cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Field Survey and Archival Research for the Rosillo Creek Battleground Area, Southeast San Antonio, Texas

In January 1988, the Center for Archaeological Research, The University of Texas at San Antonio, entered into a contract with Waste Management of North America, Inc., to provide archival research and a field survey of an area in southeast San Antonio designated as the vicinity of the 1813 Battle of Rosillo. Archival and published materials indicate that the actual site is approximately one and a half miles from the current marker. Aside from the conclusion that the battle did not take place at the proposed landfill site, the field survey revealed that the land had been severely altered, leaving nothing of archaeological significance.
Tumor lysis syndrome

This chapter discusses the diagnosis, evaluation and management of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). The classic triad of ruptured AAA is hypotension, pain, and pulsatile abdominal mass. This occurs in only half of the patients. Typical pain is usually described as abdominal or lower back. Any patient with these symptoms and a known AAA is at risk for imminent rupture, if rupture has not already occurred. Vital sign stability should not be reassuring as these patients can deteriorate rapidly. Hypotension is the least consistent part of the triad, occurring in as few as one third of patients. Inflammatory aneurysms may present with fever or weight loss. Patients may complain of pain in the chest, thigh, inguinal area, or scrotum. Initial blood loss may be minor and the patient may present with normal vital signs. Vital sign stability should not necessarily be reassuring as these patients can deteriorate rapidly.
Role of Oxidized Lipids and TRP Channels in Orofacial Pain and Inflammation

Acute or chronic inflammation comprises a highly prevalent type of orofacial pain and is mediated by the generation of endogenous agonists that activate numerous receptors expressed on terminals of trigeminal (TG) nociceptive afferent neurons. One such studied receptor is transient receptor potential vanilloid subtype 1 (TRPV1). TRPV1 is a ligand-gated cation channel that is expressed on a major subclass of nociceptors and is found in many orofacial tissues, including dental pulp. Antagonists to TRPV1 reveal an important role for this channel in mediating hypersensitivity in preclinical models of inflammatory or neuropathic pain. Recent studies have demonstrated that endogenous TRPV1 agonists are generated by oxidation of omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, including both linoleic acid and arachidonic acid. A major mechanism triggering the release of oxidative linoleic acid metabolites (OLAMs) and oxidative arachidonic acid metabolites (OAAMs) is the action of oxidative enzymes. Oxidative enzymes such as cytochrome P450 isozymes are rapidly upregulated in TG neurons after orofacial inflammation and increase the capacity of TG neurons to generate OLAMs. Cytochrome P450 isozymes are also increased in immune cells in irreversibly inflamed human dental pulp, and extracts of this tissue have significantly increased capacity to generate OLAMs. Together, these studies point to a novel pain mechanism involving the enzymatic generation of endogenous OLAM and OAAM agonists of TRPV1. This finding provides a rationale for an entirely new class of analgesics by inhibition of oxidative enzyme activity.
Literature in the Digital Age: An Introduction

Literature in a Digital Age: An Introduction guides readers through the most salient theoretical, interpretive, and creative possibilities opened up by the shift to digital literary forms such as e-books, digital archives, and electronic literature. While Digital Humanities (DH) has been hailed as the 'next big thing' in literary studies, many students and scholars remain perplexed as to what a DH approach to literature entails, and skeptical observers continue to see literature and the digital world as fundamentally incompatible. In its argument that digital and traditional scholarship should be placed in dialogue with each other, this book contextualizes the advent of the digital in literary theory, explores the new questions readers can ask of texts when they become digitized, and investigates the challenges that fresh forms of born-digital fiction pose to existing models of literary analysis.
Cutaneous Hamartoneoplastic Disorders

Cutaneous hamartoneoplastic disorders encompass a wide variety of syndromes, among which are neurofibromatosis types 1 (NF1) and 2 (NF2), schwannomatosis, tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome (NBCCS) or Gorlin syndrome, PTEN hamartomatous syndrome (encompassing Cowden disease and Bannayan–Riley–Ruvalcaba syndrome), hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal-cell cancer (HLRCC), and Birt–Hogg–Dube syndrome (BHD). This chapter focuses on two examples, HLRCC and BHD. HLRCC is caused by mutation in fumarate hydratase ( FH ), and associated with an increased risk of benign cutaneous and uterine leiomyomas, as well as papillary renal cancer type 2, an aggressive form of renal cancer. Mutations in FLCN lead to BHD, with fibrofolliculomas, pulmonary cysts, and pneumothorax, along with increased risks of renal cancer, most commonly of the hybrid oncocytoma/chromophobe type.
Globus: Recent Enhancements and Future Plans

Globus offers a broad suite of research data management capabilities to the research community as web-accessible services. The initial service, launched in 2010, focused on reliable, high-performance, secure data transfer; since that time, Globus capabilities have been progressively enhanced in response to user demand. In 2015, secure data sharing and publication services were introduced. Other recent enhancements include support for secure HTTP data access, new storage system types (e.g., Amazon S3, HDFS, Ceph), endpoint search, and administrator management. A powerful new authentication and authorization platform service, Globus Auth, addresses identity, credential, and delegation management needs encountered in research environments. New REST APIs allow external and third-party services to leverage Globus data management, authentication, and authorization capabilities as a platform, for example when building research data portals. We describe these and other recent enhancements to Globus, review adoption trends (to date, 40,000 registered users have operated on more than 150PB and 25B files), and present future plans.
Multiple epidural abscesses and spinal anesthesia in a diabetic patient. Case report.

Background and Objectives. Spinal anesthesia as a cause of epidural abscess is extremely rare. Infection at the site of needle placement is the usual cause of abscess formation. Methods. Immunocompromised patients, and in this case a diabetic patient may be at higher risk for this complication. Results. Anesthesiologists need to be aware of factors that may lead to epidural abscess formation. Conclusions. The signs and symptoms of this unfortunate complication should be uppermost in the physician9s mind when assessing new neurologic deficits after regional anesthesia.
Racial disparities in length-of-stay persist even with no postoperative complications.

Abstract Background To determine the contribution of race to postoperative length-of-stay in elective colorectal surgery without complications. Methods The 2012-2013 National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Colectomy-Targeted Database was queried for patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery without complications. After stratifying by race, univariate/bivariate comparisons were made. On adjusted comparison, predictors of postoperative length-of-stay were identified along with incident rate ratios and Least Squares Means for predicted length-of-stays. Results Of 28,480 elective colorectal surgeries, 19,898 patients had no postoperative complications. Patients stratified to white (84%), black (8%), Hispanic (3%), and Asian (3%). Overall mean postoperative length-of-stay was 4.8 d, with black patients having the longest at 5.3 d (P Conclusions Black patients have significantly longer postoperative length-of-stay after elective colorectal surgery even if no postoperative complications occur. Further studies are needed to understand the mechanism(s) for these disparities.
The Risk Premium on Balance Sheet Capacity

We show that fluctuations in the risk-bearing capacity of US securities broker-dealers are priced in the cross-section of expected stock excess returns. We show that the intermediary risk premium dwarfs the premiums on benchmark factors both unconditionally and dynamically. A portfolio that tracks our intermediary factor sports a dramatically higher Sharpe ratio than benchmark portfolios. We find that the risk premium on balance sheet capacity contains significant macroeconomic information. Specifically, we document that the intermediary risk premium is a significant predictor of US real output growth and that the cyclical component of the intermediary risk premium predicts US recessions.
Performance trade-off in an adaptive IEEE 802.11AD waveform design for a joint automotive radar and communication system

The IEEE 802.11ad waveform can be used for automotive radar by exploiting the Golay complementary sequences in the preamble of a frame. The performance of radar, however, is limited by the preamble structure. In this paper, we propose an adaptive preamble design that permits a trade-off between radar parameters' estimation accuracy and communication rate. To quantify this trade-off, we propose a minimum mean square error (MMSE) metric based on rate distortion theory. The simulation results demonstrate that by adapting the preamble structure, we can achieve decimeter-level range mean square error (MSE) per symbol duration and gigabit per second (Gbps) data rates simultaneously for a distance upto 280 m.
Optical fiber laser-generated-focused-ultrasound transducers for intravascular therapies

In this paper, we report the development of optical fiber laser-generated-focused-ultrasound (LGFU) transducers for intravascular therapies. By combining advantages of fiber optics and photoacoustics, high frequency (>10 MHz), high pressure (> 10 MPa), short pulse (<10 ns) shock waves can be generated from a small aperture (<1 mm in diameter), which is immune to electromagnetic noise. In this work, candle soot nanoparticle (CSNP)-polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) composite film was used as a photoacoustic layer owing to its high photoacoustic energy conversion efficiency (∼0.004) and simple fabrication procedure. A 2 mm-diameter transparent concave lens was developed by using optical adhesive and capillary-rise technique, and the CSNP-PDMS composite film was coated on it by dip-coating method. The fabricated transducer was integrated with an optical fiber (diameter of 0.6 mm), followed by acoustic characterizations to evaluate the wave form, center frequency, and pressure output. We confirmed that the optical fiber CSNP-PDMS LGFU transducer can generate 12 MHz, high pressure shock wave (peak pressure of 16 MPa) at approximately 1.3 mm away from the transducer surface by low laser energy excitation (1.5 mJ/cm2). The corresponding mechanical index of the achieved pressure output is 1.7, which is sufficient to induce inertial cavitation in microbubble-mediated therapies.
Genetic and Nutritional Interactions

Differences in size, proportions, and body composition during growth and into adulthood result from interactions between the genetic material and the nutritional milieu, during both prenatal and postnatal development. So closely are nutrition and genetics related that one of these variables is often confounded with the other, and for many population differences the resolution is not yet fully clear.
Gene Therapy for Celebral Arterial Diseases

Although there has been steady progress towards cardiovascular gene therapy in humans, gene therapy for cerebrovascular disorders is still in its infancy. Several major steps, including gene transfer to cerebral arteries and alteration of gene expression, have been taken. There are several promising targets for cerebrovascular gene therapy, such as prevention of cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage, stimulation of formation of collateral vessels to ischemic brain, and treatment of atherosclerotic lesions in carotid arteries. Some major obstacles, however, must be overcome before cerebrovascular gene therapy can be clinically used in humans. A key to cerebrovascular gene therapy is the development of safe and effective vectors for gene/nucleotide delivery. In addition, advances in understanding the biology of diseases and vectors will be of great value.
Scalable parallel implementation of CISAMR: a non-iterative mesh generation algorithm

We present the parallel implementation of a non-iterative mesh generation algorithm, named conforming to interface structured adaptive mesh refinement (CISAMR). The partitioning phase is tightly integrated with a microstructure reconstruction algorithm to determine the optimized arrangement of partitions based on shapes/sizes of particles. Each processor then creates a structured sub-mesh with one layer of ghost elements for its designated partition. h-adaptivity and r-adaptivity phases of the CISAMR algorithm are also carried out independently in each sub-mesh. Processors then communicate to merge mesh/hanging nodes along faces shared between neighboring partitions. The final mesh is constructed by performing face-swapping and element subdivision phases, after which a minimal communication phase is required in 3D CISAMR to merge new nodes created on partition boundaries. Several example problems, together with scalability tests demonstrating a super-linear speedup, are provided to show the application of parallel CISAMR for generating massive conforming meshes.
How I treat early-relapsing follicular lymphoma

Follicular lymphoma (FL) is the most frequently occurring indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma, with generally favorable outcomes but a variable clinical course. Recent studies have elucidated the consistent and reproducible frequency of early disease progression in FL, occurring in ∼20% of patients. Relapse of FL within 24 months of chemoimmunotherapy (POD24) is now established as a robust marker of poor survival, leading to increased risk of death. Currently, there is no established method of identifying patients at risk for early disease progression at the time of their FL diagnosis. However, numerous studies worldwide are investigating clinical, pathologic, and radiographic biomarkers to help predict POD24, thereby improving subsequent outcomes and adapting therapy based on individual risk. There is also a paucity of standardized treatments for patients with POD24, but investigations are ongoing testing novel targeted therapies and autologous stem cell transplantation strategies. This review provides an overview of early-relapsing FL and our approach to patient management based on recent available data.
A NOVEL MUTATION IN CALCIUM-SENSING RECEPTOR PRESENTING AS FAMILIAL HYPOCALCIURIC HYPERCALCEMIA IN A YOUNG MAN.

ABSTRACT Objective Familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia (FHH) is considered a relatively benign condition characterized by elevated serum calcium with relatively low urinary calcium excretion. It typically results from an altered set point in calcium homeostasis originating from mutations in the calcium-sensing receptor (CASR), AP2S1, or GNA11 genes, which encode for the calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR), adaptor-related protein complex 2, and G-protein alpha-11 subunit, respectively. Despite numerous reports of novel variants in these genes associated with FHH, new variants continue to be discovered. Methods We describe a 20-year-old man with a family history of hypercalcemia who had clinical findings compatible with FHH and no evidence of multiple endocrine neoplasia who underwent CASR gene sequencing for evaluation of hypercalcemia. Parathyroid gland single-photon emission computerized tomography scan was normal. Results CASR gene sequencing revealed a previously unreported heterozygous intronic variant at position 1608+3A>G (chromosome 3: 121994892) resulting in a 77-residue deletion. His mother has a history of bipolar disorder and hyperparathyroidism with an adenoma found on imaging, yet our patient had no evidence of adenoma and therefore no surgical intervention was recommended. Given that CaSR plays a role in parathyroid growth, some variants in CASR may ultimately lead to parathyroid hypertrophy and be mistaken for primary hyperparathyroidism. Conclusion Long-term clinical follow up will be helpful in understanding the ultimate effects of specific CASR mutations on parathyroid growth or progression to significant hypercalcemia.
An examination of relational maintenance and dissolution through social networking sites

Abstract While significant research exists highlighting the role of impression management and disclosure online as it relates to the development of relationships, more work is needed to explore how relational transgressions can affect the maintenance of various ties within one's social network. Drawing on the evaluation and forecasting components of social penetration theory (SPT), this research seeks to extend SPT to online communication by investigating how relationships are potentially dissolved through social networking sites (SNSs). This study used a survey and multi-level modeling (N = 312, cases = 3062) to examine reasons why a user may terminate or hide a relationship on their social network. Results suggest that in weighing the rewards and costs of a relationship most users heavily favor taking no action in the face of an infraction online (e.g., oversharing) rather than unfriending or unfollowing. However, strength of tie, how regularly someone uses SNSs, the size of the social network, and site used each influenced the decision to unfriend or hide.
HHV-7 U21 exploits Golgi Quality Control carriers to reroute class I MHC molecules to lysosomes

The human herpesvirus-7 (HHV-7) U21 glycoprotein binds to class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and reroutes them to lysosomes. How this single viral glycoprotein efficiently redirects the U21/class I MHC complex to the lysosomal compartment is poorly understood. To investigate the trafficking of HHV-7 U21, we followed synchronous release of U21 from the ER as it traffics through the secretory system. Sorting of integral membrane proteins from the trans-Golgi network (TGN) has been shown to occur through tubular carriers that emanate from the TGN or through vesicular carriers that recruit GGA (Golgi-localized, γ-ear-containing, ARF-binding protein), clathrin adaptors, and clathrin. Here, we present evidence for the existence of a third type of Golgi-derived carrier that is vesicular, yet clathrin independent. This U21-containing carrier also carries a Golgi membrane protein engineered to form inducible oligomers. We propose that U21 employs the novel mechanism of forming oligomeric complexes with class I MHC molecules that result in sorting of the oligomeric U21/class I MHC complexes to Golgi--derived quality control carriers destined for lysosomes.
Adult Social Environments and the Use of Combustible and Electronic Cigarettes: Opportunities for Reducing Smoking in the 30s

INTRODUCTION Reducing cigarette use is a major public health goal in the United States. Questions remain, however, about the potential for the social environment in the adult years-particularly in the 30s and beyond-to influence cigarette use. This study tested pathways hypothesized by the social development model to understand the extent to which social environmental factors at age 33 (eg, involvement with smokers or with physically active people) contribute to changes in cigarette use from age 30 to age 39. Both combustible and electronic cigarette use were investigated. METHODS Data were from the Seattle Social Development Project, a longitudinal study of 808 diverse participants with high retention. Self-reports assessed social developmental constructs, combustible and electronic cigarette use, and demographic measures across survey waves. RESULTS At age 30, 32% of the sample reported past-month cigarette use. Using structural equation modeling, results showed high stability in cigarette use from age 30 to 39. After accounting for this stability, cigarette-using social environments at age 33 predicted personal beliefs or norms about smoking (eg, acceptability and social costs), which in turn predicted combustible cigarette use at age 39. Cigarette-using environments, however, directly predicted electronic cigarette use at age 39, with no significant role for beliefs about smoking. CONCLUSIONS Cigarette use was highly stable across the 30s, but social environmental factors provided significant partial mediation of this stability. Pathways were different for combustible and electronic cigarette use, however, with personal smoking norms playing an important role for the former but not the latter. IMPLICATIONS This study addresses the need for longitudinal investigation of social mechanisms and cigarette use in the 30s. Findings reinforce efforts to prevent the uptake of cigarettes prior to the 30s because, once started, smoking is highly stable. But social environmental factors remain viable intervention targets in the 30s to disrupt this stability. Addressing personal norms about smoking's acceptability and social costs is likely a promising approach for combustible cigarette use. Electronic cigarettes, however, present a new challenge in that many perceived social costs of cigarette use do not readily translate to this relatively recent technology.
Epi-illumination SPIM (eSPIM) for high-throughput volumetric imaging (Conference Presentation)

Selective-plane illumination microscopy (SPIM) are particularly advantageous in long-term live volumetric imaging, although its common geometry is incompatible with common biological sample holders, including multi-well plates. To solve this problem, we designed an epi-illumination SPIM (eSPIM) system with high spatial resolution and light collection efficiency with single-molecule sensitivity. It has an identical sample interface as an inverted fluorescence microscope with a single primary objective and no additional reflection elements. We have demonstrated multicolor, fast, volumetric imaging of live cells as well as single-molecule super-resolution microscopy on eSPIM. Moreover, it has enabled long term imaging of cells in parallel in multiwell plates and simultaneous recording of cellular responses to a panel of perturbations.
Clinical outcomes after revascularization for pediatric moyamoya disease and syndrome: A single-center series.

Abstract Moyamoya is a progressive cerebrovascular arteriopathy that affects children of any age. The goal of this study was to determine imaging and clinical outcomes as well as complication rates in a pediatric cohort undergoing either a combined direct/indirect or indirect-only revascularization approach. Patients with moyamoya disease or syndrome ≤ 18 years of age at the time of initial surgery were identified, and clinical data were collected retrospectively. Over a 12-year period, 26 patients underwent revascularization procedures on 49 hemispheres with a median follow-up of 2.6 years from surgery. Median age at surgery was 7.3 years (range 1.4–18.0 years). Thirty-three hemispheres (67.3%) underwent combined revascularization with a direct bypass and encephalomyosynangiosis, and sixteen hemispheres (32.7%) underwent indirect-only revascularization. The rate of 30-day perioperative complication was 10.2%, and the rate of postoperative clinical stroke by end of follow-up was 10.2% by hemisphere. There was a 5.7% rate of intraoperative bypass failure requiring conversion to an indirect revascularization approach. On follow-up imaging, 96.9% of direct bypasses remained patent. On multivariate analysis, higher preoperative Pediatric Stroke Outcome Measure (PSOM) scores were associated with lower rates of good clinical outcome on follow-up (unit OR 0.03; p = 0.03). Patients with age
Defining Maximal Outcome Improvement Thresholds for Patient Satisfaction after Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty: A Minimum Two-Year Follow-up Study

Abstract Background : Previous research has investigated the percentage of maximal outcome improvement (MOI) for the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) and Simple Shoulder Test (SST) scores after reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (rTSA); however, few other outcome scores have been validated. The purpose of this study was to establish thresholds of MOI percentage for the Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (SANE) and subjective Constant-Murley (Constant) scores associated with patient satisfaction at two-years following rTSA. Methods : A retrospective review of institutional registry data for all patients who underwent primary rTSA between 09/2016 and 02/2018 was performed. All patients completed the ASES, SANE, and Constant outcome measures preoperatively and at a minimum of two-years postoperatively. Changes were assessed with Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. MOI percentage was defined as the score improvement from baseline divided by the highest possible improvement from baseline based on the maximum value of the outcome score used. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were used to determine optimal MOI percentage thresholds associated with postoperative satisfaction. Stepwise multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify variables associated with achieving the MOI. Results : A total of 105 patients were included in the final analysis, with a mean (±standard deviation) age of 70.0±7.5 years and BMI of 28.9±5.6 kg/m2. The majority of patients were satisfied postoperatively (81.0%). Statistically significant increases were observed from baseline to two-years postoperatively for the outcome measures assessed (P Conclusion : Achieving 66.9%, 71.0%, and 37.5% of the MOI for the ASES, SANE, and Constant scores is associated with postoperative satisfaction following rTSA. Comorbid diabetes and diagnosis of rotator cuff arthropathy were significantly associated with a decreased likelihood of MOI achievement. Level of Evidence : Level III; Retrospective Case Series (Prognostic)
Temporal Reasoning with Kinodynamic Networks.

Temporal reasoning is central to Artificial Intelligence (AI) and many of its applications. However, the existing algorithmic frameworks for temporal reasoning are not expressive enough to be applicable to robots with complex kinodynamic constraints typically described using differential equations. For example, while minimum and maximum velocity constraints can be encoded in Simple Temporal Networks (STNs), higher-order kinodynamic constraints cannot be represented in existing frameworks. In this paper, we present a novel framework for temporal reasoning called Kinodynamic Networks (KDNs). KDNs combine elements of existing temporal reasoning frameworks with the idea of Bernstein polynomials. The velocity profiles of robots are represented using Bernstein polynomials; and dynamic constraints on these velocity profiles can be converted to linear constraints on the to-be-determined coefficients of their Bernstein polynomials. We study KDNs for their attractive theoretical properties and apply them to the Multi-Agent Path Finding (MAPF) problem with higher-order kinodynamic constraints. We show that our approach is not only scalable but also yields smooth velocity profiles for all robots that can be executed by their controllers.
Tomás Laurenzo: Pushing Back on Colonization

With a background in both computer science and art, Tomas Laurenzo's research spans across different practices and interests, including artificial intelligence (machine learning), human–computer interaction, physical computing, and extended reality. In reviewing his work to date, we found many themes that resonated with recent events highlighted in mass media and were curious to find out more about his process and perspective. He had much to say on the matter as can be read in our interview with Tom documented herein.
Iatrogenic vascular trauma and complications of vascular access in children

Abstract Vascular access is frequently a critical component of the diagnostic and therapeutic procedures required to manage childhood illnesses, including many emergent conditions and critical illnesses. Vascular access in the pediatric population presents unique challenges, and many clinical and technical factors must be considered to avoid complications that can occur with vascular access procedures. This article reviews various aspects of vascular access and associated iatrogenic trauma in children, including risk factors, management of complications, and preventive measures to avoid complications. It is only with a comprehensive understanding of the topic that vascular access in children can be performed safely, effectively, and efficiently.
Diagnostic remission of substance use disorders: Racial differences and correlates of remission in a nationally representative sample.

Abstract Introduction Research has shown racial/ethnic minorities to have similar risk of developing substance use disorders (SUDs) as Whites. However, few studies have compared the likelihood of diagnostic remission (i.e., no longer meeting criteria for current SUDs). Methods Using nationally representative survey data from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III (NESARC-III), we examined all adults with lifetime SUDs; compared the proportions experiencing diagnostic remission; and used logistic regression analyses to compare Black, Hispanic, and other racial/ethnic minorities to Whites. The research team initially used bivariate comparisons to identify potentially confounding factors also associated with remission. The study used multivariable-adjusted logistic regression analyses to adjust for these potentially confounding covariates. The team conducted separate analyses for alcohol use disorder (AUD) and drug use disorders (DUDs). Results Of 10,916 individuals with lifetime SUDs, 5120 no longer met criteria for an SUD in the past year (55.2% of White, 34.0% of Black, 38.5% Hispanic, and 40.1% of other individuals). In unadjusted analyses, Black, Hispanic, and others were significantly and about half as likely as Whites to have remitted with odds ratios (ORs) of 0.42 (95% CI 0.36–0.48), 0.51 (0.45–0.58), and 0.55 (0.45–0.65), respectively. The study found similar results for both AUD and DUDs. Adjusting for potentially confounding factors only modestly improved the likelihood of remission among racial/ethnic minorities compared to White individuals. Conclusion Minority race/ethnicity is robustly associated with reduced likelihood of diagnostic remission from SUDs even after adjusting for other factors. This study could identify only partial moderators of these disparities; these moderators deserve further study.
Efforts to eradicate obstetrical fistulas in the developing world: a personal journey

My work with international health has been primarily focused on obstetrical fistulas. It all started in 2004 with a call to Bob Wheeless, a colleague whom I have known since my early days at Hopkins, to ask him to participate in the Houston Everett course that year. While accepting gracefully and enthusiastically, he promptly related to me his travel activities since recently retiring. He had been approached by a group involved in humanitarian work in Niger to help care for poor and unfortunate women with obstetrical fistulas at the Niamey National Hospital.
Alpha-Galactosyl (Anti-Gal) Autoantibodies

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the methods of detection of alpha-galactosyl (anti-Gal) autoantibodies. Anti-Gal comprise a large proportion of the several hundred immunoglobulin G molecules that bind in vivo to normal human senescent red cells, to red cells in β-thalassemia and in sickle cell anemia patients and mediate the phagocytosis of these cells by macrophages. The unique pattern of distribution of anti-Gal and the α-galactosyl epitope in mammals and the studies of the biosynthesis of the α-galactosyl lead to the understanding of the major contribution of anti-Gal to the rejection of xenografts in humans and primates. Anti-Gal are natural antibodies unique to humans and Old World primates. These antibodies appeared in ancestral primates subsequent to the evolutionary suppression of α-galactosyl epitope expression. Anti-Gal contribute to the removal of senescent red cells from the circulation, stimulate thyrocytes in patients with Graves' disease by interaction with ligands aberrantly expressed on these cells, and prevent the transplantation of xenografts from nonprimate mammals into humans.
Chronic STING-dependent signaling in phagocytes aggravates TREX1-contingent inflammatory disease (INM2P.353)

Patients defective in the 3’ repair exonuclease 1 (Trex1) suffer from Aicardi-Goutieres Syndrome (AGS) characterized by lethal encephalitis caused by high levels of circulating type I IFN production. Trex1 -/- mice similarly suffer a short life span due to inflammatory myocarditis. Our data indicates that Trex1 is responsible for eliminating DNA species that otherwise activate STING (Stimulator of Interferon Genes), a key innate immune regulator responsible for facilitating cytosolic DNA-mediated cytokine production. Loss of STING ( Trex1 -/- STING -/- ) was observed to dramatically extend the lifespan of Trex1 -/- mice due to the prevention pro-inflammatory gene induction. However, we noted that Trex1 -/- macrophages did not exhibit an augmented ability to produce cytokines following exposure to STING-dependent activators, but rather appeared chronically activated, exhibiting high basal level cytokine production. The source of STING activator was found to involve intrinsic genomic DNA left over from hematopoetic cell division processes that leaked into the cytoplasm, the elimination of which usually require Trex1. Accordingly, Trex1-manifested disease could be alleviated following adoptive transfer of normal bone marrow into Trex1 -/- mice. Collectively, our data indicates that STING is responsible for pro-inflammatory gene induction induced by intrinsic self-DNA in Trex1 deficient mice and provides new insight into the molecular mechanisms underlining self-DNA-mediated disease.
Calmodulin‐Dependent Protein Kinases (CaM‐Ks)

This article has no abstract. Keywords: calmodulin-dependent protein kinases (cam-ks)
Myopic policies for budgeted optimization with constrained experiments

Motivated by a real-world problem, we study a novel budgeted optimization problem where the goal is to optimize an unknown function f(x) given a budget. In our setting, it is not practical to request samples of f(x) at precise input values due to the formidable cost of precise experimental setup. Rather, we may request a constrained experiment, which is a subset r of the input space for which the experimenter returns x ∈ r and f(x). Importantly, as the constraints become looser, the experimental cost decreases, but the uncertainty about the location x of the next observation increases. Our goal is to manage this trade-off by selecting a sequence of constrained experiments to best optimize f within the budget. We introduce cost-sensitive policies for selecting constrained experiments using both model-free and model-based approaches, inspired by policies for unconstrained settings. Experiments on synthetic functions and functions derived from real-world experimental data indicate that our policies outperform random selection, that the model-based policies are superior to model-free ones, and give insights into which policies are preferable overall.
Changes in representation which preserve strategies in games

One reason for changing the representation of a game is to make it similar to a previously solved one. As a definition of similarity, people have previously often proposed homomorphism-like structures. One such structure, the "s -homomorphism", is defined and studied in this paper. It is indicated that a useful winning strategy exists for any game in a general class called, "positional games". A set of sufficient conditions is derived which a game has to fulfill to have an s0-homomorphism with a positional game. The conditions are exemplified by applying it to a class of games shown by Newell to be representable as tic-tac-toe.
Profiler tools selection for curricular support

Profiling software is the process of analyzing the structure and performance of software. Profiling can be used to detect patterns of use, to verify performance, to optimize code, to identify data corruption and to expose memory leaks or excessive resource demands. Components of a large system can be profiled individually or together. Profiling is accomplished through software tools.Profiling can be used effectively to reinforce understanding of conceptual processes, to strengthen programming skills and awareness of design issues. Essentially, such tool usage exposes hidden details. For example, analysis of memory usage highlights different types of memory management. Tracing function calls illustrates the impact of different portions of a software system. Students thus learn to think critically in a practical setting, fostering the ability to evaluate claims and counter assumptions (such as 'Java has no memory leaks').In this paper, we summarize our attempts to select, evaluate, and compare profiling tools, with the computer science classroom as the targeted use of such tools. First, we derive desired characteristics for profiling tools. Then we determine availability, subject to constraints of academia. Finally, we evaluate implementation and usage details.
Magnetic Propulsion Railguns: Their Design and Capabilities

Recent research has revived interest in electromagnetic railguns. A railgun utilizes the Lorentz force to accelerate an electrically conducting armature, which in turn accelerates a projectile. Our investigation identified the critical parameter that will lead to limits on railgun operation. These limits were incorporated in calculations of the performance of railguns. The calculations indicate that it is possible with present technology to accelerate a projectile to velocities in excess of 20 km/s.
Metacognitive support for reading in science classrooms

Students struggle to read science texts. This is especially problematic for designers of inquiry-based learning environments that make ambitious demands on readers. We report on our efforts to provide targeted strategic supports for struggling adolescent readers in science classrooms. Environmental science and biology high school students learned to use tools designed to foster three specific metacognitive skills: recognizing text structure, reflecting on content, and representing the gist of a text in a summary. During one school year, students had regular opportunities to use these strategies in class. Participants completed one tool use assessment at the end of the school year in which they used the tools during reading of a science text. Students then answered science comprehension questions about the text. Tool proficiency was correlated with both reading and science achievement. Tool proficiency also predicted science achievement when controlling for on-entry reading ability. The implications for science instruction are discussed.
Sulfide Nanocrystal Inks for Dense Cu(In1−xGax)(S1−ySey)2 Absorber Films and Their Photovoltaic Performance

Recent developments in the colloidal synthesis of high quality nanocrystals have opened up new routes for the fabrication of low-cost efficient photovoltaic devices. Previously, we demonstrated the utility of CuInSe2 nanocrystals in the fabrication of CuInSe2 thin film solar cells. In those devices, sintering the nanocrystal film yields a relatively dense CuInSe2 film with some void space inclusions. Here, we present a general approach toward eliminating void space in sintered nanocrystal films by utilizing reactions that yield a controlled volume expansion of the film. This is demonstrated by first synthesizing a nanocrystal ink composed of Cu(In1−xGax)S2 (CIGS). After nanocrystal film formation, the nanocrystals are exposed to selenium vapor during which most of the sulfur is replaced by selenium. Full replacement produces a ∼14.6% volume expansion and reproducibly leads to good dense device-quality CIGSSe absorber films with reduced inclusion of void space. Solar cells made using the CIGSSe absorber fi...
Portrait of a Greek Imagination: An Ethnographic Biography of Andreas Nenedakis.

Portrait of. Greek Imagination: An Ethnographic Biography of Andreas Nenedakis. Michael Herzfeld. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1998. 333 pp.
Purification and Characterization of the Nocardial Acetylesterase Involved in 2-Butanone Degradation

An inducible acetylesterase (EC 3.1.1.6) that hydrolyzes ethyl acetate, an intermediate in the degradation of 2-butanone by Nocardia strain LSU-169, was purified. The polypeptide molecular weight as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was 39,500, and the enzyme molecular weight determined by sucrose density gradient centrifugation was 84,000. The purified enzyme demonstrated aggregation in polyacrylamide gels. The esterase hydrolyzed p-nitrophenyl acetate, ethyl acetate, and methyl acetate; however, enzymatic hydrolysis of phosphates, sulfates, dipeptides, lactones, or the ethyl esters of N-benzoyl-l-tyrosine could not be detected. The apparent K(m) for esterase activity with p-nitrophenyl acetate as the substrate was 6.7 x 10(-5) M, and the maximal velocity (V) was 1,223 mumol/min per mg of protein at 30 C. With ethyl acetate as the substrate, the apparent K(m) was 3.6 x 10(-4) M and V was 1,026 mumol/min per mg of protein. No significant inhibition of esterase activity was obtained with organophosphates, mercuric compounds, eserine sulfate, sodium arsanilate, NaF, CaCl(2), CoCl(2), or MnCl(2). At concentrations from 7 x 10(-4) to 4 x 10(-3) M, 2-butanol and primary alcohols with chain lengths of four or more carbons inhibited esterase activity from 59 to 86%. Linear noncompetitive inhibition of esterase activity by 3-methyl-1-butanol with a K(i) of 1.0 x 10(-3) M was demonstrated.
Does it matter how parathyroid hormone levels are suppressed in secondary hyperparathyroidism

Because secondary hyperparathyroidism is associated with morbidity and mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease, suppression of parathyroid hormone (PTH) and minimization of associated derangements in mineral metabolism are cardinal therapeutic goals. There is an ongoing debate regarding the proper treatment strategy for PTH suppression in this population. While some practitioners believe that calcitriol analogues should be the primary therapy in this setting, others contend that calcimimetics offer unique treatment benefits. Recent advancements in the understanding of the pathophysiology of secondary hyperparathyroidism and the secondary effects of these agents may help clarify this debate. Here, we review the classical actions of calcitriol analogues and calcimimetics on mineral metabolism. We also examine the potential nonclassical effects of these therapies on the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, proteinuria, vascular calcification, fibroblast growth factor-23, inflammation, and overall survival.
Vitamin D compounds in cows' milk

The milk from cows fed normal levels of vitamin D has been found to contain approximately 40 IU per liter of vitamin D activity. A 14-fold increase in dietary vitamin D intake causes only a doubling of the amount of vitamin D in milk. This was determined by measuring stimulation of intestinal calcium transport in the vitamin D-deficient rat. Four vitamin D compounds were then isolated from cow's milk using a combination of conventional chromatography on Sephadex LH-20 and Lipidex 5000 followed by high-performance liquid chromatography. 24,25-Dihydroxycholecalciferol and 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol were measured using binding protein assays. One liter of milk contained 27 ng and 4.9 ng, respectively, of these two metabolites. Together these account for about 15% of the vitamin D activity. Cholecalciferol was found to be present at a concentration of 281 ng/liter or 11 IU/liter of biological activity. The milk contained 145 ng/liter 25-hydroxycholecalciferol or 29 IU/liter of activity. Therefore the known vitamin D compounds fully account for the biological activity observed in milk. It is therefore clear that no evidence could be found for the existence of a highly active water-soluble form of vitamin D in milk.
An Integrative Model of Information Security Awareness for Assessing Information Systems Security Risk

The pervasiveness of IT in supporting critical operations has made organizations increasingly vulnerable to IT threats. Since the impact of malicious IT may be complex, researchers suggest a multi-perspective approach to better understanding malicious IT and threat avoidance behavior. Drawing upon concepts from system dynamics, cybernetic theory and Technological Threat Avoidance Theory (TTAT) we develop a research model that contributes to our understanding of information security awareness (ISA) and its association with IS security risk assessment. Using a sample base of 119 IS security practitioners, an ISA research model was developed and tested using structural equation modeling. Our results indicate that the constructs technical knowledge, organizational impact, and attacker assessment generate strong correlations with ISA. Interestingly, organizational impact and attacker assessment generated stronger associations with ISA than technical knowledge. Our results also indicate that ISA is highly correlated with ISS risk assessment.
IRON BURDEN IN SICKLE CELL ANEMIA

Total body iron burden was estimated by two indirect methods in 23 patients with sickle cell anemia. Concentrations of serum ferritin correlated directly and significantly with age of the patients. Eleven of 15 patients under 20 years of age had normal levels of serum ferritin. Deferoxamine-induced urinary excretion of iron was considerably less than that reported in patients with thalassemia major who were receiving regular blood transfusions. These data !mply that patients with sickle cell anemia generally do not acquire excessive iron burdens during the first two decades of life. The risks of transfusional hemosiderosis in patients with sickle cell anemia who are included in hypertransfusion programs are discussed. REGULAR MONTHLY TRANSFUSIONS of red blood cells aimed at maintaining a minimal hemoglobin concentration Of 9 to 10 gm/dl, so-called "hypertransfusion" programs, have been recommended for selective indications in the management of patients with sickle cell anemia (homozygous Hgb SS disease). 1-~ One of the obvious risks of such treatment is transfusional hemosiderosis. 4 It has been assumed that patients with sickle cell anemia managed without regular transfusions acquire an increased total body iron burden as a result of sporadic blood transfusions and increased gastrointestinal absorption of iron? There are. however, few studies quantitating the development of an iron burden in a series Of patients with the disease. Such data should be of value in assessing the consequences of hypertransfusion therapy in respect to the risk of transfusional hemosjderosis. In this study the total body iron burden in 23 patients with sickle cell anemia was estimated by two indirecl methods: measurement of concentrations of serum ferritin ~ and of the amount of urinary iron excreted an response to an intramuscular dose of deferoxamine. 7 The results are correlated with age to document the pattern of the