cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phase Transition of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation: A Stationary SST Mode

A stationary SST mode is proposed to understand the physical mechanisms responsible for the phase transition of the El Nino-Southern Oscillation. This stationary SST mode differs from the original delayed oscillator mode and the slow SST mode in the sense that it considers both balanced and unbalanced thermocline depth variations and does not take into account the zonal propagation of SST. Within this mode, the Walker circulation acts as a positive feedback mechanism to amplify and maintain an existing interannual SST anomaly, whereas the Hadley circulation acts as a negative feedback mechanism that dismisses the original anomaly and causes the phase shift from a warm (cold) to a cold (warm) episode. The key to the cause of interannual oscillations in the stationary SST mode lies in the zonal-mean thermocline depth variation that is not in equilibrium with the winds. Because of the nonequilibrium, this part of the thermocline depth anomaly tends to have a phase lag with the wind (or SST) anomaly and therefore holds a key for the interannual oscillation. The zonally asymmetric part of the thermocline depth anomaly, on the other hand, is always in Sverdrup balance with the winds. Such a phase relationship agrees well with observations and with GCM simulations. The stationary SST mode strongly depends on the basin width, on the air-sea coupling strength, and on the seasonal-cycle basic state. For a reasonable parameter regime, it depicts an interannual oscillation with a period of 2-7 years. This stationary SST mode is also season dependent: it has a maximum growth rate during the later part of the year and a negative growth rate during the northern spring, which may explain the occurrence of the mature phases of the El Nino in the northern winter and a rapid drop of the lagged correlation of the Southern Oscillation index in the boreal spring.
Max Weber's Analysis of the Unique American Civic Sphere: Its Origins, Expansion, and Oscillations

Max Weber's analysis of the American civic sphere has been seldom investigated. Indebted to the ascetic Protestantism of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, his major concepts and analytic framework are summarized here. An unusual symbiotic dualism between the civic arena and a world-mastery individualism, as well as an antagonism between this value-grounded individualism and practical-rational individualism, remain pivotal throughout his analysis. Nonetheless, although powerful, the Weberian model is seen to be foreshortened. Three complementary constructs, grounded in his rich set of concepts, extend Weber's analysis. Taken in combination, all four models provide a Weberian analysis of the American civic sphere's unique origins, expansion, and past and present oscillations across a demarcated spectrum. Weber's emphasis upon the deep cultural contexts of social action, the influence of the past upon the present, and arrays of operationalizable hypotheses diverges distinctly from Tocqueville's appro...
Effects of South Carolina’s Sex Offender Registration and Notification Policy on Deterrence of Adult Sex Crimes

This study examined whether South Carolina’s sex offender registration and notification (SORN) policy was associated with a general deterrent effect on adult sex crimes. Using adult arrest data from 1990 through 2005, trend analyses modeled the intervention effects of 1995 (the year South Carolina’s SORN policy was initially implemented) and 1999 (the year the policy was revised to include online registration). Results supported a significant deterrent effect for the 1995 intervention year, with an approximately 11% reduction in first-time sex crime arrests in the post-SORN period (1995-2005) relative to the pre-SORN period (1990-1994). This decline equated to averting approximately three new sex crime arrests per month. Comparison analyses with serious nonsex offenses against persons (assault and robbery) failed to identify similar effects, suggesting that the 1995 effect is attributable to sex offense—specific legislation. Findings are compared with the existing literature on general deterrent effects o...
Career Experiences, Perceptions of Employment Practices, and Psychological Commitment to the Organization

The relationships among career experiences, perceptions of company employment practices, and psychological commitment to the firm are explored in this paper. Psychological commitment is defined as non-instrumental attraction to and identification with the goals and values of the organization, excluding propensity to stay in the organization. Results show that employee perceptions of the organization's adherence to career-oriented employment practices, including internal mobility, employment security, and training and development, are more strongly related to psychological commitment than other characteristics of the work context, including participation, supervisory relations, and instrumental communication. Results are discussed in terms of internal labor market employment practices.
Specific carbohydrate diet: irritable bowel syndrome patient case study

Purpose – The purpose of this paper was to investigate the impact of specific carbohydrate restriction (polysaccharides and disaccharides) in the form of the specific carbohydrate diet (SCD) in treating irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Design/methodology/approach – A female patient diagnosed with diarrhea predominant IBS was assigned to the SCD for six months. The diet occurred in phases and was advanced based on the individual’s tolerance level under the guidance of a registered dietitian. Quality of life was measured by a pre- and post-IBS severity score questionnaire. Gastrointestinal symptoms were measured by self-assessment of IBS symptoms using a seven-point Likert-like scale, with 3 substantially worse to 3 substantially better. Probiotics were consumed throughout the duration of the study. Findings – The quality of life severity score significantly improved from a severity of 315 (with 500 being the most severe) to 15. The initial symptoms from the first day on the diet compared to the total period for bloating, abdominal pain/discomfort, flatulence/wind, diarrhea, bowel urgency, stool consistency, stool frequency, energy levels, incomplete evacuation and abdominal rumbling were improved significantly ( p 0.0005). The SCD diet significantly improved the quality of life and IBS symptoms in a female patient with IBS-diarrhea. Originality/value – This study is the first of its kind to evaluate the efficacy of the SCD to treat IBS. The SCD should be considered a therapeutic option to treating IBS after fermentable carbohydrate restriction.
Resolving empirical inconsistencies concerning priming, frequency, and nonword foils in lexical decision.

Two inconsistencies in the priming literature were investigated. Schuberth and Eimas (1977) reported that semantic priming and frequency have additive effects on RTs in lexical decision tasks, wher...
Sandia Data Archive (SDA) file specifications

The Sandia Data Archive (SDA) format is a specific implementation of the HDF5 (Hierarchal Data Format version 5) standard. The format was developed for storing data in a universally accessible manner. SDA files may contain one or more data records, each associated with a distinct text label. Primitive records provide basic data storage, while compound records support more elaborate grouping. External records allow text/binary files to be carried inside an archive and later recovered. This report documents version 1.0 of the SDA standard. The information provided here is sufficient for reading from and writing to an archive. Although the format was original designed for use in MATLAB, broader use is encouraged.
Prerequisites of successful heparinization to prevent gangrene after frostbite.

Summary1. Prevention of gangrene after severe frostbite requires a continuous uninterrupted prolongation of the coagulation time by heparin injections or infusions for at least 5 days after the exposure.2. Even brief interruptions of this prolongation lead to a rapid increase in percentage of failure of the treatment.3. Experiments in which such a prolongation is not achieved continuously are of no value in judging the merits of the therapy.4. The term “heparinization” should be reserved for such instances in which heparin injections are proved to have produced a continuously maintained elevation of coagulation time to the desired level.
Glucosamine utilization by some lactic acid bacteria.

which ferment glucose are also able, with a few exceptions, to ferment glucosamine with the production of acid or acid and gas when the amino sugar is incorporated in nutrient broth or other suitable medium (Meyer, 1913; Noble and Knacke, 1928; Koser and Saunders, 1933). Wedumi and Walker (1935) applied quantitative analysis to the study of 61 strains of bacteria representing 32 species and a few yeasts or yeastlike fungi. All bacteria which fermented glucose in indicator broth tests also utilized glucosamine. Apparently no lactobacilli were used in any of the studies cited above. More recently, glucosamine has been included in studies of glucose analogues with the idea that some of them might serve as antagonists of glucose metabolism and, by virtue of this and perhaps other properties, possibly act as tumorinhibiting agents. In a review of tissue culture nutrition Morgan (1958) mentions several reports of a deleterious effect exerted by glucosamine on human tumor cells in tissue culture and on mouse sarcoma 37 in tissue culture and in mice.
Competition in the Newspaper Industry

THE broad behavior patterns in the daily newspaper industry conform, in general, with those commonly associated with conditions of imperfect competition. These include stabilization of prices, reflected in the tendency for advertising and subscription rates to remain rigid over time; price discrimination, exemplified by charging different groups of advertisers and subscribers different rates for advertising space and subscriptions at the same time; and non-price competition, evidenced by efforts to increase sales of advertising space and subscriptions by using incentives other than cutting prices.1 These behavior patterns in the newspaper industry are of long duration and are commonly practiced. They appear characteristic of newspaper practice both in one-newspaper towns and in cities having two or more daily newspapers. As early as 1887, a speaker before the first national convention of the American Newspaper Publishers Association, the only national daily newspaper trade association, pleaded with publishers to cease bidding with one another for advertising patronage.2 He urged that established advertising rates be maintained. Similar pleas have been made before ANPA, as well as sectional and state publishers' associations, during more recent years.
The effect of diabetes and sex on nitric oxide-mediated cardiovascular dynamics.

Diabetes is associated with impaired cardiovascular responses that are especially prominent in females. Since nitric oxide (NO)–mediated effects on cardiovascular dynamics are altered in diabetes, we evaluated the effect of L-NAME, a nitric oxide synthase (NOS) antagonist, on mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), and selective vascular flows in both male and female normal and diabetic rats as an index of NO activity. Rats were made diabetic using streptozotocin and maintained for 5–6 weeks. Following anesthesia with urethane/α-chloralose, the femoral artery and vein were cannulated for recording and sampling, and flow probes were placed on the iliac, renal, and superior mesenteric arteries. A bolus infusion of L-NAME (10mg/kg) resulted in a rapid +52% and +68% increase in MAP in normal female and male rats, respectively. However, diabetic females' and males' responses were significantly lower (44% and 45%, respectively) when compared with their normal counterparts. The decreased HR in response to...
Identification of novel PIKFYVE gene mutations associated with Fleck corneal dystrophy

Purpose: To report the identification of a novel frameshift mutation and copy number variation (CNV) in PIKFYVE in two probands with fleck corneal dystrophy (FCD). Methods: Slit-lamp examination was performed to identify characteristic features of FCD. After genomic DNA was collected, PCR amplification and automated sequencing of all 41 exons of PIKFYVE was performed. Using genomic DNA, quantitative PCR (qPCR) was performed to detect CNVs within PIKFYVE. Results: In the first FCD proband, numerous panstromal punctate opacities were observed in each of the proband’s corneas, consistent with the diagnosis of FCD. Screening of PIKFYVE demonstrated a novel heterozygous frameshift mutation in exon 19, c.3151dupA, which is predicted to encode for a truncated PIKFYVE protein, p.(Asp1052Argfs*18). This variant was identified in an affected sister but not in the proband’s unaffected mother or brother or 200 control chromosomes. The second FCD proband presented with bilateral, discrete, punctate, grayish-white stromal opacities. Exonic screening of PIKFYVE revealed no causative variant. However, CNV analysis demonstrated the hemizygous deletion of exons 15 and 16. Conclusions: We report a novel heterozygous frameshift mutation (c.3151dupA) and a CNV in PIKFYVE, representing the first CNV and the fifth frameshift mutation associated with FCD.
Alabama Sports Medicine Experience with Isolated and Combined Posterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries

Injuries to the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) are an uncommon but significant instability pattern that eventually deteriorates the articular surface of the PLC-deficient knee. Although controversy persists regarding the appropriate treatment for the isolated PCL tear, patients with combined ligament injuries are best served by reconstruction of the PCL and surgical correction of the other injured tissues. The authors outline their experience with these complex ligamentous derangements.
High tech-soft touch: breastfeeding issues.

The attitudes of health care workers can affect the incidence as well as the quality of the breastfeeding experience for the mother and her infant while in the hospital. Attitudes are communicated very easily to patients. Health care workers need to examine their own attitudes as well as methods to collect breastfeeding data, hospital policies, teaching programs and environments when evaluating breastfeeding in a unit or hospital. Positive attitudes may strongly influence the initiation and the duration of breast feeding for women.
Stress in 1st-year women teachers: the context of social support and coping.

The effects of adverse work environments were examined in the context of other risk/protective factors in this extension of a short-term longitudinal study involving 184 newly appointed women teachers. Regression analyses revealed that-adjusting for preemployment levels of the outcomes and negative affectivity-social support and adversity in the fall work environment were among the factors that affected spring depressive symptoms, self-esteem, job satisfaction, and motivation to teach. Support from nonwork sources was directly related to future improved symptom levels and self-esteem; supervisor and colleague support were directly related to future job satisfaction. Effects of occupational coping, professional efficacy, locus of control, and school factors (e.g., special vs. regular education) were largely nonsignificant. Structural equation analyses indicated that adverse working conditions began to seriously affect the women soon after they started teaching.
Treatment of Ruptured Anterior Communicating Artery Aneurysms: Equipoise in the Endovascular Era?

Background Ruptured anterior communicating artery (ACoA) aneurysms are heterogeneous intracranial aneurysms whose diverse morphological features influence treatment modality. Objective To compare clinical outcomes and complications of all ruptured ACoA aneurysms treated by clipping or coiling in a modern institutional trial. Methods All patients with ruptured ACoA aneurysms in the Barrow Ruptured Aneurysm Trial were included. Clinical follow-up at 1 and 3 years was analyzed; charts were reviewed for patient demographics, aneurysm characteristics, and in-hospital complications. Results This cohort included 130 patients (mean age, 52.5 years). Mean aneurysm size was 5.8 mm. Most aneurysm domes projected anteriorly (n = 52). After randomization and crossover, 91 ACoA aneurysms (70%) were clipped and 39 (30%) were coiled. Twenty-two patients (16.9%) initially randomized to coiling crossed over to clipping after evaluation. No patients crossed over from clipping to coiling. Characteristics precluding aneurysms from coiling included unfavorable dome-to-neck ratio, lesions difficult to access by catheter, and branch vessel involvement. Aneurysm size and dome projection were not significantly associated with treatment group, clinical outcome, or retreatment. No significant difference existed in clinical outcome (modified Rankin Scale scores) between groups at discharge or at 1-year or 3-year follow-up using as-treated and intention-to-treat analyses. Retreatment was performed in 3 clipped patients (2.3%) and 3 coiled patients (2.3%). Conclusion Ruptured ACoA aneurysms, regardless of size and projection, were safely treated by both treatment modalities in a large-scale randomized clinical trial. Clinical outcomes and stroke rates did not differ significantly in as-treated or intention-to-treat analyses.
Electronic structure and electron-phonon coupling in TiH2

Calculations using first principles methods and strong coupling theory are carried out to understand the electronic structure and superconductivity in cubic and tetragonal TiH2. A large electronic density of states at the Fermi level in the cubic phase arises from Ti-t2g states and leads to a structural instability towards tetragonal distortion at low temperatures. However, constraining the in-plane lattice constants diminishes the energy gain associated with the tetragonal distortion, allowing the cubic phase to be stable at low temperatures. Calculated phonon dispersions show decoupled acoustic and optic modes arising from Ti and H vibrations, respectively, and frequencies of optic modes to be rather high. The cubic phase has a large electron-phonon coupling parameter λ and critical temperature of several K. Contribution of the hydrogen sublattice to λ is found to be small in this material, which we understand from strong coupling theory to be due to the small H-s DOS at the Fermi level and high energy of hydrogen modes at the tetrahedral sites.
Abstraction and Appropriateness

In order to understand the way in which the symbolic systems of modem logic can be used to solve various problems about the cogency of argument, it is instructive to consider the familiar use of mathematical systems to solve a wide range of practical problems. The close relationship to be described is no accident of history. Features of the use of mathematical systems that can be discerned by philosophical analysis have been the most important models for the twentieth-century construction of symbolic logical systems.
Lysosomal Diseases and Fibroblast Cultures: Biochemical and Electron Microscopic Observations

Most lysosomal diseases are fatal, often after a protracted downhill course that is painfully apparent to patient, parents and physician. This interim report relates our attempts to treat such patients; and to find ultrastructural and biochemical markers in fibroblast cultures for the study of pathophysiology and treatment of lysosomal disease.
Kinetics of Chimerism and Unit Predominance After Double Umbilical Cord Blood Transplantation

Abstract Abstract 225 Double umbilical cord blood (dUCB) transplantation (dUCBT) is a strategy to overcome dose limitation in adult recipients. It is established that after dUCBT, one unit will predominate by day +100 after transplant in >95%. While in some studies order of infusion has been associated with unit predominance, this has not been reproduced in an analysis at our center. However, significant differences in UCB infusion between these two analysis were present. In particular, at our center, unit order of infusion is random and the second infusion is within minutes of the first, while this prior study separated infusion time by 6 hours. Between 2001 and 2009, 262 patients with hematologic malignancies underwent a dUCBT and engrafted. Of these, 233 were >18 years of age with 39% conditioned with cyclophosphamide (CY) 60 mg/kg, fludarabine (FLU) 75 mg/m2 and total body irradiation (TBI) 1320–1375 cGy and 61% with CY 50 mg/kg, FLU 200 mg/m2 and TBI 200 cGy with 1/3 also receiving antithymocyte globulin (ATG); 100% received cyclosporine and mycophenolate mofetil posttransplant immunosuppression. Median recipient weight was 78 kg and median follow-up was 2.7 years (0.5-7.2). The following factors were considered in the logistic regression model: total nucleated cell (TNC), CD34+ and CD3+ cell and colony forming units-granulocyte macrophage (CFU-GM) doses, HLA match, sex and ABO-match, CXCR4 expression on CD34+ cells, order of infusion and cell viability. Cell viability, infused TNC, CD34+ and CD3+ cell and CFU-GM doses were remarkably similar between the predominating and non-predominating unit. By day 21, the predominating unit (i.e., representing >70% of hematopoiesis) was achieved in 73 of 90 (81%) patients after MA conditioning and in 88 of 145 (61%) patients after reduced dose conditioning (p Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Does social exchange relationship impair audit committee effectiveness

This research applies the three-tier agency theory and social exchange theory to study the role of audit committees in improving financial reporting quality and reducing the likelihood of earnings restatements. Utilizing a matched sample of restated and non-restated U.S. listed firms between 2002 and 2005, this paper finds that firms with a larger proportion of audit committee members appointed after the CEO are associated with higher incidences of restatements, while the presence of an all-independent nomination committee is associated with a lower likelihood of restatements. The paper also shows that firms whose audit committee members have longer average tenure and receive higher director compensation are associated with a smaller likelihood of restatements. Finally, the paper documents changes in the impact of audit committee characteristics on financial restatements after the enactment of the Sarbanes–Oxley Act. Overall, our results suggest that audit committees’ effectiveness in supervising financial reporting quality is affected by social exchange processes and the broad social context.
The Nile River Basin and Water Security

This chapter provides a brief overview background of the Nile River Basin and water security, scope of the chapter, geographical snapshot of the Blue Nile River, the Nile River Basin, puzzles and theoretical understandings, Ethiopian hegemony, and hydro-hegemony (Egypt and Sudan).
Expanding the Palliative Care Domains to Meet the Needs of a Community-Based Supportive Care Model:

Background:Whole person care is appropriate for seriously ill persons. The current framework of palliative care domains in the National Consensus Project (NCP) Guidelines for Quality Palliative Car...
A single N-terminal phosphomimic disrupts TDP-43 polymerization, phase separation, and RNA splicing

Abstract TDP‐43 is an RNA‐binding protein active in splicing that concentrates into membraneless ribonucleoprotein granules and forms aggregates in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Alzheimer9s disease. Although best known for its predominantly disordered C‐terminal domain which mediates ALS inclusions, TDP‐43 has a globular N‐terminal domain (NTD). Here, we show that TDP‐43 NTD assembles into head‐to‐tail linear chains and that phosphomimetic substitution at S48 disrupts TDP‐43 polymeric assembly, discourages liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) in vitro , fluidizes liquid–liquid phase separated nuclear TDP‐43 reporter constructs in cells, and disrupts RNA splicing activity. Finally, we present the solution NMR structure of a head‐to‐tail NTD dimer comprised of two engineered variants that allow saturation of the native polymerization interface while disrupting higher‐order polymerization. These data provide structural detail for the established mechanistic role of the well‐folded TDP‐43 NTD in splicing and link this function to LLPS. In addition, the fusion‐tag solubilized, recombinant form of TDP‐43 full‐length protein developed here will enable future phase separation and in vitro biochemical assays on TDP‐43 function and interactions that have been hampered in the past by TDP‐43 aggregation.
Connecting attachment style to resilience: Contributions of self-care and self-efficacy

Abstract Research suggests attachment style may contribute to individual differences in resilience, but little is known about the mechanisms of this relationship. Self-care and self-efficacy may be promising pathways by which attachment influences resilience. The current study evaluated the contributions of attachment security, self-efficacy, and self-care to resilience among a sample of undergraduate students. We hypothesized that individuals with a more secure attachment style would experience greater resilience via increased self-efficacy and more frequent practicing of self-care. Participants reported attachment style, resilience, self-efficacy, and self-care. Results partially supported the hypotheses; self-efficacy and self-care partially mediated the relationship between attachment security and resilience. Therefore, to promote resilience, it may be preferable to focus efforts on these more malleable factors.
Designing Self-Destructing Wireless Sensors With Security and Performance Assurance

Abstract A lost wireless sensor may lead to the leakage of sensitive information. This paper proposes a framework to facilitate the design of self-destructing wireless sensors with assured security and performance properties. This framework includes a cryptographic self-destructing mechanism that enables autonomous self-destruction of a wireless sensor and a caching strategy to reduce the performance overhead that is consequently introduced. Based on Discrete-Time Markov Chains (DTMC), we have designed models to characterize the proposed self-destructing mechanism, the caching strategy, various components in a sensor, the attacker, and the interactions among all these elements. We have also defined security and performance properties in the form of probabilistic computation tree logic (PCTL), which could be rigorously verified using probabilistic model checking. This framework offers unique capabilities on performing quantitative analysis on security and performance of wireless sensors.
Classifier syntax in Vietnamese

Vietnamese is a language with a three-way split in the appearance of numeral classifiers when nouns are counted: some nouns always require classifiers (obligatory-classifier nouns), others occur only optionally with classifiers (optional-classifier nouns), and a third group never combines with a classifier (non-classified nouns). This distribution provides potentially important information on the much debated question of whether classifiers functionally combine with numerals (Bale and Coon in Linguist Inq 45:695–707, 2014) or with nouns (Li in Linguist Inq 29(4):693–702, 1998; Cheng and Sybesma in Linguist Inq 30:509–542, 1999). It also appears to challenge Chierchia’s (Nat Lang Semant 6(4):339–405, 1998) characterization of the basic semantic type of nouns found in different languages, which assumes a uniform pattern of classifier occurrence in numeral classifier languages. Having described the broad distribution of classifiers in Vietnamese and the questions this raises, the article probes the syntactic properties of classifiers with the three types of noun in the language, considering double classifier patterns, fragment answers, passive constructions, and the use of classifiers with certain compound nouns. Evidence from such phenomena is shown to support the hypothesis that a uniform syntactic structure is actually projected with nouns of all types in Vietnamese, but sometimes masked by the use of nouns to overtly lexicalize both the N and CL positions in nominal projections through N-to-Cl movement.
Some Characteristics of Inoculum for the Mass Culture of a Halophilic, Thermophilic Strain of Synechococcus elongatus

Cultures of a halophilic strain of Synechococcus elongatus Naegeli var. vestitus Copeland were grown at various temperatures. Maximum growth rates (K value 0.363) occurred in cultures kept at a constant 45°C, while cultures moved from 45°C to 35°C for a period of 5 months and returned to 45°C did not attain growth rates as high as the growth rate at the original temperature of 45°C. Availability and ratios of sources of nitrogen and phosphorus for the culture were investigated using potassium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, urea and potassium dihydrogen phosphate. Optimal nitrogen:phosphate (N:P) ratios obtained were 10.19:1 in culture with potassium nitrate or 18.7:1 with urea and potassium dihydrogen phosphate.
Use of the Classic Hallucinogen Psilocybin for Treatment of Existential Distress Associated with Cancer

This chapter reviews the potential of a treatment approach that uses psilocybin, a novel psychoactive drug, to ameliorate the psychospiritual distress and demoralization that often accompany a life-threatening cancer diagnosis. The focus of cutting-edge research beginning in the 1950s, the investigation of classic hallucinogens had a major impact on the evolving field of psychiatry, contributing to early discoveries of basic neurotransmitter systems and to significant developments in clinical psychopharmacology. While published reports of therapeutic breakthroughs with difficult-to-treat and refractory patient populations were initially met with mainstream professional enthusiasm, by the late 1960s and early 1970s the growing association of hallucinogens with widespread indiscriminate use led to the temporary abandonment of this promising psychiatric treatment model. After a hiatus lasting several decades, however, regulatory and scientific support has grown for the resumption of clinical research investigations exploring the safety and efficacy of a treatment model utilizing the classic hallucinogen, psilocybin, in a subject population that had previously demonstrated positive therapeutic response, patients with existential anxiety due to a life-threatening cancer diagnosis.
Intersecting a ray with quadric surface

Publisher Summary Quadric surfaces are common modeling primitives for a variety of computer graphics and computer-aided-design applications. Ray tracing or ray firing is also a popular method used for realistic renderings of quadric surfaces. This chapter presents an algorithm for locating the intersection points between a ray and general quadratic surfaces, including ellipsoids, cones, cylinders, paraboloids, and hyperboloids. The chapter describes a means for determining the surface normal at the point of intersection. The normal is required in lighting model computations. For a variety of common quadric surfaces in standard position, that is, positioned at the origin with the y-axis being the axis of symmetry, the coefficient matrices can be quickly constructed. The position and orientation of a quadric can be conveniently defined using any two of the three unit vectors describing the local coordinate system of that quadric. The intersection of a ray with a quadric surface can be found by substituting the vector expression of the parametric ray equations into the matrix form of the general quadric surface. A quick and efficient bounding test for eliminating unnecessary ray-quadric surface intersections involves bounding the quadric with an infinite cylinder.
Dynamic Changes in the Perinuclear Matrix during Spermiogenesis and Sperm Maturation in the Mouse

During mammalian spermatogenesis the germ cell undergoes mitotic proliferation, meiosis, and spermiogenesis (Bellve, 1979). In meiosis the nucleus passes through distinctive cytological events that reflect the molecular processes of genetic recombination, chromosome segregation and two reduction divisions. Later, during early spermiogenesis, the nucleus acquires polarity by forming a cap of heterochromatin, fusing the justaposed region of nuclear membranes and depositing a layer of perinuclear material. Then, as the nucleus condenses and becomes falciform in shape, the histones are replaced by protamines and quantitatively the bulk of the nonhistone proteins are lost. Of the many “non-histone” or “nonprotamine” proteins that remain associated with the nucleus after spermiation, nothing is known about their functions (Bellve and O’Brien, 1983). Yet, these proteins may have structural or regulatory roles essential to sperm maturation, capacitation, acrosome reaction and/or fertilization.
Gene expression analysis for improved subtyping of high-risk neuroblastoma.

10559Background: One of the hallmarks of neuroblastoma is molecular heterogeneity, which leads to spontaneous remission in some patients and aggressive, resistant disease in others. Patients with l...
Inflammation: Bridging Age, Menopause and APOEε4 Genotype to Alzheimer's Disease.

Neuro-inflammatory processes that contribute to development of Alzheimer's are evident early in the latent prodromal phase and worsen during the course of the disease. Despite substantial mechanistic and clinical evidence of inflammation, therapeutic approaches targeting inflammation have failed to alter the course of the disease. Disparate results from epidemiological and clinical trials targeting inflammation, highlight the complexity of the inflammatory process. Herein we review the dynamics of the inflammatory process across aging, midlife endocrine transitions, and the APOEe4 genotype and their contribution to progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We discuss the chronic inflammatory processes that are activated during midlife chronological and endocrine aging, which ultimately limit the clearance capacity of microglia and lead to immune senescence. Aging, menopause, and APOEe4 combine the three hits of a compromised bioenergetic system of menopause with the chronic low grade innate inflammation of aging with the APOEe4 dyslipidemia and adaptive immune response. The inflammatory immune response is the unifying factor that bridges across each of the risk factors for AD. Immune system regulators that are specific to stage of disease and inflammatory phenotype would provide a therapeutic strategy to disconnect the bridge that drives disease. Outcomes of this analysis provide plausible mechanisms underlying failed clinical trials of anti-inflammatory agents in Alzheimer's patients. Further, they highlight the need for stratifying AD clinical trial cohorts based on inflammatory phenotype. Combination therapies that include targeted use of anti-inflammatory agent's specific to the immune phenotype are considered.
Suboptimal geographic accessibility to comprehensive HIV care in the US: regional and urban-rural differences.

Achieving US state and municipal benchmarks to end the HIV epidemic and promote health equity requires access to comprehensive HIV care. However, this care may not be geographically accessible for all people living with HIV (PLHIV). We estimated county-level drive time and suboptimal geographic accessibility to HIV care across the contiguous US, assessing regional and urban-rural differences. We integrated publicly available data from four federal databases to identify and geocode sites providing comprehensive HIV care in 2015, defined as the co-located provision of core HIV medical care and support services. Leveraging street network, US Census and HIV surveillance data (2014), we used geographic analysis to estimate the fastest one-way drive time between the population-weighted county centroid and the nearest site providing HIV care for counties reporting at least five diagnosed HIV cases. We summarized HIV care sites, county-level drive time, population-weighted drive time and suboptimal geographic accessibility to HIV care, by US region and county rurality (2013). Geographic accessibility to HIV care was suboptimal if drive time was >30 min, a common threshold for primary care accessibility in the general US population. Tests of statistical significance were not performed, since the analysis is population-based. We identified 671 HIV care sites across the US, with 95% in urban counties. Nationwide, the median county-level drive time to HIV care is 69 min (interquartile range (IQR) 66 min). The median county-level drive time to HIV care for rural counties (90 min, IQR 61) is over twice that of urban counties (40 min, IQR 48), with the greatest urban-rural differences in the West. Nationally, population-weighted drive time, an approximation of individual-level drive time, is over five times longer in rural counties than in urban counties. Geographic access to HIV care is suboptimal for over 170,000 people diagnosed with HIV (19%), with over half of these individuals from the South and disproportionately the rural South. Nationally, approximately 80,000 (9%) drive over an hour to receive HIV care. Suboptimal geographic accessibility to HIV care is an important structural barrier in the US, particularly for rural residents living with HIV in the South and West. Targeted policies and interventions to address this challenge should become a priority.
Multipath Mitigation from FM-AM Correlation

Multipath is one of the limiting factors for an accurate outdoor and indoor localization. We proposed an approach that uses a multipath mitigation derived from the undesired frequency-to-amplitude conversion of a frequency modulated (FM) signal experiencing multipath.
Outcomes after Treatment with Upfront Cyclophosphamide or Rituximab for Initial Acquired Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura

Background: Acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (aTTP) is a rare, life-threatening emergency caused by auto-antibodies against ADAMTS13. Current standard therapy utilizes plasma exchange (PLEX) and corticosteroids. Although this induces remission, disease relapse remains a common problem. Since more than 90% of aTTP is caused by an antibody to ADAMTS13, additional immunosuppressive therapy with rituximab (RTX) given upfront has been shown to lower relapse rates. An alternative therapy, Cyclophosphamide (CTX) has been used in relapsed disease, but data on its use in upfront management is limited to case reports only. Our study aims to compare outcomes at our institution between upfront CTX, RTX, and standard therapy alone. Our secondary objective is to identify initial presenting features that are predictive of higher relapse risk. Methods: In a retrospective cohort study, we identified all patients at our institution with a diagnosis code of TTP (ICD 9, 10: 446.6, M31.1) between 2009 and 2019. We only included patients with a confirmed diagnosis of aTTP, defined as having an ADAMTS13 level Results: A total of 42 patients with a diagnosis of aTTP were identified in our cohort. The average age at diagnosis was 43.7 years. All patients received standard therapy with PLEX and steroids upon initial diagnosis. The prophylaxis group (n=29) received additional upfront therapy with either RTX (n=22) or CTX (n=6), and the control group (n=12) was treated with PLEX and steroids alone. There were no significant differences in the baseline characteristics between both groups. The median time to first relapse was 34.9 months in the control group, and 108.3 months in the prophylaxis group. Treatment with standard therapy alone was associated with a multi-variate hazard risk of 6.38 (95% CI: 1.1-37.7, p Conclusion: Our study is the first to examine outcomes in a subset of patients treated with upfront CTX therapy for initial aTTP, and suggests similar time to first remission and 4-year CIR as compared to RTX. Our institutional experience suggests that CTX may be considered as an alternative therapy in patients intolerant to RTX. However, given the small group of patients treated with CTX, larger, prospective studies are warranted to confirm this observation. Consistent with currently published literature, PLEX and steroid therapy alone was associated with a significantly shorter duration of remission compared to additional immunosuppressive therapy. Furthermore, higher inhibitor titers were predictive of a shorter duration of remission, suggesting a role for aggressive upfront immunosuppressive treatment in these patients. Download : Download high-res image (77KB) Download : Download full-size image Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Quantifying gender disparity in physician authorship among commentary articles in three high-impact medical journals: an observational study

Background Scholarship plays a direct role in career advancement, promotion and authoritative recognition, and women physicians remain under-represented as authors of original research articles. Objective We sought to determine if women physician authors are similarly under-represented in commentary articles within high-impact journals. Design/Setting/Participants In this observational study, we abstracted and analysed author information (gender and degree) and authorship position from commentary articles published in three high-impact journals between 1 January 2014 and 16 October 2018. Primary outcome measure Authorship rate of commentary articles over a 5-year period by gender, degree, authorship position and journal. Secondary outcome measures To compare the proportion of men and women physician authorship of commentaries relative to the proportion of men and women physician faculty within academic medicine; and to examine the gender concordance among the last and first authors in articles with more than one author. Results Of the 2087 articles during the study period, 48% were men physician first authors compared with 17% women physician first authors (p Conclusions Women physician authors remain under-represented in commentary articles compared with men physician authors in the first and last author positions. Women also coauthored commentaries with other women in far fewer numbers.
ACLR GRAFT STRAND NUMBER: LONG-TERM FOLLOW-UP ON 400 PATIENTS:

Background:Studies on pediatric anterior cruciate ligament reconstructions (ACLRs) often focus on graft choice, as rates of these injuries have risen in recent years. Large multicenter studies have...
Synthesis and Characterization of New Dental Composite for Dentistry Based on Unsaturated Monomers and Nano-fillers by Photopolymerization

In this study, dental nano-composite specimens were prepared by dispersion of various amounts of nano-sized fillers (HA, ZrO2, and SiO2) in a monomer system containing 60% Bis-GMA and 40% TEGDMA. 2,2 propyl bis-phenyl glycidyldimethacrylate (Bis-GMA) with unsaturated monomers were prepared. Camphor Quinone (CQ) of 1 wt %, 2-DiMethyl Amino Ethyl Methacrylate (DMAEMA) of 1 wt % have been applied in photo-initiation system for the purpose of initiating matrix resins’ co-polymerization. Wear resistance, flexural strength, hardness and compressive strength were measured. The results indicated an increase in the mechanical properties in the samples containing nano-size filler particles. It is interesting to note that, this improvement was observed at much lower nano-size filler content. Physicochemical properties, such as Solubility (SL), Water Sorption (WS) as well as the Volumetric Shrinkage (VS) have been examined. FT-IR as well as SEM have been utilized for implementing the characterization. SEM has been applied for showing particle size distribution as well as the particle agglomeration that is related to the treated nano-fillers in nano-composites. FT-IT is initially applied for identifying qualitative compositions regarding the nano-composites’ compositions. The Thermal stability of all dental nano-ocomposites was also studied using TGA and DSC techniques.
Intervention effect of health education on malaria in rural residents of Dandong City, Liaoning Province

Objective To evaluate the effect of health education on malaria among the rural residents in Liaoning Province.Methods The needs for health education materials were investigated using self-administered questionnaire in Zhenxing,Zhenan,Kuandian and Donggan counties.According to the local conditions,the education materials were then produced.Health education intervention activities were complemented through issuance of propaganda materials,posters,sending text messages etc.The effect of health education intervention was evaluated by the awareness rate of malaria knowledge in the baseline survey and the work effect investigation.Results The awareness rate of malaria prevention had significant differences among the residents with different education levels (x2=11.753,P＜0.05).No significant differences due to occupation,gender and age factors.The awareness rates of malaria knowledge were 54.31％(782/1 440)and 87.37％(629/720) respectively before and after the intervention in students while 39.58％ (2 850/7 201) and 87.37％ (629/720) respectively in residents,with significant difference (x2=231.54,930.27,P＜0.05).Both awareness rates were higher after the intervention.Conclusion The awareness rate of malaria knowledge can be significantly improved by the health education materials produced according to the preliminary investigation on health education demand. Key words: Malaria; Health education; Awareness
Repurposing elesclomol, an investigational drug for the treatment of copper metabolism disorders

Copper serves as a structural and catalytic cofactor for a variety of enzymes in aerobic organisms. Though present in trace amounts, copper is essential for numerous biochemical processes including...
Transient forced convection heat transfer from an isothermal flat plate.

An analysis is presented for laminar transient forced-convection heat transfer from a horizontal flat plate. The presented analysis results include transient velocity and temperature profiles, boundary-layer growth rate, and heat-transfer rate with time.
Increased Plasma Chymase Concentration and Mast Cell Chymase Expression in Venous Neointimal Lesions of Patients with CKD and ESRD

The underlying inflammatory component of chronic kidney disease may predispose blood vessels to intimal hyperplasia (IH), which is the primary cause of dialysis access failure. We hypothesize that vascular pathology and markers of IH formation are antecedent to arteriovenous (AV) fistula creation. Blood, cephalic, and basilic vein segments were collected from predialysis chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients with no previous AV access and patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Immunohistochemistry was performed with antibodies against mast cell chymase, transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), which cause IH. Plasma chymase was measured by ELISA. IH was present in 91% of CKD and 75% of ESRD vein segments. Chymase was abundant in vessels with IH, with the greatest expression in intima and medial layers, and virtually absent in the controls. Chymase colocalized with TGF-β1 and IL-6. Plasma chymase concentration was elevated up to 33-fold in patients with CKD versus controls and was associated with increased chymase in vessels with IH. We show that chymase expression in vessels with IH corresponds with plasma chymase concentrations. As chymase inhibition attenuates IH in animal models, and we find chymase is highly expressed in IH lesions of patients with CKD and ESRD, we speculate that chymase inhibition could have therapeutic value in humans.