cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Durability of the Viabahn stent graft after axillary artery pseudoaneurysm exclusion

Pseudoaneurysm formation caused by iatrogenic arterial injury during a regional anesthetic block is a rare complication. We report a case of a 56-year-old male patient who developed an axillary artery pseudoaneurysm caused by brachial plexus block performed for an upper extremity dialysis access operation. Successful repair of this pseudoaneurysm was achieved with endovascular stent graft exclusion. The repaired axillary artery with the stent graft remained patent after 10 years of follow-up. The successful long-term patency of this treatment and a strategy to potentially avoid this complication are discussed.
Screening Strategies for Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) in Candidates for Kidney Transplants

The number of patients in the US with end stage kidney disease (ESKD) is ever increasing. Risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity predispose patients to both kidney and heart disease. Additionally, the complex physiologies of ESKD and renal replacement therapy also significantly increase the risk of heart disease to the point that ESKD has been deemed a cardiovascular disease equivalent. Those patients that receive a kidney transplant hope for improved quality of life and extended life-spans. But despite the well documented correlation of ESKD and cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in the post-transplant patient remains cardiovascular complications. While the need for coronary artery disease screening strategies in this population is at an all-time high, an effective method has yet to be developed, and the AHA/ACC does not have enough evidence to recommend for or against any particular screening test in asymptomatic ESKD patients. We reviewed the advantages and disadvantages of available screening modalities from the least invasive history and physical to the most invasive coronary angiography as well as the available evidence that might support and effective screening strategy. Currently, no method of screening has been shown to decrease cardiovascular deaths in this population, and until that time, no specific strategy can be recommended.
Identifying compensatory movement patterns in the upper extremity using a wearable sensor system.

Objective: Movement impairments such as those due to stroke often result in the nervous system adopting atypical movements to compensate for movement deficits. Monitoring these compensatory patterns is critical for improving functional outcomes during rehabilitation. The purpose of this study was to test the feasibility and validity of a wearable sensor system for detecting compensatory trunk kinematics during activities of daily living. Approach: Participants with no history of neurological impairments performed reaching and manipulation tasks with their upper extremity, and their movements were recorded by a wearable sensor system and validated using a motion capture system. Compensatory movements of the trunk were induced using a brace that limited range of motion at the elbow. Main results: Our results showed that the elbow brace elicited compensatory movements of the trunk during reaching tasks but not manipulation tasks, and that a wearable sensor system with two sensors could reliably classify compensatory movements (~90% accuracy). Significance: These results show the potential of the wearable system to assess and monitor compensatory movements outside of a lab setting.
A large-scale survey of the postmortem human microbiome, and its potential to provide insight into the living health condition.

The microbiome plays many roles in human health, often through the exclusive lens of clinical interest. The inevitable end point for all living hosts, death, has its own altered microbiome configurations. However, little is understood about the ecology and changes of microbial communities after death, or their potential utility for understanding the health condition of the recently living. Here we reveal distinct postmortem microbiomes of human hosts from a large-scale survey of death cases representing a predominantly urban population, and demonstrated these microbiomes reflected antemortem health conditions within 24–48 hours of death. Our results characterized microbial community structure and predicted function from 188 cases representing a cross-section of an industrial-urban population. We found strong niche differentiation of anatomic habitat and microbial community turnover based on topographical distribution. Microbial community stability was documented up to two days after death. Additionally, we observed a positive relationship between cell motility and time since host death. Interestingly, we discovered evidence that microbial biodiversity is a predictor of antemortem host health condition (e.g., heart disease). These findings improve the understanding of postmortem host microbiota dynamics, and provide a robust dataset to test the postmortem microbiome as a tool for assessing health conditions in living populations.
Serum Metal Levels in Maxillofacial Reconstructive Surgery Patients: A Pilot Study.

Purpose The aim of this pilot study was to assay metal concentrations in the serum of patients who had undergone dental implant placement, orthognathic surgery using rigid metal fixation plates and screws, and total temporomandibular joint replacement (TMJ TJR). Materials and Methods Thirty patients were identified and included in this pilot study. Sixteen patients (9 men and 8 women), with an average age of 44 years (range, 19 to 79 yr), provided informed consent to participate and were divided into 3 study groups with 4 patients in each (group 1, orthognathic surgery; group 2, TMJ TJR; and group 3, dental implant placement). A control group consisted of volunteers without any implanted metallic devices. Blood samples for serum metal analysis were obtained and analyzed in accordance with the standardized collection and testing protocols used at the Trace Metal Analysis Laboratory of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at the Rush University Medical Center (Chicago, IL). Results All control participants had levels below the normal reference range for all serum markers assessed. In the orthognathic group, 1 patient had an increased serum cobalt level. In the TMJ TJR group, 1 patient had an increased serum cobalt level and another patient had an increased serum chromium level. In the dental implant group, 1 patient had an increased serum titanium level and another had increased serum levels of titanium and chromium. Conclusions This is the first study to report on the release of metal into the bloodstream in patients with different maxillofacial implanted metallic objects. The results raise questions regarding the types and magnitude of metal released from maxillofacial reconstruction devices and their potential long-term local and systemic effects. Future large-scale prospective studies involving serial measurements in homogeneous groups of patients could further elucidate the impact of these findings.
Ember: An open-source, transient solver for 1D reacting flow using large kinetic models, applied to strained extinction

Abstract Simulation of quasi one-dimensional reacting flow is a standard in many combustion studies. Here Ember, a new open-source code for efficiently performing these calculations using large, detailed chemical kinetic models is presented. Ember outperforms other standard software, such as Chemkin, in computation time by leveraging rebalanced Strang operator splitting which does not suffer the steady-state inaccuracies of most splitting methods. The splitting approach and implementation used in Ember are described. Ember is validated for computation of flame extinction through imposed strain, extinction strain rate (ESR), and shown to be capable of modeling three typical experimental strained flame configurations: premixed twin flames, premixed single flames opposing inert, and diffusion flames. As further demonstration, Ember is used to investigate Lewis number effects on ESR using a detailed chemical kinetic model with 500 species for simulation of strained extinction of lean (Le > 1) and rich (Le
On Lipschitz Condition and Zygmund’s Property for Functions of Several Variables

The literature contains results on the relation between the smoothness of a real function f of several real variables and the degree of approximation to f by splines. The purpose of the present note is to study two elementary cases and to derive the corresponding results by simple methods, allowing the range of f to lie in a general space.
Application of a Machine Learning Method to Evaluate Road Roughness from Connected Vehicles

AbstractResponse-type methods have been widely used for road roughness evaluation. However, an important limitation is that they require calibration to account for response and speed variations amo...
Genetics of congenital adrenal hyperplasia and genotype-phenotype correlation

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency is caused by mutations in the CYP21A2 gene, located on the short arm of chromosome 6. The two main underlying mechanisms of CYP21A2 defects are large gene deletion and conversion. Anticipation of the phenotypes associated with different combinations of CYP21A2 mutations remains the most important determinant in prenatal diagnosis and counseling of the expectant couple who are determined to be at risk for congenital adrenal hyperplasia.
THE USE OF DIGITAL STORYTELLING TOWARDS STUDENTS’ COMPETENCY IN WRITING TEXT

The main objective of this research is to prove whether the digital storytelling enhances and improve students writing competency. The study uses classroom action research (CAR). The data in this study are quantitative and qualitative data. The quantitative data will be collected by using the essay test. The qualitative data will be collected by using observation, field notes, and questionnaire. The score of students’ writing descriptive text kept increasing from pre-test until post-test. It was proved by the data which showed that the mean of the students’ score in post-test II is 86.6 (92.75%) was higher than the post-test I is 72.2 (68.75%), and also higher than the pre-test 54.8 (25%). The response of student in using digital storytelling in the agree category, it can be seen from the 15 students who passed the KKM (70) and 1 student still low of KKM. The class percentages of post-test II show improvements from the previous test; the improvement is 67.75%. The frequencies of item agree appear 110 times or (52.88%). Furthermore, it can be concluded that Digital Storytelling is effective and useful to be used in teaching writing skill, especially in Descriptive Text.
Morphological Change Through Phonological Analogy: 2nd Person Singular -s → -st and Related Developments in Germanic

Almost all existing accounts of the change of the 2nd person singular verbal agreement ending -s to -st in Old English and Old High German attribute the development to some combination of reanalysis of forms with enclitic subject pronouns ending in -stu and analogy based on a handful of mainly preterite-present verbs that already had 2nd person singular -st in the present indicative in Proto-(West)-Germanic. These factors retain a role in the analysis presented here, but I argue that the operative mechanisms are essentially phonological in nature, licensed ultimately by certain neutralizing processes such as degemination, rather than involving the spread of an existing -st morpheme, grammaticalization of an enclitic subject pronoun, or relocation of a morphological boundary. This analysis also sheds light on the relationship of the 2nd person singular change to the more general phenomenon of word-final t accretion seen in dozens of words such as German Axt ‘ax’ < Middle High German ackes or English against < earlier agains.*
The Association of Cardiorespiratory Fitness on Memory Function: Systematic Review

Background and Objectives: Cardiorespiratory fitness is an important predictor of cardiovascular and cardiometabolic health. To extend our knowledge on the health effects associated with cardiorespiratory fitness, the objective of this study was to evaluate the association of cardiorespiratory fitness on memory function. Materials and Methods: Embase/PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Sports Discus, and PsychInfo databases were searched. Inclusionary criteria included: (1) were conducted among adult humans (18+ years), (2) evaluated cardiorespiratory fitness as the independent variable, (3) measured cardiorespiratory fitness with an objective device (e.g., indirect calorimetry), (4) evaluated memory function (any type) as the outcome measure, and (5) included either a cross-sectional, prospective, or experimental-study design. Information on the participant's characteristics, study design, cardiorespiratory fitness assessment, memory type, whether the study statistically controlled for exercise behavior, and study results were extracted. The relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness and memory was synthesized while considering the data extraction parameters. Results: In total, 17 articles met the inclusionary criteria, including two prospective cohort studies and 15 cross-sectional studies. The main findings of this review are twofold: (1) across the 17 evaluated studies, 15 (88.2%) studies demonstrated some evidence of a positive association between cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and memory function, and (2) none of these 17 studies statistically controlled for physical activity behavior. Conclusion: CRF appears to be positively associated with memory function, however, it is uncertain as to whether this association occurs independently of physical activity or is mediated via physical activity behavior.
Differences in the expression of restricted repetitive behaviors in female and male BTBR T + tf/J mice.

Abstract Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by the expression of restricted repetitive behaviors (RRBs) and impairments in social recognition and communication. Epidemiological studies demonstrate males are three times more likely than females to be affected. Although this is the case, more recent studies suggest females may be underrepresented in these numbers due to standard clinical measures of RRBs and social behaviors. In addition, many studies examining mouse models of ASD exclude females due to the sex disparity in diagnoses. The present study examined how female and male BTBR T + Itpr3tf /J (BTBR) compare to control C57BL/6 J mice on tests of RRBs (probabilistic reversal learning, repetitive grooming, spontaneous alternation, and marble burying) and social behaviors (three chambered social approach task). Utilizing a spatial reversal learning test with 80/20 probabilistic feedback, in which ASD individuals have exhibited deficits, we find that female BTBR mice do not show the same impairment we found in male BTBR mice. Interestingly, control female C57BL/6 J mice required more trials to reach criterion. Female BTBR mice expressed comparable rates of repetitive grooming, marble burying and spontaneous alternation compared to female C57BL/6 J mice. Male BTBR mice expressed higher rates of grooming behavior and locomotor activity compared to male C57BL/6 J mice, as found in previous studies. Similarly, male BTBR mice showed a reduction in both measures of social approach compared to controls. Both male and female BTBR mice showed a reduction in sniff time for the stranger mouse compared to controls. Together these findings demonstrate how female BTBR mice do not display the RRB profile expressed by male BTBR mice. Testing of repetitive behaviors in ASD needs to better reflect the sex differences in how RRBs manifest in females compared to their extensively researched male counterparts.
Precipitation and Climate Zone Explains the Geographical Disparity in the Invasive Cancer Incidence Rates in the United States

Environmental factors such as ultraviolet radiation and pollution have been known to influence the incidence rate of cancer. However, these factors do not explain the variation in incidence rates a...
Dural Venous Sinus Thrombosis after Vestibular Schwannoma Surgery: The Anticoagulation Dilemma.

Introduction Dural venous sinus thrombosis (DVST) is a relatively understudied complication of vestibular schwannoma (VS) surgery. Several studies have examined this topic; however, there is limited data on the incidence, clinical progression, and proper management of this patient population. Methods A retrospective review was performed for patients undergoing surgery for VS at a single institution. All postoperative imaging was reviewed for incidence of DVST. Demographic data were collected including tumor and surgical characteristics along with postoperative course. Results A total of 63 patients underwent resection of their VS. The incidence of DVST was 34.9%. The operative time was greater in the dural venous sinus thrombosis (DSVT) group, at an average of 6.69 hours versus 4.87 in the no DSVT cohort (p = 0.04). Tumor size was correlationally significant (p = 0.051) at 2.75 versus 2.12 cm greatest diameter. The translabyrinthine approach was most prevalent (68.2%). The side of the thrombosis was ipsilateral to the tumor and surgery in all patients. The sigmoid sinus was most commonly involved (95.5%). Of them, 85% patients had a codominant or thrombus contralateral to the dominant sinus. All patients were asymptomatic. No patients were treated with anticoagulation. Resolution of thrombus was seen in five (22.7%) of the patients on last follow-up imaging. There were no hemorrhagic complications. Conclusion The overall incidence of DVST was (34.9%) of 63 patients who underwent VS surgery. All patients were asymptomatic and none were treated with anticoagulation. In our study, continuing to observe asymptomatic patients did not lead to any adverse events.
Polarizing Voltage Generating Method for Distance and Directional Protection Elements

Distance and directional elements are widely used in power system protection. One of the used essential signals, having a substantial impact on proper operation, is polarizing voltage. During faults close to a protection relay, memory filters can be used to ensure the availability of this voltage. A basic assumption of these memory filters is that during a fault only an amplitude of a measured voltage changes rapidly and other parameters change very slow. The assumption is correct in power systems with an overwhelming share of traditional rotating generators. However, today, more and more energy sources are connected to power systems through inverters. Algorithms implemented in inverters can control parameters of output voltage so that they can be changed rapidly without any inertia. Therefore, a source of robust polarizing voltage is needed to ensure proper operation of distance and directional elements. The paper presents a method of a reference signal generation based on phase-locked loop (PLL). The algorithm consists of PLL with an adaptive notch filter, and elements adding inertia to the generated signal. The reference signal can be used as a polarizing voltage in protection elements. The paper describes all elements of the algorithm and presets operational tests.
Data Structures and Workflows for ICME

Integrated computational materials engineering (ICME) represents a grand challenge within materials research and development. Effective ICME involves coupling materials characterization and experimentation with simulation tools to produce a holistic understanding of the materials system, promising to accelerate the materials development enterprise. Under the Center of Excellence on Integrated Materials Modeling (CEIMM), significant strides were made in developing state-of-the-art experimental methods and simulation techniques for interrogating material structure and behavior across multiple scales. In parallel to these method developments, several advances were made in designing data structures and workflow tools that possess the required flexibility and extensibility to operate on the data produced by such advanced methods. Such software tools are a critical enabling component for effective ICME; the National Academy of Sciences noted cyberinfrastructure as a crucial factor for ICME, to include databases, software, and computational hardware [1]. Additionally, these tools enable workflows that properly integrate models and experimentation at each stage of the materials development lifecycle. Figure 1 schematically shows such a workflow for optimization of microstructure and properties in a titanium forging.
Evaluation of real-time guidewire navigation using virtual endoscopic 4D fluoroscopy

4D fluoroscopy is a method for real-time 3D visualization of endovascular devices using biplane fluoroscopy. Frame-byframe (15 fps) 4D reconstructions of the device are overlayed on 3D vascular anatomy derived from 3D-DSA. We describe a 4D-assisted guidance platform that provides virtual endoscopic renderings of blood vessels and report on its use for navigating guidewires in a patient-specific vascular phantom. The 4D-assisted platform provides two 4D display modes plus conventional 2D fluoroscopy. Virtual endoscopic 4D mode shows a real-time view of the guidewire tip and the downstream vessel with a viewpoint inside the vessel. Path-planning highlights the target vessel branches. External 4D display mode provides an external rotatable viewpoint of the device and vasculature. In a phantom study, operators navigated a guidewire through branches of a 3D-printed phantom. Performance was compared to navigation with 2D fluoroscopy alone. Operators rated the degree to which they used the 2D and 4D display modes on a Likert scale (1-never, 5-almost always). Quantitative imaging metrics were obtained from processed video recordings. Three users completed 15 of 15 challenges with 4D-assisted display, whereas the 2D-only guidance completion rate was 13/15. With both 2D and 4D displays available, users reported using the 2D display never-to-sometimes (median score = 2) and 4D display often or almost always (median = 5). The virtual endoscopic viewpoint was utilized more frequently than the external viewpoint. 4D fluoroscopy with virtual endoscopic display provides a new and potentially useful mode for visualization of guidewire and catheter manipulations in complex vascular anatomy.
Donor Derived Cell Free DNA Levels are Predictive of Clinical Events in Stable Heart Transplant Recipients

Purpose Elevated donor derived-cell free DNA (dd-cfDNA) level is a reliable marker of heart transplant (HT) rejection. There is inter- and intra-patient variation in dd-cfDNA levels of unclear clinical significance at times when patients are not experiencing rejection. Methods We used data from the Donor-Derived Cell-Free DNA-Outcomes AlloMap Registry (D-OAR). Standard deviation (SD) and area under the curve (AUC) of dd-cfDNA levels were determined for each subject with censoring of levels after a clinical endpoint. The primary outcome was a composite of all-cause mortality, graft dysfunction (LVEF Results D-OAR includes 740 HT recipients with 2447 dd-cfDNA measurements. Median time post transplant to enrollment was 169 days; median age was 57 years; 26% were female; 70% were Caucasian; and 17% were Black. There were no sex or race differences in dd-cfDNA SD or AUC. There were 134 occurrences of the primary outcome. SD was significantly elevated in subjects with the individual endpoints of rejection, graft dysfunction, and CAV, and AUC was significantly elevated in subjects with rejection. For occurrence of the primary outcome, multivariate Cox proportional hazards models demonstrated no difference between high and low SD groups; however, there was a HR of 0.52 (95% CI 0.30-0.92, p-value 0.03) for being below the AUC threshold. For the secondary endpoint, there was a HR of 0.17 (95% CI 0.04-0.66, p-value 0.01) for being below the SD threshold, but no AUC relationship. Conclusion During presumed times of stability, dd-cfDNA SD and AUC may have clinical utility in identifying patients in high risk groups for adverse clinical events.
Pensamiento descolonial afro-caribeño: una breve introducción

espanolEste articulo es una introduccion a los postulados teoricos implicitos que se presuponen cuando decimos «pensamiento descolonial afro-caribeno». Se discuten las suposiciones espaciales, teoricas, y epistemologicas que definen el campo de estudios que abordamos en este numero especial. Se re-define el Caribe a partir del Gran Caribe no como geografia sino como experiencia socio-historico-cultural de las plantaciones del capitalismo racial. Ademas, se discute el manifiesto descolonial de Aime Cesaire como texto fundacional del pensamiento descolonial afro-caribeno EnglishThis essay is an introduction to the implicit theoretical positions presupposed when we say “decolonial Afro-Caribbean thought.” It discusses the spacIal, theoretical and epistemological presuppositions that defines de field of study in this special issue. The Caribbean is redefined as the Greater Caribbean, not as a Geography, but as a sociohistorical-cultural experience coming from the plantations of racial capitalism. In addition, it discusses the Decolonial Manifesto of Aime Cesaire as a foundationl text of Afro-Caribbean Decolonial Thought. portuguesEsse artigo e uma introducao aos postulados teoricos implicitos, os quais se pressupoem ao dizer “pensamento decolonial afro-caribenho”. Discutem-se as pressuposicoes espaciais, teoricas e epistemologicas que definem o campo de estudos que tratamos nesse numero especial. Redefine-se o Caribe a partir do Grande Caribe nao como geografia; mas enquanto experiencia socio-historico-cultural das plantacoes do capitalismo racial. Alem disso, discutem-se o manifesto decolonial de Aime Cesaire na qualidade de texto fundacional do pensamento decolonial afro-caribenho
Use of Direct-acting Oral Anticoagulants in Solid Organ Transplantation: A Systematic Review.

The use of direct-acting oral anticoagulants (DOACs) has increased secondary to the mounting evidence for comparable efficacy and potentially superior safety to vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) in the general population. However, insufficient data regarding DOAC use in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients and numerous pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic considerations limit their use in this highly selected patient population. A systematic review of recent clinical evidence on the safety and efficacy of DOACs compared to VKAs in SOT recipients was conducted. Additional considerations including transplant-specific strategies for DOAC reversal and common pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic concerns were also reviewed. Although current evidence is limited to single-center retrospective analyses, DOACs, especially apixaban, appear to be a safe and effective alternative to VKAs for SOT recipients with stable graft function and without drug-drug interactions. Reliable data on DOAC reversal at the time of transplant surgery are lacking, and clinicians should consider idarucizumab, andexanet alfa, and other non-specific reversal agents on an individual patient basis. There is no evidence supporting deviations from the Food and Drug Administration labeling recommendations for DOAC dosing in the setting of drug-drug interactions, obesity, and renal function, especially in patients on hemodialysis.
"I Wouldn't Trust the Parents To 'Do No Harm' To a Queer Kid": Rethinking Parental Permission Requirements for Youth Participation in Social Science Research.

Obtaining parental consent for youth to participate in research is a standard requirement in the United States. However, the assumption that involving parents is the best way to protect youth resea...
The effort heuristic

The research presented here suggests that effort is used as a heuristic for quality. Participants rating a poem (Experiment 1), a painting (Experiment 2), or a suit of armor (Experiment 3) provided higher ratings of quality, value, and liking for the work the more time and effort they thought it took to produce. Experiment 3 showed that the use of the effort heuristic, as with all heuristics, is moderated by ambiguity: Participants were more influenced by effort when the quality of the object being evaluated was difficult to ascertain. Discussion centers on the implications of the effort heuristic for everyday judgment and decision-making.
Tammsaare Park’s lost landmarks of revolution, Soviet-era path layout, and pedestrian use: Tallinn, Estonia

At Tammsaare Park, Soviet-era design elements persist despite political/cultural changes and 2018 renovations. Within the park, the massacre of New Market labor demonstrators sparked outrage during...
Association Between Consumption of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages and 100% Fruit Juice With Poor Mental Health Among US Adults in 11 US States and the District of Columbia

INTRODUCTION Excess sugar consumption is linked to several mental health conditions. Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and 100% fruit juice contain similar amounts of sugar per serving, yet prior studies examining sugary beverages and mental health are limited to SSBs. Of those, few have assessed potential modifiers such as sex. METHODS We examined the association between daily consumption of fruit juice and SSBs with poor mental health by using data from the 2017 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. We used Poisson regression models with clustered-robust standard errors to measure the association between SSB and fruit juice consumption (none, >0 to 0 to <1 times per day compared with consuming none were not significant. We found no evidence of an association between fruit juice consumption and mental health, nor evidence of effect modification by sex in the SSB and fruit juice analyses. CONCLUSION Consuming SSBs 1 or more times per day was significantly associated with poor mental health whereas 100% fruit juice consumption was not. Future studies should examine alternative cut-points of fruit juice by using prospective designs.
Resampling of wild bees across fifteen years reveals variable species declines and recoveries after extreme weather

Abstract Despite concerns about the status of wild bees, there have been few studies with repeated sampling of these insects at the same locations using the same method. There is an urgent need for longitudinal studies to understand species- and population-level dynamics and the drivers of change, especially in pollinator-dependent crop systems. We sampled wild bees in highbush blueberry fields in three multi-year sampling periods between 2004 and 2018 to determine changes in the wild bee community active during bloom. We captured 35% (162 species) of the known Michigan bee fauna across the three sampling periods. Andrena, Lasioglossum and Ceratina were the dominant genera, though species composition varied significantly between sampling periods. Wild bee abundance (measured as captures in the pan traps) declined 61% and richness declined 33% between the first (2004–2006) and second (2013–2014) sampling periods. This was followed by limited recovery in species abundance and richness in the third sampling period (2017–2018). Some species showed dramatic abundance declines, particularly the blueberry specialist Andrena carolina. By contrast, other species showed stable or increasing prevalence, and population trajectories were not correlated with life history traits. Potential causes of the observed decline include increased use of insecticides and extreme spring weather in 2012. While farms varied in pest management intensity and overall insecticide program risk increased over time, there was no correlation between bee declines and insecticide use. Insecticide program risk increased between the second and third sampling periods, while most species increased in abundance. We therefore conclude the observed declines were most likely caused by extreme spring weather in 2012 resulting in widespread damage to flowering plants that provide resources for bees. Long-term monitoring to identifying species more vulnerable to environmental perturbations can help guide conservation recommendations as extreme weather events become more common.
Three Strategies of Interpretation

We may distinguish three styles or strategies of decisionmaking. Under a maximizing approach, the decisionmaker chooses the action whose consequences are best for the case at hand (defining “best” according to some value the decisionmaker holds). Where decisionmakers choose the action that is best relative to constraints, accounting for the direct costs and opportunity costs of decisionmaking, we may call the approach optimizing rather than maximizing. Whereas the maximizer focuses only on the case at hand, the optimizer acts so as to maximize value over an array of cases. In contrast to both approaches, satisficing permits any decision whose results in the case at hand are good enough—although we will see that satisficing, like optimizing, may itself represent an indirect strategy of maximization.
Routine Bone Imaging for Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma: Is it Time?

Current guidelines by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network recommend that, in addition to routine computed tomography (CT) imaging, bone imaging and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) should be obtained when clinically indicated. In this issue of the Journal of Kidney Cancer and VHL, a systematic literature review of clinical trials of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) patients evaluates the incidence of osseous, lymph node, and lung metastases (1). In particular, the analysis by Lin et al focuses on the changes in incidence over time. The study finds that the incidence of bone, lymph node, and lung metastases has increased over time. This increase is significant in osseous metastases specifically. These results lead to two provocative questions. First, why have osseous metastases increased in incidence over time? Second, does this finding warrant a more aggressive and uniform approach to imaging to identify osseous metastases sooner?
Studies of enzyme kinetics: II. Inhibition of pyruvic carboxylase by certain analogs of pyruvic acid

Abstract A series of structural analogs of pyruvic acid were tested as possible inhibitors of pyruvic carboxylase. It was found that substitutions on the β-carbon atom yielded the most potent inhibitory compounds. A kinetic study of five such inhibitors indicated a progressive irreversible inhibition, preceded in some cases by an immediate reversible phase. Inhibition was apparently mediated at the substrate-binding site.
Five Cases of Anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha–Induced Psoriasis Presenting with Severe Scalp Involvement in Children

Although anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) agents are commonly used to treat psoriasis and other inflammatory diseases in adults and children, numerous reports have documented new-onset or flaring psoriasis in adults treated for the other conditions. Individual case reports have documented similar observations in three children. We report a series of anti-TNF-α-induced psoriasis in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis or inflammatory bowel disease treated at a large children's hospital. All five patients presented with severe scalp involvement. One child was treated with adalimumab for juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and four received infliximab for inflammatory bowel disease. The five patients developed psoriasis 2 to 10 months after initiating anti-TNF-α therapy. They presented with erythematous, scaly, crusted scalp lesions. Three of the five patients were initially treated with griseofulvin for presumed tinea capitis. The anti-TNF-α agent was discontinued at the time of diagnosis in two cases. Topical steroids were the mainstay of psoriasis therapy, with improvement in four of five patients. Anti-TNF-α agents have been associated with the onset or worsening of psoriasis in adults, but this has rarely been reported in children. We describe five pediatric cases of anti-TNF-α-induced psoriasis presenting with severe scalp involvement and review their subsequent management. We hope that clinicians caring for patients receiving anti-TNF-α agents will consider psoriasis from the onset of cutaneous symptoms and institute appropriate therapy or referral.
Spectral graph theory and graph energy metrics show evidence for the alzheimer's disease disconnection syndrome in APOE-4 risk gene carriers

Our understanding of network breakdown in Alzheimer's disease (AD) is likely to be enhanced through advanced mathematical descriptors. Here, we applied spectral graph theory to provide novel metrics of structural connectivity based on 3-Tesla diffusion weighted images in 42 AD patients and 50 healthy controls. We reconstructed connectivity networks using whole-brain tractography and examined, for the first time here, cortical disconnection based on the graph energy and spectrum. We further assessed supporting metrics — link density and nodal strength — to better interpret our results. Metrics were analyzed in relation to the well-known APOE-4 genetic risk factor for late-onset AD. The number of disconnected cortical regions increased with the number of copies of the APOE-4 risk gene in people with AD. Each additional copy of the APOE-4 risk gene may lead to more dysfunctional networks with weakened or abnormal connections, providing evidence for the previously hypothesized “disconnection syndrome”.
Repression of Escherichia coli purB is by a transcriptional roadblock mechanism.

Abstract Escherichia coli purB is regulated by a repressor-operator interaction. The purB operator is 242 bp downstream from the transcription start site and overlaps condons 62 to 67 in the protein-coding sequence (B. He, J. M. Smith, and H. Zalkin, J. Bacteriol. 174:130-136, 1992). The mechanism by which the repressor-operator interaction functions to repress transcription was investigated by a combination of promoter replacement experiments and RNA analyses. By using a trp promoter replacement that deleted 5' flanking DNA to position -986, purB expression was increased sevenfold, yet normal two- to threefold regulation was maintained. This indicates that repressor-operator control is independent of the purB promoter and other 5' flanking sequences. Transcriptional regulation was likewise independent of coupled translation. An approximately 260-nucleotide truncated in vivo purB mRNA was identified which was dependent upon repressor-operator interaction. Thus, binding of purine repressor to the purB operator inhibits transcription elongation by a roadblock mechanism. The roadblock was not influenced by a sevenfold increase in promoter strength or by an operator mutation resulting in a 2.5-fold increase in repressor-operator affinity.
Phytosterols, Lipid Administration, and Liver Disease During Parenteral Nutrition

Phytosterols are plant-derived sterols that are structurally and functionally analogous to cholesterol in vertebrate animals. Phytosterols are found in many foods and are part of the normal human diet. However, absorption of phytosterols from the diet is minimal. Most lipid emulsions used for parenteral nutrition are based on vegetable oils. As a result, phytosterol administration occurs during intravenous administration of lipid. Levels of phytosterols in the blood and tissues may reach high levels during parenteral lipid administration and may be toxic to cells. Phytosterols are not fully metabolized by the human body and must be excreted through the hepatobiliary system. Accumulating scientific evidence suggests that administration of high doses of intravenous lipids that are high in phytosterols contributes to the development of parenteral nutrition-associated liver disease. In this review, mechanisms by which lipids and phytosterols may cause cholestasis are discussed. Human studies of the association of phytosterols with liver disease are reviewed. In addition, clinical studies of lipid/phytosterol reduction for reversing and/or preventing parenteral nutrition associated liver disease are discussed.
Targeted engagement of a dorsal premotor circuit in the treatment of post-stroke paresis.

BACKGROUND: Good motor outcome after stroke has been found to correlate with increased activity in a dorsal premotor (PMd) brain circuit, suggesting that therapeutic strategies targeting this circuit might have a favorable, causal influence on motor status. This study addressed the hypothesis that a Premotor Therapy that exercises normal PMd functions would provide greater behavioral gains than would standard Motor Therapy; and that Premotor Therapy benefits would be greatest in patients with greater preservation of PMd circuit elements. METHODS: Patients with chronic hemiparetic stroke (n = 15) were randomized to 2-weeks of Premotor Therapy or Motor Therapy, implemented through a robotic device. RESULTS: Overall, gains were modest but significant (change in FM score, 2.1 ± 2.8 points, p < 0.02) and did not differ by treatment assignment. However, a difference between Therapies was apparent when injury to the PMd circuit was considered, as the interaction between treatment assignment and degree of corticospinal tract injury was significantly related to the change in FM score (p = 0.018): the more the corticospinal tract was spared, the greater the gains provided by Premotor Therapy. Similar results were obtained when looking at the interaction between treatment assignment and PMd function (p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Targeted engagement of a brain circuit is a feasible strategy for stroke rehabilitation. This approach has maximum impact when there is less stroke injury to key elements of the targeted circuit.
High-order iterative bracketing methods

SUMMARY This paper presents high-order, single-point, iterative methods for the numerical solution of the general non-linear equilibrium equation. The methods are designed so that the approximations provided by the iterative process alternate about the targeted root, thus providing progressively better upper, as well as lower bounds on the sought root, which is thus numerically bracketed ever tighter. The effectiveness of the proposed methods is demonstrated by applying them to obtain close bounds on the extreme eigenvalues of the finite elements global stiffness matrix of the hanging string. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Modulation of swimming activity in the medicinal leech by serotonin and octopamine.

Abstract 1. The monoamines serotonin (5-HT) and octopamine (OA) enhance the expression of swimming activity in the medicinal leech (Willard, 1981; Belanger and Orchard, 1988). We explored further the effects of these monoamines and related agents on swimming activity observed in isolated leech nerve cords. 2. We confirmed that swimming activity is induced reversibly following exposure of the nerve cord to 5-HT (50 μM); the half-maximal rate of swimming activity develops in about 15min. Swimming activity returns to control levels about 30 min after drug washout. 3. Swim-induction by 5-HT is blocked by the presence of 10 μM cyproheptadine (a 5-HT antagonist). 4. Although apparently less effective than 5-HT, OA application to nerve cords also induced swimming activity. 5. Depletion of endogenous amines from nerve cords by acute exposure to reserpine (10–150μM) blocked stimulus-evoked swimming activity within 4 hr. 6. Subsequent application of 5-HT (50 μM) or OA (100 μM) reinstated stimulus-evoked swimming and induced repeated episodes of non-triggered swimming activity. 7. Application of cAMP and cAMP analogs, as well as phosphodiesterase inhibitors (theophylline and IBMX), mimicked the effects of the monoamines, suggesting that 5-HT and OA may activate swimming activity by increasing neuronal cAMP. 8. We obtained episodes of swim-like activity from individual, isolated ganglia exposed to 5-HT or OA. Such episodes were usually brief, with variable cycle period. 9. We conclude that individual nerve cord ganglia contain the complete neuronal circuitry required to generate the rudiments of swimming activity. We propose that these neuronal circuits are modified by swim-inducing drugs to facilitate the expression of rhythmic output.
Use of variable speed pumps for M S F and R O plants

Abstract This paper is intended to prove the benefits of using variable speed on pump drives used in MSF and RO desalination units. Start up can be performed automatically. The achieved energy savings will pay for the additional investment.
The effects of stressful exercise on leukocytes in cattle with experimental pneumonic pasteurellosis.

Seven yearling bulls were treated with stressful exercise and intrabronchial Pasteurella haemolytica A1. Group 1 bulls (nos. 1–4) underwent treadmill exercise and, 24 days later, intrabronchial instillation of P. haemolytica A1. Group 2 bulls (nos. 5–7) underwent treadmill exercise, followed 30 min later by intrabronchial P. haemolytica A1. Blood lactic acid values were raised (p<0.05) by treadmill exercise only, but plasma cortisol was raised (p<0.05) by treadmill exercise and by P. haemolytica A1 infection. Neutrophils in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) differed from control values 24 h after treadmill exercise, and 1 h and 4 h after P. haemolytica A1 infection. Respiratory disease was more severe and the gross lung lesions were larger in group 2 bulls than in group 1 bulls. P. haemolytica A1 was recovered from the livers, spleens and mesenteric lymph nodes of group 2 but not group 1 bulls, suggesting that group 2 bulls had experienced bacteraemia. Decreased neutrophils in BAL fluid from group 2 bulls at 1 h and 4 h after infection suggests that exercise transiently inhibited neutrophil egress from the blood to the alveoli; BAL neutrophils peaked at 1 h and 4 h after infection in group 1 bulls but declined at 24 h. We conclude that group 2 bulls were made more susceptible to experimental pneumonic pasteurellosis by stressful exercise.
Voltage-dependent structural interactions in the Shaker K(+) channel.

Using a strategy related to intragenic suppression, we previously obtained evidence for structural interactions in the voltage sensor of Shaker K(+) channels between residues E283 in S2 and R368 and R371 in S4 (Tiwari-Woodruff, S.K., C.T. Schulteis, A.F. Mock, and D. M. Papazian. 1997. Biophys. J. 72:1489-1500). Because R368 and R371 are involved in the conformational changes that accompany voltage-dependent activation, we tested the hypothesis that these S4 residues interact with E283 in S2 in a subset of the conformational states that make up the activation pathway in Shaker channels. First, the location of residue 283 at hyperpolarized and depolarized potentials was inferred by substituting a cysteine at that position and determining its reactivity with hydrophilic, sulfhydryl-specific probes. The results indicate that position 283 reacts with extracellularly applied sulfhydryl reagents with similar rates at both hyperpolarized and depolarized potentials. We conclude that E283 is located near the extracellular surface of the protein in both resting and activated conformations. Second, we studied the functional phenotypes of double charge reversal mutations between positions 283 and 368 and between 283 and 371 to gain insight into the conformations in which these positions approach each other most closely. We found that combining charge reversal mutations at positions 283 and 371 stabilized an activated conformation of the channel, and dramatically slowed transitions into and out of this state. In contrast, charge reversal mutations at positions 283 and 368 stabilized a closed conformation, which by virtue of the inferred position of 368 corresponds to a partially activated (intermediate) closed conformation. From these results, we propose a preliminary model for the rearrangement of structural interactions of the voltage sensor during activation of Shaker K(+) channels.