median age, 10 years (0.1-20.9 years). Thirty-five (24%) patients had a preoperative EPS of which 26 (18%) had a preoperative ablation. Indications for EPS were Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW), documented arrhythmia, or suspected arrhythmia. Posthospital discharge data were available for 140 (98%) patients. Mean follow-up was 2.9 years (0.1-9.2 years). At follow-up, 7 (5%) patients were receiving antiarrhythmic medications. After CR, only 3 (2%) patients who did not have a preoperative EPS have required an ablation. CONCLUSIONS The risk of arrhythmia after CR for EA in young patients is very low when a preoperative EPS is limited to those with WPW, known arrhythmia, or suspected arrhythmia. In smaller patients, it may be reasonable to defer the EPS.
Excision of urethral diverticulum calculi in a pregnant patient on an outpatient basis

Although the incidence of urethral diverticula in women of reproductive age ranges from 0.6% to 6%, urethral diverticulum calculi are rarely reported. This report describes excision and outpatient management of urethral diverticulum calculi in a symptomatic pregnant patient. The etiology, diagnosis, and recommended therapy of urethral diverticulum calculi are discussed. Historically, surgical therapy has been considered appropriate; however, recent technologic advancements--including ultrasound and lithotripsy--may change this widely accepted method of treatment.
Composite Low Grade B-Cell Lymphomas with Two Immunophenotypically Distinct Cell Populations Are True Biclonal Lymphomas: A Molecular Analysis Using Laser Capture Microdissection

Low grade B-cell lymphomas comprise several well defined, clinically and immunophenotypically distinct disease entities. Composite lymphomas showing phenotypic characteristics of more than one of these tumor subtypes in the same site are rare, and both common and separate clonal origins of the two tumor parts have been reported for cases studied by molecular methods. We describe the detailed immunohistochemical and molecular findings in three cases with features of composite low grade B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (B-NHL). All three neoplasms contained morphologically distinct but interwoven compartments of different cell types, which exhibited discordant expression of several markers, including CD5, CD10, CD43, and cyclin D1. According to their morphology and phenotypes, they were classified as mantle cell lymphoma and follicular lymphoma (Case 1), follicular lymphoma and small lymphocytic lymphoma (Case 2), and mantle cell lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (Case 3). PCR analysis of DNA obtained from whole tissue sections failed to reveal evidence for biclonality in any of the cases. We therefore isolated cell populations with different antigen expression patterns by laser capture microdissection and analyzed them by polymerase chain reaction amplification and sequencing of clonal immunoglobulin heavy chain gene rearrangements and oncogene rearrangements. Sequence analysis revealed unrelated clonal rearrangements in each of the two tumor parts in all three cases, suggesting distinct clonal origins. In addition, Case 1 showed a bcl-2 rearrangement present only in the follicular lymphoma part. Our findings suggest that low grade B-NHL with two distinct morphological and immunophenotypic patterns in the same anatomical site are frequently biclonal. This is in keeping with current classification schemes, which recognize subtypes of low grade B-NHL as separate disease entities. Furthermore, our analysis demonstrates the power of laser capture microdissection in revealing molecular microheterogeneity in complex neoplasms.
Histologic evidence of a radiosensitizing effect of Taxol in patients with astrocytomas

The new anticancer agent Taxol appears to potentiate the effects of radiation on brain tumor cell lines in vitro and was recently evaluated by our group as a radiosensitizer in a phase I study for primary brain tumors. In that study, we administered Taxol as a three-hour IV infusion repeated every week for six weeks and gave daily cranial irradiation concurrently for a total of 6000 rads. We reviewed the charts of the 60 patients who participated in the study, and identified twelve patients who underwent a second surgery after treatment because of progressive symptoms and an enlarging intracranial mass on MRI. Pathologically, each patient showed prominent radionecrosis, and other evidence of accelerated radiation changes (confluent areas of coagulative necrosis, bizarre nuclei, marked thickening and fibrinoid changes in multiple blood vessels). These changes were noted many weeks earlier than would be expected after radiation therapy alone and were independent of age, and tumor histology. We postulate that the accelerated radiation changes may be due to the radiation sensitizing effects of Taxol. We also noted a change of the pattern of tumor recurrence, compared to historic reports, and a dose-necrosis relationship where the resected tumor is formed completely of necrotic tissue in patients who received 150 mg/m2 or higher dose of Taxol. These observations may be of significance for future study design.
The Speed Calculated Hand Activity Level (HAL) Matches Observer Estimates Better Than the Frequency Calculated HAL

Hand Activity Level (HAL) can be estimated from observations (HALO), calculated from exertion frequency, F and duty cycle D (HALF) or from speed, S and D (HALS). Data collected by prospective cohort studies were used to compare these methods. There was 75% agreement between HALO and HALS (HALS = 1.02 × HALO −0.2, R2 = 0.78, F(1,1003) = 43665, p < .001), but only 30% agreement between HALO and HALF (HALF = 0.21 × HALO + 2.2, R2 = 0.04, F(1,1003) = 71.71, p < .001). HALS was more consistent with HALO since both are dependent on speed, and because HALS can be automated, it is more objective than HALF or HALO in this sample.
ADAR1: A New Target for Immuno-oncology Therapy.

Three recent studies by Ishizuka et al. (2019), Liu et al. (2019), and Gannon et al. (2018) show that deleting RNA editing enzyme ADAR1 could induce higher cell lethality and render tumor cells more vulnerable to immunotherapy, pinpointing ADAR1 as a new immuno-oncology target.