cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Beyond the HPA Axis: Progesterone-Derived Neuroactive Steroids in Human Stress and Emotion.

Stress and social isolation are well-known risk factors for psychopathology. However, more research is needed as to the physiological mechanisms by which social support buffers the impacts of stress. Research in animal models suggests important roles for progesterone (P) and its product, the neuroactive steroid allopregnanolone (ALLO), in stress and psychopathology. These hormones are produced in brain and periphery during stress in rodents, and down-regulate anxiety behavior and hypothalamic-pituitary–adrenal axis activity. Human clinical populations, including depressed patients, have alterations in ALLO levels, but it is unclear whether these basal hormone level differences have clinical import. To begin to address this question, this review examines the role of P and ALLO in stress physiology, and the impact of these hormones on mood, in healthy humans. Evidence largely supports that P and ALLO increase during stress in humans. However, P/ALLO administration appears to cause only mild effects on mood and subjective anxiety, while exerting effects consistent with gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor modulation. Additionally, P is linked to motivation for affiliation/social contact; P (and ALLO) release may be especially responsive to social rejection. These observations lead to the novel hypothesis that stress-related P/ALLO production functions not only to down-regulate stress and anxiety, but also to promote social contact as a long-term coping strategy. Malfunctioning of the P/ALLO system could therefore underlie depression partly by decreasing propensity to affiliate with others.
On TCP-based SIP server overload control

The Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) server overload management has attracted interest since SIP is being widely deployed in the Next Generation Networks (NGN) as a core signaling protocol. Yet all existing SIP overload control work is focused on SIP-over-UDP, despite the fact that TCP is increasingly seen as the more viable choice of SIP transport. This paper answers the following questions: is the existing TCP flow control capable of handling the SIP overload problem? If not, why and how can we make it work? We provide a comprehensive explanation of the default SIP-over-TCP overload behavior through server instrumentation. We also propose and implement novel but simple overload control algorithms without any kernel or protocol level modification. Experimental evaluation shows that with our mechanism the overload performance improves from its original zero throughput to nearly full capacity. Our work leads to the important general insight that the traditional notion of TCP flow control alone is incapable of managing overload for time-critical session-based applications, which would be applicable not only to SIP, but also to a wide range of other common applications such as database servers.
Central life interests and job satisfaction

Abstract The perceptual set of the individual worker regarding the centrality of work as a life interest is shown to be related to a measure of job satisfaction. Workers with a work-oriented Central Life Interest (CLI) had the highest job satisfaction measured by the Job Descriptive Index (JDI); those with a non-work-oriented CLI the lowest job satisfaction; and those with a flexible focus CLI an intermediated level of job satisfaction. Furthermore, it was found that a feature of work that was relatively undesirable was so rated on the JDI, regardless of the CLI orientation. Implications of these findings are discussed. Study is based on 430 male, blue-collar workers and 144 female clerical workers in a telephone company, and 336 female clerical workers in 37 branches of a bank.
Notes Toward a Post-Positivistic Interpretation of Science, Part I

Our discussion will begin with a consideration of three examples. These cases are meant to bring out the fact that, in at least some actual physical reasoning, a distinction is made between the way or ways in which entities can or cannot exist and the way or ways in which, for the sake of dealing with certain problems, it is possible and convenient to treat those entities, even though, on purely physical grounds, we know that they could not really be that way. For the sake of convenience (and not to introduce a pair of technical terms) we shall refer to the concepts so distinguished as, respectively, “existence concepts” (or “existence terms”) and “idealization concepts” (or “idealization terms”). The precise characteristics of these concepts will be brought out in the examples to be discussed. It must be remembered that for some purposes it might be necessary to point out differences between the cases classified together here, and, furthermore, that not all concepts employed in physics fit appropriately into either of the two classes distinguished here. The present section will focus primarily on idealization concepts, discussion of existence concepts being postponed until the next section.
Characterization of the formate (for) locus, which encodes the cytosolic serine hydroxymethyltransferase of Neurospora crassa.

Abstract Serine hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT) occupies a central position in one-carbon (C1) metabolism, catalyzing the reaction of serine and tetrahydrofolate to yield glycine and 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate. Methylenetetrahydrofolate serves as a donor of C1 units for the synthesis of numerous compounds, including purines, thymidylate, lipids, and methionine. We provide evidence that the formate (for) locus of Neurospora crassa encodes cytosolic SHMT. The for+ gene was localized to a 2.8-kb BglII fragment by complementation (restoration to formate-independent growth) of a strain carrying a recessive for allele, which confers a growth requirement for formate. The for+ gene encodes a polypeptide of 479 amino acids which shows significant similarity to amino acid sequences of SHMT from bacterial and mammalian sources (47 and 60% amino acid identity, respectively). The for+ mRNA has several different start and stop sites. The abundance of for+ mRNA increased in response to amino acid imbalance induced by glycine supplementation, suggesting regulation by the N. crassa cross-pathway control system, which is analogous to general amino acid control in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This was confirmed by documenting that for+ expression increased in response to histidine limitation (induced by 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole) and that this response was dependent on the presence of a functional cross-pathway control-1 (cpc-1) gene, which encodes CPC1, a positively acting transcription factor. There are at least five potential CPC1 binding sites upstream of the for+ transcriptional start, as well as one that exactly matches the consensus CPC1 binding site in the first intron of the for+ gene.
A U-Shaped Relation Between Sitting Ability and Upright Face Processing in Infants

A growing body of research indicates connections exist between action, perception, and cognition in infants. In this study, associated changes between sitting ability and upright face processing were tested in 111 infants. Using the visual habituation “switch” task (C. H. Cashon & L. B. Cohen, 2004; L. B. Cohen & C. H. Cashon, 2001), holistic processing of faces was assessed in same-aged non- and near sitters (22–25 weeks) and same-aged new and expert sitters (27–32 weeks). U-shaped relation was found between sitting stage and holistic face processing such that only nonsitters and expert sitters processed faces holistically. It is posited that the results are due to a reorganization of the upright face-processing system resulting from infants' learning to sit independently and trying to incorporate the meaning of upright faces.
A reliability-aware RF power amplifier design for CMOS radio chip integration

For significant cost reduction in Wi-Fi platforms, the power amplifier must be integrated into the CMOS radio RFIC. This paper surveys how this most challenging circuit was carefully engineered to mitigate aging effects, ESD, and thermal issues for deployment into our product platforms. Experimental results are also presented here.
Wide-band 2N-port S-parameter extraction from N-port data

A technique is presented for extracting the full 2N/spl times/2N set of S-parameters for an N-conductor interconnect from five sets of N-port S-parameter measurements on three specially prepared samples. Bandwidth is improved over prior techniques using two samples. Experiments confirm the bandwidth enhancement and illustrate the operational mechanism and accuracy expectations.
Use of fecal glucocorticoid metabolite measures in conservation biology research: considerations for application and interpretation

Fecal glucocorticoid metabolite analyses are increasingly being used by a variety of scientists (e.g., conservation biologists, animal scientists) to examine glucocorticoid (i.e., stress hormone) secretion in domestic and wild vertebrates. Adrenocortical activity (i.e., stress response) is of interest to conservation biologists because stress can alter animal behavior, reduce resistance to disease, and affect population performance. The noninvasiveness of fecal-based assessments is attractive, particularly when studying endangered species, because samples can often be obtained without disturbing the animal. Despite such advantages, many confounding factors inhibit the utility of this technique in addressing conservation problems. In particular, interpretation of fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (FGM) measures may be confounded by the length of time animals are held in captivity, normal seasonal and daily rhythms, body condition, sample storage and treatment techniques, diet of the animal, assay selection, animal status (i.e., social ranking, reproductive status), sample age and condition, and sample mass. Further complicating interpretation and utility of these measures is the apparent species-specific response to these factors. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the factors that confound interpretation of FGM measures, summarize research that addresses these issues, and offer an agenda for future research and interpretation. We urge conservation biologists to carefully consider confounding factors and the relationship between FGM secretion and population performance and biological costs when investigating effects of environmental and human-induced disturbances on wildlife. The crisis nature of many decisions in conservation biology often requires decisions from limited data; however, confirmatory results should not be posited when data are incomplete or confounding factors are not understood. Building reliable databases, and research with surrogate species when possible, will aid future efforts and enhance the utility of FGM assays.
Through a Glass Darkly: Consequences of a Politicized Past in Contemporary Turkey

The resolution of the three major political problems faced by the contemporary Turkish nation-state— namely, the massacres of the Armenians in the past, the treatment of the Kurds at present, and the contested partition of the island of Cyprus—has become increasingly urgent as these problems have started to impede Turkey's chances of joining the European Union and also of becoming more democratic. Yet, since the Turkish nation-state commences its own official historical narrative with either the Independence Struggle in 1919 or the subsequent establishment of the Republic of Turkey in 1923, it subsequently approaches these “Armenian, Kurdish, and Cyprus issues” as totally disparate and mutually independent, and in an ahistorical manner, resulting in increased entrenchment of the conflicts. The article argues that challenging the temporal boundaries of this Turkish official narrative by delving into its “prehistory,” namely, the period preceding 1919 or 1923, reveals not only the common origin of all of th...
Commentaries and Reply to "Can Brand Extension Signal Product Quality?" by Sridhar Moorthy

This series of discussions presents commentaries and a rejoinder on the economic perspectives on branding arising from Moorthy (Moorthy S. (2012) Can brand extension signal product quality? Marketing Sci. 31(5):756-770).
Salivary Gland Diseases

Salivary gland diseases, which have a heterogeneous etiology, share a reduction or loss of saliva production and clinical xerostomia. These ailments may be monogenic, neoplastic, autoimmune, infectious, environmental, or multifactorial in origin, and based on that origin, the genetic contribution to their development varies. In the current chapter we focus on the genetics of Sjogren’s syndrome as a model of a multifactorial disease. We also discuss the genetic mutations that underlie autosomal dominant, autosomal recessive, and X-linked salivary gland abnormalities, as well as the role of genetic factors on the predisposition and phenotypic variation of other autoimmune and granulomatous disorders.
Well Differentiated Fibrosarcoma of the Calcaneus

A patient is reported who had a well differentiated fibrosarcoma of the calcaneus treated by extraperiosteal resection of the bone two years after the onset of symptoms. He has now been followed for five years since operation with no evidence of local recurrence or metastasis. The clinical, roentgenographic, and pathological features of well differentiated fibrosarcoma of bone are described.
Synthesis and thermoelectric properties of Cs2Bi7.33Se12, A2Bi8Se13 (A = Rb, Cs), Ba4×xBi6+2/3xSe13, and Ba3±xPb3±xBi6Se15

We are continuing our synthetic investigations in the ternary A/Bi/Se systems and also expanded our interests into the quaternary A/M/Bi/Se (A = Rb, Cs, Sr and Ba; M = lanthanide or Pb) systems. We have synthesized several new ternary and quaternary bismuth selenides with band gaps <0.6eV such as Cs2 Bi7.33 Se12, A2 Bi8 Se13 (A = Rb, Cs), Ba4-x Bi6+2/3x Se13, and Ba3±x Pb3±x Bi6 Se15. The synthesis, crystal structures and charge transports properties of these new compounds are presented.
EM Environment of the Transmission Lines Adjacent to Residential Buildings

The construction speed of power grid was faster than ever with the rapid development of the national economy. More and more transmission lines were constructed in the residential area, and some of them were much closer to the residential buildings. The subsequent environmental troubles caused by transmission lines occurred and increased. Thus, the SGCC insisted the idea to construct "Environment-friendly" projects to protect the public environment. This paper presents the study for the electric fields nearby houses adjacent to one transmission line. The measured electric fields of the power frequency were less than 4 kV/m, the limited value of the standard. The electric fields on the second floor were studied in detail. A new scheme for measurements in such platform was produced by the measurements and analysis, which matches the requirements of the electric field measurement, can be used to evaluate the environment similarly. A practicable shielding measure to reduce the electric fields (if the requirements of the standard will not be satisfied) was suggested.
Dopaminergic and serotonergic effects of clozapine : implications for a unique clinical profile

The clinical profile of clozapine (CAS 5786-21-0) is characterized by superior efficacy in reducing the positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia and a greatly reduced propensity to elicit acute extrapyramidal symptoms (e.g., Parkinsonian symptoms), long-term effects (e.g., tardive dyskinesia) and hyperprolactinemia. For these reasons clozapine is considered the prototypic atypical antipsychotic. The failure of clozapine to elevate serum prolactin concentrations may be related to the stimulatory effect of clozapine on tuberoinfundibular dopamine neurons and/or the failure of clozapine to achieve effective blockade of pituitary dopamine D2 receptors. The lack of acute blockade of striatal D2 receptors by clozapine and the failure of chronic clozapine treatment to suppress striatal dopamine release, relative to that produced by typical antipsychotic agents, may account for the lack of acute extrapyramidal symptoms and tardive dyskinesia, respectively, associated with the use of clozapine. Although the neurochemical substrates that subserve the unique preclinical and clinical profile of clozapine have not been determined unequivocally, clozapine and other purported atypical antipsychotic agents produce a greater antagonism of 5-HT2 receptors relative to D2 receptors than is the case for typical antipsychotics. Clozapine also exerts antagonism of D1 receptors. It is proposed that the selective interaction of clozapine among D2, D1, D4 and 5-HT2 receptors results in a distinctive alteration in the function of pre- and post-synaptic dopamine elements.
The proximal tap or "central Tinel" sign in central dysesthetic syndrome after spinal cord injury.

ABSTRACTDiffuse, chronic, and dysesthetic pain following spinal cord injury (SCI) has been described by several authors under different terms. As illustrated by the two patients described here, central dysesthetic syndrome (CDS) can be mistaken for musculoskeletal, peripheral neuropathic or visceral disease in SCI patients. In these patients, an added clue to the central neuropathic nature of their symptoms was allesthesia and allodynia to light touch or tapping over areas rostral to the level of injury; this may be called the proximal tap or “central Tinel” sign.
MPP Implementation and Computational Performance Study of 3D Source Panel Method

Computer with massively parallel processors (MPPs) may provide orders of magnitude improvement in computational performance in a near future over today’s fastest conventional vector supercomputer. The MPP computers employ a large number of small processors, which are much less expensive to produce than the vector supercomputer processors, and connect them together such that the computations can be done in parallel to achieve extrem high performance. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is one of the areas which need super- fast computational power. The integral equation panel method is the one of the CFD methods, which seems appropriate for parallel processing. The present short paper presents the work on MPP implementation and computational performance study of a three-dimensional (3D) source panel method for incompressible and linear subsonic flows.
DEATH OF ESCHERICHIA COLI CELLS AS A CONSEQUENCE OF DAMAGE TO DNA BY FAR-ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION

ABSTRACT This paper deals with unanswered questions concerning death of Escherichia coli cells after far-ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. Attention is called to poor correlations between DNA repair and survival in repair-competent cells given various pre- and post-UV treatments. Under some of these and other conditions, a large percentage of pyrimidine dimers remain unexcised. The evidence is reviewed concerning UV induction of irreversible metabolic responses associated with cell death. Since cyclic 3′, 5′-adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and its receptor protein regulate cessation of respiration and cell killing, but have no known regulatory roles in DNA repair and DNA replication, death may be the result of induced biochemical and physiological responses that become irreversible.
Microclimatic Characteristics of Blue Grouse Dendragapus obscurus roost-sites: Influence on Energy Expenditure

Energetic models which incorporate environmental measures have demonstrated that significant thermoregulatory savings are accrued from nocturnal winter roost-sites, usually from reduced wind speed and radiated heat loss. Because blue grouse Dendragapus obscurus occupy high elevation, snowbound coniferous stands in the Rocky Mountains during winter, selection of a favourable microhabitat is likely their primary thermoregulatory behaviour. Therefore, we measured the microclimatic conditions at diurnal and nocturnal roost-sites of blue grouse to determine whether their choice of roost-sites reflects thermoregulatory behaviour. Temperature, wind speed, and solar radiation were measured at 17 diurnal Douglas-fir Pseudotsuga menziesii and 17 nocturnal subalpine fir Abies lasiocarpa roost-sites and compared to those of an open control site in Logan, Utah, 1985-1986. Temperature varied ＜2°C between the roost-sites and the control site. Wind speed was significantly lower in 15 of 17 diurnal ((average)x=0.71 m/sec) and all nocturnal roost-sites ((average)x=0.24 m/sec) than in the control site ((average)x=1.75 m/sec). Wind speed was reduced ＞75% at all but one nocturnal roost-site. Solar radiation at the diurnal roost-sites ((average)x=51 W/m^(-2)) was significantly lower than at the control site (201 W/m^(-2)); however, five roost-sites had maximum values ＞90% of the control maximum. Douglas-fir roost-sites had significantly greater solar radiation, diurnal, and nocturnal wind speed than subalpine fir roost-sites. Reduction of convective heat loss was the major thermoregulatory contribution of both diurnal and nocturnal roost-sites. Diurnal roost-sites also afforded measurable radiant energy and, presumably, grouse could track the sun in roost trees to maximize such heat input. Daily energy costs predicted from metabolic equations incorporating temperature and wind speed were below the metabolizable energy intake of captive blue grouse. Application of the average microclimatic conditions from both roost trees to an energetic model revealed that a blue grouse would realize a 50% greater reduction in convective heat loss, and a 10% greater net energy savings, by roosting overnight in a subalpine fir rather than a Douglas-fir. This difference may explain why blue grouse show affinity to subalpine firs for nocturnal roosting, and points to the energetic importance of specific coniferous habitats to wintering blue grouse.
Ligand-Exchange-Induced Growth of an Atomically Precise Cu29 Nanocluster from a Smaller Cluster

The copper hydride nanocluster (NC) [Cu29Cl4H22(Ph2phen)12]Cl (2; Ph2phen = 4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline) was isolated cleanly, and in good yields, by controlled growth from the smaller NC, [Cu25H22(PPh3)12]Cl (1), in the presence of Ph2phen and a chloride source at room temperature. Complex 2 was fully characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, XANES, and XPS, and represents a rare example of an N* = 2 superatom. Its formation from 1 demonstrates that atomically precise copper clusters can be used as templates to generate larger NCs that retain the fundamental electronic and bonding properties of the original cluster. A time-resolved kinetic evaluation of the formation of 2 reveals that the mechanism of cluster growth is initiated by rapid ligand exchange. The slower extrusion of CuCl monomer, its transport, and subsequent capture by intact clusters resemble elementary steps in the reactant-assisted Ostwald ripening of metal nanoparticles.
The Behavior of the Intermodulation Distortions of Modified Uni-Traveling Carrier Photodiodes Produced by Bias Modulation

The effect of bias modulation on the nonlinear response of an InGaAs/InP modified uni-traveling carrier photodiode (MUTC-PD) with a high third-order intercept point (IP3) larger than 50 dBm is characterized using a bias modulation measurement setup. An analytical equivalent circuit model is developed to explain the frequency characteristics of the intermodulation distortions produced by the bias modulation and give insight into the limiting factor of the IP3 of MUTC-PD operating at high reverse bias. The bias modulation measurement also shows the potential of the same MUTC-PD to be used as a high-power photonic mixer operating at low bias. A high up-converted signal power of -10 dBm and a low conversion loss of -3 dB has been achieved at 12.1 GHz with the MUTC-PD.
GA Binding Protein (GABP) Is Required for Myeloid Cell Development and Differentiation.

Abstract GABPα is an ets transcription factor that regulates genes that are required for innate immunity, including CD18 (β2 leukocyte integrin), lysozyme, and neutrophil elastase. GABP consists of two distinct and unrelated proteins that, together, form a functional transcription factor complex. GABPα binds to DNA through its ets domain and forms a multimeric complex by recruiting its partner, GABPβ, which contains the transactivation domain. GABPα is a single copy gene in both the human and murine genomes and it is the only protein that can recruit GABPβ to DNA. We cloned GABPα from a murine genomic BAC library and prepared a targeting vector in which the GABPα ets domain is flanked by loxP recombination sites (floxed allele, designated fl). Mice that bear one intact (and one disrupted copy) of GABPα, i.e. hemizygous mice, are phenotypically normal. Intercrossing of hemizygous mice yielded no nullizygous mice, indicating that homozygous loss of GABPα causes an embryonic lethal defect. To determine the effect of GABPα deletion on myeloid cell development, we bred heterozygous and homozygous floxed mice to mice that bear the interferon-responsive Mx1-Cre transgene, which express Cre in response to injection of the synthetic polynucleotide, poly I-C. Bone marrow cells underwent efficient deletion of GABPα following poly I-C injection; in contrast, other somatic tissues did not efficiently delete the floxed allele. Bone marrow, peripheral blood, and other tissues were examined for cellular morphology and flow cytometry. We compared mice that lack GABPα in bone marrow (i.e. fl/fl Mx1-Cre mice injected with poly I-C) to littermate controls (i.e. fl/fl mice injected with poly I-C). Mice that lack GABPα exhibited a striking and statistically significant decrease in granulocytes and monocytes in bone marrow and peripheral blood, compared with controls; in contrast, there was an increase in erythroid cells in GABPα null bone marrow. This indicates that the loss of GABPα has lineage-specific effects on myeloid cell development. Morphologic analysis indicates that mice which lack GABPα possess more immature granulocytes compared to control mice. Thus, GABP disruption causes a striking loss of myeloid cells in the bone marrow and peripheral blood of mice in a lineage-specific manner. Furthermore, the maturation block of murine granulocytes that is caused by GABPα disruption demonstrates the crucial role of GABP in myeloid differentiation.
Hybrid Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Positron Emission Tomography With Fluorodeoxyglucose to Diagnose Active Cardiac Sarcoidosis

Abstract Objectives The purpose of this study was to explore the diagnostic usefulness of hybrid cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) and positron emission tomography (PET) using 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) for active cardiac sarcoidosis. Background Active cardiac sarcoidosis (aCS) is underdiagnosed and has a high mortality. Methods Patients with clinical suspicion of aCS underwent hybrid CMR/PET with late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) and FDG to assess the pattern of injury and disease activity, respectively. Patients were categorized visually as magnetic resonance (MR)+PET+ (characteristic LGE aligning exactly with increased FDG uptake), MR+PET− (characteristic LGE but no increased FDG), MR−PET− (neither characteristic LGE nor increased FDG), and MR−PET+ (increased FDG uptake in absence of characteristic LGE) and further characterized as aCS+ (MR+PET+) or aCS− (MR+PET−, MR−PET−, MR−PET+). FDG uptake was quantified using maximum target-to-normal-myocardium ratio and the net uptake rate ( K i ) from dynamic Patlak analysis. Receiver-operating characteristic methods were used to identify imaging biomarkers for aCS. FDG PET was assessed using computed tomography/PET in 19 control subjects with healthy myocardium. Results A total of 25 patients (12 males; 54.9 ± 9.8 years of age) were recruited prospectively; 8 were MR+PET+, suggestive of aCS; 1 was MR+PET−, consistent with inactive cardiac sarcoidosis; and 8 were MR−PET−, with no imaging evidence of cardiac sarcoidosis. Eight patients were MR−PET+ (6 with global myocardial FDG uptake, 2 with focal-on-diffuse uptake); they demonstrated distinct K i values and hyperintense maximum standardized uptake value compared with MR+PET+ patients. Similar hyperintense patterns of global (n = 9) and focal-on-diffuse (n = 2) FDG uptake were also observed in control patients, suggesting physiological myocardial uptake. Maximum target-to-normal-myocardium ratio values were higher in the aCS+ group (p Conclusions CMR/PET imaging holds major promise for the diagnosis of aCS, providing incremental information about both the pattern of injury and disease activity in a single scan. (In Vivo Molecular Imaging [MRI] of Atherothrombotic Lesions; NCT01418313)
Endoscopic Management of Intraventricular Brain Tumors in Children

Endoscopic procedures for children with brain tumors include tumor cyst fenestration, tumor biopsy, tumor removal, and metastatic disease assessment. Most children with intraventricular tumors have concomitant hydrocephalus. This makes endoscopic surgery particularly attractive since simultaneous procedures can be employed both for CSF diversion and tumor management.
Longitudinal assessment of cost in health care interventions

We develop a method to estimate the cumulative cost of health interventions over a specified duration while controlling for a mix of patient-specific variables using data of total cost and associated length of treatment. A two-equation model for total cost and duration of treatment is estimated with the endogeneity of the latter accounted for in the model for cost. As an illustrative example, we apply our method to hospital costs and length of stay of patients undergoing cardiac procedures. Our method is relevant to economic evaluations of interventions since it accounts for the differential impact of treatment duration on total cost, in addition to patient characteristics. Our method allows greater use of total costs data, typically found in hospital records and claim files, that has not been previously attempted.
Is DCIS Overrated

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), the noninvasive form of breast cancer (BC), comprises just over 20% of breast cancer cases diagnosed each year in the USA. Most patients are treated with local excision of the disease followed by whole breast radiation therapy. Total mastectomy is not an uncommon approach, and total mastectomy with a contralateral risk-reducing mastectomy has been on the rise in the past decade. In estrogen receptor-positive disease, patients are often offered endocrine ablative therapy with a selective estrogen receptor modulator or an aromatase inhibitor as both treatment and prevention. Local regional treatment options have no impact upon ultimate overall survival. Long-term survival rates are higher in patients with DCIS than with any other form of the disease. Are these strikingly high success rates a testament to effective treatment strategies or is there a significant subset of DCIS that was unlikely to ever progress to invasive ductal carcinoma? DCIS was not seen in the US prior to the advent of screening mammography. When compared to other countries, the USA has the highest utilization of screening mammography and the incidence rate of DCIS. Other lines of evidence include autopsy series examining the breast tissue of women who died of other causes, missed-diagnosis series and current retrospective reviews of DCIS, all align in support of the concept of DCIS as indolent in the majority of cases [3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14]. The evidence suggests that both patient and physician misconceptions about DCIS have led to overdiagnosis and over-treatment of DCIS. Recently, a gene expression profiling tool (12 gene assay, Oncotype DCIS) has emerged that shows considerable promise in predicting class in DCIS patients.
Action-Oriented Approaches to Visuo-Spatial Brain Functions

Modes of perception of spatial relationships are evaluated for frogs and for a mammalian species, the Mongolian gerbil. Hypotheses as to the special role of visual cortex are derived from some of these comparisons. Finally, the results of testing gerbils for spatial abilities after visual cortex ablations are found to support some hypotheses.
Functional association of hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 alpha (HNF4α) and Krüppel-like factor 9 (KLF9) in cytochrome P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) regulation during pregnancy

CYP2D6 is responsible for metabolism of ~25% of marketed drugs. Clinical data indicate that pregnancy increases CYP2D6-mediated drug metabolism. Previously, we have found humanized CYP2D6 transgeni...
Incidence and Risk Factors for Blindness in Adults With Diabetes: The Israeli National Diabetes Registry (INDR)

Purpose To estimate the 3-year incidence of blindness among diabetes patients aged ≥18 years; to compare blindness incidence rates of persons with and without diabetes; and to investigate risk factors associated with diabetic retinopathy (DR), age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), glaucoma, and cataract-related blindness. Design Cohort study. Methods The Israeli National Diabetes Registry for 2012 was cross-linked with the database of blindness certifications obtained from the National Registry of the Blind. Blindness was defined as the receipt of an official certificate of blindness (a visual acuity of 3/60 or worse, or a visual field loss of Results The 3-year incidence rates were 31.0 and 8.4 per 10 000 for overall and DR-related blindness, respectively. The SMR for overall blindness in people with diabetes was significantly higher than in the general nondiabetic population (1.39; 95% confidence interval: 1.27–1.53); however, the SMRs for ARMD, glaucoma, and cataract were not statistically significant. Poor metabolic control, insulin treatment, long diabetes duration, and chronic kidney disease were associated with DR-related blindness. Low socioeconomic status (SES) was associated with both cataract and DR-related blindness. Conclusions Optimum metabolic control of diabetes is important for prevention of DR-related blindness. SES-related disparities in blindness risk should be explored and reduced by directing efforts to provide appropriate treatment for all diabetic patients in order to prevent unnecessary blindness.
Current Pharmacotherapy for Neuroblastoma

Abstract Neuroblastoma is, at once, a common and a frequently deadly cancer seen almost exclusively in children. The prognosis for patients with neuroblastoma is best in those whose tumor burden is small enough to be completely excised surgically and when the disease is diagnosed before age 18 months. In more than half of the patients with neuroblastoma at the time of diagnosis, the primary tumor is too large to be amenable to surgery alone or has metastasized widely throughout the body. Multi-agent chemotherapy, combined with radiation therapy and stem-cell transplantation, is the mainstay of treatment for these children. Even so, only 40%–50% survive 5 years after diagnosis. Promising therapies under development include strategies for differentiation induction in neuroblastoma cells; targeted, precision-medicine approaches; and novel delivery strategies that maximize the tumor and minimize the normal cell toxicity of chemotherapy.
Online Qualitative Data Sources for Federal Regulatory Policy Studies

Although policy studies frequently focus on legislation, researchers should not overlook the importance of regulations in their analyses. This article introduces policy researchers to a variety of ...
Statistical binning leads to profound model violation due to gene tree error incurred by trying to avoid gene tree error.

Abstract Fundamental to all phylogenomic studies is the notion that increasing the amount of data – to entire genomes when possible – will increase the accuracy of phylogenetic inference. Simply adding more data does not, however, guarantee phylogenomic inferences will be more accurate. Even genome-scale reconstructions of species histories can suffer the effects of both incomplete lineage sorting (ILS) and gene tree estimation error (GTEE). Weighted statistical binning was originally proposed as a technique to assist the avian phylogenomics project in solving the bird tree of life, which has long eluded resolution as a result of both ILS and GTEE. These so-called “statistical binning procedures” seek to overcome GTEE by concatenating loci into longer multi-locus “supergenes” that are used to reconstruct a species tree under the assumption that the supergene tree set is an accurate estimate of the true underlying gene tree distribution. Here we evaluate the performance of the method using the original avian phylogenomics dataset. Our results suggest that statistical binning constructs false supergenes that concatenate loci with different coalescent histories more often than not: >92% of supergenes comprise discordant loci. Our results underscore a major logical inconsistency: GTEE – the sole justification for using statistical binning instead of standard concatenation – also makes these methods unreliable. These findings underscore the need for developing new robust frameworks for phylogenomic inference that more appropriately accommodate GTEE and ILS at a genome-wide scale.
THINK BEFORE YOU ACT: AVOIDING THE OCULOSTENOTIC REFLEX IN THE MANAGEMENT OF SPONTANEOUS CORONARY ARTERY DISSECTION

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is an underappreciated cause of ACS. SCAD's unique pathophysiology demands a treatment approach separate from that of atherosclerotic disease. A 68-year-old woman presented to the ED with chest pain. ECG showed normal sinus rhythm with ST-segment
Lower Bounds to Energy Eigenvalues

Since the publication of Schrodinger’s equation in 1926, a vast amount of human effort and, more recently, of computer time, has been expended on the calculation of approximate energy levels of atoms and molecules. Much, perhaps most, of this work has utilized methods based on the variation theorem. This includes the treatment of the helium atom by Hylleraas and that of the hydrogen molecules by James and Coolidge, as well as all calculations by the Hartree-Fock method and its many variants, or by configuration interaction. It is well known that these methods yield upper bounds to the true eigenvalues. From the early days of quantum mechanics there has been some interest in the much more difficult problem of calculating lower bounds also, so that the eigenvalues could be rigorously delimited within a known range. Temple’s /1/ formula was derived in a non-quantum mechanical context, but it and the related formula of D.H. Weinstein /2/ were soon applied to energy levels. These methods were improved by Stevenson and Crawford /3,4/ and, despite severe limitations, are still occasionally used. Starting about 1960, there was an upsurge of interest in lower bounds, as a result of the adaptation of A. Weinstein’s /5/ intermediate problem method to quantum mechanics by Bazley and Fox /6/ and later of the bracketing function by Lowdin /7/. A flurry of activity during the next few years showed that these methods, at least as usually understood, were restricted to rather trivial systems such as the helium atom, and the amount of attention given to lower bounds has again dwindled. Whether recent breakthroughs /7,8/ will revive interest still remains to be seen.
Effects of Multivitamin-Mineral Supplementation on Mental Health Among Young Adults (OR15-03-19)

Objectives The percentage of young adults who had mental illnesses has increased from 2008 to 2015. However, few existing studies investigating the potential benefits of multivitamin-mineral (MVM) supplementation on mental health focused on young adults (18–24 years of age), whose eating behaviors are often unhealthy. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a MVM supplement on mental health in young adults.
Ataxia-telangiectasia mutated is required for the development of protective immune memory after influenza A virus infection.

Ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T), caused by mutations in the A-T mutated (ATM) gene, is a neurodegenerative disorder affecting ∼1 in 40,000–100,000 children. Recurrent respiratory infections are a commo...
A techno-economic process model for pressure retarded osmosis based energy recovery in desalination plants

Abstract Existing desalination plants face the challenges of high energy costs and environmental impacts from brine disposal. Pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) is a technology that could mitigate these issues. PRO works by capturing the potential energy in the salinity gradient between brine and dilute (e.g. freshwater/wastewater) solutions. In this study, we developed a Python-based model called Propmod that uses both internal and user-defined inputs to simulate how a full-scale PRO system performs energetically and economically. The Tampa Bay Seawater Desalination Plant was used as a case study, and if a PRO system was installed in this plant, it could potentially save 9% of the energy consumed per m3 of permeate, while also diluting the brine from 66 to 41 ppt. Sensitivity and uncertainty analysis on the net present value of potential full-scale PRO systems indicated that the most influential parameters on PRO system performance are membrane characteristics (salt permeability, water permeability, and structural parameter), as well as energy price and feed water transmission pipe size and length. Overall, PRO systems were found to be competitive with other forms of renewable energy in areas that allow systems to be designed with higher rates of energy generation and minimal capital and operational costs.
A realism-based approach to an ontological representation of symbiotic interactions.

The symbiotic interactions that occur between humans and organisms in our environment have a tremendous impact on our health. Recently, there has been a surge in interest in understanding the complex relationships between the microbiome and human health and host immunity against microbial pathogens, among other things. To collect and manage data about these interactions and their complexity, scientists will need ontologies that represent symbiotic interactions as they occur in reality. We began with two papers that reviewed the usage of ‘symbiosis’ and related terms in the biology and ecology literature and prominent textbooks. We then analyzed several prominent standard terminologies and ontologies that contain representations of symbiotic interactions, to determine if they appropriately defined ‘symbiosis’ and related terms according to current scientific usage as identified by the review papers. In the process, we identified several subtypes of symbiotic interactions, as well as the characteristics that differentiate them, which we used to propose textual and axiomatic definitions for each subtype of interaction. To both illustrate how to use the ontological representations and definitions we created and provide additional quality assurance on key definitions, we carried out a referent tracking analysis and representation of three scenarios involving symbiotic interactions among organisms. We found one definition of ‘symbiosis’ in an existing ontology that was consistent with the vast preponderance of scientific usage in biology and ecology. However, that ontology changed its definition during the course of our work, and discussions are ongoing. We present a new definition that we have proposed. We also define 34 subtypes of symbiosis. Our referent tracking analysis showed that it is necessary to define symbiotic interactions at the level of the individual, rather than at the species level, due to the complex nature in which organisms can go from participating in one type of symbiosis with one organism to participating in another type of symbiosis with a different organism. As a result of our efforts here, we have developed a robust representation of symbiotic interactions using a realism-based approach, which fills a gap in existing biomedical ontologies.
A Comfort Model Simplification for Tight Integration with Grid Service optimizations

Localized generation, storage, and intelligent power electronics are increasingly being integrated into buildings. The excess storage, thermal, and generation capacity can be used to develop new markets for ancillary services such as peak reduction, voltage and frequency support, or load flattening. Widespread participation in these markets will make the power grid more resilient. However, widespread participation in these markets will require a simple and intuitive control over the excess capacity by the building occupants. Most importantly for adopting these technologies, participation in these markets should not require sacrificing occupant comfort. Many of the proposed control and optimization technologies for supplying the ancillary services do not explicitly incorporate occupant comfort into their models and when they do, generally utilize a rigid constraint on the indoor air temperature set a priori. This reduces flexibility in using excess thermal capacity. It also cannot take into account uncertainties in local factors that affect thermal comfort such as clothing insulation or relative humidity. In this paper, we present and justify some assumptions that simplify the standard predictors of thermal comfort. We also develop a regression model of the thermal comfort that is linear with respect to the indoor air temperature. Next we develop the concept of thermal comfort variation that eliminates the dependence of the thermal comfort on uncertain thermal comfort factors. Then, we present a quadratic program utilizing the thermal comfort variation in both the objective function and as a constraint. Finally, we show the results of a time-of-use cost optimization that utilizes the simplified thermal comfort model.
A pairwise approach for fMRI group studies using the BrainSync Transform

Due to the spontaneous nature of resting fMRI (rs-fMRI) signals, cross-subject comparison and group studies of rs-fMRI are challenging. Existing group comparison methods typically reduce the fMRI time series either to lower-dimensional connectivity features or use ICA to reduce dimensionality. We previously developed BrainSync, an orthogonal transformation that allows direct comparison of fMRI time-series across subjects.1 This orthogonal transform performs a temporal alignment of time-series at homologous locations across subjects allowing a direct comparison of scans. In contrast with existing fMRI analysis methods, this transform does not involve dimensionality reduction and preserves the rich functional connectivity information in fMRI data. BrainSync Alignment (BSA) is an extension of this approach that jointly synchronizes fMRI data across time-series data for multiple subjects.2 Point-wise distance measures, or Pearson correlations, can be computed between the reference and synchronized time-series as measures of inter-subject differences in functional connectivity at each location in the brain. In group studies, especially in the case of spectrum disorders, distances to a single atlas do not fully reflect the differences between subjects that may lie on a multi-dimensional spectrum. Here we describe an approach that measures the distances between pairs of subjects instead of to a single reference point.3 We present novel pairwise statistical methods for fMRI that can be used for regression and also for identifying group differences. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our method in two studies: (i) pairwise comparisons of fMRI data in subjects for performing regression to an ADHD index, and (ii) an F-test using pairwise statistical analysis to compare traumatic brain injury (TBI) subjects that develop post-traumatic epilepsy (PTE) to those that do not.
Divergierende Perspektiven: Disziplinäre Deutungsmuster in der digitalen Gestaltung für Handlungsfelder der Sozialen Arbeit

Im wissenschaftlichen Diskurs erscheinen partizipative Entwicklungsprojekte, die die im Feld Sozialer Arbeit bestehenden Bedarfe unter Einbeziehung aller Akteure berucksichtigen, als Norm. Unter dem Radar der Wissenschaft wird jedoch die Reprasentanz von Nutzungsbedarfen zwischen padagogischen Fachkraften und IT in Digitalisierungsprojekten von Fall zu Fall ausgehandelt. Dabei entstehende Divergenzen im Blick darauf, was ein nutzerorientiertes Tool definiert, stellt dieser Beitrag am Fall eines Digitalisierungsprojekts im Ubergangssystem vor. Grunde hierfur rekonstruiert er mit Blick auf die bereits in der Ausbildung von Sozialarbeiter*innen und IT-Entwickler*innen divergierende Perspektive auf Digitalisierung.