cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An exploratory approach demonstrating immune skewing and a loss of coordination among cytokines in plasma and saliva of Veterans with combat-related PTSD

Studies have suggested PTSD to be associated with an inflammatory state, although few studies have examined the balances between stimulatory and inhibitory immune mediators in PTSD. An exploratory approach was taken to assess the immune imbalances between Th1 stimulatory, inflammatory and inhibitory mediators associated with PTSD. This approach focused on a tightly-controlled and relatively homogeneous population of Veterans, all with similar levels of combat exposure in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, but some testing negative and others testing positive for PTSD. Although the sample size was small (6 controls and 7 with PTSD) and a limitation of this study, the results showed significant imbalances in immune cytokines favoring a Th1 and inflammatory state, with reduced levels of inhibitory cytokines in Veterans with PTSD. This was particularly prominent in the saliva of PTSD subjects compared to in their plasma.
Exploring the Transition to Parenthood as a Pathway to Desistance

While criminologists know a great deal about how marriage and employment affect criminal behavior, scholars remain equivocal about the relationship between the transition to parenthood and desistance. This study seeks to contribute to the literature by (1) exploring gender differences in the transition to parenthood; (2) exploring how women’s offending behavior varies across motherhood states (i.e., pregnancy); (3) assessing important contexts of the relationship between parenthood and desistance, such as timing, residency, and parental orientation; and (4) assessing whether these contexts work together as a “respectability package”. I utilize data from The Pathways to Desistance Study, a longitudinal dataset of serious adolescent offenders, and fixed effects models to test whether the transition to parenthood is associated with periods of self-reported criminal desistance. This study finds that a binary measure of parenthood is often insufficient for exploring the effects of parenthood. Rather, the contextual nature of parenthood, particularly the timing of transition, residence with a child, and being highly invested in parenthood, reduces one’s odds of offending. Additionally, these contexts work together as a parenthood respectability package. However, these results vary by gender and offense type. The transition to parenthood, including both pregnancy and motherhood, seems to be an important factor for periods of temporary desistance among women, while the transition to fatherhood is associated with periods of aggressive offending desistance. The contexts of parenthood also work in gendered and offense-specific ways.
EMAT/Synthetic Aperture Approach to Thick-Weld Inspection

Rapid advances in automated welding and increased demands for reliable weld-quality inspection tools have created a need for new ultrasonic inspection systems. In particular, new systems capable of operation at elevated temperatures and rapid scan rates are in demand in fully and semi-automated welding applications to complement radiographic and conventional ultrasonic inspection techniques. In such applications, radiography is fundamentally limited because of its inability to detect and dimension most sharp flaws, and possible health hazards. On the other hand, conventional ultrasonic techniques are limited because they tend to be difficult to automate, require fluid couplants, and are often operator-dependent.
Ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast: 'making the punishment fit the crime'.

To make the punishment fit the crime, you would want the decision of whether or not to use adjuvants to be informed by the degree of risk that the DCIS would recur. What factors can predict for an increased risk of recurrence, or more importantly, the risk of an invasive breast cancer occurring?
Automatic keywords generation for contextual advertising

Contextual Advertising (CA) is an important area in the industry of online advertising. Typically, CA algorithms return a set of related ads based on some keywords extracted from the content of webpages. Therefore, extracting the best set of representative keywords from a given webpage is the key to the success of CA. In this paper, we introduce a new keywords generation approach that uses some novel NLP features including POS and named-entities tagging. Unlike most of the existing keyword extraction algorithms, our proposed framework is able to generate some related keywords which do not exist in the webpage. A monetization parameter, predicted from historical search keyword performance, is also used to rank potential keywords in order to balance the RPM (Revenue Per 1000 Matches) and relevance. Experimental results over a very large real-world data set shows that the proposed approach can outperform the state-of-the-art system in both relevance and monetization metrics.
Subdural Hemorrhages in Infants: Cause and Outcome

The incidence, cause, and clinical outcome of subdural hemorrhage in children under 2 years of age were evaluated at the Department of Child Health, Bristol, Wales, UK.
Endometrial Cancer Trends by Race and Histology in the USA: Projecting the Number of New Cases from 2015 to 2040

The aim of this study is to explore incidence and incidence-based mortality trends for endometrial cancer in the USA and project future incident cases, accounting for differences by race and histological subtype. Data on age-adjusted and age-specific incidence and mortality rates of endometrial cancer were obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results 18 registries. Trends in rates were analyzed using Joinpoint regression, and average annual percent change (AAPC) in recent years (2006–2011) was computed for histological subtypes by race. Age, histological, and race-specific rates were applied to US Census Bureau population census estimates to project new cases from 2015 to 2040, accounting for observed AAPC trends, which were progressively attenuated for the future years. The annual number of cases is projected to increase substantially from 2015 to 2040 across all racial groups. Considerable variation in incidence and mortality trends was observed both between and within racial groups when considering histology. As the US population undergoes demographic changes, incidence of endometrial cancer is projected to rise. The increase will occur in all racial groups, but larger increases will be seen in aggressive histology subtypes that disproportionately affect black women.
Disk-Based Algorithms for Big Data

Disk-Based Algorithms for Big Data is a product of recent advances in the areas of big data, data analytics, and the underlying file systems and data management algorithms used to support the storage and analysis of massive data collections. The book discusses hard disks and their impact on data management, since Hard Disk Drives continue to be common in large data clusters. It also explores ways to store and retrieve data though primary and secondary indices. This includes a review of different in-memory sorting and searching algorithms that build a foundation for more sophisticated on-disk approaches like mergesort, B-trees, and extendible hashing. Following this introduction, the book transitions to more recent topics, including advanced storage technologies like solid-state drives and holographic storage; peer-to-peer (P2P) communication; large file systems and query languages like Hadoop/HDFS, Hive, Cassandra, and Presto; and NoSQL databases like Neo4j for graph structures and MongoDB for unstructured document data. Designed for senior undergraduate and graduate students, as well as professionals, this book is useful for anyone interested in understanding the foundations and advances in big data storage and management, and big data analytics. About the Author Dr. Christopher G. Healey is a tenured Professor in the Department of Computer Science and the Goodnight Distinguished Professor of Analytics in the Institute for Advanced Analytics, both at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina. He has published over 50 articles in major journals and conferences in the areas of visualization, visual and data analytics, computer graphics, and artificial intelligence. He is a recipient of the National Science Foundation’s CAREER Early Faculty Development Award and the North Carolina State University Outstanding Instructor Award. He is a Senior Member of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), and an Associate Editor of ACM Transaction on Applied Perception, the leading worldwide journal on the application of human perception to issues in computer science.
Staged thermal fractionation for segregation of lignin and cellulose pyrolysis products: An experimental study of residence time and temperature effects

Abstract Thermal conversion technologies may be the most efficient means of production of transportation fuels from lignocellulosic biomass. In order to increase the viability and improve the carbon emissions profile of pyrolysis biofuels, improvements must be made to the required catalytic upgrading to increase both hydrogen utilization efficiency and final liquid carbon yields. However, no current single catalytic valorization strategy can be optimized to convert the complex mixture of compounds produced upon fast pyrolysis of biomass. Staged thermal fractionation, which entails a series of sequentially increasing temperature steps to decompose biomass, has been proposed as a simple means to create vapor product streams of enhanced purity as compared to fast pyrolysis. In this work, we use analytical pyrolysis to investigate the effects of time and temperature on a thermal step designed to segregate the lignin and cellulose pyrolysis products of a biomass which has been pre-torrefied to remove hemicellulose. At process conditions of 380 °C and 180 s isothermal hold time, a stream containing less than 20% phenolics (carbon basis) was produced, and upon subsequent fast pyrolysis of the residual solid a stream of 81.5% levoglucosan (carbon basis) was produced. The thermal segregation comes at the expense of vapor product carbon yield, but the improvement in catalytic performance may offset these losses.
Facilitating Wellness in Urban-Dwelling, Low-Income Older Adults Through Community Mobility: A Mixed-Methods Study.

Objective Community participation is integral to wellness. This study examined the outcomes of Let's Go, a program designed to facilitate community participation of urban-dwelling, low-income older adults. Method Fifty-two older adults participated in a mixed-methods, single-group pretest-posttest study. The Impact on Participation and Autonomy Questionnaire, participant surveys, and semistructured interviews were used to evaluate self-reported participation in community-based occupations, confidence, isolation, frequency of community trips, autonomy outdoors, and satisfaction with social life and relationships. Results Significant improvement was found in participation, confidence, frequency of community trips, autonomy outdoors, and satisfaction with social life and relationships at 4 wk and 6 mo. Qualitative themes were decreased isolation, importance of peer and community support, increased knowledge of mobility options, and a shift from fear to confidence. Conclusion Community mobility programming can facilitate the participation of marginalized older adults in community-based occupations.
Failed Legacies of Colonial Linguistics: Lessons from Tamil Books in French India and French Guiana

The archives of French India and French Guiana, two colonies that were failing by the mid-nineteenth century, elucidate the legacy of colonial linguistics by drawing attention to the ideological and technological natures of colonial printing and the far-reaching and longstanding consequences of the European objectification of Indian vernaculars. Torn between religious, commercial, and imperialist agendas, the French in India both promoted Catholicism and advanced the scientific study of Tamil, the majority language spoken in the colonial headquarters of Pondicherry. There, a little known press operated by the Paris Foreign Missions shipped seventy-one dictionaries, grammars, and theological works printed in Tamil and French to Catholic schools undergoing secularization in French Guiana, a colony with several thousand Tamil indentured laborers. I analyze the books’ lexical, orthographic, and typographical forms, metalinguistic commentaries, publicity tactics, citational practices, and circulation histories by drawing on seldom-discussed materials from the Archives nationales d'outre-mer in Aix-en-Provence, France. I propose a theoretical framework to investigate how technology intersects with the historical relationship between language and colonialism, and argue that printing rivalries contributed to Orientalist knowledge production by institutionalizing semiotic and language ideologies about the nature of “perfectible” and “erroneous” signs. My comparative approach highlights the interdiscursive features of different genres and historical periods of Tamil documentation, and underscores how texts that emerged out of disparate religious and scientific movements questioned the veracity of knowledge and fidelity of sources. Such metalinguistic labor exposed the evolving stances of French Indologists toward Dravidian and Indo-Aryan linguistics and promoted religious and secular interests in educational and immigration policies.
Prolonged survival after intraperitoneal interleukin-2 immunotherapy for recurrent ovarian cancer.

In the last decade, there has been an explosion in the interest and usage of immunotherapy for cancer beginning with the demonstration that checkpoint inhibitors could produce prolonged treatment-free remissions in patients with advanced melanoma (Shadendorf et al., 2015). Immunotherapy with checkpoint inhibitors and as well as an oncolytic virus are now approved and available for the treatment of multiple advanced cancers. Although there is tremendous interest in using immunotherapy for ovarian cancer, success in this field seems limited at present (Drerup et al., 2015). In addition most efforts emphasize systemic immunotherapy, with little attention to the intraperitoneal route for immunotherapeutic agents. The authors felt the report of a patient with recurrent ovarian cancer successfully treated with intra-peritoneal interleukin-2 14 years ago would be of interest. This report was published with the approval of the Sutter Health institutional review board.
Autonomy as a key resource for women in low gender egalitarian countries: A cross-cultural examination

Relying on Conservation of Resources theory and a sample of 23,439 workers in 26 countries, we develop and test a multilevel moderated mediation of the effects of perceived job autonomy on work–life balance, engagement, and turnover intentions, depending on employee gender and country-level gender egalitarianism (GE), and indirectly through stress. We find that perceived job autonomy relates to these outcomes indirectly through stress such that these effects are stronger for women in lower GE countries compared with women in higher GE countries and are not significant for men. Practical implications for engaging and retaining global female talent are discussed.
Cretaceous Evolution of Reef Ecosystems

Our modern world has a tropical region that contains reefs, rain forests, and the highest biodiversity on the globe. From the hot tropics to the cold polar regions, a series of convection cells drive today’s atmospheric circulation. In the oceans, high-density water masses from the polar regions source the thermohaline, subsurface circulation of our modern seas. In stark contrast to today’s relatively cold, interglacial, “icehouse world” is the warm Cretaceous or “greenhouse world.” Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels of the Cretaceous were two to ten times more than present-day levels (Berner, 1994), resulting in a world considerably warmer than today’s. But this warmth was not distributed evenly through the Cretaceous and across all latitudes, as noted by Huber et al. (1995) and more recently by Frakes (1999), who identified the Late Cretaceous, (early) Turonian stage as the warmest interval of the Cretaceous period.
Effect of Syndesmotic Implant Removal on Dorsiflexion.

Background:There is limited evidence that syndesmotic implant removal (SIR) is beneficial. However, many surgeons advocate removal based on studies suggesting improved motion. Methodologic difficul...
Controlling environmental crisis appraisal through knowledge, vividness, and timing

Abstract Effective communication during disasters ensures that the public realizes the urgency of the crisis. The present research aims to identify factors that influence the perceived urgency and severity of a chronic water crisis in the Southwest United States that may lead to a future megadrought. Findings show knowledge about the interdependence of water and power infrastructures, vividness of the dreadful consequences of droughts, and time of crisis jointly increase perceived urgency and severity of the crisis, thus suggesting three directions for future research. First, knowledge-based interventions may be most effective when the knowledge presented is not already salient. Second, vividness of the crisis could increase the perceived urgency of a crisis. Third, design of future interventions should take into account individuals’ competing needs to satisfy desires for consuming resources versus conserving them; individuals may be less amenable to sustainability interventions when their desire for resources is intense.
Identity politics and democratic transitions in Latin America: (Re)organizing women's strategic interests through community activism

En concentrant son attention sur la mobilisation politique des femmes d'Amerique latine en milieu rural, l'A. examine la viabilite et l'efficacite des discours de resistance et des pratiques de changement social au sein de communautes opprimees. Dans une perspective qui rompt avec les explications traditionnelles concernant les changements de regimes, et apres avoir discute la question de l'autonomie, l'A. montre l'efficacite de la mobilisation d'identites nouvelles en matiere de changement social et politique. Son argumentation est illustree par l'exemple de l'Association des paysannes du Huasteca (AMCHAC), au Mexique
Contributions of current year photosynthate to fine roots estimated using a 13C-depleted CO2 source

The quantification of root turnover is necessary for a complete understanding of plant carbon (C) budgets, especially in terms of impacts of global climate change. To improve estimates of root turnover, we present a method to distinguish current- from prior-year allocation of carbon (C) to roots in global change experiments by using changes in 13C:12C ratios (δ13C values) resulting from application of 13C-depleted, tank-derived CO2. In a 4-year study examining effects of elevated CO2 and temperature on reconstructed Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga mensiezii) ecosystems, δ13C patterns of fine roots and foliage were measured yearly. Native soil of low nitrogen (N) content was used, so plant N supply relied on natural soil N processes. Under these N-limited conditions, elevated CO2 or temperature did not affect the proportion of fine root C derived from current-year photosynthate. Regression analyses showed that 75% of fine root C originated from current-year photosynthate. The method is useful as an independent measure of the contribution of current-year photosynthate to root C and could be used to improve estimates of root C budgets with concurrent measurements of root C pools. We calculated a 13C enrichment of root C relative to foliar C of 2‰. This enrichment agrees with prior measurements of the enrichment of heterotrophic versus autotrophic plant tissues and must be accounted for when using shifts in foliar δ13C to calculate inputs of plant C into the soil. This enrichment probably contributes to the progressive enrichment in 13C with increasing depth in soil profiles.
Distinct Benefits Given Large Versus Small Grain Orthographic Instruction for English-Speaking Adults Learning to Read Russian Cyrillic

Initial instruction emphasizing large grain units (i.e., words) showed distinct advantages over small grain instruction for English-speaking adults learning to read an artificial orthography (Brennan and Booth in Read Writ 28(7):917–938, 2015. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-015-9555-2 ). The current study extends this research by training 34 English-speaking adults to read Russian Cyrillic given initial instruction emphasizing either large or small units (words or letters). Results reveal no differences on word learning, but higher accuracy on letter-phoneme matching given letter-based instruction and higher accuracy on rime-rhyme matching given word-based instruction. Differences in phonological awareness (PA) skill showed that higher PA skill resulted in higher accuracy and slower reaction times only for the adults given the instruction with the word emphasis, suggesting that adults with high PA skill given word-based instruction may engage in time intensive small grain analyses (e.g., grapheme-phoneme correspondence) even when their attention is directed to larger grain units. Overall, these results extend previous findings and reveal that word and letter-based instruction each have distinct advantages for facilitating increased sensitivity to either letters/phonemes or rimes/rhymes when adults are learning a natural second (L2) consistent alphabetic orthography.
Extensive genome-wide association analyses identify genotype-by-environment interactions of growth traits in Simmental cattle

Abstract Background Understanding the genetic basis of genotype-by-environment interactions (GxE) is crucial to understand environmental adaptation in mammals and improve the sustainability of agricultural production. In addition, GxE information could also be useful to predict the vulnerability of populations to climate change. Results Here, we present an extensive study investigating the interaction of genome-wide SNP markers with a vast assortment of environmental variables and searching for SNPs controlling phenotypic variance (vQTL) using a large beef cattle dataset. We showed that GxE contribute 10%, 4%, and 3% of the phenotypic variance of birth weight, weaning weight, and yearling weight, respectively. GxE genome-wide association analysis (GWAA) detected a large number of GxE loci affecting growth traits, which the traditional GWAA did not detect, showing that functional loci may have non-additive genetic effects between genotype classes regardless of differences in genotypic means. We also showed that variance-heterogeneity GWAA can detect loci enriched with GxE effects without requiring prior knowledge of the interacting environmental factors. Functional annotation and pathway analysis of GxE genes revealed biological mechanisms by which cattle respond to changes in their environment, such as neural signaling, metabolic, hypoxia-induced, and immune system pathways. Knowledge of these pathways will be important as climate change becomes a burden on animal health and productivity. In addition, ecoregion-specific GxE SNPs detected in this study may play a crucial role in identifying resilient and adapted beef cattle across divergent environments. Conclusions We detected novel trait associations with large GxE effects for birth weight, weaning weight, and yearling weight. Functional annotation and pathway analysis uncovered genomic regions involved in response to environmental stimuli. We unraveled the relevance and complexity of the genetic basis of GxE underlying growth traits, providing new insights into how different environmental conditions interact with specific genes influencing adaptation and productivity in beef cattle and potentially across mammals
Comparison of Markov versus quantum dynamical models of human decision making

What kind of dynamic decision process do humans use to make decisions? In this article, two different types of processes are reviewed and compared: Markov and quantum. Markov processes are based on the idea that at any given point in time a decision maker has a definite and specific level of support for available choice alternatives, and the dynamic decision process is represented by a single trajectory that traces out a path across time. When a response is requested, a person's decision or judgment is generated from the current location along the trajectory. By contrast, quantum processes are founded on the idea that a person's state can be represented by a superposition over different degrees of support for available choice options, and that the dynamics of this state form a wave moving across levels of support over time. When a response is requested, a decision or judgment is constructed out of the superposition by "actualizing" a specific degree or range of degrees of support to create a definite state. The purpose of this article is to introduce these two contrasting theories, review empirical studies comparing the two theories, and identify conditions that determine when each theory is more accurate and useful than the other. This article is categorized under: Economics > Individual Decision-Making Psychology > Reasoning and Decision Making Psychology > Theory and Methods.
The economical impact of subcutaneous amifostine in the Kaiser Permanente health care system

18526 Background: We have previously shown that Subcutaneous amifostine (SQ A) was safe and effective in decreasing the early and late complications of patients (PTS) treated with radiotherapy (RT)...
Appendageal tumors and tumor-like lesions of the testis and paratestis: a 32-year experience at a single institution

Summary The testicular hilum and paratestis contain several embryologically diverse anatomic structures, including the spermatic cord, tunica vaginalis, epididymis, rete testis, and several other embryonic remnants. Several benign and malignant lesions arise from these morphologically distinct structures, and owing to their proximity, it is challenging to classify and subsequently stage these tumors. Herein, we conducted a retrospective review of the paratesticular appendageal and rete testis tumors and tumor-like lesions diagnosed at our department from 1985 to 2016. Soft-tissue lesions/tumors were excluded. A total of 146 paratesticular appendageal and rete testis tumors and tumor-like lesions were identified. Most were benign (n = 107; 73%). Adenomatoid tumor (26%) was the most common benign tumor, followed by different types of cysts (19%), mesothelial hyperplasia (18%), serous cystadenoma (5.5%), and rete testis adenoma (4%). Malignant lesions comprised 23% of the cases, with mesothelioma the most common (15%), followed by adenocarcinoma of the rete testis (4%), serous cystadenocarcinoma (2%), and papillary and clear cell adenocarcinoma of the epididymis (2%). Finally, serous borderline tumors and melanotic neuroectodermal tumor (retinal anlage tumors) comprised the remaining 4% of cases. In conclusion, a wide range of benign and malignant lesions can arise from the paratesticular region. Awareness of these lesions and their histologic spectrum is crucial to avoid diagnostic pitfalls and to allow pathologists to establish a correct diagnosis and subsequent treatment plan.
Gerrymandering Incumbency: Does Non-Partisan Redistricting Increase Electoral Competition?

Many political advocacy groups, journalists, and scholars view decennial redistricting as a major force in weakening the representational link between voters and officeholders by helping insulate legislative incumbents from electoral defeat. Motivated by this concern, reformers in a number of states have proposed giving control over redistricting to 'politically-neutral' independent commissions. Freed from partisan and electoral pressures, independent redistrictors would be expected to draw districts without giving favor to parties or their incumbents. In this study, we analyze two novel datasets of alternative redistricting plans, to evaluate whether maps drawn by independent commissions are more electorally competitive than those produced by party-controlled legislatures, compared to the proposals that could have been adopted. We find that the redistricting process on the margin, helps sustain the electoral security of incumbents. Yet, counter to reformers' expectations, we find that independent redistrictors produce virtually the same degree of insulation as plans devised in legislatures or by politician commissions. Overall, our results suggest caution in overhauling state redistricting institutions to increase electoral competition: independent commissions may not be as politically-neutral as theorized.
Effects of isoalcohol blending with gasoline on autoignition behavior in a rapid compression machine: Isopropanol and isobutanol

Abstract Alcohols, and particularly isoalcohols, are potentially advantageous blendstocks towards achieving efficient, low-carbon intensity internal combustion engines. Their use in advanced configurations, such as boosted spark-ignition or spark-assisted compression ignition, requires a comprehensive understanding of their blending effects on the low- and intermediate-temperature autoignition behavior of petroleum-derived gasoline. This work reports an experimental and modeling study of such autoignition characteristics quantified in a twin-piston rapid compression machine. Isopropanol and isobutanol are blended into a research-grade gasoline (FACE-F) at oxygenate blend levels of 0 to 30% vol/vol, with tests conducted at pressures of 20 and 40 bar, temperatures from 700 to 1000 K, and dilute stoichiometric fuel loadings. Changes to overall reactivity, including first-stage and main ignition times, and preliminary exothermicity are established, with comparisons made to previous measurements with ethanol-blended FACE-F gasoline. It is found that at low-temperature/NTC conditions (700–860 K) the isoalcohols suppress first-stage reactivity and associated heat release while main ignition times are extended. At NTC/intermediate-temperature (860–1000 K) conditions changes to fuel reactivity are less significant with isopropanol slightly suppressing reactivity and isobutanol promoting ignition. Detailed chemical kinetic modeling is used to interpret the experimental measurements. Overall trends of suppression or promotion in the blending behavior are reasonably captured by the model. Sensitivity and rate of production analyses indicate that at lower temperatures H-atom abstraction reactions from the surrogate fuel molecules (e.g., cyclopentane, isooctane) and the isoalcohols via ȮH are important leading to TC3H6OH and IC4H8OH–C radicals, for isopropanol and isobutanol respectively, which act as scavengers in the system. At higher temperatures, similar chemistries are dominant, but there is an increasing importance of abstraction by HO2. The kinetic modeling also indicates that the promoting effect of isobutanol at higher temperatures is due to the increased abstractions at the γ-sites, while at lower temperatures abstraction at the α-site leads to greater reactivity suppression.
Assessment of vitamin B12 deficiency and B12 screening trends for patients on metformin: a retrospective cohort case review.

Objectives Our study investigated the use of vitamin B12 testing in a large cohort of patients on metformin and assesses appropriateness and benefits of screening recommendations for vitamin B12 deficiency. Design This retrospective cohort study included insured adult patients who had more than 1 year of metformin use between 1 January 2010 and 1 October 2016 and who filled at least two consecutive prescriptions of metformin to establish compliance. The comparison group was not exposed to metformin. Primary outcome was incidence of B12 deficiency diagnosed in patients on metformin. Secondary outcome was occurrence of B12 testing in the patient population on metformin. Records dated through 31 December 2018 were analysed. Setting Large hospital system consisting of inpatient and outpatient data base. Participants A diverse, adult, insured population of patients who had more than 1 year of metformin use between 1 January 2010 and 1 October 2016 and who filled at least two consecutive prescriptions of metformin. Results Of 13 489 patients on metformin, 6051 (44.9%) were tested for vitamin B12 deficiency, of which 202 (3.3%) tested positive (vs 2.2% of comparisons). Average time to test was 990 days. Average time to test positive for deficiency was 1926 days. Factors associated with testing were linked to sex (female, 47.8%), older age (62.79% in patients over 80 years old), race (48.98% white) and causes of malabsorption (7.11%). Multivariable logistic regression showed older age as the only factor associated with vitamin B12 deficiency, whereas African-American ethnicity approached significance as a protective factor. Conclusions Based on our study’s findings of vitamin B12 deficiency in patients on metformin who are greater than 65 years old and have been using it for over 5 years, we recommend that physicians consider screening in these populations.
Guiding synthetic targets of anodically coloring electrochromes through density functional theory.

Electrochromic devices offer many technological applications, including flexible displays, dimmable mirrors, and energy-efficient windows. Additionally, adsorbing electrochromic molecular assemblies onto mesoporous metal-oxide surfaces facilitates commercial and manufacturing potential (i.e., screen-printing and/or roll-to-roll processing). These systems also demonstrate synthetic versatility, thus making a wide array of colors accessible. In this work, using Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory (TD-DFT), we investigated ten different bi-aryl type molecules of 3,4-ethylendioxythiophene (EDOT) conjugated to various phenyl derivatives as potential anodically coloring electrochromes (ACEs). The non-substituted phenylene, hexylthiol-EDOT-phenyl-phosphonic acid, PA1, was synthesized and characterized as a means of model validity. PA1 absorbs in the UV region in its neutral state and upon oxidation absorbs within the visible, hence showcasing its potential as an ACE chromophore. The properties of PA1 inspired the designs of the other nine structural derivatives where the number and position of methoxy groups on the phenylene were varied. Using our DFT treatment, we assessed the impact of these modifications on the electronic structures, geometries, and excited-state properties. In particular, we examined stabilization intermolecular interactions (S–O and O–H) as they aid in molecule planarization, thus facilitating charge transport properties in devices. Additionally, destabilizing O–O forces were observed, thereby making some chromophores less desirable. A detailed excited state analysis was performed, which linked the simulated UV-Vis spectra to the dominant excited state transitions and their corresponding molecular orbitals. Based on these results, the nine chromophores were ranked ergo providing an ordered list of synthetic targets.
The impact of static output nonlinearities on the control strategies that humans use in command-following tasks

Abstract The results of a human-in-the-loop experiment are used to investigate the control strategies that humans use to interact with nonlinear dynamic systems. Two groups of human subjects interact with a dynamic system and perform a command-following task. The first group interacts with a linear time-invariant (LTI) dynamic system. The second group interacts with a Wiener system, which consists of the same LTI dynamics cascaded with a static output nonlinearity. Both groups exhibit improved performance over the trials, but the average of the linear group’s performance is better on more than three-fourths of the trials. A new nonlinear subsystem identification algorithm is presented and used to identify the feedback and feedforward control strategies used by the subjects in both groups. The identification results for the linear group agree with prior studies suggesting that adaptive feedforward inversion is a primary control strategy used by humans for command-following tasks. The main results of this paper address an open question of whether a similar control strategy is used for nonlinear systems. The identification results for the nonlinear group suggest that those subjects also use adaptive feedforward inversion. However, the static output nonlinearity inhibits the human’s ability to approximate the inverse.
Recurrent loss of chromosome 22 and SMARCB1 deletion in extra-axial chordoma: A clinicopathological and molecular analysis.

Extra-axial chordoma is a rare neoplasm of extra-axial skeleton and soft tissue that shares identical histomorphologic and immunophenotypic features with midline chordoma. While genetic changes in conventional chordoma have been well-studied, the genomic alterations of extra-axial chordoma have not been reported. It is well known that conventional chordoma is a tumor with predominantly non-random copy number alterations and low mutational burden. Herein we describe the clinicopathologic and genomic characteristics of six cases of extra-axial chordoma, with genome-wide high-resolution single nucleotide polymorphism array, fluorescence in situ hybridization and targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) analysis. The patients presented at a mean age of 33 years (range: 21-54) with a female to male ratio of 5:1. Four cases were histologically conventional type, presented with bone lesions and three of them had local recurrence. Two cases were poorly differentiated chordomas, presented with intra-articular soft tissue masses and both developed distant metastases. All cases showed brachyury positivity and the two poorly differentiated chordomas showed in addition loss of INI-1 expression by immunohistochemical analysis. Three of four extra-axial conventional chordomas showed simple genome with loss of chromosome 22 or a heterozygous deletion of SMARCB1. Both poorly differentiated chordomas demonstrated a complex hyperdiploid genomic profile with gain of multiple chromosomes and homozygous deletion of SMARCB1. Our findings show that heterozygous deletion of SMARCB1 or the loss of chromosome 22 is a consistent abnormality in extra-axial chordoma and transformation to poorly differentiated chordoma is characterized by homozygous loss of SMARCB1 associated with genomic complexity and instability such as hyperdiploidy. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
A multivariate procedure for comparing control areas to possible impact areas, graphically displaying the results

Principal components are used to reduce the dimension of highly correlated, multivariate data. After applying analyses of variance to the principal components, looking for site differences, a graphical method of multiple comparisons is presented. The procedure is applied to two large sets of benthic data.
Unlinking of Cell Division from Deoxyribonucleic Acid Replication in a Temperature-sensitive Deoxyribonucleic Acid Synthesis Mutant of Escherichia coli

A new type of temperature-sensitive deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) synthesis mutant, which can divide without a completion of DNA replication, was isolated from a thymidine-requiring Escherichia coli strain by means of photo-bromouracil selection after nitrosoguanidine mutagenesis. In this mutant, in spite of the fact that DNA synthesis stopped immediately after the temperature shift from 30 to 41 C, cells could continue to divide, though at a reduced rate. This cell division without DNA synthesis at 41 C is further supported by the following results. (i) Cell division took place at high temperature without addition of thymidine but not at all at 30 C. The parent strain of the mutant did not divide at 41 C without thymidine. (ii) Smaller cells isolated from the culture grown at 41 C did not contain DNA. This was shown by chemical analysis of the smaller cells and on electron micrographs. Ability of cells to divide was examined according to sizes of cells. By using the culture at 30 C, cells of various sizes were separated by means of sucrose-density gradient centrifugation. It was found that all cell fractions, including the smallest one, could divide at high temperature. These results suggest that in this mutant the completion of DNA replication is not required for triggering cell division at high temperature. Heat sensitivity of a factor which links cell division with DNA replication appears to be responsible. Some possible mechanisms of the coordination between cell division and DNA replication are discussed.
Analysis of Near-Surface Atmospheric Measurements Obtained During CBLAST-LOW

Abstract : The long-range goal of the proposed research is to understand air-sea interaction and coupled atmospheric and oceanic boundary layer dynamics at low wind speeds where the dynamic processes are driven and/or strongly modulated by thermal forcing. The low wind regime extends from the extreme situation where wind stress is negligible and thermal forcing dominates up to wind speeds where wave breaking and Langmuir circulations are also expected to play a role in the exchange processes. Therefore, the CBLAST-LOW investigators seek to make observations over a wide range of environmental conditions with the intent of improving our understanding of upper ocean and lower atmosphere dynamics and of the physical processes that determine both the vertical and horizontal structure of the marine boundary layers.
A geometric method to compute some elementary integrals

An elementary, albeit higher dimensional, argument is used to compute the area under the power function curve between 0 and 1.
Guaranteed cost control of uncertain nonlinear systems: a minimax approach

We develop a guaranteed cost control for nonlinear uncertain systems. We first discuss the relationship between the idea of guaranteed cost control and dissipative feedback which have been independently studied in the literature on robust control. We then apply the idea of guaranteed cost control to solve the robust control problem for nonlinear systems. We give necessary and sufficient conditions for the solvability of this problem in terms of certain Hamilton-Jacobi Isaac's inequalities.
Identification and characterization of the heme-binding proteins SeShp and SeHtsA of Streptococcus equi subspecies equi

Heme is a preferred iron source of bacterial pathogens. Streptococcus equi subspecies equi is a bacterial pathogen that causes strangles in horses. Whether S. equi has a heme acquisition transporter is unknown. An S. equi genome database was blasted with the heme binding proteins Shp and HtsA of Streptococcus pyogenes, and found that S. equi has the homologue of Shp (designated SeShp) and HtsA (designated SeHtsA). Tag-free recombinant SeShp and SeHtsA and 6xHis-tagged SeHtsA (SeHtsAHis) were prepared and characterized. Purified holoSeShp and holoSeHtsA bind Fe(II)-protoporphyrin IX (heme) and Fe(III)-protoporphyrin IX (hemin) in a 1:1 stoichiometry, respectively, and are designated hemoSeShp and hemiSeHtsA. HemiSeShp and hemiSeHtsAHis can be reconstituted from apoSeShp and apoSeHtsAHis and hemin. HemoSeShp is stable in air and can be oxidized to hemiSeShp by ferricyanide. HemiSeHtsA can be reduced into hemoSeHtsA, which autoxidizes readily. HemoSeShp rapidly transfers its heme to apoSeHtsAHis. In addition, hemoSeShp can also transfer its heme to apoHtsA, and hemoShp is able to donate heme to apoSeHtsAHis. The primary structures, optical properties, oxidative stability, and in vitro heme transfer reaction of SeShp and SeHtsA are very similar to those of S. pyogenes Shp and HtsA. The data suggest that the putative cell surface protein SeShp and lipoprotein SeHtsA are part of the machinery to acquire heme in S. equi. The results also imply that the structure, function, and functional mechanism of the heme acquisition machinery are conserved in S. equi and S. pyogenes.
Fashioning Female Identities and Political Resistance in Contemporary Chile

AbstractDuring the last few decades, the act of remembering, of reconstructing and reevaluating image, has fueled political dialogues in Chile. The political role of fashion cannot be denied as an organizing agent, especially during the country's seventeen-year dictatorship and into its transition to democracy. This article, through the application of fashion theories, explores women's fashion since the 1960s, particularly as informed by the popular novel, Marcela Serrano's Nosotras que nos queremos tanto (1991), as well as other popular culture sources. Serrano's first novel sets the precedent for the author's elaborate fashion descriptions, arguably the most style detailed of her oeuvre. Nosotras tells the stories—in vivid fashion-laden descriptions—of four best friends who reunite at a lakeside house in southern Chile and serves as a springboard to explore some of the national and socioeconomic concerns of fashion that not only historically mark Chile's evolving fashion realm but also occupy the countr...
Effects of Type-2 Diabetes and Troglitazone on the Expression Patterns of Small Intestinal Sugar Transporters and PPAR-Gamma in the Zucker Diabetic Fatty Rat

Background/Aims: We have used the Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rat to study the effects of type-2 diabetes and troglitazone on the small intestinal mucosal mass, sugar transporters a
Ataxia telangiectasia: An autoimmune disease associated with a cytotoxic antibody to brain and thymus

Abstract The association of autoimmunity with ataxia telangiectasia and studies linking both immunoglobulin deficiency and thymic deficiencies to autoimmunity prompted our search for anti-thymic antibodies in a patient with ataxia telangiectasia. Immunologic studies revealed both cellular and humoral deficits. An immunoglobulin M complement-dependent antibody which appeared to be specific for T-cells and brain cells was demonstrated by cytotoxicity, immunofluorescence, and absorption studies. A similar antibody was detected in the sera of three patients. We speculate that this is an autoantibody which may be important in the pathogenesis of the disease.
Fibxtem ‐‐‐ Focussed Ion Beam Milling for TEM Sample Preparation

In the semiconductor industry, shrinking geometries and increasing process complexity have greatly increased the demand for TEM analysis of specific submicron regions. Until recently, samples of this nature have been difficult if not impossible to prepare. We have combined cross-sectional TEM sample preparation (XTEM) and the precise material sputtering of focussed ion beam milling (FIB) to thin samples to electron transparency. We call this sample preparation technique FIBXTEM. p]Three advantages of this technique are: 1) The area of interest can be analyzed in the scanning electron microscope before final thinning; 2) Any specific defect area becomes a candidate for TEM analysis, including failed sub-micron structures; and 3) Samples are generally artifact-free and of uniform thickness. p]Key elements of the FIBXTEM technique include precision planar polishing, unique holders for mounting and transferring samples between systems, and the FIB-induced deposition of a sacrificial protective layer over the area of interest during ion thinning. p]This technique extends the use of TEM analysis into new areas of semiconductor process development and failure analysis. Recent applications for materials problem solving and failure analysis are discussed.
Normal forms for nonautonomous difference equations

Abstract We extend Henry Poincare's normal form theory for autonomous difference equations χk + 1 = f(χk) to nonautonomous difference equations χk + 1 = fk(χk). Poincare's nonresonance condition α j -П n i=1 =1α qi i ≠0 for eigenvalues is generalized to the new nonresonance condition λj∪ α j ⊔П n i=1 α qi i ≠0 for spectral intervals.