cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Concurrent Polysubstance Use in a Longitudinal Study of U.S. Youth: Associations with Sexual Orientation

Aims To estimate longitudinal associations between self-reported sexual orientation and past-year polysubstance use among youth, and test how gender, age, and early onset of tobacco and alcohol use contributed to variation in polysubstance use. Design Longitudinal community-based cohort of U.S. adolescents from the Growing Up Today Study (GUTS 1) (N = 16,873) followed from ages 12-29 years. Setting United States of America (USA). Participants 13,519 individuals (7,839 females; 5,680 males) who responded to at least one of five self-administered questionnaires from 1999-2010. Ninety-three percent reported their race/ethnicity as non-Hispanic white. Measurements Multivariable repeated measures generalized estimating equations estimated relative risks (RRs) of concurrent polysubstance use (i.e., past 12-month use of three or more substances) comparing sexual orientation minority youth (i.e., mostly heterosexual [MH], bisexual [BI], gay/lesbian [GL]) to their same-gender, completely heterosexual (CH) counterparts. Mediation analyses tested whether early onset of tobacco and/or alcohol use explained relationships between sexual orientation and concurrent polysubstance use. Findings Compared with their same-gender CH peers, sexual minorities evidenced higher risk for concurrent polysubstance use over all repeated measures (RRs for sexual minority subgroups: 1.63-2.91, p-values: <0.001), and for all age groups (RRs: 1.50-4.04, p-values: <0.05- < 0.001), except GL males aged 18-20 years. Differences between sexual minorities and CHs were larger among females than males (p-values for sexual-orientation-by-gender interactions were <0.05 for MHs and BIs), and among younger vs. older ages (p-values for sexual-orientation-by-age interactions were <0.05 except for BI males). Sexual minorities’ younger age of smoking and/or drinking initiation contributed to their elevated polysubstance use (% of effect explained was between 9.4-24.3, p-values: 0.04- < 0.001), except among GL males. Conclusions Sexual minority youth in the USA, and in particular younger females, appear to be at disproportionate risk for concurrent past-year polysubstance use. Early onset of smoking and drinking may contribute to elevated risk of polysubstance use among sexual minorities.
Predictors of Support for Women in Military Roles: Military Status, Gender, and Political Ideology

The repeal of combat restrictions by gender raises the importance of understanding factors related to the acceptance of women serving in the full range of military jobs. Previous research shows mil...
Bedside Vein Mapping for Conduit Size in Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The greater saphenous vein has been used in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) for more than 50 years. Endoscopic vein harvesting has greatly reduced the morbidity associated with obtaining the vein, but the quality of the vein could not be assessed before its was exposed surgically or after the endoscopic procedure had been performed. This study was conducted to evaluate the accuracy of preoperative mapping of the greater saphenous vein at the bedside in assessing suitable conduit size for use in CABG. METHODS Seventy-two consecutive patients undergoing saphenous vein harvesting for use as a conduit during CABG underwent preoperative ultrasonographic vein mapping on the operating table after the leg was positioned for vein harvesting. Vein diameters at 3 distinct locations were measured by ultrasonography after vein harvesting and preparation. Similar linear regression was used to determine the correlation between measurements by ultrasonography and the true vein size after harvesting. Standard methods of computing 95% lower and upper confidence limits for single predicted values were also used. RESULTS Two hundred twenty measurements were obtained from 72 patients. Mean vein diameters were 3.4 ± 0.9 and 4.6 ± 0.9 mm as measured by ultrasonography and after vein harvest, respectively. True vein size was an average of 1.2 ± 0.4 mm larger than that measured by ultrasonography. Ultrasonographic determination of vein diameters closely correlated with the true vein diameter (correlation coefficient, 0.91; P < .001), and the measurement obtained predicted the true measurement within 1.6 mm with 95% confidence. CONCLUSION Bedside ultrasonographic vein mapping provides an accurate noninvasive method for preoperative assessment to determine the suitability of the greater saphenous vein for use as a bypass conduit. It is therefore an important component of preoperative planning before CABG.
Race and representation on Twitter: members of congress’ responses to the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner

This paper investigates the public responses of members of Congress to the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner and the subsequent protests and grand jury decisions. To do so, we examine members...
Marine Hydrokinetic (MHK) systems: Using systems thinking in resource characterization and estimating costs for the practical harvest of electricity from tidal currents

Abstract Continuous and predictable shallow water tidal currents represent a promising renewable energy resource for investigation and additional exploitation. A systems thinking approach identifies aggregate properties of MHK systems such as turbine efficiency, transmission and power conditioning losses and leads us to propose that an overall project efficiency value (E EFF , the kW-hours of electricity effectively inserted into the grid) should be used for resource characterization and as an estimate of the practical extraction of energy from tidal currents. This project efficiency value can lead to better cost estimates and ultimately serve as a marker for decisions whether to proceed. By using a systems engineering approach we first determine the practical extraction of kinetic energy from Maine to Texas using National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) CO-OPS’ Mapping and Charting Services Program data. Then, based on case studies of two generating stations and one discontinued station in the United States, we superimpose how those installed costs per kW compare to the resource characterization. This work identifies installed cost per kW for potential locations that exceed a kinetic power density of 100 kW for three array sizes with a goal of showing how the key attribute of cost might affect the decision making process when considering Marine Hydrokinetic (MHK) extraction systems.
Conclusion: The Paradox Continues…

Transformations on the global political stage and in domestic social policies affect the ideological notion of US citizenship, the well-earned rights and privileges of citizens, and the rules of inclusion in American society. These transformations also threaten to change the scope of the government’s power to monitor the private lives of citizens. We therefore need to take account of the complicated story of citizenship, not only to figure out how and why we are at this critical juncture, but also to chart out a logical, coherent, and fair understanding of our rights as citizens, our relationship with the state, and our role in this ongoing and fluctuating relationship.
Readmission, Reoperation, and Complications: Total Hip vs Total Knee Arthroplasty

Abstract Background Total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) are currently grouped under the same Diagnosis-Related Group (DRG). With the introduction of bundled payments, providers are accountable for all the costs incurred during the episode of care, including the costs of readmissions and management of complications. However, it is unclear whether readmission rates and short-term complications are similar in primary THA and TKA. Methods The National Surgical Quality Improvement Project database was queried from 2011 to 2015 to identify 248,150 primary THA/TKA procedures using Current Procedural Terminology codes. After excluding 1602 hip fractures and 5062 bilateral procedures, 94,326 THAs and 147,160 TKAs were included in the study. Length of stay, discharge disposition, and 30-day readmission, reoperation and complication rates were compared between THA and TKA using multivariate regression models. Results After adjusting for baseline characteristics, length of stay (P = .055) and discharge disposition (P = .304) were similar between THA and TKA. But the 30-day rates of readmission (P Conclusion THA patients had higher 30-day rates of readmission and reoperation. As both readmissions and reoperations can result in higher episode costs, a common target price for both THA and TKA may be inappropriate. Further studies are required to fully understand the extent of differences in the episode costs of THA and TKA.
Biomarkers for immune checkpoint inhibitors: The importance of tumor topography and the challenges to cytopathology

The recent emergence of immune checkpoint inhibitors for cancer therapy has created much excitement among cancer patients, drug and diagnostic developers, and health care professionals. This is due largely to the dramatic and sustained responses among some advanced cancers that were previously refractory to therapy. Unfortunately, these responses are difficult to predict, so the goal of the right drug for the right patient at the right time remains elusive. This is in part due to the complexity of the tumor immune microenvironment and its role in drug efficacy. The application of biomarkers to pathologic specimens to predict responses to therapy remains one of the key roles for pathologists in precision medicine. For the new immune checkpoint inhibitors, the emerging class of biomarkers revolves around the immunohistochemical detection of the drug target (or its ligand), programmed cell death ligand 1, on tumor cells or associated immune cells. The diagnostic terrain is already complex because of the involvement of different technology platforms, antibody clones, scoring systems, and indications for their use. The application of these biomarkers to cytologic specimens is critical because the current drug indications are for advanced-stage cancers that are often sampled by minimally invasive cytologic means rather than surgical resection. This review summarizes the current state of biomarkers for immune checkpoint inhibitors with an emphasis on the opportunities for and threats to cytologic samples. Cancer Cytopathol 2018;126:11-9. © 2017 American Cancer Society.
Optimization in Quality Control

(1998). Optimization in Quality Control. Journal of Quality Technology: Vol. 30, No. 2, pp. 186-187.
EUS-guided hepaticoenterostomy as a portal to allow definitive antegrade treatment of benign biliary diseases in patients with surgically altered anatomy.

Background and Aims EUS-guided hepaticoenterostomy (EUS-HE) usually is reserved for palliation of malignant biliary obstruction after failed endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERC) or inaccessible biliary tree in surgically altered anatomy (SAA). We describe the outcome of EUS-HE and antegrade therapy for benign biliary disease in patients with SAA. Methods Retrospective review of 20 consecutive patients with surgically altered anatomy and benign biliary obstruction who underwent EUS-HE performed by 1 endoscopist at a tertiary-care center over a 3-year period. Results During the study period, 37 patients underwent EUS-HE; 24 for benign disease. Of these, 20 patients had SAA and were analyzed (15 women, mean age, 62 years). SAA consisted of 9 Roux-en-Y gastric bypasses, 6 Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy, 2 Billroth II procedures, and 3 Whipple procedures. Indications for ERC were common bile duct stones (n = 8), benign postoperative strictures (n = 7), chronic pancreatitis (n = 3), inflammatory stricture (n = 1), and treatment of a bile leak (n = 1). Five patients had previously failed balloon enteroscopy-assisted ERCs. The approach was transgastric in 15 and transjejunal in 5. In all cases, a branch of the left hepatic duct with a mean diameter of 7.8 mm was accessed. Median stent length was 80 mm, with diameters of 8 or 10 mm. Antegrade, definitive endoscopic therapy via the HE was performed in 18 patients, with an average of 2.7 procedures performed for resolution of stones and/or downstream strictures. HE stents were removed in 17 patients after a mean of 91 days without adverse events. Three patients experienced mild adverse events (1 with postprocedural pancreatitis after placement of a 10F transpapillary stent, 1 with postprocedural abdominal pain, and 1 with postprocedural cholangitis) requiring hospitalization for fewer than 3 nights; no severe adverse events occurred. The average postprocedural hospital stay was 1.3 days. No deaths occurred during follow-up. Conclusions EUS-HE is safe and effective in the management of benign biliary obstruction in patients with surgically altered anatomy. It creates a portal to allow definitive, antegrade therapy and is a viable alternative to other endoscopic methods in this patient population.
Corpora for topic detection and tracking

The TDT corpora, developed to support the DARPA-sponsored program in Topic Detection and Tracking, combine data collected over a nine month period from 8 English and 3 Chinese sources. The published corpora contain audio, reference text including written news text and transcripts of the broadcast audio, boundary tables segmenting the broadcasts into stories and relevance tables resulting from millions of human judgments. Sections of the corpora have undergone topic-story, first story and story link annotation. Both the TDT-2 and TDT-3 text corpora and the accompanying broadcast audio are now available from the Linguistic Data Consortium. This paper described the raw material collected for the corpora, the annotation of that material to prepare it for research use and the formats in which it is distributed. Special attention is paid to the quality control measures developed for these data sets.
Acyl-CoA synthetase 6 enriches the neuroprotective omega-3 fatty acid DHA in the brain

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an omega-3 fatty acid that is highly abundant in the brain and confers protection against numerous neurological diseases, yet the fundamental mechanisms regulating the enrichment of DHA in the brain remain unknown. Here, we have discovered that a member of the long-chain acyl-CoA synthetase family, Acsl6, is required for the enrichment of DHA in the brain by generating an Acsl6-deficient mouse (Acsl6−/−). Acsl6 is highly enriched in the brain and lipid profiling of Acsl6−/− tissues reveals consistent reductions in DHA-containing lipids in tissues highly abundant with Acsl6. Acsl6−/− mice demonstrate motor impairments, altered glutamate metabolism, and increased astrogliosis and microglia activation. In response to a neuroinflammatory lipopolysaccharide injection, Acsl6−/− brains show similar increases in molecular and pathological indices of astrogliosis compared with controls. These data demonstrate that Acsl6 is a key mediator of neuroprotective DHA enrichment in the brain.
Spatially variable bioturbation and physical mixing drive the sedimentary biogeochemical seascape in the Louisiana continental shelf hypoxic zone

Seasonal hypoxia on the Louisiana continental shelf (LCS) has grown to over 22,000 km2 with limited information available on how low oxygen effects the benthos. Benthic macrofaunal colonization and sediment biogeochemical parameters were characterized at twelve stations in waters 10 - 50 m deep along four transects spanning 320 km across the LCS hypoxic zone in the early fall of 2010 when bottom waters typically return to oxic conditions. Chemical data and sediment profile imaging (SPI) support three primary mechanistic pathways of organic matter degradation on the LCS: (i) metal oxide cycling in depositional muds, (ii) infauna-driven bioturbation delivering oxygen below the sediment-water interface, and (iii) sulfate reduction in sediments where iron oxide availability is limited. The transect nearest the Mississippi River delta had the highest concentrations of porewater and solid phase Mn and Fe with SPI images of recently deposited reddish, mixed muddy sediments suggestive of metal cycling. The deepest stations had high oxidized iron concentrations and rust colored sediments with faunal colonization that suggests sediments are oxidized via bioturbation. Many nearshore and central LCS stations had more black sediments, more disturbed clay layers, lower amounts of oxidized iron, and higher sulfate reduction rates than the deepest stations. Sediment mixing coefficients, DB , determined from chlorophyll-a concentration profiles varied between 33 and 183 cm-2 y-1. DB values were highest at the deepest stations where sediments were colonized. DB were not determined at two nearshore stations where chlorophyll-a concentrations were highly variable in surficial sediments, and on the eastern shelf where sedimentation is high. This study provides a regional view of benthic faunal colonization and sediment biogeochemistry on the LCS, describes regions with potentially different pathways of organic matter degradation, and demonstrates the importance of both bioturbation and physical mixing in processing the large amounts of organic matter in river-dominated continental shelf systems.
Synthesis of 7‐oxopyrrolo[3,2‐B]pyridine‐6‐carboxylic acid derivatives as potential antimicrobial agents

A route for the synthesis of various derivatives of 7-oxopyrrolo[3,2-b]pyridine-6-carboxylic acid from 2-methyl-3-carbomethoxy-4-aminopyrrole is reported.
Cultural diversity as a competitive tool: trust and knowledge sharing from a Malaysian perspective

A recent race-relations study found that contrary to government claims, racism ran deep among the ethnic groups in Malaysia (Merdeka Center for Opinion Research, 2015). Diversity training is not viewed as a trust-building competitive tool. In this paper, we argue that diversity training, shared values, and cultural collectivism influence intra-organisation trust within multi-national corporations operating in Malaysia. From an economic perspective, shared values and diversity awareness induced trust can arguably result in the positive spillover of knowledge-sharing. Studies in knowledge-based view of the firm show that strategic use of knowledge-sharing creates organisational value and is catalytic to a firm's competitive advantage (Fey and Furu, 2008; Wang and Noe, 2010). This paper highlights both the challenges facing Malaysian MNEs and the latent opportunities for improved collaboration, innovation, and firm performance through diversity and trust.
Sjögren-Larsson syndrome.

Sjogren-Larsson syndrome (SLS) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by the presence of congenital ichthyosis, mental retardation, and spastic diplegia or tetraplegia. The ichthyosis is generalized in distribution, and histological features of the skin include hyperkeratosis, papillomatosis, acanthosis, and a mildly thickened granular layer. Electron microscopy shows lamellar membranous inclusions in the granular and cornified cells. SLS patients have impaired fatty alcohol oxidation caused by deficient activity of fatty aldehyde dehydrogenase, a component of the fatty alcohol:NAD+ oxidoreductase complex. This enzymatic defect provides a reliable means for diagnosing SLS patients and unaffected SLS carriers. Prenatal diagnosis of SLS can be accomplished by enzymatic studies of amniocytes and cultured chorionic villi cells, or by histological examination of a fetal skin biopsy. Although still unproven, fatty alcohol accumulation in patients is thought to be responsible for the cutaneous symptoms.
Viola “inconspicua” No More: An Analysis of Antibacterial Cyclotides

The emergence of rapidly evolving multidrug-resistant pathogens and a deficit of new compounds entering the clinical pipeline necessitate the exploration of alternative sources of antimicrobial therapeutics. Cyclotides revealed in Viola spp. are a class of highly stable, cyclic, and disulfide-bound peptides with diverse intrinsic bioactivities. Herein we have identified a novel complement of 42 putative cyclotide masses in the plant species Viola inconspicua. Cyclotide-containing fractions of a V. inconspicua peptide library revealed potent bioactivities against the Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and the highly virulent and multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae VK148. As such, six previously uncharacterized cyclotides, cycloviolacins I1–6 (cyI1–cyI6), were prioritized for molecular characterization. Cyclotides cyI3–cyI6 contain a novel “TLNGNPGA” motif in the highly variable loop six region, expanding the already substantial sequence diversity of this peptide class. Library fractio...
Binocular 3D otolith-ocular reflexes: responses of normal chinchillas to tilt and translation

As the first in a pair of papers on Binocular 3D Otolith-Ocular Reflexes, this paper characterizes binocular 3D eye movements in normal chinchillas during tilts and translations. The eye movement r...
Genes expressed selectively in plasmacytomas: markers of differentiation and transformation.

Plasmacytomas differ from B lymphomas in a number of ways: Plasmacytomas have a distinct plasmacytoid morphology, lack expression of certain B cell markers (e.g., Ia), express much greater levels of immunoglobulin and interact with epithelial cells in the secretion of IgA. However, there are few if any, molecular markers unique to plasmacytomas. To characterize the molecular basis for the differences between plasmacytomas and B lymphomas, we have constructed a murine plasmacytoma (MPC11) minus highly differentiated B lymphoma (A20.2J) subtractive cDNA library [1, 2]. This strategy should enrich for two classes of genes: genes differentially expressed in both normal and malignant plasma cells, and genes differentially expressed only in malignant plasma cells. As summarized below, we have identified plasmacytoma specific genes of both types.
Mind the Gap: On Bridging the Semantic Gap between Machine Learning and Information Security

Despite the potential of Machine learning (ML) to learn the behavior of malware, detect novel malware samples, and significantly improve information security (InfoSec) we see few, if any, high-impact ML techniques in deployed systems, notwithstanding multiple reported successes in open literature. We hypothesize that the failure of ML in making high-impacts in InfoSec are rooted in a disconnect between the two communities as evidenced by a semantic gap---a difference in how executables are described (e.g. the data and features extracted from the data). Specifically, current datasets and representations used by ML are not suitable for learning the behaviors of an executable and differ significantly from those used by the InfoSec community. In this paper, we survey existing datasets used for classifying malware by ML algorithms and the features that are extracted from the data. We observe that: 1) the current set of extracted features are primarily syntactic, not behavioral, 2) datasets generally contain extreme exemplars producing a dataset in which it is easy to discriminate classes, and 3) the datasets provide significantly different representations of the data encountered in real-world systems. For ML to make more of an impact in the InfoSec community requires a change in the data (including the features and labels) that is used to bridge the current semantic gap. As a first step in enabling more behavioral analyses, we label existing malware datasets with behavioral features using open-source threat reports associated with malware families. This behavioral labeling alters the analysis from identifying intent (e.g. good vs bad) or malware family membership to an analysis of which behaviors are exhibited by an executable. We offer the annotations with the hope of inspiring future improvements in the data that will further bridge the semantic gap between the ML and InfoSec communities.
From the Holocaust to the Tree of Life Shooting: An Oral History Conversation with Judah Samet

This paper features an oral history conversation and interview that the author had with Judah Samet who survived imprisonment in the Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp during the Holocaust. Samet als...
Hybrid particle swarm optimization and pattern search algorithm

Particle swarm optimization (PSO) is one of the most commonly used stochastic optimization algorithms for many researchers and scientists of the last two decades, and the pattern search (PS) method is one of the most important local optimization algorithms. In this paper, we test three methods of hybridizing PSO and PS to improve the global minima and robustness. All methods let PSO run first followed by PS. The first method lets PSO use a large number of particles for a limited number of iterations. The second method lets PSO run normally until tolerance is reached. The third method lets PSO run normally until the average particle distance from the global best location is within a threshold. Numerical results using non-differentiable test functions reveal that all three methods improve the global minima and robustness versus PSO. The third hybrid method was also applied to a basin network optimization problem and outperformed PSO with filter method and genetic algorithm with implicit filtering.
Amanda Jo Goldstein, Sweet Science: Romantic Materialism and the New Logics of Life

Review by Noel Jackson (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) of Amanda Jo Goldstein, Sweet Science: Romantic Materialism and the New Logics of Life . Chicago & London: University of Chicago Press, 2017. Pp. 219. $35. ISBN 9780226484709.
Distributed Energy Resource Aggregation using Customer-Owned Equipment: A Review of Literature and Standards

Abstract Large-scale deployment of renewable energy resources, both utility-scale and distributed, create reliability concerns for electrical power system operators. The weather-dependent, non-dispatchable nature of renewable resources decreases the ability of operators to match supply with demand. Concurrently, distributed energy resources, defined as small-scale loads, generation sources, and storage systems, are becoming ubiquitous within modern electrical systems. This literature review presents the grid services that utilities use to alleviate power systems reliability concerns, particularly those caused by renewable resources, and how aggregations of residential-scale distributed energy resources can be used to provide these services. By aggregating distributed energy resources en masse to provide grid services, grid operators can concurrently improve reliability while ensuring high penetration levels of renewable resources. Academic researchers have developed the theoretical methods for achieving these objectives. Standards bodies have created open communication frameworks for linking these resources with grid operators. And, large-scale utility programs have demonstrated the potential for providing grid services using aggregations of these resources. This manuscript presents a review of the literature, methods, and standards that have created the foundation for distributed energy resources to help decarbonize electrical power systems.
Unmasking Boko Haram and The Boko Haram Insurgence in Nigeria: Perspectives from Within

Since Boko Haram captured international attention with the 2014 kidnapping of the Chibok schoolgirls, the group has catapulted to the top of the Global Terrorism Index. In 2015 the group joined for...
Patients With Obesity-Related Hypertension Treated With Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System Antagonists Exhibit Lower Mortality And Less Severe COVID-19: A Retrospective Study

Background: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been found to exploit the cell’s ACE2 receptor for viral entry. Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) antagonism with angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) increases the expression of ACE2 receptors which, coupled with the metabolic changes associated with obesity-related hypertension, can make hypertensive patients with obesity more vulnerable to severe COVID-19. Although current evidence suggests that ACEI/ARB use does not increase risk of severe COVID-19 in the general population, potential interactions with obesity-related hypertension are unknown. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of COVID-19 patients admitted to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics between March 1st and July 8th, 2020. We included adults who are overweight (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2) or obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) with hypertension treated as outpatients with or without ACEIs/ARBs. Patients without exposure to RAAS antagonists served as controls. We assessed mortality and the severity of COVID-19 reflected by admission to ICU and usage of supplemental O2, non-invasive ventilation, mechanical ventilation, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and vasopressors. Results: Of the 369 inpatients with COVID-19, we identified 138 exhibiting obesity-related hypertension who were then allocated into the control (n=59) and ACEI/ARB (n=79) groups. The BMIs between groups at baseline were not statistically significant (Control: 33.6 ± 0.96 vs. ACEI/ARB: 34.99 ± 0.97;p=.32). Women were less represented in the ACEI/ARB group (Control: 47% vs. ACEI/ARB: 24%). The controls had a substantially higher mortality rate (Control: 32.2% vs. ACEI/ARB: 15.1%). In regard to the severity of COVID-19, the ACEI/ARB cohort showed lower usage of supplemental O2 (Control: 52.5% vs. ACEI/ARB: 49.3%), mechanical ventilation (Control: 37.2% vs. ACEI/ARB: 1.2%), vasopressors (Control: 38.9% vs. ACEI/ARB: 31.6%), and had lower ICU admissions (Control: 57.6% vs. ACEI/ARB: 46.8%). However, the ACEI/ARB group had higher rates of: ECMO (Control: 0% vs. ACEI/ARB: 20.2%) and non-invasive ventilation (Control: 18.6% vs. ACEI/ARB: 20.2%). Of note, the rate of diabetes was higher in the ACEI/ARB cohort (Control: 45.7% vs. ACEI/ARB: 63.2%). Conclusion: Our results suggest that a history of RAAS antagonism is associated with lower mortality and less severity of COVID-19 in patients with obesity-related hypertension requiring hospital admission.
The Construct Validity of Curriculum-Based Measurement of Reading: An Empirical Test of a Plausible Rival Hypothesis

Abstract Research has confirmed that curriculum-based measurement (CBM) of oral reading fluency and measures of reading comprehension are highly correlated, as predicted by developmental theories of reading. Research on CBM, however, has only begun to rule out plausible alternative explanations of this relationship—an important aspect of a strong program of construct validation (e.g., Messick, 1989 ). This study investigated one such rival hypothesis by examining the relative roles of general cognitive ability, speed and efficiency of elemental cognitive processing, and oral reading fluency in the prediction of reading comprehension. Results of simultaneous multiple regression analyses substantiate the construct validity of CBM oral reading fluency. These findings indicate that the significant relationship between oral reading fluency and reading comprehension cannot be explained by general cognitive ability or by processing speed and efficiency. CBM oral reading fluency also did not correlate significantly with any of the processing speed and efficiency tasks. Interestingly, however, CBM oral reading fluency accounted for less variance in reading comprehension (r2 = .17) than expected based on the results of previous research and less than that explained by general cognitive ability (r2 = .24). When controlling for psychometric g and processing speed in the regression analyses, CBM oral reading explained 11% of the variance in reading comprehension. Implications of these results for further research on the construct validity of CBM are discussed.
CD99 signals through soluble adenylyl cyclase to regulate leukocyte transendothelial migration (146.6)

Transendothelial migration (TEM) is the process by which leukocytes extravasate out of the vasculature into the interstitium and is one the key steps of the inflammatory response. PECAM and CD99 ar...
Anomalous afterglow seen in a chameleon afterglow search

We present data from our investigation of the anomalous orange-colored afterglow that was seen in the GammeV Chameleon Afterglow Search (CHASE). These data include information about the broadband color of the observed glow, the relationship between the glow and the temperature of the apparatus, and other data taken prior to, and during the science operations of CHASE. While differing in several details, the generic properties of the afterglow from CHASE are similar to luminescence seen in some vacuum compounds. Contamination from this, or similar, luminescent signatures will likely impact the design of implementation of future experiments involving single photon detectors and high intensity light sources in a cryogenic environment.
Proof Search in the Intuitionistic Sequent Calculus

The use of Ilerbrand functions (sometimes called Skolemization) plays an important role in classical theorem proving and logic programming. We define a notion of Herbrand functions for the full intuitionistic predicate calculus. This definition is based on the view that the proof-theoretic role of Herbrand functions (to replace universal quantifiers), and of unification (to find instances corresponding to existential quantifiers), is to ensure the eigenvariable conditions on a sequent proof. The propositional impermutabilities that arise in the intuitionistic but not the classical sequent calculus motivate a generalization of the classical notion of Ilerbrand functions. This generalization of Herbrand functions also applies to the sequent calculus formalizations of logics other than intuitionistic predicate calculus.
Different Pattern of ATP-mediated Increases in [Ca2+]cyt Contributes to ATP-induced Increase in Bcl-2/Bax Ratio in Lung Cancer Cells But Not in Normal Control Cells

ATP (extracellular messenger) is in much higher concentration in tumor microenvironment. It regulates cell functions through acting on purinergic receptors to activate a series of intracellular sig...
Estimating the probability of flooding on a tidal river

An estimate of the number of floods per century that can be expected at any given point of a river would obviously be an important piece of information when any expensive flood-prevention scheme is under discussion. Gumber (1958) has discussed such an estimation for a non-tidal stretch of river, and has shown how to derive estimates from existing flow data, using his method of maxima. The object of the present paper is to put forward a method of solving the intrinsically more complex problem of estimating the probability of flooding for a tidal stretch.The mathematical theory is first briefly presented, and a general-method of finding the estimate is discussed. The final section is concerned with an application of the method to the River Trent at Gainsborough.
On F-spaces

Abstract We present the class of F t-spaces which is a subclass of the class of F -spaces of Harley and Stephenson containing many of the most interesting F -spaces, e.g. the Michael line, the Sorgenfrey line, Aleksandrov's double interval. We prove that the F t-spaces satisfy certain covering properties which F -spaces need not satisfy. In particular, (1) every neighborhood F t-space is subparacompact, and (2) every F t-space satisfies property L of Bacon. On the other hand, there are examples of neighborhood F -spaces which do not satisfy L.
Metabolic acidosis and vascular calcification: Using blueprints from bone to map a new venue for vascular research

Vascular calcification is an important problem in patients with chronic kidney disease. The pathobiology of vascular calcification is complex and is intricately related to bone remodeling. Mendoza et al. report that experimental metabolic acidosis prevents calcitriol-induced vascular calcification in uremic animals. To fully understand the effect of acidosis on the vasculature, a comprehensive and integrated approach that simultaneously examines the effect of metabolic acidosis on bone and vasculature is needed.
THE MONITOR MODEL: SOME METHODOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS

The Monitor Model has been proposed (Krashen 1975, 1977a) as a general model for adult second-language performance. The model claims that adult second-language performers have two means of internalizing the rules of a target language: (1) language acquisition, which is primarily subconscious, is not influenced by overt teaching or error correction, and is very similar to primary language acquisition in children; (2) language learning, which involves the conscious representation of pedagogical rules, and is influenced by teaching and error detection. The model hypothesizes that learning is available to the adult second-language performer only as a Monitor—that is, people use conscious grammar only to alter the output of the acquired system. This paper examines the Monitor Model and presents a methodological critique of the research on which the model is based. An attempt is made to provide an outline of an alternate model that more parsimoniously accounts for the data and that ties into a theory of human information processing generally.
Operating regimes, split-step modeling, and the Haus master mode-locking model

We develop an iterative (averaging) method to characterize the mode-locking dynamics in a laser cavity mode locked with a combination of wave plates and a passive polarizer. The model explicitly accounts for the effects of self- and cross-phase modulation, an arbitrary alignment of the fast- and slow-axes of the fiber with the wave plates and polarizer, fiber birefringence, saturable gain, and chromatic dispersion. The general averaging scheme results in the cubic-quintic Ginzburg-Landau equation at the leading order and the Swift-Hohenberg equation at the next order. An extensive comparison between the full model and the averaged equations shows a quantitative agreement that allows for characterizing the stability and operating regimes of the laser cavity.
Single Photon Traversal of Dielectric Bandgaps: Apparent Superluminality, Tunneling, and Surface Modes*

We investigate the optical Hartman saturation effect in multilayer dielectric stacks. We experimentally observe jumps of photon transversal times due to adding single quarter-wave layers and attribute them to appearance of surface modes.
A framework for accessing data in models with many discrete states (abstract)

In a class of applications, a model exists in which calculations depend upon a fixed set of independent real model parameters, say V1, V2, …, Vn. Each of the V's is a function of auxiliary data. The model often has a large number of discrete states, characterized by a set of discrete state parameters S1, S2, …, Sm. To calculate any particular V, a different function (algorithm and auxiliary data) may be needed for each state; typically, however, a function is shared among some group of states. It is desirable that only one copy of each function exist. The state may change frequently. Moreover, the state parameters are usually not independent; for example, choosing a particular value for one S may restrict permitted values for other S's. In an interactive application, inconsistent choices must be detected.An application oriented framework is presented for supplying the application with the V's while efficiently reconfiguring the model as the S's are changed. The role of the S's and the details of calculating each V are hidden from the application. The framework is maintainable and, moreover, allows the system to be enhanced by the addition of new states. Finally, inconsistent choices among the state parameters can be easily detected.
Oxytocin dose and the risk of uterine rupture in trial of labor after cesarean

Abstract Objective: To examine the association between uterine rupture and oxytocin use in trial of labor after cesarean. Methods: A case-control study was performed. Cases were all women with uterine ruptures who received oxytocin during a trial of labor after a single cesarean delivery within a 12-year period (n = 24). Four controls undergoing trial of labor after a single cesarean delivery were matched to each case by 500 g birth weight category, year of birth, and by induction or augmentation (n = 96). The study had an 80% power to detect a 40% increase in oxytocin duration or a 65% increase in total oxytocin dose. Results: No significant differences were seen in initial oxytocin dose, maximum dose, or time to maximum dose. Although women with uterine ruptures had higher exposure to oxytocin as measured by mean total oxytocin dose (544 mU higher) and oxytocin duration (54 minutes longer), these differences were not statistically significant. Women with uterine rupture who received oxytocin were more likely to have experienced an episode of uterine hyperstimulation (37.5% compared with 20.8%, P = .05). However, the positive predictive value of hyperstimulation for uterine rupture was only 2.8%. Conclusion: Although no significant differences in exposure to oxytocin were detected between cases of uterine rupture and controls, the rarity of uterine rupture limited our power to detect small differences in exposure. In women receiving oxytocin, uterine rupture is associated with an increase in uterine hyperstimulation, but the clinical value of hyperstimulation for predicting uterine rupture is limited.
A polyaniline based ultrasensitive potentiometric immunosensor for cardiac troponin complex detection

An ultrasensitive immunosensor based on potentiometric ELISA for the detection of a cardiac biomarker, troponin I-T-C (Tn I-T-C) complex, was developed. The sensor fabrication involves typical sandwich ELISA procedures, while the final signal readout was achieved using open circuit potentiometry (OCP). Glassy carbon (GC) working electrodes were first coated with emulsion-polymerized polyaniline/dinonylnaphthalenesulfonic acid (PANI/DNNSA) and the coated surface was utilized as a transducer layer on which sandwich ELISA incubation steps were performed. An enzymatic reaction between o-phenylenediamine (OPD) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) was catalyzed by horseradish peroxidase (HRP) labeled on the secondary antibodies. The polymer transducer charged state was mediated through electron (e(-)) and charge transfers between the transducer and charged species generated by the same enzymatic reaction. Such a change in the polymer transducer led to potential variations against an Ag/AgCl reference electrode as a function of Tn I-T-C complex concentration during incubations. The sequence of OPD and H2O2 additions, electrochemical properties of the PANI/DNNSA layer and non-specific binding prevention were all crucial factors for the assay performance. Under optimized conditions, the assay has a low limit of detection (LOD) ( 6 orders of magnitude), high repeatability (coefficient of variance < 8% for all concentrations higher than 5 pg/mL) and a short detection time (< 10 min).
Study on Leaching Process of Activation Bastnaesite by HCl Solution

Bastnaesite was activated at a temperature, and then the rare earths carbonate of the minerals was leached by HCl solution. When activation temperature was 400°C, activation time was 3h, HCl concentration was 3 mol•L-1, leaching temperature was 90°C, liquid to solid was 20:1, the leaching ratio of rare earths carbonate and rare earths fluoride was 94.6% and 0.07% respectively. The results of XRD and SEM showed that bastnaesite was powdered and coarseness in activation process, which made the leaching of rare earths carbonate by HCl solution become easy. The main components of leaching slag were rare earths fluoride, calcium fluoride and barium sulfate.
Kinetics of liquid hydrocarbon combustion using the DSC technique

Abstract TGA/DSC techniques were applied to the combustion of crude oil in the presence of solid particles of various specific surface areas. The major physical and chemical transitions observed were classified into three groups, namely distillation, liquid hydrocarbon combustion and coke combustion. This paper deals with the peak associated with the liquid hydrocarbon combustion. Kinetic study revealed that the liquid hydrocarbon combustion peak consisted of two types of combustion reactions which could not be modelled with a single power-law-type kinetic model. Oxygen concentration of the purging gas was varied and its effect on the DSC curve was monitored. It was noticed that at low oxygen concentration, i.e. in the range of 5 to 10%, two distinct peaks emerged. Kinetic analysis of each peak produced a power-law kinetic model for each reaction. The kinetic model was first-order with respect to oxygen partial pressure for both peaks. The order of reaction with respect to the hydrocarbon content was unity for the first peak and 1.5 for the second peak. Optimization of all the data produced a reaction order with respect to the surface area of −0.57 for the first peak and −0.2 for the second peak.
Computer-assisted design of surface coils used in magnetic resonance imaging. I. The calculation of the magnetic field

For a number of reasons, it is desirable to fabricate coils which, for a known current, shall produce predetermined values of the magnetic field intensity at a number of points within a nuclear magnetic resonance imager. The calculation of the magnetic field intensity at a set of points involves the integration of the Biot-Savart equation for all components of the segments of conductor which make up the coil. This process in itself is a rather formidable task. When this process is parameterized in terms of coil diameter, coil spacing, etc. the problem is to determine the values of these parameters to match values of magnetic field intensities which are desired. The problem thereby increases in complexity to the point where, by ordinary methods, the problem becomes intractable. This note describes an algorithm and offers a computer subroutine to calculate magnetic fields for coils of arbitrary shape and complexity for fixed currents.
Non-cell autonomous influence of MeCP2-deficient glia on neuronal dendritic morphology

The neurodevelopmental disorder Rett syndrome (RTT) is caused by sporadic mutations in the transcriptional factor methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2). Although it is thought that the primary cause of RTT is cell autonomous, resulting from a lack of functional MeCP2 in neurons, whether non-cell autonomous factors contribute to the disease is unknown. We found that the loss of MeCP2 occurs not only in neurons but also in glial cells of RTT brains. Using an in vitro co-culture system, we found that mutant astrocytes from a RTT mouse model, and their conditioned medium, failed to support normal dendritic morphology of either wild-type or mutant hippocampal neurons. Our studies suggest that astrocytes in the RTT brain carrying MeCP2 mutations have a non-cell autonomous effect on neuronal properties, probably as a result of aberrant secretion of soluble factor(s).
Phase and Property Studies of Boron Carbide–Boron Nitride Composites

This paper reports on boron carbide-boron nitride particulate composites that were fabricated by vacuum hot-pressing. Near-theoretical densities of B{sub 4}C were obtained, but percent theoretical densities decreased with increasing amounts of BN. The grain size of B{sub 4}C and BN was not affected by composition, but the amount of twinning in B{sub 4}C decreased with increasing BN content. No third phase was found at the B{sub 4}C-BN interface by analytical STEM analysis. Lattice parameter measurements indicated slight solubility of B{sub 4}C in BN, but no solubility of BN in B{sub 4}C for samples hot-pressed at 2250{degrees} C. Room-temperature flexural strength measurements revealed a sharply decreasing strength with increasing BN content up to 40% BN, and then relatively constant values with greater amounts of BN.