cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Greedy Model Averaging

This paper considers the problem of combining multiple models to achieve a prediction accuracy not much worse than that of the best single model for least squares regression. It is known that if the models are mis-specified, model averaging is superior to model selection. Specifically, let n be the sample size, then the worst case regret of the former decays at the rate of O(1/n) while the worst case regret of the latter decays at the rate of O(1/√n). In the literature, the most important and widely studied model averaging method that achieves the optimal O(1/n) average regret is the exponential weighted model averaging (EWMA) algorithm. However this method suffers from several limitations. The purpose of this paper is to present a new greedy model averaging procedure that improves EWMA. We prove strong theoretical guarantees for the new procedure and illustrate our theoretical results with empirical examples.
Diatom growth and productivity in an oligo-trophic midocean gyre: A 3-yr record from the Sargasso Sea near Bermuda

We measured the rate of biogenic silica production in the upper 160 m at the Bermuda Atlantic Time-series Study (BATS) site in the western Sargasso Sea on 12 cruises between August 1991 and May 1994 using a 30Si tracer method. Previously initiated time series of particulate silica concentrations and the gravitational flux of siliceous particles were extended to produce an October 1988-December 1994 time series for biogenic silica concentrations and August 1991-December 1994 time series for lithogenic silica concentrations and fluxes of biogenic and lithogenie silica. Specific rates of biogenic silica production during nonbloom periods indicate active diatom growth, with a mean doubling time of 4.5 d for biogenic silica. The annual silica production rate is conservatively estimated to be 240 mmol Si m-2, which corresponds to a diatom productivity of -20-45 g C m-2 yr-I, -15-25% of the mean annual primary productivity. Comparison of silica production rates with sinking fluxes from the upper 150 m (26-53 mmol Si m-2 yr-I) indicates that -80% of the silica produced in the euphotic zone dissolves in the upper 150 m. Sinking of diatoms and their remains can account for -30% of the particulate organic carbon export at the BATS site on an annual basis and nearly 100% during the annual winter/spring diatom bloom. Atmospheric dust inputs each summer, indicated by July-August maxima in the concentration and vertical flux of lithogenic silica, do not stimulate either biogenic silica production or primary productivity, implying that iron availability limits neither diatom growth nor total primary production in the western‘ Sargasso Sea. Most of the primary production in the oceans occurs in midocean gyres and other oligotrophic systems-a seemingly contradictory situation that results from those systems’ enormous spatial extent (e.g. Ryther 1969). The phytoplankton in the midocean gyres is comprised mostly of small, nonsiliceous forms, with <l p,rn prokaryotes (e.g.
Internet-in-a-Box: emulating datacenter network architectures using FPGAs

In this paper we describe the Internet-in-a-Box datacenter network emulator, an FPGA-based tool for researchers to rapidly experiment with O(10,000) node datacenter network architectures. Our basic approach to emulation involves constructing a model of the target architecture by composing simplified hardware models of key datacenter building blocks, including switches, routers, links, and servers. Since models in our system are implemented in programmable hardware, designers have full control over emulated buffer sizes, line rates, topologies, and many other network properties. Full system control also gives researchers a significant degree of system visibility. Additionally, because our node model emulates servers using a full SPARC v8 ISA compatible processor, each node in the network is capable of running real applications. This allows researchers to study a network under complex real-world workloads at a scale that matches that of a large datacenter today. Moreover, because the system is a private testbed, experiments can be deterministic and therefore reproduced by other researchers. Lastly, the system is cost effective for designers, and we show that using FPGA technology on the market today we can actually emulate a network of 256-nodes for about $2,000.
Renal revascularization in Takayasu arteritis–induced renal artery stenosis

Abstract Purpose This study was undertaken to define the long-term effects of renal revascularization on blood pressure, and renal and cardiac function in patients with Takayasu arteritis–induced renal artery stenosis (TARAS). Methods Twenty-seven patients (25 women; mean age, 27 years) with TARAS underwent intervention. Primary, primary assisted, and secondary patency rates were determined, and the late effects on blood pressure, renal and cardiac function, and survival were analyzed. Results All patients had hypertension (mean blood pressure, 167/99 mm Hg; 2.5 antihypertensive medications per patient). Mean estimated glomerular filtration rate in patients not receiving hemodialysis was 76 mL/min, and in five patients serum creatinine concentration was greater than 1.5 mg/dL. Three patients were hemodialysis-dependent, and two had intractable congestive heart failure. Forty interventions were performed, including 32 aortorenal bypass procedures, two repeat implantations, four nephrectomies, and two transluminal angioplasty procedures. Postoperative morbidity was 19%. There were no deaths. During follow-up (mean, 68 months), three graft stenoses, all due to intimal hyperplasia, and three graft occlusions occurred. Two of three graft stenoses were successfully revised. At 1, 3, and 5 years of follow-up, primary patency was 87%, 79%, and 79%, respectively; primary assisted patency was 93%, 89%, 89%, respectively; and secondary patency was 93%, 89%, and 89%, respectively. Intervention resulted in a decrease in blood pressure to a mean of 132/79 mm Hg ( P P P Conclusions Renal revascularization to treat TARAS is durable, has a salutary effect on blood pressure, and enhances long-term renal and cardiac function. This response establishes renal revascularization as a successful and durable intervention for TARAS, and a benchmark to which other therapies should be compared.
Promoting emotional competence in school-aged children: The effects of the PATHS curriculum

This study examined the effectiveness of the PATHS (Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies) curriculum the emotional development of school-aged children. PATHS, a school-based preventive intervention model was designed to improve children's ability to discuss and understand emotions and emotion concepts. The intervention field trial included 30 classrooms in a randomized design and involved the assessment of 286 children from grades 2 and 3. Approximately 30% of the children were in self-contained special needs classrooms, with the remainder in regular education. Teachers were trained in the intervention model and provided PATHS lessons during most of the one school year. Results indicated that the intervention was effective for both low- and high-risk (special needs) children in improving their range of vocabulary and fluency in discussing emotional experiences, their efficacy beliefs regarding the management of emotions, and their developmental understanding of some aspects of emotions. In some instances, greater improvement was shown in children with higher teacher ratings of psychopathology. Discussion focused on the nature of change school-based prevention trials.
Remote wireless automatic meter reading system based on GPRS

For reliability and real-time data transfer requirements of Automatic Meter Reading System(AMRS), we design a remote wireless automatic meter reading system based on GPRS to achieve data transmission between meter reading terminal and the main station. System is easy to install, reliable and rapid for data transmission.
A prospective study of physical activity intensity and change in adiposity in middle-aged women.

Abstract Purpose To determine the extent to which objectively measured intensity of physical activity (PA) predicts change in body fat (BF%) in women. Design Prospective cohort study of PA intensity and body composition in middle-aged women. Setting The study took place in a metropolitan Mountain West community. Subjects Two hundred and twenty-eight women participated in two assessment periods separated by 20 months. Measures Each assessment period consisted of seven consecutive days of monitoring, followed by body composition testing. Analysis The general linear model using partial correlations and Mantel-Haenszel χ2 tests were performed. Results At baseline and follow-up, women who participated in vigorous PA were leaner than women who participated in moderate or light PA (p < .05). Longitudinal results indicated that a greater proportion of women who decreased PA intensity over the 20 months also increased BF% (66%), compared to participants who increased or maintained PA intensity (47%) (p < .05). Con...
The primary health care physician and the cancer patient: tips and strategies for managing sexual health

There is a large and growing population of long-term cancer survivors. Primary care physicians (PCPs) are playing an increasingly greater role in the care of these patients across the continuum of cancer survivorship. In this role, PCPs are faced with the responsibility of managing a range of medical and psychosocial late effects of cancer treatment. In particular, the sexual side effects of treatment which are common and have significant impact on quality of life for the cancer survivor, often go unaddressed. This is an area of clinical care and research that has received increasing attention, highlighted by the presentation of this special issue on Cancer and Sexual Health. The aims of this review are 3-fold. First, we seek to overview common presentations of sexual dysfunction related to major cancer diagnoses in order to give the PCP a sense of the medical issues that the survivor may present with. Barriers to communication about sexual health issues between patient/PCPs in order are also described in order to emphasize the importance of PCPs initiating this important conversation. Next, we provide strategies and resources to help guide the PCP in the management of sexual dysfunction in cancer survivors. Finally, we discuss case examples of survivorship sexual health issues and highlight the role that a PCP can play in each of these case examples.
Individualized treatment for patients with low HCV load (genotype 1): a viral kinetic approach.

Dear Editor, Perlman and Ehleben’s elegant study1, showed no difference in sustained virological response (SVR) rates with or without boceprevir in patients with HCV genotype-1 and low baseline viral load, LVL (<600,000 IU/ml) who were treated with pegylated-interferon-α (P) and ribavirin (R) and had undetectable HCV-RNA (<10 IU/ml) at week 4 (termed RVR). Perlman and Ehleben’s study suggests that P/R therapy is sufficient in this special population if patients are treated for 24 weeks. However, since triple therapy is expected to be more effective than P/R, the similar SVR rates observed with the two regimens suggests that cure took place much earlier than 24 or 28 weeks of treatment. Thus, treatment duration could be shortened if it were possible to predict the time to cure during lead-in phase. Viral kinetic analysis during P/R lead-in phase provides a potential means to individualize treatment. The approach is illustrated in Fig.1 using the standard biphasic model2. In general, LVL patients with high baseline HCV-RNA, bHCV (e.g., 500,000 IU/ml) need faster 2nd phase slope of viral decline than patients with extremely low bHCV (e.g., 1,000 IU/ml) in order to reach RVR (Fig. 1 solid and dashed lines, respectively). If both patients in Fig. 1 reach HCV negativity close to week 4, the patient with low bHCV needs much longer duration of therapy (32 weeks) in order to achieve SVR and would benefit from addition of a HCV-protease inhibitor (PI) compared to the patient with high bHCV (12 weeks). Our conservative theoretical approach suggests that the longest treatment duration needed to achieve cure could be estimated for each RVR patient based on their bHCV. Since some patients might reach HCV negativity before week 4, two additional viral-load measurements at day 2 and week 2 would provide more confidence in estimating time to cure by allowing for calculation of the 1st phase of decline and the 2nd phase slope Figure 1 Perlman and Ehleben’s exciting results indicate that patients with LVL can skip the addition of PI if they achieve an RVR after a lead-in phase of 4 weeks with P/R. Our modeling data suggests that the duration of therapy and need for a PI can be further individualized by viral kinetic analysis during the P/R lead-in phase. Further studies will be needed to verify this prediction.
Technical discussion of diagnostic angiography and intervention of atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis.

Abstract Renal artery stenting remains an important adjuvant treatment for true-resistant hypertension, although recent disappointing randomized trials highlight the importance of careful patient selection. Safe and successful renal interventions begin with critical core knowledge regarding renal artery anatomy and understanding the often hostile nature of the parent vessel (pararenal aorta). Armed with fundamental knowledge about anatomy and renal ostial disease pathology, it becomes easier to understand the advantages of less traumatic access techniques and how low-profile contemporary flexible stents have enhanced outcomes. In addition to suggested techniques based on detailed understanding of the vessel architecture and pathology, we will review the current available US Food and Drug Administration−approved balloon-expandable on-label renal stents and discuss the role of intravascular ultrasound for definition of lesion severity, stent sizing, and stent apposition. The durability of renal stenting will also be discussed, as will the velocity criteria for duplex surveillance. Lastly, the current empirical data related to renal embolic protection is provided, along with insight into technical issues in this domain.
PREVENTION OF WASTING DISEASE BY PREGNANCY ASSOCIATED WITH HYPERTROPHY OF THE FETAL THYMUS

Neonatally thymectomized female mice were studied and compared to appropriate controls. Neonatal thymectomy appears to decrease fertility significantly in the female C3H/HeJ mouse. However, if a thymectomized female mouse becomes pregnant, pregnancy offers significant protection against wasting disease and death. The maternal thymus appears to play no significant role in the development of the fetus as measured by gross examination and organ weights. Offspring of thymectomized females had comparable body and organ weights when compared to offspring from sham-operated females, except for the thymus gland and gastrointestinal tract. The absence of the maternal thymus gland did stimulate a significant increase in the gland weight of her offspring compared to sham-operated control female offspring. Parity, per se, in intact females also causes a significant increase in the weights of the thymus of newborn offspring.
Secretion from the bovine adrenal gland. Release of lysosomal enzymes.

Abstract Isolated bovine adrenal glands were perfused with a physiological salt solution and exposed to various secretogogues. Perfusates were assayed for catecholamines, protein, lactate dehydrogenase, acid ribonuclease, acid deoxyribonuclease, cathepsin, acid phosphatase and β-glucuronidase. Stimulation of the gland with carbachol induced secretion of catecholamines, protein and acid hydrolase activity. Perfusate LDH activity was unchanged after carbachol stimulation. Carbachol stimulation of the perfused isolated medulla evoked deoxyribonuclease secretion; the relationship between catecholamine secretion and secretion of deoxyribonuclease activity was the same for the perfused whole gland and isolated medulla. Secretion of deoxyribonuclease activity was also evoked by acetylcholine, nicotine, potassium chloride and Triton X-100, agents that also cause catecholamine secretion. Carbachol-induced secretion of deoxyribonuclease activity was reduced in the presence of tetracaine or during perfusion with calcium-free fluid. The introduction of calcium chloride during perfusion with calcium-free fluid also caused secretion of deoxyribo-nuclease activity. It is concluded from these results that stimulation with carbachol of the isolated perfused bovine adrenal gland causes secretion of deoxyribonuclease activity from the adrenal medulla, and that the secretion process is dependent upon the presence of calcium.
Sustained Release from Precirol® (Glycerol Palmito-Stearate) Matrix. Effect of Mannitol and Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose on the Release of Theophylline

AbstractThe release of theophylline embedded in a Precirol® (glycerol palmitostearate) matrix containing varying amounts of mannitol and/or hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose 4000 (HPMC) was studied. The results indicated that HPMC or mannitol when incorporated alone, the drug release followed the diffusion-controlled matrix model where the quantity of drug released was proportional to the square root of time. The release rate was found to increase with increase in the amount of HPMC or mannitol in the matrix. When both mannitol and HPMC were incorporated in the matrix, the mechanism of release changed from the Higuchi model to a first-order release. A linear relationship was found between the fraction of HPMC or mannitol in the matrix and the rate constant. An optimum combination of Precirol®, mannitol and HPMC was found for a 12 hour theophyll ine sustained release preparation
Design and methods for a randomized clinical trial treating comorbid obesity and major depressive disorder.

Obesity is often comorbid with depression and individuals with this comorbidity fare worse in behavioral weight loss treatment. Treating depression directly prior to behavioral weight loss treatment might bolster weight loss outcomes in this population, but this has not yet been tested in a randomized clinical trial. This randomized clinical trial will examine whether behavior therapy for depression administered prior to standard weight loss treatment produces greater weight loss than standard weight loss treatment alone. Obese women with major depressive disorder (N = 174) will be recruited from primary care clinics and the community and randomly assigned to one of the two treatment conditions. Treatment will last 2 years, and will include a 6-month intensive treatment phase followed by an 18-month maintenance phase. Follow-up assessment will occur at 6-months and 1- and 2 years following randomization. The primary outcome is weight loss. The study was designed to provide 90% power for detecting a weight change difference between conditions of 3.1 kg (standard deviation of 5.5 kg) at 1-year assuming a 25% rate of loss to follow-up. Secondary outcomes include depression, physical activity, dietary intake, psychosocial variables and cardiovascular risk factors. Potential mediators (e.g., adherence, depression, physical activity and caloric intake) of the intervention effect on weight change will also be examined. Treating depression before administering intensive health behavior interventions could potentially boost the impact on both mental and physical health outcomes. NCT00572520
Analysis of a Mesoscale Gravity Wave Event Using Empirical Orthogonal Functions

Abstract A method is detailed that filters mesoscale gravity wave signals from synoptic-level observation data using empirical orthogonal functions (EOFs). Similar EOF analyses have been used to study many oceanographic and meteorological features by allowing the examination of the variance associated with the principal orthogonal components of a time series in both spatial and temporal formats. Generally, EOF components are tied only to the underlying physical phenomena driving the observations when they represent a significantly large portion of the cumulative EOF variance. This work demonstrates a case in which a physically significant gravity wave event is recovered from the synoptic signal using EOF components that represent a small percentage of the total signal variance. In this case this EOF filtering technique appears to offer several advantages over more traditional digital filtering methods; namely, it appears to capture more of the gravity wave amplitude, it requires less preconditioning of th...
Civics Beyond Critics: Character Education in a Liberal Democracy

Is character formation a proper part of civic education in a liberal democracy? Most contemporary political and educational theorists who address this question respond with a heavily qualified yes. Education for civic character is vital to the survival and flourishing of liberal democracy, they argue, but its content must be severely limited. Because citizens’ capacities and dispositions to think critically about political authority are so important in a liberal democracy, shaping of character for civic purposes should amount to no more than inculcating the basic and universal moral values that constitute the ideal of liberal democracy itself. I analyze and evaluate this orthodox view. I argue that it rightly insists on the necessity and legitimacy of some significant civic character education that is provided in part by the state. But, as I argue at length in the book manuscript for which this paper serves as a draft introduction, the orthodox view is deeply misguided in it uncompromising commitment to preserving and developing citizens' critical autonomy.
Electrical correlates of mechanical events in the cochlea.

In this paper the main emphasis is laid on presenting an up-to-date description of the relationships between stimulus-related cochlear potentials: cochlear microphonic (CM) and summating potential (SP) and the preceding mechanical events. To this end, CM and SP (both DIE and AVE SP) magnitude functions, obtained with the differential electrode technique, are shown from various turns of the guinea pig's cochlea as recorded at a constant stapes displacement. The similarity between these curves and corresponding basilar membrane displacement functions is considered. The influence upon CM recording of the distributed nature of the generators, as well as the presence of strong nonlinear effects is discussed.
Tolerating Ambiguity: Leadership Lessons from Off-Road Motorcycling

ABSTRACTThe ability to tolerate ambiguity is an important attribute of successful leaders. In this article the metaphor of off-road motorcycling is used to introduce the concept of ambiguity and the virtues of becoming tolerant and comfortable with the uncertainty that has become a hallmark of information age organizations. Tolerance of Ambiguity is a known leadership concept that also extends to employees. Many employees want to be involved earlier in the planning and decision making process of the organization, but may be uncomfortable with the ambiguity characteristic of early stage planning.
Experiences in case management of diarrhoea in large hospitals.

Scientific basis for oral rehydration therapy (ORT) has revolutionized the concepts and management of diarrheal diseases during the last 25 years. ORT is the only therapy needed in the majority of diarrhea cases. Sometimes however in more severe or complicated cases the judicious use of IV therapy and antimicrobial agents is called for. This approach should form the practical guidelines for the management of diarrhea in hospitals. Indeed such therapy practiced in Indian hospitals has resulted in fewer diarrhea-related hospital admissions and lower average expenditure per patient. Savings from the reduction in the use of IV fluid and antibiotics have been used to supply oral rehydration solution packets to mothers for use at home. Managing the more severe and complicated cases large referral hospitals still play a central role in the practice and promotion of standard diarrhea case management (SDCM). Medical colleges and teaching hospitals have an additional responsibility to train doctors nurses and health workers in SDCM. The first full-fledged diarrhea training and treatment unit (DTTU) in the country was established in Kalawati Saran Childrens Hospital in January 1989. That later served as the National Training Center for training key personnel from other medical colleges and large hospitals in SDCM. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare trained senior physicians pediatricians hospital administrators and senior nursing personnel from medical colleges referral hospitals and district hospitals in SDCM. There are now more than 80 DTTUs functioning in the country. Many more large/referral hospitals have no DTTU but nonetheless actively practice and promote SDCM.
Crossed Beam Reactions of the Phenyl (C6H5; X2A1) and Phenyl-d5 Radical (C6D5; X2A1) with 1,2-Butadiene (H2CCCHCH3; X1A′)

We explored the reactions on the phenyl (C6H5; X2A1) and phenyl-d5 (C6D5; X2A1) radical with 1,2-butadiene (C4H6; X1A′) at a collision energy of about 52 ± 3 kJ mol–1 in a crossed molecular beam apparatus. The reaction of phenyl with 1,2-butadiene is initiated by adding the phenyl radical with its radical center to the π electron density at the C1/C3 carbon atom of 1,2-butadiene. Later, the initial collision complexes isomerize via phenyl group migration from the C1/C3 carbon atoms to the C2 carbon atom of the allene moiety of 1,2-butadiene. The resulting intermediate undergoes unimolecular decomposition through hydrogen atom emission from the methyl group of the 1,2-butadiene moiety via a rather loose exit transition state leading to 2-phenyl-1,3-butadiene in an overall exoergic reaction (ΔRG = −72 ± 10 kJ mol–1). This finding reveals the strong collision-energy dependence of this system when the data are compared with those of the phenyl radical with 1,2-butadiene previously recorded at collision energi...
Differential Divorce Rates by Occupations

The data for this study were tabulated from questionnaires submitted to the students attending all the secondary schools in Spokane, Washington. There were on hand from a prior study, 5,811 questionnaires filled in by the students attending the public secondary schools in this city. A test of the coverage of this sample showed that 92.5 percent of the students in average daily attendance at the public high schools had filled in the questionnaire. To this sample of 5,811 were added 737 questionnaires filled in during the fall of 1939 by the students of high school level in the three Spokane parochial schools.2 An attempt was made to eliminate duplications incurred by questionnaires which were marked by two or more members of the same family. This was difficult to do, inasmuch as each questionnaire was filled out anonymously. Some duplication was eliminated, however, by a comparison of street addresses and certain other information.8 After this procedure there were 6,475 u'sable questionnaires for this study. It is believed that these schedules furnish information which is fairly representative of all Spokane families with children old enough to be in the secondary schools. The United States Census shows that a very high proportion of the population of school age in this city (95.6 percent) attends school through the seventeenth year.4 This study deals with the responses to the following three series of questions: (1) Do your own mother and father live together? If not, are they divorced? living apart without divorce? mother dead? father dead? (2) Where does your father work? What does he do? (3) What is your father's religion? What is your mother's religion? The 6,475 questionnaires were first hand-sorted for tabulation of the first series of questions, and then classified by father's occupation. Alba Edwards' classification of social-economic groups was used for this purpose.5 Finally, each of these occupational groups was sorted by the responses to the questions on parents' religious affiliations. These responses were classified broadly into the following categories: non-Catholic, Catholic, Mixed, No Religion, and No Information.6 The following rather arbitrary definitions were used to determine the religious classification: (1) non-Catholic-both parents affiliated with some religious group other than Catholic.7 (2) Catholic -both parents designated as Catholic; (3) Mixed
Fast-moving bacteria self-organize into active two-dimensional crystals of rotating cells.

Rotating bacteria suck other bacteria into a 2D crystal structure, an unprecedented pattern for living organisms.
Survey on nutritional knowledge, attitude and practice among nursing students

Three hundred and fifty nursing students were randomly selected from Health College of Harbin city and a questionnaire survey was conducted for the related questions of nutrition knowledge, attitudes and dietary behaviors. After nutritional education intervention, their nutrition knowledge, attitudes and dietary behavior improved greatly but there are some of bad eating habits should to be corrected. The teachers should give their lectures visually and interestingly combining with clinical nursing and health professional lectures to rouse their interest to learn the knowledge.
Analysis on leading causes of death and YPLL of residents in Taishan district of Taian city in 2010-2012

Objective To analyze the leading causes of death and years of potential life lost(YPLL)among residents in Taishan district of Taian city from 2010to 2012.Methods Deathreg 2005software and SPSS 13.0were used to analyze the data of death causes which were based on death rate,standardized death rate,causes of death,YPLL,YPLL‰ and AYLL.Results The average and standardized death rates were 505.70and 480.14per 100,000population in the year of 2010to 2012,which were up annually.The death rate of male(603.93per 100,000population)was higher than that of female(406.04per 100,000population)(χ2=39.01,P0.01).The top 5leading causes of death were malignant tumors(145.06per 100,000),cardiovascular diseases(136.36per 100.000),cerebrovaseular diseases(94.63per 100,000),respiratory diseases(42.27per 100.000).injuries and poisoning(30.61per 100,000).The top five causes for YPLL were malignant tumors(12.35‰),injuries and poisoning(7.58‰),cardiovascular diseases(5.87‰),cerebrovaseular diseases(5.19‰)and respiratory system diseases(0.94‰).Conclusions Chronic non-communicable diseases and injuries are the major causes of death and YPLL of residents in Taishan district of Taian,therefore a comprehensive control for these causes is critical in the area.
Monte Carlo analysis of the U.S. EPA model of human exposure to cadmium in sewage sludge through consumption of garden crops.

The derivation of the recently promulgated U.S. EPA regulations for land application of sewage sludge considered a model of human exposure to cadmium (Cd) from consumption of garden crops grown on sludge-amended soil. The EPA approach to the calculation of the maximum acceptable loading rate of Cd to soil from this pathway employs single point estimates for each input variable. It also considers Cd uptake slopes for crops grown in sludge-amended soils with pH from 4.4-8.4. The complexity and variability inherent in this pathway argue against obtaining a realistic assessment of this pathway with point estimates of input parameters. Furthermore, the use of uptake slopes from alkaline soils is likely to lead to underestimating Cd uptake from acidic soils prevalent in the eastern and southern United States. A re-analysis of this pathway is presented employing Monte Carlo probabilistic analysis of the exposure variables with Cd uptake slopes restricted to soils with pH < or = 6.5. Despite uncertainties in the derivation of some probabilistic inputs, this approach appears to present a more realistic assessment of this pathway.
Are Mendel’s Data Reliable? The Perspective of a Pea Geneticist

Mendel's data exhibit remarkable agreement to the ratios he predicted. In this article, alternative explanations for this close agreement (that inheritance in pea does not conform to the standard statistical model, that data were omitted, that ambiguous data were categorized to better match predicted ratios, and that some data were deliberately falsified) are tested using approaches that are designed to distinguish between these alternatives. The possibility that garden pea (Pisum sativum L.) naturally produces segregation ratios more closely matching Mendelian expectations than predicted by statistical models is rejected. Instead the opposite is found to be the case, making Mendel's results even more remarkable. Considerable evidence is introduced that Mendel omitted some of his experimental results, but this alternative cannot adequately explain the low average deviation from expectations that is characteristic of the segregation data he presented. An underlying bias in Mendel's data favoring the predicted ratio is present, but my analysis could not clearly determine whether the bias was caused by misclassifying ambiguous phenotypes or deliberate falsification of the results. A number of Mendel's statements are argued to be unrealistic in terms of practical pea genetics, suggesting that his text does not represent a strictly accurate description of his experimental methods. Mendel's article is probably best regarded as his attempt to present his model in a simple and convincing format with a minimum of additional details that might obscure his message.
The effect of lead from sediment bioturbation by Lumbriculus variegatus on Daphnia magna in the water column

The present study investigated the bioavailability and potential toxicity to Daphnia magna of lead released to the water column due to bioturbation by Lumbriculus variegatus. Experiments used microcosms with Pb-spiked sediment, with or without worms in the sediment, and with D. magna present in the water column. The daphniids were allowed free movement or were restricted to flow-through containers, in order to assess the influence of their direct contact with the contaminated sediment. A control group consisted of D. magna in clean moderately hard reconstituted water. At the end of the 12-day experiment, D. magna survival, reproduction, biomass, and Pb-bioaccumulation were determined. Water column turbidity and Pb levels were quantified to assess their influence on the Pb toxicity and bioaccumulation. The bioturbation by L. variegatus increased Pb levels and turbidity in the water column. While this resulted in an increased Pb bioaccumulation by the D. magna, the water column Pb levels and the Pb bioaccumulation were insufficient to bring about toxic effects for the survival, reproduction, and biomass of the daphniids. Contact of D. magna with the sediment resulted in an increase in their Pb bioaccumulation, with water turbidity and Pb data, suggesting that these crustaceans also acted as bioturbators. The increase in Pb bioaccumulation in D. magna as a consequence of bioturbation by L. variegatus demonstrates the potential for bioturbation to enhance contaminant toxicity to organisms in the water column, though this potential appeared relatively low in the case of lead.
Selecting the right antimicrobial for use in pet species

WITH the growing trend of ‘One Health medicine’ and continued development of antimicrobial resistance (Gibbens 2016), understanding which bacteria are present in the disease process presented to clinicians, and what antibiotics they are sensitive to, are important in aiding accurate and fast treatment. In addition, the conservation of antibiotics is essential where possible, along with understanding long-term trends. This can be done on a case-by-case basis, but may sometimes be prohibited by cost. Therefore, having evidence-based trends can help clinicians decide on the most appropriate antibiotics to use based on a percentage chance of what is most common and what usually works best. Trends also help indicate changes with time if done serially, alerting the veterinary profession to any changes and resistance patterns and, therefore, hopefully allowing for appropriate early remedial intervention. With talk of restrictions on the use of antibiotics by the medical and veterinary professions, understanding which antibiotics currently work and are most effective is essential. This is especially important in certain species …
The evolution of the operational earthquake forecasting community of practice: the L’Aquila communication crisis as a triggering event for organizational renewal

ABSTRACTThe scientific community of earthquake experts has long grappled with how to communicate earthquake probabilities successfully to non-scientific publics. Perhaps most central to their concern is the widely held belief that scientists can actually predict earthquakes when, in fact, they cannot. The potential consequences of this miscommunication problem were appallingly realized as a result of the 6 April 2009 earthquake in L’Aquila, Italy. Failed risk communication among scientists, a public official, and L’Aquila residents prior to the earthquake resulted in 309 deaths, 1500 injuries, and 65,000 people displaced from their homes, as well as the sentencing of six scientists and one public official to six years in prison for manslaughter. This paper examines how and why the L’Aquila Earthquake communication crisis ultimately redefined the international scientific earthquake community of practice and its discourse beyond that of community resilience to organizational learning and renewal.
Eviction from the sanctuary: Development of targeted therapy against cell adhesion molecules in acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Abstract Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a malignant hematological disease afflicting hematopoiesis in the bone marrow. While 80%–90% of patients diagnosed with ALL will achieve complete remission at some point during treatment, ALL is associated with high relapse rate, with a 5-year overall survival rate of 68%. The initial remission failure and the high rate of relapse can be attributed to intrinsic chemoprotective mechanisms that allow persistence of ALL cells despite therapy. These mechanisms are mediated, at least in part, through the engagement of cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) within the bone marrow microenvironment. This review assembles CAMs implicated in protection of leukemic cells from chemotherapy. Such studies are limited in ALL. Therefore, CAMs that are associated with poor outcomes or are overexpressed in ALL and have been shown to be involved in chemoprotection in other hematological cancers are also included. It is likely that these molecules play parallel roles in ALL because the CAMs identified to be a factor in ALL chemoresistance also work similarly in other hematological malignancies. We review the signaling mechanisms activated by the engagement of CAMs that provide protection from chemotherapy. Development of targeted therapies against CAMs could improve outcome and raise the overall cure rate in ALL.
Two transmembrane dimers of the bovine papillomavirus E5 oncoprotein clamp the PDGF β receptor in an active dimeric conformation

The dimeric 44-residue E5 protein of bovine papillomavirus is the smallest known naturally occurring oncoprotein. This transmembrane protein binds to the transmembrane domain (TMD) of the platelet-derived growth factor β receptor (PDGFβR), causing dimerization and activation of the receptor. Here, we use Rosetta membrane modeling and all-atom molecular dynamics simulations in a membrane environment to develop a chemically detailed model of the E5 protein/PDGFβR complex. In this model, an active dimer of the PDGFβR TMD is sandwiched between two dimers of the E5 protein. Biochemical experiments showed that the major PDGFβR TMD complex in mouse cells contains two E5 dimers and that binding the PDGFβR TMD to the E5 protein is necessary and sufficient to recruit both E5 dimers into the complex. These results demonstrate how E5 binding induces receptor dimerization and define a molecular mechanism of receptor activation based on specific interactions between TMDs.
Performance on the Nephrology In-Training Examination and ABIM Nephrology Certification Examination Outcomes.

Background and objectives Medical specialty and subspecialty fellowship programs administer subject-specific in-training examinations to provide feedback about level of medical knowledge to fellows preparing for subsequent board certification. This study evaluated the association between the American Society of Nephrology In-Training Examination and the American Board of Internal Medicine Nephrology Certification Examination in terms of scores and passing status. Design, setting, participants, & measurements The study included 1684 nephrology fellows who completed the American Society of Nephrology In-Training Examination in their second year of fellowship training between 2009 and 2014. Regression analysis examined the association between In-Training Examination and first-time Nephrology Certification Examination scores as well as passing status relative to other standardized assessments. Results This cohort included primarily men (62%) and international medical school graduates (62%), and fellows had an average age of 32 years old at the time of first completing the Nephrology Certification Examination. An overwhelming majority (89%) passed the Nephrology Certification on their first attempt. In-Training Examination scores showed the strongest association with first-time Nephrology Certification Examination scores, accounting for approximately 50% of the total explained variance in the model. Each SD increase in In-Training Examination scores was associated with a difference of 30 U (95% confidence interval, 27 to 33) in certification performance. In-Training Examination scores also were significantly associated with passing status on the Nephrology Certification Examination on the first attempt (odds ratio, 3.46 per SD difference in the In-Training Examination; 95% confidence interval, 2.68 to 4.54). An In-Training Examination threshold of 375, approximately 1 SD below the mean, yielded a positive predictive value of 0.92 and a negative predictive value of 0.50. Conclusions American Society of Nephrology In-Training Examination performance is significantly associated with American Board of Internal Medicine Nephrology Certification Examination score and passing status.
Dendrite regeneration of adult Drosophila sensory neurons diminishes with aging and is inhibited by epidermal-derived matrix metalloproteinase 2

Dendrites possess distinct structural and functional properties that enable neurons to receive information from the environment as well as other neurons. Despite their key role in neuronal function, current understanding of the ability of neurons to regenerate dendrites is lacking. This study characterizes the structural and functional capacity for dendrite regeneration in vivo in adult animals and examines the effect of neuronal maturation on dendrite regeneration. We focused on the class IV dendritic arborization (c4da) neuron of the Drosophila sensory system, which has a dendritic arbor that undergoes dramatic remodeling during the first 3 d of adult life and then maintains a relatively stable morphology thereafter. Using a laser severing paradigm, we monitored regeneration after acute and spatially restricted injury. We found that the capacity for regeneration was present in adult neurons but diminished as the animal aged. Regenerated dendrites recovered receptive function. Furthermore, we found that the regenerated dendrites show preferential alignment with the extracellular matrix (ECM). Finally, inhibition of ECM degradation by inhibition of matrix metalloproteinase 2 (Mmp2) to preserve the extracellular environment characteristics of young adults led to increased dendrite regeneration. These results demonstrate that dendrites retain regenerative potential throughout adulthood and that regenerative capacity decreases with aging.
Manner, Mood, and Message: Bowie, Morrissey, and the Complex Legacy of Frankenstein

Prescient in its representation of what is now recognized as typically Romantic themes, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein stands as a signal text for the movement it helped to define and upon which much of its popular legacy depends. David Bowie and Steven Patrick Morrissey have effectively captured the mood, manner, and message of Shelley’s novel in their music, videos, and album-promoting campaigns. While one might too readily associate Morrissey, the “Pope of Mope,” with mood and Bowie, the stylistic chameleon, with manner, each draws on both of these experiential and representational modes to articulate a complex philosophy that returns, time and again, to the ideas Shelley explores: love and loss, hope and despair, beginnings and endings, and the power of language to create and to destroy.
Trabectome outcomes across the spectrum of glaucoma disease severity.

To compare the efficacy of ab-interno trabeculotomy with Trabectome® in mild glaucoma versus moderate/severe glaucoma along the spectrum of glaucoma disease severity. Subjects with at least 12 months follow-up were separated into two groups based on glaucoma severity. Severity was determined based on optic nerve cup-to-disc ratio and/or automated visual field data, with cup-to-disc ratio 0.7 and/or visual field mean deviation > 6.0 dB used to define the moderate/severe group (n = 1071). These groups were further subdivided into patients undergoing Trabectome with cataract surgery or Trabectome alone. Mean IOP reduction, medication usage, and success rates were compared between the two groups. Success was defined as IOP reduction of 20% or more from pre-operative IOP and IOP less than 21 mmHg with no secondary surgery throughout the follow-up period. The mean post-operative IOP and success rates were similar between the groups. IOP reduction for the mild group was 26% (from pre-op IOP of 24 to 16.1 mmHg) and for the moderate/severe group was 24% (from pre-op IOP of 22.6 to 15.7 mmHg) at 12 Months. The overall rate of success at 12 months for the mild group was 86% and for the moderate/severe group was 83%. Trabectome surgery maintains efficacy across the spectrum of glaucoma disease severity. This particular minimally invasive glaucoma surgery procedure can be an excellent choice for subjects with moderate/advanced glaucoma as well as for early glaucoma with or without cataract surgery and is applicable to a broad patient population.
THE EFFECT OF LITHIUM IN DEPRESSIVE SUBTYPES

Abstract Affective illness can be categorized into bipolar and unipolar subtypes. Efficacy of lithium carbonate treatment can be evaluated in acute mania, acute depression, prophylaxis of mania, and prophylaxis of depression. This paper reviews the efficacy of lithium carbonate treatment in the various subtypes. Whereas lithium clearly is effective in acute mania and in prophylaxis of mania, the effects in acute depression and in prophylaxis of depression are not well established.
Research in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

In this chapter, I present an overview of current issues concerning research in child and adolescent psychiatry. First, I will review some issues as to why child psychiatry as a discipline has not had as much research as other academic specialties. Then I will discuss newer developments, such as the National Plan for Research on Child and Adolescent Mental Disorders and the Institute of Medicine Report on Research on Children and Adolescents with Mental, Behavioral, Developmental Disorders. Following this, I will review the importance of research for clinical practice, teaching, individual growth, and advancement in the field in general. Research training will also be discussed. Finally, I will present a brief description of an empirical model for the study of child and adolescent psychopathology that can be a template to guide future studies.