cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The synthesis and characterization of potassium 2,2'-bipyridinetetranitroruthenate.

We report a convenient synthesis of K2[Ru(bpy)(NO2)4] via the thermal displacement of benzene from [(Bz)Ru(bpy)Cl]Cl (Bz = η6-C6H6; bpy = 2,2‘-bipyridine) by nitrite ion in methanol solution. K2[Ru(bpy)(NO2)4] has been fully characterized by elemental analysis, X-ray crystallography, and 1H NMR, IR, UV−vis, and emission spectroscopy. Reaction of K2[Ru(bpy)(NO2)4] with pyridine under mild or forcing conditions produces fac-K[Ru(bpy)(NO2)3(py)] and cis-[Ru(NO2)2(bpy)(py)2] (py = pyridine), respectively. We report full characterization data for these compounds, including crystal structures. The dπ(Ru) → π*(bpy) charge-transfer band in the electronic spectra of K2[Ru(bpy)(NO2)4] and fac-[Ru(bpy)(NO2)3(py)] displays a significant solvent dependence. The energy of the absorption band correlates linearly with the Gutmann solvent acceptor number. The solvatochromic response of these nitro complexes is essentially identical to that of the analogous cyanide complexes, indicating that the mechanism previously propos...
Metabolic and contractile changes in fast and slow muscles of the cat after glucocorticoid-induced atrophy.

Abstract The susceptibility of fast- and slow-twitch hind limb muscles to glucocorticoid-induced atrophy was investigated in adult male cats treated for 10 to 14 days with triamcinolone (4 mg/kg/day), using several histochemical, biochemical, and functional indices. After treatment, muscle weight loss in the fast-twitch muscles (medial gastrocnemius and vastus medialis) occurred to a greater extent than in the slow-twitch muscles (soleus and vastus intermedius), with the latter muscles decreasing in weight proportional to the body weight. Fast-twitch glycolytic (FG) fibers responded with similar degrees of atrophy in the muscles examined; however, slow-twitch oxidative (SO) and fast-twitch oxidative glycolytic (FOG) fibers atrophied more in the fast-twitch compared to the slow-twitch muscles. Phosphofructokinase and NADP+-linked isocitrate dehydrogenase specific activities decreased similarly in the fast-twitch muscles, while no change occurred in the slow-twitch muscles. Functionally, the soleus and medial gastrocnemius remained unchanged in abilities to generate tension tetanically, when this was expressed per unit muscle mass or per unit contractile protein. As a result of the treatment, however, the medial gastrocnemius fatigued faster in response to repetitive stimulation in the glucocorticoid-treated animals. The results suggest that the response of muscle to glucocorticoid-induced atrophy is not regulated by the primary metabolic pathways used for energy production. The differences in response of the SO and FOG fiber types in fast- versus slow-twitch muscles suggest basic differences in metabolic and activity profiles of the same fiber types in different muscles, which may influence susceptibility to atrophy.
Faster minimization of linear wirelength for global placement

A linear wirelength objective more effectively captures timing, congestion, and other global placement considerations than a squared wirelength objective. The GORDIAN-L cell placement tool minimizes linear wirelength by first approximating the linear wirelength objective by a modified squared wirelength objective, then executing the following loop-(1) minimize the current objective to yield some approximate solution and (2) use the resulting solution to construct a more accurate objective-until the solution converges. This paper shows how to apply a generalization of an algorithm due to Weiszfeld (1937) to placement with a linear wirelength objective and that the main GORDIAN-L loop is actually a special case of this algorithm. We then propose applying a regularization parameter to the generalized Weiszfeld algorithm to control the tradeoff between convergence and solution accuracy; the GORDIAN-L iteration is equivalent to setting this regularization parameter to zero. We also apply novel numerical methods, such as the primal-Newton and primal-dual Newton iterations, to optimize the linear wirelength objective. Finally, we show both theoretically and empirically that the primal-dual Newton iteration stably attains quadratic convergence, while the generalized Weiszfeld iteration is linear convergent. Hence, primal-dual Newton is a superior choice for implementing a placer such as GORDIAN-L, or for any linear wirelength optimization.
The role of chronic self-propagating glial responses in neurodegeneration: implications for long-lived survivors of human immunodeficiency virus.

Within the last decade there has arisen increasing appreciation of the role of glia-derived immune and neurotrophic cytokines, especially microglia-derived interleukin-1 and astrocyte-derived S100β, in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease and of neurodegeneration in general. Available evidence now suggests that these neurotrophic and immune cytokines, produced in response to neuronal cell dysfunction or death, may elicit cellular and molecular responses resulting in further activation of glia and glial cytokine secretion, producing a cytokine cycle. In conditions characterized by chronic glial activation this cycle becomes self propagating, promoting further neurodegeneration and subsequent further induction of glial cell activation with production of cytokines. In Alzheimer's disease, for instance, such self-propagation is essential to the progressive accumulation of neuropathological changes that underlie progressive dementia. Conditions that predispose one to Alzheimer-type 'senile’ neuropatholog...
Robust maximum energy adaptive matched field processing

Adaptive array processing algorithms have achieved widespread use because they are very effective at rejecting unwanted signals (i.e. controlling sidelobe levels) and in general have very good resolution (i.e. have narrow mainlobes). However, many adaptive high-resolution array processing algorithms suffer a significant degradation in performance in the presence of environmental mismatch. This sensitivity to environmental mismatch is of particular concern in problems such as acoustic array processing in the ocean where the array processor's knowledge of the propagation characteristics of the ocean is usually imperfect. A maximum energy matched field processor is formulated which "tunes" the replica vector used by a minimum variance distortionless response (MVDR) matched field processor to adjust for fluctuations in the environment. The resulting processor has the same structure as the two-stage MVDR processor interpretation of the adaptive minmax matched field processor proposed previously. However, the criteria which the two processors use to "tune" replica vector differ. The result is that the MEMV processor achieves a level of performance superior to that of the adaptive minmax processor and close to that of traditional adaptive processors while limiting the sensitivity of the processor to environmental mismatch. An algorithm for implementing the professor is developed, and the performance of the processor is analyzed. >
Police Sexual Misconduct A National Scale Study of Arrested Officers

Police sexual misconduct is often considered a hidden crime that routinely goes unreported. The current study provides empirical data on cases of sex-related police crime at law enforcement agencie...
Plating — New Prospects for an Old Art

In 1850, merely fifty years after Volta described his electrochemical pile thus providing the first power source, electroplating was already an established practice in Europe. Today, electroplating is among the most widely spread chemical based technologies, applied in a wide range of scales in thousands of facilities. Surprisingly, many aspects of the field have not significantly changed over the years, and many current plating processes and facilities still closely resemble their older origins. The main reasons for this relatively slow technological evolution have been the secrecy traditionally associated with plating, which led to proprietary formulations and information exchange mainly through patent disclosures, and the fact that relatively unsophisticated and easy to adjust plating processes provided surface finishes which were quite adequate for early, non demanding, applications. Consequently, much of the progress in the field has been through “state of the art” concepts, rather than based on systematic scientific investigations and application of engineering principles.
Adenoviral-mediated gene transfer of vascular endothelial growth factor in critical limb ischemia: safety results from a phase I trial:

Critical limb ischemia (CLI) is typifi ed by rest pain and/or tissue necrosis secondary to advanced peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and is characterized by diminution in limb per-fusion at rest. ...
Towards a manageable solution to the iterative development of embedded knowledge-based systems

The project management, knowledge acquisition, and testing traceability of knowledge-based systems are addressed. Conventional software engineering mechanisms are utilized and woven into a process that encompasses the entire development lifecycle. Over the course of several KBS development projects, a process has been created and a suite of tools that assist in its execution has been selected. The projects have ranged from typical interactive-type systems to embedded and flight-worthy code. It was found that knowledge acquisition is key to the KBS lifecycle. A sophisticated tool, gIBIS, was used to combat this problem. This tool provides a visual and expedient methodology for the categorization of data, its representation and relationships, intuitive interface, and high-level prototyping capabilities. Traditional software engineering mechanisms have been coupled to gIBIS to create a flexible environment for the development and management of KBSs. >
The Effects of Anodal Stimulation of the Left Prefrontal Cortex on Sentence Production

Abstract Background Most studies in which Anodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (A-tDCS) has been used to improve language production have focused on single words. Yet sentence production requires more than lexical retrieval. For example, successful suppression of the past and careful planning of the future are two critical requirements for producing a correct sentence. Can A-tDCS improves those, and by extension, production at the sentence level? Objective/Hypothesis Given that many aspects of sentence production beyond word retrieval require frontally-mediated operations, we hypothesized that A-tDCS to the left prefrontal cortex should benefit various operation involved in producing sentences, two of which, suppression of the past and planning of the future, were targeted in this study. Methods We used a paradigm that elicited construction of sentences through event description, but was structured enough to allow for between-subject comparison, clear error identification, and implementation of experimental manipulations to probe certain aspects of production. Results We showed that A-tDCS to the left PFC reliably decreased the number of incomplete and errorful sentences. When the origin of this improvement was probed, we found that A-tDCS significantly decreased errors due to premature commitment to the future word (insufficient internal monitoring), and had a marginal effect on errors of perseverations (insufficient suppression of the past). Conclusion We conclude that A-tDCS is a promising tool for improving production at the sentence level, and that improvement can be expected when internal monitoring and control over verbal responses is impaired, or for certain cases of perseveratory errors.
The cytology and genetics of the wheats and their relatives.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the cytology and genetics of wheats and their relatives. Cytological and genetical studies of the polyploid wheats have largely been confined to the pentaploid hybrids between hexaploid (n =21) and tetraploid (n =14) wheats. Most of the remainder of the cytogenetic work has been done with deficiencies and duplications of whole chromosomes in the hexaploid T. vulgare (common wheat)— work largely limited until recently to the deficiency for a particular chromosome, the “speltoid” chromosome.
Design and rapid prototyping a high performance hardware fuzzy controller with adaptability

The design and implementation of a dedicated hardware controller for high-speed fuzzy control is discussed. By connection to a supervisory processor, the fuzzy controller's knowledge base can be updated at run time, making it suitable for real-time, adaptive control applications. The main part of a two inputs, one output prototype of the fuzzy controller has been implemented on a Xilinx XC4008-6 FPGA. With a parallel, pipelined architecture, the system can produce over 9 million control actions per second. >
Computer based performance analysis of faulted multiconductor multicircuit fault-tolerant network with distributed parameters

The author presents a computer-based approach to performance analysis of an M-terminal multiconductor, multicircuit, fault-tolerant network of transmission lines with distributed parameters and operating under multiple faults. For fault tolerance, the network includes a pool of spare conductors. The terminal pairs involved in a fault are modeled as an equivalent generalized two-port network with generalized ABCD parameters. The method determines the equivalent Thevenin's impedance and open circuit voltage at the point of a fault. The proposed method has been used to analyze the effect of isolated but faulted conductors on the system, and analytical expressions for quantitative determination of sending end quantities have been derived. The method is equally applicable to bolted or unbolted faults. >
Dispersion Interactions in Calculations of Properties of Energetic Materials

Until recently, first-principles calculations of potential energy surfaces (PES) were restricted to intermolecular interactions involving molecules containing just several atoms. This was due on one hand to high costs of wave-function-based electronic structure methods and, on the other hand, to the failure of the density functional theory (DFT) approaches to reproduce the dispersion part of intermolecular interactions. One solution to this problem is symmetry-adapted perturbation theory based on DFT description of monomers [SAPT(DFT)]. In applications to energetic materials, SAPT(DFT) predicted the correct crystal structure of RDX (1,3,5-trinitroperhydro-1,3,5-triazine). Recently, the complete PES of FOX-7 (1,1-diamino-2,2-dinitroethene) dimer was obtained using SAPT(DFT). Preliminary molecular dynamics simulations of the FOX-7 crystal show an improved agreement with experiment compared to literature results. A recently developed nearly-linearly scaling implementation of the SAPT(DFT) dispersion energy has been applied to interactions of energetic molecules. When the development of linearly-scaling SAPT(DFT) is finished, accurate studies of energetic molecules significantly larger than RDX and of other important systems (including biomolecules), containing in excess of one hundred atoms, will be possible. Another approach which can be applied to such systems is the dispersionless density functional (dlDF) method developed in our group which reproduces interaction energies with the dispersion component removed. The dispersion energy is then computed from an asymptotic function fitted to SAPT(DFT) dispersion energies of a training set, resulting in a method denoted as dlDF+D. Cross sections of the PES of the HMX (octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocane) dimer calculated using dlDF+D are presented.
Adaptive Radiation, Ecological Opportunity, and Evolutionary Determinism

Abstract: Adaptive radiation refers to diversification from an ancestral species that produces descendants adapted to use a great variety of distinct ecological niches. In this review, I examine two aspects of adaptive radiation: first, that it results from ecological opportunity and, second, that it is deterministic in terms of its outcome and evolutionary trajectory. Ecological opportunity is usually a prerequisite for adaptive radiation, although in some cases, radiation can occur in the absence of preexisting opportunity. Nonetheless, many clades fail to radiate although seemingly in the presence of ecological opportunity; until methods are developed to identify and quantify ecological opportunity, the concept will have little predictive utility in understanding a priori when a clade might be expected to radiate. Although predicted by theory, replicated adaptive radiations occur only rarely, usually in closely related and poorly dispersing taxa found in the same region on islands or in lakes. Continge...
Enhanced fungal resistance in transgenic cotton expressing an endochitinase gene from Trichoderma virens.

Summary Mycoparasitic fungi are proving to be rich sources of antifungal genes that can be utilized to genetically engineer important crops for resistance against fungal pathogens. We have transformed cotton and tobacco plants with a cDNA clone encoding a 42 kDa endochitinase from the mycoparasitic fungus, Trichoderma virens . Plants from 82 independently transformed callus lines of cotton were regenerated and analysed for transgene expression. Several primary transformants were identified with endochitinase activities that were significantly higher than the control values. Transgene integration and expression was confirmed by Southern and Northern blot analyses, respectively. The transgenic endochitinase activities were examined in the leaves of transgenic tobacco as well as in the leaves, roots, hypocotyls and seeds of transgenic cotton. Transgenic plants with elevated endochitinase activities also showed the expected 42 kDa endochitinase band in fluorescence, gel-based assays performed with the leaf extracts in both species. Homozygous T 2 plants of the high endochitinase-expressing cotton lines were tested for disease resistance against a soil-borne pathogen, Rhizoctonia solani and a foliar pathogen, Alternaria alternata . Transgenic cotton plants showed significant resistance to both
Undergraduate teaching project of the American Gastroenterological Association: a pathophysiology resource.

The Undergraduate Teaching Project was founded as a committee of the American Gastroenterological Association to improve medical school teaching of the pathophysiological basis of gastrointestinal and liver diseases. Twenty-six units of colored illustrations have been produced in 18 years, which are designed to be used by instructors to supplement their own material. The slides are the result of extensive reviews and revisions, a process that has created a unique repository of educational concepts utilized by most US medical schools and over 50 foreign schools. This brief summary of the genesis and operation of this venture may be of interest to other professional societies concerned with the development of teaching materials.
Modeling of p53 signaling pathway regulation

Loss of genomic stability control is central in cancer development. The regulation of normal responses to DNA damage and other forms of genotoxic stress by p53 pathway, isa key element in maintaining this control. The p53 pathway is disarmed by oncogenic mutations in p53 itself, by increased expression of viral oncoproteins, or by defective upstream regulation of p53 in majority of human tumors. Hence p53 plays a crucial role in the prevention and suppression of tumor development (Vogelstein et al. 2000). Regulation of p53 is done at different levels such as the p53 gene is regulated by MDM2 via a negative feedback loop, or it is phosphorylated by a member of protein kinases namely CDK7, or stabilized by the protein ARF (Lin K. et all 2000). Several computational models have been proposed to simulate the dynamics of p53-MDM2 loops, the p53 transcriptional activity, and the programmed cell death (apoptosis) signaling pathway. However none of the reports represent the complete process that will show the link between p53 regulation, apoptosis and other signaling pathways. In this paper we demonstrate the value of using Petri nets to model, simulate and analyze molecular interactions and mechanisms of p53 signaling pathways.
What Can We Learn from Comparative Tax Law

Noting that most American tax lawyers have spent little time learning about other countries' tax systems, this special report argues that they would benefit from doing so and sketches out how comparative tax law might be studied. A few examples of insights that can be derived from such study are provided.
FAMILIAL RESEMBLANCE IN THE BLOOD PRESSURE RESPONSE TO SODIUM RESTRICTION

Familial resemblance in the blood pressure response to sodium restriction in normotensive persons was investigated. Forty-four families of identical twin children participated in a sodium restriction (less than or equal to 75 meq/day) protocol for a period of 12 weeks. Subjects were residents of central Indiana, and the study was conducted over a three-year period. Parent-offspring and sibling-sibling resemblances for actual blood pressure were not different under conditions of ad lib sodium intake versus sodium restriction. Mother-offspring resemblance in blood pressure change with sodium restriction was significant for systolic (p less than 0.001), diastolic (p less than 0.05), and mean arterial (p less than 0.05) pressures. Sibling-sibling and twin-twin resemblances were also highly significant for the change in all three blood pressures. Father-offspring resemblances were marginal (p less than 0.10). This study is, to the author's knowledge, the first to demonstrate significant familial resemblances in blood pressure change with sodium restriction in normotensive persons.
Whole-Genome Sequences of the Archetypal K1 Escherichia coli Neonatal Isolate RS218 and Contemporary Neonatal Bacteremia Clinical Isolates SCB11, SCB12, and SCB15

ABSTRACT Neonatal bacteremia Escherichia coli strains commonly belong to the K1 capsular type. Their ability to cause invasive neonatal disease appears to be determined by other virulence factors that have yet to be identified. We report here the genome sequences of four E. coli neonatal bacteremia isolates, including that of the archetypal strain RS218.
Advances in Proximal Fluid Proteomics for Disease Biomarker Discovery

Although serum/plasma has been the preferred source for identification of disease biomarkers, these efforts have been met with little success, in large part due the relatively small number of highly abundant proteins that render the reliable detection of low abundant disease-related proteins challenging due to the expansive dynamic range of concentration of proteins in this sample. Proximal fluid, the fluid derived from the extracellular milieu of tissues, contains a large repertoire of shed and secreted proteins that are likely to be present at higher concentrations relative to plasma/serum. It is hypothesized that many, if not all, proximal fluid proteins exchange with peripheral circulation, which has provided significant motivation for utilizing proximal fluids as a primary sample source for protein biomarker discovery. The present review highlights recent advances in proximal fluid proteomics, including the various protocols utilized to harvest proximal fluids along with detailing the results from mass spectrometry- and antibody-based analyses.
Seismic Detection of Paleocave System And Its Influence On Carbonate Reservoir Compartmentalization

prediction of the 3-D distribution of the system. In this study, we focus on part of the east central flank of the Central Basin platform and develop a method of paleocave system identification by integrating core and log, seismic inversion and 3-D geometric attribute analysis. Using results of this seismic characterization, we further explore an island hydrologic model to explain the development of the paleocave system and its control on the reservoir compartmentalization of the field. Method Using available core data in two cored wells, we first identify the karst features and their related collapsed paleocave packages in the San Andres Formation. For the high volume area of the field where both core and log data are available, we interpret the collapsed karst features using well log data calibrated by core description. We then perform model-based seismic impedance inversion to determine the distribution of the collapsed paleocave system. For the transitional zone from the platform to the basin where well logging and core data are not available, geometric seismic attributes, including the coherence and multispectral curvatures, are calculated to detect the flank collapsed paleocave system. Integrating the hydrologic and structure features with the sequence stratigraphy of the in San Andres Formation, Permian Basin (French and Kerans, 2004), we recommend a geological model for the mechanism of the development of the collapsed paleocave system for the studied field. Interpretation and analysis
Research on Calculation Method for the Modification of Inlet Air Temperature of Boilers

The modification of exhaust gas temperature influenced by the variation of inlet air temperature is the most important work in the performance test of boilers.However,the difference between ASME code and GB standard always leads to misunderstandings.Based on analysis results of the modification method,it is concluded that the application conditions of this method is that: a good sealing of the air preheater should be maintained;the temperature of the inlet cool air should be adopted and the value of the air leakage ratio before and after modification should keep constant.
Fibromyoma of the fallopian tube. Report of a case and review of the literature.

Abstract A case of fibroid tumor of the left Fallopian tube has been reported and the literature reviewed. This review encompasses the 53 previously reported cases.
Some properties ofSUl+1

A procedure for labelling the states of an irreducible representation of SUl+1 is described, and is used to find an explicit form for the Casimir operator. The Wigner-Eckart theorem is used to derive a simple form for the matrix elements of a particular type of tensor operator.
The Second World War: 1939-45

In the early hours of 1 September 1939, Germany attacked Poland on land and from the air. Two days later, on 3 September, Britain and France declared war on Germany. The Second Great War of the twentieth century — the greatest single slaughter in history — had begun.
Career Coaches as a Source of Vicarious Learning for Racial and Ethnic Minority PhD Students in the Biomedical Sciences: A Qualitative Study

Introduction Many recent mentoring initiatives have sought to help improve the proportion of underrepresented racial and ethnic minorities (URMs) in academic positions across the biomedical sciences. However, the intractable nature of the problem of underrepresentation suggests that many young scientists may require supplemental career development beyond what many mentors are able to offer. As an adjunct to traditional scientific mentoring, we created a novel academic career “coaching” intervention for PhD students in the biomedical sciences. Objective To determine whether and how academic career coaches can provide effective career-development-related learning experiences for URM PhD students in the biomedical sciences. We focus specifically on vicarious learning experiences, where individuals learn indirectly through the experiences of others. Method The intervention is being tested as part of a longitudinal randomized control trial (RCT). Here, we describe a nested qualitative study, using a framework approach to analyze data from a total of 48 semi-structured interviews from 24 URM PhD students (2 interviews per participant, 1 at baseline, 1 at 12-month follow-up) (16 female, 8 male; 11 Black, 12 Hispanic, 1 Native-American). We explored the role of the coach as a source of vicarious learning, in relation to the students’ goal of being future biomedical science faculty. Results Coaches were resources through which most students in the study were able to learn vicariously about how to pursue, and succeed within, an academic career. Coaches were particularly useful in instances where students’ research mentors are unable to provide such vicarious learning opportunities, for example because the mentor is too busy to have career-related discussions with a student, or because they have, or value, a different type of academic career to the type the student hopes to achieve. Implications Coaching can be an important way to address the lack of structured career development that students receive in their home training environment.
Inhaled Drug Delivery for Children on Long-term Mechanical Ventilation

Children requiring noninvasive and invasive chronic ventilator support are frequently prescribed therapeutic aerosols. Little guidance is available regarding the optimal ways of delivering aerosol to these children. In addition to the frequently reported factors that affect drug delivery, this population poses several challenges. The presence of humid/heated air and the passage through artificial and ventilator circuits are some of the factors that can hinder aerosol delivery. Most of the pediatric data are based on in vitro experiments and few animal studies. We will discuss the currently available data and provide suggested best practice.
One Bit Flips, One Cloud Flops: Cross-VM Row Hammer Attacks and Privilege Escalation

Row hammer attacks exploit electrical interactions between neighboring memory cells in high-density dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) to induce memory errors. By rapidly and repeatedly accessing DRAMs with specific patterns, an adversary with limited privilege on the target machine may trigger bit flips in memory regions that he has no permission to access directly. In this paper, we explore row hammer attacks in cross-VM settings, in which a malicious VM exploits bit flips induced by row hammer attacks to crack memory isolation enforced by virtualization. To do so with high fidelity, we develop novel techniques to determine the physical address mapping in DRAMmodules at runtime (to improve the effectiveness of double-sided row hammer attacks), methods to exhaustively hammer a large fraction of physical memory from a guest VM (to collect exploitable vulnerable bits), and innovative approaches to break Xen paravirtualized memory isolation (to access arbitrary physical memory of the shared machine). Our study also suggests that the demonstrated row hammer attacks are applicable in modern public clouds where Xen paravirtualization technology is adopted. This shows that the presented cross-VM row hammer attacks are of practical importance.
Telomere Maintenance and Genome Stability

Telomeres are the end caps of linear chromosomes that help to ensure genomic stability. Due to inadequacies of replicative polymerases to synthesize the extreme ends of lagging strand DNA, telomere length in adult, somatic cells decreases slightly with each round of cell division. When telomeres get extremely short, a state of senescence is triggered that halts the replicative capacity of the cell. Most cells that require an extended lifespan (eg, embryonic, germ, and stem cells) use an enzyme called telomerase to synthesize telomere DNA to maintain a length that is sufficient to escape senescence. Dysfunctional telomeres or improper regulation of telomerase activity to correlate with a host of human diseases that include premature aging syndromes, telomerase-associated disorders, and cancer. Mechanistically, evidence is emerging that demonstrates an intricate relationship between proper telomere function and the prevention of illicit induction of the DNA-damage responses.
What Independent Directors Should Expect from Inside Directors: Smith V. Van Gorkom as a Guide to Intra-Firm Governance

In this article, I appraise the ability of individual directors to motivate those who serve with them on the board to exercise care. I focus on the relationship between independent and inside directors. I discuss horizontal monitoring - the process by which members of a corporate board monitor each other. I suggest that outside directors make clear their expectation that inside directors satisfy care obligations. The goal in this article is to encourage the accountability of inside directors - not to shareholders through derivative litigation - but to independent members of the board through horizontal monitoring. The duty of care, as articulated in Smith v. Van Gorkom and other case law, is a normative guide for internal governance of the corporation. The focus in this article is on the relevance of the duty of care to internal governance processes rather than judicial review of board decisions and processes. The duty of care can provide a way for independent directors to evaluate the inside directors who serve with them. The duty becomes relevant as a way to define the expectations that outsiders should have from inside board members. Once this happens, the duty of care would become an explicit part of what outsiders ask of insiders. Inside directors are likely to fulfill this expectation because of the dynamic of horizontal monitoring that encourages individual board members to perform their duties in a way that will meet the approval of other board members. I also consider the ability of independent directors to monitor and assess the conduct of inside directors when those insiders act as corporate officers. The unitary approach that courts take when reviewing a board's decision-making process ignores the conduct of individual board members who participate in the decision-making process not only as directors but also as officers. The traditional focus on a board's collective decision-making obscures the notion of individual accountability and responsibility. Even if courts should consider board conduct as a collective, this should not obscure the need for clarification of the relationship between inside and outside directors, and the need for independent board members to let inside directors know what is expected of them. The approach to internal governance I advocate in this article requires independent directors to determine when insiders act in their capacity as directors and when they act as officers. I use the term role differentiation to describe the practice of distinguishing among the various roles undertaken by a single individual.
Plan recognition as planning revisited

Recent work on plan recognition as planning has shown great promise in the use of a domain theory and general planning algorithms for the plan recognition problem. In this paper, we propose to extend previous work to (1) address observations over fluents, (2) better address unreliable observations (i.e., noisy or missing observations), and (3) recognize plans in addition to goals. To this end, we introduce a relaxation of the plan-recognition-as-planning formulation that allows unreliable observations. That is, in addition to the original costs of the plan, we define two objectives that account for missing and noisy observations, and optimize for a linear combination of all objectives. We approximate the posterior probabilities of generated plans by taking into account the combined costs that include penalties for missing or noisy observations, and normalizing over a sample set of plans generated by finding either diverse or high-quality plans. Our experiments show that this approach improves goal recognition in most domains when observations are unreliable. In addition, we evaluate plan recognition performance and show that the high-quality plan generation approach should be preferred in most domains.
Biking practices and preferences in a lower income, primarily minority neighborhood: Learning what residents want

This paper examines if, in a lower-income minority neighborhood, bicycling practices and bicycle-environment preferences of Blacks and Hispanics were different from Whites. During the summer of 2014, surveys were mailed to 1537 households near a proposed cycle track on Malcolm X Boulevard in Roxbury, MA. On the Boulevard, intercept surveys were distributed to cyclists and observations noted about passing cyclist's characteristics. Data were analyzed from 252 returned-mailed surveys, 120 intercept surveys, and 709 bicyclists. White (100%), Hispanic (79%), and Black (76%) bicyclists shown pictures of 6 bicycle facility types in intercept surveys perceived the cycle track as safest. More White mailed-survey respondents thought bikes would not be stolen which may explain why more Hispanics (52%) and Blacks (47%) preferred to park their bikes inside their home compared with Whites (28%), with H/W B/W differences statistically significant (p < 0.05). More Hispanic (81%) and Black (54%) mailed-survey respondents thought they would bicycle more if they could bicycle with family and friends compared with Whites (40%). Bicyclists observed commuting morning and evening included Blacks (55%), Whites (36%) and Hispanics (9%). More Whites (68%) wore helmets compared with Hispanics (21%) and Blacks (17%) (p < 0.001). More Blacks (94%) and Hispanics (94%) rode a mountain bike compared with Whites (75%). Minority populations are biking on roads but prefer cycle tracks. They also prefer to park bikes inside their homes and bicycle with family and friends. Wide cycle tracks (bicycling with family/friends) and home bike parking should be targeted as capital investments in lower-income minority neighborhoods.
Pancreaticoduodenal and Gastroduodenal Artery Aneurysms Associated with Celiac Artery Occlusive Disease.

Background The purpose of this study is to better define the clinical relevance of aneurysms affecting collateral vessels in patients with celiac artery (CA) occlusive disease. Methods True pancreaticoduodenal artery (PDA) and gastroduodenal artery (GDA) aneurysms associated with CA stenoses or occlusions reported from 1970 to 2010 in the English literature and similar cases treated at the University of Michigan were reviewed. Clinical presentations and differing treatment modalities were documented and analyzed. Results One hundred twenty-five patients having CA occlusive disease exhibited true arterial aneurysms affecting the PDA (105 patients), GDA (10 patients), or both PDA and GDA and their branches (10 patients). Aneurysm size averaged 2.1 cm. Included were 110 patients culled from the literature and 15 treated by the authors. The mean age of patients in this series was 59 years and there was no gender predilection. Aneurysms were asymptomatic in 26%. Abdominal pain affected 54% of the patients, including all who experienced rupture. Rupture occurred in 48 patients of whom 15 were hemodynamically unstable, including 6 who died. Surgical interventions included endovascular embolization (39), aneurysmectomy alone (25), and aneurysmectomy with arterial reconstruction (20). Salutary outcomes occurred in 91% of the cases. Open surgical procedures have remained constant, but were equaled by endovascular interventions in 1996, with the latter having increased 3-fold in the past 15 years. Conclusions PDA and GDA aneurysms associated with CA occlusive disease carry a high risk of nonfatal rupture, warranting early treatment. Endovascular and open interventions may be successfully undertaken with minimal risks in treating these uncommon aneurysms.
Variations in survival after cardiac arrest among academic medical center-affiliated hospitals

Background Variation exists in cardiac arrest (CA) survival among institutions. We sought to determine institutional-level characteristics of academic medical centers (AMCs) associated with CA survival. Methods We examined discharge data from AMCs participating with Vizient clinical database–resource manager. We identified cases using ICD-9 diagnosis code 427.5 (CA) or procedure code 99.60 (CPR). We estimated hospital-specific risk-standardized survival rates (RSSRs) using mixed effects logistic regression, adjusting for individual mortality risk. Institutional and community characteristics of AMCs with higher than average survival were compared with those with lower survival. Results We analyzed data on 3,686,296 discharges in 2012, of which 33,700 (0.91%) included a CA diagnosis. Overall survival was 42.3% (95% CI 41.8–42.9) with median institutional RSSR of 42.6% (IQR 35.7–51.0; Min-Max 19.4–101.6). We identified 28 AMCs with above average survival (median RSSR 61.8%) and 20 AMCs with below average survival (median RSSR 26.8%). Compared to AMCs with below average survival, those with high CA survival had higher CA volume (median 262 vs.119 discharges, p = 0.002), total beds (722 vs. 452, p = 0.02), and annual surgical volume (24,939 vs. 13,109, p<0.001), more likely to offer cardiac catheterization (100% vs. 72%, p = 0.007) or cardiac surgery (93% vs. 61%, p = 0.02) and cared for catchment areas with higher household income ($61,922 vs. $49,104, p = 0.004) and lower poverty rates (14.6% vs. 17.3%, p = 0.03). Conclusion Using discharge data from Vizient, we showed AMCs with higher CA and surgical case volume, cardiac catheterization and cardiac surgery facilities, and catchment areas with higher socioeconomic status had higher risk-standardized CA survival.
Bulking Duration Affects Growth and Flowering of Herbaceous Perennials Grown Under Nursery Conditions and Forced Into Flower Under Night-Interrupted Lighting Outdoors in the Southern United States

The effects of bulking duration on growth and flowering of ‘Goldsturm’ black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida Ait. ‘Goldsturm’) and ‘Moonbeam’ coreopsis (Coreopsis verticillata L. ‘Moonbeam’) forced into flower under nursery conditions were evaluated as part of a system for the accelerated production of herbaceous perennials requiring long days to flower. Bulking duration treatments were established by a factorialization of potting date (September 24, October 13, December 2, and December 14, 2009) and night-interrupted lighting (NIL) start date (February 1, February 22, and March 15, 2010). Leaf counts of black-eyed Susan at the beginning of NIL increased linearly with progressively longer bulking durations based on potting date and NIL start date, although the effect was more pronounced when compared across potting dates. Based on leaf counts, black-eyed Susan potted in December were still in the juvenile phase when NIL was begun on February 1, 2010. Stem counts of black-eyed Susan at first flower followed ...
Identifying a borderline personality disorder prodrome: Implications for community screening.

Elucidating early signs and symptoms of borderline personality disorder (BPD) has important implications for screening and identifying youth appropriate for early intervention. The purpose of this study was to identify dimensions of child temperament and psychopathology symptom severity that predict conversion to a positive screen for BPD over a 14-year follow-up period in a large, urban community sample of girls (n = 2 450). Parent and teacher reports of child temperament and psychopathology symptom severity assessed when girls were ages 5–8 years were examined as predictors of new-onset BPD cases when girls were ages 14–22 years. In the final model, parent and teacher ratings of emotionality remained significant predictors of new-onset BPD. Additionally, parent ratings of hyperactivity/impulsivity and depression severity, as well as teacher ratings of inattention severity, were also predictive. Results also revealed that elevations in these dimensions pose a notable increase in risk for conversion to BPD over the follow-up period. Supplementary analyses revealed that with the exception of parent-reported depression severity, these same predictors were associated with increases in BPD symptom severity over the follow-up period. These findings suggest BPD onset in adolescence and early adulthood can be detected from parent and teacher reports of temperament and symptom severity dimensions assessed in childhood. The identification of this prodrome holds promise for advancing early detection of children at risk prior to the development of the full-blown disorder. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Abstract 4312: Routine Use of Bivalirudin Reduces Bleeding and Increases Ischemic Complications During Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Introduction: Unfractionated heparin (UFH) is widely accepted as the cornerstone of antithrombotic therapy during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, variable bioavailability, platelet activation, risk of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia and provisional use of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors (GPI) pose limitations to its utility. Direct thrombin inhibitors, notably bivalirudin, have been described as a viable alternative to UFH. Randomized controlled trials have shown that bivalirudin is associated with non-inferior rates of clinical composite endpoints, reduced major bleeding and in some cases a lower 30-day death rate compared to UFH plus GPI. Hypothesis: We assessed the hypothesis that the routine use of bivalirudin is associated with lower bleeding complications without increasing major ischemic endpoints or death. Methods: From Jan 1, 2006 to Jan 31, 2007, 5,214 consecutive patients received UFH plus GPI or selective bivalirudin; from Feb 1, 2007 to Feb 29, 2008, 4,737 patients received routine bivalirudin during PCI at the Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. Patients were prospectively followed one year for the development of bleeding, ischemic complications and death. Results: The routine use of bivalirudin reduced vascular and bleeding complications (6.1% vs. 4.3%, p Conclusions: In conclusion, bivalirudin, as compared with UFH plus GPI, reduced major bleeding and vascular complications and increased ischemic complications at 30 days with a similar 1-year mortality.
A BALANCED NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION BUDGET — A GROWING POSSIBILITY

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the need for a balanced national transportation budget in the US of late 1970s. The Track Train Dynamics research program conducted by the American railroad industry, its suppliers, and the Federal Railroad Administration was a multiyear, multimillion dollar undertaking. Both the time frame and costs reflected the need to improve the state of knowledge about construction, maintenance, and operations of rail plant. The need for an increase of other research activities for further improvements was realized. As a result of chronically inadequate earnings, railroad reports filed with the Interstate Commerce Commission reflected an accumulation of $7 billion in deferred maintenance projects and capital improvements as of December 31, 1974. This total of one-time-only costs needed to catch up was in addition to future capital requirements estimated at $3.5 billion a year for replacement and modernization. Without significantly improved rail earnings or substantial Federal financial assistance, or both, backlogged capital and maintenance needs were anticipated to mount. The reason was simple: spending by the industry as a whole had not kept pace with the then current capital and maintenance requirements. The magnitude of the undertaking to rehabilitate railroad track and plant was enormous whether measured by the increased outlays that were necessary to do the job or by the scant resources available to the railroads at that time.