cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Combatant's Privilege in Asymmetric & Covert Conflicts

In armed conflicts against extraterritorial non-state actors, covert action has quickly moved from the exception to the rule. U.S. military and paramilitary forces are engaged in global drone and infantry deployments that remain officially unacknowledged by the government. However, the literature has lagged behind in not questioning how basic principles of the law of war — whose architecture depends on the link between individual combatants and the political entities they fight for — apply in covert action, which obscures and denies this link. This Article provides a deeper analysis of covert action by concentrating on the basic building block of the law of war: the combatant's privilege — the right of lawful belligerents to kill in wartime free from criminal liability. In order to analyze this question, this article first interrogates a deeper orthodoxy of the field: that the combatant's privilege never applies in non-international armed conflicts. Drawing on historical and conceptual analysis, this Article concludes that the orthodox view is both simplistic and exaggerated; the more subtle answer is that government forces and rebels can qualify for the privilege in some situations, though governments retain the right to prosecute vanquished rebels for treason (but not murder). Applying this insight to asymmetric conflicts against terrorist networks, the privilege attaches to any side that meets the classical requirements for lawful belligerency: wearing a fixed emblem, carrying arms openly, a responsible command, and respect for basic customs of warfare — a standard that terrorists inevitably fail. However, government forces also fail the standard when they participate in covert action, regardless of whether the force is exercised by CIA operatives or uniformed soldiers of the Armed Forces. Individual soldiers become legitimate combatants only when they carry their arms openly and their state asserts the privilege on their behalf — a logical impossibility when the state refuses to acknowledge the use of force in the first place.
Preclinical Evaluation of Pharmacotherapies for Cocaine Abuse

Publisher Summary The weight of preclinical evaluation of pharmacotherapies for cocaine abuse falls most heavily on two procedures: (1) measuring the ability of potential therapeutic drugs to modify the discriminative stimulus effects of drugs of abuse, and (2) measuring a similar ability to modify the reinforcing stimulus effects of drugs of abuse. Although these procedures are used extensively to test the ability of potential therapeutic compounds to modify relevant properties of cocaine, evaluation of the validity of the procedures is limited by the fact that no effective therapy for cocaine abuse currently exists. Measures of discriminative and reinforcing stimulus effects of cocaine are used extensively to evaluate a number of potentially useful pharmacotherapies. This chapter reiterates that rats that have been trained to discriminate cocaine tend to be more variable than monkeys in their responses to various dopamine agonists and antagonists. In many studies of the effects of medications on drug self-administration, an evaluation is made by determining the effect of the medication on behavior maintained by a reinforcer in addition to the drug of interest.
On Academic Advising

Academic advising process has been a part of higher education for centuries, but only in the past two decades has it been recognized as an effective means to influence student learning and retentio...
Repeat Infective Endocarditis in Persons Who Inject Drugs: "Take Another Little Piece of my Heart".

Background Injection drug use (IDU) is a major risk factor for infective endocarditis (IE). Few data exist on repeat IE (rIE) in persons who inject drugs (PWID). Methods Patients ≥18 years old seen at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center from 2004 to 2017 who met Duke criteria for IE and who self-reported IDU in the 3 months before admission were identified. The subset of PWID who developed rIE, defined as another episode of IE at least 10 weeks after diagnosis of the first episode, was then reviewed. Results Of the 87 PWID who survived their first episode of IE, 22 (25.3%) experienced rIE and 77.3% had rIE within a year of the first episode. All patients who experienced rIE resumed IDU between episodes of IE. Of the patients with rIE, 54.5% had an infection caused by S. aureus and 22.7% required surgical intervention. Mortality at 1 year was 36.3%. Compared with their first IE episode, patients with rIE had fewer S. aureus infections (P = .01). Compared with PWID who experienced single-episode IE, intravenous prescription opioid use (P = .01), surgery (P < .01), tricuspid valve involvement (P = .02), and polymicrobial infection (P = .03) occurred more often during first episodes of IE in individuals who then developed rIE. Conclusions rIE is common among IDU-related IE and confers a high 1-year mortality rate. The microbiology of rIE is varied, with S. aureus being less frequently isolated. More studies on modification of social and clinical risk factors are needed to prevent rIE.
Mapping Systolic Arrays onto 3D Circuit Structures: Accelerating Convolutional Neural Network Inference

In recent years, numerous designs have used systolic arrays to accelerate convolutional neural network (CNN) inference. In this work, we demonstrate that we can further speed up CNN inference and lower its power consumption by mapping systolic arrays onto 3D circuit structures as opposed to conventional 2D structures. Specifically, by operating in 3D space, a wide systolic array consisting of a number of subarrays can efficiently implement wide convolutional layers prevalent in state of the art CNNs. Additionally, by accumulating intermediate results along the third dimension, systolic arrays can process partitioned data channels in parallel with reduced data skew for lowered inference latency. We present a building block design using through-silicon vias (TSVs) for the 3D realization of systolic subarrays. We validate the 3D scheme using a 2.5D FPGA design and demonstrate that when mapped onto 3D structures wide systolic arrays can scale up in size without increasing wiring length in interconnecting subarrays. Further, by taking full advantage of 3D structures, we are able to pipeline inference across multiple layers of a CNN over a series of systolic arrays, dramatically reducing the inference time per input sample. These improvements lead to significantly reduced inference latency, which is especially important for real-time applications where it is common to process samples one at a time.
Prenatal Viral Infection as an Etiological Agent in Adult Schizophrenia

There is a significant body of literature suggesting structural abnormalities in the brains of schizophrenics; these abnormalities appear to be nondegenerative and may be perinatal in origin (Kovelman and Scheibel, 1986; Weinberger, 1987; Bogerts, 1988; Lyon et al.,1989). Though researchers have focused on delivery complications (McNeil, 1988) as the source of these perinatal abnormalities, there are several lines of evidence that indicate schizophrenia may also result from a disturbance of gestation. These include postmortem histopathological studies of the brains of adult schizophrenics and studies showing an association between risk of prenatal viral infection and subsequent increases in the birthrate of schizophrenics.
Crowdfunding the Insurance of a Cyber-Product Using Blockchain

Organizations are interested in transferring their cyber-risks to insurers aiming to mitigate the cost of cyber-threats. However, cyber-insurance has not been widely accepted due to several obstacles. First, the lack of reliable data to measure the cyber-risks makes it hard to calculate the insurance premium. Second, there are legal and procedural hurdles for assessing the organizations security posture deterring insurer for auditing. On the other hand, the blockchain technology has been extensively popularized due to its ability to provide transparency and security. Blockchain applies the distributed ledger to store transaction histories, and the information is stored across a network of computers instead of on a single server. In order to improve the application of the cyber-insurance, in this research, we propose a new framework to insure a cyber-product using the blockchain technology. First, a vendor initiates a request for insuring a cyber-product, then the interested insurers participate in a sealed-bid auction by bidding their preferred premium for the insurance service. The auction winners will be selected as the insurers, and they receive tokens in return of their obligations. In the case of an indemnity request, the auditor checks the validity of a request, then calls the claim function to retrieve the corresponding amount from the funds collected from the insurers. Furthermore, we propose a new method to implement a sealed-bid auction for the insurance crowdfunding in smart contract.
Effectiveness of a Faith-placed Cardiovascular Health Promotion Intervention for Rural Adults.

Introduction Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality in the US. Further, rural US adults experience disproportionately high CVD prevalence and mortality compared to non-rural. Cardiovascular risk-reduction interventions for rural adults have shown short-term effectiveness, but long-term maintenance of outcomes remains a challenge. Faith organizations offer promise as collaborative partners for translating evidence-based interventions to reduce CVD. Methods We adapted and implemented a collaborative, faith-placed, CVD risk-reduction intervention in rural Illinois. We used a quasi-experimental, pre-post design to compare changes in dietary and physical activity among participants. Intervention components included Heart Smart for Women (HSFW), an evidence-based program implemented weekly for 12 weeks followed by Heart Smart Maintenance (HSM), implemented monthly for two years. Participants engaged in HSFW only, HSM only, or both. We used regression and generalized estimating equations models to examine changes in outcomes after one year. Results Among participants who completed both baseline and one-year surveys (n = 131), HSFW+HSM participants had significantly higher vegetable consumption (p = .007) and combined fruit/vegetable consumption (p = .01) compared to the HSM-only group at one year. We found no differences in physical activity. Conclusion Improving and maintaining CVD-risk behaviors is a persistent challenge in rural populations. Advancing research to improve our understanding of effective translation of CVD risk-reduction interventions in rural populations is critical.
Virtualizing FPGAs in the Cloud

Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) have been integrated into the cloud infrastructure to enhance its computing performance by supporting on-demand acceleration. However, system support for FPGAs in the context of the cloud environment is still in its infancy with two major limitations, i.e., the inefficient runtime management due to the tight coupling between compilation and resource allocation, and the high programming complexity when exploiting scale-out acceleration. The root cause is that FPGA resources are not virtualized. In this paper, we propose a full-stack solution, namely ViTAL, to address the aforementioned limitations by virtualizing FPGA resources. Specifically, ViTAL provides a homogeneous abstraction to decouple the compilation and resource allocation. Applications are offline compiled onto the abstraction, while the resource allocation is dynamically determined at runtime. Enabled by a latency-insensitive communication interface, applications can be mapped flexibly onto either one FPGA or multiple FPGAs to maximize the resource utilization and the aggregated system throughput. Meanwhile, ViTAL creates an illusion of a single and large FPGA to users, thereby reducing the programming complexity and supporting scale-out acceleration. Moreover, ViTAL also provides virtualization support for peripheral components (e.g., on-board DRAM and Ethernet), as well as protection and isolation support to ensure a secure execution in the multi-user cloud environment. We evaluate ViTAL on a real system - an FPGA cluster composed of the latest Xilinx UltraScale+ FPGAs (XCVU37P). The results show that, compared with the existing management method, ViTAL enables fine-grained resource sharing and reduces the response time by 82% on average (improving Quality-of-Service) with a marginal virtualization overhead. Moreover, ViTAL also reduces the response time by 25% compared to AmorphOS (operating in high-throughput mode), a recently proposed FPGA virtualization method.
The Mobilization of Arachidonate and Metabolism of Phosphoinositides in Stimulated Human Platelets

A variety of agonists, when added to human platelets, induce phosphoinositide turnover mediated by phospholipase C. Among such agonists are thrombin, collagen, the \(C{{a}^{{{{2}^{ + }}}}}\) ionophores A23187 and ionomycin, prostaglandin H2/thromboxane A2 (PGH2/TXA2) and a stable analogue, U46619. Secretion of stored substances, including ADP, accompanies phosphoinositide turnover Stimulation of platelets by thrombin, collagen, and \(C{{a}^{{{{2}^{ + }}}}}\) ionophores also results in the liberation of arachidonic acid, which is converted by platelet cyclooxygenase to PGH2/TXA2. However, PGH2/TXA2 and U46619 are themselves poor inducers of arachidonic acid release.
Young Women Had More Strokes Than Young Men in a Large, United States Claims Sample.

Background and Purpose: Cardiovascular risk factors, which are overall more prevalent in men, are considered the major risk factors for strokes among young adults. However, recent European data fou...
Hemostatic Balance in Pediatric Acute Liver Failure: Epidemiology of Bleeding and Thrombosis, Physiology, and Current Strategies

Pediatric Acute Liver Failure (PALF) is a rapidly progressive clinical syndrome encountered in the pediatric ICU which may rapidly progress to multi-organ dysfunction, and on occasion to life threatening cerebral edema and hemorrhage. Pediatric Acute Liver Failure is defined as severe acute hepatic dysfunction accompanied by encephalopathy and liver-based coagulopathy defined as prolongation of International Normalized Ratio (INR) >1.5. However, coagulopathy in PALF is complex and warrants a deeper understanding of the hemostatic balance in acute liver failure. Although an INR value of >1.5 is accepted as the evidence of coagulopathy and has historically been viewed as a prognostic factor of PALF, it may not accurately reflect the bleeding risk in PALF since it only measures procoagulant factors. Paradoxically, despite the prolongation of INR, bleeding risk is lower than expected (around 5%). This is due to "rebalanced hemostasis" due to concurrent changes in procoagulant, anticoagulant and fibrinolytic systems. Since the liver is involved in both procoagulant (Factors II, V, IX, XI, and fibrinogen) and anticoagulant (Protein C, Protein S, and antithrombin) protein synthesis, PALF results in "rebalanced hemostasis" or even may shift toward a hypercoagulable state. In addition to rebalanced coagulation there is altered platelet production due to decreased thrombopoietin production by liver, increased von Willebrand factor from low grade endothelial cell activation, and hyperfibrinolysis and dysfibrinogenemia from altered synthetic liver dysfunction. All these alterations contribute to the multifactorial nature of coagulopathy in PALF. Over exuberant use of prophylactic blood products in patients with PALF may contribute to morbidities such as fluid overload, transfusion-associated lung injury, and increased thrombosis risk. It is essential to use caution when using INR values for plasma and factor administration. In this review we will summarize the complexity of coagulation in PALF, explore "rebalanced hemostasis," and discuss the limitations of current coagulation tests. We will also review strategies to accurately diagnose the coagulopathy of PALF and targeted therapies.
Effects of COVID-19 on telemedicine practice patterns in outpatient otolaryngology

Abstract Objective Otolaryngology is considered high risk for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) exposure and spread. This has led to a transition to telemedicine and directly impacts patient volume, evaluation and management practices. The objective of this study is to determine the impact of COVID-19 on patient characteristics in relation to outpatient attendance, ancillary testing, medical therapy, and surgical decision making. Methods A retrospective case series at an academic medical center was performed. Outpatient appointments from October 2019 (pre-COVID) and March 16–April 10, 2020 (COVID) were analyzed. Prevalence rates and odds ratios were used to compare demographics, visit characteristics, ancillary tests, medication prescribing, and surgical decisions between telemedicine and in-person visits, before and during COVID. Results There was a decrease in scheduled visits during the COVID timeframe, for both in-person and telemedicine visits, with a comparable proportion of no-shows. There was a higher overall percentage of Hispanic/Latino patients who received care during the COVID timeframe (OR = 1.43; 95% CI = 1.07–1.90) in both groups, although primary language was not significantly associated with attendance. There were fewer ancillary tests ordered (OR = 0.54) and more medications prescribed (OR = 1.59) during COVID telemedicine visits compared with pre-COVID in-person visits. Conclusion COVID-19 has rapidly changed the use of telemedicine. Telemedicine can be used as a tool to reach patients with severe disease burden. Continued healthcare reform, expanded access to affordable care, and efficient use of resources is essential both during the current COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. Level of evidence IV.
Associations of Nutrient Intake Changes During Childhood with Adolescent Hepatic Fat: The Exploring Perinatal Outcomes Among CHildren Study.

Objective To examine associations of dietary changes from childhood to adolescence with adolescent hepatic fat and whether the PNPLA3 rs738409 risk allele, a strong genetic risk factor for hepatic fat, modifies associations. Study design Data were from 358 participants in the Exploring Perinatal Outcomes among CHildren (EPOCH) study, a longitudinal cohort in Colorado. Diet was assessed by food frequency questionnaire in childhood (approximately 10 years of age) and adolescence (approximately 16 years of age) and converted to nutrient densities. Hepatic fat was assessed in adolescence by magnetic resonance imaging. Linear regression was used to test associations of dietary changes from childhood to adolescence with adolescent hepatic fat. Results Increases in fiber, vegetable protein, and polyunsaturated fat intake from childhood to adolescence were associated with lower adolescent hepatic fat, and increases in animal protein were associated with higher hepatic fat (β per 5-unit increase on log-hepatic fat: −0.12 [95% CI, −0.21 to −0.02] for ▵fiber; −0.26 [95% CI, −0.45 to −0.07] for ▵vegetable protein; −0.18 [95% CI, −0.35 to −0.02] for ▵polyunsaturated fat; 0.13 [95% CI, 0.04-0.22] for ▵animal protein). There was evidence of effect modification by PNPLA3 variant, whereby inverse associations of ▵fiber and ▵vegetable protein and positive associations of ▵saturated fat with adolescent hepatic fat were stronger in risk allele carriers. Most conclusions were similar after adjusting for obesity in adolescence, but associations of ▵saturated fat with hepatic fat were attenuated toward the null. Conclusions Our results suggest that nutrient intake changes between childhood and adolescence, particularly decreases in fiber and vegetable protein and increases in saturated fat intake, interact with the PNPLA3 variant to predict higher hepatic fat in adolescence, and may be targets for reducing hepatic fat in high-risk youth.
Environmental Chemical Contribution to the Modulation of Bile Acid Homeostasis and Farnesoid X Receptor Signaling.

Maintaining bile acid (BA) homeostasis is important and regulated by BA activated receptors and signaling pathways. Farnesoid X receptor (FXR) and its regulated target networks in both the liver and the intestines are critical in suppressing BA synthesis and promoting BA enterohepatic circulation. In addition, FXR is critical in regulating lipid metabolism and reducing inflammation, processes critical in the development of cholestasis and fatty liver diseases. Moreover, BAs are modulated by and regulate gut microflora. Xenobiotic exposure could affect liver disease development. However, the effects and the mechanisms by which xenobiotics interact with FXR and then regulate BA homeostasis are only emerging. In this minireview, our focus is to provide evidence from reports that study the effects of xenobiotic exposure on altering homeostasis and functions of BAs and FXR. Understanding these effects will help to determine liver disease pathogenesis and provide better prevention and treatment in the future. Significance Statement Environmental chemical exposure significantly contributes to the development of cholestasis and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. The impact of exposures on bile acid signaling and Farnesoid X receptor-mediated gut-liver crosstalk is emerging. However, there is still a huge gap in understanding on how these chemicals contribute to the dysregulation of bile acid homeostasis and how this dysregulation may promote the development of liver diseases.
Free-Standing Doctoral Programs in Community Psychology

SUMMARY Free-standing community psychology programs (FSCPPs) uniquely train psychologists in non-traditional roles suited to address human and social problems. While the missions of these programs are similar, differences exist in execution. The current status of FSCPPs is presented and key aspects of training are discussed to provide insights for program development. Information was gathered from program documents and interviews with program directors and students. Curriculum issues surrounding course work, field training, research and promoting a multidisciplinary perspective are discussed, and innovative training approaches are highlighted. Two FSCPPs are specifically profiled. Other issues addressed are program resources and the employment of graduates.
Neonatal Hyperviscosity II. Effect of Partial Plasma Exchange Transfusion

To determine the effect of partial plasma exchangetransfusion, 20 newborn infants with neonatal hyperviscosity were randomly assigned to observation or treatment with partial plasma exchange transfusion within the first eight hours after birth. They were studied for organ involvement by roentgenogram, blood count, coagulation studies, and neurologic behavior and were followed up using the Brazelton Neonatal Behavior Assessment scale at 8, 24, and 72 hours and 2 weeks of age; in addition, ten control infants without hyperviscosity of similar birth weights and gestational ages were also studied. Exchange transfusion improved blood viscosity but both hyperviscous groups showed a higher proportion of abnormal results than did the control subjects. Infants receiving exchange transfusions subsequently improved during the period from 8 hours to 2 to 3 weeks of age, until they were indistinguishable from the control subjects. Neurologic improvement in hyperviscous infants who had not received exchange transfusions were significantly slower during this period. At 8 months of age, abnormal neurologic and developmental findings were impressive in both groups; no significant differences in neurologic abnormalities were noted at that time. Developmental delays, tremors, spastic diplegia, and monoparesis were found in four of six untreated infants and five of ten infants who had received exchange transfusions. A fine tremor was present in one control child.
Analogous Effects of Zinc Deficiency and Aspirin Toxicity in the Pregnant Rat

At or near term, zinc deficient pregnant rats are depressed and exhibit difficult and extended parturition with excessive bleeding. This investigation was designed to develop objective measures of this pathology and to apply these parameters to the assessment of possible interrelationships of zinc with aldosterone and the prostaglandins. Female rats were fed during gestation a low zinc diet based on soybean protein (less than 1 ppm Zn) or the same diet supplemented with zinc (100ppm). Some of the rats were treated with aldosterone or aspirin, a prostaglandin inhibitor. Following parturition, both body temperature and blood pressure were depressed in the zinc deficient dams. Bleeding time and blood loss were also increased. Plasma potassium value were slightly elevated, adrenal weights increased and thymus weights decreased. Aldosterone had no effect on the incidence of the postpartum illness: temperature and blood pressure were unchanged. Toxic doses of aspirin produced pathologic signs analogous to those of zinc deficiency, including extended gestation period, difficult and prolonged parturition, excess bleeding, and low blood pressure and rectal temperature. The results suggest a role for zinc in prostaglandin metabolism.
LcrQ and SycH function together at the Ysc type III secretion system in Yersinia pestis to impose a hierarchy of secretion

LcrQ is a regulatory protein unique to Yersinia. Previous study in Yersinia pseudotuberculosis and Yersinia enterocolitica prompted the model in which LcrQ negatively regulates the expression of a set of virulence proteins called Yops, and its secretion upon activation of the Yop secretion (Ysc) type III secretion system permits full induction of Yops expression. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that LcrQ's effects on Yops expression might be indirect. Excess LcrQ was found to exert an inhibitory effect specifically at the level of Yops secretion, independent of production, and a normal inner Ysc gate protein LcrG was required for this activity. However, overexpression of LcrQ did not prevent YopH secretion, suggesting that LcrQ's effects at the Ysc discriminate among the Yops. We tested this idea by determining the effects of deletion or overexpression of LcrQ, YopH and their common chaperone SycH on early Yop secretion through the Ysc. Together, our findings indicated that LcrQ is not a negative regulator directly, but it acts in partnership with SycH at the Ysc gate to control the entry of a set of Ysc secretion substrates. A hierarchy of YopH secretion before YopE appears to be imposed by SycH in conjunction with both LcrQ and YopH. LcrQ and SycH in addition influenced the deployment of LcrV, a component of the Yops delivery mechanism. Accordingly, LcrQ appears to be a central player in determining the substrate specificity of the Ysc.
Notch Signaling Enhances Survival and Alters Differentiation of 32D Myeloblasts

The Notch transmembrane receptors play important roles in precursor survival and cell fate specification during hematopoiesis. To investigate the function of Notch and the signaling events activated by Notch in myeloid development, we expressed truncated forms of Notch1 or Notch2 proteins that either can or cannot activate the core binding factor 1 (CBF1) in 32D (clone 3) myeloblasts. 32D cells proliferate as blasts in the presence of the cytokines, GM-CSF or IL-3, but they initiate differentiation and undergo granulopoiesis in the presence of granulocyte CSF (G-CSF). 32D cells expressing constitutively active forms of Notch1 or Notch2 proteins that signal through the CBF1 pathway maintained significantly higher numbers of viable cells and exhibited less cell death during G-CSF induction compared with controls. They also displayed enhanced entry into granulopoiesis, and inhibited postmitotic terminal differentiation. In contrast, Notch1 constructs that either lacked sequences necessary for CBF1 binding or that failed to localize to the nucleus had little effect. Elevated numbers of viable cells during G-CSF treatment were also observed in 32D cells overexpressing the basic helix-loop-helix protein (bHLH), HES1, consistent with activation of the CBF1 pathway. Taken together, our data suggest that Notch signaling enhances 32D cell survival, promotes entry into granulopoiesis, and inhibits postmitotic differentiation through a CBF1-dependent pathway.
The Ribosome in Action

The ribosome is the site of protein synthesis. Here transfer RNA (tRNA), carrying an amino acid, binds to its cognate messenger RNA (mRNA), and amino acids are linked in the appropriate sequence. In his Perspective, [Dahlberg][1] discusses two papers in this week's issue that give a view of the ribosome in action. [ Yusupov et al .][2] have determined the structure of a complete ribosome, with mRNA and three tRNAs bound, at 5.5 angstrom resolution, and [ Ogle et al .][3] describe how the ribosome checks for the correct mRNA-tRNA interactions. [1]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/292/5518/868 [2]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/short/292/5518/883 [3]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/short/292/5518/897
Accuracy of First Recorded "Last Known Normal" Times of Stroke Code Patients.

Background Given the time sensitivity of thrombolytic therapy, the accurate documentation of last known normal (LKN) time is crucial to ensure optimal management of stroke patients. This study investigates whether a difference exists between preliminary LKN times (first responders and emergency department practitioners) and revised LKN times (neurology/stroke practitioners), and what potential impact on emergent management of acute stroke this discrepancy may pose. Methods All stroke code patients from UC San Diego hospitals from October 2008 to July 2013 with treatment time data were included and grouped based on the disparity between preliminary LKN time and revised LKN time: preliminary earlier than revised, 2 times equal, and preliminary later than revised. We compared baseline characteristics, stroke code intervals, rates of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) administration, 90-day modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score, discharge disposition, and symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage. Results Of 261 patients, 73.6% had disparity between preliminary and revised times: 57.5% had later preliminary LKN than revised, and 16.1% had earlier preliminary LKN than revised. Baseline characteristics, stroke code speed, 90-day mRS score, rates of rt-PA administration, discharge disposition, or rates of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage were not significantly different between the groups. Among rt-PA-treated stroke patients whose preliminary time was earlier than the revised time, had the preliminary LKN been used, 29.4% would have had rt-PA withheld inappropriately. In those stroke patients excluded from rt-PA treatment for being outside the treatment window, whose preliminary time was later than the revised time, had the preliminary time been used, 69.7% would have been inappropriately treated outside the relevant rt-PA window. Conclusions Most patients had disparity between preliminary and revised LKN times. Had the preliminary LKN time been used for acute stroke decision-making, 58% of patients would have potentially been treated outside the approved thrombolytic time window, with higher risk of adverse events, and 16% may have been inappropriately excluded from thrombolysis. This study highlights the need for training in the determination and refinement of the actual time of stroke onset, especially at hospitals without stroke expertise.
Polarization-resolved pump-probe method to determine the excited-states of polymethine molecules

A pump-probe method based on excited-state transition dipole moment orientations is used to determine the energies of the excited-states of polymethine molecules. The results are compared to the steady-state fluorescence anisotropy technique with good agreement.
Women’s Preference of Cosmetic Results After Gynecologic Surgery

Abstract Study Objective To determine the cosmetic appeal of different incision types used in gynecologic surgery. Design One hundred women between the ages of 20 and 40 years were shown 4 color photographs of a female abdomen with incision sites marked for Pfannenstiel, minilaparotomy, traditional laparoscopy, and robotic-assisted laparoscopy. The women were asked to rank the photographs on cosmetic appeal alone. An additional photograph depicting single-port laparoscopy was then added, and patients were asked to again rank the photographs. Participants were also asked basic demographic information and prior surgical history. Setting Office practice. Patients One hundred women between the ages of 20 and 40. Intervention Participants. Measurements and Main Results Minilaparotomy was ranked as the most appealing incision among the first set of photographs by 74% of the participants, and the remaining 26% preferred traditional laparoscopy. Robotic-assisted laparoscopy was ranked as the least appealing scar type by 42%, and no patient selected it as their first choice. Sixty-four percent preferred the appearance of a single-port laparoscopic scar when that option was added. The only demographic variable that reached statistical significance was the presence of prior abdominal surgery. Patients without prior surgery ranked minilaparotomy as more cosmetically appealing. Conclusions When several minimally invasive surgical approaches are possible, the patient should be counseled regarding the cosmetic results of each. Patients in this study strongly preferred the appearance of minilaparotomy and single-port incisions over full Pfannenstiel or robotic incisions.
Isolation, purification, and partial characterization of prunellin, an anti-HIV component from aqueous extracts of Prunella vulgaris

Prunellin, an anti-HIV active compound, was isolated from aqueous extracts of the Chinese medicinal herb, Prunella vulgaris, and purified to chromatographic homogeneity. Infrared and NMR spectroscopy identified prunellin as a polysaccharide. Elemental analyses, precipitation with calcium(II), barium(II), or 9-aminoacridine suggest a sulfated polysaccharide. Paper chromatography of the exhaustively hydrolyzed material indicates the presence of glucose, galactose, xylose, gluconic acid, galactonic acid and galactosamine as the constituent monosaccharides. The molecular size of prunellin, as determined by gel permeation chromatography and the Squire method on Sephadex G-75, is about 10 kDa.
A MODEL OF ZONING FOR A METROPOLIS

With the ever-increasing number of communities adopting zoning, it became evident that there was a need to develop a systematic procedure for formulating an efficient zoning policy. This paper presents a model which leads to an optimal zoning policy, developed so as to achieve Pareto optimality. The model is applied to a hypothetical city with a population of one million. The results of a numerical analysis were used as a basis for formulating a zoning map which ensures efficient resource allocation.
At last, science is back in the driving seat

It's been a wild ride politically and economically since Lawrence Krauss started his New Scientist columns, but at least some things have turned out right
Academic achievement of girls in rural schools in Kenya

Abstract This study examined the effect of two family factors (financial, social capital) and school factors on students’ achievement. One hundred eighty two, seventh-grade female students from nine schools in Muranga district, Kenya, were studied. The statistical procedures included logit regression, cross-tabulations, frequency counting and chi-square analyses. These procedures were used to look at the effects of variables on each other and their effects on students’ study habits and achievement. The researcher found that each of the two family factors (financial and social capital), and the school factors had an independent and significant effect on student achievement and study habits. The results indicated that a student's academic achievement is positively influenced by the education level of both parents. The researcher also found that the father's education had more positive influence to the study habits of the females.
Negative magnetoresistance in transverse and longitudinal magnetic fields in Bi nanowires

In this work the measurements of longitudinal (LMR) and transverse magnetoresistance (TMR) in Bi wires with 50 R0 at T<5 K. This result was unexpected, because it is known that in bulk Bi samples the "giant" increase of magnetoresistance in the case H⊥I is observed. We calculate the conductivity of nanowires in longitudinal and transverse magnetic fields on the basis of the Cubo formula for the conductivity. We use the model of quantum wires with a parabolic potential in the plane orthogonal to the axis of the size-quantized system. According to the model of such TMR and LMR were experimentally observed in the Bi quantum wires (QW) with d<80nm.
Stress Relaxation in Polymer Melts Following Equibiaxial Step Strain

The nonlinear equibiaxial relaxation modulus for two polymer melts, one with linear and one with branched structure, were measured using the technique of lubricated squeezing flow. The experimental technique was validated for Hencky strains up to ∼1.6 by demonstrating that results are independent of the lubricant viscosity and thickness. Time−strain factorability of the relaxation modulus was observed for both materials. The measured damping functions were compared with tube model (Doi−Edwards) and pom-pom model (McLeish−Larson) predictions. Damping function data for the linear polymer showed reasonably good agreement with the tube model predictions. The relaxation modulus and the damping function of the branched polymer showed significant differences from the pom-pom model predictions.
Surgical treatment of metastatic colorectal adenocarcinoma

Ninety-one patients with recurrent or metastatic colorectal adenocarcinoma were studied according to the anatomic areas of the recurrent tumor. In Group A, 30 patients with anastomotic recurrence, diagnosis was made in the majority within two years from initial surgery; most of them had specific symptomatology. A significant number of patients had blood in the stools. In half of the patients, complete resection of the recurrent tumor was feasible. In Group B, 47 patients with intra-abdominal recurrence, there was some delay in diagnosis; the symptomatology was less specific, and fewer patients were rendered free of tumor following reresection. The median survival and estimated five-year survival rate were, in both groups, strongly related to the completeness of the resection. In Group C, with distant metastasis (eight patients with pulmonary and six with liver metastasis), the disease-free interval was longer compared to the previous groups. The metastatic tumor was found in three patients, four or more years after the initial surgery. The median survival was the same as in the two other subgroups with complete resection of the recurrent tumor.
Dendrimers with Hydrophobic Cores and the Formation of Supramolecular Dendrimer−Surfactant Assemblies

The structure of a series of poly(amidoamine) dendrimers Gn(C12) generated from a diaminododecane core have been investigated using the photophysical properties of an external dye, nile red. The modified dendrimers Gn(C12) show the ability to host the hydrophobic dye, nile red, in aqueous solution. The ability of Gn(C12) to host nile red has been compared to corresponding amino-core Gn(NH3) and diaminoethane-core Gn(C2) dendrimers of the same generation size. The emission of nile red in aqueous media is significantly enhanced in the presence of Gn(C12) and not at all for Gn(NH3) and Gn(C2). These results imply a strong tendency for the nile red probe to associate with the long methylene chain of the modified dendrimers in aqueous solutions. Moreover, the interactions of these dendrimers with anionic surfactants generate supramolecular assemblies which greatly enhance their ability to accomodate the nile red. Fluorescence polarization and emission as a function of pH were also studied in an effort to eluci...
Doublet Separation and Fine Structure of the Balmer Lines of Hydrogen

Using two optical trains, (1) two crossed Lummer plates, the larger of resolving power of about 670,000, and (2) an echelon of resolving power of about 660,000, the writers have determined the wave-length difference between the two well known components ${\ensuremath{\lambda}}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ and ${\ensuremath{\lambda}}^{\ensuremath{'}\ensuremath{'}}$ (${\ensuremath{\lambda}}^{\ensuremath{'}}g{\ensuremath{\lambda}}^{\ensuremath{'}\ensuremath{'}}$) of $\mathrm{H}\ensuremath{\alpha}$, $\mathrm{H}\ensuremath{\beta}$ and $\mathrm{H}\ensuremath{\gamma}$ as 0.1370, 0.0791 and 0.0666A respectively. These values are in good agreement with those obtained by Houston with an interferometer, which latter are in our estimation the most reliable thus far obtained.Further, microphotometer curves of enlargements of the original Lummer plate negatives reveal another component in ${\ensuremath{\lambda}}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ unresolved but unquestionably present, in $\mathrm{H}\ensuremath{\alpha}$, $\mathrm{H}\ensuremath{\beta}$ and $\mathrm{H}\ensuremath{\gamma}$. Hansen noticed assymmetries here in $\mathrm{H}\ensuremath{\alpha}$ and $\mathrm{H}\ensuremath{\beta}$. There are also indications of other components in ${\ensuremath{\lambda}}^{\ensuremath{'}\ensuremath{'}}$. The magnitudes of these components agree well with the theoretical magnitudes given by the new quantum mechanics with the spinning electron.
Significance of heterogeneous surface growth in up-gradient and stationary-gradient crystallization

Abstract Gradient crystallization methods have been proposed and studied for creating microstructures which exhibit crystal orientation. For many of these processes it is possible for spurious heterogeneous nucleation and growth to occur from the sample sides and compete with desired oriented growth. We analyze this growth interference effect for two methods of crystallizing in a temperature gradient: either moving up a temperature gradient, or crystallizing in a stationary temperature gradient. It is demonstrated that the up-gradient technique is mainly suited to relatively long, narrow samples (with some restrictions), while the stationary gradient process is preferred when crystallizing normal to the large face of slab shaped samples. Limitations which constrain both of these gradient crystallization techniques are discussed.
Applying principles of mass customization to improve the empirical product development process

Applying methods of mass customization to the empirical process can improve product development process efficiency and reduce time and cost. Empirical methods are used to develop predictions of product behavior in conjunction with analytical methods or instead of analytical methods. These empirical methods represent a complete sub-product development process within the overall product development process. Application of process decomposition and planning used in mass customization can improve the efficiency, lower the time and cost of these empirical processes. This paper presents a method for applying principles of mass customization to the empirical sub-processes within a product development process. Two case studies are also presented to demonstrate the method.
Extended-release alfuzosin hydrochloride: a new alpha-adrenergic receptor antagonist for symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Abstract Background: Extended-release (ER) alfuzosin hydrochloride is the most recently approved alpha-adrenergic receptor antagonist (AARA) for the management of symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Although new to the United States, alfuzosin has been available in immediate-release (IR) and sustained-release (SR) formulations in other countries for many years. Objective: This article reviews data on the pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, efficacy, tolerability, drug-interaction potential, and dosing of alfuzosin ER. Methods: Relevant articles were identified through MEDLINE, EMBASE, and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts searches of the English-language literature published between 1986 and September 2003 using the terms alfuzosin, alpha-adrenergic receptor antagonists, and quinazolines. The reference lists of identified articles were also searched, as were abstracts from annual meetings of the American Urological Association for the past 5 years. Data regarding the ER formulation were emphasized, and data involving the IR/SR formulations were included only when data for the ER formulation were not available or as needed for clarification. Results: In comparative trials with its IR counterpart (alfuzosin ER 10 mg QD vs alfuzosin IR 2.5 mg TID), alfuzosin ER was an equieffective once-daily AARA. No comparative trials of alfuzosin ER with the SR (BID) formulation or with other AARAs were identified. Food has been found to exert a clinically important effect by enhancing the bioavailability of the ER formulation; thus, the drug should be taken on a full stomach. Hepatic impairment has been found to significantly delay the elimination of alfuzosin IF, which constitutes a contraindication to use of the ER formulation. Renal impairment does not appear to exert clinically important effects on the pharmacokinetics of alfuzosin ER. Adverse events with alfuzosin ER include dizziness, upper respiratory tract infection, headache, and fatigue, with hypotension and syncope reported rarely. Concurrent use of inhibitors of the cytochrome P450 3A4 isozyme (eg, ketoconazole, diltiazem, cimetidine, atenolol) can significantly elevate serum concentrations of alfuzosin and enhance its pharmacodynamic effects. Conclusions: In the absence of direct head-to-head comparative trials, the role of alfuzosin ER in the management of symptomatic BPH relative to that of other AARAs is unclear. Because the effect size (drug response minus placebo response) of alfuzosin ER is comparable to that of other AARAs, marked differences in efficacy are unlikely. Extrapolating from direct comparative trials between these agents and alfuzosin IR/SR, alfuzosin ER would be expected to have better cardiovascular tolerability (eg, in terms of dizziness and orthostasis) than prazosin, terazosin, or doxazosin, and to have similar tolerability to tamsulosin. However, the existing data do not suggest that alfuzosin ER is likely to represent a significant advance over tamsulosin.
Affinity purification of bacteriophage T4 proteins essential for DNA replication and genetic recombination.

Abstract The bacteriophage T4 helix-destabilizing protein, the product of gene 32, has been immobilized on an agarose matrix and used for affinity chromatography of lysates of T4-infected Escherichia coli cells. At least 10 T4-encoded early proteins and 3 or 4 host proteins are specifically retained by this gene 32 protein column. Nine of the T4 proteins have been identified as being involved in either DNA replication or genetic recombination. Notably, the T4 DNA polymerase (gene 43 protein) and two major proteins in the recombination pathway (the products of genes uvsX and uvsY) are specifically bound. On a preparative scale, the column is useful for purification of the bound proteins.
Changes in arsenic fractionation, bioaccessibility and speciation in organo-arsenical pesticide amended soils as a function of soil aging.

Abstract Although organoarsenical pesticides are being phased out, sites with high concentrations of organic arsenical residues still exist due to the long-term application of these pesticides. The biotic and abiotic speciation of dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) can result in the formation of inorganic arsenic (As) species. Oxidation state, retention, and thereby persistence, varies according to temporal changes, influencing the availability and toxicity of contaminants. The current greenhouse study aimed at evaluating temporal changes in the oxidation state of As, geochemical partitioning, and bioaccessibility. Four soils with varying physiochemical properties were contaminated with DMA at two concentrations (675 and 1500 mg kg −1 of As). Rice plants were grown for a 6 months period, following which, the soils were allowed to age. The operationally defined forms of As and its bioaccessibility was analyzed at 0, 6 months, 1 year, and 3 years. Changes in oxidation state of As were evaluated immediately after spiking and after 3 years of soil-pesticide equilibration. Results show that geochemical partitioning of As was affected significantly ( P