cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Amount of air infused to patient increases as fluid flow rates decrease when using the Hotline HL-90 fluid warmer.

Objective. The intraoperative use of fluid warming devices has been recommended to avoid perioperative hypothermia and related adverse outcomes. To evaluate whether these devices might introduce risks of their own, we measured the volume of air escaping from a warmed intravenous solution that might be delivered to a patient. Methods. In an operating room maintained at 19–19.5 °C, we tested an HL-90 Hotline® fluid warmer with the L-70 fluid warming set. One liter of lactated Ringer's solution was infused at flow rates of 150, 300, 500 and 3400 ml/h. The air that formed within the L-70 tubing during infusion was collected in a bubble trap placed at the end of the L-70 tubing. The volume of air in the bubble trap was measured. Twelve separate measurements were obtained at each flow rate. One additional study (n = 8) was performed using the L-10 Gas Vent to determine whether this equipment might reduce the volume of air infused when fluid flow rate was 300 mL/h. The volume of air collected at each flow rate was compared using ANOVA. Results. Volume of air increased significantly from 1.0 ± 0.2 mL to 2.9 ± 0.4 ml as flow rate decreased from 3400 ml/h to 150 ml/h (p < 0.0001). The L-10 gas eliminator was ineffective in reducing the amount of air infused. Conclusions. We conclude that the use of the Hotline® fluid warmer can result in infusion of air into the patient, introducing possible risk of air embolism.
Gastroenterology and Hepatology

Diseases of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract may involve a myraid of organ systems including the luminal gut, the liver, biliary tract, and pancreas. A basic understanding of GI illnesses and their presenting signs and symptoms is essential for the primary care physician. This chapter is not meant to be all-inclusive; rather, it should serve as a guide to help formulate differential diagnoses, to initiate an evaluation, and to institute a preliminary treatment plan in a psychiatric setting.
Hybrid Adenoviral Vectors

The characterization of disease at the genetic level facilitates potential genotypic and/or phenotypic correction by gene therapy. Although the concept of gene therapy has been extensively established over the past two decades, the development of effective clinical protocols to facilitate efficacious reversal of disease has proven highly problematic. The development of an effective gene delivery system to the site of therapeutic significance has proven to be the major hurdle to the advancement of gene therapies. Many questions currently remain unanswered and these raise major debates over the best vector systems to treat a specific clinical disorder, and at a more fundamental level the choice of gene to be applied. The ultimate goal of a gene therapy protocol is the efficient targeted delivery of a therapeutic transgene, whose expression can be sufficiently regulated, in a defective tissue. Vector delivery would ideally involve a single, lifetime treatment by a simple, non-invasive, and safe protocol, which can be incorporated into clinical practice. The vast array of clinical diseases, for which gene therapy presents clinical promise, demands a multitude of different requirements for a vector system to meet.
Management of Visceral and Extremity Arteriovenous Malformations

This section provides a comprehensive procedural report for management of visceral and extremity arteriovenous malformations procedure with up-to-date explanatory notes, synopsis of the indications and contraindications, and potential complications in an organized and practical format.
Trends of Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Use in Ophthalmology Among Privately Insured and Medicare Advantage Patients

Purpose To characterize the first 10 years of intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) medication use for ophthalmic disease, including bevacizumab, ranibizumab, and aflibercept. Design A retrospective cohort study using administrative claims data from January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2015. Subjects Total of 124 835 patients 18 years of age or over in the United States. Methods OptumLabs Data Warehouse, which includes administrative claims data for over 100 million commercially insured and Medicare Advantage individuals, was used to identify patients receiving intravitreal anti-VEGF injections based on Current Procedural Terminology codes. Main Outcome Measures Total and annual numbers of intravitreal anti-VEGF injections, as well as injections per 1000 enrolled patients per general category of ophthalmic disease, overall and for each available medication. Results There were 959 945 anti-VEGF injections among 124 835 patients from 2006 to 2015. Among all injections, 64.6% were of bevacizumab, 22.0% ranibizumab, and 13.4% aflibercept; 62.7% were performed to treat age-related macular degeneration (AMD), 16.1% to treat diabetic retinal diseases (including 0.9% of all injections that were for proliferative diabetic retinopathy), 8.3% to treat retinal vein occlusions, and 12.9% for all other uses. Use of bevacizumab and ranibizumab for AMD plateaued as of 2011/2012 and decreased thereafter (in 2006, 58.8 and 35.3 injections/1000 AMD patients, respectively; in 2015, 294.4 and 100.7 injections/1000), whereas use of aflibercept increased (1.1 injections/1000 AMD patients in 2011 to 183.0 injections/1000 in 2015). Bevacizumab use increased each year for diabetic retinal disease (2.4 injections/1000 patients with diabetic retinal disease in 2009 to 13.6 per 1000 in 2015) while that of ranibizumab initially increased significantly and then declined after 2014 (0.1 in 2009 to 4.0 in 2015). Aflibercept use increased each year in patients with diabetic retinal diseases and retinal vein occlusions (both Conclusions Intravitreal injections of anti-VEGF medications increased annually from 2006 to 2015. Bevacizumab was the most common medication used, despite its lacking U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval to treat ophthalmic disease, and AMD was the most common condition treated. Ranibizumab use declined after 2014 while both the absolute and relative use of bevacizumab and aflibercept increased.
An Exercise in Failure: Punishing “At-Risk” Youth and Families in a South Los Angeles Boot Camp Program

Juvenile correctional boot camps seek to transform youth labeled “at-risk” into productive members of society. While these military-style programs have been in decline since the early 2000s, the Lo...
Numerical Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow

(1981). Numerical Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow. Nuclear Science and Engineering: Vol. 78, No. 2, pp. 196-197.
Infant growth outcomes from birth to 12 months of age: findings from the Delta Healthy Sprouts randomized comparative impact trial.

Objective Multicomponent lifestyle modification interventions designed for gestational and early postnatal periods may be key to preventing obesity in children. The primary objective of the study was to determine if infant growth outcomes differed between treatment arms of an 18-month, maternal, infant and early childhood home visiting project. Methods Pregnant women at least 18 years of age, less than 19 weeks pregnant and residing in a lower Mississippi Delta county were recruited between March 2013 and December 2014. Postnatal data were collected from 24 experimental and 30 control participants between September 2013 and May 2016. Infant growth outcomes were modelled as time-to-event data using Kaplan-Meier survival curves with log-rank tests to determine if survival curves differed between treatment arms. Results Retention rates for the experimental and control arms were 88% (21/24) and 83% (25/30), respectively. Approximately three-fourths of infants in both treatment arms were classified as overweight and experienced rapid weight gain during the first 12 months of life. No differences between median times neither to classification as overweight (3-4 months) nor to experiencing rapid weight gain (6-7 months) were observed between treatment arms. Conclusions As compared with a standard educational (control) curriculum, an educational curriculum enhanced with diet and physical activity components was not effective at improving infant growth outcomes.
COMPARATIVE PATTERNS OF THERMAL ACCLIMATION OF LARVAL TREMATODES AND THEIR HOST

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the comparative patterns of thermal acclimation of larval trematodes and their host. Different patterns of thermal acclimation occur for the two species of trematodes and for the molluskan host. According to Prossers classification, thermal acclimation curve of the bird parasite is clearly Type II A, the cold-acclimated larvae had significantly higher respiration rates at each temperature than did the warm-acclimated larvae. The M-T curve for cold- and warm-climated Z. rubellus larvae presented a totally different pattern. In this species, the warm-acclimated larvae showed a plateau between 18° and 24° C, whereas in the cold-acclimated larvae this was entirely missing. The patterns of thermal acclimation obviously differ in these trematode larvae and their host. The response of the larvae sharing the same thermal environment differs so greatly that this suggests that this is a genetically predetermined response which is not markedly influenced by thermal environment of the intermediate host.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY | Microbiome

The microbiome refers to the totality of microorganisms, their collective genetic elements, and environmental interactions, in a specific environment. Trillions of microbes in the mammalian host play important roles in the development of the host immune system and the regulation of host metabolism, affecting myriad aspects of host physiology. Alterations to the normal human microbiome have serious pathological consequences, including the development and progression of many metabolic diseases, such as insulin resistance and diabetes, obesity, inflammatory bowel diseases, cancer, and infection. As a result, the microbiome can be considered as a therapeutic target for pre- and probiotic (or synbiotic) intervention and as a target for drug discovery.
Drosophila R8 photoreceptor cell subtype specification requires Notch and hibris.

Cell differentiation and cell fate determination in sensory systems are essential for stimulus discrimination and coding of environmental stimuli. Color vision is based on the differential color sensitivity of retinal photoreceptors, however the developmental programs that control photoreceptor cell differentiation and specify color sensitivity are poorly understood. In Drosophila melanogaster, there is evidence that the color sensitivity of different photoreceptors in the compound eye is regulated by inductive signals between cells, but the exact nature of these signals and how they are propagated remains unknown. We conducted a genetic screen to identify additional regulators of this process and identified a novel mutation in the hibris gene. hibris encodes an irre cell recognition module protein (IRM). These immunoglobulin super family cell adhesion molecules include human neph and nephrin (NPHS1). hibris is expressed dynamically in the developing Drosophila melanogaster eye and loss-of-function mutations give rise to a diverse range of mutant phenotypes including disruption of the specification of R8 photoreceptors cell diversity. The specification of blue or green sensitivity in R8 cells is also dependent upon Notch signaling. We demonstrate that hibris is required within the retina, non-cell autonomously for these effects, suggesting an additional layer of complexity in the signaling process that produces paired expression of opsin genes in adjacent R7 and R8 photoreceptor cells.
Hierarchical Sparsity Within And Across Overlapping Groups

Recently, different penalties have been proposed for signals whose non-zero coefficients reside in a small number of groups, where within each group, only few of the coefficients are active. In this paper, we extend such a penalty, and introduce an additional layer of grouping on the coefficients. Specifically, we first partition the signal into groups, and then apply the penalty on the $\ell _{2}$ norms of the groups. We discuss how this extended penalty can be used in energy minimization formulations, and demonstrate the effects of the proposed extension on a dereverberation experiment.
Regulating 3D-printed medical products

Additive manufacturing [also known as three-dimensional (3D) printing] is the layer-wise deposition of material to produce a 3D object. This rapidly emerging technology has the potential to produce new medical products with unprecedented structural and functional designs. Here, we describe the U.S. regulatory landscape of additive manufactured (3D-printed) medical devices and biologics and highlight key challenges and considerations.
Novel Models for Health Care Delivery for CKD for Disadvantaged Populations.

The United States health care delivery system is currently undergoing significant reform in the way that care is provided and paid for to address shortcomings in existing models of health care delivery; these models face rising costs that are not always paralleled with improved outcomes. As a result
Loss of Sirtuin 1 Alters the Secretome of Breast Cancer Cells by Impairing Lysosomal Integrity

The NAD+-dependent deacetylase Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) is down-regulated in triple-negative breast cancer. To determine the mechanistic basis by which reduced SIRT1 expression influences processes related to certain aggressive cancers, we examined the consequences of depleting breast cancer cells of SIRT1. We discovered that reducing SIRT1 levels decreased the expression of one particular subunit of the vacuolar-type H+ ATPase (V-ATPase), which is responsible for proper lysosomal acidification and protein degradation. This impairment in lysosomal function caused a reduction in the number of multi-vesicular bodies (MVBs) targeted for lysosomal degradation and resulted in larger MVBs prior to their fusing with the plasma membrane to release their contents. Collectively, these findings help explain how reduced SIRT1 expression, by disrupting lysosomal function and generating a secretome comprising exosomes with unique cargo and soluble hydrolases that degrade the extracellular matrix, can promote processes that increase breast-cancer-cell survival and invasion.
Racial Disparities in Limb Amputations After Traumatic Vascular Injury.

Abstract Objectives The influence of race or ethnicity on limb loss after traumatic vascular injury is unclear. We sought to determine whether there were racial differences in rates of amputation between American Indians, blacks, Asians, and Hispanics compared to white patients following arterial axillosubclavian vessel injury (ASVI), femoral artery injury (FAI), or popliteal artery injury (PAI). As black race has been identified as an independent prognostic factor for postsurgical complication in trauma-associated lower extremity amputation, we further hypothesized that black race would be associated with a higher risk for limb loss after arterial ASVI, FAI, and PAI injury in a large national database. Methods The National Trauma Data Bank was queried for patients ≥16-years-old with arterial ASVI, FAI, or PAI to determine the risk of arm, above knee amputation (AKA), and below knee amputation (BKA), respectively. Covariates were included in separate multivariable logistic regression models for analysis. The reference group included white trauma patients. Results From 5,683,057 patients, 21,843 were identified with arterial ASVI, FAI, or PAI ( Conclusion Black race is associated with a lower risk of AKA after FAI, compared to whites. Race was not associated with a risk for limb loss after PAI. Future prospective studies examining socioeconomic factors and access to healthcare within this patient population is warranted to identify barriers and areas of improvement.
Evaluation of Antiseizure Drug Efficacy and Tolerability in the Rat Lamotrigine-Resistant Amygdala Kindling Model

Objective The lamotrigine-resistant amygdala kindling model uses repeated administration of a low dose of lamotrigine during the kindling process to produce resistance to lamotrigine, which also extends to some other antiseizure drugs (ASDs). This model of pharmacoresistant epilepsy has been incorporated into the testing scheme utilized by the Epilepsy Therapy Screening Program (ETSP). Although some ASDs have been evaluated in this model, a comprehensive evaluation of ASD prototypes has not been reported. Methods Following depth electrode implantation and recovery, rats were exposed to lamotrigine (5 mg/kg, i.p.) prior to each stimulation during the kindling development process (~3 weeks). A test dose of lamotrigine was used to confirm that fully kindled rats were lamotrigine-resistant. Efficacy (unambiguous protection against electrically elicited convulsive seizures) was defined as a Racine score < 3 in the absence of overt compound-induced side effects. Various ASDs, comprising several mechanistic classes, were administered to fully kindled, lamotrigine-resistant rats. Where possible, multiple doses of each drug were administered in order to obtain median effective dose (ED50) values. Results Five sodium channel blockers tested (eslicarbazepine, lacosamide, lamotrigine, phenytoin, and rufinamide) were either not efficacious or effective only at doses that were not well-tolerated in this model. In contrast, compounds targeting either GABA receptors (clobazam, clonazepam, phenobarbital) or GABA-uptake proteins (tiagabine) produced dose-dependent efficacy against convulsive seizures. Compounds acting to modulate Ca2+ channels show differential activity: Ethosuximide was not effective, whereas gabapentin was moderately efficacious. Ezogabine and valproate were also highly effective, whereas topiramate and levetiracetam were not effective at the doses tested. Significance These results strengthen the conclusion that the lamotrigine-resistant amygdala kindling model demonstrates pharmacoresistance to certain ASDs, including, but not limited to, sodium channel blockers, and supports the utility of the model for helping to identify compounds with potential efficacy against pharmacoresistant seizures.
The Unbearable Burden of Suffering: Moral Crisis or Structural Failure?

There is inescapable irony in the juxtaposition of the practices and justifications for physician aid-in-dying (PAD) and for involuntary civil commitment for suicide prevention presented by Kious a...
Of body shops, shuls, and shiraz

Completed in March of 2013, the new worship facility for The Congregation or Hadash in Atlanta, Georgia is an adaptive reuse of a vacant automotive paint and body repair facility constructed primarily of concrete, masonry, and metal. The synagogue, which was designed to accommodate 400 families, contains a sanctuary, social hall, chapel, offices, and classrooms along with exterior courtyards and gardens. The focal point for the synagogue is the 450-seat sanctuary which, due to the multinational nature of the congregation, had to promote a high degree of speech intelligibility. Additionally, live music plays a prominent role in typical services; therefore, the acoustics of the room needed to achieve a compromise between the often conflicting demands of these two different types of program. In addition to the architectural realities presented by the existing industrial facility, the building’s location with a high school football stadium located approximately 200’ away provided a significant challenge in the form of environmental noise, particularly on Friday nights when games (with associated marching bands and public address system usage) and services were likely to be concurrently held. However, perhaps the greatest challenge posed was due to client expectations, based on what they had been accustomed to. Sometimes venues need to age like good wine.Completed in March of 2013, the new worship facility for The Congregation or Hadash in Atlanta, Georgia is an adaptive reuse of a vacant automotive paint and body repair facility constructed primarily of concrete, masonry, and metal. The synagogue, which was designed to accommodate 400 families, contains a sanctuary, social hall, chapel, offices, and classrooms along with exterior courtyards and gardens. The focal point for the synagogue is the 450-seat sanctuary which, due to the multinational nature of the congregation, had to promote a high degree of speech intelligibility. Additionally, live music plays a prominent role in typical services; therefore, the acoustics of the room needed to achieve a compromise between the often conflicting demands of these two different types of program. In addition to the architectural realities presented by the existing industrial facility, the building’s location with a high school football stadium located approximately 200’ away provided a significant challenge in th...
The Use of Latent Profiles to Explore the Multi-dimensionality of Self-compassion

Self-compassion is a multi-dimensional construct; however, little is known about the multi-dimensionality because a composite self-compassion score is typically used. The purpose of this study was to explore profiles of the self-compassion dimensions using latent profile analysis. Three healthy, independent samples completed assessments of self-compassion and psychological inflexibility (sample 1 N = 419), perceived stress (sample 2 N = 384), or perceived stress, anxiety, and depression (sample 3 N = 509). Similar profile patterns emerged across three independent samples. Profile differences in composite self-compassion revealed different underlying dimensional patterns that resulted in similar composite self-compassion scores. In addition, some profiles with different composite scores had similar levels of psychological inflexibility or perceived stress. Although there is general support for the use of a composite score representing the relative balance of self-compassion, limitations to representing self-compassion with a single score are highlighted. Key limitations are clarity of what a composite score captures, specific mechanisms underlying the construct, and targeted intervention implications.
Solvation and diffusion of poly(vinyl alcohol) chains in a hydrated inorganic ionic liquid.

While the behavior of polyelectrolyte chains in aqueous salt solutions has been extensively studied, little is known about polar polymer chains in solvents with extremely high concentrations of inorganic ions, such as those found in ionic liquids (ILs). Here, we report on expansion, solvation and diffusion of poly(vinyl alcohol), PVA, chains in dilute solutions of a hydrated inorganic IL phase change material (PCM), lithium nitrate trihydrate (LNH). This solvent has an extremely high concentration of inorganic ions (≈18 M) with a low concentration of water molecules largely forming solvation shells of Li+ and NO3− ions, as shown using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy. Diffusion and hydrodynamic size of PVA chains of different molecular weights in this unusual solvent were studied using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS). A higher scaling exponent obtained from the molecular weight dependences of the diffusion coefficients of PVA chains as well as a lower overlap concentration (c*) of PVA in LNH solutions as measured by FCS suggest an expansion of the polymer coils in this solvent. We argue that enhanced solubility of PVA in LNH solutions is likely a result of increased rigidification of polymer chains due to the binding of solvated Li+ ions, which is demonstrated using 7Li NMR spectroscopy. We believe that an understanding of solvation and ion-binding capability can offer crucial insight into designing polymer-based shape stabilization matrices for inorganic PCMs.
Neurological Diagnostic Testing in Elderly Patients with Acute Altered Mental Status (982)

Objective: To study the frequency of neurological diagnostic testing (NDT) and hospital length of stay (LOS) in elderly patients with altered mental status (AMS). Background: Acute AMS or delirium is a frequent cause or complication of hospitalization in elderly patients. In many cases, it is followed by accelerated cognitive and functional decline leading to higher rates of institutionalization. The common causes of delirium in the elderly are high-risk sedative/psychotropic medication use, systemic infections, and metabolic derangements. These patients often undergo low-yield NDT, including neuroimaging, electroencephalography (EEG) and less frequently cerebrospinal fluid analysis resulting in longer LOS and higher healthcare costs. We studied the etiology, utilization of NDT and LOS in elderly patients with acute AMS. Design/Methods: We collected retrospective data on consecutive patients aged ≥60 years evaluated by the Neurohospitalist Service for acute AMS between 2016–2018 at a tertiary care hospital. The variables assessed included patient demographics, frequency of NDT, etiology of acute AMS based on clinical assessment and ancillary testing, and LOS. Results: In 96 patients studied (mean age 72±8 years, 58% men), acute AMS was related to toxic/metabolic/infectious causes in 75% of cases. Neuroimaging was obtained in almost all cases (head CT scan in 97% and/or brain MRI in 51%), routine EEG in 52% and continuous EEG monitoring in 10%. Lumbar puncture was performed in 11% cases. The average LOS was 21±SD 24 days and median was 12 days (range 1–131). Conclusions: There was a high rate of NDT in acute AMS consults for elderly patients despite the primary etiology being toxic/metabolic/infectious in the majority of cases. The overutilization of NDT likely contributed to longer LOS. Our data highlight the need to implement a risk-stratification-based standardized clinical care pathway for optimal utilization of NDT in elderly patients with AMS. This may help minimize low-yield testing and reduce LOS. Disclosure: Dr. Lau has nothing to disclose. Dr. Gonzalez has nothing to disclose. Dr. Bailey has nothing to disclose. Dr. Lukas has nothing to disclose. Dr. Mayberry has nothing to disclose. Dr. Feldman has nothing to disclose. Dr. Garg has nothing to disclose.
Assessment of dynamic changes in cardiac function during resuscitation of patients with suspected septic shock: A prospective, observational, cohort study.

Abstract Study objective To describe changes in cardiac function throughout the course of resuscitation of patients with suspected septic shock. Methods Prospective observational cohort study of Point-of-Care Transthoracic Echocardiograms (TTE) obtained in Emergency Department (ED) patients with a presumed infectious cause of hypotension within one hour of initiating IV fluid resuscitation. Findings of this pre-resuscitation TTE were compared to mid-resuscitation TTE (obtained upon disposition from the ED), and post-resuscitation TTE (obtained after admission to hospital). Results 22 enrolled patients had a second TTE available for comparison to the initial, pre-resuscitation TTE. 12 patients had a mid-resuscitation TTE and 16 patients had a post-resuscitation TTE. We observed a high incidence of changes on TTE during the clinical course of resuscitation (14/22 [64%]). Patients who developed LV or RV dysfunction during resuscitation were more likely to require vasopressor infusion and ICU admission (Spearman's coefficients [95% CI] of 0.68 [0.36–0.86] and 0.47 [0.04;0.75] respectively). Development of RV dysfunction alone was associated with increased use of positive pressure ventilation and vasopressor infusion (Spearman's coefficients [95% CI] of 0.43 [0;0.72] and 0.47 [0.05,0.75] respectively). Conclusions Cardiac function changes assessed by TTE are common during the resuscitation of patients with septic shock. These changes likely reflect the underlying physiology of patients with septic shock and correlate with need for interventions and higher level of care. Further work is required to characterize these changes and to elucidate how to use these physiologic data to guide management.
Erythroleukemia: an Update

Acute erythroleukemia (AEL) is a rare form of acute myeloid leukemia recognized by erythroblastic proliferation. Many controversies remain around diagnosis influencing prognostic and therapeutic implications relating to this unique leukemia subset. The 2016 WHO classification includes more clear and restrictive diagnostic criteria for AEL. Primary acute erythroid leukemia is associated with complex and high-risk karyotypes including chromosomes 5q and 7q abnormalities. Mutational data shows that AEL is characterized by far lower NPM1 and FLT3-ITD mutation rates and higher mutational rates in TP53 compared with other AML subtypes. Hypomethylating agents have shown therapeutic value in AEL. In this article, we discuss the evolving diagnostic concepts of erythroleukemia, genomics, clinical outcome, and promising therapeutic targets through an appraisal of the current literature.
Statistical Optimality and Computational Efficiency of Nyström Kernel PCA.

Kernel methods provide an elegant framework for developing nonlinear learning algorithms from simple linear methods. Though these methods have superior empirical performance in several real data applications, their usefulness is inhibited by the significant computational burden incurred in large sample situations. Various approximation schemes have been proposed in the literature to alleviate these computational issues, and the approximate kernel machines are shown to retain the empirical performance. However, the theoretical properties of these approximate kernel machines are less well understood. In this work, we theoretically study the trade-off between computational complexity and statistical accuracy in Nystrom approximate kernel principal component analysis (KPCA), wherein we show that the Nystrom approximate KPCA matches the statistical performance of (non-approximate) KPCA while remaining computationally beneficial. Additionally, we show that Nystrom approximate KPCA outperforms the statistical behavior of another popular approximation scheme, the random feature approximation, when applied to KPCA.
Dual functionality of over-lithiated NMC for high energy silicon-based lithium-ion batteries

Owing to their high specific capacity and suitably low operating potential, silicon-based anodes are an attractive alternative to graphite in next-generation lithium-ion batteries. However, silicon anodes suffer from low initial coulombic efficiency and fast capacity decay, limiting their widespread application. Pre-lithiation strategies are highly appealing to compensate for irreversible active lithium loss and to boost the cell energy density. In this work, we maximize the cell energy density by direct pre-lithiation of the NMC (LiNi0.5Mn0.3Co0.2O2) cathode to Li1+xNMCO2 without introducing inactive deadweight to either electrode. First, we demonstrate that Li1+xNMCO2 can be synthesized chemically, via reaction between NMC and lithium napthalide, and electrochemically. The NMC cathode is tolerant of a one-time over-lithiation up to 60 mA h gNMC−1, giving capacity retention on par with untreated NMC in half cell electrochemical cycling. Using synchrotron X-ray absorption spectroscopy (ex situ) and diffraction (in situ), we demonstrate that higher amounts of over-lithiation lead to local structure distortion – driven by transition metal reduction to Jahn–Teller active Mn3+ and Co2+ – as well as bulk structural hysteresis during over-lithiation and layer “buckling” that increases the amount of lithium extracted from the structure in the charged state. The Li1+xNMCO2 with low-to-moderate over-lithiation capacity (23, 46, and 70 mA h gNMC−1) is proven to be a highly effective dual-purpose lithium source and cathode material in full cell tests with a commercially relevant Si–graphite anode. These cells show higher capacity, superior cycle life, and improved coulombic efficiencies when compared to those with stoichiometric NMC cathodes. This study introduces a new and simple method to pre-lithiate layered transition metal oxide cathodes, opening up new possibilities for the development of high energy density lithium-ion batteries with next-generation anodes.
Hospital Length of Stay for Schizophrenia

Objective: The purpose of this study was 3-fold: (i) to determine the distribution of US patients diagnosed with schizophrenia and requiring a hospitalisation in the calendar year 1988 or 1992, by primary payer type (Medicare; Medicaid; or private insurance); (ii) to discern the mean inpatient length of stay and charge per day in 1988 or 1992, by payer type; and (iii) to test for time trends between 1988 and 1992, for inpatient hospital length of stay and charge per day.
On O(sqrt(n))-Worst-Case-Time Solution to the Granularity Problem

In this paper we deal with the granularity problem, that is, the problem of implementing a shared memory in a distributed system where n processors are connected to n memory modules through a complete network (Module Parallel Computer). We present a memory organization scheme where m ∈ ⊗(n2) variables, each replicated into a 2c — 1 copies (for constant c), are evenly distributed among the n modules, so that a suitable access protocol allows any set of at most n distinct read/write operations to be performed by the processors in O(√n) parallel steps in the worst case. The well known strategy based on multiple copies is needed to avoid the worst-case O(n)-time, since only a majority of the copies of each variable need be accessed for any operation. The memory organization scheme can be extended to deal with m ∈ ⊗(n3) variables attaining an O(n2/3)-time complexity in the worst case.
Copper-mediated regulation of cytochrome c553 and plastocyanin in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis 6803

In certain cyanobacteria and algae, cytochrome c553 or plastocyanin can serve to carry electrons from the cytochrome bf complex to photosystem I. The availability of copper in the growth medium regulates which protein is present. To investigate copper induced control of gene expression we isolated these proteins from the cyanobacterium Synechocystis 6803. Using immunodetection and optical spectroscopy, the steady state levels of cytochrome c553 and plastocyanin were measured in cells grown at different copper concentrations. The results show that in cells grown in 20-30 nM copper, cytochrome c553 was present, whereas plastocyanin was not detected. The opposite behavior was observed in cells grown in the presence of 1 microM copper; plastocyanin was present, whereas cytochrome c553 could not be detected. Both proteins were present in cells grown in 0.3 microM copper. Northern analysis of total RNA, probed with a gene fragment for cytochrome c553 or the plastocyanin gene, showed that cells grown in the presence of 20-30 nM copper have message for cytochrome c553, but not for plastocyanin, whereas cells grown in 1 microM copper have message for plastocyanin, but not for cytochrome c553. These results demonstrate that copper regulates expression of both of the genes encoding cytochrome c553 and plastocyanin prior to translation in Synechocystis 6803.
An Analysis of Bodies Having Minimum Pressure Drag in Supersonic Flow: Exploring the Nonlinear Domain

One of the most interesting problems in supersonic aerodynamics has been to find profile shapes that have minimum pressure drag, subject to a set of geometric constraints. Considerable work was done in this area in the fifties, all of which relied on a linearized flow model. We revisit this problem using a more sophisticated flow model. It is logical to expect the optimum profile shape to look different. We confirm this, but also note that the differences are very small. We then examine the equations of fluid flow and try to see why the linearized flow model works well for this problem and where the differences come from.
Cost-effectiveness of hepatitis C treatment for patients in early stages of liver disease

New treatments for hepatitis C virus (HCV) may be highly effective but are associated with substantial costs that may compel clinicians and patients to consider delaying treatment. This study investigated the cost-effectiveness of these treatments with a focus on patients in early stages of liver disease. We developed a state-transition (or Markov) model to calculate costs incurred and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) gained following HCV treatment, and we computed incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (cost per QALY gained, in 2012 US dollars) for treatment at different stages of liver disease versus delaying treatment until the subsequent liver disease stage. Our analysis did not include the potential treatment benefits associated with reduced non–liver-related mortality or preventing HCV transmission. All parameter values, particularly treatment cost, were varied in sensitivity analyses. The base case scenario represented a 55-year-old patient with genotype 1 HCV infection with a treatment cost of $100,000 and treatment effectiveness of 90%. In this scenario, for a 55-year-old patient with moderate liver fibrosis (Metavir stage F2), the cost-effectiveness of immediately initiating treatment at F2 (versus delaying treatment until F3) was $37,300/QALY. For patients immediately treated at F0 (versus delaying treatment until F1), the threshold of treatment costs that yielded $50,000/QALY and $100,000/QALY cost-effectiveness ratios were $22,200 and $42,400, respectively. Conclusion: Immediate treatment of HCV-infected patients with moderate and advanced fibrosis appears to be cost-effective, and immediate treatment of patients with minimal or no fibrosis can be cost-effective as well, particularly when lower treatment costs are assumed. (Hepatology 2015;61:1860–1869)
Landmarks in defense literature

Strategy, Politics and Defense Budgets. By Warner R. Schilling, Paul Y. Hammond and Glenn H. Snyder. Columbia University Press, New York (1962)
Encouraging patient-driven single-embryo transfer

Single-embryo transfer (SET) removes the risk of multiples in in vitro fertilization (IVF), but women with unfavorable IVF prognosis have been dissuaded from SET despite their desire to avoid multiples. In our clinic, 54% of the women who requested SET delivered healthy singletons, even though only two of them had met the American Society for Reproductive Medicine's SET guidelines. This demonstrates the value of encouraging patient-driven SET.
Vascular normalization: a strategy to recondition the tumor immune microenvironment

Meeting abstracts Malignant tumors escape from host immune surveillance through multiple mechanisms. Of these, abnormal tumor vasculature and hypoxia are critical in establishing an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, and consequently, impeding an active cancer immunotherapy. Thus, we
Accuracy of industry and occupation on death certificates of electric utility workers: implications for epidemiologic studies of magnetic fields and cancer.

A substantial epidemiologic literature has relied on occupation and industry information from death certificates to make inferences about the association of electric and magnetic field exposure with cancer, but the validity of the occupational data on death certificates is questionable. We compared occupation and industry information from death certificates to company work histories for 793 electric utility workers who died from brain cancer (n=143), leukemia (n=156), lung cancer (n=246, randomly sampled), and non-cancer causes (n=248, randomly sampled). Nearly 75% of death certificates correctly indicated utility industry employment and of those, 48% matched the longest held occupation derived from company work histories. Hence, only 36% matched on both industry and occupation. We computed odds ratios relating occupations involving magnetic field exposure to brain cancer and leukemia both for the occupation listed on the death certificate and for the longest-held occupation based on company records in order to examine the impact of exposure misclassification based on reliance on the death certificate information. For brain cancer, the odds ratio was 1.2 based on death certificates and 1.7 based on company work history, suggesting some attenuation due to misclassification. For leukemia, death certificate information yielded an odds ratio of 0.9, whereas company work histories yielded an odds ratio of 1.3. Although work histories are limited to the period of employment in a specific company, these data suggest that there is substantial misclassification in use of death certificate information on industry and occupation of utility workers, as found in other industries. The limited quality of occupation and industry information on death certificates argues against relying on such information to evaluate modest associations with mortality. Bioelectromagnetics 20:512–518, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
CONFLICTING IDEOLOGIES AND THE POLITICS OF PORNOGRAPHY

This article analyzes positions on pornography using Q-methodology. Eighty-five respondents sorted a sample of 86 opinion statements on definitions of pornography, personal reactions to it, its causes and effects, and social policy recommendations. Factor analysis was used to identify clusters of individuals in the United States who share common subjectively defined points of view on pornography. The three patterns of responses that emerged from the analysis were labeled Religious-Conservative, Liberal, and Antipornography Feminist. Using the empirical data, we examine the logical and ethical structures of these points of view and their political and legal implications. We conclude that the viewpoints are too incompatible to sustain stable and effective political alignments among the adherents.
Antidepressant drug administration modifies the interactive relationship between α2-adrenergic sensitivity and levels of TNF in the rat brain

Abstract A reciprocally permissive interaction occurs between cellular responses elicited by the pleiotropic cytokine tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF) and α 2 -adrenergic receptor activation, such that each may adapt in response to modifications in the other’s effects. Changes in presynaptic adrenergic sensitivity as well as neuronal sensitivity to TNF have been implicated in the mechanism of action of antidepressant drugs. The present study examines the influence of α 2 -adrenergic receptor activation on levels of TNF in regions of the brain associated with adrenergic function and the expression of mood. Additionally, the role of TNF as a neuromodulator is demonstrated by in vivo microinfusion of rrTNF proximal to the hippocampus. Administration to rats of an α 2 -adrenergic receptor agonist (clonidine) decreases levels of TNF in homogenates of rat locus coeruleus and hippocampus within 7.5 min. Chronic (14 days) administration of the antidepressant drugs desipramine or zimelidine transforms α 2 -adrenergic receptor-dependent decreases in TNF levels to increases in levels of TNF in the locus coeruleus. This transformation to an increase in total levels of TNF also occurs, although transiently, in the hippocampus following acute (1 day) antidepressant drug administration. The effect of TNF on presynaptic α 2 -adrenergic sensitivity was also investigated. Field stimulation of hippocampal slices from rats microinfused with rrTNF proximal to the hippocampus for 14 days demonstrates a decrease in fractional release of [ 3 H]NE and an increase in α 2 -adrenergic autoreceptor sensitivity. These data demonstrate a mutual dependence between α 2 -adrenergic receptor activation and levels of TNF in the central nervous system that would culminate in an increase in neurotransmitter release following antidepressant drug administration.
Immediate effects of high-speed cycling intervals on bradykinesia in Parkinson's disease

AbstractThere is growing evidence that speed-based exercise training benefits people with Parkinson's disease (PD). The present study investigates the effects of a single session of volitional, high-speed cycling intervals on a battery of timed functional tests selected for their relevance to the symptom of bradykinesia. Ten subjects with PD (Hoehn-Yahr stage ≤ 3.0) participated in a familiarization session and three test sessions. Functional testing occurred before and after 30 minute sessions in which subjects performed no exercise (NO), pedaled at their preferred cadence (PC), or performed 20, 15-second intervals of high-speed low-resistance cycling (HS-LR). In addition to testing the exercise effects in a within-subjects design, we provide test–retest reliability data, minimal detectable change scores, and correlations among the selected functional tests. Despite the relatively low dose of speed-based exercise, HS-LR elicited significant (p < 0.05) improvements in the four square step test and 10 m wa...
IN-OUT FORMALISM FOR NONRELATIVISTIC QUANTUM MECHANICS

Abstract A great deal of interest has been shown recently in the problem of incorporating bound states in relativistic field theories. It is the purpose of this article to point out that if one second-quantizes nonrelativistic quantum mechanics, it becomes amenable to treatments similar to those proposed for relativistic theories. Since nonrelativistic quantum mechanics is much better understood than the relativistic theories, it is possible to test any suggestions made for discussing the latter problem by applying them to the simpler model. In the course of such an investigation it is found that a method proposed by Zimmerman for finding the commutation relations for the in and out operators contains an error. The investigation also suggests that none of the methods so far proposed for introducing in-out operators for bound states seems entirely satisfactory. It is suggested that the procedure used for the nonrelativistic problem has a natural generalization to the relativistic case, and this is outlined.
Critical periods in the organization of systems

The general theory of critical periods applies to organizational processes involved in the development of any living system on any level of organization and states that the time during which an organizational process is proceeding most rapidly is the time when the process may most easily be altered or modified. Complex organizational processes involving 2 or more interdependent subprocesses may show 1 to several critical periods, depending on the time relationships of the subprocesses. The nature of the relationships between interdependent processes operating on different levels is again dependent on time and is a more meaningful formulation than that of the old “innate-acquired” dichotomy. These theoretical considerations lead to the conclusion that understanding a critical-period phenomenon rests on analyzing the nature of the organizational process or processes involved. An example is given in a review of research on the critical period for primary socialization (social attachment) in the dog. Evidence that attachment has taken place consists of discriminative behavior in relation to familiar and unfamiliar objects and rests on a minimum of 3 processes: (1) organization of the separation distress response; (2) visual and auditory sensory capacities; and (3) long-term associative memory capacities. Once these capacities are developed, the overall attachment process proceeds very rapidly (the critical period for such attachment). Thus the critical periods for the organizational subprocesses precede or slightly overlap that for the overall process. Deeper analyses of these processes must rest on neurophysiological research. The theory of critical periods is a general one that should apply to any developmental organizational process which proceeds at grossly different rates at different times.
Moon-Mercury - Relative preservation states of secondary craters

Geologic studies including mapping of the Kuiper quadrangle of Mercury suggest that secondary craters are much better preserved than those on the moon. Factors which may account for the apparent differences between lunar and Mercurian secondary crater morphology include: (1) the rapid isostatic adjustment of the parent crater, (2) different impact fluxes of the two planets, (3) the greater concentration of Mercurian secondaries around impact areas, and (4) differences in crater ejection velocities. It has been shown that the ejection velocities on Mercury are about 50% greater than those on the moon at equivalent ranges. This may account for morphologically enhanced secondary craters, and may explain their better preservation with time.